(1) Background: Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome, characterized by persisting symptoms up to 12 weeks after the acute illness, impairs numerous people’s physical and mental health. (2) Methods: 64 inpatients and 79 outpatients, aged under 55 years, with post-acute COVID-19, were evaluated by a transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), mental health examination, Quality of Life (QoL) questionnaire, post-COVID-19 functional status scale (PCFS) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). (3) Results: all inpatients had mild/moderate pulmonary injury during acute COVID-19, in contrast to 37.97% of outpatients. Inpatients who reported an average of 5 persisting symptoms, had, predominantly, level 3 PCFS and a median QoL of 62, compared to outpatients, who reported an average of 3 symptoms, level 1 PCFS and a median QoL score of 70. Increased pulmonary artery pressure was detected in 28.11% of inpatients, compared to 17.72% of outpatients, while diastolic dysfunction was diagnosed in 28.12% of inpatients, in comparison with 20.25% of outpatients (p = 0.02). Abnormal systolic function was assessed in 9.37% of inpatients, and 7.58% of outpatients. According to the HADS depression subscale, 46.87% of inpatients and 27.84% of outpatients had clinical depression. Concomitantly, anxiety was detected in 34.37% of inpatients and 40.5% of outpatients (4) Conclusions: cardiovascular and mental health difficulties were frequently detected in patients with post-acute symptoms of COVID-19, which correlated with the number and intensity of persisting symptoms and reduced QoL scores.

Purpose: Among other non-motor symptoms, theory of mind (ToM), the ability to recognize, understand and infer others’ mental states, beliefs, intents and wishes, has been shown to deteriorate during the course of Parkinson’s disease (PD). It has been speculated that ToM impairments could be related to cognitive deficits in PD. However, the current state of literature suggests that there is heterogeneity regarding the involvement of cognitive functioning in the relationship of PD and ToM. The study aimed to measure affective ToM abilities and cognitive performance in a sample of PD patients, to explore the link between affective ToM abilities and cognitive status, and to examine the impact of PD on affective ToM through the mediator effect of cognitive performance. Patients and methods: Sixty-five patients diagnosed with idiopathic PD and 51 healthy controls matched for age, gender and educational level completed a visual affective ToM task (Reading the Mind in the Eyes – RMET), cognitive performance was evaluated with Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and psychiatric symptoms were measured with BPRS-E (Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale). Results: Affective ToM abilities were preserved in early PD patients, declining as the disease progressed. Deficits in cognitive functioning predicted deficiencies in affective ToM. Although attention (AT), executive functions (EF) and visuospatial abilities (VSA) together mediated the relationship between PD and affective ToM, only VSA impairment had a specific negative impact on affective ToM. Moreover, 41% of the total effect of attention and executive functions on affective ToM was mediated by visuospatial skills. Conclusion: Cognitive performance may have an impact on the relationship between PD and affective ToM through the involvement of VSA. The influence of AT and EF in this relationship appears to be also exerted by PD patients’ VSA.

Breast cancer requires complex clinical care. Well-being is an intricate concept, encompassing physical, functional, emotional, and social aspects. Background: This study aims to evaluate the relationship between the type of surgery our patients underwent and the timing of the reconstructive surgery with physical, emotional, social, and functional well-being. Furthermore, through our research we tried to identify potential mental health comorbidities in patients with breast cancer, clinical symptoms, and well-being in women with breast cancer, depending on the type of required surgery. Methods: The study included 69 women diagnosed with breast cancer, in stages I to III, divided in two groups: I—patients with oncoplastic breast-conserving surgery and contralateral correction surgery, for symmetry reasons; II—patients who underwent modified radical mastectomy and late breast reconstruction with contralateral symmetrisation. We evaluated socio-demographic aspects, alongside depression, anxiety, stress (DASS 21), and well-being (FACT-B). Data were statistically processed; statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Clinical elements of depression, anxiety, and stress were noted in both groups, without statistical significance (p > 0.05). Significant differences were found regarding psycho-emotional (p = 0.035) and functional well-being (p = 0.001), with higher scores for group I. The chi-square test indicated statistically significant differences (at p < 0.01) between the groups, regarding the frequency of scores on items B4 and B9 (FACT-B items, related to feminine aesthetics and desirability), with evidently higher scores in group I than in group II. Conclusions: The state of well-being, as well as the items related to femininity and sexuality had higher values in the group of women treated by oncoplastic conservative surgery compared to late reconstruction after modified radical mastectomy.

Background: The surgical treatment of breast cancer involves various psychological consequences, which differ according to individual characteristics. Our study aimed to identify the role that cognitive schemas had in triggering anxiety and depressive symptoms in patients diagnosed with breast cancer that underwent oncological and plastic surgery treatment. Methods: 64 female patients, diagnosed with breast cancer from an Oncology and Plastic Surgery Hospital, were selected to participate in this study between March–June 2018. They were divided into two groups: I. 28 patients who underwent mastectomy surgery; II. 36 patients, who required mastectomy and, subsequently, also chose to undergo breast reconstruction surgery. For the purposes of evaluating a possible change in mental health status, we employed two assessment scales: the Young Cognitive Schema Questionnaire - Short Form 3 (YSQ-S3) and the Romanian version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale – 21 (DASS-21R). Results: Participants who underwent mastectomy and subsequent breast reconstruction surgery employed cognitive schemas that did not generate symptoms of depression or anxiety. In contrast, the cognitive schemas found in women who refused reconstructive breast surgery were significantly correlated with the presence of anxiety-depressive symptoms. The cognitive schema domain of ‘disconnection and rejection’ correlated uncertainly with the presence of anxiety-depressive symptoms for the group with breast reconstruction (Spearman’s ρ = 0.091, p = 0.644), while for the other group the correlation was moderate-strong (Spearman’s ρ = 0.647, p < 0.01). Negative emotional schemas were significantly correlated with the presence of anxiety-depressive symptoms (Spearman’s ρ = 0.598, p < 0.01) in the group of participants without reconstructive surgery. Conclusion: A correct identification of dysfunctional cognitive schemas and coping mechanisms at the commencement of the combined treatment in breast cancer patients could serve as an indicator for the evolution of their mental health, therefore assisting professionals in establishing the most suitable psychological, psychotherapeutic and psychiatric intervention plan.

Profiling undergraduate students from a Romanian medical university Radu-Stefan Romosan, Liana Dehelean, Virgil-Radu Enatescu, Ana Cristina Bredicean, Ion Papava, Catalina Giurgi-Oncu, Ana-Maria Romosan Department of Neurosciences, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania Purpose: Medical students’ personality traits, emotion regulation strategies, and empathic behavior are considered powerful predictors for their future achievements, professional adjustment, and mental strength. Coping strategies such as “self-blame,” “rumination,” “catastrophizing,” “blaming others,” lack of empathy, decreased emotion recognition abilities, and neuroticism are maladaptive and, thus, less desirable traits in medical professionals. The purpose of the study was to comparatively assess and find potential correlations between personality traits, empathy levels, emotion recognition abilities, and cognitive emotion regulation strategies of three medical student samples: general medicine (GM), dental medicine (DM), and general nursing (GN) students. Patients and methods: This cross-sectional comparative study was conducted throughout the second semester of 2017, during Psychiatry class, on 306 medical undergraduates of the “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania. Personality was assessed by using Neuroticism–Extraversion–Openness to Experience Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI). Cognitive emotion regulation strategies were identified using the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ). Empathy quotient (EQ) was used to measure empathy levels. Emotion recognition abilities were evaluated with the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test (RMET). Results: GM students scored significantly higher than both DM and GN students in blaming others (CERQ) and significantly higher than GN students in “neuroticism” (NEO-FFI). GM and DM students obtained significantly lower scores than their GN colleagues in “agreeableness” (NEO-FFI) and empathy (EQ). Compared to DM students, GN students gave significantly more correct answers in RMET. Neuroticism was associated with less efficient coping mechanisms (self-blame, rumination, catastrophizing, blaming others) and lower empathy scores. Empathy correlated negatively with blaming others and was positively associated with agreeableness and emotion recognition abilities. Conclusion: The differences found between the student samples can be consequences of several overlapping factors. Certain personality traits may predispose individuals to maladaptive coping responses, increased vulnerability to stress, and lower empathy levels. The results of this study can be viewed as baseline data for future, more comprehensive, longitudinal analyses. Keywords: undergraduate, education environment, medical education research, dental students, nursing students

Background and objectives: Major depressive disorder (MDD) and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) represent serious and prevalent medical conditions. Autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunctions, expressed by parameters of heart rate variability (HRV) and heart rate turbulence (HRT), have been repeatedly associated with depression. The aim of our study was to identify potential HRV and HRT alterations in patients with MDD, before and after selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) therapy, and to observe any correlations between these parameters and the severity of depressive symptoms. Another aim was to evidence if there was a normalization or improvement of HRV and HRT parameters that paralleled the reduction of the intensity of depressive symptoms. Materials and Methods: We studied heart rate variability (HRV) and heart rate turbulence (HRT) in a sample of 78 patients, aged under 51 years, who were referred to our outpatient clinic between June 2017 and December 2019, for complaints in the context of a new onset major depressive disorder (MDD), before and after therapy with SSRIs. Results: By using 24 h Holter ECG monitoring, we evidenced alterations of HRV and HRT parameters, significantly correlated with the severity of depressive symptoms (p < 0.001), as assessed by the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). Our results indicated that these parameters improved following one and six months of SSRI therapy, when a partial or total remission of depressive symptoms was achieved (p < 0.001). Changes in HRV parameters were correlated with the reduction of the severity of depression. Conclusions: In our study group, we highlighted, through 24 h ECG Holter monitoring, frequent and clear HRV and HRT abnormalities that were statistically correlated with the severity of depressive symptoms. Furthermore, we were able to document a progressive improvement of these parameters, which corresponded with the improvement of depressive symptoms under SSRI therapy, when compared to the values measured before the commencement of antidepressant pharmacotherapy.