Project description:BackgroundAnxiety 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.MethodsThe 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.ResultsThe 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.ConclusionsThe 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.
Project description:MAP kinase signaling has been implicated in brain development, long-term memory, and the response to antidepressants. Inducible Braf knockout mice enabled us to unravel a new role of neuronal MAPK signaling for emotional behavior. Braf mice that were induced during adulthood showed normal anxiety but increased depression-like behavior, in accordance with pharmacological findings. In contrast, the inactivation of Braf in the juvenile brain leads to normal depression-like behavior but decreased anxiety in adults. In these mutants we found no alteration of GABAergic neurotransmission but reduced neuronal arborization in the dentate gyrus. Analysis of gene expression in the hippocampus revealed nine downregulated MAPK target genes that represent candidates to cause the mutant phenotype. Our results reveal the differential function of MAPK signaling in juvenile and adult life phases and emphasize the early postnatal period as critical for the determination of anxiety in adults. Moreover, these results validate inducible gene inactivation as new valuable approach, allowing to discriminate between gene function in the adult and the developing postnatal brain. Five male Braf-cko, six male homozygous Braf-flox littermates, six male heterozygous CamkII-Cre, and six male wildtype littermates were killed with CO2, the complete hippocampal tissue was prepared, and total RNA was extracted with the Trizol protocol. The integrity and quality of the RNA samples were analyzed with an RNA electrophoresis chip (RNA 6000 Nano Kit, Agilent, Boeblingen, Germany). RNA samples of high integrity and quality (RIN ≥ 7.5) were further processed with the TotalPrep RNA Amplification Kit (Ambion, Austin, TX, USA) and hybridized onto MouseWG-6 v1.1 Expression Bead-Chips (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA) following manufacturer’s instructions. Data were analyzed using the software R (used packages: beadarray, limma, and vsn).
Project description:BackgroundPrior research has demonstrated that people with cataracts are more likely to experience anxiety and depression co-occurring when the condition advances to a degree that impairs vision beyond its physiological effects. According to network theory, there is a connection between the interplay of anxiety and depression and the genesis of comorbidity. Using a network viewpoint, our study examined the network properties of anxiety-depression in cataract patients to pinpoint central and bridge symptoms as well as possible intervention targets for more focused and successful therapies.MethodA total of 1,254 cataract patients were enrolled in our study. The Nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the Seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7) were used to measure depression and anxiety symptoms, respectively. The R 4.3.3 software was utilized for network model building and descriptive statistics. Furthermore, we displayed a "Thoughts of death" flow network.ResultIn the network, A5 "Restlessness"- D7 "Concentration difficulties" showed the strongest edge. A2 "Uncontrollable worry" and D2 "Depressed or sad mood" could be identified as the central symptoms. A7 "Afraid something will happen" and D7 "Concentration difficulties" could be identified as bridge symptoms. The strongest edge in the flow network was D9 "Thoughts of death"-D6 "Feeling of worthlessness".Conclusion"Uncontrollable worry", "Depressed or sad mood", "Afraid something will happen" and "Concentration difficulties" could be potential targets for the prevention of anxiety and depression in cataract patients. Furthermore, this study emphasizes how important it is to prevent suicide in cataract patients, and the symptom "Feeling of worthlessness" can be used as an effective target.
Project description:BackgroundResilience is a protective feature against anxiety and depression disorders. However, the precise relationship and structure of resilience and anxiety and depression remain poorly understood. This study sought to investigate the link among resilience' components and anxiety as well as depression.Methods1,279 clinical nurses were recruited. 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7, and Patient Health Questionnaire 9 were employed to evaluate resilience, anxiety, and depression, respectively. The regularized partial-correlation network was generated utilizing data from cross-sectional survey and the bridge expected influence index was utilized to quantify bridge components.ResultsThe rates of anxiety and depression within clinical nurses were 67.3% and 67.2%, accordingly. Four strongest bridge edges appeared in the resilience-anxiety network, like "Adapt to change"- "Fear that something might happen", and "Stay focused under pressure"- "Uncontrollable worry". Two strongest bridge edges appeared in the resilience-depression network, like "Adapt to change"- "Concentration difficulties" and "Stay focused under pressure"- "Fatigue". "Adapt to change" was recognized as bridging nodes in both the resilience-anxiety network and the resilience-depression network.ConclusionsInterventions targeting the bridge component "Adapt to change" within resilience, may mitigate the intensity of anxiety and depression symptoms among clinical nurses.
Project description:BackgroundThe mental health burden among adolescents has been increasing, impacting individuals even before formal diagnosis of common mental disorders. Although personality traits, as key indicators of mental health conditions, play a crucial role in the development of mental disorders, there is a gap regarding the trait-to-symptom pathways and similarities and differences between adolescents and young adults.MethodsA total of 860 adolescents and 1751 young adults participated in this study. The Chinese Big Five Personality Inventory assessed the Big Five traits, while depression and anxiety symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, respectively. Network analysis computed the bridging centrality of Big Five traits and elucidated trait-to-symptom pathways. Furthermore, network comparison was applied to compare network structure between adolescents and young adults.ResultsIn both age groups, neuroticism exhibited a transdiagnostic activating effect on depression and anxiety. Conscientiousness demonstrated the strongest protective effect against depression, whereas agreeableness was most protective against anxiety. In both samples, neuroticism primarily influenced symptoms associated with negative emotions and thoughts. Comparatively, extraversion exhibited a significant increasing protective effect against depression throughout adolescence, while neuroticism increasingly activated anxiety symptoms.ConclusionsThis study highlights the potential to utilize personality traits for early detection and precise intervention in adolescent populations, providing actionable insights. By identifying the level of neuroticism, we can effectively detect high-risk adolescent individuals prior to formal diagnosis. By delineating the neuroticism-to-symptom pathways, we can implement targeted intervention on their pathological interactions.
Project description:MAP kinase signaling has been implicated in brain development, long-term memory, and the response to antidepressants. Inducible Braf knockout mice enabled us to unravel a new role of neuronal MAPK signaling for emotional behavior. Braf mice that were induced during adulthood showed normal anxiety but increased depression-like behavior, in accordance with pharmacological findings. In contrast, the inactivation of Braf in the juvenile brain leads to normal depression-like behavior but decreased anxiety in adults. In these mutants we found no alteration of GABAergic neurotransmission but reduced neuronal arborization in the dentate gyrus. Analysis of gene expression in the hippocampus revealed nine downregulated MAPK target genes that represent candidates to cause the mutant phenotype. Our results reveal the differential function of MAPK signaling in juvenile and adult life phases and emphasize the early postnatal period as critical for the determination of anxiety in adults. Moreover, these results validate inducible gene inactivation as new valuable approach, allowing to discriminate between gene function in the adult and the developing postnatal brain.
Project description:Objective: Epilepsy is a chronic disease that places a heavy burden on caregivers. Previous studies have shown that caregivers of epilepsy patients often experience anxiety and depression; however, few comprehensive studies have assessed their sleep quality and family function. Based on the current understanding of the anxiety and depression state of caregivers in children with epilepsy, we further explored the caregivers' sleep and family function and evaluated the predictors of the depression state of caregivers. Methods: In this cross-sectional online anonymous survey, we sent an online questionnaire to the caregivers of children with epilepsy who visited our hospital. The QR code of the questionnaire was scanned at the follow-up course to conduct an online survey. The questionnaire contained questions about sociodemographic and clinical information, the Self-rating Anxiety Scale, Self-rating Depression Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the Family Assessment Device. Results: A total of 308 caregivers of children with epilepsy aged 0-12 years were included in this study. The mean age of children with epilepsy was 4.8 ± 3.18 years, and the average illness duration was 34.2 ± 29.18 months. Further, 47.1% of the children took three or more anti-seizure medications, and 43.2% were on ketogenic diet therapy. We found that in 77.9% of the cases, the subjects were the mothers, in 89% there was more than one co-caregiver, and in 51.9%, financial help was required. Further, 63.6% of the caregivers thought they could not get enough access to disease knowledge education, and 83.7% perceived epilepsy was a terrible disease. Our results also showed that 65.6% of the caregivers were in depression status, 41.9% were in anxiety status, and 49.0% had poor sleep quality. The proportion of unhealthy family functioning in each subscale was 45.1-96.1%, and the unhealthy behavior control function accounted for 96.1%. Binary logistic regression analysis of the data showed that without co-caregivers [odds ratio (OR), 5.193], free of anxiety status (OR, 0.063), good sleep quality (OR, 0.446), healthy family role dimension (OR, 0.344), and healthy family general functional dimension (OR, 0.259) were predictors of depression status in caregivers of children with epilepsy. Conclusion: Anxiety and depression status are common in caregivers of children with epilepsy, with depression status being more prominent. Moreover, a considerable proportion of caregivers had poor sleep quality and unhealthy family function. The caregivers' anxiety status, sleep quality, family role dimension, family general function dimension, and the number of co-caregivers were predictors of depression status in caregivers. In clinical practice, caregivers' anxiety and depression status, poor sleep quality, and unhealthy family functioning should be addressed along with the treatment of children with epilepsy.
Project description:BackgroundEvidence from previous studies has confirmed that functionally impaired elderly individuals are susceptible to comorbid anxiety and depression. Network theory holds that the comorbidity emerges from interactions between anxiety and depression symptoms. This study aimed to investigate the fine-grained relationships among anxiety and depression symptoms in the functionally impaired elderly and identify central and bridge symptoms to provide potential targets for intervention of these two comorbid disorders.MethodsA total of 325 functionally impaired elderly individuals from five communities in Xi'an, China, were recruited for our investigation. The GAD-7 and PHQ-9 were used to measure anxiety and depression, respectively. SPSS 22.0 software was used for descriptive statistics, and R 4.1.1 software was used for network model construction, expected influence (EI) evaluation and bridge expected influence (BEI) evaluation.ResultsIn the network, there were 35 edges (indicating partial correlations between symptoms) across the communities of anxiety and depression, among which the strongest edge was A1 "Nervousness or anxiety"-D2 "Depressed or sad mood." A2 "Uncontrollable worry" and D2 "Depressed or sad mood" had the highest EI values in the network, while A6 "Irritable" and D7 "Concentration difficulties" had the highest BEI values of their respective community. In the flow network, the strongest direct edge of D9 "Thoughts of death" was with D6 "Feeling of worthlessness."ConclusionComplex fine-grained relationships exist between anxiety and depression in functionally impaired elderly individuals. "Uncontrollable worry," "depressed or sad mood," "irritable" and "concentration difficulties" are identified as the potential targets for intervention of anxiety and depression. Our study emphasizes the necessity of suicide prevention for functionally impaired elderly individuals, and the symptom "feeling of worthlessness" can be used as an effective target.
Project description:BackgroundInsomnia, depression, anxiety, and stigma are prevalent and often coexist in patients with Tuberculosis (TB), potentially exacerbating one another. However, the complex intrinsic associations among these four disorders remain unclear, particularly concerning the role of stigma in relation to the other disorders.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at West China Hospital and the Fourth People's Hospital of Guangxi from November 2023 to June 2024. The levels of insomnia, depression, anxiety, and stigma among TB patients were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and the TB-Related Stigma Scale (TRSS). Network analysis was used to identify the central and bridge symptoms and explore the role of stigma within the insomnia-depression-anxiety-stigma network.ResultsPHQ1 (anhedonia), GAD1 (nervousness), GAD5 (restlessness), and PHQ3 (sleep problems) are central to the network. Bridge symptoms, including PHQ3 (sleep problems), PSQI5 (sleep disturbances), and GAD5 (restlessness) link the depression, insomnia, and anxiety communities. TRSS1 (family's negative perception) of the stigma community exhibited the highest betweenness and second highest bridge betweenness in the network, highlighting the mediating role of family support across insomnia and psychological symptoms. Additionally, the global strength invariance test indicates that gender, age and education level do not significantly impact the network structure.ConclusionDepression (anhedonia and sleep problems) and anxiety (nervousness and restlessness) are the primary concerns requiring intervention in TB patients. In addition, sleep problems act as a bridge in the overall network. Stigma, particularly negative perceptions from family, may play a crucial mediating role in sustaining the entire symptom network. Consequently, these symptoms could represent potential targets for intervention.
Project description:IntroductionAlthough caring for a child with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) can have positive outcomes, parents may be at a greater risk of depression and anxiety, due to a number of associated stressors, such as increased caregiver demands and financial strain. This systematic review updates previous data, exploring the relationship between parenting a child with IDD and parental depression and anxiety.MethodsFive electronic databases were searched for eligible English-language articles, published between January 2004 and July 2018. All epidemiological study designs were eligible, provided the level of depression and/or anxiety was compared between parents of children (aged <18) with and without IDD. No limit was placed on geographic location. The proportion of positive associations between parenting a child with IDD and depression/anxiety were disaggregated by disability type, geographic region, and sample size. The percentage of parents at risk of moderate depression or anxiety were calculated using recognised clinical cut-off scores for each screening tool. Meta-analyses, in which pooled effect sizes of elevated depression and anxiety symptoms were calculated, were conducted across two IDD conditions, autism and cerebral palsy.ResultsOf the 5,839 unique records screened, 19 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The majority of studies were conducted in high-income (n = 8, 42%) or upper-middle income countries (n = 10, 53%). Of the 19 studies, 69% focused on parents of children with cerebral palsy (n = 7, 37%) or autism (n = 6, 32%). Nearly all studies found a positive association between parenting a child with IDD and depression (n = 18, 95%) and anxiety (n = 9, 90%) symptoms. Factors associated with higher levels of depression symptoms amongst parents of children with IDD included disability severity (n = 8, 78%) and lower household income (n = 4, 80%). Approximately one third (31%) of parents of children with IDD reach the clinical cut-off score for moderate depression, compared with 7% of parents of children without IDD. 31% of parents of children with IDD reach the cut-off score for moderate anxiety, compared with 14% of parents of children without IDD. The meta-analyses demonstrated moderate effect sizes for elevated depression amongst parents of children with autism and cerebral palsy.ConclusionsResults indicate elevated levels of depressive symptoms amongst parents of children with IDD. Quality concerns amongst the existing literature support the need for further research, especially in low- and middle-income countries.