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.

Orbitofrontal dysfunction and medication overuse in patients with migraine.

Objective: Orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) dysfunction and poor decision making have been described in patients with chronic migraine and medication overuse. These neurobiological underpinnings might explain dependency-like behaviors often described in this condition, such as loss of control over painkillers, high rates of relapse after detoxification, and compromised social functioning. We investigate whether the OFC impairment was a persistent trait in migraine, independent of clinical and affective features, a dynamic result of the need to cope with the increased pain and disability, or a temporary consequence of medication overuse.

In medication-overuse headache, fMRI shows long-lasting dysfunction in midbrain areas.

Objective: The primary aim of our study was to evaluate if a group of medication-overuse headache (MOH) patients present dysfunctions in the mesocorticolimbic dopamine circuit. The secondary aim was to disentangle the role of the medication overuse and of the acute/chronic headache in determining these alterations and to investigate their persistence.

Background: Several researches have suggested that MOH may belong to the spectrum of addictive behavior.

Deep-brain stimulation of the nucleus accumbens in obsessive compulsive disorder: clinical, surgical and electrophysiological considerations in two consecutive patients.

Obsessive compulsive disorder is a highly disabling pathological condition which in the most severe and drug-resistant form can severely impair social, cognitive and interpersonal functioning. Deep-brain stimulation has been demonstrated to be an effective and safe interventional procedure in such refractory forms in selected cases. We here report the first Italian experience in the treatment of this pathology by means of nucleus accumbens stimulation, pointing out to some technical data which could be of help in localization of the target.

Burnout among psychiatrists in Milan: a multicenter survey.

Objectives: This study evaluated the prevalence of job burnout and estimated psychiatric morbidity and job satisfaction among psychiatrists in Milan. Also investigated were the contributions of personal and environmental factors to burnout.

Methods: Data were gathered via a cross-sectional, descriptive, multicenter survey.

An olfactory reference syndrome successfully treated by aripiprazole augmentation of antidepressant therapy.

Objective: To describe a case of a 65-year-old woman with persistent olfactory hallucination and delusional self-reference, successfully treated by aripiprazole augmentation of antidepressant therapy.

Background: Olfactory reference syndrome is a nosologic entity, which has been assimilated to various Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder-IV-text revision codified diseases and several pharmacologic treatments have been proposed without a constant clinical response.

Method: Psychiatric, neurologic, neuropsychologic, imaging, and electroencephalogram data are reported.