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Zheng A, Chen X, Xiang G, Li Q, Du X, Liu X, Xiao M, Chen H. Association Between Negative Affect and Perceived Mortality Threat During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Brain Activity and Connectivity. Neuroscience 2023; 535:63-74. [PMID: 37913860 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
The prevalence of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has been considered a major threat to physical and mental health around the world, causing great pressure and mortality threat to most people. The current study aimed to investigate the neurological markers underlying the relationship between perceived mortality threat (PMT) and negative affect (NA). We examined whether the regional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) before the COVID-19 outbreak (October 2019 to December 2019, wave 1) were predictive for NA and PMT during the mid-term of the COVID-19 pandemic (February 22 to 28, 2020, wave 2) among 603 young adults (age range 17-22, 70.8% females). Results indicated that PMT was associated with spontaneous activity in several regions (e.g., inferior temporal gyrus, medial occipital gyrus, medial frontal gyrus, angular gyrus, and cerebellum) and their RSFC with the distributed regions of the default mode network and cognitive control network. Furthermore, longitudinal mediation models showed that ALFF in the cerebellum, medial occipital gyrus, medial frontal gyrus, and angular gyrus (wave 1) predicted PMT (wave 2) through NA (wave 2). These findings revealed functional neural markers of PMT and suggest candidate mechanisms for explaining the complex relationship between NA and mental/neural processing related to PMT in the circumstance of a major crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anqi Zheng
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Ximei Chen
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Guangcan Xiang
- Tian Jiabing College of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China.
| | - Qingqing Li
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, China.
| | - Xiaoli Du
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Xinyuan Liu
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Mingyue Xiao
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Hong Chen
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China; Research Center of Psychology and Social Development, Chongqing 400715, China.
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Relationship between Mental Health and Emotional Eating during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14193989. [PMID: 36235642 PMCID: PMC9573278 DOI: 10.3390/nu14193989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Obesity is one of the most dangerous epidemics of the 21st century. In 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic began and caused many deaths among patients with obesity with and without complications. Simultaneously, the lockdown related to the COVID-19 pandemic caused a host of emotional problems including anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances. Many people began to cope with their emotions by increasing food (emotional eating) and alcohol consumption and in combination with decreased physical activity, promoted the development of overweight and obesity. Emotional eating, also known as stress eating, is defined as the propensity to eat in response to positive and negative emotions and not physical need. It should be noted that emotional eating may be the first step in the development of binge eating disorder and its extreme subtypes such as food addiction. Interestingly in some post-bariatric surgery patients, an increased frequency of addictive disorders has been observed, for example food addiction replaced by alcohol addiction called: “cross addiction” or “addiction transfer”. This data indicates that obesity should be treated as a psychosomatic disease, in the development of which external factors causing the formation of negative emotions may play a significant role. Currently, one of these factors is the COVID-19 pandemic. This manuscript discusses the relationships between the COVID-19 pandemic and development of emotional eating as well as potential implications of the viral pandemic on the obesity pandemic, and the need to change the approach to the treatment of obesity in the future.
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Clinical Considerations of Ultra-processed Food Addiction Across Weight Classes: an Eating Disorder Treatment and Care Perspective. CURRENT ADDICTION REPORTS 2022; 9:255-267. [PMID: 35531579 PMCID: PMC9058754 DOI: 10.1007/s40429-022-00411-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Purpose of Review To examine the prevalence rates of ultra-processed food addiction across different weight classes and offer guidelines for diagnosis and treatment. Clinicians are provided with practical considerations in the assessment of ultra-processed food addiction beyond the use of validated instruments. Recent Findings The weighted mean prevalence of ultra-processed food addiction is approximately 20% worldwide and varies widely based on the sample. At first glance, there appears a linear relationship between ultra-processed food addiction and BMI class. Further investigation indicates a J-shaped curve with heightened prevalence among the underweight. These findings highlight the need to assess for additional factors that may increase objective or subjective food addiction symptoms including eating disorders, dietary restraint, and other mental health diagnoses. Summary While clinical considerations across different weight classes vary, overemphasis on weight status may detract from the clinical utility of the ultra-processed food addiction construct. Considering weight status in conjunction with other psychiatric symptoms helps to better understand the various biopsychosocial mechanisms that influence eating behavior and can inform individualized treatment strategies.
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