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4 results on '"Maria F. De Caro"'

1. Impact of depression on the perception of fatigue and information processing speed in a cohort of multiple sclerosis patients

Author

Madia M. Biasi, Alessia Manni, Ilaria Pepe, Chiara Abbatantuono, Daphne Gasparre, Pietro Iaffaldano, Marta Simone, Maria F. De Caro, Maria Trojano, Paolo Taurisano, and Damiano Paolicelli

Subjects
Multiple sclerosis, Cognition, Information processing speed, depression, fatigue, Psychology, BF1-990
Abstract

Abstract Background Information processing speed is commonly impaired in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). However, depression and fatigue can affect the cognitive profile of patients: fatigue has a negative impact from the disease’s earliest stage and a reduced information processing speed is often associated with higher levels of depression. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the correlations between information processing speed and physical fatigue in a cohort of Italian PwMS from a single center, considering the effect of depression. Methods Two hundred (W = 128; mean age = 39.83 years; SD = 11.86) PwMS, from the Bari University Hospital, underwent testing for processing speed (Symbol Digit Modalities Test [SDMT]), fatigue level (Fatigue Severity Scale [FSS]), and depression (Beck’s Depression Inventory [BDI]). Results Statistically significant correlations emerged between SDMT and FSS, SDMT and BDI, FSS and BDI. Mediation analyses revealed that while physical fatigue had no significant direct negative effect on information processing speed (z=-0.891; p > 0.05), depression predicted the relationship between fatigue and information processing speed (z=-2.181; p

Published
2023
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2. Pre-surgery supportive and goal-oriented strategies are associated with lower post-surgery perceived distress in women diagnosed with breast cancer

Author

Paolo Taurisano, Chiara Abbatantuono, Veronica Verri, Ilaria Pepe, Luigia S. Stucci, Alessandro Taurino, Marco Moschetta, Maria F. De Caro, and Linda A. Antonucci

Subjects
Breast cancer surgery, Distress, Coping strategies, Pre-post, Factor analysis, Multiple linear regression, Psychology, BF1-990
Abstract

Abstract Background Psycho-oncology literature pointed out that individual health outcomes may depend on patients’ propensity to adopt approach or, conversely, avoidant coping strategies. Nevertheless, coping factors associated with postoperative distress remain unclear, unfolding the lack of tailored procedures to help breast cancer patients manage the psychological burden of scheduled surgery. In view of this, the present study aimed at investigating: 1. pre-/post-surgery distress variations occurring among women diagnosed with breast cancer; 2. the predictivity of approach and avoidant coping strategies and factors in affecting post-surgery perceived distress. Methods N = 150 patients (mean age = 59.37; SD = ± 13.23) scheduled for breast cancer surgery were administered a screening protocol consisting of the Distress Thermometer (DT) and the Brief-COPE. The DT was used to monitor patients’ distress levels before and after surgery (± 7 days), whereas the Brief-COPE was adopted only preoperatively to evaluate patients’ coping responses to the forthcoming surgical intervention. Non-parametric tests allowed for the detection of pre-/post-surgery variations in patients’ perceived distress. Factor analysis involved the extraction and rotation of principal components derived from the Brief-COPE strategies. The predictivity of such coping factors was investigated through multiple regression (Backward Elimination). Results The Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test yielded a significant variation in DT mean scores (TW = -5,68

Published
2022
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3. Midbrain SERT in degenerative parkinsonisms: a 123I-FP-CIT SPECT study

Author

Francesco, Roselli, Nicola M, Pisciotta, Michele, Pennelli, Maria S, Aniello, Angelo, Gigante, Maria F, De Caro, Ermanno, Ferrannini, Bruno, Tartaglione, Artor, Niccoli-Asabella, Giovanni, Defazio, Paolo, Livrea, and Giuseppe, Rubini

Subjects
Aged, 80 and over, Male, Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins, Analysis of Variance, Brain Mapping, Movement Disorders, Middle Aged, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Mesencephalon, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Humans, Female, Radionuclide Imaging, Aged
Abstract

SPECT imaging is widely used for the differential diagnosis of degenerative parkinsonisms by exploiting the high affinitiy of the radiotracer (123)I-FP-CIT for the dopamine transporter. Reduced levels of DAT are found in Parkinson Disease (PD), Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB), and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) compared to in Essential Tremor (ET) and Healthy Controls (HC). However, the extent of the neurodegenerative process may extend beyond nigrostriatal system. We have exploited the affinity of the same radiotracer (123)I-FP-CIT for the serotonin transporter to investigate SERT levels in the midbrain of patients with PD, DLB, PSP, and ET compared to HC. Using MRI images as anatomical templates for midbrain uptake quantification, we found a mild decrease in SERT levels in PD compared to ET and HC, with marked inter-individual variability; on the other side, PSP and DLB patients displayed markedly reduced to undetectable levels of SERT, respectively. These findings show that the neurodegenerative process affects serotoninergic neurons in parkinsonisms, with much more severe involvement in DLB than in PD patients, despite the comparable loss of striatal DAT. SERT-dependent (123)I-FP-CIT uptake may allow a more comprehensive assessment of neurochemical disturbances in degenerative parkinsonisms and may have a value for differential diagnosis.

Published
2010

4. Severity of neuropsychiatric symptoms and dopamine transporter levels in dementia with Lewy bodies: a 123I-FP-CIT SPECT study

Author

Francesco, Roselli, Nicola M, Pisciotta, Robert, Perneczky, Michele, Pennelli, Maria S, Aniello, Maria F, De Caro, Ermanno, Ferrannini, Bruno, Tartaglione, Giovanni, Defazio, Giuseppe, Rubini, and Paolo, Livrea

Subjects
Lewy Body Disease, Male, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon, Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins, Hallucinations, Dopamine, Putamen, Parkinson Disease, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, Delusions, Nucleus Accumbens, Neostriatum, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Humans, Female, Caudate Nucleus, Radiopharmaceuticals, Aged, Tropanes
Abstract

Neuropsychiatric symptoms are frequent in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Dopamine transporter (DAT) imaging with (123)I-labeled ligand N-delta-(fluoropropyl)-2 beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4-iodophenyl)tropene ((123)I-FP-CIT), which reliably measures midbrain dopaminergic dysfunction, has provided important evidence on the neurobiological substrate of some of these symptoms including apathy and depression. However, little is known on DAT levels and other distressing symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations. Therefore, (123)I-FP-CIT imaging was performed in 18 well-characterized patients with DLB, and striatal DAT levels were correlated with the frequency/severity ratings of several neuropsychiatric symptoms. A wide range of neuropsychiatric symptoms could be observed in the sample. Significant correlations were observed between decreased striatal DAT levels and visual hallucinations. Although there were no correlations between striatal DAT levels and other neuropsychiatric symptoms, when considering the putamen and the caudate nucleus separately, delusions, depression, and apathy were inversely correlated to decreased caudate DAT levels. The seresults provide intriguing evidence on the involvement of the mesocortical dopaminergic pathways in neuropsychiatric symptoms in DLB.

Published
2009

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