INVESTIGADORES
GARGIULO Pascual Angel
libros
Título:
Psychiatry and Neuroscience Update - From Translational Research to a Humanistic Approach - Volume III.
Autor/es:
GARGIULO, PA. (EDITOR) ; MESONES ARROYO, H.L. (EDITOR)
Editorial:
Springer-Nature
Referencias:
Lugar: New York / Zurich; Año: 2019 p. 489
ISSN:
9783319953601
Resumen:
Present book constitutes a new effort aiming to approximate basic translational research, clinical psychopathology, psychiatry and humanities. Like in the previous volumes, four sections were displayed. In section I epistemological considerations about the study of normal and abnormal behavior are proposed. In the first chapter, Professor Juan Ernesto Calderón analyzes the concept of Truth in Psychiatry and Neurosciences. Starting from classic conceptualizations of truth, Calderón lucidly analyses the contributions of Heidegger and Gadamer to the idea of Plato regarding these ideas as germinal proposals of the western thought. Meanings of the Greek word a-letheia, are here profoundly analyzed. The meaning of this word as ?unconcealment? and its implications in Psychiatry and Neurosciences is rigorously examined. Hermeneutics and scientific knowledge are here studied and analyzed. The impact of these points of view is here analyzed in a bright manner. In the second chapter, Professor Miriam Dolly Arancibia analyzes the notion of freedom. She follows the studies of Leonardo Polo, who proposes a transcendental anthropology. Changes of values during different history points is clearly analyzed, following modifications in their values. Ideas such as autonomy and freedom are studied in this context. The role of Kant in education and his proposal of autonomy are matter of a subtle and interesting analysis in this study. The implications of these ideas in the context of authority and table of values are displayed in an original manner. The counterbalance due to Pedagogy and recent neurosciences is proposed. This chapter is an example of creativity and originality, in a rigorous context. It gives relevant cues to philosophers, psychotherapists and teachers in the classroom. The chapter three is dedicated to a humanistic perspective of pain. Present study is offered by Pablo Rodolfo Brumovsky, Carly Jane McCarthy, Mariana Malet and Marcelo José Villar. The neurobiology of pain is here summarized following a humanistic perspective. Definition of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) is here analyzed and its implications are over lighted in an interesting and original manner. The fact that this experience is predominantly emotional is considered an important cue to understand this phenomenon. The role of previous painful experiences as evoking of pain is here considered, and the interrelation between pain and emotions is here analyzed in a bright manner. Mechanisms connecting peripheral and central neurons and the way in which they are interrelated and processed constitutes a very interesting and transcendent chapter of this book.In chapter four, Professor Luis Echarte proposes a wide analysis about implications of the so called lie detector. Controversies related to this machine are here detailed in a very interesting manner. Its application to national security, job recruitment procedures and divorce disputes is here analyzed in an original and detailed way. Attention paid to detection of self-lies is here an interesting matter of discussion. Trajectory of lie detector from 1921 to the present is interestingly displayed. In the same way, a proposition of authors is related to the fact that new phenomenological and neuropsychological approaches to inauthentic experiences could be considered as an appropriate tool aiming understanding and detection of these self-lies. In the fifth chapter, Professor Rocco Genaro is dedicated to review evidences regarding brain damage and some psychopathological entities. Cognitive deficits in pathologies like hemispatial neglect, agnosias, amnesia, somatoparaphrenia are here studied. The role of neural substrate of specific functions is here explained, and the role of brain damage deeply analyzed. Interesting considerations about mental processes and consciousness and its relation with the brain are studied in a detailed manner. The condition of possibility that the brain grants to the so-called superior functions is here rigorously posed. Projections to conceptions of mind are here drawn and discussed. Interesting consequences on metaphysics of consciousness are here proposed and discussed in a bright manner. In the next chapter, Juan Francisco Franck studies the double challenge of naturalistic understanding of the mind. His proposal is mainly related to the study of correspondence between physical or organic processes generating or corresponding to a given experience or phenomenal feeling. A satisfactory explanation for the gap between the physical and the mental processes is here interestingly attempted. A critique study about the concept of emergence and its possibility to contribute conceptually closing the gap is here done. The contrast between phenomenal experience and the mental acts that reach the objective truth is pointed out, thus proposing the existence of timeless principles and propositions. The contributions of Edmund Husserl and Thomas Nagel are here analyzed, in a very interesting contribution. Chapter seven, written by Consuelo Martinez Priego, analyses the meaning of ?neuronal correlate? in mind-brain relationship. The term "correlation" is here analyzed following the close relationship between neural activity and mind or consciousness. The proposal of this chapter, as it was established by the author, is to show the real scope of the term in this field. In this context, three possible meanings are established for this term. The first is the existence of a causal-efficient relationship. The second possibility is a psycho-social parallelism. The third would be a terminological not real dualism between the conceptual systems. The author proposes the analysis of other levels. The difference between "causality" and "condition of possibility" is here clearly, elegantly and lucidly delimited. In chapter eight, a work team directed by Prof. Dr. José Murillo and integrated by Gonzalo Arrondo, Nathaniel Barret, Francisco Güel and Javier Bernacer proposes new ways for a fruitful translation between neuroscience and psychiatry. The beneficial role of methods of neuroscience to psychiatric research is here over lighted. The problem of reliability of neuroimaging research is here commented and discussed. The role of translational neurosciences and mental symptoms is here exhaustively discussed. The necessity of critical stances of brain imaging and a more complete epistemological model of mental symptoms are here discussed in an interesting manner. The possibility of an integration between neuroscience and psychiatry is here commented and discussed in an original manner. The second section is dedicated to topics coming from basic neurosciences and reaching dynamics of human brain. In chapter 9 a solid team directed by Prof. Dr. Claudia Bregonzio and Prof. Dr. Gustavo Baiardi write about vascular alterations in mental disorders, focusing on Angiotensin II role. This group includes Leticia Delgado, Osvaldo Martin Basmadjian, Victoria Belén Occhieppo and Natalia Andrea Marchese. They describe that prevalence of mental disorders is here considered taking into account that approximately 25 % of population worldwide will develop a mental illness at a moment of his life. Inflammation and vascular alterations are being related today with some kinds of mental illnesses. The role of microvasculature in essential functions as oxygen delivery is over lighted, and microvascular alterations like capillary ultrastructural abnormalities, deficient perfusion and blood brain barrier disruption are here related to schizophrenia, depression, Parkinson?s and Alzheimer?s diseases. The possibility of new therapeutic resources is suggested in this way. In chapter 10, the group of Daniel Vigo, Leonardo Nicola Siri and Prof. Dr. Daniel Cardinali proposes the heart rate variability as a tool to explore the dynamics of autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity. They propose to study it in health and disease. The ANS is conceived here as a structural and functional interface between the forebrain and the internal and external environment variables, allowing to regulate energy, matter and information exchanges. Authors describe recent studies in which a systematical exploration of subtle relations between ANS activity and heart rate variability (HRV) was done. Its importance in pathophysiology of metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases and psychopathological disorders such as anxiety and depression is here clearly exposed. This chapter constitutes an interesting study of ANS activity as a physical substrate of psychiatric disorders. In chapter 11 Prof. Dr. José Burgos proposes pavlovian blindsight and masked conditioning as a neural network model. The effects of hippocampal lesions on Pavlovian conditioning is here studied and discussed. It is here postulated that a primary role of the hippocampus during Pavlovian conditioning is to send a diffuse discrepancy signal. This signal appears to modulate synaptic efficacies in sensory-association areas. In the present chapter it is postulated that this signal decrease negative effects of the non-reinforcement and reinforcement of weak cues on such efficacies. It is concluded that hippocampal damage affects hippocampal more long-delay than short-trace conditioning, and backward more than contiguous-trace conditioning. Furthermore, evidences are offered regarding that context reinstatement is disrupted by hippocampal lesion. Future research lines are here proposed and discussed. Chapter 12 is an interesting contribution of the group directed by Prof. Dr. Bruno Cavagnaro. The work group is integrated by María Inés De Rosa, Leonor Deis, Liliana Martínez, Martín Durán and Emiliano Malovini. In this study, the role of anthocyanins is described regarding nutrition, biochemistry and health benefits. Since now an important attention has been paid to natural foods like vegetables and fruits, it is very relevant the study of its nutritional components. It is the case of red grape berries. They constitute an important study target because of their high phenolic contents. This substances include anthocyanins that play a major role in their nutraceutical properties. His presence in grape berries and wine is reviewed in a complete form. Metabolism of these compounds is here described, and its possible effects on health commented and discussed in a documented and solid chapter. The same workgroup directed by Prof. Dr. Bruno Cavagnaro proposes in chapter 13 important health effects for resveratrol, a very promising molecule present in grapes and wine. This group, integrated by Liliana Martínez, Martín Durán, Emiliano Malovini, María Inés De Rosas and Leonor Deis, offer here evidences regarding the beneficial effect of this molecule in cardiovascular protection, antiplatelet aggregation effect, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and blood glucose-lowering. It is also proposed an important role in anti-cancer prevention, anti-aging and anti-obesity activities. It has been also proposed that Resveratrol have anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic and antidepressant effects. The attempts to produce grapes and wines with higher concentration of Resveratrol are here mentioned, and future applications proposed. It is a very interesting chapter related to natural products. Chapter 14 is dedicated to study the role of oxidative stress in neurodegenerative diseases. The contribution of this group, directed by Prof. Dra. Claudia Beatriz Hereñu, and integrated by Macarena Lorena Herrera, Eugenia Falomir-Lockhart, Franco Juan Dolcetti, Nathali Arnal and María José Bellini is very relevant and interesting in the area of pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases. An important number of research lines regarding these illnesses is detailed here. The main part of the chapter focusses the implication of the oxidative stress, aging and inflammation processes on neurodegenerative alterations. It is sustained that these factors lead to neuronal dysfunctions, tissue disturbances and motor-cognitive disorders. The role of neurotrophic factors preventing the degeneration and enhancing recovery is here proposed. Among these factors, it is mainly considered the insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). It is strongly induced by microglial cells after insults of different types. It may be considered an emerging and powerful neuroprotective substance, and it is here postulated as a key neuroprotective and neuromodulator molecule.In chapter 15, the workgroup directed by Benjamin Yee and integrated by Joseph Leung, Way Lan and Benson Law studies the link of melatonin to adult neurogenesis. A proposal of a novel target for the treatment of depression and anxiety is here drawn. An actualization about melatonin and his functions precede the body of the chapter. Its role as regulator of the circadian rhythm and the sleep-wake cycle is here enriched by other physiological roles, such as its anti-oxidative and free radical scavenging functions. This workgroup present also evidences on melatonin as an important modulator of the anti-inflammatory response. They suggested that it may be mediated by the immune-pineal axis. Different Melatonin receptors are here presented and their implications in several functions commented. The role of dysregulation of brain melatonin signalling as a causal risk factor of neurodegenerative and mood disorders is here postulated also. The use of melatonin and its synthetic analogues like agomelatine for the treatment of depression and anxiety is here proposed. Prof. Dr. Fabian Mohamed and Prof. Dra. Verónica Filippa review in chapter 16 the effect of lithium (Li) therapy in the reproductive system. Its use in manic pole of bipolar psychoses is mentioned and its mechanism of action wide and clearly exposed. Its action on neurotransmission and modifications of cAMP signaling and phosphoinositol pathways are explained and evaluated. The action on GABA and glutamate are explained in the context of a mood stabilizing effect. Additional effects on the circadian rhythm and neuroendocrine functions are here described. Toxic effects on hypothalamic-pituitary gonadal axis, reproductive system and, therefore, on human sexual functions are also here mentioned and described. The chapter has a very relevant clinical impact.In chapter 17 Ane Murueta Goyena, José Vicente Lafuente and Harkaitz Bengoetxea propose an important role of interneurons in cognitive impairment in schizophrenia. Loss of inhibition of pyramidal cell activity is considered here as the start point of the evidences. A cognitive impairment due to perturbed excitatory/inhibitory balance or abnormal disinhibition is postulated as the origin of schizophrenic cognitive impairment. The role of interneurons governing the complex interactions between principal cells, and coordination of networks operations is here conceived as the main alteration involved in these disturbances. The notion that interneurons might be engaged in different stages of acquisition and storage of information is here postulated. It is conceived here that these neurons may be target of future treatment schedules. This rigorous chapter opens interesting doors to future research. Chapter 18 was written by our team. This workgroup, integrated by José Ignacio Hernández, Santiago Márquez Herrero, Osvaldo Soler, Manuel Alejandro Guevara and Pascual Ángel Gargiulo, presents here a review about animal models of depression. In this first chapter, the group consider validation criteria and relevance of these models in translational experimental neurobiology. The departure point is epidemiological evidences, considering the existence of refractory patients. The increasing role of translational approaches is here valued. Some analytical tools for validating the methods are here exposed. Results coming from experimental findings are here commented and critically analyzed. Evaluation criteria for translational research are here matter of exhaustive analysis. It is considered that the main objective of this chapter is to provide an analytical and critical elaboration of the validation criteria of animal models of depression. Additionally, a comparative confrontation between the most recent paradigms and their most classical conceptions is done.In chapter 19, the same group, preceded by Santiago Márquez Herrero, proposes a classification of animal models of depression. Starting from the pioneer approaches of Paul Willner and his classical concepts about validation criteria, some approaches are considered mainly following the notion of imitation of the etiological processes. The use of genetic variables is here considered, and environmental stress is also taken into account. The possibility of a combined treatment is also considered. The relevance of an abbreviation of distance between basic research and clinical practice is here proposed. Mutual concessions and possible potentiation possibilities are here proposed, aiming to use research resources in a mutual advantage. Present knowledge should be opened to modifications in the field, trying to conciliate translational models to human psychopathology. Chapter 20 constitutes an effort between Prof. Dr. Sergio Tufik, head of the workgroup, and the colleagues that work under his direction, Gabriel Natán Pires, Katsumasa Hoshino and Mónica Levy Andersen, aiming to correlate sleep, their main field, and aggressive behavior. A complete and interesting review is here presented in a solid and lucid manner. His proposal starts with the fact that relationship between sleep and behaviour has been studied in the context of several fields, like both cognitive and behavioural co-morbidities. This findings include aggressive behaviour. This relationship between sleep and aggression has been examination matter from different angles. It is previously presented in a concise manner, and after it a summarized discussion is drawn presenting laboratory and clinical findings. The role of sleep deprivation inducing aggression is here commented. By the inverse way, the role of an aggressive behavioural phenotype inducing a sleep alteration is here also discussed. The neurobiological relevance of these findings is adequately and brightly presented in this chapter. The third section includes chapters in which neurosciences, learning, teaching and the role of the social environment are related. In chapter 21 the experimented group of Belén Mesurado, María Cristina Richaud, Lucas Marcelo Rodríguez and María Paulina Guerra realize a meta-analysis about the effectiveness of social behavior effectiveness. Prosocial behavior is here defined as a voluntary act intended to help or benefit another individual or group of individuals. It has been postulated that prosocial behavior inhibits aggressive behavior, and in this way a proposal is suggested. An important number of studies about interventions in children and adolescents were included. Only studies that utilized a randomized controlled design were considered aiming to evaluate impact of the interventions in promoting prosocial behavior and reducing aggressive behaviors. Present chapter is an interesting proposal of social actions destined to modify social conditions related to learning and teaching. The group integrated by Lucas Marcelo Rodríguez, Belén Mesurado and José Moreno writes the chapter 22. In it they explain the role of ethical position, empathy and prosocial behavior. They delimitate the contributions of these factors presented as an interaction model to be applied in prevention and psychotherapeutic approaches of antisocial disorders. The role of penalizing acts, ethics and empathy are here analyzed in a subtle and original manner. The influence of ethic positions are analyzed in the context of the influences exerted on prosociality and penalization of acts. A positive effect on penalization of acts was attributed to non-relativistic position and empathy. The influence and relevance of empathy inducing prosocial behaviors is here sustained. Its role as an individual developmental variable and other variables such as socio-moral development and prosociality is here over lighted. The applications of these facts to psychiatry constitutes an interesting proposal of this group. In chapter 23 the workgroup of María Cristina Richaud, Vanessa Arán Filippetti and Belén Mesurado draws some lines aiming to bridge cognitive, affective and social neuroscience with education. They refer detection of growing interest in applying to the field of education (reading, writing, mathematics) recent knowledge about the functioning of the human brain. The same knowledge should be applied to study relations between emotions, social functioning and decision making. Authors refer that there is a gap between the inner workings of the brain and the practical application of this knowledge. They affirm that this gap must be resolved aiming to promote an effective teaching and learning. Some research results on the effect of IQ and executive functions on mathematical skills are presented. Furthermore, the role of executive functions on written composition is described, and the problems in affective development affecting cognitive and school performance are also matter of discussion. Chapter 24 is dedicated to reflexive considerations about the treatment of emotional problems. The chapter is written by a team integrated by Ángel José Martín Gargiulo, Augusto Pascual Ítalo Gargiulo, Nicolás Cristy and Paula Soledad José Quintero. These authors sustain that suffering is part of having a valuable life. In this context, emotions and thoughts are, in many cases, causes of that suffering. A special attention is paid to the context in which we live, which is here referred as responsible of the experiential avoidance linked to suffering. This context emits signals according to a negative value of suffering, as an abnormal experience. In an automatic manner, psychotherapies tend to reduce suffering, sometimes before study the meaning of the concrete suffering offered by the patient. Authors describe here series of sequential mistakes leading to equivoque treatment schedules. The way of understanding emotions in each case is here considered as an opportune criterion. Equivocal medication of these kind of problems is here analyzed. This chapter constitutes an original and bright part of present update. In chapter 25 Prof. Dr. Gilberto Gamboa Bernal develops a description of intelligence of emotions as a path to discover. Professor Gamboa offers an interesting and profound analysis of the consequences of the ?boom? that the emotions experienced along last years. The author points that it may be related to the informative literature proclaiming "emotional intelligence". It must be taken into account considering that emotional intelligence and intelligence of emotions are not synonymous. Maturating in the clinical setting, psychology has taken different paths related to emotions. Recent scientific advances have contributed to enhance our knowledge of emotions and its brain correlates, documenting the neural areas involved. An important future in these research lines is postulated here. The chapter is an interesting and documented study about an area of growing evidences. The fourth section is mainly dedicated to explain human pathological behaviors. It is here presented a group of evidences regarding how brain pathological conditions induce psychiatric disorders. In chapter 26 Dra. Rose Emily Nina Estrella actualize the notion of mild cognitive impairment, suggesting diagnostic criteria and reviewing possible treatment attempts. She starts considering that mild cognitive impairment (MCI) represent an intermediate stage between normal aging and the development of pathologic aging and dementia. Etiology is considered heterogeneous. It is proposed to divide MCI in amnestic or non-amnestic forms. Since the progress to dementia is relevant, it is here considered a very important task to detect people in early MCI stages, mainly after 65 years old. The importance of this detection is postulated as a very important task for public health planning and preventing strategies. Use of biomarkers, neuropsychological tests, and neuroimaging screening is here proposed. This chapter has a relevant application in public health. In chapter 27 our group proposes neurocognitive assessment for diagnosis and treatment of Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders (SSD).This group is integrated by Guillermo Alfonso, Bruno César Franco, Mauricio Cervigni, Paola Buedo, Celina Graciela Korzeniowski and Pascual Ángel Gargiulo. The role of cognitive alterations was detected since the early descriptions of the illness, but recently an additional attention has been paid to it receiving evidences from the neuroscience advances, allowing to objective study of the evolutionary course of the disease. A review of the most frequent cognitive alterations in SSD is here displayed. In a parallel manner corresponding research strategies are proposed. These studies involves also its relation with behavioural and positive symptoms, personality variables and social difficulties. We believe that this chapter could be interesting aiming to orientate new research projects. But also it may serve to encourage clinical application of functional neuro-evaluation tasks and neuro-rehabilitation protocols. It may be an interesting additional goal. Chapter 28 is dedicated to study up to date and detail policy, services and statistics overview about demented patients care in Argentina. The workgroup, directed by Prof. Dr. Ricardo Allegri, is integrated by Pablo Bagnati, Fabián Román, Marcela Bonafina and Andrew Blake. An historic consideration about caring of elderly in Argentina is initially presented. The chapter update local resources for dementia contention and treatment. It also refers to resources associated with cognitive impairment detected in elderly people. Public and private sectors intervene with professionals and diagnostic resources concentered in the largest cities. The role of different diagnostic and family support centers and societies are here detailed. The initiative of the Argentine Neurological Society launching the first dementia diagnosis and treatment guideline in 2011 is here commented. Next activities are also referred. This chapter is an interesting review of present actions on dementia screening and care in Argentina. In chapter 29 the workgroup directed by Prof. Dr. Francisco Barrantes, and integrated by Santiago Pérez Lloret and Viviana Bernath, develops an interesting review on genetic factors that influence neuropsychiatric symptoms in Parkinson?s disease (PD). The role of genetic and environmental factors is recognized, and the interaction between gene mutations and phenotypic characteristics of the disease are here interestingly proposed. The role of different genes in Dementia and PD, and genes related to increased risk of cognitive impairment, dementia and visual hallucinations are here considered. Significance and clinical and epidemiological relevance are here exposed in a bright manner. The possible role of gene mutations in cognitive impairment and PD psychotic states is here displayed in a precise and documented manner. It makes present chapter a relevant and interesting contribution of neurosciences to clinical psychiatry. Chapter 30 is dedicated to actualize the neuroimaging studies in psychotic disorders. This workgroup is integrated by Nicolás Fayed, Carlos Torres, Humberto Morales and Laura Viguera. The neuroimaging techniques provide significant data in psychiatric disorders research. Higher resolution in these complementary diagnostic methods led to a transcendent results improvement. Impact of these new imaging tools in the last two decades like high-resolution three-dimensional magnetic resonance and conventional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) have clearly optimized resolution. By this way, they have allowed to detection of abnormalities in several parameters, like blood flow, metabolism, and neurotransmitter receptor function. Present findings lead to a better explanation of molecular biology related to psychiatric disorders. The possible role in new treatments is here proposed. The registered role of some brain areas in different psychopathological conditions is here reviewed and discussed. Present chapter constitutes simultaneously an interesting systematic exposition about preceding findings and, simultaneously, a transcendent guide for future research ways. The same group in chapter 31 proposes objective neuroimaging patterns for post-stroke depression. Nicolás Fayed, Humberto Morales, Carlos Torres and Laura Viguera present here interesting findings regarding this point. This study starts considering prevalence of stroke after depression and considers it in a level of 33%. The critical situation implicated in a low detection and treatment is here registered. Some considerations are done regarding quality of life, rehabilitation and mortality. It is here proposed the relevance of early treatment and rehabilitation. Antidepressant treatment is here postulated as a possibility of reduction in mortality. The multifactorial etiology of post-stroke depression is here interestingly detailed. Some factors, such as white matter disease, cerebrovascular dis-regulation, altered neuroplasticity and changes in glutamate neurotransmission are here related to etiology of post stroke depression. An important number of neuroimaging methods is here studied regarding possible brain areas involved in these pathologies. Present chapter represents a very interesting approach to correlations of brain functions and psychopathology. In chapter 32 the group directed by Svetlozar Haralanov and integrated by Evelina Haralanova, Emil Milushev and Diana Shkodrova studies and proposes a locomotor movement-pattern analysis trying to consider it as an individualized objective and quantitative approach in psychiatry and psychopharmacology. It is here proposed an easy-to-perform objective and quantitative approach to the individual motor behavior. Authors propose a method for evaluating movement patterns as an objective biomarker of psychiatric and neurological illnesses to be used in everyday practice. Furthermore, they propose subsequent treatment effects as a mode to evaluate them. The method consists mainly in an equilibriometric quantification of movements (head and body) during execution of specific locomotor tasks. Present procedures were validated in a data base involving more than one thousand patients and healthy controls along twenty years. Its use aiming to separate subgroups within nosological entities is also proposed, and pharmacological uses also suggested. Present chapter constitutes a very original and interesting proposal in the field of objective biological markers in psychiatry. The chapter 33 is written by María Graciela López-Ordieres, a prestigious argentine researcher in schizophrenia. She analyzes, taking into account historic approaches to schizophrenia treatment, different theories regarding neurotransmission, pathophysiology and present therapeutic evidences in this field. The role of functional brain networks in these psychotic states and its relation to clinical manifestations, like psychotic symptoms, negative symptoms, and cognitive impairment are here carefully reviewed. The possibility of contact with reality, delusions and hallucinations are here detailed in a close linking with pathophysiological evidences. Neurodevelopmental and epigenetic theories are here also detailed and lucidly presented. The role of neurotransmitters misbalances and new therapeutic possibilities related to them are here brightly proposed. Present chapter constitutes an interesting actualization about schizophrenia and related therapeutics schedules. Last chapter, written by Prof. Dr. Daniel Cardinali and Dr. Daniel Vigo, is dedicated to an efficacy comparison between melatonin and Benzodiazepine/Z drugs. Present chapter starts pointing evidences on relation between melatonin and sleep. Authors point that increase in sleep propensity and sleep promoting effects of exogenous melatonin constitutes an important argument regarding the role of this substance in sleep regulation. This affirmation is also based in consensus and meta-analysis agreement, giving credibility to the melatonin use in sleep disorders. Mechanism of action is attributed to MT1 and MT2 melatonin receptors. They are present in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), but also in other brain areas. An interaction between melatonin and GABA-containing neurons is here postulated. Furthermore, benzodiazepine (BZD) antagonism blunts melatonin behavioral effects, including sleep. Due to the hangover effect observed after benzodiazepines and Z drugs, postulated advantages of melatonin in sleep regulation are here analyzed. This leader group gives here new evidences to sleep disturbances treatment. Finally, we would like to express the satisfaction that the continuity of this Update gives to all us. We wish that these periodical books constitute a point of encounter and dialogue between the various disciplines that enable a better understanding of man and his sick in a scientific and open minded way. We would like to express our gratitude to Springer by this exceptional opportunity.