No abstract

The etiopathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remains largely unclear. Among other biological hypotheses, researchers have evidenced an imbalance in the endocannabinoid (eCB) system, which regulates some functions typically impaired in ASD, such as emotional responses and social interaction. Additionally, cannabidiol (CBD), the non-intoxicating component of Cannabis sativa, was recently approved for treatment-resistant epilepsy. Epilepsy represents a common medical condition in people with ASD. Additionally, the two conditions share some neuropathological mechanisms, particularly GABAergic dysfunctions. Hence, it was hypothesized that cannabinoids could be useful in improving ASD symptoms. Our systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines and aimed to summarize the literature regarding the use of cannabinoids in ASD. After searching in Web of KnowledgeTM, PsycINFO, and Embase, we included ten studies (eight papers and two abstracts). Four ongoing trials were retrieved in ClinicalTrials.gov. The findings were promising, as cannabinoids appeared to improve some ASD-associated symptoms, such as problem behaviors, sleep problems, and hyperactivity, with limited cardiac and metabolic side effects. Conversely, the knowledge of their effects on ASD core symptoms is scarce. Interestingly, cannabinoids generally allowed to reduce the number of prescribed medications and decreased the frequency of seizures in patients with comorbid epilepsy. Mechanisms of action could be linked to the excitatory/inhibitory imbalance found in people with ASD. However, further trials with better characterization and homogenization of samples, and well-defined outcomes should be implemented.

The authors conducted a cross-sectional survey to investigate the association between episodes of patient aggression and burnout among mental health professionals.Methods: Scores of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) among 183 participants who completed a questionnaire on violence exposure were used as the outcome. Demographic and work-related variables were examined as potential moderators of the association between aggression and burnout.Results: Lifetime exposure to verbal or object aggression was associated with higher MBI scores. In stepwise regression, MBI score was positively associated with having experienced recent verbal aggression and with the number of symptoms experienced immediately after the worst event. MBI score was negatively associated with working in a university psychiatric inpatient unit. The association between verbal aggression and burnout was significant only among women.Conclusions: Workplace violence may have a significant negative impact on subjective well-being and patient care and may contribute to burnout among mental health professionals.