Risk factors for relapse or recurrence in women with bipolar disorder and recurrent major depressive disorder in the perinatal period: a systematic review.

It is well known that the perinatal period supposes a considerable risk of relapse for women with bipolar disorder (BD) and recurrent major depressive disorder (rMDD), with the consequences that this entails. Therefore, the authors sought to provide a critical appraisal of the evidence related to specific risk factors for this population with the aim of improving the prevention of relapses during pregnancy and postpartum. The authors conducted a systematic review assessing 18 original studies that provided data on risk factors for relapse or recurrence of BD and/or rMDD in the perinatal period (pregnancy and postpartum). Recurrences of BD and rMDD are more frequent in the postpartum period than in pregnancy, with the first 4-6 weeks postpartum being especially complicated. In addition, women with BD type I are at higher risk than those with BD type II and rMDD, and the most frequent presentation of perinatal episodes of both disorders is a major depressive episode. Other risk factors consistently repeated were early age of onset of illnesses, severity criteria, primiparity, abrupt discontinuation of treatment, and personal or family history of perinatal affective episodes. This review shows that there are common and different risk factors according to the type of disorder and to perinatal timing (pregnancy or postpartum) that should be known for an adequate prevention of relapses.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of suicidality in psychotic disorders: Stratified analyses by psychotic subtypes, clinical setting and geographical region.

We studied the prevalence of suicide attempts and cumulative incidence of completed suicide in schizophrenia (SZ), schizoaffective disorder (SZAF), delusional disorder (DD) and first-episode psychosis (FEP). A systematic review was performed using Scopus and PubMed databases (1990- July 2020). A random effects meta-analysis was conducted. Stratified analyses were conducted by diagnosis, clinical setting and geographical region. The prevalence of attempted suicide was 20.3% for SZ, 46.8% for SZAF, 11.1% for DD and 12.5% for FEP. Suicide attempts rates were higher for outpatient samples than for inpatient samples in SZ, SZAF and DD (but not FEP) studies. Analyses by geographical region in SZ showed greater prevalence of suicide attempts in North America and Northern Europe. The cumulative incidence of completed suicide was 2.0% for SZ, 2.4% for SZAF; 2.2% for DD and 1.9% for FEP. In schizophrenia and FEP studies, Northern European studies reported higher rates of completed suicide when compared to Western European countries. In conclusion, suicidal behaviour rates in psychoses differ by diagnoses, clinical setting and geographical region.

Stress-related biomarkers and cognitive functioning in adolescents with ADHD: Effect of childhood maltreatment.

Our study aimed to explore whether stress-related hormones (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal [HPA] axis hormones and prolactin) are associated with poorer cognitive functioning in adolescents with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and to test the potential moderating effect of childhood maltreatment. Seventy-six adolescents with ADHD were studied. The ADHD rating scale (ADHD-RS) and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) were administered. Seven cognitive tasks from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) were administered, and two cognitive factors (attention and memory as well as executive functioning) were identified by confirmatory factor analysis. Stress-related hormone levels were assessed at the clinic (plasma prolactin and cortisol levels and salivary cortisol levels) before cognitive testing and at home for two consecutive days (cortisol awakening response [CAR] and diurnal cortisol slope). Multiple linear regression analyses were used to explore the association between hormone levels and ADHD severity or cognitive functioning while adjusting for sex and childhood maltreatment. Regarding hormonal measurements obtained at the clinic, female sex moderated the relationship between salivary cortisol levels and executive functioning, whereas childhood maltreatment moderated the relationship between salivary cortisol levels and inattention symptoms of patients with ADHD. Prolactin levels were not associated with cognitive functioning or the severity of ADHD. Regarding HPA axis measurements performed at home, lower cortisol levels at awakening were associated with poorer executive functioning. Neither CAR nor the cortisol diurnal slope were associated with cognitive functioning or ADHD severity. Our study suggests that HPA axis hormone levels are associated with the severity of cognitive and inattention symptoms of patients with ADHD and that childhood maltreatment and sex exert distinct moderating effects depending on the symptom type.

Women with Schizophrenia over the Life Span: Health Promotion, Treatment and Outcomes.

Women with schizophrenia show sex-specific health needs that differ according to stage of life. The aim of this narrative review is to resolve important questions concerning the treatment of women with schizophrenia at different periods of their life-paying special attention to reproductive and post-reproductive stages. Review results suggest that menstrual cycle-dependent treatments may be a useful option for many women and that recommendations re contraceptive options need always to be part of care provision. The pregnancy and the postpartum periods-while constituting vulnerable time periods for the mother-require special attention to antipsychotic effects on the fetus and neonate. Menopause and aging are further vulnerable times, with extra challenges posed by associated health risks. Pregnancy complications, neurodevelopmental difficulties of offspring, cancer risk and cognitive defects are indirect results of the interplay of hormones and antipsychotic treatment of women over the course of the lifespan. The literature recommends that health promotion strategies need to be directed at lifestyle modifications, prevention of medical comorbidities and increased psychosocial support. Careful monitoring of pharmacological treatment has been shown to be critical during periods of hormonal transition. Not only does treatment of women with schizophrenia often need to be different than that of their male peers, but it also needs to vary over the course of life.

Síndromes vinculados a la cultura / Culture-bound síndromes

En las últimas décadas, los movimientos migratorios han hecho que cada vez acudan más pacientes de otras culturas en nuestras consultas. Muchas veces, síntomas definidos como psicóticos o delirantes se explican, en parte, por un componente cultural. No hay duda de que la cultura influye en cómo las personas experimentan sus emociones, en cómo y en qué términos las expresan, y dónde buscan ayuda. Los síndromes vinculados a la cultura, son síndromes psiquiátricos estrechamente relacionados con determinados aspectos culturales en su formación o manifestación psicopatológica, abarcando ciertas manifestaciones conductuales, afectivas y cognitivas observadas en culturas específicas. Las manifestaciones clínicas que presentan suelen ser diferentes de las de los trastornos psiquiátricos que se encuentran en las clasificaciones occidentales existentes. En esta revisión se describirán las características de los síndromes vinculados a la cultura, veremos si están limitados a sociedades específicas o son las áreas culturales las que definen los criterios, si se deben considerar síndromes variantes de trastornos considerados como "universales" (neuróticos, afectivos, psicóticos o de personalidad), si todos los trastornos están "ligados a la cultura" y si son estables en el tiempo, así como sus manifestaciones clínicas y el manejo de los cuadros más frecuentes

In the last decades,the occurrence of migratory movements has led us to attend more and more patients from other cul-tures in our mental health outpatient services. Many times, those symptoms considered psychotic or delusional may probably have a cultural component. There is no doubt that culture influences how people experience their emotions, how they express them and where they seek help.Culture bound syndromes are psychiatric syndromes related to cultural aspects in their formation or psychopathological manifestation. They cover behavioural, affective and cognitive manifestations frequently observed in specific cultures. The clinical features are usually different from those similar psychiatric disorders found in Western classifications.In this review, we will describe the characteristics of cultural bound syndromes. We will see whether they are limited to specific areas or not, whether they may be considered as "universal" disorders (neurotic, affective, psychotic or personality disorders), and ifthey are "linked to culture" and if they are stable over time. Finally, we will describe their clinical manifestations and we will recommend some issues for the management of the most common symptom