Anorexia nervosa (AN) represents a disorder with the highest mortality rate among all psychiatric diseases, yet our understanding of its pathophysiological components continues to be fragmentary. This article reviews the current concepts regarding AN pathomechanisms that focus on the main biological aspects involving central and peripheral neurohormonal pathways, endocrine function, as well as the microbiome–gut–brain axis. It emerged from the unique complexity of constantly accumulating new discoveries, which hamper the ability to look at the disease in a more comprehensive way. The emphasis is placed on the mechanisms underlying the main symptoms and potential new directions that require further investigation in clinical settings.

No abstract

The issues of personality and its relations with the level of empathetic sensibility of medical doctors are broadly discussed in the literature. The aim of this study was an assessment of personality related predictors of empathy indicators in female and male students of medicine with consideration of gender differences. Methods applied were Empathic Sensitiveness Scale (ESS) and Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R). The study included 153 participants, who were students of the fifth year of medical studies. Students filled in questionnaires during workshops in clinical psychological skills. Participation in the study was voluntary and anonymous. The statistical analysis was performed using Statistica 13 PL and PS IMAGO PRO (SPSS). Linear regression analysis with the interaction component was performed to explore the relationship between personality factors and gender and their interaction with the variable dependent level of empathy. The analysis showed that Extraversion, Openness and Agreeableness are associated with the level of Empathic Concern. Neuroticism, Extraversion, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness are associated with the level of Personal Distress. Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness are associated with the level of Perspective-taking. The regression analysis with the interactive component showed that there is no relationship between gender and the level of empathy, therefore the interactions were insignificant. Empathetic sensibility is related to personality dimensions of the students of medicine. Although there has been no interaction among chief personality dimensions, empathy indicators and gender, detailed analysis of personality dimensions’ components has shown differences between men and women.

Aim:The aim of the study was to describe a case of the patient with cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome CCAS,characterize the role of cerebellum in the regulation of cognitive functions and present the procedure of neuropsychological diagnosis useful in indicating the specific cognitive and emotional problems in patients with cerebellar damage. Case report:A 41- year old man with an ischemic cerebellar stroke of its right hemisphere manifested the neuropsychological symptoms typical for the frontal damage: euphoric mood, disorganized behavior, lack of criticism and mental plasticity, tendency to shorten the personal distance, problems with mistake correction. In neuropsychological diagnosis we used following methods: Raven Progressive Matrices Test, Mini Mental Stage Examination (MMSE), Trail Making Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Stroop Interference Test, Word Fluency Test, Auditory Verbal Learning Test by Łuria, Benton Visual Retention Test, Digit Span. Results:Analyzing the obtained results we observed the significant decrease of all executive functions: planning, abstract thinking, cognitive flexibility, adaptation to new situations as well as memory impairments and changes in emotional and behavioral state similar to frontal syndrome.The whole of impairments including the typical cerebellar symptoms (ataxia, dysarthria, dysmetria,hypotonia) create the cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome CCAS with leading role of dysexecutive syndrome. Conclusions:The cerebellum takes part in the regulation of cognitive functions. The cerebellar damages can imitate the emotional- cognitive problems of patients after frontal damages what additionally stress the functional link between these two brain structures. Patient’s with cerebellar damages should have neuropsychological and neuropsychiatric diagnosis and care.