Depression and Anxiety最新文献

Objectives: Melancholic depression (MD) is a common subtype of major depressive disorder (MDD). It is difficult to treat because its neurobiological basis is poorly understood. Therefore, to investigate whether MD patients have any structural changes in gray matter (GM) and the molecular foundation of these changes, we combined voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis with neurotransmitter system-derived mapping from public data.

Methods: 137 drug-naive MDD patients and 75 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited for structural magnetic resonance imaging. The imaging results were analyzed using VBM analysis. MDD patients were then divided into MD and nonmelancholic depression (NMD) subgroups according to their scores on the Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Next, we analyzed the spatial correlation between the changes in the gray matter volume (GMV) maps and the neurotransmitter receptor/transporter protein density maps provided by the JuSpace toolbox.

Results: Compared to HCs, patients with MD had significant GMV reduction in the bilateral hippocampus, bilateral thalamus, right amygdala, and right posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)/precuneus. Compared to patients with NMD, MD patients had significant GMV reduction in the bilateral PCC/precuneus and lateral occipital cortex. Moreover, compared to HCs, changes in GMV introduced by MD were spatially associated with the serotonin transporter, cannabinoid receptor, and μ-opioid receptor. Compared to NMD patients, changes in GMV introduced by MD were spatially associated with the vesicular acetylcholine transporter.

Conclusion: The present study discovered abnormal GMV alterations in patients with subtypes of depression. We also found a series of neurotransmitter receptors that may be associated with the alterations. The findings of the current study may provide a more comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the structural abnormalities in subtypes of depression and potentially offer new insights into developing new therapeutic strategies.

Social dysfunction is common across psychiatric disorders, including depressive and anxiety disorders. Both disorders have been associated with negative biases in socioaffective neural processing, which may impact responses to social stimuli. This study aims to determine whether social dysfunction across these psychiatric disorders is indeed coupled to altered neural processing of negative and positive valenced emotional stimuli and whether a common neurobiological correlate can be identified. An implicit emotional faces functional magnetic resonance imaging task was used to measure brain activation in response to emotional stimuli in participants with depression (N = 46), anxiety (N = 45), comorbid depressive and anxiety disorders (N = 57), and healthy controls (N = 52). Social dysfunction was indexed using five items of the World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule-2.0 (i.e., perceived social disability) and with the De Jong-Gierveld Loneliness scale (LON; i.e., perceived loneliness). Higher perceived social disability scores were associated with greater brain activation in the left angular gyrus in response to sad emotional faces across all participants but did not correlate with responses to overall negative (sad, angry, and fearful) or positive (happy) emotional faces. No interaction effect of diagnosis was observed for the finding. Perceived loneliness scores did not correlate with brain activation to emotional faces. Taken together, perceived social disability across persons with and without depressive and/or anxiety disorders converges specifically on sad emotional processing of the left angular gyrus, suggesting a potential common neurobiological correlate for social dysfunction.

Background: As a sense of an intense stressor, perceived peer victimization can cause adverse effects on mental health, like depressive symptoms. Yet, little is known about the neurobiological mechanisms underlying how perceived peer victimization causes and maintains depressive symptoms in preadolescence.

Methods: Here we investigate the effects of peer victimization on amygdala subregional functional connectivity in 101 preadolescent migrant children, and their relations to depressive symptoms and potential protective factors of self-esteem and daily cortisol. Further control analyses were conducted to verify whether there are any specific effects in migrant children compared to 54 age-matched preadolescent children from nonmigrant background.

Results: Children with higher perceived peer victimization exhibited greater intrinsic functional connectivity of the amygdala with the middle frontal gyrus extending into the superior frontal gyrus. Perceived peer victimization could account for an indirect association between amygdala hyperconnectivity and depressive symptoms. Moderated mediation analyses revealed that basolateral amygdala connectivity with the superior frontal gyrus acted as a neural marker linking peer victimization and greater risk for depressive symptoms only in preadolescent children with low self-esteem or low daily cortisol.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that considering neurobiological vulnerability and psychophysiological factors may gain a nuanced understanding of the adverse effects of perceived peer victimization on depressive symptoms, a risk for internalizing pathology. This study could inform personalized intervention strategies to prevent or ameliorate depressive symptoms in this disadvantaged population.

Background: Dominant models of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) implicate threat-related attention biases in both the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress symptoms. However, the ability to better understand and modify threat-related attention biases in PTSD has been hampered by the low reliability of attention bias measures more generally.

Methods: The current study adopts a new approach to calculate attention bias from a dot-probe task, response-based attention bias (RB-AB) computation, in a sample of 689 individuals reporting significantly elevated PTSD symptoms who participated in a clinical trial of threat-related attention bias modification training.

Results: RB-AB is a reliable strategy for deriving threat-related attention bias scores that correlate with both PTSD severity and anxiety. On the other hand, scores from the traditional approach were unreliable and not associated with clinical symptoms. Attention training led to reductions in RB-AB indices of attention bias, but not the traditional index, although attention bias training conditions did not appear to moderate these effects.

Conclusions: Taken together, these findings support evidence that threat-related attention biases may be a feature of PTSD and that RB-AB computation is a more reliable and valid approach for studying reaction-time-based attentional processes. Using the RB-AB approach to assess attention bias could allow us to better understand threat-related attention biases in PTSD and to ultimately develop more precise interventions to reduce threat-related attentional biases in PTSD and other disorders.

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a complex condition characterized by persistent depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure, loss of energy or fatigue, and, in severe case, recurrent thoughts of death. Despite its prevalence, reliable diagnostic biomarkers for MDD remain elusive. Identifying peripheral biomarkers for MDD is crucial for early diagnosis, timely intervention, and ultimately reducing the risk of suicide. Metabolic changes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) have been observed in animal models of depression, suggesting that PBMC could serve as a valuable matrix for exploring potential peripheral biomarkers in MDD.

Methods: We performed a transcriptomic analysis of PBMCs from patients with MDD and age- and sex-matched healthy controls (n = 20 per group).

Results: Our analysis identified 270 differentially expressed genes in PBMCs from MDD patients compared to controls, which correlated with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores. These genes are involved in several KEGG pathways, including the herpes simplex virus 1 infection pathway, NOD-like receptor signaling pathway, antigen processing and presentation, and glycerophospholipid metabolism—all of which are linked to various aspects of the immune response. Further machine learning analysis and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) validation identified three key genes—TRPV2, ZNF713, and CTSL—that effectively distinguish MDD patients from healthy controls.

Conclusions: The immune dysregulation observed in PBMCs is closely related to the pathogenesis of MDD. The candidate biomarkers TRPV2, ZNF713, and CTSL, identified and validated through machine learning and qPCR, hold promise for the objective diagnosis of MDD.

Trial Registration: Clinical Trial Registry identifier: ChiCTR2300076589

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) significantly affects the welfare of mothers, infants, families, and communities. Mothers in rural areas often face low incomes, poor social security, low education levels, and inadequate medical services. These specific cultural, social, and economic aspects have led to a worsening of PPD in rural areas. However, the current situation of PPD among women in rural areas of China is still insufficiently explored.

Aim: This study aims to explore the prevalence and risk factors of PPD among women in low-income developing rural areas of China.

Methods: A cross-sectional design was used in this study. Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was applied to evaluate PPD symptoms. General demographic questionnaire, obstetrics-/pediatrics-related questionnaire, and psychosocial-related questionnaire were adopted. Abuse Assessment Screen (AAS) was utilized to assess experienced intimate partner violence during pregnancy and postpartum. Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) was utilized to measure their levels of social support.

Results: Of the 467 participants, the overall prevalence of PPD among women in rural areas of China was 16.5%, and the average EPDS score was 8.35 (SD = 4.50). PPD occurred most frequently at 7–9 months postpartum (33.8%). Six factors associated with PPD were whether the sex of the baby was in line with the family’s expectations, monthly income of partners, social support, IPV during pregnancy and childbirth, and negative life events in the last 1 year, as well as physical and mental exhaustion from caring for a baby.

Conclusions: This study sheds light on the prevalence and various risk factors associated with PPD among women residing in low-income developing rural areas of China. The findings highlighted the need for targeted interventions and support systems designed to address the specific socioeconomic and cultural difficulties encountered by rural mothers.

Background. The global presence of high blood pressure and depression poses a significant public health threat, particularly in emerging nations. High blood pressure and depression are inevitable among the working population of Ghana, and it is crucial to recognize the potential influence of these conditions on the working-age population.

Materials and Methods. The study analyzed the risk factors associated with high blood pressure and depression among the working population of Ghana. The data in this study were drawn from Wave 1 data of the Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE) survey, which was conducted by World Health Organization (WHO) in Ghana from January 2007 to December 2008. A longitudinal survey under the banner of SAGE was conducted. The study used 2681 participants aged 18–60 years. We modeled high blood pressure using logistic regression and depression with the proportional odds model of ordinal logistic regression.

Results. The study revealed that the prevalence of depression among the working-age population was 42.5%, whereas that of high blood pressure was 48.7%. The result also showed that males have a lower risk of developing high blood pressure and depression (OR = 0.851 and OR = 0.658, respectively) compared with females. Also, older adults (40–60 years) have a higher risk of developing high blood pressure and depression (OR = 1.992 and OR = 2.334, respectively) compared with younger adults. Other risk factors associated with high blood pressure include diabetes (2.107), depression, and weight. Last, alcohol intake (1.502), tobacco intake (1.279), and high blood pressure were found to be other risk factors associated with depression.

Conclusion. The prevalence of depression and high blood pressure is high among the working population of Ghana. There is therefore the need to incorporate health awareness programs on these topics.

Background: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) face an increased risk of developing depression and metabolic dysregulation, which can lead to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the relationship between the severity of depression and metabolic dysregulation in patients with T2DM remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate this association using data from the ACCORD-health-related quality of life study.

Methods and Results: Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores and medication regimens were assessed at baseline, 1, 3, and 4 years, and HbA1c, blood pressure, and lipid levels were monitored every 4 months over a 4-year period. The severity of depressive symptoms was categorized as none (0–4 points), mild (5–9 points), or moderate–severe (10–24 points) based on PHQ-9 scores. Among the participants, 62% developed depressive symptoms at some point during the 4-year follow-up period, with 21% experiencing persistent depressive symptoms. Participants with moderate-to-severe depression exhibited 0.18% (0.12, 0.24) higher levels of HbA1c, 1.11 mmHg (95% CI, 0.04, 2.15) of SBP, 0.90 mmHg (95% CI, 0.22,1.58) of DBP, and 2.12(95% CI, −0.03, 4.27) mg/dL of LDL, and 0.97 (95% CI, 0.38, 1.56) mg/dL lower levels of HDL compared to their counterparts without depressive symptoms. Moreover, as the severity of depressive symptoms increased, variability in HbA1c and blood pressure levels also increased. Furthermore, patients with more severe depressive symptoms demonstrated suboptimal adherence to medication regimens.

Conclusion: Our study found a significant association between depressive symptoms severity and metabolic control in T2DM patients. Greater depressive severity correlated with poorer glycemic, blood pressure, and lipid control, alongside increased variability in these parameters. Additionally, patients with severe depressive symptoms showed suboptimal medication adherence. Addressing mental health in T2DM management is crucial to improve metabolic control and reduce CVD risks.

Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00000620

Purposes: This study aims to explore the association between brain structural connectivity and 1-year demoralization in patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer.

Methods: Patients were enrolled from a multicenter longitudinal program named as Be Resilient to Breast Cancer (BRBC) between 2017 and 2019. Brain structural connectivity was assessed with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) at baseline and the demoralization scale II collected self-report data at baseline and 1 year later. A data-driven correlational tractography was performed to recognize significant neural pathways associated with the group membership (increased vs. nonincreased demoralization). The incremental prediction values of Quantitative Anisotropy (QA) extracted from the significant white matter tracts against the group membership were evaluated.

Results: 21.2% (N = 31) reported increased 1-year demoralization. Inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF) was associated with 1-year demoralization in breast cancer. The incremental prediction values of QAs in net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) ranged from 8.11% to 46.89% and 9.12% to 23.95%, respectively, over the conventional tumor-nodal metatasis (TNM) staging model.

Conclusion: Anisotropy in IFOF is a potential prediction neuromarker to 1-year demoralization in patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer.

Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03026374

Loneliness has long been a significant psychosocial problem for migrant children in urban China. In recent years, social changes and enhancements in social welfare equity have lessened the disadvantages faced by these migrant children. The current study investigated the time-trend of loneliness levels among migrant children from 2006 to 2019. A literature search was performed within major Chinese- and English-language databases, and studies that reported the means and standard deviations of Children’s Loneliness Scale (CLS) scores among Chinese migrant children were included in this cross-temporal meta-analysis. Weighted linear regression was conducted to examine the trend of mean CLS scores over the survey year, and Cohen’s d value was calculated to assess the magnitude of change. In total, 40 cross-sectional studies conducted between 2006 and 2019 (published by 2022), consisting of 47 cohorts of migrant children and a total sample size of 17,090, were included. Overall, there was a significant downward trend between the survey year and mean CLS score (unstandardized coefficient [β] = −0.342, P  < 0.001), and Cohen’s d value of this decline from 2006 to 2019 was 0.411. Similar declining time-trends were also observed among subgroups when broken down by sex, school type, and geographic regions (β = −0.182 to −0.589, P  < 0.001, d = 0.222–0.719). The loneliness levels of migrant children in urban China decreased from 2006 to 2019. Nevertheless, sustained measures and inclusive policies are still needed to mitigate the loneliness levels of Chinese migrant children.