UCC Student Medical Journal Vol. 2 (2021)

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https://hdl.handle.net/10468/16575

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    UCC Student Medical Journal 2nd Edition
    (UCC Medical Research and Technology Society, 2021) Aamer, Kashaf; Dablouk, Lena; Abrar, Samin; Zagoneanu, Adina Elena
    UCC Student Medical Journal 2nd Edition
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    Underlying cerebrovascular pathology causing secondary psychosis
    (UCC Medical Research and Technology Society, 2021) Forrest, Clara
    Case Background: Psychosis can be classified as primary if it is caused by a psychiatric disorder or secondary if it is due to a specific medical condition. Despite there being multiple identified causes of secondary psychosis, making such a diagnosis can prove challenging. Case Details: This case report presents a 57-year-old male who was brought by ambulance to the emergency department following an intentional jump from a first story window due to visual and auditory hallucinations and persecutory paranoid delusions. MRI findings on admission were consistent with cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL). The patient’s background included an ischaemic stroke with haemorrhagic transformation five years previously. He experienced psychotic symptoms during the immediate recovery period. Prior to this he had no psychiatric history. Discussion: Post-stroke psychosis and the condition of CADASIL are both entities that are relatively rarely described in the literature. However, this may be due to missed diagnosis and therefore not reflective of true prevalence. Conclusion: Identifying a cause-effect relationship and establishing a diagnosis of secondary psychosis can be confounded by many factors. Nevertheless, this patient’s case demonstrates the importance of considering an underlying cause, particularly when the presentation is atypical and there is a temporal relationship between the proposed medical condition and the symptoms of psychosis. Patient Consent Obtained: Yes
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    Trends in blood pressure: following subarachnoid haemorrhage and preceding cerebral vasospasm
    (UCC Medical Research and Technology Society, 2021) Abdulghani Binabdi, Ali
    Background: Trends in Blood Pressure (BP) following Subarachnoid Haemorrhage (SAH) have been reported in literature since 1982. Recent studies suggest a correlation to the incidence of Cerebral Vasospasm. This renders BP a candidate for possible early detection of Vasospasm. However, conflicting results regarding the nature and numerical of this correlation exist. Objectives: To determine trends in BP following SAH in terms of Systolic (SBP), Diastolic (DBP) and Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP) and collaborate current literature evidence of their association to Cerebral Vasospasm. Methods: Two databases (EBSCO Medline and PubMed) systematically reviewed using specified search criteria. Thirteen studies were portrayed, of which ten were accessible. Thorough critical appraisal of each paper was then manually performed using the CASP Cohort study checklist. Results: A consistent pattern of change is seen through time in majority of studies with differences in the definite values of the BP variables. Collation of results showed a gradual rise in SBP followed by a plateau of 154.08 (±10.79) mmHg on days 4-8 post-SAH. Variations exist with regards to the association with Cerebral Vasospasm: a third of the studies depicted a significant steeper rise in SBP in Vasospasm patients, another third conversely reported sudden drops in SBP, and one study concluded that MAP has no significant relation to Vasospasm. Conclusion: A biphasic trend is expected following SAH with an initial gradual rise followed by a sustained hypertensive plateau. Considerable conflict exists in the nature of association between BP and Vasospasm. Further analysis of such beneficial predictive potential is recommended for advancement in Vasospasm and Neuro-Cardiogenic care.
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    The benefits and barriers of accessing cancer support services
    (UCC Medical Research and Technology Society, 2021) O'Sullivan, Maria
    Introduction: Cancer is a substantial cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In Ireland, rising cancer incidence means that the burden on society will continue to increase. Recent recognition of the large impact of psychological distress on patients with cancer has led to suggestions to use support centres to mitigate this distress. Thus, the benefits of participation and barriers to attendance must be explored. Aims & Objectives: To systematically review scientific literature and determine the: (i) Sociodemographic composition of cancer support centres. (ii) Benefits of support services to patients with cancer. (iii) Barriers/facilitators to support centre attendance. Methods: Electronic searches were carried out PubMed and the Cumulative Indexto Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINHAL) databases using key words addressing the research question. Ten articles were selected and critically appraised. Results: A summary of article results showed that while various groups remain underrepresented in support centres, new evidence suggests this may be changing. Increased support service attendance was linked to greater benefits. No change in anxiety or depression with attendance were seen. Barriers to attendance were identified. Conclusions: The literature showed benefits to support services, but long term benefits must be further investigated. Future research quantitatively assessing benefits of support services, using validated assessment instruments are necessary. Psychological benefits of participation are still unclear. Validated questionnaires to assess the barriers to attendance must be developed. Lastly, there is a lack of studies on the benefits of and barriers to support services participation in the Irish population.
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    The effect of homesickness on the psychological wellbeing of medical and non-medical students
    (UCC Medical Research and Technology Society, 2021) Charlesworth, Brynn
    IntroductionHomesickness commonly affects students moving to college for the first time, causing physical, psychological, and emotional disturbances. Medical students are particularly vulnerable to distressing feelings due to the already high prevalence of mental illness and burnout within this population. Aims & Objectives: This review aims to critically evaluate the current literature on homesickness and wellbeing of postsecondary students, assessing the impact of psychological distress and investigating the relationships between mental illness, medical student burnout, and their implications in medical school. Methods: Searches of PubMed, PsychINFO, and Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection databases were conducted to analyse literature on homesickness, student wellbeing, and burnout. These were screened according to pre-defined criteria and articles were assessed for appropriateness. Results: 12 articles successfully met the eligibility criteria. Homesickness was found to affect the majority of freshman students, associated with both a significant decrease in college adjustment and an increase in depression. Within the postsecondary population, psychological distress varied, with medical students having poorer mental health than their peers. The risk for burnout was found to be predictive of mental illness and was associated with unprofessional behaviour. Discussion: During the transition to college, students are under an enormous amountof pressure – academically and psychologically. Evidence suggests that homesickness is common, with associations found between homesicknessand depression. A high prevalence of psychological distress among the post- secondary population and a positive correlation between mental illness and burnout was also found. As such, medical student homesickness and burnout should be investigated to decrease potentially devastating consequences.