The neurobiology of stress: from serendipity to clinical relevance

Stressful life events and tinnitus : Reflections and speculations

The role of life events has not been extensively studied in the context of tinnitus. There is, however, evidence about the psychological impact of tinnitus and about the influence of psychological processes as mediators of the tinnitus experience. On the basis of this evidence, the possibility that stressful life events can act as a trigger for tinnitus is discussed; although the evidence is fragmentary and indirect, the possibility cannot be discounted. It is argued that the onset of tinnitus and the associated clinical encounters can constitute an acute stressful life event, and the ongoing experience of tinnitus can be regarded as a chronic stressful life event. Interactions between ongoing tinnitus and other life events are discussed. Possible mechanisms in terms of stress influencing predictive processing and signal detection judgments are considered.

Examination of the Effect of Dimethyl Trisulfide in Acute Stress Mouse Model with the Potential Involvement of the TRPA1 Ion Channel

Polysulfides are endogenously produced in mammals and generally associated with protective functions. Our aim was to investigate the effect of dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS) in a mouse model of acute stress. DMTS activates transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) channels and leads to neuropeptide release, potentially that of substance P (SP). We hypothesize that DMTS might inhibit the degrading enzymes of endocannabinoids, so this system was also investigated as another possible pathway for mediating the effects of DMTS. Trpa1 gene wild-type (WT) and knockout (KO) mice were used to confirm the role of the TRPA1 ion channel in mediating the effects of DMTS. C57BL/6J, NK1 gene KO, and Tac1 gene KO mice were used to evaluate the effect of DMTS on the release and expression of SP. Some C57BL/6J animals were treated with AM251, an inhibitor of the cannabinoid CB1 receptor, to elucidate the role of the endocannabinoid system in these processes. Open field test (OFT) and forced swim test (FST) were performed in each mouse strain. A tail suspension test (TST) was performed in Trpa1 WT and KO animals. C-FOS immunohistochemistry was carried out on Trpa1 WT and KO animals. The DMTS treatment increased the number of highly active periods and decreased immobility time in the FST in WT animals, but had no effect on the Trpa1 KO mice. The DMTS administration induced neuronal activation in the Trpa1 WT mice in the stress-related brain areas, such as the locus coeruleus, dorsal raphe nucleus, lateral septum, paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus, and paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. DMTS may have a potential role in the regulation of stress-related processes, and the TRPA1 ion channel may also be involved in mediating the effects of DMTS. DMTS can be an ideal candidate for further study as a potential remedy for stress-related disorders.

Stress-relieving properties of a polyherbal blend with Syzygium aromaticum L. and Coffea canephora Pierre ex A. Froehner: A review and bibliometric analysis

OBJECTIVE

Syzygium aromaticum and Coffea canephora are acknowledged for their outstanding antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and nerve-stimulant properties, showcasing potential in brain protection. Therefore, this study aims to quantitatively review existing literature and assess the potential of using it to formulate a herbal tea blend for managing stress and anxiety.

METHODS

Data was retrieved from the Scopus database, and a bibliometric analysis was performed using VOSviewer software.

RESULTS

Following a screening process, a total of 121 articles were identified, with S. aromaticum yielding a higher number compared to C. canephora. A detailed exploration of each plant revealed active components such as eugenol, β-caryophyllene, α-humulene, caffeine, mangiferin, and chlorogenic acids, each exhibiting stimulatory effects alongside antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The neuroprotective effects were attributed to the reduction of oxidative stress and inflammation, coupled with the stimulation of neurotransmitters and hormones like dopamine, serotonin, cortisol, and adrenaline.

CONCLUSIONS

The review showed that these plants positively affect mood and cognition by influencing the brain's pleasure system. This suggests the need for further research to combine these plant extracts for developing 'Tenang tea', a potential herbal blend for managing stress and anxiety.

The Effects of Dust Storms on People Living in Beijing: A Qualitative Study

Dust storms, which are common aversive occurrences in northern China, result from high winds, dry soil or dust, and soil surface disturbance. Exposure to dust storms, regardless of duration, can induce varying mental and physical distress levels. Recognizing the urgency of comprehending the impact of dust storms on residents and the scarcity of information on their effects on the indigenous civilians there, this study aims to address this gap by qualitatively sampling 29 participants from Beijing, a typical city in northern China. The current study seeks to gain insights into residents' dust storm experiences and explore their perspectives on effective coping mechanisms. The findings align with existing knowledge regarding the mental and physical repercussions of dust storms while identifying some emerging patterns of coping mechanisms already employed by residents in Beijing. Concerns regarding mental well-being, either directly influenced by the environmental conditions or indirectly stemming from disruptions to life routines on a broader scale, persistently dominate people's perceptions of dust storms. New themes emerged following the step-by-step exploration of feelings and coping mechanisms. This study aims to enlighten the public about the ramifications of the dust storms in Beijing and advocate for essential policy support.

Neurobiological basis of stress resilience

A majority of humans faced with severe stress maintain normal physiological and behavioral function, a process referred to as resilience. Such stress resilience has been modeled in laboratory animals and, over the past 15 years, has transformed our understanding of stress responses and how to approach the treatment of human stress disorders such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and anxiety disorders. Work in rodents has demonstrated that resilience to chronic stress is an active process that involves much more than simply avoiding the deleterious effects of the stress. Rather, resilience is mediated largely by the induction of adaptations that are associated uniquely with resilience. Such mechanisms of natural resilience in rodents are being characterized at the molecular, cellular, and circuit levels, with an increasing number being validated in human investigations. Such discoveries raise the novel possibility that treatments for human stress disorders, in addition to being geared toward reversing the damaging effects of stress, can also be based on inducing mechanisms of natural resilience in individuals who are inherently more susceptible. This review provides a progress report on this evolving field.

Life Satisfaction among Unaccompanied Refugee Minors: Associations with Traumatic Events and Daily Hassles

While there is a growing literature about mental health problems among unaccompanied asylum-seeking and refugee minors (URMs), far less is known about their wellbeing. Such information is important as a subjective sense of wellbeing is associated with a variety of positive health and psychosocial outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine life satisfaction and the association with traumatic events, daily hassles, and asylum status among URMs in Norway. We collected self-report questionnaire data from URMs living in Norway (n = 173, 90.80% male, 71.1% from Afghanistan). Mean age was 16.62 (SD = 1.74) years, and they reported clinically relevant post-traumatic stress symptoms. We explored variation in life satisfaction, URM-specific daily hassles and traumatic events. We also investigated a mediation model, in which we assumed that daily hassles mediated the association between traumatic events and life satisfaction. The participants reported low life satisfaction (M = 4.28, SD = 2.90, 0-10 scale). A negative outcome of the asylum process and URM-specific daily hassles were associated with reduced life satisfaction. URM-specific daily hassles accounted for the relation between traumatic events and life satisfaction. The youth had been exposed to several traumatic events yet the effect of these on life satisfaction appeared indirect, via an increase in URM-specific daily hassles. Reducing the number of, or help URM cope with, URM-specific daily hassles may increase their life satisfaction.

Associations between over-the-counter analgesics usage and symptoms of anxiety and depression in adolescents: a network analysis

BACKGROUND

The use of over-the-counter analgesics (OTCA) is common among adolescents and has been linked with increased symptoms of anxiety and depression. However, little is known about which specific symptoms are most strongly connected to OTCA usage. The current study assessed which anxiety and depression symptoms were most closely associated with OTCA usage in a large sample of adolescents and examined whether this differed across genders.

METHOD

The present study was based on data from 626,581 participants from the Ungdata survey in Norway. Associations between OTCA and anxiety and depression symptoms were examined using network analysis. Non-regularized partial-correlation networks were constructed to estimate the conditional dependent relations between the use of OTCA and symptoms while controlling for pain. Gender-specific networks were created for comparison.

RESULTS

OTCA usage was associated with most symptoms, even after controlling for pain, with the strongest associations with "sleep problems", "stiff or tense", "everything is a struggle" and "suddenly scared". There were some gender differences, showing that "sleep problems" and "hopeless" were more strongly related to OTCA usage in females, whereas "stiff or tense" was more strongly related to OTCA usage in males.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the somatic symptoms of anxiety and depression displayed the strongest associations with OTCA usage. When examining the gender-specific networks, both showed similar trends, although males exhibited slightly stronger associations between OTCA usage and somatic symptoms.

The impact of psychosocial adversity on brain and behaviour: an overview of existing knowledge and directions for future research

Environmental experiences play a critical role in shaping the structure and function of the brain. Its plasticity in response to different external stimuli has been the focus of research efforts for decades. In this review, we explore the effects of adversity on brain's structure and function and its implications for brain development, adaptation, and the emergence of mental health disorders. We are focusing on adverse events that emerge from the immediate surroundings of an individual, i.e., microenvironment. They include childhood maltreatment, peer victimisation, social isolation, affective loss, domestic conflict, and poverty. We also take into consideration exposure to environmental toxins. Converging evidence suggests that different types of adversity may share common underlying mechanisms while also exhibiting unique pathways. However, they are often studied in isolation, limiting our understanding of their combined effects and the interconnected nature of their impact. The integration of large, deep-phenotyping datasets and collaborative efforts can provide sufficient power to analyse high dimensional environmental profiles and advance the systematic mapping of neuronal mechanisms. This review provides a background for future research, highlighting the importance of understanding the cumulative impact of various adversities, through data-driven approaches and integrative multimodal analysis techniques.

Beneficial effects of mindfulness-based intervention on hippocampal volumes and episodic memory for childhood adversity survivors

Background

Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) has detrimental impacts on neural development, especially hippocampal morphometry. Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBI) has been shown to induce adaptive hippocampal changes especially at the subiculum. The present study aims to investigate the effects of MBI on subiculum volumes among ACE survivors, as well as the effects on episodic memory as a probe into hippocampal functionality.

Methods

We analyzed anatomical MRI data and performance indices from an episodic memory task called the Mnemonic Similarity Task (MST) collected from a randomized controlled longitudinal study that compared an 8-week MBI (N = 20) to an active control condition of Stress Management Education (SME) (N = 19). FreeSurfer 6.0 was used for automated hippocampal subfield segmentation and volumetric estimation.

Results

Significant group differences were observed with the volumetric changes of the right whole hippocampus and right subiculum. Only the MBI group showed improved pattern separation capability from MST, which was associated with stress reduction and right subiculum volumetric changes.

Limitations

Modest sample size. MST task was performed outside of MRI.

Conclusions

These findings suggest beneficial effects of MBI for hippocampal volumes and episodic memory, while highlighting the importance of the subiculum for MBI-induced neural and cognitive changes. The subiculum's known role in inhibitory control was interpreted as a potential mechanism for it to exhibit MBI-induced volumetric changes, which sheds light on the potential neural underpinnings of mindfulness meditation for reducing stress reactivity among ACE survivors.

Validity of mental and physical stress models

Different stress models are employed to enhance our understanding of the underlying mechanisms and explore potential interventions. However, the utility of these models remains a critical concern, as their validities may be limited by the complexity of stress processes. Literature review revealed that both mental and physical stress models possess reasonable construct and criterion validities, respectively reflected in psychometrically assessed stress ratings and in activation of the sympathoadrenal system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. The findings are less robust, though, in the pharmacological perturbations' domain, including such agents as adenosine or dobutamine. Likewise, stress models' convergent- and discriminant validity vary depending on the stressors' nature. Stress models share similarities, but also have important differences regarding their validities. Specific traits defined by the nature of the stressor stimulus should be taken into consideration when selecting stress models. Doing so can personalize prevention and treatment of stress-related antecedents, its acute processing, and chronic sequelae. Further work is warranted to refine stress models' validity and customize them so they commensurate diverse populations and circumstances.

Interoceptive experiences and ecological care: an embodied approach within therapeutical realms

The conventional dichotomy between human health and disease has historically been approached through reductionist models that emphasize the exclusive causal relevance of physiological and pathological processes. Consequently, self-awareness and affective dimensions, integral to a phenomenological perspective, are often relegated to secondary traits, affording little consideration for the causal role of embodied living organization. Our interest lies in exploring the potential relevance of the phenomenology of embodied self-awareness in relation to interoceptive processes within therapeutic settings. As we illustrate, when the unfolding processes of interoceptive awareness and its affective capacity take precedence, the agent assumes an active, rather than passive, role in their own experience of health or illness. Departing from an enactive, phenomenological, and ecological standpoint, we propose a distinctive perspective on interoceptive processes, relying on an affective conceptualization of a spectrum of experiences of bodily being-in-the-world. Our primary argument posits that considering interoceptive processes from an embodied and ecological viewpoint of the self, interacting with the material and social environment, enables an approach to the gradient of affective experiences of embodied self-awareness-where pleasure or suffering is perceived and felt-in a naturalized, non-reductive, and relational manner. We discern two ways in which interoceptive processes interrelate with the experience of embodied self-awareness: sensitivity (self-affective) and affective-laden perception. Drawing on this distinction, we provide a nuanced description of these experiences within communities of cis-women, exemplified through the contexts of menstruation and endometriosis. This exploration seeks to enhance our understanding of the phenomenology of embodied, ecological, and affective self-experience from within diverse and situated bodies. The goal is to contribute to their autonomy and ability to adapt and self-regulate within therapeutic contexts.

A mouse model of oral contraceptive exposure: Depression, motivation, and the stress response

Hormonal contraceptives, including oral contraceptives (OCs), regulate hormonal cycles and broadly affect physiological processes, including stress responsivity. Whereas many users describe overall improved mood, up to 10 % of OC users experience adverse effects, including depression and anxiety. Given the link between regulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, stress exposure, and risk for depression, it is likely that OC-effects on stress mediate increased risk or increased resilience to these disorders. In this study, we developed and characterized a tractable mouse model of OC exposure with which to identify the mechanisms underlying OC modulation of brain, behavior, and mood. Specifically, we aimed to determine whether translationally relevant doses of OC-hormones in mice mimic changes in stress responsivity observed in humans taking OCs and describe behavioral changes during OC exposure. Young adult female C57Bl/6 N mice received daily ethinyl estradiol (EE) and levonorgestrel (LVNG) in 10 % sucrose, EE and drospirenone (DRSP) in 10 % sucrose, or 10 % sucrose alone. Translationally relevant doses of EE + LVNG-exposure, but not EE + DRSP, suppressed the acute stress response, consistent with effects observed in human OC users. EE + LVNG caused a specific anhedonia-like effect, without broad changes in stress-coping behavior, other depression-like behaviors, or anxiety-like behaviors. The suppression of regular estrous cycling, together with the blunting of the corticosterone response to acute stress, demonstrate the utility of this model for future studies to identify the mechanisms underlying OC interactions with stress, motivation, and risk for depression.

Modulating Stress Susceptibility and Resilience: Insights from miRNA Manipulation and Neural Mechanisms in Mice

This study explored the impact of microRNAs, specifically mmu-miR-1a-3p and mmu-miR-155-5p, on stress susceptibility and resilience in mice of different strains. Previous research had established that C57BL/6J mice were stress-susceptible, while NET-KO and SWR/J mice displayed stress resilience. These strains also exhibited variations in the serum levels of mmu-miR-1a-3p and mmu-miR-155-5p. To investigate this further, we administered antagonistic sequences (Antagomirs) targeting these microRNAs to C57/BL/6J mice and their analogs (Agomirs) to NET-KO and SWR/J mice via intracerebroventricular (i.c.v) injection. The impact of this treatment was assessed using the forced swim test. The results showed that the stress-susceptible C57/BL/6J mice could be transformed into a stress-resilient phenotype through infusion of Antagomirs. Conversely, stress-resilient mice displayed altered behavior when treated with Ago-mmu-miR-1a-3p. The study also examined the expression of mmu-miR-1a-3p in various brain regions, revealing that changes in its expression in the cerebellum (CER) were associated with the stress response. In vitro experiments with the Neuro2a cell line indicated that the Antago/Ago-miR-1a-3p and Antago/Ago-miR-155-5p treatments affected mRNAs encoding genes related to cAMP and Ca2+ signaling, diacylglycerol kinases, and phosphodiesterases. The expression changes of genes such as Dgkq, Bdnf, Ntrk2, and Pde4b in the mouse cerebellum suggested a link between cerebellar function, synaptic plasticity, and the differential stress responses observed in susceptible and resilient mice. In summary, this research highlights the role of mmu-miR-1a-3p and mmu-miR-155-5p in regulating stress susceptibility and resilience in mice and suggests a connection between these microRNAs, cerebellar function, and synaptic plasticity in the context of stress response.

Targeting Human Glucocorticoid Receptors in Fear Learning: A Multiscale Integrated Approach to Study Functional Connectivity

Fear extinction is a phenomenon that involves a gradual reduction in conditioned fear responses through repeated exposure to fear-inducing cues. Functional brain connectivity assessments, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), provide valuable insights into how brain regions communicate during these processes. Stress, a ubiquitous aspect of life, influences fear learning and extinction by changing the activity of the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus, leading to enhanced fear responses and/or impaired extinction. Glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) are key to the stress response and show a dual function in fear regulation: while they enhance the consolidation of fear memories, they also facilitate extinction. Accordingly, GR dysregulation is associated with anxiety and mood disorders. Recent advancements in cognitive neuroscience underscore the need for a comprehensive understanding that integrates perspectives from the molecular, cellular, and systems levels. In particular, neuropharmacology provides valuable insights into neurotransmitter and receptor systems, aiding the investigation of mechanisms underlying fear regulation and potential therapeutic targets. A notable player in this context is cortisol, a key stress hormone, which significantly influences both fear memory reconsolidation and extinction processes. Gaining a thorough understanding of these intricate interactions has implications in terms of addressing psychiatric disorders related to stress. This review sheds light on the complex interactions between cognitive processes, emotions, and their neural bases. In this endeavor, our aim is to reshape the comprehension of fear, stress, and their implications for emotional well-being, ultimately aiding in the development of therapeutic interventions.

The Stress Phenotyping Framework: A multidisciplinary biobehavioral approach for assessing and therapeutically targeting maladaptive stress physiology

Although dysregulated stress biology is becoming increasingly recognized as a key driver of lifelong disparities in chronic disease, we presently have no validated biomarkers of toxic stress physiology; no biological, behavioral, or cognitive treatments specifically focused on normalizing toxic stress processes; and no agreed-upon guidelines for treating stress in the clinic or evaluating the efficacy of interventions that seek to reduce toxic stress and improve human functioning. We address these critical issues by (a) systematically describing key systems and mechanisms that are dysregulated by stress; (b) summarizing indicators, biomarkers, and instruments for assessing stress response systems; and (c) highlighting therapeutic approaches that can be used to normalize stress-related biopsychosocial functioning. We also present a novel multidisciplinary Stress Phenotyping Framework that can bring stress researchers and clinicians one step closer to realizing the goal of using precision medicine-based approaches to prevent and treat stress-associated health problems.

Cortisol as a Target for Treating Mental Disorders: A Promising Avenue for Therapy

Cortisol, commonly known as the "stress hormone," plays a critical role in the body's response to stress. Elevated cortisol levels have been associated with various mental disorders, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Consequently, researchers have explored cortisol modulation as a promising avenue for treating these conditions. However, the availability of research on cortisol as a therapeutic option for mental disorders is limited, and existing studies employ diverse methodologies and outcome measures. This review article aimed to provide insights into different treatment approaches, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological, which can effectively modulate cortisol levels. Pharmacological interventions involve the use of substances, such as somatostatin analogs, dopamine agonists, corticotropin-releasing hormone antagonists, and cortisol synthesis inhibitors. Additionally, non-pharmacological techniques, including cognitivebehavioral therapy, herbs and supplements, transcranial magnetic stimulation, lifestyle changes, and surgery, have been investigated to reduce cortisol levels. The emerging evidence suggests that cortisol modulation could be a promising treatment option for mental disorders. However, more research is needed to fully understand the effectiveness and safety of these therapies.

The effects of early-life and intergenerational stress on the brain

Stress experienced during ontogeny can have profound effects on the adult phenotype. However, stress can also be experienced intergenerationally, where an offspring's phenotype can be moulded by stress experienced by the parents. Although early-life and intergenerational stress can alter anatomy, physiology, and behaviour, nothing is known about how these stress contexts interact to affect the neural phenotype. Here, we examined how early-life and intergenerational stress affect the brain in eastern fence lizards (Sceloporus undulatus). Some lizard populations co-occur with predatory fire ants, and stress from fire ant attacks exerts intergenerational physiological and behavioural changes in lizards. However, it is unclear if intergenerational stress, or the interaction between intergenerational and early-life stress, modulates the brain. To test this, we captured gravid females from fire ant invaded and uninvaded populations, and subjected offspring to three early-life stress treatments: (1) fire ant attack, (2) corticosterone, or (3) a control. Corticosterone and fire ant attack decreased some aspects of the neural phenotype while population of origin and the interaction of early-life stress and population had no effects on the brain. These results suggest that early-life stressors may better predict adult brain variation than intergenerational stress in this species.

Molecular effects of intermittent stress on primary feline uroepithelial cell culture as an in vitro model of feline idiopathic cystitis

Introduction

The most common cause of feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUDT) is feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC), which is a complex multifactorial disease with symptoms including stranguria, dysuria, hematuria, and pain during urination. The development of these symptoms is often triggered by stress, and in case of chronic stress, these symptoms will many times return. One of the most important stress hormones in the pathogenesis of FIC is norepinephrine (NE), as persistently elevated level of this hormone can be measured in the blood of cats with FIC. However, it is not well understood if recurrently elevated level of NE has any direct effect on urinary bladder, therefore the aim of this study was to investigate the molecular effects of intermittent NE exposure on feline primary uroepithelial cell culture.

Methods

Primary uroepithelial cells were gained from the mucosa of the bladder of a euthanized cat, and were cultured for 6 days, then they were exposed to 10, 100, and 1,000 μM NE treatment for 3 × 1 h, including a 1 h long regeneration period between exposures.

Results

NE was able to trigger pro-inflammatory response and oxidative stress in the uroepithelial cells by increasing the level of stromal cell derived factor 1 (SDF-1) and H2O2 in cell culture media. In addition, NE increased the permeability of the uroepithelium, since decreased glycosaminoglycan (GAG) concentration, tight junction protein claudin-4 content, and TER values were measured after the NE treatments.

Discussion

Based on these results it can be concluded that recurrent stress mimicked by 3×1 h NE treatment has a direct molecular effect on the uroepithelial cells, which leads to inflammatory response, oxidative stress and decreased barrier function of the uroepithelium. Therefore, intermittent release of NE may have an important role in the pathogenesis of FIC and the results of this study may contribute to a better understanding of the development of this illness.

Elucidating individual differences in chronic pain and whole person health with allostatic load biomarkers

Chronic pain is a stressor that affects whole person functioning. Persistent and prolonged activation of the body's stress systems without adequate recovery can result in measurable physiological and neurobiological dysregulation recognized as allostatic load. We and others have shown chronic pain is associated with measures of allostatic load including clinical biomarker composites, telomere length, and brain structures. Less is known regarding how different measures of allostatic load align. The purpose of the study was to evaluate relationships among two measures of allostatic load: a clinical composite and pain-related brain structures, pain, function, and socioenvironmental measures. Participants were non-Hispanic black and non-Hispanic white community-dwelling adults between 45 and 85 years old with knee pain. Data were from a brain MRI, questionnaires specific to pain, physical and psychosocial function, and a blood draw. Individuals with all measures for the clinical composite were included in the analysis (n = 175). Indicating higher allostatic load, higher levels of the clinical composite were associated with thinner insula cortices with trends for thinner inferior temporal lobes and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (DLPFC). Higher allostatic load as measured by the clinical composite was associated with greater knee osteoarthritis pathology, pain disability, and lower physical function. Lower allostatic load as indicated by thicker insula cortices was associated with higher income and education, and greater physical functioning. Thicker insula and DLPFC were associated with a lower chronic pain stage. Multiple linear regression models with pain and socioenvironmental measures as the predictors were significant for the clinical composite, insular, and inferior temporal lobes. We replicate our previously reported bilateral temporal lobe group difference pattern and show that individuals with high chronic pain stage and greater socioenvironmental risk have a higher allostatic load as measured by the clinical composite compared to those individuals with high chronic pain stage and greater socioenvironmental buffers. Although brain structure differences are shown in individuals with chronic pain, brain MRIs are not yet clinically applicable. Our findings suggest that a clinical composite measure of allostatic load may help identify individuals with chronic pain who have biological vulnerabilities which increase the risk for poor health outcomes.

Effect of acetate supplementation on traumatic stress-induced behavioral impairments in male rats

Gut microbiota and their metabolites have emerged as key players in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders. Recently, we demonstrated that animals susceptible to Single Prolonged Stress (SPS) have an overall pro-inflammatory gut microbiota and significantly lower cecal acetate levels than SPS-resilient rats, which correlated inversely with the anxiety index. Here, we investigated whether the microbial metabolite, acetate, could ameliorate SPS-triggered impairments. Male rats were randomly divided into unstressed controls or groups exposed to SPS. The groups received continued oral supplementation of either 150 mM of sodium acetate or 150 mM of sodium chloride-matched water. Two weeks after SPS, a battery of behavioral tests was performed, and the animals were euthanized the following day. While not affecting the unstressed controls, acetate supplementation reduced the impact of SPS on body weight gain and ameliorated SPS-induced anxiety-like behavior and the impairments in social interaction, but not depressive-like behavior. These changes were accompanied by several beneficial effects of acetate supplementation. Acetate alleviated the stress response by reducing urinary epinephrine levels, induced epigenetic modification by decreasing histone deacetylase (HDAC2) gene expression, inhibited neuroinflammation by reducing the density of Iba1+ cells and the gene expression of IL-1ß in the hippocampus, and increased serum β-hydroxybutyrate levels. The findings reveal a causal relationship between oral acetate treatment and mitigation of several SPS-induced behavioral impairments. Mechanistically, it impacted neuronal and metabolic pathways including changes in stress response, epigenetic modifications, neuroinflammation and showed novel link to ketone body production. The study demonstrates the preventive-therapeutic potential of acetate supplementation to alleviate adverse responses to traumatic stress.

Reducing Stress and Anxiety in First-Year Undergraduates Through Biofeedback-Assisted Relaxation Training

Background: College students face many stressors daily, often resulting in psychological challenges such as heightened anxiety and depression. Biofeedback is becoming aware of and learning to modify the body's physiological functions. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of biofeedback relaxation training in mitigating stress and anxiety levels among medical undergraduates. Methods: This pretest-posttest control group design study was conducted following the ethics committee's approval. The study selected first-year MBBS students based on their elevated stress and anxiety scores and divided them into intervention and control groups. The study involved subjecting the intervention group to 10 sessions of biofeedback relaxation training, while the control group was not given any treatment. Stress and anxiety levels were assessed before and after the intervention of 10 to 12 weeks using the Perceived Stress Scale-14 and Cognitive Test Anxiety Scale. Results: The study involved 93 students, with 47 of them in the intervention group and the remaining 46 in the control group. After biofeedback, the intervention group showed significantly lower stress and anxiety scores than the control group. Conclusion: Biofeedback training effectively reduced stress and anxiety levels among undergraduate medical students. Biofeedback techniques can be implemented in college settings to support student mental wellness.

Basis of preventive and non-pharmacological interventions in asthma

Asthma is one of the most common atopic disorders in all stages of life. Its etiology is likely due to a complex interaction between genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Due to this, different non-pharmacological interventions can be implemented to reduce or alleviate the symptoms caused by this disease. Thus, the present narrative review aimed to analyze the preventive and non-pharmacological interventions such as physical exercise, physiotherapy, nutritional, ergonutritional, and psychological strategies in asthma treatment. To reach these aims, an extensive narrative review was conducted. The databases used were MedLine (PubMed), Cochrane (Wiley), Embase, PsychINFO, and CinAhl. Asthma is an immune-mediated inflammatory condition characterized by increased responsiveness to bronchoconstrictor stimuli. Different factors have been shown to play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma, however, the treatments used to reduce its incidence are more controversial. Physical activity is focused on the benefits that aerobic training can provide, while physiotherapy interventions recommend breathing exercises to improve the quality of life of patients. Nutritional interventions are targeted on implement diets that prioritize the consumption of fruits and vegetables and supplementation with antioxidants. Psychological interventions have been proposed as an essential non-pharmacological tool to reduce the emotional problems associated with asthma.

Changes in stress pathways as a possible mechanism of aerobic exercise training on brain health: a scoping review of existing studies

Physical activity (PA) in the form of aerobic exercise (AE) preserves and improves neurocognitive function across the lifespan. However, a mechanistic understanding of the pathways by which aerobic exercise impacts brain health is still lacking, particularly with respect to stress-related pathways. One mechanistic hypothesis is that AE improves neurocognitive health in part by modifying circulating levels of stress-related hormones and signaling factors associated with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and autonomic nervous system (ANS), as commonly measured by the biomarkers cortisol (CORT) and salivary α-amylase (sAA). Thus, this hypothesis predicts that changes in stress biomarkers, such as CORT and sAA, are possible explanatory pathways mediating the positive effects of AE on neurocognitive health. In the present review article, we provide a summary of available studies examining the possibility that exercise-induced changes to stress biomarkers could partly account for exercise-related improvements in neurocognitive health. Our review indicates that despite the intuitive appeal of this hypothesis, there is insufficient evidence available to conclude that chronic and habitual AE affects neurocognitive health by altering stress biomarker pathways. The cross-sectional nature of the majority of reviewed studies highlights the need for well-controlled studies to adequately test this hypothesis.

The relationship between self-reported chronic stress, physiological stress axis dysregulation and medically-unexplained symptoms

The positive feedback model of medically-unexplained symptoms posits that chronic stress affects the activity of the physiological stress axes, which in turn generates medically-unexplained symptoms. As a first step to empirically test its model assumptions, we investigated potential associations between chronic stress, physiological stress axis activity and medically-unexplained in a cross-sectional study. One hundred-ninety-nine healthy individuals provided self-reports on chronic stress and medically-unexplained symptoms, resting heart rate/variability (HR/HRV; e.g., root mean square of successive differences/RMSSD, low frequency/LF power), cortisol awakening response (CAR) and diurnal cortisol. Significant positive contributors to medically-unexplained symptoms were the chronic stress scales 'lack of social appreciation' and 'chronic worries', as well as CAR and LF HRV; diurnal cortisol was a negative contributor. Mediation analyses showed that the impact of neural indicators associated with physiological stress axis activity (HR/HRV) related to medically-unexplained symptoms, which was mediated by chronic stress, whereas the mediation effect as suggested by the positive feedback model was not significant. These cross-sectional findings do not support the positive feedback model. Longitudinal studies are required to conclude about potential mechanistic and causal relationships in the model. Nevertheless, our mediation analyses give first indication that the constitution of physiological stress axes may play a major role in how stressors are perceived and which kind of health-consequences (e.g., medically-unexplained symptoms) this may have.

Mitochondria and Brain Disease: A Comprehensive Review of Pathological Mechanisms and Therapeutic Opportunities

Mitochondria play a vital role in maintaining cellular energy homeostasis, regulating apoptosis, and controlling redox signaling. Dysfunction of mitochondria has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various brain diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders, stroke, and psychiatric illnesses. This review paper provides a comprehensive overview of the intricate relationship between mitochondria and brain disease, focusing on the underlying pathological mechanisms and exploring potential therapeutic opportunities. The review covers key topics such as mitochondrial DNA mutations, impaired oxidative phosphorylation, mitochondrial dynamics, calcium dysregulation, and reactive oxygen species generation in the context of brain disease. Additionally, it discusses emerging strategies targeting mitochondrial dysfunction, including mitochondrial protective agents, metabolic modulators, and gene therapy approaches. By critically analysing the existing literature and recent advancements, this review aims to enhance our understanding of the multifaceted role of mitochondria in brain disease and shed light on novel therapeutic interventions.

Amygdala responses to threat in violence-exposed children depend on trauma context and maternal caregiving

Early life adversity (ELA) has been linked with increased arousal responses to threat, including increased amygdala reactivity. Effects of ELA on brain function are well recognized, and emerging evidence suggests that caregivers may influence how environmental stressors impact children's brain function. We investigated the hypothesis that positive interaction between mother and child can buffer against ELA effects on children's neural responses to threat, and related symptoms. N = 53 mother-child pairs (children ages 8-14 years) were recruited from an urban population at high risk for violence exposure. Maternal caregiving was measured using the Parenting Questionnaire and in a cooperation challenge task. Children viewed fearful and neutral face stimuli during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Children who experienced greater violence at home showed amygdala sensitization, whereas children experiencing more school and community violence showed amygdala habituation. Sensitization was in turn linked with externalizing symptoms. However, maternal warmth was associated with a normalization of amygdala sensitization in children, and fewer externalizing behaviors prospectively up to 1 year later. Findings suggested that the effects of violence exposure on threat-related neural circuitry depend on trauma context (inside or outside the home) and that primary caregivers can increase resilience.

Pregnancy-specific anxiety and gestational length: The mediating role of diurnal cortisol indices

BACKGROUND

Preterm birth or shorter gestation is a common adverse pregnancy outcome. Pregnancy-specific anxiety is robustly associated with risk for shorter gestation. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) dysregulation, indicated by diurnal cortisol index variability [slope, area-under-the-curve (AUC) or cortisol awakening response (CAR)], could mediate associations between pregnancy-specific anxiety and shorter gestation. The purpose of this study was to explore whether diurnal cortisol index variability mediates associations between pregnancy-specific anxiety and gestational length.

METHODS

A sample of 149 women from the Healthy Babies Before Birth study reported pregnancy-specific anxiety in early pregnancy. Saliva samples were taken at three times during pregnancy, for two days each, at wake, 30 min post wake, noon, and evening. Diurnal cortisol indices were calculated using standard approaches. Pregnancy cortisol index variability was calculated across pregnancy timepoints. Gestational length was derived from medical charts. Covariates were sociodemographics, parity and obstetric risk. Mediation models were tested using SPSS PROCESS.

RESULTS

There was a significant indirect effect of pregnancy-specific anxiety on gestational length via CAR variability, b(SE)= -0.102(0.057), .95CI [- 0.227,- 0.008]. Higher pregnancy-specific anxiety was associated with lower CAR variability, b(SE)= -0.019(0.008), p = .022, and lower CAR variability was associated with shorter gestation, b(SE)= 5.29(2.64), p = .047. Neither AUC or slope variability mediated associations between pregnancy-specific anxiety and gestational length.

CONCLUSION

Lower CAR variability during pregnancy mediated the association between higher pregnancy-specific anxiety and shorter gestational length. Pregnancy-specific anxiety could dysregulate HPA axis activity, as indicated by lower CAR variability, demonstrating the importance of the HPA axis system in regulating pregnancy outcomes.

Differences in perceived threat and trauma in children during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

The past 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic were stressful for most children and adolescents; some children may have experienced a high level of stress and trauma. To date, no study has examined self-reported stress and trauma levels due to COVID-19 in children. This study aimed to assess perceived threat, exposure and trauma symptoms in children aged 7-13 years. In addition, we explored whether parent-reported factors could predict a higher risk of COVID-19 vulnerability in their children.

METHOD

Cross-sectional data were collected from 752 children to assess COVID-19 threat, exposure and trauma symptoms using the self- and parent-reported Child and Adolescent Trauma Screening Self-Report (CATS) Trauma questionnaire. We used exploratory analyses (factor analysis of mixed data and hierarchical clustering) to identify subgroups (i.e., clusters) of children sharing similar characteristics in the dataset. Linear regression modeling was applied to determine the likelihood of higher threat and vulnerability in children with parent-reported COVID-19 threat, exposure, CATS trauma symptoms, behaviors on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and posttraumatic growth (PTG).

RESULTS

We identified a high-risk group of children reporting clinically relevant trauma symptoms and COVID-19-related fears. Parents' reports of trauma could be used to identify children at high risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Approximately 25% of children reported moderate to clinically relevant levels of trauma symptom. It is especially important to offer adequate support to these children to ease the trauma and prevent their symptoms from developing into psychopathology.

Prevalence of depression and its correlation with anxiety, headache and sleep disorders among medical staff in the Hainan Province of China

Objective

This cross-sectional survey aimed to investigate the prevalence of depression among medical staff and its risk factors as well as the association between depression, anxiety, headache, and sleep disorders.

Methods

Stratified random cluster sampling was used to select medical staff from various departments of four hospitals in Sanya City. The Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were used to quantitatively assess depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Correlation and regression analyses were performed to determine factors affecting the depression occurrence and scores.

Results

Among 645 medical staff members, 548 (85%) responded. The 1-year prevalence of depression was 42.7% and the prevalence of depression combined with anxiety, headache, and sleep disorders was 23, 27, and 34.5%, respectively. The prevalence of depression in women, nurses, the unmarried or single group, and the rotating-shift population was significantly higher than that in men (48.3% vs. 27.1%, odds ratio OR = 2.512), doctors (55.2% vs. 26.7%, OR = 3.388), the married group (50.5% vs. 35.8%, OR = 1.900), and the day-shift population (35.2% vs. 7.5%, OR = 1.719). The occurrence of depression was correlated with anxiety, sleep disorders, headache, and migraines, with anxiety having the highest correlation (Spearman's Rho = 0.531). The SDS was significantly correlated with the SAS and PSQI (Spearman's Rho = 0.801, 0.503) and was also related to the presence of headache and migraine (Spearman Rho = 0.228, 0.159). Multiple logistic regression indicated that nurse occupation and anxiety were risk factors for depression, while grades of anxiety, sleep disorders and nurse occupation were risk factors for the degree of depression in multiple linear regression.

Conclusion

The prevalence of depression among medical staff was higher than that in the general population, especially among women, nurses, unmarried people, and rotating-shift workers. Depression is associated with anxiety, sleep disorders, headache, and migraines. Anxiety and nursing occupation are risk factors for depression. This study provides a reference for the promotion of occupational health among medical professionals.

Temperament & Character account for brain functional connectivity at rest: A diathesis-stress model of functional dysregulation in psychosis

The human brain's resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) provides stable trait-like measures of differences in the perceptual, cognitive, emotional, and social functioning of individuals. The rsFC of the prefrontal cortex is hypothesized to mediate a person's rational self-government, as is also measured by personality, so we tested whether its connectivity networks account for vulnerability to psychosis and related personality configurations. Young adults were recruited as outpatients or controls from the same communities around psychiatric clinics. Healthy controls (n = 30) and clinically stable outpatients with bipolar disorder (n = 35) or schizophrenia (n = 27) were diagnosed by structured interviews, and then were assessed with standardized protocols of the Human Connectome Project. Data-driven clustering identified five groups of patients with distinct patterns of rsFC regardless of diagnosis. These groups were distinguished by rsFC networks that regulate specific biopsychosocial aspects of psychosis: sensory hypersensitivity, negative emotional balance, impaired attentional control, avolition, and social mistrust. The rsFc group differences were validated by independent measures of white matter microstructure, personality, and clinical features not used to identify the subjects. We confirmed that each connectivity group was organized by differential collaborative interactions among six prefrontal and eight other automatically-coactivated networks. The temperament and character traits of the members of these groups strongly accounted for the differences in rsFC between groups, indicating that configurations of rsFC are internal representations of personality organization. These representations involve weakly self-regulated emotional drives of fear, irrational desire, and mistrust, which predispose to psychopathology. However, stable outpatients with different diagnoses (bipolar or schizophrenic psychoses) were highly similar in rsFC and personality. This supports a diathesis-stress model in which different complex adaptive systems regulate predisposition (which is similar in stable outpatients despite diagnosis) and stress-induced clinical dysfunction (which differs by diagnosis).

Racial discrimination and 12-month and lifetime anxiety disorders among African American men and women: Findings from the National Survey of American Life

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to assess the associations between racial discrimination and 12-month and lifetime DSM-IV anxiety disorders among African American men and women.

METHODS

Data was drawn from the African American sample of the National Survey of American Life (N = 3570). Racial discrimination was assessed with the Everyday Discrimination Scale. 12-month and lifetime DSM-IV outcomes were any anxiety disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder (PD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), and agoraphobia (AG). Logistic regressions were utilized to assess the relationships between discrimination and anxiety disorders.

RESULTS

The data indicated that racial discrimination was associated with increased odds for 12-month and lifetime anxiety disorders, AG, and PD and lifetime SAD among men. Regarding 12-month disorders among women, racial discrimination was associated with increased odds for any anxiety disorder, PTSD, SAD, and PD. With respect to lifetime disorders among women, racial discrimination was associated with increased odds for any anxiety disorder, PTSD, GAD, SAD, and PD.

LIMITATIONS

The limitations of this study include the utilization of cross-sectional data, self-reported measures, and the exclusion of non-community dwelling individuals.

CONCLUSIONS

The current investigation showed that African American men and women are not impacted by racial discrimination in the same ways. These findings suggest that the mechanisms through which discrimination operates among men and women to influence anxiety disorders is potentially a relevant target for interventions to address gender disparities in anxiety disorders.

Microglial Responses to Stress-Induced Depression: Causes and Consequences

Chronic stress is a major risk factor for various psychiatric diseases, including depression; it triggers various cellular and structural changes, resulting in the alteration of neurocircuitry and subsequent development of depression. Accumulating evidence suggests that microglial cells orchestrate stress-induced depression. Preclinical studies of stress-induced depression revealed microglial inflammatory activation in regions of the brain that regulate mood. Although studies have identified several molecules that trigger inflammatory responses in microglia, the pathways that regulate stress-induced microglial activation remain unclear. Understanding the exact triggers that induce microglial inflammatory activation can help find therapeutic targets in order to treat depression. In the current review, we summarize the recent literature on possible sources of microglial inflammatory activation in animal models of chronic stress-induced depression. In addition, we describe how microglial inflammatory signaling affects neuronal health and causes depressive-like behavior in animal models. Finally, we propose ways to target the microglial inflammatory cascade to treat depressive disorders.

The expression of agmatinase manipulates the affective state of rats subjected to chronic restraint stress

Agmatine is an endogenous polyamine produced from l-arginine and degraded by agmatinase (AGMAT). Studies in humans and animals have shown that agmatine has neuroprotective, anxiolytic, and antidepressant-like actions. However, little is known about the role of AGMAT in the action of agmatine or in the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the role of AGMAT in the pathophysiology of MDD. In this study, we observed that AGMAT expression increased in the ventral hippocampus rather than in the medial prefrontal cortex in the chronic restraint stress (CRS) animal model of depression. Furthermore, we found that AGMAT overexpression in the ventral hippocampus elicited depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors, whereas knockdown of AGMAT exhibited antidepressant and anxiolytic effects in CRS animals. Field and whole-cell recordings of hippocampal CA1 revealed that AGMAT blockage increased Schaffer collateral-CA1 excitatory synaptic transmission, which was expressed both pre- and post-synaptically and was probably due to the inhibition of AGMAT-expressing local interneurons. Therefore, our results suggest that dysregulation of AGMAT is involved in the pathophysiology of depression and is a potential target for designing more effective antidepressants with fewer adverse effects to offer a better therapy for depression.

NAPE-PLD deletion in stress-TRAPed neurons results in an anxiogenic phenotype

Anandamide (AEA) is an endogenous ligand of the cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors, being a component of the endocannabinoid signaling system, which supports the maintenance or regaining of neural homeostasis upon internal and external challenges. AEA is thought to play a protective role against the development of pathological states after prolonged stress exposure, including depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Here, we used the chronic social defeat (CSD) stress as an ethologically valid model of chronic stress in male mice. We characterized a genetically modified mouse line where AEA signaling was reduced by deletion of the gene encoding the AEA synthesizing enzyme N-acyl-phosphatidylethanolamine-hydrolyzing phospholipase D (NAPE-PLD) specifically in neurons activated at the time of CSD stress. One week after the stress, the phenotype was assessed in behavioral tests and by molecular analyses. We found that NAPE-PLD deficiency in neurons activated during the last three days of CSD stress led to an increased anxiety-like behavior. Investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenotype may suggest three main altered pathways to be affected: (i) desensitization of the negative feedback loop of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, (ii) disinhibition of the amygdala by the prefrontal cortex, and (iii) altered neuroplasticity in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.

Association between tissue stress reaction and ACE2/TMPRSS2 expression in endometria of reproductive aged women before and during Covid-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

A potential concern has been raised regarding fertility and reproductive outcome during the Covid-19 pandemic with growing stress and anxiety. However, information on the association between tissue stress reaction and expression profiles of SARS-CoV-2 viral entry proteins, ACE2 and TMPRSS2, in endometria collected from women before (pre-pandemic) and during the Covid-19 pandemic (in-pandemic) is unknown. We aim to investigate the relationship between the expression of stress-reactive proteins and of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in endometria collected from women during these two different time frames.

METHODS

We retrospectively retrieved tissue blocks of endometrial samples from 25 women in 2019 (pre-pandemic) and 25 women in 2020 (in-pandemic) who underwent hysterectomy for different gynecological indications. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed with endometrial tissue samples that were collected before and during the pandemic, using respective antibodies targeting ACE2/TMPRSS2, ADRB2 and NK1R (stress and anxiety receptor markers, respectively). The quantification of immunoreactive cells for each marker was calculated by the immunoreactive score (IRS) analysis. This retrospective cohort study was limited to small sample size.

RESULTS

No significant differences in the IRS of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 were found between the endometria that were collected before and during the pandemic with a lack of correlation between ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expression in respective endometria (r = 0.11, pre-pandemic; r = 0.04, in-pandemic). The immunostaining levels of stress marker, ADRB2 were significantly higher in the endometria of in-pandemic group (p = 0.015) comparing to that of pre-pandemic group. Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis showed a significant correlation in the expression between ADRB2 and TMPRSS2 (r = 0.41, p = 0.042) in the endometria of in-pandemic group but not in the pre-pandemic group.

CONCLUSION

The rise in stress and anxiety among women during current pandemic may elicit substantial amount of tissue stress reaction with consequent increase in the expression of SARS-CoV-2 viral entry proteins in their endometria. A lack of correlation between ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expression in endometria may reassure women in their reproductive age that they are not more susceptible to infection by SARS-CoV-2 and suggest that stressful women during this pandemic can safely decide to conceive naturally or by artificial reproductive technology.

Doživljanje neizvedene zdravstvene nege pri medicinskih sestrah

Uvod: Stiske zaradi zdravstvene nege, ki ostaja zaradi različnih razlogov neizvedena, so pri medicinskih sestrah pogosto spregledane in neprepoznane. Namen integrativnega pregleda literature je pregledati najnovejše raziskave, ki opisujejo, kako se neizvedena zdravstvena nega izraža na duševnem počutju medicinskih sester.Metode: Uporabili smo integrativni pregled literature, izveden v skladu s PRISMA smernicami v podatkovnih bazah PubMed, CINAHL, Wiley, COBISS.SI in Google Učenjak. Potek iskanja in analize literature je prikazan s pomočjo PRISMA diagrama. Zadetke smo razvrstili glede na raven dokazov. Uporabili smo tematsko analizo vsebine.Rezultati: Skupaj je bilo identificiranih 175 in v končno analizo vključenih 11 virov. Identificirano je bilo 96 kod združenih v 4 kategorije: (1) Telesno, duševno in čustveno počutje, (2) Moralno etične dileme, (3) Sprejemanje odločitev pri delu – prilagajanje, (4) Poklicne in osebne vrednote.Diskusija in zaključek: Neizvedena zdravstvena nega je za medicinske sestre pomemben izvor stisk in stresa, saj zaradi neizvajanja vseh potrebnih aktivnosti v zdravstveni negi prihajajo v neskladje s svojimi osebnimi in poklicnimi vrednotami. Naši rezultati dodajajo vsebinski kontekst in boljše razumevanje posledic neizvedene zdravstvene nege pri medicinskih sestrah. Vsakodnevno odločanje, katere aktivnosti bo potrebno izpustiti, vpliva ne samo na slabše počutje, nezadovoljstvo in izgorelost, ampak celo na zapuščanje delovnih mest in poklica.

Anti-depressant-like effects of rannasangpei and its active ingredient crocin-1 on chronic unpredictable mild stress mice

Major depressive disorder is one of the most common neuropsychiatric diseases and it is a global public health problem that leads to disabilities. Currently, there is a growing need to explore novel strategy to cure major depressive disorder due to the limitation of available treatments. Rannasangpei (RSNP) is a traditional Tibetan medicine which acts as a therapeutic agent in various acute or chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and neurodegenerative diseases. Crocin-1 a coloring ingredient of saffron which exhibited anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. Here, we aimed to illustrate whether RSNP and its active ingredient crocin-1 rescue depressive-like phenotypes in chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) induced mouse model of depression. Our results showed that peripheral administration of RSNP or crocin-1 ameliorated the depressive-like behaviors in CUMS-treated mice, as demonstrated by the forced swimming test and tail suspension test. Furthermore, RSNP or crocin-1 treatment reduced oxidative stress in the peripheral blood and hippocampus of the CUMS-treated mice. Additionally, the dysregulated immune system response, as demonstrated by the increased expression of the pro-inflammatory factors (tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6) and the decreased expression of the anti-inflammatory factor-interleukin-10 in the prefrontal cortex and/or hippocampus of CUMS-treated mice, were at least partially restored by RSNP or crocin-1 treatment. RSNP or crocin-1 also restored apoptotic protein marker (Bcl-2 and Bax) levels in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of the CUMS-treated mice. Moreover, our data indicated that RSNP or crocin-1 increased astrocyte number and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in the hippocampus of CUMS-treated mice after RSNP or crocin-1 administration. Taken together, our study for the first time revealed an anti-depressant effect of RSNP and its active ingredient crocin-1 in a mouse model of depression, with involvement of oxidative stress, inflammatory response and apoptotic pathway.

Behavioral and Transcriptomic Changes Following Brain-Specific Loss of Noradrenergic Transmission

Noradrenaline (NE) plays an integral role in shaping behavioral outcomes including anxiety/depression, fear, learning and memory, attention and shifting behavior, sleep-wake state, pain, and addiction. However, it is unclear whether dysregulation of NE release is a cause or a consequence of maladaptive orientations of these behaviors, many of which associated with psychiatric disorders. To address this question, we used a unique genetic model in which the brain-specific vesicular monoamine transporter-2 (VMAT2) gene expression was removed in NE-positive neurons disabling NE release in the entire brain. We engineered VMAT2 gene splicing and NE depletion by crossing floxed VMAT2 mice with mice expressing the Cre-recombinase under the dopamine β-hydroxylase (DBH) gene promotor. In this study, we performed a comprehensive behavioral and transcriptomic characterization of the VMAT2DBHcre KO mice to evaluate the role of central NE in behavioral modulations. We demonstrated that NE depletion induces anxiolytic and antidepressant-like effects, improves contextual fear memory, alters shifting behavior, decreases the locomotor response to amphetamine, and induces deeper sleep during the non-rapid eye movement (NREM) phase. In contrast, NE depletion did not affect spatial learning and memory, working memory, response to cocaine, and the architecture of the sleep-wake cycle. Finally, we used this model to identify genes that could be up- or down-regulated in the absence of NE release. We found an up-regulation of the synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2c (SV2c) gene expression in several brain regions, including the locus coeruleus (LC), and were able to validate this up-regulation as a marker of vulnerability to chronic social defeat. The NE system is a complex and challenging system involved in many behavioral orientations given it brain wide distribution. In our study, we unraveled specific role of NE neurotransmission in multiple behavior and link it to molecular underpinning, opening future direction to understand NE role in health and disease.

Asthma, the central nervous system, and neurocognition: Current findings, potential mechanisms, and treatment implications

Accumulating behavioral evidence suggests that asthma is associated with cognitive deficits. A number of studies have identified potential biological contributions to cognition in asthma; however, mechanistic pathways of central nervous system (CNS) involvement in asthma are yet to be established. We therefore conducted a literature review to identify studies examining potential CNS contributions to cognition in asthma. In this review, we discuss our general understanding of the CNS in asthma in the context of cognitive performance and outline a working model of mechanistic pathways linking the proposed neural influences of asthma pathology with cognition. To this extent, we incorporate neural, behavioral, psychological, social and environmental factors. Finally, we underscore the clinical significance of the CNS and neurocognitive sequelae in asthma, highlighting potential opportunities for routine monitoring, therapeutic intervention, and recommend key areas for future research.

Glucocorticoid-Responsive Tissue Plasminogen Activator (tPA) and Its Inhibitor Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1): Relevance in Stress-Related Psychiatric Disorders

Stressful events trigger a set of complex biological responses which follow a bell-shaped pattern. Low-stress conditions have been shown to elicit beneficial effects, notably on synaptic plasticity together with an increase in cognitive processes. In contrast, overly intense stress can have deleterious behavioral effects leading to several stress-related pathologies such as anxiety, depression, substance use, obsessive-compulsive and stressor- and trauma-related disorders (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD in the case of traumatic events). Over a number of years, we have demonstrated that in response to stress, glucocorticoid hormones (GCs) in the hippocampus mediate a molecular shift in the balance between the expression of the tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and its own inhibitor plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) proteins. Interestingly, a shift in favor of PAI-1 was responsible for PTSD-like memory induction. In this review, after describing the biological system involving GCs, we highlight the key role of tPA/PAI-1 imbalance observed in preclinical and clinical studies associated with the emergence of stress-related pathological conditions. Thus, tPA/PAI-1 protein levels could be predictive biomarkers of the subsequent onset of stress-related disorders, and pharmacological modulation of their activity could be a potential new therapeutic approach for these debilitating conditions.

Exogenous melatonin alleviates neuropathic pain-induced affective disorders by suppressing NF-κB/ NLRP3 pathway and apoptosis

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects of melatonin (MLT) on neuropathic pain (NP)-induced anxiety and depression in a rat model. Adult male rats were separated into four groups, i.e., Sham-VEH: healthy animals received a vehicle, Sham-MLT (10 mg/kg), and chronic constrictive injury (CCI)-VEH: nerve ligation received the vehicle, and CCI-MLT. Next, we used behavioral tests to evaluate pain severity, anxiety, and depression. Finally, rats were sacrificed for molecular and histopathological studies. Behavioral tests showed that NP could induce depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors. NP activated NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome pathways by upregulating NF-κB, NLRP3, ASC, active Caspase-1, also enhancing the concentrations of cytokines (IL-1β and IL-18) in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus (HC). NP upregulated Bax, downregulated Bcl2, and increased cell apoptosis in the HC and PFC. The rats treated with MLT eliminated the effects of NP, as the reduced pain severity, improved anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors, ameliorated NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome pathways, and modulated levels of cytokines in the HC and PFC. MLT could promote cell survival from apoptosis by modulating Bax and Bcl2. Therefore, it might be inferred that its anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties mediate the beneficial effects of MLT in NP-induced affective disorders.

Pinostrobin alleviates chronic restraint stress‑induced cognitive impairment by modulating oxidative stress and the function of astrocytes in the hippocampus of rats

Chronic stress has been recognized to induce the alterations of neuronal and glial cells in the hippocampus, and is thus implicated in cognitive dysfunction. There is increasing evidence to indicate that natural compounds capable of exerting neuroprotective and antioxidant activities, may function as potential therapeutic agents for cognitive impairment. The present study examined the neuroprotective effects of pinostrobin from Boesenbergia rotunda (L.) against chronic restraint stress (CRS)-induced cognitive impairment associated with the alterations of oxidative stress, neuronal density and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) of astrocytes in the hippocampus. For this purpose, male Wistar rats were administered once daily with pinostrobin (20 and 40 mg/kg, per os) prior to exposure to CRS (6 h/day) for 21 days. The cognitive behaviors, the concentration of malondialdehyde, and the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase were determined. Histologically, the alterations in astrocytic GFAP and excitatory amino acid transporter 2 (EAAT2) in the hippocampus were examined. The results revealed that pinostrobin potentially attenuated cognitive impairment in the Y-maze and in novel object recognition tests, with a reduction in oxidative stress. Furthermore, pinostrobin effectively increased neuronal density, as well as the immunoreactivities of GFAP and EAAT2 in the hippocampus. Taken together, these findings indicate that treatment with pinostrobin alleviates chronic stress-induced cognitive impairment by exerting antioxidant effects, reducing neuronal cell damage, and improving the function of astrocytic GFAP and EAAT2. Thus, pinostrobin may have potential for use as a neuroprotective agent to protect against chronic stress-induced brain dysfunction and cognitive deficits.

Messung von Stress im Studium

Zusammenfassung. Eine neue Version des Erholungs-Belastungs-Fragebogens (EBF) für das Studium füllt die Lücke zwischen dem EBF für Kinder und Jugendliche und dem EBF für Berufstätige. Neue Subtests und Dimensionen für spezifische Beanspruchung und Erholung im Studium wurden entwickelt und validiert. Psychometrische Analysen an einer gepoolten Stichprobe von N = 281 Studierenden zeigten gute interne Konsistenzen der beiden Faktoren sowie der acht Dimensionen. Bei einer Stichprobe mit Messwiederholungen ( N = 111) erwiesen sich die Messwerte als stabil, insbesondere bei Messintervallen von bis zu zwei Wochen. Die Konstruktvalidität des EBF-Konzepts, mit zwei separaten, aber korrelierten Faktoren für Beanspruchung und Erholung, konnte bestätigt werden. Die Kriteriumsvalidierung wurde mit dem NEO-FFI, dem Stressverarbeitungsfragebogen SVF und einer Ein-Item-Einschätzung für subjektiven Stress geprüft. Eine Kurzversion wird ebenfalls vorgestellt, diese kann für Screening-Zwecke verwendet werden.

Exploring the stress of olympic postponement due to COVID-19 on elite/international and world-class parenting and pregnant runners

The primary objective of this community-based participatory research is to explore the impacts of COVID-19 and the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on world-class and elite/international-class parenting and pregnant athletes. Participants in this study include 11 female and 10 male parenting and/or pregnant middle and distance runners. Combined, the participants have competed at 26 Olympic Games and 31 World Championships. Drawing on the general concepts of stressors and psychological resilience, we use thematic analysis to develop four themes to understand the stressors for world-class and elite/international-class parenting and pregnant athletes due to COVID-19 and the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games: (1) lack of childcare support, (2) family planning, and (3) needing to stay away from sources of COVID-including their children. Despite the stressors identified in the aforementioned themes, we identified a fourth theme: (4) participants demonstrated adaptability to stress in spite of-or due to-their athlete-parent identities.

Measuring stress: a review of the current cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) measurement techniques and considerations for the future of mental health monitoring

Psychological stress and its inevitable trajectory toward mental health deteriorations such as clinical and major depression has become an unprecedented global burden. The diagnostic procedures involved in the characterization of mental illnesses commonly follow qualitative and subjective measures of stress, often leading to greater socioeconomic burdens due to misdiagnosis and poor understanding of the severity of such illnesses, further fueled by the stigmatization surrounding mental health. In recent years, the application of cortisol and stress hormone measurements has given rise to an alternative, quantifiable approach for the psychological evaluation of stress and depression. This review comprehensively evaluates the current state-of-the-art technology for measuring cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and their applications within stress monitoring in humans. Recent advancements in these fields have shown the importance of measuring stress hormones for the characterization of stress manifestation within the human body, and its relevance in mental health decline. Preliminary results from studies considering multimodal approaches toward stress monitoring have showcased promising developments, emphasizing the need for further technological advancement in this field, which consider both neurochemical and physiological biomarkers of stress, for global benefit.

The Mechanism of Socioeconomic Status Effects on Cognition

Socioeconomic status (SES) is a measurement of the sociological and economic statuses of individuals compared to others within the social and economic hierarchies. The common indicators of SES are income, education, and occupation statuses. Recently, researchers have used mixed measurements of SES, such as the MacArthur Scale. Numerous researches have proven the influence of SES on human development. Individuals who are less educated, have lower job status, and earn less or no income are at greater risk of poor health than their higher SES counterparts. SES has also been proven to influence life satisfaction, academic achievement, emotion regulation, cognitive function, and decision-making tendencies. SES has life span influence, which correlates with the level of cognition, rate of cognitive decline, and incidence of Alzheimer's disease among elderly individuals. Besides the individual level of SES, neighborhood SES can also affect cognitive function as an environmental factor. Low-SES individuals exhibit hypoactivation of the executive network and hyperactivation of the reward network, indicating low-SES individuals tend to focus more on monetary issues, while neglecting other non-monetary issues, which is consistent with the scarcity hypothesis.

Fraxetin attenuates disrupted behavioral and central neurochemical activity in a model of chronic unpredictable stress

Purpose: Chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) induces long-term neuronal and synaptic plasticity with a neurohormonal disbalance leading to the development of co-existing anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline. The side effects and delayed onset of current clinically used antidepressants has prompted a quest for antidepressants with minimum drawbacks. Fraxetin is a natural coumarin derivative with documented antioxidant and neuroprotective activity though its effects on stress are unknown. This study therefore aimed to investigate any possible acute effect of fraxetin in behavioral tests including a CUS paradigm in correlation with brain regional neurochemical changes. Methods: Mice were subjected to a series of mild stressors for 14 days to induce CUS. Furthermore, behavioral performance in the open field test, forced swim test (FST), Y-maze and elevated plus-maze were evaluated. Postmortem frontal cortical, hippocampal and striatal tissues were analyzed via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for neurochemical changes. Result: Acute administration of fraxetin (20-60 mg/kg, orally) decreased depression-like behavior in the FST and behavioral anxiety in both the open field test and elevated plus-maze. Memory deficits induced during the CUS paradigm were markedly improved as reflected by enhanced Y maze performance. Concurrent biochemical and neurochemical analyses revealed that only the two higher fraxetin doses decreased elevated serum corticosterone levels while diminished serotonin levels in the frontal cortex, striatum and hippocampus were reversed, though noradrenaline was only raised in the striatum. Concomitantly, dopamine levels were restored by fraxetin at the highest dose exclusively in the frontal cortex. Conclusion: Acute treatment with fraxetin attenuated CUS-induced behavioral deficits, ameliorated the increased corticosterone level and restored altered regional neurotransmitter levels and this may indicate a potential application of fraxetin in the management of anxiety and depression modeled by CUS. However, further studies are warranted regarding the chronic effects of fraxetin behaviorally and neurochemically.

Biomarkers in the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases

Biomarkers are molecules that behave as of biological states. Ideally, they should have high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in reflecting the total disease burden. The review discusses the current status of biomarkers used in neurological disorders. Neurodegenerative diseases are a heterogeneous group disorders characterized by progressive loss of structure and function of the central nervous system or peripheral nervous system. The review discusses the main biomarkers that have predictive value for describing clinical etiology, pathophysiology, and intervention strategies. Preciseness and reliability are one of important requirement for good biomarker. As a result of the analysis of literature data, it was revealed that beta-amyloid, total tau protein and its phosphorylated forms are the first biochemical biomarkers of neurodegenerative diseases measured in cerebrospinal fluid, but these markers are dependent upon invasive lumbar puncture and therefore it’s a cumbersome process for patients. Among the various biomarkers of neurodegenerative diseases, special attention is paid to miRNAs. MicroRNAs, important biomarkers in many disease states, including neurodegenerative disorders, make them promising candidates that may lead to identify new therapeutic targets. Conclusions. Biomarkers of neurological disease are present optimal amount in the cerebrospinal fluid but they are also present in blood at low levels. The data obtained reveal the predictive value of molecular diagnostics of neurodegenerative disorders and the need for its wider use.