This pain drives me crazy:Psychiatric symptoms in women with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome

BACKGROUND Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome(IC/BPS)is an at least 6-mo noninfectious bladder inflammation of unknown origin characterized by chronic suprapubic,abdominal,and/or pelvic pain.Although the term cystitis suggests an inflammatory or infectious origin,no definite cause has been identified.It occurs in both sexes,but women are twice as much affected.AIM To systematically review evidence of psychiatric/psychological changes in persons with IC/BPS.METHODS Hypothesizing that particular psychological characteristics could underpin IC/BPS,we investigated in three databases the presence of psychiatric symptoms and/or disorders and/or psychological characteristics in patients with IC/BPS using the following strategy:("interstitial cystitis"OR"bladder pain syndrome")AND("mood disorder"OR depressive OR antidepressant OR depression OR depressed OR hyperthymic OR mania OR manic OR rapid cyclasterisk OR dysthymiasterisk OR dysphoriasterisk).RESULTS On September 27,2023,the PubMed search produced 223 articles,CINAHL 62,and the combined PsycLIT/PsycARTICLES/PsycINFO/Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection search 36.Search on ClinicalTrials.gov produced 14 studies,of which none had available data.Eligible were peer-reviewed articles reporting psychiatric/psychological symptoms in patients with IC/BPS,i.e.63 articles spanning from 2000 to October 2023.These studies identified depression and anxiety problems in the IC/BPS population,along with sleep problems and the tendency to catastrophizing.CONCLUSION Psychotherapies targeting catastrophizing and life stress emotional awareness and expression reduced perceived pain in women with IC/BPS.Such concepts should be considered when implementing treatments aimed at reducing IC/BPS-related pain.

Characteristics of Mercury Intoxication Induced by Skin-lightening Products

Mercury is usually added to skin-lightening products due to its whitening effect.The Food and Drug Administration （FDA） limits the amount of mercury in cosmetics to trace amounts under 1 ppm.Nevertheless,many cosmetics contain mercury above 1000 ppm to increase the whitening effect.In a group of special patients in the study,pain,renal damage,and neuropsychiatric symptoms were the cardinal symptoms observed.

Encephalitis associated with autoantibody binding to the anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor:immunopathogenesis,mechanisms,and clinical characteristics

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor(NMDAR)encephalitis has been increasingly recognized in recent years.This condition may be the most common cause of antibody-mediated encephalitis worldwide.The majority of patients are young at the time of onset,female,and present with an acute-to-subacute onset of behavioral changes followed by seizure,abnormal movement,autonomic dysfunction,and finally hypoventilation with coma if left untreated.The immunopathogenesis of this disease may be due to antibody-mediated internalization of NMDARs from synapses,which results in the dysfunction of particular brain regions(especially the hippocampus and frontostriatal area).Compared to serum,the cerebrospinal fluid permits the more sensitive detection of anti-NMDAR antibody.Ovarian teratoma may be present in up to 40%of patients but is less frequent in children or late-onset disease(>45 years old).The severity at the time of disease onset and time to appropriate immunotherapy(high-dose steroid plus plasmapheresis or intravenous immunoglobulin)are independent factors that are associated with good outcomes.