Correlation of Health-Related Quality of Life with Negative Symptoms Assessed with the Self-Evaluation of Negative Symptoms Scale (SNS) and Cognitive Deficits in Schizophrenia: A Cross-Sectional Study in Routine Psychiatric Care.

(1) Background: Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder characterized by various symptom groups that tremendously affect health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We aimed to specify whether negative symptoms and cognitive deficits of schizophrenia correlate and can predict HRQoL. (2) Methods: Patients diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia were invited to participate in the study. Participants were evaluated using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and were asked to fill out the Self-evaluation of Negative Symptoms scale (SNS) and the Medical Outcomes Short Form Survey (SF-36). Pearson's and Spearman's correlations were used to calculate the correlations between cognitive deficits and negative symptoms. We performed the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis for the variables correlated with SF-36 scores. (3) Results: HRQoL correlated significantly with the negative symptoms; however, it did not correlate with cognitive deficits. ROC analysis showed that the abulia subscore of the SNS showed the most significant predictive potential of HRQoL. (4) Conclusions: Negative symptoms correlate more significantly with the HRQoL than cognitive symptoms. The SNS offers the possibility of predicting the HRQoL of patients with schizophrenia and is useful as a screening tool in clinical practice.

Self-Assessment of Addiction Medicine Core Competencies in Four Year Groups of Psychiatrists in Training: Efficacy of the Addiction Medicine Training Needs Assessment Scale in a Local Training Context.

BACKGROUND: In addiction medicine training, self-assessment is increasingly used to support self-regulation learning by identifying standards of excellence, competence gaps, and training needs. To ensure psychiatrists in Lithuania also develop specific addiction competencies, the Lithuanian Health Sciences University faculty in Kaunas developed an addiction psychiatry curriculum. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this research is to explore the efficacy of the AM-TNA scale to measure individual and group differences in proficiency in the core competencies of addiction medicine. A cross-sectional study and a convenience sample were used. METHOD: We studied the differences in performance in addiction medicine competencies between 4 successive year groups and analysed the variance to determine the statistical differences between the means of 4 year groups with biases, resulting from repeated measurement statistically corrected-for. RESULTS: Of the psychiatrists in training, 41% or 59% completed the scale. The assessment of competencies suggested that all but 2 competencies differ significantly (p < 0.05) between the 4 groups. The post hoc analyses indicated that mean scores for 24 of the 30 core competencies differed significantly between the year groups (p < 0.05) and showed a gradual increase in scores of self-assessed competencies over the 4 year groups. We found adequate scale variance and a gradual increase in self-assessed competencies between the 4 year groups, suggesting a positive association between the results of incremental professional training and improved self-assessed substance use disorders (SUD) competency scores. CONCLUSIONS: This study illustrates the efficacy of the AM-TNA scale as an assessment instrument in a local training context. Future research should aim to have larger sample sizes, be longitudinal in design, assess individual progress, and focus on comparing and combining self-reported competencies with validated objective external assessment and feedback.

Circulating hsa-let-7e-5p and hsa-miR-125a-5p as Possible Biomarkers in the Diagnosis of Major Depression and Bipolar Disorders.

BACKGROUND: Evidence shows that microRNAs (miRNAs) could play a key role in the homeostasis and development of major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. The present study is aimed at investigating the changes in circulating miRNA expression profiles in a plasma of patients suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD) to distinguish and evaluate these molecules as biomarkers for mood disorders. METHODS: A study enrolled a total of 184 subjects: 74 controls, 84 MDD patients, and 26 BD patients. Small RNA sequencing revealed 11 deregulated circulating miRNAs in MDD and BD plasma, of which expression of 5, hsa-miR-139-3p, miRNAs hsa-let-7e-5p, hsa-let-7f-5p, hsa-miR-125a-5p, and hsa-miR-483-5p, were further verified using qPCR. miRNA gene expression data was evaluated alongside the data from clinical assessment questionnaires. RESULTS: hsa-let-7e-5p and hsa-miR-125a-5p were both confirmed upregulated: 0.75-fold and 0.25-fold, respectively, in the MDD group as well as 1.36-fold and 0.68-fold in the BD group. Receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis showed mediocre diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of both hsa-let-7e-5p and hsa-miR-125a-5p with approximate area under the curve (AOC) of 0.66. ROC analysis of combined miRNA and clinical assessment data showed that hsa-let-7e-5p and hsa-miR-125a-5p testing could improve MDD and BD diagnostic accuracy by approximately 10%. CONCLUSIONS: Circulating hsa-let-7e-5 and hsa-miR-125a-5p could serve as additional peripheral biomarkers for mood disorders; however, suicidal ideation remains the major diagnostic factor for MDD and BD.

Specifics of the Emotional Response of Patients Suffering From Major Depressive Disorder to Imagined Basic Tastes of Food.

Nowadays, the major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common disease that negatively affects the life quality of many people around the world. As MDD symptoms are closely related with the changes in food and eating, the relation between patients' emotional responses and food tastes could be used as criteria for diagnostic. Until now, studies on the emotional response to different food tastes for patients affected by MDD have been poorly described in literature. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the emotional response of patients suffering from MDD to the imagined different food tastes and to compare the results with a control group. Emotional responses in tested participants were induced by using cards with words of basic food tastes such as "sweet," "salty," "bitter," "sour," and "neutral." The assessment of emotional response was performed with FaceReader 6 software. The outcome of this study showed that participants with MDD expressed lower "happy" and "contempt" and higher "surprised" emotions, along with a higher negative valence mean, in comparison with controls for all tested basic tastes of food (p ≤ 0.05). When Likert scale was used, significant differences (p ≤ 0.001) in response were only found for "sour" and "salty" imaginary tastes between healthy group and patients with MDD. The findings of this study provide the additional data on food-associated emotion analysis of MDD patients and could be useful for the further development of the contactless method for early diagnosis of MDD.

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Psychosocial Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic among Health-Science Students of Lithuania-A National Cross-Sectional Online Survey.

(1) Background: the relationship between the psychosocial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is understudied. Moreover, health science students are the future leaders and advocates of vaccination efforts. Therefore, it is essential to understand the origins of vaccine hesitancy and evaluate if the adverse psychosocial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic influence it. (2) Methods: we shared an anonymous questionnaire among health-science students via institutional emails of two Lithuanian universities. Results were summarized with odds ratios and mean differences. (3) Results: a total of 1545 health sciences students answered the questionnaire. Almost a fifth of the respondents claimed that they were unsure about getting vaccinated, and nearly one out of ten claimed that they would not get vaccinated. Medicine students, non-infected students, and students who volunteered in a COVID-19 ward were significantly more willing to get vaccinated compared to other health science students. Vaccine hesitant respondents reported a more significant negative effect of COVID-19 on their income and belief in the future. (4) Conclusions: the results of this study showed that negative psychosocial impact on income and 'belief in future' were positively associated with vaccine hesitancy. Having been diagnosed with COVID-19 was significantly associated with being doubtful towards vaccination.

Does persistent idiopathic facial pain relate to mood (affective) disorders.

OBJECTIVE: Persistent idiopathic facial pain (PIFP) is a condition in the absence of clear pathology. Pathogenesis is still enigmatic, although comorbidity with mood/affective disorders is observed. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between personality traits, mood and sleep disorders, and PIFP; and to compare them with posttraumatic chronic orofacial pain. METHOD AND MATERIALS: A cross-sectional, single-center study was designed to evaluate patients diagnosed with PIFP according to ICOP (International Classification of Orofacial Pain) diagnostic criteria through Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Five Factor Model, and visual analog scale indexes. Data were analyzed and compared with patients suffering from organic pathology - unilateral chronic mandibular fracture pain. RESULTS: A total of 67 respondents enrolled as the experimental group and 28 participants as a control group. Pain scores were higher in the experimental group (P < .001) and had positive correlation with depression (r = .44, P < .001) and sleep index scores (r = .415, P < .001). Personality trait scores did not differ between the groups. However, neuroticism correlated with depression (r = .466, P < .01) and anxiety (r = .634, P < .01) scores in the experimental group. Depression (P = .002) and anxiety scores (P = .007) were higher in the experimental group, as well as sleep indexes (P = .038). Depression (r = .609, P < .001) and anxiety (r = .655, P < .001) scores had positive correlation with sleep index scores. Sleep scores in the experimental group positively correlated with neuroticism score (r = .442, P < .001). PIFP increases the chance of experiencing depression (OR 10.688; 95% CI 1.355-84.309, P = .006) as well as poor quality of sleep (OR 3.389; 95% CI 1.023-11.228, P = .006). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that personality traits (neuroticism), anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders are associated with PIFP.

Volumetric MRI Analysis of Brain Structures in Patients with History of First and Repeated Suicide Attempts: A Cross Sectional Study.

Structural brain changes are found in suicide attempters and in patients with mental disorders. It remains unclear whether the suicidal behaviors are related to atrophy of brain regions and how the morphology of specific brain areas is changing with each suicide attempt. The sample consisted of 56 patients hospitalized after first suicide attempt (first SA) (n = 29), more than one suicide attempt (SA > 1) (n = 27) and 54 healthy controls (HC). Brain volume was measured using FreeSurfer 6.0 automatic segmentation technique. In comparison to HC, patients with first SA had significantly lower cortical thickness of the superior and rostral middle frontal areas, the inferior, middle and superior temporal areas of the left hemisphere and superior frontal area of the right hemisphere. In comparison to HC, patients after SA > 1 had a significantly lower cortical thickness in ten areas of frontal cortex of the left hemisphere and seven areas of the right hemisphere. The comparison of hippocampus volume showed a significantly lower mean volume of left and right parts in patients with SA > 1, but not in patients with first SA. The atrophy of frontal, temporal cortex and hippocampus parts was significantly higher in repeated suicide attempters than in patients with first suicide attempt.

Validation of the lithuanian version of the self-evaluation of negative symptoms scale (SNS).

PURPOSE: To validate the Lithuanian version of the Self-Evaluation Negative Symptoms Scale (Lith-SNS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A double translation from French to Lithuanian and back was performed. We included patients from in-patient and out-patient settings that had a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia according to ICD-10 criteria and were screened as free from acute psychotic symptoms using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Participants were evaluated using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BRPS) and completed the Lith-SNS scale. We measured internal consistency, convergent validity, and discriminant validity of Lith - SNS comparing its scores with BPRS negative and positive symptom subscores. RESULTS: A total of 67 participants were evaluated. Cronbach's alpha (α) for all 20 items of Lith-SNS (α = 0.82), and for the five subscores (α = 0.76) showed good internal consistency. Factor analysis showed a 2-factor solution which accounted for 70.12% of the variance with the first factor accounting for 53.3% and the second factor accounting for 16.8% of the variance. Lith-SNS total scores and all five subscores significantly correlated with BPRS negative symptoms subscores showing good convergent validity. There was a correlation between the Positive subscore of BPRS and the alogia subscore of Lith-SNS (r = 0.39, p = 0.001), but no correlations with other subscores or the total Lith-SNS score showing adequate discriminant validity. CONCLUSIONS: Lithuanian version of SNS is a valuable tool to evaluate negative symptoms of schizophrenia with good internal consistency, convergent, and discriminant validity.

Assessment and Treatment of Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia-A Regional Perspective.

Clinicians and researchers consider that there are a variety of symptoms that constitute negative symptoms in schizophrenia, and they may use different definitions for the same symptoms. These differences are also reflected in a variety of negative symptom rating scales. Both research and clinical work are negatively affected by the lack of consensus regarding the symptoms that constitute negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Leading research groups have investigated ways to reduce heterogeneity in the domain of negative symptoms in schizophrenia; however, little attention has been paid to regional differences in the concepts of negative symptoms in schizophrenia. The objective of this review was to collect and summarize information about the assessment and treatment of negative symptoms of schizophrenia in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Nineteen experts from 17 countries in CEE participated in this project. The participants collected information about their countries, including the following: (1) the most important publications about negative symptoms in schizophrenia (irrespective of the time of their publication); (2) the most frequently used negative symptom of schizophrenia in clinical practice; (3) definitions of frequently used negative symptoms; and (4) treatment of negative symptoms in schizophrenia. The participating experts/countries most frequently reported the following five negative symptoms: avolition, blunted affect, alogia, asociality, and anhedonia. Several experts also considered other symptoms as belonging to the negative symptom domain, such as a decrease in energy level and changes in personality. The importance of evaluating the long-term course and the relationship between negative symptoms and other symptom domains was also noted. No noticeable differences were reported in the treatment of negative symptoms compared to currently published guidelines and algorithms. The most frequently reported negative symptoms included those defined by the NIMH-MATRICS consensus statement on negative symptoms and recently endorsed in a guidance paper of the European Psychiatric Association. The main differences in the concepts, names, and definitions of primary negative symptoms, especially those related to personality changes, and to the evaluation of the long-term course and relationship between different symptom domains in CEE compared to the current English language literature deserve the attention of psychiatrists and other professionals in this field.

Pre-existingmental health disorders affect pregnancy and neonatal outcomes: a retrospectivecohort study.

BACKGROUND: This was a hospital registry-based retrospective age-matched cohort study that aimed to compare pregnancy and neonatal outcomes of women with pre-existing mental disorders with those of mentally healthy women. METHODS: A matched cohort retrospective study was carried out in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kauno Klinikos, a tertiary health care institution. Medical records of pregnant women who gave birth from 2006 to 2015 were used. The study group was comprised of 131 pregnant women with mental disorders matched to 228 mentally healthy controls. The primary outcomes assessed were antenatal care characteristics; secondary outcomes were neonatal complications. RESULTS: Pregnant women with pre-existing mental health disorders were significantly more likely to have low education, be unmarried and unemployed, have a disability that led to lower working capacity, smoke more frequently, have chronic concomitant diseases, attend fewer antenatal visits, gain less weight, be hospitalized during pregnancy, spend more time in hospital during the postpartum period, and were less likely to breastfeed their newborns. The newborns of women with pre-existing mental disorders were small for gestational age (SGA) more often than those of healthy controls (12.9% vs. 7.6%, p < 0.05). No difference was found comparing the methods of delivery. CONCLUSIONS: Women with pre-existing mental health disorders had a worse course of pregnancy. Mental illness increased the risk to deliver a SGA newborn (RR 2.055, 95% CI 1.081-3.908).

Affective Symptoms and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Women with Stress Urinary Incontinence: Cross-Sectional Study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the relationship between affective symptoms, clinical variables of uro-gynaecological history and health-related quality of life (QoL) among women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in comparison to healthy controls. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 80 women 30 to 80 years of age diagnosed with SUI and 97 controls without symptoms of SUI provided sociodemographic data and answered the King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ) for assessing the QoL among individuals with urinary incontinence. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were assessed by Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale with a threshold ≥7. A multiple regression was performed to reveal the cross-sectional predictors of affective symptoms and QoL among women with SUI. RESULTS: Women with SUI had a significantly higher prevalence of symptoms of anxiety and depression than the controls (50% vs 11% and 29% vs 3.1%, respectively; both p<0.001) and worse health-related QoL on all domains of the KHQ. In multiple logistic regression models adjusted for sociodemographic and clinical variables of uro-gynaecological history, perceived symptoms of mild-to-severe depression were associated with a higher amount of leakage (OR=3.59; 1.04-12.4), older age (≥55 years old vs <55 years old) (OR=5.82; 1.47-23.1) and higher BMI (OR=1.13; 1.01-1.27). In addition, when controlled for all domains of the KHQ, perceived depressive symptoms were associated with the "emotions" domain of the KHQ (OR=1.06; 1.02-1.09). Perceived anxiety symptoms (independent of age) were related to shorter duration of SUI, low parity, absence of comorbidities and to higher scores on the "personal relationships" and "emotions" domains of the KHQ. CONCLUSION: Women with SUI have a significantly poorer QoL than their counterparts without SUI. It was determined that one-half of women with SUI had anxiety symptoms, while one-third of women with SUI had depressive symptoms. In addition, this study indicated that QoL was associated with anxiety symptoms in middle-aged women and with depressive symptoms in older women, especially those with a shorter duration of SUI.

Comparison of psychotropic medication use in the Baltic countries.

Purpose: While the pivotal role of pharmacotherapy in psychiatry is universal, significant regional differences exist in drug use patterns. Herewith we compare the use of ATC psychotropic drugs (N05, psycholeptics and N06A, antidepressants) in 2010-2015 in the three Baltic Countries with reference to the Nordic Countries.Methods: Data were obtained from the national authorities on medicines as expressed in DDD per 1000 inhabitants per day. A semi-structured questionnaire was used for expert statements on the rationale of current use of medicines.Results: During the observation period the use of antipsychotics, anxiolytics, hypnotics and sedatives, and antidepressants steadily increased, while the growth in use of anxiolytics stagnated in the more recent years. Antipsychotic use was the largest in Lithuania and the lowest in Estonia. The use on anxiolytics in Lithuania was more than twice of that in Estonia and Latvia. Conversely, the use of hypnotics and sedatives was about three times higher in Estonia than in Latvia or Lithuania. Antidepressant use was dominated by the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in all three countries, but overall was much lower in Latvia as compared to Lithuania and Estonia. As compared to the Nordic Countries in 2015, antidepressants are used at much lower level throughout Baltics, probably reflecting underdiagnostics of depression and anxiety disorders.Conclusion: While the health-care expenditures in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are largely similar, as is the cultural and recent political background of these EU member countries, the extent and the pattern of psychotropic drug use is remarkably variable.

Factors Affecting Consumer Food Preferences: Food Taste and Depression-Based Evoked Emotional Expressions with the Use of Face Reading Technology.

In this study, several factors (social status, age, gender, education, knowledge about healthy eating, and attitude to food) affecting consumer food choices (FC), including the relationship between the taste of food, FC, and depression, were analysed by using sensory traits and face reading technology. The first stage of the experimental scheme was the analysis of factors affecting consumer food preferences by using a questionnaire, while the second stage was evaluation of emotional expressions evoked by different food tastes in individuals with and without depressive disorders (DD), using the FaceReader 6 software. We show that gender is a significant factor for most emotional motivations, with a higher effect in females where there was an indication of increased cravings for sweets when feeling depressed. Age was a significant factor in the motivation to eat for positive feelings, while education had a significant influence on perceptions regarding healthy eating. Face reading technology was found to be sufficiently accurate to detect differences in facial expressions induced by different tastes of food, for groups with and without DD. In conclusion, many factors are of high importance in the analysis of food choices, and the results obtained using the FaceReader 6 technique are very promising for food-mood relation analysis. We suggest that mood has a strong link with the choice of food.

Corrigendum: The Perspectives Associated With the Computer-Based Diagnostic Method of Depressive Disorder.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00687.].

Cerebrovascular autoregulation impairments during cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass are related to postoperative cognitive deterioration: prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) occurs in approximately 33-83% of patients after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Recent clinical data suggest that real-time, intraoperative monitoring of patient-specific cerebrovascular autoregulation (CA) may help to prevent POCD by detecting individual critical limits for mean arterial pressure (MAP) outside which CA is impaired. Objectives of the study were to detect the episodes of impaired CA during cardiac surgery with CPB, and to investigate the association between CA impairment and POCD. METHODS: The observational study of non-invasive ultrasonic volumetric CA monitoring included 59 patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery with CPB. All patients underwent series of neuropsychological tests the day before and ten days after the surgery in order to evaluate cognitive function. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients (37%) experienced POCD, 37 patients (63%) showed no cognitive deterioration. The duration of the single longest CA impairment event was found reliably associated with occurrence of POCD (P<0.05). The critical duration of the single longest CA impairment event was 5.03 minutes (odds ratio 14.5; CI 3.9-51.8) for studied population. CONCLUSIONS: Prospective clinical study showed that single longest CA impairment may result in post-operative deterioration of mental abilities. The duration of the single longest CA impairment event is the risk factor that is associated with POCD.

Can Suicide Attempt be Related to Problem Drinking: Cohort Study.

AIMS: Alcohol consumption is a well-established risk factor in suicidal behaviour, but there is still discussion about which factor might imply greater suicide risk-acute alcohol intoxication or being a problems drinkers. The aim of this study was to analyse the association between a suicide attempt and the drinking pattern and to evaluate the risk factors for suicide attempt among problem drinkers versus non-problem drinkers. SHORT SUMMARY: We found that problem drinking (CAGE ≥2) is an important issue in suicide attempts. Factors predicting suicide attempt among problem drinkers were male gender, younger age, being married or in a partnership status, low education and acute alcohol intoxication prior a suicide attempt. METHODS: A cohort study was performed including all cases of patients (n = 425) hospitalized in the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences after a suicide attempt. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire that included questions on sociodemographic characteristics, the nature of the suicide attempt, the question of alcohol consumption prior to the suicide attempt and a CAGE questionnaire screening for problem drinking (CAGE ≥ 2). RESULTS: Two-thirds (70.9%) of male and 43.2% of female suicide attempters were problem drinkers. Problem drinking versus non-problem drinking increased the risk of suicide attempt especially according to gender (3.2 times for male), age (1.08 times for younger age), marital status (among married or in a partnership-1.58 times), education level (among < 12 years-2.04 times) and acute alcohol intoxication prior a suicide attempt (8.15 times-among intoxicated). CONCLUSIONS: Our results highlight that being a problem drinker as well as the use of alcohol at the time of the event is an important issue in suicide attempt,.

Changes over time in Lithuanian schoolchildren's attitudes toward addictive behaviors: Promoting and preventing factors.

BACKGROUND: Concern is growing about the high prevalence of traditional and new forms of addictive behaviors among young people due to the health risks and a better understanding of the factors causing these behaviors is needed. AIM: To evaluate tendencies in the attitudes of Lithuanian schoolchildren toward addictive behaviors over a three year period and to ascertain the promoting and preventing factors of such behaviors. METHODS: The researchers developed a survey which was conducted twice over a three year period. The sample consisted of pupils in the 5th, 9th and 12th grades (N = 1590, age range 11-19 years) from both urban and rural areas. RESULTS: Both the recognition of and involvement in addictive behaviors significantly increased with age. Motivation to abstain due to internal factors decreased with age and increased among pupils already involved in addictive behaviors. Time- and age-related differences were found regarding substance abuse and behavioral addictions. Whilst betting adverts were increasingly noticed over time, smoking adverts were decreasingly noticed over the three year period and it was concomitant with inconsistent changes in self-reported involvement in these behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: Most significant changes in the attitudes of Lithuanian pupils toward addictive behaviors occur between the ages of 11 and 15 years. However, age-related changes differ for the pupils' attitudes toward substance abuse and behavioral addictions. Increasing awareness of the potential risk of addictive behaviors does not prevent their increasing prevalence with age. Increased risk of involvement in addictive behavior correlates with decreased internal motivation to abstain from addictive behavior and decreased recognition of its potential risks. No clear correlation was found between significant changes in noticing adverts and involvement in addictive behaviors.

Effects of emotional responses to certain foods on the prediction of consumer acceptance.

This research was focussed on the development of a methodology for the recognition of consumer preferences based on a combination of emotional, behavioural, and sensory trait information. A model of the impact of customers' sensory experiences on their attitudes towards food products and their behavioural intentions was analysed. Sensory and emotional analyses were used to describe five kinds of bread (wheat, rye, corn, wholemeal, and multigrain) and two types of chocolate (dark and milk). Acceptability and emotional response were rated by a consumer panel (n = 109) drawn from 21 to 24 age segments using the hedonic scores and a FaceReader software which detects six basic emotions (happy, sad, angry, disgusted, scared, surprised) and a neutral state were applied. For the products tested, expressions of happiness, anger, and sadness for each product were relatively high compared to the others, with the neutral state being the main expression. The chocolate products elicited the highest intensity of happiness, reducing the level of the neutral state. A different tendency was obtained during the testing of bakery goods: higher expression of the neutral state and sadness and low expression of happiness. The emotional/sensory experience model and consumer behavioural patterns comprise the method for the differentiation of products, which could be useful in the food industry as well as for the development of new methodologies for the prediction of changes in human emotional response to food related to psychological disorders.

The Perspectives Associated With the Computer-Based Diagnostic Method of Depressive Disorder.

Depressive disorder (DD) shortens a healthy and productive human life, has significant public health costs is and associated with high suicide rates. In depression sadness and emotional misery manifest in facial expressions, as psychomotor slowing, lack of energy, high tension, and attenuated sensory perception. Loss of appetite, changes to the taste of food, and the loss of pleasure in eating are important criteria in the diagnosis of DD. We hypothesized that a patient's facial expressions and emotional responses to different tastes can be used as the diagnostic moderators for the development of a new contactless, computer-based method for diagnosis of DD. The confirmation of this hypothesis can shed a new perspective on early contactless, computer-based psychiatric diagnostic strategies and early identification of DD symptoms, as DD is an important issue in public mental health. The benefits of this method are evidence from several perspectives (I) patients can use a self-rating instrument to assess DD symptoms; this may act as an incentive to seek professional help; (II) family and community can use an instrument for early recognition of DD symptoms and suicidal tendencies, making it possible to encourage the individual to seek professional health care; (III) general practitioners have a reliable instrument for preliminary diagnosis of DD in primary care, thus saving the time and resources; (IV) public health benefits include early diagnosis and treatment of DD and better outcomes, reductions in disability-adjusted life years and the global burden of the disease. It is nevertheless important to recognize the limitations and risks of contactless diagnosis of DD. As it is a self-assessment method it is not possible to rule out false positives and false negatives. However, this method might be used for early diagnosis of DD symptoms. Also, it should be mentioned that further evaluation and an experts opinion about this method is needed. The clinical diagnosis of DD should continue to be made by healthcare professionals. Finally, this method may perspectively predict DD at an early stage and may ensure a higher quality of the patients' primary care in the public health system.

Features of sleep disturbances in multiple sclerosis patients.

BACKGROUND: Sleep disturbances in multiple sclerosis (MS) have received little research attention despite the potential influence it may have on the impact of the disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of sleep disturbances in a Lithuanian community sample of individuals with the relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and its relation with depression, anxiety, and health related quality of life (HRQoL). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The examined group consisted of 137 RRMS outpatients. The following questionnaires were used: the original socio-demographic questionnaire, Medical Outcomes Study Sleep (MOSS) measure, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and HRQoL measure. The relationship of objective sleep disturbances was evaluated with multivariate linear regression, adjusted to socio-demographic and clinical data. RESULTS: Sleep disturbances were present in 45.3 percent of patients. According to the HADS-D, depressive symptoms were present in 21.9 percent, according to the HADS-A, anxiety symptoms were present in 19.7 percent of study participants. Mean value of Physical and Mental component of HRQoL respectively constituted 40.4 and 44.5. We observed the relationship between sleep disturbances and gender, age, EDSS, prevalence of depression and anxiety, and Physical and Mental component of HRQoL. CONCLUSIONS: Our research was limited by narrow number of study participants and could be accepted only as preliminary study. The study investigated only RRMS patients, therefore investigation of other clinical forms of MS could provide more exhaustive data related with sleep disturbances. The investigation included only outpatients group, therefore research of inpatients could provide more comprehensive data. Sleep disturbances in our study were common in RRMS, and they related with female gender, older age, higher disability status, prevalence of depression and anxiety, and worse HRQoL. The treatable causes of sleep disturbances in RRMS should be identified and cured. However, further research are requested to confirm these findings.