Epilepsy is one of the most common serious brain illness, with symptoms influenced by multiple risk factors and a strong genetic predisposition, rather than having a single expression and cause¹. Neuropsychiatric symptoms in epilepsy can encompass manifestations such as mood alterations, anxiety, sleep disturbances, psychosis, and behavioral disorders. While the motor and sensory manifestations of epileptic seizures are widely recognized, neuropsychiatric symptoms accompanying epilepsy are often underestimated. Therefore, it is essential to understand the most prevalent epidemiological profile of these patients to improve the diagnosis and management of these symptoms.

Our goal was to evaluate the neuropsychiatric behavior of epilepsy patients in Brazilian over the past 3 years through hospitalization data in order to outline an epidemiological and behavioral profile.

A cross-sectional, descriptive, retrospective, and quantitative study was conducted on hospitalizations of individuals simultaneously diagnosed with epilepsy, schizotypal and delusional disorders, and mood disorders in all five regions of Brazil (South, Southeast, Midwest, North, and Northeast) between February 2020 and December 2022. Data from January 2020 were not available. The data used were collected through the Department of Health Informatics of the Brazilian Unified Health System (DATASUS) in the “Hospital Information System of SUS” section, gathering information regarding the nature of care, age range, gender, and ethnicity of the patients.

The analysis covers the years 2020 to 2022, totaling 503,045 hospitalizations. In 2022, the highest number of cases occurred (≈ 37.55%), followed by 2021 (≈ 33.62%) and 2020 (≈ 28.81%). Urgent hospitalizations represented ≈ 90.85% of the total. The most affected age group was 30 to 39 years old (≈ 18.30%). Men were more affected than women (≈ 52.03% and ≈ 47.96%, respectively), and Caucasians accounted for ≈ 36.07% of the hospitalizations. The average length of stay was 19.1 days, and the mortality rate was 1.4%.

Thus, there is a gradual and annual increase in the number of hospitalizations during the observed period. While there is a minimal disparity between the affected genders, it is evident that the profile of male, caucasian, and adult patients is the most prevalent. Moreover, the predominantly urgent nature of hospitalizations points to an alarming scenario regarding this issue. From the analysis of the data obtained in the study, there is a clear need for interventions capable of reducing the prevalence of hospitalizations for neuropsychiatric symptoms in epilepsy patients in Brazil.

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Neuropsychiatric disorders are the leading cause of disability worldwide, as seen in cases such as depression, anxiety, bipolar mood disorder and schizophrenia, which can be developed or exacerbated by the use of psychoactive substances. Most mental disorders have an early onset, often leading to early and/or permanent disability, increasing the need and cost of healthcare. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the identification of the epidemiological profile of these cases in the South of Brazil in order to enhance the diagnosis and reduce the costs associated with managing these disorders.

The present study aimed to analyze statistical data regarding hospitalizations related to mental disorders caused by the use of psychoactive substances and alcohol in the southern region of Brazil, highlighting the pathological scenario and identifying the most prevalent profiles of these disorders in this region.

A cross-sectional, descriptive, retrospective, and quantitative study was conducted on hospitalizations of individuals diagnosed with mental and behavioral disorders due to the use of psychoactive substances and alcohol in the states of the Southern region of Brazil (Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul) between February 2020 and December 2022. Data of January 2020 were not available. The data used were collected through the Department of Health Informatics of the Brazilian Unified Health System (DATASUS) in the “Hospital Information System of SUS” section, gathering information regarding the nature of the care, age range, gender, and ethnicity of the patients.

The study covers the years 2020 to 2022, indicating a total of 81,608 hospitalizations, with the year 2022 having the highest number of cases (≈ 37.13%), followed by 2021 (≈ 33.30%) and 2020 (≈ 29.55%). The states with the highest number of hospitalizations were Rio Grande do Sul (≈ 54.90%), Paraná (≈ 29.29%), and Santa Catarina (≈ 15.79%). Urgent hospitalizations accounted for ≈ 87.29% of the total. The most affected age group was 30 to 39 years old (≈ 25.61%). Men were more affected than women (≈ 81.70% and ≈ 18.28%, respectively). Caucasians accounted for ≈ 64.29% of the hospitalizations. The average length of stay was 20.8 days, and the mortality rate was 0.32%.

There is a clear increase in the number of hospitalizations related to mental disorders caused by the use of psychoactive substances in the period from 2020 to 2022 in the southern region of Brazil, with the highest number of cases in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The most affected population consisted of Caucasian men aged 30 to 39 years old. Furthermore, these results may be related to the increasing trend of psychoactive substance use among the Brazilian population and also the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a period of underreporting due to social isolation.

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In recent years, mental health has gained prominence in public health, prompting thorough investigations into psychiatric condition trends. This study conducts a comprehensive epidemiological analysis of hospitalizations for Schizophrenia, Schizotypal, and Delirium Disorders in Rio Grande do Sul (RS) over the past five years. By revealing these patterns, it enhances our understanding of regional mental health dynamics and offers insights for intervention strategies, resource planning, and improved mental healthcare. The ultimate goal is to advance more effective and accessible mental healthcare in RS and beyond.

This study aims to analyze the prevalence and epidemiological profile of hospitalizations due to psychiatric disorders to assist in the diagnosis and outcome of affected patients.

A cross-sectional, descriptive, retrospective, and quantitative study was conducted regarding hospitalizations for Schizophrenia, Schizotypal Disorders, and Delirium in the state of RS between January 2018 and November 2022. Data were collected from the Department of Informatics of the Brazilian Unified Health System (DATASUS) in the “Hospital Information System of SUS” section, focusing on the nature of care, age group, gender, and ethnicity of the patients. The information was aggregated over the five-year period based on the four mentioned descriptors and subsequently analyzed to establish a profile of hospitalizations during that period.

The analysis spans from 2018 to 2022, encompassing a total of 28,345 hospitalizations. In 2019, there was the highest number of cases (22.21%), followed by 2018 (21.08%). Urgent care admissions constituted 85.34% of the total. The age group most affected was 35 to 39 years (11.8%). Men were more affected than women (60.18%), and the majority of hospitalizations were among the Caucasian ethnicity (75.12%). The average length of stay was 23.7 days, and the mortality rate stood at 0.26%.

The increasing trend in hospitalizations, peaking in 2019, highlights the need for preventive measures. Urgent admissions (85.34%) underscore the demand for accessible mental health resources. Men in the 35 to 39 age group are disproportionately affected, suggesting specific risk factors. The predominance of Caucasian ethnicity emphasizes the need for culturally sensitive care. A longer average length of stay (23.7 days) underscores treatment complexity, while a low mortality rate (0.26%) signals effective medical care. In essence, these findings inform tailored mental health policies to enhance service quality and prioritize patient-centered approaches.

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Executive functions (EF) are associated to frontal lobes and cognitive decline (CD) with worse results on EF tests.

Analyze if the Frontal Assessment Battery/FAB assessing EF discriminates elders with CD (vs. with no CD; Montreal Cognitive Assessment/MoCA), and if the results obtained with the Rey Osterreith Complex Figure Test/ROCF (copy's quality, immediate, and delayed memory) are associated with the CD presence/absence. Moreover, we wanted to assess if copy's quality and 3 minutes memory test are associated with FAB results, since these two tests are supposedly associated with EF and with frontal lobes assessed by the FAB, contrarily to the 20 minutes memory (supposedly related to the temporal area).

556 institutionalized elders (age: M ± SD =80.2 ± 5.23; range=60-100) filled in voluntarily a sociodemographic questionnaire, ROCF, MoCA and FAB.

FAB and all ROCF tests were associated with the absence/presence of CD. Regarding variables stratified by age and education, FAB was associated with immediate memory but not with copy's quality nor with delayed memory. With no stratified ROCF and FAB, correlations confirmed the previous associations, but also between FAB and copy's quality.

Results follow the literature regarding the association between immediate memory and EF (associated to frontal lobes), in contrast to the long-term memory which is associated with the temporal area and that was not associated with FAB. Results concerning copy's quality (ROCF) are not consensual.

When cognitive decline (CD) is present, attention is one of the impaired mental functions. CD is also associated with anxious/depressive symptoms and with some demographic variables, particularly, age.

Investigate the associations between selective attention (Stroop Test: Stroop_Word, Stroop_Color, Difference between Stroop_Word and Stroop_Color, Stroop Ratio_Word, Stroop Ratio_Color and Difference between Stroop Ratio_Word and Stroop Ratio_ Color) and CD (Montreal Cognitive Assessment/MoCA) in institutionalized elders; explore the predictive value of Stroop variables for CD, controlling anxious/depressive symptoms and sociodemographic variables.

140 institutionalized elders (mean age, M = 78.4, SD = 7.48, range = 60-97) voluntarily answered to sociodemographic questions, the MoCA, the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory/GAI, the Geriatric Depression Scale/GDS and Stroop test.

73 elders (52, 1%) had CD. Dichotomized MoCA was associated with Stroop_Word, Stroop_Color, Stroop Ratio_Word, Stroop Ratio_Color, GDS and the sociodemographic variable schooling × profession. Age and education were not tested, since MoCA was stratified according to those variables. GDS, Stroop Ratio_Word and Stroop Ratio_Color showed to predict CD.

There was an association between Stroop_Word, Stroop_Color, Stroop Ratio_Word and Stroop Ratio_Color and CD, confirming that selective attention is smaller when the elderly reveal CD. GDS and CD were, also, associated. However, there was no association between MoCA dichotomized and differences between the correct answers (Stroop_Word and Stroop_Color) and Ratios (Stroop Ratio_Word and Stroop Ratio_Color). Selective attention and depressive symptoms predicted CD. It would be important to intervene through cognitive rehabilitation with the elders to improve their attention.