Bipolar disorders and schizophrenia: discrete disorders?

Background: With similarities in heritability, neurobiology and symptomatology, the question has been raised whether schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are truly distinctive disorders or belong to a continuum. This narrative review summarizes common and distinctive findings from genetics, neuroimaging, cognition and clinical course that may help to solve this ethiopathogenetic puzzle.

Methods: The authors conducted a literature search for papers listed in PubMed and Google Scholar, using the search terms "schizophrenia" and "bipolar disorder" combined with different terms such as "genes", "neuroimaging studies", "phenomenology differences", "cognition", "epidemiology".

[Eating disorders, body image and sexuality].

Eating disorders are a growing problem in healthcare. Altered eating behaviors are a consequence of cognitions and emotions generated by low self-esteem and dissatisfaction with body image and schema. It is possible, that a negative body image, and in many cases, distorted, may be the most difficult feature to approach and improve in this disorders.

[Prevalence of anxiety disorders in patients with essential hypertension].

Background: Various studies found a high correlation among anxious symptomatology and hypertension.

Objectives: To determine and to compare prevalence of anxiety disorder among patients with essential hypertension and a control group.

Methods: The structured clinical interview (SCID I) was administered (anxiety disorder module) to 157 people including 57 essential hypertensive patients (non diabetics, without CVA and or other complications) and 100 controls (non hypertensive people that converge to the hospital).