Objective: To compare plasma concentrations of cannabidiol (CBD) following oral administration of two formulations of the drug (powder and dissolved in oil), and to evaluate the effects of these distinct formulations on responses to emotional stimuli in healthy human volunteers. Methods: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group design, 45 healthy male volunteers were randomly assigned to three groups of 15 subjects that received either 150 mg of CBD powder; 150 mg of CBD dissolved in corn oil; or placebo. Blood samples were collected at different times after administration, and a facial emotion recognition task was completed after 150 min. Results: There were no significant differences across groups in the subjective and physiological measures, nor in the facial emotion recognition task. However, groups that received the drug showed statistically significant differences in baseline measures of plasma CBD, with a significantly greater difference in favor of the oil formulation. Conclusion: When administered as a single 150-mg dose, neither formulation of oral CBD altered responses to emotional stimuli in healthy subjects. The oil-based CBD formulation resulted in more rapid achievement of peak plasma level, with an approximate fourfold increase in oral bioavailability.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to analyze the body sway response in specific phobia (SP) patients and healthy controls while viewing neutral, phobic, and disgusting images. Methods: The participants’ heart rate (HR) and skin conductance were also recorded during the procedure. Nineteen patients with arachnophobia and 19 healthy volunteers matched by age, gender, and years of education underwent a postural control test on a stabilometric platform. Results: The platform recorded increased body sway in the SP group when exposed to spider images (SPI). The SP group presented increases in most parameters (SD, velocity, frequency, area, p ≤ 0.05) when viewing pictures of the SPI category. Psychometric measures of subjective anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, STAI) and physiological states (HR; skin conductance responses; spontaneous fluctuations in skin conductance) showed increased anxiety (p ≤ 0.05) in the SP group compared to healthy volunteers. High anxiety levels were observed throughout the assessment, including the task of exposure to SPI (p ≤ 0.05). No significant effect or correlation was found between skin conductance and body sway measures (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The results of the postural control test suggest the occurrence of a defensive escape response in SP, in agreement with previous evidence.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of cannabidiol (CBD) in the management of crack-cocaine craving and the treatment of frequent withdrawal symptoms. Methods: Thirty-one men with a diagnosis of crack-cocaine dependence were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. We applied neuropsychological tests and assessed craving intensity, anxiety and depression symptoms, and substance use patterns at baseline and at the end of the trial. The participants were treated with CBD 300 mg/day or placebo for 10 days. During this period, we used a technique to induce craving and assessed the intensity of symptoms before and after the induction procedure. Results: Craving levels reduced significantly over the 10 days of the trial, although no differences were found between the CBD and placebo groups. Craving induction was successful in both groups, with no significant differences between them. Indicators of anxiety, depression, and sleep alterations before and after treatment also did not differ across groups. Conclusion: Under the conditions of this trial, CBD was unable to interfere with symptoms of crack-cocaine withdrawal. Further studies with larger outpatient samples involving different doses and treatment periods would be desirable and timely to elucidate the potential of CBD to induce reductions in crack-cocaine self-administration.

Objective: To investigate associations between the percentage and severity of mental disorders (MD) and three different primary health care (PHC) strategies in Brazil: traditional care (TC), the Family Health Strategy (FHS), and FHS with shared mental health care (FHS+SC). Methods: Random samples were selected from three different areas of a Brazilian city. Each area was served by a different PHC strategy (TC, FHS, or FHS+SC). Five mental health professionals, blinded to the type of PHC strategy delivered in each area, conducted interviews using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) and other specific instruments to assess the prevalence and severity of MD. Results: 530 subjects were interviewed. The TC strategy was significantly associated with a higher percentage of MD when compared to FHS and FHS+SC. These results were not affected by adjustment for sociodemographic variables. The difference in prevalence of MD between the two FHS areas (with and without SC) was not statistically significant. No significant differences in MD severity were observed across the three PHC strategies. Conclusion: Areas covered by FHS showed a lower percentage of MD than those covered by TC. Presence of SC did not influence the prevalence of MD, suggesting that mental-health training of FHS teams may have minimized the influence of SC.

Current pharmacotherapy of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is palliative and unable to modify the progression of neurodegeneration. Treatments that can improve patients’ quality of life with fewer side effects are needed, but not yet available. Cannabidiol (CBD), the major non-psychotomimetic constituent of cannabis, has received considerable research attention in the last decade. In this context, we aimed to critically review the literature on potential therapeutic effects of CBD in PD and discuss clinical and preclinical evidence supporting the putative neuroprotective mechanisms of CBD. We searched MEDLINE (via PubMed) for indexed articles published in English from inception to 2019. The following keywords were used: cannabis; cannabidiol and neuroprotection; endocannabinoids and basal ganglia; Parkinson’s animal models; Parkinson’s history; Parkinson’s and cannabidiol. Few studies addressed the biological bases for the purported effects of CBD on PD. Six preclinical studies showed neuroprotective effects, while three targeted the antidyskinetic effects of CBD. Three human studies have tested CBD in patients with PD: an open-label study, a case series, and a randomized controlled trial. These studies reported therapeutic effects of CBD on non-motor symptoms. Additional research is needed to elucidate the potential effectiveness of CBD in PD and the underlying mechanisms involved.

Objective: Cannabidiol (CBD), one of the non-psychotomimetic compounds of Cannabis sativa, causes anxiolytic-like effects in animals, with typical bell-shaped dose-response curves. No study, however, has investigated whether increasing doses of this drug would also cause similar curves in humans. The objective of this study was to compare the acute effects of different doses of CBD and placebo in healthy volunteers performing a simulated public speaking test (SPST), a well-tested anxiety-inducing method. Method: A total of 57 healthy male subjects were allocated to receive oral CBD at doses of 150 mg (n=15), 300 mg (n=15), 600 mg (n=12) or placebo (n=15) in a double-blind procedure. During the SPST, subjective ratings on the Visual Analogue Mood Scale (VAMS) and physiological measures (systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate) were obtained at six different time points. Results: Compared to placebo, pretreatment with 300 mg of CBD significantly reduced anxiety during the speech. No significant differences in VAMS scores were observed between groups receiving CBD 150 mg, 600 mg and placebo. Conclusion: Our findings confirm the anxiolytic-like properties of CBD and are consonant with results of animal studies describing bell-shaped dose-response curves. Optimal therapeutic doses of CBD should be rigorously determined so that research findings can be adequately translated into clinical practice.

Abstract Background: Recent evidence has shown improvements in schizophrenia symptoms after the infusion of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a nitric oxide (NO) donor. In the rat model of schizophrenia using ketamine injection, pretreatment with SNP seems to prevent behavioral changes associated with positive symptoms for up to one week. Objective: We investigated whether SNP would have preventative effects on psychogenic symptoms induced by ketamine in healthy subjects. Methods: Healthy subjects (N = 38) were assigned to distinct groups that received SNP in different doses (0.15, 0.25, and 0.5 mcg/kg/min). First, participants received an infusion of SNP or placebo over 75 minutes. After 10 minutes, they were injected for 1 minute with a bolus of 0.26 mg/kg of ketamine and a maintenance dose was started 5 minutes later, with 0.25 mg/kg/h of ketamine for 50 minutes. Results: Ketamine-induced psychopathological alterations induced were reduced by SNP, as assessed with the Brief Psychological Rating Scale. Scores in the objective subscale of the Clinician-Administered Dissociative States Scale were also lower in SNP sessions compared to placebo. SNP had protective effects against deterioration in facial emotion and identity recognition tasks induced by ketamine. Discussion: Our findings support the view that SNP has preventative properties against psychotic manifestations.

Objective: To investigate the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on mitochondrial complex and creatine kinase (CK) activity in the rat brain using spectrophotometry. Method: Male adult Wistar rats were given intraperitoneal injections of vehicle or CBD (15, 30, or 60 mg/kg) in an acute (single dose) or chronic (once daily for 14 consecutive days) regimen. The activities of mitochondrial complexes and CK were measured in the hippocampus, striatum, and prefrontal cortex. Results: Both acute and chronic injection of CBD increased the activity of the mitochondrial complexes (I, II, II-III, and IV) and CK in the rat brain. Conclusions: Considering that metabolism impairment is certainly involved in the pathophysiology of mood disorders, the modulation of energy metabolism (e.g., by increased mitochondrial complex and CK activity) by CBD could be an important mechanism implicated in the action of CBD.

OBJETIVOS: Verificar a confiabilidade da "Entrevista Clínica Estruturada para o DSM-IV - Versão Clínica (SCID-CV)" traduzida para o português. MÉTODOS: Foram submetidos, a duas entrevistas independentes (teste-reteste), 45 pacientes psiquiátricos em seguimento no Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo (HC-FMRP/USP). Os dados foram analisados pelo Coeficiente Kappa (K). RESULTADOS: O Kappa ponderado foi excelente (Kw=0,83). A confiabilidade foi estatisticamente significante em transtorno do humor (K=0,87); transtornos psicóticos (K=0,90); transtornos relacionados ao uso de substância (K=0,76); transtornos de ansiedade (K=0,61); e nas categorias diagnósticas específicas analisadas, exceto em agorafobia sem história de transtorno do pânico (K=-0,04). CONCLUSÕES: A SCID-CV traduzida e adaptada para o português apresenta, em geral, boa confiabilidade, mas a ausência de questões e critérios diagnósticos específicos no próprio instrumento em diagnósticos, como agorafobia sem história de transtorno de pânico, diminuiu sua confiabilidade.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the reliability of a Portuguese version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV - Clinical Version (SCID-CV). METHODS: Forty-five psychiatric patients at the university hospital of Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, were assessed twice in two independent interviews (test-retest). Inter-rater agreement analysis was done using the kappa coefficient (K). RESULTS: The weighted Kappa was excellent (Kw=0.83). Reliability was statistically significant for affective disorders (K=0.87); psychotic disorders (K=0.90); substance-related disorders (K=0.76); anxiety disorder (K=0.61); and for all specific diagnostic categories analyzed, except for agoraphobia without history of panic attacks (K=-0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The present Portuguese version of the SCID-CV showed good inter-rater reliability, but the lack of specific questions in the interview and specific diagnostic criteria for some disorders, such as agoraphobia without history of panic attacks, resulted in poor reliability.

OBJETIVO: Realizar estudo transversal de serviço regionalizado de emergências psiquiátricas inserido em hospital universitário de emergências pela caracterização da clientela e do atendimento. MÉTODOS: Os dados foram colhidos por um protocolo, sendo considerados todos os atendimentos realizados durante dois meses. RESULTADOS: Foram preenchidos 600 protocolos que corresponderam a 96,5% dos atendimentos efetuados no período estudado, referentes a 487 pacientes. A maioria desses era do sexo masculino, sem vínculos conjugais, com baixa escolaridade, profissionalmente inativa e morava com familiares. Os diagnósticos mais freqüentes foram transtorno do uso de substância psicoativa (26,3%), esquizofrenias (15,5%), episódio maníaco (11,8%), depressão maior (10,9%) e transtornos não psicóticos (10,9%), havendo diferenças entre os sexos quanto à proporção de algumas categorias diagnósticas. Após o atendimento inicial, 2/3 recebeu medicação e 1/2 permaneceu em observação, sendo que 1/4 permaneceu mais de 10h no serviço. Cerca de 20% dos atendimentos resultaram em internação integral e 60%, em encaminhamentos para seguimento ambulatorial. Alta por evasão representou apenas 2,0% dos atendimentos. Os usuários repetitivos não diferiram daqueles que tiveram atendimento único quanto a estado civil, vínculo empregatício e condições de moradia, mas apresentaram maior freqüência de internações anteriores e de transtornos psicóticos. CONCLUSÕES: O serviço atendeu pacientes com quadros psiquiátricos graves, em real situação de urgência, sendo observada uma ampliação das funções do serviço de emergências psiquiátricas e sua efetiva inserção na rede pública de serviços de saúde mental.

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to carry out a prospective study about the characteristics of the public seen at a psychiatric emergency room and of its service. METHODS: The data were acquired though a protocol developed for this study and applied to all the patients seen during two months. RESULTS: 600 protocols were filled out, corresponding to 96.5% (487 patients) of the attendance during the study period. Most of the patients seen were males, single, with a low educational level, professionally inactive and living with their families. The most frequent diagnoses were psychoactive substance use disorders (26.3%), schizophrenia (15.5%), manic episode (11.8%), major depression (10.9%) and non-psychotic disorders (10.9%). There were differences between gender in some diagnostic categories. After initial evaluation, 2/3 were medicated, 1/2 stayed under observation, and 1/4 stayed more than 10 hours in the service unit. About 20% of the attendance resulted in hospitalization and 60% in referrals to outpatient services. Discharges due to evasion represented only 2.0% of the total. Returning service users did not differ from those seen only once to what concern marital status, professional situation and household conditions. However, returning users presented a higher frequency of previous hospitalization and psychotic disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with severe psychiatric disorders were seen in an actual emergency situation. The psychiatric emergency service has been expanding its actions and has been an effective part of the mental health service network.

OBJETIVO: Realizar estudo transversal de serviço regionalizado de emergências psiquiátricas inserido em hospital universitário de emergências pela caracterização da clientela e do atendimento. MÉTODOS: Os dados foram colhidos por um protocolo, sendo considerados todos os atendimentos realizados durante dois meses. RESULTADOS: Foram preenchidos 600 protocolos que corresponderam a 96,5% dos atendimentos efetuados no período estudado, referentes a 487 pacientes. A maioria desses era do sexo masculino, sem vínculos conjugais, com baixa escolaridade, profissionalmente inativa e morava com familiares. Os diagnósticos mais freqüentes foram transtorno do uso de substância psicoativa (26,3%), esquizofrenias (15,5%), episódio maníaco (11,8%), depressão maior (10,9%) e transtornos não psicóticos (10,9%), havendo diferenças entre os sexos quanto à proporção de algumas categorias diagnósticas. Após o atendimento inicial, 2/3 recebeu medicação e 1/2 permaneceu em observação, sendo que 1/4 permaneceu mais de 10h no serviço. Cerca de 20% dos atendimentos resultaram em internação integral e 60%, em encaminhamentos para seguimento ambulatorial. Alta por evasão representou apenas 2,0% dos atendimentos. Os usuários repetitivos não diferiram daqueles que tiveram atendimento único quanto a estado civil, vínculo empregatício e condições de moradia, mas apresentaram maior freqüência de internações anteriores e de transtornos psicóticos. CONCLUSÕES: O serviço atendeu pacientes com quadros psiquiátricos graves, em real situação de urgência, sendo observada uma ampliação das funções do serviço de emergências psiquiátricas e sua efetiva inserção na rede pública de serviços de saúde mental.

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to carry out a prospective study about the characteristics of the public seen at a psychiatric emergency room and of its service. METHODS: The data were acquired though a protocol developed for this study and applied to all the patients seen during two months. RESULTS: 600 protocols were filled out, corresponding to 96.5% (487 patients) of the attendance during the study period. Most of the patients seen were males, single, with a low educational level, professionally inactive and living with their families. The most frequent diagnoses were psychoactive substance use disorders (26.3%), schizophrenia (15.5%), manic episode (11.8%), major depression (10.9%) and non-psychotic disorders (10.9%). There were differences between gender in some diagnostic categories. After initial evaluation, 2/3 were medicated, 1/2 stayed under observation, and 1/4 stayed more than 10 hours in the service unit. About 20% of the attendance resulted in hospitalization and 60% in referrals to outpatient services. Discharges due to evasion represented only 2.0% of the total. Returning service users did not differ from those seen only once to what concern marital status, professional situation and household conditions. However, returning users presented a higher frequency of previous hospitalization and psychotic disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with severe psychiatric disorders were seen in an actual emergency situation. The psychiatric emergency service has been expanding its actions and has been an effective part of the mental health service network.

OBJETIVO: Verificar as mudanças ocorridas em um serviço de emergências psiquiátricas de um hospital universitário de Ribeirão Preto-SP (EP-RP), em função de mudanças nas políticas de saúde mental da região. MÉTODOS: Os dados sobre os atendimentos foram colhidos em arquivos do EP-RP, período de 1988 a 1997. Foram estudadas as variáveis sexo, faixa etária, procedência e diagnóstico principal. Os dados sobre as mudanças nas políticas de saúde mental, na região, foram obtidos de documentos das secretarias de saúde do estado e do município. RESULTADOS: O aumento a cada ano do número de atendimentos realizados acompanhou o progressivo envolvimento do EP-RP na rede de serviços de saúde mental. Em 1995 a procura pelo serviço foi 2,3 vezes maior do que em 1988. Nesse período o atendimento no EP-RP deu apoio às mudanças nas políticas de saúde mental na região, que resultaram na redução de 654 leitos psiquiátricos. Em 1996 e 1997 houve uma diminuição do total de atendimentos em cerca de 20% com relação a 1995, acompanhando o aumento do número e da capacidade de atendimento dos serviços extra-hospitalares. A partir de 1990 o serviço passou a atender uma maior proporção de pacientes mais velhos, do sexo masculino, com diagnóstico de dependência de substâncias e transtornos psicóticos e uma proporção menor de quadros não psicóticos. CONCLUSÕES: As mudanças observadas no EP-RP correlacionam-se com as das políticas de saúde mental na região de Ribeirão Preto, como a instalação da Central de Vagas Psiquiátricas, em 1990, a redução de leitos psiquiátricos a partir de 1993 e a criação e/ou ampliação de serviços extra-hospitalares a partir de 1995.

OBJECTIVE: To verify the modifications observed in a school hospital psychiatric emergency unit in Ribeirão Preto - SP, Brazil (EP-RP), due to alterations in the mental health policies implemented in this region. METHODS: Data about attendances was collected from university hospital files of the EP-RP, from 1988 to 1997. The following variables were studied: sex, age, origin and main diagnosis. Data about changes in mental health policies of the region was obtained from documents of the city and state departments of health. RESULTS: The yearly increase in the number of attendances followed the progressive involvement of EP-RP with the mental health service network, as the number of patients who looked for the service in 1995 was 2.3 times greater than in 1988. During this period, attendance at the EP-RP gave support to the modifications in the mental health policies in this region, resulting in a reduction of 654 psychiatry beds. In 1996 and 1997, a reduction of about 20% was observed in the total of attendance, as compared to 1995, result from an increase in the attendance capacity and number of the extra-hospital services. Since 1990, the EP-RP started to attend a higher proportion of older, male patients, with drug dependency and psychotic disorders and a lower proportion of non-psychotic patients. CONCLUSIONS: The changes observed in the EP-RP are related to modifications in the Ribeirão Preto region mental health policies, like the psychiatric beds control, installed in 1990, the reduction of psychiatric beds after 1993, and the creation and/or amplification of extra-hospital services, in 1995.

OBJETIVO: Verificar as mudanças ocorridas em um serviço de emergências psiquiátricas de um hospital universitário de Ribeirão Preto-SP (EP-RP), em função de mudanças nas políticas de saúde mental da região. MÉTODOS: Os dados sobre os atendimentos foram colhidos em arquivos do EP-RP, período de 1988 a 1997. Foram estudadas as variáveis sexo, faixa etária, procedência e diagnóstico principal. Os dados sobre as mudanças nas políticas de saúde mental, na região, foram obtidos de documentos das secretarias de saúde do estado e do município. RESULTADOS: O aumento a cada ano do número de atendimentos realizados acompanhou o progressivo envolvimento do EP-RP na rede de serviços de saúde mental. Em 1995 a procura pelo serviço foi 2,3 vezes maior do que em 1988. Nesse período o atendimento no EP-RP deu apoio às mudanças nas políticas de saúde mental na região, que resultaram na redução de 654 leitos psiquiátricos. Em 1996 e 1997 houve uma diminuição do total de atendimentos em cerca de 20% com relação a 1995, acompanhando o aumento do número e da capacidade de atendimento dos serviços extra-hospitalares. A partir de 1990 o serviço passou a atender uma maior proporção de pacientes mais velhos, do sexo masculino, com diagnóstico de dependência de substâncias e transtornos psicóticos e uma proporção menor de quadros não psicóticos. CONCLUSÕES: As mudanças observadas no EP-RP correlacionam-se com as das políticas de saúde mental na região de Ribeirão Preto, como a instalação da Central de Vagas Psiquiátricas, em 1990, a redução de leitos psiquiátricos a partir de 1993 e a criação e/ou ampliação de serviços extra-hospitalares a partir de 1995.

OBJECTIVE: To verify the modifications observed in a school hospital psychiatric emergency unit in Ribeirão Preto - SP, Brazil (EP-RP), due to alterations in the mental health policies implemented in this region. METHODS: Data about attendances was collected from university hospital files of the EP-RP, from 1988 to 1997. The following variables were studied: sex, age, origin and main diagnosis. Data about changes in mental health policies of the region was obtained from documents of the city and state departments of health. RESULTS: The yearly increase in the number of attendances followed the progressive involvement of EP-RP with the mental health service network, as the number of patients who looked for the service in 1995 was 2.3 times greater than in 1988. During this period, attendance at the EP-RP gave support to the modifications in the mental health policies in this region, resulting in a reduction of 654 psychiatry beds. In 1996 and 1997, a reduction of about 20% was observed in the total of attendance, as compared to 1995, result from an increase in the attendance capacity and number of the extra-hospital services. Since 1990, the EP-RP started to attend a higher proportion of older, male patients, with drug dependency and psychotic disorders and a lower proportion of non-psychotic patients. CONCLUSIONS: The changes observed in the EP-RP are related to modifications in the Ribeirão Preto region mental health policies, like the psychiatric beds control, installed in 1990, the reduction of psychiatric beds after 1993, and the creation and/or amplification of extra-hospital services, in 1995.