Sleep loss as a trigger of mood episodes in bipolar disorder: individual differences based on diagnostic subtype and gender

A genome-wide methylation analysis of Chinese Han patients with chronic insomnia disorder

BACKGROUND

As the most common sleep disorder, chronic insomnia disorder (CID) has become a global health burden to the public. However, it remains unclear about the pathogenesis of this disease. Epigenetic changes may provide important insights into the gene-environment interaction in CID. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the DNA methylation pattern in CID and reveal the epigenetic mechanism of this disease.

METHODS

In this study, whole blood DNA was extracted from 8 CID patients (the CID group) and 8 healthy controls (the control group), respectively. Besides, genome-wide DNA methylation was detected by Illumina Human Methylation 850 K Beadchip. Moreover, the sleep quality and insomnia severity were evaluated by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 369 differentially methylated positions (DMPs) and 23 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were identified between the CID and control groups. LHX6 was identified as the most important differentially methylated gene (DMG). The Gene Ontology (GO) analysis results corroborated that DMPs were significantly enriched in 105 GO terms, including cell signaling, homogenous cell adhesion of plasma membrane adhesion molecules, nervous system development, cell adhesion, and calcium ion binding. In addition, it was demonstrated that DMPs were significantly enriched in the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, including the hippo signaling pathway, Ras signaling pathway, and vitamin B6 metabolism. The DMR-related GO analysis results revealed the positive regulation of protein kinase activities.

CONCLUSIONS

DNA methylation plays a critical role in the development of CID, and LHX6 is validated to be an important DMG.

Understanding the experiences of ketogenic metabolic therapy for people living with varying levels of depressive symptoms: a thematic analysis

Background

Evidence suggests that a ketogenic diet (KD) may help to alleviate psychiatric symptoms, including depression and anxiety. Positive changes have been reported such as improvements in cognition, concentration, and sleep, a reduction in hunger, and an increase in well-being, energy, confidence, and resilience. This research aims to understand the impact of a non-calorie-restricted KD on depression and aspects of psychological well-being in those with varying degrees of depressive symptoms. Though there are a few studies directly exploring the experiences of those following a KD, this will be the first study to explore the narrative from a mental health and psychological well-being viewpoint.

Method

A sample of nine participants who had followed a non-calorie restricted KD intervention of 50 g of carbohydrates or less per day for at least 12 weeks were recruited. Participants were split into 'healthy adults' group who had no to low depressive symptoms and 'depressive symptoms' group who had mild to moderate depressive symptoms. A reflexive thematic analysis was considered suitable for this study.

Findings

Five core themes and 24 subthemes were created. These were, (1) Poor health prior to program; (2) Hunger and cravings-the food and mood connection; (3) Psychological well-being improvements; (4) It becomes a lifestyle; and (5) Implementation difficulties. Participants experienced mental health improvements such as increased self-esteem, confidence, motivation, and achievement. Some experienced more control in life and a greater sense of reward. Those with depressive symptoms who initially reported low self-worth and hopelessness later reported increased self-esteem and renewed meaning and purpose in life. The findings from this study reflect the previous reports that the diet implementation can be difficult initially, but soon becomes easy to follow and turns into a lifestyle.

Conclusion

In the literature, there are very few qualitative studies that explore the accounts and lived experiences of those following a KD. From the participants' accounts in this study, it appears that the benefits and positive outcomes of this diet outweigh any negative side-effects experienced. This is encouraging for those who are looking for adjunctive therapies to address and improve their depressive symptoms and overall mental health.

Clinical and instrumental features in 82 patients with insufficient sleep syndrome

Insufficient sleep syndrome possibly represents the worldwide leading cause of daytime sleepiness, but remains poorly recognised and studied. The aim of this case series is to comprehensively describe a cohort of patients with insufficient sleep syndrome. Eighty-two patients were studied concerning demographic and socio-economic features, medical, psychiatric and sleep comorbidities, substance use, sleep symptoms, actigraphy, video-polysomnography, multiple sleep latency tests and treatment. The typical patient with insufficient sleep syndrome is a middle-aged adult (with no difference of gender), employed, who has a family, often carrying psychiatric and neurological comorbidities, in particular headache, anxiety and depression. Other sleep disorders, especially mild sleep apnea and bruxism, were common as well. Actigraphy was a valuable tool in the characterisation of insufficient sleep syndrome, showing a sleep restriction during weekdays, associated with a recovery rebound of night sleep during weekends and a high amount of daytime sleep. An over- or underestimation of sleeping was common, concerning both the duration of night sleep and daytime napping. The average daily sleep considering both daytime and night-time, weekdays and weekends corresponds to the recommended minimal normal duration, meaning that the burden of insufficient sleep syndrome could mainly depend on sleep fragmentation and low quality. Sleep efficiency was elevated both in actigraphy and video-polysomnography. Multiple sleep latency tests evidenced a tendency toward sleep-onset rapid eye movement periods. Our study offers a comprehensive characterisation of patients with insufficient sleep syndrome, and clarifies their sleeping pattern, opening avenues for management and treatment of the disorder. Current options seem not adapted, and in our opinion a cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy protocol should be developed.

Use of gene regulatory network analysis to repurpose drugs to treat bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

Bipolar disorder (BD) presents significant challenges in drug discovery, necessitating alternative approaches. Drug repurposing, leveraging computational techniques and expanding biomedical data, holds promise for identifying novel treatment strategies.

METHODS

This study utilized gene regulatory networks (GRNs) to identify significant regulatory changes in BD, using network-based signatures for drug repurposing. Employing the PANDA algorithm, we investigated the variations in transcription factor-GRNs between individuals with BD and unaffected individuals, incorporating binding motifs, protein interactions, and gene co-expression data. The differences in edge weights between BD and controls were then used as differential network signatures to identify drugs potentially targeting the disease-associated gene signature, employing the CLUEreg tool in the GRAND database.

RESULTS

Using a large RNA-seq dataset of 216 post-mortem brain samples from the CommonMind consortium, we constructed GRNs based on co-expression for individuals with BD and unaffected controls, involving 15,271 genes and 405 TFs. Our analysis highlighted significant influences of these TFs on immune response, energy metabolism, cell signalling, and cell adhesion pathways in the disorder. By employing drug repurposing, we identified 10 promising candidates potentially repurposed as BD treatments.

LIMITATIONS

Non-drug-naïve transcriptomics data, bulk analysis of BD samples, potential bias of GRNs towards well-studied genes.

CONCLUSIONS

Further investigation into repurposing candidates, especially those with preclinical evidence supporting their efficacy, like kaempferol and pramocaine, is warranted to understand their mechanisms of action and effectiveness in treating BD. Additionally, novel targets such as PARP1 and A2b offer opportunities for future research on their relevance to the disorder.

Perinatal sleep disruption and postpartum psychosis in bipolar disorder: Findings from the UK BDRN Pregnancy Study

BACKGROUND

Women with bipolar disorder (BD) are at high risk of postpartum psychosis (PP). The factors that increase risk of PP among women with BD are not fully understood. Here, we examine whether sleep disruption in the perinatal period (poor sleep quality in late pregnancy and sleep deprivation related to childbirth) is associated with PP in a longitudinal study of pregnant women with BD.

METHODS

Participants were 76 pregnant women with lifetime DSM-5 bipolar I disorder or schizoaffective-BD, followed from week 12 of pregnancy to 12 weeks postpartum. Demographics and lifetime psychopathology were assessed at baseline via semi-structured interview (Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry). Psychopathology and sleep disruption within the current perinatal period were assessed in the third trimester and at 12 weeks postpartum. Data were supplemented by clinician questionnaires and case-note review.

RESULTS

After controlling for prophylactic use of mood stabilising medication, the loss of at least one complete night of sleep across labour/delivery was associated with five times the odds of experiencing PP compared to no or less than one night of sleep loss across labour/delivery (OR 5.19, 95 % CI 1.45-18.54; p = 0.011). Sleep quality in late pregnancy was not associated with PP, and perinatal sleep disruption was not associated with postpartum depression.

LIMITATIONS

Lack of objective measures of sleep factors.

CONCLUSIONS

In the context of other aetiological factors, severe sleep loss associated with childbirth/the immediate postpartum may act as a final trigger of PP. These findings could have important clinical implications for risk prediction and prevention of PP.

Opportunities to engage in positive activities during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives of individuals with mood disorders

BACKGROUND

Despite cross-sectional population and clinical studies finding individuals with existing mood disorders being adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, longitudinal studies have not shown a worsening of psychiatric symptoms. In response to these findings, we explored opportunities to engage in positive activities during the pandemic from the perspectives of individuals with mood disorders.

METHODS

A bespoke survey, containing closed and open questions, was sent to participants with mood disorders who were part of the UK Bipolar Disorder Research Network (BDRN). Questions related to experiences of positive impacts of the pandemic, levels of engagement in positive activities and coping strategies.

RESULTS

Response rate was 46.4 % (N = 1688). 61.9 % reported positive life changes during the pandemic, with slower pace of life reported most frequently (52.8 %). 47.3 % reported no adverse impact of the pandemic on implementing their usual coping strategies. Activities that respondents most commonly reported the same or greater level of engagement in compared to before the pandemic were avoiding known mood triggers (82.3 %), relaxation techniques (78.8 %) and the ability to maintain set routines (69.4 %).

LIMITATIONS

Responder bias may be present and experiences during the pandemic are likely to differ among other clinical and research mood disorders cohorts.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings may help to explain why longitudinal studies have not found a worsening of mental health symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Identifying potential facilitators to maintaining mental health have wider applicability, and may help to inform future evidence-based psychoeducation and self-management programmes for mood disorders.

Insomnia and related mental health conditions: Essential neurobiological underpinnings towards reduced polypharmacy utilization rates

Insomnia represents a significant public health burden, with a 10% prevalence in the general population. Reduced sleep affects social and working functioning, productivity, and patient's quality of life, leading to a total of $100 billion per year in direct and indirect healthcare costs. Primary insomnia is unrelated to any other mental or medical illness; secondary insomnia co-occurs with other underlying medical, iatrogenic, or mental conditions. Epidemiological studies found a 40-50% comorbidity prevalence between insomnia and psychiatric disorders, suggesting a high relevance of mental health in insomniacs. Sleep disturbances also worsen the outcomes of several psychiatric disorders, leading to more severe psychopathology and incomplete remission, plausibly contributing to treatment-resistant conditions. Insomnia and psychiatric disorder coexistence can lead to polypharmacy, namely, the concurrent use of two or more medications in the same patient, regardless of their purpose or rationale. Polypharmacy increases the risk of using unnecessary drugs, the likelihood of drug interactions and adverse events, and reduces the patient's compliance due to regimen complexity. The workup of insomnia must consider the patient's sleep habits and inquire about any medical and mental concurrent conditions that must be handled to allow insomnia to be remitted adequately. Monotherapy or limited polypharmacy should be preferred, especially in case of multiple comorbidities, promoting multipurpose molecules with sedative properties and with bedtime administration. Also, non-pharmacological interventions for insomnia, such as sleep hygiene, relaxation training and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy may be useful in secondary insomnia to confront behaviors and thoughts contributing to insomnia and help optimizing the pharmacotherapy. However, insomnia therapy should always be patient-tailored, considering drug indications, contraindications, and pharmacokinetics, besides insomnia phenotype, clinical picture, patient preferences, and side effect profile.

World sleep society international sleep medicine guidelines position statement endorsement of "behavioral and psychological treatments for chronic insomnia disorder in adults: An American Academy of sleep medicine clinical practice guidelines"

This paper summarizes the position statement of the World Sleep Society (WSS) International Guidelines Committee regarding the Clinical Practice Guidelines on the Behavioral and Psychological Treatments for Chronic Insomnia Disorder in Adults prepared by a task force of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). The practice guidelines were reviewed for their relevance and applicability to the practice of sleep medicine around the world. The WSS Work Group endorsed the AASM strong recommendation for Multicomponent Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as the treatment of choice for Insomnia Disorder and conditional endorsement for its single-therapy components (sleep restriction, stimulus control, relaxation); use of sleep hygiene education as single therapy was not endorsed due to lack of evidence for its efficacy. The strong recommendation for multicomponent CBT-I applied to patients with chronic insomnia disorder with or without comorbid psychiatric and medical conditions. Main caveats with regard to CBT-I remains the lack of adequately trained therapists and variability in terms of training available in different parts of the world. Unanswered questions about the applicability, availability, accessibility and potential sociodemographic (age, sex, ethnicity, regions) moderators of treatment outcomes were discussed. Despite growing evidence documenting the benefits of digital CBT-I, individual, in-person CBT-I delivered by a trained professional (mental health) provider is regarded as the optimal method to deliver CBT-I.

Sleep Deprivation and Its Consequences

OBJECTIVE

This article reviews the clinical, cognitive, behavioral, and physiologic consequences of sleep deprivation in relation to general neurology practice.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

Despite being one of the most common sleep problems in modern society, the role of sleep deprivation is underrecognized and underestimated in clinical medicine and general neurology practice. The recognition, diagnosis, and management of sleep deprivation in neurologic practice have only recently received close attention. The consequences of sleep deprivation involve all aspects of general neurology practice, including individuals with neurologic disease, neurologists, communities, and health care systems. The identification and timely management of sleep deprivation symptoms may help to improve symptoms of underlying primary neurologic disorders.

ESSENTIAL POINTS

This article emphasizes complexities related to the identification and evaluation of sleep deprivation in general neurology practice and describes the consequences of sleep deprivation. By recognizing sleep deprivation in patients with neurologic conditions, the neurologist can provide comprehensive care and contribute to improved clinical and neurologic outcomes.

Preventing recurrence of postpartum depression by regulating sleep

INTRODUCTION

Women are at a high risk of recurrence of depression in the postpartum period. Given the circumscribed duration of the risk period and knowledge of its triggers, postpartum depression should be easily preventable. However, prophylactic drug studies have reported contradictory findings partly due to the heterogeneity of the disorder. Currently, there are no studies on the efficacy of psychotherapy in the prevention of postpartum depression in women with major depressive or bipolar disorder.

AREAS COVERED

This review evaluates the results of controlled medication and psychotherapeutic studies in the prevention of depression in women with major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder; it further suggests that the management of sleep loss/insomnia may be an effective strategy in the prevention of postpartum depression.

EXPERT OPINION

A thorough understanding of the clinical course of the antecedent mood disorder and historical treatment response is necessary before the implementation of strategies for the prevention of postpartum depression. Targeting disturbed and/or insufficient sleep - a common and early transdiagnostic symptom of peripartum psychiatric disorders - may be a more effective intervention for the prevention of postpartum depression and psychiatric comorbidities in some individuals than the traditional approach of antidepressant use.

The dynamic interplay between sleep and mood: an intensive longitudinal study of individuals with bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

Sleep disturbances are important symptoms to monitor in people with bipolar disorder (BD) but the precise longitudinal relationships between sleep and mood remain unclear. We aimed to examine associations between stable and dynamic aspects of sleep and mood in people with BD, and assess individual differences in the strength of these associations.

METHODS

Participants (N = 649) with BD-I (N = 400) and BD-II (N = 249) provided weekly self-reports of insomnia, depression and (hypo)mania symptoms using the True Colours online monitoring tool for 21 months. Dynamic structural equation models were used to examine the interplay between weekly reports of insomnia and mood. The effects of clinical and demographic characteristics on associations were also assessed.

RESULTS

Increased variability in insomnia symptoms was associated with increased mood variability. In the sample as a whole, we found strong evidence of bidirectional relationships between insomnia and depressive symptoms but only weak support for bidirectional relationships between insomnia and (hypo)manic symptoms. We found substantial variability between participants in the strength of prospective associations between insomnia and mood, which depended on age, gender, bipolar subtype, and a history of rapid cycling.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results highlight the importance of monitoring sleep in people with BD. However, researchers and clinicians investigating the association between sleep and mood should consider subgroup differences in this relationship. Advances in digital technology mean that intensive longitudinal data on sleep and mood are becoming increasingly available. Novel methods to analyse these data present an exciting opportunity for furthering our understanding of BD.

Lorazepam use during clinical trials of adults with bipolar mania episodes

Background

Lorazepam has commonly been prescribed to reduce agitation during bipolar 1 mania trials. Its use has varied considerably by trial methodology and in clinical practice.

Methods

The extent and amount of lorazepam treatment was recorded and analyzed from available brief, controlled trials of acute bipolar mania and in clinical reports in adults.

Results

In 3-week, placebo-controlled clinical trials (n = 19), most manic subjects (79%) were treated with lorazepam to reduce agitation. This treatment was most prominent during the antimanic drug wash-out phase that preceded placebo-controlled trials. Doses of lorazepam administered during the first 7-10 days of the pre-trial and the early trial phases averaged 2.2 mg/day. These doses were one-third the lorazepam/clonazepam doses administered during placebo-controlled, non-washout trials. Far higher benzodiazepine doses for manic agitation were noted in emergency department reports. Intake enrollment was strikingly restricted only in placebo-controlled trials that used pretrial drug wash-out.

Conclusions

Medication treatment conclusions from placebo-controlled, drug washout trials are not representative of clinical treatment for acute bipolar mania.

Downregulation of microRNA-330-5p induces manic-like behaviors in REM sleep-deprived rats by enhancing tyrosine hydroxylase expression

AIM

In our pilot study, we found an increase in tyrosine hydroxylase (Th) mRNA expression in the prefrontal cortex of 72-h REM sleep-deprived (SD) rats, a mania model. Additionally, the expression levels of miR-325-3p, miR-326-3p, and miR-330-5p, the predicted target miRNAs on TH, were significantly decreased. Based on these results, in this study, we investigated whether miRNA-325-3p, miR-326-3p, and miR-330-5p modulate TH and manic-like behaviors in SD rats.

METHODS

Manic-like behaviors were assessed using the open field test (OFT) and elevated plus-maze (EPM) test. The direct binding activity of miRNAs to the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of the Th gene was measured in HEK-293 cells using a luciferase reporter system. We also examined mRNA and protein expression of TH after intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of miR-330-5p agomir to SD rats, along with manic-like behaviors.

RESULTS

We observed an upregulation in mRNA and protein expression of TH and downregulation in miRNA-325-3p, miR-326-3p, and miR-330-5p expressions in the prefrontal cortex of SD rats, together with increased manic-like behaviors. The luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-330-5p could repress TH expression through direct binding to its target site in the 3'-UTR of Th, whereas miR-326-3p and miR-330-5p could not. In addition, ICV injection of miR-330-5p agomir alleviated the increase in TH expression in the prefrontal cortex of SD rats and manic-like behaviors.

CONCLUSIONS

TH expression regulation through miR-330-5p may be implicated in the pathophysiology of mania in SD rats.

Exploring digital biomarkers of illness activity in mood episodes: hypotheses generating and model development study

BACKGROUND

Depressive and manic episodes within bipolar disorder (BD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) involve altered mood, sleep, and activity alongside physiological alterations that wearables can capture.

OBJECTIVE

We explored whether physiological wearable data could predict: (aim 1) the severity of an acute affective episode at the intra-individual level, (aim 2) the polarity of an acute affective episode and euthymia among different individuals. Secondarily, we explored which physiological data were related to the prior predictions, generalization across patients, and associations between affective symptoms and physiological data.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective exploratory observational study including patients with BD and MDD on acute affective episodes (manic, depressed, and mixed) whose physiological data were recorded with a research-grade wearable (Empatica E4) across three consecutive timepoints (acute, response, and remission of episode). Euthymic patients and healthy controls (HC) were recorded during a single session (∼48 hours). Manic and depressive symptoms were assessed with standardized psychometric scales. Physiological wearable data included the following channels: acceleration (ACC), temperature (TEMP), blood volume pulse (BVP), heart rate (HR), and electrodermal activity (EDA). For data pre-processing, invalid physiological data were removed using a rule-based filter, channels were time-aligned at 1 second time units and then segmented window lengths of 32 seconds, since those parameters showed the best performances. We developed deep learning predictive models, assessed channels' individual contribution using permutation feature importance analysis, and computed physiological data to psychometric scales' items normalized mutual information (NMI). We present a novel fully automated method for analysis of physiological data from a research-grade wearable device, including a rule-based filter for invalid data and a viable supervised learning pipeline for time-series analyses.

RESULTS

35 sessions (1,512 hours) from 12 patients (manic, depressed, mixed, and euthymic) and 7 HC (age 39.7±12.6; 31.6% female) were analyzed. (aim 1) The severity of mood episodes was predicted with moderate (62%-85%) accuracies. (aim 2) The polarity of episodes was predicted with moderate (70%) accuracy. The most relevant features for the former tasks were ACC, EDA, and HR. Kendall W showed fair agreement (0.383) in feature importance across classification tasks. Generalization of the former models were of overall low accuracy, with better results for the intra-individual models. "Increased motor activity" was associated with ACC (NMI>0.55), "aggressive behavior" with EDA (NMI=1.0), "insomnia" with ACC (NMI∼0.6), "motor inhibition" with ACC (NMI∼0.75), and "psychic anxiety" with EDA (NMI=0.52).

CONCLUSIONS

Physiological data from wearables show potential to identify mood episodes and specific symptoms of mania and depression quantitatively, both in BD and MDD. Motor activity and stress-related physiological data (EDA and HR) stand out as potential digital biomarkers for predicting mania and depression respectively. These findings represent a promising pathway towards personalized psychiatry, in which physiological wearable data could allow early identification and intervention of mood episodes.

CLINICALTRIAL

Sleep spindles in people with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorders or bipolar disorders: a pilot study in a general population-based cohort

BACKGROUND

Sleep spindles have been involved in sleep stabilization and sleep-related memory mechanisms and their deficit emerged as possible biomarker in schizophrenia. However, whether this sleep phenotype is also present in other disorders that share psychotic symptoms remains unclear. To address this gap, we assessed sleep spindles in participants of a prospective population-based cohort who underwent psychiatric assessment (CoLaus|PsyCoLaus) and polysomnographic recording (HypnoLaus).

METHODS

Sleep was recorded using ambulatory polysomnography in participants (N = 1037) to the PsyCoLaus study. Sleep spindle parameters were measured in people with a lifelong diagnosis of schizophrenia (SZ), schizoaffective depressive (SAD), schizoaffective manic (SAM), bipolar disorder type I (BP-I) and type II (BP-II). The associations between lifetime diagnostic status (independent variables, SZ, SAD, SAM, BPD-I, BPD-II, controls) and spindle parameters (dependent variables) including density, duration, frequency and maximum amplitude, for all (slow and fast), slow- and fast-spindle were assessed using linear mixed models. Pairwise comparisons of the different spindle parameters between the SZ group and each of the other psychiatric groups was performed using a contrast testing framework from our multiple linear mixed models.

RESULTS

Our results showed a deficit in the density and duration of sleep spindles in people with SZ. They also indicated that participants with a diagnosis of SAD, SAM, BP-I and BP-II exhibited different sleep spindle phenotypes. Interestingly, spindle densities and frequencies were different in people with a history of manic symptoms (SAM, BP-I, and BP-II) from those without (SZ, SAD).

CONCLUSIONS

Although carried out on a very small number of participants due to the low prevalence of these disorders in general population, this pilot study brought new elements that argued in favor of a deficit of sleep spindles density and duration in people with schizophrenia. In addition, while we could expect a gradual change in intensity of the same sleep spindle parameters through psychotic diagnoses, our results seem to indicate a more complex situation in which the frequency of sleep spindles might be more impacted by diagnoses including a history of mania or hypomania. Further studies with a larger number of participants are required to confirm these effects.

Factors Associated With Sleep Disturbance Amongst Youth With Bipolar Disorder

BACKGROUND

While sleep disturbances and their impact on functioning are well-established in adults with bipolar disorder (BD), little is known about this topic in youth.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigates the prevalence and correlates of sleep disturbance among youth with BD.

METHODS

The study included 103 youth (72 BD, 31 healthy controls [HC]), ages 14-20 years. Study measures included a semi-structured diagnostic interview and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). PSQI yields a global score and 7 subscale scores. Analyses examined between group differences in PSQI scores, and correlates of PSQI within BD.

RESULTS

BD youth had significantly higher (worse) global sleep scores, and higher scores on 5/7 subscales (quality, latency, disturbance, sleep medication use, daytime dysfunction). In univariate analyses, poorer sleep quality was associated with higher lifetime and current depression severity, mixed mood state, self-reported affective lability, and borderline personality traits. Lifetime lithium treatment and euthymic mood state were associated with better sleep scores. In multivariate analyses, greater current depression severity and self-reported affective lability were most robustly associated with poor sleep quality.

CONCLUSIONS

Converging with data from adults, present findings indicate greater sleep disturbance among youth with BD versus HC. Also convergent with adults with BD, mood disturbance, whether depression severity or emotional lability, comprised the predominant correlates of sleep disturbance among youth with BD. Future research is warranted to better understand the temporal association between sleep disturbance and its correlates in youth with BD. Relatedly, interventions that address both mood and sleep disturbances may help improve overall functioning.

The nosological status of unipolar mania and hypomania within UK Biobank according to objective and subjective measures of diurnal rest and activity

BACKGROUND

There is uncertainty whether unipolar mania is a discrete sub-type of bipolar disorder. Disrupted rest/activity rhythms are a key feature of bipolar disorder (BD) but have not been well characterised in unipolar mania/hypomania (UM). We compared subjective and objective rest/activity patterns, demographic and mental health outcomes across BD, UM and control groups.

METHODS

UK residents aged 37-73 years were recruited into UK Biobank from 2006 to 2010. BD, UM and control groups were identified via a mental health questionnaire. Demographic, mental health and subjective sleep outcomes were self-reported. Accelerometery data were available for a subset of participants, and objective measures of sleep and activity were derived.

RESULTS

A greater proportion of males met UM criteria, and more females were in the BD group. Both BD and UM groups had poor mental health outcomes vs. controls. Objectively measured activity differed between all three groups: UM had highest levels of activity and BD lowest. The UM group had shorter sleep duration compared to controls. Subjective rest/activity measures showed that both mood disorder groups (compared to controls) had later chronotype preference, more disturbed sleep and increased difficulty getting up in the morning. However, the UM group were more likely to report an early chronotype compared to BD and control groups.

CONCLUSIONS

BD and UM share features in common, but key differences support the proposition that UM may be a distinct and more clinically homogenous disorder. UM was characterised by a higher proportion of males, early chronotype, increased activity and shorter sleep duration.

Seasonal Effects on Hospitalizations Due to Mood and Psychotic Disorders: A Nationwide 31-Year Register Study

Purpose

To examine seasonal patterns of hospital admissions due to mood and psychotic disorders and to investigate whether the admission rates show variation according to the seasonal daylength (photoperiods).

Patients and Methods

A retrospective nationwide register-based cohort of all psychiatric admissions (N=978,079) during 1987–2017 in Finland was utilized. The smoothed time-series of adjusted ratio of observed and expected (O/E) daily counts were estimated to examine seasonal variation. The mean O/E with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was used to study the admission rates by photoperiods. The calendar days were classified into the 71-day photoperiods based on the daylength (long/summer, short/winter, equal/spring, equal/fall) and the pace of change in daylength (slowly/rapidly increasing/decreasing daylength).

Results

Manic episodes peaked in summer during the long (mean O/E=1.10, 95% CI=1.06–1.13) and slowly decreasing (1.09, 1.06–1.13) photoperiods and had a nadir in winter during the slowly increasing (0.93, 0.89–0.98) photoperiod. Admissions for unipolar depressive (UPD) episodes peaked in autumn and in spring at the end of the rapidly decreasing (1.03, 1.02–1.04) and increasing (1.03, 1.01–1.04) photoperiod, and dropped in summer during the long and slowly decreasing (0.95, 0.94–0.96) photoperiods. Bipolar depressive (BPD) and mixed episodes signaled excess admissions in autumn and in spring. Admissions for schizophrenia were higher than expected from summer to early-autumn, during the long and slowly decreasing photoperiods (1.02, 1.02–1.03), and lower than expected in other seasons, especially in mid-spring during the rapidly increasing photoperiod (0.98, 0.98–0.99).

Conclusion

The study indicates the seasonality and photoperiodicity of mental disorders, especially for manic episodes. The seasonal pattern is similar between schizophrenia and manic episodes, and between UPD, BPD, and mixed episodes.

A Pattern to Link Adenosine Signaling, Circadian System, and Potential Final Common Pathway in the Pathogenesis of Major Depressive Disorder

Several studies have reported separate roles of adenosine receptors and circadian clockwork in major depressive disorder. While less evidence exists for regulation of the circadian clock by adenosine signaling, a small number of studies have linked the adenosinergic system, the molecular circadian clock, and mood regulation. In this article, we review relevant advances and propose that adenosine receptor signaling, including canonical and other alternative downstream cellular pathways, regulates circadian gene expression, which in turn may underlie the pathogenesis of mood disorders. Moreover, we summarize the convergent point of these signaling pathways and put forward a pattern by which Homer1a expression, regulated by both cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) and circadian clock genes, may be the final common pathogenetic mechanism in depression.

Associations between comorbid anxiety and sleep disturbance in people with bipolar disorder: Findings from actigraphy and subjective sleep measures

BACKGROUND

Studies show that comorbid anxiety disorders are common in people with bipolar disorder. However, little is known about whether this anxiety is associated with sleep disturbance. We investigated, in individuals with bipolar disorder, whether comorbid anxiety disorder is associated with sleep disturbance.

METHODS

Participants were 101 (64% female) currently euthymic individuals with a history of bipolar disorder. Sleep disturbances were assessed using self-report measures of sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI) and six weeks of sleep monitoring using actigraphy. Bipolar disorder and comorbid anxiety diagnoses were assessed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Multiple regression analyses examined associations between comorbid anxiety and sleep disturbance, whilst controlling for confounding covariates known to impact on sleep.

RESULTS

A comorbid anxiety disorder was associated with increased sleep disturbance as measured using the PSQI global score (B = 3.58, 95% CI 1.85-5.32, P < 0.001) but was not associated with sleep metrics (total sleep time, sleep onset latency, sleep efficiency, and wake after sleep onset) derived using actigraphy.

LIMITATIONS

Objective measures of sleep were limited to actigraphy, therefore we were not able to examine differences in sleep neurophysiology.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinicians should be aware that comorbid anxiety may increase the risk of experiencing subjective sleep disturbance in people with bipolar disorder. Research should assess for evidence of comorbid anxiety when examining associations between sleep and bipolar disorder. Future research should explore the mechanisms by which comorbid anxiety may contribute to subjective sleep disturbances in bipolar disorder using neurophysiological measures of sleep (i.e., polysomnography).

REM-Sleep Deprivation Induces Mitochondrial Biogenesis in the Rat Hippocampus

BACKGROUND/AIM

Sleep loss is proposed as a trigger for manic episodes in bipolar disorder in humans. It has been shown that sleep and wakefulness can affect changes in mitochondrial gene expression, oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) activity, and morphology in the brain. In this study, we investigated alterations in mitochondrial bioenergetic function in the brain of rats after 72-h rapid eye movement sleep deprivation (REM-SD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Alterations in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number were detected in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus through amplification of mitochondrially encoded NADH dehydrogenase 1 (mt-Nd1) gene using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The expression levels of mitochondrial biogenesis-related proteins such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha (PPARGC1A), cytochrome c oxidase subunit 4I1 (COX4I1) and sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) were assessed using western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

We found that REM-SD significantly increased the mtDNA copy number in the hippocampus but not in the prefrontal cortex. In addition, REM-SD increased the protein expression of COX4I1 in the hippocampus. Furthermore, we observed manic-like behaviors in rats exposed to 72-h REM-SD. REM-SD increased locomotion in the open-field test and the time spent in open arms in the elevated plus-maze test.

CONCLUSION

REM-SD may induce mitochondrial dysfunction in the brain, which may be involved in the induction of mania.

Effect of nighttime bedroom light exposure on mood episode relapses in bipolar disorder

OBJECTIVE

A previous cross-sectional study reported that nighttime light is associated with increased occurrence of manic symptoms in bipolar disorder; however, the longitudinal association between nighttime light and subsequent mood episode relapses remains unclear. We determined whether bedroom nighttime light was associated with mood episode relapses in patients with bipolar disorder.

METHODS

This prospective cohort study included 172 outpatients with bipolar disorder who participated in an Association between the Pathology of Bipolar Disorder and Light Exposure in Daily Life (APPLE) cohort study. A portable photometer was used to measure illuminance in the bedroom from bedtime to rising time during 7 consecutive nights for baseline assessment. Then, the participants were assessed at a 2-year follow-up for mood episode relapses.

RESULTS

Of the 172 participants, 157 (91%) completed the 2-year follow-up, and 39 (22%) experienced manic or hypomanic episodes (with or without mixed features), during that time. In the Cox proportional-hazards model, the hazard ratio (HR) for manic/hypomanic episode relapses was significantly higher when the average nighttime illuminance was ≥3 lux (n = 71) than when it was <3 lux (n = 101; HR, 2.54; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.33-4.84). In the multivariable model adjusted for a propensity score in relation to nighttime light, the relationship remained significant (HR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.04-4.52). The association between nighttime light and depressive episode relapses was not significantly different.

CONCLUSIONS

Keeping the bedroom dark at night may prevent hypomanic and manic episodes.

The circadian system, sleep, and the health/disease balance: a conceptual review

The field of "circadian medicine" is a recent addition to chronobiology and sleep research efforts. It represents a logical step arising from the increasing insights into the circadian system and its interactions with life in urbanised societies; applying these insights to the health/disease balance at home and in the medical practice (outpatient) and clinic (inpatient). Despite its fast expansion and proliferating research efforts, circadian medicine lacks a formal framework to categorise the many observations describing interactions among the circadian system, sleep, and the health/disease balance. A good framework allows us to categorise observations and then assign them to one or more components with hypothesised interactions. Such assignments can lead to experiments that document causal (rather than correlational) relationships and move from describing observations to discovering mechanisms. This review details such a proposed formal framework for circadian medicine and will hopefully trigger discussion among our colleagues, so that the framework can be improved and expanded. As the basis of the framework for circadian medicine, we define "circadian health" and how it links to general health. We then define interactions among the circadian system, sleep, and the health/disease balance and put the framework into the context of the literature with examples from six domains of health/disease balance: fertility, cancer, immune system, mental health, cardiovascular, and metabolism.

Insomnia, sleep loss, and circadian sleep disturbances in mood disorders: a pathway toward neurodegeneration and neuroprogression? A theoretical review

The present paper aims at reviewing and commenting on the relationships between sleep and circadian phasing alterations and neurodegenerative/neuroprogressive processes in mood disorder. We carried out a systematic review, according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, in PubMed, PsycINFO, and Embase electronic databases for literature related to mood disorders, sleep disturbances, and neurodegenerative/neuroprogressive processes in relation to (1) neuroinflammation, (2) activation of the stress system, (3) oxidative stress, (4) accumulation of neurotoxic proteins, and (5) neuroprotection deficit. Seventy articles were collectively selected and analyzed. Experimental and clinical studies revealed that insomnia, conditions of sleep loss, and altered circadian sleep may favor neurodegeneration and neuroprogression in mood disorders. These sleep disturbances may induce a state of chronic inflammation by enhancing neuroinflammation, both directly and indirectly, via microglia and astrocytes activation. They may act as neurobiological stressors that by over-activating the stress system may negatively influence neural plasticity causing neuronal damage. In addition, sleep disturbances may favor the accumulation of neurotoxic proteins, favor oxidative stress, and a deficit in neuroprotection hence contributing to neurodegeneration and neuroprogression. Targeting sleep disturbances in the clinical practice may hold a neuroprotective value for mood disorders.

Psychological and behavioral response on the COVID-19 pandemic in individuals with bipolar disorder: A multicenter study

The COVID-19 pandemic affects both mentally healthy and ill individuals. Individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) constitute an especially vulnerable group. A multicentric online study was conducted in Austria, Denmark, and Germany after the first lockdown phase in 2020. In total, 117 healthy controls (HC) were matched according to age and sex to 117 individuals with BD. The survey included the Brief Symptom Inventory-18, Beck Depression Inventory-2, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and a self-constructed questionnaire assessing COVID-19 fears, emotional distress due to social distancing, lifestyle, and compliance to governmental measures. In individuals with BD, increased symptoms of depression, somatization, anxiety, distress due to social distancing, and poorer sleep quality were related to emotional distress due to social distancing. The correlation between emotional distress due to social distancing and anxiety showed 26% of shared variance in BD and 11% in HC. Negative lifestyle changes and lower compliance with COVID-19 regulatory measures were more likely to be observed in individuals with BD than in HC. These findings underscore the need for ongoing mental health support during the pandemic. Individuals with BD should be continuously supported during periods of social distancing to maintain a stable lifestyle and employ strategies to cope with COVID-19 fears.

Blue Light Blocking Treatment for the Treatment of Bipolar Disorder: Directions for Research and Practice

Recent results from a small number of clinical studies have resulted in the suggestion that the process of blocking the transmission of shorter-wavelength light (‘blue light’ with a wave length of 450 nm to 470 nm) may have a beneficial role in the treatment of bipolar disorder. This critical review will appraise the quality of evidence so far as to these claims, assess the neurobiology that could be implicated in the underlying processes while introducing a common set of research criteria for the field.

Adenosine Receptors in Neuropsychiatric Disorders: Fine Regulators of Neurotransmission and Potential Therapeutic Targets

Adenosine exerts an important role in the modulation of central nervous system (CNS) activity. Through the interaction with four G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) subtypes, adenosine subtly regulates neurotransmission, interfering with the dopaminergic, glutamatergic, noradrenergic, serotoninergic, and endocannabinoid systems. The inhibitory and facilitating actions of adenosine on neurotransmission are mainly mediated by A₁ and A_2A adenosine receptors (ARs), respectively. Given their role in the CNS, ARs are promising therapeutic targets for neuropsychiatric disorders where altered neurotransmission represents the most likely etiological hypothesis. Activating or blocking ARs with specific pharmacological agents could therefore restore the balance of altered neurotransmitter systems, providing the rationale for the potential treatment of these highly debilitating conditions. In this review, we summarize and discuss the most relevant studies concerning AR modulation in psychotic and mood disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, depression, and anxiety, as well as neurodevelopment disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), fragile X syndrome (FXS), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and neuropsychiatric aspects of neurodegenerative disorders.

The relationship between sleep and depression and bipolar disorder in children and young people

BACKGROUND

Sleep difficulties are often reported in practice, and are part of the diagnostic criteria for depression and bipolar disorder.

AIMS

To inform the understanding of the relationship between sleep and both depression and bipolar disorder.

METHOD

We conducted a narrative literature review of affective disorders and sleep difficulties in children and young people.

RESULTS

Specific sleep disorders, such as parasomnias, narcolepsy and sleep-related movement disorders, are associated with depression, whereas insomnia, obstructive sleep apnoea and circadian rhythm disorders are associated with both depression and bipolar disorder in children and young people. Conversely, children and young people with depression can present with a number of sleep difficulties, and these are associated with higher depression severity and greater fatigue, suicidal ideation, physical complaints, pain and decreased concentration. Sleep disturbances among adolescents with bipolar disorder can affect the severity of depressive and manic symptoms, are a poor prognostic indicator and have been associated with social and academic impairment. Antidepressants and antipsychotics can directly affect sleep architecture, which clinicians need to be aware of. Non-pharmacological interventions for sleep problems could prevent and/or minimise the risk of relapse in affective disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

Sleep difficulties can occur before, during and after an episode of depression or bipolar disorder, and have a higher prevalence in affective disorders compared with the general population. A multi-modal approach would include the treatment of both the affective and specific sleep disorder. Further research is needed in this field to understand the impact of combined interventions on clinical outcomes.

The Purinergic System as a Target for the Development of Treatments for Bipolar Disorder

The neurobiological and neurochemical mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder are complex and not yet fully understood. From circadian disruption to neuroinflammation, many pathways and signaling molecules are important contributors to bipolar disorder development, some specific to a disease subtype or a cycling episode. Pharmacological agents for bipolar disorder have shown only partial efficacy, including mood stabilizers and antipsychotics. The purinergic hypothesis for bipolar disorder emerges in this scenario as a promising target for further research and drug development, given its role in neurotransmission and neuroinflammation that results in behavioral and mood regulation. Here, we review the basic concepts of purinergic signaling in the central nervous system and its contribution to bipolar disorder pathophysiology. Allopurinol and novel P2X7 receptor antagonists are promising candidates for treating bipolar disorder. We further explore currently available pharmacotherapies and the emerging new purinergic targets for drug development in bipolar disorder.

Psychological and behavioural interventions in bipolar disorder that target sleep and circadian rhythms: A systematic review of randomised controlled trials

Sleep and circadian disruptions are prominent symptoms of bipolar disorder (BD) and potential targets for adjunctive interventions. The aim of this review was to appraise the effectiveness of psychological and behavioural interventions in BD that target sleep and circadian rhythms, as reported by randomised controlled trials. Nineteen studies met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. They were summarised via narrative synthesis and meta-analysis wherever appropriate. Six studies delivered bright light therapy, five interpersonal and social rhythm therapy, two blue-light blocking glasses, one cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia, one total sleep deprivation, and four combination treatments. More than half of the studies (N = 10, 52 %) did not measure sleep or circadian rhythms despite being the principal target of the intervention. Overall, the evidence base for the effectiveness of these interventions was limited. There was a small number of studies for each intervention, and a lack of consistency in protocols and outcomes. Meta-analysis was possible for the effect of bright light therapy on depression, revealing a medium-to-large post-treatment effect (Nc = 6; g=-0.74 [95 % CI=-1.05 to -0.42], p < 0.001).

Sleep markers in psychiatry: do insomnia and disturbed sleep play as markers of disrupted neuroplasticity in mood disorders? A proposed model

INTRODUCTION

Since insomnia and disturbed sleep may affect neuroplasticity, we aimed at reviewing their potential role as markers of disrupted neuroplasticity involved in mood disorders.

METHOD

We performed a systematic review, according to PRIMA, on PubMed, PsycINFO and Embase electronic databases for literature regarding mood disorders, insomnia, sleep loss/deprivation in relation to different pathways involved in the impairment of neuroplasticity in mood disorders such as 1] alterations in neurodevelopment 2] activation of the stress system 3] neuroinflammation 4] neurodegeneration/neuroprogression, 4] deficit in neuroprotection.

RESULTS

Sixty-five articles were analyzed and a narrative/ theoretical review was conducted. Studies showed that insomnia, sleep loss and sleep deprivation might impair brain plasticity of those areas involved in mood regulation throughout different pathways. Insomnia and disrupted sleep may act as neurobiological stressors that by over-activating the stress and inflammatory systems may affect neural plasticity causing neuronal damage. In addition, disturbed sleep may favor a deficit in neuroprotection hence contributing to impaired neuroplasticity.

CONCLUSIONS

Insomnia and disturbed sleep may play a role as markers of alteration in brain plasticity in mood disorders. Assessing and targeting insomnia in the clinical practice may potentially play a neuroprotective role, contributing to "repairing" alterations in neuroplasticity or to the functional recovery of those areas involved in mood and emotion regulation.

Mania and hypomania associated with COVID-19: a series of 15 cases seen by the consultation-liaison psychiatry service in Qatar

Background: A range of neuropsychiatric diagnoses have been reported in association with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, only sporadic cases of mania or hypomania have been reported in patients with COVID-19. This study aimed to report clinical characteristics of 15 consecutive cases of COVID-19-associated mania or hypomania seen in three general hospitals in Qatar in the early months of the pandemic in 2020.

Methods: This study is a retrospective case-note review of 15 cases of COVID-19-associated mania or hypomania (confirmed by polymerase chain reaction test), seen as inpatient consultations out of the first 100 consecutive patients managed by consultation-liaison psychiatric teams in Qatar between 2 March 2020 and 7 July 2020.

Results: The mean age of the 15 patients was 40 years. Twelve patients had mania, and three had hypomania. Regarding the physical severity of COVID-19, 10 patients were asymptomatic, two had upper respiratory tract symptoms alone and three had pneumonia. None of the patients were intubated. Potential risk factors for mania/hypomania included pandemic-related psychosocial stress before admission (n = 9), past history of mania/bipolar disorder (n = 6) or psychosis (n = 2), raised inflammatory markers (n = 7) and steroid use (n = 3). None had a history of recent substance misuse. Other than one patient with advanced cancer, none had comorbidity regarded as likely to have caused mania or hypomania. Three patients had mild white matter ischaemic changes on brain imaging. Standard pharmacological treatment for mania (i.e. antipsychotic medication supplemented by prn benzodiazepines) was effective. Ten patients were discharged home from the COVID-19 facility where they presented, but five required transfer to Qatar's psychiatric hospital for further treatment of mania.

Conclusion: The association of mania or hypomania with COVID-19 may be spurious (e.g. representing an initial presentation of bipolar disorder) or causal. The reported cases illustrate a range of potential aetiological mechanisms by which COVID-19 could cause mania or hypomania. Cohort studies are necessary to determine the incidence, aetiology and prognosis of COVID-19-associated mania/hypomania.

Bipolar episodes after reproductive events in women with bipolar I disorder, A study of 919 pregnancies

BACKGROUND

Women with bipolar I disorder are at high risk for severe episodes after childbirth, but there is no study that provides an overview on bipolar episode risk both during pregnancy and after childbirth, miscarriage and induced abortion. The aim of this study was to determine the episode risk during all pregnancy outcomes subdivided by first and subsequent pregnancies.

METHODS

Participants were 436 women with bipolar I disorder from the Dutch Bipolar Cohort, having 919 pregnancies of which 762 resulted in a live childbirth, 118 ended in a miscarriage and 39 ended in induced abortion. Women reported on the occurrence of manic or depressed episodes during the perinatal period. Information about medication use was obtained by questionnaires.

RESULTS

Episode risk was 5.2% during pregnancy, and 30.1% in the postpartum period, with a peak in the early postpartum period. Risk of an episode was highest after live birth (34.4%), and lower after miscarriage (15.2%) and induced abortion (27.8%). Women with an episode during pregnancy or postpartum were less likely to have a second child compared to women with an uneventful first pregnancy (cOR=0.34; 95%CI: 0.22-0.51; p<0.001); if they had a second child their risk of an episode was significantly elevated with a subsequent pregnancy (cOR=6.17; 95%CI: 3.64-10.45; p<0.001).

LIMITATIONS

Retrospective cross-sectional design with assessment (partial) through self-report in a homogeneous population.

CONCLUSIONS

Women with bipolar I disorder have a six times higher risk of an episode after delivery compared to during pregnancy, therefore preventive strategies are particularly important immediately after delivery.

COVID-19-related fears and information frequency predict sleep behavior in bipolar disorder

INTRODUCTION

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and consequent restrictions including social distancing had a great impact on everyday life. To date, little is known about how the restrictions affected sleep, which is commonly disturbed in bipolar disorder (BD). The aim of this study was to elucidate sleep patterns during the pandemic in Austrian BD individuals.

METHODS

An online survey assessed sleep with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and COVID-19-associated attitudes, fears, and emotional distress of 20 BD individuals and 19 controls (HC) during the pandemic. The survey was conducted in April 2020, when very strict regulations were declared, and repeated in May, when they were loosened.

RESULTS

Individuals with BD reported overall poor sleep according to PSQI sum at both time points. Subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, daytime sleepiness, and PSQI sum were worse in individuals with BD than in HC. Individuals with BD informed themselves more frequently about pandemic-related topics. Higher information frequency and more COVID-19 fears (about the virus, own infection, contracting others) correlated with worse PSQI values. Regression models found in BD group that higher information frequency as well as higher COVID-19 fears in April predicted worse sleep characteristics in May, in particular subjective sleep quality, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, and daytime sleepiness.

CONCLUSION

As sufficient sleep duration and quality are essential for well-being and particularly important for vulnerable BD individuals, it is important that information about the pandemic is gathered to a reasonable extent and mental health professionals include COVID-19-related fears when currently treating BD.

Low barrier perinatal psychiatric care for patients with substance use disorder: meeting patients across the perinatal continuum where they are

Pregnant and postpartum patients with substance use disorders (SUD) often have other co-occurring mental health disorders. Complications of substance use and mental health conditions, such as overdose and suicide, are a significant contributor to maternal morbidity and mortality. For individuals dually diagnosed with SUD and other mental health disorders, the perinatal period can be both a motivating and a vulnerable period for care. Barriers to optimal care include, but are not limited to, lack of screening, lack of referrals for care, a limited number of psychiatric providers available to care for pregnant patients, and stigma around mental health and addiction care in pregnancy. In this review, we discuss approaches to low-barrier perinatal psychiatric care for women with SUD to promote engagement in care. We review (1) appropriate psychiatric assessment and diagnostic work-up; (2) treatment planning incorporating shared-decision making, non-punitive and culturally sensitive patient-centred care, and principles of harm reduction with a focus on psychopharmacology, and (3) the benefits of an integrated and collaborative multidisciplinary care model for this subpopulation of vulnerable patients.

Neurobehavioral alterations in a mouse model of chronic partial sleep deprivation

The night shift paradigm induces a state of chronic partial sleep deprivation (CPSD) and enhances the vulnerability to neuronal dysfunction. However, the specific neuronal impact of CPSD has not been thoroughly explored to date. In the current study, the night shift condition was mimicked in female Swiss albino mice. The classical sleep deprivation model, i.e., Modified Multiple Platform (MMP) method, was used for 8 h/day from Monday to Friday with Saturday and Sunday as a weekend off for nine weeks. Following nine weeks of night shift schedule, their neurobehavioral profile and physiological parameters were assessed along with the activity of the mitochondrial complexes, oxidative stress, serotonin levels, and inflammatory markers in the brain. Mice showed an overall hyperactive behavioral profile including hyperlocomotion, aggression, and stereotyped behavior accompanied by decreased activity of mitochondrial enzymes and serotonin levels, increased oxidative stress and inflammatory markers in whole brain homogenates. Collectively, the study points towards the occurrence of a hyperactive behavioral profile akin to mania and psychosis as a potential consequence of CPSD.

Quality of life and subjective sleep-related measures in bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder

Purpose

Diminished quality of life (QoL) has been reported in patients with mood disorders. QoL has also been shown to be decreased by sleep disturbances. Since sleep disorders are common in mood disorders, the aim of this study was to determine whether sleep characteristics are associated to QoL among patients with Bipolar Disorder (BD) and unipolar Major Depressive Disorders (MDD).

Methods

QoL was assessed in 170 patients with mood disorders (61 BD and 109 MDD), who also completed questionnaires measuring the severity of insomnia, sleepiness, chronotype preference and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) probability index.

Results

Analyses showed that BD and MDD groups had similar QoL and sleep measures but the MDD group had higher OSA scores. In BD, correlations indicated a relationship between QoL and insomnia complaints and sleepiness, whereas in MDD, correlations indicated an association between QoL and insomnia complaints and OSA score. In both groups, QoL was related to depressive symptomatology. Linear regressions showed that, in BD, QoL was related to insomnia complaints and sleepiness even in the euthymic state, whereas in MDD, QoL was related to insomnia complaints but not in euthymic patients.

Conclusion

QoL is related to sleep differently in BD and MDD. The results suggest that insomnia and sleepiness are particularly high in BD even when patients are euthymic. These findings suggest that focusing on insomnia and sleepiness during different mood states of BD could increase QoL.

Case Report: Clinical and Pharmacokinetic Profile of Lithium Monotherapy in Exclusive Breastfeeding. A Follow-Up Case Series

Background: Most guidelines advise that women taking lithium should not breastfeed. The variation in transfer is just one reason behind this advice. Objectives: To present clinical and pharmacokinetic data of nine mother-infant pairs exposed to lithium monotherapy during late pregnancy and exclusive breastfeeding at the Perinatal Psychiatric Unit (2006-2018). Methods: We obtained sociodemographic data, medical risk factors, obstetric variables, and family and personal psychiatric history by semi-structured interview, and assessed maternal psychopathology with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Young Mania Rating Scale. A senior neonatologist reviewed neonatal outcomes at birth using the Peripartum Events Scale. Paired maternal and cord blood and infant venous blood samples were collected. During the breastfeeding period, we monitored serum lithium and creatinine concentrations in mother-infant pairs at delivery, and at days 1-5, 7-11, 30, and 60 postpartum, and monthly until 6-months. Results: Lithium equilibrated completely across the placenta [1.13 (0.10), range (1.02-1.30)]. No women presented symptoms of postpartum lithium intoxication, two of the neonates presented transient hypotonia (22%). Lithium exposure was significantly less during breastfeeding than during late pregnancy, and serum lithium concentrations decreased up to 44% overtime from delivery to the first-month, and up to 60% to the third-month postpartum. There was no growth or developmental delay in the follow-up period. One woman had a manic episode with psychotic features at 45 days postpartum. Conclusions: In carefully selected women with bipolar disorder, lithium therapy when breastfeeding can be an appropriate option if coupled with close monitoring of the mother-infant pair.

To travel is to live: embracing the emerging field of travel psychiatry

For a person with mental illness, travelling abroad can be challenging but it can be easier when the traveller and healthcare practitioner have a clear understanding of the likely impact of travel on the illness and of the illness on the travel experience. Travel may also precipitate first presentations of mental illness or unmask previously undiagnosed mental disorders. We propose that mental health problems should receive greater recognition in travel medicine and that psychiatrists should collaborate more closely with travel medicine clinicians to ensure that their patients benefit from the opportunities afforded by international travel.

Short-term air pollution exposure is associated with lower severity and mixed features of manic episodes in hospitalized bipolar patients: A cross-sectional study in Milan, Italy

Bipolar Disorder (BD) alternates depressive, manic or hypomanic phases. A manic episode (ME) is the main psychopathological condition of BD and it often requires hospitalization. Air pollution is thought to play a role in onset and exacerbation of several psychiatric disorders. We aimed to verify the association between exposure to particulate matter ≤10 μm (PM10) and ME severity, assessed through the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS). We evaluated clinical records regarding 414 hospital admissions of 186 patients residing in Milan (Italy), hospitalized for ME in the Psychiatry Unit of the Policlinico Hospital from 2007 to 2019. Patients were assigned mean daily PM10 and apparent temperature levels of the Milan municipality. As exposure windows, we considered single days preceding hospitalization (lag0 to 7) and their average estimates (lag0-1 to 0-7). We applied mixed effect models, adjusted for relevant confounders. Short-term PM10 exposure was associated with a reduction in YMRS, both when considering daily lags [β: -0.43 (95% Confidence Interval: -0.83; -0.03) at lag0] and their average [-0.47 (-0.90; -0.04) at lag0-1]. YMRS was higher in psychotic patients (24.8) and lower in ME with mixed components (15.5) if compared to episodes characterized by neither mixed nor psychotic features (17.4, p < 0.001). While PM10 did not influence the risk of psychotic symptoms at admission, it was associated with a higher risk of ME with mixed features, with Odds Ratios ranging from 2.43 (1.02; 5.76) at lag0 to 3.60 (1.22; 10.7) at lag0-2. Our findings show that increasing levels of PM10 move the ME towards the depressive pole of the BD spectrum and augment the probability of hospitalization for ME with mixed components. These results have important clinical implications, as mixed features worsen the course of ME and make the management of bipolar patients challenging.

Sleep disturbance induces depressive behaviors and neuroinflammation by altering the circadian oscillations of clock genes in rats

Sleep loss leads to a spectrum of mood disorders such as anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder and depression in many individuals. However, the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study, sleep-disturbed animals were tested for anxiety and depressive behaviors. We then studied the effects of SD on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function by measuring serum and CSF levels of corticosterone (CORT), and at the end of the experiment, brains were collected to measure the circadian oscillations of clock genes expression in the hypothalamus, glial cell activation and inflammatory cytokine alterations. Our results indicated that SD for 3 days resulted in anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors. SD exaggerated cortisol response to HPA axis, significantly altered the circadian oscillations of clock genes, decreased the expression of tight junction protein ZO-1 and Claudin 5 and increased the number of GFAP-positive cells and Iba-1-positive cells and caused subsequent elevation of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-1β and TNFα. These findings demonstrated that SD for 3 days induced anxiety- and depression-like behaviors in rats in company with altering the circadian oscillations of clock genes and inducing neuroinflammation, indicating the underlying mechanism of sleep loss induced neuronal dysfunction.

Genetic versus stress and mood determinants of sleep in the Amish

Sleep is essential to the human brain and is regulated by genetics with many features conserved across species. Sleep is also influenced by health and environmental factors; identifying replicable genetic variants contributing to sleep may require accounting for these factors. We examined how stress and mood disorder contribute to sleep and impact its heritability. Our sample included 326 Amish/Mennonite individuals with a lifestyle with limited technological interferences with sleep. Sleep measures included Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), bedtime, wake time, and time to sleep onset. Current stress level, cumulative life stressors, and mood disorder were also evaluated. We estimated the heritability of sleep features and examined the impact of current stress, lifetime stress, mood diagnosis on sleep quality. The results showed current stress, lifetime stress, and mood disorder were independently associated with PSQI score (p < .05). Heritability of PSQI was low (0-0.23) before and after accounting for stress and mood. Bedtime, wake time, and minutes to sleep time did show significant heritability at 0.44, 0.42, and 0.29. However, after adjusting for shared environment, only heritability of wake time remained significant. Sleep is affected by environmental stress and mental health factors even in a society with limited technological interference with sleep. Wake time may be a more biological marker of sleep as compared to the evening measures which are more influenced by other household members. Accounting for nongenetic and partially genetic determinants of sleep particularly stress and mood disorder is likely important for improving the precision of genetic studies of sleep.

Living With Bipolar Disorder in the Time of Covid-19: Biorhythms During the Severe Lockdown in Cagliari, Italy, and the Moderate Lockdown in Tunis, Tunisia

Background: Restrictions during Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, in which rhythms of life have been compromised, can influence the course of bipolar disorder (BD). This study follows patients with bipolar disorder living in two geographically close cities (Cagliari and Tunis), but with different lockdown conditions: less severe in Tunis. Methods: Two cohorts were evaluated during lockdown (April 2020, t0) and 2 months later with lockdown lifted for a month (t1). Individuals were: over 18 years old without gender exclusion, BD I or II, in care for at least 1 year, received a clinical interview in the month before the start of the lockdown, stable clinically before the lockdown. The assessment was conducted by telephone by a psychiatrist or psychologist with good knowledge of patients. Diagnoses were made according to DSM-5 criteria. Depressive symptoms were collected through the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression; cut-off 14 indicative of depressive episode. Circadian rhythms were measured using the BRIAN scale. Results: Forty individuals in Cagliari (70%female, age 48.57 ± 11.64) and 30 in Tunis (53.3% Female, age 41.8 ± 13.22) were recruited. In Cagliari at t0 45% had depressive episodes against none in Tunis, a similar difference appeared at t1. At t0 and t1 the Cagliari sample had more dysfunctional scores in the overall BRIAN scale and in the areas of sleep, activities and social rhythms; no differences were found in nutrition, both samples had predominantly nocturnal rhythm. In Cagliari at t0 and t1, the depressive sub-group showed more dysfunctional scores in the BRIAN areas sleep, activity, and nutrition. However, the differences in biological rhythms resulted, through ANCOVA analysis, independent of the co-presence of depressive symptoms. Discussion: A rigid lockdown could expose people with BD to depressive relapse through dysregulation of biological rhythms. The return to more functional rhythms did not appear 1 month after lockdown. The rekindling of the pandemic and the restoration of new restrictive measures will prevent, at least in the short term, the beneficial effect of a return to normality of the two cohorts. This was a limited exploratory study; future studies with larger samples and longer observational time are needed to verify the hypothesis.

A closer look at the nosological status of the highs (hypomanic symptoms) in the postpartum period

Studies from several countries have reported occurrence of the highs (hypomanic symptoms) immediately after childbirth; however, questions remain about the relationship of the highs with mood disorders. This systematic review aims to clarify this relationship, critically review important aspects of the highs, and make treatment recommendations and suggestions for future research. The electronic databases of MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Evidence-Based Medicine Reviews (EBMR) were searched using the keywords and their combinations: postpartum, euphoria, hypomania, and baby pinks. Reference lists of articles identified were also searched. Using the Highs scale, studies have found that 9.6-49.1% of postpartum women have hypomanic symptoms. Some but not all of the studies found an association of the highs with later depression. Symptoms of hypomania or mania are also common among women referred to specialized perinatal clinics for mood disorders. Depending on the instrument used, 12-30% of these women have symptoms of hypomania or mania after childbirth. The methodological limitations of current studies do not permit any definitive conclusions about the nosology of the highs. The discrepancy between the reported prevalence of the highs in non-clinical populations and the prevalence rates of bipolar disorder in the general population implies that the highs may be analogous to the baby blues in some women. Longitudinal studies are needed to investigate whether the highs are limited to the postpartum period or whether there are some women who continue to have recurrences of the highs outside of the postpartum period.

Phenomenology, Epidemiology and Aetiology of Postpartum Psychosis: A Review

Postpartum psychoses are a severe form of postnatal mood disorders, affecting 1–2 in every 1000 deliveries. These episodes typically present as acute mania or depression with psychosis within the first few weeks of childbirth, which, as life-threatening psychiatric emergencies, can have a significant adverse impact on the mother, baby and wider family. The nosological status of postpartum psychosis remains contentious; however, evidence indicates most episodes to be manifestations of bipolar disorder and a vulnerability to a puerperal trigger. While childbirth appears to be a potent trigger of severe mood disorders, the precise mechanisms by which postpartum psychosis occurs are poorly understood. This review examines the current evidence with respect to potential aetiology and childbirth-related triggers of postpartum psychosis. Findings to date have implicated neurobiological factors, such as hormones, immunological dysregulation, circadian rhythm disruption and genetics, to be important in the pathogenesis of this disorder. Prediction models, informed by prospective cohort studies of high-risk women, are required to identify those at greatest risk of postpartum psychosis.

A continuum hypothesis of psychotomimetic rapid antidepressants

Ketamine, classical psychedelics and sleep deprivation are associated with rapid effects on depression. Interestingly, these interventions also have common psychotomimetic actions, mirroring aspects of psychosis such as an altered sense of self, perceptual distortions and distorted thinking. This raises the question whether these interventions might be acute antidepressants through the same mechanisms that underlie some of their psychotomimetic effects. That is, perhaps some symptoms of depression can be understood as occupying the opposite end of a spectrum where elements of psychosis can be found on the other side. This review aims at reviewing the evidence underlying a proposed continuum hypothesis of psychotomimetic rapid antidepressants, suggesting that a range of psychotomimetic interventions are also acute antidepressants as well as trying to explain these common features in a hierarchical predictive coding framework, where we hypothesise that these interventions share a common mechanism by increasing the flexibility of prior expectations. Neurobiological mechanisms at play and the role of different neuromodulatory systems affected by these interventions and their role in controlling the precision of prior expectations and new sensory evidence will be reviewed. The proposed hypothesis will also be discussed in relation to other existing theories of antidepressants. We also suggest a number of novel experiments to test the hypothesis and highlight research areas that could provide further insights, in the hope to better understand the acute antidepressant properties of these interventions.

Are eating disorders associated with bipolar disorder type I? Results of a Lebanese case-control study

OBJECTIVES

To assess the association between disordered eating and bipolar disorder (BD).

METHODS/DESIGN

A case-control study, conducted between April and September 2018, enrolled 50 patients and 50 controls.

RESULTS

Higher eating attitude test scores were significantly associated with the presence of BD. This association remained after the introduction of other factors (marital status, family history of BD, shopping and gambling addictions, sleep quality, and insomnia severity) that were also associated with the presence of BD.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

This study suggested that eating disorders are associated with BD type I, independent of mediating factors. Health care providers should consider pharmacological or psychotherapeutic interventions that could treat both syndromes sparingly.

Monitoring Sleep Changes via a Smartphone App in Bipolar Disorder: Practical Issues and Validation of a Potential Diagnostic Tool

Background: Sleep disturbances are common early warning signs of an episode of bipolar disorder, and early recognition can favorably impact the illness course. Symptom monitoring via a smartphone app is an inexpensive and feasible method to detect an early indication of changes such as sleep. The study aims were (1) to assess the acceptance of apps and (2) to validate sleeping times measured by the smartphone app UP!. Methods:UP! was used by 22 individuals with bipolar disorder and 23 controls. Participants recorded their time of falling asleep and waking-up using UP! for 3 weeks. Results were compared to a validated accelerometer and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Additionally, participants were interviewed regarding early warning signs and their feedback for apps as monitoring tools in bipolar disorder (NCT03275714). Results: With UP!, our study did not find strong reservations concerning data protection or continual smartphone usage. Correlation analysis demonstrates UP! to be a valid tool for measuring falling asleep and waking-up times. Discussion: Individuals with bipolar disorder assessed the measurement of sleep disturbances as an early warning sign with a smartphone as positive. The detection of early signs could change an individual's behavior and strengthen self-management. The study showed that UP! can be used to measure changes in sleep durations accurately. Further investigation of smartphone apps' impact to measure other early signs could significantly contribute to clinical treatment and research in the future through objective, continuous, and individual data collection.