Publications by authors named "Lucas Quarantini"

Objective: This article aims to systematically review the studies on schizophrenia in Brazil, addressing geographical coverage as an indicator of sampling representativeness, essential to infer results' generalization. It also highlights the variation in research funding across different regions.

Methods: We searched for studies carried out until July 2023.

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Article Synopsis
  • Arketamine (R-ketamine) has shown potential for prolonged antidepressant effects and better safety compared to esketamine (S-ketamine), though it has been less studied.
  • A review of 20 studies with 410 subjects indicated arketamine's effectiveness for pain management and depression, but many studies were small and informal.
  • While arketamine generally has a favorable safety profile, more substantial research is needed to better understand its therapeutic potential and proper clinical usage.
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  • - The PUMAS project aims to address the lack of representation of African and Latin American populations in psychiatric genetics studies by analyzing genetic data from individuals with serious mental illness (SMI), including disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, using data from 89,320 participants across four different cohorts.
  • - The research involves harmonizing data from various clinical assessments to create standardized measures of mental health symptoms, which allows for more accurate genetic analyses across different diagnoses and symptoms.
  • - The findings show that schizophrenia and severe bipolar disorder are the most common diagnoses among participants, and a set of 19 key symptoms has been identified, which may be useful for cross-diagnosis genetic studies.
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Introduction: Catatonia, documented since the 19th century, remains a significant challenge in terms of recognition and treatment. Over the last two decades, ketamine has brought new perspectives to psychiatry, sparking widespread interest. Concurrently, catatonia has attracted heightened scientific attention.

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Despite the hardships of major depressive disorder (MDD), biomarkers for the diagnosis and pharmacological management of this condition are lacking. MicroRNAs are epigenetic mechanisms that could provide promising MDD biomarkers. Our aim was to summarize the findings and provide validation for the selection and use of specific microRNAs as biomarkers in the diagnosis and treatment of MDD.

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Objective: Converging evidence supports the role of the glutamate, an excitatory amino acid neurotransmitter, in the pathophysiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Ketamine and esketamine, both noncompetitive N -methyl- d -aspartate antagonists, have emerged as a promising medication for this psychiatric disorder, given its possible efficacy with faster onset and good tolerability. The purpose of this retrospective chart review is to evaluate whether unbiased clinical documentation supports formal clinical trials of esketamine for an OCD indication.

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Article Synopsis
  • OCD is a mental health disorder that affects around 2% of the world but not much is known about its causes.
  • Most genetic studies on OCD so far have mainly focused on people of European ancestry, which could lead to unfair treatment options for those from other backgrounds.
  • The LATINO project is collecting DNA and health information from 5,000 people with OCD from Latin America to improve understanding of the disorder and develop better treatments for everyone.
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Background: Ketamine and esketamine have both shown significant antidepressant effects in treatment-resistant depression (TRD), and conflicting evidence suggests that induced dissociation by these drugs can be a clinical predictor of esketamine/ketamine's efficacy.

Methods: This study is a secondary analysis from a bi-center, randomized, controlled trial. Participants were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive an IV infusion of esketamine (.

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There are significantly fewer options for the treatment of bipolar depression than major depressive disorder, with an urgent need for alternative therapies. In this pilot study, we treated six subjects with bipolar disorder types I and II (according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) criteria) who had been in a current depressive episode for at least four weeks. Four subjects were female (66.

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Article Synopsis
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) affects about 2% of people around the world, but we don’t know exactly what causes it.
  • Most research so far has focused mainly on people of European descent, which can leave out important information for people from other backgrounds.
  • The LATINO initiative aims to include 5,000 people with OCD from Latin America and other countries, helping to gather more diverse data to improve our understanding and treatment of OCD globally.
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Parents and siblings of children on the autism spectrum experience significant distress, and for this reason, it is essential to understand the most prevalent psychopathological symptoms among this population. This work aims to establish the prevalence of psychopathological symptoms in parents and siblings of individuals on the autism spectrum, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses Protocols (PRISMA-P) criteria. Searches were carried out using the PubMed/Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, SciELO, and Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS) databases.

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Background: Racemic ketamine is a mixture of (R)-ketamine (arketamine) and (S)-ketamine (esketamine), with the latter regarded as the main isomer for antidepressant effects. However, preclinical data and one open-label human trial suggest arketamine might exert a more potent and longer-lasting antidepressant effect with fewer side effects. We aimed to explore the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial of arketamine for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and to assess its efficacy and safety compared to placebo.

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Background: Psychosocial assessment is a key component in evaluation for liver transplantation and may affect survival rates and outcomes.

Objective: The primary aim of this study was to investigate the impact of previous mental disorders and impulsivity on the 2-year surviving rate after liver transplantation.

Methods: We performed a prospective cohort study assessing end-stage liver disease individuals with and without psychiatric comorbidities for 2 years post-transplant.

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Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of genetic variants in glutamate ionotropic receptor N-methyl- d -aspartate type subunit 2B ( GRIN2B ), glutamate ionotropic receptor α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid type subunit 1 ( GRIA1 ), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor ( BDNF ) genes on therapeutic response, remission, and total Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale scores after treatment with ketamine or esketamine in treatment-resistant depression (TRD) patients.

Methods: Participants (N = 60) are from a double-blind, randomized, noninferiority clinical trial comparing single-dose intravenous ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) to esketamine (0.

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Background: Health-related quality of life is frequently used as an outcome measure that improves the quality of care. The SF-36 and RAND-36 were derived from the Medical Outcomes Study.

Objective: The present study aimed to validate the RAND-36 in Brazil, in healthy individuals and patients with liver disease.

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Purposes/background: The aims of the study were to assess subanesthetic esketamine as an antidepressant for major depressive disorder with psychotic features (PMDD) and to compare posttreatment symptoms among those with PMDD to a sample of nonpsychotic depression (major depressive disorder [MDD]).

Methods/procedures: This study is a retrospective chart review of patients with major depression and current psychotic symptoms, treated with a single parenteral 0.5-mg/kg dose of esketamine.

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Article Synopsis
  • Although major depressive disorder (MDD) research has advanced in understanding its underlying mechanisms, this has not led to better diagnosis or treatment outcomes, as no reliable biomarkers have been established.
  • A systematic review of clinical studies from 2001 onwards highlighted that certain metabolites, particularly kynurenine and acylcarnitine, are significantly altered in individuals with MDD, pointing to their potential roles in the disorder and its treatment response.
  • Despite identifying changes in metabolite levels tied to MDD, the evidence remains insufficient to modify current diagnostic or therapeutic methods, mainly due to variations in study designs and limitations in understanding whether metabolite changes are causative or resultant of the disorder.
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Introduction: First-line treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) includes exposure and response prevention behavioral therapy and serotonin reuptake inhibitors, particularly in combination. New and more effective treatments are needed, give that recent studies suggest that glutamatergic neurotransmission contributes to the pathophysiology of the disorder. In these circumstances, ketamine, as a potent N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist and glutamate modulator, offers alternative possibilities for OCD treatment.

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Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of disability worldwide and most people do not achieve symptom remission. Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is characterized by the failure of at least one adequate trial of a major class of antidepressant, with adequate time and dosage. We aimed to identify clinical predictors of depressive symptom remission and response 24 h and 7 days after racemic ketamine and esketamine infusions.

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Objectives: Evidence suggests that ketamine's influence on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) might be involved in its mechanism of rapid antidepressant action. We aimed to evaluate the differential impact of ketamine and esketamine on serum BDNF levels and its association with response patterns in treatment-resistant depression (TRD).

Methods: Participants (n = 53) are from a randomized, double-blind clinical trial comparing the efficacy of single-dose ketamine (0.

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