1,721,087 research outputs found
Editorial. The Faces of Mania. The Legacy of Athanasios Koukopoulos
Full text linkThe concept of “Mania” is intimately linked to the evolution of psychiatry itself. The Legacy of Athanasios Koukopoulos
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder during the COVID-19 Pandemic
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic was followed by lifestyle changes worldwide [...
Pharmacotherapy for hoarding disorder. how did the picture change since its excision from ocd
No full textThis brief review deals with the various issues that contributed to the creation of the new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual condition of hoarding disorder (HD) and attempts at reviewing its pharmacotherapy. It appears that after the newly founded diagnosis appeared in the literature as an autonomous entity, distinct from obsessive-compulsive disorder, drug trials are not being conducted and the disorder is left in the hands of psychotherapists, who on their part, report fair results in some core dimensions of HD. The few trials on HD specifically regard the serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor venlafaxine, and, possibly due to the suggestion of a common biological background of HD with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, the psychostimulant methylphenidate and the noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor atomoxetine. For all these drugs, positive results have been reported, but the evidence level of these studies is low, due to small samples and non-blind designs. Regretfully, there are currently no future studies aiming at seriously testing drugs in HD
Functional magnetic resonance imaging correlates of first-episode psychoses during attentional and memory task performance
No full textBackground. The nature of the alteration of the response to cognitive tasks in first-episode psychosis (FEP) still awaits clarification. We used Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE), an increasingly used method in evaluating normal and pathological brain function, to identify activation changes in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of FEP during attentional and memory tasks. Methods. We included 11 peer-reviewed fMRI studies assessing FEP patients vs. healthy controls (HCs) during performance of attentional and memory tasks. Results. Our database comprised 290 patients with FEP, matched with 316 HCs. Between-group analyses showed that HCs, compared to FEP patients, exhibited hyperactivation of the right middle frontal gyrus (BA 9), right inferior parietal lobule (BA 40), and right insula (BA 13) during attentional task performances, and hyperactivation of the left insula (BA 13) during memory task performances. Conclusions. Right frontal, parietal, and insular dysfunction during attentional task performance, and left insular dysfunction during memory task performance, are significant neural functional FEP correlates
Psychopathology and personality in problematic internet users
No full textFew studies have addressed the issue of psychopathology and personality of individuals with problematic use of internet. In this study we research psychopathological symptoms, personality traits and predictive variables associated with problematic internet use. The study was conducted on a total of 343 students from four Italian Universities using Pathological Internet Use Scale, Big Five Questionnaire, and Symptom Check List 90 Revised. According to this study 52.7% of the sample shows a problematic internet use while only 7.6% don't suffer from any symptom. More than half of subjects admits to have got into arguments with a significant other over being online, and to have missed social engagements because of online activities. Subjects with problematic internet use scored higher in psychopathological scales. Low levels of Friendliness and Emotional Stability could predict the problematic use of internet. Problematic internet use may be associated with higher psychopathology levels and personality traits
The clinical and radiological examination of acute intimate partner violence injuries. A retrospective analysis of an italian cohort of women
No full textIntimate partner violence (IPV) is the most frequent type of violence against women. We compared clinical and radiological IPV characteristics to stranger assault (SA).Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is the most frequent type of violence against women. We compared clinical and radiological IPV characteristics to stranger assault (SA). Methods: We retrospectively identified 123 women with IPV from court reports and matched them to 124 SA. Clinical and radiological characteristics were evaluated by testing their sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value for IPV, and the strength of their association with IPV. Results: IPV women referred with more delay to the emergency department (ED), had more ED accesses, and showed more mismatch between reports to the triage and disclosures to the ED physician. They also displayed more head, neck, and face injuries, and new-plus-old fractures. Conclusion: The identification of specific features may help ED physicians to suspect IPV
Hypnosis and pain perception. An Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE) meta-analysis of functional neuroimaging studies
No full textBackground and objective: Several studies reported that hypnosis can modulate pain perception and tolerance
by affecting cortical and subcortical activity in brain regions involved in these processes. We conducted
an Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE) meta-analysis on functional neuroimaging studies of
pain perception under hypnosis to identify brain activation–deactivation patterns occurring during hypnotic
suggestions aiming at pain reduction, including hypnotic analgesic, pleasant, or depersonalization
suggestions (HASs).
Databases and data treatment: We searched the PubMed, Embase and PsycInfo databases; we included
papers published in peer-reviewed journals dealing with functional neuroimaging and hypnosismodulated
pain perception. The ALE meta-analysis encompassed data from 75 healthy volunteers
reported in 8 functional neuroimaging studies.
Results: HASs during experimentally-induced pain compared to control conditions correlated with significant
activations of the right anterior cingulate cortex (Brodmann’s Area [BA] 32), left superior frontal
gyrus (BA 6), and right insula, and deactivation of right midline nuclei of the thalamus.
Conclusions: HASs during experimental pain impact both cortical and subcortical brain activity. The anterior
cingulate, left superior frontal, and right insular cortices activation increases could induce a thalamic
deactivation (top-down inhibition), which may correlate with reductions in pain intensity
Evolution of International Psychiatry
Full text linkInternational psychiatry is currently facing serious challenges triggered by the global economic crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. These global events lead to the need to broaden our nosographic and therapeutic horizons, and to make use of the newest psychological approaches and the latest neuroscience acquisitions. The focus should be on the psychological consequences of the pandemic, not only on people suffering from mental disorders, but also on the general population, for which the risk of developing psychic symptoms appears to be increased. A population that needs special attention is that of health workers involved in the management of the pandemic. In facing these problems, psychiatry today can use numerous new clinical applications and technologies in the fields of precision medicine. These include genomics, neuroimaging, and microbiomics, which can also be integrated with each other through machine learning systems. They can provide new contributions both in treatment personalization and in the evolution of nosographic systems. Besides this, the contribution of psychotherapies and dynamic and clinical psychology appears to be indispensable for a complete understanding of the clinical and personological aspects of patients. This journal aims to include innovative studies deriving from original, clinical, and basic research in the fields of mental health, precision psychiatry, genomics, neuroimaging, neuropsychopharmacology, and dynamic and clinical psychology
Prevention of depression in children, adolescents, and young adults. the role of teachers and parents
Full text linkMajor depressive disorder (MDD) and other affective disorders may surreptitiously arise in children and adolescents during their school period and impair their social and educational functioning. Besides the social and personal burden, which are increased during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the onset of depression may compromise the future of the growing person with chronicity and recurrence. In this context, educators’ training is essential to detect early the onset of a depressive disorder, to spare later consequences through the timely establishment of adequate treatment. The educational staff should receive adequate training to be able to work closely with healthcare providers and parents, thus directing the young person with an affective disorder to the right psychological and pharmacological treatment provider, i.e., a specialized psychologist or psychiatrist. The first approach should be to establish a trustful relationship with the adolescent and his/her classmates, to reduce social and self-stigma and inform about mental illness. If symptoms do not subside and the suffering child or adolescent fails to reintegrate within his/her school environment, cognitive–behavioral interventions are recommended that are individual, group, or computer-based. When needed, these should be implemented with individualized pharmacotherapy
Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Schizophrenia Treated with Long-Acting Injectable vs. Oral Antipsychotics: A Naturalistic Study
Full text linkBackground/Objectives: Long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) represent a significant advancement in the treatment of schizophrenia (SCZ), particularly for improving adherence and long-term outcomes. This study aimed to assess the clinical outcomes of patients receiving atypical LAIs compared to those on various oral antipsychotics over a one-year follow-up in a naturalistic setting. Methods: Sixty patients with SCZ were subdivided in two groups, those receiving LAIs (n = 25) and those receiving oral antipsychotics (n = 35). The groups were comparable for age, gender, educational attainment, employment status, marital status, smoking habits, and baseline SCZ severity, with no differences in baseline chlorpromazine equivalent dosages. Results: Over the follow-up period, patients in the LAI group discontinued treatment less frequently (χ2 = 4.72, p = 0.030), showed fewer suicide attempts (χ2 = 5.63, p = 0.018), fewer hospitalizations (χ2 = 4.95, p = 0.026), and fewer relapses (χ2 = 6.61, p = 0.010). Significant differences also emerged on the Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI-10) scores (F = 8.76, p = 0.005) and Body Mass Index (BMI) values (F = 8.32, p = 0.007), with the LAI group showing more favorable outcomes. Conclusions: LAIs, compared to oral antipsychotics, may promote treatment adherence, as shown by decreased hospitalization; furthermore, their use is related with better outcomes, like fewer relapses and less suicide attempts in individuals with SCZ in real-world settings
- …
