Effectiveness of crisis resolution home treatment for the management of acute psychiatric crises in Southern Switzerland: a natural experiment based on geography.

Background: Crisis Resolution Home Treatment (CRHT) is an alternative to inpatient treatment for acute psychiatric crises management. However, evidence on CRHT effectiveness is still limited. In the Canton of Ticino (Southern Switzerland), in 2016 the regional public psychiatric hospital replaced one acute ward with a CRHT.

Case Report: Long-Acting Oral Cariprazine.

Introduction: Cariprazine is a third-generation antipsychotic, approved for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and used off-label for schizoaffective disorder and treatment-resistant depression. Cariprazine is a partial agonist at dopamine receptors D2 and D3 and serotonin receptor 5HT1A and an antagonist at serotonin receptors 5HT2B and 5HT2A. It is metabolized by CYP3A4 in desmetyl-cariprazine and didesmethyl-cariprazine, both active metabolites with a half-life of 1-2 days and 2-3 weeks, respectively.

Home Treatment for Acute Mental Health Care: Protocol for the Financial Outputs, Risks, Efficacy, Satisfaction Index and Gatekeeping of Home Treatment (FORESIGHT) Study.

Background: Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment (CRHT) teams represent a community-based mental health service offering a valid alternative to hospitalization. CRHT teams have been widely implemented in various mental health systems worldwide, and their goal is to provide care for people with severe acute mental disorders who would be considered for admission to acute psychiatric wards. The evaluation of several home-treatment experiences shows promising results; however, it remains unclear which specific elements and characteristics of CRHT are more effective and acceptable.

Are Schizophrenic disorders with or without early cannabis use neurobiologically distinct disease entities? A meta-analysis of magnetic resonance imaging studies.

Cannabis use is considered an important risk factor for the development of psychotic illness and is associated with worse outcomes of the disorder. This study aimed to determine through a meta-analytic approach whether patients at the onset of schizophrenia with comorbid cannabis use (SCH CU+) show a different pattern of brain abnormalities as compared to patients with no comorbid cannabis use (SCH CU-). Ten Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies were identified as suitable for analysis leading to the inclusion of n= 465 patients with schizophrenia (n= 227 SCH CU+ and n= 238 SCH CU-) and n= 366 healthy controls.

Typologies of psychiatric admissions and length of inpatient stay in Italy.

Objective: To describe admissions to an inpatient psychiatric unit in Italy over a two-year period and explore the influence of demographics, clinical variables and organisational and context-related factors on length of stay.

Methods: Data were obtained from clinical records and recorded by a psychiatrist through a proper checklist.

Results: Shorter admissions involved patients with personality disorders and substance use disorders.

Association between CYP1A2 polymorphisms and clozapine-induced adverse reactions in patients with schizophrenia.

We investigated the relationships between common polymorphisms in CYP1A2 (CYP1A2(⁎)1C and (⁎)1F), CYP1A2-mRNA levels in circulating lymphocytes and clozapine(CLZ)-induced adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in 34 patients. Patients with ADRs had a higher frequency of CYP1A2 low activity allele combinations (8/12; 67%) and lower CYP1A2-mRNA levels than patients without ADRs (6/22; 27%, P=0.019).

Migrant pathways to community mental health centres in Italy.

Background: Many studies indicate that migrants in western countries have limited access to and low utilization of community mental health centres (CMHCs) despite the high prevalence of mental disorders.

Aims: We aimed to compare migrant pathways to care across four CMHCs located in different Italian provinces and to identify pathway to care predictors.

Methods: Migrants attending the four CMHCs between 1 July 1999 and 31 December 2007 were included in the study.

Gluten encephalopathy with psychiatric onset: case report.

Many cases of coeliac disease, a gastrointestinal autoimmune disorder caused by sensitivity to gluten, can remain in a subclinical stage or undiagnosed. In a significant proportion of cases (10-15%) gluten intolerance can be associated with central or peripheral nervous system and psychiatric disorders.A 38-year-old man was admitted as to our department an inpatient for worsening anxiety symptoms and behavioural alterations.