Roberta Paula Schell Coelho

Childhood maltreatment and inflammatory markers: a systematic review

Childhood maltreatment (CM) has been associated with several diseases in adult life, including diabetes, obesity and mental disorders. Inflammatory conditions have been postulated as possible mediators of this relationship. The aim was to conduct a systematic review regarding the association between CM and inflammatory markers in adulthood.

Uso do tempo livre por adolescentes de classe popular

The article presents the results of a research that analyzes free time usage by lower class teenagers. The analysis on how teenagers manage their free time can supply data for the development of psychoeducative intervention and the promotion of this populations health. There were 159 teenagers who answered the instrument, in which 85 were females and 75 were males. The data collected made it possible to characterize free time usage and to trace comparisons between different age groups and genders. The results show that non-organized activities predominate, such as watching television and being on the streets, as well as the difficulty to access leisure and cultural and sport activities by these teenagers, what may become, according to the literature researched, an indicative of vulnerability with regard to risk situations.

High prevalence of ST121 in community-associated methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus lineages responsible for skin and soft tissue infections in Portuguese children.

In order to evaluate the incidence of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) in Portugal, we analyzed a collection of 38 S. aureus isolates recovered from 30 children attending the pediatric emergency department of a central hospital in Lisbon due to skin and soft tissue infections. Molecular characterization identified seven clonal lineages among the 35 methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) isolates, of which the major lineage PFGE A/t159/ST121 included 63% of the isolates. The three MRSA isolates belonged to the Pediatric clone PFGE D/t535/ST5-IV (n = 2) and to the European CA-MRSA clone PFGE G/t044/ST80-IVc (n = 1). All isolates harbored several virulence factors, namely, leukocidins. Panton–Valentine leukocidin (PVL) was produced by isolates from five MSSA lineages and by the ST80 MRSA. Of interest, this is the first reported isolation of CA-MRSA ST80 in Portugal.

An Open-Label Trial of Risperidone in Children and Adolescents with Severe Mood Dysregulation

OBJECTIVE The diagnosis and treatment of youth with severe nonepisodic irritability and hyperarousal, a syndrome defined as severe mood dysregulation (SMD), has been the focus of increasing concern and debate among clinicians and researchers. Our main objective was to assess the effectiveness of risperidone for youths with SMD. METHODS An 8-week open label trial with risperidone was conducted. We extensively assessed 97 subjects with semistructured and clinical interviews and enrolled 21 patients in the study. Risperidone was titrated from 0.5 to 3 mg/day in the first 2 weeks. Evaluations were performed at baseline and weeks 2, 4, 6, and 8. Clinical outcome measures were (1) Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Irritability Subscale, (2) Clinical Global Impressions, and (3) severity of co-morbid conditions. RESULTS We found a significant reduction of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Irritability scores during the trial after risperidone use (p < 0.001). The scores at week 2 (mean = 12.03; standard error [SE] = 2.94), week 4 (mean = 15.48; SE = 2.93), week 6 (mean = 12.29; SE = 2.86), and week 8 (mean = 11.28; SE = 3.06) were significantly reduced compared with the baseline mean score (mean = 25.89; SE = 2.76) (p < 0.001). We also found an improvement in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, depression, and global functioning (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Risperidone was effective in reducing irritability in SMD youth. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first psychopharmacological trial in this group of patients with positive results. Further randomized, controlled studies are needed.

Significado do tempo livre para adolescentes de classe popular

O presente artigo e uma pesquisa descritiva de cunho qualitativo sobre os significados que adolescentes de classe popular atribuem ao tempo livre. Participaram da pesquisa 120 adolescentes escolarizados de ambos os sexos, entre 12 e 18 anos, de Porto Alegre (RS - Brasil). Os resultados colhidos atraves de 15 grupos focais identificaram a dissonância entre as crencas e os conhecimentos sobre o tempo livre e as praticas dos adolescentes assim como os diversos sentidos atribuidos as mesmas atividades em termos de liberdade e prazer. Os significados estao unidos as experiencias dos participantes e sua complexidade depende das contingencias contextuais, e estao permeados pelas interligacoes entre diferentes conceitos emergidos. Observamos diferencas entre os grupos etarios em relacao a percepcao de liberdade de escolha no tempo livre. As vezes, o ocio objetiva desenvolvimento, e e um periodo produtivo no qual ha investimentos no âmbito social, cultural ou pessoal. Por vezes, ha tambem uma percepcao do ocio como descanso, na medida em que relacionam tempo livre com ideias de compensacao do cansaco oriundo das tarefas cotidianas. Observamos diferencas entre os grupos etarios em relacao a percepcao de liberdade de escolha no tempo livre.

Does comorbid bipolar disorder increase neuropsychological impairment in children and adolescents with ADHD

OBJECTIVE To assess differences in executive functioning between children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) comorbid or not with bipolar disorder (BD), and to study the neuropsychological profile of subjects with the comorbidity in a clinical sample from a developing country. METHOD Case-control study comparing 23 participants with BD + ADHD and 85 ADHD-only subjects aged 6 to 17 years old. Both groups were drug-free. Executive function domains were assessed with the Stroop Test, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and the Continuous Performance Test II. RESULTS The group with juvenile BD + ADHD showed a significantly worse performance on the Stroop task, including time in color (p = 0.002), time in color-word (p < 0.001), interference, number or errors in color and color-word (p = 0.001), and number of errors in word cards (p = 0.028). No between-group differences were found in other tests. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that ADHD-only and ADHD + BD do not show differences in inhibitory control and set-shifting domains. However, children and adolescents with BD and comorbid ADHD show greater impairment in processing speed and interference control. This suggests a potentially higher impairment in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and may be a potential neuropsychological signature of juvenile BD comorbid with ADHD.

Inflammation, neurotrophism and oxidative stress and childhood psychopathology in a large community sample

To investigate the association between peripheral biomarkers and child psychopathology in a large community sample.

Serum copeptin in children exposed to maltreatment

Childhood maltreatment (CM) has been related to a persistent reprograming of stress‐response. Copeptin is a marker of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis activation; however, few studies have examined copeptin levels in children exposed to CM. The aim of this study was to compare serum copeptin levels in children reporting child abuse and/or neglect and children with no history of CM.

Desempenho Neuropsicológico de Adolescentes com Transtorno de Humor Bipolar

Recentes achados no campo da neuropsicologia apontam para possiveis prejuizos neurocognitivos associados ao Transtorno Bipolar (TB) em criancas e adolescentes. O presente estudo buscou avaliar o funcionamento cognitivo de adolescentes com TB. Participaram dele 23 adolescentes diagnosticados com TB e 20 adolescentes controles. Utilizou-se uma bateria neuropsicologica e clinica para avaliar as multiplas funcoes. Os grupos apresentaram desempenho similar nas tarefas neurocognitivas, entretanto, evidenciou-se prejuizos relacionados a memoria de trabalho visuo-espacial, planejamento e tomada de decisao. A identificacao precoce de prejuizos neurocognitivos pode ser um fator determinante para minimizar o impacto de tais prejuizos no funcionamento global de criancas e adolescentes. Alem disso, possibilita maior eficacia das estrategias de intervencao e prevencao de recaidas nestes individuos.

Tradução e adaptação semântica para versão em português do Stressful Life Events Schedule (SLES)

The Stressful Life Events Schedule (SLES) is an instrument to investigate the presence and impact of stressful life events (SLE) occurred during the latest 12 months. The aim of this study is to translate and adapt, through semantic equivalence, the items from the instrument to the Portuguese language. The process had six steps: (1) Translation; (2) Backtranslation; (3) Technical review and semantic adaptation; (4) Assessment and content validation and overall meaning, considering the context of the population; (5) A measure of reliability was conducted in relation to the dependence/ independence construct; and (6) Production of the final version of the instrument. The verbal conjugation was maintained in most of the scales items. Some changes were required, such as an addition of the variation of some terms. The adapted version proved to be of easy application, not too extensive and contemplating a considerable number of SLE.O Stressful Life Events Schedule (SLES) e um instrumento que visa investigar a presenca e o impacto de eventos de vida estressantes (EVE) ocorridos nos ultimos 12 meses. O objetivo deste trabalho e traduzir e adaptar por equivalencia semântica os itens da escala para a lingua portuguesa. Seis etapas foram realizadas: (1) Traducao; (2) Retrotraducao; (3) Revisao tecnica e adaptacao semântica; (4) Avaliacao e validacao do conteudo e do significado geral considerando o contexto da populacao; (5) Realizacao de uma medida de confiabilidade em relacao ao construto dependencia/independencia dos EVE; e (6) Producao da versao final do instrumento. O tempo verbal se manteve na maioria dos itens da escala. Algumas alteracoes foram necessarias como um acrescimo da variacao de alguns termos. A versao adaptada demonstrou ser de facil aplicacao, nao tendo sido avaliada como extensa e contemplando um numero consideravel de EVE.