Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness, requiring antipsychotic treatment. Relapses are associated with poor prognosis and treatment adherence is a major factor in relapse. Long-acting injectable antipsychotics increase adherence, can reduce relapse and improve long-term outcomes.

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of paliperidone palmitate (PP) in terms of hospital admissions.

Patients were included in the study if they had been treated with PP for at least one year. The number of days during hospital admissions before and after initiation of PP was assessed in a mirror image design.

61 patients in the study had been treated for at least 1 year. The mean age of patients was 44 years old and 61% were male (n=37). The commonest diagnosis was schizophrenia (n=51).

In the year before initiation of PP, there were 64 admissions totalling 6089 days for all the patients, with an average of 99.8 days per patient in hospital. During the first year of treatment with PP, there were 22 admissions totalling 1412 days, with an average of 23 days per patient in hospital. 69% of patients had no admissions on PP.

In this naturalistic audit looking at admission data, treatment with PP resulted in a reduction in the number of hospital days by 76.8%. More than two-thirds of patients experienced no admissions during treatment with PP. This suggests that Paliperidone Palmitate can be effective in treating Schizophrenia as well as cost-effective treatment by reducing hospital admissions.

Cognitive dysfunction represents an essentials feature of schizophrenia. Patients with schizophrenia have substantial memory deficits.

To examine memory deficits in first episode schizophrenia, characterise the nature of impairment and specify the relationships with the duration of untreated psychosis.

40 first episode schizophrenia patients admitted to the Second Psychiatric Clinic Cluj, Romania and 50 healthy controls were assessed with memory tests from CANTAB battery (Spatial Working Memory, Paired Associates Learning and Spatial Span) and with Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was used to quantify symptom severity.

Statistical analysis: Results were analysed using SPSS 12 applying ANOVA, ANCOVA, chi square test and Pearson correlations. Duration of untreated psychosis was log10 transformed to reduce skew.

First episode schizophrenia patients scored significantly poorer then healthy subjects on all memory tests. Spatial working memory was impaired due to inadequate strategy use. Worse performance correlated with longer duration of untreated psychosis.

Impairments in memory are already present in first episode schizophrenia patients.

EEX grant 97/2006

Psychiatric comorbidities are very prevalence among heroin dependents yet many MMT sites do not have specific mental health services tailored to this dual diagnosis group. The prevalence rates are ranging from 30–90% depending on settings and tools use to measure the psychiatric morbidity. Both substance use disorder and psychiatric disorder need simultaneos treatment in dual diagnosis population. Failure to address any of the condition may affect and complicate each other condition.

To investigate the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity and their psychosocial correlates among heroin dependents seeking MMT treatment in UMMC.

To determine whether we need to suggest dual diagnosis services in MMT sites.

A cross sectional, face to face interview was conducted in UMMC from October to December 2008. We interview those stable MMT clients( > one month treatment) who are above 18 years old and consented and fulfilled diagnostic citeria for heroin dependence syndrome in according to DSM IV. MINI Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) was used to measure psychiatric morbidity among 100 MMT clients using convenience sampling. The data was analysed using SPSS 16.

Nearly half of the 100 clients (57 %) have at least one psychiatric illness. The most common psychiatric morbidity are the Anti Social Personality, Major Depressive Disorder, Suicidality and Psychotic Disorder Lifetime.

The prevalence of psychiatric morbidity is high as compared to general population.

Our finding is comparable with other studies which show similar result. There is a need for specific intervention for this dual diagnosis group for more effective treatment.

Identification of dependence of dynamic of mental health of the family in the process of demographic reproduction with adaptive possibilities of family members.

Complex investigation of 249 families of patients with mental disorders has been carried out revealing new forms of family and identification of qualitative and quantitative parameters of family interrelations with scale of family adaptation and cohesion FACES.

Peculiarities of the contemporary family are as follows:

1. 1) family with one child predominates;

2. 2) number of birth beyond registered marriage increases;

3. 3) marriage consciously without children;

4. 4) process of nuclearization;

5. 5) open marriage;

6. 6) marital contract;

7. 7) alternative families emerge;

8. 8) number of lonely people and people consciously avoiding to get married increases.

Families according to degree of cohesion have been divided into balanced - 69% and imbalanced - 31% of families. According to degree of adaptability there were 39% of balanced families, 61% - imbalanced. We observe variability of families. For real cohesion disconnected level is typical, for adaptation - chaotic style. Thus, concordance of real and ideal images about the family is absent. Thereby we have identified potential possibilities of the families. Most of them pass onto balanced level of cohesion (5 types of families in total), remaining at the level of chaotic forms of adaptation when there are conditions for changes.

Mental health of the family at various stages of development of family system depends on adaptive possibilities.

To present the treatment period of generalized anxiety disorder in a pregnant woman, and effects of psychotropic drugs in the newborn and infancy period.

A 33-year-old female who has eight weeks of gestation, is diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder according to DSM-IV-R. Psychotropic drugs are decided to use. She had sertraline 100 mg/day, olanzapine 10 mg/day, quetiapine XR 400 mg/day and clorpromazine 100 mg/day as the final medication in her second trimester. Her anxiety symptoms have regressed in clinical follow-up period. No obstetric problem during the pregnancy period and no clinical problem during the prenatal follow-up period was observed. Drugs were decreased gradually at the last month of the birth and the patient was followed up without all drugs in the last two weeks prior to the birth. Birth was by cesarean section on term and the birth weight of the baby was normal. His APGAR score was 5 and he has either respiratory or any clinic problem to be monitored in the couveuse. According to the information obtained from her mother, the infant has normal motor and mental development during his two years follow-up in regional healthcare center.

When anxiety disorders are not treated during pregnancy, it is reported that, pregnancy and obstetric complications can arise, health status of newborn can be effected negatively, and can result in preterm birth, low birth weight and intrauterin growth retardation. Therefore, clinicians should prefer the most confident treatment options and track individualized treatment and patient follow-up strategies.

Individuals with schizophrenia suffer from deficits in social skills, lack of motivation and social rejection. Web-browsing seems to create opportunities to forge social ties, bypassing traditional social skills and rejection.

Assessing web-browsing habits and web based social interaction among individuals with schizophrenia.

1. 1) Comparison of internet use for virtual relationships among patients suffering from psychotic spectrum disorders, non-psychotic patients and healthy subjects.

2. 2) Examining correlation between creating virtual relationships and real-life social interactions among these groups.

The web-browsing habits, social skills and demographic data of 143 patients suffering from Psychotic spectrum disorders were evaluated via the use of self- administered questionnaires, clinical data and information from their computerized medical files. As control groups, similar data were collected from a group of Non-psychotic patients (n = 118) and healthy volunteers (n = 100).

When controlling the demographic data for the three groups, no difference was found in the extent of creating virtual and real-life social interactions via internet use. A trend association could be seen between the Psychotic group and creating virtual relationships. All groups exhibited significant correlations between creating virtual and real-life relationships through the internet. However, the Psychotic group exhibited a higher correlation (r = .76;p < 0.01) than the Non-psychotic group (r = .52;p < 0.01) and the Control group (r = .32;p < 0.01).

This study provides preliminary data regarding internet use for social interaction among individuals with schizophrenia. Our results suggest that these individuals do benefit from internet use, as it seems to enhance their social abilities.

Perceived and anticipated stigma are relevant issues in patients with schizophrenia. Stigma has negative consequences both in quality of life and in the course of illness.

To analyze differences in perceived and anticipated discrimination in two groups of patients with schizophrenia: one with a recent diagnosis of illness and another with a long course of disease.

A cross-sectional study was carried out in a sample of 100 patients with diagnosis of schizophrenia, 18 or more years old, clinically stabilized, without axis I DSM-IV comorbidity. Patients received treatment in the outpatient services of a catchment area in Madrid. Perceived and anticipated discrimination was evaluated trough the DISC-12 (Discrimination and Stigma scale). Other study variables were: socio-demographic status, length of disease, symptoms of depression (Calgary Scale) and functionality degree measured by Global Assessment of Function (GAF). Two sub-groups of patients were compared: one with a length of illness below 5 years and a second one with a length of illness over 5 years.

Patients with a length of illness longer than 5 years showed elevated degree of perceived and anticipated discrimination compared with patients with less than 5 years of illness course. In the same way, patients with a recent diagnosis of illness showed increased scores in the measure of face the stigma.

Preventive strategies to avoid the stigma in schizophrenia should consider some differences in patients in relationship with the length of evolution of illness in order to be more accurate. Early intervention programs about stigma are necessary.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Patients with schizophrenia in particular are reported to engage in violent acts that are more frequent and more severe compared with other psychiatric illnesses. The aim of this study was to identify the risk factors associated with violence among schizophrenic patients.

A convenience sample of 140 inpatient schizophrenic patients were recruited in this study. Schizophrenia was diagnosed using the structured clinical interview for DSM-IV axis l? disorders, clinical version (SCID-I-CV). Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was applied to the patients. Presence of violence was assessed using the Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS)and perceived family criticism was assessed using the Family Emotional Involvement and Criticism Scale (FEICS)

of the 140 schizophrenic patients, 66 (47.1%) reported a presence of violence as a cause for their admission. Presence of positive symptoms and excitement, Male gender, non-compliance with treatment, presence of previous hospitalizations due to violence, and higher levels of perceived family criticism were found to be significantly associated with violence among schizophrenic patients. (OR= 2.1, 1.16, 1.27, 1.14, 1.34, 1.20 respectively).

Positive symptoms of schizophrenia, male gender, non-compliance with treatment, a history of violence and perceived family criticism were found to be associated with violence among schizophrenic patients in the current study. All these factors should be considered in the treatment regimen of schizophrenia to decrease violence among those patients.

The study used psychometric method. The validated scales used were Leonhard Personality Inventory, NEO-PI-R, SAS, SDS, HCL-32- R1, Holmes and Rahe stress scale, SAF. We included all patients who have applied to the Institute of Plastic Surgery and Cosmetology from February 2012 to June 2012 and who gave Inform Consent.

Study sample consists of 123 patients (103 women), 18-70 years. In the group of cosmetologists’ patients (n=92; 76 women; mean age 44,6+-2,5 years) histrionic and anxiety-phobic personality traits predominated. Constitutionally determined or gained extroversion, expressivity, impulsivity and emotional instability were detected. Anxiety symptoms were detected in 32,4% of patients; depressive symptoms were detected in 35,8% of patients. In the group of plastic surgeons’ patients (n=31; 27 women; mean age 36,7+-1,8 years) pedantic, sticking and disthymic personality traits predominated. Introversion, high level of self-control and detachment were detected. Anxiety symptoms were detected in 22,9% of patients; depressive symptoms were detected in 21,7% of patients.

Our data give evidence of statistically significant differences in pathocharacterological and pathopsychological traits of plastic surgeons and cosmetologists’ patients. about one-third of these patients report about symptoms of depression, anxiety and hypomania. Complex diagnostic examination needed in order to determine nosological diagnosis and treatment strategies.

An urgent problem all over the world is the growing number of adolescents with maladaptive (Internet addicted) Internet use.

To study the prevalence of various types of online behavior in adolescents in the southern regions of Siberia (Caucasians and Mongoloids).

4351 adolescents aged 12-18 in the city of Krasnoyarsk and the city of Abakan (Republic of Khakassia) were surveyed. Ethnicity is determined by the nationality of the mother. Online behavior was studied using the Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS): adaptive internet use (API) – 27-42 points, non-adaptive (NPI) – 43-64 points and pathological (PPI) ≥ 65 points. The indicators were compared in 2 groups: Caucasians and Mongoloids. The program “Statistica 12” was used, the percentage of the share, the significance of the differences (p) and the values of the Pearson χ2 test were indicated.

Caucasians by their mothers accounted for 3663 (84.2%) and the share of Mongoloids reached 688 (15.8%). AIP was recorded in 44.0% of Caucasians and 7.9% of Mongoloids (p <0.0001; χ2 = 1474.99), NPI was recorded in 34.7% of Caucasians and 6.2% of Mongoloids (p <0.0001; χ2 = 1084.65), PPI was found in 5.5% of Caucasians and 1.7% of Mongoloids (p <0.0001; χ2 = 90.49).

Ethnic features of the prevalence of online behavior in adolescents in the southern regions of Siberia include a higher frequency of NPI and PPI in Caucasians compared to Mongoloids. The reported study was funded by RFBR according to the research project № 18-29-22032\18.

The reported study was funded by RFBR according to the research project № 18-29-22032\18.