Non-depressed Controls Research Articles

Serum levels of carnosine may be associated with the duration of MDD episodes

BackgroundMajor depressive disorder (MDD) is a recurrent disorder that incurs a high societal burden. However, the etiology of MDD remains unclear. The functioning of several systems associated with the etiopathogenesis of MDD, such as inflammatory and stress systems, is partially modulated by the dipeptide carnosine. MethodsThe study comprised 99 MDD patients and 253 non-depressed controls aged 20–71 years. Fasting serum samples were analyzed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry to determine the serum levels of carnosine and its constituent, histidine. We compared these metabolites in three different settings: 1) MDD patients vs. non-depressed controls and 2) remitted vs. non-remitted MDD patients, as well as 3) changes in the metabolite levels during the follow-up period within a) the remitted group and b) the non-remitted group. In addition, we assessed the possible effect of medications on the measured metabolites. ResultsWe observed higher serum levels of carnosine in the MDD group compared to the control group at baseline (OR = 1.895, 95%CI = 1.223–2.937, p = 0.004). Elevated serum levels of carnosine were also associated with a longer duration of the depressive episode (Z = 0.406, p = 0.001). However, the use of any antipsychotic medication (n = 36) was associated with lowered carnosine levels (p = 0.010 for use vs. non-use). At the follow-up, remitted and non-remitted participants displayed no significant differences in their carnosine levels (Z = -0.14, p = 0.891) or histidine (Z = −1.39 p = 0.164). ConclusionsAn increase in circulating carnosine may characterize depressive episodes and may represent a protective homeostatic reaction against MDD-related oxidative stress and inflammation.

Induced neural progenitor cells and iPS-neurons from major depressive disorder patients show altered bioenergetics and electrophysiological properties

The molecular pathomechanisms of major depressive disorder (MDD) are still not completely understood. Here, we follow the hypothesis, that mitochondria dysfunction which is inevitably associated with bioenergetic disbalance is a risk factor that contributes to the susceptibility of an individual to develop MDD. Thus, we investigated molecular mechanisms related to mitochondrial function in induced neuronal progenitor cells (NPCs) which were reprogrammed from fibroblasts of eight MDD patients and eight non-depressed controls. We found significantly lower maximal respiration rates, altered cytosolic basal calcium levels, and smaller soma size in NPCs derived from MDD patients. These findings are partially consistent with our earlier observations in MDD patient-derived fibroblasts. Furthermore, we differentiated MDD and control NPCs into iPS-neurons and analyzed their passive biophysical and active electrophysiological properties to investigate whether neuronal function can be related to altered mitochondrial activity and bioenergetics. Interestingly, MDD patient-derived iPS-neurons showed significantly lower membrane capacitance, a less hyperpolarized membrane potential, increased Na+ current density and increased spontaneous electrical activity. Our findings indicate that functional differences evident in fibroblasts derived from MDD patients are partially present after reprogramming to induced-NPCs, could relate to altered function of iPS-neurons and thus might be associated with the aetiology of major depressive disorder.

Altered Intrinsic Brain Activity in Patients With Late-Life Depression: A Resting-State Functional MRI Study.

ObjectivesTo investigate the altered intrinsic brain activity (IBA) in patients suffering from late-life depression (LLD) using a percent amplitude of fluctuation (PerAF) method.MethodsIn total, fifty patients with LLD and 40 non-depressed controls (NCs) were recruited for the present research. Participants underwent the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) test and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) scans. The RBANS test consists of 12 sub-tests that contribute to a total score and index scores across the following five domains: immediate memory, visuospatial/constructional, language, attention, and delayed memory. The PerAF method was used for data analysis to detect changes in neural activity in the relevant brain regions. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was conducted to evaluate the ability of the RBANS test and proposed the PerAF method in distinguishing the two groups. The relationships between altered IBA and neuropsychologic deficits were determined by the Pearson correlation analysis.ResultsA significant difference existed in RBANS total score, immediate memory, visuospatial/constructional, language, attention, and delayed memory between groups (P < 0.05). Compared with the NCs group, the LLD group demonstrated decreased PerAF differences in the bilateral superior frontal gyrus, orbital part (Frontal_Sup_Orb), and bilateral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). The PerAF method and RBANS test exhibited an excellent discriminatory power with the area under curve (AUC) values in distinguishing the two groups. In addition, the attention score of the RBANS test positively correlated with the PerAF values of the bilateral Frontal_Sup_Orb and bilateral ACC.ConclusionThe changes of PerAF in the bilateral Frontal_Sup_Orb and bilateral ACC are related to an increased risk of developing LLD. Moreover, the PerAF method could be used as an underlying sensitivity biomarker to identify the psychiatric disorder.

Circulating inflammatory markers, cell-free mitochondrial DNA, cortisol, endocannabinoids, and N-acylethanolamines in female depressed outpatients

Objectives Major depressive disorder (MDD) involves peripheral low-grade pro-inflammatory activity. This multi-biomarker case-control study characterises the proinflammatory status in MDD beyond C-reactive protein (CRP) and Interleukin (IL)-6 levels through investigating concomitant alterations of immunoregulatory biomolecules. Methods In 20 female MDD patients and 24 non-depressed women, circulating levels of CRP, IL-6, cortisol, selected endocannabinoids (ECs; anandamide [AEA], 2-arachidonylglycerol [2-AG]), and N-acylethanolamines (NAEs), as well as circulating cell-free mitochondrial DNA (ccf-mtDNA) were measured. Results We found higher serum CRP and plasma AEA levels in MDD and a positive association of CRP and AEA levels with current depressive symptoms. Blood levels of cortisol, ccf-mtDNA, 2-AG, and NAEs did depend on MDD diagnosis nor correlated with the severity of current depressive symptoms. CRP correlated positively with AEA, and AEA showed positive associations with 2-AG and NAE levels. Conclusions In this study, female MDD outpatients with mild to moderate disorder severity did not substantially differ from non-depressed controls in the resting levels of multiple immunoregulatory markers in peripheral blood. Instead of investigating resting levels, future research on the role of inflammatory activity in MDD should focus on investigating the reactivity of pathways modulating the immune system upon exposure to physical and psychosocial stressors.

Association of peripheral manifestation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor with depression: A meta-analysis.

BackgroundThe relationship between brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and depression is a hot topic in research as several results of preclinical and clinical studies have shown controversial results. Our meta‐analysis aims to evaluate and update the current status of peripheral BDNF with depression.MethodsWe performed a meta‐analysis by comprehensively searching PubMed and Web of Science for English‐language literature from inception to 1st of June 2020. The search terms included brain‐derived neurotrophic factor or BDNF in combination with depression, without year restriction. Using STATA software, data were pooled using a random‐effects model.ResultsIn our literature search, 24 studies involving 1130 depressed patients and 1378 healthy individuals met our inclusion criteria. The results of our meta‐analysis showed that the peripheral levels of BDNF levels significantly decreased in depression than nondepressed healthy controls (SMD = −0.89, 95% CI = −1.41, −0.38, p < .0001); however, the significant heterogeneity among studies (Q = 740.91, I 2 = 96.8; p < .001) was discovered. Trim‐and‐fill estimations for the adjustment of publication bias indicated that publication bias had no impact on our results. Our sub‐group analysis showed that a history of depression and alcohol consumption had an effect on the level of BDNF. In addition, age and gender did not affect the heterogeneity of BDNF in the meta‐analysis.ConclusionsAlthough decreased peripheral expression of BDNF certainly presents a risk of depression, we cannot find a definite relationship between the peripheral level of BDNF with depression to use BDNF as a reliable biomarker to assess the depression in clinical practice. We propose that future research should consider all the factors affecting BDNF and assess the level of proBDNF and mBDNF separately while evaluating the patients with depression objectively.

Subjective and Objective Measures of Activity in Depressed and Non-depressed Individuals in Everyday Life

Reduced physical activity is considered a key feature of major depressive disorder (MDD). However, research directly comparing non-depressed controls and patients yielded mixed findings. In contrast to most previous research, this study compared objective as well as subjective activity levels of individuals with MDD with non-depressed controls and used an ambulatory assessment method. Moreover, we investigated whether objective and subjective measures of activity could predict mood. On two consecutive days, physical activity of 35 MDD patients and 36 non-depressed control participants were assessed objectively using an accelerometer and subjectively with hourly ecological momentary assessments. During the same assessment, participants mood was monitored. No significant differences between MDD patients and control participants in objective and most of the subjective activity measures were observed. We found significant associations between objective and subjective measures of activity in non-depressed as well as in MDD patients. Objective but not subjective measures of activity predicted subsequent mood. Our results support the notion that the association between MDD and activity level is complex and depends on moderating factors.

Depression in internal medicine inpatients at the time of hospital discharge and referral to primary care

Background and objectivesThis is the first multi-center study intended to document the prevalence, characteristics, and associations of depression in Medicine patients at the time of hospital discharge and their referral to Primary Care (PC). MethodsAdult patients randomly selected among consecutive admissions to Medicine wards in 8 hospitals in Spain, covering health districts, were examined in a two-phase 'case-finding' procedure. Standardized, Spanish versions of instruments were used, including the Standardized Polyvalent Psychiatric Interview (SPPI) and Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS). Cases of depression were diagnosed according to ICD-10 general hospital research criteria. ResultsThree hundred and twelve patients with treatable depression and 777 non-depressed controls were identified. In a conservative estimate, the global prevalence of major depression was 7.1%, dysthymia 4.2% and adjustment depression 7.1%, and 51.9% of cases were of moderate/ severe intensity. Depression was more frequent in women, the differences being significant in all categories of depression. The prevalence of depression was lower in individuals aged 85 or more years, the differences being significant in cases of both dysthymia and adjustment depression. A clear pattern of decreasing prevalence with age was observed in women. The depressed had as an average five medical systems affected, and higher CIRS scores compared with the controls, the differences being significant in cases of both major depression and dysthymia. ConclusionsThis is the first report showing a considerable prevalence of treatable cases of depression in Medicine patients at the time of hospital discharge and referral to PC. Depression is associated with the severity of the medical condition, and differences observed by age and sex have clinical implications. Paper read at the 3rd Annual Meeting of the European Association of Psychosomatic Medicine, Nuremberg 2015.

Evaluating the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Depression and Resilience in Older Adults

IntroductionSince March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the physical and mental health of older adults. We know how social isolation and loneliness may adversely affect one's health, mood, and cognition, specifically in adults over 65. However, when faced with adversity, studies have shown older adults to be at least, if not more, resilient than their younger counterparts. This study aimed to understand the extent of psychosocial impact the pandemic had on older adults with and without depression currently enrolled in the Neurobiology of Late-Life Depression (NBOLD) Study. In conjunction with the Brief Carroll Depression and Brief Resilience Scales, we used a novel measure of pandemic-related experiences across several life domains in older adults, the Epidemic-Pandemic Impacts Inventory-Geriatrics Adaptation (EPII-G).Based on prior knowledge of how detrimental social isolation can be on mental health and how resilient older people can be, we hypothesized that depression scores would increase during the pandemic. We also suspected that resilience scores at least remain constant or possibly improve.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults 65 and older account for 14.3% of cases and 80% of COVID-19 related deaths in the United States. Between “stay at home” guidelines and visitation restrictions along the continuum of aging services, there is concern over the lasting effects of social isolation. Therefore there is a need to examine and map the ways by which one's physical and social environments impact loneliness. Although loneliness is considered to be a subjective feeling related to a person's experience, it is one of three main factors leading to depression and a factor in cause of suicide.Despite this, one characteristic has shown to be protective against these stressors. Resilient individuals exhibit internal qualities like self-reliance and optimism and have external support systems in place allowing them to adapt more readily in the face of change.There is still little research available regarding outcomes and factors from COVID-19 impacting older adults’ depression and resilience, which this study aims to address, while strengthening the validity of the EPII-G.MethodsThe study population included older adults previously diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and non-depressed controls, enrolled in the N-BOLD study at University of Connecticut Health Center. Inclusion criteria for participants included: age of 60 or greater, ability to read and write English, and Mini-Mental State Examination score of 25 or greater. Depressed subjects met the criteria for MDD, either episodic or recurrent. Participants provided additional informed consent for the study. Baseline data was collected prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, with second interviews taking place mid-2020, and additional follow-up summer 2021. The study utilized the EPII-G, Brief Carroll Depression Scale (BC), and Brief Resilience Scale (BRS). The surveys were verbally administered by the research staff both in-person and via phone interviews.ResultsFrom mid-2020 to summer 2021, both depressed and emotional control groups saw an increase in total BC depression score. Older adults with a history of depression showed BC scores increase from 2.47 to 3.12, and older controls experienced increases from 0.5 to 1.11.Despite an increase in depression score, both cohorts also saw an increase in BRS resilience score, with the depressed group and control group showing increases in BRS from 18.18 to 19.75 and 20.93 to 23.33 respectively.We found a negative correlation between positive home life of person in the home on EPII-G and BC scores, with a correlation coefficient of -0.3645 and p-value of 0.0616. There was also a positive correlation with positive home life of person in the home and social activities for self and BRS scores, with correlation coefficients of 0.26304 and 0.29869 and p-values of 0.0845 and 0.0489 respectively.ConclusionsIndividuals who didn't see disruption to their normal routine and had the means to communicate with loved ones had strong psycho-social supports in place, but were still vulnerable to the detrimental effects of isolation. Through their years of experience, older adults have had the time needed to develop protective factors such as self-reliance. They have also lived through poignant events such as war and economic depression, putting suffering into perspective. As many no longer work or attend school like their younger counterparts, they experienced less disruption to daily routine. This strong foundation has contributed to the resilience needed to overcome the stressors that surfaced during the pandemic.By continuing to follow these groups, we can evaluate changes in depressive symptoms, how long they persist, and if individuals return to baseline over time, as well as to continue to strengthen the EPII-G's validity.This research was funded byResearch is supported by National Institute of Mental Health grant R01 MH108578.Chart: https://apps.aagponline.org/abstracts/uploads/2022/f1peuxbywkablos.pdf

Gender-specific association of biochemical variables with depression: a population-based case-control study from North India

BackgroundDepression is a highly prevalent mental disorder with complex aetiology. An emerging body of evidence shows that depression tends to co-occur with abnormal blood glucose levels and dyslipidaemia. This study aimed to understand the overall and gender-specific associations of abnormal glucose levels and dyslipidaemia with depression in a single Mendelian population from rural Haryana, India. To achieve the aim, a population-based case-control study, which constituted of 251 depressed (cases) and 251 non-depressed (controls) individuals, was set up. The study was conducted among the Jat community of Palwal District, Haryana (North India). Data collection was done using a pre-tested interview schedule through the household survey method. Depression status was ascertained using Beck Depression Inventory-II. Fasting blood glucose analysis and lipid profiling were done using commercial kits (Randox, USA) through spectrophotometry. Statistical analysis was done using MS-Excel 2010 and SPSS version 16.0.ResultsIn the present study, overall fasting blood sugar level was not found to be associated with depression. However, high blood sugar posed a 3.6-folds elevated risk for depression among females with borderline significance (p = 0.058). Further, higher levels of TC and LDL were found to be inversely associated with depression. In the sex-wise analysis inverse association of TC and LDL with depression remained significant among males but not among females. Instead, high TG and high VLDL showed an increased risk for depression in females.ConclusionsThis study suggests gender-specific associations of some of the studied biochemical variables with depression. Longitudinal studies are warranted to explicate cause-effect relationships between the studied biochemical variables and depression.

Stable abnormalities of contrast discrimination sensitivity in subthreshold depression: A longitudinal study.

Subthreshold depression (StD), as a subclinical state, is highly prevalent and increases the risk for developing major depressive disorder (MDD). Although several studies have reported deficits of contrast sensitivity in MDD patients, it is unclear whether individuals with StD could demonstrate deficits of contrast sensitivity and whether the deficits could remain stable over time. Here we used a contrast discrimination task (a suprathreshold task) and a contrast detection task (a near-threshold task) to compare contrast sensitivity of the StD group with that of matched non-depressed controls. For each task, a spatial four-alternative forced-choice method and a psychophysical QUEST procedure were used to measure contrast discrimination threshold or contrast detection threshold. Participants performed an initial assessment and a follow-up assessment 4 months later. Compared to the non-depressed controls, individuals with StD demonstrated reduced contrast discrimination sensitivity, not only at the initial assessment but also at the follow-up assessment, indicating a stable abnormality. Contrast discrimination thresholds at the initial assessment did not predict changes of depression symptom severity over time. For contrast detection sensitivity, there was no significant difference between the StD group and non-depressed controls. We concluded that contrast discrimination testing might provide a trait-dependent biomarker for depression.

Comparison of Prevalence and Risk Factors of PTSS Between Chinese Patients With Depression and Non-depressed Controls During COVID-19 Outbreak.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic is a traumatic event all over the world, and may lead to post-traumatic stress symptom (PTSS) in different population who are under the threat of novel corona virus. Therefore, the aim of our study was to compare the prevalence and risk factors of PTSS between Chinese patients with depression and non-depressed controls during the COVID-19 outbreak.Methods: 437 depressed patients and 2,940 non-depressed controls were enrolled in this cross-sectional study between February 14 and May 9, 2020.The Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R), Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were used to evaluate the psychological status of all the participants.Results: The prevalence of PTSS (IES-R ≥ 33) in depressed patients (45.08%) was higher than that in non-depressed controls (5.31%). Patients with depression were 16 times more likely to suffer from PTSS than those without depression. Correlation analyses showed that the IES-R total score was positively correlated with SDS, SAS, and PSQI scores in both depressed and non-depressed groups (Bonferroni corrected all p < 0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that SAS score, and PSQI score were independently associated with IES-R total score in both depression and non-depression groups. In depressed patients, education level and duration of media exposure to COVID-19 were positively associated with PTSS, while in the non-depressed group, subjects who were married, in the 31–50 year group or with higher SDS score were more likely to develop PTSS.Conclusions: These results indicate that the prevalence rate of PTSS in patients with depression is very higher than that in subjects without depression. PTSS are associated with a number of socio-demographic and clinical variables.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of serum and plasma cortisol levels in depressed patients versus control.

Depression is associated with hyperactivity of the hypothalamo pituitary adrenal axis. Cortisol is a steroid hormone, released from the adrenal gland and is considered to be a biological marker of stress and anxiety. Serum or plasma cortisol levels have been previously studied in depressive patients but reported contradictory results. The present meta analysis aims to assess the serum or plasma concentration of cortisol in depressive patients compared with controls. We have conducted a systematic review with sequential meta analysis according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and PsycINFO databases, and published reference lists were searched up to January 2021. We have conducted a systematic review on PubMed for the following search (MeSH) terms ("Hydrocortisone"[Mesh]) AND "Depressive Disorder"[Mesh]). The RevMan 5.3 and Open Meta Analyst software was used with the standard mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The Jamovi and Open Meta Analyst Software were used to evaluate the publication bias, sensitivity analysis, and meta regression as possible sources of heterogeneity. Seventeen studies having a combined population (n) of 1400 (743 depressive patients and 657 controls) had satisfied the inclusion criteria for serum or plasma cortisol. The pooled SMD of the serum or plasma cortisol levels in depressive patients compared with controls was 1.18, (95% CI: 0.84, 1.52; P < 0.00001) with I2 = 85% (Ph < 0.00001). This meta analysis indicates a statistically significant mean difference in serum or plasma cortisol between depressed patients and controls. Meta analysis concluded that serum or plasma cortisol can differentiate depressed patients from nondepressed controls.

The association of depression with metabolic syndrome parameters and malondialdehyde (MDA) in obese women: A case-control study.

Background: There is evidence for a bidirectional association between obesity and depression, and obesity is the main risk factor for metabolic syndrome (MetS). This study aimed to compare oxidative stress and MetS features between depressed and non-depressed obese women and study the association of depressive symptoms, oxidative stress, and components of MetS. Methods: In this case-control study conducted in Tabriz (East Azarbaijan, Iran), obese women (body mass index [BMI]: 30-40 kg/m2 ) with a primary diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD; based on diagnostic interview with a psychiatrist; n=75) and their age-matched non-depressed controls (n=150) were enrolled. Beck Depression Inventory-version II (BDI-II) was used to assess depressive symptoms in both groups. Anthropometric parameters, blood pressure, fasting blood sugar (FBS), lipid profile and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured. Results: No significant differences in anthropometric parameters and blood pressure were observed between the two groups. However, FBS of the MDD group was significantly higher than the control (P <0.05). FBS was significantly correlated with BDI-II scores (r=0.158, P =0.017). No significant difference in lipid profile was observed between the groups. Serum MDA level was significantly lower in the MDD group and was inversely associated with BDI-II scores (r=-0.328, P <0.001). Overall, MDD was not significantly associated with MetS in our study (OR=0.848, 95% CI: 0.484, 1.487; P =0.566). Conclusion: Although we found a correlation between higher depressive symptoms and some adverse metabolic outcomes, our findings do not support a significant association between MDD and MetS.

Walking on the bright side: Associations between affect, depression, and gait.

BackgroundPsychomotor change is a core symptom of depression and one of the criteria in diagnosing depressive disorders. Research suggests depressed individuals demonstrate deviations in gait, or walking, compared to non-depressed controls. However, studies are sparse, often limited to older adults and observational gait assessment. It is also unclear if gait changes are due to dysregulation of affect, a core feature of depression. The current study addressed this gap by investigating the relation between positive and negative affect, depressive symptom severity, and gait in young adults.MethodsUsing three-dimensional motion capture, gait parameters (velocity, stride length, and step time) were attained from 90 young adults during a task where they walked ten meters at their own pace overground in a laboratory for ten minutes. Self-report measures of mood and affect were collected.ResultsOn average, the study population reported high negative and low positive affect. Contrary to our hypotheses, hierarchical regressions demonstrated no significant associations between gait parameters and affective or depressive symptoms (ps>.05).ConclusionsOur findings do not support a relation between affective symptoms and gait parameters. The results may indicate age-dependent gait pathology or that other symptoms of depression may influence gait more strongly than affect. They may also reflect an observational bias of gait changes in depressed young adults, one that is unsupported by objective data. Replication is warranted to further examine whether affective symptomology is embodied via gait differences in young adults.

Rare variant association study of veteran twin whole-genomes links severe depression with a nonsynonymous change in the neuronal gene BHLHE22

Objectives Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a complex neuropsychiatric disease with known genetic associations, but without known links to rare variation in the human genome. Here we aim to identify rare genetic variants associated with MDD using deep whole-genome sequencing data in an independent population. Methods We report the sequencing of 1,688 whole genomes in a large sample of male-male Veteran twins. Depression status was classified based on a structured diagnostic interview according to DSM-III-R diagnostic criteria. Searching only rare variants in genomic regions from recent GWAS on MDD, we used the optimised sequence kernel association test and Fisher's Exact test to fine map loci associated with severe depression. Results Our analysis identified one gene associated with severe depression, basic helix loop helix e22 (P Adjusted = 0.03) via SKAT-O test between unrelated severely depressed cases compared to unrelated non-depressed controls. The same gene BHLHE22 had a non-silent variant rs13279074 (P Adjusted = 0.032) based on a single variant Fisher’s Exact test between unrelated severely depressed cases compared to unrelated non-depressed controls. Conclusion The gene BHLHE22 shows compelling genetic evidence of directly impacting the severe depression phenotype. Together these results advance understanding of the genetic contribution to major depressive disorder in a new cohort and link a rare variant to severe forms of the disorder.

The long-term mental health outcome of adolescent with depression and alcohol abuse comorbidity

Abstract Background Alcohol abuse often co-occurs with adolescent depression and about 1-2% suffer from the dual diagnosis in adolescence. This group is often undertreated or receive inadequate treatment for either of the conditions. Both conditions affect the developing brain and poor long-term outcome might be a potential risk. Yet, long-term follow-up studies are scarce. The aim of this study was to analyse if adolescent depression and alcohol abuse predict poorer mental health in adulthood compared to individuals without either or both conditions. Methods A community-based sample of individuals with adolescent depression in 1991-93 and matched non-depressed peers were followed up using a structured diagnostic interview after 15 years. The participation rate was 65% (depressed n = 227; non-depressed controls n = 155). Information on alcohol abuse in adolescence was collected at baseline with a structured interview. The outcome was mental disorders between the ages 19-31 years; information on depression and alcohol abuse was collected at the follow-up with a structured diagnostic interview. The statistical method used was binary logistic regression. Results Adolescents with depression and alcohol abuse had an excess risk of recurrence of depression (OR 2.12, p &amp;lt; 0.05) and alcohol abuse (OR 6.72, p &amp;lt; 0.01) in adulthood, compared with adolescents with depression only, even when adjusted for confounders. Adolescents with alcohol abuse only had not significantly worse long-term outcome compared with their healthy peers. Conclusions The co-occurrence of depression and alcohol abuse in adolescence is associated with long-lasting health consequences compared to either condition alone. This finding indicates that there is a need to prioritize this group of patients that is at risk of suboptimal treatment, and to further develop effective treatment adjusted to the co-occurring condition. Key messages The co-occurrence of adolescent depression and alcohol abuse has long lasting mental health consequences compared to either condition alone. Improved treatment methods are important for this group of adolescents.

Let the team fix it?-Performance and mood of depressed workers and coworkers in different work contexts.

Depression in the workplace is a significant factor for reduced personal well-being and productivity. Consequently, this has negative effects on the economic success of the companies in which depressed people are employed. In addition, the economy has to deal with the significant burden of this illness on the health system. In this paper, we investigated how different working contexts—working in a group or individually—influenced depressed individuals towards higher or lower well-being and productivity. We examined this using a laboratory experiment. In this setting, we were also able to analyze how, in turn, a depressive individual impacted the productivity and affective situation of their workgroup, reflecting the company perspective. The experimental design mimicked the very basic processes of a workplace in a stylized way. We used two distinct samples: subclinically and clinically depressed, both working in a group with healthy controls. As expected, we found generally lower performance in the clinically depressed sample, but in the subclinically depressed sample, we only found this in the individual work context. In contrast to our expectations, the performance of subclinically depressed individuals working in groups with healthy controls was even higher than that of healthy controls in homogenously healthy groups. The performance of the entire group with a depressed member was lower for the sample with clinically manifested depression, while the performance of groups with a subclinically depressed participant was significantly higher than the performance of homogeneously non-depressed control groups. We discuss our results with a focus on the design of workplaces to both re-integrate clinically depressed employees and prevent subclinically depressed employees from developing major depression.

Disentangling emotional processing in dysphoria: An ERP and cardiac deceleration study

The present study aimed to investigate emotional processing in dysphoria. To this end, the amplitude of the Late Positive Potential (LPP) and cardiac deceleration were assessed during the passive viewing of affective (pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant) pictures in 26 individuals with dysphoria and in 25 non-depressed controls. The group with dysphoria revealed a smaller LPP amplitude than the group without dysphoria in response to pleasant and neutral, but not unpleasant, stimuli at centro-parieto-occipital sites. Interestingly, whereas both groups showed cardiac deceleration when viewing pleasant compared to neutral pictures (3–6 s time window), only individuals with dysphoria showed a prolonged cardiac deceleration in response to unpleasant stimuli as compared with neutral ones. This study suggests that dysphoria is characterized by reduced motivated attentional allocation to positive information and by sustained intake of unpleasant information. Overall, the present findings provide novel insights into the characterization of valence-specific attentional processes in dysphoria as potential vulnerability factors for clinically significant depression.

Clinically depressed and typically developing mother–infant dyads: Domain base rates and correspondences, relationship contingencies and attunement

Maternal depression is associated with adverse outcomes in infants. Unfavorable parenting practices likely constitute one pathway of risk transmission from mother to infant, but definitional and methodological variation in the extant literature precludes a comprehensive or conclusive understanding of potential underlying mechanisms. This study aimed to illuminate the role of maternal clinical depression in mother-infant interaction by turning a microanalytic lens on four substantive relationship issues: base rates, correspondences, contingencies, and attunement. Several maternal parenting practices (aggregated into social, didactic, and language domains) and several infant behaviors (aggregated into social, exploration, and non-distress vocalization domains) were microcoded to 0.10s from naturalistic hour long interactions of clinically depressed mothers (n = 60) and matched non-depressed controls (n = 60) with their 5-month-olds. Clinically depressed mothers spontaneously engaged their infants less didactically, were less contingent to their infants in social, didactic, and language domains, and were less attuned with their infants than were non-depressed mothers. Infants of clinically depressed mothers vocalized non-distress less than infants of non-depressed mothers. These differences unveil key disadvantages in the everyday lived experiences of infants of clinically depressed mothers. The findings advance understanding of maternal depression and its effects and have implications for identifying infants at risk on account of their mothers' clinical depression.

Uncovering complexity details in actigraphy patterns to differentiate the depressed from the non-depressed

While the negative association between physical activity and depression has been well established, it is unclear what precise characteristics of physical activity patterns explain this association. Complexity measures may identify previously unexplored aspects of objectively measured activity patterns, such as the extent to which individuals show repetitive periods of physical activity and the diversity in durations of such repetitive activity patterns. We compared the complexity levels of actigraphy data gathered over 4 weeks (sim 40000 data points each) for every individual, from non-depressed (n=25) and depressed (n=21) groups using recurrence plots. Significantly lower levels of complexity were detected in the actigraphy data from the depressed group as compared to non-depressed controls, both in terms of lower mean durations of periods of recurrent physical activity and less diversity in the duration of these periods. Further, diagnosis of depression was not significantly associated with mean activity levels or measures of circadian rhythm stability, and predicted depression status better than these.