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Cognitive reserve (CR) refers to the ability of the brain to cope with damage or pathology. In bipolar disorder (BD), it has been seen that the effects of the disease may potentially reduce CR, thus compromising cognitive outcomes. This concept takes on special relevance in late life in BD, due to the increased risk of cognitive decline because of the accumulative effects of the disease and the potential effects of aging. Therefore, we believe that CR may be a protective factor against cognitive decline in older adults with bipolar disorder (OABD).
Objectives
The aim of this study was to study the CR in OABD compared with healthy controls (HC) and to analyze its association with psychosocial functioning and cognitive performance.
Methods
A sample of euthymic OABD, defined as patients over 50 years old, and HC were included. CR was assessed using the CRASH scale. Differences in demographic, clinical, and cognitive variables between patients and HC were analyzed by t-test or X2 as appropriated. Lineal simple and multiple regressions analyses were used to study the association of CR and several clinical variables with functional and cognitive performance.
Results
A total of 83 participants (42 OABD and 41 HC) were included. Compared to HC, OABD exhibited poorer cognitive performance (p<0.001), psychosocial functioning (p<0.001) and lower CR (p<0.001). Within the patient’s group, the linear simple regression analysis revealed that CR was associated with psychosocial functioning (β=-2.16; p=0.037), attention (β= 3.03; p=0.005) and working memory (β = 2.98; p=0.005) while no clinical factors were associated. Age and CR were associated with processing speed and verbal memory, but after applying multiple regression model, only the effect of age remained significant (β =-2.26; p= 0.030, and β =-2.23; p= 0.032 respectively). CR, age, and number of episodes were related to visual memory, but the multiple regression showed that only age (β = -2.37; p= 0.023) and CR (β = 3.99; p<0.001) were associated. Regarding executive functions only the number of manic episodes were significant. CR and age at onset were associated with visuospatial ability, but multiple regression only showed association of CR (β =2.23; p=0.032). Other clinical factors such as number of depressive or hypomanic episodes, illness duration, admissions, type of BD, and psychotic symptoms were not associated.
Conclusions
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report that studies the CR in a sample of OABD. We demonstrated that OABD had lower CR than HC. Importantly, we observed that CR was associated with cognitive and psychosocial functioning in OABD, even more than disease-related factors. These results suggest the potential protector effect of CR against cognitive impairment, supporting that improving modifiable factors associated with the enhancement of CR can prevent cognitive decline.
Disclosure of Interest
L. Montejo: None Declared, C. Torrent Grant / Research support from: Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PI20/00344) integrated into the Plan Nacional de I+D+I and co-financed by the ISCIII-Subdireccion General de Evaluacio ́n and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER), S. Martín: None Declared, A. Ruiz: None Declared, M. Bort: None Declared, G. Fico Grant / Research support from: Fellowship from “La Caixa” Foundation (ID 100010434 - fellowship code LCF/BQ/DR21/11880019), V. Oliva: None Declared, M. De Prisco: None Declared, J. Sanchez-Moreno Grant / Research support from: Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PI20/00060) integrated into the Plan Nacional de I+D+I and co-financed by the ISCIII-Subdireccion General de Evaluacio ́n and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER),, E. Jimenez Grant / Research support from: Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PI20/00060)integrated into the Plan Nacional de I+D+I and co-financed by the ISCIII-Subdireccion General de Evaluacio ́n and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER),, A. Martinez-Aran: None Declared, E. Vieta Grant / Research support from: Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PI18/ 00805, PI21/00787) integrated into the Plan Nacional de I+D+I and cofinanced by the ISCIIISubdireccio ́n General de Evaluacio ́n and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER); the Instituto de Salud Carlos III; the CIBER of Mental Health (CIBERSAM); the Secretaria d’Universitats i Recerca del Departament d’Economia i Coneixement (2017 SGR 1365), the CERCA Programme, and the Departament de Salut de la Generalitat de Catalunya for the PERIS grant SLT006/17/00357; the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (EU.3.1.1. Understanding health, wellbeing and disease: Grant No 754907 and EU.3.1.3. Treating and managing disease: Grant No 945151)., B. Sole: None Declared
In recent years, research has focused on the older adults with bipolar disorder (OABD), aged 50 years and over, a constantly growing population due to the increased of life expectancy. Actually, some authors suggest that these individuals constitute a distinct subtype with a specific and different needs such as seen in epidemiologic, clinical and cognitive features. Further research has revealed significant differences between females and males with BD in clinical and cognitive variables in middle-aged and young patients, but this topic among OABD population remains unclear.
Objectives
The aim of this study is to identify the distinctive profile in clinical, functional and neurocognitive variables between females and males in OABD.
Methods
A sample of OABD and Healthy Controls (HC) were included. Euthymic patients or in partial remission were included. Neurocognition was measured with a battery of tests that included premorbid intelligence quotient, working memory, verbal and visual memory, processing speed, language and executive functions. Independent t-test and Chi-squared test analysis were performed as appropriated.
Results
According to the analysis, statistically significant differences were seen between females and males. A more impaired cognitive profile is observed in women. They performed worse in the subscales of Arithmetic (F= 6.728, p = <0.001), forward digits (F= 0.936, p= 0.019) and Total Digits (F= 1.208, p= 0.019) of the WAIS-III, in the Stroop Color Word Test, color reading (F= 0.130, p= < 0.001), in the Continuous Performance Test, block change measure (F= 2.059, p= 0.037), in the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure-copy (F= 0.005, p= 0.029) and in the Boston Naming Test (F= 0.011, p= 0.024). Nor significant differences were found in clinical neither in psychosocial functioning variables.
Conclusions
In view of the following results, and since no differences were observed between women and men in terms of clinical and functional outcomes, it could be said that the differences observed in cognition cannot be explained by disease-related factors. Furthermore, these results highlight the need to develop a gender-specific cognitive interventions in OABD population. In this way, we could have an impact on the course of the illness to reach a better quality of life.
Disclosure of Interest
S. Martín-Parra: None Declared, C. Torrent Grant / Research support from: Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PI20/00344) integrated into the Plan Nacional de I+D+I and co-financed by the ISCIIISubdireccion General de Evaluación and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER), A. Ruiz: None Declared, M. Bort: None Declared, G. Fico Grant / Research support from: Fellowship from “La Caixa” Foundation (ID 100010434 - fellowship code LCF/BQ/DR21/11880019), V. Oliva: None Declared, M. Prisco: None Declared, J. Sanchez-Moreno Grant / Research support from: Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PI20/00060) integrated into the Plan Nacional de I+D+I and co-financed by the ISCIII-Subdireccion General de Evaluación and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER), E. Jimenez Grant / Research support from: Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PI20/00060) integrated into the Plan Nacional de I+D+I and co-financed by the ISCIII-Subdireccion General de Evaluación and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER), A. Martinez-Aran: None Declared, E. Vieta Grant / Research support from: Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PI18/ 00805, PI21/00787) integrated into the Plan Nacional de I+D+I and cofinanced by the ISCIII Subdirección General de Evaluación and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER); the Instituto de Salud Carlos III; the CIBER of Mental Health (CIBERSAM); the Secretaria d’Universitats i Recerca del Departament d’Economia i Coneixement (2017 SGR 1365), the CERCA Programme, and the Departament de Salut de la Generalitat de Catalunya for the PERIS grant SLT006/17/00357; the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (EU.3.1.1. Understanding health, wellbeing and disease: Grant No 754907 and EU.3.1.3. Treating and managing disease: Grant No 945151), B. Sole: None Declared, L. Montejo: None Declared
A total of 301 blue whiting, Micromesistius poutassou Risso, 1826, ranging in length from 17 to 28 cm, from Motril Bay (Mediterranean coast, south Spain) were examined for anisakid nematodes, as these fish are common items in the Spanish Mediterranean diet. Three anisakid species were morphologically identified with a total prevalence of 10.63%. Anisakis simplex s.l. Rudolphi, 1809 had a prevalence value of 6.65%, compared with 2.66% for A. physeteris Baylis, 1923 and 2.33% for Hysterothylacium aduncum Rudolphi, 1802. Variations in prevalence values with season and host size are discussed. Allozyme markers (leucine aminopeptidase-1) were used to identify anisakid nematodes assigned to the A. simplex complex and all examined larvae were found to correspond genetically to A. pegreffii Nascetti et al., 1986.
The infection by Opecoeloides furcatus and Poracanthium furcatum (Opecoeliidae) was studied in 121 Mullus barbatus and 113 M. surmuletus collected from the Spanish south-eastern Mediterranean. The prevalence of infection was most frequent in M. surmuletus with values of 81.42% for O. furcatus and 38.05% for P. furcatum. In M. barbatus the prevalences of O. furcatus and P. furcatum were 54.54% and 14.88% respectively. Statistically significant differences were found between the infection of the two hosts with P. furcatum. No significant differences in worm burdens could be attributable to host size or to seasonal changes, although a lower infection of M. barbatus by O. furcatus occurred in the autumn. Furthermore, the electrophoretic mobility of the enzyme malic dehydrogenase (MDH) was also studied and both digeneans presented different patterns, corresponding in both cases to homozygotic genotypes.
The interaction between N-methyl 8-hydroxy quinoline methyl sulfate, a drug that absorbs erymathogenic near-ultraviolet radiation, and smectite was studied by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and adsorption and desorption techniques. From the adsorption studies, (1) the amount of the drug adsorbed by Na-smectite increased with the pH of the solution to pH 6.5 and then decreased as the pH was further increased; (2) the maximum amount adsorbed at pH 6.5 was 102 meq/100 g of clay; and (3) the maximum amount of drug adsorbed, according to the adsorption isotherms at pH 4, was close to the cation-exchange capacity of the smectite (80 meq/100 g). The XRD studies showed that the drug molecules were adsorbed in the interlayer space of smectite and that cation exchange was the chief mechanism responsible for these interactions. The results of the adsorption-desorption cycles of the drug by smectite showed that this clay is a good support for this compound. In addition, an alternative method was developed to obtain the intercalation compound to avoid the standard method of exchange by impregnation. The method consisted of grinding a mixture of the drug with the clay. The characteristics of the complex thus formed were similar to those of the complex formed by exchange at pH 4 to 7.
To gain insight into the pharmacological properties of the intercalation compound studied, its capacity for absorption of visible and near-ultraviolet light was investigated. The diffuse reflectance spectrum of the complex showed intense absorption bands, absent or weak in the spectra of the pure drug or the untreated clay, at 250, 290, and ~390 nm.
The effect of layer charge and of the interlayer cations of smectites on the hydrolysis of azinphosmethyl (0,0-dimethyl S-((4-oxo-l,2,3-benzotriazine-3(4H)-yl)methyl) phosphorodithioate) in an aqueous medium was investigated. Ultraviolet spectroscopy was used for monitoring the hydrolysis process. Hydrolysis of the pesticide is catalyzed by Ca-hectorite (layer charge 0.216) but is not catalyzed by Ca-nontronite nor by Ca-montmorillonites with a layer charge above 0.216. The Mg- and Cu-hectorites and Cu-montmorillonite with a layer charge of 0.264 also show catalytic activity. The catalytic activities of the Ca2+ and Cu2+ cations as exchange cations of the smectite and as salts are compared. In agreement with previously reported work, the results show that the hydrolysis of azinphosmethyl may involve the adsorption of the pesticide into the interlayer space of the smectites, forming a bidentate complex with the interlayer cations. This interaction must enhance the electrophilic nature of the phosphorus atom, thereby facilitating its nucleophilic attack by the OH-ion and producing rupture of the P-S bond.
Participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) has numerous benefits, yet many eligible children remain unenrolled. This qualitative study sought to explore perceptions of a novel electronic health record (EHR) intervention to facilitate referrals to WIC and improve communication/coordination between WIC staff and healthcare professionals.
Methods:
WIC staff in three counties were provided EHR access and recruited to participate. An automated, EHR-embedded WIC participation screening and referral tool was implemented within 8 healthcare clinics; healthcare professionals within these clinics were eligible to participate. The interview guide was developed using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to elicit perceptions of this novel EHR-based intervention. Semi-structured interviews were conducted via telephone. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed using thematic analysis.
Results:
Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight WIC staff, seven pediatricians, four medical assistants, and one registered nurse. Most participants self-identified as female (95%) and White (55%). We identified four primary themes: (1) healthcare professionals had a positive view of WIC but communication and coordination between WIC and healthcare professionals was limited prior to WIC having EHR access; (2) healthcare professionals favored WIC screening using the EHR but workflow challenges existed; (3) EHR connections between WIC and the healthcare system can streamline referrals to and enrollment in WIC; and (4) WIC staff and healthcare professionals recommended that WIC have EHR access.
Conclusions:
A novel EHR-based intervention has potential to facilitate healthcare referrals to WIC and improve communication/coordination between WIC and healthcare systems.
The prevalence of medical illnesses is high among patients with psychiatric disorders. The current study aimed to investigate multi-comorbidity in patients with psychiatric disorders in comparison to the general population. Secondary aims were to investigate factors associated with metabolic syndrome and treatment appropriateness of mental disorders.
Methods
The sample included 54,826 subjects (64.73% females; 34.15% males; 1.11% nonbinary gender) from 40 countries (COMET-G study). The analysis was based on the registration of previous history that could serve as a fair approximation for the lifetime prevalence of various medical conditions.
Results
About 24.5% reported a history of somatic and 26.14% of mental disorders. Mental disorders were by far the most prevalent group of medical conditions. Comorbidity of any somatic with any mental disorder was reported by 8.21%. One-third to almost two-thirds of somatic patients were also suffering from a mental disorder depending on the severity and multicomorbidity. Bipolar and psychotic patients and to a lesser extent depressives, manifested an earlier (15–20 years) manifestation of somatic multicomorbidity, severe disability, and probably earlier death. The overwhelming majority of patients with mental disorders were not receiving treatment or were being treated in a way that was not recommended. Antipsychotics and antidepressants were not related to the development of metabolic syndrome.
Conclusions
The finding that one-third to almost two-thirds of somatic patients also suffered from a mental disorder strongly suggests that psychiatry is the field with the most trans-specialty and interdisciplinary value and application points to the importance of teaching psychiatry and mental health in medical schools and also to the need for more technocratically oriented training of psychiatric residents.
Late-life depression has been associated with volume changes of the hippocampus. However, little is known about its association with specific hippocampal subfields over time.
Aims
We investigated whether hippocampal subfield volumes were associated with prevalence, course and incidence of depressive symptoms.
Method
We extracted 12 hippocampal subfield volumes per hemisphere with FreeSurfer v6.0 using T1-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery 3T magnetic resonance images. Depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline and annually over 7 years of follow-up (9-item Patient Health Questionnaire). We used negative binominal, logistic, and Cox regression analyses, corrected for multiple comparisons, and adjusted for demographic, cardiovascular and lifestyle factors.
Results
A total of n = 4174 participants were included (mean age 60.0 years, s.d. = 8.6, 51.8% female). Larger right hippocampal fissure volume was associated with prevalent depressive symptoms (odds ratio (OR) = 1.26, 95% CI 1.08–1.48). Larger bilateral hippocampal fissure (OR = 1.37–1.40, 95% CI 1.14–1.71), larger right molecular layer (OR = 1.51, 95% CI 1.14–2.00) and smaller right cornu ammonis (CA)3 volumes (OR = 0.61, 95% CI 0.48–0.79) were associated with prevalent depressive symptoms with a chronic course. No associations of hippocampal subfield volumes with incident depressive symptoms were found. Yet, lower left hippocampal amygdala transition area (HATA) volume was associated with incident depressive symptoms with chronic course (hazard ratio = 0.70, 95% CI 0.55–0.89).
Conclusions
Differences in hippocampal fissure, molecular layer and CA volumes might co-occur or follow the onset of depressive symptoms, in particular with a chronic course. Smaller HATA was associated with an increased risk of incident (chronic) depression. Our results could capture a biological foundation for the development of chronic depressive symptoms, and stresses the need to discriminate subtypes of depression to unravel its biological underpinnings.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has serious physiological and psychological consequences. The long-term (>12 weeks post-infection) impact of COVID-19 on mental health, specifically in older adults, is unclear. We longitudinally assessed the association of COVID-19 with depression symptomatology in community-dwelling older adults with metabolic syndrome within the framework of the PREDIMED-Plus cohort.
Methods
Participants (n = 5486) aged 55–75 years were included in this longitudinal cohort. COVID-19 status (positive/negative) determined by tests (e.g. polymerase chain reaction severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, IgG) was confirmed via event adjudication (410 cases). Pre- and post-COVID-19 depressive symptomatology was ascertained from annual assessments conducted using a validated 21-item Spanish Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Multivariable linear and logistic regression models assessed the association between COVID-19 and depression symptomatology.
Results
COVID-19 in older adults was associated with higher post-COVID-19 BDI-II scores measured at a median (interquartile range) of 29 (15–40) weeks post-infection [fully adjusted β = 0.65 points, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.15–1.15; p = 0.011]. This association was particularly prominent in women (β = 1.38 points, 95% CI 0.44–2.33, p = 0.004). COVID-19 was associated with 62% increased odds of elevated depression risk (BDI-II ≥ 14) post-COVID-19 when adjusted for confounders (odds ratio; 95% CI 1.13–2.30, p = 0.008).
Conclusions
COVID-19 was associated with long-term depression risk in older adults with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome, particularly in women. Thus, long-term evaluations of the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and preventive public health initiatives are warranted in older adults.
A 20-year-old female presents with a progressive 3-month mutism, hyporexia (20kg weight loss), abulia, anhedonia, apathy, social isolation,seeking company of her parents even at night, bradypsychia, sialorrhea, psychomotor slowdown and hypomimia. She is hospitalized in the Psychiatric Brief Hospitalization Unit (PBHU).Her parents relate the beginning of this symptomatology to a breakup and gender violence,which the patient confirms during the interview by eye/cephalic movements and single words jotted down.
Objectives
The objective of this study is to describe the evolution of the patient during her hospitalization in the PBHU of Salamanca and to look into the available bibliography about mutism related to stress and sialorrhea.
Methods
We carried out a follow-up of the hospitalization of the patient and a structured search in PubMed with the keywords “mutism”,“sialorrhea” and “stress” in the last 10 years in English,Spanish and French.
Results
Few or no articles where found.Therefore, the articles about mutism and stress were analyzed, which focused mostly in selective mutism. Regarding fear,the response to cope with the threat(fight, flight, freeze) is mediated by the autonomic system. The “Polyvagal Theory” speaks about the vagus nerve participating in emotion regulation (social communication and mobilization). Dissociation, in this context,has adaptive and defensive purposes and its threshold can be reduced by repeated stress situations.Long-term alteration of the autonomic nervous system has been described in selective mutism.This malfunction can be related to an elevated production of saliva due to the activation of the parasympathetic in the salivary glands, causing sialorrhea in our patient.
The patient began treatment with sertraline 100mg and risperidone 2mg with the aim of its antidepressive and major tranquilizer effects, she also began individual and family psychotherapy, we assured her sleep and intakes and she began to progressively recover her speech and mobility,identifying a possible trigger for the symptomatology: a physical beating of gender violence after her breakup.
Conclusions
Dissociation and “freeze” response can be a maladaptative mechanism to fear.The malfunction of the autonomic nervous system can explain the disconnection,poor gaze,low facial and body expression and inability to speak.
Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic mental disorder characterized by mood instability1. BD is further related to neurocognitive and functional disruptions that remain remarkably stable even when patients are euthymic, leading to poor well-being and quality of life. Mindfulness means paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and involves different facets such as observing, describing, acting with awareness, non-judging and non-reacting of inner experience. It remains unclear whether mindfulness and its specific facets are differentially associated with different aspects of attention and trait impulsivity in individuals with BD.
Objectives
To examine associations between different mindfulness facets, and different aspects of attention and trait impulsivity in BD.
Methods
This study was approved by the Hospital Clínic Ethics and Research Board (HCB/2017/0432). After informed consent, 94 outpatients, M age = 45.57, SD = 9.8, range 19-61 years, 41.5% Male, 63.8% BD-I according to DSM-5 criteria, in partial or total remission based on Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS; M = 1.81, SD = 2.11) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS; M = 5.46, SD = 3.71) were enrolled in this study. Participants were evaluated using the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) to assess Mindfulness, the Trail Making Test (TMT-A) and the Conner’s Continuous Performance test (CPT-II) to assess Attention, and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) to assess Impulsivity. Pearson correlations were performed, and statistical significance was evaluated two-sided at the 5% threshold.
Results
Mindfulness-Describing was negatively associated with Cognitive and Non-Planning Impulsivity (r = -.43 and -.28, p < .001), Mindfulness-Acting with Awareness was negatively associated with Cognitive, Motor and Non-Planning Impulsivity (r = -.27 to -.45, p < .001), Mindfulness Non-Judging (r = -.33 and -.34, p < .001) and Non-Reacting (r = -.30 and -.46, p < .001) of inner experience were negatively associated with Cognitive and Motor Impulsivity. No associations were found between neither Mindfulness nor Impulsivity with any aspects of Attention.
Conclusions
Preliminary findings suggest that better performance in specific facets of mindfulness (describing, acting with awareness, non-judging or reacting of inner experience) may be related to a decrease in different aspects of trait impulsivity. Further longitudinal and interventional research is needed on underlying mechanisms. Nonetheless, our study suggests the need for including mindfulness-based approaches to improve behavioral and functional outcomes for those with BD.
Funding
This work was supported by the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (EU.3.1.3. Treating and managing disease: Grant 945151), CIBERSAM, FIS PI17/00941 ISCIII, European Regional Development Fund.
References
1. Carvalho AF, Firth J, Vieta E. Bipolar Disorder. N Engl J Med. 2020;383(1):58-66. doi:10.1056/NEJMra1906193
Cultural differences influence understanding and therapeutic adherence of migrant patients, therefore it is very important to acquire cultural competence.
Objectives
The objective of this paper is to study, from the following case, the effect of cultural competence in approach to psychosis in migrant patients.
Methods
A bibliographic search was performed from different database (Pubmed, TripDatabase) about the influence of culture on psychosis and its resolution. A 25-year-old Moroccan man who came to Spain two years ago fleeing his country and suffered violence in different countries until he arrived. He lived on the street until they offered him a sheltered house with other Moroccans. He felt lack of acceptance and loss of his roots. In this context, he developed a first psychotic episode in which he described “the presence of a devil”.
Results
He distrusted antipsychotic treatment and believed “that devil” was still inside him, being convinced that he needed a Muslim healer to expel him. We followed up with the patient and a cultural mediator, better understanding his cultural reality, uprooting and traumas, and he could feel understood and trust us. During the process, he decided to go to the Muslim healer who performed a symbolic rite for which he felt he “expelled the devil”, while accepting antipsychotics. With all this, the psychotic symptoms and their acculturation process improved.
Conclusions
It is very important that psychiatrists have cultural competence to understand the context of migrant patients, and to be able to provide them with the best treatment.
Patients with bipolar disorder (BD) have an increased risk for cardiovascular morbimortality. Clinical risk factors, specifically for arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death remain understudied.
Objectives
This study was conducted to assess differences in cardiac conduction among BD patients.
Methods
We included patients with BD in a cross-sectional design, confirmed by structured interview, age 18 through 80. Clinical characteristics were obtained using a structured questionnaire or medical records review. ECG intervals duration and morphology were manually assessed by cardiologists and compared among clinical subgroups using Chi-square, Mann-Whitney, and Kruskall-Wallis tests. Exploratory multivariable linear and logistic regression models were fitted to adjust for potential confounders.
Results
We included 117 patients (60.7% women, 76.9% bipolar I, 50% history of psychosis, 22.6% suicide attempts). We found a significantly longer QTc interval in BD patients with hypertension (difference: 9.5 ms, p=0.006), obesity (difference: 25 ms, p=0.001), and metabolic syndrome (difference: 13 ms, p=0.007). Hypertension remained a significant predictor of longer QTc after adjusting for age, gender, and antipsychotic use (estimate 17.718, p=0.018). We observed a significantly shorter PR interval in women (difference: 6 ms, p=0.029), early age of onset (difference 6 ms, p=0.025), non-users of lithium (difference 4 ms, p=0.002), and early trauma (difference 4 ms, p=0.038). Finally, we identified significant correlations between symptom severity, blood glucose and PR interval (r=0.298, p=0.001; r=0.278, p=0.003; respectively).
Conclusions
Patients with BD and hypertension may have an increased risk for QTc prolongation. Careful cardiovascular monitoring may be warranted.
Psychotic symptoms are not exclusive to schizophrenia, they can be due to paranoid development and can be treated differently.
Objectives
The objective of this paper is to study, from the following case, the effect of psychotherapeutic treatment in patients with paranoid development.
Methods
A bibliographic search was performed from different database (Pubmed, TripDatabase) about psychological intervention for the improvement of paranoid symptoms. 20-year-old man, born into a family with marital problems, without difficulties in psychomotor development, socialization or academic performance, who began with behavioral alterations from the age of 5 that he had begun to suffer abuse from his father, showing aggressiveness towards other children and progressively worsening over the years: consuming cannabis, isolating himself, listening to protective voices and distrusting of people, to whom he responded aggressively believing that they wanted to harm him.
Results
Initially, he was treated with antipsychotics that were later suspended when acute psychotic symptoms were ruled out, diagnosing a paranoid development secondary to trauma, for which he had felt fear and defenselessness, and had learned to be alert and respond aggressively to everything he considered threatening, showing anger that he did not know how to express. During therapy, abstinence to drugs was worked on, therapeutic link, mentalization-based therapy, emotions, narrative techniques, trauma and systemic family therapy.
Conclusions
To conclude, we need to pay attention to development of pathologies like this so as not to rush with antipsychotics, when it may be due to a development secondary to trauma that needs to be treated psychotherapeutically.
The burden of depression is increasing worldwide, specifically in older adults. Unhealthy dietary patterns may partly explain this phenomenon. In the Spanish PREDIMED-Plus study, we explored (1) the cross-sectional association between the adherence to the Prime Diet Quality Score (PDQS), an a priori-defined high-quality food pattern, and the prevalence of depressive symptoms at baseline (cross-sectional analysis) and (2) the prospective association of baseline PDQS with changes in depressive symptomatology after 2 years of follow-up. After exclusions, we assessed 6612 participants in the cross-sectional analysis and 5523 participants in the prospective analysis. An energy-adjusted high-quality dietary score (PDQS) was assessed using a validated FFQ. The cross-sectional association between PDQS and the prevalence of depression or presence of depressive symptoms and the prospective changes in depressive symptoms were evaluated through multivariable regression models (logistic and linear models and mixed linear-effects models). PDQS was inversely associated with depressive status in the cross-sectional analysis. Participants in the highest quintile of PDQS (Q5) showed a significantly reduced odds of depression prevalence as compared to participants in the lowest quartile of PDQS (Q1) (OR (95 %) CI = 0·82 (0·68, 0·98))). The baseline prevalence of depression decreased across PDQS quintiles (Pfor trend = 0·015). A statistically significant association between PDQS and changes in depressive symptoms after 2-years follow-up was found (β (95 %) CI = −0·67 z-score (–1·17, −0·18). A higher PDQS was cross-sectionally related to a lower depressive status. Nevertheless, the null finding in our prospective analysis raises the possibility of reverse causality. Further prospective investigation is required to ascertain the association between PDQS and changes in depressive symptoms along time.
We know the coexistence of traumatic factors (loss of affective relationships, experiences of abuse, extreme risk situations, etc.) is common in psychiatric pathologies in which level of stress experienced exceeds normal capacity of the person, favoring the appearance of dissociative or excision mechanisms. A common mistake is to pathologize them and try to eliminate them.
Objectives
The objective of this paper is to study trauma and defense mechanisms involved, in order to carry out a better approach.
Methods
A bibliographic search was performed from different database (Pubmed, TripDatabase) about trauma, mechanisms involved and the construction of identity.
Results
We know neural pathways mature asymmetrically in evolutionary development (functions related to attention, concentration and executive function having special importance) and thus, traumas occurred in moments of greatest vulnerability such as early childhood, can damage and interfere with the correct integration of neural processes, producing disproportionate and unnecessarily maintained alert responses (common basis for many pathologies such as borderline personality disorder or traumatic psychosis). In response to this, reactive mechanisms are produced (such as dissociation or cleavage) that are not necessarily pathological and therefore, we should not always intervene by eliminating them because they often function as a protective factor, allowing to preserve functioning and favoring recovery.
Conclusions
In conclusion, we need a better understanding of mechanisms involved in trauma, executive function and the alarm system beyond anxiety reactions, trying to understand the function of symptom without eliminating it, but evaluating whether there are healthier alternatives can be promoted for the complete recovery of the patient.
Thanks to advances in medicine, more diseases are being cured, but this benefit can become a problem when it causes a worsening of quality of life.
Objectives
The objective of this paper is to analyze, regarding the following case, the convenience of treating or to limit the therapeutic effort (LTE) in psychiatric patients who are in situations at the end of life.
Methods
62-year-old woman begins with depressive symptoms from financial problems. In 4 months ago she makes four suicide attempts (drug overdose, cuts, self-stabbing, and precipitation), being hospitalized in ICU after latter because of multiple trauma and shock. During that time, she had a bad evolution with several complications that made LTE be evaluated. A bibliographic search was performed from different database (Pubmed, TripDatabase) about LTE and ethical implications.
Results
Trying to prolong life by disproportionate means in a patient with a poor prognosis or poor quality of life is bad practice. We must assess the severity, quality of life, capacity and preferences of the patient to decide to treat or not, thus guaranteeing the principle of beneficence. It is also important to respect the principle of autonomy, accepting patients can refuse treatment. All this is equally applicable to psychiatric patients, whom we should not stigmatize but rather evaluate their ability to decide, as in any person.
Conclusions
In conclusion, in situations of high suffering and near death, it is necessary a complete evaluation of the patient (psychiatric or not) is carried out in order to act in the most ethical way.
There are many authors that follow and develop Pinel-hypotheses about unitary psychosis, joining recent discoveries in neuropathology and neurochemistry, supporting the vision of mental illness as neurodevelop disorders. The classification they suggest, distinguishes early, late neurodevelop disorders, and those related to traumatic factors, what determine an evolutive vision of this pathology. In terms of anxiety symptoms/disorders, they have been usually associated with categorical pathology, and treated focus on symptoms,unfortunately relapses are very frequent.
Objectives
Proving that the evolutive vision may ease a change on the intervention of anxiety disorders, that would propound different therapeutic alternatives.
Methods
A bibliographic search was performed from different databases, showing throw aspects related to main etiopathogenic theories about anxiety disorders from an evolutive vision.
Results
Evolutive-Psychology raises that anxiety is a concomitant process to development, that grows progressively and is necessary to induce changes in it. However a high level of anxiety might block that process or causes alterations. In that sense, anxiety-disorders may be related to an excess of anxiety that provoke a fault in present handling mechanisms. According to classic dynamic-theories, these mechanisms are associated with defence concept, but now we can link them to neurobiological development. From this point, there exists an asymmetric neurological maturation through childhood-adolescence that translates different manifestations of anxiety along development, initially more related with external contemption and relationship with caregiver, but later with hormonal pulses, physical changes and separation from family.
Conclusions
The evolutive vision allows to understand development fluctuation of anxiety symptoms along the growth process, more accurately than categorical classic tendency.
Concomitant presence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms(OCS)is relatively frequent in psychotic patients and there are different hypotheses trying to explain the origin of them as pathology evolution,comorbid disorder,defence mechanism,or even a medication side-effect,but it is difficult to make a precise evaluation of these symptoms and the mechanisms involved.SometimesOCS are the first manifestation toappear without any other areas affected,and psychotic disorder comes later with initial symptoms in that domain.
Objectives
Evaluate the association between OCS and psychosis to document pathogenia of both entities.
Methods
A bibliographic search was performed about this topic.We present two cases of patients that have been referred to our unit: A34year old man, a usual consumer of cannabis,who shows checking and organizing compulsions that interfere significantly with their life.Consumptions grew progressively until they became daily,trying to decrease partly this behaviour. He comes to an addiction unit where he achieves abstinence,but immediately shows an important functional-impairment, adding to the previous compulsions new ones,and also thought blocking,social retraction and personality change. He starts taking antidepressant and benzodiazepines to reduceOCS, and weeks later begins a manic episode with delusions as a bipolar-disorder debut. A29year old man, with a history of familiar obsessive personality,that begins to worry about physical appearance and starts compulsive behaviour focused on exercise preventing him from daily activities.No response to antidepressants, he started antipsychotics and develop referential-symptoms.
Results
Both are atypical presentations of bipolar and schizophreniform disorders withOCS,where the beginning of treatment causes psychosis-symptoms not previously developed.
Conclusions
Frequent doubts are what factors determine the eclosion.The triggers are not clear and neither the related-pathology.