International Neuropsychiatric Disease Journal

Social Support Networks and Recovery from Depression: A Medical Sociological Study of Mental Health Patients in Ikpoba-Okha LGA, Edo State, Nigeria

Justus Chukwuka Iwegbu — 2026-08-08

Aim: This study aimed to determine the impact of social support networks on recovery from depression among patients with depression residing in Ikpoba-Okha LGA, Benin City, Edo State.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted to examine the relationship between social support networks and recovery from depression among adults in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area, Edo State. A total of 200 clinically diagnosed patients with depression were selected through simple random sampling from a population of 450 patients. Data were collected using a structured, validated questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics and the chi-square test at a 5% level of significance.

Results: Family members, healthcare professionals and religious institutions were the major sources of social support. Social support positively influenced emotional well-being, treatment adherence, confidence and recovery, while community support was relatively low. Major barriers to accessing support included misconceptions about depression, financial constraints, inability to afford medication and stigma. A significant relationship was found between social support and recovery from depression (χ² = 24.56, df = 4, p < 0.001), indicating that stronger social support networks enhance recovery outcomes.

Conclusion: The study concludes that strong family, healthcare and religious support significantly enhance recovery from depression, while stigma, financial challenges, limited community support and cultural misconceptions hinder recovery, underscoring the need for comprehensive psychosocial and community-based interventions alongside medical treatment.

Association between Substance Use Disorders and 30-Day Readmission among Patients with Schizophrenia: A Retrospective Cohort Study Using MIMIC-IV

Onyedikachi Mmesoma Amagwu — 2026-08-10

Background: Schizophrenia is frequently accompanied by substance use disorders, which complicate clinical management and contribute to recurrent hospitalisation. Evidence regarding the association between substance use disorders and 30-day hospital readmission remains inconsistent.

Objective: To examine the association between substance use disorder (SUD) and 30-day hospital readmission among adults hospitalised with schizophrenia.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study used version 3.1 of the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV). Adults with schizophrenia were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM), and Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM), diagnosis codes. Substance use disorder was the primary exposure, and 30-day all-cause hospital readmission was the primary outcome. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) after adjustment for age, sex, race or ethnicity, insurance type, Charlson Comorbidity Index, hospital length of stay, and discharge location.

Results: A total of 7,968 eligible hospital admissions were included, of which 2,728 (34.2%) had substance use disorder and 2,461 (30.9%) experienced a 30-day readmission. After adjustment, substance use disorder was associated with lower odds of 30-day readmission (aOR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.76 to 0.95; p = 0.004). Higher Charlson Comorbidity Index scores were associated with increased odds of readmission (aOR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.09; p < 0.001), whereas discharge to a psychiatric facility was associated with markedly higher odds of readmission than discharge to home (aOR, 5.95; 95% CI, 4.72 to 7.50; p < 0.001).

Conclusions: Substance use disorder was associated with lower adjusted odds of 30-day hospital readmission among adults hospitalised with schizophrenia. Patient characteristics, comorbidity burden, insurance type, and discharge destination were also associated with readmission, highlighting the importance of comprehensive discharge planning and continued follow-up. Additional multicentre studies are needed to examine clinical and social factors that may influence readmission after hospitalisation for schizophrenia.

The Role of High-Dose Vitamin A on the Amygdala of Adult Male Wistar Rats Exposed to Toxic Doses of Methamphetamine

Ezejindu Damian Nnabuihe — 2026-08-19

The amygdala, a major limbic structure, regulates emotional response, anxiety, and memory formation. Methamphetamine is known to trigger oxidative stress and neurodegeneration, whereas vitamin A possesses potent antioxidant properties that may offer neuroprotection. This study evaluated the effect of high-dose vitamin A on the amygdala of adult male Wistar rats exposed to toxic doses of methamphetamine. Twenty (20) adults male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into four groups and received as follows: Group A (control), Group B (METH-only; 5 mg/kg at 3-hours interval within 12 hours in a day), group C (Vitamin A-only; 2.5 mg/kg), while, group D (combined METH 5 mg/kg at 3-hours interval within 12 hours in a day + Vitamin A-only; 2.5 mg/kg). All experimental groups received feed and water. The administration was done orally using intubation method for a period of twenty-eight days. Body weight result revealed a significant reduction in the methamphetamine-only group compared with the control suggesting metabolic disturbance and appetite suppression. Co-treatment with vitamin A improved body weight, indicating a restorative metabolic effect. Biochemical findings showed elevated malondialdehyde (MDA) and decreased glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in the methamphetamine group, confirming oxidative damage within the amygdala. Vitamin A treatment markedly reduced MDA and preserved GSH and SOD activities, demonstrating enhanced antioxidant defense. Behavioral testing using the Elevated Plus Maze indicated anxiety-related alterations following methamphetamine exposure, while vitamin A co-administration protected these behavioral changes. Histological results showed that methamphetamine caused neuronal degeneration, vacuolation, and necrosis, whereas vitamin A preserved neuronal integrity and promoted partial structural recovery. In conclusion, high-dose vitamin A significantly mitigated methamphetamine-induced oxidative and structural damage in the amygdala, highlighting its antioxidative and neuroprotective potential against psychostimulant toxicity.

Internet Gaming Disorder and Sleep Quality among Medical Residents in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia: A Cross sectional Study

Abdulelah Almuqaytif — 2026-08-19

Background: Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) is an emerging behavioural health concern globally, yet its association with sleep quality among medical residents in Saudi Arabia remains understudied.

Objectives: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of IGD, assess sleep quality, and identify associated sociodemographic and lifestyle factors among medical residents in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a convenience sample of 292 medical residents. Validated instruments included the Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD-20) questionnaire to assess gaming behaviour and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to evaluate sleep quality. Data were analysed using SPSS version 26, with statistical significance set at *p* < 0.05.

Results: Among the 292 participants, 167 (57.2%) played online games, and the prevalence of disordered online gaming (IGD-20 cut-off ≥71) among gamers was 20.4% (n = 34). More than half of the total sample (55.5%) exhibited disturbed sleep (global PSQI score >5). Disordered online gaming was significantly associated with poorer subjective sleep quality (*p* = 0.006) and greater use of sleep medication (*p* = 0.005). The IGD-20 total score correlated positively with the global PSQI score (*r* = 0.268, *p* < 0.001), subjective sleep quality (*r* = 0.265, *p* = 0.001), and sleep disturbance (*r* = 0.202, *p* = 0.009). Playing online games was significantly associated with age (*p* = 0.002), gender (*p* < 0.001), marital status (*p* < 0.001), parenthood (*p* = 0.001), and caffeine consumption (*p* = 0.039). IGD-20 category was significantly associated with gaming duration on weekdays (*p* = 0.002) and weekends (*p* = 0.005).

Conclusion: IGD was prevalent among medical residents in the Eastern Province and was significantly associated with poorer subjective sleep quality and greater use of sleep medication. These findings support consideration of targeted screening, awareness, and sleep-health education for residents, particularly those reporting prolonged gaming. However, causal inference is limited by the cross-sectional design and convenience sampling.

The Kinesthetic-motor Hypothesis in Developmental Dyslexia: A Systematic Review and Theoretical Model Proposition

Giovanna Azevedo Rodrigues — 2026-08-13

Introduction: Developmental dyslexia is traditionally explained by the acoustic phonological deficit theory, yet clinical observations suggest that reading difficulties may extend to motor and articulatory components, manifesting as phono-articulatory stalls during the decoding of phonotactically complex syllables.

Methodology: This systematic review, with a narrative qualitative synthesis, was conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Searches of PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Google Scholar identified 28 primary studies published between 1 January 2020 and 31 May 2026 addressing proprioception, sensorimotor integration, and speech motor control.

Results and Discussion: A risk-of-bias appraisal adapted from ROBIS indicated mixed evidence quality, with a subset of studies reporting associations between dyslexia and higher proprioceptive detection thresholds, magnocellular pathway alterations, structural/functional cerebellar variability, and atypical neuroimaging patterns during font-sound co-processing. Integrating these findings, the authors propose the Kinesthetic-Motor Hypothesis as a complementary, hypothesis-generating interpretative framework anchored in state-feedback speech motor control models, putting forward three concrete, falsifiable predictions regarding decoding uncertainty, reduced feedback gain, and prolonged error-correction latencies in a dissociable subgroup of dyslexic individuals.

Conclusion: This kinesthetic-motor model serves as a complementary explanatory layer for dyslexia heterogeneity rather than a replacement for established phonological or structured-literacy frameworks; it carries no immediate clinical practice recommendations and is intended to guide future controlled experimental interventions and hypothesis-driven physiological assessments.