0.3 and R2 <0.10). Hence, none of the models can be recommended as acceptable for calculating utilities from Palliative care Outcome Scale responses. Differences between the Palliative care Outcome Scale and the EQ-5D do not undermine the qualities of either instrument when used for their own purposes. However, due to conceptual differences, the EQ-5D does not capture some of the concerns measured by the Palliative care Outcome Scale, and therefore, mapping onto the EQ-5D is unlikely to provide an appropriate basis for estimating utilities for conducting economic evaluations in palliative care studies.
28434211 While marijuana has been legal for medical purposes in California since 1996, little is known about the health histories of young adult medical marijuana patients who are a significant proportion of medical marijuana patients. We examined whether young adult medical marijuana patients reported health conditions and motivations for use that were consistent with medical use of marijuana in California.Young adults (N = 366) aged 18 to 26 years were sampled in Los Angeles in 2014-2015 and segmented into medical marijuana 'patients' (n = 210), marijuana users with a current recommendation, and non-patient users or 'non-patients' (n = 156), marijuana users who never had a medical marijuana recommendation. Differences between patients and non-patients regarding self-reported health histories and past/current motivations for marijuana use were expressed as unadjusted risk ratios. Compared with non-patients, patients were significantly more likely to report a range of lifetime health problems, such as psychological, physical pain and gastrointestinal. In the past 90 days, patients were significantly more likely to report motivations for marijuana use than non-patients concerning sleep, anxiety, physical pain and focusing. Psychological and pain problems were the most common health conditions reported to receive a medical marijuana recommendation. Patients were significantly less likely than non-patients to report any privacy concerns about obtaining a medical marijuana recommendation. Patients were significantly more likely to report a range of health conditions and motivations associated with medical use than non-patients. A great majority of patients reported obtaining a medical marijuana recommendation for health problems in accordance with the California law. [Lankenau SE, Ataiants J,Mohanty S, Schrager S, Iverson E, Wong CF.Health conditions and motivations for marijuana use among young adultmedical marijuana patients and non-patient marijuana users. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;00:000-000].
28434095 There is a lack of robust population-based data regarding the lived experience of cancer survivors. This study assessed the quality of life (QoL) of survivors of breast, colorectal, or prostate cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma or melanoma 1, 3 and 5 years post-diagnosis. Associations between various demographic and disease-related factors and QoL were assessed.A cross-sectional postal survey was undertaken. Eligible participants were identified from a population-based cancer registry. Patient-reported outcomes including QoL, symptom issues and information needs were collected using validated questionnaires. Difficulties with all QoL domains were more prevalent amongst cancer survivors compared with the general population, particularly difficulties with usual activities (28 vs 15%) and anxiety or depression (35 vs 22%). Symptoms such as trouble sleeping, always feeling tired, trouble concentrating and fear of cancer recurrence persisted up to 5 years post-diagnosis. Factors associated with reduced QoL included having another long-standing health condition, cancer not responding fully to treatment, not having or not being certain of having a written care plan and being female. Cancer survivors experience inferior QoL and cancer-related symptoms for years following diagnosis. These results support further investigation into factors that contribute to poorer survivor outcomes and enhanced identification and intervention strategies for those requiring additional support.
28434091 Bullying victimization in adolescence is a significant social problem that can become persistent over time for some victims. However, there is an overall paucity of research examining the factors that contribute to continued bullying victimization. Schema therapy proposes a model that can help us understand why bullying victimization can be persistent for some victims. This study examines the role of maladaptive schemas, the key concept in schema therapy, as a mechanism of continued bullying victimization. The hypothesis was that maladaptive schemas of rejection mediate the predictive association between victimization in both the family and at school and future bullying victimization. Social anxiety was also considered, as previous research suggests that it can increase the risk of victimization. The participants were 1328 adolescents (45% female) with a mean age of 15.05 years (SD = 1.37), who completed questionnaires at three time points with a 6-month interval between them. Time 2 maladaptive schemas of rejection significantly mediated the predictive association from Time 1 bullying victimization, family abuse and social anxiety to Time 3 bullying victimization. The findings pertaining to potentially malleable factors, such as maladaptive schemas that maintain continued interpersonal victimization, have important implications for prevention and treatment strategies with adolescents.
28434016 This study is part of the Chronic Rhinosinusitis Epidemiology Study (CRES). The overarching aim is to determine factors that influence the onset and severity of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). The aim of this analysis is to determine whether those with CRS are more likely to report psychiatric morbidity and in particular mood disturbance compared with healthy controls.CRES consists of a study-specific questionnaire regarding demographic and socioeconomic factors and past medical history as well as a nasal symptom score (SNOT-22) and SF-36 (QoL - quality of life tool). Both of these tools contain mental health or emotional well-being domains. Participants were specifically asked whether they had ever consulted with their General Practitioner for anxiety or depression. Questionnaires were distributed to patients with CRS attending ENT outpatient clinics at 30 centres across the United Kingdom from 2007-2013. Controls were also recruited at these sites. Patients were divided into subgroups of CRS according to the absence/presence of polyps (CRSsNPs/CRSwNPs) or allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS). Consultations with a family physician for depression or anxiety were higher amongst those with CRS than controls, but this was only significant for those with CRSsNPs. Odds ratio (OR) for CRSsNPs vs controls: 1.89; OR for CRSwNPs: 1.40. Patients with CRS showed significantly higher mental health morbidity than controls across the mental health and emotional wellbeing domains of the SF-36 and SNOT-22. Mean difference in the mental health domain of SF-36 was 8.3 for CRSsNPs and 5.3 for CRSwNPs. For the emotional domain of SNOT-22, differences were 7.7 and 6.3 respectively. Depression and anxiety are significantly more common in patients with CRS compared to healthy controls, especially in those with CRSsNPs. This added mental health morbidity needs consideration when managing these patients in primary and secondary care settings.
28433991 Successful adaptation of refugees to a new society can be hindered by traumatic experiences and psychiatric symptoms. This study aims to examine the relationship between trauma, psychiatric symptoms and life satisfaction of North Korean refugees resettled in South Korea.A total of 211 North Korean refugees living in South Korea completed a series of questionnaires on the history of their previous traumatic experiences, life satisfaction in South Korea, depression, anxiety, somatization and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. North Korean refugees who had experienced more traumatic events were less satisfied with their economic status in South Korea. Severe depression, anxiety, somatization or PTSD symptoms negatively correlated with their overall satisfaction in South Korea. In the stepwise regression model including all psychiatric symptoms and the number of traumatic experiences as dependent variables, only anxiety, but not trauma, predicted lower life satisfaction in South Korea. Traumatic experiences of North Korean refugees negatively affected the life satisfaction, especially the economic satisfaction, in South Korea. Since the negative effect of trauma was mainly mediated by psychiatric symptoms, the strategy of relieving psychiatric symptoms of traumatized refugees may help the adaptation of refugees.
28433949 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome (22q11.2DS) is one of the strongest known genetic risk factors for developing schizophrenia. Individuals with 22q11.2DS have high rates of neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood, while in adulthood ∼25% develop schizophrenia. Similar to the general population, high rates of comorbidity are common in 22q11.2DS. Employing a dimensional approach where psychopathology is examined at the symptom-level as complementary to diagnostic categories in a population at such high genetic risk for schizophrenia can help gain a better understanding of how psychopathology is structured as well as its genetic underpinnings. This is the first study to examine the dimensional structure of a wide spectrum of psychopathology in the context of a homogeneous genetic etiology like 22q11.2DS.We evaluated 331 individuals with 22q11.2DS, mean age (SD) = 16.9(8.7); 51% males, who underwent prospective comprehensive phenotyping. We sought to replicate previous findings by examining a bi-factor model that derives a general factor of psychopathology in addition to more specific dimensions of psychopathology (i.e., internalizing, externalizing and thought disorder). Psychopathology in 22q11.2DS was divided into one 'general psychopathology' factor and four specific dimensions (i.e., 'anxiety', 'mood', 'ADHD' and 'psychosis'). The 'psychosis' symptoms loaded strongly on the 'general psychopathology' factor. The similarity of the symptom structure of psychopathology between 22q11.2DS and community and clinical populations without the deletion indicate that 22q11.2DS can provide a model to explore alternative approaches to our current nosology. Our findings add to a growing literature indicating the need to reorganize current diagnostic classification systems.
28433854 To collate data from multiple obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) treatment centers across seven countries and five continents, and to report findings in relation to OCD comorbidity, age of onset of OCD and comorbid disorders, and suicidality, in a large clinical and ethnically diverse sample, with the aim of investigating cultural variation and the utility of the psychiatric diagnostic classification of obsessive-compulsive and related disorders.Researchers in the field of OCD were invited to contribute summary statistics on current and lifetime psychiatric comorbidity, age of onset of OCD and comorbid disorders and suicidality in their patients with OCD. Data from 3711 adult patients with primary OCD came from Brazil (n=955), India (n=802), Italy (n=750), South Africa (n=565), Japan (n=322), Australia (n=219), and Spain (n=98). The most common current comorbid disorders were major depressive disorder (28.4%; n=1055), obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (24.5%, n=478), generalized anxiety disorder (19.3%, n=716), specific phobia (19.2%, n=714) and social phobia (18.5%, n=686). Major depression was also the most commonly co-occurring lifetime diagnosis, with a rate of 50.5% (n=1874). OCD generally had an age of onset in late adolescence (mean=17.9years, SD=1.9). Social phobia, specific phobia and body dysmorphic disorder also had an early age of onset. Co-occurring major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and psychotic disorders tended to have a later age of onset than OCD. Suicidal ideation within the last month was reported by 6.4% (n=200) of patients with OCD and 9.0% (n=314) reported a lifetime history of suicide attempt. In this large cross-continental study, comorbidity in OCD was common. The high rates of comorbid major depression and anxiety disorders emphasize the need for clinicians to assess and monitor for these disorders. Earlier ages of onset of OCD, specific phobia and social phobia may indicate some relatedness between these disorders, but this requires further study. Although there do not appear to be significant cultural variations in rates or patterns of comorbidity and suicidality, further research using similar recruitment strategies and controlling for demographic and clinical variables may help to determine whether any sociocultural factors protect against suicidal ideation or psychiatric comorbidity in patients with OCD.
28433517 A contribution to a special issue on Hormones and Human Competition. Psychoneuroendocrine effects of competition have been widely accepted as a clear example of the relationship between androgens and aggressive/dominant behavior in humans. However, results about the effects of competitive outcomes are quite heterogeneous, suggesting that personal and contextual factors play a moderating role in this relationship. To further explore these dimensions, we aimed to examine (i) the effect of competition and its outcome on the psychobiological response to a laboratory competition in young men, and (ii) the moderating role of some cognitive dimensions such as causal attributions. To do so, we compared the responses of 56 healthy young men faced with two competitive tasks with different instructions. Twenty-eight men carried out a task whose instructions led subjects to think the outcome was due to their personal performance ("merit" task), whereas 28 other men faced a task whose outcome was attributable to luck ("chance" task). In both cases, outcome was manipulated by the experimenter. Salivary steroid hormones (testosterone and cortisol), cardiovascular variables (heart rate and blood pressure), and emotional state (mood and anxiety) were measured at different moments before, during and after both tasks. Our results did not support the "winner-loser effect" because no significant differences were found in the responses of winners and losers. However, significantly higher values on the testosterone and cardiovascular variables, along with slight decreases in positive mood, were associated with the merit-based competition, but not the chance-based condition. In addition, an exploratory factorial analysis grouped the response components into two patterns traditionally related to more active or more passive behaviors. Thus, our results suggest that the perception of contributing to the outcome is relevant in the psychobiological response to competition in men. Overall, our results reveal the importance of the appraisal of control and causal attribution in understanding human competitive interactions.
28433442 To assess the association between strabismus and mental disorders in adolescents.This case-control study included 662,641 Israeli teenagers that underwent medical evaluation by the Israel Defense Force as part of the preconscription assessment between 2005 and 2013. The association between common mental disorders (anxiety disorder, mood disorder, adjustment disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD]) and either uncorrected strabismus or corrected strabismus was examined. The association with strabismus correction was assessed by the differences between the corrected and uncorrected groups. The mean age at the time of the examination was 17.3 ± 0.53 years, with a male predominance (59%). A total of 1,598 subjects (0.24%) had strabismus. Of those, 952 (60%) underwent successful correction and 646 (40%) did not undergo successful correction. A significant association was found between uncorrected strabismus and anxiety disorders (OR = 1.91; 95% CI = 1.02-3.57; P = 0.047) and between corrected strabismus and ADHD (OR = 2.62; 95% CI = 1.18-5.87; P = 0.03). Strabismus correction (as assessed by comparing the uncorrected and corrected strabismus groups) was not significantly associated with the mental disorders we examined, but a nearly statistically significant association with anxiety disorder was observed (OR = 2.978; 95% CI, 1.013-8.754; P = 0.06). The evidence from our cohort suggests that strabismus correction, even in the absence of visual impairment, is not associated with mental disorders examined in this study.
28433091 The Cool Little Kids parenting group program is an effective intervention for preventing anxiety disorders in young children who are at risk because of inhibited temperament. The program has six group sessions delivered by trained psychologists to parents of 3- to 6-year-old children. An online adaptation (Cool Little Kids Online) has been developed to overcome barriers to its wide dissemination in the community. This study tested the efficacy of Cool Little Kids Online in a randomized controlled trial.A total of 433 parents of a child aged 3 to 6 years with an inhibited temperament were randomized to the online parenting program or to a 24-week waitlist. The online program has 8 interactive modules providing strategies that parents can implement with their child to manage their child's avoidant coping, reduce parental overprotection, and encourage child independence. Parents were provided telephone consultation support with a psychologist when requested. Parents completed self-report questionnaires at baseline and at 12 and 24 weeks after baseline. The intervention group showed significantly greater improvement over time in child anxiety symptoms compared to the control group (d = 0.38). The intervention group also showed greater reductions in anxiety life interference (ds = 0.33-0.35) and lower rates of anxiety disorders than the control group (40% versus 54%), but there were minimal effects on broader internalizing symptoms or overprotective parenting. Results provide empirical support for the efficacy of online delivery of the Cool Little Kids program. Online dissemination may improve access to an evidence-based prevention program for child anxiety disorders. Clinical trial registration information-Randomised Controlled Trial of Cool Little Kids Online: A Parenting Program to Prevent Anxiety Problems in Young Children; http://www.anzctr.org.au/; 12615000217505.
28433090 Although most people will experience a traumatic event at some point in their life, only some will develop significant psychological symptoms in the aftermath. In the current study, we use a preexisting longitudinal study located in Long Island to examine the impact of Hurricane Sandy on internalizing symptoms in a large sample of children. We focused on temperamental fear and a biomarker of risk for anxiety, the error-related negativity (ERN). The ERN is a negative deflection in the event-related potential (ERP) occurring when individuals make mistakes and is increased in anxious individuals.The final sample consisted of 223 children who had undergone an observational assessment of fear at age 3 years and an electroencephalogram assessment of the ERN at age 6 years. At the age 9 year assessment, internalizing symptoms were assessed, and then again after the hurricane (∼65 weeks later). A significant three-way interaction among fearfulness, hurricane stressors, and the ERN in predicting posthurricane increases in internalizing symptoms suggested that children who were high in fear at age 3 years and experienced elevated hurricane stressors were characterized by subsequent increases in internalizing symptoms, but only when they were also characterized by an increased ERN at age 6 years. These findings support a diathesis-stress model, suggesting that early temperament and prestressor biological markers confer risk for increased psychological symptoms following environmental stressors.
28432894 Research with non-clinical and clinical samples has examined how mindfulness concepts relate to psychological symptom presentations. However, there is less clarity when examining treatment-seeking patients who experience DSM-diagnosed anxiety and obsessional disorders - both cross-sectionally, and following empirically-supported treatments. The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ; Baer, Smith, Hopkins, Krietemeyer, & Toney, 2006) conceptualizes mindfulness as consisting of five facets: Observing, Describing, Acting with Awareness, Nonreactivity, and Nonjudging. The current study examines the factor structure and predictive validity of the FFMQ in a large sample of treatment-seeking individuals with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder with or without agoraphobia (PD/A), social anxiety disorder (SAD), and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) established that both four and five-factor models (i.e., with and without inclusion of the Observing factor) provided an acceptable representation of the underlying FFMQ structure, but did not support a one-factor solution. For each of these diagnostic groups, hierarchical regression analyses clarified the association between specific FFMQ facets and diagnosis specific symptom change during CBT treatment. These findings are discussed in the context of the possible transdiagnostic relevance of specific mindfulness facets, and how these facets are differentially associated with diagnosis specific symptom alleviation during CBT.
28432794 Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy is the first-line treatment for the primary and secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death. Despite the unequivocal medical benefits, living with an ICD may affect patients' psychological functioning and general well-being. We examined the trajectories of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety in patients with an ICD and the vulnerability factors associated with an increased risk of symptoms of PTSD and anxiety.A total of 249 patients were included as part of the WEB-based distress program for implantable CARdioverter dEfibrillator patients (WEBCARE) study. Data were analyzed using Latent class analyses, with trajectories of PTSD symptomatology and anxiety examined between baseline and 12 months follow-up. The mean age of the sample was 58.9 ± 9.8, with the majority being male (82%). Latent Class analyses (LatentGOLD) revealed four classes with respect to PTSD symptomatology, and three classes of patients with respect to anxiety. Younger age, increased depression score at baseline, and Type D personality were all associated with increased vulnerability for posttraumatic stress and anxiety symptoms. Comparable trajectories were found for symptoms of PTSD and anxiety over time. Patients with a younger age, increased depression score at baseline, and Type D personality were especially prone to experience PTSD and anxiety symptomatology at 12 months follow-up. Due to the negative association between PTSD, anxiety, and health outcomes, it is paramount to timely identify the subset of patients who are vulnerable to experience these symptoms and provide them with personalized support.
28432781 Diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer is a very emotionally aversive and stressful life event, which can lead to impaired cognitive functioning and mental health. Breast cancer survivors responding with repressive emotion regulation strategies often show less adaptive coping and adverse outcomes. We investigated cognitive functioning and neural correlates of emotion processing using ERPs. Self-report measures of depression, anxiety, and fatigue, as well as hair cortisol as an index of chronic stress, were assessed. Twenty breast cancer survivors (BCS) and 31 carefully matched healthy controls participated in the study. After neuropsychological testing and subjective assessments, participants viewed 30 neutral, 30 unpleasant, and 30 pleasant pictures, and ERPs were recorded. Recognition memory was tested 1 week later. BCS reported stronger complaints about cognitive impairments and more symptoms of depression, anxiety, and fatigue. Moreover, they showed elevated hair cortisol levels. Except for verbal memory, cognitive functioning was predominantly in the normative range. Recognition memory performance was decreased in cancer survivors, especially for emotional contents. In ERPs, survivors showed smaller late positive potential amplitudes for unpleasant pictures relative to controls in a later time window, which may indicate less elaborative processing of this material. Taken together, we found cognitive impairments in BCS in verbal memory, impaired emotional picture memory accuracy, and reduced neural activity when breast cancer survivors were confronted with unpleasant materials. Further studies and larger sample sizes, however, are needed to evaluate the relationship between altered emotion processing and reduced memory in BCS in order to develop new treatment strategies.
28432583 Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a persistent anxiety disorder with a high rate of relapse. While several trials have demonstrated the efficacy of pharmacotherapy for GAD treatment, fewer studies have investigated its efficacy in preventing symptom relapse in long-term treatment. The aim of this study is to evaluate if long-term pharmacotherapy may prevent relapses in GAD patients.This is a systematic review of the relapse prevention trials with GAD patients. Eight trials were included in this review with 5304 patients in total. All patients showed a higher risk of relapse if treatment was not maintained for at least 6 months after remission, with hazard ratios ranging from 0.12 to 0.58 and mostly moderate effect sizes (0.19-1.06). Long-term pharmacotherapy may prevent symptom relapse in GAD patients. As the relapse rate is very high, the data support the continuation of pharmacotherapy for as long as possible.
28432534 Understanding individual differences in adolescents' ability to regulate emotions within interpersonal relationships is paramount for healthy development. Thus, the effect of individual vulnerabilities (depressive affect, social anxiety, self-blame, and coping efficacy problems) on the transmission of emotional reactivity in response to conflict from family to peers (friends and romantic partners) was prospectively examined across six waves of data in a community-based sample of 416 adolescents (Mage Wave 1 = 11.90, 51% girls). Multiple-group models estimated in structural equation modeling suggested that youth who were higher in social anxiety or coping efficacy problems were more likely to transmit emotional reactivity developed in the family-of-origin to emotional reactivity in response to conflict in close friendships. Additionally, those youth higher in self-blame and depressive affect were more likely to transmit emotional reactivity from friendships to romantic relationships.
28432376 ±3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy") is a stimulant-psychedelic drug with unique social effects. It may dampen reactivity to negative social stimuli such as social threat and rejection. Perhaps because of these effects, MDMA has shown promise as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the effect of single doses of MDMA on responses to an acute psychosocial stressor has not been tested.In this study, we sought to test the effects of MDMA on responses to stress in healthy adults using a public speaking task. We hypothesized that the drug would reduce responses to the stressful task. Volunteers (N = 39) were randomly assigned to receive placebo (N = 13), 0.5 mg/kg MDMA (N = 13), or 1.0 mg/kg MDMA (N = 13) during a stress and a no-stress session. Dependent measures included subjective reports of drug effects and emotional responses to the task, as well as salivary cortisol, heart rate, and blood pressure. The stress task produced its expected increase in physiological responses (cortisol, heart rate) and subjective ratings of stress in all three groups, and MDMA produced its expected subjective and physiological effects. MDMA alone increased ratings of subjective stress, heart rate, and saliva cortisol concentrations, but contrary to our hypothesis, it did not moderate responses to the Trier Social Stress Test. Despite its efficacy in PTSD and anxiety, MDMA did not reduce either the subjective or objective responses to stress in this controlled study. The conditions under which MDMA relieves responses to negative events or memories remain to be determined.
28432314 This study investigates the effect of acute social stress on the recognition of facial expression of emotions in healthy young men. Participants underwent both a standardized psychosocial laboratory stressor (TSST-G) and a control condition. Then, they performed a homemade version of the facial expressions megamix. All six basic emotions were included in the task. First, our results show a systematic increase in the intensity threshold for disgust following stress, meaning that the participants' performance with this emotion was impaired. We suggest that this may reflect an adaptive coping mechanism where participants attempt to decrease their anxiety and protect themselves from a socio-evaluative threat. Second, our results show a systematic decrease in the intensity threshold for surprise, therefore positively affecting the participants' performance with that emotion. We suggest that the enhanced perception of surprise following the induction of social stress may be interpreted as an evolutionary adaptation, wherein being in a stressful environment increases the benefits of monitoring signals indicating the presence of a novel or threatening event. An alternative explanation may derive from the opposite nature of the facial expressions of disgust and surprise; the decreased recognition of disgust could therefore have fostered the propensity to perceive surprise.
28431994 Paraganglioma (PGL) are rare tumors arising from extra-adrenal chromaffin cells and occasionally secret catecholamines. The patient commonly presents with headache, palpitation, anxiety, diaphoresis, and episodic or sustained hypertension. Rarely patient can present with Raynaud's phenomenon. We present a case of adolescent girl who presented with isolated Raynaud's phenomenon as only manifestation of metastasis of PGL 3 years after undergoing surgical excision of normetanephrine secreting abdominal PGL.
28431971 Stress is commonly regarded as an important trigger for relapse and a significant factor that promotes increased motivation to drink in some individuals. However, the relationship between stress and alcohol is complex, likely changing in form during the transition from early moderated alcohol use to more heavy uncontrolled alcohol intake. A growing body of evidence indicates that prolonged excessive alcohol consumption serves as a potent stressor, producing persistent dysregulation of brain reward and stress systems beyond normal homeostatic limits. This progressive dysfunctional (allostatic) state is characterized by changes in neuroendocrine and brain stress pathways that underlie expression of withdrawal symptoms that reflect a negative affective state (dysphoria, anxiety), as well as increased motivation to self-administer alcohol. This review highlights literature supportive of this theoretical framework for alcohol addiction. In particular, evidence for stress-related neural, physiological, and behavioral changes associated with chronic alcohol exposure and withdrawal experience is presented. Additionally, this review focuses on the effects of chronic alcohol-induced changes in several pro-stress neuropeptides (corticotropin-releasing factor, dynorphin) and anti-stress neuropeptide systems (nocicepton, neuropeptide Y, oxytocin) in contributing to the stress, negative emotional, and motivational consequences of chronic alcohol exposure. Studies involving use of animal models have significantly increased our understanding of the dynamic stress-related physiological mechanisms and psychological underpinnings of alcohol addiction. This, in turn, is crucial for developing new and more effective therapeutics for treating excessive, harmful drinking, particularly stress-enhanced alcohol consumption. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled "Alcoholism".
28431903 The aim of the study was to assess the accuracy of the memory of experimentally induced pain and the affect that accompanies experimentally induced pain. Sixty-two healthy female volunteers participated in the study. In the first phase of the study, the participants received three pain stimuli and rated pain intensity, pain unpleasantness, state anxiety, and their positive and negative affect. About a month later, in the second phase of the study, the participants were asked to rate the pain intensity, pain unpleasantness, state anxiety, and the emotions they had felt during the first phase of the study. Both recalled pain intensity and recalled pain unpleasantness were found to be underestimated. Although the positive affect that accompanied pain was remembered accurately, recalled negative affect was overestimated and recalled state anxiety was underestimated. Experienced pain, recalled state anxiety, and recalled positive affect accounted for 44% of the total variance in predicting recalled pain intensity and 61% of the total variance in predicting recalled pain unpleasantness. Together with recent research findings on the memory of other types of pain, the present study supports the idea that pain is accompanied by positive as well as negative emotions, and that positive affect influences the memory of pain.
28431868 Self-perceived quality of life (QOL) is an important outcome indicator in schizophrenia and a predictor of symptomatic and functional improvement. This study provides the first large scale longitudinal study of the fluctuations, predictors, and impact of QOL in older adults with schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD).The sample consisted of 104 community-dwelling persons with SSD aged 55 and over (mean age: 61years) who developed the disorder prior to age 45. Mean follow-up was 52.5 months (range 12-116 months); 55% were men; 55% were white. We identified 22 potential predictor variables and used the Quality of Life Index (QLI) to assess QOL. There were no significant group differences in the QLI at baseline and follow-up. However, 33%, 24% and 43% of persons exhibited > 0.5 effect size increase or decrease, or no change, respectively. In multivariable analysis, there were 5 baseline predictors of QLI at follow-up: QLI, Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) scores, religiousness, perceived well-being versus others/past self, and time from initial interview. Baseline QLI predicted 5 variables at follow-up: the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) anxiety score, PANSS positive score, CES-D score, insight, and perceived well-being versus others/past self. In many persons with SSD, QOL is not static in later life and one third improved their QOL. Effectively treating depressive symptoms and encouraging religious participation may improve QOL. QOL had two pivotal roles: As a relatively independent dynamic outcome measure and as a critical variable affecting clinical outcomes such as anxiety, depressive and positive symptoms.
28431793 Excessive alcohol exposure has severe health consequences, and clinical and animal studies have demonstrated that disruptions in the epigenome of somatic cells, such as those in brain, are an important factor in the development of alcohol-related pathologies, such as alcohol-use disorders (AUDs) and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). It is also well known that alcohol-related health problems are passed down across generations in human populations, but the complete mechanisms for this phenomenon are currently unknown. Recent studies in animal models have suggested that epigenetic factors are also responsible for the transmission of alcohol-related pathologies across generations. Alcohol exposure has been shown to induce changes in the epigenome of sperm of exposed male animals, and these epimutations are inherited in the offspring. This paper reviews evidence for multigenerational and transgenerational epigenetic inheritance of alcohol-related pathology through the germline. We also review the literature on the epigenetic effects of alcohol exposure on somatic cells in brain, and its contribution to AUDs and FASDs. We note gaps in knowledge in this field, such as the lack of clinical studies in human populations and the lack of data on epigenetic inheritance via the female germline, and we suggest future research directions.
28431779 Propranolol is a noncardioselective β-blocker. It is reported to have membrane-stabilizing properties, but it does not own intrinsic sympathomimetic activity. Propranolol hydrochloride is used to control hypertension, pheochromocytoma, myocardial infarction, cardiac arrhythmias, angina pectoris, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. It is also used to control symptoms of sympathetic overactivity in the management of hyperthyroidism, anxiety disorders, and tremor. Other indications cover the prophylaxis of migraine and of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with portal hypertension. This study provides a detailed, comprehensive profile of propranolol, including formulas, elemental analysis, and the appearance of the drug. In addition, the synthesis of the drug is described. The chapter covers the physicochemical properties, including X-ray powder diffraction, pK, solubility, melting point, and procedures of analysis (spectroscopic, electrochemical, and chromatographic). In-depth pharmacology is also presented (pharmacological actions, therapeutic dosing, uses, Interactions, and adverse effects and precautions). More than 60 references are given as a proof of the abovementioned studies.
28431689 Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating disorder, and its treatment often requires complex and costly psychological therapies. Behavioral activation (BA) is a simple, effective and affordable psychotherapy recommended in the treatment of MDD.(i) Explain the theoretical basis of BA and its application in clinical practice. (ii) Review the randomized controlled trials examining BA as a treatment for MDD through a systematic search of the existing literature. Medline and ClinicalTrials databases were searched with the following keywords: ("behavioral activation" OR "behavioural activation") AND ("therapy" OR "psychotherapy"). (i) Articles describing BA's theoretical foundations and principles of therapy were selected. (ii) Randomized controlled trials studying BA as a treatment for depression were selected according to the PRISMA criteria. (i) BA is a behavioral therapy that helps patients to increase their behaviors towards rewarding and/or pleasant activities, and to decrease avoidant behaviors maintaining negative affects by negative reinforcement. BA also tends to increase behaviors towards life-goals used as positive reinforcement contingencies. BA is a brief and cost effective therapy, which can be evaluated by specific psychometric scales. (ii) BA has a strong therapeutic effect in MDD as evaluated by several randomized controlled trials of good quality. BA is a simple, affordable and effective treatment for MDD. Data is insufficient to provide proof for the interest of using commitment to life-goals as reinforcement contingencies. Behavioral inhibition is encountered amongst several psychiatric disorders and more studies should be conducted to discuss its use for other diseases such as schizophrenia or anxiety disorders.
28431626 Recent publications focusing on sleep-wake alternation, using actigraphic recordings in hunter-gatherers, stressed the existence of a potential effect of electricity availability on sleep habits. These reports prompted us to achieve a new analysis of the polysomnographic data already obtained in healthy African volunteers in equatorial Africa during two different investigations. Comparison of the 24-h polysomnographic sleep patterns were done between 9 volunteers sleeping in a laboratory in Abidjan (Abidjan cohort) and 11 villagers living in electricity-free bush villages (Sinfra cohort). Sleep was lighter in the villagers, with more stage 1 and less slow wave sleep (SWS). Latency to SWS was also shorter. Total sleep time, however, was not different between the two groups. There were no indications as to whether the observed differences were attributable to the availability of electrical power. Reactivity of human sleep structure to the environment was discussed in terms of multifactorial influences such as daylight length, temperature, humidity, electromagnetic field, time of sleep onset, thermoregulatory mechanisms, stress or anxiety.
28431515 Dementia has a high burden for patients, informal caregivers and society. Given changes in care systems, more persons with dementia will live longer at home. However, living at home (with dementia) with a good quality of life is not easy to achieve. Dementia is often accompanied by neuropsychiatric symptoms like apathy, agitation, depression, and anxiety, which have a negative impact on quality of life. Whereas cognitive deterioration can hardly be influenced, it is possible to reduce neuropsychiatric symptoms. As autobiographical memories remain intact for a relatively long time in dementia, reminiscence interventions can promote feelings of pleasure and trust. The Online Life Story Book (OLSB) allows to digitally share memories (stories, pictures, video or audio fragments). The main objective is to study the effects of the OLSB on neuropsychiatric symptoms. The study has four secondary objectives: 1) to study the effectiveness of the intervention on the burden and quality of life of the primary informal caregiver; 2) to provide a preliminary health-economic evaluation; 3) to study the (time to) nursing home admittance as a longer term effect; 4) to provide a process evaluation.A randomized controlled trial with individual randomization to one of two conditions is conducted: 1) intervention "Online Life Story Book"; 2) control condition (care as usual). Participants are persons with early dementia and their primary caregivers. In the intervention OLSB, a trained volunteer guides the participants through the process of putting together a timeline of their lives during 5 meetings within a period of 8-10 weeks. To assess the effects of the intervention on the primary outcome, neuropsychiatric symptoms, the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) will be assessed at three time points: before the intervention (baseline, T0), 3 months (T1) and 6 months (T2) post baseline. When proven effective, the Online Life Story Book can be a valuable addition to the existing provision of care for persons with dementia and their informal caregivers. This study has been approved by the Twente Medical Ethics Committee under the file number p16-04 (Dutch Trial Register: NTR5939 , date of registration: 14 March 2016).
28431503 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) imposes a substantial burden on individuals with the disease, which can include a range of symptoms (breathlessness, cough, sputum production, wheeze, chest tightness) of varying severities. We present an overview of the biomedical literature describing reported relationships between COPD symptoms and disease burden in terms of quality of life, health status, daily activities, physical activity, sleep, comorbid anxiety, and depression, as well as risk of exacerbations and disease prognosis. In addition, the substantial variability of COPD symptoms encountered (morning, daytime, and nighttime) is addressed and their implications for disease burden considered. The findings from this narrative review, which mainly focuses on real-world and observational studies, demonstrate the impact of COPD symptoms on the burden of disease and that improved recognition and understanding of their impact is central to alleviating this burden.
28431368 Epilepsy, one of the most common, serious chronic neurological diseases, is accompanied by different levels of perceived stigma that affects people in almost all age groups. This stigma can negatively impact the physical and mental health of people living with epilepsy (PLWE). Good knowledge of perceived stigma for PLWE is important. In this study, we conducted a meta-analysis to identify the correlates of perceived stigma for PLWE.Studies on factors associated with perceived stigma for PLWE, including sociodemographic, psychosocial, and disease-related variables, were searched in PubMed, PsychINFO, EMBASE, and Web of Science. Nineteen variables (k>1) were included in the meta-analysis. For sociodemographic characteristics, findings revealed that the significant weighted mean correlation (R) for "residence" and "poor financial status" were 0.177 and 0.286, respectively. For disease-related characteristics, all variables of significance, including "seizure severity," "seizure frequency," "number of medicines," and "adverse event" (R ranging from 0.190 to 0.362), were positively correlated with perceived stigma. For psychosocial characteristics, "depression" and "anxiety" with R values of 0.414 and 0.369 were significantly associated with perceived stigma. In addition, "social support," "quality of life (QOLIE-31,89)," "knowledge," and "attitude," with R values ranging from -0.444 to -0.200 indicating negative correlation with perceived stigma. The current meta-analysis evaluated the correlates of perceived stigma for PLWE. Results can serve as a basis for policymakers and healthcare professionals for formulating health promotion and prevention strategies.
28431305 A meta-analysis on the efficacy of cognitive-behavior-family treatment (CBFT) on children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) was accomplished. The purposes of the study were: (a) to estimate the effect magnitude of CBFT in ameliorating obsessive-compulsive symptoms and reducing family accommodation on pediatric OCD and (b) to identify potential moderator variables of the effect sizes. A literature search enabled us to identify 27 studies that fulfilled our selection criteria. The effect size index was the standardized pretest-postest mean change index. For obsessive-compulsive symptoms, the adjusted mean effect size for CBFT was clinically relevant and statistically significant in the posttest (dadj=1.464). For family accommodation the adjusted mean effect size was also positive and statistically significant, but in a lesser extent than for obsessive-compulsive symptoms (dadj=0.511). Publication bias was discarded as a threat against the validity of the meta-analytic results. Large heterogeneity among effect sizes was found. Better results were found when CBFT was individually applied than in group (d+=2.429 and 1.409, respectively). CBFT is effective to reduce obsessive-compulsive symptoms, but offers a limited effect for family accommodation. Additional modules must be included in CBFT to improve its effectiveness on family accommodation.
28431300 The aim of the study was to investigate how high math-anxious (HMA) individuals react to errors in an arithmetic task. Twenty HMA and 19 low math-anxious (LMA) individuals were presented with a multi-digit addition verification task and were given response feedback. Post-error adjustment measures (response time and accuracy) were analyzed in order to study differences between groups when faced with errors in an arithmetical task. Results showed that both HMA and LMA individuals were slower to respond following an error than following a correct answer. However, post-error accuracy effects emerged only for the HMA group, showing that they were also less accurate after having committed an error than after giving the right answer. Importantly, these differences were observed only when individuals needed to repeat the same response given in the previous trial. These results suggest that, for HMA individuals, errors caused reactive inhibition of the erroneous response, facilitating performance if the next problem required the alternative response but hampering it if the response was the same. This stronger reaction to errors could be a factor contributing to the difficulties that HMA individuals experience in learning math and doing math tasks.
28431193 A reduction in total cholesterol may alter the microviscosity of the brain-cell-membrane, reducing serotonin receptor exposure. The resulting imbalance between serotonin and dopamine may lead to an increased risk for suicidality. The objective of this research was to evaluate total cholesterol as a biological marker for suicidality in a sample of US military veterans. The study population consisted of veterans who received care at the Coatesville Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) and were included in the Suicide Prevention Coordinator's database for having suicidal ideation with evidence of escalating intent, a documented suicide attempt, or committed suicide between 2009 and 2015. The veterans' medical data were obtained from the facility's computerized patient record system. The final sample was 188 observations from 128 unique veterans. Veterans with total cholesterol levels below 168 mg/dl appeared to have a higher suicide risk than those with higher levels. The cholesterol levels of veterans reporting suicidal ideation or attempt were significantly lower than the group reporting neither [F(2, 185) = 30.19, p < .001]. When data from multiple visits were available, veterans reporting suicidal ideation or attempt had experienced a significant (20%) decrease in cholesterol levels from an earlier visit in which they did not report suicidality. A latent class analysis revealed that among other differences, suicidal veterans were younger, leaner, and had more anxiety, sleep problems, and higher education than those being seen for an issue unrelated to suicidality. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
28431122 The aim of this study was to test whether a cognitive behavioral and mindfulness-based group sleep intervention would improve sleep and anxiety on school nights in a sample of at-risk adolescents. We also examined whether benefits to sleep and anxiety would be mediated by improvements in sleep hygiene awareness and presleep hyperarousal.Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial conducted with 123 adolescent participants (female = 60%; mean age = 14.48) who had high levels of sleep problems and anxiety symptoms. Participants were randomized into a sleep improvement intervention (n = 63) or active control "study skills" intervention (n = 60). Preintervention and postintervention, participants completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS), Sleep Beliefs Scale (SBS), and Presleep Hyperarousal Scale (PSAS) and wore an actiwatch and completed a sleep diary for five school nights. The sleep intervention condition was associated with significantly greater improvements in actigraphy-measured sleep onset latency (SOLobj), sleep diary measured sleep efficiency (SEsubj), PSQI, SCAS, SBS, and PSAS, with medium to large effect sizes. Improvements in the PSQI and SCAS were specifically mediated by the measured improvements in the PSAS that resulted from the intervention. Improvements in SOLobj and SEsubj were not specifically related to improvements in any of the putative treatment mechanisms. This study provides evidence that presleep arousal but not sleep hygiene awareness is important for adolescents' perceived sleep quality and could be a target for new treatments of adolescent sleep problems.
28431011 To evaluate patterns of relationships between pain characteristics, peer difficulties, and emotional functioning in a sample of adolescents seeking treatment for chronic pain. Participants were 172 adolescents (age M = 14.88 years; 76% female, 88% White) with heterogeneous chronic pain disorders who completed measures of pain characteristics, peer difficulties, and emotional functioning before their new patient appointment in a pain management clinic. Direct and indirect relationships between variables were tested using path analysis. Adequate model fit was found for models that specified emotional functioning (anxiety and depression) as a mediator of the relationship between pain interference and peer difficulties. Conversely, poor fit was found for all models specifying peer difficulties as a mediator of the relationship between pain characteristics and emotional functioning. Assessing and targeting depression and anxiety among youth with high pain interference may help prevent or improve peer difficulties.
28430931 Neurotrophins have been linked to the symptomatology of alcohol dependence. We aimed to investigate a possible association between the methylation of the promoters of both neurotrophins, the serum levels of the cytokines and core symptoms of alcohol dependence as withdrawal severity and anxiety.In this study we investigated a possible association between alterations in the methylation of the BDNF IV/NGF I gene promoter and the cytokines tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in 55 male alcohol-dependent patients. Mean methylation of the promoter of the BDNF gene was significantly associated with the TNF-α serum levels and the CIWA-score during withdrawal (P < 0.001). Moreover, mean methylation of the NGF I promoter was significantly associated with the IL-6 serum levels and STAI-I score during withdrawal (P < 0.001). Our results suggest an association between the epigenetic regulation of both neurotrophins, BDNF and NGF, cytokine release and the symptomatology of alcohol dependence. They imply that changes in the methylation of neurotrophins may contribute to the symptomatology of alcohol dependence by affecting relevant downstream signaling cascades.
28430901 Common mental disorders i.e. depressive and anxiety disorders (CMD) are frequent comorbid conditions in individuals with ischaemic heart disease (IHD). Still, their effect on preterm exit from the labour market [i.e. disability pension (DP)] in individuals with IHD has to date not been scrutinized. The aim of this study was to investigate the separate and joint effect of IHD and CMD on the risk of DP for women and men of working age.This population-based cohort study included all non-pensioned 4 823 069 individuals, registered as living in Sweden 31 December 2004 and then 16-64 years of age. Individuals with IHD or CMD were identified through using data on sickness absence, prescribed medication or in- or specialized outpatient care in 2005. Crude and adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for being granted DP in 2006-10 were estimated by means of Cox proportional hazard regression. In the fully adjusted models, HRs for DP were 2.84 (95% CI; 2.57-3.13) and 2.83 (2.66-3.01) in women and men with IHD, respectively. Hazard ratios for DP in women and men with CMD were 5.13 (5.03-5.24) and 6.08 (5.93-6.24). In women and men with both conditions, crude HRs for DP were 18.38 (15.01-22.50) and 25.58 (22.27-29.37). There was a significant synergistic effect between IHD and CMD in both sexes in the crude models, which disappeared in women after adjusting for socio-demographic variables, and in men after additionally adjusting for comorbid somatic disorders. A comorbid CMD worsens the prognosis of IHD in terms of early exit from the labour market. Processes leading to DP in individuals with IHD are multifactorial and may involve the presence of CMD as well as comorbidity with other somatic diseases.
28430522 Stroke is a major cause of acquired cerebral disability among adults, frequently accompanied by depression, anxiety, cognitive impairment, disrupted sleep and fatigue. New ways of intervention to prevent these complications are therefore needed. The major circadian regulator, the suprachiasmatic nucleus, is mainly controlled by natural daylight, and the blue spectrum is considered the most powerful. During stroke rehabilitation, patients typically are mostly indoors and therefore not exposed to the natural daytime variation in light intensity. Furthermore, several rehabilitation hospitals may be exposed to powerful light in the blue spectrum, but at a time that is adversely related to their endogenous circadian phase, for example in the late evening instead of the daytime.Naturalistic light that mimics the natural daytime spectrum variation will have a positive impact on the health of poststroke patients admitted to rehabilitation. We test specifically for improved sleep and less fatigue (questionnaires, polysomnography, Actiwatch), improved well-being (questionnaires), lessen anxiety and depression (questionnaires), improved cognition (tests), stabilizing of the autonomous nervous system (ECG/HR, blood pressure, temperature) and stabilizing of the diurnal biochemistry (blood markers). The study is a prospective parallel longitudinal randomized controlled study (quasi randomization). Stroke patients in need of rehabilitation will be included at the acute stroke unit and randomized to either the intervention unit (naturalistic lighting) or the control unit (CU) (standard lighting). The naturalistic light is installed in the entire IU (Cromaviso, Denmark). This study aims to elucidate the influence of naturalistic light on patients during long-term hospitalization in a real hospital setting. The hypotheses are based on preclinical research, as studies using naturalistic light have never been performed before. Investigating the effects of naturalistic light in a clinical setting is therefore much needed.
28430020 We explored the relationship between geographic location and health indicators for lesbian, gay, and transgender veterans.We solicited participation in an online survey through national and city LGBT organizations and personal contacts to examine differences in depression, anxiety, alcohol and tobacco use, and body mass index among lesbian, gay, and transgender veterans (n = 252) in suburban/urban and rural/small town locations. Bisexual participants were too few to include in the analyses. As expected, rural/small town lesbian, gay, and transgender veterans spent more time traveling to their primary care provider. Travel time was also positively related to depressive and anxiety symptoms. However, only suburban/urban and rural/small town gay men differed in measures of depression and anxiety and tobacco use. That is, rural/small town gay men reported greater depressive and anxiety symptoms and greater tobacco use than their suburban/urban counterparts. Consistent with this finding, rural/small town gay men reported less community-related identity than suburban/urban men. Suburban/urban lesbian women showed a nonsignificant trend for community identity compared with rural/small town women. Similar to civilian studies, suburban/urban and rural/small town lesbian, gay, and transgender veterans evidenced few health differences, with the exception of suburban/urban gay men. Although rural/small town gay male veterans evidenced more depression and anxiety and less community identity than suburban/urban men, social networks likely differ for lesbian, gay, and transgender subgroups. Lesbian, gay, and transgender veterans may also differ from their civilian counterparts in ways that we do not yet understand.
28429858 Although traditionally conceptualized as an anxiety disorder, variability in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be explained by individual differences in peri- or posttraumatic disgust. We examined relationships between disgust reactions and other trauma-related symptoms in 100 veterans with a history of interpersonal trauma and gender differences in these variables. We also evaluated the mediating role of posttraumatic disgust and guilt in the relationship between peritraumatic disgust and PTSD symptoms. Participants completed cross-sectional self-report questionnaires of trauma-related emotions, PTSD, and other psychological symptoms as part of clinical intake procedures. Women and men did not differ on trauma-related emotions or symptoms. However, the relationship between peri- and posttraumatic disgust depended on gender, with men reporting a stronger association between peri- and posttraumatic disgust than women (p = .013, ΔR2 = .04). Posttraumatic disgust and guilt mediated the relationship between peritraumatic disgust and PTSD symptoms, controlling for gender (a1 a2 b1 = 0.18, SE = 0.09, PM = .19). Our results converge with those found in other studies suggesting that disgust is a common trauma-related emotion and that men and women may experience differential relationships between peri- and posttraumatic emotional experiences. Further study of the role of trauma-related emotional responses in PTSD etiology and treatment is warranted.
28429847 We aimed to determine the prognostic accuracy of the Basel Screening Instrument for Psychosis (BSIP) in terms of specificity, sensitivity, positive and negative predictive value by following up individuals that were initially not considered to be at increased risk of psychosis based on the BSIP. Moreover, clinical characteristics of these individuals were examined given the relative lack of such information in the literature.As part of the "Früherkennung von Psychosen" (FePsy) study, 87 individuals were screened with the BSIP. Of these, 64 were classified at baseline as being in an at-risk mental state (ARMS+) for psychosis using the BSIP and followed up at regular time intervals for at least 2 years to determine a putative transition to psychosis. Twenty-three individuals were classified at baseline as not being in an at-risk mental state (ARMS-) using the BSIP and re-assessed after 4 years. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of the BSIP were computed. Clinical characteristics of the ARMS- group were analysed descriptively. During the follow-up period, none of the ARMS- individuals, but 21 of ARMS+ had developed psychosis. Sensitivity of the BSIP was 1.0, specificity was 0.35. The majority of ARMS- individuals showed depressive disorders or anxiety disorders and varying levels of functioning. The BSIP has good prognostic accuracy for detecting the prodromal phase of psychosis with an excellent sensitivity and a specificity similar to other risk instruments and the advantage of a relatively short duration. Depressive and anxiety symptoms commonly develop in ARMS- individuals.
28429844 This study compared the demographics, clinical characteristics, and antidepressant prescription patterns between Asian patients aged 50 years and older attending psychiatric hospitals and those attending general hospitals.In total, 955 patients (604 in general hospitals, 351 in psychiatric hospitals) aged 50 years or older treated with antidepressants in 10 Asian countries and territories were examined. Patients' demographics, clinical features, and prescriptions of psychotropic drugs were recorded using a standardized protocol and data collection procedure. Binary logistic regression revealed that high income and diagnosis of schizophrenia were independently associated with psychiatric hospital treatment, whereas outpatient care, diagnosis of anxiety disorders, and multiple major medical conditions were independently associated with general hospital treatment. In addition, tetracyclic and noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressants were more likely to be prescribed in general hospitals. Older adults treated with antidepressants showed different demographic and clinical features between general hospitals and psychiatric hospitals in Asia.
28429843 Despite the withdrawal of CB1 antagonists, such as rimonabant, from the market and from active clinical development because of concerns about their side effect profiles, research suggests that the endocannabinoid system may play an important role in modulating nicotine's effects. We report the combined results, using a pooled analysis, of three previously unpublished trials assessing rimonabant as a smoking cessation pharmacotherapy conducted between 2002 and 2004. Smokers (n = 2097) motivated to quit were enrolled in three randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, STRATUS EU, US, and META, which consisted of a 10-week treatment period with either rimonabant 20 mg (n = 789), 5 mg (n = 518; used in only two of the three studies), or placebo (n = 790), in conjunction with brief counseling. The impact of drug on prolonged abstinence and adverse events was examined at 8 weeks (end-of-treatment) and at 48 weeks (available for STRATUS EU and US) after the targeted quit date. Rimonabant 20 mg resulted in significantly higher abstinence at end-of-treatment and at 48 weeks post-targeted quit date compared with placebo, while rimonabant 5 mg and placebo did not differ. Serious AEs did not differ by drug group. The 20 mg rimonabant dose, compared with placebo, produced increased nausea, diarrhea, anxiety symptoms, hyporexia, and vomiting, and decreased headache, constipation, and cough. These results support rimonabant 20 mg as a modestly effective aid for smoking cessation. Although work on CB1 antagonists such as rimonabant has mostly been stopped because of unacceptable adverse events, these results may inform and spur the development of other endocannabinoids for smoking cessation.
28429694 Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic disease characterized by extremely high levels of cholesterol, leading to premature atherosclerosis. Although many countries have already addressed the burden of FH by means of national registries, Turkey has no national FH registry or national screening program to detect FH. Creation of a series of FH registries is planned as part of Turkish FH Initiative endorsed by the Turkish Society of Cardiology to meet this need. This article provides detailed information on the rationale and design of the first 2 FH registries (A-HIT1 and A-HIT2).A-HIT1 is a nationwide survey of adult homozygous FH (HoFH) patients undergoing low-density lipoprotein (LDL) apheresis (LA) in Turkey. A-HIT1 will provide insight into the clinical status of HoFH patients undergoing LA. Primary objective of this cross-sectional study is to identify how HoFH patients on LA are managed. Inclusion criteria are age >12 years, diagnosis of HoFH, and regular LA treatment. All available apheresis centers were electronically invited to participate in the study. The principal physicians of each center will respond to a questionnaire regarding their attitude toward LA. For each patient, another questionnaire will be used to collect data on clinical status, medication use, and disease data. In addition, patients will be asked to complete self-report questionnaires that provide information on quality of life, disease-related anxiety, and depression. A-HIT2 is a registry of adult FH patients presenting at outpatient clinics. At least 1000 FH patients will be recruited from 30 outpatient clinics representing the 12 statistical regions in Turkey based on the EU NUTS classification. Sites specializing in cardiology, internal medicine, and endocrinology were invited to participate. The primary objective of this cross-sectional study is to determine clinical status and management of patients in Turkey diagnosed with FH. Eligibility for screening was defined as having LDL-cholesterol level >160 mg/dL. Inclusion criteria are age >18 years and diagnosis as possible FH (total score of >2 according to Dutch Lipid Clinic Network criteria). In addition to measuring clinical status of patients, a short survey to assess patient level of disease awareness will also be administered. A-HIT1 and A-HIT2 are the first nationwide FH registries in Turkey and will provide important information on the management of Turkish FH patients. In addition, it is planned that they will guide establishment of a national policy for the diagnosis and treatment of FH in Turkey.
28429625 Trichotillomania (TTM) is associated with high rates of co-occurring depression and anxiety disorders. What the co-occurrence of TTM, depression or anxiety disorders means clinically and cognitively, however, has garnered little research attention.About 530 adults with TTM were examined on a variety of clinical measures including symptom severity, psychosocial measures of functioning, psychiatric comorbidity and neurocognitive testing assessing motor inhibition and cognitive flexibility. Clinical features and cognitive functioning were compared between TTM patients with current comorbid major depressive disorder (MDD), a current anxiety disorder, both MDD and an anxiety disorder, or neither. Of 530 participants, 58 (10.3%) had MDD only, 97 (18.3%) had an anxiety disorder only, 58 (10.3%) had both MDD and an anxiety disorder, and 317 (59.8%) had neither. For almost all clinical measures, those with MDD only reported worse symptoms than those with an anxiety disorder only, and the combination of MDD and an anxiety disorder reported the worst level of symptom severity. These results suggest that adults with TTM and co-occurring MDD and anxiety disorders exhibit unique clinical differences. The clinical differences may also have treatment implications.
28429612 A unique database named 'AN-SAPO' was developed by Iwato Corp. and Japan Brain Corp. in collaboration with the psychiatric clinics run by Himorogi Group in Japan. The AN-SAPO database includes patients' depression/anxiety score data from a mobile app named AN-SAPO and medical records from medical prescription software named 'ORCA'. On the mobile app, depression/anxiety severity can be evaluated by answering 20 brief questions and the scores are transferred to the AN-SAPO database together with the patients' medical records on ORCA. Currently, this database is used at the Himorogi Group's psychiatric clinics and has over 2000 patients' records accumulated since November 2013. Since the database covers patients' demographic data, prescribed drugs, and the efficacy and safety information, it could be a useful supporting tool for decision-making in clinical practice. We expect it to be utilised in wider areas of medical fields and for future pharmacovigilance and pharmacoepidemiological studies.
28429385 Health care providers have significant opportunities to identify individuals at near-term risk for suicide, but lack empirical data on near-term risk factors. This study aimed to identify dynamic, state-related risk factors observed by clinical practitioners within the last 30 days of life of 157 patients who died by suicide and to compare these near-term risk factors among patients who denied versus responded positively to having suicide ideation (SI) when last asked by a clinical practitioner prior to their death. Risk factors charted for the majority of all decedents were a history of prior suicide ideation and/or suicide attempt, current anxiety/agitation and sleep problems, current interpersonal problems or job/financial strain, current comorbid diagnoses, current social isolation/withdrawal, and a family history of mental disorder. Two-thirds of patients denied having SI when last asked and one-half of these patients were dead by suicide within 2 days. Decedents who denied having SI were quite similar in charted diagnoses, symptoms, behaviors, and environmental circumstances to decedents who responded affirmatively to having SI. Reliance on verbalized or reported SI as a gateway to a suicide risk assessment is questioned and the need for better understanding near-term risk for suicide, particularly in the absence of stated SI, is highlighted.
28428161 Designers of digital interventions for mental health often leverage interactions from games because the intrinsic motivation that results from game-based interventions may increase participation and translate into improved treatment efficacy. However, there are outstanding questions about the suitability (eg, are desktop or mobile interventions more appropriate?) and intervention potential (eg, do people with depression activate enough to play?) of games for mental health.In this paper, we aimed to describe the presently unknown relationship between gaming activity and indicators of well-being so that designers make informed choices when designing game-based interventions for mental health. We gathered validated scales of well-being (Beck's Depression Inventory [BDI-II], Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9], trait anxiety [TA], and basic psychological needs satisfaction [BPNS]), play importance (control over game behavior: control; gamer identity: identity), and play behavior (play frequency, platform preferences, and genre preferences) in a Web-based survey (N=491). The majority of our participants played games a few times a week (45.3%, 222/490) or daily (34.3%, 168/490). In terms of depression, play frequency was associated with PHQ-9 (P=.003); PHQ-9 scores were higher for those who played daily than for those who played a few times a week or less. Similarly, for BDI-II (P=.01), scores were higher for those who played daily than for those who played once a week or less. Genre preferences were not associated with PHQ-9 (P=.32) or BDI-II (P=.68); however, platform preference (ie, mobile, desktop, or console) was associated with PHQ-9 (P=.04); desktop-only players had higher PHQ-9 scores than those who used all platforms. Platform preference was not associated with BDI-II (P=.18). In terms of anxiety, TA was not associated with frequency (P=.23), platform preference (P=.07), or genre preference (P=.99). In terms of needs satisfaction, BPNS was not associated with frequency (P=.25) or genre preference (P=.53), but it was associated with platform preference (P=.01); desktop-only players had lower needs satisfaction than those who used all platforms. As expected, play frequency was associated with identity (P<.001) and control (P<.001); those who played more had identified more as a gamer and had less control over their gameplay. Genre preference was associated with identity (P<.001) and control (P<.001); those who played most common genres had higher control over their play and identified most as gamers. Platform preference was not associated with control (P=.80), but was with identity (P=.001); those who played on all devices identified more as a gamer than those who played on mobiles or consoles only. Our results suggest that games are a suitable approach for mental health interventions as they are played broadly by people across a range of indicators of mental health. We further unpack the platform preferences and genre preferences of players with varying levels of well-being.
28428145 Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious psychological condition, which can develop both from physically experiencing and also from witnessing traumatic events. There is evidence that physical exercise can have a positive impact on the symptoms of PTSD. Relevant to this, in our previous pre-clinical work, beneficial effects of treadmill exercise were reported on PTSD-like behaviors in a social defeat paradigm, a rat model of direct physical trauma. However, the role of exercise on vicariously acquired PTSD-like phenotype was not examined.In this study, we utilized a rodent PTSD model, which mimics both the physical as well as the witness experience of trauma, and examined the impact of moderate treadmill exercise in mitigating vicariously acquired PTSD-like behaviors in rats. Our PTSD model is a modified social defeat paradigm, which involves aggressive encounters between a large Long-Evans male rat (resident) and a smaller Sprague-Dawley male rat (intruder), resulting in intruder social defeat. The cage mate of the intruder is positioned to witness intruder defeat. Rats were grouped as control (CON), social defeat (SD), exercise (EX), trauma witness (TW), and exercise prior to trauma witness (EX-TW). After acclimatization for 7days, the exercised groups were subjected to a daily 30-min treadmill exercise regimen for 14days. On day 21, the SD group was exposed for 7days of social defeat, while the TW groups witnessed social defeat. On days 28-34, behavioral and cognitive tests including short-term (STM) and long-term (LTM) memory function, anxiety- and depression-like behaviors were conducted. TW and SD rats demonstrated the highest levels of anxiety- and depression-like behaviors, while EX-TW rats did not exhibit anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. TW and SD rats showed no impairments in STM. However, TW and SD rats showed impairments in LTM, and exercise rescued LTM impairments in EX-TW rats. This study demonstrates that rats subjected to direct experience or witness of social defeat exhibited PTSD-like behaviors, while moderate treadmill exercise prevented trauma witness-induced behavioral impairments. These studies have important translational value suggesting that prior treadmill exercise might provide resilience to stressful stimuli and perhaps mitigate the witnessing effects of traumatic events.
28427723 Health related quality of life (HRQoL) is recognized as an outcome measure in kidney transplantation. In this study was assessed changes on HRQoL and kidney-specific symptoms, also was evaluated the effect of socio-demographic and clinical parameters on patient's perceived HRQoL.A longitudinal study was done, at 5 time-points over 2 years after transplantation. To evaluate HRQoL the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire Short Form was administrated, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was used to assess psychological distress. At 6-months after transplantation, patients had similar HRQoL scores compared to the general population. The improvement on effects of kidney disease domain could be considered as large (η2=0.29), and medium on burden of kidney disease domain (η2=0.12), work status domain (η2=0.12), and sexual function domain (η2=0.13). Psychological distress, depressive symptoms, haemoglobin, and serum creatinine had significant influence on patient's perceived HRQoL over 2 years after transplantation. An improvement of HRQoL was observed on general and specific-targeted symptoms over 2 years after renal transplantation.
28427707 Multiple sclerosis (MS) incidence and prevalence is increasing worldwide, with a disproportionally higher rate in women. Recent studies have questioned the presence of a latitudinal gradient in Europe. Ireland is a high prevalence country for MS with a previously reported North-South gradient making it ideal to further explore this concept.In this study we prospectively determined the incidence rate of newly diagnosed MS in Ireland over a 12-month period and demonstrated the presence of a North-South gradient. A national prospective population-based observational study was performed to ascertain all new cases of MS diagnosed from 1st March 2014 - 28th February 2015 in the Ireland. Within the main study there was a smaller nested cohort study to explore clinical outcomes with a view to future prospective follow-up of this cohort. Sources of case ascertainment included neurologists, MS nurse specialists and MS support services. The Irish census 2011 was used to obtain population statistics and the incidence rate was age-standardized to a European Standardised Population (ESP 2011). The North-South gradient was assessed, by comparing incidence rates between northern and southern counties. 292 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria equating to an age-standardised incidence rate (A-SIR) of 6/100,000 (95% CI: 5.3-6.6); for women the rate was 8.7/100,000 (95% CI: 7.7-9.6) and for men 3.3/100,000 (95% CI: 3.0-3.7). The female to male sex ratio was 2.7:1. Mean age at diagnosis amongst the RRMS group was 37 years (SD: 9.6) and 55 years (SD: 7.7) in the PPMS group; there were no gender differences associated with age of diagnosis. Onset was progressive in 10% of cases. A significant difference was seen in incidence rates between the northern region (A-SIR: 9.6×105, CI: 6.9-12.3) and the southern region (A-SIR: 5.1×105, CI: 3.8-6.3) (Z-score =3.34, p<0.05). Amongst the nested cohort (n=113) mean age at symptom onset in the RRMS group (n=106) was 34 years (SD: 8.7) and 50 years (SD: 11.8) in the PPMS group (n=7). The female to male sex ratio was 3.5:1. Eighty percent had started or were due to start disease modifying therapy at time of review and 77% were taking supplemental vitamin D. Using the hospital depression and anxiety scale (HADS) mild to severe depressive symptoms were reported in 34% with no prior history of depression. Seventy-five percent were in full or part-time employment with 8% not working due to disability arising from their MS. This is the first study to prospectively assess the incidence rate of MS in Ireland and shows that Ireland has a high incidence rate, comparable with the rest of the British Isles, with a persistent North-South gradient. The age of onset of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis appears to be increasing over the last 20 years. It will be of interest to re-assess this population over time to see if increasing incidence rates, as well as improved survival, are driving the reported increases in MS prevalence.
28427690 To investigate adherence to disease modifying therapy (DMT) in Lithuanian population of multiple sclerosis patients and factors associated to it.Patients receiving one of the following DMT's: Interferon β 1a (Rebif) 44 micrograms three times a week subdermally (s/c) or Interferon β 1a (Avonex) 30 micrograms weekly intramuscularly (i/m), or Interferon β 1b (Betaferon, Extavia) 250 micrograms once in two days s/c, or Glatiramer acetate (Copaxone) 20mg daily s/c, were presented with a questionnaire inquiring their demographic and clinical characteristics and adherence to treatment profile, as well as HAD scale and SF-36 questionnaire. Those who missed at least one dose of DMT during last three months were considered non-adherent. In total, 207 patients were enrolled, 73 (35.3%) of them were non adherent during last three months. More patients with university education (p=0.004, χ2 =8.466 high school/vocational vs. university) as well as consuming >4 units/year of alcohol were non-adherent during last three months (p=0.005). Average score for anxiety (6.69±4.03 vs. 6.92±4.24) and depression (4.74±3.9 vs. 4.7±3.83) in HAD scale did not differ significantly between adherent and non-adherent groups. We did not find any significant difference in quality of life scores (SF-36 v.2) between the groups. No significant difference of adherence was found then comparing patients often suffering from drug side effects with those who experience rare or no side effects. In logistic regression model, patients consuming more than 4 alcohol units per year and patients with university education were more likely to miss at least one dose during last three months: 2.121 (95% CI: 1.143-3.937, p=0.017) and 2.409 (95% CI: 1.260-4.642, p=0.008) times accordingly. Patients with better quality of life scores were slightly less likely to be non adherent (OR 0.997 (95% CI: 0.994-0.999), p=0.0017). One third of patients were non-adherent during last three months. Worse adherence rates were associated with higher education and higher alcohol consumption. Education, alcohol consumption and quality of life scores were found to be significant factors for predicting non-adherence. We found no associations between adherence and anxiety, depression, or drugs side effects.
28427543 A more profound investigation about the responses in activity levels following pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in patients with COPD is needed. We aimed to describe groups of patients with COPD according to patterns of change in physical activity and sedentary behaviour following PR. 90 patients with COPD (60% male; mean age 67 ± 8; median FEV1 47 (32-62) %pred) completed a comprehensive PR programme. A triaxial accelerometer was used to assess the time in sedentary behaviour, light activities and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Additionally, exercise capacity, quality of life, and symptoms of anxiety and depression were assessed before and after PR. Six groups with different patterns of change in physical activity and sedentary behaviour were identified. The two most prevalent patterns were represented by good responders (increase in physical activity and reduction in sedentary behaviour, 34%) and poor responders (decrease in physical activity and increase in sedentary behaviour, 30%). Good responders had greater improvements in six-minute walk distance (6MWD) and symptoms of depression than poor responders (P < 0.05 for all). Strong correlation was found between changes in sedentary behaviour and changes in light activities (rs = -0.89; P < 0.0001). Changes in 6MWD correlated fairly with changes in sedentary behaviour (rs = -0.26), light activities (rs = 0.25), and MVPA (rs = 0.24); P < 0.05 for all. Different patterns of change in activity levels following PR can be found in patients with COPD. Focusing on light physical activities might be a potential strategy to make patients less sedentary, but for this to be achieved prior (or at least parallel) improvements in functional capacity seem to be necessary.
28427471 The expansion of methadone maintenance treatment in mountainous areas in still limited and little is known about its health impacts on drug users. This study aimed to examine health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and health care access among patients engaging in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) in Tuyen Quang, a mountainous province in Vietnam.We conducted a cross-sectional survey with 241 patients conveniently recruited in two MMT clinics (Son Duong and Tuyen Quang). EuroQol-5 Dimensions - 5 levels (EQ-5D-5 L) and Visual analogue scale (VAS) were employed to measure HRQOL. Multivariate logistic and tobit regressions were used to determine the factors associated with HRQOL and health care utilization. The overall mean score of the EQ-5D index and EQ-VAS were 0.88 (SD = 0.20) and 81.8% (SD = 15.27%), respectively. Only 8.7% utilized inpatient services, and 14.9% used outpatient services. Being more highly educated, suffering acute diseases, and using health service within the last 12 months were associated with a decreased EQ-5D index. Individuals who were multiple substance abusers and those who recently had inpatient care were more likely to have a lower VAS. Older respondents, those taking their medications at the more impoverished clinic, substance abusers, and individuals who were struggling with anxiety/depression or their usual daily activities were more likely to use both inpatient and outpatient care. In summary, we observed good HRQOL, but high prevalence of anxiety/depression and low rates of service utilization among MMT patients in Tuyen Quang province. To improve the outcomes of MMT services in mountainous areas, it is necessary to introduce personalized and integrative services models with counseling and interventions on multiple substance use.
28427459 Evidence from quantitative studies suggest that Tai Chi produces a variety of health-related benefits, but few qualitative studies have investigated how older adults perceive the benefit of Tai Chi. The objective of the current study was to qualitatively evaluate the perceived benefits of Tai Chi practice among community older population.This study was conducted with participants from a trial examining the effects of a 12-week Tai Chi training on ischemic stroke risk in community older adults (n = 170). A total of 20 participants were randomly selected from a convenience sample of participants who had completed 12-week Tai Chi training (n = 68) were interviewed regarding their perceived benefit on physical and mental health and whether Tai Chi exercise was suitable for the elderly. All participants agreed that Tai Chi training could relax their body and make them comfortable. Most of them thought Tai Chi training could promote physical health, including relieving pain, enhancing digestion, strengthening immunity, enhancing energy and improving sleep quality, enhancing their mental and emotional state (e.g. improving mood and reducing anxiety, improving concentration and promoting interpersonal relationship). Most of participants also agreed that Tai Chi exercise was appropriate for community older people. Three primary themes emerged from content analysis: Improving physical health; Enhancing mental and emotional state; Conforming with the request of the elderly. The findings indicate that regular Tai Chi exercise may have positive benefits in terms of improved physical health and mental state among community elderly population, and may be useful and feasible body-mind exercise to community elderly population for its positive effects and advantages. ChiCTR ChiCTR-TRC-13003601 . Registered 23 July 2014.
28427442 Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is one of the most common and distressing side effects in patients with cancer. The introduction and development of antiemetic drugs have significantly improved the ability of clinicians to control CINV, but it is not easy to translate to practical application, owing to financial issues, provider-related barriers, and patient factors. Nondrug therapies are needed to alleviate the symptoms of CINV. Acupuncture is an appropriate adjunctive treatment for CINV, but additional evidence is needed.This study is a multicenter, randomized, sham-controlled prospective clinical trial. A total of 136 participants will be randomly allocated into the intervention group (verum acupuncture) or the control group (sham acupuncture) in a 1:1 ratio. All treatment will be given for 5 days. Participants in both groups will receive acupuncture sessions twice on the first day of chemotherapy and once consecutively on the following 4 days. Each session takes approximately 30 minutes. The primary outcome measure will be the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events to assess CINV. The secondary outcome measures will be the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score, Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale. Safety will be assessed at each visit. The results of this trial will provide clinical evidence for the effect and safety of acupuncture for CINV.
28427439 The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and prognostic significance of psychological distress in gastric cancer patients.The study population included 229 gastric cancer patients visiting Yonsei Cancer Center between November 2009 and March 2011. The distress was measured by available tools including the Modified Distress Thermometer (MDT), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D). Patients with psychological distress were defined as those who scored above the cut-off values in both the MDT and either one of the HADS or CES-D. The median age of patients was 56 (range, 20 to 86) and 97 (42.4%) patients were with stage IV disease status at enrollment. The overall prevalence of psychological distress was 33.6% (95% CI: 27.5-39.8%) in 229 gastric cancer patients. In multiple logistic regression analysis, lower education level (odds ratio [OR] 2.39; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11-5.17, P = 0.026) and higher disease stage (OR 2.72; 95% CI 1.47-5.03, P = 0.001) were associated with psychological distress. In stage I-III disease, patients with psychological distress had worse disease-free survival (DFS) (5-year DFS rate: 60% vs 76%, P = 0.49) compared with those without psychological distress. In stage IV disease (n = 97), patients with psychological distress showed poorer overall survival than those without psychological distress (median OS (Overall Survival): 12.2 vs. 13.8 months, P = 0.019). Psychological distress is common in patients with all stages of gastric cancer and is associated with worse outcomes.
28427388 Borderline intellectual functioning (BIF) is defined as a "health meta-condition… characterized by various cognitive dysfunctions associated with an intellectual quotient (IQ) between 71 and 85 which determines a deficit in the individual's functioning both in the restriction of activities and in the limitation of social participation". It can be caused by many factors, including a disadvantaged background and prematurity. BIF affects 7-12% of primary school children that show academic difficulties due to poor executive functioning. In many children with BIF, language, movement and social abilities are also affected, making it difficult to take part in daily activities. Dropping out of school and psychological afflictions such as anxiety and depression are common in children with BIF. This study investigates whether an intensive rehabilitation program that involves all of the areas affected in children with BIF (Movement, Cognition and Narration of emotions, MCNT) is more effective than Standard Speech Therapy (SST).This is a multicenter interventional single blind randomized controlled study. Children aged between 6 to 11 years who attend a mainstream primary school and have multiple learning difficulties, behavioral problems and an IQ ranging between 85 to 70 have been enrolled. Participants are randomly allocated to one of three groups. The first group receives individual treatment with SST for 45 min, twice a week for 9 months. The second group receives the experimental treatment MCNT for 3 h per day, 5 days/ week for 9 months and children work in small groups. The third group consists of children on a waiting list for the SST for nine months. BIF is a very frequent condition with no ad hoc treatment. Over the long term, there is a high risk to develop psychiatric disorders in adulthood. Due to its high social impact, we consider it very important to intervene during childhood so as to intercept the remarkable plasticity of the developing brain. "Study Let them grow: A new intensive and multimodal Treatment for children with borderline intellectual functioning based on Movement, Cognition and Narration of emotions", retrospectively registered in ISRCTN Register with ISRCTN81710297 at 2017-01-09.
28427373 Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequent cancer occurring in women across the world. Its mortality rate in low-middle income countries (LMICs) is higher than in high-income countries (HICs), and in Indonesia BC is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women. Delay in breast cancer diagnosis negatively impacts cancer prognosis. Only about 30% of patients who come to the hospital to check on their breast abnormalities, continue thorough examination to biopsy to get a diagnosis based on the results of anatomical pathology. Many Indonesian women with breast cancer were already in an advanced stage when starting treatment. Therefore, delay in diagnosis is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. The present study will investigate whether our newly developed self-help psycho-educational programme, "PERANTARA", for women with breast cancer symptoms is effective to reduce patient diagnosis delay in Indonesia.A cluster-randomized controlled trial will be conducted in 106 patients in four hospitals in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. Data will be collected at baseline (pre-assessment), 7 days after the intervention (post-assessment), and at 3 months (follow-up assessments). The primary outcome is delay in diagnosis and treatment. Secondary outcomes are breast cancer knowledge, anxiety and depression, and quality of life. Exploratively, adherence with treatment will be measured too. Data will be analysed by hierarchical linear modelling (HLM) to assess differential change over time. If proven effective, PERANTARA will be evaluated and implemented in a diversity of settings for local cares (such as in POSYANDU, PUSKESMAS) that provide health education/psycho-education for women with breast symptoms. ISRCTN12570738 . Date: November 19th, 2016.
28427371 The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world which has created a public health crisis. Correctional facilities have become a front line for mental health care. Public health research in this setting could inform criminal justice reform. We determined prevalence rates for mental illnesses and related comorbidities among all inmates in a state prison system.Cross-sectional study using the Iowa Corrections Offender Network which contains health records of all inmates in Iowa. The point prevalence of both ICD-9 and DSM-IV codes for mental illnesses, timing of diagnosis and interval between incarceration and mental illness diagnosis were determined. The average inmate (N = 8574) age was 36.7 ± 12.4 years; 17% were ≥50 years. The majority of inmates were men (91%) and white (65%).Obesity was prevalent in 38% of inmates, and 51% had a history of smoking. Almost half of inmates were diagnosed with a mental illness (48%), of whom, 29% had a serious mental illness (41% of all females and 27% of all males), and 26% had a history of a substance use disorder. Females had higher odds of having both a mental illness and substance use disorder. Almost all mental illness diagnoses were first made during incarceration (99%). The mean interval to diagnosis of depression, anxiety, PTSD and personality disorders were 26, 24, 21 and 29 months respectively. Almost 90% of mental illnesses were recognized by the 6th year of incarceration. The mean interval from incarceration to first diagnosis (recognition) of a substance abuse history was 11 months. There is a substantial burden of mental illness among inmates. Racial, age and gender disparities in mental health care are coupled with a general delay in diagnosis and treatment. A large part of understanding the mental health problem in this country starts at prisons.
28427306 Obsessive-compulsive (OC) disorder is a disabling disorder resulting in tremendous individual and social burden. It has a large overlap with depression and anxiety disorders and shows treatment resistance in a relevant proportion of patients. Since a couple of years, different noninvasive brain stimulation methods have been investigated to improve OC symptoms. The application of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has shown inconsistent results which can probably be attributed to a lack in randomized controlled trials with adequate sample size. Anodal stimulation of pre-supplementary motor areas has shown promising results, and there is also sparse data on orbitofrontal and prefrontal stimulation. Here, we provide the first report on a patient with treatment-refractory OC disorder treated with sertraline and an enhanced prefrontal tDCS protocol (twice per day, 10 days) with a classic left-anodal/right cathodal montage, experiencing a 22% reduction of OC symptoms as well as reduction in depression (-10%) and anxiety symptoms (-21%). Due to multifactorial origin of OC disorder and the variety of brain circuits involved, there are probably multiple approaches for brain stimulation regarding site, polarity, and frequency to be assessed in future studies.
28427170 Mental symptoms are common and associated with worse health status of brain tumor patients. We evaluated the association of pre-operative depressive and anxiety symptoms with 5-year mortality of glioma and meningioma patients.One-hundred and fifty-two patients (mean age 56.9±14.7 years, 69% women) were evaluated for functional status (Barthel index), and depressive and anxiety symptom severity (Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale or HADS). Patients were categorized as having mild, moderate or severe depressive/anxiety symptoms if they scored ≤7, 8-10 or ≥11 on the HADS, respectively. Information pertaining to histological diagnosis, extent of resection and adjuvant therapies were obtained from medical records. Follow-up continued through November, 2015. Forty-three patients were diagnosed with high-grade glioma, 20 with low-grade glioma and 89 with meningioma. Moderate to severe depressive and anxiety symptoms were diagnosed in 28% and 36% of patients, respectively. In meningioma patients, survival was the shortest in patients with severe depressive symptoms (40.32±7.92 months) followed by patients with moderate (46.66±6.05 months) and mild (55.68±1.77 months) depressive symptoms (Log-Rank = 6.211, p = 0.045). After adjusting for patients' age, gender, functional status, extent of resection, history of depression, and tumor location, laterality and grade, severe depressive symptoms were associated with increased 5-year mortality risk of meningioma patients (HR = 7.083 [95%CI: 1.755-28.588], p = 0.006). Depressive and anxiety symptoms were not associated with mortality of glioma patientsConclusions. Depressive and anxiety symptoms are common in glioma and meningioma patients. Pre-operative depressive symptoms are associated with shorter survival of meningioma patients independently from clinical prognostic indicators.
28427035 Associations between executive functions (EF) and mental-health in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were examined. Forty-two adults with ASD completed measures of EF, mood and self-concept. Better concept formation and social inference skills were significantly associated with fewer anxiety symptoms. Conversely, participants with better non-verbal reasoning, cognitive flexibility and social cognition reported more negative self-concept and lower self-esteem. Overall, individuals with impaired EF are more prone to anxiety, whereas those with stronger EF are more likely to experience negative self-concept. Screening for and monitoring mental-health concerns in people with ASD regardless of their level of EF is recommended.
28427034 Callous-unemotional (CU) traits have mainly been studied in relation to conduct disorder (CD), but can also occur in other disorder groups. However, it is unclear whether there is a clinically relevant cut-off value of levels of CU traits in predicting reduced quality of life (QoL) and clinical symptoms, and whether CU traits better fit a categorical (taxonic) or dimensional model. Parents of 979 youths referred to a child and adolescent psychiatric clinic rated their child's CU traits on the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional traits (ICU), QoL on the Kidscreen-27, and clinical symptoms on the Child Behavior Checklist. Experienced clinicians conferred DSM-IV-TR diagnoses of ADHD, ASD, anxiety/mood disorders and DBD-NOS/ODD. The ICU was also used to score the DSM-5 specifier 'with limited prosocial emotions' (LPE) of Conduct Disorder. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses revealed that the predictive accuracy of the ICU and LPE regarding QoL and clinical symptoms was poor to fair, and similar across diagnoses. A clinical cut-off point could not be defined. Taxometric analyses suggested that callous-unemotional traits on the ICU best reflect a dimension rather than taxon. More research is needed on the impact of CU traits on the functional adaptation, course, and response to treatment of non-CD conditions.
28427025 Psychiatric symptoms must be considered in patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy after epilepsy surgery. The main objectives of our study were to describe clinical and socio-demographical characteristics of a cohort of patients with pharmacoresistant temporal lobe epilepsy who underwent temporal lobe epilepsy surgery, and moreover, to evaluate possible risk factors for developing psychiatric symptoms. In order to achieve those goals, we conducted a prospective evaluation of psychopathology throughout the first year after surgery in a clinical sample of 72 patients, by means of three clinical rated measures; the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS), the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). The psychopathological evaluations were performed by an experienced psychiatrist. A presurgical evaluation was done by a multidisciplinary team (that includes neurologist, psychiatrist, neurosurgeon, neurophysiologist, radiologists, and nuclear medicine specialist) in all patients. The decision to proceed to surgery was taken after a surgical meeting of all members of the Multidisciplinary Epilepsy Unit team. The psychiatrist conducted two postoperative assessments at 6months and 12months after surgery. The main finding was that past history of mental illness (patients who were receiving psychiatric treatment prior to the baseline evaluation) was a risk factor for anxiety, depression, and psychosis after temporal lobe epilepsy surgery.
28427023 To investigate the associations between the Neuro-Quality of Life (NQOL) Depression and Anxiety measures with an objective emotional inventory (Personality Assessment Inventory; PAI), and demonstrate the clinical utility of the NQOL as screening measures for depression and anxiety in persons with epilepsy (PWE).PWE (N=72) were concurrently administered the NQOL Depression and Anxiety measures and the PAI. Pearson product moment correlations were used to determine the relationships between the NQOL measures and the respective PAI scales (i.e., depression, anxiety). One-way ANOVAs were conducted comparing NQOL scores between patients with elevated levels of depression and anxiety (T-score≥65 on the PAI) to profiles that were within normal limits. Using sensitivity and specificity analyses, optimal cut-scores on the NQOL measures were determined. Participants were primarily Caucasian (89%), female (60%), and ~35 years old. The NQOL Depression measure was significantly correlated with the PAI Depression total score (r=.747; p<0.001) and its subscales (p's<0.001). Similarly, the NQOL Anxiety measure was significantly correlated with the PAI Anxiety total score (r=.750; p<0.001) and its subscales (p's<0.001). Compared to profiles that were within normal limits, individuals with elevated depressive symptoms on the PAI had significantly higher NQOL Depression scores (F(1,71)=48.2, p<0.001, d=1.6). Similarly, those who endorsed elevated anxiety on the PAI had significantly higher NQOL Anxiety scores (F(1,71)=32.2, p<0.001, d=1.5). Cut-off scores of 19 on the NQOL Depression and 24 on the NQOL Anxiety measures adequately detected depression (sensitivity=0.67; specificity=0.93; PPV=0.91; NPV=0.74) and anxiety symptoms (sensitivity=0.77; specificity=0.82; PPV=0.81; NPV=0.78) in PWE. The NQOL Depression and Anxiety measures evidenced strong associations with the PAI Depression and Anxiety scales and may be effective in detecting depressive and anxiety symptoms in PWE using the provided cut-scores.
28427021 This study examined the risk factors for learning problems (LP) in pediatric psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) and their specificity by comparing psychopathology, medical, cognitive/linguistic/achievement, bullying history, and parent education variables between subjects with PNES with and without LP and between subjects with PNES and siblings with LP.55 subjects with PNES and 35 siblings, aged 8-18years, underwent cognitive, linguistic, and achievement testing, and completed somatization and anxiety sensitivity questionnaires. A semi-structured psychiatric interview about the child was administered to each subject and parent. Child self-report and/or parent report provided information on the presence/absence of LP. Parents also provided each subject's medical, psychiatric, family, and bullying history information. Sixty percent (33/55) of the PNES and 49% (17/35) of the sibling subjects had LP. A multivariable logistic regression demonstrated that bullying and impaired formulation of a sentence using a stimulus picture and stimulus word were significantly associated with increased likelihood of LP in the PNES youth. In terms of the specificity of the LP risk factors, a similar analysis comparing LP in the youth with PNES and sibling groups identified anxiety disorder diagnoses and bullying as the significant risk factors associated with LP in the PNES youth. These findings emphasize the need to assess youth with PNES for LP, particularly if they have experienced bullying, have linguistic deficits, and meet criteria for anxiety disorder diagnoses.
28426999 To investigate the current state of knowledge about emotional intelligence and affective events that arise during nursing students' clinical placement experiences.Narrative literature review. CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC and APAIS-Health databases published in English between 1990 and 2016. Data extraction from and constant comparative analysis of ten (10) research articles. We found four main themes: (1) emotional intelligence buffers stress; (2) emotional intelligence reduces anxiety associated with end of life care; (3) emotional intelligence promotes effective communication; and (4) emotional intelligence improves nursing performance. The articles we analysed adopted a variety of emotional intelligence models. Using the Ashkanasy and Daus "three-stream" taxonomy (Stream 1: ability models; 2: self-report; 3: mixed models), we found that Stream 2 self-report measures were the most popular followed by Stream 3 mixed model measures. None of the studies we surveyed used the Stream 1 approach. Findings nonetheless indicated that emotional intelligence was important in maintaining physical and psychological well-being. We concluded that developing emotional intelligence should be a useful adjunct to improve academic and clinical performance and to reduce the risk of emotional distress during clinical placement experiences. We call for more consistency in the use of emotional intelligence tests as a means to create an empirical evidence base in the field of nurse education.
28426918 Caregivers of advanced cancer patients provide extensive care associated with high levels of caregiver distress. The degree to which cancer caregiving increases caregivers' risk for a psychiatric disorder is unknown. The current study examines whether advanced cancer caregiving poses distinct risks for initial and recurrent major depressive episodes (MDEs) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) relative to the general population.Caregivers of advanced cancer patients (N = 540) from Coping with Cancer were compared to general population controls (N = 9282) from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. The general population comparison sample was propensity-weighted to be demographically similar to the caregiver sample. Caregivers of advanced cancer patients were more likely than individuals in the general population to have an initial MDE (OR = 7.7; 95% CI, 3.5-17.0; P < .001), but no more likely than the general population to have a recurrent MDE (OR = 1.1; 95% CI, 0.6-2.1; P = .662). Caregivers were also more likely than the general population to have GAD (OR = 3.0; 95% CI, 1.9-4.8; P < .001) and comorbid MDE and GAD (OR = 2.5; 95% CI, 1.1-5.9; P = .038). The increased risk of meeting diagnostic criteria for current MDE and GAD and comorbid MDE and GAD associated with advanced cancer caregiving highlights the degree of emotional burden among cancer caregivers. Clinical services that assess, prevent, and treat depression and anxiety in cancer caregivers are needed to reduce the burden of caregiving and improve the mental health of this growing population.
28426917 Objective To determine the efficacy of an internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) program for depression in older adults with osteoarthritis of the knee and comorbid major depressive disorder (MDD). We conducted a RCT in sixty-nine adults (≥ 50 years) meeting criteria for MDD and osteoarthritis of the knee with 1-week post intervention (week 11) and 3-month follow-up (week 24) end points. Patients were allocated to either a 10-week iCBT program for depression added to treatment as usual (TAU) or to a TAU control group. Primary outcomes were depression symptoms (PHQ-9) and psychological distress (K-10). Secondary outcomes included arthritis self-efficacy (ASES), osteoarthritis pain, stiffness, physical function (WOMAC), and physical and mental health (SF-12 PSC and MCS). Depression status was assessed by blinded diagnostic interview (MINI) at intake and follow-up. Results Intention-to-treat analyses indicated between-group superiority of iCBT over TAU on the primary outcomes (PHQ-9; Hedges g=1.01, 95%CI= .47-1.54; K-10; Hedges g=.75, 95%CI=.23-1.28) at post intervention and 3-month follow-up (PHQ9; Hedges g=.90, 95%CI= .36-1.44 and K-10; Hedges g=.94, 95%CI=.41-1.48), and on secondary OA-specific measures (ASES; Hedges g=-.81, 95%CI= -.29 to -1.33; WOMAC; Hedges g's=.56-.65 95%CIs=.04-1.18) at 3-month follow-up. The majority of iCBT participants (84%) no longer met diagnostic criteria at 3-month follow-up. Conclusions Results support the efficacy of an iCBT program (requiring no face-to-face contact) for depression in individuals with comorbid depression and osteoarthritis of the knee. Importantly, the benefits of the program extended beyond reduced depressive symptoms and distress, to increased self-efficacy and improved pain, stiffness and physical function at follow-up. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
28426908 Despite decades of research, visions of transforming neuropsychiatry through the development of brain imaging-based "growth charts" or "lab tests" have remained out of reach. In recent years, there is renewed enthusiasm about the prospect of achieving clinically useful tools capable of aiding the diagnosis and management of neuropsychiatric disorders. The present work explores the basis for this enthusiasm. We assert that there is no single advance that currently has the potential to drive the field of clinical brain imaging forward. Instead, there has been a constellation of advances that, if combined, could lead to the identification of objective brain imaging-based markers of illness. In particular, we focus on advances that are helping to (1) elucidate the research agenda for biological psychiatry (e.g., neuroscience focus, precision medicine), (2) shift research models for clinical brain imaging (e.g., big data exploration, standardization), (3) break down research silos (e.g., open science, calls for reproducibility and transparency), and (4) improve imaging technologies and methods. Although an arduous road remains ahead, these advances are repositioning the brain imaging community for long-term success.
28426759 The evaluation of patient-reported health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the burden associated with this disease. The aim of this study was to assess the overall impact of TB on the health status and on single health domains identified in the WHO definition of health, including physical, mental and social health aspects.Four instruments for HRQOL evaluation were applied in a longitudinal multicentre study during six-month standard TB treatment in South Africa. These included the generic SF-12 and EQ-5D-5L, the disease-specific St. George´s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and the condition-specific Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Statistical analysis included significance testing, univariable and multivariable analysis, and repeated measures ANOVA. Change over time in the physical component score (PCS) of SF-12 was defined as primary endpoint. A target sample size of 96 patients was estimated. HRQOL of the study participants was impaired in all physical, mental and psycho-social health domains at treatment start. HRQOL improved significantly and in a clinically meaningful manner during the course of standard TB treatment, over the period of the study. The greatest improvement (95%) was observed in mental health. Younger patients with higher education and who were employed had a better HRQOL. This study demonstrates the need for an integrative understanding of TB with HRQOL as core element to inform gaps in current TB management. Improvements in the management of TB following an integrative patient-centred approach will contribute towards meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG3) target and will support the End TB strategy of the WHO.
28426648 BackgroundHypoxia-ischemia (HI) is a major cause of neurological damage in preterm newborn. Swimming during pregnancy alters the offspring's brain development. We tested the effects of swimming during pregnancy in the very immature rat brain.MethodsFemale Wistar rats (n=12) were assigned to the sedentary (SE, n=6) or the swimming (SW, n=6) group. From gestational day 0 (GD0) to GD21 the rats in the SW group were made to swim for 20 min/day. HI on postnatal day (PND) 3 rats caused sensorimotor and cognitive impairments. Animals were distributed into SE sham (SESH), sedentary HIP3 (SEHI), swimming sham (SWSH), and swimming HIP3 (SWHI) groups. At PND4 and PND5, Na+/K+-ATPase activity and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels were assessed. During lactation and adulthood, neurological reflexes, sensorimotor, anxiety-related, and cognitive evaluations were made, followed by histological assessment at PND60.ResultsAt early stages, swimming caused an increase in hippocampal BDNF levels and in the maintenance of Na+/K+-ATPase function in the SWHI group. The SWHI group showed smaller lesions and the preservation of white matter tracts. SEHI animals showed a delay in reflex maturation, which was reverted in the SWHI group. HIP3 induced spatial memory deficits and hypomyelination in SEHI rats, which was reverted in the SWHI group.ConclusionSwimming during pregnancy neuroprotected the brains against HI in very immature neonatal rats.Pediatric Research advance online publication, 31 May 2017; doi:10.1038/pr.2017.110.
28426473 Previous studies suggest that disease activity alone does not reliably predict hospital readmission among patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). Using a national database, we aimed to further describe the burden of readmissions for IBD and identify modifiable risk factors.We performed a retrospective cohort study using 2013 data from the Nationwide Readmission Database (NRD). Using International Classification of Diseases, ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes, we identified adult patients with discharge diagnoses of ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease and ascertained diagnoses of anxiety, depression, chronic pain, tobacco use, and other comorbidities during index admission. Logistic regression was used to estimate factors associated with hospital readmission. Among 52,498 hospitalizations of patients with IBD (63% Crohn's disease and 37% ulcerative colitis), 12,407 (24%) were readmitted within 90 days of the index hospitalization, resulting in roughly $576 million in excess charges. In multivariable analysis of patients with Crohn's disease, anxiety (odds ratio [OR] 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21-1.43), depression (OR 1.27, 95% CI, 1.07-1.50), chronic pain (OR 1.31, 95% CI, 1.18-1.46), and tobacco abuse (OR 1.13, 95% CI, 1.06-1.22) were associated with a significant increase in odds of readmission. Among patients with ulcerative colitis, anxiety (OR 1.28, 95% CI, 1.14-1.45), depression (OR 1.35, 95% CI, 1.07-1.70), and chronic pain (OR 1.44, 95% CI, 1.21-1.73) were associated with a significant increase in odds of readmission. Readmission occurs frequently in patients with IBD and is costly. Anxiety, depression, and chronic pain may represent targets for interventions to prevent 90-day hospital readmission in this population.
28426375 Purpose To estimate cancer population-based reference values in the United States for eight PROMIS (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) domains by age and stage of disease. Patients and Methods For the Measuring Your Health (MY-Health) study, persons newly diagnosed with cancer (prostate, colorectal, non-small-cell lung, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, breast, uterine, or cervical) from 2010 to 2012 (N = 5,284) were recruited through the National Cancer Institute's SEER Program. Participants were mailed surveys 6 to 13 months after diagnosis. Raking by race/ethnicity, age, and stage generated weighted average PROMIS scores for pain interference, fatigue, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, physical function, ability to participate in social roles, and cognitive function. PROMIS measures are standardized to a T-score metric, with a score of 50 representing the general US population mean. Clinically meaningful differences were defined as a 3-point difference in scores. Results Several reference values (means) for patients with cancer were worse than the general United States population norms of 50. These include pain interference (52.4), fatigue (52.2), and physical function (44.1). Reference values were highest (ie, showed greatest symptom burden) in lung cancer (pain interference, 55.5; fatigue, 57.3; depression, 51.4) and cervical cancer (anxiety, 53.2; sleep disturbance, 53.4). Reference values for patients age 65 to 84 years reported lower sleep disturbance, anxiety, and depression, and better cognitive function than younger patients. Cancer reference values were poorer among those with advanced disease compared with patients with limited or no evidence of disease, specifically physical function (41.1 v 46.6, respectively), fatigue (55.8 v 50.2, respectively), and pain interference (55.2 v 50.9, respectively). Conclusion In a large, population-based sample of patients with recently diagnosed cancer, we observed symptom severity and functional deficits by age, stage, and cancer type consistent with the expected impact of cancer diagnosis and treatment. These United States cancer reference values can help facilitate interpretation of the PROMIS domain scores in research studies or in clinical applications that measure and evaluate the symptom and functional burden patients with cancer experience after initial treatment.
28426353 Ecological momentary assessment (EMA)-which often involves brief surveys delivered via mobile technology-has transformed our understanding of the individual and contextual micro-processes associated with legal and illicit drug use. However, little empirical research has focused on participant's perspective on the probability and magnitude of potential risks in EMA studies.To garner participant perspectives on potential risks common to EMA studies of illicit drug use. We interviewed 38 persons who inject drugs living in San Diego (CA) and Philadelphia (PA), United States. They completed simulations of an EMA tool and then underwent a semi-structured interview that systematically explored domains of risk considered within the proposed revisions to the Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects or the "Common Rule." Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded systematically to explore psychological, physical, social, legal, and informational risks from participation. Participants perceived most risks to be minimal. Some indicated that repetitive questioning about mood or drug use could cause psychological (i.e., anxiety) or behavioral risks (i.e., drug use relapse). Ironically, the questions that were viewed as risky were considered motivational to engage in healthy behaviors. The most cited risks were legal and social risks stemming from participant concerns about data collection and security. Improving our understanding of these issues is an essential first step to protect human participants in future EMA research. We provide a brief set of recommendations that can aid in the design and ethics review of the future EMA protocol with substance using populations.
28425829 Background Dexmedetomidine (DEX), an α2-adrenergic receptor agonist, produces ideal sedation and early postoperative recovery for premedication in paediatric surgery, reducing preoperative anxiety and facilitating smooth induction of anaesthesia. We performed a meta-analysis to compare the effects of DEX and midazolam (MDZ) in paediatric anaesthesia with sevoflurane. Methods PubMed, Ovid, Web of Science, and Public Health Management Corporation were searched through December 2016 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared DEX and MDZ in children undergoing sevoflurane anaesthesia. The risk ratio (RR) with 95% incidence interval (95%CI) was used for dichotomous variables. Results Twelve RCTs involving 422 patients in the DEX group and 448 patients in the MDZ group were included. Patients in the DEX group had a significantly lower incidence of unsatisfactory sedation (RR [95%CI] = 0.71 [0.57-0.89]), unsatisfactory parental separation (RR [95%CI] = 0.56 [0.35-0.87]), and rescue analgesia (RR [95%CI] = 0.52 [0.35-0.77]) than patients in the MDZ group. However, both groups had a similar incidence of unsatisfactory mask acceptance, emergence agitation, and postoperative nausea and vomiting. Conclusion Compared with MDZ, DEX is beneficial in paediatric anaesthesia with sevoflurane because of its lower incidence of unsatisfactory sedation, parental separation, and rescue analgesia.
28425778 Background and aims Workaholism is a form of behavioral addiction that can lead to reduced life and job satisfaction, anxiety, depression, burnout, work-family conflict, and impaired productivity. Given the number of people affected, there is a need for more targeted workaholism treatments. Findings from previous case studies successfully utilizing second-generation mindfulness-based interventions (SG-MBIs) for treating behavioral addiction suggest that SG-MBIs may be suitable for treating workaholism. This study conducted a controlled trial to investigate the effects of an SG-MBI known as meditation awareness training (MAT) on workaholism. Methods Male and female adults suffering from workaholism (n = 73) were allocated to MAT or a waiting-list control group. Assessments were performed at pre-, post-, and 3-month follow-up phases. Results MAT participants demonstrated significant and sustained improvements over control-group participants in workaholism symptomatology, job satisfaction, work engagement, work duration, and psychological distress. Furthermore, compared to the control group, MAT participants demonstrated a significant reduction in hours spent working but without a decline in job performance. Discussion and conclusions MAT may be a suitable intervention for treating workaholism. Further controlled intervention studies investigating the effects of SG-MBIs on workaholism are warranted.
28425749 In situations when a patient's antibody detection test is negative, many institutions have moved from an indirect antiglobulin test (IAT) crossmatch to an electronic crossmatch system. Here we report a case of an acute hemolytic transfusion reaction attributable to anti-Dia in a patient with a negative antibody detection test. A 22-year-old female patient with a diagnosis of β thalassemia and sickle cell anemia commenced a routine exchange transfusion of 5 units of red blood cells (RBCs) in the apheresis unit as part of her regular treatment. When the patient started receiving the implicated unit, she reported back pain, chest pain, and a feeling of anxiety, suggestive of an acute transfusion reaction. The transfusion was ceased and an investigation of an adverse event was commenced. This case illustrates that the presence of antibodies to low-prevalence antigens remains a significant issue for transfusion-dependent individuals. To prevent other transfusion reactions by anti-Dia, the addition of Di(a+) cells to the reagent RBCs used for the antibody detection test along with IAT-crossmatching of donor units for all patients with sickle cell disease is recommended.
28425730 Parkinson's disease (PD) has long been conceptualized as a motor disorder, but nonmotor symptoms also manifest in the disease and significantly reduce quality of life. Anxiety and cognitive dysfunction are prevalent nonmotor symptoms, even in early disease stages, but the relation between these symptoms remains poorly understood. We examined self-reported anxiety and neurocognitive function, indexed by measures of executive function (set-shifting and phonemic fluency), categorical fluency, and attention/working memory. We hypothesized that anxiety would correlate with cognitive performance.The Beck Anxiety Inventory and cognitive tests (Trail Making, Verbal Fluency, Digit Span) were administered to 77 nondemented adults with mild to moderate idiopathic PD (39 men, 38 women; Mage = 62.9 years). Higher anxiety was associated with more advanced disease stage and severity and with poorer set-shifting when using a derived metric to account for motoric slowing. Depression correlated with greater anxiety and disease severity, but not with cognitive performance. Our findings support the association of anxiety with a specific domain of executive function, set-shifting, in nondemented individuals with mild to moderate PD, raising the possibility that treatment of anxiety may alleviate aspects of executive dysfunction in this population. (PsycINFO Database Record
28425688 Several studies have confirmed psychiatric comorbidity and a worse quality of life in children with epilepsy, but the clinical assessment and monitoring of these patients often pays insufficient attention to their psychological aspects alongside their neurological issues. The present study aims to describe the distribution of psychopathologies and their clinical evolution over 18 months in a sample of children followed up since the onset of their epilepsy.After being diagnosed with epilepsy, 49 subjects (age 4-18y) were followed up with psychiatric and psychological assessments based on the use of dimensional and categorical psychometric tools. Baseline data (T0) showed a high psychiatric comorbidity in epileptic children, with a prevalence of anxious-depressive disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Specifically, generalized epilepsy, antiepileptic drug intake and more frequent seizures were associated with externalizing problems, while focal epilepsy was linked with anxiety disorders. The follow-up at 18 months revealed that about 90% of patients had achieved a reduction in the frequency and duration of their seizures, but their psychopathological assessment remained virtually unchanged. The patients' psychological issues had warranted psychotherapy in 43% of cases. When children or adolescents are diagnosed with epilepsy, their psychopathological profile should be investigated and monitored over time. Psychotherapy and/or psychopharmacological treatments should be offered to pediatric patients with epilepsy who suffer from emotional-behavioral disorders.
28425618 The clinical utility of the severity criterion for binge eating disorder (BED), introduced in the DSM-5 as a means of addressing heterogeneity and variability in the severity of this disorder, was evaluated in 189 treatment-seeking adults with (DSM-5) BED. Participants classified with mild, moderate, severe and extreme severity of BED, based on their weekly frequency of binge eating episodes, differed significantly from each other in body mass index (BMI), eating disorder features, putative factors involved in the maintenance process of the disorder, comorbid mood, anxiety and personality disorders, psychological distress, social maladjustment and illness-specific functional impairment (medium-to-large effect sizes). They were also statistically distinguishable in metabolic syndrome prevalence, even after adjusting for BMI (large effect size), suggesting the possibility of non-BMI-mediated mechanisms. The implications of the findings, providing support for the utility of the binge frequency as a severity criterion for BED, and directions for future research are outlined. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.
28425495 Studies show that neuropeptide-receptor systems in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) play an important role in the pathology of anxiety and other mood disorders. Since GPR171, a recently deorphanized receptor for the abundant neuropeptide BigLEN, is expressed in the BLA, we investigated its role in fear and anxiety-like behaviors. To carry out these studies we identified small molecule ligands using a homology model of GPR171 to virtually screen a library of compounds. One of the hits, MS0021570_1, was identified as a GPR171 antagonist based on its ability to block (i) BigLEN-mediated activation of GPR171 in heterologous cells, (ii) BigLEN-mediated hyperpolarization of BLA pyramidal neurons, and (iii) feeding induced by DREADD-mediated activation of BigLEN containing AgRP neurons in the arcuate nucleus. The role of GPR171 in anxiety-like behavior or fear conditioning was evaluated following systemic or intra-BLA administration of MS0021570_1, as well as following lentiviral-mediated knockdown of GPR171 in the BLA. We find that systemic administration of MS0021570_1 attenuates anxiety-like behavior while intra-BLA administration or knockdown of GPR171 in the BLA reduces anxiety-like behavior and fear conditioning. These results indicate that the BigLEN-GPR171 system plays an important role in these behaviors and could be a novel target to develop therapeutics to treat psychiatric disorders.Neuropsychopharmacology advance online publication, 24 May 2017; doi:10.1038/npp.2017.79.
28425373 Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disabilities (IDs) are more vulnerable to experiencing anxiety disorders. Parental involvement in intervention is crucial for successful management of the interventions in the population of people with ASDs. This article describes the design and evaluation of parenting programme for anxiety disorders in children and young people with ASD and ID. In phase 1 semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore management strategies for anxiety at home and in school settings. A total of 34 participants (14 parents, 20 teachers) participated in the interviews. A Delphi process was conducted with health professionals to develop consensus on appropriate anxiety interventions. In phase 2 the intervention programme was implemented by seven parents who also participated in focus group to evaluate the developed programme. A parental programme, calm child programme (CCP), was developed, implemented and evaluated. The evaluations show significant decrease in children's anxiety as a result of implementing the programme. This study contributes further evidence to parental involvement in interventions for children and young people with ASD and IDs. The CCP is a useful and cost-effective approach in enabling parents to provide anxiety interventions in a home setting.
28425352 Accidental drug overdose is a common problem in young children. We examined the influence of formulation and dose in enquiries for different gastro-oesophageal reflux disease treatments in children under 5 years to the UK's National Poisons Information Service.Overdose characteristics with ranitidine, omeprazole or domperidone were compared with those of metoclopramide and the H-1 antagonist chlorphenamine, for the period 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2015. There were a total of 1092 ranitidine, 618 domperidone and 1193 omeprazole cases; 669, 281 and 424, respectively, were single agent enquiries; of these 77% (517) of ranitidine, 52% (145) domperidone and 32% (135) omeprazole cases occurred in children <5 years. In comparison, 17% (34/424) of metoclopramide and 53% (533/1013) of chlorphenamine were <5 years; 79% (410/517) of ranitidine overdose enquiries in children <5 years were under 6 months of age, higher than domperidone (68/145, 47%; p < 0.05), omeprazole (8/135, 6%), chlorphenamine (13/553, 2%) or metoclopramide (1/34, 3%) (all p < 0.01). In children aged <6 months, 101 were 10-fold overdoses, 86 with ranitidine. Tenfold overdoses in children (<5 years) were a feature of ranitidine enquiries, likely due to the high concentration of the syrup. This has relevance to other liquid formulations used for non-licenced indications in young children. Such therapeutic errors cause significant carer anxiety and healthcare utilization. Assistance is needed from manufacturers and legislators in modifying formulation so that drugs can be safely used in young children. Education of prescribers and carers is also needed to reduce the incidence of such errors that cause significant carer anxiety and healthcare utilization.
28425266 Chronic migraine is a common debilitating disease with limited treatment options. We aimed to develop a novel model for chronic migraine by ligating the nasociliary nerve (NCL) and administering nitroglycerin (NTG) to exacerbate acute headache attacks.Exacerbation of the headache was induced by NTG (10 mg/kg, subcutaneously) administered to male Wistar rats (n = 36) 14 days following unilateral NCL. Cutaneous and cold allodynia was tested using Von Frey (VF) filaments and acetone, respectively. Elevated plus maze (EPM) results and c-fos immunoreactivity of TNC were investigated. NTG administration significantly decreased VF threshold values only in the nasociliary nerve (NCN) territory and the ipsilateral forepaw (P = 0.0001, P = 0.02). Cold allodynia developed in bilateral NCN territories (P = 0.013). The number/rate of entrance to open arms in the EPM was significantly decreased in NCN-ligated rats (P = 0.042, P = 0.035). Immunohistochemistry disclosed significantly increased c-fos-positive neurons in ipsilateral brainstem TNC compared to the contralateral side (brain stem LI ipsilateral 25.4 ± 4.7, contralateral 11.8 ± 1.9, P < 0.05) in chronic NCN-ligated rats exposed to acute NTG. The presented model provides a valid chronic migraine model relevant to humans, as NTG challenge in chronic NCL rats generated lateralized headache with cephalic and extracephalic allodynia, altered cold sensitivity, anxiety, and neuronal activation in the nociceptive laminae of brainstem trigeminal pain nuclei.
28425232 The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between familial Mediterranean fever and female sexual dysfunction and premenstrual syndrome.This study included 36 patients with familial Mediterranean fever and 33 healthy volunteers. Familial Mediterranean fever was diagnosed according to the Tel Hashomer criteria and familial Mediterranean fever mutations were identified in all of the patients. The patients and healthy volunteers were compared in terms of anxiety, depression, sexual dysfunction, and premenstrual syndrome, and a model was created that describes the relationships among these variables. We found statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of anxiety, premenstrual syndrome, and Golombok Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction frequency and vaginismus subscale scores. There was no difference in depression scores between the groups. Familial Mediterranean fever is a rheumatic disease that predisposes patients to sexual dysfunction and premenstrual syndrome, which emerges as direct and indirect psychological factors.
28425178 Sleep problems are a common complaint in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. We analyzed sleep quality with subjective and objective measures in a sample with SLE and its possible relationships with the main manifestations of the disease.Twenty-one women with SLE and 20 healthy women participated in the study. All participants were evaluated with actigraphy for a week and they completed self-report instruments of sleep quality, quality of life, fatigue, anxiety, depression and perceived stress. Comparison analyses between the two groups were done using Chi-square and Student's t-tests. The association between sleep quality and the remaining variables was explored using Pearson correlation coefficients. SLE patients had higher fragmentation index in the actigraphic analysis and a perception of poorer sleep quality, more fatigue, anxiety and depression than the control group. Bivariate analyses showed that the perception of more sleep disturbance and daytime dysfunction was associated with a lower health-related quality of life, more fatigue, emotional discomfort and more perceived stress. Also, the fragmentation index in the actigraphy was significantly related to the perception of poorer quality of sleep. SLE women had a poorer sleep quality (objective and subjective). These alterations could play a modulatory role in clinical and psychological manifestations of the disease and affect the quality of life in this population. More research is needed to clarify these relations and to determine the potential benefits of interventions directed to improve sleep in the clinical managing of the patients with SLE.
28425121 Evidence has demonstrated that dynorphin (DYN) and the kappa opioid receptor (KOR) system contribute to various psychiatric disorders, including anxiety, depression, and addiction. More recently, this endogenous opioid system has received increased attention as a potential therapeutic target for treating alcohol use disorders. In this review, we provide an overview and synthesis of preclinical studies examining the influence of alcohol (ethanol [EtOH]) exposure on DYN/KOR expression and function, as well as studies examining the effects of DYN/KOR manipulation on EtOH's rewarding and aversive properties. We then describe work that has characterized effects of KOR activation and blockade on EtOH self-administration and EtOH dependence/withdrawal-related behaviors. Finally, we address how the DYN/KOR system may contribute to stress-EtOH interactions. Despite an apparent role for the DYN/KOR system in motivational effects of EtOH, support comes from relatively few studies. Nevertheless, review of this literature reveals several common themes: (i) rodent strains genetically predisposed to consume more EtOH generally appear to have reduced DYN/KOR tone in brain reward circuitry; (ii) acute and chronic EtOH exposure typically up-regulate the DYN/KOR system; (iii) KOR antagonists reduce behavioral indices of negative affect associated with stress and chronic EtOH exposure/withdrawal; and (iv) KOR antagonists are effective in reducing EtOH consumption, but are often more efficacious under conditions that engender high levels of consumption, such as dependence or stress exposure. These results support the contention that the DYN/KOR system plays a significant role in contributing to dependence- and stress-induced elevation in EtOH consumption. Overall, more comprehensive analyses (on both behavioral and mechanistic levels) are needed to provide additional insight into how the DYN/KOR system is engaged and adapts to influence the motivation effects of EtOH. This information will be critical for the development of new pharmacological agents targeting KORs as promising novel therapeutics for alcohol use disorders and comorbid affective disorders.
28425060 Several models have been proposed to account for observed overlaps in clinical features and genetic predisposition between schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder. This study assessed similarities and differences in topological patterns and vectors of glucose metabolism in both disorders in reference to these models. Co-registered 18fluorodeoxyglucose PET and MRI scans were obtained in 41 schizophrenia, 25 ASD, and 55 healthy control subjects. AFNI was used to map cortical and subcortical regions of interest. Metabolic rates were compared between three diagnostic groups using univariate and multivariate repeated-measures ANOVA. Compared to controls, metabolic rates in schizophrenia subjects were decreased in the frontal lobe, anterior cingulate, superior temporal gyrus, amygdala and medial thalamic nuclei; rates were increased in the occipital cortex, hippocampus, basal ganglia and lateral thalamic nuclei. In ASD subjects metabolic rates were decreased in the parietal lobe, frontal premotor and eye-fields areas, and amygdala; rates were increased in the posterior cingulate, occipital cortex, hippocampus and basal ganglia. In relation to controls, subjects with ASD and schizophrenia showed opposite changes in metabolic rates in the primary motor and somatosensory cortex, anterior cingulate and hypothalamus; similar changes were found in prefrontal and occipital cortices, inferior parietal lobule, amygdala, hippocampus, and basal ganglia. Schizophrenia and ASD appear to be associated with a similar pattern of metabolic abnormalities in the social brain. Divergent maladaptive trade-offs, as postulated by the diametrical hypothesis of their evolutionary relationship, may involve a more circumscribed set of anterior cingulate, motor and somatosensory regions and the specific cognitive functions they subserve.
28425053 Pretreatment variables have been shown to be associated with the fulfillment of patient expectations, yet in treating thumb trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis (OA) it remains unclear how patient expectations correlate with the effectiveness of treatment. An increased understanding of the variables that affect patient expectations enables tailored patient education and patient-provider communication.(1) Is there a correlation between patient demographics and clinical characteristics, and the expectations the patients have when seeking treatment for trapeziometacarpal OA? (2) What factors are independently associated with the total expectations score and frequency of expecting "back to normal" among patients treated for trapeziometacarpal OA? Between March 2011 and October 2013, 89 patients of all 96 eligible patients seeking treatment for trapeziometacarpal OA were approached and agreed to participate in this study. Participants completed a validated expectations survey measuring the number of expectations and the degree of improvement expected. Comparative analysis of demographic and clinical characteristics and multivariate regression analysis against patients' expectations were performed to assess and identify factors that correlate with the number and degree of expectations. Sample size was determined with an a priori power analysis (with 80% power and statistical significance set at p < 0.05), which showed that 88 patients were needed to detect the minimal clinical difference of 12 points in the Michigan Hand Questionnaire; we then increased this by 10% to allow for potential dropouts. After controlling for potential confounding variables such as age, hand dominance, and work status, the following factors were associated with a higher expectations score: choice of surgery (β = 11.5; 95% CI, 0.7-23.8; p = 0.044), female gender (β = 19.0; 95% CI, 5.3-32.7; p = 0.007), and dominant side affected (β = -41.6; 95% CI, -63.7 to -19.5; p < 0.001). For the frequency of "back to normal" responses, surgical treatment (β = 7.4; 95% CI, 2.3-12.4; p = 0.005) and history of previous injury (β = 8.2; 95% CI, 0.1-16.3; p = 0.047) were independently associated factors after controlling for confounding variables. There were no independent associations with age, marital status, work status, depression or anxiety, or prior contralateral surgery. Patients whose dominant side was affected, were female, and chose surgical treatment, had higher total expectations. Patients who reported an antecedent injury and chose surgical treatment more frequently expected a return to normal. With identification of these factors, orthopaedic surgeons can recognize patients who are prone to higher expectations, and, thus, have the opportunity to implement efficient pretreatment education. In addition, identification of specific factors enables a focused measure of the effect of these factors on the fulfillment of expectations. Level II, prognostic study.
28425003 Assessing spirituality in healthy pregnant women may lead to supportive interventions that will improve their care. A psychometrically valid measure such as the Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale (DSES) may be helpful in this regard. The current study sought to adapt a Persian version of DSES for use in pregnancy. A total of 377 pregnant women were recruited from three general hospitals located in Tehran, Iran. Administered scales were the DSES, Duke University Religion Index, Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith scale, and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, as well as demographic measures. Reliability of the DSES was tested using Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for test-retest stability. Scale validity was assessed by criterion-related tests, known-groups comparison, and exploratory factor analysis. Participant's mean age was 27.7 (4.1), and most were nulliparous (70%). The correlation coefficient between individual items on the scale and the total score was greater than 0.30 in most cases. Cronbach's alpha for the scale was 0.90. The ICC for 2-week test-retest reliability was high (0.86). Relationships between similar and dissimilar scales indicated acceptable convergent and divergent validity. The factor structure of the scale indicated a single factor that explained 59% of the variance. The DSES was found to be a reliable and valid measure of spirituality in pregnant Iranian women. This scale may be used to examine the relationship between spirituality and health outcomes, research that may lead to supportive interventions in this population.
28424977 Recent studies have shown a significant association between restless legs syndrome (RLS) and primary headache disorders. Nevertheless, information regarding the association between tension-type headache (TTH) and RLS is limited. This study aimed to investigate the association between RLS and TTH in a population-based sample.We selected a stratified random population sample of Koreans aged 19-69 years and assessed them using a semi-structured interview designed to identify RLS, headache type, and clinical characteristics of TTH. We determined the prevalence and clinical impact of RLS in participants with TTH. Of the 2695 participants, 570 (21.2%) and 142 (5.3%) were classified as having TTH and RLS, respectively. Among the 570 individuals with TTH, 113 (19.8%) also met the criteria for probable migraine (PM). The prevalence of RLS was significantly higher among individuals with TTH than among those with non-headache (6.0% vs 3.6%, p = 0.018). The prevalence of RLS was significantly higher in subjects with TTH who fulfilled PM criteria than in those with non-headache participants (8.0% vs. 3.6%, p = 0.018). However, RLS prevalence in individuals with TTH who did not fulfil PM criteria did not differ from that of participants with non-headache (5.5% vs. 3.6%, p = 0.063). TTH participants with RLS had higher visual analogue scale scores for headache intensity (5.1 ± 2.0 vs. 4.3 ± 1.8, p = 0.038), and higher prevalence of anxiety (20.6% vs. 8.8%, p = 0.022) and depression (14.7% vs. 3.5%, p = 0.002) than TTH participants without RLS. Multivariable analyses revealed that headache aggravation by movement (odds ratio [OR] = 2.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.1-5.2) and depression (OR = 3.5, 95% CI = 1.1-11.4) were significant indicators of RLS among individuals with TTH. The prevalence of RLS was higher among individuals with TTH than among those with non-headache. Some clinical presentations varied in accordance with the presence of RLS among participants with TTH.
28424921 The aim of this study is to evaluate mood disorders and needs in caregivers of disorders of consciousness (DOC) patients during the admission to Neurorehabilitation Unit. A total of 80 caregivers was enrolled and divided in two groups (caregivers of vegetative state-VS patients and caregivers of minimally conscious state-MCS patients). Paired sample t tests were carried out to test differences between baseline observation (T0) and after 6 months (T1). Caregivers of VS patients showed an improvement between T0 and T1 especially, in vitality, mean health, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Y (STAI-Y), Prolonged Grief Disorder (PG 12) and Caregiver Needs Assessment (CNA). On the other hand, caregivers of MCS patients showed a significant improvement in: BDI II, STAI Y and CNA. These data confirmed that the presence of psychological problems, the quality of life and the psychological wellbeing of caregivers of DOC patients improved over the time.
28424894 The nucleus of the lateral olfactory tract (nLOT) is a relatively small component of the cortical pallial amygdala, with peculiar neurogenic, neurochemical and connectivity patterns. Although it has been suggested that it might be involved in non-pheromonal olfactory-guided behaviors, particularly feeding, the functional implications of the nLOT have never been investigated. In view of this fact, we have tackled this subject by performing a series of behavioral tests and by quantifying biological and biochemical parameters in sexually naïve adult male rats that were submitted to bilateral excitotoxic lesions of the nLOT. nLOT-lesioned rats had severe olfactory deficits with inability to detect and discriminate between odors. Additionally, they did not display innate behavioral responses to biologically relevant chemosignals. Specifically, nLOT-lesioned rats did not show avoidance towards predator odors or aggressive behaviors towards intruders, and had severely impaired sexual behavior. In fact, nLOT lesions abolished preference for odors of receptive females, reduced chemoinvestigatory behavior and eliminated mounting behavior. nLOT-lesioned rats had normal circulating levels of testosterone, did not display anxiety- or depressive-like behaviors, and had unimpaired cognitive functions and fear acquisition and memory. Altogether, our results suggest that the nLOT integrity is required for the normal functioning of the olfactory system.
28424834 Cannabis is commonly used by humans to relieve stress.Here, we evaluate the potential of intraperitoneally (i.p.) administered Δ9-tetrahydrocannabiol (THC) and cannabidiolic acid (CBDA, the precursor of cannabidiol [CBD]) to produce dose-dependent effects on anxiety-like responding in the light-dark (LD) emergence test of anxiety-like responding in rats, when administered acutely or chronically (21 days). As well, we evaluate the potential of THC, CBDA, and CBD to reduce anxiogenic responding produced by foot shock (FS) stress 24 h prior to the LD test. In the absence of the explicit FS stressor, THC (1 and 10 mg/kg) produced anxiogenic-like responding when administered acutely or chronically, but CBDA produced neither anxiogenic- nor anxiolytic-like responding. Administration of FS stress 24 h prior to the LD test enhanced anxiogenic-like responding (reduced time spent and increased latency to enter the light compartment) in rats pretreated with either vehicle (VEH) or THC (1 mg/kg); however, administration of CBDA (0.1-100 μg/kg) or CBD (5 mg/kg) prevented the FS-induced anxiogenic-like responding (an anxiolytic-like effect). The 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A (5-HT1A) receptor antagonist, WAY100635, reversed CBDA's anxiolytic effect (1 μg/kg). Combining an anxiolytic dose of CBDA (1 μg/kg) or CBD (5 mg/kg) with an anxiogenic dose of THC (1 mg/kg) did not modify THC's anxiogenic effect. These results suggest the anxiolytic effects of CBDA and CBD may require the presence of a specific stressor.
28424378 Suicide is a major public health problem everywhere in the world and in the WHO European Region suicide accounts for over 120,000 deaths per year. 1. Recognition and diagnosis: An underlying psychiatric disorder is present in up to 90% of people who completed suicide. Comorbidity with depression, anxiety, substance abuse and personality disorders is high. In order to achieve successful prevention of suicidality, adequate diagnostic procedures and appropriate treatment for the underlying disorder are essential. 2. Treatment and care: Acute intervention should start immediately in order to keep the patient alive. Existing evidence supports the efficacy of pharmacological treatment and cognitive behavioural therapy (including dialectical behavior therapy and problem-solving therapy) in preventing suicidal behaviour. Some other psychological treatments are promising, but the supporting evidence is currently insufficient. Studies show that antidepressant and mood stabilizer treatments decrease the risk for suicidality among responders in mood disorder patients. However, the risk of suicidal behaviour in depressed patients treated with antidepressants exists during the first 10-14 days of treatment, which requires careful monitoring. Short-term supplementary medication with anxiolytics and hypnotics in the case of anxiety and insomnia is recommended. Treatment with antidepressants of children and adolescents should only be given under supervision of a specialist. Long-term treatment with lithium has been shown to be very effective in preventing both suicide and attempted suicide in patients with unipolar and bipolar depression. Treatment with clozapine is effective in reducing suicidal behaviour in patients with schizophrenia. Other atypical antipsychotics are promising but more evidence is required. 3. Family and social support: The suicidal person should always be motivated to involve family in the treatment. Psychosocial treatment and support is recommended, as the majority of suicidal patients have problems with relationships, work, school and lack functioning social networks. 4.A secure home, public and hospital environment, without access to suicidal means is a necessary strategy in suicide prevention. Each treatment option, prescription of medication and discharge of the patient from hospital should be carefully evaluated against the involved risks. 5. Education of treatment team: Training of general practitioners is effective in the prevention of suicide. It improves treatment of depression and anxiety, quality of the provided care and attitudes towards suicide. Continuous training including discussions about ethical and legal issues is necessary for psychiatrists and other mental health professionals. Multidisciplinary treatment teams including psychiatrist and other professionals such as psychologist, social worker, and occupational therapist are always preferable, as integration of pharmacological, psychological and social rehabilitation is recommended especially for patients with chronic suicidality. 6. Public aspects: Not only the health care workers are responsible for suicide prevention. All members of our society (including community/political leaders as well as religious and civil organizations) have their own task with more or less competence and responsibility.
28424317 The neurohormone oxytocin plays a central role in human social behaviour and cognition, and oxytocin dysregulation may contribute to psychiatric disorders. However, genetic factors influencing individual variation in the oxytocinergic system remain poorly understood. We genotyped 169 healthy adults for a functional polymorphism in GTF2I (general transcription factor II-I), a gene associated with high prosociality and reduced social anxiety in Williams syndrome, a condition reported to involve high oxytocin levels and reactivity. Participants' salivary oxytocin levels were measured before and after watching a validated empathy-inducing video. Oxytocin reactivity, defined as pre- to post-video percentage change in salivary oxytocin, varied substantially and significantly between individuals with different GTF2I genotypes, with, additionally, a trend towards an interaction between genotype and sex. Individuals with more oxytocin-reactive genotypes also reported significantly lower social anxiety. These findings suggest a model whereby GTF2I has a continuum of effects on human sociality, from the extreme social phenotypes and oxytocin dysregulation associated with gene deletion in Williams syndrome, to individual differences in oxytocin reactivity and sociality associated with common polymorphisms in healthy populations.
28424068 Emotional disorders (ED) are among the most prevalent mental disorders. However, less than 50% of people suffering from ED receive the appropriate treatment. This situation has led to the development of new intervention proposals based on the transdiagnostic perspective, which tries to address the underlying processes common to ED. Most of these programs focus primarily on down-regulating negative affectivity, rather than increasing strengths and up-regulating positive affectivity. The data suggest the existence of disturbances in positive affectivity in these disorders, and so new interventions focusing on these problems are greatly needed. It is also essential to provide assistance to all the people in need. Information and Communication Technologies can be very useful. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a transdiagnostic Internet-based treatment for ED in a community sample. The protocol includes traditional CBT components, as well as a specific component to address positive affect. We intend to test this protocol, including this specific component or not, versus a waiting list control group. Moreover, we aim to test the differential effect of this specific component, and study the effectiveness (in terms of patients' acceptance) of using a self-applied Internet-based program. This paper presents the study protocol.The study is a randomized controlled trial. 207 participants will be randomly assigned to: a)Transdiagnostic Internet-based protocol (TIBP), b)Transdiagnostic Internet-based protocol + positive affect component (TIBP + PA), or c)a Waiting List control group (WL). Primary outcomes measures will be the BDI-II, the BAI, and the PANAS. Secondary outcomes will include diagnosis-specific measures of the principal disorder. Participants' treatment acceptance will also be measured. Participants will be assessed at pre-, post-treatment, and 3- and 12- month follow-ups. The data will be analyzed based on the Intention-to-treat principle. Per protocol analyses will also be performed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of a transdiagnostic Internet-based treatment for ED with a specific component to up-regulate positive affectivity. This intervention could contribute to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of current treatment programs for ED, promote the dissemination of EBTs, and help to decrease the high prevalence of ED.
28424061 In the UK young people attending child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) are required to move on, either through discharge or referral to an adult service, at age 17/18, a period of increased risk for onset of mental health problems and other complex psychosocial and physical changes. CAMHS transitions are often poorly managed with negative outcomes for young people. Better preparation may improve outcomes and experience. This study aimed to co-produce, with young people who had transitioned or were facing transition from CAMHS, a CAMHS Transition Preparation Programme (TPP), deliverable in routine NHS settings.Eighteen young people, aged 17-22, from three UK National Health Service (NHS) mental health foundation trusts participated in creative, participatory research workshops. Seven parents completed short questionnaires. Thirty clinical staff from two trusts took part in workshops to ensure deliverability of young people's ideas. Young people were offered co-research opportunities. Most young people felt anxious, fearful and uncertain on leaving CAMHS and perceived mental health services as uncaring. Participants outlined transition procedures and drafted a range of preparation activities, centred around dedicated Transition Peer Support and a transition booklet, which should be offered to all CAMHS leavers, irrespective of discharge or transfer to an adult service. Preparation should aim to build confidence to help young people take responsibility for themselves and flourish in the adult world: coping or getting through it was not enough. Some clinicians also felt anxious at transition and recognised the potential impact on young people of poor communication and lack of understanding between services. Parents would appreciate help to support their offspring during the transition period. Clinicians cited lack of funding and inflexible NHS procedures and policies as potential barriers to the implementation of young people's ideas. Nine young people took up co-research opportunities. Mental health services underestimate the anxiety of CAMHS leavers. Young people have clear ideas about the preparation they require to leave CAMHS with the confidence to take responsibility for their own health care. Close collaboration of NHS staff and researchers facilitates the implementation of research findings.
28423145 Anxiety and depression affect 30% of youth but are markedly undertreated compared with other mental disorders, especially in Hispanic populations.To examine whether a pediatrics-based behavioral intervention targeting anxiety and depression improves clinical outcome compared with referral to outpatient community mental health care. This 2-center randomized clinical trial with masked outcome assessment conducted between brief behavioral therapy (BBT) and assisted referral to care (ARC) studied 185 youths (aged 8.0-16.9 years) from 9 pediatric clinics in San Diego, California, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, recruited from October 6, 2010, through December 5, 2014. Youths who met DSM-IV criteria for full or probable diagnoses of separation anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, major depression, dysthymic disorder, and/or minor depression; lived with a consenting legal guardian for at least 6 months; and spoke English were included in the study. Exclusions included receipt of alternate treatment for anxiety or depression, presence of a suicidal plan, bipolar disorder, psychosis, posttraumatic stress disorder, substance dependence, current abuse, intellectual disability, or unstable serious physical illness. The BBT consisted of 8 to 12 weekly 45-minute sessions of behavioral therapy delivered in pediatric clinics by master's-level clinicians. The ARC families received personalized referrals to mental health care and check-in calls to support accessing care from master's-level coordinators. The primary outcome was clinically significant improvement on the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement scale (score ≤2). Secondary outcomes included the Pediatric Anxiety Rating Scale, Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised, and functioning. A total of 185 patients were enrolled in the study (mean [SD] age, 11.3 [2.6] years; 107 [57.8%] female; 144 [77.8%] white; and 38 [20.7%] Hispanic). Youths in the BBT group (n = 95), compared with those in the ARC group (n = 90), had significantly higher rates of clinical improvement (56.8% vs 28.2%; χ21 = 13.09, P < .001; number needed to treat, 4), greater reductions in symptoms (F2,146 = 5.72; P = .004; Cohen f = 0.28), and better functioning (mean [SD], 68.5 [10.7] vs 61.9 [11.9]; t156 = 3.64; P < .001; Cohen d = 0.58). Ethnicity moderated outcomes, with Hispanic youth having substantially stronger response to BBT (76.5%) than ARC (7.1%) (χ21 = 14.90; P < .001; number needed to treat, 2). Effects were robust across sites. A pediatric-based brief behavioral intervention for anxiety and depression is associated with benefits superior to those of assisted referral to outpatient mental health care. Effects were especially strong for Hispanic participants, suggesting that the protocol may be a useful tool in addressing ethnic disparities in care.
28423069 Trypophobia refers to the fear of, or aversion to, clusters of holes. We assessed clinical features of trypophobia and investigated whether it most resembled a specific phobia or obsessive-compulsive disorder.An online survey was conducted to gather information on sociodemographic variables, course and duration, severity, associated features, comorbid psychiatric diagnoses, and levels of psychological distress and impairment in individuals with trypophobia. The survey also explored whether such individuals experienced more fear or disgust, and whether symptoms showed more resemblance to a specific phobia or to obsessive-compulsive disorder. Associations of symptom severity and duration with degree of impairment were investigated. One hundred and ninety-five individuals completed the questionnaire. Symptoms were chronic and persistent. The most common associated comorbidities were major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Trypophobia was associated with significant psychological distress and impairment. The majority of individuals experienced disgust rather than fear when confronted with clusters of holes, but were more likely to meet DSM-5 criteria for specific phobia than for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Symptom severity and duration were associated with functional impairment. Given that individuals with trypophobia suffer clinically significant morbidity and comorbidity, this condition deserves further attention from clinicians and researchers.
28423066 Anxiety is usually classified as a disorder of neurotic nature and is often related to contexts of stress, which may include worries, motor tension and autonomic hyperactivity. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of mothers' anxiety on their children's anxiety during dental care.Analytical cross-sectional study conducted at in a private dentistry school in the south of Brazil. Convenience sampling was used. All mothers of children undergoing treatment were invited to participate in this study. Data to investigate anxiety related to dental treatment among the children were collected through applying the Venham Picture Test (VPT) scale. For the mothers, the Corah scale was applied. A self-administered sociodemographic questionnaire with questions about demographic, behavioral, oral health and dental service variables was also used. 40 mother-child pairs were included in the study. The results showed that 40% of the children were anxious and 60% of the mothers were slightly anxious. Local anesthesia was the procedure that caused most anxiety among the mothers, making them somewhat uncomfortable and anxious (60%). Family income higher than R$ 1,577.00 had an influence on maternal anxiety (75.6%). Maternal anxiety had an influence on child anxiety (81.3%). Most of the children showed the presence of anxiety, which ranged from fear of dental care to panic, inferring that maternal anxiety has an influence on children's anxiety. Dental procedures did not interfere with the mothers' anxiety, but caused positive feelings, whereas they affected the children more.
28423038 Attentional bias toward sleep-related information is believed to play a key role in insomnia. If attentional bias is indeed of importance, changing this bias should then in turn have effects on insomnia complaints. In this double-blind placebo controlled randomized trial we investigated the efficacy of attentional bias modification training in the treatment of insomnia.We administered baseline, post-test, and one-week follow-up measurements of insomnia severity, sleep-related worry, depression, and anxiety. Participants meeting DSM-5 criteria for insomnia were randomized into an attentional bias training group (n = 67) or a placebo training group (n = 70). Both groups received eight training sessions over the course of two weeks. All participants kept a sleep diary for four consecutive weeks (one week before until one week after the training sessions). There was no additional benefit for the attentional bias training over the placebo training on sleep-related indices/outcome measures. The absence of the effect may be explained by the fact that there was neither attentional bias at baseline nor any reduction in the bias after the training. Either way, this study gives no support for attentional bias modification training as a stand-alone intervention for ameliorating insomnia complaints.
28422847 Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is a common chronic disorder which is followed by various complications. Calpain-10 belongs to a commonly expressed member of the Calpain-like cysteine protease family, which acts as risk marker for some diseases. The purpose of this study is to elucidate correlation between Calpain-10 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the incidence of OSAHS followed by ischemic stroke (IS).OSAHS patients were divided as OSAHS + IS, OSAHS, and control groups, respectively. Immunohistochemistry was performed for Calpain-10 protein expression, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism for detection of gene polymorphisms of SNP 43 and SNP 19, and PCR-allele specific amplification for SNP 44. Polysomnography was conducted to check the nocturnal polysomnography indicators, and also Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Scientific Data System scores cognition and anxiety of patients, respectively. Logistic analysis was used for the risky factors for OSAHS. Calpain-10 protein expression was significantly increased in the OSAHS + IS and OSAHS groups compared with the control group. Significant differences in SNP 43 and SNP 44 genotype, and also allele frequency were observed in 3 groups, among which the OSAHS + IS group had higher SNP 43 and SNP 44 allele frequency than the control and OSAHS groups. There were differences regarding apnea-hypopnea index, minimum fingertip blood oxygen saturation (LSaO2 [%]), oxygen reduction index (ODI) between patients with different genotypes of SNP 43 and SNP 44 in OSAHS patients, and also GC and AT frequency in the OSAHS + IS and OSAHS groups. As compared with the OSAHS group, the MoCA scores and MoCA subitems in the OSAHS + IS group were declined, whereas the Scientific Data System scores were elevated. Additionally, GG 43 genotype, high apnea-hypopnea index, and body mass index were detected as the risk factors of OSAHS. These findings indicate that the Calpain-10 SNP 43 may be related to OSAHS with IS, with SNP 43 GG genotype as a risk factor for OSAHS with IS.
28422829 Primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease characterized by xerophthalmia, xerostomia, and potential peripheral or central neurological involvement. In pSS, the prevalence of cognitive disorders is generally sparse across literature and the impact of pain on cognitive profile is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the relation between pain, cognitive complaint, and impairment in a very homogenous population of 10 pSS patients with painful small fiber neuropathy (PSFN) and spontaneous cognitive complaint. Neurological exam, neuropsychological assessment, clinical evaluation measuring pain level, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and cognitive complaint were performed. Our results showed that 100% of patients had cognitive dysfunction especially in executive domain (80%). The most sensitive test was the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), abnormal in 70% of our population. Moreover, we found clear cut significant correlations between pain levels and 3 measures of WCST: the number of errors (R = -0.768, P = .0062), perseverations (R = 0.831, P = .0042), and categories (R = 0.705, P = .02). In the literature review, the impact of pain is underexplored and results could be discordant. In a homogeneous cohort of pSS patients with PSFN, a cognitive complaint seems to be a valid reflection of cognitive dysfunction marked by a specific executive profile found with the WCST. In this preliminary study, this profile is linked to the level of pain and highlights that an appropriate management of pain control and a cognitive readaptation in patients could improve the quality of life.
28422706 Depression is a prevalent devastating mental disorder that affects the normal life of patients and brings a heavy burden to whole society. Although many efforts have been made to attenuate depressive/anxiety symptoms, the current clinic antidepressants have limited effects. Scientists have long been making attempts to find some new strategies that can be applied as the alternative antidepressant therapy. Exercise, a widely recognized healthy lifestyle, has been suggested as a therapy that can relieve psychiatric stress. However, how exercise improves the brain functions and reaches the antidepressant target needs systematic summarization due to the complexity and heterogeneous feature of depression. Brain plasticity, especially adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus, is an important neurophysiology to facilitate animals for neurogenesis can occur in not only humans. Many studies indicated that an appropriate level of exercise can promote neurogenesis in the adult brains. In this article, we provide information about the antidepressant effects of exercise and its implications in adult neurogenesis. From the neurogenesis perspective, we summarize evidence about the effects of exercise in enhancing neurogenesis in the hippocampus through regulating growth factors, neurotrophins, neurotransmitters and metabolism as well as inflammations. Taken together, a large number of published works indicate the multiple benefits of exercise in the brain functions of animals, particularly brain plasticity like neurogenesis and synaptogenesis. Therefore, a new treatment method for depression therapy can be developed by regulating the exercise activity.
28422599 This study aimed to assess the impact of parent reported sleep bruxism, trait anxiety and sociodemographic/socioeconomic features on quality of life related to oral health (OHRQoL) of children and their families.Healthy children aged 3-7 years, with (n=34) and without (n=32) bruxism were select for this study. Data was collected by applying the following instruments: The Early Childhood Oral Health Scale (B-ECOHIS) and Trait-anxiety Scale (TAS). The sociodemographic/socioeconomic characteristics were obtained by interviews with parents. Multiple logistic regression tests were performed to observe the influence of sociodemographic/socioeconomic characteristics, bruxism and trait-anxiety on the children's OHRQoL. No association between sleep bruxism and all evaluated sociodemographic/socioeconomic conditions, with exception of being the only child (p=0.029), were observed. Mean B-ECOHIS and TAS scores were different (p<0.05) between children with (3.41 ± 4.87; 45.09 ± 15.46, respectively) and without (0.63 ± 1.28; 29.53 ± 11.82, respectively) bruxism. Although an association between bruxism and OHRQoL (p=0.015) was observed, it was dropped (p=0.336; OR=1.77) in the logistic regression model. Trait anxiety was the variable responsible for the impact on the OHRQoL of children (p=0.012; OR=1.05). Our results indicated anxiety as the main factor that interfered in the OHRQoL of children with sleep bruxism.
28422592 This study evaluated the association between colors and emotions in a pediatric dental population.In this randomized cross-sectional study, 100 children aged 6-12 years were categorized as non-anxious and anxious using Corah's Dental Anxiety Scale-Revised. They were then instructed to color two cartoon faces, one depicting happiness emotion and the other, sadness, with any of six colors provided. Data obtained were statistically analyzed. The mean Corah's Dental Anxiety scores were 11.7 and 4.97 for the anxious and non-anxious children, respectively. Both groups expressed the highest preference for the color yellow for happiness emotion. No significant differences were observed between color choices in either group (p>0.05), except for black which was not chosen by any child for happiness (p<0.005). Children in both groups significantly preferred red for sadness emotion. No significant differences were observed between color choices in the anxious group (p>0.05). In the non-anxious group, yellow assumed significant preference over green (p<0.05). Yellow was the most-preferred color and black, the least-preferred, for happiness emotion, whereas, for sadness emotion, red and green were the most- and least-preferred colors, respectively. Color preference was not affected by the presence of dental anxiety.
28422422 To make a thorough characterization of the co-morbidity, psychopathology and demographics in the first Danish ultra high-risk (UHR) sample.Forty-two UHR subjects went through comprehensive interviews assessing their psychopathology, psychiatric disorders, substance use and family history of psychiatric disorders. All UHR subjects met the criteria of at least 1 axis I diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) and met on average four diagnoses (both axis I and II), mostly within the areas of depression, anxiety and substance abuse. A total of 48% had schizotypal personality disorder and 19% had borderline personality disorder. Level of functioning was low with a mean score on the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale corresponding to "major impairment in several areas," and mean scores in the Global Functioning: Social and Role scales between "moderate impairment in social functioning" and "very serious impairment independently." Forty-seven percent were unemployed and 29% on sick leave. Fifty-five percent relied financially on public support. As seen in previous UHR populations, Danish UHR subjects had low function socio-economically and met criteria of several psychiatric diagnoses, suggesting that they require pharmacological and non-pharmacological psychiatric treatment as well as vocational and educational guidance and support.
28422409 There is a growing interest in the role of disturbed body perception in people with persistent pain problems such as chronic low back pain (CLBP). A questionnaire, the Fremantle Back Awareness Questionnaire (FreBAQ), was recently developed as a simple and quick way of assessing disturbed perceptual awareness of the back in people with CLBP and appears to have acceptable psychometric properties. The aim of the present study was to develop a Japanese version of the FreBAQ (FreBAQ-J) and evaluate its psychometric properties in a sample of Japanese people with low back pain (LBP).Translation of the FreBAQ into Japanese was conducted using a forward-backward method. One hundred participants with LBP completed the resultant FreBAQ-J. A subset of the participants completed the FreBAQ-J again 2 weeks later. Validity was investigated by examining the relationship between the FreBAQ-J and clinical valuables. Rasch analysis was used to assess targeting, category ordering, unidimensionality, person fit, internal consistency, and differential item functioning. The FreBAQ-J was significantly correlated with pain in motion, disability, pain-related catastrophizing, fear of movement, and anxiety symptomatology. The FreBAQ-J had acceptable internal consistency, a minor departure from unidimensionality, and good test-retest reliability, and was functional on the category rating scale. The FreBAQ-J has acceptable psychometric properties and is suitable for use in people with LBP. Participants with high levels of disturbed body perception are well targeted by the scale. The functioning of one item (item 8) was poor. Further study is warranted to confirm if this item should be excluded.
28422388 This study was conducted to determine and compare the effectiveness of nature sounds and relaxation exercises for reducing preoperative anxiety. A repeated measures randomized controlled trial design was used. We divided 159 preoperative patients into three groups: nature sounds (n = 53), relaxation exercises (n = 53), and control groups (n = 53). We evaluated anxiety using the visual analog scale and state anxiety inventory scores immediately before, immediately after, and 30 min after interventions in nature sounds and relaxation exercises groups, and silent rest in the control. We found no differences between the measurement values in the intervention groups, but we did observe a difference between the intervention and control groups. The two interventions were similarly effective in reducing preoperative anxiety. These simple and low-cost interventions can be used to reduce preoperative anxiety in surgical clinics.
28422323 Virtual reality has shown promising results in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for some traumatic experiences, but sexual assault has been understudied. One important question to address is the relevance and safety of a virtual environment (VE) allowing patients to be progressively exposed to a sexual assault scenario. The aim of this study was to validate such a VE. Thirty women (victims and nonvictims of sexual assault) were randomly assigned in a counter-balanced order to 2 immersions in a virtual bar: a control scenario where the encounter with the aggressor does not lead to sexual assault and an experimental scenario where the participant is assaulted. Immersions were conducted in a fully immersive 6-wall system. Questionnaires were administered and psychophysiological measures were recorded. No adverse events were reported during or after the immersions. Repeated-measures analyses of covariance revealed a significant time effect and significantly more anxiety (Cohen's f = 0.41, large effect size) and negative affect (Cohen's f = 0.35, medium effect size) in the experimental scenario than in the control condition. Given the safety of the scenario and its potential to induce emotions, it can be further tested to document its usefulness with sexual assault victims who suffer from PTSD.
28422278 Patients with prostate cancer and their providers face uncertainty as they consider adjuvant radiotherapy (ART) or salvage radiotherapy (SRT) after undergoing radical prostatectomy. The authors prospectively evaluated the impact of the Decipher test, which predicts metastasis risk after radical prostatectomy, on decision making for ART and SRT.A total of 150 patients who were considering ART and 115 who were considering SRT were enrolled. Providers submitted a management recommendation before processing the Decipher test and again at the time of receipt of the test results. Patients completed validated surveys on prostate cancer (PCa)-specific decisional effectiveness and PCa-related anxiety. Before the Decipher test, observation was recommended for 89% of patients considering ART and 58% of patients considering SRT. After Decipher testing, 18% (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 12%-25%) of treatment recommendations changed in the ART arm, including 31% among high-risk patients; and 32% (95% CI, 24%-42%) of management recommendations changed in the salvage arm, including 56% among high-risk patients. Decisional Conflict Scale (DCS) scores were better after viewing Decipher test results (ART arm: median DCS before Decipher, 25 and after Decipher, 19 [P<.001]; SRT arm: median DCS before Decipher, 27 and after Decipher, 23 [P<.001]). PCa-specific anxiety changed after Decipher testing; fear of PCa disease recurrence in the ART arm (P = .02) and PCa-specific anxiety in the SRT arm (P = .05) decreased significantly among low-risk patients. Decipher results reported per 5% increase in 5-year metastasis probability were associated with the decision to pursue ART (odds ratio, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.19-1.85) and SRT (odds ratio, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.09-1.81) in multivariable logistic regression analysis. Knowledge of Decipher test results was associated with treatment decision making and improved decisional effectiveness among men with PCa who were considering ART and SRT. Cancer 2017;123:2850-59. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
28422138 Drug addiction is widely linked to the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), which is essential for regulating reward-related behaviors, emotional responses, and anxiety. Over the past two decades, neuroimaging has provided significant contributions revealing functional and structural alternations in the brains of drug addicts. However, the underlying neural mechanism in the OFC and its correlates with drug addiction and anxiety still require further elucidation. We first presented a pilot investigation to examine local networks in OFC regions through resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) from eight abstinent addicts in a heroin-dependent group (HD) and seven subjects in a control group (CG). We discovered that the HDs manifested enhanced interhemispheric correlation and rsFC. Moreover, small-worldness was explored in the brain networks. In addition to the altered rsFC in the OFC networks, our examinations demonstrated associations in the functional connectivity between the left inferior frontal gyrus and other OFC regions related to anxiety in the HDs. The study provides important preliminary evidence of the complex OFC networks in heroin addiction and suggests neural correlates of anxiety. It opens a window in application of fNIRS to predict psychiatric trajectories and may create new insights into neural adaptations resulting from chronic opiate intake.
28421867 Biases in causal attributions and evidence integration have been implicated in delusions, but have not been investigated simultaneously to examine additive or multiplicative effects. It was hypothesised that paranoid delusions would correlate with self-serving and personalising biases ("defence" model of paranoia), particularly when these biases were disconfirmed.Constrained principal component analysis was used to investigate differences between schizophrenia patients (paranoid vs. non-paranoid), bipolar disorder patients, and healthy controls, as well as to examine the extent to which psychotic symptoms could predict patterns of responding on a novel attributional bias task (Attributional Style BADE, or ASB) that requires integrating contextual information. Although no group differences were found, disorganisation and manic symptoms correlated with situation attributions and self-blame when such attributions were unsupported by the available evidence, and depression and anxiety correlated with other-person and self attributions (not situation attributions) when confirmed by the available evidence, regardless of diagnosis. While group differences accounted for little variance in responses on the ASB task, a transdiagnostic association between symptoms of psychosis and the ASB task was observed. This highlights the importance of considering symptom profiles rather than diagnostic groupings when investigating cognitive biases and related non-pharmacological treatments.
28421866 This research examines whether unobserved time-stable influences confound the association between chronic pain and psychological distress in older adults as well as how race and ethnicity combine with subjective social status (SSS) to modify the association. In a nationally representative longitudinal survey, holistically controlling for unobserved time-stable influences using fixed-effects models substantially reduces the pain-depression relationship and eliminates the overall pain-anxiety relationship. The association with depression is stronger for Black and Hispanic elders, illustrating a process of double-jeopardy. Black elders with severe pain experience lower anxiety, as do Black elders with moderate pain and low SSS, which we suggest may be due to the enervating effects of undermanaged pain. Black elders at high SSS experience greater anxiety with moderate pain. This research suggests that undermanagement of chronic pain among racial and ethnic minorities differentiates the association between pain and distress in late life and especially creates stronger associations with depression.
28421796 Satiety is a determining parameter in nutrient intake control, which in the long run impacts on body weight. Many athletes need strict control on their weight to achieve their aims of the season.The aim of this study is to analyse the influence of satiety on body weight control and competitive anxiety in a university athletes population when they ingest ad libitum foods (SATIETY), or follow a nutritional dietary programme (DIET). The present study was a cohort study, in which 40 male university athletes participated. The assessment of body weight was done using the ISAK recommendations in its limited profile. The study of competitive anxiety was evaluated using the CSAI-2 questionnaire. Results showed that the DIET group decreased significantly their body weight compared to the SATIETY group, they also obtained a significant improvement in their body composition, reducing fat mass. The SATIETY group didn't show significant reductions in fat mass. This group showed higher competitive anxiety values than the DIET group. The university athletes that follow an adapted and individualized diet seem to show improvements in their body composition and anxiety compared to those with ad libitum food.
28421677 Many breast cancer survivors have to deal with a variety of psychological and physiological sequelae including impaired immune responses. The primary purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to determine the efficacy of a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention for mood disorders in women with breast cancer. Secondary outcomes were symptom experience, health status, coping capacity, mindfulness, posttraumatic growth, and immune status. This RTC assigned 166 women with breast cancer to one of three groups: MBSR (8 weekly group sessions of MBSR), active controls (self-instructing MBSR) and non-MBSR. The primary outcome measure was the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Secondary outcome measures were: Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale, SF-36, Sense of Coherence, Five Facets of Mindfulness Questionnaire, and Posttraumatic Growth Index. Blood samples were analyzed using flow cytometry for NK-cell activity (FANKIA) and lymphocyte phenotyping; concentrations of cytokines were determined in sera using commercial high sensitivity IL-6 and IL-8 ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) kits. Results provide evidence for beneficial effects of MBSR on psychological and biological responses. Women in the MBSR group experienced significant improvements in depression scores, with a mean pre-MBSR HAD-score of 4.3 and post-MBSR score of 3.3 (P = 0.001), and compared to non-MBSR (P = 0.015). Significant improvements on scores for distress, symptom burden, and mental health were also observed. Furthermore, MBSR facilitated coping capacity as well as mindfulness and posttraumatic growth. Significant benefits in immune response within the MBSR group and between groups were observed. MBSR have potential for alleviating depression, symptom experience, and for enhancing coping capacity, mindfulness and posttraumatic growth, which may improve breast cancer survivorship. MBSR also led to beneficial effect on immune function; the clinical implications of this finding merit further research.
28421630 There is limited empirical information as to whether or how stimuli associated with dental fear can be classified into distinct subtypes. The purpose of the current study was to develop a descriptive framework for the classification of dental fear. Data were collected using a survey among Dutch twin families (n = 11,771). The sample was randomly divided into two subsamples of, respectively, 5,920 and 5,851 individuals. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed on the first subsample to delineate the multidimensional structure of a set of 28 dental-fear-provoking objects and situations. The second sample was used to confirm the newly derived model using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The EFA yielded a three-factor solution with 70.7% explained variance pertaining to: (i) invasive treatment or pain; (ii) losing control; and (iii) physical sensations. The CFA showed an acceptable fit to the data, thereby confirming the stability of the three-factor structure. There are at least three different subtypes of dental fear. As these subtypes require a different treatment approach in clinical practice, it could be important to assess the severity of patients' fear response along these three dimensions.
28421533 The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is highly sensitive to the effects of stress, a known risk factor of mood disorders including anxiety and depression. Abnormalities in PFC functioning have been well described in humans displaying stress-induced depressive symptoms, and hypoactivity of the PFC is now recognized to be a key feature of the depressed brain. However, little is known about the causes and mechanisms leading to this altered prefrontal functional activity in the context of stress-related mood disorders. We previously showed that unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) in mice increases prefrontal expression of parvalbumin (PV), an activity-dependent calcium-binding albumin protein expressed in a specific subtype of GABAergic neurons, highlighting a potential mechanism through which chronic stress leads to hypofunction of the PFC. In this study, we aimed to investigate the mechanisms by which chronic stress alters the prefrontal GABA system. We hypothesized that chronic stress-induced enhancement of glutamatergic transmission in the PFC is a crucial contributing factor to changes within the prefrontal GABAergic and, specifically, PV system. BALB/c male and female mice were exposed to daily handling (control) or 2 or 4 weeks of UCMS. Female mice displayed a more severe altered phenotype than males, as shown by increased anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors and deficits in PFC-dependent cognitive abilities, particularly after exposure to 2 weeks of UCMS. This behavioral phenotype was paralleled by a large increase in prefrontal PV messenger RNA (mRNA) and number of PV-expressing neurons, supporting our previous findings. We further showed that the expression of pre- and postsynaptic markers of glutamatergic transmission (VGlut1 presynaptic terminals and pERK1/2, respectively) onto PV neurons was increased by 2 weeks of UCMS in a sex-specific manner; this was associated with sex-specific changes in the mRNA expression of the NR2B subunit of the NMDA receptor. These findings provide evidence of increased glutamatergic transmission onto prefrontal PV neurons, particularly in female mice, which could potentially contribute to their increased PV expression and the extent of their behavioral impairment following UCMS. Finally, our analysis of activity of subcortical regions sending glutamatergic afferents to the PFC reveals that glutamatergic neurons from the basolateral amygdala might be specifically involved in UCMS-induced changes in prefrontal glutamatergic transmission.
28421453 Medications targeting stroke risk factors have shown good efficacy, yet adherence is suboptimal. To improve adherence, its determinants must be understood. To date, no systematic review has mapped identified determinants into the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) in order to establish a more complete understanding of medication adherence.The aim of this study was to identify psychological determinants that most influence stroke survivors' medication adherence. In line with the prospectively registered protocol (PROSPERO CRD42015016222), five electronic databases were searched (1953-2015). Hand searches of included full text references were undertaken. Two reviewers conducted screening, data extraction and quality assessment. Determinants were mapped into the TDF. Of 32,825 articles, 12 fulfilled selection criteria (N = 43,984 stroke survivors). Tested determinants mapped into 8/14 TDF domains. Studies were too heterogeneous for meta-analysis. Three TDF domains appeared most influential. Negative emotions ('Emotions' domain) such as anxiety and concerns about medications ('Beliefs about Consequences' domain) were associated with reduced adherence. Increased adherence was associated with better knowledge of medications ('Knowledge' domain) and stronger beliefs about medication necessity ('Beliefs about Consequences' domain). Study quality varied, often lacking information on sample size calculations. This review provides foundations for evidence-based intervention design by establishing psychological determinants most influential in stroke survivors' medication adherence. Six TDF domains do not appear to have been tested, possibly representing gaps in research design. Future research should standardise and clearly report determinant and medication adherence measurement to facilitate meta-analysis. The range of determinants explored should be broadened to enable more complete understanding of stroke survivors' medication adherence.
28421384 This study was to evaluate the efficacy of a complementary Chinese treatment modality Guolin-Qigong (GLQG) for patients with breast cancer on the body-mind health.A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted among 158 women with breast cancer. Subjects were randomized to receive GLQG (test group) versus a physical stretching program (control group) following conventional treatment for breast cancer. GLQG and stretching interventions were performed twice a week over 24 weeks. The primary outcome was the change in quality of life (QoL). Secondary outcome measures included anxiety, depression, and clinical indicators. All participants were assessed at four time-points, at the beginning of the study (T1), after 12 weeks of the intervention (T2), immediately after 24-week intervention (T3), and at 48-week follow-up visit (T4). Improvements in QoL were evident in both groups but the test group fared better than the control group at the 12th week (P < 0.01) and particularly in emotional well-being (P < 0.01) and breast cancer-specific well-being (P < 0.001). The test group showed an improvement in anxiety levels (P < 0.01), whereas the control group showed improvements in depression (P < 0.05) but there was no significant difference between groups (P > 0.05). Both groups showed improvements in immunological function and the test group fared better than the control in TNF-α levels (P < 0.05). The results in subjects who practiced more than 4 times and 6 h per week were similar to that of all subjects; however, the improvement in anxiety in the GLQG group was more obvious. There are positive correlations between QoL and anxiety and depression. Both GLQG and physical stretching are beneficial during recovery following breast cancer. GLQC was more effective in terms of Qol improvements than physical stretching. Both programs brought improvements in anxiety or depression but had were comparable. GLQC group had a greater effect on immunological function than physical exercise.
28421345 It is well established that anxiety and depression are associated with asthma, but there is limited evidence about the persistence of anxiety/depression in asthma. The aim of our study was to assess the long-term predictors of anxiety and depression in adult asthmatic patients.A total of 90 adult asthma patients (63 women, age 18-50 years) with different levels of disease control (28 uncontrolled and 34 partially controlled) were assessed at baseline and at follow-up after 7 years for anxiety, depression and asthma control. The same work-up on both occasions included: demographics, living conditions, medical history (e.g. comorbidities, adherence and exacerbations), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ), disease control and lung function. Persistence was defined as the HADS scores for anxiety and depression present at baseline and follow-up. The HADS results at follow-up visit showed 36 (40%) asthma patients with anxiety and 13 (14%) with depression, with the persistence of anxiety in 17 (19%) and of depression in 7 (8%) patients. Significant predictors of anxiety at follow-up were HADS and AQLQ results at baseline and several parameters of asthma control at follow-up (area under the curve AUC 0.917, 95% confidence interval CI 0.829-0.969, p < 0.001) and for depression AQLQ mood disorder domain, asthma control and lung function (AUC 0.947, 95% CI 0.870-0.986, p < 0.001). Anxiety and depression persist over years in some patients with asthma. The association between mood disorders and asthma suggests potential mutual treatability.
28421117 We reviewed the referral pattern of children with chronic pain to a specialized pediatric pain clinic. Data were obtained from referring physicians and medical records and during an interview with patients and their parents by physicians and a psychologist. We analyzed the following: referral diagnosis, demographics, duration of symptoms, number of physicians previously consulted, school attendance, sports activities, presence of psychological disorders, final team diagnosis, and outcomes. Children had been experiencing pain for 34 ± 55 months. Patients had consulted on average 3 physicians in addition to their pediatrician. 32% of the patients had missed at least 10 days of school in a calendar year, and 47% had stopped playing sports. 15% had an operation because of pain that had been unsuccessful. The most common missed diagnosis was anxiety (25%) and depression (13%). 69% of the patients were back to school and/or playing sports within 4 months from our initial consultation. 32% of the patients did not make any progress during the follow-up period. The most common reasons for failure to improve were no compliance with the recommended treatments and poorly controlled major mood disorder. The time to refer children with chronic pain for specialized care could be extremely long causing significant social and psychological consequence.
28421034 Vestibular rehabilitation is the most effective treatment for dizziness due to vestibular dysfunction. Given the biological relationship between vestibular symptoms and headache, headache in patients with vestibular migraine (VM) could be improved by vestibular rehabilitation that leads to the improvement of dizziness. This study aimed to compare the effects of vestibular rehabilitation on headache and other outcomes relating to dizziness, and the psychological factors in patients with VM patients, patients with dizziness and tension-type headache, and patients without headache.Our participants included 251 patients with dizziness comprising 28 patients with VM, 79 patients with tension-type headache, and 144 patients without headache. Participants were hospitalized for 5 days and taught to conduct a vestibular rehabilitation program. They were assessed using the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), Headache Impact Test (HIT-6), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Somatosensory Catastrophizing Scale (SSCS) and underwent center of gravity fluctuation measurement as an objective dizziness severity index before, 1 month after, and 4 months after their hospitalization. The VM and tension-type headache groups demonstrated a significant improvement in the HIT-6 score with improvement of the DHI, HADS, SSCS, and a part of the objective dizziness index that also shown in patients without headache following vestibular rehabilitation. The change in HIT-6 during rehabilitation in the VM group was positively correlated with changes in the DHI and anxiety in the HADS. Changes in the HIT-6 in tension-type headache group positively correlated with changes in anxiety and SSCS. Vestibular rehabilitation contributed to improvement of headache both in patients with VM and patients with dizziness and tension-type headache, in addition to improvement of dizziness and psychological factors. Improvement in dizziness following vestibular rehabilitation could be associated with the improvement of headache more prominently in VM compared with comorbid tension-type headache.
28421016 Parenting programs are currently treatment of choice for behavioral disorders in children and one of their main components is reducing the negativity bias in the child-parent dyad. The Rational Positive Parenting Program (rPPP) is a program with a special focus on parent emotion-regulation functional reappraisal strategies, which has recently received consistent support for reducing child externalizing and internalizing disorders. In the last years, online interventions were proliferated and the Attention Bias Modification (ABM) becoming a promising implicit therapeutic intervention based on attention deployment emotion-regulation strategy, or adjunctive module to usual treatments, with results in multiple domains, varying from pain to self-esteem and emotional disorders (e.g., anxiety). We conducted two studies to investigate (1) the efficacy of the ABM procedures applied to parents and (2) the efficacy of the online version of the rPPP augmented with an ABM module. A total of 42 parents of children aged 2-12 years old participated in the first study, being allocated either to the ABM training or wait-list. Positive results were reported by the parents participating in the ABM group for own distress, satisfaction, positive interactions with the child, and child's strengths. In the second study, 53 parents and their children were allocated either in the rPPP group or in the rPPP + ABM group. Results show that ABM training can boost the effects of the rPPP on the strengths of children reported by the parents after the intervention. Findings are discussed in the light of limited research on using online tools for coaching effective emotion-regulation strategies for parents.
28421013 The main purpose of this study was to investigate the interplay of functional and dysfunctional impulsivity, delay discounting, time perspective, and emotional negative states on gambling severity in Italian adolescents. A second aim of the study was to analyze the developmental trajectories of gambling involvement, functional and dysfunctional impulsivity, delay discounting, consideration of future consequences, and negative affectivity in a cross-sectional perspective. One thousand and ten Italian adolescents aging between 12 and 19 years were administered the South Oaks Gambling Screen Revised for Adolescents (SOGS-RA), the Functional and Dysfunctional Impulsivity Scale (FDIS), the Monetary Choice Questionnaire (MCQ), the Consideration of Future Consequences Scale (CFC-14), and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21). Data analyses were conducted using correlational analysis, Chi-square test, analysis of variance, and hierarchical regression analysis. Results indicated that, relative to non-gamblers and non-problem gamblers, at-risk and problem gamblers showed higher levels of impulsivity, steeper delay discounting, shorter time horizon, and reported experiencing significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Results of hierarchical regression analysis, with SOGS-RA scores as the dependent variable, and gender, age, FDIS, MCQ, CFC-14, and DASS-21 scores as independent variables, indicated that, along with gender and age, low scores of future orientation and high scores of dysfunctional impulsivity, depression, anxiety, present orientation, and delay discounting significantly predicted gambling severity. These findings provide further evidence that the higher the gambling involvement, the greater the tendency to devalue delayed rewards and to focus on the immediate consequences of one's behavior. Interestingly, for the first time these results reveal an association between gambling severity and both dysfunctional impulsivity and negative affective states across adolescence. Finally, results of cross-sectional analyses suggest that gambling severity contributes more than age in shaping the developmental trajectories of functional and dysfunctional impulsivity, delay discounting, time perspective, and negative affective states.
28421012 Family members caring for a young person diagnosed with the onset of mental health problems face heightened stress, depression, and social isolation. Despite evidence for the effectiveness of family based interventions, sustaining access to specialist family interventions is a major challenge. The availability of the Internet provides possibilities to expand and sustain access to evidence-based psychoeducation and personal support for family members. In this paper we describe the therapeutic model and the components of our purpose-built moderated online social therapy (MOST) program for families. We outline the background to its development, beginning with our face-to-face EPISODE II family intervention, which informed our selection of therapeutic content, and the integration of recent developments in positive psychology. Our online interventions for carers integrate online therapy, online social networking, peer and expert support, and online social problem solving which has been designed to reduce stress in carers. The initial version of our application entitled Meridian was shown to be safe, acceptable, and feasible in a feasibility study of carers of youth diagnosed with depression and anxiety. There was a significant reduction in self-reported levels of stress in caregivers and change in stress was significantly correlated with use of the system. We have subsequently launched a cluster RCT for caregivers with a relative diagnosed with first-episode psychosis. Our intervention has the potential to improve access to effective specialist support for families facing the onset of serious mental health problems in their young relative.
28420695 Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5), which binds to and is activated by p35, phosphorylates multiple substrates and plays an essential role in the development and function of the CNS; however, proteolytic production of p25 from p35 under stress conditions leads to the inappropriate activation of Cdk5 and contributes to hyperphosphorylation of τ and other substrates that are related to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Selective inhibition of aberrant Cdk5 activity via genetic overexpression of Cdk5 inhibitory peptide (CIP) reduces pathologic changes and prevents brain atrophy and memory loss in p25-transgenic mice. In the present study, we delivered adeno-associated virus 9 carrying green fluorescent protein-CIP (AAV9-GFP-CIP) to brain cells via intracerebroventricular infusion in amyloid precursor protein/presenilin 1 (APP/PS1) double-transgenic 3-mo-old mice after the occurrence of β-amyloid (Aβ) aggregation and the hyperphosphorylation of τ. Three months of treatment of AAV9-GFP-CIP reduced pathologic changes, including τ hyperphosphorylation, (Aβ) deposit, astrocytosis, and microgliosis, which were correlated with the reversal of memory loss and anxiety-like behavior observed in APP/PS1 mice. The neuroprotection effect of AAV9-GFP-CIP lasted an additional 7 mo-the end point of the study. These findings provide a novel strategy to selectively target Cdk5 for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.-He, Y., Pan, S., Xu, M., He, R., Huang, W., Song, P., Huang, J., Zhang, H.-T., Hu, Y. Adeno-associated virus 9-mediated Cdk5 inhibitory peptide reverses pathologic changes and behavioral deficits in the Alzheimer's disease mouse model.
28420604 Translation of knowledge and skills from classroom settings to clinical practice is a major challenge in healthcare training, especially for behavioral interventions. For example, screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) is a highly-promoted approach to identifying and treating individuals at risk for alcohol or drug problems, yet effective, routine use of SBIRT has lagged.The objective of this paper is to describe the development, pilot testing, and trial protocol of a mobile app based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to promote SBIRT skill translation and application. Intended for use after classroom training occurs, the mobile app has three primary functions designed to increase behavioral intent to deliver SBIRT: (1) review skills (ie, address knowledge and beliefs about SBIRT), (2) apply skills with patients (ie, build confidence and perceived behavioral control), and (3) report performance data (ie, increase accountability and social norms and/or influence). The app includes depression and anxiety screening tools due to high comorbidity with substance use. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) is in progress among health and social service learners (N=200) recruited from 3 universities and 6 different training programs in nursing, social work, internal medicine, psychiatry, and psychology. Participants are randomized to SBIRT classroom instruction alone or classroom instruction plus app access prior to beginning their field placement rotations. TPB-based data are collected via Qualtrics or via the mobile app pre-post and SBIRT utilization, weekly for 10 weeks. Key outcomes include the frequency of and self-reported confidence in delivery of SBIRT. Beta testing with advanced practice nursing students (N=22) indicated that the app and its associated assessment tools were acceptable and useful. The system usability scale (SUS) mean was 65.8 (n=19), which indicated that the SBIRT app was acceptable but could benefit from improvement. Indeed, modifications were implemented prior to starting the trial. Enrollment of trial participants began in September 2016. Results are expected by December 2017. This report describes the process of TPB-based app development and testing, and the protocol for a RCT to determine the effectiveness of the app in enhancing skill translation. If effective, this approach could improve SBIRT implementation, fidelity, and clinical outcomes.
28420578 Psychological disorders are considered as today's one of the most important public health problems all around the world. Another alarming condition, which attributed to cardiovascular disease (CVD) is metabolic syndrome (Mets). The aims of the current study were to explore (1) the prevalence of anxiety and depression in a large representative population of Iran, and (2) evaluate their possible association with MetS patients.Applying a randomized stratified-cluster approach, 9829 adults, aged 35-65 years, were recruited as part of the MASHAD study. Socio demographic, anthropometric and biochemical analyses were performed. Beck's anxiety inventory and Beck's depression inventory II were applied to assessment of the degree of anxiety and depression among the subjects. The prevalence of MetS, anxiety and depression were 38.8%, 25% and 31.5%, respectively. The prevalence of these factors was significantly (P<0.05) higher in women, compared to men and subjects with MetS were significantly (P<0.05) associated with both anxiety and depression. Additionally, multivariate analysis after adjusting for potential confounders showed a significant relationship between MetS and anxiety (p=0.04). Our data demonstrates the significant association of MetS components with anxiety and depression and high prevalence of these co-morbidities in adults, particularly in women.
28420509 The quality and quantity of sleep represent important health issues in pregnant women. Sleep disturbances could be associated, beyond alteration of quality of life, with poor pregnancy outcome. Our aim was to investigate the effect of a regular, specific, medium-term physical training program on sleep characteristics in healthy pregnant women.A total of 132 healthy pregnant women, with gestational age between 18 weeks and 22 weeks, were enrolled in a prospective study. They were allocated into two groups; the first group involved 79 women (average age, 29.4 years) who performed a specific gymnastics program of 10 weeks, and the second group involved 53 pregnant women (average age, 27.9 years) who did not perform gymnastics. All participants completed a comprehensive questionnaire at baseline and after 10 weeks concerning general data, sleep characteristics, and psycho-emotional status. The changes arising within a diverse set of characteristics were followed and compared for the two groups using parametric and nonparametric statistics. In the control group, we observed significant worsening of 12 out of the 14 studied parameters during the 10-week period. In comparison with the women who did not perform gymnastics, women who performed specific gymnastics showed the following characteristics: (1) significantly less deterioration of psycho-emotional status (stress and anxiety levels); (2) the same general pattern of decrease in sleep quality, which is related to the progression of pregnancy; and (3) a significant attenuation of the worsening of several sleep characteristics, such as restless sleep, snoring, diurnal tiredness, and excessive daytime sleepiness. Nocturnal and diurnal sleep quantity increased significantly in both groups. The 10-week training program designed for pregnant women has an overall beneficial effect on sleep characteristics, not by improving them but by attenuating their general deterioration related to the progression of pregnancy. Our data strengthen the general recommendation regarding participation of pregnant women in specific exercise programs, mainly for maintaining their psycho-emotional and general well-being.
28420470 The aim of this case-control study is to explore clinical objective variables for diagnosing delirium of intensive care unit (ICU) patients.According to the method of prospective case-control study, critical adult postoperative patients who were transferred to ICU of Peking University People's Hospital from October 2015 to May 2016 and needed mechanical ventilation were included. After evaluating the Richmond agitation sedation scale score (RASS), the patients whose score were -2 or greater were sorted into two groups, delirium and non-delirium, according to the confusion assessment method for the ICU (CAM-ICU). Then these patients were observed by domestic multifunctional detector for electroencephalographic (EEG) variables such as brain lateralization, brain introvert, brain activity, brain energy consumption, focus inward, focus outward, cerebral inhibition, fatigue, sleep severity, sedation index, pain index, anxiety index, fidgety index, stress index and the cerebral blood flow (CBF) index which was named of perfusion index. Other variables including indexes of ICU blood gas analysis, which was consisted of variables of blood gas analysis, routine blood test and biochemistry, previous history and prognostic outcome was recorded. Binary logistic regression was used for multivariate analysis. Forty-three postoperative patients, who needed intensive care, were included. Eighteen were in delirium group and twenty-five in control group. Excluding the trauma, variables like gender, age, temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, mean arterial pressure, acute physiology and chronic health evaluationII(APACHEII) score, organ failure, dementia and emergency surgery didn't show any statistical significance between two groups. The trauma in delirious patients increased obviously compared with the control group (33.3% vs. 4.0%, P = 0.031). Except for the brain activity [122.47 (88.62, 154.21) vs. 89.40 (86.27, 115.97), P = 0.034], there were no statistical differences in any other EEG and CBF variables. In ICU blood gas analysis, only pH value (7.43±0.42 vs. 7.47±0.31, P = 0.003), chloride concentration [Cl- (mmol/L): 114.66±4.32 vs. 111.90±3.08, P = 0.019], magnesium concentration [Mg2+ (mmol/L): 0.60±0.10 vs. 0.54±0.06, P = 0.035] and blood osmolality [mmol/L: 290.10 (284.15, 306.35) vs. 282.70 (280.20, 286.75), P = 0.014] were statistically significant. Compared with control group, the prognostic variables in delirium group such as duration of mechanical ventilation [days: 125.0 (49.0, 293.0) vs. 149.5 (32.0, 251.3)], length of stay in ICU [days: 216.5 (50.5, 360.8) vs. 190.0 (72.0, 330.5)] and mortality rate (22.2% vs. 24.0%) didn't appear to be statistically significant either (all P > 0.05). It was shown by multivariate logistic regression analysis that pH [odds ratio (OR) = 1.446, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 1.116-1.875, P = 0.005] and Cl- (OR = 0.708, 95%CI = 0.531-0.945, P = 0.019) were potential risk factors of delirium. The brain activity of HXD_I may contribute to the clinical diagnose of delirium, but it still remained to be proved further. The pH and Cl- are potential risk factors of delirium.
28420457 The role of environmental adversity in the development of high callous-unemotional (CU) traits in children is controversial. Evidence speaks to the traits being largely independent of adversity; however, recent data shows that those with high CU traits and high adversity and/or high anxiety might differ in important ways from those with no such history. We tested this using emotion recognition (ER) skills. We tested whether maltreatment history and anxiety levels moderated the relationship between level of CU traits and ER skills in N = 364 children with behavioral problems who were 3 to 16 years old. As hypothesised, in the full sample, the relationship between CU traits and ER differed according to maltreatment history, such that CU traits were associated with poorer recognition for those with zero or negligible history of maltreatment. This moderation of the CU-ER relationship by maltreatment was inconsistent across subgroups, however, and for the cohort utilizing youth self-report of maltreatment, high CU traits were associated with poor ER in those with lower anxiety levels. Maltreatment history and/or anxiety levels can identify different emotional impairments associated with high CU traits, and the impairments might be characteristic of "primary" high CU traits defined as occurring independently of maltreatment and/or high anxiety.
28420315 The aim of this study was to analyse dental care utilization, refrainment from self-perceived needed dental care and the association with socioeconomic indicators among adult individuals.This cross-sectional survey included 3500 randomly selected adult individuals. Telephone interviews were conducted and the participants answered a battery of questions regarding dental visiting habits, health, socioeconomic position (SEP), behavioural factors and lifestyle indicators. The outcome 'dental visits' was significantly correlated with SEP, especially with monetary dimensions, such as income and economic resources for unforeseen expenditures. However, educational level was not a significant predictor in the tested statistical models. Furthermore, other covariates that contributed significantly to the models were ethnicity, dental anxiety and lifestyle factors, albeit with a different pattern of impact on the two outcome dimensions. Important features of the SEP variables were the stepwise gradient relative to the outcomes, implicating that the lower the SEP status, the greater the risk of reporting irregular dental visiting habits and refraining from dental care due to financial problems. Dental care utilization and refraining from dental care for financial reasons clearly reveal associations with socioeconomic positions among adult individuals.
28420254 Today's disposable diapers are high-performance and well-tested products, designed to keep skin dry and healthy. They are primarily made of biologically inert polymers, commonly used in fabrics and other materials that are in contact with skin, and in foods and cosmetics. Still, product safety and ingredients in everyday products can be a source of anxiety for new parents. This article provides the facts behind some commonly asked questions from consumers about diaper ingredients and safety, including myths and facts related to chlorine, latex, dyes, and chemical additives.
28419959 By considering the debilitating outcome of co-occurring of bipolar disorder (BD) and substance abuse, determination of risk factors of substance use disorders (SUD: abuse or dependence of drugs and/or alcohol) is essential to identify the susceptible patients. The purpose of this study was to clarify the major determinant factors of SUD among adults with BD by reviewing the relevant literature. We systematically searched electronic databases including PubMed (MEDLINE), EMBASE, OVID, Cochrane and Scopus for human studies addressing the co-existence of bipolar disorder and SUD. All potential published papers up to September 2016 have been reviewed. The statistical analysis was performed using Comprehensive Meta-analysis version 2. Male gender (Odds ratio: 2.191 (95% CI: 1.121-4.281), P 0.022), number of manic episodes (P: 0.001) and previous history of suicidality (Odds ratio: 1.758 (95% CI: 1.156-2.674), P: 0.008) were associated to SUD in patients with BD. SUD was not related to age, subtype of BD, hospitalization and co-existence of anxiety disorders or psychotic symptoms. SUD affects many aspects of BD regarding clinical course, psychopathology and prognosis. Our study demonstrates that male gender, history of higher number of manic episodes and suicidality are associated to higher susceptibility to SUD. Thus, assignment of more intensive therapeutic interventions should be considered in patients with increased risk of drug abuse to prevent development of SUD.
28419913 Depression and anxiety are two important mood disorders that are frequently associated with chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Hyper-inflammation is related to both CVDs and psychological conditions such as depression and anxiety. Therefore, inflammation may partially explain the relationship between depression and cardiovascular disease.The objective of this study was to perform a gender-stratified examination of the association between symptoms of depression/anxiety disorders and serum hs-CRP and inflammation linked conditions in a large Iranian population. Symptoms of depression and anxiety disorders and serum hs-CRP levels were measured in 9759 participants (40% males and 60% females) aged 35-65 years, enrolled in a population-based cohort (MASHAD) study in north-eastern Iran. Symptoms of depression and anxiety were evaluated with Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories. According to the scores of depression and anxiety, individuals were categorized into four groups of no or minimal, low, moderate and severe categories. The median serum hs-CRP concentration increased with increasing severity of depression and anxiety disorders. Male participants with severe depression had significantly higher levels of hs-CRP (p<0.001); however, this relationship was less marked among women (p=0.04). Subjects with severe anxiety also had significantly higher levels of hs-CRP (p<0.001). Moreover, women with severe depression and anxiety had higher BMI. There was also a positive association between current smoking habit and depression/anxiety disorders. Depression and anxiety disorders are associated with elevated levels of hs-CRP, particularly among men. Also, there is a significant positive association between depression/anxiety disorders and inflammation linked conditions such as smoking and obesity; however, in the case of obesity this association is only present in women.
28419847 Oral and maxillofacial surgeons have been providing safe anesthesia to their patients using the anesthesia team model; this has allowed access to care for patients that have significant anxiety. The AAOMS strives to maintain the excellent safety record of the anesthesia team model by creating simulation programs in anesthesia, regularly updating the office anesthesia evaluation program, convening anesthesia safety conferences and strengthening the standards in our training programs. Through these efforts, our delivery of anesthesia to our patients will remain safe and effective.
28419751 To compare fibromyalgia (FM) characteristics among patients identified in a community-based chronic pain cohort based on traditional International Classification of Diagnoses 9th revision (ICD-9) diagnostic coding, with that of patients identified using a novel predictive model.This retrospective study used data collected from July 1999 to February 17, 2015, in multiple chronic pain clinics in the United States. Patients were assigned to the FM case group based on specific inclusion criteria using ICD-9 codes or, separately, from results of a novel FM predictive model that was developed using random forest and logistic regression techniques. Propensity scoring (1:1) matched FM patients (cases) to nonmalignant chronic pain patients without FM (controls). Patient-reported measures (eg, pain, fatigue, quality of sleep) and clinical characteristics (ie, comorbidities, procedures, and regions of pain) were outcomes for analysis. Nine ICD-9 clinical modification diagnoses had odds ratios with large effect sizes (Cohen's d > 0.8), demonstrating the magnitude of the difference between the FM and matched non-FM cohorts: chronic pain syndrome, latex allergy, muscle spasm, fasciitis, cervicalgia, thoracic pain, shoulder pain, arthritis, and cervical disorders (all P < 0.0001). Six diagnoses were found to have a moderate effect size (Cohen's 0.5 < d > 0.8): cystitis, cervical degeneration, anxiety, joint pain, lumbago, and cervical radiculitis. The identification of multiple comorbidities, diagnoses, and musculoskeletal procedures that were significantly associated with FM may facilitate differentiation of FM patients from other conditions characterized by chronic widespread pain. Predictive modeling may enhance identification of FM patients who may otherwise go undiagnosed.
28419731 Research indicates that health personnel caring for seriously ill patients with dependent children aged 0 to 18 years often avoid discussing with them the challenges of being a family with a parent in treatment. Children of seriously ill patients risk serious trauma and emotional difficulty later in life and depend on adult support to minimize these consequences. Patients suffer anxiety about supporting their children during their illness. Because of their potentially pivotal role in supporting patients in enabling parent-child communication, we examined HP's structural and emotional barriers to communicating with patients about their children.The study was based on 49 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with doctors and nurses working with haematology, gynaecological cancer, and neurointensive care. Both interviews and analysis addressed emotional and structural barriers, drawing on the theoretical framework of Maturana's domains. The study found structural barriers (eg, lack of space in the medical recording system, professional code, time pressure, and lack of training) and emotional barriers (eg, the painful nature of the situation and the perceived need of keeping professional distance). We found that emotional barriers tended to grow when structural barriers were not addressed. Our study indicates (1) the need to use templates and manual procedures to gather and process information about children in medical records; (2) the need for managerial backing for addressing children of seriously ill patients and time spent on it; and (3) the need for future HP training programmes to include how to implement procedures and how to address all barriers.
28419697 Few studies have considered the effect of Weinberger et al.'s personality types on the management of pain. The aims of this study were to (1) identify whether the relationships between pain intensity, cognitive factors, and disability at 3 and 6 months postbaseline differ as a result of personality type; and (2) identify whether personality type affects the likelihood of achieving a minimal clinically important change in pain intensity or disability at 3 and 6 months.Patients completed a set of validated questionnaires assessing personality type, cognitive factors, pain intensity, and disability at 3 and 6 months postbaseline. A greater proportion of defensive high-anxious individuals reported improvement for both pain (3 months = 25%; 6 months = 38%) and disability (3 months = 35%; 6 months = 50%) and showed stronger links between improvements in pain and disability and baseline psychological factors than nonextreme individuals. The high proportion of defensive high-anxious individuals highlights the need for psychologically based interventions to be delivered earlier in the care process. Stratifying the population, based on personality type, may allow for more targeted interventions, which could be more cost effective and reduce the number of patients remaining in the care system.
28419648 To examine the potential mediating role of body image dissatisfaction on the association between treatment-related scarring/disfigurement and psychological distress in adult survivors of childhood cancer.Participants included 1714 adult survivors of childhood cancer (mean [SD] age at evaluation = 32.4 [8.0] years, time since diagnosis = 24.1 [8.1] years) enrolled in the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study. Survivors completed measures of body image, emotional distress, and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Body image dissatisfaction (BID) was categorized into 2 groups (cancer-related and general) based on factor analysis. Using causal mediation analysis, we estimated the proportion of psychological distress associated with treatment-related scarring/disfigurement that could be eliminated by resolving BID through a hypothetical intervention. Among survivors with scarring/disfigurement of the head, a sizable proportion of the relative excess of psychological distress could be eliminated if BID was successfully treated (males: [cancer-related BID: depression: 63%; anxiety: 100%; PTSS: 52%]; [general BID: depression: 70%; anxiety: 100%; PTSS: 42%]; females: [cancer-related BID: depression: 20%; anxiety; 36%; PTSS: 23%]; [general BID: depression: 32%; anxiety: 87%; PTSS: 38%]). The mediating effect of BID was less pronounced for the association between scarring/disfigurement of the body and psychological distress for both males and females. Body image dissatisfaction mediates the association treatment-related scarring/disfigurement and psychological distress among adult survivors of childhood cancer, particularly among survivors with scarring/disfigurement of the head and male survivors. Successful treatment of body image dissatisfaction has the potential to eliminate a substantial proportion of psychological distress related to scarring/disfigurement among adult survivors of childhood cancer.
28419625 Most survivors of mass violence live in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled psychotherapy trials for adult posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or depression in LMICs.We included 18 clinical trials (3,058 participants), in which 25 and 18 treatment arms measured symptoms of PTSD and depression, respectively. Active treatments for PTSD yielded a large aggregated pre-post effect size (g = 1.29; 95% CI = [0.99; 1.59]) and a small to medium effect size at posttreatment when compared to control conditions (g = 0.39; 95% CI = [0.24; 0.55]). Effect sizes were similar for pretreatment versus follow-up (g = 1.75; 95% CI = [1.17; 2.32]) and in comparison to waitlist at follow-up (g = 0.93; 95% CI = [0.56; 1.31]). Active treatments for depression produced large pre-post (g = 1.28; 95% CI = [0.96; 1.61]) and controlled effect sizes (posttreatment, comparison to control conditions, g = 0.86; 95% CI = [0.54; 1.18]). Our findings suggest that psychological interventions can effectively reduce symptoms of PTSD and depression in LMICs. Future research needs to focus on cost-effective interventions that are likely to be disseminated to the large numbers of war survivors in LMICs.
28419621 Despite decades of research and development, depression has risen from the fifth to the leading cause of disability in the United States. Barriers to progress in the field are (1) poor access to high-quality care; (2) limited mental health workforce; and (3) few providers trained in the delivery of evidence-based treatments (EBTs). Although mobile platforms are being developed to give consumers greater access to high-quality care, too often these tools do not have empirical support for their effectiveness. In this study, we evaluated PRIME-D, a mobile app intervention that uses social networking, goal setting, and a mental health coach to deliver text-based, EBT's to treat mood symptoms and functioning in adults with depression.Thirty-six adults with depression remotely participated in PRIME-D over an 8-week period with a 4-week follow-up, with 83% retained over the 12-week course of thestudy. On average, participants logged into the app 5 days/week. Depression scores (PHQ-9) significantly improved over time (over 50% reduction), with coach interactions enhancing these effects. Mood-related disability (Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS)) also significantly decreased over time with participants no longer being impaired by their mood symptoms. Overall use of PRIME-D predicted greater gains in functioning. Improvements in mood and functioning were sustained over the 4-week follow-up. Results suggest that PRIME-D is a feasible, acceptable, and effective intervention for adults with depression and that a mobile service delivery model may address the serious public health problem of poor access to high-quality mental health care.
28419611 A specific psychotherapeutic strategy for increasing psychological well-being and resilience, well-being therapy (WBT), has been developed and validated in a number of randomized controlled trials. The findings indicate that flourishing and resilience can be promoted by specific interventions leading to a positive evaluation of one's self, a sense of continued growth and development, the belief that life is purposeful and meaningful, the possession of quality relations with others, the capacity to manage effectively one's life, and a sense of self-determination. The evidence supporting the use of WBT and its specific contribution when it is combined with other psychotherapeutic techniques is still limited. However, the insights gained by the use of WBT may unravel innovative approaches to assessment and treatment of mood and anxiety disorders, to be confirmed by controlled studies, with particular reference to decreasing vulnerability to relapse and modulating psychological well-being and mood. An important characteristic of WBT is self-observation of psychological well-being associated with specific homework. Such perspective is different from interventions that are labeled as positive but are actually distress oriented. Another important feature of WBT is the assumption that imbalances in well-being and distress may vary from one illness to another and from patient to patient. Customary clinical taxonomy and evaluation do not include psychological well-being, which may demarcate major prognostic and therapeutic differences among patients who otherwise seem to be deceptively similar since they share the same diagnosis.
28419607 Disturbances in emotion regulation and sleep are shared across anxiety and mood disorders. Poor sleep has been shown to impair cognitive processes which may undermine cognitive regulatory function. However, it remains unknown if sleep quality impacts regulatory mechanisms in clinical anxiety and depression.During fMRI, 78 patients with social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and/or major depressive disorder completed a validated emotion regulation task, which involved reappraisal (i.e., decrease negative affect) as compared to viewing aversive images. Sleep quality was assessed with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and actigraphy, representing subjective and objective measures of sleep, respectively. Regression analysis was conducted with the PSQI and actigraphy sleep efficiency, duration, and wake-after sleep onset variables. PSQI and actigraphy measures indicated that the majority of patients experienced problematic sleep, however, subjective and objective sleep measures were uncorrelated. Whole-brain voxel-wise regression analysis, controlling for diagnosis, revealed worse self-reported sleep corresponded with less reappraise-related activation in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (DACC). The same analysis performed with actigraphy data showed less sleep efficiency positively corresponded with DACC activation. Post-hoc stepwise regression analysis showed these sleep measures predicted DACC activity whereas anxiety and depression symptoms did not. Individual differences in self-perceived and objective sleep quality differentially modulated the DACC, which is implicated in cognitive reappraisal. Findings suggest neural correlates of emotion regulation tracks different aspects of the sleep experience. Results also indicate sleep disturbance may play a role in the emotion dysregulation observed in anxiety and depressive disorders.
28419474 This case features an adult male with moderate social anxiety disorder and mild depressive symptoms who showed an initial positive response to an earlier experience of cognitive behavior therapy, but then relapsed when he started avoiding social situations again because of continuing beliefs that experiencing anxiety was unacceptable. His treatment at our clinic focused on shifting unhelpful thinking about the likelihood and consequences of becoming anxious and reengaging in avoided social situations so he could learn to tolerate negative affect and uncertainty. The treatment approach draws from cognitive behavioral models of social anxiety and highlights advances in clinical science, especially recent work on the causal role of interpretation biases (the tendency to assign negative or threatening meaning to ambiguous situations) in the maintenance and reduction of anxiety.
28419170 A randomised control trial (RCT) was conducted to examine the efficacy of couple-based cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for Premenstrual Disorders (PMDs), in comparison to one-to-one CBT and a wait-list control.Triangulation of quantitative and qualitative outcome measures evaluated changes pre-post intervention. Eighty three women were randomly allocated across three conditions, with 63 completing post-intervention measures, a retention rate of 76%. Repeated measures analysis of variance found a significant time by group interaction identifying that women in the two CBT conditions reported lower total premenstrual symptoms, emotional reactivity/mood, and premenstrual distress, in comparison to the wait list control. Significantly higher active behavioural coping post-intervention was found in the couple condition than in the one-to-one and wait list control groups. Qualitative analysis provided insight into the subjective experience of PMDs and participation in the intervention study. Across groups, women reported increased awareness and understanding of premenstrual change post-intervention. A larger proportion of women in the CBT conditions reported reduction in intensity and frequency of negative premenstrual emotional reactivity, increased communication and help-seeking, increased understanding and acceptance of embodied change, and the development of coping skills, post-intervention. Increased partner understanding and improved relationship post-intervention was reported by a greater proportion of participants in the CBT conditions, most markedly in the couple condition. These findings suggest that one-to-one and couple CBT interventions can significantly reduce women's premenstrual symptomatology and distress, and improve premenstrual coping. Couple based CBT interventions may have a greater positive impact upon behavioural coping and perceptions of relationship context and support. This suggests that CBT should be available for women reporting moderate-severe PMDs, with couple-based CBT offering additional benefits to a one-to-one modality.
28419167 To measure pharmacy students' anxiety towards research and how academic support, academic effort, attitude and self-efficacy influence their research anxiety.A cross-sectional study was conducted with undergraduate final year students of pharmacy using a convenient sampling method. A validated self-administered questionnaire was used. Response rate for this study was 85.9% (128 students from a population of 149). The participants agreed that they read literature to understand research, but did not attend research-related coursework. Most participants (91.4%) felt that they were under stress while doing research. Almost all participants (97.6%) felt that they were doing very badly during their data analysis or they may fail their research projects. The majority of participants agreed that help from the lecturers' and friends in research give emotional support for their research activities. Academic support for pharmacy students, along with their additional academic effort will improve the students' self-efficacy and reduce research anxiety.
28419024 Physical inactivity and comorbid anxiety symptoms are prevalent among fibromyalgia (FM) patients. Exercise training may be an effective alternative therapy to reduce these symptoms.To evaluate the effects of exercise training on anxiety symptoms in patients with FM, and to examine whether variables of theoretical or practical importance moderate the estimated mean effect. Twenty-five effects were derived from 10 articles published before June 2016 located using Google Scholar, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science. Trials involved 595 patients with FM (mean age: 47.6 years, 97.5% female) and included both randomization to exercise training (n=297) or a non-exercise control condition (n=298) and an anxiety outcome measured at baseline and during and/or after exercise training. Hedges' d effect sizes were computed, data for moderator variables were extracted, and random effects models were used to estimate sampling error and population variance for all analyses. Meta-regression quantified the extent to which patient and trial characteristics moderated the mean effect. Exercise training significantly reduced anxiety symptoms by a mean effect Δ of 0.28 (95%CI: 0.16-0.40). No significant heterogeneity was observed (Q24=30.79; p=0.16; I=25.29%). Program duration (β=1.44; z=2.50; p≤0.01) was significantly related to the overall effect, with significantly larger anxiety improvements resulting from programs lasting greater than 26 weeks (Δ=0.35; 95%CI, 0.05-0.66) compared with those lasting less than 26 weeks (Δ=0.26; 95%CI, 0.13-0.39). Exercise training improves anxiety symptoms among FM patients. The findings also suggest that larger anxiety symptom reductions will be achieved by focusing on longer exercise programs while promoting long-term adherence. Future well-designed investigations are required to examine the potential moderating effect of pain-related improvements in FM patients.
28418941 Women with major depressive disorder during pregnancy often use selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) antidepressants. These drugs readily cross the placental barrier and impact the developing fetal brain. Recently, we reported that prenatal fluoxetine (FLX), an SSRI antidepressant drug, altered corticosterone and behavioral responses to stress in female mouse offspring. The present study assessed the effects of prenatal FLX on these responses in males. The results showed that prenatal FLX significantly augmented the corticosterone response to acute stress in young prepubescent mice. The corticosterone response to continuous stress was not affected by prenatal FLX irrespective of age. In addition, continuous stress reduced general activity, and anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviors in adult animals prenatally exposed to FLX, but not in controls. The dexamethasone suppression test showed that prenatal FLX induced a state of glucocorticoid insensitivity in adult males, indicating that the negative feedback control of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis response to stress was disrupted. Together, these findings indicate that prenatal FLX altered hormonal and behavioral responses to stress and suggest a role for the development of glucocorticoid insensitivity in these effects. These findings may aid understanding of the limitations and precautions that should be taken in the use of SSRIs by pregnant women.
28418834 Panic disorder with agoraphobia (PDA) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are impairing and costly disorders that are often misdiagnosed and left untreated despite multiple consultations. These disorders frequently co-occur, but little is known about the costs associated with their comorbidity and the impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) on cost reduction.The first objective of this study was to assess the mental health-related costs associated with the specific concomitance of PDA and GAD. The second aim was to determine whether there is a reduction in direct and indirect mental health-related costs following conventional CBT for the primary disorder only (PDA or GAD) or combined CBT adapted to the comorbidity (PDA and GAD). A total of 123 participants with a double diagnosis of PDA and GAD participated in this study. Direct and indirect mental health-related costs were assessed and calculated from a societal perspective at the pre-test, the post-test, and the three-month, six-month and one-year follow-ups. At the pre-test, PDA-GAD comorbidity was found to generate a mean total cost of CADUSD 2,000.48 (SD = USD 2,069.62) per participant over a three-month period. The indirect costs were much higher than the direct costs. Both treatment modalities led to significant and similar decreases in all cost categories from the pre-test to the post-test. This reduction was maintained until the one-year follow-up. Methodological choices may have underestimated cost evaluations. Nonetheless, this study supports the cost offset effects of both conventional CBT for primary PDA or GAD and combined CBT for PDA-GAD comorbidity. Treatment of comorbid and costly disorders with evidence-based treatments such as CBT may lead to considerable economic benefits for society. Considering the limited resources of healthcare systems, it is important to make choices that will lead to better accessibility of quality services. The application of CBT for PDA, GAD or both disorders and training mental health professionals in this therapeutic approach should be encouraged. Additionally, it would be favorable for insurance plans to reimburse employees for expenses associated with psychological treatment for anxiety disorders. In addition to symptom reduction, it would be of great pertinence to explore which factors can contribute to reducing direct and indirect mental health-related costs.
28418766 Major depressive disorder (MDD) is not a single disease, but a number of various ailments that form one entity. Psychomotor retardation, anhedonia, sleep disorders, an increased suicide risk, and anxiety are the main symptoms that often define the clinical diagnosis of depression. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), as one of the proinflammatory cytokines, seems to be overexpressed during certain mental disorders, including MDD. Overexpression of IL-6 in depression is thought to be a factor associated with bad prognosis and worse disease course. IL-6 may directly affect brain functioning and production of neurotransmitters; moreover, its concentration is correlated with certain clinical symptoms within the wide range of depressive symptomatology. Furthermore, there is a strong correlation between IL-6 synthesis and psychosomatic functioning of the patient. This article discusses potential sources and significance of IL-6 in the pathogenesis of depression.
28418529 To examine if a community sample of 11-year-old children with persistent stuttering have higher anxiety than children who have recovered from stuttering and nonstuttering controls.Participants in a community cohort study were categorized into 3 groups: (a) those with persistent stuttering, (b) those with recovered stuttering, and (c) nonstuttering controls. Linear regression modeling compared outcomes on measures of child anxiety and emotional and behavioral functioning for the 3 groups. Without adjustment for covariates (unadjusted analyses), the group with persistent stuttering showed significantly increased anxiety compared with the recovered stuttering group and nonstuttering controls. The group with persistent stuttering had a higher number of children with autism spectrum disorder and/or learning difficulties. Once these variables were included as covariates in subsequent analysis, there was no difference in anxiety, emotional and behavioral functioning, or temperament among groups. Although recognized to be associated with stuttering in clinical samples, anxiety was not higher in school-age children who stutter in a community cohort. It may be that anxiety develops later or is less marked in community cohorts compared with clinical samples. We did, however, observe higher anxiety scores in those children who stuttered and had autism spectrum disorder or learning difficulties. Implications and recommendations for research are discussed.
28418416 Behandelangst is een veelvoorkomende angst bij kinderen. De mondzorgverlener ziet zich in de praktijk geconfronteerd met lastige dilemma’s omtrent het waarborgen van een goede mondgezondheid voor deze kinderen. De geïndiceerde behandeling gaat de belastbaarheid van het angstige kind veelal te boven, maar wanneer de behandeling niet wordt uitgevoerd, staan de algemene gezondheid en levenskwaliteit op de tocht. In dit artikel wordt een overzicht gegeven van de etiologie van behandelangst bij kinderen. Daarnaast wordt de mondzorgverlener inzicht verschaft in de mogelijkheden die hem/haar ter hand staan om de behandelbaarheid van het kind te vergroten en de angst te reduceren, zodat uiteindelijk de geïndiceerde tandheelkundige zorg kan worden uitgevoerd. Hierin is ruimte voor psychotherapeutische cognitief- en gedragsbeïnvloedende technieken, alsmede farmacologische ondersteuning. De mondzorgverlener zal goed gemotiveerd en weloverwogen de koers moeten bepalen, te allen tijde in het licht van de individuele context van het kind.Dental treatment anxiety is a common fear among children. The dental health care provider is faced with difficult dilemmas about ensuring good oral health for these children in general daily practice. The indicated treatment usually exceeds the capacity of the frightened child, but when treatment is not performed, the child is at risk of serious general health problems and its quality of life could diminish. This article provides an overview of the aetiology of dental treatment anxiety in children. In addition, the dental practitioner is provided with insight into the possibilities that allow him/her to enhance the treatability of the child and reduce anxiety to such an extent that the indicated dental care can be provided. Psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioural techniques, as well as pharmacological therapies, are currently considered the most acceptable and successful treatments for anxiety and phobia. The dental care provider will have to determine a well-motivated and carefully considered course of treatment, always keeping in mind the individual context of the child.
28418413 Te veel kinderen ontwikkelen carieuze laesies en vele laesies ontwikkelen zich tot een dentinecaviteit. In 2010 was minder dan 50% van de carieuze dentinecaviteiten in het tijdelijk gebit van 6-jarige kinderen in Nederland gerestaureerd. Door onderzoek is echter de noodzaak van het routinematig restaureren van caviteiten in de tijdelijke gebit op losse schroeven komen te staan. Huidige inzichten in de cariologie wijzen in de richting van een causale behandeling die gestoeld is op het reinigen van toegankelijke of van toegankelijk gemaakte carieuze dentinecaviteiten, eventueel gesteund door het aanbrengen van zilverdiamminefluoride. Het ultieme doel van een restauratie in het tijdelijk gebit is het mogelijk maken om biofilm van het tandoppervlak te verwijderen en infectie van de pulpa te voorkomen. Mocht restaureren in het tijdelijk gebit noodzakelijk zijn dan zullen mondzorgverleners, om behandelangst te voorkomen, eerst moeten overwegen of het haalbaar is restauraties op een atraumatische manier te plaatsen, bijvoorbeeld door middel van de ART-methode of de Hall-techniek.Too many children develop carious lesions and many such lesions progress into a dentine carious lesion. In 2010, the percentage of dentine carious lesions in the primary dentition of 6-year-old Dutch children that were restored was less than 50 per cent. Owing to research, the necessity to restore dentine carious lesions routinely has been called into question. Current understanding of cariologic principles point in the direction of a causal treatment that is based on cleaning accessible dentine carious cavities and those that can be made accessible, possibly supported by the application of silver diamine fluoride. The ultimate goal of a restoration in the primary dentition is to make it possible to remove biofilm from the tooth surface and to prevent infection of the pulp. If restoration in primary teeth is necessary, dental practitioners will, in order to prevent the development of dental anxiety, first have to consider whether it is feasible to place restorations in an atraumatic manner, for example by means of the ART method or the Hall technique.
28418404 High trait impulsive sensation seeking (ISS) is common in 18-25-year olds, and is associated with risky decision-making and deleterious outcomes. We examined relationships among: activity in reward regions previously associated with ISS during an ISS-relevant context, uncertain reward expectancy (RE), using fMRI; ISS impulsivity and sensation-seeking subcomponents; and risky decision-making in 100, transdiagnostically recruited 18-25-year olds. ISS, anhedonia, anxiety, depression and mania were measured using self-report scales; clinician-administered scales also assessed the latter four. A post-scan risky decision-making task measured 'risky' (possible win/loss/mixed/neutral) fMRI-task versus 'sure thing' stimuli. 'Bias' reflected risky over safe choices. Uncertain RE-related activity in left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and bilateral ventral striatum was positively associated with an ISS composite score, comprising impulsivity and sensation-seeking-fun-seeking subcomponents (ISSc; P⩽0.001). Bias positively associated with sensation seeking-experience seeking (ES; P=0.003). This relationship was moderated by ISSc (P=0.009): it was evident only in high ISSc individuals. Whole-brain analyses showed a positive relationship between: uncertain RE-related left ventrolateral prefrontal cortical activity and ISSc; uncertain RE-related visual attention and motor preparation neural network activity and ES; and uncertain RE-related dorsal anterior cingulate cortical activity and bias, specifically in high ISSc participants (all ps<0.05, peak-level, family-wise error corrected). We identify an indirect pathway linking greater levels of uncertain RE-related activity in reward, visual attention and motor networks with greater risky decision-making, via positive relationships with impulsivity, fun seeking and ES. These objective neural markers of high ISS can guide new treatment developments for young adults with high levels of this debilitating personality trait.
28418399 Reduced attentional preference for faces and symptoms of social anxiety are common in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The neuropeptide oxytocin triggers anxiolytic functions and enhances eye gaze, facial emotion recognition and neural correlates of face processing in ASD. Here we investigated whether a single dose of oxytocin increases attention to faces in ASD. As a secondary question, we explored the influence of social anxiety on these effects. We tested for oxytocin's effects on attention to neutral faces as compared to houses in a sample of 29 autistic individuals and 30 control participants using a dot-probe paradigm with two different presentation times (100 or 500 ms). A single dose of 24 IU oxytocin was administered in a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled, cross-over design. Under placebo, ASD individuals paid less attention to faces presented for 500 ms than did controls. Oxytocin administration increased the allocation of attention toward faces in ASD to a level observed in controls. Secondary analyses revealed that these oxytocin effects primarily occurred in ASD individuals with high levels of social anxiety who were characterized by attentional avoidance of faces under placebo. Our results confirm a positive influence of intranasal oxytocin on social attention processes in ASD. Further, they suggest that oxytocin may in particular restore the attentional preference for facial information in ASD individuals with high social anxiety. We conclude that oxytocin's anxiolytic properties may partially account for its positive effects on socio-cognitive functioning in ASD, such as enhanced eye gaze and facial emotion recognition.
28418328 Managing chronic tinnitus is challenging, and innovative ways to address the resulting health-care burden are required. Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) for tinnitus shows promise as a cost-effective treatment option. The feasibility and effectiveness of iCBT in the United Kingdom are yet to be explored. Furthermore, it is not known if iCBT can be supported by an audiologist rather than a psychologist.This study aimed to determine the feasibility of guided iCBT using audiological support on tinnitus distress and tinnitus-related comorbidities. Furthermore, it aimed to establish the feasibility of iCBT for tinnitus distress in the United Kingdom, by determining recruitment, attrition, and compliance rates. Finally, it aimed to identify which aspects of the protocol require refinement for subsequent clinical trials. A single-group open trial design was implemented. This study would serve as a prerequisite study, to identify barriers, before undertaking effectiveness trials. Participants consisted of 37 adults (18 males, 19 females), with an age range of between 50 and 59 yr. The mean preintervention tinnitus severity rating was 56.15 (standard deviation = 18.35), which is categorized as "severe tinnitus" as measured by the Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI). Five participants withdrew during the study, and 29 of the remaining participants completed the postintervention questionnaire. The guided iCBT intervention ran over an eight-week period and consisted of 16 obligatory modules and five optional modules. The intervention was designed to be interactive, interesting, and stimulating. A key element was the provision of support from an audiologist throughout the program. Online questionnaires were used throughout the study. These were administered at baseline and postintervention to determine attrition and compliance rates and to facilitate sample size estimates for further clinical trials. Outcome measures for tinnitus severity, hearing handicap, insomnia, cognitive functioning, hyperacusis, anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction were used to investigate the effects of iCBT with audiological support. In addition, a weekly questionnaire was incorporated to monitor change in tinnitus distress while undertaking the intervention. Feasibility was established using an audiologist to support this guided iCBT intervention, as a significant change postintervention was found for tinnitus severity, as measured by the TFI and the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, Screening version. The attrition rate was 22% and compliance was variable. Although these results were based on a small sample, they provide encouraging evidence for the feasibility of delivering iCBT treatment for tinnitus symptoms with audiology support in the United Kingdom. An Internet-based intervention of tinnitus appears to be feasible in the United Kingdom when using audiological support. Randomized controlled trials to further investigate the effectiveness of iCBT for tinnitus in the United Kingdom are required.
28418216 Attachment insecurity (i.e. anxiety in relationships and/or discomfort in close relationships) is associated with self-reports of physical symptoms, medically unexplained symptoms and health conditions involving pain. Medically unexplained chronic pain (MUCP) may represent a particularly severe form of symptom reporting that is also characteristic of individuals with insecure attachment. This study investigated relationships between adult attachment style ratings and past-year MUCP in a sample of the general U.S. population and the ability of attachment style ratings to account for variance in past-year MUCP beyond that accounted for by potential confounders.Data from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (N = 5645) were used. Attachment was assessed with an interview-administered version of a commonly used self-report measure of secure, anxious and avoidant attachment. MUCP was assessed with a brief interview. Depressive and anxiety disorders were included as covariates and were assessed with a fully structured interview based on DSM-IV criteria. The past-year prevalence of MUCP was 2.45% (95% CI = 2.07-2.83). The two insecure attachment styles (i.e. anxious and avoidant) were positively associated with MUCP. These associations remained statistically significant after adjusting for demographic variables and depressive and anxiety disorders. When the two insecure attachment styles were considered together, only avoidant attachment remained significantly associated with MUCP. Attachment insecurity ratings were positively associated with past-year MUCP and remained so after statistically adjusting for depressive and anxiety disorders. Further research aimed at understanding the mechanism(s) responsible for the association between attachment insecurity and MUCP is warranted. Consistent with earlier research regarding transient physical symptoms, medically unexplained chronic pain was associated with attachment insecurity. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for this association could guide treatment innovations.
28418198 The literature is sparse on the complex interrelationships between stressors, depression, anxiety disorders, and epilepsy. We hypothesized that a relationship exists between stress and epilepsy. We evaluated whether markers of stress are associated with seizure recurrence in a low income community-based cohort of adults with single unprovoked seizure or newly diagnosed epilepsy.We ascertained adult residents of Northern Manhattan and Harlem, New York City, with a first unprovoked seizure or newly diagnosed epilepsy, between December 2010 and January 2013. At enrollment, we collected information about seizure phenomenology, demographics, clinical information, and measures of stress (environmental stress, stressful life events, facets of allostatic load-i.e., the cumulative effect of adaptation to stress, psychiatric disorders, and low collective efficacy). Collective efficacy assesses neighborhood characteristics and incorporates social cohesion and informal social control. All subjects were followed for 2 years for further seizures. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to estimate the hazard ratios of seizure recurrence during the 2 years of follow-up. We identified 52 subjects (64.2%) with a single unprovoked seizure and 29 (35.9%) with newly diagnosed epilepsy. Seizure recurrence was recorded in 38.5% (N = 20) of subjects with a single unprovoked seizure and in 69% of those with epilepsy (N = 20) (p = 0.01). In the overall sample, the hazard of seizure recurrence was increased by lifetime generalized anxiety disorder (3.0-fold) and by low collective efficacy (2.7-fold). In a second model, the hazard was increased by lifetime mood disorder (2.1-fold) and low collective efficacy (2.5-fold). Markers of stress (i.e., low collective efficacy, lifetime mood disorder, and lifetime generalized anxiety disorder) were associated with an increased risk for seizure recurrence in adults with a single unprovoked seizure or newly diagnosed epilepsy. Stress-reducing interventions, such as mindfulness, may be a useful, safe, and inexpensive adjunctive treatment for epilepsy.
28418087 Stress-induced chronic neuropsychiatric conditions such as anxiety are often co-morbid with gastrointestinal malfunctions. While we find enduring anxiety-like symptoms following minimal traumatic brain injury (MTBI) in rats, gastrointestinal consequences of MTBI remain elusive.In this study, we examined the effects of MTBI on a major gut peptide, neuropeptide Y (NPY) and gut motility. DNA methylation was studied as a possible epigenetic mechanism operative in the regulation of NPY expression in the gut. Minimal traumatic brain injury reduced the gut motility 48 hours and 30 days after trauma. The expression of DNA methyltransferase isoforms (DNMT1, DNMT3a, and DNMT3b) was altered in the jejunum 48 hours and 30 days after MTBI. However, the mRNA levels of growth arrest and DNA damage 45 (GADD45) isoforms, GADD45a, and GADD45b, which are believed to be involved in active DNA demethylation, initially decreased at 48 hours but subsequently increased after 30 days of trauma. Similarly, DNA hypomethylation at the NPY promoter region in the jejunum was correlated with the increase in NPY mRNA and protein levels 30 days post-trauma. On the other hand, DNA hypomethylation at 48 hours was associated with a decline in NPY expression. Treatment with 5-azacytidine (5-AzaC), a DNMT inhibitor, retarded DNA methylation and restored the NPY mRNA levels in the jejunum of MTBI-induced rats. These results suggest that DNA demethylation could be operative as an epigenetic mechanism in the long-term regulation of NPY gene expression to alter the gut motility during traumatic stress.
28417937 Background: Despite the rapid development of China's economy, a number of poor areas in China continue to exist. The health status of the elderly in the poor areas is a matter of concern. This study aims to explore the status of the elderly in terms of their health status, health service needs, and utilization among rural residents of a remote and poor village in a mountainous area in Jinzhai, Anhui. Furthermore, this study aims to explore the differences between the nation rural area average level and the remote and poor village in the mountainous area in terms of health status and health service utilization. Methods: Cluster sampling was used to obtain the sample. A total of 110 elderly people were selected from the village, and face-to-face interviews were conducted with questionnaires by trained investigators to collect data. Results: All items except vision, language disability, and self-care disability were found to be higher than the national average level. In terms of mental health, Zishu Village has a ratio of 44.1% for the symptoms of anxiety and depression, which is higher than the average for the national rural areas. The two-week prevalence rate, prevalence of chronic diseases, and non-hospitalization rate of those who need hospitalization (%) in Zishu Village was 62.7%, 88.2%, and 47.6% respectively, which was higher than the rural values of the National Survey (2008). Most of the outpatient visits were to the village clinics, while the hospitalizations were mainly to county hospitals. The two-week visiting rate was 24.1%, which was lower than 2008. The hospitalization rate in Zishu Village was 10.8%, which is similar to the level of 2008. Conclusions: The health level and the utilization of health services of the people in Zishu Village, Jinzhai, are generally lower than the national average. Financial difficulties continue to remain the major factor affecting the utilization of hospitalization services of this remote and poor village in Jinzhai, Anhui.
28417842 Blood-injection-injury (B-I-I) phobia is capable of producing inaccurate hypoxic challenge testing results due to anxiety-induced hyperventilation.A 69-yr-old woman with a history of hypersensitivity pneumonitis, restrictive spirometry, exercise desaturation requiring supplementary oxygen on mobilizing, reduced DLco, and B-I-I phobia was referred for hypoxic challenge testing (HCT) to assess in-flight oxygen requirements. HCT was performed by breathing a 15% FIo2 gas mixture, simulating the available oxygen in ambient air onboard aircraft pressurized to an equivalent altitude of 8000 ft. Spo2 fell to a nadir value of 81% during HCT, although it rapidly increased to 89% during the first of two attempts at blood gas sampling. A resultant blood gas sample showed an acceptable Po2 outside the criteria for recommending in-flight oxygen and a reduced Pco2. Entering the nadir Spo2 value into the Severinghaus equation gives an estimated arterial Po2 of 6 kPa (45 mmHg), which was felt to be more representative of resting values during HCT, and in-flight oxygen was recommended. While hyperventilation is an expected response to hypoxia, transient rises in Spo2 coinciding with threat of injury are likely to be attributable to emotional stress-induced hyperventilation, characteristic of B-I-I specific phobia and expected during the anticipation of exteroceptive threat, even in normal subjects. In summary, should excessive hyperventilation be detected during HCT and coincide with transient increases in Spo2, HCT should be repeated using Spo2 only as a guide to the level of hypoxemia, and Spo2 maintained using supplementary oxygen in accordance with alternative methods described in guidelines.Spurling KJ, McGoldrick VP. Blood-injection-injury (B-I-I) specific phobia affects the outcome of hypoxic challenge testing. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(5):503-506.
28417664 Cholinergic neurotransmission plays a key role in learning and memory. Prior research with rats indicated that a low dose of pre-training scopolamine (0.1 mg/kg), a cholinergic receptor antagonist, did not affect cued fear conditioning, but did block renewal when injected before extinguishing a conditioned tone, opening up opportunities to pharmacologically improve exposure therapy for anxiety patients. Before translating these findings to the clinic, it is important to carefully examine how scopolamine affects contextual fear memories. Here, we investigated the effects of scopolamine on encoding of contextual anxiety and its generalization in male Wistar rats. We found a profound disruption of context conditioning, suggesting that, even at a low dose, systemic scopolamine may influence contextual encoding in the hippocampus, particularly when the context is the best predictor for the presence of shocks.
28417655 The hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) is a widely used scale of anxiety and depression. However, recent studies have challenged the bi-dimensional scoring of the HADS. The present study was to examine the dimensionality of the Chinese HADS.We recruited a convenience sample of 214 adult psychiatric outpatients at a medical centre in Taiwan, and they completed the Chinese HADS. We used Mokken scale analysis (MSA), exploratory factor analysis (EFA), exploratory bifactor analysis (EBA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to examine the dimensionality of the Chinese HADS. The Chinese HADS was a moderate Mokken scale (Hs = 0.44), and had a two-factor structure. EBA showed that one general factor, emotional distress, explained 68% of the common variance of the Chinese HADS. CFA confirmed that the bifactor model had the best fit statistics. The items 5 and 7 of the Chinese HADS contributed to structural ambiguity in the Chinese HADS subscales. The sum scores of the Chinese HADS were a reliable and valid unidimensional measure of emotional distress. The Chinese HADS subscales were incapable of differentiating between anxiety and depression. Clinicians and researchers should choose other scales that are specifically designed for measuring anxiety and depression.
28417609 COPD management needs a comprehensive assessment of clinical features (symptoms severity, co-morbidities) together with life-style, behavioural, socio-economic and multi-omics parameters. Among the other issues, psycho-cognitive assessment plays a critical role. Coping strategies are used to manage psychological stress.To evaluate the association between coping strategies and outcome of Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR). Observational study. Inpatients comprehensive 3 weeks PR programme. Seventy-six patients, 70 years or older affected by COPD GOLD 3-4. Disease-specific status was examined using the Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale, St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire, Maugeri Respiratory Failure, Borg And Barthel Scales. Cognitive And Psychological Clinical Alterations/Disorders Using: Mini-Mental State Examination; Montreal Cognitive Assessment; Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale; Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale. Quality of Life Using Activities of Daily Living; Instrumental Activities of Daily Living; 36-Item Short Form Health Survey General and Mental Health. Functional exercise capacity was measured at baseline and after PR using the Six-Minute Walking Test (6MWT). Coping strategies were measured with the Brief COPE. Internal consistency was determined examining Cronbach's α values. Concurrent validity was determined by examining Spearman r correlations between the single-item and multi-items. Brief-COPE scores after PR between patients who had a different response to respiratory outcomes was evaluated using Student's t and Mann-Whitney U tests. The change in distance (Delta6MWD) between final and baseline value in meters was positively associated with Self-distraction, Active Coping, and Planning strategies. Respiratory disease-specific health status outcomes, as well as the presence of use of long-term oxygen therapy, were not associated with coping strategies. Self-distraction and Planning strategies are associated to the success of rehabilitation. Self-distraction and Planning strategies may predict response to pulmonary rehabilitation in elderly patients affected by severe COPD.
28417550 This study was conducted to explore the interrelationships among caregiver burden, emotional status and quality of life (QoL) in caregivers of lung cancer patients, and to identify whether caregiver burden and health status are associated with patient emotional status and QoL. Forty-three dyads of lung cancer patients and their caregivers were included for analysis. Caregiver-reported outcomes were measured by Caregiver Burden Scale (CBS), Caregivers Quality of Life Index-Cancer (CQOLC) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), while patient-reported outcomes were collected by HADS and Lung Cancer Symptom Scale (LCSS). The majority of the CBS and CQOLC scores were significantly higher in anxious and depressed caregivers than non-anxious and non-depressed caregivers (p < .01 or .05). Caregivers of depressed patients experienced significantly greater emotional distress than those of non-depressed patients (p < .01). Significantly positive associations were identified among most of the CBS, CQOLC and caregiver HADS scores. Patient LCSS scores were positively correlated with the CBS and caregiver HADS scores, and patient HADS scores were also positively related to caregiver HADS scores. The close interrelationships between caregiver and patient health outcomes provide evidence that lung cancer patients and their caregivers should be viewed as a unit in future supportive service models.
28417515 This study aimed to investigate the influence of depressive and anxiety symptoms in young mothers on their perception in relation to their children's oral health-related quality of life (COHRQoL).This cross-sectional study was carried out in Pelotas, Southern Brazil, and it was nested in a cohort of adolescent mothers having their prenatal care in public health service, starting in 2008. When the children were aged 24-36 months, they and their mothers were interviewed and submitted to clinical examination by a trained team. Socioeconomic, educational, behavioural and psychological assessments were collected in the interview and oral examination investigated caries and gingival bleeding (in mothers) and caries and dental trauma (in children). Maternal perception of impact on COHRQoL was evaluated by Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS). The outcome in the present study was the occurrence of impact on COHRQoL (ECOHIS≥2), that is the presence of at least one ECOHIS item reported as occasionally (score 2), often (score 3) or very often (score 4). Analysis was conducted using Poisson regression with robust variance and obtained prevalence ratios (PR) and respective 95% confidence intervals (CI). This study comprised 537 mother-child dyads. After adjustment, higher scores of COHRQoL remained significantly associated with depressive symptoms (PR=1.80, 95% CI: 1.36-2.38) and maternal anxiety symptoms (PR=2.28, 95% CI: 1.72-3.00). Mothers with anxiety symptoms or depressive symptoms had a prevalence of impact 91% higher when compared with mothers without any symptoms (PR=1.91; CI 95% 1.35-2.68), and mothers with both symptoms had almost 2.5 times higher risk of perception of negative impact on COHRQoL (PR=2.48; CI 95% 1.78-3.45). Poorer COHRQoL was associated with maternal depression and anxiety symptoms.
28417454 Studies considering emotional disturbances in the setting of stroke have primarily focused on depression and been conducted in high-income countries. Anxiety in stroke survivors, which may be associated with its own unique sets of risk factors and clinical parameters, has been rarely investigated in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We assess the characteristics of anxiety and anxiety-depression comorbidity in a SSA sample of recent stroke survivors.We assessed baseline data being collected as part of an intervention to improve one-year blood pressure control among recent (≤1 month) stroke survivors in SSA. Anxiety in this patient population was measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), while the community screening instrument for dementia was used to evaluate cognitive functioning. Independent associations were assessed using logistic regression analysis. Among 391 participants, clinically significant anxiety (HADS anxiety score≥11) was found in 77 (19.7%). Anxiety was comorbid with depression in 55 (14.1%). Female stroke survivors were more likely than males to have anxiety (OR=2.4, 95% CI=1.5-4.0). Anxiety was significantly associated with the presence of cognitive impairment after adjusting for age, gender and education (OR=6.8, 95% CI=2.6-18.0). One in five recent stroke survivors in SSA has clinically significant anxiety, and well over 70% of those with anxiety also have depression. Future studies will need to determine what specific impact post-stroke anxiety may have on post-stroke clinical processes and outcomes.
28417269 The review focused on associations between temperament dimensions and clinical features in different anxiety disorders, likewise in obsessive-compulsive disorder in clinical samples of adults. A literature search was conducted in the Medline and PsycINFO databases covering the years 2010-2016. A systematic review and grading of the level of evidence for an association between temperament dimension scores and clinical features in each disorder were performed.Twenty papers reporting 18 different studies were included. Five of the papers focused on panic disorder (PD), five on social anxiety disorder (SAD), three on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), one on generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), three on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and an additional three papers on several anxiety disorders. The review consolidates the finding that trait anxiety, especially as assessed by Cloninger's model or the five-factor model, is a phenomenon common to all anxiety disorders and OCD. More follow-up studies including large samples are needed to differentiate the dimensional profiles of trait anxiety in specific disorders.
28417218 To investigate the association between using online support groups (OSGs) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and the psychosocial factors that may influence this association among individuals with head and neck (H&N) cancer.A sample of 199 persons with H&N cancer using four OSGs completed an online questionnaire using six pre-validated measures for social network, self-efficacy, anxiety and depression, adjustment, empowerment and quality of life. In addition, socio-demographic as well as illness-related and OSGs-related information was collected. Participants who had better HRQoL had been using OSGs for a longer time than those who had worse HRQoL (B = 0.07, p < 0.05). Depression and adjustment were the only direct mediators in this association, whereas self-efficacy, anxiety and empowerment appeared as indirect mediators. Participation in OSGs was found to be associated to better HRQoL either directly or indirectly through decreasing depression, anxiety and the negative adjustment behaviours and increasing self-efficacy and empowerment of the users. The study presented a potential model of pathways linking OSG use and HRQoL for those with H&N cancer. However, the model needs to be tested in future longitudinal studies and the associations proposed need to be explored in greater detail.
28417134 Anxiety sensitivity has been proposed as a psychological vulnerability factor for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Studies have also supported the protective role of resilience for overcoming the negative effects of trauma exposure. Given the linkages between anxiety sensitivity, resilience, trauma exposure and post-traumatic stress, this study explored the potential moderating roles of anxiety sensitivity and resilience on the association between trauma history and PTSD symptoms in a sample of individuals with chronic pain.A total of 100 patients with chronic pain were recruited from a large public hospital. Patients who had pain lasting for more than 3 months and a pain intensity rating of at least 4/10 were included. The study participants were administered measures of PTSD symptoms (PTSD Checklist - Civilian Version), resilience (Brief Resilient Coping Scale) and anxiety sensitivity (Anxiety Sensitivity Index). An analysis of outcome measures indicated that anxiety sensitivity and resilience were independently associated with PTSD symptoms, where βs were 0.57 and -0.23, respectively. The relationship between trauma and PTSD symptom severity was also moderated by anxiety sensitivity. Trauma history was associated with higher PTSD symptom severity only in those with high anxiety sensitivity. However, contrary to the hypotheses, resilience did not serve as a moderator. There are potential benefits of PTSD interventions that increase resilience and decrease anxiety sensitivity in individuals with chronic pain, especially for those who have experienced a traumatic event. Given that the presence of PTSD symptomatology in chronic pain populations negatively impact patient well-being, it would be important for clinicians to assess, monitor and treat PTSD in individuals with chronic pain.
28416965 Pushed by ongoing conflicts and pulled by the desire for a better life, over one million migrants/refugees transited Balkan countries and arrived in Europe during 2015 and early 2016. To curb this influx, European countries instituted restrictive migration policies often characterized by building of razor-wire border fences and border closures. Among migrants/refugees who received mental health care in Serbia while travelling through Balkan countries to Northern Europe, we assessed the prevalence and patterns of violent events experienced including physical trauma.A mixed methods study among migrants/refugees attending mobile mental health clinics run by Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) between July 2015 and June 2016, in Serbia - a main transit hub to European countries. Clinics were conducted according to MSF guidelines by experienced psychologists who were supported by cultural mediators. The main outcome measures were violent events and associated physical trauma. Of 992 migrants/refugees attending MSF mental health clinics, the majority (72%) were from Syria and Afghanistan and included vulnerable groups (14%) such as unaccompanied minors and pregnant women. The most frequent mental health symptoms/signs were anxiety (29%) and adjustment reactions (26%). Of the 992 migrants/refugees, 270 (27%) had experienced violent events during their journey. Signs of physical trauma due to acts of violence were seen in 223(22%) of the 992 individuals, 144 (65%) being perpetrated by State authorities and involving women (11%) and children (13%). Border closures along the Balkan route were associated with a dramatic decrease in registered migrants/refugee arrivals in Serbia. Conversely, among those that made it across the borders, an increasing linear trend in reported violent events was observed at MSF mental health clinics (X2 for linear trend, P <0 · 001). Qualitative evidence corroborated with quantitative findings. Nearly one-in-three migrants/refugees seen in MSF clinics experienced violent events including physical trauma along their journey. State authorities, including those in European countries were the perpetrators in over half of such events which were associated with border closures. There is "a crisis of protection and safe passage" which needs to change towards one of respect for the principles of international human rights and refugee law.
28416813 Preclinical evidence suggests that the actions of ovarian steroid hormones and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are highly convergent on brain function. Studies in humanized mice document an interaction between estrus cycle-related changes in estradiol secretion and BDNF Val66Met genotype on measures of hippocampal function and anxiety-like behavior. We believe our multimodal imaging data provide the first demonstration in women that the effects of the BDNF Val/Met polymorphism on hippocampal function are selectively modulated by estradiol. In a 6-month pharmacological hormone manipulation protocol, healthy, regularly menstruating, asymptomatic women completed positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans while performing the n-back working memory task during three hormone conditions: ovarian suppression induced by the gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist, leuprolide acetate; leuprolide plus estradiol; and leuprolide plus progesterone. For each of the three hormone conditions, a discovery data set was obtained with oxygen-15 water regional cerebral blood flow PET in 39 healthy women genotyped for BDNF Val66Met, and a confirmatory data set was obtained with fMRI in 27 women. Our results, in close agreement across the two imaging platforms, demonstrate an ovarian hormone-by-BDNF interaction on working memory-related hippocampal function (PET: F2,37=9.11, P=0.00026 uncorrected, P=0.05, familywise error corrected with small volume correction; fMRI: F2,25=5.43, P=0.01, uncorrected) that reflects differential hippocampal recruitment in Met carriers but only in the presence of estradiol. These findings have clinical relevance for understanding the neurobiological basis of individual differences in the cognitive and behavioral effects of ovarian steroids in women, and may provide a neurogenetic framework for understanding neuropsychiatric disorders related to reproductive hormones as well as illnesses with sex differences in disease expression and course.Molecular Psychiatry advance online publication, 18 April 2017; doi:10.1038/mp.2017.72.
28416811 Both inflammatory processes and glutamatergic systems have been implicated in the pathophysiology of mood-related disorders. However, the role of caspase-1, a classic inflammatory caspase, in behavioral responses to chronic stress remains largely unknown. To address this issue, we examined the effects and underlying mechanisms of caspase-1 on preclinical murine models of depression. We found that loss of caspase-1 expression in Caspase-1-/- knockout mice alleviated chronic stress-induced depression-like behaviors, whereas overexpression of caspase-1 in the hippocampus of wild-type (WT) mice was sufficient to induce depression- and anxiety-like behaviors. Furthermore, chronic stress reduced glutamatergic neurotransmission and decreased surface expression of glutamate receptors in hippocampal pyramidal neurons of WT mice, but not Caspase-1-/- mice. Importantly, pharmacological inhibition of caspase-1-interleukin-1β (IL-1β) signaling pathway prevented the depression-like behaviors and the decrease in surface expression of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors (AMPARs) in stressed WT mice. Finally, the effects of chronic stress on both depression- and anxiety-like behaviors can be mimicked by exogenous intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of IL-1β in both WT and Caspase-1-/- mice. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that an increase in the caspase-1/IL-1β axis facilitates AMPAR internalization in the hippocampus, which dysregulates glutamatergic synaptic transmission, eventually resulting in depression-like behaviors. These results may represent an endophenotype for chronic stress-induced depression.Molecular Psychiatry advance online publication, 18 April 2017; doi:10.1038/mp.2017.76.
28416810 How do joint measures of premorbid cognitive ability and familial cognitive aptitude (FCA) reflect risk for a diversity of psychiatric and substance use disorders? To address this question, we examined, using Cox models, the predictive effects of school achievement (SA) measured at age 16 and FCA-assessed from SA in siblings and cousins, and educational attainment in parents-on risk for 12 major psychiatric syndromes in 1 140 608 Swedes born 1972-1990. Four developmental patterns emerged. In the first, risk was predicted jointly by low levels of SA and high levels of FCA-that is a level of SA lower than would be predicted from the FCA. This pattern was strongest in autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia, and weakest in bipolar illness. In these disorders, a pathologic process seems to have caused cognitive functioning to fall substantially short of familial potential. In the second pattern, seen in the internalizing conditions of major depression and anxiety disorders, risk was associated with low SA but was unrelated to FCA. Externalizing disorders-drug abuse and alcohol use disorders-demonstrated the third pattern, in which risk was predicted jointly by low SA and low FCA. The fourth pattern, seen in eating disorders, was directly opposite of that observed in externalizing disorders with risk associated with high SA and high FCA. When measured together, adolescent cognitive ability and FCA identified four developmental patterns leading to diverse psychiatric disorders. The value of cognitive assessments in psychiatric research can be substantially increased by also evaluating familial cognitive potential.Molecular Psychiatry advance online publication, 18 April 2017; doi:10.1038/mp.2017.78.
28416629 There is growing appreciation for the substantial individual differences in the acquisition and inhibition of aversive associations, and the insights this might give into identifying individuals particularly vulnerable to stress and psychopathology. We examined whether animals that differed in rate of extinction (i.e., Fast versus Slow) were different in their response to an acute stress in adulthood or following a chronic stress that occurred either early or later in life. We found that Slow Extinguishers had significantly poorer extinction retention than Fast Extinguishers, but an acute stressor did not differentially affect anxiety-like behavior in the two groups. Further, while exposure to chronic stress in adulthood did not impact on the extinction phenotypes or anxiety-like behavior, exposure to chronic stress early in life affected both extinction retention and anxiety-like behavior. These findings have implications for the development of a more nuanced approach to identifying those most at risk of anxiety disorders.
28416273 Adolescence is a sensitive period for increases in normative but also debilitating social fears and worries. As the interpretation of interpersonal cues is pertinent to social anxiety, investigating mechanisms that may underlie biases in social cue appraisal is important. Fifty-one adolescents from the community aged 14-19 were presented with self- and other-relevant naturalistic social scenes for 5s and then required to rate either a negative or a positive interpretation of the scene. Eye-tracking data were collected during the free viewing period to index attentional deployment. Individual differences in social worries were measured via self-report. Social anxiety levels significantly predicted biases in interpretation ratings across scenes. Additionally, cumulative attentional deployment to peer cues also predicted these interpretation biases: participants who spent more time on facial displays perceived more threat, i.e. endorsed more negative and less positive interpretations. Self-relevant scenes yielded greater tendencies to draw negative interpretations. Finally, older adolescents also selected more benign interpretations. Social anxiety is associated with a bias in interpreting social cues; a cognitive bias that is also influenced by attentional deployment. This study contributes to our understanding of the possible attention mechanisms that shape cognitions relevant to social anxiety in this at-risk age group.
28416167 In anxiety, maladaptive avoidance behavior provides for near-perfect controllability of potential threat. There has been little laboratory-based treatment research conducted on controllability as a contributing factor in the transition from adaptive to maladaptive avoidance. Here, we investigated for the first time whether partial reinforcement rate, or the reliability of avoidance at controlling or preventing contact with an aversive event, influences subsequent extinction of avoidance in humans. Five groups of participants were exposed to different partial reinforcement rates where avoidance cancelled upcoming shock on 100%, 75%, 50%, 25% or 0% of trials. During extinction, all shocks were withheld. Avoidance behavior, online shock expectancy ratings and skin conductance responses (SCRs) were measured throughout. We found that avoidance was a function of relative controllability: higher reinforcement rate groups engaged in significantly more extinction-resistant avoidance than lower reinforcement groups, and shock expectancy was inversely related with reinforcement rate during avoidance acquisition. Partial reinforcement effects were not evident in SCRs. Overall, the current study highlights the clinical relevance of laboratory-based treatment research on partial reinforcement or controllability effects on extinction of avoidance.
28415959 Bone marrow transplant (BMT) units are stressful work environments with high staff burnout, anxiety, and turnover. A qualitative study was undertaken to better understand care for nurses within the context of their clinical practice on a pediatric BMT unit. Understanding care practices for BMT nurses will allow us to design interventions and provide appropriate support for this subspecialty of nurses. Focus groups were held with 24 nurses as key participants, and 2 focus groups with general participants: unit management (N = 2) and caregivers of inpatients (N = 7). Data were analyzed using a thematic analysis. Data were transcribed verbatim and coded to consensus by members of the research team. Five themes emerged from the data: ( a) experiencing stressful situations that impede care, ( b) growing and developing personally and professionally, ( c) providing trustworthy and respectful care, ( d) acquiring meaningful coping skills, and ( e) sharing with others versus isolation. Stress management, professional development, and interdisciplinary communication were areas that emerged for potential intervention.
28415916 The etiology of hypertension is various and complex, involving both genetic and behavioral factors. The relationship between psychosocial stress and hypertension has been hypothesized. More and more people experience increased anxiety, depression, and chronic psychosocial stress brought on by globalization, cultural changes, socioeconomic changes, and stress at the work place. Although a plethora of studies have investigated the interaction between psychosocial stress and hypertension, this relationship is still contentious. The objective of this study is twofold. First, a review of recent advancements in our understanding of the relationship between psychosocial stress and hypertension. Second, a meta-analysis aiming to assess the relationship between chronic psychosocial stress and blood pressure.We systematically searched and identified relevant studies from five databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), CQVIP, and the Wanfang Database until April 2016. Eleven studies encompassing 5696 participants were included in the final analysis. Data showed that psychosocial stress was associated with an increased risk of hypertension (OR = 2.40, 95% CI = 1.65-3.49), and hypertensive patients had a higher incidence of psychosocial stress compared to normotension patients (OR = 2.69, 95% CI = 2.32-3.11). Based on our meta-analysis, chronic psychosocial stress may be a risk factor for hypertension. The few cohort and case-control studies on the association between psychosocial stress and hypertension employed variable definition of stressors and the responses, making the meta-analysis difficult. Although we found an association between chronic psychosocial stress and hypertension, more studies are needed to confirm this relationship.
28415870 Prospective study designs ideally allow patients to be followed from the first manifestations of the illness or even from an at-risk stage. It can thus provide data on the predictive value of changes in clinical symptomatology, cognition or further biological markers to broaden our understanding of the etiopathology and symptomatic trajectory of bipolar disorders. The scope of this narrative review is to summarize evidence from prospectively collected data on psychopathological and other clinical and biological changes in the early developmental course of bipolar disorders.The narrative review was based on a literature search conducted in February 2016 within the PubMed library for prospective study data of persons in antecedent and early manifest stages of manifest bipolar disorder published within the last 15 years. A total of 19 prospective studies were included. Regarding psychopathological features; personality, temperament and character traits as well as changes in sleep and circadian rhythm, the evidence suggests that risk factors for the development of bipolar disorder can already be described and should be studied further to understand their interaction, mediation with other factors and timing in the developmental process of bipolar disorder. Apart from the positive family history, childhood anxiety, sleep problems, subthreshold (hypo)manic symptoms and certain character traits/emotionality should be identified and monitored already in clinical practice as their presence likely increases risk of bipolar disorder. Up to date no substantiated evidence was found from prospective studies addressing cognitive features, life events, immunological parameters and morphological central nervous system changes as potential risk factors for bipolar disorder. For an improved understanding of episodic disorders, longitudinal data collection is essential. Since the etiology of bipolar disorders is complex, a number of potential risk factors have been proposed. Prospective studies addressing this spectrum and resilience factors are critical and will be best conducted within multi-site research networks or initiatives.
28415832 The use of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) and ketamine is of particular clinical concern because of its associated psychotic symptoms. In Chinese clinical practice, ATS and ketamine are commonly used simultaneously, but very few studies have reported the symptom profile of users who use both drugs. This study determined whether the combined use of ATS and ketamine is associated with more psychotic symptoms than either ATS or ketamine alone. According to drug use characteristics, 375 Chinese synthetic drug users were categorized into 2 pairs of comparison groups: ATS-only (n=125) vs. ATS-mainly (ATS most of the time and ketamine sometimes, n=150) and ketamine-only (n=38) vs. ketamine-mainly (ketamine most of the time and ATS sometimes, n=62). We used the Chinese Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) to assess these patients' psychotic symptoms. ATS-mainly group had more anxiety/depression and anergia symptoms than ATS-only group (p<0.001), and ketamine-mainly group had more thinking-disorder, activity and hostility-suspicion symptoms than ketamine-only group (p≤0.001). These findings indicate that ATS may exacerbate the thinking-disorders, activity and hostility-suspicion symptoms of ketamine users, and ketamine may exacerbate anxiety/depression and anergia symptoms of ATS users.
28415806 Cranial radiotherapy in children typically causes delayed and progressive cognitive dysfunction and there is no effective preventive strategy for radiation-induced cognitive impairments. Here we show that lithium treatment reduced irradiation-induced progenitor cell death in the subgranular zone of the hippocampus, and subsequently ameliorated irradiation-reduced neurogenesis and astrogenesis in the juvenile rat brain. Irradiation-induced memory impairment, motor hyperactivity and anxiety-like behaviour were normalized by lithium treatment. Late-onset irradiation-induced hypopituitarism was prevented by lithium treatment. Additionally, lithium appeared relatively toxic to multiple cultured tumour cell lines, and did not improve viability of radiated DAOY cells in vitro. In summary, our findings demonstrate that lithium can be safely administered to prevent both short- and long-term injury to the juvenile brain caused by ionizing radiation.
28414966 What are the molecular and cellular mechanisms that link neurological disorders and sleep disturbances? The transparent zebrafish model could bridge this gap in knowledge due to its unique genetic and imaging toolbox, and amenability to high-throughput screening. Sleep is well-characterized in zebrafish and key regulators of the sleep/wake cycle are conserved, including melatonin and hypocretin/orexin (Hcrt), whereas novel sleep regulating proteins are continually being identified, such as Kcnh4a, Neuromedin U, and QRFP. Sleep deficiencies have been observed in various zebrafish models for genetic neuropsychiatric disorders, ranging from psychomotor retardation and autism to anxiety disorders. Understanding the link between neuropsychiatric disorders and sleep phenotypes in zebrafish may ultimately provide a platform for identifying therapeutic targets for clinical trials in humans.
28414965 As adolescence can be a stressful developmental stage, the purpose of this study was to determine if a novel mindful self-compassion program would decrease stress, depressive symptoms, and anxiety and increase resilience, gratitude, and curiosity/exploration (positive risk-taking), and to ascertain if mindfulness and self-compassion co-varied with these outcomes over time. Forty-seven adolescents in the southeast U.S. enrolled in an 8-week mindful self-compassion course in five cohorts. Measures were assessed at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 6-week follow-up. Multilevel growth analyses revealed main effects of time on perceived stress, resilience, curiosity/exploration and gratitude. Additionally, both mindfulness and self-compassion co-varied with perceived stress and depressive symptoms; mindfulness also co-varied with anxiety and self-compassion co-varied with resilience and curiosity/exploration. Implications of these findings are that this program has potential in decreasing stress and increasing resilience and positive risk-taking. Future studies with a control group need to be conducted to confirm these findings.
28414929 Nonfatal injury is common among adolescents in the U.S., but little is known about the bi-directional associations between injury and mental health. Utilizing a nationally representative sample of U.S. adolescents, we examined 1) associations between lifetime mental health history and subsequent injury; 2) concurrent associations between injury and mental health; and 3) associations between injury and subsequent mental disorders. Data were drawn from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication-Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A), a national survey of adolescents aged 13 through 17 years (N = 10,123). Twelve-month prevalence of nonfatal injury requiring medical attention was assessed along with lifetime, 12-month, and 30-day prevalence of DSM-IV depressive, anxiety, behavior, substance use, and bipolar disorders. We used Poisson regression to examine associations between 1) lifetime history of mental disorders and 12-month exposure to injury; 2) concurrent associations between 12-month exposure to injury and 12-month prevalence of mental disorders; and 3) 12-month exposure to injury and 30-day prevalence of mental disorders. A total of 11.6% of adolescents experienced an injury requiring medical attention in the year before the survey. Lifetime history of mental disorders was not associated with past-year injury. Behavior and bipolar disorders were concurrently associated with past-year injury. Past-year injury occurrence predicted increased risk for past-month anxiety disorders and decreased risk of past-month depressive disorders. Our findings reveal reciprocal associations between injury and mental disorders and highlight the need for systematic assessment, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders among injured youth.
28414713 Fear is an instinctual response that's adaptive and critical for survival when it is short-lived but can lead to anxiety disorders when chronic. Studying how the brain controls our fears helps us understand the mechanisms required to recover from traumatic experiences and what goes wrong when we don't. Research in rodents has identified neural circuits and molecular mechanisms regulating fear expression. Rodent work has been amenable to translation to humans and has led to improvements in clinical therapies for anxiety disorders. The societal benefit of this type of research is magnified when performed in minority-serving institutions, offering high-caliber training opportunities to increase ethnic diversity in science.
28414682 Left main coronary artery (LMCA); thrombus with an acute myocardial infarction identified with coronary angiography is a clinically rare condition with an extremely high mortality rate. We present a case of LMCA thrombus that presented as a non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI);.A 45-year-old woman with a history of tobacco use and hyperlipidemia presented with a complaint of 10/10 "hard pain" across her chest radiating to her left shoulder and breast which woke her from sleep. The pain was constant and severe, with no alleviation with rest. She had not experienced anything like this before. Workup revealed an upward trending troponin (1.98.989.79);, and an EKG with some tachycardia but no ST elevation or T wave changes. Her CBC, CMP and coagulation studies were unremarkable. A toxicology screen was positive for opiates and benzodiazepines, medications she was on for pain and anxiety respectively. ACS protocol was started with DAPT, LMWH, Statin, ACEi, and Beta-blocker. An angiogram revealed a large thrombus in the LM coronary artery extending into the aorta with concomitant 99 percent stenosis of distal LAD. 2D Echo w/ bubble contrast was significant for PFO, akinetic apical inferior and anterior wall. The mid antero-septum and apical lateral wall were hypokinetic. Interventional Cardiology and CTS recommended conservative management with medical optimization (Continue DAPT, heparin);, watchful waiting for the thrombus to resorb. Left main coronary artery thrombosis (LMCAT); identified during coronary angiography is a rare and challenging condition. It is a life threatening condition with an approximate incidence rate of 0.8 percent . It is thought to be secondary to plaque rupture with subsequent thrombus formation that is associated with persistent hypercoagulable state, cocaine induced plaque rupture or coronary vasospasm, post-partum state and embolization of intra-cardiac masses. The patient presentation can vary from sudden cardiac death to STEMI, NSTEMI, unstable angina and cardiogenic shock. Standardized therapy has not been developed due to the small number of reported cases.
28414581 This study examines the relation between perceived cognitive and physical threat after a cancer diagnosis and posttraumatic growth (PTG). In total, 169 breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer survivors completed questionnaires. Hierarchical regression models found after controlling for demographic and medical variables, depression, anxiety, and perceived threat account for 41.8% of the variance of positive cognitive processing, and these variables along with positive cognitive processing accounted for 42.7% of the variance of PTG. Positive cognitive processing mediated the pathways between perceived physical threat and PTG. Cognitive processing appears to play a key role in the emergence of PTG following cancer. By exploring survivors' cognitions and perceived threat, psychosocial providers may help cancer survivors cultivate PTG.
28414517 As Internet use grows, so do the benefits and also the risks. Thus, it is important to identify when individuals' Internet use is problematic. In the present study, 449 participants aged from 16 to 71 years of age were sourced from a wide range of English-speaking Internet forums, including social media and self-help groups. Of these, 68.9% were classified as nonproblematic users, 24.4% as problematic users, and 6.7% as addictive Internet users. High use of discussion forums, high rumination levels, and low levels of self-care were the main contributing factors to Internet addiction (IA) among adolescents. For adults IA was mainly predicted through engagement in online video gaming and sexual activity, low email use, as well as high anxiety and high avoidant coping. Problematic Internet users scored higher on emotion and avoidance coping responses in adults and higher on rumination and lower on self-care in adolescents. Avoidance coping responses mediated the relationship between psychological distress and IA. These findings may assist clinicians with designing interventions to target different factors associated with IA.
28414492 The current scientific measures of posttraumatic changes in the wake of major stressors have mostly been unidirectional. This study is an attempt to develop a scale that will capture the continuum of positive to negative psychological changes after trauma.Forty-five statements were presented to a veteran sample (N = 4,053) with the request to report for each item their experiences of negative, positive, or no posttraumatic changes as a result of their deployment to Afghanistan. Principal component analysis brought out 4 dimensions; 26 nonoverlapping items that had correlations above .40 were selected for the final version of the scale. The 4 dimensions were given the following designations: Self-Confidence, Interpersonal Involvement, Awareness, and Social Adaptability. Most veterans reported positive changes (36.8-80.8%) whereas a minority reported negative changes (4.5-22.0%). The total scale score correlated negatively with measures of depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, and posttraumatic stress symptoms. The posttraumatic change scale (PTCS) demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties and captured the range from negative to positive posttraumatic changes after major stress. Contrary to several previous studies, positive posttraumatic change, as measured by the PTCS, was not associated with increased symptoms of psychopathology. This underscores the heterogeneity of psychological responses to traumatic events. (PsycINFO Database Record
28414478 Explicit instructions regarding stimulus-threat associations increase acquisition and extinction of fear in healthy participants. The current study aimed to investigate the effect of contingency instructions on fear acquisition and extinction in patients with anxiety disorders. Patients with various anxiety disorders (N = 104) and healthy comparison participants (N = 93) participated in a differential fear conditioning task (within-subjects design). Approximately halfway through the acquisition phase, participants were instructed about the stimulus-threat association, and approximately halfway through the extinction phase, participants were informed that the unconditioned stimulus (US) would no longer be administered. Outcome measures were: fear-potentiated startle, skin conductance, fearfulness ratings, and US expectancy ratings. Patients demonstrated overall increased physiological and subjective fear responses during acquisition and extinction phases, relative to the comparison group. There were no major differences in fear acquisition and extinction between patients with different anxiety disorders. During acquisition, instructions led to increased discrimination of fear responses between a danger cue (conditioned stimulus [CS]+) and safety cue (CS-) in both patients and comparison participants. Moreover, instructions strengthened extinction of fear responses in the patient and comparison group. Patients and healthy comparison participants are better able to discriminate between danger and safety cues when they have been explicitly informed about cues that announce a threat situation. Considering the analogies between fear extinction procedures and exposure therapy, this suggests that specific instructions on stimulus-threat associations during exposure therapy might improve short-term treatment efficacy. The question remains for future studies whether instructions have a positive effect on extinction learning in the longer term. (PsycINFO Database Record
28414471 The current study investigated the dynamic interplay of career decision ambiguity tolerance and career indecision over 3 assessment times in a sample of college students (n = 583). While the previous research has repeatedly shown an association of career decision ambiguity tolerance with career indecision, the direction of this association has not been adequately assessed with longitudinal investigation. It was hypothesized in this study that there is a reciprocal pattern of career decision ambiguity tolerance leading to subsequent career indecision and career indecision leading to subsequent career decision ambiguity tolerance. Using a cross-lagged panel design, this study found support for the reciprocal pattern that aversion to ambiguity led to increased negative affect and choice anxiety in career decision making, while negative affect and choice anxiety led to increased aversion to ambiguity. Additionally, this study revealed that aversion led to decreased readiness for career decision making and readiness for career decision making led to increased interests in new information. The key findings were discussed with respect to the theoretical and clinical implications for career counseling along with limitations and suggestions for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record
28414249 To analyse the possible presence of reduced cognitive efficiency in family caregivers of patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness (DOC).The participants were 27 caregivers of 25 patients with DOC admitted to the severe brain injury units of the ICS Maugeri, Institutes of Telese Terme and Sciacca, Italy. We examined cognitive functions such as short- and long-term memory, executive functions and attention by means of standardized tests. We also assessed features of psychological distress such as anxiety, depression, psychophysiological symptoms, prolonged grief disorder, psychological burden and quality of life. All scores on neuropsychological tests were compared with those of the 15 matched control subjects. Enrolled family caregivers showed high frequency of clinically relevant depressive symptoms and anxiety; half of them met the criteria for prolonged grief disorder. Caregivers achieved scores lower than the matched controls on tests for selective attention, verbal fluency and long-term spatial memory. Family caregivers' burden is associated with a reduced efficiency of selected executive measures and visuospatial learning. These results emphasize the need for appropriate psychological and cognitive supporting therapies for family caregivers of patients with DOC, also considering their delicate involvement in clinical decision-making and in providing care.
28414073 Physiological and affective condition can be modulated by the social environment and parental state in mammals. However, in species in which males assist with rearing offspring, the metabolic and affective effects of pair bonding and fatherhood on males have rarely been explored. In this study we tested the hypothesis that fathers, like mothers, experience energetic costs as well as behavioral and affective changes (e.g., depression, anxiety) associated with parenthood. We tested this hypothesis in the monogamous, biparental California mouse (Peromyscus californicus). Food intake, blood glucose and lipid levels, blood insulin and leptin levels, body composition, pain sensitivity, and depression-like behavior were compared in males from three reproductive groups: virgin males (VM, housed with another male), non-breeding males (NB, housed with a tubally ligated female), and breeding males (BM, housed with a female and their first litter). We found statistically significant (P<0.007, when modified for Adaptive False Discovery Rate) or nominally significant (0.007 .05), and differed for all cognitive variables (p < .05). Using the median split approach, greater apathy and lower depression were associated with poorer awareness on the Self-Consciousness Scale (respectively: odds ratio [OR] = 4.8, p = .03; OR = 4.84, p = .04), and the PCRS (only apathy: OR = 9.3, p = .003). Greater apathy plus lower depression were associated with poorer awareness in both scales (PCRS: OR = 40.5, p = .005; Self-consciousness scale: OR = 28, p = .012). These results evidence comparable awareness between AD and MCI patients. The correlates were more affective and behavioral than cognitive, independently from assessment method.
28413671 Paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis (PLE) is a rare disorder infrequently accompanying malignancy, coexisting in ~50% of the cases with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). The pathomechanism of PLE is considered to be immune-mediated, with production of specific anti-Hu antibodies and activation of T-cells directed against onconeural antigens present on both tumor cells and neurons. We herein report the case of a 50-year-old male patient who, prior to being diagnosed with SCLC, presented with typical symptoms of PLE (seizures, subacute cognitive dysfunction with severe memory impairment, anxiety and hallucinations). The initial brain magnetic resonance imaging examination revealed mild enlargement and hyperintensity of the hippocampal gyri bilaterally, with narrowed temporal horns of the lateral ventricles; the findings of the cerebrospinal fluid examination were compatible with the diagnosis of lymphocytic meningitis. Due to the suspected infectious origin of the disease, treatment with acyclovir and antibiotics was initially applied. However, following subsequent diagnosis of the underlying SCLC and the presence of antineuronal anti-Hu antibodies in the patient's serum, the diagnosis of PLE accompanying extensive-disease (ED) SCLC was confirmed. In addition to the standard cytotoxic therapy, throughout the course of his disease the patient also continued treatment with valproic acid (VPA) as prophylaxis for the initial seizures. VPA is known to be a potent histone deacetylase inhibitor that may reverse epigenetic changes in tumor cells and potentially improve the outcome of cancer patients. The patient succumbed to the disease 25 months after the diagnosis of malignancy; such a long course is observed in only ~5% of patients with ED SCLC. Therefore, it was hypothesized that the accompanying paraneoplasia and treatment with VPA may have improved the outcome in this patient.
28413325 Panax vietnamensis Ha et Grushv. or Vietnamese ginseng (VG) is a recently discovered ginseng species. Studies on its chemical constituents have shown that VG is remarkably rich in ginseng saponins, particularly ocotillol saponins. However, the psychopharmacological effects of VG have not been characterized. Thus, in the present study we screened the psychopharmacological activities of VG in mice.VG extract (VGE) was orally administered to mice at various dosages to evaluate its psychomotor (open-field and rota-rod tests), sedative-hypnotic (pentobarbital-induced sleeping test), antistress (cold swimming test), anxiolytic (elevated plus-maze test), and cognitive (Y-maze and passive-avoidance tests) effects. VGE treatment increased the spontaneous locomotor activity, enhanced the endurance to stress, reduced the anxiety-like behavior, and ameliorated the scopolamine-induced memory impairments in mice. In addition, VGE treatment did not alter the motor balance and coordination of mice and did not potentiate pentobarbital-induced sleep, indicating that VGE has no sedative-hypnotic effects. The effects of VGE were comparable to those of the Korean Red Ginseng extract. VG, like other ginseng products, has significant and potentially useful psychopharmacological effects. This includes, but is not limited to, psychomotor stimulation, anxiolytic, antistress, and memory enhancing effects.
28413107 To observe depressive-like behavior and hippocampus monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) changes in burned mice.We tested depression and anxiety like behaviors of burn C57 mice with the sucrose preference test, forced swimming test (FST), open field test and elevated plus maze test and then detected the MAOA content and MAOA gene transcriptional levels in the hippocampus with western blot analysis and real-time quantitative PCR analysis. We then sought to reverse depressive-like behavior of burned mice with an MAOA inhibitor. (1) Mice showed depressive and anxiety like behaviors one week after they were burned; (2) The content of MAOA in the hippocampus of burned mice was significantly higher than that in control mice (P<0.05); (3) MAOA gene transcription in the hippocampus of burned mice was significantly increased (MAOA mRNA was increased, P<0.05); (4) treatment with a MAOA inhibitor (phenelzine) significantly increased the sucrose preference rate and decreased FST immobility time in burned mice, and also decreased elevated expression of MAOA in the hippocampus of burned mice. Burned mice showed "delayed" depressive-like behavior combined with a degree of anxiety; this phenomenon is likely associated with the increase in MAOA expression in the hippocampus.
28413087 Diabetes requires complex self-management routines to prevent the development of functional disability. Relative to people without diabetes, those with diabetes are more likely to have comorbid major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), which also increase the likelihood of functional disability. Social support is associated with positive health outcomes in people with comorbid diabetes and mental disorders and may serve as a buffer against functional disability, though this possibility has yet to be examined.This study examined whether social support moderates the association between MDD or GAD and functional disability in adults with diabetes. Adults with MDD or GAD were expected to report greater disability than those without MDD or GAD. This association was expected to be stronger in people reporting lower social support relative to those reporting higher social support. Data came from the cross-sectional 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health (n = 1764). Diabetes status, social support, and functional disability were assessed via self-report; past-year MDD and GAD were assessed with structured diagnostic interviews. Linear regression analyses, conducted separately for MDD and GAD, indicated main effects of past-year MDD and GAD, such that those with a mental disorder reported greater functional disability than those without a mental disorder. Social support did not moderate the associations between either MDD and functional disability or GAD and functional disability. In this nationally representative population study, both MDD and GAD predicted greater functional disability in adults with diabetes. Social support, however, did not moderate these associations.
28412933 Patients with terminal chronic kidney disease (CKDT) requiring renal replacement therapies (RRT) undergo important changes in living habits and frequently need caregiving. These patients and their caregivers are risk groups for the development of physical and psychological symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of anxiety, depression, stress, fatigue, social support, and quality of life in patients with CKD and their caregivers.This cross sectional study was conducted with 21 patients and their caregivers, from January to September 2015. We included patients aged over 18 years, with at least 6 months on dialysis treatment, and caregivers who were family members. The participants' social, demographic, clinical, laboratory, and psychological variables were evaluated. A descriptive analysis and an examination of the association between patients and caregivers were performed. Among patients, we observed that 38.1% had symptoms that indicated anxiety and depression. The average score for practical social support was 3.15 ± 0.769 and that for emotional social support was 3.16 ± 0.79. As for fatigue, 14.3% of patients reported being 'extremely tired' and 14.3% reported that they engaged in all the activities they usually performed before the illness. Further, 57.1% presented stress, and of these, 66.7% were at the resistance stage, with predominance of psychological symptoms in 60.0%. The quality of life domain in terms of functional capacity (FC) presented a correlation with haemoglobin level (r = 0.581, p = 0.006) and non-anaemic patients presented better FC. Among caregivers, we observed symptoms that indicated anxiety and depression in 33.3% of the sample. Caregivers exhibited an average score of 2.88 ± 0.77 for practical social support and 3.0 ± 0.72 for emotional social support. Further, 14.3% reported being 'extremely tired' and 28.8% reported that they engaged in all activities that they usually performed before the patient's illness. When comparing the two groups (patients vs. caregivers), we observed that they presented similar results for the presence of anxiety, depression, and fatigue. Caregivers received less social support than patients did. Both groups presented similar predominance of stress levels; however, patients presented more predominance of psychological symptoms. With reference to quality of life, patients and caregivers presented similar results on the social aspects, vitality, mental health, and mental domains. The mental health characteristics of patients and caregivers were similar, and within the context of dialysis for renal disease, both must undergo specific interventions.
28412894 A Web-based survey examined treatment seeking among community college students to inform the design of engagement interventions.Veteran and civilian community college students (N=765) were screened for mental disorders and reported perceptions of treatment need, effectiveness, and stigma, as well as service use. Regression analysis identified predictors of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy use. Of the 511 students who screened positive for a current mental disorder or reported a perceived need for treatment (149 veterans and 362 civilians), 30% reported past-year use of psychotropic medications. Predictors were perceived treatment need (odds ratio [OR]=7.81, p<.001) and the perception that psychotropic medications are effective (OR=3.38, p=.012). Eleven percent of participants reported past-year psychotherapy use, and predictors were a positive screen for posttraumatic stress disorder (OR=2.78, p=.04) and poorer financial status. Modifiable barriers, including perceived need for and effectiveness of treatment, were correlated with pharmacotherapy use and should be targeted by engagement interventions.
28412891 Use of administrative data from child welfare (CW) and mental health systems in Los Angeles County provided a unique opportunity to more closely examine mental health needs of children dually served by these systems. This study examined the presence of mental disorders and correlates of receipt of mental health services by diagnostic classification in this population.Data were obtained for 3,191 children receiving services from Los Angeles County's Department of Children and Family Services and Department of Mental Health (DMH) between July 2011 and July 2012. Multivariate linear and logistic regression models examined the relationship between sociodemographic and CW-related characteristics and receipt of outpatient services by clinician-diagnosed mental disorder. Of the 3,191 referred children, 68% met criteria for one of the four diagnostic classifications. Mood disorders were the most common diagnosis (30%), followed by anxiety disorders (20%), behavior disorders (9%), and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (9%). Children with prior DMH involvement received more services regardless of diagnosis. Older children (ages ≥15) received more services than younger children, whereas younger children were more likely to receive family therapy. Race-ethnicity did not play a significant role in predicting service receipt. The unique mental health needs of CW-involved children were exemplified by the differences found in the percentages of children with diagnoses of mental disorders between this sample and children in the general population. Because of family and placement disruptions among CW-involved children, it is important that the provision of individual therapy is not overlooked in favor of family therapy.
28412873 The main hypothesis of the study is that stress associated with repeated immune challenge has an impact on β3-adrenergic receptor gene expression in the brain. Sprague-Dawley rats were intraperitoneally injected with increasing doses of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for five consecutive days. LPS treatment was associated with body weight loss and increased anxiety-like behavior. In LPS-treated animals of both sexes, β3-receptor gene expression was increased in the prefrontal cortex but not the hippocampus. LPS treatment decreased β3-receptor gene expression in white adipose tissue with higher values in males compared to females. In the adipose tissue, LPS reduced peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma, leptin and adiponectin gene expression, but increased interleukin-6 expression, irrespective of sex. Repeated immune challenge resulted in increased concentrations of plasma aldosterone and corticosterone with higher values of corticosterone in females compared to males. Concentrations of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in plasma were unaffected by LPS, while DHEA levels in the frontal cortex were lower in the LPS-treated animals compared to the controls. Thus, changes of DHEA levels in the brain take place irrespective of the changes of this neurosteroid in plasma. We have provided the first evidence on stress-induced increase in β3-adrenergic receptor gene expression in the brain. Greater reduction of β3-adrenergic receptor expression in the adipose tissue and of the body weight gain by repeated immune challenge in male than in female rats suggests sex differences in the role of β3-adrenergic receptors in the metabolic functions. LPS-induced changes in adipose tissue regulatory factors and hormone concentrations might be important for coping with chronic infections.
28412825 Family dinner is a proxy of family connectedness that may affect mental health. The present study aimed to examine the associations of frequency of family dinner with mental disorders and obesity in a nationally-representative sample of Iranian adolescents.A total of 5528 Iranians adolescents aged 10-18 years were enrolled in 2009-2010 in the third survey of a national surveillance program, entitled Childhood and Adolescence Surveillance and Prevention of Adult Non-communicable disease (CASPIAN-III) study. The frequency of family dinner meal was assessed. Mental health assessments were done as part of the World Health Organization-Global School-based Student Health Survey. The odds of having mental disorders and obesity were assessed by logistic regression. No significant difference was found in dietary intake between family dinner consumers (≥5 times (night)/wk) and skippers (<5 times/wk); however, they were more likely to consume breakfast and had higher meal frequency. After controlling for some confounders, dinner consumers had lower odds for all types of mental disorders (OR = 0.55; 95% CI = 0.47-0.64), anxiety (OR = 0.47; 95% CI = 0.4-0.54), insomnia (OR = 0.6; 95% CI = 0.53-0.7), and confusion (OR = 0.7; 95% CI = 0.6-0.86), as well as the body mass index- z score (OR = 0.78; 95% CI = 0.73-0.84). The current study showed an inverse relationship between the frequency of family dinner consuming and mental disorders and obesity in a nationally-representative sample of Iranian adolescents. Such simple recommendations for consuming family dinner for families may be feasible, sustainable, and effective for health promotion and disease prevention.
28412607 Valproate has been used for over 30years as a first-line treatment for epilepsy. In recent years, prenatal exposure to valproate has been associated with teratogenic effects, limiting its use in women that are pregnant or of childbearing age. However, despite its potential detrimental effects on development, valproate continues to be prescribed at high rates in pediatric populations in some countries. Animal models allow us to test hypotheses regarding the potential effects of postnatal valproate exposure on neurobehavioral development, as well as identify potential mechanisms mediating observed effects. Here, we tested the effect of early postnatal (P4-P11) valproate exposure (100mg/kg and 200mg/kg) on motor and affective development in two strains of mice, SVE129 and C57Bl/6N. We also assessed the effect of early valproate exposure on regional BDNF protein levels, a potential target of valproate, and mediator of neurodevelopmental outcomes. We found that early life valproate exposure led to significant motor impairments in both SVE129 and C57Bl/6N mice. Both lines of mice showed significant delays in weight gain, as well as impairments in the righting reflex (P7-8), wire hang (P17), open field (P12 and P21), and rotarod (P25 and P45) tasks. Interestingly, some of the early locomotor effects were strain- and dose-dependent. We observed no effects of valproate on early markers of anxiety-like behavior. Importantly, early life valproate exposure had significant effects on regional BDNF expression, leading to a near 50% decrease in BDNF levels in the cerebellum of both strains of mice, while not impacting hippocampal BDNF protein levels. These observations indicate that postnatal exposure to valproate may have significant, and region-specific effects, on neural and behavioral development, with specific consequences for cerebellar development and motor function.
28412602 The Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Treatment Study II (POTS II) investigated the benefit of serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) augmentation with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Primary outcomes focused on OCD symptom change and indicated benefit associated with a full course of CBT. Given that the majority of youth with OCD suffer from significant comorbid symptoms and impaired quality of life, the current study examined POTS II data for effects on secondary outcomes. Participants were 124 youth ages 7-17 years with a primary diagnosis of OCD who were partial responders to an adequate SRI trial. Participants were randomized to medication management, medication management plus instructions in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), or medication management plus full CBT. Acute effects on non-OCD anxiety, depression, inattention, hyperactivity, and quality of life were examined across treatment conditions. Improvement across treatment was observed for non-OCD anxiety, inattention, hyperactivity, and quality of life. Changes were generally significantly greater in the group receiving full CBT. Child-rated depression was not found to change. OCD-focused treatment lead to improvement in other areas of psychopathology and functioning. For youth who are partial responders to SRI monotherapy, augmentation with full CBT may yield the greatest benefit on these secondary outcomes.
28412588 Identifying high familial breast cancer (FBC) risk improves detection of yet unknown BRCA1/2-mutation carriers, for whom BC risk is both highly likely and potentially preventable. We assessed whether a new online self-test could identify women at high FBC risk in population-based BC screening without inducing anxiety or distress.After their visit for screening mammography, women were invited by email to take an online self-test for identifying highly increased FBC risk-based on Dutch guidelines. Exclusion criteria were previously diagnosed as increased FBC risk or a personal history of BC. Anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Dutch Version), distress (Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale) and BC risk perception were assessed using questionnaires, which were completed immediately before and after taking the online self-test and 2 weeks later. Of the 562 women invited by email, 406 (72%) completed the online self-test while 304 also completed questionnaires (response rate 54%). After exclusion criteria, 287 (51%) were included for data analysis. Median age was 56 years (range 50-74). A high or moderate FBC risk was identified in 12 (4%) and three (1%) women, respectively. After completion of the online self-test, anxiety and BC risk perception were decreased while distress scores remained unchanged. Levels were below clinical relevance. Most women (85%) would recommend the self-test; few (3%) would not. The online self-test identified previously unknown women at high FBC risk (4%), who may carry a BRCA1/2-mutation, without inducing anxiety or distress. We therefore recommend offering this self-test to women who attend population-based screening mammography for the first time.
28412558 Mindfulness is paying attention, non-judgmentally, to experience in the moment. Mindfulness training reduces depression and anxiety and influences neural processes in midline self-referential and lateralized somatosensory and executive networks. Although mindfulness benefits emotion regulation, less is known about its relationship to anger and the corresponding neural correlates. This study examined the relationship of mindful awareness and brain hemodynamics of angry face processing, and the impact of mindfulness training. Eighteen healthy volunteers completed an angry face processing fMRI paradigm and measurement of mindfulness and anger traits. Ten of these participants were recruited from a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) class and also completed imaging and other assessments post-training. Self-reported mindful awareness increased after MBSR, but trait anger did not change. Baseline mindful awareness was negatively related to left inferior parietal lobule activation to angry faces; trait anger was positively related to right middle frontal gyrus and bilateral angular gyrus. No significant pre-post changes in angry face processing were found, but changes in trait mindful awareness and anger were associated with sub-threshold differences in paralimbic activation. These preliminary and hypothesis-generating findings, suggest the analysis of possible impact of mindfulness training on anger may begin with individual differences in angry face processing.
28412557 Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the most effective and rapid treatment for severe major depressive disorder (MDD) in elderly patients. The mechanism of ECT is unclear, and studies on ECT in elderly MDD patients by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging are rare. Thirteen elderly MDD patients were scanned before and after ECT using a 3.0T MRI scanner. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) and amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) were processed to compare resting-state function before and after treatment. Depression and anxiety symptoms of all patients abated after ECT. Decreased ReHo values in the bilateral superior frontal gyrus (SFG) were observed after ECT, and the values of right SFG significantly correlated with an altered Hamilton depression rating scale score. Increased ALFF values in the left middle frontal gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus, orbital part, and decreased ALFF values in the left midcingulate area, left precentral gyrus, right SFG/middle frontal gyrus after ECT were also observed. These results support the hypothesis that ECT may affect the regional resting state brain function in geriatric MDD patients.
28412305 Repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (rmTBI; e.g., sports concussions) is common and results in significant cognitive impairment. Targeted therapies for rmTBI are lacking, though evidence from other injury models indicates that targeting N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor (NMDAR)-mediated glutamatergic toxicity might mitigate rmTBI-induced neurologic deficits. However, there is a paucity of preclinical or clinical data regarding NMDAR antagonist efficacy in the rmTBI setting. To test whether NMDAR antagonist therapy improves outcomes after rmTBI, mice were subjected to rmTBI injury (4 injuries in 4days) and randomized to treatment with the NMDA antagonist memantine or with vehicle. Functional outcomes were assessed by motor, anxiety/impulsivity and mnemonic behavioral tests. At the synaptic level, NMDAR-dependent long-term potentiation (LTP) was assessed in isolated neocortical slices. At the molecular level, the magnitude of gliosis and tau hyper-phosphorylation was tested by Western blot and immunostaining, and NMDAR subunit expression was evaluated by Western blot and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Compared to vehicle-treated mice, memantine-treated mice had reduced tau phosphorylation at acute time points after injury, and less glial activation and LTP deficit 1 month after injury. Treatment with memantine also corresponded to normal NMDAR expression after rmTBI. No corresponding protection in behavior outcomes was observed. Here we found NMDAR antagonist therapy may improve histopathological and functional outcomes after rmTBI, though without consistent corresponding improvement in behavioral outcomes. These data raise prospects for therapeutic post-concussive NMDAR antagonism, particularly in athletes and warriors, who suffer functional impairment and neurodegenerative sequelae after multiple concussions.
28412281 Ample studies have shown that housing can affect the health, welfare and behavior of mice and therefore, the outcomes of certain experiments. The aim of this study was to investigate if three widely used housing systems, Open Top Cages (OTC), Motor Free Ventilated Cages (MFVC) and Individually Ventilated Cages (IVC) may affect exploratory and anxiety-related behaviors in mice. Subjects were 8week-old male C57Bl/6J mice (n=36) divided into three groups, OTC, IVC and MFVC groups, respectively. The experimental procedure consisted of two behavioral tests: the open field and the elevated plus maze test. Although there were no differences in the open field test, the results from the elevated plus maze showed that animals housed in the MFVCs exhibited increased exploratory and less anxiety-like behavior. It is concluded that the different caging systems may have an impact on the outcome of behavioral tests used to assess exploratory and anxiety like behavior in mice. Therefore, it is essential to take into consideration housing conditions when reporting, analyzing, and/or systematically reviewing the results of behavioral testing in mice.
28412142 Early social isolation (SI) produces a variety of emotional, behavioral and cognitive abnormalities. Conversely, environmental enrichment (EE), a complicated social and physical construct, offers beneficial effects on brain plasticity and development. However, whether or not exclusive physical EE is sufficient to reverse the adverse consequences of early SI remains unclear. Here we reported that 1month-old solitary mice housed in the EE for 8weeks corrected spatial cognitive dysfunction, but did not ameliorate social interaction deficits and increased anxiety-like behavior. Pathological analyses revealed that the enriched environment decreased cellular apoptosis, synaptic protein loss, myelination defect and microglial activation in the hippocampus, but not medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of mice housed singly. Moreover, increased nuclear factor-kappaB and interleukin-1β levels, and downregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling pathway were normalized in the hippocampus rather than mPFC of these animals. Our results revealed a brain region-specific effectiveness of physical EE in remediating brain impairment of adolescent SI mice, with a complete reversal of hippocampus-dependent cognitive dysfunctions, but without mitigation of mPFC associated anxiety and social interaction defects. This finding emphasizes the irreplaceable role of social life for the early brain development.
28412141 A history of repeated concussion has been linked to the later development of neurodegeneration, which is associated with the accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau and the development of behavioral deficits. However, the role that exogenous factors, such as immune activation, may play in the development of neurodegeneration following repeated mild traumatic brain injury (rmTBI) has not yet been explored. To investigate, male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered three mTBIs 5days apart using the diffuse impact-acceleration model to generate ∼100G. Sham animals underwent surgery only. At 1 or 5days following the last injury rats were given the TLR4 agonist, lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 0.1mg/kg), or saline. TLR4 activation had differential effects following rmTBI depending on the timing of activation. When given at 1day post-injury, LPS acutely activated microglia, but decreased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines like IL-6. This was associated with a reduction in neuronal injury, both acutely, with a restoration of levels of myelin basic protein (MBP), and chronically, preventing a loss of both MBP and PSD-95. Furthermore, these animals did not develop behavioral deficits with no changes in locomotion, anxiety, depressive-like behavior or cognition at 3months post-injury. Conversely, when LPS was given at 5days post-injury, it was associated acutely with an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokine production, with an exacerbation of neuronal damage and increased levels of aggregated and phosphorylated tau. At 3months post-injury, there was a slight exacerbation of functional deficits, particularly in cognition and depressive-like behavior. This highlights the complexity of the immune response following rmTBI and the need to understand how a history of rmTBI interacts with environmental factors to influence the potential to develop later neurodegeneration.
28412090 The function of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) has been widely investigated in mood disorders based on its role in regulating stress response. Particularly, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) reports have explored pituitary gland (PG) in both bipolar disorder (BD) and major depressive disorder (MDD). In this context, the present review summarizes the results from MRI studies with the final aim of commenting on the presence of common or distinct PG structural alterations between these two disabling illnesses.A bibliographic search on PUBMED of all MRI studies exploring PG volumes in BD and MDD as well as first-degree relatives (RELs) from 2000 up to October 2016 was performed. Following the screening process of the available literature it can be said that a) PG enlargement has been found in both BD and MDD, therefore potentially representing a common neurobiological marker characterizing mood disorders, and b) PG volumes are moderated by age and sex in both illnesses, although the direction and the extent of this moderation are still not fully clear. Few MRI studies with heterogeneous results. These hypotheses must be taken with caution especially because the heterogeneity of the results of the studies reviewed does not allow for a definite answer about the role of PG in affective disorders. Therefore, larger longitudinal studies investigating PG volumes in BD and MDD patients at the early phases of the illness, by considering females and males separately, are needed to further corroborate these findings.
28412052 It was aimed to investigate the relationship between preoperative anxiety and vasovagal symptoms observed during the administration of spinal anesthesia in patients undergoing surgery in the perianal and inguinal regions.The study included patients with planned surgery for inguinal hernia repair, anal fissure, hemorrhoid and pilonidal sinus excision. The study included a total of 210 patients of ASA I-II, aged 18-65 years. Patients were evaluated in respect of demographic characteristics, smoking and alcohol consumption, ASA grade and educational level. Correlations were evaluated between the number of attempts at spinal anesthesia and anesthesia history with vasovagal symptoms and educational level, gender, smoking and alcohol consumption and anesthesia history with anxiety scores. The instant (transient) state anxiety inventory part of the Transient State/Trait Anxiety Inventory (State Trait Anxiety Inventory - STAI) was used to determine the anxiety levels of the participants. Clinical findings of peripheral vasodilation, hypotension, bradycardia and asystole observed during the administration of spinal anesthesia were recorded. Vasovagal incidences during the administration of spinal anesthesia were seen to increase in cases of high anxiety score, male gender, and an absence of anesthesia history. Educational level and the number of spinal needle punctures were not found to have any effect on vasovagal incidents. The determination of causes triggering vasovagal incidents seen during the application of spinal anesthesia, better patient information of regional anesthesia implementations and anxiety relief with preoperative anxiolytic treatment will help to eliminate potential vasovagal incidents.
28412009 The objective of this study was to determine whether listening to music during a session of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) improves patients' pain.A simple, blind randomisation was undertaken of patients with kidney and ureter stones attending an ESWL session of 7,000 waves for the first time, between September and December 2014. One group was given music and the other was not. The age, gender, location of stones (kidney/ureter) were recorded and 2questionnaires: pre ESWL (questionnaire A) and postESWL (questionnaire B). Each questionnaire contained a question about anxiety and another question on pain on the Likert scale (0-10). Questionnaire B also had a question on satisfaction and comfort (Likert 0-10). Other variables included heart rate, respiratory rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure on wave 2,000, 5,000 and 7,000, reason for halting the procedure, total pethidine (mg), secondary analgesia, energy (J) and frequency (Hz). Bivariate analysis using the Student's t-test, X2/Fisher test and a multiple linear regression model. The sample comprised 95 patients, with a mean age of 52 (±13) years, 35 (36.84%) females, 60 (63.2%) males. A total of 25 (26.3%) ureter stones and 70 (73.7%) kidney stones. A number of 42 (44.2%) patients were given music. There were no differences between the demographic variables or questionnaire A scores. Satisfaction and pain were better on questionnaire B with music. Music can reduce pain and improve patient satisfaction in ESWL treatment. More studies are required to confirm this effect.
28411960 Caring for coronary artery bypass (CABG) surgery patients can be challenging. No studies have explored caregiver burden by age and gender.To describe age and gender-specific concerns, needs and strategies during the first 3 months. Themes for burden concerns, needs and strategies were derived from interviews of 32 CABG caregivers using constant comparative analysis. Age-specific themes related to motivating exercise (<70), applying support hose, and self-reliance (>70). Gender-specific themes related to incision worries and transportation (all females); regulating blood sugars, vital sign anxiety, hurrying back, reinforcing healthy behaviors, and being there (females <70); meal planning, coordinating appointments, and anger over self-care reminders (females >70); caregiver relief, inconsistent information, and doing it all (all males); upsetting scars (males <70), and lost sleep (male >70). Future research should validate concerns in diverse samples so interventions can be targeted to support male and female caregivers by age groups.
28411772 Building a strong therapeutic alliance with the patient is of utmost importance in the management of psychocutaneous disease. Optimal management of psychocutaneous disease includes both pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. This article reviews psychotropic medications currently used for psychocutaneous disease, including antidepressants, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and anxiolytics, with a discussion of relevant dosing regimens and adverse effects. Pruritus management is addressed. In addition, basic and complex forms of psychotherapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and habit-reversal training, are described.
28411577 The present study aimed to examine (a) the relative contribution of perceived parental child-rearing behaviors and attachment on anxiety and depressive symptoms, and (b) the role of attachment as a possible mediator of the association between parental rearing and anxiety and depression. A sample of 1002 children (aged 9-12 years) completed a booklet of self-report questionnaires measuring parental rearing behaviors, attachment towards peers, and DSM anxiety and depressive disorder symptoms. We found that parental aversiveness, parental neglect, and fearful/preoccupied attachment, each accounted for a significant amount of the variance in both anxiety and depressive symptoms. In addition, parental overcontrol was found to account for unique variance in anxiety whereas communication/warmth accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in depression. A relevant finding was that fearful/preoccupied attachment was found to mediate the association between parental rearing behaviors and both anxiety and depression. Parental rearing behaviors and attachment to peers may act as risk factors to the development and/or maintenance of anxiety and depressive symptomatology in children. Findings may contribute to outline preventive and/or treatment programs to prevent or reduce both clinical anxiety and depression during childhood.
28411517 Although psychiatric issues following epilepsy surgery are now widely recognized as a major problem, actual awareness of these issues by epilepsy centers remains to be elucidated. This is the first known report regarding the use of psychiatric assessments and interventions by epilepsy centers throughout Japan.At the beginning of 2016, we sent a questionnaire regarding psychiatric assessments performed before and after epilepsy surgery, psychiatric intervention after surgery, and future plans for dealing with psychiatric issues in relation to epilepsy surgery, which consisted of a total of 24 items, to all members of the Japan Epilepsy Center Association (JEPICA). Nearly all major epilepsy centers in Japan are included in JEPICA, which had 31 members in 2016. Twenty-four (77%) of the 31 centers responded to the questionnaire. Seventeen (70.8%) centers answered that a psychiatrist was incorporated as part of their epilepsy surgery unit. In addition, 17 (70.8%) noted that psychiatric assessments were obtained prior to surgery, which were performed by psychiatrists in 8 (33.3%) centers and psychologists in 11 (45.8%). In 23 (95.8%) of the centers, the risk of occurrence of psychiatric illness following surgery was routinely explained prior to surgery, at least to surgical candidates with high susceptibility. In total, cases of psychiatric illness following surgery had been experienced in 16 (66.7%) centers, with depression as the most commonly encountered (41.7%), followed by anxiety (33.3%), psychosis (25.0%), and psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (8.3%). Strong points of epilepsy centers in Japan include serious concern regarding post-surgical psychiatric illness by nearly all members of JEPICA and explanation of the risk of psychiatric adverse events provided beforehand to their patients. On the other hand, the small size of some epilepsy centers, along with lack of a standardized method for evaluation of psychiatric symptoms as well as dependence on the individual willingness of psychiatrists assigned as members of the epilepsy units, seem to have led to significant diagnostic and therapeutic gaps among epilepsy centers regarding psychiatric issues related to epilepsy surgery.
28411408 The persistence of risky behaviors while driving and traffic accidents despite campaigns to increase awareness suggest that there may be underlying causes that maintain proneness to traffic violations. The aim of the current study was to assess: a) the prevalence of psychopathology in a sample of people who have lost their driving license due to former traffic violations and b) the discriminatory capacity of each psychopathological disorder to differentiate among people with high and low proneness to perform risky behaviors while driving.383 participants in a course to recover their driving license after its loss due to previous traffic violations were included. The International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.) according to DSM-IV was used to assess psychopathology. Between 67% and 76.2% of the participants had been affected by a lifetime psychopathological disorder until the moment of assessment. The most prevalent diagnoses were substance abuse including alcohol (52.5-62.7%), ADHD (19.7-28.5%), depression (7.9-14.4%) and anxiety (3.6-12.4%). Substance abuse and ADHD also showed the strongest set of associations with specific risk behaviors, but ADHD emerged as the most discriminant disorder to distinguish between those people at high and low risk of while driving. The results of the current study suggest that addressing psychopathology explicitly to prevent risky behaviors and recidivism while driving would provide benefits in this area.
28411274 The bidirectional dialogue of the primate posterior orbitofrontal cortex (pOFC) with the amygdala is essential in cognitive-emotional functions. The pOFC also sends a uniquely one-way excitatory pathway to the amygdalar inhibitory intercalated masses (IM), which inhibit the medial part of the central amygdalar nucleus (CeM). Inhibition of IM has the opposite effect, allowing amygdalar activation of autonomic structures and emotional arousal. Using multiple labeling approaches to identify pathways and their postsynaptic sites in the amygdala in rhesus monkeys, we found that the anterior cingulate cortex innervated mostly the basolateral and CeM amygdalar nuclei, poised to activate CeM for autonomic arousal. By contrast, a pathway from pOFC to IM exceeded all other pathways to the amygdala by density and size and proportion of large and efficient terminals. Moreover, whereas pOFC terminals in IM innervated each of the three distinct classes of inhibitory neurons, most targeted neurons expressing dopamine- and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein (DARPP-32+), known to be modulated by dopamine. The predominant pOFC innervation of DARPP-32+ neurons suggests activation of IM and inhibition of CeM, resulting in modulated autonomic function. By contrast, inhibition of DARPP-32 neurons in IM by high dopamine levels disinhibits CeM and triggers autonomic arousal. The findings provide a mechanism to help explain how a strong pOFC pathway, which is poised to moderate activity of CeM, through IM, can be undermined by the high level of dopamine during stress, resulting in collapse of potent inhibitory mechanisms in the amygdala and heightened autonomic drive, as seen in chronic anxiety disorders.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The dialogue between prefrontal cortex and amygdala allows thoughts and emotions to influence actions. The posterior orbitofrontal cortex sends a powerful pathway that targets a special class of amygdalar intercalated mass (IM) inhibitory neurons, whose wiring may help modulate autonomic function. By contrast, the anterior cingulate cortex innervates other amygdalar parts, activating circuits to help avoid danger. Most IM neurons in primates label for the protein DARPP-32, known to be activated or inhibited based on the level of dopamine. Stress markedly increases dopamine release and inhibits IM neurons, compromises prefrontal control of the amygdala, and sets off a general alarm system as seen in affective disorders, such as chronic anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
28411148 ANK3 encodes AnkyrinG (AnkG), a member of the Ankyrin family that is expressed in several different isoforms in many tissues. A unique serine-rich domain and tail domain in the two largest isoforms of AnkG (270 and 480kDa), restrict AnkG to the axon initial segment and nodes of Ranvier of myelinated neurons. At these sites, AnkG is a master regulator, coordinating the strict clustering of components necessary for proper action potential initiation and propagation along the axon. These components include voltage-gated sodium channels, potassium channels and members of the L1 cell adhesion molecule family. Genetic variation in the ANK3 gene has been linked to a range of neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders in human, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorders. Here, we study the effect of reduced expression of the large isoforms of Ank3 on cognition and behaviour using a heterozygous knockout mouse model. In three independent behavioural tests, being the open field test, elevated plus maze and social interaction test, we found evidence for increased anxiety in our Ank3 mouse model. Besides, we observed specific neuroanatomical defects in heterozygous knockout mice, including a smaller cingulate cortex, granular retrosplenial cortex, primary motor cortex and fimbria of the hippocampus.
28411068 Post-operative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a commonly seen postoperative complication in elderly patients and its underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Autophagy, a degradation mechanism of cellular components, is required for cell survival and many physiological processes. Although propofol is one of the most commonly used intravenous anesthetics, investigations into its mechanisms and effects on cognition in aged rodents are relatively scarce. In this study, we evaluate the influence of propofol on learning and memory, and identify the potential role of hippocampal autophagy in propofol-induced cognitive alterations in aged rats. The results demonstrate that 4h propofol exposure significantly impaired cognitive performance through the inhibition of hippocampal autophagy. Diaminodiphenyl sulfone (dapsone, DDS), which was used as an anti-leprosy drug, has been found to have neuroprotective effects. We have previously demonstrated that DDS can improve surgical stress induced depression- and anxiety-like behavior. We therefore aimed to investigate the effects of DDS on propofol-induced cognitive dysfunction and associated hippocampal autophagy responses. Pretreatment with 5mg/kg or 10mg/kg body weight DDS significantly improved the behavioral disorder and upregulated the inhibited autophagic response in aged rats. Our exploration is the first to establish an in vivo link between central autophagy and cognitive dysfunction in aged hippocampus after propofol anesthesia and demonstrate that the prophylactic effect of DDS on the cognitive impairment induced by propofol involves autophagy. These findings may imply a potential novel target for the treatment in patients with propofol anesthesia-induced cognitive impairment.
28410808 The purpose of this article is to explore whether any differences exist between the general population and patient based preferences towards EQ-5D-5L defined hypothetical health states. The article discusses the role of adaptation and self-interest in valuing health states and it also contributes rigorous empirical evidence to the scientific debate on the differences between the patient and general population preferences towards hypothetical health states. Patient preferences were elicited in 2015 with the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire using time trade-off and discrete choice experiment design and compared to the Spanish general population preferences, which were elicited using identical methods. Patients were chosen on a voluntary basis according to their willingness to participate in the survey. They were recruited from patient organisations and a hospital in Madrid, Spain. 282 metastatic breast cancer patients and 333 rheumatoid arthritis patients were included in the sample. The analysis revealed differences in preferences between the general population and patient groups. Based on the results of our analysis, it is suggested that the differences in preferences stem from patients being more able to accurately imagine "non-tangible" dimensions of health states (anxiety or depression, and pain or discomfort) than the general population with less experience in various health states. However, this does not mean that general public values should not be reflected in utilities derived for coverage decision making.
28410477 Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been widely identified as risk factors for increased symptoms of anxiety across the lifespan. Little is known, however, about the processes by which ACEs set the stage for increased symptoms of anxiety in adulthood. The current study evaluated whether emotion dysregulation and psychological resilience influence the association between ACEs and symptoms of anxiety.A sample of adult primary care patients (N=4006) completed self-report measures related to ACEs, symptoms of anxiety, emotion dysregulation, and psychological resilience. A moderated mediation analysis showed that emotion dysregulation mediated the association between ACEs and anxiety symptoms, and that the strength of this effect varied as a function of psychological resilience. Specifically, the influence of ACEs on emotional dysregulation was stronger among individuals with low levels of psychological resilience than among those with high levels of psychological resilience. These findings remained significant when controlling for a range of sociodemographic variables in the model. Cross-sectional designs preclude inferences about causality and self-report data may be susceptible to reporting biases. Other psychological variables that may be relevant to the current results, such as protective factors in childhood, were not assessed. These results have implications for the conceptualization of ACEs, emotion dysregulation, and psychological resilience in etiological models of anxiety. They also highlight the relevance of ACEs, emotion dysregulation, and psychological resilience to the detection, treatment, and prevention of anxiety disorders.
28410476 Anxiety sensitivity cognitive concerns (ASCC), refer to fears of mental catastrophe or losing control over mental processes. Recent findings show that ASCC are related to suicide risk, mood disorders and trauma-related disorders. Using controlled experimental psychopathology paradigms could be one heretofore unutilized method of increasing understanding of ASCC. Our goal was to test fear reactivity to four head-mounted display perceptual illusion challenges designed to bring on feelings of cognitive dyscontrol (i.e., derealization, depersonalization) in a group of high and low anxiety sensitivity cognitive concerns participants.Participants (N=49) with Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 cognitive scores at least 1.5 SD above or below the mean completed four cognitive dyscontrol challenges utilizing head-mounted display technology. Results showed all four challenges successfully elicited high cognitive anxiety symptoms. Consistent with other laboratory challenge studies; high versus low ASCC participants reported comparable cognitive symptoms but reported significantly greater fear. This was an initial proof of concept study designed to examine fear reactivity to cognitive dyscontrol challenges. Therefore, no control exercises were evaluated. The finding that fear reactivity to the laboratory challenges can potentially serve as a viable behavioral correlate of ASCC provides a potentially useful exposure exercise for clients experiencing high levels of ASCC. Given the association between ASCC and severe psychopathology, with further investigation and refinement, such exposure exercises could be integrated into cognitive-behavioral treatments.
28410467 The interpersonal model of loss of control (LOC) eating proposes that interpersonal problems lead to negative affect, which in turn contributes to the onset and/or persistence of LOC eating. Despite preliminary support, there are no data examining the construct validity of the interpersonal model of LOC eating using temporally sensitive reports of social stress, distinct negative affective states, and laboratory energy intake.117 healthy adolescent girls (BMI: 75th-97th %ile) were recruited for a prevention trial targeting excess weight gain in adolescent girls who reported LOC eating. Prior to the intervention, participants completed questionnaires of recent social stress and consumed lunch from a multi-item laboratory test meal. Immediately before the test meal, participants completed a questionnaire of five negative affective states (anger, confusion, depression, fatigue, anxiety). Bootstrapping mediation models were conducted to evaluate pre-meal negative affect states as explanatory mediators of the association between recent social stress and palatable (desserts and snack-type) food intake. All analyses adjusted for age, race, pubertal stage, height, fat mass percentage, and lean mass. Pre-meal state anxiety was a significant mediator for recent social stress and palatable food intake (ps<.05). By contrast, pre-meal state anger, confusion, depression, and fatigue did not mediate the relationship between social stress and palatable food intake (ps>.05). Pre-meal anxiety appears to be the salient mood state for the interpersonal model among adolescent girls with LOC eating. Interventions that focus on improving both social functioning and anxiety may prove most effective at preventing and/or ameliorating disordered eating and obesity in these adolescents.
28410461 The current experiment investigated whether overgeneralization of fear could be due to an inability to perceptually discriminate the initial fear-evoking stimulus from similar stimuli, as fear learning-induced perceptual impairments have been reported but their influence on generalization gradients remain to be elucidated. Three hundred and sixty-eight healthy volunteers participated in a differential fear conditioning paradigm with circles of different sizes as conditioned stimuli (CS), of which one was paired to an aversive IAPS picture. During generalization, each subject was presented with one of 10 different sized circles including the CSs, and were asked to categorize the stimulus as either a CS or as novel after fear responses were recorded. Linear mixed models were used to investigate differences in fear generalization gradients depending on the participant's perception of the test stimulus. We found that the incorrect perception of a novel stimulus as the initial fear-evoking stimulus strongly boosted fear responses. The current findings demonstrate that a significant number of novel stimuli used to assess generalization are incorrectly identified as the initial fear-evoking stimulus, providing a perceptual account for the observed overgeneralization in panic and anxiety disorders. Accordingly, enhancing perceptual processing may be a promising treatment for targeting excessive fear generalization.
28410446 This study focused on patients with bipolar disorder (BD), several years after their participation in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). It aimed at documenting sustained mindfulness practice, perceived long-term benefit from the program, and changes regarded as direct consequences of the intervention.This cross-sectional survey took place at least 2 years after MBCT for 70.4% of participants. It was conducted in two specialized outpatient units for BDs that are part of the Geneva University Hospitals (Switzerland) and the Sainte-Anne Hospital in Paris (France). Eligibility criteria were a diagnosis of BD according to DSM-IV and participation in at least four MBCT sessions. Response rate was 66.4%. The final sample included 71 outpatients (71.8% bipolar I, 28.2% bipolar II). A questionnaire retrospectively assessed patient-perceived change, benefit from MBCT, and current mindfulness practice. Proportions of respondents who practiced mindfulness at least once a week were 54.9% for formal practice (body scan, sitting meditation, mindful walking, or movements) and 57.7% for informal practice (mindful daily activities). Perceived benefit for the prevention of relapse was moderate, but patients acknowledged long-lasting effects and persistent changes in their way of life. Formal mindfulness practice at least once a week tended to be associated with increased long-lasting effects (p = 0.052), whereas regular informal practice and mindful breathing were significantly associated with persistent changes in daily life (p = 0.038) and better prevention of depressive relapse (p = 0.035), respectively. The most frequently reported positive change was increased awareness of being able to improve one's health. Despite methodological limitations, this survey allowed documenting mindfulness practice and perceived sustained benefit from MBCT in patients with BD. Participants particularly valued increased awareness that they can influence their own health. Both informal and formal practices, when sustained in the long term, might promote long-lasting changes.
28410269 Both genetic factors and early life adversity play major roles in the etiology of schizophrenia. Our previous studies indicated that social isolation (SI) during early postnatal development leads to several lasting abnormal behavioral and pathophysiological features resembling the core symptoms of some human neuropsychiatric disorders in mice. The glutamate and dopamine hypotheses are tightly linked to the development of schizophrenia. The cross-talk between glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate acid receptors and dopamine receptors is associated with histidine triad nucleotide binding protein 1 (HINT1), which is correlated with diverse psychiatric disorders. We examined the effects of SI on schizophrenia-like behavior and used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays to investigate the expression levels of HINT1, the NR1 subunit of N-methyl-D-aspartate acid receptor, and dopamine type 2 receptor (D2R) in C57 mice. We found that SI leads to a series of schizophrenia-related deficits, such as social withdrawal, anxiety disorder, cognitive impairments, and sensorimotor gating disturbances. These abnormal phenotypes paralleled changes of HINT1, NR1, and D2R. SI may be considered a robust model of the effects of early life stress on the schizophrenia-related behaviors in mice. Potential interactions among HINT1, NR1, and D2R may underlie the behavioral deficits induced by SI.
28410168 Regular participation in physical activity (PA) is associated with improved physical and psychosocial outcomes in cancer survivors. However, PA levels are low during and after cancer treatment. Interventions to promote PA in this population are needed. PA mobile apps are popular and have potential to increase PA participation, but little is known about how appropriate or relevant they are for cancer survivors.This study aims to (1) assess recruitment, study uptake, and engagement for a publicly available PA mobile app (GAINFitness) intervention in cancer survivors; (2) assess cancer survivors' attitudes towards the app; (3) understand how the app could be adapted to better meet the needs of cancer survivors; and (4) to determine the potential for change in PA participation and psychosocial outcomes over a 6-week period of using the app. The present study was a one-arm, pre-post design. Cancer survivors (N=11) aged 33 to 62 years with a mean (SD) age of 45 (9.4), and 82% (9/11) female, were recruited (via community/online convenience sampling to use the app for 6 weeks). Engagement with the app was measured using self-reported frequency and duration of usage. Qualitative semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted after the 6-week study period and were analyzed using thematic analysis. PA, well-being, fatigue, quality of life (QOL), sleep quality, and anxiety and depression were self-reported at baseline and at a 6-week follow-up using the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ), the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G), the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT)-Fatigue Scale Questionnaire, the Health and Quality of Life Outcomes (EQ5D) Questionnaire, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), respectively. Of the people who responded to the study advertisement, 73% (16/22) agreed to participate and 100% (11/11) of the participants who started the study completed all baseline and follow-up outcome measures and the telephone interview. On average, participants used the app twice a week for 25 minutes per session. Four themes were identified from the qualitative interviews surrounding the suitability of the app for cancer survivors and how it could be adapted: (1) barriers to PA, (2) receiving advice about PA from reliable sources, (3) tailoring the application to one's lifestyle, and (4) receiving social support from others. Pre-post comparison showed significant increases in strenuous PA, improvements in sleep quality, and reductions in mild PA. There were no significant changes in moderate PA or other psychosocial outcomes. All participants engaged with the app and qualitative interviews highlighted that the app was well-received. A generic PA mobile app could bring about positive improvements in PA participation and psychosocial outcomes among cancer survivors. However, a targeted PA app aimed specifically towards cancer survivors may increase the relevance and suitability of the app for this population.
28409716 Gang membership inherently links to violence, and violent experiences strongly relate to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and paranoia. Yet to date, gang members' mental health has received little attention, and their paranoia has not been examined. This study, using established measures, assessed street gang and nongang prisoners' levels of violence exposure, symptoms of PTSD, paranoia, and anxiety, forced behavioral control, and segregation in prison.Participants were 65 (32 gang and 33 nongang) prisoners, recruited using opportunity sampling. Participants provided informed consent and were interviewed individually. Interviews were anonymized to maintain confidentiality. Chi-square and discriminant function analyses were used to compare participants' demographics, segregation levels, mental health symptoms, and to identify predictors of street gang membership. As compared to nongang prisoners, street gang prisoners have higher levels of exposure to violence, symptoms of paranoia, PTSD, anxiety, and forced control of their behavior in prison. Street gang prisoners were not more likely to be segregated, but they were more likely to belong to ethnic minorities. Street gang prisoners were only found to be younger than nongang prisoners, when other variables were controlled for. Mental health deserves more attention in gang research. The implications of findings are that gang membership may undermine members' mental health, and/or that individuals with existing mental health problems may be those attracted to gang membership. Moreover, justice responses, via policies and intervention strategies, need to identify and address the mental health needs in gang member prisoners, if successful rehabilitation of gang members is to be achieved.
28409715 This prospective open effectiveness trial examined symptom change trajectories and rates of remission from depression and anxiety in an intensive multimodal inpatient treatment for adults with serious mental illness (SMI). Patient baseline characteristics were examined as mediators/moderators of treatment response.Adult inpatients with SMI (N = 994) completed an average of 39 days of inpatient treatment. Latent growth curve (LGC) methods were used to model symptom trajectories, estimating expected remission based on individual patterns of change observed across the sample. Absolute reductions in symptoms were substantial, with large effect size improvements for both depression (d = 1.21, 95% CI [1.13, 1.29]) and anxiety (d = 1.13, 95% CI [1.05, 1.21]). For those presenting with elevated depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-Depression ≥ 5.0; 87.5% of the sample), 46.9% evidenced remission from admission to discharge. Among patients presenting with significant anxiety (Patient Health Questionnaire-Generalized Anxiety Disorder Screener ≥ 5.0; 84.5% of the sample), 50.0% evidenced remission from admission to discharge. Mediation analyses revealed that depression and anxiety severity decreased more rapidly with increasing age and initial levels of experiential avoidance. Rates of remission of depression and anxiety were greater than anticipated in this large cohort of adult SMI inpatients and may be related to intensity and length of hospitalization.
28409714 This study investigated how severely depressed individuals experienced the relationship between psychotic symptoms and suicidal ideation and behavior.Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of nine inpatients from a psychiatric university hospital between September 2012 and May 2013 fulfilling diagnostic criteria for a psychotic depressive episode as part of a unipolar or bipolar disorder. Analysis was conducted using systematic text condensation. Participants experienced (1) being directed to perform impulsive potentially fatal actions, (2) feeling hounded to death, (3) becoming trapped in an inescapable darkness, and (4) being left bereft of mental control. They described how impulsivity directed by delusions and hallucinations resulted in unpredictable actions with only moments from decision to conduct. Suicide was seen as an escape not only from life problems but also from psychotic experiences and intense anxiety. Participants reported being in a chaotic state, unable to think rationally or anticipate the consequences of their actions. Their ability to identify and communicate psychotic symptoms and suicidal ideation and behavior was compromised, leaving them to struggle alone with these terrifying experiences. Suicide risk assessments based on verbal reports from individuals with psychotic depression may not always be valid due to potential impulsivity and underreporting of suicidal ideation. It may be important for clinicians to explore the delusional content of such patients' experiences to assess the possibility of suicide as a result of shame, guilt, remorse, or altruistic intentions to save others from harm.
28409538 We compared the prevalence of menopause symptoms between women living with HIV to their HIV-negative peers and determined predictors of severe menopause symptoms in Jos, Nigeria. This descriptive cross-sectional study included 714 women aged 40-80 years. We compared prevalence and severity of menopause symptoms using the menopause rating scale (MRS). Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of severe symptoms. Six-hundred and seven (85.0%) were HIV-positive, with a mean duration of infection of 5.6 ± 2.7 years. The mean age of the cohort was 46 ± 5 years. The most prevalent menopause symptoms were hot flushes (67.2%), joint and muscle discomfort (66.2%), physical/mental exhaustion (65.3%), heart discomfort (60.4%), and anxiety (56.4%). The median MRS score was higher for HIV-positive compared to HIV-negative women (p = 0.01). Factors associated with severe menopause symptoms included HIV-positive status (aOR: 3.01, 95% CI: 1.20-7.54) and history of cigarette smoking (aOR: 4.18, 95% CI: 1.31-13.26). Being married (aOR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.32-0.77), premenopausal (aOR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.39-0.94), and self-reporting good quality of life (aOR: 0.62. 95% CI: 0.39-0.98) were protective against severe menopause symptoms. We found HIV infection, cigarette smoking, quality of life, and stage of the menopause transition to be associated with severe menopause symptoms. As HIV-positive populations are aging, additional attention should be given to the reproductive health of these women.
28409529 This study was performed with the objective of determining hopelessness and perception of illness in cancer patients. This was a descriptive and regressional study. The study was performed between January and June 2014 on 105 outpatients at the oncology clinic of Manisa Government Hospital in Turkey's western. A patient information form, the Beck Hopelessness Scale, and the illness perception questionnaire were used to collect data, and data analysis was performed using the program Statistical Package for Social Sciences 15.0. Percentages, t test, Kruskal-Wallis, one-way analysis of variance, and Pearson correlation were used in the evaluation of research data. The hopelessness levels of cancer patients participating in the study were at a medium level. As patients' scores on the hopelessness scale and its subscales increase, so their illness perception scores also increase. The hopelessness levels of patients whose illness perception was good were lower; that is, as patients' hopelessness levels fell, their illness perceptions and view of their illness were affected in a positive way.
28409490 Psoriasis has been associated with psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety, but its relationship with suicidality (including suicide, suicide attempt, and suicidal ideation) is unclear.Our objective was to assess the risk of suicide, suicide attempt, suicidal ideation, and suicidality in people with psoriasis. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies examining the risk of suicide, suicide attempt, suicidal ideation, and suicidality in people with psoriasis. We searched the Cochrane Library, PubMed, and EMBASE from inception to 24 March 2017. Two authors independently selected studies, assessed the quality of included studies, and extracted data. Any disagreement was resolved by discussion with a third author. Five population-based cohort studies were included and considered to be of high quality. We found no increase in the risk of suicide (risk ratio [RR] 1.13; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.87-1.46), suicide attempt (RR 1.25; 95% CI 0.89-1.75), or suicidality (RR 1.26; 95% CI 0.97-1.64) among people with psoriasis. In the stratified analysis, we also found no increase in suicide, suicide attempt, and suicidality among people with either severe or mild psoriasis. The available limited, very low-quality evidence does not support an association between psoriasis and suicidal thought and behavior. Further studies that provide data for different age and sex groups are needed to clarify whether a subgroup of patients with psoriasis has an elevated risk of suicidality.
28409361 Although anxiety is frequently reported in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), existing anxiety scales are often psychometrically inappropriate for this population. This study examined the internal structure, reliability, convergent and discriminant validity of the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale-Parent Report (SCAS-P; Spence 1999) in 238 school-aged children with ASD. While confirmatory factor analysis did not support the original six-correlated-factor structure, structural support as well as acceptable internal consistency and convergent validity was found for Generalized Anxiety, Separation Anxiety, Panic, and Agoraphobia subscales. Use of the SCAS-P in its original form for assessment in children with ASD was not supported. However, four subscales showed viability, and may benefit re-analyses of existing SCAS-P data and future scale adaptations for research and clinical purposes.
28409317 Symptom accommodation-behaviors that family members engage in either to prevent or alleviate a loved one's anxiety-is ubiquitous in families with relatives affected by fear-based disorders (FBDs), yet little research has examined the extent to which certain psychological factors predict symptom accommodation. The current study examined several potential predictors (e.g., empathic concern) among co-residing relatives of individuals diagnosed with FBDs. Participants (n = 53) completed a series of clinical interviews and self report measures. Results indicated that accommodation occurred to similar degrees across relatives with various relationships to the individual with a FBD, as well as across different FBDs. Further, the predictors jointly explained a significant amount of variance in accommodation; although, no single construct emerged as a unique predictor. Empathic concern and expressed emotion emerged as marginally significant predictors of symptom accommodation. Conclusions, limitations, and future directions are discussed.
28409284 Enteral nutrition is effective in ensuring nutritional requirements and growth. However, when tube feeding lasts for a longer period, it can lead to tube dependency in the absence of medical reasons for continuation of tube feeding. Tube-dependent children are unable or refuse to start oral activities and they lack oral skills. Tube dependency has health-, psychosocial-, and economy-related consequences. Therefore, the transition to oral feeding is of great importance. However, this transition can be very difficult and needs a multidisciplinary approach. Most studies for treatment of tube dependency are based on behavioral interventions, such as family therapy, individual behavior therapy, neuro-linguistic programming, and parental anxiety reduction. Furthermore, oral motor therapy and nutritional adjustments can be helpful in tube weaning. The use of medication has been described in the literature. Although mostly chosen as the last resort, hunger-inducing methods, such as the Graz-model and the Dutch clinical hunger provocation program, are also successful in weaning children off tube feeding.The transition from tube to oral feeding is important in tube-dependent children but can be difficult. We present an overview for the prevention and treatment of tube dependency. What is known: • Longer periods of tube feeding can lead to tube dependency. • Tube weaning can be very difficult. What is new: • Weaning as soon as possible and therefore referral to a multidisciplinary team are recommended. • An overview of treatment options for tube dependency is presented in this article.
28409168 Anxiety and depression during the pregnancy period are among the factors affecting the pregnancy undesirable outcomes and delivery. One way of controlling anxiety and depression is mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficiency of mindfulness based on the Islamic-spiritual schemas and group cognitive behavioral therapy on reduction of anxiety and depression in pregnant women.The research design was semi-experimental in the form of pretest-posttest using a control group. Among the pregnant women in the 16th to 32nd weeks of pregnancy who referred to the health center, 30 pregnant women with high anxiety level and 30 pregnant women with high depression participated in the research. Randomly 15 participants with high depression and 15 participants with high anxiety were considered in the intervention group under the treatment of mindfulness based on Islamic-spiritual schemes. In addition, 15 participants with high scores regarding depression and 15 with high scores in anxiety were considered in the other group. .The control group consisted of 15 pregnant women with high anxiety and depression. Beck anxiety-depression questionnaire was used in two steps of pre-test and post-test. Data were analyzed using SPSS, version 20, and P≤0.05 was considered as significant. The results of multivariate analysis of variance test and tracking Tokey test showed that there was a significant difference between the mean scores of anxiety and depression in the two groups of mindfulness based on spiritual- Islamic scheme (P<0.001) and the group of cognitive behavioral therapy with each other (P<0.001) and with the control group(P<0.001). The mean of anxiety and depression scores decreased in the intervention group, but it increased in the control group. Both therapy methods were effective in reduction of anxiety and depression of pregnant women, but the effect of mindfulness based on spiritual- Islamic schemes was more.
28408928 Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate stress, anxiety, and salivary alpha-amylase (SAA) activity in patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS). The impact of this disease on the life quality was also evaluated. Design. Twenty-two patients with RAS and controls, matched by sex and age, were selected. Stress and anxiety were assessed using Lipp's Inventory of Stress Symptoms and Beck Anxiety Inventory. Life quality was assessed through the World Health Organization Quality of Life-bref (WHOQOL-BREF) and the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14). Saliva samples were collected in the morning and afternoon and the SAA activity was analyzed by enzymatic kinetic method. Results. No significant difference was observed between the groups regarding the SAA activity (p = 0.306). Patients with RAS had higher scores of anxiety (p = 0.016). The scores of WHOQOL-BREF were significantly lower in patients with RAS. The values obtained through OHIP-14 were significantly higher in these patients (p = 0.002). Conclusion. RAS negatively affects the life quality. Patients with the disease have higher levels of anxiety, suggesting its association with the etiopathogenesis of RAS.
28408894 There is a paucity of longitudinal investigations of gambling behavior in the transition from adolescence to emerging adulthood. We conducted a longitudinal investigation of the associations and patterns of change between mental health symptoms and gambling behavior. A representative sample of Norwegians completed questionnaires containing demographic, mental health, and gambling measures at age 17 (N = 2055), and at ages 18 (N = 1334) and 19 (N = 1277). Using latent class analysis, three classes of gambling behavior were identified: consistent non-gambling (71.1%), consistent non-risk gambling (23.8%), and risky-and-problem gambling (5.1%). Being male, showing higher physical and verbal aggression and having more symptoms of depression were associated with greater odds of belonging to the risky-and-problem gambling class at age 17. Overall, the risky-and-problem gambling class had the highest physical and verbal aggression, anxiety, and depression at 19 years. Our findings elucidate the reciprocal relationship between mental health and gambling behavior in the transition from adolescence to emerging adulthood, and the importance of recognizing these factors in designing targeted interventions.
28408833 The purpose of this study was to analyze the efficacy of an Internet-based program for depressive symptoms using automated support by information and communication technologies (ICTs) and human support.An Internet-based program was used to teach adaptive ways to cope with depressive symptoms and daily problems. A total of 124 participants who were experiencing at least one stressful event that caused interference in their lives, many of whom had clinically significant depressive symptoms, were randomly assigned into either an intervention group with ICT support (automated mobile phone messages, automated emails, and continued feedback through the program); an intervention group with ICT support plus human support (brief weekly support phone call without clinical content); or a waiting-list control. At pre-, post-, and 12-month follow-up, they completed depression, anxiety, positive and negative effect, and perceived stress measures. Results were analyzed using both intention-to-treat and completers data. The majority were women (67.7%), with a mean age of 35.6 years (standard deviation =9.7). The analysis showed that the two intervention groups improved significantly pre- to posttreatment, compared with the control group. Furthermore, improvements were maintained at the 12-month follow-up. Adherence and satisfaction with the program was high in both conditions. The Internet-based program was effective and well accepted, with and without human support, showing that ICT-based automated support may be useful. It is essential to continue to study other ICT strategies for providing support.
28408785 Research has examined patterns and correlates of parent/youth informant discrepancies in the reporting of youth anxiety. However, little work has examined whether it is better to conceptualize patterns and correlates of informant disagreement across anxiety broadly, or more useful to consider disagreement on specific symptom clusters. Using data from the Child Adolescent/Anxiety Multimodal Study (CAMS; N = 488; Walkup et al., 2008), the current study applied the most recent recommended analytic strategies to study informant discrepancies and examined differences in the magnitude and patterns of disagreement for: (a) broadband anxiety symptoms, versus (b) symptoms of specific anxiety diagnoses (or anxiety subtypes; e.g., separation, social anxiety). Correlates of informant discrepancies were also examined. Results indicated that there was variability in agreement across anxiety subtypes, with parent/youth agreement higher on separation anxiety and school refusal symptoms relative to other domains. Parental psychopathology was associated with disagreement on broadband anxiety symptoms, such that parental psychopathology was highest when parents reported higher symptoms than their children; however, this finding was largely driven by a relationship between parental psychopathology and disagreement on separation anxiety symptoms. Age was associated with disagreement on total and separation anxiety symptoms. Gender was not associated with disagreement. Clinical implications are discussed.
28408641 Altered gastric accommodation and intestinal morphology suggest impaired gastrointestinal (GI) transit may occur in the Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rat strain, as common in stress-associated functional GI disorders. Because changes in GI transit can alter microbiota composition, we investigated whether these are altered in WKY rats compared with the resilient Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats under basal conditions and characterized plasma lipid and metabolite differences. Bead transit was tracked by X-ray imaging to monitor gastric emptying (4 h), small intestine (SI) transit (9 h), and large intestine transit (12 h). Plasma extracts were analyzed by lipid and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Cecal microbial composition was determined by Illumina MiSeq 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and analysis using the QIIME pipeline. Stomach retention of beads was 77% for WKY compared with 35% for SD rats. GI transit was decreased by 34% (9 h) and 21% (12 h) in WKY compared with SD rats. Excluding stomach retention, transiting beads moved 29% further along the SI over 4-9 h for WKY compared with SD rats. Cecal Ruminococcus, Roseburia, and unclassified Lachnospiraceae genera were less abundant in WKY rats, whereas the minor taxa Dorea, Turicibacter, and Lactobacillus were higher. Diglycerides, triglycerides, phosphatidyl-ethanolamines, and phosphatidylserine were lower in WKY rats, whereas cholesterol esters and taurocholic acids were higher. The unexpected WKY rat phenotype of delayed gastric emptying, yet rapid SI transit, was associated with altered lipid and metabolite profiles. The delayed gastric emptying of the WKY phenotype suggests this rat strain may be useful as a model for gastroparesis.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study reveals that the stress-prone Wistar-Kyoto rat strain has a baseline physiology of gastroparesis and rapid small intestine transit, together with metabolic changes consistent with lipid metabolism-associated dysbiosis, compared with nonstress-prone rats. This suggests that the Wistar-Kyoto rat strain may be an appropriate animal model for gastroparesis.
28408411 Patients with anxiety disorders often experience a relapse in symptoms after exposure therapy. Similarly, threat responses acquired during Pavlovian threat conditioning often return after extinction learning. Accordingly, there is a need for alternative methods to persistently reduce threat responding. Studies in rodents have suggested that exercising behavioral control over an aversive stimulus can persistently diminish threat responses, and that these effects are mediated by the amygdala, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and striatum. In this fMRI study, we attempted to translate these findings to humans. Subjects first underwent threat conditioning. We then contrasted two forms of safety learning: active avoidance, in which participants could prevent the shock through an action, and yoked extinction, with shock presentation matched to the active condition, but without instrumental control. The following day, we assessed subjects' threat responses (measured by skin conductance) to the conditioned stimuli without shock. Subjects next underwent threat conditioning with novel stimuli. Yoked extinction subjects showed an increase in conditioned response to stimuli from the previous day, but the active avoidance group did not. Additionally, active avoidance subjects showed reduced conditioned responding during novel threat conditioning, but the extinction group did not. We observed between-group differences in striatal BOLD responses to shock omission in Avoidance/Extinction. These findings suggest a differential role for the striatum in human active avoidance versus extinction learning, and indicate that active avoidance may be more effective than extinction in persistently diminishing threat responses.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Extinguished threat responses often reemerge with time, highlighting the importance of identifying more enduring means of attenuation. We compared the effects of active avoidance learning and yoked extinction on threat responses in humans and contrasted the neural circuitry engaged by these two processes. Subjects who learned to prevent a shock through an action maintained low threat responses after safety learning and showed attenuated threat conditioning with novel stimuli, in contrast to those who underwent yoked extinction. The results suggest that experiences of active control over threat engage the striatum and promote a shift from expression of innate defensive responses toward more adaptive behavioral responses to threatening stimuli.
28408410 Abnormal epigenetic regulation can cause the nervous system to develop abnormally. Here, we sought to understand the mechanism by which this occurs by investigating the protein complex cohesin, which is considered to regulate gene expression and, when defective, is associated with higher-level brain dysfunction and the developmental disorder Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS). We generated conditional Smc3-knockout mice and observed greater dendritic complexity and larger numbers of immature synapses in the cerebral cortex of Smc3+/- mice. Smc3+/- mice also exhibited more anxiety-related behavior, which is a symptom of CdLS. Further, a gene ontology analysis after RNA-sequencing suggested the enrichment of immune processes, particularly the response to interferons, in the Smc3+/- mice. Indeed, fewer synapses formed in their cortical neurons, and this phenotype was rescued by STAT1 knockdown. Thus, low levels of cohesin expression in the developing brain lead to changes in gene expression that in turn lead to a specific and abnormal neuronal and behavioral phenotype.
28408363 Morbidity before retirement has a huge cost, burdening both public health and workplace finances. Multiple factors increase morbidity such as stress at work, sedentary behavior or low physical activity, and poor nutrition practices. Nowadays, the digital world offers infinite opportunities to interact with workers. The WittyFit software was designed to understand holistic issues of workers by promoting individualized behavior changes at the workplace.The shorter term feasibility objective is to demonstrate that effective use of WittyFit will increase well-being and improve health-related behaviors. The mid-term objective is to demonstrate that WittyFit improves economic data of the companies such as productivity and benefits. The ultimate objective is to increase life expectancy of workers. This is an exploratory interventional cohort study in an ecological situation. Three groups of participants will be purposefully sampled: employees, middle managers, and executive managers. Four levels of engagement are planned for employees: commencing with baseline health profiling from validated questionnaires; individualized feedback based on evidence-based medicine; support for behavioral change; and formal evaluation of changes in knowledge, practices, and health outcomes over time. Middle managers will also receive anonymous feedback on problems encountered by employees, and executive top managers will have indicators by division, location, department, age, seniority, gender and occupational position. Managers will be able to introduce specific initiatives in the workplace. WittyFit is based on two databases: behavioral data (WittyFit) and medical data (WittyFit Research). Statistical analyses will incorporate morbidity and well-being data. When a worker leaves a workplace, the company documents one of three major explanations: retirement, relocation to another company, or premature death. Therefore, WittyFit will have the ability to include mortality as an outcome. WittyFit will evolve with the waves of connected objects further increasing its data accuracy. Ethical approval was obtained from the ethics committee of the University Hospital of Clermont-Ferrand, France. WittyFit recruitment and enrollment started in January 2016. First publications are expected to be available at the beginning of 2017. The name WittyFit came from Witty and Fitness. The concept of WittyFit reflects the concept of health from the World Health Organization: being spiritually and physically healthy. WittyFit is a health-monitoring, health-promoting tool that may improve the health of workers and health of companies. WittyFit will evolve with the waves of connected objects further increasing its data accuracy with objective measures. WittyFit may constitute a powerful epidemiological database. Finally, the WittyFit concept may extend healthy living into the general population.
28408350 Recent reports show that, in patients treated with finasteride for male pattern hair loss, persistent side effects including sexual side effects, depression, anxiety and cognitive complaints may occur. We here explored the psychiatric and andrological features of patients affected by post-finasteride syndrome (PFS) and verified whether the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma levels of neuroactive steroids (i.e., important regulators of nervous function) are modified. We found that eight out of sixteen PFS male patients considered suffered from a DSM-IV major depressive disorder (MDD). In addition, all PFS patients showed erectile dysfunction (ED); in particular, ten patients showed a severe and six a mild-moderate ED. We also reported abnormal somatosensory evoked potentials of the pudendal nerve in PFS patients with severe ED, the first objective evidence of a neuropathy involving peripheral neurogenic control of erection. Testicular volume by ultrasonography was normal in PFS patients. Data obtained on neuroactive steroid levels also indicate interesting features. Indeed, decreased levels of pregnenolone, progesterone and its metabolite (i.e., dihydroprogesterone), dihydrotestosterone and 17beta-estradiol and increased levels of dehydroepiandrosterone, testosterone and 5alpha-androstane-3alpha,17beta-diol were observed in CSF of PFS patients. Neuroactive steroid levels were also altered in plasma of PFS patients, however these changes did not reflect exactly what occurs in CSF. Finally, finasteride did not only affect, as expected, the levels of 5alpha-reduced metabolites of progesterone and testosterone, but also the further metabolites and precursors suggesting that this drug has broad consequence on neuroactive steroid levels of PFS patients.
28408300 The α9α10-subtype of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) has recently garnered interest in biomedicine and is being pursued as an analgesic target. However, the receptor exhibits diverse tissue distribution, the function of which is known to varying degrees, and targeting this receptor for clinical treatments without a broad understanding of its function may have adverse consequences. The α9α10-nAChR is expressed in the adrenal and pituitary glands, suggesting a potential role in the stress response, but little is known about its function in this tissue. Here we determined a role for the α9α10-nAChR in behavioural and physiological stress responses, by comparing the stress- and affect-related phenotypes of wildtype and α9-nAChR knockout mice. Naïve knockout mice exhibited largely normal behaviour on standard tests of affective behaviour. However, after sub-chronic restraint stress knockout mice showed significantly decreased stress-induced arousal and increased anxiety-like behaviour when compared to wildtype animals. Physiologically, corticosterone responses were muted in knockout mice after an acute stressor, but exaggerated in response to the same stressor after undergoing sub-chronic stress. Behavioural profiling of the α9-nAChR knockout mice in the home-cage revealed that circadian patterns of activity were altered when compared to wildtype controls. Furthermore, knockout mice showed altered responses to a period of reward discounting, resulting in anhedonia-like behaviour in a sucrose preference test where WT mice continued to seek reward. These experiments uncover a novel role for the α9α10-nAChR in mounting a normal stress response and in the regulation of affective- and reward-related behaviour, and suggest that pursuing the receptor for clinical treatments may not be as straightforward as has been suggested.
28408299 Chronic social isolation could lead to a disruption in the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, resulting in anxiety and depressive-like behaviors but cycling estrogens could modify these behaviors. The aim of this study was to determine if changes in ovarian hormones during the normal cycle could interact with social isolation to alter anxiety and depressive-like behaviors. In parallel, we examined the expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and synaptic vesicle protein synaptophysin in the hippocampus and hypothalamus of Sprague Dawley normal cycling female rats. We assigned rats to either isolated or paired housing for 8 weeks. To assess anxiety and depressive-like behaviors, we used the open field test and forced swim test, respectively. Female rats were tested at either diestrus, estrus, or proestrus stage of the estrous cycle. After behaviors, rats were perfused and brains collected. Brain sections containing hippocampus and hypothalamus were analyzed using immunohistochemistry for synaptophysin and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) levels. We found an increase in depressive-like behaviors for isolated animals compared to paired housed rats, regardless of the estrous cycle stage. Interestingly, we found a decrease in anxiety behaviors in females in the estrus stage accompanied by a decrease in GR expression in hippocampal DG and CA3. However, no changes in synaptophysin were observed in any of the areas of studied. Our results support the beneficial effects of circulating ovarian hormones in anxiety, possibly by decreasing GR expression.
28408292 Accumulating data from fMRI studies implicate the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) in inhibition of attention to threat distractors that compete with task-relevant goals for processing resources. However, little data is available on the reliability of rACC activation. Our aim in the current study was to examine test-retest reliability of rACC activation over a 12-week period, in the context of a validated emotional interference paradigm that varied in perceptual load. During functional MRI, 23 healthy volunteers completed a task involving a target letter in a string of identical letters (low load) or in a string of mixed letters (high load) superimposed on angry, fearful, and neutral face distractors. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) indicated that under low, but not high perceptual load, rACC activation to fearful vs. neutral distractors was moderately reliable. Conversely, regardless of perceptual load, rACC activation to angry vs. neutral distractors was not reliable. Regarding behavioral performance, ICCs indicated that accuracy was not reliable regardless of distractor type or perceptual load. Although reaction time (RT) was similarly not reliable regardless of distractor type under low perceptual load, RT to angry vs. neutral distractors and to fearful vs. neutral distractors was reliable under high perceptual load. Together, results indicate the test-retest reliability of rACC activation and corresponding behavioral performance are context dependent; reliability of the former varies as a function of distractor type and level of cognitive demand, whereas reliability of the latter depends on behavioral index (accuracy vs. RT) and level of cognitive demand but not distractor type.
28408289 Changes in the expression of the dopamine transporter (DAT), or the sensitivity of dopamine receptors, are associated with aging and substance abuse and may underlie some of the symptoms common to both conditions. In this study, we explored the role of the dopaminergic system in the anxiogenic effects of aging and acute cocaine exposure by comparing the behavioral phenotypes of wild type (WT) and DAT knockout zebrafish (DAT-KO) of different ages. To determine the involvement of specific dopamine receptors in anxiety states, antagonists to D1 (SCH23390) and D2/D3 (sulpiride) were employed. We established that DAT-KO results in a chronic anxiety-like state, seen as an increase in bottom-dwelling and thigmotaxis. Similar effects were produced by aging and acute cocaine administration, both leading to reduction in DAT mRNA abundance (qPCR). Inhibition of D1 activity counteracted the anxiety-like effects associated with DAT deficit, independent of its origin. Inhibition of D2/D3 receptors reduced anxiety in young DAT-KO, and enhanced the anxiogenic effects of cocaine in WT, but did not affect aged WT or DAT-KO fish. These findings provide new evidence that the dopaminergic system plays a critical role in anxiety-like states, and suggest that adult zebrafish provide a sensitive diurnal vertebrate model for elucidating the molecular mechanisms of anxiety and a platform for anxiolytic drug screens.
28408193 Functional somatic syndromes, including chronic fatigue syndrome or irritable bowel syndrome, often co-exist. Treatment guidelines supported by high quality evidence exist for most functional somatic syndromes, but are lacking for multiple comorbid functional somatic syndromes. We aimed to assess the effect of the tricyclic antidepressant, imipramine, in patients with multiple functional somatic syndromes defined by the criteria for multiorgan bodily distress syndrome, a unifying diagnosis that encompasses most functional somatic syndromes and somatoform disorders.Between Jan 30, 2012, and Nov 24, 2014, 138 patients were randomly assigned; 70 to receive imipramine and 68 to receive placebo. The study was completed on May 1, 2015. 125 patients received at least one dose of study drug: 65 received imipramine and 60 received placebo. Treatment was terminated prematurely for eight (12%) patients receiving imipramine and seven (12%) patients receiving placebo. Data were missing for two (3%) patients receiving imipramine and three (5%) patients receiving placebo. Of the 120 patients (96%) who provided primary outcome data, 33 (53%) receiving imipramine reported their overall health status as "better" or "much better" compared with 14 patients (25%) receiving placebo. The improvement after imipramine was significantly greater than after placebo (odds ratio 3·3 [95% CI 1·6-6·8]; p=0·001). Number needed to treat was 3·6 (95% CI 2·3-8·9). Analysis of the worst-case scenario for patients with missing outcome did not change the interpretation of the results. 32 patients (49%) receiving imipramine and 10 patients (17%) receiving placebo had at least one adverse event of moderate intensity (p=0·0001); eight patients (12%) receiving imipramine and three patients (5%) receiving placebo had at least one adverse event of severe intensity (p=0·1496). One patient (1%) receiving placebo experienced a serious adverse event (a subdural haematoma sustained after an accident). Adverse events caused dropout in four patients (6%) receiving imipramine and three patients (5%) receiving placebo. Imipramine treatment compared with placebo significantly improved overall health in patients with multiple functional somatic syndromes when both treatments were supported by regular contacts with clinicians. Adverse events were more common in the imipramine group, but only rarely led to discontinuation of treatment. The Danish Foundation, Trygfonden.
28408072 Nonmedical use of opioids during pregnancy is associated with adverse outcomes for women and infants, making it a prominent target for prevention and identification. Using a nationally representative sample, we determined characteristics of U.S. pregnant women who reported prescription opioid misuse in the past year or during the past month.We used data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2005-2014) in a retrospective analysis. The sample included 8,721 (weighted n = 23,855,041) noninstitutionalized women, ages 12 to 44, who reported being pregnant when surveyed. Outcomes were nonmedical use of prescription opioid medications during the past 12 months and during the past 30 days. Multivariable logistic regression models were created to determine correlates of nonmedical opioid use after accounting for potential confounding variables. Among pregnant women in the United States, 5.1% reported nonmedical opioid use in the past year. In adjusted models, depression or anxiety in the past year was strongly associated with past year nonmedical use (adjusted odd ratio [AOR], 2.15; 95% CI, 1.52-3.04), as were past year use of alcohol (AOR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.11-2.17), tobacco (AOR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.17-2.53), and marijuana (AOR, 3.44; 95% CI, 2.47-4.81). Additionally, 0.9% of U.S. pregnant women reported nonmedical opioid use in the past month. Past year depression or anxiety and past month use of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana each independently predicted past month nonmedical use. Characteristics associated with nonmedical opioid use by pregnant women reveal populations with mental illness and co-occurring substance use. Policy and prevention efforts to improve screening and treatment could focus on the at-risk populations identified in this study.