The clock-drawing test as a possible indicator of acute psychosis.

The clock-drawing test (CDT) is used widely to evaluate cognitive disorders, but its role in the assessment of psychotic disorders has not been studied. We sought to examine whether the CDT plays a role as an indicator of psychosis and to establish its sensitivity to clinical improvement of psychosis. The CDT was administered twice to 53 hospitalized patients without dementia but with psychosis: once at admission and again before discharge.

Altered thermoregulation in ambulatory schizophrenia patients: a naturalistic study.

Background: Schizophrenia patients may exhibit alterations in core/body temperature. Hence, we intended to examine the potential existence of thermoregulatory abnormalities in ambulatory schizophrenia patients.

Methods: Anonymous electronic patient record data of the Leumit Health Fund (Israel) were screened for all schizophrenia patients who have no other apparent chronic co-morbidity (mental or non-mental) and had their oral temperature assessed during routine follow-ups (Schiz-rFUs) or for various transitory infectious/inflammatory processes (Schiz-Infect) during the years 1999-2005 (n = 535).

Association between corneal temperature and mental status of treatment-resistant schizophrenia inpatients.

Introduction: Preliminary point-prevalent data suggest that drug-free schizophrenia patients may exhibit increased body/corneal temperature, that antipsychotic drugs (APDs) may decrease body/core temperature and that patients' mental status might be associated with their body/corneal temperature. Hence, we hypothesized that treatment-resistant psychotic APD-treated schizophrenia patients' mental status may correlate with their corneal temperature during a continuous 6-week period.

Methods: Corneal temperature of 12 treatment-resistant schizophrenia inpatients and 16 healthy volunteers was evaluated 2-3 times a week during 6 consecutive weeks using a flir thermal imaging camera.

Zolmitriptan compared to propranolol in the treatment of acute neuroleptic-induced akathisia: a comparative double-blind study.

Neuroleptic-induced akathisia (NIA) is a common, sometimes incapacitating adverse effect of anti-psychotic medication. Zolmitriptan is a selective 5-HT(1D) agonist. We aimed to determine its anti-NIA efficacy in comparison to propranolol.

Trazodone for the treatment of sexual dysfunction induced by serotonin reuptake inhibitors: a preliminary open-label study.

Introduction: Treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may lead to sexual dysfunction in up to 70% of patients. Because the SSRIs are widely used antidepressants, their propensity to cause sexual dysfunction may affect compliance with therapy and ultimately treatment success. To date, the pathophysiological mechanism of sexual dysfunction caused by SSRIs remains incompletely understood, and the management of SSRIs-induced sexual dysfunction remains unsatisfactory.

In vivo occipital-frontal temperature-gradient in schizophrenia patients and its possible association with psychopathology: a magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.

Background: Accumulating data suggest that schizophrenia patients' mental status might be modulated by their core/brain temperature. Hence, we intended to assess in vivo brain temperature (Tb) of schizophrenia patients vs. healthy subjects and to evaluate its potential association with patients' mental status.

Risk of readmission in compulsorily and voluntarily admitted patients.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to examine relationships between hospital admission legal status (voluntary, psychiatrist-ordered, and court ordered), length of stay and risk of hospital readmission.

Methods: The records (1994-2005) of all consecutive admissions (n = 16,016) to one inpatient mental health facility were reviewed. Patients (n = 6,656) were classified into 3 groups at first admission: voluntary (n = 5,442), psychiatrist-ordered (n = 1,067) and court ordered (n = 147).

A significant correlation between ward temperature and the severity of symptoms in schizophrenia inpatients--a longitudinal study.

Background: Preliminary data suggest that schizophrenia outpatients' mental status might be affected, at least to some extent, by environmental temperature. To further substantiate the potential role of environmental temperature and schizophrenic symptoms we examined, in a naturalistic design, the relationship between environmental temperature of schizophrenia inpatients (i.e.

Signs of bruxism and temporomandibular disorders among psychiatric patients.

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of bruxism and signs of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) among psychiatric patients compared with a healthy population and to assess the effect of psychiatric medications on the parameters studied.

Study Design: Subjects included 77 psychiatric patients under treatment at 2 psychiatric hospitals in Israel and 50 healthy individuals (control). One experienced calibrated examiner performed the clinical examination (presence of bruxism and signs of TMD).

Psychological and cytokine changes in children and adolescents undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Background: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a therapeutic option of a large variety of diseases. It involves several physiological and psychological changes. Investigations of mood changes in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation are common.

Corneal temperature in schizophrenia patients.

Most data imply that dopaminergic transmission is essential for proper hypothalamic-mediated core temperature regulation. Altered central dopaminergic transmission is suggested to be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Thus, hypothetically, schizophrenia patients might be at increased risk of developing thermoregulatory dysregulation manifested by alterations in core temperature, as well as in peripheral tissue, the temperature of which has been shown to correlate with core temperature (e.

Effects of climate on admission rates of schizophrenia patients to psychiatric hospitals.

Data on admissions of schizophrenia- and schizoaffective disorder patients to Tel-Aviv's seven public psychiatric hospitals during 11 consecutive years were obtained along with relevant meteorological information. Mean monthly admission rates were significantly higher during the summer (for schizophrenia patients) and fall (for schizoaffective patients). Schizophrenia patients' mean monthly admission rates correlated with mean maximal monthly environmental temperature (R = 0.

The 5-HT1D receptor agonist zolmitriptan for neuroleptic-induced akathisia: an open label preliminary study.

Neuroleptic-induced akathisia (NIA) is a common, sometimes incapacitating, adverse side-effect of antipsychotic drugs (APDs). Several non-selective post-synaptic 5-HT2 blockers have shown a beneficial antiakathisic effect. We hypothesized that selective stimulation of the presynaptic 5-HT1D serotonergic inhibitory autoreceptor could also be beneficial in NIA.

Donepezil augmentation of clozapine monotherapy in schizophrenia patients: a double blind cross-over study.

Increasing evidence suggests that the cholinergic system is involved in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Donepezil, a central cholinesterase inhibitor, improves psychotic symptomatology in demented patients, however, evidence for its role in the management of active psychosis in schizophrenia remains limited. An 18-week double blind cross-over study was conducted in which eight patients were randomly assigned to either donepezil (5 mg/day for the first 4 weeks and 10 mg/day for the following 4 weeks) or placebo as augmentation treatment to clozapine.

Musical hallucinations: prevalence in psychotic and nonpsychotic outpatients.

Background: Musical hallucinations have been considered a rare manifestation of psychotic states or brain and hearing abnormalities. However, an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) assessment tool refers to musical hallucinations and our preliminary study showed that about one third of OCD patients experienced musical hallucinations.

Aims: To elucidate the lifetime prevalence of musical hallucinations among psychotic and nonpsychotic psychiatric outpatients.

Admission rates of bipolar depressed patients increase during spring/summer and correlate with maximal environmental temperature.

Objective: We intended to identify a relationship, if exists, between various climatic factors and the admission rates of bipolar affective disorder depressed patients (BPD) or major depressive disorder patients (unipolar) (UPD) to psychiatric hospitals, as well as potential seasonal variability in hospitalization rates of this population.

Methods: Data on admissions of ICD-9 BPD and UPD patients to Tel Aviv's seven public psychiatric hospitals during 11 consecutive years were collected along with concomitant meteorological information

Results: Admissions of 4117 patients with BPD and 1036 with UPD who fulfilled our specific inclusion criteria were recorded. Bipolar depressed, but not UPD, patients exhibited significant seasonal variation (higher spring and summer versus winter mean monthly admission rates), and the admission rates of patients with BPD, but not UPD, correlated significantly with mean maximal monthly environmental temperature

Conclusions: Increased environmental temperature may be a risk factor for evolvement of major depressive episode in patients with bipolar disorder with psychiatric co-morbidity, at least in cases that necessitate hospitalization and at the examined geographic/climatic region of Israel.

Lower corneal temperature in neuroleptic-treated vs. drug-free schizophrenia patients.

Antipsychotic drugs (APDs) can decrease core body temperature in schizophrenia patients. Core temperature may correlate with corneal temperature and thus, we hypothesized that neuroleptic-treated schizophrenia patients would display lower corneal temperature compared with drug-free patients. Corneal temperature of 12 typical APD-treated and 9 drug-free male schizophrenia patients was assessed using a FLIR thermal imaging camera.

Precautionary measures reduce risk of definite neuroleptic malignant syndrome in newly typical neuroleptic-treated schizophrenia inpatients.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a potentially lethal antipsychotic drug (APD)-induced thermoregulatory disturbance. We hypothesized that several precautionary measures taken after administeration of APDs might prevent progression to definite NMS. The study group included 657 consecutively admitted drug-free schizophrenia inpatients who received various typical APDs for 28 days.

Alternation learning in OCD/schizophrenia patients.

In continuation of our previous studies on orbitofrontal cortex function in obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) we studied a group of OCD patients with schizophrenia in comparison with a group of schizophrenia patients. In order to test orbitofrontal cortex function we again used an alternation learning task. We found no difference between the two groups in the performance of this task.

Substantial increase in number and dosage of antipsychotics in non-responsive vs. responsive schizophrenia inpatients.

INTRODUCTION Current clinical guidelines recommend the use of a single antipsychotic drug for acute schizophrenic exacerbation. We examined whether this approach is also employed in non-responsive schizophrenia inpatients. METHODS Forty-one consecutively admitted schizophrenic inpatients were assigned into a study group [n=22; non-responsive (ΔBPRS<10%) to two consecutive trials of antipsychotics prior to and following 24 weeks of hospitalization] and a comparison group [n=19; partial-to-good (ΔBPRS=10-27%) responders under similar settings].

Increased corneal temperature in drug-free male schizophrenia patients.

Schizophrenia patients may exhibit altered body temperature. We hypothesized that drug-free patients may have a higher corneal temperature than normal subjects. The corneal temperature of seven remitted drug-free schizophrenia outpatients and seven healthy volunteers was evaluated with a flir thermal imaging camera.

Sexual function and behavior in social phobia.

Background: Social phobia is a type of performance and interpersonal anxiety disorder and as such may be associated with sexual dysfunction and avoidance. The aim of the present study was to evaluate sexual function and behavior in patients with social phobia compared with mentally healthy subjects.

Method: Eighty subjects participated in the study: 40 consecutive, drug-free outpatients with social phobia (DSM-IV) attending an anxiety disorders clinic between November 1997 and April 1999 and 40 mentally normal controls.

Serum creatine kinase levels in untreated hospitalized adolescents during acute psychosis.

Objective: Psychosis-associated creatine kinase (CK)-emia (PACK) is a common and pronounced laboratory abnormality that accompanies adult psychotic conditions. Adult PACK is a relatively consistent individual trait. The authors investigated whether psychotic adolescents also present with such PACK characteristics.

High serum creatinine kinase level: possible risk factor for neuroleptic malignant syndrome.

High creatinine kinase (CK) levels and leukocytosis are known to be associated with neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). The authors sought to determine if their presence during non-NMS psychotic episodes is predictive of the later development of NMS. Sixteen psychotic inpatients who met the criteria for NMS were included.