The electroconvulsive therapy is an ancient therapeutic technique used in the traitment of certain psychiatric diseases.

discuss the technical aspects, indications, therapeutic response and tolerance of ECT

This was a descriptive retrospective study that interested all patients who were hospitalized in the psychiatric department of the Mahdia University Hospital in 2017 and 2018 and were benefited from ECT sessions

The number of patients who received ECT was 34, representing 4.33% of patients, 25 men and 9 women with an average age of 39, the number of ECT sessions was 785. The major diagnosis was bipolar disorder in 47,1% of patients, followed by schizophrenia in 35,3% and major depressive disorder in 14,7 %. Resistance to treatment and major suicidal risk were the main indications. All sessions were performed in a bilateral temporal mode. the initial energy delivered varied between 50 and 101 millicoulombs. The duration of the crise obtained was predominantly between 21 and 30 seconds. The average number of sessions during the attack phase was 13.88, whereas it was 2.5 sessions during the consolidation phase. The mean scores of the psychometric evaluations showed a marked improvement, especially in the mania scores (65.89%) and the beck depression inventory (63.55%). Only four incidents were reported in all patients. Only five patients (14,7%) had side effects and the most marked effect was anterograde amnesia.

Mental health programs in Tunisia should promote the generalization of this method throughout the Tunisian territory, given the efficacy demonstrated in mood disorder, several psychoses and other psychiatric pathologie.

To investigate the effect of saikosaponin B2 on the damage of cultured SH-SY5Y cells.

10% calf serum including volume fraction 0.05, 0.10, 0.20 saikosaponin B2 (10−4mol·L−1) were added respectively into the SH-SY5Y cells, which were then treated with 140 μmol· L−1 hydrogen peroxide(H2O2). 10% calf serum group and blank serum without H2O2-treated group were as the model group and the control group. The effect of saikosaponin B2 was observed by morphological identification, colorimetric MTT assay.

Both saikosaponin B2 of 10−6mol·L−1 and 2 × 10−6mol·L−1 can relieve the damage of SH-SY5Y cells and increase the survival of the cells.

saikosaponin B2 can protect the cultured SH-SY5Y cells from damage induced by H2O2.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

There is a limited amount of data regarding the relationship between epilepsy and psychiatric symptoms and quality of life (QoL) in children and adolescents.

The aim of this study was to determine the levels of depression, anxiety and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQL) in children and adolescents with epilepsy.

The sample consisted of 75 children with epilepsy and 50 healthy controls aged 8–18 years. Questionnaires were used to evaluate the psychiatric status and HRQL of the patients.

Patients had lower child-rated psychosocial and total area HRQL scores, and lower parent-rated psychosocial, physical and total area HRQL scores than the controls did. Inattention scores of the epilepsy group were significantly higher compared to controls. No significant differences were found between patients and controls in terms of anxiety and depression scores. Regarding determinants of HRQL, severity of depression and anxiety had a decreasing effect on child-rated HRQL total scores; and severity of anxiety had a decreasing effect on parent-rated HRQL total scores.

Epilepsy is associated with poor QoL in childhood and severity of depression and anxiety are among the determinants of QoL. Clinicians should be more aware of accompanying psychiatric symptoms in epileptic patients and take the necessary precautions in the early period of the illness in an effort to improve QoL.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

In 2012, forensic psychology Professor Jane Ireland published initial research claiming that two third of psychological assessment reports sampled from UK family courts were ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’. ‘Fitness to practice’ concerns were raised by vested interest and dismissed after a 1-week hearing – four years later.

The presentation outlines the nature of various UK institutions, such as family courts, HCPC and GMC as well as their practices which raise questions about their fitness to regulate.

Delegates will start to learn how institutions that purport to serve public interest yet can be easily exploited by vested interests.

Case studies are used to illustrate how extremely serious concerns were ignored but persecution concerns upheld.

In one case, four courts appointed experts ignored an obvious child trafficking process where a toddler was raped to cover up birth and disappearance of a newborn baby that succeeded from incestuous rape. In spite of a clinical psychologist failing to cover the two index incidents, the concerns did not meet the HCPC ‘Standard of Acceptance’. A ‘revenge concern’ was raised by vested interests. In another case, the GMC refused to investigate a psychiatrist who had lied and rather absurdly claimed that repeatedly seeking return of her children was evidence for a mother's personality disorder. In a widely publicized case Psychiatrist Dr Hibbert accused of unnecessarily, breaking up families was investigated but cleared of misconduct by the GMC.

Institutions tasked with protecting public safety and fairness appear to be unduly biased towards shielding inadequate professionals and persecuting whistle-blowers.

The author has not supplied his/her declaration of competing interest.

The experience of labor varies markedly from women to Women. While medications can help women cope with the pain of labor, they usually come with side effects that women did not expect or want. There are many non medical ways to cope with the pain which has not side effect.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of emotional and physical support during labor for primiparouse women.

In this clinical trial study, convenience sample of 80 primiparous women who fulfilled the inclusion criteria was recruited from one hospital in Sanandaj (Center of Kurdistan provenice), Iran. They were randomly divided in Two groups (Case and Control). Data were collected from May to October 2008 using a demographic form and Visual Analoge Scale(VAS).

The study revealed that emotional and physical support during labor cause women has better tolerance of pain. Furthermore, comparison pain intensity among two groups in dillatation 8 and 10 cm was statically significant (p < 0/03& p = 0/000).

Emotional and physical support during labor can be considered as a non pharmacological therapeutic method to reduce labor pain and decrease side effect of drugs. In addition, education and using of this method increases women satisfying from labor and natural delivery and to make better experience of motherhood.

In adults with intellectual disability and autism, psychosis is rarely detected due to misinterpretation of psychotic symptoms being autism or idiosyncratic communication. The patients can poorly communicate the delusions and hallucinations they experience. Observable indicators are therefore necessary.

To establish reliable and valid behavioural indicators of psychosis in adults with intellectual disability and autism.

The aim was to investigate behavioural indicators of psychosis in adults with intellectual disability and autism.

Forty-three patients with intellectual disability and autism from a hospital-based study were recruited. Eight of these patients were assessed as having schizophrenia-like psychosis. They were further examined through a case-report study. Both statistical analysis and data from the case reports were included. Case report data were compared with scores from a validation study of the Psychopathology in Autism Checklist, PAC.

Behavioural disorganisation, severe decreased global functioning, suspected hallucinations and decreased sociability were observed in the eight psychotic patients. The level of disorganisation was significantly higher in the psychotic patients than in the non-psychotic patients - this included patients with “plain” autism. Adequate treatment significantly decreased the level of disorganised behaviour.

Disorganised behaviour, occurring concurrent with disorganised speech, severe decreased global functioning, suspected hallucinations and negative symptoms, were found to be reliable and valid indicators of psychosis.

This study examines the cumulative effect of life events in physical and mental symptoms. We have two main goals:

1. 1. Investigating the cumulative effect of life events in the health of the individual;

2. 2. Examining the relationship between the nature of adverse events and type of symptoms presented in terms of physical and mental health.

Data collection was performed in the general population, in 2 different moments: time 1 (T1) and time 2 (T2) spaced of nine months. The sample consisted initially by 552 individuals, and by 328 individuals at T2. A correlational design was used.

The number of life events, with impact on the individual, accumulated throughout the 9 months shows significant relationships with the physical and mental health in last evaluation. The hassles with impact for the individual are the events most relevant in terms of health. Certain circumstances of life are more closely related to mental health (changing the frequency of familiar meetings, the non-recognition of tasks, the workload increased). Others are more related to physical health (have been robbed or stolen, infidelity).

Findings suggest the importance of hassles in the heath and some specificity in the relation with the life events and the physical and mental symptoms.

Current treatment approaches for depression center on various forms of psychosocial therapy and the use of antidepressant drugs. The response rates for both of these approaches are similar, with mostly reduction, but not complete remission, of symptoms. Poor adherence to recommended treatment is an issue complicating the management of depression and prevention of recurrent episodes. This study evaluated the efficacy of a novel form of receptive music therapy which can be easily adminstered to out patients.

Enrolled subjects (n=203, average age 49.6 ± 13.1 years, 28.1% male) were randomized into four arms: Music Therapy 1 (MT1), Music Therapy 2 (MT2), Placebo (nature sounds) and waiting-list Control. Subjects listened for 30 minutes, twice daily. Multivariate linear regression models assessed depressive symptom changes over five weeks, based on a composite scale (COMP) and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-D) alone.

On average, a significant, positive change in COMP was observed for MT1 (β=1.44, p=0.030), but not for MT2 (β=1.14, p=0.059) or Placebo (β=0.57, p=0.397). After 15 weeks, study participation was associated with a mean HAM-D score reduction of 60% for 89,1% of the compliant probands.

Newly composed receptive music therapy, as explored in this study, is associated with reduced depressive symptoms and high treatment compliance, and may therefore potentially represent an effective depression treatment alternative or adjunctive therapy to pharmacological and psychosocial approaches.

To investigate variations in cortical thickness (CT) in GAD patients versus healthy controls (HCs).

GAD patients and matched HCs underwent a 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) session.

Structural MRI was acquired from 24 DSM-IV GAD patients (age=41±13.9) and 23 HCs (age=39±13.4). CT was estimated using Freesurfer5.3 (Fischl and Dale, 2000). Results were manually corrected if necessary. We considered 21 regions of interest (ROIs) per hemisphere (4 cingulate, 6 frontal, 3 parietal, 5 temporal, 1 occipital, entorhinal, insula), for each of which a mean CT value was calculated. A t-test was performed for each region, correcting results for multiple comparisons.

The groups were statistically homogeneous in terms of age, gender, handedness, and IQ (p>0.05). Though ROI volumes were preserved in GAD (p>0,05; Bonferroni corrected), a significantly reduced CT was found in right caudal middle (t(46)=3.621, p=0.015) and right superior frontal (t(46)=3.215, p=0.049) regions.

The found decreased CT in GAD patients compared to HCs in superior frontal and caudal middle areas (right side) sustains prior neuroimaging findings showing abnormalities in prefrontal cortex. Reduced right frontal CT may be involved in cognitive dysfunction and symptomatology of the disorder.

Gooddoctor-patient communication has been shown to have a positive impact on anumber of health outcomes in previous studies.

to assess the communications skills used by mentalhealth professionals(MHP).

This study explore the impact of clinical factors relatedMHP (communications skills) may have on treatment adherence of patients withmental health disorders (MHD).

In this crosssectional study we use a convenience sample of patients with MHD attending inthe mental health departments of three general hospitals in Lisbon greatarea. Data is being collected through individual interviews. We have appliedclinical and socio-demographic questionnaire and additional measures to assesssymptom severity, treatment adherence and attitudes towards medication. For MHP we used a optimism scale (ETOS) and Medication Alliance Beliefs Questionnaire (MABQ.

Two conveniencesamples were composed by 121 patients(mean age= 39.8; SD± 9.3) with MHDand 60 MHP (mean age 37.0; sd 8.4)working in a varietyof settings is being collected.69.4%(84) of patients said that MHP did notspoke about the way to deal with the possible side effects ofmedications and only 20%(12) of MHP, said that have a specific training incommunication skills.

Communication skills should be improved andphysicians should take a more active role in improving patient treatment adherence. Do not just prescribe medication, it is necessary to adapt the treatment to theprofile and characteristics of each patient, assessing risk factors andfacilitate the clarification of doubts. Successful collaboration requirestailoring strategies to individual patients rather than basing communication ongeneral assumptions.

It has long been recognized that there are difficulties in obtaining valid mortality rates for suicides. The evidence indicated that suicides are sometimes misclassified and “hidden” as accidental. Suicide by motor vehicle crash is a recognized phenomenon, leading to under-reporting of the actual number of suicides and inaccuracies in the suicides mortality statistics. Road traffic accident mortality and the suicides rates in Russia are both among the highest in the world. This phenomenon has attracted much attention in recent years, but remains poorly understood.

The present study aims to test the hypothesis of the close aggregate level link between road traffic accident mortality and the suicides rates in Russia.

Trends in sex-specific road traffic accident mortality and the suicides rates from 1956 to 2015 were analyzed employing a distributed lags analysis in order to assess bivariate relationship between the two time series.

The graphical evidence suggests that the trends in both road traffic accident mortality and the suicides for male and female seem to follow each other across the time series. The results of analysis indicate the presence of a statistically significant association between the two time series for male at lag zero. This association for female was also positive, but statistically non-significant.

This study indirectly supports the hypothesis that many of road traffic accident deaths in Russia are likely to have been suicides. Alternatively, common confounding variables, including binge drinking and psychosocial distress, may explain positive aggregate-level association between the two time series.

The author has not supplied his/her declaration of competing interest.

Stress is a key feature of many aetiological models of psychosis and there is considerable empirical evidence implicating stress in the development of psychosis. This paper investigates the role of psychosocial stress in the onset of psychosis by examining the relationship between current and lifetime exposure to traumatic experiences and psychosocial stressors, HPA axis function, and psychopathology in people at high risk of developing psychosis.

Sixty ‘high risk’ (HR) participants were compared with 50 healthy control (HC) participants on measures of exposure to psychosocial stressors. Subgroups of HR and HC participants which provided saliva samples were compared regarding measures of HPA axis function.

HR participants were exposed to greater levels of psychosocial stress than HC participants. Specifically, HR participants were more likely to have been separated from their parents (p = .003), report severe parental antipathy (p = .011), and have been bullied while growing up (p = .024). HR participants experienced greater levels of perceived stress than HC participants (p = .001) and were more likely to have had a negative life event in the previous 6 months (p < .001). Positive correlations were found between current stress and number of life events and attenuated psychotic symptoms (r = .585, p < .001, and r = .384, p = < .001, respectively) in the HR participants.

This study shows that people at high risk of developing psychosis experience greater levels of psychosocial stress than matched healthy control participants throughout the lifetime, from early childhood to the present day, and that current stress is strongly associated with psychotic symptomatology.