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Neuronal pentraxin-2 (NPTX2, an immediate-early gene), which regulates synapse activity and neuroplasticity, plays an essential role in the neurodevelopmental process. NPTX2 possibly enhances the accumulation of amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic receptors (AMPAR) on the postsynaptic membranes and stimulates excitatory synaptogenesis. We aimed to evaluate the plasma concentrations of NPTX2 of patients with schizophrenia in acute psychotic episodes compared with matched community-based controls.Ninety-three (93) patients diagnosed with schizophrenia according to DSM-5 and 83 healthy controls were included. The patients, all of which were in acute psychotic episodes, were recruited from the inpatient clinic. The patients were assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Clinical Global Impression- Severity (CGIS) scale, whereas the healthy subjects were evaluated with Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5) to exclude any major psychiatric diagnoses.NPTX2 serum concentrations were significantly higher in the schizophrenia group (p 0.001). NPTX2 levels negatively correlated with age (p = 0.004) and PANSS-positive symptom scores (p 0.001). The most determinant factors in predicting the change in NPTX2 levels were PANSS-positive symptom and general psychopathology scores.We conclude that NPTX2 could be involved in schizophrenia pathophysiology and valuable as a synapse-derived and glutamate-related biomarker. Further studies in larger samples assessing NPTX2 levels in remitted schizophrenia patients and combining neuroimaging techniques and cognitive evaluations with blood samples are needed.

The objective of this study is to investigate a possible correlation between anxiety status and anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) levels among healthcare professionals who provide medical care directly to COVID-19-positive patients during the recent pandemic. Fifty-two healthcare professionals (nurses, midwives, and residents) who provide medical care directly to COVID-19-positive patients in inpatient clinics or intensive care units were enrolled in this study. Serum AMH levels were analyzed to reflect ovarian reserve. The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S and STAI-T, respectively) were completed by participants to assess their anxiety status. A linear regression model with participant age as the constant variable was applied to analyze the relationship between inventory scale scores and AMH levels. P-values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. The mean AMH value was significantly lower for the participants in the moderate/severe anxiety group compared to the minimal/mild anxiety group (p = 0.007). A linear regression analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between AMH levels and both BAI (B = -0.030, standard error = 0.010, p = 0.004) and STAI-S and STAI-T scores when age was controlled (both p = 0.003). The severity of anxiety experienced during the recent COVID-19 pandemic among healthcare professionals, who provide medical care directly to COVID-19-positive patients, is found to be related to low AMH levels.

Aminoacylase 1 (ACY1) catalyzes the hydrolysis reaction during protein degradation. N-acetylamino acids are accumulated in the urine in Aminoacylase 1 deficiency (ACY1D). This study attempts to evaluate the potential of ACY1 as a biomarker for schizophrenia and predict genetic vulnerability in the high-risk population.Seventy patients with schizophrenia, twenty-five of which have newly diagnosed, forty-nine unaffected siblings of patients, and fifty-six healthy controls were included in the study. The ELISA method was used to measure serum ACY1. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and The Clinical Global Impression - Severity scale (CGI-S) were used to analyze the severity of the symptoms. Data were analysed statistically by non-parametric tests.The finding of the study indicated that the serum levels of ACY1 in patients and siblings were lower compared to healthy controls (This study is the first to evaluate the serum ACY1 levels in patients with schizophrenia. The result of the study provides us insight regarding the first hints that ACY1 might be a potential biomarker. Being aware of the molecule will pave the way for further explorations in the field.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to measure people's perceptions, attitudes, and behavior regarding the New Coronavirus Pandemic and the process itself in our country, to examine social tendencies towards the pandemic, and to develop recommendations for policymakers based on the findings. Methods: According to the survey, 40 percent of the participants said their anxiety about death and dying has increased. In comparison, 51 percent reported that their anxiety about getting the virus has increased, and 79 percent stated that their anxiety about losing their loved ones has increased. Especially the existential anxiety of women, those in the lowest income group working in jobs that require close contact, is much higher than men. Strong social ties are an influential factor in alleviating people's anxiety. Results: Sixty-six percent of the respondents stated they feared that they will not be able to meet their basic needs in the future, and 58 percent reported that their income has decreased after the pandemic;only 14.80 percent stated that they find people to be generally trustworthy. As the variables of age, income, and education level decrease, so does trust. The findings reveal that the level of trust is lower among women than men. The percentage of those who see coronavirus as “a conspiracy of the great powers” is 56.5 percent in Turkey. Twenty-seven percent of the respondents reported that verbal violence, and 17 percent said physical violence has increased around them after the coronavirus. On the other hand, 11 percent stated that verbal violence, while 4 percent stated that physical violence against them has increased during the same period. Conclusion: This research shows that existential anxiety in society increases as the duration of the pandemic increases. Over time the people have become tired. The pandemic has triggered some negative attitudes such as indifference, weariness, and denial, resulting in developing a type of come-what-may mood in some people. Those who have relatively strong social ties (high level of trust) and those who rely on state institutions cope more easily with the uncertainty and anxiety posed by the pandemic. Social policies to be followed by the state are of vital importance to reduce the economic and psycho-social problems of the society. © 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Turkey has witnessed an increase in migration of people belonging to neighboring countries due to civil war. Traumatic life events experienced by refugees bring along mental problems. Their psychological resilience enables them to cope with these difficulties. In this study, 101 Iraqi Turkoman refugees who migrated to Turkey following the increasing civil war events in their country were evaluated psychologically. Sociodemographic data form Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA) and Clinician-Administered Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Scale (CAPS) were used for psychological evaluation. The prevalence of lifetime post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among the refugees was 25.7%. There was no significant difference between the psychological resilience of the patients who developed PTSD and those who did not (p = 0.709). As the severity of trauma decreased, psychological resilience increased in the people who developed PTSD (p = 0.001, r = −0.622). Considering the psychological resilience of refugees, the area with the highest resilience is access to social resources, while the area with the lowest is the planned future. It was observed that the basic needs of refugees after migration could not be met clearly compared to the ones before migration. It was noteworthy that in cases diagnosed with PTSD, CAPS scores increased (p = 0.011, r: 0.251) and resilience decreased (p

Objective: Bipolar disorder and unipolar depressive disorder are complex phenotypes. There appear to be phenotypical, mechanistic, and therapeutic differences between bipolar depression (BD) and unipolar depression (UD). There is a need for understanding the underlying biological variation between these clinical entities. The role of oxidative processes underlying bipolar disorder and depression has been demonstrated. Thiol-disulfide homeostasis (TDH) is a recent oxidative stress marker. In this study, we aimed to inspect patients with bipolar depression and unipolar depression in terms of thiol-disulfide balance and to compare them with healthy controls.Methods: Patients admitted to the outpatient clinic of Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital and diagnosed either as a depressive episode with bipolar disorder (n = 37) or unipolar depression (n = 24) according to DSM-5 criteria, along with healthy controls (HC) (n = 50), were included in the study. Native thiol, total thiol, and disulfide levels were compared across the groups.Results: In comparison to HC, both BD and UD groups had higher disulfide levels, disulfide/native thiol ratio, and disulfide/total thiol ratio. No significant differences between BD and UD were detected in terms of disulfide level, disulfide/native thiol ratio, and disulfide/total thiol ratio.Conclusion: Increased levels of disulfide, native thiol, and disulfide/total thiol ratios compared to healthy controls in both UD and BD groups may be indicative of the presence of oxidative damage in these two clinical conditions. To clarify the role of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of depressive disorders and investigate TDH, longitudinal studies in patients with medication-free UD and BD are required.

Amaç: Bu araştırmanın amacı, yatarak tedavi gören erkek alkol bağımlılarında tedavi motivasyonu, bağımlılık özellikleri, aşerme ve mizaç özellikleri arasındaki ilişkiyi incelemektir.Gereç ve Yöntem: Ankara Numune Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Alkol-Madde Araştırma, Tedavi ve Eğitim Merkezi’nde (AMATEM) yatarak tedavi gören DSM-IV-TR’ye göre alkol bağımlılığı tanısı almış erkek hastalar çalışmaya dahil edilmiştir. Hastalar, sosyodemografik veri formunun yanı sıra, Penn Alkol Aşerme Ölçeği (PAAÖ), Bağımlılık Profil İndeksi (BAPİ), Değişime Hazır Olma ve Tedavi İsteği Ölçeği (SOCRATES), Memphis, Pisa, Paris ve San Diego - Self Mizaç Değerlendirme Ölçeği (TEMPS-A) kullanılarak değerlendirildi.Bulgular: Çalışmaya 85 erkek hasta dahil edildi. Çalışma kapsamındaki hastaların ortalama yaşı 46.36 ± 9.66’ydı. Katılımcıların ortalama alkol kullanma süreleri ise 23.32 ± 10.33 yıldı. Çalışmanın sonuçlarına göre BAPİ toplam puanı ve PAÖÖ toplam puanı arasında pozitif korelasyon hesaplanmıştır.Sonuç: Bağımlılık şiddetinin artmasıyla aşerme şiddetinin artması bağımlılık şiddeti yüksek olan hastalarda aşerme konusunda daha dikkatli olmak gerektiğini düşündürebilir. Baskın mizaç özelliğine sahip olup olmamanın aşerme, motivasyon ve bağımlılık şiddeti ile olan ilişkisi çalışmamızda saptanmamıştır., Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between the treatment motivation, addiction characteristics, craving and temperament traits in male patients with alcohol addiction having inpatient treatment.Materials and Methods: Male patients diagnosed with alcohol addiction according to DSM-IV-TR having inpatient treatment at Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital’s Alcohol and Substance Abuse Treatment and Training Center (AMATEM) were included in the study. The patients were evaluated by sociodemographic data form, Penn Alcohol Craving Scale (PACS), Addiction Profile Index (API), The Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES), Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A).Results: 85 male patients were included in the study. The mean age of the participants was 46.36 ± 9.66. The mean of the years of using alcohol was 23.32 ± 10.33. A positive correlation was found between API total score and PACS total score according to the study. Conclusion: Increasing craving severity aligned with increasing addiction severity may suggest that patients with high addiction severity should be given more care in terms of craving. The relationship between having a dominant temperament and craving, motivation and severity of addiction could not be determined in our study.

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic affects mental health as well as physical health. Many studies have shown that the pandemic has negative effects on the mental health of individuals. Determining the factors that play a role in the psychological resilience and burnout levels of healthcare workers, who are at the forefront of the pandemic, will play an important role in preventive and therapeutic planning in pandemic management. Our aim is to evaluate the anxiety-burnout levels and psychological resilience levels in healthcare workers and the factors affecting them. Method:Sociodemographic data form, State-Trait Anxiety Scale (STAI), Connor-Davidson Psychological Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and Maslach Burnout Inventory, were created in Google Documents and applied to the Healthcare workers via mail and message groups and social media groups. A total of 257 people were included in the study.Results: In our study, high trait anxiety scores and increased working were associated with increased levels of burnout. Doctors and nurses showed more signs of burnout than auxiliary assistant staff. The emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment were higher in females. Psychological resilience could predict personal accomplishment sub-dimension and total scores of MBI.Conclusions: Healthcare workers are at risk for burnout. Working conditions should be regulated and psychosocial support programs should be established for healthcare workers who are at the forefront in pandemic.

Objective The whole world is still struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic. Inflammation response, thought to be associated with severe illness and death, is an important research topic in COVID-19. Inflammation is also an essential condition explored in psychiatric illnesses. Our knowledge about the relationship between the inflammation response and psychiatric comorbidities in patients with COVID-19 is very limited. In this study, the relationship between anxiety and depression levels and inflammation response of patients with COVID-19 hospitalized in the hospital was examined.Methods 175 patients were included in the study. Sociodemographic Data Form, Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory were applied to the patients. To evaluate the inflammation responses, blood sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin, ferritin, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and IL-6 levels were examined.Results In our study, no relationship was found between anxiety and depression levels and inflammatory responses in patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of COVID-19. Anxiety and depression levels of women were higher than men, and NLR, ferritin, IL-6 levels were found to be lower than men. Anxiety levels increase with age. There is a positive correlation between NLR and ferritin levels and duration of hospitalization.Conclusion Our study examining the relationship of psychiatric comorbidities with the inflammation response and our increasing literature knowledge, together with studies evaluating the mental effects of COVID-19, suggest that determining the relationship between inflammation responses and psychiatric comorbidities in COVID-19, whose pathophysiology has not been clarified yet, maybe an essential step in interventions on the course of the disease.

Purpose This study explored how patients with schizophrenia were provided with social support and treatment compliance during the pandemic. Design and Methods A total of 396 patients with schizophrenia and their relatives were interviewed by telephone calls. Findings Multiple antipsychotic use and depot antipsychotics were not superior in preventing relapse. A total of 70.2% of the patients wanted to meet with their psychiatrist online but only 7.1% of them were reached online. A total of 59% of patients were able to take their medication thanks to the extension of their drug prescriptions. Practice Implications Active inclusion of telepsychiatry applications in clinical practice is necessary for patients with schizophrenia. Government policies developed for treatment compliance seem important.

OBJECTIVE: Opioid addiction is a disease that is increasing in our country, Turkey, and around the world, which it is difficult to treat in medical, social, and economic terms. Pregabalin is a preparation used for the treatment of epilepsy, neuropathic pain, and anxiety disorders. In opioid users, pregabalin is increasingly being self-administered off-label due to its euphoria effect at high doses. We investigated the effects of pregabalin on addiction profile and opioid withdrawal severity by comparing patients with opioid addiction who were and were not using off-label pregabalin. METHODS: Between July and August 2016, a total of 120 patients (60 patients were pregabalin users and 60 patients were non-users) who presented to Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital Psychiatry Clinic Alcohol and Substance Addiction Treatment Center and were diagnosed with opioid use disorder according to the DSM-5, were included in the study. Patients who were using other substances were excluded from the study. A sociodemographic data form, the Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale, and Addiction Profile Index (API) were applied to the patients. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between pregabalin users and pregabalin non-users in terms of age, sex, age of onset, working status, and whether previous treatment had been received. In the pregabalin user group, the severity of opioid withdrawal, API substance use characteristics, diagnosis, effects on life, craving, motivation subscale scores, and API total score were found to be significantly higher than in the non-user group. CONCLUSION: Off-label pregabalin use among patients with opioid addiction is becoming more common. Off-label, high-dose pregabalin use may worsen existing opioid addiction, create a new area of ⁣⁣addiction, and an illegal market. Highlights We aimed to investigate the effects of pregabalin on addiction profile and opioid withdrawal severity by comparing patients with opioid addiction who were and were not using off-label pregabalin. In the pregabalin user group, the severity of opioid withdrawal, and API total score were found to be significantly higher than in the non-user group. The use of off-label, high-dose pregabalin may worsen existing opioid addiction.

OBJECTIVE: Cannabis (C) and synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are commonly used substances. Pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic differences predict that SCs involve a greater risk of dependence than C. Dissociative symptoms and suicidality are also frequent in treatment-seeking substance users, however, there is not enough data about the dissociative effects of C and SCs. The present study aimed to examine SC users in terms of demographic features and severity of dissociative symptoms in comparison to C users. It was also aimed to explore the relationships between dissociation and suicide attempts. METHODS: The study was performed at the Alcohol and Substance Research, Treatment, and Training Centre of Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Turkey. 84 patients with C or SC use disorder included in the study and all the participants were administered a sociodemographic data form assessing also substance use features and suicide attempts and Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES). The patients were separated into three groups as only C users (CU), only SC users (SCU) and both C and SC users (C&SCU) and also categorized as DES score

OBJECTIVE: Schizophrenia is a neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorder. For this reason, it is important to determine the level of markers that are neuroprotective and have been altered in other neurodegenerative diseases in inspecting the etiology of schizophrenia. Secretagogin (SCGN), is a member of Calcium (Ca) binding proteins and thought to have a neuroprotective effect. In this study, we aimed to compare the level of secretagogin (SCGN) between age and gender-matched schizophrenia and control group. METHODS: Fifty-three patients with schizophrenia who applied to outpatient clinics of our hospital and 37 healthy controls included in the study. Schizophrenia diagnoses of the patients were verified using the DSM-5 criteria. Serum secretagogin levels were measured with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test. The Body Mass Index (BMI) of the patient group was measured. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the controls and patients in terms of fasting blood glucose and insulin levels. We did not find any difference in terms of the levels of serum secretagogin between patients with schizophrenia and controls. Negative correlations were found between the level of secretagogin and PANSS positive score, PANSS negative score, PANSS general psychopathology score. CONCLUSION: There is increasing evidence that SCGN may play a role in central nervous system (CNS) activity. Future studies might help to explicitly present the relationship between secretagogin and schizophrenia.

Objective: Mood stabilizers and antipsychotic drugs are known to have adverse effects on sexual function. However, patients often refrain from speaking about sexual complaints that may cause dose reduction and discontinuation of the drug without medical supervision. In this study we aimed to evaluate sexual functions of patients with bipolar disorder in remission period, considering prolactin levels and medications. Method: We recruited 52 patients with bipolar disorder in remission according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. Prolactin levels were measured in all patients. The Golombok Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction (GRISS) was used to assess sexual dysfunction. Results: Mean prolactin levels were 24.71 ± 4.25 and 19.96 ± 5.52 ng/ml respectively for females and males. Patients taking mood stabilizer (MS) and mood stabilizer plus antipsychotic (AP) treatment had different prolactin levels (p

The aim of this study was to compare the formal thought disorder (FTD) in the acute episode of schizophrenia (SCHZ) and bipolar affective disorder (BPAD), and to determine the FTD dimensions associated with BPAD.The study included a total of 34 SCHZ patients not meeting the standardized remission criteria and 20 patients in BPAD manic episode. The patients completed the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI), the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) and the Thought and Language Disorder Scale (TALD) in order to assess FTD. The association of FTD with the diagnoses was analyzed by a logistic regression model including the TALD factors and the SCHZ and BPAD groups.Statistically significant differences were not determined between the demographic features, the CGI scores and the TALD objective positive factor scores of the SCHZ and BPAD groups. The objective negative and subjective negative factors (p0.001 for all) were higher in SCHZ group and the subjective positive factor were significantly higher in BPAD group (p=0.028). In the logistic regression model, the TALD subjective positive factor was associated with BPAD diagnosis, and the objective negative factor was associated with SCHZ diagnosis. In the BPAD group, the TALD total score correlated positively with the manic episode severity, and the scores on the subjective negative and subjective positive factors correlated negatively with disease duration.The study results show that FTD is common to the acute episodes of both SCHZ and BPAD and that assessment of the subjective positive FTD symptoms and objective negative FTD symptoms may be useful to differentiate the acute episode of SCHZ from the BPAD manic episode.

Introduction: Even though the assessment of criminal responsibility constitutes an important part of forensic psychiatry practices, it is observed that there is little published data in our country about these cases. In this study, it was aimed to examine the sociodemographic data, characteristics of the alleged crime, their diagnoses and the expert opinions on criminal responsibilities of the forensic cases referred to our hospital. Method: The medical files and medical board expert reports of 356 cases referred to our hospital by judicial authorities for evaluation of criminal liability, between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2017, were retrospectively examined. The sociodemographic data of the cases, psychiatric diagnoses made according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria and the judicial expert decisions made about them were statistically analyzed. Results: It was reported that 22.2% of the cases (n=79) had no criminal responsibility related to their alleged crime, and 17.7% (n=63) of them had partial criminal responsibility. 47.8% of the cases with partial or no criminal responsibility were diagnosed with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders, and 30.2% of the cases had mental retardation. “Threat and insult”, “theft” or “ bodily harm” constituted 53.9% of the 471 criminal acts. Conclusion: Results of our study are consistent with the results of studies conducted in our country and abroad. Further descriptive studies are needed for a better understanding of the relationship between criminal behavior and mental health and for improving the punishment and the rehabilitation practices in this context.

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake. The name of the 5th author was incorrectly listed as Cigdem Yuksel, when it is actually Cigdem Yucel. The correct information is as shown above.

In this study, the rates of antipsychotic polypharmacy, factors affecting combined drug use, the relationship between antipsychotic polypharmacy as it relates to duration of hospitalization and re-hospitalization, and treatment compliance were evaluated in schizophrenia patients. The study data was obtained between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017 by examining the files of all patients who were hospitalized in Ondokuz Mayıs University Faculty of Medicine Hospital, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Ankara Gulhane Training and Research Hospital psychiatric services. The inpatients' drug prescriptions at discharge and after one-year outpatient follow-up, as well as treatment compliance and re-hospitalization, were examined. The mean duration of illness was 109.3 ± 109.7 months, and the mean duration of hospitalization was 24.6 ± 19.1 days. For a total of 599 patients, multiple antipsychotic medication was used in 21.2% of hospitalizations. 11.2% of patients using single antipsychotic and 14.2% of patients using multiple antipsychotics were re-hospitalized within one year (X 2 :0.830, p:0.362). Disease duration (Z:-3.654, p < 0.001) and duration of hospitalization (Z:-3.333, p < 0.001) were found to be longer in multiple antipsychotic users. 37.8% of the patients used a depot antipsychotic. There was no significant difference between depot antipsychotic use and oral antipsychotic use as it related re-hospitalization rates. As a conclusion, multiple antipsychotic use has reduced in Turkey. Contrary to popular belief, the use of multiple antipsychotics does not shorten, but rather may prolongs hospitalization, and it has no effect in reducing re-hospitalization. Drug combinations are generally used together with a depot treatment, clozapine treatment is preferred less frequently in combinations, clinicians have proven effectiveness of the drug combination they prefer, and they should give priority to the treatments recommended in treatment guidelines. © 2020 Elsevier B.V.

Many hypothesis suggest that inflammation plays an important role in schizophrenia. Galectins can regulate inflammatory response in central nervous system. The relation between galectins and neuropsyhchiatric diseases and schizophrenia is unclear. The present study compared levels of Gal-1 and Gal-3 of patients with schizophrenia to that of first-degree relatives without the disease and healthy controls in order to evaluate any possible association. Sixty-two patients with schizophrenia, fifty-five unaffected siblings and fifty-eight age- and sex-matched healthy controls enrolled. Serum Gal-1, Gal-3 and CRP levels were measured. PANNS and CGI-S were used to evaluate the severity of disease. There was a statistically significant difference in serum Gal-1 levels among the patient, sibling, and control groups. There were no statistically significant correlations between serum CRP ​​and serum Gal-1 or Gal-3 levels. Gal-1 values were significantly higher in the unaffected siblings compared to both the patient group and the healthy control group. Gal-3 levels were elevated in the sibling group relative to the patient group. In the literature, the relationship between galectins and schizophrenia is very limited and appears to be a new field of study. Future studies are needed to evaluate the protective roles of galectins.

Many hypotheses have been proposed for the development of schizophrenia, including the one proposing that exogenous and endogenous factors are linked to inflammatory processes. There is strong evidence about the immunological and inflammatory dysfunction in schizophrenia. In this study, we aimed to measure serum 15-deoxy-delta(12,14)-prostaglandin J (15d-PGJ), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma(PPAR gamma), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Forty-four patients and 39 healthy volunteers were included in the study. Serum PGE2, 15d-PGJ, PPAR gamma and CRP levels were measured in both the groups. Demographic data forms were filled out for the patient group, and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Clinical Global Impression-Severity scale and Calgary Depression scale were used to assess patients' clinical status. Serum PGE2, 15d-PGJ and PPAR gamma levels were found to be significantly lower in patients with schizophrenia than in healthy controls. There was no significant relationship between the serum PGE2, 15d-PGJ and PPAR gamma levels and CRP levels.In this study, the evidence of systemic inflammatory conditions in patients with schizophrenia was found. The duration of the disease has been found to be the only variable that independently affects all three biomarker levels in the patients with schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVES: Bipolar disorder (BD) carries a high rate of morbidity and mortality, and the clarification of its aetiology continues to be an important field of research. In recent studies, the clinical characteristics of BDs have been explained through a number of underlying factors, including cytokines, steroids, neurotrophins, mitochondrial energy generation, oxidative stress, and neurogenesis. In this study, we aimed to investigate potential associations between BDs and inflammatory processes. METHODS: Patients with mania or in remission who attended outpatient clinics of the Department of Psychiatry of the Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, and who were diagnosed with BD according to the DSM-V criteria, were included in the study. IBM SPSS Statistics 23 software was used for statistical analyses of the data. The normality of the distribution of continuous and discrete numerical variables was tested with a Shapiro–Wilk Test. RESULTS: In this study, the measurements and statistical analyses revealed significantly lower 15-deoxy delta12, 14-prostaglandin J2 (15d-PGJ2) and Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-Gamma (PPARγ) levels in patients with mania in comparison to healthy controls and patients in remission. Group comparisons did not reveal any significant differences between IL-4 levels. CONCLUSIONS: This study was not a longitudinal study evaluating the same patients during both relapse and remission periods; no group of patients in a depressive episode of BD were included in the group comparisons either. Although this evidence is not adequate for a definite conclusion, the available evidence suggests that anti-inflammatory markers such as 15d-PGJ2 and IL-4 and nuclear PPARγ receptors are potential biomarkers to clarify the aetiology of BD, and these markers may be included among the therapeutic targets for future pharmacological modulations. Further studies are required in this area.

Background: Immunological and inflammatory mechanisms play an important role in schizophrenia. In the literature, there are studies investigating neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) association with schizophrenia.Aims: The purpose of this study was to compare NLR values between patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. In addition, the study aimed to investigate the relationship between NLR and disease severity and some metabolic/inflammatory parameters.Methods: Fifty-two patients diagnosed with schzophrenia and 53 healthy controls were included in the study. A socio-demographic information form was filled out by the clinician. Height, body weight, waist and hip circumference and blood pressure values of each patient were measured. Severity of disease was assessed by positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) and clinical global impression-severity scale (CGI-S). Complete blood count was performed to both patient and control groups. Fasting blood glucose, insulin, HbA1c, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglyceride, total cholesterol and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured.Results: The number of leukocytes, neutrophils, monocytes and NLR values in patients with schizophrenia was significantly higher than in the control group. There was no significant relationship between NLR values and the number of hospitalisation, duration of ilness or disease severity in patients. There was no correlation between other laboratory findings and NLR values.Conclusion: NLR levels are high in schizophrenia independent of metabolic parameters according to the results. So, it can be considered that inflammatory processes may play a role in the etiology of the disease.

Risperidone is a second-generation antipsychotic agent, widely used in psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and aggression. Edema has been reported as a side effect of risperidone in a few case reports in the literature. In most of these cases, another drug was combined with risperidone and edema was located in a specific zone. Here we aimed to report a case of generalized edema due to risperidone oral monotherapy and reviewed the relevant literature.

OBJECTIVE: Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), being a protective of dopaminergic neurons, is reported to modulate addictive behaviours and have a role as a negative regulator for biochemical and behavioural adaptations to drug abuse. We aimed to reveal impulsivity and serum GDNF levels in patients with heroin addiction and investigate their relationships in order to contribute to the understanding of behavioural aspects and biological mechanisms in heroin addiction via this study. METHODS: This study was performed at the Department of Psychiatry of Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Turkey. We recruited 129 heroin-dependent patients and 90 age, sex, and smoking-matched healthy controls with no major psychopathology. Barratt Impulsivity Scale-11, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and sociodemographic data form were applied to all participants. Laboratory analysis for serum GDNF levels was performed for each participant's blood sample. RESULTS: Total impulsivity scores and scores of Attentional Impulsivity, Motor Impulsivity, and Unplanned Impulsivity subscales were all higher in heroin addicts compared to the controls. Heroin addicts had also lower serum GDNF levels and lower GDNF levels were associated with high impulsivity and high HADS scores in heroin addicts. CONCLUSION: Decrement in GDNF levels in heroin addiction seems as to be an important data which could be associated with impulsivity, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. GDNF could find a prominent place among the target molecules in the treatment of heroin addiction.

TNF-related weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) are members of TNF superfamily, which has various roles in immunologic and inflammatory reactions in the organism. Pathophysiology in bipolar disorder is still under investigation and altered serum levels of cytokines are often encountered. Aim of this study is to detect serum TWEAK and TRAIL levels of patients with bipolar disorder and healthy controls. For this purpose, 55 patients with bipolar disorder -27 manic episode (ME), 28 remission (RE) and 29 healthy controls (HC) were included. TWEAK levels of ME and RE groups were significantly lower than HC. TWEAK levels of bipolar patients (BP) were also lower than HC. TRAIL levels of ME, RE, HC groups and BP, HC groups were statistically similar. In our knowledge, this is the first study concerning about TWEAK and TRAIL levels in bipolar disorder and our results pointed that TWEAK-related immune response might be impaired in bipolar disorder, but our study fails to eradicate the confounders such as medication, smoking and body mass index. Studies having larger samples and limited confounders are needed to be able to evaluate these changes better and detect possible alterations about TRAIL and other TNF superfamily members.

We planned to compare individuals with alcohol dependence (AD) and healthy controls on the frequency of NOS1 exon 1f-VNTR gene polymorphism and to investigate the effects of this polymorphism on the clinical symptoms of alcohol dependence, impulsiveness and comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms.A total of 282 participants consisting of 153 patients and 129 age and gender matched healthy individuals were inluded in the study. All participants were evaluated with Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis 1 disorders (SCID-I) and Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale, Adult Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Diagnosis Scale (ADHDS), Family History Research Diagnostic Criteria (FHDRC). The QF-PCR fragment protocols were used for genetic analyses. Allele fragments of ≤176 bp and176 bp sizes were separated and 3 different genotypes were determined as the SS, SL and LL. Associations of these genotypes with symptoms of AD severity, impulsiveness and comorbid ADHD were investigated.The AD and control groups did not differ significantly on the basis of NOS1 exon 1f-VNTR gene polymorphism. Also, significant correlations between this polymorphism and symptoms of AD severity, impulsiveness and ADHD were not determined.Results of our study do not indicatea significant association between the NOS1 exon 1f-VNTR genotypes and AD, subgroups of AD, impulsiveness or comorbid ADHD semptoms.