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Anhedonia constitutes a core symptom of major depressive disorder (MDD) mediating the ultimate goal of MDD treatment: functional remission. Anhedonia is also present in other clinical populations, including patients with chronic pain. Recent data links anhedonia to insulin resistance (IR). Some researchers have underlined a different dimension of anhedonia as a temperament/personality trait. The objective of this post-hoc analysis was to explore the links between anhedonia (main outcome) and (1) IR, (2) temperamental, personality, and schizotypy traits (exposures). The study population included patients with MDD, fibromyalgia, and healthy controls. Participants were split into groups: (1) insulin resistant (IR[+] n = 69, HOMA-IR ≥ 2.1) and (2) insulin sensitive (IR[−] n = 69, HOMA-IR < 2.1). Anhedonia was significantly higher in the IR[+] group than the IR[−] group. IR was a predictor of higher anhedonia levels. IR[+] vs. IR[−] participants showed higher levels of anxiety and lower levels of hyperthymic affective temperaments, as well as conscientiousness and emotional stability personality traits. Depressive, irritable, and anxious temperaments, cognitive disorganization, and introvertive anhedonia positively predicted anhedonia, while hyperthymic temperament, conscientiousness, extraversion, and emotional stability traits negatively predicted anhedonia. IR partially mediated the relationship between depressive temperament and anhedonia. In sum, IR, affective temperaments, and personality traits are predictors of anhedonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. The efficacy of vortioxetine in major depressive disorder has been evaluated in many studies. However, there is a lack of studies assessing vortioxetine in bipolar depression. Material and method. In 60 patients with bipolar depression, vortioxetine 10-20 mg daily was added to current mood stabilizing medication during 24-week, naturalistic, openlabel study. The most frequent mood stabilizers were lamotrigine, quetiapine, olanzapine, and valproates. The therapeutic efficacy was evaluated by the Clinical Global Impression - Improvement (CGI-I) and Clinical Global Impression - Severity (CGI-S) scales. Patients were classified as responding to vortioxetine when they achieved 1 or 2 points on the CGI-I scale at any stage of observation. The criterion of remission was defined as score 1 at the CGI-S. Results. 73% of all patients (44/60) responded to vortioxetine and 52% (31/60) achieved clinical remission of depressive symptoms (in mean 8.97 ± 4.05 weeks). There were no significant associations between vortioxetine response/remission rates and: (1) the dose, (2) BD type, (3) clinical stage, (4) presence of rapid cycling, (5) history of psychotic symptoms, analyzed depressive symptoms, and (6) concomitantly used mood stabilizer. 4 patients (6.7%) stopped treatment due to adverse effects (nausea), and 7 patients (11.7%) discontinued treatment due to the phase switch. 14 patients (23%) experienced a loss of vortioxetine effectiveness after the initial response or remission. Conclusions. The results indicate relatively high rates of response and remission during 24-week treatment in depressed bipolar patients receiving vortioxetine concomitantly with a mood stabilizer. This may indicate that vortioxetine added to a mood stabilizer may constitute an efficient and well tolerated therapeutic option in bipolar depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The article is an attempt to present the risk of overloading the motor system in prisoners who practice physical activity in their leisure time. Material and methods. The study was conducted among 50 imprisoned people taking up strength training in circumstances allowing them to decide about the frequency and course of particular sessions, and the size of the applied loads. The research tool was an interview based on the standardized Recovery Scoring Guide questionnaire by Kenttä and Hassmén, evaluating activities that reduce the risk of overload. The interview was extended by a short questionnaire interview of the researchers' design. Results and conclusions. Only 12% of the responders performed activities reducing the risk of the motor system overload in a way not requiring any modification; 56% practiced the activities incorrectly, with a need for some changes. The authors suggest implementing organizational and educational interventions in prisons in order to reduce the risk of overloading the locomotor system among prisoners who practice strength training in their spare time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. In 2014 three co-authors of this article, at the prison authorities' order, prepared a draft amendment of the physical fitness test for Prison Service officers. After the presentation of several amendments there has been noticed a very spontaneous and emotional reaction of the officers to the concept of Cooper's test inclusion to the revised test. This inspired the authors to examine prison officers' attitudes towards the concept of exposing them to a mandatory endurance test. Material and methods. 91 prison officers took part in a diagnostics survey with the use of a questionnaire developed by the authors. Results. Subjects mostly practice strength training although in their opinion the most beneficial to health is doing endurance training. The respondents do not have enough knowledge on training methods of building endurance. Almost half of the respondents indicate a negative attitude of officers to the incorporation of obligatory endurance trial to physical fitness test. Conclusions. Several educational as well as motivational actions need to be taken in order to raise their skills related to planning and practicing physical activity. Their performance is especially important taking into consideration health and the strengthening of professionally useful motor potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]