Neuroscience-Based Nomenclature (NbN): the Portuguese version of the new classification for psychopharmacological drugs.

Neuroscience-Based Nomenclature (NbN) is a proposal to provide a nomenclature based on neuroscience and pharmacology instead of the old disease-based classification. NbN is based on the mechanism of action and pharmacological target and aims to assist in rational prescription, reduce stigma, and increase treatment adherence. Currently, NbN is endorsed by many psychiatric associations, adopted by several relevant journals, and included in major psychiatry textbooks. Therefore, it is important that NbN is known to psychiatrists.

Inflammatory cytokines and white matter microstructure in the acute phase of first-episode psychosis: A longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVES: Schizophrenia-related psychosis is associated with abnormalities in white matter (WM) microstructure and structural brain dysconnectivity. However, the pathological process underlying such changes is unknown. We sought to investigate the potential association between peripheral cytokine levels and WM microstructure during the acute phase of first-episode psychosis (FEP) in a cohort of drug-naïve patients. METHODS: Twenty-five non-affective FEP patients and 69 healthy controls underwent MRI scanning and blood collection at study entry. After achieving clinical remission, 21 FEP were reassessed; 38 age and biological sex-matched controls also had a second assessment. We measured fractional anisotropy (FA) of selected WM regions-of-interest (ROIs) and plasma levels of four cytokines (IL-6, IL-10, IFN-γ, and TNF-α). RESULTS: At baseline (acute psychosis), the FEP group showed reduced FA relative to controls in half the examined ROIs. Within the FEP group, IL-6 levels were negatively correlated with FA values. Longitudinally, patients showed increments of FA in several ROIs affected at baseline, and such changes were associated with reductions in IL-6 levels. CONCLUSIONS: A state-dependent process involving an interplay between a pro-inflammatory cytokine and brain WM might be associated with the clinical manifestation of FEP. This association suggests a deleterious effect of IL-6 on WM tracts during the acute phase of psychosis.

COMVC-19: A Program to protect healthcare workers' mental health during the COVID-19 Pandemic. What we have learned.

OBJECTIVE: In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic brought a work and stress overload to healthcare workers, increasing their vulnerability to mental health impairments. In response, the authors created the COMVC-19 program. The program offered preventive actions and mental health treatment for the 22,000 workers of The Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMUSP). This paper aims to describe its implementation and share what we have learned from this experience. METHODS: Workers were able to easily access the program through a 24/7 hotline. Additionally, a mobile phone app that screened for signs and symptoms of emotional distress and offered psychoeducation and/or referral to treatment was made available. Data from both these sources as well as any subsequent psychiatric evaluations were collected. RESULTS: The first 20 weeks of our project revealed that most participants were female, and part of the nursing staff working directly with COVID-19 patients. The most frequently reported symptoms were: anxiety, depression and sleep disturbances. The most common diagnoses were Adjustment, Anxiety, and Mood disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Implementing a mental health program in a multimodal intervention was feasible in a major quaternary public hospital. Our data also suggests that preventive actions should primarily be aimed at anxiety and depression symptoms, with a particular focus on the nursing staff.

Which are the best evidence-based therapeutic options for clozapine and ECT resistant schizophrenia? A case-report.

This is a case description of a patient with clozapine and ECT resistance schizophrenia with several suicide attempts. We discussed evidence-based clinical decisions to deal with such conditions.

Cortical surface abnormalities are different depending on the stage of schizophrenia: A cross-sectional vertexwise mega-analysis of thickness, area and gyrification.

BACKGROUND: Brain magnetic resonance imaging studies have not investigated the cortical surface comprehensively in schizophrenia subjects by assessing thickness, surface area and gyrification separately during the first-episode of psychosis (FEP) or chronic schizophrenia (ChSch). METHODS: We investigated cortical surface abnormalities in 137 FEP patients and 240 ChSch subjects compared to 297 Healthy Controls (HC) contributed by five cohorts. Maps showing results of vertexwise between-group comparisons of cortical thickness, area, and gyrification were produced using T1-weighted datasets processed using FreeSurfer 5.3, followed by validated quality control protocols. RESULTS: FEP subjects showed large clusters of increased area and gyrification relative to HC in prefrontal and insuli cortices (Cohen's d: 0.049 to 0.28). These between-group differences occurred partially beyond the effect of sample. ChSch subjects displayed reduced cortical thickness relative to HC in smaller fronto-temporal foci (d: -0.73 to -0.35), but not beyond the effect of sample. Differences between FEP and HC subjects were associated with male gender, younger age, and earlier illness onset, while differences between ChSch and HC were associated with treatment-resistance and first-generation antipsychotic (FGA) intake independently of sample effect. CONCLUSIONS: Separate assessments of FEP and ChSch revealed abnormalities that differed in regional distribution, phenotypes affected and effect size. In FEP, associations of greater cortical area and gyrification abnormalities with earlier age of onset suggest an origin on anomalous neurodevelopment, while thickness reductions in ChSch are at least partially explained by treatment-resistance and FGA intake. Associations of between-group differences with clinical variables retained statistical significance beyond the effect of sample.

COMVC-19: A Program to protect healthcare workers' mental health during the COVID-19 Pandemic. What we have learned

OBJECTIVE: In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic brought a work and stress overload to healthcare workers, increasing their vulnerability to mental health impairments. In response, the authors created the COMVC-19 program. The program offered preventive actions and mental health treatment for the 22,000 workers of The Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMUSP). This paper aims to describe its implementation and share what we have learned from this experience. METHODS: Workers were able to easily access the program through a 24/7 hotline. Additionally, a mobile phone app that screened for signs and symptoms of emotional distress and offered psychoeducation and/or referral to treatment was made available. Data from both these sources as well as any subsequent psychiatric evaluations were collected. RESULTS: The first 20 weeks of our project revealed that most participants were female, and part of the nursing staff working directly with COVID-19 patients. The most frequently reported symptoms were: anxiety, depression and sleep disturbances. The most common diagnoses were Adjustment, Anxiety, and Mood disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Implementing a mental health program in a multimodal intervention was feasible in a major quaternary public hospital. Our data also suggests that preventive actions should primarily be aimed at anxiety and depression symptoms, with a particular focus on the nursing staff.

Early Post-operative Weight Change After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Predicts Weight Loss at 12-Month Follow-up.

INTRODUCTION: Sub-optimal weight loss following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) represents an important clinical challenge in a significant number of patients. Early identification of such patients would be advantageous, as it could aid in the selective implementation of targeted adjunct interventions during the first post-operative year. METHODS: Clinical audit data from 1137 patients undergoing RYGB between 2013 and 2016 at the Instituto Sallet in Brazil were prospectively registered in an online database (BOLD) and analyzed. RESULTS: Forty-eight percent of patients achieving less than 5% total weight loss after the first post-operative month achieved a 20% total weight loss at 1 year (n = 626; OR = 0.6 CI = 95%). Eighty-three percent of patients losing between 5 and 10% at 1 month and 95% of patients losing greater than 10% at 1 month had lost at least 20% of total body weight after the first post-operative year. Forty-four percent of patients achieving less than 10% total weight loss after the third post-operative month achieved 20% total weight loss at 1 year (n = 494; OR = 0.3 CI = 95%). CONCLUSION: Total bodyweight reduction after RYGB of < 5% at 1 month and < 10% at 3 months is associated with suboptimal weight loss at 1 year. These results reinforce findings from other studies reporting that patients tend to follow a common weight loss trajectory. Identifying the patients with weight trajectory requiring adjunct therapies early on is crucial so appropriate adjustments can be made to post-operative care.

Increased platelet glycogen sysnthase kinase 3beta in first-episode psychosis.

Past studies have linked intracellular pathways related to psychotic disorders to the GSK3B enzyme. This study aimed to investigate GSK3B protein expression and phosphorylation in drug-naïve first-episode psychosis patients (n=43) at baseline and following symptom remission, and in healthy controls (n=77). At baseline GSK3B total level was higher in patients (p<0.001). In schizophrenia spectrum patients (n=25) GSK3B total and phosphorylated levels were higher than in controls and patients with other non-affective psychotic disorders (n=18) (p<0.001; p=0.027; p=0.05 respectively). No enzyme changes were found after clinical remission. The implication of this finding for the biology of psychoses warrants further studies to clarify whether increased GSK3B may be useful as a biomarker for psychosis in general, and schizophrenia in particular.

Application of BAROS' questionnaire in obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery with 2 years of evolution / Aplicação do questionário BAROS em pacientes obesos submetidos à cirurgia bariátrica com 2 anos de evolução

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND -In recent decades, the high prevalence of obesity in the general population has brought serious concerns in terms of public health. Contrarily to conventional treatment involving dieting and physical exercising, often ineffective in generating long term results, bariatric opera­tions have been an effective method for sustained weight loss in morbidly obese individuals. The Bariatric Analysis and Reporting Outcome System (BAROS) is an objective and recognized system in the overall evaluation of results after bariatric surgery. OBJECTIVE To investigate results concerning a casuistic of morbidly obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery over a 2-year follow-up in terms of weight loss, related medical conditions, safety and changes in quality of life. METHODS A total of 120 obese (17 male and 103 female) patients, who underwent bariatric surgery, were assessed and investigated using the BAROS system after a 2- year follow-up. RESULTS Patients obtained a mean excess weight loss of 74.6 (±15.9) % and mean body mass index reduction of 15.6 (±4.4) Kg/m2. Pre-surgical comorbidities were present in 71 (59%) subjects and they were totally (86%) or partially (14%) resolved. Complications resulting specifically from the surgical procedure were observed in 4.2% of cases (two bowel obstructions requiring re-operation, and three stomal stenosis treated with endoscopic dilation). Sixteen subjects (13% of total number of patients) presented minor clinical complications managed through outpatient care. The final scores for the BAROS questionnaire showcased excellent to good results in 99% of cases (excellent 44%, very good 38%, good 23%, acceptable 1%). CONCLUSION According to the BAROS questionnaire, bariatric surgery is a safe and effective method for managing obesity and associated clinical comorbidities, allowing for satisfactory results after a 2-year follow-up. Future studies should address other clinical and psychosocial variables that impact outcome as well as allow for longer follow-ups.

RESUMO CONTEXTO Nas últimas décadas, a alta prevalência de obesidade na população geral trouxe grandes preocupações para a saúde pública. Contrariamente ao tratamento convencional envolvendo dieta e atividade física, quase sempre inefetivo em gerar resultados a longo prazo, a cirurgia bariátrica vem se mostrando um método efetivo de perda de peso mantida em indivíduos com obesidade mórbida. O Bariatric Analysis and Reporting Outcome System (BAROS) é um sistema reconhecido e objetivo para a avaliação global de resultados depois de cirurgia bariátrica. OBJETIVO Investigar os resultados referentes à casuística de pacientes obesos mórbidos submetidos à cirurgia bariátrica em um período de 2 anos em termos de perda de peso, condições clínicas relacionadas, segurança e qualidade de vida. MÉTODOS Um total de 120 pacientes obesos (17 masculinos e 103 femininos) admitidos consecutivamente durante período de 4 meses para cirurgia bariátrica foram avaliados e investigados usando o sistema BAROS após 2 anos de evolução. RESULTADOS Os pacientes apresentaram redução média percentual de excesso de peso de 74,6 (±15,9) % e redução média de índice de massa corporal de 15,6 (±4,4) Kg/m2. Comorbidades pré-cirúrgicas estavam presentes em 71 (59%) pacientes e em todos eles foram total (86%) ou parcialmente (14%) resolvidas. Complicações resultantes especificamente do procedimento cirúrgico foram observadas em 4,2% dos casos (duas obstruções intestinais exigindo reoperação e três estenoses anastomóticas resolvidas com dilatação endoscópica). Dezesseis (13%) pacientes apresentaram complicações clínicas menores resolvidas com manejo clínico ambulatorial. Os escores totais do BAROS classificaram os resultados como excelente até bom em 99% dos casos (44% excelente, 38% muito bom e 23% bom) e aceitável em 1% dos casos. CONCLUSÃO De acordo com o questionário BAROS, a cirurgia bariátrica se mostrou segura e efetiva no controle da obesidade e de comorbidades clínicas associadas, permitindo satisfação geral dos pacientes após 2 anos de seguimento. Estudos futuros deverão também investigar outras variáveis clínicas e psicossociais de possível impacto na evolução e por períodos de seguimento mais longos.

Application of BAROS' questionnaire in obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery with 2 years of evolution.

BACKGROUND:: -In recent decades, the high prevalence of obesity in the general population has brought serious concerns in terms of public health. Contrarily to conventional treatment involving dieting and physical exercising, often ineffective in generating long term results, bariatric opera-tions have been an effective method for sustained weight loss in morbidly obese individuals. The Bariatric Analysis and Reporting Outcome System (BAROS) is an objective and recognized system in the overall evaluation of results after bariatric surgery. OBJECTIVE: - To investigate results concerning a casuistic of morbidly obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery over a 2-year follow-up in terms of weight loss, related medical conditions, safety and changes in quality of life. METHODS: - A total of 120 obese (17 male and 103 female) patients, who underwent bariatric surgery, were assessed and investigated using the BAROS system after a 2- year follow-up. RESULTS: - Patients obtained a mean excess weight loss of 74.6 (±15.9) % and mean body mass index reduction of 15.6 (±4.4) Kg/m2. Pre-surgical comorbidities were present in 71 (59%) subjects and they were totally (86%) or partially (14%) resolved. Complications resulting specifically from the surgical procedure were observed in 4.2% of cases (two bowel obstructions requiring re-operation, and three stomal stenosis treated with endoscopic dilation). Sixteen subjects (13% of total number of patients) presented minor clinical complications managed through outpatient care. The final scores for the BAROS questionnaire showcased excellent to good results in 99% of cases (excellent 44%, very good 38%, good 23%, acceptable 1%). CONCLUSION: - According to the BAROS questionnaire, bariatric surgery is a safe and effective method for managing obesity and associated clinical comorbidities, allowing for satisfactory results after a 2-year follow-up. Future studies should address other clinical and psychosocial variables that impact outcome as well as allow for longer follow-ups.

Patterns of regional gray matter loss at different stages of schizophrenia: A multisite, cross-sectional VBM study in first-episode and chronic illness.

BACKGROUND: Structural brain abnormalities in schizophrenia have been repeatedly demonstrated in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies, but it remains unclear whether these are static or progressive in nature. While longitudinal MRI studies have been traditionally used to assess the issue of progression of brain abnormalities in schizophrenia, information from cross-sectional neuroimaging studies directly comparing first-episode and chronic schizophrenia patients to healthy controls may also be useful to further clarify this issue. With the recent interest in multisite mega-analyses combining structural MRI data from multiple centers aiming at increased statistical power, the present multisite voxel-based morphometry (VBM) study was carried out to examine patterns of brain structural changes according to the different stages of illness and to ascertain which (if any) of such structural abnormalities would be specifically correlated to potential clinical moderators, including cumulative exposure to antipsychotics, age of onset, illness duration and overall illness severity. METHODS: We gathered a large sample of schizophrenia patients (161, being 99 chronic and 62 first-episode) and controls (151) from four previous morphometric MRI studies (1.5 T) carried out in the same geographical region of Brazil. Image processing and analyses were conducted using Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM8) software with the diffeomorphic anatomical registration through exponentiated Lie algebra (DARTEL) algorithm. Group effects on regional gray matter (GM) volumes were investigated through whole-brain voxel-wise comparisons using General Linear Model Analysis of Co-variance (ANCOVA), always including total GM volume, scan protocol, age and gender as nuisance variables. Finally, correlation analyses were performed between the aforementioned clinical moderators and regional and global brain volumes. RESULTS: First-episode schizophrenia subjects displayed subtle volumetric deficits relative to controls in a circumscribed brain regional network identified only in small volume-corrected (SVC) analyses (p < 0.05, FWE-corrected), including the insula, temporolimbic structures and striatum. Chronic schizophrenia patients, on the other hand, demonstrated an extensive pattern of regional GM volume decreases relative to controls, involving bilateral superior, inferior and orbital frontal cortices, right middle frontal cortex, bilateral anterior cingulate cortices, bilateral insulae and right superior and middle temporal cortices (p < 0.05, FWE-corrected over the whole brain). GM volumes in several of those brain regions were directly correlated with age of disease onset on SVC analyses for conjoined (first-episode and chronic) schizophrenia groups. There were also widespread foci of significant negative correlation between duration of illness and relative GM volumes, but such findings remained significant only for the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex after accounting for the influence of age of disease onset. Finally, significant negative correlations were detected between life-time cumulative exposure to antipsychotics and total GM and white matter volumes in schizophrenia patients, but no significant relationship was found between indices of antipsychotic usage and relative GM volume in any specific brain region. CONCLUSION: The above data indicate that brain changes associated with the diagnosis of schizophrenia are more widespread in chronic schizophrenia compared to first-episode patients. Our findings also suggest that relative GM volume deficits may be greater in (presumably more severe) cases with earlier age of onset, as well as varying as a function of illness duration in specific frontal brain regions. Finally, our results highlight the potentially complex effects of the continued use of antipsychotic drugs on structural brain abnormalities in schizophrenia, as we found that cumulative doses of antipsychotics affected brain volumes globally rather than selectively on frontal-temporal regions.

Lower phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase-3B levels in platelets of patients with schizophrenia: increment by olanzapine treatment.

Glycogen synthase kinase-3B (GSK-3B) is involved with important neuronal processes such as cell survival, gene regulation, mood and cognitive performance. This enzyme is inactivated by phosphorylation at the phospho-Ser9 site. We compared GSK-3B levels in patients with schizophrenia to a health control group. The levels of phosphorylated and total GSK-3B in platelets of ten drug-free patients, ten long-term olanzapine treated patients and 20 healthy controls were determined by means of an enzyme immunoassay kit. In drug-free patients, GSK-3B levels were accessed again after 8 weeks on treatment with olanzapine. At baseline, drug-free patients presented lower phosphorylated and total GSK-3B levels than healthy controls (p < 0.05). After 8 weeks on olanzapine treatment, phosphorylated and total GSK-3B levels were significantly increased (p < 0.01). Reduced phospho-Ser9-GSK-3B in schizophrenia may disrupt signal-transduction pathways and influence crucial cellular processes, such as transcription, apoptosis, stress response and cell proliferation. Further studies should clarify whether the increment of GSK-3B phosphorylation by olanzapine is related to its antipsychotic effects.

The impact of temperament and character inventory personality traits on long-term outcome of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

BACKGROUND: A significant proportion of patients who undergo bariatric surgery fail to achieve enduring weight loss. Previous studies suggest that psychosocial variables affect postoperative outcome, although this subject is still considered unclear. The purpose of this study is to further investigate the impact of psychosocial variables on Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) outcomes over long-term follow-up. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Individuals eligible for bariatric surgery were evaluated using validated psychopathological scales and the Temperament and Character Inventory in a specialized clinic for bariatric treatment. Adult patients who had RYGB were selected for the study. Percent of excess weight loss (%EWL) was measured after surgery at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and on the last clinical observation. RESULTS: This study included 333 subjects who had RYGB. Before surgery, mean age was 35.4 years (±9.5) and mean BMI was 43.3 kg/m(2) (±4.8). Higher baseline age and BMI were associated with lower %EWL across endpoints, although this association diminished over time. Follow up at 2 years and on the last clinical observation demonstrated that lower scores on the persistence personality variable and lower body dissatisfaction before surgery predicted lower %EWL. CONCLUSIONS: Psychosocial variables and personality traits assessed during preoperative evaluation significantly predicted weight loss after bariatric surgery. Greater impact was observed in long-term follow-up at 2 years. These findings provide guidance in identifying patients at risk for worse outcomes and designing interventions to improve long-term weight loss.

Neuropeptide downregulation in sepsis.

Neuropeptides are an extremely conserved arm of neurobiology. Despite their effects as neurohormones and neurotransmitters, a multitude of other effects have been described, putting in evidence their importance as regulators of immune responses, such as chemotaxis, oxidative burst, pro-inflammatory signaling, and many others. The effects of neuropeptides in the pathophysiology of sepsis, however, remain poorly investigated. A prospective cohort study to investigate the effects of neuropeptides in sepsis was carried out. Here, we describe that neuropeptides are downregulated during septic shock. We propose that it may be a protective mechanism of the host to avoid further inflammatory injury.

Aspectos do acompanhamento psiquiátrico de pacientes obesos sob tratamento bariátrico: revisão / Aspects of psychiatric care for obese patients under bariatric treatment: a review

CONTEXTO: Nas últimas décadas, diversos estudos longitudinais têm demonstrado a eficácia da cirurgia bariátrica no controle de peso em longo prazo e na redução da mortalidade resultante de complicações clínicas associadas à obesidade. Contudo, os estudos também revelam aumento significativo da mortalidade devida a suicídio e comportamento impulsivo, por razões largamente desconhecidas, o que demonstra a escassez de informações relativas ao manejo clínico de pacientes bariátricos. O presente estudo tem como objetivo sintetizar o estado atual de conhecimentos referentes ao acompanhamento psiquiátrico de pacientes bariátricos. MÉTODO: Revisão seletiva da literatura envolvendo artigos indexados no Medline e PubMed até junho de 2010, utilizando-se os termos: "bariatric surgery", "psychiatry", "binge eating", "follow-up" e "outcome". RESULTADOS: Há relativo consenso na literatura de que não haja contraindicação psiquiátrica absoluta para a cirurgia bariátrica, embora a avaliação pré-operatória seja de extrema importância para o diagnóstico e tratamento de eventuais transtornos psiquiátricos, objetivando assegurar aderência ao tratamento multidisciplinar, melhor qualidade de vida e, possivelmente, melhor prognóstico pós-cirúrgico. Entre os transtornos mais prevalentes nessa população, encontra-se o transtorno da compulsão alimentar periódica (TCAP), que está relacionado com menor perda ponderal e pior qualidade de vida, especialmente quando presente no pós-operatório. No acompanhamento pós-operatório, também se deve atentar para o surgimento de sintomas impulsivos, incluindo abuso de álcool e outras substâncias. CONCLUSÃO: Diversos estudos indicam elevada prevalência de transtornos mentais e alterações psicopatológicas na população de pacientes bariátricos. Embora a maioria dos pacientes apresente adequado controle ponderal e melhora na qualidade de vida em médio e longo prazo, alguns pacientes desenvolvem alterações relativas ao comportamento alimentar,...

BACKGROUND: In recent decades, several longitudinal studies show the efficacy of bariatric surgery on long-term weight control and reductions in mortality due to clinical complications associated with obesity. However, studies also show significantly increased mortality due to suicide and impulsive behavior, for reasons largely unknown, which demonstrates the paucity of information concerning the clinical management of bariatric patients. This study aims to synthesize the current state of knowledge regarding the psychiatric care of bariatric patients. METHOD: A selective review of literature involving articles indexed on Medline and PubMed up to June 2010, using the terms: "bariatric surgery", "psychiatry", "binge eating", "follow-up", and "outcome". RESULTS: The literature is somehow consensual in which there is no absolute psychiatric contraindication for bariatric surgery, although the preoperative evaluation is of extreme importance for the diagnosis and treatment of any psychiatric disorder, to assure adherence to the multidisciplinary approach, improved quality of life and possibly a better prognosis after surgery. Among the most prevalent disorders in this population is the binge-eating disorder (BED), which is associated with lower weight loss and poor quality of life, especially when present in the postoperative period. In the postoperative follow-up one should also be alert to the emergence of impulsive symptoms, including abuse of alcohol and other substances. DISCUSSION: Several studies indicate high prevalence of mental disorders and psychopathology in the population of bariatric patients. Although most patients experience adequate weight control and improved quality of life in the medium and long term, some patients develop abnormal behavior relating to dysfunctional eating patterns, abuse of alcohol and other substances, and complications associated with impulsive behavior, which suggests etiological hypotheses involving from...

Exploring the knowledge contained in neuroimages: statistical discriminant analysis and automatic segmentation of the most significant changes.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to propose an integrated framework for extracting and describing patterns of disorders from medical images using a combination of linear discriminant analysis and active contour models. METHODS: A multivariate statistical methodology was first used to identify the most discriminating hyperplane separating two groups of images (from healthy controls and patients with schizophrenia) contained in the input data. After this, the present work makes explicit the differences found by the multivariate statistical method by subtracting the discriminant models of controls and patients, weighted by the pooled variance between the two groups. A variational level-set technique was used to segment clusters of these differences. We obtain a label of each anatomical change using the Talairach atlas. RESULTS: In this work all the data was analysed simultaneously rather than assuming a priori regions of interest. As a consequence of this, by using active contour models, we were able to obtain regions of interest that were emergent from the data. The results were evaluated using, as gold standard, well-known facts about the neuroanatomical changes related to schizophrenia. Most of the items in the gold standard was covered in our result set. CONCLUSIONS: We argue that such investigation provides a suitable framework for characterising the high complexity of magnetic resonance images in schizophrenia as the results obtained indicate a high sensitivity rate with respect to the gold standard.

Eating disorders in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder: prevalence and clinical correlates.

OBJECTIVE: The objective is to evaluate the prevalence and associated clinical characteristics of eating disorders (ED) in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). METHOD: This is a cross-sectional study comparing 815 patients with OCD. Participants were assessed with structured interviews and scales: SCID-I, Y-BOCS, Dimensional Y-BOCS, BABS, Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories. RESULTS: Ninety-two patients (11.3%) presented the following EDs: binge-eating disorders [= 59 (7.2%)], bulimia nervosa [= 16 (2.0%)], or anorexia nervosa [= 17 (2.1%)]. Compared to OCD patients without ED (OCD-Non-ED), OCD-ED patients were more likely to be women with previous psychiatric treatment. Mean total scores in Y-BOCS, Dimensional Y-BOCS, and BABS were similar within groups. However, OCD-ED patients showed higher lifetime prevalence of comorbid conditions, higher anxiety and depression scores, and higher frequency of suicide attempts than did the OCD-Non-ED group. Primarily diagnosed OCD patients with comorbid ED may be associated with higher clinical severity. DISCUSSION: Future longitudinal studies should investigate dimensional correlations between OCD and ED.

Polymorphisms in genes involved in neurodevelopment may be associated with altered brain morphology in schizophrenia: preliminary evidence.

An abnormality in neurodevelopment is one of the most robust etiologic hypotheses in schizophrenia (SZ). There is also strong evidence that genetic factors may influence abnormal neurodevelopment in the disease. The present study evaluated in SZ patients, whose brain structural data had been obtained with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the possible association between structural brain measures, and 32 DNA polymorphisms, located in 30 genes related to neurogenesis and brain development. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood cells of 25 patients with schizophrenia, genotyping was performed using diverse procedures, and putative associations were evaluated by standard statistical methods (using the software Statistical Package for Social Sciences - SPSS) with a modified Bonferroni adjustment. For reelin (RELN), a protease that guides neurons in the developing brain and underlies neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity in adults, an association was found for a non-synonymous polymorphism (Val997Leu) with left and right ventricular enlargement. A putative association was also found between protocadherin 12 (PCDH12), a cell adhesion molecule involved in axonal guidance and synaptic specificity, and cortical folding (asymmetry coefficient of gyrification index). Although our results are preliminary, due to the small number of individuals analyzed, such an approach could reveal new candidate genes implicated in anomalous neurodevelopment in schizophrenia.

Eating behavior as a prognostic factor for weight loss after gastric bypass.

BACKGROUND: Binge-eating disorder (BED) may be associated with unsatisfactory weight loss in obese patients submitted to bariatric procedures. This study aims to investigate whether the presence of binge eating before Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) influences weight outcomes. METHODS: In a prospective design, 216 obese patients (37 males, 178 females, BMI=45.9 +/- 6.0 kg/m2) were assessed for the lifetime prevalence of BED and classified at structured interview into 3 subgroups: no binge eating (NBE=43), sub-threshold binge eating (SBE=129), and binge-eating disorder (BED=44). All patients were encouraged to take part in a multidisciplinary program following surgery, and weight loss at follow-up was used as the outcome variable. RESULTS: At 1-year follow-up, NBE patients (n=41) showed percent excess BMI loss (%EBL) significantly higher than SBE patients (n=112) (P=0.027), although this effect was not significantly different between NBE and BED patients (n=44). At 2-year follow-up, NBE patients (n=33) showed %EBL higher than SBE (n=64) (P=-0.003) and BED patients (n=34) (P<0.001). Nevertheless, we found no significant weight loss differences between SBE (subclinical) and BED (full criteria) patients at any period of follow-up. Preliminary results at 3-year follow-up suggest that such an effect may be enduring. CONCLUSION: The presence of a history of binge eating prior to treatment is associated with poorer weight loss in obese patients submitted to RYGBP. Because BED is highly prevalent in obese patients seeking bariatric surgery, its early recognition and treatment may be of important clinical value.