Neuropsychological assessment fails to predict relapse among cigarette smokers: A prospective study of neurocognitive abilities.

Objectives: Understanding the factors that lead to relapse is a major challenge for the clinical support of smoking cessation. Neurocognitive abilities such as attention, executive functioning and working memory, are possible predictors of relapse and can be easily assessed in everyday clinical practice. In this prospective longitudinal study, we investigated the relationship between pre-smoking cessation neurocognitive performance and relapse at six months in a sample of patients being treated for their tobacco dependence.

Association between periodontitis and pulse wave velocity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: Severe periodontitis has been associated with endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffness. The present study aimed to provide a critical appraisal and a meta-analysis of the literature investigating pulse wave velocity (PWV) in patients with and without severe periodontitis and to assess whether treatments influence PWV.

Materials And Methods: English literature was searched on multiple databases up to April 2020 by two independent reviewers.

Reducing Attentional Bias in Individuals With Alcohol Use Disorders With a Tablet Application: A Randomized Controlled Trial Pilot Study.

Aims: Cognitive bias modification (CBM) training has been considered a promising and effective intervention tool for reducing cognitive biases toward alcohol. However, the link between the cognitive process and actual behavior remains statistically insignificant because computerized tasks do not have sufficient ecological validity and suffer from high dropout rates. The recent development of 'serious games' has shown encouraging results in maintaining adherence to health-related interventions.

Sleep disorders and oral health: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: Sleep disorders (SDs), particularly sleep deprivation, may alter the immune system and induce systemic inflammation. Recent evidence supports an association between SDs and periodontal diseases. This cross-sectional epidemiological study aims to compare oral health variables, such as the amount of plaque/calculus, gingival inflammation, and masticatory function, in individuals with and without SDs.

Executive Functions in Tobacco Dependence: Importance of Inhibitory Capacities.

Background: Executive functions are linked to tobacco dependence and craving. In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the impact of three executive functions: updating, inhibition and shifting processes on tobacco craving and dependence.

Method: 134 tobacco consumers were included in this study: 81 moderately (Fagerström score <7) and 53 heavily dependent (Fagerström score >7).

Periodontitis and arterial stiffness: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction And Aims: Patients with periodontitis have a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, although a causal relationship between these conditions remains unclear. Arterial stiffness is considered a marker of arteriosclerosis and a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. A systematic review of the literature on clinical studies using pulse wave velocity (PWV) to assess arterial stiffness in patients with periodontitis was carried out to answer the following questions: (i) Do patients with periodontitis have impaired arterial stiffness compared to non-periodontal diseased subjects? (ii) Is periodontal treatment effective as a means to improve arterial stiffness in patients with periodontitis?

Literature Review: Literature search was done on different databases up to September 2014.

Contact dependent reproducible hypomania induced by deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease: clinical, anatomical and functional imaging study.

Hypomanic symptoms depending on anatomical location of contacts are reported in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) treated by deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN). However, the underlying cortical and subcortical dysfunction is debated. In this study, five PD patients implanted with DBS-STN who presented with reversible and reproducible hypomanic symptoms after stimulation of specific 'manic' contacts were investigated.

Recurrent herpes and post-traumatic stress disorder.

A 33-year-old male presented with recurrent outbreaks of perioral herpes of disfiguring nature that remained unresolved following therapy. The first perioral outbreak occurred following a road accident. The psychiatric interview conducted with the patient suggested post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) secondary to the accident.

Psychopathological features of a patient population of targets of workplace bullying.

Background: A strong association between workplace bullying and subsequent anxiety and depression, indicated by empirical research, suggests that bullying is an aetiological factor for mental health problems.

Aims: To evaluate levels of stress and anxiety-depression disorder developed by targets of workplace bullying together with outcome at 12 months and to characterize this population in terms of psychopathology and sociodemographic features.

Methods: Forty-eight patients (36 women and 12 men) meeting Leymann Inventory of Psychological Terror criteria for bullying were included in a prospective study.