Women are diagnosed with depression twice as often as men. Although depression is more common in women, men have higher suicide rates. Instead of seeking help, men tend to use various coping mechanisms that can be considered dysfunctional. These behaviors include risk-taking behaviors, aggressive behaviors, and alcohol and substance use. In addition, men’s failure to seek mental health services may be related to their beliefs about gender and masculinity. That symptom cluster is called a male depressive syndrome and can be seen in both sexes.

The present study aimed to measure depression with a widely used scale and a gender-sensitive scale among men with addiction disorders. Additionally, the study aimed to evaluate relations between addiction severity, depression and masculinity.

Fifty-one male patients with alcohol and substance addiction participated in the present study. BAPİRT-alcohol and BAPİRT-drug questionnaires, Beck Depression Scale, Gender Sensitive Depression Scale, and Precarious Manhood Beliefs.

The mean age of the patients was 40.56 ± 12.35, and most were single (64.7%). Regarding the cut-off scores of BAPİRT scales, 45.9% of patients screened as high risk for substance addiction, and 86.27% screened as high risk for alcohol addiction. Depression scores were evaluated using the cut-off values. Both the Beck Depression Scale and the Gender Sensitive Depression Scale determined a depression prevalence of 60.8%, with diverse participants. Table 1 shows the intersection of the depression screening with the two scales.

Male patients with addiction showed a high prevalence of depression (%60.8). Gender-sensitive depression was related to substance addiction severity.

Male patients with addiction may experience depression with a specific symptom cluster, which includes irritability.

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Many patients with mental health and emotional problems often see the transition period in the community after hospital discharge as a test of their resilience and a threat to their recovery. Most often, some doubt their ability to cope with the everyday challenges that may confront them in the community.

This paper assesses how demographic and clinical characteristics predicted resilience, personal recovery and quality of life.

Data were collected from psychiatric inpatients prior to their discharge into the community using the REDCap, an online survey platform. Resilience, personal recovery, and quality of life were assessed using the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS), and EQ-Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS), respectively. One-way analysis of covariance between groups (ANCOVA) was conducted to compare the relationships between groups. The dependent variables comprised mean scores of BRS, RAS and EQ-VAS. Demographic and clinical variables such as age, gender, ethnicity, and mental health diagnosis groups were independent variables, and covariates comprised demographic/clinical factors such as gender, ethnicity, and mental health diagnosis

The survey results indicate that males had significantly higher resilience scores compared to females ( Mdiff = 0.270, CI= 0.144– 0.397, p=.<.001) and others (Mdiff =0.470, 0.093- 0.846, p=<.001); Black people indicated significantly higher quality of life than Caucasians (Mdiff = 8.79, 2.73- 14.85, P= <.001), and Indigenous people (Mdiff = 14.50, 6.45 - 22.51, p=<.001), respectively. In terms of relative recovery, participants with depression had significantly lower recovery compared to those with bipolar disorder (Mdiff = -10.25, -14.40- -6.10, p=<.001), schizophrenia (Mdiff f = -8.60, -13.20- -3.99, p=<.001), and substance use disorder (Mdiff = -8.30, -15.50- -1.42, p=<.005).

The present results indicate that women, younger adults, and Indigenous peoples may be more challenged in adapting to the challenges of post-discharge life in the community. Our data may be helpful in communicating to policymakers and providers of funds the need to implement and evaluate outcomes of inpatient and community programs focusing on supporting resilience to improve recovery outcomes after discharge from the patient setting.

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Digital self-harm refers to the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to post or share self-deprecating or harmful content. This often occurs on forums or social networks, where the use of verbal and non-verbal codes (hashtags, emojis) complicates external monitoring. The rise in ICT usage and self-destructive behaviors online has raised concerns among mental health and education professionals, as these actions are linked to conditions such as depression, anxiety, and traditional physical self-harm in young populations.

To explore the phenomenon of digital self-harm and its effects on adolescents.

To examine the role of AI tools in addressing this issue through a clinical case.

A brief literature review on digital self-harm.

Analysis of a clinical case: A 15-year-old female with a history of multiple hospitalizations due to suicidal risk and self-harming behaviors. Under treatment with Venlafaxine and Aripiprazole, she is diagnosed with “emotion dysregulation disorder of adolescence” and “mixed adaptive disorder.” Her social interactions are mostly limited to online networks. She describes her self-harm as “addictive,” used not only as an anxiolytic but as a way to achieve “social positioning,” posting about it in forums and comparing herself with others. When she reported her self-harm impulse to an AI (artificial intelligence) chatbot for suicide prevention, emergency services were activated, leading to her hospital admission.

International studies indicate that between 6% and 9% of adolescents have engaged in digital self-harm behaviors. In Spain, reports from the ANAR Foundation and UNICEF have shown an increase in this phenomenon since the Covid-19 pandemic. These “online support communities” can foster dynamics of rivalry and become harmful, as they not only share images but also techniques to avoid detection or hospitalization. In the presented case, the patient’s initial isolation led her to use ICTs as a way to seek social affirmation and a sense of belonging. Upon encountering specific forums, self-harm, which initially served an anxiolytic function, evolved into a mechanism for achieving social relevance. On the other hand, the AI chatbot for suicide prevention facilitated early intervention in her case.

While the internet can provide social support for isolated adolescents, it also has the potential to normalize and even reinforce self-harming behaviors among vulnerable populations. Therefore, it is crucial to further investigate the psychosocial factors involved in digital self-harm and to develop new tools for mental health professionals. Additionally, AI could serve as an entry point and tool for younger generations, offering potential for both prevention and therapeutic intervention.

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Although diagnostic instability in first-episode psychosis (FEP) is of major concern, little is known about its determinants.

To examine the long-term diagnostic stability of FEP diagnoses, the baseline predictors of diagnostic change to schizophrenia and the timing of diagnostic change.

This was a longitudinal and naturalistic study of 243 subjects with FEP who were assessed at baseline and reassessed after a mean follow-up of 21 years. The diagnostic stability of DSM-5 psychotic disorders was examined using prospective and retrospective consistencies, logistic regression was used to establish the predictors of diagnostic change to schizophrenia, and survival analysis was used to compare time to diagnostic change across diagnostic categories.

The overall diagnostic stability was 47.7%. Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder were the most stable diagnoses, with other categories having low stability. Predictors of diagnostic change to schizophrenia included a family history of schizophrenia, obstetric complications, developmental delay, childhood adversity, poor premorbid functioning in several domains, long duration of untreated continuous psychosis, spontaneous dyskinesia, lack of psychosocial stressors, and poor early treatment response (Table 1). There were no significant differences between specific diagnoses regarding time to diagnostic change. At 10-year follow-up, around 80% of the diagnoses had changed.

Table 1. Main baseline predictors of diagnostic change to schizophrenia over the follow-up (univariate logistic regression)

FEP diagnoses other than schizophrenia or bipolar disorder should be considered as provisional. Considering baseline and background predictors of diagnostic change to schizophrenia may help to enhance diagnostic accuracy and guide therapeutic interventions.

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Healthcare workers globally face an elevated risk of mental health conditions. Despite the critical need for mental health support, access remains inconsistent, hindered by both systemic gaps and barriers like stigma and regulatory constraints. Recognizing this unmet need, we established the Staff Mental Health Service (SMHS) in Cambridgeshire, UK, in September 2020. SMHS offers prompt assessments and treatments for healthcare workers across various professional roles.

To assess costs, clinical outcomes and waiting times associated with treatment at the SMHS compared to NHS Talking Therapies (TT), a nationally-delivered primary care mental health service.

A cost-consequence analysis comparing costs and clinical outcomes for a hypothetical cohort of patients (N=1,000) between two options: (1) treatment either at SMHS or TT ; and (2) treatment at TT only. SMHS costs and outcomes were collected from routinely collected patient-level data, while those for TT were informed by published literature. Only costs borne by the health system were assessed; and model outcomes were compared for one treatment period (i.e., from treatment start to discharge).  Primary model outcomes included average total treatment costs (GBP - £); and mean score changes on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7) measures for symptoms of depression and anxiety, respectively. Uncertainty in model parameters was explored using deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses. Mean waiting times from referral to initial assessment and first treatment appointment for the SMHS and TT were analysed independently.

Average total treatment costs per patient for the option consisting of treatment at either SMHS or TT was £825 less costly than the option consisting of treatment only at TT (£617 vs £1,442). Main drivers of cost difference included the notably higher cost and average number of appointments associated with treatment at TT. Treatment at either SMHS or TT also led to better patient outcomes on both the PHQ-9 (mean score reductions of 7.2 vs 6.1) and GAD-7 (mean score reductions of 6.3 vs 4.8) scales. Mean waiting times (days) for treatment at SMHS were considerably shorter than at TT: referral to initial assessment (19 vs 25 days); and referral to first treatment appointment (28 vs 53 days).

Preliminary results showed that a specialised mental health service for healthcare workers was associated with lower costs, better patient outcomes, and shorter waiting times compared to standard treatment options.

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Attitude towards death is an individual’s psychological reaction to death, which includes basic components, such as thinking about death, fear of death, and defence mechanisms. Due to the nature of their work, nurses often accompany patients at the end of life and choose different ways to cope with this difficult situation.

The aim of this study was to analyze the psychological aspects of nurses’ attitudes towards the death of a patient, and to determine the variables that influence their choice of strategies to deal with this difficult situation.

This survey-based study was performed using the author questionnare, and standardized research tools, namely the Polish adaptation of the Death Attitude Profile Revised (DAP-R-PL), and the Mini-COPE inventory.

The study involved 315 subjects with a license to practice nursing, 85.7% of whom were women. The age of the respondents ranged from 21 to 70 years, and was on average 40.5 years (SD = 10.7). The nurses’ dominant attitudes towards death were neutral acceptance (5.40 ± 0.97 points) and escape acceptance (5.09±1.01 points). Age, sex, work experience, and having a specialty credential influenced the attitudes towards death according to the DAP-R-Pl. The predominant stress coping strategies among the nurses according to the Mini-COPE were: self-distraction (1.98 ± 0.75 points), active coping (1.88 ± 0.69 points), planning (1.87 ± 0.77 points), and acceptance (1.84 ± 0.62 points). Factors that had an impact on the choice of stress coping strategies according to the Mini-COPE were: sex, place of residence, marital status, education, having a specialty credential, work experience, and place of work. Based on the collected data, statistically significant correlations were also found between the nurses’ attitudes towards death according to the DAP-R-PL and stress coping strategies according to the Mini-COPE.

The nurses showed different attitudes towards the death of a patient, the most common of which were neutral acceptance and escape acceptance. Age, sex, marital status, and place of residence had a significant impact on the nurses’s attitudes towards the patient’s death. Contact with dying patients evokes many negative emotions in nurses, such as sadness, compassion, helplessness, regret, and a sense of injustice. Therefore, it is important to provide them with psychological support when not coping with the death of a patient. Due to the strong emotional reaction associated with the death of a patient, nurses choose coping strategies, such as: self-distraction, active coping, planning, and acceptance. Both sociodemographic and work-related variables influence the choice of coping strategies for the patient’s death.

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It is being thought that the presence and quality of relationships to psychosocial adjustment and well-being is important. Little is known about the romantic relationships of individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria. In the last thirty years, attachment theory has become one of the main references for adult romantic relationship studies. Despite the importance of attributed to the attachment system for overall psychological well-being and the quality of adult relationships, little research has focused on the attachment of individuals with gender dysphoria

The present study focuses onresearching the attachment style, dyadic adjustment and gender roles attitudes in trans men and their partners.

60 trans men and their 50 partners are included in this study.”Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised”, “Gender Roles Attitude Scale”,”Childhood Trauma Questionnaire”, “Dyadic Adjustment Scale”, “Beck Depression Inventory” and “Beck AnxietyInventory” are conducted to all attendees. Also, we used data form which is included sociodemographic and family features for all participants

Prevalence of insecure attachment style was found high in both groups. Regarding the correlation between attachment style and dyadic adjustment, the dyadic adjustment points in trans men with secure attachment style were found significantly higher than trans men with insecure attachment style (Table 2,p:0,006). The average relationship duration of the participants with secure attachment style was higher than the participants with insecure attachment style. It was found that both groups have egalitarian attitudes in general terms. The egalitarian attitudes subscale points of gender role attitude scale in trans men were found significantly higher than the egalitarian attitudes subscale points of gender role attitude scale in partners (p:0,025)

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The present study constitutes the first study in Turkey, which researching the attachment style, dyadic adjustment and gender roles attitudes in trans men and their partners, was analyzed. There are few studies in the literature investigating the gender roles of trans men and their partners. In this study, insecure attachment rates were found to be high in both groups. Attachment styles and romantic relationships are fundamental components for psychosocial adjustment and well-being. For this reason, attachment styles should be made a part of the clinical evaluation of transgender people. It should be aimed to increase the sense of security of the person. Thus, clinical studies that should evaluate attachment styles as part of a standardized assessment and increase one’s sense of security must be produced primarily. Therefore, individual and group psychotherapeutic work aimed at reshaping internal working models could directly or indirectly facilitate access to support groups, reinforce a more positive self-image.

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Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent neuropsychiatric condition influenced by genetic, environmental, and inflammatory factors. Alterations in T helper (Th) cell subsets, including Th1, Th2, Th17, and regulatory T cells (Tregs), have been implicated in the immune dysregulation observed in MDD, linking the adaptive immune system to depression. However, the link between these T cell subsets, MDD severity and their connection with childhood trauma (CT), a major risk factor for depression, remain incompletely understood.

In this project we characterized peripheral blood T cell subsets and their association with CT and MDD.

In this study, we performed multiparameter flow cytometry analysis on peripheral blood immune cells from a subgroup of the FOR2107 cohort. T cell differentiation is characterized by their phenotypic markers. Age- and gender- matched groups of 46 individuals with depression and 55 healthy controls (HC) were included, both with and without a history of childhood trauma. Depression severity was assessed using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression), (HAM-D21), and CT was evaluated via the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Correlational analyses examined relationships between T cell subtype frequencies, depression severity, and CT subtypes.

The analysis revealed an increased frequency of circulating Th17 cells in patients with MDD compared to healthy controls. In participants with a history of CT, the overall frequency of CD3+ T cells was decreased, while Th2 cells and Treg cell frequencies were reduced when compared to individuals without CT. Frequencies of specific T cell types correlate with CT subtypes, especially in depressive patients. Th1, effector memory T cells (Tem) and central memory T cells (Tcm) showed a positive correlation with physical abuse, while Treg cells correlated with the overall CTQ score and emotional neglect.

Our findings indicate dysregulations of the adaptive immune system in CT and MDD, characterized by alterations in peripheral blood Th17, Th2, and Treg cells. These data highlight the influence of early life adversity on immune function and its potential contribution to the pathophysiology of depression.

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Personality-related correlates are significant factors associated with compulsive buying. The Big Five personality traits can be a risk factor or a protective factor for addiction.

This study aimed to establish the connection between depressiveness, workaholism, eating disorders, and personality traits, according to the five-point model called the Big Five, in women with a risk of compulsive buying disorder.

The study was conducted on 556 Polish women from the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. The study employed the diagnostic survey method using a questionnaire technique including Personality Inventory NEO-FFI, the Buying Behaviour Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory I-II, the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, and a self-questionnaire.

The analysis revealed the risk of compulsive buying being accompanied by a higher median score for depressiveness, neuroticism, Cognitive Restraint of Eating, Uncontrolled Eating, and a risk of workaholism. A lower score in the respondents in the compulsive buying risk group was observed in an assessment of agreeableness and conscientiousness. Work addiction was exhibited by 26% of people with compulsive buying disorder vs. 12% of people without it.

Table 1. Descriptive statistics for selected scales with respect to the risk of the compulsive buying disorder.

BDI I-II—Beck Depression Inventory, NEO-FFI—Personality Inventory NEO-FFI, TFEQ-13—Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, WART—Work Addiction Risk Test, Me—median, Q1—quartile first, Q3—quartile third, n—number of patients, p—statistic

This study found that a high risk of compulsive buying disorder is accompanied by a high risk of moderate depressiveness, neuroticism, Cognitive Restraint of Eating, Uncontrolled Eating, and workaholism. It also confirmed the view that compulsive buying is a behavioural addiction which is a consequence of ineffective coping and being dissatisfied with one’s social life.

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The treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) presents a clinical challenge in many ways, as the current recommended psychotherapies are often insufficient or unavailable. As of today, no pharmacological treatment has been approved by regulatory agencies for the treatment of BPD, even though up to 96% of these patients receive at least one psychotropic medication. Some professional societies cautiously recommend the off-label and symptom-targeted use of psychotropic agents as part of a multimodal approach, whereas others recommend its use only in the event of an acute crisis.

Conduct a non systematic review of literature regarding the efficacy of mood stabilizers (MS) and antipsychotics (AP) in the treatment of patients with BPD.

A search in the PubMed database was performed with the terms borderline, behaviour and mood stabilizer or antipsychotic or pharmacological, filtered for reviews, systematic reviews and meta-analysis over the last 20 years.

The efficacy of pharmacotherapies for the treatment of BPD is limited to improvement of individual symptoms but not of global functioning nor the severity of the condition overall, although the evidence is of very low certainty. For affective dysregulation and impulsive-behavioural dyscontrol, the highest efficacy emerged for MS, as AP shows a lower yet significant effect size. Both drug classes seem to improve symptoms of anger, with evidence suggesting a much larger (and significant) effect-size for aripiprazole compared to other AP. For cognitive-perceptual symptoms, only AP proved to be effective, showing higher effect-size in longer trials, which suggests their slowly progressive efficacy on this symptom dimension. Although many studies suggest a superior anti-suicide effect of clozapine in schizophrenia, the evidence is very uncertain about the effect of any medication compared with placebo on self-harm and suicide-related outcomes in patients with BPD, indicating little to no effect. There appears to be no significant difference between pharmacotherapy and placebo in terms of dropout rates, but there is insufficient data regarding drug tolerability in these patients.

In congruence with some clinical practice guidelines, pharmacotherapy can be used to target specific core-symptoms on BPD, even though evidence on its efficacy is of very low certainty and limited to the improvement of individual symptoms but not the overall condition. Mood stabilizers and antipsychotics can have a positive effect on affective dysregulation, anger and impulsive-behavioural dyscontrol, and antipsychotics proved to be effective for cognitive-perceptual symptoms.

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Antipsychotic (AP) medications are increasingly prescribed, with indications ranging from psychotic illness to mood disorders. Many patients and clinicians are concerned about long-term consequences of drug exposure in the neurodevelopmentally critical prenatal window. Yet maternal mental illness itself is also associated with significant changes to the prenatal environment.

To systematically review the literature on the short- and long-term behavioral, socioemotional, psychomotor, and neurocognitive outcomes in children prenatally exposed to AP medication.

We included original studies assessing cognitive, motor, behavioral, social, and psychiatric. Searches were performed in MEDLINE, Cochrane, Embase, and PsycINFO for studies up to March 15, 2024. Quality and risk of bias were assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale (NOS). Studies were eligible for inclusion if they were original, peer-reviewed research which assessed human offspring of any age, prenatally exposed to any antipsychotic medication, regardless of maternal indication for use.

We identified 1,315 studies, and reviewed 53 in full-text screening. The final synthesis included 16 studies (6 cohort and 10 register-based studies) with the number of prenatally exposed individuals ranging from 17 to >15,000.Eleven studies included a control group with maternal mental illness in at least one of their analyses. These groups varied with some including any maternal mental illness, while others used an antipsychotic discontinuation control, and still others used non-antipsychotic psychiatric medication use as a control. Five studies included only a general or healthy maternal population control. Eight studies assessed motor development, ranging from newborn assessments up to 14 years of follow-up. These studies observed early motor delays following prenatal exposure to AP medication, which did not persist into later childhood. Five studies investigated risk for neurodevelopmental diagnoses and three studies explored school performance following prenatal AP exposure. No significant associations were found after adjustment for confounding. The quality of the evidence ranged from moderate to high.

While the majority of studies did not identify differences between exposed and unexposed groups, some differences emerged early in infancy or when looking at neurodevelopmental disorders. However, our findings suggest that the observed neurodevelopmental differences are likely due to confounding by indication rather than exposure to antipsychotics themselves. More rigorous research is needed to clarify the neurodevelopmental effects of AP use during pregnancy.

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Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterised by supranuclear ophthalmoplegia (SNO), parkinsonism, and postural instability. Overlap with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) has been suggested, with PSP-FTD considered a specific phenotype. Common psychiatric symptoms include apathy and depression, while hallucinations and delusions are rare. Hallucinatory palinopsia is the persistence or recurrence of vivid visual images after the stimulus has been removed. It results from aberrant activation of visual memory circuits, and, while uncommon, is typically seen in conditions such as strokes, space-occupying lesions and seizures.

To present a case highlighting unique psychopathology in a patient with PSP-FTD phenotype.

Clinical case description and literature review.

An 80-year-old male with a 6-year history of progressive behavioural changes, memory disturbances, and motor dysfunction presented initially with apathy and social withdrawal. Memory impairment and gait difficulties followed, along with irritability, aggression, and hypersexual behaviours like inappropriate touching or gesturing towards family members or masturbating in public. Asymmetric intention tremors (left > right) and stereotypic hand movements developed over time. In the past year, the patient began experiencing visual hallucinations, particularly hallucinatory palinopsia, where he persistently saw objects like lizards or water bottles that had been removed from view. These occurred in clear consciousness, were not perceived by others, and would typically last for about an hour. By a multidisciplinary approach, the possibility of delirium was ruled out. A diagnosis of PSP with FTD phenotype was made based on clinical evaluation, including SNO, and neuroimaging. The patient was started on Syndopa and Donepezil. Psychiatric evaluation revealed high scores in domains of Apathy, Disinhibition, Agitation, and Hallucinations on the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). Psychoeducation was provided, and Quetiapine 12.5 mg was initiated, leading to mild improvement in behavioural symptoms. The patient remains under regular follow-up with plans for medication optimization and physiotherapy inclusion.

Behavioural symptoms in PSP are prevalent and challenging to manage. This case highlights the importance of distinguishing between apathy and depression, as misdiagnosis can lead to unnecessary antidepressant use. The patient’s presentation, including disinhibition, hypersexuality, and less commonly reported visual hallucinations, emphasises the need for comprehensive evaluation and a multidisciplinary approach to management in PSP-FTD cases.

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Cyberchondria refers to the phenomenon where individuals experience increased health anxiety due to excessive health-related information-seeking on the internet. This behavior can lead to increased worry, symptom misinterpretation, and the belief that one may be suffering from a serious illness. While internet health-seeking is common, it can become maladaptive and contribute to clinically significant anxiety.

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and severity of cyberchondria among medical students, and to explore the relationship between online health-seeking behaviors and health anxiety.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among clinical medical students using the Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS) and the Short Health Anxiety Inventory (HAI-18). The CSS is a 12-item self-report questionnaire that assesses the frequency of online health searches, the distress caused by those searches, and the misinterpretation of symptoms. The HAI-18 evaluates the frequency and intensity of health-related worries and behaviors over the past six months. Participants were asked to report their online health-searching habits, emotional responses, and overall health anxiety levels.

A total of 169 clinical students participated in the study, with a predominance of females (74%). The mean age of participants was 23 ± 1.5 years. Regarding family medical history, 62.1% of participants reported a familial history of medical conditions, while 26% had a familial history of psychiatric disorders. Additionally, 39.6% of participants reported that their family members had been hospitalized for a serious illness. A personal medical history was reported by 23.7% of participants, and 21.3% had a documented history of psychiatric disorders. Health-related anxiety was observed in 21.9% of participants and was significantly associated with a history of family member hospitalization for a serious illness (p < 0.05). Regarding cyberchondria, 35.5% of participants reported low levels, 43.2% moderate levels, 20.1% high levels, and 1.2% very high levels. High levels of cyberchondria were significantly associated with higher health anxiety scores (p < 0.001).

The findings suggest a moderate to high prevalence of cyberchondria among clinical medical students, with a strong association between higher cyberchondria scores and increased health-related anxiety. Interventions to reduce cyberchondria should focus on managing health anxiety and mitigating the negative impact of online health information

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Identification of the effects of experimentation with psychoactive substances and the formation of addictive behavior in adolescents in risk groups requires the development of new approaches to the clinical and laboratory examination for the prevent severe complications of intoxication and treatment of addiction. One of the biological indicators of complications from the use of psychoactive substances during the period of brain development may be neuroinflammation, in addition to metabolic disorders and disorders of other internal organs.

To study the relationship between the levels of inflammatory markers and biochemical blood indicators with the clinical symptoms in adolescents with alcohol and substance intoxication.

Clinical and laboratory examinations included 40 patients aged 14 to 17 years diagnosed with behavioral and mental disorders due to alcohol use and/or combined alcohol and substance abuse. In blood plasma, the activity of leukocyte elastase (LE) and α1-proteinase inhibitor (α1-PI), as well as the level of autoantibodies (AB) to S100B and basic myelin protein (MBP) were measured. The results were compared with the corresponding normative indicators.

The relationship between the level of immune system activation and the activity of the pathological process in the brain served as the division of patients into groups. The 1st group (58.3%) was characterized by high activity of LE and α1-PI and an increased level of aAT to MBP (p<0.05). The 2nd group (42.7%) was distinguished by low LE activity and a high level of other markers (p<0.01). In the 1st group, a higher monocyte content, an increase in creatine phosphokinase activity, uric acid level, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase ratio, a decrease in gamma-glutamyltransferase activity and serum iron and ferritin level were found compared to the 2nd group. In the 2nd group, the increase in the number of neutrophils was associated with a relatively increased platelet content, as well as higher levels of alkaline phosphatase activity, creatinine content, total and direct bilirubin.

In the 1st group, signs of attention deficit, autoaggression, and increased tolerance to the dose of the substance used were detected more often. In the 2nd group, pronounced tension and irritability, a longer duration of drug use, and more severe clinical manifestations of withdrawal syndrome were observed.

The introduction of indicators of neuroinflammation, associated with ferroptosis mechanisms, initially clinically asymptomatic, into the cluster of clinical and laboratory studies will specify the diagnostics of individual changes in reactivity and health disorders in adolescents at the stage of drug addiction. This will substantiate and increase the effectiveness of the prevention of addictions and early disability among adolescents at risk.

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The Westernisation of alcohol consumption habits among women has led to increased alcohol intake and a rise in Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) cases in females. Although AUD prevalence remains higher in men (7.7% compared to 1.5% in women), women display distinct features in the disorder’s progression, such as the telescoping effect, where the transition from initial consumption to dependence occurs more rapidly. This trend underscores the importance of studying frequent female users of alcohol detoxification services to identify contributing factors to this accelerated progression.

This study seeks to characterise frequent female users of alcohol detoxification services, focusing on gender differences, particularly the faster progression of alcohol dependence in women and the influence of Westernisation on their drinking habits.

A retrospective analysis was performed on clinical records from 2022 to 2023 for patients hospitalised at the Alcohol Treatment and Rehabilitation Unit. The analysis included patients who were hospitalised two or more times within a 12-month period. Demographic, psychosocial, and clinical variables were compared, with a particular focus on female patients.

Of the 360 patients admitted between 2022 and 2023, 37 were readmitted within 12 months. Women constituted 29.7% of these cases, with an average age of 52 years (compared to 51 in men), and were more often divorced or separated (81.8% vs 76.9%) and unemployed (72.7% vs 69.2%). Psychiatric family history (72.3% vs 65.4%) and psychiatric comorbidities (90.9% vs 61.5%) were more prevalent in women. Women also had a higher total number of hospitalisations (4.09 vs 3.62), although their 12-month readmission rates were similar to men (1.46 vs 1.50).

These findings support the literature on the telescoping effect, evidenced by women’s older age and a similar number of readmissions despite a more precarious social situation and greater psychiatric comorbidities. Notably, although women were a minority among readmissions, their proportion exceeded the expected prevalence rate (30%/70% vs 15%/85%). This highlights the necessity of personalised therapeutic approaches that address the unique factors perpetuating AUD in women.

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This audit was undertaken to look at side-effect monitoring of patients on depot antipsychotics within the North Tyneside CTT. This was the fourth reaudit of this patient group, with the most recent one having been in 2019, highlighting a gap in re-audits during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The objective of this audit was to ensure adherence to the following standards, as per National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines and local trust guidelines pertaining to antipsychotic monitoring: 1. 100% of patients on depot anti-psychotics should have side effect monitoring, in the form of a Glasgow Antipsychotic Side-Effect Scale (GASS) form, completed every year. 2. 100% of patients on depot anti-psychotics should have a GASS form completed ever, since starting their antipsychotic medication. 3. Completed GASS forms should be accessible on RiO (online noting system).

Data collection occurred and concluded in March 2022. This involved identifying patients on depot antipsychotics within the CTT, pseudo anonymising them by patient number and basic demographics, then utilising RiO to identify whether they have had antipsychotic monitoring using a GASS questionnaire as per the guidelines outlined above. This data was then represented in excel form, allowing us to appraise adherence to guidelines and changes from previous audits performed on this topic. We then utilised a traffic light system where green represented a score of 90-100% (compliant), yellow 80-89% (partially compliant), and red 0-79% (non-compliant).

53% of patients had a GASS completed in the past year (red). 95% have had a GASS completed ever (green). 98% of GASS were recorded on RiO (green). Demographic and diagnostic data was also gathered and are available in the full body of the report and poster.

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There has been a reduction in the percentage of patients having had a GASS in past year from 88% in 2019 to 53% now. This is likely to represent a disruption to services during the COVID-19 pandemic, forming obstacles to face-to-face reviews of patients. There was an increase in patients on depot antipsychotics from 90 in 2019 to 139 in 2022. There was a marginal improvement in documentation, with 98% of GASS questionnaires recorded on RiO in 2022, compared with 97% in 2019. Following recommendations being made, this will be re-audited in 2024/25.

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Children and young people spend much time in school and therefore the school setting provides an important setting in which to intervene to promote, protect and enhance mental health. This presentation will provide an overview of the importance of making an economic case for action within schools. A scoping review has been undertaken to map the types of interventions that have been subject to cost-effectiveness evaluation. Aspects of the strengths and weakness of the existing evidence are presented. Implementation and sustainability challenges are also discussed, given the need for collaboration between the health and education sectors.

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Activity of the glutamate neurotransmitter system contribute to the development of many mental disorders, in particular of depression and schizophrenia. While the glutamate is the principal excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain there are poor data on its relationships with EEG.

The aim of the study was to search for possible relationships between parameters of EEG and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activity in patients with depressive-delusional disorders.

The study involved 28 female in-patients aged 16-35 years (mean age 22.0 ± 8.1 years) with depressive-delusional disorders in the frames of schizophrenia (F20.01, by ICD-10). Pre-treatment multichannel resting EEG recordings with spectral power analysis in narrow frequency sub-bands were performed in all patients. Patients were divided into two groups with relatively “normal” (n=18) and “slow” (n=10) EEGs. “Slow EEG” group statistically differed (p<0.05) from “normal EEG” group by greater spectral power values in theta2 (6-8 Hz) EEG sub-band in frontal-central-temporal regions of the left hemisphere. GDH enzymatic activity was measured in platelets’ extracts from blood samples by spectrophotometric kinetic method and was assessed by the rate of NAD•H absorption decrease at 340 nm. The descriptive statistics and the rank correlation analysis (Spearman) were used for statistical processing of EEG and neurochemical data.

“Slow EEG” and “normal EEG” groups did not statistically differ (p>0.05) in age, HDRS and PANSS scores, while the clinical severity was somewhat greater in “slow EEG” group. Nevertheless, “slow EEG” and “normal EEG” groups apparently differed in correlation structure between EEG and GDH activity parameters. Thus, in “slow EEG” group values of GDH activity correlated positively (p<0.05÷0.01) with values of spectral power in delta (2-4 Hz), theta1 (4-6 Hz) and theta2 (6-8 Hz) EEG sub-bands. In “normal EEG” group values of GDH activity did not correlate with any studied EEG parameters.

Greater GDH activity in “slow EEG” group of patients with depressive-delusional disorders have to provoke the glutamate mediated excitation deficit reflected in EEG slowing. The predominance of this phenomenon in the left hemisphere may underlie some features of the clinical conditions in these patients and need further studying.

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Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the single most important risk factor for suicide. Interestingly, even with a high prevalence of suicidality, not all MDD patients develop suicidal thoughts or complete suicide. Thus, it is critical to examine the risk factors that can distinguish suicidality among MDD patients.

It has been hypothesized that epigenetic marks, such as DNA methylation, can be influenced by the environment, which may play a critical role in developing depression and suicidal behavior. The present study examined genome-wide DNA methylation in the prefrontal cortex of depressed suicide (DS), depressed non-suicide (DNS), and nonpsychiatric control subjects.

Genome-wide DNA methylation was examined in the prefrontal cortex of age- and sex-matched depressed suicide, depressed non-suicide, and nonpsychiatric control subjects using 850K Infinium Methylation EPIC BeadChip. The methylation β values were generated based on normalized signal intensities and background subtraction using negative control probes and were derived as the ratio of methylation probe intensity to the overall intensity. The hyper and hypo-methylated sites were also mapped across 22 autosomes using PhenoGram Plot. The significantly differentially methylated gene lists were used to determine the functional enrichment of genes for ontological clustering and pathway analysis.

The chromosome-wise methylation sites and mapping of methylated sites based on the number of CpG content and their relative distribution from specific landmark regions of genes identified 32958 methylation sites 12574 genes in NC vs. all MDD subjects, 30852 methylation sites across 12019 genes in NC vs. DNS, 41648 methylation sites across 13941 genes in NC vs. DS, and 49848 methylation sites across 15015 genes in DNS vs. DS groups. A comparison of methylation sites showed 33129 unique methylation sites and 5451 genes in the DNS group compared to the DS group. Functional analysis suggested Oxytocin, GABA, VGFA, TNFA, and MTOR pathways associated with suicide in the MDD group.

Our data show a discrete pattern of DNA methylation, the genomic distribution of differentially methylated sites, gene enrichment, and pathways in MDD subjects who died by suicide compared to non-suicide MDD subjects and suggest that epigenetic DNA modifications could be used to distinguish suicidality in MDD patients.

None Declared