Psychic Stress Research Articles

(067) The Outcome of Bulbospongiosus Muscle Injection with Botulinum-A Toxin for Treatment of Lifelong Premature Ejaculation; A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract Introduction Lifelong premature ejaculation (PE) is considered one of the commonest sexual disorder affecting men with an estimated prevalence of 2–5%. [1,2] Many definitions have been proposed for lifelong PE, the most accepted is the ISSM’s which consider PE “ejaculation which always or nearly always occurs prior to or within about 1 minute of vaginal penetration from first sexual experiences (lifelong premature ejaculation) + Negative personal consequences such as distress, bother, frustration, and/or the avoidance of sexual intimacy”.[3] However, there is no doubt that lifelong PE negatively affects the quality of life of the patient and his partner. [2] Proper assessment of this problem in an objective validated way has always been a challenge. [4] Treatment also varied from behavioral techniques, SSRIs and local anaesthetics with very variable outcome, unsatisfactory for many patients. [5] New lines have been always evolving trying to address this resistant category of patients such as injection of the glans penis with filler [6] or neurectomy of the dorsal nerve of the penis. [7] Herein; we assess a new line of treatment for lifelong PE which theoretically can inhibit the stereotyped rhythmic contractions of the bulbospongiosus muscle during the reflex of ejaculation using botulinum-A toxin; in a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Objective This study aimed to assess a new line of treatment for lifelong premature ejaculation (PE) which is botulinum-A toxin injection into the bulbospongiosus muscle. Methods It was conducted at the Andrology Unit of Tanta University in Egypt between November 2020 and November 2022. Patients with lifelong PE were considered for this study. Those suffering from PE secondary to erectile dysfunction, genital infection or psychic stress were excluded. Patients have been asked to stop any medical treatment that could affect their sexual function eg PDE5i and medications for lifelong PE; for at least 1 month before injection as well as 6 months thereafter. Sixty patients with lifelong PE have been prospectively enrolled and randomized into 2 groups; the test group (group A) was injected with 100 U botulinum-A toxin at 10 U/ml and the control group (group B) which was injected with the same volume of saline into the bulbospongiosus muscle. Injection was done in lithotomy position, using a fanning technique, under US guidance using the superficial probe to localize the site of injection. Fifty-seven patients of 60 completed the follow up protocol. Results Fifty-seven patients of 60 completed the follow up protocol. The IELT, PEP score and female satisfaction showed no statistically significant difference between both groups at the 1, 3 and 6 months post intervention. However, in the treatment group, the median (IQR) PEP score increased significantly after 1 and 3 months with a mean difference of 1.6 and 95 % CI of (0.7–2.5), P=0.001 and 0.9 and 95% CI of (1.07–1.69), P=0.02 respectively. Whereas insignificant change was noted at 6 months, with a mean difference of 0.13.In the control group however, there was no significant change of any of the tested parameters at any the 3 time points. Adverse reactions were minor and observed only in 3 cases (5%). Conclusions botulinum A injection into the BS muscle seems to be safe, but failed to prove efficacy when compared to placebo in treatment of lifelong PE Disclosure No.

Colostrum and Lactoferrin Protect against Side Effects of Therapy with Antibiotics, Anti-inflammatory Drugs and Steroids, and Psychophysical Stress: A Comprehensive Review.

In this article, we review the benefits of applying bovine colostrum (BC) and lactoferrin (LF) in animal models and clinical trials that include corticosteroid application and psychic stress, treatment with non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and antibiotics. A majority of the reported investigations were performed with native bovine or recombinant human LF, applied alone or in combination with probiotics, as nutraceutics and diet supplements. Apart from reducing adverse side effects of the applied therapeutics, BC and LF augmented their efficacy and improved the wellness of patients. In conclusion, LF and complete native colostrum, preferably administered with probiotic bacteria, are highly recommended for inclusion in therapeutic protocols in NSAIDs and corticosteroid anti-inflammatory, as well as antibiotic, therapies. These colostrum-based products can also be of value for individuals subjected to prolonged psychophysical stress (mediated by endogenous corticosteroids), especially at high ambient temperatures (soldiers and emergency services), as well as physically active people and training athletes. They are also recommended for patients during recovery from trauma and surgery, which are always associated with severe psychophysical stress.

Charbons ardents par Maryline Desbiolles

Reviewed by: Charbons ardents par Maryline Desbiolles Kate M. Bonin Desbiolles, Maryline. Charbons ardents. Seuil, 2022. ISBN 978-2-02-149547-8. Pp. 144. The publisher classifies this work of writing under the rubric "roman," but this category is an uneasy fit. The I narrator is demonstrably Desbiolles herself, embarked on a project of revisiting a real-life event: the 1983 Marche pour l'égalité et contre le racisme. This protest march, the first of its kind in France, took place October-December of 1983: a 1200-kilometer trajectory from Marseille to Paris. The proximal cause of the march was a rise in unprovoked violence against French citizens of Maghrebi origin; more generally, it questioned the role of immigrants within contemporary French society. The artistry of Charbons ardents—what differentiates it from a work of history or sociology—lies in the creative juxtaposition of two timelines: the 1983 March, and the author's own moment of 2020, as she attempts to track down and interview surviving marchers, set against a backdrop of the COVID lockdown and the psychic stress it caused ("la pandémie me scie les pattes," laments the narrator, 13). The mobility of the marchers contrasts vividly with the claustrophobia and discouragement engendered by the lockdown. Time, for Desbiolles, is not a linear forward movement, but rather "un paysage où aller et venir, déambuler, errer, se perdre" (122). Indeed, there are subtle shifts in the first-person narrative voice, as the je of Desbiolles gives way (without punctuation or other markers) to the je of various marchers who agreed to an interview: among them, Djamel Atallah, Christian Delorme, Fatimah Mehallel. In this way, Desbiolles demonstrates a conscientious effort to foreground the marchers' opinions of their own experience, both in the moment and in thirty-seven years' hindsight (for example, Farid L'Haoua's sense of disaffection and disappointment with the March's lack of concrete achievements). At the same time, revisiting the March entails revisiting Desbiolles's own past, although she admits having been unaware of the event as it unfolded ("Je ne l'ai pas entendu en 1983. Qu'est-ce que je n'entends pas aujourd'hui?" 53). Desbiolles constantly seeks connections between the marchers' experience and her own (the age of Élisabeth's daughter and Desbiolles's own daughter; the marchers' music tastes in the 1980s and her own, etc.). This impulse to make connections occasionally leads Desbiolles to odd moments of speculative numerology, of identifying emblematic meaning in the roots of words or in names (the activist priest Christian Delorme becomes "un arbre," 103). Clearly, one of the main focal points of the work is Desbiolles's quest to understand her own positionality as an aging baby boomer and soixante-huitarde coming to grips with what she terms "les traumatismes de l'histoire de France" (87): colonization; the Algerian War for Independence, the 1980s rise in racist violence. Recent tragic events—the deaths of George Floyd, Adama Traoré, and Samuel Paty, all of which claim space in Chardons ardents—demonstrate the depressingly persistent cycle of racism: "Le [End Page 228] temps ne passe pas" writes Desbiolles (63). Less predictably, in the same line, she also observes: "Les temps se chevauchent, s'empilent, s'interpénètrent:" a fitting image for this rambling, provocative, and moving work. [End Page 229] Kate M. Bonin Arcadia University (PA) Copyright © 2023 American Association of Teachers of French

Impacts of COVID-19 on children and adolescents: A systematic review analyzing its psychiatric effects.

To summarize the most relevant data from a systematic review on the impact of COVID-19 on children and adolescents, particularly analyzing its psychiatric effects. This review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and included experimental studies (randomized-individually or pooled-and non-randomized controlled trials), observational studies with a group for internal comparison (cohort studies-prospective and retrospective-and case-control) and qualitative studies in the period from 2021 to 2022. The search identified 325 articles; we removed 125 duplicates. We selected 200 manuscripts, chosen by title and selected abstracts. We excluded 50 records after screening titles and abstracts, as they did not meet the inclusion criteria. We retrieved 150 records selected for a full reading. We excluded 90 text articles and we selected 25 records for the (n) final. Limitations: Due to the short period of data collection, from 2021 to 2022, there is a possibility of lack of relevant studies related to the mental health care of children and adolescents. In addition, there is the possibility of publication bias, such as only significant findings being published. The impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of children and adolescents is of great concern to child and youth psychiatry. Situations such as fear, anxiety, panic, depression, sleep and appetite disorders, as well as impairment in social interactions caused by psychic stress, are punctual markers of pain and psychic suffering, which have increasing impacts on the mental health panorama of children and adolescents globally, particularly in vulnerable and socially at-risk populations.

Effectiveness of mind-body intervention on oocyte quality and serum cortisol level in sub-fertile women undergoing IVF treatment in Wardha region: A Study Protocol

The grounds of the contemporaneous examination is to evaluate the association in unite repercussions of mind-body intercession and serum cortisol measures and eggs attributes. The cognizance that psychical stress may avert females from accomplishing and keeping up a gestation has become vastly received. Mind-body intercession incorporates calmness, optimistic make-believe, biofeedback, balm, meditation, rumination, yoga, and more. All these acts work discreetly to help someone alleviate illness. Mind-body interventions (MBIs) may be an efficacious implement to assist females to cope with the ultimatum of infertility pinpointing and ministration Objective of this study is to sensitize all sub fertile females about the study, to investigate serum cortisol level of sub fertile females and to investigate the quality of oocyte of sub fertile females. This non-invasive methodology appends a set down of ministration history and the manifestations. Advice will be given to all the patients for research. Additional convention appends checking of oocytes quality after mind-body intercession in the second cycle of IVF after retrieving poor quality of oocytes in the first cycle and failure of the cycle due to it.

Influence of physical activity, diet, psychic stress and other diseases on psoriaris

Introduction and objective: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by improperly differentiating epidermal keratinocytes. It may be associated with many coexisting diseases, mainly of the digestive, circulatory and autoimmune systems.
 Materials and methods: Pubmed database was searched. The criteria for qualifying the articl for the review were the following keywords: psoriasis, diet, sport, exercises, stress. 20 articles from 2017 to 2022 were analyzed.
 Description of the state of knowledge: Psoriasis has many links with metabolism, which depends on diet, exercise, and other diseases in the body. The excessive amount of pro-inflammatory substances can be regulated by supplying the body with anti-inflammatory ingredients in the diet as well as by physical activity that reduces the level of visceral fat. Many other diseases related to, inter alia, inflammation of the intestines or the state of the intestinal microbiota also affect the systemic distribution of cytokines and adipokines. An important factor influencing health is also mental stress and even epigenetic factors.
 Summary: Increased physical activity helps fight the main consequences of psoriasis. A similar effect is demonstrated by a low-calorie diet with a high content of anti-inflammatory ingredients and antioxidants and avoidance of pro-inflammatory substances. Treating other comorbidities and maintaining a low level of mental stress also have a positive effect on patients with psoriasis. All of the above interventions are effective complementary to pharmacological therapy.

Use of 3d printing technology in the treatment of microtia and other outer ear deformities

Introduction: Microtia and other outer ear deformations may cause a lot of psychical, social, and mental stress for a patient. In order to surgically treat it, we need a very experienced plastic surgeon specializing in such operations. With the use of 3D printing technology, such as fused deposition modeling or a sacrificial layer process there are a lot of possibilities starting from creating aids for plastic surgeons to printing ear prosthesis from live cells. Objective: The study's objective was to research, review and compare data available on PubMed about the use of 3D printing in the treatment of microtia and other ear deformations. A brief description of the state of knowledge: With the current state of knowledge, with the 3D printing technology, we can quickly create highly individualized and helpful training aids for plastic surgeons that would help them during operations. There is also a possibility of developing a personalized splint that would help correct the ears better than conventional methods. What’s more, we can also print prosthetics, not only with the use of conventional materials used in 3D printing but also with live chondrocytes and adipocytes that were able to chondro and adipogenesis, respectively. Conclusions: There are a couple of ways we can use 3D printing in the treatment of outer ear deformities. The most promising is printing with live cells, but we need more research to develop better methods and techniques to use in the future prosthetics.

Burnout syndrome in resuscitation anesthesiologists as a subjective answer to professional stress in the covid-19 period

IntroductionIn the COVID-19 pandemic situation the burden that has fallen on the shoulders of resuscitation anesthesiologists has become really great. These specialists experience emotional and psychical stress that has led to the high risk of formation of the emotional burnout syndrome in the pre-COVID period.ObjectivesA comparative analysis of the formation of a complete syndrome of emotional burnout in 2020-2021 in resuscitation anesthesiologists with varied years of professional activity.MethodsSixty-two resuscitation anesthesiologists volunteered to take part in the study: 47 males and 15 females. The main method of study was V. Boiko’s method of “Diagnosis of level of emotional burnout”.ResultsThe results have shown that, during the said period, the number of doctors with complete syndrome of emotional burnout has significantly increased, that is, all three phases: stress, resistance and exhaustion had formed. The period of study has clearly shown two groups of male doctors: with period of work of 20 or more years, and with period of work of less than 5 years. The said symptoms cause a feeling of physical and psychological overburdens, stress at work and at home, conflicts with management personnel, colleagues and patients.Conclusions The atypical COVID-19 pneumonia pandemic has laid significant stress on the psychic and physical health of resuscitation anesthesiologists. The high level of psychological strain, accumulation of negative emotions, and the feeling of helplessness led to medical errors and delays in important tactical decisions.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Hysteria and its deceptive masks

Hysteria still exists, even if this stigmatizing term has been abandoned in favor of more descriptive terms (dissociative disorders, conversion disorders, functional disorders), and represents a frequent and disabling pathology. Even if in some situations, the establishment of a definitive diagnosis remains difficult, more and more clinical and paraclinical signs are developing to help in the diagnosis and the error rate is low. Thus, the clinician must currently make a positive diagnosis of conversion and no longer, as unfortunately often in the past, confine himself to evoking by default such a possibility in the face of an atypical picture accompanied by an extensive negative paraclinical assessment. The most probable etiology concerns triggering factors of a psychiatric nature (traumatic episode or psychic stress, vulnerability with a field of abuse in childhood, comorbidity of anxio-depressive disorders), which can, in turn, lead to changes in brain function, the exact neurobiological correlate of which remains to be determined, even if many leads have recently been suggested by brain imaging. The care of these patients requires an in-depth and specialized examination, if possible, with the help of a neurologist, then psychiatric care, combined with somatic follow-up. In the future, a better understanding of the etiological mechanisms will make it possible to develop more specific treatments.

Study of Socioclinical Risk Factors for Breast Milk Deficiency in Women During Lactation

Breastfeeding has benefits for the health and development of the baby, but also for the mother. the aim of this study is to assess certain risk factors of breast milk deficiency in women during lactation. The study was based on 150 voluntary individuals divided into Breastfeeding women with milk with average age of 31.11±4.56 years old and Breastfeeding women without milk with average age of 33.97±6.50 years old. Results of the risk factors show that Obesity, Contraception pills, Psychic stress and food deficit are significant (P <0.05) socioeconomic risk factors that cause loss of milk in breastfeeding women with OR (1.50- 2.85) and that Polycystic ovaries and Hypocalcaemia are significant (P <0.05) clinical risk factors for loss of milk in breastfeeding women with OR (2.08- 2.35). From the above, we conclude that breastfeeding is strongly affected by the lifestyle and some diseases that affect women, which requires sensitivity to improve these elements for safe breastfeeding.

Zumurrud (emerald): Medicinal Potential of a Gemstone from Jawaharat-i-tis ‘a(navratan), in the Perspective of Unani Medicine

Emeralds are transparent and coloured varieties of beryl mineral. It is categorised as a precious and valuable stone. It has a beautiful, intense, and radiant green colour. Emerald is one of the most expensive gemstones due to its bright green colour, durability, and rare availability. A fine and top quality emerald is more valuable than diamonds. Basically, it is found in gold mines and takes a long period of 21 years to reach its complete formation. Emerald has been used for medicinal purpose from ancient time. In Babylon (the oldest gem market), the fine quality emerald crystal gem was dedicated to the goddess Venus. In the case of emerald, it is believed that it represents immortality and faith. In the Unani system of medicine, it is used as a vital organ tonic, cicatrizant, diuretic, lithotriptic, antidote, eye tonic, blood purifier etc. It is used in cases of anuria and some psychic conditions like stress and anxiety. It stimulates the use of greater mental capacity and enhances memory. No pharmacological studies on emerald have been done yet, so this article has been compiled for its medicinal uses in the perspective of Unani medicine to provide a lead for pharmacological studies on this precious gemstone.

Does Quality of Life Impact the Mental Health of Students at a University of the Brazilian Amazon?

The literature indicates a high prevalence of mental disorders in the university population and reveals the vulnerability of this public to psychic illness. Thus, exploring protective and risk constructs related to mental health problems in higher education students is important to collaborate with more effective interventions. Studies already associate personal and academic characteristics including age, income, and academic performance with mental illness of university students. However, there is still little scientific knowledge about psychosocial predictors such as quality of life to psychological disorders in this population. This study analyzed the predictive effect of quality of life on mental health of academics from a Public University of western Amazonia of Brazil. A cross-sectional design was carried out with 301 university students, who responded to the instruments: Quality of Life of the World Health Organization (WHOQOL-bref); Maslach Burnout Invetory/Student SurveyBI (MBI-SS); General Health Questionnaire (QSG); and a socio-demographic and academic characterization form. The results of the regression analyses indicated that the Quality-of-Life domains predicted the dimensions of emotional exhaustion and professional efficacy of burnout syndrome and influenced the five factors of general health, namely psychic stress, desire for death, distrust in performance capacity, sleep disorders and psychosomatic disorders. These findings suggest that strategies focused on increasing quality of life can mitigate mental health problems among university students.

From trench mouth to noma: Experiences from Nazi extermination camps

Trench mouth, as it occurred especially in World War I in soldiers, is a necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (NUG) in people who have poor oral hygiene, malnutrition, vitamin deficiency, a smoking history, and psychic stress. When not treated properly, this condition can lead to noma. NUG and noma are mainly seen today in severely malnourished, poorly cared for, and immunocompromised children in extremely poor living conditions, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. In 20th century history, the occurrence of noma in Turkey was described by Albert Eckstein (1891-1959), but noma is particularly linked to the atrocious living conditions in the Nazi exterminations camps, such as Auschwitz, where large numbers of patients with noma were treated in Berthold Epstein's (1890-1962) Noma Department in the Zigeunerlager (Gypsy Camp) under the supervision of SS physician Josef Mengele (1911-1979). Although these patients were treated successfully, all of them, mostly children, were ultimately killed. The protocols of the noma research are lost, and descriptions from Auschwitz are scarce. Fortuitously, there are some testimonies, especially from postwar trials, that give insight on this ambiguous and repressed topic.

Subjective life experiences of family caregivers of dependent older adults.

This study aimed to understand the subjective meanings attributed to home care by family caregivers of dependent older adults through a multicenter qualitative investigation that gathered 84 in-depth interviews with family caregivers from eight Brazilian locations. The hermeneutic-dialectic, theoretical, methodological framework was employed. The following categories emerged from the analysis: 1. Movements inhibiting emotions and feelings; 2. Presence of processes of symbiosis and emotional dependence in the older adult-relative relationship; 3. Contentment in caring for the dependent older adult; and 4. Giving up current and future life projects. The results reveal life experiences marked by symbiotic processes, emotional dependence, and psychic stress. Dependence causes suffering and feelings of despair, powerlessness, impatience, but also solidarity and empathy. Withdrawal from the job market, social depreciation of family caregiver's activity, social isolation, neglected self-care, and family conflicts impact caregivers' subjectivity. The elaboration of public policies must consider the social-affective life experiences of family caregivers of dependent older adults in order to include the care of those providing care.

Salivary alpha-amylase and tooth pulp evoked potentials in paroxysmal trigeminal neuralgia patients

Background/Aim. The sudden and excruciating pain that characterizes paroxysmal trigeminal neuralgia (PTN) has a negative effect on the wellbeing of the affected individuals, causing psychological distress. Salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) level represents an objective assessment of physical, physio-logical, and psychological stress. Evoked potentials (EPs) reflect nerve function and evaluate a functional aspect of the trigeminal nerve conduction. The aim of this study was to analyze possible modifications in painful impulses conduction related to sAA level by registering tooth pulp EPs in PTN patients. Methods. The study included ten PTN patients and twelve healthy subjects. The activity of sAA was measured using the Nipro Salivary Amylase Monitor. In order to record EPs response, the dental pulp of vital teeth was electrically stimulated through intact enamel. For stimulation and impulse registration, we used Xltek Protektor 32 system, software EPWorks, version 5.0. Results. The results obtained in PTN patients showed a higher number of waves and significantly shorter latencies and lower amplitudes N2-P2 a nd N 3-P3 at the neuralgic side c ompared to the healthy side of the same patient, as well as to the controls (p < 0.05). Moreover, latencies were significantly shorter in patients with higher sAA levels than in those with normal sAA levels (p < 0.05). Late latencies (N2 and P2) at the healthy side in patients with higher sAA levels were significantly shorter compared to patients whose sAA levels were normal (p < 0.05). Conclusion. This study showed that psychical stress associated with PTN probably further increased hyperexcitability and conduction velocity of the affected nerves. Moreover, it seems that anticipation of stressful pain even increases the conduction velocity of un-affected nerves at the thalamocortical level in PTN patients. However, in healthy individuals, stress itself had no influence on painful impulses conduction.

A cross-sectional study of gastrointestinal symptoms, depressive symptoms and trait anxiety in young adults

Background>Patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders have a high psychiatric co-morbidity. This study aimed to investigate and characterise gastrointestinal symptoms in relation to depressive symptoms and trait anxiety in a well-defined population of young adult psychiatric outpatients and healthy controls.MethodsGastrointestinal symptoms were assessed with the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (GSRS-IBS). Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale- Self assessment (MADRS-S). Trait anxiety was estimated with three of the Swedish universities of Personality (SSP) scales: Somatic trait anxiety, Psychic trait anxiety and Stress susceptibility. Self-ratings were collected from 491 young adult psychiatric outpatients and 85 healthy controls. Gastrointestinal symptom severity was compared between patients with and without current psychotropic medication and controls. Associations between gastrointestinal symptoms, depressive symptoms and trait anxiety were assessed using Spearman’s coefficients and generalized linear models adjusting for possible confounders (sex, body mass index, bulimia nervosa).ResultsPatients, with and without current psychotropic medication, reported significantly more gastrointestinal symptoms than controls. In the generalized linear models, total MADRS-S score (p < 0.001), Somatic trait anxiety (p < 0.001), Psychic trait anxiety (p = 0.002) and Stress susceptibility (p = 0.002) were independent predictors of the total GSRS-IBS score. Further exploratory analysis using unsupervised learning revealed a diverse spectrum of symptoms that clustered into six groups.ConclusionGastrointestinal symptoms are both highly prevalent and diverse in young adult psychiatric outpatients, regardless of current psychotropic medication. Depressive symptom severity and degree of trait anxiety are independently related to the total gastrointestinal symptom burden.

Differences in personality, perceived stress and physical activity in women with burning mouth syndrome compared to controls.

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a long-lasting pain condition which is commonly associated with anxiety symptoms and experience of adverse, stressful life events have been reported by those diagnosed with the syndrome. Stress-related biomarkers have been related to personality traits in BMS and a personality with high stress susceptibility and perceived stress may be of importance. Although biopsychosocial approaches are suggested to manage long-lasting orofacial pain, to date little is known about physical activity in women with BMS. The aim of this study was to investigate if personality, perceived stress and physical activity distinguish women with BMS from controls. Fifty-six women with BMS and 56 controls matched on age and gender completed Swedish universities Scales of Personality (SSP), Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ) and a general questionnaire with an item on weekly physical activity frequency. In addition, health-related quality of life was explored by additional questionnaires and reported in a companion article (Jedel etal. Scand J Pain. 2020. PubMed PMID: 32853174). SSP subscales Somatic Trait Anxiety, Psychic Trait Anxiety, Stress Susceptibility and Verbal Trait Aggression differed between women with BMS and controls and the personality factor scores for Neuroticism and Aggressiveness were higher. Perceived stress measured by PSQ index was higher for women with BMS compared to controls. Women with BMS reported lower physical activity frequency compared to controls and those reporting physical activity <4days/week scored higher on PSQ compared to those with weekly physical activity≥4days/week. Personality distinguished women with BMS from controls in this study. Perceived stress was higher and weekly physical activity was lower in women with BMS compared to controls. Our findings suggest physical activity should be more comprehensively measured in future BMS studies and, by extension, physical activity may be a treatment option for women with BMS. Pain management aiming to restore function and mobility with stress reduction should be considered in clinical decision making for women with BMS who have a personality with stress susceptibility, especially if reporting high perceived stress and insufficient physical activity.

A TERAPIA COGNITIVA COMPORTAMENTAL

A violência sexual infantil é um importante problema de saúde pública no Brasil. Dados apontam maior incidência no próprio ambiente intrafamiliar, com relação de vínculo afetivo entre o agredido(a) e o ofensor sexual. Assim, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo compreender o que leva os indivíduos ofenderem sexualmente crianças do mesmo contexto familiar segundo a terapia cognitivo comportamental. Constituiu-se de uma revisão da literatura de produções científicas publicadas de 2008 a 2018, nas principais bases de dados nacionais. Os dados mostraram que a maioria dos ofensores são do sexo masculino, adulto, com laços de confiança e cuidado com a vítima. Com motivações ligadas à manifestação de fantasias sexuais, distorções cognitivas e comportamento impulsivo frente a estresse psíquico, devido a possíveis causas biológicas, temperamentais e ambientais. São necessárias intervenções multidisciplinares com foco na abordagem cognitiva comportamental.

Unclear etiology and current hypotheses of the pathogenesis of fibromyalgia

Introduction and purpose: Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition affecting almost 2% of the general population, mostly women. The main symptoms are chronic diffuse musculoskeletal pain or stiffness, tiredness, nonrestorative sleep, anxiety, depression and cognitive dysfunction. The etiology of fibromyalgia remains unclear and has been the subject of debate and scientific investigation. The aim of this article was to collect and analyse current and new information on the etiology of fibromyalgia and present the most popular hypotheses.Brief description of the state of knowledge: Pathogenesis of fibromyalgia is multifactorial. Genetic factors, in addition to environmental factors, such as psychical stress and various types of infection, are considered to be the triggers of the disease. Central sensitization became a commonly accepted hypothesis of the fibromyalgia’s pathogenesis. However, the newest finding of small fiber neuropathy in patients with fibromyalgia supports another hypothesis, in which the disease is presented as stress-related dysautonomia with neuropathic pain features.Conclusions: Understanding the pathogenesis of fibromyalgia is essential to provide the best care to the patients with fibromyalgia. Although there are multiple evidence for central sensitization hypothesis, new findings continue to emerge and question commonly accepted paradigm. Despite numerous findings on etiology of fibromyalgia, more studies are needed.

Maternal identity of women in the postpartum period

The articleprovides a theoretical analysis of the notions of “maternity”, “maternal sphe-re”, “maternal role” and “maternal identity”. The place of maternal identity in the system of a woman’s identities is determined. This article provides a brief description of the structural elements (cognitive, emotional, behavioural and axiological) of maternal identity. It also em-phasizes the signifi cance of the postpartum period in a women’s psychic life and stresses its pivotal role in the development of maternal identity. Finally, the article points out some peculiarities of maternal identity of full-term and pre-term mothers.