Evaluarea unui articol

științific din perspectiva

editorilor și review-erilor
 Experienţa mea ca secretar de redacţie şi redactor
Secretar de redacţie Revista Romană de Psihiatrie timp de 6 ani timp în care am
participat la redactarea a 24 numere ale revistei
Our Team Style
Din 2023 sunt redactor şef al RRP

Experiența mea ca reviewer

European neuropsychopharmacology - 5.415 7 Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment - 2.989 5

Frontiers in psychiatry - 5.435 1

Archives of Psychiatric Nursing - 2.242 3

Comprehensive Psychiatry - 7.211 2 BMC psychiatry - 4.144 1

Get a modern PowerPoint

BMC Gastroenterology - 2.848 1 Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology 0.5 1

Schizophrenia research - 4.662. 1

Ce evaluez ca redactor

01 ASPECTE DE FOND: 02 ASPECTE DE FORMĂ:

• Este articolul de specialitate? • Respectă articolul criteriile formale

specificate
• Este limbajul articolului acceptabil?

• Este articolul acceptabil științific (în

funcție de încadararea sa – articol de
sinteză, original, case-report, etc.) ?
Ce evaluez ca reviewer

Title & Abstract

Do the title and abstract cover the main aspect of the work?

Introduction
Does the introduction provide background and information relevant to the study?

Material and Methods

Are the methods clear and replicable? Do all the results presented match the methods
described?

Results
If relevant are the results novel? Does the study provide an advance in the field? Is the
data plausible?
Ce evaluez ca reviewer

Discussion
• Do the findings described by the author correlate with the results? Are the findings relevant?
Do the conclusions correlate to the results found?
• No, the findings are not relevant due to the major biases of the study.

Figures & Tables

• If the author has provided figures and tables are the figures and tables clear and legible?
Are the figures free from unnecessary modification?
• Does the paper raise any concerns?
• Do any of the authors' competing interests raise concerns about the validity of the study
i.e. have the authors‘ competing interests created a bias in the reporting of the results
and conclusions?
• Recommendations to Editors
• Would you be willing to review a revision of this manuscript?

Additional comments
 Ce răspunsuri se pot primi

Accept Minor Major Respins

revision revision
de către editor sau
Un număr mic de • Schimbări de către reviewers
schimbări substanţiale, un
neesenţiale număr important
de întrebări.
• Poate necesita
mai multe runde
de review.
• Dacă problemele
nu sunt
rezolvaate poate
fi respins.
 Minor revision

The paper is a review on the involvement of the cholinergic system in the pathogenesis of
schizophrenia and the therapeutic potential of the novel Xanomeline-Trospium combination. There
are several points that need to be addressed:

• Line 47 - The authors should clearly separate cognitive dysfunction from negative symptoms. As it
stands, it states that cognitive dysfunction is a negative symptom rather than a separate
dimension of the disease.
• Lines 54-57 - This sentence should be rephrased, as it stands it is not completely clear how it ties
in with the rest of the paragraph.
• Line 66 - The authors could mention the role of the glutamate system in the pathogenesis of
psychosis.
• Line 78,79 - The evidence for the superiority of clozapine in TRS, while not unequivocal, leans
more towards its efficacy. The authors should change theis sentence to reflect this.
• Line 116 - The reference is rather dated and not all studies support this.
 Minor revision
The paper is a review on the involvement of the cholinergic system in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia and the
therapeutic potential of the novel Xanomeline-Trospium combination. There are several points that need to be
addressed:

The aim of the present paper was to assess whether homocysteine can be a useful marker for differentiating unipolar depression
from bipolar depression, by comparing serum homocysteine levels between three groups: controls, MDD, and BD. The topic is of
scientific relevance and there are several commendable points in the study: the inclusion of teenagers in the studied groups, the
direct comparison between persons suffering from MDD and BD, as well as the fact that it controls for medication use, diet,
substance use and somatic disease.
Abstract: L29 – Authors should specify that they are measuring serum homocysteine levels.
Introduction: L56,57 – It would be interesting to list the most relevant markers/imaging techniques.
Study Design – The fact that the control group includes persons between the ages of 18-60 while the studied group includes
persons aged 14-76 may represent a major bias. Serum homocysteine levels varies with age in a J-shaped curve: it decreases
until the age of 30-50 years, after which it sharply increases with age 1. The fact that the control group does not not include
healthy older individuals may skew the results into showing a difference between groups that is due to age rather than anything
else. The authors should either expand their control group to match the age range of the study group, or vice-versa.

1.Xu R, Huang F, Wang Y, Liu Q, Lv Y, Zhang Q. Gender- and age-related differences in homocysteine concentration: a cross-sectional study
of the general population of China. Scientific Reports 2020 10:1. 2020;10(1):1-11. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-74596-7
 Reject

The aim of the present paper was to assess whether hepcidin and ferroportin levels are
altered in persons suffering from major depressive disorder or anxiety disorder. While the
study has merit, there are several points that need to be addressed:

1. The studied groups disproportionately include females (83.3% respectively 76.7%),

while the control group is weighted towards males. It would be interesting to see a
gender stratified subanalysis.

2. While serum hepcidin levels differed between the depression and anxiety groups, they
did not differ between depression and controls or anxiety and controls. The authors could
include some speculative explanation as to why this is in the discussion.
 Minor revisions
Frontiers in
Psychiatry
As a general observation, the level of English used in the Response: We are sorry for the ambiguous phrases and
manuscript is not adequate for a scientific publication, as unclear expressions in the manuscript. In fact, before
there are multiple awkward and ambiguous phrases (e.g. submission, the article was polished by a professional
“Amisulpride, an atypical first-line antipsychotic medication, editing service. However, some medical terms are not
works by inhibiting the dopamine D2/D3 receptor from rigorous enough. As suggested, we revised the
treating the negative and positive symptoms with low or high expression and added relevant information to the
dosage in schizophrenia” should be something along the manuscript (highlighted in blue). We sincerely hope that
lines of “Amisulpride, a first line atypical antipsychotic the revisions meet your requirements and make the
medication acts as a blocker of the D2 and D3 dopamine revised manuscript more suitable for publication
receptors is used in varying does for the treatment of both
positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia”; this is
just one example among many)
In the introductory part “Amisulpride, an atypical first- Response: To emphasize this point, we rephrased
line antipsychotic medication, works by inhibiting the the expression as follows: “It has been proved
dopamine D2/D3 receptor from treating the negative that amisulpride has a significant effect on the
and positive positive symptoms of schizophrenia and has a
curative effect on negative symptoms.” (Page 4,
lines 7-9)
symptoms with low or high dosage in schizophrenia”
it should be rephrased to emphasise that there is a
much more data regarding its efficacy in treating
positive symptoms that its efficacy for negative
symptoms.
The authors could elaborate more on the patient’s
psychiatric history – the patient was “diagnosed with
first-episode schizophrenia, had predominant
negative symptoms for nearly six years”. It is unclear
why a person suffering from chronic psychosis for 6
years with waxing and waning symptoms would be
diagnosed with “first-episode schizophrenia”.
• The patient had never received any antipsychotic
treatment until admission to our hospital. In China,
many patients are reluctant to go to psychiatric
hospitals because of stigma, even if their symptoms
are severe.
• We added relevant information to explain this
situation as follows: “A 26-year-old male diagnosed
with first-episode schizophrenia had predominant
negative symptoms for nearly six years without any
anti-psychiatric medication because of stigma and
family neglect of his symptoms until his first visit to
our hospital in February 2022.” (Page 4, lines 17-18)

The full battery of paraclinical examinations that were
run at admission should be specified. As it stands, it
is unclear whether creatine kinase of MB (CK-MB),
serum creatine kinase (CK lactate dehydrogenase
(LDH), and myoglobin (Mb) and cardiac troponin I
(cTnI) are routinely measured at admission. If not, it
should be specified why the attending physician
asked for these tests.
• As you mentioned, serum myocardial enzyme tests are
routinely measured after patients’ admission to our
hospital. We are sorry for the lack of this patient
information on paraclinical examinations at admission and
after admission. We revised this unreadable expression as
follows:
• “Physical examination, electrocardiogram, and routine
blood tests were performed on admission with no
abnormal findings. After admission, routine examinations
were applied to rule out organic disease and improve
clinical medication safety. Cranial computed tomography
and electroencephalogram did not reveal any abnormality.
Furthermore, laboratory examination showed normal renal,
liver, and thyroid functions. Serum electrolytes, blood
glucose and lipid levels, and serum myocardial enzymes
were also within normal limits.” (Page 4, lines 19-22; Page
5, lines 1-3)
In the discussion section the authors state that
amisulpride may have a toxic effect on the
sarcolemma of muscle cells. While it is true that
atypical antipsychotics seem to have a myotoxic
effect, it is most likely mediated by the 5-HT2A
receptor, which Amisulpride has no affinity for.
• Reference: Belhani D, Frassati D, Mégard R, Tsibiribi P, Bui-
• This is a speculation based on animal studies. We noticed
that Belhani et al. illustrated that amisulpride can induce
cardiac lesions in rabbits, such as necrosis and
deformation of the nuclei in their preclinical study.
However, to our knowledge, the mechanism of the
myotoxic effect of amisulpride is unclear. It seems like
there is no literature to illustrate this phenomenon.
Xuan B, Tabib A, Fanton L, Malicier D, Descotes J, Timour
Q. Cardiac lesions induced by neuroleptic drugs in the
rabbit. Experimental and Toxicologic Pathology (2006)
57:207–212. doi: 10.1016/j.etp.2005.09.003
The conclusions are exaggerating the importance of
the described phenomenon “Regular
electrocardiogram monitoring and serum myocardial
enzyme spectrum monitoring is essential to prevent
the deteriorating condition of the patients.” It would be
quite inappropriate to alter present clinical practice
and routinely indicate said paraclinical evaluations
(electrocardiogram monitoring and serum myocardial
enzyme spectrum monitoring) for such an
exceedingly rare side effect.
• We are sorry for our ambiguous expression
confusing you. We agree that routinely
monitoring ECG and serum myocardial
enzyme spectrum is inappropriate in clinical
practice and increases the financial burden of
patients. This case report aims to arouse the
attention of psychiatrists to this side effect.
And the mechanism needs to be further
researched and discussed.
• So we deleted this inappropriate conclusion.
• The suggestion of authors is also inadequate and
unclear: “We propose prompt changes to treatment
programs that will improve the prognosis and
prevent recurrences”.
• We acknowledge that this suggestion is
unclear. We have reorganized the paragraph
as follows: “This rare side effect should be
considered in amisulpride intervention. If this
side effect is found in medication, reducing
the amisulpride dosage until discontinuation,
electrocardiogram and serum myocardial
enzyme monitoring regularly may be the
appropriate protocol for patient safety.” (Page
7, lines 11-16)
The final proposition of conclusion is out of order and
without a clear connection to the anterior part. “The
mechanisms warrant investigation and debate, as
they may be useful in the creation of novel
antipsychotics”.
• your comment is correct to the point. So we
deleted this opinion as you advised.
• Thanks again for the above comment and
suggestion. we wish that the above answers
to your questions could satisfy you.