Does psychological resilience buffer against the link between the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and depression following stress

Diet Quality and Resilience through Adulthood: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the WELL for Life Study

Despite evidence suggesting the importance of psychological resilience for successful aging, little is known about the relationship between diet quality and resilience at different ages. Our study aims to examine the association between diet quality and resilience across the stages of adulthood. Using Stanfords' WELL for Life (WELL) survey data, we conducted a cross-sectional study of diet quality, resilience, sociodemographic, perceived stress, lifestyle, and mental health factors among 6171 Bay Area adults. Diet quality was measured by the WELL Diet Score, which ranges from 0-120. A higher score indicates a better diet quality. Linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between the WELL Diet Score and overall resilience and within the following age groups: early young (18-24), late young (25-34), middle (35-49), and late adulthood (≥50). To test whether these associations varied by age groups, an age group by resilience interaction term was also examined. In the fully adjusted model, the WELL Diet Score was positively and significantly associated with overall resilience (all ages (β = 1.2 ± sd: 0.2, p < 0.001)) and within each age group (early young (β = 1.1 ± sd: 0.3, p < 0.001); late young (β = 1.2 ± sd: 0.3, p < 0.001); middle (β = 0.9 ± sd: 0.3, p < 0.001); and late adulthood (β = 1.0 ± sd: 0.3, p < 0.001)). Young adults demonstrated the strongest associations between diet quality and resilience. However, there were no significant age-by-resilience interactions. Diet quality may be positively associated with resilience at all stages of adulthood. Further research is needed to determine whether assessing and addressing resilience could inform the development of more effective dietary interventions, particularly in young adults.

A Systematic Review of the Association between Psychological Resilience and Improved Psychosocial Outcomes in Prostate Cancer Patients. Could Resilience Training Have a Potential Role?

PURPOSE

A high incidence of psychosocial problems in prostate cancer patients has been reported including anxiety, depression and distress. These can add to the patients' disease burden and have been associated with unfavorable cancer treatment outcomes. Interventions designed to address them have found limited success, but psychological resilience (PR) training has never been formally tested. The measurement of PR in prostate cancer patients has been described and has been associated with more favorable psychosocial outcomes in these patients but it has never been systematically reviewed. The aim of this study was to conduct the first systematic review of those studies that have measured it using standardized scales and to determine the potential for resilience training to help overcome the significant psychosocial problems faced by prostate cancer patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We searched the literature to identify articles that measured PR among prostate cancer patients.

RESULTS

Of 384 articles identified by the search criteria, there were 19 studies suitable for inclusion regarding 5,417 patients. The most commonly-used scale was the original Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, or an abbreviated version of it. Possible scores range from 0 to 100, mean scores from these studies ranged from 72.9 to 87.1 (standard deviations varied between 13.2 and 16.3). PR was consistently associated with improved psychological outcomes including depression, anxiety and distress, although these were measured with a wide variety of methods making it difficult to quantify the effects. There was also evidence of PR mediating the physical effects of prostate cancer and treatment including urinary symptoms, fatigue and insomnia.

CONCLUSIONS

As resilience training has been successful in other cancer settings, it seems likely that it could improve the significant adverse psychosocial outcomes that have been reported in prostate cancer patients and trials designed to objectively test it should be encouraged.

SLC6A4 gene variants moderate associations between childhood food insecurity and adolescent mental health

BACKGROUND

Food insecurity is a persistent concern in the United States and has been shown to affect child mental health and behavior. The SLC6A4 gene has been indicated as a moderator of the effects of chronic stress on anxiety in adolescents aged 14-21. However, it is unclear if SLC6A4 may also play a role in the effects of childhood food insecurity, a form of chronic stress, on adolescent mental health. This study aimed to identify effects of food insecurity on adolescents' mental health and delinquent behavior when both mom and child go hungry in the child's early years, and the potential interaction with SLC6A4 variants (SS/LL).

METHODS

The data and sample for this research are from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study. The cohort consists of 4898 children (age 1-15 years, male = 47%, African American = 50%) and their respective caregivers sampled from large cities in the United States from 1998 to 2000.

RESULTS

The SLC6A4 serotonin transporter short/short allele emerged statistically significant as a moderator of childhood food insecurity and adolescent mental health. Specifically, the presence of the short/short allele increased anxiety symptoms in adolescents with exposure to food insecurity in childhood.

CONCLUSION

The SLC6A4 short/short allele amplifies risk of anxiety-related mental illness when children experience food insecurity. The gene-environment interaction provides insight into the mechanistic pathway of the effects of poverty-related adversity, such as food insecurity, on developmental trajectories of mental health.

Effects of serotonin transporter and receptor polymorphisms on depression

INTRODUCTION

Serotonin is highly implicated in the regulation of emotional state and the execution of cognitive tasks, so much so that the serotonin transporter genes (5-HTT, SLC6A4) and the serotonin receptor genes (HTR1A, HTR1B, HTR2A) have become the perfect candidates when studying the effects that these genes and their polymorphic variations have on depression characteristics.

OBJECTIVE

A review of research reports that have studied the effects of variations in the serotonin transporter and receptor genes on different clinical features of depression.

METHODS

A search of the Scopus, Web of Science and PubMed databases was conducted using the keywords ("depression" AND "polymorphism").

CONCLUSIONS

According to the review of 54 articles, the short allele of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism was found to be the most reported risk factor related to the development of depression and its severity. Variations in the genes studied (SLC6A4, HTR1A, HTR2A) can generate morphological alterations of brain structures.

Effects of Serotonin Transporter and Receptor Polymorphisms on Depression

INTRODUCTION

Serotonin is highly implicated in the regulation of emotional state and the execution of cognitive tasks, so much so that the serotonin transporter genes (5-HTT, SLC6A4) and the serotonin receptor genes (HTR1A, HTR1B, HTR2A) have become the perfect candidates when studying the effects that these genes and their polymorphic variations have on depression characteristics.

OBJECTIVE

A review of research reports that have studied the effects of variations in the serotonin transporter and receptor genes on different clinical features of depression.

METHODS

A search of the Scopus, Web of Science and PubMed databases was conducted using the keywords ("depression" AND "polymorphism").

CONCLUSIONS

According to the review of 54 articles, the short allele of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism was found to be the most reported risk factor related to the development of depression and its severity. Variations in the genes studied (SLC6A4, HTR1A, HTR2A) can generate morphological alterations of brain structures.

Association between resilience and a functional polymorphism in the serotonin transporter (SLC6A4) gene: A meta-analysis

Resilience is a mechanism used by humans to adapt to adverse situations. It is a protective factor against mental health problems. This process can be influenced by environmental and genetic factors. Several genes have been associated with interindividual differences in resilience levels, but the results are inconclusive. Therefore, the aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effect of a functional polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) in the SLC6A4 gene on resilience levels. A search in PubMed, HugeNavigator and Google Scholar databases was carried out and 16 studies about the association of 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and resilience in humans were identified. The OpenMeta[Analyst] program was employed to perform statistical analysis using a random-effects model. The final analysis included 9 studies, for a total of 4,080 subjects. Significant results were found when the standardized mean differences (SMD) of LL and SL carriers were compared, (SMD: -0.087 (confidence interval: -0.166 to -0.008; I²: 0 %); P value: 0.031). A significant result was also found in an analysis comparing SS/SL versus LL genotypes (SMD: -0.231; confidence interval: -0.400 to -0.061, P value: 0.008; I²: 0 %). This is the first meta-analysis performed to identify the pooled association of a functional polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene and resilience. The current results suggest that the L/L genotype is associated with resilience. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the role of genetics on the resilience mechanisms.

Depression and prostate cancer: implications for urologists and oncologists

Many patients with prostate cancer experience severe levels of depression, which can negatively affect their treatment and disease course. Some prostate cancer treatments can increase the severity of a patient's depression, for example, by increasing anhedonia and erectile dysfunction. Depression is often thought of as a unitary phenomenon, but multiple subtypes can be distinguished. This variety of manifestations challenges the successful application of universal antidepressant treatment options and argues for a multi-symptom assessment process that considers a patient's disease burden and their particular form of depression. Inclusion of screening and detailed diagnosis of depression can be argued to be part of good practice, and clinicians are urged to consider when and how this might be accomplished within their urological practice.