Facing the Shadow Pandemic: Correlation and Trend Analyses of Violence Reports from Women to the Italian National Anti-Violence Number during 2021.

OBJECTIVES: To help to tackle gender-based violence against women in the aftermath of COVID-19 or other potential crisis situations, as recommended by the European Institute for Gender Equality, the present study aims to investigate the relationship between calls to the National Anti-violence Number (NAN) and the socio-sanitary pandemic factors during 2021, a period in which the scenario changed due to containment measures that gradually allowed women to emerge from the condition of isolation. In addition, the present work aims to identify significant changes in the number of calls to NAN during the progression of the pandemic in 2021. METHODS: Using Italian Civil Protection Department data on the socio-sanitary pandemic factors (defined by daily number of cases, swabs, deaths, hospitalizations, dismissions, intensive care unit hospitalizations, people isolated at home, and quarantine after 15 and 30 days) and NAN data. Correlation analyses, a joinpoint regression analysis, and Granger causality tests were performed. RESULTS: The number of calls correlated with the daily number of cases, swabs, deaths, hospitalizations, dismissions, intensive care unit hospitalizations, and quarantine after 15 and 30 days. The identified joinpoints showed significant changes in the number of daily anti-violence calls during the year. Furthermore, we found evidence of a significant causality between daily hospitalizations, daily home quarantined, daily dismissed patients, and calls to NAN. CONCLUSIONS: The results underline the influence of containment measures on the increased access to NAN, suggesting the need for a greater implementation of social and psychological support services in other potential crisis situations.

Neural functional correlates of hypnosis and hypnoanalgesia: Role of the cingulate cortex.

Hypnosis is a hetero-induced or self-induced altered state of consciousness that involves focused attention and reduced peripheral awareness. It is determined by response to suggestions and can be used in the management of various clinical conditions. Nowadays there is growing attention to the neurobiological correlates of hypnosis because of its future clinical applications. The greater attention is due to the wide range of applications that might stem from its knowledge. Functional neuroimaging studies show that hypnosis affects attention by modulating the activation of the anterior cingulate cortex and other brain areas, modifying the conflict monitoring and cognitive control. During hypnoanalgesia, several changes in brain functions occur in all the areas of the pain network, and other brain areas. Among these, the anterior cingulate cortex is significantly involved in modulating the activity of pain circuits under hypnosis, both in the affective, sensory-cognitive, and behavioral aspects. The study of the functionality of the cingulate cortices, mainly the anterior and medial portions, appears to be crucial for better understanding the hypnotic phenomena, related to both the neurocognitive and somatosensory aspects.

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. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to assess the efficacy of the most used strategies of pharmacological interventions in BPD with a comprehensive overview of the field. METHODS: We searched the PubMed database for papers focused on the most used psychotropic drugs for BPD. We included randomized controlled trials and open studies in adult patients with BPD, focusing on the efficacy and tolerability of single classes of drugs with respect to specific clinical presentations that may occur during the course of BPD. RESULTS: Specific second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) or serotonergic antidepressants can be effective for different core symptoms of BPD, mainly including mood symptoms, anxiety, and impulse dyscontrol. Some atypical antipsychotics can also be effective for psychotic and dissociative symptoms. Specific antiepileptics can be useful in some cases in treating different BPD symptoms, mainly including mood instability, impulsiveness, and anger. CONCLUSION: No medication is currently approved for BPD, and clinicians should carefully assess the benefits and risks of drug treatment. Further studies are needed to identify specific personalized treatment strategies, also considering the clinical heterogeneity and possible comorbidities of BPD.

Treatment of Catatonia with Asenapine in a Patient with Schizotypal Personality Disorder, Psychotic Depression and Septic Shock from SARSCoV- 2 - A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Catatonia is a psychomotor syndrome that presents with severe symptoms which can lead to dangerous and lethal conditions if not diagnosed and treated properly. SARS-- CoV-2 is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus that can occur in severe cases with acute pneumonia, ARDS, sepsis and septic shock. In these cases, ICU admission is necessary. CASE SUMMARY: A 59-year-old Caucasian man with septic shock and bilateral interstitial pneumonia from SARS-CoV-2 and schizotypal personality disorder presented with catatonic behaviour manifested by soporous state, response to intense painful stimuli with the opening of the eyes, execution of simple verbal commands, maintenance of the same position, catalepsy, immobility, rigidity and mutism. At the same time, there were symptoms of septic shock and catatonic symptoms, causing greater difficulty in the correct formulation of the diagnosis. During the course of his hospitalization, he was treated with asenapine 20 mg/day. The catatonia responded rapidly and significantly to the asenapine. DISCUSSION: To date, the pathophysiology of catatonia is unclear, and few guidelines are available for the treatment of catatonia. In the literature, studies have reported the efficacy of benzodiazepines such as lorazepam and diazepam, GABAA agonists such as zolpidem, NMDA receptor antagonists such as memantine, antidepressant SSRIs such as fluoxetine and paroxetine, and antipsychotics such as olanzapine, clozapine and aripiprazole. We demonstrate that the antipsychotic asenapine is also effective in treating catatonic symptoms in psychiatric disorders. CONCLUSION: Asenapine produced a rapid and significant reduction in catatonic symptoms in our patient with schizotypal personality disorder.