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Objective: Reduced hemispheric asymmetry has been identified as a potential risk factor for schizophrenia, characterized by diminished brain lateralization and a lack of dominance in the left hemisphere. Moreover, there is growing evidence of disrupted connectivity between various cortical regions. This study aimed to investigate gender differences in left-footedness as a potential biological marker for neuronal dysontogenesis in individuals with schizophrenia and control subjects. Materials and methods: A New Combined Foot Dominance Scale (14 foot tests), comprising a Modified Chapman & Chapman Subscale (10 foot tests) and a Complex Tasks Subscale (four foot tests) was administered as performance tasks in 180 subjects [98 schizophrenia patients with mean age 34.45 years (SD = 15.67, range 23-79) for men and 42.20 years (SD = 11.38, range 21-63) for women and 82 controls with a mean age 34.70 years (SD = 16,82, range 18-79) for men and 44.50 years (SD = 10.73, range 23-67)]. As our data are not continuous and lacks normal distribution, the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test was used for comparing categorical data. Results: The mean left-footedness, as assessed by the New Combined Foot Dominance Scale, is significantly higher in individuals with schizophrenia compared to control subjects. Our findings from inter-gender comparisons reveal that female schizophrenia patients exhibit a significantly greater average left-footedness than female control subjects, while in males no such a statistical significant difference is detected. Conclusion: Left foot dominance is higher in patients with schizophrenia than in control subjects and women contribute significantly more to this difference.

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Background: To investigate the frequency of left eye dominance and minor physical anomalies (MPAs) in schizophrenia patients and control subjects and determine the interrelations of these two biological markers of neuronal dysontogenesis in schizophrenia. Subjects and methods: Three tests for eye dominance were administered as performance tasks, not preference questionnaires. Seven MPAs were examined. The sample consisted of 180 (98 schizophrenia patients and 82 control subjects). Several statistical methods for examining the eye tests separately and together were used to assess the difference in left-eyedness between schizophrenia patients and control subjects. Results: Left eye dominance is significantly higher in schizophrenia subjects. Left-eyed subjects are more stigmatized with MPAs. There is a strong positive correlation between left-eyedness and stigmatization with MPAs in schizophrenia patients. Conclusion: As hand dominance is under cultural pressure, eye dominance is culturally independent and is useful and reliable indicator of altered hemispheric lateralization. The significant positive correlations between left-eyedness and MPAs and the high concurrence of these biological markers in schizophrenia patients are a potent indicator of underlying aberrant neurodevelopment.

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AIM: This report aims to illustrate the possibility of an acute onset of psychosis after COVID-19 infection in a patient without previous history of psychiatric disorders and to highlight the need for early screening and intervention in such cases. METHODS: Clinical presentation of a case, followed by clinical discussion and literature review of the effect of the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and its impact on mental health in terms of neuropsychiatric conditions. RESULTS: We present a case of acute and transient psychotic disorder following complete recovery of COVID-19 bilateral pneumonia. The patient has no prior psychiatric history and presents with acute onset, disorganized behaviour, Cotard's delusion and a potentially high risk of psychotic homicide and suicide. CONCLUSION: Early intervention and treatment with antipsychotic medication are of crucial importance for the effective treatment and complete recovery of these patients.

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BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia is a complex disease with a putative genetic background. It was hypothesized that impaired mitochondrial function due to genetic alterations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) could contribute to neurological conditions, including mental disorders. The aim of the study was to find out possible pathogenic mutations and/or variants in mtDNA potentially related to schizophrenia development. OBJECTIVE: The study involved 37 patients with paranoid schizophrenia, whose mtDNA profiles were compared to those of 23 healthy controls. METHODS: Patients and controls were assessed using PANSS (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), respectively. The entire mtDNA was sequenced by the NGS platform (MiSeq®, Illumina). Bioinformatics data were processed by mtDNA Variant Processor and Analyser (Illumina), mtDNA-Server, and SPSS-17. RESULTS: A total of 480 mtDNA variants (single nucleotide replacements, point insertions, and deletions) were found. The polymorphic variant m.1811A>G (MT-RNR2) showed the highest frequency in schizophrenia (24.3%), as compared to the controls (4.3%) (p=0.07). Increased frequency was also found mainly in polymorphisms, belonging to complex 1 genes: MT-ND4 (11251G and 11467G), MT-ND3 (10398G), MT-ND1 (4216С), and MT-ND5 (12611G and 13708А), some of which were associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. Two individual mutations were identified in the patients: a pathogenic one - m.11778 A>G (LHON) and a newly identified, potentially pathogenic - m.4115 Т>C (NADH dehydrogenase 1). CONCLUSION: Particular mtDNA variants predominantly in complex I, probably serve as a risk genetic background in schizophrenia. The presence of pathogenic mutations in patients with psychotic manifestations expands the clinical scope of mitochondrial diseases and deserves further investigation.

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Minor physical anomalies (MPAs) are slight structural aberrations indicative of abnormal neurodevelopment. Most studies of MPAs in bipolar disorder have yielded limited results. We attempted to assess the potential value of MPAs as a classifying test in the status bipolar I patients vs. normal controls. Sixty one bipolar I patients and 103 controls were evaluated for MPAs using a slightly modified version of the Waldrop scale. The specificity, sensitivity and predictive value of different total MPA (MPA-T) scores were determined. The cut-off MPA-T scores that optimally discriminated patients from controls (exhibiting the most balanced sets of sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values) were MPA-T ≥ 4 and MPA-T ≥ 5. These values set a "border zone" in which bipolar I patients began to prevail significantly over controls. The latter presented most frequently with MPA-T ≤ 3 and rarely with MPA-T ≥ 6. Bipolar I patients prevailed among outliers (subjects with significantly higher MPA-T scores). Our data establish MPA-T score as a reliable index in distinguishing between bipolar I patients and normal controls and are consistent with the hypothesis of abnormal neurodevelopment in bipolar disorder.

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AIM: The aim of the present study was to establish the validity of fluctuating asymmetry in dermatoglyphic traits as a sign of prenatal injury of schizophrenic patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS. The subjects for this study were 76 schizophrenic inpatients (43 men, 33 women, mean age 31.47 yrs) who satisfied DSM-IV criteria for a diagnosis of schizophrenia and 82 mentally healthy subjects of Bulgarian origin (mean age 39.24 yrs). Fingerprint variables obtained by the ink technique were examined. The fingerprints were read using the method of Cummins and Midlo. RESULTS: The schizophrenics tended to show higher degree of discordance in the fingerprint patterns and ridge counts on homologous fingers than the control subjects. There were evident sex-related differences between the schizophrenic patients and the control group of subjects. CONCLUSION: Fluctuating asymmetry appears a promising method for study of schizophrenia, which could contribute to the establishment of connection between prenatal exogenous influences and structural brain alterations.

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