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Abstract Background The sociodemographic characteristics and clinical features of dementia patients in psychiatric hospitals have not been thoroughly studied in China. This study aimed to explore the psychiatric outpatient attendance of dementia patients at a psychiatric hospital in China, with particular emphasis on gender differences. Methods This retrospective study examined outpatients with dementia from January 2013 to August 2019 using data in the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership Common Data Model (OMOP-CDM) in Beijing Anding Hospital. Age, sex, number of visits, use of drugs and comorbid conditions were extracted from medical records. Results Nine thousand four patients were recruited from a specific outpatient clinic of a hospital in Beijing, and the mean number of visits was 6.92. There were 3,433 (38.13%) male patients and 5,571 (61.87%) female patients. The most common comorbidities were generalized anxiety disorder, nonorganic insomnia, delusional disorder and depressive disorder. The proportion of patients using antidementia was the highest, with the rate of 68.3%, followed by benzodiazepines (48.83%), antipsychotics (45.43%), antidepressants (22.24%) and nonbenzodiazepines (19.96%). Patients with dementia showed a significant gender difference in average age (t = 6.36, P

ObjectivesTo preliminarily explore the functional activity and information integration of the brains under resting state based on graph theory in patients with first-episode, late-life depression (LLD) before and after antidepressant treatment.MethodsA total of 50 patients with first-episode LLD and 40 non-depressed controls (NCs) were recruited for the present research. Participants underwent the RBANS test, the 17-item Hamilton depression rating scale (HAMD-17) test, and resting-state functional MRI scans (rs-fMRI). The RBANS test consists of 12 sub-tests that contribute to a total score and index scores across the five domains: immediate memory, visuospatial/constructional, language, attention, and delayed memory. Escitalopram or sertraline was adopted for treating depression, and the dosage of the drug was adjusted by the experienced psychiatrists. Of the 50 LLD patients, 27 cases who completed 6-month follow-ups and 27 NCs matched with age, sex, and education level were included for the final statistical analysis.ResultsThere were significant differences in RBANS total score, immediate memory, visuospatial/constructional, language, attention, and delayed memory between LLD baseline group and NCs group (P < 0.05). Considering the global attribute indicators, the clustering coefficient of global indicators was lower in the LLD baseline group than in the NCs group, and the small-world attribute of functional brain networks existed in all three groups. The degree centrality and node efficiency of some brains were lower in the LLD baseline group than in the NCs group. After 6 months of antidepressant therapy, the scores of HAMD-17, immediate memory, language, and delayed memory in the LLD follow-up group were higher than those in the LLD baseline group. Compared with the LLD baseline group, the degree centrality and node efficiency of some brains in the cognitive control network were decreased in the LLD follow-up group.ConclusionsThe ability to integrate and divide labor of functional brain networks declines in LLD patients and linked with the depression severity. After the relief of depressive symptoms, the small-world attribute of functional brain networks in LLD patients persists. However, the information transmission efficiency and centrality of some brain regions continue to decline over time, perhaps related to their progressive cognitive impairment.

ObjectivePrevious studies indicate that more than half of those who died by suicide had a depressive disorder. When discussing the factors associated to suicidal behavior (SB) among patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), sociocultural contexts should also be carefully considered. This case series study explored the factors correlated to SB among MDD patients in Beijing, China.MethodsThe patient information sheets were retrieved from an electronic database that comprised patient medical information. Three forms of binary logistic regression equations were conducted to explore the factors associated to SB among patients with MDD. For the inconsistent variables produced by the three regression models, the propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was done for further verification.ResultsIn this retrospective study, 1,091 depressed cases were enrolled. The difference between the SB group and non-SB group in gender, impulsivity, the severity of depression, history of major mental trauma, and family history of suicide were statistically significant in univariate comparisons (P < 0.05); the binary logistic regression analysis and the PSM analysis showed that female gender, history of major mental trauma, impulsivity, family history of suicide and severity of depression were factors correlated to SB among patients with MDD (odds ratios >1).ConclusionsFemale gender, the history of major mental trauma, impulsivity, the severity of depression, and family history of suicide were independently associated with the appearance of SB among MDD patients in Beijing, China. Inevitably, these findings should be viewed with particular caution due to the inherent drawbacks of a retrospective nature. More prospective longitudinal research should be conducted to examine those dynamic alterations in the corresponding confounders.

The response rate of treatment for late-life depression (LLD) is only 25–60%. The cognitive impairment associated with LLD often affects the effectiveness of antidepressants and may has the potential ability to predict response. This study seeks a biomarker for baseline cognitive function to predict efficacy of antidepressants. Sixty patients diagnosed with LLD received escitalopram or sertraline treatment for 8 weeks. Clinical symptom was measured using Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17 (HAMD-17) and cognitive function was measured using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), Trail Making Test (TMT) before and after 8-week treatment. Patients were divided into treatment effective group (TE) and treatment ineffective group (TI) according to reduction rate in scores of HAMD-17 after treatment. Thirty-eight matched healthy controls (HC) were assessed using RBANS and TMT. There was significant decrease of score of RBANS and increase of score of TMT in patients with LLD compared with HC. Regression analysis revealed that change in HAMD-17 score was significantly positively associated with baseline score of picture naming, figure copy, digit span, and delayed memory. The preliminary findings suggested that working memory, attention, visuospatial, language function, and delayed memory should be examined further as a means of providing the useful objective biomarkers of treatment response.Clinical Trials Registration[www.ClinicalTrials.gov], identifier [ChiCTR2100042370].

ObjectivesTo investigate the altered intrinsic brain activity (IBA) in patients suffering from late-life depression (LLD) using a percent amplitude of fluctuation (PerAF) method.MethodsIn total, fifty patients with LLD and 40 non-depressed controls (NCs) were recruited for the present research. Participants underwent the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) test and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) scans. The RBANS test consists of 12 sub-tests that contribute to a total score and index scores across the following five domains: immediate memory, visuospatial/constructional, language, attention, and delayed memory. The PerAF method was used for data analysis to detect changes in neural activity in the relevant brain regions. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was conducted to evaluate the ability of the RBANS test and proposed the PerAF method in distinguishing the two groups. The relationships between altered IBA and neuropsychologic deficits were determined by the Pearson correlation analysis.ResultsA significant difference existed in RBANS total score, immediate memory, visuospatial/constructional, language, attention, and delayed memory between groups (P < 0.05). Compared with the NCs group, the LLD group demonstrated decreased PerAF differences in the bilateral superior frontal gyrus, orbital part (Frontal_Sup_Orb), and bilateral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). The PerAF method and RBANS test exhibited an excellent discriminatory power with the area under curve (AUC) values in distinguishing the two groups. In addition, the attention score of the RBANS test positively correlated with the PerAF values of the bilateral Frontal_Sup_Orb and bilateral ACC.ConclusionThe changes of PerAF in the bilateral Frontal_Sup_Orb and bilateral ACC are related to an increased risk of developing LLD. Moreover, the PerAF method could be used as an underlying sensitivity biomarker to identify the psychiatric disorder.

INTRODUCTION:Child emotional or behavioral problems and insufficient social development has been a heavy burden on family and society. However, currently large-scale studies on emotional and behavioral problems as well as social competence among school children in China are still lacking. This cross-sectional study analyzed the current status and risk factors of behavioral problems and social competences in Beijing students. METHOD:A total of 9,295 students, with ages ranging from 6 to 16 years old, were enrolled in the study. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was used to screen emotional and behavioral problems, social competences of students. We then assessed significant predictors factors associated with children behavioral problems and social competences. RESULTS:The total detection rate of behavioral problems of this cohort was 16.7%. All kinds of social competence scores of boys were lower than girls (P