Publications by authors named "Dario Conti"

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic disease with a prevalence in the general population of around 2%-3%, generally accompanied by a severe impairment of functioning and quality of life. A consistent subgroup of patients may not achieve adequate symptom remission with first-line treatments (i.e.

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Background: Work functioning impairment is a key diagnostic and prognostic criterion in patients with psychiatric disorders and work inclusion is a major goal of their therapeutic pathway. Since 2009, the Regional Innovative Program (PIR) TR106, promoted by ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco of Milan in collaboration with other Departments of Mental Health and Addictions (DSMDs) in the town of Milan (Italy), has been developing the employment inclusion of psychiatric patients.

Aims: The objective of this study is to evaluate its outcomes over 8 years of observation.

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Background: Long-acting injectable paliperidone can improve adherence in psychotic patients and reduce relapses and healthcare resource utilization (HRU). This study compares the effectiveness of the three-monthly paliperidone palmitate (PP3M) with the one-monthly formulation (PP1M) and investigates reasons that hinder the use of PP3M in real-world settings.

Methods: The authors conducted a three-phase observational study.

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Objective: health care workers (HCWs) represent a vulnerable group in the COVID-19 pandemic, given the exposure to greater risk and higher levels of work-related stress. Neurofeedback (NF) has shown to be effective in the treatment of stress-related symptoms. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of an alpha-increase NF protocol for the treatment of acute stress symptoms in HCWs exposed to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Poor adherence to treatment is currently stated to be one of the causes of depression relapse and recurrence. The aim of the present study is to assess potential differences in terms of clinical and lifestyle features related to adherence to treatment in a sample of patients with unipolar and bipolar depression. One hundred and eight patients with a diagnosis of unipolar or bipolar depressive episode were recruited from January 2021 to October 2022.

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Objective: Limited studies have investigated cannabis use in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), despite its widespread use by patients with psychiatric illnesses. The aim of this study was to assess the frequency, correlates, and clinical impact of cannabis use in an Italian sample of patients with OCD.

Methods: Seventy consecutive outpatients with OCD were recruited from a tertiary specialized clinic.

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Article Synopsis
  • - There is increasing global concern over problematic internet usage (PUI) and its effects on public health, which has intensified due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a review by experts in the field.
  • - Key advancements include a consensus on clinical definitions of various types of PUI, resulting in new diagnoses in the ICD-11 by the World Health Organization, which helps standardize research on these issues.
  • - Despite progress in understanding PUI, significant knowledge gaps remain, such as the need for early identification methods, effective prevention strategies, and therapeutic interventions for different demographics at risk.
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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has heavily impacted social, economic and health systems worldwide. Necessary confinement measures have, in turn, contributed to the occurrence of several stress-related conditions and deterioration of pre-existing mental conditions, including insomnia.

Objective: The present study sought to investigate the occurrence and severity of insomnia during the COVID-19 lockdown among psychiatric patients and in the general population in the largest Italian sample examined to date.

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Background: Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is a promising candidate biomarker in both the development and aetiology of different neuropsychiatric conditions, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Most of the studies in the field have been carried out in blood cells, including peripheral blood mononucleated cells (PBMCs), although DNA of high quality can be easily isolated from saliva.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the epigenetic regulation of the BDNF gene in the saliva of a clinical sample of OCD patients in order to assess this source as an alternative to blood.

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Background: During the lockdown due to COVID-19, Internet use may become more frequent in students, with possible negative consequences on mental health. In this emergency situation, variables such as depression, anxiety and external locus of control could be related to a Problematic Internet Use; on the other hand, self-esteem, internal locus of control, self-efficacy, and social support can play the role of protective factors for Problematic Internet Use. The present survey aims to verify the impact of these intrapersonal and social factors on Problematic Internet Use in college and High School students during the COVID-19 pandemic through a web-based cross-sectional study.

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Background: Highlighting the relationship between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and tic disorder (TD), two highly disabling, comorbid, and difficult-to-treat conditions, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) acknowledged a new "tic-related" specifier for OCD, ie, obsessive-compulsive tic-related disorder (OCTD). As patients with OCTD may frequently show poor treatment response, the aim of this multicenter study was to investigate rates and clinical correlates of response, remission, and treatment resistance in a large multicenter sample of OCD patients with versus without tics.

Methods: A sample of 398 patients with a DSM-5 diagnosis of OCD with and without comorbid TD was assessed from 10 different psychiatric departments across Italy.

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