Background: Researchers have shown that the anxiety and depression have an important role in academic achievement. Objectives: This study is designed to identify the impact of anxiety and depression on academic achievement in students living in North of Iran. Patients and Methods: In this study 666 secondary school students (13–19 years old) were involved in North of Iran, were involved in this study. We used two instruments for data collection, The Beck Anxiety Inventory and The Beck Depression Inventory. Results: The results indicate that girls with 21.8% were more anxious than boys with 11.6% (F = 21.448, t = 5.420), while boys with 29.5% are more depressed than girls with 17.8% (F = 25.530, t = 4.847). Additionally, there were a significantly negative correlation between academic achievement with anxiety and depression. There was no statistically significant difference in the mean of anxiety and age between teenagers, but a significant depression level of respondents who are 18 and 19 years old was significantly different from other ages. Conclusions: It is recommended that along with academic performance, mental health be developed in school settings using support strategies such as educational guidance and counseling, teaching life skill programs, and psychotherapy. It was concluded that there is an urgent need to pay more attention to the anxiety and depression of adolescents in Iran. The findings of the study will be useful in assisting educators, counselors, and psychologists to develop strategies to enhance students’ psychological well-being.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is known as a progressive neurodegenerative disorder associated with the reduction of dopamine-secreting neurons and the formation of Lewy bodies in the substantia nigra and basal ganglia routes. Aging, as well as environmental and genetic factors, are considered as disease risk factors that can make PD as a complex one. Epigenetics means studying heritable changes in gene expression or function, without altering the underlying DNA sequence. Multiple studies have shown the association of epigenetic variations with onset or progression of various types of diseases. DNA methylation, posttranslational modifications of histones and presence of microRNA (miRNA) are among epigenetic processes involved in regulating pathways related to the development of PD. Unlike genetic mutations, most epigenetic variations may be reversible or preventable. Therefore, the return of aberrant epigenetic events in different cells is a growing therapeutic approach to treatment or prevention. Currently, there are several methods for treating PD patients, the most important of which are drug therapies. However, detection of genes and epigenetic mechanisms involved in the disease can develop appropriate diagnosis and treatment of the disease before the onset of disabilities and resulting complications. The main purpose of this study was to review the most important epigenetic molecular mechanisms, epigenetic variations in PD, and epigenetic-based therapies.

Introduction:Symptoms of depression vary between the males and females. Depressed men show behaviors such as irritability, restlessness, difficulty in concentrating, and instead of the usual behaviors. Sleep disturbance is a common symptom in depressed men. Men are less likely to go to doctors and unconsciously show other behaviors such as anger instead of the sadness. It seems that considering depression as “feminine” is a great injustice toward male patients whom their illness will not be diagnosed nor treated.Materials and Methods:The sample consisted of 191 depressed adolescents, 108 males and 83 females aged 13–19 years old. Data collected for 10 years from 2005 to 2015 and their depressive symptoms were evaluated by the Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition.Results:Depressed girls felt sadness, guilt, punishment, worthlessness, low energy and fatigue, or more asthenia, whereas depressed boys have symptoms such as irritability, depression, suicidal thoughts, or desires to reduce their pleasure. The results of t-test showed that the difference between the total scores of boys and girls with depressive disorder (16.93) is significant at 0.001. F values for feeling sad (58.13), hatred of self (12.38), suicidal thoughts or desires (12.97), restlessness (17.35), and irritability (46. 41) were significant in the 0.001.Conclusion:Experiencing depression in boys and girls according to the role of gender was different. Gender can have an effective role in showing depression symptoms in adolescents.

Background: Bipolar disorder is a chronic disorder that causes significant effects on the patient and exerts a significant care burden on caregivers. This study aimed to investigate the social support of patients, caregivers’ burden and their impact on the clinical course of the disease. Methods: The study included 85 patients with bipolar disorder type I and II (in the recovery phase of the disease) and their caregivers in the age range of 18 to 60 years. It was conducted in Shafa psychiatry Hospital in Rasht (Guilan, Iran, 2020). To assess social support and burden, patients and caregivers completed the Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale (MSPSS) and Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI), respectively. Clinical variables were also obtained from patients’ medical records; Then ANOVA, MANOVA, Independent T-test were used to compare the data and Regression Analysis and Spearman correlation coefficient were used to find the relationships between variables. Results: It was showed that increasing patient social support is associated with reducing caregiver burden. Among the clinical variables, less social support and more caregiver burden were associated with longer duration of illness ( p < .0029, p < .012), decrease in last recurrence time ( p < .0013, p < .0001), increased number of hospitalizations ( p < .0001, r = −.43 and p < .0001, r = +.49), decreased response to treatment ( p < .0001, p < .0001), and reduced follow-up ( p = .001, OR = 1.12 and p = .001, OR = 0.95). Conclusion: The relationship between low social support and high caregiver burden and their significant effect on the disease course indicates a vicious cycle that affects patients, caregivers, and the clinical course of the disease. Therefore, it seems that interventions to break this cycle can change the situation in favor of patients and caregivers and improve the clinical course of the disease.

Background: The aging population is increasing rapidly; therefore, paying attention to the needs of older people is necessary. Sexual satisfaction, which is needed to feel happy, is often neglected in older women. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the relationship between sexual satisfaction and mental health in older women. Materials and Methods: In this analytical study with a cross-sectional design, 195 married women aged ≥60 years covered by urban and rural health centers of Guilan, Iran were recruited using a cluster sampling method. A demographic form, the 28-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) and a Sexual Satisfaction Questionnaire were completed by participants and collected data were analyzed in SPSS v. 22 software using descriptive statistics (frequency, mean, standard deviation, median), and Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis and Spearman correlation tests. Results: There was a significant relationship between sexual satisfaction and mental health in older women (P<0.0001). 51.2%, 27.7% and 21.08% of participants had low, moderate and high sexual satisfaction, respectively. Sexual satisfaction was directly related to monthly income (P<0.0001) and women’s and their husbands’ education (P<0.0001 and 0.006) while it was inversely related to physical illness (P=0.030), medication use (P=0.009), age (P<0.0001), number of children (P=0.022), and duration of marriage (P<0.0001). The median score of mental health in participants was 38 (ranging 24-53) and the percentage of participants with mental problems (79.4%) was higher than those without mental problems (20.6%). Conclusion: Mental health and sexual satisfaction in older women are directly related to each other; therefore, providing effective and appropriate sexual care programs is recommended for them.