Major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) frequently co-occur and share overlapping symptomatology. This in silico study systematically investigated shared transcriptomic signatures and biological pathways using peripheral blood expression data. Differential expression analysis revealed 13 genes commonly dysregulated in at least two disorders, including CNTNAP3, PROK2, S100P, HLA-DPB1, and IRAK3. Correlation patterns uncovered disorder-specific rewiring of gene-gene networks, with polarity shifts and strength alterations particularly involving EIF5A2 and CNTNAP3B in MDD and OCD. Functional enrichment revealed convergence in neurotransmission, synaptic regulation, immune signaling, and metabolic pathways. Five biological pathways, including "defense response to bacterium" (GO-BP), "cytokine signaling in the immune system," "TCR signaling," and "neutrophil degranulation" (Reactome), and "leishmaniasis" (KEGG), were enriched across all three disorders, alongside multiple overlaps in GO-MF and GO-CC domains. Protein-protein interaction mapping revealed ribosomal hub dominance in OCD and immune/inflammatory node centrality in MDD and GAD. A panel of 21 secreted dysregulated genes in MDD, validated for ELISA detection, demonstrated robust classification power (AUC > 0.70). Drug-gene interaction analysis identified four downregulated compounds, carbamazepine, flupirtine, indomethacin, and doxorubicin hydrochloride, shared across all three disorders, suggesting therapeutic repurposing potential. These findings highlight shared immunometabolic dysregulation and nominate blood-based biomarkers and pharmacological targets applicable across psychiatric diagnostic categories.

Cardiorespiratory fitness, trait anxiety, and physical activity in people with multiple sclerosis who have subclinical generalized anxiety disorder.

Perfectionism as a transdiagnostic process in depression and generalized anxiety disorder: Evidence from a longitudinal study of young women.

Young adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), relative to their neurotypical peers, are at increased risk for developing depression and anxiety (i.e., internalizing disorders), which may be exacerbated by the demands of adjusting to college. Longitudinal day-to-day relations between ADHD and internalizing symptoms remain poorly understood, despite their potential for highlighting pathways and mechanisms underlying comorbidity and specifying targets for microlevel assessments and interventions. The current study attempted to clarify such relations using ecological momentary assessment data collected across 28 days (once per day). Participants were 151 college students (Mage = 19.9 years, 78.8% women, 31.8% White), oversampled for ADHD-related concerns, who completed abbreviated daily measures of ADHD, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and major depressive disorder (MDD). Temporal results suggested increases in ADHD-related Difficulty unwinding and relaxing and Put things off until the last minute predicted increases in next-day GAD symptoms and vice versa. Increases in ADHD-related Difficulty concentrating predicted increases in next-day MDD symptoms, and increases in MDD symptoms predicted increases in ADHD-related Depend on others to keep your life in order. Contemporaneous results suggested Difficulty unwinding and relaxing, Difficulty concentrating, and Put things off until the last minute demonstrated the strongest positive relations with same-day MDD and GAD symptoms. Between-person results indicated Difficulty unwinding and relaxing and Often leave your seat were positively related to GAD and MDD symptoms. Findings highlighted ADHD symptoms that may serve as key assessment and intervention targets to prevent cycles of worsening ADHD and internalizing disorders. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Anxiety modulates the relationship between right inferior parietal lobule structure and problematic smartphone use: a test of the I-PACE model.

ObjectiveTo estimate the prevalence of comorbid postpartum depression (PPD) and postpartum anxiety (PPA) in birthing parents seeking treatment for PPD in Ontario, Canada and who were enrolled in 1 of 9 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of cognitive behavioural therapies (CBT) for PPD.MethodsSecondary analysis of 9 pooled RCTs containing baseline data from 1920 birthing parents and conducted between 2017 and 2025. All participants were living in Ontario, Canada with Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) Scores ≥10 and infants <12 months old. Comorbid anxiety was assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale, the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) and/or the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI).ResultsSixty-six percent of participants with PPD (EPDS scores ≥10) had moderate to severe anxiety (GAD-7 scale score ≥10; 95% confidence interval (CI) 63-68%, 7 studies, n = 1654), and 69% with PPD met the cutoff for probable GAD (PSWQ scale score ≥61; 95% CI [63-74%], 2 studies, n = 254). Seventy percent of participants with MINI-defined current major depressive disorder (MDD) met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-4th Edition-based criteria for any anxiety disorder (95% CI [64-76%], 6 studies, n = 448). Nearly 60% of participants with current MDD met criteria for GAD on the MINI (95% CI [52-61%], n = 448).ConclusionsMore than two-thirds of treatment-seeking individuals with PPD have clinically significant anxiety. Those with PPD, their families, and healthcare professionals should be aware of the high prevalence of anxiety in these individuals so that treatment plans can be optimized to best meet their needs.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov (https://clinicaltrials.gov/): NCT03039530, NCT03654261, NCT03285139, NCT04485000, NCT04928742, NCT04934488, NCT04913584, NCT05314361 and NCT05044455.

Differential effects of cognitive behavioral therapy and pharmacotherapy on cognitive function in patients with major depressive disorder: A propensity-weighted longitudinal study.

A systematic review and Meta-Analytic Gaussian Network Aggregation of anxious symptoms.

Olfactory perception is a key component in the elicitation of disgust. General disgust sensitivity fluctuates during pregnancy as part of the behavioral immune system's protective mechanisms, but it is currently unknown whether a similar pattern applies also specifically to odor-elicited disgust. This longitudinal study examined changes in body odor disgust sensitivity during pregnancy and the postpartum period among 276 women, recruited in health centers. Participants completed questionnaires focused on body odor disgust, general pathogen disgust, anxiety, and nausea and vomiting in pregnancy at multiple points from early pregnancy until six months postpartum. The results revealed that body odor disgust sensitivity peaked in the first trimester, declined through the later trimesters, and reached its lowest point in the early postpartum period before increasing again at six months postpartum. This trajectory was found for body odor disgust directed at both own and other person's bodies. Importantly, body odor disgust sensitivity could not be explained solely by general pathogen disgust sensitivity, which suggests a distinct role for olfactory disgust in pregnancy. Our findings support the Compensatory Prophylaxis Hypothesis, which highlights the adaptive increase in disgust sensitivity during the especially vulnerable period of early pregnancy. The postpartum decline in body odor disgust may reflect either desensitization to infant odors or reduced social exposure. Future research could further explore the physiological and psychological factors which contribute to these changes.

Prospective evaluation of patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) and correlation with clinical parameters of chronic ocular graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).

Joint impacts of cadmium exposure and anxiety on in vitro fertilization outcomes: a couple-based cohort study.

Investigating the shared factor structure of the GAD-7 and PHQ-9 in non-clinical samples of young adults.

Patient reported outcomes in NMOSD reflect a high disease burden and do not correlate with the EDSS.

Elite athletes face unique mental health challenges, yet the use of antidepressants in this population remains underresearched. Despite the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms, there are no specific pharmacological guidelines tailored to athletes' mental health needs or performance demands. This scoping review aimed to explore the current literature on the use of antidepressant medications among elite athletes with symptoms of or who were diagnosed with depressive or anxiety disorders, focusing on treatment effectiveness, safety, performance, and, mainly, the athlete's well-being. A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO (February 18-20, 2025) was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Predefined terms related to athletes, antidepressants, and psychiatric disorders were employed. Studies were included if they involved elite athletes treated with antidepressants for major depressive disorder, bipolar depression, or generalized anxiety disorder. The data were charted and narratively synthesized. Among the 34,131 records screened, 15 met the inclusion criteria: 11 narrative reviews, 2 systematic reviews, 1 survey, and 1 position statement. Most studies provide recommendations on the basis of the general population, offering limited data on elite athletes with formal diagnoses. Few studies have reported treatment durations or mental health outcomes. While performance effects have been emphasized, psychological recovery is rarely addressed. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors-particularly escitalopram, fluoxetine, and sertraline-were the most commonly suggested drugs. There is a lack of robust evidence to guide antidepressant use among elite athletes. Future research should prioritize trials involving clinically diagnosed athletes, structured protocols, and outcomes centered on mental health and well-being rather than merely performance.

Anxiety during pregnancy is a significant maternal mental health problem among working women due to occupational stress and pregnancy-related physiological changes. Therefore, it is of interest to assess the effectiveness of guided imagery in reducing anxiety among pregnant working women in Vadodara, Gujarat. Hence, a pre-experimental one-group pre-test and post-test design was used among 50 participants and anxiety was measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7). The mean anxiety score decreased significantly from 24.36 to 16.08 after the intervention (p &lt; 0.001). Thus, we show that guided imagery may serve as a simple and effective non-pharmacological intervention to reduce anxiety during pregnancy.

Twin studies reveal high genetic overlap between anxiety disorders and depression, contributing to the internalising spectrum. Some genetic specificity for fear-based anxiety disorders (fear), distinct from general anxiety and depression (distress), has also emerged. Limited datasets with detailed phenotyping across anxiety disorders have restricted most genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to "any anxiety diagnosis". Additional genome-wide evidence to discern genetic differences between fear and distress is required. We conducted GWAS meta-analyses of fear (panic, agoraphobia, specific phobia, social anxiety disorder) and generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), measured using brief single-item and detailed symptom-based diagnoses from three datasets. We explored two control group criteria: phenotype-specific (fear/GAD) or broader anxiety/depression screening. We identified one independent genome-wide significant locus and three gene-level associations with fear (up to 35,523 Ncases; 157,447 Ncontrols). Four genome-wide significant loci and three gene-level associations were identified for GAD (up to 60,879 Ncases; 117,064 Ncontrols). The genetic correlation between fear and GAD was significantly different from unity only when excluding a depression-enriched dataset and using phenotype-specific control screening (rg = 0.87; P = 9.32 × 10-3). Most complex traits had statistically similar genetic correlations with fear and GAD, including depression. Exceptions included general cognitive ability, educational attainment, and coronary artery disease, showing statistically stronger genetic correlations with fear than GAD, while bipolar disorder type I, anorexia nervosa, and neuroticism displayed the opposite pattern. Our findings partially support a distress-fear genetic distinction, but show stronger evidence for an overarching genetic liability to internalising psychopathology driving comorbidity across anxiety disorders and depression.

Junior pediatric surgeons often experience marked anxiety when undertaking independent on-call duties for the first time, largely due to limited clinical experience, high decision-making pressure, and heightened sensitivity to patient safety. Traditional lecture-based teaching models may be insufficient in preparing trainees for complex, dynamic, and high-risk on-call situations. This study aimed to investigate whether a precision teaching model combining emergency-oriented standardized patient simulation (SPS) with online case-based learning (CBL) could alleviate on-call-related anxiety and enhance self-perceived clinical competence among junior pediatric surgeons. This retrospective controlled study included junior pediatric surgeons enrolled in standardized residency training at Qilu Hospital of Shandong University who had not yet commenced independent on-call duties. Participants were assigned to an intervention or control group according to departmental teaching arrangements. The intervention group received SPS of emergency scenarios combined with structured online CBL, whereas the control group received traditional teaching primarily based on classroom lectures and routine clinical supervision. Primary outcomes included anxiety levels measured using the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). Secondary outcomes were assessed using the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES). Between-group comparisons were performed 1, 3, and 6 months after participants began independent on-call duties. A total of 25 participants were included (intervention group, n = 14; control group, n = 11). No significant differences were observed between groups in baseline demographic characteristics or anxiety scores. After the intervention, the intervention group demonstrated lower SAS and GAD-7 scores than the control group at early follow-up time points, particularly at 1 month after on-call initiation, indicating reduced anxiety levels. In addition, self-efficacy scores were significantly higher in the intervention group during the early post-on-call period. These findings suggest that the blended educational intervention had positive effects on reducing on-call-related anxiety and enhancing self-perceived clinical competence. SPS combined with online CBL may partially alleviate early on-call anxiety among junior pediatric surgeons and promote improvements in self-perceived clinical competence. This blended teaching model demonstrates good feasibility and potential for wider implementation as an educational strategy to improve on-call preparedness and psychological well-being in pediatric surgical training.

The mass evacuation of Israeli residents from conflict zones after the events of October 7, 2023, coupled with ongoing security threats, has taken a substantial psychological toll, with many individuals exhibiting symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and sleep problems. This pilot study examined the feasibility and preliminary within-group changes associated with participation in transcendental meditation (TM), a non-pharmacological program, in relation to PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety, and sleep problems among 39 Israeli civilians evacuated after October 7. In an 8-week intervention, we examined changes in psychological well-being using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Changes in PTSD symptoms, depression symptoms, anxiety, and sleep problems were analyzed using dependent t-tests. Additional analyses of baseline, 4-week, and 8-week post-test data used repeated-measures analysis of variance. Participants showed statistically significant within-group decreases from baseline to post-test in PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety, and sleep problems. Findings provide preliminary support for the feasibility and acceptability of TM in trauma-exposed civilians and suggest that participation in the program was associated with improvements in psychological symptoms over time. Given the uncontrolled pilot design, these results should be interpreted cautiously and require confirmation in randomized controlled trials.

Social support, especially from healthcare workers, arises as an anxiety potential relieving factor for people living with HIV (PLWH). This study explored how different types and sources of social support are associated with anxiety among HIV-infected inpatients in Vietnam. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 392 PLWH, approached through convenience sampling, at Nhan Ai hospital in Vietnam, using a questionnaire that included the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale and the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS). Anxiety prevalence was 27.04%. Tangible support (OR = 0.91; 95% CI: 0.85-0.97; p = 0.005) and positive social interaction (OR = 0.91; 95% CI: 0.85-0.98; p = 0.011) were significantly associated with a lower likelihood of anxiety. Participants receiving support from both friends and healthcare workers showed the strongest association with lower odds of anxiety (OR = 0.07, 95% CI: 0.02-0.23, p < 0.001). This study suggests an inverse association between social support and anxiety among PLWH, especially in inpatients with limited family support.

Somatic symptoms frequently occur in haemodialysis patients, whereas depression and anxiety are also common but are often under-recognised issues. This study aims to examine the associations among depression, anxiety and somatic symptoms in haemodialysis patients. These symptoms may be linked together under a general distress construct in haemodialysis patients. We surveyed 1085 dialysis patients between 1 March 2018 and 28 February 2023 at 17 dialysis facilities in Northeast Ohio with the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Kidney Disease Quality of Life instrument somatic questions. To evaluate associations across these multi-item questionnaires, we used latent variables and a structural equation modelling approach. We first compared single-factor, two-factor and three-factor models. We next considered bifactor and higher order factor models. We controlled for race, gender and age in all models. Our study sample included a high percentage of black patients (75%) and 150 (14.3%) survey participants screened positive for depression (PHQ-9 ≥10). All models fit relatively well, with the three-factor model fitting slightly better than the single and two-factor models. In the three-factor model, the associations for depression and anxiety (r=0.818), depression and somatic (r=0.800) and anxiety and somatic (r=0.784) were all high, potentially indicative of poor discriminant validity. We found that the bifactor model fit the best of the five models tested (comparative fit index=0.957, Tucker-Lewis fit index=0.959, root mean square error of approximation=0.043) and was the most substantively meaningful, with an overall internalising construct and specific domains explaining additional covariance across the questions. Being black (vs all other races), male (vs female) and older age all had significantly (p<0.05) lower levels of reported symptoms on most constructs. We found very strong associations among depression, anxiety and somatic symptoms in our sample of haemodialysis patients. All questionnaire items may be linked together under a common general distress disorder, while each still retains unique features of depression, anxiety and somatic symptoms not fully explained by internalising processes. Patient care approaches should generally consider screening for all three together, rather than only one.