The role of depression in unnatural death: A case-based retrospective study

Antidepressant-like Effect of Oroxylum indicum Seed Extract in Mice Model of Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one life-threatening disorder that is prevalent worldwide. The evident etiology of this disease is still poorly understood. Currently, herbal medicine is gaining more interest as an alternative antidepressant. Oroxylum indicum, which is used in traditional medicine and contains a potential antidepressive compound, baicalein, could have an antidepressive property. An in vitro monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A) inhibitory assay was used to preliminarily screening for the antidepressant effect of O. indicum seed (OIS) extract. Mice were subjected to unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) for 6 weeks, and the daily administration of OIS extract started from week 4. The mechanisms involved in the antidepressive activity were investigated. The OIS extract significantly alleviated anhedonia and despair behaviors in the UCMS-induced mouse model via two possible pathways: (i) it normalized the HPA axis function via the restoration of negative feedback (decreased FKBP5 and increased GR expressions) and the reduction in the glucocorticoid-related negative gene (SGK-1), and (ii) it improved neurogenesis via the escalation of BDNF and CREB expressions in the hippocampus and the frontal cortex. In addition, an HPLC analysis of the OIS extract showed the presence of baicalin, baicalein, and chrysin as major constituents. All of the results obtained from this study emphasize the potential of OIS extract containing baicalin and baicalein as an effective and novel alternative treatment for MDD.

Developmental trajectories of self-esteem, the related predictors, and depression: A growth mixture modeling approach

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to identify sub-trajectory groups of self-esteem among adults aged 19-64 years and the factors impacting latent classes, as well as to assess differences in symptoms of depression.

METHODS

Research data from the Korea Welfare Panel Study were analyzed, including those from 8866 adults who participated in the 6th, 9th, 12th, and 15th waves. The growth mixture modeling analysis was used to identify latent classes of self-esteem trajectories.

RESULTS

Three classes of self-esteem trajectories were identified. The majority of adults (88.0%) reported stable high self-esteem over time. A second class (low-level increasing: 7.7%) reported low levels of self-esteem, which gradually increased to high levels by the end of the study. A third group, medium-level decreasing (4.3%), reported medium self-esteem levels, which decreased to the lowest level by the end of the study.

LIMITATIONS

The factors identified in previous studies as those closely associated with self-esteem, such as personality, quality of life, and life satisfaction, were not considered in this study. Additionally, although the absence or presence of chronic disease was included in the health factors, no further investigation was made to identify the effects of different chronic diseases on the dependent and outcome variables.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that interventions designed to prevent depression among adults who are older, unemployed, at risk of alcoholism, or dissatisfied with their health and relationships may be beneficial. This study identified a relationship between unstable self-esteem and the risk of depression.

Patterns of Depression and Resilience in Children and Adolescents Exposed to an Earthquake: A Latent Profile Analysis

OBJECTIVE

Depression and resilience are different psychological outcomes caused by experiencing traumatic events. We aimed to 1) explore heterogeneity patterns of co-occurrence between depression symptoms and resilience among children and adolescents exposed to an earthquake and 2) assess covariates (trauma exposure, sex, age, ethnicity, and sleep quality) in identifying the best fitting solution.

METHODS

Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to examine patterns of self-reported depression and resilience in an epidemiological sample of 2,887 Chinese youth survivors 1 year after the Lushan earthquake.

RESULTS

A suitable 3-class model were identified, which are mild depression/high resilience (65.0%), severe depression/high resilience (22.1%), and severe depression/low resilience (12.9%). Trauma exposure, demographic characteristics and sleep state can be used to identify the different latent classes.

CONCLUSION

Our results contribute to understanding the heterogeneous coexisting patterns of depression and resilience and provide suggestions for identifying high-risk youth survivors and offering effective interventions.