The Intergenerational Transmission of Anxiety Disorders and Major Depression

Prebiotic inulin alleviates anxiety and depression-like behavior in alcohol withdrawal mice by modulating the gut microbiota and 5-HT metabolism

BACKGROUND

Alcohol dependence (AD) is a common psychiatric disorder, often accompanied by anxiety and depression. These comorbidities are linked to disturbances in serotonin (5-HT) metabolism and gut microbiota dysbiosis. Clinical studies suggest that inulin, a prebiotic, can alleviate anxiety and depression in AD patients by affecting the gut microbiota, although the mechanisms remain unclear.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential mechanisms by which inulin, a prebiotic, improves anxiety and depression-like behaviors in AD withdrawal mice. This research is based on the drug and food homology and intestinal treatment of encephalopathy, with the goal of developing new clinical strategies for AD treatment.

STUDY DESIGN

For this purpose, fecal samples from AD patients were analyzed to identify microorganisms associated with AD. An AD withdrawal mouse model was created, with inulin as the intervention and fluvoxamine maleate as the control. Techniques such as 16S microbiome sequencing and UPLC-TQMS-targeted metabolomics were used to assess gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) levels, and 5-HT metabolism.

METHODS

The AD withdrawal model was built using the "Drinking-in-the-dark" protocol over 6 weeks. Inulin (2 g/kg/day) and fluvoxamine maleate (30 mg/kg/day) were administered for 4 weeks. The open field test, forced swim test, and tail suspension test were used to evaluate anxiety and depression-like behaviors in mice. ELISA and qRT-PCR assessed 5-HT metabolism in the colon, blood, and prefrontal cortex, while 16S microbiome sequencing analyzed changes in gut microbiota and UPLC-TQMS examined SCFAs levels. Immunohistochemistry was used to study intestinal barrier integrity.

RESULTS

AD patients showed reduced SCFA-producing bacteria such as Faecalibacterium and Roseburia. In mice, AD withdrawal led to anxiety and depression-like behaviors, disrupted 5-HT metabolism, and gut microbiota dysbiosis. Inulin supplementation alleviated these behaviors, increased 5-HT and 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) levels, upregulated colonic tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH1) expression, and promoted the growth of beneficial bacteria such as Faecalibacterium and Roseburia, while also increasing SCFAs levels.

CONCLUSION

Inulin increases the abundance of Faecalibacterium and Roseburia, enhances SCFAs production, and regulates 5-HT metabolism, improving anxiety and depression-like behaviors in AD withdrawal mice. These findings suggest that inulin may serve as a nutritional intervention for mental health in AD patients by targeting the microbiome-gut-brain axis.

Parental Depression and Self-Stigma Among Chinese Young People Living With Depression: A Qualitative Study

Self-stigma is detrimental to psychosocial well-being and the recovery journey among people living with depression. However, there has been limited research exploring the experience of stigma internalization when depression runs in families. This study aims to address this gap by (1) characterizing the manifestations of self-stigma among individuals living with depression whose parent(s) also have depression and (2) exploring the potential mechanisms underlying the impact of parental depression on self-stigma. Essential principles of the constructivist grounded theory approach were adopted to collect data through in-depth interviews with 27 participants aged 15-30, living in Mainland China. Many participants perceived depression running in their family as an endless disaster and an incurable illness. These beliefs further led to stigmatizing emotions (such as suppression, anger, and guilt) and behaviors (such as concealment and social withdrawal). Participants also highlighted ambivalent intergenerational relationships, tense family atmospheres, lower parental emotional involvement and support, and a lack of family flexibility due to parental depression. Furthermore, parental depression impacted participants' self-stigma by interfering with family relationships, family functioning, and parenting styles. It also shaped their perceptions of family, illness attribution, and public stigma. Additionally, parental depression had an impact on participants' social functioning, self-esteem, and personality, making them more susceptible to self-stigma. This study emphasizes the crucial role that the family plays in the internalization of stigma among individuals living with depression. It suggests that family dynamics, rather than family structure or economic backgrounds alone, shape this process.

Effects of parenting style on depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and their comorbidity during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown among 3117 Chinese junior high school students

INTRODUCTION

Depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and comorbidity increased in junior high school students due to the outbreak of COVID-19. The objective of this study was to measure the impacts of parenting style on depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and their comorbidity in Chinese junior high school students during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown period.

METHODS

An online survey was conducted in June 2020 among 3117 junior high school students from Shandong Province, China. The Egna Minnen av Barndoms Uppfostran scale was used to measure parenting styles. The 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire scale and the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale were used to measure depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms, respectively. Multinomial logistic regression was conducted with SPSS 25.0 Version.

RESULTS

3117 junior school students enrolled in this study. The prevalence of depressive symptoms only, anxiety symptoms only, and comorbidity among junior high school students was 11.55 %, 5.29 %, and 22.97 %. Paternal over-protection was a risk factor not only for depressive symptoms only (OR = 1.075, 95 % CI = 1.020-1.134) but for anxiety symptoms only (OR = 1.090, 95 % CI = 1.016-1.170) and comorbidity (OR = 1.098, 95 % CI = 1.050-1.148). Paternal over-interference was a protective factor for depressive symptoms only (OR = 0.947, 95 % CI = 0.908-0.987) and comorbidity (OR = 0.953, 95 % CI = 0.921-0.986). However, maternal over-interference and over-protection were risk factors for depressive symptoms only (OR = 1.039, 95 % CI = 1.011-1.068).

LIMITATIONS

This was a cross-sectional study and the causal inferences could not be conducted.

CONCLUSIONS

Junior high school students with poorer family environmental factors were more likely to suffer from the comorbidity of anxiety symptoms and depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Decision-makers from the government, educational, and healthcare institutions should pay more attention to junior high school students at higher risk of mental disorders due to poor parenting styles. We should discuss family interventions in the future to prevent mental disorders in junior high school students.