INTRODUCTION: Sensation seeking is defined as the pursuit of varied, novel, complex, and intense experiences, accompanied by a willingness to take physical, social, legal, and financial risks to attain such experiences. Recent research has demonstrated that sensation seeking behavior is associated with psychopathy, conduct disorder, psychoactive substance use, and impulsivity. The present study aims to examine the relationship between sensation seeking behavior and both the dimensions of psychopathology and clinical features in individuals diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD).
METHODS: The study included 60 individuals diagnosed with ASPD according to DSM-5 criteria and 60 healthy controls. The level of sensation seeking was evaluated using the Zuckerman Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS). Clinical Reflections were assessed using the Novelty Seeking subscale of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI-NS), the Addiction Profile Index (API) and its Clinical Form (API-C), and the Criminal Thinking Scale (CTS). Data were statistically analyzed using appropriate methods.
RESULTS: The ASPD group showed significantly higher scores than the control group in the SSS subdimensions of disinhibition, experience seeking, boredom susceptibility, and total score. Additionally, in the ASPD group, the total SSS score was positively correlated with the total TCI-NS (novelty seeking) score, the total API (addiction severity) score, the API-C novelty seeking subscale score, and the entitlement and power orientation subscales of the CTS. Furthermore, the boredom susceptibility subscale of the SSS showed a positive correlation with the number of suicide attempts.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: In individuals with antisocial personality disorder, sensation seeking behavior is positively associated with the number of suicide attempts, novelty seeking, severity of addiction, and criminal thinking patterns. These findings highlight the importance of considering sensation seeking in the clinical assessment of ASPD.

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies have shown that maladaptive cognitions following trauma are closely associated with post-traumatic stress symptoms and depression. The aim of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Posttraumatic Maladaptive Beliefs Scale (PTMBS).


METHODS: Data were collected from 338 adults (M age = 32.95, SD = 11.43; 56.2% female) residing in regions affected by the February 6, 2023 earthquakes in Türkiye. Participants completed the PTMBS along with the International Trauma Questionnaire and the International Depression Questionnaire.
RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the one-factor model showed poor fit, whereas the three-factor model (Threat of Harm, Self-Worth and Judgment, Reliability of Others) demonstrated good fit indices. Criterion validity was supported by significant positive correlations of the scale with post-traumatic stress and depressive symptoms. Reliability analyses, including Cronbach’s alpha, item–total correlations, and Spearman–Brown split-half coefficients, indicated acceptable to high internal consistency for the total and dimension scores.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Findings demonstrate that the Turkish version of the PTMBS adequately reflects the original three-dimensional structure and shows the expected associations with PTSD and depression symptoms. In particular, the stronger associations of the Threat of Harm subscale with psychopathology highlight the clinical relevance of “shattered assumptions” following trauma. In conclusion, the Turkish PTMBS is a valid and reliable tool for assessing maladaptive cognitions after trauma and can be used for clinical diagnosis, treatment planning, and monitoring therapeutic progress.

INTRODUCTION: Somatic Symptom Disorder (SSD) and Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder (FNSD) are common presentations of somatic symptom and related disorders in adolescence. Despite shared emotional and functional impairments, these disorders differ in clinical and psychological characteristics. This study aimed to compare SSD and FNSD with each other and with healthy controls in terms of clinical profiles, psychopathology, quality of life, and alexithymia.
METHODS: The sample consisted of 120 adolescents aged 12–17 years, equally divided into three groups: SSD (n = 40), FNSD (n = 40), and healthy controls (HC; n = 40). All participants underwent comprehensive clinical assessment using the semi-structured diagnostic interview. Self-report measures included the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), and Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Clinical severity was rated using the Clinical Global Impression–Severity scale (CGI-S).
RESULTS: Compared to HCs, both SSD and FNSD groups showed significantly higher symptom burden, lower health-related quality of life, and elevated alexithymia. Both SSD and FNSD groups showed higher total alexithymia scores than healthy controls. Within this pattern, the SSD group scored higher than FNSD on the Difficulty Identifying Feelings and Difficulty Describing Feelings subscales. FNSD cases were more frequently associated with motor symptoms and neurological consultations, whereas SSD cases reported longer symptom duration and more extensive somatic evaluations.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Although SSD and FNSD share psychosocial risk factors such as reduced quality of life and increased alexithymia, SSD is characterized by greater psychological distress and somewhat greater difficulties in identifying and describing feelings. Systematic assessment of alexithymia may help refine diagnosis and guide interventions in adolescents with somatic presentations.

INTRODUCTION: This study examined functional impairment, sleep disturbances, and chronotype characteristics in children with the Predominantly Inattentive Presentation of ADHD (ADHD-PI), the Restrictive ADHD phenotype (ADHD-R), and typically developing (TD) controls.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 104 children aged 7–12 years: ADHD-PI (n = 34), ADHD-R (n = 36), and TD (n = 34). Parent-rated measures included the CSHQ, CCQ, and WFIRS-P. All participants had an IQ above 80 and were free of comorbid psychiatric or medical conditions. Subgroup analyses were performed based on functional impairment status, and group comparisons were made on sleep-related and chronotype variables.

RESULTS: Functional impairment was significantly more common in both ADHD groups (ADHD-PI: 67%, ADHD-R: 61%) compared to control group (5.9%) (p <.001). Both clinical groups showed greater daytime sleepiness. Although no statistically significant group differences were found in eveningness scores, the ADHD-R group exhibited higher eveningness tendencies compared to both the ADHD-PI and healthy control groups. In ADHD-PI, functional impairment was associated with delayed sleep onset, parasomnia, and sleep-disordered breathing. In ADHD-R, higher sleep disturbance, parasomnia, and longer sleep duration were observed in the impaired group. However, these variables did not significantly predict impairment. Oppositional defiant behavior scores significantly predicted functional impairment within the ADHD-R group.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Sleep problems—particularly parasomnias—are associated with greater functional impairment in ADHD. Addressing sleep disturbances may contribute to improving daily functioning and quality of life in affected children.

Chorea-acanthocytosis is one of the neuroacanthocytosis syndromes; a rare (1–5 per 1,000,000) and progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by abnormalities in the nervous system accompanied by erythrocyte acanthocytosis. Various neurological dysfunctions and psychiatric symptoms coexist, significantly reducing both quality of life and life expectancy. Due to the rarity of the disease, diagnosis can sometimes be delayed; the initial presentation may include vague cognitive or psychiatric symptoms, leading to prolonged misdiagnoses and incorrect management. In middle-aged adults presenting with chorea and tic-like involuntary movements alongside psychiatric disorders, neuroacanthocytosis syndromes should always be considered. A thorough neurological and psychiatric examination should be conducted, and necessary imaging and laboratory tests should be performed.In this case report, we present the detailed diagnostic evaluation process of a patient suspected of having chorea-acanthocytosis with neuropsychiatric symptoms, in light of the existing literature.

Delusional Procreation Syndrome (DPS) encompasses delusions involving various stages of reproduction, including pregnancy, childbirth, and parenthood. Although the delusion of pregnancy (DoP) is the most commonly reported phenomenon, simultaneous delusions spanning multiple reproductive stages are rare. We describe a 39-year-old woman with chronic schizophrenia who presented with concurrent delusions of quadruplet pregnancy, miscarriage, stillbirth, childbirth, and motherhood. This case highlights the broad clinical spectrum of DPS and underscores the importance of distinguishing DoP from related conditions such as pseudocyesis and Couvade syndrome. It further illustrates the role of psychosocial adversity in shaping delusional themes.

This case report describes a 41-year-old woman with a history of childhood immunoglobulin A vasculitis and adult-onset schizophrenia, to the best of our knowledge, representing the first clinical observation suggesting a potential link between these conditions. Although current serological evaluations showed no active vasculitis, the case highlights a possible association, in line with research indicating an increased risk of schizophrenia in individuals with autoimmune disorders, including vasculitis. Mechanistically, immunoglobulin A vasculitis could hypothetically influence neuroimmune processes through transient effects on the blood-brain barrier or microvascular function, potentially contributing to pathways relevant to psychosis. Certain antipsychotic treatments are also known to interact with immune responses, supporting the rationale for further investigation. While causality cannot be inferred from a single case, this report underscores the importance of exploring immunoglobulin A vasculitis as a factor in schizophrenia pathogenesis and encourages longitudinal and mechanistic studies to better understand the potential neuroimmune mechanisms involved.

The purpose of this case report was to explore the use of lorazepam, a benzodiazepine, for treating pre-meal anxiety in adolescent patients diagnosed with anorexia nervosa (AN). This study aimed to assess the effects of lorazepam on reducing anxiety, increasing food intake, and improving treatment adherence in these patients.
Three cases of adolescent females with AN were presented, highlighting their clinical characteristics, treatment interventions, and outcomes. The patients received a combination of pharmacotherapy (fluoxetine, aripiprazole, and lorazepam) and psychotherapy (cognitive-behavioral therapy) as part of their treatment regimen. The dosage and duration of lorazepam administration varied for each patient based on individual needs. The introduction of lorazepam along with other medications resulted in a reduction in pre-meal anxiety and an increase in food intake among the patients. Furthermore, treatment compliance and motivation improved, leading to weight gain and resumption of menstrual cycles in all cases. Positive effects of lorazepam were observed even after discontinuation of the medication.
This case report suggests that the use of lorazepam for treating pre-meal anxiety in adolescent patients with AN may be beneficial in reducing anxiety, enhancing treatment adherence, and facilitating healthy eating habits. However, due to the limited evidence available, benzodiazepines are not recommended as a first-line treatment for AN, and their usage should be cautious due to the potential risks of dependence and withdrawal. Further research is needed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of benzodiazepines, including different types and doses, for treating AN.