Resilience to depression: Implication for psychological vaccination

Brain region-specific roles of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in social stress-induced depressive-like behavior

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor is a key factor in stress adaptation and avoidance of a social stress behavioral response. Recent studies have shown that brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression in stressed mice is brain region-specific, particularly involving the corticolimbic system, including the ventral tegmental area, nucleus accumbens, prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus. Determining how brain-derived neurotrophic factor participates in stress processing in different brain regions will deepen our understanding of social stress psychopathology. In this review, we discuss the expression and regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in stress-sensitive brain regions closely related to the pathophysiology of depression. We focused on associated molecular pathways and neural circuits, with special attention to the brain-derived neurotrophic factor-tropomyosin receptor kinase B signaling pathway and the ventral tegmental area-nucleus accumbens dopamine circuit. We determined that stress-induced alterations in brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels are likely related to the nature, severity, and duration of stress, especially in the above-mentioned brain regions of the corticolimbic system. Therefore, BDNF might be a biological indicator regulating stress-related processes in various brain regions.

Integrated Long Noncoding RNA and Messenger RNA Expression Analysis Identifies Molecules Specifically Associated With Resiliency and Susceptibility to Depression and Antidepressant Response

Background

Depression involves maladaptive processes impairing an individual's ability to interface with the environment appropriately. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are gaining traction for their role in higher-order brain functioning. Recently, we reported that lncRNA coexpression modules may underlie abnormal responses to stress in rats showing depression-like behavior. The current study explored the global expression regulation of lncRNAs and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in the hippocampus of rats showing susceptibility (learned helplessness [LH]) or resiliency (non-LH) to depression and fluoxetine response to LH (LH+FLX).

Methods

Multiple comparison analysis was performed with an analysis of variance via the aov and summary function in the R platform to identify the differential expression of mRNAs and lncRNAs among LH, non-LH, tested control, and LH+FLX groups. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis was used to identify distinctive modules and pathways associated with each phenotype. A machine learning analysis was conducted to screen the critical target genes. Based on the combined analysis, the regulatory effects of lncRNAs on mRNA expression were explored.

Results

Multiple comparison analyses revealed differentially expressed mRNAs and lncRNAs with each phenotype. Integrated bioinformatics analysis identified novel transcripts, specific modules, and regulatory pairs of mRNA-lncRNA in each phenotype. In addition, the machine learning approach predicted lncRNA-regulated Spp2 and Olr25 genes in developing LH behavior, whereas joint analysis of mRNA-lncRNA pairs identified Mboat7, Lmod1, I l 18, and Rfx5 genes in depression-like behavior and Adam6 and Tpra1 in antidepressant response.

Conclusions

The study shows a novel role for lncRNAs in the development of specific depression phenotypes and in identifying newer targets for therapeutic development.

Trend and predictive psychosocial factors of persistent depression/non-depression in Chinese adolescents: A three-year longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

Depressive symptoms are common in adolescents, while its prevalence trend in adolescents is seldom reported. In addition, few studies focus on adolescents without depressive symptoms. This study aimed to reveal the trend and predictors of persistent depression/non-depression among Chinese adolescents over three-year period.

METHODS

Three-wave data were collected from T1 to T3 in a sample from six junior high schools in Shenzhen, China. The 20-item of Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale was used, with scoring ≥16 as depression.

RESULTS

Of all 1301 adolescents, 33.4%, 15.5% and 9.0% reported depressive symptoms at baseline, T2 and T3 respectively, while 66.6%, 47.7% and 39.6% reported non-depressive symptoms at three time-points. At the individual level, baseline positive identity and general positive youth development significantly increased persistent non-depression at T2 and T3. At the family level, baseline family harmony and communication consistently prevented persistent depression at T2 and T3, while family communication consistently promoted non-depression. At the school level, baseline awareness of no expectation from teacher and poor interpersonal relationship consistently increased persistent depression and prevented non-depression.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of depression in adolescents aged 11-15 is not high. The rate of persistent non-depression is approximately 30% higher than that of persistent depression, and both have a downward trend over years. Positive youth development and healthy family function are protective factors of depression, while school maladjustment decreases persistent non-depression. During early adolescence, more attention should be paid to family function and school maladjustment to promote non-depression in adolescents from a new broader view.

Psychological resilience and suicidality in the general population: A cross-sectional study based on data from the National Mental Health Survey of Korea 2021

BACKGROUND

The relationship between suicidality and resilience is underexplored among the general population. This study aimed to explore the relationship between lifetime, one-year, and one-month prevalence of suicidality (ideation, plan, attempt) and resilience in the general population.

METHODS

Data on suicidality, resilience, prevalence of major mental disorders, and other key psychological factors were collected from the National Mental Health Survey of Korea 2021. Interviewees comprised 5511 South Koreans aged 18-79 years. The contribution of resilience to suicidality was evaluated using Rao-Scot logistic regression, adjusting for possible confounders such as mental disorder prevalence and demographic and psychological characteristics.

RESULTS

Significantly lower resilience levels were noted among participants who reported lifetime, one-year, and one-month suicidal ideation, plan, or attempts. High resilience levels predicted no suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts in the lifetime, and no suicidal ideation and plans in the one-year and one-month time frames.

LIMITATIONS

First, this study's cross-sectional design has limitations for ascertaining a causal relationship between resilience and suicidality. Second, because the number of participants who had attempted suicide in the past year and reported suicidal thoughts/attempts in the past month was small, there were limitations in the analysis of suicidality in these time frames. Third, it was difficult to rule out the mediating effects of personality and temperament on the relationship between resilience and suicidality.

CONCLUSIONS

High resilience levels predicted lower lifetime and current suicidal ideation and suicidal planning in the general population. This study shows that psychological resilience is an important factor in evaluating an individual's current suicidality.

Molecular mechanisms underlying stress vulnerability and resilience in the chronic mild stress model: New insights from mRNA and miRNAs data combining

Stress is a major risk factor for the development of psychiatric disorders, including depression. However, its effects are not the same in all the subjects as only a portion of individuals exposed to stress will eventually develop negative mental outcomes, while others can be considered resilient. However, the biological processes underlying the development of a vulnerable or resilient phenotype are still poor understood. In order to cover this, we here used both transcriptomic and miRNomic based approaches in the ventral hippocampus of control (CON) and rats exposed to the chronic mild stress (CMS) paradigm, which were then divided into vulnerable (VULN) or resilient (RES) animals according to the sucrose consumption test. Transcriptomic analyses in VULN rats, compared to both the group of CON and RES animals, revealed the activation of inflammatory/immune-related pathways, specifically involved in antibodies and cytokine production, and the inhibition of pathways involved in protein synthesis. Conversely, transcriptomic data in RES animals suggested the activation of several pathways involved in neurotransmission. We then performed a mRNA-miRNA integration analysis by using miRComb R package, and we found that the most significant mRNA-miRNA pairs were involved in promoting the inflammatory status in VULN animals and, vice versa, by decreasing it in RES rats. Moreover, in VULN animals, the mRNA-miRNA combining analyses revealed the modulation of the olfactory sensory system, a key biological process that has been already found involved in the etiology of stress related disorders such as depression. Overall, our mRNA-miRNA integration-based approach identified distinct biological processes that are relevant for the development of a vulnerable or resilient phenotype in response to the negative effects of CMS exposure, which could allow the identification of novel targets for prevention or treatment.

Knowledge graph analysis of research on nurses' psychological resilience

In recent years, a surge in literature on psychological nurse resilience, largely driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, has prompted the need for a comprehensive understanding of the current state and emerging trends through reliable methodologies. The purpose of this study was to analyzes the research on nurses' psychological resilience through bibliometrics to understand the current situation, foundation, and hotspot of this research field. The Web of Science core collection database was used as the search source, and CiteSpace analysis software was employed to conduct bibliometric analysis on authors, countries, institutions, keywords, and references of nurse psychological resilience-related literature published from the establishment of the database to July 11, 2023. A total of 1060 articles were included in the final analysis. The study of nurses' psychological resilience had been highly popular and had formed a new and important research basis in recent years. China and the United States led in the number of publications and centrality respectively, with Monash Univ and Curtin Univ as top institutions in the number of publications and centrality respectively. The authors with the highest number of publications and the most frequently cited were Rees and Connor Km respectively. The most frequently cited article was Factors Associated with Mental Health Outcomes Among Health Care Workers Exposed to Coronavirus Disease 2019 published by Lai, JB, etc. Important key keywords included mental health, resilience, stress, health, outbreak, acute respiratory syndrome, etc. The research topics in this field mainly focused on 4 aspects, including nurses' mental health, post-traumatic stress disorder, job burnout and job satisfaction, and intervention research on psychological resilience. The results of bibliometric analysis provide direct support for future scholars to explore and determine the research direction, hot spots, and find authoritative authors and institutions. At the moment, nurses' psychological resilience research has established a new foundation, primarily focusing on COVID-19-related topics. Given the potential prolonged coexistence of COVID-19 and other diseases, the main research focus remains innovating and validating effective psychological resilience intervention strategies for nurses' overall well-being.

Neuroglia in cognitive reserve

The concept of cognitive reserve was born to account for the disjunction between the objective extent of brain damage in pathology and its clinical and intellectual outcome. The cognitive reserve comprises structural (brain reserve) and functional (brain maintenance, resilience, compensation) aspects of the nervous tissue reflecting exposome-driven life-long plasticity, which defines the ability of the brain to withstand aging and pathology. The mechanistic background of this concept was primarily focused on adaptive changes in neurones and neuronal networks. We present arguments favoring the more inclusive view, positing that neuroglia are fundamental for defining the cognitive reserve through homeostatic, neuroprotective, and neurodegenerative mechanisms. Neuroglia are critical for the life-long shaping of synaptically connected neuronal circuits as well as the brain connectome thus defining cognitive reserve. Neuroglial homeostatic and protective physiological responses define brain maintenance and resilience, while neuroglia regenerative capabilities are critical for brain compensation in pathology. Targeting neuroglia may represent an untrodden path for prolonging cognitive longevity.

The Impact of Newly Diagnosed Early Breast Cancer on Psychological Resilience, Distress Levels, and the Perception of Health

Confronting a breast cancer diagnosis, along with complex and challenging treatment procedures, is an extremely stressful experience. Psychological resilience is the ability to maintain or restore normal functioning while facing adversity. We aimed to explore the impact of an early breast cancer diagnosis on psychological resilience, distress, and perception of health. A cross-sectional study was conducted, including 50 patients newly diagnosed with early breast cancer and 67 healthy women with screening mammograms graded 1 or 2 using a Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System. The levels of distress, perception of health, and psychological resilience were assessed using the depression, anxiety, and stress scale, the SF 36-Item Health Survey 1.0, and the Connor-Davidson RISC-25 scale. Differences between variables were examined using the t-test and chi-square test for interval and categorial variables. The surveys were conducted within four weeks of a breast cancer diagnosis. Patients with breast cancer reported a deterioration of their health relative to the previous year and significantly higher levels of psychological resilience, while there was no significant difference between the groups in levels of stress, anxiety, or depression. The process of diagnosis with early breast cancer may activate psychological dynamic processes which are involved in the effective adaptation to acute stress, leading to higher resilience levels in breast cancer patients compared to healthy controls.

The Effects of Positive Psychological Factors on the Mental Wellbeing of Medical Students

Objective A well-established association exists between academic performance and levels of depression and anxiety among medical students. However, the effects of positive psychological factors on symptoms of depression and anxiety and academic performance have not been adequately studied. This study explores the relationship between the above variables and identifies positive psychological factors that can promote medical student wellbeing. Methods Medical students were surveyed at four time points during their first two years of medical education using Qualtrics. The surveys used a five-point Likert scale to assess students' levels of loneliness, religiosity, engaged living, life fulfillment, resilience, psychological wellbeing, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Academic performance was measured using students' Comprehensive Basic Science Examination scores. Linear mixed effect models with maximum likelihood estimation were used to investigate the relationship between positive psychological factors and scores on depression and anxiety as well as the relationship between demographic and psychological factors and exam scores. Results Seventy-two students completed the study. A significant positive correlation was observed between loneliness and symptoms of depression and anxiety, while the same symptoms had significant negative correlations with engaged living. None of the positive psychological factors were significantly predictive of exam scores. Conclusion Our findings suggest that medical students who develop meaningful relationships and live engaged lives are less likely to develop symptoms of depression and anxiety. Our study lays the groundwork for future research focusing on identifying and implementing pre-clinical curriculum changes aiming to improve medical students' mental health.

A cross-sectional study of resilience and well-being among nursing students in Saudi Arabia

Objectives

Promoting resilience and embracing healthy coping strategies can effectively assist nursing students in managing stress and enhancing their welfare. Nonetheless, a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing their well-being and resilience, pivotal for both academic accomplishments and future career longevity, remains incomplete.

Methods

A cross-sectional descriptive correlational design was adopted for this study. Participants comprised students enrolled in pre-registration nursing programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. The World Health Organization-5 Well-Being Index and the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale were utilized to assess psychological well-being and resilience, respectively.

Results

The study involved 175 university nursing students selected through convenience sampling. On the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, the average score was 25.5, with undergraduate and graduate students scoring an average of 25.4 and 26.3, respectively. Nevertheless, the two groups had no statistically significant difference (p = 0.526). Regarding perceived well-being, the average World Health Organization-5 score was 16.1, with no noticeable distinction between undergraduates and postgraduates (p = 0.858). Notably, bivariate analysis revealed a moderate positive correlation between self-reported resilience and perceived well-being (rp = 0.281, p = 0.001). Moreover, senior students exhibited significantly higher scores on the perceived well-being scale than junior students (17.0 vs 15.1, p = 0.010). Multivariable regression analysis also identified that self-reported resilience represents a consistent means of predicting perceived well-being (regression coefficient B = 0.22, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The outcomes indicate that university-based nursing students who exhibit higher levels of resilience have more positive perceptions of their well-being. Moreover, postgraduate students exhibit more significant resilience levels than undergraduate students.

Psychological resilience mediates the relationship between diabetes distress and depression among persons with diabetes in a multi-group analysis

The aim to examine the link between diabetes distress and depression in individuals with diabetes, assess the mediating role of psychological resilience in this relationship, and analyses if these relationships differ between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. The study utilized a cross-sectional design. A total of 181 (age 33-72 years, mean = 54.76 years, and SD = 9.05 years) individuals diagnosed with diabetes who were receiving treatment from State Specialist Hospitals in Okitipupa were selected for the study using the convenient sampling technique. The data were analysed using Pearson Multiple correlation and multi-group mediation analysis. The analyses were carried out with Smartpls and IBM/SPSS Version 28.0. The results revealed a significant positive correlation between diabetes distress and depression (r = .80, p < .05), suggesting that higher levels of diabetes distress were associated with increased depression scores. Additionally, psychological resilience partially mediated the relationship between diabetes distress and depression (b = - 0.10, p < .05), signifying that resilience played a crucial role in mitigating the impact of diabetes distress on depression. Furthermore, a multi-group analysis was conducted to explore potential differences between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes subgroups. The relationship between diabetes distress and depression was found to be more pronounced in the Type 1 subgroup (difference = 0.345, p < .05), while the relationship between psychological resilience and depression was negatively stronger in the Type 2 subgroup (difference = - 0.404, p < .05) compared to the Type 1 subgroup. There is an intricate linkage between diabetes distress, resilience, and depression, emphasizing the differential roles of resilience in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. The insights gleaned from this study underscore the importance of considering the type of diabetes when designing interventions and support mechanisms for individuals with diabetes who are also suffering from depression. By advancing our understanding of these dynamics, we can strive for more effective and personalized approaches to improve the overall well-being of those living with diabetes.

The Effects of a Healthy Lifestyle on Depressive Symptoms in Older Chinese Adults: The Mediating Role of Psychological Resilience

Objectives This study aimed to validate the interrelationships and potential pathways of influence between healthy lifestyles, psychological resilience, and depressive symptoms in the Chinese elderly population. Methods We utilized data from the Chinese Elderly Health Influential Factors Tracking Survey 2018 and included 9448 samples for the study after screening according to the qualifying conditions. The interrelationships among healthy lifestyles, psychological resilience and depressive symptoms were analyzed using stepwise regression, and the robustness of mediation effects was assessed using Sobel and Bootstrap test. Results Among Chinese older adults, healthy lifestyles were negatively associated with depressive symptoms (β = -0.310, 95% CI: -0.405, -0.215), positively associated with psychological resilience (β = 0.137, 95% CI:0.071, 0.023), and psychological resilience was negatively associated with depressive symptoms (β = -1.014, 95% CI: -1.037, -0.990). Conclusions Psychological resilience partially mediated the association between healthy lifestyles and depressive symptoms, with the mediating effect accounting for 44.8% of the total effect. Our study contributes to the understanding of the relationship between healthy lifestyles and depressive symptoms in the elderly population and emphasizes the important role of psychological resilience. It is recommended that the government and policymakers improve depressive symptoms among older adults through comprehensive measures such as promoting healthy lifestyles and education, providing psychological support services, and creating a favorable environment.

Moderating effect of work fatigue on the association between resilience and posttraumatic stress symptoms: a cross-sectional multi-country study among pharmacists during the COVID-19 pandemic

INTRODUCTION

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, pharmacists, despite their vital contributions, have faced significant challenges that have impacted their mental well-being, potentially leading to the development of Post-Traumatic Stress symptoms (PTSS). The aim of this study was to investigate the role of work-related fatigue as a potential moderator in the relationship between pharmacists' resilience and their likelihood of experiencing PTSS during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted online in eight countries from January to December 2021, including Brazil, Lebanon, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Serbia, and Tunisia. The mediation analysis was conducted using PROCESS MACRO (an SPSS add-on) v3.4 model 1, taking work fatigue as a moderator in the association between resilience and PTSS.

RESULTS

A total of 442 pharmacists were enrolled in this study (mean age = 33.91 ± 10.36 years) with 59.5% of them being females. The results were adjusted over country, gender, working in contact with COVID-19, working patients, working mandatory hours, working voluntary hours, age, household crowding index and number of months engaged in COVID-19. The interactions resilience by physical (Beta = 0.02; p = .029), mental (Beta = 0.02; p = .040) and emotional (Beta = 0.03; p = .008) work fatigue were significantly associated with PTSS; for pharmacists with low to moderate levels of physical (Beta = - 0.33; p < .001 and Beta = - 0.21; p = .001), mental (Beta = - 0.29; p < .001 and Beta = - 0.18; p = .006) and emotional (Beta = - 0.31; p < .001 and Beta = - 0.17; p = .008) work fatigue, higher resilience was significantly related to lower PTSS levels. However, for pharmacists with high levels of physical/mental/emotional work fatigue, the association between resilience and PTSS became non-significant.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the complex relationship between work-related fatigue, resilience, and PTSS in pharmacists. It emphasizes the need to address work-related fatigue for pharmacists' psychological well-being during crises, offering insights for tailored support and interventions.

Exploring the links of skeletal muscle mitochondrial oxidative capacity, physical functionality, and mental well-being of cancer survivors

Physical impairments following cancer treatment have been linked with the toxic effects of these treatments on muscle mass and strength, through their deleterious effects on skeletal muscle mitochondrial oxidative capacity. Accordingly, we designed the present study to explore relationships of skeletal muscle mitochondrial oxidative capacity with physical performance and perceived cancer-related psychosocial experiences of cancer survivors. We assessed skeletal muscle mitochondrial oxidative capacity using in vivo phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P MRS), measuring the postexercise phosphocreatine resynthesis time constant, τPCr, in 11 post-chemotherapy participants aged 34-70 years. During the MRS procedure, participants performed rapid ballistic knee extension exercise to deplete phosphocreatine (PCr); hence, measuring the primary study outcome, which was the recovery rate of PCr (τPCr). Patient-reported outcomes of psychosocial symptoms and well-being were assessed using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System and the 36-Item Short Form health survey (SF-36). Rapid bioenergetic recovery, reflected through a smaller value of τPCr was associated with worse depression (rho ρ = - 0.69, p = 0.018, and Cohen's d = - 1.104), anxiety (ρ = - 0.61, p = .046, d = - 0.677), and overall mental health (ρ = 0.74, p = 0.010, d = 2.198) scores, but better resilience (ρ = 0.65, p = 0.029), and coping-self efficacy (ρ = 0.63, p = 0.04) scores. This is the first study to link skeletal muscle mitochondrial oxidative capacity with subjective reports of cancer-related behavioral toxicities. Further investigations are warranted to confirm these findings probing into the role of disease status and personal attributes in these preliminary results.