Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms as Biomarkers of Antipsychotic-Induced Akathisia: Systematic Review.

Antipsychotic-induced akathisia (AIA) is a movement disorder characterized by a subjective feeling of inner restlessness or nervousness with an irresistible urge to move, resulting in repetitive movements of the limbs and torso, while taking antipsychotics (APs). In recent years, there have been some associative genetic studies of the predisposition to the development of AIA. Objective: The goal of our study was to review the results of associative genetic and genome-wide studies and to systematize and update the knowledge on the genetic predictors of AIA in patients with schizophrenia (Sch). Methods: We searched full-text publications in PubMed, Web of Science, Springer, Google Scholar, and e-Library databases from 1977 to 2022. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) quality scale was used for the critical selection of the studies. Results: We identified 37 articles, of which 3 were included in the review. Thus, the C allele of rs1800498 (59414 C>T) and the A allele of rs1800497 (17316 G>A) (TaqIA) from the DRD2 gene as well as the TT genotype rs13212041 (77461407 C>T) from the HTR1B gene were found to be associated with AIA. Conclusions: Uncovering the genetic biomarkers of AIA may provide a key to developing a strategy for the personalized prevention and treatment of this adverse neurological drug reaction of APs in patients with Sch in real clinical practice.

Therapeutic and Toxic Effects of Valproic Acid Metabolites.

Valproic acid (VPA) and its salts are psychotropic drugs that are widely used in neurological diseases (epilepsy, neuropathic pain, migraine, etc.) and psychiatric disorders (schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, addiction diseases, etc.). In addition, the indications for the appointment of valproate have been expanding in recent years in connection with the study of new mechanisms of action of therapeutic and toxic metabolites of VPA in the human body. Thus, VPA is considered a component of disease-modifying therapy for multiple tumors, neurodegenerative diseases (Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, Duchenne progressive dystrophy, etc.), and human immunodeficiency syndrome. The metabolism of VPA is complex and continues to be studied. Known pathways of VPA metabolism include: ß-oxidation in the tricarboxylic acid cycle (acetylation); oxidation with the participation of cytochrome P-450 isoenzymes (P-oxidation); and glucuronidation. The complex metabolism of VPA explains the diversity of its active and inactive metabolites, which have therapeutic, neutral, or toxic effects. It is known that some active metabolites of VPA may have a stronger clinical effect than VPA itself. These reasons explain the relevance of this narrative review, which summarizes the results of studies of blood (serum, plasma) and urinary metabolites of VPA from the standpoint of the pharmacogenomics and pharmacometabolomics. In addition, a new personalized approach to assessing the cumulative risk of developing VPA-induced adverse reactions is presented and ways for their correction are proposed depending on the patient's pharmacogenetic profile and the level of therapeutic and toxic VPA metabolites in the human body fluids (blood, urine).

The Role of D-Serine and D-Aspartate in the Pathogenesis and Therapy of Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia (Sch) is a severe and widespread mental disorder. Antipsychotics (APs) of the first and new generations as the first-line treatment of Sch are not effective in about a third of cases and are also unable to treat negative symptoms and cognitive deficits of schizophrenics. This explains the search for new therapeutic strategies for a disease-modifying therapy for treatment-resistant Sch (TRS). Biological compounds are of great interest to researchers and clinicians, among which D-Serine (D-Ser) and D-Aspartate (D-Asp) are among the promising ones. The Sch glutamate theory suggests that neurotransmission dysfunction caused by glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) may represent a primary deficiency in this mental disorder and play an important role in the development of TRS. D-Ser and D-Asp are direct NMDAR agonists and may be involved in modulating the functional activity of dopaminergic neurons. This narrative review demonstrates both the biological role of D-Ser and D-Asp in the normal functioning of the central nervous system (CNS) and in the pathogenesis of Sch and TRS. Particular attention is paid to D-Ser and D-Asp as promising components of a nutritive disease-modifying therapy for TRS.

Analysis of COVID-19 pandemics in Kazakhstan.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to analyze the demographic and epidemiological features of identified COVID-19 cases in Kazakhstan. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. METHODS: This cross-sectional study aimed to analyze COVID-19 cases (n=5116) collected from March 13 to June 6, 2020, in Kazakhstan. The data were obtained from a state official medical electronic database. The study investigated the geographic and demographic data of patients as well as the association of COVID-19 cases with gender and age. The prevalence of symptoms, the presence of comorbidities, complications, and COVID-19 mortality were determined for all patients. RESULTS: The mean±SD age of the patients in this study was 34.8±17.6 years, and the majority (55.7%) of COVID-19 cases were male and residents of cities (79.6%). In total, 80% of the cases had the asymptomatic/mild form of the disease. Cough (20.8 %) and sore throat (17.1%) were the most common symptoms among patients, and pneumonia was diagnosed in 1 out of 5 cases. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) was recorded in 1.2% of the patients. The fatality rate was 1% in the study population and lethality was 2.6 times higher in males compared to females.  Each additional year in age increased the probability of COVID-19 infection by 1.06 times. The presence of cardiovascular, diabetes, respiratory, and kidney diseases affected the rate of mortality (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The results demonstrated a high proportion (40%) of the asymptomatic type of coronavirus infection in the Kazakhstan population. The severity of COVID-19 symptoms and lethality were directly related to the age of patients and the presence of comorbidities.