Onset of Schizophrenia Prior to the End of Brain Maturation Alters Grey Matter Volume Loss.

Background: Brain maturation is considered completed around the age of 25, when prefrontal cortex maturation has been achieved. The aim of our study was to investigate the alterations of grey matter (GM) in patients with the onset of schizophrenia before and after the completion of brain maturation.

Subjects And Methods: The study group included 100 schizophrenia patients, while the control group comprised 50 healthy individuals.

Influence of Psychotic Episodes on Grey Matter Volume Changes in Patients with Schizophrenia.

Background: Schizophrenia is a severe illness whose clinical course is characterized by various numbers of psychotic episodes (PE). The neurotoxic hypothesis (NH) of schizophrenia assumes that psychosis is biologically toxic. The aim of the study was to investigate whether schizophrenia patients (SP) with multiple PE have greater grey matter volume (GMV) reduction compared to SP with fewer PE.

Prescribing patterns in adolescent psychiatric practice: an important role of antipsychotics.

Background: Many adolescents affected by psychiatric disorders require pharmacological treatment. Knowing which medication is being used is of utmost importance. Our main objective was to gain insight into prescribing patterns at the Department of child and adolescent psychiatry, Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka.

Immunological Characteristics of Schizophrenia.

There are many theories about the etiology of schizophrenia. This paper presents the assumptions and latest findings about many immunological characteristics of schizophrenia. According to the neuroimunological theory, this disorder is due to neuroimunological disbalance, increased microglial activity and increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines.

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.

Niacin skin flush test: a research tool for studying schizophrenia.

Background: A body of biochemical evidence suggests that abnormal phospholipid metabolism may play a role in the etiology of schizophrenia, and possibly, other psychiatric and neurological diseases. Niacin, a B-complex vitamin, induces prostaglandin synthesis, vasodilatation, and skin flushing when applied as a solution on the skin or taken orally. In schizophrenia, diminished or absent skin response to niacin represents a robust finding.