Various Symptoms Of Depression Research Articles

Gut microbiome and daytime function in Chinese patients with major depressive disorder

BackgroundMajor depressive disorder (MDD) is underscored by daytime dysfunction-associated features, including mood disturbances, impaired cognition, fatigue, and daytime sleepiness. Importantly, the gut-brain axis may represent a potential mechanistic link between MDD and daytime dysfunction. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the gut microbiome composition and daytime dysfunction in Chinese patients with MDD. MethodsWe enrolled 36 patients with MDD and 45 healthy controls (HCs) matched by age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). Daytime function including emotion, fatigue, and sleepiness were assessed using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD). 16S rRNA sequencing was employed to characterize the gut microbiota in stool samples. ResultsThe operational taxonomic units (OTUs) OTU255, OUT363 were positively correlated with HAMD and HAMA. OTU244, OTU542 and OTU221 were positively correlated with ESS, HAMD and HAMA. OTU725 and OTU80 were positively correlated with FSS, ESS, HAMD and HAMA, while OTU423 and OTU502 were negatively correlated with all above. Flavonifractor positively correlated with fatigue in patients with MDD and all individuals simultaneously. The correlation between gut microbiome and daytime function was different in MDD and HCs. ConclusionsWe identified several OTUs associated with the severity of fatigue, depression, daytime sleepiness and anxiety in all individuals. Our results revealed the differences in microbiome found between patients with MDD and HCs. These findings provide insights into the potential microbiota changes that occur in MDD, and will enable the development of specific therapeutic strategies for targeting the various symptoms of depression.

Sex-Specific Differences in Severity of Depressive Symptoms, Heart Rate Variability, and Neurocognitive Profiles of Depressed Young Adults: Exploring Characteristics for Mild Depression.

Mild depressive symptoms (MDS) reflect vulnerability to major depression that does not meet the criteria for a major depressive disorder (MDD). Previous research indicates that it is difficult to identify MDS in young adults, and they exhibit diverse aspects of depressive symptoms caused by clinical depression, which can lead to poor academic performance, relationship difficulties, and even suicide. Additionally, many young adults remain unaware of their depressive symptoms during the early stages of MDD. Thus, the present study investigated clinical, neurocognitive, and physiological characteristics of young adults with various symptoms of depression and explored sex-specific differences. A total of 113 students aged 18–35 (MDD: n = 32; MDS: n =37; control [CON]: n = 44) participated in the study. Self-report clinical measures, short-term cardiac activity measured by finger sensors, and neurocognitive data were collected. Pearson's correlations, two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), principal component analysis, and exploratory structural equation modeling were conducted for the statistical analyses. Furthermore, the measurement invariance of the latent factor model was tested, and fit indices were compared according to sex. The results revealed that male students showed greater sympatho-vagal activity than female students. Additionally, male MDS students tended to exhibit decreased performance levels in neurocognitive function tasks compared with MDD and CON males, whereas female MDS students showed distinct characteristics compared to MDD and CON females on self-report measures of anxiety. Correlation analyses identified a positive association between the level of anger perception and latency in the executive function test among both males and females. Additionally, the use of a structured model revealed significant sex-specific differences in factor estimates. The present results suggest that recognizing the early signs of MDS that account for sex-specific differences in both subjective and objective measures may improve the diagnosis and monitoring of young adults with MDS.

A sport, mint a depresszióval szembeni védőfaktor

A tanulmány a sport és a depresszió összefüggéseit vizsgálja szabadidő- és a versenysportolók körében. A vizsgált faktorokat mérő kérdőívet (Beck-féle Depresszió Kérdőív rövidített változat) összesen 436 fő töltötte ki, ebből 139 szabadidősportoló és 297 versenysportoló volt. Vizsgálatom célja az volt, hogy a felmért mintán feltérképezzem, hogy a sport védő faktorként megjelenik-e a szabadidősporttal foglalkozó fiataloknál, illetve tud-e érvényesülni a sport védő hatása a versenysportolók körében is, a depresszió különböző tüneteivel szemben. Továbbá van-e összefüggés a nem, a végzettség, a foglalkozás és a legális szerek fogyasztása és a depresszió között. A kapott eredményekből látható, hogy a versenysportolók depresszió értéke tendenciájában nagyobb értéket mutat, mint a szabadidősportolóké. Továbbá a 18-20 éveseknél szignifikánsan magasabb depresszió érték tapasztalható, mint a 30 éveseknél és az afölöttieknél. Nemek tekintetében is jelentős eltérés mutatkozott, a nők javára. Az alacsony végzettségűek, valamint a nem teljes állásban foglalkoztatottak több depreszsziós tünetet észlelnek magukon. A legális szerek fogyasztását vizsgálva az alkohol és a depresszió között összefüggést tudtam kimutatni

The effect of aerobic exercise on various symptoms of depression: the mediating role of quality of life

The aim of this study is to assess the effect of aerobic exercise on the three categories of somatic, affective and cognitive symptoms of depression, and to evaluate the mediating role of quality of life (QOL) domains on this effectiveness. Thirty-one female outpatients suffering from major depressive disorder aged 20-50 years were divided into intervention (n = 15) and control (n = 16) groups. The intervention group received an aerobic exercise program consisting of 36 one-hour sessions, three times a week in the gym with an intensity of 50–70% maximum heart rate and the control group received only routine treatment. Beck Depression Inventory-II and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF questionnaire were used. Post-intervention results showed a significant reduction in the intensity of the three somatic (p < 0.001), affective (p < 0.001) and cognitive (p < 0.013) symptoms of depression and a significant improvement in the psychological health (p < 0.002) and social relationships (p < 0.003) domains of QOL in the intervention group compared with the control group. No significant difference was found in other domains of QOL between the two groups. Aerobic exercise, as a multi-dimensional adjunctive treatment along with routine care, can further improve all three categories of somatic, affective, and cognitive symptoms of depression, especially by enhancing the psychological health and social relationships domains of QOL.

Bispectral-Index-measured sevoflurane requirement might be decreased in individuals with major depressive disorder.

GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the CNS and well-known target for general anesthetics. In addition, the dysregulation of GABA could be involved in the etiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). In this study, we aimed to determine whether MDD has any effect on anesthetic requirement measured by Bispectral Index (BIS). This study was designed as a prospective, observational study, registered ANZCTR (ACTRN 12616001295437), with institutional review board approval and written informed consent. Inpatients who were planned to undergo laparoscopic cholecystectomy as an elective surgery, were enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into two groups, based on the results of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) which was assessed the 21-item self-administered scale measuring various symptoms of depression. If the BDI score was under 10, it was accepted as control group. Patients were consulted to the psychiatrist if the BDI score was 17 or more. Patients who were diagnosed as MDD by the psychiatrist, were classified as MDD group. Anesthesia was standardized, and delivered sevoflurane concentration was adjusted according to BIS value in both groups. Parameters of the study were heart rate, non-invasive arterial blood pressure, arterial oxygen saturation, BIS, end-tidal carbon dioxide, and end-tidal concentration of sevoflurane at 5-minute intervals during the operation. End-tidal concentration of sevoflurane was found to be lower in MDD group during the maintenance phase of anesthesia. Mean end-tidal concentration of sevoflurane were significantly lower in MDD group (1.28±0.15) than control group (1.52±0.22) (P<0.0001). BIS values were lower at 5- and 10-minute intervals in MDD group in comparison with control group. BIS values were similar at other time intervals in both groups during surgery. MDD might result in decreased end-tidal concentration of sevoflurane. Further study is required to identify the relationship between MDD and anesthetics.

Mouse Models for Studying Depression-Like States and Antidepressant Drugs.

Depression is a common psychiatric disorder, with diverse symptoms and high comorbidity with other brain dysfunctions. Due to this complexity, little is known about the neural and genetic mechanisms involved in depression pathogenesis. In a large proportion of patients, current antidepressant treatments are often ineffective and/or have undesirable side effects, fueling the search for more effective drugs. Animal models mimicking various symptoms of depression are indispensable in studying the biological mechanisms of this disease. Here, we summarize several popular methods for assessing depression-like symptoms in mice, and their utility in screening antidepressant drugs.

Lithium treatment of chronic nail biting.

To the Editor: Nail biting or onychophagia has been variously described as a habit to release tension, self-mutilation behavior, or an impulse control disorder. In the DSM-5, nail biting is classified as an obsessive-compulsive and related disorder.1 Studies have found that between 28% and 33% of children between ages 7 and 10 years, 44% of adolescents, and 19%–29% of young adults engage in nail biting.2 Nail biting usually occurs in combination with other problematic body-focused repetitive behaviors such as hair pulling disorder and skin picking disorder. Nail biting in adults is underrecognized because patients often fail to seek help due to feelings of shame and embarrassment, and, consequently, the disorder has received little attention in the psychiatric literature. In most cases, nail biting seems to be only a cosmetic issue, and no treatment is required. But, in severe cases, untreated nail biting can result in a host of complications such as severe damage to the cuticles and nails, paronychia and secondary bacterial infection, dental problems, and temporomandibular dysfunction.3 Studies on drug treatment of nail biting are sparse and limited to antidepressants and N-acetylcysteine.4 We present a case of chronic, severe onychophagia comorbid with bipolar II disorder and substance use disorder and discuss the successful treatment of these disorders with lithium monotherapy. Case report. Ms A, a 28-year-old woman, was referred by her family physician for assessment and management of depression. She met DSM-5 criteria for bipolar II disorder and was noted to be in remission for substance use disorder (alcohol dependence and cocaine use). At the time of initial assessment, Ms A endorsed various symptoms of depression including thoughts of suicide. Due to concerns regarding her safety, lithium 900 mg daily was started, and the dose was optimized to achieve a serum level of 0.7 mmol/L. Within 2 months of lithium treatment, Ms A experienced remission of depression and has been symptom free for 2 years. A serendipitous finding was remission of symptoms of chronic nail biting that Ms A had struggled with since she was 12 years old. Various strategies including habit reversal training, self-monitoring, and competing response had been ineffective.5 The condition was severe because Ms A had to regularly cover the nail beds with Band-Aids to control the bleeding. Moreover, it affected her self-esteem and caused a great deal of emotional distress. The marked improvement following lithium treatment was noted by Ms A’s family and friends, who had not seen her undamaged nails in at least 15 years. Clomipramine and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are generally recommended in severe cases of nail biting, but the use of these drugs can cause treatment-emergent mania in individuals with bipolar disorder. Thus, the drug choice for onychophagia should be informed by the nature of the comorbid psychiatric disorder. There are reports of effectiveness of lithium in body-focused repetitive behaviors such as hair pulling disorder and skin picking disorder with comorbid bipolar disorder. It is not known if lithium is effective in patients with onychophagia in the absence of bipolar disorder. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of lithium effectiveness in nail biting. Studies are needed to clarify the role of lithium in the management of severe nail biting in the absence of comorbid bipolar disorder.

EPA-0919 – Imbalance between glucocorticoid-induced tnfr-related protein (gitr) and il-2 in depressed copd patients modulate immunological self-tolerance mediated by treg cells and may explain amplified systemic inflammation

Mounting evidence underscores the important role of immunological and immunopathological processes in depression. Alterations in immune function secondary to increased psychological stress including enhanced secretion of proinflammatory cytokines affect the brain and elicits various symptoms of depression also in patients suffering from chronic inflammatory conditions including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, mechanisms underlying increased immune response/decreased immune tolerance in people developing depression including COPD patients are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between markers of systemic inflammation and depression. We hypothesized that the plausible factor contributing to amplified systemic inflammation in depressed patients is glucocorticoid-induced TNF receptor (GITR). Blood was collected from patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and comorbid depressive symptoms (COPD+DS, (N=13), individuals with either COPD (N=16) or recurrent depressive disorder (rDD) alone (N=15) and from healthy controls (N=19). Levels of IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IFN-g, TNF-a, IL-17 and GITR were detected with ELISA. Surface phenotype expression of T regulatory and T effector cells was analysed with a flow cytometery. We observedthat COPD, depression and COPD with comorbid depression are associated with increased IL-6 levels when compared with healthy controls 42.2±1.87 pg/mL, 41.9±1.51 pg/mL, 41.7 ±1.31 and 34.7±1.36 pg/mL, respectively (p<0.05). Concentrations of IFN-g were significantly increased in COPD+DS patients when compared with controls (24.3±1.49 pg/mL and 17.8±0.70 pg/mL, respectively, p<0.05). IL-2 levels were highest in COPD+DS (3.20±0.389 pg/mL) and differed significantly when this group was compared with controls (2.30±0.176 pg/mL), p£0.05. GITR was significantly higher in COPD patients (0.332±0.04849) when compared with depressed (0.183±0.0492), when compared with COPD +depressive symptoms (0.194± 0.0357) and also when compared with controls (0.1601±0.0191), all p<0.05. We observed strong significant positive correlation between GITR and IL-2 and also between GITR and IFN-g in the study groups (p<0.001). Further, we checked the ratios of IL- 2/GITR and IFN-g /GITR. We observed significantly increased IL-2/GITR ratio in depressed groups (p<0.01). We also observed strong positive correlation between IL-2/GITR and Treg/Teffector (p<0.001). In this study we identified GITR and IL-2 as putative inflammatory agents associated with depressive symptoms in COPD patients. Furthermore our study revealed that alterations of IL-2/GITR balance modulate immunological self-tolerance mediated by Treg cells. Our observations suggest that modulation of IL-2/GITR and its effects on T cell population(s)are putative immune pathways contributing to systemic inflammation in depression.

Fluoxetine modulates hippocampal cell signaling pathways implicated in neuroplasticity in olfactory bulbectomized mice

The olfactory bulbectomy (OB) animal model of depression is a well-established model that is capable of detecting antidepressant activity following chronic drug therapy, and the surgery results in behavioral and biochemical changes that are reminiscent of various symptoms of depression. In the present study, we investigated the degree to which 14 days of p.o. administration of the classic antidepressant fluoxetine (10mg/kg) were able to reverse OB-induced changes in behavior (namely, hyperactivity in the open-field test and reduced motivational and self-care behaviors in the splash test) and in the activation of hippocampal cell signaling pathways that are thought to be involved in synaptic plasticity. OB caused significant increases in ERK1 and CREB (Ser133) phosphorylation and in the expression of BDNF immunocontent, all of which were prevented by fluoxetine administration. Moreover, fluoxetine administration also caused a significant decrease in ERK2 phosphorylation in mice that had undergone OB. Neither Akt nor GSK-3β phosphorylation was altered in any experimental condition. In conclusion, the present study shows that OB can induce significant behavioral changes that are accompanied by the activation of hippocampal signaling pathways, namely the ERK1/CREB/BDNF pathway, which is involved in the synaptic plasticity. Conversely, fluoxetine prevented these OB-induced behavioral changes and avoided the activation of ERK1/CREB/BDNF in the hippocampus. Taken together, our results extend the data from the existing literature regarding OB-induced behavioral and neurochemical changes, and suggest a possible underlying mechanism that can account for the antidepressant effect of fluoxetine in this model.

Association between health related quality of life and severity of depression in patients with major depressive disorder

To investigate the association between health related quality of life (HRQoL) and severity of depression in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36) was administered to 103 MDD patients at the baseline and 6-week follow-up. Hamilton Depression Rating for Depression (HAMD) and Clinical Global Impression (CGI) were administered at the baseline, 2- and 6-week follow-up, respectively. All SF-36 component scores in the 6-week follow-up were significantly higher than those at the baseline (P<0.01). The overall and subscale scores of HAMD except weight and CGI scores at the 2- and 6-week follow-up were significantly lower than those at the baseline (all P<0.01). The role-emotion score of the clinical remission group was significantly lower than that of the non-remission group. After a 6-week antidepressant treatment, all SF-36 component scores in both groups were significantly higher than those at the baseline, except body pain in the non-remission group. While scores of role-physical, general health, vitality, social functioning, role-emotion and mental health were significantly higher in the remission group than those in the non-remission group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). A higher overall score of HAMD, scores of cognitive disturbance and CGI were significantly associated with a worse SF-36 at the baseline (P<0.05 or P<0.01). After the 6-week treatment, a worse health transition was significantly associated with higher scores of HAMD and sleep disturbance at the baseline (P<0.01), a worse general health and role-emotion were strongly associated with higher score of anxiety/somatization at the baseline (both P<0.05). Score of general health was positively associated with reduction rate of cognitive disturbance at the 2-week endpoint (P<0.05) and scores of vitality and reported health transition were positively associated with the reduction rate of sleep disturbance at the 2-week endpoint (both P<0.05). The increasing severity of depression was significantly associated with a worse HRQoL in patients with MDD. A 6-week antidepressant treatment may result in comparable HRQoL improvements. The components of HRQoL vary with severity of various symptoms of depression at the baseline and their early improvement after the treatment.

The psychopharmacology of painful physical symptoms in depression.

Article AbstractLast month's BRAINSTORMS explored the pathophysiology and treatment of both the painful physical symptoms and the emotional and vegetative symptoms of depression. Here we illustrate the pathophysiology of the various symptoms of depression.

Prevalence of various depressive symptoms in a sample of the general population.

Data on prevalence of and demographics associated with various symptoms of depression are reported for a sample of the general population. Of the nine symptoms assessed, the most frequently occurring were dysphoric mood (17.8%), increased sleep (15%), and loss of interest in other people or activities previously enjoyed (11.8%). 39% of subjects reported one or more symptoms of depression. 8% of subjects reported wondering if life is worth living, a symptom that in and of itself is suggestive of clinically significant depression. The number of depressive symptoms reported was related to income, education, age, and residence (city versus county), but not to sex. The findings provide evidence that various symptoms of depression may be more common in the general population than previously suspected.

Homovanillic and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in cerebrospinal fluid of depressed patients.

The concentration of homovanillic acid (HVA) in the lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 18 patients with endogenous depression was significantly lower than that of 18 neurological controls not affected by extrapyramidal diseases, epilepsy, senile or presenile dementia. The 5hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) was also decreased in the depressed group but not significantly so. These data support the concept of an involvement of dopamine metabolism in affective disorders. After one week of treatment with dexamethasone (0.75 mg, daily) no significant change was observed in HVA or 5-HIAA levels in the CSF; after two weeks of imipramine hydrochloride (50 mg, three times a day) 5-HIAA, but not HVA, was significantly reduced. No negative correlation was found between levels of HVA or 5HIAA and scores on the Hamilton and Beck Rating scales for various symptoms of depression. Age was also not correlated with HVA or 5HIAA.