The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has a significant impact on both physical and mental health. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to (1) evaluate depression, anxiety, and stress levels among students from Polish universities during the first weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic and (2) assess the risk factors of the higher intensity of emotional distress. We conducted an online survey using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) to assess well-being. The study included 2172 respondents (73% female, 27% male) with a mean age of 22.1 ± 2.2. Moderate to extremely severe scores of depression, anxiety, and stress were reported by 43.4%, 27.3%, and 41.0% of the respondents, respectively. Higher scores of DASS-21 were related to female sex (odds ratio (OR) = 3.01), studying sciences (OR = 2.04), co-residence with the roommates (OR = 1.25), suffering from a mental disorder (OR = 5.88), loneliness (OR = 293.30), the usage of psychiatric support before pandemic (OR = 8.06), poor economic situation (OR = 13.49), and the lower scores were found for being currently employed (OR = 0.4). This study highlights an urgent need for (1) crisis-oriented psychological and psychiatric support for students during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and (2) preparing appropriate psychological interventions to improve the mental health of students for a possible similar situation in the future.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute a family of transmembrane proteins that mediate many cellular processes. GPR120/FFAR4, a receptor from this family that is activated by fatty acids, has received considerable attention recently. This paper presents a literature review concerning the role of GPR120 and its mechanism of action in animal and human studies as well as the potential use of GPR120 for the treatment of chronic diseases. Two electronic databases – Medline and Google Scholar – were searched for available studies addressing the review topic that were written in English and published from 2000 to June 2017. The following key terms were used in the search: GPR120, FFA4, GPR120 agonist, PUFAs, EPA, DHA, adipocyte, obesity, hyperlipidemia, inflammation, cancer, diabetes, insulin resistance, taste, atherogenesis, hepatis, central nervous system. In humans, GPR120 expression is expressed in macrophages, eosinophils, and adipose tissue, in cells of the tongue, liver, lungs, small and large intestine, gastric mucosa, and pancreas, in the central nervous system and placental microvilli. Medium- and long-chain fatty acids act as ligands for the receptor. Through the internalization of beta-arrestin-2 complex and the inhibition of NF-κB, GPR120 mediates the activation of the cell’s anti-inflammatory mechanisms. The receptor is also involved in the maturation of adipocytes, the modulation of insulin signalling pathways, the regulation of glucose metabolism, and the secretion of intestinal hormones. GPR120 is a promising target for the treatment of numerous diseases, whose pathophysiology is associated with low-grade inflammation. As a result of intensive searches, a likely group of synthetic agonists of the receptor was determined with potential therapeutic applications in conditions such as obesity, impaired carbohydrate metabolism, inflammatory bowel diseases, cancer, mental disorders.

Pomimo ponad 100-letniej historii badań nad schizofrenią, jej etiologia nadal nie została w pełni wyjaśniona, co może wynikać ze znacznej heterogenności zarówno w zakresie jej przebiegu, jak i etiopatogenezy. Jednym z najlepiej udowodnionych mechanizmów pośredniczących w rozwoju schizofrenii są reakcje immunologiczno-zapalne, których źródła w ostatnim czasie upatruje się w zaburzeniach funkcjonowania osi jelitowo-mózgowej oraz patologicznych procesach zachodzących w jelitach. W artykule stanowiącym przegląd literatury dotyczącej tej tematyki, przedstawiono znaczenie dla rozwoju schizofrenii poszczególnych czynników mających wpływ na funkcjonowanie osi mózgowo-jelitowej, tj. 1. mikrobiomu jelitowego (mikrobioty jelitowej), 2. zespół przesiąkliwego jelita (leaky gut syndrome), 3. nadwrażliwości na antygeny pokarmowe, w tym na gluten oraz kazeinę mleka krowiego. Wyniki badań wydają się bardzo obiecujące i wskazują na możliwość uzyskania poprawy stanu klinicznego u części pacjentów z rozpoznaniem schizofrenii poprzez modyfikację diety, stosowanie probiotyków, czy też wdrożenie terapii antybiotykami z określonych grup terapeutycznych. Potrzebne są jednak dalsze badania dotyczące powiązań pomiędzy mikrobiomem jelitowym oraz funkcjonowaniem jelit, jako elementami pośredniczącymi w aktywacji układu immunologicznego, a rozwojem i dalszym przebiegiem schizofrenii.

Jadłowstręt psychiczny jest zaburzeniem psychicznym wiążącym się z bardzo poważnymi konsekwencjami dla zdrowia fizycznego i psychicznego pacjentów. Ze względu na złożony obraz kliniczny, na który składają się liczne objawy somatyczne oraz psychiczne, AN pozostaje poważnym problemem współczesnej medycyny i skłania do poszukiwań możliwych przyczyn tego schorzenia oraz nowych, skuteczniejszych metod terapii. W związku z doniesieniami z ostatnich lat podkreślającymi rolę mikrobioty jelit w regulacji masy ciała, interesująca wydaje się hipoteza, że u pacjentów z jadłowstrętem psychicznym występują istotne zaburzenia równowagi mikrobioty jelitowej, które mają swój udział w patogenezie i przebiegu choroby. Wyniki najnowszych badań sugerują, że nieprawidłowy skład mikrobioty jelit może być istotnym czynnikiem podtrzymującym wyniszczenie chorych z anoreksją. Szczegółowe analizy składu mikrobioty charakterystycznego dla jadłowstrętu psychicznego mogłyby okazać się przydatne w rozwijaniu nowych metod monitorowania i leczenia tego schorzenia. Celem niniejszego artykułu jest przedstawienie aktualnego stanu wiedzy na temat znaczenia mikrobioty jelitowej w patogenezie, przebiegu i terapii jadłowstrętu psychicznego.

There is an increasing amount of evidence which links the pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) with food IgG hyperreactivity. Some authors have suggested that food IgG hyperreactivity could be also involved in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). The aim of this study was to compare levels of serum IgG against 39 selected food antigens between three groups of participants: patients with MDD (MDD group), patients with IBS (IBS group) and healthy controls (HC group). The study included 65 participants (22 in the MDD group, 22 in the IBS group and 21 in the HC group). Serum IgG levels were examined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Medical records, clinical data and laboratory results were collected for the analysis. IgG food hyperreactivity (interpreted as an average of levels of IgG antibodies above 7.5 µg/mL) was detected in 28 (43%) participants, including 14 (64%) from the MDD group, ten (46%) from the IBS group and four (19%) from the HC group. We found differences between extreme IgG levels in MDD versus HC groups and in IBS versus HC groups. Patients with MDD had significantly higher serum levels of total IgG antibodies and IgG against celery, garlic and gluten compared with healthy controls. The MDD group also had higher serum IgG levels against gluten compared with the IBS group. Our results suggest dissimilarity in immune responses against food proteins between the examined groups, with the highest immunoreactivity in the MDD group. Further studies are needed to repeat and confirm these results in bigger cohorts and also examine clinical utility of IgG-based elimination diet in patients with MDD and IBS.

To allow better diagnosis and management of psychiatric illnesses, the use of easily accessible biomarkers are proposed. Therefore, recognition of some diseases by a set of related pathogenesis biomarkers is a promising approach. The study aims to assess the usefulness of examining oxidative stress (OS) in schizophrenia as a potential biomarker of illness using the commonly used data mining decision tree method. The study group was comprised of 147 participants: 98 patients with schizophrenia (SZ group), and the control group (n = 49; HC). The patients with schizophrenia were divided into two groups: first-episode schizophrenia (n = 49; FS) and chronic schizophrenia (n = 49; CS). The assessment included the following biomarkers in sera of patients: catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD-1), glutathione reductase (GR), reduced glutathione (GSH), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), advanced glycation end products (AGEs), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), dityrosine (DITYR), kynurenine (KYN), N-formylkynurenine (NFK), tryptophan (TRY), total oxidant status (TOS), nitric oxide (NO) and total protein. Maximum accuracy (89.36%) for distinguishing SZ from HC was attained with TOS and GPx (cut-off points: 392.70 and 15.33). For differentiating between FS and CS, the most promising were KYN, AOPP, TAC and NO (100%; cut-off points: 721.20, 0.55, 64.76 and 2.59). To distinguish FS from HC, maximum accuracy was found for GSH and TOS (100%; cut-off points: 859.96 and 0.31), and in order to distinguish CS from HC, the most promising were GSH and TOS (100%; cut-off points: 0.26 and 343.28). Using redox biomarkers would be the most promising approach for discriminating patients with schizophrenia from healthy individuals and, in the future, could be used as an add-on marker to diagnose and/or respond to treatment.