he present study investigates irritable bowel syndrome in mental health professionals and the characteristics of psychosocial factors that affect this.

The present study selected an irritable bowel syndrome group among 291 mental health professionals based on the Rome III criteria, and investigated demographic variables. The Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS), Psychosocial Well-being Index (PWI), and Korean Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS) were used to evaluate psychosocial factors. An independent t-test and chi-square test were used to determine differences between the groups, and a logistic regression analysis was used to determine the odds ratio (OR) of IBS based on occupational stress. SPSS 21.0 (IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 21.0) was utilized for all statistics.

Differences in demographic variables based on IBS group were not statistically significant. Depressive symptoms (t = -4.767, p<0.001) and anxiety (t = -4.068, p<0.001) were higher in the IBS group, and psychosocial well-being was lower (t = 2.288, p<0.05). The OR of IBS based on depressive symptoms was 5.737 (95% CI = 2.24–14.69). There were significant differences in occupational stress based on IBS within the subordinate domains of physical environment (t = -3.160, p<0.01), job demand (t = -3.273, p<0.01), interpersonal conflict (t = -2.295, p<0.05), job security (t = -3.005, p<0.01), and lack of reward (t = -2.046, p<0.05). The OR of IBS based on the subordinate domains of occupational stress was 3.708 (95% CI = 1.20-11.41) in physical environment, and 3.759 (95% CI = 1.33-10.56) in job demand.

The results of the present study verify that psychosocial factors in mental health professionals have a close correlation with IBS. Accordingly, improvements in both IBS symptoms and quality of life should occur through proactive intervention in these variables.

None Declared

During adolescence the brain is dynamically changing. Destabilization and acceleration of the normal adolescent synaptic pruning process is likely a contributing factor to the neuropathology of schizophrenia. Details on whether normal pruning effects weaker synapses more or uniformly all synapses with different strengths, needs to be further evaluated. Widespread impairment in structural connectivity in schizophrenic patients involving several cortical and subcortical areas, has been previously described. In this computational study, we investigated a stochastic percolation process in interdependent networks, motivated by pathological synaptic pruning. We examined preferential decay in the connectivity decremental process, as well as differential pruning in interconnected subnetworks. Finally, the speed of the percolation process, as well as the potential for pharmacological interventions of percolation in random networks was explored. Statistical structural properties of decaying networks pinpointed several network attributes which the disintegration and phase transitions qualitatively depended on.

The following objectives were explored: 1.) Apart from a random percolation process, we investigated preferential decay of the connections. We introduced different percolation rules for various connection types. 2.) Based on previous experimental results, we assumed that different interconnected neural subpopulations prune differently, therefore we explored differential pruning process in the subnetworks. 3.) The speed of the percolation was studied and the pharmacological synaptic connectivity change was also analyzed.

We considered two inter-connected randomly connected networks, where the connections were removed during the percolation process. Simulations were partially performed using Octave on a Lenovo Thinkpad running the Linux operating system and partially performed on a supercomputer at UPPMAX (NAISS Small Compute 2023 Dnr: NAISS 2023/22-102).

We found that the coupled network system shows rich percolation behaviors with phase transitions for various coupling strength and coupling patterns. The phase transitions of both layers are altered qualitatively between discontinuous, mixed and continuous. Recursively developing percolation in interdependent networks can cause complete fragmentation of these networks, resulting in cascadic failure which might be related to schizophrenia symptoms.

This computational study analyzes the pruning-mediated percolation in interdependent neural networks. Consequences of the pathological overpruning were related to the attributes of the interdependent network properties. Implications for schizophrenia development and predictions for compensatorial iatrogenic percolation was also pinpointed and discussed.

None Declared

The study aims to explore the utility of BDNF Val66Met polymorphism as a potential biomarker in Indian bipolar disorder patients and its correlation with clinical characteristics.

Genotyping Val66Met in BDNF gene

Exploring its association with bipolar disorder (BD).

150 consenting BD patients and matched controls were recruited using a case-control study design. BD severity was assessed using Young’s mania rating scale and the Clinical Global Impression - Severity (CGI-S) scale. BDNF Val66Met polymorphism was identified through real-time PCR after DNA extraction. Data was tested for normal distribution. Genotype frequencies between two groups were compared and the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium assumptions were tested using Chi-Square tests. Clinical-genotypic associations were explored using the Kruskal-Wallis test and confirmed using hierarchical regression.

Our sample had more males (60%) than females (40%) with mean age of 35.05 years. Most patients had established bipolar disorder and were severely ill (CGI: 38.75, YMRS). Val66Met SNP genotype frequency differed significantly between cases and controls. Val66Val genotype and Val allele were higher in cases. Results consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.Table 1.

Genotype frequencies of BDNF (rs6265) in cases and controls

Our study found that Val66Val genotype and Val allele were higher in cases and could be a potential biomarker for bipolar disorder (BD), which is consistent with previous research conducted on the European population. However, further investigations are required to gain a more comprehensive understanding of its impact on BD, including its association with serum BDNF levels, treatment outcomes, and a more diverse study population.

None Declared

Several changes to the classification of mental disorders have been made during the past half century to increase the reliability, clinical use and validity of the diagnostic classification. Despite the high expansion of knowledge about mental disorders, understanding of their components and processes still requires fine-tuning. This symposium identifies key issues on different classification systems with different purposes relevant to understanding and classifying mental disorders. We discuss how key issues such as ICD-11, RDoC or Biomarkers correspond or diverge because of their different purposes, and constituencies. Although these approaches have varying degrees of overlap and distinguishing features, they share the goal of reducing the burden of suffering due to mental disorder.

None Declared

The high level of psycho-emotional stress today significantly increases the moral burden on the mental health of medical workers. One of the most vulnerable groups of medical specialists in Ukraine are foreign resident doctors. Since in Ukraine this contingent of doctors is faced with extraordinary problems of high psycho-emotional stress, such as COVID-19 around the world and the russian war against Ukraine. Raising the issue of resident doctors, the main issue becomes not only their professional identity, but also the formation of the necessary stress resistance in different conditions of professional activity.

To study the level of tolerance to stress and uncertainty among foreign resident doctors in unusual conditions of performing professional duties.

The examination included the use of clinical-psychological, psychodiagnostic and psychometric research methods.

As of the beginning of 2020, 395 foreigners were studying. During the first phase of the pandemic, 118 foreigners left Ukraine. By the beginning of 2022 (before the full-scale war), 302 medical residents were trained. As of the beginning of 2023, 167 doctors are studying, of which only 61 people are on the territory of Ukraine.

The primary analysis of the clinical-psychological study showed that the most common complaints among foreign resident doctors are: increased levels of feelings of tension (in 75,4%), decreased motivation for activity (73,2%), anxious (72,7%) and depressive symptoms (69,3%), frequent headaches (68.6%), constant feelings of irritation (65,4%), manifestations of aggression in relation to colleagues (63,9%) and patients(61,4%), a feeling of fear for the future (60,1%), conflicts in the family (59,5%).

The study of factors that influence the increase in the level of stress among foreign resident doctors were sorted according to the principle of ordinary and extraordinary. Ordinary stress factors include: the nature of the specialty, the conditions of professional activity, a foreign country, relationships in the team. Extraordinary factors include new working conditions (professional challenges of COVID-19, war on the territory of Ukraine), increased risks of responsibility for the patient’s life (search for a treatment solution against the background of COVID-19), nature of assistance (providing assistance due to combat injuries).

At the end of the study, a comprehensive program will be created for the early detection of signs of adaptation disorder, which will be aimed at reducing emotional distress, tension in the learning process, support in the first years of training for medical residents.

None Declared

• - Introduce the topic of the continuity of psychoses and its relevance in contemporary psychiatry.

• - Present authors as Henry EY, Jim van Os and Germán Berrios as key figures in the discussion on this topic, highlighting Ey, Dr. Jim van Os’s significant contributions to the understanding of the continuum of psychosis, Germán Berrios’s historical and cultural perspectives, and the importance of Bartolomé Llopis’s critical viewpoint. We also review the evolutionary approach about mental disorders as a keypoint in this discussion.

Analyzing and comparing the theses of Jim van Os, Ey, Germán Berrios, and Bartolomé Llopis’s critical perspective. about the continuum of the psychosis and the importance of this neverending question for its use in the clinical practice.

I will present a detailed literature review and a textual analysis of their writings.

• - Provide a brief description of Jim van Os’s theses highlighting his key ideas:

• - Dimensional Approach: promotes a dimensional approach to understanding psychosis, viewing psychotic experiences as continuous variables rather than categorical entities. This challenges the traditional diagnostic system.

• - Psychotic-Like Experiences: His research focuses on “psychotic-like experiences” (PLEs) in non-clinical populations, including mild hallucinations or paranoid thoughts.

• - Transdiagnostic Perspective: His work contributes to a transdiagnostic perspective, suggesting flexibility in diagnostic boundaries in psychiatry.

• - Next, introduce Germán Berrios’s theses on the same topic, emphasizing his historical and cultural perspectives and recognition of individual variability.

• - Finally, introduce Bartolomé Llopis’s critical perspective:

• - Llopis criticizes simplistic models of psychosis, arguing that they fail to capture the complexity of individual experiences.

• - He advocates for comprehensive assessments that consider not only symptomatology but also the unique contexts and histories of individuals.

• - While Ramón y Cajal is best known for his contributions to neuroscience and neuroanatomy, he did not directly apply Darwinian principles to his work in those fields. However He believed that an understanding of the evolutionary history of the brain and nervous system could provide valuable insights into their structure and function.

• - Highlight the potential for a more comprehensive and holistic approach to understanding and addressing psychotic experiences within an evolutionary context.

• - The relationship between the continuum of psychosis and evolutionism is a complex and multifaceted topic. It involves exploring how the concept of the continuum of psychosis, which suggests that psychotic experiences exist on a spectrum in the general population, may relate to evolutionary theories and perspectives on mental health. We will explain some key points to consider about this and the main psychiatrists whicha dealt with this question.

None Declared

Bipolar disorder is a severe and chronic mental pathology, with an estimated prevalence of 1% in the general population. It is a complex pathology, encompassing a wide variety of severe and contradictory symptoms, with harmful repercussions on the patient’s personal, emotional, social, professional and conjugal life, precipitating relapse. By improving our knowledge of bipolar disorder, we can support and accompany patients, helping them to understand their illness, to be able to manage it, to resolve the problems that may arise from it, and to prevent relapses and the occurrence of further episodes.

The aim of our work is to explore maladaptive early patterns in people with bipolar disorder in the intercritical period in relation to their symptomatology and functional disability, given that consideration of maladaptive early patterns (IAPs) could lead to better identification, understanding and management of bipolar disorder.

We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study. The sample in our study consisted of 40 bipolar adults and 40 control adults, recruited from the various inpatient and outpatient departments of our hospital. They were all university graduates, aged between 20 and 60, followed for at least 06 months and stabilized on treatment. After collecting the various socio-demographic and clinical data, we used the Young schema questionnaire-short form (YSQ-S1).

Our study sample seemed to be characterized by certain specificities: high “self-sacrifice”, “high demands” and “exaggerated personal rights”. Feelings of dependence and incompetence were also high among our patients, especially those with type I bipolar disorder, leading to a marked decline in self-esteem and autonomy.

The data we have retained from this work show us the importance of drug, psychotherapeutic and family management in achieving thymic stability and psychological and relational well-being.

None Declared

The sudden emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a compulsory shift to distance learning due to school closures. Consequently, all educational courses were delivered virtually. To facilitate this transition for students and educators, the Ministry of Education implemented digital learning platforms, such as Taalim.ma and TelmidTice. Furthermore, the Broadcasting and Television National Company reorganized its television channels to maintain continuity throughout the academic year. As a result, trainee teachers have effectively shifted to distance learning, using resources such as e-Takwine, MOOC classes, and digital classrooms.

This study examines the factors that cause discomfort among trainee teachers and evaluates their influence on satisfaction with distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We conducted a descriptive study with 370 Moroccan trainee teachers, with a mean age of 28.30 ± 5.99 years. We collected data using a self-administered questionnaire that was divided into three sections. The initial section examined sociodemographic and professional factors, including gender, age, marital status, academic level, and training cycle. The subsequent section focuses on discomfort-inducing factors, including living arrangements during lockdown, digital skills, material availability, network connectivity, and training schedules. Finally, the concluding section analyzes the trainees’ satisfaction and perceptions within their learning community.

The study indicated that 75% of trainee teachers lived in homes with four to seven residents, leading to confined living arrangements. Furthermore, 55% of the participants did not have a designated workspace for studying, focusing, or engaging with instructors. Participants identified various obstacles to online learning, including 80% lacking digital skills, 60% having insufficient equipment, 73.33% experiencing connection and network issues, 78.33% being unfamiliar with online learning, and 68.33% facing an unsuitable training schedule. The study indicates a positive correlation between trainee satisfaction and engagement (r = 0.422, p< 0.001).

The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated online education as a crucial resource for ensuring the continuity of education. This study highlights the paramount significance of developing effective e-training policies to direct novice teachers toward successful online learning by alleviating their discomfort factors.

None Declared

Early-onset dementia (EOD) is defined as any type of dementia with an onset before the age of 65. Despite its profound impact on patients and their families, EOD has garnered less attention when compared to late-onset dementia (LOD), often resulting in its underestimation. In comparison to LOD, EOD commonly manifests with atypical and heterogeneous symptoms, encompassing mainly non-memory problems, ranging from language and executive impairments to behavioral-led dysfunction. Despite the importance of accurate data to organize appropriate healthcare, evidence regarding EOD patients in Portugal is lacking.

The primary aims of this study include identifying the causes for hospitalization in EOD patients, diagnosed with dementia either as a primary or secondary diagnosis, and comparing them with inpatients aged 65 and older (LOD). Additionally, the study aims to analyze key hospitalization outcomes for both groups, including length of stay, in-hospital mortality, and readmissions. As a secondary aim, this study seeks to describe subtypes of EOD.

A retrospective observational study will be conducted following the RECORD statement. Data will be retrieved from an administrative database that gathers de-identified routinely collected hospitalization data from all Portuguese mainland public hospitals. Hospitalization episodes of inpatients younger than 65 years old, with a primary or secondary diagnosis of dementia (ascertained by ICD-9-CM codes 290.0-290.4, 294.0-294.2, 331.0, 331.1, and 331.82), will be extracted. Comparison patients will be selected by propensity score-matching from inpatients over 65 years with a dementia ICD-9-CM code (in any position), matched for Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI).

Descriptive and analytical statistics will be conducted to describe and characterize both group of inpatients. Variables such as age at admission, sex, place of residence, causes and type of admission, psychiatric comorbidities, length of stay (LoS), destination after discharge, readmissions, in-hospital mortality and hospital charges will be analyzed.

With this nationwide analysis of EOD hospitalizations, we aim to reveal critical aspects of this condition, including common causes of admission, diagnostic features and health outcomes, allowing for appropriate medical interventions and support tailored to the specific needs of this clinical group.

None Declared

The prognostic prediction of outcomes in individuals at clinical high-risk for psychosis (CHR-P) is still a significant clinical challenge. Among multiple baseline variables of risk calculator models, the role of ongoing pharmacological medications has been partially neglected, despite meta-analytical evidence of higher risk of psychosis transition associated with baseline prescription exposure to antipsychotics (AP) in CHR-P individuals. In particular, baseline AP exposure in CHR-P individuals may be considered as a functional equivalent of the psychometric transition to psychosis, as already postulated in the original ‘Ultra High-Risk’ model.

The main aim of the current study was to test the hypothesis that ongoing AP need at baseline indexes a subgroup of CHR-P individuals with more severe psychopathology and worse prognostic trajectories along a 1-year follow-up period.

This research was settled within the ‘Parma At-Risk Mental States’ program. Baseline and 1-year follow-up assessment included the Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF). CHR-P individuals who were taking AP medications at entry were included in the CHR-P-AP+ subgroup. The remaining participants were grouped as CHR-P-AP-. The acquisition of drug and outcome information was collected both at baseline and across the follow-up period. Finally, logistic regression analyses with dichotomized 1-year outcome parameters (previously showing statistically significant differences in inter-group comparisons) as dependent measures and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics as independent variables were also performed.

Hundred and seventy-eight CHR-P individuals (aged 12–25 years) were enrolled (91 CHR-P-AP+, 87 CHR-P-AP-). Compared to CHR-P AP-, CHR-P AP+ individuals had older age, greater baseline PANSS ‘Positive Symptoms’ and ‘Negative Symptoms’ factor subscores and a lower GAF score. At the end of our follow-up, CHR-P-AP+ subjects showed higher rates of psychosis transition, new hospitalizations and urgent/non-planned visits compared to CHRP- AP- individuals.

The current study suggests that AP need is a significant prognostic variable in cohorts of CHR-P individuals and should be included in the current risk calculators. In particular, the results of this study conducted in a realworld clinical setting indicate that the rate of CHR-P individuals who were already exposed to AP at the time of CHR-P status ascription was higher than those reported in recent meta-analyses on this topic. Moreover, our findings confirm that baseline AP prescription appears to increase psychotic transition risk.

None Declared

Anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental illnesses, and a consistent increase was observed after the COVID-19 pandemic. Mindfulness refers to a process that leads to a mental state characterized by nonjudgmental awareness of the present experience. Mindfulness can be considered both a skill and a practice. The stronger is the ability to adopt a mindful state, the less suffering one will experience. While Mindfulness-based Psychotherapies have shown efficacy in their treatment, they have not yet been thoroughly studied in Italian public mental health services. In Detached Mindfulness, negative thoughts are acknowledged and avoided by turning them into actions using a standardized, time-limited, metacognitive intervention.

The purpose of this study is to examine the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of Detachment Mindfulness for twelve patients with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) not being treated pharmacologically.

We enrolled 12 patients diagnosed with GAD according to DSM-V in an 8-session program of Detached Mindfulness Psychotherapy (once a week). The Generalized Anxiety Disorder - 7 Scale (GAD-7) and the Kellner Symptom Questionnaire (SQ) were used to assess anxiety symptoms at baseline (T0), after 4 sessions (T1), and at the end of treatment (T2). The Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8) was used to assess treatment satisfaction.

The GAD-7 score showed consistent reductions in generalized anxiety symptoms after Detached Mindfulness treatment (mean decrease of -42% at the end of the program). As measured by SQ, patients also reported improvement in physical well-being, relaxation, and somatic symptoms significantly respect to baseline. As for treatment satisfaction, ten out of twelve patients rated their treatment as satisfactory. As reported by patients, mindfulness can become a powerful and effective means to relate to one’s own internal experiences such as anxiety or fear, learning to recognize them, staying with them and avoiding their consequences.

These results showed that detached mindfulness was an effective and cost-effective intervention for GAD, given the short amount of time it requires and the ease with which it can be implemented. For its extensive use in the public mental health system to be further supported, studies on larger populations are needed.

None Declared

Fat plays an important role in brain function; 60% of the brain’s dry weight is fat. Among fats, omega-3 fatty acids, which are long-chain fatty acids, have been reported to reduce depressive symptoms. On the other hand, there are few studies on short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and those that do exist are mostly animal studies, with only a few human studies (about 100 cases). This is the first study to examine the association between fecal short-chain fatty acids and depressive symptoms on a large scale in the general population.

We examined the association of fecal SCFAs with depressive symptoms. In addition, we analyzed the associations stratified by age and examined differences in the associations.

This study was conducted using data from the Dynamics of Lifestyle and Neighborhood Community on Health Study (DOSANCO Health Study). The target population was all residents of the city of Suttu, Hokkaido, Japan, excluding residents of special nursing homes (n=2638). 579 individuals (22% of the target population) aged 18 years and older who were able to measure fecal SCFA participated in this study with written informed consent. Approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of Hokkaido University School of Medicine (15-002 and 15-045). Fecal SCFA was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. We examined the association of fecal concentrations of SCFA subtypes (i.e., acetate, butyrate, and propionate) and total SCFA concentrations (mg/g wet weight as a continuous variable) with total Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores using multiple regression analysis. We adjusted for age, sex, habitual exercise, total energy intake, and total dietary fiber intake. We performed additional multiple regression analyses with stratification by age group (18-59 years and 60 years or older). Two-tailed tests were used for all analyses with a significance level of P < 0.05.

The mean age (standard deviation) of the study participants (n=534) was 58.3 (16.0) years. Among them, 48% were 18-59 years old and 54% were female. Fecal propionate concentration was significantly associated with total PHQ-9 score (beta=0.62, p<0.01). Other SCFAs and total SCFA were not significantly associated with total PHQ-9 score. In addition, using stratification analyses by age group, the associations between fecal propionate concentration and total PHQ-9 score showed a different trend by age group (beta=0.18, p=0.62 for 18-59 years; beta=0.80, p<0.01 for 60 years or older).

The study showed an association between higher concentrations of fecal propionic acid and higher levels of depressive symptoms. The association was particularly pronounced in older people, those aged 60 years and older. The results suggest that improving dietary habits to reduce fecal propionic acid may be effective in preventing depression in the elderly.

R. Okubo Shareolder of: None, Grant / Research support from: A Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (No. 22K17844), Consultant of: None, Employee of: None, Paid Instructor of: None, Speakers bureau of: Speakers bureau from Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, R. Yamamura: None Declared, S. Ishikawa: None Declared, T. Kimura: None Declared, S. Ukawa: None Declared, K. Nakamura: None Declared, A. Tamakoshi: None Declared

Whether material deprivation-related childhood socio-economic disadvantages (CSD) and care-related adverse childhood experiences (ACE) have different impacts on depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older people is unclear.

In the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study, CSD and ACE were assessed by 7 and 5 culturally sensitive questions, respectively, on 8,716 participants aged 50+. Depressive symptoms were measured by 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Multivariable linear regression, stratification analyses, and mediation analyses were done.

Higher CSD and ACE scores were associated with higher GDS score in dose-response manner (P for trend <0.001). Participants with one point increment in CSD and ACE had higher GDS score by 0.11 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.09–0.14) and 0.41 (95% CI, 0.35–0.47), respectively. The association of CSD with GDS score was significant in women only (P for sex interaction <0.001; women: β (95% CI)=0.14 (0.11–0.17), men: 0.04 (−0.01 to 0.08)). The association between ACE and GDS score was stronger in participants with high social deprivation index (SDI) (P for interaction = 0.01; low SDI: β (95% CI)=0.36 (0.29–0.43), high SDI: 0.64 (0.48–0.80)). The proportion of association of CSD and ACE scores with GDS score mediated via education was 20.11% and 2.28%.

CSD and ACE were associated with late-life depressive symptoms with dose-response patterns, especially in women and those with low adulthood socio-economic status. Education was a major mediator for CSD but not ACE. Eliminating ACE should be a top priority.

Sleep deprivation is studied in medical staff, as it is a target group more exposed to chronic lack of sleep compared to the normal population.Chronic sleep deprivation has an important impact in the lifestyle of health workers and in their productivity

The study aims to examine the impact of sleep deprivation on medical staff, who work night-shifts and / or 24 hours on the symptoms of anxiety, depression, stress and quality of life.

This is a quantitative, cross-sectional study. The research instruments used are two: the DASS-42 questionnaire for measuring the level of symptoms of anxiety, depression, stress and the quality of life questionnaire (WHOQOL-Bref), which was validated before the study. In the study sample participated N = 199 medical staff (primary doctor, resident, nurse) from several specialties. Inclusive criteria are: medical staff, who work night-shifts and / or 24 hours; age 23 - 67 years; have not been previously diagnosed with anxiety disorder and episodes of depressive disorder.

Refering to the DASS-42 scoring, the symptoms of depression in the medical staff are: normal 64.8%, mild 8.5%, moderate 21.1%, severe 4.5% and extremely severe 1%. Refering to the points collected from the DASS-42 questions on the symptoms of anxiety in medical staff, it results: normal 53.3%, mild 8%, moderate 17.1%, severe 14.1% and extremely severe 7.5%. Based on the points collected from the DASS-42 questions on stress symptoms in medical staff, it results: normal 54.3%, mild 18.6%, moderate 17.1%, severe 9% and extremely severe 1%. Also, the lower the level of stress, anxiety and depression the higher the quality of life. (p.01, p.05). Total WHO- Quality of life (F = 3.447, p≤.05) and physical health (F = 6.482, p≤.05) show significant differences between the educational level, where it is higher among medical staff with postgraduate education.

Working night-shifts and/or 24 hours affects the mild and moderate onset of symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress. The level of stress symptoms is perceived higher in females. The overall quality of life is perceived as average according to the Likert scale. Sleep deprivation affects free time. Medical staff have a restricted free time.The level of anxiety, depression and has a direct impact in the quality of life. The overall quality of life and physical health are rated higher in medical staff with postgraduate education.

None Declared

Current ketamine-based therapies for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) often induce dissociative effects. A novel oral PR ketamine formulation (KET01) results in a low and delayed peak concentration of ketamine, high hydroxynorketamine concentration, and is associated with limited dissociative properties.

To investigate efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of KET01 in TRD.

KET01-02 was a randomized, double-blind phase 2 trial in outpatients with TRD comparing adjunct 120 mg (n=42) or 240 mg (n=40) oral KET01 once-daily for 3 weeks to placebo (PBO, n=40). The primary endpoint was change from baseline in the MADRS mean score on Day 21. KET01-03 was a randomized, double-blind, cross-over phase I trial in 26 healthy volunteers comparing single doses of 240 mg oral KET01 and 84 mg an approved intranasal formulation of eketamine. The primary endpoint was maximum change of Clinician-Administered Dissociative States Scale (CADSS) score from baseline.

KET01-03 trial; the mean (±SD) maximum change of CADSS score within 24 hours after dosing was 29.6±12.5 for intranasal eketamine and 0.7±1.7 for KET01 (p<0.00000000001). KET01-02 trial; no differences in CADSS score (range: 0.2 to 1.3), and heart rate and blood pressure were observed between the groups on Day 1 and beyond. 10%, 12%, and 15% of patients in the PBO, 120 mg/day, and 240 mg/day KET01 groups, respectively had CADSS score >4 and increase from baseline. At 7 hours post first KET01 dose (240 mg), plasma concentration of ketamine (38.7±27.0 ng/ml) was lower than its metabolites norketamine (267.5±81.6 ng/ml) and hydroxynorketamine (190.2±85.5 ng/ml). 240 mg/day KET01 induced clinically relevant reduction from baseline in MADRS score already within the first 7 hours of treatment (-7.65; Δ vs PBO: -2.22, n.s.), with a statistically significant separation on Day 4 (-10.02; Δ vs PBO: -3.66, p=0.020) and Day 7 (-12.21; Δ vs PBO: -3.95, p=0.042). MADRS score decrease was sustained throughout Day 21 (-13.15; Δ vs PBO: -1.82, n.s.), and during 4-week follow-up (-12.51; Δ vs PBO: -3.35, n.s.). Treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in 47.5%, 50.0%, and 62.5% of patients in the PBO, 120 mg/day, and 240 mg/day KET01 group, respectively.

Oral 240 mg/day KET01 induces a rapid, and clinically relevant reduction of depressive symptoms with only minimal signs of dissociation, potentially due to lower ketamine levels and increased norketamine and hydroxynorketamine levels compared to intravenous administration. Our results suggest that KET01 may be an efficacious and safe take-at-home adjunct treatment for TRD.

C. zu Eulenburg Employee of: HMNC Brain Health, E. Papanastasiou Employee of: HMNC Brain Health, K. Schmid Employee of: Develco Pharma, A. Damyanova Employee of: HMNC Brain Health, A. Glas Employee of: HMNC Brain Health, C. Strote Employee of: HMNC Brain Health, L. Arvastson Employee of: HMNC Brain Health, H. Eriksson Employee of: HMNC Brain Health

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe and chronic psychiatric disorder, resulting from a voluntary food restriction, vomiting, use of laxatives and excessive exercises, leading in dramatic weight loss and high mortality. AN is a multifactorial disease involving genetic and epigenetic factors supporting that AN is a metabo-psychiatric disorder. The molecular mechanisms involved in the etiology of AN remain unclear. One work reported gene expression by RNA sequencing in peripheral blood before and after weight restoration in 6 AN patients (Kim 2013), and one RNA sequencing in human iiPSC-derived neurons from 4 patients and 4 controls (Negraes 2017). To date, the profile of expression of genes and proteins in AN is undetermined.

In this study, our goal is to identify specific gene expression signatures from circulating blood nuclear cells to decipher the pathophysiology of AN and characterize biomarkers that can be used for diagnostic or prognostic of AN.

All consented participants are recruited at Sainte-Anne Hospital, Paris, France, using DSM5 criteria. They had a blood draw in Paxgene tube for the collection of RNAs. Total RNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 15 patients suffering of AN and 15 healthy controls. All messenger RNAs are sequenced on a Novaseq plateform. Reads are aligned to the human genome 19 and statistical analyses on the read counts for differentially expressed genes are computed with DESeq2.

The total RNA sequencing allows us to identify 673 dysregulates genes (p adjusted value <0.01, fold change >1,5). Among them, 248 are down-regulated and 425 are up-regulated genes in AN patients compared to controls. From them, 151 transcripts are annotated as pseudogene and 45 are referenced as antisense RNA. Of the 522 remaining transcripts, 424 correspond to a transcript or protein annotated by HGNC and ENSEMBL and 93 are known pseudogenes. A large number of proteins resulting from the expression of deregulated genes interact with each other and form a statistically enriched network impacting biological processes. They are mainly increased and acting in the cellular machinery allowing protein synthesis (biological process: transcription, ribosome, spliceosome and mitochondria). In contrast, down-regulated genes present an enrichment in genes involved in immunity pathways. Finally, several genes are also expressed in the brain. We observed a significant enrichment of genes expressed in the blood and brain tissues.

We identify specific profiles of gene expression in AN. Several genes are both blood and brain tissue expression. Some genes are good candidates for biomarker of the diagnostic in AN that need to be investigated in a longitudinal study to evaluate their useful as prognostic biomarker of AN.

This work is supported by Fondation de France & Fédération Recherche sur le Cerveau.

None Declared

Neurofilmology is a young and evolving research field, at the intersection between neuroscience and movie experiences, that explores how the brain processes and responds to visual storytelling. It involves examining the cognitive and emotional effects of movies on viewers, including social cognition and perspective-taking aspects. However, up to date, these studies have focused only on the neurotypical population, hence constituting a considerable gap in the literature with respect to individuals with neuroatypical functioning.

Aim of this study was to investigate the experience of film viewing and its correlates in individuals with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

30 neurotypical individuals and 30 individuals with ASD without intellectual disabilities were asked to observe 12 short video clips of 3 seconds length, showing an agent grasping an object from a table, and filmed with three different camera techniques: Still, Steadycam, Zoom; for each clip, they were asked to respond to six question on a Visual Analogue Scale (0-100) designed to investigate participants’ potential feeling of involvement with the observed scene, their comfort with the different filming conditions, and their estimation of the ecological plausibility of the different types of camera movements.

Participants felt more involved watching videos filmed with a Steadycam, with respect to the Zoom and Still condition. Within the neurotypical group participants felt more comfortable when the camera was in motion (both Steadycam and Zoom condition) compared to the Still condition; no differences were found between conditions in the ASD group, as if they felt equally comfortable in every condition administered, regardless the filming technique.

First, our results reinforce prior findings regarding the influence of different camera techniques on neurotypical individuals. Second, they add to the existing literature suggesting that individuals with ASD may exhibit differences in their subjective experiences related to empathizing with characters and immersing themselves as actors when the camera replicates naturalistic movements, resulting in a diminished overall fulfillment in the movie-watching process.

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Behavioral disorders have been defined as a “health crisis” of modern times that has a significant impact on the parent-child relationship. In this scenario, the emotional regulation (ER) of each partner plays a central role and serves a protective factor, configuring as an area to intervene. The Connect Parent Group, an attachment-based intervention for parents, has shown evidence of effectiveness. However, its online version (e-Connect) has not yet garnered specific evidence related to emotional and physiological regulation in parents and preadolescents.

This study aimed to explore changes in the short and medium term regarding ER abilities - both self-reported and measured through physiological indices - in parents and preadolescents with behavioral disorders, building upon initial findings from an online parenting intervention.

28 parents (82.1% mothers, 17.9% fathers, M_age = 47.48, SD = 4.73) and their 28 preadolescents with behavioral disorders (M_age = 11.22 years, SD = 2.69, 35.7% girls) were recruited from child neuropsychiatry services in Northern Italy and subsequently took part in the pilot study. They were assessed at three time points: before intervention (T1), one months after the intervention (T2) and at 6-months follow-up (T3). ER were assessed with a multimethod approach: parents and children completed a self-report questionnaire (i.e., Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale and How I Feel, respectively) and then they interact during a stress-task in which physiological parameters (i.e., Galvanic Skin Response, GSR; Heart Rate/Beat per Minute, BPM) have been measured.

Regarding self-reported ER, mixed-effects regression models showed an improvement in parent emotion dysregulation between T1 and T3 (p=0.004), a decrease in preadolescents’ negative emotions (p=.012) between T1 and T2 and a lower emotion intensity in preadolescents between the three-time points (p=.003). Regarding physiological ER, the two overall models of GSR and BPM were not significant for both parents and children. Yet GSR correlations within three-time points were positive and significant for children (T1-T2: r=.58; T1-T3: r=.68) but not for parents, while BPM correlations between T1 and T2 were significant for parents (r=.49) but not for children.

The online attachment-based parenting program appears to have contributed to a reduction in emotional dysregulation in parents and preadolescents, which seems to persist to some extent in the medium term. The non-significant results at the physiological level may suggest that changes reported by parents and children through self-report questionnaires do not align with changes in the physiological response to interpersonal stress experienced after an online intervention. Clinical and research implications will be discussed.

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Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a chronic personality disorder characterized by emotional and interpersonal instability, difficulty in mentalization, impulsivity with functional impairment and increased rates of comorbid mental disorders. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most prevalent endocrine disorder in premenopausal women, with important impact on quality of life and mental health. Studies have begun to explore the eventual relationship between these two pathologies.

The authors aim to describe the existing evidence exploring the relationship between BPD and PCOS as well as explore eventual common causal pathways and the forms which one might influence the other.

The authors describe a clinical case of a 31 year old female patient with history of borderline personality disorder and polycystic ovary syndrome presenting with hyperandrogenism and hirsutism as well as menstrual irregularities. As a compliment to the case, the authors conducted a brief non-structured literature review using articles published in the Medline/Pubmed, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar databases. The keywords used during the research, alone or in combination, included: Polycystic ovary syndrome and Borderline Personality Disorder. The studies consulted in this work included: cross-sectional studies, cohort studies, literature reviews and clinical case reports. Of these, those that were written in the English language and deemed most pertinent to the explored theme were chosen for review in this work.

The results demonstrate a paucity in the literature with only 10 articles having been published between 2009 and 2023 having dedicated studies and research to the relationship between the pathologies. One study reports that those with PCOS show relevant psychiatric disorders in comparison to controls, including personality disorders, such as is demonstrated in the described clinical case. Of the few case studies available, these found that BPD was associated with PCOS with the latter having most frequently been diagnosed previously to the personality disorder. Altered androgen metabolism has been described in both these pathologies, thus further strengthening the relationship between these.

Hormonal fluctuation has been classically associated with psychopathological symptoms, including unstable mood and impulsivity. The alterations demonstrated in PCOS might serve as an exacerbating factor in the genesis of the emotional instability and other symptoms present in BPD. The literature on this topic is still in an embryonic phase with a clear lacuna existing which merits attention and further study so as to fully comprehend the potential of these comorbid states. Clinicians should remain attentive to this comorbidity and the influence that PCOS might have on the psychopathology of BPD so as to better quality of life and global functioning which is impacted in both.

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Osteoporosis (OP) prevalence is on the rise as a result of an ageing population and lifestyle factors such as inactivity. Previous research has reported OP in individuals with depressive symptoms. Furthermore, OP has been shown to be a risk factor for anxiety.

In this study, we aimed to describe anxiety and depression symptoms among osteoporotic women in a university hospital in Tunisia.

A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and June 2023 in a university hospital in Tunisia. Women with postmenopausal OP in the rheumatology department were interviewed. A hospital anxiety and depressive scale was used to describe anxiety and depression symptoms among patients. It consists of seven items for depression (HADS-D) and seven items for anxiety (HADS-A). For each component a score ≤ 7 indicated the absence of symptomatology.

Seventy-two women diagnosed with post-menopausal OP participated in the study. The mean age was 72.5 (±1.08). The median duration of menopause was 23 years (IIQ= [10.5-28.5]). All patients were receiving bisphosphonates. Fifty-eight women (80.5%) were identified with depressive symptoms. The median depression score was 17.5 (IIQ= [9-19]). Physical activity was significantly and inversely associated with the presence of depressive symptoms (r= -6.36; p=10-3). Those who were overweight or even obese had significantly more depressive symptoms than those who were not overweight (94%, 57%, p= 0.001).

The median score of anxiety was 16 (IIQ= [9-17]). Sixty-three patients (87.5%) were identified with anxiety symptoms. Physical activity was significantly and inversely associated with the presence of anxiety symptoms (r= -4.89; p=10-3). Women who had bone fractures were significantly more anxious than those without a history of bone fractures (100%, 63%, p<10-3). Patients who were overweight were significantly more anxious than those with normal weight (96%, 57%, p<10-3).

Physical activity and obesity were associated with depression and anxiety among osteoporotic patients. These data are consistent with previous findings That’s why, promoting physical activity and weight loss is essential to preventing mental disorders among osteoporotic women.

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