Quality of life and psychosocial aspects in Greek patients with psoriasis: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Psoriasis is a common, long-term skin disease associated with high levels of psychological distress and a considerable adverse impact on life. The effects of psoriasis, beyond skin affliction, are seldom recognized and often undertreated.

Objective: The aim of the study is to evaluate the quality of life, anxiety and depression, self-esteem and loneliness in patients with psoriasis.

Epilepsy impact on aspects of school life of children from different cultural populations in Thrace, Greece.

Epilepsy influences the school life of children. The aims of this study were to (1) assess absenteeism and participation in sports activities, (2) investigate whether parents inform school and children inform their classmates, and (3) determine which factors influence these school aspects. Children from both Christian and Muslim families were enrolled and different cultural variables were prospectively documented.

Psychological vulnerability differences in students--carriers or not of the serotonin transporter promoter allele S: effect of adverse experiences.

Aim: To study the effect of the serotonin transporting gene L/S polymorphism on several psychological characteristics in a group of Greek University students.

Methods: One hundred eighty-one students were genotyped and classified into two groups: carriers or noncarriers of an S allele. Students were evaluated with a battery of psychological tests (Zung depression rating scale, symptoms check-list-90-R, Eysenck personality inventory); they also answered questionnaires regarding serious past adverse experiences as well as nicotine and alcohol use.