Anna Carlotta Rusconi

Autoantibody profile in systemic lupus erythematosus with psychiatric manifestations: a role for anti-endothelial-cell antibodies

This study was performed to determine the correlation between psychiatric manifestations and several autoantibodies that might participate in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders in the course of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Fifty-one unselected outpatients with SLE were enrolled. Psychiatric evaluation was performed according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition. The prevalence of antibodies against endothelial cells (AECA), cardiolipin, β2 glycoprotein I, Ro, Ro52, La, glial fibrillary acidic protein, ribosomal P protein, dsDNA, and nucleosomes was assessed by experimental and commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. According to the cutoff value, AECA were present in 11 of 17 (64.7%) SLE patients with psychosis and mood disorders and in 10 of 34 (29.4%) patients without psychiatric manifestations other than anxiety (P = 0.03). Moreover, the AECA binding index was significantly higher in the first group (P = 0.03). Conversely, no significant correlation was found between the presence of the other autoantibodies studied and psychiatric involvement. The results of this study suggest a relationship between AECA and psychosis and mood disorders in SLE, supporting the hypothesis of a biological origin of these disturbances.

Psychoeducational intervention focused on healthy living improves psychopathological severity and lifestyle quality in psychiatric patients: preliminary findings from a controlled study

Abstract Background: Individuals with psychiatric disorders incur an increased risk of morbidity and mortality, with higher prevalence of cardio-metabolic risk factors s largely contributing to a significant reduction in life expectancy. Objectives: The aim of the present study was at evaluating the clinical effectiveness of an educational intervention targeting lifestyle habits in patients with mood and psychotic disorders. Methods: Patients (n = 32) were randomly assigned to receive, in addition to the pharmacological treatment, either five sessions of group psychoeducation focused on healthy lifestyle or five sessions of a control group therapy. Results: Both psychopathological severity (i.e. the brief psychiatric rating scale) and lifestyle quality (i.e. physical activity, sleep quality and adherence to the Mediterranean diet) improved significantly over time in patients who underwent specific psychoeducational sessions but not in the controls. Conclusions: These findings add to the accumulating evidence that educational interventions focused on lifestyle habits can ameliorate general and mental health in patients with psychiatric disorders and suggest that educational programs represent an effective non-pharmacological intervention to manage drug-induced cardiometabolic disturbances.

La relazione bidirezionale tra osteoporosi e depressione maggiore: Un dibattito aperto

: Osteoporosis and depression are two chronic diseases that affect large population groups with great impact on morbidity, mortality and quality of life. Existing studies of the relationship between depression and osteoporosis have been heterogeneous in their design and use of diagnostic instruments for depression, which might have contributed to the different results on the comorbidity of these two conditions. Moreover, the direction of the causative link is still controversial and the etiology remains unclear. Definitely, limited data suggest that osteoporosis may enhance depressive symptoms, while far more studies have shown that depression adversely affects bone density and increases fracture risk. Thus the correlation of these diseases is still under research. This review comments on a plausible causative relationship and underlying mechanisms that might elucidate the link between two very common diseases. We describe the possible impact of osteoporosis on moods and the effect of depression on bone health. In particular, we focus on the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical and sympathoadrenal axes, of the parathyroid hormone and cytokines. We also describe the effect of the antidepressant drugs as well as lifestyles that may explain this effect.