Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Silvia Bernardi.
The authors report an improvement in delusions and hallucinations after antidepressant treatment (Clomipramine) in a parkinsonian patient with psychosis and comorbid depression. Their findings, which support a previous case treated with Citalopram, highlight the possible effectiveness of antidepressant therapy on psychotic symptoms in parkinsonian patients.
OBJECTIVE: Acute administration of the partial serotonin (5-HT) agonist meta-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP), that is used also as a street drug, has been reported to induce a "high" and craving response in various impulsive and substance addiction disorders. INTRODUCTION: To clarify altered 5-HT metabolism in pathological gamblers and to explore the specific role of serotonergic system in non-substance addictions, we assessed behavioral ("high" and "craving") and neuroendocrine (prolactin and cortisol) responses to an oral single dose of m-CPP and placebo in pathological gamblers and matched controls. Moreover, the relationship between neuroendocrine outcome and clinical severity has been assessed. METHOD: Twenty-six pathological gamblers and 26 healthy control subjects enter a double-blind, placebo-controlled-crossed administration of orally dose m-CPP 0.5 mg/kg. Outcome measures included prolactin and cortisol levels, gambling severity, mood, craving and "high" scales. RESULTS: Pathological gamblers had significantly increased prolactin response compared to controls at 180 minutes and at 210 minutes post-administration. Greater pathological gamblers severity correlated with increased neuroendocrine responsiveness to m-CCP, suggesting greater 5-HT dysregulation. Pathological gambling patients had a significantly increased "high" sensation after m-CPP administration compared with control. CONCLUSION: These results provide additional evidence for 5-HT disturbance in pathological gamblers and they support the hypotheses that the role of the 5-HT dysfunction related to the experience of "high" might represent the pathway that leads to dyscontrolled behavior in pathological gamblers. Furthermore, the "high" feeling induced by m-CPP in pathological subjects may represent a marker of vulnerability to both behavioral and substance addictions.
OBJECTIVE: Taking into account the importance of act prevention on the development of addictions, we assessed the presence of multiple addictions in an adolescent high-school population, also assessing the prevalence of Internet abuse and the impact on disability. INTRODUCTION: Adolescence seems to be a critical period of addiction vulnerability, based on social but also neurobiological factors. The earlier onset of behavioral/substance dependence seems to predict greater addiction severity, morbidity, and multiple addictive disorders. METHODS: Data were collected from a sample of 275 students in Florence, Italy, high schools through surveys distributed in classes. The sample had an average age of 16.67+/-1.85 years (52.4% males, 47.6% females). To assess multiple addiction we used the 16 subscales of the Shorter PROMIS Questionnaire, to assess Internet addiction prevalence we used the Internet Addiction Scale, and to quantify disability symptoms, we used the Sheehan Disability Scale. RESULTS: Caffeine abuse, sex, relationship submissive, gambling, food starving, and food bingeing have raised highest scores. 5.4% of the students were found to be Internet addicted similar to other countries. Disability seemed strongly correlated to the subscale of alcohol, gambling, sex, tobacco, food starving and food bingeing, shopping, exercise, and Internet addiction. Gambling, sex, caffeine abuse, compulsive help dominant, work, Internet addiction, relationship dominant, and relationship submissive in this sample were strongly related to substance dependence. CONCLUSION: Level of concerns unexpected compared to the level reported in other countries for the behavioral compulsions, have been highlighted. Behavioral addictions are multiple, a source of disability, and they are related to substance abuse. It has yet to be clarified if they are a temporary phenomenon occurring in adolescents or if they are a stable trait, accounting as marker for the development of substance abuse.
Luteinizing hormone (LH) is a crucial physiological regulator of the human menstrual cycle. LH activity is also contained in many medications used to treat anovulation and to stimulate multiple folliculogenesis for assisted reproduction techniques. However, LH activity had previously been regarded as just a contaminant of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-containing products and deemed potentially detrimental for reproductive function. Novel experimental and clinical evidence now suggests that the administration of pharmacological amounts of LH activity, instead of being harmful, is therapeutically advantageous, particularly in the support and modulation of ovarian folliculogenesis. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the effects of LH activity administration in ovarian stimulation and to outline novel unconventional gonadotropin regimens that might improve the efficacy, safety and convenience of ovulation induction.
OBJECTIVE: To prove that several days of low-dose hCG alone can be used to stimulate folliculogenesis, complete FSH-initiated follicle/oocyte maturation, and achieve pregnancy in assisted reproduction technology. DESIGN: Case report. SETTING: Reproductive endocrinology center at an academic institution. PATIENT(S): A 35-year-old female patient and her partner with male-related infertility. INTERVENTION(S): After an 8-day priming with hMG (225 IU/d), we administered low-dose hCG (200 IU/d) alone for 5 days in one GnRH-agonist suppressed patient until proper follicle development was obtained and intracytoplasmic sperm injection was performed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Daily serum levels of LH, FSH, hCG, E(2), P, and T; measurements of follicle number and size; oocytes retrieved and fertilized; pregnancy. RESULT(S): Although FSH levels rapidly declined after hMG discontinuation, E(2) and large follicles increased during hCG-only administration. Several good quality oocytes were retrieved and fertilized by intracytoplasmic sperm injection; three embryos were transferred and a twin pregnancy ensued. CONCLUSION(S): Replacement of FSH with low-dose hCG for several days in the late ovulation induction stages of assisted reproduction technology resulted in: [1] continued growth of large ovarian follicles and E(2); [2] an optimal preovulatory follicle pattern consisting of many large and few medium and small follicles; and [3] reproductively competent oocytes and pregnancy.