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Biomedical subjects

Soumitra Shankar Datta

Publications and source records attributed to Soumitra Shankar Datta.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Impact of pediatric epilepsy on Indian families: influence of psychopathology and seizure related variables.

The impact of epilepsy on families has been little studied in the developing countries, where it is the most common neurological disorder among children. In Vellore, India, the impact on 132 families who had a child with epilepsy was rated with the Impact of Pediatric Epilepsy on the Family Scale (IPES). An adverse impact was experienced by 42% of families. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed four factors that were significantly associated with high impact: fewer years since diagnosis (OR=0.81, 95% CI=0.71-0.93), fewer months since last seizure (OR=0.58, 95% CI=0.39-0.87), treatment with multiple antiepileptic drugs (OR=4.34, 95% CI=1.22-15.52), and increased behavior problem scores on the Child Behavior Checklist (OR=1.10, 95% CI=1.05-1.14). Factor analysis of the IPES was also conducted as a comparison with earlier findings in a developed country. We suggest that early monotherapy should be employed whenever possible and that early recognition and treatment of associated psychological problems may help to reduce the burden on families.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2006

Clozapine-responsive cluster headache.

Headaches are commonly associated with various psychiatric disorders. The comorbidity of migraine and psychiatric disorders has been well documented. Here we present a case of schizophrenia with comorbid headache treated with clozapine. The patient's headache fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for cluster headache (CH). To our knowledge this is the first report of CH responding to clozapine therapy. The relationship of headache and psychiatric disorders is a matter of debate and there has been very little research on the aspect of causality or direction of causation. The response of both the conditions to a serotonin-dopamine antagonist such as clozapine might be important in giving newer insights into the pathogenesis of these disorders. It also has the clinical implication of being useful in patients with dual diagnosis.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Hypomania as an aura in migraine.

We report a 19-year-old man presenting to the department of Psychiatry for the evaluation of prominent behavioral symptoms associated with episodic headaches, with normal inter-episodic periods. A diagnosis of classic migraine with hypomanic aura was made. Other possible co-morbid or causative illnesses were excluded and preventive therapy with valproate was started due to the prominent affective symptoms as a part of the migranous aura. With this the frequency of headaches gradually decreased over the next four months. He was followed up for 2 years when he was found to be symptom-free. Recent research into the mechanisms of migraine has identified that the cortical hyperexcitability and an imbalance between neuronal inhibition and excitement mediated by gamma-aminobutyric acid and excitatory amino acids respectively may be the underlying mechanism. The high rate of affective disorders in patients with migraine, association of migraine with an aura comprising of mood symptoms and good response to treatment with mood-stabilisers might give newer insights into the pathophysiology of mood disorder as well.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Behaviour problems in children and adolescents with seizure disorder: associations and risk factors.

PROBLEM: Fifty million people worldwide have epilepsy of whom 33 million are children. Children and adolescents with epilepsy are known to have high rates of behaviour problems and psychiatric co-morbidity. No studies on this topic have been conducted in developing countries, although 90% of such children live in the developing world. METHODS: The current study, set in Vellore in India, assessed the prevalence of psychopathology and its associations in children and adolescents with seizure disorder. One hundred and thirty two children were rated for psychopathology on the Child Behaviours Check List, and those who qualified as psychiatric cases were compared with those who did not. RESULTS: Seizure disorder was associated with significant psychopathology in 53.8% children. Belonging to a higher income group and living in an urban area (OR: 7.61, 95% CI: 2.78-20.8, p=0.0001), having longer than 3 years of illness (OR: 2.39, 95% CI: 2.18-5.67, p=0.03) and being treated by more than one anti-epileptic drug (OR: 3.08, 95% CI: 1.09-8.72, p=0.03) independently predicted psychopathology. CONCLUSIONS: Psychopathology reflected a complex interaction of seizures, socio-demographic factors and treatment related variables, in accord with studies in industrialised countries. Clinicians should be sensitive to identifying psychopathology since this may lead to effective interventions for this group of children.

Adolescent↗