Peer relationships play a critical role in the development of adolescents, not only for the acquisition of social skills but also for the sense of personal identity and competence. Thus the quality of peer relationships influences actual and future mental health of the adolescent.

SEYLE (Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe) is a randomized controlled trial, funded by the EU, evaluating interventions for mental health promotion and suicide prevention. The study comprised 12,395 high-school students from 11 European countries.

We investigated the differences on psychological problems between students with poor and good peer relationships.

1,195 adolescents (mean age 15.3 ± 0.6; 68% females) from the Molise region constituted the Italian sample. Adolescents were identified as with poor peer relationships if they never or just sometimes get along with people of their age, feel that peers like having them in the group and feel that peers were kind and helpful. Psychometric measures were used to assess mental health problems such as depression (Beck Depression Inventory II), anxiety (Zung Self-Assessment Anxiety Scale), well-being (WHO-5) and suicidal ideation (Paykel Suicide Scale).

Adolescents who reported poor peer relationships scored significantly higher (p < .005) on the scales assessing depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation and significantly lower (p < .001) on the WHO-5.

Particularly in adolescence peer relationships may influence psychological well-being and vice versa mental health influences the openness to the others. So promoting mental health and contemporary improve social skills could lead adolescents to a better life.

Prevalence estimates of childhood and adolescent mental health disorders appear to vary between 20 to 30% worldwide. It is therefore unsurprising that studies have yielded inconsistent findings in regards to the trends of prevalence of mental health disorders. Some reasons for the discrepancy in findings include use of survey data and its associated attrition and selection bias.

First, to determine and compare the prevalence of mental health disorders derived from a survey and a population cohort. Second, to evaluate trends of mental health prevalence over time.

As population data (i.e., linked health records) may be used to overcome the issues presented by survey data, we compared the prevalence estimated from a prospective survey cohort (the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine study) to another estimate from a prospective population cohort (linked population data; data from the Hospital Morbidity Records and Mental Health Registration).

As expected, the Raine cohort yielded a larger estimate of prevalence when compared to the linked population data. However each cohort also revealed opposite trends of prevalence, where the Raine cohort showed the prevalence of mental health disorders to decrease as children age.

We therefore recommend that estimates of prevalence be interpreted with the type of cohort in mind, as estimates from survey cohorts will provide different information to that from population cohorts.

Dissociative amnesia is triggered by psychological stress or trauma. Its hallmark is a severe (usually retrograde) memory impairment within episodic-autobiographical domain, occurring without evidence of significant brain damage on conventional structural brain imaging.

This work’s objectives are establishing greater recognition of possible relations between memory performance and social cognition in patients with dissociative amnesia.

We review data on social cognition (affective and cognitive theory of mind, simulation, empathy, social judgment, moral judgment) from our own patients with dissociative amnesia.

Patients were investigated medically, psychiatrically and with neuropsychological and neuroimaging methods.

Patients with dissociative amnesia show variable degrees of impairments of components of social cognition, based on their comorbid conditions (e.g. concurrent clinical or subclinical depression), types of memory impairments (e.g. extent of retrograde amnesia, presence of autobiographical semantic deficits), pattern of brain metabolic changes, personality characteristics, neuropsychological profile (performance on executive functions or emotional processing) and testing paradigms.

The impairment in dissociative amnesia seems to go beyond the conscious mnemonic deficit, encompassing various aspects of social information processing. Knowledge about the pattern of metabolic and micro-structural brain changes in patients with dissociative amnesia as well as a fine-grained analysis of the neural correlates of various aspects of social cognition might provide an understanding of when and how episodic-autobiographical memory contributes to social cognition. As several studies emphasized, some structures involved in mnemonic processing may also play a role in social perception, cognition and behavioural regulation, including future-minded choice behaviour.

Vortioxetine is a 5-HT3, 5-HT7 and 5-HT1D receptor antagonist, 5-HT1B receptor partial agonist, 5-HT1A receptor agonist and inhibitor of the 5-HT transporter (SERT).

To study the in vitro properties of vortioxetine at rat and human targets and relate them to rat brain target occupancies and effects in rat models assessing antidepressant activity and cognitive function.

The in vitro properties were assessed using radioligand binding and cell-based functional assays, brain target occupancies were studied using ex vivo autoradiography, antidepressant activity was studied in conventional behavioural models and in a progesterone withdrawal model, and effects on cognitive function were assessed by quantitative EEG [qEEG] and after 5-HT depletion in recognition and spatial memory tasks.

Vortioxetine was more potent at human than rat 5-HT1A and 5-HT7 receptors and the SERT, whereas the opposite was found for 5-HT1D and 5-HT3 receptors. The rat in vitro and ex vivo potency rank orders were aligned. Vortioxetine showed antidepressant activity in conventional models and the fluoxetine-insensitive progesterone withdrawal model. qEEG analyses demonstrated increases across power bands with vortioxetine, but not duloxetine or escitalopram. Vortioxetine restored memory deficits induced by low 5-HT, whereas duloxetine and escitalopram had no effect.

1. 1. Species comparisons of target activities and inclusion of target occupancy measures in animal studies supports thetranslation from preclinical to clinical settings.

2. 2. Vortioxetine exerts antidepressant and memory-enhancing effects in rats via mechanisms beyond that of SERT inhibition.

Social anxiety disorder represents a substantial public health problem because is a relative common mental disorder and has a high prevalence and lifelong chronicity. The fact that serotonergic agents is considered to be effective for its treatment suggests that patients may have an abnormal serotonergic neurotransmission. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are effective in the treatment of social anxiety disorder and are currently perceived as the pharmacotherapy of choice.

We investigated the efficacy and tolerability of escitalopram in the treatment of generalised social anxiety disorder.

Patients with generalised social anxiety disorder were randomised to receive placebo (n = 61) or10-20 mg escitalopram (n = 60) in a 12-week, double-blind study. The primary outcome measure was the mean change from baseline to last assessment in the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) total score.

The study showed a statistically superior therapeutic effect for escitalopram compared with placebo on the LSAS total score (p = 0.005).There were significantly more responders to treatment for escitalopram than for placebo (68% v. 28%; p < 0.005). The clinical relevance of these findings was supported by significant reduction in the work and social components of the Sheehan Disability Scale and by the good tolerability of escitalopram treatment.

These data suggest that escitalopram was efficacious and well tolerated in the treatment of social anxiety disorder. Further studies are needed on larger groups of patients to certify these results.

In our clinical practice we can be forced, in few cases, to switch from aripiprazole to other antipsychotics due to recurrence of symptoms of schizophrenia. We don’t have much information about the influence of aripiprazole on the onset of action of new antipsychotic.

The action of antipsychotics starts in first two or three weeks. Switch from one antipsychotic to another can influence the onset of action of the last.

Aripiprazole has a strong affinity for D2 receptors (bounded on more than 90% of D2 receptors in therapeutic doses) and a half time of 72 hours. The access to D2 receptors after aripiprazole can be delayed.

We had two case studies, both diagnosed with schizophrenia, multiple episodes, currently in acute episode according to DSM V. Both patients were treated with aripiprazole in the past year, uptitrated to 30mg/day in the last month due to recurrence of positive symptoms. because of persistence of positive symptoms, the patients were switched to olanzapine and respectively to risperidone.

The symptoms of both patients were persistent for 5 weeks. After that time, both patients have a good response to the new antipsychotic. PANSS score had a reduction on positive items only after five weeks after the switch, which means a delay of action of new antipsychotic.

We presume that aripiprazole can delay, in same cases, the onset of action, if switched to another antipsychotic due to persistence in the plasma (long halftime) and his superior affinity for D2 receptors.

Previous research has demonstrated stable patterns of family communication. The Revised Family Communication Pattern Instrument (RFCP) is a common measure of these patterns. It posits two orientations: conformity orientation, characterized by a tendency to seek agreement within the family and by authoritarian decision-making; and conversation orientation, characterized by shared decision-making with the child and frequent family discussion.

The primary aim of our research was to adapt the RFCP questionnaire to the Hungarian language. Based on previous research, we hypothesized a negative relationship of conversation orientation and a positive relationship of conformity orientation with parents’ mentalizing problems, parental stress and burnout. According to our hypothesis, conformity orientation would predict both attachment anxiety and avoidance, whereas conversation orientation would decrease attachment anxiety.

Parents of children aged 6–17 (N=269, female=86,2%, mean age=42,64 [SD=6,10] yrs) completed the following online questionnaires: Child Quality of Life Questionnaire (ILK) parent version, Reflective Function Questionnaire (RFQ-8), Experiences of Close Relationships Questionnaire (ECR-RS), Parent Burnout Questionnaire (PBA-HUN), Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSS) and the RFCP instrument. We conducted a confirmatory factor analysis. Linear regression analyses predicting attachment anxiety and avoidance included two factors of the RFCP, the RFQ-8, the PBA-HUN, and the PSS total score, as predictors. In addition, two factors of the ECR-R were included in the linear regression analyses predicting quality of life.

The confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the original two-factor structure of RFCP (χ2=5482.21, df=325 p< .001, χ2/df=16.86, CFI=0.91, TLI=0.90, RMSEA=0.075 (90% CI 0.068–0.082)) and their internal reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = .78 and .74). Attachment avoidance (R2=0.12, F(5)=7.38, p< .001) was only predicted by conversation orientation (β=−0.28, p< .001), while attachment anxiety was predicted (R2=25.2, F(5)=17.7, p< .001) by conformity orientation (β=0.24, p< .001), parental mentalization difficulties (ß=0.20, p< .001) and parenting stress (β=0.15, p= .015). Parental report of the child’s quality of life was predicted most strongly by attachment anxiety (β=−0.28, p< .001), followed by conversation orientation (β=0.21, p< .001) and attachment avoidance (β=−0.18, p< .001, R2=28.8, F(7)=15.17, p< .001).

The Hungarian version of the RFCP questionnaire has proven to be a reliable questionnaire. The importance of family communication patterns is demonstrated by the fact that it explains both the quality of parent-child attachment and the parent’s report on the child’s quality of life.

None Declared

Unemployment is considered to be one of the most stressful life events that a person may experience. There are a plethora of studies that highlighted the negative effects of unemployment on people’s overall mental health and well-being. Yet, psychological resilience and self-compassion contribute positively in coping with stressful situations and seem to be particularly supportive mechanisms when one is confronted with unemployment.

This study intended to investigate the relationships between resilience, self-compassion and mental health in Greek unemployed people and the contribution of specific sociodemographic characteristics in this ‘equation’.

The study followed a survey design where a sample of 345 Greek unemployed participants completed an online questionnaire, examining the variables under study.

According to the findings, people who reported being unemployed for more than six months showed decreased levels of mental health. Also, the unemployed with higher levels of resilience and self-compassion reported statistically significant higher levels of mental health and vice versa. Finally, self-compassion and psychological resilience were found to be statistically positive related to each other and are predictive factors of mental health with which they are statistically negative related.

The results of this study may contribute to the implementation of interventions aiming at improving mental health and the overall well-being of people affected by long-term unemployment.

No significant relationships.

Gynecomastia refers to the abnormal development of breast tissue in males, often posing a concerning symptom. Often, gynecomastia is associated with multiple factors, including the use of various drugs, notably certain atypical antipsychotics. Gynecomastia is a significant side effect that affects the quality of life of male patients taking antipsychotic medications. Among these, risperidone and paliperidone have been identified as the most prone to causing gynecomastia, although aripiprazole has garnered attention for its superior profile in controlling prolactin and gynecomastia. The relationship between these drugs and the development of gynecomastia lies in their ability to elevate prolactin levels, a hormone that regulates reproductive function and is involved in milk production. Several studies have shown that prolactin levels are more commonly elevated with risperidone and paliperidone prescription, thus triggering gynecomastia.

The study aims to investigate the management of gynecomastia in male patients receiving antipsychotic medications.

This research employs a retrospective analysis of patient records to examine the association between specific antipsychotic drugs, prolactin levels, and the development of gynecomastia, while also evaluating the effectiveness of aripiprazole as an alternative treatment.

We present the case of a 21-year-old male with no prior medical history who initiated treatment with oral paliperidone and later switched to 100 mg of long-acting injectable paliperidone once monthly during his initial admission for psychotic symptoms. After six months, he developed gynecomastia, which was ruled out as breast tissue and was determined to be an increase in adipose tissue. Since his hospital discharge, he has gained 25 kg (30%) in body weight, and his baseline prolactin level has decreased. This weight gain, a common side effect of several antipsychotics, was linked to gynecomastia. However, a promising approach for gynecomastia antipsychotic-associated treatment is aripiprazole, which has a milder impact on prolactin levels. In this case, during the next appointment, a switch to 400 mg of long-acting injectable aripiprazole once-monthly was made, which led to weight loss, a reduction in breast size and blood prolactin levels in the following weeks.

The detection and management of gynecomastia in these patients are crucial to improving their quality of life and treatment adherence. This management encompasses changes in medication, hormonal therapy, or surgery in severe cases. Physicians must be aware of this potential complication when prescribing antipsychotics and closely monitor at-risk patients. In summary, antipsychotic-associated gynecomastia in men represents a medical challenge that requires careful attention and an individualized treatment strategy for each affected patient.

None Declared

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by excessive and uncontrollable worry and anxiety about several activities or events. Although some cognitive symptoms are common in GAD patients, there are still controversial results from their linkage. Some studies indicate intact cognitive functions in GAD patients, while others suggest that anxiety and its cognitive aspect, worry, are associated with reduced performance in several cognitive domains.

To assess the linkage and contribution of cognitive impairment to the maintenance and severity of GAD; to determine which specific domains of cognitive function are impaired in patients with GAD; and to examine age differences regarding cognitive impairment in GAD patients

A systematic literature search was executed using the PubMed and Google Scholar databases from 1960 to 2023 and the keywords “generalized anxiety disorder”, “anxiety disorder” “cognitive function”, “cognitive dysfunction”, “cognitive impairment”, “late-life”, “young”, “adult”, and their combination.

Anxiety and worry, as main characteristics of GAD, were shown to be linked and manifested by deficient attentional control, a main function of working memory. Attentional control functions are biased toward threats, which, in turn, hinders cognitive processing efficiency. Moreover, several structural and electrophysiological impairments could be linked to cognitive dysfunction in people with GAD. For example, patients with GAD showed reductions in gray matter volumes, especially in the regions of the hip, midbrain, thalamus, insula and superior temporal gyrus. The hippocampus, middle cingulate gyrus, putamen and head of the caudate nucleus also showed lower activity in response to the neutral words. Also, GAD patients have better inhibitory control, which may be associated with more severe symptomatology. These results are consistent with attentional control theory, which posits that worry might negatively impinge on inhibition and set-shifting. In terms of age differences, we observed that GAD in elderly patients is associated with impairment of short-term and delayed memory. In young adults, GAD is associated with various cognitive impairments, particularly in selective attention, working memory, cognitive flexibility, planning ability or efficiency, and other executive functions (EF).

To sum up, we observed that GAD is associated with worse cognitive functioning in several domains. Further research into cognitive dysfunction in GAD is needed to better understand the impact on daily living and to allow more tailored treatment strategies including medication, therapy and interventions targeted to improve specific cognitive domains.

None Declared

According to UNICEF, 2 million children have left the country since the beginning of the war. 2.5 million Ukrainian children are internally displaced persons. Minors often become victims or witnesses of violence.

The events of 2022-2023 are the largest military conflict in the world since World War II. The impact on the mental health of the population is characterized by the variety and mass of traumatizing factors.

Mental trauma causes PTSD, depressive disorders (DD), anxiety disorders (AD), behavioral disorders (CD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of PTSD and its comorbidities at different stages of experiencing a traumatic experience.

785 teen`s displaced from the zone of military operations, occupied territories were surveyed. Examinations included: K-SADS-PL, PSC-17, SCARED, CATS. 260 teen`s were examined during - 6, 400 – 6–12 months after traumatization.

After 6 months of trauma, PTSD was diagnosed in 9.8%, ADHD – 10.2%, DD-22.3%, AD-30.8%, CD – 15.4%, 28.8%; examined 6 to 12 months after the injury, respectively: 21.9%, 12.6, 33.3%, 11.5%, 18.0%.

In war-affected children, PTSD is a risk factor for the subsequent development of comorbid depression, anxiety, conduct disorders, and ADHD. Female sex, secondary traumatization after displacement increase the risk of developing depression, signs of pervasive development and ADHD - the risk of destructive and self-injurious behavior. The prevalence of PTSD, DD, ADHD increases within 6-12 months after the trauma, the sensitivity of children with PTSD to secondary traumatic events increases.

None Declared

Heart failure is a progressive and unpredictable heart disease. How to work with these patients to decrease their psychological distress and promote their self-care behaviors is important. Transition care is the continuity of medical care for heart failure patients returning home from the hospital. Intervention through transition care may improve the continuity of medical care for patients with heart failure but it has not been examined in clinical settings in Taiwan.

The aims of this study were to explore the effects of a newly developed transition care program on depression, self-efficacy, and self-care behavior of heart failure patients.

Using an experimental research design and block randomization, participants were divided into the experimental group (received transition care and routine care) and the control group (received routine care only). The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), and the Self-Care of Heart Failure Index (SCHFI version 6.2) were used to collect data before discharge and the first month after discharge.

A total of 20 patients with heart failure were recruited. No significant differences were found between the experimental (n=10) and control groups (n=10) in the degree of depression (Z=-.077, p=.938), self-efficacy (Z=-1.214, p=.225), and three self-care behaviors subscales (self-care maintenance Z= -1.214, p=.225; self-care management Z= -.401, p=.689; self-care confidence Z=-.436, p=.663) at discharge. After the one-month posttest, only self-efficacy (Z=-2.545, p=.011) and three self-care behaviors subscales (self-care maintenance Z=-3.097, p=.002; self-care management Z= -2.595, p=.009; self-care confidence Z=-3.671, p<.001) reached a statistical difference between the two groups.

Based on the preliminary results, heart failure patients can improve their self-care behavior and self-efficacy but not depression through transitional care intervention.

None Declared

Despite its apparent efficacy in the treatment of a range of psychiatric disorders, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is viewed by some as a contentious treatment. Although most clinicians and researchers consider ECT a safe and effective treatment, there are ongoing and significantly publicised concerns about potential side effects.

To explore use of ECT across Scotland in a large naturalistic clinical sample across an 11-year period from 2009 to 2019. To consider the efficacy and side effects of ECT for a range of common psychiatric disorders including, depression, bipolar depression, schizophrenia, and mania.

Using data from the Scottish Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) Accreditation Network (SEAN), information was collected for all adults who had received ECT. Variables included age, sex, Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) quintile, International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition (ICD-10) diagnosis, indication for ECT, Mental Health Act status, consent status, entry and exit Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scores (MADRS), entry and exit Clinical Global Index Severity CGI-S) scores and reported side effects. Side effects were recorded as present if the side effect was reported at any point during the episode of treatment.

4826 ECT episodes were recorded. The majority of episodes were in women (68.4%, n=3,301). Average age at treatment onset was 58.52 years. Males were slightly younger (m=58.24 years vs f= 58.65 years, p= 0.20). Mean number of treatments/episode was 9.59 (95% CI 9.32 – 9.85). Mean treatment dose delivered was 277.75mC (95%CI 272.88 – 282.63mC).

2920 episodes of treatment had CGI-S entry and exit recorded. At entry, mean CGI-S indicated marked illness (5.03 95% CI 4.99-5.07). Recipients with schizophrenia had the highest CGI-S score (5.45 95% CI 5.21-5.60), followed by those with post-partum disorders (5.38, 95% CI 4.61-6.14). At exit, mean CGI scores indicated borderline illness (2.07, 95% CI 2.03-2.11), recipients diagnosed with mixed affective state had the lowest CGI-S score (1.72, 95% CI 0.99-2.47) followed by those with schizoaffective disorder (2.01, 95% CI 1.76-2.42).

Anaesthetic complications (n=34) and prolonged seizures (n=38) were rare, occurring in <1% of treatment episodes. Cardiovascular complications were reported in 2.2% (n= 102). Nausea was reported in 7.2% (n= 334) and muscle aches in 12% (n=560). Confusion was reported in 19% (n=879) and cognitive side effects were reported in 26.2% (n=1212). One third of treatment episodes reported confusion or cognitive side effects (33.1%, n=1545).

From this large naturalistic clinical sample, ECT appears to be effective in improving illness severity as measured by CGI-S score. While some side effects (such as prolonged seizures and cardiovascular complications) were rare, others (such as confusion or cognitive side effects) were relatively common.

None Declared