Higher Depression Scores Research Articles

Examining the link between impulse control disorder and antidepressant use in Parkinson's disease

IntroductionImpulse control disorders (ICD) in Parkinson's disease (PD) and hypomanic episodes of bipolar disorder show overlapping symptoms, suggesting a shared neurobiology. To explore this, the following hypotheses are tested: (1) larger changes in affective symptoms from OFF to ON medication states will be associated with ICD, (2) antidepressant exposure will be associated with larger OFF to ON affective symptom changes, and (3) antidepressant exposure will be associated with ICD. Methods200 participants (mean age 65, 61 % male) were evaluated in “off” and “on” dopamine states. Affective symptoms were captured using the Hamilton Anxiety and Depression Rating Scales. Differences in clinical outcomes were compared using two-sample Wilcoxon rank-sum tests and Pearson χ2 tests. We performed multivariable logistic regression to assess the association of antidepressant exposure on ICD. ResultsParticipants with an ICD had higher anxiety and depressive scores in “on” and “off” states and larger changes in depressive symptoms from OFF to ON states compared to those without an ICD. Participants on antidepressants had higher anxiety scores in “on” and “off” states, higher depressive scores in the “off” state, and larger changes in anxiety symptoms from OFF to ON states than those not on an antidepressant. Antidepressant use was associated with a higher odds of an ICD (OR 2.3, CI [1.0–4.5], p-value 0.04). ConclusionsAffective symptom severity in “on” and “off” dopamine states is associated with ICD. Antidepressant therapy may be associated with ICD. Future prospective studies clarifying temporal associations between antidepressant initiation and ICD emergence are needed.

Characteristics of cancer-related fatigue and its correlation with anxiety, depression, and stress-related hormones among Chinese cancer survivors: a cross-sectional study.

Fatigue is a common source of distress for cancer survivors. The severity of cancer-related fatigue varies significantly, which may be due to individual differences in host factors. This cross-sectional study aims to explore how demographic, oncological, sociological, psychological, and stress-related hormones levels interact to influence the distinct experiences of fatigue (Cancer-related fatigue [CRF] occurrence and fatigue degree). A cross-sectional study carried out at the oncology outpatient and ward department of Xiyuan Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences recruited 306 cancer patients between January 2021 to December 2021. General information, fatigue, psychological factors was evaluated by general information questionnaire, the Revised Piper's Fatigue Scale-Chinese Version (RPFS-CV), and the self-report Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Stress-related hormones were measured with chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay (Zhengzhou Antobio). 306 patients were included, 229 (74.8%) were diagnosed with CRF, including 94 (41.0%) with mild fatigue, 121 (52.8%) with moderate fatigue, and 14 (6.1%) with severe fatigue. Multivariate regression analysis showed that higher depression scores, aldosterone levels may increase the risk of CRF. Patients who are obese (Body mass index ≥ 28 kg/m2) may help to reduce the risk of CRF. Other contributing factors for increased levels of fatigue (p< 0.05) include being female, having anxiety, depression and high aldosterone levels. The research suggested that CRF was a common symptom in cancer survivors and pay attention to these influencing factors may help to better identify patients susceptible to fatigue and provide long-term, targeted interventions.

Income inequality and mental health in adolescents during COVID-19, results from COMPASS 2018-2021.

Understanding the inequitable impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on youth mental health are leading priorities. Existing research has linked income inequality in schools to adolescent depression, however, it is unclear if the onset of the pandemic exacerbated the effects of income inequality on adolescent mental health. The current study aimed to quantify the association between income inequality and adolescent mental health during COVID-19. Longitudinal data were taken from three waves (2018/19 to 2020/21) of the Cannabis, Obesity, Mental health, Physical activity, Alcohol, Smoking, and Sedentary behaviour (COMPASS) school-based study. Latent Growth Curve modelling was used to assess the association between Census District (CD)-level income inequality and depressive symptoms before and after the onset of COVID-19. The study sample included 29,722 students across 43 Census divisions in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec. The average age of the sample at baseline was 14.9 years [standard deviation (SD) = 1.5] and ranged between 12 and 19 years of age. Most of the sample self-reported as white (76.3%) and female (54.4%). Students who completed the COMPASS survey after the onset of COVID reported 0.20-unit higher depressive scores (95% CI = 0.16, 0.24) compared to pre-COVID. The adjusted analyses indicated that the association between income inequality on anxiety scores was strengthened following the onset of COVID-19 (β = 0.02, 95% CI = 0.0004, 0.03), indicating that income inequality was associated with a greater increase in anxiety scores during COVID-19. The adjusted results indicate that the association between income inequality and adolescent anxiety persisted and was heightened at the onset of COVID-19. Future studies should use quasi-experimental methods to strengthen this finding. The current study can inform policy and program discussions regarding the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and pandemic recovery for young Canadians and relevant social policies for improving adolescent mental health.

Prevalence of depression, anxiety and suicidal ideas and associated factors, in particular sensory impairments, in a population of Bashkortostan in Russia

To assess prevalence and associated factors of depression, anxiety and suicidal ideas in populations from Russia, we conducted in rural and urban regions in Bashkortostan/Russia two population-based studies (Ural Eye and Medical Study (UEMS), performed from 2015 to 2017; Ural Very Old Study (UVOS), performed from 2017 to 2020) which included participants aged 40 + years and 85 + years, respectively. Depression was assessed using the questionnaire of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Scoresheet, and anxiety was examined applying the State Trait Inventory Anxiety Test. Suicidal ideas were explored by the question whether suicide had previously been thought of or attempted (and if yes, for what reasons). In the statistical analysis we assessed the mean of the main outcome parameter (depression score and anxiety score) and searched for associations between these parameters and other parameters in univariable and multivariable regression analyses. In the UEMS with 5893 individuals (age: 59.0 ± 10.7 years; range 40–94 years), higher depression score and anxiety score were associated (multivariable analysis) with more marked hearing loss (beta: 0.07; P < 0.001, and beta: 0.07; P < 0.0012, respectively) and worse visual acuity (beta: 0.04; P = 0.02; and beta: 0.03; P = 0.03, resp.), in addition to female sex, Russian ethnicity, lower educational level, less alcohol consumption, weaker hand grip strength, less physical activity, and higher prevalence of dry eye disease. Attempted suicide was reported by 88 (1.5%; 95% CI 1.2, 1.8) participants. Having thought of suicide within the last 6 months was reported by 63 (1.1%) individuals. Out of 1491 UVOS participants (age: 88.2 ± 2.8 years; range 85–100 years) with a mean depression score of 20.0 ± 10.3 (median 18; range 0–58), 916 (61.4%; 95% CI 59.0, 63.9) fulfilled the definition of depression (depressions core ≥ 16). Higher depression score and higher anxiety score correlated (multivariable analysis) with higher hearing loss score (beta: 0.07; P = 0.02, and beta: 0.08; P = 0.009, resp.) and worse visual acuity (beta: 0.13; P < 0.001, and beta: 0.09; P = 0.007, resp.), in addition to female sex, urban region, less physical activity, less fruit intake, and lower cognitive function. Overall, 15 (1.0%; 95% CI 0.50, 1.50) individuals had attempted or thought of suicide. In conclusion, the findings suggest that besides female sex, lower level of education and lower cognitive function, it was sensory impairment, namely vision and hearing impairment, which belonged to the determinants of depression and anxiety in these populations from Russia.

FRI648 GLP-1RA And SGLT2i Treatments May Show Improved Depression Metrics In Diabetes Treatment

Abstract Disclosure: A. Jain: None. L. Esper: None. J. Powell: None. K. Meyer: None. S. Sen: None. Background: Depression is a widespread condition that develops due to a multitude of etiologies. Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) is associated with several comorbidities, including depression. A class of T2DM medication, Glucagon-Like-peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP1RA), acts on the hypothalamus, pancreas, and other systems to reduce weight and control blood sugar. GLP1RAs may play a positive role in improving depression by improving satiety and acting on brain centers responsible for anxiety and depression. We hypothesized that patients on GLP1RA would have lower depression scores than those on insulin/metformin standard regimen, or on SGLT2 inhibitors ( which serves as an active comparator) due to localized effects of SGLT2i in the renal cortex. This research will add to ongoing studies in our lab that examine different classes of diabetes medication in treating patients with increased cardiovascular or renal risk, with the goal of increasing the specificity by which endocrinologists prescribe particular classes of glycemic control medications. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational chart analysis at the Washington DC VA Medical Center and compared the PHQ-9 scores of 50 T2DM patients selected at random over 6 weeks maintaining a consistent diabetes care regimen for 6 months. We observed n=9 GLP1RA, n=7 SGLT2i, and n=31 control subject records. 3 subjects on both medications were excluded from this analysis. We noted the PHQ-9 scores of subjects on active psychotropics, but those were not excluded from the study at this time. Results: Our cohort had a mean age of 61.8±12.5 years and mean A1C of 8.04±2.13%. These factors were evenly distributed between analysis groups. Our analysis showed that T2DM subjects on GLP1RA had PHQ-9 scores of 5.00±1.51. This wasn’t significantly lower than the control cohort (6.21±1.22, p=0.53), or SGLT2i cohort (3.85±1.24, p=0.57). Conclusion: Our preliminary analysis in a real-life clinical setting shows a trend indicating subjects on neither GLP1RA nor SGLT2i have higher depression scores than those on either one. However, we plan to continue reviewing records to see if this trend or differences between classes is significant. With a larger sample size, we also plan to include correlations between depression scores and efficacy of treatment. Continuing this research, particularly in a VAMC cohort at higher risk of depression, may provide insight into clinical decision making in T2DM patients with history or high risk for depression and related disorders. Presentation: Friday, June 16, 2023

THU651 Testosterone Treatment And Sexual Function In Men With Or At Risk Of T2D: The T4DM Study

Abstract Disclosure: G.A. Wittert: Advisory Board Member; Self; Bayer Schering Pharma. Speaker; Self; Bayer Schering Pharma, Besin. K. Robledo: None. M. Grossmann: None. B.B. Yeap: Advisory Board Member; Self; Bayer Schering Pharma. Grant Recipient; Self; Bayer Schering Pharma, Lawley. B.G. Stuckey: None. W.J. Inder: None. K. Bracken: None. D.R. Jesudason: None. C.A. Allan: None. D.J. Handelsman: None. Background: In T4DM (men aged 50 – 74 yrs., waist circumference (WC) ≥95cm cm, prediabetes, or newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (T2D) and serum testosterone (T) ≤ 14 nmol/L), 2 years treatment with T-undecanoate (1000 mg IM 3 monthly) vs placebo while enrolled in a lifestyle weight management program, decreased fat mass, and reduced the risk of T2D by 40%. Aim: To determine baseline predictors and T treatment effects on sexual function (SF) over time, including interactions with changes in waist circumference (WC), blood pressure (BP), glucose and mood. Methods: Adjusting for baseline sociodemographic, clinical parameters and serum sex steroid (LCMS) concentrations, linear mixed effects models were fitted to assess T treatment effects on measures of SF (erectile function (EF), sexual desire (SD), orgasmic function (OF), intercourse satisfaction (IS) and overall satisfaction (OS) via questionnaire (IIEF)) completed by each participant at baseline and weeks 30, 54, 78, and 102, together with WC, BP, glucose, trough T, estradiol (E), T:E ratio and mood (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) at weeks 0, 54 and 102. Results Among men on T (504) or placebo (503) at baseline, age was inversely associated with all SF scales (p &amp;lt;0.001), and WC and CES-D score inversely associated with EF (p=0.041) and SD (p=0.029). There was no effect of baseline T, E or T:E ratio on SF. T treatment improved all SF measures (p&amp;lt;0.001) peaking at 30-54 weeks). The T treatment effect on SD and OF (both p-int=0.014) was greater in older men. Increasing WC over time was inversely associated with EF (p=0.036) and SD (p=0.043) scores, with no interaction with T treatment. SF scores were unaffected by changes in glucose, BP, or trough T, E or T:E ratio. Increase in depression scores corresponded to decreases in all SF scores (p &amp;lt;0.001). T treatment increased SD more in those with higher depression scores (p int=0.026) while not affecting the CES-D scores. Conclusion: Baseline age, WC, and depression scores, but not T were inversely associated with SF measures which improved with T treatment regardless of baseline T, E, or T:E ratio. T treatment improved SD and OF more in older men, and SD in those with more depressive symptoms. Change in WC was inversely associated with EF and SD, independent of T treatment. A pharmacological effect of T treatment to improve SF, particularly in older and depressed men, coexists with benefits from reduced central adiposity. Presentation: Thursday, June 15, 2023

Tourism stimulus on anxiety and depression in college students

BackgroundThe prevalence of anxiety and depression continues to increase, becoming the most common mental health symptoms, with a higher proportion of these two mental illnesses among college students.Subjects and MethodsThe survey randomly selects 50 college students who suffer from both anxiety and depression at a certain university and divides them into two groups. One group consists of 25 people, and each group is treated with psychotherapy combined with tourism stimulus and psychotherapy. The treatment course lasts for one year, and a follow-up visit will be conducted one year later to score anxiety and depression.ResultsThe scoring results showed that among college students receiving combination therapy, the highest anxiety score was 8.6, which decreased to 3.7 after treatment. The highest depression score was 9.2, which decreased to 4.4 after combination therapy. Analysis of 25 people who received combined treatment found that the average score for depression and anxiety decreased to 4.1, and 5 of them were cured. Among college students who only received psychological treatment, the highest anxiety score was 9.1, which decreased to 5.3 after treatment. The highest depression score was 8.7, which decreased to 4.9 after psychological treatment. The average score for depression and anxiety reduction was 2.9.ConclusionsThe experimental results indicate that tourism stimulus combined with psychotherapy has a better therapeutic effect on college students with anxiety and depression than using psychotherapy alone.AcknowledgementThe Education Department of Hainan Province, No. Hnjg2021-116; 2022 Hainan Vocational University of Science and Technology Hainan Free Trade Port Business and Tourism Research Base Project, No. HKKY2022JD-06.

Resilience, depression and self-efficacy among Brazilian nursing professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This aim of this study was to analyze levels of resilience, depression and self-efficacy among Brazilian nursing professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study between October and December 2020. Student's t test, analysis of variance and multiple linear regression were used to investigate the impact of two main factors (Resilience and Self-efficacy) on depression. A total of 8,792 nursing professionals participated in the study; 5,124 (58.8%) had low levels of resilience. The mean overall score for Depression was 0.74, ranging from 0.59 to 0.80, while the mean overall score for Self-efficacy was 0.68, ranging from 0.56 to 0.80. The variable that had the strongest impact on depression levels was Resilience, explaining 6.6% of the outcome (p < 0.001, AdjustedR2 = 0.066). In general, respondents had low levels of resilience and self-efficacy and showed high mean depression scores. Level of resilience had an impact on depression. The findings reveal an urgent need for actions to promote the psychological health of nursing professionals working in crisis situations such as pandemics.

Resiliência, depressão e autoeficácia entre profissionais de enfermagem brasileiros na pandemia de COVID-19

Abstract This aim of this study was to analyze levels of resilience, depression and self-efficacy among Brazilian nursing professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study between October and December 2020. Student’s t test, analysis of variance and multiple linear regression were used to investigate the impact of two main factors (Resilience and Self-efficacy) on depression. A total of 8,792 nursing professionals participated in the study; 5,124 (58.8%) had low levels of resilience. The mean overall score for Depression was 0.74, ranging from 0.59 to 0.80, while the mean overall score for Self-efficacy was 0.68, ranging from 0.56 to 0.80. The variable that had the strongest impact on depression levels was Resilience, explaining 6.6% of the outcome (p &lt; 0.001, AdjustedR2 = 0.066). In general, respondents had low levels of resilience and self-efficacy and showed high mean depression scores. Level of resilience had an impact on depression. The findings reveal an urgent need for actions to promote the psychological health of nursing professionals working in crisis situations such as pandemics.

The Psoriasis Disability Index in Romanian Psoriasis Patients during COVID-19 Pandemic: Contribution of Clinical and Psychological Variables.

Psoriasis is one of the most frequent chronic inflammatory skin diseases and has a negative impact on the interpersonal relationship and psychosocial well-being. The aims of this study were to examine the effects of intensity of pruritus on quality of life and depression, to investigate the relationship between anger, self-esteem, and depression, and to compare patients with early and late onset of psoriasis. As our study was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic, we aimed also to investigate the safety concerns and anxiety related to COVID-19 in psoriasis patients. This cross-sectional study included 137 patients diagnosed with plaque psoriasis. The patients were classified as early-onset (age < 30 years) and late-onset psoriasis (age ≥ 30 years). Duration of disease, pruritus scores, and socio-demographic characteristics were recorded. Measures included the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), Psoriasis Disability Index (PDI), and Fear and anxiety in relationship with COVID-19 Scale were used for determining anger, anger expression style, self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and quality of life. The psoriasis patients had a lower score for self-esteem than the normative data from the Romanian general population. The average scores for state anger and trait anger are similar to the normative data from the Romanian general population, but the scores for anger-in and anger-out are higher. Patients with early onset had higher depression scores and lower quality of life. Self-esteem correlates negatively with depression, anger, severity of disability due to psoriasis, number of affected areas, and duration of disease. Lower level of self-esteem led to increased anger. Reduced self-esteem, increased anger levels, and depression are present in psoriasis patients. The effective treatment of psoriasis must, therefore, consist of a multidisciplinary approach, in which the personalized treatment of the skin condition is as important as the adjuvant therapies that reduce the patients' stress level.

Quantitative sensory testing, psychological profiles and clinical pain in patients with psoriatic arthritis and hand osteoarthritis experiencing pain of at least moderate intensity.

Chronic pain is the hallmark symptom of joint diseases. This study examined the differences in quantitative sensory testing between patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), hand osteoarthritis (hand-OA) and a pain-free control group and differences between patients with and without concomitant fibromyalgia (cFM). All patients and pain-free controls were assessed using pressure pain thresholds (PPT), temporal summation of pain (TSP), conditioned pain modulation (CPM) and clinical pain intensities. Psychological distress was assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Disability was assessed with the Health Assessment Questionnaire and pain quality with the painDETECT questionnaire. cFM was identified using the revised 2016 American College of Rheumatology diagnostic criteria. Patients with hand-OA (n = 75) or PsA (n = 58) had statistically significant lower PPTs and CPM, greater TSP, and higher scores of psychological distress (p < 0.05) than controls (n = 20). Patients with cFM (58%) had higher scores of depression (p = 0.001), anxiety (p = 0.004), catastrophizing (p = 0.012), disability (p < 0.001), higher painDETECT score (p = 0.001), TSP (p = 0.027), and reduced sleep quality (p = 0.021) when compared to patients without cFM. Patients with hand-OA and PsA exhibited signs of pain sensitization and a higher degree of psychological distress and disability than pain-free individuals. Patients with cFM had greater TSP, painDETECT score, disability, catastrophizing, and reduced sleep quality, than patients without, indicating greater degree of pain sensitization, psychological burden, and disability. This paper shows that a significant proportion of patients with hand osteoarthritis and psoriatic arthritis with moderate pain intensity have significantly increased signs of pain sensitization and markers of psychological distress. A large proportion of these patients fulfil the criteria for concomitant fibromyalgia and these patients show even greater propensity towards pain sensitization and psychological distress.

Nomophobia (No Mobile Phone Phobia) and Psychological Health Issues among Young Adult Students.

Smart phone use has become a part of people's everyday life. However, when the lack of using the smart phone to establish and maintain electronic communication is related to psychological distress, such a behavior may be considered a modern-age phobia, or nomophobia (no mobile phone phobia). The aims of the present study were to investigate among a sample of young adults the associations between scores for nomophobia and symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. A total of 537 students (mean age: 25.52 years; 42.3% females) participated in the study. They completed a booklet of self-rating questionnaires covering sociodemographic information and symptoms of nomophobia, depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Higher scores for nomophobia were associated with higher scores for depression, anxiety, and stress, but not with scores for insomnia and obsessive-compulsive disorders. The regression model confirmed that symptoms of anxiety predicted nomophobia. The present results support the assumption that nomophobia appears to be a mood disturbance related to stronger associations with symptoms of anxiety and, to a lesser extent, with symptoms of depression and stress. By contrast, nomophobia appeared to be unrelated to insomnia and symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorders.

Exploring the relationship between depression and multimorbidity in Chinese middle-aged and older people based on propensity score matching

BackgroundThis study aimed to explore the relationship between depression and multimorbidity among middle-aged and older people in China. MethodsThe cross-sectional study used the 2018 China Longitudinal Study of Health and Retirement and included a sample of 19,761 middle-aged and older adults aged 45 years and above. Propensity score matching was used to match samples of individuals with and without depression symptoms. The association between depression symptoms and multimorbidity and dose-response relationships were analyzed using logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) models for matched samples. ResultsLogistic regression analysis showed that the prevalence of multimorbidity was 1.49 times higher among middle-aged and older adults in the depression symptom group compared to the non-depression group (95% CI:1.24, 1.80). The RCS curves for the relationship between depression and multimorbidity showed an overall increasing trend (P = 0.028). And prevalence of arthritis and digestive disease in the depressed and non-depressed groups is 3.6% and 3.9%, respectively. LimitationsIt was difficult to draw conclusions about causation since the study was cross-sectional, and CESD-10 scores do not represent the population study finally diagnosed with depression, the conclusions should be promoted with caution. ConclusionsMiddle-aged and older people with depressive symptoms are more likely to have multimorbidity than non-depressed individuals. Furthermore, the likelihood of multimorbidity increases with higher depression scores, and the binary combinations were similarly distributed. Therefore, attention should be paid to the management of mental health in the middle-aged and older adult population to alleviate and prevent any mental health issues they might face.

The relationship between disease-specific psychosocial stressors and depressive symptoms in Huntington’s disease

BackgroundHuntington’s disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disease involving motor abnormalities, cognitive decline, and psychological difficulties. Depression is among the most common psychological difficulties in HD. People with HD encounter numerous stressors related to their diagnosis and the impact of HD on their daily lives. Understanding the relationship between HD-specific psychosocial stressors and depression symptoms is critical for optimising treatment and developing a holistic, disease-specific model of depression in HD.MethodsFifty-seven adults with the HD gene expansion (33 pre-symptomatic, 24 symptomatic) completed a self-report depression questionnaire and rated how much stress they experienced in relation to 20 psychosocial challenges commonly associated with HD. We examined associations between depression symptoms and each stressor individually, and after clustering using principal components analysis.ResultsDepression symptoms were significantly associated with most of the psychosocial stressors assessed. Clustering with principal components analysis revealed that higher depression scores had significant independent associations with greater stress related to the future implications of HD (β = .44, p = .001) and sleep and psychological difficulties (β = .28, p = .005), but not with stress related to functional limitations (β = .11, p = .33) or interpersonal issues caused by HD (β = .15, p = .21).ConclusionsStressful experiences associated with HD constitute an important risk factor for depression in HD. Our findings support the use of more psychologically informed models of depression in HD and necessitate further research on tailored psychosocial interventions for HD patients with depression.

Physical Health, Economic Status, Social Relations, and Depression among Chinese Older Adults: A Structural Equation Modelling Analysis

This study aims to test an integrated model of physical health, economic status, social relations, and geriatric depression, and in particular to examine the stress-buffering role of social relations on the negative psychological effects of declining physical health and worsening economic status. Data from 5,316 older adults (≥60 years) from a nationally representative cross-sectional database in China were used. Social relations were measured by both the intergenerational relationship and the social network beyond family ties. Descriptive analysis, multivariable regression, and structural equation modelling were used in a stepwise fashion. The results showed that poor physical health (identified as more chronic diseases, worse daily living function, and worse sleep quality) and lower economic status (identified as lower income and more debt) were significantly associated with weaker social relations and higher depression scores. Both intergenerational relationship and social network appeared to mediate the effects of physical health and economic status on geriatric depression, but in slightly different ways. Social relations play an important role in buffering the negative psychological effects of declining physical health and worsening economic status on the older group in China. The findings suggest the importance of strengthening health care, compensating for economic disadvantage and improving social relations in protecting the mental health of older adults.

Sleep Quality Among People with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus During COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from Qatar's National Diabetes Center.

Sleep disturbance is suspected to increase during the COVID-19 pandemic, and people with type 2 DM are known to have a higher risk of sleep disturbance. We aimed to determine the prevalence and determinants of sleep disturbance through Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) during the COVID-19 pandemic. We randomly selected two hundred eighty-eight people with T2DM from the outpatient clinics of the National Diabetes Centre in Qatar. We used Chi-square, Mann-Whitney, Spearman, and Point Biserial correlation tests to examine the association between sleep quality and the independent variables. Finally, we conducted multiple logistics regression to identify the predictors of poor sleep quality and set the alpha level at 0.05. In our sample, the mean age (±SD) was 51.4 (± 9.5) years, and 64.3% of the study participants were males. The median (IQR) duration of diabetes was 10 (11) years. Additionally, 6.3% of the participants were on insulin. The median HbA1c was 7.6% (2.4). Three in ten patients reported poor sleep quality (PSQI>5); (n=103; 35.8%). Poor sleep quality was statistically associated with young age, previous history of sleep disturbance, prior diagnosis of sleep disorders, high depression score, and high perceived stress score. After adjusting for confounders, only high depressive symptoms score and previous history of sleep disorder were significant predictors of poor sleep quality (p < 0.001), with adjusted odd ratios of (aOR = 1.421; 95% CI: 1.242-1.625) and (aOR = 3.208; 95% CI: 1.574-6.537), respectively. The prevalence of poor sleep quality among people with T2DM during the COVID-19 pandemic is high. Physicians must screen for depression, stress, and previous history of sleep disorder to tackle poor sleep among T2DM.

Hipertansiyon ve Diyabet Hastalarının Algılanan Stres ve Depresyon Düzeyleri ile İlaç Uyumlarının Değerlendirilmesi

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the perceived stress and depression level of diabetes and hypertension patients who applied to the family medicine outpatient clinic and to investigate its relationship with the treatment compliance of the patients. Methods: A total of 201 people over the age of 18 who were followed up in the family medicine outpatient clinic with the diagnosis of Hypertension and Diabetes were included in the study. The study consisted of three different groups of hypertension patients, diabetes patients and healthy volunteers. Beck Depression Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8 and sociodemographic data questionnaire were administered to the participants by face-to-face interview technique. Results: In our study, depression and perceived stress scores were lower in the healthy group compared to the other groups (p&amp;lt;0.05). Morisky medication adherence scale scores were 5.7±2.18 and 5.39±2.29 in the HT and DM patient groups, respectively, and 46.3% had a low compliance score. Factors such as education level, presence of additional disease, dietary compliance, physical activity status, and smoking were found to play an active role in medication compliance (p&amp;lt;0.05). It was observed that patients with high depression and stress scores had low adherence to medication adherence (p&amp;lt;0.001). Conclusion: Hypertensive and diabetic patients with high depression and perceived stress scores were found to have low adherence to medication adherence.

Depression and anxiety in acute ischemic stroke involving the anterior but not paramedian or inferolateral thalamus.

Emotional and cognitive deficits are prevalent in strokes involving the thalamus. In contrast to cognitive deficits, emotional deficits have not been studied prospectively in isolated thalamic stroke. In 37 ischemic thalamic stroke patients (57.0 [50.0; 69.5] years [median (Q1; Q3)], 21 males, 5 anterior, 12 paramedian, 20 inferolateral vascular territory), and 37 non-stroke control patients matched for age and sex, we prospectively examined depression, anxiety, activities of daily living, and quality of life at 1, 6, 12, and 24 months post-stroke using the Hospital-Anxiety-and-Depression Scale (HADS), Nürnberger-Alters-Alltagsaktivitäten scale (NAA), and Short Form-36 (SF36) questionnaire. Voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping (VLSM) and lesion-subtraction analyzes were performed to determine associations between questionnaire scores and thalamic stroke topography. At 1 month post-stroke, anterior thalamic stroke patients had higher depression scores [8.0 (7.5; 10.5)] than paramedian [4.5 (1.0; 5.8)] and inferolateral [4.0 (1.0; 7.0)] thalamic stroke patients. Furthermore, anterior thalamic stroke patients had higher anxiety scores [11.0 (8.0; 14.5)] than their matched controls [2.5 (2.0; 2.5)], paramedian [4.5 (1.0; 5.8)] and inferior [4.0 (1.0; 7.0)] thalamic stroke patients. Depression and anxiety scores in anterior thalamic stroke patients remained high across the follow-up [depression: 9.0 (3.5; 13,8); anxiety:10.05 (2.8, 14.5)].Physical health assessed by SF36 was intact in anterior [1 month post-stroke: T-score = 55.9 (37.0; 57.6)] but reduced in inferolateral [44.5(32.4; 53.1)] thalamic stroke, whereas mental health was reduced in anterior thalamic stroke [32.0 (29.8; 47.3)].VLSM confirmed that voxels in the anterior thalamus around Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) coordinates X = -8, Y = -12, Z = 2 were more often affected by the stroke in depressed (HADS-score ≥ 8) than non-depressed (HADS-score < 8) patients and voxels around coordinates X = -10, Y = -12, Z = 2 were more often affected in anxious (HADS-score ≥ 8) than non-anxious (HADS-score < 8) patients. Anterior, but not paramedian or inferolateral thalamic stroke was associated with depression and anxiety. Even though our results are mostly significant in the left thalamus, this observation on stroke laterality might be confounded by the fact that the right hemisphere was underrepresented in our study.

Exploring the association between social skills struggles and social communication difficulties and depression in youth with autism spectrum disorder.

Autism spectrum disorder is characterized by social communication difficulties and social skills abilities that are significantly differ from neurotypical populations as well as restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests. Furthermore, many autistic youth experience co-occurring conditions, with one of the most common being depression. This depression is suggested to be, in part, the result of the relative social isolation experienced by autistic youth. Therefore, it is important to examine social functioning differences in autistic youth and their association with depression. There has been limited research investigating the association between social communication difficulties and depression, or the association between social skills struggles and depression, and no research investigating both of these in the same population. We found that social communicative symptoms of autism (as measured by the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule) were not associated with depression scores (as measured by the Revised Checklist for Anxiety and Depression) after controlling for age, sex, and IQ. In contrast, we did find a significant association between social skills struggles (as measured by the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System-2) and depression in the same sample. Higher social skills struggles were associated with higher depression scores after controlling for age, sex, and IQ. Reasons for the potential discrepancy between these findings are discussed, and clinical implications of these findings are explored.

Exploration of Inflammatory Biomarkers and Psychological Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Among Community Dwelling Adults: A Gender Comparison Study.

Patients with rheumatic disease (RD) are at high risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is the leading non-communicable chronic disease cause of death worldwide. Inflammatory biomarkers and psychological health status are reliable predictors of CVD in patients with RD. The primary aim of this study was to compare the inflammatory biomarkers and psychological CVD risk factors (CRFs) between a group of community-dwelling adults with RD and CRFs and a group of their peers with CRFs only. The secondary aim of this study was to analyze and compare the collected data by gender in the RD group. Data were collected and analyzed from 355 participants, with the 135 participants with physician-diagnosed RD assigned to the RD group and the remainder (n = 220) assigned to the comparison group. The measures used included a demographic datasheet, medical information, serum homocysteine (Hcy) levels, high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels, and depression and global sleep-quality scale scores. The RD group had higher ratios of hypertension and depression diagnoses than the comparison group. The gender analysis of the RD group found significantly more-severe sleep disturbances in women than men and a significantly higher mean value of Hcy in men than women. The women in the RD group were significantly older, less educated, and less employed than their male counterparts and thus may be presumed to at higher risk of health illiteracy. Gender-tailored interventions to modify the risk factors of CVD identified in this study for patients with RD are recommended.