Publications by authors named "Marek Krzystanek"
The objective of this study (registered under number 2020 006) was to assess the internal consistency of the revised Mental Health Professional Culture Inventory (MHPCI) scale, which comprises 15 items, among mental health service workers in Romania. To examine the psychometric properties of the MHPCI questionnaire within the Romanian population, we employed two main methods: The partial credit model (PCM) and Exploratory factor analysis (EFA). A total of 94 individuals were interviewed, and among them, 71 provided complete responses to the questionnaire.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: The subject of the study was to assess the therapeutic value of the author's health education programme developed for a group of patients of forensic psychiatry wards conducted in a group of patients long-term isolated from their natural environment. The main goal of the study was to answer the question of whether health education conducted in forensic psychiatry wards is effective and what value it represents in the process of treatment and rehabilitation of patients in forensic psychiatry wards.
Methods: The study was conducted at the State Hospital for the Nervous and Mentally Ill in Rybnik in the forensic psychiatry wards from December 2019 to May 2020.
Article Synopsis
- This study examined how affective disorders impact sexual functions in male patients, considering it an important aspect of their overall well-being.
- Interviews and various questionnaires assessed demographic data and sexual health, revealing that longer durations of affective disorders correlated with lower sexual functioning, particularly noting premature ejaculation as the most common issue.
- The findings suggest that sexual dysfunction is prevalent, with 66% of participants experiencing it at least once, and highlight the need for more comprehensive research, particularly including non-heterosexual individuals.
: The COVID-19 pandemic brought significant changes to daily life in Poland, with restrictions affecting various sectors, including entertainment, education, and travel. The pandemic's impact extended to intimate aspects of life. This study aimed to compare the sexual functioning of young adults in Poland before and during the pandemic, using the Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (CSFQ-14).
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- The study explored the prevalence of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) by comparing them with a control group of women without PCOS using specialized questionnaires.
- The research involved 160 participants, with significant differences found in sexual arousal between women and their partners in the PCOS group, indicating a notable gap in their sexual experiences.
- Overall, while sexual function scores in women with PCOS were normal, this did not equate to healthy sexual relationships, highlighting the complexity of sexual interactions in these couples.
Nitric oxide (NO) has been thought to be a novel factor involved in the mechanisms of mental disorders pathogenesis for quite some time. However, little is known about potential crosstalk between neuronal NO signaling and neuroleptics action. The present work was, therefore, focused on gene expression of neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) in the brains of rats chronically treated with olanzapine, an atypical antipsychotic drug.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: this study aims to comprehensively compare neuropsychological, psychopathological, anthropometric, biochemical, pharmacological, and lifestyle variables between 27 male schizophrenic patients (SZ group) and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy male controls (HC group).
Methods: participants underwent a battery of neuropsychological tests including the Trail Making Test (TMT), Stroop Color-Word Interference Test, and Verbal Fluency Test. Psychopathological symptoms in the SZ group were evaluated using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS).
Impact of the CoViD-19 pandemic on consultation-liaison activity: changes in everyday clinical practice and work-related factors associated with the psychiatrist's need for seeking help.
Eur Psychiatry
October 2023
Article Synopsis
- Gaseous neurotransmitters are thought to play a role in mental disorders, but the relationship between these gas signals and antipsychotics like olanzapine is not well understood.
- A study on male rats treated with olanzapine showed significant changes in the expression of enzymes related to gasotransmitters in the brain, with decreased cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) and increased heme oxygenase 2 (HO-2).
- The findings suggest that olanzapine may alter gasotransmitter synthesis in the brain, indicating a potential new mechanism for its pharmacological effects.
The Risk of Methylphenidate Pharmacotherapy for Adults with ADHD.
Pharmaceuticals (Basel)
September 2023
Article Synopsis
- ADHD is a common neurodevelopmental disorder that persists into adulthood for many individuals who were undiagnosed in childhood.
- The article reviews 19 studies on the use of methylphenidate, the primary medication for adult ADHD, highlighting both common and rare adverse effects.
- While methylphenidate is generally well tolerated, its potential side effects may limit its suitability as the first treatment option for all patients.
Fluoroquinolones (FQs) are widely used drugs around the world. This is a result of their broad spectrum of antibacterial activity, high bioavailability, and known efficacy. Since they appeared on the market, their prescribing frequency has gradually increased.
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- * Many respondents (56.4%) reported having MG for under 10 years, with the diagnosis process taking over 3 years for nearly one-third of them, particularly affecting females more than males.
- * Most participants used cholinergic drugs and corticosteroids, with many reporting significant side effects that impacted their physical and mental health, though over half felt their treatment helped manage MG symptoms effectively.
Dysthymia is a common chronic mood disorder in which isolated symptoms of depression persist for at least 2 years. Despite the many medications recommended for the treatment of dysthymia, no recommendations have yet been made for the treatment of patients who fail to achieve clinical improvement. This justifies attempts to identify second-line drugs for the treatment of dysthymia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of various results of treadmill training in children and adults with Down syndrome (DS).
Methods: To provide an overview of this effectiveness, we conducted a systematic literature review of studies in which participants with DS from all age groups received treadmill training, alone or combined with physiotherapy. We also looked for comparisons with control groups of patients with DS who did not undergo treadmill training.
The Impact of Health Education on the Quality of Life of Patients Hospitalized in Forensic Psychiatry Wards.
Int J Environ Res Public Health
March 2023
Article Synopsis
- A health education program was developed to study its impact on the quality of life of patients in forensic psychiatry wards, specifically those long-term isolated from their environment.
- The research, conducted in Poland, involved 67 men diagnosed with schizophrenia, using assessments before and after the educational intervention to measure changes in quality of life and knowledge.
- Results showed that while the program didn't significantly improve overall quality of life, it did enhance patients' knowledge and positively impacted their somatic condition.
Article Synopsis
- The paper investigates how exercise addiction symptoms, coping strategies during limited workout opportunities, and mental health are interconnected among individuals who exercise.
- The study surveyed 391 participants during COVID-19 restrictions in Poland using various psychological assessments.
- Results indicate that exercise addiction and behavior changes are linked to mental health issues like anxiety and insomnia, with those who exercised outdoors despite restrictions faring better mentally.
Shades of Fear-Mental and Physical Health Reactions to the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Representative Study of Polish Society.
Int J Environ Res Public Health
January 2023
Article Synopsis
- * A significant portion of respondents (50.2%) expressed fear about their post-pandemic future, with 10.1% indicating extreme levels of fear, primarily experiencing psychological symptoms rather than physical ones.
- * Psychological symptoms were prevalent among respondents, with fear of the future (38.5%), despondency (29.2%), and mental tension (28.9%) being the most common, and responses varied based on demographic factors like sex and age.
Article Synopsis
- - The survey, conducted a year after the COVID-19 pandemic began, assessed how different Polish social groups and age categories perceived the pandemic's impact on their personal and professional lives while seeking psychological and medical assistance.
- - Results showed that 61.9% of respondents felt the pandemic had only negative effects, with 57.7% claiming it did not impact their professional lives, while nearly half (45.0%) noted that changes to their personal lives weren't beneficial.
- - Only 12.3% of participants sought help from mental health specialists, with younger individuals being the most likely to do so; the survey's representative nature allows for future qualitative research on pandemic-related mental health issues.
Article Synopsis
- The PsyGipo2C project explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychiatry and mental health professionals, focusing on how changes in work conditions have affected their roles and well-being.
- A survey of 1,241 professionals across 10 European countries revealed that a majority reported increased workloads and difficulty maintaining work-life balance, with significant variations in impact across different job roles.
- The added stress from both professional constraints and personal pressures has negatively affected these workers' health and ability to cope, highlighting the need for support within the mental health sector during crises.
Background: Newly identified multifunctional peptidergic modulators of stress responses: neuromedin U (NMU) and neuropeptide S (NPS) are involved in the wide spectrum of brain functions. However, there are no reports dealing with potential molecular relationships between the action of diverse anxiolytic or antidepressant drugs and NMU and NPS signaling in the brain. The present work was therefore focused on local expression of the aforementioned stress-related neuropeptides in the rat brain after long-term treatment with escitalopram and clonazepam.
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- Neuropeptide S (NPS) is a key regulator with anxiety-reducing effects, but its relationship with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like escitalopram hasn't been thoroughly investigated.
- The study involved testing adult male rats treated with escitalopram, both alone and with an NPS receptor blocker (SHA-68), to analyze gene expression of related neuropeptides post-treatment.
- Results showed that escitalopram influences neuropeptide gene expression in different brain areas, with NPSR and NUCB2 expressions being affected depending on the presence of the NPSR blocker.
Effect of Escitalopram on the Number of DCX-Positive Cells and NMUR2 Receptor Expression in the Rat Hippocampus under the Condition of NPSR Receptor Blockade.
Pharmaceuticals (Basel)
May 2022
Article Synopsis
- * In a study with adult male rats, researchers tested the effects of escitalopram alone and in combination with a selective NPS receptor blocker, assessing changes in expression of NMU receptors and immature neurons (DCX) in the hippocampus.
- * Results indicated that acute escitalopram treatment diminished immature neuron counts, an effect that was further influenced by the co-administration of the NPS receptor antagonist, suggesting that NPS signaling may