Psychiatry and Psychology Commons^™

Mental Health Differences In Medical Students Based On Curriculum And Gender, Maxim Jestin, Shelly Sharma, Deval Jhaveri, Brittany Mitchell, Dean Micciche, Venkat Venkataraman, Kathryn Lambert

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Faculty Scholarship

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of mental health struggles among students in medical school is widely reported; however, little is known about how it is impacted by the medical school curriculum. This study aimed to evaluate differences in anxiety, depression, and emotional exhaustion in medical students based on gender, class year, and curriculum.

METHODS: An anonymous online survey consisting of questions from established, validated questionnaires about demographics, anxiety, depression, emotional exhaustion, and personal health behaviors was sent to 817 medical students who attended Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine during the Spring of 2021. When applying to this school, each of these students …

Investigating The Longitudinal Relationship Between Social Motivation And Depression In Autistic Adults, Robyn H. Himelstein

Theses and Dissertations

Autism affects individuals across the lifespan, yet there tends to be limited research and services for autistic adults. This is especially concerning given that autistic adults have high mental health needs, with depression being one of the most common and clinically significant co-occurring conditions. We explored the longitudinal relationships between social motivation, social access (i.e., having opportunities for meaningful social interactions), loneliness, and depression in N=303 autistic adults ages 18-65. Participants completed online surveys about social behavior and wellbeing three times over 3–4 months. We hypothesized that an interaction between higher social motivation and lower social access at Time 1 …

Effects Of Sex And Estrous Cycle On Intravenous Oxycodone Self-Administration And The Reinstatement Of Oxycodone-Seeking Behavior In Rats, Nicole M. Hinds, Ireneusz D. Wojtas, Corinne A. Gallagher, Claire M. Corbett, Daniel F. Manvich

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Faculty Scholarship

The increasing misuse of both prescription and illicit opioids has culminated in a national healthcare crisis in the United States. Oxycodone is among the most widely prescribed and misused opioid pain relievers and has been associated with a high risk for transition to compulsive opioid use. Here, we sought to examine potential sex differences and estrous cycle-dependent effects on the reinforcing efficacy of oxycodone, as well as on stress-induced or cue-induced oxycodone-seeking behavior, using intravenous (IV) oxycodone self-administration and reinstatement procedures. In experiment 1, adult male and female Long-Evans rats were trained to self-administer 0.03 mg/kg/inf oxycodone according to a …

Tf-Cbt Training Augmented With A Self-Care Focus: Understanding Facilitators And Barriers To Treatment Implementation., Julie P. Harrison, Esther Deblinger, Elisabeth Pollio, Beth Cooper, Robert A Steer

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Faculty Scholarship

Clinicians working with youth exposed to trauma may be at increased risk for experiencing elevated levels of stress and symptoms of secondary traumatic stress, which can negatively impact clinician wellbeing and ultimately contribute to reduced access to quality care for clients. An innovative Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) training incorporating self-care practices (i.e., Practice What You Preach; PWYP) was developed to help facilitate the implementation of TF-CBT and to enhance clinicians' coping and decrease stress. The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether the PWYP-augmented training met three Objectives: (1) increase clinicians' feelings of TF-CBT competency; (2) improve …

Analysis Of Implementing Best Practices For Co-Prescribing Naloxone In Your Agency Online Cme Training Module Via Pre- And Post- Knowledge Assessment., Alicia Podwojniak, Arvind Venkataraman, Richard Jermyn

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The opioid epidemic poses substantial risk to society. Providers must ensure that their patients understand the uses and risks of both opioids and naloxone. One way to analyze this concept is via metacognition. This refers to a person’s knowledge about cognitive phenomena, and thus it regulates self-awareness abilities in decision making, such as planning and evaluating. It is not only important for providers to have knowledge on best practices, but also to have self-awareness, and confidence in their decision making to ensure optimal patient outcomes. True-false confidence weighted scoring can be utilized, whereby various levels of confidence are assessed from …

Prevalence Of Disordered Eating In Female Athletes Of The New Jersey Athletic Conference, Desiree Brower, Joanna Petrides

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: In 2018, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry published that, 1 out of every 10 adolescent females suffer from an eating disorder in the United States. Although it is known that eating disorders have an impact on the entire population, there are currently no studies on the prevalence of disordered eating in female athletes of the New Jersey Athletic conference (NJAC). This study aims to determine how many athletes in this population are affected.

Methods: This IRB-approved project utilized a survey-based approach to assess the prevalence of disordered eating among female athletes within the NJAC. To participate, …

Awareness & Prevention Of Health Hazards For Americans Embarking In Space Tourism, Krzysztof Zembrzuski

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Since the beginning of spaceflight, keeping humans healthy has been a serious concern. Prior to 2021, astronauts had to undergo an elite selection process to embark in space travel. Now that commercial spaceflight is a reality, the criteria to experience space has been significantly loosened, raising health concerns to a larger and unhealthier pool of travelers. Most commercial spaceflight clients are anticipated to be middle-aged adults, which implies many will suffer from high blood pressure and heart disease, both of which are frequent ailments in this age group. Because of the massive compression the body undergoes during takeoff and return, …

Biopsychosocial Impacts Of Social Distancing Due To Covid-19 In People Over 65: A Literature Review, Nicole Lacap

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in January 2020, elderly populations aged 65+ have been deemed at-risk for severe symptoms and poor prognosis. Because it is important to protect this vulnerable population, policies such as social distancing and shelter-in-place orders have been implemented in the United States in order to prevent the spread of Covid-19. However, many older citizens may live alone or may not have access to technology, and therefore may be limited in their ability to maintain important relationships and social interactions throughout shelter-in-place orders and social distancing. Therefore, it is important to understand the cost …

The Correlation Between Traumatic Brain Injury And Incarceration Among Adult Males In The United States, Shadi Shams

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The United States has one of the largest growing prison populations in the world. A large amount of social and economic resources go towards the cost and maintenance of correctional facilities each year. Additionally, the current correctional programs are insufficient in assisting inmates with getting back to society; especially those with traumatic brain injury (TBI) who often remain undiagnosed and are usually treated unfairly in the prison system instead of receiving the appropriate help. Prior scholarly work has shown that patients in the post-TBI stage are more likely to enter the judicial system. In the recent population-based cohort study, the …

Case Report: Abrupt Psychosis Or Nmda Receptor Encephalitis?, Alexis Dunn, Neelesh Parikh, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

We report a case of a 46-year-old female who was initially committed to a psychiatric facility for new onset schizophrenia symptoms. She later had an extensive workup in the hospital due to leukocytosis and was believed to have NMDA Receptor Encephalitis as the cause for her new behavioral symptoms. This case report aims to educate EM (emergency medicine) physicians to keep a broad differential diagnosis on patients who present with new onset, unprovoked psychosis later in life.

Development Of Schizophrenia In A Genetically Predisposed Individual Following Covid-19, Sung Kang, Jonathan Yuh, Timothy Wong

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

We present a patient who is a 56-year-old female with a psychiatric history of anxiety disorder and a medical history of hypercholesterolemia and hyperthyroidism, who was admitted to the hospital after a witnessed seizure at an inpatient psychiatric facility. This patient’s family history is significant for her mother experiencing unspecified psychotic disorder that required psychiatric hospitalization. Our patient was first admitted to the psychiatric hospital after exhibiting worsening paranoid delusions and hallucinations that began several months prior. The patient had reportedly begun locking herself in the restroom and screaming “get out, they’re spying on me”, referring to her next-door neighbors …

Effect Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Hpv Vaccination Rates, Jennifer Sepede, Kathy Chen

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted infection that potentiates cancer in both males and females. There are over 200 different types of HPV and while some strains, specifically HPV 6 and 11, may result in genital and skin warts, others remain clinically silent. High risk strains, HPV 16 and 18, are most associated with cervical cancer in women. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was widespread hesitancy and rejection towards vaccination. Similarly, the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine has also been met with distrust since it’s release. Studies have shown that there is a low vaccination rate due to …

Caretaker Burnout In Nj In Response To The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Study Focusing On Quality Of Life, Challenges And Coping Strategies., Abdullah Junayed, Joanna Petrides

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

There is a scarcity of literature regarding caretaker burnout in response to Covid-19, however one cross section survey study in Italy explored the perceived burden of caretakers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease during the pandemic.1 Maria G. Maggio et al showed that an increase in caregiver burden allowed for a deterioration in personal health conditions causing an increase in perceived stress levels. 1 Along with impaired management of stress and low quality of life, many caretakers were found to utilize avoidance strategies.1 However, the authors pointed out that the dysfunctional coping strategies did not affect stress levels and this study …

Body Dysmorphic-Induced Androgenic Anabolic Steroids Usage And Its Association With Mental Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review, Ahmed Gawash, Hasan Zia, David Lo

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

This systematic review on body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) use, and mental health outcomes aim to examine the relationship between them. While looking at prior research, it has been suggested that individuals with BDD may be more likely to abuse AAS due to their preoccupation with appearance but, unfortunately, AAS use may worsen mental health issues in this population and exacerbate the issue. This systematic review will also discuss treatments that will help mitigate the effects of AAS on individuals with BDD. The review will include only published literature from a variety of databases such as PubMed, Scopus, …

Exploring Risk Factors For Major Depressive Disorder For Female Patients Aged 18 Or Older Living In Ocean County, New Jersey, James Mack

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: The incidence and prevalence of major depressive disorder has been increasing worldwide, in the United States of America, and on a local level. The population of Ocean County, New Jersey, a predominantly Caucasian, female, middle-aged population, may be at increased risk of developing major depressive disorder.

Purpose: To explore the social determinants of health and risk factors for major depressive disorder for female patients aged 18 or older living in Ocean County, New Jersey.

Methods: This literature review mainly used PubMed and Scopus for journal articles and utilized governmental databases for additional population data.

Results: Analyses conducted on social …

Correlation Between Gut Biomarkers And Depression, Jianle Gao

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The correlation between the gut-microbiota- brain axis and mental state in the context of mental disorders such as Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Schizophrenia, etc. has been well studied. Production of inflammatory and non-inflammatory metabolites by the gut- microbiota directly and indirectly affects the brain and mood. Therefore, colonization by maladaptive, pro-inflammatory bacteria may cause mood dysregulation and depressive features. Metabolites from these bacteria can be quantitatively analyzed for use as biomarkers of Major Depressive Disorder. Biomarkers studied include: serotonin, dopamine, butyrate, acetate, and propionate.

Case Series: Continued Remission Of Ptsd Symptoms After Discontinuation Of Prazosin, Christie Richardson, Jonathan Yuh, Jing Su, Martin Forsberg

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Faculty Scholarship

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a debilitating chronic illness that affects 6 out of 100 adults after a severe trauma. The alpha-adrenergic antagonist prazosin, which is prescribed off-label for flashbacks and nightmares due to trauma, is often continued indefinitely due to reports of symptoms returning upon discontinuation. There is no standard guidance for a trial of discontinuation of prazosin due to intolerance or side effects. In this case series, three patients are started on prazosin leading to remission of trauma-related symptoms, and symptoms continue to remit after treatment for an average of about 2 years followed by discontinuation of the medication. …

A Qualitative Exploration Of Social Support In Males And Females Experiencing Issues With Infertility., Maya Pinzon, Shawna Rotoli

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Faculty Scholarship

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to qualitatively investigate and compare male and female experiences of infertility in the context of social support.

METHODS: A Qualtrics survey (Qualtrics, Provo, Utah, United States) was posted to online fertility support groups and the responses were thematically analyzed. Only participants that completed the qualitative component of the survey were included in the study. Responses were subsequently thematically analyzed.

RESULTS: A sample of 110 participants (13 males and 97 females) were included in the present study. Thematic analyses revealed that isolation and loneliness, stigma, sentiments of misunderstanding, insensitive reactions, and others' unhelpful attempts …

Possible Gender Differences In The Level Of Perceived Social Support In Couples Who Are Experiencing Issues With Infertility., Maya Pinzon, Shawna Rotoli

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Faculty Scholarship

Objective The purpose of this study is to examine whether there are gender differences in the level of perceived social support in couples experiencing issues with fertility. Methods A total of 938 participants aged 18-47 years, with self-reported issues of infertility, were evaluated using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) which comprises three subscales which correspond with distinct sources of social support: significant other (SO), family, and friends. Differences between sexes for total score and for all subscale scores were subsequently analyzed using SPSS Statistics (IBM Corp, Armonk, USA). Results Mean total scores and scores on all subscales …

Phq-2 Scores In Broward County’S Homeless: Prevalence, Barriers, And Proposed Solutions To Mental Health Disparities, Jeena A. Kar, Reeja Raj, Ariba Hashmi, Tahia Hossain, Joshua Berko, Joseph S. Degaetano, Patrick Hardigan

Cooper Rowan Medical Journal

Introduction: Florida ranks 9th in states with highest prevalence of mental illness among homeless individuals. The state also ranks 43rd of 52 states in providing adequate access for mental health concerns in homeless individuals. This study surveyed people experiencing homelessness in Broward County to investigate utilization of healthcare and mental health resources and accessibility of the target population to adequate care.. Aims included a collection of demographics concerning homelessness such as age and gender, prevalence of mental illness, history of substance use and emergency department, and then correlating these with scores from a standardized depression rating scale (PHQ-2). Methods: The …

Analyzing The Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Mood Disorders In Patients, Alexa Golub, Joanna Petrides, Meagan Vermeulen

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about restrictions on social interactions, altered work settings/job losses, decreased access to groceries and essentials, and more

With strict prevention measures and isolating quarantine experiences, it was anticipated that the lockdown would have psychological effects

Some contributing psychological stressors included duration of quarantine, fear of infection, boredom, lack of supplies, inadequate information, and finances

This study aimed to quantify and evaluate any change in mood disorder diagnoses since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic

Seizure To Drug Induced Schizophrenia: A Rare Case Of Keppra-Induced Psychosis, Shadi Shams, Riddhima Issar, Nardin El-Shammaa, Munaza Khan

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Levetiracetam is a broad-spectrum antiseizure medication and is approved as adjunctive therapy to treat focal-onset seizures in children and adults with epilepsy. Levetiracetam has a wide margin of safety and patient-friendly pharmacokinetics that distinguish it from other currently available antiepileptic drugs.

Most common side effects are fatigue, somnolence, dizziness, and upper respiratory infection. Neuropsychiatric symptoms are reported. Psychotic symptoms, paranoid ideation, hallucinations, and behavioral problems may occur in adult and pediatric patients. Among all adverse effects, the rate of psychosis is very low and ranges from less than 1% to 1.4%. A retrospective study showed that this rate is higher …

The Need For Depression And Anxiety Screenings At A Student-Run Clinic, Shayna Peterzell, Sahil Parikh, Alicia Podwojniak, Vibha Chauhan, Riya Tandra, Emily Forester, Saumil Parikh, Jessica-Sophie Horoschak, Patrick Pearce, Roma Padalkar, Sobiah Khan, Tara Pellegrino

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

General anxiety and major depressive disorder are common and treatable mental health disorders. The US Preventive Services Task Force provides strong evidence that early screening helps identify depression in primary care settings, promotes intervention and facilitates treatment. Many medical offices use validated screening tools, GAD-7 and PHQ-9, to measure symptom severities and further help guide treatment modalities for patients with anxiety and depression, respectively. The Rowan Community Health Clinic (RCHC) in Lindenwold, NJ is a student-run free clinic that serves patients regardless of patient gender, race, income, or insurance status. This study aims to determine if there is a need …

Treating Trichotillomania With Olanzapine, Christopher Lee

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Trichotillomania (TTM) is characterized by repetitive pulling of one’s hair leading to hair loss and problems in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. Often individuals with TTM try to decrease or stop hair pulling, however are often unsuccessful without treatment. Community prevalence studies suggest that TTM is a common disorder with point prevalence estimate of 0.5% to 2.0% and with significant psychological comorbidity. Of note, people with TTM are often embarrassed about their condition, so epidemiology data may be underestimated compared to the true prevalence of this condition. The female to male ratio for this condition is 4:1. …

Neuronal Activity Within The Ventral Tegmental Area Is Correlated With Cocaine-Seeking Behavior In Male, But Not Female, Rats, Colton D. Spencer, Nicole M. Hinds, Ireneusz D. Wojtas, Desta M. Pulley, Daniel Manvich

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The objective of this study was to begin to determine the neurobiological underpinnings of psychosocial stress-induced cocaine seeking. Social defeat stress, achieved using the well-established resident-intruder procedure, is an ecologically-valid psychosocial stressor in rodents that may more closely recapitulate those psychosocial experiences that elicit cocaine craving and relapse in human cocaine users. Our laboratory has developed a model of psychosocial stress-induced relapse in rats in which extinguished cocaine seeking is reinstated by re-exposure to a discrete cue that signals impending social defeat stress. We previously reported that an individual rat’s predilection towards the display of active coping behaviors during prior …

An Interesting Case Of Factitious Disorder Superimposed On Self: Factitious Disorder Vs Somatic Symptom Disorder, Michaela Margolis, Logan Noone, Jessica Baaklini

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Factitious disorder superimposed on self (FDIS) was first described in 1951by Richard Asher, who associated the disorder with Baron Munchhausen, who narrated unrealistic and exaggerated stories about his life.

Suspicion for FDIS should be raised when patients with atypical presentations of medical disorders seek excessive use of healthcare services despite ongoing lack of clinical evidence. Patients with FDIS often demand hospitalization for their symptoms, leading to unnecessary tests and treatments. These patients show signs of pathological lying, deceitfulness, are obstinate with medical staff, and display erratic behavior. When medical investigation does not support their symptoms, patients often develop new “symptoms” …

Preferences For Support Resources Among Loved Ones Of Adults Prescribed Opioid Medications, Mansi Patel, Desta M. Pulley, Daniel Manvich

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The opioid epidemic continues to be a leading cause of overdose and related deaths in America. While most interventions are focused on the individuals with opioid and substance use disorder (OUD/SUD); the impact caregivers and family can have on the treatment of patients with OUD is non-existent. The purpose of this study is to collect pilot data on peers, friends, and family members of patients with SUD/OUD to understand the barriers in psychosocial support and maintaining treatment retention; barriers to accessing medication assisted therapy (MAT) and naloxone; and caregiver fatigue and barriers for caregivers. The collected data will be used …

What Motivates Patients To Enroll In A Naloxone Co-Prescribing Program?, Christina Kanagawa, David Aloisio, Eshani Choksi, Manasa Gowda, Tyler Klecha, Charles M. Defendorf

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Patients were contacted via phone call to establish knowledge of and prescription status regarding naloxone. They were then invited to enroll in a research study consisting of two online surveys.

The patients who had been prescribed naloxone by the time the study had started ranked being persuaded by a medical professional as being the most important reason for accepting the naloxone prescription.

Insufficient data collected during the six-week time frame to draw statistically significant conclusions about what motivates patients to receive naloxone co-prescriptions.

Correlations seen in this study are interesting and warrant further investigation.

Investigating The Role Of The Basolateral Amygdala Plays In The Incubation Of Cue-Induced Cocaine Seeking Behavior, Claire Marie Corbett

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Cocaine use disorder is a chronic, relapsing brain disease. Sex and ovarian hormones are known to influence cocaine addiction liability and relapse vulnerability. However, little is known regarding the cellular and synaptic mechanisms contributing to sex differences in relapse vulnerability, including how these measures are influenced by hormonal fluctuations. To investigate sex differences in relapse vulnerability we use a rodent model of cocaine craving and relapse called the incubation model in which cue-induced seeking progressively increases or “incubates” during the first month of withdrawal from extended-access cocaine self-administration. Using this model, we have recently shown that females in the estrus …

The Prevalence Of Postpartum Depression In Black And Hispanic Women In New Jersey, Courtney Chineme, Rachel Shmuts, Chris Canlas

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Postpartum depression (PPD) is defined as symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD) within one month of giving birth with the prevalence in the United States being 10-15%. There are well documented instances of racial differences and their effects on maternal outcomes including infant, maternal mortality and postpartum mood disorders. In New Jersey, there are monitoring systems that explore the relationships between maternal characteristics such as race, age, education level, insurance status, and racial bias and how they may correlate with higher incidences of Postpartum Depression (PPD) in these communities of women. The purpose of this comparative study is to analyze …