Surviving social assistance: 12-month prevalence of depression in sole-support parents receiving social assistance

BACKGROUND: Although it is generally recognized that poverty and depression can coexist among single parents receiving social assistance, there is insufficient research on this topic. The goals of this study therefore were to investigate the prevalence, correlates and health care expenditures associated with depression among sole-support parents receiving social assistance. METHODS: Sole-support parents who had applied for social assistance in 2 regions of southwestern Ontario were included in the study. Depression was diagnosed with the 1994 University of Michigan Composite International Diagnostic Interview short forms. RESULTS: The 12-month prevalence rate of depressive disorder among the parents interviewed was 45.4% (345/760). A total of 247 (32.5%) had major depressive disorder alone, 19 (2.5%) had dysthymia, and 79 (10.4%) had both major depressive disorder and dysthymia ("double depression"). Those with major depressive disorder, particularly double depression, had significantly higher rates of coexisting psychiatric disorder than those without depressive disorders. Parents with depression reported higher rates of developmental delay and behaviour problems in their children than parents without depression. Expenditures for health care services were higher for parents with depression and for their children than for parents without depressive disorder and their children. INTERPRETATION: Single parents receiving social assistance have high rates of depression. Such parents with depression also have higher rates of other psychiatric disorders and higher expenditures for health care services, and their children have higher rates of developmental delay and behaviour problems.     

Infanticide in hamadryas baboons

The results of 20-year study of infanticide cases in hamadryas baboon troop of the Sukhumi colony and 10-year observations in Gumista Natural Reserve are presented. The allopatric behaviour which may be the cause of infant death, is shown to be common for 4-7 year old males. In behaviour of older males directed to the infants the elements of aggression predominate. The majority of injuries and infanticide by males takes place in the situations associated with a dominant male change in the group or with the introduction of new females into the groups. In the groups where the social relationships are not fully organized, the appearance of infant leads to decrease of dominant male function and to appropriation of infant by a male and its traumatizing. As a result of infanticide the infants of young 4-7 year old females die most of all. The death of infants commonly occurs during the introduction of young males into the group. The probability of infanticide during the introduction of older males is lower.     

ComorbiditéS associées au trouble déficit de l’attention avec hyperactivité : Données épidémiologiques et implications thérapeutiques

ADHD has become one of the most frequent cause of referrals for children’ behaviour disorders. ADHD is a prevalent psychiatric condition affecting 5% to 9% of school-age children with regards to DSM-IV R diagnostic criteria. In addition, according to the results of different epidemiological studies, patients with ADHD very often experience comorbid conditions in 50% to 90% of the cases. The most frequent comorbidities include externalised disorders, (oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorders), learning disorders, internalised disorders (anxiety, depression) and tics (chronic motor tics, Tourette’s syndrome). Given their negative impact on the outcome of ADHD in terms of affective and social functioning, and of social and school adaptation, these comorbid conditions should be carefully and systematically searched, even without any actual complaint. Although management of comorbid psychiatric conditions is never simple nor straightforward, therapeutic option should be considered taking into consideration both management of ADHD and specificity of these comorbidities.     

Postpartum depression: Etiology,treatment and consequences for maternal care

This article is part of a Special Issue “Parental Care”. Pregnancy and postpartum are associated with dramatic alterations in steroid and peptide hormones which alter the mothers' hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) and hypothalamic pituitary gonadal (HPG) axes. Dysregulations in these endocrine axes are related to mood disorders and as such it should not come as a major surprise that pregnancy and the postpartum period can have profound effects on maternal mood. Indeed, pregnancy and postpartum are associated with an increased risk for developing depressive symptoms in women. Postpartum depression affects approximately 10–15% of women and impairs mother–infant interactions that in turn are important for child development. Maternal attachment, sensitivity and parenting style are essential for a healthy maturation of an infant's social, cognitive and behavioral skills and depressed mothers often display less attachment, sensitivity and more harsh or disrupted parenting behaviors, which may contribute to reports of adverse child outcomes in children of depressed mothers. Here we review, in honor of the “father of motherhood”, Jay Rosenblatt, the literature on postnatal depression in the mother and its effect on mother–infant interactions. We will cover clinical and pre-clinical findings highlighting putative neurobiological mechanisms underlying postpartum depression and how they relate to maternal behaviors and infant outcome. We also review animal models that investigate the neurobiology of maternal mood and disrupted maternal care. In particular, we discuss the implications of endogenous and exogenous manipulations of glucocorticoids on maternal care and mood. Lastly we discuss interventions during gestation and postpartum that may improve maternal symptoms and behavior and thus may alter developmental outcome of the offspring.     

The association between mild geriatric depression and reproductive history--a Darwinian approach

The well described trend of population ageing results in a dramatic increase in the number of elderly, reporting symptoms of depression, the most common mood disorder today. Various intrinsic and extrinsic factors are discussed to be responsible for this increase of mood disorders. In the present study the association patterns between mild geriatric depression and the individual reproductive history are analyzed. 264 subjects, 167 females and 97 males, ageing between 60 and 95 years (mean 72.3, SD 8.1 yrs) were enrolled in the present study. The prevalence of depression was tested by mean of the geriatric depression scale (GDS), additionally reproductive history was documented. It turned out, that with increasing number of offspring the depression score decreased. Childless women exhibited the highest prevalence of mild depression and the highest mean depression score. These association patterns between reproductive history and depressive disorders during old age were discussed by means of Darwinian psychiatry. A low number of offspring or childlessness and a lack of social networks for support are new in the evolutionary history of Homo sapiens. Mild geriatric depression may be interpreted as a result of a mismatch or dysregulation because the recent social environment of elderly is completely different from that in which Homo sapiens evolved. The occurrence of geriatric depression may be an adaptation to this new situation.     

Involvement of NMDAR2A tyrosine phosphorylation in depression‐related behaviour

Major depressive and bipolar disorders are serious illnesses that affect millions of people. Growing evidence implicates glutamate signalling in depression, though the molecular mechanism by which glutamate signalling regulates depression‐related behaviour remains unknown. In this study, we provide evidence suggesting that tyrosine phosphorylation of the NMDA receptor, an ionotropic glutamate receptor, contributes to depression‐related behaviour. The NR2A subunit of the NMDA receptor is tyrosine‐phosphorylated, with Tyr 1325 as its one of the major phosphorylation site. We have generated mice expressing mutant NR2A with a Tyr‐1325‐Phe mutation to prevent the phosphorylation of this site in vivo. The homozygous knock‐in mice show antidepressant‐like behaviour in the tail suspension test and in the forced swim test. In the striatum of the knock‐in mice, DARPP‐32 phosphorylation at Thr 34, which is important for the regulation of depression‐related behaviour, is increased. We also show that the Tyr 1325 phosphorylation site is required for Src‐induced potentiation of the NMDA receptor channel in the striatum. These data argue that Tyr 1325 phosphorylation regulates NMDA receptor channel properties and the NMDA receptor‐mediated downstream signalling to modulate depression‐related behaviour.     

Allomothering behaviour of new and old world monkeys

The holding or transferring of newborn infants at less than 1 month old by individuals other than the mothers was studied in 24 species of New and Old World monkeys under captive conditions. The observed monkey species could be divided into two types. Group A included eight species of three families where the mothers were tolerant to ‘infant transfer’ and readily retrieved their infants from other individuals, the frequency of infant transfer being high. The infant transfer of this group was termed allomothering behaviour. Group B included 16 species of two families where infant transfer did not occur at all or its frequency was very low and the mothers were possessive of their infants. Once transfer did occur, the infant could not be reclaimed with ease. The relationships between the two groups and taxonomic status, life forms and social types were evaluated in a total of 45 species from the present study and the literature. Correspondences were found with social type and taxonomic status. That is, species of Group A were seen only in the family or one-male type, except for one species, although none of this group appeared in the Cercopithecinae regardless of social types. The significance of infant transfer is discussed in relation to the participants' responses to it and the correlations between the two groups and social types.     

The social development of baboons in their first three months

The development of the mother-infant relationship is expressed in terms of the change in typical relative positions of the pair and in the pattern of contacting and leaving they showed.
Rainy periods increased the time the infant spent asleep with its mother, the effect being more than that produced by the infant's age on sleeping time in the first three months of life.
Rate of development of mother-infant relationships was compared with that of Rhesus monkeys in similar conditions, and found to be very closely comparable.
Interactions by infants with other baboons were found to be quantitatively and qualitatively different for each available demographic class (though some classes were only represented by a single individual). Results illustrated different rates of social maturing in the sexes, differential behaviour of the adult male towards the sexes of infants, and the existence of a special relationship between siblings.
Interactions of neoparturient mothers with other adults are characterized by high overall frequency, with a high frequency of avoiding of friendly approaches by the mother. Both these have returned to normal frequency levels in the third month.
Restriction of infants by mothers was seen only in the caged group. Its immediate effects on the behaviour of the infant and its association with other maternal social behaviour are described.     

The caregiving/care-seeking balance in captive common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)

A hypothesis to explain differences in infant social development in species with multiple caregivers is described. The hypothesis states that the distribution of an infant's time and activities amongst the individuals in its group is determined by the balance between the relative amounts of care-seeking by the infant and caregiving by the other members of the group. This generates several predictions that are investigated by experimentally reducing the care available to a group of infant common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus), and comparing their interactions with caregivers with those of a control group of infants that experienced normal levels of care. The results bear out several of the predictions. Infants receiving less care than usual spend less time in non-care-seeking activities and there are some increases in care-seeking behaviour. Infants continue to seek care differentially from different caregivers, and no compensation among caregivers in their behaviour towards infants is found.     

Oxytocin,testosterone, and human social cognition

I describe an integrative social‐evolutionary model for the adaptive significance of the human oxytocinergic system. The model is based on a role for this hormone in the generation and maintenance of social familiarity and affiliation across five homologous, functionally similar, and sequentially co‐opted contexts: mothers with offspring, female and male mates, kin groups, individuals with reciprocity partners, and individuals within cooperating and competing social groups defined by culture. In each situation, oxytocin motivates, mediates and rewards the cognitive and behavioural processes that underlie the formation and dynamics of a more or less stable social group, and promotes a relationship between two or more individuals. Such relationships may be positive (eliciting neurological reward, reducing anxiety and thus indicating fitness‐enhancing effects), or negative (increasing anxiety and distress, and thus motivating attempts to alleviate a problematic, fitness‐reducing social situation). I also present evidence that testosterone exhibits opposite effects from oxytocin on diverse aspects of cognition and behaviour, most generally by favouring self‐oriented, asocial and antisocial behaviours. I apply this model for effects of oxytocin and testosterone to understanding human psychological disorders centrally involving social behaviour. Reduced oxytocin and higher testosterone levels have been associated with under‐developed social cognition, especially in autism. By contrast, some combination of oxytocin increased above normal levels, and lower testosterone, has been reported in a notable number of studies of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression, and, in some cases, higher oxytocin involves maladaptively ‘hyper‐developed’ social cognition in these conditions. This pattern of findings suggests that human social cognition and behaviour are structured, in part, by joint and opposing effects of oxytocin and testosterone, and that extremes of such joint effects partially mediate risks and phenotypes of autism and psychotic‐affective conditions. These considerations have direct implications for the development of therapies for alleviating disorders of social cognition, and for understanding how such disorders are associated with the evolution of human cognitive‐affective architecture.     

Urine Scent Marking (USM): A Novel Test for Depressive-Like Behavior and a Predictor of Stress Resiliency in Mice

Decreased interest in pleasurable stimuli including social withdrawal and reduced libido are some of the key symptomatic criteria for major depression, and thus assays that measure social and sexual behavior in rodents may be highly appropriate for modeling depressive states. Here we present a novel approach for validating rodent models of depression by assessing male urine scent marking (USM) made in consequence to a spot of urine from a proestrous female. USM is an ethologically important form of sexual communication expressed by males to attract females. The expression of this behavior is highly sensitive and adaptive to environmental cues and social status. We hypothesized that male USM behavior offers a naturalistic measure of social motivation that can be used to evaluate hedonic behaviors relevant to the study of mood disorders. We demonstrated that 1) adult male mice displayed a strong preference for marking proestrous female urine with a high degree of specificity, 2) exposure to chronic social defeat profoundly decreased USM whereas exposure to environmental enrichment increased USM, 3) the standard antidepressant fluoxetine reversed declines in USM induced by social defeat, 4) USM behavior closely correlated with other hedonic measures, and 5) USM scores in non-stressed mice predicted behavioral outcomes after defeat exposure such that mice displaying high preference for marking female urine prior to social defeat showed behavioral resiliency after social defeat. The findings indicate that the USM test is a sensitive, validated measure of psychosocial stress effects that has high predictive value for examination of stress resiliency and vulnerability and their neurobiological substrates.     

Long-term effects of nicotine on the forced swimming test in mice: an experimental model for the study of depression caused by smoke

Large evidence showing an association between depression and tobacco smoking is known. Nicotine is the active chemical responsible for smoking addiction, and its withdrawal may induce in smokers greater sensitivity to stress. Our aim has been to investigate the links between tobacco addiction and depression by studying the long-term effects of repeated administration of nicotine followed by dependence, to forced swimming test, serotonin content and 5-HT(1A) expression in diencephalon. Dependence has been induced by daily subcutaneous injection in mice of nicotine (2mg/kg four injections daily) for 15 days and assessed after nicotine withdrawal with an abstinence scale; control animals received daily subcutaneous injection of saline for the same period. Experiments on forced swimming test have been carried out at t=0 (last day of nicotine or saline treatment), and 15, 30, 45 and 60 days after saline or nicotine withdrawal. Both control mice and nicotine mice have been pre-treated with oral 5-hydroxy-tryptophan (12.5-50mg/kg), precursor of serotonin, before forced swimming test. Nicotine mice have shown on forced swimming test a significant increase of immobility time compared to control mice. This increase was not evident in nicotine mice treated with 5-hydroxy-tryptophan and treatment with the selective serotonin receptorial antagonist WAY 100635 (WAY) abolished 5-hydroxy-tryptophan effects. Evaluation of diencephalic serotonin, performed at t=0 showed an increase of diencephalic serotonin content, while serotonin measured 15, 30, 45 and 60 days after nicotine withdrawal, was significantly reduced in nicotine mice compared to control mice. Western blot analysis showed a great reduction of 5-HT(1A) receptor expression in nicotine mice measured at t=0 (last day of treatment) and at 15 and 30 days after nicotine withdrawal compared to control mice. Our results show that (i) behavioural alterations estimated with forced swimming test and (ii) changes in diencephalic serotonin content and 5-HT(1A) receptor expression, are present since nicotine is withdrawn even after a long time, suggesting a role of serotonin in mood disorders eventually occurring following smoking cessation.     

Developmental trends in mother-infant interactions in Java macaques (Macaca fascicularis) during the first ten days of life

In this study on Java macaques themain characteristics of the mother-infant relationship during infants' first 10 days have been elaborated. Early mother and infant behaviour is described and early interactions between mothers and their young have been analyzed. Observations and trend analyses of early behaviours like ventro-ventral contact behaviour, being on nipple, and explorative behaviour, make it clear that Java macaque infants play an important role in the early development of mother-infant interactions. In contrast to the rhesus and the stumptailed infant, the young Java macaque appears to develop a great variety of behaviours in its first 10 days. Whereas the infant's behaviour gains in complexity and social initiative, the mother becomes increasingly more passive and self-oriented. Early mother-infant interaction can be characterized by mutual adjustment.     

Social relationships and individual contribution to cooperative behaviour in captive common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)

The social relationships between the members of a family consisting of eight captive common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) are here examined, as well as the participation of individual family members in infant carrying and defensive behaviour against non-related intruders (adolescent males). Within the social relationships, a clear division of the family into three subgroups (parents, adult offspring, non-adult offspring) could be determined, whereby the adult offspring, especially with respect to the parents, occupy a peripheral position. In the types of cooperative behaviour examined here, substantial participation in infant carrying could be observed in only four family members (parents, adult son, one subadult daughter), and in defence against intruders in only two family members (adult son, one subadult daughter). Participation in infant carrying remained stable throughout the study period. Conversely, individual changes in participation in defence against intruders could be determined, dependent upon the presence of infants carried. The advantages and disadvantages of social substructuring observed are discussed here, in particular the peripheral position of adult offspring, possible connections in individually varied participation in cooperative behaviour, and possible regulative mechanisms. In view of past studies on cooperative behaviour among marmosets, it is here presumed that pronounced individual differences result from a division of labour within the family with respect to various aspects of cooperative behaviour.     

Social development during the first twenty weeks in the cotton-top tamarin (Saguinus o. oedipus)

Fourteen infant cotton-top tamarins from five captive family groups were studied during the first 20 weeks of life. We examined the roles of parents and of siblings of different ages as caregivers and as social companions for the infants, as well as the effects of group composition and group size on these roles. Parents and adult siblings played similar active roles in infant caregiving during the first few weeks after birth, with males showing a greater involvement than females. In groups without other offspring the two parents showed equal infant caregiving behaviour, whreas fathers carried more than mothers did in groups with offspring present. Although infants received more caregiving from males, they showed a preference for contact and proximity with their mothers. No sex differences were found in infant behaviour or in the direction of behaviour by caregivers toward infants. Twins showed greater amounts of both social and solitary play in weeks 15–20 than did singletons, and there was no effect of the number of older siblings on the amount of play shown by an infant.     

低温等离子射频消融术治疗小儿阻塞性呼吸暂停综合征的临床疗效观察

目的:探究低温等离子射频消融术治疗小儿阻塞性呼吸暂停综合征的临床疗效。方法:收集2014年5月到2016年5月来我院就诊的小儿阻塞性呼吸暂停综合征患者72例,根据随机数字对照表分为对照组与试验组,各36例。对照组采用传统手术治疗切除患儿肥大的扁桃体及腺样体,试验组实施低温等离子射频消融术。比较两组患者临床疗效、行为状况及VAS评分。结果:治疗后,对照组的总有效率为91.67%;试验组的总有效率为94.45%,两组比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05);治疗后,两组患儿CBCL量表总评分均较治疗前明显降低(P0.05),抑郁、社交退缩、多动、违纪及攻击各项评分均明显降低(P0.05),但是试验组各项评分及总评分与对照组相比并无明显差异(P0.05);试验组手术后VAS评分明显低于对照组(P0.05)。结论:低温等离子射频消融术对小儿阻塞性呼吸暂停综合征患者有明显的治疗效果,且对患儿损伤较小。     

Oxytocin in health and disease

Oxytocin is a nonapeptide of the neurohypophyseal protein family that binds specifically to the oxytocin receptor to produce a multitude of central and peripheral physiological responses. Within the central nervous system oxytocin is expressed by the neurons of the hypothalamus that project into higher brain centres and the posterior pituitary gland, from where it enters the circulation by release into the portal capillaries. Centrally, it modulates, maternal, sexual, social and stress related behaviour. Peripheral actions of oxytocin are commonly associated with smooth muscle contraction, particularly within the female and male reproductive tracts. Local synthesis of oxytocin along with its receptor in these regions indicates the presence of local oxytocinergic systems. More sinister implications for oxytocin in autism, depression and several cancers have recently been identified. A greater understanding of the role of oxytocinergic mechanisms will determine the potential for targeting this regulatory peptide in the pharmacological management of these disorders.     

Physiology of maternal separation in a bonnet macaque infant

A bonnet monkey infant (M. radiata) was monitored both physiologically and behaviorally during a separation experiment in which both its mother and other conspecifiecs were removed from its social group leaving the bonnet infant with three adult pigtailed females. The separated infant exhibited the characteristic slouched posture of depression and physiological changes including decreases in the heart rate and body temperature, increases in cardiac arrhythmias, and alterations in sleep patterns, as has been previously described in separated pigtailed infants. Persistent decreases in heart rate and body temperature were noted following reunion with the mother, possibly reflecting a disturbance in the mother-infant relationship secondary to the mother's having come into estrus during the period of separation. This study indicates that the physiological correlates of maternal separation previously described in pigtailed infants are not species specific.