Borderline personality - from psychoanalysis to epigenetics. Biological basis of attachment. / Osobowosc borderline ­ od psychoanalizy do epigenetyki. Biologiczne podloze wiezi.

In terms of object relations theory, borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by a structural abnormality of identity, conflicting representations of self and others, and disorganization of attachment - a construct rooted in an individual's early experiences and central to the relationships established later in life. A special role in the formation of attachment style is attributed to the relationship with the caregiver and to difficult experiences or traumas from early developmental stages. These experiences not only provide the psychological basis for the development of an insecure attachment style, but also leave a biological mark in the body in the form of epigenetic modifications. Although research on epigenetic modifications in BPD is scarce, a growing body of evidence supports the importance of oxytocin - the "social peptide" underlying attachment - in the etiology of BPD. We believe that the study of epigenetic modifications that affect the action of oxytocin in the BPD clinical population will provide a better understanding of the basis and process of development of the disorder, as well as provide a therapeutic direction to work effectively in the major areas of BPD.

Young's early maladaptive schemas versus psychopathic traits in a non-clinical population.

Purpose: There is now evidence that certain psychopathic personality components have their roots in a dysfunctional family of origin. Looking at this phenomenon from the perspective of Jeffrey E. Young's theory, we can surmise that the early negative experiences of people with psychopathic personality traits may have influenced the formation of specific maladaptive schemas. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between Young's early maladaptive schemas and psychopathic personality traits in a non-clinical population. Methods: The study involved 150 individuals aged 18 to 45. Eighty-six percent of the study group were women. The Psychopathic Personality Traits Scale - Revised (PPTS-R) and the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM), designed to test the intensity of psychopathic traits in the study group, were used. Young's Schema Questionnaire (YSQ-S3-PL) was applied to measure Young's early maladaptive schemas. Results: Statistical analyses revealed significant positive correlations between the severity of psychopathy as measured by the TriPM and the following schemas: Emotional Deprivation, Mistrust/Abuse, Entitlement/Grandiosity, Insufficient Self-Control/Self-Discipline, and Approval Seeking/Recognition Seeking. For the PPTS-R scale, positive correlations were found for thirteen of the eighteen schemas. The strongest correlations across questionnaires were found for the Entitlement/Grandiosity schema. The domain of early maladaptive schemas most strongly associated with psychopathy was Impaired Limits. Conclusions: The Entitlement/Grandiosity, Insufficient Self-Control/Self-Discipline, Mistrust/Abuse, and Emotional Deprivation schemas are all associated with psychopathic personality traits. The strongest correlations are in the Entitlement/Grandiosity schema. The domain of early maladaptive schemas most strongly associated with psychopathy is the Impaired Limits domain.

Mental Health of Students at Polish Universities after Two Years of the Outbreak of COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Mental health deterioration in young adults in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic is being increasingly studied. It is clear that the psychological consequences of the pandemic will be evident for many years, especially among the younger generation, who did not have time to acquire adaptive coping strategies before the outbreak of COVID-19. The purpose of this study was to assess the condition of the mental health of students at Polish universities after two years of the pandemic. The types of coping strategies used by the respondents to deal with stress were also evaluated in order to establish which of them could have a beneficial effect on the psyche of young people. METHODS: This study included 721 participants (age [years]: M = 25.7, SD = 5.3; 269 (37.2%) males) recruited using snowball sampling from students at two universities in Lodz, Poland, and full-time doctoral students from across Poland (phase I of the study was conducted in March 2019 (N = 352); phase II of the study was conducted in April 2022 (N = 369)). The following tools were used in this study: The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) by D. Goldberg, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and the Inventory for Measuring Coping with Stress (Mini-COPE) by Carver et al. Pearson's chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression were used in the statistical analysis. RESULTS: The results detailing the condition of the mental health of the subjects, as measured using GHQ-28, were significantly worse in the group surveyed after two years of the pandemic than the results of the survey conducted in March 2019 (adjusted odds ratio for GHQ-28 ≥ 5: 3.66, 95%CI 2.12-6.30, p < 0.001). Statistically significant differences were seen for each of the subscales of the GHQ-28 questionnaire. Most often, the subjects complained of anxiety symptoms and sleep disorders, in addition to somatic symptoms. The risk factors for worsening mental health included female (odds ratio 1.70, 95%CI 1.20-2.40, p = 0.003) and professional inactivity (odds ratio 1.55, 95%CI 1.04-2.31, p = 0.031). On the other hand, the ages of the people surveyed, their relationship status, whether they had children, or the type of university they attended all proved to be insignificant. The following coping strategies had a positive impact on the mental health of the respondents: positive reframing (Z = -2.951; p = 0.003) and seeking emotional support (Z = -2.351; p = 0.019). In contrast, strategies such as self-distraction (Z = 2.785; p = 0.005), denial (Z = 2.948; p = 0.003), venting (Z = 2.337; p = 0.019), self-blame (Z = 5.511; p < 0.001) and behavioral disengagement (Z = 4.004; p < 0.001) were associated with poorer mental health among the respondents. CONCLUSIONS: 1. Of the students surveyed, 33% reported elevated stress levels after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. 2. The overall mental health of students at Polish universities, as measured by GHQ-28, was significantly worse in the group evaluated after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, mainly in respect of anxiety symptoms and sleep disorders. 3. Female gender and professional inactivity appeared to be risk factors for the students' worsening mental health, which may be an indication of the need for further research and planning of psychotherapeutic interventions.

Association of polymorphic variants in GEMIN genes with the risk of depression in a Polish population.

Background: The role of miRNA in depression is widely described by many researchers. miRNA is a final product of many genes involved in its formation (maturation). One of the final steps in the formation of miRNAs is the formation of the RISC complex, called the RNA-induced silencing complex, which includes, among others, GEMIN proteins. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may lead to disturbance of miRNA biogenesis and function. The objective of our research was to assess the relationship between the appearance of depression and single nucleotide polymorphisms in the GEMIN3 (rs197388) and GEMIN4 (rs7813; rs3744741) genes. Our research provides new knowledge on the genetic factors that influence the risk of depression. They can be used as an element of diagnostics helpful in identifying people at increased risk, as well as indicating people not at risk of depression. Methods: A total of 218 participants were examined, including individuals with depressive disorders (n = 102; study group) and healthy people (n = 116, control group). All the patients in the study group and the people in the control group were non-related native Caucasian Poles from central Poland. Blood was collected from study and control groups in order to assess the SNPs of GEMIN genes. Results: An analysis of the results obtained showed that in patient population, the risk of depression is almost doubled by polymorphic variants of the genes: rs197388/GEMIN3 genotype A/A in the recessive model and rs3744741/GEMIN4 genotype T/T, codominant and recessive model. The dual role of rs7813/GEMIN4 is noteworthy, where the G/A genotype in the codominant and over dominant model protects against depression.

Association of Polymorphic Variants in Argonaute Genes with Depression Risk in a Polish Population.

Argonaute (AGO) proteins, through their key role in the regulation of gene expression, participate in many biological processes, including cell differentiation, proliferation, death and DNA repair. Accurate regulation of gene expression appears to be important for the proper development of complex neural circuits. Loss of AGO proteins is known to lead to early embryonic mortality in mice with various malformations, including anomalies of the central nervous system. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of AGO genes can lead to deregulation of the processes in which AGO proteins are involved. The contribution of different SNPs in depression has been extensively studied. However, there are hardly any studies on the contribution of AGO genes. The aim of our research was to assess the relationship between the occurrence of depression and the presence of SNPs in genes AGO1 (rs636882) and AGO2 (rs4961280; rs2292779; rs2977490) in a Polish population. One hundred and one subjects in the study group were diagnosed with recurrent depressive disorder by a psychiatrist. The control group comprised 117 healthy subjects. Study participants performed the HDRS (Hamilton Depression Scale) test to confirm or exclude depression and assess severity. The frequency of polymorphic variants of genes AGO1 (rs636882) and AGO2 (rs4961280; rs2292779; rs2977490) was determined using TaqMan SNP genotyping assays and the TaqMan universal PCR master mix, no AmpErase UNG. The rs4961280/AGO2 polymorphism was associated with a decrease in depression occurrence in the codominant (OR = 0.51, p = 0.034), dominant (OR = 0.49, p = 0.01), and overdominant (OR = 0.58, p = 0.049) models. Based on the obtained results, we found that the studied patients demonstrated a lower risk of depression with the presence of the polymorphic variant of the rs4961280/AGO2 gene-genotype C/A and C/A-A/A.

Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales and Early Maladaptive Schemas in Depressive Disorders.

AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the interrelationships of Young's early maladaptive schemas with indicators of specific neural emotional systems conceptualized in Panksepp's theory in a group of people suffering from depressive disorders. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales (ANPS) v. 2.4. and J. Young's Early Maladaptive Schema Questionnaire (YSQ-S3-PL) were used. Ninety (90) individuals aged 18-58, including 45 people treated for depression (DD group), were qualified to participate in the experiment. RESULTS: The subjects in the DD group scored statistically significantly lower than the subjects from the control group (CG group) on the three ANPS scale domains, namely SEEKING, PLAY, and ANGER. The subjects with depressive symptoms scored significantly higher in the YSQ-S3-PL questionnaire on two domains of early maladaptive schemas, i.e., "Impaired autonomy and performance" and "Other-directedness". Regression analysis results indicate that impairment of the emotional SEEKING system explains most of the variability in the following typical domains of depression: "Disconnection and rejection", "Impaired autonomy and performance", and "Other-directedness". For score variability in the domain area of "Impaired limits", the ANGER system was found to be most significant, and the FEAR system proved the same for "Overvigilance and Inhibition". CONCLUSIONS: 1. Two domains of early maladaptive schemas are significant for the onset of depressive symptoms, namely "Impaired autonomy and performance" and "Other-directedness", linked to difficulties in engaging in behaviors to meet one's own needs. 2. Impairment of the neural emotional SEEKING system most significantly explains the variability in depression-typical areas of early maladaptive schemas.

The Impact of One-Time Relaxation Training on Attention Efficiency Measured by Continuous Performance Test in Depressive Disorders.

Introduction: People with depression often complain of dysfunction in cognitive processes, particularly attention. Pharmacotherapy is one of the most commonly used methods of treating depressive disorders and related attention difficulties. Patients also benefit from various forms of psychotherapy and frequently support themselves with alternative therapeutic methods. The purpose of this study was to examine whether a 15-min-long relaxation training session could improve the efficiency of attention and perceptiveness in individuals diagnosed with depressive disorders. Methods: Forty-two individuals participated in the study, including 20 individuals diagnosed with recurrent depressive disorder (rDD) and 22 healthy subjects (comparison group, CG). The so-called continuous performance test in the Polish version (Attention and Perceptiveness Test, APT) was applied in the study. In the first stage, the participants completed the 6/9 version of the APT test and then took part in a 15-min relaxation training session (autogenic training developed by the German psychiatrist Johannes Heinrich Schultz). The next step of the study was to perform APT again (parallel version­3/8). Results: The analyses showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.001) in the results obtained in the two versions of APT between the studied groups (rDD versus CG) in terms of the perceptual speed index. These differences were seen both before and after the introduction of the relaxation training. There was a statistically significant difference in the value of the perceptual speed index before and after the applied relaxation training for the subjects with depression (p = 0.004) and for the whole study group (p = 0.008). A significant correlation of illness symptom severity with decreased attentional efficiency was observed in the rDD group (perceptual speed index)­both before (r = −0.864; p < 0.001) and after the relaxation training (r = −0.785; p < 0.001). Conclusions: The continuous performance test (APT) is a reliable indicator of impaired attention efficiency among patients with depressive symptoms compared to healthy subjects. 15-min-long one-time relaxation exercise has a beneficial effect on attention efficiency measured by APT in people with depression.

J. Young's Early Maladaptive Schemas and Symptoms of Male Depression.

Aim: There are more non-specific, hence harder to diagnose, symptoms in the picture of male depression. These symptoms are strongly linked to social norms and roles traditionally assigned to men. The aim of this study was to assess the interrelationship of early maladaptive schemas that affect the formation of self-image as a man with indicators of male depression. Materials and methods: The Gender-Sensitive Depression Screening (GSDS-26) by A.M. Möller-Leimkühler and the Early Maladaptive Schema Questionnaire by J. Young (YSQ-S3-PL) were used. A group of 75 men (aged 18 to 50) were qualified to take part in the research. Results: The total score of the GSDS-26 scale and individual indicators of male depression are strongly positively correlated with the severity of all five domains of the YSQ-S3-PL questionnaire. The highest correlation coefficient value was obtained in the following areas: "Disconnection and rejection" (0.741), "Other-directedness" (0.711), and "Overvigilance and inhibition" (0.711). In case of the GSDS-26 total score and the following indicators-Elevated stress, Aggressiveness, Emotional control, Risky behavior, and Classic symptoms of depression-positive statistically significant associations were confirmed with each of the 18 schemas from the YSQ-S3-PL questionnaire. Multiple regression results revealed that the following domains were significant for symptoms typical of male depression: "Disconnection and rejection" and "Impaired autonomy and performance". The "Impaired limits" area was found to be statistically significant only for symptoms of classic depression. Conclusions: (1) The GSDS-26 scale scores show positive associations with each domain of the YSQ-S3-PL questionnaire. (2) The following areas seem to be more important for atypical depressive symptoms in men: "Disconnection and rejection" and "Impaired autonomy and performance", while for classic depression: "Impaired limits" was more important. (3) In therapeutic work with male depressive symptoms, it is useful to focus on dominant maladaptive schemas alongside beliefs about stereotypical male roles.

Cellular Response to Unfolded Proteins in Depression.

Despite many scientific studies on depression, there is no clear conception explaining the causes and mechanisms of depression development. Research conducted in recent years has shown that there is a strong relationship between depression and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. In order to restore ER homeostasis, the adaptive unfolded protein response (UPR) mechanism is activated. Research suggests that ER stress response pathways are continuously activated in patients with major depressive disorders (MDD). Therefore, it seems that the recommended drugs should reduce ER stress. A search is currently underway for drugs that will be both effective in reducing ER stress and relieving symptoms of depression.

Ketamine-New Possibilities in the Treatment of Depression: A Narrative Review.

The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus epidemic has led to an increase in the number of people with depression. Symptoms related to the mental sphere (mainly depression and anxiety) may be experienced by one third of the worldwide population. This entails the need for the effective and rapid treatment of depressive episodes. An effective drug seems to be s-ketamine, which was accepted in March 2019 by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of drug-resistant depression. This drug provides a quick antidepressant effect with maximum effectiveness achieved after 24 h. It also appears to reduce the occurrence of suicidal thoughts. However, research into undesirable effects, especially in groups of people susceptible to psychotic episodes or those who use alcohol or psychoactive substances, is necessary.

Mental Health of PhD Students at Polish Universities-Before the COVID-19 Outbreak.

BACKGROUND: A group particularly exposed to the occurrence of disorders in the sphere of the psyche are young people with a newly developing personality structure and a sense of identity. In the available literature there are few reports describing the mental health of doctoral students-a group that is affected by a particular group of stressors. The aim of the research was to assess the mental health of PhD students at Polish universities. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The Polish adaptation of the GHQ Questionnaire-28, developed by David Goldberg et al. was used in the research. PhD students from all universities associated in the National Representation of Doctoral Students were invited to take part in the research. A total of 576 completed questionnaires were received. RESULTS: It was found that depression is statistically more frequent in doctoral students who are not in any relationship with another person; anxiety/insomnia is more common in women than men and less frequently in doctoral students of general than in technical universities. CONCLUSIONS: (1) More than half of the surveyed students complain about the deterioration of mental health. The most commonly reported symptom groups are anxiety and insomnia, followed by social dysfunctions and somatic symptoms. (2) Depression is statistically more common in people who are not in any relationship with another person and anxiety and insomnia are statistically more common in women than in men and statistically less frequent in doctoral students of general universities than technical universities. (3) In view of the presented results, educating young adults in the field of self-awareness in the field of mental health seems to be particularly important.

Is NRXN1 Gene Expression an Important Marker of Treatment of Depressive Disorders? A Pilot Study.

Aim: Due to the fact that NRXN1 is associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, the aim of this study was to investigate the role of the NRXN1 gene in the etiology and epigenetics of depression by comparison of NRXN1 mRNA expression and NRXN1 protein level expression in patients suffering from depression versus healthy controls, as well as to search for clinical variables related to expression of the analyzed gene. Material and Methods: A total of 180 people aged 19-64 qualified for the study. The experimental group consisted of 97 people who were psychiatrically hospitalized, diagnosed with recurrent depressive disorders (F33) or who met the diagnostic criteria of a depressive episode (F32) according to ICD-10. The control group included 83 healthy people who volunteered to participate in the study. A sample of peripheral blood was obtained from people who were positively qualified to participate in the study-twice in the experimental group and once in the control group for genetic testing. Sociodemographic variables and data on the course of the disorder were also gathered. Patients were examined on study entry and at the end of the hospitalization with the Hamilton Depression Scale. Obtained data were analyzed statistically. The study was approved by the University's Bioethics Committee. Results: The gene expression of NRXN1 at both mRNA and protein level significantly differs and it is lower in the experimental group compared to expression in healthy people. The difference in gene expression of NRXN1 at both the mRNA and protein levels between the first and second measurement in the experimental group is also significant. The result demonstrates a higher expression level in the first measurement and lower expression level in the second measurement when reported depression symptoms are less severe. Conclusions: Results concerning expression of NRXN1 may play an important role in further researches about the etiopathogenesis of depressive disorders such as looking for depression biomarkers and identifying evidence which may be relevant to personalize treatment for depression.

Expression of Selected Genes Involved in Neurogenesis in the Etiopathogenesis of Depressive Disorders.

(1) Background: The neurogenic theory suggests that impaired neurogenesis within the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus is one of the factors causing depression. Immunology also has an impact on neurotrophic factors. The aim of the study was to assess the importance of selected genes involved in the process of neurogenesis i.e., nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and neuron-restrictive silencer factor (REST gene) in the etiopathogenesis of depressive disorders. (2) Methods: A total of 189 subjects took part in the study (95 depressed patients, 94 healthy controls). Sociodemographic data were collected. The severity of depressive symptoms was assessed using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). RT-PCR was used to assess gene expression at the mRNA levels, while Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) was used to assess gene expression at the protein level. (3) Results: Expression of NGF, BDNF, REST genes is lower in depressed patients than in the control group, whereas the expression of GDNF gene is higher in patients with depressive disorders than in the group of healthy volunteers. (4) Conclusions: The expression of selected genes might serve as a biomarker of depression.

The role of the endoplasmic reticulum stress in depression. / Rola stresu siateczki sródplazmatycznej w depresji.

Depression is an important health problem around the world. There are several effective methods for its treatment, but it is estimated that one-third of patients with depression do not respond adequately to conventional antidepressants. There is, therefore, an urgent need to identify the biological mechanism of depression and the pharmacological action of antidepressants. The participation of broadly understood inflammatory factors in the etiology of depressive disorders no longer raises doubts. In recent years, a lot of attention has also been devoted to changes in the endoplasmic reticulum, suggesting that the so-called endoplasmic reticulum stress gives rise to many diseases. The endoplasmic reticulum stress is activated in response to the increasing amount of unfolded or improperly folded proteins in the ER. Research on the so-called endoplasmic reticulum stress inspire hope not only in the context of amore thorough understanding of the pathophysiology of diseases, but it can also be an inspiration to search for new, more effective drugs. This paper presents the connections between changes of the endoplasmic reticulum and inflammatory states and oxidative-reduction balance. Both the occurrence of inflammation and so-called oxidative stress have been confirmed in depressive disorders.

Polymorphism and expression of the Dvl3 gene in the etiology of depressive disorder. / Znaczenie polimorfizmu i ekspresji genu Dvl3 w etiologii zaburzen depresyjnych nawracajacych.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the Dvl3 gene in the etiology of depression by comparison of Dvl3 mRNA expression, Dvl3 protein levels and polymorphism at locus rs1969253 located in the intron of the Dvl3 gene in patients suffering from depression versus healthy controls, as well as to search for clinical variables related to polymorphism or expression of the analyzed gene. METHODS: Study group involved 181 individuals suffering from recurrent depressive disorder or depressive episode. Control group consisted of 102 healthy individuals. Sample of peripheral blood was obtained from each participant to measure Dvl3 mRNA expression, Dvl3 protein levels and polymorphism at locus rs1969253. Patients were examined on study entry with the Hamilton Depression Scale and data on the gender, age and course of disorder were gathered. Obtained data were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: Significantly decreased Dvl3 mRNA expression and Dvl3 protein levels were found in patients suffering from depression in comparison to healthy individuals. Expression of the Dvl3 gene in depressed patients was not affected by the patients' gender, age, number of episodes, severity of symptoms, duration of the illness or age of onset. The analysis of polymorphism at locus rs1969253 indicated that individuals with genotypes CA and CC had over 3 times higher risk of having depression in comparison to individuals with AA genotype (OR = 3.3; 95% CI = 1.56-6.99). No relationship was observed between the polymorphism and the analyzed clinical variables. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in expression and polymorphism of the Dvl3 gene may play a role in the pathogenetic mechanism of depressive disorder.

Mental Health and the SARS-COV-2 Epidemic-Polish Research Study.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the mental state of Poles in the first weeks of the SARS-COV-2 epidemic. Methods: In the study, the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-18), The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and Mini-Cope were used. Results: The study was conducted on a group of 443 individuals, including 348 women (78.6%) and 95 men (21.4%). There were more women (χ2 = 6.42, p = 0.02) in the group of people with high results in the GHQ-28 questionnaire and the differentiating factors between those with sten scores above 7 (significantly deteriorated mental health) and those with average or low results (sten score below 7) turned out to be: treatment for mental disorders before the pandemic (χ2 = 19.57, p < 0.001) and the use of psychotherapy during the pandemic (χ2 = 4.21, p = 0.04) and psychiatric pharmacotherapy (χ2 = 8.31, p = 0.01). The presence of suicidal thoughts since the appearance of the pandemic-related restraints and limitations significantly differentiates the compared groups (χ2 = 38.48, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Every fourth person in the examined group (over 26% of the respondents) recorded results that indicate a high probability of mental functioning disorders. Approximately 10% of the respondents signalled the occurrence of suicidal thoughts since the beginning of the pandemic. The respondents complain mainly about problems in everyday life, lack of satisfaction from one's own activities, tension, trouble sleeping, and feelings of exhaustion. Individuals with significantly reduced mental well-being use non-adaptive coping strategies, such as denying problems, emotional discharge, taking substances, discontinuation of action, and blaming themselves for the situation. The risk factors for the deterioration of the mental state of the respondents during the pandemic include psychiatric treatment before the beginning of the pandemic, the presence of suicidal thoughts during forced isolation, and the use of non-adaptive coping strategies (denial of the existence of problems, emotional discharge, use of psychoactive substances, discontinuation of action, and blaming oneself for the situation).

Alcohol Consumption Reported during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Initial Stage.

Physical health is not the only area affected by the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic. There are also other consequences that have globally affected many millions at other levels, namely: Societal, political, economic, and cultural. This study aims to survey alcohol drinking throughout the pandemic so as to investigate those factors considered most relevant; i.e., sociodemographic and clinical. A longitudinal study was designed. The first (or initial) stage was completed between April 10-20 2020 on 443 subjects during the enforcement of the "Lockdown" in Poland. The second stage will be due in June 2020. As well as an in-house questionnaire, the study used: The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and the Brief COPE Inventory (Mini COPE). Alcohol was the most commonly used psychoactive substance (73%) identified. More than 30% changed their drinking habits because of the pandemic, with 16% actually drinking less, whilst 14% did so more. The former group was significantly younger than the latter. Amongst the stress-related coping strategies, it was found that current alcohol drinkers were significantly less able to find anything positive about the pandemic situation (positive reframing) and were mentally less able to cope. Those drinking more now were found to have been drinking more intensively before the pandemic started.

Immune to happiness - inflammatory process indicators and depressive personality traits.

INTRODUCTION: Nowadays, depression is conceptualized as an immune-inflammatory and oxidative stress disorder associated with neuroprogressive changes as a consequence of peripherally activated immune-inflammatory pathways, including peripheral cytokines and immune cells which penetrate into the brain via the blood barrier, as well as nitro-oxidative stress and antioxidant imbalances. The aim of this study was to investigate whether personality traits predisposing to a depressive episode (hypochondria, dysthymic, hysteria) are associated with changes in peripheral gene expression for selected indicators of inflammation and oxidative balance. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred four people meeting the diagnostic criteria specified for a depressive episode took part in the study. Selected scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2) were used to measure personality traits. Expression at the mRNA and protein level for manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), myeloperoxidase (MPO), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and metalloproteinases 2 and 9 (MMP-2, MMP-9) was examined. RESULTS: Scales for the neurotic triad of the MMPI-2 test correlated significantly with the expression at the level of mRNA and protein for MnSOD, MPO and metalloproteinases 2 and 9. CONCLUSIONS: The scales specified for the neurotic triad of the MMPI-2 test correspond substantially with the expression of MnSOD, MPO and metalloproteinases 2 and 9 at the mRNA and protein levels in the group of patients suffering from depression.

Epigenetic Mechanisms in the Neurodevelopmental Theory of Depression.

The genome (genes), epigenome, and environment work together from the earliest stages of human life to produce a phenotype of human health or disease. Epigenetic modifications, including among other things: DNA methylation, modifications of histones and chromatin structure, as well as functions of noncoding RNA, are coresponsible for specific patterns of gene expression. This refers also to mental disorders, including depressive disorders. Early childhood experiences accompanied by severe stressors (considered a risk factor for depression in adult life) are linked with changes in gene expression. They include genes involved in a response to stress (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, HPA), associated with autonomic nervous system hyperactivity and with cortical, and subcortical processes of neuroplasticity and neurodegeneration. These are, among others: gene encoding glucocorticoid receptor, FK506 binding protein 5 gene (FKBP5), gene encoding arginine vasopressin and oestrogen receptor alpha, 5-hydroxy-tryptamine transporter gene (SLC6A4), and gene encoding brain-derived neurotrophic factor. How about personality? Can the experiences unique to every human being, the history of his or her development and gene-environment interactions, through epigenetic mechanisms, shape the features of our personality? Can we pass on these features to future generations? Hence, is the risk of depression inherent in our biological nature? Can we change our destiny?