Neuropsych Dis Treat
-
Neuropsych Dis Treat · Jan 2014
Relationship between alexithymia and coping strategies in patients with somatoform disorder.
A multidimensional intervention integrating alexithymia, negative affect, and type of coping strategy is needed for the effective treatment of somatoform disorder; however, few studies have applied this approach to the three different dimensions of alexithymia in patients with somatoform disorder. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between type of coping strategy and three different dimensions of alexithymia expressed in patients. ⋯ Alexithymia was strongly associated with the number of somatic symptoms and negative affect. Patients with high "difficulty in describing feelings" tend to rely less on seeking social support, and patients with high "externally oriented thinking" tend to rely less on confrontive coping strategies. The coping skills intervention implemented should differ across individuals and should be based on the alexithymia dimension of each patient.
-
Neuropsych Dis Treat · Jan 2014
Possible association between haplotypes of the FKBP5 gene and suicidal bipolar disorder, but not with melancholic depression and psychotic features, in the course of bipolar disorder.
We aimed to analyzed the association between polymorphisms of the FKBP5 (FK506 binding protein 5) gene and subtypes of bipolar disorder. In the study, we included 195 bipolar disorder patients with psychotic features, 129 bipolar patients with melancholic depression, and 156 bipolar patients with a history of suicidal attempts. ⋯ We did not find an association between polymorphisms of the FKBP5 gene and bipolar disorder with psychotic features, nor with bipolar disorder with melancholic depression. Limitations of our study are the absence of data about previous trauma exposure and the small sample size of patients, which of course can lead to false-positive results, so further validation and replication of the present findings are still needed.
-
Neuropsych Dis Treat · Jan 2013
ReviewConfusion assessment method: a systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic accuracy.
Delirium is common in the early stages of hospitalization for a variety of acute and chronic diseases. ⋯ Both CAM and CAM-ICU are validated instruments for the diagnosis of delirium in a variety of medical settings. However, CAM and CAM-ICU both present higher specificity than sensitivity. Therefore, the use of these tools should not replace clinical judgment.
-
Neuropsych Dis Treat · Jan 2013
Risk-benefit considerations in the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease of the central nervous system and mainly affects young adults. Its natural history has changed in recent years with the advent of disease-modifying drugs, which have been available since the early 1990s. The increasing number of first-line and second-line treatment options, together with the variable course of the disease and patient lifestyles and expectations, makes the therapeutic decision a real challenge. ⋯ There is no single best treatment strategy, but therapy has to be tailored to the patient. This is a time-consuming task, rich in complexity, and influenced by the attitude towards risk on the parts of both the patient and the clinical team. The broader the MS drug market becomes, the harder it will be for the clinician to help the patient decide which therapeutic strategy to opt for.
-
Neuropsych Dis Treat · Jan 2013
ReviewCurrent clinical application of deep-brain stimulation for essential tremor.
Deep-brain stimulation (DBS) is an established treatment for medically refractory essential tremor (ET). This article reviews the current evidence supporting the efficacy and safety of DBS targets, including the ventral intermediate (VIM) nucleus and posterior subthalamic area (PSA) in treatment of ET. ⋯ DBS appears to be a safe and effective treatment for medically refractory ET. More systematic studies comparing VIM and PSA targets are needed to ascertain the most safe and effective DBS treatment for medically refractory ET. More research is warranted to assess quality-of-life and cognition outcomes in ET patients undergoing DBS.