Training in neuropsychiatry: views of early career psychiatrists from across the world

BACKGROUND

Training and practice in neuropsychiatry varies across the world. However, little is known about the experiences and opinions of early career psychiatrists (ECPs) across different countries regarding neuropsychiatry.

AIMS AND METHOD

To investigate neuropsychiatry training experiences, practices and opinions among ECPs across different countries. An online survey was distributed to ECPs in 35 countries across the world.

RESULTS

A total of 522 participants took part in this study. Responses show that neuropsychiatry is integrated to a variable extent in psychiatric training curricula across the world. Most respondents were not aware of the existence of neuropsychiatric training or of neuropsychiatric units. Most agreed that training in neuropsychiatry should be done during or after the psychiatry training period. Lack of interest among specialty societies, lack of time during training, and political and economic reasons are regarded as the main barriers.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

These findings call for an improvement in the extent and in the quality of neuropsychiatry training across the world.

Coping strategies of caregivers towards aggressive behaviors of persons with severe mental illness

Aggression is one of the chief determinants of caregiver burden in severe mental illnesses. Clinical and treatment implications of aggression in mental illness are predominantly studied in perspectives of mental health care professionals. Coping style of caregivers towards aggression of persons with mental illness is understudied. So we studied coping strategies used by caregivers of patients with severe mental illness towards aggressive behaviors of patients and relationship between aggressive behavior and coping strategies. We assessed two hundreds and seventy caregivers of patients with severe mental illness attending outpatient psychiatry department using Modified Overt Aggression Scale and the Ways of Coping Scale - revised. 95.6% of the caregivers perceived verbal aggression followed by aggression against property (67%), auto aggression (33.7%) and physical aggression (25.6%). The study revealed that adaptive coping strategies - planful problem solving and seeking social support were used by 40% each of caregivers to deal with aggressive behavior. Only 4.4% of caregivers resorted to escape avoidance which is maladaptive coping strategy. Though adaptive strategies were used by caregivers these were not used in appropriate situations. Physical aggression and aggression against property were not significantly associated with planful problem solving (r = 0.105; p = 0.08 and r = 0.110; p = 0.07 respectively). But verbal aggression, aggression against property and physical aggression were associated with escape avoidance (r = 0.152; p = 0.01 and r = 0.168; p = 0.01 and r = 0.23; p = <0.001 respectively). The study concluded that coping in caregivers of severe mental illness is maladaptive with respect to aggression. Coping skills training would play a major role to address this issue.

Clinical and familial profile of bipolar disorder with and without obsessive-compulsive disorder: an Indian study

Abstract Introduction Comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is common in bipolar disorder (BD). Clinical characteristics, functionality and familial pattern of this comorbidity are largely understudied. Objective To assess clinical profile, familial loading of psychiatric disorders and level of functioning in remitted BD patients who have comorbid OCD and to compare results with those of remitted BD patients without OCD. Methods Remitted BD-I subjects were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders, Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) and Family Interview for Genetic Studies (FIGS). BD patients with and without OCD were compared. Group differences were analyzed using the chi-square test and the independent samples t test. Values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results Of the 90 remitted BD-I patients, 35.5% (n=32) had obsessive-compulsive symptoms/OCD. The BD-OCD group showed significantly lower GAF scores, higher rates of suicidal attempts, hospitalizations, manic and depressive episodes compared to the group with BD only (p<0.05). In addition, first and second-degree relatives had higher rates of BD-OCD and OCD, but not of BD. Conclusions BD-OCD is characterized by more severe BD, more dysfunction and higher familial loading of BD-OCD and OCD. Larger studies involving relatives of probands will help to confirm our findings and to delineate nosological status of BD-OCD comorbidity.

Neuropsychological profile of schizophrenia with and without obsessive compulsive disorder

Neuropsychological profile of schizophrenia with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in comparison with that of schizophrenia without OCD is understudied and the results are inconsistent. We hypothesize that patients having schizophrenia with OCD ('schizo-obsessive disorder') may have unique neuropsychological deficits in comparison with those with schizophrenia alone, particularly with respect to executive functions. Thirty patients with schizo-obsessive disorder and 30 individually matched patients with schizophrenia without any obsessive-compulsive symptoms formed the sample of the study. Neuropsychological assessment included tests for attention, executive functions and memory. Patients with schizo-obsessive disorder did not differ from those with schizophrenia alone with respect to measures of attention, executive functions and memory. Our findings do not support unique neuropsychological profile of schizo-obsessive disorder. Studying a larger sample of drug-naive patients in a longitudinal design may provide us more insights in to this.

Management of obsessive-compulsive disorder comorbid with bipolar disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is one of the most common comorbidities in bipolar disorder (BD). Clinicians often get perplexed in making treatment decisions when encountering comorbid OCD and BD as treatment of OCD by pharmacotherapy may induce or exacerbate mood instability and psychotherapeutic approaches for OCD may not be feasible in acute manic or depressive state of BD. In this study, we reviewed literature, whether existing guideline-based treatments of BD may be effective in OCD and whether newer agents will be of use for treating this comorbidity. We could find that treatment of such comorbid disorder is largely understudied. Adjuvant topiramate or olanzapine- selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor/clomipramine combination along with mood stabilizer is found to be effective for treating OCD in BD. Use of other conventional pharmacological agents and psychotherapy for treating comorbid OCD in BD lacks evidence and is limited to case reports. Our review also highlights the need for further studies regarding the treatment strategies in this highly prevalent comorbid disorder.

A comparative study of caregiver burden in late-onset depression and Alzheimer's disease

BACKGROUND

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and major depressive disorder are the two most common psychogeriatric disorders. Late-onset depression (LOD) is the most common cause of emotional suffering in the elderly and is associated with a poor quality of life in caregivers. Although the burden on caregivers of individuals suffering from AD has been well studied, there is a paucity of comparative studies on caregiver burden between AD and LOD. The objectives of this study were to compare the caregiver burden in LOD and AD and to identify factors associated with caregiver burden in LOD.

METHODS

The study included two groups of 25 patients and their caregivers. Group 1 consisted of LOD patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, text revision, with onset after age 60, and their caregivers. Group 2 consisted of AD patients and their caregivers. Caregiver burden was assessed by the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview. Sociodemographic and clinical correlates of caregiver burden in LOD and AD were analyzed.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in caregiver burden between LOD and AD (P = 0.27). In LOD, the factors positively associated with caregiver burden included the patient's education and the caregiver being a woman, married, unmarried, and a student. Factors negatively associated with caregiver burden included being the son of the patient and high income status. Multivariate stepwise regression analysis showed that caregiver burden in AD is predicted by the Behavioural Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease Scale score, income, presence of diabetes, and in-laws as caregivers (adjusted R(2) = 0.847, P < 0.001). In LOD, caregiver burden is predicted by income, the patient's education, and whether the caregiver is a student or spouse (adjusted R(2) = 0.388, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the finding that caregiver burden in LOD is comparable to that in AD and requires interventions to reduce the caregiver strain.

Fetishistic transvestism in a patient with mental retardation and psychosis

Fetishistic transvestism is a disorder of sexual preference associated with fantasies and sexual urges to dress in opposite gender clothing as a means of arousal and as an adjunct to masturbation and coitus. The disorder has been reported in people with learning disabilities. The disorder has been reported in a young male with dull normal intelligence. Transvestism though has been described in schizophrenia and psychosis and fetishism has been described in the course of simple schizophrenia, there are no reports of fetishistic transvestism in a patient with mental retardation and psychosis. A case of fetishistic transvestism in a patient with mental retardation and psychosis with treatment and relevant review of literature is reported.