[A study on the association of genes for pro-inflammatory cytokines and depression]. / Sviaz' genov provospalitel'nykh tsitokinov s depressiei.

AIM: To study the association between proinflammatory cytokine genes and depression. MATERIAL AND METHODS: IL-1B С-511T and TNF-a G-308A gene polymorphisms were studied in patients diagnosed with depression and age and sex-matched healthy controls. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The IL-1B С-511T and TNF-a G-308A polymorphisms were associated with depression; CC genotype (р=0,001, OR=1.9 CI 1,3-2,7) and GG genotype (р=0,001, OR=3,0 CI 1,8-4,9) were the risk factors. The results suggest that immune factors may play a role in the development of depression. The authors highlight the role of clinical polymorphism of depression that makes it difficult to form homogenous groups of patients and to select phenotypes for biological studies.

[The optimization of management of chronic daily headache patients]. / Optimizatsiya vedeniya patsientov s khronicheskoi ezhednevnoi golovnoi bol'yu.

AIM: To optimize the management of chronic daily headache (CDH) using cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 90 patients (76 women and 14 men), aged from 23 to 78 years (mean age 46.71±11.99) with primary forms of CDH. The patients were followed-up by the neurologist during 12 months, psychological characteristics were studied together with the psychiatrist. Patients received combined treatment, including optimized pharmacotherapy, educational program, relaxation training, CBT and exercise therapy. RESULTS: The diagnosis of CDH has not been previously established in 86.7% of the patients. All patients received unnecessary additional diagnostic examinations, ineffective treatment (86.7%) that resulted in the formation of wrong conceptions about their state (90%). Three months after combined treatment, a significant positive effect has been achieved in 62.2% of the patients and after 12 months in 72.2%. CONCLUSION: The combined treatment program that included CBT can relatively rapidly help patients with CDH and exerts a stable positive effect during 12 months of the follow-up.

[A study of the association between the kynurenine-3-monooxygenase gene and depression]. / Issledovanie svyazi gena kinurenin-3-monooksigenazy s depressiei.

AIM: To study the association between the kynurenine 3-monooxygenase (KMO) and depression. MATERIAL AND METHODS: КМО rs2275163 (C/T) and rs1053230 (A /G) polymorphisms were genotyped in patients diagnosed with depression (the main group) and age - and sex-matched healthy people. RESULTS: The rs2275163 polymorphism was not associated with depression. There was the association between the rs1053230 polymorphism and depression. The frequency of the low expression genotype GG was higher in the main group compared to controls (р=0.001, ОШ 2.8 (95% ДИ 1.73-4.24). This genotype was earlier reported to be associated with the increased levels of kynurenic acid in patients with bipolar disorders. CONCLUSION: The genotype GG can be considered as a risk factor of depression.

The linguistic validation of Russian version of Dutch four-dimensional symptoms questionnaire (4DSQ) for assessing distress, depression, anxiety and somatization in patients with borderline psychosomatic disorders.

BACKGROUND: The four-dimensional symptom questionnaire (4DSQ) is an originally Dutch self-report questionnaire that has been developed in primary care to distinguish non-specific general distress from depression, anxiety and somatization. In order to produce the appropriate translated Russian version the process of linguistic validation has been initiated. This process has been done according to the "Linguistic Validation Manual for Health Outcome Assessments" developed by MAPI institute. OBJECTIVE: To produce the appropriate Russian version of the 4DSQ that is conceptually and linguistically equivalent to the original questionnaire. METHODS: The original Dutch version of the 4DSQ was translated by one translator into Russian. The validated English version of the 4DSQ was translated by another translator into Russian without mutual consultation. The consensus version was created based on two translated versions. After that the back translation was performed to Dutch, some changes were implemented to the consensus Russian version and the second target version was developed based on these results. The second target version was sent to an appropriate group of reviewers. Based on their comments, the second target version was updated. After wards this version was tested in patients during cognitive interview. The study protocol was approved by the Independent Interdisciplinary Ethics Committee on Ethical Review for Clinical Studies, and in compliance with the Helsinki Declaration and ICH-GCP guidelines and local regulations. Enrolled patients provided written informed consent. RESULTS: After the process of forward and backward translation, consultant and developer's comments, clinicians and cognitive review the final version of Russian 4DSQ was developed for assessment of distress, depression, anxiety and somatization. CONCLUSION: The Russian 4DSQ as a result of translation procedures and cognitive interviews linguistically corresponds to the original Dutch 4DSQ and could be assessed in psychometric validation for the further using in general practice.

[Comorbidity of depression and nonaffective - schizophrenia spectrum disorders: the clinical-epidemiological study EDIP]. / Komorbidnost' depressii i rasstroistv neaffektivnogo shizofrenicheskogo spektra: kliniko-epidemiologicheskoe issledovanie EDIP.

AIM: To explore the association between depression and heterogenic nonaffective symptom complexes in the study EDIP (Epidemiology of Depression and nonaffective Psychiatric disorders). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study consisted of two stages. The first stage (91 patients) aimed to resolve organizational and methodological issues, the second stage was performed in the epidemiological sample of 705 patients. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The heterogeneity (inequivalence and bidirectionality) of associations between depression and heteronomous nonaffective disorders have been identified. The associations are distinguished in three types: 1) affinity (agonism); 2) repulsion (antagonism); 3) lack of selective interaction (inertness) between depression and nonaffective disorders. The results obtained are discussed in a context of two conceptually polar psychopathological models of comorbidity between depression and nonaffective disorders: 1) based on a nosological dichotomy «affective disease - schizophrenia¼ and 2) denying the abovementioned dichotomy. The first model places depression among disorders of a mild psychiatric register. The second model supposes the integration of depression with syndromes typical for schizophrenia in a common "affect-symptoms" space and considers the increase of depression frequency proportionally to duration and severity of schizophrenia. Our own results have shown that depression is observed not only among disorders of mild psychiatric registers, but also in schizophrenia, though with a significantly lower frequency (as a nonobligatory compound of a syndrome). Thus, depression influence in comorbid delusional, schizophrenic and other severe nonaffective disorders is greatly diminished.

[The Four-Dimensional Symptom Questionnaire (4DSQ) to assess distress, depression, anxiety and somatization in autonomic and borderline psychosomatic disorders].

OBJECTIVE: Autonomic nervous system disorders are a frequent reason that makes patients to seek medical advice from general physicians and neurologists in outpatient clinics. The Dutch Four-Dimensional Symptoms Questionnaire (4DSQ) used for measuring distress, depression, anxiety and somatization is an adequate tool for identifying psychogenic factors for the development of autonomic disorders. An aim of the study was to localize the questionnaire to the Russian population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The questionnaire was translated and the Russian version was subsequently psychometrically validated. The statistical analysis conducted for the verification of compatibility of the Russian version with the Dutch version was based on the survey of 243 patients. RESULTS: All elements of the Russian version measured the same parameters of the Dutch 4DSQ. Some differences were identified. CONCLUSION: The analysis has confirmed the possibility of using the questionnaire in the Russian-speaking population using higher threshold values: +2 points for distress and anxiety, +4 points for somatization.

The inhibitory effect of Selank on enkephalin-degrading enzymes as a possible mechanism of its anxiolytic activity.

Examination of patients with various forms of anxiety and phobic disorders (according to DSM-4 criteria) demonstrated a considerable shortening of enkephalin half-life and reduced total enkephalinase activity in the blood during generalized anxiety, but not during panic disorders and agoraphobia. This was probably related to low blood concentration of endogenous inhibitors of enkephalin-degrading enzymes in patients with generalized anxiety disorders. Heptapeptide Selank (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro), which attenuates behavioral anxiety reactions and does not cause side effects typical of most anxiolytics, dose-dependently inhibited enzymatic hydrolysis of plasma enkephalin (IC50 15 microM). Selank was more potent than peptidase inhibitors bacitracin and puromycin in inhibiting enkephalinases. These results suggest that high efficiency of Selank in the therapy of anxiety and phobic disorders, including generalized anxiety, is due to its ability to inhibit enkephalin hydrolysis.