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Background: Childhood emotional maltreatment, non-suicidal self-injury and depression are prevalent among adolescents with mood disorders. While existing model indicated that childhood emotional maltreatment, functions of non-suicidal self-injury and depression are interrelated, not much is understood about the interplay of functions of non-suicidal self-injury in the relationship between childhood emotional maltreatment and depression. Thus, the goal of this research was to ascertain how functions of non-suicidal self-injury relate to childhood emotional maltreatment and depression. Methods: The participants were adolescents with mood disorders from three hospitals in Sichuan Province, data was collected using self-administered questionnaires, including the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Ottawa Self-injury Inventory-Functions, and Childhood Depression Inventory. SPSS26.0 software and PROCESS v3.3 model 4 were used for analysis. Results: In all, 235 adolescents (Mage=14.8, SD = 1.62) participated in the research. The functions of non-suicidal self-injury (r = 0.289, P < 0.01) and depression (r = 0.475, P < 0.01) were considerably positively connected with childhood emotional maltreatment, and the functions of non-suicidal self-injury were strongly positively correlated with depression (r = 0.364, P < 0.01). The direct impact of childhood emotional maltreatment on depression in adolescents was found to be significant (95% CI 0.434, 0.828) in the mediated effects model. Additionally, the indirect effect of childhood emotional maltreatment on depression through functions of non-suicidal self-injury was found to be significant (95% CI 0.055, 0.236), with a mediating effect value of 17.58%. Conclusion: Childhood emotional maltreatment has a direct impact on depression, but it also has an indirect influence through mediation roles of functions of non-suicidal self-injury. Medical staff should take care of the mental health of adolescents hospitalized for mood disorders so that they can clarify the role of functions of NSSI in lowering depressive symptoms and improving quality of life and create more targeted and effective intervention plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is one of the most effective treatments in mood disorders, mainly in major depressive episode (MDE) in the context of either unipolar (MDD) or bipolar disorder (BD). However, ECT remains a neglected and underused treatment. Older people are at high risk patients for the development of adverse drug reactions. In this context, we sought to determine the duration of MDEs and the number of lines of treatment before the initiation of ECT in patients aged 65 years or over according to the presence or absence of first-line indications for using ECT from international guidelines. Methods: In this multicenter, retrospective study including patients aged 65 years or over with MDEs in MDD or BD who have been treated with ECT for MDEs, data on the duration of MDEs and the number of lines of treatment received before ECT were collected. The reasons for using ECT, specifically first-line indications (suicidality, urgency, presence of catatonic and psychotic features, previous ECT response, patient preference) were recorded. Statistical comparisons between groups used standard statistical tests. Results: We identified 335 patients. The mean duration of MDEs before ECT was about 9 months. It was significantly shorter in BD than in MDD- about 7 and 10 months, respectively. The co-occurrence of chronic medical disease increased the duration before ECT in the MDD group. The presence of first-line indications for using ECT from guidelines did not reduce the duration of MDEs before ECT, except where there was a previous response to ECT. The first-line indications reduced the number of lines of treatment before starting ECT. Conclusion: Even if ECT seems to be a key treatment in the elderly population due to its efficacity and safety for MDEs, the delay before this treatment is still too long. Key points: • The mean duration of depression before ECT was 8.8 months. • The duration before ECT for Bipolar Disorder (vs Major Depressive Disorder) is shorter. • The co-occurrence of chronic medical disease increased the duration before ECT in the MDD group. • Focusing on the first-line indications for using ECT, only a previous response reduces the duration of depression before ECT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Multiple or persistent crying, sleeping, or feeding problems in early childhood (regulatory problems) are associated with increased internalizing symptoms in adulthood. Unknown is whether early regulatory problems are associated with emotional disorders in adulthood, and what psychosocial factors may provide protection. We tested whether early childhood multiple or persistent regulatory problems are associated with a higher risk of (a) any mood and anxiety disorder in adulthood; (b) perceiving no social support in adulthood; and (c) whether social support provides protection from mood and anxiety disorders among participants who had multiple/persistent regulatory problems and those who never had regulatory problems. Methods: Data from two prospective longitudinal studies in Germany (n = 297) and Finland (n = 342) was included (N = 639). Regulatory problems were assessed at 5, 20, and 56 months with the same standardized parental interviews and neurological examinations. In adulthood (24–30 years), emotional disorders were assessed with diagnostic interviews and social support with questionnaires. Results: Children with multiple/persistent regulatory problems (n = 132) had a higher risk of any mood disorder (odds ratio (OR) = 1.81 [95% confidence interval = 1.01–3.23]) and of not having any social support from peers and friends (OR = 1.67 [1.07–2.58]) in adulthood than children who never had regulatory problems. Social support from peers and friends provided protection from mood disorders, but only among adults who never had regulatory problems (OR = 4.03 [2.16–7.94]; p =.039 for regulatory problems x social support interaction). Conclusions: Children with multiple/persistent regulatory problems are at increased risk of mood disorders in young adulthood. Social support from peers and friends may, however, only provide protection from mood disorders in individuals who never had regulatory problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Suicide is one of the most important and increasing public health agenda around the world. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns have been raised about the potential adverse impacts of the pandemic on suicide-related outcomes. The main objective of this study was to examine the association of psychosocial risk factors (mental health illnesses and social isolation) and substance use behaviors (cannabis and alcohol consumption) with suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic among Canadian adults. Methods: The study was conducted based on a total of 4005 persons 18 years of age or older, living in Canada's ten provinces. The data used in this study were collected during April 20–28, 2021, by Mental Health Research Canada. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the association of mental health conditions (anxiety, depression, and other mood disorder) before and since COVID-19 outbreaks, social isolation and living arrangement, as well as cannabis and alcohol consumption with suicidal ideation during COVID-19. Results: The results of adjusted logistic regression showed that the odds of suicidal ideation were 1.526 times higher (95% CI:1.082–2.152) among those who reported continued negative impacts of social isolation. The odds of suicidal ideation were also higher for those who were diagnosed as having depression before (OR = 3.136, 95% CI: 2.376–4.138) and since the COVID-19 pandemic (OR = 3.019, 95% CI:1.929–4.726) and 1.627 times higher (95% CI: 1.225–2.163) for those who were diagnosed as having anxiety before the COVID-19 pandemic. Those who reported having increased and those who were consuming cannabis during the pandemic were 1.970 (95% CI: 1.463–2.653) and 1.509 times (95% CI: 1.158–1.966) more likely to have thought of suicide than non-takers, respectively. Conclusion: Given the significant associations of psychosocial factors (mental health illnesses and social isolation) and cannabis use with suicidal ideation, more attention and support need to be given to adults who had mental health conditions before and since COVID-19, those who were negatively impacted by social isolation, and those are exposed to substance use (cannabis). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The coexistence of self-harm and aggression, which is referred to as dual-harm, is commonly seen in forensic population. Self-harm and aggression have often been studied separately, previous studies on risk factors of aggression or self-harm mainly focused on childhood adversities, emotional regulation, impulsivity and psychopathology, given their importance in the two behaviors. However, the factors associated with dual-harm remain unclear. This study aimed to explore potential risk factors associated with co-occurring self-harm among individuals with serious aggressive behaviors. Methods: This multi-center, cross-sectional case-control study was conducted from May 2013 to January 2016 and involved seven qualified forensic institutes located in seven provinces in China. Participants were individuals with serious aggressive behaviors and were suspected to have mental disorders. Lifetime history of self-harm was obtained by a self-report questionnaire, and serious aggressive behaviors were assessed with the use of participants' forensic archive. Sociodemographic and clinical information were collected using a self-designed standardized data collection form, and childhood adversities was assessed using a clinician-rated scale designed by our research team. The Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) was used to assess psychopathic traits and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) was used to assess psychiatric symptoms of the participants. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to analyze the relevant factors for dual-harm. Results: A total of 423 individuals with serious aggressive behaviors were enrolled in the current study. Of them, 74 (17.5%) with self-harm history assigned into the dual-harm group (D-H) and 349 (82.5%) without self-harm history assigned into the aggression-only group (A-O). According to the binary logistic regression analysis, current diagnosis of mood disorder (OR = 3.2, 95%CI: 1.2–8.5), child abuse (OR = 2.8, 95%CI: 1.3–6.2), parental death (OR = 3.0, 95%CI: 1.2–7.5), and the score of the affective subscale in BPRS (OR = 1.7, 95%CI: 1.3–2.4) were significantly associated with dual-harm. Conclusions: Our study suggested the necessity of integrated evaluation of self-harm among individuals with serious aggressive behaviors. Childhood adversities and psychiatric symptoms in this population require special attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The role of Interleukin-1 Receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), an innate antagonist to pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1, has attracted increasing attention due to its potential pathogenic and therapeutic implications in depression. However, the role of alcohol and adiposity in modulating IL-1Ra cytokine pathway in depressed patients has remainned unknown. The aim of this study was to follow the changes in IL-1Ra serum levels in depressed patients with or without simultaneous alcohol use disorder (AUD) and different degrees of adiposity during 6 months of follow-up. Materials and methods: A total of 242 patients with depression were followed for 6 months. At baseline 99 patients had simultaneous AUD. Levels of serum IL-1Ra and common mediators of inflammation (IL-6, hs-CRP) were measured. Clinical assessments included Body Mass Index (BMI), Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) scores. Results: Significant reductions in clinical symptoms and IL-1Ra were observed during 6-month follow-up. In hierarchical linear regression analysis, the effect of MADRS score, age, gender, and smoking had a combined effect of 2.4% in the model. The effect of AUDIT score increased the effect to 4.2% of variance (p = 0.08), whereas adding BMI increased the effect to 18.5% (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Adiposity may influence the IL-1Ra anti-inflammatory response in depressed patients, whereas the effect of alcohol consumption in these patients seems insignificant. These findings should be considered in studies on the role of IL-1Ra in depression. Trial registration: Ostrobothnia Depression Study in ClinicalTrials.gov , Identifier NCT02520271. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The incidence of depression in human females rises steadily throughout adolescence, a critical period of pubertal maturation marked by increasing levels of gonadal hormones including estrogens and progesterone. These gonadal hormones play a central role in social and emotional development and may also contribute to the increased occurrence of depression in females that begins in early adolescence. In this study, we examine whether and how introducing synthetic estrogen and progestin derivatives through the use of combined hormonal contraceptives (CHC), affects adolescent females' risk for developing depression. We further assess potential links between CHC use and alterations in stress responses and social-emotional functioning.Methods: Using a longitudinal cohort design, we will follow a sample of adolescent females over the span of three years. Participants will be assessed at three time points: once when they are between 13 and 15 years of age, and at approximately 18 and 36 months after their initial assessment. Each time point will consist of two online sessions during which participants will complete a clinical interview that screens for key symptoms of mental health disorders, along with a series of questionnaires assessing their level of depressive symptoms and history of contraceptive use. They will also complete a standardized social-evaluative stress test and an emotion recognition task, as well as provide saliva samples to allow for assessment of their circulating free cortisol levels.Discussion: In this study we will assess the effect of CHC use during adolescence on development of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). We will control for variables previously found to or proposed to partially account for the observed relationship between CHC use and MDD, including socioeconomic status, age of sexual debut, and CHC-related variables including age of first use, reasons for use, and its duration. In particular, we will discover whether CHC use increases depressive symptoms and/or MDD, whether elevated depressive symptoms and/or MDD predict a higher likelihood of starting CHC, or both. Furthermore, this study will allow us to clarify whether alterations in stress reactivity and social-emotional functioning serve as pathways through which CHC use may result in increased risk of depressive symptoms and/or MDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An automated web-based assessment and monitoring system ( www.psynary.com ) has been developed to assist non-specialist clinicians in managing common mood and anxiety disorders. Psynary promotes the use of standardised outcome measures to assess symptom severity and optimise treatments with the aim of improving outcomes and enabling faster recovery. This paper analyses the results from two parallel studies in New Zealand and Japan (OptiMA-1 NZ and Japan) to assess the validity of the R8 Depression scale, one of the system's core outcome measures.Methods: Clinical samples were recruited from a public secondary care and a private psychiatry clinic. Participants completed the outcome measures for the study via the online Psynary system. The R8 Depression scale is a 30-item questionnaire which includes all symptom domains covered in the ICD-10 classification of depression. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was completed at the same time points as the R8 Depression, with a smaller sample also completing a paper-based Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS-SR16). Internal validity was quantified via Cronbach's alpha and Guttman lower bounds method. External validation against the PHQ-9 and QIDS used the Pearson's and Kendall's correlation coefficients. Severity categories were set using a multivariate regression model.Results: 270 patients participated in the study and completed a maximum of 1 baseline and 5 reviews within a 90-day period, giving a total of 1124 assessments with the PHQ-9 also being completed in 1053 of these assessments. R8 Depression normative data was also collected from 204 non-clinical volunteers with 187 of these also completing the PHQ9. Internal reliability scores were all higher than 0.9 (n = 1328). There was overall good external validity when comparing the R8 Depression to the PHQ-9, with a correlation of 0.91 for the combined normative and clinical samples (n = 1240).Conclusions: The R8 Depression has been developed as a patient-rated outcome measure for depression for administration on an online system called "Psynary". It has high internal and external validity against current widely used scales. Further work is underway to determine the sensitivity to change of the R8 Depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The period surrounding childbirth is one of profound change, which can often be experienced as stressful and overwhelming. Indeed, around 20% of women may experience significant levels of anxiety in the perinatal period. However, most women experiencing perinatal anxiety (PNA) go unrecognised and untreated. The Internet offers a potentially scalable solution to improve access to support, however a dearth of research in this area means that work is needed to better understand women's experience of PNA, so that potential targets for intervention can be identified and possible barriers to support overcome. This study aimed to qualitatively explore women's experience of anxiety triggers and support in the perinatal period; and gain insight into what online support is acceptable for women with PNA.Methods: Women who were either pregnant or within one-year postpartum were invited to participate in focus groups across the UK. Focus groups were used to allow a diversity of perspectives to be heard, while simultaneously promoting the identification and prioritisation of important support needs and solutions. Interviews were transcribed and thematically analysed.Results: Five key themes emerged in relation to women's experience with PNA: holding unrealistic expectations of birth and motherhood; stigma; the importance of peer support; uncertainty and poor maternal confidence; and a lack of mental health support and knowledge. Perinatal women felt under-supported and poorly prepared for motherhood. A mismatch between their expectations and the reality of their experience, alongside a pressure to be the 'perfect mum' was the primary source of their anxiety. Furthermore, stigma associated with PNA may have exacerbated these issues and led to help-seeking avoidance. Overall, women felt these issues could be addressed via online support, through the delivery of more realistic information, providing psychoeducation about PNA symptoms and management, and the inclusion of authentic peer experiences. Thus, delivering evidence-based information and interventions online may provide a solution that is acceptable to this cohort.Conclusions: This work provides unique insight into potential sources of anxiety for women in the perinatal period, while also offering potential internet-based support solutions that are likely to be acceptable and helpful for women with PNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Information on the degree of internalized stigma experienced by patients with mood disorders in Ethiopia is limited. This study attempted to assess the levels of internalized stigma and factors associated with it in patients with mood disorders who were on follow-up as an outpatient in a Psychiatry clinic at Saint Paul's Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study employed, and a consecutive sampling technique was used to get study participants (235 cases with mood disorders). Internalized stigma of mental illness scale used to assess stigma of study subjects. The collected data were cleaned, checked for completeness, coded and entered into Epi-data version 3.1 data entry software and exported to SPSS version 20 statistical software for analysis. Univariate linear regression analysis was done to see the association between dependent and independent variables at P-value < 0.25 and multivariate linear regression analysis was done to identify predictor variables at P-value < 0.05. Results: Nearly one-third (31.5%) of the patients had moderate or high levels of internalized stigma, and more than half (54.9%) of the respondents had moderate or high stigma resistance and self-esteem score of (67.2%). About a quarter (27.7%) had moderate to high levels of discrimination experience and a similar proportion (26.4%) had moderate to severe or extreme disability. Females had significantly higher internalized stigma (std. β =.169 with P < 0.01) than men. Adherence to medication was significantly correlated with lower internalized stigma (std. β = −.212 with P < 0.01). Conclusions: These findings suggested that moderate to high internalized stigma occurred among approximately 1 in 3 people with a mood disorder in the urban city of Ethiopia. So, working on adherence to medication, self-esteem of patients and psycho-education about stigma is crucial to reducing the internalized stigma of people with a mood disorder and special attention should give to female patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The weaknesses of classical explanatory randomized controlled trials (RCTs) include limited generalizability, high cost, and time burden. Pragmatic RCTs nested within electronic health records (EHRs) can be useful to overcome such limitations. Serum lithium monitoring has often been underutilized in real-world practice in Japan. This trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the EHR-nested reminder system for serum lithium level monitoring in the maintenance of therapeutic lithium concentration and in the improvement of the quality of care for patients on lithium maintenance therapy.Methods: The Kyoto Toyooka nested controlled trial of reminders (KONOTORI trial) is an EHR-nested, parallel-group, superiority, stratified, permuted block-randomized controlled trial. Screening, random allocation, reminder output, and outcome collection will be conducted automatically by the EHR-nested trial program. Patients with a mood disorder taking lithium carbonate for maintenance therapy will be randomly allocated to the two-step reminder system for serum lithium monitoring or to usual care. The primary outcome is the achievement of therapeutic serum lithium concentration between 0.4 and 1.0 mEq/L at 18 months after informed consent.Discussion: The KONOTORI trial uses EHRs to enable the efficient conduct of a pragmatic trial of the reminder system for lithium monitoring. This may contribute to improved quality of care for patients on lithium maintenance therapy.Trial Registration: University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN) Clinical Trials Registry, UMIN000033633. Registered on 3 July 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many with a mental illness have an impoverished everyday life with few meaningful activities and a sedentary lifestyle. The study aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of the 16-week Balancing Everyday Life (BEL) program, compared to care as usual (CAU), for people with mental illness in specialized and community-based psychiatric services. The main outcomes concerned different aspects of subjectively evaluated everyday activities, in terms of the engagement and satisfaction they bring, balance among activities, and activity level. Secondary outcomes pertained to various facets of well-being and functioning. It was hypothesized that those who received the BEL intervention would improve more than the comparison group regarding activity, well-being and functioning outcomes. Methods: BEL is a group and activity-based lifestyle intervention. CAU entailed active support, mainly standard occupational therapy. The BEL group included 133 participants and the CAU group 93. They completed self-report questionnaires targeting activity and well-being on three occasions - at baseline, after completed intervention (at 16 weeks) and at a six-month follow-up. A research assistant rated the participants' level of functioning and symptom severity on the same occasions. Non-parametric statistics were used since these instruments produced ordinal data. Results: The BEL group improved more than the CAU group from baseline to 16 weeks on primary outcomes in terms of activity engagement (p < 0.001), activity level (p = 0.036) and activity balance (p < 0.042). The BEL group also improved more on the secondary outcomes of symptom severity (p < 0.018) and level of functioning (p < 0. 046) from baseline to 16 weeks, but not on well-being. High intra-class correlations (0.12-0.22) indicated clustering effects for symptom severity and level of functioning. The group differences on activity engagement (p = 0.001) and activity level (p = 0.007) remained at the follow-up. The BEL group also improved their well-being (quality of life) more than the CAU group from baseline to the follow-up (p = 0.049). No differences were found at that time for activity balance, level of functioning and symptom severity. Conclusion: The BEL program was effective compared to CAU in terms of activity engagement. Their improvements were not, however, greater concerning other subjective perceptions, such as satisfaction with daily activities and self-rated health, and clustering effects lowered the dependability regarding findings of improvements on symptoms and functioning. Although the CAU group had "caught up" at the follow-up, the BEL group had improved more on general quality of life. BEL appeared to be important in shortening the time required for participants to develop their engagement in activity and in attaining improved quality of life in a follow-up perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Blood homocysteine concentration (BHC) is higher in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Previous studies have found a relationship between depressive symptoms severity and BHC in AUD patients and recently some authors have found high BHC among patients with bipolar disorder, both during manic and depressive episodes and in euthymic state. However, BHC in patients with mixed mood episode has not yet been investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the BHC of patients with AUD and mixed mood episode. Methods: A sample of AUD outpatients was assessed by Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI Plus): those with a DSM-IV-TR mood disorder with mixed features were included in the MIXED group (n = 45), whereas those without mood episode were gathered in the NO MOOD group (n = 23). Two subgroups, MIXMANIA and MIXDEPRESSION, were formed according to the prevalence of manic or depressive symptoms, assessed by Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HDRS). The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) was used to appraise the AUD. BHC was determined by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography. Results: The MIXED group showed greater severity of both depressive (26.35 ± 9.96 vs. 4.77 ± 0.92; p < 0.001) and manic (22.35 ± 3.30 vs. 6.14 ± 1.12; p < 0.001) symptoms, and higher BHC (28.80 ± 11.47 vs. 10.83 ± 2.81; p < 0.001), than the NO MOOD group. BHC was strongly correlated to the HDRS, YMRS and AUDIT scores, just as HDRS was to YMRS, and AUDIT was to both HDRS and YMRS, in the MIXED group only (p < 0.001). The MIXDEPRESSION subgroup showed higher BHC than the MIXMANIA subgroup (Mdn = 42.96, IQR = 10.44 vs. Mdn = 19.77, IQR = 5.93; p < 0.001). A linear regression model conducted on the MIXED group found a significant predictive value for BHC of both HDRS (β = 0.560, t = 2.43, p = 0.026) and AUDIT (β = 0.348, t = 2.17, p = 0.044). Conclusions: Depressive symptoms seem to be mainly implicated in the BHC elevation among patients with both mixed features mood disorder and AUD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oxidative stress is known to be a factor in various diseases. In this study, we investigated whether physical and psychological symptoms of menopause, cardiovascular parameters, body composition, and lifestyle factors are associated with oxidative stress in middle-aged women. Methods: This cross-sectional study used baseline data collected in a previous study that examined the effects of a dietary supplement on a variety of health parameters in 95 women aged 40 to 60 years. Participants had been assessed for age, menopausal status, body composition, cardiovascular parameters, physical and psychological symptoms of menopause, and lifestyle factors. Urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) level, an oxidative stress marker, had also been measured. Dichotomizing 8-OHdG levels as low (≤25 ng/mg creatinine) and high (>25 ng/mg creatinine), we sought to identify the health parameters that are associated with high 8-OHdG level. Results: Women with a high 8-OHdG level had lower body weight, lower body mass index, lower body fat mass, higher body temperature, scored higher for both anxiety and depression on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and consumed more alcohol. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the HADS-depression subscale (HADS-D) score was the sole independent contributor to high 8-OHdG level (adjusted odds ratio, 1.23 per point increase in HADS-D score; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.45). Conclusion: Depressive symptom score was shown to be independently associated with high 8-OHdG level in middle-aged women, suggesting a link between mood disorder and oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increasing evidence suggests the involvement of epigenetic processes in the development of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and recent reviews have focused on findings in post-mortem brain tissue. A systematic review was conducted to synthesise and evaluate the quality of available evidence for epigenetic modifications (specifically DNA methylation) in peripheral blood and saliva samples of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder patients in comparison to healthy controls. Methods: Original research articles using humans were identified using electronic databases. There were 33 included studies for which data were extracted and graded in duplicate on 22 items of the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement, to assess methodological precision and quality of reporting. Results: There were 15 genome-wide and 18 exclusive candidate gene loci investigations for DNA methylation studies. A number of common genes were identified as differentially methylated in schizophrenia/bipolar disorder, which were related to reelin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, dopamine (including the catechol-O-methyltransferase gene), serotonin and glutamate, despite inconsistent findings of hyper-, hypo-, or lack of methylation at these and other loci. The mean STROBE score of 59 % suggested moderate quality of available evidence; however, wide methodological variability contributed to a lack of consistency in the way methylation levels were quantified, such that meta-analysis of the results was not possible. Conclusions: Moderate quality of available evidence shows some convergence of differential methylation at some common genetic loci in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, despite wide variation in methodology and reporting across studies. Improvement in the clarity of reporting clinical and other potential confounds would be useful in future studies of epigenetic processes in the context of exposure to environmental and other risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The perinatal period has been identified as a period of vulnerability for various disorders (particularly anxiety and depressive disorders), which have been associated with negative outcomes for both mother and infant. The current study utilized data from the Singapore Mental Health Study (SMHS) to examine the temporal relationship between mental disorders and the perinatal period, as well as associated risk factors.Methods: Life table estimation method was used to derive the estimated hazard rate for any mood or anxiety disorders following pregnancy. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the association between socio-demographic factors and onset of mental disorders after the first pregnancy.Results: Among women with children (n = 2278), 1.5 % were found to have an onset of any mental disorder (i.e., mood disorders, anxiety disorders, alcohol use disorders), within 2 years after pregnancy. A peak in hazard rate was noted at approximately 1 year following pregnancy for anxiety disorders but not mood disorders. Women who were married, employed and physically healthy were less likely to have had developed any mental disorder.Conclusions: The prevalence of mental disorders during pregnancy and postpartum was found to be low among women with children in our community sample, with increased vulnerability following delivery. The results offer some insight into the occurrence of mental disorders during the perinatal period among women in Singapore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is an inherited cerebrovascular disease, clinically characterized by variable manifestations of migraine, recurrent transient ischemic attack or lacunar strokes, cognitive decline, and mood disturbances. However, manic episodes have rarely been documented as an initial symptom of CADASIL and bipolar disorder presenting as the first manifestation in CADASIL has not been reported previously from evaluations by psychiatrists or psychological testing by psychologists. Case presentation A 53year old woman developed symptoms of mania in her 50s leading to a personality change involving a continuously labile mood and irritability over a number of years. Neuropsychological testing revealed an intact memory, but impairment in attention and executive function. In the Rorschach test, she showed a high level of cognitive rigidity. Magnetic resonance imaging findings were very consistent with a diagnosis of CADASIL, which was confirmed by genetic testing for NOTCH3 mutations. Atypical antipsychotics proved to be helpful in treating her manic symptoms and for behavior control. Conclusion We present a novel case of CADASIL that first presented as bipolar disorder. We contend that when patients show a late onset personality change or chronically irritable mood that deteriorates over many years, an organic cause such as CADASIL must be considered. Further studies are needed to better understand the exact impacts of cerebral tissue lesions and psychiatric symptoms in CADASIL patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Previous studies on the association between adiposity and mood disorder have produced contradictory results, and few have used measurements other than body mass index (BMI). We examined the association between probable major depression and several measurements of adiposity: BMI, waist circumference (WC), waist-hip-ratio (WHR), and body fat percentage (BF%). Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study using baseline data on the sub-group of UK Biobank participants who were assessed for mood disorder. Multivariate logistic regression models were used, adjusting for potential confounders including: demographic and life-style factors, comorbidity and psychotropic medication. Results Of the 140,564 eligible participants, evidence of probable major depression was reported by 30,145 (21.5%). The fully adjusted odds ratios (OR) for obese participants were 1.16 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12, 1.20) using BMI, 1.15 (95% CI 1.11, 1.19) using WC, 1.09 (95% CI 1.05, 1.13) using WHR and 1.18 (95% CI 1.12, 1.25) using BF% (all p < 0.001). There was a significant interaction between adiposity and gender (p = 0.001). Overweight women were at increased risk of depression with a dose response relationship across the overweight (25.0-29.9 kg/m²), obese I (30.0-34.9 kg/m²), II (35.0-39.9 kg/m²) and III (≥40.0 kg/m²) categories; fully adjusted ORs 1.14, 1.20, 1.29 and 1.48, respectively (all p < 0.001). In contrast, only obese III men had significantly increased risk of depression (OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.08, 1.54, p = 0.006). Conclusion Adiposity was associated with probable major depression, irrespective of the measurement used. The association was stronger in women than men. Physicians managing overweight and obese women should be alert to this increased risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Psychopathology seems to play a role in reflux pathogenesis and vice versa, yet few population- based studies have systematically investigated the association between gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) and psychopathology. We thus aimed to investigate the relationship between GORD-related symptoms and psychological symptomatology, as well as clinically diagnosed mood and anxiety disorders in a randomly selected, population-based sample of adult women. Methods: This study examined data collected from 1084 women aged 20-93 yr participating in the Geelong Osteoporosis Study. Mood and anxiety disorders were identified using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV- TR Research Version, Non-patient edition (SCID-I/NP), and psychological symptomatology was assessed using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). GORD-related symptoms were self-reported and confirmed by medication use where possible and lifestyle factors were documented. Results: Current psychological symptomatology and mood disorder were associated with increased odds of concurrent GORD-related symptoms (adjusted OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.3-3.5, and OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.7-5.6, respectively). Current anxiety disorder also tended to be associated with increased odds of current GORD-related symptoms (p = 0.1). Lifetime mood disorder was associated with a 1.6-fold increased odds of lifetime GORD-related symptoms (adjusted OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1-2.4) and lifetime anxiety disorder was associated with a 4-fold increased odds of lifetime GORD-related symptoms in obese but not non-obese participants (obese, age-adjusted OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.8-9.0). Conclusions: These results indicate that psychological symptomatology, mood and anxiety disorders are positively associated with GORD-related symptoms. Acknowledging this common comorbidity may facilitate recognition and treatment, and opens new questions as to the pathways and mechanisms of the association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The mind-body nexus has been a topic of growing interest. Further data are however required to understand the specific relationship between mood and anxiety disorders and individual physical health conditions, and to verify whether these psychiatric disorders are linked to overall medical burden. Methods: This study examined data collected from 942 men, 20 to 97 years old, participating in the Geelong Osteoporosis Study. A lifetime history of mood and anxiety disorders was identified using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR Research Version, Non-patient edition (SCID-I/NP). The presence of medical conditions (lifetime) was self-reported and confirmed by medical records, medication use or clinical data. Anthropometric measurements and socioeconomic status (SES) were determined and information on medication use and lifestyle was obtained via questionnaire. Logistic regression models were used to test the associations. Results: After adjustment for age, socioeconomic status, and health risk factors (body mass index, physical activity and smoking), mood disorders were associated with gastro oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), recurrent headaches, blackouts and/or epilepsy, liver disorders and pulmonary disease in older people, whilst anxiety disorders were significantly associated with thyroid, GORD and other gastrointestinal disorders, and psoriasis. Increased odds of high medical burden were associated with both mood and anxiety disorders. Conclusions: Our study provides further population-based evidence supporting the link between mental and physical illness in men. Understanding these associations is not only necessary for individual management, but also to inform the delivery of health promotion messages and health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Major depression is a widely used diagnostic category but there is increasing dissatisfaction with its performance. The diathesis-stress model is an alternative approach that does not require the (sometimes arbitrary) imposition of categories onto the spectrum of depressive morbidity. However, application of this model has not been well explored and its consistency with available epidemiologic data is uncertain. Methods: Simulation provides an opportunity to explore these issues. In this study, a simulation model based on an intuitive representation of diathesis-stress interaction was developed. Both diathesis and stress were represented using continuous distributions, without categorization. A diagnostic threshold was then applied to the simulation output to create nominal categories and to explore their consistency with available information. Results: An apparently complex epidemiologic pattern emerged from the diathesis-stress interaction when thresholds were applied: incidence was time dependent, recurrence depended on the number of past episodes, baseline symptoms were associated with an increased risk of subsequent episodes and the remission rate declined with increasing episode duration. Conclusions: A diathesis-stress conceptualization coupled with application of a threshold-based diagnostic definition may explain several of the apparent complexities of major depression epidemiology. Some of these complexities may be artifacts of the nominal diagnostic approach. These observations should encourage an empirical exploration of whether diathesis-stress interactions provide a more parsimonious framework for understanding depression than current approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depression and cognitive impairment (CI) are important non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's Disease (PD) and related syndromes, but it is not clear how well they are recognised in daily practice. We have studied the diagnostic performance of experienced neurologists on the topics depression and cognitive impairment during a routine encounter with a patient with recent-onset parkinsonian symptoms. Methods: Two experienced neurologists took the history and examined 104 patients with a recent-onset parkinsonian disorder, and assessed the presence of depression and cognitive impairment. On the same day, all patients underwent a Hamilton Depression Rating Scale test, and a Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson's Disease- Cognition-test (SCOPA-COG). Results: The sensitivity of the neurologists for the topic depression was poor: 33.3%. However, the specificity varied from 90.8 to 94.7%. The patients' sensitivity was higher, although the specificity was lower. On the topic CI, the sensitivity of the neurologists was again low, in a range from 30.4 up to 34.8%: however the specificity was high, with 92.9%. The patients' sensitivity and specificity were both lower, compared to the number of the neurologists. Conclusions: Neurologists' intuition and clinical judgment alone are not accurate for detection of depression or cognitive impairment in patients with recent-onset parkinsonian symptoms because of low sensitivity despite of high specificity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The thalamus is increasingly gaining importance in psychiatric disorders. There are case reports in the literature of neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with thalamic infarcts. The present report elucidates the complexities of linking neuropsychiatric symptoms to a benign thalamic brain lesion, and its impact on management.Case Presentation: We present the case of a Caucasian man in his early 30s, who presented with a difficult to treat bipolar illness and coexisting thalamic lesion.Conclusions: In this report we explore the possible links between our patient's symptoms and his brain lesion. We discuss the possible neuronal mechanisms that may be involved and debate the most appropriate management strategies. We hope this report will assist further insights into the role of the thalamus in psychiatric disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]