Psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown in a Spanish sample with anxiety disorder: sex differences.

The early psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown is greater in people with mental disorders. This study explored the differences in the psychological impact on people with an anxiety disorder by sex in Spain.

Impact of the coronavirus outbreak on mental health in the different Spanish regions.

COVID-19 is an infectious disease that has affected millions of people worldwide, Spain being one of the countries most affected by the pandemic. It is key to study its impact on the mental health of the Spanish population during the lockdown situation.

Glutamine and New Pharmacological Targets to Treat Suicidal Ideation.

Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, and it is linked with the amino acid glutamine through a metabolic relationship of enzymatic compound interconversion and transportation, also known as the glutamate-glutamine cycle.A growing body of evidence suggests involvement of the glutamatergic neurotransmitter system in suicidal behaviours. The initial evidence comes from the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders, as disruptions in glutamate neurotransmission have been found underlying pathology in multiple suicide-related psychiatric conditions such as major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and bipolar disorder.Existing data from experimental animal models and human in vivo studies also demonstrate that glutamate plays a key role in suicide-related personality traits including aggression and impulsive aggression.Further studies on glutamate system dysfunction underlying suicidal behaviours have focused on the different steps of the glutamate-glutamine cycle: an inflammation-mediated reduction of glutamine synthetase activity has been found in depressed suicide attempters, phosphate-activated glutaminase genes are reduced in suicide completers, and gene expression abnormalities in NMDA receptors have also been discovered in suicide victims.Evidence of a role of the glutamate-glutamine cycle in suicidal behaviours unveils new targets for anti-suicide interventions. Lithium's mechanism to reduce the risk of suicide in people with mood disorders may be related to its ability to increase glutamine synthetase, whereas novel NMDA antagonists such as ketamine [or its S(+) enantiomer esketamine] have already demonstrated positive results in reducing suicidal ideation.

Cognitive impairment and C-reactive protein in clinically stable schizophrenia outpatients: a focus on sex differences.

Although previous findings identified an association between C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, and impaired cognitive functions in patients with schizophrenia (SZ), little is currently known about the relationship between inflammation, cognition, and sex in SZ. The current study aimed to explore the association between peripheral inflammation and cognitive impairment in SZ as a function of sex. The sample included 132 clinically stable patients with SZ, of whom 82 were males (62.1%) and 50 females (37.9%). Sociodemographic data were collected, an accurate assessment was performed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome (PANSS), Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS), and Calgary Depression (CDS) scales, and the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB), and CRP levels were tested. A Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses, including potential confounding factors, were performed. We found an inverse association between CRP levels and performance on visual learning (r = - 0.386, p = 0.006) domain in female patients only, whereas no correlations were found in males. The regression model for women retained age (ß = - 0.319, p = 0.017), the CAINS-MAP score (ß = - 0.247, p = 0.070), and the CRP (ß = - 0.321, p = 0.013) as predictors of visual learning. Our results suggest the possible existence of sex-specific modulation of the association between systemic inflammation and the cognitive features of the illness.

Adverse reactions associated with meningococcal group B vaccine (4CMenB) in adults in special situations.

OBJECTIVE: To know the safety profile of the 4CMenB vaccine in adults in special situations. METHOD: Security prospective study of phase IV. Inclusion criteria and some  vaccination conditions were applied. The adverse reactions described in the data  sheet were collected. The adverse reactions evaluation was performed 24 hours  after vaccination ("requested") and during the first seven days ("not  requested"). RESULTS: 72 patients were included (54.2% men, mean age 52.5 years, 81.9%  anatomic asplenia). The frequency of fever > 38 ºC in the first 24 hours of  vaccination was higher than the observed in the summary of product characteristics for the group of adults (12.5% vs. not known). More than 75% of the patients reported local pain in the first hours [average of the Analog Visual Scale score 3.22 (95% CI: 2.67-3.76) in the first dose and 3.23 (95% CI: 2.69-3.78) in the second dose]. There were no statistically significant differences. 97.22% registered symptoms until 7 days  after vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: 4CMenB® shows a good safety profile in adults in special situations. The frequency of fever > 38 ºC is higher than expected. Local  pain is the most frequently recorded adverse reactions, but the intensity is low.  These results suggest a review of the situation in order to suggest a possible  modification of the summary of product characteristics of the vaccine.

Objetivo: Conocer el perfil de seguridad de la vacuna del meningococo B  (4CMenB) en adultos en situaciones especiales.Método: Estudio prospectivo de seguridad de fase IV. Se aplicaron criterios de  inclusión y ciertas condiciones de vacunación. Se recogieron las reacciones adversas descritas en la ficha técnica. La evaluación de las reacciones adversas se realizó a las 24 horas de la vacunación ("solicitadas") y  durante los siete primeros días ("no solicitadas").Resultados: Se incluyeron 72 pacientes (54,2% hombres; media de edad 52,5  años; 81,9% asplenia anatómica). La frecuencia de fiebre > 38 ºC en las  primeras 24 horas fue mayor de la observada en la ficha técnica para el grupo  de adultos (12,5% versus no conocida). Más del 75% de los pacientes refirió  dolor local en las primeras horas [media de la puntuación de la Escala Visual  Analógica 3,22 (IC95%: 2,67-3,76) en la primera dosis y 3,23 (IC95%: 2,69- 3,78) en la segunda dosis]. No hubo diferencias estadísticamente significativas.  El 97,22% registró síntomas hasta los siete días postvacunación.Conclusiones: 4CMenB® muestra un buen perfil de seguridad en adultos en  situaciones especiales. La frecuencia de fiebre > 38 ºC es mayor que la  esperada. El dolor local es la reacción adversa más frecuentemente registrada,  pero la intensidad es baja. Estos resultados invitan a una revisión de la situación  de cara a sugerir una posible modificación de la ficha técnica.