Prevalence of subjective cognitive decline and its association with physical health problems among urban community dwelling elderly population in South India.

Introduction: No studies in India have explored subjective cognitive decline (SCD), a hallmark of stage II of preclinical Alzheimer's disease. This study aims to assess the prevalence and correlates of SCD in a South Indian, urban, elderly population.

Methods: We screened 403 individuals 60 years of age and older using the Subjective Memory Complaints Questionnaire (SMCQ) and measured objective cognition with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).

Cognitive functioning and functional ability in women with schizophrenia and homelessness.

Background: Studies of schizophrenia and homelessness are minimal from the Indian subcontinent. Women with schizophrenia and homelessness in India remain a highly vulnerable group and there is no data to date regarding their clinical characteristics. Cognitive impairment in schizophrenia remains a major factor determining outcomes in schizophrenia.

Effectiveness of Virtual - Compensatory Cognitive Training (V-CCT) for improving cognition in persons with schizophrenia - a multi- centre randomized controlled trial.

Background: Cognitive deficits are the core component in persons with schizophrenia which impacts their socio-occupational functioning. Also, cognitive deficits cause significant impairment with the person's quality of life [3]. Hence, targeting such a pivotal aspect in persons with schizophrenia through suitable interventions is very important.

Development and Validation of Yoga Protocol for Patients with Depression.

Background: Scientific evidence suggests that yoga is beneficial for treating mental health disorders. To the best of our knowledge, minimal studies have been done on the development of a yoga module for the specific clinical aspects of depression and there is no particular study on yoga protocol development for mild depression and moderate depression.

Purpose: The primary aim of this study is to develop specific yoga protocol modules for treating patients affected with mild and moderate depression.

Characterization of an extreme phenotype of schizophrenia among women with homelessness.

Background: Studies of schizophrenia and homelessness are often confounded by comorbid substance use. Women with schizophrenia and homelessness in India have very low rates of substance use and provide a unique opportunity to disentangle the effects of illness from that of substance use. We examined the clinical characteristics of women with schizophrenia and homelessness and compared it to an age-matched group of women with schizophrenia living with their family.

Association between opioid and dopamine receptor gene polymorphisms OPRM1 rs1799971, DAT VNTR 9-10 repeat allele, DRD1 rs4532 and DRD2 rs1799732 and alcohol dependence: an ethnicity oriented meta-analysis.

Objective: We carried out a meta-analysis of four opioid and dopamine candidate gene polymorphisms having conflicting results in prior literature, namely OPRM1 rs1799971, DAT VNTR 9-10 repeat, DRD1 rs4532 and DRD2 rs1799732, to clarify their association with alcohol dependence and further stratified results by ethnicity to analyze possible ethnicity-mediated effects.

Methods: Inclusion criteria: case-control studies assessing the association between OPRM1 rs1799971, DAT VNTR 9/10 repeat allele, DRD1 rs4532 and DRD2 rs1799732 with alcohol dependence, with sufficient data available to calculate the odds ratio (OR) within a 95% confidence interval. Exclusion criteria: studies of quantitative measures of alcohol consumption, response to medications or analyses of other markers in the candidate genes, studies without controls, animal studies and lack of genotyping data.

Cardiovascular Diseases and Schizophrenia in India: Evidence, Gaps, and Way Forward.

The importance of physical health among persons with schizophrenia is well-established. Studies from developed and developing countries indicated a strong association between cardiovascular diseases and schizophrenia, while evidence from India is scattered and in its infancy. Hence, the aims of the study were to collate available studies from India on cardiovascular diseases among persons with schizophrenia, identify knowledge gaps and challenges, and discuss recommendations to improve clinical care and research on cardiovascular diseases among persons with schizophrenia in India.