Community mental health service utilization after the L'Aquila earthquake.

This study investigated the use of the facilities for the mental health by the population affected by the L'Aquila (Italy) 2009 earthquake. The data about the activities of the Mental Health Centre of L'Aquila during the years from 2008 to 2010 were obtained by the service Information System. In the months following the event the percentage of referrals was reduced. Failure to use specialized facilities after disasters should not be seen as reassuring. It is conceivable that a relevant rate of frank or sub-threshold psychopathology is present that the traditional mental health facilities may not be able to intercept.

Clinical correlates of plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor in post-traumatic stress disorder spectrum after a natural disaster.

Clinical correlates of plasma Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) have been investigated in a clinical population with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms and healthy control subjects who survived to the L'Aquila 2009 earthquake. Twenty-six outpatients and 14 control subjects were recruited. Assessments included: Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis-I disorders Patient Version, Trauma and Loss Spectrum-Self Report (TALS-SR) for post-traumatic spectrum symptoms. Thirteen patients were diagnosed as Full PTSD and 13 as Partial PTSD. The subjects with full-blown PTSD showed lower BDNF level than subjects with partial PTSD and controls. Different relationship patterns of BDNF with post-traumatic stress spectrum symptoms have been reported in the three samples. Our findings add more insight on the mechanisms regulating BDNF levels in response to stress and further proofs of the utility of the distinction of PTSD into full and partial categories.

Mental health in L'Aquila after the earthquake.

INTRODUCTION: In the present work we describe the mental health condition of L'Aquila population in the aftermath of the earthquake in terms of structural, process and outcome perspectives. METHOD: Literature revision of the published reports on the L'Aquila earthquake has been performed. RESULTS: Although important psychological distress has been reported by the population, capacity of resilience can be observed. However if resilient mechanisms intervened in immediate aftermath of the earthquake, important dangers are conceivable in the current medium-long-term perspective due to the long-lasting alterations of day-to-day life and the disruption of social networks that can be well associated with mental health problems. CONCLUSIONS: In a condition such as an earthquake, the immediate physical, medical, and emergency rescue needs must be addressed initially. However training first responders to identify psychological distress symptoms would be important for mental health triage in the field.

Electroencephalographic Seizure Duration in Electroconvulsive Therapy: A Clinical Study.

Electroencephalographic estimates of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)-induced seizure duration were obtained in 141 patients with major depression (n = 41) or schizophrenia (n = 100). A slight reduction in seizure duration across a course of ECT failed to reach statistical significance and was unrelated to clinical improvement.