In this study, we have compared 229 Wechsler Adults Intelligence Scale – Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) cognitive profiles of different severity adults with autism spectrum disorder to verify the impact of several variables including sex, age, level of education and autism severity level in an Italian sample. Moreover, we wanted to find out the optimal cut points for the major intelligence quotients in order to discriminate autism severity levels.

Participants were recruited from two National Health System Center in two different Italian regions and were assessed with gold-standard instruments as a part of their clinical evaluation. According to DSM-5, cognitive domains were also measured with multi-componential tests. We used the Italian adaptation of WAIS-IV. We checked our hypotheses using linear regression models and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves.

Our results showed that age and level of education have a strong impact on Verbal Comprehension (VCI) and Working Memory Indexes (WMI). Gender differences are relevant when considering the VCI and Processing Speed index (PSI) in which women obtained the best performance. These differences are still relevant when considering cut points of ROC because 69 resulted to be the optimal cut point for women, 65 for men.

Few conclusions can be assumed only examining Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ) scores as it includes many different information about broader cognitive abilities. Looking deeper at main indexes and their subtests findings are consistent with previous research on the disorder (moderate correlations of FSIQ, Perceptual Reasoning index, WMI and PSI with the participants’ age), while other results are unforeseen (no effect of sex found on FSIQ score) or novel (significant effect of education on VCI and WMI). Using an algorithm predicting optimal cut point for discriminating through autism severity levels can help clinicians to better label and quantify the required help a person may need, a test cannot replace diagnostic and clinical evaluation by experienced clinicians.

Racial and ethnic groups in the USA differ in the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Recent research however has not observed consistent racial/ethnic differences in posttraumatic stress in the early aftermath of trauma, suggesting that such differences in chronic PTSD rates may be related to differences in recovery over time.

As part of the multisite, longitudinal AURORA study, we investigated racial/ethnic differences in PTSD and related outcomes within 3 months after trauma. Participants (n = 930) were recruited from emergency departments across the USA and provided periodic (2 weeks, 8 weeks, and 3 months after trauma) self-report assessments of PTSD, depression, dissociation, anxiety, and resilience. Linear models were completed to investigate racial/ethnic differences in posttraumatic dysfunction with subsequent follow-up models assessing potential effects of prior life stressors.

Racial/ethnic groups did not differ in symptoms over time; however, Black participants showed reduced posttraumatic depression and anxiety symptoms overall compared to Hispanic participants and White participants. Racial/ethnic differences were not attenuated after accounting for differences in sociodemographic factors. However, racial/ethnic differences in depression and anxiety were no longer significant after accounting for greater prior trauma exposure and childhood emotional abuse in White participants.

The present findings suggest prior differences in previous trauma exposure partially mediate the observed racial/ethnic differences in posttraumatic depression and anxiety symptoms following a recent trauma. Our findings further demonstrate that racial/ethnic groups show similar rates of symptom recovery over time. Future work utilizing longer time-scale data is needed to elucidate potential racial/ethnic differences in long-term symptom trajectories.

In the absence of evidence of acute cerebral herniation, normal ventilation is recommended for patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Despite this recommendation, ventilation strategies vary during the initial management of patients with TBI and may impact outcome. The goal of this systematic review was to define the best evidence-based practice of ventilation management during the initial resuscitation period.

A literature search of PubMed, CINAHL, and SCOPUS identified studies from 2009 through 2019 addressing the effects of ventilation during the initial post-trauma resuscitation on patient outcomes.

The initial search yielded 899 articles, from which 13 were relevant and selected for full-text review. Six of the 13 articles met the inclusion criteria, all of which reported on patients with TBI. Either end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) or partial pressure carbon dioxide (PCO2) were the independent variables associated with mortality. Decreased rates of mortality were reported in patients with normal PCO2 or ETCO2.

Normoventilation, as measured by ETCO2 or PCO2, is associated with decreased mortality in patients with TBI. Preventing hyperventilation or hypoventilation in patients with TBI during the early resuscitation phase could improve outcome after TBI.

Poor sleep is a common complaint in postpartum depression (PPD). Depression as well as sleep disturbances may affect parenting functions and mother-infant relationship. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between objective sleep data, parenting stress and bonding in PPD.

Forty-five mothers (age: 34.5 ± 5.4 years SD) suffering from PPD were examined 212 ± 156 days (SD) after parturition. Depression was measured by Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-ADS) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Parenting stress and bonding were assessed by self report scales, i.e. Parenting Stress Index (PSI) and Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ). In a subsample of 10 participants sleep parameters were assessed by actigraphy and sleep logs during seven consecutive days. Actigraphic sleep parameters were put in relation to severity of depression, PSI and PBQ scores.

Poor sleep, i.e. low total sleep time (TST) was negatively correlated to depression (HRDS-ADS) (r = -.63; p < .05). Low TST was associated with poor bonding (r = -.82; p = .02), especially attitudes of “rejection and anger”. Severity of depression (BDI) was correlated with parenting stress (r =.50; p =.005). Mothers with high parenting stress tended to have more difficulties in bonding (r =.65; p =.016). Neither sleep parameters nor parenting stress and bonding were correlated with the infant's age.

In PPD poor sleep should be recognized and treated early, because it is associated to parenting stress and disturbed bonding, which might have a detrimental impact on mother-infant relationship.

We report the results from the first 12 months of a 2-year maintenance phase of a study evaluating long-term efficacy and safety of venlafaxine extended-release (XR) in preventing recurrence of depression.

Patients with recurrent unipolar depression (N=1096) were randomly assigned in a 3:1 ratio to 10-week treatment with venlafaxine XR (75 mg/d to 300 mg/d) or fluoxetine (20 mg/d to 60 mg/d). Responders (HAM-D17 total score ≤12 and ≥50% decrease from baseline) entered a 6-month, double-blind, continuation phase on the same medication. Continuation phase responders enrolled into the maintenance treatment period consisting of 2 consecutive 12-month phases. At the start of each maintenance phase, venlafaxine XR responders were randomly assigned to double-blind treatment with venlafaxine XR or placebo; fluoxetine responders continued for each period. Time to recurrence (HAM-D17 total score >12 and <50% reduction from acute phase baseline at 2 consecutive visits or the last visit prior to discontinuation) was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier methods and compared between groups using log-rank tests.

At the end of the continuation phase, venlafaxine XR responders were randomly assigned to venlafaxine XR (n=164) or placebo (n=172); 129 patients in each group were evaluated for efficacy. The cumulative probability of recurrence through 12 months was 23.1% (95% CI: 15.3, 30.9) for venlafaxine XR and 42.0% (95% CI: 31.8, 52.2) for placebo (P=0.005).

Twelve months of venlafaxine XR maintenance treatment was effective in preventing recurrence in depressed patients who had been successfully treated with venlafaxine XR during acute and continuation therapy.

This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of venlafaxine extended-release (XR) in preventing recurrence of depression.

Outpatients with recurrent unipolar depression (N=1096) were randomly assigned in a 3:1 ratio to 10-week treatment with venlafaxine XR (75 mg/d to 300 mg/d) or fluoxetine (20 mg/d to 60 mg/d). Responders (HAM-D17 ≤12 and ≥50% decrease from baseline) entered a 6-month, double-blind, continuation phase on the same medication. Continuation phase responders enrolled into maintenance treatment consisting of 2 consecutive 12-month phases. At the start of each maintenance phase, venlafaxine XR responders were randomized to double-blind treatment with venlafaxine XR or placebo; fluoxetine responders continued on fluoxetine. Time to recurrence (HAM-D17 >12 and <50% reduction from acute phase baseline at 2 consecutive visits or the last valid visit prior to discontinuation) was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier methods and compared between groups using log-rank tests.

In the second maintenance phase, the cumulative probabilities of recurrence through 12 months in the venlafaxine XR (n=43) and placebo (n=40) groups were 8.0% (95% CI: 0.0, 16.8) and 44.8% (95% CI: 27.6, 62.0), respectively (P<0.001). The probabilities of recurrence over 24 months for patients assigned to venlafaxine XR (n=129) or placebo (n=129) for the first maintenance phase were 28.5% (95% CI 18.3, 37.8) and 47.3% (95% CI 36.4, 58.2), respectively (P=0.005).

An additional 12 months of venlafaxine XR maintenance therapy was effective in preventing recurrence in depressed patients who had responded to venlafaxine XR after acute, continuation, and 12 months' initial maintenance therapy.

The KIBRA rs17070145 “CC” and the CLSTN2 rs6439886 “TT” genotypes have been associated with poor episodic memory performance in healthy persons. Episodic memory is also impaired in depression. Therefore, we hypothesized that depressed persons with the “CC/TT” genotype combination would perform worse in comparison to other KIBRA and CLSTN2 combinations.

To examine the effects of KIBRA and CLSTN2 on episodic memory performance in nondepressed and depressed elderly persons (60+).

Genotyping from peripheral blood samples and episodic memory testing were performed in the population-based SNAC-K study. All non-demented participants (n = 2332) were categorized according to depression status (nondepressed/depressed) following ICD-10 criteria. Dichotomous variables were used for KIBRA (any T/CC) and CLSTN2 (any C/TT).

A three-factor MANCOVA revealed no main effects, but two significant interaction effects for episodic memory performance. Post hoc test for KIBRA × CLSTN2 revealed that persons with the “CC/TT” genotype exhibited poorer performance on free recall and recognition. Further, the three-way interaction (KIBRA × CLSTN2 × depression) showed that the negative effect of the “CC/TT” genotype was most pronounced among depressed persons Depressed “CC/TT” consistently performed at the lowest level.

The combination of the KIBRA “CC” and the CLSTN2 “TT” genotypes was associated with poorer episodic memory performance in both nondepressed and depressed persons. Depression in combination with the “CC/TT” genotype was especially disadvantageous for episodic memory performance. This supports the view that effects of specific SNPs on performance may be most easily disclosed at suboptimal levels of cognitive ability, e.g. in depression.

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) history have high rates of performance validity test (PVT) failure. The study aimed to determine whether those with scores in the invalid versus valid range on PVTs show similar benefit from psychotherapy and if psychotherapy improves PVT performance.

Veterans (N = 100) with PTSD, mild-to-moderate TBI history, and cognitive complaints underwent neuropsychological testing at baseline, post-treatment, and 3-month post-treatment. Veterans were randomly assigned to cognitive processing therapy (CPT) or a novel hybrid intervention integrating CPT with TBI psychoeducation and cognitive rehabilitation strategies from Cognitive Symptom Management and Rehabilitation Therapy (CogSMART). Performance below standard cutoffs on any PVT trial across three different PVT measures was considered invalid (PVT-Fail), whereas performance above cutoffs on all measures was considered valid (PVT-Pass).

Although both PVT groups exhibited clinically significant improvement in PTSD symptoms, the PVT-Pass group demonstrated greater symptom reduction than the PVT-Fail group. Measures of post-concussive and depressive symptoms improved to a similar degree across groups. Treatment condition did not moderate these results. Rate of valid test performance increased from baseline to follow-up across conditions, with a stronger effect in the SMART-CPT compared to CPT condition.

Both PVT groups experienced improved psychological symptoms following treatment. Veterans who failed PVTs at baseline demonstrated better test engagement following treatment, resulting in higher rates of valid PVTs at follow-up. Veterans with invalid PVTs should be enrolled in trauma-focused treatment and may benefit from neuropsychological assessment after, rather than before, treatment.