Introduction: Manganese has a role in the membrane transport systems, synthesis of protein, vitamin C, and vitamins B, catalysis of hematopoiesis, regulation of the endocrine, immune system, blood sugar, reproduction, digestion, and blood coagulation. Furthermore, the level of manganese concentrations in human body appears to affect the occurrence of schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to search for relationships between the manganese level and the onset of schizophrenia.Material and methods: A descriptive review was performed based on a literature search on Medline and Google scholar from 2003 to 2020, using keywords: schizophrenia, manganese, Mn. The included studies were meta-analyses, case-control studies, and cohort studies that examined differences in manganese concentrations in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls.Result: Eight studies were selected for the review, with one reporting elevated levels of manganese, two showing no significant differences, and the rest including two meta-analyses stating lower manganese concentrations in patients with schizophrenia in comparison with controls.Conclusion: In most of the researched studies, manganese concentrations in patients with schizophrenia were lower than in control groups, but not all of them reached the same conclusions. The relationship between manganese levels and schizophrenia must be further investigated.

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 infection might be presented in many various specific and non-specific manifest and symptoms from different systems. Also, the psychotic symptoms are documented but the explanation for their pathophysiology remains debatable and a complex matter. The main objective of this paper is to present cases of patients without a history of psychiatric disorders who developed the first episode of psychosis during the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Material and methods: Two cases of not-related patients with no previous psychiatric history developed psychotic episodes during COVID-19 infection. In both cases chronologically first they experienced symptoms of infection, secondly, delusions and psychomotor agitation that required psychiatric hospitalization. Full remission was observed after antipsychotic treatment in both cases. Results: Even though the pathophysiology of the post-COVID-19 psychiatric symptoms remains unclear, some reports that indicate associations between the infection and the onset of such symptoms. The infection itself, by the induction of cytokine storm followed by the excessive release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, is considered to stimulate the potential onset of the psychosis, however, other factors such as medications used during treatment (with a particular emphasis on glucocorticosteroids) or psychological factors should be considered as well. Conclusions: Patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 might develop serious psychotic episodes even without a prior psychiatric history. Besides, psychiatric symptoms might be the first the even the only manifestations associated with the active SARSCoV-2 infection which seems to be very challenging especially in cases of rapid psychotic episodes without any clear respiratory symptoms.

Introduction: Insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea are among the most common sleep-wake disorders. A relatively new category of disorders, studied more thoroughly for only a few years, is the occurrence of symptoms of both obstructive sleep apnea and insomnia in one patient and treating it as a different disease entity. This phenomenon is increasingly referred to as COMISA (Co-morbid insomnia and sleep apnea). The aim of this paper is to: 1) draw attention to this interesting issue, 2) show treatment differences of COMISA from isolated insomnia or obstructive sleep apnea and to help choose better therapy by general practitioners, pulmonologists, and psychiatrists for these patients. Materials and methods: The literature review was based on a search of articles in Medline, PubMed, and Google Scholar from 2012 to 2023 using the keywords: obstructive sleep apnea; insomnia; cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia; continuous positive airway pressure; COMISA. The analysis included original studies, meta-analyses, and review articles. Discussion: The prevalence of both diseases in patients is importantly higher than in the general population. Many patients with COMISA or OSA alone remain undiagnosed. The most common examination of OSA requires a hospital stay to perform polysomnography or polygraphy (2). A lot of people are not willing to go through with the diagnostic process. Conclusions: It is important that during the standard medical history, doctors take into account the possibility of co-occurrence of these diseases, due to the high risk of not diagnosing them on time. Keywords: Obstructive sleep apnea, Insomnia, Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, Continuous positive airway pressure, COMISA

Summary Introduction: There is an ongoing debate as to whether the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) by pregnant women increases the risk of developing autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in the offspring. Aim: The aim of the study was to 1) present, based on a case report, the potential factors that may affect the development of ASD in a child, 2) review the literature on the risk of ASD in the case of using SSRIs by a pregnant woman. Case report: The case report concerns a child of a 33-year-old patient, previously treated for an episode of depression at the age of 23. At the beginning of the 15th week of planned pregnancy, when she was 28 years old, sleep disturbances were observed. Over the next few weeks, she gradually developed a full-blown depressive syndrome which required the use of sertraline. The child was born through a natural delivery, a healthy boy, who was diagnosed with ASD at the age of 2.5 years, which was the trigger for the development of the third episode of depression in the patient. Conclusions: The results of the research indicate that SSRIs can penetrate the placental barrier, influencing the processes of serotoninergic transmission in the fetus, disrupting neurodevelopmental processes. On the other hand, a higher risk of ASD development in children of depressed mothers who do not use pharmacotherapy was confirmed, compared to the general population and in the case of the occurrence of depressive episodes in mother in the past and in relation to the male fetuses. The greater risk of ASD in children of mothers who take SSRIs may not only be associated with the medication itself but also with the presence of depression and the probable common genetic basis for both disorders. In each case, other risk factors for the development of ASD should also be taken into consideration, e.g. vitamin D3 deficiencies, unsaturated fatty acids, oxytocin levels, the presence of intestinal dysbiosis.

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common sleep-related breathing disorder. Its prevalence tends to increase worldwide. Untreated sleep apnea is associated with a higher risk of metabolic diseases, cardiovascular diseases, stroke, road accidents, and death, but also it is suggested that it increases the risk of mental disorders. Method: The literature review was based on a search of articles on Medline, Pubmed, and Google Scholar from 2003 to 2021 using the keywords: obstructive sleep apnea; mental disorders; cognitive functions; affective disorders; depression; bipolar disorder; schizophrenia; psychotic disorders. The analysis included original studies, meta-analysis, and review articles. Discussion: The result obtained from researches published so far does not allow for drawing unequivocal conclusions. There is a lot of bias present in study protocols and inclusion/exclusion criteria. Nonetheless, it seems that some disorders have a better proven correlation with OSA. Cognitive impairment, depression, and anxiety disorders are linked to OSA not only in terms of the overlapping of symptoms but also of a causal relationship. Psychotic disorders and bipolar disorders connections with OSA are confirmed, but they are not yet well understood. All correlations are found to be possibly bidirectional. Conclusion: 1. Multiple lines of evidence increasingly point towards a bidirectional connection between OSA and mental disorders, and the cause and effect relationship between these two groups of disorders requires further research. 2. Due to reports of an increased risk of OSA with antipsychotic drugs, caution should be exercised when initiating therapy with this type of drug in patients with known risk factors for it. 3. Screening for OSA in psychiatric patients should be introduced as OSA can increase cognitive impairment, affective, and psychotic symptoms.