Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and in Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Occurrence and Correlations

Melatonin-mediated IGF-1/GLP-1 activation in experimental OCD rats: Evidence from CSF, blood plasma, brain and in-silico investigations

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a neuropsychiatric condition characterized by intrusive, repetitive thoughts and behaviors. Our study uses a validated 8-OH-DPAT-induced experimental model of OCD in rodents. We focus on the modulatory effects of Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which are linked to neurodevelopment and survival. Current research investigates melatonin, a molecule with neuroprotective properties and multiple functions. Melatonin has beneficial effects on various illnesses, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and depression, indicating its potential efficacy in treating OCD. In the present study, we employed two doses of melatonin, 5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg, demonstrating a dose-dependent effect on 8-OH-DPAT-induced rat changes. In addition, the melatonin antagonist luzindole 5 mg/kg was utilized to compare and validate the efficacy of melatonin. In-silico studies alsocontribute to understanding the activation of IGF-1/GLP-1 pathways by melatonin. Current research indicates restoring neurochemical measurements on various biological samples (brain homogenates, CSF, and blood plasma) and morphological and histological analyses. In addition, the current research seeks to increase understanding of OCD and investigate potential new treatment strategies. Therefore, it is evident from the aforementioned research that the protective effect of melatonin can serve as a strong basis for developing a new OCD treatment by upregulating IGF-1 and GLP-1 levels. The primary focus of current study revolves around the examination of melatonin as an activator of IGF-1/GLP-1, with the aim of potentially mitigating behavioral, neurochemical, and histopathological abnormalities in an experimental model of obsessive-compulsive disorder caused by 8-OH-DPAT in adult Wistar rats.

Striatal adenosine A2A receptor involvement in normal and large nest building deer mice: perspectives on compulsivity and anxiety

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by recurring obsessive thoughts and repetitive behaviors that are often associated with anxiety and perturbations in cortico-striatal signaling. Given the suboptimal response of OCD to current serotonergic interventions, there is a need to better understand the psychobiological mechanisms that may underlie the disorder. In this regard, investigations into adenosinergic processes might be fruitful. Indeed, adenosine modulates both anxiety- and motor behavioral output. Thus, we aimed to explore the potential associations between compulsive-like large nest building (LNB) behavior in deer mice, anxiety and adenosinergic processes. From an initial pool of 120 adult deer mice, 34 normal nest building (NNB)- and 32 LNB-expressing mice of both sexes were selected and exposed to either a normal water (wCTRL) or vehicle control (vCTRL), lorazepam (LOR) or istradefylline (ISTRA) for 7- (LOR) or 28 days after which nesting assessment was repeated and animals screened for anxiety-like behavior in an anxiogenic open field. Mice were then euthanized, the striatal tissue removed on ice and the adenosine A_2A receptor expression quantified. Our findings indicate that NNB and LNB behavior are not distinctly associated with measures of generalized anxiety and that ISTRA-induced changes in nesting expression are dissociated from changes in anxiety scores. Further, data from this investigation show that nesting in deer mice is directly related to striatal adenosine signaling, and that LNB is founded upon a lower degree of adenosinergic A_2A stimulation.

Differential patterns of association between resting-state functional connectivity networks and stress in OCD patients

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a highly prevalent psychiatric disorder that is characterized by its complex pathophysiology and heterogenous presentation. Multiple studies to date have identified a variety of factors that are involved in the development of symptoms, but little is known about how these affect brain function. In this study, we have tried to understand how stress, one of the most studied risk factors for OCD, may influence resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) by comparing resting brain activity of OCD patients with healthy control subjects, while assessing self-reported levels of perceived stress using the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10). Seventy-five OCD patients and seventy-one healthy matched control subjects were enrolled in this study, where we used a data-driven, independent component analysis approach. Our results show differences in connectivity between patients and healthy controls involving the dorsal attention (DAN) and lateral visual networks, with patients presenting increased rsFC within the DAN and decreased rsFC within the lateral visual network. Moreover, connectivity in the anterior default mode (aDMN), dorsal attention and basal ganglia networks was associated with PSS scores in OCD patients. Specifically, rsFC within the DAN and aDMN was positively correlated with PSS scores, while the opposite was observed for the basal ganglia network. This study is the first to report such association between rsFC alterations and self-reported stress levels. Our findings are relevant in the context of OCD pathophysiology given evidence of functional dysconnectivity involving the same networks in previous OCD studies and the possible involvement of these changes in the generation of obsessions.

Serotonin Modulates the Correlations between Obsessive-compulsive Trait and Heart Rate Variability in Normal Healthy Subjects: A SPECT Study with [123I]ADAM and Heart Rate Variability Measurement

Objective

The impact of serotonergic system on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is well studied. However, the correlation between OC presentations and autonomic nervous system (ANS) is still unclear. Furthermore, whether the correlation might be modulated by serotonin is also uncertain.

Methods

We recruited eighty-nine healthy subjects. Serotonin transporter (SERT) availability by [¹²³I]ADAM and heart rate variability (HRV) tests were measured. Symptoms checklist-90 was measured for the OC presentations. The interaction between HRV and SERT availability were calculated and the correlation between HRV and OC symptoms were analyzed after stratified SERT level into two groups, split at medium.

Results

The interactions were significant in the factors of low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF), and root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD). Furthermore, the significantly negative correlations between OC symptoms and the above HRV indexes existed only in subjects with higher SERT availability.

Conclusion

OC symptoms might be correlated with ANS regulations in subjects with higher SERT availability.

Mental health in COVID-19 Delta variant survivors and healthcare workers during 2021 outbreak in Nanjing, China: a cross-sectional study

Background: Since COVID-19 Delta variant was discovered in India in October 2020, it has rapidly triggered a second outbreak globally. However, the effects of COVID-19 Delta variant on mental health in survivors and healthcare workers is unclear. Aims: To assess the mental health among COVID-19 Delta variant survivors and healthcare workers, and analyze the possible impact factors. Method: This survey-based, cross-sectional study used the Symptom Check List 90 - Revised (SCL90-R) questionnaire to evaluate psychological status among 60 COVID-19 Delta variant survivors, 162 nurses, and 72 hygienists in Nanjing, China. 3 indices and 9 dimensions were compared among job, education level, gender, age, marriage classification. Data was analyzed using SPSS 25.0. Results: Mental distress among participants was not very serious in general. The survivors presented the highest score, then the hygienists, and the lowest in nurses. Low-educated and women showed significant increase. No significant difference was noted in age and marriage classification. Conclusions: In this survey study of COVID-19 Delta variant survivors and healthcare workers in Nanjing, China, the survivors need psychological support immediately. Meanwhile, healthcare workers warrant more attention, especially the low-educated and women. Comprehensive emergency response plan was warranted.

Validation of the Russianversion of the Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (MOCI) in Population and Clinical Samples

Relevance. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is the third most common psychiatric disorder, potentially disabling with significant social and economic consequences. In Russia, little attention is paid to the study of OCD, which leads to the problem of differential diagnosis and effective treatment of OCD. One of the reasons for the insufficient attention to OCD is the lack of validated Russian questionnaires for diagnosing OCD. The purpose of this work is the initial validation of a translated version of the Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (MOCI). Characteristics of the surveyed groups. A population-based sample of 300 students (212 women and 88 men) and a clinical sample of 13 patients with anxiety and depressive disorders (8 women and 5 men) and 13 patients with OCD (11 women and 2 men) participated in the study. Severity of OCD symptoms were assessed with the translated version of Maudsley questionnaire. Results. According to our data, the MOCI questionnaire allows to differentiate reliably (p = 0,027) patients with OCD from patients with anxiety-depressive disorders and can be suitable as a primary diagnostic test for identifying OCD patients (p < 0,05) and the risk group. The reliability and convergent validity of the questionnaire were shown.