Mifepristone as a therapeutic agent in psychiatry.

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is the body's main stress-response system, and cortisol is the major adrenal glucocorticoid hormone secreted in human beings. HPA axis activity and cortisol secretion is regulated by a negative feedback system involving glucocorticoid receptors. Dysregulation of the HPA axis and increased cortisol levels have been implicated in mood, psychotic, and other psychiatric disorders. Mifepristone, as a potent antagonist of glucocorticoid receptors, has been studied or is currently being investigated as a potential therapeutic agent for psychotic depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and alcohol and cocaine dependence, as well as for mitigating the weight gain associated with the use of antipsychotic drugs and for improving cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. This article will review some of the work in these areas.

Influencia de las emociones en las relaciones afectivo-sexuales / Influence of emotions in affective-sexual relations

El objetivo de este artículo es dar a conocer la influencia que pueden tener las emociones en las relaciones afectivas y sexuales de los pacientes. Surge, básicamente, de la observación clínica de pacientes dentro del campo de la terapia de pareja y de la terapia sexual(AU)

The aim of this article is to publicize the influence that can have emotions in sexual and affective relations of patients. It arises basically from the clinical observation of patients in the field of the couples and sex therapy therapy(AU)

Estudio psicológico del trastorno distímico en la mujer / Psychological study of the dysthymic disorder in the woman

En este artículo estudiamos a dos mujeres distímicas a quiénes tratamos mediante psicoterapia y, a partir de ahí, se pusieron de manifiesto aquellos componentes “internos” que sustentan los síntomas depresivos. Estos mismos hallazgos se confirmaron en otras pacientes con idéntico diagnóstico. El resultado consistió en descubrir una desinserción sentimental respecto a sus parejas, permaneciendo con ellos sin separarse, al tiempo que van apareciendo insidiosamente las manifestaciones depresivas. Este desarrollo las lleva a la caída del “ideal de amor” al que aspiraban, que sostenía sus vidas y funcionaba como una “agarradera de la personalidad”. Tales apreciaciones ponen en cuestión las nociones clásicas acerca del “duelo” (AU)

In this article, we study two dysthymic women who we are treating with psychotherapy in order to reveal the inner components that maintain depressive symptoms. The same findings have been confirmed in other dysthymic patients. The result of the study consisted in discovering a sentimental separation from their love object, while the woman still lives with her partner and while the depressive symptoms are appearing insidiously. This development leads them to the deterioration in the “ideal of love” they sought, that supported their lives and served as an “anchor of their personality”. This point of view places classic notion about mourning into doubt (AU)

Terapia de la risa. En el dolor crónico músculo-esquelético / Laughter Therapy for chronic skeletal muscular pain

Se explican los efectos de la introducción de talleres de risoterapia y relajación en una unidad de educación terapéutica y rehabilitación funcional, y se comprueba si su aplicación ayuda a disminuir el dolor, mejorar la movilidad y reducir el estado emocional alterado (ansiedad-depresión) del paciente(AU)

The authors explain the effects introducing workshops for laughter therapy and relaxation to a unit dedicated to therapeutic education and functional rehabilitation; the authors test to see if the application of this therapy hepls to decrease pain, to improve mobility and to reduce na altered emotional state, such as anxiety-depression, common among chronic pain patients(AU)

An examination of frequent nursing interventions and outcomes in an adolescent psychiatric inpatient unit.

Little is known about which nursing interventions used in adolescent psychiatric inpatient treatment demonstrate improvements in outcome in the 'real world' setting, despite an increase in external outcomes reporting requirements.This paper examines nursing and other multidisciplinary interventions commonly used at the Youth Inpatient Unit, Christchurch, New Zealand, in relation to improvements in outcomes as measured by the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales for Children and Adolescents, utilizing data gathered prospectively as part of an ongoing quality assurance and outcomes project. We found the majority of interventions investigated were utilized equally across diagnostic groups, although stress management and problem-solving education was used more for patients with mixed affective disorders. Further, the results contribute to growing evidence toward the value of providing medication and problem-solving education to this population. Mental health nurses working with children and adolescents should be supported to utilize and develop their unique skill set to offer targeted interventions and to examine their practice to identify the most valuable interventions for their patients within this developmental context.