Longitudinal study of neurological soft signs in first-episode early-onset psychosis.

BACKGROUND: In recent decades, the assessment of neurological soft signs (NSS) in patients with psychosis has become a subject of special interest. The study of the progression of NSS during adolescence will provide valuable information about the role of NSS as endophenotypes or biomarkers and about brain development at a stage in which brain maturation has not yet been completed. METHODS: Neurological soft signs were assessed in a sample of 110 first episodes of early-onset psychosis (EOP) and 98 healthy children and adolescents at two different times in a 2-year follow-up period. RESULTS: Patients with EOP showed more NSS than controls both at baseline (p < .001) and the 2-year follow-up (p < .001). No differences were found in the number of signs among the different diagnostic subgroups (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other psychoses). When we examined the changes in NSS over the follow-up, the reduction of NSS in the patients was greater than the controls for 'Motor coordination' (p = .032), 'Others' (p < .001), and 'Total score' (p < .001) of the NES. CONCLUSION: Despite the greater reduction of NSS in patients than in controls along the follow-up, patients still have more neurological signs than healthy controls; therefore, these signs may be considered a trait marker. NSS do not seem to be specific to schizophrenia as they are present in different EOPs.

La uroquinasa aplicada de forma precoz, “clave” para la desobstrucción de los catéteres permanentes / Early application of urokinase, the “key” to unblocking permanent catheters

La obstrucción por depósitos de fibrina es la complicación más frecuente de los catéteres permanentes para la práctica de hemodiálisis. En nuestra unidad la utilización de Uroquinasa (UK) para desobstruir los catéteres no daba buenos resultados, por lo que decidimos modificar el protocolo de utilización basándonos en una de las propiedades de la UK: su eficacia terapéutica es tanto mayor cuanto más reciente es el trombo; aplicamos la misma dosis 7500 ui, pero de forma precoz. En marzo del 2003 implantamos el nuevo protocolo y estudiamos retrospectivamente los 8 meses anteriores al nuevo protocolo en tres catéteres, y prospectivamente otros 8 meses con el actual protocolo. Los resultados obtenidos fueron satisfactorios, ya que conseguimos permeabilizar un catéter totalmente obstruido y mejoraron todos los flujos de los catéteres estudiados. En la actualidad tenemos otros tres catéteres nuevos en los que no se ha producido ningún bloqueo completo, lo que nos ha llevado a pensar que podríamos estar realizando una labor preventiva, ya que si mantenemos la luz del catéter perfectamente limpia y los flujos son buenos, la obstrucción es mucho más difícil. El coste en que se incrementa la diálisis, cada vez que se utiliza la UK, es de 9,65€

Obstruction by fibrin deposits is the most frequent complication in permanent catheters for haemodialysis. In our unit, the use of Urokinase (UK) to unblock catheters did not give good results, so we decided to alter the protocol of use on the basis of one of the properties of UK: its therapeutic effectiveness increases with more recent thrombosis; we applied the same dose 7500 ui, but at an early stage. We introduced the new protocol in March 2003 and retrospectively studied the 8 months previous to the new protocol in three catheters and another 8 months prospectively with the current protocol. The results were satisfactory, as we managed to permeabilise a totally obstructed catheter and improve all the flows of the catheters under study. We currently have a further three new catheters in which no complete blockage has occurred, which has led us to believe that we could be performing a preventive job, for if we keep the span of the catheter entirely clean and the flows are good, it will be more difficult for them to be obstructed. The increased cost of the dialysis each time UK is used is 9.65€

Avances de la investigación biológica en la esquizofrenia: aportaciones de neuroimagen funcional / No disponible

Se revisan logros de los estudios histológicos que, junto a los hallazgos de la incipiente aplicación de la neuroimagen, han revelado algunos mecanismos implicados en la etiopatogenia y fisiopatología de la esquizofrenia. Desde hace pocos años, la confluencia de las diferenteslíneas de investigación han producido importantes avancesque marcaran la trayectoria futura de la investigación biológica de la esquizofrenia en psiquiatría, y se han publicado los primeros estudios que relacionan la influencia que ejercen determinados genotipos de genes candidatos, sobre las alteraciones neurofisiológicas, ejecución de test de memoria de trabajo, variaciones estructurales y funcionales y psicopatológicas en pacientes con esquizofrenia, individuos de alto riesgo y personas sanas. En definitiva, estudios que detectan los individuos más vulnerables al padecimiento de este gravetrastorno mental

In this article we review the most recent studies in neuroimage that have helped to understand the etiology and pathogenesis of schizophrenia. In the last few years different research lines came together to produce importand advances and open new pathways for the futureknowledge about schizophrenia. The first studies on the different genotipes involved in schizophrenia were published and also studies on neurophysiology, neuropsychology, structural and functional neuroimage in patients with schizophrenia, persons at high risk fordeveloping the illness, and healthy controls have been developed. In summary, in the last years we have many available studies on different fields that help to understand the etiology and pathology of schizophrenia,and different characteristics in high risk individuals