bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Academic procrastination among tunisian medical students: prevalence and associated factors
Authors: Sahnoun F. , Turki M. , Guermazi A. , Elleuch O. , Ksibi M. , Halouani N. , Ellouze S. , Aloulou J.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Medical students have to do multiple tasks as part of their extensive curriculum in order to achieve the proficiencies expected of them. Being overwhelmed creates a time management problem, substance use and a tendency to procrastinate. Therefore, accumulated tasks may generate distress that could result in poor academic performance.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to investigate prevalence and factors related to academic procrastination in Tunisian medical students.

Methods

It was a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study conducted among Tunisian medical students. Data were collected through an anonymous online questionnaire, assessing sociodemographic characteristics, the “Tuckman Procrastination Scale” (TPS) and the “Time Management Subscale of the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory” (LASSI-TM).

Results

A total of 133 participants completed the questionnaire. Their mean age was 26 ± 3,8 years, with a sex-ratio (F/M) of 4,5.

The mean LASSI-TM score was 16.69±4.6. Among students, 65.4 % showed deficit in time management.

The mean TPS score was 42.48±7.11. According to this scale, 87.2% of participants were engaged in academic procrastination. TPS score was significantly higher among psychoactive substances users (p=0.004), in those with psychiatric history (p=0.026) and in students with a rank over than 100 (p=0.029). It was negatively correlated with LASSI-TM score (p<0.001; r=-0.706).

Conclusions

Considering the heavy load of work that the students undergo, it would be prudent to arrange for group trainings and workshops that will cultivate students with strategies and skills for effective time management, so that the tendency to procrastinate will be managed and their academic performance would improve.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared
Mindfulness: Implementation and evaluation of an intervention program for people with alcohol dependence
Authors: Costa R. , Rosa N. , Lopes R.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

The treatment of the person with alcohol dependence allows the possibility of a self-determined alcoholic abstinence and reducing the consequences associated with alcohol-related problems at a personal, family, work and social level.

It is important to develop therapeutic strategies that complement the different approaches in the treatment of people with alcohol dependence, enabling them to use effective coping strategies that facilitate the maintenance of their self-determined alcohol abstinence.

In recent years, scientific evidence has emerged that justifies the adoption of mindfulness-based protocols as a complement to various treatments, both for the prevention of relapses and as a treatment enhancer.

Objectives

To train people with alcohol dependence to use Mindfulness;

To promote psychological well-being and positive emotions;

To reduce anxiety;

To evaluate the effectiveness of a Mindfulness-based intervention program.

Methods

The Mindfulness-based intervention program was developed with 2 groups of people hospitalized for the treatment of alcohol dependence (the institution’s treatment protocol is comprehensive and based on self-determined alcohol abstinence). The 1st G (pilot) - 6 people; 2nd G - 5 people), total of 11 participants; 4 sessions (each group), duration 45-60 minutes.

The selection criteria of the participants were evaluated in an interview and defined as follows: being in the first week of the treatment program; self and allo psychic orientation; reduced to moderate anxiety (Zung Self-Assessment Anxiety Scale - EAAZ); existence of motivation for change.

Participants gave informed consent.

In the global assessment used instruments: Psychological General Well-being Scale for the Portuguese population (BEP); Short Version of the Portuguese Scale of Positive and Negative Affect (PANAS-VRP) in the first session (before intervention). In the last session (after the intervention), in addition to the BEP and the PANAS-VRP, the EAAZ was also used.

At the end of each session, an evaluation was carried out using a grid built for this purpose.

Results

As for the general psychological well-being, the BEP, only one participant (pilot group) had a final score lower than the initial one.

With regard to PANAS-VRP, in both groups, there was an increase in positive affection and a reduction in negative affection at the end of program implementation.

With regard to the EAAZ, 7 participants showed a decrease in anxiety after the intervention.

The evaluation grid of each session revealed good participation, good adhesion and positive evaluation.

Conclusions

It is concluded that after the implementation of the Mindfulness-based intervention program there was: an increase in well-being (the higher the score, the greater the state of well-being); increase in positive affection (which remained or increased); decrease in negative affection and decrease in the level of anxiety.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared
Overwhelming number of refugees in Poland - which strategy is being pursued
Authors: Samochowiec J.
Published: August 2023

By the decision of the Polish Government, all persons arriving in the territory of the Republic of Poland after the commencement of the Russian aggression against Ukraine have free access to public psychiatric assistance, including reimbursement of pharmacological treatment on the same terms as Polish citizens. According to the UHNR data over 4 million displaced people, refugees, came to Poland so far and some of them benefited from such help.

Displaced individuals suffer from the consequences of traumatic events, exhibit psychological problems or develop mental disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder, depressive and anxiety disorders or relapses of psychotic episodes.

The lecture will present data from the Interdisciplinary War in Ukraine Research Laboratory by pointing out the most important problems faced by Ukrainian refugees in Poland, why they chose Poland when escaping the war, how they evaluate Polish help, what their integration in Poland looks like. The survey also measured the level of war trauma (RHS-15). The results of the analysis show that most refugees present post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms (76 %), while only 0.15% of this population was treated in public psychiatric facilities.

Mental healthcare services are suddenly faced with major challenges and need to develop or expand strategies to address them. The Polish Ministry of Health prepared and started implementation of a reform of the mental health care system for adult as well as children and adolescent psychiatry. This fundamental reform should comprise three main actions, i.e. integration of mental health services into primary healthcare; establishment of community psychiatric services together with the provision of inpatient services in general hospitals; and limitation of the role of mental hospitals to specific tasks only (long-term or specialist treatment).

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared
Mixed Features in Bipolar Disorder: assessing symptoms profiles and their relation with DSM-5 criteria
Authors: Cafaro R. , Macellaro M. , Dell’Osso B. , Suppes T.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Mixed states, the co-occurrence of manic and depressive symptoms, were recognized and described from the time of antiquity. DSM-5 first, and DSM-5-TR after, introduced the ‘’mixed features’’ specifier, defined by the presence of at least three non-overlapping opposite-pole symptoms during a syndromic depressive, hypomanic, or manic episode. Various manifestations, including irritability, distractibility, anxiety, psychomotor agitation, were excluded from the specifier, since they can occur during both depressive and hypo/manic episodes and other mental illnesses.

Objectives

The objective of this study was to evaluate the phenomenology and prevalence of mixed states among bipolar disorder (BD) patients. We first assessed the frequency of specific features during different mood states. Then, we estimated the prevalence of mixed states by applying DSM-5 criteria, comparing it qualitatively with the one detected from psychometric questionnaires.

Methods

In a naturalistic study, 903 adult outpatients with BD participating in the Stanley Foundation Bipolar Network were followed longitudinally across 14,213 visits for 7 years. The scores at the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology–Clinician-Rated Version (IDS-C) and at the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), administered at each visit, were used to define the mood episode and to assess the frequency of specific symptoms. In addition, we applied DSM-5 criteria for “with mixed features” to our sample, to examine a DSM-5-based construct.

Results

Specific symptomatic profiles differentiate mixed states from pure ones (Figure 1 and 2). Mainly, a higher prevalence of irritability was found during mixed episodes, both depressive and hypo/manic, compared to pure depression (0.60 vs. 1.20, p < 0,001) and hypo/mania (0.82 vs. 1.54, p < 0,001), as reported at the 6th item of IDS-C.

Figure 1. Individual YMRS items scores in visits with pure depression, mixed depression, pure hypo/mania and mixed hypo/mania.

Figure 2. Individual IDS-C items scores in visits with pure depression, mixed depression, pure hypo/mania and mixed hypo/mania.

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Image 2:

Conclusions

Preliminary results of the present study showed that symptoms like irritability are strongly prevalent during mixed states. Moreover, the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for “with mixed features” specifier for any of the mood episodes detected lower rates of mixed states, hence this criteria may yield inadequate sensitivity in recognizing patients suffering from such conditions.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared
The impact of coping styles on the mental health of healthcare workers one year after the initial COVID-19 outbreak in China
Authors: Haghbin N. , Gonzalez Mendez M. J.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

A 2020 study in Wuhan residents reported 70.2% of participants faced the COVID-19 pandemic using active coping strategies, and we wanted to explore its comparability in Chinese Health Care Workers (HCWs) across 7 regions in China 1 year after the initial outbreak.

Objectives

The study analyzed coping strategies utilized by different Chinese HCWs under a stressful period like the COVID-19 pandemic and three psychological scales were used to assess its effect on five psychological outcomes such as depression, anxiety, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicidal ideation.

Methods

A cross-sectional self-administered online questionnaire was conducted during the period of November 2020 and March 2021 and included sociodemographic information, work environment before and during the pandemic, experiences, fears and concerns about COVID-19 and three psychological scales including Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21(DASS-21), Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5) and Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ-20). Chi-square analysis was used to explore categorical association.

Results

The findings demonstrated that 633 (52.5%) of the participants used passive coping strategies, while 600 (47.5%) used active coping strategies. Passive coping strategies with at least one mental health problem were positively correlated with participants having a previous chronic disease diagnosis, working days in a week during the outbreak, PPE availability, days in isolation for being suspected or a confirmed case of COVID-19, worries about infecting relatives and the pandemic affecting family’s financial situation.

Conclusions

Developing and creating intervention programs to strengthen active coping strategies will improve mental health outcomes in Chinese HCWs during the COVID pandemic.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared
COVID-19 pandemic and indices of domestic and family violence against women in the city of são joão batista/sc, brazil, in the years 2019 and 2020
Authors: Silva P. M. D. , Nunes M. E. , Cigognini M. A.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

According to Article 5 of the Maria da Penha Law, domestic and family violence against women constitutes any action or omission based on gender that causes her death, injury, physical, sexual or psychological suffering, and moral or patrimonial damage, within the scope of the domestic unit, the family or any intimate relationship of affection. In isolation, domestic violence is already considered by the WHO a public health problem. In the context of a pandemic, as was the case with COVID-19, the issue had the severity increase.

Objectives

To investigate the rates of domestic and family violence against women in the city of São João Batista, State of Santa Catarina, Brazil, between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2020, relating the data to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Descriptive cross-sectional study, operationalized by the technique of bibliographic and documentary research.

Results

There was a reduction in the total number of crimes involving domestic and family violence against women in the city of São João Batista/SC, Brazil. While in 2019 there was a notification of 116 crimes, in 2020 the number dropped to 65. (Graph 1)

The most frequent crimes in both years were: threat and bodily injury. Together they accounted for 83% of cases in 2020. (Graph 2)

The apparent decrease in the number of notifications does not necessarily represent a decrease in cases of domestic violence, but rather, it may mean fear of leaving the residence to formalize the complaint, difficulty in carrying it out, or even the worsening of factors that increase the risk in these situations, such as reduction or total loss of income and support network.

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Image 2:

Conclusions

The scenario presented shows the need for preventive public policies regarding the problem of domestic and family violence against women. The creation and strengthening of community and personal networks are fundamental.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared
Attitudes towards vaccination of persons with mental disorders
Authors: Djordjevic S. , Maodus L. , Kijac S.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

The effects of the COVID 19 pandemic manifests in all segments of society, and they have special impact on the vulnerable population of persons with mental disorders. After two years of pandemic, the vaccines against COVID 19 are still the most important strategy against infection, disease, transmission and reinfection.

Objectives

The aim of our research was to compare the attitudes of different subcategories of people with mental disorders towards vaccination and to discover potential factors that could participate in the decision-making process.

Methods

The research was conducted in the outpatients population, from January to March 2022, in Special Hospital for Psychiatric Disease Kovin, Serbia. All patients included in the research signed a voluntary consent to participate in the research. The data was collected from a self-assessment questionnaire, consisted of 4 segments: sociodemographic characteristics, a set of questions related to the COVID pandemic, history of influenza vaccination and attitudes towards vaccination.

Results

The questionnaire included 147 people, 50 of whom were the control group of health professionals employed in SBPB “Kovin”, while in the subgroup of 97 respondents there were 49 people with a diagnosis of one of the non-psychotic disorders and 48 people with a diagnosis of one of the psychotic disorders. In the total population examined, the percentage of vaccinated was 53.97. In the population of persons with mental disorders, this percentage was lower compared to the control group. The results indicated that there is no statistically significant difference in attitudes towards vaccination in relation to the level of education. People who have been vaccinated are also people who would accept vaccination if another pandemic were to occur. In the unvaccinated subgroup, the greatest concern is vaccine safety. This group of respondents did not significantly differ from the vaccinated when it comes to fear of COVID 19 infection and concern about possible illness of family members.

Conclusions

The research showed that slightly more than half of the examined population of persons with mental disorders who use the services of the psychiatric dispensary SBPB “Kovin” were vaccinated.

There is no statistically significant difference in the vaccination status against COVID 19 infection in the subcategories of persons with non-psychotic and psychotic symptoms. In the unvaccinated category, concerns about vaccine safety are a significant cause of vaccine refusal. Such preliminary results indicate the need to raise awareness and provide contoured, timely information and education regarding the pandemic of persons with mental disorders. Promotion of mental health and finding appropriate strategies in the provision of services to persons with mental disorders is one of the key tasks of the psychiatric service.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared
Change in urgent psychiatric consultations during the first lockdown in Venezia: a multicenter, retrospective study
Authors: Rosson S. , Sanseverino A. , Baggio F. , Zanuttigh G. , Tubini J. , Bianco M. , De Rossi M. , Gallo E.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the mental health of the global population (Dragioti et al. J Med Virol 2022;94(5):1935-49). The first lockdown brought the hardest and most sudden impact on work, educational, social, and recreational activities. Moreover, the fruition of mental health services was restricted, and non-urgent appointments were delayed or converted into telepsychiatry. Thus, it was reasonable to hypothesize different trends of urgent consultations regarding mental health.

Objectives

To detect quantitative and qualitative changes in patients presenting to our Emergency Departments (ED) during the early phase of the pandemic compared to the previous year.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective, multicenter study in Venezia (historical center, mainland) through systematically reviewing the psychiatric consultations in our ED, during the first 16 weeks since 8-Mar-2020 and the same period of 2019. The protocol was approved by the local Ethics Committee as UPSI-19 (Urgent PSychiatric consultations In COVID-19). The statistical analysis was conducted with the software R; Interval Risk Ratio (IRR) with 95% CI was calculated for absolute frequency, primary diagnosis, leading symptoms, and outcomes of these consultations.

Results

In the early phase of the pandemic, in our ED we assisted to a significant decrease in psychiatric consultations: 372 vs 441, IRR=0.84(0.73-0.96). Data revealed a reduction of referral for suicidal behavior (IRR=0.52(0.33-0.80)) and anxiety symptoms (IRR=0.60(0.42-0.87)). Primary diagnoses of patients were not different between the two periods explored. There was a slight increase in admissions (150 vs 121), and a significant decrease in less severe clinical pictures.

Conclusions

In the timeframe considered, we assisted to a significant decrease in referrals from the ED, possibly related both to fewer non-locals and to less frequent non-severe presentations. Despite the type of patients (for underlying diagnoses) remained unmodified, an interesting reduction of anxiety symptoms and suicidal behavior was noticed. Literature from ED studies during the first wave are consistent with our finding regarding the number of visits; suicide attempts seemed unmodified or decreased elsewhere (Giner et al. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2022;24(1):1-10). Limitations of our study include peculiarities of the Venetian territory, limited sample and time of observation. Future directions encompass the integration with data from the community setting and later developments.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared
Mental health challenges in health care workers during COVID pandemic
Authors: Bilichodu Rangappa S. , Avula S.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Mental health issues of the health care workers (HCW) are often overlooked. It’s often presumed that situations like COVID are handled well by this group of population and hence their own mental wellbeing is ignored and neglected.

Objectives

The objective of this study was to evaluate the depression and anxiety levels in healthcare workers who were on COVID duty.

Methods

This study was performed over telephonic interview of all the healthcare workers who were performing COVID duty from March 2021 to December 2021. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was administered. Various factors influencing the presentation were then analyzed.

Results

Over 534 healthcare workers were screened for psychiatric symptoms. About 76 fulfilled HADS criteria. 7.86% (42) scored above the anxiety cut off point and 6.36% (34) scored above the depression cut off point. About 373 (69.85%) expressed concerns about their safety and security as they were staying away from their families and about 469 (87.8%) expressed concerns about uncertainties about duty patterns.

Conclusions

Health care workers should be screened for psychiatric illness if they are in constant stress. They should be well trained to carry out COVID duties which will reduce the anxiety about the duty patterns. Better awareness about COVID 19 may lead to decreased levels of anxiety and depression.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared
Basal and LPS-stimulated inflammatory markers and the course of depression and anxiety symptoms
Authors: Van Eeden W. A.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Multiple studies show an association between inflammation –characterized by increased blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and pro-inflammatory cytokines– and major depressive disorder (MDD). People with chronic low-grade inflammation may be at an increased risk of MDD, often in the form of sickness behaviors. A cross-sectional relationship between low-grade inflammation and anxiety has also been reported, but the potential longitudinal relationship has been less well studied.

Objectives

We aimed to examine whether basal and lipopolysaccharide (LPS-)induced levels of inflammatory markers are associated with depressive and anxiety symptom severity over the course of nine years. We hypothesized that inflammation is predictive of the severity and the course of a subset of symptoms, especially symptoms that overlap with sickness behavior, such as anhedonia, anorexia, low concentration, low energy, loss of libido, psychomotor slowness, irritability, and malaise.

Methods

We tested the association between basal and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory markers with individual depressive symptoms (measured using the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-Report) and anxiety symptoms (measured with the Beck’s Anxiety Inventory; BAI, Fear Questionnaire;FQ and Penn’s State Worry Questionnaire; PSWQ) over a period of up to 9 years using multivariate-adjusted mixed models in 1147 to 2872 Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA) participants.

Results

At baseline, participants were on average 42.2 years old, 66.5% were women, and 53.9% had a current mood or anxiety disorder. We found that basal and LPS-stimulated inflammatory markers were more strongly associated with sickness behavior symptoms at up to 9-year follow up compared to non-sickness behavior symptoms of depression. However, we also found significant associations with some symptoms that are not typical of sickness behavior (e.g., sympathetic arousal among others). The associations between inflammation and anxiety symptoms were attenuated by 25%-30% after adjusting for the presence of (comorbid) major depressive disorder (MDD), but remained statistically significant.

Conclusions

Inflammation was not related to depression as a unified syndrome but rather to the presence and the course of specific MDD symptoms, of which the majority were related to sickness behavior. With regard to anxiety symptoms, we found that participants with high levels of inflammatory markers have on average high levels of anxiety consisting of physical arousal and agoraphobia, which tended to persist over a period of nine years, albeit with small effect sizes. These associations were partly driven by co-morbid depression. Anti-inflammatory strategies should be tested in the subgroup of MDD patients who report depressive symptoms related to sickness behavior.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared
Brain functional connectivity and local coherence in non-converters with clinical high
risk for psychosis
Authors: Panikratova Y. , Abdullina E. , Lebedeva I. , Omelchenko M. , Tikhonov D. , Kaleda V.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Investigation of resilience mechanisms in patients with clinical high risk for
psychosis (CHR) may inform clinical practice for the development of early intervention
programs. Resilience mechanisms in CHR who did not transit to psychosis for a long period of
observation may be more pronounced than in CHR converters.

Objectives

We aimed to compare CHR who did not convert to psychosis for 7.3 ± 1.7 years, patients
with first-episode psychosis (FEP), and healthy controls (HC) in terms of brain functional
connectivity and local coherence.

Methods

Twenty-seven CHR (mean age 27.5 ± 3.1), 24 FEP (mean age 20.6 ± 3.6), and 27 HC (mean
age 27.3 ± 4) underwent resting-state fMRI (3T). All participants were males. Functional
connectivity between 32 regions of interest (components of default mode, sensorimotor,
visual, salience, dorsal attention, frontoparietal, language, and cerebellar networks; CONN
functional network atlas www.nitrc.org/projects/conn) and whole-brain local coherence (LCOR;
Deshpande et al. HBM 2009; 30(1) 13-23) were compared between 3 groups of participants
(one-way ANCOVA) with post hoc analyses.

Results

CHR and HC demonstrated higher functional connectivity between the occipital cortex
(visual network) and right rostral prefrontal cortex (salience network) compared to FEP. CHR
also showed higher local coherence in the right calcarine and cuneal cortex than FEP (the
following differences did not survive the correction for multiple comparisons: CHR>HC and
HC>FEP).

Conclusions

Our findings on brain functional connectivity and local coherence may be considered as
the markers of resilience mechanisms in patients with CHR as these parameters were different
between CHR and FEP and were similar in CHR and HC.

The research was supported by RFBR grant project
20-013-00748.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared
Different patterns of frontal and temporoparietal activities related to distinct inhibitory functions in adhd
Authors: Carreiro L. R. R. , Afonso Junior A. A. D. S. , Machado-Pinheiro W.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Inhibition is a core component of executive functions but is not a unitary construct. Instead, different inhibitory processes have specific behavioral effects and neural bases. Three important inhibitory functions explored by the literature are 1) interference control (i.e., inhibition of distractive information); 2) inhibition of prepotent responses and 3) inhibition of ongoing responses. These functions were described in the self-regulation theory as the possible main impairment in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and since then they have shown an association with several psychiatric disorders.

Objectives

The current study investigated the neural bases of interference control, inhibition of prepotent responses, and inhibition of ongoing responses as they were assessed by a Stroop-matching/stop-signal task developed by our group.

Methods

The Stroop-matching/stop-signal employs different conditions to create the demands for each inhibition which allows the assessment of these functions using a single protocol. Brain activations were acquired using fNRIS in a block-design method. The concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO). The first level analysis of HbO signals used a general linear model (GLM) to estimate individual brain activations. The second level analysis was performed using a linear mixed model to generate brain activations at the group level. Alpha level = 0.05 and the false discovery rate was applied when necessary. The sample was composed of 25 young adults (mean age = 21.8, SD = 4.39).

Results

task Interference control showed activation in the left and right temporoparietal junction (TPJ), the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DPLFC), and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG); inhibition of prepotent responses showed increased activity in the right IFG and left DLPFC; the suppression of ongoing responses showed a deactivation of the IFG and DLPFC bilaterally.

Conclusions

These results indicate that the three inhibitory functions assessed present distinct brain patterns of function. The lateralization role was evident in DLPFC and IFG activities and recruitment of parietal areas seems to be limited to interference control in this protocol. Also, the stop-signal demand led to the deactivation of areas associated with the resolution of the primary Stroop-matching task. This study elucidates the role of brain mechanisms associated with specific inhibitory processes that are impaired in psychiatric disorders such as ADHD.

Financial support: FAPESP [grant 2019/20757-5, 2019/21773-4, 2020/14800-2]; CAPES Proex [grant 0426/2021, 23038.006837/2021-73]; Mackpesquisa; CNPq [grant 307443/2019-1]

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared
Alteration of plasma phospholipids distinguish schizophrenic patients from controls: A targeted metabolomics study
Authors: Naifar M. , Tebani A. , Ducatez F. , Pilon C. , Plichet T. , Maalej M. , Guidara W. , Maalej M. , AYADI F. , Bekri S.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Schizophrenia (SCZ) is one of the most severe mental disorders. Several elements involved in pathogenesis have been characterized recently. However, tools for diagnosis and risk prediction are limited. Elucidation of the underlying genomic and molecular mechanisms of SCA remains a challenge.

Objectives

In this study, we aimed to identify plasma biomarkers for SCZ using targeted metabolomics.

Methods

All enrolled patients were drug-free for at least 3 months prior to admission. Plasma from 31 SCZ patients and 70 matched controls were analyzed using the LC/MS- Api 4000 QTrap Sciex. A total of 188 targeted metabolites, including 21 amino acids, 21 biogenic amines and 145 lipids or lipid-related metabolites were analyzed. All data modeling and analysis is done using MetaboAnalyst 5.0

Results

There was no significant difference in the studied groups regarding BMI. Plasma Triglycerides, LDL-C, total proteins levels were significantly decreased in SCZ compared to controls. Heatmap identified 2 clusters with 25 significantly differentially expressed metabolites (FDR <0.05) between the drug-naïve group and the matched controls. The OPLS-DA score plot showed that the groups are clearly separated according to plasma phospholipids concentrations. Among these differential metabolites, the expression level of very long chain Phosphatidylcholines (PC 36 – PC p42) and acylcarnitines were significantly decreased in SCZ compared to controls, whereas sphingomyelin (SM) and lysoPC were significantly lower in drug-naive patients.

Conclusions

In this study, we found that plasma phospholipids were significantly dysregulated in the SCZ patients and could be a promising pathway to explore SCZ.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared
The vineyard as a therapeutic landscape of the mind: preliminary results of a pilot study
Authors: Rossero E. , Barbieri A.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Young people represent a vulnerable population, with 75% of mental disorders first emerging before 25 years of age. This pilot stems from the acknowledged need to design and test non-stigmatizing programs that are appealing to young people and suited for the protean mental health problems that they experience.

Objectives

The study involves a group of youths (aged 16-25) with different forms of mental ill-health in a locally and culturally meaningful activity, namely hand-harvesting grape in the renowned area of Langhe (Italy). The aim is to investigate viticultural practices as possibly effective in supporting recovery by promoting social interaction and fostering a sense of belonging in the broader process of winemaking.

Methods

The project is multidisciplinary in its design and implementation, involving psychiatrists, psychologists, rehabilitation specialists and sociologists. Research methods include clinical assessment, participant observation, and semi-structured interviews with the participants.

Results

During the harvest season, a stable group of participants has been involved in a one-to-one relationship with professional vine growers. This relational geometry was built around the performance of a practical task: that of filling in a box with manually harvested grape and moving it along the rows of vines. Within each dyad, which represents the most fragile and intimate of all social forms, practical knowledge has been conveyed from the experienced worker to the youth. Most importantly, the repeated encounters provided an opportunity for human interaction and exchange that went beyond the activity being performed, involving the gradual disclosure of self, the ability to listen, connect and empathize with personal stories from diverse backgrounds. Participants’ narratives collected during and after the pilot describe the vineyard as a psychic more than a physical place – a landscape of the mind, structured around the emotional and sensorial contents of the experience. The study’s core finding emerging from fieldwork and youths’ accounts is the beneficial effects of the intervention on transdiagnostic factors such as social anxiety symptoms, low self-efficacy and poor social skills.

Conclusions

The pilot provides suggestions to orient meaningful and non-stigmatising programs for vulnerable young people, hosted in landscapes that can become therapeutic not by virtue of their aesthetic features, but because of the access they provide to social (i.e. opportunities for new relationships), material (occasions to create and share something tangible) and affective (promotion of positive emotions, containment of loneliness and feelings of inadequacy) resources.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared
Prevalence of antipsychotic use and associated adverse effects in moroccan with mental health problems
Authors: El Moussaoui N. , Tounsi A. , Bahetta S. , Belbachir S. , Ouanass A.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Antipsychotic drugs are widely prescribed for schizophrenia and other mental disorders. They are critical in the pharmacological management of severe psychotic disorder.

The adverse effects of antipsychotics are common, with a potential negative impact on adherence and engagement. Despite this, the scientific study of the prevalence of adverse antipsychotic effects is a neglected area.

Objectives

We aim to identify the prevalence of nine clinically important categories of antipsychotic adverse effects, namely: extrapyramidal symptoms; sedation; weight gain; type II diabetes; hyperprolactinaemia; metabolic syndrome, dyslipidaemia; sexual dysfunction; and cardiovascular effects

Methods

This is a prospective, observational, cross-sectional study, carried out in Ar-razi hospital in Salé evaluating side effects in patients hospitalized and treated with antipsychotics within 3 months.

Results

In total, antipsychotic polypharmacy was associated with increased frequency of adverse effects, and a longer duration of treatment is associated with greater severity; clozapine was more strongly associated with metabolic disturbance than other antipsychotics in three studies and olanzapine was associated with the most weight gain in three studies; hyperprolactinemia was more common in women than men, but more men noted sexual dysfunction than women;

Conclusions

Antipsychotic adverse effects are diverse and frequently experienced, but are not often systematically assessed. There is a need for further scientific study concerning the management of these side effects.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared
Role of transgenerational transmission of trauma in development of schizophrenia: A case report of a patient whose parents survived genocide in Srebrenica
Authors: Zigic N. , Becirovic E. , Mirkovic-Hajdukov M. , Aljukic N. , Löffler-Stastka H.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Developmental predisposition to schizophrenia can be a consequence of early experienced traumas. Transgenerational trauma is process in which traumatic experience of one generation is passed on to the next generation.

Objectives

To show connection between transgenerational transmission of trauma and development of schizophrenia.

Methods

Psychiatric interview, psychological testing.

Results

Patient G.E. age 29, admitted to Psychiatry Clinic due to altered behavior, aggressiveness and presence of delusions and hallucinations. First mental problems in form of a catatonic stupor appeared 6 years ago. Patient has history of earlier abuse of psychoactive substances. A drug test performed at admission was negative. Patient was born in Srebrenica in 1993, he escaped to Tuzla with his mother in July 1995, while father survived escaping on foot. Patient is a first child from his father’s second marriage. The father’s first wife and two minor children were shot by Bosnian Serbs in early 1992. Patient was born a year and a half after death of his siblings and was named after his half-sister. Patient’s father consumed alcohol after the war and was aggressive towards children. In the last two years, patient had frequent hallucinations, he told his parents that voices were telling him to kill his mother and told his father that his children were still alive. Diagnostic processing was performed and diagnosis of schizophrenia was stated. During hospitalization, patient was treated with olanzapine and low doses of haloperidol, along with haloperidol decanoate, which resulted in significant reduction of productive psychotic symptoms. A partial remission is achieved, negative schizophrenic symptoms and cognitive impairments verified by psychological instruments remain.

Conclusions

Case report emphasize transgenerational transmission of trauma: father‘s untreated trauma, alcohol dependency and abuse of the patient in childhood. These findings are important for treatment and therapeutic considerations. Mentalizing is a possible mediator between childhood abuse and negative symptoms. Parental bonding was explored within high expressed emotions theory as a risk factor for relapse to psychosis, especially the “affectionless control” in the parental (mainly father‘s) bonding style. Studies also stated that psychotic patients often show insecure attachment representations. Possible pathway for further analysis could be discussed: a cold parental bonding style leading to experienced emotional neglect and attachment avoidance might be reflected in lower capacity to mentalize. To improve the mentalization capacity, it would be essential to establish a sustainable therapeutic treatment frame.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared
Study protocol: Epigenetic variations associated to the conversion of schizophrenia in ultra-high risk adolescents, a 4-year follow-up study
Authors: Navalón P. , Cañada Y. , García-Blanco A.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder characterized by negative (e.g., social withdrawal, apathy, anhedonia) and positive (e.g., hallucinations, delusions, disorganized behaviour) symptoms. Schizophrenia prodromal symptoms typically emerge during the adolescence. These symptoms consist of attenuated and/or intermittent psychotic symptoms and define the ultra-high risk (UHR) states of schizophrenia. Approximately, 30% of UHR individuals develop schizophrenia. It is important to find biomarkers associated with the conversion of schizophrenia in UHR individuals in order to develop preventive and therapeutic strategies, as well as to gain knowledge in the ethiopathology of the disorder. In this regard, epigenetic variations have been identified as potential biomarkers associated with the conversion to schizophrenia, but the lack of research prevent to draw final conclusions.

Objectives

The objective of this communication is to report the study protocol of the research project named “Epigenetic variations associated with the conversion of schizophrenia in ultra-high risk adolescents”. Its aim is to analyze the epigenetic marks that predict the development of schizophrenia in UHR youths.

Methods

A 4-year observational follow-up study will be conducted, assessing three groups of adolescents who have sought clinical hep: 1) UHR group composed of individuals who have developed schizophrenia at the end of the follow-up; 2) UHR group composed of individuals who did not develop schizophrenia at the end of the follow-up; 3) a group composed of non-UHR individuals. Epigenetic marks will be analyzed in the peripheral blood of all the participants each 6 months. Clinical (i.e., positive and negative symptoms, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, global functioning, traumatic events, alcohol and other toxics consumption) and sociodemographic data (i.e., age, sex, migration status, ethnicity, socio-cultural status, academic achievements) will be also assessed through standardized questionnaires.

Results

We hypothesize that specific epigenetic marks will predict the conversion of schizophrenia in the UHR group. Moreover, interactions between epigenetic variations and sociodemographic data will differentiate the three groups after the follow-up.

Conclusions

The findings of this project will help to develop preventive and therapeutic strategies, as well as to gain knowledge in the etiopathological pathways of schizophrenia.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared
The response to unfolded proteins in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder
Authors: Cachán C. , Valle I. M. , Potes Y. , González Rubio A. , Menéndez Coto N. , López Fanjul D. , Vega Naredo I. , Caballero B. , Saiz P. , Bobes J. , García Portilla P. , Coto Montes A.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Schizophrenia (SCH) and bipolar disorder (BD) are severe mental disordes, which have high incidence (Whiteford et al. Lancet 2013; 381 1575-86) and are the main causes of diasibility in young people (WHO 2022; https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-disorders).

Psycological stress appears in different mental disorders, and this is directly related to oxidative stress (Moller et al. Chem Biol Interact. 1996; 102 17-36)(Pupic-Bakrac et al. 2020; Psychiatr Danub. 32 412-9). Oxidative stress causes reticulum edoplasmic stress (ER stress) and this produces high levels of misfolded proteins. Defective proteins are degraded by the proteasome, but but when the density of misfolded proteins exceeds the capacity of the proteosome, the Unfolded and Misfolded Protein Response (UPR) is triggered through three main pathways: Inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α); transcription factor 6 alpha (ATF6α) and protein kinase RNA-Like ER kinase (PERK), trying to recover normal protein synthesis capacity (Bermejo-Millo et al. 2018; Mol Neurobiol. 55 7973-86) (González-Blanco et al. 2022; J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle 13 919-31).

Objectives

Characterizing ER stress and UPR in SCH and BD.

Methods

We studied ER stress and UPR in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 50 patients with SCH and an equal number of patients with BD compared to their corresponding controls in order to achieve our objectives.

Western Blot assay were performed following classical procedure () and the results was normalized to Ponceau as loanding control (Nie
et al. 2017; BiochemByophys Resp 12 10-13) (Sander et al. 2019; Anal Biochem 575 44-53). Proteasome activity was assessed using Proteasome Activity Assay Kit (ab107921, Abcam, Cambridge, UK).

Results

ER stress was evaluated with BiP/GRP78. Our results showed significantly increased expression in SCH (p<0,01) and BD (p<0,05), being more increased in SCH. Proteasome activity was increased in SCH and BD, being only statistically significant in SQZ (p<0,05). UPR study showed IRE1a cascade significantly activated in SCH (p<0,001) and only slight increased in BD showed without statistical differences. ATF6a pathway is measured by cleavage to active protein (50-kDa). Results showed higher expression in SCH than in BD and controls (p<0,001). In addition, PERK pathway showed higher statistical levels of p-eIF2a/eiF2a ratio in SCH than in BD and control respectively (p<0,05 and p<0,01).

Conclusions

Our results showed a greater alteration in SCH than in BD at the level of protein synthesis, which implies a greater toxicity at the cellular level and, therefore, a clear risk for the survival of cells in this pathology.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared
Adiponectin, resistin, Interleukine-4, TGF-β2 levels before and after clozapine treatment in a group of first episode, treatment resistant schizophrenia patients
Authors: Petrikis P. , Karampas A. , Leondaritis G. , Archimandriti D. , Spyrou P. , Plakoutsis M. , Georgiou G. , Mantas C. , Voulgari P. , Hyphantis T.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Treatment resistant schizophrenia (TRS) affects at least 15-20% of newly diagnosed patients with schizophrenia. Clozapine treatment for this sub-group of patients should be considered immediately after the failure in response to two antipsychotics (usually risperidone and olanzapine) received in adequate doses and time. Immune changes have been reported in first episode patients with psychosis, although results from various studies remain inconclusive. Very few studies have investigated so far cytokine and adipokine changes in TRS.

Objectives

To measure Interleukin-4 (IL-4), Tumor Growth Factor-β2 (TGF-β2), adiponectin and resistin in a sample of forty first-episode patients with psychosis (FEP) who proved to be treatment resistant (TRS),after treatment with two atypical antipsychotics ( olanzapine and risperidone) and after clozapine treatment.

Methods

Serum levels of adiponectin, resistin, IL-4 and TGF-β2 were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) before and after clozapine treatment. Psychopathology was assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) before and after clozapine treatment, BMI was calculated in the days of blood sample collection.

Results

We observed a significant decrease of adiponectin levels after switching from olanzapine/risperidone to clozapine (p<0.0001, Wilcoxon signed rank test W=820.0) and a statistically significant increase of resistin levels after switching to clozapine (p<0.0001, Wicoxon signed rank test W=-658.0). Similarly, a significant increase of TGF-β2 and of IL-4 levels was found after clozapine treatment (p=0.039, Wilcoxon signed rank test test W=-454.0 and p=0.029, Wilcoxon signed rank test W=-386.0, respectively).

Conclusions

Resistin, IL-4 and TGF-β levels increase after clozapine treatment while adiponectin levels significantly decrease. The findings may of importance, since they may reflect specific immune changes to clozapine responders.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared