We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
To save content items to your account,
please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies.
If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account.
Find out more about saving content to .
To save content items to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org
is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings
on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part
of your Kindle email address below.
Find out more about saving to your Kindle.
Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations.
‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi.
‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.
Mental Health problems and substance misuse during pregnancy constitute a serious social problem due to high maternal-fetal morbidity (Cook et al, 2017; JOCG, 39(10) ,906-915) and low detection and treatment rates (Carmona et al. Adicciones. 2022;34(4):299-308)
Objectives
Our study aimed to develop and test the feasibility and acceptability of a screening and treatment clinical pathway in pregnancy, based on the combination of e-Health tools with in-person interventions and, secondly, describe the prevalence of mental illness and substance use problems in this population.
Methods
1382 pregnant women undergoing her first pregnancy visit were included in a tailored clinical pathway and sent a telematic (App) autoapplied questionnaire with an extensive battery of measures (WHO (Five) Well-Being [WHO-5],Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9], General Anxiety Disorder [GAD-7], Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test [AUDIT], Drug Abuse Screening Test [DAST], Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale [C-SSRS] and specifically designed questions on self-harm and psychopharmacological drugs).
Patients who did not respond to the questionnaire on their own received a counseling call.
Based on the screening results, patients were classified into five groups according to severity (Figure 1) and assigned a specific action pathway (Figure 2) that included a range of intervention intensity that goes from an individual psychiatric appointment to no intervention.
Results
Of the 1382 women included in the clinical pathway, 565(41%) completed the evaluation questionnaires. Of these, 205 (36%) were screened as positive (Grades III,IV or V. Table 1) and 3(0.5%) were classified as needing urgent care. Of the patients offered on-line groups (100), 40% (40) were enrolled in them.Table 1:
Grade distribution of those screened as positives
Grade III
97 (17,2%)
Grade IV
105 (18,6%)
Grade V
3 (0,5%)
Concerning prevalence rates, 73 (12,9%) patients endorsed at least moderate anxiety according to GAD-7 (≥10), 65 (11,5%) endorsed at least moderate depression according to PHQ-9 (≥ 10), 17 were positive on DAST (3%) and 63 (11%) patients scored above the threshold in AUDIT-C(≥ 3) for alcohol use.
Image:
Image 2:
Conclusions
High prevalence rates suggest that effective detection and treatment mechanisms should be integrated into usual care. The use of standardized clinical pathways can help with this aim, allowing better clinical management and referral to treatment, but still face challengues to increase retention. The use of e-health tools offers the opportunity to improve accessibility and therapeutic outcomes through online interventions.
The present study aims to determine the prevalence estimates of MBI and specific MBI domains in a large sample of the general population, by degree of cognitive impairment (CI).
Method:
A representative community sample of individuals aged 55+ (n=4803) (ZARADEMP Study) was studied. MBI, and specific MBI domains, were assessed according to ISTAART-AA MBI criteria, using the Geriatric Mental State (GMS). In accordance with these criteria, clinically significant anxiety, depression, and dementia were excluded. For the standardized degree of CI Perneczky et al. ́s criteria were applied: normal (MMSE 30), questionable (MMSE 26-29), mild CI (MMSE 21-25), moderate-severe CI (MMSE <21).
Results:
The prevalence of MBI, and specifically the domain Decrease Motivation (DM), increased progressively and significantly by degree of CI, the differences being significant between all cognitive groups. After control by age and education, DM was 2- and 4.5-times more frequent in subjects with mild CI (10.6%) and moderate-severe CI (18.3%), respectively, than in cognitive normal (5.8%). Affective Dysregulation (AD) was 1.7-times more frequent in mild CI (26.4%) (vs 20.4% in normal). Impulsive Dyscontrol (ID) was 2- and 7.9-times more frequent in mild CI (8%) and moderate-severe CI (23.5%) than in cognitive normal (4.7%). And Abnormal Perception and Thoughts (APT) was 6-times more frequent in moderate-severe CI (10%) (vs 1.4% in cognitive normal).
Conclusion:
Our results confirm an increase of MBI prevalence across the spectrum of CI. However, each specific domain of MBI shows a different pattern of association with CI. Our results support the relevance of studying MBI domains independently.
Palygorskite fibers growing along fault planes in the outcrops of a large fault zone in SE Spain (Carboneras Fault Zone: CFZ; Serrata de Níjar) were studied by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and transmission electron microscopy-analytical electron microscopy. The structural formulae, calculated per half unit-cell, is: Si7.95Al0.05O20(Al1.93Fe0.08Mg1.92) (OH)2(OH2)4Na0.09K0.01Ca0.034(H2O). The samples have minor tetrahedral substitutions, with Mg/Al ratios close to one, and contain very small amounts of Fe3+. The number of octahedral cations per half unit-cell is 3.93. The fault-hosted palygorskite shows macroscopic ductile features including incipient foliation. Based on field and laboratory observations, as well as on regional geological evidence indicating the existence of widespread hydrothermal processes along the Serrata de Níjar and surrounding areas, we suggest that palygorskite may have formed during ongoing deformation in the CFZ, as a precipitate from Mg-rich hydrothermal fluids.
Tobacco is a highly prevalent substance of abuse in patients with psychosis. Previous studies have reported an association between tobacco use and schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between tobacco use and first-episode psychosis (FEP), age at onset of psychosis, and specific diagnosis of psychosis.
Methods
The sample consisted of 1105 FEP patients and 1355 controls from the European Network of National Schizophrenia Networks Studying Gene–Environment Interactions (EU-GEI) study. We assessed substance use with the Tobacco and Alcohol Questionnaire and performed a series of regression analyses using case-control status, age of onset of psychosis, and diagnosis as outcomes and tobacco use and frequency of tobacco use as predictors. Analyses were adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, alcohol, and cannabis use.
Results
After controlling for cannabis use, FEP patients were 2.6 times more likely to use tobacco [p ⩽ 0.001; adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.6; 95% confidence interval (CI) [2.1–3.2]] and 1.7 times more likely to smoke 20 or more cigarettes a day (p = 0.003; AOR 1.7; 95% CI [1.2–2.4]) than controls. Tobacco use was associated with an earlier age at psychosis onset (β = −2.3; p ⩽ 0.001; 95% CI [−3.7 to −0.9]) and was 1.3 times more frequent in FEP patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia than in other diagnoses of psychosis (AOR 1.3; 95% CI [1.0–1.8]); however, these results were no longer significant after controlling for cannabis use.
Conclusions
Tobacco and heavy-tobacco use are associated with increased odds of FEP. These findings further support the relevance of tobacco prevention in young populations.
Schizoaffective disorder is a psychotic disorder of controversial nosological entity. Affective symptomatology and psychotic features of varying intensity coexist simultaneously in him throughout evolution. The lack of consensus on the existence of this entity determines its diagnostic delay and the absence of specific treatment guidelines.
Objectives
To review the diagnostic criteria for schizoaffective disorder and the published scientific evidence on the efficacy and safety of the different therapeutic options available. To analyze the efficacy of a multidisciplinary treatment plan implemented in an intensive follow-up program, presenting the evolution of a clinical case.
Methods
To review the psychiatric history and psychopathological evolution of a patient diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder from the beginning of an intensive follow-up program in a day center to the present. Review the existing scientific evidence on the usefulness of the treatments used in this nosological entity.
Results
This is a longitudinal and retrospective study of a clinical case in which the areas for improvement are analyzed before implementing a multidisciplinary therapeutic program and the favorable results obtained today. Currently, the patient is euthymic and attenuated and chronic positive and negative symptoms persist that do not interfere with his functionality.
Conclusions
From the implementation of an individualized, personalized and multidisciplinary maintenance treatment plan, an overall improvement in psychopathological stability and functional recovery is observed. Among the psychopharmacological options in this patient, Paliperidone Long Acting Injection (PLAI) stands out for its long-term efficacy and safety.
People with borderline personality disorder are at higher risk of repeating suicidal behavior. At the same time, numerous publications have demonstrated the relationship between cocaine dependence and suicide attempts of repetition.
Objectives
Review the relationship between cocaine addiction, borderline personality disorder and repeated suicide attempts. Present through a clinical case the effectiveness of a comprehensive and multidisciplinary therapeutic plan with different mental health devices.
Methods
To review the psychopathological evolution of a patient with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder; dependence to the cocaine; Harmful alcohol consumption and suicidal behavior from the beginning of follow-up in mental health services to the present. Review the existing scientific evidence on the relationship between cocaine addiction and repeated suicide attempts. Analyze the eficacy of the different treatments available.
Results
This is a longitudinal and retrospective study of the psychiatric history and evolution of a clinical case since the implementation of an individualized therapeutic program and the favorable results obtained. Intensive outpatient follow-up was carried out for high suicide risk and hospitalization in a psychiatric hospitalization unit, day care centre and therapeutic community.
Conclusions
At present, the patient remains in abstinence with remission of suicidal ideation. The literature has shown the usefulness of intensive mental health follow-up programs to achieve remission of suicidal ideation and maintain abstinence from illegal substances.
Most of the existing prediction models for COVID-19 lack validation, are inadequately reported or are at high risk of bias, a reason which has led to discourage their use. Few existing models have the potential to be extensively used by healthcare providers in low-resource settings since many require laboratory and imaging predictors. Therefore, we sought to develop and validate a multivariable prediction model of death in Mexican patients with COVID-19, by using demographic and patient history predictors. We conducted a national retrospective cohort study in two different sets of patients from the Mexican COVID-19 Epidemiologic Surveillance Study. Patients with a positive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction for SARS-CoV-2 and complete unduplicated data were eligible. In total, 83 779 patients were included to develop the scoring system through a multivariable Cox regression model; 100 000, to validate the model. Eight predictors (age, sex, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunosuppression, hypertension, obesity and chronic kidney disease) were included in the scoring system called PH-Covid19 (range of values: −2 to 25 points). The predictive model has a discrimination of death of 0.8 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.796–0.804). The PH-Covid19 scoring system was developed and validated in Mexican patients to aid clinicians to stratify patients with COVID-19 at risk of fatal outcomes, allowing for better and efficient use of resources.
Stress and trauma have been reported as leading contributing factors in schizophrenia. And certainly child abuse (neglect, emotional, physical and sexual abuse among others) has a lasting negative impact, which is well established in literature.
Objectives
To consider the presence of infant trauma and its relationship with psychopathology in paranoid schizophrenics.Methods. 37 patients (mean age 29±6.3; years from onset 9.20±4.7), meeting DSM IV paranoid schizophrenia criteria, undergoing treatment in a university hospital are studied. The PANSS is administered in order to rate psychopathology.
Results
27 patients had infant trauma (55.8%). Main traumas are: sexual abuse (12.8%), child abuse (7.7%), both sexual and child abuse (5.18%), parental separation (7.7%), extra-rigid parents (2.6%), alcoholic parents (18.2%), child abuse and mother's death in childhood (2.6%). Infant trauma and psychopathology showed a significant relationship concerning Hostility (No 1.75±1.209, Yes 2.26±1.759), Unnatural Movements and Posture (No 1.55±0.945, Yes 1.16±0.545), Depression (No 1.25±0.550, Yes 1.74±1.284) and Preoccupation (No 2.75±1.410, Yes 3.26±1.996).
Conclusions
Infant trauma is common in paranoid schizophrenia and our findings give some evidence to a relationship with psychopathology, especially with dimensions as Hostility, Unnatural Movements and Posture, Depression and Preoccupation. Despite sample size, a high proportion (55.8%) of the patients presented infant trauma and future research is needed in order to open new avenues in this field, particularly studies concerning infant trauma and symptomatology specificity will be greatly appreciated as well as the plausible link to personality traits and personality disorders.
Schizophrenia is a chronic disease. Several etiopathogenic aetiologies have been posed, among them the existence of cerebral inflammation. S100B is a calcium-binding protein, mainly produced and secreted by astrocytes, that mediates the interaction among glial cells and between glial cells and neurons. Serum S100B levels have been proposed as a peripheral marker of brain inflammation.
Objectives
The aim of this research is to study if the serum level of the protein S100B has relationship with positive psychopathology.
Methods
31 paranoid schizophrenic inpatients (22 male and 9 female, 36.7±10.3 years) meeting DSM-IV criteria participated in the study. Blood was sampled by venipuncture at 12:00 and 24:00 hours. Blood extractions were carried out during the first 48 hours after hospital admission. Psychopathology was assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Serum S100B levels were measured by sandwich ELISA techniques.
Results
Correlations between serum levels of S100B protein and PANSS positive scores are shown in the following table. The first figure corresponds to the Pearson's correlation coefficient, while the figure in brackets corresponds to its statistical significance.
S100B
Total Positive Score
Delusions
Conceptual disorganization
Hallucinations
Hyperactivity
Grandiosity
Suspiciousness/ persecution
Hostility
12:00
0.354 (0.051)
0.210 (0.249)
0.291 (0.106)
0.412 (0.019)
-0.128 (0.486)
0.274 (0.135)
0.010 (0.957)
0.026 (0.887)
24:00
0.462 (0.009)
0.266 (0.141)
0.446 (0.011)
0.345 (0.053)
-0.148 (0.419)
0.486 (0.006)
0.064 (0.728)
0.013 (0.942)
[panss]
Conclusions
Serum levels of S100B protein may be used as a biological marker of positive psychopathology in paranoid schizophrenia.Acknowledgement
To know prevalence of depression in Spanish nursing home(NH) by analysing the clinical profile of residents from RESYDEM study (Identification of patients with cognitive deterioration and dementia in NH).
Design/methods
A multicentral, transversal, observational study was carried out in April 2005. 71 geriatrician from 54 NH representing the Spanish state participated. Depression was analysed in patient´s history and determined by NPI of Cummings, NH version.
Results:
1037 residents were randomized, 1020 were used by clinical data analysis. 941 were used to determine depression prevalence. Median age 83,4yo, 66.6% were women, 70.9% with basic educational level, 57.4% widows, 25.7% single, 41.5% had some degree of functional deterioration, 22.1% had delirium. In 26.4% were documented Stroke(17,9% TIA). 61.7% had dementia.
Depression appears in 31.4% of elderly institutionalized with the only diagnosis of depression or independent of others. There were no significant differences in age groups. However, was most frequent in women. 95.7% of patients with diagnosis of dementia had at least one drug for depression. Most used anti-depressants were trazadone (23%), citalopram (20.9%), sertraline (15.8%), fluoxetine (10.1%). No tricyclical anti-depressant reached 1% of consumption.
Conclusions:
Depression affects practically one in three institutionalized elderly in Spain
Institutionalized elderly with depression are largely treated with ISRS. It is believed that the use of trazadone is linked with the effects on sleep and anxiety.
The high prevalence of depression, its overlapping with other processes and the comorbility of residents requires a careful search and approach in NH which implies a challenge for professionals in order to treat it.
Data from elderly suicides was obtained from two previous studies of community suicides in two localities of Northern Spain, namely, Oviedo between 1983 and 1990, and Gijón between 1975 and 1986. Data from the two localities were obtained by the revision of court register cases. A retrospective study on elderly suicide (over 60 years of age) was carried out. Mean annual specific rates for the elderly in Oviedo for 1982–1991 were 37.7 (58.1 for men and 23.3 for women) and for those in Gijón for the period 1975–1986, 23.4 (40 for men and 11.5 for women). A marked increase was seen in the rates for Gijón from the first (1975–1978) to the last period (1983–1986). This was particularly marked in men. The greatest increase in the rate was seen in men over 75 from Gijón and in those between 1970–1974 from Oviedo. In contrast a decrease was seen in the 65–69 age group rates for both men and women. A tendency for the rates to increase was seen but no important increase for elderly suicides was evident.
Musical hallucinations are a rare phenomenon in clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to analyze the clinical spectrum of musical hallucinations.
Method:
We analysed demographic and clinical features of cases published in English, Italian, French or Spanish between 1991 and 2006 registered in MEDLINE, including three of our own cases. The cases were separated into four groups according to their main diagnoses (hearing impairment; psychiatric disorder; neurological disorder; toxic or metabolic disorder).
Results:
115 patients with musical hallucinations were included, of which 63.5% were female. The mean age was 57,25 years. Main diagnoses were: psychiatric disorder (46.1%; schizophrenia 30.4%), neurological disorder (21,7%), hearing impairment (17,4%), toxic or metabolic disorder (12.2%) and 2.6% other diagnoses.
61.7% patients presented simple diagnoses while 36.5% presented two or more diagnoses. 2.1% of patients didn't receive any diagnoses. 35.7% of patients and 60.9% of non psychiatric patients presented hearing impairment.
Both instrumental and vocal were the more frequent musical hallucinations and most of the patients had insight about the abnormality of their perceptions. Another kind of hallucinations was present in 40.9% of patients, auditory hallucinations being the most common. Also, 38,3% of the global sample had abnormalities in brain structural image (MRI, CT).
Conclusions:
Musical hallucinations are a heterogeneous phenomenon in clinical practice. published cases describe them as more common in women and in psychiatric and neurological patients. Hearing impairment seem to be an important risk factor in the development of musical hallucinations.
Determine the presence of neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), using the NPI-NH(Neuropsychiatric Inventory Nursing Home(NH) Version),in order to provide a multidimensional profile in behavioural symptoms in residents and to calculate its prevalence in Spanish NH.
Design/ Methods
From randomized population of RESYDEM study (Identification of patients with cognitive deterioration and dementia in NH) a multi-central, cross-sectional and observational study was carried out. 71 geriatrician from 54 NH representative the Spanish state participated.NPS was determinated by NPI Cummings NH version. This version includes upsets in sleep and feeding patterns.
992 residents were examined (Median age 83.4yo, 66.6% women, 91.8% received at least one type of treatment, 61.7% with dementia). 523 (52.7%) presented at least one type of NPS. In order of greatest frequency, the following were noted: alterations in sleep patterns (41.7%), depression/disphoria (31.4%), anxiety (31.2%), agitation/aggressiveness (29.6%), apathy/indifference (25.8%), delirious ideas (23.7%), irritability (22.4%), feeding/appetite upsets (18.5%), anomalous motor behaviour (15.3%), hallucinations (13.8%), desinhibition (11.1%), euphoria (4.4%).
35.9% of residents received benzodiapines, 26.7% antidepressants. Atypical neuroleptics were used in 15.8%, in contrast with 7.4% of the use of classic ones.
Conclusions:
NPS ´s reached a high prevalence in NH and it is usual that more than one co-exists in the patients.
Alterations in sleep patterns, depression, anxiety, agitation/aggressiveness affect approximately one in three residents.
It is useful and recommendable to evaluate the 12 behavioural areas from the NH version of the NPI scale. This instrument was chosen as a sifting measure to establish neuropyschiatric symptomology in residences.
Comorbidity has been defined as the coexistence of somatic and psychiatric diseases with diferent physiopatology in the same person, and it can appear simultaneously to the schizophrenia or during the patient's lifetime. There are two types of comorbidity: episodical or taking place during the lifetime of the patient. We can diffferenciate between comorbidity itself (in cluster, dependent or associated) to the so-called pseudo-comorbidity. Besides, comorbidity has been classified as a co-syndrome and it is considered a prognosis indicator of this disease, which can determine an increase in the rates related to relapses, worse response to treatment, less capacity to cope with social situations, and suicide in patients suffering from schizophrenia.
Results:
177 schizophrenic patients were assessed for affective symptoms and suicide behaviour. 24.3% were suffered for depression. 35% had a previous record of autolytic attempts. The rate of suicide history were higher among depressed schizophrenics (50%) than non-depressed schizophrenics (20%) (p<0,05).
Conclusions:
We point out the clinic importance of suicide in schizophrenic patients suffering from depression. Moreover, the study shows the necessity to carry out longitudinal studies to recognize indicators of depression in advance and establish the diagnosis of depression, and, also, to acknowledge the importance of the gender factor in the depression of schizophrenic patients.
Recently, a renaissance of interest in ‘negative symptoms’ as emotional withdrawal or blunted affect, has occurred. Some investigators believe that these symptoms are important indicators of outcome, of response to treatment and of a distinct underlying pathologic process.
Research on the negative-symptom syndrome in schizophrenia has been handicapped until recently.
Aims:
This research aims at studying whether acute phase proteins, precisely, Alpha1-glycoprotein, can be considered as a marker of negativesymptom in Schizophrenia.
Methods:
29 chronic schizophrenics were assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). A routine blood test including Alpha1-glycoprotein levels was carried out.
Results:
Alpha1-glycoprotein shows a positive correlation, according to Pearson correlation coefficient, with the Negative Scale at an almost significant level (p=.05), and at a significant level in the following items, Blunted affect (p=.03), Passive/apathetic Social Withdrawal (p=.01) of the Negative spectrum and Poor Attention (p=.02) of the General Psychopathology Scale.
Conclusions:
There is a significant correlation with two Negative variables and an almost significant one, spite of the small sample, with the Negative Scale. Further studies with bigger samples are needed in order to consider alpha1-glycoprotein as a schizophrenia negative psychopathology marker.
In the absence of biological measures, diagnostic long-term stability provides the best evidence of diagnostic validity.Therefore,the study of diagnostic stability in naturalistic conditions may reflect clinical validity and utility of current schizophrenia diagnostic criteria.
Objectives
Describe the diagnostic evolution of schizophrenia in clinical settings.
Methods
We examined the stability of schizophrenia first diagnoses (n=26,163) in public mental health centers of Madrid (Spain).Probability of maintaining the diagnosis of schizophrenia was calculated considering the cumulative percentage of each diagnosis per month during 48 months after the initial diagnosis of schizophrenia.
Results
65% of the subjects kept the diagnosis of schizophrenia in subsequent assessments (Figure 1). Patients who changed (35%) did so in the first 4-8 months. After that time gap the rates of each diagnostic category remained stable. Diagnostic shift from schizophrenia was more commonly toward the following diagnoses: personality disorders (F60), delusional disorders (F22), bipolar disorder (F31), persistent mood disorders (F34), acute and transient psychotic disorders (F23) or schizoaffective disorder (F25).
Conclusions
Once it is confirmed, clinical assessment repeatedly maintains the diagnosis of schizophrenia.The time lapse for its confirmation agrees with the current diagnostic criteria in DSM-IV. We will discuss the implications of these findings for the categorical versus dimensional debate in the diagnosis of schizophrenia.
The objective of the present study was to examine the short-term effectiveness of a 11-week chess training course for children with ADHD. This is a naturalistic, descriptive clinical intervention study.
Methods
Sample and procedure: Parents of 44 children between 6 and 17 of age with a primary diagnosis of ADHD consented to take part into the present study. Parents completed the Spanish version of the Swanson, Nolan and Pelham Scale for parents (SNAP-IV) and the the Abbreviated Conners Rating Scales for parents (CPRS-HI) prior to 11-week chess training course. Statistical Analyses: We used a paired t test statistic to compare pre- to post- intervention outcomes, and Cohen-d calculations to measure the magnitude of the effect. Statistical significance was set at p< 0.05.
Results
After 11 weeks of these pilot programme, more than 80% of children showed improvement in the severity of ADHD. T-test revealed that children with ADHD improved in both the SNAP-IV (t=6.23; d.f.=41; p< 0.001) and the CPRS-HI (5.39; d.f.=33; p< 0.001). Our results suggest a large effect in decreasing the severity of ADHD as measured by the SNAP-IV (d=0.96) and the CPRS-HI (d=0.92)
Recently, several authors have argued in favor of extending the less common clinical phenotype of schizophrenia to a vulnerability phenotype of schizophrenia in the general population. It has been proposed that high levels in any of four different symptom dimensions (affective, psychosis, negative and cognitive) would lead to clinical assessment, identification of correlated symptoms in other dimensions and finally, the diagnosis of schizophrenia. Being so, we would expect to find such a dimensional pattern in the previous diagnoses of schizophrenic patients.
We examined previous contacts of a large cohort of patients diagnosed, according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), with schizophrenia (n = 26,163) in public mental health centers of Madrid (Spain) from 1980 to 2008. Of those patients, 56.7% received another diagnosis prior to schizophrenia. Non-schizophrenia diagnoses within the category of ‘schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders’ were common (F2; 40.0%). The other most frequent prior diagnoses were ‘neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders’ (F4; 47.3%), ‘mood disorders’ (F3; 41.4%), and ‘disorders of adult personality and behavior’ (F6; 20.8%). We then examined the probability of progression to schizophrenia, considering also time proximity. The strongest associations were between several F2 spectrum diagnoses with schizophrenia. However, some affective disorders (F3x) were also linked with schizophrenia but anxiety (F4) or personality disorders (F6) were not.
Our findings support two of the previously described dimensions (psychotic, affective) in the development of schizophrenia. Several limitations of the dimensional model will be discussed in view of these findings.
Comorbidity between alcoholism and depression has long been acknowledged, and the possibility that similar brain mechanisms, involving both serotonergic (5-HT) and noradrenergic systems (NE), underlie both pathologies has been suggested. Thus, inhibitors of NE and 5HT uptake have been proposed for the treatment of alcoholism, as they have shown to reduce alcohol intake in various animal models. However, most of the studies mentioned were carried out acutely and there is a lack of knowledge of the possible long-term effects. Clinical studies report an overall low efficacy of antidepressant treatment on alcohol consumption, or even a worsened prognosis. In addition, several cases of alcohol dependence following antidepressant treatment have been reported in the literature.
Objectives
We aimed at comparing the acute and chronic effects of the treatment with the antidepressant drug reboxetine on alcohol consumption.
Methods
We used a rat model of alcohol self-administration, and two different schedules of reboxetine administration (acute and chronic).
Results
Our results confirm the acute suppressant effects of reboxetine on alcohol consumption but indicate that, when this drug is administered chronically in a period of abstinence from alcohol, it can significantly increase the rate of alcohol self-administration.
Conclusions
These results are important for the understanding of the clinical reports describing cases of increased alcohol consumption after antidepressant treatment, and suggest that much more research is needed to fully understand the long term effects of antidepressants, which remain the most widely prescribed class of drugs.
Disclosure of interest
The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.