Introduction People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently need support due to the elevated prevalence of psychiatric and medical comorbidities. The Covid-19 outbreak has severely affected the routinary functioning of healthcare services, thus causing severe consequences for autistic people and their caregivers, an already fragile population prone to mental health diseases. Objectives 1. To compare the levels of psychological well-being, insomnia, and family distress perceived by caregivers of autistic people to those perceived by caregivers of people with other types of disability. 2. To evaluate predictors of individual and family distress reported by caregivers of autistic individuals. Methods We collected data through a cross-sectional web-based observational study from April 19 to May 3, 2020. Socio-demographic information were collected, and psychopathological variables were assessed using the General Health Questionnaire-12, the Insomnia Severity Index, the Brief Resilient Coping Scale, and the Family Distress Index. Results No significant differences emerged between the two groups of caregivers in terms of well-being, sleep quality, family distress, and level of resilience. The risk of individual distress during the pandemic was higher in people caring for younger autistic people. Lower levels of resilience predicted higher levels of individual distress among caregivers of autistic people. Conclusions Our study confirmed that caregivers’ mental health is worthy of attention and that people with disabilities may benefit for well-organized healthcare support networks (e.g. in-home services). The non-significant differences found between caregivers of ASD and non-ASD individuals may be related to the severe distress that Covid pandemic caused on the entire population. Disclosure No significant relationships.
Introduction Social cognition refers to a complex set of mental abilities that support the construction of adequate social competence and adaptation. Impairments in social cognition can be found in several psychiatric disorders, particularly in psychoses. Polygenic Risk Scores (PRSs) represent single metrics of molecular genetic risk and are a predictor of the genetic susceptibility to diseases, although they explain only a small part of the risk. Objectives To explore the association between PRS for psychiatric disorders and social cognition. Methods We conducted a systematic search in PubMed and Scopus according to the PRISMA guidelines up to August 2021. We included papers evaluating PRS and social cognition with psychometric scales. Articles concerning single-nucleotide polymorphisms and biological measures of social cognition (e.g., neuroimaging, peripheral biomarkers) were excluded. Results We initially retrieved 150 articles. After removing duplicates, we screened 133 titles and abstracts and preliminary selected 19 papers. Participants recruited in the papers of interest were either people with schizophrenia, ASD or ADHD, their family members or healthy subjects. Articles evaluated the association between different psychometrical measures of social cognition and PRS for schizophrenia, Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD. Conclusions Literature regarding the association between PRS for psychiatric disorders and social cognition is heterogeneous in terms of populations, genetic risk evaluation, and outcome tools. Given the critical role played by social cognition in the onset and progression of mental disorders and its association with real-world functioning, future research should try to disentangle the complex genetic basis of this domain. Disclosure No significant relationships.
Introduction The influence of personality on field of study choice is comparable to that of cognitive skills. Additionally, personality traits seem linked with academic motivation, and engagement. Choosing the most suitable career is also related to students’ personal well-being and work success. Objectives To explore how personality traits are associated with the choice of university courses among Italian students. Methods A web-survey was spread on social networks between March and June 2020 through Google Forms. Eligibility criteria for inclusion were: 1) Being a university student between 18 and 35 years of age; 2) Attending a course in an Italian university; 3) Good comprehension of Italian language. On-line informed consent, socio-demographic, and career data were collected during the survey. Personality traits were assessed using the Big Five Inventory (BFI). We computed multinomial linear regressions to calculate potential associations between personality traits and university courses. Results Lower Conscientiousness, higher Neuroticism, and higher Openness to experience are associated with the attendance of Humanities compared with students of Health faculties. Higher Neuroticism traits are associated with the attendance of a scientific course compared with Health faculties. High Conscientiousness is significantly associated with the attendance of Law-related courses compared with Health courses. Non significant differences were detected in the other domains according to the big five personality model. Conclusions Our results suggest interesting associations between personality traits and educational choices. Future research may investigate this relationship in high-school students to implement appropriate strategies for better addressing students’ educational needs and career outcomes. Disclosure No significant relationships.
Introduction Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of life-long neurodevelopmental conditions characterized by impairments in social communication and by the presence of restricted interests or repetitive behaviors. Several genetic, biological, and psychosocial mechanisms seem to play a role in the etiopathogenesis of this complex condition. Preclinical models have shown a potential role of oxytocin (OT), a peptide involved in a complex range of behaviors, including those related to social interaction. Therefore, it has been hypothesized that OT levels may be decreased in autistic people. Objectives To compare the levels of peripheral OT in autistic people vs neurotypical controls. Methods We performed a systematic literature search up to December 2020 according to PRISMA guidelines. Final inclusion was based on the following criteria: (1) Participants: individuals of any age diagnosed with ASD; (2) Controls: neurotypical subjects; (3) Outcome: OT levels, either in saliva, serum, or plasma; (4) Study design: case-control. Meta-analyses are ongoing. Results We finally included 21 papers published between 1998 and 2020, of which one recruited adult participants. Fifteen studies measured OT levels in plasma, 4 in saliva, and 2 in serum. Preliminary meta-analyses on 10 studies showed that peripheral OT levels in autistic individuals are reduced compared to neurotypical controls, with sex differences. Conclusions Our preliminary findings show that peripheral OT might represent a potential biomarker for ASD. Future well-conducted case-control studies with a detailed phenotypical characterization of samples are needed to understand the role of OT deficits in specific subgroups. Disclosure No significant relationships.
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