Correlation Between Cognitive Performance and Structural Neuroanatomy in Patients with Type I Bipolar Affective Disorder Treated with and Without Lithium. / Correlación entre el desempeño cognitivo y la neuroanatomía estructural en pacientes con trastorno afectivo bipolar tipo I tratados con y sin litio.

INTRODUCTION: Lithium treatment of bipolar disorder (BD) has been associated with less cognitive impairment and fewer changes in structural brain anatomy compared to other treatments. However, the studies are heterogeneous and few assess whether these effects are related. The objective of this study was to evaluate and relate cognitive performance and structural neuroanatomy in patients treated with and without lithium. METHODS: Cross-sectional study that included 48 subjects with BD-I, of which 22 were treated with lithium and 26 without lithium. Performance was assessed on Wechsler III (WAIS III), TMT A and B (Trial Making Test) neuropsychological tests, California verbal learning test (CVLT), Rey complex figure test and Wisconsin card sorting test. Brain structures obtained by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were evaluated. The standardised mean difference (SMD) between both groups was calculated, adjusted for confounding variables using a propensity score, and the Spearman correlation coefficient (ρ) was used to assess the relationship between cognitive performance and neuroanatomical regions. RESULTS: Compared to the group without lithium, the group with lithium had fewer perseverative errors in the Wisconsin test (SMD = -0.69) and greater left and right cortical areas (SMD = 0.85; SMD = 0.92); greater surface area in the left anterior cingulate (SMD = 1.32), right medial orbitofrontal cortex (SMD = 1.17), right superior frontal gyrus (SMD = 0.82), and right and left precentral gyrus (SMD = 1.33; SMD = 0.98); greater volume of the right amygdala (SMD = 0.57), right hippocampus (SMD = 0.66), right putamen (SMD = 0.87) and right thalamus (SMD=.67). In the lithium group, a correlation was found with these errors and the thickness of the left precentral gyrus (ρ = -0.78), the volume of the right thalamus (ρ =-0.44), and the right amygdala (ρ = 0.6). CONCLUSIONS: The lithium group had better cognitive flexibility and greater dimension in some frontal and subcortical cortical regions. Furthermore, there was a moderate to high correlation between performance in this executive function and the thickness of the right precentral gyrus, and the volumes of the thalamus and the right amygdala. These findings could suggest a neuroprotective effect of lithium.

[Autonomy, Trust and Medical Ethics in Onora O'Neill's Work]. / Autonomía, confianza y ética médica en la obra de Onora O'Neill.

INTRODUCTION: Autonomy has become a key concept in bioethics. Onora O'neill is perhaps the most representative author and researcher in the philosophical and bioethical fields regrding the concept of autonomy. OBJECT: To review the concept of autonomy in Onora O'Neill's work so as to understand its relevance in current bioethics. METHOD: The concept of bioethics is reviewed in relation to three fundamental quesions: 1) Which are the main limitations of the individualistic conception of autonomy? 2) How to understand the relations between trust and autonomy together with their implications? and 3) Which are the implications of principled autonomy for aspects such as doctor-patient relationship and informed consent. The main works by O'Neill are reviewed, specifically regarding medical bioethics. RESULTS: O'neill's approach is original and relates Kantian autonomy to her own conceptions about trust, and both the individual and social levels of bioethics. CONCLUSIONS: The author has developed a Kantian non indvidualistic view of autonomy. Her conceptulization of trust and the crises this concept is currently undergoing complement and strengthen the concept of principled autonomy. The implications of O'Neill's concepts go beyond theoretical discussions and in her work she uses examples and analyzes circumstances which demonstrate the applicability of her proposals. O'Neill's work contributes to dealing with the challenges posed by the socio-political context of cost-efficiency oriented health systems and of the so-called defensive medicine.

Polaridad predominante en pacientes bipolares tipo I. Estudio en una población aislada con alta prevalencia de trastornos de ánimo / Predominant polarity in type-I bipolar patients. Study in an isolated population with a high prevalence of mood disorders

Introducción: Estudios recientes han demostrado que la descripción de la polaridad predominante tiene efectos en la detección temprana y el inicio oportuno del tratamiento en los pacientes con trastorno afectivo bipolar (TAB). Metodología: Estudio descriptivo de corte transversal en 101 pacientes con TAB procedentes de una muestra poblacional genéticamente aislada de la región colombiana de Antioquia. Resultados: El estudio abarcó una población de 101 pacientes con diagnóstico de TAB tipo I, de los cuales 57,4% cumplieron criterios de polaridad maniaca (PM), 10,1% presentaron polaridad depresiva (PD) y 25,7% fueron clasificados con polaridad indefinida (PI). En comparación con los otros, los pacientes con PM tienen menor nivel educativo y menor edad de inicio y hay más solteros que en los otros grupos. La mayor prevalencia de suicidio se dio dentro del grupo de PM. El grupo de PM presentó un mayor consumo de cannabinoides y cocaína. Dentro del grupo de PD se registró una fuerte tendencia al consumo de cigarrillo y alcohol. Respecto a los fármacos consumidos a lo largo de la vida por los pacientes que conforman el estudio, los antipsicóti-cos fueron el grupo más usado, seguido por el litio y los anticonvulsivantes. Hay un elevado porcentaje de pacientes con PM que usaron antidepresivos a lo largo de su vida. Conclusiones: La polaridad del primer episodio de la enfermedad parece ser un parámetro de pronóstico válido en cuanto a la polaridad de los episodios subsiguientes; por lo tanto funciona de forma indirecta como predictor del curso de la enfermedad...

Introduction: Recent studies have shown that the predominant description of polarity has effects upon early detection and the timely beginning of treatment in patients with bipolar affective disorder (BAD). Methodology:Cross sectional cut and descriptive study in 101 BAD patients coming from a genetically isolated population from the Colombian Region of Antioquia. Results: The study covered a population of 101 patients with type-I BAD diagnosis, out of which 57,4% met the criteria for maniac polarity (MP), 10,1% exhibited depressive polarity (DP) and 25,7% were classified with Indefinite Polarity (IP). In comparison, MP patients have a lower education level and less starting age, including a greater number of single people. The MP group showed the greatest prevalence of suicide and greater use of cannabinoids and cocaine. Within the DP group there was a strong tendency to cigarette and alcohol consumption. With respect to pharmaceutical drugs consumed by the study patients during their lives, antipsychotics were the most widely used group, followed by lithium and anticonvulsivants. There is high percentage of MP patients who have used antidepressants during their lives. Conclusion: The polarity of the first episode of the disease seems to be a valid predictive parameter concerning the polarity of subsequent episodes; therefore, it works indirectly as a valid predictor of the disease’s course...

[Predominant polarity in type-I bipolar patients: Study in an isolated population with a high prevalence of mood disorders]. / Polaridad predominante en pacientes bipolares tipo I: Estudio en una población aislada con alta prevalencia de trastornos de ánimo.

INTRODUCTION: Recent studies have shown that the predominant description of polarity has effects upon early detection and the timely beginning of treatment in patients with bipolar affective disorder (BAD). METHODOLOGY: Cross sectional cut and descriptive study in 101 BAD patients coming from a genetically isolated population from the Colombian Region of Antioquia. RESULTS: The study covered a population of 101 patients with type-I BAD diagnosis, out of which 57,4% met the criteria for maniac polarity (MP), 10,1% exhibited depressive polarity (DP) and 25,7% were classified with Indefinite Polarity (IP). In comparison, MP patients have a lower education level and less starting age, including a greater number of single people. The MP group showed the greatest prevalence of suicide and greater use of cannabinoids and cocaine. Within the DP group there was a strong tendency to cigarette and alcohol consumption. With respect to pharmaceutical drugs consumed by the study patients during their lives, antipsychotics were the most widely used group, followed by lithium and anti-convulsivants. There is high percentage of MP patients who have used antidepressants during their lives. CONCLUSION: The polarity of the first episode of the disease seems to be a valid predictive parameter concerning the polarity of subsequent episodes; therefore, it works indirectly as a valid predictor of the disease's course.