Psychopathological Manifestations Research Articles

Dissecting the polygenic contribution of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder on school performance by their relationship with educational attainment.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are strongly associated with educational attainment (EA), but little is known about their genetic relationship with school performance and whether these links are explained, in part, by the genetic liability of EA. Here, we aim to dissect the polygenic contribution of ADHD and ASD to school performance, early manifestation of psychopathology and other psychiatric disorders and related traits by their relationship with EA. To do so, we tested the association of polygenic scores for EA, ADHD and ASD with school performance, assessed whether the contribution of the genetic liability of ADHD and ASD to school performance is influenced by the genetic liability of EA, and evaluated the role of EA in the genetic overlap between ADHD and ASD with early manifestation of psychopathology and other psychiatric disorders and related traits in a sample of 4,278 school-age children. The genetic liability for ADHD and ASD dissected by their relationship with EA show differences in their association with school performance and early manifestation of psychopathology, partly mediated by ADHD and ASD symptoms. Genetic variation with concordant effects in ASD and EA contributes to better school performance, while the genetic variation with discordant effects in ADHD or ASD and EA is associated with poor school performance and higher rates of emotional and behavioral problems. Our results strongly support the usage of the genetic load for EA to dissect the genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity of ADHD and ASD, which could help to fill the gap of knowledge of mechanisms underlying educational outcomes.

PECULIARITIES OF ADAPTATION AND COURSE OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER IN SERVICEMEN DEPLOYED TO INTENSE COMBAT ZONES

In the context of war, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) emerges as one of the most prevalent psychological conditions, particularly among military personnel deployed in combat zones. The primary triggers for PTSD in military personnel often include the loss of comrades or the necessity to use lethal weapons, resulting in significant consequences. For PTSD to manifest, individuals must undergo a traumatic experience that exceeds normal human stress levels and leads to distress. The aim of this study is to investigate the course of PTSD in military personnel who have been exposed to intense combat operations and to explore their maladaptive manifestations. The study comprised 38 patients diagnosed with PTSD (F43.1) according to the ICD-10, who received treatment at the Regional Mental Health Care Institution for the Protection of the Armed Forces. All patients provided informed consent to participate in the study. A structured clinical diagnostic interview known as CAPS-DX was applied in this study. Developed based on the DSM-IV, this interview assesses the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the duration of the disorder, and the degree of impairment of social functioning. The CAPS-DX scale provided insights into the presence of PTSD symptoms both currently and throughout the individual's life following psychotrauma. To diagnose psychosocial maladjustment and its characteristics, we employed the Psychosocial Maladjustment Scale by L. Herasymenko (2018). Clinical and anamnestic examinations revealed that 86% of servicemen had experienced multiple traumatic events, indicating a history of several psychotraumas. The study identified that the primary psychopathological manifestations of PTSD did not differ significantly from the traditional course of the disorder, but they were more intense and pronounced in this group of servicemen. The study has demonstrated that servicemen with combat experience and PTSD exhibited reduced levels of psychosocial adaptation. Their adaptive resources and capabilities, as well as their neuropsychological stability, were significantly diminished, along with a decrease in their communication abilities. Based on the overall level and quality of social and psychological adaptation, three levels of adaptation/maladaptation were distinguished among servicemen with combat-related PTSD: sufficient, partial, or maladaptation. It should be noted that the levels of adaptation were correlated with the severity of anxiety. Servicemen with sufficient adaptation typically exhibited low levels of anxiety, while those with partial adaptation showed an average level, and those with maladaptation displayed high levels of anxiety. The study revealed a spectrum of psychopathological manifestations in servicemen who were in the combat zone, ranging from semiotic complexes resembling panic attacks to psychogenic catalepsy. Furthermore, it was found that servicemen with combat experience and post-traumatic stress disorder had reduced levels of psychosocial adaptation, which correlated with the severity of anxiety.

Clinical subtypes of postpsychotic depression in the first episode of schizophrenia: results of a cross-sectional observational study

BACKGROUND: Clinical diagnosis of depression in schizophrenia is difficult because of the dimensional overlap of a number of affective symptoms with negative manifestations of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. In the very first attack of schizophrenia, when the negative symptom complex is not yet clear enough, the difficulties of differential diagnosis become even more relevant, especially when depression occurs in the post-attack stage during the formation of remission and the manifestation of postpsychotic depression.
 AIM: To establish a diagnostic approach based on a combination of clinical-psychopathological and psychometric methods for the assessment of postpsychotic depression in patients with a first episode of schizophrenia.
 MATERIAL AND METHODS: We are examined 1112 patients who had suffered a first psychotic episode. Аfter introducing inclusion/exclusion criteria, two groups were formed in the final design: 243 patients with postpsychotic depression (PPD) and 119 patients without depression in partial remission. Clinical-psychopathological, psychometric (PANSS, CDSS, SCL-90-R scales), and statistical (descriptive, non-parametric statistics — significance level p 0.05) methods were used.
 RESULTS: Based on the concept of positive-negative affectivity, three types of PPD have been identified: with signs of positive affectivity — anxious, sensitive-psychasthenic, depersonalisation-hypochondriacal and melancholic-anergic subtypes; with signs of negative affectivity anhedonic, dysthymic-apathetic and dysphoric subtypes; formed due to psychopathological manifestations of the non-affective register — obsessive-ruminative, agoraphobic, paranoid-symbolic subtypes. Patients who were diagnosed with PPD with positive affectivity after an attack were predominat (p 0.05): 46.91% of the total number of depressed patients. PPD formed due to non-affective spectrum disorders is accompanied by the strongest subjective severity of suffering in patients, compared to patients diagnosed with PPD with positive affectivity. Subjectively, the easiest for patients is PPD with negative affectivity, which, however, does not mean that it can be considered as favourable from the standpoint of therapy and rehabilitation.
 CONCLUSION: PPD is detected in a significant number of patients with a first psychotic episode, even after excluding the group with pharmacogenic depression, both due to subjective complaints, nosogenic depressive experiences, and as a result of a psychometric assessment of the patients’ condition. The concept of “dissociated post-attack depression” is substantiated.

Couple-Level Manifestations of Posttraumatic Stress and Maternal and Paternal Postpartum Relationship Functioning

Objective. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is linked with impaired intimate relationships in postpartum women, yet less is known about couple-level manifestations of posttraumatic psychopathology and potential associations with relationship functioning for mothers and fathers during this critical time. Method. In a predominately low-to-middle income sample of 867 mother-father couple dyads assessed six months following the birth of a child, two analytic methods—a data-driven dyadic latent profile analysis and hypothesis-driven a priori categorization approach—evaluated whether discrete subgroups of couples could be identified based on both partners’ PTSD symptoms. Structural equation models then tested associations between identified subgroups with (1) self-reported relationship quality and (2) interviewer-rated relationship stress. Results. Three couple-level PTSD symptom groupings were common to both methods: both low, mother low-father high, and mother high-father low. Dyad-level PTSD symptom patterns were differentially related to relationship dysfunction for mothers and fathers, although mixed findings emerged across methods regarding the relevance of which partner had elevated symptoms for relationship functioning in PTSD symptom-discordant couples. Individuals in dyads characterized by at least one partner with elevated PTSD symptoms consistently exhibited greater relationship dysfunction—indexed both subjectively and objectively—compared to dyads where both partners had low symptoms. Conclusions. Couple-level typologies of PTSD symptoms can be identified using data- and hypothesis-driven approaches, with generally concordant results. Dyadic patterns of PTSD symptoms are relevant to relationship functioning for both mothers and fathers during the postpartum period and may help to inform more targeted intervention efforts to support couples who are parenting.

How effective are mood stabilizers in treating bipolar patients comorbid with cPTSD? Results from an observational study

BackgroundMultiple traumatic experiences, particularly in childhood, may predict and be a risk factor for the development of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (cPTSD). Unfortunately, individuals with bipolar disorder (BP) are more likely to have suffered traumatic events than the general population. Consequently, cPTSD could be comorbid with BD, and this may negatively affect psychopathological manifestations. To date, no one has explored whether such comorbidity also affects the response to treatment with mood stabilizers in BD patients.ResultsHere, a cross-sectional study was carried out by comparing the response to treatment, measured by the Alda scale, in a cohort of 344 patients diagnosed with BD type I and II, screened for the presence (or absence) of cPTSD using the International Trauma Questionnaire. The main result that emerged from the present study is the poorer response to mood stabilizers in BD patients with comorbid cPTSD compared with BD patients without cPTSD.ConclusionsThe results collected suggest the need for an add-on therapy focused on trauma in BD patients. This could represent an area of future interest in clinical research, capable of leading to more precise and quicker diagnoses as well as suggesting better tailored and more effective treatments.

Psychometric Analysis of the Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Self-Report and Social Anxiety Spectrum Self-Report in the Korean Population.

The present study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Korean versions of the Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Self Report (OBS-SR) and the Social Anxiety Spectrum Self Report (SHY-SR) questionnaires, along with determining their optimal cut-off points in a Korean population. The study included outpatients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) (n=86), or social anxiety disorder (SAD) (n=52), those with major depressive disorder (MDD) (n=27), and 33 healthy controls. Participants were administered the Korean versions of the OBS-SR and SHY-SR questionnaires. Clinical symptoms were also assessed with several self-rating scales. The Korean versions of the OBS-SR and SHY-SR demonstrated good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent validity. Both questionnaires effectively differentiated between individuals with OCD or SAD and normal controls or those with MDD. Receiver-operating characteristic analyses of the OBS-SR and SHY-SR yielded area under the curve values of 0.89 and 0.96 for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Forth Edition diagnosis, respectively, and showed optimal threshold values of 50 and 44. The Korean versions of OBS-SR and SHY-SR demonstrate good reliability and validity in assessing manifestations of obsessive-compulsive and social anxiety psychopathology in Korean populations.

The structure of clinical and psychopathological consequences of coronavirus disease COVID-19 in people with a history of mental disorders

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health indicates the need to define psychopathological manifestations to highlight diagnostic criteria. The purpose of the study is to determine the structural features of clinical and psychopathological manifestations of mental disorders after the coronavirus disease COVID-19 in people with a history of mental disorders. In the Department of Border Psychiatry of the State Institution “Institute of Neurology, Psychiatry and Narcology of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine", 95 patients with a history of mental disorders who had suffered the coronavirus disease COVID-19 were examined. The group examined included patients with recurrent depressive disorders (F32), with mental disorders of organic origin (F06.3, F06.4) and with neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders (F41.1, F42.3), F48.0). It was determined that the clinical manifestations of mental disorders in the examined patients are characterized by a predominance of affective symptoms in combination with pronounced specific cognitive, ideational, and somato-vegetative disorders, as well as disorders of the effector-volitional sphere. The results of a psychodiagnostics study (on the MADRS, HARS, GAD-7 and CGI-S scales) showed that the structure of clinical manifestations in these patients was characterized by a predominance of affective disorders of the anxiety-depressive spectrum of varying severity, which had certain differences among nosological groups. Determining the clinical and psychopathological features of the structure of mental disorders after suffering from COVID-19 is important not only for their diagnosis, but also for early and adequate therapy, taking into account the identified features that can act as targets for therapeutic intervention. Key words: clinical-psychopathological consequences, mental disorders, coronavirus disease COVID-19

Mental status in patients with different forms of diffuse alopecia: analysis of the spectrum and expression of psychopathological symptoms

The purpose of the work is to study the spectrum and severity of psychopathological symptoms, to create, in the future, personalized approaches to the management of trichological patients with mental health disorders associated with alopecia. 153 women aged 25 to 45 with diffuse alopecia were surveyed: without signs of mental maladaptation (MM), 45 people, with separate signs of maladaptation, 73 persons, and with the presence of adaptation disorders according to the ICD-10 criteria, 35 persons. Within each of these groups, two subgroups, considering the genesis of alopecia were distinguished: metabolic (45 patients) or mixed (108 patients). Almost half of people with diffuse alopecia (47.7 %) have some symptoms of psychopathological spectrum, among others — the number of mentally healthy persons and respondents with adaptation disorders F43.2 is approximately the same (29.4 % and 22.9 %, respectively). Among patients with mixed alopecia, the majority (59.3 %) have symptoms at the level of PD, and more than a quarter 28.8 %) — nosologically defined adaptation disorders, while among patients with metabolic alopecia, most (66.7 %) are mentally healthy, 20.0 % have signs of PD and 13.3 % suffer from adaptation disorders. Persons with diffuse alopecia have almost the entire spectrum of psychopathological symptoms, except for significant manifestations of paranoid and psychoticism. The severity of all other manifestations — somatization, obsessive-compulsive disorders, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, phobic anxiety — significantly differs depending on the genesis of diffuse alopecia, demonstrating the general trend of greater expressiveness in patients with a mixed form of alopecia, against patients with metabolic alopecia. Clinical filling and severity of the entire spectrum of psychopathological symptoms is more significant in patients with mixed alopecia (with a natural increase in the severity of all studied psychopathological manifestations in simultaneously with the increase in the severity of MM) than in patients with its metabolic form. The integral indicators of severity and number of psychopathological symptoms, and the severity of symptomatic distress are also significant in persons with mixed alopecia The identified patterns should be considered when constructing a strategy of personalized curation of patients with diffuse alopecia. Key words: psychodermatology, mental health disorders, alopecia, mental state, mental maladaptation, adaptation disorders, psychopathological symptoms

Associations between Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity and psychopathological manifestations in schizophrenic patients: A single-center study from Ecuador.

Schizophrenia, a complex neuropsychiatric disorder, is believed to be influenced by various factors including environmental exposures. A potential environmental factor is the infection by the obligate intracellular parasitic protozoan, Toxoplasma gondii which affects neurotransmitter levels, which could potentially exacerbate, trigger symptoms of schizophrenia or make them worst. To investigate the association between Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity and psychopathological presentation in persons with schizophrenia in Ecuador. This study was conducted at the Neuroscience Institute of Guayaquil, Ecuador. Among 368 inpatients, 104 were selected based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Descriptive statistics captured patient characteristics and mental health outcomes. Logistic regression models estimated the effect of toxoplasmosis on various mental health outcomes, controlling for demographic and health-related variables. 86.5% of participants were seropositive for toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasma-seropositive schizophrenic patients had a lower risk of depression but a significantly higher risk of disorientation. The most prevalent mental health outcomes were Language Impairments (70.2%) and Bizarre Behavior (76.0%). Our findings suggest that Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity may have specific effects on mental functions in schizophrenic patients, particularly reducing the risk of depression but increasing the risk of disorientation. Further studies are required to clarify these associations and the potential underlying mechanisms.

Sex Differences in Psychopathology Following Potentially Traumatic Experiences

Various psychopathology may follow trauma; however, sex differences in these ranging manifestations of posttraumatic psychopathology remain understudied. To investigate sex-specific incidence of posttraumatic psychopathology. This population-based cohort study of Danish national health registries included a cohort of individuals who experienced a potentially traumatic event (PTE) from 1994 to 2016. Individuals were further categorized by presence of any pretrauma psychopathology. A comparison group of individuals who experienced a nontraumatic stressor (nonsuicide death of a first-degree relative) was examined as a reference cohort. At least 1 of 8 PTEs (eg, physical assault, transportation accident) derived through health registry International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes, with additional qualifiers to improve classification accuracy. Incidence of 9 categories of ICD-10 psychiatric disorders recorded in registries within 5 years of PTEs. The standardized morbidity ratios (SMRs) for psychopathology outcomes were also calculated to compare individuals experiencing PTEs with those experiencing a nontraumatic stressor. This study included 1 398 026 individuals who had been exposed to trauma (475 280 males [34.0%]; 922 750 females [66.0%]). The group of males who had been exposed to trauma were evenly distributed across age, while most females in the trauma-exposed group were aged 16 to 39 years (592 385 [64.2%]). Males and females were equally distributed across income quartiles and predominantly single. Following PTEs, the most common diagnosis was substance use disorders for males (35 160 [7.4%]) and depressive disorders for females (29 255 [3.2%]); incidence proportions for these and other disorders were higher among males and females with any pretrauma psychopathology. Certain PTEs had elevated onset of various psychiatric disorders and some sex differences emerged. Following physical assault, associations were found with schizophrenia or psychotic disorders for males (SMR, 17.5; 95% CI, 15.9-19.3) and adult personality disorders for females (SMR, 16.3; 95% CI, 14.6-18.3). For noninterpersonal PTEs, males had larger SMRs for substance use, schizophrenia or psychotic disorders, and adult personality disorders (SMR, 43.4; 95% CI, 41.9-45.0), and females had larger SMRs for depressive disorders (SMR, 19.0; 95% CI, 18.6-19.4). Sex differences were also observed, particularly when considering pretrauma psychopathology. For example, among interpersonal PTEs, males were most likely to develop substance use disorders after physical assault, whereas females were more likely to develop various disorders, with stronger associations seen for females without pretrauma psychiatric diagnoses. Among noninterpersonal PTEs, exposure to toxic substance showed robust associations with psychopathology, particularly in those without pretrauma psychopathology, with sex-specific differences across psychiatric categories. Mental disorders after trauma were wide-ranging for males and females, and sex differences in patterns of posttraumatic psychopathology were more pronounced when accounting for pretrauma psychopathology. Findings provide new insights for sex-relevant PTEs and their mental health consequences. It also outlines future directions for advancing understanding of a constellation of posttraumatic psychopathology in males and females.

What's next for the field of multigenerational mental health? The need for deep behavioral phenotyping via a prenatal mental health registry.

From its inception, development and psychopathology theorists have sought to uncover the earliest forms of risk for mental health challenges in children, to prevent the development of more severe, intractable manifestations of psychopathology. Large familial risk registries have advanced our understanding of early, potentially modifiable factors that could prevent or mitigate the expression of challenging symptoms of neurodevelopmental conditions, and similar registries have been proposed to advance understanding of ADHD and related phenotypes. Data from single-site studies, largely focused on perinatal exposure to maternal mood disorders, reveal that a robust predictor of child psychopathology is parental psychopathology. However, early developmental trajectories of psychopathology risk may be better captured using transdiagnostic approaches in pregnancy, capturing the full range of mental health symptoms. We describe here the need for a parental mental health registry that begins prenatally that includes deep behavioral phenotyping across a range of transdiagnostic indicators of mental health risk to prevent psychopathology in children. This registry has the potential to uncover pathways to psychopathology risk in childhood and support the discovery of novel mechanisms to be targeted for prevention and intervention.

Delayed mental, neurological and somatic disorders associated with COVID-19

Purpose of the study. To assess the nature of health complaints, frequency of occurrence, structure and characteristics of neurological, general somatic and mental disorders in people in the post-COVID period.Materials and methods. The main group (n=1000) was represented by people who had a new coronavirus infection, confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) SARS-CoV-2, from 18 to 60 years old. As part of the study, an extensive survey of the examined individuals was carried out, aimed at identifying the main psychoneurological and general somatic consequences that developed in the period from 4 weeks to 12 months after COVID-19.Results and discussion. The study included 289 men and 711 women (28.9% and 71.1%, respectively). The average age at the time of the examination was 40.2±11.8 years. More than half of the respondents were of working age, had a permanent job or were studying (72.3%), while 17.9% indicated a high level of physical activity before COVID-19. The majority of respondents suffered from mild COVID-19 (76.6%), in 23.4% of cases the disease was moderate. Among somatic (vegetative) disorders as a consequence of COVID-19, the most common complaints were hair loss (49.5%), fatigue in 77.5% of cases, regardless of workload and type of work, and fluctuations in blood pressure in 50.2% of patients. Women complained more intensely about hair loss (χ2=60.2608, df=9, p<.001), shortness of breath (χ2=17.5025, df=9, p=0.04), interruptions in heart function (χ2=22.7863, df=9, p=0.007).Among the respondents, the most common complaints were emotional disturbances, which determined the picture of anxiety and depressive disorders, as well as cognitive impairments in the form of memory loss (69.5%), concentration, difficulties with long-term attention maintenance (65,5%) and switching from one task to another (60%). With the age of the respondents, fatigue increased in intensity (R=0.2, p<0.05), insomnia (R=0.2, p<0.05), anxiety for health and for their close persons (R=0.2, p<0.05), neurological complaints (widespread muscle pain (R=0.3, p<0.05), pain in the spine (R=0.3, p<0.05), gait disturbances (R=0.2, p<0.05), as well as the intensity of general somatic complaints (urinary disorders (R=0.2, p<0.05), shortness of breath (R=0.2, p<0.05), pain and heaviness in the chest (R=0.2, p<0.05), irregular heartbeat (R=0.2, p<0.05), fluctuations in blood pressure (R=0.2, p<0.05). Clear gender differences in the intensity of post-COVID psychopathological manifestations were revealed. Women complained more strongly about post-COVID high fatigue (χ2=23.8901, df=9, p=0.004), general malaise (χ2=17.9304, df=9, p=0.04) and, accordingly, lower activity and inability to cope with household workload (χ2=22.3384, df=9, p=0.008) compared to men. Women had more severe dysmnestic disorders (χ2=23.0900, df=9, p=0.006) than men. Women were also characterized by having greater anxiety for close persons (χ2=20.5941, df=9, p=0.01) and insomnia (χ2=20.2633, df=9, p=0.02) than men. Post-COVID neurological disorders, despite their lower frequency and intensity of manifestations, caused the most significant difficulties in everyday life and predominated in older people.Conclusion. The clinical picture of post-COVID syndrome is represented by a wide range of somatic and neuropsychiatric disorders, which determines the specifics of patient management after the illness. When assessing long-term disorders, it is advisable to rely on the opinions of specialists as part of an interprofessional expert group, to make decisions on the implementation of a clinical diagnostic algorithm for each patient based on a systematic approach, taking into account specific symptoms or conditions. Preliminary results of our study showed that special attention should be paid to women at the stage of treatment of acute infection and rehabilitation, due to the higher incidence of psychoneurological complications of COVID-19 in them. Given the risks of long-term consequences of COVID-19 and the possibility of reinfection, it is critical to integrate basic and clinical research data to optimize cognitive preservation and quality of life for patients.

Is irritability multidimensional: Psychometrics of The Irritability and Dysregulation of Emotion Scale (TIDES-13).

Irritability is a common, impairing, and potentially multifaceted manifestation of psychopathology. We designed The Irritability and Dysregulation of Emotion Scale (TIDES-13) to determine whether various expressions of irritability in children and youth form multiple subdimensions with distinct correlates. We administered parent-report (n=3875, mean age=8.9) and youth self-report (n=579, mean age=15.1) versions of TIDES-13 in a population and community-based sample. We conducted exploratory/confirmatory factor analyses and regression analyses to examine the dimensionality of TIDES-13 and the associations of the scale with age, gender, anxiety, depression, ODD, ADHD traits, and the Affective Reactivity Index (ARI). A higher-order model with a global irritability dimension and four subdimensions, including proneness to anger (PA), internalized negative emotional reactivity (iNER), externalized negative emotional reactivity (eNER), and reactive aggression (RA), showed good to excellent fit in both parent-report and self-report. The global irritability dimension showed excellent internal reliability (⍵Total; parent-report=0.97, ⍵Total; self-report=0.95), explained a majority of the item variance (⍵Hierarchical; parent-report=0.94, ⍵Hierarchical; self-report=0.90), and was moderately correlated with the ARI (rparent=0.68, rself=0.77). Subdimensions PA, eNER, and RA were negatively associated with age in males, whereas iNER was positively associated with age in females. Traits of ODD and ADHD were associated primarily with the global irritability dimension, whereas iNER was strongly associated with anxiety and depression traits over and above the global irritability dimension. Our results support a unidimensional interpretation of irritability in a population sample. However, limited evidence of specific behavioral, age, and sex correlates with particular irritability subdimensions may warrant further investigation.

ADHD and hypersexual behaviors: The role of impulsivity, depressive feelings, hypomaniacal symptoms and psychotic prodromes

IntroductionNumerous studies in the literature correlate hypersexual symptomatology and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The present study aimed to investigate this correlation and the eventual mediation role of impulsivity. MethodsWe recruited through an online platform a sample of 309 subjects (mean age = 34.5, SD = 15.4; females: 67.31 %); then, a sociodemographic questionnaire, together with validated psychometric scales for assessing hypersexuality, ADHD symptomatology, depression, hypomania, prodromal symptoms of psychosis and impulsivity were administered. ResultsWe found a significant association between ADHD symptomatology and hypersexuality symptoms (β = 0.459; p < 0.001). We found a significant predictive model of hypersexuality related to age, gender, depression, hypomanic symptoms, psychotic prodrome, ADHD symptomatology, and impulsivity (adjusted R2 = 0.311; p < .001). Moreover, we found that impulsivity is a significant mediator of the relationship between ADHD and hypersexuality when we considered only the hyperactive-impulsive ADHD subscale (β = 0.103; p = 0.006). Depression and psychotic prodromes have been shown a more relevant mediator effect on the relationship between ADHD and hypersexuality. ConclusionsOur results clarified the well-known relationship between ADHD and hypersexuality, suggesting a significant mediating role of psychotic prodromes and depression in this association. This finding further reinforces the view of hypersexual symptomatology not as a disorder but rather as a psychopathological manifestation of distress, a maladaptive coping strategy that individuals enact due to increased difficulties experienced in the environment. The role of impulsivity as a predictor has shown mixed results, revealing that difficulties in impulse control may play a more marginal role, compared to depressive symptomatology and psychotic prodromes, in determining hypersexuality.

The impact of biological and psychosocial factors on the formation of mental disorders in patients who have experienced COVID-19 and exposed to the stressors of the SARS-COV-2 pandemic

The article is devoted to aspects of the formation of clinical manifestations of mental disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal – to investigate the clinical and anamnestic features and their impact on the formation of psychopathological consequences in patients with first diagnosed mental disorders who have experienced COVID-19 and exposed to the stressors of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. 97 patients with first diagnosed mental disorders who have experienced COVID-19 and exposed to the stressors of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic were examined and made up the main group. The comparison group included 58 people without mental disorders who have experienced COVID-19 and exposed to the stressors of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. During the study, a thorough analysis of the anamnesis of the disease was carried out, including information about the experienced coronavirus disease COVID-19, the impact of the stressors of the SARS-COV-2 pandemic, and the features of the initial psychopathological manifestations. Clinical-psychopathological, clinical-amnestic methods using the developed questionnaire containing questions that reflect the impact of the coronavirus disease COVID-19 and the stressors of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the mental health of the general population, classification of COVID-19 by degree of severity, "empirical" percentage visual scale (KT 0-4), and methods of statistical analysis were applied. The obtained data of a comprehensive study made it possible to distinguish among patients with first diagnosed mental disorders 3 subgroups with characteristic differences in the course and conditions of treatment of the experienced coronavirus disease COVID-19, the structure and significance of the stressors of the SARS-COV-2 pandemic, which the patients encountered, initial psychopathological manifestations. It has been established that the psychopathological consequences of the complex impact of the coronavirus disease COVID-19 and the stressors of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic lead to the formation of first diagnosed mental disorders in individuals from the general population, among whom the most common forms of mental pathology are depressive episodes, neurotic, associated with stress and somatoform disorders and organic mental disorders. The significance of the obtained data lies in the possibility of studying the role of the psychopathological consequences of COVID-19 in the genesis of mental disorders.

Emotional Dysregulation and Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms: Which Interaction in Adolescents and Young Adults? A Systematic Review.

Emotional dysregulation (ED) has recently been conceptualized as a transnosographic entity in major mental disorders, and increasing evidence has suggested association between ED and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), though the nature of this association is unclear. The aim of the present review was to examine the possible interplay between ED and trauma exposure in the literature, as well as a possible role for the comorbidity of PTSD or PTSS in adolescents and young adults. In particular, we explored whether ED may represent a risk factor for PTSD or, conversely, a consequence of traumatic exposure. This systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA 2020 guidelines in three databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Embase). The 34 studies included showed a wide heterogeneity in terms of the populations selected and outcomes examined. Most studies used the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and examined the relationship between ED, trauma, and psychopathological manifestations after the occurrence of trauma, with a focus on child abuse. Although current data in the literature are heterogeneous and inconclusive, this research highlights the role of ED as a mechanism that may mediate vulnerability to PTSD, but also as a predictor of severity and maintenance of typical, atypical, or associated PTSD symptoms, suggesting prevention programs for PTSD and other mental disorders should support the development of emotion regulation strategies.

Algorithm of prognosis of psychological adaptation-maladaptationas the basis of personalized psycho-correction of patients with dermatological diseases with different levels of vital threat

Purpose: to substantiate the algorithm for predicting the state of psychological adaptation - maladaptation of patients with dermatological pathology with different levels of vital threat, on the basis of which to develop personalized psychocorrection programs for this contingent, and to evaluate the effectiveness of their implementation. .&#x0D; Contingent and research methods. Based on the principles of biomedical ethics and deontology, we comprehensively examined 120 dermatological patients who were treated in three branches of the clinic "Dr. Zapolska Clinic" during 2020-2022, namely: 60 patients with non-vital dermatological diseases (seborrheic keratosis L82, condylomas A63.0, angiomas D18.0, pigmentation disorders L80), and 60 patients with dermatological diseases posing a vital threat ( melanoma C43, basal cell carcinoma C44, skin carcinoma in situ D04).&#x0D; Results. Among patients with dermatological diseases, there are both psychologically adapted and maladapted individuals, regardless of the vitality/non-vitality of the pathological process.&#x0D; The process of formation of psychological maladaptation in patients with dermatological diseases with different levels of vital threat does not have nosospecificity, but depends on the initial state of the adaptive resource base of the individual, first of all, its psychosocial and individual-psychological components.&#x0D; Summarizing the obtained results made it possible to identify three main blocks of characteristics that cover a wide range of biological, individual-psychological, social-environmental and psychosocial factors, which we defined as factors/markers of psychological adaptation-maladaptation in patients with dermatological diseases with different levels of vital threat: psychoemotional , psychosocial and personal.&#x0D; Based on the analysis of determined markers of psychological adaptation-maladaptation using mathematical methods, an algorithm for assessing and predicting psychological maladaptation in this contingent of patients is proposed.&#x0D; This algorithm determines the criteria of personification, the structure and scope of developed psychocorrective measures at different degrees of risk of psychological maladaptation in patients with dermatological diseases with different levels of vital threat.&#x0D; A three-stage system of psychocorrective interventions (assessment-diagnostic, clinical-therapeutic, and correction-adaptation stages) has been developed, united by the complexity and continuity of correction, psychotherapeutic, and adaptation measures. At the assessment-diagnostic stage, the prognosis of the development and progression of maladaptation is assessed, which ensures the personification of psychocorrective interventions, which are carried out mainly at the clinical-therapeutic stage, the positive effect of which is fixed at the last, corrective-adaptation stage.&#x0D; The evaluation of the effectiveness of these measures proved their effectiveness in eliminating psychopathological manifestations (depression and anxiety), improving the quality of life and social functioning, and increasing vitality and resilience.&#x0D; Conclusion. Personalized psychocorrection of patients of dermatological practice with different levels of psychological maladaptation may be recommended for the introduction into health care practice.

DDX3X Syndrome Behavioral Manifestations with Particular Emphasis on Psycho-Pathological Symptoms-A Review.

(1) Background: Identification of typical behavioral manifestations in patients with DEAD-Box Helicase 3 X-linked gene (DDX3X) variants plays a crucial role in accurately diagnosing and managing the syndrome. The objective of this paper was to carry out a review of medical and public databases and assess the behavioral features of the DDX3X syndrome (DDX3X), with a particular focus on psycho-pathological symptoms. (2) Methods: An extensive computerized search was conducted in various databases, including PubMed, Medline Complete, Science Direct, Scopus, and Web of Science. Specific keywords and Medical Subject Headings were used to ensure the inclusion of relevant studies. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were applied to assess the methodological quality of the manuscripts. (3) Results: Only nine papers out of the 272 assessed met the inclusion criteria. These articles revealed various psycho-pathological manifestations in patients with the DDX3X syndrome. Intellectual disability (ID) or developmental disability (DD), speech delay, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), self-injurious behaviors (SIBs), sensory symptoms and sleep disturbance were demonstrated to be the most common psycho-pathological behavior manifestations. (4) Conclusions: Patients with the DDX3X syndrome manifest a wide spectrum of psycho-pathological symptoms. A comprehensive investigation of these symptoms in patients is essential for early diagnosis and effective therapy.

A biomarker discovery framework for childhood anxiety.

Anxiety is the most common manifestation of psychopathology in youth, negatively affecting academic, social, and adaptive functioning and increasing risk for mental health problems into adulthood. Anxiety disorders are diagnosed only after clinical symptoms emerge, potentially missing opportunities to intervene during critical early prodromal periods. In this study, we used a new empirical approach to extracting nonlinear features of the electroencephalogram (EEG), with the goal of discovering differences in brain electrodynamics that distinguish children with anxiety disorders from healthy children. Additionally, we examined whether this approach could distinguish children with externalizing disorders from healthy children and children with anxiety. We used a novel supervised tensor factorization method to extract latent factors from repeated multifrequency nonlinear EEG measures in a longitudinal sample of children assessed in infancy and at ages 3, 5, and 7 years of age. We first examined the validity of this method by showing that calendar age is highly correlated with latent EEG complexity factors (r = 0.77). We then computed latent factors separately for distinguishing children with anxiety disorders from healthy controls using a 5-fold cross validation scheme and similarly for distinguishing children with externalizing disorders from healthy controls. We found that latent factors derived from EEG recordings at age 7 years were required to distinguish children with an anxiety disorder from healthy controls; recordings from infancy, 3 years, or 5 years alone were insufficient. However, recordings from two (5, 7 years) or three (3, 5, 7 years) recordings gave much better results than 7 year recordings alone. Externalizing disorders could be detected using 3- and 5 years EEG data, also giving better results with two or three recordings than any single snapshot. Further, sex assigned at birth was an important covariate that improved accuracy for both disorder groups, and birthweight as a covariate modestly improved accuracy for externalizing disorders. Recordings from infant EEG did not contribute to the classification accuracy for either anxiety or externalizing disorders. This study suggests that latent factors extracted from EEG recordings in childhood are promising candidate biomarkers for anxiety and for externalizing disorders if chosen at appropriate ages.

Emotional Dysregulation is the Core Problem in Psychopathological Manifestations.

The established opinion is that emotions are the gift given to us by nature in order to help us connect with other people. They are constantly generated, usually by stimuli in our intrapersonal as well as in external world. Problems raised in our relationships initiate emotions to help us to fix those problems. Almost all forms of human psychopathology are associated with dysregulated emotions. The failure to apply appropriate cognitive, attentive, and behavioural regulatory strategies is the core for emotion dysregulation. The brain regulates emotions through a biological mechanism. Emotions rise in intensity, peak, and then go flat once the emotion adaptive action tendency has been expressed. The aim of the therapist is to help clients express, face, and regulate their emotions, and to channel these emotions into healthy actions. The idea of this article is to present contributions from both affective neuroscience and psychotherapy in order to explain the ways how our emotions become dysregulated in life and how they can become regulated through psychotherapy.