Temperament and character dimensions explain self-reported resilience deficits in patients with affective disorders.

This is the first study exploring how temperament and character personality dimensions impact self-reported resilience in major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD). We included 130 euthymic patients with affective disorders (AFD; 66 MDD and 64 BD) and 134 healthy controls (HC). Connor and Davidson resilience scale and Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI-140) were administered. Multiple linear regressions and interaction analyses were performed. Mediation analyses examined if personality dimensions explained group differences in resilience. Resilience was lower in MDD and BD vs. HC and in MDD vs. BD, adjusting for sex, age and education. Higher resilience was predicted by lower harm avoidance (HA) and higher persistence (P) in AFD and MDD, lower HA in BD and higher P and self-directedness (SD) in HC. However, only HA and P had a group-specific effect on resilience in AFD vs. HC. In mediation analyses, specific TCI dimensions at least partially explained differences in resilience: HA, P and SD in AFD or MDD vs. HC; SD in BD vs. HC; P in BD vs. MDD. Concludingly, two temperament traits (HA, P) and a character trait (SD) predict resilience in AFD. Focusing on personality could identify sources of compromised resilience as potential treatment targets.

Olfactory capacity in anorexia nervosa: correlations with set-shifting ability.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to examine olfactory capacity in adults with anorexia nervosa (AN), in terms of odor identification and odor threshold and search for possible correlations between odor identification and cognitive flexibility in this population. METHODS: Thirty-nine patients diagnosed with AN and 60 healthy participants, participated. Odor identification was assessed using the University Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test and a two alternative forced choice, ascending method with n-butanol was used to assess odor threshold. Cognitive flexibility was determined using the Intra/Extra-Dimensional Set-Shift test (IED), a subtest of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). RESULTS: Patients with AN presented a poorer performance in odor identification compared with controls (p = 0.001). No differences were found in odor threshold, between the two groups. Patients with AN exhibited poor cognitive flexibility compared with controls (p = 0.003). A significant correlation between odor identification and cognitive flexibility was documented in AN (p = 0.01), but not in controls. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that olfactory capacity is altered in AN: Qualitative characteristics of olfaction were affected in patients with AN (lower odor identification), while there was no difference in quantitative characteristics (odor threshold) compared with controls. Furthermore, odor identification in AN was correlated to cognitive flexibility. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III: case-control analytic study.

Does suicidal ideation increase during the second COVID-19 lockdown?

This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the predictive factors of suicidal ideation during the second lockdown in Greece. The respondents presented a 4.32% suicidal ideation in the second lockdown, which did not differ significantly to the initial 4.81%. Anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation during the first lockdown and living with a person with frail health and vulnerable for COVID-19 severe infection emerged as significant risk factors for suicidal ideation during the second lockdown, after controlling for gender, age, and mental health history. Depression was found as the only significant prognostic factor for suicidal ideation incidence of the second lockdown.

Suicidal ideation during COVID-19 lockdown in Greece: Prevalence in the community, risk and protective factors.

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of suicidal ideation in the community as well as the risk and protective factors of suicidal ideation during restriction measures in Greece, after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Α web-based anonymous survey was conducted during the first lockdown period. Participants completed the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-2), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2), the Systemic Clinical Outcome and Routine Evaluation (SCORE-15), the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISK-2), and a self-report questionnaire for COVID-19 pandemic-related data. From a total of 5,116 adults included in the study, 5.20% reported suicidal thoughts, 14.17% were potential clinical cases of anxiety, and 26.51% of depression. Participants presented significantly higher suicidal ideation rates during the last two weeks of the lockdown compared to its previous two weeks. Unmarried or divorced marital status, mental health history, poor perceived quality of physical health, impaired family functioning, anxiety and depression symptoms were independently associated with higher odds of suicidal ideation, whereas higher resilience, positive feelings with regard to the lockdown measures, relationship with friends, and faith in a Supreme Being were associated with lower suicidal ideation odds. According to the findings, suicidal ideation prevalence might be considered elevated and its increase during the lockdown period alarming. The risk and protective factors identified in the study offer valuable information for the development of preventive strategies against suicidal ideation, especially in times of crisis.

Personality dimensions could explain resilience in patients with eating disorders.

PURPOSE: Resilience can be defined as the ability to maintain health in the face of adversity. Resilience has been associated with personality traits. Personality traits in the context of Eating Disorders (ED) have also been examined. However, the relationship between resilience and personality profile in patients with ED has not been studied. The aim of this study is to investigate whether personality dimensions impact on resilience, in patients with ED, compared to healthy participants. METHODS: Connor and Davidson resilience scale, as a measure of resilience and temperament-character inventory, as a measure of personality dimensions, were completed by 100 participants: 50 (50%) healthy University students (controls subgroup) and 50 (50%) patients with ED, matched on age and gender. RESULTS: Patients with ED showed lower resilience than healthy participants and scored higher on harm avoidance, and lower on reward dependence, self-directedness and cooperativeness than controls. Lower harm avoidance, higher persistence and higher self-directedness were associated with resilience in both subgroups. Self-directedness and persistence predicted resilience in both subgroups. Only Harm Avoidance predicted resilience in patients' subgroup. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, there are no existing data examining the effect of personality dimensions in resilience, in the context of ED. We found that only the effect of Harm Avoidance in resilience was different among the participants' subgroups. In conclusion, Harm Avoidance could explain differences in resilience between healthy participants and patients with ED. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III: case-control analytic study.

Adipokines in anorexia nervosa: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The association between adipokine dysregulation and weight loss of patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) has been long investigated, in search of a causal relationship. We sought to: a) synthesize the available evidence on potential differences between AN patients and controls with regards to adipokine measurements (namely, leptin, adiponectin, resistin, soluble leptin receptor, visfatin, vaspin and omentin), b) estimate the potential differences between constitutionally thin (CT) subjects and AN patients, and c) present the available evidence with regards to biomarker efficacy of adipokines in AN. METHODS: A structured literature search, last updated in 2/2019, was conducted in the following databases: MEDLINE, clinicaltrials.gov, PsycINFO, PSYNDEX and WHO Registry Network. The primary outcome was the standardized mean difference of each adipokine between AN patients and controls of normal BMI. Secondary outcomes included the correlation of leptin with BMI and bone mineral density among AN patients. The study protocol is published in PROSPERO (CRD42018116767). RESULTS: In a total of 622 screened studies, after exclusion of non-relevant articles and duplicates, 84 reports on leptin, 31 reports on adiponectin, 12 on resistin, 10 on soluble leptin receptor, 5 on visfatin, 3 on vaspin and omentin were finally included in the meta-analysis. Publication bias assessment underlined the possibility of non-significant studies being underrepresented; still, significant heterogeneity renders this statement inconclusive. Leptin [ELISA: SMD (95% CI): -3.03 (-4, -2.06)], radioimmunoassay [RIA: -3.84 (-4.71, -2.98)] and resistin [-1.67 (-2.85, -0.48)] were significantly lower in patients with AN compared with controls, whereas visfatin decrease did not reach significance (-2.03 (-4.38, 0.3). Mean adiponectin, vaspin and soluble leptin receptor levels were significantly higher. In subgroup analysis, a significantly attenuated SMD was reported in ELISA studies compared with RIA studies. Leptin was significantly lower in AN patients compared to CT subjects and BMI marginally did not appear to confound the result. In all analyses, except for the correlation of leptin with BMI in AN patients, high heterogeneity was present. Meta-regression analysis indicated a potential confounding action of controls' BMI and age on leptin SMD and between-assay differences. Publication bias assessment underlined the possibility of nonsignificant studies being underrepresented; still, further investigation did not corroborate this and significant heterogeneity renders this statement inconclusive. CONCLUSION: A distinct profile of adipokine dysregulation is apparent in AN patients, following the anticipated pattern of low BMI. A precise estimation of the magnitude is hindered by heterogeneity, partly caused by varying assays and methodologies. Interestingly, while mean leptin levels are lower in AN subjects compared with constitutionally thin women, there is an overlap in individual levels between the two groups and therefore, they cannot be used to differentiate between these states.

Greek Version of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale: Psychometric Properties in a Sample of 546 Subjects.

BACKGROUND/AIM: To evaluate psychometric properties of the Connor and Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) in a Greek population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were measured. Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF), World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL) questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) were used as measures for convergent reliability. Factors were extracted by using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). A total of 546 subjects (244 healthy individuals and 302 psychiatric patients) were recruited. RESULTS: The scale showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.925), as well as excellent test-retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient=0.925). CD-RISC scores were positively correlated to GAF and WHOQOL scores, while being negatively correlated to PSS and GHQ scores, establishing adequate convergent validity. We decided on a model with four factors, in order to form sub-scales that measure different, but related aspects of resilience. CONCLUSION: CD-RISC is a reliable and valid measure of resilience and can be used for clinical and research aims in the Greek population.

Risperidone-induced acute eosinophilic pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: Acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP) is a severe syndrome which can be induced for many reasons, including drugs. AEP has rarely been associated with first-generation antipsychotics and never been reported after use of second-generation antipsychotics, such as risperidone. CASE REPORT: We report a case of a 64-year-old man with a medical history of alchoholism and paranoid symptoms, treated with risperidone at low doses. Following risperidone medication, he presented with respiratory distress. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimen was indicated of AEP. All evidence indicated risperidone as the most probable causal factor. The syndrome rapidly resolved after discontinuation of the drug. DISCUSSION: Pathophysiological mechanisms implicated in the development of AEP in our patient seem to be associated with eotaxin and serotonin eosinophilic-specific chemoattracting action, through the serotoninergic action of risperidone. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first case report of a clinical adverse reaction of AEP from an atypical antipsychotic agent (risperidone).

Hypogonadism due to hyperprolactinemia and subsequent first episode of psychosis.

BACKGROUND: Hyperprolactinemia causes hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism. Hyperprolactinemia can be pre-existing in some patients with schizophrenia. Dopamine is the most important prolactin-inhibiting factor, and dopaminergic hyperactivity has been implicated in the pathophysiology of psychosis. OBJECTIVE: Since dopamine is a prolactin-inhibiting factor and dopamine imbalanced has been implicated in the pathophysiology of psychotic disorders, we investigated the probable relationship between hyperprolactinemia and the development of psychotic symptoms, in a patient with hypogonadism due to hyperprolactnemia and subsequent first episode of psychosis. Since dopamine is a prolactin-inhibiting factor and dopamine imbalance has been implicated in the pathophysiology of psychotic disorders, we investigated the probable relationship between hyperprolactinemia and the development of psychotic symptoms. METHODS: We present the case of a patient with hypogonadism secondary to chronic, untreated hyperprolactinemia who developed acute psychotic symptoms. RESULTS: Psychotic symptoms resolved soon after treatment with aripiprazole in conjunction with cabergoline, with a concomitant decrease in serum prolactin level. CONCLUSION: This is an interesting case illustrating a complicated relationship among hypogonadism secondary to a prolactinoma and dopamine and psychosis.