Relevance. Objective comparison of biological markers and real clinical presentation is especially difficult in mental disorders, which are classified according to a large number of diagnostic criteria and a wide variety of symptoms. Therefore, the development of an effective system of biochemical markers and assessment of their relationship to optimize the diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia are relevant.The aim of the study was to develop a statistical model that combines known and tested biochemical markers for mental illnesses in patients with schizophrenia.Materials and methods. The study included 47 women aged 18–50 years (median age – 22 years) with the diagnosis of schizophrenia (ICD-10, F20) and 25 healthy women of the same age. The model was based on the functional activity of complement, thrombodynamics parameters, markers of inflammation, glutamate and energy metabolism, and antioxidant defense, which were shown to be associated with the severity of schizophrenia. The listed markers were evaluated in plasma, platelets, and erythrocytes of sick and healthy individuals.Results. Statistical software found pair correlations and features of the distribution of all markers as random variables in the examined groups and evaluated correlations between pairs of markers. Ten biomarkers were identified and united into a system that was adequately described by the logistic regression model. The model was evaluated using the Pearson’s test (χ2(11) = 57.6, p = 0.001) and calculation of correct predictions (91 and 80%) for samples of patients and healthy people, respectively.Conclusion. Calculating the logistic equation resulted in the probability that the patient has schizophrenia involving the immune system, hemostasis, and oxidative stress. This model can be considered as a new formalized approach to the preclinical diagnosis of mental illnesses.

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the relationship between the severity of post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) and coagulation parameters assessed using the dynamic thrombophotometry.MATERIAL AND METHODS:Thirty-five patients with hemispheric ischemic stroke (IS) with moderate neurological deficit at admission were included. All patients underwent a comprehensive clinical and instrumental assessment according to the current guidelines. On days 10-14, the cognitive status of patients was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Coagulation parameters were assessed using the dynamic thrombophotometry at admission, on 6-8th days and 13-15th days from the onset of the disease. A database of laboratory studies of 30 apparently healthy volunteers was used as a comparison group.RESULTS:Data analysis revealed that a number of spatial and temporal parameters were within the reference values, and there were no significant changes over time. Nevertheless, though the optical density of the fibrin clot (D) was within the reference values, it showed a steady increase from the admission by the end of the 1st week of the disease (p=0.007) and by 13-15th days (p=0.009). Correlation and multivariate linear regression, including baseline stroke symptom severity, showed significant associations (p<0.01 in all tests) between the higher optical density of the fibrin clot (D) on days 6-8 and 13-15 and lower MoCA score, confirming the negative effect of altered hemostatic parameters on cognitive function in IS patients.CONCLUSION:The increase of optical density of the fibrin clot (D) by 6-8th and 13-15th days is a potential prognostic biomarker for the early development of PSCI.

OBJECTIVE:To develop a method for determining cinnabarinic acid (CA) and its immediate precursor 3-hydroxyanthranylic acid (3HAA) in blood plasma and to study their concentrations in patients with schizophrenia before and after treatment.MATERIAL AND METHODS:The study was carried out on a sample of 23 female patients with an attack-like progredient schizophrenia (F20.01). The levels of CA and 3HAA in blood plasma were measured using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry.RESULTS:We found an inverse statistically significant correlation of the sum of CA and 3HAA concentrations before treatment with the total PANSS score after treatment (R=-0.50; p<0.05). There was also an inverse correlation of the CA concentration of before treatment with the total PANSS score after treatment (R=-0.41, p=0.052), statistically significant at the trend level (0.05<p<0.1).CONCLUSION:CA concentrations in human blood were determined for the first time. The obtained correlations with clinical data show the potential prognostic significance of determining the levels of CA and 3HAA in blood plasma and increase the relevance of further studies.

OBJECTIVE:To reveal paired and partial correlations of values of neuro-immuno-test and thrombodynamics test in children with childhood autism and schizophrenia in childhood in a state of exacerbation.MATERIAL AND METHODS:The study used a database of children with childhood autism, obtained by us in 2028-2019. The study included 46 patients with childhood autism (CA) aged 2 to 13 years: median age [Q1; Q3] - 5 years [4; 7], 10 girls (22%) and 36 boys (78%)). The thrombodynamics test (TD) was performed on a T-2 thrombodynamics analyzer according to the manufacturer's instructions.RESULTS:It was shown that there is a statistically significant positive correlation (R=0.369, p=0.018) between the acquired immunity parameter: the level of serum antibodies to myelin basic protein (BMP): abBMP parameter, and the main parameter of platelet hemostasis - the time of appearance of spontaneous clots (Tsp). It can be assumed that autoantibodies to BMP block the procoagulant effect of myelin basic protein and thus have an anticoagulant effect. However, this analysis did not take into account the possible effects of other parameter of the neuro-immuno-test and thrombodynamics test. Therefore, when studying the correlation of specific parameters of the neuro-immuno-test and thrombodynamics, it is necessary to take into account the possible modifying effect of other parameters of these tests. It was shown that after subtracting the influence on the main correlation (abBMP & Tsp) of individual thrombodynamic parameters (Vi, V and D), as well as their total influence, the partial correlations become statistically insignificant. This indicates that these TD parameters can, individually or in total, determine the revealed correlation between the levels of antibodies to the basic myelin protein (Basic Myelin Protein) and the time of the appearance of spontaneous clots.CONCLUSION:Thus, it was shown that the correlations between the studied parameters of the neuro-immuno-test and the indicators of the thrombodynamics test mutually depend on the other indicators of these tests. This confirms the hypothesis that the immune system and the hemostatic system are two different sides of a single supersystem.

Introduction: the complement system can be a critical factor in the outcome of SARS-CoV-2 viral infection. Many mental illnesses are characterized by systemic sterile inflammation, in which the complement system is an obligatory participant. Purpose: to present an analysis of scientific data on the role of the complement system in the pathogenesis of viral diseases and the characteristics of the course of COVID-19 in mental patients. Material and methods: the keywords “complement system” “SARS-CoV-2”, “inhibition of the complement system”, “COVID-19” “mental illness” were used to search scientific articles in the databases MEDLINE, PubMed and other bibliographic sources. Conclusion: patients with mental illness are at risk due to physiological and mental characteristics, and infection with SARS-CoV-2 can provoke a relapse of the underlying disease. Therapeutic inhibition of complement system will help reduce this risk and reduce the likelihood of severe complications from systemic inflammation caused by this infection.

The importance of finding predictors or biomarkers of neuropsychiatric pathology, as well as methods of its prevention, treatment and early diagnosis is beyond question. The level of neopterin in body fluids is one of the possible biomarkers. Increased levels of neopterin in biological fluids (e.g., serum, cerebrospinal fluid or urine) are closely associated with various diseases associated with cellular immune response. The data presented in the review indicate the relevance of the study of neopterin concentrations in body fluids in patients with mental illness for the development of diagnostic and prognostic tests or as a pharmacodynamic marker of drug action.

Nanoparticles made of polylactide-poly(ethylene glycol) block-copolymer (PLA-PEG) are promising vehicles for drug delivery due to their biodegradability and controllable payload release. However, published data on the drug delivery properties of PLA-PEG nanoparticles are heterogeneous in terms of nanoparticle characteristics and mostly refer to low injected doses (a few mg nanoparticles per kg body weight). We have performed a comprehensive study of the biodistribution of nanoparticle formulations based on PLA-PEG nanoparticles of ~100nm size at injected doses of 30 to 140mg/kg body weight in healthy rats and nude tumor-bearing mice. Nanoparticle formulations differed by surface PEG coverage and by release kinetics of the encapsulated model active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). Increase in PEG coverage prolonged nanoparticle circulation half-life up to ~20h in rats and ~10h in mice and decreased retention in liver, spleen and lungs. Circulation half-life of the encapsulated API grew monotonously as the release rate slowed down. Plasma and tissue pharmacokinetics was dose-linear for inactive nanoparticles, but markedly dose-dependent for the model therapeutic formulation, presumably because of the toxic effects of released API. A mathematical model of API distribution calibrated on the data for inactive nanoparticles and conventional API form correctly predicted the distribution of the model therapeutic formulation at the lowest investigated dose, but for higher doses the toxic action of the released API had to be explicitly modelled. Our results provide a coherent illustration of the ability of controllable-release PLA-PEG nanoparticles to serve as an effective drug delivery platform to alter API biodistribution. They also underscore the importance of physiological effects of released drug in determining the biodistribution of therapeutic drug formulations at doses approaching tolerability limits.

Study aim . To develop a highly sensitive method for assaying platelet serotonin concentrations suitable for use in daily clinical practice. Materials and methods . The method was intended for assay of platelet-enriched plasma (PEP). Serotonin was assayed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorimetric detection and a hematology analyzer. Results and discussion . Investigations of healthy subjects yielded platelet serotonin concentrations consistent with published data: from 2.19 to 4.87 nmol/10 9 platelets. Investigations of 30 patients with depressive disorders identified decreased platelet serotonin concentrations, with levels ranging from 0.11 to 2.89 nmol/10 9 platelets, along with a correlation between this value and clinical evaluation of the severity of depression. The authors regard the method developed here as suitable for clinical purposes.