Passive Coping Research Articles

Implicit theories of mental health predict anxiety and depression during the COVID‐19 pandemic in China: The mediating effect of coping styles

AbstractThis research investigated how implicit theories of mental health (ITMH) influence people's experience of anxiety and depression symptoms during the COVID‐19 pandemic in China. Two thousand and 44 Chinese completed the study during an emergent outbreak of the COVID‐19 pandemic in Shaanxi, China. The results suggested that ITMH significantly influence people's experience of anxiety and depression symptoms. Both active and passive coping styles significantly mediated the relationship between ITMH and anxiety/depression, with active coping style as a stronger mediator than passive coping style. Implications of the current research for improving people's mental health during pandemics of infectious diseases and directions for future research are discussed.

The Wistar Kyoto Rat: A Model of Depression Traits.

There is an ongoing debate about the value of animal research in psychiatry with valid lines of reasoning stating the limits of individual animal models compared to human psychiatric illnesses. Human depression is not a homogenous disorder; therefore, one cannot expect a single animal model to reflect depression heterogeneity. This limited review presents arguments that the Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats show intrinsic depression traits. The phenotypes of WKY do not completely mirror those of human depression but clearly indicate characteristics that are common with it. WKYs present despair- like behavior, passive coping with stress, comorbid anxiety, and enhanced drug use compared to other routinely used inbred or outbred strains of rats. The commonly used tests identifying these phenotypes reflect exploratory, escape-oriented, and withdrawal-like behaviors. The WKYs consistently choose withdrawal or avoidance in novel environments and freezing behaviors in response to a challenge in these tests. The physiological response to a stressful environment is exaggerated in WKYs. Selective breeding generated two WKY substrains that are nearly isogenic but show clear behavioral differences, including that of depression-like behavior. WKY and its substrains may share characteristics of subgroups of depressed individuals with social withdrawal, low energy, weight loss, sleep disturbances, and specific cognitive dysfunction. The genomes of the WKY and WKY substrains contain variations that impact the function of many genes identified in recent human genetic studies of depression. Thus, these strains of rats share characteristics of human depression at both phenotypic and genetic levels, making them a model of depression traits.

Low Back Pain Perceptions and Coping Strategies in Pre-Professional Dancers: A Qualitative Study.

Low back pain (LBP) is a common health problem in pre-professional dancers which could hamper the dancers' professional career. However, pre-professional dancers are not often studied, although they may have their own pain perceptions and coping strategies towards LBP. Considering the biopsychosocial nature of LBP, it is important to increase the understanding of these perceptions and coping strategies. The aim of this qualitative research study was to explore the dancers' perceptions about LBP and their coping strategies when they suffered from LBP. Eighteen pre-professional dancers with and without LBP from different dance schools in Belgium were included in this study. Participants were invited for an in-depth online video interview. These in-depth interviews were based on a topic list. Afterwards, the interview transcripts were analyzed thematically. Two primary themes emerged from the data: 1) perceptions of LBP and 2) coping strategies which dancers applied when they suffered from LBP. The perceptions about LBP were related to two different themes: "it's all about the body" and "it's all about the psychosocial and contextual factors." In addition, the coping strategies were divided into "active coping strategies" and "passive coping strategies," whereas the most popular coping strategies were stretching exercises and passive coping strategies such as massages or heating cream. Although LBP has clearly been shown to be a biopsychosocial phenomenon, this qualitative study showed that dancers mainly considered biomedical factors as contributing factors to LBP. Additionally, instead of relying on coping strategies aimed at directly improving pain or trying to treat LBP on the basis of a single-cause diagnosis, it is important to consider the biopsychosocial origin of LBP in the management plans.

Examining the Relationship between Academic Stress and Coping Mechanisms among Filipino Irregular College Students

Using the Transaction Model of Stress and Coping theory, this quantitative study aimed to examine the relationship between academic stress and coping mechanisms among 201 Filipino irregular college students who were conveniently selected. Results showed that academic stress has a positive correlation with active emotional coping, active problem coping, passive emotional coping, and passive problem coping. Specifically, teachers’ stress, test stress and peer stress are positively correlated with active emotional coping, active problem coping, passive emotional coping and passive problem coping. While, a result stress, studying in groups and self-inflicted stress is positively associated with active problem coping, passive emotional coping and passive problem coping. In addition, time management stress only has a positive relationship with passive emotional coping and passive problem coping. Recommendations and the future direction of the study are discussed.

Functional connectivity mediating passive coping style and perceived stress in predicting anxiety

BackgroundPassive coping style (CS) and perceived stress play significant roles as influencing factors in the development of anxiety. However, the underlying neurobiological mechanism linking passive CS and perceived stress to anxiety susceptibility remains elusive. Thus, we aimed to investigate the relationships among passive CS, brain functional connectivity, perceived stress, and anxiety in young adults. MethodsData from the longitudinal Gene-Brain-Behavior Project(GBB) and Southwest University Longitudinal Imaging Multimodal Project(SLIM) were used. We confirmed the relationship among anxiety, passive CS and perceived stress. Then, we investigated the mediated functional connectivity between passive CS and perceived stress, and used these functional connections to predict present anxiety and follow-up anxiety one year later. ResultsAnxiety scores were significantly positively correlated with passive CS and perceived stress. At the brain network level, connections within the default mode network (DMN) and between the somatomotor network (SMN) and subcortical network (SUN) mediated the relationship between passive CS and perceived stress. Furthermore, present anxiety and follow-up anxiety one year later could be predicted by these mediated functional connections. Nodes with greater predictive contribution were mainly located in the left anterior cingulate gyrus (ACC), left inferior parietal gyrus (IPG), right superior frontal gyrus (SFG), and left middle frontal gyrus (MFG), mainly distributed on the DMN. ConclusionThese findings demonstrated that the mediated neurobiological mechanisms between passive CS and perceived stress could be used to predict present and future anxiety, which enhance understanding of the neurobiological basis of anxiety susceptibility in this passive CS and perceived stress and may have implications for early preventing and intervening mental disorders.

Colorectal Cancer Surgery: Influence of Psychosocial Factors.

(1) Background: In the treatment of colorectal cancer, it is important to consider different psychosocial factors. Our first objective was to measure the levels of perceived stress in subjects diagnosed with colorectal cancer awaiting potentially curative surgery. Also, we aimed to analyse what coping styles these patients used, how they perceived their illness, and the subsequent influence of these factors on their levels of stress. (2) Methods: Stress, coping styles and illness perception were assessed in a sample of 107 patients. The instruments used were the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14), the Stress Coping Questionnaire (SCQ) and the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ-R). (3) Results: Patients using active coping styles have lower levels of perceived stress (p = 0.000; p = 0.002) than patients making use of passive coping styles (p = 0.000; p = 0.032; p = 0.001). A multi-linear regression model found that the perception of illness and the use of the negative approach coping style (p = 0.000; p = 0.001) influence an increase in perceived stress, and that a decrease in stress levels was influenced by the problem solving coping style (p = 0.001). (4) Conclusions: Based on our results, we recommend preventive interventions in care patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery.

Longitudinal investigation of factors influencing mental health during centralized quarantine for COVID-19.

Centralized quarantine was applied in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak. The present study aimed to investigate changes in psychological status of isolated individuals before and after quarantine. Between August 2020 and July 2021, 648 participants completed the following psychometric evaluations before and after centralized quarantine: 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire for depression, 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder for anxiety, the Chinese version of the Connor Davidson Resilience Scale for psychological resilience, the Chinese version of the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire for coping style, Jiang's revised Chinese version of the Perceived Social Support Scale for social support and the Chinese version of the Impact of Events Scale for stress. At the beginning of centralized quarantine, 83.2% (n=539) of participants had no depressive mood, 11% (n=71) had mild depressive mood and 5.8% (n=38) had moderate-severe depressive mood. At the end of quarantine, 80.8% (n=524) of participants had no depressive mood, 13% (n=84) had mild depressive mood and 6.2% (n=41) had moderate-severe depressive mood. At the beginning of the centralized quarantine, 86.7% (n=562) of participants had no anxiety, 9.6% (n=62) had mild anxiety and 3.7% (n=24) had moderate-severe anxiety. At the end of quarantine, 85.8% (n=556) of participants had no anxiety, 11.6% (n=75) had mild anxiety and 2.6% (n=17) had moderate-severe anxiety. After 2weeks of centralized quarantine, anxiety (t=2.175, p<0.05), stress (t=7.453, p<0.01) and three stress subscale scores (p<0.01) decreased significantly; psychology resilience (t=-3.63, p<0.01), tenacity (t=-4.747, p<0.01), active coping style (t=-3.83, p<0.01) and support outside family (t=-3.07, p<0.05) all increased significantly. No significant change was observed in depression, strength, optimism, passive coping style or support inside family. Depression and anxiety scores associated significantly with resilience, stress, coping styles and social support scores. Anxiety (B=0.488, β=0.413, p<0.01), psychological resilience (B=-0.047, β=-0.203, p<0.01) and stress (B=1.475, β=0.167, p<0.1) scores before centralized quarantine were associated with depression after quarantine. Depression (B=0.323, β=0.422, p<0.01), psychological resilience (B=-0.022, β=-0.123, p<0.01) and stress (B=1.408, β=0.207, p<0.01) scores before quarantine also influenced anxiety levels after quarantine. A cross-lagged panel model indicated that depression, anxiety, resilience and stress scores at the first assessment were predictive of depression and anxiety levels at the second assessment. Good mental health during centralized quarantine was associated with high scores of psychological resilience, impact of events, coping styles and social support and did not become worse in settings where adequate support was available.

Uncovering the untold story: exploring gender disparities in sexual harassment experiences and coping strategies among Ghanaian higher education students

PurposeThis study aims to examine students' experiences of sexual harassment (SH) in higher education institutions (HEIs) in Ghana as well as their coping strategies.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted the cross-sectional descriptive survey research design and used the convenience sampling technique to sample 926 students from four public Universities in Ghana. The data collected were analyzed using an independent-sample t-test with the aid of IBM SPSS Statistics version 23.0.FindingsThe study found no significant difference in male and female students' experience of gender harassment and unwanted SH. Additionally, female students were sexually coerced considerably more than males. In the case of coping strategies, the study found no significant differences among male and female students use of passive coping strategies. Finally, the study found significant differences among male and female students use of active, self-blame and benign coping strategies.Practical implicationsThis implies that specific attention is required when students experience SH since they may be exposed to more aggressive sexual behavior.Originality/valueThe originality of this present study rest on its unique contribution by exploring the prevalent SH and coping strategies among tertiary students in HEIs in Ghana.

Evaluation of Holstein cows with different tongue-rolling frequencies: stress immunity, rumen environment and general behavioural activity

BackgroundThe tongue-rolling behaviour of cows is regarded as an outward sign of stressed animals in a low welfare status. The primary aim of this observational study was to evaluate the association between the frequency of tongue-rolling behaviour and its physiological function. The secondary aim was to explore the relationship between general activities and the frequency of tongue-rolling behaviour of cows. A total of 126 scan sampling behavioural observations were collected over 7 d on 348 Holstein cows with the same lactation stage in the same barn. The tongue-rolling frequency was defined as the number of tongue-rolling observations as a percentage to the total observations per individual cow. According to their tongue-rolling frequency, the cows were grouped into the CON (no tongue-rolling), LT (frequency 1%), MT (frequency 5%), and HT (frequency 10%) groups. Six cows from each group were randomly selected for sampling. Serum samples, rumen fluid, milk yield, and background information were collected. The general behaviour data during 72 continuous hours of dairy cows, including eating time, rumination time, food time (eating time + rumination time), and lying time, were recorded by the collar sensor.ResultsCortisol (P = 0.012), γ-hydroxybutyric acid (P = 0.008), epinephrine (P = 0.030), and dopamine (P = 0.047) levels were significantly higher in tongue-rolling groups than in the CON group. Cortisol levels and tongue-rolling frequency had a moderate positive correlation (linearly r = 0.363). With the increase in tongue-rolling frequency, the rumen pH decreased first and then increased (P = 0.013), comparing to the CON group. HT cows had significantly less food time than CON cows (P = 0.035). The frequency of tongue-rolling had a moderate negative relationship with rumination time (r = −0.384) and food time (r = −0.492).ConclusionsThe tongue-rolling behaviour is considered as a passive coping mechanism, as the stress response in cows with high tongue-rolling frequency increased. Food intake and rumination activities were all closely related to the occurrence of tongue-rolling behaviour.

COVID-19 Pandemi Sürecinde Bir Şehir Hastanesinde Hekim ve Hemşirelerin Algılanan Stres Düzeyleri ve Baş Etme Tarzları

Introduction: The acute period of the COVID-19 pandemic forced stress-coping resources on physicians and nurses because of its uncertainty and catastrophe. Therefore, the perceived levels of stress and coping styles of the healthcare workers have been a matter of concern for the healthcare industry. This cross-sectional descriptive study aimed to determine the perceived levels of stress and coping styles in physicians and nurses at a city hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic.&#x0D; Methods: Data were collected from 372 nurses and physicians using self-report questionnaires the Perceived Stress Scale and the Ways of Coping Scale.&#x0D; Results: The findings showed that the nurses had higher levels of stress than the physicians. More of the physicians used the positive reappraisal style of coping than nurses whereas more of the nurses used the avoidance coping and distancing styles of coping than the physicians. In addition, age, gender, level of education, and level of income determine the perceived level of stress and the associated coping style.&#x0D; Conclusion: The results of this study shed light on the active and passive coping mechanisms used by nurses to deal with stress. Nurses and physicians should be regularly provided with applied education within the scope of psychosocial support programs to help them adopt active coping styles such as positive reappraisal, confronting coping, and seeking social support.

GABAergic miR-34a regulates Dorsal Raphè inhibitory transmission in response to aversive, but not rewarding, stimuli

The brain employs distinct circuitries to encode positive and negative valence stimuli, and dysfunctions of these neuronal circuits have a key role in the etiopathogenesis of many psychiatric disorders. The Dorsal Raphè Nucleus (DRN) is involved in various behaviors and drives the emotional response to rewarding and aversive experiences. Whether specific subpopulations of neurons within the DRN encode these behaviors with different valence is still unknown. Notably, microRNA expression in the mammalian brain is characterized by tissue and neuronal specificity, suggesting that it might play a role in cell and circuit functionality. However, this specificity has not been fully exploited. Here, we demonstrate that microRNA-34a (miR-34a) is selectively expressed in a subpopulation of GABAergic neurons of the ventrolateral DRN. Moreover, we report that acute exposure to both aversive (restraint stress) and rewarding (chocolate) stimuli reduces GABA release in the DRN, an effect prevented by the inactivation of DRN miR-34a or its genetic deletion in GABAergic neurons in aversive but not rewarding conditions. Finally, miR-34a inhibition selectively reduced passive coping with severe stressors. These data support a role of miR-34a in regulating GABAergic neurotransmitter activity and behavior in a context-dependent manner and suggest that microRNAs could represent a functional signature of specific neuronal subpopulations with valence-specific activity in the brain.

The effects of forced exercise and zinc supplementation during pregnancy on prenatally stress-induced behavioral and neurobiological consequences in adolescent female rat offspring.

Prenatal manipulations can lead to neurobehavioral changes in the offspring. In this study, individual and combined effects of forced exercise and zinc supplementation during pregnancy on prenatally restraint stress (PRS)-induced behavioral impairments, neuro-inflammatory responses, and oxidative stress have been investigated in adolescent female rat offspring. Pregnant rats were divided into five groups: control; restraint stress (RS); RS+exercise stress (RS+ES), RS+zinc supplementation (RS+Zn); and RS+ES+Zn. All the pregnant rats (except control) were exposed to RS from gestational days 15 to 19. Pregnant rats in ES groups were subjected to forced treadmill exercise (30min/daily), and in Zn groups to zinc sulfate (30mg/kg/orally), throughout the pregnancy. At postnatal days 25-27, anxiety-like and stress-coping behaviors were recorded, and the gene expressions of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and the concentration of total antioxidant capacity were measured in the prefrontal cortex. PRS significantly enhanced anxiety, generated passive coping behaviors, increased IL-1β and TNF-α expression, and decreased the antioxidant capacity. ES potentiated while zinc reversed PRS-induced behavioral impairments. Prenatal zinc also restored the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capacity but had no effect on additive responses imposed by the combination of RS and ES. Suppression of PRS-induced behavioral and neurobiological impairments by zinc suggests the probable clinical importance of zinc on PRS-induced changes on child temperament.

Effect of chronic unpredictable stress in female Wistar-Kyoto rats subjected to progesterone withdrawal: Relevance for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder neurobiology

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is related to an abrupt drop in progesterone and impairments in the HPA axis that cause anxiety. Suffering persons report higher daily-life stress and anxiety proneness that may contribute to developing PMDD, considered a chronic stress-related disorder. Here, we explored the effect of chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) in rats subjected to progesterone withdrawal (PW) and evaluated gene expression of HPA axis activation in the stress-vulnerable Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rat strain that is prone to anxiety. Ovariectomized WKY rats were randomly assigned to CUS or Standard-housed conditions (SHC) for 30 days. To induce PW, animals received 2 mg/kg of progesterone on day 25th for 5 days; 24 h later, they were tested using the anxiety-like burying behavior test (BBT). After behavioral completion, rats were euthanized, and brains were extracted to measure Crh (PVN) and Nr3c1 (hippocampus) mRNA. Blood corticosterone and vasopressin levels were determined. Results showed that PW exacerbated anxiety-like behaviors through passive coping in CUS-WKY. PW decreased Crh-PVN mRNA and the Nr3c1-hippocampal mRNA expression in SHC. CUS decreased Crh-PVN mRNA compared to SHC, and no further changes were observed by PW or BBT exposure. CUS reduced Nr3c1-hippocampal gene expression compared to SHC animals, and lower Nr3c1 mRNA was detected due to BBT. The PW increased corticosterone in SHC and CUS rats; however, CUS blunted corticosterone when combined with PW+BBT and similarly occurred in vasopressin concentrations. Chronic stress blunts the response of components of the HPA axis regulation when PW and BBT (systemic and psychogenic stressors, respectively) are presented. This response may facilitate less adaptive behaviors through passive coping in stress-vulnerable subjects in a preclinical model of premenstrual anxiety.

Differences in coping strategies of managers and employees of organizations in war conditions and their relationship with mental health

On the basis of empirical research, it was established that there are statistically significant differences between managers and employees of organizations regarding the use of coping strategies in war conditions (managers prevail over employees regarding the use of an active and productive coping strategy «task-solving orientation», however, employees prevail over managers regarding the use of passive and unproductive coping strategy «focus on emotions»). It was also found that various coping strategies are differently related to the components of mental health of managers, leaders and employees: a) coping strategies «task-solving orientation» and «social distraction» have a «positive status» (because they contribute to strengthening most components of mental health, both in managers and employees of organizations); b) the coping strategy «orientation on emotions» has a «negative» status (because it leads to a decrease in many components of mental health, both in managers and in employees); c) coping strategies «avoidance» and «distraction» have an «ambivalent» status (since they affect the mental health of managers and employees in different ways).

Impact of environmental enrichment on the GABAergic neurons and glucocorticoid receptors in the hippocampus and nucleus accumbens of Wistar rats: Pro-resilient effects

The unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) model has been used to induce depressive-like symptoms in animal models. Our work aims to evaluate the impact of environmental enrichment on male Wistar rats in an animal model for depression. For this purpose, we aim to assess changes in GR and GABAergic (PV+) density in cerebral regions related to cognitive-affective processes associated with depressive disorder, such as the dorsal- ventral hippocampus and accumbens nuclei.Three groups of rats were used: UCMs (unpredictable chronic mild stress), EE+ UCMs (enrichment + stress) and CONT (behavioral tests only). Hedonic responses elicited by sucrose solution were examined by licking behavior analysis; the anxiety level was evaluated using the elevated zero maze and the forced swimming (passive coping) tests. The environmental enrichment reduced the effects of chronic stress, promoting greater resilience. Thus, the UCMs group showed an anhedonia response, more anxiety and immobility behavior than either the control or the EE+ UCMs groups. Regarding immunochemistry results, there was a reduction in GABAergic activity coupled with increased activation of GR in UCMs in the dorsal hippocampus, but there were no differences between groups in the ventral hippocampus.These results suggest environmental enrichment could enhance greater resilience, reducing the vulnerability of the subjects to develop disorders such as depression and anxiety.

Religious Coping and Health-promoting Lifestyle Among Iranian Infertile Women

Background: Infertility is recognized as a stressful and critical experience worldwide and across cultures and disrupts individual, marital, family, and social stability. Religion serves as a source of support in dealing with health-related problems. This study investigates the relationship between religious coping mechanisms and health-promoting lifestyle (HPL) among Iranian infertile women. Methods: A cross-sectional correlational study was conducted on 177 infertile women referring to the Sarem Sub-specialized Infertility Treatment and Research Center in Tehran City, Iran, 2019. The subjects were recruited by continuous sampling. The data in this study were collected using a demographic information form, the Iranian religious coping scale (IRCS), and the health-promoting lifestyle profile-II (HPLP-II). Statistical analyses, including the independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient, were performed using SPSS software, version 22. The significance level was set at P&lt;0.05. Results: The highest mean was related to active religious coping (7.86±2.39), while passive religious coping (2.89±1.76) and negative feelings towards God (3.95±2.07) had the lowest mean scores. The Mean±SD score of health-promoting lifestyle was 128.34±13.46; the score range was 52-208, lower than the median score of the scale. A weak but significant inverse relationship was observed between negative feelings towards God and HPL (r=-0.19; P=0.013) and its three subscales: Physical activity (r=-0.18; P=0.019), nutrition (r=-0.21; P=0.011), and interpersonal relationships (r=-0.21; P=0.01). Also, a weak yet statistically significant inverse association was observed between passive religious coping and interpersonal relations (r=-0.18; P=0.029). Conclusion: Considering that the mean HPL score of infertile women was lower than the median score of the scale, community-oriented education and care programs are recommended to improve HPL in infertile women. Teaching and strengthening positive/active religious coping strategies to improve HPL are also advised.

Living by the sea: place attachment, coastal risk perception, and eco-anxiety when coping with climate change.

Climate change poses major threats to coastal regions. In Portugal, the Aveiro district is one of the most vulnerable areas due to urbanized areas' exposure to the dangers of rising water. The prospect of flood threats can trigger a range of cognitions and emotions that affect adaptation and mitigation measures' success. This study sought to examine whether active and traditional place attachment is associated with residents' active and passive coping strategies to deal with the risk of rising water levels. An additional aim was to clarify whether these relationships are mediated by risk perception and eco-anxiety. The links between individuals' level of trust in authorities and coping mechanisms were also examined. An online questionnaire was completed by 197 Aveiro residents. The data show that active place attachment is connected to greater risk perception, eco-anxiety, and adoption of active coping strategies (e.g., problem solving). Low eco-anxiety was also found to have a positive effect on active coping strategies. Lower trust in the responsible authorities was additionally associated with active coping mechanisms. Overall, the results support the sequential mediation model for active coping but not for passive coping. The findings reinforce the need to consider cognitive factors (e.g., risk perception) and emotional factors (e.g., place attachment and practical eco-anxiety) to understand more fully how coastal residents deal with flood threats. Practical implications for policymakers are discussed.

Age as a moderator in the interplay between locus of control, coping, and quality of life of chronic pain sufferers.

Identifying the factors that determine the quality of life of patients with chronic pain is an integral part of developing interventions to reduce the negative impact of persistent pain. Locus of control (LoC) may play an important role in adaptation to prolonged pain, but the results of studies are inconsistent. We examined the link between pain LoC and quality of life. Moreover, we investigated whether the relationship between LoC and quality of life is mediated by passive and active coping, and whether age moderates the LoC-coping relationship. The study was cross-sectional and variables (internal, chance and powerful-others LoC, pain-coping strategies, average pain intensity, quality of life) were assessed via questionnaires in a sample of 594 individuals (67% females) with chronic pain, aged 18-72 (mean: 36). Mediation and moderated mediation analyses were conducted. Internal and external LoC were associated, respectively, with better and with worse quality of life. Passive coping mediated the association between the powerful-others dimension of LoC and poor quality of life. Additionally, indirect effects of internal LoC on quality of life via passive and active coping were found. The relationship between the powerful-others dimension of LoC and coping was stronger for middle-aged and older individuals than for younger individuals. This study contributes to a better understanding of the mechanisms linking LoC with quality of life of patients with chronic pain. Depending on the age, control beliefs may differently translate into strategies used to cope with pain, and thus into quality of life.

Behavioral State-Dependent Modulation of Prefrontal Cortex Activity by Respiration.

Respiration-rhythmic oscillations in the local field potential emerge in the mPFC, a cortical region with a key role in the regulation of cognitive and emotional behavior. Respiration-driven rhythms coordinate local activity by entraining fast γ oscillations as well as single-unit discharges. To what extent respiration entrainment differently engages the mPFC network in a behavioral state-dependent manner, however, is not known. Here, we compared the respiration entrainment of mouse PFC local field potential and spiking activity (23 male and 2 female mice) across distinct behavioral states: during awake immobility in the home cage (HC), during passive coping in response to inescapable stress under tail suspension (TS), and during reward consumption (Rew). Respiration-driven rhythms emerged during all three states. However, prefrontal γ oscillations were more strongly entrained by respiration during HC than TS or Rew. Moreover, neuronal spikes of putative pyramidal cells and putative interneurons showed significant respiration phase-coupling throughout behaviors with characteristic phase preferences depending on the behavioral state. Finally, while phase-coupling dominated in deep layers in HC and Rew conditions, TS resulted in the recruitment of superficial layer neurons to respiration. These results jointly suggest that respiration dynamically entrains prefrontal neuronal activity depending on the behavioral state.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The mPFC, through its extensive connections (e.g., to the amygdala, the striatum, serotoninergic and dopaminergic nuclei), flexibly regulates cognitive behaviors. Impairment of prefrontal functions can lead to disease states, such as depression, addiction, or anxiety disorders. Deciphering the complex regulation of PFC activity during defined behavioral states is thus an essential challenge. Here, we investigated the role of a prefrontal slow oscillation that has recently attracted rising interest, the respiration rhythm, in modulating prefrontal neurons during distinct behavioral states. We show that prefrontal neuronal activity is differently entrained by the respiration rhythm in a cell type- and behavior-dependent manner. These results provide first insight into the complex modulation of prefrontal activity patterns by rhythmic breathing.

Mu Opioid Receptor–Expressing Neurons in the Dorsal Raphe Nucleus Are Involved in Reward Processing and Affective Behaviors

BackgroundMu opioid receptors (MORs) are key for reward processing, mostly studied in dopaminergic pathways. MORs are also expressed in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), which is central for the modulation of reward and mood, but MOR function in the DRN remains underexplored. Here, we investigated whether MOR-expressing neurons of the DRN (DRN-MOR neurons) participate in reward and emotional responses. MethodsWe characterized DRN-MOR neurons anatomically using immunohistochemistry and functionally using fiber photometry in responses to morphine and rewarding/aversive stimuli. We tested the effect of opioid uncaging on the DRN on place conditioning. We examined the effect of DRN-MOR neuron optostimulation on positive reinforcement and mood-related behaviors. We mapped their projections and selected DRN-MOR neurons projecting to the lateral hypothalamus for a similar optogenetic experimentation. ResultsDRN-MOR neurons form a heterogeneous neuronal population essentially composed of GABAergic (gamma-aminobutyric acidergic) and glutamatergic neurons. Calcium activity of DRN-MOR neurons was inhibited by rewarding stimuli and morphine. Local photo-uncaging of oxymorphone in the DRN produced conditioned place preference. DRN-MOR neuron optostimulation triggered real-time place preference and was self-administered, promoted social preference, and reduced anxiety and passive coping. Finally, specific optostimulation of DRN-MOR neurons projecting to the lateral hypothalamus recapitulated the reinforcing effects of total DRN-MOR neuron stimulation. ConclusionsOur data show that DRN-MOR neurons respond to rewarding stimuli and that their optoactivation has reinforcing effects and promotes positive emotional responses, an activity which is partially mediated by their projections to the lateral hypothalamus. Our study also suggests a complex regulation of DRN activity by MOR opioids, involving mixed inhibition/activation mechanisms that fine-tune DRN function.