One of the defining features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are deficits in social interaction and communication. Although their etiology is poorly understood, several lines of evidence from studies on humans and rodents suggest that two nonapeptides – oxytocin and vasopressin – might play a pivotal role in their development.

To evaluate if single nucleotide polimorphisms in OXTR and AVPR1A genes are linked to the severity of symptoms in autism spectrum disorder.

The study was conducted on the group of 40 Caucasian males with average age of 14,22 (SD: 1,71) years. ADOS-2 examination was utilized for confirmation of ASD diagnosis as well as evaluation of symptoms severity in each patient. The genotyping of preselected SNPs for each gene (rs10877969; rs7294536; rs2254298; rs53576) was conducted.

“CC” genotype at rs7294536 (p=0,033) was significantly associated with higher outcomes of ADOS-2 especially in terms of social affect. In case of oxytocin receptor gene, frequency of “AA”/”AG” genotype at rs2254298 equaled 100% and of “AA”/”AG” genotype at rs53576 equaled 85% of the study group (expected “A” allele frequency in neurotypical European population was respectively 11% and 35% according to 1000Genomes database). For rs10877969 prevalence of “CC”/”CT” genotype equaled 95% while expected frequency of “C” allele in neurotypical European population was 13%.

Overrepresentation of minor alleles at rs2254298, rs53576 and rs10877969 in patients with ASD might indicate their link to development of ASD. Furthermore, significant association between minor allele at rs7294536 and symptoms severity suggest potential role of arginine-vasopressin receptor deficiency in clinical picture of ASD.

No significant relationships.

In patients undergoing coronary-artery bypass surgery (CABG) the presence of cognitive functions deficits is frequently observed. This procedure is also associated with a danger of appearance of depression and anxiety. As the above symptoms may coexist, the purpose of this study was to observe the presence of depression and anxiety symptoms before and after the operation, and their impact on the cognitive functioning of operated patients.

It included 50 subjects in whom the intensity of depression was assessed with the use of the Beck Scale (BDI), and the anxiety as state and trait was assessed with the use of STAI scale on 1 day before the operation and on 5-7 days after the operation. At the some time cognitive functions were assessed with the use of Vienna Test System (VTS).

The change of intensity of anxiety and depression and most of the analysed cognitive functions, except learning ability, was statistically significant. However the correlation of depressive and anxiety symptoms with the cognitive deficits achieved the level of significance only with the reference to attention disorders.

The achieved results show a considerable independence of the cognitive functions examination from the present emotional state in examined patients.

The symptoms of depression are often found in patients suffering from eating disorders.

The aims of this research were to find out if depression in patients with eating disorders (ED) like anorexia nervosa (AN) or bulimia nervosa (BN) is an additional condition accompanying the ED diagnose, or if it is an integral element being part of emotional problems related to maturation. The estimation of patients’ social condition is also considered in comparison to matched group with no ED diagnose.

Subjects: Group B - 19 females diagnosed, age 12 – 24; group C - matched control group of 30 healthy females, group F - 19 patients out of group B examined in a follow up research two years after hospital treatment. Tools used: Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Life Quality Questionnaire (Q), Body Mass Index measurement (BMI).

BDI results: depression symptoms are more intense in the early phase of the treatment of ED (group B) than in the follow up -group F (two years after hospitalization) and also more intense than in group C (controls). Q Questionnaire shows no differences between groups B, C, and F.

Depression is an additional condition in patients diagnosed with ED mostly in the early phase of the treatment. No differences have been found in the social condition between groups B, C, and F.

According to the studies drug addiction is an increasing problem affecting especially children and young people. It is assumed that about 60% of the drug addicts are found in the age range between 10 and 24.

The aim of this study were to estimate the general knowledge about drug addiction among secondary and vocational schools students in Zabrze, Poland and Tomaszów Lubelski, Poland, to compare the scales of the problem between studied schools, and to appreciate the level of drug abuse prevention.

280 students were included into the study. A two-part anonymous inquiry was implemented. The first part included questions about age, sex, living conditions, family and knowledge on drug abuse phenomenon. In the second part the questions regarded psychoactive substances.

The results show that secondary school graduates have a better knowledge about drugs than vocational school students, the scale of drug addiction problem is higher in schools of Tomaszów Lubelski than in Zabrze, the young people use drugs despite their knowledge of their harmful effects on human organism, boys use drugs more frequently than girls, and the drug abuse prevention in schools is not sufficient.

The analysis of the knowledge on addiction among students in two Polish cities may be useful in creating proper prevention programs.

In patients suffering from depression, neuropsychological deficiencies of attention, memory, psychomotor speed and executive functions are observed.

The aim of this study is to find relationship between selected cognitive functions, and intensity of depression and anxiety as state and trait in depressed patients.

16 Patients meeting the ICD 10 criteria of depressive disorders (F32, F33) were recruited. Patients with mild-to-moderate depression as measured by Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score were included in the study. The battery of cognitive neuropsychological tests used to assess cognitive functions included: trail making test, part A and B, and Stroop test, part RCNb and NCWd. The intensity of anxiety as state and trait was assessed with the use of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). The results were analyzed statistically.

In the examined group no statistically significant relation between the results neuropsychological tests (trail making test, part A and B, Stroop test) and the intensity of depression measured with BDI, and the intensity of anxiety as state and trait, measured with STAI was found. Interestingly a statistically significant relation was found between intensity of depression and intensity of anxiety.

It seems interesting that no co-relation between the clinical symptoms and cognitive functions was found. It may be consistent with some of the observations, according to which a pharmacological treatment of depression causes an improvement in cognitive functioning of the patients which is independent of the clinical improvement.

Positive effect of olanzapine on cognitive functions in schizophrenia was confirmed in many papers accessible in the literature.

The objective of our study is to evaluate the effect of olanzapine treatment on cognitive functions in patients suffering from schizophrenia during a six-month observation.

Twenty patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia according to ICD-10 diagnostic criteria for research were examined. 1 day before initiation of olanzapine a baseline assessment was performed. The neuropsychological examination was repeated 28 days, 60 days, 3 months, and 6 months after the beginning of treatment. The use of benzodiazepines was interrupted 48 hours before each assessment, and a continuous co-medication with benzodiazepines never lasted longer than 48 hours. No other additional medication was administered. Cognitrone (COG) and Vienna Reaction Test (RT), both tests being a part of Vienna TEST System, were used. The Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) was also used to evaluate general nonpsychotic psychiatric symptoms, positive psychotic symptoms, and negative symptoms. The assessment with the use of PANSS took place on the same days as the neuropsychological examination.

We have shown with the use of neurocognitive battery, that patients treated with olanzapine improved during the treatment. It is notable that this improvement was observed already on the 28th day of the treatment.

The above data here may be useful in encouraging clinicians to use olanzapine across the broad range of schizophrenic patients.

Anorexia nervosa is a serious eating disorder with highest mortality among psychatric disorders. DSM-IV classification differentiates two type of Anorexia Nervosa (AN): the restricting type (AN-R) and the binge-eating/purging type (AN-BP). Orexigenic and anorexigenic peptides and cytokines are involved in mechanism of food intake and energy balance. Four young women suffered from Anorexia Nervosa (two with AN-BP and two with AN-R) took part in the study. Three girls were our reference group. The aim of our study was to estimate of differentiates genes between two types of Anorexia Nervosa: AN-R and AN-BP.

The total RNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclears. The oligonucleotide microarray method (HG-U133A, Affymetrix) was used to determine the expression profile of 161 transcripts for genes connected with AN. The oligonucleotide microarray method analyzes genes expression by using the phenomenon of hybridization of single-thread RNA fragments with complementary DNA probes. The results were normalized using RMAExpress. The Bland Altman method was used to examine transcripts of genes which differentiate two types of AN.

Among 161 transcripts (cytokines, orexigenic and anorexigenic peptides) only cytokines have differentiated two type of AN. IL6R, IL6ST, IL1B, IL2RB and TGFB1 differentiate two type of AN: the restrictive type of AN and binge-eating type of AN. IL1B differentiates the restrictive type of AN and the reference group and TGFB1, IL6ST and IL1B differentiate the binge-eating type of AN and the reference group.

Orexigenic and anorexigenic peptides are responsible for eating behavior but not for food intake.

Cognitive deficits and anxiety are common symptoms in patients suffering from schizophrenia.

The aim of the research was to find a relationship between selected cognitive functions and intensity of anxiety as state and trait in people suffering from schizophrenia.

18 patients (9 women and 9 men) with a diagnose of paranoidal schizophrenia (according to ICD-10) were recruited to the study. The battery of cognitive neuropsychological tests used to assess cognitive functions included: trail making tests, part A and B, and Stroop test, part RCNb and NCWd. The intensity of anxiety as state and trait was assessed by means of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).

In the examined group statistically significant relation was found between the results of trail making test, part A and B (measuring psychomotor speed and visual spatial working memory), as well as part RCNb of the Stroop test (measuring reading speed), and the intensity of anxiety as state measured with STAI. Another statistically significant correlation was found between results of trail making test, part A (measuring psychomotor speed) and anxiety as trait measured with STAI. No other significant correlations between results of the applied cognitive tests and anxiety as state and trait were found.

The above correlations between cognitive tests results and intensity of anxiety indicate that there must be a modulating impact of emotions on some of measured cognitive functions. The awareness of these correlations may be important in the process of constructing rehabilitation programmes for patients.

The aim of this study is to assess the dependence between the obsessive-compulsive symptoms, the eating disorders symptoms and orthorexia in adolescents aged 15-19, due to define which of these areas orthorexia is closer to. The study controlled such variables as: age, sex, BMI, school type.

The study covered 1899 pupils of secondary schools. The OCD and ED symptoms assessment was carried out with the LOI-CV, EAT-26 and the ORTO-15 questionnaire (two threshold values: ON- 40 and ON -35). The research was financed by scientific grant of Nutricia Foundation.

Revealed correlations of risk factors of ON - OCD and ON - ED indicated the higher the probability of diagnosis of these disorders, the higher the probability of ON diagnosis, too. The compatibility of ON and OCD diagnoses was for ON-40 = 45.8% and ON-35, 76.5%. It was shown that the OCD increases the risk of ON at the threshold value ON = 35. In the case of ON and ED, the diagnostic compatibility was ON-40, 42.7% and ON-35, 84.4%. The analysis of various variables confirmed a significant dependency of ON from ED, which suggests that ON belongs to ED. The diagnostic accuracy in this case is better at the threshold value ON- 35.

The results of our study should be confirmed in further research.

A substantial proportion of patients with schizophrenia has co-morbid psychoactive substance abuse, which can influence their cognitive functions. The aim of the study is an assessment of cognitive functioning in abstinent schizophrenia patients with various previous pattern of psychoactive substance abuse.

The study was performed on a group of 80 schizophrenia patients (74 male, 6 female), aged 18–40 (mean 25) years, of whom in 40, a co-morbid psychoactive substance abuse was diagnosed. The latter group was subdivided, based on their predominant type of substance (opioid, amphetamine, or cannabis). All patients were examined during clinical improvement, and patients with comorbid substance abuse, after a six-week period of detoxification in a therapeutic community. A battery of neuropsychiatric tests was used, which included subtests of Trail Making Test, Stroop test and Verbal Fluency Test.

No significant differences in clinical factors and cognitive functioning between two examined groups were found. However, when the patients were divided according to their pattern of substance addiction, it turned out that the group of patients with cannabis, despite the shortest duration of disease and that of addiction, and highest percentage of using atypical antipsychotics, performed worse on all cognitive tests, significantly so on Stroop's and Fluency tests, compared to the groups with predominant opioid or amphetamine abuse.

Abstinent schizophrenic patients who previously abused cannabis have worse cognitive functioning compared to other schizophrenic patients with comorbid substance abuse. A possible role of previous cannabis use or cannabis withdrawal in this phenomenon is discussed.

Study group were divided into two groups according to the occurrence of suicidal thoughts. 28,8 % of respondents had suicidal thoughts (6,1%- often and 2,5% -very often). There was statistical significance between the occurrence of suicidal thoughts and gender, financial state of family, drug use, occurrence of chronic diseases, taking long-term medicaments, number of smoked cigarettes. 16% of respondents with suicidal thoughts have ever tried to commit suicide. 36,8% adolescents that took part in the study would look for help at specialist (29,8% at Psychologist, 7% at Psychiatrist).

There exists a need of educational campaign of the adolescents attending the secondary school, because about 1/3 do require observation due to the occurrence of suicidal thoughts. Risky behaviors (such as smoking, taking psychoactive drugs and legal highs), the worse financial situation, physical and mental condition coexist in the population with a higher occurrence of the suicidal thoughts, which is also higher in adolescents that met individuals with suicidal attempts and suicides within their environment and family.

According to the data from literature the neurocognitive changes in schizophrenia are mild to moderate and are modestly related to negative symptoms. Cognitive deficits in schizophrenia are regarded by many psychiatrist as an important symptom, which requires appropriate treatment and rehabilitation. There are different conditions, which may have an influence cognitive impairment in schizophrenic patients. One the factors differentiating subgroups of schizophrenic patients when neuropsychological functioning is analyzed is sex.

This Review was focused on cognitive functioning of schizophrenic patients of different sexes. In order to achieve this result PubMed was searched using following terms: cognitive functions, schizophrenia, gender differences, sex hormones, memory, attention, neuropsychological, psychopatological symptoms.

Most of the analyzed papers reflecting the cognitive differences between men and women suffering from schizophrenia postulate a worse performance in neuropsychological test by male patients. However according to some authors there are no gender differences in cognitive functioning in schizophrenic patients or those differences are not clinically significant.

The above analysis shows that there is a number of studies, according to which differences between men and women among schizophrenic patients are present, however the problem of sex-specific differences in cognitive functioning in patients in schizophrenia needs further investigation.

Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is an excessive fixation on the consumption of healthy food and an obsession with its biological purity. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of ON in a population of Polish urban adolescents and some possible contributory factors.

Validation and adaptation of the ORTO-15 Questionnaire was made in the group of 399 participants (15–21 years old). The validation procedure incorporated three basic methods to be applied in the reliability analysis. The reliability analysis of the ORTO-15 Questionnaire based on repeatability of the responses presents a very good (kappa: 0.81–1.00 for 5 items) and a good repeatability (kappa: 0.61–0.80 for 10 items). The reliability analysis based on the value of the Cronbach's α reached a satisfactory level (0.7–0.9). The ORTO-15 questionnaire was considered a reliable tool to identify the risk of ON in population studies in the group of urban youth aged 15–21. Assessment was made among 1899 high school students, 992 girls, and 907 boys, aged 15–21 years.

The mean value of the ORTO-15 was 39.2 ± 3.6 points, with no sex difference. The main factors connected with orthorexia, according to the “Orthorexia 35” definition were excess weight, sporting activities, out-of-school activities, smoking status, working parents and a high family income.

This study, of a large number of adolescents, showed a prevalence of ON similar to that recorded in adult populations. This is a first assessment of orthorexia among adolescent population.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.