1,720,980 research outputs found
Relazione tra le dimensioni nucleari del Typus Melancholicus di Tellenbach e i disturbi depressivi unipolari: uno studio trasversale
Full text linkTra i modelli che studiano la relazione tra personalità premorbosa e depressione, quello descritto da Tellenbach è uno dei più coerenti. Secondo questo modello, l’ordinatezza, la coscienziosità, l’iper/eteronomia e l’intolleranza alle ambiguità sono le caratteristiche principali del Typus Melancholicus (TM). Precedenti studi hanno mostrato una relazione tra depressione unipolare e TM. L’ipotesi principale di questo studio è che i pazienti affetti da disturbi depressivi unipolari presentino maggiori caratteristiche legate al TM in termini di ordinatezza e di coscienziosità, rispetto ai soggetti sani. Metodi. In questo studio trasversale e monocentrico sono stati reclutati 74 pazienti affetti da disturbi depressivi unipolari, secondo i criteri del DSM-5, e 60 controlli sani. Al fine di valutare la presenza dell’ordinatezza e della coscienziosità del TM, sono stati utilizzati i fattori della scala per la personalità di tipo malinconico di Kasahara (KIMTP) chiamati “armonia nelle relazioni personali” e “norme sociali”. Per valutare la relazione tra gli aspetti del TM e lo stress percepito è stata somministrata la scala di vulnerabilità correlata allo stress (SVS). Risultati. Il t-test ha rivelato punteggi della KIMTP significativamente più alti nel fattore “armonia nelle relazioni personali” (ordinatezza), ma non nel fattore “norme sociali” (coscienziosità) nel gruppo dei pazienti (p<0,001), rispetto al gruppo di controllo. La correlazione di Pearson ha rivelato una significativa correlazione positiva tra i punteggi di stress e la sottoscala “armonia nelle relazioni personali” della KIMTP. Discussione e conclusioni. Il fattore della KIMTP “armonia nelle relazioni personali” (ordinatezza) è stato osservato più frequentemente nei pazienti con depressione unipolare rispetto ai soggetti sani e ha mostrato una maggior associazione con lo stress percepito, mentre il fattore della KIMTP “norme sociali” (coscienziosità) ha mostrato valori simili in entrambi i gruppi e nessuna correlazione allo stress percepito. Ciò sottolinea la possibilità che, tra le caratteristiche fondamentali del TM, l’ordinatezza possa essere considerata come un fattore di personalità rilevante e potenzialmente premorboso, dei disturbi depressivi unipolar
Antiglutamatergic agents for obsessive-compulsive disorder: Where are we now and what are possible future prospects?
Full text link: Recent data suggest that obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is driven by an imbalance among the habit learning system and the goal-directed system. The frontostriatal loop termed cortico-striatal-thalamo-cortical (CSTC) circuitry loop is involved in habits and their dysfunction plays an important role in OCD. Glutamatergic neurotransmission is the principal neurotransmitter implicated in the CSTC model of OCD. Hyperactivity in the CSTC loop implies a high level of glutamate in the cortical-striatal pathways as well as a dysregulation of GABAergic transmission, and could represent the pathophysiology of OCD. Moreover, the dysregulation of glutamate levels can lead to neurotoxicity, acting as a neuronal excitotoxin. The hypothesis of a role of neurotoxicity in the pathophysiology of OCD clinically correlates to the importance of an early intervention for patients. Indeed, some studies have shown that a reduction of duration of untreated illness is related to an earlier onset of remission. Although robust data supporting a progression of such brain changes are not available so far, an early intervention could help interrupt damage from neurotoxicity. Moreover, agents targeting glutamate neurotransmission may represent promising therapeutical option in OCD patients
Stress and Night Eating Syndrome: a comparison study between a sample of psychiatric outpatients and healthy subjects
No full textThe Night Eating Syndrome (NES) is a disorder characterized by the clinical features of morning anorexia, evening hyperphagia, and insomnia with awakenings followed by nocturnal food ingestion. The core clinical feature appears to be a delay in the circadian timing of food intake. The diagnosis and early treatment of NES may represent an important means of prevention for obesity. Aims. The aim of the present study was to determine the vulnerability to develop NES between a clinical sample of patients with psychiatric disorders and a non clinical sample. We investigated a possible relation between stress and a dysfunctional eating behaviors as NES. Methods. The Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ) has been administered to 147 psychiatric outpatients and to 531 subjects attending the University of L'Aquila. The NEQ is a questionnaire used to evaluate the prevalence of NES. The sample has been also evaluated through the Stress-related Vulnerability Scale (SVS) to measure both perceived stress and social support. Results. The 8.2% of patients scored above the diagnostic cut-off of the NEQ, compared to the 2.1% in the sample of healthy subjects. The majority of patients who had shown NEQ>25 had a diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD). The total scores on the NEQ were strongly associated with the SVS total score and especially with the "lack of social support" subscale. Conclusions. This study shows the increased vulnerability of NES in the sample of psychiatric patients compared to the sample of healthy subjects. The study further confirms the strong association between perceived stress, social support, altered eating behaviors and obesity
Psychic euosmia and obsessive compulsive personality disorder
Full text linkPatients with obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) often refer to a prompt mood improvement upon encountering good scents in general, or fresh laundry borax on their clothes, pillows or home settings. The Authors propose the new term psychic euosmia in the mean of an overstated psychological predisposition for a real pleasant smell that elicits an immediate sense of pleasure, order and calm. The prompt reactions to a pleasant odor might be explained by the involvement of rhinencephalon and its proximity to mood-related limbic circuits, which bypass the cognitive awareness. Cleanliness may not preclude a subject to enjoy a good smell, even if we are representing smells that resemble freshness, in other words order. A potentially even more important argument is given by the continuum of personality disorders and their variability. Not all personality characteristics led to disturbed behaviors. In evolutionary perspectives having the ability to differentiate between unpleasant and pleasant odors should have made the difference in surviving. On the other hand, psychic euosmia could be considered a normal reaction, but in our clinical experience it is over-represented among OCPD subjects with marked orderliness and disgust. Therefore, detecting psychic euosmia might vicariously confirm the relevance of disgust as a cognitive driver of OCPD. Hereby we support research to characterize psychic euosmia as a feature of orderliness and cleanliness for OCPD
Predictive factors for further suicide attempts in individuals presenting to an emergency service for an attempted suicide. A one-year longitudinal study
No full textSuicide attempts (SA) have been recognized among the most important predictors of suicide
Stress e Night Eating Syndrome: uno studio di confronto tra un campione di pazienti psichiatrici ambulatoriali e soggetti sani
No full textThe Night Eating Syndrome (NES) is a disorder characterized by the clinical features of morning anorexia,
evening hyperphagia, and insomnia with awakenings followed by nocturnal food ingestion. The core clinical feature appears
to be a delay in the circadian timing of food intake. The diagnosis and early treatment of NES may represent an important
means of prevention for obesity. Aims. The aim of the present study was to determine the vulnerability to develop NES between
a clinical sample of patients with psychiatric disorders and a non clinical sample.We investigated a possible relation
between stress and a dysfunctional eating behaviors as NES.Methods. The Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ) has been administered
to 147 psychiatric outpatients and to 531 subjects attending the University of L’Aquila. The NEQ is a questionnaire
used to evaluate the prevalence of NES. The sample has been also evaluated through the Stress-related Vulnerability
Scale (SVS) to measure both perceived stress and social support. Results. The 8.2% of patients scored above the diagnostic
cut-off of the NEQ, compared to the 2.1%in the sample of healthy subjects.The majority of patients who had shown NEQ>25
had a diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD).The total scores on the NEQ were strongly associated with the SVS total
score and especially with the “lack of social support” subscale. Conclusions. This study shows the increased vulnerability
of NES in the sample of psychiatric patients compared to the sample of healthy subjects. The study further confirms the
strong association between perceived stress, social support, altered eating behaviors and obesityLa Night Eating Syndrome (NES) è un disturbo dell’alimentazione caratterizzato da scarso appetito durante
il giorno, iperfagia serale e insonnia centrale con abbuffate notturne. La sindrome appare collegata a un’alterazione dei ritmi
circadiani nell’assunzione di cibo. La diagnosi e il trattamento precoce della NES potrebbero costituire un importante mezzo
di prevenzione per l’obesità. Scopo. Lo scopo di questo studio è stato quello di determinare la vulnerabilità allo sviluppo
della NES tra un campione di pazienti affetti da disturbi psichiatrici e un campione di soggetti sani.Abbiamo indagato il possibile
ruolo dello stress nella patogenesi di comportamenti alimentari disfunzionali come la NES. Metodi. Il Night Eating
Questionnaire (NEQ) è stato somministrato a 147 pazienti psichiatrici ambulatoriali e a 531 soggetti sani afferenti all’Università
di L’Aquila. Il questionario NEQ è utilizzato per valutare la prevalenza della NES. Il campione è stato inoltre valutato
attraverso la Stress-related Vulnerability Scale (SVS) allo scopo di valutare sia lo stress percepito sia il supporto sociale.
Risultati. L’8,2% dei pazienti ha superato il cut-off diagnostico del NEQ rispetto al 2,1% del campione di soggetti sani. La
maggior parte dei pazienti con NEQ>25 presentava una diagnosi di disturbo depressivo maggiore (DDM). Il punteggio totale
ottenuto al NEQ è significativamente associato con i livelli di stress percepito valutato dalla SVS, in particolare nella sottoscala
“ridotto supporto sociale”.Conclusioni. Questo studio mostra una maggiore vulnerabilità alla NES nel campione dei
pazienti psichiatrici rispetto al campione della popolazione sana. Lo studio inoltre conferma la forte associazione tra stress
percepito, comportamenti alimentari disregolati e obesità
Core depressive symptoms in depressed cancer outpatients
No full textObjective: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of core depressive symptoms among cancer outpatients diagnosed with depressive or adjustment disorders with depressed mood. We also aimed to detect potential differences between patient self-assessment and psychiatrist evaluation in classifying the severity of depression. Methods: Fifty-two outpatients diagnosed with solid tumor malignancy and depressive or adjustment disorder with depressed mood were assessed using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) (and its shortened version the HAMD-7) and the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (ZSDS) (and its shortened version BZSDS). Results: Based on HAMD-7 results, the prevalence of moderate depression was low (7.7%); using the BZSDS moderate depression was absent. Mild depression was identified in 82.3% and 73% of our subjects using the HAMD-7 and the BZSDS, respectively. The strength of agreement between psychiatrist and patients' self-evaluation for mild depression was "slight", employing the original and the abbreviated versions of both scales. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the prevalence of core depressive symptoms is very low in cancer patients diagnosed with depressive disorder. The lack of a strong agreement between psychiatrist and patient in classifying the severity of depression highlights the importance of factors such as well-being and functional status among depressed cancer patients in their self assessment of depression. © Massimo et al
[The Italian version of the Attitudes Chocolate Questionnaire: a validation study]
No full textSUMMARY. Objective. Chocolate consumption has long been associated with enjoyment and pleasure. Popular claims confer
on chocolate the properties of being a stimulant, relaxant, euphoriant, aphrodisiac, tonic and antidepressant. The aim of
our study was to validate and to verify the reliability of the Italian version of the Attitudes to Chocolate Questionnaire
(ACQ) which evaluates different dimensions of chocolate craving experience.Methods. The Italian version ofACQ was administered
to a sample consisting of 1609 adults, recruited among students of the University of L’Aquila and general population.
The subjects also completed the Stress-Related Vulnerability Scale (SVS), which assesses the level of stress and social
support received. Results. This study showed a good degree of stability and internal consistency of the two-factor model, respectively
represented by craving and sense of guilt, in comparison to previous ones. The scoring for both factors resulted
greater in women than in men. Subjects of younger age and with lower Body Mass Index (BMI) achieved higher scores in relation
to the craving dimension, while a positive correlation was observed between age and sense of guilt. Finally the total
scoring at SVS and its subscales resulted significantly interrelated with the two factors. Conclusions. Our study confirms the
validity and the reliability of the Italian version of the two-factors based ACQ scale and strongly underlines the association
between perceived stress and dysfunctional approach to chocolate consumption.RIASSUNTO. Scopo. Il consumo di cioccolato è da sempre associato a piacere e a gratificazione, grazie alle sue proprietà
euforizzanti, rilassanti, afrodisiache, stimolanti e antidepressive. Lo scopo del presente studio è stato quello di testare la validità
e l’attendibilità della versione italiana dell’Attitudes to Chocolate Questionnaire (ACQ) che valuta le dimensioni dell’esperienza
di craving per il cioccolato.Metodo. La versione italiana dell’ACQ è stata somministrata a un campione composto
da 1609 adulti, reclutati tra gli studenti dell’Università dell’Aquila e tra la popolazione generale. I soggetti hanno inoltre
compilato la Stress-Related Vulnerability Scale (SVS) che valuta il livello di stress e di supporto sociale percepito. Risultati.
Questo studio ha mostrato una certa stabilità e una buona consistenza interna del modello a due fattori, craving e senso di
colpa, rispetto al modello originale. Dallo studio è emerso che le donne hanno ottenuto punteggi significativamente superiori
rispetto agli uomini per entrambi i fattori dell’ACQ, craving e senso di colpa. I soggetti con punteggi maggiori rispetto al
fattore craving sono risultati più giovani e con indice di massa corporea (BMI) minore,mentre rispetto al fattore senso di colpa
questa relazione si è dimostrata significativa solo per l’età. Inoltre è emerso che il punteggio totale della SVS e delle rispettive
sottoscale correla significativamente con entrambi i fattori dell’ACQ. Conclusioni. Questo studio conferma la validità
e l’attendibilità della versione italiana dell’ACQ a due fattori ed evidenzia la forte associazione tra stress percepito e approccio
disfunzionale al cioccolato
The Association of Anger with Symptom Subtypes in Severe Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Outpatients.
No full textAcute psychiatric treatment and the use of physical restraint in first-generation immigrants in Italy: A prospective concurrent study
No full textBackground and Aims: Immigrants in Europe appear at higher risk of psychiatric coercive interventions. No studies have investigated this issue in Italy. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the use of physical restraint, compulsory admission and other treatment characteristics differ in immigrated and Italian-born patients admitted to a psychiatric intensive care unit. Methods: One hundred first-generation immigrant patients were compared to 100 age-, gender- and diagnosis-matched Italian-born patients. Subjects were diagnosed according to DSM-IV-TR and rated on the Clinical Global Impression - Severity Scale and the Global Assessment of Functioning. Clinical data and treatment characteristics were collected. Results: Immigrant patients were more likely to be physically restrained as compared to Italian-born patients (11% vs 3%; (2) = 4.92; p = 0.027; RR = 3.67; 95% CI = 1.05-12.7). No differences in the proportion of involuntary treatment were found. Immigrant patients did not receive higher doses of antipsychotics or benzodiazepines, but they had a longer stay in the hospital. Conclusions: The higher rate of physical restraint among migrants may reflect cultural, ethnic and language differences leading to communication problems between immigrant patients and mental health professionals. Since coercive interventions can be harmful, specific strategies to prevent this phenomenon in immigrants are needed
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