Schizophrenia and disruption of circadian rhythms: An overview of genetic, metabolic and clinical signs.

A molecular clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the anterior hypothalamus, which is entrained by the dark-light cycle and controls the sleep-wake cycle, regulates circadian rhythms. The risk of developing mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, has long been linked to sleep abnormalities. Additionally, a common aspect of mental disorders is sleep disturbance, which has a direct impact on the intensity of the symptoms and the quality of life of the patient. This relationship can be explained by gene alterations such as CLOCK in schizophrenia which are also important components of the physiological circadian rhythm. The function of dopamine and adenosine in circadian rhythm should also be noted, as these hypotheses are considered to be the most popular theories explaining schizophrenia pathogenesis. Therefore, determining the presence of a causal link between the two can be key to identifying new potential targets in schizophrenia therapy, which can open new avenues for clinical research as well as psychiatric care. We review circadian disruption in schizophrenia at the genetic, metabolic, and clinical levels. We summarize data about clock and clock-controlled genes' alterations, neurotransmitter systems' impairments, and association with chronotype in schizophrenia patients. Our findings demonstrate that in schizophrenia either homeostatic or circadian processes of sleep regulation are disturbed. Also, we found an insufficient number of studies aimed at studying the relationship between known biological phenomena of circadian disorders and clinical signs of schizophrenia.

Clinical features of adjustment disorder in internally displaced women.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: To study the clinical features of internally displaced women with adjustment disorders. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: Clinical features of internally displaced women with adjustment disorders are investigated. Comprehensive clinical psychopathological and psychodiagnostic assessment of 58 women have been conducted, their medical history data have been analyzed. RESULTS: Results: According to the analysis of the questionnaire severity of psychopathological symptoms prevalence of phobic anxiety, somatization with the presence of distress were observed in internally displaced women. In the clinical presentation of psychopathological disorders, the following symptoms of anxiety-depressive syndrome complex prevailed: mental fatigue 93.1 ± 3.9%; decrease in working capacity in 89.7 ± 4.2% of women; decrease in mood 79.3 ± 6.9%; anxiety 75.7 ± 3.8%; decrease in libido in 65.7 ± 4.9%; physical fatigue - 51.7 ± 4.4% of the examined. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Analysis of clinical and psychopathological symptoms of women with adjustment disorder indicates the dominance in the structure of symptoms of anxiety and depressive symptoms in mixed and isolated forms. According to the analysis of the questionnaire of severity of psychopathological symptoms, in internally displaced women, the prevalence of phobic anxiety, somatization with the presence of distress was observed.

Psychosocial aspects of adjustment disorders in women.

OBJECTIVE: The aim is to study the psychosocial aspects of adjustment disorders in women. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: 54 women with diagnosed adjustment disorders (F43.2) who applied for advisory support were examined. The analysis of their anamnestic data with the help of a special questionnaire was performed, a clinical and psychopathological examination was conducted. To study various aspects of psychosocial maladjustment in this contingent of patients "The Stress Scale" by T.H. Holmes and R.H. Rahe (1967), "The Scale of Psychosocial Maladjustment" by L.O. Herasymenko, A. M. Skrypnikov and M.Rokeach methodology of studying of the value orientations (Fantalova O.B. modification, 1992) were used. RESULTS: Results: In 77.8% of cases a mixed type of maladjustment with dominance in the internal structure of factors of family and industrial maladjustment and in 29.6% a family maladjustment monovariant were identified. In most cases, the family and production variants were combined and a mixed variant of maladjustment was diagnosed. At the same time the most serious forms of maladjustment related to the sexual sphere. Analysis of the structure of psychosocial maladjustment of patients with adjustment disorders showedthat the most typical manifestations of this disorder were the following: dissatisfaction with a sense of comfort (75,95 %), dissatisfaction with the psychological climate in thefamily (62,03 %) and with the period of marriage (62,03 %), dissatisfaction with psychological relationships with colleagues (60,76 %) and with the psychological relationship of the spouse (60,76 %) and a high multiplicity of irritation (54,43 %). CONCLUSION: Conclusions: The leading factors of maladjustment among the examined women were the stress in subjectively significant areas of activity and the conflictual nature of thedesirability and accessibility of basic life values.

Postnatal period psychological aspects.

The result of labour is not only the birth of a child but also the formation of a mother, woman who has got to know motherhood. Moreover there is a radical change in the social status of the couple as a whole. It turns into a mother and father. The consequence of this is a change in attitude towards yourself and others, that is, the transformation of the personality. This explains why during pregnancy and delivery the risk of family problems worsening rises sharply and somatic and neuropsychic disorders emerge. The aim of the work is to describe and systematically outline the main psychological and psychiatric aspects of the postnatal period in the life of a woman and a child. Changes occur in the life of a woman, and the possible to diagnose the manifestations of disharmonious development in a timely manner, to prevent and help to solve them constructively. The information is presented taking into account both historical aspects and the state of the issue in modern society.