Evaluating the clinical impact of involuntary admission to a specialized dual diagnosis ward.

Background: We aimed to identify characteristics and outcomes of involuntary and voluntary admissions of dual-diagnosis patients in a single, large mental health center in Israel.

Methods: Using a retrospective chart review methodology, 24 patient records were reviewed spanning a period of five years; clinical and demographic variables of voluntary and involuntary admissions were compared.

Results: No significant differences were found in sociodemographic characteristics, admission diagnosis and length of hospitalization between the two types of admission.

Ethnic disparities in mental health treatment gap in a community-based survey and in access to care in psychiatric clinics.

Background: Contrasting social status of ethnic groups differentially impacts the use of psychiatric services, including in Israel, despite its universal health system. However, relevant studies are limited.

Aims: To examine ethnic differences in mental health treatment gap and in access to specialized care.

Staff happiness and work satisfaction in a tertiary psychiatric centre.

Background: Mental health professionals are at a high risk of burnout. Positive psychology outcomes of staff in acute in-patient psychiatric wards are poorly researched and unclear.

Aims: To quantify the satisfaction with life and work-life satisfaction of mental health staff at a large university-affiliated tertiary psychiatric centre.

Asenapine for elderly bipolar manic patients.

Background: Bipolar disorder (BPD) in the elderly is probably heterogeneous and its etiopathogenesis is complex. The data for the treatment of late-life BPD are limited. Asenapine is approved in the United States for acute treatment of manic or mixed episodes of bipolar I disorder with or without psychotic features.

[Medical grade cannabis (MGC): regulation mechanisms, the present situation around the world and in Israel].

Over the past several years, there is an increased demand and use of medical grade cannabis (MGC) in Israel and around the world. Regulation of cannabis growth, use and distribution has been a subject for many discussions in the Israeli medical system, parliament and the media. The increased demand for this kind of treatment, which is considered to be safe and effective in various indications, caused increased interest in the MGC approval mechanisms.

Venlafaxine or a second SSRI: Switching after treatment failure with an SSRI among depressed inpatients: a retrospective analysis.

Background: Approximately 50% of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) do not respond after adequate first-line treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). Special interest is paid to whether specialist level inpatient psychiatric care results differ from community studies.

Aim: To compare switching alternatives after treatment failure with an SSRI; switching to venlafaxine (Dexcel Pharma Israel) versus switching to another SSRI in depressed inpatients.

First-onset functional brief psychoses in the elderly.

Background And Purpose: The origin and nosological status of psychotic states first arising in late life remain uncertain. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic stability of brief psychoses with late-life onset.

Methods: A 10-year retrospective analysis of all records of elderly patients with a first-ever episode of psychosis was undertaken.

Remission amongst elderly schizophrenia patients.

Remission in elderly patients has been little studied. The present analysis utilized a European database to focus on the elderly. Using five different instruments examining remission, we report that aging did not adversely affect remission in the elderly.

Escitalopram versus risperidone for the treatment of behavioral and psychotic symptoms associated with Alzheimer's disease: a randomized double-blind pilot study.

Background: Antipsychotics are frequently used to treat psychosis, aggression and agitation in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), but safety warnings abound. Escitalopram was investigated since citalopram has demonstrated some effectiveness in AD. We compared escitalopram and risperidone for psychotic symptoms and agitation associated with AD.

Is dementia preventable? Focus on Alzheimer's disease.

The prevention of dementia, and particularly of Alzheimer's disease, is a major challenge for researchers and clinicians. In this article, the mixture of evidence, observations and hypotheses in the current literature is categorized into four avenues for possible preventive interventions, as suggested by the NIH State-of-the-Science Conference. The main categories are: antihypertensive medications; nutrition; cognitive engagement; and physical activity.

Switching to aripiprazole as a strategy for weight reduction: a meta-analysis in patients suffering from schizophrenia.

Weight gain is one of the major drawbacks associated with the pharmacological treatment of schizophrenia. Existing strategies for the prevention and treatment of obesity amongst these patients are disappointing. Switching the current antipsychotic to another that may favorably affect weight is not yet fully established in the psychiatric literature.

Quetiapine augmentation of antidepressant treatment in elderly patients suffering from depressive symptoms: a retrospective chart review.

Depression in elderly patients is often characterized by poor responses to standard antidepressants. Several reports have suggested that quetiapine also may have antidepressant properties. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of quetiapine augmentation in depressed elderly patients previously unresponsive to a full course of treatment.

Dropout, early termination and detachment from a public psychiatric clinic.

Background: Dropout from an outpatient clinic is the loss of a patient to scheduled follow-up. Due to movement of mental health care to the community, adherence to ambulatory care is crucial to maintain stability among individuals with mental disorders. We hypothesized that patients drop out from ambulatory psychiatric care when regardless of the therapist's evaluation, they feel that they have recovered, or because they are dissatisfied with treatment.

Where intersubjectivity and group analysis meet.

Intersubjectivity can be defined as the union or contact of the subjectivities (Gordon, 1991). In therapy, it refers to the interaction between therapist and patient, and the processes that affect and are affected by that interaction. The essence of these interactions in the setting of group therapy, the obstacles that may arise because of them, and ways in which the therapist may identify and facilitate intersubjectivity in order to promote discourse that will enrich the sessions are discussed.

Psychosocial remission in schizophrenia: developing a clinician-rated scale.

Background: There is a growing awareness of the importance of psychosocial factors incorporated in treatment goals in schizophrenic patients. Remission, both symptomatic and psychosocial, is now an achievable goal in a substantial proportion of patients. Thus, the development of handy tools to quantify outcomes is called for.

Depression in frontotemporal dementia.

Objective: The authors describe mood abnormalities seen in a case series of patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

Method: Authors provide a structured review of outpatient and inpatient charts of FTD patients.

Results: Three distinct depressive syndromes were identified: The first corresponds to DSM-IV major depression.

[Hypericum extract for treatment of depression: what's new?].

The use of Hypericum as an herbal medicine was first described in the time of Hippocrates and Hypericum has been used as an antidepressant since the 1500s. In the last 20 years, the use of Hypericum for treating depression has entered the arena of conventional medicine. In Germany, for example, Hypericum is prescribed four times as often as Prozac for depression.

Symptomatic remission in elderly schizophrenia patients treated with long-acting risperidone.

Background: In elderly schizophrenia patients remission is difficult to determine due to long disease duration, exposure to differing treatments, long-standing side-effects, non-adherence, cognitive decline and physical comorbidity.

Method: Retrospective chart reviews were undertaken of 48 elderly (60+ years) schizophrenia patients admitted to a university-affiliated tertiary psychiatric center in 2006. These patients were experiencing an exacerbation of symptoms at admission.

Breast cancer in women suffering from serious mental illness.

Background: Breast cancer is a major public health concern and the most common cause of cancer-related mortality among women. Compared with the general population, schizophrenia patients have been reported to have lower or similar rates of breast cancer despite several risk factors such as excess smoking, obesity and hyperprolactinemia. However, it has been argued that psychiatric morbidity itself may be the confounding factor that affects cancer incidence and not particularly schizophrenia.

Weight gain due to long term antipsychotic treatment of persistent mental disorders.

Background: Weight gain is a risk factor for hypertension, diabetes, ischemic heart disease, respiratory illnesses, various forms of cancer, and the metabolic syndrome. Obesity is common among psychiatric patients in general and among schizophrenia patients in particular. Antipsychotic treatment may contribute to obesity by increasing appetite.

Itching in the psychiatric ward.

Chronic itch is known to have psychogenic elements; however, there is no data on itch prevalence and characteristics among hospitalized psychiatric patients. We investigated the prevalence and types of itching among hospitalized psychiatric patients who met DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia, affective or other psychiatric disorders. A validated itch questionnaire based on the McGill Pain Questionnaire, which examines the incidence and characteristics of itching, was administered to 111 patients, hospitalized in an Israeli university hospital.

Co-prescription of antidepressants with other psychotropics: Distinct profile of escitalopram.

Objective. Recent meta-analyses have argued that there are no clinically significant differences between various selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or between SSRIs and other antidepressants. Analysis of large-scale national prescription databases may offer a unique opportunity to see whether this premise holds true in actual practice.

Examining hypnosis legislation: a survey of the practice in Israel.

Hypnosis as a therapeutic technique bears potential risks when carried out inexpertly. Because of this, Israel was the first to legislate hypnosis. This study examines the current state of clinical hypnosis practice in Israel.