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Background and Purpose Methods Results Conclusions Data on health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) and mood in cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), a disease characterized by stroke and cognitive decline, are limited. We aimed to investigate the impacted domains of life, value‐based HRQoL and the prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients with CAA.We conducted a cross‐sectional study of patients with sporadic (s)CAA, lobar dominant mixed CAA and hypertensive arteriopathy (mixed CAA‐HTA), or Dutch‐type hereditary (D‐)CAA, from prospective outpatient clinic cohorts. Participants completed four questionnaires: the EuroQoL 5 dimensions 5‐level questionnaire (EQ‐5D‐5L; EQ‐VAS for visual analogue scale; EQ‐Index for index rating), the Short‐Form 36 questionnaire (SF‐36), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies—Depression scale (CES‐D), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS; ‐D for depression and ‐A for anxiety subscales). The EQ‐5D‐5L assesses the domains mobility, self‐care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression. The SF‐36 domains are physical functioning, social functioning, physical role limitations, emotional role limitations, mental health, vitality, bodily pain, and general health perceptions. We compared age‐ and sex‐ adjusted HRQoL (SF‐36 domain scores; EQ‐VAS; EQ‐Index) to the Dutch normative population, and estimated the prevalences of current depression (either: history of depression or current use of antidepressants, with high score on CES‐D [≥16] and/or HADS‐D [≥8]; or high score on both depression questionnaires) and anxiety (HADS‐A ≥ 8).We included 179 patients: 77 with sCAA (mean age: 72 years, women: 36%), 31 with mixed CAA‐HTA (68 years, women: 29%), and 71 with D‐CAA (56 years, women: 52%, symptomatic: 35 [49%]). The SF‐36 profiles of all patient groups were similar, negatively differing from the norm in emotional role functioning, social functioning and vitality. The EQ‐VAS score of patients (mean [SD] sCAA: 76 [16], D‐CAA: 77 [15]) was similar to the norm, as was the EQ‐Index score. Fifteen patients with sCAA (23%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 13%–33%), seven with mixed CAA‐HTA (27%; 95% CI 10%–44%) and eight with D‐CAA (14%; 95% CI 5%–22%) were noted as having depression. The prevalences of anxiety and depression were equivalent.We found that CAA influenced emotional role functioning and aspects linked to social engagement consistently across its subtypes. One quarter of patients exhibited depressive or anxiety symptoms. Recognizing these impacted domains could enhance overall well‐being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Hormonal contraceptives (HCs) are used for birth control, menstrual disturbances, and premenopausal syndrome. Most women stop using hormonal contraceptives due to changes in their mood. The evidence regarding the association of hormonal contraception with depression shows mixed results. Therefore, we aim to establish the association between the use of hormonal contraception and depressive symptoms. Methods. A cross‐sectional study was conducted on 326 women of the reproductive age group (15–49 years) attending the family planning unit of the obstetrics and gynecology department of a medical college in Saudi Arabia. Their sociodemographic and medical details along with the current use of any contraceptives (hormonal, nonhormonal, or not using any) with duration were collected. Beck depression inventory‐II (BDI‐II) was applied to the women to assess for depression along with its severity, and a BDI score of >16 was taken to denote clinical depression. Women were stratified by type of contraceptive used, and its association with depression category was assessed. Results. A total of 326 consenting eligible women in the age group of 15–49 years were enrolled in the study of which 165 (50.6%) were currently using a hormonal contraceptive and 49 (15.0%) were using a nonhormonal contraceptive and the rest 112 (34.4%) were not using any contraceptives. There was no significant difference in the mean BDI scores (p = 0.79) and degrees of depression (p = 0.06) between the HC users and HC nonusers. However, individual symptoms of depression such as sadness (p = 0.01), reduced libido (p = 0.0002), feelings of pessimism (p = 0.02), and failure (p = 0.003) were found to be significantly higher in the HC users than non‐HC users. Conclusion. We conclude that there was no significant difference in mean depression scores between groups. However, a few individual symptoms of depression were high in HC users suggesting depression as a potential side effect of hormonal contraceptive use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal mental health during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Methods: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic situation during and post pregnancy was addressed on three main factors; maternal mental health, mother-child bonding, and maternal self-confidence. To do this, two different patient cohorts were compared; data from one cohort was collected pre-pandemic, and data was collected from the other cohort at the beginning of the pandemic. Questionnaires were used to collect data regarding depressive symptoms (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale [EPDS]), anxiety (State Trait Anxiety Inventory [STAI]), maternal self-confidence (Lips Maternal Self-Confidence Scale [LMSCS]) and mother-child bonding (Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire [PBQ]). Results: There were no significant differences in depressive symptoms (EPDS with an average median of 4.00–5.00) or anxiety (STAI with an average median of 29.00–33.00) between the cohorts. However, the quality of postpartum maternal bonding was higher at 3–6 months in the pandemic cohort, which was also influenced by education and the mode and number of births. The maternal self-confidence was lower in the pandemic sample, also depending on the mode of birth delivery. Conclusions: In this study, a differential effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on mother-child bonding and maternal self-confidence was observed. The results thereby identified possible protective factors of the pandemic, which could potentially be implemented to improve maternal mental health and bonding to the child under normal circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The association between the number of food kinds and the risk of depression in adults was examined. Methods: According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 4593 adults were included in the study. The number of food kinds was collected via 24‒hour dietary recalls. Depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire‒9. Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline models were applied to assess the association between the number of food kinds and the risk of depression. Results: This study included 4593 study participants, 451 of whom were diagnosed with depression. The revised advantage ratios (with corresponding confidence intervals) for the prevalence of depression among individuals in the fourth quartiles of the number of food kinds (Q4) in comparison to the lowest quartile (Q1) were determined to be 0.59 (0.36‒0.96), respectively. According to our subgroup analyses, the number of food kinds was negatively associated with the risk of depression in females, participants aged 18‒45 and 45‒65 years, and participants with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 24.9 kg/m2. According to our dose‒response analysis, the number of food kinds was linearly associated with the risk of depression (Pfor nonlinear=0.5896). Conclusion: The risk of depression exhibited a linear and negative correlation with the number of food kinds. The results indicated that a diversified diet was an effective nonpharmacological approach that deserved further generalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Arecae Semen is a traditional herbal medicine widely used in the medical service and food industry, but in recent years, the carcinogenesis of edible Arecae Semen chewing has aroused comprehensive attention, therefore it is necessary to evaluate its medicinal properties. Increasing evidence has shown that Arecae Semen Compounds (ASC) possess antidepressant ability. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ASC in the treatment of depression. Methods: We retrieved articles in eight databases from their inception to May 2024. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effects of ASC alone or combined with routine treatment in patients with depression were identified. The Cochrane risk of bias (ROB) tool (ROB 2) was used for assessing the ROB in the included trials. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) was used to assess the certainty of the evidence for the review outcomes. The outcomes included Hamilton depression rating scale (HAMD) scores, depression-related symptoms, serum dopamine levels, and adverse events. Stata 14.0 was used for data analysis calculating standardized mean difference (SMD) for continuous outcomes and relative risk (RR) for binary outcomes, both with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: Nine RCTs involving 787 patients were included in this review. ASC lowered HAMD scores (SMD − 3.43, 95% CI − 5.24 to − 1.61; I2 = 95.2%, P < 0.001), alleviated depression-related symptoms, increased serum dopamine levels, and reduced the incidence of adverse events slightly (RR 0.18, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.77; I2 = 0, P = 0.775) compared with the control group. Publication bias might account for the asymmetrical presentation of funnel plots. Meta-regression analysis revealed that regarding HAMD scores, there was no significant relationship with duration, sample size, or treatment strategy. The evidence of the outcomes was of very low certainty. Conclusions: ASC may achieve better therapeutic effects, alleviate depression-related symptoms with a lower incidence of adverse events, and provide a potentially effective and safe complementary therapy for patients with depression. However, the evidence is very uncertain so further researches are required to validate our results and explore clinical implications of Arecae Semen in depth. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42022361150. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depression is a highly prevalent mental disorder in older adults, and among its highest risk factors is loneliness. Although this relationship is commonly evident, the mechanisms underlying it, such as sense of mattering and psychological adjustment, lack exploration. The current research aims to examine the relationship between loneliness and geriatric depression and explore the mediating roles of sense of mattering and psychological adjustment. Methods: A sample of 200 older adults (63.5% females; mean age = 75.6; SD = 8.806) were recruited from 24 geriatric homes in Cairo, Egypt. Participants responded to the Arabic versions of the Mini-Mental State Examination for excluding the severely demented, Geriatric Depression Scale-15, University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness Scale-version 3, General Mattering Scale, and Brief Adjustment Scale-6. The mediation analysis was conducted using multiple linear regression with Hayes' process macro on SPSS26 and structural equation modeling on JASP0.18.1.0. Results: Sense of mattering and psychological adjustment showed a significant total effect (β =.051, 95%CI [.045,.056], z = 18.436, p <.001) separated into a significant direct effect (β =.019, 95%CI [.009,.029], z = 3.784, p <.001) and a significant indirect effect (β =.031, 95%CI [.022,.041], z = 6.478, p <.001), indicating simultaneous partial mediation by the two variables. Additionally, sense of mattering accounts for 76% of the impact of loneliness on geriatric depression, and psychological adjustment accounts for 60.1%. Conclusion: Loneliness significantly impacts geriatric depression through a sense of mattering and psychological adjustment. These findings implicate substantial insight for interventions that can be targeted at the reduction of geriatric depression through reducing loneliness feelings and enhancing sense of mattering and adjustment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The number of culturally diverse adolescents in South Korea has reached 290,000 and is increasing every year; however, they still represent only 2.5% of the total adolescent population in middle and high schools, making them a minority. Adolescents experiencing cultural diversity are psychologically vulnerable because they grow up in bicultural environments and experience prejudice. Given the nature of generalized anxiety disorder, which can be exacerbated by stress, these adolescents may face an increased risk of developing the disorder not only because of developmental stress but also because of the stress of cultural adaptation. To identify the prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder among adolescents with cultural diversity, we analyzed related factors. Based on the results, strategies have been proposed to reduce anxiety in adolescents with cultural diversity and generalized anxiety disorders. Methods: This study used data from the 16th − 18th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Factors associated with generalized anxiety disorders were identified based on the social determinants of the health framework. Statistical analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS 25.0, and statistical methods were used for complex samples. Results: Among adolescents with cultural diversity, 12.8% exhibited generalized anxiety disorders. Among the structural factors, economic status, mother's education level, and gender were significantly associated with the disorder, whereas among the psychosocial factors, suicidal ideation, depressive mood, loneliness, perceived stress level, and subjective health status were significant factors influencing it. Conclusion: The factors identified in our research can be used as a resource for the early identification of culturally diverse adolescents who are vulnerable to generalized anxiety disorders. To prevent generalized anxiety disorder among adolescents with cultural diversity, school or community nurses can implement interventions to reduce loneliness or stress management programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A number of studies based on young to middle aged adult and child samples have found that exposure to greenspace and bluespace can have a positive impact on mental health and well-being. However, there is limited research among older adults and the extant studies have provided mixed results. The present study was designed to examine how the association between these forms of exposure and depressive symptoms among older adults varies as a function of different spatially and temporally resolved exposure metrics. Methods: The sample consisted of 617 individuals (46.19% female) aged ≥ 60 years of age. Depressive symptoms were measured using the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Individuals' greenspace exposure was quantified using spatially and temporally resolved metrics, including monthly and annual averaged satellite-derived normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) across multiple buffer distances (250 m to 2,000 m) centered at participants' home address. We also quantified exposure to blue-greenspace from a highly detailed land use and land cover dataset. A multivariable logistic regression model assessed the association between greenspace and blue-greenspace exposure and depressive symptoms, adjusting for age, sex, income, education, marital status, current smoking, alcohol status, medical conditions, temperature, crime rate, population density, and per capita park area. Results: We found a significant association between exposures to greenspace and blue-greenspace and depressive symptoms (CES-D cutoff ≥ 4) among older adults. After adjusting for confounding variables, the odds of depressive symptoms were significantly decreased by an IQR increment in residential exposure to greenspace [odds ratio (OR) = 0.67; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.49 ~ 0.91] and blue-greenspace (OR = 0.59; 95% CI, 0.41 ~ 0.84) measured nearby their home address (i.e., as close as 250 m). When stratified by household income level, the association was only significant among low-income individuals. We also found temporal variation in the association between depressive symptoms and monthly NDVI-based greenspace exposure, in which the odds of depressive symptoms were the lowest for greenspace in cold months (i.e., January, February, and March). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that neighborhood greenspace may serve as a protective factor against depression among older adults, but the benefits may depend on the spatial and temporal context. More investigation is needed to replicate our findings on the spatial and temporal variations of greenspace exposure metrics and their effects on depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression has become the leading cause of disability worldwide. Conventional serotonergic antidepressants fail to meet anticipated outcomes and increase the risk of drug dependency and side effects. Consequently, the significance of diet and nutrition in the prevention and management of depression and anxiety has increasingly received attention. Many years of clinical practice have shown that edible traditional Chinese medicines can relieve depression through their anti‐inflammatory properties, potentially acting as a nutritional remedy for depression with a higher acceptance rate and safety. In this review, we elucidated how deficiency tonic medicines in edible traditional Chinese medicines and their ingredients modulate the immune response and gut microbiota to alleviate depression. This article can offer new insights into the antidepressant effect of daily dietary treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dyadic conditions of patients with heart failure and their caregivers may affect both patient self-care and caregiver contribution to patient self-care (CCPS). The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships of patient-caregiver physical function and depressive symptoms to the patient self-care (maintenance and management) and CCPS. Data from 55 were analyzed using an Actor–Partner Interdependence Model to address the aim through AMOS. Patient self-care was very poor. Better patient physical function was related to better patient self-care management (actor effect) and poorer CCPS maintenance (partner effect). Better caregiver physical function was related to CCPS management (actor effect). Severer patient depressive symptoms were related to poorer patient self-care maintenance (actor effect) and poorer CCPS management (partner effect). Physical function and depressive symptoms in patient-caregiver dyads were related to patient self-care and CCPS. To improve patient self-care and CCPS, dyadic support for physical function and depressive symptoms is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: New daily persistent headache (NDPH) is a continuous, unremitting headache from onset that yields suboptimal results with traditional medicines. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has emerged as a promising non-invasive treatment for other headache disorders, such as migraine, and neuromodulation has not been well-studied in NDPH. The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of rTMS in reducing the frequency and severity of headaches, and associated anxiety and depressive symptoms in NDPH patients. Methods: This was an open label prospective, single arm, interventional pilot study conducted between October 2022 and September 2023. All eligible participants received 10 Hz rTMS (600 pulses, 10 trains), delivered to the left prefrontal cortex for three consecutive days. The post-rTMS headache severity was recorded weekly for four weeks and headache free days/functional disability, PHQ-9, and GAD-7 scores at the end of four weeks and compared with pre-rTMS parameters. The primary outcome was defined by ≥ 50% reduction in headache severity on Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score, decrease in headache days from the baseline and secondary outcome was ≥ 6 point reduction in HIT-6 score at 4 weeks. Results: Fifty NDPH patients (mean [SD] age, 35.06 [13.91] years; 31 females [62%]) participated in this study. Thirty-five patients (70%) reported ≥ 50% improvement in pain severity (p-value < 0.001), with a mean reduction of 10.84 (4.88) headache days per 28 days from a baseline of 28 headache days (p-value < 0.001). Thirty-eight patients (76%) reported a ≥ 6 point's reduction in HIT score at 4 weeks. Maximum improvement in the above parameters was observed in NDPH patients with chronic migraine. Two patients reported intolerance to the sound of the rTMS. The median (IQR) PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores reduced from 11.5(3.75,20) to 7(2,15) (p-value < 0.001) and 10(3,14) to 5.5(0,9) (p-value < 0.001) respectively. Conclusion: rTMS was well tolerated and effective in reducing pain severity, headache days and headache related disability, depressive and anxiety symptoms. Trial registration: CTRI/2023/05/053247. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depression and panic disorders have high prevalence rates in primary care. Given the crucial role of general practitioners in diagnosing and treating mental disorders, the two-arm cluster-randomized, controlled PREMA trial was designed. PREMA was aimed at investigating a new intervention combining cognitive behavioral therapy, case management and eHealth components for patients with depression and/or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia in primary care practices in Germany. This qualitative study, embedded in the PREMA trial, explores primary healthcare professionals' lived experiences in using the new treatment program. Using a qualitative design, we conducted eleven interviews with general practitioners and medical assistants from Hesse, Germany, between July 2021 and March 2022. For both groups we relied on a semi-structured interview guide covering the following subjects: study procedures, implementation, practicality, and individual components of the treatment program. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed by two researchers using content analysis. A deductive-inductive approach was used for the analysis according to Kuckartz. Results: We narratively summarized the facilitators and barriers from two different stakeholders across five key themes regarding experiences of feasibility and practicability of the new treatment program: study instruction materials, individual components of the treatment program, practicality, target population, and benefits of the treatment program. Facilitators to become familiar with the study include study instruction materials that are easy to understand and not too complex, considering the limited time resources available; barriers included text-heavy instruction materials, lack of collegial exchange, and issues especially with digital materials also involved access and log-in difficulties on the online platform. Facilitators for using the treatment program include the combination of face-to-face consultations and the use of an online platform, enabling a structured approach and regularity; barriers included patients feeling unsupported in performing anxiety exercises independently at home. For practicality, the professional skills of medical assistants and their central role as points of contact for patients facilitated the implementation; barriers included time-intensive organization and planning of monitoring phone calls and consultations. Regarding the target population, general practitioners and medical assistants state that the treatment program would be most appropriate for patients with mild to moderate depression and for those waiting for psychotherapeutic treatment; it would be less suitable for older patients, and those with negative attitudes towards technological tools. For benefits of the program, facilitating factors included free and low-threshold access to the online platform and strengthening the relationship between medical assistants and patients; barriers included a preference for in-person conversations and the inability of some people to use online applications. Conclusions: The complexity of the new treatment program and the associated high workload underline the need for further adjustments to the treatment approach. Team-based care and the expanded responsibilities of medical assistants demonstrated promising results. Trial registration: The study was registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00016622) on February 22, 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Methods Results Conclusions Anxiety disorders are prevalent and anxiety symptoms (ANX) co‐occur with many psychiatric disorders. We aimed to identify genomic loci associated with ANX, characterize its genetic architecture, and genetic overlap with psychiatric disorders.We included a genome‐wide association study of ANX (meta‐analysis of UK Biobank and Million Veterans Program, n = 301,732), schizophrenia (SCZ), bipolar disorder (BIP), major depression (MD), attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and validated the findings in the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort (n = 95,841). We employed the bivariate causal mixture model and local analysis of covariant association to characterize the genetic architecture including overlap between the phenotypes. Conditional and conjunctional false discovery rate analyses were performed to boost the identification of loci associated with anxiety and shared with psychiatric disorders.Anxiety was polygenic with 12.9k genetic variants and overlapped extensively with psychiatric disorders (4.1k–11.4k variants) with predominantly positive genetic correlations between anxiety and psychiatric disorders. We identified 119 novel loci for anxiety by conditioning on the psychiatric disorders, and loci shared between anxiety and MD n=47$$ \left(n=47\right) $$, BIP n=33$$ \left(n=33\right) $$, SCZ n=71$$ \left(n=71\right) $$, ADHD n=20$$ \left(n=20\right) $$, and ASD n=5$$ \left(n=5\right) $$. Genes annotated to anxiety loci exhibit enrichment for a broader range of biological pathways including cell adhesion and neurofibrillary tangle compared with genes annotated to the shared loci.Anxiety is highly polygenic phenotype with extensive genetic overlap with psychiatric disorders, and we identified novel loci for anxiety implicating new molecular pathways. The shared genetic architecture may underlie the extensive cross‐disorder comorbidity of anxiety, and the identified molecular underpinnings may lead to potential drug targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with depression struggle with significant emotion regulation difficulties, which adversely affect their psychological well-being and hinder recovery. Traditional therapeutic approaches often fail to adequately address these challenges, leading to a persistent gap in effective mental health care. This research seeks to address this gap by investigating the impact of emotion regulation skills training on patients with depression. Aim: To assess the difficulties in emotion regulation among patients with depression and evaluate the impact of an emotion regulation skills training intervention on those with higher levels of emotion regulation difficulties, specifically focusing on increasing the use of adaptive emotion regulation strategies and reducing the use of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies. Method: A quasi-experimental research design was utilized, using three tools: a socio-demographic and Clinical Data structured interview schedule, Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale, and Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. Eighty patients with depression were recruited to assess those with higher levels of emotion regulation difficulties; out of those with greater difficulties, 30 patients were chosen to participate in the emotion regulation skills training intervention. Result: The 80 studied subjects' emotion regulation difficulties scores ranged from 158 to 169 (164.5 ± 3.21), and they indicated less use of adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies and more use of maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies (56.07 ± 2.67). Regarding the intervention group, the overall mean score of the 30 patients' emotion regulation difficulties decreased from 167.35 ± 2.21 pre-intervention to 105.85 ± 3.33 post-intervention (p < 0.0001). Cognitive emotion regulation total scores improved markedly from 54.07 ± 1.66 to 35.2 ± 3.46 (p < 0.01). Implication: Healthcare providers should routinely assess emotion regulation difficulties in patients with depression and integrate personalized treatment plans that target individual emotion regulation difficulties. Conclusion: The findings suggest that the emotion regulation intervention has the potential to improve emotion regulation difficulties and cognitive emotion regulation strategies among patients with depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Predictors of functioning are well-studied in schizophrenia, but much less so in treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS). In this study, we aim to investigate contributions of schizophrenia symptom domains and neurocognition to predict functioning in a TRS population (n = 146). Methods: Participants were assessed on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), to calculate scores for five symptomfactors (Positive, Negative, Cognitive, Depressive and Hostility) and two negative symptom constructs (Diminished Expressivity (DE), and Social Anhedonia (SA) as part of the Motivation and Pleasure-related dimension), based on a previously validated model, modified in accordance with EPA guidelines on negative symptoms assessment. Neurocognition was assessed with symbol coding and digit sequencing tasks from the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS). Functioning was assessed with the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS), employment status andWorld Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0). Multiple regression analyses were performed on psychopathology scores and BACS scores against all three measures of functioning, controlling for age and sex. For WHODAS, regression with PANSS scores of significant symptom factors were also performed. Results: A lower severity of negative symptoms in the SA dimension was the strongest predictor of higher functioning across all three functioning measures. Neurocognition, in particular processing speed and attention assessed on the symbol coding task, predicted employment. A lower severity of somatic concerns and depressive symptoms was associated with lesser self-reported disability on WHODAS. Discussion: This study represents a first attempt at elucidating significant predictors of functioning in TRS. We highlight negative symptoms and neurocognition as important treatment targets to improve functioning in TRS, consistent with previous studies in general schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study investigated the mediating effects of coping strategies and psychological status on the relationship between illness perception and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 178 patients with AF who were admitted to a tertiary hospital in Beijing City in mainland from March 2020 and June 2022. Assessments were made for HRQoL using the Short Form Health Survey depressive symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, anxiety using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), illness perception using the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ), AF symptoms using the Atrial Fibrillation Severity Scale (AFSS), and coping strategies using the Brief-COPE Scale. Results: Significant correlations were observed between illness perception, emotional variables, coping strategies, and HRQoL scores. The regression analysis found that BIPQ, GAD, Maladaptive coping and Problem-focused coping are significant predictors of PCS (F = 20.906, R2 = 0.326, p < 0.01) and MCS (F = 31.24, R2 = 0.419, p < 0.01). Bootstrap samples were used to conduct mediation analysis. The indirect effects of GAD-7 and Problem-focused coping (PC) on the impact of BIPQ on QoL were significant. GAD accounted for 13.2–19.3% of the variance in the total effect across different models, while PC accounted for 22.1–25.8%. The results also indicated a significant chain effect in the illness percepitong-anxiety-coping style-QoL model, which can explain 4.3–10.2% of the total effect, respectively. Conclusions: The perception of illness significantly influenced HRQoL in patients with AF, as mediated by emotional symptoms and coping strategies. This highlights the importance of anxiety and problem-focused coping mechanisms. These findings underscore the need for a holistic, patient-centered approach to AF management that incorporates emotional well-being and coping strategies. Trial registration: Retrospectively registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05974098). The date of registration: 1 August 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of clinically diagnosed depressive disorders (DD) in Chinese left-behind children (LBC) remains unknown. We aim to estimate the prevalence of DD, discuss the associations between DD and self-harm (SH) behaviors in a large representative sample of Chinese LBCs chosen from Yunnan province. Methods: A total of 5462 LBCs were selected from the most recent datasets of the Mental Health Survey for Children and Adolescents in Yunnan (MHSCAY), a mega population-based two-phase cross-sectional survey. Weighted prevalence rates and designed Logistic regression were adopted to estimate the prevalence of DD and the association between DD and SH. Results: The weighted prevalence of lifetime and current DD were 4.22% (95% CI: 3.13-6.00%) and 3.84% (95% CI: 2.85-5.00%) in Chinese LBCs. Higher lifetime and current DD prevalence rates were observed in girls and those reported adverse parental marital status and SH behaviors. The absence of DD was associated with significantly decreased odds of SH behavior (OR = 0.06), repetitive SH (OR = 0.09), using multiple SH methods (OR = 0.09), and severe SH (OR = 0.15). Subsequently performed stratified analyses identified prominent effect modification by sex and age, as a stronger association between DD and SH was found in girls (OR = 0.02 versus OR = 0.07 in boys) and younger adolescents (OR = 0.08 versus OR = 0.22 in older adolescents). Conclusion: The prevalence of DD was high in Chinese LBCs. DD was associated with prominently increased risk of SH behaviors in LBCs. Attention and intervention are needed in this vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Limbic structures have recently garnered increased attention in Parkinson's disease (PD) research. This study aims to explore changes at the whole-brain level in the structural network, specifically the white matter fibres connecting the thalamus and limbic system, and their correlation with the clinical characteristics of patients with PD. Methods: Between December 2020 and November 2021, we prospectively enrolled 42 patients with PD and healthy controls at the movement disorder centre. All participants underwent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), 3D T1- weighted imaging (3D-T1WI), and routine brain magnetic resonance imaging on a 3.0 T MR scanner. We employed the tract-based spatial statistical (TBSS) analytic approach, examined structural network properties, and conducted probabilistic fibre tractography to identify alterations in white matter pathways and the topological organisation associated with PD. Results: In patients with PD, significant changes were observed in the fibrous tracts of the prefrontal lobe, corpus callosum, and thalamus. Notably, the fibrous tracts in the prefrontal lobe and corpus callosum showed a moderate negative correlation with the Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (FOG-Q) scores (r = -0.423, p = 0.011). The hippocampus and orbitofrontal gyrus exhibited more fibre bundle parameter changes than other limbic structures. The mean streamline length between the thalamus and the orbitofrontal gyrus demonstrated a moderate negative correlation with Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) III (r = -0.435, p = 0.006). Topological parameters, including characteristic path length (Lp), global efficiency (Eg), normalised shortest path length (λ) and nodal local efficiency (Nle), correlated moderately with the MDS-UPDRS, HAMA, MoCA, PDQ-39, and FOG-Q, respectively. Conclusion: DTI is a valuable tool for detecting changes in water molecule dispersion and the topological structure of the brain in patients with PD. The thalamus may play a significant role in the gait abnormalities observed in PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression and multiple musculoskeletal disorders are overrepresented in women compared with men. Given that depression is a modifiable risk factor and improvement of depressive symptoms increases positive outcomes following orthopedic intervention, efforts to improve clinical recognition of depressive symptoms and increased action toward ameliorating depressive symptoms among orthopedic patients are positioned to reduce complications and positively affect patient-reported outcomes. Although psychosocial factors play a role in the manifestation and remittance of depression, it is also well appreciated that primary biochemical changes are capable of causing and perpetuating depression. Unique insight for novel treatments of depression may be facilitated by query of the bidirectional relationship between musculoskeletal health and depression. This Review aims to synthesize the diverse literature on sex, depression, and orthopedics and emphasize the potential for common underlying biological substrates. Given the overrepresentation of depression and musculoskeletal disorders among women, increased emphasis on the biological drivers of the co-occurrence of these disorders is positioned to improve women’s health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children and adolescents diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) often grapple with significant non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), linked to interpersonal challenges, insecure attachment, and internet addiction. This study explores these relationships in children and adolescents using network analysis, drawing data from seven hospitals in China. Results: The study included 162 youths with depressive disorder and 102 healthy controls from seven hospitals. The MDD + NSSI group exhibited severe internet addiction, heightened depressive symptoms, and insecure attachment. Network analysis identified central symptoms (compulsive use) and key bridge symptoms (tolerance symptoms) in the networks related to depressive symptoms, internet addiction, and attachments. These findings suggest potential targets for intervention among children and adolescents at risk for or suffering from depression. Conclusions: This study sheds light on the intricate relationship between NSSI, attachment issues, and internet addiction in Chinese adolescents with MDD. The network analysis pinpointed central and key bridge symptoms, offering valuable insights for targeted interventions in children and adolescents at risk for or experiencing depression and associated challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objectives of this study were to examine the association of psychiatric comorbidities and patient characteristics with treatment change and response as well as to assess the association between treatment change and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) among adult patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and psychiatric comorbidities. Methods: De-identified electronic health records from the NeuroBlu Database (2002–2021) were used to select patients ≥ 18 years with ADHD who were prescribed ADHD-specific medication. The index date was set as the first prescription of ADHD medication. The outcomes were treatment change (discontinuation, switch, add-on, or drop) and HCRU (inpatient, outpatient, composite) within 12 months of follow-up. Cox proportional-hazard model was used to assess the association between clinical and demographic patient characteristics and treatment change, while generalized linear model with negative binomial distribution and log link function was used to assess the association between key risk factors linked to treatment change and HCRU rates. Results: A total of 3,387 patients with ADHD were included (ADHD only: 1,261; ADHD + major depressive disorder (MDD): 755; ADHD + anxiety disorder: 467; ADHD + mood disorder: 164). Nearly half (44.8%) of the study cohort experienced a treatment change within the 12-month follow-up period. Treatment switch and add-on were more common in patients with ADHD and comorbid MDD and anxiety disorder (switch: 18.9%; add-on: 20.5%) compared to other cohorts (range for switch: 8.5–13.6%; range for add-on: 8.9–12.1%) Survival analysis demonstrated that the probability of treatment change within 12 months from treatment initiation in the study cohort was estimated to be 42.4%. Outpatient visit rates statistically significantly increased from baseline (mean [SD] 1.03 [1.84] visits/month) to 3 months post-index (mean [SD] 1.62 [1.91] visits/month; p < 0.001), followed by a gradual decline up to 12 months post-index. Being prescribed both a stimulant and a non-stimulant at index date was statistically significantly associated with increased risk of treatment change (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.64; 95% CI: 1.13, 2.38; p = 0.01). Conclusions: This real-world study found that treatment change was common among patients with ADHD and psychiatric comorbidities. These findings support the need for future studies to examine the unmet medical and treatment needs of this complex patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anxiety and depression often co-occur, exhibiting high comorbidity, with their trends evolving over time. However, the specific pathways through which comorbid symptoms of anxiety and depression evolve and interact remain unclear. To investigate these questions, this study employed Network Analysis (NA) and Longitudinal Network Analysis (LNA) to explore the central symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as the temporal evolution of these central symptoms. Methods: The study focused on 606 high school students who were not in their final year in Shandong of China, with assessments conducted from March to September 2022. The bootnet package in R was used for establishing NA and LNA models, as well as for conducting accuracy analysis and node stability analysis. Results: The results of the NA indicated that adolescent highly susceptible to anxiety and depression. And uncontrollable worry was a common central symptom, while irritability emerged as a central bridging symptom across all three NAs. The LNA results revealed that suicidal ideation and worthlessness were key central symptoms in the LNA. Furthermore, worthlessness played a pivotal role in the developmental pathway of "suicidal ideation → worthlessness → anxiety and uncontrollable worry." A reduction in suicidal ideation was associated with decreased severity in other symptoms. Conclusions: The findings suggest that adolescent anxiety and depression are in a state of vulnerability, and that irritability, worthlessness, and suicidal ideation are potential targets for interventions to address adolescent anxiety and depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among adolescents continues to be a significant public health concern worldwide. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis found that the global prevalence of NSSI in adolescents aged 12–18 years was 17.2%, with higher rates reported among females (19.7%) than males (14.8%). This behavior has been linked to several negative outcomes, such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicidal ideation. The present study aimed to classify adolescents based on intrapersonal and interpersonal factors associated with NSSI proposed in Nock's (2009) integrated model of NSSI, to identify distinct clusters targeting specific risk factors. This encompassed negative cognition, emotional vulnerability, poor coping skill, peer-victimization, family adaptability, and perceived stress. A total of 881 adolescents aged 11–16 years in South Korea completed self-reported questionnaires on automatic thoughts, depression, emotional regulation, peer victimization, family adaptability and perceived stress. Latent profile analysis (LPA) revealed three distinct classes: "the severe group", "the moderate group", "the mild group". Class 3 ("severe group": N = 127) exhibited greater severity related to NSSI, including negative cognition, emotional vulnerability, poor coping skills, peer victimization, and perceived stress, with weaker levels of factors that can prevent NSSI compared to class 1 ("mild group": N = 416) and class 2 ("moderated group": N = 338). The present study emphasizes the importance of considering both intrapersonal (e.g., negative automatic thoughts & emotional dysregulation) and interpersonal factors (i.e., peer victimization) when understanding NSSI - among adolescents. These findings can be utilized to develop interventions aimed at reducing the prevalence and severity of NSSI among adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depression is a prevalent and serious mental health disorder that significantly impacts daily life and functioning. Neurofilament Light chain (NfL), associated with axonal neuronal damage, has been identified as a promising biomarker, potentially aiding in early diagnosis of depression, personalized treatment, and tracking disease progression. This study used meta-analysis to evaluate the potential of plasma NfL as a biomarker for depression patients. Methods: A systematic search following the PRISMA guidelines was conducted across PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases to find relevant studies on plasma NfL levels in patients with depression. A random effects model meta-analysis was applied to determine its potential as a biomarker for differentiating patients from controls. Results: Our meta-analysis, based on four articles with six datasets, revealed that plasma NfL levels were notably higher in individuals with depression (228 cases) compared to healthy controls (118 individuals). The weighted mean difference (WMD) was 8.78 (95% CI: 5.28, 12.28; P < 0.01), indicating a significant effect size. Given the diverse confounding factors inherent in the included observational studies, the observed variability can be attributed to these influences. Due to the observed heterogeneity (heterogeneity Chi-Square: 54.91, p < 0.05), we performed a subgroup analysis. Subgroup analyses based on depression type and analysis method consistently supported the association between NfL and depression, strengthening the evidence. Conclusion: Our meta-analysis demonstrates that elevated NfL levels may serve as a promising biomarker for diagnosing depressive disorders. Further research on diverse subtypes and longitudinal changes is needed to validate its clinical utility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During neoadjuvant therapy (NAT), patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) experience psychological distress (PD) and adopt appropriate coping strategies. Objective: This systematic review aimed to examine the prevalence and changes in PD and coping strategies in patients with LABC during NAT and to evaluate effective interventions to reduce their PD. Design: Quantitative (cross-sectional, longitudinal, and interventional) and qualitative studies reporting PD and coping strategies related to NAT during LABC were included. Data sources and methods: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Wiley Online Library, and Web of Science databases were consulted to gather relevant literature from the first publications until July 25, 2023. Selection was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Results: A total of 41 articles were included, of which four were qualitative. The main results showed that the prevalence of depression before NAT ranged from 0% to 46% and that of anxiety from 5.5% to 54%. After NAT, the prevalence of depression ranged from 40% to 78.5% and anxiety accounted for 27%. Additionally, PD decreased during NAT. The main determinants of PD were perceived social support, living in joint families, being affected by COVID-19 infection, delays in diagnosis, and starting neoadjuvant treatment. For coping strategies, after NAT, "resigned coping" decreased, whereas "social support" increased, and active coping strategies were correlated with better PD. Some interventions found a reduction in PD, such as a mobile health application, fasting-mimicking diet, relaxation training, and guided imaging. Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance of considering PD and coping strategies in patients with LABC from diagnosis to the end of NAT. The results suggest that effective psychological interventions should be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mental health challenges are encountered by frail older adults as the population ages. The extant literature is scant regarding the correlation between depressive symptoms and social participation among frail older adults. Methods: This study is based on an analysis of data from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) participants aged 60 and older who are frail. A frailty index (FI) was developed for the purpose of assessing the frailty level of the participants. Additionally, latent class analysis (LCA) was employed to classify the participants' social engagement patterns in 2015 and 2018. The study used ordered logistic regression to examine the relationship between social participation type and depressive symptoms. We also used Latent Transition Analysis (LTA) methods to explore the impact of changes in social activity types on depressive symptoms after three years of follow-up in 2018. In addition, the response surface analysis (RSM) investigation explored the relationship among FI, depression, and social participation. Results: A total of 4,384 participants completed the baseline survey; three years later, 3,483 were included in the follow-up cohort. The baseline survey indicates that female older adults in rural areas who are single, have lower incomes, shorter sleep durations, and lighter weights exhibited more severe depressive symptoms. Social participation patterns were categorized into five subgroups by LCA. The findings indicate that individuals classified as "board game enthusiasts" (OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.47-0.82) and those as "extensive social interaction" (OR,0.67; 95% CI, 0.49-0.90) have a significantly lower likelihood of developing depressive symptoms compared to the "socially isolated" group. We also discovered that "socially isolated" baseline participants who transitioned to the "helpful individual" group after three years had significantly greater depressed symptoms (OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.00-2.44). More social activity types and less FI are linked to lower depression in our study. Conclusion: The results of the study emphasize the importance of social participation patterns and the number of social participation types in relation to the severity of depression among frail older adults individuals. This study's findings may provide important insights for addressing depressive symptoms in frail older adults person. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exciting left DLPFC activity with high frequency and inhibiting right DLPFC with low frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has shown antidepressant effects in major depressive disorder (MDD) and executive functions. However, few studies have directly compared unilateral and bilateral protocols. Methods: Forty-seven individuals with treatment-resistant MDD underwent 10 sessions of rTMS over left DLPFC (20 Hz), bilateral DLPFC (left 20 Hz, right 1 Hz), or sham stimulation. Outcomes were depression (Beck Depression Inventory-II), visual-spatialmemory (Corsi Block Test), response inhibition (Go/No-Go task), and cognitive flexibility (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test) assessed before and after treatment. Results: Both unilateral and bilateral rTMS significantly reduced depression levels versus sham controls based on BDI-II scores. While bilateral stimulation did not improve Corsi Test performance, unilateral protocol enhanced visual-spatial memory. On the Go/No-Go task, accuracy was higher in both active stimulation groups compared to sham, with no response time differences. Neither unilateral nor bilateral rTMS had significant effects on cognitive flexibility per the WCST. Conclusions: Despite comparable antidepressant effects, unilateral stimulation had some cognitive advantages over bilateral rTMS, potentially due to greater left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex excitation. Further research on parameter optimization is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study investigated the associations between retrospective reports of body image victimization (i.e. body shaming) perpetrated by peers and by parents during childhood or adolescence, and food and alcohol disturbance (FAD) in young adulthood, considering the possible mediating role of psychological distress (i.e. subthreshold symptoms of anxiety and depression). Methods: The study involved 1624 young adults aged between 18 and 30 (69% women), who completed an online survey. Results: Our findings revealed that participants who reported more frequent body image victimization episodes during childhood and adolescence exhibited higher levels of psychological distress and, in turn, higher scores of FAD in young adulthood. Conclusions: This result represents a novel contribution to understanding the psychological correlates of FAD in youths. Limitations and implications are discussed. Level of evidence Level V, descriptive study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Tinnitus is a common phenomenon with an estimated prevalence of 14.4% in the adult population. The experienced severity of tinnitus varies significantly among this population. Psychological factors have been identified as major contributors to this perceived severity, and numerous studies have demonstrated a correlation between symptoms of depression and tinnitus severity. However, the assessment of tinnitus severity and depressive symptoms often relies on self-report questionnaires, which show content overlap. This can pose challenges in distinguishing both conditions and interpreting their relationship. To address these challenges, the proposed study aims to examine the overlap between tinnitus and depressive symptom questionnaires by analyzing their content based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework. Methods and analysis: Six validated, multi-item, self-report questionnaires measuring perceived tinnitus severity (THI, TQ, mTQ, THQ, TRQ, TFI) and seven validated, multi-item, self-report, depressive symptom questionnaires (BDI-II, HADS-D, SDS, PHQ-9, CES-D, SCL-90-R depression subscale, DASS-42 depression subscale) will be included in the content analysis. The content of all items of these questionnaires will be linked to ICF categories and item overlap between the tinnitus and depressive symptom questionnaires will be analyzed. Discussion: By exploring the overlap between depression and tinnitus questionnaires, this study seeks to gain a better understanding of the relationship between tinnitus and depression, by distinguishing between shared content and independent constructs of symptom scores and shedding light on the factors influencing their measured severity. Ethics and dissemination: Ethical approval is not required for this study, due to the characteristics of the study design. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed open access publication and scientific conferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Presbycusis is known to accelerate mental decline processes and to cause secondary consequences such as social isolation and depression when not intervened. The association of presbycusis and presbyvestibulopathy disorders is likely. These changes in vestibular functions are closely related to cognitive functions. This study investigated the effect of hearing loss on cognitive and vestibular functions in a geriatric population. Methods: This study was conducted with 200 participants over the age of 65. The study was conducted with three groups: individuals with normal hearing, moderate sensorineural hearing loss, and severe sensorineural hearing loss. The relationship between the participants' responses to the Cognitive Vestibular Function Scale and their hearing levels was examined. Results: Of the individuals with hearing loss in the study group, 55 had moderate SNHL, and 45 had severe SNHL. The age range of the participants was 65 to 91 years (71.06 ± 4.92). When the control (Group N) and study groups (Group M and Group S) were compared according to CVFS and subscale scores, they were found to be statistically different (p < 0.05). In pairwise comparisons, a significant difference (p < 0.05) was found in all pairwise combinations except Group N and Group M (p = 0.109) for the VSM subscale. Conclusions: It was concluded that having a healthy hearing is the most influential factor for maintaining cognitive vestibular functions in the geriatric population. It was found that the degree of hearing loss primarily affects cognitive vestibular functions and that cognitive vestibular functions deteriorate more as hearing loss increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Mental disorders are common and still growing problem around the globe. Significantly decreasing quality of life, they are often source of true suffering for patients and their families leading to further health issues or even dramatic outcomes resulting in death. As public awareness rises, more and more people understand risks and tend to look for help as fast as possible. Currently available treatment methods are not always efficient enough to deal with more complex cases. Therefore it is important to look for new therapy options incrementing chances of fast and successful treatment. Results: Studies showed that psilocybin is not only able to lower depression and anxiety scores in patients with major depressive disorders or with serious life-threatening conditions but also proved this effect to be long-lasting. At the same time, no or little adverse side effects were noticed. Conclusions: Psilocybin is potentially a good method for depression treatment in some groups of patients. It should be considered if other, better known therapies show little or no effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children with high body mass index (BMI) are at heightened risk of developing health issues in adulthood, yet the causality between childhood BMI and adult psychiatric disorders remains unclear. Using a life course Mendelian randomization (MR) framework, we investigated the causal effects of childhood and adulthood BMI on adult psychiatric disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, anxiety, major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and schizophrenia, using data from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium and FinnGen study. Childhood BMI was significantly associated with an increased risk of schizophrenia, while adulthood BMI was associated with a decreased risk of OCD and schizophrenia. Multivariable MR analyses indicated a direct causal effect of childhood BMI on schizophrenia, independent of adulthood BMI and lifestyle factors. No evidence of causal associations was found between childhood BMI and other psychiatric outcomes. The sensitivity analyses yielded broadly consistent findings. These findings highlight the critical importance of early-life interventions to mitigate the long-term consequences of childhood adiposity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The number of chronic diseases has been associated with changes in depressive symptoms over time among middle-aged and older adults. This study aimed to explore the association between the number of chronic diseases and trajectories of depressive symptoms and the role of age in this association. Methods: A total of 12,974 middle-aged and older Chinese adults (≥ 45 years) participated in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) in waves 2011, 2013, 2015, 2018, and 2020. The number of chronic diseases was determined by self-reported hospital diagnosis of hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, cancer, chronic lung diseases, liver disease, heart diseases, stroke, kidney diseases, digestive diseases, emotional, nervous, or psychiatric problems, memory-related disease, arthritis or rheumatism, asthma, and then obtaining the total number of chronic diseases. Depressive symptoms were measured by the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10). Group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) was adopted to capture the trajectories of depressive symptoms over time. Multinomial logistic regressions were conducted to examine the association between the number of chronic diseases and trajectories of depressive symptoms and the role of age in this association. Results: Four distinct trajectories of depressive symptoms were observed in 34.68% individuals in mild, 40.76% in moderate, 19.41% in increasing, and 5.15% in severe group. Compared to participants without chronic diseases, those with one, two, three or more chronic diseases had a 1.81, 3, and 7.49-fold higher risk of developing severe depressive symptom trajectory, respectively. Moreover, the association between the number of chronic diseases and severe depressive symptoms trajectory differed by age (45–59 and ≥ 60 years) (P for interaction < 0.05). Conclusion: Participants with middle age may play a promoting role in the association between the number of chronic disease and severe depressive symptoms. The severe depressive symptoms intervention may be more beneficial for middle-aged adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Social isolation and loneliness can co-occur; however, they are distinct concepts. There is discrepancy as some people feel lonely in social isolation, while others do not. This study sought to enhance our understanding of this discrepancy between social isolation and loneliness by investigating its related factors, with a specific focus on mental status and personality traits. Methods: This study adopted a cross-sectional study design and utilized data from the 2016 and 2018 waves of the University of Michigan Health and Retirement Study. The participants were community dwellers aged 50 years and older. The outcome measurement was defined as the discrepancy between social isolation, based on six criteria, and loneliness, assessed using the three-item version of the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale. Multinomial logistic regression models were conducted to examine the factors associated with the discrepancy. Results: Participants with fewer depressive symptoms and higher extraversion were associated with the only social isolation group and the only loneliness group rather than the group consisting of those who felt lonely with social isolation. In addition, lower neuroticism was associated with the only social isolation group. Participants with fewer depressive symptoms, lower neuroticism, and higher extraversion were more likely not to feel lonely even with social isolation, compared to feeling lonely even in the absence of isolation. Conclusions: Mental status and personality traits may be closely related to the discrepancy between social isolation and loneliness. This study suggests that incorporating social, mental, and psychological factors may be essential for interventions in social isolation and loneliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) has disrupted lives worldwide, affecting individuals from all walks of life. Individuals who have a spinal cord injury (SCI) are also affected by this phenomenon. This survey compares the quality of life (QOL), depression, and anxiety of SCI patients before and during COVID-19 in Wuhan City, China. Methods: A cross-sectional survey utilized an online questionnaire to assess the QOL, levels of anxiety, and depression among 189 SCI patients admitted to Wuhan Tongji Hospital during pandemic from November 2020 to April 2021. Data before COVID-19 outbreak from November to December 2019 was retrieved from hospital records with the same assessment previously performed in-person or during a follow up visit. However, some participants were excluded for various reasons, such as declining to participate, not being admitted to a rehabilitation program due to the pandemic, or being under 18 years old. The World Health Organization's (WHO) QOL-Brief Version (BREF) and disability (DIS) modules, which focus on disability-related QOL, were used to assess the participants' QOL. Results: SCI patients had lower QOL scores during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic times. Mean scores on the 12-item DIS module significantly differed before and during the COVID-19 period. Participants showed higher adherence to self-isolation and quarantine measures for high-risk encounters (64.94%), but lower compliance with home disinfection and proper rest practices (23.38%). Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a detrimental effect on the QOL of SCI patients in China, highlighting the urgent requirement for telehealth-based rehabilitation to mitigate its impact. It is crucial to provide essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition to adolescence is a critical period for mental health development. Socio-experiential environments play an important role in the emergence of depressive symptoms with some adolescents showing more sensitivity to social contexts than others. Drawing on recent developmental neuroscience advances, we examined whether hippocampal volume amplifies social context effects in the transition to adolescence. We analyzed 2-y longitudinal data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD®) study in a diverse sample of 11,832 youth (mean age: 9.914 y; range: 8.917 to 11.083 y; 47.8% girls) from 21 sites across the United States. Socio-experiential environments (i.e., family conflict, primary caregiver's depressive symptoms, parental warmth, peer victimization, and prosocial school environment), hippocampal volume, and a wide range of demographic characteristics were measured at baseline. Youth's symptoms of major depressive disorder were assessed at both baseline and 2 y later. Multilevel mixed-effects linear regression analyses showed that negative social environments (i.e., family conflict, primary caregiver's depressive symptoms, and peer victimization) and the absence of positive social environments (i.e., parental warmth and prosocial school environment) predicted greater increases in youth's depressive symptoms over 2 y. Importantly, left hippocampal volume amplified social context effects such that youth with larger left hippocampal volume experienced greater increases in depressive symptoms in more negative and less positive social environments. Consistent with brain-environment interaction models of mental health, these findings underscore the importance of families, peers, and schools in the development of depression during the transition to adolescence and show how neural structure amplifies social context sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: OnabotulinumtoxinA (OnaA) injection in glabella area appears to be a promising treatment for major depression. However, one major concern of placebo‐controlled studies on botulinum toxin injections is to ensure adequate blinding. Patients and Methods: In this context, all subjects of this trial received the active product (OnaA). After randomization, 58 patients with resistant major depressive disorder (MDD) received OnaA either in the glabella area (N = 29) or in the crow's feet area (N = 29). Subjects were blinded to the supposedly effective area against resistant depression and the examiner was not aware of the injected area. The primary outcome measure was the proportion of responders (50% or greater decrease in MADRS [Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale] score from baseline) in glabella group versus crow's feet group at week 6 after the OnaA injection. Results: The number of responders was significantly higher in the glabella group than in the crow's feet group with 13 responders out of 29 patients (44.8%) in the glabella group and five out of 28 patients (17.9%) in the crow's feet group (p = 0.029). The rate of psychomotor agitation as measured by item 9 of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM‐D), associated with a shorter span of psychiatric disorder, was a potent positive predictive factor of positive response to treatment. Conclusion: We conclude that OnaA injected in the glabella muscles is an effective and well‐tolerated treatment for MDD. We suggest that patients with a high score at item 9 of the HAM‐D might be a subgroup of best responders. We assume that OnaA may act as a modulator of the activity of the primary sensorimotor cortex and then of the amygdala. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03484754 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poststroke aphasia hinders patients' emotional processing and social adaptation. This study estimated the risks of depression and related symptoms in patients developing or not developing aphasia after various types of stroke. Using data from the US Collaborative Network within the TriNetX Diamond Network, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of adults experiencing their first stroke between 2013 and 2022. Diagnoses were confirmed using corresponding International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification codes. Patients were stratified by poststroke aphasia status and stroke type, with propensity score matching performed to control for confounders. The primary outcome was depression within one year post-stroke; secondary outcomes included anxiety, fatigue, agitation, emotional impact, and insomnia. Each matched group comprised 12,333 patients. The risk of depression was significantly higher in patients with poststroke aphasia (hazard ratio: 1.728; 95% CI 1.464–2.038; p < 0.001), especially those with post-hemorrhagic-stroke aphasia (hazard ratio: 2.321; 95% CI 1.814–2.970; p < 0.001). Patients with poststroke aphasia also had higher risks of fatigue, agitation, and emotional impact. Anxiety and insomnia risks were higher in those with post-hemorrhagic-stroke aphasia. Poststroke aphasia, particularly post-hemorrhagic-stroke aphasia, may increase the risks of depression and associated symptoms, indicating the need for comprehensive psychiatric assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic health professionals were facing mental health challenges. The aim of this study was to examine the mental health of doctors, nurses and other professional groups in Europe and to identify differences between the professional groups. We conducted a cross-sectional online survey in 8 European countries. We asked for demographic data, whether the participants were exposed to COVID-19 at work, for main information sources about the pandemic, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), and major stressors. A MANCOVA was carried out to find predictors of mental health among health care professionals. The sample (N = 1398) consisted of 237 physicians, 459 nurses, and 351 other healthcare professionals and 351 non-medical professionals with no direct involvement in patient care. The mean mental health of all groups was affected to a mild degree. Major predictors for depression and anxiety were the profession group with higher scores especially in the group of the nurses and working directly with COVID-patients. In the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the psychological burden on health professionals has remained high, with being nurse and working directly with COVID19 patients being particular risk factors for mental distress. We found as a main result that nurses scored significantly higher on depression and anxiety than practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite efforts to promote guideline use, guideline adoption is often suboptimal due to failure to identify and address relevant barriers. Barriers vary not only between guidelines but also between settings, intended users, and targeted patients. Multi-professional guidelines are often used in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), making the implementation process more difficult. Despite this, there is a lack of knowledge about which barriers to consider or if barriers vary by profession. The aim of this study was to address these gaps by examining barriers to adopting a multi-professional depression guideline in the context of a nationwide implementation study. Methods: 440 CAMHS clinicians across Sweden (52%) completed the Barriers and Facilitators Assessment Instrument (BFAI) ahead of an implementation endeavour. BFAI is a widely used and validated measure of guideline implementation on four scales: Innovation, Provider, Context, and Patient. Barriers were calculated at scale and at item levels. ANOVA and chi-square tests were used to analyse differences by profession and effect sizes were calculated. Results: Overall, clinicians were optimistic about guideline uptake, particularly about guideline characteristics and their own adoption ability. Barriers were related to the patient and the context domains, as well as to individual clinician knowledge and training. Perceptions differed across professions; psychiatrists were most, and counsellors were least positive about guideline embeddedness. Conclusion: This large-scale quantitative study suggests that CAMHS clinicians have an overall favourable attitude towards guideline adoption but highlights the need for adaptations to certain patient groups. Strategies to improve guideline use should primarily address these patient issues while securing proper support to the implementation. Implementation efforts, particularly those targeting staff knowledge, training, and involvement, may benefit from being tailored to different professional needs. These findings may inform implementation projects in CAMHS and future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions hold promise in assisting older adults to meet physical activity (PA) guidelines. Yet, little is known about how older adults perceive using smartphones to enhance their PA. This study explored older adults' experiences with the "My Health Plan" mHealth intervention and examined which person‐level factors were associated with adherence. Methods. Forty older adults (52.5% female, mean age: 72.6 years) were instructed to use the My Health Plan application, which provided up to six stretch‐ and strengthening exercises per day and to wear a Fitbit Charge activity monitor for seven consecutive days. Person‐level factors (e.g., gender and age) and psychosocial factors (e.g., intention and motivation) were assessed using a questionnaire. Afterwards, semistructured interviews were conducted to gather participants' experiences with the application and Fitbit. Deductive thematic analysis (qualitative data) and regression analyses (quantitative data) were conducted. Results. Key themes emerging from the interviews were (1) smartphone notifications (including timing and number) and carrying the smartphone throughout the day, (2) suggested stretch‐ and strengthening exercises, (3) providing feedback, (4) experiences with Fitbit, and (5) overall suggestions for improving the application and mHealth interventions. Overall, participants reported positive experiences with the application and Fitbit. Being male, having higher baseline PA, lower anxiety, and greater ability to participate in social roles and activities were related to increased engagement with the proposed exercises. Conclusions. This study provides valuable insights to optimize future mHealth interventions tailored to older adults' specific needs, aligning with their perceptions of the digital transformation in health promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Germany is the second most common country of immigration after the US. However, people with own or familial history of migration are not represented proportionately to the population within public health monitoring and reporting. To bridge this data gap and enable differentiated analyses on migration and health, we conducted the health interview survey GEDA Fokus among adults with Croatian, Italian, Polish, Syrian, or Turkish citizenship living throughout Germany. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the effects of recruitment efforts regarding participation and sample composition. Methods: Data collection for this cross-sectional and multilingual survey took place between 11/2021 and 5/2022 utilizing a sequential mixed-mode design, including self-administered web- and paper-based questionnaires as well as face-to-face and telephone interviews. The gross sample (n = 33436; age range 18–79 years) was randomly drawn from the residents' registers in 120 primary sampling units based on citizenship. Outcome rates according to the American Association for Public Opinion Research, the sample composition throughout the multistage recruitment process, utilization of survey modes, and questionnaire languages are presented. Results: Overall, 6038 persons participated, which corresponded to a response rate of 18.4% (range: 13.8% for Turkish citizenship to 23.9% for Syrian citizenship). Home visits accounted for the largest single increase in response. During recruitment, more female, older, as well as participants with lower levels of education and income took part in the survey. People with physical health problems and less favourable health behaviour more often took part in the survey at a later stage, while participants with symptoms of depression or anxiety more often participated early. Utilization of survey modes and questionnaire languages differed by sociodemographic and migration-related characteristics, e.g. participants aged 50 years and above more often used paper- than web-based questionnaires and those with a shorter duration of residence more often used a translated questionnaire. Conclusion: Multiple contact attempts, including home visits and different survey languages, as well as offering different modes of survey administration, increased response rates and most likely reduced non-response bias. In order to adequately represent and include the diversifying population in public health monitoring, national public health institutes should tailor survey designs to meet the needs of different population groups considered hard to survey to enable their survey participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study objective: Advanced rectal cancer is a common cause of perineal pain and research on the use of radiofrequency therapy for the treatment of this pain is limited. In the present study, we aimed to compare the effectiveness and safety of conventional radiofrequency (CRF) and high-voltage long-term pulsed radiofrequency (H-PRF) of radiofrequency therapy in the management of perineal pain in advanced rectal cancer. Design: Randomized, Double-Blind Controlled Trial. Setting: Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute and Yanjiang District People's Hospital in Sichuan, China. Participants: A total of 72 patients with advanced rectal cancer experiencing perineal pain who were accepted for radiofrequency treatment. Interventions: Patients were assigned randomly (1:1) assigned to either the group CRF or H-PRF in a double-blind trial. Measurements and main results: The primary focus was on assessing perineal pain using numeric rating scales (NRS) scores at various time points. Secondary outcomes included the duration of maintaining a sitting position, depression scores, sleep quality, consumption of Oral Morphine Equivalent and Pregabalin, and the incidence of perineal numbness. A total of 57 patients (28 patients in the group CRF and 29 patients in the group H-PRF) were investigated. At all observation time points postoperatively, both groups of patients exhibited significant reductions in pain, enhancements in depression, improvements in sleep quality, and increased duration of sitting compared to their baseline measurements (P<0.05). During the 3 months and 6 months follow-up period, the group CRF exhibited significant reduction in pain, improvement in depression, sleep quality, and increased the time of keeping a sitting position compared with the group H-PRF (P<0.05). The consumption of oral morphine equivalent and Pregabalin as well as the incidence of perineal numbness were not significantly different between groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that application of CRF and H-PRF in ganglion impar to reduce perineal pain and improve the quality of life of patients with advanced rectal cancer is safe and effective. However, the long-term effect of CRF is better compared with that of H-PRF. Trial registration: https://www.chictr.org.cn/ (ChiCTR2200061800) on 02/07/2022. This study adheres to CONSORT guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies on reinforcement learning have identified three prominent phenomena: (1) individuals with anxiety or depression exhibit a reduced learning rate compared to healthy subjects; (2) learning rates may increase or decrease in environments with rapidly changing (i.e. volatile) or stable feedback conditions, a phenomenon termed learning rate adaptation; and (3) reduced learning rate adaptation is associated with several psychiatric disorders. In other words, multiple learning rate parameters are needed to account for behavioral differences across participant populations and volatility contexts in this flexible learning rate (FLR) model. Here, we propose an alternative explanation, suggesting that behavioral variation across participant populations and volatile contexts arises from the use of mixed decision strategies. To test this hypothesis, we constructed a mixture-of- strategies (MOS) model and used it to analyze the behaviors of 54 healthy controls and 32 patients with anxiety and depression in volatile reversal learning tasks. Compared to the FLR model, the MOS model can reproduce the three classic phenomena by using a single set of strategy preference parameters without introducing any learning rate differences. In addition, the MOS model can successfully account for several novel behavioral patterns that cannot be explained by the FLR model. Preferences for different strategies also predict individual variations in symptom severity. These findings underscore the importance of considering mixed strategy use in human learning and decision-making and suggest atypical strategy preference as a potential mechanism for learning deficits in psychiatric disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescence poses significant challenges for emotion regulation (ER) and is thus a critical phase in the emergence of various mental disorders, specifically internalising disorders such as anxiety and depression. Affective control, defined as the application of cognitive control in affective contexts, is crucial for effective ER. However, the relationship between ER and affective control is unclear. This study examined the predictive role of ER strategies and difficulties in affective control, measured as the congruency effect and error rate on an Emotional Stroop task (EST), in a sample of adolescents and young adults (aged 14–21, M = 17.28, 22% male). It was hypothesised that participants with internalising disorders would show higher congruency effects and error rates on the EST than healthy controls after a psychosocial stress induction, indicating lower affective control. Surprisingly, our findings revealed no significant differences in these measures between the groups. However, higher depression scores were associated with increased EST errors. While ER strategies and difficulties did not predict affective control, exploratory analyses unveiled associations between depression scores and ER strategy repertoire, perceived ER success and the ER strategy Acceptance. These findings underscore the importance of implicit ER facets, particularly perceived ER success and flexibility to change between applied strategies for adolescents and young adults with elevated depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although it is generally recognized that sleep quality, depressive symptoms, and cognitive functions are related respectively, the main ambiguity comes from difficulties in determining their cause-effect relationships. The present study aimed to explore the longitudinal causation relationships among sleep quality, depressive symptoms, and cognitive functions in older people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). A total of 134 patients from 24 communities in Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, China with MCI were interviewed at baseline, while 124 of them were re-interviewed 2 months later, and 122 were re-interviewed 4 months later. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale were assessed in the interview. Cross-lagged models were tested to disentangle the relationships among sleep quality, depressive symptoms, and cognitive functions using structural equation modeling with latent variables on the four-mouth longitudinal data. The correlation coefficients between sleep quality and depressive symptoms were significant showing the stability across time points of assessment, while the correlation coefficient of cognitive function was not significant (r = 0.159, p > 0.05). The results of index of model fit indicated that the cross-lagged model was acceptable (CFI = 0.934, TLI = 0.899, RMSEA = 0.075, χ2/df = 1.684). The results of cross-lagged model analysis supported the complete mediating role of depressive symptoms in the association between sleep quality and cognitive functions, where worse sleep quality may lead to more severe depressive symptoms, which in turn leads to more severe cognitive decline. In Conclusion, sleep quality is significantly correlated with cognitive functions in patients with mild cognitive impairment, which association is fully mediated by depressive symptoms. Approaches addressing sleep quality and depressive symptoms are recommended and hold promise for the management of mild cognitive impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetes and poor glycaemic control have been shown to negatively impact cognitive abilities, while also raising risk of both mood disorders and brain structural atrophy. Sites of atrophy include the hippocampus, which has been implicated in both memory performance and depression. The current study set out to better characterise the associations between poor glycaemic control, memory performance, and depression symptoms, and investigate whether loss of hippocampal volume could represent a neuropathological mechanism underlying these. Methods: 1331 participants (60.9% female, age range 18–88 (Mean = 44.02), 6.5% with likely diabetes) provided HbA1c data (as an index of glycaemic control), completed a word list learning task, and a validated depression scale. A subsample of 392 participants underwent structural MRI; hippocampal volumes were extracted using FreeSurfer. Results: Partial correlation analyses (controlling for age, gender, and education) showed that, in the full sample, poorer glycaemic control was related to lower word list memory performance. In the MRI sub-sample, poorer glycaemic control was related to higher depressive symptoms, and lower hippocampal volumes. Total hippocampus volume partially mediated the association between HbA1c levels and depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Results emphasise the impact of glycaemic control on memory, depression and hippocampal volume and suggest hippocampal volume loss could be a pathophysiological mechanism underlying the link between HbA1c and depression risk; inflammatory and stress-hormone related processes might have a role in this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Parental psychological distress is a well-known risk factor for developmental psychopathology, with longer term parental distress associated with worse youth mental health. Neurotoxicant exposure during pregnancy is a risk factor for both poor maternal and youth mental health. The impact of one class of pollutant, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), on long-term trajectories of maternal distress and youth self-reported mental health symptoms in adolescence has been understudied. Methods: PAH exposure was measured by DNA adducts in maternal blood sampled during the third trimester of pregnancy. Maternal distress, operationalized as maternal demoralization, was measured at 11 timepoints (prenatal to child age 16). Adolescent mental health symptoms were measured at age 13–15. Follow up analyses examined a subset of measures available at age 15–20 years. Structural equation modeling examined associations between PAH exposure during pregnancy and latent growth metrics of maternal distress, and between maternal distress (intercept and slope) and youth mental health symptoms in a prospective longitudinal birth cohort (N = 564 dyads). Results: Higher prenatal PAH exposure was associated with higher concurrent maternal distress. Prenatal maternal distress was associated with adolescent's self-reported anxiety, depression, and externalizing problems. On average, maternal distress declined over time; a slower decline in mother's distress across the course of the child's life was associated with greater self-reported anxiety and externalizing problems in youth. Conclusions: Our findings are consistent with an intergenerational framework of environmental effects on mental health: PAH exposure during pregnancy affects maternal mental health, which in turn influences mental health outcomes for youth well into adolescence. Future research is necessary to elucidate the possible social and biological mechanisms (e.g., parenting, epigenetics) underlying the intergenerational transmission of the negative effects of pollution on mental health in caregiver-child dyads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immigrant Latinas (who are foreign-born but now reside in the USA) are at greater risk for developing postpartum depression than the general perinatal population, but many face barriers to treatment. To address these barriers, we adapted the Mothers and Babies Course—an evidence-based intervention for postpartum depression prevention—to a virtual group format. Additional adaptations are inclusion of tailored supplemental child health content and nutrition benefit assistance. We are partnering with Early Learning Centers (ELC) across the state of Maryland to deliver and test the adapted intervention. Methods: The design is a Hybrid Type I Effectiveness-Implementation Trial. A total of 300 participants will be individually randomized to immediate (N = 150) versus delayed (N = 150) receipt of the intervention, Mothers and Babies Virtual Group (MB-VG). The intervention will be delivered by trained Early Learning Center staff. The primary outcomes are depressive symptoms (measured via the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale), parenting self-efficacy (measured via the Parental Cognition and Conduct Towards the Infant Scale (PACOTIS) Parenting Self-Efficacy subscale), and parenting responsiveness (measured via the Maternal Infant Responsiveness Instrument) at 1-week, 3-month, and 6-month post-intervention. Depressive episodes (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-V- Disorders Research Version) at 3-month and 6-month post-intervention will also be assessed. Secondary outcomes include social support, mood management, anxiety symptoms, perceived stress, food insecurity, and mental health stigma at 1-week, 3-month, and 6-month post-intervention. Exploratory child outcomes are dysregulation and school readiness at 6-month post-intervention. Intervention fidelity, feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness will also be assessed guided by the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework. Discussion: This study will be one of the first to test the efficacy of a group-based virtual perinatal depression intervention with Latina immigrants, for whom stark disparities exist in access to health services. The hybrid effectiveness-implementation design will allow rigorous examination of barriers and facilitators to delivery of the intervention package (including supplemental components) which will provide important information on factors influencing intervention effectiveness and the scalability of intervention components in Early Learning Centers and other child-serving settings. Registration.: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05873569. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]