Margarida Figueiredo-Braga

Dr. Margarida Figueiredo-Braga

orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

18Years (2009-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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1 July 2018 in Medicine
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
MFMargarida Figueiredo-Braga
Margarida Figueiredo-Braga
CCCaleb Cornaby
Caleb Cornaby
ACAlice Cortez
Alice Cortez
MBMiguel Bernardes
Miguel Bernardes
GTGeorgina Terroso
Georgina Terroso
BPBrian Poole
Brian Poole
Depression and anxiety cause severe loss of quality of life for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. The causes and factors that contribute to these psychological manifestations in lupus are difficult to disentangle. This study compared clinical, psychological, and demographic factors between lupus patients, depressed patients, and rheumatoid arthritis patients to discover lupus-specific contributors to depression. Lupus-specific manifestations of depression were also investigated. Physiological, clinical, and psychosocial data were collected from 77 patients. ELISA was used to measure cytokine levels. Univariate and Multivariate analyses were used to compare the patient populations and identify correlations between key physical and psychological indicators. The prevalence of depression in the SLE cohort was 6 times greater than the healthy control subjects. Pain, IL-6, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality index values were all significantly higher in SLE patients compared with the healthy control group (P < .001, P = .038, and P = .005, respectively). Anxiety levels were significantly higher in SLE patients compared to healthy and RA control patients (P = .020 and .011, respectively). Serum IL-10 concentrations, relationship assessment scale, and fatigue severity scale values were found to be correlated with depression among the SLE patients (P = .036, P = .007, and P = .001, respectively). Relationship assessment and fatigue severity scale scores were found to be the best indicators of depression for the SLE patients (P = .042 and .028, respectively). Fatigue Severity, relationship satisfaction, and IL-10 concentrations are indicators of depression in lupus patients. Despite also suffering from the pain and disability that accompanies chronic autoimmune disease, the rheumatoid arthritis patients had less anxiety and better relationship scores.

1 July 2018 in Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
RSRute Gonçalves Silva
Rute Gonçalves Silva
MFMargarida Figueiredo-Braga
Margarida Figueiredo-Braga

18 March 2019 in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
BMBárbara P. Martins
Bárbara P. Martins
Narcisa BandarraNarcisa Bandarra
Narcisa Bandarra
MFMargarida Figueiredo-Braga
Margarida Figueiredo-Braga
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are two increasingly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders. This rise may be associated with a higher dietary intake of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and lower of n-3 PUFAs. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a key nutritional n-3 PUFA, is crucial for an optimal offspring’s neurodevelopment through the last trimester of pregnancy. Recently, lower DHA levels have been reported in children with ASD and ADHD. The present review summarizes the main research achievements concerning the effect of DHA in children neurodevelopment, in order to elicit its role in the prevention and mitigation of ASD and ADHD. As main finding, a low DHA supply seems to negatively affect childhood neurodevelopment in specific conditions and increase the risk and the severity of ASD or ADHD. Higher DHA status at birth was associated with better childhood neurodevelopmental, but controversial results found in prenatal supplementation raised the hypothesis that the benefits of DHA may be influenced by other factors as socio-economic background and life-style. In conclusion, an optimal DHA provision through maternal diet or breastfeed may promote some neuronal protection in specific offspring’s populations, suggesting that DHA may act as a modifiable risk factor for ASD and ADHD.

1 December 2017 in Patient Education and Counseling
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
LPLIDIA DEL PICCOLO
LIDIA DEL PICCOLO
AFArnstein Finset
Arnstein Finset
AMAnneli V. Mellblom
Anneli V. Mellblom
MFMargarida Figueiredo-Braga
Margarida Figueiredo-Braga
LKLive Korsvold
Live Korsvold
GHGerald Humphris
Gerald Humphris

27 August 2020 in European Journal of Psychotraumatology
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
DLDr. Annett Lotzin
Dr. Annett Lotzin
EAElena Acquarini
Elena Acquarini
DADean Ajdukovic
Dean Ajdukovic
VAVittoria Ardino
Vittoria Ardino
MBMaria Böttche
Maria Böttche
ISIngo Schäfer
Ingo Schäfer
During the current COVID-19 pandemic, the people in Europe are exposed to self-isolation, quarantine, job loss, risk of contracting COVID-19, or grief of loved ones. Such a complex array of stresso... Antecedentes: Durante la actual pandemia de COVID-19, las personas en Europa están expuestas a autoaislamiento, cuarentena, pérdida de empleo, riesgo de contraer COVID-19 o duelo de sus seres queri... 背景:在当前COVID 19大流行期间, 欧洲人民面临自我隔离, 隔离, 失业, 感染COVID-19的风险或丧亲之痛。如此复杂的一系列应激源可能导致适应障碍或创伤后应激障碍症状。本研究方案描述了由欧洲创伤应激研究学会 (ESTSS) 发起的一项研究, 以研究COVID-19大流行对个欧洲国家的适应障碍症状的影响。 目的:纵向线上队列研究旨在 (1) 探查10个欧洲国家对COVID-19大流...