Resumo em Inglês:

Objective: The relationship between biomarkers of amyloid-beta aggregation (Aβ1-42) and/or neurodegeneration (Tau protein) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and cognitive decline is still unclear. We aimed to ascertain whether CSF biomarkers correlate with cognitive performance in healthy and cognitively impaired subjects, starting from clinical diagnoses. Methods: We tested for correlation between CSF biomarkers and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores in 208 subjects: 54 healthy controls, 82 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), 46 with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and 26 with other dementias (OD). Results: MMSE correlated weakly with all CSF biomarkers in the overall sample (r = 0.242, p < 0.0006). Aβ1-42 and MMSE correlated weakly in MCI (r = 0.247, p = 0.030), and moderately in OD (r = 0.440, p = 0.027). t-Tau showed a weak inverse correlation with MMSE in controls (r = -0.284, p = 0.043) and MCI (r = -0.241, p = 0.036), and a moderate/strong correlation in OD (r = 0.665), p = 0.0003). p-Tau correlated weakly with MMSE in AD (r = -0.343, p = 0.026) and moderately in OD (r = -0.540, p = 0.0005). The Aβ1-42/p-Tau ratio had a moderate/strong correlation with MMSE in OD (r = 0.597, p = 0.001). Conclusion: CSF biomarkers correlated best with cognitive performance in OD. t-Tau correlated weakly with cognition in controls and patients with MCI. In AD, only p-Tau levels correlated with cognitive performance. This pattern, which has been reported previously, seems to indicate that CSF biomarkers might not be reliable as indicators of disease severity.

Resumo em Inglês:

Objective: Cocaine use disorders (CUDs) represent a major public health problem in many countries. To better understand the interaction between the environmental modulations and phenotype, the aim of the present study was to investigate the DNA methylation pattern of CUD patients, who had concomitant cocaine and crack dependence, and healthy controls. Methods: We studied DNA methylation profiles in the peripheral blood of 23 CUD patients and 24 healthy control subjects using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip arrays. Results: Comparison between CUD patients and controls revealed 186 differentially methylated positions (DMPs; adjusted p-value [adjP] < 10-5) related to 152 genes, with a subset of CpGs confirmed by pyrosequencing. DNA methylation patterns discriminated CUD patients and control groups. A gene network approach showed that the EHMT1, EHMT2, MAPK1, MAPK3, MAP2K1, and HDAC5 genes, which are involved in transcription and chromatin regulation cellular signaling pathways, were also associated with cocaine dependence. Conclusion: The investigation of DNA methylation patterns may contribute to a better understanding of the biological mechanisms involved in CUD.

Resumo em Inglês:

Objective: To examine the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale – Second Edition (Y-BOCS-II). Method: A total of 86 adults with a primary diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), ranging in age from 15 to 78 years, participated in the study. Participants were administered the Y-BOCS-II by a trained clinician who also rated overall illness severity on two additional measures. Patients completed the Obsessive Compulsive Inventory-Revised and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21. Results: Results indicated high internal consistency and fair 1-week test retest reliability. The Y-BOCS-II scales correlated strongly with clinician-rated obsessive-compulsive severity and modestly with self-reported obsessive-compulsive symptom frequency and distress. The relationship between Y-BOCS-II total score and depressive and anxiety symptoms was strong, which may reflect high rates of comorbid conditions in this sample or the linkage between obsessive-compulsive symptom severity and distress. Factor analysis demonstrated a two-factor structure consisting of obsession and compulsion factors, with interference due to obsessions cross-loading. Conclusions: Overall, these results support the use of the Y-BOCS-II among individuals from China. Future study by an independent group is necessary to replicate these findings, as well as investigate interrater reliability and treatment sensitivity.

Resumo em Inglês:

Objective: To analyze the efficacy and safety of paliperidone palmitate 3-monthly (PP3M) in Latin American patients with schizophrenia vs. rest-of-world (ROW). Methods: We analyzed data from two multinational, double-blind (DB), randomized, controlled phase 3 studies including patients with schizophrenia (DSM-IV-TR) previously stabilized on PP1M/PP3M (open-label [OL] phase). Patients were randomized to PP3M or PP1M (noninferiority study A) and PP3M or placebo (study B) in DB phase. The subgroup analysis included Latin American (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico) patients. Primary efficacy endpoints were relapse-free rates (study A) and time-to-relapse (study B). Results: In study A, 63/71 (88.7%) and in study B 38/43 (88.4%) Latin American patients completed the DB phase. In study A, relapse-free percentage was similar in Latin America (PP3M: 97%, PP1M: 100%) and ROW (PP3M: 91%, PP1M: 89%). In study B, median time-to-relapse was not estimable in the Latin American subgroup for either placebo or PP3M groups, nor for the ROW PP3M group; the median time-to-relapse in the ROW placebo group was 395 days. Caregiver burden improved in patients switching from oral antipsychotics (OL baseline) to PP3M/PP1M in DB phase (Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire score mean ± SD change, -9.4±15.16; p < 0.001). Treatment emergent adverse events with PP3M during DB phase were similar in Latin America (study A: 24/34 [70.6%]; study B: 15/21 [71.4%]) and ROW (study A: 318/470 [67.7%]; study B: 84/139 [60.4%]) subgroups. Conclusion: PP3M was efficacious and showed no new safety concerns in patients with schizophrenia from Latin America, corroborating ROW findings. Clinical trial registration: NCT01515423, NCT01529515

Resumo em Inglês:

Objective: To estimate the association of parental drunkenness and parenting style with alcohol consumption among adolescents and the contributions of parental drunkenness and parenting style to the prevalence of binge drinking among adolescents. Method: Cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of secondary students aged 13 to 18 from 27 Brazilian state capitals (n=17,028). Private and public schools were included. A self-report questionnaire collected data on adolescents’ alcohol drinking behavior, parenting styles, and parenting and peer models of drunkenness. Results: Non-authoritative parenting style and parental drunkenness are associated with binge drinking among adolescents. Authoritarian, indulgent, and negligent parenting styles were associated with 1.50-, 2.51-, and 2.82-fold increases in prevalence of adolescent binge drinking, and parental drunkenness, with a 1.99-fold increase. The non-authoritative parenting style made a larger contribution than parental drunkenness to adolescent binge drinking. Conclusions: Non-authoritative parenting style and parental drunkenness seem to play an important role in adolescents’ binge drinking behavior. At the population level, parenting style appears associated with a greater contribution to this behavior among adolescents. Prevention strategies targeting parental drunkenness may be bolstered if a broader approach including parenting styles is in place.

Resumo em Inglês:

Objective: To analyze factors associated with the prevalence of maltreatment and bullying and to identify types of involvement (verbal, physical, social, sexual, cyberbullying) among high school students aged 15 to 19 years. Methods: A cross-sectional, school-based epidemiological survey was performed. The sample included 2,293 adolescents from public and private schools in the Greater Vitoria area (state of Espírito Santo, Brazil). A modified version of the Brazilian Portuguese Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire was used. Results: Among maltreatment behaviors, 43.3% of adolescents reported having been victims vs. 40.4% reporting to be aggressors. Among bullying behaviors, 41% reported victimization and 29.1% aggression. The most frequent types of bullying were verbal (victim = 33.8%, bully = 23.1%), social (victim = 21.8%, bully = 16.9%), and physical bullying (victim = 15.1%, bully = 8.7%). Of those reporting to be victims, 37.5% stated that they did not react as frequently as they were attacked. Almost half of the students (50.9%) identified themselves as victims, without practicing any type of aggression against another schoolmate. School network (public or private) and gender were significantly associated with victimization and aggression behaviors. Conclusion: The adolescents identified as victims did not generally attack other students, i.e., did not identify themselves as perpetrators. The high prevalence of maltreatment and bullying detected in this study, especially the verbal, social, and physical types, underscores the need for interventions addressing bullying in schools.

Resumo em Inglês:

Objective: The current study aimed to examine the latent structure of a web-based, Brazilian Portuguese version of the Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form (YSQ-SF). Method: The sample consisted of 15,557 adult participants – 4,702 men and 10,855 women – with age ranging from 18 to 60 years. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the a priori conceptual 15-factor model presumed to underlie the YSQ-SF item set. Results: Most items displayed high levels of reliability (factor loadings greater than 0.7) and low liability to random measurement error (residual variances below 0.02), indicating that the a priori YSQ-SF factor structure is adequate. Discussion: These findings offer empirical evidence supporting YSQ-SF construct validity and, consequently, its application in adults.

Resumo em Inglês:

Objective: Aging studies regularly assume that years of education are a protective factor for baseline cognition. In developing countries with specific sociocultural issues, this relationship may not work as expected, and an unmet need remains for alternative resilience factors. This study aimed to analyze different moderators for the relationship between aging and general cognition that could reflect better protective factors. Methods: One hundred and fourteen Brazilian older adults, deemed healthy by global cognition, absence of psychiatric symptoms, or neurological history, participated in this cross-sectional study. Moderators for the relationship between age and global cognition included education, intelligence, and occupational factors. Semantic memory was added as a protective factor reflecting culturally acquired conceptual knowledge. Results: As expected, age alone is a predictor of global cognitive scores; surprisingly, however, education, intelligence, and occupation were not moderators of the association. Semantic memory was a significant moderator (p = 0.007), indicating that knowledge acquired during life may be a protective factor. Conclusion: In developing countries, the use of resilience factors based only on years of education may be misleading. Sociocultural issues influence the educational system and achievement and, consequently, affect the use of this simple measure. Resilience-factor studies should consider using crystallized abilities when studying populations with sociocultural particularities.

Resumo em Inglês:

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) combined with music therapy (MT) on clinical symptoms in patients with osteosarcoma. Methods: Patients diagnosed with osteosarcoma were assessed for eligibility. A total of 101 patients were ultimately randomized into the intervention and control groups. Both groups received routine care. Eight sessions of MBSR and MT psychotherapy were conducted in the intervention group, while the control group received no psychological intervention. Patients were assessed regarding pain, anxiety, and sleep quality at two distinct stages: before and after the intervention. Results: There were no significant differences in sociodemographic and clinical parameters between the intervention and control groups at baseline. The intervention program significantly alleviated psychological and physiological complications in patients with osteosarcoma. Specifically, the study revealed that 8 weeks of the combined MBSR/MT intervention effectively reduced pain and anxiety scores and improved the quality of sleep in patients. Conclusion: MBSR combined with MT significantly alleviated clinical symptoms, and could be considered a new, effective psychotherapeutic intervention for patients with osteosarcoma.

Resumo em Inglês:

Objective: We examined the sociodemographic factors associated with smoking risk perceptions (SRP) in youth living in two very different neighborhoods in the city of São Paulo, Brazil: a middle-class central area (Vila Mariana) and a poor outer-city area (Capão Redondo). Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 180 public school-attending youth (all aged 12 years) and their parents. SRP was evaluated through self-reports. Weighted multinomial logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with SRP. Results: Smoking was considered a high-risk behavior by 70.9% of adolescents. There were significant differences in SRP associated with socioeconomic status (SES) and maternal smoking status. Having a non-smoking mother was positively associated with perceiving smoking as having low to moderate risk versus no risk (OR=3.91 [95%CI 1.27-12.02]). Attending school in Capão Redondo was associated with perceiving smoking as having high risk compared to no risk (OR=3.00 [95%CI 1.11-8.12]), and low SES was negatively associated with perceiving at least some risk in smoking versus perceiving no risk in this behavior. Conclusions: Youth whose mothers smoke appear to have lower SRP than those whose mothers do not smoke. Living in a poor outer-city area was associated with higher SRP.

Resumo em Inglês:

Cannabis is the most commonly used illegal drug, and is associated with well-documented adverse health outcomes, both acute and chronic. Cannabis use prevalence in Brazil is lower than in high-use regions in the Americas (e.g., North America), but concentrated among young people. Frameworks for cannabis control are increasingly shifting towards public health-oriented principles, with some countries undertaking respective policy reforms. These frameworks require a continuum of population-level interventions (e.g., prevention and treatment) including targeted prevention of adverse health outcomes among users. In this context, and based on examples from other health fields, an international expert group developed the evidence-based Lower-Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines (LRCUG), originally for Canada, including a set of 10 recommendations based on systematic data reviews and expert consensus methods. The LRCUG form a scientific population-health prevention tool to reduce adverse public health impacts for broad application among cannabis users. In Canada, the LRCUG have been formally endorsed and are supported by leading national health organizations and government authorities within the continuum of cannabis interventions. As the LRCUG are being internationalized, this paper introduces the LRCUG’s concept and content – including their original recommendations translated into Portuguese – to the Brazilian context as an evidence-based population-level intervention tool for uptake, dissemination, and discussion. Sociocultural adaptation may be required for meaningful implementation.

Resumo em Inglês:

Objective: To examine predictors associated with quality of life (QoL) in Brazilian medical students. Methods: PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE, LILACS, and Google Scholar were searched for research articles in English or Portuguese published through August 2018. Observational studies that measured QoL with standard instruments were selected. Three instruments were used to evaluate QoL: the World Health Organization QoL questionnaires (WHOQOL-Bref and WHOQOL-100) and 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Hedges’ g was used to calculate effect sizes. A random-effects model was used in meta-analyses. PRISMA guidelines were followed. Results: The initial search retrieved 8,504 articles; 24 met the eligibility criteria for systematic review, and seven for meta-analyses of gender (n=3,402 students). Predictors of QoL such as gender, years of medical school(years of study), economic class, educational environment, academic efficacy, depression, burnout, resilience, empathic concern, sleep difficulties, chronic illness, body mass index, and leisure-time physical activity were identified in the systematic review. The most frequent predictors of QoL detected in Brazilian medical students were associated with gender and years of study. Conclusions: Female medical students had lower QoL scores in the physical health and psychological domains of WHOQOL-Bref compared to male students. Specific interventions should be designed for this group as appropriate. Systematic review registry number: PROSPERO CRD-42018102259.