Trastorno por déficit de atención con hiperactividad: una actualización / Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: an up-date

El trastorno por déficit de atención con hiperactividad es al mismo tiempo el trastorno mental más estudiado en niños y adolescentes y el más controvertido. Este artículo describe la clasificación, epidemiología, manifestaciones clínicas, diagnóstico, etiología, pronóstico y tratamiento del trastorno por déficit de atención con hiperactividad. El objetivo principal del artículo es que pueda ser utilizado como una guía práctica para que los pediatras identifiquen a los niños en situación de riesgo de ser hiperactivos, inatentos o sufrir por su conducta impulsiva. Una vez identificados correctamente, los niños con trastorno por déficit de atención con hiperactividad deben ser tratados. En este sentido, el tratamiento farmacológico ha demostrado claramente su eficacia en el control de los síntomas nucleares del trastorno a corto y medio plazo y en general se considera que la medicación psicoestimulante es segura y bien tolerada en la mayoría de los pacientes (AU)

Attention-deficit/hiperactivity disorder has the distinction of being both the most extensively studied child mental disorder and yet the most controversial. This article describes the classification, epidemiology, clinical description, diagnostic considerations, etiology, prognosis and treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Therefore the main objective of this article is that it can be used as a practice guide to paediatrician to identify children at risk of being hyperactive, inattentive and suffering for their impulsive conduct. Once correctly identified children with attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder should be treated. At this point medication treatment is clearly established as effective in terms of suppressing the core symptoms of the disorder in the short and the middle term, and in general it appears that stimulant medication is safe and well tolerated by the majority of patients (AU)

[Benzodiazepines in the treatment of schizophrenia: a review]. / Las benzodiacepinas en el tratamiento de la esquizofrenia: una revisión.

Since the introduction of benzodiacepines in the medical practice their use has been generalized to numerous clinical situations. One of them is schizophrenia. In this article we analize the main settings for its use and the possible mechanisms of action, trying to draw some recomendations applicable to the psychiatric practice.

[Family factors in adolescent suicide attempts]. / Factores familiares en las tentativas de suicidio de adolescentes.

The aim of the present study is the analysis of the family characteristics associated with suicide attempts among adolescents. Subjects were 54 adolescents aged 13-18 referred to hospital after a suicide attempt and 108 normal comparison adolescents. A case-control study design has been used and they have been matched by age, sex and socioeconomic status. Differences between groups are reported as Odds Ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval. The results in Odds Ratio are as follows: parental losses (OR = 19.00), mental illness in father (OR = 8.67), mental illness in mother (OR = 6.79), mental illness among brothers and sisters (OR = 3.28), poor membership relations (OR = 3.00), not living with both biological parents (OR = 8.06) and unsatisfactory familial adaptation (OR = 7.50). In conclusion, our findings highlight the importance of the familial risk factors and its implications to develop preventive programs for youngs at risk.

[Treatment of catatonia with lorazepam]. / Tratamiento de la catatonía con loracepan.

The most recent medical literature has emphasized the notion that catatonia is a syndrome rather than a disease and, on this basis it is associated with a wide variety of medical, neurological and psychiatric conditions. The authors report on five cases of catatonic patients with a favorable response to Lorazepam and analyze the possible mechanisms of action of this Benzodiazepine in catatonic syndrome.

[Parasitic delusions: literature review and report of new cases]. / Delirio parasitario: revisión a propósito de nuevos casos.

Delusion of parasitosis is an unshakeable conviction that small organisms or parasites infest the body even though there is no confirmative physical evidence. Since 1938, when K.A. Ekbom described and named "Dermatozoenwahn" for the first time, this clinical feature has focussed the interest of researchers due to the uncertainty on its nosologic classification. We report three cases of delusions of parasitosis in patients who suffered from schizophrenia, monosymptomatic hypochondriacal psychosis and major depression with psychotic features respectively. We throw into relief the essential aspects of aetiology, treatment and nosologic classification of the syndrome.