Vulnerability and resilience to prenatal stress exposure: behavioral and molecular characterization in adolescent rats.

Exposure to stress can lead to long lasting behavioral and neurobiological consequences, which may enhance the susceptibility for the onset of mental disorders. However, there are significant individual differences in the outcome of stress exposure since only a percentage of exposed individuals may show pathological consequences, whereas others appear to be resilient. In this study, we aimed to characterize the effects of prenatal stress (PNS) exposure in rats at adolescence and to identify subgroup of animals with a differential response to the gestational manipulation. PNS adolescent offspring (regardless of sex) showed impaired emotionality in different pathological domains, such as anhedonia, anxiety, and sociability. However, using cluster analysis of the behavioral data we could identify 70% of PNS-exposed animals as vulnerable (PNS-vul), whereas the remaining 30% were considered resilient (PNS-res). At the molecular level, we found that PNS-res males show a reduced basal activation of the ventral hippocampus whereas other regions, such as amygdala and dorsal hippocampus, show significant PNS-induced changes regardless from vulnerability or resilience. Taken together, our results provide evidence of the variability in the behavioral and neurobiological effects of PNS-exposed offspring at adolescence. While these data may advance our understanding of the association between exposure to stress during gestation and the risk for psychopathology, the investigation of the mechanisms associated to stress vulnerability or resilience may be instrumental to develop novel strategies for therapeutic intervention.

Effects of early life stress on brain cytokines: A systematic review and meta-analysis of rodent studies.

Exposure to early life stress (ELS) may lead to long-lasting neurobiological and behavioral impairments. Alterations in the immune system and neuroinflammatory state induced by ELS exposure are considered risk factors for developing psychiatric disorders. Here, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of rodent studies investigating the short and long-term effects of ELS exposure on anti and pro-inflammatory cytokines in brain tissues. Our analysis shows that animals exposed to ELS present an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α. On the other hand, no alteration was observed in the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Meta-regression revealed that alterations were more prominent in the hippocampus of adult animals that were exposed to more extended periods of ELS. These inflammatory effects were not permanent since few alterations were identified in aged animals. Our findings suggest that ELS exposure alters pro-inflammatory cytokines expression and may act as a primer for a secondary challenge that may induce lifelong immune alterations. Moreover, the actual evidence is insufficient to comprehend the relationship between anti-inflammatory cytokines and ELS fully.

Exposure to Prenatal Stress Is Associated With an Excitatory/Inhibitory Imbalance in Rat Prefrontal Cortex and Amygdala and an Increased Risk for Emotional Dysregulation.

Epidemiological studies have shown that environmental insults and maternal stress during pregnancy increase the risk of several psychiatric disorders in the offspring. Converging lines of evidence from humans, as well as from rodent models, suggest that prenatal stress (PNS) interferes with fetal development, ultimately determining changes in brain maturation and function that may lead to the onset of neuropsychiatric disorders. From a molecular standpoint, transcriptional alterations are thought to play a major role in this context and may contribute to the behavioral phenotype by shifting the expression of genes related to excitatory and inhibitory (E/I) transmission balance. Nevertheless, the exact neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the enhanced vulnerability to psychopathology following PNS exposure are not well understood. In the present study, we used a model of maternal stress in rats to investigate the distal effects of PNS on the expression of genes related to glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmissions. We inspected two critical brain regions involved in emotion regulation, namely, the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the amygdala (AMY), which we show to relate with the mild behavioral effects detected in adult rat offspring. We observed that PNS exposure promotes E/I imbalance in the PFC of adult males only, by dysregulating the expression of glutamatergic-related genes. Moreover, such an effect is accompanied by increased expression of the activity-dependent synaptic modulator gene Npas4 specifically in the PFC parvalbumin (PV)-positive interneurons, suggesting an altered regulation of synapse formation promoting higher PV-dependent inhibitory transmission and increased overall circuit inhibition in the PFC of males. In the AMY, PNS more evidently affects the transcription of GABAergic-related genes, shifting the balance toward inhibition. Collectively, our findings suggest that the E/I dysregulation of the PFC-to-AMY transmission may be a long-term signature of PNS and may contribute to increase the risk for mood disorder upon further stress.

Neurotrophic Factor Levels in Preterm Infants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objectives: Through a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature we aimed to compare the levels of BDNF, NGF, NT-3, NT-4, and GDNF between human term and preterm infants, and investigate factors implicated in the variability of effect size estimates. Methods: The analysis was performed in three online databases, MEDLINE Complete, PsycINFO, and CINAHL. A random effects model was used to calculate the standardized mean difference (SMD) of neurotrophic factor levels in preterm infants vs. term within a 95% confidence interval (CI). To explore sources of heterogeneity meta-regression models were implemented. Results: Sixteen studies were included in this meta-analysis. A combined sample of 1,379 preterm and 1,286 term newborns were evaluated. We identified significant lower BDNF (SMD = -0.32; 95% CI: -0.59, -0.06; p = 0.014) and NT-3 (SMD = -0.31; 95% CI: -0.52, -0.09; p = 0.004) levels in preterm compared to term infants. No significant difference was observed in NGF and NT-4 levels between groups. Given that only two effect sizes were generated for GDNF levels, no meta-analytical model was performed. Meta-regression models revealed sample type (placental tissue, cerebrospinal fluid, peripheral blood, and umbilical cord blood) as a significant moderator of heterogeneity for BDNF meta-analysis. No significant associations were found for gestational week, birth weight, and clinical comorbidity of newborns with effect sizes. Conclusions: Our findings indicated that lower BDNF and NT-3 levels may be associated with preterm birth. Future studies with larger samples sizes should investigate neurodevelopmental manifestations resulting from neurotrophic factor dysregulation among preterm infants.

Long-term Effects of Maternal Separation on Anxiety-Like Behavior and Neuroendocrine Parameters in Adult Balb/c Mice.

Introduction: Disruption of maternal care using maternal separation (MS) models has provided significant evidence of the deleterious long-term effects of early life stress. Several preclinical studies investigating MS showed multiple behavioral and biomolecular alterations. However, there is still conflicting results from MS studies, which represents a challenge for reliability and replicability of those findings. Objective: To address that, this study was conducted to investigate whether MS would affect anxiety-like behaviors using a battery of classical tasks, as well as central and peripheral stress-related biomarkers. Methods: Male Balb/c mice were exposed to MS from postnatal day (PND) 2 to 14 for 180-min per day. Two independent cohorts were performed to evaluate both baseline and anxiety-like behavior responses to MS at PND60. We performed composite scores to evaluate MS effects on anxiety and risk assessment phenotypes. Also, we assessed mRNA gene expression in the medial pre-frontal cortex (mPFC) of glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors (GR and MR) using real-time PCR and peripheral corticosterone levels (CORT) to investigate possible neurobiological correlates to anxiety behaviors. Results: We found increased anxiety-like behavior and decreased risk assessment and exploratory behaviors in MS mice. The animals exposed to MS also presented a decrease in MR mRNA expression and higher levels of CORT compared to controls. Conclusions: Our findings reinforce the body of evidence suggesting that long-term MS induces effects on anxiety and risk assessment phenotypes following the exposure to a standardized MS protocol. Moreover, MS affected the expression of MR mRNA and induced significant changes on CORT response. This data highlights that the reprograming MS effects on HPA axis could be mediate by MR gene expression in mPFC and chronic overactivity of peripheral CORT levels.

Maternal Separation Combined With Limited Bedding Increases Anxiety-Like Behavior and Alters Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Function of Male BALB/cJ Mice.

Early life stress (ELS) is considered a risk factor for the development of psychiatric conditions, including depression and anxiety disorder. Individuals that live in adverse environments are usually exposed to multiple stressors simultaneously, such as maternal neglect, maltreatment, and limited resources. Nevertheless, most pre-clinical ELS models are designed to explore the impact of these events separately. For this reason, this study aims to investigate the effects of a combined model of ELS on anxiety-like behavior and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis related targets. From PND 2 to PND 15 BALB/cJ mice were exposed simultaneously to maternal separation (MS; 3 h per day) and limited bedding (LB; ELS group) or left undisturbed (CT group). Maternal behavior was recorded in intercalated days, from PND 1 to PND 9. Male offspring were tested for anxiety-like behavior from PND 53 to PND 55 in the open field test (OF), elevated plus-maze (EPM), and light/dark test (LD). After behavioral testing, animals were euthanized, and glucocorticoid receptor (Nr3c1), corticotrophin-releasing hormone (Crh), and its receptor type 1 (Crhr1) gene expression in the hypothalamus were measured. Moreover, plasma corticosterone levels were analyzed. We observed that ELS dams presented altered quality of maternal care, characterized by a decrease in arched-back nursing, and an increase in passive nursing. Stressed dams also showed an increase in the number of exits from the nest when compared to CT dams. Furthermore, ELS animals showed increased anxiety-like behavior in the OF, EPM, and LD. Regarding gene expression, we identified an increase in hypothalamus Crh levels of ELS group when compared to CT animals, while no differences in Nr3c1 and Crhr1 expression were observed. Finally, stressed animals showed decreased levels of plasma corticosterone when compared to the CT group. In conclusion, we observed an alteration in maternal behavior in ELS dams. Later in life, animals exposed to the combined model of ELS showed increased levels of anxiety-like behavior. Moreover, the central and peripheral HPA measures observed could indicate a dysregulation in HPA function provoked by ELS exposure.

Maternal separation induces long-term oxidative stress alterations and increases anxiety-like behavior of male Balb/cJ mice.

Early life stress (ELS) exposure is a well-known risk factor for the development of psychiatric conditions, including anxiety disorder. Preclinical studies show that maternal separation (MS), a classical model of ELS, causes hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis alterations, a key contributor to the stress response modulation. Given that HPA axis activation has been shown to induce oxidative stress, it is possible to hypothesize that oxidative stress mediates the relationship between chronic ELS exposure and the development of several disorders. Here, we investigate the effects of MS in the oxidative status [plasma and brain reduced glutathione, catalase and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS)], metabolism (glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol) and anxiety-like behaviors in adult Balb/cJ mice. In short, we found that MS increased anxiety-like behaviors in the open field, light/dark test but not in the elevated-plus maze. Animals also presented increased circulating cholesterol, increased TBARS in the plasma and decreased catalase in the hippocampus. Our findings suggest that MS induces long-term alterations in oxidative stress and increased anxiety-like behaviors.

Acute neuroinflammation elicited by TLR-3 systemic activation combined with early life stress induces working memory impairments in male adolescent mice.

Toll-like Receptors (TLRs) are implicated with the pathogenesis of cognitive impairment induced by inflammation. Early life stress is associated with altered trajectories of neuroimmune signaling with implications for cognitive development. However, effects of TLR-3 activation on early life stress-related cognitive outcomes are understudied. We investigated the effects of maternal separation (MS) during postnatal development and a viral immune challenge during adolescence on working memory performance. BALB/c mice exposed to MS were separated from their dams daily for 180-min from postnatal day (PND) 2 to 15. At PND 45, animals were challenged with a single i.p. injection of either Poly (I:C) or sterile saline, and then subjected to a spatial working memory test in a Y-maze apparatus. Gene expression was determined by qPCR. Protein levels of oxidative stress markers were also assessed. A single peripheral administration of a TLR-3 agonist was able to induce working memory impairments in adolescent mice exposed to MS. At a molecular level, exposure to MS was associated with lower mRNA levels of Tlr3 in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). However, when MS animals were exposed to Poly (I:C), a more robust activation of Tlr3, Il6 and Nfkb1 gene transcription was observed in these mice compared with control animals. These modifications did not result in oxidative stress. Finally, higher mRNA levels of Nfkb1 in the mPFC were correlated with lower working memory performance, suggesting that altered NF-κB signaling might be related with poor cognitive functioning. These results have implications for how ELS affects neuroimmune signaling in the mPFC.

How Early Life Stress Impact Maternal Care: A Systematic Review of Rodent Studies.

Background: Maternal care refers to the behavior performed by the dam to nourish and protect her litter during its early development. Frequent and high-quality performance of such maternal behaviors is critical for the neurodevelopment of the pups. Maternal exposure to stress during early development can impair maternal care and amplify the deleterious effects of poor maternal caregiving and neglect. As such, a thorough understanding of the effects caused by several models of early life stress on maternal care may yield more insights into the relationship between stress and maternal behavior. Methods: A systematic review was performed to identify and address the effects of early life stress on maternal behavior. The search was conducted using three online databases: PUBMED, Embase, and Web of Science. To provide clear evidence of the impact of stress on maternal care, in every study, the stress group was always compared to a control group. Outcomes were categorized into eight different behaviors: (1) licking/grooming; (2) arched-back nursing; (3) blanket-nursing/passive nursing; (4) nest building; (5) contact with pups; (6) harmful/adverse caregiving; (7) no contact; (8) nest exits. Additionally, the methodological quality of the studies was evaluated. Results: A total of 12 different early life stress protocols were identified from the 56 studies included in this systematic review. Our data demonstrate that different stress models can promote specific maternal patterns of behavior. Regarding the maternal separation protocol, we observed an overall increase in nursing and licking/grooming behaviors, which are essential for pup development. An increase in the number of nest exits, which represents a fragmentation of maternal care, was observed in the limited bedding protocol, but the total amount of maternal care appears to remain similar between groups. Conclusions: Each stress protocol has unique characteristics that increase the difficulty of rendering comparisons of maternal behavior. The increase in maternal care observed in the maternal separation protocol may be an attempt to overcompensate for the time off-nest. Fragmented maternal care is a key component of the limited bedding protocol. Moreover, the methodological approaches to evaluate maternal behavior, such as time, duration, and behavior type should be more homogeneous across studies.

Maternal behavior of the mouse dam toward pups: implications for maternal separation model of early life stress.

Maternal care is essential for an adequate pup development, as well as for the health of the dam. Exposure to stress in early stages of life can disrupt this dam-pup relationship promoting altered neurobiological and behavioral phenotypes. However, there is a lack of consensus regarding the effects of daily maternal separation (MS) on the pattern of maternal behavior. The aim of this study is to compare the patterns of maternal behavior between mice exposed to MS and controls. BALB/c mice were subjected to MS for a period of 180 min/day from postnatal day 2-7 (n = 17) or designated to be standard animal facility reared (AFR) controls (n = 19). Maternal behaviors were computed as frequency of nursing, licking pups and contact with pups, and nonmaternal behaviors were computed as frequency of actions without interaction with pups and eating/drinking. A total of 18 daily observations of maternal behavior were conducted during these six days, and considering the proportion of maternal and nonmaternal behaviors, an index was calculated. There was no difference when comparing the global index of maternal behavior between the AFR and MS animals by the end of the observed period. However, the pattern of maternal behavior between groups was significantly different. While MS dams presented low frequency of maternal behavior within the first couple days of the stress protocol, but increasing over time, AFR dams showed higher maternal behavior at the beginning, reducing over time. Together, our results indicate that MS alters the maternal behavior of the dams toward pups throughout the first week of the stress protocol and provoked some anxiety-related traits in the dams. The inversion of maternal behavior pattern could possibly be an attempt to compensate the low levels of maternal care observed in the first days of MS.

Maternal separation induces hippocampal changes in cadherin-1 (CDH-1) mRNA and recognition memory impairment in adolescent mice.

In rodents, disruption of mother-infant attachment induced by maternal separation (MS) is associated with recognition memory impairment and long-term neurobiological consequences. Particularly stress-induced modifications have been associated to disruption of cadherin (CDH) adhesion function, which plays an important role in remodeling of neuronal connection and synaptic plasticity. This study investigated the sex-dependent effect of MS on recognition memory and mRNA levels of classical type I and type II CDH and the related ß -catenin (ß -Cat) in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of late adolescent mice. We provided evidence that the BALB/c mice exposed to MS present deficit in recognition memory, especially females. Postnatal MS induced higher hippocampal CDH-2 and CDH-8 mRNA levels, as well as an upregulation of CDH-1 in the prefrontal cortex in both males and females. MS-reared female mice presented lower CDH-1 mRNA levels in the hippocampus. In addition, hippocampal CDH-1 mRNA levels were positively correlated with recognition memory performance in females. MS-reared male mice exhibited higher ß -Cat mRNA levels in the hippocampus. Considering sex-specific effects on CDH mRNA levels, it has been demonstrated mRNA changes in CDH-1, ß -Cat, and CDH-6 in the hippocampus, as well as CDH-1, CDH-8 and CDH-11 in the prefrontal cortex. Overall, these findings suggest a complex interplay among MS, CDH mRNA expression, and sex differences in the PFC and hippocampus of adolescent mice.

Percepções de pais e educadores sobre o desenvolvimento de comportamentos relacionados às funções executivas em crianças praticantes de Taekwondo / Perceptions of parents and educators on the development of executive functions related behavior in children practicing Taekwondo

O presente trabalho teve o objetivo de verificar a percepção que pais e educadores possuem sobre o desenvolvimento de comportamentos relacionados às funções executivas (FE) de estudantes praticantes de Taekwondo. O Taekwondo é reconhecido por ser pautado em princípios, valores e disciplina, o que pode estimular o funcionamento executivo. Participaram do estudo oito pais e oito professores de crianças com idade entre sete e dez anos, praticantes de Taekwondo, por pelo menos um ano. Utilizaram-se entrevistas por meio de questionários com pais e professores, a fim de acessar possíveis mudanças comportamentais a partir da prática do esporte. Também foi realizada uma entrevista semiestruturada com o Mestre. Os resultados apontaram para mudanças em relação a alguns comportamentos relacionados às FE, sendo essas percebidas por pais e educadores. Assim, parece que o Taekwondo pode ser uma atividade esportiva capaz de estimular comportamentos adequados relacionados ao funcionamento executivo.

This study aimed to investigate the perception of parents and educators regarding the development of behaviors underlying to executive functioning in Taekwondo practitioner's children. Taekwondo is a martial art recognized to be guided by principles, values and discipline, which can stimulate the development of executive functioning in children. Here, we assessed eight parents and eight teachers of children between seven and ten years old. All were Taekwondo practitioner's for at least one year. We conducted interviews through questionnaires with parents and teachers in order to access possible behavioral changes due Taekwondo practice. We also interviewed a Taekwondo Master, responsible for the training. The results revealed that parents and educators perceived some changes in executive function related behaviors of the children. It suggests that Taekwondo can be a sport activity capable of stimulate appropriate behaviors related to executive functioning.

Crack cocaine addiction, early life stress and accelerated cellular aging among women.

BACKGROUND: Early life stress (ELS) and addiction are related to age-related diseases and telomere shortening. However, the role of telomere length (TL) in crack cocaine addiction remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the TL in a sample of crack cocaine dependent-women who reported an ELS history and in a community-based sample of elderly women as a reference group for senescence. METHODS: This study included treatment seeking crack cocaine dependents women (n=127) and elderly women without a psychiatric diagnosis (ELD, n=49). The crack cocaine sample was divided in two groups according to their Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) scores: presence of history of childhood abuse and neglect (CRACK-ELS) and absence of ELS history (CRACK). TL was assessed by T/S ratio obtained from peripheral blood DNA using quantitative PCR assay. RESULTS: CRACK and CRACK-ELS subjects exhibited shortened TL in comparison to the ELD group, despite their younger age. Among crack cocaine sample, CRACK-ELS group had significantly shorter telomeres than the CRACK group. Correlation analysis within crack cocaine group indicated that TL was negatively correlated with emotional abuse scores. CONCLUSIONS: These results support previous findings associating telomere shortening with both ELS and drug addiction. This study suggests new evidence of a distinct biological phenotype for drug-dependent women with ELS. The results support the biological senescence hypothesis underpinning ELS experience.

Intervenções em terapia cognitivo-comportamental para trauma complexo: uma revisão sistemática / Cognitive behavior therapy interventions for complex trauma: a systematic review / Las intervenciones en terapia cognitivo-conductual para trauma complejo: una revisión sistemática

INTRODUÇÃO: Embora a Terapia Cognitivo-Comportamental (TCC) possua evidências que demonstram sua efetividade para o tratamento de Transtornos Relacionados ao Trauma e Estresse, alguns casos específicos apresentam baixa resposta. Tais casos estão associados à exposição recorrente a eventos traumáticos, de natureza interpessoal, durante a infância. Apesar de não haver consenso sobre a nomeação destes quadros clínicos, é possível que estejam associados ao diagnóstico de Trauma Complexo (TC). OBJETIVO: Este estudo objetivou revisar sistematicamente evidências sobre os efeitos da TCC para TC. MÉTODO: Realizou-se buscas no MEDLINE, Embase e ISI Web of Science. Artigos com desenho de estudo clínico randomizado, estudo clínico não randomizado e estudos não controlados com intervenções em TCC para TC foram incluídos. Apenas estudos com avaliações pré e pós-intervenção foram elegíveis. RESULTADOS: Identificou-se 369 estudos sendo 7 elegíveis para esta revisão. As intervenções abordaram vários sintomas envolvidos na proposta para diagnóstico de TC, incluindo sintomas pós-traumático, depressivos, de ansiedade e regulação emocional. CONCLUSÃO: Os artigos revisados demonstraram que intervenções terapêuticas, independente da natureza, possuem efeitos ao longo do tempo sobre sintomas de TC. A TCC revelou-se superior em comparação ao tratamento controle, sendo que tanto TCC em grupo como individual revelaram-se capazes de reduzir os sintomas de TC.(AU)

INTRODUCTION: Although Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) has been shown effectiveness for treating posttraumatic stress disorders, there are some difficults regarding specfic cases. This cases are usually associated with a history of recurrent and prolonged exposure to traumatic events during the childhood. Since there is no consensus concerning the appointment of these clinical conditions, it is suggested that such cases could represent the diagnosis of Complex Trauma (CT). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate, through a systematic review, the efficacy of CBT for CT. METHOD: The searches were conducted in Pubmed, Embase and ISI Web of Science. Articles that described randomized controlled, non-randomized controlled and non-controlled studies which had interventions based on CBT for CT symptoms were included. RESULTS: The search identified 369 studies, and 7 were selected. The focus of CBT interventions comprised a variety of symptoms that have been proposed for the CT diagnosis, including posttraumatic and depressive symptoms, anxiety and emotional regulation. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that therapeutic interventions, regardless of type, have an effect over time on CT symptoms. CBT was more efficient compared to the control treatments. Both individual and group CBT were able to reduce CT symptoms.(AU)

INTRODUCCIÓN: A pesar de la Terapia Cognitivo-Conductual (TCC) tiener un cuerpo de evidencia que demuestra la eficacia para el tratamiento de desórdenes de estrés y trauma, algunos casos específicos tienen una baja respuesta. Estos casos están asociados con la exposición repetida a los acontecimientos traumáticos, de carácter interpersonal, durante la infancia. Aunque no existe un consenso en cuanto a la designación de estos cuadros clínicos, es posible que se asocie con un diagnóstico llamado Trauma Complejo (TC). META: Este estudio tuvo como objetivo investigar, a través de la revisión sistemática, estudios sobre los efectos de las intervenciones en la TCC para el TC. MÉTODO: Se realizaron búsquedas en MEDLINE, EMBASE, ISI Web of Science. Se incluyeron los artículos con diseño aleatorio estudio clínico, estudio clínico no aleatorizado y estudios no controlados con intervenciones en la TCC para la CT. Sólo los estudios con pre y post-intervención fueron elegibles. RESULTADOS: Se identificaron 369 estudios y son 7 electos para esta revisión. Las intervenciones discutieron diversos síntomas de TC, incluyendo los síntomas postraumáticos, depresivo, de ansiedad y regulación emocional. CONCLUSIÓN: Artículos revisados han demostrado que las intervenciones terapéuticas, independientemente de la naturaleza, tienen un efecto en el tiempo de los síntomas de la CT. La TCC ha demostrado ser superior en comparación con el tratamiento control. Tanto la TCC individual y grupal demostró ser capaz de reducir los síntomas de TC.(AU)

Intervenções em terapia cognitivo-comportamental para trauma complexo: uma revisão sistemática / Cognitive behavior therapy interventions for complex trauma: a systematic review / Las intervenciones en terapia cognitivo-conductual para trauma complejo: una revisión sistemática

INTRODUÇÃO: Embora a Terapia Cognitivo-Comportamental (TCC) possua evidências que demonstram sua efetividade para o tratamento de Transtornos Relacionados ao Trauma e Estresse, alguns casos específicos apresentam baixa resposta. Tais casos estão associados à exposição recorrente a eventos traumáticos, de natureza interpessoal, durante a infância. Apesar de não haver consenso sobre a nomeação destes quadros clínicos, é possível que estejam associados ao diagnóstico de Trauma Complexo (TC). OBJETIVO: Este estudo objetivou revisar sistematicamente evidências sobre os efeitos da TCC para TC. MÉTODO: Realizou-se buscas no MEDLINE, Embase e ISI Web of Science. Artigos com desenho de estudo clínico randomizado, estudo clínico não randomizado e estudos não controlados com intervenções em TCC para TC foram incluídos. Apenas estudos com avaliações pré e pós-intervenção foram elegíveis. RESULTADOS: Identificou-se 369 estudos sendo 7 elegíveis para esta revisão. As intervenções abordaram vários sintomas envolvidos na proposta para diagnóstico de TC, incluindo sintomas pós-traumático, depressivos, de ansiedade e regulação emocional. CONCLUSÃO: Os artigos revisados demonstraram que intervenções terapêuticas, independente da natureza, possuem efeitos ao longo do tempo sobre sintomas de TC. A TCC revelou-se superior em comparação ao tratamento controle, sendo que tanto TCC em grupo como individual revelaram-se capazes de reduzir os sintomas de TC.

INTRODUCTION: Although Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) has been shown effectiveness for treating posttraumatic stress disorders, there are some difficults regarding specfic cases. This cases are usually associated with a history of recurrent and prolonged exposure to traumatic events during the childhood. Since there is no consensus concerning the appointment of these clinical conditions, it is suggested that such cases could represent the diagnosis of Complex Trauma (CT). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate, through a systematic review, the efficacy of CBT for CT. METHOD: The searches were conducted in Pubmed, Embase and ISI Web of Science. Articles that described randomized controlled, non-randomized controlled and non-controlled studies which had interventions based on CBT for CT symptoms were included. RESULTS: The search identified 369 studies, and 7 were selected. The focus of CBT interventions comprised a variety of symptoms that have been proposed for the CT diagnosis, including posttraumatic and depressive symptoms, anxiety and emotional regulation. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that therapeutic interventions, regardless of type, have an effect over time on CT symptoms. CBT was more efficient compared to the control treatments. Both individual and group CBT were able to reduce CT symptoms.

INTRODUCCIÓN: A pesar de la Terapia Cognitivo-Conductual (TCC) tiener un cuerpo de evidencia que demuestra la eficacia para el tratamiento de desórdenes de estrés y trauma, algunos casos específicos tienen una baja respuesta. Estos casos están asociados con la exposición repetida a los acontecimientos traumáticos, de carácter interpersonal, durante la infancia. Aunque no existe un consenso en cuanto a la designación de estos cuadros clínicos, es posible que se asocie con un diagnóstico llamado Trauma Complejo (TC). META: Este estudio tuvo como objetivo investigar, a través de la revisión sistemática, estudios sobre los efectos de las intervenciones en la TCC para el TC. MÉTODO: Se realizaron búsquedas en MEDLINE, EMBASE, ISI Web of Science. Se incluyeron los artículos con diseño aleatorio estudio clínico, estudio clínico no aleatorizado y estudios no controlados con intervenciones en la TCC para la CT. Sólo los estudios con pre y post-intervención fueron elegibles. RESULTADOS: Se identificaron 369 estudios y son 7 electos para esta revisión. Las intervenciones discutieron diversos síntomas de TC, incluyendo los síntomas postraumáticos, depresivo, de ansiedad y regulación emocional. CONCLUSIÓN: Artículos revisados han demostrado que las intervenciones terapéuticas, independientemente de la naturaleza, tienen un efecto en el tiempo de los síntomas de la CT. La TCC ha demostrado ser superior en comparación con el tratamiento control. Tanto la TCC individual y grupal demostró ser capaz de reducir los síntomas de TC.

Post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use following traumatic brain injury: a clinical and neuropsychological case study / Transtorno de estresse pós-traumático e uso de substância após traumatismo crânio-encefálico: um estudo de caso clínico e neuropsicológico

The present study proposes to investigate the case of a patient with crack-cocaine use disorder from the occurrence of a neurological condition of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and development of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It is presumed that this is a case of crack and cocaine use disorder from the occurrence of two predisposing factors: TBI and the appearance of post-traumatic symptoms. Therefore, the present case discusses, clinically and based in neuropsychological assessment, the hypotheses of substance use as self-medication to attenuate the depressive symptoms related to the traumatic experience and/or as a consequence of a neuropsychological framework. Furthermore, the presence of a neurological condition may explain the subsequent progression to crack-cocaine use disorder.(AU)

O presente estudo se propôs a investigar o caso de uma paciente dependente de cocaína e crack, a qual desenvolveu o quadro de dependência após ter sido diagnosticada com Traumatismo Crânio-Encefálico (TCE) em decorrência de um acidente e Transtorno de Estresse Pós-Traumático. Este caso, em especial, por apresentar co-ocorrência de condições neurológicas e psiquiátricas foi alvo de uma avaliação clínica e neuropsicológica. A hipótese do uso de substância como forma de automedicação pode estar relacionada com o início e progressão para dependência de cocaína e crack, uma vez que foram reportados sintomas depressivos e pós-traumáticos acentuados. Além disso, a presença de um quadro neurológico com possíveis alterações neuropsicológicas associadas pode explicar a subsequente progressão para dependência de cocaína e crack.(AU)

A systematic review of cognitive rehabilitation for bipolar disorder.

INTRODUCTION: It has been shown that bipolar disorder (BD) has a direct impact on neurocognitive functioning and behavior. This finding has prompted studies to investigate cognitive enhancement programs as potential treatments for BD, primarily focusing on cognitive reinforcement and daily functioning and not restricted to psychoeducation and coping strategies, unlike traditional psychosocial treatments. OBJECTIVE: This study presents a systematic review of controlled trials of cognitive rehabilitation (CR) for BD. Our main objective is to describe the results of studies of rehabilitation programs for BD and related methodological issues. METHOD: Electronic database searches (MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Embase) were conducted to identify articles using terms related to BD and CR. The methodological quality of each article was measured using the 5-item Jadad scale. RESULTS: A total of 239 articles were initially identified, but after application of exclusion criteria, only four were retained for this review. An average of 17 hours of intervention sessions were conducted, distributed as 0.95 hours per week and three of the four studies reported better executive function performance after CR interventions. CONCLUSIONS: We did not find robust evidence to support cognitive rehabilitation as an effective treatment for BD, because of: 1) the variety of intervention designs; 2) the methodological limitations of the studies; and 3) the lack of studies in the field.

A systematic review of cognitive rehabilitation for bipolar disorder / Revisão sistemática sobre reabilitação cognitiva para o transtorno bipolar

Introduction: It has been shown that bipolar disorder (BD) has a direct impact on neurocognitive functioning and behavior. This finding has prompted studies to investigate cognitive enhancement programs as potential treatments for BD, primarily focusing on cognitive reinforcement and daily functioning and not restricted to psychoeducation and coping strategies, unlike traditional psychosocial treatments. Objective: This study presents a systematic review of controlled trials of cognitive rehabilitation (CR) for BD. Our main objective is to describe the results of studies of rehabilitation programs for BD and related methodological issues. Method: Electronic database searches (MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Embase) were conducted to identify articles using terms related to BD and CR. The methodological quality of each article was measured using the 5-item Jadad scale. Results: A total of 239 articles were initially identified, but after application of exclusion criteria, only four were retained for this review. An average of 17 hours of intervention sessions were conducted, distributed as 0.95 hours per week and three of the four studies reported better executive function performance after CR interventions. Conclusions: We did not find robust evidence to support cognitive rehabilitation as an effective treatment for BD, because of: 1) the variety of intervention designs; 2) the methodological limitations of the studies; and 3) the lack of studies in the field.

Introdução: Tem sido demonstrado que o transtorno bipolar (TB) tem um impacto direto sobre o funcionamento neurocognitivo e o comportamento. Tais achados têm fomentado outros estudos para investigar o efeito de programas de aprimoramento cognitivo como potenciais intervenções no TB, focados principalmente no treino cognitivo e no funcionamento diário e não restrito a psicoeducação e estratégias de enfrentamento de problemas, como os tratamentos psicossociais tradicionais. Objetivo: Este estudo apresenta uma revisão sistemática de ensaios clínicos controlados que avaliaram reabilitação cognitiva (RC) para TB. Nosso objetivo principal é descrever os resultados desses estudos acerca de programas de reabilitação para TB e questões metodológicas relacionadas. Métodos: Foram realizadas pesquisas em bancos de dados (MEDLINE, Web of Science e Embase) para identificar artigos utilizando termos relacionados a RC e TB. A qualidade metodológica de cada artigo foi mensurada usando a escala JADAD de 5 itens. Resultados: Um total de 239 artigos foram identificados inicialmente, dos quais apenas quatro foram analisados nesta revisão após aplicação dos critérios de exclusão. Uma média de 17 horas de sessões de intervenção foram realizadas, com uma distribuição de 0,95 horas por semana. Três dos quatro estudos relataram melhor desempenho na função executiva após intervenções de RC. Conclusões: Não foram encontradas evidências suficientes que sustentem a reabilitação cognitiva como um tratamento efetivo do TB, devido: 1) à variedade de modelos de intervenção; 2) às limitações metodológicas dos estudos; e 3) à escassez de estudos na área.