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Introduction: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a debilitating syndrome that affects muscles and soft tissues. It is characterized by the presence of chronic widespread pain associated with fatigue, sleep problems and psychological symptoms, including depression and anxiety. A large proportion of patients with FM have co-morbid mental disorders. The literature reported a strong association between FM and major depressive disorder, however the connection with bipolar affective disorder (BAD) is not so well known. The comorbidity with BAD have crucial implications for FM treatment because antidepressants used in FM treatment may induce mood destabilization, manic switches and episodes with mixed features. Objectives: To present a non-systematic review of the literature about the relationship between fibromyalgia and bipolar affective disorder, particularly epidemiological associations and shared pathophysiological aspects. Methods: A literature search was conducted using the search engine Pubmed® and the keywords: fibromyalgia and bipolar affective disorder. Results: FM is closely associated with BD, with clinical implications. Studies suggested a prevalence of BD in FM patients of approximately 21%. Furthermore, a myriad of studies proved the existence of a pathophysiological overlap among these two pathologies. Several hypotheses explain this connection, for example shared abnormalities in cortical areas involved in pain processing and emotional control, a hyperactivation of the hypothalamicpituitary-adrenal axis and an impaired glucorticoid receptor mediated signaling. Moreover, FM and BAD are characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation and share genetic polimorphisms in the monoaminergic systems. Conclusions: The literature proves that exists a clear relationship between FM and BAD. These association has several clinical implications both in diagnosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Bipolar affective disorder (BAD) is a psychiatric disease characterized by changes in the mood and energy. BAD comprises depressive and manic/hipomanic episodes. The pathogenesis of BAD is not fully understood. However, interactions between genetic, environmental and biologic factors may play a role. Recent studies identified interactions between the gut and the brain, throughout neuroanatomical, neuroimmune and neuroendocrine pathways. Furthermore, gut microbiota's alterations were observed in several neuropsychiatric conditions, particularly in BAD. Objectives: To present a non-systematic review of the literature examining the gut microbiota composition in BAD patients. Methods: A literature search was conducted using the search engine Pubmed® and the keywords: gut microbiota and bipolar affective disorder. Results: A variety of studies showed differences in gut microbiota's composition and diversity in BAD patients. Higher abundance of the Bacteroidetesphylum was observed by some authors. The phylum Firmicutesis more abundant in healthy individuals, however some species are increased in BAD patients. At genus level, the studies identified an higher prevalence of some genera, specifically Parabacteroides, Bacteroides, Weissela, Halomonas and Oscillibacter. The results about the genus Bifidobacterium are ambiguous. Some authors defended that probiotics improve mood, stress and anxiety, while other identified a higher number of Bifidobacterium in BAD patients. Moreover, compared to healthy individuals, decreased abundance of various butyrate-producing bacteria was found in BAD patients. Conclusions: Significant alterations are present in gut microbiota of BAD patients. These alterations may clarify some aspects related to pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disease. Nevertheless, more studies are necessary to better understand these differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: With the growing of global aging population, psychosis arising for the first time in older people is becoming more common. Presently, the diagnostic boxes on the subject of late onset psychosis remain controverse. As Bleuler once described "the science of late onset psychosis is the most obscure field of psychiatry". The observation of psychotic symptoms in individuals over 60 years old with no psychiatric premorbility has suggested that late paraphrenia (LP) is nosologically different from schizophrenia. Recently, LP has been classified as very late-onset schizophrenialike psychosis. Objectives: Our goal is to present a scientific poster discussing a case of late onset psychosis in a 68 years old male and its diagnostic challenges. Methods: Case report. Bibliographic research was conducted using the search engine Pubmed® and the keywords: "Late onset psychosis". Results: A 68 years old male presented himself at the emergency service with persecutory delusions and hallucinations in the visual and auditory modalities. He had been hospitalized in the previous year for similar symptoms. However, the diagnosis became challenging as hospitalization progressed. Conclusions: This condition can be a form of presentation of late onset schizophrenia, or it may constitute a distinct condition. Late paraphrenia does share some similarities with schizophrenia, such as delusional beliefs and possible hallucinations (mostly auditory), but is distinguished by the well preserved personality and affect. It has been suggested that the older the patient the greater the similarities between LP and late onset schizophrenia in respect of neuropathology, treatment and prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Sensibility to other people's opinion about oneself varies from apathetic to hypersensitive states. As first described by Kretschmer, when the sensitive disposition is exaggerated occurring simultaneously with some endogenous and exogenous pathogenic factors, it may lead to sensitive delusions of reference. The sensitive character is defined as shy, hyper-emotive and sensitive individuals, with a tendency to self-criticism. Objectives: Presentation of a scientific poster discussing a case of sensitive delusion of reference in a 40 years old male. Methods: Case report is presented. Bibliographic research conducted using the search engine Pubmed®. Results: A 40 year old male with premorbid obsessive traits, seeks psychiatric help due to feelings of prejudice and people looking at him "strangely, specifically staring at his pubic region". He also refers having the perception "people talking about him behind his back". Characterwise, its an individual with anancastic personality traits, highly demanding with himself and very competitive. Diagnosis was initially complex, however later he revealed that symptoms started since he once used a penis enlargement device and felt that someone must have noticed it. Conclusions: The symptomatology of sensitive delusions of reference is the exaggerated effect of the sensitive character traits. This often starts after a traumatic event that reveals the subject own failure and/or humiliates him/her. Their ideas of reference, hypochondriacal fears and self accusations all lead to one central experience. The course of all sensitive delusions of reference is comparative benign although severer forms may take a course of several years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The default mode network's (DMN) discovery was an unexpected consequence of brain-imaging studies and has become a central research theme in the study of the human brain and disease. The DMN is a distributed network of brain regions more active during resting-states than during performance of attention-demanding tasks. It reflects the brain's intrinsic activity and is relevant in self-related information processing, self-reflection and stimulus-independent thought. Objectives: We aim to review the activity of the DMN in neuropsychiatric disorders. Methods: Literature search from PubMed/MEDLINE. Results: In schizophrenia and depression, the DMN is found to be hyperactivated and hyperconnected, which relates to overly intensive self-reference and impairments in attention and working memory in schizophrenia and negative rumination in depression. In ADHD, there's a maintained DMN activation and an attenuated negative/inverse relationship between cognitive control network and DMN. In substance use disorders, aberrant connectivity contributes to impaired self-awareness, negative emotions and ruminations. Additionally, the disrupted connectivity between DMN and executive control network influences stress-triggered relapse and drug-taking regardless of negative consequences. In insomnia, there's a lack of deactivation of the DMN when at rest. In Alzheimer's disease, a decreased connectivity leads to impaired memory consolidation during rest. In Parkinson's disease, there are alterations in the coupling between DMN and central executive network. In temporal lobe epilepsy, disrupted connectivity between the mesial temporal lobe and DMN contributes to cognitive and/or psychiatric impairments. Conclusions: Research on the DMN is important to support biological models, facilitate early detection of neuropsychiatric conditions, understand treatment efficacy and develop neurobiologically-targeted novel treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Globally, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy and the leading cause of cancer death in women. Alcohol consumption is a potentially modifiable behaviour that may influence the risk of breast cancer. Objectives: To present a non-systematic review of the literature on the relationship between alcohol consumption and its risk in development of breast cancer. Methods: A literature search was conducted using the search engine Pubmed® and the keywords alcohol and breast cancer. Results: Awareness of alcohol as a risk factor for breast cancer is low, as is the ability to estimate the alcohol content of commonly consumed drinks and therefore objectively assess one's own alcohol consumption level. This suggests that many women may be unaware that their level of alcohol consumption may be increasing their risk of breast cancer. This provokes questions around women's feelings of guilt and blame for making the 'right' and 'wrong' lifestyle choices and show how stigma can exist even in groups of women who have experienced cancer themselves. Conclusions: Women's motivations, understanding and rationalisation for their own alcohol consumption are varied and reflect the varied cultural values, symbolic value and messages about alcohol represented in today's social environment. The development of an appropriate intervention that engages women with alcohol information, giving them feedback about their alcohol consumption in a breast health context is crutial. Any interventions to reduce population level consumption could have a significant influence on breast cancer rates, as well as help to manage the side-effects of treatment, and improve the overall health of survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Nowadays, the consequences of alcoholism are usually minimized or devalued because it is a progressive disease and in the early stages it is socially acceptable. In general, society and health professionals deposit in alcoholics'wives task of care and providing emotional support for the alcoholic, especially at the time of his recovery. However, being married to or living with an alcoholic or a problem drinker increases the likelihood of developing substance abuse, emotional, behavioral and psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety and somatic complaints. Objectives: To present a non-systematic review of the literature on the relationship between alcohol consumption and mental health of alcoholics'wives. Methods: A literature search was conducted using the search engine Pubmed® and the keywords alcoholics'wives and mental health. Results: Major depressive disorder, dysthymia and anxiety disorders were the most common psychiatry diagnosis, among the female partners of men who drink heavily. In association with these diagnosis, loss of libido, irritant reactions and suicidal ideation were also present in alcoholics'wives. The use of alcohol can be considered a risk factor for the occurrence of domestic violence and consequently the emergence of depression in wives. Conclusions: Treatment includes not only appropriate psychotropic drugs but also behavioural couples therapy. Group therapy that provide couples'treatment or counseling to female partners of alcohol dependent men have reported to alleviate the mood, anxiety, stress, general health, and quality-of-life problems. Thus, clinicians should recognize these women as a risk group, and their access to medical care should be facilitated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]