Pandemic outbreak brings multiple challenges into everyday life, with high potential to affect all aspects of health. It was previously demonstrated that epidemic is harmful to mental health (MH) of a whole population producing long-lasting and significant burden for the person and the society. However, such an impact was less investigated in COVID-19 pandemic.

Investigate aspects of MH among healthy population during Spring 2020 lockdown due to COVID-19; detect factors affecting MH and their cumulative effect on health-related quality of life (QOL).

571 healthy volunteers completed electronic survey distributed through social networks. The survey contained standard tools for evaluation of (1) levels of stress, anxiety and depression, (2) objective and subjective parameters of participation in daily-life activities, (3) daily routines, (5) loneliness, (6) social connectedness, (7) self-efficacy and (8) quality of life.

We found high levels of stress, anxiety and depression among healthy population and low QOL in physical, psychological and social relationship domains. Employment, keeping daily routines, social connectedness, self-efficacy, enjoyment, satisfaction and meaning in daily-life activities were associated with better MH. All the aforementioned factors contributed significantly to QOL.

COVID-19 outbreak rise multiple health issues, among them affected MH of the healthy, not infected population. Public health strategies should be implemented to mitigate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on MH given its personal and social burden and its contribution to QOL. Addressing participation in daily life activities can be a useful tool to cope with impact of COVID-19 on MH.

ECT is an effective care with high level of recommendation. During the COVID19, new recommendations to protect patients and caregivers combined with the increasing use of medicines and medical devices (MD) for anesthesia, caused greater difficulties of supply. Even if vital for patients, it is challenging to maintain ECT in this environment.

The aim of this study is to resume the measures implemented in order to maintain ECT during COVID19.

Retrospective analysis of measures implemented to maintain the ECT during COVID19.

As FFP2 masks were restricted to intensive care units, our hospital were not supplied. After negotiations, the regional health agency (ARS) has granted us an allocation of 100 masks to maintain ECT. Our efficient stock management of personal protective equipment as well as our transparency on these stocks with ARS and sharing with other hospitals out of stock played a role in this agreement.We had to adapt our MDs references according to breaks of many ones and new recommendations. The university hospital helping us in supplying certain missing references. Considering the difficulties in supplying drugs and MDs, and limited availability of anesthetists, we have reduced the number of ECT. Prioritization of patients with vital indications had to be achieved.

The prioritization of some services by the regulatory agency causes many supply difficulties for the others. It would be important to reassess the priority of ECT in such crisis because most of the time other caregivers and regulatory agencies are not aware how they are vital for patients.

The 2019 coronavirus epidemic (CoViD-19) in Italy originated in Lombardy, on February 21, 2020. Crowding has been defined as a worldwide problem and causes reduced quality of care. It is due and identified by three orders of factors: those at the access (input); those related to the patient’s process (throughput); and those at the exit from the ED (output).

We evaluated all the population who went to ED for mental disorder. Due to the high level of care needed and the simultaneous exposure to risk factors, an excessive duration of ED process can be counterproductive.

We evaluated all patients accessing our ED for mental disorder from February 22 to May 1, 2020 and during the same period of the previous year.

We enrolled 345 patients. The Crowding input factors are lower in the pandemic period: reduced attenders (142 vs 203) and reduced average waiting times (40 min vs 54 min). The Crowding throughput factors have instead worsened: LOS (length of stay) for both visit rooms (383 vs 271 min) and holding area (1735 min vs 797 min). The Crowding output factors also worsened: the percentage of access block is higher during the pandemic (100% vs 20%). The Total Access Block Time is significantly higher in the CoViD period for both the visit rooms (3.239 vs 649 min) and the holding area (590 vs 185 min).

The pandemic period presented a worsened crowding for these patients due to the Access Block.

Nursing work requires technical, scientific competence, knowledge, skill and emotional control over practice, considering that care presents risk situations, physical and emotional stress, responsibilities with people’s lives, coping with fears and suffering. All this situation in which the professional is exposed can lead to the occurrence of psychological wear, high stress and anxiety, this is conceptualized as a vague and unpleasant feeling of fear, apprehension, with characteristics of tension or discomfort derived from anticipating danger, something unknown or strange.

To identify the prevalence and factors associated with anxiety among nursing professionals who work coping with COVID-19 in a Brazilian regional university hospital.

Cross-sectional observational study, with sociodemographic questionnaire and anxiety measurement scale (HAD), with 88 nursing professionals. The data were analyzed using absolute and relative frequency, using the software StatisticalPackage for the Social Sciences.

There was a prevalence of anxiety (48.9%), with the majority of the sample consisting of women, over 40 years old, married or in a stable relationship, white, with higher education or postgraduate education, with income above R $ 3,000.00, tendered, with a work regime of 40 hours per week and time in the hospital from 1 to 5 years.

The impact should be considered on Nursing Mental Health caused by COVID-19 and intervene with coping strategies to minimize anxiety.

The bioelectrical activity of the brain of suicidals has specific features.

Investigate neurophysiological features associated with high suicidal risk (SR) in dementias.

An electroencephalographic study of brain was performed in 66 patients with dementia, of which 33 (with high SR) were included in the main group, the other 33 (with low SR) – in the control group.

SR correlates include an increase in the spectral density and amplitude (in μV) of the α-rhythm in the right central (C4) (109.4) – in the main group, compared with (64.5) – in the control; in the temporal areas (T4) (132.2) - in the main group, (70.0) – in the control group (p<0.001). The predominance of the spectral density of the slow θ-rhythm over the entire surface of the brain (p<0.001) and δ-rhythm in the projection of Fp2 (82.3) – in the main and (116.1) – in the control groups (p<0.001), F3 (54.80) and (68.1), respectively, (p<0.05), F4 (52.4) and (67.3), respectively, (p<0.01), C4 (52.0) and (62.0), respectively (p<0.05), P3 (44.4) and (58.9), respectively, (p<0.01), O1 (67.6) and (89.41), (p<0.001), O2 (68.5) and (85.8), respectively (p<0.001) are a predictor of low SR in dementias.

With the progression of changes in the brain in dementias SR decreases. In the initial phases of the dementing process with a relatively preserved functional capacity of the brain SR is high.

No significant relationships.

Integrated clinical and biological approaches in the study of disorders caused by alcohol consumption in people of different ethnic groups, are important for determining effective treatment strategies.

To study the clinical and dynamic features and the role of neuroendocrine factors of the formation and course of alcohol dependence in individuals of Tuvan ethnicity.

68 Russian alcoholics and 67 Tuvans alcoholics only men and 20 healthy male were monitored. Clinical assessment of the condition of patients was carried out with the traditional clinical description. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits were used to determine serum hormone levels in patients and volunteers.

The systematic consumption of alcoholic beverages develops among Tuvans in adulthood, in contrast to Russian men who begin to drink systematically young. Alcohol dependence in people of Tuvan nationality are formed several years later than in Russians: a symptom of loss of quantitative control over use was detected in Tuvans at 36.9±9.9 years, in Russian patients at 29,8±7.5 years; the formation of withdrawal syndrome in Tuvans occurs at the age of 37.7±8.4 years, unlike Russians, in whom the withdrawal syndrome develops on average at the age of 29.6±6.0 years. The index of the ratio cortisol/progesterone in the blood of examined Russian alcoholics is almost twice as high as the index of examined healthy donors; in patients of Tuvan ethnicity, index is almost five times higher.

Alcohol dependence among representatives of the Tuvan ethnic group indicates a greater vulnerability to the effects of alcohol.

No significant relationships.

The pandemic caused by the SARS CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) has a profound effect in the health care system (HCS). The therapeutic effect of communication skills is well known. Psychiatric patients are a vulnerable population and remote care via telephone was one of the first implemented measures during the lockdown.

The aim is to highlight the potential benefits and risks of remote follow up, according to the scientific evidence currently available.

Non-systematic review of the literature with the selection of scientific articles published in the last year. The search was performed in Pubmed database with the following Mesh terms: “COVID-19”, “psychiatry”, and “health communication”. Complementary references were also included.

For those with a stable psychiatric condition, remote appointments may guarantee the adequate follow up in a safe way throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. However, telephonic appointments are associated with a limited ability to perform psychopathological examination. A better assessment can be achieved if video call is used. Also, data protection and the ability of giving informed consent by psychiatric patients should be addressed. Additional training should be considered. A subgroup of patients with severe mental illness may require face-to-face visits.

COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented crisis and telemedicine is now emerging as an alternative. Remote consultation has advantages and, in some situations, it may replace or complement the in-person visits. Since social isolation is one of the most effective measures, digital means constitute a window of opportunity for the HCS.

HIV infection is currently considered a worldwide pandemic.

The objective of this paper is to outline the profile of HIV – positive patients in intensive care units, regarding the psycho-emotional and viral parameters.

We realized a retrospective study for a period of 36 months, evaluating HIV positive patients in intensive care unit in the “Sf. Parascheva” Infectious Diseases Clincal Hospital Iasi, Romania.

From 1st of Janury 2011 to 31st of December 2013, the HIV/AIDS Regional Centre of Iasi recorded 2649 hospitalizations, of which 18 cases required intensive medical care, 10 males and 8 females. The number of days of hospital admission varied between 4.5 and 32 days in the Intensive Care Unit. Initialy the psychological interview was conducted for 16 of the 18th patients, 2 cases were with severely deteriorated health status that didn’t allowed communication. From them, 7 survived and they were evaluated at discharge from IIntensive Care Unit and also monitored long term, that revealed an increase in adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy and a change in lifestyle.

HIV positive patients that requires intensive care showed a marked immunological collapse due to abandonment of the therapy or late detection. In order to fully accomplish the needs of the HIV positive patient, the infectious diseases specialist must collaborate with the psychologist.

Bipolar disorder is one of the most frequent psychiatric disorders among suicidal patients. A large part of patients with bipolar disorder (30–50%) will attempt suicide. Suicidal ideation being a major risk factor of suicidal act, it is crucial to better characterize patients with suicidal bipolar depression (i.e. depression with current suicidal ideation). The aim of this study was to characterize suicidal bipolar depressed patients in comparison with non-suicidal depressed patients in terms of clinical characteristics, evolution of depression and suicidal ideation course over time, and risk of suicide attempt during follow-up.

Among patients with bipolar disorder recruited from the network of FondaMental expert centres for bipolar disorder between 2009 and 2017, we selected patients with at least mild depression and without current manic symptomatology at baseline (N = 938). Suicidal depression was defined by a baseline score ⩾2 for item 12 of the QIDS-SR (28.9%). A subsample of about 300 patients (w/ or w/o suicidal ideation at baseline) was followed up for 2 years.

Baseline clinical features (e.g. depression severity, childhood trauma, global functioning) were more severe in patients with without suicidal depression. Suicidal patients tended to remain more suicidal throughout the followup (3.4-fold higher risk of persistent suicidal ideation at the 2-year visit despite an improvement in depressive symptomatology).

Depressed bipolar disorder patients reporting suicidal ideation had more severe clinical features and were more prone to report persistent suicidal ideation during the follow-up, independently of thymic state. Clinicians should closely monitor this subgroup of patients

No significant relationships.

Catatonia, a complex psychomotor syndrome and psychiatric emergency, is encountered across various psychiatric disorders. Most findings have been derived in the context of schizohrenia, warranting more comprehensive understanding in affective disorders.

To evaluate the longitudinal course of affective disorders presenting with catatonia and factors influencing the same.

Medical records of 439 patients presenting with catatonia to the psychiatry emergency from 2014 to 2017 were reviewed till June 2020. 135 patients with a final diagnosis of affective disorder (67 bipolar and 68 unipolar) were identified. Poisson regression and survival analysis were used for longitudinal data.

77.6% of bipolar patients were initially diagnosed under psychotic spectrum disorders compared to 3% in unipolar. Bipolar patients had a significantly younger age of first catatonic episode, earlier illness onset, and longer duration of illness. Survival analysis showed no significant difference between groups in time to recurrence of mood episode, readmission or catatonia relapse, with both groups demonstrating a greater likelihood of catatonia relapse in first 20 months. Poisson regression showed that bipolar patients had fewer catatonic relapses longitudinally over 2.5-6.5 years (RR: 0.64, CI: 0.43-0.96), but warranted more electroconvulsive therapy sessions for catatonic relapses (RR: 2.33, CI: 1.49-3.50), with fewer episodes resolving with lorazepam (RR: 0.62, CI: 0.40-0.95) compared to unipolar patients over same time period.

Bipolar disorders appear to have an earlier onset but fewer episodes of catatonia over illness course. Poorer lorazepam response and higher number of ECT sessions for catatonia resolution longitudinally suggest a differential treatment response of catatonia in bipolar disorder.

No significant relationships.

The continuum of social threat ranges from anxiety to paranoia. Examining the factors that predict and mediate the relationship between social anxiety and persecutory paranoia will help with the development of interventionist-causal theories that can guide the development of new treatments.

To investigate mediators between social anxiety and persecutory paranoia in a prospective cross-cultural analogue sample.

A 3-month follow-up online survey included participants aged ≥18-years-old in Thailand and the UK. Recruitment was via advertisements on websites and social media. Participants completed questionnaires at baseline (T1) and 3-month follow-up (T2) measuring social anxiety, paranoia, depression. Mediators were: stigma; internal and external shame; social rank; self-esteem; and safety behaviours. We used linear regression to examine predictors of paranoia and mediation analysis to test indirect effects. Estimating the indirect effects was calculated by 10,000 bootstrapping bias-corrected 95% confidence intervals.

At follow-up, 186 (70.4%female; mean age 34.9±9.1) Thai and 236 (81.4%female; 35.7±12.7) UK respondents completed the survey. Regarding change scores (T2-T1), higher paranoia was significantly predicted by higher social anxiety and external shame controlling for age, gender, depression. A simple mediation model controlling for depression showed significant indirect effects for external shame (ab=0.06, 95%CI=0.018 to 0.105) and safety behaviours (ab=0.06, 95%CI=0.002 to 0.127). A multiple mediation model found external shame was a significant mediator (ab=0.06, 95%CI=0.020 to 0.110).

These cross-cultural data suggest that external shame may mediate the prospective relationship between social anxiety and paranoia. These data suggest the potential for treatment of persecutory fears and social anxiety in psychosis by targeting shame-related cognitions.

Schizophrenia is a chronic disease that deteriorates the functionality of patients, especially when forming a family and taking care of children. We are interested in analyzing the characteristics of mothers with schizophrenia and their degree of global activity when going from oral treatments to injectable treatments.

1 To assess the quality of life and functional level of mothers with schizophrenia receiving paliperidone treatment. 2. Compare quality of life and functional level when going from oral treatment to long-term injectables.

Sample: Mothers, 37-45 years old, diagnosed with schizophrenia in monotherapy with oral paliperidone who started treatment with Paliperidone Palmitate LD IM (200 - 300 mg / month). Retrospective data collection. QLS quality of life scale.

5 patients were included, caregivers of 1 child (80%), 2 children (20%) who met the inclusion criteria and completed the questionnaires. After its application and correction through non-parametric tests (N <30). During oral treatment, scores were observed in the QLS questionnaire of: mean intrapsychic functions 34.2, mean interpersonal relationships 19, mean instrumental role 8, mean daily activities 8. After 12 weeks of treatment with Paliperidone Palmitate IM, scores were obtained: functions Medium intrapsychic 36, medium interpersonal relationships 23, medium instrumental role 15, medium daily activities 11. A better functioning of the patients was observed in the instrumental and daily activities categories.

In our experience, injectable long-acting Paliperidone Palmitate is associated with the perception of better quality of life in mothers with schizophrenia and increases the ease of administration as well as planning in their daily life.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted a need for engaging online resources to enrich psychiatry training for undergraduate medical students. Podcasting is a well-established digital communication platform utilised daily in a myriad of capacities, including education. A group of medical students were tasked with creating their own educational podcasts covering specific aspects of psychiatry.

Each pair was set a sub-topic of psychiatry and utilised software to produce educational resources. The objective of this project was to reflect upon production as well as explore the efficacy of podcasting as a tool within undergraduate training.

The medical students conducted research and contacted experts within the field to contribute to their podcasts. The majority of the students then conducted reviews of the literature surrounding podcasting within medical education, which informed the production of their own podcasts. From this, it was discussed how this project could impact future practice, and indicated that podcasts may become crucial asynchronous learning tools in medical education.

Literature review and first-hand experience of podcast production enabled the students to appreciate the advantages of podcasting and the potential for its widespread future applications. Their wider reading revealed that podcast-using study participants outperformed or matched their peers in assessments, and overwhelmingly enjoyed using podcasts over traditional teaching methods.

The use of podcasting can complement traditional psychiatry training and appeal to a generation of digital natives that prefer this learning style. Podcast production is also an excellent revision method, highlighting the advantages of peer-to-peer education in both learning and increasing engagement with psychiatry.

No significant relationships.

Seasonal changes, climatic factors such as temperature, sunlight intensity and precipitations as well as temporal factors seem to have an influence on suicidal behavior.

Our study aimed to analyse the association between seasonal changes, climatic variations, temporal factors and suicide attempts.

A retrospective descriptive and analytical study was undertaken including all patients consulting for the first time at Gabes psychiatry department from the 4th March 2009 to the 25th September 2020 for suicidal attempt. Sociodemographic and clinical data as well as suicidal attempts’ characteristics were assessed. Meteorologic data, related to the years 2009 through 2020, were obtained from the official weather website of Tunisia.

278 patients were collected, including 217 female. Mean age was 26. Suicidal patients were unmarried (75.9%), childless (79.1%) and unemployed (47.5%). Results showed that suicidal attempts occurred most frequently in summer (32.5%) specifically in June and July (10.9% for each). Regarding the distribution of suicide attempts over the days of the week, the highest rate was observed on Monday (22.5%) and the lower one on Friday. There were a correlation between high temperature and suicide attempt by hanging (p=0.006), between days of sunlight and manifestations preceding the suicidal attempt (p=0.04) and between rainfall and anxiety disorder leading to suicidal attempt (p=0.03).We finded also an association between the summer and risk behavior such as runaways (p=0.024).

A better identification of seasonality, climatic and temporal factors in suicidal behavior could allow a better prevention in suicidal attempts and a reduction in death by suicide

People with schizophrenia are considered to be within the most stigmatized social groups. Accurate and efficient detection of stigma and its correlates is essential in patients with psychosis.

The purpose of this study was to assess illness insight, stigma, social anxiety and quality of life in patients with a first episode of psychosis and their possible correlations

The sample of this study consisted of 90 patients with a first episode of psychosis that fulfilled inclusion and exclusion criteria. Tools used for the purpose of this study were Schedule for the assessment of insight-Expanded version, Internalized Stigma for Mental Illness Scale, World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment - Greek version, Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale - Greek version. Data were collected and analyzed with SPSS v26.

The study group had good insight (SAI-E score: 20.33±4.449), medium to high stigma values (ISMI score 50.93±7.854), a good enough quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF score: 86.08±10.010) and low levels of social anxiety (LSAS-Gr Fear score: 3.26±8.653; Anxiety score: 2,93±7,596). The results of this study show significant at the 0.01 level 2-tailed correlations as such: (i) a positive and significant relationship between ISMI and LSAS-Gr, (ii) a negative and significant relationship between ISMI and WHOQOL-BREF, and (iii) a negative and moderate relationship between WHOQOL-BREF and LSAS-Gr.

We report medium to high stigma levels, good insight and a good enough quality of life in a sample of first-episode patients with psychosis.

No significant relationships.

COVID-related situation has produced multiple challenges in the field of implementation of the restrictions.

Russian media, NGOs and sociological institutions collected and processed data on following the COVID-related guidelines in Moscow and in other regions. According to these data, different social groups behave differently in respect to the restrictions.

The following methods were used: analysis of information in media, interviews with child psychologists and pedagogues, personal involved and non-involved observation.

The COVID-related restrictions are often violated in all the Russian provinces. Observation and interviews demonstrate similar results. Young people aged 13–20 transgress the regulations most often. The reasons for that are not only the insufficient information, but also neurotic reactions and respective behavior: suppression, reaction formations, reactions of denial. Moreover, new behavioral norms (e.g. wearing masks) are insufficiently shaped yet, which makes following the new rules even more difficult. Furthermore, during the introduction of those regulations, their possible pathopsychological consequences were not taken into consideration, e.g. consequences of isolation, maintaining social distance, communication while wearing masks, fears, stress, paranoic reactions.

The pathopsychological consequences of introduced measures should be taken into consideration. Moreover, the phrasing of regulations needs reshaping and implementation of techniques of mental hygiene to prevent the development of mental disorders. Efficient shaping of respective skills might help to increase the percent of people following the guidelines too. However, all those issues require additional research.

Voluntary dropouts before completion of inpatient psychiatric treatment are common in patients with dual disorders. However, the socioeconomic profile and family structure of patients who undergo a therapeutic program may correlate with their motivation and participation in the treatment received, as well as with their subsequent recovery.

To evaluate the family typology of patients with dual diagnosis according to the degree of intrafamily cohesion and adaptability correlated with the prediction of therapeutic success and the risk of voluntary abandonment of hospital detoxification treatment.

A total of 211 patients admitted to an inpatient psychiatric unit with substance use disorders were studied. Data were obtained from two sources: (1) interview of participants, (2) review of participants’ medical records using the Maudsley Addiction Profile (MAP) and the Family Cohesion and Adaptability Assessment Scale (FACES III).

The 127 subjects who completed the hospital detoxification program had significantly lower MAP and FACES III scores at baseline than the 84 subjects who did not complete the study. Those who did not complete the admission reported greater addictive severity and poorer family functioning. Family cohesion and adaptability measured with FACES III and addictive severity assessed with MAP positively correlated with successful compliance with the hospital treatment program for dual diagnosis patients.

These findings reveal the association of psychosocial and family determinants and addictive severity with treatment completion and subsequent prognostic evolution. Recognizing these predictive characteristics may allow early identification of patients at higher risk of early dropout and prevent it by increasing the intensity of treatment.

In Cameroon, skepticism and neglect of doctors towards patients with mental disorders is noted. In order to change this, it was important to have an objective assessment. Depressive disorders are the most common form of mental disorders and Douala has the second largest number of general practitioners in the country. Thus, we proposed to evaluate the behaviour of general practitioners in Douala in front of patients with depressive disorders.

Evaluate the frequency of depressive disorders in outpatient general consultation Evaluate the competence of general practitioners at diagnosing depressive disorders Evaluate the practices of general practitioners towards depressive disorders Evaluate obstacles faced by general practitioners regarding depressive disorders

We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study from February to June 2017 in the outpatient department. For each general practitioner include, we had 3 patients who complete the patient health questionnaire to find out if the patient has depression. During each consultation, we filled out a clinical fact sheet to determine if the general practitioner had diagnosed a depressive disorder. If so, what care has he taken? Finally, we gave the general practitioner a questionnaire to know his difficulties when facing depression.

We obtained a frequency of 32.5% of depressive disorders in consultation of general medicine in Douala and a rate of diagnosis by general practitioners of 1.92%. Diagnosed cases have just received counseling.

in Cameroon, despite the low interest in depressive disorders, they constitute a public health issue in Douala, and surely in Cameroon; Because of its frequency and the harm, they inflict on patients.

I don’t have any conflict of interest

Neurocysticercosis is a parasitic infection of the central nervous system and caused by the pork tapeworm Taenia solium. Humans become infected after consuming undercooked food or water contaminated with tapeworm eggs, or through poor hygiene practices. The clinical manifestations of neurocysticercosis (NCC) largely depend on the number, type, size, localization, and stage of development of cysticerci, as well as on the host immune response against the parasite. Seizures are the most common manifestations of NCC (70–90%) of patients, followed by headache (38%), focal deficits (16%) and signs of intracranial hypertension (ICH) (12%), but psychiatric symptoms can also be seen.

Literature review on neuropsychiatric manifestations of neurocysticercosis, based on a clinical case.

Pubmed search using the keywords neurocysticercosis, psychiatric comorbidity, neuropsychiatric manifestations.

We present a clinical case of a 29-year-old male patient, with history of an epilepsy, that immigrated to Portugal with his family from Cape Verde for specialized medical care. He presented to the ER with an acute psychotic episode characterized by disorientation, persecutory ideation, psychomotor agitation and violent behavior. Brain CT scan showed multiple calcifications in cerebral parenchyma and CSF was positive for antibodies against T. solium.

The polymorphous symptomatology seen in NCC is mimicked only by neuro-tuberculosis and neurosyphilis in developing countries, and multiple sclerosis in the Western countries. Psychiatric symptoms are a part of the clinical presentation of infectious diseases. It is important to consider NCC in endemic areas presenting with psychiatric symptoms, especially those showing poor response to the standard treatment and in those with history of seizures.

No significant relationships.

Age-related differences in the processing speed have been observed in a great variety of tasks. In spite of the great amount of researches in this area, we know relatively little about the nature of this developmental tendency.

The aim of this study was to assess whether age-related differences in reaction time (RT) can be explained satisfactorily in terms of a global age-related differences in processing speed alone.

The sample consisted of 48 4-year-olds, 50 5-year-olds, 46 6-year-olds children, and 35 adults. To investigate processing speed in children and adults we used the test battery consisted of three types of RT tasks: simple, discrimination, and choice.

We have revealed clear age-related differences in processing speed not only between children and adults but also between three age groups of children. However, using transformation method proposed by Madden et al. (2001) and Ridderinkhoff & van der Molen (1997) we have revealed that there are not only global age-related differences but also process-specific age-related differences in processing speed. Among children, age-related differences larger than predicted by the global difference hypothesis were evident when tasks required spatial orientation discrimination and stimulus–response rule complexity, but not for response suppression or reversal of stimulus–response contingencies.

It can be assumed that the observed process-specific, age-related differences in processing speed generally can be explained by the principle of heterochronicity of human brain development (Casey et al., 2005).