Background: structural and neurochemical abnormalities in temporal lobe and temporoparietal junction (T-TPJ) are seen not only in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) but also in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). At the same time, studies of conversion to dementia focused on functional characteristics of these regions are lacking. The aim was to search for patterns of functional connectivity (FC) within T-TPJ that differentiate patients with aMCI with future conversion to AD from stable aMCI patients and healthy controls. Patients, Comparison Group and Methods: patients with aMCI who further converted to dementia due to AD (converters, n = 15), patients with stable aMCI (n = 12), and healthy individuals without cognitive deficits (n = 29) underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. FC between cortical T-TPJ structures was compared between groups separately for each hemisphere (one-way ANCOVA and post hoc between-group comparisons). Results: an increased FC between posterior parts of left middle and inferior temporal gyri was observed in converters compared to other groups. There was an inverse correlation between this FC and delayed recall of words (MoCA scale) in the entire sample, however, this correlation did not reach the level of statistical significance (p = 0.055). Conclusions: the posterior parts of left middle and inferior temporal gyri are involved in auditory verbal memory and storing of visual images associated with a word, respectively. Therefore, а pattern of increased FC observed in future converters to AD may be a consequence of pathological processes that have already started and/or compensatory mechanisms.

Background: research on secular trends provides important information for understanding and prediction of developmental processes in child mental health. Global stresses, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, superimpose on time trends, resulting in specific levels of child mental health in each gender and age group. Teacher reports are clinically significant and may substantially add to the existing evidence on time changes in common emotional and behavioural problems. The aim of study was to examine time changes in teacher-rated child emotional and behavioural problems using identical measures over a 23-year period, taking age, gender and the COVID-19 pandemic into account. Methods: in 1999-2021, teachers completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) designed for a quantitative assessment of common emotional and behavioural problems in children and adolescents. The study included 5987 children (48% male) from 2 to 18 years of age (mean age M = 9.9 years, SD = 3.9). Time changes were examined using Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) to account for clustering, child gender and age, urbanization and the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: teachers reported progressively lower levels of child emotional and behavioural problems. Among boys, levels of hyperactivity-inattention, externalising and total mental health problems increased from 1999 to 2004, the subsequent decline was significantly larger among boys than girls. In 2020-2021, during the pandemic crisis, levels of all mental health problems were higher than expected from time trends. Teachers reported higher levels of emotional and behavioural problems and lower levels of prosocial behaviour in boys compared to girls. Levels of emotional problems increased with age among girls, and did not differ among boys. Conclusions: teacher reports showed generally positive time changes in child emotional and behavioural problems over the 23-year period. During the global stress linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers reported higher levels of all mental health problems in children. Further studies are needed to identify possible causes of secular trends and to predict developmental pathways in child mental health.

Background: the increasing number of cardiac surgeries in older patients with serious cardiovascular diseases, the frequent development of postoperative delirium, its unfavorable prognosis, and underdiagnosis of certain types of delirium determined the relevance of this study. The aim was to identify clinical types of postoperative delirium in patients who underwent cardiac surgery. Patients and Methods: a total of 157 patients participated in prospective observational study of clinical types of postoperative delirium in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. The study was conducted at the cardiac surgery and cardiology intensive care departments of the Sverdlovsk Regional Clinical Hospital No.1. Clinical, psychopathological, psychometric, and statistical methods were used. Results: 31 patients (19.7% of the total number of operated patients who participated in this study) with delirium were identified in the early postoperative period. Based on the psychometric (total scores of the Confusion Assessment Method Intensive Care Unit and Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale) and clinical and psychopathological assessment of the patients’ condition, clinical heterogeneity of postoperative delirium was revealed. Different types of delirium were determined including hypoactive type in 87.1% f, mixed in 9.7% and hyperactive delirium in 3.2% of cases. The syndromic structure of hyperactive and hypoactive postoperative delirium is different. Discussion: different syndromic structure of hyperactive and hypoactive types of delirium allow us to assume the different pathogenetic mechanisms. This may partially explain the insufficient sensitivity of the diagnostic tools used. Conclusion: improvement of the typology of delirium in cardiac surgery patients is necessary to predict the development of postoperative delirium and develop methods for its prevention.

Background: efficacy of atypical antipsychotics in relation to cognitive functions and negative symptoms of schizophrenia, their better safety profile in relation to extrapyramidal symptoms compared with first-generation antipsychotics, accompanied by the frequent occurrence of endocrine and metabolic disorders, which can lead to both low adherence to therapy and reduction in life expectancy. Early diagnosis of these disorders, as well as the development of therapeutic tactics would minimize manifestations of endocrine and metabolic imbalance. The aim of the study was to assess the risk of occurrence and severity of neuroendocrine dysfunction, metabolic disorders in the treatment of patients with schizophrenia with second-generation antipsychotics. Patients and Methods: 76 inpatient patients (43 men and 33 women) aged 18 to 70 years with a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia (ICD-10 F20.0) and a positive response to the courses of therapy (at least 30% reduction of the total score on the PANSS scale) were examined. 3 groups of patients who received monotherapy with one of the atypical antipsychotics of the second generation (quetiapine, olanzapine, risperidone) were formed. The studied drugs were either prescribed for the first time upon admission, or were already prescribed before, and dose adjustments was carried out due to an exacerbation of the condition. The duration of the study was 10 weeks (70 days). Clinical and psychopathological, psychometric (PANSS, UKU), anthropometric, laboratory and statistical methods were used. Results: differences in prolactin levels in the studied respondent patients were established depending on the second-generation antipsychotic used for the course of monotherapy. The index of prolactin level during risperidone monotherapy was M ± m = 1401 ± 91 µm/ml, which was twice the upper limit of the physiological norm (M ± m = 96–637 µm/ml). Manifestations of hyperprolactinemia were less with olanzapine monotherapy (M ± m = 781 ± 52 µm/ml). The lowest prolactin level, which corresponded to the norm, was found in the quetiapine monotherapy group (M ± m = 422 ± 48 µm/ml). Changes in prolactin levels associated with the gender of patients were found in the form of a stable tendency to a more pronounced increase in female patients. The greatest statistically significant weight gain (p < 0.5) was recorded in patients receiving olanzapine monotherapy, slightly less when using risperidone and minimal when taking quetiapine (4.9 ± 1.8 kg 3.3 ± 1.1 kg and 0.8 ± 0.3 kg, respectively). The average value of the atherogenicity coefficient at the end of the courses of monotherapy with olanzapine and risperidone exceeded its normative level (3.8 ± 0.4 and 3.4 ± 0.5, respectively). Conclusions: the changes in the endocrine and metabolic profile confirm the results of previous studies. Regular monitoring of anthropometric and laboratory parameters both before and during antipsychotic therapy is recommended as a secondary prevention.

Background: the study of nonverbal behavior based on the ethological paradigm using computer vision technologies is currently considered as one of the approaches to objectification of mental disorders. At the same time, their analysis using multidimensional data processing methods, primarily from the standpoint of thermodynamic and network analysis, is of particular interest. Purpose of the work: to summarize the results of discriminant, thermodynamic and network analysis of facial and pantomimic activity of patients with neurotic disorders and schizophrenia spectrum pathology. Patients, Comparison Group and Methods: 19 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (Sch), 23 with neurotic disorders (ND). 22 healthy subjects made up control group (CG). Analysis of non-verbal behavior was carried out using the biometric video analytics complex “MIX VR-19” based on action units (AU) of the FACS. Results: the logarithm of the thermodynamic probability of the system of facial reactions was maximal in individuals with ND (50.2), minimal in people with Sch (33.1), and it occupied an intermediate position in the CG (44.2). The system organization was also noticeably lower in Sch (0.08) than in ND (0.11) and in CG (0.14). Analysis of the graphs showed that the nodes page ranks in healthy subjects were characterized by the highest weight of AU61, AU1, AU63 and AU64. For ND, the nodes with maximum page ranks were AU14 and AU64. In Sch, the highest rank was observed for nodes AU62 and AU2. Conclusions: the greatest contribution to the differentiation between the groups of people with ND, Sch and CG was made by such AU as ironic smile, squinting and opening the mouth. The dynamics of entropy and organization of the facial-pantomimic reactions system in the CG reflected the tension of adaptation mechanisms at stages with a predominance of cognitive load; in Sch, there was an insufficiency of such tension during load, and in ND, tension was observed at stages with affective and personal themes. The graph of facial-pantomimic reactions in healthy individuals was determined by integrativeness with a large number of connections between nodes; In patients with HP, the graph was sequentially connected, while in individuals with SR it was represented by isolated clusters of AU.

Background: the emotional and mental state of young people affects their interest in learning and their ability to behave appropriately in difficult circumstances. In this regard, there is a need for a theoretical justification and determination of the relationship between the phenomenon of somatization and psychophysiological characteristics of students in the process of adaptation to higher education. The purpose of the study is to determine the relationship between the mechanism of psychosomatic balancing and psychophysiological indicators in the process of adaptation to university education among students. Participants and Methods: 48 first-year students of pedagogical specialties participated in the study. A psychodiagnostic method was used to determine the level of somatization, adaptability and emotional state. The assessment of brain activity indicators was carried out by watching videos of difficult life situations during adaptation to higher education of students and a phenomenological interview with them using the equipment of the company “Medikom MTD”. The main rhythms of the electroencephalogram were evaluated. In order to identify the social contexts and meanings that the student puts in while watching the video, a phenomenological interview was compiled. Results: correlations were found between a high level of somatization and a high level of adaptation to the study group among students. The decrease in alpha rhythm is directly related to a high level of somatization and a high level of adaptability to the study group. When the beta rhythm is low, as shown in the discriminant analysis, there is no cognitive assessment of a difficult situation. Conclusion: young people with a high level of somatization are highly adapted to the study group, which confirms the socially oriented personality type of these young students, their tendency to be included in the educational process and compliance with the rules. A method is proposed to assess the severity of students’ somatization by a set of psychodiagnostic indicators and indicators of brain activity when watching videos of stressful situations and interviews. The revealed patterns are explained by the action of the mechanism of psychosomatic balancing in the post-puberty adolescent period of ego formation, self-awareness and the change of the phase of drives to the phase of interests, which complements scientific knowledge about the neuropsychology of development.

Background: currently, numerous studies have focused on the qualification of cognitive impairment in organic mental disorders. One of the most common organic brain diseases leading to cognitive decline is epilepsy. Recently, there is no consensus on the psychoorganic syndrome in both foreign and domestic psychiatry, that needs for a clearer phenomenological qualification of the psychoorganic syndrome, determination of the structure of cognitive impairment with the designation of lesions of certain neurocognitive domains within the syndrome, and variants of its dynamics in epilepsy. The aim of the study: determination of clinically significant characteristics of variants of psychoorganic syndrome in patients with epilepsy. Patients and Methods: the study included 84 patients with epilepsy with psychoorganic syndrome. Research methods: clinical-psychopathological, descriptive statistics method. Results: clinical and psychopathological analysis of the examined patients revealed specific features of four variants of psychoorganic syndrome. The asthenic variant (37 patients; 44%) were disorders of cognitive functions with a predominance of attention disorders, short-term memory, as well as emotional lability, asthenic symptoms. At the same time, exhaustion, being the first and most common symptom, becomes more permanent as the disease progresses. In the explosive variant (43 patients; 51,2%) against the background of increasing cognitive impairment with damage to attention, memory, and language, thinking disorders with loss of mental flexibility and mobility; personal characteristics such as emotional tension, conflict, explosiveness and brutality came to the fore. The euphoric variant (1,2%; one patient) was characterized by persistent cognitive, emotional and volitional disorders with a general decrease in the productivity of mental activity, a change in affect with a predominance of elevated mood, a sudden transition of affect from aggression and anger to tears and helplessness. The apathetic variant (3 patients; 3,6%) included negative disorders with progressive disintegration and regression of personality, pronounced disorders of all cognitive processes, paradoxicality and inadequacy of emotional reactions. Cognitive disorders were the leading psychopathological formations in all variants of psychoorganic syndrome. Conclusion: syndromic assessment of one or the other psychopathological symptomatology in organic mental disorders at the early stages of their formation can help to take into account the entire complex of disorders implied by the concept of psychoorganic syndrome. Determining the structure of cognitive impairments with the designation of neurocognitive domains and their subdomains, emotional, volitional and personality disorders in psychoorganic syndrome, as well as identifying variants of its dynamics will allow for a more accurate diagnosis of exogenous-organic pathology and outlining the main paths of treatment and rehabilitation of this category of patients.

Background: current scientific publications describe the various effects of psychological stressors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health. Among them are the such factors as fear of death from infection, concern for loved ones, isolation mode, use of personal protective equipment, information overload The effect of these stressors on the condition of persons with a previously diagnosed mental disorder is less studied. Objective: to study and compare the impact of psychological stressors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental state of healthy individuals and patients with a previously established diagnosis of mental and behavioral disorders. Patients, Comparison Group and Methods: the author developed a questionnaire “Assessment of the impact of environmental factors on mental health”, which included a total of 67 questions and consisted of several sections, one of which included questions characterizing the impact of psychological stressors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health. A survey of 1038 adult residents (510 patients with mental and behavioral disorders and 528 healthy persons) was conducted on voluntary terms. The following experimental psychological methods were used: the Spielberger-Khanin scale, the scales for determining dysfunctional anxiety and fear associated with COVID-19 — the CAS scale and the C19P-SR scale (the FCS-19 scale validated in the Russian Federation). An analysis of 510 outpatient records of patients with mental and behavioral disorders who participated in the study was also conducted in order to assess the impact of these stressors on the course of mental illness. Results: the negative impact of psychological stressors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental state of patients suffering from mental and behavioral disorders has been proven. Conclusion: results of study could be basic for preventive measures as well as for prospective research of pandemic COVID-19 consequences for mental health.

Background: hypnotherapy can be a useful adjunct to other treatments for comorbid anxiety and depressive disorders, such as pharmacotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and other types of psychotherapy. The aim of review is to explore the research directions and applications of hypnotherapy in the treatment of anxiety and depressive disorders. Material and Methods: by keywords "Hypnotherapy", "Depression", "Anxiety Disorders" search in PubMed, e-library and other bases carried on. 10 articles are found on inclusion criteria. To study this aspect, we analyzed scientific publications. Conclusion: according to the results of this review it was found that the use of this method allows to master independent skills of anxiety management, to strengthen relaxation capabilities, to reduce cognitive overactivity and sympathetic arousal, as well as to increase motivation to treatment and improve compliance. Within hypnotherapy, various types of suggestion can be effective for many medical and psychological conditions such as various pain conditions, depression and anxiety, and sleep disorders. The study of hypnotherapeutic methods in the treatment of anxiety and depressive disorders seems to be a promising area for research of therapy targets depending of clinical features of disorders.

Background: aggression is one of the most complex and relevant clinical challenges faced by clinicians working with the mentally ill. Despite the significance of this problem, the mechanisms of occurrence and risk factors of aggression are still not fully understood. The aim of review is to analyse modern research studying aggression and aggressive behavior in psychiatric patients, as well as the possibility of predicting aggressive behavior using modern diagnostic methods. Material and Methods: sources were searched in Elibrary.ru, PubMed, Scopus, PsychINFO, MedLine and Google Scholar databases using the keywords: ‘aggression’, ‘psychiatric disorders’, ‘mechanisms of aggression’, ‘aggression factors’. The selection included articles published in Russian and English in the last 20 years. Discussion: various approaches to the definition and classification of aggressive behavior are considered and the main hypotheses explaining its mechanisms discussed. Most of studies demonstrates a strong association between psychiatric disorders and increased risk of aggressive behavior. Aggression in psychiatric patients considered due to the interaction of a complex set of factors. Researchers assign a significant role to genetic predisposition to aggression, but its manifestation closely related to environmental influences. The important role of genetic determinants in the formation of aggression is shown, including the analysis of individual genes, genomic associations and intergenerational transmission. It also shown that aggressive behavior closely related to neurophysiological processes in the brain. Nevertheless, it requires further
research for a detailed study of aggressive behavior mechanisms on the molecular, neurochemical and neuronal levels. Conclusion: the study of the mechanisms of formation and implementation of aggressive behavior is crucial in the creation of systems for the prevention of socially dangerous actions on the part of patients in relation to their environment. Further research in the field of genetics, biology and neurobiology of aggressive behavior considered as the most perspective.