Depressive Spectrum Disorders Research Articles

Quantitative Electroencephalography in Patients With Depression and Epilepsy Spectrum Disorder and Its Correlation With Clinical Features of Depression.

To determine the associations of epilepsy spectrum disorder (ESD) with brain insult and certain quantitative electroencephalographic (QEEG) and clinico-demographic parameters in patients with depression. 21 right-handed patients aged 18 to 50 years with the diagnosis of depression and ESD (scored ≥70 in Iowa Interview for Partial seizure-like symptoms) were compared with 21 patients with depression but without ESD (scored <70) and 21 normal subjects with <3 positive scores on the 12-Item General Health Questionnaire. Their QEEG parameters such as power spectrum and coherence of five frequency bands in 11 regions were compared. Patients with ESD had more minor traumatic brain injury along with more severe and multiple depressive episodes. Patients with ESD had significantly higher beta1 power over all regions on the left scalp than did normal subjects. Patients with ESD had significantly higher beta2 power over the left central region than did patients with no ESD and normal subjects. For patients with severe recurrent depression, clinicians should systematically check for episodic partial seizure-like phenomena, especially when QEEG shows electrical disorganisation in the left side in those with mild traumatic brain injury.

Possibilities of using laboratory biomarkers for the objective diagnosis of depressive disorders

Objective: to assess the possibility of using laboratory biomarkers to objectify psychopathological disorders in patients with depressive spectrum disorders (RSDs). Patients and methods. The investigation enrolled 63 patients (mean age, 31.7±8.9 years) with new-onset RSDs of different etiologies. Group 1 included 21 patients with a mild to moderate depressive episode (DE); Group 2 consisted of 42 patients with neurotic depressive disorders (adjustment disorders). The severity of anxiety and depression was assessed using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. In addition, the investigators studied laboratory parameters: the levels of cortisol, homocysteine, prolactin, vitamin B 12 , cortisol, interleukin (IL)-1 β , IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF- α ) in serum and platelet serotonin. They also estimated changes in the most significant laboratory parameters in 31 patients with depressive disorders: in 15 with DE and in 16 with neurotic depression who had received 4-week monotherapy with agomelatine 25 mg/day. Results and discussion. The differential diagnosis of psychopathological disorders based on the clinical and psychopathological method and psychometric assessment of the patient's condition was shown to be difficult. It was established that the objectification of these disorders using known laboratory biomarkers (cortisol and platelet serotonin) did not give an unambiguous answer. At the same time, the assessment of immunological parameters (the levels of proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6, TNF- α ) can help to solve this problem. The investigation also demonstrated that the use of non-monoaminergic antidepressants (MT 1 /MT 2 -type melatonin receptor agonists) contributed to the reduced level of proinflammatory cytokines, which opens up opportunities for finding new therapeutic approaches to treating RSDs. Conclusion. Usage of biological markers may contribute not only to improvement in the accuracy of mental disorders diagnosis but also to the development of new treatment approaches. Simultaneously, the selective use of individual biological markers (biochemical, metabolic, immunological, etc.) is not very informative; therefore, their comprehensive assessment is required.

Расстройства депрессивного спектра в неврологической практике: есть ли место под солнцем, или кто должен лечить пациентов?

In the cases of majority of neurological diseases the symptoms of depression have significant influence on the worsening of the quality of patient’s life, regardless of the severity of the neurological disorders. In the most of neurodegenerative diseases the symptoms of depression often precede the appearance of neurological symptoms. Within recent years, numerous studies have been published demonstrating that disorders of depressive spectrum can be considered as a predictor of some types of dementia. Existing data regarding the methods of therapeutic intervention for depression in the clinical practice are rather scarce, scattered and often based on the «personal experience» of neurologists and psychiatrists. In some patients the diagnostics of depression in the context of neurological disorders can be difficult due to the difficulties in the establishing the contact with the patient as well as cognitive deviations related to neurological disorders. In order to facilitate this task, the effective screening diagnostic methods have been developed for the diagnosis of depression in the context of neurological diseases. The results of clinical studies performed within recent years confirm the important role of the neurologist for the evaluation and the treatment of the symptoms of depression, both at the initial stage and at the stage of remission. The purpose of the current review is to systematize the accumulated data on the disorders of depressive spectrum in the context of neurological practice, as well as to demonstrate the role of neurologist in the process of diagnosis and treatment of the symptoms of depression in neurological diseases.

Does the epithelial barrier hypothesis explain the increase in allergy, autoimmunity and other chronic conditions?

There has been a steep increase in allergic and autoimmune diseases, reaching epidemic proportions and now affecting more than one billion people worldwide. These diseases are more common in industrialized countries, and their prevalence continues to rise in developing countries in parallel to urbanization and industrialization. Intact skin and mucosal barriers are crucial for the maintenance of tissue homeostasis as they protect host tissues from infections, environmental toxins, pollutants and allergens. A defective epithelial barrier has been demonstrated in allergic and autoimmune conditions such as asthma, atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, eosinophilic esophagitis, coeliac disease and inflammatory bowel disease. In addition, leakiness of the gut epithelium is also implicated in systemic autoimmune and metabolic conditions such as diabetes, obesity, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis and autoimmune hepatitis. Finally, distant inflammatory responses due to a 'leaky gut' and microbiome changes are suspected in Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, chronic depression and autism spectrum disorders. This article introduces an extended 'epithelial barrier hypothesis', which proposes that the increase in epithelial barrier-damaging agents linked to industrialization, urbanization and modern life underlies the rise in allergic, autoimmune and other chronic conditions. Furthermore, it discusses how the immune responses to dysbiotic microbiota that cross the damaged barrier may be involved in the development of these diseases.

Psychological Continuum of Elderly Patients Suffering from Arterial Hypertension with Metabolic Syndrome, Against the Background of Chronotherapy with a Fixed Combination of Amlodipine, Lisinopril and Rosuvastatin.

Aim To study the psychological continuum in elderly patients with arterial hypertension associated with metabolic syndrome during the chronotherapy with a fixed combination (FC) of amlodipine, lisinopril, and rosuvastatin.Material and methods In the inpatient conditions, 63 patients aged 60-74 years with arterial hypertension associated with metabolic syndrome were treated with chronotherapy with a FC of amlodipine, lisinopril, and rosuvastatin (5 / 10 / 10 mg/day in the evening). These patients composed the main group. The control group (58 patients aged 60-74 years with arterial hypertension associated with metabolic syndrome) was treated with the FC of amlodipine, lisinopril, and rosuvastatin at the same dose of 5 / 10 / 10 mg/day in the morning.Results At one year, the disorders of psychological continuum were significantly decreased with the chronotherapy (evening dosing) with the antihypertensive FC of amlodipine, lisinopril, and rosuvastatin compared to the traditional treatment (morning dosing) at the same dose of 5 / 10 / 10 mg/day in both groups. With the chronotherapeutic approach, the dynamic of cognitive disorders in patients aged 60-74 years with arterial hypertension associated with metabolic syndrome was characterized by a significant increase in the Mini-Mental-State-Examination scale score from 17.8±0.3 at baseline to 23.5±0.4 with the evening dosing (р&lt;0.001) vs. the increase from 16.9±0.3 to 20.4±0.4 (р&lt;0.001) with the morning dosing. The situational anxiety score decreased from 40.0±2.2 to 30.6±1.8 (р&lt;0.05) and from 40.8±2.5 to 33.5±1.9 (р&lt;0.05), and the trait anxiety score decreased from 48.8±2.0 to 26.4±1.9 (р&lt;0.001) and from 44.9±1.9 to 30.7±1.7 (р&lt;0.01) with the evening and morning dosing, respectively. Depressive disorders slightly decreased with the chronotherapy by 14.1 % vs. 7.7 % with the traditional regimen; nevertheless, they were consistent with depressive spectrum disorders in both groups.Conclusion The study results showed a higher effectiveness of the chronotherapeutic treatment compared to the traditional treatment with FC of amlodipine, lisinopril, and rosuvastatin in arterial hypertension with metabolic syndrome.

Psychological continuum of elderly hypertensive patients with metabolic syndrome receiving chronotherapy with a fixed-dose combination of amlodipine, lisinopril and rosuvastatin

Aim. To study the psychological continuum of elderly hypertensive patients with metabolic syndrome (MS) receiving chronotherapy with a fixed-dose combination of amlodipine, lisinopril and rosuvastatin.Material and methods. In a clinical setting, 63 hypertensive patients with MS aged 60-74 years (experimental group) received chronotherapy with fixed-dose combination of amlodipine, lisinopril and rosuvastatin (Ekvamer®) at a dose of 5/10/10 mg in the evening (8 pm). The control group of hypertensive patients with MS aged 60-74 years old (n=58) received Ekvamer® in the morning (conventional therapy) at the same dosage.Results. With fixed-dose combination of amlodipine, lisinopril and rosuvastatin, the severity of psychological continuum abnormalities significantly decreases after 1 year in the chronotherapy regimen (evening intake) than with morning intake with an equivalent dosage of 5/10/10 mg per day in both cases. The dynamics of cognitive impairments in hypertensive patients aged 60-74 years with MS using chronotherapy regimen is characterized by a significant increase in the mean MMSE score from the initial 17,8±0,3 to 23,5±0,4 points (p±0,001) vs 16,9±0,3 to 20,4±0,4 points (p&lt;0,001) when taking the drug in the morning. Situational anxiety decreased from 40,0±2,2 to 30,6±1,8 points (p&lt;0,05) vs 40,8±2,5 to 33,5±1,9 points (p&lt;0,05), personal anxiety from 48,8±2,0 to 26,4±1,9 (p&lt;0,001) vs from 44,9±1,9 to 30,7±1,7 (p&lt;0,01) points, respectively. Depressive disorders slightly decreased with chronotherapy (14,1%) vs 7,7% than with the conventional scheme, but despite this, they corresponded to depressive spectrum disorders in both groups.Conclusion. The results obtained indicate a greater efficiency of chronotherapy than the conventional use of fixed-dose combination of amlodipine, lisinopril and rosuvastatin in hypertensive patients with MS.

Association of genetic liability for psychiatric disorders with accelerometer-assessed physical activity in the UK Biobank.

Levels of activity are often affected in psychiatric disorders and can be core symptoms of illness. Advances in technology now allow the accurate assessment of activity levels but it remains unclear whether alterations in activity arise from shared risk factors for developing psychiatric disorders, such as genetics, or are better explained as consequences of the disorders and their associated factors. We aimed to examine objectively-measured physical activity in individuals with psychiatric disorders, and assess the role of genetic liability for psychiatric disorders on physical activity. Accelerometer data were available on 95,529 UK Biobank participants, including measures of overall mean activity and minutes per day of moderate activity, walking, sedentary activity, and sleep. Linear regressions measured associations between psychiatric diagnosis and activity levels, and polygenic risk scores (PRS) for psychiatric disorders and activity levels. Genetic correlations were calculated between psychiatric disorders and different types of activity. Having a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, or autism spectrum disorders (ASD) was associated with reduced overall activity compared to unaffected controls. In individuals without a psychiatric disorder, reduced overall activity levels were associated with PRS for schizophrenia, depression, and ASD. ADHD PRS was associated with increased overall activity. Genetic correlations were consistent with PRS findings. Variation in physical activity is an important feature across psychiatric disorders. Whilst levels of activity are associated with genetic liability to psychiatric disorders to a very limited extent, the substantial differences in activity levels in those with psychiatric disorders most likely arise as a consequences of disorder-related factors.

Affective Temperaments, Panic Disorder and Their Bipolar Connections.

Background and Objectives: The role of affective temperament in the genesis and outcome of major mood disorders is well studied, but there are only a few reports on the relationship between panic disorder (PD) and affective temperaments. Accordingly, we aimed to study the distribution of affective temperaments (depressive (DE); cyclothymic (CT); irritable (IRR); hyperthymic (HT) and anxious (ANX)) among outpatients with PD. Materials and Methods: Affective temperaments of 118 PD outpatients (80 females and 38 males) with or without agoraphobia but without any other psychiatric disorder at the time of inclusion were evaluated using the Temperament Evaluation of the Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A) and compared with the affective temperament scores of control subjects. All patients were followed up for at least 1.5 years in order to detect the onset of any major affective disorders, substance use disorders and suicide attempts. Results: Among females, the dominant ANX and DE temperaments were four and three times as common as in a large normative Hungarian sample (for both cases p < 0.01). Among male PD patients, only the dominant DE temperament was slightly overrepresented in a non-significant manner. Females with PD obtained significantly higher scores on ANX, DE and CT subscales of the TEMPS-A, whereas males with PD showed significantly higher scores on ANX, DE and HT temperament subscales compared with the members of a large normative Hungarian sample and also with a gender- and age-matched control group. During the follow-up, newly developed unipolar major depression and bipolar spectrum (bipolar I or II and cyclothymic) disorders appeared in 64% and 22% of subjects, respectively. Conclusions: Our preliminary findings suggest that a specific, ANX-DE-CT affective temperament profile is characteristic primarily for female patients, and an ANX-DE-HT affective temperament profile is characteristic for male patients with PD, respectively. These findings are in line with expectations because PD is an anxiety disorder par excellence on the one hand, whereas, on the other hand, it is quite frequently comorbid with mood (including bipolar) disorders.

Future perspectives of robot psychiatry: can communication robots assist psychiatric evaluation in the COVID-19 pandemic era?

Direct face-to-face interview between a psychiatrist and a patient is crucial in psychiatric evaluation, however, such traditional interviews are becoming difficult to conduct because of the infection risk in the COVID-19 era. As telepsychiatry, video interviews using internet are suggested to be useful to evaluate and assist individuals with mental disorders. However, some patients especially with social phobia, depression, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) hesitate to use even such face-to-face-like tools. Communication robots have been proposed as future assistant tools for such patients. Herein, we summarize recent advancements in robot psychiatry, and propose the benefits of communication robots in psychiatric evaluation. Recent studies have suggested that communication robots are effective in assisting people with ASD. As a pilot trial, we herein conducted semi-structured interviews to evaluate depression and hikikomori, a form of pathological social withdrawal, using a communication robot and a psychiatrist, respectively. There was almost identical evaluation between the two. Interestingly, a person with hikikomori answered that the robot was easier to disclose. Robots can reduce the burden of human resources and the infection risk in the COVID-19 era. Robot interview is expected to be implemented for future evaluation system in psychiatry.

The effects of intensive home treatment on self-efficacy in patients recovering from a psychiatric crisis

BackgroundThis study evaluated whether providing intensive home treatment (IHT) to patients experiencing a psychiatric crisis has more effect on self-efficacy when compared to care as usual (CAU). Self-efficacy is a psychological concept closely related to one of the aims of IHT. Additionally, differential effects on self-efficacy among patients with different mental disorders and associations between self-efficacy and symptomatic recovery or quality of life were examined.MethodsData stem from a Zelen double consent randomised controlled trial (RCT), which assesses the effects of IHT compared to CAU on patients who experienced a psychiatric crisis. Data were collected at baseline, 6 and 26 weeks follow-up. Self-efficacy was measured using the Mental Health Confidence Scale. The 5-dimensional EuroQol instrument and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) were used to measure quality of life and symptomatic recovery, respectively. We used linear mixed modelling to estimate the associations with self-efficacy.ResultsData of 142 participants were used. Overall, no difference between IHT and CAU was found with respect to self-efficacy (B = − 0.08, SE = 0.15, p = 0.57), and self-efficacy did not change over the period of 26 weeks (B = − 0.01, SE = 0.12, t (103.95) = − 0.06, p = 0.95). However, differential effects on self-efficacy over time were found for patients with different mental disorders (F(8, 219.33) = 3.75, p < 0.001). Additionally, self-efficacy was strongly associated with symptomatic recovery (total BPRS B = − 0.10, SE = 0.02, p < 0.00) and quality of life (B = 0.14, SE = 0.01, p < 0.001).ConclusionsAlthough self-efficacy was associated with symptomatic recovery and quality of life, IHT does not have a supplementary effect on self-efficacy when compared to CAU. This result raises the question whether, and how, crisis care could be adapted to enhance self-efficacy, keeping in mind the development of self-efficacy in depressive, bipolar, personality, and schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders. The findings should be considered with some caution. This study lacked sufficient power to test small changes in self-efficacy and some mental disorders had a small sample size.Trial registration This trial is registered at Trialregister.nl, number NL6020.

Some psychiatric and neurological aspects of the asymptomatic and mild course of COVID-19

To study neurological and mental disorders associated with the inapparent and mild course of COVID-19. The study included 50 patients (mean age 35.2±11.4 years) admitted to a psychiatric hospital due to depressive spectrum disorders. Patients were divided into two groups: patients (n=16) who had IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 (main group) and patients (n=34) without a history of COVID-19 (comparison group). Patients of the main group showed a difference in the structure of asthenic disorders compared with the comparison group. Also, there was a significant predominance of the severity of asthenic symptoms and anxiety in the structure of psychopathological disorders in depressive spectrum disorders. The viral intoxication contributes to the formation of a kind of asthenic «soil» (with characteristic manifestations). In the future, in the case of the development of any stress-associated disorder, more pronounced psychopathological disorders are noted compared with patients of the comparison group. The authors describe a variant of the course of COVID-19, in which the development of ischemic stroke was the first clinical manifestation of the disease. These disorders are based on the pronounced neurotropic effect of SARS-CoV-2 and its effect on the neurovascular unit.

Цифровая зависимость у детей и подростков. Современные стратегии диагностики и лечения

Nowadays, there is a need for consensus on diagnostic criteria, measures to improve the reliability of researches and the development of effective and efficient treatment methods, despite the significant amount of researches conducted on digital addiction (both Internet and gadget addiction). At the present stage, it is advisable and possible to find a common approach that is relevant for providing preventive and medical care to children and adolescents with digital addiction. This review of recent scientific articles systematizes modern treatment tactics for the prevention, diagnosis and therapy of these conditions, primarily in children and adolescents, which can be summarized as follows: digital addiction is a behavioral addiction (1), the diagnosis of which requires a multimodal/integrated approach (2), which consists of preventive measures in childhood and adolescence ("digital hygiene") (3), psychotherapy of behavioral addiction, behavior disorders, social maladaptation and neurotic disorders (4), and psychopharmacotherapy of the existing depressive and neurotic spectrum (in particular, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, clomipramine) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (methylphenidate, atomoxetine) (5). KEYWORDS: digital addiction, Internet addiction, gadget addiction, behavioral addiction, psychotherapy, digital hygiene, psychiatry, children and adolescents. FOR CITATION: Pekonidi A.V. Digital addiction in children and adolescents. Modern diagnostics and treatment tactics. Russian Medical Inquiry. 2021;5(5):322–329 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.32364/2587-6821-2021-5-5-322-329.

State Strategies of Russia and China in the Mental Health Protection on the Example of Juvenile Depression

The article examines the social and legal problems of the mental health of the population of Russia and China using the example of depressive spectrum disorders. The urgency of the problem is caused by the wide spread of the disease, the difficulty of early diagnosis, the growing risk of suicide and is extremely important in most countries of the world. A comparative analysis of legal problems in the two countries in the field of mental health prevention, conducted at the macrosocial levels through parallel sociological and psychological studies in the Khabarovsk Territory and Heilongjiang Province of the People's Republic of China, showed a significant difference in the state approach of neighboring countries of the Far East. In Heilongjiang Province, the adolescent depression prevention model has been implemented and is highly effective.

Medico-geoinformaton system for suicide prevention among adolescents

The development of adequate measures to combat the spread of socially significant diseases requires the use of modern tools available to demographers and epidemiologists for entering, analyzing and visualizing data on the spread of population movement processes in space. A medical and demographic geoinformation system has been created to study the dynamics of suicidal behavior in the Amur region of the Russian Far East. The main factors involved in the psychopathogenesis of suicidal behavior are considered. The research was conducted using various ecological and mathematical methods to assess the quality of life of the human population in extreme the conditions of the Far Amur region of the East of Russia, taking into account various factors of interaction between the individual, society and the environment. The features of the spread of suicidal attempts in the Amur region are revealed. The set of the main causes and factors of low intensity characterizing the current suicidal situation in the Amur region of the Russian Far East is studied on the example of the Khabarovsk city. The medical-demographic and socio-psychological problems of suicidal behavior caused by depressive disorders are analyzed from the standpoint of the geoinformation modeling method. Original methodological approaches to the use of information models for medical-demographic and socio-economic studies of depressive spectrum disorders and the prevention of adolescents suicidal behavior are proposed.

Телемедицинские технологии для организации работы психиатрических служб по профилактике нарушений депрессивного спектра во время пандемии COVID-19

Introduction. The problems of telepsychiatry are analyzed from the point of view of the method of information modeling of complex conflict systems. Materials and methods. Methodological approaches to the use of information technologies for monitoring mental health and prevention of depressive spectrum disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic, including in the young generation of representatives of the indigenous peoples of the North and the Amur region, are considered. Results. The proposed telepsychiatric method of providing medical and psychiatric services is most effective in preventing depression in remote areas of the Khabarovsk territory where distance is a critical factor, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discussion. Remote recording of cases of depression due to depression in patients with coronavirus, adequate teleconsultation and prevention of panic attacks and phobias will reduce the severity of the chronic course of depression and the risk of suicide. Conclusions. An actual solution to psychiatric problems associated with the COVID-19 pandemic is proposed for remote regions where, in addition to the existing problems of social and medical infrastructure, there is also a significantly increased risk of concomitant socially significant mental illness. It will be useful for specialists in early diagnosis and prevention of mental disorders, tele-medicine, mathematical modeling, system analysis in medical psychology, as well as for psychiatrists and psychotherapists.

Studies of depressive spectrum disorders caused by sleep deprivation in conditions of chronic desynchronosis (analytical review)

This review examines fundamental approaches to studying the phenomena of pendulum-like chronic desynchronosis in conditions of multi-latitude movement without adaptation in extreme time zones. The article analyzes works on psychophysiological and chronobiological aspects of depressive disorders in the regime of multi-latitude pendulum-like movements in conditions of impossibility of biorhythmological adaptation at the limiting points of the flight. Effective proposals of means and measures for elimination of psychosomatic consequences of chronic desynchronosis and compensation of depressive spectrum disorders are presented.

The Ketogenic Diet for the Treatment of Mood Disorders in Comorbidity With Epilepsy in Children and Adolescents.

The ketogenic diet, used for over a century as an alternative therapy for the control of drug-resistant seizures in both children and adults, has recently drawn increasing interest in various neurological or psychiatric disorders other than epilepsy. In particular, there are a few preliminary studies in mood and neurodevelopmental disorders such as anxiety, depression and autism spectrum disorders. Mood disorders in comorbidity with epilepsy are commonly seen in adolescents and young adults both at the onset and during the course of the epileptic disorder. The rationale for the use of the ketogenic diet is based on the potential mood stabilizing effects through level modifications of metabolites such as dopamine and serotonin and the regulation of GABA/glutamatergic neurotransmission, mitochondrial function and oxidative stress. In this review, epilepsies with a higher risk of mood disorders in adolescents will be considered. A brief overview of the various types of ketogenic diet that can currently be offered to young patients in order to improve palatability and compliance with the diet, is also included. The efficacy and tolerability of the ketogenic diet options for the treatment of mood disorders, with or without drug therapy including mood stabilizers and antidepressant drugs, are as well discussed.

Cyclooxygenase Inhibition Safety and Efficacy in Inflammation-Based Psychiatric Disorders.

According to the World Health Organization, the major psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders include major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and autism spectrum disorder. The potential role of inflammation in the onset and progression of these disorders is increasingly being studied. The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), well-known cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors, combined with first-choice specific drugs have been long investigated. The adjunctive administration of COX inhibitors to classic clinical treatments seems to improve the prognosis of people who suffer from psychiatric disorders. In this review, a broad overview of the use of COX inhibitors in the treatment of inflammation-based psychiatric disorders is provided. For this purpose, a critical analysis of the use of COX inhibitors in the last ten years of clinical trials of the major psychiatric disorders was carried out.

Relationship of affect intolerance with anxiety, depressive, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in youth

BackgroundStructural research on the construct of affect intolerance (an overarching latent construct indicated by distress tolerance and anxiety sensitivity) has only been conducted in adults. Given that a self-report measure of distress tolerance was recently validated for youth and affect intolerance may be a core mechanism of transdiagnostic interventions for internalizing disorders, we examined how affect intolerance relates to internalizing symptoms in youth. We predicted that a latent affect intolerance factor (indicated by distress tolerance and anxiety sensitivity) would be associated with self and parent-reports of youth anxiety, depressive, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms, controlling for age and gender. MethodsAt a pre-treatment evaluation, youth with a primary depressive, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorder (N=277) aged 8-17, and their parent, completed questionnaires. ResultsGreater levels of the affect intolerance factor predicted greater youth- and parent-reported youth anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms, controlling for age. LimitationsFuture research should replicate findings in a sample with a greater proportion of depressed youth and utilize experimental or longitudinal methods. ConclusionsImportantly, distress tolerance and anxiety sensitivity are core transdiagnostic processes that can be targeted in cognitive-behavioral interventions. Future research should examine how transdiagnostic interventions for youth with internalizing disorders can target these cross-cutting emotional vulnerabilities.

The influence of perinatal and postpartum depression on child development and its functioning in adult life

Introduction and purpose: During pregnancy, the physiology of the mother's organism undergoes many changes, and this also applies to the sphere of mental health. Difficulties in adapting to the new situation, metabolic, genetic and environmental factors may predispose expectant mothers to develop depression spectrum disorders. The purpose of this study is, based on the available data, to summarize the consequences of maternal depressive disorder development during pregnancy and postpartum.Brief description of the state of knowledge: The development of mental disorders by a pregnant woman has a documented negative impact on the course of pregnancy and on the maturation of the fetus. The consequences of excessive stress, anxiety and depression during pregnancy include, among others, an increased risk of premature birth, abnormalities in the development of the nervous system of the fetus, and difficulties in acquiring speech skills in the future life. In mothers, perinatal depression increases the risk of severe psychosis or substance abuse such as alcohol and drugs.Conclusions: A number of serious complications, both for a woman and a child, related to the occurrence of mental disorders during pregnancy, prompts to focus on the problem of appropriate care for future mothers, not only in physical terms. An important issue is the standardization of diagnostic procedures and the dissemination of screening tests for maternity depression.