During the course of COVID-19 pandemic, The respiratory system is the most commonly affected while many neuropsychiatric manifestations of the disease have been observed.

Emphasize the importance of eliminating the diagnosis of covid 19 infection in a pandemic context face to first episode psychosis.

Presentation of case report

A 29-year-old woman unemployed married with no personal medical history and with psychiatric family history. She wasn’t exposed to subject with covid 19 in her family circle. She was admitted in psychiatric care for acute behavioural disorders during five days. On physical examination: she was afebrile, eupneic and tachycardiac. Oxygen saturation was 96% and blood pressure was 100/50 mmHg. Specialized neurological examination was normal and cerebral CT scan was without abnormalities. At the psychiatric interview she was extremely agitated. She was distressed her speech was incoherent. She had auditory and visual hallucinations and a multi-thematic delirium. One day after her admission she died suddenly, the autopsy found positive RT PCR covid test and bilateral basal pneumonia.

In individuals presenting with new-onset psychosis in areas endemic to COVID-19, consideration should be made for neuropsychiatric manifestations of Covid 19 from where the importance to push the explorations and to test the patients.

No significant relationships.

After Russia decided to start COVID-19 vaccination of international students who are getting their education on its territory, they received an opportunity to get a single dose of COVID-19 Sputnik Light vaccine. What motives can such international students have for being vaccinated in the situation of uncertainty?

Our goal is to define the structure of motivation for COVID-19 vaccination among international students who are getting education at different departments of the university.

In October 2021, we surveyed 409 international students getting education at Ulianov Chuvash State University in Cheboksary, who agreed to COVID-19 vaccination.

Those who applied for vaccination were mostly 3rd year students (32.03%) and 4th year ones (21.52%). 8 students out of the surveyed (1.96%) had been vaccinated outside Russia, 4 – in Russia (0.98%). 8.56% of the pool had had COVID-19, 57.7% had not, 33.74% could not give a certain answer. Main motives for COVID-19 vaccination were: unwillingness to be ill (57.21%), unwillingness to have any limitations imposed (22.98%), unwillingness, especially of medical students, to have problems in their studies (12.22%), inclination towards following their relatives’ advice (5.13%), desire to follow the surrounding people’s example (1.98%). In personal conversations, the students often expressed their wish for being vaccinated with a 2-component Sputnik V vaccine for a better protection from illness.

The survey of the international students’ motives showed that most of them have positive attitude to COVID-19 vaccination and feel inclined to be vaccinated with a Russian vaccine in order to reduce the risk of getting ill.

No significant relationships.

COVID-19 pandemic is the most important health emergency of the 21st century. Since the high number of infected people and as there is still no specific therapy worldwide, the pandemic has been countered through the application of prevention measures based on social distancing and home isolation. These elements are known risk factors for the development of various psychiatric conditions. From a forensic point of view, these pathologies are related to a high suicide rate.

It is no coincidence that during the previous pandemics that have occurred in history there has been a significant increase in suicides. By this work, we therefore want to highlight the psychological consequences of a pandemic and the importance of preventive strategies.

It is important to focus not only on physical well-being but also on the psychological aspects that the pandemic produces in the daily life of each individual

If the infecting agent causes the death of millions of people around the world, the socio-economic context that is created indirectly determines as many deaths.

Therefore it is necessary to underline how it is advisable to implement preventive measures in order to significantly reduce deaths from suicide, a problem with an important impact in the social and forensic fields.

No significant relationships.

Conversion disorder (a term that describes what was previously called hysteria) refers to motor or sensory symptoms, or both, that resemble a neurological disease, but that do not originate from or cannot be explained by a known physical disease.

To find reliable tools that can guide the difficult diagnosis of conversion disorder.

Bibliographic review

The exact prevalence of the disorder is unknown. It is estimated that approximately 5% of referrals to neurology are for this disorder. Approximately one third of patients referred to the neurologist have symptoms that cannot be explained by an organic disease. Involuntary movements are the most common motor manifestations of the conversive syndrome, being tremor one of the most frequent manifestations. The first differential diagnosis of conversion disorder is neurological disease. It is currently not necessary for the diagnosis to assess whether or not the symptoms are produced intentionally, as the assessment of conscious intentionality is unreliable. The neurological examination is the fundamental tool for the diagnostic approach, being even more enlightening than the complementary tests. Hoover’s sign, Babinski’s combined leg flexion, plantar flexion of the ankle, tremor and its distraction and synchronisation manoeuvres, as well as the clinical differences between epileptic seizures and non-epileptic seizures of psychogenic origin, are some of the reliable tools for a correct diagnosis.

The diagnosis of the disease should be one of exclusion. There must be clinical data showing clear evidence of incompatibility with a neurological disease and conversion symptoms do not correspond to known physiological mechanisms and anatomical pathways.

No significant relationships.

Disease-causing deletions/amplifications may include a single gene, several exons or single/part of exon, contributing to detection of novel pathogenic genes. The localization of single-gene deletion/amplification within the gene can affect its clinical manifestation.

Improvement of diagnosis of intellectual disability.

aCGH with 60K Agilent microarrays, qPCR.

Among 1099 patients with intellectual disability potentially pathogenic single-gene deletions/amplifications were detected in 51 individuals (5%). qPCR was used to verify aberrations in 21 patients (41%). Ten mutations were of maternal origin, four - paternal, two - de novo, another two were confirmed without analysis of parents, and three could not be confirmed. Single-gene aberrations involving the AGBL4 (exon 2), ASMT (exon 9), CYP2C18 (whole gene), DDX10 (promoter, exons 1-13), GYPA (whole gene), LIG4 (exon 1), LSAMP (intron 1), PSD3 (promoter, exons 1-11), SNTB1 (intron 1), SPOCK3 (exons 6-12), STAG2 (exons 7-34), SYT10 (promoter, exons 1-2), TCAF2 (exon 8), TMPRSS15 (promoter, exons 1-12), and ZDHHC7 (promoter, exons 1-4) genes were described by us for the first time. Deletion or amplification of several exons within a gene can affect transcription as point mutation does, while the copy number change of a whole gene can lead to an abnormal amount of the protein.

Fifteen novel genes potentially responsible for mental health were identified. In most of them aberrations were partial deletions/duplications. Most of abnormalities were inherited from healthy parents indicating the possible presence of a point mutation on the second allele or some modifying factors. This study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, grant 21-65-00017.

No significant relationships.

Social connectedness might positively influence the course of clinical symptoms in people with psychotic disorders.

This study examines satisfaction with social connectedness (SSC) as predictor of positive and negative symptoms in people with a psychotic disorder.

Data from the Pharmacotherapy Monitoring and Outcome Survey (PHAMOUS, 2014-2019) was used from patients diagnosed with a psychotic disorder (N=2109). Items about social connectedness of the Manchester short assessment of Quality of Life (ManSA) were used to measure SSC. Linear mixed models were used to estimate the association of SSC with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) after one and two years against α=0.01. Analyses were adjusted for symptoms, time since onset, gender and age. Additionally, fluctuation of positive and negative symptom scores over time was estimated.

Mean duration of illness of the sample was 18.8 years (SD 10.7) with >65% showing only small variation in positive and negative symptoms over a two to five-year time period. After adjustment for covariates, SSC showed to be negatively associated with positive symptoms after one year (β=-0.47, p<0.001, 95% CI=-0.70,-0.25) and two years (β =-0.59, p<0.001, 95% CI = -0.88,-0.30), and for negative symptoms after one year (β=-0.52, p<0.001, 95% CI = -0.77,-0.27). The prediction of negative symptoms was not significant at two years.

This research indicates that interventions on SSC might positively impact mental health for people with psychosis. SSC is a small and robust predictor of future levels of positive symptoms. Negative symptoms could be predicted by SSC at one year.

No significant relationships.

This case series reveals a number of young adults, whom after chronic use of recreational drugs, suffer the life-long consequence of severe chronic mental illness.

• Review the illicit drugs that are commonly associated with psychotic symptoms. • Highlight exposures theorized to impact genetics associated with DSM 5 diseases. • Compare trends in illicit drug use during the worldwide COVID pandemic.

A literature review is used to examine the impact of COVID pandemic on illicit drug use in metropolitan cities in European countries and compare the trends with what is seen by the consult liaison psychiatry service at a metropolitan community hospital in the USA.

In European Countries with data available, there were measurable differences in which illicit drugs were used most during the COVID 19 pandemic. In the US this data is not readily available at the time of submission for proper comparisson.

Although definitive comparrison is pending, the results of extensive illicit drug use demostrate a high comorbidity with psychotic spectrum disorders in the DSM 5.

No significant relationships.

No significant relationships.

A feeling of restrictiveness is often associated with coercive practices, such as seclusion or restraint. In addition to these obvious procedures more subtle practices can also feel restrictive. Its registration and monitoring is of special importance in forensic mental health care since feelings of restrictiveness can lead to adverse events like increased aggression and suicidal intentions.

To enable the registration of the experience of restrictiveness in forensic mental health settings in Germany, the Forensic Restrictiveness Questionnaire was translated from English into German.

Method: We used the TRAPD approach presented by Harkness (2003). This approach combined the expertise of professional translators and clinical experts and enabled adaptation at an early stage. The developed version underwent a cognitive pretest with a small patient sample to check for comprehensibility and interpretation of the questions in line with the original authors intention.

A preliminary translation of the FRQ was developed. Translators combined their expertise from linguistic and clinical practice as well as their knowledge about English and German culture to produce a translation as close as possible to the original questionnaire with necessary adaptations. Remaining uncertainties, e.g., regarding comprehensibility of long phrases or uniform interpretation of certain wordings or questions, were addressed in the cognitive pretest with patients. The version produced can be used for validation.

Conclusion: The TRAPD approach produced a comprehensible and well adapted German translation of the FRQ. This version underwent a cognitive pretest by a small patient sample and is now ready for validation.

No significant relationships.

Bilateral cingulotomy and anterior capsulotomy are two neurosurgical procedures which are reserved as a last resort for cases of severe OCD in Spain; these procedures are not approved in cases of AN.

We present the case of a 29-year-old female patient who was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa (AN) when she was 15 (2006). Due to the severity of the case the patient needed to be hospitalized for many months due to excessive weight loss. She was also treated in an out-patient department and started several intensive psychotherapeutic procedures. In 2015 the patient’s family took her to a private clinic where she was diagnosed with Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and had a bilateral cingulotomy and anterior capsulotomy.

A case report where the ethical implications of the case are weighed alongside a review of the relevant literature regarding neurosurgical treatments of AN.

There were no significant short or long term improvements in terms of Body Mass Index or reduction of symptoms, the patient’s cognitive functions showed a decline in neuropsychological tests. Contrary to that the patient has needed hospitalizations for at least 9 months per year since the surgery and has needed admission in the Intensive Care Unit at least 3 times because of extreme malnutrition. Due to her need for chronic hospitalization was institutionalized in a long-stay psychiatric hospital.

Psychosurgery is a controversial therapy which has limited evidence in cases of AN. Our case shows the way in which neurosurgical procedures can do more harm than good and worsen the prognosis of patients.

No significant relationships.

Vaccine hesitancy is a serious issue and it affects the scientific achievements of health. This phenomenon has begun to be studied more often in health care workers, to find its determining factors.

The aim was to determine the percentage of hospital workers who got vaccinated against the infection with SARS-CoV-2.

Beginning with October 2021, we conducted an online questionnaire in which 57 hospital workers participated. Preliminary results allowed us to assess the rate of vaccine hesitancy among this group.

Out of the 57 hospital workers, the majority were vaccinated (n=45, 78.94%) in comparison to less than a quarter (n=12, 21.05%) that refused vaccination. The group of hospital workers included mostly nurses ( n=21, 36.84%). Also, 12 psychologists (21.05%), 11 doctors (19.29%), and 10 students (17.54%) were included. Among the cases that did not accept getting vaccinated against COVID-19, the highest percentage was occupied by nurses (n=9, 15.78%). Moreover, there were only one doctor and one psychologist who did not get vaccinated.

In the current pandemic times, the hesitancy and refusal of vaccination prove to be very challenging. It is important to explore their reasons and to promote health education programs.

No significant relationships.

Oxcarbazepine (OXC) is an antiepileptic drug used as a mood stabilizer in patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder (BD). OXC has been reported as a source of hyponatremia in its use in both epilepsy and BD.

We present the case of a 53 year-old male patient diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type who developed hyponatremia during his treatment with OXC.

The patient’s treatment was desvelafaxine 100 mg, Paliperidone depot 150 mg, Oxcarbazepine 600 mg which he had maintained for at least one year. He began to manifest headache, asthenia and mild confusion gradually, with morning predominance, without being clearly suggestive of an acute worsening.

In control analysis, the existence of sodium leveles of 127 and low osmolarity was observed. Therefore it was decided to suspend furosemide, close monitoring of water intake in order to rule out primary polydipsia and extra salt was introduced into the diet. Given the persistence of the symptoms, laboratory abnormalities and ruled out the existence of primary polydipsia, it was decided to suspend treatment with oxcarbazepine. After the discontinuation of the aforementioned drug the analytical findings went back to normal ranges and the symptoms disappeared.

Carrying out control tests in patients with psychiatric pathology and multiple psychiatric treatments is essential to be able to rule out analytical alterations which could be asymptomatic or with nonspecific symptoms that could be attributed to the underlying pathology. The easy reversal of symptoms encourages us to emphasize the study and differential diagnosis of each case.

No significant relationships.

No significant relationships.

Over the past decades, a growing body of evidence has demonstrated the impact of the psychosocial work environment on workers’ health, safety and wellbeing. These factors may also affect employees ’job satisfaction.

To explore psychosocial determinants of job satisfaction among workers in a Tunisian electricity and gas company.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among male workers in a Tunisian electricity and gas company. The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ), the Job Content Questionnaire and the general health questionnaire (GHQ12) were used to assess psychosocial risk factors at work. A principal component analysis (PCA) was used to assess correlations between instruments ’scores. Multiple linear regression analysis was applied to explore the specific factors associated with job satisfaction. Data were analysed using R software.

A total of 83 workers participated in the survey (the age range: 21-60 years). Job satisfaction score varied from 0 to 100% with a mean of 73.09 %. In the PCA, job satisfaction had a positive correlation with high social support and a negative one with work-family conflicts, a high psychological demand, stress, burnout and quantitative demands. In multivariate analysis, factors negatively associated with job satisfaction were: age, stress and low social support. In contrast, seniority was positively associated with job satisfaction.

Job satisfaction is deeply influenced by the psychosocial work environment. Therefore, it is necessary to provide supervision, communication, and social support for these workers to increase or maintain a high level of job satisfaction.

No significant relationships.

Neurocognitive deficits amongst patients with schizophrenia are considered one of schizophrenia’s central features. These deficits appear to be present from the first episode of psychosis (FEP) and certain cognitive impairments could be components of a genetic vulnerability to schizophrenia. Regarding research on cannabis and cognition in schizophrenia, different studies have assessed neurocognitive functions: memory, attention/vigilance, processing speed, verbal learning, executive functions, and verbal fluency.

The aim is to do a review of recent findings concerning the association of cannabis use with cognition in schizophrenia.

A literature review was conducted using the PubMed search database.

Patients with schizophrenia and concomitant cannabis use are associated with worse performance in immediate verbal learning, and in some studies with worse working memory performance. There is an improvement of verbal memory when they cease the cannabis’ consumption. Regarding attention capacity and memory types assessed, the results are controversial. In FEP, heavy cannabis use during the previous year correlates with slower processing speed. Also, FEP-patients with cannabis use but no family history of psychosis perform worse in executive functions, while those with a family history of psychosis perform better.

The studies of psychosis, cannabis and cognition differ in relevant aspects, which might be connected to the result variability. Therefore, before solid conclusions can be reached, it is important to carry out longitudinal studies to understand the changes in the cognitive variables, which can depend on the pattern of cannabis’ use (concurrent or prior to the FEP). Possible confounding variables that might be present should be acknowledged.

No significant relationships.

Electro-convulsive Therapy (ECT) has been considered a useful for the treatment of depression and other affective disorders, however it is considered as a last resort given the risks and possible adverse effects.

The objective of this review is to assess the use of ECT (in terms of efficacy and tolerability) for patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder and how it can be compared with other treatments more commonly used to treat this disorder.

A search was carried out in Medline and in the Virtual Health Library as well as in the Trripdatabase with the search terms “Bipolar disorder”, “Bipolar Depression”, “ECT”, “ECT treatment” and “Mania” in English and narrowing the search to the last 5 years. 8 articles were included for the review after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria.

A favorable and well tolerated response was observed when applied ECT on patients with Bipolar disorder, especially the elderly populations. It was observed that the administration of unilateral and bilateral ECT are both equally effective. A better response was detected to ECT compared to newer treatments like ketamine, as well as lower suicide rate when ECT was used compared to other treatments.

ECT is considered an effective and safe treatment for Bipolar Disorder and should be taken into account not only as a last resort. Even so, given the limitations observed, it is necessary to carry out further investigation on the matter.

No significant relationships.

The age at onset of depression is not only an important clinical predictor of the further disease course, but also a robust marker, reflecting the genetic impact on depression risk.

This study aimed to find whether early-onset depression had an association with specific clinical symptoms, comorbid psychiatric disorders and family history of mood disorders.

This pilot cross-sectional, multicenter study was performed under the supervision of the Russian National Consortium for Psychiatric Genetics. Early-onset depression was defined as the first depressive episode before the median age of onset in the sample (Me=29 years). Logistic regression models were used to determine the independent association of early-onset depression, after adjusting for the effects of sex and age, with binary characteristics.

A total of 172 patients with depression were enrolled in the study (64.5% women; age - 40.9 (15.9) years). Early-onset depression was associated with psychomotor retardation (p=0,025; OR=2,3; 95%CI [1,1 - 4,9]), decreased libido (p=0,014; OR=2,8; 95%CI [1,2 - 6,2]), and lower prevalence of weight loss/decreased appetite (p=0,011; OR=0,4; 95%CI [0,2 - 0,8]). No associations were found with the history of comorbid psychiatric disorders and the family history of mood disorders.

Early-onset depression is associated with specific neurovegetative symptoms. Further clinical and genetic studies are needed to evaluate the specific effects of age at onset of depression on its clinical course.

Research is supported by an RSF grant №20-15-00132.

The dawn of COVID-19 brought new rules, restrictions, and lockdowns but this led to the unlikely fall of many sectors, including the charitable sector. There has been a significant decline in funding received by mental health charities, especially during the pandemic. This study looks at the subsequent impact on fundraisers and mental health promotion during COVID-19.

The main aim was to uncover how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the way that mental health charities fundraise, raise awareness, and promote mental health. This aimed to look at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on fundraisers supporting mental health charities and their opinion on whether fundraising has either helped or hindered mental health promotion.

Accounts from fundraisers and local representatives for mental health charities during the COVID-19 pandemic were analysed. Common themes looked at the impact, adaptation, and reasons why fundraisers decided to help during a tough period for the charitable sector.

Mental health charities expressed difficulty in sourcing funds to support their users, especially in a vulnerable time. Fundraisers tried innovative ways to promote mental health and raise money for charities.

Altruism and understanding how precious services such as mental health charities are for the population was the main driver for fundraisers. Mental health charities adapted by turning to online communication and reached out to fundraisers to continually highlight the importance of mental health to their users and fundraisers.

No significant relationships.

Today, a number of researchers consider the problem of addictive behavior as one of the most global problems for Kazakhstan and Russia. Some scientists consider CBT to be the most effective way to work with addictions. In our country there are no scientific works devoted to the study of addictive beliefs, so we decided to conduct such a study

The Objective of the study was to identify the characteristic addictive beliefs of drug addicts with different type of addiction: opioids and synthetic cathinones (designer drugs called “salts”, “bath salts”)

Questionnaire of addictive beliefs by A, Beck, questionnaire of beliefs about cravings by A. Beck and F. Wright, clinical interview. Descriptive statistics and chi-square test were used for data processing

People with opioid addiction are more likely to believe that their lives will become more depressive if they stop using drugs (p= 0.0347); that drug use is the only way to cope with pain in their life (p= 0.0347) and that they cannot cope with anxiety without drugs (p=0.009). Respondents who use synthetic psychostimulants endorse to believe that addiction is not a problrm for them (p= 0.0358).

Having categorized these beliefs in accordance with A. Beck’s classification, we came to the conclusion that “relief-oriented beliefs” are more typical for people who use opiates. The motive for use is often the desire to alleviate a negative emotional or physical state. For people using psychostimulants “salt”, “anticipatory beliefs” are more characteristic - the desire to experience euphoria and pleasant experiences

No significant relationships.

Latvia is listed as a country with one of the highest suicide mortality rates in European Union (National Statistical System of Latvia, 2021).

To assess the sequences for reporting of suicidal behaviours (SB) in Latvian general population.

The study is based on secondary data of the Health Behaviour Among Latvian Adult Population survey, provided by the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control of Latvia (representative sample of the Latvian population aged 15-64 in 2010, 2012, 2014; 15-74 in 2016, 2018; (n=16,105). Respondents were asked to report the occurrence of life-weariness (LW), death wishes (DW), suicidal ideation (SI), suicidal plans (SP), suicide attempts (SA) during the previous year.

Statistically significant differences between genders were found for LW (Χ²=17.118; df=1; p<0.001; AR=±4.1), DW (Χ²=17.764; df=1; p<0.001; AR=±3.8) and any type of SB (Χ²=15.721; df=1; p<0.001; AR=±3.8). Frequencies of individual sequences of reporting last year SB are presented in Table.

Further research is warranted to identify vulnerable groups in the Latvian general population in relation to suicidality and thus to develop targeted preventive measures.

This work has been developed with financing from the European Social Fund and Latvian state budget within the project no. 8.2.2.0/20/I/004 “Support for involving doctoral students in scientific research and studies at Rīga Stradiņš University.