Introducing the Term “Neuroregulator” in Psychiatry
Issue:
Volume 7, Issue 3, May 2019
Pages:
66-70
Received:
13 August 2019
Accepted:
28 August 2019
Published:
16 September 2019
Abstract: Despite the increasing burden of mental illness, social stigma and fears about the potential mind-altering effects of psychotropic drugs prevent most persons from seeking treatment. The problem is compounded by the high rate of diagnostic uncertainty in psychiatry and psychotropic drug labels that can be as confusing as the diagnosis. The terms “anticonvulsant” and “antipsychotic” often have little to do with what is being treated, and the replacement term “mood stabilizer” is inadequate because many patients for whom mood stabilizers are prescribed do not experience any significant mood instability. This calls for a more appropriate label for these psychotropic drugs. Anticonvulsants and antipsychotics have neuroregulatory effects, and converging lines of evidence suggest that most psychiatric disorders are rooted in an inherent hyperexcitability of the neurological system—the neurons won’t shut off. Based on these observations, I propose that the terms anticonvulsant, antipsychotic, and mood stabilizer be replaced with the more pharmacologically and pathophysiologically-related term “NEUROREGULATOR.” The adoption of this descriptive, user-friendly term by prescribing clinicians and dispensing pharmacists would help avoid patient confusion and improve medication compliance by helping patients conceptualize what these drugs do in the brain and how they might be working to relieve symptoms.
Abstract: Despite the increasing burden of mental illness, social stigma and fears about the potential mind-altering effects of psychotropic drugs prevent most persons from seeking treatment. The problem is compounded by the high rate of diagnostic uncertainty in psychiatry and psychotropic drug labels that can be as confusing as the diagnosis. The terms “an...
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Comparative Study of a Single-Incision Laparoscopic and a Conventional Laparoscopic Appendectomy for the Treatment of Acute Appendicitis in Children
Hayet Zitouni,
Hamdi Louati,
Ahmed Turki,
Ahmed Guirat,
Mahdi Ben Dhaou,
Rafik Mzali,
Riadh Mhiri
Issue:
Volume 7, Issue 3, May 2019
Pages:
71-74
Received:
7 July 2019
Accepted:
26 July 2019
Published:
20 September 2019
Abstract: Appendicitis is the most common indication for urgent surgery in children. Single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) has further improved surgical outcomes. In this study we compared SILS and conventional in terms of peroperative difficulty and outcomes. A retrospective chart review was performed interesting all patients operated for acute appendicitis in the department of pediatric surgery Hedi Chaker hospital and department of surgery Habib Borguiba hospital between January 2006 and December 2016. Among the total of 181 patients, LA and SILS were performed respectively on 51 (28.2%) and 137 patients (71.8%). In 41.9% of patients of conventional LA it was a complicated appendicitis and in 29.8% of SILS group it was a complicated appendicitis (p=0.22). The mean operative time was 63.7 min for the conventional LA group and 71.79 min for the SILS group, it was not statistically significant (p=0.046). Conversion was made in 13.7% of patients in the conventional LA and in 5.8% in patients with SILS (p=0.14). The median length of hospital stay was for the conventional LA group 3.5 days and for SILS group 2.3 days (p=0.04). The current study found that SILS provided comparable surgical outcomes to conventional LA and did not result in increased postoperative complication rates.
Abstract: Appendicitis is the most common indication for urgent surgery in children. Single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) has further improved surgical outcomes. In this study we compared SILS and conventional in terms of peroperative difficulty and outcomes. A retrospective chart review was performed interesting all patients operated for acute append...
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