Positive psychotherapy for psychosis - a new approach in the rehabilitation of patients suffering from schizophrenia. / Pozytywna Psychoterapia Psychoz ­ nowe podejscie w rehabilitacji pacjentów cierpiacych na schizofrenie.

This paper describes the positive psychotherapy for psychosis (PPP) - a new approach for psychiatric rehabilitation for patients with chronic schizophrenia. Unlike some traditional methods of psychotherapy, PPP focuses on positives rather than on problems. PPPwas shown in the context of other therapeutic approaches used in psychiatric rehabilitation and a mechanism of changes in the functioning and thinking of patients using this approach was described. PPP strengthens the patients'resources, including positive emotions, positive features of character, sense of life, positive relationships, and internal motivation. PPPdoes not suggest that other approaches are inappropriate and it is not intended to replace well-established treatments. A program of 13 PPP sessions adapted for patients with schizophrenia was also described. PPP sessions were divided into 3 thematic groups and according to the degree of difficulty: "the easiest" (savoring, positive things - sessions 1-4), "medium" (strong character traits, recognition of strengths in oneself, perceiving strengths in other people, positive communication - sessions 5-7) and "the most difficult" (bad vs. good memories, gratitude, forgiveness, hope, optimism and posttraumatic growth - sessions 8-13). The PPP has been introduced in the Day Care Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation of the Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology in Warsaw. After 13 weeks, the initial observations were collected. They indicated that PPP can be successfully used in psychiatric rehabilitation.

Impaired social cognition processes in Asperger syndrome and anorexia nervosa. In search for endophenotypes of social cognition. / Zaburzenia procesów spolecznego poznania w zespole Aspergera i jadlowstrecie psychicznym. W poszukiwaniu endofenotypów spolecznego poznania.

A growing number of publications indicates presence of significant deficits in social cognition in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). These deficits appear to be comparable in qualitative and quantitative dimension with impairment of the same functions among people with Asperger syndrome (AS). The aim of this study is to identify subject areas in the field of impairment of social cognition processes among people with Asperger syndrome and anorexia nervosa taking into consideration the potential contribution of genetic pathways of oxytocin and vasopressin in the pathogenesis of these diseases. In the first part of the paper a systematic analysis of studies aimed at the evaluation of the processes of social cognition among patients with AN and AS has been carried out. The results of a significant number of studies confirm the presence of deficits in social cognition in AN and AS. In addition, among patients with AN and AS there exists a similar structure and distribution of the brain functions in regions responsible for social cognition. The second part of the paper describes the role of the oxytocin-vasopressin system (OT-AVP) in the processes of social cognition in AN and AS. Its genetic basis and the possible importance of single nucleotide polymorphisms within the genes: OXT, AVP, CD38, OXTR, AVPR1A and LNPEP have also been presented.