Both oxidative stress and the inflammatory chemokine MCP-1 have been linked to the pathophysiology of certain mental illnesses such as psychosis. There are previous studies in rats and dogs suggesting that oxidative stress can cause cognitive impairment.

To correlate oxidative stress and the chemokine MCP-1 levels with cognitive impairment in first episode psychosis.

28 patients with first episode psychosis and 28 healthy controls matched by sex and age were included in the study, who were given a battery of neurocognitive tests and we determined their blood levels of lipid peroxidation (TBARS), nitric oxide, total antioxidant status (TAS), glutathione, activity of enzymes catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (cGPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the inflammatory chemokine MCP-1.

Healthy controls had better TAS than patients and increased activity of enzymes cGPx and CAT.

We found a statistically significant negative relationship between levels of MCP-1 and working memory, attention and verbal memory. At higher levels of chemokines, worse cognitive functioning in these areas.

Verbal memory was also negatively related, in a meaningful way, with nitric oxide levels in blood.

Likewise, we found that higher levels of glutathione correlated with better scores on the 3 tests performed of verbal fluency.

In patients with a PEP, levels of certain markers of oxidative stress and inflammation are associated with poorer cognitive functioning.

Several studies have suggested that nicotine could have beneficial effects on cognitive functioning.

To explore the association between smoking and cognitive functioning in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

Observational study. We analyzed data from 184 participants in 3 groups (61 healthy controls, 47 euthymic patients with bipolar-I disorder, 76 patients with clinically stable schizophrenia) assessed by a neuropsychological battery. Statistical analysis was performed comparing subgroups of smokers and non-smokers data. Both groups were demographic and clinically comparable.

Smoking rate was higher in participants with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia (X 2 = 26.8, p = 0.001). Bipolar Group: neuropsychological performance was similar in smokers (n = 28) and non-smokers (n = 19) except perseverative errors of the Wisconsin test, in which smokers performed significantly worse (t = −2.1, p = 0,03). Schizophrenia group: smokers (n = 46) performed significantly better than non-smokers (n = 30) in the verbal fluency test (t = −2.46, p = 0.046), finger tapping right (t = −2.19; p = 0.03) and immediate (t = −2.84, p = 0.006) and delayed recall (t = −2.59, p = 0.01) of Rey figure test.

This is the first study comparing these clinical groups. The global cognitive function in euthymic state was similar in both groups despite of smoking status. However, smoking could be associated with a worse executive function in bipolar disorder. In patients with schizophrenia smoking was associated with better performance in visual memory, verbal fluency and motor speed, but not attention.

Attention deficit disorder (ADHD) is a psychiatric disorder, which is characterized by deficits of executive functions (EF) and impulsivity. Whereas a variety of studies on the involvement of the dopaminergic system in ADHD exists, the impact of the serotonergic system to EF in ADHD in adults is underinvestigated.

To ascertain the effects of rapid tryptophan depletion (RTD) and the resultant reduction of the central nervous levels of serotonin on the EF of male adult patients with ADHD.

20 ADHD patients and 20 healthy controls completed the RTD test on one day and a placebo on another day in a double-blind within subject crossover design.- In addition, the subtest alertness of the TAP and a modified Version of the Continuous performance test (AX-CPT) with three stimulus conditions (AX, AY, BX) were administered.

Statistical analysis revealed significant shorter reaction times, more errors and more omission errors in the ADHD group in the AX-CPT. The omissions error rate increased in both groups in the RTD condition but not in the placebo condition. Statistical analyses did not yield any significant differences between groups in the subtest alertness and no significant interaction of group and effect of the RTD condition could be observed.

In addition to higher impulsivity of patients with ADHD as reflected by shorter reaction times and higher error rates, the results of the present study imply an involvement of the serotonergic system as reflected by RTD in sustained and selective attention.

Various synthetic derivatives of natural flavonoids are known to have neuroactive properties.

It has been reported that rutin (3, 3’, 4’, 5, 7-pentahydroxy flavone-3-rhamnoglucoside) has several pharmacological properties and it was found to be a neuroprotective agent.

To investigate the effects of rutin, a flavonoid that is an important dietary constituent of foods and plant-based beverages, on memory retrieval in rats.

We assessed the effect of rutin on memory retrieval using a step- through passive avoidance task. Control (saline, 0.1 ml/100 g body weight) and rutin (5, 10, and 100 mg/kg) were administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) one week before the start of training. Three retention tests were performed to assess memory in rats.

Rutin (10 mg/kg) significantly increased the step-through latency of the passive avoidance response compared to the control in the three retention tests of the passive avoidance paradigm. These results indicate that rutin has a potential role in enhancing memory retrieval.

It is possible that rutin acts by several mechanisms, mediating a potential role in memory retrieval in rats. This result supports the potential beneficial effects of rutin as a dietary supplement on memory retrieval in a passive avoidance task.

Blindness cause functional and structural change in brain. The aim of this study is evaluation and comparison of selective attention and inhibition in acquired blinds and matched sighted

Forty five Acquired Blinds of war veteran and fifty six healthy volunteers participated in this cross sectional study. Auditory Stroop Test is used for evaluation of selective attention and inhibitory control. Independent T Test was used for comparing blind with sighted.

Findings show significant difference between two groups so that sighted subjects have higher performance in accuracy and reaction time of all stage of stroop task.

We concluded that acquired blinds didn’t have any preference in selective attention and inhibitory control versus matched sighted.

Schizophrenia and psychotic depression are two psychiatric disorders sharing in common the presence of psychotic features, delusion, hallucinations or both and severe impairment in occupational functions. Added to that the diagnostic dilemma to differentiate between severe psychomotor retardation, which is not uncommon in psychotic depression, and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Our work aims at utilizing Wisconsin Card Sorting Test WCST performance as a differentiating diagnostic tool helping in differentiating between both diagnosis.

Patients are recruited randomly from the outpatient service of Alexandria University Hospitals, three groups are included;

Group I patients with psychotic depression,

Group II schizophrenic patients and

Group III control group.

Patients recruited in both group I and II score 4 or higher on the Clinical Global Impression for Severity CGI-S scale, all participants were subjected to Brief Psychiatric Rating scale and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test WCST 128 card computerized version.

The study showed severe impairment in executive functions in all parameters assessed by the WCST including number of administered trials, percentage of errors and perseverative errors as well as failure to maintain categories. Such cognitive dysfunction was significantly more severe in schizophrenia than both other groups. Both schizophrenic and psychotically depressed groups showed poorer performance compared to healthy control.

Performance on WCST may be of great help as a differentiating diagnostic tool to distinguish between schizophrenia and psychotic depression.

To study the influence of neurocognitive training on higher cortical functions in schizophrenia patients and to evaluate their effectiveness in the treatment of schizophrenia.

We formed groups of patients diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia undergoing treatment in the departments of rehabilitation and day hospital. All patients received adequate pharmacotherapy with atypical neuroleptics. Patients of the main group additionally participated in the training of cognitive deficits. Patients included in the comparison group received only pharmacotherapy.

Clinical (advanced clinical psychopathological interview), paraclinical (psychological study of neurocognitive deficits in a battery of standard tests, the study of social functioning of patients - the scale of PSP).

Initial evaluation of patients was carried out at the first call, prior to the neurocognitive training. Follow-up study was conducted one month after completion of training programs and the final examination, after a year. In the comparison group surveys were conducted with the similar frequency.

After training the cognitive processes in schizophrenia patients were obtained by increasing the tempo of the performance, improving concentration, improving the adequacy of long-term thinking and memory have been identified trend towards an increase in operational short-term memory.

The neurocognitive training showed itself as an effective method of correcting neurocognitive deficits. Inclusion of these trainings in the rehabilitation program helps to reduce the term of the patients stay in hospital and rapid integration into society.

Some investigations showed that the glutamate receptors have critical role for cognition such as learning and anxiety in the brain.

The possible involvement of cholinergic system of dorsal hippocampus in the anxiolytic-like response induced by NMDA receptor antagonist, MK801 has been investigated in the present study.

The male wistar rats were used and the elevated plus maze apparatus has been used to test parameters (%OAT, %OAE, locomotor activity, grooming, rereading and defection) of anxiety-like behaviors.

The data indicated that intra-CA1 administration of MK801 (2 μg/rat) increased %OAT and %OAE but did not other exploratory behaviors, indicating an anxiolytic-like response. Moreover, intra-hippocampal injection of cholinergic receptor antagonists, mecamylamine (2 μg/rat) and scopolamine (4 μg/rat) by itselves, 5 min before testing increased %OAT and %OAE, but did not alter locomotor activity and other exploratory behaviors, suggesting anxiolytic-like behavior. On the other hand, intra-CA1 co-administration of ineffective doses of scopolamine (3 μg/rat), but not mecamylamine (1 μg/rat) with ineffective dose of MK801 (1 μg/rat) increased %OAT and %OAE.

The data may indicate that the possible involvement of cholinergic system of CA1 on anxiolytic-like response induced by MK801.

Although several electrophysiological studies have demonstrated the role of theta band during the execution of different visuospatial attention tasks, this study is the first to directly investigate the role of theta power during the planning, execution and cognitive control of SEM.

Saccadic eye movements (SEMs) represent the first stage of visual sensorimotor integration and are relevant for the visuospatial attention. The current study aims to address this issue by investigating absolute theta power over the frontal cortex during the execution of stimulus- and memory-driven SEMs.

12 healthy volunteers (3 male; mean age: 26.25), performed two tasks involving different conditions in the planning, execution and cognitive control of SEMs while their brain activity pattern is recorded using quantitative electroencephalography.

We found an interaction between SEM condition (memory- vs stimulus-driven) and electrode (F3, F4, Fz), and a main effect of time point and electrode. Our key finding revealed that the stimulus presentation induces different patterns over frontal theta power increase between the left and right hemisphere.

We conclude that right and left frontal regions are an important factor to discriminate between memory- versus stimulus-driven SEMs, and speculate on their role for different levels within the visuospatial attention.

To study the effect of cognitive flexibility on skill rehabilition training of schizophrenics in community.

150 schizophrenic outpatients in their rehabilitation stage were randomly divided into skills training group (100 cases) and control group (50 cases with five drop of). The training lasted for 24 weeks and the patients were followed up for 12 weeks. The assessing instruments included PANSS (positive and negative symptom scale), MRSS (morning. side rehabilitation stage scale) and cognitive flexibility (WCST, Stroop test and Trail making).

133 subjects completed the trial. The scores of PANSS, the negative subscale, the General Psychopathology subscale in both groups decreased signifieantly after treatment (P < 0.05∼P < 0.01). The scores of MRSS, Dependency subscale, Inactivity subscale, effects of Current Symptoms and Deviant Behavior Subscale in the skills training group decreased significantly after treatment (P< 0.05∼P < 0.01); the reductions of PANSS, MRSS between two groups were not significant different; Relapse rate was lower in the skills training group than that in the control group, without a statistical significant. Within skills training group, the numbers of continuous error (WCST) and correct error in effective group was better than those in ineffective group.

Community reintegration skill is of benefit to rehabilitation of schizophrenics in decreasing symptoms, improving social function and decreasing defect. The cognitive flexibility and the effect of skill training rehabilitation in chronic schizophrenia patients has certain relations.

Excitatory transmission through glutamate receptors constitutes the main mode of synaptic signaling in the brain regions that are critical for cognition such as learning and anxiety.

The possible involvement of dorsal hippocampal (intra-CA1) dopaminergic receptor mechanism on the anxiolytic-like response induced by NMDA receptor antagonist, MK801 has been investigated in the present study.

The male wistar rats were used and the elevated plus maze apparatus has been used to test parameters (%OAT, %OAE, locomotor activity, grooming, rereading and defection) of anxiety-like behaviors in the present study.

The data indicated that intra-CA1 administration of MK801 (2 μg/rat, intra-CA1) increased %OAT and %OAE but not other exploratory behaviors, indicating an anxiolytic-like response. Moreover, intra-CA1injection SCH23390 (0.25, 0.5 and 1 μg/rat) and sulpiride (0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 μg/rat) by itselves, 5 min before testing have no effect on exploratory behaviors. On the other hand, co-administration of ineffective dose of SCH23390 (0.5 μg/rat) with ineffective dose of MK801 (1 g/rat) increased %OAT but not other exploratory behaviors, suggestion anxiolytic-like behaviors. Furthermore, intra-CA1 administration of different doses of sulpiride (0.12, 0.5 and 0.75 μg/rat) 5 min before injection of effective dose of MK801 (2 μg/rat) decreased %OAT and %OAE but did not other exploratory behaviors induced by MK801.

The results may indicate modulatory effect dopaminergic system of CA1 in the anxiolytic-like response induced by MK801.

Our aim was to describe the contribution of ‘Low and middle-income’ (LAMI) countries to six leading general psychiatric journals; Archives of General Psychiatry, American Journal of Psychiatry, Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, British Journal of Psychiatry, Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica and Psychological Medicine.

We surveyed the journals from January 2005 to December 2009. We searched all research articles, reviews and identified potential candidate articles, defined as an article containing original data collected from one or more low or middle-income countries, as defined by the World Bank criteria. We also compared our findings with the similar reviews of the periods 2002–2004 and 1996–1998

Our search identified a total of 3791 research articles; less than 7% (n = 259) were from low and middle-income countries. The three European journals published more articles from LAMI countries than the three American journals. Compared with the findings of a similar review of the period 1996–1998 and 2002–2004, there has been little change. The British Journal of Psychiatry and Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica provided the major contribution from the LAMI countries of 8.7% and 9.6% respectively.

It is interesting that almost all journals describe themselves as International; however, our findings clearly suggest that there is a nine-to-one rule with most of the articles coming from richer countries. We suggest that there is a need to break the barriers, so that there should be no more under-representation of research from LAMI countries; which will lead towards the development of a truly international psychiatry.

The study investigated the role of social and economic factors on religion beliefs in university students.

Participants were 150 students from Babol Payame Noor University that were randomly selected and Religious Beliefs Inventory (RBI) administered on them. The data were analyzed with correlation coefficient formula.

Findings showed significant relationship between student and their father's level of income and literacy, culture, gender, resident place, social category, mass media with religion believes.

Emotion regulation (ER) via cognitive reappraisal (CR) has been shown to be superior to the use of expressive suppression (ES) in terms of several aspects of mental well-being. However, a cultural perspective suggests that the consequences of ES may be moderated by cultural values (Western/individualistic vs. Eastern/collectivistic values).

To test this hypothesis that ES may be associated with better outcomes in collectivistic cultures (e.g. Turkey) than in individualistic cultures (e.g. Germany) not only in healthy individuals but also in patients with mental disorders.

This study aims to gather knowledge to what extent associations of ER strategies and mental health are universal or rather culturally specific.

We investigated healthy (n = 30) and depressed (n = 30) German women and healthy (n = 30) and depressed (n = 30) Turkish immigrants living in Germany. Groups were compared in terms of frequency of ER strategies (CR and ES) and their consequences for different aspects of mental well-being.

Healthy Turkish immigrants exhibited a greater ER flexibility (frequent use of ES plus frequent use of CR) what was associated with more positive outcomes of ES in Turkish than in German women. None of these differences were found between patient samples, both of which showed a greater use of ES than CR.

Results suggest that cultural moderation of ES consequences are associated with a greater ER flexibility in healthy Turkish individuals. Depressed Turkish patients may not profit from ES due to their more rigid use of ES.