Publications by Ashok U Vala

Publications by authors named "Ashok U Vala"

Int J Soc Psychiatry

March 2019

Problematic Internet use (PIU) is defined as an inability to control Internet habits, causing distress or impairing daily life, particularly among adolescents.
A study of 1,312 adolescents in India found that 16.7% exhibited PIU, with a significant correlation to social anxiety disorder (SAD), poor sleep quality, and reduced quality of life.
Key predictors of PIU included SAD, sleep quality, and various Internet use behaviors, such as social networking and gaming, with males and those using English medium being more affected.

Indian J Psychiatry

July 2016

PMDD is a severe form of PMS that includes mood changes, anxiety, and physical symptoms, but little data exists on its prevalence among college girls in India.
This study examined PMS and PMDD prevalence among students in Bhavnagar, identifying demographic factors, common symptoms, and comparing screening methods (PSST vs. SCID-PMDD).
Results showed an 18.4% prevalence of PMS and a 3.7% prevalence of PMDD, with PSST demonstrating high sensitivity but lower specificity, indicating its usefulness in initiating further assessment.

Indian J Psychol Med

January 2014

- Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a serious and potentially fatal reaction to antipsychotic medications.
- It primarily occurs with typical antipsychotics and is rarely associated with atypical ones, although there have been instances with atypicals like quetiapine.
- This particular case is noteworthy because it involved a patient who had been stable on a maintenance dose of quetiapine (200 mg/day) for five years before experiencing NMS.