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The district of Realejo in Granada, Spain, was a renown centre for the production of fine silk cloth from the medieval period onwards. During the excavation of a building on the south side of the square of Campo del Principe, two cesspits were identified that dated to the 17th–18th century. Historical evidence suggests this building might have been associated with the guild of silk workers, or might have been a residential property. Samples of sediment from each cesspit were taken at the time of excavation. Optical microscopy identified the eggs of Ascaris sp. (roundworm), Trichuris sp. (whipworm), probable Fasciola sp., Spirometra sp. and Capillaria sp. The presence of Ascaris and Trichuris likely reflect infection of the population by these helminths, and indicate ineffective sanitation. However, the eggs of Fasciola, Spirometra and Capillaria are more likely to reflect infection of animals rather than humans. The eggs could have been deposited in the cesspit if humans ate the organs of infected herbivores (Fasciola), if the faeces of companion animals such as cats or dogs were discarded in the cesspits (Spirometra), or if rodents defecated inside the cesspits as they explored the waste discarded there (Capillaria). While we cannot be sure if those who used these toilets were involved in silk manufacturing, merchants who traded in silk, or other members of society, the pattern of parasite species recovered help provide a vivid picture of life in the people who lived and worked in the silk district of Granada 300–400 years ago.
Paleontology provides insights into the history of the planet, from the origins of life billions of years ago to the biotic changes of the Recent. The scope of paleontological research is as vast as it is varied, and the field is constantly evolving. In an effort to identify “Big Questions” in paleontology, experts from around the world came together to build a list of priority questions the field can address in the years ahead. The 89 questions presented herein (grouped within 11 themes) represent contributions from nearly 200 international scientists. These questions touch on common themes including biodiversity drivers and patterns, integrating data types across spatiotemporal scales, applying paleontological data to contemporary biodiversity and climate issues, and effectively utilizing innovative methods and technology for new paleontological insights. In addition to these theoretical questions, discussions touch upon structural concerns within the field, advocating for an increased valuation of specimen-based research, protection of natural heritage sites, and the importance of collections infrastructure, along with a stronger emphasis on human diversity, equity, and inclusion. These questions offer a starting point—an initial nucleus of consensus that paleontologists can expand on—for engaging in discussions, securing funding, advocating for museums, and fostering continued growth in shared research directions.
The Convalescence Unit provides semi-open inpatient care during the subacute phases of psychiatric illness, with the goal of restructuring and reorganizing the personality after a crisis or relapse.
Objectives
The main objective is to observe the profile of patients admitted to the Convalescence Unit who could benefit from this type of resource.
Methods
A retrospective, observational study was conducted by collecting and analyzing data in 2019, which 61 patients were admitted in this resource. The profile of patients during the year 2019 was analyzed.
Results
Of a total of 61 patients, 47 were referred from the Brief Hospitalization Unit (UHB), 11 from the Mental Health Team (ESM), and 3 from other facilities. By gender, there were 38 women and 23 men. The average age was 44.16 years. Regarding the type of admission, 29 were voluntary and 32 involuntary. Seventeen patients had been readmitted from previous years. The diagnoses were: 10 patients with bipolar disorder, 14 with schizophrenia, 6 with substance-induced psychosis, 2 with schizoaffective disorder, 10 with anxiety-depressive syndrome, 5 with dysthymia, 2 with obsessive-compulsive disorder, 7 with delusional disorder, and 6 with personality disorders. Of these patients, 58 received therapeutic discharge, 1 voluntary discharge, and 2 were transferred to other facilities. Regarding marital status, 43 were single, 7 married, 4 widowed, and 7 divorced. The average length of stay was 48.56 days.
Conclusions
As for the profile of patients admitted to the Convalescence Unit, it is not possible to determine a statistically significant pattern. However, we observed that most are women with severe mental health disorders. Notably, the majority are single, suggesting less family support, and a high percentage are admitted involuntarily, often from the UHB, to extend their stay for the management of subacute conditions in a more controlled environment. This helps ensure adherence to treatment, which is both difficult and crucial for a favorable outcome in these patients.
There is increasing scientific evidence linking the influence of cannabis on the onset of a first psychotic episode (FEP). However, this association may not always be one-way when studying the relationship between cannabis use and cognition.
The role of polygenic risk score for Schizophrenia (PRS-SZ) and lifetime cannabis initiation (PRSCI) and cannabis use disorder (PRSCUD) use remains unresolved. For this reason, a study was carried out to clarify how these factors are related to each other.
Objectives
To study the interaction between genetic risk and environmental factors
To analyze the relationship between polygenic risk scores and clinical features
To determine the impact of cannabis use on cognitive performance
Methods
A neuropsychological study was carried out on a sample of 138 cannabis users, divided into cases and controls according to the existence of a FEP. This assessment included domains of processing speed, verbal memory, attention, working memory, executive function, social cognition, and determination of premorbid IQ, using validated tests.
Three GWAS summary statistics were used to calculate individual PRS conferring risk for SZ, CI and CUD. PRS were constructed using PRS-CS.
The results obtained were then statistically correlated with the polygenic risk score for schizophrenia, cannabis use disorder, and lifetime cannabis use, respectively.
Results
The patient group presented worse processing speed as the risk for schizophrenia increased. In the case of PRS-CU, an opposite effect was evident. For verbal memory, a higher PRS-CUD was associated with poorer performance. Cannabis consumers with lifetime risk presented better executive function than consumers with lower genetic risk.
Conclusions
The relationship between PRS for Schizophrenia and cannabis use remains uncertain. However, different clinical profiles can be determined thanks to the cognitive assessment.
The consumption of alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, or heroin causes alterations in the central nervous system, affecting mood, perception, and behaviour. Despite the harmful effects of these substances, they remain widely used. Younger individuals tend to consume cannabis and cocaine, while older adults more commonly use alcohol and prescription medications. Ageing brings changes in consumption patterns and has both physical and mental health consequences
Objectives
This study aims to analyze how age influences the clinical characteristics of patients with Substance Use Disorder (SUD), comparing differences between older and younger users.
Methods
A total of 297 SUD patients participated in this study. They were divided into two groups: those aged 55 and older (G1) n= 88, and those younger than 55 (G2) n= 209. The SF-36 questionnaire was used to assess quality of life, the BIS-11 for impulsivity, the ASRS v1.1 for ADHD, the STAI-R for anxiety, and the AQ for autistic traits. All participants provided informed consent, and the study adhered to ethical guidelines.
Results
G1 showed better social functioning (SF-36) but a significant physical decline compared to G2. G1 also demonstrated lower levels of impulsivity (BIS-11), aggression, anxiety (STAI-R), and ADHD symptoms (ASRS), though higher autistic traits (AQ) were observed in G1.
Conclusions
Ageing reduces impulsivity, aggression, anxiety, and ADHD symptoms in individuals with SUD, but worsens physical health and may increase social isolation and autistic traits. These findings underscore the need to adapt SUD treatments according to age, addressing both physical and psychosocial challenges specific to each group.
Suicide is one of the leading causes of preventable death.
The PRISURE program is developed with a series of objectives and actions aligned with the Mental Health Strategy of the National Health System - (Spain), Strategic Plan for Mental Health and Addictions of the Community of Madrid 2022-2024 and the Prevention Plan suicide in the community of Madrid 2022-2026, based on the experience of the suicide risk prevention program developed between 2014 and 2023 at the Retiro Mental Health Center (CSM) of the Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health of the General University Hospital Gregorio Marañón.
Objectives
Presentation of a secondary suicide prevention program in the Community of Madrid with 10 years of implementation and reinforcement of the therapeutic team in the last year.
Treatment outcomes, assessment of patients’ suicide risk progression during follow-up, referral to patient discharge, and outcome indicators in the past year are measured.
Methods
Description of the functioning of the PRISURE program and descriptive study of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, suicidal crises, evolution and discharge referrals, of all patients treated in PRISURE. The program’s performance indicators, as well as its results, are evaluated over one year from its implementation.
Results
Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics are analyzed, including psychometric evaluation at baseline, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after referral to PRISURE from August/2023 to August/2024. The suicide risk profile, treatment adherence, program implementation indicators and initial results are evaluated.
Conclusions
PRISURE is a comprehensive care process that includes the prevention, intervention and postvention of suicidal behavior.
It includes interventions indicated for the prevention of suicidal behavior aimed at people in whom relevant signs or symptoms that anticipate the development of a mental disorder, or biological or psychological markers that indicate a high suicidal risk, have been identified.
PRISURE encompasses a set of activities aimed at early detection and indicated prevention, support and care of suicidal behavior, as well as research and promotion of mental health.
The Locus Coeruleus (LC), the first brain region affected by TAU aggregates in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), is the primary source of noradrenaline (NA). Given the importance of NA in cognitive functions, noradrenergic interventions may benefit patients with AD pathology.
Objectives
This study aims (i) to examine memory delay and related fMRI activations in brainstem and midbrain regions in healthy aging and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI); and (ii) to explore the impact of atomoxetine on memory delay and inhibitory control in aMCI.
Methods
For aim (i), event-related fMRI was used. Fifty-three subjects (28 healthy older adults and 25 with aMCI) completed an incidental recognition memory task with emotional and neutral images. Memory tests were administered four hours later, brain BOLD fMRI activations for remembered versus not remembered images were assessed. For aim (ii), seven participants attended the lab over four days. On visit 1, they received either a placebo or atomoxetine, followed by a stop signal task and an incidental memory task. On visit 2, they completed a recognition memory task. Visits 3 and 4 repeated this protocol. T-tests were used to compare results between groups and visits.
Results
For aim (i), a greater activation in the left caudate nucleus was observed in older adults compared to aMCI when contrasting remembered items with not remembered ones (SVC, cluster-level pFWE-corr = 0.08). A significant increase in activation was also found in the locus coeruleus (SVC, cluster-level pFWE-corr = 0.018). However, after adjusting for LC integrity and global grey matter volume (GMV), these differences were no longer significant, suggesting structural changes contribute to LC activation differences between healthy controls and MCI participants. For aim (ii), inhibitory control improved slightly but was not statistically significant, while delayed memory decreased during the atomoxetine visit compared to the placebo visit (p<.05).
Conclusions
Our findings highlight the caudate nucleus’s role in memory encoding in healthy older adults versus those with aMCI, linking LC dysfunction in aMCI to reduced LC integrity. The lack of improvement in executive functions and decreased memory during the atomoxetine visit may stem from individual differences in aMCI. Studies suggest atomoxetine is more effective in patients with high apathy and reduced LC integrity. In future analyses we will stratify participants by apathy and LC integrity to explore atomoxetine’s potential benefits. This study contributes to understanding neural mechanisms in aging and aMCI and informs personalized interventions for cognitive decline in AD.
VEXAS syndrome is a newly recognized multisystem inflammatory disorder characterized by recurrent fevers, skin manifestations, and systemic symptoms, often leading to significant morbidity. While the physical aspects of this syndrome are increasingly documented, the psychiatric implications, particularly depressive symptoms, are less explored. This case study aims to elucidate depressive symptoms in a patient diagnosed with VEXAS syndrome, examine how these symptoms relate to prolonged diagnostic uncertainty, and assess the impact of receiving a definitive diagnosis on the patient’s mental health.
Objectives
To evaluate the presence and severity of depressive symptoms in a patient with VEXAS syndrome. To analyze the psychological impact of prolonged diagnostic uncertainty on the patient’s mood. To investigate the effect of receiving a definitive diagnosis and a comprehensive treatment plan on the patient’s emotional well-being.
Methods
This case report describes a 61-year-old male patient with VEXAS syndrome, admitted for further evaluation of his condition. He presented to the psychiatry service with complaints of low mood and morning asthenia. A thorough psychiatric assessment revealed a history of psychiatric hospitalization 30 years prior and ongoing treatment for an adjustment disorder since 2007. The assessment utilized standardized scales to measure depressive symptoms and documented the patient’s emotional state and coping mechanisms throughout his medical journey.
Results
The patient experienced persistent low mood episodes since the onset of organic symptoms in 2019, exacerbated by multiple misdiagnoses and inadequate treatments. After receiving a diagnosis of VEXAS syndrome in July 2023, he reported significant improvements in mood and a reduction in suicidal ideation. He attributed these changes primarily to the clarity provided by the diagnosis and the development of a new treatment plan, rather than solely to adjustments in his antidepressant medication (sertraline, 100 mg). Although he tolerated the medication well, he emphasized that the sense of being understood significantly enhanced his motivation. Additionally, the patient reported vivid nightmares over the last two weeks but denied current suicidal thoughts.
Conclusions
This case highlights the complex relationship between prolonged diagnostic uncertainty and depressive symptoms in chronic inflammatory diseases like VEXAS syndrome. The findings suggest that a definitive diagnosis and clear treatment strategy are crucial for improving mental health and overall well-being. This underscores the importance of a multidisciplinary approach that prioritizes both physical and psychological needs, enhancing the quality of care for patients navigating such complex conditions.
Although diagnostic instability in first-episode psychosis (FEP) is of major concern, little is known about its determinants.
Objectives
To examine the long-term diagnostic stability of FEP diagnoses, the baseline predictors of diagnostic change to schizophrenia and the timing of diagnostic change.
Methods
This was a longitudinal and naturalistic study of 243 subjects with FEP who were assessed at baseline and reassessed after a mean follow-up of 21 years. The diagnostic stability of DSM-5 psychotic disorders was examined using prospective and retrospective consistencies, logistic regression was used to establish the predictors of diagnostic change to schizophrenia, and survival analysis was used to compare time to diagnostic change across diagnostic categories.
Results
The overall diagnostic stability was 47.7%. Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder were the most stable diagnoses, with other categories having low stability. Predictors of diagnostic change to schizophrenia included a family history of schizophrenia, obstetric complications, developmental delay, childhood adversity, poor premorbid functioning in several domains, long duration of untreated continuous psychosis, spontaneous dyskinesia, lack of psychosocial stressors, and poor early treatment response (Table 1). There were no significant differences between specific diagnoses regarding time to diagnostic change. At 10-year follow-up, around 80% of the diagnoses had changed.
Table 1. Main baseline predictors of diagnostic change to schizophrenia over the follow-up (univariate logistic regression)
Family history of schizophrenia spectrum disorders
16 (12.9)
16 (34.0)
3.48 (1.56 – 7.75)
0.002
Obstetric complications, any definite
9 (7.3)
12 (25.5)
4.38 (1.70 – 11.2)
0.002
Developmental delay at year 3, any
30 (24.2)
30 (63.8)
5.52 (2.68 – 11.3)
<0.001
Childhood adversity score, high (< 77)
39 (31.5)
24 (55.1)
2.27 (1.14 – 4.51)
0.019
Premorbid adjustment score, poor (≥ 4)
30 (24.2)
23 (48.9)
3.00 (1.48 – 7.07)
0.002
Acute psychosocial stressors, any
62 (50.0)
11 (23.4)
0.30 (0.14 – 0.65)
0.002
Duration of untreated continous psychosis, long (≥ 1 month)
34 (27.4)
26 (55.3)
3.27 (1.63 – 6.58)
0.001
Spontaneous dyskinesia, Schooler & Kane criteria
2 (1.9)
9 (24.3)
17.0 (3.48 – 83.3)
<0.001
CGI-EI at index discharge, marked improvement
100 (80.6)
28 (59.6)
0.35 (0.17 – 0.73)
0.005
†
Data are number (and percentages) of the stated features
CGI-EI = Clinical global impression-Efficacy Index
Conclusions
FEP diagnoses other than schizophrenia or bipolar disorder should be considered as provisional. Considering baseline and background predictors of diagnostic change to schizophrenia may help to enhance diagnostic accuracy and guide therapeutic interventions.
Genetic research on nicotine dependence has utilized multiple assessments that are in weak agreement.
Methods
We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of nicotine dependence defined using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-NicDep) in 61,861 individuals (47,884 of European ancestry [EUR], 10,231 of African ancestry, and 3,746 of East Asian ancestry) and compared the results to other nicotine-related phenotypes.
Results
We replicated the well-known association at the CHRNA5 locus (lead single-nucleotide polymorphism [SNP]: rs147144681, p = 1.27E−11 in EUR; lead SNP = rs2036527, p = 6.49e−13 in cross-ancestry analysis). DSM-NicDep showed strong positive genetic correlations with cannabis use disorder, opioid use disorder, problematic alcohol use, lung cancer, material deprivation, and several psychiatric disorders, and negative correlations with respiratory function and educational attainment. A polygenic score of DSM-NicDep predicted DSM-5 tobacco use disorder criterion count and all 11 individual diagnostic criteria in the independent National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III sample. In genomic structural equation models, DSM-NicDep loaded more strongly on a previously identified factor of general addiction liability than a “problematic tobacco use” factor (a combination of cigarettes per day and nicotine dependence defined by the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence). Finally, DSM-NicDep showed a strong genetic correlation with a GWAS of tobacco use disorder as defined in electronic health records (EHRs).
Conclusions
Our results suggest that combining the wide availability of diagnostic EHR data with nuanced criterion-level analyses of DSM tobacco use disorder may produce new insights into the genetics of this disorder.
Cannabis use and familial vulnerability to psychosis have been associated with social cognition deficits. This study examined the potential relationship between cannabis use and cognitive biases underlying social cognition and functioning in patients with first episode psychosis (FEP), their siblings, and controls.
Methods
We analyzed a sample of 543 participants with FEP, 203 siblings, and 1168 controls from the EU-GEI study using a correlational design. We used logistic regression analyses to examine the influence of clinical group, lifetime cannabis use frequency, and potency of cannabis use on cognitive biases, accounting for demographic and cognitive variables.
Results
FEP patients showed increased odds of facial recognition processing (FRP) deficits (OR = 1.642, CI 1.123–2.402) relative to controls but not of speech illusions (SI) or jumping to conclusions (JTC) bias, with no statistically significant differences relative to siblings. Daily and occasional lifetime cannabis use were associated with decreased odds of SI (OR = 0.605, CI 0.368–0.997 and OR = 0.646, CI 0.457–0.913 respectively) and JTC bias (OR = 0.625, CI 0.422–0.925 and OR = 0.602, CI 0.460–0.787 respectively) compared with lifetime abstinence, but not with FRP deficits, in the whole sample. Within the cannabis user group, low-potency cannabis use was associated with increased odds of SI (OR = 1.829, CI 1.297–2.578, FRP deficits (OR = 1.393, CI 1.031–1.882, and JTC (OR = 1.661, CI 1.271–2.171) relative to high-potency cannabis use, with comparable effects in the three clinical groups.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest increased odds of cognitive biases in FEP patients who have never used cannabis and in low-potency users. Future studies should elucidate this association and its potential implications.
Delirium is common in hospital settings, with approximately 3% to 45% of older patients in hospitals developing delirium during their stay. Among the elderly and those with severe or advanced medical conditions, the reported percentage of patients with delirium is over 56%. The three motor subtypes of delirium are hyperactive, hypoactive, and mixed. Another way to characterize delirium is based on whether it is reversible, irreversible, or terminal.
Objectives
Identifying appropriate pharmacological treatment options among antipsychotics and their correlation with various precipitating and predisposing factors in the in-hospital context
Methods
This was a retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study that utilized a database created by the psychiatry department at the National Medical Center 20 de Noviembre, with data collected from April 2021 to April 2022. The database contains anonymized administrative and clinical data of patients who were seen in the psychiatry department for the diagnosis of any type of delirium, using the CAM scale for classification. The database includes records and data of hospitalized patients, encompassing all specialties at this medical center
Results
A total of 139 patients were included in the study, of which 39% were female and 61% were male, with a mean age of 67 and a median age of 68 years. It was observed that the average duration of delirium symptoms, from receiving the consultation to remission, was approximately 6 days (p <0.005) (OR 5.12-6.62), and the average length of hospital stay was approximately 20 days (OR 17.3-22.09). Among the patients, 50.39% were overweight, 63% had hypertension (HTA), 29% had chronic kidney injury, 24% had a history of delirium, and 73% had recent surgical interventions. Patients with diabetes mellitus had a 3.1 times higher risk, those with HTA had a 2.8 times higher risk, and those with kidney injury had a 3.8 times higher risk of having a positive CAM result. It was observed that haloperidol, used in 84% of the patients, showed the highest percentage reduction in CAM scores
Image:
Image 2:
Conclusions
The results of this study emphasize the importance of identifying risk factors associated with delirium and implementing effective treatment for this condition. It was observed that the average duration of delirium symptoms was approximately 6 days, which is relevant for understanding the course and management of this illness. Furthermore, it was found that the average hospital stay was 20 days, underscoring the burden that delirium can place on healthcare systems.
In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of identifying risk factors and providing appropriate treatment, such as the use of haloperidol, to improve outcomes in patients with delirium.
The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) has been used as a universal instrument for clinical assessment of psychopathology in schizophrenia. Different studies have analyzed the factorial structure of this scale and have suggested a five-factor model: positive, negative, excited, depressive, and cognitive/disorganized factors. Two of the most used models are the Marder´s solution and the Wallwork´s one.
Objectives
The aim of this work was to study the correlations of the two cognitive factors (Marder and Wallwork) with a cognitive assessment performed with a standard cognitive battery, in a sample of patients with first psychotic episode of schizophrenia.
Methods
Seventy four patients with first psychotic episode of schizophrenia (26.9, SD:7.8 years old; 70.3% male) were included. The cognitive assessment was performed with the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB). The MCCB present seven cognitive domains: Speed of processing, Working memory, Attention/Vigilance, Verbal Learning, Visual Learning, Reasoning and Problem Solving, and Social cognition). Pearson correlations were performed between MCCB scores and Marder´s PANSS cognitive factor (P2, N5, G5, G10, G11, G13, G15) and Wallwork´s one (P2, N5, G11).
Results
Correlation between MCCB scores and cognitive factors of Marder and Wallwork can be seen in the table.
Marder´s cognitive factor
Wallwork´s cognitive factor
Speed of processing
r = -0.461; p<0.001
r = -0.455; p<0.001
Attention/Vigilance
r = -0.414; p<0.001
r = -0.415; p<0.001
Working memory
r = -0.449; p<0.001
r = -0.468; p<0.001
Verbal Learning
r = -0.511; p<0.001
r = -0.405; p<0.001
Visual Learning
r = -0.252; p=0.024
r = -0.254; p=0.029
Reasoning and Problem Solving
r = -0.244; p=0.036
r = -0.272; p=0.019
Social cognition
r = -0.268; p=0.024
r = -0.202; p=0.091
Conclusions
Both PANSS cognition factors show a moderate correlations with Speed of processing, Working memory, Attention/Vigilance and Verbal Learning assessed by MCCB. More discrete correlations were found with Visual Learning, Reasoning and Problem Solving, and with Social cognition (in fact, non-significant correlation with Wallwork´s cognitive factor was found).
Acknowledgements. This study has been funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) through the project PI19/00766 and co-funded by the European Union.
In recent years, research has focused on the older adults with bipolar disorder (OABD), aged 50 years and over, a constantly growing population due to the increased of life expectancy. Actually, some authors suggest that these individuals constitute a distinct subtype with a specific and different needs such as seen in epidemiologic, clinical and cognitive features. Further research has revealed significant differences between females and males with BD in clinical and cognitive variables in middle-aged and young patients, but this topic among OABD population remains unclear.
Objectives
The aim of this study is to identify the distinctive profile in clinical, functional and neurocognitive variables between females and males in OABD.
Methods
A sample of OABD and Healthy Controls (HC) were included. Euthymic patients or in partial remission were included. Neurocognition was measured with a battery of tests that included premorbid intelligence quotient, working memory, verbal and visual memory, processing speed, language and executive functions. Independent t-test and Chi-squared test analysis were performed as appropriated.
Results
According to the analysis, statistically significant differences were seen between females and males. A more impaired cognitive profile is observed in women. They performed worse in the subscales of Arithmetic (F= 6.728, p = <0.001), forward digits (F= 0.936, p= 0.019) and Total Digits (F= 1.208, p= 0.019) of the WAIS-III, in the Stroop Color Word Test, color reading (F= 0.130, p= < 0.001), in the Continuous Performance Test, block change measure (F= 2.059, p= 0.037), in the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure-copy (F= 0.005, p= 0.029) and in the Boston Naming Test (F= 0.011, p= 0.024). Nor significant differences were found in clinical neither in psychosocial functioning variables.
Conclusions
In view of the following results, and since no differences were observed between women and men in terms of clinical and functional outcomes, it could be said that the differences observed in cognition cannot be explained by disease-related factors. Furthermore, these results highlight the need to develop a gender-specific cognitive interventions in OABD population. In this way, we could have an impact on the course of the illness to reach a better quality of life.
Disclosure of Interest
S. Martín-Parra: None Declared, C. Torrent Grant / Research support from: Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PI20/00344) integrated into the Plan Nacional de I+D+I and co-financed by the ISCIIISubdireccion General de Evaluación and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER), A. Ruiz: None Declared, M. Bort: None Declared, G. Fico Grant / Research support from: Fellowship from “La Caixa” Foundation (ID 100010434 - fellowship code LCF/BQ/DR21/11880019), V. Oliva: None Declared, M. Prisco: None Declared, J. Sanchez-Moreno Grant / Research support from: Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PI20/00060) integrated into the Plan Nacional de I+D+I and co-financed by the ISCIII-Subdireccion General de Evaluación and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER), E. Jimenez Grant / Research support from: Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PI20/00060) integrated into the Plan Nacional de I+D+I and co-financed by the ISCIII-Subdireccion General de Evaluación and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER), A. Martinez-Aran: None Declared, E. Vieta Grant / Research support from: Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PI18/ 00805, PI21/00787) integrated into the Plan Nacional de I+D+I and cofinanced by the ISCIII Subdirección General de Evaluación and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER); the Instituto de Salud Carlos III; the CIBER of Mental Health (CIBERSAM); the Secretaria d’Universitats i Recerca del Departament d’Economia i Coneixement (2017 SGR 1365), the CERCA Programme, and the Departament de Salut de la Generalitat de Catalunya for the PERIS grant SLT006/17/00357; the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (EU.3.1.1. Understanding health, wellbeing and disease: Grant No 754907 and EU.3.1.3. Treating and managing disease: Grant No 945151), B. Sole: None Declared, L. Montejo: None Declared
Knowledge of sex differences in risk factors for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can contribute to the development of refined preventive interventions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine if women and men differ in their vulnerability to risk factors for PTSD.
Methods
As part of the longitudinal AURORA study, 2924 patients seeking emergency department (ED) treatment in the acute aftermath of trauma provided self-report assessments of pre- peri- and post-traumatic risk factors, as well as 3-month PTSD severity. We systematically examined sex-dependent effects of 16 risk factors that have previously been hypothesized to show different associations with PTSD severity in women and men.
Results
Women reported higher PTSD severity at 3-months post-trauma. Z-score comparisons indicated that for five of the 16 examined risk factors the association with 3-month PTSD severity was stronger in men than in women. In multivariable models, interaction effects with sex were observed for pre-traumatic anxiety symptoms, and acute dissociative symptoms; both showed stronger associations with PTSD in men than in women. Subgroup analyses suggested trauma type-conditional effects.
Conclusions
Our findings indicate mechanisms to which men might be particularly vulnerable, demonstrating that known PTSD risk factors might behave differently in women and men. Analyses did not identify any risk factors to which women were more vulnerable than men, pointing toward further mechanisms to explain women's higher PTSD risk. Our study illustrates the need for a more systematic examination of sex differences in contributors to PTSD severity after trauma, which may inform refined preventive interventions.
We demonstrate the importance of radio selection in probing heavily obscured galaxy populations. We combine Evolutionary Map of the Universe (EMU) Early Science data in the Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA) G23 field with the GAMA data, providing optical photometry and spectral line measurements, together with Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) infrared (IR) photometry, providing IR luminosities and colours. We investigate the degree of obscuration in star-forming galaxies, based on the Balmer decrement (BD), and explore how this trend varies, over a redshift range of $0<z<0.345$. We demonstrate that the radio-detected population has on average higher levels of obscuration than the parent optical sample, arising through missing the lowest BD and lowest mass galaxies, which are also the lower star formation rate (SFR) and metallicity systems. We discuss possible explanations for this result, including speculation around whether it might arise from steeper stellar initial mass functions in low mass, low SFR galaxies.
Community involvement in research is key to translating science into practice, and new approaches to engaging community members in research design and implementation are needed. The Community Scientist Program, established at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston in 2018 and expanded to two other Texas institutions in 2021, provides researchers with rapid feedback from community members on study feasibility and design, cultural appropriateness, participant recruitment, and research implementation. This paper aims to describe the Community Scientist Program and assess Community Scientists' and researchers' satisfaction with the program. We present the analysis of the data collected from 116 Community Scientists and 64 researchers who attended 100 feedback sessions, across three regions of Texas including Northeast Texas, Houston, and Rio Grande Valley between June 2018 and December 2022. Community Scientists stated that the feedback sessions increased their knowledge and changed their perception of research. All researchers (100%) were satisfied with the feedback and reported that it influenced their current and future research methods. Our evaluation demonstrates that the key features of the Community Scientist Program such as follow-up evaluations, effective bi-directional communication, and fair compensation transform how research is conducted and contribute to reducing health disparities.
Negative symptoms has been classically associated with cognition, psychosocial functioning and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia. But negative symptoms are not a unitary construct, encompassing two different factors: diminished expression, and motivation and pleasure. Few works have studied the relationship between these two different negative symptoms factors and cognition (neuro and social cognition), psychosocial functioning and quality of life, jointly, in patients with a first psychotic episode of schizophrenia.
Objectives
The objective of the present work was to study, in a sample of patients with a first psychotic episode of schizophrenia, the relationship between the negative symptoms (diminished expression and motivation and pleasure) and neurocognition, social cognition, functioning and quality of life.
Methods
The study was carried out with 82 outpatients with a first psychotic episode of schizophrenia from two Spanish hospitals (“12 de Octubre” University Hospital, Madrid and “Virgen de la Luz” Hospital, Cuenca). The patients were assessed with the Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS) for evaluating diminished expression (EXP) and motivation and pleasure (MAP) symptoms, the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) for evaluating neurocognition and social cognition, the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS), and the Quality of Life Scale (QLS).
Results
A negative correlation was found between neurocognition and the two negative symptoms subscales: CAINS-EXP (r=-0.458, p<0.001) and CAINS-MAP (r=-0.374, p<0.001); but with social cognition only CAINS-EXP was correlated (r=-0.236, p=0.033). Also, it was found a high negative correlation between SOFAS scores and CAINS-MAP (r=-0.717, p<0.001); and a medium negative correlation with CAINS-EXP (r=-0.394, p<0.001). Finally, QLS score was high correlated with both CAINS subscales: CAINS-EXP (r=-0.681, p<0.001) and CAINS-MAP (r=-0.770, p<0.001).
Conclusions
This study found a relationship between negative symptoms and neurocognition, social cognition, functioning and quality of life in a sample of patients with a first psychotic episode of schizophrenia. But the two different negative symptom factors, diminished expression, and motivation and pleasure, are associated differently with psychosocial functioning, but especially with social cognition where the relationship was only found with diminished expression symptoms.
Several hypotheses may explain the association between substance use, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression. However, few studies have utilized a large multisite dataset to understand this complex relationship. Our study assessed the relationship between alcohol and cannabis use trajectories and PTSD and depression symptoms across 3 months in recently trauma-exposed civilians.
Methods
In total, 1618 (1037 female) participants provided self-report data on past 30-day alcohol and cannabis use and PTSD and depression symptoms during their emergency department (baseline) visit. We reassessed participant's substance use and clinical symptoms 2, 8, and 12 weeks posttrauma. Latent class mixture modeling determined alcohol and cannabis use trajectories in the sample. Changes in PTSD and depression symptoms were assessed across alcohol and cannabis use trajectories via a mixed-model repeated-measures analysis of variance.
Results
Three trajectory classes (low, high, increasing use) provided the best model fit for alcohol and cannabis use. The low alcohol use class exhibited lower PTSD symptoms at baseline than the high use class; the low cannabis use class exhibited lower PTSD and depression symptoms at baseline than the high and increasing use classes; these symptoms greatly increased at week 8 and declined at week 12. Participants who already use alcohol and cannabis exhibited greater PTSD and depression symptoms at baseline that increased at week 8 with a decrease in symptoms at week 12.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest that alcohol and cannabis use trajectories are associated with the intensity of posttrauma psychopathology. These findings could potentially inform the timing of therapeutic strategies.
Tobacco is a highly prevalent substance of abuse in patients with psychosis. Previous studies have reported an association between tobacco use and schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between tobacco use and first-episode psychosis (FEP), age at onset of psychosis, and specific diagnosis of psychosis.
Methods
The sample consisted of 1105 FEP patients and 1355 controls from the European Network of National Schizophrenia Networks Studying Gene–Environment Interactions (EU-GEI) study. We assessed substance use with the Tobacco and Alcohol Questionnaire and performed a series of regression analyses using case-control status, age of onset of psychosis, and diagnosis as outcomes and tobacco use and frequency of tobacco use as predictors. Analyses were adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, alcohol, and cannabis use.
Results
After controlling for cannabis use, FEP patients were 2.6 times more likely to use tobacco [p ⩽ 0.001; adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.6; 95% confidence interval (CI) [2.1–3.2]] and 1.7 times more likely to smoke 20 or more cigarettes a day (p = 0.003; AOR 1.7; 95% CI [1.2–2.4]) than controls. Tobacco use was associated with an earlier age at psychosis onset (β = −2.3; p ⩽ 0.001; 95% CI [−3.7 to −0.9]) and was 1.3 times more frequent in FEP patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia than in other diagnoses of psychosis (AOR 1.3; 95% CI [1.0–1.8]); however, these results were no longer significant after controlling for cannabis use.
Conclusions
Tobacco and heavy-tobacco use are associated with increased odds of FEP. These findings further support the relevance of tobacco prevention in young populations.