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The perinatal period is an extremely delicate phase that can involve a high risk for onset of depressive disorders. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is a widely validated instrument for assessing perinatal depressive symptoms, including the dimension of anhedonia. There are studies suggesting that the neural mechanism underlying the occurrence of anhedonia in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar depression (BD) might be distinct. Anhedonia seems to represent a more stable and frequent symptom in women with postpartum bipolar relative to unipolar depressive disorder and is associated with significantly higher depressive symptom severity. Perinatal medicine is an important component of women's health. Treatment of anhedonia can be challenging, and the most effective treatment can be a combination of psychotherapy and medication, but the screening of anhedonia in peripartum women can prevent the development of other psychiatric disorders and maladaptive behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Managing Bipolar Disorder patients during COVID-19 outbreak Keywords: Bipolar Disorder; COVID-19; personalized medicine EN Bipolar Disorder COVID-19 personalized medicine 870 871 2 12/29/20 20201201 NES 201201 To the Editors, On February 20, 2020 the first case of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was diagnosed in Italy. Some patients needed medication dosage adjustment: we have created a network with family doctors to respond to patients' particular needs and to ensure personalized strategy treatments. [Extracted from the article]

Oral ziprasidone (ziprasidone hydrochloride) has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2001 for the treatment of schizophrenia, and acute manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar disorder (BPD) with or without psychotic features. It is mandatory for clinicians a careful weigh in the treatment of BPD in child and adolescent patients (subjects 18 years of age and younger), particularly regarding individual patient characteristics and long-term adverse events (AEs).[1] The use of atypical antipsychotic medications in paediatric patients has become more prevalent in recent years, and more information is needed to guide clinical practice. [Extracted from the article]

The article investigates the efficacy and safety of oxcarbazepine (OXC) in the management of borderline personality disorder and bipolar II disorder in a person with alcohol use disorder. To investigate the efficacy and safety of OXC on alcohol drinking indices and craving, the researchers compared OXC at different dosages in a 90-day randomized open-label trial. Abstinence from alcohol was evaluated on the basis of a family member interview through determining blood alcohol concentration. Safety parameters were monitored through electrocardiography, urinalysis, and hematological and clinical chemical analyses of blood samples at the start and at the end of the investigation. The authors suggest the necessity of further studies with specific samples to fully diagnosed patients.

A reply by Dr. Marianna Mazza and colleagues to a letter to the editor about their research article on Alzheimer's disease that was published in the previous issue is presented.