PERSPECTIVAS FARMACOLÓGICAS NO TRATAMENTO DO AUTISMO INFANTIL: UMA REVISÃO INTEGRATIVA

Childhood autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in social communication, interaction and repetitive behavior patterns. This study aims to carry out an integrative review of the pharmacological interventions used in the treatment of childhood autism, focusing on current approaches. Understanding these interventions is crucial to optimizing clinical management and improving the quality of life of affected children. An integrative literature review was conducted, searching for scientific articles in indexed databases, using descriptors related to childhood autism and pharmacological interventions. Studies investigating the use of drugs in the treatment of autism were included, focusing on recent and relevant approaches. The references were analyzed and organized according to the Vancouver style. Several pharmacological interventions used in the treatment of childhood autism were identified, with methylphenidate and cannabinoids standing out. These have shown positive effects in improving symptoms related to attention and hyperactivity. In addition, studies have pointed to pathophysiological changes, such as immunoregulation, inflammation, oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, which may offer additional therapeutic targets for future approaches. The integrative review demonstrates the diversity of pharmacological interventions available for the treatment of childhood autism, highlighting the need for a personalized and interdisciplinary approach. The individualization of treatment, taking into account individual characteristics and clinical peculiarities, is fundamental. In addition, the long-term safety and efficacy of pharmacological interventions must be carefully monitored. This study contributes to the current understanding of pharmacological therapeutic options and offers insights for future research in this field.O autismo infantil é um transtorno do neurodesenvolvimento caracterizado por dificuldades na comunicação social, interação e padrões de comportamento repetitivos. O presente estudo visa realizar uma revisão integrativa das intervenções farmacológicas utilizadas no tratamento do autismo infantil, com foco nas abordagens atuais. O entendimento dessas intervenções é crucial para otimizar o manejo clínico e melhorar a qualidade de vida das crianças afetadas. Foi conduzida uma revisão integrativa da literatura, com a busca de artigos científicos nas bases de dados indexadas, utilizando descritores relacionados ao autismo infantil e intervenções farmacológicas. Foram incluídos estudos que investigaram o uso de fármacos no tratamento do autismo, com foco em abordagens recentes e relevantes. As referências foram analisadas e organizadas conforme o estilo de Vancouver. Foram identificadas diversas intervenções farmacológicas utilizadas no tratamento do autismo infantil, com destaque para o metilfenidato e os canabinóides. Estes mostraram efeitos positivos na melhoria dos sintomas relacionados à atenção e hiperatividade. Além disso, estudos apontaram para alterações fisiopatológicas, como imunorregulação, inflamação, estresse oxidativo e disfunção mitocondrial, que podem oferecer alvos terapêuticos adicionais para abordagens futuras. A revisão integrativa demonstra a diversidade de intervenções farmacológicas disponíveis para o tratamento do autismo infantil, evidenciando a necessidade de uma abordagem personalizada e interdisciplinar. A individualização do tratamento, considerando características individuais e peculiaridades clínicas, é fundamental. Além disso, a segurança e eficácia a longo prazo das intervenções farmacológicas devem ser cuidadosamente monitoradas. Este estudo contribui para o entendimento atual das opções terapêuticas farmacológicas e oferece insights para futuras pesquisas nesse campo

Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil: setting the baseline knowledge on the animal diversity in Brazil

The limited temporal completeness and taxonomic accuracy of species lists, made available in a traditional manner in scientific publications, has always represented a problem. These lists are invariably limited to a few taxonomic groups and do not represent up-to-date knowledge of all species and classifications. In this context, the Brazilian megadiverse fauna is no exception, and the Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil (CTFB) (http://fauna.jbrj.gov.br/), made public in 2015, represents a database on biodiversity anchored on a list of valid and expertly recognized scientific names of animals in Brazil. The CTFB is updated in near real time by a team of more than 800 specialists. By January 1, 2024, the CTFB compiled 133,691 nominal species, with 125,138 that were considered valid. Most of the valid species were arthropods (82.3%, with more than 102,000 species) and chordates (7.69%, with over 11,000 species). These taxa were followed by a cluster composed of Mollusca (3,567 species), Platyhelminthes (2,292 species), Annelida (1,833 species), and Nematoda (1,447 species). All remaining groups had less than 1,000 species reported in Brazil, with Cnidaria (831 species), Porifera (628 species), Rotifera (606 species), and Bryozoa (520 species) representing those with more than 500 species. Analysis of the CTFB database can facilitate and direct efforts towards the discovery of new species in Brazil, but it is also fundamental in providing the best available list of valid nominal species to users, including those in science, health, conservation efforts, and any initiative involving animals. The importance of the CTFB is evidenced by the elevated number of citations in the scientific literature in diverse areas of biology, law, anthropology, education, forensic science, and veterinary science, among others