Intermittent Fasting as a Novel Treatment Approach for Patients Treated with Atypical Antipsychotics

Since the 1950’s, many individuals suffering from major psychotic illness have been able to substantially reduce their symptom burden with antipsychotic medications. 

The past few decades has experienced a transition away from first generation dopamine D2 receptor agonists towards second generation antipsychotic medication (SGA) seratonin 5H7-2a antagonists, referred to as “atypical” antipsychotics, examples being Clozapine and Olanzapine. These atypical antipsychotics are different in mechanism and unlike first generation antipsychotics (FGA), they are less likely to cause parkinsonian symptoms and have an increased efficacy in treating negative symptoms.  Read more>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Effects of Domestic Violence on Children's Education: The Case Study of Mpemba, in Blantyre District [Malawi]

Most contemporary scholars agree that domestic violence is one of the negative practices that mostly happen in households. Gordon described the term domestic violence as generally understood to apply to any assault committed by a person who either shares a living arrangement with or is involved in an intimate relationship with the victim of the assault. 

Domestic violence is a bad practice which can affect children’s education in one way or the other. Anyone can be a victim. Domestic violence can impact anyone regardless of their gender, race, age, culture or religion. However, most often women and children are the victims of domestic violence. Most studies focused on women as victims of domestic violence but this study dwelled on children as victims of domestic violence. It can occur in many forms including emotional abuse, psychological violence, neglect, physical assault, witnessing (exposure to) physical violence and sexual assault.  Read more>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The Need for Research on Intellectual Disabilities and Severe Psychiatric Disorders in Children and Adolescents

Investigators frequently exclude individuals with intellectual disability (ID) from studies of severe psychopathology in order to focus on homogeneous populations and to avoid the risk that the inclusion of dually diagnosed patients will lead to diagnostic uncertainty. 

Studies of psychiatric disorders in adults with ID suggest that the overall incidence of psychopathology is between 14% and 41%. Investigations of severe psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents with ID are scarce and those available estimate the rate of comorbid disorders as between 30% and 50%. In fact, epidemiological studies indicate that the overall prevalence rates of psychiatric disorders in youth with ID are higher than those in the general population with similarly high incidence rates for children and adolescents with IQs equal to or lower than 50. Read more>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Escitalopram Induced Hair Loss

It has been found that Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can induce hair loss as a rare and reversible side effect that may develop in the first few month of treatment and that is resolved after stopping the taking of the drug. 

A number of dermatological side effects of this type of medication may occur, such as redness or a rash. Also, for hair, the side effects are not restricted to only hair loss, they can also include changes to the hair structure and colour. However, hair loss may be limited and self-restricting, in that sometimes the condition may be general and in other cases, it can involve the hair over the entire body. Alopecia covers all forms of hair loss, ranging from simple or partial hair loss to a total loss of body hair. It is difficult to detect clinically until about 25% or more of the hair is lost.   Read more>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The Thin Line between Munchausen Syndrome and Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy

Factitious disorders (FD) are the intentional production of feigning symptoms or disabilities; physical or psychological, aroused in a person who aims to assume the patient role.

Munchausen syndrome (MS) and other FD differ from somatoform disorders (such as conversion disorder, somatization disorder and somatoform disorder undifferentiated) because in somatoform disorders there is no evidence of deceiving clinicians. For the same reason FD differ from Somatic Symptom Disorder that’s a reconceptualization of somatoform disorders in DSM5. The most extreme and serious form of FD, referred to as the MS, is characterized by a history of various outpatient visits and hospitalizations whose symptoms aggravated or changed following negative test results, or once the treatment had begun, patients would be overwhelmed by eager to get medical tests, operations, and other procedures.  Read more>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>