Faculty of Philosophy

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The utilization of psychopharmacological treatments for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in a middle-income European country
(Elsevier, 2024-01-06)
Stojanovska, Irena
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Chatterjee, Anirban
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Ahmed Syed, Yasir
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Background: Studies examining the utilization of psychopharmacological treatments (psychotropic medications) for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have primarily been carried out in affluent nations. Nonetheless, there is an evident dearth of data originating from low- and middle-income countries. Our study sought to comprehensively evaluate the usage of psychopharmacological treatments and the effectiveness of those treatments as perceived by the parents of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Macedonia, a middle-income country in South-Eastern Europe. Methods: We conducted a survey involving 103 parents of individuals with ASD and analyzed the questionnaire responses using descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests. Results: Our research uncovered that 62% of individuals diagnosed with ASD were prescribed psychopharmacological treatments, yet only 48% actually utilized them. Among the medications prescribed, antipsychotics (55%) and antiepileptics (44%) were the most common, with risperidone and valproate being the preferred options. Psychopharmacological treatments were found to be more commonly used among individuals aged 15 years and above, with children under 8 years closely following suit at a rate of 56%. Furthermore, we discovered a noteworthy association between the severity of ASD symptoms and the utilization of these interventions. Intriguingly, the majority of parents (73%) regarded the effectiveness of psychopharmacological treatments as only partially effective. Conclusion: Our study emphasizes the prevalent utilization of psychotropic medication, especially among young individuals, and underscores the necessity for enhanced dissemination of information to parents regarding prescribed medications. By integrating our research findings, medical professionals and policymakers can enhance the strategies and initiatives used to improve the quality of care and support for individuals on the autism spectrum.
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Intermittent Exotropia and Overminus Lens Therapy in Macedonia
(Sciendo, 2024-09-10)
Ljubic, Antonela
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Dimitrova, Galina
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Zechevikj, Snezana
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AIM: Intermittent exotropia (IXT) is the most common form of exodeviations. The aim of our study was to investigate the outcome after overminus lens therapy in children and young adults with IXT. METHODS: Fifty-three children and young adults with IXT, aged 3–33 years, from Macedonia, underwent slit-lamp examination, ocular motility, and refraction. For assessing near control in children and young adults with IXT, we used an office-based Mayo Scale. RESULTS: Most of the patients had Mayo score 1 (30.2%) and Mayo score 2 (26.4%). A Mayo score of 3 was presented in 18.9% of the patients, and Mayo score of 0 in 15.1%. A Mayo score of 4 was presented in 5.7%, and Mayo scored only in 3.8% of the IXT patients. After prescribing overminus glasses, 43.4% of the IXT patients showed better outcomes with better punctum proximum convergence and/or, better stereoacuity, and/or smaller near angle of deviation (in pdp). 52.8% same motility and sensory outcome was observed, whereas only in 3.8% worse findings were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Our study group was with a mean age over 5 (10.2 years) and we used lower overminus therapy (add. −0.75 D). The following studies of overminus lens therapy on IXT children and young adults over 5 years of age, should confirm our findings of a high percentage of improvement in terms of Mayo near control assessment.
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Association between Autism Spectrum Disorder and Cancer - a Review from the Literature
(Alma Mater Europaea University Press, 2024-03-04)
Introduction: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is neurodevelopmental polygenic disorder with strong genetic component. In the adult period, it is associated with many chronic diseases including diabetes, hypertension, car-diovascular disease, and cancer. The aim of this article is to show possible connection between autism spectrum disorder and some kinds of can-cers, and to show the possible pathways for prevention and treatment.Methodology: The PubMed and Google Scholar databases were searched using the keywords: autism spectrum disorder, genetics, cancer, prevention and treatment.Results: Autism spectrum disorder is associated with high rates of genomic aberrations, including chromosomal rearrangements and de novo copy-number variations. Autism and cancer share 43 risk genes, suggesting that common mechanisms underlying the functions of some of these genes could conceivably be leveraged to develop therapies not just for cancer but for autism as well. Pleiotropy, whereby gene variants exert effects on multiple phenotypes, has been the source of increasing research attention with ASD and cancer. Germline loss-of-function PTEN mutations increase the rate of benign and malignant tumours and also manifest as ASD and macrocephaly. Conclusion: There might be an association between autism and specific forms of cancer, not in the pathophysio-logic mechanism, but only in involvement of certain genes in certain forms of cancer. Further epidemiologic research in large populations is needed to elucidate the association between autism and cancer and identify ex-planatory factors. Approved drugs targeting oncogenic pathways might also have therapeutic value for treating autism spectrum disorder.
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Skopje Declaration on Scientific and Publishing Integrity in Biomedicine
(2024-12-28)
Karanfilska Plasheska, Dijana
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Mirceski, Valentin
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Elezi, Nevzat
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Mice with 16p11.2 Deletion and Duplication Show Alterations in Biological Processes Associated with White Matter
(MDPI, 2025-01-11)
Tianqi Wang
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Megan Sharp
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Ilaria Morella
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Francesco Bedogni
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Deletion and duplication in the human 16p11.2 chromosomal region are closely linked to neurodevelopmental disorders, specifically autism spectrum disorder. Data from neuroimaging studies suggest white matter microstructure aberrations across these conditions. In 16p11.2 deletion and duplication carriers, potential gene dosage effects may impact white matter organisation, contributing to phenotypes including impaired cognition. However, the biological mechanisms underlying this white matter pathology remain unclear. To bridge this knowledge gap, we utilised mouse models of 16p11.2 deletion and duplication to explore changes in corpus callosum oligodendrocytes, myelination, axon caliber, and astrocytes. Immunofluorescence staining was employed to measure lineage and mature oligodendrocyte numbers, as well as myelin basic protein and glial fibrillary acidic protein fluorescence intensity. Transmission electron microscopy was utilised to evaluate axonal structural alterations related to myelin, such as myelinated axon percentage, diameter, myelin thickness, and g-ratio. Our findings reveal changes in the number of mature oligodendrocytes, myelination levels, axon diameter, and astrocytes in the corpus callosum of mice with 16p11.2 deletion and duplication. Deletion mice displayed a tendency toward reduced counts of mature oligodendrocytes and myelination levels, while duplication mice exhibited a notable increase. Axon diameter variations included a significant increase in axon diameter and myelin thickness in both deletion and duplication mice, but with irregular structure in duplication mice. Variances in astrocytes between genotypes showed significant early increases in development for both deletion and duplication mice compared to wild-type mice, with this rise sustained in duplication mice but significantly diminished in deletion mice at a later stage. Our research reveals changes in the biological mechanisms impacting white matter. Comparison of reciprocal trends in 16p11.2 deletion and duplication mice with wild-type mice suggests the possibility of gene dosage effects. Identification of these mechanisms offers an initial step in unveiling therapeutic targets for associated neurodevelopmental disorder phenotypes.
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Risk Factors in Adult Myopia in Macedonia
(Scientific Foundation SPIROSKI, 2024-05-07)
Ljubic, Antonela
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Dimitrova, Galina
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Stankovic, Branislav
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Djordjievska, Ana
AIM: In our case–control study of the Caucasian Macedonian myopia population of adults aged over 40 years, to analyze the environmental risk factors such as education level and outdoor activity levels in hours. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included 53 patients with myopia and 64 control subjects. The following demographic characteristics were evaluated using questionnaires: Age, gender, level of education, outdoor activities (hours), and parental myopia. Ophthalmic examination was performed with slit-lamp biomicroscopy and parameters: best corrected visual acuity, cycloplegic autorefraction, and corneal curvature radius were recorded. RESULTS: About 54.7% of the myopia study population were male, and most of the subjects had high education (58.5%). About 43.4% of the myopia subjects did have parental myopia in the family history. The mean age of onset of myopia was 22.5 years, and the mean age when myopia stopped was 37.1 years. The mean value of near tasks (screen time, reading, etc.) time in hours, in the myopia group was 5.6, whereas in the emmetropia group 4.9. The mean value of outdoor activity in hours per day (prior 26 years of age, recent years, and today) was: 5.1 h, 4.2 h, 3.9 h in the myopia group versus 4.8 h, 3.8 h, 3.3 h in the emmetropia group, respectively. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of male gender in myopia group was higher. Near task time in hours was higher in myopia group versus emmetropia group. Parental history of myopia was significantly more present in patients with myopia. Environmental risk factors such as outdoor activities in hours and level of education did not differ significantly among the groups.
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Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Autism Spectrum Disorder: parents’ experience from a middle-income European country
(Informa UK Limited, 2023-12-16)
Stojanovska, Irena
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Introduction: This study quantitatively evaluated the use and perceived efficacy of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) treatments among individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Macedonia, a middle-income country in Southeast Europe. Methods: A web-based survey was conducted among 103 parents of 103 individuals with ASD, and descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests were used to analyze the data. Results: For the purpose of this study, special diets and the other CAM treatments were analyzed separately. CAMs were used by 76% of the participants with ASD, while 29% were on a special diet. Over 90% of parents positively rated the efficacy of CAM and special diets. Higher parental education was associated with higher CAM use (p¼0.042). The age of the individual with ASD (p¼0.009), severity of ASD (p¼0.037), and co-occurring neurodevelopmental/neuropsychiatric disorders (p¼0.029) also influenced the use of CAMs and/or special diets. Around half of parents were not/were partially informed by their providers about the treatments they recommended. Conclusion: This study showed a high prevalence of use of CAM (somewhat lower of special diets) coupled with insufficient familiarity with the attributes of these treatments. Found to affect the use of CAM and/or special diets were the level of parental education, the age of the affected individual, severity of ASD, and the presence of co-occurring neurodevelopmental/neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Primenljivost procedura za razvoj i unapređivanje socijalnih veština u osnovnoj školi – perspektiva defektologa
(Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation, Belgrade, Serbia, 2023-12-11)
Bankovic, Slobodan
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Brojčin, Branislav
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Antonijević, Marina
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Vasilevska Petrovska, Ivana
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Bukovica, Aleksandra
Introduction: When defining the social skills learning program for students with disabilities, it is important, among other things, to take into account the opinions of professionals about certain methods and procedures that will potentially be used during treatment, as well as the possibilities of their application in practice. Objective: The aim of this work is to determine the perspective of special education teachers regarding the applicability of certain procedures for the development and improvement of social skills in the school environment. Methods: The sample consists of 57 special education teachers working in elementary school classes for students with developmental disabilities in Serbia and Macedonia. For the purposes of this research, a special questionnaire was constructed to assess the applicability of 25 evidence-based procedures for the development and improvement of social skills of children and youth. Results: More than half of special education teachers believe that practices such as incentives (70.1%), social stories (68.4%), social skills training (66.7%), visual support (63.2%) and reinforcement (63.2%), video modeling (57.9%) and modeling (56.1%) applicable to a large extent or completely. On the other hand, approximately half of them (45.6%) believe that self-management cannot be applied or can only be applied in certain situations. Less than a third of the respondents believe that peer-mediated interventions (31.6%), task analysis (29.9%), functional communication training (29.8%), self-management (28%) and scripting (26.3%) applicable to a large extent or completely. Conclusion: The obtained results indicate the need for additional education of special education teachers regarding the application of certain procedures, as well as the identification of other factors that hinder their applicability.
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The importance of cancer prevention policies to inform and guide preventative and screening measures for people with intellectual disabilities: The COST project "Cancer- Understanding Prevention in Intellectual Disabilities"
(SAGE Publications, 2023-11-09)
Vukovic, Vladimir
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Banda, Amina
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Carneiro, Lara
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Dogan, Soner
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Knapp, Peter
Cancer is a global public health problem, but its exact prevalence in people with intellectual disabilities is still uncertain. This population, with limited health skills and complex health needs, faces many challenges in cancer prevention, screening, timely diagnosis and treatment. Furthermore, they are often underrepresented in general cancer prevention and screening policies across Europe, leading to widened disparities in health outcomes and premature mortality. Thus, unified national and local policies are needed to reduce inequalities and promoting a pan-European inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities. Our goal is to raise public awareness of this issue, including the involvement of people with intellectual disabilities, and promote engagement from relevant stakeholders. The COST Action 'Cancer- Understanding Prevention in Intellectual Disabilities' (CUPID) project will address health inequalities faced by people with intellectual disabilities in relation to cancer, and support the development of policy recommendations specifically tailored to their unique cognitive and healthcare needs, having a positive long-term impact on quality of life.
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How to establish electronic, scholarly, open access and peer-reviewed journal in small country
(Alma Mater Europaea - ECM, 2022-12-30)
Introduction: publishing an electronic, peer-reviewed, open-access academic journal in a small country is really hard work. The advancement of electronic journals during recent years has given professionals in academia a powerful new tool to support learning and research. The purpose of this article is to provide some guidelines about creating electronic, scholarly, open access and peer-reviewed journal in small country through the example of Journal of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Methods: An analysis of relevant literature, sources from the Internet and published literature, personal experience and observations of the author as editor-in-chief in two similar journals previously. Findings: a new modern academic journal should be open access, peer-reviewed, with international editorial board, having staff who work very dedicatedly. The journal should be set it up on OJS platform, using Creative Commons license for authors and DOI numbers for the articles. Plagiarism detection is a prevention of publication ethics violation. Journal editors should make additional efforts to index journal in lot of scholarly databases and to intend to increase the visibility. Sharing journal content on social media has become an important instrument and platform for editors and researchers as well. Conclusions: Journal of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (JHRS) is a multidisciplinary peer reviewed, international, electronic journal. Editorial office expects your submitted articles in the following weeks and months.

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