Profile Of Mood States Questionnaire Research Articles

Moving Beyond Depression: Mood Symptoms Across the Spectrum Relate to Tau Pathology in Older Women at Risk for Alzheimer's Disease.

We examined how symptoms across the mood spectrum relate to Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers in older women at high risk for AD. Participants included 25 women aged 65+ with mild cognitive deficits and elevated AD genetic risk. The Profile of Mood States Questionnaire measured mood symptoms and a total mood disturbance (TMD) score. Tau burden in the meta-temporal region of interest was measured using MK-6240 Tau positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. A subset (n = 12) also had p-Tau181, and Aß40/42 levels measured in plasma. Higher TMD scores related to higher tau PET standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR). Greater negative mood symptoms correlated with higher tau PET SUVR, while greater vigor correlated with lower SUVR. Similar results were seen with plasma p-Tau181 levels, but not with Aβ40/42 levels. In conclusion, positive and negative mood symptoms related to tau pathology in older women at high risk for AD, highlighting a role of mental well-being in AD risk.

A randomised, placebo-controlled, double blind, crossover trial on the effect of a 20:1 cannabidiol: Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol medical cannabis product on neurocognition, attention, and mood

As cannabinoid-based medications gain popularity in the treatment of refractory medical conditions, it is crucial to examine the neurocognitive effects of commonly prescribed products to ensure associated safety profiles. The present study aims to investigate the acute effects of a standard 1 mL sublingual dose of CannEpil®, a medicinal cannabis oil containing 100 mg cannabidiol (CBD) and 5 mg Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on neurocognition, attention, and mood. A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subjects design assessed 31 healthy participants (16 female, 15 male), aged between 21 and 58 years, over a two-week experimental protocol. Neurocognitive performance outcomes were assessed using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery, with the Profile of Mood States questionnaire, and the Bond-Lader Visual Analogue Scale used to assess subjective state and mood. CannEpil increased Total Errors in Spatial Span and Correct Latency (median) in Pattern Recognition Memory, while also increasing Efficiency Score (lower score indicates greater efficiency) relative to placebo (all p < .05). Subjective Contentedness (p < .01) and Amicability (p < .05) were also increased at around 2.5 h post dosing, relative to placebo. Drowsiness or sedative effect was reported by 23 % of participants between three to six hours post CannEpil administration. Plasma concentrations of CBD, THC, and their metabolites were not significantly correlated with any observed alterations in neurocognition, subjective state, or adverse event occurrence. An acute dose of CannEpil impairs select aspects of visuospatial working memory and delayed pattern recognition, while largely preserving mood states among healthy individuals. Intermittent reports of drowsiness and sedation underscore the inter-individual variability of medicinal cannabis effects on subjective state. (ANZCTR; ACTRN12619000932167; https://www.anzctr.org.au)

Home-based lifestyle intervention for breast cancer survivors: A surprising improvement in the quality of life during the first year of COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic induced an extraordinary impact on public mental health to a degree not completely understood, especially in vulnerable populations such as breast cancer (BC) survivors. In this study, we described the short- (after 3-month) and long- (after 12-month) term effects of a multidisciplinary home-based lifestyle intervention in Italian women BC survivors during the first year of COVID-19 pandemic. In total, 30 Italian BC survivors with risk factors for recurrence took part in the ongoing MoviS trial (protocol: NCT04818359). Between January 2020 and January 2021, a 3-month lifestyle intervention based on psychological counseling, nutrition, and exercise was carried out. Participants were asked to fill out psychological questionnaires for the assessment of quality of life (QoL) indicators (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL, EORTC-QLQ-C30) and psychological health measures such as fatigue (Brief Fatigue Inventory, BFI), distress (Distress Thermometer, DT and Psychological Distress Inventory, PDI), cancer-related fatigue (Verbal Rating Scale, VRS), and mood states (Profile of Mood States Questionnaire, POMS). IBM SPSS Statistical Software version 27.0 and R Project for Statistical Computing version 4.2.1 were used to process data. All participants were assessed at four time points: T0 (baseline), T1 (3-month), and follow-up at T2 and T3 (6- and 12-month, respectively) to measure primary (quality of life indicators) and secondary (psychological health) outcomes. Friedman non parametric test and Wilcoxon signed rank test (with Bonferroni correction) were conducted to investigate the statistically significant differences in psychometric scores and between assessment times. Compared to baseline (T0), at T1 most of the QoL indicators (i.e., symptoms of fatigue and general health) were improved (p < 0.017) with the exception of a worsening in participants' social functioning ability. Also, perception of severity of fatigue, distress, cancer-related fatigue, depression, and anger enhanced. Compared to baseline (T0), at T3 we mainly observed a stable condition with T0-T1 pairwise comparison, however other secondary outcomes (i.e., fatigue mood state, confusion, and anxiety) significantly improved. Our preliminary findings support the proposal of this lifestyle intervention for BC survivors. Despite the home-confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the intervention surprisingly improved QoL indicators and psychological health of the participants.

Risk of Low Energy Availability in New Zealand National Team and U20 Female Football Representatives

Background: Rates of low energy availability (LEA) in female footballers range from 12% to 66%, studies are limited, and no research has yet looked at the prevalence of LEA in a cohort of international players. Due to the negative consequences of LEA, more research is needed for a thorough investigation into prevalence rates and the associated risk factors of LEA within international environments. Methods: Twenty-two members of the New Zealand under 20 (U20) and National Women’s football teams (20.8 ± 3.5 years) participated in this study. Participants completed an online questionnaire composed of five independent validated surveys to assess LEA risk (Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire), eating disorder risk (Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire), sleep quality (Athlete Sleep Score Questionnaire), nutrition knowledge, (Abridged Sport Nutrition Questionnaire), and mood (Profile of Mood States Questionnaire). Results: 59.1% (n = 13) of participants were identified as being at risk of problematic LEA. Players reporting menstrual disturbances (amenorrhea or oligomenorrhea) were 2.25 times more likely to be at risk of LEA than those who did not report a menstrual disturbance. Menstrual status (R = −.46, p = .030) and Profile of Mood States Questionnaire (r = −.46, p = .032) were significantly and positively associated with risk of LEA (R = −.46, p = .030). Conclusions: A significant proportion (59.1%) of players in the New Zealand national and U20 female football team are at risk of LEA. The positive and predictive relationship observed between mood disturbances, menstrual status, and risk of LEA suggests that regular monitoring of mood and menstrual cycle health may be used for the early identification of problematic LEA in national-level female footballers in New Zealand.

Effects of conscious connected breathing on cortical brain activity, mood and state of consciousness in healthy adults

Breathwork as a means of inducing non-ordinary states of consciousness is gaining traction as a potential therapeutic modality. We examined the effects of breathwork (in the form of connected breathing) on electroencephalography (EEG) and mood in 20 healthy participants (aged between 23 and 39 years (female = 11, Mage = 29). In addition, to compare with other means of inducing non-ordinary states of consciousness, we assessed the subjective effects of breathwork using the 11 Dimension Altered State of Consciousness questionnaire. EEG spectral power analysis of eyes closed rest recordings before and after the breathwork session showed a decrease in delta (1–4 Hz) and theta (4–8 Hz) frequencies in frontotemporal and parietal regions, respectively no changes were seen in Alpha (9–12 Hz) and Beta (12–30 Hz) bands. However, after decomposing the beta waves in Beta 1 (12–15 Hz), Beta 2 (15–20 Hz), Beta 3 (20–30 Hz), decreases in power were observed across Beta1 and Beta 2 in parietotemporal regions. Notably, the spectral power in gamma increased in experienced practitioners. Scores on the Profile of Mood States questionnaire showed a reduction in negative affect (anger, tension, confusion, and depression) and an increase in esteem. Scores on the 11D-ASC scale indicated that subjective experiences during breathwork were similar to those after medium to high doses of psilocybin, suggesting the occurrence of experiences of mystical quality. Present results indicate that breathwork changes brain activity and mood, and induces mystical experiences. These results are promising and suggest that such techniques could be useful to improve mental well-being.

Evaluating the effects of PeakATP® supplementation on visuomotor reaction time and cognitive function following high-intensity sprint exercise.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of 14-days adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) supplementation (PeakATP®) on reaction time (RT), multiple object tracking speed (MOT), mood and cognition. Twenty adults (22.3 ± 4.4 yrs., 169.9 ± 9.5 cm, 78.7 ± 14.6 kg) completed two experimental trials in a double-blind, counter-balanced, crossover design. Subjects were randomized to either PeakATP® (400 mg) or placebo (PLA) and supplemented for 14-days prior to each trial. During each trial, subjects completed a three-minute all-out test on a cycle ergometer (3MT), with measures of visuomotor RT [Dynavision D2 Proactive (Mode A) and Reactive (Mode B) tasks], MOT (Neurotracker), mood (Profile of Mood States Questionnaire; POMS) and cognition (Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics; ANAM) occurring before (PRE), immediately post (IP) and 60 min post-3MT (60P). Subjects ingested an acute dose of the assigned supplement 30 min prior to completing PRE assessments for each trial. Trials were separated by a 14-day washout period. PeakATP® significantly attenuated declines in hits (p = 0.006, ηp2 = 0.235) and average RT (AvgRT, p = 0.006, ηp2 = 0.236) in Mode A, significantly improved AvgRT (p = 0.039, ηp2 = 0.174) in Mode B, and significantly reduced the total number of misses (p = 0.005, ηp2 = 0.343) in Mode B. No differences between treatments were noted for MOT, POMS or ANAM variables. In conclusion, these results indicate that PeakATP® maintains proactive RT and improves reactive RT following high-intensity sprint exercise suggesting that supplemental ATP may mitigate exercise induced cognitive dysfunction.

Effects of Popping For Parkinson's dance class on the mood of people with Parkinson's disease

Background/Aims Depression, low mood and apathy can affect people with Parkinson's disease, impacting on their quality of life. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of one Popping For Parkinson's dance session on the mood of people with Parkinson's disease. Methods A total of 33 people with Parkinson's disease, with a mean age of 67.5 years (standard deviation 10.3 years), mean Parkinson's level of 1.8 (standard deviation 1.6), took part in one Popping For Parkinson's dance class at four different locations: London (UK), Hatfield (UK), New York City (USA) and Turin (Italy). Participants' mood was measured with the Profile of Mood States questionnaire at four time points: immediately before the dance class, immediately after the dance class, 24hours after the dance class and 1 week after the dance class. Results Participants' total mood score and the subscale score of vigour increased, while the subscales of tension, depression, and confusion decreased on the Profile of Mood States, significantly immediately after the dance intervention. However, at 24 hours and 1week after the dance class, mood scores did not differ significantly compared with baseline measurements. The improvements in mood immediately after the dance class did not differ depending on sex, age, previous dance experience, the location of the dance class, stage of Parkinson's disease, presence of tremor and deep brain stimulation treatment. Conclusions Participating in a Popping For Parkinson's dance class boosts mood in the short term, and this improvement lasts less than 24hours. This finding has implications for the provision of dance classes, suggesting that regular attendance may be necessary for sustained improvements. Further studies are needed to determine whether attending a series of Popping for Parkinson's classes may have longer-term effects.

Blue prescription: A pilot study of health benefits for oncological patients of a short program of activities involving the sea

Performing outdoor activities in blue spaces can help improve human health and mental well-being by reducing stress and promoting social relationships. The number of people surviving cancer has increased globally to experience this disease as a life-changing and chronic condition with physical and psychosocial symptoms that have negative impacts on their quality of life. While there has been a growth of programs in green spaces to meet the needs of cancer patients, such as follow-up post-treatment care, support groups and physical activity programs, very few studies have examined the effects of activities involving the sea for the health and well-being of oncology patients. This is the first study to evaluate whether different outdoor activities in blue spaces can benefit oncological patients' physical and mental health using smartwatches, sphygmomanometers and Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaires. We assessed changes in blood pressure, heart rate, sleep quality and mental health of 16 patients after twelve sessions of three different activities (walking, beach and snorkelling) and four sessions of a control activity. While no significant differences between activities were observed in terms of the data gathered by the smartwatches, a gradient of positive results for human mental health was observed towards exposure to a blue space, assessed through POMS questionnaires. Results show that exposure to blue spaces contributes to tension and anger reduction and improves the vigour mood state of oncology patients. No significant increases in patients' heart rate were recorded after the beach and snorkelling activities, with results similar to the control activity, suggesting that the contribution may be to participants’ relaxation.

Nonlinear Pedagogy Effect and Value of the City and New Technologies as a Didactic Resource in the Training of Future Teachers

Education today requires teachers to have a holistic perspective towards students at all levels. In this way, pedagogy evolves from traditional positions to more current models, such as nonlinear pedagogy, where the learner is the focus of the didactic process, which is part of 54 subjects from the master’s degree in teacher training. Mixed research is carried out through new information technologies and the city as an educational resource. The effect on mood was measured with the Profile of Mood States questionnaire, motivation with the Situational Motivation Scale, and content assessment. The results show that positive mood improves after the intervention and the factors that negatively affect mood decrease, with significant differences except for the anger factor. Motivation is mainly intrinsic. The analysis of the data shows modifications in the feelings of the individuals after their participation in the activity, although significant differences are shown depending on the sociodemographic profile of the individuals, particularly in gender, age and employment status. In conclusion, the use of a nonlinear pedagogy, outside the classroom, with the interaction between students, teachers, and the use of information technologies, modifies the mood in a positive way and increases the motivation of future teachers in secondary education.

Regulating effect of virtual reality restorative environment on prefrontal cortex dysfunction after night shifts in medical staff: an fNIRS study protocol for a randomized controlled trial in Dalian, China

BackgroundNight shift work-related disturbed biological rhythm and insufficient sleep affect the functioning of brain activity and thus impair cognitive performance and mood state, which potentially leads to negative and even devastating results for both individuals and patients. A virtual reality (VR)-based restorative environment has shown to be an effective new technique to reduce stress and improve cognitive performance, but little is known about its mechanism of improving neuronal activity and connectivity.MethodsThis is a randomized, controlled, single-center clinical trial. A total of 140 medical staff will be enrolled and randomized in a 1:1 allocation to either the VR immersion group (intervention group) or the control group. In the morning after the night shift, the participants in the intervention group will watch 360° panoramic videos of immersive VR natural restorative environments for 10 min, while the participants in the control group will just rest for 10 min. Assessments of abbreviated Profile of Mood States Questionnaire (POMS) and verbal fluency task (VFT) performances, as well as oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) and deoxygenated hemoglobin (deoxy-Hb) and total hemoglobin concentration acquired by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) will be performed at baseline (day work), the morning after night shift but before the intervention (previous) and after intervention (post). Data collected after a night shift will be compared to baseline performance as well as between the two groups.DiscussionThis trial will investigate the effects of the night shift and VR-based restorative environment intervention on mood, cognitive performance, and neuronal activity and connectivity. A positive result in this trial could encourage hospitals to apply VR technology to reduce physical and mental dysfunction during of night shifts among medical staff in every department. Furthermore, the findings from this study will contribute to understanding the underlying neuromodulation mechanisms of how restorative environments influence mood and cognition.Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2200064769. Registered on 17 October 2022.

Effects of Popping For Parkinson’s dance class on the mood of people with Parkinson’s disease

Background/Aims Depression, low mood and apathy can affect people with Parkinson’s disease, impacting on their quality of life. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of one Popping For Parkinson’s dance session on the mood of people with Parkinson’s disease. Methods A total of 33 people with Parkinson’s disease, with a mean age of 67.5 years (standard deviation 10.3 years), mean Parkinson’s level of 1.8 (standard deviation 1.6), took part in one Popping For Parkinson's dance class at four different locations: London (UK), Hatfield (UK), New York City (USA) and Turin (Italy). Participants’ mood was measured with the Profile of Mood States questionnaire at four time points: immediately before the dance class, immediately after the dance class, 24 hours after the dance class and 1 week after the dance class. Results Participants’ total mood score and the subscale score of vigour increased, while the subscales of tension, depression, and confusion decreased on the Profile of Mood States, significantly immediately after the dance intervention. However, at 24 hours and 1 week after the dance class, mood scores did not differ significantly compared with baseline measurements. The improvements in mood immediately after the dance class did not differ depending on sex, age, previous dance experience, the location of the dance class, stage of Parkinson’s disease, presence of tremor and deep brain stimulation treatment. Conclusions Participating in a Popping For Parkinson’s dance class boosts mood in the short term, and this improvement lasts less than 24 hours. This finding has implications for the provision of dance classes, suggesting that regular attendance may be necessary for sustained improvements. Further studies are needed to determine whether attending a series of Popping for Parkinson’s classes may have longer-term effects.

Psychological profile and mood disturbance of women who gave birth during the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania

ObjectiveThis study aimed to outline the emotional profile and the mood disturbance of women who gave birth during Emergency and Alert states in Covid-19 pandemic. MethodsA cross-sectional study was carried out to investigate how the emergency and alert states due to Covid-19 affected the emotional profile and the mood disturbance of pregnant women who gave birth during these times. We included 244 postpartum women, divided into two groups: 124 women during the State of Emergency and another 120 women during the State of Alert. After expressing their informed consent, they completed an anonymous questionnaire that collected demographic data and the Profile of Mood States Questionnaire, as well as a follow-up survey. Data analysis was performed using the statistical program SPSS 24.0. ResultsOut of the 300 questionnaires distributed, we collected 244 valid questionnaires. 45.2% of State of Emergency group and 53.3% of State of Alert group experienced Anxiety, 16.9% of State of Emergency group, respectively 18.3% of State of Alert group, Depression, and 25% of State of Emergency group respectively 34.2% of State of Alert group, Distress. Compared to the ideal Iceberg profile, the emotional profile of both groups presented an inverted graph for Anxiety and Depression and much lower values for Vigor. Only 35.5% of State of Emergency group and 16.7% of State of Alert group received information concerning the virus, symptoms, and evolution of the disease from the specialists who monitored their pregnancy and 25.8% of State of Emergency group respectively 11.7% of State of Alert group received information about measures to prevent contamination and infection. Psycho-emotional and mood disturbance was more pronounced among State of Alert group. ConclusionsThere was a significant psycho-emotional alteration of surveyed women during the pandemic, worsened by the radical measures of the State of Emergency and associated with the major deficiency of care services in supplying valid information and counseling for pregnant women's safety in the State of Alert. There is a highlighted need to pay more attention to the psychological profile of pregnant women and to modernize the health services in this field and adapt them to pandemic situations with the use of modern virtual techniques. In addition, the Romanian health care system should round off the team responsible for the care of mother and child with midwives, internationally recognized very skilled in informing, monitoring, counseling, and support in this field.

Personalised Nutritional Plan and Resistance Exercise Program to Improve Health Parameters in Celiac Women

Celiac disease (CD) is a permanent immune reaction to gluten in those with a genetic predisposition. This study was designed to evaluate menopause-associated symptoms, mood, bone quality, and IgA antibody levels in women with CD, untreated and treated with a gluten-free diet (GFD), and with or without resistance exercise. The randomised controlled trial was conducted on 28 Spanish women (>40 years old). Participants were divided into the following intervention groups: personalised gluten-free nutrition plan + exercise (GFD + E); personalised gluten-free nutrition plan (GFD); celiac controls (NO-GFD); and non-celiac controls (CONTROL). The participants responded to the Menopause Rating Scale and the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaires. Bone quality was measured with ultrasound and IgA with a blood test. After 12 weeks of intervention, the GFD + E group showed significant improvement in urogenital symptoms and scored higher on the ‘vigour’ subscale of the POMS. Negative associations were found between the total score on the Menopause Rating Scale and the ‘vigour’ subscale of the POMS questionnaire. Only those women who underwent a personalised GFD nutritional intervention combined with resistance exercise demonstrated significant changes after the intervention.

Presleep Heart-Rate Variability Biofeedback Improves Mood and Sleep Quality in Chinese Winter Olympic Bobsleigh Athletes.

To evaluate the effectiveness of heart-rate variability (HRV) biofeedback in improving autonomic function, mood, and sleep in elite bobsleigh athletes. Eight Chinese Winter Olympic bobsleigh athletes (age: 24 [2]y, body mass: 89 [15]kg, and height: 184 [5]cm) completed a randomized crossover study with and without HRV biofeedback before a single night's sleep. HRV biofeedback was provided 35minutes prior to bedtime in the experimental condition. The assessment of HRV took place 45 and 10minutes before bedtime. The Profile of Mood States questionnaire was completed 50 and 15minutes prior to bedtime. Sleep duration and quality were measured through an air-mattress sleep-monitoring system. Sleep efficiency (P = .020; F = 7.831; CI, 0.008 to 0.072) and the percentage of deep sleep duration increased (P = .013; F = 10.875; CI, 0.006 to 0.035), while the percentage of light sleep decreased (P = .034; F = 6.893; CI, -0.038 to -0.002). Presleep HRV biofeedback increased parasympathetic and decreased sympathetic activity. Mood states of anger (P = .006, F = 7.573), panic (P = .031, F = 4.288), tension (P = .011, F = 6.284), depression (P = .010, F = 6.016), fatigue (P = .000, F = 16.901), and total mood disturbance (P = .001, F = 11.225) were reduced before sleep. Presleep HRV biofeedback improved some measures of autonomic function, mood, and sleep quality in Chinese Olympic bobsleigh athletes. Presleep HRV biofeedback provides a practical strategy that may help reduce sleep disturbances during periods of training and competition.

In 2020, Black Youth Experienced More Racial Discrimination Online

In 2020, Black Youth Experienced More Racial Discrimination Online

Opposite effect of basic combat training on mood state of recruits with different physical fitness: A study from perspective of fatigue.

ObjectiveBasic combat training (BCT) is a kind of necessary high-intensity training to help each military recruit convert into a qualified soldier. In China, both the physical fatigue and passive psychological state have been observed in new recruits during BCT. However, after same-intensity training, the degree of fatigue and passive mood vary among recruits. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effect of BCT on mood state of recruits with different physical fitness levels from a perspective of fatigue.Materials and methodsBefore and after BCT, the degree of fatigue and mood state of participants were evaluated via the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale and Profile of Mood States Questionnaire immediately after 20 push-ups as RPE and POMS scores [total mood disturbance (TMD), passive mood (Ttension, Tanger, Tfatigue, Tdepression, and Tconfusion) and positive mood (Tvigour and Testeem)]. The participants were divided into two groups according to the RPE score measured after BCT: (1) group 1: RPE score after BCT < 13 and (2) group 2: RPE score after BCT ≥ 13.ResultA total of 564 recruits were included (group 1: 456/564, 80.85%; group 2: 108/564, 19.15%). After BCT, in group 1, TMD (from 95.65 ± 17.89 to 87.52 ± 17.63) and passive mood Ttension (from 4.46 ± 3.18 to 3.79 ± 3.14), Tfatigue (from 4.94 ± 3.58 to 3.12 ± 3.04), Tdepression (from 2.86 ± 3.41 to 2.01 ± 2.75), Tconfusion (3.12 ± 2.72 to 2.42 ± 2.57) declined significantly (all within-group p < 0.001), but positive mood both increased significantly (Tvigour: from 13.21 ± 4.59 to 15.44 ± 5.42, Testeem: from 9.18 ± 3.36 to 11.04 ± 3.67; both within-group p < 0.001); while in group 2, only Tanger (from 4.27 ± 4.16 to 6.22 ± 5.94, within-group p = 0.001) and Testeem (from 8.36 ± 3.15 to 9.07 ± 3.67, within-group p = 0.031) increased significantly.ConclusionBCT could alleviate passive mood and add to positive mood for recruits with better physical fitness, while had no ameliorative effects on or even deteriorate most of the passive mood for recruits with worse physical fitness.

Psychological Well-Being, Prenatal Attachment, and Quality of Early Mother-Infant Interaction: A Pilot Study With a Sample of Mothers With or Without Cancer History.

Given the positive impact of high-quality mother–infant interaction on child development, and that such relationship might be hindered by maternal stresses such past cancer, research is needed to understand protective and risk factors in this clinical population. As almost no data is available on the impact of history of cancer on the quality of mother–infant interaction, a multicentric and longitudinal pilot study was conducted. Differences in women’s prenatal psychological well-being and attachment (T1, third trimester), and postnatal quality of mother–infant interaction (T2, 2–5 months) were assessed in a sample of Italian mothers with (N = 11) or without cancer history (N = 13). Results showed that women did not differ significantly in their prenatal well-being (assessed with the Profile of Mood States questionnaire) and levels of attachment (assessed with the Prenatal Attachment Inventory). Looking at mother–infant interactions (assessed using the Global Rating Scale at T2), while maternal sensitivity, warmth and intrusiveness, and infant distress and attentiveness did not differ between the two groups, in the clinical group, mothers were more remote and less absorbed in the infant, and infants showed fewer positive communications. These findings might shed light on potential protective and risk factors for early parenting and later child outcomes in this clinical population.

Exposure to body odours combined with the effect of mindfulness treatment in patients with depressive and social anxiety symptoms - A preliminary study

IntroductionTo understand the way chemistry influences human communication is important since the reaction to chemosignals has many implications for science and society. For instance, previous research showed a connection between olfaction and affective psychiatric disorders. Olfactory processing may be impaired in subject presenting depression symptoms (DEP). Furthermore, a heightened sensitivity to social odours has been shown in subject with social anxiety symptoms (SAD). This may be due to the partial overlap of brain areas which are involved in olfactory processing and the pathophysiology of these disorders. Yet, more detailed research on the olfactory processing is required.ObjectivesPOTION is an EU funded project within the Horizon2020 initiative that aims to understand the nature of chemosignals in humans and their sphere of influence on social interaction. Within this project, we conducted a preliminary exploratory study examining whether the odours may be utilized to support positive outcomes of psychological therapy. It evaluates the catalyst effect of the odour conditions on the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation for SAD and DEP.MethodsThirty subjects per patient group (total=60) are randomly allocated to one exposure group (happy or fearful human body odour or clean air) and follow the intervention while being exposed to the odour. Psychological outcome is measured before and after the intervention through the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Profile of Mood State questionnaires. Analysis of variance is performed to assess outcome differences between groups.ResultsPreliminary results on a subsample of 32 patients show a trend of deeper reduction of anxiety symptoms at post-treatment among odour-exposed groups compared to clean air (F(1,17)=11.08, p=0.004).ConclusionsFinal results on the complete sample will be available and presented at the time of the congress.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Integrated Multiomics Analysis of Salivary Exosomes to Identify Biomarkers Associated with Changes in Mood States and Fatigue.

Fatigue and other deleterious mood alterations resulting from prolonged efforts such as a long work shift can lead to a decrease in vigilance and cognitive performance, increasing the likelihood of errors during the execution of attention-demanding activities such as piloting an aircraft or performing medical procedures. Thus, a method to rapidly and objectively assess the risk for such cognitive fatigue would be of value. The objective of the study was the identification in saliva-borne exosomes of molecular signals associated with changes in mood and fatigue that may increase the risk of reduced cognitive performance. Using integrated multiomics analysis of exosomes from the saliva of medical residents before and after a 12 h work shift, we observed changes in the abundances of several proteins and miRNAs that were associated with various mood states, and specifically fatigue, as determined by a Profile of Mood States questionnaire. The findings herein point to a promising protein biomarker, phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1), that was associated with fatigue and displayed changes in abundance in saliva, and we suggest a possible biological mechanism whereby the expression of the PGK1 gene is regulated by miR3185 in response to fatigue. Overall, these data suggest that multiomics analysis of salivary exosomes has merit for identifying novel biomarkers associated with changes in mood states and fatigue. The promising biomarker protein presents an opportunity for the development of a rapid saliva-based test for the assessment of these changes.

Open Eyes Increase Neural Oscillation and Enhance Effective Brain Connectivity of the Default Mode Network: Resting-State Electroencephalogram Research.

The default mode network (DMN) has a unique activity pattern in the resting brain. Studies on resting-state brain activity are helpful to identify various brain dynamic characteristics of patients with mental diseases and those of healthy people. The brain produces a series of changes in different eye states. However, the relationship between eye states and the DMN, which is closely related to the resting state, has not been widely examined. This study recruited 42 healthy students aged 17–22. Participants completed the Profile of Mood States questionnaire. Thereafter, the electroencephalogram data was collected with the patients’ eyes open and closed. Changes in neural oscillation and the DMN’s information transmission during different eye openness states were compared. The results showed that the neural oscillation activities of the parietal-occipital network such as the superior parietal lobule and precuneus were significantly enhanced in the eyes open state. In addition, the effective connectivity within the DMN was enhanced during opened eyes, especially from the left precuneus to the left posterior cingulate cortex, and this connectivity was negatively correlated with the Vigor-Activity mood state in the eyes open state. The activity of the DMN in the resting-state is regulated by eye states, which may relate to mood and emotional perception.