The aim of this study was to ascertain whether there is any evidence of stigma related to the use of antidepressants. Using the PubMed and MEDLINE databases, we searched for the terms stigma, antidepressants, and depression. A protocol was developed to extract information from the papers, which were identified and explored further. Thirty-two papers were identified. We found that the stigma against depression differs from stigma against the use of antidepressants. Stigma against depression does not impact on therapeutic adherence to antidepressant use. Stigma related to antidepressant use appears to be linked with perceived emotional weakness, severity of illness, an inability to deal with problems, and a lack of belief in the therapeutic efficacy of antidepressants. Stigma against medication can be a useful target for interventions, just like the stigma related to depression. However, clinicians must be careful in avoiding the medicalization of symptoms.

fMRI studies delineate brain systems that contribute to cognitive deficits and reactivity to stimuli that generate the desire to smoke. Nicotinic and non-nicotinic pharmacotherapy may reduce smoking via distinct neural mechanisms of action. These findings should contribute to the development of new medications and discovery of early markers of the therapeutic response of cigarette smokers.

a decrease in psychiatric symptoms was observed after bariatric surgery, as well as the reduction in the use of psychoactive substances. In addition, there was an improvement in quality of life after surgical treatment of obesity.

SUMMARY: Introduction:Debates about the quality of medical education have become more evident in the recent past, and as a result several different assessment methods have been refined for that purpose. The use of questionnaires filled out by medical students to assess the quality of lectures is one of the most common methods employed in our milieu. However, the reliability of this investigation method has not yet been systematically tested. The authors present the reliability of a specific form applied to the fourth grade medical students during the clinical psychiatry course.Method: Eighty-one fourth grade medical students were instructed to complete a form immediately after each clinical psychiatry lecture. Thirty-four students (42%) failed to turn in the forms after the final lecture. These students were given an identical form to assess the lectures in a retrospective fashion. The grades given by both groups of students for each performed lecture and the number of students who have graded an unperformed lecture were compared. Statistical significance for both groups was determined by means of the chi-square test (p< 0.05).Results: Eighteen out of the 34 students who filled out the forms retrospectively (53%) rated the unperformed lecture, whereas only 5 out of the 47 students who filled out the forms during the course (11%) did so. This is statistically significant (p< 0.05). There was no statistical difference for the grades given to the lectures that were actually performed.Discussion: The authors concluded the low reliability rate of the retrospective evaluation warrant a continuous assessment method during the course.

Objetivo: Avaliar a opinião do interno de Medicina sobre o seu aprendizado e a importância de ter participado do "Programa de aprendizado médico através de visitas domiciliares junto aos agentes comunitários da região de Capuava". Método: Estudo quali-quantitativo prospectivo, com avaliação feita por meio de questionários de autopreenchimento, relatórios de experiências relevantes, discussões abertas e observação participante. Resultados: Na opinião dos alunos, a contribuição da visita domiciliar ao seu conhecimento foi considerada: ruim (2,8%), regular (14,1%), boa (50,7%) e ótima (32,5%). Houve contribuição das visitas ao componente afetivo em 91,3%, ao cognitivo em 62% e ao psicomotor em 56,3%. O aspecto positivo mais citado foi o fato de essas visitas mostrarem a realidade da população (70,8%); e o mais negativo foi o pequeno tempo de estágio (19,4%). Os internos expressaram suas percepções em relação à comunidade, ao valor do agente comunitário e às falhas do ensino médico tradicional. Conclusões: Na opinião dos alunos, as visitas domiciliares contribuíram para seu conhecimento da prática médica. Essa contribuição foi mais expressiva no que se refere ao domínio afetivo. As percepções sobre a comunidade podem auxiliar na futura atuação médica. ABSTRACTObjective: Evaluate the opinion of medical students about their learning process and about the importance of having participated in a program involving household visits together with health agents in the community of Capuava, a district of Santo André. Method: Qualitative-quantitative prospective study. Data were generated by means of questionnaires and reports of important experiences made during internship, discussions and observation. Results: In the opinion of the students the contribution of community health activities to their medical education was poor (2.8%), regular (14.1%), good (50.7%) and very good (32.5%). 91.3%, believe that the visits contributed to the emotional, 62% to the cognitive and 56,3% to the psychomotor component. The aspect considered the most positive was that the visits showed the real living conditions of the population (70.8%) and the aspect considered most negative was the short duration of this experience (19.4%). Conclusions: The students realized that their participation in household visits contributed to their medical knowledge. This contribution seems to be more substantial with regard to the emotional component. Their perception of the community should contribute to their practicing medicine in the future.