The effects of clinical and pharmacological factors on the ratio of clozapine to norclozapine in psychiatric patients.

Background: Due to its exceptional effectiveness, clozapine (CLO), whose metabolite is norclozapine (NCLO), is a drug of choice in the management of treatment-resistant schizophrenia. The purpose of this study was to assess the factors modifying the CLO/NCLO ratio (CNR).

Methods: A total of 446 blood samples (233 of which were drawn from females and 213 from males, aged from 18 to 77 years) were analyzed in this study.

Education and Training in Addiction Medicine and Psychology across Europe: A EUFAS Survey.

Introduction: Training in addiction medicine and addiction psychology is essential to ensure the quality of treatment for patients with substance use disorders. Some earlier research has shown varying training between countries, but no comprehensive study of addiction training across Europe has been performed. The present study by the European Federation for Addiction Societies (EUFAS) aimed to fill this gap.

Substance use disorders and COVID-19: reflections on international research and practice changes during the "poly-crisis".

Since March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionately high toll on vulnerable populations, coinciding with increased prevalence of alcohol-and drug-related deaths and pre-existing societal issues such as rising income inequality and homelessness. This poly-crisis has posed unique challenges to service delivery for people with substance use disorders, and innovative approaches have emerged. In this Perspectives paper we reflect on the poly-crisis and the changes to research and practice for those experiencing substance use disorders, following work undertaken as part of the InterGLAM project (part of the 2022.

Management of nicotine dependence in patients with psychiatric disorders - recommendations of the Polish Psychiatric Association - part II.

The development of treatment methods for nicotine dependence has progressed slowly because people with psychiatric disorders are usually excluded from participating in clinical trials. There are several therapeutic options to support smoking cessation, including psychological and pharmacological interventions, which should be offered to smokers with mental disorders. The first step in helping tobacco smokers and nicotine-dependent individuals is the assessment of smoking intensity and confirmation of nicotine dependence.

Management of nicotine dependence in patients with psychiatric disorders - recommendations of the Polish Psychiatric Association - part I.

Smoking and nicotine dependence are still one of the main reasons for a number of serious and life-shortening somatic diseases. At the same time, they are more prevalent in mentally ill individuals than in the general population. This work, which constitutes the first part of recommendations of the Polish Psychiatric Association, presents the scale of the phenomenon in the general population and among people with psychiatric disorders, diagnostic criteria of nicotine dependence and nicotine withdrawal.

Acetylsalicylic Acid and Mood Disorders: A Systematic Review.

The effects of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) on mood disorders (MD) and on inflammatory parameters in preclinical and clinical studies have not yet been comprehensively evaluated. The aim of this study was to systematically summarize the available knowledge on this topic according to PRISMA guidelines. Data from preclinical and clinical studies were analyzed, considering the safety and efficacy of ASA in the treatment of MD and the correlation of inflammatory parameters with the effect of ASA treatment.

Pharmacotherapy of alcohol withdrawal syndromes - Recommendations of the Polish Psychiatric Association and the Pharmacotherapy Section of the Polish Society for Addiction Research.

Alcohol addiction is one of the most common health problems. Long-term consumption of high doses of ethanol leads to numerous adaptive changes in the central and peripheral nervous systems, most notably a decrease in the activity of inhibitory GABAergic pathways and an increase in the activity of excitatory glutamatergic pathways. Up to half of patients may develop alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) when they stop drinking alcohol.

Cognitive Function Decline in the Third Trimester of Pregnancy Is Associated with Sleep Fragmentation.

During late pregnancy, sleep deterioration is regularly observed. In concert with these observations, in previous studies by other researchers, a slight objective cognitive decline in pregnant women has been found. Sleep is essential for memory consolidation.

Abnormal behavioral and neural responses in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during emotional interference for cognitive control in pedophilic sex offenders.

Studies within the last decade have reported neural and behavioral differences in cognitive control between men with the pedophilic disorder who commit (CSO+) and do not commit (CSO-) child sexual abuse. Prior studies reported a higher number of errors in Go/Nogo task and lower activity of the prefrontal cortex in NoGo trials, in CSO+ compared with CSO-. Moreover, negative mood was reported as a risk factor for child sexual abuse in pedophilic men.

Emotion regulation in binge eating disorder.

A review of the literature on emotion regulation in binge eating disorder (BED) published both in English and Polish between 1990 and 2020. BED might be considered as an impulsive and compulsive disorder associated with altered reward sensitivity and food-related attentional bias. The growing body of research indicated that there were corticostriatal circuitry alterations in BED, comparable to those observed in substance abuse, including altered function of orbitofrontal, prefrontal and insular cortices with the striatum included.

Polish Psychiatric Association consensus statement on non-pharmacological methods in the treatment of negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

This consensus statement has been prepared by a group of experts consisting of professionals with long experience in the treatment of psychiatric disorders, who were appointed by the Management Board of the Polish Psychiatric Association. The evaluation involved the analysis of literature databases and information derived from meta-analyses of these data for years 2010-2020. The searched publications were in English, German and Polish language versions and involved interventions performed in groups of adult patients.

Behavioral and Self-reported Data Collected From Smartphones for the Assessment of Depressive and Manic Symptoms in Patients With Bipolar Disorder: Prospective Observational Study.

Background: Smartphones allow for real-time monitoring of patients' behavioral activities in a naturalistic setting. These data are suggested as markers for the mental state of patients with bipolar disorder (BD).

Objective: We assessed the relations between data collected from smartphones and the clinically rated depressive and manic symptoms together with the corresponding affective states in patients with BD.

Can Dog-Assisted Intervention Decrease Anxiety Level and Autonomic Agitation in Patients with Anxiety Disorders?

Few studies have explored the influence of an Animal-Assisted Intervention on patients with mental disorders. We investigated it's impact on anxiety symptoms. We divided 51 patients with anxiety symptoms into two groups-treatment group, that went for a short 15-20 min' walk with a dog, his handler and a researcher and control group, that went for a walk only with a researcher.

Psychiatric History and Overactive Bladder Symptom Severity in Ambulatory Urogynecological Patients.

Introduction And Hypothesis: A link between psychiatric comorbidities and overactive bladder symptomatology has been suggested by preclinical and clinical studies. Given this, we hypothesized that a psychiatric history and current treatment with psychotropic medications could be related to the severity of overactive bladder and incontinence symptoms in patients referred to a tertiary care urogynecological center.

Methods: One hundred and twenty-seven female patients diagnosed with an overactive bladder were screened for a lifetime history of psychiatric disorders and the type and number of psychotropic medications currently taken.

Real-life anti-smoking practices among Polish neurologists.

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to assess attitudes of Polish neurologists towards cigarette smoking and their real-life anti-smoking practices.

Methods: A study questionnaire was constructed, and distributed among Polish neurologists ( = 101; 73% females). More than two thirds (70%) of the study group worked in in-patient neurological wards with separate stroke units.

Does Parental Alcohol Use Influence Children's Age at First Alcohol Intake? A Retrospective Study of Patients with Alcohol Dependence.

Parental alcohol misuse has detrimental effects on the entire family. In particular, the safety and general health of the children of parents with alcohol abuse/dependence are of concern to health authorities around the globe. The present study aimed to examine the impact of parental history of alcohol abuse/dependence on the age of first alcohol intake in adult patients with alcohol dependence.

The association among health behaviors, shift work and chronic morbidity: A cross-sectional study on nurses working in full-time positions.

Background: Nurses are known to work in conditions of stress and physical overload. Health behaviors are modifiable factors that may reduce the adverse effects of work on general health. The present study examined health-related behaviors and their association with current night shift work and chronic morbidity among female nurses.

Electroconvulsive Therapy and Age: Effectiveness, Safety and Tolerability in the Treatment of Major Depression among Patients under and over 65 Years of Age.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) remains the most effective therapy in treatment-resistant depression. However, the safety of ECT has been consistently questioned, particularly among elderly patients. We assessed the efficacy and safety of ECT in patients before and after 65 years old.

Impulsivity Scale-12 and its utilization in alcohol use disorder.

Introduction: One of the core symptoms of alcohol use disorder (AUD) is impulsivity. The recently published study on the Impulsivity Scale 12 (IS-12) offers a promising tool to use in clinics working with clients with AUD due to its simplicity. IS-12 includes subscales related tocognitive impulsivity and behavioral impulsivity, which are related to different aspects of AUD symptomatology.