- Associate Professor of Psychiatry, University of Belgradeedit
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Background: The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic was followed by the widespread proliferation of conspiracy beliefs (CBs) regarding the origin and harmfulness of the virus and a high level of hesitancy and resistance to vaccination. We... more
Background: The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic was followed by the widespread proliferation of conspiracy beliefs (CBs) regarding the origin and harmfulness of the virus and a high level of hesitancy and resistance to vaccination. We aimed to test a series of hypotheses on the correlates of CBs and vaccination. Methods: The sample (N=1203), was based on a multistage probabilistic household sampling designed to represent the general population of Serbia. We investigated correlates of CBs and vaccination, including socio-demographic factors, personality (HEXACO + Disintegration trait), somatic health, stressful experiences during pandemics (i.e. Covid-19 related and other threatening events), and psychological distress. The subjects were randomly split into two approximately equal subgroups, enabling cross-validation of the findings. Based on the significant regression predictors found in the exploratory, the SEM model was tested in the confirmatory subsample. Results: The SEM mode...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Aim. The Covid-19 pandemic may be associated with an increase in mental disorders and mental distress. However, there are no representative studies testing the impact of stressors directly related to Covid-19. We aimed to determine... more
Aim. The Covid-19 pandemic may be associated with an increase in mental disorders and mental distress. However, there are no representative studies testing the impact of stressors directly related to Covid-19. We aimed to determine whether Covid-19 related stressors were associated with mental disorders and mental distress in the second year of the pandemic.Method. This cross-sectional observational epidemiological survey was conducted from June to October 2021. We interviewed a representative sample of the adult population in Serbia (18-65 years) in the second year of the pandemic, at a time when large parts of the population had been affected by the pandemic in different ways. Multistage probabilistic household sampling of the adult population in 60 municipalities was used. Mental disorders were assessed by in-person interviews using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview and depression and anxiety symptoms were self-rated on the PHQ-9 and GAD-7. Covid-19 related stress...
Research Interests:
Supplemental Material, sj-doc-1-her-10.1177_19375867211007941 for Development of Evidence-Based Rehabilitation Practice in Botanical Garden for People With Mental Health Disorders by Maja Vujcic Trkulja, Jelena Tomicevic-Dubljevic, Dusica... more
Supplemental Material, sj-doc-1-her-10.1177_19375867211007941 for Development of Evidence-Based Rehabilitation Practice in Botanical Garden for People With Mental Health Disorders by Maja Vujcic Trkulja, Jelena Tomicevic-Dubljevic, Dusica Lecic Tosevski, Olivera Vukovic and Oliver Toskovic in HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Objective: The authors present a review of results from studies regarding mental health of medical students in Serbia. Methods: Serbian citation index (SCI), MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Cochrane databases were searched, as well as conference... more
Objective: The authors present a review of results from studies regarding mental health of medical students in Serbia. Methods: Serbian citation index (SCI), MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Cochrane databases were searched, as well as conference proceedings, book chapters and reference lists. Results: The results of numerous studies conducted in Serbia show a higher overall psychological distress among medical students as well as that female students are more vulnerable to stress. The most common are stress-related problems, depression, self-harm and substance abuse. Although there is a high prevalence of depression among medical students in Serbia most of them do not seek help (70-80%). Conclusion: A better understanding of the characteristics of medical students who are prone to experiencing psychological distress is essential for developing mental health support programmes which could decrease the level of reported distress among this vulnerable group.
Research Interests:
No modern studies of the natural course of depression have been done since the nineteen fourties of the last century. A large number of depressive episodes spontaneously remit. Because of this, some psychiatrists call for more use of a... more
No modern studies of the natural course of depression have been done since the nineteen fourties of the last century. A large number of depressive episodes spontaneously remit. Because of this, some psychiatrists call for more use of a therapeutic approach called watchful waiting, especially for milder forms of depression. At the Institute of mental health in Belgrade, from November 2019 until November 2021, a study in watchful waiting will be done. In this paper the methodology of the planned study is described.
Research Interests:
Aim: This article aims to make clearer, with supporting evidence, the clinical benefits of the nature-based rehabilitation program (NBRP) and the restorative values of visiting botanical garden for people with stress-related mental... more
Aim: This article aims to make clearer, with supporting evidence, the clinical benefits of the nature-based rehabilitation program (NBRP) and the restorative values of visiting botanical garden for people with stress-related mental disorders. Background: Throughout the years, nature-based therapy has been acknowledged as a valuable rehabilitation practice that integrates specially designed natural environments and nature-related activities for people with mental health conditions. Subject and Methods: The comparative analyses of parallel conducted the NBRP at botanical garden and occupational therapy realised at the Day Hospital of the Institute of Mental Health in Belgrade included 27 participants divided into two groups. The data collection employed a mixed method combining a Clinical Global Impression (CGI) Scale and on-site observations. Results: The positive findings on the psychological recovery of the participants seem to be related to NBRP. The restorative potential of the g...
Research Interests:
IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic is likely to have a prolonged impact on mental health (MH); however, the long-term MH effects of the COVID-19 pandemic remain unknown. The Serbian national survey—CoV2Soul.RS—was launched to document the... more
IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic is likely to have a prolonged impact on mental health (MH); however, the long-term MH effects of the COVID-19 pandemic remain unknown. The Serbian national survey—CoV2Soul.RS—was launched to document the MH status of the Serbian population following the COVID-19 pandemic and to contribute to an international evidence base about MH prevalence rates during different phases of the pandemic.Methods and analysisThis cross-sectional study was designed to collect a nationally representative sample (N=1200; age 18–65 years; estimated start/end—June/November 2021) using multistage probabilistic household sampling. Trained staff will conduct in-person diagnostic interviews. A battery of self-report instruments will be administered to assess the quality of life (QoL), general distress and associated protective and harmful psychological and societal factors. Analyses will be conducted to delineate the prevalence rates of MH disorders, how MH conditions and QoL ...
Research Interests:
Methods based on the evaluation of textural patterns in microscopy, such as the “gray-level co-occurrence matrix” (GLCM) analysis are modern and innovative computer and mathematical algorithms that can be used to quantify subtle... more
Methods based on the evaluation of textural patterns in microscopy, such as the “gray-level co-occurrence matrix” (GLCM) analysis are modern and innovative computer and mathematical algorithms that can be used to quantify subtle structural changes in cells and their organelles. Potential application of GLCM method in the fields of psychophysiology and psychiatry to this date has not been systematically investigated. The main objective of our study was to test the existence and strength of the association between chromatin structural organization of peripheral blood neutrophils and levels of self-perceived mental stress. The research was done on a sample of 100 healthy student athletes, and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS-21) were used for the estimation of psychological distress. Chromatin textural homogeneity and uniformity were negatively correlated (p < 0.01) with mental distress and had relatively good discriminatory power in differentiating participants with...
Research Interests:
Abstract Prompted by the need to measure the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 on main areas of quality of life related to mental health (MH), the COV-19—impact on quality of life (COV19-QoL) scale has been developed recently. We... more
Abstract Prompted by the need to measure the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 on main areas of quality of life related to mental health (MH), the COV-19—impact on quality of life (COV19-QoL) scale has been developed recently. We measured how patients seeking face-to-face MH care perceived the coronavirus disease 2019 impact on QoL and how socio-demographic factors, stress, and personality contributed to QoL in this diagnostically diverse population. Patients aged 18 to 65 years (n = 251) who came for the first time to the outpatient units during the 6-week index-period (May 21–July 1, 2020) were included. The cross-sectional assessment involved sociodemographic variables, working diagnosis, personality traits (7-dimension model, including HEXACO and DELTA), stress (list of threatening experiences and proximity to virus), and COV19-QoL. The perceived impact of the pandemic on QoL was above the theoretical mean of a 5-point scale (COV19-Qol = 3.1 ± 1.2). No association between total COV19-QoL score, sociodemographic parameters, and working diagnoses was found in the present sample. After testing whether positional (threatening experiences), or dispositional (personality) factors were predominant in the perceived impact of COV-19 on QoL, significant predictors of the outcome were personality traits Disintegration (B = 0.52; P < .01) and Emotionality (B = 0.18; P < .05). It seems that pervasiveness and uncertainty of the pandemic threat triggers—especially in those high on Disintegration trait—a chain of mental events with the decrease of QoL as a final result. Present findings could be used to establish a profile of MH help seeking population in relation to this biological disaster, and to further explore QoL and personality in different contexts.
Research Interests:
Aims To examine the factors that are associated with changes in depression in people with type 2 diabetes living in 12 different countries. Methods People with type 2 diabetes treated in out-patient settings aged 18–65 years underwent a... more
Aims To examine the factors that are associated with changes in depression in people with type 2 diabetes living in 12 different countries. Methods People with type 2 diabetes treated in out-patient settings aged 18–65 years underwent a psychiatric assessment to diagnose major depressive disorder (MDD) at baseline and follow-up. At both time points, participants completed the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the WHO five-item Well-being scale (WHO-5) and the Problem Areas in Diabetes (PAID) scale which measures diabetes-related distress. A composite stress score (CSS) (the occurrence of stressful life events and their reported degree of ‘upset’) between baseline and follow-up was calculated. Demographic data and medical record information were collected. Separate regression analyses were conducted with MDD and PHQ-9 scores as the dependent variables. Results In total, there were 7.4% (120) incident cases of MDD with 81.5% (1317) continuing to remain free of a diagnosis of MDD. ...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
BackgroundAnxiety disorder, one of the highly disabling, prevalent and common mental disorders, is known to be more prevalent in persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) than the general population, and the comorbid presence of... more
BackgroundAnxiety disorder, one of the highly disabling, prevalent and common mental disorders, is known to be more prevalent in persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) than the general population, and the comorbid presence of anxiety disorders is known to have an impact on the diabetes outcome and the quality of life. However, the information on the type of anxiety disorder and its prevalence in persons with T2DM is limited.AimsTo assess the prevalence and correlates of anxiety disorder in people with type 2 diabetes in different countries.MethodsPeople aged 18–65 years with diabetes and treated in outpatient settings were recruited in 15 countries and underwent a psychiatric interview with the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Demographic and medical record data were collected.ResultsA total of 3170 people with type 2 diabetes (56.2% women; with mean (SD) duration of diabetes 10.01 (7.0) years) participated. The overall prevalence of anxiety disorders in type 2 d...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
IntroductionTreatment with pegylated interferon alpha (PEG-IFN-α) in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is associated with depressive symptomatology more frequently than other inflammatory diseases treated with PEG-IFN-α.ObjectivesTo... more
IntroductionTreatment with pegylated interferon alpha (PEG-IFN-α) in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is associated with depressive symptomatology more frequently than other inflammatory diseases treated with PEG-IFN-α.ObjectivesTo prospectively evaluate the onset, course and resolution of depressive symptomatology in CHC patients treated with PEG-IFN-α.MethodsHamilton depression rating scale (HAMD) was used to asses depressive symptoms in 103 subjects with CHC prior to initiation of PEG-IFN-α (mean dose 152.6 ± 25.6 mcg; duration of therapy 48 weeks) and at the follow-up visits (4th, 12th, 24th, 48th and 72th week). Control group consisted of 103 CHC subjects, without PEG-IFN-α.ResultsOur results showed a significant increase in HAMD scores as early as in the 4th week of PEG-IFN-a therapy compared to HAMD scores prior to initiation of PEG-IFN-α (38.8% vs. 24.3%). The peak of depressive symptomatology was evidenced in the 12th week (mean HAMD 9.34 ± 6.93), when almost 50% of ...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The purpose of the study was to research gender differences in suicides committed in Podgorica between 2000 and 2006, including sociodemographic variables (e.g. age, marital status, education etc.), methods of and motives for committing... more
The purpose of the study was to research gender differences in suicides committed in Podgorica between 2000 and 2006, including sociodemographic variables (e.g. age, marital status, education etc.), methods of and motives for committing suicide. Data were taken from the Police Directorate of Montenegro. We used data on 220 males and 83 females who committed suicide. Statistical analysis was done by using the crude specific rate. Significance between two independent crude rates is constructed around their 95% confidence intervals and it utilizes the difference between the two rates (D) to determine significance. The incidence of suicide in males was found to be higher than in females (the male to female suicide ratio is 2.6 to 1). Females were older than males. Females had completed elementary education more frequently , and they were single or divorced or widows. Males had completed secondary education more frequently and they were married. The most frequent employment status of bot...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Nau~ni pristup alkoholizmu, sa retkim ranijim izuzecima, zapo~inje kra-jem XVIII veka. U svom eseju o alko-holizmu, Thomas Trotter (1813) opisao je zloupotrebu alkohola kao vrstu bolesti i ukazao na to da dugotrajna navika pijenja dovodi... more
Nau~ni pristup alkoholizmu, sa retkim ranijim izuzecima, zapo~inje kra-jem XVIII veka. U svom eseju o alko-holizmu, Thomas Trotter (1813) opisao je zloupotrebu alkohola kao vrstu bolesti i ukazao na to da dugotrajna navika pijenja dovodi do oboljenja jetre i men-talnih ...
Research Interests:
Introduction. Epidemiological studies suggest that a high prevalence of alcohol addiction exists in female patients diagnosed with eating disorder in comparison to general population. For the purpose of explanation of the relationship of... more
Introduction. Epidemiological studies suggest that a high prevalence of alcohol addiction exists in female patients diagnosed with eating disorder in comparison to general population. For the purpose of explanation of the relationship of these disorders many conceptual models have been proposed. Case report. We presented a female patient displaying a comorbidity of eating disorder and alcohol dependency. We analyzed phenomenological similarities, personal characteristics and bio-psychological predisposition in order to ensure better understanding of the nature of the correlation of the two mentioned disorders. Conclusion. Even though, these days we find the synonym for eating disorders in the phrase "food addiction", it is impossible to categorize such a complex group of disorders to an addictive process. Moreover, we could assume that there exists a common psychobiological vulnerability which predisposes the development of one and/or the other disorder. To date knowledge ...
Research Interests:
Background: Quality of life (QoL) is known to be indicative of the level of social functioning in mental health patients. However, the research on QoL, in the field of psychiatry, is not as comprehensive as it is in other domains of... more
Background: Quality of life (QoL) is known to be indicative of the level of social functioning in mental health patients. However, the research on QoL, in the field of psychiatry, is not as comprehensive as it is in other domains of medicine. The aim of this study was to review the research evidence on QoL in psychiatric patients, published in Serbian medical journals during the last decade. Material and methods: The research data from studies on quality of life in psychiatric patients, published in Serbian medical journals from 2000 to 2009, were obtained by searching the databases Kobson and Medline. Results: We found eight studies on QoL in psychiatric patients published in Serbian medical journals from 2000 to 2009. The reviewed articles were focused on the comparison of QoL between psychiatric patients and healthy controls, or somatic patients, the research on the relationship of QoL and general psychopathology, and the research on QoL and medical treatment. Conclusions: QoL in patients suffering from mental disorders, as the outcome variable, is of a paramount interest in the follow-up treatment studies in psychiatry targeting critical issues of mental illness management strategies. QoL of psychiatric patients in Serbia is still under-researched, and it would be important to measure QoL from both a patient's and observer's (i.e. family members, friends, nursing staff, mental health professionals, etc.) perspective, in the context of social, economic, and cultural background of the patient. In the future, the studies on QoL in psychiatric patients in Serbia should also rely on "disease specific" assessment scales, which would consider particular aspects of psychopathology, and eventually follow up longitudinal course of mental illness, treatment outcome, and recovery.
Research Interests:
More than half a century ago, Delay and colleagues have discovered, quite accidentally, that antihistamine (chlorpromazine) relieves psychotic symptoms. This discovery prompted further investigation through a series of performed... more
More than half a century ago, Delay and colleagues have discovered, quite accidentally, that antihistamine (chlorpromazine) relieves psychotic symptoms. This discovery prompted further investigation through a series of performed experiments aimed to elucidate the antipsychotic mechanism of action. Initial results have shown that antipsychotic drugs in experimental animals lead to "neuroleptic effect" (indifference). However, not until the end of 1960s, it becomes clear that all previously known antipsychotics block dopamine receptors, particularly postsynaptic D2 receptors. The next three decades marked the development and application of these so-called classic neuroleptics in the treatment of psychotic patients. During the nineteen nineties, as a result of ongoing efforts to achieve greater efficiency and reduce the scope of side effects, novel antipsychotics were synthesized (second generation antipsychotics--SGA). As a result the notion of serotonin-dopamine antagonist (SDA) was formulated. According to one of the hypothesis, "new", so called atypical antipsychotic drugs strongly block the serotonin (5-HT2), and weakly block the dopamine (D2) receptors. Yet, there is still a debate as to the molecular basis of atypicality, whether it is in dopaminergic and serotonergic antagonism of neurotransmission or it lays exclusively in the modulation of dopaminergic system and dissociation rate at the level of D2 receptors in specific brain regions. Although the synthesis and use of antipsychotics in clinical practice have radically changed not only the basic approach to the patient, but also the quality of life of millions of people, the question remains whether this is just "old wine in new glasses".
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Psychology, Psychometrics, Intelligence, Schizophrenia, Cognition, and 14 moreMedicine, Humans, Hallucinations, Female, Male, Executive Functions, Depressive Disorder, Differential Diagnosis, Adult, Prognosis, Reproducibility of Results, Cognition disorders, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale
As one of the most potent and substantial form of mass communication, film exercises a very significant influence upon the perceptions of the audience, especially in relation to mental illness issues, and that perception is very much... more
As one of the most potent and substantial form of mass communication, film exercises a very significant influence upon the perceptions of the audience, especially in relation to mental illness issues, and that perception is very much blurred with populists' misinterpretation and lack of awareness regarding problems faced by persons suffering from mental disorders. Movies such as "Psycho", "One Flew Over Cuckoo's Nest", "Exorcist", despite being valuable in an artistic sense, corroborated and encouraged confusion and undermined the clarity and certainty concerning the fine line separating mental health from mental illness. Modern film makers and movie theoreticians try to overcome these limitations which are often generated by exploitation of stereotypes and myths referring to mentally ill people. This paper defines and discusses the most frequent thematic stereotypes seen in movies which are perpetuating stigmatization of mentally ill people. They are: free-spirited rebel, maniac on a killing spree, seducer, enlightened member of society, narcissistic parasite, beastly person (stereotype of animal sort). Psychiatry and cinematography are linked inseparably not only because they creatively complement each other, but also as an opportunity of mutual influences blending into didactical categories and professional driving forces, benefiting both the filmmakers' and the psychiatrists' professions.
Research Interests:
UVOD Pravovremeno prepoznavanje preko-merne upotrebe alkohola i potencijalnih komplikacija, preduslov je uspešnog lečenja. Mnoge osobe koje zloupotrebljavaju ili su zavisne od alkohola traže pomoć, ali isto-vremeno negiraju osnovni... more
UVOD Pravovremeno prepoznavanje preko-merne upotrebe alkohola i potencijalnih komplikacija, preduslov je uspešnog lečenja. Mnoge osobe koje zloupotrebljavaju ili su zavisne od alkohola traže pomoć, ali isto-vremeno negiraju osnovni problem. Alko-holni zavisnici odlučuju se za lečenje najče-šće kada se već ispolje komplikacije, u vidu ozbiljnih somatskih oboljenja (npr. hepatitis , kardiomiopatija), problema na radnom mestu, konflikata sa osobama iz okruženja, kazne zbog vožnje u stanju alkoholne intok-sikacije i sl. Negacija problematičnog pijenja jedan je od najvećih izazova u terapijskom radu. Stoga je najbolji direktan ali nekriti-čan stav ispitivača. Ponekad je potrebno vi-še seansi tokom kojih se ponavljaju poruke kojim bi pacijent prihvatio da ima problem sa alkoholom. Zbog specifičnosti alkoholne zavisnosti dijagnostička procedura podra-zumeva primenu dodatnih instrumenata procene i biohemijskih analiza. U proceni alkoholne zavisnosti prime-njuje se sekvencijalni pristup koji...
Perinatalna psihijatrija bavi se mentalnim poremećajima žene tokom antenatalnog perioda, tokom trudnoće i nakon porodjaja, ali i psihičkim problemima očeva, kao i specifičnim potrebama i uticajima roditelja koji boluju od nekog mentalnog... more
Perinatalna psihijatrija bavi se mentalnim poremećajima žene tokom antenatalnog perioda, tokom trudnoće i nakon porodjaja, ali i psihičkim problemima očeva, kao i specifičnim potrebama i uticajima roditelja koji boluju od nekog mentalnog poremećaja. Osim promena na somatskom planu, tokom trudnoće dešavaju se značaj-ne promene u psihološkom i socijalnom funkcionisanju, dajući joj tako karakteristike izuzetno snažnog psihološkog dogadjaja.
The objective of the study was to investigate the global cognitive deficit in schizophrenia and to compare cognitive dysfunction in the positive and negative subtypes of schizophrenia, and furthermore to examine the existence of... more
The objective of the study was to investigate the global cognitive deficit in schizophrenia and to compare cognitive dysfunction in the positive and negative subtypes of schizophrenia, and furthermore to examine the existence of predictors of the positive and negative subtypes of schizophrenia. 56 patients with schizophrenia were evaluated with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale to classify them into the subtypes of schizophrenia, that is positive subtype (31 patients) and negative subtype (25 patients). All the patients were entering into remission. To examine the cognitive deficits in schizophrenia (global and selective) we compared scores on the Wechsler Individual Intelligence Test (VITI) for the positive and negative subtypes. The negative subtype of schizophrenia showed significantly higher cognitive dysfunction in comparison to the positive subtype, with reduced functioning in evolutionary higher cognitive functions like the selection of information, processing, plannin...
Research Interests: Psychology, Psychometrics, Intelligence, Schizophrenia, Cognition, and 14 moreMedicine, Humans, Hallucinations, Female, Male, Executive Functions, Depressive Disorder, Differential Diagnosis, Adult, Prognosis, Reproducibility of Results, Cognition disorders, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale
Fifty years ago, craving was defined as an "urgent and overpowering desire, or irresistible impulse", but subsequently, craving definitions have been modified by many authors and no unique definition of this phenomena, or a... more
Fifty years ago, craving was defined as an "urgent and overpowering desire, or irresistible impulse", but subsequently, craving definitions have been modified by many authors and no unique definition of this phenomena, or a consensus in regards to its manifestation and significance exists. This review discusses the contemporary views of alcohol craving. Issues such as definition and different types, dynamics of craving, its mediators and moderators and clinical correlations are explored. We focused on the literature search (MEDLINE, PSYCHLIT, and EMBASE) and new findings in the addiction field, especially paying attention on the study of craving. There is growing evidence to suggest that craving is associated with different aspects of addiction (i.e. withdrawal, relapse) and clinical characteristics such as depression and anxiety. These different phenomena contribute individual differences in intensity, frequency and types of craving. At present, there are several differen...
Research Interests:
Tianeptine, a new generation antidepressant, possesses a unique mechanism of antidepressive action and has a specific pharmacokinetic profile. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy, tolerability and safety of tianeptine in a... more
Tianeptine, a new generation antidepressant, possesses a unique mechanism of antidepressive action and has a specific pharmacokinetic profile. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy, tolerability and safety of tianeptine in a "fragile" population of depressive patients: (1) a group of elderly patients and (2) a group with comorbid alcohol addiction. This was an open multicentric eight-week study of tianeptine efficacy, tolerability and safety including patients with mild to moderate depression (DSM-IV), age > or =55 years (group 1; n=45) or with comorbid alcohol addiction (group 2; n=32). Assessments was made with the following rating scales; MADRS, HAM-A and CGI for efficacy and DESS for tolerability. After eight-week tianeptine therapy, remission (MADRS < or =12) was established in 51.1% and 84.4% patients, respectively. On day 7, the therapy led to a significant decrease of MADRS. On endpoint, there were significant differences on HAM-A, CGI-I and CGI...
Research Interests:
More than half a century ago, Delay and colleagues have discovered, quite accidentally, that antihistamine (chlorpromazine) relieves psychotic symptoms. This discovery prompted further investigation through a series of performed... more
More than half a century ago, Delay and colleagues have discovered, quite accidentally, that antihistamine (chlorpromazine) relieves psychotic symptoms. This discovery prompted further investigation through a series of performed experiments aimed to elucidate the antipsychotic mechanism of action. Initial results have shown that antipsychotic drugs in experimental animals lead to "neuroleptic effect" (indifference). However, not until the end of 1960s, it becomes clear that all previously known antipsychotics block dopamine receptors, particularly postsynaptic D2 receptors. The next three decades marked the development and application of these so-called classic neuroleptics in the treatment of psychotic patients. During the nineteen nineties, as a result of ongoing efforts to achieve greater efficiency and reduce the scope of side effects, novel antipsychotics were synthesized (second generation antipsychotics--SGA). As a result the notion of serotonin-dopamine antagonist ...
Research Interests:
As one of the most potent and substantial form of mass communication, film exercises a very significant influence upon the perceptions of the audience, especially in relation to mental illness issues, and that perception is very much... more
As one of the most potent and substantial form of mass communication, film exercises a very significant influence upon the perceptions of the audience, especially in relation to mental illness issues, and that perception is very much blurred with populists' misinterpretation and lack of awareness regarding problems faced by persons suffering from mental disorders. Movies such as "Psycho", "One Flew Over Cuckoo's Nest", "Exorcist", despite being valuable in an artistic sense, corroborated and encouraged confusion and undermined the clarity and certainty concerning the fine line separating mental health from mental illness. Modern film makers and movie theoreticians try to overcome these limitations which are often generated by exploitation of stereotypes and myths referring to mentally ill people. This paper defines and discusses the most frequent thematic stereotypes seen in movies which are perpetuating stigmatization of mentally ill people. Th...
Research Interests:
Quality of life (QoL) is known to be indicative of the level of social functioning in mental health patients. However, the research on QoL, in the field of psychiatry, is not as comprehensive as it is in other domains of medicine. The aim... more
Quality of life (QoL) is known to be indicative of the level of social functioning in mental health patients. However, the research on QoL, in the field of psychiatry, is not as comprehensive as it is in other domains of medicine. The aim of this study was to review the research evidence on QoL in psychiatric patients, published in Serbian medical journals during the last decade. The research data from studies on quality of life in psychiatric patients, published in Serbian medical journals from 2000 to 2009, were obtained by searching the databases Kobson and Medline. We found eight studies on QoL in psychiatric patients published in Serbian medical journals from 2000 to 2009. The reviewed articles were focused on the comparison of QoL between psychiatric patients and healthy controls, or somatic patients, the research on the relationship of QoL and general psychopathology, and the research on QoL and medical treatment. QoL in patients suffering from mental disorders, as the outcom...
Research Interests:
Perinatalna psihijatrija bavi se mental-nim poremećajima ene tokom antenatal-nog perioda, tokom trudnoće i nakon po-rodjaja, ali i psihičkim problemima očeva, kao i specifičnim potrebama i uticajima ro-ditelja koji boluju od nekog... more
Perinatalna psihijatrija bavi se mental-nim poremećajima ene tokom antenatal-nog perioda, tokom trudnoće i nakon po-rodjaja, ali i psihičkim problemima očeva, kao i specifičnim potrebama i uticajima ro-ditelja koji boluju od nekog mentalnog po-remećaja. Osim ...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Methods based on the evaluation of textural patterns in microscopy, such as the "gray-level co-occurrence matrix" (GLCM) analysis are modern and innovative computer and mathematical algorithms that can be used to quantify subtle... more
Methods based on the evaluation of textural patterns in microscopy, such as the "gray-level co-occurrence matrix" (GLCM) analysis are modern and innovative computer and mathematical algorithms that can be used to quantify subtle structural changes in cells and their organelles. Potential application of GLCM method in the fields of psychophysiology and psychiatry to this date has not been systematically investigated. The main objective of our study was to test the existence and strength of the association between chromatin structural organization of peripheral blood neutrophils and levels of self-perceived mental stress. The research was done on a sample of 100 healthy student athletes, and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS-21) were used for the estimation of psychological distress. Chromatin textural homogeneity and uniformity were negatively correlated (p < 0.01) with mental distress and had relatively good discriminatory power in differentiating participants with normal and elevated stress levels. As an addition, we propose the creation of a machine learning model based on binomial logistic regression that uses these and other GLCM features to predict stress elevation. To the best of our knowledge, these results are one of the first to establish the link between neutrophil chromatin structural organization quantified by the GLCM method and indicators of normal psychological functioning.
Research Interests:
The general disproportion of urban development and the socio-economical crisis in Serbia, followed by a number of acute and chronic stressors, as well as years of accumulated trauma, prevented the parallel physical, mental and social... more
The general disproportion of urban development and the socio-economical crisis in Serbia, followed by a number of acute and chronic stressors, as well as years of accumulated trauma, prevented the parallel physical, mental and social adaptation of society as a whole. These trends certainly affected the quality of mental health and well-being, particularly on the vulnerable urban population, increasing the absolute number of people with depression, stress and psychosomatic disorders. This study was pioneering in Serbia and was conducted in collaboration with the Faculty of Forestry, the Institute of Mental Health and the Botanical Garden in Belgrade, in order to understand how spending time and performing horticulture therapy in specially designed urban green environments can improve mental health. The participants were psychiatric patients (n=30), users of the day hospital of the Institute who were randomly selected for the study, and the control group, assessed for depression, anxi...
Research Interests:
It is well known that suicidal rates vary considerably among European countries and the reasons for this are unknown, although several theories have been proposed. The effect of economic variables has been extensively studied but not that... more
It is well known that suicidal rates vary considerably among European countries and the reasons for this are unknown, although several theories have been proposed. The effect of economic variables has been extensively studied but not that of climate. Data from 29 European countries covering the years 2000-2012 and concerning male and female standardized suicidal rates (according to WHO), economic variables (according World Bank) and climate variables were gathered. The statistical analysis included cluster and principal component analysis and categorical regression. The derived models explained 62.4 % of the variability of male suicidal rates. Economic variables alone explained 26.9 % and climate variables 37.6 %. For females, the respective figures were 41.7, 11.5 and 28.1 %. Male suicides correlated with high unemployment rate in the frame of high growth rate and high inflation and low GDP per capita, while female suicides correlated negatively with inflation. Both male and female...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
During the past decade studies have shown that Type D personality is associated with increased risk of cardiac events, mortality and poor quality of life. Some authors suggested that depression and Type D personality have substantial... more
During the past decade studies have shown that Type D personality is associated with increased risk of cardiac events, mortality and poor quality of life. Some authors suggested that depression and Type D personality have substantial phenomenological overlap. The sample consisted of non-consecutive case series of seventy nine patients with clinically stable and angiographically confirmed coronary artery disease (CAD), who had been admitted to the Clinic of Cardiology, University Clinical Centre, from May 2006 to September 2008. The patients were assessed by the Type-D scale (DS14), The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and provided demographic information. Risk factors for CAD were obtained from cardiologists. The findings of our study have shown that 34.2% patients with CAD could be classified as Type D personality. The univariate analysis has shown that the prevalence of Type D personality was significantly higher in individuals with unstable angina pectoris and myocardial infarcti...
Research Interests:
The objective of the study was to investigate neurological deficit in schizophrenia and to compare soft neurological signs in positive and negative subtypes of schizophrenia. 66 patients with schizophrenia were evaluated with the Positive... more
The objective of the study was to investigate neurological deficit in schizophrenia and to compare soft neurological signs in positive and negative subtypes of schizophrenia. 66 patients with schizophrenia were evaluated with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale to classify the subtype of schizophrenia: positive subtype (36 patients) and negative subtype (30 patients), all of which were entering into remission. To examine the neurological soft signs we compared scores on the Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES) for positive and negative subtype. The negative subtype of schizophrenia showed significantly higher neurological soft signs in comparison to the positive subtype, with reduced functioning in the sensory integration and motor coordination subscale as well as the other subscale. The main finding in this study indicates that patients with schizophrenia have neurological impairment, and that the negative subtype has significantly higher neurological impairment than the positi...
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Epidemiology, Primary Health Care, Depression, Medicine, Comorbidity, and 15 moreHumans, Affective Disorders, Diabetes mellitus, Female, Male, Aged, Prevalence, Middle Aged, Diabetes complications, Health surveys, Cross Sectional Studies, Drug Utilization, Personality Inventory, Medical and Health Sciences, and Antidepressive agents
It is unclear whether there is a direct link between economic crises and changes in suicide rates. The Lopez-Ibor Foundation launched an initiative to study the possible impact of the economic crisis on European suicide rates. Data was... more
It is unclear whether there is a direct link between economic crises and changes in suicide rates. The Lopez-Ibor Foundation launched an initiative to study the possible impact of the economic crisis on European suicide rates. Data was gathered and analysed from 29 European countries and included the number of deaths by suicide in men and women, the unemployment rate, the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, the annual economic growth rate and inflation. There was a strong correlation between suicide rates and all economic indices except GPD per capita in men but only a correlation with unemployment in women. However, the increase in suicide rates occurred several months before the economic crisis emerged. Overall, this study confirms a general relationship between the economic environment and suicide rates; however, it does not support there being a clear causal relationship between the current economic crisis and an increase in the suicide rate.
Research Interests: Psychiatry, Suicide, Adolescent, Humans, Europe, and 15 moreFemale, Male, Royal College of Psychiatrists, Risk factors, Middle Aged, Economic Recession, Adult, Sex Factors, Internationality, Risk Factors, Psychiatry and Psychology, Statistics as Topic, Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, Gross Domestic Product, and Medical and Health Sciences
To compare patient's attitudes, demographic, clinical characteristics, psychopathology, insight and type of antipsychotic therapy in compliant and non-compliant outpatients with schizophrenia; to explore correlations between... more
To compare patient's attitudes, demographic, clinical characteristics, psychopathology, insight and type of antipsychotic therapy in compliant and non-compliant outpatients with schizophrenia; to explore correlations between patient's attitudes and related variables. A sample of 44 outpatients of both genders (> 60 years), with a diagnosis of ICD-10 Schizophrenia (F20) was included into the study. All the patients were on maintenance treatment with different classes of antipsychotics (oral, depot or both), for at least 6 months from the latest hospitalisation. The exclusion criteria were determined. The BPRS and the PANSS were used to assess psychopathology and insight (G12 item). The self-report questionnaire MARS was used to assess patient's attitudes. Compliant patients (N=37) showed the following significant differences compared to non-compliant patients (N=7): higher the MARS (p<0.001), lower the PANSS (Positive sub score) (p<0.01) G12 scores (p<0.01) (t...