Autism Spectrum Disorder is a chronic medical condition usually diagnosed during childhood. With psychosocial advancements in managing autistic children, the situation seems less debilitating compared to what it used to be in the past years. Adding neuroimaging advancements in the management can further improve the management of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Our objective is to investigate structural changes in the insular cortex through our review of the available literature in the area of interest.

Detailed literature search conducted using Pubmed, OVID, Google scholar with the search terms [insula] OR [autism] OR [brain changes] OR [ autism spectrum disorder] OR [insular cortex] OR [ insular changes] OR [neuroimaging] OR [neurology] OR [right insula] OR [left insula] OR [precentral cortex] OR[ amygdala] Or [emotion] Or[ memory] that produced around 300 results which were later narrowed down to be centered around search terms [autism] OR [insula] OR [structural changes] OR [brain]. 20 articles were made part of this review.

Results revealed that there are significant changes that are seen in neuroimaging of patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Their anterior cortex undergoes changes more than the posterior cortex with changes being more pronounced on the right side. Neuroimaging can be used to follow up with the prognosis of a chronic condition. Insula is a multifunctional region of the brain that is responsible for connecting cognitive, emotional, and movement functions in the brain. It is a highly functional area responsible for important neural connections. Insula is a highly emotion-sensitive area responsible for pain perception and emotion regulation. Insular changes can also help to diagnose the chronicity of the condition and age of patients with Autism.

Cortical changes are visible on neuroimaging in several psychiatric conditions including schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and alcoholism. Autism spectrum disorder is one of the diseases where neuroimaging can play an important role in planning further management. But unfortunately, this area is still under underresearched and needs to be given due importance to facilitate management of the chronic condition.

Keywords: cortex, insula, neuroimaging, autism spectrum disorder

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After the introduction of proposal regarding cannabidiol for the treatment of some psychiatric disorders including anxiety, there is confusion if cannabidiol use is associated with the provocation of anxiety symptoms or it can be safely used for the treatment. In nonmedical terms, (Cannabidiol) Cannabis is referred to as Marijuana and has been considered a potential substance of abuse for ages, that raises few questions for its use as a treating agent. It is an interesting area to be explored.

Our aim is to find out the implications of Cannabidiol use. We look forward to knowing the mechanism behind cannabidiol being a potential treatment strategy for anxiety.

A literature search was conducted using the search terms [anxiety] OR [cannabis] OR[ Marijuana] OR [cannabidiol] OR [tetrahydrocannabinol] OR [phytocannabinoids] OR [panic] OR [generalized anxiety] OR [social anxiety] OR [psycholgic distress] OR[psychosis] OR [depression]. The overall search produced 230 results. We included 30 studies relevant to the subject in this review.

Results revealed that anxiety is highly prevalent in individuals with a history of cannabidiol use in comparison to non-users. Symptoms of stress are more pronounced with more frequent cannabidiol use. Chronic users present with more severe symptoms like palpitations and the constant restlessness that are difficult to be managed. The potential role of Cannabinoids in reducing the conditioning of fear can be considered one of the reasons for investigations being done on it. Cannabidiol (Cb1) receptor plays a potential role in producing anxiolytic effects. The side effects of first-line drugs like distorted body shape due to weight gain, sexual health concerns and resistance along with frequent relapses, available for managing anxiety disorders are one of the reasons to consider alternative substances. Though, human testings are still underway, animal models are used currently for experimentation purposes and show positive anxiolytic effects of cannabidiol.

There is increased need to investigate necessary chemical and physiologic changes that are produced within the body in response to cannabidiol use. More investigations should be done on human subjects along with animal studies. Proper guidelines should be shared with practicing physicians so that new and pretested ways are open for the treatment of resistant cases with proper implications of knowledge in clinical settings so that there is minimal chance of abuse of potentially addictive chemicals.

Keywords: Cannabis, Cannabidiol, anxiety, treatment, provocation.

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Anemia due to iron deficiency is a highly prevalent medical condition in women and children. Iron deficiency presents with fatigue, low mood, anxiety, restlessness, palpitations, and headache. Poor nutritional intake can be the reason of iron deficiency in underprivileged populations. It can lead to behavioral symptoms that can manifest as chronic psychiatric ailments.

Our objective is to consolidate manifestations of iron deficiency anemia concerning psychiatric ailments. We will figure out if it impacts the severity of psychiatric symptoms. We aim to find out if there are any underlying factors that impact the correlation of iron deficiency with psychiatric disorders like depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, and restless leg syndrome.

Detailed literature review conducted using PUBMED, OVID, GOOGLE SCHOLAR with the search terminologies [iron] OR [sleep disorders] OR [depression] OR[deficiency] OR [anxiety] OR [ADHD] OR [VITAMINS] OR[PICA] OR [CHILDREN] OR [women] OR [antidepressants] OR [sleep medicine] OR [antipsychotics] that yielded 150 results that were narrowed down to be focused on our research area. Inclusion criteria included studies with participants with iron deficiency anemia regardless of age group, gender, economic and social background. Exclusion criteria included patients with normal hemoglobin levels.

Results yielded a positive impact of treating iron deficiency anemia in patients with psychiatric ailments. The symptoms of low mood, fatigue, anxiety, anhedonia, and sleeplessness get better as iron deficiency improves. According to the search, some physicians misdiagnose iron deficiency as depression. Antidepressants were found to be working better when added with iron supplements. Restlessness and palpitations can also be the manifestations of iron deficiency. Patients with underlying iron deficiency are more predisposed to developing psychiatric disorders. According to published data, restless leg syndrome was found to be associated with iron deficiency. Some psychiatric drugs can lead to iron deficiency and can provoke underlying iron deficiency even more. Iron deficiency impacts memory areas of the brain like the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.

It is much needed more than ever before that proper consideration to the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia must be given with the assistance of predesigned guidelines. Misdiagnosis of iron deficiency anemia as a psychiatric disorder can be misleading toward the insidious usage of psychiatric medications. Proper attention must be provided to this neglected area so that management of iron deficiency is tailored in the right direction and it is diagnosed at less severe stages. It will be helpful for general physicians and practicing psychiatrists in the field.

Keywords: Iron deficiency, Psychiatric Disorders, Anxiety, depression.

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