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Edited by
Richard Pinder, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London,Christopher-James Harvey, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London,Ellen Fallows, British Society of Lifestyle Medicine
Lifestyle Medicine is an evidence-based medical discipline that emphasises behaviour change to improve overall health, focusing on mental wellbeing, social connections, healthy eating, physical activity, sleep, and minimising harmful behaviours. The approach bridges clinical practice with public health interventions, targeting both individual and population health. It is effective in preventing, treating, and sometimes reversing chronic diseases through lifestyle modification. Clinicians practising Lifestyle Medicine support actions beyond clinical consultations, advocating for healthy environments and policies. The discipline also addresses the challenges of non-communicable diseases and enhances resilience against infectious diseases. It offers an alternative to over-medicalisation, promoting self-care and lifestyle changes alongside traditional medical treatments. The new medical paradigm recognises the modifiability of gene expression and the importance of lifestyle factors in health outcomes. Lifestyle Medicine is increasingly integrated into medical education and healthcare delivery systems. It aligns with the shift towards person-centred care that focuses on patients’ values and goals, contributing to a more holistic approach to health and wellbeing.
Benzimidazoles are the most frequently prescribed therapeutic options for treating trichinellosis in clinical settings; however, they have a lot of disadvantages. Therefore, researchers are focusing on the hunt for substitute chemicals. The goal of the current study was to compare the effectiveness of albendazole and the anti-diabetic medication metformin loaded on chitosan nanoparticles in treating mice infected with various stages of T. spiralis infection. 160 mice were included in the present study and divided into 8 groups: 6 experimentally treated groups, and positive and negative control groups. For studying the intestinal and parenteral phase, each group was broken into two more subgroups (a and b) according to the time of drug administration. The effects of albendazole, albendazole-loaded NPs, metformin, metformin-loaded NPs, combined albendazole and metformin, and metformin and albendazole-loaded NPs were assessed using parasitological studies, histopathological examination, and ultrastructural examination using SEM.
Statistically significant differences were detected in all studied subgroups compared to the control infected subgroup both in the intestinal and muscular phases. The greatest decrease in recovered adult worm and muscle larvae numbers was achieved by ABZ & MET/ Cs NPs. These findings were confirmed by histopathological examination. SEM examination of the tegument of T. spirals adult worms and muscle larvae showed destruction with multiple degenerative changes.
Our results suggested that metformin and its combination with albendazole especially when loaded on chitosan nanoparticles could be potential therapeutic alternative drugs against trichinellosis.
In this chapter we will examine the psychological treatments that have been found to be helpful for people with Hoarding Disorder. The main approach used is Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). This may be with an individual or in a group setting. Although, as with much of the research into Hoarding Disorder, the number of studies of high quality are limited, we have good evidence that CBT does work and can have life-changing impacts both on the hoarding and also the depressive symptoms which often accompany Hoarding Disorder. One of the major issues, however, can be the reluctance of people with Hoarding disorder to enter into treatment programmes and then to stick with the programme. There may be many reasons for this reluctance. One recent development which may be hopeful for the future has been using an approach known as Compassion Focussed Therapy in addition to the standard CBT.
In this chapter we will we examine how Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) or Obsessive-Compulsive Personality (OCPD) may interact with Hoarding Disorder. It has already been noted that prior to 2013 and the inclusion of a separate diagnosis of Hoarding Disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Volume 5 (DSM5-TR) *1 was described and included under the new category of Obsessive-Compulsive and related disorders, people with Hoarding Disorder were included as either having OCD or OCPD. In reality, whereas Hoarding Disorder and symptoms of hoarding are common in both OCD and OCPD, not everyone who has Hoarding Disorder also has one of these conditions. On the other hand, hoarding symptoms may be present in both OCD and OCPD without displaying all of the characteristics of Hoarding Disorder. These distinctions can have an effect on what treatments may work for the individual.
In this chapter we will examine the evidence for the various treatments for Hoarding Disorder using medication. The action of the various chemicals in the brain as well as why it is thought they may be useful in Hoarding Disorder is then explored. Full lists of optimal dosage as well as side-effects are given. Finally, the possibility of other medications, which are largely unexplored, but which may be useful in the future, are examined.
Despite its relative invisibility to most people living in the urban Asia-Pacific, endemic malaria occurs across the region. The unique character of Asian-Pacific malaria includes a serious problem of drug resistance, dominance of a particularly difficult species to control and treat, and another that normally dwells in monkeys but often infects humans. Most nations in the region with endemic malaria have called for its elimination by the year 2030. Meeting that ambitious goal will require mobilizing technical and financial resources, and social and political will. Malaria is a formidable foe fully capable of defeating halfhearted efforts to eliminate it.
The recommended first-line treatment for insomnia is cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTi), but access is limited. Telehealth- or internet-delivered CBTi are alternative ways to increase access. To date, these intervention modalities have never been compared within a single study. Further, few studies have examined a) predictors of response to the different modalities, b) whether successfully treating insomnia can result in improvement of health-related biomarkers, and c) mechanisms of change in CBTi. This protocol was designed to compare the three CBTi modalities to each other and a waitlist control for adults aged 50-65 years (N = 100). Participants are randomly assigned to one of four study arms: in-person- (n=30), telehealth- (n=30) internet-delivered (n=30) CBTi, or 12-week waitlist control (n=10). Outcomes include self-reported insomnia symptom severity, polysomnography, circadian rhythms of activity and core body temperature, blood- and sweat-based biomarkers, cognitive functioning, and magnetic resonance imaging.
Measurable residual disease (MRD) is an established prognostic factor after induction chemotherapy in acute myeloid leukaemia patients. Over the past decades, molecular and flow cytometry-based assays have been optimized to provide highly specific and sensitive MRD assessment that is clinically validated. Flow cytometry is an accessible technique available in most clinical diagnostic laboratories worldwide and has the advantage of being applicable in approximately 90% of patients. Here, the essential aspects of flow cytometry-based MRD assessment are discussed, focusing on the identification of leukaemic cells using leukaemia associated immunophenotypes. Analysis, detection limits of the assay, reporting of results and current clinical applications are also reviewed. Additionally, limitations of the assay will be discussed, including the future perspective of flow cytometry-based MRD assessment.
Partial remission after major depressive disorder (MDD) is common and a robust predictor of relapse. However, it remains unclear to which extent preventive psychological interventions reduce depressive symptomatology and relapse risk after partial remission. We aimed to identify variables predicting relapse and to determine whether, and for whom, psychological interventions are effective in preventing relapse, reducing (residual) depressive symptoms, and increasing quality of life among individuals in partial remission. This preregistered (CRD42023463468) systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis (IPD-MA) pooled data from 16 randomized controlled trials (n = 705 partial remitters) comparing psychological interventions to control conditions, using 1- and 2-stage IPD-MA. Among partial remitters, baseline clinician-rated depressive symptoms (p = .005) and prior episodes (p = .012) predicted relapse. Psychological interventions were associated with reduced relapse risk over 12 months (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.43–0.84), and significantly lowered posttreatment depressive symptoms (Hedges’ g = 0.29, 95% CI 0.04–0.54), with sustained effects at 60 weeks (Hedges’ g = 0.33, 95% CI 0.06–0.59), compared to nonpsychological interventions. However, interventions did not significantly improve quality of life at 60 weeks (Hedges’ g = 0.26, 95% CI -0.06 to 0.58). No moderators of relapse prevention efficacy were found. Men, older individuals, and those with higher baseline symptom severity experienced greater reductions in symptomatology at 60 weeks. Psychological interventions for individuals with partially remitted depression reduce relapse risk and residual symptomatology, with efficacy generalizing across patient characteristics and treatment types. This suggests that psychological interventions are a recommended treatment option for this patient population.
It is common in mental health care to ask about people’s days but comparatively rare to ask about their nights. Most patients diagnosed with schizophrenia struggle at nighttime. The next-day effects can include a worsening of psychotic experiences, affective disturbances, and inactivity, which in turn affect the next night’s sleep. Objective and subjective cognitive abilities may be affected too. Patients commonly experience a mix of sleep difficulties in a night and across a week. These difficulties include trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or sleeping at all; nightmares and other awakenings; poor-quality sleep; oversleeping; tiredness; sleeping at the wrong times; and problems establishing a regular sleep pattern. The patient group is also more vulnerable to obstructive sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome. We describe in this article how the complex presentation of non-respiratory sleep difficulties arises from variation across five factors: timing, mental state, need for sleep, self-care, and environment. We set out 10 illustrative patterns of such difficulties experienced by patients with non-affective psychosis. These sleep problems are eminently treatable with intensive psychological therapy delivered over approximately eight sessions. We describe key techniques and their typical order of implementation by presentation. Sleep problems are an important issue for patients. Giving them the therapeutic attention patients often desire brings both real clinical benefits and improves views of services. Treatment is also very likely to lessen psychotic experiences and mood disturbances while improving daytime functioning and quality of life. Tackling sleep difficulties can be a route toward the successful treatment of psychosis.
The treatment of tremor is challenging, and therapeutic options are often limited and non-specific. Treatment always has to be individualized, and apart from the objective severity of tremor, significant importance should be given to subjective severity and impact of the tremor on the patient. Supportive non-pharmacologic and non-surgical methods should be incorporated into the treatment regimen. Finally, surgical therapy is proven and effective in several tremor syndromes and should be offered to eligible patients.
The development of guidelines is time-consuming and cost-intensive. The heterogeneity of clinical practice, evidence, and patients’ needs is an issue across Europe. An European core guidance for a specific psychiatric disorder may help to overcome this issue. Here, we present a progress report on the European Psychiatric Association (EPA) proof-of-concept approach to develop a European consensus guidance on the pharmacological treatment of schizophrenia.
Methods
All national psychiatric associations in Europe were contacted to provide their schizophrenia guidelines. Six guidelines were rated by three experts, experienced in the development of national and international guidelines, from three different countries (Italy, Hungary, and Germany), and the German schizophrenia guideline published in 2019 was found to have the highest quality. For this proof-of-concept approach, 45 recommendations on the pharmacological treatment of schizophrenia from the German guideline were evaluated in a two-step Delphi process to determine their acceptability throughout the European continent.
Results
44 experts participated in the first round and 40 experts in the second round of the Delphi process. Agreement among the involved experts was reached for 75% of the presented recommendations from the German schizophrenia guidelines. 11 out of 45 recommendations (24.4%) did not reach this level of agreement.
Conclusions
This progress report highlights the possibility of developing a pan-European core guidance on the pharmacological treatment of schizophrenia by adapting national guidelines and reconciling their recommendations. However, several barriers in this adaptation process, such as non-agreement in recommendations with strong scientific evidence in the reconciling process, were identified and must be considered when developing the final guidance.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is defined by the American Psychiatric Association as persistent deficits in social communication and interactions and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. There are many potential etiological causes for ASD. In the United States, the combined prevalence of ASD per 1,000 children was 23 in 2018. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends screening specifically for ASD during regular doctor visits at 18 and 24 months to ensure systematic monitoring for early signs of ASD. Most reported concerns from parents relate to abnormal childhood developmental trajectory and history of unusual behaviors, with variability in ages when features suggestive of ASD are most noticeable. Behavioral interventions for ASD focus on minimizing the effects of developmental delays and maximizing speech/language, motor, social-emotional, and cognitive skills. Medications can be used to target comorbid conditions or problematic behaviors that interfere with progress or pose safety concerns. The financial burden on families of children with ASD is correlated with the existing societal financial safety net. Poorer outcomes are expected when the family carries a substantial share of the cost to support the development of children with ASD, especially in lower-income households.
Child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP) is a complex and challenging subspecialty in psychiatry that developed immensely in the last century. In this chapter, we present a brief overview of development and specific aspects of the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of children and adolescents.
Psychiatric disorders are complex and multifaceted conditions that profoundly impact various aspects of an individual’s life. Although the neurobiology of these disorders is not fully understood, extensive research suggests intricate interactions between genetic factors, changes in brain structure, disruptions in neurotransmitter pathways, as well as environmental influence.
In the case of psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia, strong genetic components have been identified as a key feature in the development of psychosis. Moreover, alterations in dopamine function and structural brain changes that result in volume loss seem to be pervasive in people affected by these disorders. Meanwhile, mood disorders, including major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder, are characterized by disruptions in neurotransmitter systems responsible for mood regulation, such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Anxiety and personality disorders also exhibit neurotransmitter dysfunction and neuroanatomical changes, in addition to showing a genetic overlap with mood and psychotic disorders.
Understanding the underlying mechanisms in the pathophysiology of these conditions is of paramount importance and involves integrating findings from various research areas, including at the molecular and cellular levels. This brief overview aims to highlight some of the important developments in our current understanding of psychiatric disorders. Future research should aim to incorporate a comprehensive approach to further unravel the complexity of these disorders and pave the way for targeted therapeutic strategies and effective treatments to improve the lives of individuals afflicted by them.
Bipolar disorder (BD) is one of the most important and potentially incapacitating mental disorders, typically characterized by the alternation of depressive symptoms with periods of elevated mood, called manic or hypomanic episodes. The present chapter provides an overview of the main aspect of this psychiatric condition, including its clinical presentation, diagnosis, pathophysiology, and therapeutic aspects. While the diagnosis and management of BD can be challenging, ongoing research has led to considerable advances in its understanding. It is expected that those advances will bring about improvements in the identification and treatment of this mental illness.
Personality disorders play a major role in psychiatric clinical practice. Usually evident by adolescence, they arise when emotions, thoughts, impulsivity, and especially interpersonal behavior deviate markedly from the expectations of the individual’s culture. These disorders comprise a group of diverse and complex conditions that still warrant better understanding across multiple dimensions: genetic, neurobiological, pharmacological, and psychodynamic. This chapter addresses the definitions of both personality and personality disorder and outlines the two sets of diagnostic criteria: primary characteristics of personality disorder and the three main categories/clusters of personality disorder. It also discusses incidence of the specific disorders and relevant treatment modalities. Treatments plans should include psychotherapy, psychopharmacology, and psychoeducation, as well as treatment of comorbidities and crises. Psychotherapy has been the intervention of choice for most personality disorders, with pharmacological treatment usually auxiliary and focused on symptoms. Clinician skill is a key element of diagnosis and treatment. An experienced clinician should be able to differentiate between personality traits or styles and actual personality disorders, a particularly challenging task when a patient presents in crisis. Individuals with personality disorders can manifest a disturbed pattern in interpersonal relationships that can be deleterious in the therapeutic relationship if not approached with skill.
Based on Dr Colin Espie's 45 years of clinical and research experience, this expert manual for clinicians and healthcare professionals shows how best to assess insomnia and deliver effective treatment in everyday practice using cognitive and behavioural therapeutics (CBTx). The book provides in-depth background on the importance of sleep, the interactions between sleep and health, what insomnia is, and insomnia's negative impact on patients. Using detailed examples, metaphors, and practical guidance, it provides clear instructions on the evaluation of sleep complaints and on the why and how of selecting and providing a specific CBTx to suit the presenting patient. Delving beyond treating patients at the individual level, the book also considers how to develop an effective and efficient insomnia service at population scale.