Despite the nosological distinction between bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, there is increasing evidence that these conditions share phenomenological characteristics. To examine the similarities in their patterns of cognitive impairment, we conducted a meta-analysis from 12 studies of Early Onset Schizophrenia (EOS) and 12 studies of Pediatric Bipolar Disorder (PBD). We found that individuals with PBD suffer from cognitive deficits (e.g., verbal learning and memory, processing speed, or executive control) that are milder but similar in nature to those of patients with EOS. Qualitative similarities between the neuropsychological profiles produced by these groups of patients might represent a "continuum of psychosis" or reflect some degree of genetic biological overlap.

Background: The clinical presentation of children and adolescents referred to mental health services is frequently complicated by comorbid and severe affective and behavioral dysregulation. This dysregulation phenotype seems to be an indicator of overall psychopathology, symptom severity and functional impairment. Currently, this phenotype is assessed by the Child Behavior Checklist. However, the widely used Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) has been recently validated to screen the Dysregulation Profile (SDQ-DP) in clinical settings. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and demographic, psychosocial and clinical correlates of the SDQ-DP phenotype in a Spanish clinical sample. Sampling and Methods: In a clinical sample of 623 consecutively referred children and adolescents (4-17 years old), we compared clinical and sociodemographic correlates between subjects who met the SDQ-DP criteria (DP) and those who did not (NO_DP). Sociodemographic data, parent-rated SDQ, Children's Global Assessment Scale, Clinical Global Impression, family Apgar scale and clinical diagnoses were collected by experienced child and adolescent psychiatrists. Results: Overall in our sample, 175 subjects (28.1%) met the SDQ-DP criteria (DP group). Compared with the NO_DP group, the DP subjects had significantly higher scores on internalizing and externalizing psychopathology, problems with peers and overall problems as well as significantly lower scores on prosocial behavior. Clinical diagnoses assigned revealed that DP subjects showed significantly greater psychiatric comorbidity. DP subjects also showed significantly worse family functioning and increased symptom severity and significantly lower scores on psychosocial functioning. Conclusions: A high prevalence of children and adolescents with the dysregulated profile, assessed by the SDQ-DP, was found in our clinical setting. The SDQ-DP may serve as an index of overall psychological severity and functional impairment. In addition, it may indicate family dysfunction. Further research is needed to validate the clinical value of SDQ-DP by examining longitudinal stability, heritability, adult outcome, risk factors and diagnostic correlates.

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Psicoanálisis frente al algoritmo E l psicoanalista Gustavo Dessal ha estado siempre muy atento a la cuestión social; no en vano, hace unos años publicó un libro junto a Zygmunt Bauman. El título del libro-El retorno del péndulo (1)-aludía a una conferencia del conocido sociólogo sobre libertad y seguridad. Para Bauman, ambas formarían una especie de matrimonio mal avenido: aunque están siempre en permanente conflicto, no pueden sobrevivir la una sin la otra. Su convivencia se regiría por una especie de movimiento pendular. Si en la época de Freud las personas buscaban mayor libertad, ahora, en el mundo post 11-S, nos habríamos escorado hacia el otro polo, pues hemos tenido que ceder parte de nuestra libertad para obtener una mayor seguridad. Este debate, que cobra un nuevo sentido con las nuevas tecnologías, late de fondo en este libro del argentino. Solemos poner el grito en el cielo cuando nos enteramos de que algunos gobiernos interceptan comunicaciones en nombre de la seguridad del Estado, pues consideramos, y con razón, que se podría estar vulnerando nuestro derecho a la privacidad. Sin embargo, a menudo olvidamos que, a cambio de poder utilizar determinadas aplicaciones de móvil o acceder a distintas redes sociales, estamos cediendo nuestros datos a grandes corporaciones. En este libro, muy bien documentado, Dessal reflexiona sobre la actual "fetichización de la tecnología" y nos Psicoanálisis frente al algoritmo Psychoanalysis v. Algorithm reBeca garcía nieTo Escritora. Psicóloga clínica.