The study aims to explore the utility of BDNF Val66Met polymorphism as a potential biomarker in Indian bipolar disorder patients and its correlation with clinical characteristics.

Genotyping Val66Met in BDNF gene

Exploring its association with bipolar disorder (BD).

150 consenting BD patients and matched controls were recruited using a case-control study design. BD severity was assessed using Young’s mania rating scale and the Clinical Global Impression - Severity (CGI-S) scale. BDNF Val66Met polymorphism was identified through real-time PCR after DNA extraction. Data was tested for normal distribution. Genotype frequencies between two groups were compared and the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium assumptions were tested using Chi-Square tests. Clinical-genotypic associations were explored using the Kruskal-Wallis test and confirmed using hierarchical regression.

Our sample had more males (60%) than females (40%) with mean age of 35.05 years. Most patients had established bipolar disorder and were severely ill (CGI: 38.75, YMRS). Val66Met SNP genotype frequency differed significantly between cases and controls. Val66Val genotype and Val allele were higher in cases. Results consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.Table 1.

Genotype frequencies of BDNF (rs6265) in cases and controls

Our study found that Val66Val genotype and Val allele were higher in cases and could be a potential biomarker for bipolar disorder (BD), which is consistent with previous research conducted on the European population. However, further investigations are required to gain a more comprehensive understanding of its impact on BD, including its association with serum BDNF levels, treatment outcomes, and a more diverse study population.

None Declared

Depression continues to be a leading cause of disability worldwide. Despite the availability of several classes of antidepressants, a third of patients do not recover from their depression. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an invasive treatment approach that was found to be effective in the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease and presents as an alternative to standard antidepressant therapy for people with treatment-resistent depression (TRD).

We aimed to compare the use of DBS to standard antidepressant therapy and decipher whether DBS can be used for TRD. In addition, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), a current brain stimulation method administered for TRD, was contrasted with DBS.

A narrative review of the current literature concerning DBS application and TRD was conducted to evaluate whether standard antidepressant therapy was as effective as psychosurgical intervention. Emphasis on TRD-associated DBS was noted.

The studies discussed found that DBS was an effective treatment option for TRD, however, the results were limited due to the studies being conducted in small sample sizes and using DBS in combination with antidepressant therapy. Nonetheless, the concomitant use of DBS and antidepressants demonstrated to be an effective treatment for TRD, highlighting the potential benefit of DBS in inducing remission in TRD. DBS has a wider range of complications compared to ECT as it involves a more invasive neurosurgical approach to implant the device. On comparing the cost of the devices between the 2 studies, DBS costs approximately three times more than ECT.

The spectrum of depressive disorders is known to affect multiple regions of the brain. A more cohesive approach would be a comprehensive study using DBS in multiple brain regions while incorporating blinded controls. In summary, DBS could be a viable treatment addition for TRD, but more thorough studies are needed to deduce its true efficacy. Future collaborative studies investigating the efficacy of DBS over ECT in TRD may assess further therapeutic potential.

None Declared

Many classification system and mental health act in many country attempted to define mental illness but mental health perse has not been defined.Some unaddressed question like ” what is diseased in mental illness, what do you treat or set right by treatment, how the psychiatrist say that a pateint is improved and describe or define mental health” are addressed.

Working concept for professionals of all allied clinical disciplines. Enable them to understand mental illness and mental health in a uniform and consistent way. Enable all MHP to speak the same language, without room for personal bias. Avoid misconceptions and reduce the stigma with mental illness

We divided spectrum of mental health into Mentally Healthy, Not Healthy, Unhealthy and ill . Based on two dimension: 1. impact on self and 2. Impact on other. Awareness of ones own self, ability to relate well with other and ones own actions are useful to self as well as others are the three arms of mental health.

A presentation was given to psychiatrist & allied sciences professional & members from judicairy, technolocrats, industrialist and educationist. Interaction was recorded and analysed, people even gave their responses comments and suggestions by mail and writing.

Mind is defined as a functional concept consists of Mood Thought and Intellect which is nicely amalgamated in a synchronised manner which always function in unison and the constituents cannot function in isolation. The three arms of the mental health are used to develop a tool to measure the same. All details will be discussed during the presentation.

No significant relationships.

Moral injury exposure (MIE) and distress (MID) may indirectly affect the relationship between trauma exposure and alterations in autonomic regulation [assessed via high-frequency heart rate variability (hfHRV)] in civilians, but this has not been tested in prior research. We conducted two exploratory studies to examine trauma types' associations with MIE and MID among civilian medical patients (Study 1) and explore how these facets may indirectly affect the relationship between trauma type and hfHRV among civilians seeking mental health services (Study 2).

Participants recruited from a public hospital and/or community advertisements (Study 1, n = 72, 87.5% Black, 83.3% women; Study 2, n = 46, 71.7% Black, 97.8% women) completed measures assessing trauma type, MIE, and MID. In Study 1, trauma types that emerged as significant correlates of MIE and MID were entered into separate linear regression analyses. Trauma types identified were included as predictors in indirect effects models with MIE or MID as the mediator and resting hfHRV (assayed via electrocardiography) as the outcome.

Childhood sexual abuse emerged as the only significant predictor of MIE, b = 0.38, p < 0.001; childhood sexual abuse, b = 0.26, p < 0.05, and adulthood sexual assault, b = 0.23, p < 0.05 were significant predictors of MID. Participants with greater MIE and MID demonstrated lower hfHRV. Adulthood sexual assault showed an indirect effect on hfHRV through MID, B = −0.10, s.e. = 0.06, 95%CI (−0.232 to −0.005).

Moral injury was uniquely associated with sexual violence and lower hfHRV in civilians. Data highlight moral injury as a pathway through which autonomic dysregulation may emerge and its salience for trauma treatment selection.

This study aimed: to evaluate the association between coronavirus disease 2019 infection and olfactory and taste dysfunction in patients presenting to the out-patient department with influenza-like illness, who underwent reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction testing for coronavirus; and to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of olfactory and taste dysfunction and other symptoms in these patients.

Patients presenting with influenza-like illness to the study centre in September 2020 were included in the study. The symptoms of patients who tested positive for coronavirus on reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction testing were compared to those with negative test results.

During the study period, 909 patients, aged 12–70 years, presented with influenza-like illness; of these, 316 (34.8 per cent) tested positive for coronavirus. Only the symptoms of olfactory and taste dysfunction were statistically more significant in patients testing positive for coronavirus than those testing negative.

During the pandemic, patients presenting to the out-patient department with sudden loss of sense of smell or taste may be considered as positive for coronavirus disease 2019, until proven otherwise.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has required healthcare systems and hospitals to rapidly modify standard practice, including antimicrobial stewardship services. Our study examines the impact of COVID-19 on the antimicrobial stewardship pharmacist.

A survey was distributed nationally to all healthcare improvement company members.

Pharmacist participants were mostly leaders of antimicrobial stewardship programs distributed evenly across the United States and representing urban, suburban, and rural health-system practice sites.

Participants reported relative increases in time spent completing tasks related to medication access and preauthorization (300%; P = .018) and administrative meeting time (34%; P = .067) during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before the pandemic. Time spent rounding, making interventions, performing pharmacokinetic services, and medication reconciliation decreased.

A shift away from clinical activities may negatively affect the utilization of antimicrobials.

There is a limited literature available showing mental health burden among adolescents following cyberbullying.

Aim is to evaluate the association of low mood and suicidality amongst cyberbullied adolescents.

A study on CDC National Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance (YRBS) (1991-2017). Responses from adolescence related to cyberbullying and suicidality were evaluated. Chi-square and mix-effect multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to find out the association of cyberbullying with sadness/hopelessness, suicide consideration, plan, and attempts.

A total of 10,463 adolescents, 14.8% of adolescents faced cyberbullying a past year. There was a higher prevalence of cyberbullying in youths aged 15-17 years (25 vs 26 vs 23%), which included more females to males (68 vs 32%).(p<0.0001) Caucasians (53%) had the highest number of responses to being cyberbullied compared to Hispanics (24%), African Americans (11%).(p<0.0001) There was an increased prevalence of cyberbullied youths with feelings of sadness/hopelessness (59.6 vs 25.8%), higher numbers considering suicide (40.4 vs 13.2%), suicide plan (33.2 vs 10.8%), and multiple suicidal attempts in comparison to non-cyberbullied.(p<0.0001) On regression analysis, cyberbullied adolescence had a 155% higher chance of feeling sad and hopeless [aOR=2.55; 95%CI=2.39-2.72], considered suicide [1.52 (1.39-1.66)], and suicide plan [1.24 (1.13-1.36)].

In our study, cyberbullying was associated with negative mental health outcomes. Further research is warranted to examine the impact and outcomes of cyberbullying amongst adolescents and guiding the policies to mitigate the consequences.

No significant relationships.

As per National Mental Health Survey-2015-16, 83 out of 100 people having mental health problems do not have access to care in India. Further, primary health care providers (PCPs) have not been adequately trained in the screening, diagnosis, and initial management of common mental health conditions. There is thus a need to train health care providers at the State level to incorporate mental health into primary health care. In this paper, we report the findings of a collaborative project between the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) Bangalore India, and the state of Chhattisgarh incorporating mental health into primary care and addressing urban-rural disparities through tele-mentoring.

We assessed the impact of the NIMHANS Extended Community Health Care Outcome (ECHO), an online, blended training program on participants' knowledge and competence (primary outcome) and commitment, satisfaction, and performance (Secondary outcomes) using Moore's evaluation framework. Primary and secondary outcomes were determined through a pre-post evaluation, assessment of trainee participation in the quarterly tele ECHO clinic as well as periodic assignments, respectively.

Over ten months of the NIMHANS ECHO program, there was a significant improvement in the participants' knowledge post-ECHO (p < 0.05, t = −3.52). Self-efficacy in diagnosis and management of mental health problems approached significance; p < 0.001. Increased engagement in tele-ECHO sessions was associated with better performance for declarative and procedural knowledge. The attrition rate was low (5 out of 30 dropped out), and satisfaction ratings of the course were high across all fields. The participants reported a 10- fold increase in the number of patients with mental health problems they had seen, following the training. A statistically significant increase in the number of psychotropic drugs prescribed post ECHO with t = −3.295, p = 0.01.

The outcomes indicate that the NIMHANS ECHO with high participant commitment is a model with capacity building potential in mental health and addiction for remote and rural areas by leveraging technology. This model has the potential to be expanded to other states in the country in providing mental health care to persons in need of care.

To describe epidemiologic and genomic characteristics of a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak in a large skilled-nursing facility (SNF), and the strategies that controlled transmission.

This cohort study was conducted during March 22–May 4, 2020, among all staff and residents at a 780-bed SNF in San Francisco, California.

Contact tracing and symptom screening guided targeted testing of staff and residents; respiratory specimens were also collected through serial point prevalence surveys (PPSs) in units with confirmed cases. Cases were confirmed by real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction testing for SARS-CoV-2, and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was used to characterize viral isolate lineages and relatedness. Infection prevention and control (IPC) interventions included restricting from work any staff who had close contact with a confirmed case; restricting movement between units; implementing surgical face masking facility-wide; and the use of recommended PPE (ie, isolation gown, gloves, N95 respirator and eye protection) for clinical interactions in units with confirmed cases.

Of 725 staff and residents tested through targeted testing and serial PPSs, 21 (3%) were SARS-CoV-2 positive: 16 (76%) staff and 5 (24%) residents. Fifteen cases (71%) were linked to a single unit. Targeted testing identified 17 cases (81%), and PPSs identified 4 cases (19%). Most cases (71%) were identified before IPC interventions could be implemented. WGS was performed on SARS-CoV-2 isolates from 4 staff and 4 residents: 5 were of Santa Clara County lineage and the 3 others were distinct lineages.

Early implementation of targeted testing, serial PPSs, and multimodal IPC interventions limited SARS-CoV-2 transmission within the SNF.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of telemedicine as a way to reduce COVID-19 infections was noted and consequently deregulated. However, the degree of telemedicine regulation varies from country to country, which may alter the widespread use of telemedicine. This study aimed to clarify the telepsychiatry regulations for each collaborating country/region before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We used snowball sampling within a global network of international telepsychiatry experts. Thirty collaborators from 17 different countries/regions responded to a questionnaire on barriers to the use and implementation of telepsychiatric care, including policy factors such as regulations and reimbursement at the end of 2019 and as of May 2020.

Thirteen of 17 regions reported a relaxation of regulations due to the pandemic; consequently, all regions surveyed stated that telepsychiatry was now possible within their public healthcare systems. In some regions, restrictions on prescription medications allowed via telepsychiatry were eased, but in 11 of the 17 regions, there were still restrictions on prescribing medications via telepsychiatry. Lower insurance reimbursement amounts for telepsychiatry consultations v. in-person consultations were reevaluated in four regions, and consequently, in 15 regions telepsychiatry services were reimbursed at the same rate (or higher) than in-person consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our results confirm that, due to COVID-19, the majority of countries surveyed are altering telemedicine regulations that had previously restricted the spread of telemedicine. These findings provide information that could guide future policy and regulatory decisions, which facilitate greater scale and spread of telepsychiatry globally.

Pharmacogenetic studies in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) primarily focussing on serotonergic and dopaminergic polymorphisms, provided inconsistent findings. There is recent evidence for glutamatergic abnormalities in OCD.

Examine the association glutamatergic genes with serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) response in OCD.

To study pharmacogenetic association between SLC1A1 and GRIN2B polymorphisms with SRI response in OCD.

DSM-IV OCD patients were recruited from a specialty OCD clinic and evaluated using the Yale-Brown obsessive compulsive scale (YBOCS), Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) plus, Clinical Global Impression scale (CGI). They were subsequently reassessed with YBOCS and CGI. To study extreme phenotypes, we included only full responders (> 35% YBOCS improvement and CGI-I score of 1 or 2) to any SRI (n = 191) and non-responders (< 25% YBOCS improvement and CGI-I score ≥ 4) to adequate trial of at least two SRIs (n = 84). Partial responders were excluded. Genotyping was performed using an ABI9700 PCR machine.

Genotype frequencies did not deviate significantly from the values predicted by the Hardy-Weinberg equation. Case-control association analyses revealed no significant association between genotype/allele frequencies with SRI response.

Our data does not show any association between polymorphisms in glutamatergic genes and SRI response in OCD though such associations have been found in other studies. More SNP's in the same gene could be responsible for the pharmacogenetic associations. More homogenous sample considering symptom dimensions and other phenotypic variables may be needed. It may be critical to go beyond “usual suspect” candidate gene research. In this regard, a novel approach to identify SRI response biomarkers is the use of cellular models.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Contemporary treatment guidelines recommend use of second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) either as mono therapy or in combination with mood stabilizers as first-line treatment. While these drugs have been established to have superior efficacy compared to placebo, there is very less data comparing these antipsychotics with one another. We sought to study differences in the five-year outcome of first episode of mania (FEM) treated with olanzapine or risperidone, either alone or in combination with mood stabilizer.

We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients diagnosed with FEM (ICD-10) in the year 2008 (n = 88) at our centre. We selected the data of patients prescribed either olanzapine or risperidone for the purpose of this analysis. We extracted data about time to recovery and recurrence after FEM, total episodes, drug compliance and response, and number of follow-up visits from 2008 to 2013. The study was approved by the Institute Ethics Committee.

A total of 88 patients received diagnosis of FEM in the year 2008, of which 50 (56.8%) received risperidone and 35 (39.8%) received olanzapine. The two groups were comparable in socio-demographic and clinical symptomatology of FEM (all P > 0.08). Complete recovery was significantly more in the olanzapine group than the risperidone group (χ2 = 4.84, P < 0.05).

Our study indicates that risperidone and olanzapine, either alone or in combination with mood stabilizers have a similar impact on the five-year course of BD following a first manic episode. However, olanzapine is associated with more complete recovery from FEM than risperidone.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

To evaluate the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of Amplatzer vascular plug II in large and elongated ducts in infants.

Patent arterial duct device closure is technically challenging in infants with large and elongated ducts because Amplatzer duct occluder and Amplatzer duct occluder II have high chances of causing aortic coarctation and left pulmonary artery stenosis, respectively. The Amplatzer vascular plug II being soft with no retention discs on either sides helps in mitigating these problems.

This is a prospective, observational study involving infants with clinical, echocardiographic and angiographic evidence of large left to right shunt. All the children underwent duct closure using Amplatzer vascular plug II.

Eighteen infants qualified for the study. Mean age and weight were 8.63 ± 3.84 months and 6.3 ± 1.7 kg, respectively. The angiographic mean duct diameter at the pulmonary artery end was 4.66 ± 0.92 mm, and the mean duct length was 9.4 ± 2.48 mm. The size of Amplatzer vascular plug II used varied from 6 mm to 10 mm. Technical success was achieved in 16/18 cases. One patient had device embolisation, and in the other, the device was found to be unstable. The ratio of Amplatzer vascular plug II size to the duct diameter was 1.65 ± 0.27, while the ratio of ductal length to device length was 1.48 ± 0.46 in those with successful outcome.

Amplatzer vascular plug II is a safe and effective option in appropriately selected infants with elongated ducts. Diameter and length of Amplatzer vascular plug II vis-a-vis those of the ductus are important determinants of the successful outcome.