Prevalence Of Psychiatric Disease Research Articles

Fermented goat milk by selenium-enriched Lactobacillus paracasei alleviates depressive psychological disturbance.

Depression is a prevalent psychiatric disease with the characteristic of persistently gloomy mood. The treatment of depression with traditional therapeutic medications suffers from low efficacy and adverse side effects due to the extremely unpredictable courses and uneven responses to treatment. The goal of this paper was to investigate the preparation of selenium-enriched fermented goat milk and the potential mechanism of its intervention on the chronic unpredictable stress-induced depression mice model. The results showed that Se-Lactobacillus paracasei 20241 (Se-20241) significantly alleviated depressive behavior, reversed the upregulation of inflammatory factors, and attenuated glucocorticoid resistance. Meanwhile, the results showed a modulatory function on oxidative stress dysfunction in the liver, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. The change in abundance of Ileibacterium, Muribaculaceae, Turicibacter, Dubosiella, and Bifidobacterium was also modified. These results provided the theoretical groundwork for the development of psychoactive probiotic supplements for depressed patients and clarified the probable mechanism of Se-20241 for antidepressant impact on the CUMS model.

Association between long-term visit-to-visit blood pressure variability and depression among Chinese middle-aged and older adults

ABSTRACT Background Whether there is a longitudinal association between long-term blood pressure variability (BPV) and subsequent depression among Chinese adults remains inconclusive. Methods This study utilized data from a nationwide cohort of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, which included participants aged > 45 years without prevalent psychiatric or memory-related diseases. The intra-individual coefficient of variation (CV) and standard deviation (SD) across 3 visits from 2011 to 2015 were used to examine the long-term variability in systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP). The depressive symptoms were examined using the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D-10), and moderate-to-severe depression was defined as CES-D-10 ≥ 15. Results A total of 5,249 participants (mean age: 61.4 ± 8.1 years, 46.5% were men) were included in the current analysis. Individuals in the highest quartile of both BP CV and SD were independently correlated with a higher total CES-D-10 score compared to those in the lowest quartile after multivariable adjustment. 1,070 participants (20.4%) had moderate-to-severe depression during the 3-year follow-up period. Participants in the Q4 of SBP and DBP CV had 1.23-fold higher odds (95% CI: 1.01, 1.49) and 1.20-fold higher odds (95% CI: 1.01, 1.41) of moderate-to-severe depression compared to those in Q1. Subgroup analyses revealed that men with higher BP CVs had a greater risk of severe depressive symptoms (p for SBP CV-by-sex interaction = 0.050, p for SBP CV-by-sex interaction = 0.025). Conclusions Depression was common among Chinese middle-aged and older adults and long-term visit-to-visit BPV was positively associated with depressive symptoms, highlighting the importance of implementing intensive prevention strategies for depression and enhancing blood pressure monitors in China.

Prevalence of depression among basic years medical students in Qassim University and Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University

Background: Depression is one of the most prevalent psychiatric diseases, manifesting through a variety of mental and physical symptoms such as restless sleep, loss of interest, low mood, exhaustion, and attention issues. This study aims to determine the prevalence of depression among medical students at Qassim University (QU) and Imam Abdulrahman University (IAU). Methods: An online survey was used to assess the prevalence of depression among 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-year medical students at QU and IAU in Saudi Arabia. The survey included the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), a validated tool for measuring depression severity. Results: This study investigated depression risk factors among medical students in Saudi Arabia. In QU, a higher GPA (≥4) was associated with a significantly lower likelihood of depression (84.2% less likely). In IAU, while no factors were significant at the stricter p

Recovery of left ventricular ejection fraction in Takotsubo Syndrome

Abstract Introduction Takotsubo Syndrome (TTS) is a condition of transient left ventricular dysfunction that is typically triggered by emotional or physical stress. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) recovery in TTS occurs over a wide-range interval, varying from days to weeks. Purpose Our purpose was to access the prognostic impact of delayed recovery of LVEF in patients with TTS. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of patients admitted in a single centre between 2008 and 2022 with the diagnosis of TTS, with a LVEF <50% at admission. Patients were divided into two groups: Group A- patients with the recovery of ejection fraction during hospitalization (LV EF ≥ 50% at the pre-discharge echocardiogram) and Group B- patients that had a delay in recovery, with LV EF <50% at the pre-discharge echocardiogram. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACCE) included heart failure hospitalization, cardiovascular mortality, stroke and TTS recurrence. Results We included 63 pts, 88,9% females, mean age of 69,38 ±12,5 years. Group A included 27 pts, with a median LV EF of 37% (IQR 33-41) and group B included 36 pts with a median LV EF of 36% (IQR 33-38,8), with no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p= 0,347). The median pre-discharge LV EF was 60,0% (IQR 56-65,6) in group A and 42,0% (IQR 37-47) in group B (p<0,005). The hospitalization length (HL)was similar between the two groups (mean HL of 7,9 ±7,8 in group A versus 8,1 ±8,4 days in group B, p= 0,93). The two groups were similar in terms of basal characteristics, with more prevalence of psychiatric disease in group A (13,9% vs 33,3%, p= 0,066). We found no statistically differences in clinical presentation and evolution during hospitalization (Killip class, cardiogenic shock, ventricular arrhythmias) and in the rates of concomitant coronary artery disease (14,8% group A versus 26,5% group B, p= 0,270). Also, the in-hospital medication and at discharge (Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, beta blockers, spironolactone and aspirin) were identical between the two groups. There was a tendency for more prescription of anticoagulants at discharge in group B (45,7% versus 22,2%, p = 0,055). During a median follow-up of 41,0 months (IQR 14,0-54,5), group B had a higher rate of MACCE (34,4% versus 20,0%, log rank p= 0,033). In a multivariate analysis, after adjusting for possible confounders, delayed recovery of LV EF was an independent predictor of MACCE with a HR 6,1 (95% CI: 1,50-24,9, p= 0,012) (Fig.1). Conclusions In this population, delayed recovery of LV EF in TTS was an independent predictor of major adverse cardiovascular events. These findings suggest that this population should be targeted in clinical trials to investigate possible interventions and these patients should have a closer follow-up.

Quercetin modulates the liver metabolic profile in a chronic unpredictable mild stress rat model based on metabolomics technology.

Depression is the most prevalent psychiatric disease, and its pathogenesis is still unclear. Currently, studies on the pathogenesis of depression are mainly focused on the brain. The liver can modulate brain function via the liver-brain axis, indicating that the liver plays an important role in the development of depression. This study aims to explore the protective effect of quercetin against chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced metabolic changes and the corresponding mechanisms in the rat liver based on untargeted metabolomics technology. In this study, 96 male rats were divided into six groups: control, different doses of quercetin (10 mg per kg bw or 50 mg per kg bw), CUMS, and CUMS + different doses of quercetin. After 8 weeks of CUMS modeling, the liver samples were collected for metabolomics analysis. A total of 17 altered metabolites were identified, including D-glutamic acid, S-adenosylmethionine, lithocholylglycine, L-homocystine, prostaglandin PGE2, leukotriene E4, cholic acid, 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid, taurochenodeoxycholic acid, S-adenosylhomocysteine, deoxycholic acid, folic acid, L-methionine, leukotriene C5, estriol-17-glucuronide, PE, and PC, indicating that methionine metabolism, bile acid metabolism, and phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis are the major pathways involved in CUMS-induced hepatic metabolic disorders. Hepatic methylation damage may play a role in the pathophysiology of depression, as evidenced by the first discovery of the abnormality of hepatic methionine metabolism. Abnormal changes in hepatic bile acids may provide stronger evidence for depression pathogenesis involving the microbiota-gut-brain axis, suggesting that the liver is involved in depression development and may be a treatment target. The quercetin treatment alleviated the CUMS-induced liver metabolism disorder, suggesting that quercetin may protect against depression by regulating liver metabolism.

New Insights into the Pivotal Role of the Amygdala in Inflammation-Related Depression and Anxiety Disorder.

Depression and anxiety disorders are the two most prevalent psychiatric diseases that affect hundreds of millions of individuals worldwide. Understanding the etiology and related mechanisms is of great importance and might yield new therapeutic strategies to treat these diseases effectively. During the past decades, a growing number of studies have pointed out the importance of the stress-induced inflammatory response in the amygdala, a kernel region for processing emotional stimuli, as a potentially critical contributor to the pathophysiology of depression and anxiety disorders. In this review, we first summarized the recent progress from both animal and human studies toward understanding the causal link between stress-induced inflammation and depression and anxiety disorders, with particular emphasis on findings showing the effect of inflammation on the functional changes in neurons in the amygdala, at levels ranging from molecular signaling, cellular function, synaptic plasticity, and the neural circuit to behavior, as well as their contributions to the pathology of inflammation-related depression and anxiety disorders. Finally, we concluded by discussing some of the difficulties surrounding the current research and propose some issues worth future study in this field.

Antidepressant-like effects of Rehmannioside A on rats induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress through inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis of hippocampus

Depression is one of the most prevalent psychiatric mood diseases worldwide, whose therapy is in urgent need of development. Although the neuroprotective effects of Rehmannioside A (Rea) have been demonstrated, its anti-depressive effect remains unclear. Here, a depression model was induced with chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) in rats. The behavioral trails, including sucrose preference test, forced swim test and open field test were used to determine the success of the CUMS-induced model. The effect of Rea on the neuronal protection, apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) was evaluated by HE, NISSL, IF and TUNEL staining, and western blot assays. Mechanically, the MAPK signaling pathway-related proteins expressions were examined by western blot. The results showed that CUMS stimulation evoked a prominent reduction of rat body weight, sucrose preference, and numbers of crossing, rearing and grooming with the enhanced immobility times. Besides, CUMS exposure induced the nuclear shrinkage and damage, as well as the decreased ISSL+ numbers. Moreover, CUMS stimulation increased the relative protein expressions of Bax and Cleaved caspase-3 and the percent of TUNEL positive cells, and decreased the relative protein expressions of Bcl-2. Furthermore, CUMS exposure also increased the relative protein expression of GRP-78, XBP-1, ATF-6, ATF-4 and CHOP. However, the CUMS-induced changes of all these indicators were reversed with Rea introduction in a dose-dependent fashion. Mechanically, Rea supply observably antagonized the CUMS-induced the relative protein levels of p-p38/p-38, p-ERK1/2/ERK1/2 and p-JNK/JNK. Therefore, Rea attenuated depression through suppressing ERS and apoptosis in hippocampus of CUMS-induced rats involved in MAPK signaling.

Loureirin C and Xanthoceraside Attenuate Depression-Like Behaviors and Expression of Interleukin-17 in the Prefrontal Cortex Induced by Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress in Mice.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most prevalent and serious psychiatric disease involving inflammation. Loureirin C and Xanthoceraside are extracts of dragon's blood and Xanthoceras sorbifolia Bunge, respectively, which have neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we examined whether Loureirin C and Xanthoceraside attenuated depression-like behaviors and inflammation induced by chronic unpredicted mild stress (CUMS) in mice. Adult C57BL/6J mice exposed to CUMS for 4weeks showed depression-like behaviors characterized by hyperactivity in a novel environment, decreased interaction time in the social interaction test, prolongation of eating latency in the novelty suppressed feeding test, and increased immobility in the forced swimming test. CUMS increased the expression of interleukin-17 (IL-17) in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). One week after exposure to CUMS, the mice were treated with Loureirin C (0.64mg/kg) or Xanthoceraside (1.28mg/kg) once a day for 3weeks during CUMS. Loureirin C and Xanthoceraside significantly attenuated CUMS-induced behavioral impairment. Furthermore, both Loureirin C and Xanthoceraside prevented IL-17 expression induced by CUMS in the PFC. This data suggests that Loureirin C and Xanthoceraside have antidepressant-like properties that may be associated with the inhibition of IL-17 expression.

Autonomic Neural Circuit and Intervention for Comorbidity Anxiety and Cardiovascular Disease.

Anxiety disorder is a prevalent psychiatric disease and imposes a significant influence on cardiovascular disease (CVD). Numerous evidence support that anxiety contributes to the onset and progression of various CVDs through different physiological and behavioral mechanisms. However, the exact role of nuclei and the association between the neural circuit and anxiety disorder in CVD remains unknown. Several anxiety-related nuclei, including that of the amygdala, hippocampus, bed nucleus of stria terminalis, and medial prefrontal cortex, along with the relevant neural circuit are crucial in CVD. A strong connection between these nuclei and the autonomic nervous system has been proven. Therefore, anxiety may influence CVD through these autonomic neural circuits consisting of anxiety-related nuclei and the autonomic nervous system. Neuromodulation, which can offer targeted intervention on these nuclei, may promote the development of treatment for comorbidities of CVD and anxiety disorders. The present review focuses on the association between anxiety-relevant nuclei and CVD, as well as discusses several non-invasive neuromodulations which may treat anxiety and CVD.

Molecular Alterations of the Endocannabinoid System in Psychiatric Disorders.

The therapeutic benefits of the current medications for patients with psychiatric disorders contrast with a great variety of adverse effects. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) components have gained high interest as potential new targets for treating psychiatry diseases because of their neuromodulator role, which is essential to understanding the regulation of many brain functions. This article reviewed the molecular alterations in ECS occurring in different psychiatric conditions. The methods used to identify alterations in the ECS were also described. We used a translational approach. The animal models reproducing some behavioral and/or neurochemical aspects of psychiatric disorders and the molecular alterations in clinical studies in post-mortem brain tissue or peripheral tissues were analyzed. This article reviewed the most relevant ECS changes in prevalent psychiatric diseases such as mood disorders, schizophrenia, autism, attentional deficit, eating disorders (ED), and addiction. The review concludes that clinical research studies are urgently needed for two different purposes: (1) To identify alterations of the ECS components potentially useful as new biomarkers relating to a specific disease or condition, and (2) to design new therapeutic targets based on the specific alterations found to improve the pharmacological treatment in psychiatry.

A critical review on clinical evidence of the efficacy of lavender in sleep disorders.

Sleep disorders are one of the most prevalent psychiatric diseases. Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder amongst the general population. It is also one of themost frequent complaints in primary healthcare centers. Lavender is called "the broom of the brain" in different oriental traditional medicines. It is one of the most used plants for patients with sleep disorders. This study reviews what is currently known about the use of lavender for sleep disorders in patients with different diseases, from cancers and end-stage renal disease to neurological-psychiatric diseases (e.g., depression, dementia, and autism), respiratory, cardiac, and metabolic diseases. Additionally, its most used administration route is the inhalation of its essential oil (i.e., aromatherapy) alone or in combination by massage. Some limitations of the reviewed literature were discussed briefly. Overall, this critical review provides promising evidence of the lavender efficacy for sleep disorders in a wide variety of populations and diseases. However, further clinical studies with robust design and longer durations of intervention are necessary for more evidence-based judgment on its effect on sleep problems and to investigate its mechanism of action.

Oppositional defiant disorder and Chinese music therapy: The 4S-Model

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is characterised by recurrent patterns of developmentally inappropriate, negativistic, defiant, hostile, annoying and disobedient behaviour, mainly toward people in authority, and it may increase the risk of delinquency. Notwithstanding the wide variation of relevant statistical data, ODD can be considered a serious global issue ‒ and it is one of the most prevalent psychiatric diseases among Chinese children and adolescents. Mental health is a key objective of the Chinese ministry of education, and a declaration issued in 2021 calls for enhanced mental health education in primary and secondary schools. In consonance with these objectives, the Research Centre for Arts Therapies of Beijing Normal University is developing arts-based models to strengthen mental health, improve prevention of psycho-affective disorders and alleviate (subclinical) symptoms in the younger generation, ODD included. Regarding the pathological features of ODD, the present article suggests to notably regard the related dynamic complex of intrinsic factors, socio-cultural interdependencies and challenging personality traits. Moreover, it introduces the 4S-model of Chinese music therapy for ODD consisting of (i) self-discovery, e.g. through aesthetic mirror techniques, (ii) self-control, e.g. involving creative martial arts, (iii) self-actualisation, e.g. based on sound-scene improvisation and (iv) self-adjustment, e.g. by means of music-induced trance and imagination techniques. Further research to optimise cultural sensitivity, e.g. concerning the ethnic minorities living in China, and to evaluate effect sizes are needed, alongside implementation into regular curricula and nationwide in-service-trainings for teachers.

Dose-Effect/Toxicity of Bupleuri Radix on Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress and Normal Rats Based on Liver Metabolomics.

Depression, one of the most prevalent psychiatric diseases, affects the quality of life of millions of people. Studies have shown that the lower polar fraction of Bupleuri Radix (PBR) elicited therapeutic effects in chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) rats. In contrast, comparatively mild liver injury was observed in normal rats administered a high PBR dose. It is essential to clarify the effective and safe dose of PBR and its dose-effect/toxicity relationship. In this study, we used the CUMS model to evaluate the effects and toxicities of PBR and to decipher the dose-effect/toxicity relationship and mechanism using the liver metabonomics combined with multivariate statistical analysis. In CUMS rats, PBR improved the depression-like behaviors including reduced body growth rate, anhedonia, and locomotor activities, and markedly reduced the contents of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). In control rats, PBR treatment altered ALT and AST from typical levels. Moreover, the effective dose range for CUMS rats was 12.6–163 g (herb)/kg, the median toxicity dose for CUMS and normal rats were 388 and 207 g (herb)/kg. The toxicological results showed that the cytokeratin-18 fragment level was increased significantly in CUMS rats given with 100 g (herb)/kg PBR. After a comprehensive analysis, the use of PBR dose was determined to be 12.6–50 g (herb)/kg. In CUMS rats, PBR could reverse amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, and β-oxidation of fatty acids to produce an anti-depressant effect in a dose-dependent manner. In control rats, two additional metabolic pathways were significantly perturbed by PBR, including glycerophospholipid metabolism and bile acid metabolism. Moreover, the comprehensive metabolic index including dose-effect index (DEI) and dose toxicity index (DTI) had a remarkable ability (ROC = 0.912, ROC = 0.878) to predict effect and toxicity. The DEI and DTI were used to determine the dose range of effect and toxicity which was shown high concordance with previous results. Furthermore, the CUMS rats possessed a higher toxicity tolerance dose of PBR which was consistent with the theory of “You Gu Wu Yun” in traditional Chinese medicine. The metabonomics techniques combined with correlation analysis could be used to discover indicators for comprehensive evaluations of efficacy and toxicity.

Comorbidity between Alzheimer\u2019s disease and major depression: a behavioural and transcriptomic characterization study in mice

BackgroundMajor depression (MD) is the most prevalent psychiatric disease in the population and is considered a prodromal stage of the Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Despite both diseases having a robust genetic component, the common transcriptomic signature remains unknown.MethodsWe investigated the cognitive and emotional behavioural responses in 3- and 6-month-old APP/PSEN1-Tg mice, before β-amyloid plaques were detected. We studied the genetic and pathway deregulation in the prefrontal cortex, striatum, hippocampus and amygdala of mice at both ages, using transcriptomic and functional data analysis.ResultsWe found that depressive-like and anxiety-like behaviours, as well as memory impairments, are already present at 3-month-old APP/PSEN1-Tg mutant mice together with the deregulation of several genes, such as Ciart, Grin3b, Nr1d1 and Mc4r, and other genes including components of the circadian rhythms, electron transport chain and neurotransmission in all brain areas. Extending these results to human data performing GSEA analysis using DisGeNET database, it provides translational support for common deregulated gene sets related to MD and AD.ConclusionsThe present study sheds light on the shared genetic bases between MD and AD, based on a comprehensive characterization from the behavioural to transcriptomic level. These findings suggest that late MD could be an early manifestation of AD.

Evaluation of Oxidant-Antioxidant Status of Fluvoxamine on Human Lymphocyte Cell Culture

Depression is one of the prevalent psychiatric diseases in Turkey and the world. Fluvoxamine is a strong selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) that is used as an antidepressant. No study investigating the doses of Fluvoxamine treatment that may lead to a disruption in the oxidant-antioxidant balance on the cellular level in addition to its beneficial effects has been found in the literature. For this purpose, by creating Fluvoxamine application groups at the doses of 7.5, 15, 30 and 60 μM and durations of 24 and 48 hours on human lymphocyte cell cultures, we investigated the total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS) and oxidative stress index (OSI). According to the results of the study, the TOS levels of all dose groups increased significantly in the 24- and 48-hour applications (p<0.05). While the TAS levels significantly increased in the 24-hour application of the doses of 7.5 and 15 μM and 48-application of the dose of 7.5 μM, they significantly decreased in the 24- and 48-hour applications of the doses of 30 and 60 μM (p<0.05). The OSI level increased significantly in the 24- and 48-hour applications of the doses of 30 and 60 μM. The results of our study demonstrated that, in the 24- and 48-hour applications of the doses of 30 and 60 μM, the antioxidant system could not compensate and the cells exposed to oxidative stress.

Analysis of Differentially Expressed Genes in the Dentate Gyrus and Anterior Cingulate Cortex in a Mouse Model of Depression.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent, chronic, and relapse-prone psychiatric disease. However, the intermediate molecules resulting from stress and neurological impairment in different brain regions are still unclear. To clarify the pathological changes in the dentate gyrus (DG) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) regions of the MDD brain, which are the most closely related to the disease, we investigated the published microarray profile dataset GSE84183 to identify unpredictable chronic mild stress- (UCMS-) induced differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the DG and ACC regions. Based on the DEG data, functional annotation, protein-protein interaction, and transcription factor (TF) analyses were performed. In this study, 1071 DEGs (679 upregulated and 392 downregulated) and 410 DEGs (222 upregulated and 188 downregulated) were identified in DG and ACC, respectively. The pathways and GO terms enriched by the DEGs in the DG, such as cell adhesion, proteolysis, ion transport, transmembrane transport, chemical synaptic transmission, immune system processes, response to lipopolysaccharide, and nervous system development, may reveal the molecular mechanism of MDD. However, the DEGs in the ACC involved metabolic processes, proteolysis, visual learning, DNA methylation, innate immune responses, cell migration, and circadian rhythm. Sixteen hub genes in the DG (Fn1, Col1a1, Anxa1, Penk, Ptgs2, Cdh1, Timp1, Vim, Rpl30, Rps21, Dntt, Ptk2b, Jun, Avp, Slit1, and Sema5a) were identified. Eight hub genes in the ACC (Prkcg, Grin1, Syngap1, Rrp9, Grwd1, Pik3r1, Hnrnpc, and Prpf40a) were identified. In addition, eleven TFs (Chd2, Zmiz1, Myb, Etv4, Rela, Tcf4, Tcf12, Chd1, Mef2a, Ubtf, and Mxi1) were predicted to regulate more than two of these hub genes. The expression levels of ten randomly selected hub genes that were specifically differentially expressed in the MDD-like animal model were verified in the corresponding regions in the human brain. These hub genes and TFs may be regarded as potential targets for future MDD treatment strategies, thus aiding in the development of new therapeutic approaches to MDD.

Anxiety process "theta" biomarker in the stop signal task eliminated by a preceding relaxation test.

Anxiety disorders are currently the most prevalent psychiatric diseases in Europe and the United States, the 6th highest cause of years of life lived with disability, and so a grave and ever-increasing burden on health care resources. Categorization of specific anxiety disorders is constantly evolving, but even the new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5) manual uses symptom lists, not objective biomarkers. The DSM-5 and International Classification of Diseases (10th ed.) also aim for single diagnoses, but patients present with mixed symptoms that fit multiple diagnoses. In 1 step toward a solution to this problem, we previously reported on a human electroencephalogram anxiety process biomarker, goal-conflict-specific rhythmicity (GCSR) in a stop signal task (SST). GCSR appears homologous with rodent rhythmical slow activity, 4-12 Hz "theta" rhythmicity that, in the rat hippocampus, predicts human clinical anxiolytic action with, so far, no false positives (even with sedatives) or negatives (even with drugs ineffective in panic or depression). However, within-task stability of GCSR is too variable for test-retest. Here we tested the stability of GCSR when a simple relaxation task preceded the SST. We found that prior exposure of participants (56 female, 39 male; mean age = 21.87 years; reporting no medical or psychological treatment or any type of emotional disorder in the last 12 months) to the relaxation task appeared to almost completely eliminate GCSR. We therefore conclude that, when elicited in the stop signal task, GCSR represents a labile emotional state and should be assessed alone or as the 1st test of a series. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Microglia in depression: current perspectives.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent psychiatric disease that involves malfunctions of different cell types in the brain. Accumulating studies started to reveal that microglia, the primary resident immune cells, play an important role in the development and progression of depression. Microglia respond to stress-triggered neuroinflammation, and through the release of proinflammatory cytokines and their metabolic products, microglia may modulate the function of neurons and astrocytes to regulate depression. In this review, we focused on the role of microglia in the etiology of depression. We discussed the dynamic states of microglia; the correlative and causal evidence of microglial abnormalities in depression; possible mechanisms of how microglia sense depression-related stress and modulate depression state; and how antidepressive therapies affect microglia. Understanding the role of microglia in depression may shed light on developing new treatment strategies to fight against this devastating mental illness.

Neuroimaging in the effect of transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy for patient with depression: a protocol for a coordinate-based meta-analysis

IntroductionAs a prevalent psychiatric disease, depression is a life-threatening mental disorder that may cause work disability and premature death. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation procedure, which has...

Exposure-induced changes of plasma metabolome and gene expression in patients with panic disorder.

Anxiety disorders including panic disorder (PD) are the most prevalent psychiatric diseases leading to high disability and burden in the general population. Acute panic attacks are distinctive for PD but also frequent in other anxiety disorders. The neurobiology or specific molecular changes leading to and present during panic attacks are insufficiently known so far. In the present pilot study, we investigated dynamic metabolomic and gene expression changes in peripheral blood of patients with PD (n = 25) during two exposure-induced acute panic attacks. The results show that the metabolite glyoxylate was dynamically regulated in peripheral blood. Additionally, glyoxylate levels were associated with basal anxiety levels and showed gender-related differences at baseline. As glyoxylate is part of the degradation circuit of cholecystokinin, this suggests that this neuropeptide might be directly involved in exposure-induced panic attacks. Only gene expression changes of very small magnitude were observed in this experimental setting. From this first metabolome and gene expression study in exposure-induced acute panic attacks in PD we conclude that metabolites can potentially serve as dynamic markers for different anxiety states. However, these findings have to be replicated in cohorts with greater sample sizes.