La pandemia COVID-19 y su repercusión en la unidad de radiología intervencionista: nuestra experiencia

This paper aims to describe our experience in an interventional radiology unit in a hospital in Spain that was severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. To this end, we did a prospective observational study of 20 consecutive patients with COVID-19 who underwent 21 interventional radiology procedures between March 13, 2020 and May 11, 2020. We describe the measures taken to reorganize the work and protective measures, as well as the repercussions of the situation on our unit's overall activity and activity in different phases. The COVID-19 pandemic has represented a challenge in our daily work, but learning from our own experience and the recommendations of the Spanish radiological societies (SERVEI and SERAM) has enabled us to adapt successfully. Our activity dropped only 22% compared to the same period in 2019.     

Analysis of KCNH2 and CACNA1C schizophrenia risk genes on EEG functional network modulation during an auditory odd-ball task

European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience - A deficit in task-related functional connectivity modulation from electroencephalogram (EEG) has been described in schizophrenia. The use...     

Deficits of entropy modulation of the EEG: A biomarker for altered function in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder?

BackgroundThe synchronized activity of distributed neural assemblies — reflected in the electroencephalogram (EEG) — underpins mental function. In schizophrenia, modulation deficits of EEG spectral content during a P300 task have been replicated. The effects of treatment, chronicity and specificity in these deficits and their possible relationship with anatomic connectivity remain to be explored.MethodsWe assessed spectral entropy modulation of the EEG during a P300 task in 79 patients with schizophrenia (of those, 31 were in their first episode), 29 patients with bipolar disorder and 48 healthy controls. Spectral entropy values summarize EEG characteristics by quantifying the irregularity of spectral content. In a subsample, we calculated the network architecture of structural connectivity using diffusion tensor imaging and graph-theory parameters.ResultsWe found significant spectral entropy modulation deficits with task performance in patients with chronic or first-episode schizophrenia and in patients with bipolar disorder, without significant pre-stimulus spectral entropy differences. The deficits were unrelated to treatment doses, and spectral entropy modulation did not differ between patients taking or not taking antipsychotics, lithium, benzodiazepines or antidepressants. Structural connectivity values were unrelated to spectral entropy modulation. In patients with schizophrenia, spectral entropy modulation was inversely related to negative symptoms and directly related to verbal memory.LimitationsAll patients were taking medication. Patients with bipolar disorder were euthymic and chronic. The cross-sectional nature of this study prevented a more thorough analysis of state versus trait criteria for spectral entropy changes.ConclusionSpectral entropy modulation with task performance is decreased in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. This deficit was not an effect of psychopharmacological treatment or structural connectivity and might reflect a deficit in the synchronization of the neural assemblies that underlie cognitive activity.