Objectivethe relationship between Quality of life (QoL) and global functioning and symptoms in outpatients with SchizophreniaMethodThe study was carried out on the outpatients with schizophrenia attending a Community Mental Health Centre in 2008. Each patient completed the WHO QoL Instrument - Brief and was administered the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale-24 to assess psychiatric symptoms and the VADO Personal and social Functioning Scale to assess the level of functioning.Resultssubjects showed an intermediate satisfaction on the overall QoL and health; these data can be juxtaposed to the national standard sample rates. QoL resulted positively associated to personal and social functioning, while it was negatively related to psychiatric symptoms.Conclusionpatients showed a fairly good satisfaction in regard to their QoL. The severity of psychiatric symptoms is one of the elements influencing QoL, together with personal and social functioning that plays a relevant role.

Background: Light is one of the most important factors in our interaction with the environment; it is indispensable to visual function and neuroendocrine regulation, and is essential to our emotional perception and evaluation of the environment. Previous studies have focussed on the effects of prolonged anomalous exposure to artificial light and, in the field of work-related illness. Studies have been carried out on shift-work personnel, who are obliged to experience alterations in the physiological alternation of day and night, with anomalous exposure to light stimuli in hours normally reserved for sleep. In order to identify any signs and symptoms of the so-called ill-lighting syndrome, we carried out a study on a sample of anaesthesiologists and nurses employed in the operating theatres and Intensive Care Departments of three Italian hospitals. We measured the subjective emotional discomfort (stress) experienced by these subjects, and its correlation with environmental discomfort factors, in particular the level of lighting, in their workplace.

BackgroundIn the general belief, schizophrenia is associated with the concepts of seriousness, incurability, dangerousness: this is incorrect. In recent decades, the interest in course studies increased and different trends emerged, not necessarily chronic, with the possibility of remission.The plan of this research was to draw a picture of the schizophrenia syndrome in a specific geographic area, in the past and at present time: this allows to detect needs, weaknesses and strengths, for a better planning of future interventions.MethodsThe course of all cases diagnosed as schizophrenia (N = 1,759) in the period 1978–2008, was retrospectively studied in the entire population of an Italian province by observing, for a mean period of 12 years per person, age at first psychiatric consultation, number and length of admissions for both acute symptoms and residential-rehabilitation programs, number of interventions in outpatients. The cases under treatment (N = 842), were evaluated in terms of symptoms, using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, and in terms of functioning, using the Personal and Social Functioning Scale.ResultsThe disease course differs significantly between genders: males have an earlier age at first consultation (about 7 years earlier), higher admission rates, greater number of outpatient interventions and personal and social functioning significantly worse.Hospitalization resulted often unnecessary: 23.1% of cases were never hospitalized and 67.2% spent less than one week per year in hospital.A quarter of the cases meets the international criteria for remission and more than 75% are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic; only 5.3% of cases shows severe symptoms. However, Personal and Social Functioning highlights, in about 1/3 of cases, relevant or serious problems mainly in Work and Relationships areas, whilst Aggressiveness is a serious problem only in 9%.ConclusionsIn this population, schizophrenia in real life shows great individual variability in course, symptoms and functioning: in most cases nowadays it appears a less severe and chronic disease than in the past, but further improvements are needed on disability prevention and social inclusion.

Multicentric glioblastoma is a uncommon brain malignant tumour.We report the case of a 43-years-old woman, born in Ukraine and living in Italy, who manifested an initial isolated epileptic seizure and subsequent atypical psychiatric symptoms. Clinical neurological examination, Brain Computed Tomography and standard EEG examinations were negative at the moment of admission. A month later, she presented apathy, apraxia, psychomotor slowdown and expressive aphasia. A Magnetic Resonance Imaging examination showed a bi-frontal lesion. The patient underwent to two neurosurgical removals of the lesions: histological examination demonstrated the presence of a grade IV glioblastoma.Clinical onset, diagnostic and therapeutic problems are discussed.In case of atypical psychiatric presentation, it should be taken into consideration neoplastic, inflammatory or infective causes. Despite the absence of focal neurological signs and basal CT scan and EEG alterations, complementary imaging examinations, such as MRI and contrast enhancement CT, are necessary, especially when the conditions become quickly worse

IntroductionA specific interest regarding quality of life(QoL) of patients with schizophrenia dates back to the de-institutionalisation process. Italy worked on decentralising its mental health services since 1978. It was apparent that capturing psychopathological symptoms alone was not sufficient to reflect relevant outcomes. In particular, information on the social functioning and quality of life is regarded as essential for evaluating long-term outcomes.ObjectiveThe relationship between Quality of life and global functioning and symptoms in outpatients with Schizophrenia.MethodIn the present study we examined all the subjects with a diagnosis of schizophrenia attending a same Community Mental Health Centre in Northern Italy, in 2008. Each patient completed the WHO QoL Instrument - Brief and was administerd the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale-24 to assess psychiatric symptoms and the VADO Personal and social Functioning Scale to assess the level of functioning.ResultsThe population studied subjects showed an intermediate satisfaction on the overall QoL and health; these data can be juxtaposed to the national standard sample rates. QoL resulted positively associated to personal and social functioning, while it was negatively related to psychiatric symptoms.ConclusionThe QoL in our study is not extremely negative, though schizophrenia is an often an impairing chronic illness. Furthermore, the present research on social functioning, psychiatric symptoms and QoL in people with schizophrenia suggest that symptoms, but, above all, personal and social functioning are important elements to determine QoL. These studies point to the importance of looking beyond symptom-reduction strategies for improving QoL in schizophrenia.