Correlation of levels of depressiveness and choice of elective subjects in medical students.

The aim of this research was to establish if a correlation exists between the choice of an elective subject, namely subjects "Depression" and "Diabetes", and levels of depressiveness in medical students. Three groups of third year medical students attending School of medicine, Rijeka University, were tested for the level of depression using Beck's self-evaluation scale. The groups consisted of 30 non-randomly selected students that had enrolled elective subject "Depression" and 29 non-randomly selected students that had enrolled elective subject "Diabetes", and the third group of 30 randomly selected third year medical students that had enrolled none of the previously mentioned elective subjects.

Posttraumatic stress disorder and depression as comorbid disorders.

Introduction: Depression is the most frequent disorder of today. It is unique for the fact that it can become a comorbid illness with almost any other psychiatric disorder. Premorbid depression is also a risk factor for the development of PTSD, while at the same time traumatic experience is a risk factor for the development of depression.

Dimensions of human spirituality, layman understandings of health and limits of medicine.

The essence of human uniqueness and what is special about humans is spirituality. What is unique to every human being is his: language, sociability, politic, science, art, technical and working attitudes, playing games, fun and laughter, as well as religiosity and ethical attitudes. All of these dimensions are based upon spirituality or even the human spirit.

Activation of ERK and JNK MAP kinases in optic nerves of rats exposed to global cerebral ischemia.

Objectives: To determine the influence of global cerebral ischemia on the activation of extracellular-regulated kinases (ERK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) in optic nerves of rats exposed to different reperfusion periods.

Materials And Methods: Transient global cerebral ischemia (20-min duration) was induced by the four-vessel occlusion method. After different reperfusion periods (5 and 10 min; 1; 6 and 12 h after ischemia), optic nerves were extracted and ERK and JNK activation signals were determined by Western immunoblot analyses.

NA+, K+-ATPase activity in the brain of the rats with kainic acid-induced seizures: influence of lamotrigine.

Objective: Kainic acid (KA) is used as an experimental agent which produces convulsions and neurotoxic lesions. Lamotrigine (LTG) is an antiepileptic drug, a glutamate release inhibitor, with action at the neuronal voltage-gated sodium channel. The aim of the present study was to investigate the Na+-K+-ATPase activity in the hippocampus and cortex of rats with KA-induced convulsions.

Lithium treatments: single and multiple daily dosing.

Objective: To review the feasibility and effectiveness of single daily dosing of lithium in patients with affective disorder and to discuss advantages and disadvantages of this schedule of administration.

Method: A comprehensive search of the literature was conducted using a combination of electronic databases and a search of reference lists and relevant journals. English-language articles were selected for the review if they discussed the issues comparing multiple and single daily dosing schedules of lithium.

The influence of daylight exposure on platelet 5-HT levels in patients with major depression and schizophrenia.

Platelet serotonin (5-HT) can be used as a limited, peripheral model for the central 5-HT synaptosomes. Altered platelet 5-HT concentrations have been associated with psychiatric disorders like depression and schizophrenia. The aim of the present study was to compare platelet 5-HT concentrations during long, medium and short period of natural daylight exposure in a large number of medication-free male and female schizophrenic and depressed patients and sex-matched healthy controls.

Psychopharmacotherapy and spirituality.

Although the connection between spiritual and physical has been acknowledged since the oldest of human civilizations and emphasized in almost all of religions, It has taken a lot of time for that connection to gradually recover its lost meaning. As it is evident that many diseases and illnesses can not be explained purely by physical causes nor treated with purely physical methods there is a growing interest in spirituality and its usability in the treatment of various diseases and states, as well as in everyday life. Despite the fact that a sense of positive, nourishing and healing power of faith is deeply rooted in every religion, objective and empirical research of that connection has been avoided for centuries, and those studies which were conducted are only rudimentary, on the outskirts of empirical science.

Mental disorders and metabolic syndrome: a fatamorgana or warning reality?

Background: There has been a growing interest in the effect that comorbid mental and somatic disorders may have on each other. Metabolic syndrome is an important risk factor for the development of diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease and premature mortality.

Objectives: To examine the association between various mental disorders (schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental disorders) and metabolic syndrome and discuss the possible pathophysiologic mechanisms that may link specific mental disorders and metabolic syndrome.

Hereditary predisposition and sexual self-concept in schizophrenia.

Objective: Aim of this research was to establish possible differences in sexual self-perception among acute and chronic schizophrenic patients, taking into consideration their hereditary predisposition.

Methods: Two groups of schizophrenic patients were analyzed, consisting of 100 acute and 100 chronic schizophrenic patients, treated at the Psychiatric clinic Rijeka, in the period 1998-1999, taking into consideration their hereditary predisposition and influence of that predisposition on seven aspects of sexual self-perception: sexual self-scheme, sexual consciousness, readiness for sexual action sexual adventurism, level of negative emotions towards one's sexuality, perception of one's sexual self-competence, sexual satisfaction.

Results: Results show that hereditary predisposition in chronic schizophrenic patients has a negative effect on some of the aspects of sexual self-perception: sexual self-scheme and sexual satisfaction.

Acute brain syndrome as a consequence of the Cronkhite-Canada syndrome.

Background: Cronkhite-Canada syndrome is a very rare illness and psychical disturbances developed as a consequence of this illness are very rarely described. That is the case because majority of the symptoms of this syndrome are associated with the polyposis of the gastrointestinal tract.

Aim: The aim of this case report is to link the development of acute brain syndrome with this rare syndrome.

Influence of depression on patients satisfaction with the outcome of microsurgical "key-hole" vs classical discectomy: prospective matched-cohort study.

Aim: To assess the influence of depression on patients' satisfaction with lumbar discectomy performed by two different surgical techniques.

Methods: A prospective matched-cohort analysis of classical lumbar discectomy following static imaging (n = 45) and microlumbar "key-hole" discectomy after dynamic CT/myelography (n = 55) was performed. The outcome was independently assessed using Prolo economic/activity (E) and functional/pain (F) scale, and depressiveness according to Hamilton rating scale.