The Italian version of the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire: Validity data for adults and its association with severity of borderline personality disorder.

Introduction: Impairments in the ability to understand others and the self in terms of internal mental states (reflective functioning [RF] or mentalizing) are thought to play a key role in the development of borderline personality disorder (BPD). The first aim of this study was to validate the Italian version of the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ), a brief self-report measure of RF, by examining its factor structure with Principal Component Analyses (PCA), and correlations with constructs that should be theoretically related to RF. In addition, we investigated whether the RFQ could empirically distinguish between healthy controls and carefully diagnosed BPD patients using Research Operating Curve methods, and was related to severity of borderline pathology as measured with the Shedler-Westen Assessment Procedure (SWAP), an observer-rated measure of BPD pathology.

Repetitive TMS on Left Cerebellum Affects Impulsivity in Borderline Personality Disorder: A Pilot Study.

The (BPD) is characterized by a severe pattern of instability in emotional regulation, interpersonal relationships, identity and impulse control. These functions are related to the prefrontal cortex (PFC), and since PFC shows a rich anatomical connectivity with the cerebellum, the functionality of the cerebellar-PFC axis may impact on BPD. In this study, we investigated the potential involvement of cerebello-thalamo-cortical connections in impulsive reactions through a pre/post stimulation design.

Psychological correlates of decision-making during prenatal diagnosis: a prospective study.

Objective: Decision-making during prenatal diagnosis has not been extensively studied. We aimed to determine psychological correlates and level of decisional conflict following prenatal diagnosis.

Method: A total of 159 pregnant women were consecutively enrolled.

Association between low-activity allele of cathecolamine-O-methyl-transferase (COMT) and Borderline Personality Disorder in an Italian population.

The objective of the present study was to test the association between Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and the cathecolamine-O-methyl-transferase (COMT) low-activity (Met158) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). In this case-control study, DNA was obtained from venous blood of 19 BPD patients and 36 healthy subjects. COMT-Val158Met single-nucleotide polymorphism was genotyped by predesigned SNP assay.

Electrophysiological changes of cardiac function during antidepressant treatment.

Some antidepressant agents can cause electrophysiological changes of cardiac function leading to ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death. However, antidepressants have also protective effects on the heart through their capacity to modulate cardiac autonomic-mediated physiological responses. Heart rate variability and QTc length are two strictly linked parameters that allow us to appreciate the effects of different drugs on cardiac physiology.