88 research outputs found
Plasma magnesium level and psychomotor retardation in major depressed patients
No full textNumerous studies have been performed on magnesium (Mg) metabolism in patients with mood disorders but consistent results have not been obtained. To date, systematic clinical data about Mg levels in major depressed patients according to the psychopathological profile are not available. In the present study we have investigated the relationship between plasma Mg level severity of symptoms and specific psychopathological dimensions (anhedonia and retardation) in 53 mild-to-moderately depressed patients (M/F = 21/32; mean age 46.49 +/- 13.48). The psychopathological status was assessed using standard psychometric evaluation scales: HAM-D for severity of depression, HAM-A for severity of anxiety symptoms, DRRS for psychomotor retardation and SHAPS for anhedonia. We did not find any significant correlation between total plasma Mg levels (0.86 +/- 0.09 mmol/L), severity of depression (HAM-D = 17.13 +/- 6.76) and anxiety (HAM-A = 16.62 +/- 6.60). A statistically significant correlation between Mg levels and psychomotor retardation was observed. Patients with higher psychomotor retardation scores (DRRS = 20.41 +/- 7.72) showed higher plasma Mg levels (0.89 +/- 0.07 mmol/L), even though they remained in the normal range, in comparison to patients with lower retardation scores (DRRS = 7.29 +/- 3.80; Mg = 0.82 +/- 0.10 mmol/L). A relationship between catecholamines and Mg metabolism has been described and our results support the hypothesis that hypermagnesaemia might lead to hypoactivity and psychomotor retardation which is so often observed in depressed patients
Treating depression in patients with borderline personality disorder: clinical clues on the use of antidepressants
No full textPersonality disorders (PD) are described as enduring patterns of markedly deviant and pervasive inner experiences and behaviors, with onset in adolescence, which lead to severe distress or impairment. Patients suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD) display higher rates of comorbidity with personality disorders, often complicating the treatment, and worsening the outcomes. Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is the most common of PD and is frequently associated with MDD, with which shares several features. The most part of research agrees on the fact that comorbid BPD in MDD patients quite doubles the poor response to treatments. Moreover, no treatment strategy stands out currently to emerge as more effective in these cases, thus urging the call for the need of new approaches. Herein, we revise the current literature on BPD, its neurobiology and comorbidity with MDD, as well as the more recent treatment strategies used. Then, based on its pharmacology, we propose a possible role of trazodone as a valuable tool to approach comorbid BPD-MDD
Cocaine use disorders and serum magnesium profile
No full textINTRODUCTION:
Magnesium influences the nervous system via its actions on the release and metabolism of neurotransmitters, and abnormal magnesium metabolism has been implicated in several neuropsychiatric disorders with prominent mood symptoms. The aim of this study was to compare the serum levels of magnesium of cocaine addicts to those of heroin addicts and normal controls. We also attempted to clarify the relationship between the pathophysiology of cocaine abuse and magnesium levels by investigating their association with various clinical dimensions.
METHODS:
Eighty-five consecutive subjects with a history of cocaine or opiate use disorders were recruited, evaluated and compared with 100 controls. The cocaine and heroin abusers were assessed with a 10-cm Visual Analogue Scale, the Symptom Check List-90 Revised, the Brown-Goodwin Scale, and the Barrat Impulsiveness Scale.
RESULTS:
Magnesium levels were higher in the cocaine group compared to the opiate group and control. Male subjects had lower magnesium levels than the females of all three groups. Scores of impulsiveness, aggressiveness, craving and psychiatric symptomatology were not significantly different between the opiate and cocaine addicts.
DISCUSSION:
This is the first study evaluating the magnesium level in cocaine addicts. Cocaine addicts showed higher total plasma magnesium levels than opiate addicts and normal controls, even though they remained in the normal range. The roles of the psychiatric comorbidity, of a pharmacokinetic association and of a pharmacodynamic interaction are discussed. Further prospective studies comparing serum levels of cocaine at different times are needed.INTRODUCTION:
Magnesium influences the nervous system via its actions on the release and metabolism of neurotransmitters, and abnormal magnesium metabolism has been implicated in several neuropsychiatric disorders with prominent mood symptoms. The aim of this study was to compare the serum levels of magnesium of cocaine addicts to those of heroin addicts and normal controls. We also attempted to clarify the relationship between the pathophysiology of cocaine abuse and magnesium levels by investigating their association with various clinical dimensions.
METHODS:
Eighty-five consecutive subjects with a history of cocaine or opiate use disorders were recruited, evaluated and compared with 100 controls. The cocaine and heroin abusers were assessed with a 10-cm Visual Analogue Scale, the Symptom Check List-90 Revised, the Brown-Goodwin Scale, and the Barrat Impulsiveness Scale.
RESULTS:
Magnesium levels were higher in the cocaine group compared to the opiate group and control. Male subjects had lower magnesium levels than the females of all three groups. Scores of impulsiveness, aggressiveness, craving and psychiatric symptomatology were not significantly different between the opiate and cocaine addicts.
DISCUSSION:
This is the first study evaluating the magnesium level in cocaine addicts. Cocaine addicts showed higher total plasma magnesium levels than opiate addicts and normal controls, even though they remained in the normal range. The roles of the psychiatric comorbidity, of a pharmacokinetic association and of a pharmacodynamic interaction are discussed. Further prospective studies comparing serum levels of cocaine at different times are needed
Lurasidone for Pediatric Bipolar Disorder: A Systematic Review
No full textBackground/Objectives: Lurasidone ((3aR,4S,7R,7aS)-2-{(1R,2R)-2-[4-(1,2-benzisothiazol-3-yl)piperazin-1-ylmethyl]cyclohexylmethyl}hexahydro-4,7-methano-2H-isoindole-1,3-dione) is a second-generation antipsychotic approved for schizophrenia and mood disorders. Adolescents and children with bipolar disorder receive treatments that expose them to weight gain and metabolic syndrome. Lurasidone is relatively free from such side effects, so it may constitute a useful alternative for the treatment of these patients. We focused on the use of lurasidone in children and adolescents with bipolar disorder. Methods: On 11 June 2025, we used the following strategy on PubMed: lurasidone AND (“bipolar disorder” OR “bipolar depression” OR mania OR manic). We filtered for humans and ages 0–18 years and included case reports and clinical studies. Similar strategies adapted to each database were used to carry out our systematic review on CINAHL, PsycINFO/PsycARTICLES, Scopus, and the ClinicalTrials.gov register on the same date. We excluded reports without children/adolescent participants, those grouping adult participants with children/adolescents without providing data separately, reviews, and opinions/editorials with no data. Eligibility was determined through Delphi rounds; it was required that consensus was reached among all authors. We followed the PRISMA-2020 Statement. Results: Our search produced 38 results on PubMed on 11 June 2025. We included four case reports/series and five studies. One additional eligible study emerged from our Scopus inquiry, raising the number of eligible studies to six. One case series was moderately positive; one case report was neutral, another was positive, and one reported the induction of mania. The six longitudinal studies involved 16,735 participants and showed generally good efficacy. Conclusions: The use of lurasidone in adolescents/children with bipolar disorder obtains favorable results regarding the excitatory and depressive symptoms of bipolar disorder with no significant side effects
Gianna Manzini e il genere del ritratto tra narrativa e critica
No full textQuesto studio ripropone all'attenzione una narratrice di grande finezza, Gianna Manzini, negli ultimi anni raramente indagata dalla critica. Della sua ricca produzione di romanzi e racconti, il saggio prende specificamente in esame il genere del ritratto, da lei molto amato e dedicato tanto agli uomini quanto agli animali. Il saggio, attraverso paradigmatici esempi testuali, evidenzia come nell'opera di Gianna Manzini il genere del ritratto sia oggetto di particolare cura stilistica e non abbia mera funzione descrittiva, ma si faccia carico di momenti focali della narrazione. Emerge inoltre che il ritratto rappresenta per l'autrice una modalità di approccio all'altro e al mondo con i quali permette di instaurare un legame diretto e profondo, tanto da costituire sostanziale strumento di analisi e di conoscenza.This essay draws attention to a novelist of great finesse, Gianna Manzini, who was generally overlooked by critics in the last years. Among her rich production of novels and short stories, this essay specifically chooses to focus on portraits, a genre which she loved and used to represent both animals and human beings. By means of paradigmatic textual examples, the essay points out that, in Gianna Manzini's work, the genre of portrait is stylistically refined and it hasn't a merely descriptive function, but it is entrusted with crucial moments in the narration. Furthermore, the essay explains that to the author portraits mean a mode of approaching other people and the world by creating a direct and deep bond, to the point of becoming a substantial instrument of analysis and knowledge
Is Internet addiction a psychopathological condition distinct from pathological gambling?
No full textAims: The behavioural-addiction perspective suggests that Internet addiction (IA) and pathological gambling (PG) could share similar characteristics with substance dependence. Despite the similarities between IA and PG, it is not clear whether these disorders share different or similar psychopathological conditions. The aim of the present study was to test whether IA patients presented different psychological symptoms, temperamental traits, coping strategies and relational patterns compared with PG patients. The hypothesis was that IA patients will show greater interpersonal disengagement than PG patients. Methods: Two clinical groups (31 IA patients and 11 PG patients) and a control group (38 healthy subjects) matched with the clinical groups for gender and age were enrolled. The clinical groups were gathered in a psychiatric service for IA and PG in a hospital. Anxiety, depression, coping strategies, attachment, temperament, and global assessment of functioning were measured. MANOVAs. ANOVAs and post-hoc comparisons were carried out in order to test the hypothesis. Results: Despite IA and PG showing similar differences with the control group on the levels of depression, anxiety and global functioning, the two clinical groups showed different temperamental, coping and social patterns. Specifically IA patients compared with the PG patients showed a greater mental and behavioural disengagement associated with an important interpersonal impairment The two clinical groups shared an impulsive coping strategy and socio-emotional impairments. Conclusions: Despite IA and PG patients presenting similar clinical symptoms, IA condition was characterised by a more relevant mental, behavioural, and social disengagement compared to PG condition. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
The Potential of Using Screening Tools for Bipolar Disorder to Predict Lithium Response
No full textBackground/Objectives: Lithium is the gold standard for treating Bipolar Disorder (BD), but its effectiveness varies widely. While clinical and environmental factors may influence response, it remains unclear if screening tools can reliably predict lithium response outcomes. This study explores this potential using two widely used screening instruments for BD. Methods: A total of 146 patients with BD were evaluated. Lithium response was assessed using the Alda Scale, while hypomanic and manic symptoms were characterized through the Hypomania Checklist-32 (HCL-32) and the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ). Group differences in HCL-32 and MDQ scores were analyzed using ANOVA, and a multivariate model was employed to identify predictors of lithium response. Results: Of the total sample, 46 (31.5%) patients were identified as lithium responders based on the Alda Scale. Responders exhibited significantly higher HCL-32 scores compared to non-responders (p = 0.023), while no differences were observed in MDQ scores or other sociodemographic characteristics. Linear regression analysis revealed that HCL-32 scores were a significant predictor of Alda Scale scores, with no associations found for age, gender, or MDQ scores. Conclusions: Our study underscores the importance of considering hypomanic symptoms when estimating lithium response in BD, particularly by utilizing the HCL-32 during screening
Socio-emotional ability, temperament and coping strategies associated with different use of Internet in Internet addiction
No full textOBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to compare socio-emotional patterns, temperamental traits, and coping strategies, between a group of Internet addiction (IA) patients and a control group. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-five IA patients and twenty-six healthy matched subjects were tested on IA, temperament, coping strategies, alexithymia and attachment dimensions. Participants reported their prevalent Internet use (online pornography, social networks, online games). RESULTS: The IA patients using Internet for gaming online showed a greater attitude to novelty seeking and a lower tendency to use socio-emotional support and self-distraction compared to patients using Internet for social networking. Moreover, they showed a lower level of acceptance than patients using Internet for pornography. In the control group, the participants using Internet for online gaming showed higher levels of IA, emotional impairments and social alienation compared to social-networks and pornography users. CONCLUSIONS: Findings showed a higher psychological impairment in gaming online users compared to social networking and online pornography user
An examiniation of ovulatory shifts in extra-pair attractions among sexual minority women
No full textThere is a growing body of research suggesting that women’s preferences and behaviors differ during different phases of their menstrual cycle. However, the vast majority of past research focuses solely on heterosexual women. The present study furthers prior research by examining sexual minority women when they are most likely to be fertile (versus during other points in their menstrual cycles), and their attraction to potential partners outside their current relationships. Participants were 73 women (38 heterosexual; Mage = 19.78, 35 sexual minority women; Mage = 29.69) in exclusive romantic relationships. Women’s fertility status, sexual orientation, and sexual attraction to partners outside of their romantic relationships were assessed during two separate times in their menstrual cycle in the form of an online survey. Findings reveal that consistency of sexual attraction to men versus women among sexual minority women predicts the target of their extra pair attractions during their most fertile phase of the menstrual cycle. These findings suggest the importance of examining evolutionary adaptations promoting reproductive fitness among women of diverse sexual orientations.M.A.Includes bibliographical referencesby Gianna M. Bowle
Self-Translation as Problem for Italian-Canadian Authors
No full textThere is often the sense of self-betrayal when bilingual authors self-translate their literary works. In this paper in Comparative Literature the author examines the works of Italian-Canadian authors, in particular Maria Ardizzi, Antonio D’Alfonso, Arianna Dagnino, Licia Canton, Filippo Salvatore, Gianna Patriarca and Alexandre Amprimoz, in terms of their practice of self-translation and the problems that they encounter and try to overcome.
Auto-traduzione: problemi rilevati in autori italo-canadesiSovente quando gli autori bilingui si auto-traducono emerge un ineluttabile senso di tradimento del sé. Adottando un approccio comparativo, questo saggio esamina le opere auto-tradotte di scrittori italo-canadesi quali Maria Ardizzi, Antonio D’Alfonso,Arianna Dagnino, Licia Canton, Filippo Salvatore, Gianna Patriarca e Alexandre Amprimoz al fine di individuare i problemi che incontrano nella loro pratica autotraduttiva e le strategie che vengono adottate per risolverli
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