Depressive Symptoms In Group Research Articles

Depressive Symptoms and Coping Strategies Among Indian University Students.

Depression is now the leading cause of disability worldwide, and globally more than 300 million people of all ages suffer from depression. Depression, despite its major health consequences, frequently goes unnoticed among university students, since their lives are often filled with symptoms normally associated with depression (e.g., loss of sleep, low energy, anxiety, and sadness). Successful adaptation to depression depends on the use of adequate coping strategies. The extent to which university students in India with high and low levels of depressive symptoms use adequate or inadequate coping strategies has not been evaluated. Based on the Center for Epidemiological Scale for Depression score, students were assigned to either the high depressive symptoms or the low depressive symptoms group. We used the Coping Response Inventory-Adult to determine the dominant coping strategies used by the two depressive symptoms groups. The high depressive symptom group resorted to more avoidant coping strategies than the low depressive symptom group, and women were more likely to use avoidant coping strategies than men.

Long-term outcomes of adolescents with juvenile-onset fibromyalgia into adulthood and impact of depressive symptoms on functioning over time.

Juvenile-onset fibromyalgia (JFM) is typically diagnosed in adolescence and characterized by widespread pain and marked functional impairment. The long-term impact of JFM into adulthood is poorly understood. The objectives of this study were to describe physical and psychosocial outcomes of youth diagnosed with JFM in early adulthood (∼8-year follow-up), examine longitudinal trajectories of pain and depressive symptoms from adolescence to young adulthood, and examine the impact of pain and depressive symptoms on physical functioning over time. Participants were 97 youth with JFM enrolled in a prospective longitudinal study in which pain symptoms, and physical and psychosocial functioning were assessed at 4 time points over approximately 8 years. At the time 4 follow-up (Mage = 24.2 years), the majority continued to suffer from pain and impairment in physical, social, and psychological domains. However, trajectories of pain and emotional symptoms showed varying patterns. Longitudinal analysis using growth mixture modeling revealed 2 pain trajectories (Steady Improvement and Rapid Rebounding Improvement), whereas depressive symptoms followed 3 distinct trajectories (Low-Stable, Improving, and Worsening). Membership in the Worsening Depressive symptoms group was associated with poorer physical functioning over time (P < 0.001) compared with the Low-Stable and Improving groups. This study offers evidence that although JFM symptoms persist for most individuals, pain severity tends to decrease over time. However, depressive symptoms follow distinct trajectories that indicate subgroups of JFM. In particular, JFM patients with worsening depressive symptoms showed decreasing physical functioning and may require more intensive and consistent intervention to prevent long-term disability.

The associations between mental health, health-related quality of life and insulin pump therapy among children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

Background Diabetes has previously been linked to mental health problems in children and adolescents, but more recent studies have yielded mixed findings. The aim of the current study was to compare symptoms of mental health problems in children and adolescents with and without type 1 diabetes (T1DM). Methods Life quality, subjective well-being, self-rated health, depression and somatic symptoms in children and adolescents with diabetes (n=130) were measured and compared to the results of a socio-demographically joined control group (n=177) which consists of healthy children and adolescents. Results A significant difference could be observed between the groups in well-being and depressive symptoms as according to the results, the research sample namely the children with T1DM could be described with significantly higher subjective well-being and mood, but with less physical symptoms and lower level of depression as those in the control group. Conclusions These findings suggest that T1DM is not associated with an increased risk of psychosocial problems, and confirm that even a severe disease of a child can lead to personal growth.

Depressive symptoms among elderly diabetic patients in Vietnam.

Background and aimsDepression and diabetes are becoming increasingly prevalent within the Vietnamese elderly population. However, the linkage between these health conditions in the Vietnamese elderly has not yet been fully investigated. This study aimed to assess the level of depressive symptoms and associated factors among elderly diabetic patients.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at National Geriatric Hospital in the elder patients aged ≥60 years with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale, with three categories: normal (0–4 points), mild (5–9 points), and moderate/severe depressive symptoms (≥10 points). We obtained information on the patient’s sociodemographic, medical history, glycemic control (fasting plasma glucose and HbA1c), daily activities (activities of daily living [ADLs] and instruments activities of daily living [IADLs] scale), and fall risks (Time Up and Go test). Logistic regression was used to analyze the factors associated with the presence of depressive symptoms.ResultsAmong 412 patients, 236 (57.3%) had HbA1c level at 7.0% or higher. There were 327 (79.4%) patients having depressive symptoms. The level of HbA1c was significantly different between the depressive symptom group and the non-depressive symptom group (7.74% and 6.61%, P<0.05). The increased likelihood of having depressive symptoms was associated with having risk of falls (OR: 5.50; 95% CI: 1.88–16.11), suffering from 5–10 years of diabetes (OR: 2.74, 95% CI: 1.28–5.85), uncontrolled fasting plasma glucose (OR: 4.06, 95% CI: 1.81–9.12), and an impairment of IADLs (OR: 5.74, 95% CI: 2.24–14.7).ConclusionThis study highlights a high prevalence of depressive symptoms among elderly T2DM patients in Vietnam, suggesting an urgent need for screening depressive symptoms and providing mental health care services to this population promptly, particularly to those suffering from diabetes for a long period of time or co-functional impairments.

Do preoperative depressive symptoms predict quality of life after laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A longitudinal prospective study

ObjectiveThe impact of preoperative depressive symptoms on quality of life (QOL) after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to develop a benchmark for capturing the burden of depressive symptoms on QOL after LC and for supporting evidence-based clinical interventions for remediating these effects.MethodsPatients diagnosed with depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory score > 13) after LC (n = 336) were classified into a depressive symptoms group. Propensity score matching was then used to match them with 336 patients in a non-depressive symptoms group for all potential confounding factors. All patients completed the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI) at baseline and at 2 years postoperatively. The 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for differences in responsiveness estimates were derived by bootstrap estimation.ResultsThe GIQLI results revealed that the non-depressive symptoms group had relatively stronger responses for emotional impairment (4.10, 95% CI 2.81 to 5.39) and social impairment (4.06, 95% CI 2.65 to 5.46) in comparison with the depressive symptoms group. In the SF-36, the non-depressive symptoms group also had stronger responses for role emotional (12.63, 95% CI 10.73 to 14.54), social functioning (11.25, 95% CI 9.85 to 12.65), vitality (3.81, 95% CI 2.82 to 4.81), mental health (11.97, 95% CI 10.36 to 13.56) and general health (3.84, 95% CI 2.95 to 4.75).ConclusionsDepressive symptoms complicate the management of LC patients and are associated with poorer outcomes. Because depressive symptoms are very common, further studies are needed to evaluate integrated and comprehensive approaches for assessing and treating these symptoms.

Depressive symptoms affect outcomes of pessary use in postmenopausal women with uterine prolapse

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the impact of depressive symptoms on successful pessary treatment for postmenopausal women with symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Methods: We performed a prospective study involving postmenopausal women with POP who visited our clinic seeking pessary treatment. Demographic information and medical histories were collected. The participants completed the following questionnaires at baseline and after 3 months of successful pessary use: (1) the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire-7 (PFIQ-7); (2) the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20); and (3) the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). The data were analyzed with the independent samples t-test, Mann–Whitney U-test, χ2 test, Fisher’s exact test, paired t-test or Wilcoxon signed-rank test as appropriate. Results: In total, 102 (92.7%) participants who completed the entire study were included in the analysis. No significant differences were found in the sociodemographic or clinical characteristics between the 'positive' and 'negative' depressive symptom groups (p > 0.05). After 3 months of successful pessary treatment, the scores of the PFIQ-7 (including the Urinary Incontinence Questionnaire-7, the Colon Rectal Anal Impact Questionnaire-7 and the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Impact Questionnaire-7 subscales) and PFDI-20 (including the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Distress Inventory-6, the Colon Rectal Anal Distress Inventory-8 and the Urinary Distress Inventory-6 (UDI-6) subscales) were significantly decreased in all participants (p < 0.05). The PHQ-9 score was also significantly decreased (p < 0.001). However, the participants with depressive symptoms reported significantly less improvement post-treatment than those without depressive symptoms in the score of the PFDI-20 subscale UDI-6, which represented the degree of distress due to the lower urinary tract symptoms (p = 0.022). Conclusions: Both the quality of life and depressive symptom scores were significantly improved after 3 months of successful pessary use. We advocate making depressive symptom screening a regular indicator for assessing the effectiveness of conservative POP treatment.

Do depressive symptoms influence cognitive-motor coupling in multiple sclerosis?

There is evidence that motor and cognitive impairments often co-occur in multiple sclerosis (MS). There is little research on influences of cognitive-motor coupling, particularly depressive symptoms. This study examined depressive symptoms as a moderator and/or confounder of cognitive-motor coupling in persons with MS. The sample included 131 persons with MS who were allocated into elevated and nonelevated depressive symptom groups based on a cutoff score of 8 on the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale. We assessed lower (i.e., 6-Minute Walk Test, Timed 25-Foot Walk Test) and upper (i.e., Nine-Hole Peg Test) body function as well as cognition (i.e., the Symbol Digit Modalities Test, CA Verbal Learning Test, and Brief Visuospatial Memory Test) in a research laboratory. Depressive symptomology was investigated as a moderator and/or confounder of cognitive-motor coupling using correlation and linear regression analyses. Upper and lower body function, but not cognition, differed significantly between depressive symptoms groups (p < .05). Scores on the motor and cognitive tests were uniformly correlated between depressive symptom groups. Depressive symptom category did not confound the coupling between motor and cognitive functions, and explained additional, but minimal, variation in the lower body motor function scores (p < .05). Strong coupling between motor function and cognitive processing speed in MS appeared to be consistent between depressive symptom groups. Elevated depressive symptoms might influence motor functioning more strongly than cognitive functioning in MS. (PsycINFO Database Record

Relation of long-term patterns in caregiving activity and depressive symptoms to telomere length in older women

BackgroundResearch links psychological stress to accelerated cellular aging. Here we examined whether long-term patterns of depression and caregiving burden, forms of chronic psychological stress, were associated with shorter telomere length, a biomarker of cellular aging. MethodsThe study included 1250 healthy older women (mean: 68.0; range: 60–81 years) in the Nurses’ Health Study. Long-term patterns in depressive symptoms and caregiving activity (separated into care of children/grandchildren vs. ill or disabled family members/others) incorporated questionnaire data between 1992 and 2000; relative leukocyte telomere lengths (LTLs) were measured in 2000–2001. Least-squares means LTL z-scores were calculated across categories of depression patterns and caregiving intensity. ResultsSix empirically-derived latent classes of depressive symptom trajectories were identified: minimal-stable (63.7%), mild-worsening (3.9%), subthreshold-improving (22.8%), subthreshold-worsening (2.7%), clinical range depressive-improving (6.2%), and clinical range depressive-persistent (0.6%). After collapsing trajectory patterns into 4 groups (combining those with minimal and mild symptoms into one group and those with clinical range depressive symptoms into one group) due to very small sample sizes in some groups, we observed marginal associations (p = 0.07): e.g., the least-squares means LTL z-scores were lowest (−0.08; 95% CI: −0.22 to 0.06) for the clinical range depressive symptoms group and highest (0.12; 0.04–0.20) for the subthreshold-improving group (Tukey’s post-hoc pairwise p = 0.07). With six depressive symptom trajectories, no significant associations were observed with regard to telomere lengths. There were no significant associations between caregiving intensity and LTLs. ConclusionsThere were no associations between long-term patterns of caregiving burden and telomere lengths among older women. Possible differences in telomere lengths by types of long-term depressive symptom trajectories may warrant further investigation.

Neuroergonomic Evaluation, Using Mobile fNIRS and Real-World Cognitive Task, Reveal Differences in Adolescents With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) Within an Expected Time Window of Recovery

Neuroergonomic Evaluation, Using Mobile fNIRS and Real-World Cognitive Task, Reveal Differences in Adolescents With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) Within an Expected Time Window of Recovery

Group-Based Trajectory Analysis of Emotional Symptoms Among Survivors After Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.

Depressive symptoms and anxiety are fairly common emotional outcomes after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Life satisfaction is a main factor in the general construct of subjective well-being. However, there is limited literature available on the interrelationship between emotional outcomes and life satisfaction post-severe TBI over time. The purpose of this study was to characterize distinct patterns of change in depressive symptoms, anxiety, and life satisfaction over 24 months after severe TBI and evaluate the interrelationship of different trajectory groups among them as well as associated subject characteristics. This prospective study used longitudinal data collected from the University of Pittsburgh Brain Trauma Research Center from survivors of severe TBI (N = 129). In addition to demographic and injury-related data, depressive symptoms, anxiety, and life satisfaction were collected at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months postinjury. A group-based trajectory model was performed to identify distinct longitudinal patterns of depressive symptoms, anxiety, and life satisfaction. The interrelationships of distinct trajectory groups were examined using χ tests. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to examine the predictors of different emotional symptom trajectories. The group-based trajectory model identified 2 distinct patterns of each of 3 outcomes: constantly low and constantly high depressive symptoms group (70.4% vs 29.6%), constantly low and constantly high anxiety group (69.1% vs 30.9%), and low-decreasing and high-stable life satisfaction groups (56.3% vs 43.7%). A strong pairwise association was observed between trajectory group membership for depressive symptoms and anxiety (P < .0001), depressive symptoms and life satisfaction (P < .0001), and anxiety and life satisfaction (P < .001). Subjects with increased severe injury were more likely to belong to the high-stable depressive symptoms group, while there were no significant associations between age, gender, race, education, marriage status and distinct depressive symptoms, anxiety, and life satisfaction trajectory groups. A group-based trajectory model revealed patterns of emotional symptoms that have not been fully explored among survivors of severe TBI. There appear to be distinct trajectory patterns for depressive symptoms, anxiety, and life satisfaction, respectively. There was strong interrelationship among emotional symptoms. The findings add to our understanding of psychosocial outcomes experienced over time after severe TBI.

A Toddler Parenting Intervention in Primary Care for Caregivers With Depression Symptoms.

Caregiver depression impacts parenting behaviors and has deleterious effects on child behavior. Evidence-based interventions to address parenting have not been adapted for use with depressed caregivers in pediatric primary care settings. Our study examined the feasibility and explored outcomes of an evidence-based parenting program implemented in primary care and adapted for caregivers with depressive symptoms caring for toddlers. We conducted a randomized controlled trial with a wait-list control. Participants were caregivers who screened positive for depressive symptoms in pediatric settings with a toddler. Our study was implemented from July 2011 to June 2012. We adapted the Incredible Years Parents, Babies and Toddlers program with the addition of depression psychoeducation (12 weekly sessions), and assessed caregivers at baseline and immediately post-intervention. We assessed participation rates, depressive symptoms, parenting discipline practices, social support, and parenting stress. Our results revealed that 32 caregivers participating in the intervention group had significantly greater improvement in self-reported parenting discipline practices compared to the 29 wait-list control group caregivers. We found no differences between groups in depressive symptoms, social support, or parenting stress. Our study demonstrated that the average attendance was poor (mean attendance=3.7 sessions). We adapted an evidence-based parenting intervention for caregivers with depressive symptoms and toddlers in primary care; however, participation was challenging. Alternative intervention strategies are needed to reach and retain low-income caregivers with depression symptoms as they face multiple barriers to participation in groups within center-based services. Trial Registration Clinical Trials.gov identifier NCT01464619.

Higher dietary glycemic index, but not glycemic load, is associated with a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms in a cross-sectional study of young and middle-aged Japanese women.

Epidemiologic evidence on the associations between dietary glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) and depressive symptoms is not only limited, particularly in Asian populations where dietary GI and GL are typically higher than in Western countries, but also inconclusive. This cross-sectional study examined these associations in Japanese women. Subjects were 3963 young (age 18-years) and 3826 middle-aged (mean age 47.8years) Japanese women. Dietary GI and GL were assessed using a validated diet history questionnaire. Depression symptoms were defined as present when subjects had a Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression score ≥16. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 50.2% for young women and 27.3% for middle-aged women. The mean (SD) values of energy-adjusted dietary GI and GL (GI for glucose = 100) were, respectively, 64.9 (4.3) and 142.0 (27.4) for young women and 65.0 (4.1) and 142.2 (29.5) for middle-aged women. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, higher dietary GI was associated with a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms. Adjusted OR (95% CI) for depressive symptoms in the highest compared to lowest quintiles of dietary GI was 0.66 (0.52, 0.82) for young women (P for trend=0.001) and 0.75 (0.60, 0.96) for middle-aged women (P for trend=0.046). Conversely, there was no association between dietary GL and depressive symptoms in either age group. Dietary GI, but not GL, was inversely associated with depressive symptoms in a group of young and middle-aged Japanese women with relatively high dietary GI and GL.

The associations of depressive symptoms with cognitive and physical functions and frailty in elderly outpatients

Objective To explore the associations of depressive symptoms with functional status and frailty in elderly outpatients. Methods A total of 297 geriatric outpatients(aged 65 years and over)from Zhejiang Hospital were recruited in the cross-sectional study from January 2014 to December 2015.We gathered general information, and evaluated depressive symptoms by Geriatric Depression Scale-15(GDS-15), cognitive function by mini-mental state examination(MMSE), frailty by clinical frailty scale(CFS), activities of daily living(ADL)by Barthel index, instrumental activities of daily living(IADL), balance, POMA and gait by Tinetti-performance oriented mobility assessment(Tinetti-POMA), grip strength and 4m gait speed by 4-meter walk gait speed test.According to the GDS-15 scores, 297 geriatric outpatients were divided into a depression symptom group(n=35, GDS-15≥6)and a non-depressive symptom group(n=262, GDS-15<6). The frailty and functional status were compared between two groups by SPSS 23.0. Results As compared with non-depressive symptoms, the depressive symptoms group had higher clinical frailty scale(CFS), lower body mass index(BMI), lower cognitive function and poorer grip strength and balance(all P<0.05). There were significantly negative correlations of Geriatric Depression Scale-15(GDS-15)with ADL, IADL, gait, balance, POMA and grip strength(r=-0.165、-0.154、-0.216、-0.291、-0.305、-0.314, All P<0.05), while there were significantly positive correlations with CFS score, gait speed(r=0.256、0.198, both P<0.05). The more severe the frailty was, the higher the risk of depressive symptoms was(OR=3.650, 95% CI 1.611-8.271). Conclusions The cognitive and physical functions in the elderly with depression symptoms are poorer as compared with the elderly without depression symptoms.Elderly outpatients with more severe frailty have a higher risk for depressive symptoms. Key words: Depression; Activities of daily living; Frailty; Cognitive

Differences in Resting-state Quantitative Electroencephalography Patterns in Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder with or without Comorbid Symptoms

ObjectiveThe aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of comorbid psychiatric symptoms on quantitative electroencephalogram (QEEG) activities in boys with the attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).MethodsAll participants were male students in the second, third or fourth grade in elementary school. Therefore, there were no significant differences in age or sex. Participants with ADHD were assigned to one of three groups: pure ADHD (n=22), ADHD with depressive symptoms (n=11), or ADHD with problematic internet use (n=19). The Korean version of the Children’s Depression Inventory and the Korean Internet Addiction Self-scale were used to assess depressive symptoms and problematic internet use, respectively. Resting-state EEG during eyes closed was recorded, and the absolute power of five frequency bands was analyzed: delta (1–4 Hz), theta (4–8 Hz), alpha (8–12 Hz), beta (12–30 Hz), and gamma (30–50 Hz).ResultsThe ADHD with problematic internet use group showed decreased absolute theta power at the central and posterior region compared with the pure ADHD group. However, The ADHD with depressive symptoms group showed no significant differences compared with the other groups.ConclusionThese findings will contribute to a better understanding of brain-based electrophysiological changes in children with ADHD in accordance with comorbid psychiatric symptoms.

Joint trajectories of cigarette smoking and depressive symptoms from the mid-20s to the mid-30s predicting generalized anxiety disorder

ABSTRACTThe current study examines longitudinal patterns of cigarette smoking and depressive symptoms as predictors of generalized anxiety disorder using data from the Harlem Longitudinal Development Study. There were 674 African American (53%) and Puerto Rican (47%) participants. Among the 674 participants, 60% were females. In the logistic regression analyses, the indicators of membership in each of the joint trajectories of cigarette smoking and depressive symptoms from the mid-20s to the mid-30s were used as the independent variables, and the diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder in the mid-30s was used as the dependent variable. The high cigarette smoking with high depressive symptoms group and the low cigarette smoking with high depressive symptoms group were associated with an increased likelihood of having generalized anxiety disorder as compared to the no cigarette smoking with low depressive symptoms group. The findings shed light on the prevention and treatment of generalized anxiety disorder.

Brain Function Associated with Cooccurring Trauma and Depression Symptoms in College Students

ABSTRACTThe goal of this pilot study was to determine if functional brain differences are present among individuals with high and low cooccurring trauma and depression symptoms. This pilot study examined how the P300 latency component of event-related potentials (ERPs), measured using electroencephalography (EEG) while participants performed a go/no-go task, might be associated with cooccurring self-report of trauma and depression symptoms in a sample of college students (N = 38). Alpha-corrected independent sample t tests revealed statistically significant differences in ERP P300 peak latencies between those in the high cooccurring trauma and depression symptoms group (n = 12) and those in the low group (n = 26) for all 3 midline electrode sites (Fz, Cz, and Pz). This pilot study provides preliminary evidence of differential brain functioning in individuals experiencing cooccurring trauma and depression symptoms. Accordingly, these findings support future research examining brain functioning in cooccurring symptoms.

Detailed course of depressive symptoms and risk for developing depression in late adolescents with subthreshold depression: a cohort study.

PurposeDespite its clinical importance, adolescent subthreshold depression remains a largely neglected topic. The aims of this study were to accurately identify the natural course of depressive symptoms and the risk for developing major depressive episode (MDE) in late adolescents with subthreshold depression over 1 year.Patients and methodsOne hundred and seventy-two participants <20 years of age (mean age: 18.32 years, standard deviation: 0.50), who did not meet the full criteria for an MDE, were selected from 2,494 screened freshmen based on the Beck Depression Inventory, 2nd edition (BDI-II). We conducted a cohort study of three groups (low-, middle-, and high-symptom groups) divided based on BDI-II scores, over a 1 year period with the use of bimonthly assessments. Temporal changes of depressive symptoms were analyzed using linear mixed modeling and growth mixture modeling.ResultsFirst, we found that late adolescents with subthreshold depression (high depressive symptoms) were split between the increasing and decreasing depressive symptoms groups, whereas the majority of the less-symptoms group remained stable during 1 year. Second, in comparison with late adolescents with less depressive symptoms, those with subthreshold depression had an elevated risk of later depression.ConclusionSome late adolescents with subthreshold depression had increased depressive symptoms and developed an MDE during 1 year. Therefore, it is necessary for us to rigorously assess the changes in subthreshold depressive symptoms over time in late adolescents.

The Developmental Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms in Early Adolescence: An Examination of School-Related Factors

This study investigated the heterogeneity of depressive symptom trajectories and the roles of school-related factors in predicting the membership of different trajectories in a sample of early adolescents in Taiwan. In all, 870 junior high school students were followed for 3 years. Using growth mixture modeling, the study identified four distinct trajectories: stable-low depression, stable-moderate depression, steadily increasing depression, and early elevated but later decreasing depression. Female and private school students tended to belong to the high-risk group. Students with negative academic self-concept, low self-esteem, or poor peer relationships tended to follow the two high-risk trajectories (stable-moderate depression and steadily increasing depression). The findings suggested that these school-related factors could be used to target the high-risk depressive symptom groups for receiving further counseling, especially in the East Asian context.

Severity of depressive symptoms and oscillatory responses to emotional facial expressions

We studies the differences in oscillatory responses to emotional facial expressions in 40 subjects with different severity of depressive symptoms (19 men and 21 women) aged 18-30 years. In subjects with low severity of depressive symptoms (group 2), the perception of happy facial expressions was marked by lower delta synchronization as compared with angry and neutral expressions; in subjects with high severity of depressive chronization as compared with angry and neutral expression; in subjects with high severity of depressive symptoms (group 1), the perception of happy faces was marked by higher delta synchronization. Since an increase in delta oscillations is usually observed in aversive conditions, we suggest that happy facial expressions are perceived as negative stimuli by the subjects of group 1. The perception of angry facial expressions was accompanied by alpha band desynchronization in Group 2 and by alpha synchronization in Group 1. Basing on Klimesch's theory, this effect suggests that the subjects of group 1 are initially set up for the perception of negative emotional information. The effect of emotional stimulus category was significant in group 2, but not significant in group 1, which is an evidence of disorders in the recognition of emotional information in depression-prone individuals.

Depression, quality of life, and body composition in patients with end-stage renal disease: a cohort study.

Objective:To prospectively evaluate depressive symptoms, nutritional status, and quality of life (QoL) and search for possible associations in patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing hemodialysis.Methods:A cohort study of 104 adult patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing hemodialysis was conducted. Anthropometric, clinical, and biochemical variables were evaluated after a midweek hemodialysis session. The participants’ body composition was assessed by direct segmental multi-frequency bioimpedance analysis. The WHOQOL-Bref questionnaire was used to evaluate QoL. Participants were separated into two groups - depressive symptoms and no depressive symptoms - at inclusion and evaluated annually for 2 years thereafter using the Beck Depression Inventory. Survival analysis used the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis for the goodness of fit of associated factors. All-cause mortality was the outcome of interest.Results:Participants’ mean age was 55.3±15.6 years, 60% were male, and the median time on hemodialysis was 17.5 (8.0-36.8) months. Thirty-two patients had depressive symptoms and a significantly lower QoL compared with the 72 patients in the no depressive symptoms group. The fitted outcome model showed that lean body mass had a protective effect against all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.89; 95%CI 0.80-0.99; p = 0.038).Conclusion:Depressive symptoms were highly prevalent in the cohort, and correlated with the physical and psychological components of the QoL life questionnaire, as well as with C-reactive protein and phosphorus levels. Lean body mass was protective for the assessed outcome.