Publications by authors named "Rumeysa Alaca"
Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of childhood psychopathologies in Turkey.
Method: A nation-wide, randomly selected, representative population of 5830 children (6-13 years-old) enrolled as a 2nd,3rd or 4th grade student in 30 cities were evaluated for presence of a psychiatric or mental disorder by a Sociodemographic Form, Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL), and DSM-IV-Based Screening Scale for Disruptive Behavior Disorders in Children and Adolescents scales. Impairment criterion was assessed via a 3 point-Likert scale by the parent and the teacher independently.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to assess the prevalence of affective disorders in a representative sample of Turkish students from second to fourth grades.
- A total of 5,842 participants were analyzed, revealing a 2.5% prevalence of affective disorders, with major depressive disorder (MDD) being the most common at 1.06%.
- The findings suggest the need for early interventions, particularly for children with family risk factors like maternal psychopathology and paternal illness.
Introduction: Brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) has been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In addition, impairment in executive functions has been reported in children with ADHD. This study investigated the presence of a relationship between Stroop test scores and BDNF levels in children with ADHD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: In this study, we investigated serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and cortisol levels between children with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) prior to treatment and healthy controls. In addition, the study aimed to assess any correlations between OCD symptom severity and BDNF, ACTH, and cortisol levels.
Methods: Twenty-nine children, aged from 7 to 17 years (male/female: 21/8) and diagnosed with OCD according to DSM-IV prior to treatment, were compared with 25 healthy control subjects (male/female: 16/9).
Objective: Oxidative stress has been reported to play a role in the psychopathology of schizophrenia, though only a few studies have investigated the relationship between early-onset schizophrenia and oxidative stress. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the level of oxidative stress and the presence of DNA damage in first-episode psychosis (FEP) in adolescents.
Methods: This study was conducted in the Department of Child Psychiatry of the Dicle University Hospital.
In this study we aimed to investigate serum cortisol, oxidative stress, and DNA damage in children who are sexual abuse victims. The study included 38 children who sustained child sexual abuse and 38 age- and gender-matched children who did not have a history of trauma. Cortisol levels reflecting the status of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, anti-oxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, natural anti-oxidant coenzyme Q, and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine as the indicator of DNA damage were analyzed in serum samples using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay method.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Previous reports have suggested the biological and psychological effects of trauma induced by cortisol and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The present study compared the levels of BDNF, cortisol, and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in children and adolescent victims of sexual abuse to those without a trauma history.
Methods: The study was conducted in the Department of Child Psychiatry at Dicle University.