Cognitive Impairments Related to COMT and Neuregulin 1 Phenotypes as Transdiagnostic Markers in Schizophrenia Spectrum Patients.

Research on the interaction between antipsychotic treatment and cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) is extensive, yet the role of genetic polymorphisms in catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and neuregulin 1 (NRG1) remains underexplored. : This study evaluates the impact of COMT (rs4680) and NRG1 (rs3924999 and rs35753505) polymorphisms on cognitive functions in SSD patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted with fifty-four patients, assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the CNS Vital Signs battery.

Under-Prescription of Drugs in the Elderly Population of Western Romania: An Analysis Based on STOPP/START Version 2 Criteria.

: Numerous European countries, including Romania, are facing the concern of rapid ageing of their populations. Moreover, Romania's life expectancy ranks among the lowest in the European Union. In light of this, it is imperative that the assessment of medication-related harm be given national priority in order to secure and enhance pharmacotherapy and the medical act.

Schizophrenia and Heart Health: Are Antipsychotics a Friend or Foe?

Schizophrenia is one of the most disabling of the psychiatric diseases. The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale Extended (BRSE) is used to evaluate the severity of psychiatric symptoms. Long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics are commonly used and are preferred over oral antipsychotic medications.

COMT and Neuregulin 1 Markers for Personalized Treatment of Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders Treated with Risperidone Monotherapy.

Pharmacogenetic markers are current targets for the personalized treatment of psychosis. Limited data exist on COMT and NRG1 polymorphisms in relation to risperidone treatment. This study focuses on the impact of COMT rs4680 and NRG1 (rs35753505, rs3924999) polymorphisms on risperidone treatment in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs).

Quality of Life Assessment Using the WHOQOL-BREF Survey in Hospitalized Patients with Alcohol Use Disorder from Romania.

This cross-sectional analysis aimed to assess the quality of life (QoL) among hospitalized patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) in Romania, utilizing the WHOQOL survey. Conducted from January to December 2023 in the Psychiatry Clinic of the "Pius Brinzeu" Emergency Clinical Hospital in Timisoara, this study engaged 70 participants, adhering to ethical standards outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki. Employing the WHOQOL-BREF instrument, the research hypothesized that AUD patients would show significantly lower QoL scores across its domains compared to general population norms.

Into a Deeper Understanding of CYP2D6's Role in Risperidone Monotherapy and the Potential Side Effects in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders.

Schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) are a group of diseases characterized by one or more abnormal features in perception, thought processing and behavior. Patients suffering from SSD are at risk of developing life-threatening complications. Pharmacogenetic studies have shown promising results on personalized treatment of psychosis.

Validation of the Romanian Version of the Halitosis Associated Life-Quality Test (HALT) in a Cross-Sectional Study among Young Adults.

Halitosis is a common condition with a significant impact on individuals' quality of life. The Halitosis Associated Life-Quality Test (HALT) is a reliable instrument for measuring this impact. This study aimed to introduce and validate the Romanian translation of the HALT questionnaire (R-HALT).

Untangling the Professional Web: Understanding the Impact of Work-Related Factors on the Mental Health of Healthcare Professionals During the Late Stages of Covid-19 Pandemic.

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has determined an extraordinary challenge to healthcare systems worldwide. The extraordinary circumstances, characterized by elevated stress levels, prolonged working hours, new medical procedures, media attention, and high population expectations, have created an extremely stressful situation for healthcare professionals. This period has offered a unique opportunity to examine the medical system and the responses of healthcare practitioners to stress.

Effects of Hormonal Profile, Weight, and Body Image on Sexual Function in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hyperandrogenic endocrinological disorder associated with chronic oligo-anovulation and polycystic ovarian morphology. Compared to women without PCOS, women with PCOS have a risk of sexual dysfunction that is more than 30% higher. Although alterations in sex hormones and psychosocial wellbeing have been proposed, the precise mechanisms of FSD in PCOS remain unclear.

Changing the Antipsychotic in Early Nonimprovers to Amisulpride or Olanzapine: Randomized, Double-Blind Trial in Patients With Schizophrenia.

Background And Hypothesis: Meta-analyses have shown that the majority of patients with schizophrenia who have not improved after 2 weeks of treatment with an antipsychotic drug are unlikely to fully respond later. We hypothesized that switching to another antipsychotic with a different receptor binding profile is an effective strategy in such a situation.

Study Design: In total, 327 inpatients with an acute exacerbation of schizophrenia were randomized to double-blind treatment with either olanzapine (5-20 mg/day) or amisulpride (200-800 mg/day).

Sex-Related Differences in Pharmacological Response to CNS Drugs: A Narrative Review.

In the last decades, both animal and human studies have neglected female subjects with the aim of evading a theorized intricacy of feminine hormonal status. However, clinical experience proves that pharmacological response may vary between the two sexes since pathophysiological dissimilarities between men and women significantly influence the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs. Sex-related differences in central nervous system (CNS) medication are particularly challenging to assess due to the complexity of disease manifestation, drugs' intricate mechanisms of action, and lack of trustworthy means of evaluating the clinical response to medication.

The Impact of Hyper-Acute Inflammatory Response on Stress Adaptation and Psychological Symptoms of COVID-19 Patients.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection induces a significant inflammatory response that are amplified by persistent stress. The pathophysiology of mental illnesses is explored in terms of inflammatory processes. Thus, anxious, depressed, or psychotic episodes may occur as a result of metabolic and immunological imbalances, as a direct result of their effect on the central nervous system, or as a side effect of the COVID-19 medication protocols.

Impairment of the cardiac ejection fraction by blocking dopamine D2 receptors induced by long-acting injectable antipsychotic treatment.

Introduction: Atypical antipsychotics have numerous benefits compared to conventional ones in respect to the possible adverse effects. However, like the other ones, they may induce direct cardiovascular alterations, probably through the apoptotic effect of dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) blockade. The main objective of the study was to assess the cardiac ejection fraction (EF) using transthoracic speckle tracking echocardiography (TSTE) in patients treated with long-acting injectable (LAI) atypical antipsychotics.

Coping Strategies and Stress Related Disorders in Patients with COVID-19.

Patients with severe COVID-19 experience high-stress levels and thus are at risk for developing acute stress disorder (ASD) and/or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The present study aims to search for correlations between psychiatric response to stress and coping strategies among individuals with acute vs. remitted COVID-19.

Actualities in immunological markers and electrochemical sensors for determination of dopamine and its metabolites in psychotic disorders (Review).

Psychotic disorders represent a serious health concern. At this moment, anamnestic data, international criteria for diagnosis/classification from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 and the International Classification of Diseases-10 and diagnostic scales are used to establish a diagnosis. The most commonly used biomarkers in psychotic illnesses are those regarding the neuroimmune system, metabolic abnormalities, neurotrophins and neurotransmitter systems and proteomics.

Social and Neurocognitive Deficits in Remitted Patients with Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective and Bipolar Disorder.

This study assesses the empathy level, cognitive performance and emotion recognition skills of remitted patients with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder and bipolar disorder, and also explores the relationship between impairments in the mentioned domains. The study was performed on 77 subjects divided into two groups: PAT sample (N = 37) included remitted patients with either schizophrenia, schizoaffective or bipolar disorder who were compared with healthy control subjects from the HC sample (N = 40). Along with sociodemographic and clinical data, empathy levels (using EQ (Empathy Quotient) scale), the ability to recognize another person's emotional state (using RMET (Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test)), and cognitive performance (using MoCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment) Scale) were investigated.

Thyroid Autoimmune Disease-Impact on Sexual Function in Young Women.

The important prevalence of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) in the general population was the main motivation for conducting the present study. The present paper aims to estimate the possible comorbidities related to female sexual dysfunction (FSD) and depression related to AITD. The study group consisted of 320 patients: 250 cases known with untreated AITD, divided into subgroups (euthyroid subgroup, subclinical hypothyroidism subgroup and clinical hypothyroidism subgroup); respectively 70 healthy females in the control group.

The Predictive Value of Endothelial Inflammatory Markers in the Onset of Schizophrenia.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the serum levels of intracellular adhesion molecule (sICAM-1), and vascular cell adhesion molecule (sVCAM-1), in the first psychotic episode schizophrenia (SZ) patients, before and after six months of antipsychotic treatment.

Patients And Methods: The study included 50 patients with a first hospitalization for SZ and 50 healthy control subjects that were patient-matched regarding age, gender, body mass index and smoking status. The evaluation included the presence of cardiovascular risk factors, measurements of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, smoking status, ankle-brachial index, carotid intima-media thickness, and echocardiography.

Influence of depression and self-esteem on oral health-related quality of life in students.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the influence of depression and self-esteem on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in students.

Methods: Among the 67 included participants, we measured self-esteem using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, severity of depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), personality dimensions with the Neuroticism–Extraversion–Openness Five-Factor Inventory, and OHRQoL using the Oral Health Impact Profile 49 (OHIP-49).

Results: Among all participants, 7.

Prolactin response to antipsychotics: An inpatient study.

Background: Antipsychotic medication, stress, gender, and age are factors that influence prolactin levels in patients with psychosis. The aim of the study was to investigate the level of prolactin response to antipsychotic treatment in acute patients, taking into account the total duration of psychosis.

Methods And Findings: The study was conducted on 170 acute patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and bipolar disorder.

Affective theory of mind in Parkinson's disease: the effect of cognitive performance.

Purpose: Among other non-motor symptoms, theory of mind (ToM), the ability to recognize, understand and infer others' mental states, beliefs, intents and wishes, has been shown to deteriorate during the course of Parkinson's disease (PD). It has been speculated that ToM impairments could be related to cognitive deficits in PD. However, the current state of literature suggests that there is heterogeneity regarding the involvement of cognitive functioning in the relationship of PD and ToM.

Trends in Glycolipid Biomarker Discovery in Neurodegenerative Disorders by Mass Spectrometry.

Considering the devastating effects of neurodegenerative disorders and the increasing number of people affected by them, an early diagnosis even presymptomatic, prior to serious mental deterioration is necessary. Therefore, screening for biomarkers, especially glycolipids, in the biological matrices, either tissues or body fluids has proven to be of a great help in establishing an early diagnosis of the disease.The present chapter, divided into three parts, highlights the implementation and modern applications of the most avant-garde mass spectrometry (MS) techniques characterized by speed, sensitivity and data accuracy for de novo identification and monitoring of glycolipids with potential biomarker role.