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In Italia, le attuali procedure per l’ingresso nei corsi di studio di medicina valutano solo le abilità cognitive dei candidati. Non vi sono studi che indaghino l’importanza delle abilità non cognitive e l’impatto della vita accademica (corso, formazione, esami e simili) sul benessere degli studenti. Per colmare questa lacuna, la Conferenza Italiana dei Presidenti di CLM in Medicina e Chirurgia ha promosso una ricerca longitudinale finalizzata a indagare il benessere degli studenti nei 6 anni di corso di studio. La ricerca è longitudinale e coinvolge 6 Università equamente distribuite nelle diverse zone geografiche d’Italia. Un questionario che misura i tratti di personalità e l’auto-efficacia; il benessere psicologico; i fattori motivazionali e vocazionali; le variabili socio-demografiche è stato somministrato all’inizio del primo anno e del terzo anno. Un totale di 834 studenti sono stati interessati nel primo tempo: i rimanenti al secondo tempo erano 478 (circa il 53%). I risultati preliminari ottenuti dall’analisi del questionario mostrano che i profili di personalità degli studenti sono relativamente stabili, specialmente la stabilità dell’ordine di rango nei tratti della personalità (i cosiddetti “Big Five”), l’autoefficacia e l’empatia. Tuttavia, è emersa una moderata, anche se significativa, diminuzione dell’efficacia accademica e della soddisfazione della vita, e l’aumento del disagio personale nel tempo. Sebbene gli studenti di medicina mostrino alti livelli di capacità di autoregolamentazione, così come i profili individuali che dimostrano un sostanziale benessere, i 3 anni di corso di Medicina mostrano un impatto significativo (anche se moderato) sulla percezione da parte degli studenti di se stessi. In particolare, le attività accademiche hanno probabilmente prodotto un’autovalutazione più realistica delle proprie capacità accademiche. Gli impegni del corso di studi hanno un probabile impatto nell’au-mentare il senso di disagio personale degli studenti. In Italy, current undergraduate medical-school (UMS) assessment procedures test applicants’ cognitive skills only. There are not studies investigating the importance of non-cognitive skills as well as the impact of academic life (course, training, exams, and the like) on students well-being. In order to fill this gap the Italian Conference of UMS Directors promoted a longitudinal research aimed at investigating students’ well-being across the 6-years of course of study. The research was longitudinal in design and involved 6 Universities equally distributed in the different geographic zones of Italy. A questionnaire measuring personality and self-efficacy; psychological well-being; motivational and vocational factors; socio-demographic variables was administered at the beginning of the first year and of the third year. A total of 834 students were enrolled in the first wave: the remainers at the second wave were 478 (about 53%). Preliminary results obtained from the analysis of the questionnaire show that students personality profiles are relatively stable especially as are as rank order stability in personality traits (the so called “Big Five”), self-efficacy and empathy. However, moderate al-though significant decrease in academic self-efficacy and life satisfaction, and increase in personal disease across time emerged. Although medicine students show high levels of self-regulation capability, as well individual profiles evidencing a substantial well being, the 3 years of course of Medicine show a significant (albeit moderate) impact on students perceptions of themselves. In particular, academic activities likely produced a more realistic self-evaluation of own academic capabilities. The commitments of the course of studies have a likely impact in increase a sense of personal disease of stu-dents.

Studies have suggested a relationship between low circulating levels of Vitamin D and depression. Vitamin D deficiency may be a consequence of depression-related factors, such as reduced sun exposure, decreased outdoor activity, and dietary changes, but it can also play a role in the pathophysiology of depressive conditions through a range of molecular mechanisms. In the present manuscript, findings related to prospective longitudinal studies on the relationship between Vitamin D levels and depressive symptoms and to randomized controlled trials on Vitamin D supplementation for depressive disorders are reviewed.

Psychopathological symptoms and reduced health related quality of life (HRQoL) are frequent in cirrhotics, but no data on their association with cirrhosis prognosis assessed by the MELDNa score are available. Prospective data on the long-term effect of deceased donor liver transplantation (LT) on psychopathological symptoms are needed. Before entering the LT waiting list, 44 consecutive LT cirrhotic candidates without a major psychiatric disorder underwent a psychopathological assessment, including Symptom Checklist-90-revised (SCL-90-R) and Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ). HRQoL was measured by Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36). Abnormal performance at each questionnaire was defined by using 44 age, gender, BMI and education-matched healthy subjects. Separate binary logistic regression models were used to test the association of the Child-Pugh, MELD and MELDNa scores with abnormal performance at each questionnaire. Fourteen patients repeated the battery tests 3 years after LT. Before LT, increasing MELDNa was the only prognostic score independently associated with an abnormal SCL-90-R global psychopathological score index (OR: 1.207; 95% CI: 1.026–1.420; P = 0.02) and the best independent predictor of reduced HRQoL. After LT, compared to status prior to LT, performance at SF-36 general health perception scale ameliorated (P = 0.02), performance at SCL-90-R somatization scale (P = 0.001) and global psychopathological score index (P

Background: The aim of this study was to determine whether the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTT), a key component in the control of the serotonergic system, is associated with endometriosis in an Italian population. Findings: A case–control study, comprising 137 Italian patients with surgically confirmed endometriosis and 120 healthy controls, was carried out. 5-HTT genotypes (LL, SL and SS) were obtained by polymerase chain reaction and gel electrophoresis analysis. We found no overall difference in genotypic and allelic distributions of the 5-HTT gene between cases and controls. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the 5-HTT L/S promoter polymorphism is not associated with susceptibility to endometriosis in the studied Italian patients.

Objective.The aim of this preliminary study was to determine whether psychiatric disorders, psychopathological symptoms, and alexithymia are associated with endometriosis in an Italian population.Study Design.A preliminary study comprising 37 Italian patients with surgically confirmed endometriosis and 43 controls, without clinical and ultrasound signs of endometriosis, was carried out. Both patients and controls were evaluated for the presence/absence of psychiatric disorders, psychopathological symptoms, alexithymia, and pain symptoms (nonmenstrual pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, and dyspareunia).Results.Statistically significant differences were found between cases and controls for prevalence of mood and anxiety disorders, malfunctioning on obsessive-compulsive subscale (P<0.01) and depression subscale (P<0.05) of the Symptom Checklist-90-Revisited (SCL-90-R), and higher alexithymia levels (P<0.01). Patients with endometriosis-associated pain showed greater prevalence of psychiatric disorders compared to pain-free patients but that difference was not significant. Significant correlation was found between malfunctioning in some SCL-90-R dimensions and pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, and dyspareunia scores at the visual analog score (VAS).Conclusion.Some psychopathological aspects, such as psychoemotional distress and alexithymia, are more frequent in women with endometriosis and might amplify pain symptoms in these patients.