Common Psychopathology Research Articles

Depression and Quality of Life Among Haemodialysis Patients

ABSTRACT Introduction: Depression is likely to be the most common psychopathology in haemodialysis patients. It might affect their adherence to treatment and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. However, the prevalence of depression in haemodialysis patients has not been definitively determined, and it is generally underdiagnosed and undertreated. Chronic renal failure (CRF) patients have diminished quality of life (QOL) scores compared with healthy persons. Moreover, patients on haemodialysis might have worse QOL than those on peritoneal dialysis. Objectives: To assess the level of depression and quality of life among haemodialysis patients. Methodology: The research design adopted for this study was quantitative method. The population includes patient undergoing haemodialysis in SMCH. The sample size was 60 selected through convenience sampling technique on the basis of criteria. Result: The findings revealed that 30 (50%) had severe depression, 26 (43.34%) had moderate depression, and 2 (3.33%) had borderline clinical depression and extreme depression, respectively. The mean score of overall quality of life score among haemodialysis patients was 34.66 ± 7.16. Conclusion: The analysis revealed that haemodialysis patients had severe to moderate depression, which in turn reduces the quality of life of the haemodialysis patients.

Differential correlates of fear and anxiety in salience perception: A behavioral and ERP study with adolescents

Anxiety disorders are the most common psychopathologies among adolescents. Their diagnostic criteria include both fear and anxiety symptomatology, although according to the literature, we can find evidence for some distinction between these two emotions. The present study contribute to this distinction, exploring the effects of trait fear and trait anxiety on behavioral and neural correlates. Thirty-two participants (aged 11–16 years) performed two experimental tasks of salient target detection, including visual stimuli that were manipulated to become salient, while reaction times and EEG were recorded. Results of both tasks revealed differential effects of trait fear and trait anxiety assessed through the Fear Survey Schedule for Children-Revised and the Youth Anxiety Measure for DSM-5 on reaction times and ERP components amplitudes. Specifically, higher symptoms from Separation Anxiety Disorder increased early neural visual processing and decreased reaction times for more salient stimuli. Also, trait fear reduced later neural visual processing of salient stimuli. These findings may provide a significant contribution to guiding psychological interventions, especially with adolescents presenting higher levels of anxiety-related symptomatology.

Cohort Profile: The China Severe Trauma Cohort (CSTC).

We sought to establish a prospective hospital-based cohort, featuring detailed multidimensional data of trauma patients with active follow-ups, which can be a reliable data source for all studies focusing on the effects or underlying mechanistic pathways of environmental and biological factors on multiple interested trauma-related outcomes, particularly the incidence and trajectory of trauma-related psychopathology, in a Chinese population. The China Severe Trauma Cohort (CSTC) enrolled all traumatized individuals aged 12 to 80 years admitted to the Trauma Center of West China Hospital between March 1st, 2020 and July 8th, 2022. The bio-sample and detailed questionnaire data were collected at recruitment, and phone/internet follow-ups were scheduled at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after the baseline. Long-term health outcomes are planned to be obtained from administrative databases through data linkage. A total of 2,500 trauma patients were enrolled (response rate = 87.1%) with an average age of 46.01 years, and most of the participants were males (62.6%). The proportions of participants with blood and fecal sample collected at baseline were 93.8% and 66.3%, respectively. As of August 31st, 2022, the follow-up rate was 90.0%, 77.0%, 76.5%, and 89.0% for 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups, respectively. Fall/wrench (47.6%) and traffic accident (26.2%) were the top causes of current trauma. The most common psychopathology at recruitment was sleep disturbance (39.4%), followed by depression (22.6%), anxiety (18.2%), and acute stress reaction (7.8%), all of which showed recovering trajectories during the follow-up period, particularly the first 3 months after baseline. CSTC provides a platform with multidimensional data to study both short-term and long-term trauma-related health consequences, prompting early identification and intervention for individuals with high risk of health decline after trauma exposures.

Peculiarities of Fear Memory Disturbance in Male and Female <i>Disc1-</i>Q31L Mice

Depressive disorder is the most common psychopathology that can coexist with other mental illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorder. It has been shown that there are gender differences in susceptibility to these psychopathologies. Mice of the mutant strain Disc1-Q31L are characterized by depressive-like behavior and disruption of the molecular pathways involved in the processes associated with fear memory. Gender and interstrain differences in the processes of learning and extinction of the conditioned response of passive avoidance were studied in male and female Disc1-Q31L mice and control C57BL/6 mice. It was shown that male and female mice of both strains learned equally well the conditioned response of passive avoidance, but differed in fear memory extinction, the ability to form a new safety memory trace in the previously dangerous dark compartment of the setup. However, there was a deficit in the extinction of the conditioned response of passive avoidance in C57BL/6 females compared to males, as well as interstrain differences in the dynamics of extinction in both females and males. Disc1-Q31L males reached full extinction later than C57BL/6 males, while Disc1-Q31L females did not exhibit extinction during the 24 days of the test. Thus, this work shows the interaction of the effect of gender and the Disc1-Q31L mutation on the processes of fear memory extinction.

Screening for common mental health disorders: a psychometric evaluation of a chatbot system

ABSTRACT The current study presents the psychometrics and screening accuracy properties of a chatbot system that understands free-text responses to mental health screening questions using natural language processing (NLP). The aiCARE system was tested against web-based versions of the Patient Health Questionnaire- 9 (PHQ-9), General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-5). The study included 773 volunteers (Mage = 21.28, SD = 5.34) who answered the same free-text (chatbot version) and closed-ended survey questions (standard survey version). Overall, the research found that the proposed chatbot system is reliable in determining whether clinical symptomatology is present or absent based on free-text responses to PHQ-9, GAD-7, and PCL-5 questions. It had comparable sensitivity, specificity, total accuracy, and AUC values to standard web-based survey methods, as well as good internal consistency and convergent validity. The general implications are that chatbot systems could be used to identify common psychopathology as part of a stepped care model. It is not intended to be used in place of clinical diagnosis. Future research is needed to assess its effectiveness in more clinically and demographically diverse populations.

MAPping affective dimensions of behavior: Methodologic and pragmatic advancement of the Multidimensional Assessment Profiles scales.

Rigorous validation of the full developmentally sensitive normal:abnormal spectrum, including evaluating the incremental value of age-specific behaviors, is necessary for nuanced characterization of dimensional features of psychopathology. To maximize the clinical utility of transdiagnostic approaches to risk identification, derivation of psychometrically sound, pragmatic versions with empirically derived cutoffs is also key. This special section has a central focus on rigorous, developmentally-based measurement of irritability as an exemplar of this theory- and pragmatically-based approach. Elevated irritability is a robust transdiagnostic predictor of the common psychopathologies of childhood. The Multidimensional Assessment Profiles Temper Loss (MAPS-TL) Scales are the only irritability tool specifically designed to capture the normal:abnormal dimensional spectrum. These have been extensively investigated in preschool age but lack rigorous modeling at older and younger ages. In this special issue, (with three independent-and one longitudinal-set of samples), we test and improve measurement of irritability as a transdiagnostic phenotype of psychopathology risk as it unfolds across development, expanding the MAPS-TL scale in three important ways: (1) extending irritability dimensional modeling and the developmental specification approach to older ages, (2) advancing science to practice translation by generating pragmatic irritability screening tools across ages, and (3) extending the dimensional, developmental specification approach to other dimensions of behavior, that is, internalizing. Collectively, the special issue operationalizes and advances application of a neurodevelopmental, dimensional and transdiagnostic approach to psychopathology.

Effect of Subchronic Alcoholization on the Behavior and Monoaminergic Systems of the Brain of Mice with a Predisposition to Depression-Like Behavior

Depressive disorders and alcohol dependence are among the most common psychopathologies. It is known that disorders in the serotonergic and dopaminergic brain systems functioning lie in the pathogenesis of alcoholism and affective disorders. In this work, we studied the effects of prolonged administration of ethanol (1.5 g/kg, 20%, 10 days, i.p.) on behavior, functional activity of 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors and expression of genes encoding serotonin (Htr1a, Htr2a) and dopamine (Drd1, Drd2) receptors in brain structures in mice of ASC strain (with the genetic predisposition to depressive-like behavior) and mice of the parental (“non-depressive”) CBA strain. It has been shown that alcoholization leads to an increase in motor activity in animals of both lines and an increase in the level of exploratory behavior in ASC mice. No significant effect of ethanol on social and depression-like behavior was found. The functional activities of 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors (determined by the response to the administration of corresponding receptor agonists) were reduced by ethanol only in ASC animals. A decrease in 5-HT2A receptor gene expression was found in the frontal cortex of CBA mice treated with alcohol. At the same time, ethanol led to an increase in the mRNA levels of the 5-HT1A receptor gene in the striatum and the DRD1 receptor gene in the hypothalamus, as well as a decrease in the expression of the DRD2 receptor gene in the hippocampus of ASC mice. Thus, changes in the serotonergic and dopaminergic brain systems induced by chronic ethanol were more significant in ASC mice with a genetic predisposition to depression-like behavior.

Childhood internalizing and externalizing problems and cardiovascular and diabetes mellitus risk in adolescence

BackgroundAmong adults, common psychopathology is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We investigated whether childhood internalizing and externalizing problems are prospectively associated with clinically elevated CVD and T2DM risk factors in adolescence. MethodsData were from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Childhood internalizing (emotional) and externalizing (hyperactivity and conduct) problems were rated on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (parent version) (N = 6442). BMI was measured at age 15 and triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, IR, were assessed at age 17. We estimated associations using multivariate log-linear regression. Models were adjusted for confounding and participants attrition. ResultsChildren with hyperactivity or conduct problems were more likely to become obese and to develop clinically high levels of triglycerides and HOMA-IR in adolescence. In fully adjusted models, IR was associated with hyperactivity (relative risk, RR = 1.35, 95 % confidence interval, CI = 1.00–1.81) and conduct problems (RR = 1.37, CI = 1.06–1.78). High triglycerides were associated with hyperactivity (RR = 2.05, CI = 1.41–2.98) and with conduct problems (RR = 1.85, CI = 1.32–2.59). BMI only minimally explained these associations. Emotional problems were not associated with increased risk. LimitationsResidual attrition bias, reliance on parent's reports of children's behaviors, non-diverse sample. ConclusionsThis research suggests that childhood externalizing problems might be a novel independent risk factor for CVD/T2DM. Future research should corroborate these findings and investigate mechanisms. Pediatricians may need to assess and treat CVD/T2DM risk factors in adolescents with a history of externalizing problems.

Psychopathology in Acromegaly - Real and Perceived.

Acromegaly is a chronic condition caused by the excessive production of growth hormone and is characterized by progressive morphological and systemic complications, as well as increased prevalence of psychopathologies, which markedly affect patients' quality of life. The advancing multimodal therapies, while significantly improving the morbidity and mortality, has limited impact on psychopathologies, which often persist despite disease remission. The most common psychopathologies in acromegaly include depression, anxiety and affective disorders, together with sexual dysfunction, which may be considered as either a consequence or potentially even a contributory factor to these psychopathologies. Approximately one third of acromegaly patients manifest depression, whereas two thirds of patients display anxiety, with both conditions tending to be more prevalent and severe in younger patients with shorter duration of disease. Apparently, a major impact of psychological discomfort in women compared to men appears to be the fact that women tend to internalize whereas men tend to externalize their distress. The personality disorders also commonly associated with acromegaly, especially due to body image suffering, is linked to sexual dysfunction, which seems to affect women more than men. In summary, psychopathology in acromegaly is a major determinant of the quality of life and a complex array of psychological abnormalities are associated with acromegaly.

Psychopathological networks in psychosis: Changes over time and clinical relevance. A long-term cohort study of first-episode psychosis

BackgroundFirst-episode psychosis is a critical period for early interventions to reduce the risk of poor outcomes and relapse as much as possible. However, uncertainties about the long-term outcomes of symptomatology remain to be ascertained. MethodsThe aim of the present study was to use network analysis to investigate first-episode and long-term stages of psychosis at three levels of analysis: micro, meso and macro. The sample was a cohort of 510 patients with first-episode psychoses from the SEGPEP study, who were reassessed at the long-term follow-up (n = 243). We used the Comprehensive Assessment of Symptoms and History for their assessments and lifetime outcome variables of clinical relevance. ResultsOur results showed a similar pattern of clustering between first episodes and long-term follow-up in seven psychopathological dimensions at the micro level, 3 and 4 dimensions at the meso level, and one at the macro level. They also revealed significant differences between first-episode and long-term network structure and centrality measures at the three levels, showing that disorganization symptoms have more influence in long-term stabilized patients. ConclusionsOur findings suggest a relative clustering invariance at all levels, with the presence of two domains of disorganization as the most notorious difference over time at micro level. The severity of disorganization at the follow-up was associated with a more severe course of the psychosis. Moreover, a relative stability in global strength of the interconnections was found, even though the network structure varied significantly in the long-term follow-up. The macro level was helpful in the integration of all dimensions into a common psychopathology factor, and in unveiling the strong relationships of psychopathological dimensions with lifetime outcomes, such as negative with poor functioning, disorganization with high antipsychotic dose-years, and delusions with poor adherence to treatment. These results add evidence to the hierarchical, dimensional and longitudinal structure of psychopathological symptoms and their clinical relevance in first-episode psychoses.

Mental health outcome in hospitalized COVID-19 patients: An observational analysis from North Indian tertiary care hospital

AimThe study investigate the severity of perceived stress and wide domains of psychiatric symptoms reported on initial screening in hospitalized patients of COVID-19 with a second aim to determine the role of sociodemographic factors and coping styles in the hospitalized patients of COVID-19. MethodTotal 224 patients of COVID-19 infection, hospitalized in various isolation facilities were assessed via web-based self-reported questionnaires on perceived stress scale, brief cope inventory, and DSM-5 crosscutting level-1 questionnaire. ResultsMajority of the patients reported moderate level of stress followed by mild and severe. Depression and Anxiety symptoms were most common psychopathologies though the patients have reported greater severity in various domains of psychiatric symptoms. Coping styles explains most of variance (64.8%) of the perceived stress. Similarly total PSS scores, coping styles, COVID-19 status and sociodemographic factors contributed significantly to the variance of all psychiatric symptoms. ConclusionFactors like female gender, being married, belonging to nuclear families, service class and urban domicile are the significant factors determining higher risk of stress and developing more psychopathologies. Furthermore, coping styles used by the patients have a greater moderating effect on mental health symptoms and their perceived stress which can be a major area for interventions to reduce the mental health morbidities.

Elevated Anxious and Depressed Mood Relates to Future Executive Dysfunction in Older Adults: A Longitudinal Network Analysis of Psychopathology and Cognitive Functioning.

Vulnerability models posit that executive functioning (EF) problems centrally impact future common (vs. rare) psychopathology symptoms. Conversely, scar theory postulates that depression/anxiety (vs. other psychopathology) symptoms centrally influence reduced EF. However, most studies so far have been cross-sectional. We used cross-lagged panel network analysis to determine temporal and component-to-component relations on this topic. Community older adults participated across four time-points. Cognitive tests and the caregiver-rated Neuropsychiatric Inventory assessed nine psychopathology and eight cognitive functioning nodes. Nodes with the highest bridge expected influence cross-sectionally were agitation and episodic memory. Episodic memory had the strongest inverse relation with age. Agitation had the strongest negative association with global cognition. EF nodes tended to be centrally impacted by prior depressed and anxious moods rather than influential on any future nodes. Heightened anxious and depressed mood (vs. other nodes) centrally predicted future decreased EF-related (vs. non-EF-related) nodes in older adults, supporting scar (vs. vulnerability) theory.

Habenula bibliometrics: Thematic development and research fronts of a resurgent field.

The habenula (Hb) is a small structure of the posterior diencephalon that is highly conserved across vertebrates but nonetheless has attracted relatively little research attention until the past two decades. The resurgent interest is motivated by neurobehavioral studies demonstrating critical functions in a broad spectrum of motivational and cognitive processes, including functions relevant to psychiatric diseases. The Hb is widely conceived as an “anti-reward” center that acts by regulating brain monoaminergic systems. However, there is still no general conceptual framework for habenula research, and no study has focused on uncovering potentially significant but overlooked topics that may advance our understanding of physiological functions or suggest potential clinical applications of Hb-targeted interventions. Using science mapping tools, we quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed the relevant publications retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database from 2002 to 2021. Herein we present an overview of habenula-related publications, reveal primary research trends, and prioritize some key research fronts by complementary bibliometric analysis. High-priority research fronts include Ventral Pallidum, Nucleus Accumbens, Nicotine and MHb, GLT-1, Zebrafish, and GCaMP, Ketamine, Deep Brain Stimulation, and GPR139. The high intrinsic heterogeneity of the Hb, extensive connectivity with both hindbrain and forebrain structures, and emerging associations with all three dimensions of mental disorders (internalizing, externalizing, and psychosis) suggest that the Hb may be the neuronal substrate for a common psychopathology factor shared by all mental illnesses termed the p factor. A future challenge is to explore the therapeutic potential of habenular modulation at circuit, cellular, and molecular levels.

QOL-02. Paediatric medical traumatic stress in children with cancer and their parents: Differences in levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms

Paediatric medical traumatic stress (PMTS) is a set of children’s and their parents’ psychological and physiological responses to pain, injury, serious illnesses, and other experiences with the medical environment. Paediatric cancer patients have the highest prevalence of PMTS as the illness involves a set of stressors that trigger many negative psychological reactions. Posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) are one of the most common psychopathologies among cancer patients. We examined the incidence of PMTS in children with cancer and their parents due to coping with a serious illness and treatment complications. We analysed the following risk factors for PTSS: selected groups of individuals, medical interventions, complications, and treatment modalities. The study involved 183 parents of 133 children and 63 children and adolescents who were treated between 2009 and 2019 at Clinical Department of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology of Paediatric Clinic in Ljubljana. We collected the data using The Intensity of treatment rating scale 2.0 [IRT-2], PTSD checklist for Children/Parent [PCL-C/PR], The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 [PCL-5] and The Child PTSD Symptoms Scale for DSM-5 [CPSS-5]. PMTS is frequently present in both, children and their parents, regardless of the cancer type, treatment duration, treatment outcome, and child’s age. Mothers, patients with relapse, patients who were diagnosed after age 5, patients with more intensive treatment, and parents of the latter are at higher risk for PMTS occurrence. Additionally, we found a decreasing trend of traumatic responses after five or more years post cancer diagnosis and that parents are more traumatized than children. Our findings will contribute to the systematic prevention of PMTS and medical trauma and to endeavour to use trauma-informed care.

Prodromal stage of late-onset psychosis

IntroductionProdromal stage of psychosis may be an aim of prevention first episode psychosis. In late-onset psychosis it’s low described.ObjectivesThe aim of this investigation is to describe prodromal phase of late-onset psychosis and their connection with psychopathology.Methods74 women with late-onset psychosis (age 64,3±6,7) - late-onset schizophrenia (LOS) (n=49, age 63±8,4), schizoaffective disorder (n=17, age 62,4±6,5), late onset delusion disorder (LoDD) (n=8, age 76,6±4,3) underwent clinical assessment (SOPS, PANSS, HAMD-17), cognitive examination (MMSE, MoCA), structured interviewing on life-time pathology. Spearman’s rho statistics was used.ResultsLOP patients have low prodromal symptoms according to the SOPS score. In LOS patients middle score of SOPS is 18±8,5, in schizoaffective patients middle score of SOPS is 12,3±6,8, and for LoDD SOPS is 13,4 ±4,6. Prodromal disturbances are represented mainly by fragmentary paranoid ideas, thoughts of unusual content, acoasms and affective fluctuations. In LOS patients SOPS negative subscale correlate with HAMD (r=0,384, p<0,05), desorganisation subscale correlate with PANSS common psychopathology subscale (r=0,32, p<0,05) and total PANSS (r=0,28, p<0,05), generous subscale and common SOPS correlate with HAMD (r=0,29, r=0,3, p<0,05). For patients with schizoaffective disorder there is no correlations, and in patients with LoDD SOPS desorganisation subscale negative correlate with PANSS negative subscale (r=-0,71, p<0,05).ConclusionsIn patients with late psychoses, the severity of disorders in the prodromal period is minimal. However, prodromal features are associated with the psychopathology.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Exploring complex-PTSD comorbidity in trauma-exposed Northern Ireland veterans

ABSTRACT Background Complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) describes the results of complex, prolonged, and/or inescapable trauma, and is typified by avoidance, re-experiencing, sense of threat, affect dysregulation, negative self-concept, and interpersonal disturbances. Additionally, CPTSD is highly comorbid with other common psychopathologies. Objectives A study was conducted in a trauma-exposed UK Armed Forces Veteran population resident in Northern Ireland (N = 638, NI) to determine the prevalence of CPTSD and comorbid associations. Methods Data from the Northern Ireland Veterans Health and Wellbeing Study (NIVHWS), including self-report data describing traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, and suicidality, were used in a latent class analysis to identify distinct profiles of symptomology in the sample, and in a multinomial logistic regression to identify comorbidities associated with class membership. Results Three distinct classes emerged: a low endorsement ‘baseline’ class (36%), a ‘Moderate Symptomatic’ class (27%), and a high endorsement ‘Probable CPTSD’ class (37%). Both the Moderate Symptomatic and CPTSD classes were predicted by cumulative trauma exposure. Depression was highly comorbid (OR = 23.06 in CPTSD), as was anxiety (OR = 22.05 in CPTSD) and suicidal ideation (OR = 4.32 in CPTSD), with suicidal attempt associated with the CPTSD class (OR = 2.51). Conclusions Cases of probable CPTSD were more prevalent than cases of probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) without Difficulties in Self-Organisation (DSO) symptoms in a UK Armed Forces veteran sample, were associated with repeated/cumulative trauma, and were highly comorbid across a range of psychopathologies. Findings validate previous literature on CPTSD and indicate considerable distress and thus need for support in UK Armed Forces veterans resident in NI. HIGHLIGHTS CPTSD was more prevalent than PTSD in a UK Armed Forces veteran sample. CPTSD was associated with repeated/cumulative trauma, and was highly comorbid across a range of psychopathologies. These findings validate the previous literature on CPTSD

Non epileptic attack disorder, Psychiatric co morbidities and their outcomes: NEAD & Psychiatric Comorbidity

Background: NEAD is a common presentation in epilepsy clinics and is often misdiagnosed. This study was therefore planned to understand the prevalence of psychiatric co morbidities in patients diagnosed as NEAD and to study the outcome of both the conditions over 6 months with pharmacotherapy and supportive psychotherapy.
 Material & Method: 71 patients of NEAD were enrolled and assessed on SCID 1 to diagnose psychiatric co morbidity with rating of severity of anxiety & depression on HDRS & HARS.
 Patients were divided into Groups A & B depending on the presence or absence of existing co-morbid psychopathology respectively and were followed up over 6 months to assess outcomes. Psychiatric medication was given to Group A patients and both groups received supportive psychotherapy on follow up.
 Results: Group A had 50 patients with psychiatric co morbidity and Group B included 21 patients. Depressive disorders were common psychopathology and follow up at 3& 6 months revealed a reduction in the total mean scores of HARS and HDRS from baseline. Outcome of NEAD at the end of 6 months revealed 100% reduction in 28% and 50% reduction in 15 – 16% of both group patients.
 Conclusions: There are very few Indian studies on short or long term outcomes of NEAD and there is a need to create awareness among the treating physicians regarding the impact of associated psychiatric co morbidities which would affect the prognosis of NEAD.

Behavioural Disorders in Dogs and Cats: A Review

Psychiatry is a specialized branch of medicine that studies behavioural disorders in humans and animals. In dogs and cats, behavioural problems are analogous to human psychiatric diseases, with the most common psychopathologies addressed being generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, separation anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. The level of bizarre behaviours displayed by the pets varies due to a variety of factors such as hereditary, prenatal dam modification and events during their neonatal and socializing phase. The behavioural changes recorded in dogs and cats include trembling, vocalizing, urinating, soiling, defecating, salivating, hiding, destructiveness, aggression, fear and obsessive behaviours. It is critical to remember that other medical complications, that can produce similar behavioural changes, must be addressed for the animal’s specific therapy. For the treatment of behavioural disorders in pets, different therapeutic agents (like Tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, benzodiazepines and a typical antidepressants) are used together with the behavioural modification strategies.

Coming Up…

The Anxiety & Depression Association of America is holding its national conference, “Common Psychopathology: What Can the Past Tell Us About the Future?” March 17–20 at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel in Denver. For more information, visit https://adaa.org.

Coming Up…

The Anxiety & Depression Association of America is holding its national conference, “Common Psychopathology: What Can the Past Tell Us About the Future?” March 17–20 at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel in Denver. For more information, visit https://adaa.org.