The smallest worthwhile difference (SWD) represents the smallest beneficial effect of an intervention that patients deem worthwhile given the harms, expenses and inconveniences of the intervention. The SWD facilitates interpretation of the patient-perceived importance of intervention effects. We previously estimated the SWD for antidepressants for depression, but the SWD for psychotherapy remains unknown.

To estimate the SWD of recommended psychotherapies for depression compared with no treatment.

We estimated the SWD through a patient required difference in response rates between psychotherapy and no treatment after 2 months. We recruited using Prolific, an online cross-sectional survey platform, in the UK and USA in January 2025. We also queried a random subset of respondents to replicate our previous SWD estimation for antidepressants.

In the primary study, we recruited 526 participants (mean age: 36.7 years (s.d. = 12.5); 54% women and 61% White individuals). Of these, 6% reported that they would not initiate psychotherapy with a 100% treatment response. For those willing to initiate psychotherapy, 87 reported moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms but were not in treatment, 184 were in treatment and 131 reported absent-to-mild symptoms with or without previous treatment. The median SWD for people with moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms, not in treatment and willing to consider psychotherapies was a 20% (interquartile range: 10–35%) difference in response rates comparing psychotherapy with no treatment. This was similar to the SWD for antidepressant drugs (SWD = 20%, interquartile range: 10–30%; n = 104). Participant characteristics were not meaningfully associated with the SWD.

Current empirically supported psychotherapy response rates of 15% were sufficient for one in three people to initiate psychotherapy given the burdens, but two in three expected greater treatment benefits or fewer burdens. The SWD for psychotherapy was not materially different from the estimated SWD for antidepressants. Individual patient value judgements and preferences merit greater attention. These findings should be replicated with diverse samples from different geographical locations.

Although global knowledge on paediatric cardiomyopathies has advanced, prospective cohort studies from Brazil, particularly those integrating clinical and genetic data, remain limited.

To describe the clinical and genetic characteristics of paediatric cardiomyopathy patients and identify mortality predictors in a metropolitan region of Brazil.

Prospective observational study of paediatric patients with cardiomyopathies. Clinical data, genetic findings, and survival were analysed using Kaplan–Meier curves.

A total of 45 cases, male predominance (55.6%), and mean age at diagnosis of 6.5 years. Dilated and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy were the most common (33.3%). The main reason for diagnosis was the investigation of cardiovascular symptoms (60.9%). Genetic investigation occurred in 66.6%, a positivity rate of 60%. Multi-organ/system involvement was significantly associated with a positive genetic result (77.7%, p = 0.017). Mortality was 11.1%; survival was significantly lower in the following conditions: ejection fraction < 30% (p < 0.0001), functional class III/IV (p < 0.0001), heart failure (p = 0.0091), use of three or more cardiovascular medications (p < 0.001), N-Terminal Pro-B-Type natriuretic peptide >1000pg/mL (p = 0.004), and heart transplant indication (p < 0.001).

These findings provide novel data in Brazil, highlight a high rate of positive genetic test, particularly among patients with systemic involvement and identify key clinical predictors of mortality to guide risk stratification and care.

The Atlas study, conducted in 2023, shows that the global prevalence of high body mass index (BMI) is expected to increase significantly by 2035, both in adults (from 42% to over 54%) and in young people aged 5-19 years (from 22% to 39%). Also in 2023, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) published a statement warning about the risk of suicidal thoughts and self-harm with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), including semaglutide, tirzepatide and liraglutide. The psychiatric safety of recently developed anti-obesity drugs has not been adequately studied.

The objective of this study was to collate and evaluate the existing evidence regarding the psychiatric safety of GLP-1 RAs in individuals without major psychopathology.

A narrative literature review was carried out in the PubMed, Cochrane and Embase databases, selecting only the articles published in the last 4 years, using the following keywords: depression suicidal ideation, GLP-1 receptor agonists, semaglutide, tirzepatide, liraglutide.

There is a complex relationship between body weight and depressive and anxiety disorders. Obesity can be understood as chronic low-grade inflammation of adipose tissue, and the activation of inflammatory pathways could lead to the development of depression and anxiety. Also, due to cultural norms, obesity contributes to increased body dissatisfaction and lower self-esteem, both of which are associated with depression and anxiety. All of these factors can contribute to the maintenance and worsening of anxiety and depression. In most trials, there was no evidence of an association between treatment with GLP-1 RAs and an increased risk of developing depression or suicidal thoughts/behaviour. Psychiatric adverse events were rare, occurring in only 1.2-1% of patients. Depression was the most common adverse event reported, followed by anxiety and suicidal ideation. Fatal outcomes occurred mainly in men and in people treated with liraglutide, which is associated with a higher risk of suicide than semaglutide. Tagliapietra et al suggest that the patient population receiving GLP-1RAs compared with other diabetes pharmacotherapies is a group with a higher basal risk of developing depression, rather than a causal effect of the drugs. Recent but limited real-world evidence suggests that the use of semaglutide is associated with reduced suicidal ideation and major depression.

The results of our analysis suggest that GLP-1 RAs did not increase the risk of developing symptoms of depression or suicidal thoughts. However, the severity and fatal outcomes of some of these reports warrant further investigation. People with obesity should be monitored for mental health problems so that they can receive appropriate support and care.

None Declared

The COVID-19 pandemic has evolved into substantial mortality and morbidity worldwide, with 5-8% of patients requiring intensive care. Years after the emergence of COVID-19, there is a heightened interest about the Long COVID, a heterogeneous condition characterized by persistent or emergent symptoms that last for weeks or months after patient’s recovery from acute infection, with a negative impact on physical and mental health. Research indicates that depression and anxiety often co-occur and may serve as predictors for Long COVID. Given the scale of the pandemic, even a small proportion of patients with long-lasting symptoms will create a significant health burden. Therefore, gathering data on the long-term evolution and outcomes of these patients is of utmost importance.

To identify depressive and anxiety symptoms in severe COVID-19 survivors 1-year after discharge and to analyse their association with sex, age and fear of recurrence and sequelae of COVID-19.

The cohort analysed is part of MAPA research project and includes adult patients admitted due to COVID-19, in an Intensive Care Medicine Department of a University Hospital in Portugal. Participants were evaluated 1-year after discharge to home with a comprehensive protocol, which included Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9; depressive symptoms), General Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7; anxiety symptoms) and a brief questionnaire about fear of recurrence and sequelae of COVID-19.

The final sample (n=159) had a mean age of 62.2 years and mostly (69%) was male. About 19% and 21% of survivors scored for depressive and anxiety symptoms, respectively. Both symptoms were significantly more prevalent among younger participants (p=0.031; p<0.001) and were associated with fear of recurrence (p=0.002; p=0.009) and sequelae (p=0.001; p<0.001) of COVID-19 1-year after discharge.

Overall, there is a significant prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms among COVID-19 survivors 1-year after discharge. These findings emphasize the need for greater attention to these symptoms in this population, since its recognition and treatment can improve quality of life and reduce symptoms in the long term, especially in younger patients.

This work was supported by National Funds through FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia,I.P., within CINTESIS, R&D Unit (reference UIDP/4255/2020)

None Declared

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a comprehensive evidence-based psychotherapy that focuses on teaching skills regarding the acceptance of circumstances and coping with emotional responses.

The objective of this study is to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the efficacy of DBT in patients diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder (BD) in order to ascertain whether it improves the recurrence of manic and depressive symptoms.

A systematic search of the PubMed (MEDLINE), Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases was conducted to identify studies that had applied DBT to patients with a diagnosis of BD.

A total of 343 patients were included in the study, comprising participants from eight randomized and non-randomized trials. Of whom, 196 patients (57.1%) underwent DBT and pharmacological treatment, while 147 patients (42.9%) were treated with alternative interventions. A total of 12 to 36 sessions of DBT were conducted across all trials, with a follow-up period ranging from three to 15 months. The age range of the participants was 15.8 to 49.3 years. All studies included patients diagnosed with BD type I (n=175), five articles included patients with BD type II (n=100), and two included patients with BD-NOS (Not Otherwise Specified) (n=68). The primary endpoint analyzed was the mean change in the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), as reported by three of the included studies. The meta-analysis yielded no statistically significant results, with a mean difference of -4.49 (95% CI: -11.75, 2.76; I² = 6%; p = 0.22) (Figure 2). The analysis of the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) revealed a mean of 5.96 in a total of 72 patients (95% CI: 0.29-11.64; I² = 97.39%; p < 0.001) (Figure 3).

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The DBT was observed to have a beneficial impact on mood episodes and symptomatic manifestations among adolescents and adults diagnosed with BD. Therefore, it may be postulated that the DBT could be employed in conjunction with pharmacological agents to mitigate the severity of symptoms and enhance the overall quality of life in patients with such a diagnosis.

None Declared

Postpartum depression (PPD) is one of the most prevalent mental disorders, with the potential to precipitate complications in childbearing. The estimated prevalence of PPD ranges from 7% to 13% in developed countries and exceeds 20% in underdeveloped countries. Near 20% of women presenting with symptoms of PPD experience suicidal ideation. Prompt detection and management of this patient group is of particular importance. The use of esketamine has shown to reduce the incidence of PPD in previous studies, but its widespread use has been hampered by its side effects and the need for hospitalisation.

We aimed to review the available literature on the efficacy and safety of peripartum esketamine use.

A narrative literature review was carried out in the PubMed, Cochrane and Embase databases, selecting only the articles published in the last 10 years, using the following keywords: pregnancy, esketamine, postpartum depression.

After childbirth 6 week is a high-risk period for PPD, specially the first week. The incidence of PPD is higher in C/S than in normal births. Compared with pregnant women who underwent C/S without the use of esketamine, those who used esketamine in the perioperative period had a 48% reduced risk of developing postpartum depression and a 1.43 point reduction in the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The optimal dose of esketamine for PPD is unknown; most studies consider high doses above 0.5 mg/kg and low doses inferior. These favourable effects were observed at both short and long-term follow-up and in low and high doses. Compared to intranasal esketamine, intravenous esketamine has a higher bioavailability and is more convenient to dose control. Route of administration and dose of esketamine did not affect the prophylactic effect of esketamine on PPD, but they differ in their adverse effect profiles. The incidence of immediate adverse reactions to intraoperative pumped esketamine is extremely high, particularly during the intraoperative period when more patients receiving esketamine developed neurological or psychiatric symptoms (97.7%). Other common immediate intraoperative maternal adverse events were nausea and vomiting, dizziness and hallucinations, but had no significant effect on postoperative adverse. Adverse reactions to esketamine are usually transient and are more common when single intravenous injection is used (continuous infusion is preferable), with faster and higher doses.

PPD has potentially serious consequences for mothers and their children, and there is an urgent need for safe, effective and accessible treatments. As the use of esketamine has progressed, concerns have arisen about adverse effects, particularly long-term efficacy, addiction and suicide risk. Current evidence suggests that although it may have a good preventive effect, a long research trail is needed to prove and confirm the efficacy and safety of esketamine.

None Declared

Duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) is defined as the time from manifestation of the first psychotic symptom to initiation of adequate antipsychotic drug treatment. It is associated with poorer response rates to antipsychotic medications and impaired cognition, which traslates in worse positive and negative symtomps. Various hypotheses for how untreated psychosis could impact brain function have been proposed. Dopaminergic hyperactivity leading to a progressive reduction in regional brain volumes and oxidative injury due to persistent catecholaminergic activity and prolonged activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis provide possible explanations for how chronic psychosis could be neurotoxic. In addition, glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity may also contribute to these effects through neuronal overstimulation that leads to an excessive influx of calcium and subsequent excitotoxicity and, ultimately, cell death via apoptosis.

To analyze the advantages of long-acting injectable therapy in the treatment of psychotic disorders in patients with prolongued duration of untreated psychosis with a case communication.

We present a 61 year old female patient, native of a rural area of Peru who moved to Spain and started treatment in our outpatient department. She does not provide any medical report. The family reports that she began to present symptoms from her first pregnancy, and has had to be admitted to hospital several times for suicide attempts. She had never taken any antipsychotic drug. During the last 30 years she developed symptoms consisting of erotomaniac and paranoid delusional ideation, cenesthetic and auditory hallucinations, soliloquy, self care deficit and disorganised speech and behaviour. She presented periods of maniac mood. As a result, she ended up isolated, taken care by his father and highly dependent on instrumental activities of daily living.

Treatment with Risperidone was started, although the patient presented poor adherence to it. She was finally admitted to hospital for a month and we introduced once-monthly Risperidone and Valproate with significant clinical improvement.

Long acting injectables are a good therapeutic option in patients with psychotic disorders, even with prolongued duration of untreated psychosis.

None Declared

PTSD is a mental disorder that may develop after exposure to threatening or horrifying events. PTSD is characterized by the following: 1) re-experiencing the traumatic event or events in the present in the form of vivid intrusive memories, flashbacks, or nightmares. Re-experiencing may occur via one or multiple sensory modalities and is typically accompanied by strong or overwhelming emotions, particularly fear or horror, and strong physical sensations; 2) avoidance of thoughts and memories of the event or events, activities, situations, or people reminiscent of the event(s); and 3) persistent perceptions of heightened current threat. The symptoms persist for at least several weeks and cause significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

Some reviewes found that PTSD is prevalent during pregnancy and after birth and may increase during postpartum if not identified and treated. It can affect women, their relationship and birth outcomes aswell as infant emotion regulation and development. The findings indicate that there are links between psychological, traumatic and birth-related risk factors as well as the perceived social support and the possible PTSD following childbirth in mothers and partners.

A case report is presented alongside a review of the relevant literature regarding the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of PTSD.

We present a case report of a 34-year-old woman with no previous contact with Mental Health Services. She got pregnant unexpectedly in the context of a long stable relationship. At the beginning she was feeling uncertain about carrying on with the pregnancy but finally decided to keep it. She states she felt well throughout the pregnancy. The night after giving birth her baby suffered from a cardiorespiratory arrest, which was noticed by the nursing team but not by the mother. The baby recovered with no medical sequelae but the patient started feeling depressed and presenting anergy, apathy, irritability, flashbacks, and intrusive memories of her sick baby and insomnia, checking every hour during the night that her child was still breathing. Later she developed separation anxiety from her baby, not being able to leave her in the kindergartner nor to leave her alone with other family members (including the father). Guilty feelings were persistantly observed during the therapy sessions.

Psychotherapeutic and pharmacological treatment was started with moderate improvement. Since breastfeeding was a rewarding experience and enforced the mother-daughter bond it was taken in consideration for the therapeutic plan.

The postpartum period is of special vulnerability and early treatment of symptoms in mothers is of great importance. Early diagnosis in maternity services should be a priority.

None Declared

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder in the adult population, often associated with an increased prevalence of comorbid conditions such as obesity and diabetes, but also several mental disorders that have been independently associated with worse hospitalization outcomes in a variety of situations. However, and despite such associations, there is a relative dearth of studies exploring comorbid psychopathology beyond depression and anxiety, and no studies seem to address the impact of comorbid mental disorders on the hospitalization outcomes of patients with OSA.

This study aims to characterize and compare mental comorbidities among hospitalization episodes of adult patients with and without OSA held in mainland Portugal, regardless of the primary cause of admission, and to analyze the impact of such comorbidities on hospitalization outcomes.

An observational retrospective study will be conducted using an administrative database comprising de-identified routinely collected discharge data from all Portuguese mainland public hospitals. Inpatient episodes spanning from 2008 to 2015 will be categorized into two groups according to the presence of an OSA code (ICD-9-CM codes 780.51, 780.53, 780.57, 327.20 and 327.23). For both groups, mental disorders will be identified according to categories 650 to 670 of the Clinical Classifications Software (CCS) for ICD-9-CM. Descriptive, univariate, and multivariate analyses will be performed. Study reporting will comply with the RECORD statement guidelines.

Out of 6,072,538 sampled episodes, 57,301 have an OSA code. Prevalence of any comorbid mental disorder is 30.4% in the OSA group, and 19.3% in the non-OSA group. For both groups, sociodemographic, administrative, and clinical variables will be characterized and compared, as well as the prevalence of each mental disorder category, yearly hospitalization trends, and most common primary diagnoses. Hospitalization outcomes, including length of stay, in-hospital mortality, and readmissions, will be compared taking into consideration the presence of CCS categories of mental disorders.

We expect to improve the understanding of the prevalence of mental comorbidities among hospitalized patients with OSA, including understudied mental disorders, and to elucidate their impact on relevant hospitalization outcomes, thus highlighting the need to recognize and treat this common association to achieve optimal outcomes.

None Declared

Alcohol and illicit drug use are highly prevalent among the homeless population. Religiosity and spirituality (RS) have been widely associated with lower substance use. However, evidence of this relationship among the homeless is still scarce.

To assess the association between RS and the use of alcohol and illicit drugs among the homeless population of a large Brazilian urban center.

This cross-sectional study was conducted in São Paulo, Brazil. Aspects such as spirituality (FACIT-Sp12), religiosity (P-DUREL), religious-spiritual coping (Brief-RCOPE), and self-applied questions about current substance use (alcohol and illicit drugs) were evaluated. Adjusted Logistic Regression models were performed.

A total of 456 homeless individuals were included, with an average age of 44.5 (SD=12.6) years. More than half of the participants used alcohol (55.7%) weekly and 34.2% used illicit drugs weekly. The adjusted Logistic Regression models identified that aspects of RS were associated with a lower propensity for alcohol and illicit drug use, whereas negative religious-spiritual coping strategies were associated with a higher propensity for the use of both.

The prevalence of alcohol and illicit drug use among participants was high. Positive RS and religious-spiritual coping were significant protective factors against the use of these substances. Conversely, negative religious-spiritual coping strategies were associated with risk factors.

None Declared

Epilepsy is one of the most common serious brain illness, with symptoms influenced by multiple risk factors and a strong genetic predisposition, rather than having a single expression and cause¹. Neuropsychiatric symptoms in epilepsy can encompass manifestations such as mood alterations, anxiety, sleep disturbances, psychosis, and behavioral disorders. While the motor and sensory manifestations of epileptic seizures are widely recognized, neuropsychiatric symptoms accompanying epilepsy are often underestimated. Therefore, it is essential to understand the most prevalent epidemiological profile of these patients to improve the diagnosis and management of these symptoms.

Our goal was to evaluate the neuropsychiatric behavior of epilepsy patients in Brazilian over the past 3 years through hospitalization data in order to outline an epidemiological and behavioral profile.

A cross-sectional, descriptive, retrospective, and quantitative study was conducted on hospitalizations of individuals simultaneously diagnosed with epilepsy, schizotypal and delusional disorders, and mood disorders in all five regions of Brazil (South, Southeast, Midwest, North, and Northeast) between February 2020 and December 2022. Data from January 2020 were not available. The data used were collected through the Department of Health Informatics of the Brazilian Unified Health System (DATASUS) in the “Hospital Information System of SUS” section, gathering information regarding the nature of care, age range, gender, and ethnicity of the patients.

The analysis covers the years 2020 to 2022, totaling 503,045 hospitalizations. In 2022, the highest number of cases occurred (≈ 37.55%), followed by 2021 (≈ 33.62%) and 2020 (≈ 28.81%). Urgent hospitalizations represented ≈ 90.85% of the total. The most affected age group was 30 to 39 years old (≈ 18.30%). Men were more affected than women (≈ 52.03% and ≈ 47.96%, respectively), and Caucasians accounted for ≈ 36.07% of the hospitalizations. The average length of stay was 19.1 days, and the mortality rate was 1.4%.

Thus, there is a gradual and annual increase in the number of hospitalizations during the observed period. While there is a minimal disparity between the affected genders, it is evident that the profile of male, caucasian, and adult patients is the most prevalent. Moreover, the predominantly urgent nature of hospitalizations points to an alarming scenario regarding this issue. From the analysis of the data obtained in the study, there is a clear need for interventions capable of reducing the prevalence of hospitalizations for neuropsychiatric symptoms in epilepsy patients in Brazil.

None Declared

Neuropsychiatric disorders are the leading cause of disability worldwide, as seen in cases such as depression, anxiety, bipolar mood disorder and schizophrenia, which can be developed or exacerbated by the use of psychoactive substances. Most mental disorders have an early onset, often leading to early and/or permanent disability, increasing the need and cost of healthcare. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the identification of the epidemiological profile of these cases in the South of Brazil in order to enhance the diagnosis and reduce the costs associated with managing these disorders.

The present study aimed to analyze statistical data regarding hospitalizations related to mental disorders caused by the use of psychoactive substances and alcohol in the southern region of Brazil, highlighting the pathological scenario and identifying the most prevalent profiles of these disorders in this region.

A cross-sectional, descriptive, retrospective, and quantitative study was conducted on hospitalizations of individuals diagnosed with mental and behavioral disorders due to the use of psychoactive substances and alcohol in the states of the Southern region of Brazil (Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul) between February 2020 and December 2022. Data of January 2020 were not available. The data used were collected through the Department of Health Informatics of the Brazilian Unified Health System (DATASUS) in the “Hospital Information System of SUS” section, gathering information regarding the nature of the care, age range, gender, and ethnicity of the patients.

The study covers the years 2020 to 2022, indicating a total of 81,608 hospitalizations, with the year 2022 having the highest number of cases (≈ 37.13%), followed by 2021 (≈ 33.30%) and 2020 (≈ 29.55%). The states with the highest number of hospitalizations were Rio Grande do Sul (≈ 54.90%), Paraná (≈ 29.29%), and Santa Catarina (≈ 15.79%). Urgent hospitalizations accounted for ≈ 87.29% of the total. The most affected age group was 30 to 39 years old (≈ 25.61%). Men were more affected than women (≈ 81.70% and ≈ 18.28%, respectively). Caucasians accounted for ≈ 64.29% of the hospitalizations. The average length of stay was 20.8 days, and the mortality rate was 0.32%.

There is a clear increase in the number of hospitalizations related to mental disorders caused by the use of psychoactive substances in the period from 2020 to 2022 in the southern region of Brazil, with the highest number of cases in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The most affected population consisted of Caucasian men aged 30 to 39 years old. Furthermore, these results may be related to the increasing trend of psychoactive substance use among the Brazilian population and also the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a period of underreporting due to social isolation.

None Declared

Oxytocin (OXT) is a neuropeptide associated with social behavior and the modulation of neural circuits related to social cognition and emotion regulation. Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that causes impairment in different areas of social cognition, including empathy. A systematic review of the literature showed positive effects of exogenous administration of this hormone on the empathy of individuals without psychopathology, especially in the affective domain. Studies on the effect of OXT on empathy in patients with schizophrenia are very limited, being restricted to the cognitive domain.ations must be overcome in future studies. The effects associated with chronic use of the hormone should be the subject of future studies.

to evaluate the effect of a single dose of intranasal OXT (24UI) on affective empathy in individuals with refractory schizophrenia and healthy controls.

a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted. A convenience sample of 51 adult men (mean age 34.4 ± 7.6, >10 years of education) was recruited, 20 of whom were diagnosed with refractory schizophrenia according to the DSM-5 (exclusively using clozapine or clozapine + mood stabilizer and/or benzodiazepine) and 31 healthy controls. They were randomized into four groups and received OXT or placebo (PLA – vehicle: SCH-OXT (N=11), SHC-PLA (N=9), HC-OXT (N=15), HC-PLA (N= 16)). Before and after 50 minutes of administering the substance, they performed an affective empathy task (Multifaceted Emphaty Test – MET).

the baseline levels of affective empathy of patients with schizophrenia were lower compared to healthy controls when faced with negative stimuli (p=0.003), but not positive ones (p=0.39). After the administration of OXT and PLA (post-pre), a small increase in empathy levels was observed in all groups, which did not reach statistical significance (positive stimuli: ΔSCH-OXT = 0.16±1.08; ΔSHC-PLA= 0.53±1.44, ΔHC-OXT= 0.02±0.67, ΔHC-PLA= 0.24±0.45, p=0.85; negative stimuli: ΔSCH-OXT = 0.20±1.31; ΔSHC-PLA= 1.16±0.79, ΔHC-OXT= 0.12±0.99, ΔHC-PLA= 0.31±0.57, p=0.11).

the acute effects of intranasal OXT did not favor improvements in the levels of affective empathy, either in patients with schizophrenia or in healthy controls, contrary to the hypotheses of this study. The limited sample size and context-dependent aspects of OXT may explain these findings. These methodological limitations must be overcome in future studies. The effects associated with chronic use of the hormone should be the subject of future studies.

None Declared

Psychiatry Pitstop is a role-play-based program for medical students aimed to improve communication skills in the framework of mental health. The workshop involved amateur actors who simulated different clinical scenarios and psychiatry residents, who facilitated the sessions and provided constructive feedback following the Pendleton method. Psychiatry Pitstop was originally developed in the United Kingdom and it was expanded to Lisbon, Portugal, in 2019. The authors adapted the course to the Portuguese context, adjusting the number of sessions and altering the scenarios to match common clinical situations faced by junior doctors in Portugal. By now, we conducted four courses.

Our study aims to describe the Portuguese adaptation of the program and to learn insights from the students feedback.

The course was assessed using satisfaction questionnaires, completed by the students after each session. These included a Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5, with items pertaining to Future Importance, Overall Quality, Theoretical Quality, and Practical Quality. Quantitative data was analyzed using Excel and standard descriptive statistics to summarize the results. The open questions invited students to articulate the main positive aspects, suggestions for improvement and future topics. A Natural Language Processing (NLP) software was used to evaluate open-ended responses and extract the main concepts.

We obtained a total of 39 single-answers from 4 different courses. Evaluation results yielded a mean score of 4.7 for Future Importance, 4.9 for Overall Quality, 4.3 for Theoretical Teaching, and 4.9 for Practical Teaching. Notable positive aspects included students’ appreciation of the immersive interview environment, the dedication exhibited by actors and doctors, well-prepared case scenarios, and engaging interactions with participants. Suggestions for improvement encompass enhanced theoretical introductions, comprehensive topic coverage, universal participation in simulations, and expanded workshop days. Future prospects for the program include practicing interviews with other psychiatric diagnosis, addressing difficult patients, delivering bad news and covering topics related to sexuality, grief and moral dilemmas.

Our study shows that Psychiatry Pitstop adaptation to the Portuguese context was successful. Overall, the feedback from medical students has been consistently positive. Subsequent editions will draw upon the findings of this study to enhance overall program quality.

None Declared

In recent years, mental health has gained prominence in public health, prompting thorough investigations into psychiatric condition trends. This study conducts a comprehensive epidemiological analysis of hospitalizations for Schizophrenia, Schizotypal, and Delirium Disorders in Rio Grande do Sul (RS) over the past five years. By revealing these patterns, it enhances our understanding of regional mental health dynamics and offers insights for intervention strategies, resource planning, and improved mental healthcare. The ultimate goal is to advance more effective and accessible mental healthcare in RS and beyond.

This study aims to analyze the prevalence and epidemiological profile of hospitalizations due to psychiatric disorders to assist in the diagnosis and outcome of affected patients.

A cross-sectional, descriptive, retrospective, and quantitative study was conducted regarding hospitalizations for Schizophrenia, Schizotypal Disorders, and Delirium in the state of RS between January 2018 and November 2022. Data were collected from the Department of Informatics of the Brazilian Unified Health System (DATASUS) in the “Hospital Information System of SUS” section, focusing on the nature of care, age group, gender, and ethnicity of the patients. The information was aggregated over the five-year period based on the four mentioned descriptors and subsequently analyzed to establish a profile of hospitalizations during that period.

The analysis spans from 2018 to 2022, encompassing a total of 28,345 hospitalizations. In 2019, there was the highest number of cases (22.21%), followed by 2018 (21.08%). Urgent care admissions constituted 85.34% of the total. The age group most affected was 35 to 39 years (11.8%). Men were more affected than women (60.18%), and the majority of hospitalizations were among the Caucasian ethnicity (75.12%). The average length of stay was 23.7 days, and the mortality rate stood at 0.26%.

The increasing trend in hospitalizations, peaking in 2019, highlights the need for preventive measures. Urgent admissions (85.34%) underscore the demand for accessible mental health resources. Men in the 35 to 39 age group are disproportionately affected, suggesting specific risk factors. The predominance of Caucasian ethnicity emphasizes the need for culturally sensitive care. A longer average length of stay (23.7 days) underscores treatment complexity, while a low mortality rate (0.26%) signals effective medical care. In essence, these findings inform tailored mental health policies to enhance service quality and prioritize patient-centered approaches.

None Declared

The Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5) is an instrument that aims to assess pathological personality traits according to the alternative model proposed by the DSM-5. To validate the comparison of an instrument’s scores between different groups, it is necessary that the measure’s invariance be attested, in order to guarantee that the same underlying constructions are being evaluated between the groups. Differences between sex in relation to the predominance of adaptive personality traits were portrayed in previous studies, a fact that seems to be related to culture.

This study aims to assess whether the PID-5 presents structural equivalence between sex (sex measuremet invariance) and whether there are differences between pathological personality traits in Brazilian men and women.

A community sample of 1110 subjects was assessed (71.2% women, mean age 34.6 (±15.8) years, 68.8% higher education). They were recruited through advertisements in different media and by the “snowball” method. Participants responded to the PID-5 in person. The cross-culturally adapted version into Brazilian Portuguese was used

The PID-5 showed that its structure was invariant for sex at the configural level (CFI= 1.000; TLI=1.007; RMSEA<0.001), metric (ΔCFI=0.01; ΔTLI= 0.02; ΔRMSEA=0.02) and scalar (ΔCFI=0.006) ; ΔTLI= 0.006; ΔRMSEA=0.004), allowing comparisons. Regarding the domains evaluated by the PID-5, men showed more traits of Distancing, Antagonism, Disinhibition and Psychoticism (p<0.002), while for Negative Affectivity there were no differences between genders (p=0.06). In terms of facets, women showed higher indicators of lability, anxiety and impulsivity (p<0.01), while men showed perseverance, withdrawal, restricted affectivity, manipulation, dishonesty, grandiosity, attention seeking, insensitivity, irresponsibility, exposure to risks, unusual beliefs and eccentricity (p<0.04).

The findings reinforce the validity evidence of the DSM-5 trait model, which, through the PID-5, similarly evaluates such aspects between sex. Differences between genders were observed in relation to pathological personality traits, which bear similarities with differences observed in terms of adaptive personality traits. Specificities are observed at the cultural level, when, for example, the findings are compared with a Japanese university sample, reinforcing the role of culture at this level

None Declared