Partial Dopamine D2/3 Agonists and Dual Disorders: A Retrospective-Cohort Study in a Real-World Clinical Setting on Patients with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders and Cannabis Use Disorder.

Introduction/objective: Schizophrenia with substance use disorder is a complex clinical condition that may increase treatment resistance. Cannabis use disorder is frequently associated with psychosis and the causal link has still to be defined. Partial D2/3 agonists may ensure limbic dopamine release normalization while avoiding reduced frontocortical dopamine release, which would contribute to negative symptoms.

Real-Life Functioning in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome in Relation to Neurocognitive Abilities and Psychotic Symptoms: A Comparison With Idiopathic Schizophrenia.

Background: The 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) entails intellectual disabilities and higher risk of psychotic disorders.

Intergenerational transmission of childhood trauma in youths with mood disorders and their parents.

Objective: Childhood trauma is a significant environmental stressor linked to mood disorder. It can affect not only the individuals directly involved but also the next generation through the intergenerational transmission of trauma. This study aimed to investigate, for the first time, the co-occurrence of childhood trauma in youths with mood disorders and their parents.

Psychological Sequelae of Dog Bites in Children: A Review.

Background/objectives: Although rare in the Western world, dog bites may be lethal or lead to physically severe outcomes. However, little attention is given to their psychological consequences. We aimed to review their psychological consequences in children 1-14 years of age, focusing on the prevalence and nature of psychological disorders, evaluating the impact on future mental health of children and their families, and assessing the effectiveness of preventive interventions and measures.

Monitoring the psychopathological profile of inflammatory bowel disease patients treated with biological agents: a pilot study.

Background: Biological agents were found to alter the psychopathological profile of a small subgroup of patients treated for a variety of conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and psychiatric disorders. The association between the administration of biological agents and psychopathology needs to be further investigated.

Methods: In this naturalistic prospective cohort study, patients with IBD were assigned to two treatment groups, i.

Examining the Myth of Prescribed Stimulant Misuse among Individuals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review.

The literature emphasizes the importance of addressing the misuse of ADHD medications as a potential significant healthcare issue within the general population. Nevertheless, there are no systematic reviews that specifically examine whether the misuse of psychostimulant medication among clinical populations diagnosed with ADHD who are undergoing prescribed stimulant therapy is a rational concern or a false myth. This systematic review was carried out according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 Statement.

A Network Analysis of Perinatal Depression, Anxiety, and Temperaments in Women in the First, Second, and Third Trimesters of Pregnancy.

Although depression and anxiety are found to be affected by temperaments, little research has studied these relationships in pregnancy. The present study explored the associations among perinatal depression (PD), anxiety dimensions (state, trait, and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)), and temperaments between women in the three trimesters of pregnancy through a network analysis approach. Moreover, differences in the severity of PD and anxiety between women in the three trimesters were evaluated.

This pain drives me crazy: Psychiatric symptoms in women with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome.

Background: Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is an at least 6-mo noninfectious bladder inflammation of unknown origin characterized by chronic suprapubic, abdominal, and/or pelvic pain. Although the term cystitis suggests an inflammatory or infectious origin, no definite cause has been identified. It occurs in both sexes, but women are twice as much affected.

Is Antipsychotic Drug Use During Pregnancy Associated with Increased Malformation Rates and Worsening of Maternal and Infant Outcomes? A Systematic Review.

There is much debate about continuing antipsychotic medication in patients who need it when they become pregnant because benefits must be weighed against potential teratogenic and malformation effects related to antipsychotics themselves. To address this, we conducted a systematic review on the PubMed, PsycINFO and CINHAL databases and the ClinicalTrials.gov register using the following strategy: (toxicity OR teratogenicity OR malformation* OR "birth defect*" OR "congenital abnormality" OR "congenital abnormalities" OR "brain changes" OR "behavioral abnormalities" OR "behavioral abnormalities") AND antipsychotic* AND (pregnancy OR pregnant OR lactation OR delivery OR prenatal OR perinatal OR post-natal OR puerperium) on September 27, 2023.

Dopaminergic dysfunction in the left putamen of patients with major depressive disorder.

Introduction: Dopaminergic transmission impairment has been identified as one of the main neurobiological correlates of both depression and clinical symptoms commonly associated with its spectrum such as anhedonia and psychomotor retardation.

Objectives: We examined the relationship between dopaminergic deficit in the striatum, as measured by I-FP-CIT SPECT imaging, and specific psychopathological dimensions in patients with major depressive disorder.

Methods: To our knowledge this is the first study with a sample of >120 subjects.

Effect of Anti-Interleukin-6 Agents on Psychopathology in a Sample of Patients with Post-COVID-19 Syndrome: An Observational Study.

Interleukin 6 (IL-6) receptor inhibitors tocilizumab and sarilumab have recently been approved for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). They also affect mood, even though their effect on the post-COVID-19 syndrome-related psychopathology still has to be investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate their effect on psychopathology in a sample of patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome.

Brexpiprazole in patients with schizophrenia with or without substance use disorder: an observational study.

Background: Partial dopamine D receptor agonists are used for psychotic symptoms in adults with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Recently, interest surged for partial dopamine D receptor agonists in substance use disorders (SUDs). Since it is believed that SUDs decrease the efficacy of pharmacotherapy of underlying psychiatric disorders, we tested the efficacy of the partial D agonist brexpiprazole in patients with schizophrenia who were either comorbid with a SUD (SUD group) or not comorbid (non-SUD) to assess treatment response and the effect of brexpiprazole on substance craving in SUD.

Psychological factors and barriers to donating and receiving milk from human milk banks: A review.

Human milk banks (HMBs), established in the early 20th century, aimed to provide safe breast milk for infants with challenges obtaining it. The spread of infections since the 1980s resulted in strict regulations and screening in HMBs, to ensure the safety of donated milk. Several social and personal factors discourage mothers from practicing breastfeeding, making donated milk a viable alternative because of its protective and immunity-enhancing properties.

Outpatient care for adolescents' and young adults' mental health: promoting self- and others' understanding through a metacognitive interpersonal therapy-informed psychological intervention.

Introduction: Psychological distress may result in impairment and difficulty understanding oneself and others. Thus, addressing metacognitive issues in psychotherapy may improve psychopathology in adolescents and young adults (AYAs). We aimed to compare metacognitive interpersonal therapy (MIT)-informed psychotherapy with other treatment-as-usual (TAU) therapies.

Sense of agency and its disturbances: A systematic review targeting the intentional binding effect in neuropsychiatric disorders.

Sense of agency (SoA) indicates a person's ability to perceive her/his own motor acts as actually being her/his and, through them, to exert control over the course of external events. Disruptions in SoA may profoundly affect the individual's functioning, as observed in several neuropsychiatric disorders. This is the first article to systematically review studies that investigated intentional binding (IB), a quantitative proxy for SoA measurement, in neurological and psychiatric patients.

A comprehensive evaluation of adverse childhood experiences, social-emotional impairments, and neurodevelopmental disorders in cannabis-use disorder: Implications for clinical practice.

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), social-emotional impairments (SEIs), and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDs) are frequent in psychiatric disorders, including substance-use disorders. We aimed to determine the prevalence of ACE, SEI, or ND in individuals with cannabis-use disorder (CUD). We compared individuals with preCUD-onset ACE, SEI, or ND to those without.

Association of Delirium and Depression with Respiratory and Outcome Measures in COVID-19 Inpatients.

Delirium (DEL) and depression (DEP) may impair the course and severity of acute respiratory illness. The impact of such syndromes on respiratory and outcome parameters in inpatients with COVID-19 needs clarification. To clarify the relationship between DEL and DEP and respiratory outcome measures, we enrolled 100 inpatients from COVID-19 units of the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS of Rome.

Are the Post-COVID-19 Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Symptoms Justified by the Effects of COVID-19 on Brain Structure? A Systematic Review.

COVID-19 affects brain function, as deduced by the "brain fog" that is often encountered in COVID-19 patients and some cognitive impairment that is observed in many a patient in the post-COVID-19 period. Approximately one-third of patients, even when they have recovered from the acute somatic disease, continue to show posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. We hypothesized that the persistent changes induced by COVID-19 on brain structure would overlap with those associated with PTSD.

Resilience and Attachment in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Disorder.

Background: Resilience represents one of the fundamental elements of attachment and has often been investigated in mood disorders. This study aims to investigate possible correlations between attachment and resilience in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD).

Methods: 106 patients (51 MDD, 55 BD) and 60 healthy controls (HCs) were administered the 21-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D-21), the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS), the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS), the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and Experiences in Close Relationship (ECR).