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Lommen MJJ, Hoekstra S, van den Brink RHS, Lenaert B. Fear generalization predicts post-traumatic stress symptoms: A two-year follow-up study in Dutch fire fighters. J Anxiety Disord 2024; 103:102855. [PMID: 38484507 DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2024.102855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Excessive fear generalization has been associated with pathological anxiety, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, studies investigating the longitudinal relationship between generalization and the development of anxiety symptomatology are scarce. This study aims to test the predictive value of fear generalization for PTSD symptoms in a high-risk profession sample and to explore the relationship between generalization and neuroticism, which are both linked to PTSD. METHOD Longitudinal data from a multi-wave study in 529 Dutch fire-fighters were used. Fear generalization, PTSD symptoms and neuroticism were assessed at baseline. PTSD symptoms were reevaluated at six, 12, 18, and 24 months. Generalization was assessed in a differential conditioning paradigm by measuring expectancies of an aversive outcome when presented with stimuli similar to previously conditioned stimuli. RESULTS Higher expectancy ratings towards stimuli most similar to safety signals predicted PTSD symptoms at follow-up after controlling for baseline PTSD symptoms, whereas higher expectancy ratings towards stimuli most similar to danger signals was associated with neuroticism. Neuroticism weakened the predictive power of fear generalization when considered simultaneously. DISCUSSION These findings suggest that heightened fear generalization is associated with the development of anxiety and trauma-related symptoms. Targeting problematic fear generalization may be a promising intervention approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam J J Lommen
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Experimental Psychopathology, University of Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | | | - Rob H S van den Brink
- Department of Psychiatry, Rob Giel Research Center, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Bert Lenaert
- Department of Life Span Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Open University, Heerlen, the Netherlands; Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
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2
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Azoulay E, Pochard F, Argaud L, Cariou A, Clere-Jehl R, Guisset O, Labbé V, Tamion F, Bruneel F, Jourdain M, Reuter D, Klouche K, Kouatchet A, Souppart V, Lautrette A, Bohé J, Vieillard Baron A, Dellamonica J, Papazian L, Reignier J, Barbier F, Dumas G, Kentish-Barnes N. Resilience and Mental-Health Symptoms in ICU Healthcare Professionals Facing Repeated COVID-19 Waves. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2024; 209:573-583. [PMID: 38163380 PMCID: PMC10919111 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202305-0806oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Psychological resilience (the ability to thrive in adversity) may protect against mental-health symptoms in healthcare professionals during coronavirus disease (COVID-19) waves. Objectives: To identify determinants of resilience in ICU staff members. Methods: In this cross-sectional survey in 21 French ICUs, staff members completed the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Impact of Event Scale-Revised (for post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD]). Factors independently associated with resilience were identified. Measurements and Main Results: The response rate was 73.1% (950 of 1,300). The median 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale score was 29 (interquartile range, 25-32). Symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD were present in 61%, 39%, and 36% of staff members, respectively. Distress associated with the COVID-19 infodemic was correlated with symptoms of depression and PTSD. More resilient respondents less often had symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Greater resilience was independently associated with male sex, having provided intensive care during the early waves, having managed more than 50 patients with COVID-19, and, compared with earlier waves, working longer hours, having greater motivation, and more often involving families in end-of-life decisions. Independent risk factors for lower resilience were having managed more than 10 patients who died of COVID-19, having felt frightened or isolated, and greater distress from the COVID-19 infodemic. Conclusions: This study identifies modifiable determinants of resilience among ICU staff members. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether prior resilience decreases the risk of mental ill health during subsequent challenges. Hospital and ICU managers, for whom preserving mental well-being among staff members is a key duty, should pay careful attention to resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elie Azoulay
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Saint Louis University Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris-Cité University, Paris, France; FAMIREA study group
| | - Frédéric Pochard
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Saint Louis University Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris-Cité University, Paris, France; FAMIREA study group
| | - Laurent Argaud
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Edouard Herriot Hospital, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Alain Cariou
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Cochin University Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris-Cité University, Paris, France
| | | | - Olivier Guisset
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Saint-André Hospital, Bordeaux, France
| | - Vincent Labbé
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Tenon University Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Fabienne Tamion
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
| | - Fabrice Bruneel
- Intensive Care Unit, André Mignot Hospital, Le Chesnay, France
| | - Mercé Jourdain
- Intensive Care Unit, Lille University Hospital-Roger Salengro Site, INSERM, Lille, France
| | - Danielle Reuter
- Medical-Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Sud Francilien Hospital, Corbeil, France
| | - Kada Klouche
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Lapeyronie University Hospital, Montpellier, France
| | - Achille Kouatchet
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Angers University Hospital, Angers, France
| | - Virginie Souppart
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Saint Louis University Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris-Cité University, Paris, France; FAMIREA study group
| | | | - Julien Bohé
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Hôpital Lyon Sud, Lyon, France
| | - Antoine Vieillard Baron
- Intensive Care Unit, Ambroise-Paré University Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - Jean Dellamonica
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, UR2CA Clinical Research Unit, Côte d'Azur University, Nice, France
- Nice University Hospital, Nice, France
| | - Laurent Papazian
- Respiratory and Infectious Diseases Intensive Care Unit, Marseille-Nord University Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille, Marseille, France
| | - Jean Reignier
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, UR 4334 Movement-Interactions-Performance Research Unit, Nantes University Hospital, Nantes, France; and
| | - Francois Barbier
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, La Source Hospital, Orléans Regional Hospital, Orléans, France
| | - Guillaume Dumas
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Saint Louis University Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris-Cité University, Paris, France; FAMIREA study group
| | - Nancy Kentish-Barnes
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Saint Louis University Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris-Cité University, Paris, France; FAMIREA study group
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Colombo B, Fusi G, Christopher KB. The Effect of COVID-19 on Middle-Aged Adults' Mental Health: A Mixed-Method Case-Control Study on the Moderating Effect of Cognitive Reserve. Healthcare (Basel) 2024; 12:163. [PMID: 38255053 PMCID: PMC10815714 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12020163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the vulnerability of adults to mental health effects, and the study of protective factors has become crucial. Cognitive reserve (CR) is a well-known protective factor against cognitive decline and several health factors; however, its protective effect on mental health during the pandemic has been rarely addressed. Thus, this study explored, through a mixed-method design, the effect of CR on perceived distress and PTSD-like symptoms in middle-aged participants who have survived severe COVID-19 and a matched control group. A total of 432 participants filled out self-report measures of CR, PTSD, depression, and anxiety, and were also asked to provide narration about their COVID-19-related experience. COVID-19 significantly affected the chances of reporting different mental health symptoms; levels of CR played a protective role in reducing their severity. Moreover, adults with higher CR seemed to be more realistic, focusing less on positive emotions, and elaborating more on the sense of anxiety when describing their experience: this might be an indication of a lower use of suppression to regulate emotions. Practical implications of these findings and future directions have been also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Colombo
- Behavioral Neuroscience Lab, Champlain College, Burlington, VT 05401, USA
| | - Giulia Fusi
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, Italy;
| | - Kenneth B. Christopher
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
- Division of Renal Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Song J, Fisher AJ, Woodward SH. Bedtime regularity predicts positive affect among veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder: an ecological momentary assessment study. BMC Psychiatry 2023; 23:869. [PMID: 37993848 PMCID: PMC10666399 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-05373-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Regularizing bedtime and out-of-bed times is a core component of behavioral treatments for sleep disturbances common among patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although improvements in subjective sleep complaints often accompany improvements in PTSD symptoms, the underlying mechanism for this relationship remains unclear. Given that night-to-night sleep variability is a predictor of physical and mental well-being, the present study sought to evaluate the effects of bedtime and out-of-bed time variability on daytime affect and explore the optimal window lengths of over which variability is calculated. METHODS For about 30 days, male U.S. military veterans with PTSD (N = 64) in a residential treatment program provided ecological momentary assessment data on their affect and slept on beds equipped with mattress actigraphy. We computed bedtime and out-of-bed time variability indices with varying windows of days. We then constructed multilevel models to account for the nested structure of our data and evaluate the impact of bedtime and out-of-bed time variability on daytime affect. RESULTS More regular bedtime across 6-9 days was associated with greater subsequent positive affect. No similar effects were observed between out-of-bed time variability and affect. CONCLUSIONS Multiple facets of sleep have been shown to differently predict daily affect, and bedtime regularity might represent one of such indices associated with positive, but not negative, affect. A better understanding of such differential effects of facets of sleep on affect will help further elucidate the complex and intertwined relationship between sleep and psychopathology. TRIAL REGISTRATION The trial retrospectively was registered on the Defense Technical Information Center website: Award # W81XWH-15-2-0005.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiyoung Song
- Department of Psychology, University of California, 2121 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
| | - Aaron J Fisher
- Department of Psychology, University of California, 2121 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Steven H Woodward
- Dissemination and Training Division, National Center for PTSD, 795 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA
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5
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Pierce ZP, Black JM. Stress and Susceptibility: A Systematic Review of Prenatal Epigenetic Risks for Developing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2023; 24:2648-2660. [PMID: 35714974 DOI: 10.1177/15248380221109792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This review aims to systematically assess the current literature about prenatal epigenetic markers that lead to post-traumatic stress disorder susceptibility across the lifespan. Studies included in this review met several research criteria: Studies included (1) participants with a PTSD diagnosis according to the DSM-5, (2) prenatal epigenetic marker data that could be analyzed, and (3) explicit references to postnatal PTSD susceptibility. Our study sample fit within a timeframe of 2002 (the earliest recorded studies of prenatal susceptibility to post-traumatic stress disorder in the databases used) and February 2021 when the literature search for this review was terminated. Studies for this review were collated from PubMed, MEDLINE, Science Direct, and Boston College School of Social Work Library databases. A systematic search was conducted in these databases using basic keyword terms, such as "PSTD resilience" and "PTSD vulnerability," and then adding clarifying terms to refine specific searches, such as "epigenetics," "genetics," "epigenetic markers," "haplotypes," and "mRNA methylation." Based on these criteria and research methods, 33 studies remained for inclusion in the review sample. This review suggests that BDNF Val66-Met, a polymorphism of FKBP5, and an altered messenger ribonucleic acid methylation marker in NR3C1 present most often in cases of PTSD. These epigenetic markers might be implicated in central neurological processes related to post-traumatic stress disorder symptomatology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary P Pierce
- School of Social Work, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
- The Cell to Society Laboratory, School of Social Work, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | - Jessica M Black
- School of Social Work, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
- The Cell to Society Laboratory, School of Social Work, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
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Georgescu MF, Fischer IC, Lowe S, Pietrzak RH. Psychological Resilience in U.S. Military Veterans: Results from the 2019-2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study. Psychiatr Q 2023; 94:449-466. [PMID: 37438571 DOI: 10.1007/s11126-023-10041-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Following exposure to traumatic life events, most individuals are psychologically resilient, and experience minimal-to-no symptoms of posttraumatic stress, major depressive, or generalized anxiety disorders. To date, however, most research has focused on factors associated with adverse post-trauma mental health outcomes rather than understanding those associated with psychological resilience. In particular, little is known about factors associated with psychological resilience in veterans, despite their high rates of trauma exposure, such as combat and military sexual trauma. To address this gap, we used a discrepancy-based psychiatric resilience (DBPR) analytic approach to operationalize psychological resilience, and to identify modifiable health and psychosocial factors associated with resilience in a nationally representative sample of U.S. veterans (N = 4,069). DBPR scores were computed by regressing a composite measure of distress (posttraumatic stress, major depressive, and generalized anxiety disorder symptoms) onto measures of adverse childhood experiences, combat exposure, military sexual trauma, and cumulative potentially traumatic events (e.g., natural disaster, life-threatening illness/injury). Psychological resilience was operationalized as lower actual, relative to predicted, composite distress scores. Results revealed that greater emotional stability (22.9% relative variance explained [RVE]) and mindfulness (13.4% RVE), lower likelihood of lifetime histories of MDD or PTSD (12.8% RVE), greater purpose in life (11.9% RVE), and lower severity of somatic symptoms (10.8% RVE) explained the majority of the variance in resilience scores (total R2 = 0.40). Taken together, results of this study illustrate the utility of a DBPR score approach to operationalizing psychological resilience to traumatic stress in U.S. veterans, and identify several modifiable health and psychosocial factors that can be targeted in prevention and treatment efforts designed to bolster resilience in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael F Georgescu
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Ian C Fischer
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Sarah Lowe
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Robert H Pietrzak
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
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7
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Cao F, Li J, Xin W, Yang Z, Wu D. The impact of resilience on the mental health of military personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic: coping styles and regulatory focus. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1240047. [PMID: 37621610 PMCID: PMC10445488 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1240047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Military personnel encountered multiple stressful events during the COVID-19 lockdown. Reducing non-combat attrition due to mental disorders is crucial for military morale and combat effectiveness. Grounded in stress theory and regulatory focus theory, this study investigates the influence of resilience on military personnel's mental health; coping style and regulatory focus are considered potential mediators and moderators, respectively. We conducted a routine psychological assessment on 1,110 military personnel in China. The results indicate that: (1) resilience has a negative impact on the psychological symptoms of military groups; (2) mature and mixed coping styles in military personnel mediate the association between resilience and psychological symptoms; and (3) regulatory focus predominance has a negative moderating effect on mature coping styles' effects on psychological symptoms. Furthermore, this study supports previous findings that resilience and mental health are interrelated; it demonstrates that military personnel can effectively reduce negative psychological symptoms by improving their resilience level and adopting mature coping styles under stressful situations. The current study presents interventional insights regarding coping styles and mental health from a self-regulatory perspective during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Cao
- Department of Sociology, School of Law, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Juan Li
- Department of Sociology, School of Law, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Wei Xin
- Department of Medical Psychology, The Sixth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhibing Yang
- Department of Military and Political Training, Army Academy of Armed Forces, Beng Bu, China
| | - Di Wu
- Department of Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
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Lewis MW, Webb CA, Kuhn M, Akman E, Jobson SA, Rosso IM. Predicting Fear Extinction in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1131. [PMID: 37626488 PMCID: PMC10452660 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13081131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Fear extinction is the basis of exposure therapies for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but half of patients do not improve. Predicting fear extinction in individuals with PTSD may inform personalized exposure therapy development. The participants were 125 trauma-exposed adults (96 female) with a range of PTSD symptoms. Electromyography, electrocardiogram, and skin conductance were recorded at baseline, during dark-enhanced startle, and during fear conditioning and extinction. Using a cross-validated, hold-out sample prediction approach, three penalized regressions and conventional ordinary least squares were trained to predict fear-potentiated startle during extinction using 50 predictor variables (5 clinical, 24 self-reported, and 21 physiological). The predictors, selected by penalized regression algorithms, were included in multivariable regression analyses, while univariate regressions assessed individual predictors. All the penalized regressions outperformed OLS in prediction accuracy and generalizability, as indexed by the lower mean squared error in the training and holdout subsamples. During early extinction, the consistent predictors across all the modeling approaches included dark-enhanced startle, the depersonalization and derealization subscale of the dissociative experiences scale, and the PTSD hyperarousal symptom score. These findings offer novel insights into the modeling approaches and patient characteristics that may reliably predict fear extinction in PTSD. Penalized regression shows promise for identifying symptom-related variables to enhance the predictive modeling accuracy in clinical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael W. Lewis
- Center for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Christian A. Webb
- Center for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Manuel Kuhn
- Center for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Eylül Akman
- Center for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, USA
| | - Sydney A. Jobson
- Center for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, USA
| | - Isabelle M. Rosso
- Center for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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9
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Fraile E, Gagnepain P, Eustache F, Groussard M, Platel H. Musical experience prior to traumatic exposure as a resilience factor: a conceptual analysis. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1220489. [PMID: 37599747 PMCID: PMC10436084 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1220489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Resilience mechanisms can be dynamically triggered throughout the lifecourse by resilience factors in order to prevent individuals from developing stress-related pathologies such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Some interventional studies have suggested that listening to music and musical practice after experiencing a traumatic event decrease the intensity of PTSD, but surprisingly, no study to our knowledge has explored musical experience as a potential resilience factor before the potential occurrence of a traumatic event. In the present conceptual analysis, we sought to summarize what is known about the concept of resilience and how musical experience could trigger two key mechanisms altered in PTSD: emotion regulation and cognitive control. Our hypothesis is that the stimulation of these two mechanisms by musical experience during the pre-traumatic period could help protect against the symptoms of emotional dysregulation and intrusions present in PTSD. We then developed a new framework to guide future research aimed at isolating and investigating the protective role of musical experience regarding the development of PTSD in response to trauma. The clinical application of this type of research could be to develop pre-trauma training that promotes emotional regulation and cognitive control, aimed at populations at risk of developing PTSD such as healthcare workers, police officers, and military staffs.
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Strike LT, Hansell NK, Chuang KH, Miller JL, de Zubicaray GI, Thompson PM, McMahon KL, Wright MJ. The Queensland Twin Adolescent Brain Project, a longitudinal study of adolescent brain development. Sci Data 2023; 10:195. [PMID: 37031232 PMCID: PMC10082846 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-023-02038-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/10/2023] Open
Abstract
We describe the Queensland Twin Adolescent Brain (QTAB) dataset and provide a detailed methodology and technical validation to facilitate data usage. The QTAB dataset comprises multimodal neuroimaging, as well as cognitive and mental health data collected in adolescent twins over two sessions (session 1: N = 422, age 9-14 years; session 2: N = 304, 10-16 years). The MRI protocol consisted of T1-weighted (MP2RAGE), T2-weighted, FLAIR, high-resolution TSE, SWI, resting-state fMRI, DWI, and ASL scans. Two fMRI tasks were added in session 2: an emotional conflict task and a passive movie-watching task. Outside of the scanner, we assessed cognitive function using standardised tests. We also obtained self-reports of symptoms for anxiety and depression, perceived stress, sleepiness, pubertal development measures, and risk and protective factors. We additionally collected several biological samples for genomic and metagenomic analysis. The QTAB project was established to promote health-related research in adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lachlan T Strike
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD 4059, Australia.
- Psychiatric Genetics, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, QLD, 4006, Brisbane, Australia.
| | - Narelle K Hansell
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Kai-Hsiang Chuang
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- The University of Queensland, Centre for Advanced Imaging, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Jessica L Miller
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Greig I de Zubicaray
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD 4059, Australia
| | - Paul M Thompson
- Imaging Genetics Center, Mark & Mary Stevens Institute for Neuroimaging & Informatics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Katie L McMahon
- School of Clinical Sciences, Centre for Biomedical Technologies, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Margaret J Wright
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- The University of Queensland, Centre for Advanced Imaging, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
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Prieto S, Nolan KE, Moody JN, Hayes SM, Hayes JP. Posttraumatic stress symptom severity predicts cognitive decline beyond the effect of Alzheimer's disease biomarkers in Veterans. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:102. [PMID: 36990983 PMCID: PMC10060413 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02354-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic stress is a risk factor for dementia but whether it explains unique variance in cognitive decline in older adults above Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers is unknown. In a preclinical cohort of Vietnam Veterans, we examined the relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity, AD biomarkers of beta-amyloid (Aβ) and tau, and change in cognitive performance on two widely-used screeners, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Analyses indicated that PTSD symptom severity was associated with a greater decline on the MMSE (p < 0.04) and MoCA (p < 0.024) after adjusting for biomarkers of AD, notably on the attention scale of the MoCA and the memory index of the MMSE. These analyses survived multiple comparison corrections. Taken together, PTSD symptom severity is associated with accelerated cognitive decline. Treating PTSD should be considered instrumental to maintaining cognitive function as adults age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Prieto
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Kate E Nolan
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Jena N Moody
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Scott M Hayes
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Chronic Brain Injury Initiative, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Jasmeet P Hayes
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
- Chronic Brain Injury Initiative, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
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12
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Liu Y, Zou L, Yan S, Zhang P, Zhang J, Wen J, Mao J, Li L, Wang Y, Fu W. Burnout and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms among medical staff two years after the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, China: Social support and resilience as mediators. J Affect Disord 2023; 321:126-133. [PMID: 36280200 PMCID: PMC9585849 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.10.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Revised: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence on the relationship between burnout and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is limited. We aimed to evaluate the association between burnout and PTSD symptoms among medical staff two years after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Wuhan, China, and explore the mediating roles of social support and psychological resilience. METHODS A multicenter survey was conducted online from January to March 2022 among healthcare professionals from six general hospitals. Hierarchical linear regression was used to detect the predictors of PTSD symptoms. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the pathways from burnout to PTSD symptoms. RESULTS Hierarchical linear regression showed that burnout, social support, and psychological resilience were significant predictors of PTSD symptoms among medical staff. In the SEM, the standardized total effect of burnout on PTSD symptoms was 0.336(bias-corrected 95 % confidence interval [0.303, 0.367], P < 0.001). Social support and psychological resilience partially mediated the relationship between burnout and PTSD symptoms (indirect effects accounted for 22.3 % of the total effect). LIMITATIONS Owing to the cross-sectional design, only clues to causal explanations can be provided. CONCLUSIONS Burnout has significant direct and indirect effects on PTSD symptoms. Furthermore, social support and psychological resilience might be effective ways to reduce the impact of burnout on PTSD symptoms in medical staff after a major public health outbreak.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifang Liu
- School of Nursing, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Li Zou
- Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shijiao Yan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital/The First Affiliated Hospital, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China,School of Public Health, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Pu Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Jing Wen
- School of Nursing, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jing Mao
- School of Nursing, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Longti Li
- Department of Nursing, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Nursing, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenning Fu
- School of Nursing, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
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The association of mindfulness and psychological well-being among individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 in Jianghan District, Wuhan, China: A cross-sectional study. J Affect Disord 2022; 319:437-445. [PMID: 36162667 PMCID: PMC9502442 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.09.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the global pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have commonly occurred among COVID-19 patients, whose experiences of infection and subsequent treatment might develop negative consequences on their mental well-being even after recovery. Despite the general recognition of efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions in reducing psychological distress among various populations, there were insufficient studies on the relationship between mindfulness and mental health among individuals who have recovered from COVID-19. OBJECTIVE The current study aims to identify the prevalence of common mental health challenges among recovered COVID-19 patients in Jianghan District, Wuhan, China and to explore the potential mechanism through which mindfulness alleviate depression and PTSD. METHODS A cross-sectional survey on mental health was conducted among a convenience sample of adults recovered from COVID-19 in Jianghan District, Wuhan, China. The study participants completed questionnaires under the assistance of trained investigators. The questionnaire included Chinese version of Five Facets of Mindfulness Questionnaire-Short Form (FFMQ-SF), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7), Resilience Style Questionnaire (RSQ), Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R), and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) to measure mindfulness, anxiety, resilience, PTSD, and depression respectively. Structural equation modeling was used to explore the relationship between mindfulness and mental health outcomes of this population. RESULTS 1541 respondents (654 [42.4 %] men and 887 [57.6 %] women) completed the questionnaire between June 10 and July 25, 2021, of whom 36.2 % and 27.1 % had mild and severe levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms respectively, and 15.2 % was indicated with PTSD. The average score of mindfulness of the study participants was (3.100 ± 0.387), and that of resilience was (3.560 ± 0.877). The structural equation model fit the data well, demonstrating that mindfulness was negatively associated with depressive symptoms directly (β = -0.031, P = 0.021) or indirectly through the mediation effect of resilience (β = -0.019, P = 0.009) and anxiety symptoms (β = -0.208, P < 0.001), and was negatively associated with PTSD through the mediation effect of anxiety symptoms (β = -0.142, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 commonly experienced psychological distress. Mindfulness is associated with alleviation of depressive and PTSD symptoms directly or indirectly. Interventions based on mindfulness are suggested to improve the mental well-being of this population.
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14
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Dissociative experiences among Lebanese university students: Association with mental health issues, the economic crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Beirut port explosion. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0277883. [PMID: 36399459 PMCID: PMC9674130 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dissociative experiences are psychological manifestations characterized by a loss of connection and continuity between thoughts, emotions, environment, behavior, and identity. Lebanon has been facing indescribable events in the last few years, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the Beirut explosion, a crushing economic crisis with the highest inflation rate the country has known in over three decades. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between dissociative experiences and post-traumatic stress symptoms from the economic crisis, the Beirut blast, the COVID-19 pandemic, and other mental health issues in a sample of Lebanese university students. METHODS This cross-sectional study enrolled 419 active university students (18-35 years) from all over Lebanon (May and August 2021). The respondents received the online soft copy of a survey by a snowball sampling technique through social media and messaging apps. The questionnaire included sociodemographic data, the Dissociative Experience Scale (DES-II), the PTSD Checklist Specific Version (PCL-S), the Financial Wellbeing Scale, the Beirut Distress Scale, the Lebanese Anxiety Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire. RESULTS The two-factor model of the DES fitted best according to CFI, RMSEA and χ2/df values, but modestly according to TLI. The two factors were absorption and amnesia/depersonalization. Higher stress (Beta = 0.95) and more PTSD from the Beirut blast (Beta = 0.29) and from the economic crisis (Beta = 0.23) were significantly associated with more absorption. A personal history of depression (Beta = 6.03), higher stress (Beta = 0.36) and more PTSD from the Beirut blast (Beta = 0.27) and from the COVID-19 pandemic (Beta = 0.16) were significantly associated with more amnesia/depersonalization. CONCLUSION Significant rates of dissociative experiences and their sub-manifestations (amnesia/depersonalization and absorption) were found among Lebanese university students, with remarkable co-occurrence of a traumatic/stressful pattern, whether on an individual (history of PTSD) or a collective level (Post-traumatic manifestations from Beirut blast, COVID-19 pandemic and/or economic crisis), or whether correlated to an acute single event or to certain chronic stressors, or even to a personal history of depression. Such findings must raise the attention to serious mental and psychosocial alteration in the Lebanese national identity.
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15
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Effects of stress on neural processing of combat-related stimuli in deployed soldiers: an fMRI study. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:483. [PMID: 36396623 PMCID: PMC9671957 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02241-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe trauma exposure may lead to symptoms of both posttraumatic stress disorder and depression. Neuroanatomical theories suggest that both disorders may share imbalances in fronto-limbic circuits. Longitudinal studies are necessary to better understand the impact of a stressful life situation on potential long-term fronto-limbic imbalances. Here we investigated soldiers neural processing of combat-related stimuli versus negative affective stimuli before and after the deployment in different war zones. In the final analysis we included 104 deployed soldiers (combat group) and 36 soldiers that were not deployed (control group). Behaviorally, we found a significant group by time interaction regarding depression symptom scores with an increase in the combat group. Depressive symptoms were subclinical. On the neural level, neither the whole brain analysis nor the region of interest (ROI) analyses including frontal and limbic ROIs revealed any significant results in the group by time interaction. However, extracted ROI values of the group by time interaction of amygdala and hippocampus were positively associated with the change in depression symptom scores in the combat group, but not in the control group. These results highlight the role of depression in individuals that experience stressful life situations. Future studies may need to investigate the role of depressive symptoms after trauma exposure with different tasks that may be particularly sensitive to changes due to depressive symptoms.
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16
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Influencing factors of anxiety and depression of discharged COVID-19 patients in Wuhan, China. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0276608. [DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives
This study is intended to assess the prevalence of depression and anxiety in individuals who had recovered from COVID-19 and been discharged from hospital (RD hereafter) in Wuhan, China, and to explore the factors associated with these mental disorders.
Methods
Participants of this study were the RD who were infected at the beginning of the outbreak from 13 communities in Jianghan District of Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China by convenience sampling in mid-2021. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire, the Patient Health Questionnaire, the Short Version of COVID-19 Stigma Scale, the Peace of Mind Scale, the Resilience Style Questionnaire, and the Perceived Social Support Questionnaire were used to collect relevant information of the participants. Descriptive analyses, Pearson correlation analysis, and logistic regression analysis were used to describe and analyze the data and to examine the factors associated with the mental health status of this population.
Results
In total, we recruited 1601 participants from 3059 COVID-19 patients, and 1541 participants completed the questionnaire survey, with a response rate of 96.25%. Finally, 1297 participants met the inclusion and exclusion criteria in this study, of whom 28.8% and 37.9% reported mild to severe levels of anxiety and depression symptoms. Perceived better mental health status during hospitalization, higher frequency of alcohol use per week, peace of mind, higher education level, and resilience were negatively associated with anxiety, while stigma and history of psychological or emotional counseling before infection was positively associated with anxiety. More severe clinical classification of COVID-19 and stigma (AOR = 1.057, P<0.001) were both positively associated with depression, while perceived better mental health status during hospitalization (AOR = 0.564, P<0.001), higher frequency of alcohol use per week (AOR = 0.462, P = 0.004), peace of mind (AOR = 0.857, P<0.001), and social support (AOR = 0.972, P = 0.034) were negatively associated with depression.
Conclusions
Tailored interventions on reducing stigma, enhancing mindfulness and social support should be taken into account to alleviate anxiety and depression among RD.
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17
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Pechtel P, Belleau EL, Kaiser RH, Whitton AE, Beltzer M, Clegg R, Goer F, Vitaliano G, Teicher MH, Pizzagalli DA. Stress and reward: A multimodal assessment of childhood sexual abuse. Neurobiol Stress 2022; 21:100498. [PMID: 36532372 PMCID: PMC9755059 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2022.100498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Childhood adversity has been found to impact stress and brain reward systems but it is unclear whether interactions between these systems might explain resilient vs. non-resilient trajectories following childhood sexual abuse (CSA). To address this gap, we adopted a multimodal approach in which cortisol reactivity to an acute stressor was assessed in conjunction with behavioral and neural measures of reward responsiveness in females with major depressive disorder (MDD) or no psychiatric disorders (i.e., resilient) who experienced CSA compared to females with and without MDD who did not experience abuse. Methods Latent Class Mixed Modelling (LCMM) identified classes of adults (n = 62; MAge = 26.48, SD = 5.68) characterized by distinct cortisol trajectories in response to a combined social evaluative cold pressor task. Classes were examined for their history of CSA and resilience as well as behavioral and neural measures of reward responsiveness using 128-channel electroencephalography (event-related potentials and source localization analysis). Results LCMM analysis identified two distinct classes of individuals with increased (Responders) or blunted (Non-Responders) cortisol reactivity to an acute stressor. Unlike Responders, Non-Responders did not modulate reward responses throughout the stress manipulation. No differences emerged between Responders and Non-Responders in terms of CSA or resilience. However, exploratory results showed that blunted cortisol response and non-modulation of reward responses emerged for those who experienced CSA at a younger age. Conclusions Co-occurring blunted stress and reward reactivity emerged irrespective of adults' experience of CSA or resilience. However, preliminary findings showed that CSA ending during peripubertal development was associated with blunted cortisol and reward responsiveness. Future research needs to replicate findings in larger samples and could investigate if increasing reward responsiveness during critical times of neurodevelopment could normalize stress reactivity to future stressors and thus promote resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia Pechtel
- University of Exeter, Department of Psychology, Exeter, UK
| | - Emily L. Belleau
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Roselinde H. Kaiser
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, USA
| | - Alexis E. Whitton
- Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Miranda Beltzer
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, USA
| | - Rachel Clegg
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, USA
| | - Franziska Goer
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, USA
| | - Gordana Vitaliano
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
- Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Diego A. Pizzagalli
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
- McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, USA
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18
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Pedraza LK, Sierra RO, de Oliveira Alvares L. Systems consolidation and fear memory generalisation as a potential target for trauma-related disorders. World J Biol Psychiatry 2022; 23:653-665. [PMID: 35001808 DOI: 10.1080/15622975.2022.2027010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Fear memory generalisation is a central hallmark in the broad range of anxiety and trauma-related disorders. Recent findings suggest that fear generalisation is closely related to hippocampal dependency during retrieval. In this review, we describe the current understanding about memory generalisation and its potential influence in fear attenuation through pharmacological and behavioural interventions. In light of systems consolidation framework, we propose that keeping memory precision could be a key step to enhance therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizeth K Pedraza
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia da Memória, Biophysics Department, Biosciences Institute, 91.501-970, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Department of Physiology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Rodrigo O Sierra
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia da Memória, Biophysics Department, Biosciences Institute, 91.501-970, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Department of Physiology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Lucas de Oliveira Alvares
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia da Memória, Biophysics Department, Biosciences Institute, 91.501-970, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Institute of Health Sciences, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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19
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El Zouki CJ, Chahine A, Mhanna M, Obeid S, Hallit S. Rate and correlates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following the Beirut blast and the economic crisis among Lebanese University students: a cross-sectional study. BMC Psychiatry 2022; 22:532. [PMID: 35931970 PMCID: PMC9356397 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-022-04180-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental illness that develops in some people after they have experienced a stunning, scary, or dangerous incident. Due to major disasters like as the Economic Crisis and the Beirut Blast, Lebanese people are struggling with a variety of mental health issues. The study objectives were to find the rate of PTSD and its association with stress, anxiety, depression, financial well-being and coping strategies among university students in Lebanon. METHODS This is a cross-sectional study, conducted between May and August 2021, which enrolled 419 university students from all districts of Lebanon. The PTSD Checklist-Specific Version (PCL-S) was used to evaluate manifestation of PSTD. RESULTS The results showed that 132 (31.5%), 109 (26.0%) and 169 (40.3%) had PTSD from COVID, Beirut blast and economic crisis respectively. More avoidant coping (Beta = 0.52) and more anxiety (Beta = 0.62) were significantly associated with more PTSD from the Beirut Blast. More avoidant coping (Beta = 0.56), depression (Beta = 0.40) and anxiety (Beta = 0.49) were significantly associated with more PTSD from the economic crisis, whereas more financial wellbeing (Beta = - 0.31) was significantly associated with less PTSD from the economic crisis. CONCLUSION Significant rates of PTSD were found in our sample of Lebanese university students, whether from the Beirut blast, or from the current economic crisis. Significant correlations of these PTSD rates were found with factors such as avoidant coping, depression, anxiety and financial wellbeing. Such findings must raise the attention to serious mental and psychosocial alteration endured by Lebanese youth that are still under fatal cumulative traumatic events, that were and even may be, intergenerationally and unintentionally transmissible, therefore, affecting not only the present, but also the future of a whole nation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian-Joseph El Zouki
- grid.444434.70000 0001 2106 3658School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon
| | - Abdallah Chahine
- grid.444434.70000 0001 2106 3658School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon
| | - Mariam Mhanna
- grid.444434.70000 0001 2106 3658School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon
| | - Sahar Obeid
- School of Arts and Sciences, Social and Education Sciences Department, Lebanese American University, Jbeil, Lebanon.
| | - Souheil Hallit
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon. .,Psychology Department, College of Humanities, Effat University, Jeddah, 21478, Saudi Arabia. .,Research Department, Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, Jal Eddib, Lebanon.
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20
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Associations Between Outcome Resilience and Sociodemographic Factors, Childhood Trauma, Personality Dimensions and Self-Rated Health in Middle-Aged Adults. Int J Behav Med 2022; 29:796-806. [PMID: 35246825 DOI: 10.1007/s12529-022-10061-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We examined how sociodemographic factors, childhood trauma, personality dimensions, and self-rated health were associated with outcome resilience and how different stressors influenced depressive symptoms. METHODS An outcome resilience score for 213 adults was derived by means of a residualization approach. Associations between outcome resilience and sociodemographic and personality factors were evaluated using linear regression. In addition, associations between log-transformed depressive symptoms and the stressors were analyzed using multiple linear regression. A Pearson correlation coefficient between self-rated health and outcome resilience was also computed. RESULTS Higher neuroticism was negatively and higher conscientiousness was positively associated with outcome resilience. Better self-rated health was associated with higher outcome resilience. Somatic disease events and onset of chronic mental disorders were associated with more depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Outcome resilience was significantly related to neuroticism, conscientiousness, and self-rated health. Strong associations between depressive symptoms and the stressors somatic disease event, and chronic mental disorder were observed.
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21
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Qian J, Wang W, Sun S, Liu L, Sun Y, Yu X. Interventions to reduce post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in health care professionals from 2011 to 2021: a scoping review. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e058214. [PMID: 35058271 PMCID: PMC8783816 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-058214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This scoping review aimed to describe available interventions for decreasing (post-traumatic stress disorder) PTSD symptoms among healthcare professionals in hospital care. METHOD A scoping review was conducted following Arksey and O'Malley's framework. PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus and ProQuest were searched for original research published in English from 2011 to 2021, on 8 July 2021. We included studies that described interventions that focused on reducing the PTSD symptoms of healthcare professionals. A narrative synthesis was adopted to synthesise the data. RESULTS A total of eight studies out of 2558 articles were identified. Six used a quantitative study design and two adopted qualitative methods. cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness-based interventions were the most commonly adopted. Most studies used a combination of different intervention strategies. Trauma-related knowledge, emotion regulation and relaxation skill training, and psychological support from peers and psychologists were three core intervention components. The duration ranged from 2 weeks to 6 months. Healthcare professionals who participated in training programmes reported both positive experiences and suggestions for the improvement of PTSD-reducing interventions in their qualitative feedback. CONCLUSIONS The scoping review provides a practical summary of the intervention characteristics for reducing the PTSD symptoms of healthcare professionals. Hospitals and managers could use the overview of interventions to assist healthcare professionals with PTSD symptoms. More research investigating the effects of PTSD symptom-reducing interventions for healthcare professionals with appropriate follow-up assessments is needed in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialu Qian
- School of Nursing, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weihong Wang
- Department of Obstetrics, Ninghai Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Ningbo, China
| | - Shiwen Sun
- Department of Obstetrics, Women's Hospital School of Medicine Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lu Liu
- School of Nursing, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yaping Sun
- School of Nursing, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyan Yu
- Department of Obstetrics, Women's Hospital School of Medicine Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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22
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Zilcha‐Mano S, Zhu X, Lazarov A, Suarez‐Jimenez B, Helpman L, Kim Y, Maitlin C, Neria Y, Rutherford BR. Structural brain features signaling trauma, PTSD, or resilience? A systematic exploration. Depress Anxiety 2022; 39:695-705. [PMID: 35708133 PMCID: PMC9588504 DOI: 10.1002/da.23275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies have searched for neurobiological markers of trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis, and resilience to trauma to identify therapeutic targets for PTSD. Despite some promising results, findings are inconsistent. AIMS The present study adopted a data-driven approach to systematically explore whether structural brain markers of trauma, PTSD, or resilience emerge when all are explored. MATERIALS & METHODS Differences between clusters in the proportion of PTSD, healthy controls (HC), and trauma-exposed healthy controls (TEHC) served to indicate the presence of PTSD, trauma, and resilience markers, respectively. A total of 129 individuals, including 46 with PTSD, 49 TEHCs, and 34 HCs not exposed to trauma were scanned. Volumes, cortical thickness, and surface areas of interest were obtained from T1 structural MRI and used to identify data-driven clusters. RESULTS Two clusters were identified, differing in the proportion of TEHCs but not of PTSDs or HCs. The cluster with the higher proportion of TEHCs, referred to as the resilience cluster, was characterized by higher volume in brain regions implicated in trauma exposure, especially the thalamus and rostral middle frontal gyrus. Cross-validation established the robustness and consistency of the identified clusters. DISCUSSION & CONCLUSION Findings support the existence of structural brain markers of resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xi Zhu
- Department of PsychiatryColumbia UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA,New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Amit Lazarov
- School of Psychological SciencesTel‐Aviv UniversityTel‐AvivIsrael,Department of PsychiatryColumbia University Medical CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Benjamin Suarez‐Jimenez
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA,Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of RochesterRochesterNew YorkUSA
| | - Liat Helpman
- Department of Counseling and Human DevelopmentUniversity of HaifaMount CarmelHaifaIsrael,Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical CenterTel AvivIsrael
| | - Yoojean Kim
- Department of PsychiatryColumbia UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA,New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Carly Maitlin
- Department of PsychiatryColumbia UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA,New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Yuval Neria
- Department of PsychiatryColumbia UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA,New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Bret R. Rutherford
- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York State Psychiatric InstituteNew York CityNew YorkUSA
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23
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Rakesh G, Clausen AN, Buckley MN, Clarke-Rubright E, Fairbank JA, Wagner HR, Morey RA. The role of trauma, social support, and demography on veteran resilience. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2022; 13:2058267. [PMID: 35599980 PMCID: PMC9116243 DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2022.2058267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Historically, resilience has often been conceptualized as the sustained lack of symptoms following trauma exposure. In line with a novel conceptualization of resilience as being dynamic over lifespan, determined by interacting biological and environmental factors, we examined the VA Mid-Atlantic Post Deployment Mental Health Repository (PDMH) comprised of 3876 US Military Veterans with and without PTSD diagnoses. METHODS We performed regression modelling to study the relationship between resilience (measured with Connor Davidson Resilience Scale; CD-RISC), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) severity (Davidson Trauma Scale; DTS), social support (Medical Outcome Study Social Support Survey; MOSSS), combat exposure (Combat Exposure Scale; CES), childhood trauma (Trauma Life Events Questionnaire; TLEQ), and demographic factors. CD-RISC was positively correlated with years of education and negatively correlated with DTS, CES and TLEQ scores. RESULTS We found an interaction between CD-RISC and CES in predicting PTSD severity (Davidson Trauma Scale). Specifically, high resilience predicted lower PTSD symptom severity than low resilience, this relationship was amplified with increasing levels of combat exposure. Structural equation modelling (SEM) identified an optimal latent variable that represents resilience and relationships between latent variables for resilience, trauma, and illness. We derived a resilience latent variable composed of age, education level, MOSSS and race. CONCLUSIONS Our results support a conceptualization of resilience as a multifactorial determinant that coexists with PTSD, a state rather than trait variable, and can be quantified by biological and behavioural metrics. HIGHLIGHTS • Historically, resilience has often been conceptualized as the sustained lack of symptoms following trauma exposure.• We examined the VA Mid-Atlantic Post Deployment Mental Health Repository (PDMH) comprised of 3876 US Military Veterans.• We found an interaction effect between CD-RISC and CES in predicting PTSD severity (Davidson Trauma Scale).
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Affiliation(s)
- Gopalkumar Rakesh
- Duke-UNC Brain Imaging and Analysis Center (BIAC), Durham, NC, USA.,Durham VA Health Care System, VISN 6 VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Durham, NC, USA
| | - Ashley N Clausen
- Duke-UNC Brain Imaging and Analysis Center (BIAC), Durham, NC, USA.,Durham VA Health Care System, VISN 6 VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Durham, NC, USA
| | - Mary Nicole Buckley
- Duke-UNC Brain Imaging and Analysis Center (BIAC), Durham, NC, USA.,Durham VA Health Care System, VISN 6 VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Durham, NC, USA
| | - Emily Clarke-Rubright
- Duke-UNC Brain Imaging and Analysis Center (BIAC), Durham, NC, USA.,Durham VA Health Care System, VISN 6 VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Durham, NC, USA
| | - John A Fairbank
- Durham VA Health Care System, VISN 6 VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Durham, NC, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Henry Ryan Wagner
- Durham VA Health Care System, VISN 6 VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Durham, NC, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Rajendra A Morey
- Duke-UNC Brain Imaging and Analysis Center (BIAC), Durham, NC, USA.,Durham VA Health Care System, VISN 6 VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Durham, NC, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
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Ford JD, Tennen H, Grasso DJ, Chan G. An in-Vivo Daily Self-Report Approach to the Assessment of Outcomes of Two Psychotherapies for Women With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Behav Ther 2022; 53:11-22. [PMID: 35027153 DOI: 10.1016/j.beth.2021.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Emotion regulation and interpersonal psychotherapies that do not require trauma memory processing have been shown to be effective in treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study used a novel method to assess in vivo outcomes in a randomized clinical trial with women (N = 147; ages 18-54; 61% of color; 94% low income) with full (79%) or partial (21%) PTSD. Participants were assigned to affect regulation or interpersonal therapy, or wait-list, and completed daily self-reports for 2 to 4 weeks at baseline and up to 30 days at posttest. Mixed model regression analyses tested pre-post change on five factor analytically derived aggregated daily self-report scores. Emotion regulation-focused therapy was associated with reduced PTSD symptoms, dysregulation, and negative affect, and improvement in adaptive self-regulation and positive affect. Interpersonal-focused therapy was associated with reduced PTSD symptoms and dysregulation. Although both therapies were associated with reduced PTSD symptoms, whether this was due to nonspecific factors rather than the treatments per se could not be determined. Daily self-report data warrant further investigation in psychotherapy research with disorders such as PTSD, in order to assess affective and interpersonal dysregulation and adaptive regulation as they occur in daily life.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Grace Chan
- University of Connecticut, School of Medicine
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25
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Thomas MM, Pietrzak RH, Nguyen DR, Ryan D, Southwick SM, Mazure CM. Psychological Resilience in West Point Graduates: Results From a Nationally Representative Study. CHRONIC STRESS 2021; 5:24705470211053850. [PMID: 34761141 PMCID: PMC8573692 DOI: 10.1177/24705470211053850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Background: The purpose of this study was to examine factors associated with psychological resilience in a nationally representative sample of West Point graduates. Aims: The aims of this study were to (a) employ a dimensional approach to operationalizing psychological resilience in a trauma-exposed population that had been highly trained and educated in persisting in the face of stress, was previously unstudied, and in which we could examine correlates of resilience, (b) identify key psychosocial factors, character traits, health variables, military experiences, and coping strategies as potential correlates of psychological resilience; and (c) examine whether reported gender moderated any of these associations in this population. Methods: A nationally representative sample of 1342 West Point graduates after gender integration from classes 1980 to 2011 were surveyed. Psychological resilience was operationalized using a discrepancy-based approach in which a measure of composite psychological distress (current posttraumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety and depression symptoms) was regressed on measures of cumulative trauma burden. A multivariable linear regression model was then employed to identify factors that were independently associated with psychological resilience scores. Results: Purpose in life (29.8% of relative variance explained [RVE]), fewer perceived negative experiences in the military (20.6% RVE), social support (9.6% RVE), and grit (9.5% RVE) were the strongest correlates of psychological resilience scores for both women and men. Time in service was positively associated with resilience in women only. Conclusion: This study identifies key correlates of psychological resilience in West Point graduates, individuals who are highly trained to persevere in the face of stress and then were trauma-exposed. Most of these factors are modifiable and can be targeted in stress prevention and treatment interventions, especially for high-stress professions such as the military, frontline health care providers, and first responders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Diane Ryan
- Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | | | - Carolyn M Mazure
- Yale School of Medicine, Women's Health Research at Yale, New Haven, CT, USA
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26
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Pascual Cuadrado D, Todorov H, Lerner R, Islami L, Bindila L, Gerber S, Lutz B. Long-term molecular differences between resilient and susceptible mice after a single traumatic exposure. Br J Pharmacol 2021; 179:4161-4180. [PMID: 34599847 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE PTSD is a heterogeneous disorder induced by trauma, resulting in severe long-term impairments of an individual's mental health. Interestingly, PTSD does not develop in every individual; thus, some individuals are more resilient than others. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we aimed at shedding light on these processes. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH We used a single-trauma PTSD model in mice to induce long-term maladaptive behaviours and profiled the mice four weeks post-trauma into resilient or susceptible individuals. The phenotype's classification was based on their individual responses in different behavioural experiments. We analysed microbiome, circulating endocannabinoids, and long-term changes in brain phospholipid and transcript levels. KEY RESULTS We found a plethora of molecular differences between resilient and susceptible individuals across multiple molecular domains, including lipidome, transcriptome, and gut microbiome. Some of these differences were stable even several weeks after the trauma, indicating the long-term impact of traumatic stimuli on the organism's physiology. Furthermore, the integration of these multi-layered molecular data revealed that resilient and susceptible individuals have very distinct molecular signatures across various physiological systems. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS We showed that trauma induces individual-specific behavioural responses that, in combination with a longitudinal characterization of mice, can be used to identify distinct sub-phenotypes within the trauma-exposed group. These groups differ significantly not only in their behaviour but also in specific molecular aspects across a variety of tissues and brain regions. This approach may reveal new targets and predictive biomarkers for the pharmacological treatment and prognosis of stress-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Pascual Cuadrado
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Hristo Todorov
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Raissa Lerner
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Laura Bindila
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Susanne Gerber
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Beat Lutz
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.,Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research; Mainz, Germany
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27
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Overstreet C, DeViva JC, Amstadter A, McCarthy E, Southwick SM, Pietrzak RH. Resilience to traumatic stress in U.S. military veterans: Application of a novel classification approach in a nationally representative sample. J Psychiatr Res 2021; 140:301-307. [PMID: 34126424 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Resilience has been of particular interest to researchers and clinicians focused on response to trauma. In the current study, we employed a novel, discrepancy-based psychiatric resilience (DBPR) analytic approach to operationalizing resilience and examined its relation to potentially protective psychosocial factors in a nationally representative sample of U.S. veterans (N = 2704). Cumulative lifetime trauma burden, severity of PTSD symptoms, and protective factors such as personality characteristics (e.g., conscientiousness), protective psychosocial characteristics (e.g., purpose in life), and social connectedness (e.g., secure attachment style) were assessed. PTSD Checklist (PCL) scores were regressed onto cumulative trauma burden for the entire sample and a predicted PCL score was generated for each veteran. Resilience was operationalized as a lower actual relative to predicted PCL score. Results of a relative importance analysis revealed that somatic symptoms (22.5% relative variance explained [RVE]), emotional stability (22.4% RVE), and a secure attachment style (14.1%) explained the majority of the variance in resilience scores. These results demonstrate the utility of a DBPR approach to operationalizing resilience in U.S. military veterans. They also identify potentially modifiable psychosocial factors that may be bolstered in prevention and treatment efforts designed to mitigate the negative effects of trauma and promote resilience in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassie Overstreet
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George St Ste 901, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA; National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Clinical Neurosciences Division, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA.
| | - Jason C DeViva
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George St Ste 901, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA; VA Connecticut Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
| | - Ananda Amstadter
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, 800 E. Leigh Street, Biotech One, Richmond, VA, 23298, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Elissa McCarthy
- National Center for PTSD, 215 North Main St. White River Junction, Vermont, 05009, USA
| | - Steven M Southwick
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George St Ste 901, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA; National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Clinical Neurosciences Division, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
| | - Robert H Pietrzak
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George St Ste 901, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA; National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Clinical Neurosciences Division, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
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28
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McKenzie V, Anderson EH, Maydon A, Shivakumar G. Resiliency and Posttraumatic Growth Following Sexual Trauma in Women
Veterans of Iraq and Afghan Wars. JOURNAL OF VETERANS STUDIES 2021. [DOI: 10.21061/jvs.v7i2.269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
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29
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Weiss JB, Vu MM, Hatch QM, Sohn VY. Maintaining Wellness and Instilling Resilience in General Surgeons. Surg Clin North Am 2021; 101:625-634. [PMID: 34242605 DOI: 10.1016/j.suc.2021.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Obtaining wellness and enhancing resilience will be increasingly more important for General Surgeons. Although these concepts are not new, the increased complexity of health care delivery has elevated the importance of these essential attributes. Instilling these practices should be emphasized during surgery residency and be modeled by surgical educators and surgeon leaders. The enhanced emphasis of wellness and resiliency is a positive step forward; however, more must be accomplished to ensure the well-being of a particularly group of vulnerable physicians. This chapter discusses the history and scientific theory behind wellness and resiliency, as well as practical suggestions for consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Brittany Weiss
- Department of Surgery, Madigan Army Medical Center, 9040 Fitzsimmons Drive, Joint Base Lewis McChord, WA 98433, USA
| | - Michael Minh Vu
- Department of Surgery, Madigan Army Medical Center, 9040 Fitzsimmons Drive, Joint Base Lewis McChord, WA 98433, USA
| | - Quinton Morrow Hatch
- Department of Surgery, Madigan Army Medical Center, 9040 Fitzsimmons Drive, Joint Base Lewis McChord, WA 98433, USA
| | - Vance Young Sohn
- Department of Surgery, Madigan Army Medical Center, 9040 Fitzsimmons Drive, Joint Base Lewis McChord, WA 98433, USA.
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30
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Wu Z, Zhou L, Sun L, Xie Y, Xiao L, Wang H, Wang G. Brief postpartum separation from offspring promotes resilience to lipopolysaccharide challenge-induced anxiety and depressive-like behaviors and inhibits neuroinflammation in C57BL/6J dams. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 95:190-202. [PMID: 33766700 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence indicates an important role for neuroinflammation in depression. Brief maternal separation promotes resilience to depression in offspring, but relatively little is known about the effects of different durations of postpartum separation (PS) from offspring on anxiety and depressive-like behaviors in dams following immune challenge. Lactating C57BL/6J mice were subjected to no separation (NPS), brief PS (15 min/day, PS15) or prolonged PS (180 min/day, PS180) from postpartum day (PPD) 1 to PPD21 and then injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Behavioral tests, including the open field test (OFT) and forced swimming test (FST), were carried out at 24 h after the injection. LPSresulted in anxiety and depressive-like behaviors in NPS dams and activated ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule (Iba1), an important biomarker of microglia, in the hippocampus. However, compared with NPS + LPS dams, PS15 + LPS dams spent significantly more time in the center of the OFT (anxiety-like behavior) and exhibited lower immobility time in the FST (depressive-like behavior), which indicated a phenomenon of resilience. Furthermore, the activation of neuroinflammation was inhibited in PS15 dams. Specifically, levels of the Iba1 mRNA and protein were decreased, while the mRNA expression of NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome/interleukin-18 (IL-18)/nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) was decreased in the hippocampus. Furthermore, positive linear correlations were observed between microglial activation and LPS-induced depressive-like behaviors in dams. Collectively, the findings of this study confirm that brief PS from offspring promotes resilience to LPS immune challenge-induced behavioral deficits and inhibits neuroinflammation in dams separated from their offspring during lactation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuotian Wu
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road No.238, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Lin Zhou
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road No.238, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Limin Sun
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road No.238, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Yumeng Xie
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road No.238, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Ling Xiao
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road No.238, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Huiling Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road No.238, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Gaohua Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road No.238, Wuhan 430060, China.
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Ord AS, Stranahan KR, Hurley RA, Taber KH. Stress-Related Growth: Building a More Resilient Brain. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 2021; 32:A4-212. [PMID: 32729793 DOI: 10.1176/appi.neuropsych.20050111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anna S Ord
- The Veterans Affairs Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, and the Research and Academic Affairs Service Line, W.G. Hefner Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salisbury, N.C. (Ord, Hurley, Taber); the Mental Health Service Line, W.G. Hefner Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salisbury, N.C. (Stranahan); the Departments of Psychiatry and Radiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, N.C. (Hurley); the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Hurley); the Division of Biomedical Sciences, Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Blacksburg, Va. (Taber); and the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Taber)
| | - Kathryn R Stranahan
- The Veterans Affairs Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, and the Research and Academic Affairs Service Line, W.G. Hefner Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salisbury, N.C. (Ord, Hurley, Taber); the Mental Health Service Line, W.G. Hefner Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salisbury, N.C. (Stranahan); the Departments of Psychiatry and Radiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, N.C. (Hurley); the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Hurley); the Division of Biomedical Sciences, Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Blacksburg, Va. (Taber); and the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Taber)
| | - Robin A Hurley
- The Veterans Affairs Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, and the Research and Academic Affairs Service Line, W.G. Hefner Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salisbury, N.C. (Ord, Hurley, Taber); the Mental Health Service Line, W.G. Hefner Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salisbury, N.C. (Stranahan); the Departments of Psychiatry and Radiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, N.C. (Hurley); the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Hurley); the Division of Biomedical Sciences, Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Blacksburg, Va. (Taber); and the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Taber)
| | - Katherine H Taber
- The Veterans Affairs Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, and the Research and Academic Affairs Service Line, W.G. Hefner Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salisbury, N.C. (Ord, Hurley, Taber); the Mental Health Service Line, W.G. Hefner Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salisbury, N.C. (Stranahan); the Departments of Psychiatry and Radiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, N.C. (Hurley); the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Hurley); the Division of Biomedical Sciences, Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Blacksburg, Va. (Taber); and the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Taber)
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The brain at war: effects of stress on brain structure in soldiers deployed to a war zone. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:247. [PMID: 33903597 PMCID: PMC8076198 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01356-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In search of the neural basis of severe trauma exposure and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a multitude of cross-sectional studies have been conducted, most of them pointing at structural deficits in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex including the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). Since cross-sectional studies are silent to causality, the core question remains: which brain structural alterations constitute a risk factor for disease and therewith precede the stressor, and which brain regions may undergo alterations as a consequence of exposure to the stressor. We assessed 121 soldiers before and after deployment to regions of war and 40 soldiers as controls, who were not deployed. Analysis using voxel-based morphometry revealed volumetric reductions in the ACC, vmPFC (region of interest analysis, effect does not survive conservative multiple test correction) and in bilateral thalamus (whole-brain analysis) in the deployment group. Remarkably, the ACC and vmPFC volume decrease was not limited to the period of deployment, but continued over the following 6 months after deployment. Volumetric reductions did not correlate with increases in PTSD symptoms. The volume decreases in medial prefrontal cortex and thalamus seem to be driven by trauma exposure rather than a vulnerability factor for PTSD. However, data indicate that the volume decrease in medial prefrontal cortex surpasses the time period of deployment. This may hint at an initiated pathobiological process below a symptom threshold, potentially paving the way to future mental health problems.
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33
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Rajkumar RP. Harnessing the Neurobiology of Resilience to Protect the Mental Well-Being of Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Front Psychol 2021; 12:621853. [PMID: 33815205 PMCID: PMC8012770 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.621853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Healthcare workers are at a high risk of psychological morbidity in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is significant variability in the impact of this crisis on individual healthcare workers, which can be best explained through an appreciation of the construct of resilience. Broadly speaking, resilience refers to the ability to successfully adapt to stressful or traumatic events, and thus plays a key role in determining mental health outcomes following exposure to such events. A proper understanding of resilience is vital in enabling a shift from a reactive to a proactive approach for protecting and promoting the mental well-being of healthcare workers. Research in the past decade has identified six areas that provide promising leads in understanding the biological basis of individual variations in resilience. These are: (1) the key role played by the monoamines noradrenaline and serotonin, (2) the centrality of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in influencing stress vulnerability and resilience, (3) the intimate links between the immune system and stress sensitivity, (4) the role of epigenetic modulation of gene expression in influencing the stress response, (5) the role played by certain neuropeptides as a natural “brake” mechanism in the face of stress, and (6) the neurobiological mechanisms by which environmental factors, such as exercise, diet, and social support, influence resilience to subsequent life events. Though much of this research is still in its early stages, it has already provided valuable information on which strategies – including dietary changes, lifestyle modification, environmental modification, psychosocial interventions, and even pharmacological treatments – may prove to be useful in fostering resilience in individuals and groups. This paper examines the above evidence more closely, with a specific focus on the challenges faced by healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and provides suggestions regarding how it may be translated into real-world interventions, as well as how the more tentative hypotheses advanced in this field may be tested during this critical period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravi Philip Rajkumar
- Department of Psychiatry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry, India
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34
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Cosentino L, Bellia F, Pavoncello N, Vigli D, D'Addario C, De Filippis B. Methyl-CpG binding protein 2 dysfunction provides stress vulnerability with sex- and zygosity-dependent outcomes. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 55:2766-2776. [PMID: 33655553 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Stress vulnerability is a critical factor for the development of trauma-related disorders; however, its biological underpinnings are not clear. We demonstrated that dysfunctions in the X-linked epigenetic factor methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) provide trauma vulnerability in male mice. Given the prominent role of sex in stress outcomes, we explored the effects of MeCP2 hypofunctionality in females. Female mice carrying truncated MeCP2 (heterozygous and homozygous) and wild type controls (wt) were tested for fear memory. Stress-induced corticosterone release and brain expression of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis regulatory genes were also evaluated in wt and mutant mice of both sexes. Although heterozygous females displayed a normal stress-related behavioural profile, homozygous mice showed enhanced memory recall for the threatening context compared to wt, thus recapitulating the phenotype previously evidenced in hemizygous males. Interestingly, MeCP2 truncation abolished the sex differences in stress-induced corticosterone release, which was found increased in mutant males, whereas blunted in mutant females in a zygosity-independent manner. Although heterozygous mice did not differ from controls, homozygous females and hemizygous males showed increased hypotalamic Crh and Avp mRNAs and a differentially altered expression of Fkbp5 in cortical areas. Present results demonstrate that in female mice carrying truncated MeCP2, altered stress responsivity is driven by homozygosity, whereas heterozygosity does not lead to maladaptive stress outcomes. MeCP2 dysfunctions thus provide stress vulnerability in mice with sex- and zygosity-dependent outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livia Cosentino
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Nicole Pavoncello
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniele Vigli
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio D'Addario
- Università degli Studi di Teramo, Teramo, Italy.,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Solna, Sweden
| | - Bianca De Filippis
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
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Bürgin D, Kind N, Schröder M, Clemens V, Fegert JM, Eckert A, Buchheim A, O'Donovan A, Boonmann C, Schmid M. The Stress of Caring-Resilience and HPA-Axis Activity in Hair Samples of Youth Residential Caregivers. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:556486. [PMID: 33408649 PMCID: PMC7779549 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.556486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Professional caregivers in youth residential care institutions experience frequent verbal and physical aggression as well as multiple stressors as part of their everyday work, leading to high levels of burnout and staff turnover. Resilience might buffer against psychophysiological stress response and therefore be crucial for well-being in professional caregivers. Objectives: We aimed to investigate if measures related to resilience [sense of coherence (SoC), self-efficacy and self-care] and attachment security of caregivers were cross-sectionally associated with stress markers in hair samples [cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)]. Method: Participants (n = 134; 64.2% women) reported on individual resilience measures and provided hair samples for cortisol and DHEA assays. Attachment was assessed in a subsample using the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP, n = 69). Linear regression models were fitted to estimate the association between resilience measures and the Cortisol:DHEA ratio, cortisol and DHEA, controlling for gender and age. Results: SoC was associated with a lower Cortisol:DHEA ratio (β = -0.36, p < 0.001), driven by a positive association between SoC and DHEA levels (β = 0.28, p = 0.002). Self-care was also associated with lower Cortisol:DHEA ratios (β = -0.24, p = 0.005), due to self-care being associated with higher DHEA (β = 0.21, p = 0.016). HPA-axis measures were not associated with self-efficacy nor with attachment patterns in a subsample. Conclusions: Our findings imply that youth residential care institutions might benefit from programs focusing on enhancing SoC and self-care practices. Fostering a meaningful, comprehensible and manageable professional climate in caregiving environments and implementing self-care in routine practices might enhance not only well-being but also physical health of professional caregivers and in this way buffer adverse health effects of chronic stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Bürgin
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Research Department, University Psychiatric Hospitals, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nina Kind
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Research Department, University Psychiatric Hospitals, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Martin Schröder
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Research Department, University Psychiatric Hospitals, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Vera Clemens
- Department for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jörg M. Fegert
- Department for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Anne Eckert
- Neurobiological Laboratory for Brain Aging and Mental Health, Transfaculty Research Platform, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anna Buchheim
- Institute of Psychology, University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Aoife O'Donovan
- Department of Psychiatry and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Mental Health Services, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Cyril Boonmann
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Research Department, University Psychiatric Hospitals, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marc Schmid
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Research Department, University Psychiatric Hospitals, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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El Hayek S, Bizri M. Beirut blast and mental health in Lebanon: Finding ways out. Asian J Psychiatr 2020; 54:102458. [PMID: 33271737 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2020.102458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Samer El Hayek
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Maya Bizri
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
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Denckla CA, Cicchetti D, Kubzansky LD, Seedat S, Teicher MH, Williams DR, Koenen KC. Psychological resilience: an update on definitions, a critical appraisal, and research recommendations. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2020; 11:1822064. [PMID: 33244362 PMCID: PMC7678676 DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2020.1822064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The ability to resist adverse outcomes, or demonstrate resilience after exposure to trauma is a thriving field of study. Yet ongoing debate persists regarding definitions of resilience, generalizability of the extant literature, neurobiological correlates, and a consensus research agenda. Objectives: To address these pressing questions, Drs. Christy Denckla and Karestan Koenen (co-chairs) convened a multidisciplinary panel including Drs. Dante Cicchetti, Laura Kubzansky, Soraya Seedat, Martin Teicher, and David Williams at the 2019 annual meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS). Questions included (1) how have definitions of resilience evolved, (2) what are the best approaches to capture the complexity of resilience processes, and (3) what are the most important areas for future research? Methods: The proceedings of this panel are summarized in this report, and prominent themes are synthesized and integrated. Results: While different definitions emerged, all shared a focus on conceptualizing resilience at multiple levels, from the biological to the social structural level, a focus on the dynamic nature of resilience, and a move away from conceptualizing resilience as only an individual trait. Critical areas for future research included 1) focused efforts to improve assessment that has international and cross-cultural validity, 2) developing within-study designs that employ more intensive phenotyping strategies, 3) examining outcomes across multiple levels and domains, and 4) integrating conceptualizations of resilience from the individual-level to the larger social context at the population health level. Conclusion: Increasingly sophisticated and nuanced conceptual frameworks, coupled with research leveraging advances in genetics, molecular biology, increased computational capacity, and larger, more diverse datasets suggest that the next decade of research could bring significant breakthroughs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christy A. Denckla
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dante Cicchetti
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
| | - Laura D. Kubzansky
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Soraya Seedat
- Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | | | - David R. Williams
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Sociology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Karestan C. Koenen
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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Arnetz BB, Sudan S, Arnetz JE, Yamin JB, Lumley MA, Beck JS, Stemmer PM, Burghardt P, Counts SE, Jamil H. Dysfunctional neuroplasticity in newly arrived Middle Eastern refugees in the U.S.: Association with environmental exposures and mental health symptoms. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0230030. [PMID: 32142533 PMCID: PMC7059916 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Psychological war trauma among displaced refugees is an established risk factor for mental health disorders, especially post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Persons with trauma-induced disorders have heightened neuroplastic restructuring of limbic brain circuits (e.g., amygdala and hippocampus), which are critical factors in the pathophysiology of PTSD. Civilians in war are exposed to both psychological trauma and environmental hazards, such as metals. Little is known about the possible mental health impact from such environmental exposures, alone or in combination with trauma. It is of special interest to determine whether war exposures contribute to dysfunctional neuroplasticity; that is, an adverse outcome from sustained stress contributing to mental health disorders. The current study examined Middle Eastern refugees in the United States to determine the relationships among pre-displacement trauma and environmental exposures, brain derived neurotrophic growth factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF)-two neurotrophins reported to mediate neuroplasticity responses to stress-related exposures-and mental health. METHODS Middle Eastern refugees (n = 64; 33 men, 31 women) from Syria (n = 40) or Iraq (n = 24) were assessed 1 month after arrival to Michigan, US. Participants were interviewed in Arabic using a semi-structured survey to assess pre-displacement trauma and environmental exposure, PTSD, depression, anxiety, and self-rated mental health. Whole blood was collected, and concentrations of six heavy metals as well as BDNF and NGF levels were determined. Because these two neurotrophins have similar functions in neuroplasticity, we combined them to create a neuroplasticity index. Linear regression tested whether psychosocial trauma, environmental exposures and biomarkers were associated with mental health symptoms. FINDINGS The neuroplasticity index was associated with PTSD (standardized beta, β = 0.25, p < 0.05), depression (0.26, < 0.05) and anxiety (0.32, < 0.01) after controlling for pre-displacement trauma exposures. In addition, pre-displacement environmental exposure was associated with PTSD (0.28, < 0.05) and anxiety (0.32, < 0.05). Syrian refugees and female gender were associated with higher scores on depression (0.25, < 0.05; 0.30, < 0.05) and anxiety scales (0.35, < 0.01; 0.27, < 0.05), and worse on self-rated mental health (0.32, < 0.05; 0.34, < 0.05). In bivariate analysis, the neuroplasticity index was related to blood lead levels (r = 0.40; p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS The current study confirms the adverse effects of war trauma on mental health. Higher levels of biomarkers of neuroplasticity correlated with worse mental health and higher blood lead levels. Higher neurotrophin levels in refugees might indicate dysfunctional neuroplasticity with increased consolidation of adverse war memories in the limbic system. Such a process may contribute to psychiatric symptoms. Further research is needed to clarify the pathobiological mechanisms linking war trauma and environmental exposures to adverse mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bengt B. Arnetz
- Department of Family medicine, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Sukhesh Sudan
- Department of Family medicine, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Judith E. Arnetz
- Department of Family medicine, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Jolin B. Yamin
- Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Mark A. Lumley
- Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
| | - John S. Beck
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Paul M. Stemmer
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Paul Burghardt
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Scott E. Counts
- Department of Family medicine, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Hikmet Jamil
- Department of Family medicine, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States of America
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