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Objective To examine emotion processing in euthymic bipolar patients ( EBP) compared to healthy controls. In addition, to determine whether or not there is an association between emotion processing and psychosocial functioning. Material and methods A sample of 60 EBP and 60 healthy controls matched for age, gender, education level, and premorbid intelligence were studied. All subjects were assessed using the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery ( MCCB) and two additional executive function measures: the Trail Making Test-Part B and the Stroop Test. Emotion processing was examined using the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test ( MSCEIT). Psychosocial functioning was assessed using the Functional Assessment Short Test ( FAST). Results Euthymic bipolar patients obtained lower scores than controls in all MSCEIT measures except for the using emotions branch. Likewise, EBP obtained a worse performance than healthy controls in all neurocognitive domains. Correlation between MSCEIT strategic area measures and FAST total score was found ( r = −0.311; P < 0.016). Regression analysis showed that residual depressive symptomatology explains a 9.1% of the variance in functional outcome. MSCEIT strategic area score explained an additional 8.6%. Neurocognition did not increase the percentage of the variance explained by emotion processing. Conclusions Euthymic bipolar patients exhibit deficits in emotion processing. Emotion processing is associated with social functioning in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The drug properties of antiepileptics as glutamatergic and gabaergic system modulators indicate their potential utility in the treatment of addictive disorders. Their clinical efficacy has been widely studied in the treatment of detoxication of alcohol and benzodiazepine. Furthermore, different studies support their utility in the prevention of relapses in alcohol consumption. In regards to other addictions, up to now studies have only been conducted with small samples and different methodologies. Thus, the data are less consistent and do not make it possible to rule out the fact that these drugs may also contribute benefits as coadjuvant treatment in other addictive disorders. In addition, the new antiepileptics offer relevant advantages, especially in regards to their tolerability. The drugs that are currently available include a wide spectrum of pharmacodynamic actions. Therefore, advances in the knowledge of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying addiction will help to design more selective strategies in the use of antiepileptics based on their specific action mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective was to confirm whether a homozygous genotype for the C957 allele of the C957T DRD2 gene single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) is associated with schizophrenia in an independent study population. Method: We examined the genotypic distribution of this SNP in a set of clinically ascertained schizophrenic patients ( n = 131) and age-matched control subjects ( n = 364). Individuals were genotyped using automated analysis of fluorescently labeled PCR products. Results: The distribution of grouped genotypes for the C957T DRD2 SNP (CC vs. CT, TT) showed that C homozygote genotype was over-represented in our patient sample when compared with control subjects. This difference reaches the statistical significance ( χ2 = 7.0; df = 1; P = 0.008; OR = 2.05; % CI 1.2–3.4). Conclusion: The findings of this study provide additional evidence that genetic variation at the DRD2 gene plays an important role in the vulnerability to schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To determine the clinically ascertained variables that are related to satisfactory response to naltrexone (NTX) treatment of alcohol dependence after detoxification. Methods: The use of intake and outcome variables were measured in a randomized 3-month open-controlled trial comparing the effects of naltrexone plus psychotherapy treatment versus psychotherapy treatment alone on the maintenance of abstinence in the final 28 days (n = 336, all male). Results: Predictors of a positive response to NTX treatment were family history of alcoholism (P = 0.010), early age at onset of drinking problems (P = 0.014) and comorbid use of other drugs of abuse (P < 0.001). Among the subjects not treated with NTX, the greater the number of predictor variables, the lower the final 28 days abstinence rates (P = 0.00003), but this was not the case in patients treated with NTX (P = 0.844). Conclusions: Patients with these features, suggesting biological vulnerability overall have poorer outcomes, but this can be reduced with NTX treatment. The type of alcoholism should be considered before deciding on the pharmacological strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]