Life events (LEs) are a risk factor for first onset and relapse of psychotic disorders. However, the impact of LEs on specific symptoms – namely reality distortion, disorganization, negative symptoms, depression, and mania – remains unclear. Moreover, the differential effects of negative v. positive LEs are poorly understood.

The present study utilizes an epidemiologic cohort of patients (N = 428) ascertained at first-admission for psychosis and followed for a decade thereafter. Symptoms were assessed at 6-, 24-, 48-, and 120-month follow-ups.

We examined symptom change within-person and found that negative events in the previous 6 months predicted an increase in reality distortion (β = 0.07), disorganized (β = 0.07), manic (β = 0.08), and depressive symptoms (β = 0.06), and a decrease in negative symptoms (β = −0.08). Conversely, positive LEs predicted fewer reality distortion (β = −0.04), disorganized (β = −0.04), and negative (β = −0.13) symptoms, and were unrelated to mood symptoms. A between-person approach to the same hypotheses confirmed that negative LEs predicted change in all symptoms, while positive LEs predicted change only in negative symptoms. In contrast, symptoms rarely predicted future LEs.

These findings confirm that LEs have an effect on symptoms, and thus contribute to the burden of psychotic disorders. That LEs increase positive symptoms and decrease negative symptoms suggest at least two different mechanisms underlying the relationship between LEs and symptoms. Our findings underscore the need for increased symptom monitoring following negative LEs, as symptoms may worsen during that time.

Embolic ischemic strokes cause significant mortality and morbidity worldwide. It has been proposed that some of these strokes are due to unstable carotid plaques with intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) but a low overall degree of stenosis. Our aim was to test a fat-saturated T1-weighted (T1WI) black-blood sequence on MRI for the detection of IPH in symptomatic individuals and to quantify the relation between IPH, severity of stenoses, and ischemic brain lesions.

Sixty-two patients were examined by 3T MRI. Sequences included brain diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) as well as 3D turbo spin echo (TSE) fat-saturated black-blood T1 of the carotid bifurcations, to detect IPH as a focal intraplaque hyperintensity. Both carotid arteries were analyzed in each patient. The North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial scale was used for quantification of stenosis degree.

Thirty-six out of 62 patients (mean age, 74) showed brain ischemia on DWI. Fifteen of these 36 patients (42%) had associated ipsilateral IPH at the carotid bifurcation or the proximal internal carotid artery. Mean degree of stenosis in this group was 50%. In 21 patients with ischemia without IPH, the mean degree of stenosis was 44%.

MRI with 3D TSE fat-saturated black-blood T1 technique is a safe, reliable, and noninvasive tool for the detection of IPH. A high percentage (42%) of ischemic events in patients with low- to moderate-degree stenosis were associated with IPH, an easily detectable imaging biomarker of plaque vulnerability. The ability to confirm IPH by MRI may help stratify patients into different risk and treatment groups in the future.

Lithium has been used in the treatment of pregnant women with bipolar disorder for many decades but information on the effects of its exposure on perinatal variables is scarce.

To determine the effects of in-utero exposure to lithium on neonatal outcomes among infants born to women with treatment with lithium during pregnancy.

Prospective and observational study including all consecutive cases of pregnant women with bipolar disorder type I or II (N = 22) and maintenance treatment with lithium monotherapy (n=13) or polytherapy (n=9), attended at the PERINATAL PSYCHIATRY PROGRAM CLÍNIC-BARCELONA between 2005 and 2012. We evaluated sociodemographic data, lithium plasma concentrations in maternal blood and umbilical cord, obstetric and neonatal variables.

No statistically significant differences were found regarding sociodemographic data between both groups. Rates for umbilical cord:maternal plasma lithium levels were higher in women treated with polytherapy than in women who received lithium alone (1.08 vs. 1.05). Neonates exposed to polytherapy had a higher weight percentile at birth (p70 vs p50) and greater gestational age (39.72 vs. 38.28 weeks), than those exposed to lithium alone. Acute neonatal complications were more frequently observed in infants that were exposed to lithium monotherapy (33.3% vs. 38.50), being all complications transitory and not severe.

The infants exposed to lithium polytherapy presented a higher weight at birth compared to those who received lithium monotherapy. However, no statistically significant differences were found between treatment groups. Further research is needed to better clarify safety of lithium and its effect on neonatal outcomes.

The implantation of a pacemaker or an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator during childhood may reduce quality of life and lead to mental health problems. This study aimed to evaluate potential mental health problems (i.e., depressive and anxiety symptoms) and quality of life in children with cardiac active devices in comparison to healthy peers.

We analysed data of children with pacemakers or implantable cardioverter-defibrillators aged 6–18 years. Quality of life, depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed by standardised questionnaires. The results were compared to age-matched reference groups.

Children with implantable cardioverter-defibrillator showed significant lower quality of life in comparison to reference group (p = 0.03), but there was no difference in quality of life between children with pacemaker and reference group. There was no significant difference in depressive symptoms between children with a cardiac rhythm device compared to reference group (self-report: p = 0.67; proxy report: p = 0.49). There was no significant difference in anxiety (p = 0.53) and depressive symptoms (p = 0.86) between children with pacemaker and children with implantable cardioverter-defibrillator.

Living with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator in childhood seems to decrease the patients’ quality of life. Although children with pacemaker and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator don’t seem to show more depressive and anxiety symptoms in comparison to their healthy peers, there still can be an increased risk for those children to develop mental health problems. Therefore, treating physicians should be aware of potential mental health problems and provide the patients and their families with appropriate therapeutic offers.

Hikikomori, a form of severe social isolation, once characterized as a Japanese cultural-bond behavior with social and economic consequences, it is now being described in other countries. Its presentation mimics some clinical features of various classified mental diseases, such as prodromal phase of schizophrenia, personality disorders, Internet dependence, social phobia or depression, without fulfilling their defining criteria.

This work aimed to do a brief review of this subject, describing one case that is probably the first ever reported in Portugal, comparing it with similar cases around the world.

The patient was a 22-year-old male, taken to psychiatry evaluation after 4 years of social withdrawal, avoiding or blocking any contact even with family members, which resulted in work and school impairment. He spent most of his days locked at his room, investing his time in particular interests and Internet use, only leaving to eat or do his basic hygiene. At that time, he presented no affective or psychotic symptoms and perceived his behavior as egosintonic. After six appointments with psychotherapeutic approach, he was able to get a job and improved his communication with the others, especially with family.

This case fits most of the reports found on literature, in its presentation and clinical management. Hikikomori is not considered yet a disorder and further documentation of these cases is still needed to define its place in psychiatric nosology.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Although psychoactive substance use disorders (PSUD) belong to the domain of mental health, their management varies greatly among European countries. Furthermore, both the role of psychiatrists and trainees in the treatment of PSUD is not the same for each European country.

Among the context of the European Federation of Psychiatric Trainees (EFPT), the PSUD Working Group has developed a survey that has been spread out between the 15th of august 2015 and 15th of October 2016, at the aim of gathering information about the training in PSUD in Europe, both from Child and Adolescent, and General Adult Psychiatric (CAP and GAP) trainees.

The survey investigated, at European level, the organisation of the PSUD training, trainees satisfaction, attitudes towards people who use psychoactive substances, management of pharmacologic and involvement in common clinical situations.

A 70-items questionnaire regarding the aforementioned objectives was developed, and shared trough an online data-collecting system among European CAP and GAP trainees, with 40 trainees per country filling the survey in at least 25 countries. One national coordinator per country facilitated the delivering of the survey.

A total of 1250 surveys were filled from more than 25 European countries.

Data from the survey will be promptly analysed.

The survey will be the first to explore European psychiatric trainees attitudes and practices about PSUD. Findings from this independent survey may serve in understanding the needs of trainees in the field of substance misuse psychiatry.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The term contrail is a contraction of condensation and trail, as chemtrail is of chemical and trail. The first one is used to name trails left in the sky by aircrafts under certain atmospheric conditions. Some people argue that when contrails do not dissipate quickly is because contain substances added and sprayed for sinister purposes undisclosed to the population (weather modification and biological and/or chemical war are the most common).

Exist various versions of the chemtrail theory, most of them propagated via the internet in discussions forums or websites, and to a lesser degree by the mass media such as TV and radio programs. The outspread popularity and diffusion of the theory has already become a reality. Scientific community has repeatedly rejected that chemtrails exist, insisting that are just contrails. We analyze this phenomenon.

We made a exhaustive literature review in Journals of Meteorology and Aviation, about the formation of condensation trails, in Social Pychology Journals about the genesis and dissemination of the chemtrails theory. Finally, we will make a brief presentation of documentation built around the theory of chemtrails in the province of Zamora (Spain), where is one of the most active spots in southern Europe.

official statements on the non-existence of chemtrails have not discouraged the proponents of the theory of chemtrails.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The European Federation of Psychiatric Trainees (EFPT) is an independent Federation of Psychiatric Trainees and represents the consensus of psychiatric trainee's organizations across European countries and advocates for what training should look like, regardless of the country. Spain was one of the last countries to be part of the Association. Finally, and after months of hard work and networking, on September 2015 the Spanish Society of Psychiatry Trainees(SERP), was founded and Spain became a observer member of the EFPT.

One of the main goals of the SERP, is creating a program of clerkships, in both directions, from other trainees to come to Spain, and for Spanish Trainees to go abroad.

Our idea in this poster is to explain a first look of which Hospitals/Units would be appropriate to make a rotation, and to explain the first steps in order to create a database with information about the nightshifts, possible accommodation and other aspects related to the organization. We want to use this poster to present to Europe our new Association.

On September 25 at the National Congress of Psychiatry in Santiago de Compostela, a Group of Spanish trainees founded the SERP, organized the first Board and signed the Founding Amendments.

After two previous failed attempts, finally on 25th September 201; the Spanish Society of Psychiatry Residents (SERP) was founded, an important part of the activity of this company is promoting exchanges between residents of member countries in Spain.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure (CIAF) can only be applied to children under 5 years of age and does not contemplate obesity. The aim of this study was to propose an Extended CIAF (ECIAF) that combines the characterization of malnutrition due to undernutrition and excess weight, and apply it in six Argentine provinces.

ECIAF excludes children not in anthropometric failure (group A) and was calculated from a percentage of children included in malnutrition categories B: wasting only; C: wasting and underweight; D: wasting, stunting and underweight; E: stunting and underweight; F: stunting only; Y: underweight only; G: only weight excess; and H: stunting and weight excess.

Cross-sectional study conducted in Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Chubut, Jujuy, Mendoza and Misiones (Argentina).

10 879 children of both sexes aged between 3 and 13·99.

ECIAF in preschool children (3 to 4·99 years) was 15·1 %. The highest prevalence was registered in Mendoza (16·7 %) and the lowest in Misiones (12·0 %). In school children (5 to 13·99 years) ECIAF was 28·6 %. Mendoza also recorded the highest rate (30·7 %), while Catamarca and Chubut had the lowest values (27·0 %). In the whole sample, about 25 % of the malnutrition was caused by undernutrition and 75 % by excess weight.

The ECIAF summarizes anthropometric failure by both deficiency and excess weight and it highlights that a quarter of the malnutrition in the Argentine population was caused by undernutrition, although there are differences between Provinces (P < 0·05). ECIAF estimates are higher than those of CIAF or under-nutrition.