Altered DNA methylation in the FK506 binding protein 5 (FKBP5) gene has been shown to regulate stress response, which may serve as a biomarker of depression and a promising candidate for explaining sexual differences. However, there is no consistent conclusion so far.

The present study aimed to test the associations of FKBP5 DNA methylation with depressive symptoms and whether these associations were influenced by sex.

A nested case-control study comprising 87 cases and 151 controls was conducted in South China from January 2019 and December 2019. Peripheral blood for DNA extraction and DNA methylation analysis of FKBP5 gene promoter was collected, and severity of depressive symptoms was assessed at baseline and after one year follow-up.

Compared to healthy controls, lower methylation percentage of FKBP5-12 CpG 1 was observed in adolescents with depressive symptoms after adjusting covariates (case: 0.94 ± 2.00, control: 0.47 ± 0.92; F = 5.41, P = 0.021). In addition, hypomethylation of FKBP5 CpG sites was not an independent risk factor for depressive symptoms after adjustment for environmental stress factors (P > 0.05). No significant sex differences were found in the association of FKBP5 gene methylation with depressive symptoms.

Lower levels of FKBP5 methylation were found in adolescents with depressive symptoms. Our study supported that the epigenetic factors did not act alone in the development of depressive symptoms. Taken together, these findings contribute to a better understanding of complex mechanisms of gene-environment interactions involved in depression.

No significant relationships.

The strong comorbidity between depression and epilepsy is widely acknowledged. However, depression in epilepsy can manifest atypically, leading to its low detection rate and lack of access to treatment in patients with epilepsy

To study the specifics and pattern of depression in epilepsy for its timely diagnosis and therapy and to prevent suicide risk and improve the quality of life in patients with epilepsy

Clinical, statistical, psychometric. A total of 149 patients, mean age 45.0 ± 11.7 years, 74 males, 75 females, were examined

It was found that depression was manifested in 46.3% of patients before the onset of epileptic seizures, and in 20.8% of patients it developed after treatment with some AEDs. The incidence of symptoms characteristic of depression in epilepsy, such as unstable mood, irritability, euphoria, episodes of pain and sleep disturbances, and its’ impact on the quality of life in patients with epilepsy were analysed. Gender differences were identified for a range of symptoms

The authors expanded their understanding of the clinical specifics of depressive manifestations in patients with epilepsy to allow timely detection and medical and rehabilitative care for these patients

No significant relationships.

Major depressive disorder (MDD), especially in case of suicidal risk, is a psychiatric emergency, associated with high patient burden and healthcare resource utilization. Although active and urgent treatment is crucial, little is known on comprehensive care management of this condition in Italy.

Here we report the ARIANNA study [NCT04463108] interim results to primarily describe the treatment utilization pathways of patients with MDD and active suicidal ideation with intent in the current clinical practice in Italy.

This observational prospective cohort study included adult patients with a moderate-to-severe major depressive episode (MDE) and active suicidality from 24 Italian sites. Real-world data on patient characteristics, treatments, clinical outcomes, and healthcare utilization were collected during a 90-day follow-up. Data collection is still ongoing.

Sixty-four evaluable patients were considered for this interim analysis: 41 (64.1%) females, mean [SD] age 46.0 [15.4] years, a concomitant psychiatric diagnosis in 7 (10.9%), and other comorbidities in 26 (40.6%). The baseline mean [SD] MADRS total score was 37.5 [7.2], with severe MDE and prior suicidal behavior in 30 (46.9%) and 21 (32.8%) patients, respectively. Median [25th;75th percentiles] duration of current MDE was 1.1 [0.3;2.1] months. Acute inpatient hospitalization was provided for 43 (67.2%) patients. Antidepressant augmentation with mood stabilizers and/or antipsychotic drugs and optimization were the most frequent early standard-of-care treatment regimens in 32 (53.3%) and 24 (40.0%) patients with available data (N=60), respectively.

Our preliminary results suggest that initial treatment approaches in this critical population are mostly polypharmacological and delivered as inpatient care, with consequent intensive resource utilization.

The ARIANNA study was sponsored by Janssen-Cilag SpA, Italy. DD and MA are employees of Janssen-Cilag SpA. DA and BR are employees of MediNeos S.U.R.L., a company subject to the direction and coordination of IQVIA Solutions HQ Ltd.

Andedonia is one of the core symptoms of depression. It is known that in case of depressed individuals experiencing anhedonia, the classical antidepressants are often ineffective, thus investigation of this symptom would be essential. Recent studies highlight the possible role of the glutamatergic system in anhedonia however, the genetic background of these assumptions is still unclear.

Our goal was to investigate the possible associations between state-anhedonia and genetic variants from GRM5 (Glutamate Metabotropic Receptor 5) gene.

For our analysis we used data from the NewMood (New Molecules in Mood Disorders, LSHM-CT-2004-503474) project. Participants (n = 1820) aged between 18-60, were recruited in Budapest and in Manchester. All volunteers filled out mental-health questionnaires and provided DNA sample. Genotyping was performed by Illumina’s CoreExom PsychChip. Altogether 1282 variants from GRM5 gene survived the genetic quality control steps. State-anhedonia was measured with an item from the Brief Symptom Inventory questionnaire. We performed logistic regression using Plink 2.0. During our analyses, age, gender, population and the top10 principal components of the genome were added into the model as covariates. Correction for linkage-disequilibrium were performed with LDlink.

After the correction of linkage-disequilibrium, three independent variables (r2<0.2), (rs1827603, rs6483520, rs35669869) yielded significant (p<0.05) results, both in additive and in dominant model. In case of recessive model, only rs11020880 showed significant (p<0.05) effect.

The detected nominally significant associations between state-anhedonia and genetic variants from GRM5 gene strengthen previous assumptions about the possible relationship between glutamatergic system and anhedonia.

This study was supported by: MTA-SE Neuropsychopharmacology and Neurochemistry Research Group; 2017-1.2.1-NKP-2017-00002; KTIA_13_NAPA-II/14; KTIA_NAP_13-1-2013- 0001; KTIA_NAP_13-2- 2015-0001; 2020-4.1.1.-TKP2020 and 2019-2.1.7-ERA-NET-2020-00005 (TRAJEC

Opioid system activity was found disturbed in several reward circuit areas in restrictive anorexia nervosa (AN) patients but also at the pituitary level. The role of this specific abnormality in AN physiopathology remains unknown.O

We aimed to evaluate the relationship of upper mentioned AN abnormality with its classical pituitary features and eating behavior traits.

PET [11C] diprenorphin binding potential (BPND) were processed for each pituitary part in three groups of young women: 12 AN, 11 recovered AN patients (ANrec), and 12 Controls. Anterior pituitary hormones and neurohypophysis (NH) 12 points circadian profile including copeptin and oxytocin, psychological scores were evaluated in these subjects as well as in 13 bulimic (BN) patients.

[11C] diprenorphin pituitary binding was found to be fully localized in NH. Only AN patients’ NH present lower [11C] diprenorphin BPND than Controls, interpreted as a higher opioid tone. Both AN and ANrec show lower copeptin/24h than in Controls but no difference in oxytocin. BN showed increased copeptin and low oxytocin. In AN patients copeptin inversely correlate with Restrained Eating while oxytocin correlate with the External Eating score. NH [11C] diprenorphin BPND correlated with leptin but not with copeptin or oxytocin.

Neurohypopysis opioid tone in anorexia nervosa seem not to impact the vasopressin or oxytocin release but still may interfere in gonadal axis regulation. Copeptin, a good indicator of hydration state, may be a good tool to detect hidden restrictive or purging behaviors. Specific correlates with AN psychologic features still suggest a physiopathological involvement.

No significant relationships.

Eating disorders are widespread illnesses with significant impact. There is growing concern about how those at risk of eating disorders overuse online resources to their detriment.

We present systematically gathered and pooled quantitative evidence from our review and meta-analysis study which aimed to provide a quantitative synthesis of all available data linking problematic usage of the internet (PIU) and eating disorder and related psychopathology. We synthesize how PUI influences eating disorder and related psychopathology, and examine what the moderating parameters influencing this relationship are.

Our systematic review and meta-analysis protocol was pre-registered electronically in PROSPERO international register and included case-control studies using correlational statistics of association between internet use (various facets) and eating disorder psychopathology. Experimental and prospective studies are systematically reviewed separately.

The meta-analysis comprised n=32,295 participants, in which PUI was correlated with significant eating disorder general psychopathology Pearson r=0.22 (s.e.=0.04, p<0.001), body dissatisfaction r=0.16 (s.e.=0.02, p<0.001), drive-for-thinness r=0.16 (s.e.=0.04, p<0.001) and dietary restraint r = 0.18 (s.e.=0.03). Effects were not moderated by gender, PUI facet or study quality. Results are in support of PUI impacting on eating disorder symptoms; males may be equally vulnerable to these potential effects. Prospective and experimental studies in the field suggest that small but significant effects exist and may have accumulative influence over time and across all age groups.

Those findings are important to expand our understanding of PUI as a multifaceted concept and its impact on multiple levels of ascertainment of eating disorder and related psychopathology. Putative specific effects of PUI on EDs are discussed.

No significant relationships.

In some individuals, interest in healthy attitudes and behaviours towards food may show obsessive signs. Preoccupation with ‘healthful’ eating may contribute to orthorexia nervosa (ON) – a strong preoccupation with “healthy eating” manifested by the avoidance of all foods considered by the individual to be “unhealthy”.

The objective of the present study was to determine whether disordered eating behaviour, physical activity and self-esteem are predictors of ON in young adults.

Five hundred fifty-four Polish and Italian university students participated in the present study. Participants were asked to answer the Eating Habits Questionnaire, the Eating Attitudes Test, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale.

Our findings found that higher levels of concern about dieting and moderate-intensity physical activity were related to ON. Particularly, higher levels of concern about dieting, bulimic behaviour and thoughts about food and moderate-intensity physical activity predicted problems associated with healthy eating. Higher levels of concern about dieting, self-esteem as well as self-control of eating and perceived pressure from others to gain weight were associated with knowledge of healthy eating. Whereas, higher levels of concern about dieting with country factor (Poland) predicted feeling positively about healthy eating.

In ON treatment, reduction in symptoms and concerns characteristic of eating disorders and adequate levels of physical activity should be taken into consideration.

No significant relationships.

Research has shown that emotional suppression, a form of emotion regulation, is often used by individuals with disordered eating behaviour. Moreover, eating disorder symptomatology is associated with inappropriate eating behaviours (e.g. excessive consumption of high-calorie foods and comfort foods).

The objective of the present study was to investigate the differences in eating behaviour among adults with different levels of emotional suppression and eating disorder symptomatology.

Two hundred seventy adults (Mage = 29.44 ± 9.32) completed the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (eating behaviour), the Eating Attitudes Test (eating disorder symptomatology) and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (emotional suppression).

Three clusters were identified through cluster analysis: cluster 1 (N = 115) presenting low emotional suppression and low eating disorder symptomatology; cluster 2 (N = 43) presenting high emotional suppression and high eating disorder symptomatology and cluster 3 (N = 112) presenting high emotional suppression and low eating disorder symptomatology. Our results showed that individuals in cluster 2 had significantly greater levels of cognitive restraint, uncontrolled eating and emotional eating than individuals in clusters 1 and 3. Moreover, individuals in clusters 1 and 3 did not differ significantly in terms of any of the TFEQ subscales.

These preliminary findings may suggest that the tendency to persistently suppress emotions exacerbate disordered eating behaviour. Therefore, this factor together with symptoms of eating disorders should to be considered when planning prevention and intervention programs among adults presenting disordered eating behaviour.

No significant relationships.

Patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) show impaired decision-making ability, but it is still unclear if this is a trait marker, i.e. a stable endophenotype of AN, or a state parameter, i.e. being explained by present symptoms and associated comorbidity.

We aimed to determine whether decision-making impairment is an endophenotype of AN. We hypothesized that decision-making alteration would not respect the criteria of an endophenotype, and that these alterations would have a relationship with illness severity.

Ninety-one patients with acute AN (A-AN), 90 unaffected relatives (UR), 23 patients remitted from AN (R-AN) and 204 healthy controls (HC) underwent the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and psychometric assessments. Prospective Valence Learning model (PVL) was employed to distinguish the cognitive dimensions underlying the decision-making process. Performance at the IGT was compared between the four groups and then analysed according to clinical and psychometric variables.

Patients with A-AN scored worse than UR and HC at the IGT (p<.01). PVL-feedback sensitivity parameter was lower in patients with R-AN and A-AN than in the two other groups (p<.01) and PVL-loss aversion parameter was lower in A-AN than in UR and R-AN (p<.01). Decision-making style, in particular learning and loss aversion parameters, accounted for a significant part of variance of psychopathology in patients with AN (p<.01).

Impaired decision-making represents a state-associated, cognitive hallmark of AN. The aggravation of reward modulation along with illness progression may explain the persistence of symptoms despite their consequences on health. Reversal of decision-making impairment should not be limited by inherited vulnerability.

No significant relationships.

Anorexia nervosa is a disease that occurs mainly in adolescent and young girls and is expressed in a conscious, extremely persistent and purposeful desire to lose weight, often reaching severe cachexia with a possible fatal outcome.

Clinical and psychopathological analysis of eating disorders and modeling of clinical and dynamic patterns in terms of their association with depressive disorders, improving the criteria for nosological diagnosis, prognosis and therapy.

58 patients aged 15 to 25 years who were on outpatient and inpatient observation of the clinic were studied.

It was found that eating disorders are divided into 2 types. The first type is an overvalued eating disorder. In this category, the depressive state developed either during the course of the eating disorder or preceded its development. The second type is delusional eating disorder. In this type, the development of the depressive state did not depend on the eating disorder and proceeded independently of it. At each of these levels, three types of dynamics were identified: narrative type of dynamics (44%), implicit type (25%) and type of selective dissociation (22.4%).

Eating disorders in the structure of depression are heterogeneous and have different degrees of association with depressive symptoms and different variants of the dynamics of their course. The revealed patterns make it possible to formulate a clearer idea of the prognosis of the disease as a whole and to optimize the algorithms for the therapeutic intervention of these conditions.

No significant relationships.

Art-therapy (encompassing plastic arts, music, theather and writing) is a promising and acceptable management strategy of eating disorders (ED). It has the potential to improve well-being and therapeutic alliance, targeting psychological dimensions of ED, and dealing with difficulties of expression and rationalization of patients. Nevertheless, the efficacy of this approach is difficult to evaluate because of the lack of studies in this area.

We sought to provide an overview on the efficacy of art therapy in the management of ED, by a systematic review of all controlled trials using art therapy on patients with ED.

This systematic review included all controlled trials using art-therapy on a population of adolescent and adult patients with ED. The effect of art therapy on clinical indicators such as anthropometric variables, symptoms and dimensions of ED was evaluated.

Of the 1286 screened records, only four respected inclusion criteria. These four trials evaluated plastic art therapy, music therapy, writing therapy, and dance-movement therapy. A large number of bias and strong heterogeneity of inclusion criteria, techniques and variables prevented any attempt of quantitative synthesis. Music therapy appeared to have a significant effect on post-prandial anxiety, while dance-movement therapy showed an effect on body dissatisfaction.

The generalizability of the results found is weakened by the high heterogeneity of trials. Replication studies and a rigorous methodologies are necessary for more reliable conclusions. Art therapy could help improving some specific dimensions of ED.

No significant relationships.

Subjects with eating disorders (ED) show a high prevalence of childhood trauma.

Aim of the study is to evaluate the emotional, biological and behavioral responses to an experimental acute psychosocial stress in subjects with ED with or without childhood maltreatment. Secondary aim is to evaluate the effects of different traumatic experiences (physical and emotional).

48 women with ED completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). 29 participants (14 with Anorexia Nervosa [AN] and 15 with Bulimia Nervosa [BN]) reported an history of childhood maltreatment, while 19 (11 with AN and 8 with BN) did not. Cortisol levels, anxiety and hunger perceptions have been assessed in all participants throughout the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) as well as body dissatisfaction after stress exposure.

Subjects with childhood trauma showed higher emotional reactivity and body dissatisfaction and lower hunger throughout the TSST than those without childhood trauma. Higher cortisol levels were observed in patients with AN, regardless of the presence of childhood trauma, and in those with BN and history of emotional trauma. Emotional trauma was the childhood trauma explaining most of the observed differences.

Childhood trauma, especially emotional one, can lead to vulnerability to interpersonal stress in individuals with ED. The present study is the first that supports the “maltreated ecophenotype” hypothesis in subjects with ED through an experimental task and the evaluation of multiple levels of response. These data may provide new prospectives on the pathogenetic mechanisms of ED and novel therapeutic implications.

No significant relationships.

Bulimia Nervosa (BN) is a debilitating eating disorder characterized by binging and purging episodes generally accompanied by excessive concern with body weight and shape as well as body image disturbance. BN and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) may co-occur. In fact, studies estimate that one quarter to one third of patients with BN also meet criteria for BPD. However not much is known about the relationship between these two diseases. Nevertheless, the high comorbidity rate might not be surprising as both BN and BPD may share interacting aetiologies and common core symptoms such as impulsivity and emotional instability. So far, only very little is known about the clinical presentation of patients with both BN and BPD and their response to treatment.

Literature review on BN and comorbid BPD. An illustrative clinical case is presented.

Case report and non-systematic review of the literature - sources obtained through search on Pubmed.gov database.

Female, 19-year-old, student, lived with her mother and stepfather. Developed a poor relationship with her body image due to dental problems during high school. The patient started to binge eat, exhibit compensatory behaviors, restrictive eating pattern, body dissatisfaction and emotional instability while maintaining a normal BMI. Over the last year, she started a self-destructive behavior with slight improvement of BN symptoms.

Special attention should be given to patients suffering from BN and comorbid BPD as they present greater risk of recurrent suicide attempts and non-suicidal self-injury, as well as lower rates of remission. Early interventions that target impulsivity and problematic eating behavior may mitigate risk of future borderline personality features.

No significant relationships.

Genome-wide association studies revealed that polymorphisms located within non-coding regions significantly contribute to the genetic architecture of schizophrenia. Such regions may affect the expression of tens and hundreds of neuronal genes. Epigenetic CRISPR editors help to elucidate the causative polymorphisms. However, efficient CRISPR-repressors are highly toxic to neuronal cells, and their activity rapidly declines with time after transfection due to plasmid silencing. Therefore, less toxic, effective, and long-acting epigenetic CRISPR instruments are required to advance schizophrenia genetic research.

We aimed at creating a less toxic and effective CRISPR-repressor for the investigation of schizophrenia-risk genes.

Plasmids were obtained used standard molecular cloning techniques and lipofected into the SH-SY5Y cell line. Cells were cultured using standard conditions and techniques. Cell viability and GFP-reporter fluorescence were observed using a fluorescent microscope.

We obtained a set of plasmids encoding dCas9-KRAB-MeCP2 repressor under the control of different promoters (hEF1a, hPGK1, mPGK1, hSYN2, synthetic TRE). Non-toxic expression of the CRISPR-repressor was achieved using tetracyclin controllable TRE promoter. Moreover, the Epstein-Barr virus origin of replication (oriP) and its regulator EBNA were introduced to make the self-replicating plasmid. High activity of CRISPR-repressor was confirmed on a schizophrenia-risk gene DDC encoding L-DOPA decarboxylase catalyzing the last step of dopamine biosynthesis.

We have created a plasmid encoding the non-toxic and effective CRISPR repressor encoded by a self-replicating plasmid. The study was supported by the grant from the Russian Science Foundation №21-15-00124, https://rscf.ru/project/21-15-00124/.

No significant relationships.

Tendency to experience inaccurate beliefs alongside perceptual anomalies constitutes positive schizotypal traits in the general population and shows continuity with the positive symptoms of schizophrenia. It has been hypothesized that the positive symptomatology of schizophrenia, and by extension, positive schizotypy, are associated with specific alterations in memory functions. Imbalance between memory generalization and episodic memory specificity has been proposed on several counts; however, the direction of the imbalance is currently unclear.

We aimed to contrast two competing hypotheses regarding the association between positive schizotypy, and memory alterations in a general population sample (N=71) enriched for positive schizotypy from a larger pool of individuals (N=614).

Positive schizotypy was measured with the short-version of the O-LIFE questionnaire, and memory specificity and generalization was captured by the well-established Mnemonic Similarity Task.

Distortions in the behavioural memory performance indices were found to correlate with positive schizotypy: individuals prone to unusual experiences demonstrated increased discrimination and reduced generalization (explaining 10% and 17% of variance, respectively). Associations were robust when controlled for the disorganized, negative and impulsive-asocial dimensions of schizotypy and associated psychopathology.

Our findings show that people who are prone to irrational beliefs and unusual experiences also show measurable alterations in memory and likely have difficulty grasping the global picture and rather be overpowered by fragments of information.

No significant relationships.

The response to antipsychotic treatment in patients with schizophrenia varies from 14 to 34% in first episodes, and from 45 to 61% in more chronic patients. Nevertheless, the concept of treatment resistant schizophrenia (TRS) is still a matter of great controversy. Recently, an international group of experts has developed the TRRIP criteria to define treatment resistant schizophrenia (TRS), including an ultra-resistance category for clozapine resistant patients. Up till now, there is a scarcity of epidemiological data of TRS with TRRIP criteria.

This study attempts to identify the population diagnosed of schizophrenia that fulfils the minima TRRIP criteria for TRS in our mental health catchment area.

A descriptive and retrospective study has been developed on the patients diagnosed of schizophrenia (ICD.10, F.20) in the catchment area of the Mental Health Service at Jerez Hospital between 2018 and 2019. TRRIP criteria were applied for two independent researchers and, in case of disagreement, consensus was reached by using the LEAD procedure.

The total number of ICD-10 schizophrenic patients identified was 590, from a population of 456.752 in 2019. A group of these, 206 patients (35%) qualified as TRS according to the minima TRRIP criteria, 50% were positive subtype and the rest the negative one. 46.8% were treated with clozapine.

Consensus criteria of TRS minimise the heterogeneity of epidemiological data in literature. Our data suggest a prevalence rate of TRS lower than that of similar studies. Accordingly, a comprehensive understanding of this population would undoubtedly contribute to improve preventive and therapeutic strategies.

No significant relationships.

Magnocellular deficit in visual perception and impaired emotion recognition are core features of schizophrenia, however their relationship and the neurobiological underpinnings are still unclear.

The aim of our research was to investigate the oscillatory background of perception and emotion recognition in schizophrenia and to examine the relationship between these processes.

Thirty-nine subjects with schizophrenia and forty healthy controls subjects were enrolled in the study; the two study groups did not differ in age, gender and education. In the visual paradigm the participants viewed magnocellular biased low-spatial frequency (LSF) and parvocellular biased high-spatial frequency (HSF) Gabor-patches and in the second paradigm happy, sad and neutral faces were presented, while 128-channel EEG was recorded.

Significantly weaker theta (4-7 Hz) event related synchronisation (ERS) was observed in patients compared to controls in the LSF condition, whereas in the HSF condition there was no difference between the two groups. Event related changes in theta amplitude were also found to be significantly weaker in patients compared to healthy controls in the emotion recognition task, which difference was disappeared after correction for ERS to LSF condition. In the correlational analysis theta activity in the magnocellular biased stimuli correlated significantly with theta activity in the emotion recognition task, while theta to parvocellular biased stimuli showed no similar correlation with emotion recognition.

In schizophrenia, emotion recognition impairments are closely related to the dysfunction of the magnocellular system, which supports the bottom-up model of schizophrenia.

No significant relationships.

Our series of studies in the spectrum of psychosis (schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, schizoaffective disorder) is based on the concept of the RDoC system.

In this study, we were interested in knowing whether cross-diagnostic disturbances in cognitive functions can be found in the spectrum and whether they predict clinical symptoms.

In the study, N = 66 schizophrenic (M = 38.2 ± 9.37 years, 26 women), N = 30 bipolar (M = 47.4 ± 9.35 years, 19 women), N = 33 schizoaffective (M = 39.8 years± 11.3 years, 21 women) and N = 28 healthy subjects (M = 36.5 ± 9.9 years, 14 women) participated. All subjects underwent the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Raven Test, Digit Span Test, Visual Patterns Test, Letter and Semantic Fluency tests, Metaphor and Irony Comprehension, Directed Forgetting, Stop Signal Test, and Lexical Decision Task. In addition, symptom rating scales were administered (PANSS, SANS, YMRS, MADRS).

Based on our results, the performance of the WCST-deficient group lagged behind the WCST-non-deficient group and the healthy control group in most executive control tests. Importantly, this effect was independent of diagnosis, so it appeared in all three patient groups. Members of the deficit group had a higher rate of negative symptoms.

Disruption of executive functions is a transdiagnostic feature of the schizophrenia-bipolar spectrum, which could be associated with any diagnosis.

No significant relationships.

Following the mentalization of interpersonal relations can be improved through reading for which the influence of literary fiction can also serve as a model. Schizophrenia is characterized by extensive deficits in mentalization, and the amelioration of these impairments is a major focus in psychosocial treatment research. Reading literature can be a potential tool in improving mentalizing skills.

We aimed to examine and compare healthy participants with patients living with schizophrenia, focusing on measuring mentalizing skills and the impact of reading literary fiction on their mentalization skills.

47 persons with schizophrenia in remission and 48 healthy controls were assessed and compared with Short Story Task (SST) a new measurement of ToM. SST proved to be a sensitive tool, to individual differences. After reading the short story “The End of Something” (Hemingway) a structured interview was done with 14 questions.

We found that patients with schizophrenia performed significantly worse in their ToM scores compared to healthy controls (ANOVA test, p<0,05 ). Previous reading experiences correlated significantly with mentalizing scores not just in healthy controls (Independent Samples T-test, p<0,05) but also in patients with schizophrenia. ToM scores were twice as high among those who had prior reading experiences in the schizophrenia group ((MS= 3,91, SD=3,166, M=8,08, SD=4,542; p<0,05, t=-3,509).

We found that mentalization skills could be improved by regular reading. Our results could also be influenced by several other factors such as empathy skills, identification with the characters etc. Our results and conclusions are in line with the results of international research on this topic.

No significant relationships.

Schizophrenia spectrum disorders are among the most debilitating mental disorders and evidence on its pathophysiological underpinnings is scant. The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) appears to be involved in the pathophysiology of these complex psychiatric disorders.

The present study investigates the longitudinal variation of serum BDNF levels in a 24-month observational cohort study of Sardinian psychotic patients (LABSP). This study assessed the variation in BDNF serum levels and its relationship with psychopathological and cognitive changes. Further, we also examined if genetic variations within the BDNF gene could moderate these relationships.

Every six months 105 LABSP patients were assessed for their BDNF serum levels, as well as for a series of psychopathological, cognitive, and drug-related measures. Four tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the BDNF gene were selected and analyzed using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Longitudinal data were analyzed using mixed-effects linear regression models (MLRM).

Analysis showed significantly lower peripheral BDNF levels in psychotic patients with depressive and negative symptoms. BDNF levels were also decreased in patients scoring lower in cognitive measures such as symbol coding and semantic fluency. In addition, Val66Met polymorphism within the BDNF gene significantly moderated the relationship between the severity of negative symptoms and BDNF levels.

Our findings are consistent with previous literature suggesting that peripheral BDNF levels are associated with some cognitive domains and mood disruption in major psychosis. The results also suggest the lack of association between most BDNF genetic variants, except Val66Met polymorphism, with the severity of negative symptoms.

No significant relationships.