Schizophrenia is a relatively common chronic psychotic mental illness, which usually continues throughout life. Current diagnosis is based on a set of psychiatrist-applied diagnostic criteria. There can be considerable differences between diagnostic classification based upon either the set of criteria used, or the individual who applies the criteria. For this reason, the development of an objective test to inform the diagnosis could be highly beneficial.

To assess the use of Support Vector Machine (SVM) as a potential diagnostic tool for schizophrenia, with a particular focus on the application of SVM to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data.

To show the use of SVM on MRI data to be a potentially viable diagnostic test.

A systematic literature search was carried out using the PubMed database, Web of Knowledge as well as Google Scholar. This search was conducted using the terms ‘Schizophrenia’, ‘SVM’/‘Support Vector Machine’ and ‘MRI/fMRI’. This was followed by the application of criteria relating to relevance to the desired search topic (as assesed by the author). Ten publications were identified as relevant.

Results showed strong evidence that the application of SVM to MRI data can reliably differentiate between patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls.

The results indicate that using SVM to analyse MRI data can be reliably used to identify schizophrenia, although there is some variability between the results produced. The potential of SVM in application to fMRI (as opposed to structural MRI) data is yet to be fully explored.

Despite its high prevalence, the validated treatment for ADHD is chronic administration of psychostimulants, which is associated with side effects and occasionally not tolerated. Deep TMS using special coil designs for targeting neural networks linked with neuropsychiatric disorders, may become a viable alternative.

Comparison of rTMS treatment using deep, figure-8 and sham coils on ADHD symptoms.

In the current randomized, sham-controlled study, adult ADHD patients received 15 daily sessions of high-frequency rTMS directed to the right prefrontal cortex (rPFC), using either deep, figure-8, or a sham coil. ADHD symptoms and cognitive alterations were assessed using the CAARS-INV, self–report questionnaires and performance tests. Additionally, the stop signal task (SST) combined with EEG measures was used to asses behavioural inhibition and ERPs. EEG responses to an inhibitory protocol of paired TMS pulses over the rPFC were measured before and after treatments. A healthy control group was evaluated at baseline for comparison.

Several ADHD symptoms were improved in patients that received dTMS but not standard figure-8 or sham treatment (p=0.007, CAARS; p=0.014, SST). Differences between ADHD patients and healthy controls were demonstrated in ERPs during the SST, and in response to single and paired TMS pulses. The lower amplitudes of ERPs in patients correlated with ADHD symptoms and behavioural inhibition measures.

Repeated stimulation of deep areas in the rPFC has therapeutic potential, where rPFC excitability is impaired in ADHD patients. Ongoing analysis attempts to establish the neurophysiological measures as predictors and biomarkers for effectiveness of dTMS treatment.

Noise is defined as unwanted sounds and can cause psychological symptoms such as anxiety, restlessness, irritability, sleep disturbances and difficulty concentrating. Transportation noise represents a large majority of external noise that affects people in large cities. Professional drivers are the highest risk group.

The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation between noise pollution and, general psychological symptoms, quality of life in public transport drivers.

Bus drivers of varying bus brands (F, O and P) were subjected in this study. SCL-90-R and SF-36 questionnaire were used to assess the presence and severity of psychiatric symptoms and quality of life. Sound level meter (Smart Sensor AR844) was used for noise pollution measurements (dB(A)) within the buses and city main streets.

F, O and P brand buses average 65.16 dB(A), 70.86 dB(A) and 75.33 dB(A) noise produces respectively. Especially, P brand mini-bus drivers were found to have worked under continuously high noise (75.33 dB(A), average 11.22 ± 3.86 hours daily). According to psychiatric SCL-90-R and SF-36 assessments, observed psychiatric symptoms were more pronounced between the high noise exposed group than other groups (P < 0.001).

Psychologies and quality of life of bus drivers were affected by the noise pollution and noise pollution had cause to serious psychological symptoms on drivers such as anxiety, depression, hostility, etc., and noise had negative effects over the quality of life in the east region of Turkey, particularly, when drivers were exposed for longer working periods and above certain values.

Positive influence of emotional intelligence (EI) on psychological functions originaly indicated and entered by Golman (1995) in scientific literature. Now it is fast growing use in academic settings organizations and showed that higher levels of it can be important in positive behavior of humans. So the aim of this study was measuring the relationship of emotional intelligence and addiction to internet.

100 university students randomly selected and Schutte's Self- Report E / I Test (SSREIT) and Addiction to Interne Inventory (AII) administered on participants. It was hypothesized that higher levels of emotional intelligence would be associated with lower levels of addiction to internet.

Findings showed that there is negative significant correlation between components of emotional intelligence including appraisal of emotion, utilization of emotion and general score of emotional intelligence. It confirmed that higher levels of emotional intelligence related to lower levels of addiction to internet.

For decreasing of addiction to internet it is advised to apply plans to foster and increase of emotional intelligence components and decrease addiction to internet.

There are many studies supporting the efficacy of trauma focused EMDR in the treatment of PTSD and other anxiety disorders. But most of them included only people younger than 70 years. Older people often suffer from intellectual decline. Been proved that EMDR is effective in people with intellectual impairment (Mevissen. L et all, 2012), but the people who participated in these studies did not relate to the older age group.

Old people are often faced with loss, death of a spouse, friends, relatives. Inaddition, the known so-called 'domino effect' when a new trauma can reactivate old traumatic experiences, and the fact that older people inrelation to the characteristics of their memory can suddenly reactivate traumatic experiences related to the events of their youth.

Explore the possibility of using EMDR in the treatment of elderly people with a history of psychological trauma.

The study involved 26 women aged 70-85 years who received treatment in the in-patient department of our hospital. They had cognitive impairment from mild to moderate (for MoCA-test) and a history of psychological trauma. The Doctor used bilateral stimulation (mainly tapping) and 8-phase EMDR protocol, developed by F. Shapiro.

All patients showed a decrease anxiety, improve sleep, and decrease in the number of somatic complaints.

EMDR is highly effective in the elderly.

Hyponatremia (hypoNa) is a potentially serious adverse event of antidepressant treatment. Previous research suggests the risk of drug-induced hyponatremia differs between antidepressants. This meta-analysis sought to determine the risk of antidepressant-induced hypoNa, stratified by different compounds and classes.

A PRISMA-compliant systematic search of Web of Science and PubMed databases was performed from inception until Jan 5, 2023, for original studies reporting incidences or risks of hypoNa in adults using antidepressants. We modelled random-effects meta-analyses to compute overall event rates and odds ratios of any and clinically relevant hypoNa for each compound and class, and ran head-to-head comparisons based on hypoNa event rates. We conducted subgroup analyses for geriatric populations and sodium cut-off value. The study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42021269801.

We included 39 studies (n = 8,175,111). Exposure to antidepressants was associated with significantly increased odds of hypoNa (k = 7 studies, OR = 3.160 (95%CI 1.911-5.225)). The highest event rates were found for SNRIs (7.44%), SSRIs (5.59%), and TCAs (2.66%); the lowest for mirtazapine (1.02%) and trazodone (0.89%). Compared to SSRIs, SNRIs were significantly more likely (k = 10, OR = 1.292 (1.120 – 1.491), p < 0.001) and mirtazapine significantly less likely (k = 9, OR = 0.607 (0.385 – 0.957), p = 0.032) to be associated with hypoNa.

Our meta-analysis demonstrated that, while no antidepressant can be considered completely risk-free, for hypoNa-prone patients mirtazapine should be considered the treatment of choice and SNRIs should be prescribed more cautiously than SSRIs and TCAs.

Guidance in England recommends psychosocial assessment when presenting to hospital following self-harm but adherence is variable. There is some evidence suggesting that psychosocial assessment is associated with lower risk of subsequent presentation to hospital for self-harm, but the potential cost-effectiveness of psychosocial assessment for hospital-presenting self-harm is unknown.

A three-state four-cycle Markov model was used to assess cost-effectiveness of psychosocial assessment after self-harm compared with no assessment over 2 years. Data on risk of subsequent self-harm and hospital costs of treating self-harm were drawn from the Multicentre Study of Self-Harm in England, while estimates of effectiveness of psychosocial assessment on risk of self-harm, quality of life, and other costs were drawn from literature. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) for cost per Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY) gained were estimated. Parameter uncertainty was addressed in univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses.

Cost per QALY gained from psychosocial assessment was £10,962 (95% uncertainty interval [UI] £15,538–£9,219) from the National Health Service (NHS) perspective and £9,980 (95% UI £14,538–£6,938) from the societal perspective. Results were generally robust to changes in model assumptions. The probability of the ICER being below £20,000 per QALY gained was 78%, rising to 91% with a £30,000 threshold.

Psychosocial assessment as implemented in the English NHS is likely to be cost-effective. This evidence could support adherence to NICE guidelines. However, further evidence is needed about the precise impacts of psychosocial assessment on self-harm repetition and costs to individuals and their families beyond immediate hospital stay.

The experience of time, or the temporal order of external and internal events, is essential for humans. In psychiatric disorders such as depression and schizophrenia, impairment of time processing has been discussed for a long time.

In this explorative pilot study, therefore, the subjective time feeling as well as objective time perception were determined in patients with depression and schizophrenia, along with possible neurobiological correlates.

Depressed (n = 34; 32.4 ± 9.8 years; 21 men) and schizophrenic patients (n = 31; 35.1 ± 10.7 years; 22 men) and healthy subjects (n = 33; 32.8 ± 14.3 years; 16 men) were tested using time feeling questionnaires, time perception tasks and critical flicker-fusion frequency (CFF) and loudness dependence of auditory evoked potentials (LDAEP) to determine serotonergic neurotransmission.

There were significant differences between the three groups regarding time feeling and also in time perception tasks (estimation of given time duration) and CFF (the “DOWN” condition). Regarding the LDAEP, patients with schizophrenia showed a significant negative correlation to time experience in terms of a pathologically increased serotonergic neurotransmission with disturbed time feeling.

Impairment of time experience seems to play an important role in depression and schizophrenia, both subjectively and objectively, and novel neurobiological correlates have been uncovered. It is suggested, therefore, that alteration of experience of time should be increasingly included in the current psychopathological findings.

Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWASs) have identified several genes associated with Schizophrenia (SCZ) and exponentially increased knowledge on the genetic basis of the disease. In addition, products of GWAS genes interact with neuronal factors coded by genes lacking association, such that this interaction may confer risk for specific phenotypes of this brain disorder. In this regard, fragile X mental retardation syndrome-related 1 (FXR1) gene has been GWAS associated with SCZ. FXR1 protein is regulated by glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β), which has been implicated in pathophysiology of SCZ and response to antipsychotics (APs). rs496250 and rs12630592, two eQTLs (Expression Quantitative Trait Loci) of FXR1 and GSK3β, respectively, interact on emotion stability and amygdala/prefrontal cortex activity during emotion processing. These two phenotypes are associated with Negative Symptoms (NSs) of SCZ suggesting that the interaction between these SNPs may also affect NS severity and responsiveness to medication.

To test this hypothesis, in two independent samples of patients with SCZ, we investigated rs496250 by rs12630592 interaction on NS severity and response to APs. We also tested a putative link between APs administration and FXR1 expression, as already reported for GSK3β expression.

We found that rs496250 and rs12630592 interact on NS severity. We also found evidence suggesting interaction of these polymorphisms also on response to APs. This interaction was not present when looking at positive and general psychopathology scores. Furthermore, chronic olanzapine administration led to a reduction of FXR1 expression in mouse frontal cortex.

Our findings suggest that, like GSK3β, FXR1 is affected by APs while shedding new light on the role of the FXR1/GSK3β pathway for NSs of SCZ.

Although maternal mental illnesses have been found to influence child health and development, little is known about the impact of maternal positive well-being on child health and development. Therefore, this longitudinal study investigated the effects of prenatal subjective well-being on birth outcomes and child development by considering the potential modifier effect of parity.

Pregnant women in early stages of pregnancy were recruited at five selected hospitals in Taipei, Taiwan, during their prenatal appointments since 2011. Self-reported evaluations were conducted at seven time points up to 2 years postpartum. Linear regression and generalized estimating equation models were used for examination.

Higher prenatal eudaimonic well-being was associated with longer gestational length (adjusted beta [aβ] = 0.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.03, 0.68) and higher birth weight (aβ = 124.71, 95% CI = 35.75, 213.66). Higher positive and negative affect were associated with longer gestational length (aβ = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.06, 0.70) and smaller birth weight (aβ = −93.51, 95% CI = −178.35, −8.67), respectively. For child’s outcomes, we found an association between higher prenatal eudaimonic well-being and decreased risks of suspected developmental delay, particularly for children of multiparous mothers (adjusted odds ratio = 0.18, 95% CI = 0.05, 0.70). Higher levels of prenatal depression and anxiety were significantly associated with increased risks of suspected developmental delay for children of primiparous mothers.

Positive prenatal maternal mental health may benefit birth outcomes and child development, particularly for children of multiparous mothers. Interventions for improving prenatal mental health may be beneficial for child development.

Mephedrone is a synthetic cathinone derivative included in the class of “New-Novel Psychoactive Substances”. Synthetic cathinones are marketed as “bath salts” or “plant food” and gained notable popularity for similar effects to 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy), or amphetamines. Mephedrone is commonly consumed simultaneously with alcohol.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the interactions between mephedrone and ethanol in humans.

Twelve healthy male, recreational users of psychostimulants participated as outpatients in four experimental sessions. They received a single oral dose of mephedrone (200 mg) and alcohol (0.8 g/kg), mephedrone placebo and alcohol (0.8 g/kg), mephedrone (200 mg) and placebo alcohol, and both placebos. Design was double-blind, double-dummy, randomized, cross-over and controlled with placebo. Study variables included: vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, and pupil diameter), subjective effects (visual analogue scales-VAS, ARCI-49 item short form, and VESSPA questionnaire).

The combination produced an increase in the cardiovascular effects of mephedrone and induced more intense feeling of euphoria and well-being in comparison to mephedrone and alcohol. Mephedrone reduced the drunkenness and sedation produced by alcohol.

These results are similar to those obtained with the combination of other psychostimulants as amphetamines and MDMA. Abuse liability of the combination is greater that induced by mephedrone.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.