Authors: Thorstein Olsen Eide, Thorbjørn Olsen, Hans Hansen, Bjarne Hansen, Stian Solem and Kristen Hagen
Abstract:
Background The Bergen 4-Day Treatment (B4DT) is a concentrated cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) approach
that has shown promise in treating panic disorder (PD). However, the effectiveness.....
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Authors: Thorstein Olsen Eide, Thorbjørn Olsen, Hans Hansen, Bjarne Hansen, Stian Solem and Kristen Hagen
Background The Bergen 4-Day Treatment (B4DT) is a concentrated cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) approach
that has shown promise in treating panic disorder (PD). However, the effectiveness of the B4DT, particularly regarding
long-term outcomes in rural clinical settings, remains underexplored.
Methods A total of 58 patients were included using a naturalistic open-label trial design. Patients were assessed at
12-month follow-up. Measures included the Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9
(PHQ-9), and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale (GAD-7).
Results The study revealed significant and lasting reductions in PD symptoms, with a high rate of remission
maintained at 12-month follow-up (82.8%). Regarding the secondary outcomes, significant improvements in
symptoms of depression and generalized anxiety were also shown.
Conclusions The B4DT represents a promising treatment approach for PD, demonstrating stable long-term
outcomes in rural settings. This finding supports the potential of concentrated CBT formats in achieving sustained
symptom improvement in patients with PD, warranting further investigation and broader implementation.
Trial registration The study was reviewed by the Regional Committee for Medical Research Ethics Northern Norway,
REK North (REK Nord2021/273145).
Authors: Amir Noureddine, Diana Malaeb, Sami El Khatib, Mariam Dabbous, Fouad Sakr, Amira Mohammed Ali, Feten Fekih-Romdhane, Souheil Hallit and Sahar Obeid
Abstract:
Background Understanding the connection between parental wellbeing and its impact on childhood depression is
crucial in order to develop targeted interventions and support systems that can.....
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Authors: Amir Noureddine, Diana Malaeb, Sami El Khatib, Mariam Dabbous, Fouad Sakr, Amira Mohammed Ali, Feten Fekih-Romdhane, Souheil Hallit and Sahar Obeid
Background Understanding the connection between parental wellbeing and its impact on childhood depression is
crucial in order to develop targeted interventions and support systems that can mitigate potential long-term effects
on mental health. This study focuses on examining the properties of an Arabic translation of a questionnaire called
Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire Parent Version (SMFQ-P) as a preliminary step toward validating a culturally
relevant screening tool for childhood depression in Lebanon.
Methods A total of 502 parents, recruited through a snowball method, took part in the survey with an age of 36.24
years (SD ± 8.29). Among them 74.5% were females 88.8% were married and 72.9% had completed university level
education. The children’s mean age was 7.95 ± 1.14 years. The SMFQ-P was evaluated using confirmatory factor
analysis (CFA), reliability measures, and correlations with parental distress using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-8
(DASS-8).
Results Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) demonstrated an excellent fit for the one-factor model of SMFQ-P scores
(RMSEA = 0.059, 90% CI [0.049, 0.070]; SRMR = 0.034; CFI = 0.967; TLI = 0.960), with standardized factor loadings ranging
from 0.58 to 0.82. Male parents reported more depression in their child than female parents (p = .016). Parental distress
levels (r = .60, p < .001) correlated strongly with SMFQ-P scores, suggesting indirect concurrent validity.
Conclusion The SMFQ-P shows promise as a screening tool for childhood depression, offering preliminary evidence
of its reliability and validity in the Lebanese context. Limitations, including reliance on parent-reported distress and
the lack of a direct child-report validation, should be addressed in future studies.
Authors: Amir Noureddine, Diana Malaeb, Sami El Khatib, Mariam Dabbous, Fouad Sakr, Amira Mohammed Ali, Feten Fekih-Romdhane, Souheil Hallit and Sahar Obeid
Account Details mentioned below: For Electronic Fund Transfer: (NEFT/RTGS)
Authors: Bingchuan Xie, Zhenguo Wu, Zixuan Zhou, Wenting Lu, Lin Liu and Lizhuang Zhang
Abstract:
Background This study investigated the effects of phototherapy on serum BH4 levels, evoked potentials, and
cognitive impairment in post-stroke depression patients.
Authors: Bingchuan Xie, Zhenguo Wu, Zixuan Zhou, Wenting Lu, Lin Liu and Lizhuang Zhang
Background This study investigated the effects of phototherapy on serum BH4 levels, evoked potentials, and
cognitive impairment in post-stroke depression patients.
Methods We conducted a prospective study with 160 post-stroke depression patients, randomly assigned to
an experimental group receiving daily 40 min of phototherapy alongside routine treatment, and a control group
receiving only routine treatment. Serum tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) levels were measured via ELISA. Evoked potentials
were assessed using an ERP recorder, depressive symptoms were evaluated with the Hamilton Depression Scale
(HAM-D), and cognitive function was analyzed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Inflammatory factor
expression was detected via RT-PCR.
Results Both groups exhibited increased BH4 levels, but the phototherapy group had significantly higher levels
(P < 0.05). The phototherapy group also demonstrated improved ERP parameters, with higher MMN latency, P300
latency, and amplitudes compared to controls (P < 0.05). HAM-D scores decreased more in the phototherapy group
(P < 0.05), while MoCA scores increased significantly (P < 0.05). Additionally, inflammatory markers IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β
were lower in the phototherapy group (P < 0.05).
Authors: Ximei Wang, Teng Zhang, Mingsong Li, Bo Yang, Liming Wang, Chuanwen Fu, Nishang Zhang, Zhengxu Li, Ce Yang, Zhimin Zhao, Qiong Meng, Yuemei Feng and Jianzhong Yin
Abstract:
Background Health-related quality of life is a multi-dimensional concept that involves individual’s perceived physical
and mental health, social relationships, and environment. Family members are the primary.....
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Authors: Ximei Wang, Teng Zhang, Mingsong Li, Bo Yang, Liming Wang, Chuanwen Fu, Nishang Zhang, Zhengxu Li, Ce Yang, Zhimin Zhao, Qiong Meng, Yuemei Feng and Jianzhong Yin
Background Health-related quality of life is a multi-dimensional concept that involves individual’s perceived physical
and mental health, social relationships, and environment. Family members are the primary caregivers of people living
with schizophrenia in China, the quality of life of caregiver of people living with schizophrenia is generally poorer,
which may indirectly affect the quality of life of the people with schizophrenia.
Methods We conducted a comprehensive survey on quality of life in caregivers of people living with schizophrenia
based on the Schizophrenia-specific cohort in the Less-developed Multi-ethnic Region of Southwest China to validate
the accessibility and effectiveness of the schizophrenia family care model at the family level, caregivers of people living with schizophrenia were selected as participants in Baoshan City, Yunnan Province from September 2022 to March
2023, quality of life, family burden of disease, sociodemographic and behavioral information of participants were
collected.
Results Domain scores for physical, psychological, social relationships, and environment of quality of life were
13.50 ± 2.61, 12.67 ± 2.40, 13.64 ± 2.32, and 12.46 ± 1.76 respectively. In our study, we found that gender, age, education level, personal monthly income, history of smoking and alcohol consumption, subjective sleep quality, relation
to the patient, degree of self-care and the number of relapses in patient all influence 1 to 4 domains of quality of life
for caregivers, stratified analysis was conducted to minimize the effect of gender on the results, we still found that history of smoking could positively predict the score of psychological domain and history of alcohol consumption could
positively predict the score of social relationships domain. Canonical correlation analysis showed that the ‘impact
on family interaction’ in family burden of disease was most closely related to quality of life.
Conclusion Building harmonious family relationships can help improve the quality of life for caregivers of People
living with schizophrenia.
Keywords Quality of life, Family Burden of diseases, Schizophrenia, Canonical Correlation Analysis
Authors: Lijing Xu, Wenjing Yan, Guohuan Hua, Ziqing He, Chunmei Wu and Ming Hao
Abstract:
Background Colleges and universities are currently facing the major public health issue of poor sleep quality. Sleep
quality must be taken seriously to maintain the students’.....
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Authors: Lijing Xu, Wenjing Yan, Guohuan Hua, Ziqing He, Chunmei Wu and Ming Hao
Background Colleges and universities are currently facing the major public health issue of poor sleep quality. Sleep
quality must be taken seriously to maintain the students’ emotional and physical well-being. Thus, this study sought
to determine how university students’ levels of physical activity related to the quality of their sleep, as well as to
explore the mechanisms via which physical activity affects sleep and provide suggestions for improving it.
Methods A total of 883 university students from Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province, China participated in the study. Their
physical activity, sleep quality, ruminative thinking levels, and depression were assessed using various questionnaires.
Results Through the mediating effects of rumination and depression as well as the chain-mediated effects of these
two factors, physical exercise changed the quality of sleep.
Conclusion University students’ sleep quality can be improved by increasing their physical activity and decreasing
ruminative thinking and depression levels.
Keywords University students, Physical activity, Sleep quality, Mediating effects
Authors: Feten Fekih-Romdhane, Diana Malaeb, Ecem Yakın, Fouad Sakr, Mariam Dabbous, Sami El Khatib, Sahar Obeid and Souheil Hallit
Abstract:
Background Accurately measuring violent ideations would be of particular high relevance in Arab countries, which
are witnessing an unprecedented increase in.....
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Authors: Feten Fekih-Romdhane, Diana Malaeb, Ecem Yakın, Fouad Sakr, Mariam Dabbous, Sami El Khatib, Sahar Obeid and Souheil Hallit
Background Accurately measuring violent ideations would be of particular high relevance in Arab countries, which
are witnessing an unprecedented increase in violence rates among adolescents because of the widespread social,
economic and political unrest in the region. Therefore, the present study aimed to test the psychometric properties of
an Arabic translation of the 12-item and the 7-item forms of the Violent Ideations Scale (VIS and VIS-SF) in a sample on
non-clinical Arabic-speaking adolescents.
Methods Five hundred seventy-seven community adolescents (mean age of 15.90 ± 1.73 years, 56.5% females)
answered an anonymous online survey comprising an Arabic translation of the Violent Ideations Scale (VIS) and a
measure of physical aggression.
Results Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) offered support for the single-factor structure of the Arabic VIS and
the VIS-SF. Both the long and short forms of the scale yielded excellent internal consistency, with McDonald’s ω
coefficients of 0.96 and 0.94 and Cronbach’s α coefficients of 0.96 and 0.94, respectively. Multi-group CFA established
measurement invariance across gender groups. Finally, results revealed significant and positive correlations between
the two forms of the VIS and physical aggression scores, thus supporting concurrent validity.
Conclusion Both the VIS and VIS-SF have demonstrated good psychometric properties in their Arabic versions, and
suitability for sound assessment of violent ideations. We therefore expect that these measures assist clinicians in risk
assessment and management of violence, and help foster research in this area in Arab countries.
Authors: Pengjuan Ji, Lin Zhang, Ziyun Gao, Qiqi Ji, Jiashuang Xu, Yian Chen, Miaojing Song and Leilei Guo
Abstract:
Background Many studies have explored the relationship between self-esteem and quality of life. However, few
studies have elucidated the mechanisms underlying.....
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Authors: Pengjuan Ji, Lin Zhang, Ziyun Gao, Qiqi Ji, Jiashuang Xu, Yian Chen, Miaojing Song and Leilei Guo
Background Many studies have explored the relationship between self-esteem and quality of life. However, few
studies have elucidated the mechanisms underlying the relationship between self-esteem and quality of life in
middle-aged and older patients with chronic diseases. The present study aimed to explore the mediating role of
death anxiety in this relationship.
Methods Middle-old-aged patients with chronic diseases were selected as the respondents by using a multi-stage
sampling method, random number table method from October 2021 to February 2022 in the Second Affiliated
Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine. The Cumulative Disease Rating Scale, the Self-Esteem Scale (SES),
the Chinese version of the Death Anxiety Scale (CT-DAS), and the Simplified version of the Quality of Life Scale (SF-12)
were used as the researching tools to conduct the survey. SPSS26.0 was used to analysis data. AMOS 23.0 software
was used to construct structural equation modeling.
Results 294 valid questionnaires were collected. There were significant differences in quality of life among middle-aged and elderly patients with chronic diseases who have different physical activities, socialization, and chronic pain
(P < 0.01); Self-esteem was positively associated with quality of life (r = 0.330, P < 0.01), self-esteem was negatively
associated with death anxiety (r = -0.222, P < 0.01), and death anxiety was negatively associated with quality of life (r
= -0.263, P < 0.01); Death anxiety partially mediated the relationship between self-esteem and quality of life, with the
mediating effect accounting for 18.40% of the total effect.
Conclusion Death anxiety partially mediates the relationship between self-esteem and quality of life. Interventions
to improve self-esteem and reduce death anxiety should be used to improve the quality of life of middle-aged and
senior patients with chronic diseases.
Keywords Middle-aged and older adults, Chronic diseases, Self-esteem, Quality of life, Death anxiety
Authors: Helene Seljenes Dalum, Reidar Tyssen, Torbjørn Moum, Magne Thoresen and Erlend Hem
Abstract:
Background Veterinarians are an occupational group with an increased suicide risk. Euthanasing animals may
influence both veterinarians’ views on assisted dying.....
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Authors: Helene Seljenes Dalum, Reidar Tyssen, Torbjørn Moum, Magne Thoresen and Erlend Hem
Background Veterinarians are an occupational group with an increased suicide risk. Euthanasing animals may
influence both veterinarians’ views on assisted dying in humans and their suicide risk. We investigated (I) attitudes
towards assisted dying, (II) whether the field of work and the frequency of euthanasing animals were associated
with positive attitudes towards human euthanasia, and (III) whether frequently euthanasing animals was associated
with serious suicidal thoughts.
Methods We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional study among veterinarians in Norway (response rate: 75%).
Logistic regression models were used to calculate the odds ratios for both positive attitudes towards human euthanasia and serious suicidal thoughts. The analyses were adjusted for socio-demographic and work-related factors.
Results Fifty-five percent of the veterinarians agreed that euthanasia should be permitted for humans with a fatal
disease and short life expectancy. Working with companion animals was independently associated with positive
attitudes towards human euthanasia (OR = 1.66 (95% CI: 1.23–2.23)), while veterinarians’ frequency of euthanasing
animals was not. Frequency of euthanasing animals was independently associated with serious suicidal thoughts,
OR = 2.56 (95% CI: 1.35–4.87).
Conclusions Veterinarians’ attitudes towards assisted dying in humans did not differ from those of the general population. Veterinarians’ frequency of euthanasing animals was not associated with positive attitudes towards euthanasia
in humans. However, veterinarians working in companion animal practices were more likely to have positive attitudes
towards euthanasia in humans. Moreover, euthanising animals five times or more a week was associated with serious
suicidal thoughts. We need more research to infer about causality in these findings.
Authors: Katherine Pickard, Brenna Maddox, Richard Boles3 and Judy Reaven
Abstract:
Background Recent systematic reviews have indicated that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective in reducing anxiety symptoms for autistic and.....
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Authors: Katherine Pickard, Brenna Maddox, Richard Boles3 and Judy Reaven
Background Recent systematic reviews have indicated that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective in reducing anxiety symptoms for autistic and non-autistic children. However, the vast majority of CBT research for autistic
youth has been implemented within university settings and primarily by mental health providers. Schools hold great
promise to equitably manage the mental health symptoms of autistic youth. Although preliminary research evaluating CBT within schools has been promising, CBT has not yet been compared to another readily available school
mental health program. The goal of this protocol paper is to describe a multi-site study comparing two school-based
interventions, Facing Your Fears-School Based (FYF-SB) and Zones of Regulation (ZOR) via a cluster randomized controlled type 1 hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial to determine which of the two interventions will best support
autistic youth with anxiety in schools.
Methods Up to 100 elementary and middle schools will be randomized into FYF-SB or ZOR. Once schools are randomized, a minimum of two interdisciplinary school providers at each school will be trained to deliver either FYF-SB
or ZOR over the course of 12 weeks to groups of 2–5 autistic students ages 8–14 years. Over the course of two years,
a total of 200 autistic students will receive either ZOR or FYF-SB. The primary outcome of this trial is child anxiety,
as rated by masked evaluators and via caregiver- and student-report, which will be measured at baseline, post-treatment, and 6-month follow-up. Semi-structured interviews will also be conducted with a purposive sample of students, caregivers, and school providers to understand the acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of either ZOR
or FYF-SB. Stakeholder engagement is a central component of this project via two stakeholder advisory boards
that will directly inform and oversee the project.
Discussion Results of this study will provide evidence about the relative impact of two school-based mental health
interventions on outcomes reported as meaningful by caregivers and school providers. The additional focus on evaluating factors that support the implementation of FYF-SB and ZOR will allow future studies to test targeted implementation strategies that support mental health programming uptake and implementation within public schools.
Trial registration This trial is registered with clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05863520).
Authors: Jiahao Huang, Zhenliang Yang, Qian Wang, Junling Liu, Wenlan Xie and Yuqi Sun
Abstract:
Background Bedtime procrastination refers to an individual’s inability to go to bed at a predetermined time without
external obstacles. Previous researchers.....
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Authors: Jiahao Huang, Zhenliang Yang, Qian Wang, Junling Liu, Wenlan Xie and Yuqi Sun
Background Bedtime procrastination refers to an individual’s inability to go to bed at a predetermined time without
external obstacles. Previous researchers have found that the bedtime procrastination is harmful to human physical
and mental health, but these research on bedtime procrastination have mostly focused on exploring individual
factors, while ignoring the external environmental factors. Therefore, this is the first study to investigate bedtime
procrastination from the perspective of family environments.
Methods The study was conducted using a convenient sampling method and online questionnaires. Family
Cohesion Scale, Coping Styles Questionnaire, Mobile Phone Addiction Tendency Scale and Bedtime Procrastination
Scale were used to measure sleep and psychological condition of 1,048 college students.
Results Family cohesion negatively predicted bedtime procrastination. Additionally, positive coping style and mobile
phone addiction had significant independent mediating effects. Furthermore, positive coping style and mobile
phone addiction had chain mediating effects between family cohesion and bedtime procrastination.
Conclusion This study revealed the effect of coping styles and mobile phone addiction on the relationship
between family cohesion and bedtime procrastination among Chinese college students. These findings explained
the mechanisms of bedtime procrastination from the perspective of environment, so as to effectively intervene the
bedtime procrastination of college students from the perspective of external environment.
Keywords Bedtime procrastination, Family cohesion, Coping style, Mobile phone addiction, Chinese college
students
Authors: Jian-Yue Pang, Yi-Ping Wang, Hui-Min Teng, Jin He, Rui Luo, Si-Meng Feng, Wei-Hua Yue and Heng-Fen Li
Abstract:
Background Both genetic and environmental factors play crucial roles in the development of major depressive
disorder (MDD) and suicide attempts (SA)......
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Authors: Jian-Yue Pang, Yi-Ping Wang, Hui-Min Teng, Jin He, Rui Luo, Si-Meng Feng, Wei-Hua Yue and Heng-Fen Li
Background Both genetic and environmental factors play crucial roles in the development of major depressive
disorder (MDD) and suicide attempts (SA). However, the interaction between both items remains unknown. This study
aims to explore the interactions between the genetic variants of the serotonin 2 A receptor (HTR2A) and the nitric
oxide synthase 1 (NOS1) and environmental factors in patients who experience MDD and SA.
Methods A total of 334 patients with MDD and a history of SA (MDD-SA) were recruited alongside 518 patients
with MDD with no history of SA (MDD-NSA), and 716 healthy controls (HC). The demographic data and clinical
characteristics were collected. Sequenom mass spectrometry was used to detect eight tag-single nucleotide
polymorphisms (tagSNPs) in HTR2A (rs1328683, rs17068986, and rs3125) and NOS1 (rs1123425, rs2682826, rs3741476,
rs527590, and rs7959232). Generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction (GMDR) was used to analyze the geneenvironment interactions.
Results Four tagSNPs (rs17068986, rs3125, rs527590, and rs7959232) exhibited significant differences between the
three groups. However, these differences were not significant between the MDD-SA and MDD-NSA groups after
Bonferroni correction. A logistic regression analysis revealed that negative life events (OR = 1.495, 95%CI: 1.071–2.087,
P = 0.018), self-guilt (OR = 2.263, 95%CI: 1.515–3.379, P < 0.001), and negative cognition (OR = 2.252, 95%CI: 1.264–4.013,
P = 0.006) were all independently associated with SA in patients with MDD. Furthermore, GMDR analysis indicated a
significant interaction between HTR2A rs3125 and negative life events. Negative life events in conjunction with the
HTR2A rs3125 CG + GG genotype were associated with a higher SA risk in patients with MDD when compared to the
absence of negative life events in conjunction with the CC genotype (OR = 2.547, 95% CI: 1.264–5.131, P = 0.009).
Authors: Huiqing Long, Li Yan, Xiaogang Zhong, Lu Yang, Yiyun Liu, Juncai Pu, Fangzhi Lou, Shihong Luo, Yingying Zhang, Yang Liu, Ping Ji and Xin Jin
Abstract:
Background The Hospital Consultants’ Job Stress Questionnaire (HCJSQ) has been widely used to assess sources
and levels of job stress. However,.....
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Authors: Huiqing Long, Li Yan, Xiaogang Zhong, Lu Yang, Yiyun Liu, Juncai Pu, Fangzhi Lou, Shihong Luo, Yingying Zhang, Yang Liu, Ping Ji and Xin Jin
Background The Hospital Consultants’ Job Stress Questionnaire (HCJSQ) has been widely used to assess sources
and levels of job stress. However, its reliability and validity among Chinese dental workers have not been extensively
studied. The objective of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of the HCJSQ specifically in Chinese dental
workers.
Methods The HCJSQ was used to explore the sources and the global ratings of job stress among Chinese dental
workers. To assess the reliability and validity of the HCJSQ, various statistical measures were employed, including
Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, Spearman-Brown coefficient, Spearman correlation coefficient, exploratory factor
analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, convergent validity, and discriminant validity.
Results Of the participants, 526 (17.4%) reported high levels of stress, while 1,246 (41.3%) and 1,248 (41.3%) reported
moderate and low levels of stress, respectively. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the modified HCJSQ was 0.903,
and the Spearman-Brown coefficient was 0.904. Spearman correlation coefficient between individuals’ items and the
total score ranged from 0.438 to 0.785 (p < 0.05). Exploratory factor analysis revealed that three factors accounted for
60.243% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated factor loadings between 0.624 and 0.834
on the specified items. The fit indices of the confirmatory factor analysis indicated good model fit, with a Root Mean
Square Error of Approximation of 0.064, Normative Fit Index of 0.937, Comparative Fit Index of 0.952, Incremental Fit
Index of 0.952, Tucker-Lewis index of 0.941, and Goodness of Fit Index of 0.944. Additionally, the convergent validity
and discriminant validity showed a good fit for the three-factor model.
Conclusion The results of this study confirm that Chinese dental workers experience high levels of stress, and the
three-factor model of the HCJSQ proves to be a suitable instrument for evaluating the sources and levels of job stress
Authors: Jingqi He, Jinguang Li, Yisen Wei, Zhangyin He, Junyu Liu, Ning Yuan, Risheng Zhou, Xingtao He, Honghong Ren, Lin Gu, Yanhui Liao, Xiaogang Chen and Jinsong Tang
Abstract:
Background Glutamatergic function abnormalities have been implicated in the etiology of treatment-resistant
schizophrenia (TRS), and the efficacy of clozapine may be.....
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Authors: Jingqi He, Jinguang Li, Yisen Wei, Zhangyin He, Junyu Liu, Ning Yuan, Risheng Zhou, Xingtao He, Honghong Ren, Lin Gu, Yanhui Liao, Xiaogang Chen and Jinsong Tang
Background Glutamatergic function abnormalities have been implicated in the etiology of treatment-resistant
schizophrenia (TRS), and the efficacy of clozapine may be attributed to its impact on the glutamate system. Recently,
evidence has emerged suggesting the involvement of immune processes and increased prevalence of antineuronal
antibodies in TRS. This current study aimed to investigate the levels of multiple anti-glutamate receptor antibodies
in TRS and explore the effects of clozapine on these antibody levels.
Methods Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure and compare the levels of anti-glutamate receptor antibodies (NMDAR, AMPAR, mGlur3, mGluR5) in clozapine-treated TRS patients (TRS-C, n= 37), clozapine-naïve TRS patients (TRS-NC, n= 39), and non-TRS patients (nTRS, n= 35). Clinical symptom severity was assessed
using the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS), while cognitive function was evaluated using the MATRICS
Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB).
Result The levels of all four glutamate receptor antibodies in TRS-NC were significantly higher than those in nTRS
(p< 0.001) and in TRS-C (p < 0.001), and the antibody levels in TRS-C were comparable to those in nTRS. However,
no significant associations were observed between antibody levels and symptom severity or cognitive function
across all three groups after FDR correction.
Conclusion Our findings suggest that TRS may related to increased anti-glutamate receptor antibody levels and provide further evidence that glutamatergic dysfunction and immune processes may contribute to the pathogenesis
of TRS. The impact of clozapine on anti-glutamate receptor antibody levels may be a pharmacological mechanism
underlying its therapeutic effects.
Background Increasing evidence suggested that immune abnormalities involved in the pathophysiology of
schizophrenia. However, the relationship between immunity and clinical features.....
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Background Increasing evidence suggested that immune abnormalities involved in the pathophysiology of
schizophrenia. However, the relationship between immunity and clinical features has not been clarified. The aim of
this study was to measure the plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and soluble TNF-α receptor 1
(sTNF-α R1) and to investigate their association with agitation in first episode patients with schizophrenia (FEPS).
Methods The plasma TNF-α and sTNF-α R1 levels were measured using sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent
assay (ELISA) in the FEPS with (n = 36) and without agitation (n = 49) symptoms, and healthy controls (HCs, n = 54). The
psychopathology was assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), and the agitation symptoms
were evaluated by the PANSS excitatory component (PANSS-EC).
Results The plasma TNF-α levels in patients with and without agitation symptoms were significantly higher
than those in HCs. The patients with agitation had significantly higher plasma TNF-α levels compared to the
patients without agitation. There were no significant differences in the sTNF-α R1 levels among the three groups.
Furthermore, the plasma TNF-α levels were positively correlated with the PANSS total score, Positive and General
psychopathological subscores, and PANSS-EC score in the FEPS, but the relationships were not found for the plasma
sTNF-α R1 levels.
Conclusions These results suggested that TNF-α might play an important role in the onset and development of
agitation symptoms of schizophrenia.
Authors: Peilin Yu, Wanzhu Zhang, Shijie Li, Xuan Luo, Hao Chen and Jie Mi
Abstract:
Background Severe trauma accounts for a main factor inducing mortality for individuals aged < 45 years in China,
which requires admission.....
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Authors: Peilin Yu, Wanzhu Zhang, Shijie Li, Xuan Luo, Hao Chen and Jie Mi
Background Severe trauma accounts for a main factor inducing mortality for individuals aged < 45 years in China,
which requires admission to intensive care unit (ICU) to receive comprehensive treatment. Family members of
patients with unanticipated and life-threatening trauma during their ICU stays often experience psychosocial
distress due to illness uncertainty. Previous research has shown that family function and psychological resilience are
associated with illness uncertainty, respectively. However, little is known about the current situation and interacting
mechanism between family function, psychological resilience, and illness uncertainty of family members for ICU
trauma patients. Therefore, this study focused on exploring the current situation and relationships between these
three factors in family members for ICU trauma patients.
Methods The convenience sampling approach was adopted in the present cross-sectional survey, which involved
230 family members for ICU trauma patients from 34 hospitals in Chongqing, China. Related data were extracted with
self-reporting questionnaires, which included sociodemographic characteristic questionnaire, the Family Adaptability,
Partnership, Growth, Affection and Resolve Scale (APGAR), the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (10-CD-RISC)
and the Mishel’s Illness Uncertainty Scale for Family Members (MUIS-FM). Pearson correlation analysis was conducted
to examine the correlations between various variables. Additionally, a structural equation model was adopted to
assess the mediating effect of psychological resilience on family function and illness uncertainty.
Results According to our results, family members for ICU trauma patients experienced high illness uncertainty with
moderate family dysfunction and low psychological resilience. Family function directly affected illness uncertainty and
indirectly affected illness uncertainty through psychological resilience in family members of ICU trauma patients.
Background Many factors contribute to quality of life (QoL) in patients with schizophrenia, yet limited research
examined these factors in patients.....
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Background Many factors contribute to quality of life (QoL) in patients with schizophrenia, yet limited research
examined these factors in patients in China. This cross-sectional study explores subjective QoL and its associated
factors in patients.
Methods The QoL was assessed using the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale (SQLS). Clinical symptoms were
evaluated using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and seven factors were extracted. Patient Health
Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) were used to assess depression and anxiety.
Cognitive impairment was assessed using the Ascertain Dementia 8 (AD8). The Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale
(TESS) and Rating Scale for Extrapyramidal Side Effects (RSESE) were used to evaluate the side effects of medications.
Results We recruited 270 patients (male:142,52.6%, mean age:41.9 ± 9.4 years). Positive correlations were observed
between SQLS and its subdomains with the total score of BPRS, PHQ-9, GAD-7, AD8, TESS, and RSESE (all P < 0.005).
Patients who were taking activating second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) had lower scores on total SQLS,
Motivation/ Energy domain of SQLS (SQLS-ME) as well as Symptoms/ Side effects domain of SQLS (SQLS-SS)
compared to those taking non-activating SGAs (all P < 0.005). Multiple regression analysis showed that depressive/
anxiety symptoms and cognitive impairment had significant negative effects on QoL (P ≤ 0.001), while activating SGAs
had a positive effect (P < 0.005). Blunted affect and unemployment were inversely associated with the motivation/
energy domain (P < 0.001).
Conclusion Our findings emphasize the important role of depression/anxiety symptoms and cognitive impairment
in the QoL of patients with chronic schizophrenia. Activating SGAs and employment may improve the QoL of these
individuals.
Authors: A.J. Fagerlund, Annika Bärkås, A. Kharko, C.R. Blease, J. Hagström, I. Huvila, I. Hörhammer, B. Kane, E. Kristiansen, S. Kujala, J. Moll, H. Rexhepi, I. Scandurra, S. Simola, H. Soone, B. Wang, R.M. Å
Abstract:
Background Patients’ online record access (ORA) enables patients to read and use their health data through online
digital solutions. One such.....
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Authors: A.J. Fagerlund, Annika Bärkås, A. Kharko, C.R. Blease, J. Hagström, I. Huvila, I. Hörhammer, B. Kane, E. Kristiansen, S. Kujala, J. Moll, H. Rexhepi, I. Scandurra, S. Simola, H. Soone, B. Wang, R.M. Å
Background Patients’ online record access (ORA) enables patients to read and use their health data through online
digital solutions. One such solution, patient-accessible electronic health records (PAEHRs) have been implemented in
Estonia, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. While accumulated research has pointed to many potential benefits of ORA, its
application in mental healthcare (MHC) continues to be contested. The present study aimed to describe MHC users’
overall experiences with national PAEHR services.
Methods The study analysed the MHC-part of the NORDeHEALTH 2022 Patient Survey, a large-scale multi-country
survey. The survey consisted of 45 questions, including demographic variables and questions related to users’
experiences with ORA. We focused on the questions concerning positive experiences (benefits), negative experiences
(errors, omissions, offence), and breaches of security and privacy. Participants were included in this analysis if they
reported receiving mental healthcare within the past two years. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise data,
and percentages were calculated on available data.
Results 6,157 respondents were included. In line with previous research, almost half (45%) reported very positive
experiences with ORA. A majority in each country also reported improved trust (at least 69%) and communication (at
least 71%) with healthcare providers. One-third (29.5%) reported very negative experiences with ORA. In total, half of
the respondents (47.9%) found errors and a third (35.5%) found omissions in their medical documentation. One-third
(34.8%) of all respondents also reported being offended by the content. When errors or omissions were identified,
about half (46.5%) reported that they took no action. There seems to be differences in how patients experience errors,
omissions, and missing information between the countries. A small proportion reported instances where family or others demanded access to their records (3.1%), and about one in ten (10.7%) noted that unauthorised individuals
had seen their health information.
Conclusions Overall, MHC patients reported more positive experiences than negative, but a large portion of
respondents reported problems with the content of the PAEHR. Further research on best practice in implementation
of ORA in MHC is therefore needed, to ensure that all patients may reap the benefits while limiting potential negative
consequences.
Keywords Patient-accessible electronic health records, PAEHR, Online record access, ORA, Electronic health records,
EHRs, Mental healthcare
Authors: A.J. Fagerlund, Annika Bärkås, A. Kharko, C.R. Blease, J. Hagström, I. Huvila, I. Hörhammer, B. Kane, E. Kristiansen, S. Kujala, J. Moll, H. Rexhepi, I. Scandurra, S. Simola, H. Soone, B. Wang, R.M. Å
Account Details mentioned below: For Electronic Fund Transfer: (NEFT/RTGS)
Authors: Carolina Hanna Chaim, Thales Marcon Almeida, Paula de Vries Albertin, Geilson Lima Santana, Erica Rosanna Siu and Laura Helena Andrade
Abstract:
Background Alexithymia, characterized by difficulty identifying and expressing emotions, is often associated
with various psychiatric disorders, including personality disorders (PDs). This.....
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Authors: Carolina Hanna Chaim, Thales Marcon Almeida, Paula de Vries Albertin, Geilson Lima Santana, Erica Rosanna Siu and Laura Helena Andrade
Background Alexithymia, characterized by difficulty identifying and expressing emotions, is often associated
with various psychiatric disorders, including personality disorders (PDs). This study aimed to explore the relationship
between alexithymia and PD, focusing on their common origins and implications for treatment.
Methods A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines using databases such as MEDLINE
(PubMed), Scopus, and Web of Science. The inclusion criteria were studies assessing adults with DSM-5-diagnosed
personality disorders using validated alexithymia scales. The Newcastle‒Ottawa Scale was used to assess the quality
of the included studies.
Results From an initial yield of 2434 citations, 20 peer-reviewed articles met the inclusion criteria. The findings
indicate a significant association between alexithymia and personality disorders, particularly within Clusters B and C.
Patients with these disorders exhibited higher levels of alexithymia, which correlated with increased emotional
dysregulation and interpersonal difficulties. The review also highlighted the comorbidity burden of conditions such
as psychosomatic disorders, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, suicidal behavior, and substance use disorders.
Conclusions These findings underscore the need for integrating alexithymia-focused assessments into clinical
practice to enhance therapeutic approaches, allowing for more personalized and effective interventions. Addressing the emotional processing challenges in patients with personality disorders could significantly improve patient
outcomes. Future research should prioritize establishing clinical guidelines and conducting longitudinal studies
to explore the relationship between alexithymia and specific personality disorder subtypes, ensuring the practical
translation of these findings into clinical practice.
Keywords Alexithymia, Personality disorders, Emotional dysregulation, Interpersonal difficulties, Cluster B personality
disorders, Cluster C personality disorders, Comorbidity
Authors: E. R Watkins., D. Phillips, T. Cranston, H. Choueiri, M. Newton, H. Cook and G. Taylor
Abstract:
Background Tackling poor mental health in university students has been identified as a priority in higher education.
However, there are few.....
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Authors: E. R Watkins., D. Phillips, T. Cranston, H. Choueiri, M. Newton, H. Cook and G. Taylor
Background Tackling poor mental health in university students has been identified as a priority in higher education.
However, there are few evidence-based prevention initiatives designed for students. Repetitive Negative Thought
(RNT, e.g. worry, rumination) is elevated in university students and is a well-established vulnerability factor for anxiety and depression. Furthermore, there are now evidence-based cognitive-behavioural interventions to tackle RNT.
A mobile self-help cognitive-behavioural app targeting RNT, adapted for students may therefore be an effective, scalable, and acceptable way to improve prevention in students.
Methods An online single blind, two-arm parallel-group Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) to examine the incidence of major depression and symptoms of anxiety and depression across 12 months in university students aged
over 16 who screen into the study with self-reported high levels of worry and/or rumination and no current diagnosis
of major depression. Eligible participants will be randomised to the active intervention arm (usual practice plus using
a self-guided mobile app targeting RNT) or to the control arm (usual practice). In total, 648 participants aged over 16,
with no current major depression, bipolar disorder or psychosis will be recruited from UK universities. Assessments
will take place at baseline (pre-randomisation), 3 months and 12 months post- randomisation. Primary endpoint
and outcome is incidence of major depression as determined by self-reported diagnostic criteria at 12-month followup. Depressive symptoms, anxiety, well-being, health-related quality of life, functioning and academic outcomes are
secondary outcomes. Compliance, adverse events, and potentially mediating variables will be carefully monitored.
Discussion The trial aims to provide a better understanding of the causal role of tackling RNT (worry, rumination)
using a self-help mobile app with respect to preventing depression in university students. This knowledge will be
used to develop and disseminate innovative evidence-based, feasible, and effective mobile-health public health strategies for preventing common mental health problems.
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