Prevalence and clinical correlates of dissociative symptoms in general, and depersonalization (DP) in particular, in patients with mood disorders have received limited attention in the literature1. Thus, the aim ofour study is to evaluate the association between depersonalization symptoms and mood dimensions in a sample of unipolar (UD) and bipolar (BD) patients.

185 patients (95 BD and 90 UD) in eutimic phase (evaluate with YMRS and HDRS) are assessed with: SCID-P for axis I diagnosis, HDRS, YMRS, MOOD-SR-lifetime version2 and SCI-DER.

through a regression analysis we underline in UD patients that the presence of depersonalization symptoms is significantly associated with the following mood dimensions: psychomotor retardation (p = 0.031; B = 2,197), mixed irritability (p = 0.035; B = 2,137) and social extroversion (p = 0.028; B = -2,229). We found no significat association in the group of BD patients.

In UD patiens, the presence of depersonalization symptoms must carefully consider. Further research are needed to identify specific clinical endophenotypes3.

Impulsivity is a core feature of bipolar disorder (BD). The best definition of impulsivity is the predisposition to have rapid and unplanned reactions to internal and external stimuli without regard to the negative consequences of these actions to the impulsive individual or others. Thus, the aim of our study is to investigate the relationship between impulsivity, panic disorder (PD) comorbidity and panic spectrum symptoms in patients with BD.

247 eutimic patients were assessed with SCID-P, MOOD-SR, PAS-SR. Impulsivity dimension was defined on the basis BIS Scale score (version 11).

A backward stepwise logistic regression in bipolar patients with PAS explained score statistically much higher for impulsivity (pas +6.09 vs pas - 3.88 p < 001) and the difference is statistically significant stratifing for BD. A stepwise linear regression, corrected by age and gender, displayed significantly statistical correlation with impulsivity score and PAS-SR by cut-off 35 (OR = 1.210).

In our sample BD eutimic patients explained score statistically much higher for impulsivity. This data confirm the presence of the trait impulsivity in BD eutimic patients. BD patients with a comorbid anxiety disorder seem to display significant higher levels of impulsivity when compared to patients without an anxiety disorder. Impulsivity was linked with atypical panic like symptoms more with PD diagnosis. Results suggest the presence of specific bipolar disorder endophenotipe. Further neurobiologies studies are needed to elucidate the implications and reasons of this association.

There is a strong association between depersonalization (DP) and panic disorder (PD), as documented by Roth (1960) and later by Cassano (1989)1. In the PD is shown a prevalence of 7.8% to 82.6% from the DP. The aim of our study was to evaluate the association between depersonalization symptoms and PD in a sample of patients with anxiety disorders and mood.

A sample of 310 patiens was assessed with: SCID-P for axis I diagnosis and SCI-DER (structured clinical interview for depersonalization and derealization symptoms, lifetime version)2.

Through a linear regression analysis we underline that, the presence of depersonalization symptoms, irrespective of age, gender and mood disorder, is significantly associated with the PD diagnosis (total score SCI-DER Tot p = 0.001; derealization p = 0.001; somatopsychic depersonalization p = 0.001; autopsychic depersonalization p = 0.003; affective depersonalization p = 0.047).

The presence of depersonalization symptoms must carefully assess in clinical setting and suggest the presence of panic disorder.

The aim of our study is to evaluate, in a sample of bipolar (BD) eutimic patients, the association between depersonalization symptoms, facial emotions expression recognition and affective temperament.

95 bipolar eutimic patients (YMRS< 6 and HDRS< 8), are assessed with: SCID-P, TEMPS, SCI-DER1 e POFA (test of recognitionof facial emotions expression by Ekman e Friesen).

Throught a regression analysis we underline that, independently to panic disorder, the ipertimic temperament is associated with: major recognition of happiness (p < 0.001; β = -4,483) and minor recognition of anger (p = 0.005; β = 3,202) in BD patients with high scores in autopsychic depersonalization domain; major recognition of sadness (p = 0.001; β = -3,944) and minor recognition of anger (p = 0.005; β = 3,181) in BD patients with high scores in affective depersonalization domain. Moreover, the cyclotimic temperament is associated with: major recognition of surprise (p = 0.004; β = -3,233) and happiness (p = 0.044; β = -2,124) in BD patients with high scores in Derealization (DER-TOT); major recognition of surprise (p = 0.001; β = -3,792) and happiness (p = 0.018; β = -2,532) in BD patients with high scores in somatopsychic depersonalization domain.

The presence of depersonalization and derealization symptoms is associated with a selective deficit in the recognition of several emotions. in bipolar patients this selective deficit is dependent of type of affective temperament. Further research is warranted to replicate our clinical observation.

The Functioning Assessment Short Test (FAST) is a useful instrument for the assessment of overall functioning of people with bipolar disorder, showing good psychometric properties. The aim of this study is to validate the Italian version of FAST.

Translation and back-translation of the original FAST Spanish version were performed. Participants with bipolar disorder (n = 132) and healthy controls (n = 132) completed the FAST as a part of an assessment package including the Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale and the Young Mania Rating Scale. Internal consistency, inter-rater reliability, construct and discriminant validity were assessed.

The FAST Italian version showed good internal consistency, inter-rater reliability and discriminant validity. The cut-off discriminating patients from controls was 15, with a sensitivity of 0.79 and a specificity of 0.80. Principal component analysis with oblique rotation showed factor loadings consistent with the a priori structure of the instrument.

This study confirmed the psychometric properties of FAST and extended its generalization and validity to the Italian population.

To study the potential use of child behaviour checklist (CBCL) 1.5–5 scales for the early identification of preschoolers at risk of autism.

CBCL scores of three groups of preschoolers were compared: (1) an experimental group of 101 preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); (2) a control group of 95 preschoolers with other psychiatric disorders (OPD); (3) a control group of 117 preschoolers with typical development (TD). One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), logistic regression with odds ratio (OR) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were performed.

ANOVA revealed that ASD and OPD had significantly higher scores in almost all CBCL scales than TD. ASD presented significantly higher scores than OPD on Withdrawn, Attention Problems and Pervasive Developmental Problems (PDP) scales. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that these same CBCL scales have validity in predicting the presence of an ASD towards both TD and OPD. ROC analysis indicated high sensitivity and specificity for PDP (0.85 and 0.90) and Withdrawn (0.89 and 0.92) scales when ASD is compared to TD. Specificity (0.60 for PDP and 0.65 for Withdrawn) decreases when comparing ASD and OPD

The PDP and Withdrawn scales have a good predictive validity so that they could be proposed as a first-level tool to identify preschoolers at risk of autism in primary care settings. Problems regarding the lower specificity when comparing ASD v. OPD are discussed.

Although many studies suggest that, on average, depression-specific psychotherapy and antidepressant pharmacotherapy are efficacious, we know relatively little about which patients are more likely to respond to one versus the other. We sought to determine whether measures of spectrum psychopathology are useful in deciding which patients with unipolar depression should receive pharmacotherapy versus depression-specific psychotherapy.

A total of 318 adult out-patients with major depression were randomly assigned to escitalopram pharmacotherapy or interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) at academic medical centers at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Pisa, Italy. Our main focus was on predictors and moderators of time to remission on monotherapy at 12 weeks.

Participants with higher scores on the need for medical reassurance factor of the Panic–Agoraphobic Spectrum Self-Report (PAS-SR) had more rapid remission with IPT and those with lower scores on the psychomotor activation factor of the Mood Spectrum Self-Report (MOODS-SR) experienced more rapid remission with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) pharmacotherapy. Non-specific predictors of longer time to remission with monotherapy included several panic spectrum and mood spectrum factors and the Social Phobia Spectrum (SHY) total score. Higher baseline scores on the 17- and 25-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scales (HAMD-17 and HAMD-25) and the Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS) also predicted a longer time to remission, whereas being married predicted a shorter time to remission.

This exploratory study identified several non-specific predictors but few moderators of psychotherapy versus pharmacotherapy outcome. It offers useful indicators of the characteristics of patients that are generally difficult to treat, but only limited guidance as to who benefits from IPT versus SSRI pharmacotherapy.