A multivariate approach to investigate the associations of electrophysiological indices with schizophrenia clinical and functional outcome.

Background: Different electrophysiological (EEG) indices have been investigated as possible biomarkers of schizophrenia. However, these indices have a very limited use in clinical practice, as their associations with clinical and functional outcomes remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the associations of multiple EEG markers with clinical variables and functional outcomes in subjects with schizophrenia (SCZs).

Dopamine DRD2 and DRD3 Polymorphisms Involvement in Nicotine Dependence in Patients with Treatment-Resistant Mental Disorders.

Patients affected by mental disorders smoke more than the general population. The reasons behind this habit are genetic, environmental, etc. This study aims to investigate the correlations between some polymorphisms and the smoking habits and nicotine dependence in patients with psychiatric disorders.

Pharmacogenomics-Guided Pharmacotherapy in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder or Bipolar Disorder Affected by Treatment-Resistant Depressive Episodes: A Long-Term Follow-Up Study.

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) reduces affected patients' quality of life and leads to important social health care costs. Pharmacogenomics-guided treatment (PGT) may be effective in the cure of TRD. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical changes after PGT in patients with TRD (two or more recent failed psychopharmacological trials) affected by bipolar disorder (BD) or major depressive disorder (MDD) compared to a control group with treatment as usual (TAU).

Investigating the Relationships of P3b with Negative Symptoms and Neurocognition in Subjects with Chronic Schizophrenia.

Neurocognitive deficits and negative symptoms (NS) have a pivotal role in subjects with schizophrenia (SCZ) due to their impact on patients' functioning in everyday life and their influence on goal-directed behavior and decision-making. P3b is considered an optimal electrophysiological candidate biomarker of neurocognitive impairment for its association with the allocation of attentional resources to task-relevant stimuli, an important factor for efficient decision-making, as well as for motivation-related processes. Furthermore, associations between P3b deficits and NS have been reported.

International Expert Opinions and Recommendations on the Use of Melatonin in the Treatment of Insomnia and Circadian Sleep Disturbances in Adult Neuropsychiatric Disorders.

Insomnia and circadian rhythm disorders, such as the delayed sleep phase syndrome, are frequent in psychiatric disorders and their evaluation and management in early stages should be a priority. The aim of this paper was to express recommendations on the use of exogenous melatonin, which exhibits both chronobiotic and sleep-promoting actions, for the treatment of these sleep disturbances in psychiatric disorders. To this aim, we conducted a systematic review according to PRISMA on the use of melatonin for the treatment of insomnia and circadian sleep disorders in neuropsychiatry.

Current Clinical Psychopharmacology in Borderline Personality Disorder.

Background: Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) manifest affective and behavioral symptoms causing personal distress, relationship difficulties, and reduced quality of life with global functioning impairment, mainly when the disease takes an unfavorable course. A substantial amount of healthcare costs is dedicated to addressing these issues. Many BPD patients receive medications, mostly those who do not respond to psychological interventions.

PON1 polymorphisms can predict generalized anxiety and depressed mood in patients with multiple chemical sensitivity.

Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is a chronic condition with somatic, cognitive and affective symptoms that follow contact with chemical agents at usually non toxic concentrations. We aimed to assess the role of genetic polymorphisms involved in oxidative stress on anxiety and depression in MCS. Our study investigated the rs1001179, rs2333227, rs662 and rs705379 polymorphisms in MCS.

Economic Impact of Schizophrenia from a Hospital and Social Security System Perspective in Italy.

Background: Schizophrenia is one of the mental disorders with the highest economic and social costs, with an important burden on patients, caregivers, and society.

Objective: The objective of this study was to estimate the direct and social security costs of schizophrenia in Italy. As far as direct costs are concerned, those related to hospitalizations and pharmaceutical expenditure have been analyzed, while disability benefits (DBs) and incapacity pensions (IPs) have been considered for the social security costs.

[Evaluation and management of insomnia in clinical practice and in the time of CoViD-19 in Italy: expert consensus and task-force recommendations from five scientific societies].

Insomnia symptoms might affect about 60% of the Italian population. Insomnia is a "24 hours syndrome" and a risk factor for medical and mental disorders. It should always be assessed and treated in the clinical practice.

Expert Opinions and Consensus Recommendations for the Evaluation and Management of Insomnia in Clinical Practice: Joint Statements of Five Italian Scientific Societies.

Background: Insomnia is the most commonly reported sleep problem in industrialized countries worldwide being present in about 36.8% of the general population. In Italy, such a percentage seems to be even higher.

Long-Acting Injectable (LAI) Aripiprazole Formulations in the Treatment of Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder: a Systematic Review.

Background: Several second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) are available in long-acting injectable (LAI) formulations.

Objective: To systematically review the effects of the two formulations, Monohydrate and Lauroxil, of Aripiprazole LAI in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder during an acute episode or during maintenance treatment.

Methods: On September 18, 2018, we adopted the following search strategy: (aripiprazole OR OPC-14597 OR Abilify) AND (long-acting OR depot OR LAI OR once monthly OR prolonged release OR monohydrate OR lauroxil) on PubMed, Cochrane, Scopus, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Web of Science to identify randomised controlled trials.

Disorganization and cognitive impairment in schizophrenia: New insights from electrophysiological findings.

In subjects with schizophrenia (SCZ), the disorganization dimension is a strong predictor of real-life functioning. "Conceptual disorganization" (P2), "Difficulty in abstract thinking" (N5) and "Poor attention" (G11) are core features of the disorganization factor, evaluated using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. The heterogeneity of this dimension and its overlap with neurocognitive deficits are still debated.

Drug Treatment of Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling Disorder), Excoriation (Skin-picking) Disorder, and Nail-biting (Onychophagia).

Background: Trichotillomania (TTM), excoriation (or skin-picking) disorder and some severe forms of onychophagia are classified under obsessive-compulsive and related disorders. There are different interacting neurotransmitter systems involved in the pathophysiology of impulse-control disorders, implicating noradrenaline, serotonin, dopamine, opioid peptides and glutamate, hence investigators focused on drugs able to act on these transmitters. Our aim was to critically review the efficacy of the drugs employed in impulse-control disorders.

Placebo Effect in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Placebo Response and Placebo Responders in OCD: The Trend Over Time.

Background: Placebo response appears to be increasing in antidepressant, antipsychotic and various internal medicine trials. A similar trend has been reported for OCD during 1989-1999. Placebo response is generally considered as the extent to which placebo treatment is associated with core symptom improvement.

Predictive factors of overall functioning improvement in patients with chronic schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder treated with paliperidone palmitate and aripiprazole monohydrate.

Background: Long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics can improve medication adherence and reduce hospitalisation rates compared with oral treatments. Paliperidone palmitate (PAL) and aripiprazole monohydrate (ARI) LAI treatments were associated with improvements in global functioning in patients with schizophrenia.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the predictive factors of better overall functioning in patients with chronic schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder treated with PAL and ARI.

Body Image and Eating Disorders are Common among Professional and Amateur Athletes Using Performance and Image Enhancing Drugs: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The use of performance and image enhancing drugs (PIEDs) is not uncommon in athletes and appears to be associated with several psychopathological disorders of unclear prevalence. In this multicenter, cross-sectional study, we aimed to evaluate the prevalence of body image disorders (BIDs) and eating disorders (EDs) in PIED-using athletes vs. PIED nonusers.

Lithium in Bipolar Disorder: Optimizing Therapy Using Prolonged-Release Formulations.

Lithium has been a gold standard in the treatment of bipolar disorder (BD) for several decades. Despite a general reduction in the use of lithium over the past several years, it is effective in the management of both manic and depressive episodes in BD and continues to be recommended as a first-line mood stabilizer. This review provides an overview of the pharmacology of lithium and highlights its clinical profile in the management of BD, focusing on the potential advantages of prolonged-release (PR) versus immediate-release (IR) formulations of lithium.

Add-on high frequency deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS) to bilateral prefrontal cortex reduces cocaine craving in patients with cocaine use disorder.

Introduction: Cocaine dependence is a substantial public health problem. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of high frequency deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS) on craving in patients with cocaine use disorder (CUD).

Methods: Seven men (mean age, 48.

Model of Management (Mo.Ma) for the patient with schizophrenia: crisis control, maintenance, relapse prevention, and recovery with long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs).

Introduction: Schizophrenia is a severe mental disease that affects approximately 1% of the population with a relevant chronic impact on social and occupational functioning and daily activities. People with schizophrenia are 2-2.5 times more likely to die early than the general population.

Add-on deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (dTMS) for the treatment of chronic migraine: A preliminary study.

Introduction: Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (dTMS) can be an alternative treatment to relieve pain in chronic migraine (CM). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of high-frequency dTMS in add-on to standard treatment for CM in patients not responding to effective abortive or preventive drug treatment.

Methods: We randomized 14 patients with International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd Edition (ICHD-3) treatment-resistant CM to add-on dTMS (n=7) or standard abortive or preventive antimigraine treatment (n=7).

Functioning in patients with major depression treated with duloxetine or a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor in East Asia.

Purpose: To assess and compare the levels of functioning in patients with major depressive disorder treated with either duloxetine with a daily dose of ≤60 mg or a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) as monotherapy for up to 6 months in a naturalistic setting in East Asia. In addition, this study examined the impact of painful physical symptoms (PPS) on the effects of these treatments.

Patients And Methods: Data for this post hoc analysis were taken from a 6-month prospective observational study involving 1,549 patients with major depressive disorder without sexual dysfunction.

Gray and white matter trajectories in patients with bipolar disorder.

Objectives: Findings on brain structural abnormalities in patients with bipolar disorder (BP) are inconsistent and little is known about age-related evolution of these changes. We employed a cross-sectional, case-control study to compare structural age-related brain trajectories in patients with BP and healthy control subjects (HC) over a period of approximately 50 years. The primary aim was to understand whether white (WM) and gray matter (GM) abnormalities are present from the beginning of the illness and how they change over time.