Essential fatty acids and Barratt impulsivity in gambling disorder.

BACKGROUND: Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) have been long implicated in the etiopathogenesis of mental illnesses, including disorders characterized by high impulsivity. The objective of most of the studies in this field is to determine the effect of omega-3 supplementation on the impulsive symptoms. In contrast, studies analyzing basal PUFA composition in patients with impulsive behaviors are very scarce, results are not yet conclusive, and to date, no publication has specifically evaluated this in gambling disorder. Therefore, the main purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between basal PUFA composition of plasma and erythrocyte membrane and impulsivity in subjects with gambling disorder. METHODS: It is an observational and cross-sectional study. The sample consisted of fifty-five men with gambling disorder, who voluntarily accepted to participate. Basal composition of PUFA in plasma and erythrocyte membrane was assessed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Trait impulsivity was measured by the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale version 11 (BIS-11). RESULTS: Arachidonic acid (AA)/eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) ratio in the erythrocyte membrane was negatively correlated with total scores in BIS-11. It was also observed that impulsive gamblers had a higher proportion of EPA and a lower value of AA/EPA and AA/docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) ratio in erythrocyte membrane than non-impulsive gamblers. CONCLUSIONS: These results support the hypothesis that alteration of basal PUFA composition exists in disorders characterized by high impulsivity, although the direction of this is still unknown. Unfortunately, the empirical literature on this field is non-existent at the time and we have no direct means to support or refute these outcomes. Further research is needed to determine the relationship between essential fatty acids and disorders characterized by high impulsivity.

Psychiatrists as internists: some considerations following a COVID-19 redeployment experience / Psiquiatras como internistas: algunas reflexiones tras una experiencia de reconversión en COVID-19

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Bases neurobiológicas de la Esquizofrenia / The Neurobiological Basis of Schizophrenia

Profundizar en el conocimiento de la neurobiología de la Esquizofrenia es un elemento clave para perfeccionar nuestra capacidad de diagnóstico e identificar futuros objetivos de tratamiento y con ello, mejorar el pronóstico de los pacientes. Los avances realizados se han centrado en las fases avanzadas de la enfermedad, pero los estadíos iniciales están peor definidos. Sin embargo, gran parte de la investigación actual se centra en estas fases iniciales de la enfermedad con el objetivo de encontrar biomarcadores que nos permitan identificar a aquellos sujetos en riesgo de padecer la enfermedad que se pudieran beneficiar de intervenciones tempranas que previniesen o mitigasen futuras complicaciones. Para alcanzar estos objetivos es imprescindible avanzar en el conocimiento de los mecanismos biológicos que están en el origen de la enfermedad a través de diferentes ramas del conocimiento médico como la genética, neuroimagen o la neurofisiología (AU)

Improving our knowledge of the neurobiology of schizophrenia is a key element to improving its diagnosis and identifying future targets for treatment, and by doing so, improving patients’ prognosis. The progress made thus far has been focused on the advanced stages of the disease, but the early stages are much less well defined. However, most of the present research is directed at the early stages of the disease, with the aim of finding biomarkers that would allow us to identify subjects at risk of the disease and who could benefit from early interventions to prevent or mitigate future complications. To achieve these objectives, it is essential to have a clearer understanding of the underlying biology through the different branches of medicine such as genetics, neuroimaging or neurophysiology (AU)