Background: Schizophrenia is a lifelong condition with acute exacerbations and varying degrees of functional disability. Acute and long-term treatments are based on antipsychotic drugs, even if some domains of personal and social functioning are not addressed by psychopharmacotherapy. In fact, psychosocial interventions show a positive impact on patient’s functioning and clinical outcome. In addition, psychosocial interventions are significantly associated with a lower number of relapses and hospitalizations in schizophrenia. Methods: An analytical review of the International Guidelines on Psychosocial Interventions in Schizophrenia has been performed; we included the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) guidelines, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) guidelines, the Schizophrenia Patient Outcomes Research Team (PORT) guidelines and the American Psychiatric Association (APA) guidelines. Results: The international guidelines recommend psychosocial interventions as supportive treatments alongside pharmaceutical or psychotherapeutic ones. Conclusion: More research studies need to be conducted and included in the updated version of the international guidelines to confirm the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions in the long-term outcome of schizophrenia.
Background: The pharmacological treatment of schizophrenia is currently based on the employment of anti-psychotic medications showing an antagonism of dopaminergic and serotoninergic. 20-40% of patients are drug-resistant or residually symptomatic in the long-term anti-psychotic treatment, and new strategies are needed for improving their functional and cognitive impairment. Methods: This systematic review summarized the evidences from the literature regarding the newer pharmacological targets proposed for the treatment of psychosis. We included 128 peer-reviewed articles and 5 other relevant sources published from 2002 to 2020 on PubMed EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, Google Scholar. Results: It has been extensively described the possible role of glutamate and its receptors as targets of the anti-psychotic mechanism of action. Glutamatergic neurotransmission and NMDA receptors hypofunction are involved in the neurobiological explanatory model of psychosis and possibly targeted for the successful treatment of cognitive and residual symptoms. The rResults show an efficacy of D-cycloserine (antagonist at the Glycine site of the NMDA-R) in the treatment of negative symptoms of schizophrenia as well as Memantine (NMDA:- Receptor antagonist) on cognition and psychopathology. It will be also discussed Tthe putative anti-psychotic effect of cannabidiol on positive symptoms and cognition will also be discussed, even if more evidence is required needing more evidences. The action on serotoninergic and GABAergic receptors will be considered as a new pharmacological target, with a possible efficacy of Vabicaserin on symptoms of psychosis. Mynocicline has shown improvements of in cognitive symptoms in schizophrenia as well as Erythropoietin. Oxytocin reported an antipsychotic-like effect and COX-2 inhibitors reported a reduction of positive symptoms of psychosis , above all in the first episode of illness. Conclusion: This narrative report suggests a promising role of new agents in the treatment of Schizophrenia, even if more research is needed to approve their clinical employment.
IntroductionAccording to scientific literature, cognitive impairment is a disabling feature of the bipolar disorder (BD), present in all the phases of the disease. Obesity and metabolic disorders represent another risk factor for cognitive dysfunctions in BD, since the excess of weight could adversely influence several cognitive domains.ObjectiveTo highlight the presence of impairment of cognitive functions in a sample of subjects suffering from BD and obesity.AimsEvaluation of the cognitive performance in a sample of BD patients, considering their anthropometric measures (height and weight) and body mass index (BMI).MethodsThe neuropsychological battery MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) was administered by trained physicians for the evaluation of seven different cognitive domains in 46 patients (mean age: 43.17 years old; 39.13% male), affected by BD enrolled in the psychiatric unit of Azienda Sanitaria Locale and University of Foggia. In particular, cognitive functions assessed were speed of processing, attention/vigilance, working memory, verbal learning, visual learning, reasoning and problem solving, and social cognition. BMI was calculated, and patients were divided into a group of normal weight and another one of overweight or obese, on the base of BMI value (BMI cut-off = 25).ResultsThe obese patients amounted at 56.52%. We have found the presence of cognitive deficits in two of the seven domains assessed, that are speed of processing (P < 0.01) and reasoning and problem solving (P < 0.05) in the sample of overweight patients.ConclusionsCognitive deficits are clearly revealed in BD patients during the euthymic phase of the disorder. The obesity in BD could contribute to increase dysfunctions in cognitive domains.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
IntroductionParents of children with disabilities are at increased risk of experiencing psychological stress compared to other parents. Children's high levels of internalizing and externalizing problems have been found to contribute to this elevated level of stress. Childhood disability often imposes a social and emotional burden for children and their families.ObjectiveWith this study we evaluated several parents’ psychological aspects and the emotional behavioral functioning of their children with disability.AimTo investigate the possible correlation between parenting stress, level of depression in parents and behavior problems in their children, taking in to account the differences between mothers and fathers.Methodstandardized forms (CBCL, PSI, BDI) were completed from 57 (28 mothers) parents of children aged from 6 to18 years, focusing on psychological well-being includes depression, parenting stress, family resilience and family adjustment.ResultsThe mean age of our sample was 41.55 ± 5.4. The level of depression and stress index were higher in mothers than in fathers. Parenting stress was significantly associated with children internalizing and externalizing behavior problems in children.ConclusionThe results of this investigation indicate the importance of examining relations between parenting stress and behavior problems in children with disabilities. Objective of ensuring the rehabilitation process aimed at the welfare of the family. These patterns have implications for both developmental theory and for service provision for individuals with disability and their families.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
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