Zolpidem induced nocturnal sleep‐related eating disorder (NSRED) in a male patient

Nocturnal Sleep‐Related Eating Disorder (NSRED) is a well‐documented sleeping disorder where the person is reported to experience bizarre eating behavior during sleep. Although various causes are implicated in this disorder, role of drugs cannot be ruled out. Here we narrate an interesting rare case report of a drug‐induced new onset NSRED, where a 45‐year‐old man on zolipdem performed an unexpected and bizarre eating behavior during somnambulistic state, type of which has not been reported earlier in the literature. The case falls under even rarer category as such behavior in sleep is reported mainly in woman. © 2008 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2009     

Association between the HOXA1 A218G polymorphism and increased head circumference in patients with autism.

BACKGROUND: The HOXA1 gene plays a major role in brainstem and cranial morphogenesis. The G allele of the HOXA1 A218G polymorphism has been previously found associated with autism. METHODS: We performed case-control and family-based association analyses, contrasting 127 autistic patients with 174 ethnically matched controls, and assessing for allelic transmission disequilibrium in 189 complete trios. RESULTS: A, and not G, alleles were associated with autism using both case-control (chi(2) = 8.96 and 5.71, 1 df, p <.005 and <.025 for genotypes and alleles, respectively), and family-based (transmission/disequilibrium test chi(2) = 8.80, 1 df, p <.005) association analyses. The head circumference of 31 patients carrying one or two copies of the G allele displayed significantly larger median values (95.0th vs. 82.5th percentile, p <.05) and dramatically reduced interindividual variability (p <.0001), compared with 166 patients carrying the A/A genotype. CONCLUSIONS: The HOXA1 A218G polymorphism explains approximately 5% of the variance in the head circumference of autistic patients and represents to our knowledge the first known gene variant providing sizable contributions to cranial morphology. The disease specificity of this finding is currently being investigated. Nonreplications in genetic linkage/association studies could partly stem from the dyshomogeneous distribution of an endophenotype morphologically defined by cranial circumference.     

颞颌关节不可复性盘前移位上腔造影与关节腔冲洗的临床应用

目的 通过TMJ上腔造影，结合关节腔冲洗、注药及术后下颌磨牙区牙合垫治疗不可复性盘前移位。方法 根据病史结合临床症状选取38例患者，其中单纯性不可复性盘前移位患者15例，合并滑膜炎表现23例。按常规进行关节上腔造影术后拍摄数字化TMJ开闭口断层片、开口度检查，部分患者使用生理盐水进行关节腔冲洗。冲洗后根据病情，关节腔内注入强地松龙或透明质酸钠，注药后再次测量开口度。结果 不可复关节盘移位开口度及髁突侧向运动度明显增加。合并滑膜炎者疼痛症状减轻。结论 TMJ关节上腔造影结合关节腔冲洗注药及He垫治疗，可明显增加开口度、髁突运动度。减轻关节疼痛。因此，是一种治疗早期不可复性盘前移位的有效方法。     

September 11th related stress and trauma in New Yorkers

Exposure to trauma and stress has been linked with poor health, while forgiveness appears to be positively associated with health outcomes. The current study investigates whether traits such as forgiveness and ruminative tendencies predict levels of trauma and stress experienced by New York City residents on the 1‐year anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attack. Seventy‐one students and staff members (57 females, 14 males) of a graduate school in New York City were administered the Impact of Events Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, and questionnaires designed for the purpose of this study to measure ruminative tendencies and forgiveness on September 11, 2002. Rumination predicted levels of trauma (p < 0.05) and perceived stress (p < 0.01). Lower levels of forgiveness predicted perceived stress (p < 0.05), but not trauma. Rumination mediated the relationship between forgiveness and perceived stress. These findings suggest that individuals with higher levels of rumination have an elevated risk of experiencing trauma and stress‐related symptoms following a traumatic event. Forgiveness is associated with lower levels of stress, but not trauma, perhaps because trauma is an extreme form of stress. Forgiveness appears to serve as a buffer against stress more so in individuals with low levels of rumination than in individuals with high levels of rumination. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata: 16-year follow-up of a child from birth

A boy with rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata, diagnosed on the laboratory evidence of a high plasma concentration of phytanic acid and a low erythrocyte concentration of plasmalogens, has been followed from birth to the age of 16 years. The clinical pattern (somatic, skeletal and neurological) tallies with published findings in this disease. Unusual findings are the associated epilepsy, confirmed by EEG, and the long survival. CT brain scan and MRI showed cortical and subcortical atrophy but not gyral abnormalities or demyelination.

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Sommario Viene descritto il caso di un bambino affetto da condrodisplasia punctata rizomelica seguito dalla nascita fino ai 16 anni. La diagnosi clinica, efettuata in base alle caratteristiche somatiche, scheletriche e neurologiche del paziente è stata confermata dai reperti di laboratorio (alta concentrazione plasmatica di acido fitanico, bassa concentrazione di plasmalogeni eritrocitari). Come correlati inusuali del quadro clinico vanno segnalati l'associazione con epilessia e a la lunga sopravvivenza. La TAC e la RNM cerebrale hannovaltresì documentato atrofia corticale e sottocorticale ma non anomalie della girazione o demielinizzazione.

     

Short term correlates of the Neuro Emotional Technique for cancer-related traumatic stress symptoms: A pilot case series

Introduction As many as one quarter of all cancer survivors report traumatic stress symptoms from cancer-related experiences. While the majority of these patients do not meet the criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), there is growing evidence that subsyndromal symptoms can significantly contribute to functional impairment and negative health outcomes. Treatment options for the hallmark symptoms of traumatic stress—unpleasant, intrusive thoughts and avoidant behaviors—have not been well investigated for the cancer survivorship population. Materials and methods Seven female cancer survivors with traumatic stress symptoms from cancer-related experiences and no other major psychopathology, were enrolled to receive three sessions of Neuro-Emotional Technique (NET), a brief, targeted treatment that combines traditional desensitization principles with complementary modalities. Results Psychological outcome measures (Impact of Event Scale (IES) and Subjective Units of Distress (SUD) and physiological measures (Heart Rate (HR) and Skin Conductance Level (SCL) demonstrated the following changes: 71% on IES, 88% SUD, 74% on HR, and 65% on SCL following the intervention. Statistically significant changes were observed for all four parameters, and effect size g for proportion improved were 0.50 each for IES, SUD, and HR, and 0.20 for SCL. Conclusions These cases suggest feasibility of the NET intervention for cancer-related traumatic stress and the potential for change in symptoms and physiological reactivity. Further investigation is needed to determine the specific and long-term effects of such an approach. Implications for cancer survivors Traumatic stress from cancer-related experiences might represent a constellation of symptoms that are amenable to brief, targeted interventions. This study was supported by the O.N.E. Research Foundation     

Association of psychological and physiological measures of stress in health‐care professionals during an 8‐week mindfulness meditation program: mindfulness in practice

Work stress, burnout, and diminished empathy are prevalent issues for health‐care professionals. Mindfulness meditation (MM) is one commonly used strategy to manage stress. Measuring salivary cortisol allows for the assessment of serum cortisol level, a known stress level indicator. This study evaluated the association of subject‐reported stress symptoms and salivary cortisol in health‐care professionals, in an 8‐week MM program, with data collected prospectively at baseline and 8 weeks after program completion. Questionnaires [Profile of Mood States—Short Form (POMS‐SF), Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI)] measured mood, burnout and empathy. A paired t‐test between groups for pre/post‐salivary cortisol yielded no significant change. The POMS‐SF was most sensitive to change (mean increase 12.4; p = 0.020). Emotional exhaustion, measured in the MBI, was also affected by MM (mean decrease 4.54; p = 0.001). Changes in empathy may not have been captured due to either absence of effect of MM on empathy, subject number or scale sensitivity. Baseline and 8‐week correlations between salivary cortisol and survey results, and correlations between changes in these measures, were weak and not statistically significant. Nevertheless, psychometric results present a strong case for additional clinical trials of MM to reduce stress for health‐care professionals. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

伴ADHD的对立违抗性障碍儿童行为特征分析

目的：了解伴注意缺陷／多动障碍(ADHD)的对立违抗性障碍(0DD)患儿的行为特征。方法：以ICD-10作为诊断标准对门诊就诊儿童进行诊断，得到ODD伴ADHD者40例(64.52％)．ODD不伴ADHD者22例(35．48％)。自编家庭情况调查表调查患儿的基本情况。用家长填Achenbach儿章行为量表评定儿童行为。结果：与ODD组相比。合并ADHD组的家长更多对患儿经常打骂和严厉管教：对儿童的不良行为更多地采取打骂的方式。合并组父亲急燥易怒者比ODD组多；合并组起病年龄及就诊年龄比ODD组早：合并组在CBCI。思维、注意问题，违纪、攻击行为，外化性问题，行为总分均高于ODD组。结论：ODD合并ADHD的患儿在思维、注意问题，违纪、攻击行为，外化性问题方面表现更突出，家长对儿童管教方式及不良行为处理方式影响ODD的发生。提示要注重ODD、ADHD的早期干预。     

抑郁症患者心理治疗的临床研究

目的 通过对照的方法,对抑郁症患者使用单纯抗抑郁药物治疗和药物合并心理治疗的疗效进行比较,探讨心理治疗在抑郁症患者治疗中的作用.方法 选取抑郁症患者120例,随机分成两组.对照组60例,男女各半,年龄18～65岁,平均(38.9±2.53)岁;心理治疗组60例,男女各半,年龄19～67岁,平均(39.7±3.12)岁.两组患者均给予帕罗西汀(商品名赛乐特)20mg/d,对照组单纯用药物治疗,心理治疗组药物加心理治疗,疗程8周.分别于第0周(基线)、干预后第2周、第4周、第8周使用汉密顿抑郁量表(HAMD)和抑郁自评量表(SDS)进行评分.结果 药物合并心理治疗组的治疗效果优于对照组(P＜0.05),且治疗时间越长,两组的疗效差异越明显.结论 心理治疗对抑郁症患者的康复有积极的作用,药物治疗合并心理治疗较单纯药物治疗更有利.