Metabolic Syndrome and Adipokines Profile in Bipolar Depression.

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a growing social, economic, and health problem. MS coexists with nearly half of all patients with affective disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the neurobiological parameters (clinical, anthropometric, biochemical, adipokines levels, and ultrasound of carotid arteries) and their relationship with the development of MS in patients with bipolar disorder. The study group consisted of 70 patients (50 women and 20 men) hospitalized due to episodes of depression in the course of bipolar disorders. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale was used to assess the severity of the depression symptoms in an acute state of illness and after six weeks of treatment. The serum concentration of adipokines was determined using an ELISA method. The main finding of this study is that the following adipokines correlated with MS in the bipolar depression women group: visfatin, S100B, and leptin had a positive correlation, whereas adiponectin, leptin-receptor, and adiponectin/leptin ratio showed a negative correlation. Moreover, the adiponectin/leptin ratio showed moderate to strong negative correlation with insulin level, BMI, waist circumference, triglyceride level, treatment with metformin, and a positive moderate correlation with HDL. The adiponectin/leptin ratio may be an effective tool to assess MS in depressed female bipolar patients.

Increased Depression and Anxiety Disorders during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Children and Adolescents: A Literature Review.

Depression and anxiety disorders are a serious and increasingly commonly diagnosed problem at present. The problem applies not only to adults but also, increasingly often, to children and adolescents as well. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has further compounded the issue. There are still relatively few publications that show that quarantine and social isolation have a negative effect on the psychological well-being of children and adolescents. Above all, the situation applies to children and adolescents with pre-existing predispositions and to individuals suffering from mental disorders. The key factor in this situation seems to be putting the needs of young people first so that they can safely return to school. It is also important to provide them with effective treatment strategies and methods with which to deal with this stressful and potentially traumatic situation. Most of the mental health research during the COVID-19 pandemic has been conducted in Asia and Europe, where the disease first spread. This article presents an overview of the results of the latest Polish and international studies on the increase in depression and anxiety disorders among children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide. It concludes with recommendations regarding mental health support for young people, and further directions for treatment are suggested.