Introduction Medically tailored meals (MTMs) are home-delivered, nutritionally tailored meals designed for patients with complex or advanced diet-sensitive medical conditions and social stressors. Although MTM use can improve food security, diet quality, and health outcomes, and reduce overall healthcare use and cost, little is known about why patients enroll in, stay in, or withdraw from such programs. Methods Between June 2023 and May 2024, we explored factors related to MTM program completion or withdrawal using semi-structured qualitative interviews among 28 patient participants in a program run by the non-profit Community Servings. Half had completed the 6-month program (“completers”), and half had requested early discontinuance (“non-completers”). The interviews covered patient factors (health status, health goals, motivation to participate) and program characteristics (perceptions of the program overall, logistics, meal characteristics). Interviews were recorded and transcribed, and then coded using NVivo software. We used directed qualitative content analyses and included matrix coding queries to compare themes overall and between the groups. Results Both completers and non-completers described enrolling to alleviate symptoms, regain physical function, and engage in desired activities. Many non-completers also focused on weight loss. Before joining, non-completers had been more enthusiastic about changing their diets, while completers were more interested in alleviating financial strain and the time and physical challenges associated with meal preparation. Both groups had very positive perceptions of the program. Both groups initially found the meals bland and portion sizes small, but completers more readily adapted to both taste and portion size. In contrast, among non-completers, taste was a reason for discontinuation for some. Other non-completers withdrew for “good reasons”: they felt better or their circumstances otherwise changed, making the meals seem unnecessary. Both groups found the experience of eating the meals to be educational, which supported sustained dietary changes. Discussion These novel findings explore patients’ reasons for starting, completing, and stopping MTMs. Findings suggest strategies to improve program completion, such as addressing expectations about weight outcomes, taste, and portion size. Our study demonstrates the value of patient feedback for learning how to improve program effectiveness.

Although immune-mediated diseases (IMDs) and major depressive disorder (MDD) commonly co-occur, the bidirectional relationship between them remains to be fully elucidated. Using data from the prospective UK Biobank cohort, we evaluated the bidirectional associations by time-varying Cox proportional hazards regression models and assessed shared genetic architecture using genome-wide association study summary statistics. Additionally, we employed collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) and chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) mouse models to investigate the relationship between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and depression. Over 5,226,841 person-years of follow-up, 23,534 incident MDD cases were identified. The presence of any IMD was associated with higher MDD risk (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.95; 95% CI: 1.89-2.01). Conversely, 59,742 incident cases of IMD were documented. MDD was associated with increased IMD risk (HR: 1.47; 95% CI: 1.40-1.54). We observed significant global genetic correlations between IMDs and MDD (rg: 0.11-0.49) and identified 128 pleiotropic genes, including ZKSCAN4, BTN3A2, and HSPA1L. Clinically, RA patients exhibited systemic inflammation and decreased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. In experimental models, CIA mice showed depressive-like behaviors and lesions in brain regions implicated in depression. Moreover, superimposing CSDS on CIA exacerbated depressive-like behavior and pain sensitivity, accelerated the onset and progression of arthritis, and heightened joint inflammation. Collectively, these population, genetic, and experimental findings support a bidirectional association and shared genetic susceptibility between IMDs and MDD, highlighting immune-neurobiological pathways, particularly those involving inflammation and neurotrophin dysregulation, as candidates for mechanistic dissection and therapeutic targets.

Neural correlates of verbalized cognition: Linking prefrontal activation under stress to the qualitative content of thought during rumination.

Using the Dimensional Model of Psychopathology as our theoretical framework, we investigated whether developmental patterns of maternal harshness and quality of the home environment predicted autonomic regulation in a high-risk sample of adolescents. Maternal harshness was assessed at 5-points (infancy-preschool), quality of the caregiving environment was assessed at 3-points (early school age) and autonomic regulation during a social stressor was assessed during early adolescence in 203 mother-child dyads. Quality of the home environment increased over time whereas maternal harshness increased between 7- and 24-months of child age before decreasing from 36- to 48-months of age. Increases in harsh parenting from 7- to 24-months were associated with less RSA reactivity. These findings indicate that developmental changes in an index of threat, but not deprivation, predict autonomic functioning in early adolescence. These findings have significant implications for understanding the long-term physiological consequences of early adversity, particularly harsh parenting.

Impact of social defeat stress on depressive-like behavior, cognitive impairment, and autonomic dysregulation in male rats.

Evaluation of the role of CRFergic neurotransmission in anxiety and BNST neuronal activity in male and female mice exposed to psychosocial stress.

ABSTRACTChronic stress has well‐documented adverse effects on physical and psychological health. Beyond contributing to the development of fatigue, its impact is intensified by social stressors such as loneliness, making the development of effective interventions crucial. Our randomised controlled trial therefore investigated whether a 14‐day self‐soothing touch (SST) intervention reduces stress, fatigue, and loneliness compared to a minimal‐instruction meditation control in 78 chronically stressed individuals (MAge = 22.2 years; 81% female). We assessed acute (change pre‐to‐post session) and cumulative effects (across days) using Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA), while also collecting retrospective self‐reports at baseline, post‐intervention, and 4‐week follow‐up. For EMA outcomes, we additionally tested moderation by attachment anxiety and avoidance. Using linear mixed‐effects models, both SST and meditation significantly reduced momentary stress (SST: b = −0.41, SE = 0.08, t = −4.79, p < 0.001; Control: b = −0.56, SE = 0.09, t = −6.43, p < 0.001), as well as fatigue (pSST < 0.001, pControl < 0.001) and loneliness (pSST ≤ 0.011, pcontrol = 0.004) from pre‐to‐post session, with no significant group differences (all ps ≥ 0.212). SST but not meditation yielded a decrease in pre‐session fatigue across the intervention period (b = −0.06, SE = 0.02, p < 0.001), with stronger reductions among individuals higher in attachment avoidance. In contrast, neither intervention had effects on retrospective measures (all ps ≥ 0.117). Overall, SST emerged as a feasible and accessible approach, comparable to brief meditation in reducing stress, fatigue, and loneliness, with additional benefits particularly for those high in attachment avoidance.

Study protocol for a type I hybrid effectiveness trial of strategies to prevent suicide attempts among adults recently released from jail.

Mothers in the United States are unwell, with high rates of maternal stress and death. Maternal health matters in its own right, and it is more difficult for children to be well if their parents are not. Improving mothers' economic status and social connectedness to improve maternal and child health has received increased attention. New data build on previous findings that economic (e.g., financial strain, lost health insurance) and social [e.g., adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), structural racism] stressors are associated with poorer maternal and child health. Conversely, economic and social supports (e.g., cash transfers, paid family and medical leave, social connectedness) improve aspects of maternal and child health. Evidence on whether pandemic-era cash transfers impact maternal and child health is mixed. Addressing social and economic stressors can improve maternal and child health, but the details matter. Incremental economic interventions are insufficient. Social factors such as isolation and structural racism must also be addressed. Policy implementation is equally important; families cannot benefit if they cannot access resources. Policy changes such as universal paid family and medical leave are needed. The field of pediatrics should update practice guidelines and advocate for policy changes.

Voluntary wheel running improves cognitive deficits and abnormal agonistic behavior induced by social isolation stress in mice.

Success in competitive environments hinges on complex psychological and social dynamics. In these contexts, performance can be disrupted when there is a mismatch between societal expectations and individual feedback competitors receive. This study examined how expectations tied to social identity influence physiological stress in competitive settings by manipulating aspects of a math competition task. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either negative or positive individual-level feedback, creating personal expectations of high/low performance on the upcoming task. To manipulate social expectations (i.e., based on social identity), competitions occurred in a same-sex, interracial dyad where one person belonged to a member of a racial group positively stereotyped in the mathematics domain (i.e., Asians) and the other was not (i.e., Whites). Asian participants exhibited greater sympathetic arousal, as evidenced by larger decreases in pre-ejection period (PEP), during both preparation and competition phases compared to White participants, suggesting heightened engagement in the competition task. Regardless of ethnic-racial identity, participants receiving negative personal feedback exhibited stronger physiological threat reactivity while anticipating the competition, compared to those who received positive feedback. Exploratory analyses examined moderation of effects by stress appraisals, group identification, and achievement goals. This study highlights the complex interplay between expectations, identity, and stress in competitive environments, providing insights into how psychological factors influence physiological outcomes.

The allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) isolated from mustard (Sinapis alba L.) oil exerts antidepressant effects by blocking the interaction between SERT and nNOS.

Superwoman schema, motherhood status, and subclinical atherosclerosis among African American women.

Mental health research in vegans and vegetarians: a critical commentary on ethics, empathy, and epidemiology.

Linking hair cortisol and life stress: The role of stress reactivity and habituation.

The association between parasympathetic reactivity and children's prosocial behavior: The moderating role of parental response to children's negative emotions.

Examining the psychometric properties of the childhood adversity and social stress questionnaire, self-report (CASSQ-SR) in emerging adults with varied autistic traits

High sensitivity C-reactive protein in response to acute stress in healthy men and women.

Risky decision-making under stress in individuals with suicidal history: emotion regulation strategies and a potential pharmacological interaction.

Self-compassion and stress responses among early adolescents.