This paper tries to summarize the results of studies from different areas of knowledge supporting the idea that temperamental traits, such as “reckless/hyper-exploratory” attitudes, commonly believed to be associated with psychopathology, surprisingly turn out as adaptive under specific stress conditions. In particular, this paper analyzes an ethologic line of research on primates suggesting models for a sociobiological interpretation of mood disorders in humans; a study that found high frequencies of a genetic variance associated with bipolar disorder in people without bipolar disorder but with hyperactivity/novelty-seeking traits; the outcomes of socio-anthropological-historical surveys on the evolution of mood disorders in Western countries in the last centuries; surveys on changing societies in Africa and African migrants in Sardinia; and studies that found higher frequencies of mania and subthreshold mania among Sardinian immigrants in Latin American megacities. Although it is not unequivocally accepted that the prevalence of mood disorders has increased, it would be logical to suppose that a nonadaptive condition should have disappeared over time; mood disorders, on the contrary, persist and their prevalence might have even increased. This new interpretation could lead to counter discrimination and stigma towards people suffering from the disorder and would be a central point in psychosocial treatments in addition to pharmacological therapy. Our aim is to hypothesize that bipolar disorder, strongly characterized by these traits, may be the result of the interaction between genetic characteristics, not necessarily pathological, and specific environmental conditions rather than a mere product of an aberrant genetic profile. If mood disorders were mere nonadaptive conditions, they would have disappeared over time; however, their prevalence paradoxically persists if not even increases over time. The hypothesis that bipolar disorder may result from the interaction between genetic characteristics, not necessarily pathological, and specific environmental factors seems more credible than considering bipolar disorder as a mere product of an aberrant genetic profile. traits reckless/hyperexploratory recklesshyperexploratory reckless/hyper exploratory reckless hyper “reckless/hyper-exploratory attitudes psychopathology particular humans hyperactivity/noveltyseeking hyperactivitynoveltyseeking hyperactivity/novelty seeking hyperactivity novelty socioanthropologicalhistorical socio anthropological historical centuries Sardinia megacities increased time contrary therapy characteristics pathological profile however hyperexploratory recklesshyper noveltyseeking hyperactivitynovelty

ABSTRACT Objective: It is important to differentiate between problem and conflict in clinical practice, because the steps suggested in the problem-solving technique are usually not enough to help patients deal with conflicts. This systematic review aimed to: investigate how cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can help in problem solving and conflict mediation; suggest a strategy that can improve conflict mediate skills (QPD). Methods: A search was performed in the following databases: PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of science (ISI) and Scopus. Prisma flow diagram was used and experimental articles were selected for full reading. Results: Three hundred and sixty four clinical trials applied problem solving, showing the effectiveness of this technique with other CBT strategies/interventions. CBT guide books: do not differentiate between problem and conflict; describe in detail problem solving steps, focusing on the customer’s perspective, the present moment and the use of logical reason; do not explore conflict mediation in the CBT. We suggest a strategy that can help in the mediation of conflicts: assisting in the collection/organization of information; improving communication – empathic and assertive; favoring choices that can cause the least possible harm to all parties in the conflict. Conclusions: There is detailed description of the steps to train therapists to apply problem solving. However, to improve therapeutic skills to mediate conflicts, clinical practices that have been frequently described/used in the contextual cognitive behavioral therapies may be necessary: psychological acceptance, mindfulness, understanding personal values, experiencing/considering emotion in decision making, activating compassion/self-compassion.

RESUMO Objetivo: Na prática clínica, é importante diferenciar problema e conflito, porque os passos sugeridos na técnica de resolução de problemas costumam não ser suficientes para auxiliar o cliente a lidar com conflitos. Esta revisão sistemática teve como objetivos: investigar como a terapia cognitivo-comportamental (TCC) pode auxiliar na resolução de problemas e na mediação de conflito; sugerir uma estratégia que favoreça a melhor capacidade de mediar conflitos (QPD). Métodos: Foi realizada uma busca nas bases de dados: PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science (ISI) e Scopus. O método prisma foi utilizado, e foram selecionados para leitura na íntegra artigos experimentais. Resultados: Trezentos e sessenta e quatro ensaios clínicos aplicaram a resolução de problemas, apontando a eficácia dessa técnica juntamente com outras estratégias/intervenções da TCC. Livros-guias de TCC: não diferenciam problema e conflito; descrevem detalhadamente passos para resolução de problemas, focando na perspectiva do cliente, no momento presente e no uso da razão lógica; não abordam a mediação de conflitos pela TCC. Sugerimos uma estratégia que pode ajudar na mediação de conflitos: auxiliando na coleta/organização de informações; melhorando a comunicação – empática e assertiva; favorecendo escolhas com o intuito de causar o menor dano possível a todas as partes envolvidas no conflito. Conclusões: Para treinar terapeutas para aplicarem a resolução de problemas, há descrição detalhada dos passos a serem seguidos. Entretanto, para capacitar os terapeutas para mediarem conflitos, práticas clínicas que têm sido frequentemente descritas/utilizadas nas terapias cognitivas contextuais podem ser necessárias: aceitação psicológica, mindfulness , entender valores individuais, vivenciar/considerar a emoção em tomadas de decisão, ativar a compaixão/autocompaixão.

Abstract Humanity is sporadically subjected to leaders with deviant behavior, ego problems, or psychiatric disorders, potentially leading to social instability. Bipolar disorder is not common in all populations, but, coincidentally, studies suggest that it affected two sovereigns that were contemporaries, King George III of England, who died 201 years ago, and Queen Maria I of Portugal, who died 205 years ago. They lived during a time when Europe was in turmoil with the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars, which also coincided with the rise of psychiatry. Both monarchs were forced to have prince regents rule in their place, due to their emotional decline, and they shared the same medical consultant, Francis Willis.

Several stressors associated with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are expected to affect the mental health of global populations: the effects of physical distancing, quarantine, and social isolation; the emotional suffering of health and other frontline workers; neuropsychiatric sequelae in those affected by the virus; the impact to families of lives lost to the disease; differential effects for those with severe mental disorders; and the consequences of social and economic deterioration. In this context, we sought: to form a panel of Brazilian experts on child and adolescent health, neurodevelopment, health services, and adult and elderly mental health; and to compile evidence-based interventions to support suggested policy changes in Brazil to mitigate the expected increase in mental health disorders during the pandemic and its mental health consequences. The following actions are recommended: 1) invest in prevention programs for the safe return of students to schools; 2) adopt evidence-based psychosocial interventions to maintain an adequate environment for child and adolescent development; 3) target socially vulnerable populations and those experiencing discrimination; 4) train primary care teams to solve common mental health problems, provide needs-based assessments, and manage long-term, at-home care for older patients; 5) invest in technological advancements (e.g., telemedicine, e-Health, and web-based algorithms) to promote coordinated care; 6) increase access to and literacy in the use of computers and mobile phones, especially among older adults; 7) expand protocols for remote, brief psychotherapy interventions and psychoeducation to manage common mental health problems.

Objective: Decades of research have highlighted the involvement of the prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulated cortex, and limbic areas (amygdala) in panic disorder (PD). However, little attention has been given specifically to the inferior frontal gyrus. The current study aimed to investigate the neural substrates, including the inferior frontal gyrus, of both panic-related and negative conditions among individuals with PD and healthy controls. Methods: We examined 13 medication-free PD patients and 14 healthy controls with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during exposure to negative and neutral pictures and a set of specific panic-related pictures. Results: Subtraction between the conditions indicated activation of the left amygdala region and the right inferior frontal gyrus in PD patients during the specific panic-related condition, whereas the left amygdalar region and left inferior frontal gyrus were activated during the negative condition in controls. Conclusion: These results suggest that in patients with PD, a prominent bottom-up process is involved in specific panic-related conditions, which might be associated with weak modulation of the left frontal area. These data add to our current understanding of the neural correlates of PD and can contribute to future clinical interventions targeting the functional reestablishment of these regions.

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.