Implementation of the program of preventive examinations at primary health care in the city of Zagreb 2009-2013.

Background: The program covered all persons who had not been in contact with a physician for two years or had failed to notice symptoms themselves or to timely respond to the symptoms observed. The aim of the present study was to analyze the results of the program and try to draw conclusions regarding the necessity further implementation.

Subjects And Methods: This paper analyzes data on a cohort of 1375 subjects aged 45+, collected on preventive examinations by family physicians during the 2009-2013 period.

Five-year cumulative incidence of physical inactivity in adult Croatian population: the CroHort study.

The aim of this study was to analyze gender and age differences in physical inactivity in Croatia and physical inactivity pattern changes during the five-year period. The study is based on the data obtained from the Croatian Adult Health Cohort Study which was carried out in 2003 and 2008. The prevalence of physical inactivity in 2008 was 37.

1-H MRS changes in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex after donepezil treatment in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) noninvasively provides information on the concentration of some cerebral metabolites in vivo. Among those measurable by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS), N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) is decreased, and myo-inositol (ml) and choline (Cho) levels are increased in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Donepezil, an acetylcholinesteraze inhibitor, has proven effect on cognitive symptoms in patients with AD.

Changes in brain metabolites measured with magnetic resonance spectroscopy in antidepressant responders with comorbid major depression and posttraumatic stress disorder.

In a present pilot study, performed on 11 subjects, we studied proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) changes in early to intermediate (3-6 weeks) responders to antidepressant treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). All subjects had diagnosis of major recurrent depression comorbid to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Magnetic spectroscopy was done in the region of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on a 3T MRI-unit.

Correlation of cognitive functions with some aspects of illness, treatment and social functioning in recurrently hospitalized schizophrenic patients.

Cognitive deficits are found to be contributors to poorer psychosocial functioning, rehabilitation outcome and lack of treatment success in schizophrenia. Aim of the study was to examine correlation of cognitive functions with some aspects of illness, treatment and social functioning in a group of recurrently hospitalized schizophrenic patients (N=60). Deficient results on psychomotor processing speed, verbal fluency and verbal learning correlated with the longer duration of illness, higher number of hospitalizations and shorter duration of regular antipsychotic treatment.

[Capacity to consent to research in patients with mental illness].

Informed consent is a legal procedure when including a person in the treatment, diagnostics or research which includes information, voluntarism and capacity to consent of the participant. Capacity to consent is related to decision-making process and could be influenced by various factors. Assessment of capacity to consent is still clinical, because there are no widely accepted standards and assessment instruments.

Cognitive functions in the involuntary hospitalized schizophrenic patients.

Objective: Objective of the study was to investigate differences in some important cognitive functions in the schizophrenic patients that were either involuntary or voluntary hospitalized in psychiatric hospital.

Method: 30 involuntary hospitalized patients with schizophrenia were evaluated with neurocognitive battery and compared with a group of 30 voluntary hospitalized patients with schizophrenia. Demographic and medical data were also analyzed

Results: Involuntary hospitalized patients showed significantly poorer performance in some cognitive tests and no difference in the other cognitive tests in comparison with voluntary hospitalized patients.

Pathways to psychiatric care in Eastern Europe.

Background: There has been almost no research into mental health services in Eastern Europe. A pathways study is a quick and useful starting point, requiring few resources.

Aims: To improve understanding of prior care-seeking and treatment of new patients seen at mental health services.

Change of diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder related to compensation-seeking.

Aim: To explore the change in the diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to the implementation of the new national regulation on compensation-seeking by war veterans in Croatia.

Methods: The study included 225 compensation-seeking war veterans who were psychiatrically assessed and diagnosed on three different occasions. The first diagnosis was made by a local psychiatrist when a veteran sought psychiatric help for the first time.