Bipolar Disorders in Saudi Arabia: What Do We Know So Far?

Bipolar disorders (BP) are prevalent neuropsychiatric illnesses affecting 1%-5% of the global population and about 3% of the Saudi population. They are associated with significant comorbidities and negative consequences. Despite being common mental health conditions in Saudi Arabia, stigma persists, with weak character, supernatural beliefs, and weak faith considered as causes.

Psychosis in Laurence-Moon Syndrome: A Case Report.

Background: Laurence-Moon syndrome (LMS) is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder characterized by a combination of neurological, visual, and endocrine abnormalities. The coexistence of psychiatric disorders in LMS patients can complicate clinical management due to the intricate interplay between neurodevelopmental and psychiatric symptoms. A review of the literature failed to identify a similar case study published in major databases, including PubMed, highlighting the significance of this case report.

Role of Psychosomatic Medicine in Complex Medical Cases: A Case Study of a Patient With Breast Cancer Who Refused Mastectomy.

Psychosomatic medicine has been known to play a pivotal role in the management of complex medical cases by providing a bridge between the physical disease and psychological distress. This case study focuses on a 42-year-old Saudi female diagnosed with breast cancer and generalized anxiety disorder. In addition to anxiety, the patient had a history of obsessive-compulsive personality traits, which contributed to her reluctance to undergo mastectomy.

Mental health status among COVID-19 patients survivors of critical illness in Saudi Arabia: A 6-month follow-up questionnaire study.

Background: Psychological assessment after intensive care unit (ICU) discharge is increasingly used to assess patients' cognitive and psychological well-being. However, few studies have examined those who recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). There is a paucity of data from the Middle East assessing the post-ICU discharge mental health status of patients who had COVID-19.

Utility and Implementation of the Distress Thermometer for Cancer Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study From Saudi Arabia.

Background Cancer patients suffer from variable degrees of distress. The distress thermometer (DT) is a valuable tool for screening those patients for distress. Few studies have addressed the utility of DT in screening cancer patients in Saudi Arabia.

The Impact and Implications of Regenerative Medicine in Urology.

Urology focuses on the treatment of genitourinary disorders through therapies ranging from lifestyle changes to advanced surgeries; the field has recently incorporated robotic and minimally invasive technologies that have improved patient outcomes and reduced hospital stays and complications. However, these methods still have certain limitations. Regenerative medicine, focusing on natural repair abilities, can be an effective and safer alternative.

Pattern of dietary supplement use and its psychosocial predictors among females visiting fitness centers in Saudi Arabia: Findings from a cross-sectional study.

Background: Establishing a balanced diet is necessary for obtaining the required daily micronutrients and macronutrients. However, the importance of using dietary supplements to complement one's diet is a significant aspect to consider. While studies have reported the prevalence and patterns of dietary supplements in Saudi Arabia, most focused on university students, women in their reproductive life-particularly during pregnancy-or male athletes.

Acceptance, Awareness, Attitude, and Practices Toward Heart Transplantation: A Saudi Based Survey.

Introductions: The awareness of brain death and heart donation (HD) among the Saudi population remains limited, coupled with negative attitudes toward heart donation, resulting in a significant gap between the demand for donor hearts and the available supply. This study aimed to comprehensively understand the current perceptions, attitudes, and practices of the Saudi population regarding HD, as well as identify the obstacles. The ultimate goal was to strengthen the local donor pool.

The Effect of Body Mass Index on Patients' Length of Stay Post-appendectomy.

Background And Aim: Appendicitis is defined as the appendix's inflammation, which requires an appendectomy for treatment. Obesity is one of the risk factors for post-surgical complications in appendicitis. This study aimed to explore obesity's influence on hospital length of stay among patients with appendicitis in Taif, Saudi Arabia.

Prognosis of Postoperative Pulmonary Embolism in High Altitude.

Background: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common cause of death and serious disability, with risks that extend beyond the acute phase. Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, high mortality rates remain a persistent problem.

Aim: The current study aimed to investigate PE prognosis and its determinants among native highlanders in Taif City, Saudi Arabia.

Is There an Association between Increased Stress and Smartphone Addiction? Insights from a Study on Medical Students from Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Smartphone addiction is prevalent among medical students, and there is a concern that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic fueled a rise in smartphone addiction. Earlier studies suggest a link between excessive smartphone usage and negative outcomes such as depression, stress, and reduced academic achievement. However, there is a dearth of both local studies in Saudi Arabia and studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic exploring the prevalence of smartphone addiction and its association with academic performance, depression, and perceived stress, which is the purpose of the current study.

Effect of Deep Brain Stimulation in The Ventral Tegmental Area on Neuronal Activity in Local and Remote Brain Regions in Kindled Mice.

Objective: The mechanisms behind seizure suppression by deep brain stimulation (DBS) are not fully revealed, and the most optimal stimulus regimens and anatomical targets are yet to be determined. We investigated the modulatory effect of low-frequency DBS (L-DBS) in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) on neuronal activity in downstream and upstream brain areas in chemically kindled mice by assessing c-Fos immunoreactivity.

Materials And Methods: In this experimental study, 4-6 weeks old BL/6 male mice underwent stereotaxic implantation of a unilateral stimulating electrode in the VTA followed by pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) administration every other day until they showed stage 4 or 5 seizures following 3 consecutive PTZ injections.

Prevalence of fatigue functional and social impairment among patients with rheumatic diseases compared to patients without: A cross-sectional comparison.

Rheumatic diseases (RD) are chronic diseases that significantly affect the lives of patients. Assessing health outcomes through a patient-reported outcome measurement information system (PROMIS) is essential for RD management. Moreover, these tend to be less favorable among individuals than among the rest of the population.

Wireless stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus with nanoparticles modulates key monoaminergic systems similar to contemporary deep brain stimulation.

Background: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is commonly used to alleviate motor symptoms in several movement disorders. However, the procedure is invasive, and the technology has remained largely stagnant since its inception decades ago. Recently, we have shown that wireless nanoelectrodes may offer an alternative approach to conventional DBS.

Determinants of quality of life of cancer patients at a tertiary care medical city in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Background: Incidences of cancer are increasing at an unprecedented rate in Saudi Arabia, making it a major public health concern. Cancer patients are faced with physical, psychological, social, and economic challenges, all of which can impact quality of life (QoL).

Objectives: This study aims to explore the sociodemographic, psychological, clinical, cultural, and personal factors that could affect the overall QoL of cancer patients.

Gait improvement by high-frequency stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus in Parkinsonian mice is not associated with changes of the cholinergic system in the pedunculopontine nucleus.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is standard care for severe motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, a challenge of DBS remains improving gait. Gait has been associated with the cholinergic system in the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN).

Analyzing Factors Influencing Patient Selection of a Surgeon for Elective Surgery in Saudi Arabia: A Questionnaire-Based Survey.

Background: Nowadays patients are encouraged to partake in healthcare decision making and patient preferences are given increasing weight. Patient's choice is important to reduce waiting time and to encourage competition between providers, as most patients look for high-quality care while minimizing costs, according to different studies this may not be as simple as the attributes and factors that patients value when selecting a hospital or surgeon. Overall, Saudi Arabia has minimal research on how patients select surgeons or surgical facilities.

Awareness, Attitude, and Willingness Toward Bleeding Control by Bystanders in Riyadh.

Background Hemorrhage after trauma is the second leading cause of death in patients in the prehospital environment, and intervention by bystanders before the arrival of professional rescuers has the potential to save lives in such circumstances. No studies have been conducted in Saudi Arabia till date to assess the knowledge and awareness of bleeding control by bystanders. Hence, this study was conducted with an aim to assess the level of awareness, attitude, and willingness toward bleeding control by bystanders in Riyadh city, the capital of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

The role of neurotransmitter systems in mediating deep brain stimulation effects in Parkinson's disease.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is among the most successful paradigms in both translational and reverse translational neuroscience. DBS has developed into a standard treatment for movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease (PD) in recent decades, however, specific mechanisms behind DBS's efficacy and side effects remain unrevealed. Several hypotheses have been proposed, including neuronal firing rate and pattern theories that emphasize the impact of DBS on local circuitry but detail distant electrophysiological readouts to a lesser extent.

The Effect of Noise Trauma and Deep Brain Stimulation of the Medial Geniculate Body on Tissue Activity in the Auditory Pathway.

Tinnitus is defined as the phantom perception of sound. To date, there is no curative treatment, and contemporary treatments have failed to show beneficial outcomes. Deep brain stimulation has been suggested as a potential therapy for refractory tinnitus.

Post-Mortem Analysis of Neuropathological Changes in Human Tinnitus.

Tinnitus is the phantom perception of a sound, often accompanied by increased anxiety and depressive symptoms. Degenerative or inflammatory processes, as well as changes in monoaminergic systems, have been suggested as potential underlying mechanisms. Herein, we conducted the first post-mortem histopathological assessment to reveal detailed structural changes in tinnitus patients' auditory and non-auditory brain regions.

Does professionalism change with different sociodemographic variables? A survey of Arab medical residents.

Background: Medical professionalism reflects the commitment of physicians to their patients, society, themselves, and the profession. The study examined residents' attitudes towards professionalism and how these attitudes vary among the different demographic groups, namely gender, specialty, and year of residency.

Methods: A proportionate random sampling strategy was used to select the study sample.