Frontiers in psychiatry
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Frontiers in psychiatry · Jan 2019
Can a Brief Relaxation Exercise Modulate Placebo or Nocebo Effects in a Visceral Pain Model?
Translational research aiming to elucidate mediators and moderators of placebo and nocebo effects is highly relevant. This experimental study tested effects of a brief progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) exercise, designed to alter psychobiological stress parameters, on the magnitude of placebo and nocebo effects in a standardized psychosocial treatment context. In 120 healthy volunteers (60 men, 60 women), pain expectation, pain intensity, and pain unpleasantness in response to individually-calibrated rectal distensions were measured with visual analog scales during a baseline. ⋯ Clearly, visceral pain modulation is complex and involves many cognitive, emotional, and possibly neurobiological factors that remain to be fully understood. Our findings suggest that a brief relaxation exercise may facilitate the induction of placebo analgesia by positive when compared to neutral treatment suggestions. They underscore the contribution of relaxation and stress as psychobiological states within the psychosocial treatment context-factors which clearly deserve more attention in translational studies aiming to maximize positive expectancy effects in clinical settings.
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Frontiers in psychiatry · Jan 2019
Surgery Under General Anesthesia Alleviated the Hyperactivity but Had No Effect on the Susceptibility to PND in ADHD Rats.
Background: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a typical neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, particularly in children. Recent studies demonstrated a close relationship between the development of ADHD and surgery under general anesthesia. However, few studies illustrated if ADHD symptoms changed after surgery. ⋯ Conclusion: ADHD rats were not sensitive to PND. Surgery with general anesthesia could partly improve the hyperactivity symptom of ADHD rats. This mechanism was related to the suppression of neural activity in the cerebral NAc of ADHD rats induced by general anesthetics.
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Frontiers in psychiatry · Jan 2019
Perspective On Excellence in Forensic Mental Health Services: What We Can Learn From Oncology and Other Medical Services.
We propose that excellence in forensic and other mental health services can be recognized by the abilities necessary to conduct randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and equivalent forms of rigorous quantitative research to continuously improve the outcomes of treatment as usual (TAU). Forensic mental health services (FMHSs) are growing, are high cost, and increasingly provide the main access route to more intensive, organized, and sustained pathways through care and treatment. A patient newly diagnosed with a cancer can expect to be enrolled in RCTs comparing innovations with the current best TAU. ⋯ Services can provide each population with a network of centers with access to one center of excellence. Excellence is the standard needed to drive the virtuous circle of research and development that is necessary for teaching, training, and the pursuit of new knowledge and better outcomes. Substantial advances in treatment of severe mental disorders require a drive at a national and international level to create services that meet these standards of excellence and are focused, active, and productive to drive better functional outcomes for service users.
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Frontiers in psychiatry · Jan 2019
DNA Methylation in Healthy Older Adults With a History of Childhood Adversity-Findings From the Women 40+ Healthy Aging Study.
Background: Adversity in early development seems to increase the risk of stress-related somatic disorders later in life. Physiologically, functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axes is often discussed as long-term mediators of risk. In particular, DNA methylation in the glucocorticoid receptor gene promoter (NR3C1) has been associated with type and strength of early life adversity and subsequent effects on HPA axis signaling in humans. ⋯ Conclusion: In healthy women, early life adversity does not seem to result in NR3C1 promoter hypermethylation in midlife and older age. This is the first study in humans to suggest that childhood adversity might, however, epigenetically modify the ERα shore. Further studies are needed to gain a better understanding of why some individuals remain healthy and others develop psychopathologies in the face of childhood adversity.
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Frontiers in psychiatry · Jan 2019
Significant PTSD and Other Mental Health Effects Present 18 Months After the Fort Mcmurray Wildfire: Findings From 3,070 Grades 7-12 Students.
Background: The May 2016 wildfire in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada forced evacuation of the population of 88,000 individuals and destroyed 10% of the homes. Youth are particularly impacted by disaster. Methods: Eighteen months after the wildfire, Fort McMurray Public and Catholic Schools surveyed 3,252 of the 4,407 students in Grades 7-12 to determine possible long-term psychological impacts. ⋯ Students with lower resilience scores exhibited a similar pattern. Conclusions: These findings highlight first the negative impact of disasters on youth mental health, particularly for those who directly experience wildfire, and second the role of resilience on youth mental health, with lower resilience associated with substantially lower mental health outcomes. These results emphasize the need for long-term mental health supports for youth post-disaster, with specific focus on increasing youth resilience, which may serve as a protective factor against effects of disaster on mental health.