Risk Factors For Mental Disorders Research Articles

Short-term impact of noise, other air pollutants and meteorological factors on emergency hospital mental health admissions in the Madrid region

BackgroundA number of environmental factors, such as air pollution, noise in urbanised settings and meteorological-type variables, may give rise to important effects on human health. In recent years, many studies have confirmed the relation between various mental disorders and these factors, with a possible impact on the increase in emergency hospital admissions due to these causes. The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of a range of environmental factors on daily emergency hospital admissions due to mental disorders in the Madrid Autonomous Region (MAR), across the period 2013–2018. MethodologyLongitudinal ecological time series study analysed by Generalised Linear Models with Poisson regression, with the dependent variable being daily Emergency Hospital Mental Health Admissions (EHMHA) in the MAR, and the independent variable being mean daily concentrations of chemical pollutants, noise levels and meteorological variables. ResultsEHMHA were related statistically significantly in the short term with diurnal noise levels. Relative risks (RRs) for total admissions due to mental disorders and self-inflicted injuries, in the case of diurnal noise was RR: 1.008 95%CI (1.003 1.013). Admissions attributable to diurnal noise account for 5.5% of total admissions across the study period. There was no association between hospital admissions and chemical air pollution. ConclusionNoise is a variable that shows a statistically significant short-term association with EHMHA across all age groups in the MAR region. The results of this study may serve as a basis for drawing up public health guidelines and plans, which regard these variables as risk factors for mental disorders, especially in the case of noise, since this fundamentally depends on anthropogenic activities in highly urbanised areas with high levels of traffic density.

The longitudinal relation between loneliness and perceived stress: A structural equation modelling analysis of 10,159 individuals.

Prolonged loneliness and severe stress are increasingly recognised as public health concerns and considered risk factors for mental disorders, somatic illnesses and mortality. Loneliness and perceived stress also often co-occur; however, their longitudinal relation remains unclear. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study aiming to investigate the longitudinal relation between loneliness and perceived stress independently of cross-sectional associations and time effects. Designed as a population-based cohort study with repeated measurements, the present study included individuals aged 16-80 years at baseline who participated in the Danish National Health Survey ('How are you?') in 2013 and 2017 (N = 10,159; response rate = 50%). Structural equation modelling was used to examine associations between loneliness and perceived stress in the total sample and across age groups (i.e., 16-29, 30-64 and 65-80 years). The models indicated bidirectional relations between loneliness and perceived stress. The standardized cross-lagged path from loneliness to perceived stress (β: 0.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.08, 0.16), p < 0.001) and from perceived stress to loneliness (β: 0.12, 95% CI (0.07, 0.16), p < 0.001) both corresponded to small effect sizes in the total sample. Additionally, the results indicated strong cross-sectional associations, especially among adolescents and young adults (16-29 years), and high temporal stability, especially among the elderly (65-80 years). Loneliness and perceived stress mutually predict each other over time. The finding of both substantial bidirectional and cross-sectional associations demonstrates an interdependence between loneliness and perceived stress that may be relevant to consider in future interventions.

Risk of mental disorders and malnutrition in elderly COVID-19 survivors: An observational study

Background: The incidence rate of COVID-19 is around 11-15% in the elderly. The case fatality rate (CFR) of COVID-19 in the elderly is around 8.9% and increases with age. The risk of mental disorders and malnutrition is increased in COVID-19 survivors. Continuous inflammatory conditions result in a state of hypercatabolism that can disrupt brain neuroendocrine and protein consumption for the formation of acute-phase reactant proteins. Mental disorders and malnutrition can lead to fragility. The aim of this study was to assess the risk of mental disorders and malnutrition in elderly survivors of COVID-19. Methods: This research was a cross-sectional study. The results of the research on age, disease symptoms, and comorbidities have proven that they are risk factors for mental disorders and malnutrition in elderly COVID-19 survivors. This study used total sampling and included 100 study subjects. The research was conducted in Depok for two months; data was collected directly through shared questionnaires and direct anthropometric measurements. The questionnaires used were the SRQ-20 tool for mental disorder screening and MNA for malnutrition screening. Results: The risk factors for mental disorders were age over 70 years old OR 3 (CI 1.0-8.8), severe COVID-19 symptoms OR 4.5 (CI 1.2-16.17), and multi-comorbidity OR 2.3 (CI 0.6-8.8). The risk factors for malnutrition were age higher than 70 years old OR 2.5 (CI 0.8-7.9), moderate COVID-19 symptoms OR 6.3 (CI 2.0-19.81), and multi-comorbidity OR 6.6 (CI 1.5-28.5). Conclusions: Those infected with COVID-19 have a risk of mental disorders and malnutrition, especially in geriatrics, and this risk increases with age.

Leucine mediates cognitive dysfunction in early life stress-induced mental disorders by activating autophagy.

To explore the relationship between leucine in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and cognitive dysfunction in rats with early life stress (ELS) induced mental illness, and pathophysiological mechanism involved. The maternal separation (MS), an animal paradigm used widely as a preclinical model of ELS which is one of the important risk factors for mental disorders. Behavioral experiments including open-field test, sucrose preference, object recognition and Morris water maze tests, Nissl staining, transmission electron microscopy and WES were employed in the present study. The behavioral results showed that MS rats were more prone to cognitive impairment and depression-and-anxiety-like behaviors than controls, including spatial self-exploration ability, memory ability, and spatial learning and memory function. Nissl staining analysis indicated that the number of neurons in the CA1 and CA3 regions of the hippocampus significantly decreased and the arrangement of nerve cells was abnormal. The leucine levels were decreased in the CSF of MS rats and highly correlated with the number of hippocampal neurons, and yet leucine supplementation improved the degree of MS-induced cognitive impairment. Furthermore, there were autophagosomes in the hippocampus of the low-leucine diet rats of the control and MS group but not in the high-leucine diet MS group by transmission electron microscopy. The protein expression of Beclin-1 in the hippocampus was significantly increased in the MS normal diet group and MS low-leucine diet group, yet decreased in the MS high-leucine diet group compared with the MS low-leucine diet group. Meanwhile, the Bcl-2/Bax ratio was significantly decreased in the control low-leucine diet group, MS normal diet group and MS low-leucine diet group. Ultimately, in vitro experiments suggested that leucine deficiency could activate neuronal autophagy including enhanced LC3II/LC3I and mRFP-GFP-LC3, which was consistent with the in vivo results, and the cell apoptosis rate and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) cytotoxicity were also increased with leucine deficiency, while the above effects could be partly reversed by autophagy inhibitor treatment. MS model caused adult male rats to be susceptible to cognitive dysfunction, which may regulate autophagy in hippocampal neurons through leucine metabolism in CSF.

The COVID-19 pandemic: new challenges for the mental health protection system.

The comparative investigation of the scientific research materials and systematization of the latest data on the epidemiological state, pathogenetic mechanisms, clinical manifestations, risk factors, and psychopathological consequences of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of the population is needed for the further targeted development of treatment and rehabilitation measures. The COVID-19 pandemic has been increasingly viewed through the lens of serious global mental health issues. This article analyzes the results of original research and publications data on the etiopathogenesis, neuropsychiatric features, and risk factors of mental disorders associated with the pandemic. The study was carried out within the scope of the scientific research work of the Department of General, Children's Forensic Psychiatry, and Narcology of the Shupyk National Healthcare University of Ukraine. Its title was "Development of a multimodal system of restorative therapy and medical and psychological rehabilitation of patients with COVID-19, based on the study of leading pathogenetic mechanisms" (state registration number 0121U114707). Despite the recent rapid increase in the number of sources in the literature devoted to the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, several questions remain unresolved. This especially applies to disorders in the mental sphere, concerning clinical phenomenology, features of emotional and cognitive disturbances, personal response, levels of social functioning and the quality of life of patients who have suffered from COVID-19. The data obtained can serve as the basis for the further development of a multimodal model of hierarchical structural-functional pathogenetic links of mental disorders, as well as a target-oriented system of restorative therapy and medical-psychological rehabilitation of patients who have suffered from COVID-19.

Prevalência e Fatores de Risco Psicossociais associados a transtornos mentais durante a gestação

Abstract Objective Studies evidence a high prevalence of mental disorders in pregnant women, which interfere in women’s health, interpersonal relationships, baby care and, consequently, in child development. The research sought to identify risk and protective psychosocial factors of mental disorders during pregnancy. Method A total of 153 third trimester pregnant women participated in a quasi-experimental, quantitative and cross-sectional study. The instruments used were questionnaires and interviews. Frequency, descriptive and regression analysis were performed. Results The most significant risk factors for mental disorders during pregnancy were lack of confidence, childhood trauma, stressful life events, and previous depression. Protective factors included good marital relationship. The most prevalent mental disorders were depression and anxiety. Conclusion Preventive actions and interventions that cover the psychosocial factors involved in the development of mental disorders in pregnant women are important.

Sensitive Periods for the Effect of Child Maltreatment on Psychopathology Symptoms in Adolescence

Introduction: Child maltreatment is among the strongest risk factors for mental disorders. However, little is known about whether there are ages when children may be especially vulnerable to its effects. We sought to identify potential sensitive periods when exposure to the 2 most common types of maltreatment (neglect and harsh physical discipline) had a particularly detrimental effect on youth mental health. Methods: Data came from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), a birth cohort oversampled from “fragile families” (n = 3,474). Maltreatment was assessed at 3, 5, and 9 years of age using an adapted version of the Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS-PC). Using least angle regression, we examined the relationship between repeated measures of exposure to maltreatment on psychopathology symptoms at age 15 years (Child Behavior Checklist; CBCL/6–18). For comparison, we evaluated the strength of evidence to support the existence of sensitive periods in relation to an accumulation of risk model. Results: We identified sensitive periods for harsh physical discipline, whereby psychopathology symptom scores were highest among girls exposed at age 9 years (r² = 0.67 internalizing symptoms; r² = 1% externalizing symptoms) and among boys exposed at age 5 years (r² = 0.41%). However, for neglect, the accumulation of risk model explained more variability in psychopathology symptoms for both boys and girls. Conclusion: Child maltreatment may have differential effects based on the child’s sex, type of exposure, and the age at which it occurs. These findings provide additional evidence for clinicians assessing the benefits and drawbacks of screening efforts and point toward possible mechanisms driving increased vulnerability to psychopathology.

Identifying state self-criticism subscales within the Brief Symptoms Inventory: Analyses of data from Israeli young adults

Recent works in personality and psychopathology emphasize both trait and state self-criticism as transdiagnostic risk factors for mental disorders. Yet, common screening and intake measures do not include assessment of state self-criticism. We provide a reanalysis of data from nine samples (total N = 1442), with the aim to identify and validate a state self-criticism subscale within the Brief Symptoms Inventory (BSI), a popular and extensively researched instrument for the assessment of general and specific psychopathology. We identified four potential state self-criticism subscales, comprising three to five items, tapping the experience of self-criticism. All state self-criticism subscales demonstrated good internal consistency and test-retest reliability. In addition, all subscales were highly correlated with psychopathology and low psychological well-being, thus suggesting strong convergent validity. Furthermore, all subscales demonstrated incremental predictive validity, when predicting psychological distress, depression, brooding and suicidal ideations, above and beyond trait self-criticism. Interestingly, our results show no clear advantage for one subscale over the others. Findings contribute to contemporary personality science, attesting to the importance of assessing personality on both trait and state features. We discuss clinical implications and offer clinicians a brief alternative to longer screening methods, focusing on currently ‘inflamed’ and distressing aspects of experience, namely the self-critical experience.

Perinatal mental health and COVID-19: Navigating a way forward.

The COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath have increased pre-existing inequalities and risk factors for mental disorders in general, but perinatal mental disorders are of particular concern. They are already underdiagnosed and undertreated, and this has been magnified by the pandemic. Access to services (both psychiatric and obstetric) has been reduced, and in-person contact has been restricted because of the increased risks. Rates of perinatal anxiety and depressive symptoms have increased. In the face of these challenges, clear guidance in perinatal mental health is needed for patients and clinicians. However, a systematic search of the available resources showed only a small amount of guidance from a few countries, with a focus on the acute phase of the pandemic rather than the challenges of new variants and variable rates of infection. Telepsychiatry offers advantages during times of restricted social contact and also as an additional route for accessing a wide range of digital technologies. While there is a strong evidence base for general telepsychiatry, the particular issues in perinatal mental health need further examination. Clinicians will need expertise and training to navigate a hybrid model, flexibly combining in person and remote assessments according to risk, clinical need and individual patient preferences. There are also wider issues of care planning in the context of varying infection rates, restrictions and vaccination access in different countries. Clinicians will need to focus on prevention, treatment, risk assessment and symptom monitoring, but there will also need to be an urgent and coordinated focus on guidance and planning across all organisations involved in perinatal mental health care.

Lack of amygdala habituation to negative emotional faces in alcohol use disorder and the relation to adverse childhood experiences.

Aberrant limbic circuit reactivity to negative stimuli might be related to alterations in emotion processing and regulation in alcohol use disorder (AUD). The current study tested for the first time in AUD the hypothesis of aberrant amygdala habituation to repeated aversive stimuli-a robust and reliable neuroimaging marker for emotion processing. We explored the link between deficits in habituation to adverse childhood experience (ACE), a common risk factor for impaired emotion regulation and AUD. AUD individuals (N= 36) and healthy controls (HC; N= 26) participated in an observational case-control functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study. An established habituation index was used to investigate processing of aversive emotional faces of the amygdala. AUD individuals showed an overall deficit in amygdala habituation (right: t = 4.26, pFWE =0.004; left: t = 4.79, pFWE ≤0.001). Amygdala habituation was significantly related to increased exposure to ACE in HC (t = 3.88, pFWE =0.012), whereas this association was not observed in AUD individuals (T = 1.80, pFWE =0.662). Further, a significant association between higher alcohol consumption and reduced amygdala habituation (right: R2 = -0.356, F= 8.736, p= 0.004; left: R2 = -0.309, F= 6.332, p= 0.015) was observed. We found novel evidence for neural alterations in emotion processing in AUD individuals, indexed by deficient amygdala habituation to negative emotional content. We replicated a prior report on a link between ACE and amygdala habituation, a well-established environmental risk factor for mental disorders and emotion dysregulation, in our control sample. Additionally, deficient amygdala habituation related to the amount of alcohol consumption in the overall sample might indicate a short-term substance effect.

Mental health among the sugarcane industry farmers and non-farmers in Peru: a cross-sectional study on occupational health

ObjectiveDescribe the occupational characteristics of farmer and non-farmer workers and investigate critical occupational risk factors for mental disorders in sugarcane farmers in Peru.MethodWe conducted a cross-sectional study with occupational health...

Mental Health Literacy Among General Practitioners in Israel: A Qualitative Study

In recent years, general practitioners (GPs) have become more involved in treating people with mental disorders. This study examined the mental health literacy of GPs in Israel, based on Jorm’s conceptual framework. Twenty-one GPs participated in a semi-structured, in-depth interview. The data were analyzed thematically, guided by Jorm’s six mental health literacy dimensions. The GPs generally reported that they could identify symptoms of mental disorders, mainly noted genetics as the cause and risk factor for mental disorders, did not believe that self-care methods could alleviate mental disorders, and regarded social workers—as distinct from psychologists—as particularly helpful in their work with people with mental disorders. The findings, which have implications for families, emphasize the importance of providing GPs with ongoing educational opportunities to ensure they remain knowledgeable and skilled in mental health.

Critical processes and risk factors of disturbances in the implementation of ecological reusable packaging into context of e-commerce sustainable development

The aim of the article is to identify critical processes in the context of the implementation of returnable packaging in e-commerce and potential risk factors of disruptions in the use of ecological reusable packaging in e-commerce logistics services provided by Arvato Poland Sp. z o.o. they are based in Warsaw. The study is in line with the objectives of the European Green Deal and the circular economy. The applied research methods and techniques included: elementary analysis, desk research analysis, in-depth face-to-face interviews, causal analysis and selected methods of qualitative and quantitative analysis. The empirical study was carried out in 2021 in two locations of Arvato Poland Sp. z o.o. A review of the literature on the subject indicates that the use of ecological returnable pack-aging in e-commerce logistics is one of the available solutions with great potential to strengthen the sustainable development of the fashion industry. However, the conducted research revealed a high complexity of problems, mainly in the process of accepting, packing, shipping and returning the packaging, which was considered critical for handling e-commerce orders. An in-depth analysis using the Ishikawa diagram identified the causes of potential risk factors for disruptions in the use of reusable eco-packaging in the e-commerce market. It was indicated that improving the process of its implementation should focus on removing factors that make up the identified main categories of their causes. The conclusions of the study can have practical applications to improve the functioning of cost-effective and environmentally friendly e-commerce logistics. The system approach used by the authors in the study of returnable unit packaging in the sustainable development of closed-loop e-commerce contributes to the reduction of the research gap in this thematic area. The issue of ecological reusable packaging is in the initial phase of cognitive research and pilot tests.

Psychological trauma as a transdiagnostic risk factor for mental disorder: an umbrella meta-analysis.

This umbrella review is the first to systematically examine psychological trauma as a transdiagnostic risk factor across psychiatric conditions. We searched Pubmed, Scopus, and PsycNET databases from inception until 01/05/2021 for systematic reviews/meta-analyses evaluating the association between psychological trauma and at least one diagnosed mental disorder. We re-calculated the odds ratio (OR), then classified the association as convincing, highly suggestive, suggestive, or weak, based on the number of cases and controls with and without psychological trauma, random-effects p value, the 95% confidence interval of the largest study, heterogeneity between studies, 95% prediction interval, small-study effect, and excess significance bias. Additional outcomes were the association between specific trauma types and specific mental disorders, and a sensitivity analysis for childhood trauma. Transdiagnosticity was assessed using TRANSD criteria. The review was pre-registered in Prospero CRD42020157308 and followed PRISMA/MOOSE guidelines. Fourteen reviews met inclusion criteria, comprising 16,277 cases and 77,586 controls. Psychological trauma met TRANSD criteria as a transdiagnostic factor across different diagnostic criteria and spectra. There was highly suggestive evidence of an association between psychological trauma at any time-point and any mental disorder (OR = 2.92) and between childhood trauma and any mental disorder (OR = 2.90). Regarding specific trauma types, convincing evidence linked physical abuse (OR = 2.36) and highly suggestive evidence linked sexual abuse (OR = 3.47) with a range of mental disorders, and convincing evidence linked emotional abuse to anxiety disorders (OR = 3.05); there were no data for emotional abuse with other disorders. These findings highlight the importance of preventing early traumatic events and providing trauma-informed care in early intervention and psychiatric services.

Systematic metabolic characterization of mental disorders reveals age-related metabolic disturbances as potential risk factors for depression in older adults.

Mental disorders are associated with dysregulated metabolism, but comprehensive investigations of their metabolic similarities and differences and their clinical relevance are few. Here, based on the plasma metabolome and lipidome of subcohort1, comprising 100 healthy participants, 55 cases with anxiety, 52 persons with depression, and 41 individuals with comorbidity, which are from WCHAT, a perspective cohort study of community‐dwelling older adults aged over 50, multiple metabolites as potential risk factors of mental disorders were identified. Furthermore, participants with mental illnesses were classified into three subtypes (S1, S2, and S3) by unsupervised classification with lipidomic data. Among them, S1 showed higher triacylglycerol and lower sphingomyelin, while S2 displayed opposite features. The metabolic profile of S3 was like that of the normal group. Compared with S3, individuals in S1 and S2 had worse quality of life, and suffered more from sleep and cognitive disorders. Notably, an assessment of 6,467 individuals from the WCHAT showed an age‐related increase in the incidence of depression. Seventeen depression‐related metabolites were significantly correlated with age, which were validated in an independent subcohort2. Collectively, this work highlights the clinical relevance of metabolic perturbation in mental disorders, and age‐related metabolic disturbances may be a bridge‐linking aging and depressive.

Evaluation of eight psychoactive drugs used in Chinese cities by wastewater-based epidemiology

With rapid economic development, an increasing number of people suffer from mental health diseases, which are gradually receiving the attention of society. However, basic data from surveys of mental disorders are limited. Composite influent samples were collected from 26 wastewater treatment plants in 23 major cities in China. The concentrations of the psychoactive drugs diphenhydramine, fluoxetine, doxepin, imipramine, sulpiride, zolpidem, carbamazepine, and flunitrazepam in the wastewater were determined. The detection frequency of diphenhydramine, sulpiride, and carbamazepine was close to 100 %, whereas that of the compounds was lower than 35 %. Carbamazepine had the highest mean consumption (31.1 mg/d/1000 people), followed by diphenhydramine (10.4 mg/d/1000 people) and sulpiride (11.3 mg/d/1000 people). Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) estimates of the average use of the three drugs were lower than those from the drug statistics data. Consumption of diphenhydramine in northern China was higher than that in southern China. A correlation analysis of psychotropic and illicit drugs revealed a correlation between sulpiride and heroin use, which may be related to the adverse effects of sulpiride treatment after heroin withdrawal. Psychotropic drug use is associated with both economic and social factors. We found associations between the use of the three drugs and age, occupation, and obesity, which are risk factors for mental disorders. The results showed that the monitoring of psychotropic drug using WBE has a certain reference value for public health care and for improving the understanding of mental disorders.

Psychotherapy and Follow-Up in Health Care Workers After the COVID-19 Epidemic: A Single Center's Experience.

ObjectiveThe present study aims to analysis the mental health of high-risk health care workers (HHCWs) and low-risk HCWs (LHCWs) who were respectively exposed to COVID-19 wards and non-COVID-19 wards by following up on mental disorders in HCWs in China for 6 months.MethodsA multi-psychological assessment questionnaire was used to follow up on the psychological status of HCWs in the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University in Xuzhou City (a non-core epidemic area) at 6 months after the first evaluation conducted during the COVID-19 epidemic. Based on the risk of exposure to COVID-19 patients, the HCWs were divided into two groups: high-risk HCWs, who worked in COVID-19 wards, and low-risk HCWs, who worked in non-COVID-19 wards.ResultsA total of 198 HCWs participated in the study, and 168 questionnaires were selected for evaluation. Among them, 93 (55.4%) were in the HHCW group and 75 (44.5%) were in the LHCW group. Significant differences were observed in salary, profession, and altruistic behavior between the two groups (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the anxiety, depression, insomnia, or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) scores between the two groups. Logistic regression revealed that work stress was a major joint risk factor for mental disorders in HCWs. Among all the HCWs, a total of 58 voluntarily participated in psychotherapy; the analysis showed a significant decrease in anxiety, depression, PTSD, work stress, and work risk after attending psychotherapy. There were also significant differences in positive and negative coping styles before and after psychotherapy.ConclusionIn the present follow-up, work stress was the major contributing factor to mental disorders in HCWs. Psychotherapy is helpful in terms of stress management and should be provided to first-line COVID-19 HCWs.

Gender disparities in a psychiatric department in Tunisia

IntroductionGender disparities exist regarding prevalence, symptomatology and risk factors of mental disorders. In Tunisia, there is only one hospital dedicated entirely to mental health which is Razi hospital.ObjectivesThe aim of the present study was to assess gender based mental health disparities in a psychiatric department and its related factors.MethodsA cross sectional and comparative survey was conducted between March and April 2021 in the department of psychiatry D of Razi Hospital including 70 patients with a sex ratio= 1.ResultsThe participants were aged between 17 and 68. Men had higher rate of celibacy: 80% of men against 48.57% of women (p=0.009). A total of 11.42% of women were illiterate against 2.85% of men, 48% of men were unemployed against 62.85% of women. There was a significant difference between gender and use of cigarettes, cannabis and alcohol (p&lt;0.001). The diagnosis was mood disorders for 35.42% of women and 17.14% of men and schizophrenia for 57.14% of women and 77.14% of men. Gender and modality of hospitalization were significantly associated (p=0.046): 14% of women were involuntary hospitalized against 40% of men. Time between symptoms onset and consulting is 3.5 years (±5.67) for women and 1.77 (±4.75) for men. The mean number of admissions for women is 1.59 and for men 4.2 (p=0.009).ConclusionsOnset of mental disorders for women is 3 to 4 years later than men. They have better premorbid functionning and better social networks.Gender disparities are not only determined biologically but also socially.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

The Link between Subjective Religiosity, Social Support, and Mental Health among Young Students in Eastern Europe during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study of Poland and Ukraine.

Religiousness has a positive effect on the mental health of an individual and social groups in many difficult situations. In the conducted research, we wanted to check, inter alia, whether religiosity and social support are positively related to the mental health of students during the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland and Ukraine. The research was conducted at a time (August 2021) when the very contagious Delta variant was spreading over Europe, and numerous pandemic-related personal restrictions and obligations (such as using facemasks in selected places, social distancing, and obligatory self-isolation of the ill or those who had contact with the pathogen) were in force in both countries. For this purpose, a representative survey was carried out using the CAPI technique on a sample of 1000 students in Poland (50% boys and 50% girls in the age range 10–19) and 1022 in Ukraine (51% boys and 49% girls in the age range 10–18). The results of the research shows that depression measured by the PHQ-9 scale was experienced by 20% of students in Poland, and 13% in Ukrainian. Anxiety, measured with the GAD-7 scale, was experienced by 9% of the Polish and 6% of the Ukrainian students. The performed regression analysis showed that religiosity had no effect on the mental health of students. The main risk factor for mental disorders was the lack of social support.

Prenatal methotrexate injection increases behaviors possibly associated with depression and/or autism in rat offspring; A new animal model for mental disorder, based on folate metabolism deficit during pregnancy.

BackgroundDeficiency of folate, an essential vitamin for DNA synthesis and methylation, is reported as a risk factor for mental disorders. Considering a possibility that folate metabolism deficit during pregnancy may disturb CNS development and increase mental disorders in offspring, we treated pregnant rats with methotrexate (MTX), an inhibitor of folate metabolic enzyme, and evaluated offspring behaviors.MethodsSaline or MTX was intraperitoneally administered to female SD rats on gestational day 17. Offspring behaviors were evaluated during approximately 6–9 weeks old; prepulse inhibition (PPI), social interaction (SI), locomotor activity (LA), and forced swimming test (FST) for evaluation of schizophrenia, depression, and autism related behaviors; the elevated plus maze (EPM) and the light–dark box (LD) test for evaluation of anxiety.ResultsCompared to saline‐treated group, MTX‐treated group showed decrease of SI and increase of immobility time in FST. In addition, increases of time spent in the light box and shuttling between the light–dark boxes were observed in LD test. On the other hand, no changes were confirmed in EPM, LA, and PPI.ConclusionDecrease of SI and increase of immobility time in FST may suggest association of this animal model with depression and/or autism. Increase of time spent in the light box and shuttling between the light–dark boxes may indicate changes in anxiety or cognitive level to environment, or repetitive behaviors in autism. Although further studies are warranted to characterize this animal model, at least we can say that prenatal MTX exposure, possibly causing folate metabolism deficit, affects offspring behaviors.