Obsessive-compulsive symptoms in anxiety and depressive disorders: Influence of recent and/or traumatic life events.

INTRODUCTION: A high prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCSs) in anxiety-depressive disorders ranging from 30 to 67% has been described. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the presence and persistence of OCSs in an outpatient sample of subjects with anxiety and depressive disorders, as well as its relationship with recent life events (RLEs) and/or traumatic experiences (TEs). METHOD: We conducted a prospective, observational, analytical study of 200 subjects with DSM-5 diagnoses of anxiety and/or depression. Participants were included by consecutive sampling and were evaluated at baseline and after 6-12 months (mean 8.5 months) of follow-up. The severity of the symptoms was assessed through the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HARS) and Hamilton Scale for the evaluation of depression (HRSD-17), and comorbidity was assessed through the International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). The Revised Inventory of Obsessions and Compulsions (OCI-R), the Recent Vital Changes Questionnaire (CVSV), and the Diagnostic Scale for Post-Traumatic Stress (PDS) were also administered. RESULTS: 54% of the sample presented OCSs, and 30.5% presented one or more TEs throughout life. At the baseline visit, the presence of OCSs was associated with the severity of depressive symptoms (p=0.028), the presence of TEs (p<0.01), symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (p<0.01) and the number of RLEs (p<0.01). Response rate at follow-up was 38%, and persistence of OCSs was found in 60.5% of patients, independent of depressive or anxious symptoms, but was associated with the number of RLEs (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: The presence of OCSs in patients with anxiety and depressive disorders is frequent and persistent. Anxious-depressive patients with a history of TEs and RLEs had higher OCS levels. These findings highlight the importance of early detection and the use of therapeutic strategies focused on resilience to stress and trauma.

Obsessive-compulsive symptoms in anxiety and depressive disorders: Influence of recent and/or traumatic life events / Síntomas obsesivo-compulsivos en los trastornos depresivos y de ansiedad: la influencia de eventos recientes y/o experiencias traumáticas

Introduction A high prevalence of obsessive–compulsive symptoms (OCSs) in anxiety-depressive disorders ranging from 30 to 67% has been described. Objective This study aims to assess the presence and persistence of OCSs in an outpatient sample of subjects with anxiety and depressive disorders, as well as its relationship with recent life events (RLEs) and/or traumatic experiences (TEs). Method We conducted a prospective, observational, analytical study of 200 subjects with DSM-5 diagnoses of anxiety and/or depression. Participants were included by consecutive sampling and were evaluated at baseline and after 6–12 months (mean 8.5 months) of follow-up. The severity of the symptoms was assessed through the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HARS) and Hamilton Scale for the evaluation of depression (HRSD-17), and comorbidity was assessed through the International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). The Revised Inventory of Obsessions and Compulsions (OCI-R), the Recent Vital Changes Questionnaire (CVSV), and the Diagnostic Scale for Post-Traumatic Stress (PDS) were also administered. Results 54% of the sample presented OCSs, and 30.5% presented one or more TEs throughout life. At the baseline visit, the presence of OCSs was associated with the severity of depressive symptoms (p=0.028), the presence of TEs (p<0.01), symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (p<0.01) and the number of RLEs (p<0.01). Response rate at follow-up was 38%, and persistence of OCSs was found in 60.5% of patients, independent of depressive or anxious symptoms, but was associated with the number of RLEs (p<0.01). Conclusion The presence of OCSs in patients with anxiety and depressive disorders is frequent and persistent. Anxious-depressive patients with a history of TEs and RLEs had higher OCS levels. These findings highlight the importance of early detection and the use of therapeutic strategies focused on resilience to stress and trauma. (AU)

Introducción Se ha descrito una alta prevalencia de síntomas obsesivo-compulsivos (SOC) en los trastornos de ansiedad-depresivos que van desde el 30 al 67%. Objetivo Este estudio tiene como objetivo evaluar la presencia y persistencia de SOC en una muestra ambulatoria de sujetos con trastornos de ansiedad y depresión, así como su relación con eventos de la vida recientes (EVR) y/o experiencias traumáticas (ET). Método Se llevó a cabo un estudio prospectivo, observacional y analítico de 200 sujetos con diagnósticos de ansiedad y/o depresión, según el manual diagnóstico y estadístico de los trastornos mentales, quinta edición (DSM-5). Los participantes fueron incluidos mediante muestreo consecutivo y evaluados al inicio del estudio y después de seis a 12 meses (media 8,5 meses) de seguimiento. La gravedad de los síntomas se evaluó mediante la escala Hamilton anxiety rating scale (HARS) y Hamilton depression rating scale (HRSD-17), y la comorbilidad a través del mini international neuropsychiatric interview (MINI). También, se administró el inventario revisado de obsesiones y compulsiones (OCI-R), el cuestionario de cambios vitales recientes (CVSV) y la escala de diagnóstico de estrés postraumático (PDS). Resultados El 54% de la muestra presentó SOC y el 30,5% mostró uno o más ET a lo largo de la vida. En la visita basal, la presencia de SOC se asoció con la gravedad de los síntomas depresivos (p = 0,028), la presencia de ET (p < 0,01), los síntomas de trastorno de estrés postraumático (p < 0,01) y el número de EVR (p < 0,01). La tasa de respuesta en el seguimiento fue del 38% y la persistencia de los SOC se encontró en el 60,5% de los pacientes, independientemente de los síntomas depresivos o ansiosos, aunque asociada al número de EVR (p < 0,01). Conclusiones La presencia de SOC en pacientes con trastornos de ansiedad y depresión es frecuente y persistente. ... (AU)

Obsessive-compulsive symptoms in anxiety and depressive disorders: Influence of recent and/or traumatic life events.

INTRODUCTION: A high prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCSs) in anxiety-depressive disorders ranging from 30 to 67% has been described. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the presence and persistence of OCSs in an outpatient sample of subjects with anxiety and depressive disorders, as well as its relationship with recent life events (RLEs) and/or traumatic experiences (TEs). METHOD: We conducted a prospective, observational, analytical study of 200 subjects with DSM-5 diagnoses of anxiety and/or depression. Participants were included by consecutive sampling and were evaluated at baseline and after 6-12 months (mean 8.5 months) of follow-up. The severity of the symptoms was assessed through the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HARS) and Hamilton Scale for the evaluation of depression (HRSD-17), and comorbidity was assessed through the International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). The Revised Inventory of Obsessions and Compulsions (OCI-R), the Recent Vital Changes Questionnaire (CVSV), and the Diagnostic Scale for Post-Traumatic Stress (PDS) were also administered. RESULTS: 54% of the sample presented OCSs, and 30.5% presented one or more TEs throughout life. At the baseline visit, the presence of OCSs was associated with the severity of depressive symptoms (p=0.028), the presence of TEs (p<0.01), symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (p<0.01) and the number of RLEs (p<0.01). Response rate at follow-up was 38%, and persistence of OCSs was found in 60.5% of patients, independent of depressive or anxious symptoms, but was associated with the number of RLEs (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: The presence of OCSs in patients with anxiety and depressive disorders is frequent and persistent. Anxious-depressive patients with a history of TEs and RLEs had higher OCS levels. These findings highlight the importance of early detection and the use of therapeutic strategies focused on resilience to stress and trauma.

Relationship between olfactory function and social cognition in euthymic bipolar patients.

OBJECTIVE/INTRODUCTION: There is a close functional and neuroanatomical relationship between olfactory ability and emotional processing. The present study seeks to explore the association between olfactory ability and social cognition, especially facial emotion perception, in euthymic bipolar patients. METHODS: Thirty-nine euthymic outpatients meeting DSM-IV-TR criteria for bipolar disorder and 40 healthy volunteers matched on socio-demographic criteria were recruited. Both groups were assessed at one time point with the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT), the Emotion Recognition Test, and The Faux Pas Recognition Test, as well as measures of general cognition and functioning. RESULTS: The bipolar patients showed a significant impairment in olfactory identification (UPSIT) and social cognition measures compared to healthy controls. Analyses revealed significant relationships between olfactory identification and facial emotion recognition, theory of mind, general cognition, and a trend-level relationship with functioning. Controlling for age and cigarettes smoked, relationships remained significant between olfactory function and facial emotion recognition. CONCLUSION: There is a deficit of olfactory identification in euthymic patients with bipolar disorder that is correlated with a deficit in both verbal and non-verbal measures of social cognition.

Social cognition and global functioning in bipolar disorder.

The purpose of this study was to assess the role of social cognition, together with other relevant clinical variables and measures of general cognition, in the global functioning of euthymic bipolar patients. Thirty-nine euthymic outpatients fulfilling DSM-IV-TR criteria for bipolar disorder type I or II were recruited and were divided in two groups: high (n = 19) and low (n = 20) global functioning. Both groups' performance was compared in verbal and nonverbal social cognition (Faux pas test and Facial Emotion Recognition test), sustained attention and executive function. The low-functioning group showed a significant impairment in both verbal and nonverbal measurements of social cognition compared with the high-functioning group. Globally, both bipolar groups showed a significant impairment in facial emotion recognition compared with a similar sample of healthy volunteers. Social cognition may play a significant role in the clinical-functional gap of bipolar patients.

Déficit de cognición social en el trastorno bipolar: relevancia y estrategias de rehabilitación / Social cognition deficit in bipolar disorder: relevance and rehabilitation strategies

Introducción: El trastorno afectivo bipolar (TAP) está asociado con un significativo deterioro en el funcionamiento social, laboral y familiar, incluso en períodos de estabilidad clínica, y ello podría explicarse por un déficit de la cognición social. Objetivo: Revisar los principales hallazgos sobre la cognición social de los pacientes bipolares, a través de sus principales dimensiones y a través de las distintas fases de la enfermedad. Método: Búsqueda en la literatura biomédica en Medline, OVID, Proquest y EMBASE, cruzando los términos MeSH cognición social, teoría de la mente, reconocimiento de emociones, empatía y procesamiento emocional con trastorno bipolar, delimitando los resultados a los estudios clínicos con calidad metodológica media/alta, en español o inglés, y publicados en los últimos 20 años en la población infantil y adulta. Resultados: Se seleccionaron 83 artículos que se referían al tema, aunque sólo 16 evalúan específicamente la cognición social en población bipolar. La mayoría de estudios muestran un déficit tanto en las fases de descompensación como en estado de eutimia. Discusión: Desde una perspectiva neurocognitiva se plantean diversas explicaciones a estas alteraciones cognitivas, asociadas con la existencia de sintomatología subsindrómica afectiva. Finalmente, se revisan las estrategias rehabilitadoras que podrían ser de utilidad para revertir este déficit que conlleva importantes repercusiones funcionales...

Introduction: Bipolar disorder (BD) is associated with significant impairment in social, work, and family functioning, even in euthymic state. This could be explained by a social cognition deficit. Objective: To review the findings on social cognition in bipolar patients through its main dimensions, and through the various stages of the illness. Method: We searched the biomedical literature on Medline, OVID, Proquest, and EMBASE for articles matching the MeSH terms “social cognition”, “theory of mind”, “emotion recognition”, “empathy”, and “emotional processing” to “bipolar disorder”, limiting the results to clinical studies with medium/high methodological quality, in Spanish or English and published in the last 20 years, in children and adults. Results: We selected 83 items referring to this topic but only 24 specifically assessed social cognition in bipolar population. Most studies showed a deficit in both the phases of relapse as well as in euthymic state. Discussion: From a neurocognitive perspective a number of explanations arise for this cognitive impairment, associated with the existence of subsyndromal affective symptoms. Finally, we review the rehabilitation strategies that could be useful to reverse this deficit that carries important functional implications...