I graduated in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Milan-Bicocca (110/110 summa cum laude) on July 10th, 2007. I then attended an internship at Harvard University c/o McLean Hospital for an in-depth psychiatric training and Johns Hopkins Psychosis and Eating Disorders Departments with clinical training and lessons/conferences for psychiatric residency program. I started psychiatric residency program at the University of Milan-Bicocca and graduated on July 9th, 2014 (70/70 summa cum laude) with a project of thesis led at King’s College London, Forensic Dept where I worked during the last year of my training. I carried out many research project during my residency training, many of them as principal investigator. One of them linked to perinatal psychiatry evolved in my PhD project (“MATERNAL PERSONALITY DISORDERS AND THEIR OUTCOMES IN THE OFFSPRING”, tutor Prof Massimo Clerici) I currently work on. I attended many international congresses as speaker or chairman.
RESEARCH PROJECT
Maternal personality disorders and their outcomes in the offspring
- Track: Clinical Neuroscience
- Tutor: Massimo Clerici
Background: Fetal and neonatal development might be influenced by several factors including genetic predisposition and environmental setting. Maternal wellbeing during pregnancy may mediate psychological sufferance transmission through adrenocortical axis, as well as her interaction and attachment with the newborn may have short and long term outcomes on offspring wellbeing and mental health. The academic world deeply analyzed the influence of maternal depression or anxiety but the effects of maternal personality disorders are often underestimated and less examined.
Aims: The aim of the present project drifts towards the identification of possible consequences in offspring, due to maternal psychopathology, particularly personality disorders.
Methods: We Administered internationally acknowledged tests during pregnancy:
SCID 1 and 2 for axis I and II disorders,
BPDSI-IV (specific for Borderline PD),
CTQ for the identification of trauma suffered by each mother during her childhood,
BAI and BDI for depressive and anxious symptoms and
Emotional and Cognitive Development scales in children at 1 year-old.
Index Group: mothers admitted to Perinatal Psychiatric Outpatient Unit
Control Group: mothers admitted to Obstetrical Outpatient Unit
RECENT PUBLICATIONS AND CONGRESSES
Publications
- Unblending Borderline Personality and Bipolar Disorders. Di Giacomo E, Aspesi F, Fotiadou M, Arntz A, Aguglia E, Barone L, Bellino S, Carpiniello B, Colmegna F, Lazzari M, Lorettu L, Pinna F, Sicaro A, Signorelli MS; BRT Group, Clerici M. J Psychiatr Res. 2017 Aug;91:90-97. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2017.03.006. Epub 2017 Mar 7.
- The Italian Version of the Borderline Personality Disorder Severity Index IV: Psychometric Properties, Clinical Usefulness, and Possible Diagnostic Implications. Di Giacomo E, Arntz A, Fotiadou M, Aguglia E, Barone L, Bellino S, Carpiniello B, Colmegna F, Lazzari M, Lorettu L, Pinna F, Sicaro A, Signorelli MS; BRT Group, Clerici M. J Pers Disord. 2017 Jun 12:1-13. doi: 10.1521/pedi_2017_31_294. [Epub ahead of print]
- Evaluation of the DSM-5 Severity Specifier for Bulimia Nervosa in Treatment-Seeking Youth. Dakanalis A, Colmegna F, Zanetti MA, Di Giacomo E, Riva G, Clerici M. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2017 May 16. doi: 10.1007/s10578-017-0735-y. [Epub ahead of print]
- Agreement between DSM-IV and DSM-5 criteria for alcohol use disorder among outpatients suffering from depressive and anxiety disorders. Bartoli F, Carrà G, Biagi E, Crocamo C, Dakanalis A, Di Carlo F, Parma F, Perin AP, Di Giacomo E, Zappa L, Madeddu F, Colmegna F, Clerici M. Am J Addict. 2017 Jan;26(1):53-56. doi: 10.1111/ajad.12482. Epub 2016 Dec 14.
- Pregnancy denial or concealement: A case report highlighting risks and forensic aspects. Di Giacomo E, Calabria M, Colmegna F, Fotiadou M, Pucci B, Vergani P, Clerici M. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2016 Sep;50(9):924-5. doi: 10.1177/0004867416636242. Epub 2016 Mar 8.
- [Sexual abuse in adulthood: when psychic and somatic suffering merge]. Di Giacomo E, Alamia A, Cicolari F, Cimolai V, Clerici M. Riv Psichiatr. 2014 Jul-Aug;49(4):172-9. doi: 10.1708/1600.17454. Italian.
- Child sexual abuse: an irremediable hurt? Di Giacomo E, Alamia A, Cicolari F, Cimolai V, Clerici M. Riv Psichiatr. 2013 Jul-Aug;48(4):273-84. doi: 10.1708/1319.14623. Review. Italian.
- Violence in psychiatric inpatients. Di Giacomo E, Clerici M. Riv Psichiatr. 2010 Nov-Dec;45(6):361-4. Review. Italian.
- Stroke and psychiatric disorders. Beghi M, Cornaggia CM, Di Giacomo E, Primati C, Clerici M. Riv Psichiatr. 2009 Jan-Feb;44(1):55-63. Italian.
