Physical Health, Media Use, Stress, and Mental Health in Pregnant Women during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant changes in the care of pregnant women and their fetuses. Emerging data show elevated depression and anxiety symptoms among pregnant women. Aims: The purpose of this article is to investigate the psychological and behavioral impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pregnant women in Greece during the first national lockdown.

Associations Between Maternal Depression, Antidepressant Use During Pregnancy, and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: An Individual Participant Data Meta-analysis.

Objective: To evaluate the associations of depressive symptoms and antidepressant use during pregnancy with the risks of preterm birth, low birth weight, small for gestational age (SGA), and low Apgar scores.

Data Sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, ClinicalTrials.gov, and PsycINFO up to June 2016.

Hair cortisol concentrations in mental disorders: A systematic review.

Objective: Research on HPA axis dysregulation has been associated with vulnerability to, or perseverence of, several mental disorders. Hoever, measurements of cortisol levels in blood, saliva and/or urine have yielded variable results. Nevertheless, cortisol analysis in scalp hair appears to be a consistent tool for measurement of long-term exposure to stress.

Low hair cortisol concentrations in obsessive compulsive disorder: A cross-sectional study.

Recent findings have highlighted the association between changes in the activity of the HPA axis, primarily its end-hormone, cortisol and OCD. However, to date, cortisol levels of OCD patients have been assessed mainly in body fluids, such as serum, saliva or urine, frequently leading to ambiguous results because of their inherent lack of stability. The aim of this study was to investigate time-integrated levels of stress exposure in 32 OCD patients and 32 sex and age-matched healthy controls by measuring endogenous cortisol in hair segments reflecting the last 3 months preceding hair collection.

Management of depressive symptoms in peri- and postmenopausal women: EMAS position statement.

Introduction: Globally, the total number of people with depression exceeds 300 million, and the incidence rate is 70 % greater in women. The perimenopause is considered to be a time of increased risk for the development of depressive symptoms and major depressive episodes.

Aim: The aim of this position statement is to provide a comprehensive model of care for the management of depressive symptoms in perimenopausal and early menopausal women, including diagnosis, treatment and follow-up.

Association between gestational diabetes and perinatal depressive symptoms: evidence from a Greek cohort study.

Unlabelled: Aim The aim of the present study was to assess the association of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) with prenatal and postnatal depressive symptoms in a sample of pregnant women in Greece.

Background: Earlier research supports a relationship between depression and diabetes, but only a few studies have examined the relationship between GDM and perinatal depressive symptomatology.

Methods: A total of 117 women in their third trimester of pregnancy participated in the study.

Anxiety and depression among Greek men with primary erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation.

Background: Erectile dysfunction (ED) and premature ejaculation (PE) are the two most prevalent sexual disorders among males associated with significant distress and impairment in quality of life. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms among patients with primary ED and PE.

Methods: A sample of 57 men (ED = 31; PE = 26) were compared to 25 male outpatients with anxiety disorder (AD) and 25 healthy controls.

Schema therapy for patients with chronic depression: a single case series study.

Background And Objectives: This study tested the effectiveness of schema therapy (ST) for patients with chronic depression.

Methods: Twelve patients with a diagnosis of chronic depression participated. The treatment protocol consisted of 60 sessions, with the first 55 sessions offered weekly and the last five sessions on a biweekly basis.

The practice of electroconvulsive therapy in Greece.

Objective: To describe the practice of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in Greece.

Methods: A survey was conducted during the academic year 2008-2009. Electroconvulsive therapy use was investigated for 2007.

Panic Attack during Elective Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.

Background. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and colonoscopy (CS) can evoke anxiety, embarrassment, and discomfort. These concerns can culminate in panic attacks, which may traumatize patients and significantly decrease their compliance to the procedure.

Using ECT in schizophrenia: a review from a clinical perspective.

Objectives: Despite the fact that many studies have addressed the use of ECT in schizophrenia questions on clinical use remain poorly answered and clinical application is largely based on data originating from depressed patients.

Methods: We review data on the use of ECT in schizophrenic patients drawn from original studies indicated by a Pubmed search and referenced in recent and older expert reviews with a specific focus on four issues: symptom response, technical application, continuation/maintenance ECT and combination with medication.

Results: Catatonic patients are the most responsive.

Cardiac rhythm management devices and electroconvulsive therapy: a critical review apropos of a depressed patient with a pacemaker.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective treatment and, with the proper risk-minimizing strategies, is relatively safe even in depressed patients with cardiovascular diseases. Specifically, patients with cardiac rhythm management devices (CRMDs) require particular attention because no controlled trials exist to support current empirical recommendations. We present a depressed patient with a pacemaker successfully treated with ECT, and we critically review the relevant literature.

Factors associated with caregiver psychological distress in chronic schizophrenia.

Background And Aims: Caregivers of patients with schizophrenia experience increased levels of psychological distress. This study investigated the impact of caring for patients with chronic schizophrenia on the mental health status of the caregivers and described the relationship between various socio-demographic and clinical characteristics and caregiving psychological distress.

Methods: The study was carried out at the Psychiatric Hospital of Athens.

Phantom breast syndrome: The effect of in situ breast carcinoma.

Phantom breast syndrome (PBS) represents the experience of the continued presence of the breast, after mastectomy. Our aim was to assess PBS appearance by means of a structured questionnaire and to look into possible associations to disease and treatment parameters, in 105 women with breast cancer treated by mastectomy. PBS was recorded in 22.

Psychiatric manifestations preceding fetal death in antiphospholipid syndrome.

Objectives: Antiphosholipid syndrome (APS) is a systemic autoimmune disorder characterized by a combination of thrombotic events, pregnancy morbidity and antiphospholipid antibodies. The objective of this report is to sensitize mental health professionals to the psychiatric manifestations of APS during pregnancy. To our knowledge, this is the first report on this matter.

Effects of escitalopram on stress-related relapses in women with multiple sclerosis: an open-label, randomized, controlled, one-year follow-up study.

A growing body of evidence supports the association between Stressful Life Events (SLEs) and increased risk for relapse in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). In this open-label, randomized, controlled, one-year prospective study we investigated the effects of escitalopram on stress-related relapses in 48 women with relapsing-remitting MS. Patients were randomly assigned either to receive escitalopram 10mg/day (e-group, N=24) or to continue with treatment as usual, as a control group (c-group, N=24).

Additive effect of depressed mood and vasomotor symptoms on postmenopausal insomnia.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of vasomotor and mood symptoms on insomnia in postmenopausal women.

Methods: One hundred sixty-three postmenopausal women, not receiving hormone therapy, attending a menopause clinic at the University of Athens, Greece, were included in this cross-sectional study. Climacteric symptoms were assessed by Greene's scale, whereas psychological morbidity was measured by Zung Self-Assessment Depression Scale, Symptom Checklist-90-R, and Athens Insomnia Scale.

The impact of stressful life events on risk of relapse in women with multiple sclerosis: a prospective study.

Purpose: The aims of this study were first, to examine the general relation between stressful life events (SLEs) and clinical relapses in women with multiple sclerosis (MS) and second, to investigate the relations of the specific stressor attributes of duration, type, and severity on MS exacerbations.

Methods: Twenty six ambulating women with relapsing-remitting MS were followed-up for a mean of 56.3 weeks.

The safety of the electroconvulsive therapy-aripiprazole combination: four case reports.

In clinical practice, a proportion of patients with psychotic or mood disorders are treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) while receiving concomitantly antipsychotic and/or other psychotropic agents. Aripiprazole is a second-generation antipsychotic that seems to have a favorable side-effect profile. However, to the best of our knowledge, there are, as yet, no available reports on the safety of ECT-aripiprazole combination.

Neuropsychological and hypothalamic-pituitary-axis function in female patients with melancholic and non-melancholic depression.

Background: Executive function deficits in depression implicate involvement of frontal-striatal circuits. However, studies of hypothalamic-pituitary-axis (HPA) function suggest that stress-related brain changes of hippocampus may also implicate prefrontal-hippocampal circuits, which may explain the profile of both executive dysfunction and memory deficits. In this study we examined the performance of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) on tasks of memory and executive function in relation to melancholic features and to cortisol levels.

Nightmares: personality dimensions and psychopathological attributes.

In this article, in an attempt to integrate recent findings with existing knowledge, we provide an overview of issues related to nightmares that could be useful as a guide to clinical work. After defining what should be considered as a nightmare, we look into the relationship of nightmares with issues such as normal development and maturation, as well as culture. Issues of stress and personality are then discussed in their relation to situational and chronic nightmares.