No CrossRef data available.
Article contents
Present status of psychiatric research in Italy
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 April 2020
Summary
A brief outline is provided of the recent developments of psychiatric research in Italy. In the field of psychiatric epidemiology, the contributions by the Psychiatric Department of Verona University and the Chair of Mental Hygiene of Pavia University, based on the application of the psychiatric register, are summarized. On the clinical side, emphasis is laid on the research on schizoaffective disorders by the Naples group and on the course and outcome of depression by the Pisa group. In the framework of psychobiological research, the studies carried out in the Psychiatric Department of Milan University on the role of HLA antigens as genetic markers of vulnerability to schizophrenia are mentioned, as well as those by the Naples group on cerebrospinal fluid levels of noradrenaline and on platelet MAO activity in schizophrenics.
Finally, in the field of clinical psychopharmacology, the interest of Italian researchers in the topics of prediction of response to psychotropic drugs (especially lithium) and of monitoring of antidepressant plasma levels is emphasized.
Résumé
Les tendances récentes de la recherche psychiatrique en Italie sont brièvement abordées dans cet article.
Dans le domaine de l’épidémiologie psychiatrique, sont résumées les contributions du Service Psychiatrique de l'Université de Vérone et de la Chaire d’Hygiène Mentale de l'Université de Pavie, contributions basées sur l'utilisation des registres psychiatriques.
Au plan clinique, l’importance des travaux du groupe de Naples concernant les troubles schizoaffectifs et celle des travaux du groupe de Pise sur l’évolution et le devenir des états dépressifs est soulignée.
Dans le cadre de la recherche psychobiologique, sont mentionnées, d’une part, les études menées dans le Service Psychiatrique de l’Université de Milan sur le rôle des antigènes HLA comme marqueurs génétiques de vulnérabilité à la schizophrénie, d’autre part, les études du groupe de Naples portant sur les concentrations céphalorachidiennes de noradrénaline et l'activité de la MAO plaquettaire chez les schizophrènes.
Enfin, dans le champ de la psychopharmacolologie clinique, il convient d’insister sur l’intérêt des chercheurs italiens pour la prédiction de l'effet thérapeutique des agents psychotropes (en particulier du lithium) et pour le contrôle des taux sanguins des antidépresseurs.
Keywords
- Type
- Research Article
- Information
- Copyright
- Copyright © European Psychiatric Association
References
References/Bibliographie
Altamura, A.C., Melorio, T ., Invernizzi, G., Gomeni, R. - Influence of age on mianserin pharmacokinetics. Psychopharmacology 1982; 78: 380-382.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cassano, G.B., Maggini, C. - Evoluzione ed esiti della depressione. In: Cassano, G.B. ed: La condizione depressiva, pp. 289-298, Masson, Milano, 1982.Google Scholar
Cassano, G.B., Maggini, C. - The long-term effects of depression. In: Davis, J.M. & Maas, J.W. eds: The affective disorders. pp. 233-240, American Psychiatric Press, Whashington, 1983.Google ScholarPubMed
Cassano, G.B., Maggini, C., Musetti, L. - Depressione cronica e depressione resistente. In: Cassano, G.B. ed: La condizione depressiva pp. 299-315, Masson, Milano, 1982.Google Scholar
Cazzullo, C.L., Smeraldi, E., Penati, G. - The leucocyte antigenic systent HL-A as a possible genetic marker of schizophrenia. Br J Psychiatry 1974; 125: 25-27.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cazzullo, C.L., Invernizzi, G., Maffei, C., Bellodi, L., Ciussani, S., Mazzucchelli, M., Vaccari, U. - Tomografia assiale computerizzata e schizofrenia: studio su giovani soggetti schizofrenici. In: Cazzullo, C.L. ed: La schizofrenia in età evolutiva pp. 57-66, II Pensiero Scientifico, Roma, 1984.Google Scholar
Del Vecchio, M., Farzati, B., Maj, M., Minucci, P., Guida, L., Kemali, D. - Cell membrane predictors of response to lithium prophylaxis of affective disorders. Neuropsychobiology 1981; 7: 243-247.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
De Martis, D., Petrella, F., Bezoari, M., Caverzasi, E. - Orientamenti terapeutici e dinamica sociale nel lavoro psichiatrico territoriale. Proceedings XXXIV Congress of the Italian Psychiatric Association, Catania, pp. 147-155, 1980.Google Scholar
Faravelli, C., Ballerini, A., Broadhurst, A.D., Das, M. - Relevance of plasma levels during chlorimipramine treatment of primary depression. J Affective Disord 1982; 4: 163-165.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Giberti, F. - Identità vecchie e nuove: il cammino tortuoso dello psichiatra. In: Giberti, F. ed: L ‘identità dello psichiatra, pp. 1-19, II Pensiero Scientifico, Roma, 1982.Google Scholar
Kemali, D., Del Vecchio, M., Maj, M. - Increased noradrenaline levels in CSF and plasma of schizophrenic patients. Biol Psychiatry 1982: 17: 711-717.Google ScholarPubMed
Kemali, D., Maj, M., Ariano, M.G., Fabrazzo, M., Amati, A. - Response to lithium prophylaxis in schizoaffective psychoses. In: Kemali, D. & Racagni, G. eds: Chronic treatments in neuropsychiatry pp. 153-158, Raven Press, New-York, 1985a.Google Scholar
Kemali, D., Maj, M., Galderisi, S., Ariano, M.G., Cesarelli, M., Milici, N ., Salvati, A., Valente, A., Volpe, M. - Clinical and neuropsychological correlates of cerebral ventricular enlargement in schizophrenia. J Psychiatr Res. 1985b; 19: 587-596.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kemali, D , Maj, M., Iorio, G., Marciano, F ., Nolfe, G., Galderisi, S., Salvati, A. - Relationship between CSF noradrenaline levels, C-EEG indicators of activation and psychosis ratings in drug-free schizophrenic patients. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1985c; 71: 19-24.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liotti, G. - Un modello cognitivo-comportamentalc dell’agorafobia. In: Guidano, V.F. & Reda, M.A. eds. : Cognitivismo e psicoterapia, pp. 149-169, Angeli, Firenze, 1981.Google Scholar
Maj, M. - Evolution of the American concept of schizoaffective psychosis. Neuropsychobiology 1984a; 11: 7-13.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maj, M. - Effectiveness of lithium prophylaxis in schizoaffective psychoses. Application of a polydiagnostic approach. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1984b; 70: 228-234.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maj, M. - Clinical course and outcome of schizoaffective disorders: a three-year follow-up study. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1985; 72: 542–550.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Maj, M., Ariano, M.G., Pirozzi, R., Salvati, A., Kemali, D. - Platelet monoamine oxidase activity in schizophrenia: relationship to family history of the illness and neuroleptic treatment. J Psychiatr Res 1984a; 18: 131-137.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maj, M., Del Vecchio, M., Starace, F., Pirozzi, R., Kemali, D. - Prediction of affective psychoses response to lithium prophylaxis. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1984b; 69: 37-44.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maj, M., Arena, F., Lovero, N., Pirozzi, R., Kemali, D. - Factors associatcd with response to lithium prophylaxis in DSM III major depression and bipolar disorder. Pharmacopsychiatry 1985; 18: 309-313.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Muscettola, G., Wehr, T.A., Goodwin, F.K. - Effect of diet on urinary MHPG excretion in depressed patients and normal control subjects. Am J Psychiatry 1977; 134: 914-916.Google ScholarPubMed
Pazzagli, A. - Tra accogliere e agire. In: Giberti, F. ed: L ‘identità dello psichiatra pp. 33-38, Il Pensiero Scientifico, Roma, 1982.Google Scholar
Pera, M. - Metodologia délia scienza e filosofie délia mente. La psichiatria al bivio. In : Andreoli, V. ed : Controversie in psichiatria, pp. 85-97, Masson, Milano, 1982.Google Scholar
Perris, C., Kemali, D. - Focus on the Italian psychiatric reform. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1985; 71: suppl. 316.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Racagni, G., Mocchetti, L, Calderini, G., Battis Tella, A., Brunello, N. - Temporal sequence of changes in central noradrenergic System of rat after prolonged antidepressant treatment: receptor desensitization and neurotransmitter interactions. Neuro pharmacology 1983; 22: 415-424.Google ScholarPubMed
Sacchetti, E., Allaria, E., Negri, F ., Biondi, P.A., Smeraldi, E., Cazzullo, C.L. - 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol and primary depression: clinical and pharmacological considerations. Biol Psychiatry 1979; 14: 473-484.Google ScholarPubMed
Serra, G., Argiolas, A., Klimek, V., Fadda, F., Gessa, G.L. - Chronic treatment with antidepressants prevents the inhibitory effect of small doses of apomorphine on DA synthesis and motor activity. Life Sci 1979; 25: 415-420.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sicilianl, O., Burti, L., Garzqtto, N., Siani, R, Zimmermann-Tansella, CH. Sainte mentale e disagio sociale e familiare a Verona sud. Rivista Sperimentale di Freniatria 1984; 108: 1123-1251.Google Scholar
Smeraldi, E., Bellodi, L., Sacchetti, E., Cazzullo, C.L. - The HLA System and the clinical response to treatment with chlorpromazine. Br J Psychiatry 1976; 129: 486-489.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tansella, M., Meneghelli, G., Siciliani, O. - Implementing a community psychiatric service in South-Verona under the new Italian mental health act. A two-year analysis. Psychiatry and Social Science 1982; 2: 105-114.Google Scholar
Torre, E., Marinoni, A. - Register studies: data lrom four areas in Northern Italy. In: Perris, C. & Kemali, D. eds: Focus on the Italian psychiatric reform; pp. 87-95, 1985.Google Scholar
Comments
No Comments have been published for this article.