Anxiety Psychopathology Research Articles

Anxious/depressed symptoms are related to microstructural maturation of white matter in typically developing youths.

There are multiple recent reports of an association between anxious/depressed (A/D) symptomatology and the rate of cerebral cortical thickness maturation in typically developing youths. We investigated the degree to which anxious/depressed symptoms are tied to age-related microstructural changes in cerebral fiber pathways. The participants were part of the NIH MRI Study of Normal Brain Development. Child Behavior Checklist A/D scores and diffusion imaging were available for 175 youths (84 males, 91 females; 241 magnetic resonance imagings) at up to three visits. The participants ranged from 5.7 to 18.4 years of age at the time of the scan. Alignment of fractional anisotropy data was implemented using FSL/Tract-Based Spatial Statistics, and linear mixed model regression was carried out using SPSS. Child Behavior Checklist A/D was associated with the rate of microstructural development in several white matter pathways, including the bilateral anterior thalamic radiation, bilateral inferior longitudinal fasciculus, left superior longitudinal fasciculus, and right cingulum. Across these pathways, greater age-related fractional anisotropy increases were observed at lower levels of A/D. The results suggest that subclinical A/D symptoms are associated with the rate of microstructural development within several white matter pathways that have been implicated in affect regulation, as well as mood and anxiety psychopathology.

Worry is associated with robust reductions in heart rate variability: a transdiagnostic study of anxiety psychopathology.

BackgroundIndividuals with anxiety disorders display reduced resting-state heart rate variability (HRV), although findings have been contradictory and the role of specific symptoms has been less clear. It is possible that HRV reductions may transcend diagnostic categories, consistent with dimensional-trait models of psychopathology. Here we investigated whether anxiety disorders or symptoms of anxiety, stress, worry and depression are more strongly associated with resting-state HRV.MethodsResting-state HRV was calculated in participants with clinical anxiety (n = 25) and healthy controls (n = 58). Symptom severity measures of worry, anxiety, stress, and depression were also collected from participants, regardless of diagnosis.ResultsParticipants who fulfilled DSM-IV criteria for an anxiety disorder displayed diminished HRV, a difference at trend level significance (p = .1, Hedges’ g = -.37, BF10 = .84). High worriers (Total n = 41; n = 22 diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and n = 19 not meeting criteria for any psychopathology) displayed a robust reduction in resting state HRV relative to low worriers (p = .001, Hedges’ g = -.75, BF10 = 28.16).ConclusionsThe specific symptom of worry – not the diagnosis of an anxiety disorder – was associated with the most robust reductions in HRV, indicating that HRV may provide a transdiagnostic biomarker of worry. These results enhance understanding of the relationship between the cardiac autonomic nervous system and anxiety psychopathology, providing support for dimensional-trait models consistent with the Research Domain Criteria framework.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40359-016-0138-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Sexual Pain Disorder with Anxiety and Depressive Psychopathology as Complication: A Case-Report

ABSTRAK Vaginismus adalah disfungsi seksual yang disebabkan oleh pengecutan otototot faraj yang menyebabkan kemasukan zakar semasa hubungan seks amat sukar, atau mustahil berlaku. Ia sering diiringi tekanan perasaan yang ketara. Di dalam kebanyakan kes, ia berkait-rapat dengan perasaan ketakutan melampau yang meneruskan hayat dan sifat penyakit ini. Kami melaporkan kes vaginismus primer yang menyebabkan komplikasi psikiatri jenis kerisauan-kemurungan lalu mencadangkan pendekatan perawatan holistik yang merangkumi pendekatan tingkah-laku dan psikofarmakologi. Rawatan permasalahan psikiatri yang berkaitrapat dengan vaginismus harus terlebih dahulu ditangani, secara baik bersamasama rawatan kepada vaginismus. Kombinasi bersepadu pendekatan tingkah-laku, psikologi dan farmakologi amat penting bagi memastikan prognosis rawatan adalah

Pattern of anxiety psychopathology experienced among postgraduate medical trainees

Objectives: Postgraduate medical training is characteristically intensive and stressful. Given that anxiety disorders are often linked with stress-related scenarios; awareness of the burden of anxiety disorders among postgraduate medical trainees and their determinants is essential for informed intervention. This study was set to investigate the pattern of anxiety psychopathology, and to determine its correlates among doctors in a Nigerian postgraduate medical training facility.Methods: The participants, made up of 204 resident doctors were administered questionnaire to elicit their socio-demographic and work related variables. Subsequently, 12- item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) was used to ascertain the presence of emotional distress, and the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic & Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders- fourth edition [DSM-IV] Axis-1 Disorders, Non-patient edition (SCID-1/NP) was administered to characterize anxiety related psychopathology in the participants.Results: The mean age of participants was 33.44 (±4.50). In all, 120 (58.8%) respondents reported various difficulties with their examinations, 14(8.3%) reported having physical disorder and 59(28.9%) respondents were emotionally distressed. The prevalence of anxiety psychopathology based on DSM-IV criteria was 13.2% and the pattern elicited based on recognised categories include generalized anxiety disorder (4.9%), obsessive-compulsive disorder (3.4%), specific phobia (2.4%), social phobia (1.5%) and substance induced anxiety disorders (1.0%). Having additional qualification to the medical degree seems protective against anxiety psychopathology (?2= 3.91; df=1; p<0.05), while those with emotional distress (?2=17.54; df=1; p<0.001) were more likely to experience anxiety.Conclusion: Comprehensive and need-based mental health services with psychosocial support for trainee doctors are implied. Future research focusing on modifiable predictors of mental health challenges among resident doctors and their linkage with specific aspects of training is indicated.Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.15(1) 2016 p.25-32

Developing a clinical translational neuroscience taxonomy for anxiety and mood disorder: protocol for the baseline-follow up Research domain criteria Anxiety and Depression ("RAD") project.

BackgroundUnderstanding how brain circuit dysfunctions relate to specific symptoms offers promise for developing a brain-based taxonomy for classifying psychopathology, identifying targets for mechanistic studies and ultimately for guiding treatment choice. The goal of the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) initiative of the National Institute of Mental Health is to accelerate the development of such neurobiological models of mental disorder independent of traditional diagnostic criteria. In our RDoC Anxiety and Depression (“RAD”) project we focus trans-diagnostically on the spectrum of depression and anxiety psychopathology. Our aims are a) to use brain imaging to define cohesive dimensions defined by dysfunction of circuits involved in reactivity to and regulation of negatively valenced emotional stimulation and in cognitive control, b) to assess the relationships between these dimension and specific symptoms, behavioral performance and the real world capacity to function socially and at work and c) to assess the stability of brain-symptom-behavior-function relationships over time.Methods and designHere we present the protocol for the “RAD” project, one of the first RDoC studies to use brain circuit functioning to define new dimensions of psychopathology. The RAD project follows baseline-follow up design. In line with RDoC principles we use a strategy for recruiting all clients who “walk through the door” of a large community mental health clinic as well as the surrounding community. The clinic attends to a broad spectrum of anxiety and mood-related symptoms. Participants are unmedicated and studied at baseline using a standardized battery of functional brain imaging, structural brain imaging and behavioral probes that assay constructs of threat reactivity, threat regulation and cognitive control. The battery also includes self-report measures of anxiety and mood symptoms, and social and occupational functioning. After baseline assessments, therapists in the clinic apply treatment planning as usual. Follow-up assessments are undertaken at 3 months, to establish the reliability of brain–based subgroups over time and to assess whether these subgroups predict real–world functional capacity over time. First enrollment was August 2013, and is ongoing.DiscussionThis project is designed to advance knowledge toward a neural circuit taxonomy for mental disorder. Data will be shared via the RDoC database for dissemination to the scientific community. The clinical translational neuroscience goals of the project are to develop brain-behavior profile reports for each individual participant and to refine these reports with therapist feedback. Reporting of results is expected from December 2016 onward.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02220309. Registered: August 13, 2014.

Clinic risk associated with comorbidity of (subclinical) psychosis, anxiety and depressive symptoms: A case for stratified medicine in psychiatry

BackgroundMeta-analyses link childhood trauma to depression, mania, anxiety, and psychosis. It is unclear, however, whether these outcomes truly represent distinct disorders following childhood trauma, or that childhood trauma is associated with admixtures of affective, psychotic, anxiety and manic psychopathology throughout life.AimTo investigate the impact of trauma on psychopathological phenotype, functional outcome, and daily life stress reactivity.MethodsWe used data from a representative general population sample (NEMESIS-2; n = 6646), of whom respectively 1577 and 1120 had a lifetime diagnosis of mood or anxiety disorder, as well as from a sample of patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia (GROUP; n = 825). Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess whether childhood trauma was more strongly associated with isolated affective/psychotic/anxiety/manic symptoms than with their admixture. Additionally, we examined these groups in terms of social functioning, clinical severity, and quality of life. In a separate sample (n = 621), daily life (emotional and cortisol) stress reactivity was assessed, using ambulatory assessment.ResultsIn all samples, childhood trauma was considerably more strongly associated with an admixture of symptoms of depression, anxiety, psychosis, and mania, rather than with these symptoms in isolation. Individuals exposed to childhood trauma, who also had an admixture of symptoms, had a lower quality of life, more help-seeking behaviour, higher prevalence of substance use disorders, and lower social functioning, compared with individuals not exposed to trauma, without an admixture of symptoms, or neither. Furthermore, trauma-exposed individuals with an admixed psychopathological phenotype show a higher daily emotional stress reactivity.ConclusionChildhood trauma increases the likelihood of a specific admixture of affective, anxiety and psychotic symptoms cutting across traditional diagnostic boundaries. Stratifying according to childhood trauma exposure thus identifies an admixed phenotype, possibly induced by continuous daily life stress reactivity, that has important clinical relevance. Identification of functionally meaningful aetiological subgroups may aid clinical practice.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Background and targets of psychological help for women with thyroid pathology

In patients with thyroid pathologies takes place the strong layer of psychic displacements of prenosological level that cause psychological maladjustment.The aim of research was elaboration of the complex measures of medical and psychological help based on the study of the special features of psycho-emotional sphere, coping, types of reaction on disease, somatogenic victimhood and life quality in women with thyroid pathologies.Contingent. In the research took part the women with diseases of TG – group with thyroid pathologies (GT) attended with its hyper- (59patients, group 1-G1) and hypofunction (54 patients group 2 – G2). For comparison there was formed the group of somatically healthy women (50 patients, control group – CG).Results. In women with endocrinopathies of TG there were revealed high rates of psychopathological anxiety – mainly in women with hyperthyroidism, and depression and asthenia – in ones with hypothyroidism, predominance of maladaptive coping mechanisms – confusion, emotional discharging, self-incrimination, aggressiveness, deviation and types of reaction on disease with inter- and intrapsychic maladjustment – the domination of anxious, anxious and sensitive, hypochondriac, hypochondriac and sensitive types, high somatogenic victimhood as an inclination to aggressive, self-destructive victim behavior in interrogated with hyperfunction and dependent and noncritical in ones with hypofunction of thyroid gland, the significant decrease of life quality. On the base of received results there were separated targets of medical and psychological influence and were defined interventional measures.Conclusions. The correction of psychic disorders in patients with hormonal pathology of TG must be realized on two directions: the prescriptions of medicamentous therapy and normalization of physical health that is carried out by doctor-endocrinologist – an operations on psychobiological factor and psychological interventions oriented on the decrease of the negative effects of the secondary psychotraumatization – an influence on the secondary psychogenic factor – carried out by the medical psychologist

Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (STPP) for a Severely Performance Anxious Musician: A Case Report

Most people experience performance anxiety (PA) at some time in a range of diverse endeavours. However, for those in careers related to the performing arts (music, theatre and dance), public speaking, or sport, it can be a career-limiting or career-ending experience. Little attention has been paid to performance anxiety, empirically, diagnostically, or therapeutically. This paper contributes to the theory proposed by Kenny that the underlying psychopathology of severe performance anxiety is an attachment rupture in early life that is unresponsive to cognitive behavioural therapies. Accordingly, a short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STPP) whose therapeutic focus is the resolution of attachment ruptures was undertaken with a young female musician who was in danger of failing her final year at a prestigious music school because she could no longer perform without breaking down. This paper describes the application of the triangle of conflict and the triangle of time/person in the resolution of the attachment ruptures of the three key attachment figures in the life of this young musician. This paper represents only the second detailed case report on the treatment of debilitating music performance anxiety using STPP. Given the successful outcome of both case reports, further investigation of this therapeutic approach for severe performance anxiety is warranted.

An "artificial nose" for the non-invasive diagnosis of anxiety in alveolar breath

Event Abstract Back to Event An "artificial nose" for the non-invasive diagnosis of anxiety in alveolar breath Jessica Fitzgerald1 and Hicham Fenniri2 1 Northeastern University, Bioengineering, United States 2 Northeastern University, Chemical Engineering, United States In recent decades, artificial olfactory devices, known as electronic noses (e-noses), have been developed for disease detection and diagnosis by evaluation of exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs), produced from multiple metabolic processes. These devices consist of a cross-reactive sensor array, capable of interacting with multiple vapor analytes, a signal transduction mechanism, and response pattern recognition software. Our working hypothesis is that an increase in production of specific VOCs reflecting compromised metabolic processes found in patients suffering with a range of clinically significant anxiety symptoms could be detected with an e-nose. Such a fingerprint approach may also unveil possible biological pathways relevant to anxiety psychopathology. This paper will present the design and fabrication of our barcoded resin-based (BCR) sensor array and its application for the detection and identification of VOCs. BCRs were prepared from a library of six alkylated styrene monomers, combined in a binary fashion resulting in 63 (2n–1) polymers. The same sub-library was resynthesized by including one of our 10 fluorinated monomer, resulting in 10 additional sub-libraries and a total of 700 copolymers. Upon interaction with an analyte, the vibrational signatures of the polymer array change, resulting in slight but detectable spectral variations for each BCR. The collective response (or analyte-specific patterns) was then be quantified using multivariate data analysis. This platform improves upon existing technologies as it dramatically increases sensitivity and information content using vibrational spectroscopy of a large library of sensory elements (encoded polymers) Our current goal is to optimize a sensor array of BCRs for detecting clinically significant anxiety and stress VOCs with highest disease specificity in exhaled breath. We also plan to optimize (i.e. train) this device for the recognition of analytes of interest that will enhance our ability to render the most accurate anxiety diagnosis. Laser Biomedical Research Center at Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Massachusetts General Hospital Keywords: biosensing, material design, biomedical application, Environmental response Conference: 10th World Biomaterials Congress, Montréal, Canada, 17 May - 22 May, 2016. Presentation Type: Poster Topic: Environmentally sensitive biomaterials Citation: Fitzgerald J and Fenniri H (2016). An "artificial nose" for the non-invasive diagnosis of anxiety in alveolar breath. Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol. Conference Abstract: 10th World Biomaterials Congress. doi: 10.3389/conf.FBIOE.2016.01.02410 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 27 Mar 2016; Published Online: 30 Mar 2016. Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Jessica Fitzgerald Hicham Fenniri Google Jessica Fitzgerald Hicham Fenniri Google Scholar Jessica Fitzgerald Hicham Fenniri PubMed Jessica Fitzgerald Hicham Fenniri Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.

Interactive Effect of Negative Affectivity and Rumination in Terms of Mental Health Among Latinos in Primary Care.

The present investigation examined the interactive effects of rumination and negative affectivity in relation to anxiety and depressive symptoms and psychopathology among 245 Latino adults (M age=39.7, SD=11.4; 86.9% female; 97.6% reported Spanish as their first language) attending a community-based primary healthcare clinic. As expected, there was a significant interaction between rumination and negative affectivity for depressive, suicidal, social anxiety, anxious arousal symptoms, number of mood and anxiety disorders, and disability among the primary care Latino sample. Inspection of the interaction forms indicated a high degree of conceptual similarity. Specifically, rumination was related to greater levels of suicidal symptoms, social anxiety, anxious arousal, number of mood and anxiety disorders, and disability among individuals with higher, but not lower, levels of negative affectivity. The form of the interaction for depressive symptoms was in line with this pattern, but more extreme; rumination was related to greater levels of depressive symptoms among individuals with both higher and lower levels of negative affectivity. Together, these data provide novel empirical evidence suggesting that there is clinically relevant interplay between rumination and negative affectivity in regard to a relatively wide array of anxiety and depressive variables among Latinos in a primary care medical setting.

A Longitudinal Study of Emotional Distress Intolerance and Psychopathology Following Exposure to a Potentially Traumatic Event in a Community Sample

This study focused on better understanding the association between anxiety sensitivity (AS), distress tolerance (DT), and psychopathology, including posttraumatic stress, depression, panic and suicidality, in the aftermath of a potentially traumatizing event. A community-based sample of 151 adults exposed to the Mount Carmel Forest Fire Disaster were assessed within 30-days of exposure (T1) and then at 3- (T2) and 6-month (T3) follow-up intervals. At T1, AS, DT, and psychopathology symptoms loaded on a single common latent factor reflecting Emotional Avoidance and Distress; whereas by T2 AS-DT and psychopathology symptoms diverged into distinct latent variables—Emotional Distress Intolerance and Distress Post-Trauma, respectively. Levels of Emotional Distress and Avoidance at T1 predicted levels of Emotional Distress Intolerance as well as Distress Post-Trauma at T2. Finally, levels of Emotional Intolerance at T2 predicted levels of Distress Post-Trauma at T3 above and beyond the strong stability effects of Distress Post-Trauma over time. Findings are discussed with respect to their theoretical and clinical implications for understanding and promoting resilience to, and recovery following, exposure to potentially traumatic events.

Exploring the association between a cholecystokinin promoter polymorphism (rs1799923) and posttraumatic stress disorder in combat veterans

BackgroundCholecystokinin (CCK) is a neuropeptide that has been implicated in understanding the acquisition and extinction of fear. Research on CCK in anxiety has primarily focused on understanding panic attacks and panic disorder. Emerging data suggests that CCK may also hold promise in understanding the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). MethodThe present study examined whether a single nucleotide polymorphism in the promoter region of the CCK gene (C>T; rs1799923) was associated with an increased prevalence of PTSD as well as with severity of PTSD symptoms among a sample of 457 combat veterans. ResultsResults demonstrated that participants with either the heterozygous or homozygous T allele had an increased prevalence of PTSD relative to participants with the CC genotype (OR=2.17; 95% CI [1.37–3.43]). LimitationsThe relatively small sample size precluded examination of racial/ethnic differences. Findings were also limited by the absence of a systematic assessment of comorbid anxiety psychopathology. ConclusionsThese data offer preliminary evidence supporting an association between the rs1799923 polymorphism in the CCK gene and PTSD. Additional research is needed to better understand the nature of this relationship.

Measuring Beliefs About Distraction: Might the Function of Distraction Matter More than Distraction Itself?

Distraction is often discouraged in exposure therapy for anxiety disorders, but little is known about how beliefs about distraction may impact treatment outcome (with or without distraction). One barrier to understanding the impact of these beliefs is the lack of an available measure to assess this construct. In addition to proposing a theoretical basis for beliefs about distraction, we created and validated a questionnaire assessing maladaptive beliefs about distraction, the Beliefs about Distraction Inventory. An exploratory factor analysis with an unselected student sample (N = 506, 86 % female) suggested a two-factor solution, conceptualized as “distraction is necessary”, and “distraction is effective”. A confirmatory factor analysis using a contamination-fearful sample (N = 132, 87 % female) demonstrated adequate model fit. In both samples, the measure exhibited strong reliability and validity. Preliminary findings revealed that beliefs that “distraction is necessary” were more strongly associated with anxious psychopathology than beliefs that “distraction is effective”. Results are discussed in terms of cognitive-behavioural theories and therapies for anxiety and related disorders.

The Treatment Acceptability/Adherence Scale: Moving Beyond the Assessment of Treatment Effectiveness

It is becoming more broadly recognized that beyond effectiveness, the acceptability of interventions for anxiety disorders is an important consideration for evidence-based practice. Although advances in treatments for anxious psychopathologies have demonstrated that cognitive-behavioural interventions are more desirable than other types of psychotherapy or pharmacotherapy, there continue to be problems with adherence and dropout. It has been suggested that low treatment acceptability may be partially responsible for high dropout rates. Although a number of preliminary investigations in this domain have been conducted, further progress is hampered by the absence of a single self-report measure that assesses both acceptability and anticipated adherence. Therefore, the current paper aimed to test the psychometric properties of the newly developed Treatment Acceptability/Adherence Scale (TAAS). In two studies of brief cognitive-behavioural interventions, the TAAS was administered immediately following the therapy session. In Study 1 (N = 120 non-clinical undergraduates), the therapy included two variants of an exposure-based intervention for contamination fear. In Study 2 (N = 27 individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder), the therapy was a cognitively based intervention evaluating a novel treatment technique for checking compulsions. Measures of convergent and divergent validity were included. Results demonstrated that the TAAS exhibited sound psychometric properties across the two samples. It is hoped that this measure will help clinicians to predict and intervene when a treatment is not acceptable and/or when the client anticipates poor adherence to it. Furthermore, the TAAS may aid researchers in continuing to improve upon effective interventions for anxiety and related disorders.

Anxiety Sensitivity and Its Factors in Relation to Generalized Anxiety Disorder among Adolescents.

Anxiety psychopathology, one of the most prevalent classes of disorder among youth, is linked to detrimental outcomes. Accordingly, identifying factors that influence vulnerability to anxiety disorders is important. One promising factor, given emerging evidence for its transdiagnostic nature, is anxiety sensitivity (AS); however, relatively little is known about the linkage between AS and indicators of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), particularly among youth. The aim of the current investigation was to address this gap in the literature using a community-based sample of adolescents aged 10-17 years (n = 165; M age = 14.49 years, SD = 2.26). Results indicated global AS and the AS-physical concerns dimension were significantly associated with worry, generalized anxiety symptoms, and GAD diagnosis assessed via a structured clinical interview, above and beyond key theoretically-relevant covariates. These findings add to a growing body of work underscoring the relevance of AS for multiple types of anxiety-related disorders among youth.

Examination of anxiety sensitivity and distress tolerance as transdiagnostic mechanisms linking multiple anxiety pathologies to alcohol use problems in adolescents.

Multiple forms of anxiety psychopathology are associated with alcohol use problems in adolescents. Yet, the mechanisms underlying this association are unclear. Anxiety sensitivity (AS) and distress tolerance (DT) represent 2 distinct, conceptually relevant transdiagnostic constructs implicated in multiple manifestations of anxiety that may also underlie alcohol use problems and thereby explain why people with anxiety are more likely to have alcohol problems. The current cross-sectional study examined whether AS and DT accounted for (i.e., statistically mediated) the relationship between manifest indicators of the 3 common anxiety phenotypes (generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and panic disorders) and alcohol problems in a sample of 534 high school students (14 to 15 years old). Multiple manifestations of anxiety were associated with greater alcohol use problems. AS statistically mediated multiple anxiety-alcohol associations, but DT did not. These findings provide preliminary evidence suggesting AS may be an important transdiagnostic target for alcohol prevention programs for those in early adolescence that experience elevated anxiety symptoms.

P.6.a.011 Role of C1473G polymorphism in mouse tryptophan hydroxylase 2 gene in ethanol treatment effect on behaviour and brain serotonin system

Dysfunction in brain serotonin (5-HT) system has been implicated in the psychopathology of anxiety, depression, drug addiction, and schizophrenia. The 5-HT1A receptors play a central role in the control of 5-HTergic neurotransmission. There are some scarce data showing cross-regulation between 5-HT receptors. Here, we investigated whether interaction exists between 5-HT1A receptor and genes encoding key members in brain 5-HT system. Chronic treatment with selective agonist of 5-HT1A receptor 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) (1.0 mg/kg i.p., 14 days) produced considerable decrease in hypothermic response to acute administration of 8-OH-DPAT in CBA/Lac mice indicating desensitization of 5-HT1A receptors. The decrease in 5-HT1A gene expression as well as decrease in the expression of gene encoding key enzyme in 5-HT synthesis, tryptophan hydroxylase-2 (TPH-2) in the midbrain, and the expression of the gene encoding 5-HT2A receptor in the frontal cortex was shown. There were no significant changes in 5-HT transporter mRNA level in the midbrain. Despite considerable decrease in the expression of the genes encoding tryptophan hydroxylase-2, 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors, chronic 8-OH-DPAT treatment failed to produce significant changes in 5-HT1A-linked behavior (intermale aggression, open-field behavior, light-dark box, and pinch-induced catalepsy), suggesting compensatory and adaptive effect of genes suppression. The obtained data on the effect of 8-OH-DPAT-induced desensitization of 5-HT1A receptors on 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A and TPH-2 gene expression demonstrated the role of 5-HT1A receptor as indirect regulator of gene expression. The results provide the first evidence of receptor-key genes interaction in brain 5-HT system and may have profound implications in understanding the functioning of the brain neurotransmitter systems.

SY31-1 * DEVELOPMENT OF STEP FOR THE ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT OF THE INTERNET GAMING DISORDER

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is the complicated behavioral and mental disorder. IGD is suggested as a one of the addictive disorders, also, it has unique characteristic features. Considering the public health model where agent, host and environmental factors are proposed as main determinants of addiction, the persons with IGD have the most wide age range and the internet game showed the highest accessibility. Also, based on the bio-psycho-social model of addiction, IGD relates variable spectrum of comorbid psychiatric conditions and socio-cultural context. Therefore, we developed multidimensional assessment protocol entitled K-PPC (Korean Patient Placement Criteria) for IGD and tailored individual intervention approaches entitled STEP (Stepped Tailored Empowerment Program) based on the concept proposed by the ASAM PPC (American Society of Addiction Medicine) model for the alcohol use disorders. ASAM model suggested the multidimensional matrix composed by 6 domains for the assessment of AUD. K-PPC Assessment protocol is composed by 4 domains which were internet game use behaviors, comorbid psychiatric problems, motivation, and the factors affecting recovery and relapse. STEP intervention matrix were composed by seriousness (basic and intensive) and characteristics of comorbid psychiatric problems (introversion and extroversion). The treatment program was developed based on the evidence based programs like cognitive behavioral treatment and motivational interviewing. The period of the basic and intensive intervention are 8 weeks and 16 weeks, respectively. We conducted randomized clinical trial with 80 subjects to evaluate the validity and effectiveness of the the STEP for IGD in the community setting. Regarding the validity of assessment protocol, the intensive intervention group showed more seriousness of internet game use problems compared to the basic intervention group. And, the introversion group showed more anxious and depressive psychopathologies while extroversion group showed more impulsive behavioral pattern. Regarding the efficacy of STEP, treatment outcome were better in the STEP group compared to the As Usual treatment group.

Respiratory manifestations of panic disorder in animals and humans: A unique opportunity to understand how supramedullary structures regulate breathing

The control of breathing is commonly viewed as being a “brainstem affair”. As the topic of this special issue of Respiratory Physiology and Neurobiology indicates, we should consider broadening this notion since the act of breathing is also tightly linked to many functions other than close regulation of arterial blood gases. Accordingly, “non-brainstem” structures can exert a powerful influence on the core elements of the respiratory control network and as it is often the case, the importance of these structures is revealed when their dysfunction leads to disease. There is a clear link between respiration and anxiety and key theories of the psychopathology of anxiety (including panic disorders; PD) focus on respiratory control and related CO2 monitoring system. With that in mind, we briefly present the respiratory manifestations of panic disorder and discuss the role of the dorso-medial/perifornical hypothalamus, the amygdalar complex, and the periaqueductal gray in respiratory control. We then present recent advances in basic research indicating how adult rodent previously subjected to neonatal stress may provide a very good model to investigate the pathophysiology of PD.

A preliminary study of subclinical panic symptom elevations among adolescent offspring of parents with PTSD who smoke

Objectives: Research has linked parental post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and parental smoking to a wide array of psychological and physical health concerns among offspring. Furthermore, the combination of parental anxiety psychopathology generally, along with smoking, has been linked to elevated adolescent panic symptomatology. However, no research has examined the unique and interactive associations between parental PTSD and smoking in terms of offspring panic. Method: The current study sought to begin to address this gap in the literature by examining adolescent-reported panic symptom levels as a function of parent-reported PTSD and current smoking. Results: Among 25 dyads (Mparent age = 42.92 years [SD = 6.71]; Moffspring age = 15.80 years [SD = 1.04]), adolescent offspring of smokers with PTSD reported significantly higher panic symptoms compared with all other combinations of these factors after controlling for multiple theoretically relevant and empirically associated covariates. Supporting model specificity, parental PTSD and smoking were not related to adolescent depression or other types of anxiety. Conclusions: These results are consistent with research linking the combination of parental anxiety psychopathology and smoking to offspring panic generally, and parental PTSD and smoking to panic symptoms specifically. Research on possible mechanisms of intergenerational transmission as well as replication and extension of these findings is now needed.