Journal of affective disorders
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The structural and functional abnormalities of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) have been reported in panic disorder (PD). Patients with PD have shown decreased gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) concentration in the ACC. The GABA concentration in the ACC was found to be associated with default mode network (DMN) activity in normal human subjects. Therefore, it was hypothesized that the DMN would show abnormal activity in PD. ⋯ Increased functional connectivity in the two medial nodes of the resting-state default mode network, the ACC and the precuneus, might play an important role in the pathophysiology of panic disorder. The treatment aimed to normalize the functional connectivity between ACC and precuneus might have clinical benefits in PD.
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This study examined functioning of the Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis, a neurobiological stress system centrally implicated in depression, as a predictor of treatment response to Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depressed Adolescents (IPT-A; Mufson et al., 2004. Interpersonal psychotherapy for depressed adolescents. (second ed.). New York, Guilford Press). ⋯ This is the first study to examine HPA functioning as a predictor of depressed adolescents' response to a psychotherapeutic intervention. If replicated with larger samples, these results have important implications for advancing the use of neurobiological markers to personalize psychotherapeutic interventions for depressed adolescents.
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Comparative Study
Validation of screening tools for antenatal depression in Malawi--a comparison of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and Self Reporting Questionnaire.
The detection of antenatal depression in resource-limited settings such as Malawi, Africa, is important and requires an accurate and practical screening tool. It is not known which questionnaire would be most suitable for this purpose. ⋯ The Chichewa versions of the EPDS and SRQ both show utility as brief screening measures for detection of antenatal depression in rural Malawi.
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Perinatal changes in maternal sleep patterns may modify circadian phase. Our objectives were to (a) measure changes in circadian phase and phase angle between salivary dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) and sleep onset across the perinatal period; and (b) prospectively examine associations between circadian measures and depressed mood in women with a history of major depressive disorder (MDD). ⋯ We observed individual differences in magnitude and direction of circadian phase shifts and their timing relative to sleep across the perinatal period. These measures were correlated with postpartum depressive symptoms. These preliminary data indicate that changes in perinatal circadian rhythms may contribute to the development of postpartum mood disorders.
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Studies investigating major depression and associated factors in older people from developing countries are scarce. ⋯ Our study shows significant association between depression and potentially modifiable factors, reinforcing the benefit of probable preventive measures, to incentive healthy lifestyle, leisure activities and the practice of physical exercise, as well as the diagnosis and treatment of CSDS, especially in primary care.