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Papers by Amitabh Saha

Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in First Episode Drug Naïve Schizophrenia Patients

INDIAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH, 2021

BACKGROUND: It is well established that schizophrenia is associated with higher morbidity and mor... more BACKGROUND: It is well established that schizophrenia is associated with higher morbidity and mortality due to the nature of illness itself and cardiovascular risk factors. Among cardiovascular risk factors metabolic syndrome has been discussed extensively in psychiatric literature. However most of the studies focused on the recent pharmacological interventions are possible etiological factors of metabolic syndrome. In our study we are trying to nd out any association of metabolic syndrome with schizophrenia in drug naïve patients. METHOD: Eighty consecutive drug naïve rst episode patients with schizophrenia presenting at a tertiary care hospital in Western India were studied. They were assessed for prevalence of metabolic syndrome as per the criteria set by the NCEP (ATPIII) in Adults. RESULT: A high prevalence of metabolic syndrome in drug naïve rst episode patients with schizophrenia was found as compared to that in general population. CONCLUSION: There should be mandatory scr...

Obsessions of Musical Themes: A Case Report

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a common psychiatric illness. A case of OCD is presented in whic... more Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a common psychiatric illness. A case of OCD is presented in which the chief symptom was recurrent imagery of musical sounds of different instruments experienced by the person. Patient was a musician who played various musical instruments. Such obsessions with predominant musical themes, lyrics and tunes have not been described in detail in standard textbooks of psychiatry or phenomenology, nor are they considered in the various diagnostic procedures for OCD. These symptoms are rare and may at times go unnoticed because of low clinical awareness.

This is a case of Kleine-Levin Syndrome, which is described in a teenage girl who presented with ... more This is a case of Kleine-Levin Syndrome, which is described in a teenage girl who presented with features of hypersomnolence, hyperphagia, and hypersexuality. The patient‘s initial presentation was with academic decline due to excessive somnolence, which was recurrent in nature. She was started on stimulants and lithium medications, to which she showed favorable response (German J Psychiatry 2008; 11: 73-75).

Social Phobia in a Case of Parkinson’s Disease: A Case Report

Parkinson’s disease is an illness affecting the geriatric age group resulting in debilitating and... more Parkinson’s disease is an illness affecting the geriatric age group resulting in debilitating and disfiguring disease associated with the presence of resting tremor, bradykinesia and postural instability. Psychiatric disorders like anxiety and depression are common in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Patients with Parkinson’s disease are noted to have significant distress in social interaction, and they may also develop social anxiety related to or secondary to Parkinson’s disease. The prevalence of social phobia in these patients is noteworthy which further compounds the overall improvement of the patient and determines his drug response to antiparkinsonian drugs. Patients are needed to be managed on a comprehensive basis, in which he can receive psychiatric management along with his medical advice and prescription. This study was aimed to examine the association between social anxiety related to Parkinson’s disease in a patient.

Psychiatric Aspects in Epilepsy

Psychiatric morbidity in cases of epilepsy is frequently seen in our clinical practice. Epileptic... more Psychiatric morbidity in cases of epilepsy is frequently seen in our clinical practice. Epileptic seizures and subsequent sequelae leave behind triggers for development of psychiatric disorders. Among the commonly seen psychiatric disorders are depression, psychosis, personality disorders and various other phenomenologies which is cited in this article.

and account for only 1% of all intracranial space-occupying lesions . Psychosis on the other hand... more and account for only 1% of all intracranial space-occupying lesions . Psychosis on the other hand is in itself a major mental illness and finding a cause can be extremely difficulty. However the probable association of an underlying large arachnoid cyst with pressure effects on temporal lobe cannot be overlooked when found in such cases. Hence the temporality of cause and effect can become important during history taking as to reaching out to the etiology if at all it can be said in that manner. Volume 7 | Issue 5 | May 2017 | 4.894 ISSN 2249-555X | IF : | IC Value : 79.96

Advances in Biochemistry & Biotechnology-DEFICITS IN SEXUAL DESIRE AND FUNCTIONS IN ALCOHOL DEPENDENT PATIENTS

Background, The prevalence of sexual dysfunction in those people who consume alcohol has been kno... more Background, The prevalence of sexual dysfunction in those people who consume alcohol has been known to occur frequently. The etiology of this dysfunction needs to be considered. The most common condition reported in our study was decreased sexual drive followed closely by erectile dysfunction. Methods- A total of 50 alcohol dependent male inpatients were recruited for this study. Scales using AUDIT,HAM-D, HAM-A, BSF,IIEF,IIP were used. Results- The prevalence of sexual dysfunction reported by the subjects was 72%.Mean scores of different types of sexual dysfunction was statistically significant compared to the control group. There was an association observed between years of drinking and all domains of sexual function on all the scales. Conclusions- The chances of developing sexual dysfunctions appear to increase with increasing years of alcohol consumed This study has focused on the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in chronic alcohol consumers fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for...

American Journal of Advances in Nursing Research

Article Info Received 25/01/2014 Revised 15/02/2014 Accepted 18/02/2014

Imipramine Induced Extrapyramidal Symptoms

Extra pyramidal szymptoms are common side effets een with antipsychotics , however its associatio... more Extra pyramidal szymptoms are common side effets een with antipsychotics , however its association with tricyclics is rare but seen in clinical practice.A patient with Moderate depressive episode was managed with tricycyclic antidepressants. Patient developed acute dystonia on the third day and there were no additional medications he was prescribed. Tricyclic antidepressant (TCA)-related extra pyramidal side effects have been reported but these side effects are not well known. The prevalence and reporting of these side effects is low, despite widespread use of these medications. In some cases, it has also been seen to disappear even though the same dose of TCA is continued, and they do not seem to be a drug class reaction. It is also possible that

Alcohol is the commonest addictive psychoactive substance used in modern times as it was noted to... more Alcohol is the commonest addictive psychoactive substance used in modern times as it was noted to be used as done in medieval times. However with use of alcohol their exists the relationship of co morbidity between substance use and psychiatric disorders. There was a strong association between mood and anxiety disorders as well as conduct and antisocial personality disorder with substance disorders at all levels. Association of psychosis whether as a co mobidity or a etiology was a matter subject to further evaluation. The results also suggested that there was a definite continuum in the magnitude of co morbidity as a function of the spectrum of substance use category (use, problems, dependence), as well as a direct relationship between the number of co morbid disorders and increasing levels of severity of substance use disorders. Whereas there was no specific temporal pattern of onset for mood disorders in relation to substance disorders, the onset of anxiety disorders was more likely to precede that of substance disorders. These results illustrate the contribution of importance in understanding the patterns and risk factors for psychopathology and substance use disorders and understanding the various comorbid psychiatric disorders associated with psychoactive substance use.

Psychiatric morbidity in cases of epilepsy are frequently seen in our clinical practice. Epilepti... more Psychiatric morbidity in cases of epilepsy are frequently seen in our clinical practice. Epileptic seizures and subsequent sequelae leave behind triggers for development of psychiatric disorders. Among the commonly seen psychiatric disorders are depression, psychosis, personality disorders and various other phenomenologies which is cited in this article.

Journal of Neurology & Stroke, 2019

Chronic fatigue syndrome is often the least diagnosable psychiatric illness. It mostly presents t... more Chronic fatigue syndrome is often the least diagnosable psychiatric illness. It mostly presents to the physician with vague symptoms. The usual presentation is characterised by profound fatigue, sleep abnormalities, pain and other symptoms that are made worse by exertion. There are no medical causes for this illness however all of them have to be excluded to come to a diagnosis of CFS. It may affect women more than males and maybe associated with some viral or bacterial infections etc but usually all investigations are normal. There is no specific treatment for this condition.

Industrial psychiatry journal

To assess the levels of alcohol consumption and the level of stress faced by male patients hospit... more To assess the levels of alcohol consumption and the level of stress faced by male patients hospitalized with psychiatric disorders in a military hospital. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 consecutive patients admitted to a tertiary care psychiatric center and 100 controls. The patients with psychiatric ailments were first stabilized mentally and physically and then assessed. For the collection of demographic data, a questionnaire was prepared which was administered to all patients. The Armed Forces Medical College Life Events scale was used for the assessment of stressful life events. The Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST) was applied as a screening procedure for alcohol use disorder. For assessing the severity of alcohol consumption, the Hilton Drinking Behavior Questionnaire (HDBQ) was utilized. Analysis revealed that 16% of the psychiatric patients scored above the cutoff score on the MAST compared to 2% of controls. On the HDBQ, 22% of the psychiatric patients...

Tramadol abuse potential and resultant withdrawal seizures

International Journal of Advances in Medicine, 2014

A Case of Eating Disorder

Journal of Marine Medical Society, 2016

This is a case of Eating Disorder, which is described in a teenage girl who presented with intrac... more This is a case of Eating Disorder, which is described in a teenage girl who presented with intractable vomiting, hydropneumothorax and pulmonary Koch′s. The patient′s initial presentation was markedpreoccupation with body shape and image, restrictive eating, which progressed to episodes of vomiting after every meal, and led to academic decline followed by amenorrhoea and deterioration of general medical condition. She was managed with nutritional restoration, ATT and Olanzapine with Fluoxetine, to which she responded poorly.

International Journal of Advances in Medicine, 2015

Background: The prevalence of sexual dysfunction in those people who consume alcohol has been kno... more Background: The prevalence of sexual dysfunction in those people who consume alcohol has been known to occur frequently. The etiology of this dysfunction needs to be considered. The most common condition reported in our study was decreased sexual drive followed closely by erectile dysfunction. Methods: A total of 50 alcohol dependent male inpatients were recruited for this study. Scales using AUDIT, HAM-D, HAM-A, BSF, IIEF, and IIP were used. Results: The prevalence of sexual dysfunction reported by the subjects was 72%.Mean scores of different types of sexual dysfunction was statistically significant compared to the control group. There was an association observed between years of drinking and all domains of sexual function on all the scales. Conclusions: The chances of developing sexual dysfunctions appear to increase with increasing years of alcohol consumed. This study has focused on the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in chronic alcohol consumers fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for alcohol dependence syndrome.

Journal of Psychiatry, 2016

Background: The role of quality of life and coping strategy with the HIV/AIDS disease cannot be o... more Background: The role of quality of life and coping strategy with the HIV/AIDS disease cannot be overemphasized. In view of the above present study was planned to assess the Quality of life and coping in sero-positive cases. Material and Method: 182 patients with HIV sero-positive status on HAART for at least 3mths formed a study group. Individuals with a past history of mental illness / head injury / dementia and co-morbid psychiatric disorder were excluded. The cases with co-existing opportunistic infections and malignancy were also excluded. CD4 count was done using the Flow Cytometry, Scales pertaining to Coping, Quality of Life and Personality factors were applied. Data was analyzed with the help of SPSS 17. ANOVA and Kruskal wallis test was done. Results: The CD4 count was 200-500 /micro L in 69%, 16.5% had below 200/micro L and the rest 14.3% had the count above 500/micro L. The treatment profile of patients found 85.2% of patients on ART. Coping Resources fall within normal range. Domains of Quality of Life Scale namely Physical health, feelings and emotions, Pain and Sleep had higher mean score revealing better quality of life, Quality of life compromised was in the domain of appetite and food intake daily activities, cognitive functions and social support. Conclusion: Findings revealed significant association between CD4count and quality of life. There was a positive relationship with quality of life scale domains of Physical health and CD 4 count. Enhancement of quality of life in HIV sero-positive cases can be done by promoting adherence to ART and adapting healthy coping strategies.

Evaluation of nonmemory cognitive parameters in psychiatric patients' pre- and post-electroconvulsive therapy: An observational study

Industrial psychiatry journal

Possibility of cognitive side effects has made electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) questionable. Vari... more Possibility of cognitive side effects has made electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) questionable. Variable deficits have been debated in memory cognition. Pattern of changes in nonmemory cognition pre- and post-ECT is not clear. Forty patients undergoing ECT were studied on nonmemory cognitive parameters before ECT, after a course of ECT, and after 4 weeks of last. ECT. Nonmemory cognition improved during the course of ECT and over 4 weeks of ECT. ECT does not affect the nonmemory cognition adversely.

Prevention of Relapse in Alcohol Dependence Syndrome

International Journal of Medical and Pharma Research, Jun 1, 2013

Few studies on relapse preventive strategies on soldiers with alcohol dependence syndromes have b... more Few studies on relapse preventive strategies on soldiers with alcohol dependence syndromes have been carried out in the armed forces. There have been various factors for causes of relapse even after undergoing detoxification and other therapeutic measures. The use of anticraving medications and psychotherapy has been the common modalities used in the management of people dependent on alcohol. Several causes of relapse have been studied but fewer done on serving soldiers of Indian armed forces. 100 soldiers diagnosed with alcohol dependence syndrome were placed into two separate groups of fifty each. One group was placed on anticraving medication- Tab Acamprosate, and the other group was maintained on psychotherapy sessions. They were followed up at 0, 6 and 12 month period. Scales were used to screen alcohol dependence (ADS, Brief MAST) and a scale specifically designed for the Indian soldier were used to assess stressful life events (AFMC Life Events Scale). Relapse rates were ascertained at the given time of follow up. Analysis revealed that a total of 09 soldiers relapsed in this one year period. The relapse rates were higher in the first six months after therapy than in the later follow up period. 06 cases that relapsed were from psychotherapy group and the remaining 03 cases were from the group receiving anticraving medications. But the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant. Various stressful events were highlighted using Marlatt’s taxonomy for causes of relapse. Relapse rate was commoner in the initial months after undergoing detoxification therapy. Anticraving medication was in no way superior to a structured psychotherapy sessions in relapse prevention.

American Journal of Life Sciences, 2014

Psychiatric morbidity in cases of epilepsy are frequently seen in our clinical practice. Epilepti... more Psychiatric morbidity in cases of epilepsy are frequently seen in our clinical practice. Epileptic seizures and subsequent sequelae leave behind triggers for development of psychiatric disorders. Among the commonly seen psychiatric disorders are depression, psychosis, personality disorders and various other phenomenology's which is cited in this article.

Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in First Episode Drug Naïve Schizophrenia Patients

INDIAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH, 2021

BACKGROUND: It is well established that schizophrenia is associated with higher morbidity and mor... more BACKGROUND: It is well established that schizophrenia is associated with higher morbidity and mortality due to the nature of illness itself and cardiovascular risk factors. Among cardiovascular risk factors metabolic syndrome has been discussed extensively in psychiatric literature. However most of the studies focused on the recent pharmacological interventions are possible etiological factors of metabolic syndrome. In our study we are trying to nd out any association of metabolic syndrome with schizophrenia in drug naïve patients. METHOD: Eighty consecutive drug naïve rst episode patients with schizophrenia presenting at a tertiary care hospital in Western India were studied. They were assessed for prevalence of metabolic syndrome as per the criteria set by the NCEP (ATPIII) in Adults. RESULT: A high prevalence of metabolic syndrome in drug naïve rst episode patients with schizophrenia was found as compared to that in general population. CONCLUSION: There should be mandatory scr...

Obsessions of Musical Themes: A Case Report

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a common psychiatric illness. A case of OCD is presented in whic... more Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a common psychiatric illness. A case of OCD is presented in which the chief symptom was recurrent imagery of musical sounds of different instruments experienced by the person. Patient was a musician who played various musical instruments. Such obsessions with predominant musical themes, lyrics and tunes have not been described in detail in standard textbooks of psychiatry or phenomenology, nor are they considered in the various diagnostic procedures for OCD. These symptoms are rare and may at times go unnoticed because of low clinical awareness.

This is a case of Kleine-Levin Syndrome, which is described in a teenage girl who presented with ... more This is a case of Kleine-Levin Syndrome, which is described in a teenage girl who presented with features of hypersomnolence, hyperphagia, and hypersexuality. The patient‘s initial presentation was with academic decline due to excessive somnolence, which was recurrent in nature. She was started on stimulants and lithium medications, to which she showed favorable response (German J Psychiatry 2008; 11: 73-75).

Social Phobia in a Case of Parkinson’s Disease: A Case Report

Parkinson’s disease is an illness affecting the geriatric age group resulting in debilitating and... more Parkinson’s disease is an illness affecting the geriatric age group resulting in debilitating and disfiguring disease associated with the presence of resting tremor, bradykinesia and postural instability. Psychiatric disorders like anxiety and depression are common in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Patients with Parkinson’s disease are noted to have significant distress in social interaction, and they may also develop social anxiety related to or secondary to Parkinson’s disease. The prevalence of social phobia in these patients is noteworthy which further compounds the overall improvement of the patient and determines his drug response to antiparkinsonian drugs. Patients are needed to be managed on a comprehensive basis, in which he can receive psychiatric management along with his medical advice and prescription. This study was aimed to examine the association between social anxiety related to Parkinson’s disease in a patient.

Psychiatric Aspects in Epilepsy

Psychiatric morbidity in cases of epilepsy is frequently seen in our clinical practice. Epileptic... more Psychiatric morbidity in cases of epilepsy is frequently seen in our clinical practice. Epileptic seizures and subsequent sequelae leave behind triggers for development of psychiatric disorders. Among the commonly seen psychiatric disorders are depression, psychosis, personality disorders and various other phenomenologies which is cited in this article.

and account for only 1% of all intracranial space-occupying lesions . Psychosis on the other hand... more and account for only 1% of all intracranial space-occupying lesions . Psychosis on the other hand is in itself a major mental illness and finding a cause can be extremely difficulty. However the probable association of an underlying large arachnoid cyst with pressure effects on temporal lobe cannot be overlooked when found in such cases. Hence the temporality of cause and effect can become important during history taking as to reaching out to the etiology if at all it can be said in that manner. Volume 7 | Issue 5 | May 2017 | 4.894 ISSN 2249-555X | IF : | IC Value : 79.96

Advances in Biochemistry & Biotechnology-DEFICITS IN SEXUAL DESIRE AND FUNCTIONS IN ALCOHOL DEPENDENT PATIENTS

Background, The prevalence of sexual dysfunction in those people who consume alcohol has been kno... more Background, The prevalence of sexual dysfunction in those people who consume alcohol has been known to occur frequently. The etiology of this dysfunction needs to be considered. The most common condition reported in our study was decreased sexual drive followed closely by erectile dysfunction. Methods- A total of 50 alcohol dependent male inpatients were recruited for this study. Scales using AUDIT,HAM-D, HAM-A, BSF,IIEF,IIP were used. Results- The prevalence of sexual dysfunction reported by the subjects was 72%.Mean scores of different types of sexual dysfunction was statistically significant compared to the control group. There was an association observed between years of drinking and all domains of sexual function on all the scales. Conclusions- The chances of developing sexual dysfunctions appear to increase with increasing years of alcohol consumed This study has focused on the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in chronic alcohol consumers fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for...

American Journal of Advances in Nursing Research

Article Info Received 25/01/2014 Revised 15/02/2014 Accepted 18/02/2014

Imipramine Induced Extrapyramidal Symptoms

Extra pyramidal szymptoms are common side effets een with antipsychotics , however its associatio... more Extra pyramidal szymptoms are common side effets een with antipsychotics , however its association with tricyclics is rare but seen in clinical practice.A patient with Moderate depressive episode was managed with tricycyclic antidepressants. Patient developed acute dystonia on the third day and there were no additional medications he was prescribed. Tricyclic antidepressant (TCA)-related extra pyramidal side effects have been reported but these side effects are not well known. The prevalence and reporting of these side effects is low, despite widespread use of these medications. In some cases, it has also been seen to disappear even though the same dose of TCA is continued, and they do not seem to be a drug class reaction. It is also possible that

Alcohol is the commonest addictive psychoactive substance used in modern times as it was noted to... more Alcohol is the commonest addictive psychoactive substance used in modern times as it was noted to be used as done in medieval times. However with use of alcohol their exists the relationship of co morbidity between substance use and psychiatric disorders. There was a strong association between mood and anxiety disorders as well as conduct and antisocial personality disorder with substance disorders at all levels. Association of psychosis whether as a co mobidity or a etiology was a matter subject to further evaluation. The results also suggested that there was a definite continuum in the magnitude of co morbidity as a function of the spectrum of substance use category (use, problems, dependence), as well as a direct relationship between the number of co morbid disorders and increasing levels of severity of substance use disorders. Whereas there was no specific temporal pattern of onset for mood disorders in relation to substance disorders, the onset of anxiety disorders was more likely to precede that of substance disorders. These results illustrate the contribution of importance in understanding the patterns and risk factors for psychopathology and substance use disorders and understanding the various comorbid psychiatric disorders associated with psychoactive substance use.

Psychiatric morbidity in cases of epilepsy are frequently seen in our clinical practice. Epilepti... more Psychiatric morbidity in cases of epilepsy are frequently seen in our clinical practice. Epileptic seizures and subsequent sequelae leave behind triggers for development of psychiatric disorders. Among the commonly seen psychiatric disorders are depression, psychosis, personality disorders and various other phenomenologies which is cited in this article.

Journal of Neurology & Stroke, 2019

Chronic fatigue syndrome is often the least diagnosable psychiatric illness. It mostly presents t... more Chronic fatigue syndrome is often the least diagnosable psychiatric illness. It mostly presents to the physician with vague symptoms. The usual presentation is characterised by profound fatigue, sleep abnormalities, pain and other symptoms that are made worse by exertion. There are no medical causes for this illness however all of them have to be excluded to come to a diagnosis of CFS. It may affect women more than males and maybe associated with some viral or bacterial infections etc but usually all investigations are normal. There is no specific treatment for this condition.

Industrial psychiatry journal

To assess the levels of alcohol consumption and the level of stress faced by male patients hospit... more To assess the levels of alcohol consumption and the level of stress faced by male patients hospitalized with psychiatric disorders in a military hospital. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 consecutive patients admitted to a tertiary care psychiatric center and 100 controls. The patients with psychiatric ailments were first stabilized mentally and physically and then assessed. For the collection of demographic data, a questionnaire was prepared which was administered to all patients. The Armed Forces Medical College Life Events scale was used for the assessment of stressful life events. The Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST) was applied as a screening procedure for alcohol use disorder. For assessing the severity of alcohol consumption, the Hilton Drinking Behavior Questionnaire (HDBQ) was utilized. Analysis revealed that 16% of the psychiatric patients scored above the cutoff score on the MAST compared to 2% of controls. On the HDBQ, 22% of the psychiatric patients...

Tramadol abuse potential and resultant withdrawal seizures

International Journal of Advances in Medicine, 2014

A Case of Eating Disorder

Journal of Marine Medical Society, 2016

This is a case of Eating Disorder, which is described in a teenage girl who presented with intrac... more This is a case of Eating Disorder, which is described in a teenage girl who presented with intractable vomiting, hydropneumothorax and pulmonary Koch′s. The patient′s initial presentation was markedpreoccupation with body shape and image, restrictive eating, which progressed to episodes of vomiting after every meal, and led to academic decline followed by amenorrhoea and deterioration of general medical condition. She was managed with nutritional restoration, ATT and Olanzapine with Fluoxetine, to which she responded poorly.

International Journal of Advances in Medicine, 2015

Background: The prevalence of sexual dysfunction in those people who consume alcohol has been kno... more Background: The prevalence of sexual dysfunction in those people who consume alcohol has been known to occur frequently. The etiology of this dysfunction needs to be considered. The most common condition reported in our study was decreased sexual drive followed closely by erectile dysfunction. Methods: A total of 50 alcohol dependent male inpatients were recruited for this study. Scales using AUDIT, HAM-D, HAM-A, BSF, IIEF, and IIP were used. Results: The prevalence of sexual dysfunction reported by the subjects was 72%.Mean scores of different types of sexual dysfunction was statistically significant compared to the control group. There was an association observed between years of drinking and all domains of sexual function on all the scales. Conclusions: The chances of developing sexual dysfunctions appear to increase with increasing years of alcohol consumed. This study has focused on the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in chronic alcohol consumers fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for alcohol dependence syndrome.

Journal of Psychiatry, 2016

Background: The role of quality of life and coping strategy with the HIV/AIDS disease cannot be o... more Background: The role of quality of life and coping strategy with the HIV/AIDS disease cannot be overemphasized. In view of the above present study was planned to assess the Quality of life and coping in sero-positive cases. Material and Method: 182 patients with HIV sero-positive status on HAART for at least 3mths formed a study group. Individuals with a past history of mental illness / head injury / dementia and co-morbid psychiatric disorder were excluded. The cases with co-existing opportunistic infections and malignancy were also excluded. CD4 count was done using the Flow Cytometry, Scales pertaining to Coping, Quality of Life and Personality factors were applied. Data was analyzed with the help of SPSS 17. ANOVA and Kruskal wallis test was done. Results: The CD4 count was 200-500 /micro L in 69%, 16.5% had below 200/micro L and the rest 14.3% had the count above 500/micro L. The treatment profile of patients found 85.2% of patients on ART. Coping Resources fall within normal range. Domains of Quality of Life Scale namely Physical health, feelings and emotions, Pain and Sleep had higher mean score revealing better quality of life, Quality of life compromised was in the domain of appetite and food intake daily activities, cognitive functions and social support. Conclusion: Findings revealed significant association between CD4count and quality of life. There was a positive relationship with quality of life scale domains of Physical health and CD 4 count. Enhancement of quality of life in HIV sero-positive cases can be done by promoting adherence to ART and adapting healthy coping strategies.

Evaluation of nonmemory cognitive parameters in psychiatric patients' pre- and post-electroconvulsive therapy: An observational study

Industrial psychiatry journal

Possibility of cognitive side effects has made electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) questionable. Vari... more Possibility of cognitive side effects has made electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) questionable. Variable deficits have been debated in memory cognition. Pattern of changes in nonmemory cognition pre- and post-ECT is not clear. Forty patients undergoing ECT were studied on nonmemory cognitive parameters before ECT, after a course of ECT, and after 4 weeks of last. ECT. Nonmemory cognition improved during the course of ECT and over 4 weeks of ECT. ECT does not affect the nonmemory cognition adversely.

Prevention of Relapse in Alcohol Dependence Syndrome

International Journal of Medical and Pharma Research, Jun 1, 2013

Few studies on relapse preventive strategies on soldiers with alcohol dependence syndromes have b... more Few studies on relapse preventive strategies on soldiers with alcohol dependence syndromes have been carried out in the armed forces. There have been various factors for causes of relapse even after undergoing detoxification and other therapeutic measures. The use of anticraving medications and psychotherapy has been the common modalities used in the management of people dependent on alcohol. Several causes of relapse have been studied but fewer done on serving soldiers of Indian armed forces. 100 soldiers diagnosed with alcohol dependence syndrome were placed into two separate groups of fifty each. One group was placed on anticraving medication- Tab Acamprosate, and the other group was maintained on psychotherapy sessions. They were followed up at 0, 6 and 12 month period. Scales were used to screen alcohol dependence (ADS, Brief MAST) and a scale specifically designed for the Indian soldier were used to assess stressful life events (AFMC Life Events Scale). Relapse rates were ascertained at the given time of follow up. Analysis revealed that a total of 09 soldiers relapsed in this one year period. The relapse rates were higher in the first six months after therapy than in the later follow up period. 06 cases that relapsed were from psychotherapy group and the remaining 03 cases were from the group receiving anticraving medications. But the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant. Various stressful events were highlighted using Marlatt’s taxonomy for causes of relapse. Relapse rate was commoner in the initial months after undergoing detoxification therapy. Anticraving medication was in no way superior to a structured psychotherapy sessions in relapse prevention.

American Journal of Life Sciences, 2014

Psychiatric morbidity in cases of epilepsy are frequently seen in our clinical practice. Epilepti... more Psychiatric morbidity in cases of epilepsy are frequently seen in our clinical practice. Epileptic seizures and subsequent sequelae leave behind triggers for development of psychiatric disorders. Among the commonly seen psychiatric disorders are depression, psychosis, personality disorders and various other phenomenology's which is cited in this article.