Treatment Of Affective Disorders Research Articles

The effectiveness of antidepressant therapy against anhedonia in patients with alcohol dependence

The article presents the results of a scientific study aimed at determining the effectiveness of the drug Vortioxetine (Brintellix) in the treatment of affective spectrum disorders in patients with alcohol dependence in a drug treatment hospital, since the drug is promising for widespread use in the drug therapy of a number of mental disorders and in the future could be included in the standard of medical care in the field of psychiatry-addictology. It is known that anhedonia is one of the mental disorders in withdrawal syndrome, which provokes relapses of an addictive disorder and negatively affects the duration and quality of remissions of patients with an addiction profile. At the same time, the study of antidepressant therapy in the treatment of alcohol dependence remains relevant, since poor tolerance, side effects, and deterioration of the patient's general condition may affect adherence to drug therapy. In the present study, anhedonia was assessed on the Snaith-Hamilton SHAPS scale, anxiety-depressive manifestations using the HADS hospital anxiety and depression scale and quality of life according to the SF-36 questionnaire during 24 weeks of follow-up.The result of drug therapy with Vortioxetine was the relief of affective disorders in alcohol dependence, which contributed to the improvement of overall subjective well-being, the degree of satisfaction with the quality of life and a decrease in anxiety-depressive tendencies and anhedonia. In addition, minimal and minor adverse reactions when taking Vortioxetine affected the increased adherence of the examined patients to medical prescriptions and recommendations.Conclusions. The use of Vortioxetine in the treatment of affective disorders among patients suffering from alcohol dependence provides new opportunities to help people suffering from alcohol addiction. Vortioxetine can be recommended both at the stage of inpatient care and outpatient treatment, since when it was taken, stable positive dynamics of antidepressant, anti-anxiety and antiangedonic effects were recorded.

Intermittent theta burst stimulation of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex has no additional effect on the efficacy of virtual reality exposure therapy for acrophobia. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study

Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental disorders. Treatment guidelines recommend pharmacotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy as standard treatment. Although cognitive behavioral therapy is an effective therapeutic approach, not all patients benefit sufficiently from it. In recent years, non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation, have been investigated as promising adjuncts in the treatment of affective disorders. The aim of this study is to investigate whether a combination of intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) and virtual reality exposure therapy leads to a significantly greater reduction in acrophobia than virtual reality exposure with sham stimulation. In this randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study, 43 participants with acrophobia received verum or sham iTBS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex prior to two sessions of virtual reality exposure therapy. Stimulation of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex with iTBS was motivated by an experimental study showing a positive effect on extinction memory retention. Acrophobic symptoms were assessed using questionnaires and two behavioral approach tasks one week before, after treatment and six months after the second diagnostic session. The results showed that two sessions of virtual reality exposure therapy led to a significant reduction in acrophobic symptoms, with an overall remission rate of 79 %. However, there was no additional effect of iTBS of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on the therapeutic effects. Further research is needed to determine how exactly a combination of transcranial magnetic stimulation and exposure therapy should be designed to enhance efficacy.

Raynaud’s phenomenon on initiation of Lithium therapy: a case report

Lithium Carbonate is an effective treatment for affective disorders, but has a range of side effects. This case report highlights a rare side effect of Raynaud’s phenomenon following initiation of Lithium therapy in a patient with recurrent depressive disorder. He was commenced on Lithium therapy to treat severe treatment resistant depression with psychotic symptoms when alternative treatments trialled were ineffective. He had no other risk factors or known aetiological causes for development of Raynaud’s phenomenon. Symptoms resolved on discontinuation of Lithium and re-emerged on recommencement. Previous case series have shown Lithium effectively treating vasospastic disorders such as cluster headache and Raynaud’s phenomenon. However, a paradoxical reaction to those previously described was induced in this case.

Features of depressive disorders in patients with multiple sclerosis and their medical correction

Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) often have comorbid symptoms that reduce their quality of life; these include a high prevalence of depression, anxiety, cognitive impairment, and increased fatigue. Although these problems manifest themselves in a wide range, clinicians do not always succeed in differentiating them due to their disguise by underlying disease. The detection of depressive disorders, as well as pharmacological treatment, is an important area of therapeutic intervention. Currently, there are no clinical recommendations regulating the treatment of affective disorders in MS patients, which makes it difficult to select therapy and affects the rehabilitation potential of the patient. The purpose of this study was to investigate the manifestations of depressive disorders in patients with multiple sclerosis, as well as the choice of drug correction. Patients and methods: The study involved 113 patients with a clinically confirmed diagnosis of multiple sclerosis receiving DMTs (disease modifying therapies). The age of the patients at the time of examination ranged from 15 to 60 years (mean age 39.7±10.91). Among those examined, 77% (87 patients) were women, and 23% (26 patients) were men. Taking into account the course of the disease, the MS patients were distributed as follows: 80.5% (91 patients) had a remitting course, and 19.5% (22 patients) had a secondary progressive course. The disability indicator varied in the patients with RMS (2.89±0.16 points) and the patients (5.0±0.24 points). The A. Beck’s scale, the asthenic state scale (ASS), and the point scale for assessing the condition were used. Results and discussion: The study presents two groups of patients: with multiple sclerosis (study group), 113 participants with depressive disorders, and a group of 70 participants with depressive disorders (comparison group). The study revealed that the level of depressive disorders in the MS patients was mainly represented by mild and moderate depression, while in the comparison group moderate and severe depressive disorders were more common. Indicators of depressive manifestations in the patients in the comparison group were also higher. In almost equal proportions, the patients of the compared groups experienced: "a sense of punishment", "indecision", "loss of performance", a feeling of "increased fatigue", "decreased appetite or loss of appetite", and a feeling of being "engulfed by bodily sensations", according to the Beck questionnaire. These experiences varied and depended on the severity of depressive disorder. When selecting therapy, the neurological status of the patients as well as clinical symptoms of depression, which were combined into clinical symptomatic forms, were taken into account. Drugs that could enhance neurological disorders were excluded. The drugs from the SSRI and SNRI groups were mostly selected. Using a score assessment of the condition before and after the prescription, the MS patients evaluated the effect of the received therapy, where statistically significant differences were obtained for the following drugs: escitalopram p<0.001, sertraline, fluvoxamine, and agomelatine p<0.01, and paroxetine slightly lower than p<0.05. Conclusion: Multiple sclerosis is not only a concern for neurologists, but also psychiatrists, since anxiety and depression occur in every second patient. Timely diagnosis of depressive disorders, as well as the synthesis of knowledge in the field of the development of multiple sclerosis taking into account neurological symptoms, will help clinicians prescribe pharmacotherapy in a timely manner, thereby improving the rehabilitation potential and quality of life of MS patients.

Histone serotonylation in dorsal raphe nucleus contributes to stress- and antidepressant-mediated gene expression and behavior

Mood disorders are an enigmatic class of debilitating illnesses that affect millions of individuals worldwide. While chronic stress clearly increases incidence levels of mood disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD), stress-mediated disruptions in brain function that precipitate these illnesses remain largely elusive. Serotonin-associated antidepressants (ADs) remain the first line of therapy for many with depressive symptoms, yet low remission rates and delays between treatment and symptomatic alleviation have prompted skepticism regarding direct roles for serotonin in the precipitation and treatment of affective disorders. Our group recently demonstrated that serotonin epigenetically modifies histone proteins (H3K4me3Q5ser) to regulate transcriptional permissiveness in brain. However, this non-canonical phenomenon has not yet been explored following stress and/or AD exposures. Here, we employed a combination of genome-wide and biochemical analyses in dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) of male and female mice exposed to chronic social defeat stress, as well as in DRN of human MDD patients, to examine the impact of stress exposures/MDD diagnosis on H3K4me3Q5ser dynamics, as well as associations between the mark and depression-related gene expression. We additionally assessed stress-induced/MDD-associated regulation of H3K4me3Q5ser following AD exposures, and employed viral-mediated gene therapy in mice to reduce H3K4me3Q5ser levels in DRN and examine its impact on stress-associated gene expression and behavior. We found that H3K4me3Q5ser plays important roles in stress-mediated transcriptional plasticity. Chronically stressed mice displayed dysregulated H3K4me3Q5ser dynamics in DRN, with both AD- and viral-mediated disruption of these dynamics proving sufficient to attenuate stress-mediated gene expression and behavior. Corresponding patterns of H3K4me3Q5ser regulation were observed in MDD subjects on vs. off ADs at their time of death. These findings thus establish a neurotransmission-independent role for serotonin in stress-/AD-associated transcriptional and behavioral plasticity, observations of which may be of clinical relevance to human MDD and its treatment.

Touch medicine: bridging the gap between recent insights from touch research and clinical medicine and its special significance for the treatment of affective disorders.

Interpersonal touch represents the primal sensory experience between humans, fostering social bonding from the cradle to the death bed. In recent decades "affective touch" has been intensely studied, stimulated by the discovery of a population of mechanosensitive unmyelinated C-tactile afferents in mammalian skin. A lack of touch in childhood is associated with negative consequences for psychosocial and physical health and the benefits of professional touch techniques in the prevention and treatment of various diseases have been shown over and over again in clinical studies. However, its application in mainstream clinical applications remains limited. To bridge the gap between recent discoveries in touch research and clinical medicine, we propose the establishment of a new discipline: 'Touch Medicine'. Here, we unfold the potential of Touch Medicine by focusing on the treatment of depression, which in our view is primarily a disorder of the lived body. Controlled studies and systematic reviews have demonstrated the antidepressant, anxiolytic and analgesic effects of specific massage techniques. Underlying mechanisms of action are currently under investigation, ranging from interoceptive, endocrinological, to stress-related or psychological underpinnings. Touch Medicine represents a novel interdisciplinary field connected to various medical specialities such as neonatology, pediatrics, pain medicine, neurology, psychiatry, and geriatrics - but also clinical psychology and psychosomatic medicine might benefit from the integration of these findings into their daily practice.

Mental health support through transcendental cinema. “Mulholland Drive” By D. Lynch as an example of a mindfulness meditation session

IntroductionRegular practice of mindfulness has proven effectiveness in the treatment of affective disorders (Cash and Whittingham, 2010), increases the level of satisfaction in life (Brown and Ryan, 2003), as well as the level of self-esteem (Rasmussen & Pidgeon, 2010). Using “Mulholland Drive” (2001) by David Lynch as an example, we will prove that transcendental cinema, through the unique slow character, the means of expression used and the emphasis placed on the metaphysical experiences of the characters, in which D. Lynch forces us to participate, makes the screening similar to a meditation session.ObjectivesThe aim of this work is to indicate a new direction of research, linking cinema with psychoanalysis, philosophy and psychiatry and proving that a screening of transcendental cinema can be treated as a mindfulness meditation session.Methods This work is based on the film “Mulholland Drive” by D. Lynch and the understanding of transcendental cinema according to Paul Schrader. Using J. Kabat Zinn’s scientific publications, we analyze cinema in terms of a meditation session and using the approach of first generation analysts (S. Freud, C. Gustav Jung, S. Spielrein) in terms of a therapeutic process based on psychoanalysis.Results“Mulholland Drive” subjects the protagonist to a therapy session: the woman lives guided by the unconscious, a dream that seems real and finally at the end she reaches her own true self. On screen, she undergoes successfully the therapeutic process. The transcendental cinema focuses on metaphysical sensations, has elongated scenes, creates dead time, viewer remains in the frame even when the character comes out of it, and strives for kenosis - the reduction of sensory experience. All of these qualities are crucial in mindfuless: focusing on emotions and feelings experienced in the moment, non-judgmental and calmly concentrating on single stimuli. This similarity allows us to treat a transcendental film show in the category of a meditation session.Conclusions Recognizing the similarity between the philosophy of mindfulness and transcendental cinema allows us to conclude that a film screening enriches us not only with knowledge about disorders and the therapeutic process, but is in itself a supportive element for mental health. Our work is the first to analyze cinema in the context of mindfulness meditation. In our opinion, culture should be more widely analyzed as a tool to support mental health and the development of one’s own identity.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Digital treatments for affective disorders: an integrated overview

AbstractAffective disorders represent a category of psychiatric syndromes with high prevalence and associated disability. While effective, both pharmacological and psychosocial, treatments are available for depression and bipolar disorder, the many therapeutic needs of affected patients are far from being properly addressed under routine conditions. Along the past decade, several digital treatments, tools and approaches have been developed and tested in clinical settings, showing an highly promising potential to fill the treatment gap of affective psychopathology. In more detail, reviewed here will be telepsychiatry solutions for affective disorders, also encompassing the available officially approved digital therapies for major depression and bipolar disorder. Furthermore, the impact of artificial intelligence, serious gaming, social media and virtual/augmented reality in the treatment of mood disorders will be also discussed, in the light of the most recent research evidence on these topics.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

SIRT1 Coordinates Transcriptional Regulation of Neural Activity and Modulates Depression-Like Behaviors in the Nucleus Accumbens

BackgroundMajor depression and anxiety disorders are significant causes of disability and socioeconomic burden. Despite the prevalence and considerable impact of these affective disorders, their pathophysiology remains elusive. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop novel therapeutics for these conditions. We evaluated the role of SIRT1 in regulating dysfunctional processes of reward by using chronic social defeat stress to induce depression- and anxiety-like behaviors. Chronic social defeat stress induces physiological and behavioral changes that recapitulate depression-like symptomatology and alters gene expression programs in the nucleus accumbens, but cell type–specific changes in this critical structure remain largely unknown. MethodsWe examined transcriptional profiles of D1-expressing medium spiny neurons (MSNs) lacking deacetylase activity of SIRT1 by RNA sequencing in a cell type–specific manner using the RiboTag line of mice. We analyzed differentially expressed genes using gene ontology tools including SynGO and EnrichR and further demonstrated functional changes in D1-MSN–specific SIRT1 knockout (KO) mice using electrophysiological and behavioral measurements. ResultsRNA sequencing revealed altered transcriptional profiles of D1-MSNs lacking functional SIRT1 and showed specific changes in synaptic genes including glutamatergic and GABAergic (gamma-aminobutyric acidergic) receptors in D1-MSNs. These molecular changes may be associated with decreased excitatory and increased inhibitory neural activity in Sirt1 KO D1-MSNs, accompanied by morphological changes. Moreover, the D1-MSN–specific Sirt1 KO mice exhibited proresilient changes in anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. ConclusionsSIRT1 coordinates excitatory and inhibitory synaptic genes to regulate the GABAergic output tone of D1-MSNs. These findings reveal a novel signaling pathway that has potential for the development of innovative treatments for affective disorders.

Workshop report: Workshop on psychiatric prescribing and psychology testing and intervention in children and adults with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

This workshop aimed at summarising knowledge and key issues in psychiatric prescribing and psychological testing in children and adults with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). It comprised clinicians and patient representatives from the UK and the Netherlands. The following topics were discussed: a model for capturing the range of non-motor problems in the domains of cognition, learning, emotion and behaviour; psychosocial screening tools for use with children and adults; assessing neurocognitive functioning in children and adults; parent and teacher perspectives on psychosocial needs; and psychopharmacological treatment for affective disorders, anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and insomnia. Some key considerations included: the need for tools used to assess behavioural and psychosocial functioning to consider motor aspects in DMD; to understand more about working memory performance; the need for early interventions for automatisation problems, which affect reading and arithmetic; appropriate selection of tests for neuropsychology assessments; in schools, acknowledging the range of psychosocial risks and gathering evidence of psychosocial needs; the suitability of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for mood and anxiety disorders; the use of stimulant medications for ADHD; melatonin use for insomnia; the cautious use of benzodiazepines; and the need for improving pathways for psychosocial care.

Long-Term Impact of Early-Life Stress on Serotonin Connectivity

BackgroundChronic childhood stress is a prominent risk factor for developing affective disorders, yet mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. Maintenance of optimal serotonin (5-HT) levels during early postnatal development is critical for the maturation of brain circuits. Understanding the long-lasting effects of early-life stress (ELS) on serotonin-modulated brain connectivity is crucial to develop treatments for affective disorders arising from childhood stress. MethodsUsing a mouse model of chronic developmental stress, we determined the long-lasting consequences of ELS on 5-HT circuits and behavior in females and males. Using FosTRAP mice, we cross-correlated regional c-Fos density to determine brain-wide functional connectivity of the raphe nucleus. We next performed in vivo fiber photometry to establish ELS-induced deficits in 5-HT dynamics and optogenetics to stimulate 5-HT release to improve behavior. ResultsAdult female and male mice exposed to ELS showed heightened anxiety-like behavior. ELS further enhanced susceptibility to acute stress by disrupting the brain-wide functional connectivity of the raphe nucleus and the activity of 5-HT neuron population, in conjunction with increased orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) activity and disrupted 5-HT release in medial OFC. Optogenetic stimulation of 5-HT terminals in the medial OFC elicited an anxiolytic effect in ELS mice in a sex-dependent manner. ConclusionsThese findings suggest a significant disruption in 5-HT–modulated brain connectivity in response to ELS, with implications for sex-dependent vulnerability. The anxiolytic effect of the raphe–medial OFC circuit stimulation has potential implications for developing targeted stimulation-based treatments for affective disorders that arise from early life adversities.

Lithium treatment for affective disorders: Exploring the potential of salivary therapeutic monitoring

Lithium is one of the most effective medications for treatment-resistant depression and bipolar disorder. However, lithium has a narrow therapeutic window: overdosing can lead to life-threatening lithium intoxication while underdosing results in a lack of desired therapeutic effects. Therefore, lithium treatment requires close monitoring with regular laboratory assessments of blood serum concentrations. An alternative method for monitoring lithium at home would increase the safety and empowerment of patients. In our project, we are investigating the potential of saliva as a readily accessible medium. We are exploring a) the best method for collecting and processing saliva, b) methods to measure salivary lithium levels, and c) the correlation between blood serum and saliva concentrations of lithium, and influencing factors; with the aim to develop a Point-of-care home testing device.

Lithium treatment for affective disorders in old age

Lithium is considered the gold standard for the treatment of bipolar affective disorder for the prevention of recurrence of manic and depressive episodes and for augmentation treatment in unipolar severe depressive episodes. The indications for treatment with lithium do not differ for older or younger patients. Nevertheless, there are anumber of aspects to be considered with respect to drug safety in the group of old patients. The aim was to give an overview of the current literature on lithium treatment in old age and from this to derive recommendations for action. Aselective literature review on lithium treatment in old age was conducted to answer questions on drug safety, monitoring (particularly with respect to comorbidities) and potential alternatives to lithium. Lithium is an effective and, if used correctly, safe drug also in old people; however, with respect to somatic comorbidities that increase with age, special caution is required when using lithium in order to prevent nephropathy and intoxication.

If it Ain't Broke, Don't Fix it: Positive Versus Negative Emotion Regulation in Daily Life and Depressive Symptoms

BackgroundDespite the importance of positive emotions for affective psychopathology, prior research primarily focused on negative emotion regulation. To address this gap, this ecological momentary assessment study compared a broad set of emotion regulation strategies in the context of positive versus negative emotions regarding their effectiveness and associations with depressive symptoms. MethodsWe analyzed data from 1066 participants who were notified five times daily for seven consecutive days to complete a smartphone survey assessing their predominant emotions, strategies to regulate them, and subsequent emotional outcomes. ResultsFindings show that the effectiveness of most regulation strategies depended on whether the emotional context was positive or negative. While acceptance and savoring predicted improved emotional outcomes across emotional contexts, reappraisal and problem-solving were associated with deteriorated emotional outcomes and increased depressive symptoms when regulating positive but not negative emotions. LimitationsFuture studies should replicate our findings in demographically and culturally diverse clinical samples to improve generalizability. ConclusionThese results emphasize that strategies effective for regulating negative emotions may be less helpful in the context of positive emotions. Thus, context-specific interventions may be a promising approach to improve the treatment of affective disorders.

Use of lithium in psychiatric, viral and neurological disorders - a review

Introduction: Lithium is one of the longest used drugs in psychiatry and is currently a mainstay in the long-term prophylaxis of bipolar disorder, preventing recurrent manic and depressive episodes. It also remains an important drug in the treatment of acute episodes of mania and depression. Out of the normothymic drugs, lithium has the greatest effect in preventing suicidal behavior. It also exhibits antiviral activity and in recent years evidence has also accumulated of the drug's neuroprotective properties. 
 Aim of the study: The aim was to collect and analyze publications on the use of lithium in affective disorders, dementia and viral diseases, as well as its effect on reducing suicidal tendencies.
 Materials and Methods: The literature available in the PubMed database was reviewed, using the key words: "lithium"; "bipolar disorder"; "mania", "depression"; "suicidal risk", "side effects".
 Results: Chronic use of lithium in patients with bipolar disorder has an effect on preventing recurrence of manic and depressive episodes and can successfully last for 40 years or longer. Studies support the theory that long-term lithium pharmacotherapy has a significant impact on preventing suicidal tendencies among patients with affective disorders. In recent years, the antiviral and neuroprotective properties of the drug have also become known. Despite the rather high risk of overdose, as well as the occurrence of numerous side effects, lithium is still very often used in the treatment of affective disorders due to its high efficacy.
 Conclusions: Lithium has been one of the mainstays of psychopharmacology for several decades and is a precursor to mood-stabilizing drugs. In recent years evidence has also been collected for its potential use in non-psychiatric conditions. Conducting further research on lithium will certainly allow for wider use of the drug and a more thorough understanding of its mechanism of action.

Mizán of Affect in Material v. Metaphysical Models of Human Consciousness

From the viewpoint of the description of the human reality in the Bahá’í authoritative texts, the essence of a human being is the soul, a metaphysical reality from which emanate all our distinctively human capacities. Unlike materialist views of the human reality, the Bahá’í teachings assert that our essence—the spiritual “self”—takes its beginning during the process of conception, whereupon it associates with the body so long as the physical temple remains capable of manifesting the reality and powers of the soul. Once the body/brain deceases, the soul dissociates from this relationship and exists and functions and progresses eternally. This hypothesis in no way diminishes the importance of a healthy brain as essential to our physical, intellectual, and spiritual development; indeed, it posits the brain as a transceiver by means of which the self manifests the soul’s condition and development in action, speech, and comportment. Therefore, when the brain becomes dysfunctional, whether through trauma or mental illness, the transparency of the soul’s relation to reality ceases. This paper explores the implications of this relationship for our understanding of emotion and presents a model for understanding the function of emotion as providing us essential feedback on, and guidance for, our lives, feedback whose ultimate purpose is to help us better calibrate our approach to spiritual growth. Given the brain-as-transceiver model, this emotional feedback is reliable only so long as the brain remains transparent in this systematic relationship. The paper suggests ways in which the model could inform approaches to treatment for affective disorders.

Polydatin Alleviates Chronic Stress-Induced Depressive and Anxiety-like Behaviors in a Mouse Model.

We aimed to investigate whether polydatin could suppress stress-induced depression- and anxiety-like behaviors in a mouse model. Mice were divided into the control group, chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) exposure group, and CUMS mice treated with polydatin group. Following CUMS exposure and polydatin treatment, mice were subjected to behavioral assays to assess depressive-like and anxiety-like behaviors. Synaptic function was determined by the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95), and synaptophysin (SYN) in the hippocampus and cultured hippocampal neurons. The number and length of dendrites were assessed in cultured hippocampal neurons. Finally, we investigated the effect of polydatin on CUMS-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in the hippocampus by measuring inflammatory cytokine levels, oxidative stress markers such as reactive oxygen species, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase, as well as components of the Nrf2 signaling pathway. Polydatin alleviated CUMS-induced depressive-like behaviors in forced swimming, tail suspension and sucrose preference tests, and anxiety-like behaviors in marble-burying and elevated plus maze tests. Polydatin increased the number and length of dendrites of cultured hippocampal neurons from mice exposed to CUMS and alleviated CUMS-induced synaptic deficits by restoring BDNF, PSD95, and SYN levels in vivo and in vitro. Importantly, polydatin inhibited CUMS-induced hippocampal inflammation and oxidative stress and suppressed the activation of NFκB and Nrf2 pathways. Our study suggests that polydatin may be an effective drug for the treatment of affective disorders through inhibiting neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. Our current findings warrant further study to investigate the potential clinical application of polydatin.

Sigma Receptors – Literature Review

The paper reviewed data confirming that sigma1 receptors modulate NMDA neurotransmission. It has been established that they can enhance the spontaneous release of glutamate in the hippocampus, potentiate the release of a neurotrophic factor induced by glutamate, and also participate in the processes of synaptic restructuring (facilitation of long-term potentiation) in the mammalian hippocampus. But the use of high doses of agonists or antagonists of sigma1 receptors in animal models does not have any effect on memory modulation or learning processes in control animals. These findings indicate that sigma1 receptors do not affect the physiological (normal) processes of memory consolidation. The effects of sigma1 receptors considered in the work speak of effects on cognitive processes only in conditions of neurotransmitter imbalance. In a number of works, with the participation of various experimental models, the possible involvement of sigma1 receptors in the processes of memory recovery was revealed. A real breakthrough in the treatment of affective disorders is being made in our time due to an increasingly detailed study of the mechanisms of intracellular receptor structures and chaperone proteins, in particular, sigma receptors. By acting on these mechanisms, side effects in the treatment of depression, inevitable with the use of traditional antidepressants, can be avoided. Also, thanks to modern drugs based on interaction with sigma receptors, it is possible to influence neurogenesis, learning and memory processes. Thus, the sigma-1 receptor is an extremely promising object that can be considered as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of neuropathological diseases

Mental ecology in the structure of the COVID-19 pandemic (review)

Currently, sufficient data are available on the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its socio-economic consequences on human mental health and the mental ecology in general. The success of public health strategies to cope with pandemics is largely determined by psychological factors and the mental values prevailing in the community at large.
 The present review systematized the psychological response features of various social, professional, and national representatives during the COVID-19 period within the framework of the main mental ecology provisions.
 The review methodology was based on the World Health Organization documents and open sources of the Scopus and Web of Science databases on the population's mental health under COVID-19 pandemic conditions.
 A significant increase in adaptive and anxiety-depressive disorders was noted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the specific mental phenomena associated with the pandemic, coronaphobia, COVID-19-stress syndrome, covid-dissidence manifestations with the involvement of conspiracy theories, and mythological thinking were identified. The negative infodemia impact on the mental ecology, as well as the adherence to anti-epidemic measures and readiness for vaccination, were also established. Negative trends were demonstrated in communities where the maximum infection and death risk were associated with low adherence to the epidemiological measures and refusal to vaccination.
 It was revealed that belonging to certain social or professional groups largely determines a person's behavior in relation to a new coronavirus infection within the framework of accepted social norms. Based on the analysis of a large domestic and international data number on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic emergency on the human psyche, its significant adverse contribution to the overall mental ecology was noted. The necessity of developing special therapeutic and psycho-prophylactic programs aimed at coping with the stress pandemic impact and treatment of affective disorders, countering infodemia, and strengthening behavioral patterns to maintain mental health and personal well-being is substantiated.

State-Trait Anxiety Condition and Its Affecting Factors in Pregnant Women Linked to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This study intends to address the COVID-19 pandemic process with specific regard to pregnant women, aiming to determine their state-trait anxiety levels. The study has a quantitative design. Ethical permissions were obtained, data were collected digitally, and power analysis was performed for sample size. The sample size was calculated as 656 pregnant women. In the collection of the data, the Personal Information Form, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were used. In our study, the majority of pregnant women (86.3%) were concerned about the pandemic process, with more than half thinking that their pregnancy (62.9%) and delivery processes would be affected (66.2%). In the meantime, 60.2% of the pregnant women postponed their health checks and they indicated being most concerned about their babies (57.1%). In 51.2% of the pregnant women, the state anxiety levels were low, and 89.8% of the trait anxiety levels were moderate. In crisis periods like the pandemic, pregnant women are among the priority groups. Screening, prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of affective disorders in the prenatal period are important for maternal and fetal health.