Characterization of rapid cycling bipolar patients presenting with major depressive episode within the BRIDGE-II-MIX study.

Objectives: The "Bipolar Disorders: Improving Diagnosis, Guidance, and Education" (BRIDGE-II-Mix) study aimed to estimate the frequency of mixed states in patients with a major depressive episode (MDE) according to different definitions and to compare their clinical validity, looking into specific features such as rapid cycling (RC).

Methods: Psychiatric symptoms, socio-demographic, and clinical variables were collected from a sample of 2811 MDE patients, of which 726 (25.8%) were diagnosed with bipolar disorder (BD).

Mood stabilizers and antipsychotics during breastfeeding: Focus on bipolar disorder.

Breast milk is considered the best source of nutrients and provides much better protection than immune modified milk. However, the postpartum period is a phase of increased risk for all women to experience psychiatric symptoms and recurrences or new episodes of bipolar disorder (BD), especially in those who have discontinued treatment. This is a systematic review of the risks and benefits of mood stabilizers and antipsychotics during breastfeeding as they relate to the health and well-being of mothers and their infants.

[Cognitive deficits in depressive illness: how many and which instruments to identify them?].

Introduction: Major depressive disorder is a disabling illness that involves affect and cognition of a person, negatively influencing social and work functioning. Cognitive deficits are often present in depression, although they are often believed to be secondary to typical depressive symptoms.

Aim: A detailed literature review has been carried out to assess the cognitive deficits identified in people with major depressive disorder and identify specific assessment tools used for their evaluation.

First-episode psychosis and migration in Italy (PEP-Ita migration): a study in the Italian mental health services.

Background: It has been frequently reported a higher incidence of psychotic disorders in immigrants than in native populations. There is, however, a lack of knowledge about risk factors which may explain this phenomenon. A better understanding of the causes of psychosis among first-generation migrants is highly needed, particularly in Italy, a country with a recent massive migration.