Evaluation of the Process of Acute Treatment for Depression in Terms of Monitoring Activity and Sleep Efficiency with Actigraphy.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate and follow-up the process of acute treatment for depression in terms of activity and sleep efficiency using actigraphy, and thus increase the opportunities for objective measurement in the monitoring of treatment.

Methods: A total of 20 patients with depression, and 22 and age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers were included in the study. All subjects were evaluated using a sociodemographic data form, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), and actigraphy for measurement of motor activity and sleep efficiency.

[Ten-Year Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Patients with Bipolar Disorder].

Objective: Patients with bipolar disorder (BPD) are less likely to seek treatment for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) despite the two fold increased CVD-related death rate in BPD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between clinical variables, exercise characteristics and 10-year risk of CVD in patients with bipolar I disorder (BPD-I).

Method: The study was carried out with 106 euthymic BPD-I patients who were followed up at the Mood Disorders Centers of Bakırköy Hospital for Mental and Neurological Diseases and Selcuk University Faculty of Medicine.

Minor Physical Anomalies in Bipolar Disorder.

Objective: High-arched palate is more frequent in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (BD). Upto 40% of patients develop schizophrenia in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome manifested with cleft lip and palate, which originate from the first pharyngeal arch in embryo.

Evaluation of 2D:4D digit ratio in bipolar 1 disorder patients and its relationship with treatment response.

Background: The role of sex steroids in bipolar disorder (BD) has been demonstrated in adults. We aimed to evaluate the 2D:4D ratio, which indirectly reflects prenatal sex steroids, in BD. Another purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between clinical features, especially lithium response, and digit ratio.

Involvement of hemoglobins in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease.

Hemoglobins (Hbs) are heme-containing proteins binding oxygen, carbon monoxide, and nitric oxide. While erythrocytes are the most well-known location of Hbs, Hbs also exist in neurons, glia and oligodendroglia and they are primarily localized in the inner mitochondrial membrane of neurons with likely roles in cellular respiration and buffering protons. Recently, studies have suggested links between hypoxia and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer Disease (AD) and furthermore suggested involvement of Hbs in the pathogenesis of AD.

Affective Temperament and Seasonality in Bipolar Disorder.

Background: Both affective temperaments and seasonality impact on the illness course in bipolar disorder (BD). This exploratory study aims to investigate the link between seasonality and affective temperament in BD.

Subjects And Methods: Sixty-six euthymic patients with BD-I were recruited.

Reliability and Validity Study of the Turkish Version of Bipolar Spectrum Diagnostic Scale.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Turkish Version of the Bipolar Spectrum Diagnostic Scale (BSDS).

Method: The study was carried out with 130 patients diagnosed with bipolar I disorder, 15 patients diagnosed with bipolar II disorder, and 38 patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder attending the outpatient psychiatry departments of the Bakırköy Prof. Dr.

[Evaluation of the Association between Lithium Treatment and GSK3β Polymorphism in Bipolar Disorder Patients].

Objective: There is a lack of evidence regarding clinical predictors for the treatment response to lithium, which is the main stay treatment option for bipolar disorder. Studies that examined the mechanistic action of lithium revealed that glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) enzymeinhibition was important in regard to treatment responses. Based on this background, we aimed to investigate the association between responses to lithium treatment and five different polymorphisms of GSK-3β.

Hemoglobins emerging roles in mental disorders. Metabolical, genetical and immunological aspects.

Hemoglobin (Hb) expression in the central nervous system is recently shown. Cooccurences of mental disorders (mainly bipolar disorder (BD) and tic disorders) with β- or α-thalassemia trait or erythrocytosis were witnessed, which may be due to peripheral or central hypoxia/hyperoxia or haplotypal gene interactions. β-Globin genes reside at 11p15.

Higher minor hemoglobin A2 levels in multiple sclerosis patients correlate with lesser disease severity.

Objective: To define whether minor adult hemoglobin A2 (HbA2, α2δ2) exerts any protective activity in multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods: HbA2 levels were measured in 146 MS patients with high performance liquid chromatography and association with MS Severity Scores (MSSS) were determined. HbA2 associations with blood count parameters were also studied using blood counts evaluated on the same day of high performance liquid chromatography sampling.

Hemoglobins as new players in multiple sclerosis: metabolic and immune aspects.

Basic science investigations and clinical observations in recent years indicate that hemoglobins (Hbs) may have important roles in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). These findings can be summarized as follows: 1- Erythrocyte fragility is higher in MS patients, the released free Hb damages blood-brain barrier, myelin basic protein and also triggers iron overload and inflammation. 2- Free Hb may further activate the inflammatory responses through Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), present on microglia and other innate immunocytes.

Hemoglobins, Hemorphins, and 11p15.5 Chromosomal Region in Cancer Biology and İmmunity with Special Emphasis for Brain Tumors.

In systemic cancers, increased hemolysis leads to extracellular hemoglobin (HB), and experimental studies have shown its provoking role on tumor growth and metastasis. However, investigations have shown that HB chains presented by tumor vascular pericytes or serum protein complexes of HB could also induce antitumor immunity, which may be harnessed to treat refractory cancers and brain tumors. Mounting recent evidence shows that expression of HBs is not restricted to erythrocytes and that HBs exist in the cells of lung and kidney, in macrophages, and in neurons and glia of the central nervous system (CNS).

Association between smoking and cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis.

Purpose: Although smoking is known to cause various symptoms in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, there have been no reports regarding the relationship between smoking and cognitive impairment in MS. Studying the effects of cigarette smoking in MS patients is imperative as there is a high prevalence of cognitive impairment in MS patients. In this study we examined the potentially deleterious effects of heavy smoking on mentation of patients with MS.

Multiple sclerosis presents with psychotic symptoms and coexists with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Psychiatric symptoms are not infrequent during MS, yet onset of MS with psychosis is rarely encountered. A 27-year-old Caucasian male was admitted due to numbness in his right arm and difficulty in walking.

Minor hemoglobins HbA2 and HbF associate with disease severity in bipolar disorder with a likely protective role of HbA2 against post-partum episodes.

Background: There exist studies indicating that bipolar disorder (BD) associates with changes in brain blood flow. Human brain with its high demand to oxygen constitutes 2% of the total body weight, while it receives 20% of cardiac output. α and β globin chains of hemoglobin were recently found in neural tissues, yet no study has questioned blood hemoglobins in BD.

[The treatment of bipolar disorder during pregnancy and the postpartum period].

The prevalence of bipolar disorder (BD) in males and females is almost equal. The onset of BD in females typically occurs during the reproductive years, complicating its treatment. Although it was once believed that pregnancy prevents recurrence, studies have shown that recurrence is common and severe during pregnancy.