Examining Psychological Factors in Peripheral Artery Disease: Affective Temperament, Anxiety, and Depression in Patients Undergoing Revascularization Procedures.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms in peripheral artery disease (PAD) patients, correlating these symptoms with clinical parameters and examining affective temperaments within the study group. Material and Methods: A total of 159 PAD patients, predominantly male, admitted for vascular surgery due to lower limb atherosclerosis, participated in this cross-sectional study. Various assessments were conducted, including the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego-Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A) for affective temperaments, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) for anxiety and depression symptoms, and the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for pain intensity. Additionally, the Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) was measured to assess circulation in the legs. Results: The findings revealed a higher prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms in the PAD patient group compared to the control group. Notably, depressive and anxiety symptoms correlated with the severity of PAD, as indicated by lower ABI values in the operated leg. Patients undergoing surgical revascularizations exhibited higher depressive symptoms than those undergoing endovascular procedures. Furthermore, correlations were observed between depressive symptoms and the number of previous vascular procedures and amputations, alongside increased pain levels at admission. Clinical factors such as diabetes, hypertension, heart failure, ischemic heart disease, previous revascularization procedures, amputations, and the intensity of affective temperaments did not correlate with HADS scores. Discussion: The study highlighted the intricate relationship between mood disorders and PAD severity, emphasizing the potential prognostic implications of untreated depression and anxiety in PAD patients. These findings suggest the importance of closely monitoring and addressing psychological well-being in PAD management. However, the study encountered limitations such as varying assessment timing and sample size discrepancies among comorbidities, impacting the observation of associations between mood disorders and certain conditions. Conclusion: In conclusion, depressive and anxiety symptoms are often in PAD. Further research is needed to explore therapeutic interventions targeting mental health and pain management to improve the course and outcomes of PAD.

Associations between affective temperament, perceived stress, and helping among Ukrainians and Poles in the context of the war in Ukraine.

The Russian aggression of Ukraine has put millions of civilians under immense stress and forced many of them to leave their homes for safety and help. Poland became one of the leading destinations for waves of Ukrainians fleeing this war. The level of perceived stress in people who experienced war depends on various factors, including individual psychological variables. The main aim of this study was to analyze perceived stress levels and the predictive role of affective temperaments, as defined by Akiskal, for perceived stress in Ukrainians and Poles during the first year of the Russo-Ukrainian war. Secondly, we studied the relationship between affective temperament, stress, and commitment to help Ukrainian refugees. Self-report data from 410 Ukrainians and 146 Poles were collected. The results of this study shed light on perceived stress in war-affected populations and the role of affective temperaments in predicting its levels. We also demonstrated the links between affective temperament, perceived stress, and involvement in helping Ukrainian refugees. Understanding the mental status of people affected by war and its predictors is crucial to providing appropriate support and assistance to those in need.

Quality of Life of Prostate Cancer Patients Undergoing Prostatectomy and Affective Temperament.

Purpose: Prostate cancer (PC) is one of the most common malignancies in men. The population of PC survivors is growing, and understanding the roles of different factors that affect quality of life (QoL) is important. We investigated the effects of affective temperament on the QoL of PC patients. Patients and Methods: All subjects (n=100) underwent medical evaluation [including demographic data, medical history, physical examination, biochemical tests, and assessment of urinary incontinence (ICIQ-UI SF scale) and erectile dysfunction (ED) (IIEF-5 and subjective ED scale)] and psychological evaluation [including assessment of affective temperament using the TEMPS-A scale, depression and anxiety (using HADS), and QoL (EORTC-QLQ-C30 and EORTC-PR25)]. The relationships between individual variables were examined. Results: Erection quality after treatment was associated with better QoL in most parameters. Similar strong relationships were observed between the urinary incontinence scale and QoL. Depressive, cyclothymic, irritable, and anxious temperaments were associated with decreased QoL. On the EORTC-PR25 scale, associations were observed between a depressive temperament and worse sexual function and urinary symptoms, between a cyclothymic temperament and worse urinary symptoms, and between an irritable temperament and worse sexual functioning. Multivariate analysis identified the severity of anxiety and depression symptoms measured by HADS as the most important psychological factors affecting QoL. Conclusion: QoL in PC survivors depends on many factors, including age, interval since diagnosis, tumor stage, treatment, complications, and affective temperament profile. Depressive, cyclothymic, irritable, and anxious temperaments were associated with poorer QoL in selected domains, which was not observed for a hyperthymic temperament. The temperament profile of patients was associated with mood and anxiety level, which were important determinants of a poorer QoL.

The Association of Apolipoprotein E Gene Polymorphism With Cognitive Performance in Nondemented Polish Adults Aged 55 to 75.

The ε4 allele of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene is known as a risk factor for dementia. How APOE ε polymorphism affects cognitive performance in nondemented aging subjects remains less clear. In this study, the relationship between APOE status and cognitive performance across various cognitive domains in adults aged 55 to 75 years ( n = 74) without dementia was investigated. E4 carriers ( n = 11) performed worse versus noncarriers on forward Digit Span and delayed recall of the Rey-Osterrieth complex figure. General linear model analysis revealed a small but significant main effect of ε4 on Rey-Osterrieth complex figure delayed recall. Comparing ε2 carriers, ε3 homozygotes, and ε4 carriers, ε3/ε3 performed significantly better on Trail Making Test part B and derived score Trail Making Test B-A. The findings support the relation between the APOE ε polymorphism and visual memory, short-term auditory memory, visuospatial attention, and executive functions in an aging sample without dementia.

Temperament profile in patients with central serous chorioretinopathy: a case-control study.

PURPOSE: To assess temperament in patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) compared to healthy controls. METHODS: A total of 32 patients diagnosed with acute CSCR and 30 healthy controls matched by age and sex were assessed with the self-report Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory. Central serous chorioretinopathy was diagnosed based on fluorescein angiography and spectral optical coherence tomography. RESULTS: Significantly higher mean scores of harm avoidance in patients with CSCR were found. Differences also were noted in subscales of novelty-seeking and reward dependence. CONCLUSIONS: The patients with CSCR demonstrated less exploratory behaviors, higher risk avoidance, restraint, and low extravagance. They were more quick-tempered, disorganized, and easily frustrated, with a tendency to avoid negative and potentially harmful stimuli, less tolerance to frustration, higher level of insecurity, and higher level of anticipatory anxiety.

[Verbal fluency tests--application in neuropsychological assessment]. / Testy fluencji slownej--zastosowanie w diagnostyce neuropsychologicznej.

Verbal fluency tests (VFT) have established position in methodology of cognitive functions research. They are used in neuropsychological assessment of neurological and psychiatric diseases. This article's aim is to present current knowledge of the VFT both to clinicians and researchers. It describes models of cognitive processes involved in task performance mainly: semantic memory access and executive functions and. It describes studies on verbal fluency both in healthy and impaired subjects involving neuroimaging discussing neuroanatomical structures involved in task performance. Authors are quite unanimous as to connection between frontal and temporal lobes condition and task performance, but also other cortical and subcortical structures seem to be involved. Methods of qualitative performance analysis and studies applying them are further described. This article brings up also important questions of psychometric and demographic characteristics of the task and limitations arising from the lack of Polish norms of the tool.

Does Toxoplasma gondii infection affect cognitive function? A case control study.

According to studies, latent Toxoplasma gondii infection may affect several functions of the human brain. Here we search for the association between latent toxoplasmosis and cognitive performance. We tested 70 individuals for latent T. gondii infection. There were 26 Toxoplasma-infected subjects and 44 Toxoplasma-free subjects. Within these two groups we assessed cognitive performance using a set of standardized, widely recognized neuropsychological tests: Trail Making Test, Stroop Test, Verbal Fluency Test, Digit Span Test and N-back test. The relationship between chronic toxoplasmosis and cognitive performance was assessed, with adjustment for age and sex. Patients with latent toxoplasmosis performed worse on one neuropsychological test, N-back Test--percentage of correct answers (beta -8.08; 95% CI - 15.64 to -0.53; p < 0.05) compared to seronegative patients. However, after adjustment for age and sex, no statistically significant associations between latent toxoplasmosis and the scores on any cognitive tests were noticed. As statistically significant relationship was not observed, this study does not confirm that chronic latent T. gondii infection affects cognition.