Psychosis, symbol, affectivity 1: etiopathogenesis and treatment through analytical psychology

2021

This is the first of two papers concerning our study into an integrated approach to psychotic disorders, conducted at the University of Palermo's Psychiatry Unit Polyclinic over approximately 15 years. Here we will explore and reflect upon the acute psychotic condition mainly from a theoretical and conceptual perspective, while in the second paper we will explore the clinical perspective. From the point of view of psychopathology, and in the light of C.G. Jung's conceptualization of analytical psychology, as well as calling on contributions from other authors from the systemic-relational and post-psychoanalytic field, we will clarify the ideas developed over these last few years by our team…

O4.8. CAN YOU SPOT EMOTIONS? FACIAL EMOTION RECOGNITION AND GENETIC RISK FOR PSYCHOSIS

2019

Background Facial emotion recognition (FER) is a key component of social cognition which has been found consistently impaired in schizophrenia. Deficits in global facial affect recognition have been also found in First Episode Psychosis (FEP) with the same severity as at further stages, especially for anger recognition. Literature to date has shown intermediate emotion recognition ability in either people with family history for psychotic disorders and unaffected relatives of psychotic patients, in a continuum between patients and healthy controls. Furthermore, Polygenic Risk Score (PRS) for schizophrenia has been found associated with social cognition, especially with facial emotion identi…

Psychological and Psychiatric Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic

2022

On the eve of 4th May, the date when the lockdown was to end, people could stand it no more! The wait was not only hard, but also full of doubts about what level of freedom people could enjoy in their future. That caused a serious crisis which came after a previous, serious legitimacy crisis that the western political system, and not only Italian, had been going through for a long time. In an interview available in L’Avvenire of last 15th April, the ninety-year-old sociologist Edgar Morin defined the present situation as a “poly-crisis.” Long ago, citizens had already ceased to trust the political system and every other type of power. But, since nowadays, in Europe and the United States, th…

Reward networks changes in the brain of pathological gamblers: a resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging study

2017

Aims and objectives Methods and materials Results Conclusion Personal information References

Lifestyles and Quality of Life of People with Mental Illness During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2023

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the quality of life (QoL), daily lifestyle, and mental health of people suffering from a mental disorder. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the prolongation of the COVID-19 emergency on QoL and lifestyles in a sample of 100 outpatients at the Psychiatry Unit in Palermo University Hospital, Italy. QoL was measured through the 12-item Short Form Survey and the COV19-Impact on Quality of Life. Lifestyle changes during the pandemic were measured through the lifestyle change questionnaire. The majority of participants reported a great impact of COVID-19 on the QoL, and almost half reported worsened lifestyles. Worsened li…

Synergistic effects of childhood adversity and polygenic risk in first-episode psychosis

2023

The European Network of National Schizophrenia Networks Studying Gene-Environment Interactions (EU-GEI) Project is funded by grant agreement HEALTH-F2-2010-241909 (Project EU-GEI) from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme.

Un modello operativo per il trattamento degli esordi di schizofrenia

2011

Riassunto Introduzione Studi recenti mostrano un aumento dei disturbi psicotici in fase giovanile con prognosi peggiore rispetto alle forme tardive. Il presente lavoro intende valutare i potenziali benefici dell’intervento integrato precoce sugli outcome globali. Scopo dello studio Si e presa in esame l’organizzazione dei servizi nella citta di Palermo, rispetto alla quale sono da evidenziare l’integrazione degli interventi dell’UO di Psichiatria dell’Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Policlinico e del Dipartimento di Salute Mentale, l’integrazione degli interventi tra personale del Servizio di Neuropsichiatria dell’Infanzia dell’Azienda Sanitaria Provinciale e dell’Unita Operativa di Riabi…

Perceived major experiences of discrimination, ethnic group, and risk of psychosis in a six-country case-control study

2021

AbstractBackgroundPerceived discrimination is associated with worse mental health. Few studies have assessed whether perceived discrimination (i) is associated with the risk of psychotic disorders and (ii) contributes to an increased risk among minority ethnic groups relative to the ethnic majority.MethodsWe used data from the European Network of National Schizophrenia Networks Studying Gene-Environment Interactions Work Package 2, a population-based case−control study of incident psychotic disorders in 17 catchment sites across six countries. We calculated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for the associations between perceived discrimination and psychosis using mixed-…

Plenary Session

2016

S77. JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS AND FACIAL EMOTION RECOGNITION IMPAIRMENT IN FIRST EPISODE PSYCHOSIS ACROSS EUROPE

2018

Abstract Background Jumping to conclusions (JTC) is a well-established reasoning and data gathering bias found in patients with psychosis even at illness onset (First Episode Psychosis, FEP). Preliminary work in this field focused primarily on the association with delusions, although jumping to conclusions has also been found in non-deluded schizophrenia patients after remission, and in individual with at risk mental state. Moreover, psychotic patients tend to show impairments in social cognition, struggling in identifying, processing and interpreting social clues. Deficits in facial emotion recognition (FER) – a key component of the construct – represent a well-replicated finding in schizo…

Mafia and psychopathy

2014

Background In popular culture, Mafia members are often portrayed as ruthless, callous and remorseless, but there is no empirical research on their personality traits. Aims The goal of this research was to examine levels of psychopathic traits among Mafia members who have been convicted of a criminal offence. Methods The Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) rated 30 Italian adult male prisoners who had been convicted for Mafia-related crimes (86% resident in one 6-month period) and 39 next adjacent convicted men who were not enrolled in any criminal organisation. Results Mafia members obtained lower PCL-R total scores, interpersonal and affective (PCL-R factor 1) scores and lifestyle scores…

Development of a new measure for assessing insight: Psychometric properties of the insight orientation scale (IOS)

2015

Abstract Introduction Given the centrality of insight in promoting change, the relevance of measures for assessing this construct has become increasingly clear. This paper describes a new self-report measure for assessing some of the characteristics of insight, the insight orientation scale (IOS). Aims In study 1, we evaluated the factor structure and the reliability of the scale. In study 2, we analyzed the concurrent and discriminant validity of the scale in patients with different clinical diagnoses. Methods In study 1 participants were 600 individuals (41.1% male, 58.9% female) with a mean age of 33.95 years (SD = 13.04). In study 2 participants were 136 individuals divided into the fol…

Do child abuse and maltreatment increase risk of schizophrenia?

2012

INTRODUCTION: IntroductionaaAlthough childhood abuse is a recognised risk factor for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance misuse, its role in the aetiology of psychotic disorder remained controversial. This is in part because the putative effect of childhood trauma on psychosis has been mostly evaluated by small, cross sectional, uncontrolled studies that raised methodological issues. METHODS: Papers concerning the association between childhood trauma and psychotic disorders (to November, 2011) were identified using a comprehensive search of PubMed, Psychinfo, and Scopus and analysing reference list of relevant papers. A narrative synthesis was used to summarise results…

FIRST EPISODE PSYCHOSIS PATIENTS ACROSS EUROPE DIFFER IN INTELLECTUAL QUOTIENT (IQ) AND EXPOSURE TO ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS

2018

Background Children who later develop Schizophrenia on average are more likely to present with lower IQ; this has been considered evidence for the neurodevelopmental theory of schizophrenia. Though, recent studies have shown that first episode psychosis patients with a history of cannabis use have significantly higher premorbid and current IQ compared to those who never used it. This suggests that abnormal early neurodevelopment does not explain the aetiology of all cases of Schizophrenia, leaving space to environmental hazards. The present study aims to: investigate differences in IQ, as a marker of neurodevelopment, and in exposure to environmental risk factors in a large sample first epi…

Searching for the truth about schizophrenia requires the application of similarly high standards of proof to biological and social risk factors

2013

In their provocative paper, Bentall and Varese (2012) criticize our review on child abuse and schizophrenia (Sideli, Mule, La Barbera, & Murray, 2012) and suggest that we have a biological bias whi...

T42. JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE POLYGENIC RISK SCORE FOR INTELLIGENCE BUT NOT FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA. PRELIMINARY FINDINGS FROM THE EU-…

2019

Background Psychotic patients tend to require less evidence to make decisions compared to general population. This bias named Jumping to Conclusions (JTC) has been found at First Episode Psychosis (FEP) in schizophrenia patients and associated with proneness to psychotic-like experiences in the general population. Interesting findings showed also strong association with lower cognitive functioning in psychotic patients, which in turn has been shown as a candidate intermediate phenotype for psychosis. Overall, findings to date could suggest a shared genetic liability between the occurrence of JTC and psychosis, potentially via IQ. The present study aims to investigate whether the presence of…

Psychometric assessment using classic neuropsychological and virtual reality based test: A study in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and schizophr…

2014

Assessment of neurocognitive functioning is a critical task in clinical settings. In many disorders, cognitive impairment precedes the onset of behavioral symptoms, and cognitive decline is a major factor contributing to functional disability. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the executive functions by comparing the evaluations obtained using a neuropsychological battery with the one obtained using the virtual reality version of the Multiple Errands Test (V-MET). The study population included three groups: 10 patients affected by Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD); 10 Schizophrenic patients; 10 healthy Controls. The results identified executive problems in clinical samples.…

Cannabis users have higher premorbid IQ than other patients with first onset psychosis.

2013

Background: A number of studies have reported that patients with psychosis who use cannabis have better cognitive performance than those who do not. This is surprising as cannabis can impair cognition in healthy subjects. An obvious question is whether the better current performance of psychotic patients who have used cannabis is a reflection of their having a higher premorbid IQ than those psychotic patients who haven't used cannabis. Aim: In a sample of patients at their first episode of psychosis, we tested the hypothesis that patients who smoked cannabis would have a higher premorbid IQ than patients who did not. Methodology: 279 participants (119 patients and 160 healthy controls) were…

The relationship of symptom dimensions with premorbid adjustment and cognitive characteristics at first episode psychosis: Findings from the EU-GEI s…

2021

Premorbid functioning and cognitive measures may reflect gradients of developmental impairment across diagnostic categories in psychosis. In this study, we sought to examine the associations of current cognition and premorbid adjustment with symptom dimensions in a large first episode psychosis (FEP) sample. We used data from the international EU-GEI study. Bifactor modelling of the Operational Criteria in Studies of Psychotic Illness (OPCRIT) ratings provided general and specific symptom dimension scores. Premorbid Adjustment Scale estimated premorbid social (PSF) and academic adjustment (PAF), and WAIS-brief version measured IQ. A MANCOVA model examined the relationship between symptom di…

Le nuove dipendenze patologiche: dagli aspetti socio-culturali alla dimensione clinica

2010

IQ differences between patients with first episode psychosis in London and Palermo reflect differences in patterns of cannabis use.

2019

Aims: Cognitive impairment is a possible indicator of neurodevelopmental impairment, but not all psychotic patients are cognitively compromised. It has been suggested that heavy cannabis use may precipitate psychosis in those who show no such compromise. This study compares two samples of patients with first-episode psychosis and their respective non-psychotic controls, in London (UK) and Palermo (Italy), and examines whether different patterns of cannabis use are reflected in differences in IQ. Methods: The two studies used the same inclusion/exclusion criteria and instruments. The sample comprised 249 subjects from London (106 patients and 143 controls) and 247 subjects from Palermo (120 …

Childhood adversity and psychosis: a systematic review of bio-psycho-social mediators and moderators.

2020

AbstractThe association between childhood adversity (CA) and psychosis has been extensively investigated in recent years. An increasing body of research has also focused on the mediating or moderating role of biological and psychological mechanisms, as well as other risk factors that might account for the link between CA and psychosis. We conducted a systematic search of the PsychINFO, Embase, Ovid, and Web of Science databases for original articles investigating the role of genetic vulnerabilities, environmental factors, psychological and psychopathological mechanisms in the association between CA and psychosis up to August 2019. We included studies with individuals at different stages of …

Psychopathology and female detention at the “Pagliarelli” jail of Palermo: preliminary results

2018

Most of the studies carried out on prisoners have considered male samples or they investigated specific psychiatric disorders. The present study aims to estimate the presence of current and lifetime psychiatric disorders among female inmates. Secondary aims are to evaluate the correlation between a current psychiatric disorder and other variables, and the association with a psycho-pharmacotherapy and a request for a clinical psychological interview. The study included 25 women with a final sentence at the “Casa Circondariale Pagliarelli” from October 2016 to July 2017. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) was used to assess the presence of any current or lifetime psychia…

S118. TRANSDIAGNOSTIC SYMPTOM DIMENSIONS OF PSYCHOSIS AND THE PREDICTIVE ROLE OF PREMORBID ADJUSTMENT AND COGNITIVE CHARACTERISTICS IN THE MULTINATIO…

2020

Abstract Background A symptom dimension approach may best examine the heterogeneous expression of psychosis. However, whether and how premorbid predisposition and cognitive factors explain phenotypes variation is still debated. This study aimed to test the predictive value of combined cognition and premorbid adjustment on transdiagnostic symptom dimensions in a large sample of people suffering from the first episode of psychosis (FEP). Methods FEP patients were part of the EUGEI study. Psychopathology was rated using the OPerational CRITeria system. Multidimensional item response modelling estimate a bifactor model of psychosis by Mplus, composed of a general factor and five specific sympto…

F99. FIRST EPISODE PSYCHOSIS PATIENTS WHO USED CANNABIS DEVELOP THEIR ILLNESS AT A SIGNIFICANTLY YOUNGER AGE THAN THOSE WHO NEVER USED CONSISTENTLY A…

2018

Abstract Background Patients presenting to psychiatric services with their first episode of psychosis (FEP) report higher rates of previous cannabis use than the general population (Donoghue et al., 2011; Myles, Myles and Large, 2016). Evidence suggested that patients suffering from psychosis with a history of cannabis use have an earlier age of onset of psychosis (AOP) than those who never used it (Di Forti et al., 2013). We aim to investigate if the reported association between use of cannabis and AOP is consistent across different countries, once having taken into account different patterns of cannabis use (i.e. frequency of use and age at first use). Methods We analysed data on patterns…

A Cross-Sectional Survey on Burnout Prevalence and Profile in the Sicilian Population of Ambulance Driver-Rescuers.

2020

AbstractIntroduction:Burnout is present at a high rate in emergency medicine. The ambulance driver-rescuers, who furnish first aid to the victims, are the non-medical part of the Italian 118-service staff. There is a lack of research on burnout risk in Italian Emergency Medical Services and, particularly, for this category of workers. The two Italian studies, including a little group of ambulance driver-rescuers, reported inconsistent findings.Hypothesis:This survey investigated for the first time the prevalence and exact profile of burnout in a large sample of Italian driver-rescuers. As a secondary aim, the study described how the items of the Italian version of the Maslach Burnout Invent…

The impact of healthy lifestyles on academic achievement among Italian adolescents

2021

AbstractWe evaluated the association between healthy lifestyles and academic achievement in a sample of 373 adolescent Italian students. Specifically, we investigated on the association between use of illegal drugs, habits to practice a regular physical, typology of diet, levels of social support, levels of self-esteem, level of Internet use, perceived stress and amount of sleep and academic achievement. Academic performance was positively correlated with good diet, perceived social support, and self-esteem. A statistically significant difference emerged between students with high versus low correct grade point averages in relation to lifetime and current use of illegal drugs. Last, academi…

Jumping To Conclusions, General Intelligence, And Psychosis Liability: Findings From The Multi-Centre EU-GEI Case-Control Study

2019

AbstractBackgroundThe “jumping to conclusions” (JTC) bias is associated with both psychosis and general cognition but their relationship is unclear. In this study, we set out to clarify the relationship between the JTC bias, IQ, psychosis and polygenic liability to schizophrenia and IQ.Methods817 FEP patients and 1294 population-based controls completed assessments of general intelligence (IQ), and JTC (assessed by the number of beads drawn on the probabilistic reasoning “beads” task) and provided blood or saliva samples from which we extracted DNA and computed polygenic risk scores for IQ and schizophrenia.ResultsThe estimated proportion of the total effect of case/control differences on J…

Psychosis, symbol, affectivity 2: another perspective on the treatment of psychotic disorder

2021

This is the second of two papers concerning our study into an integrated approach to psychotic disorders conducted at the University Psychiatry Unit of Palermo's Polyclinic over approximately 15 years; this paper concentrates on the clinical phenomena. The study aimed to find the best possible treatment and to improve the prognosis of this patient group. We have explored the efficacy of a range of psycho-therapeutic (cognitive-behavioural, systemic-relational, psychodynamic, group and others), psycho-pharmaceutical, psychiatric rehabilitative and psycho-educational treatments, with a hermeneutic approach instead of a systematic one. The study's conclusions, described in the paper, are that …

Cognitive thought diary in supportive psychology for people undergoing radiotherapy: a feasibility study

2017

BAC KGROUND: Radiation therapy (RT ) has become one of the most widely-used and efficient treatments for cancer; nevertheless, people who undergo radiotherapy suffer the physical and psychological consequences of this stressful treatment, in addition to the psychosocial distress related to cancer. However, a Radiotherapy Unit is often a place where several patients crowd in from various hospitals with restricted timetables and, for logistic reasons, it is not easy to provide regular psychological sessions for each one. It is important to find a setting that allows us the involvement of the largest number of patients referred to the unit. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the feasibility a…

Treated Incidence of Psychotic Disorders in the Multinational EU-GEI Study

2018

Importance: Psychotic disorders contribute significantly to the global disease burden, yet the latest international incidence study of psychotic disorders was conducted in the 1980s. Objectives: To estimate the incidence of psychotic disorders using comparable methods across 17 catchment areas in 6 countries and to examine the variance between catchment areas by putative environmental risk factors. Design, Setting, and Participants: An international multisite incidence study (the European Network of National Schizophrenia Networks Studying Gene-Environment Interactions) was conducted from May 1, 2010, to April 1, 2015, among 2774 individuals from England (2 catchment areas), France (3 catch…

FIRST EPISODE PSYCHOSIS IN PALERMO ITALY: PRELIMINARY DATA

2010

Dipendenze tecnologiche e da Internet in adolescenza

2010

Riassunto Introduzione Tra le dipendenze patologiche legate a comportamenti, le dipendenze tecnologiche occupano un ruolo di rilievo per la loro crescente diffusione e per il loro impatto sul funzionamento sociorelazionale, scolastico e intrafamiliare degli adolescenti. E stata effettuata una review della letteratura scientifica inerente i comportamenti associati all’uso disfunzionale delle tecnologie in eta adolescenziale, prendendo in esame le principali tipologie di addiction tecnomediate, il loro decorso, i fattori di rischio, la comorbilita e i criteri generali di trattamento e prevenzione. Materiali e metodi Il denominatore comune dell’approfondimento ha previsto l’inquadramento dei d…

The Relationship Between Dissociative Experiences and Cannabis Use: a Systematic Review

2019

Purpose of Review This systematic review aimed to investigate the relation between cannabis use and dissociation. Recent Findings Four analytical and 14 descriptive cross-sectional studies were included. There is no variation in the rates of cannabis use among individuals with dissociative experiences compared with the general population. In addition, the prevalence of dissociative disorders in subjects using cannabis is not different from those not using cannabis. The majority of the studies employed inadequate sampling procedures and a concurrent or retrospective assessment of the two variables, which might have increased the risk of bias, and only a few of them controlled for potential c…

A computational approach for the assessment of executive functions in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder

2019

Previous studies on obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) showed impairments in executive domains, particularly in cognitive inhibition. In this perspective, the use of virtual reality showed huge potential in the assessment of executive functions; however, unfortunately, to date, no study on the assessment of these patients took advantage of the use of virtual environments. One of the main problems faced within assessment protocols is the use of a limited number of variables and tools when tailoring a personalized program. The main aim of this study was to provide a heuristic decision tree for the future development of tailored assessment protocols. To this purpose, we conducted a study that…

La qualità della vita e il rischio psicopatologico dei pazienti ustionati: una revisione narrativa della letteratura

2016

Nonostante i progressi della medicina e della chirurgia, i traumi da ustione a tutt’oggi rappresentano una causa significativa di menomazione e disabilita, comportano una significativa riduzione della qualita della vita e sono associati a diversi esiti psicopatologici, inclusi la depressione e il disturbo da stress post-traumatico. Questa revisione narrativa non sistematica della letteratura si propone di presentare le evidenze piu significative relative alla qualita della vita, ai sintomi psicopatologici, ai relativi fattori protettivi e di rischio, agli strumenti di valutazione e agli interventi psicologici rivolti ai pazienti ustionati. I risultati mostrano che la storia naturale delle l…

O2.1. FIRST EPISODE PSYCHOSIS PATIENTS ACROSS EUROPE DIFFER IN INTELLECTUAL QUOTIENT (IQ) AND EXPOSURE TO ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS

2018

Abstract Background Children who later develop Schizophrenia on average are more likely to present with lower IQ; this has been considered evidence for the neurodevelopmental theory of schizophrenia. Though, recent studies have shown that first episode psychosis patients with a history of cannabis use have significantly higher premorbid and current IQ compared to those who never used it. This suggests that abnormal early neurodevelopment does not explain the aetiology of all cases of Schizophrenia, leaving space to environmental hazards. The present study aims to: investigate differences in IQ, as a marker of neurodevelopment, and in exposure to environmental risk factors in a large sample …

FIRST EPISODE PSYCHOSIS PATIENTS WHO USED CANNABIS DEVELOP THEIR ILLNESS AT A SIGNIFICANTLY YOUNGER AGE THAN THOSE WHO NEVER USED CONSISTENTLY ACROSS…

2018

Background: Patients presenting to psychiatric services with their first episode of psychosis (FEP) report higher rates of previous cannabis use than the general population (Donoghue et al., 2011; Myles, Myles and Large, 2016). Evidence suggested that patients suffering from psychosis with a history of cannabis use have an earlier age of onset of psychosis (AOP) than those who never used it (Di Forti et al., 2013). We aim to investigate if the reported association between use of cannabis and AOP is consistent across different countries, once having taken into account different patterns of cannabis use (i.e. frequency of use and age at first use). Methods: We analysed data on patterns of lif…

Interaction between cannabis consumption and childhood abuse in psychotic disorders: preliminary findings on the role of different patterns of cannab…

2015

Aim Several studies have suggested that lifetime cannabis consumption and childhood abuse synergistically contribute to the risk for psychotic disorders. This study aimed to extend existing findings regarding an additive interaction between childhood abuse and lifetime cannabis use by investigating the moderating role of type and frequency of cannabis use. Methods Up to 231 individuals presenting for the first time to mental health services with psychotic disorders and 214 unaffected population controls from South London, United Kingdom, were recruited as part of the Genetics and Psychosis study. Information about history of cannabis use was collected using the Cannabis Experiences Question…

Evaluating the feasibility of the Italian version of the computerized interactive remediation of cognition training for schizophrenia (circuits)

2020

Background: Circuits is a computerized cognitive remediation program for individuals with schizophrenia. this study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of the italian version of circuits. MethODs: Feasibility was measured through ad-hoc questionnaires in a non-clinical sample (N.=30; target-score 70%; study 1); in patients with schizophrenia (N.=5; target-score 60%; study 2) and cr therapists (N.=3; target-score 60%; study 2). study 3 was a pilot study investigating: 1) enrolment, compliance, and retention rates; 2) satisfaction; 3) potential post-treatment and follow-up improvements in patients with schizophrenia (N.=20). these results were used to estimate sample size and feasibility for a …

Corrigendum to “Development of a new measure for assessing insight: Psychometric properties of the insight orientation scale (IOS)” [Schizophr. Res. …

2016

Study of gender differences in VR response following cardiac surgery.

2017

Cardiac and other invasive surgical procedures cause significant anxiety and stress to patients and their family members. In this study Virtual Reality (VR) was used as a method to reduce stress, anxiety and pain in patients undergoing surgical procedures. This study compared a cohort of patients in the interval prior to and successive to the surgery, differentiating the responses achieved by males and females and comparing the effectiveness. The results are encouraging: they demonstrate the efficacy of VR treatment and the safety of the method and detection of differences in the responses based on gender.

Jumping to conclusions, general intelligence, and psychosis liability: Findings from the multi-centre EU-GEI case-control study

2021

This study was funded by the Medical Research Council, the European Community’s Seventh Framework Program grant [agreement HEALTH-F2-2009-241909 (Project EU-GEI)], São Paulo Research Foundation (grant 2012/0417-0), the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London, the NIHR BRC at University College London and the Wellcome Trust (grant 101272/Z/12/Z).

Healthy lifestyles and academic success in a sample of Italian university students

2019

Scientific literature has shown that healthy lifestyles are implicated both in the risk reduction of several disorders and in the improvement of cognitive functions. The present study evaluated the association between lifestyle behaviors and academic performance in university students from twelve different degree courses at the University of Palermo, Italy. It was hypothesized that healthy lifestyles, measured as the practice of a good diet, satisfying quality of sleep, low-stress levels, perceived social support, abstention from the use of illegal drugs, non-problematic Internet use, and regular sports habits, were associated to academic success. A total of 466 students were surveyed (26.5…

Facial Emotion Recognition in Psychosis and Associations With Polygenic Risk for Schizophrenia

2022

The EU-GEI Project was funded by the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme under grant agreement No. HEALTH-F2-2010-241909 (Project EU-GEI). The Brazilian study was funded by the Säo Paulo Research Foundation under grant number 2012/0417-0.

Tu1320 Personality Traits, Defense Mechanisms and Perception of Quality of Life (QOL) in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Matched C…

2012

Efficacy of a fasting-mimicking diet in functional therapy for depression: A randomised controlled pilot trial.

2020

Objective: This randomized controlled trial examined the efficacy of adding a fasting‐mimicking diet to a structured psychotherapy protocol for treating depression.Design: Of 20 patients with depression, 10 were randomly assigned to psychotherapy and dieting (i.e., experimental group) and the other 10 to psychotherapy only (i.e., control group). Patients in both groups received20 individual sessions of functional therapy along with nutrition consultation. Patients in the control group were instructed to maintain their usual daily diets. Results: Both treatments were effective in reducing depression as well as increasing self‐esteem and quality of life. The experimental group showed improved…

Metacognitive Therapy in Patients with Tinnitus: a Single Group Study

2019

Tinnitus is often in comorbidity with anxiety and depression, and several authors have proposed a reduced efficiency of the top-down executive control in its perception. This single-group study describes a novel application of the metacognitive therapy (MCT), which works on a top-down engagement of proactive attentional control mechanisms on a group of patients with tinnitus, to see its impact on the perception of tinnitus and its anxiety and depression correlates. Eight metacognitive therapy group-sessions were proposed to a group of nine patients, as part of a regional project conducted at the University General Hospital “Paolo Giaccone” of Palermo. The last was a follow-up session, propo…

The efficacy of a functional therapy program for gambling disorder: A Pilot study

2018

Background: Despite the great progress achieved by treatment approaches for Gambling Disorder (GD) the relevance of studying efficacious therapies still remains high. This pilot study aims at the evaluation of the efficacy of a standardized protocol based on Functional theory for GD. Functional Therapy (FT) is an integrated body-mind therapy.Methods: Twenty-eight pathological gamblers completed the FT protocol consisted in 16 sessions, two times a week for a total duration of two months, in an individual setting. No one of the patients was taking any psychopharmacological therapy. Psychological assessment both at baseline (T0) and at the end of the treament (T1) includes the South Oaks Gamb…

Cannabis-associated symptom profiles in patients with first episode psychosis and population controls

2019

AbstractObjectiveThe evidence is mixed on whether cannabis use is associated with a particular symptomatology in first episode psychosis (FEP) patients.The authors set out to investigate a) patterns of association between cannabis use and transdiagnostic symptom dimensions; b) whether the extent of use of cannabis contributes to the variation in clinical and subclinical symptom profiles.MethodThe authors analysed data from 901 patients and 1235 controls recruited across six countries, as part of the European Network of National Schizophrenia Networks Studying Gene-Environment Interactions (EU-GEI) study. Item response modelling was used to estimate two bifactor models, which included genera…

Use of multiple polygenic risk scores for distinguishing schizophrenia-spectrum disorder and affective psychosis categories in a first-episode sample…

2022

This work was supported by funding from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme under grant agreement No. HEALTH-F2-2010-241909 (Project EU-GEI). (...) CA was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation; Instituto de Salud Carlos III (SAM16PE07CP1, PI16/02012, PI19/024), co-financed by ERDF Funds from the European Commission, ‘A way of making Europe’, CIBERSAM. Madrid Regional Government (B2017/BMD-3740 AGES-CM-2), Fundación Familia Alonso and Fundación Alicia Koplowitz. MB was supported by the Ministry of Economy and Competitivity (PI08/0208; PI11/00325; PI14/00612), Instituto de Salud Carlos III – ERDF Funds from the European Commission, ‘A way of making Europ…

JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS AND FACIAL EMOTION RECOGNITION IMPAIRMENT IN FIRST EPISODE PSYCHOSIS ACROSS EUROPE

2018

Background Jumping to conclusions (JTC) is a well-established reasoning and data gathering bias found in patients with psychosis even at illness onset (First Episode Psychosis, FEP). Preliminary work in this field focused primarily on the association with delusions, although jumping to conclusions has also been found in non-deluded schizophrenia patients after remission, and in individual with at risk mental state. Moreover, psychotic patients tend to show impairments in social cognition, struggling in identifying, processing and interpreting social clues. Deficits in facial emotion recognition (FER) – a key component of the construct – represent a well-replicated finding in schizophrenia. …

Educational Robotics to develop of executive functions visual spatial abilities, planning and problem solving

2018

Educational robotics is an innovative learning tool that offers students the opportunities to develop higher-order thinking skills. This research aims to verify the effectiveness of educational robotics on the mental processes of planning and problem solving. Robotics education involved in a curricular laboratory (10 meetings, two hours each, once a week) with 15 children, attending their fifth year at primary school. The proposed methodology was divided into three phases: Pre-test, Practice and Post-Test. The main finding was a significant improvement in visuo-spatial attention and a significant effect on robot programming skills. These data provide scientific support to the hypothesis tha…

T52. COGNITION, METACOGNITION AND SOCIAL COGNITION AFTER A FIRST EPISODE PSYCHOSIS. PRELIMINARY RESULTS FROM A 5-YEAR-FOLLOW-UP STUDY

2020

Abstract Background Cognitive impairment is considered a core feature of psychotic disorders. Deficits in cognition, metacognition and social cognition have been reported to be correlated, and indeed predictors, of functional outcome or level of disability. Psychotic patients tend to present lower IQ and show impairment in specific cognitive domains, and in social cognition, than controls. Several studies have found deficits in facial emotion recognition (FER) and a higher prevalence of the jumping to conclusions (JTC) reasoning and data gathering biases among psychotic patients, even at time of illness onset, compared to controls. However, the trajectory of this impairment remains unclear.…

Validation of the Italian version of the Burn Specific Health Scale-Brief

2014

Introduction A growing awareness of psychological and functional impairment due to burns have led to the development of specific instruments to evaluate Quality of Life in this population, such as the Burn Specific Health Scale - Brief (BSHS-B), whose psychometric properties have been consistently verified. The aim of this study was to translate the BSHS-B into Italian and to investigate its reliability and validity. Methods Translation procedures were carried out according to accepted standards. Internal reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Concurrent validity was evaluated through correlations between the BSHS-B and the Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36), the Self…

The contribution of cannabis use to variation in the incidence of psychotic disorder across Europe (EU-GEI): a multicentre case-control study.

2019

Background: Cannabis use is associated with increased risk of later psychotic disorder but whether it affects incidence of the disorder remains unclear. We aimed to identify patterns of cannabis use with the strongest effect on odds of psychotic disorder across Europe and explore whether differences in such patterns contribute to variations in the incidence rates of psychotic disorder. Methods: We included patients aged 18–64 years who presented to psychiatric services in 11 sites across Europe and Brazil with first-episode psychosis and recruited controls representative of the local populations. We applied adjusted logistic regression models to the data to estimate which patterns of canna…

Identifying gene-environment interactions in schizophrenia: contemporary challenges for integrated, large-scale investigations

2014

European Community Recent years have seen considerable progress in epidemiological and molecular genetic research into environmental and genetic factors in schizophrenia, but methodological uncertainties remain with regard to validating environmental exposures, and the population risk conferred by individual molecular genetic variants is small. There are now also a limited number of studies that have investigated molecular genetic candidate gene-environment interactions (G x E), however, so far, thorough replication of findings is rare and G x E research still faces several conceptual and methodological challenges. in this article, we aim to review these recent developments and illustrate h…

Heart ischemia and psychosomatics: the role of stressful events and lifestyles

2009

Objective: the aim of our study was to evaluate the role of stressful events, lifestyles and various socio-environmental factors in the beginning of ischemic cardiac diseases, together with cardiovascular factors. Materials and methods: 64 patients with recent cardiac ischemia and 64 controls matched 1:1, according to their sex and age, have been evaluated. The study required the filling in of clinico-anamnestic reports and the evaluation of stressful events, using the Holmes Rahe scale. Results: in the 44% of the patients who had a heart ischemia, an emotional striking event occurred few days before, with a 28% incidence of work and family problems. The mean score of the Holmes Rahe Social…

Using Network Community Detection to Investigate the Psychopathy Levels of Subjects Condemned for Mafia Crimes

2014

The main objective of this study is to understand what are the psychopathy levels of subjects condemned for Mafia crimes. To this end we will investigate a set of 30 subjects condemned for Mafia crimes and imprisoned in the “Pagliarelli” jail of Palermo (Italy). We will test their psychopathy level by using the PCL-R test. Additionally we will also investigate some other sociological feature of these subjects. This will allow us to characterize these criminals in terms of some psychiatric or sociological features. Such statistical characterization will be performed by using tools and methodologies of Statistical Physics and Network Theory. We believe that the importance of our study is twof…

La valutazione del grado di insight in pazienti schizofrenici in trattamento con antipsicotici atipici inseriti in un gruppo riabilitativo

2010

INTRODUZIONE

2007

La valutazione dell'incidenza del "campo affettivo" nei setting riabilitativi psichiatrici

2010

LE DIPENDENZE TECNOLOGICHE LA MENTE DEI NUOVI SCENARI DELL'ADDICTION "TECNOMEDIATA"

2004

Better IQ but worse Premorbid Academic Adjustment in cannabis-users psychotic patients: another brick in the intuition

2016

Purpose: several studies report that patients with psychosis who used cannabis in their lifetime have a better cognitive performance than those who did not and this association is most likely due to a better premorbid functioning. We aimed to test the hypothesis of a better premorbid functioning in First Episode Psychosis (FEP) cannabis-using and non-using patients coming from different European countries. Materials and Methods: 1.745 people (746 cases; 999 healthy controls) completed the assessment for Intellectual Quotient (IQ) (WAIS-brief version) premorbid adjustment (Premorbid Adjustment Scale – PAS) and cannabis use (CEQ-Revised). We first obtained two main factors from PAS: “Premorbi…

Stress occupazionale: correlazione tra livelli di cortisolo, strategie di coping, ansia e depressione in turnisti notturni

2010

attività di laboratorio neuropsicologico: risultati dell'applicazione di un protocollo relativo all'attività di riordino di sequenze temporali

2009

Use of virtual reality to explore the decision making in obsessive–compulsive disorder and Parkinson’s disease

2013

PRESENTAZIONE

2011

Psicopatologia delle realtà virtuali e influenza sui movimenti religiosi del nuovo millennio

2006

PREFAZIONE ALL’EDIZIONE ITALIANA

2005

Incesto e ciclo dell'abuso. Aspetti clinici e medico legali

2010

l'incesto è un fenomeno ben conosciuto, che si concretizza in una relazione sessuale tra parnti ascendenti, discendenti o affini in linea retta. da un'analisi statistico-epidemiologica è emerso che, in molti casi, il giovane abusato in famiglia diventa a sua volta, da adulto, abusante, generando ed alimentando il cosiddetto ciclo dell'abuso. in tale ottica si riporta un caso giunto all'osservazione delgi Autori, i quali partndo dalla vicenda in esame, hanno poi analizato i profili psico-patologici sia delle vittime che degli abusanti

Il senso del paterno nella cultura postmoderna

2011

La comorbilità nello stalking

2015

Lo stalking descrive una varietà di comportmanti di minaccia e di controllo, messi in atto intenzionalmente dall'autore allo scopo di provocare paura nella propria vittima. Nel corso degli ultimi vent'anni questa condizione è diventata oggetto di attenzione giuridica e clinica. é noto che più della metà degli stalker afferenti ai servizi psichiatrici e giudiziari è affetta da almeno un disturbo psichiatrico in comorbilità, tuttavia ad oggi non esiste un inquadramento diagnostico univoco del fenomeno che viene di volta in volta accostato alle esperienze psicotico, ai disturbi ossessivo-compulsivi ed alla psicopatia.

Technostress: a research study about computer self-efficacy, Internet attitude and computer-anxiety

2008

The current study describes a particular kind of techno-stress related to computer use, defined as computer anxiety and its psychological correlates: computer-expertise, computer self-efficacy and internet attitudes.

L’ALESSITIMIA COME DISREGOLAZIONE DEGLI AFFETTI.

2005

ALESSITIMIA, VALUTAZIONE E TRATTAMENTO

2005

Il costrutto di alessitimia e la sua valutazione.

The EUropean Network of National Schizophrenia Networks Studying Gene-Environment Interactions (EU-GEI)

2020

Funder: FP7 Ideas: European Research Council; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100011199; Grant(s): HEALTH-F2-2010-241909

cybertherapy meets facebook, blogger and second life: an italian experience

2009

Our project is based on the study of Cybertherapy in the international sphere (USA, Northern Europe) and on the application of this discipline to the Italian psychiatric and psychological reality. CyberTherapy can be used as an "aim", referring to it as real and proper therapy, which lives on personalized paths created by a qualified staff, conceived as ludic, for recreational, psycoterapic, and educational purpose. Moreover, Cybertherapy can be used as a "mean" (and in this way we want to propose it) with the aim of making the user, who feels a psychiatric or a psychological uneasiness, to become closer to qualified staff; a considerable advantage of this discipline is to reduce to a minim…

Studio longitudinale degli effetti della psicoterapia sulla funzionalità immunitaria in soggetti affetti da disturbo depressivo unipolare

2010

Transdiagnostic dimensions of psychopathology at first episode psychosis: findings from the multinational EU-GEI study.

2019

Background\ud The value of the nosological distinction between non-affective and affective psychosis has frequently been challenged. We aimed to investigate the transdiagnostic dimensional structure and associated characteristics of psychopathology at First Episode Psychosis (FEP). Regardless of diagnostic categories, we expected that positive symptoms occurred more frequently in ethnic minority groups and in more densely populated environments, and that negative symptoms were associated with indices of neurodevelopmental impairment.\ud \ud Method\ud This study included 2182 FEP individuals recruited across six countries, as part of the EUropean network of national schizophrenia networks st…

I suicidi rituali nella civiltà tecnologica: aspetti culturali tra science-fiction e new age

2007

Corpo d’amore, corpo di morte: vissuti somatici tra paradossi e complessità dell’esistere

2007

POSTFAZIONE

2005

Psicoterapie “ai limiti della norma”: una riflessione sul setting e la psicopatologia post-moderna

2010

Tecnologie della Comunicazione e Percorsi Riabilitativi in Psichiatria

2007

Eventi di vita stressanti in un campione di pazienti affetti da psicosi all’esordio: prevalenza, sintomatologia ed età d’esordio

2011

Introduzione: Un consistente numero di studi suggerisce un’elevata prevalenza di eventi traumatici nella storia di soggetti con disturbi psicotici (Shevlin et al, 2008). Piu’ che l’impatto di un singolo evento di vita stressante, l’esposizione cumulativa ad esperienze traumatiche sembra incrementare il rischio di psicosi (van Winkel et al, 2008). Scopo dello studio e’ valutare la prevalenza di tali eventi in soggetti al primo episodio psicotico a confronto con controlli sani e la possibile correlazione con la sintomatologia psicotica e l’età di esordio. Metodologia: In atto sono stati reclutati 74 soggetti al primo episodio psicotico (51 m, 23 f; em=26.39, ds=9.36) e 27 controlli sani (18 m…

Il Gioco d'Azzardo Patologico

2009

Tra Ermes e Dioniso: culture dell’estremo e patologie dell’eccesso

2007

Bridging the gap between research into biological and psychosocial models of psychosis.

2015

Paul Bebbington's recent Special Article provides an excellent synthesis of recent advances in psychosocial research on psychosis. However, we doubt that a model based solely on social epidemiology and cognitive theory can totally describe psychosis, and to be fair, Bebbington does not suggest that it does. A complete model must also incorporate what we have learned from non-social epidemiology, neuroscience, and genetics. Evidence indicates that both the social risk factors that interest Bebbington and biological risk factors, such as abuse of stimulants and cannabis, can provoke psychotic symptoms by dysregulating striatal dopamine. The role of neurodevelopmental deviance also needs to be…

INTRODUZIONE.

2005

Indagine epidemiologica sull’emergenza urgenza psichiatrica presso il Policlinico Universitario “P. Giaccone “ di Palermo nella progettualità di stru…

2010

L'EFFICACIA DELLA VENLAFAXINA RP NEL DISTURBO OSSESSIVO-COMPULSIVO.

2008

Profilo neuropsicologico dei pazienti al first-episode: variabilità della performance cognitiva tra sintomi positivi e negativi

2013

I fattori terapeutici in psicoterapia, tra teoria, modelli, tecnica e arte: l'importanza della personalità del terapeuta

2009

UNA RICERCA SULLE PERVERSIONI IN RETE: LE FANTASIE DEI PEDOFILI NEI RACCONTI ONLINE.

2005

FATTORI CHE INFLUENZANO LA DURATA DI PSICOSI NON TRATTATA IN UN GRUPPO DI PAZIENTI ALL'ESORDIO PSICOTICO

2012

Il gioco d'azzardo patologico

2008

Il gioco d’azzardo rappresenta la più antica e studiata tra le dipendenze senza droga. Presente sin dalle epoche più antiche, negli anni è stato oggetto di numerose ricerche e di svariati modelli interpretativi (di matrice neurobiologica, psicodinamica, ecc.) rivolti alla conoscenza del gioco – anche nella sua variante tecnologica – come dipendenza comportamentale (con le caratteristiche condizioni di craving, tolleranza, assuefazione, astinenza), all’eziopatogenesi, alla comprensione della personalità del giocatore, con attenzione al giocatore adolescente. Vengono proposti, in particolare, l’inquadramento diagnostico del DSM IV, alcuni spunti interpretativi di matrice psicodinamica, il mod…

PMA e sistema familiare

2007

Effetti dell’uso di cannabis e sintomi psicopatologici in un campione di primi episodi psicotici

2014

Introduction: Cannabis is one of the most common substances used by patients with a first episode of psychosis. The aim of the study was to investigate the most frequent effects of cannabis use, their relationship with psychotic symptoms and characteristics of the consumption. Methods: 116 first episode psychosis were recruited, 50% of which (n=58) used cannabis lifetime. We investigated the characteristics of the consumption and the effects of cannabis using the Cannabis Experience Questionnaire-mv (CEQmv) and the psychotic symptoms using the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS). Results: The effects more often experienced by cannabis users were slowed down thinking and feeling to …

Valutazione dell'empowerment nei percorsi integrati di riabilitazione psichiatrica: il contributo dell'autovalutazione della quality of life nell'esp…

2011

Comorbidity between Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder

2008

Profilo cognitivo in pazienti con Disturbo Bipolare: Valutazione nelle fasi di malattia ed in eutimia

2009

Assessment of Executive Functions in Patients with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder by NeuroVR

2012

Executive functions are often impaired in obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). We used a Virtual Reality (VR) version of the Multiple Errand Test (MET) inside a virtual supermarket, in order to evaluate the executive functions in daily life in 10 OCD patients and 10 controls. It is performed in a shopping setting where there are items to be bought and information to be obtained. The specific goal of this study was to implement a tool for the assessment of executive functions.

Interaction between cannabis consumption and childhood abuse in psychotic disorders:preliminary findings on the role of different patterns of cannabi…

2014

Aim: Several studies have suggested that lifetime cannabis consumption and childhood abuse synergistically contribute to the risk for psychotic disorders. This study aimed to extend existing findings regarding an additive interaction between childhood abuse and lifetime cannabis use by investigating the moderating role of type and frequency of cannabis use. Methods: Up to 231 individuals presenting for the first time to mental health services with psychotic disorders and 214 unaffected population controls from South London, United Kingdom, were recruited as part of the Genetics and Psychosis study. Information about history of cannabis use was collected using the Cannabis Experiences Questi…

Quality of life, Body image, and psychiatric implications in patients with urn trauma: preliminary study of the Italian version of Burn Specific Heal…

2010

Burn patients may suffer both physical and psychopatological consequences and their quality of life and the presence of psychopathological symptoms should be evacuate. The Burn Specific Health Scale-Brief (BSHS-B) is a tried and test-instrument for assessing burn patients’ quality of life. The aim of this study is to propose the Italian translation of BSHS-B and presents the preliminary results of an exploratory study. The Italian version of BSHS-B was administered to a sample group of 50 burn victims. Reliability was verified by Cronbach’s alpha, and construct validity was evaluated through correlation with the Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36) and the Self-report Symptom I…

Il Cyberstalking

2015

Il Cyberstalking è una forma diffusa di molestia effettuata tramite l'utilizzo delle nuove tecnologie, come e-mail, chat e social network. Si stima che tra il 2-13% e l'8-32% delle donne negli Stati Uniti è vittima di cyberstalking. Il crescente interesse per questo nuovo crimine informatico è testimoniato dal recente adeguamento del sistema legislativo italiano (art. 612-bis del Codice Penale). Le azioni dei cyberstalker potrebbero essere mosse dal desiderio di vendetta, da un'ossessione d'amore o dalla ricerca di intimità.

Visual Field defects, type A personality,anxiety and coping style in patients with primary open angle glaucoma.

2012

Classification of glaucomatous visual field defects for different severity levels is important. The reasons for this are numerous, and include: to distinguish between healthy and diseased individuals, to have homogeneous grouping criteria when perimetry is used to define the severity of glaucoma, to adjust therapy on the basis of disease severity, to describe visual field conditions in a short and simple format, to monitor the progression of the disease, and to provide a common language for both clinical and research purposes. Many severity classification methods have been proposed, although none have had widespread use in clinical practice. Other methods, like the cumulative defect curve (…

L'uomo senza certezze e le sue qualità: dall'identità monolitica alle identità liquide.

2009

L'IDENTITà E IL VIRTUALE

2008

Minori autori di reati sessuali: un’analisi prelimiare sui casi giudicati dal tribunale per i minorenni di Palermo negli anni 2005-2009

2012

L’allarme sociale in ordine agli abusi sessuali sui minori è accresciuto negli anni unitamente alla consapevolezza dell’importanza della tutela del minore e del valore fondamentale delle sue relazioni nel corso dello sviluppo. Il presente studio intende essere un contributo di conoscenza su una specifica categoria di abusanti: i minorenni. Uno studio delle peculiarità di tale fenomeno è premessa indispensabile per predisporre idonee ed efficaci strategie di trattamento. Al fine di identificare il numero e le caratteristiche dei minori abusanti si è proceduto a consultare i fascicoli del Tribunale per i Minorenni di Palermo relativi ad un periodo compreso fra il 2005 e il 2009. Tale indagine…

La disregolazione affettiva e la dissociazione nei disturbi somatoformi

2006

INTRODUZIONE

2007

Qualità della vita e carico assistenziale dei caregiver di pazienti affetti da demenza

2011

Obiettivo: In questo lavoro intendiamo valutare la qualità della vita e il grado di distress dei caregiver di pazienti affetti da demenza afferenti presso il Centro di Riferimento Regionale Demenze Senili-Alzheimer - Unità Valutativa Alzheimer, dell’A.S.P. di Palermo. Metodi: L’assessment si compone di una batteria testo-logica che comprende i seguenti tests: Relative Stress Scale, Caregivere Burden Inventory, Neuropsychiaric Inventory, Short Form-36 Healty Survey. Risultati: Dall’analisi dei dati emerge che il grado di stress del caregiver risulta proporzionale al numero di anni di accudimento del paziente. Inoltre i caregiver di sesso femminile dedicano un numero sensibilmente maggiore di…

Le dipendenze patologiche. Clinica e psicopatologia

2005

Le dipendenze patologiche e la laoro valutazione diagnostica.

the role of antidepressant treatments on cognitive deficits: a review of recent literature

2011

Objective: Nowadays, the interaction between cognition and emotions during a depressive disorder in an area of interest in the scientific literature. Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) usually show alterations in various cognitive functions: attention, working memory, mental processing speed, executive functions. Clinical observation of the effects of cognitive deficits on quality of life in patients with MDD, in euthymic and relapse phases, needs a review of recent scientific literature on the impact of antidepressant treatment as a protective factor of the improvement of cognitive performances. Methods: Electronic PubMed and PsycInfo searches were conducted to identify research…

DAL CORPO-MACCHINA AL CORPO VIRTUALE: ASPETTI CLINICI E CULTURALI DELLE TECNO-IBRIDAZIONI DELLA CORPOREITA’

2006

Psicosomatica e ischemia cardiaca:correlazio ne tra eventi stressanti,meccanismi di dife sa,personalità e stili di vita.

2009

Impiego e validazione di una batteria testologica per il monitoraggio dei percorsi riabilitativi in soggetti schizofrenci con ipofrontalità corticale

2010

La Dipendenza da Sport

2009

I videogiochi, gli stili di vita e la salute mentale di bambini e adolescenti

2007

IL RUOLO DEGLI EVENTI TRAUMATICI E DELLO STRESS NELL’INSORGENZA DELLE DIPENDENZE COMPORTAMENTALI

2004

Psychosis onset: use of cannabis x COMT genotype interaction. A case-only design analysis in a first-episode psychosis sample.

2007

Dove il bullismo sconfina nella realtà virtuale: il Cyberbullismo

2009

LA TORONTO ALEXITHYMIA SCALE (TAS-20).

2005

LA COMORBIDITA' TRA IL DISTURBO DA DEFICIT DELL'ATTENZIONE/IPERATTIVITA' ED IL DISTURBO DI PERSONALITA' BORDERLINE NELL'ETA' ADULTA

2008

Cyber droghe e binaural beats: gli stati non convenzionali di coscienza nell’era delle tecnologie digitali

2008

LA PSICHIATRIA E L'INFORMATION AND COMUNICATION TECNOLOGY (ICT): LE RISORSE E I RISCHI

2007

LA DIPENDENZA DA INTERNET

2006

Childhood Maltreatment, Educational Attainment, and IQ: Findings From a Multicentric Case-control Study of First-episode Psychosis (EU-GEI).

2022

[Background and hypothesis] Evidence suggests that childhood maltreatment (ie, childhood abuse and childhood neglect) affects educational attainment and cognition. However, the association between childhood maltreatment and Intelligence Quotient (IQ) seems stronger among controls compared to people with psychosis. We hypothesised that: the association between childhood maltreatment and poor cognition would be stronger among community controls than among people with first-episode of psychosis (FEP); compared to abuse, neglect would show stronger associations with educational attainment and cognition; the association between childhood maltreatment and IQ would be partially accounted for by ot…

Una vita in gioco: determinanti psicopatologiche e aspetti psicodinamici dei giocatori long term

2010

Qualità di vita e carico assistenziale dei care-givers di pazienti affetti da demenza senile

2010

Off-label long acting injectable antipsychotics in real-world clinical practice: a cross-sectional analysis of prescriptive patterns from the STAR Ne…

2022

Introduction: Information on the off–label use of Long–Acting Injectable (LAI) antipsychotics in the real world is lacking. In this study, we aimed to identify the sociodemographic and clinical features of patients treated with on– vs off–label LAIs and predictors of off–label First– or Second–Generation Antipsychotic (FGA vs. SGA) LAI choice in everyday clinical practice. Method: In a naturalistic national cohort of 449 patients who initiated LAI treatment in the STAR Network Depot Study, two groups were identified based on off– or on–label prescriptions. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to test several clinically relevant variables and identify those associated with th…

Influenza delle variabili socio-demografiche sull’uso di internet in un gruppo di pazienti psichiatrici.

2012

Le dipendenze tecnologiche in adolescenza: aspetti teorici e dati di ricerca

2010

Le linee erotiche, tra fantasia e desiderio

2005

Ruolo delle caratteristiche di personalità nel rapporto tra aspetti sintomatologici, qualità della vita ed andamento della patologia nelle pazienti c…

2008

Traumi infantili in un campione di pazienti affetti da psicosi all’esordio: associazione con psicopatologia e funzioni cognitive. Risultati prelimina…

2011

Introduzione: Numerosi studi hanno evidenziato l’associazione tra traumi infantili e psicosi (Morgan, Fisher, 2007). Sebbene inizialmente fosse enfatizzato il ruolo dell’abuso sessuale, recentemente l’associazione con l’abuso fisico e’ stata riportata come piu’ forte (Fisher et al, 2010; Rubino et al, 2009). Scopi dello studio sono valutare la prevalenza di eventi avversi infantili in un campione di soggetti al primo episodio psicotico e la sua relazione con la psicopatologia e le funzioni cognitive. Metodologia: Sono stati reclutati 74 soggetti al primo episodio psicotico (51 m, 23 f; em=26.39, ds=9.36). Sono state somministrate le seguenti interviste e test: CECA-Q (Bifulco et al, 2005) p…

IL SOGNO E IL CYBERSPAZIO

2005

Ansia,stili di coping e danno campimetrico in pazienti con Glaucoma cronico ad angolo aperto

2011

Ischemia Cardiaca e Psicosomatica: ruolo di eventi stressanti e stili di vita

2009

Objective: the aim of our study was to evaluate the role of stressful events, lifestyles and various socio-environmental factors in the beginning of ischemic cardiac diseases, together with cardiovascular factors. Materials and methods: 64 patients with recent cardiac ischemia and 64 controls matched 1:1, according to their sex and age, have been evaluated. The study required the filling in of clinico-anamnestic reports and the evaluation of stressful events, using the Holmes Rahe scale. Results: in the 44% of the patients who had a heart ischemia, an emotional striking event occurred few day before, with a 28% incidence of work and family problems. The mean score of the Holmes Social Readj…

COMPULSIVITA' SESSUALE: UN INQUADRAMENTO DIAGNOSTICO, CLINICO E PSICODINAMICO DELLE DIPENDENZE SESSUALI

2005

La mente nei mondi tecnologici: le modificazioni della regolazione affettiva e i nuovi stili emotivi e cognitivi

2015

PRESENTAZIONE.

2006

Cyberstalking: disturbi della relazione affettiva e nuove tecnologie della comunicazione

2010

COMMENTO AL CAPITOLO IV – TIPOLOGIA COSTITUZIONALE – DEL TRATTATO DI PSICOPATOLOGIA DI MINKOWSKI.

2004

Eventi suicidari e scenari mediatici: l'influenza della civiltà della comunicazione sulle geografie interiori dei soggetti a rischio

2009

Aggressività e violenza: segni predittivi e indicatori. Studio clinico di confronto tra un gruppo di adolescenti violenti, un gruppo di detenuti e un…

2006

RUOLO DELLE CARATTERISTICHE DI PERSONALITA' NEL RAPPORTO TRA ASPETTI SINTOMATOLOGICI, QUALITA' DELLA VITA E DECORSO DELLA PATOLOGIA NELLE PAZIENTI CO…

2008

Profilo neuropsicologico in pazienti al first episode psychosis e nei familiari di primo grado: un'ipotesi di vulnerabilità genetica

2013

Psicoprofilassi ostetrica e depressione puerperale

2004

The effects of different levels of exposure on persistence of stress disorders in rescue volunteers: the case of the ATR 72 air disaster in Palermo (…

2011

INTRODUZIONE. LE DIPENDENZE PATOLOGICHE: TRA IMPULSIVITA’, DISSOCIAZIONE, ALESSITIMIA.

2006

La riabilitazione delle funzioni cognitive dei pazienti schizofrenici attraverso l’uso della realtà virtuale: un’indagine pilota

2013

Aspetti psicodinamici e prospettive d’intervento terapeutico nei pazienti con trauma da ustione

2007

analisi dei punteggi PANSS in un campione di pazienti affetti da psicosi

2010

Social disadvantage and psychosis: a case control study on italian First-Episodes of Psychosis (FEP)

2014

Introduction: A growing body of literature suggests that people affected by psychotic disorders are more likely to be unemployed, tend to live alone, have a poor social network, and are not able to establish long-term relationships (Morgan et al., 2008). Aims: To investigate social disadvantage in a sample of first-episode of psychosis patients and geographically matched controls. Methods: The study sample consists of 52 healthy controls and 37 FEP who were assessed using the MRC Sociodemographic Schedules. Results: Preliminary results suggest that, consistently with the literature, cases are more exposed than controls to social disadvantage. They tend to reach a lower education degree (OR …

L’insostenibile ricerca del piacere: le dipendenze patologiche, tra desiderio di vita e auto distruttività

2011

La creatività inflattiva: dimensioni individuali e collettive dell’immaginario simbolico post-moderno

2007

Schizofrenia e realtà virtuale: una rassegna delle applicazioni cliniche

2010

Aim: The use of virtual reality (VR) in psychotherapy and rehabilitation of psychiatric disorders has become more widespread. The key characteristics of virtual environments for most clinical applications are the enriched experience provided to the patient and the possibility of a high control of the interaction with the tool. This work presents an overview of the scientific papers dealing with current applications of Virtual Reality (VR) in patients with schizophrenia. Method: A search for articles was conducted using PubMed and PsycINFO with a combination of key words including schizophrenia, virtual reality, cybertherapy and rehabilitation. A total of 30 papers were found that discuss li…

CLINICIAN-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP AND ADHERENCE TO TREATMENT

2011

PATIENT'S ADHERENCE TO TREATMENT IS STRONGLY RELATED TO CLINICIAN'S ABILITY.ROLE OF EMPATHY, OF COMMUNICATION'S SKILLS ARE NOT INVESTIGATED ENOUGH, EVEN IF ACCORDING TO PATIENT'S OPINION THESE ABILITY ARE MORE IMPORTANT OF TECHNICAL SKILLS.

Psicosi: integrazione della sintomatologia, ristrutturazione dell'Io, riorganizzazione del Sè

2015

clinical practice identifies the reactivation of reality testing as the most achievable and desirable aim in the healthcare-specialized treatment of psychosis. In summary, in the cases of psychotic onset and similar scenarios, a positive intervention is represented by those circumstances in wich the patient is able to regain his status quo ante the acute phase of the disorder. This phase, just to be clear, is the on throughout which the most representative symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations, arise determining the dissociative state-. In addition, if during the reorganization of reality testing thethe patient is able to have a critical position relating to his acute state, and th…

Stress lavorativo e burnout in un gruppo di psichiatri che operano presso gli SPDC

2010

La Cannabis come fattore di rischio per i disturbi psicotici: uno studio su un campione italiano

2013

L'emergenza-urgenza psichiatrica nell'ospedale generale. Indagine epidemiologica e raffronto tra il Policlinico Universitario e l'SPDC dell'Ospedale …

2011

What does augment the risk to use cannabis on an everyday-basis in psychotic patients?

2017

Introduction There are strong enough evidences of the fact that risk of psychosis is augmented by cannabis use. In a recent analysis, the strongest predictor of case-control status was daily-skunk use, i.e. the ORs for skunk users increase with the frequency of use5. We know also that FEP who smoked cannabis in their lifetime are less neuropsychologically impaired i.e. they have better premorbid and current IQ6. In this study we wanted to test what augments the probability to be everyday users, taking into account premorbid social and academic adjustment and cognition as predictors, along with age at first cannabis-use and % of THC in cannabis used. Methods The sample was made of 834 First …

La Psichiatria e l'Information and Communication Technology (ICT): le risorse e i rischi

2007

Psicoterapia e Mafia. Gli ultimi risultati della ricerca empirica

2011

Dipendenza

2010

Comorbilità, fattori predittivi, caratteristiche di personalità e distorsioni cognitive nei giocatori patologici

2010

Aspetti clinici e psicosociali delle dipendenze

2007

The EUropean Network of National Schizophrenia Networks Studying Gene-Environment Interactions (EU-GEI): Incidence and First-Episode Case-Control Pro…

2020

Purpose: The EUropean Network of National Schizophrenia Networks Studying Gene-Environment Interactions (EU-GEI) study contains an unparalleled wealth of comprehensive data that allows for testing hypotheses about (1) variations in incidence within and between countries, including by urbanicity and minority ethnic groups; and (2) the role of multiple environmental and genetic risk factors, and their interactions, in the development of psychotic disorders. Methods: Between 2010 and 2015, we identified 2774 incident cases of psychotic disorders during 12.9 million person-years at risk, across 17 sites in 6 countries (UK, The Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy, and Brazil). Of the 2774 incident…

LE DIMENSIONI SIMBOLICHE DEL CINEMA DI FANTASCIENZA TRA DESIDERIO DI FUTURO E TECNOLOGIA DELLA VISIONE

2005

Craving

2010

Autostima,sensation seeking e impulsività nell'uso problematico delle nuove tecnologie in adolescenza

2009

Better social but worse academic premorbid adjustment in cannabis-users psychotic patients across Europe

2016

Background: Several studies report that patients with psychosis who used cannabis have a better cognitive performance than those whodid not (Rabin et al. 2011). In a previous study we found out a higher premorbid IQ, and a better IQ in psychotic patients who smoked cannabis in their lifetime, and our findings were consistent with the idea that this association is due to a better premorbid functioning rather than to an ameliorative effect of cannabis use on cognitive performance (Ferraro et al., 2013). A number of authors have hypothesized that psychotic patients who consume cannabis constitute a differentiated subgroup of patients that have better cognitive and social skills, necessary to e…

INTRODUZIONE

2006

Il modello cognitivo-comportamentale

2007

Un modello di musicoterapia nelle psicosi schizofreniche: possibilità di impiego della musicoterapia nella riabilitazione psichiatrica

2011

Internet addiction e comorbilità psichiatrica

2012

Effetti ed implicazioni affettivo-emotivi degli eventi autolesivi nell’ambito familiare

2007

LA PROCREAZIONE ASSISTITA NELLE COPPIE SIERODISCORDANTI PER HIV: UN’ESPERIENZA DI PSICHIATRIA DI CONSULTAZIONE.

2004

Percorsi farmacoterapici e psicoterapici in pazienti con disturbi d'ansia

2010

IL CORPO TRA CIBO E SIMBOLO: INTERSEZIONI TRA CLINICA E CULTURA.

2006

LA CORRELAZIONE TRA ALESSITIMIA E DISSOCIAZIONE NELLA DIPENDENZA PATOLOGICA. NUOVE PROSPETTIVE DELLA RICERCA SUll’ADDICTION "TECNOMEDIATA"

2005

Le Psicotecnologie e l'Internet Addiction Disorder

2008

LINEAMENTI PSICOLOGICI E PSICOPATOLOGICI DELL'USO DI INTERNET

2006

Lo sguardo e lo specchio: equivoci della bellezza e psicopatologia dell’apparenza

2009

Le fantasie perverse nella scelta del partner

2005

L'AMBIGUITA' DI GENERE E IL VIRTUAL SELF

2008

LE DIPENDENZE TECNOLOGICHE: LA MENTE NEI NUOVI SCENARI DELL’ADDICTION “TECNOMEDIATA”.

2005

Fattori di rischio ambientale ed esordio psicotico: dati preliminari su un campione di pazienti siciliani

2011

INCIDENCE OF PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS IN PALERMO: PRELIMINARY DATA

2012

Background: The incidence of psychotic disorders varies in different geographical areas (McGrath 2004). Recent data suggest that the incidence is higher in males, migrant minorities and in urban areas. There aren’t many available epidemiological data on the incidence of psychotic disorders in Italy. This is the first incidence study on psychotic disorders carried out in Palermo, the capital of Sicily. Methods: we screened all patients presenting with their first episode of psychosis to the mental health services of our catchment area (5 inpatient, 5 outpatient units and 3 private psychiatric hospitals) over a period of three years (2008-2011). The diagnosis of psychosis was defined using th…

Durata di psicosi non trattata e consumo di cannabis in un campione di pazienti al primo episodio psicotico

2011

Introduzione: la durata di psicosi non trattata (DUP) nei pazienti affetti da psicosi all’esordio rappresenta un fattore predittivo dell’outcome e del decorso del disturbo (Perkins, 2005). La relazione tra consumo di cannabis e DUP è ancora controversa. In questo lavoro viene analizzato il rapporto tra DUP ed età di esordio, consumo di cannabis, funzionamento cognitivo, livello di istruzione e stato di occupazione in un gruppo di pazienti affetti da psicosi all’esordio reclutati nell’ambito dello studio SGAP (Sicilian Genetic and Psychosis) svolto in collaborazione con l’Institute of Psychiatry, King's College of London. Metodologia: sono stati reclutati 74 pazienti di età compresa tra 18 e…

Personality Traits, Defense Mechanisms and Perception of Quality of Life (QOL) in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Matched Controls

2012

Defensive strategies in a big obese group [MECCANISMI DI DIFESA IN UN GRUPPO DI PERSONE CON OBESITA']

2013

Aim. The aim of this study was to explore thè defense mechanisms of people with moderate and severe obesity. In fact, thè defensive structure is an effective predictor for thè best management of thè disease. Methods. 204 people (164 F-40 M) bave been recruited: 40 with BMI between 30 and 34.9, with moderate obesity, 36 with BMI between 35 and 39.9, with severe obesity, and 128 with BMI>40, with serious obesity, ali of them pertaining to thè clinic for obesity treatment at University Hospital of Palermo. Ali subjects were administered thè Defense Mechanisms Inventory (DMI), a type of reactive that explores defense mechanisms. The psychiatric comorbidity was excluded by thè DSM (SCIDI and II)…

Eventi di vita stressanti in un campione di pazienti affetti da psicosi all’esordio: prevalenza, sintomatologia ed età d’esordio. Risultati prelimina…

2011

Il testamento biologico: dimensioni culturali, prospettive simboliche e psicodinamiche

2009

Recenti vicende umane e giuridiche hanno portato in primo piano il tema del testamento biologico e del rapporto tra l’uomo, la malattia e la morte. L’interrogativo sulla morte è connesso con quello della vita umana che viene considerata ora come la semplice sopravvivenza dell’organismo biologico, ora come un’esperienza che racchiude aspetti emotivi, affettivi e relazionali. Le discipline psicologiche possono aiutare a riflettere sul rapporto della società contemporanea con la malattia e con la morte, sui riti che accompagnano tali esperienze, sui processi decisionali che sottostanno al testamento biologico. Nell’epoca contemporanea la medicina si accosta al morente con l’idea di vincere la …

INTRODUZIONE

2005

Osservazioni preliminari sulla valutazione dei fattori di rischio psicopatologico in un campione di pazienti ustionati

2007

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and borderline personality disorder: Differential diagnosis and comorbidity from childhood to adulthood [Dis…

2009

Aims Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder is childhood-onset disorder that presents high rates of co-morbidity with personality disorders. Although the implications of having ADHD in childhood for the development of antisocial personality disorder have been long known, less information are available on its relationship with borderline personality disorder. Through a review of the literature, we explored the issue of co-morbidity between attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and borderline disorder and analyze the role of possible modulating variables. Particular attention has been given to differential diagnosis between attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adulthood and border…

Modelli della riabilitazione psichiatrica e psicosociale.

2007

I videogiochi, gli stili di vita e la salute mentale di bambini e adolescenti

2007

La Riabilitazione Psichiatrica e Psicosociale e il concetto di Qualità di Vita

2007

IMPULSIVITA' E ADDICTION.

2008

Consumo di cannabis e pattern psicopatologico di pazienti al primo episodio psicotico: confronto tra due campioni

2011

Alcuni studi in letteratura supportano l’associazione tra consumo di cannabis, età di esordio ed espressività psicopatologica nei pazienti al primo episodio psicotico (Orlandi, 2001). Questo lavoro si propone di analizzare la gravità della sintomatologia psicotica in relazione al consumo di cannabis, confrontando due campioni di pazienti all'esordio psicotico (FEP) reclutati a Palermo e a Londra.

geni psicosi e cannabis: caratteristiche di un campione siciliano rappresentativo di pazienti al primo episodio psicotico

2010

ADDITIVE INTERACTION BETWEEN LIFETIME CANNABIS USE AND CHILDHOOD TRAUMA IN INCREASING THE RISK FOR PSYCHOSIS. A REPLICATION ANALYSIS ON A SAMPLE OF F…

2012

Background: Additive interaction between childhood trauma and cannabis use in increasing risk for psychotic disorders has been recently demonstrated in a prospective (Harley et al., 2009) and a cross sectional study (Konigs et al., 2011), although not replicated in another survey (Kuepper et al., 2011). This study aimed to analyse additive interaction between lifetime cannabis and severe child abuse in increasing the risk for psychosis in a sample of first episode psychosis patients and geographically matched controls. In addition, analyses were re-run separately for males and females in order to investigate whether the association was moderated by gender. Methods: The sample consisted of 2…

Attaccamento, alessitimia e dissociazione nella dipendenza tecnologica

2008

PSICOPATOLOGIA E PSICODINAMICA DELLE CYBER RELAZIONI.

2006

QUALITà DELLA VITA IN GRAVIDANZA E VARIABILI PSICOLOGICHE: UN CONTRIBUTO DI RICERCA

2010

La ricerca si propone di valutare l'andamento della qualità della vita e l'evoluzione dei sintomi depressivi durante la gravidanza, utilizzando appositi strumenti psicometrici somministrati a un campione di 90 donne, durante i tre trimestri di gravidanza. Particolarmente interessante si è rivelata l'analisi longitudinale della tonalità depressiva: il trend sembra decrescere nell'ultimo trimestre, parallelamente all'aumento dello stato di salute mentale. Nel post-partum si evidenzierebbe un incremento della tonalità depressiva e un miglioramento della componenete fisica della slaute, a sfavore della componente mentale. Nel complesso i datiemersi dall'evoluzione dei sintomi depressivi sono in…

TRANSDIAGNOSTIC SYMPTOM DIMENSIONS OF PSYCHOSIS AND THE PREDICTIVE ROLE OF PREMORBID ADJUSTMENT AND COGNITIVE CHARACTERISTICS IN THE MULTINATIONAL EU…

2020

LA PMA COME BIOPSICOTECNOLOGIA: L'APPROCCIO ALL'INFERTILITA' TRA TECNICA ED IMMAGINARIO

2006

Ansia, Depressione e Qualità della Vita nei pazienti oncologici in trattamento radioterapico

2012

Introduzione: La gestione del paziente oncologico in corso di trattamento radioterapico non può prescindere da un’attenta valutazione delle variabili soggettive legate all’emotività e al vissuto interno del paziente, essendo tali aspetti implicati nella compliance al trattamento (Neilson et al., 2010). Questo lavoro si pone un duplice obiettivo: indagare la presenza di ansia, depressione e qualità della vita in un gruppo di pazienti oncologici non omogeneo per patologia, stadio della malattia e trattamento; valutare in che termini l’introduzione di un intervento psicologico possa avere delle ricadute sul benessere psico-fisico dei pazienti. Metodologia: Il campione è costituito da 50 pazien…

Stili difensivi, alessitimia e percezione della qualità della vita in pazienti affette da neoplasia al seno

2011

Introduzione: Il presente lavoro indaga la qualità delle reazioni emotive e psicologiche delle pazienti affette da cancro mammario, sottoposte a intervento chirurgico e in diversi stadi di malattia. Metodologia: Il campione è composto da 110 pazienti così suddivise: 40 in follow-up, 41 sottoposte a chemioterapia adiuvante, 29 metastatiche. Strumenti: Defense Mechanisms Inventory (DMI, Ihilevich e Gleser, 1986), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20, Taylor GJ,1992), EORTC QLQ-C30-BR23 (Fayers PM et al 1998). Risultati: Nei tre gruppi si rivela differenza alle scale F1 (p<.01), F2 (p<.03), F3 (p<.00) della TAS-20 e QoL (p<.02) e FS (p<.01) dell’EORTC. Al DMI si riscontrano punteggi più elevati a…

La doppia diagnosi nella dipendenza alcolica: una ricerca sulla correlazione fra alcolismo, alessitimia e disturbi di personalità

2010

La ricerca si propone la valutazione della comorbilità psichiatrica in una popolazione clinica di alcol dipendenti. Lo studio si è svolto presso il servizio tossicodipendenze del distretto 11 della città di Palermo e ha previsto il reclutamento di un campione clinico costituito da 45 soggetti. Il campione è stato sottoposto alla somministrazione di due interviste psichiatriche (TAS-20 e SCID-II) e si è cercato di individuare l’esistenza di una correlazione fra gli esiti delle stesse e gli indici di prognosi precedentemente stabiliti e valutati. L’analisi dei risultati ha dimostrato la presenza di una correlazione piuttosto significativa fra elementi suggestivi di prognosi sfavorevole e esit…

Early Parental Death and Risk of Psychosis in Offspring: A Six-Country Case-Control Study

2019

Evidence for early parental death as a risk factor for psychosis in offspring is inconclusive. We analyzed data from a six-country, case-control study to examine the associations of early parental death, type of death (maternal, paternal, both), and child&#8217;s age at death with psychosis, both overall and by ethnic group. In fully adjusted multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression models, experiencing early parental death was associated with 1.54-fold greater odds of psychosis (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.23, 1.92). Experiencing maternal death had 2.27-fold greater odds (95% CI: 1.18, 4.37), paternal death had 1.14-fold greater odds (95% CI: 0.79, 1.64), and both deaths had 4.4…

Approccio alla costruzione di uno strumento di valutazione: l’esperienza del gruppo “Albatros”

2010

La narrazione: i ponti della vita psichica

2010

Media e virtualità: dall’uso adattivo delle risorse, alla psicopatologia tecnomediata

2010

IL CONTRIBUTO DELLA PSICOLOGIA ANALITICA ALLA COMPRENSIONE DELLA RELAZIONE PSICOTERAPEUTICA

2008

LO SFONDO SIMBOLICO DEI COMPORTAMENTI ADOLESCENZIALI A RISCHIO.

2006

Cannabis e Psicosi, un contributo di ricerca

2017

si descrivono i dati relativi ad un campioni di pazienti affetti da disturbo psicotico all'esordio, come parte del progetto SGAP (Sicilian Genetic and Psychosis. tra i fattori di rischio implicati nell'insorgenza del disturbo si prende in esame il ruolo del consumo di cannabis mettendo a confronto i pazienti con un gruppo di cntrollo costituito da soggetti non psicotici. Emerge come l'età media di insorgenza del disturbo psicotico è stata più precoce per coloro che avevano fumato cannabis nel corso della vita (24.2 anni vs. 31.6 anni) mentre non è stata riscontrata nessuna differenza in relazione all'uso recente di cannabis.

Sottopopolazioni linfocitarie in soggetti affetti da disturbo depressivo unipolare

2010

Psicomatica e dermatosi:correlazione tra eventi stressanti,meccanismi di difesa,personalità e stili di vita.

2009

Use of Robotics Kits for the Enhancement of Metacognitive Skills of Mathematics: a Possible Approach

2011

The present study is aimed at analyzing the process of building and programming robots as a metacognitive tool of mathematics. Quantitative data from a research performed in a sample of students attending an Italian secondary school are described. Results showed that robotics activities may be intended as a new metacognitive environment allowing students to improve their attitude in mathematics, and to increase their attitude to reflect on themselves and on their own learning, and their higher-level control components, such as forecasting, planning, monitoring and evaluation exercises and problems related to implementation.

Techno-stressed Teachers Are Responsible for the Digital Divide? Gender differences in the percevied levels of computers-anxiety, computer expertise,…

2008

Mente e salute: studio epidemiologico sulla prevalenza di patologie somatiche nei disturbi depressivi

2010

FONDALI MITOLOGICI E ARCHETIPICI DELLA GRANDE RETE DELLA CIVILTA' GLOBALE

2006

Intervento psicologico tramite la tecnica del diario in un gruppo di pazienti oncologici sottoposti a trattamento radioterapico

2013

La gestione del paziente oncologico in corso di trattamento radioterapico non può prescindere da un’attenta valutazione delle variabili soggettive legate all’emotività e al vissuto interno. Questo lavoro si pone gli obiettivi di indagare la presenza di alessetimia, ansia, depressione e qualità della vita in un gruppo di pazienti oncologici e di valutare in che termini l’introduzione di un intervento psicologico possa avere delle ricadute sul benessere psico-fisico.Il campione è costituito da 68 pazienti suddivisi, con modalità random, in un gruppo sperimentale (n= 45) e uno di controllo (n=23), reclutati presso due U.O di Radioterapia di Palermo e di Pisa. Entrambi sono stati valutati al T0…

Attenzione e impulsività nei disturbi dello spettro ossessivo-compulsivo

2010

Adolescenti ed uso delle nuove tecnologie. Una ricerca esplorativa

2008

Trilogia su: la dimensione simbolica nell’epoca del post-moderno

2007

Disturbi di Personalità e Nuove dipendenze

2008

La valutazione dlel'incidenza del "campo affettivo" nei seting riabilitativi psichiatrici

2010

Ruolo di modulazione sulle funzioni cognitive dell’abuso di cannabis su un campione di soggetti al primo episodio psicotico

2011

Funzioni esecutive e riabilitazione residenziale. Studio preliminare su utenti in Strutture Residenziali Intermedie di Palermo

2013

lo studio ha confrontato le funzioni esecutive di pazienti con disturbi psicotici coinvolti in programmi riabilitativi in Strutture Residenziali di Palermo. Metodi: sono stati reclutati 16 utenti di Comunità Alloggio (CA) e 14 utenti di Comunità Terapeutiche Assistite (CTA), tra 18 e 65 anni, valutati tramite somministrazione di Trail Making Test(TMT), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), Stroop Test, 4 subtest della WAIS-R e Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). Risultati: i due campioni presentano caratteristiche sociodemografiche omogenee. Gli utenti delle CTA fanno rilevare maggiore uso di neurolettici (73,3% vs. 18.8% p 0,004) e un trend non significat…

Psicosomatica e dermopatie: dati preliminari sulle correlazioni con alessitimia, meccanismi di difesa, personalità e qualità di vita

2010

Il trattamento del gioco d'azzardo patologico: variabili psicopatologiche e psicoterapeutiche. Uno studio epidemiologico

2010

DUP AND CANNABIS CONSUMPTION IN A SICILIAN FIRST EPISODE PSYCHOTIC (FEP) SAMPLE

2011

Attaccamento ai luoghi e prospettive abitative in un campione di utenti in comunità terapeutiche assistite psichiatriche

2011

Aim: The study aimed to inquire place attachment bonds in a sample of psychiatric patient hosted in Residential Mental Health Facilities of Palermo. Satisfaction for current accommodation in the Facility, reasons for place preference and housing perspectives were explored. Methods: A questionnaire consisting in 31 open questions was administered to 39 subjects living in three Residential Mental Health Facilities of Health Department of Palermo. Results: Own room and terraces with plats are the patients' favourite places in the Facilities. During the first month of stay, these places satisfy need for retirement and distraction, while in the following period they become spaces where meet peop…

ADOLESCENTI E USO DELLE NUOVE TECNOLOGIE - UNA RICERCA ESPLORATIVA.

2008

Stili di vita per la pace: neuroscienze della salute ed epigenetica sistemica

2019

La crisi culturale dell’età contemporanea è, in maniera rilevante e significativa, una crisi delle parole, del loro significato, del loro uso e del loro valore. Esse subiscono una deriva semantica che ne sbiadisce l’intensità e determina una corruzione o una perversione dei concetti che le parole stesse vanno a configurare. Parlare di pace, dunque, oggi pone subito una questione di parole e delle emozioni e dei concetti che esse veicolano. Pensare la “pace” vuol dire quindi richiamare una serie di ambiti differenti ma collegati: interiore, interpersonale, collettivo, spirituale. Nel funzionamento psichico individuale e collettivo aggressività e violenza sono gli aspetti che si contrappongon…

Qualità di Vita, immagine del corpo e complicanze psichiatriche in pazienti con trauma da ustione

2009

INTRODUZIONE

2007

THE ROLE OF CHILDHOOD TRAUMA AND COGNITIVE DEFICIT IN MODERATING THE RISK FOR PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS: A COMPARISON BETWEEN PALERMO AND SOUTH-EAST LONDON…

2011

lo dell'insight nell'espressività psicopatologica in un gruppo di pazienti affetti da psicosi all'esordio

2010

Efficacia clinica della venlafaxina RP nel disturbo ossessivo-compulsivo.

2009

Le tecniche riabilitative

2007

Scheda 14: I Videogiochi, gli stili di vita e la salute mentale di bambini e adolescenti

2007

Aspetti psicologici ed uso problematico dele nuove tecnologie in adolescenza

2008

INTRODUZIONE ALL’EDIZIONE ITALIANA DI: LA DISSOCIAZIONE NEI BAMBINI E NEGLI ADOLESCENTI, UNA PROSPETTIVA EVOLUTIVA

2005

PSICOLOGIA E PSICOPATOLOGIA DELLA COMUNICAZIONE ON LINE.

2006

L'IMMAGINARIO DELLA METROPOLI POST-MODERNA.

2007

Correlati psicologici in gravidanza e depressione puerperale: un'indagine longitudinale

2009

Storia della riabilitazione psichiatrica e psicosociale

2007

Pattern psicopatologici di giovani abusanti e modellizazione di un trattamento terapeutico riabilitativo precoce. Una ricerca nel distretto giudiziar…

2011

SEXUAL ADDICTION, CYBERSEX, LOVE ADDICTION

2008

Computer-expertise, Computer self-efficacy e Internet attitude come fattori che predicono l’ansia da computer. Una ricerca su un gruppo di docenti de…

2008

Valutazione dello stato di benessere bio-psico-sociale nell'approccio integrato in riabilitazione psichiatrica: l'esperienza del gruppo "Albatros" di…

2011

L'exercise addiction

2008

Neuropsychological Assessment through NeuroVirtual Reality in OCD patients

2013

Qualità della Vita in Gravidanza e variabili psicologiche. Un contributo di ricerca

2009

Valutazione dell’empowerment nei percorsi integrati di riabilitazione psichiatrica in uno studio caso-controllo.

2011

Introduzione: Lo studio dell’empowerment individuale e gruppale ha motivato la strutturazione di uno strumento di valutazione delle aree di intervento lungo le dimensioni (self-efficacy, partecipazione/coinvolgimento, progresso/autonomia). Lo strumento è stato somministrato ad un gruppo di 23 soggetti affetti da disturbo schizofrenico denominato “Albatros” costituito presso la U.O. di Psichiatria dell’A.U.O.P. di Palermo e fruenti di percorsi terapeutici riabilitativi multidisciplinari, confrontato con un gruppo di controllo di soggetti psicotici in esclusivo trattamento farmacoterapico . Materiali e metodi: Lo strumento permette la valutazione dei livelli di empowerment raggiunti tramite l…

Psychosis onset: Use of Cannabis X COMT Interaction. Case-only Design analysis in a First-Episode Psychosis Sample.

2007

Dinamiche della blogosfera: dal sentimento comunitario emozionale alla psicopatologia

2007

Profilo neuropsicologico di un campione di soggetti al primo episodio psicotico in relazione all'abuso di cannabis

2010

Prefazione

2008

Cannabis Users and Premorbid Intellectual Quotient (IQ)‏

2017

• The chapter focuses on premorbid Intellectual Quotient (IQ) in cannabis users, one of the most controversial topics in studies on the harmful effects of cannabis use on cognition. • Several studies have ascertained acute and residual effects of cannabis use in the memory domain, but only a minimal general cognitive effect after a long-term period of abstinence. • A number of longitudinal studies were able to obtain IQ measures before and after cannabis consumption, but they yielded discordant findings. • Authors, however, observed a relationship between higher premorbid IQ and recreational or discontinued use while a lower premorbid IQ resulted as a predictor for regular or heavy cannabis…

Assessment of executive functions in patients with obsessive compulsive disorder by NeuroVirtual Reality

2012

Ipotesi di nuovi criteri diagnostici per l'addiction

2006

L’INDOTTO ANTISOCIALE NELLE NUOVE DIPENDENZE

2006

Strategie difensive profonde in un gruppo di donne con grande obesità.

2006

Uno strumento di indagine per valutare i nuovi stili di comportamento adolescenziale: TSB (Tech Style Behavior).

2006

Il riconoscimento delle emozioni facciali all’esordio psicotico.

2017

La capacità di riconoscere le emozioni facciali fa parte del più ampio dominio relativo alla cognizione sociale. Nel disturbo schizofrenico è presente un deficit dell’esperienza emotiva e dell’espressione appropriata delle emozioni. Numerosi studi hanno riscontrato in questi soggetti deficit a carico della capacità di riconoscimento delle emozioni facciali nonché della modulazione emotiva della voce. L’obiettivo dello studio è stato quello di indagare la presenza di un deficit a carico del riconoscimento delle emozioni facciali nei soggetti con esordio psicotico, posti a confronto con un gruppo di controlli sani. In particolare, si ipotizza nei pazienti una relazione tra il deficit di ricon…

DOES POLYGENIC RISK SCORE FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA IMPACT ON JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS? PRELIMINARY FINDINGS FROM THE EU-GEI CASE-CONTROL STUDY

2019

Background: Jumping to conclusions (JTC) is a reasoning and data gathering bias that results in the tendency to require less evidence and make hasty decisions. Preliminary work on reasoning bias focused primarily on the association with delusions, although jumping to conclusions has also been found in non-deluded schizophrenia (SZ) patients. Literature to date has shown JTC as a well-established bias in psychosis even at First Episode Psychosis (FEP), after remission, and in individuals with at risk mental state. Furthermore, JTC has been found to be associated with proneness to psychotic-like experiences in the general population. In teresting findings showed also an association with lower…

L’incidenza delle caratteristiche di personalità nel rapporto tra aspetti sintomatologici, qualità della vita ed andamento della patologia nelle pazi…

2008

Attenzione sostenuta, pianificazione strategica e flessibilità cognitiva nei Disturbi dell'Umore

2009

Familiarità, psicosi e cannabis: caratteristiche di un campione siciliano di pazienti al primo episodio psicotico

2010

Psicopatologia delle realtà virtuali

2009

Ruolo dell'insight nell'espressività psicopatologica in un gruppo di pazienti affetti da psicosi all'esordio

2011

Una buona capacità di insight pare costituire un fattore predittivo di minore espressività psicopatologica nei pazienti affetti da psicosi. In questo lavoro intendiamo analizzare le relazioni tra grado di insight e gravità dei sintomi psicotici utilizzando i punteggi totali e parziali ottenuti alla Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) in un gruppo di pazienti affetti da psicosi all'esordio nell'ambito del progetto SGAP "Sicilian Genetic and Psychosis" svolto in collaborazione con il GAP Study dell'Institute of Psychiatry, King's College of London.

Internet Addiction Disorder: uno studio su un campione clinico

2013

Gli sviluppi delle neuroscienze e le loro implicazioni nel trattamento integrato della schizofrenia in ambito istituzionale

2007

Ruolo della working memory e dello stile di risposta Jumping To Conclusions in un campione di pazienti al first episode psychosis

2013

The continuity of effect of schizophrenia polygenic risk score and patterns of cannabis use on transdiagnostic symptom dimensions at first-episode ps…

2021

The work was supported by Guarantors of Brain post-doctoral clinical fellowship to DQ; Clinician Scientist Medical Research Council fellowship (project reference MR/M008436/1) to MDF; Heisenberg professorship from the German Research Founda- tion (grant no. 389624707) to UR; the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. The EU-GEI Project is funded by the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme under grant agreement No. HEALTH-F2-…

Valutazione del grado di insight in pazienti schizofrenici in trattamento con antipsicotici atipici ed inseriti in un gruppo riabilitativo

2010

esperienze di riabilitazione precoce a favore di un gruppo di giovani adulti nella fase di passaggio assistenziale dalla NPI

2009

MI ALLENO, DUNQUE SONO! IL RUOLO DEL VISSUTO CORPOREO NELLA DIPENDENZA DALLO SPORT.

2006

Lo Shopping Compulsivo

2009

EFFETTI ED IMPLICAZIONI AFFETTIVO/EMOTIVI DEGLI EVENTI AUTOLESIVI.

2005

CULTURE ADOLESCENZIALI, NUOVE DROGHE E NUOVI STILI DI CONSUMO.

2004

Un ulteriore risultato

2013

Basato sul racconto di casi clinici concreti seguiti sia nel privato che nel pubblico e narrati con piacevole fluidità, il lavoro entra nel mondo dello psichismo mafioso e spiega il fenomeno “mafia” da un punto di vista antropo-psichico. Un contributo di grande attualità in un momento in cui il dramma “mafie” è dilagato anche al nord squassando il nostro paese.

IMMIGRAZIONE E DISAGIO PSICHICO

2005

L'INSIGHT NELLE NUOVE DIPENDENZE

2004