Alpha psychiatry最新文献

Objective: Problematic internet use (PIU) is a general behavioral addiction and encompasses various syndromes. Previous research found that traumatic events may potentially influence or alter the propensity for PIU. This study aimed to explore the mediating role of fear of missing out (FOMO) and rumination in the influence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on PIU among Wenchuan earthquake survivors.

Methods: In the fall of 2023, 665 valid participants' responses were selected in this cross-sectional study. The PTSD Checklist (PCL-C), FOMO Scale, Rumination Scale (RRS), and Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2 (GPIUS2) were used to measure participants' internet usage and mental state. Description analysis and structural equation model analysis were examined by using SmartPLS.

Results: PTSD positively influenced FOMO (β = 0.315, p < 0.001), rumination (β = 0.279, p = 0.001), and PIU (β = 0.213, p < 0.001). FOMO (β = 0.08, 95% CI (confidence interval) [0.037, 0.144], p = 0.005) and rumination (β = 0.093, 95% CI [0.032, 0.139], p = 0.002) played a mediating role in the influence of PTSD on PIU. Regarding the relationship between PTSD and PIU, direct and indirect effects comprised 45.6% and 54.4%. PTSD had a positively significant effect on PIU by mediating FOMO and rumination to form a chain mediation model (β = 0.081, 95% CI [0.010, 0.039], p = 0.002).

Conclusions: This study investigated online usage and media psychology among survivors of the Wenchuan earthquake in China. FOMO and rumination were found to be important factors influencing the relationship between PTSD and PIU. To prevent or relieve people's PIU, we propose that medical practitioners and local government intervene on FOMO through effective measures to decrease rumination. The individual differences and specific internet platform usage that influence these psychological variables should also be further investigated in future studies.

Background: Obesity and depressive disorders are significant public health concerns, and their association is well-documented. This study investigates the role of inflammatory markers, specifically C-reactive protein (CRP) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), in mediating the relationship between obesity and depressive symptoms.

Methods: We utilized data from 37,538 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), covering the period from 2005 to March, 2020, pre-pandemic. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), while inflammatory markers were assessed via NLR and CRP levels.

Results: Results indicated a positive correlation between obesity, NLR, and CRP levels, and depressive symptoms. Notably, CRP exhibited a significant mediating effect in the obesity and depressive symptoms link, whereas NLR did not. (NLR: 0.0926%, p = 0.740; CRP: 32%, p < 0.001). Furthermore, the mediating effect of CRP in the male group was significantly higher than in the female group (Men: 57%, p < 0.001; Women: 16%, p = 0.046).

Conclusion: These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms linking obesity and depressive symptoms, especially in men, and may guide future therapeutic strategies.

Background: Children's mental health is significantly influenced by family environments, where multiple risks often coexist, exert unequal impacts, and combine in different configurations that can result in diverse developmental outcomes. This study examines how different configurations of cumulative family risks influence mental health symptoms in Chinese children using a novel person-centered approach.

Materials and methods: Data were collected through a large-scale, semester-based comprehensive survey of 34,041 children in Grades 4 to 6 in an economically underdeveloped county-level city in Guangdong, China, during November and December, 2022. Six family risk indicators were examined: incomplete family structure, parent-child separation, financial hardship, low parental education, lack of family intimacy, and family conflict. The Pediatric Symptom Checklist was used to measure children's mental health outcomes, consisting of internalizing problems, externalizing problems, and attention problems. Crisp-set qualitative comparative analysis was applied to identify specific configurations of family risks associated with different mental health outcomes.

Results: No single risk factor was found necessary or sufficient to explain mental health outcomes; configurations of multiple risks were more predictive. Externalizing and attention symptoms shared one configuration, which also contributed to internalizing symptoms. Additionally, three distinct configurations were uniquely associated with internalizing symptoms. Only lack of family intimacy and family conflict consistently appeared as detrimental across all configurations.

Conclusions: This study reinforces the cumulative risk model and aligns with the concepts of multifinality and equifinality. It emphasizes the importance of monitoring children with coexisting risks and targeted interventions addressing one or two key factors rather than all factors simultaneously. Future research should adopt longitudinal designs and include broader factors.

Depression is a serious mental and emotional disorder and is considered to be the greatest cause of non-fatal disease worldwide. Early life stress (ELS) refers to the exposure of an individual to physical and psychological stress events such as neglect or abuse in early life that has a long-term impact on brain development, thus inducing emotional and cognitive disorders in adulthood. It is the main susceptibility and risk factor for depression. Current clinical treatment is primarily based on Western medicines such as fluoxetine, but there can be serious adverse reactions. Therefore, exploring the biochemical mechanism of ELS-induced disorders and how to intervene effectively and safely to prevent and treat depression has become a significant issue. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has the unique advantages of few adverse reactions and high safety and has great potential for the treatment of depression. Maternal separation (MS) is one of the most important and commonly used models for simulating ELS. Many studies have shown that MS-induced depression involves the regulation of multiple pathways and several studies have shown that TCM improves MS-induced depression. However, there is currently a lack of systematic reviews and summaries of the molecular mechanisms of MS-induced depression and traditional Chinese medical interventions. Therefore, the mechanisms of action and traditional Chinese medical interventions for MS-mediated depression were reviewed by searching recent relevant literature and discussing the limitations of current research. The aim was to provide guidance for follow-up basic research and clinical treatment.

Background: Depression is common among older adults with cataracts and is associated with significant functional impairment. However, the complex interrelationships among different depression symptoms are often overlooked by conventional mood disorders research based on total scores of depression measures. This study examined the interrelationships between different depressive symptoms and quality of life (QoL) in older adults with cataracts based on a national survey. By analyzing the key depressive symptoms related to QoL in this vulnerable population, the study aimed to identify potential critical treatment targets.

Methods: In this study, the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Short Depression Scale and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-brief version were used to measure depressive symptoms and QoL respectively. In the network analysis, Expected Influence was used to identify the central symptoms, and a flow network model was used to examine the symptoms that directly affected QoL.

Results: A total of 1683 participants were included in the analysis. Economic status was the only identified risk factor for depression in older adults with cataracts. The most central symptoms in the depression network were "Feeling blue", "Everything was an effort", and "Inability to get going". The flow network indicated that QoL had the strongest direct connections with "Unhappiness", "Sleep disturbances" and "Feeling blue".

Conclusions: Depression was found to be common among older adults with cataracts. To mitigate the negative impact of depression on QoL, psychosocial interventions targeting the most central symptoms and those directly related to QoL should be prioritized.

In clinical practice, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a kind of Western medicine, are the primary treatment for depression, a complex mental illness. However, these treatments are associated with significant adverse reactions. With their many benefits and distinctive features, such as all-encompassing intervention and general control through several targets, processes, and pathways, the active components in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) hold great promise for the treatment of depression. Autophagy plays a crucial role in the pathophysiology of depression, and its regulation has emerged as a potentially crucial management tactic. However, comprehensive evaluations of the link between depression and mitochondrial autophagy, as well as the therapeutic potential of TCM's active components, remain limited. This review examined recent literature on autophagy and its role in depression, along with studies on the effects of TCM active ingredients. Furthermore, it highlighted the limitations of current research to offer insights to guide future fundamental studies and clinical treatments for depression.

Background: Postictal delirium (PID) is a significant and often underrecognized adverse effect associated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in geriatric patients. Despite its clinical relevance, the specific risk factors contributing to the development of PID in this vulnerable population remain inadequately understood, which may affect treatment outcomes and patient safety.

Methods: In this retrospective study, we analyzed data from 168 elderly patients who underwent ECT between 2009 and 2020 at a general hospital in China. Univariate analyses of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were performed to identify variables for inclusion in a logistic regression model. Multiple binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the relationship between these variables and PID occurrence.

Results: The incidence of PID was 20.8% (35/168) among the study cohort. Univariate analysis revealed statistically significant differences between PID and non-PID groups for lithium (χ ² = 6.67, p = 0.010), quetiapine (χ ² = 4.36, p = 0.037), number of ECT sessions (U = 3065.50, p = 0.003), and response rate (χ ² = 12.86, p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that lithium (odds ratio (OR) = 5.128; p = 0.009) and quetiapine (OR = 2.562; p = 0.024) were significantly associated with PID.

Conclusion: Our findings indicate that lithium and quetiapine use significantly increase the risk of developing PID, underscoring the need for clinical vigilance. Careful consideration of these medications when planning ECT treatment is recommended to minimize the risk of postictal complications and optimize therapeutic outcomes.

Depression is a common mental health problem that imposes a significant burden on both individuals and society. Numerous studies have shown that childhood abuse has a long-lasting detrimental effect on mental health, including the development of depression. This study reviews recent studies on the association between childhood abuse and depression, highlighting the robust causal link between childhood abuse and subsequent depression. The strength of this association varies depending on the type of abuse, with emotional abuse showing a particularly strong connection to depression. In addition, this narrative review examines the role of personality in the relationship between childhood abuse and depression. Evidence indicates that personality traits act as both mediators and moderators in this association, with neuroticism being particularly influential. Although available research evidence primarily consists of cross-sectional studies, which cannot determine the temporal sequence of childhood abuse, personality problems, and depression, the interrelations of these three variables provide a more comprehensive understanding of the etiology of depression. These insights lay the foundation for future longitudinal research and inform the development of more targeted preventive and therapeutic interventions in clinical psychiatry.