Objectives: To compare hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) in drug-naïve first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients and healthy controls and to investigate the correlations between HCC and psychopathology. Methods: Twenty-four drug-naïve FEP patients and 27 gender- and age-matched healthy control subjects were recruited. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-1) was used to confirm/rule out diagnoses, and the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS) was used to assess symptom severity. Hair samples (2-3 cm long) obtained from the posterior vertex region of the scalp were processed in 1-cm segments considering a hair growth rate of 1 cm per month. The 1-cm segments were classified according to their proximity to the scalp: segment A was the closest to the scalp and referred to the month prior to inclusion in the study. Segments B and C referred to the 2nd and 3rd months prior to the time of evaluation respectively. Hair steroid extraction was performed using a known protocol. Results: Two-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with gender and age as covariates revealed a group effect (F1.106 = 4.899, p = 0.029) on HCC. Between-segment differences correlated with total PANSS score and with PANSS General Psychopathology subscale and total score. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, as assessed by long-term (3-month) cortisol concentration, is abnormal in the early stages of psychosis. The magnitude of changes in HCC over time prior to the FEP correlates to psychopathology. HPA axis abnormalities might begin prior to full-blown clinical presentation requiring hospital admission.

Contexto : O transtorno de humor bipolar (THB) é marcado por estratégias de enfrentamento, ou coping, que determinam comportamentos que podem influenciar negativamente o curso da doença. Traços de personalidade são altamente associados com estratégias de coping, portanto se faz a hipótese de que traços de personalidade influenciem as estratégias de coping de portadores de THB. Objetivo : Este estudo buscou investigar associações entre traços de personalidade e estratégias de coping em pacientes com THB. Métodos : Trinta e cinco participantes eutímicos diagnosticados com THB e 40 controles saudáveis participaram deste estudo. Estratégias de coping foram avaliadas com a Ways of Coping Checklist Revised and Brief – COPE – e traços de personalidade foram avaliados com o Neo Personality Inventory. Resultados : Participantes com THB possuíram padrão de estratégias de coping significativamente mais baseados na emoção. Em termos de traços de personalidade, participantes com THB tiveram significativamente mais características de neuroticismo e reduzidas características de extroversão e consciência. Foram encontradas associações positivas entre índices de neuroticismo e estratégias de coping baseadas em emoções e associações negativas com estratégias baseadas no problema. Conclusão : Traços de personalidade são fundamentais para as estratégias de coping de pacientes com THB, portanto traços de personalidade devem ser considerados alvos terapêuticos para a psicopatologia.

Background : Bipolar disorder is marked by alterations in coping skills which in turn impacts the disease course. Personality traits are associated with coping skills and for this reason it has been suggested that personality traits of patients with BD may have influence over their coping skills. Objective : To investigate possible associations between coping skills and personality in individuals with bipolar disorder (BD). Methods : Thirty-five euthymic subjects with BD were compared with 40 healthy controls. Coping skills were evaluated using Ways of Coping Checklist Revised and Brief-COPE. Personality traits were assessed by Neo Personality Inventory. MANCOVA was used for between groups comparison. Results : Regarding coping, individuals with BD reported more frequent use of emotion-focused strategies than problem-focused strategies, and high levels of neuroticism and low levels of extroversion and conscientiousness on personality measures. Neuroticism influenced negatively the use of problem-focused strategies, and positively emotion-focused coping. Conscientiousness influenced the use of problem-focused strategies in both groups. There was a significant difference between emotion focused coping and personality traits between BD and control groups. Discussion : Personality traits seem to modulate coping skills and strategies in BD which may be took into account for further interventions.

A personal history of childhood maltreatment has been associated with unfavorable outcomes in bipolar disorder (BD). The impact of early life stressors on the course of BD may be influenced by individual differences in coping skills. The coping construct relies on neurocognitive mechanisms that are usually influenced by childhood maltreatment. The objective of the present study was to verify the association between childhood maltreatment and coping skills in individuals with BD Type 1. Thirty female euthymic outpatients with BD Type 1 were evaluated using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and two additional instruments to measure their coping preferences: Ways of Coping Questionnaire (coping strategies) and Brief COPE (coping styles). Reports of physical abuse (B = .64, p < .01) and emotional abuse (B = .44, p = .01) were associated with the use of maladaptive strategies that focused on emotional control. Adaptive strategies and styles of coping, such as focusing on the problem, were chosen less frequently by women who had experienced emotional neglect (B = .53, p < .01) and physical abuse (B = -.48, p < .01) in childhood. The small sample size in the present study prevented subgroup analyses. The sample did not include male BD participants. Our results indicate that early traumatic events may have a long-lasting deleterious influence on coping abilities in female BD patients. Future prospective studies may investigate whether the negative impact of childhood maltreatment over the course of BD is mediated by individual differences in coping abilities.

OBJECTIVE: Summarize data on metabolic syndrome (MS) in bipolar disorder (BD). METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was conducted using the Medline, Embase and PsycInfo databases, using the keywords "metabolic syndrome", "insulin resistance" and "metabolic X syndrome" and cross-referencing them with "bipolar disorder" or "mania". The following types of publications were candidates for review: (i) clinical trials, (ii) studies involving patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder or (iii) data about metabolic syndrome. A 5-point quality scale was used to assess the methodological weight of the studies. RESULTS: Thirty-nine articles were selected. None of studies reached the maximum quality score of 5 points. The prevalence of MS was significantly higher in BD individuals when compared to a control group. The analysis of MS subcomponents showed that abdominal obesity was heterogeneous. Individuals with BD had significantly higher rates of hypertriglyceridemia than healthy controls. When compared to the general population, there were no significant differences in the prevalence of low HDL-c in individuals with BD. Data on hypertension were also inconclusive. Rates of hyperglycemia were significantly greater in patients with BD compared to the general population. CONCLUSIONS: The overall results point to the presence of an association between BD and MS, as well as between their subcomponents.

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a prevalent and highly disabling psychiatric condition. Despite the widely acknowledged importance of psychosocial interventions that involve a complex cognitive, behavioral, and biological process to help patients cope better with their illness, few studies have systematically evaluated coping in BD. Therefore, our objective was to examine recent developments in current research on coping in BD. Several studies have documented a strong association between BD and numerous neuroanatomical and neuropsychological abnormalities, particularly multiple episodes and longer durations of the disorder. The most marked effects of BD encompass brain areas involved in executive function, which may affect the mechanisms underlying an adequate selection of coping strategies. Thus, the ability of individuals to reduce their own stress burden is impaired, increasing vulnerability to stressful life events and negatively affecting the course of BD. Psychosocial interventions that focus on BD should be evaluated for their ability to improve coping abilities, and research on BD should consider neuropsychological impairment and cognitive-behavioral strategies for coping with stress.

CONTEXTO: Entre os instrumentos utilizados, em pesquisa e na prática clínica, para representar e detalhar o curso longitudinal do transtorno bipolar, o Life Chart tem sido o mais utilizado. Além de ser comprovadamente de fácil aplicação, possui fidedignidade em relatar o histórico clínico do paciente. OBJETIVO: Apresentar o Life Chart Retrospectivo em sua versão em português. MÉTODOS: Foram realizadas tradução e retradução, revisão e avaliação de equivalência semântica, idiomática, experimental ou cultural e conceitual. RESULTADOS: Estão apresentados em forma de gráfico. CONCLUSÃO: A partir do desenvolvimento dessa versão do Life Chart para o português, os estudos realizados no Brasil podem fazer uso dos mesmos parâmetros de registro que os estudos internacionais.

BACKGROUND: A life chart is a widely used instrument both in research and clinical practice to document the longitudinal course of bipolar disorder, being easy to apply and accuratly reports the clinical history. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this paper is to present the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Retrospective Life Chart. METHODS: Translation and retrotranslation, review, and semantic, language, cultural and conceptual equivalence were done. RESULTS: Results are presented in graphic format. DISCUSSION: The Portuguese version of Life Chart will allow that studies conducted in Brazil to use the same parameters that are used in international research.