Associations between chronotypes and psychological vulnerability factors of depression

Chronotypes have been associated with psychopathology. The eveningness chronotype has been consistently linked with depressed states or depressive disorder, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Prior studies have shown associations between chronotype and personality traits that are linked to depression (e.g. neuroticism), but other psychological vulnerability factors have not been previously investigated in relation to chronotypes. The aim of this study was to examine the association between chronotypes, depression and psychological risk factors of depression (namely, cognitive reactivity and worry), in a large cohort of depressed patients and healthy individuals. We used data from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (n = 1654), which includes 1227 clinically diagnosed individuals with a lifetime diagnosis of depression and 427 healthy controls. We assessed cognitive reactivity (Leiden Index of Depression Sensitivity-Revised) and trait worry (Penn State Worry Questionnaire). We controlled for sociodemographic factors as well as for insomnia and neuroticism. We found that the evening type is associated with higher cognitive reactivity scores, especially with increased rumination. Cognitive reactivity also mediated the relationship between chronotype and depression status, even when controlling for neuroticism and insomnia. Trait worry was not associated with chronotype. Our findings show that depressogenic cognitions are more prevalent in evening types and perhaps mediate the association between chronotype and depression. Further prospective research is needed to determine the timeline of the association. Nevertheless, results imply that targeting depressogenic cognitive processes, perhaps in combination with chronotherapeutic treatments, may be particularly useful in evening types.     

Affected by smells? Environmental chemical responsivity predicts odor perception

Strong negative reactions, physical symptoms, and behavioral disruptions due to environmental odors are common in the adult population. We investigated relationships among such environmental chemosensory responsivity (CR), personality traits, affective states, and odor perception. Study 1 showed that CR and neuroticism were positively correlated in a sample of young adults (n = 101), suggesting that persons high in neuroticism respond more negatively to environmental odors. Study 2 explored the relationships among CR, noise responsivity (NR), neuroticism, and odor perception (i.e., pleasantness and intensity) in a subset of participants (n = 40). High CR was associated with high NR. Regression analyses indicated that high CR predicted higher odor intensity ratings and low olfactory threshold (high sensitivity) predicted lower pleasantness ratings. However, neuroticism was not directly associated with odor ratings or thresholds. Overall, the results suggest that CR and odor thresholds predict perceptual ratings of odors and that high CR is associated with nonchemosensory affective traits.     

Insertion-deletion polymorphism of the serotonin carrier gene and evaluation of neurotism as a temperament trait in patients with affective disorders and mentally healthy people]

Some studies associate the insertion/deletion polymorphism of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene with anxiety-related personality traits in mentally healthy people, the short (s) allele being associated with a higher neuroticism score. The 5-HTT genotype and neuroticism score were established for 114 affective patients, 87 healthy relatives of endogenous psychosis patients, and for 156 mentally healthy people without familial psychiatric history. The effects of sex and age on the association between the two parameters was studied. Neuroticism proved to be not associated with the 5-HTT genotype.     

Insertion/Deletion Polymorphism of the Serotonin Transporter Gene and Neuroticism as a Temperament Trait in Affective Patients and Healthy Individuals

Some studies associate the insertion/deletion polymorphism of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene with anxiety-related personality traits in mentally healthy people, the short (s) allele being associated with a higher neuroticism score. The 5-HTT genotype and neuroticism score were established for 114 affective patients, 87 healthy relatives of endogenous psychosis patients, and for 156 mentally healthy people without familial psychiatric history. The effects of sex and age on the association between the two parameters was studied. Neuroticism proved to be not associated with the 5-HTT genotype.     

Factors associated with physician recognition and treatment of alcoholism.

We surveyed internists, family physicians, and psychiatrists regarding their clinical experiences in assessing and treating alcohol abuse, practice characteristics, political and religious beliefs, attitudes toward substance abuse, beliefs about the efficacy of treatment, personal experiences with substance use, and sociodemographic variables. Despite the high prevalence of alcohol abuse, a third of the physicians neither regularly counseled nor referred any patients for outpatient rehabilitation, and more than half had not referred anyone for inpatient treatment. A greater breadth of experience treating alcohol problems was positively correlated with the volume of outpatients and inpatients seen, younger age, more work in primary rather than specialty patient care, less academic work, a stronger belief in the efficacy of treating alcoholism, membership in the Republican party, and a greater religiosity.     

Predicting loneliness with polygenic scores of social,psychological and psychiatric traits

Loneliness is a heritable trait that accompanies multiple disorders. The association between loneliness and mental health indices may partly be due to inherited biological factors. We constructed polygenic scores for 27 traits related to behavior, cognition and mental health and tested their prediction for self‐reported loneliness in a population‐based sample of 8798 Dutch individuals. Polygenic scores for major depressive disorder (MDD), schizophrenia and bipolar disorder were significantly associated with loneliness. Of the Big Five personality dimensions, polygenic scores for neuroticism and conscientiousness also significantly predicted loneliness, as did the polygenic scores for subjective well‐being, tiredness and self‐rated health. When including all polygenic scores simultaneously into one model, only 2 major depression polygenic scores remained as significant predictors of loneliness. When controlling only for these 2 MDD polygenic scores, only neuroticism and schizophrenia remain significant. The total variation explained by all polygenic scores collectively was 1.7%. The association between the propensity to feel lonely and the susceptibility to psychiatric disorders thus pointed to a shared genetic etiology. The predictive power of polygenic scores will increase as the power of the genome‐wide association studies on which they are based increases and may lead to clinically useful polygenic scores that can inform on the genetic predisposition to loneliness and mental health.     

Mortality,Rehospitalisation and Violent Crime in Forensic Psychiatric Patients Discharged from Hospital: Rates and Risk Factors

ObjectivesTo determine rates and risk factors for adverse outcomes in patients discharged from forensic psychiatric services.MethodWe conducted a historical cohort study of all 6,520 psychiatric patients discharged from forensic psychiatric hospitals between 1973 and 2009 in Sweden. We calculated hazard ratios for mortality, rehospitalisation, and violent crime using Cox regression to investigate the effect of different psychiatric diagnoses and two comorbidities (personality or substance use disorder) on outcomes.ResultsOver mean follow-up of 15.6 years, 30% of patients died (n = 1,949) after discharge with an average age at death of 52 years. Over two-thirds were rehospitalised (n = 4,472, 69%), and 40% violently offended after discharge (n = 2,613) with a mean time to violent crime of 4.2 years. The association between psychiatric diagnosis and outcome varied—substance use disorder as a primary diagnosis was associated with highest risk of mortality and rehospitalisation, and personality disorder was linked with the highest risk of violent offending. Furthermore comorbid substance use disorder typically increased risk of adverse outcomes.ConclusionViolent offending, premature mortality and rehospitalisation are prevalent in patients discharged from forensic psychiatric hospitals. Individualised treatment plans for such patients should take into account primary and comorbid psychiatric diagnoses.     

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the REG‐CTNNA2 region of chromosome 2 and NEIL3 associated with impulsivity in a Native American sample

Impulsivity is a multi‐faceted construct that, while characterized by a set of correlated dimensions, is centered around a core definition that involves acting suddenly in an unplanned manner without consideration for the consequences of such behavior. Several psychiatric disorders include impulsivity as a criterion, and thus it has been suggested that it may link a number of different behavioral disorders, including substance abuse. Native Americans (NA) experience some of the highest rates of substance abuse of all the US ethnic groups. The described analyses used data from a low‐coverage whole genome sequence scan to conduct a genome‐wide association study (GWAS) of an impulsivity phenotype in an American Indian community sample (n = 658). Demographic and clinical information were obtained using a semi‐structured interview. Impulsivity was assessed using a scale derived from the Maudsley personality inventory that combines both novelty seeking and lack of planning items. The impulsivity score was tested for association with each variant adjusted for demographic variables, and corrected for ancestry and kinship, using emmax . Simulations were conducted to calculate empirical P‐values. Genome‐wide significant findings were observed for a variant 50‐kb upstream from catenin cadherin‐associated protein, alpha 2 (CTNNA2), a neuronal‐specific catenin, in the REG gene cluster. A meta‐analysis of GWAS had previously identified common variants in CTNNA2 as being associated with excitement seeking. A second locus upstream of nei endonuclease VIII‐like 3 (NEIL3) on chromosome 4 also achieved genome‐wide significance. The association between sequence variants in these regions suggests their potential roles in the genetic regulation of this phenotype in this population.     

Psychiatric disorder and gynaecological symptoms in middle aged women: a community survey.

In a community survey 521 women aged 35-59 were selected at random from all patients registered in two groups practices. They were interviewed at home and assessed by means of standardised psychiatric measures and detailed gynaecological inquiry. Levels of psychiatric morbidity were found to be within the expected range for such a sample. Both psychiatric morbidity and the personality dimension of neuroticism were significantly associated with gynaecological symptoms, including dysmenorrhoea and premenstrual tension, some symptoms of excessive menstruation, and flushes and sweats but not disappearance of menstruation for over six months. Current psychiatric state was significantly associated with recent adverse life events and with indices of psychiatric vulnerability (neuroticism and previous psychiatric history), suggesting possible aetiological links with gynaecological symptoms. The findings of this study have implications for the management of gynaecological complaints in general practice.     

The Chinese Morningness-Eveningness-Stability-Scale improved (MESSi): validity,reliability, and associations with sleep quality,personality, affect and life satisfaction

ABSTRACT

Individual differences in time of day preference have important correlates. Morningness is associated with greater well-being, while eveningness is associated with more maladaptive behaviors, psychological distress, and disorder. The availability of valid, reliable, questionnaire scales is central to this ongoing research. The recently developed Morningness–Eveningness-Stability-Scale improved (MESSi) utilizes items from previously established scales to assess the dimensions of Morning Affect (MA), Eveningness (EV), and amplitude of diurnal variation/distinctness (DI). The current study developed a Chinese version of the MESSi scale. A sample of 767 Chinese university students completed the translated MESSi, the reduced Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (rMEQ), and scales assessing sleep quality, positive and negative affect, the big five personality dimensions, and life satisfaction. An independent sample of 80 undergraduates completed the MESSi twice over a 14–19 day period. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis both supported the original three-factor structure of the MESSi, with the subscales of MA, EV, and DI. Internal consistency and test–retest reliability were acceptable/good, and expected correlations with other measures were found, including: MA correlated positively with the rMEQ, conscientiousness, positive affect, and life satisfaction; EV correlated negatively with rMEQ and conscientiousness; DI correlated positively with poor sleep quality, negative affect, and neuroticism. Overall, the results support the validity and reliability of the Chinese version of the MESSi.     

Focus: Addiction: Investigating Maternal Brain Structure and its Relationship to Substance Use and Motivational Systems

Substance use during pregnancy and the postpartum period may have significant implications for both mother and the developing child. However, the neurobiological basis of the impact of substance use on parenting is less well understood. Here, we examined the impact of maternal substance use on cortical gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) volumes and whether this was associated with individual differences in motivational systems of behavioral activation and inhibition. Mothers were included in the substance-using group if any addictive substance was used during pregnancy and/or in the immediate postpartum period (within 3 months of delivery). GM volume was reduced in substance-using mothers compared to non-substance-using mothers, particularly in frontal brain regions. In substance-using mothers, we also found that frontal GM was negatively correlated with levels of behavioral activation (i.e., the motivation to approach rewarding stimuli). This effect was absent in non-substance-using mothers. Taken together, these findings indicate a reduction in GM volume is associated with substance use and that frontal GM volumetric differences may be related to approach motivation in substance-using mothers.     

Heavy drinking relates to positive valence ratings of alcohol cues

A positive family history of alcohol use disorders (FH) is a robust predictor of personal alcohol abuse and dependence. Exposure to problem-drinking models is one mechanism through which family history influences alcohol-related cognitions and drinking patterns. Similarly, exposure to alcohol advertisements is associated with alcohol involvement and the relationship between affective response to alcohol cues and drinking behavior has not been well established. In addition, the collective contribution that FH, exposure to different types of problem-drinking models (e.g. parents, peers) and personal alcohol use have on appraisal of alcohol-related stimuli has not been evaluated with a large sample. We investigated the independent effects of FH, exposure to problem-drinking models and personal alcohol use on valence ratings of alcohol pictures in a college sample. College students (n = 227) completed measures of personal drinking and substance use, exposure to problem-drinking models, FH and ratings on affective valence of 60 alcohol pictures. Greater exposure to non-familial problem-drinkers predicted greater drinking among college students (beta = 0.17, P < 0.01). However, personal drinking was the only predictor of valence ratings of alcohol pictures (beta = -0.53, P < 0.001). Personal drinking level predicted valence ratings of alcohol cues over and above FH, exposure to problem-drinking models and demographic characteristics. This suggests that positive affective responses to alcohol pictures are more a function of personal experience (i.e. repeated heavy alcohol use) than vicarious learning.     

Using social rank as the lens to focus on the neural circuitry driving stress coping styles

Social hierarchy position in humans is negatively correlated with stress-related psychiatric disease risk. Animal models have largely corroborated human studies, showing that social rank can impact stress susceptibility and is considered to be a major risk factor in the development of psychiatric illness. Differences in stress coping style is one of several factors that mediate this relationship between social rank and stress susceptibility. Coping styles encompass correlated groupings of behaviors associated with differential physiological stress responses. Here, we discuss recent insights from animal models that highlight several neural circuits that can contribute to social rank–associated differences in coping style.     

Tooth size and arcadal length correlates in man

Intra-arcadal mesiodistal and buccolingual tooth size correlations were evaluated in a sample of 125 caucasoids with ideal occlusion. Dental dimensions were corrected for arcade mength (as a measure of jaw size) by a series of regression analyses of each mesiodistal dimension on the sum of the mesiodistal dimensions within each arcade. Regression coefficients of tooth dimension on arcade length were calculated to gain an insight into the dimensional sensitivity of individual teeth to arcade length variation. The data presented here suggest a strong association between arcadal length (jaw size) dependence, and the dimensional stability of individual teeth. When corrected for arcade length, a definite pattern of tooth size correlation emerges: postcanine maxillary and mandibular teeth are negatively correlated to the anterior teeth and are positively correlated to one another. The hypothesis is developed that anterior and postcanine teeth should be viewed as two separate and negatively size-correlated units, beyond the boundaries of the four morphological tooth classes. Recognition of this basic dichotomous size arrangement within each jaw allows for a reassessment of some of the problems associated with hominid dental evolution.     

Psychoactive substance use among medical students in a Nigerian university

The study was aimed at determining the prevalence, pattern and factors associated with psychoactive substance use among medical students in the University of Ilorin, Nigeria. All consenting medical students were requested to compile a 22-item modified, pilot-tested semi- structured self-report questionnaire based on the World Health Organization''s guidelines for student substance use survey. It was found that the most currently used substances were mild stimulants (33.3%), alcohol (13.6%), sedatives (7.3%) and tobacco (3.2%). Except for tobacco, the use of these substances seemed to be only instrumental. Substance use was directly associated with male gender, living alone, self-reported study difficulty, being a clinical student, and being aged 25 years or more. There was an inverse relationship of substance use with religiosity and good mental health.     

Patterns of goal attainment among young mothers in a home visiting program

This paper examined heterogeneity in parents’ patterns of goal attainment following home visiting. Young mothers (n = 696) participating in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluation of a statewide home visiting program were classified, using latent class analysis (LCA), according to their pattern of goal attainment (i.e., educational attainment, employment, parenting, personal functioning) two years postpartum. We explored direct and indirect (via social connectedness) associations between program participation and goal attainment. LCA revealed four classes: (a) High Education & Employment/High Parenting & Personal Functioning (n = 286, 41%); (b) High Education & Employment/Low Parenting & Personal Functioning (n = 212, 30%); (c) Low Education & Employment/Low Parenting & Personal Functioning (n = 71, 10%); and (d) Low Education & Employment/High Parenting & Personal Functioning (n = 127, 18%). Home visiting was not directly associated with class membership, but indirectly through social connectedness. This paper contributes to understanding home visiting impacts.     

Insect repellents and associated personal protection for a reduction in human disease

Personal protection measures against biting arthropods include topical insect repellents, area repellents, insecticide‐treated bednets and treated clothing. The literature on the effectiveness of personal protection products against arthropods is mainly limited to studies of prevention of bites, rather than prevention of disease. Tungiasis was successfully controlled by application of topical repellents and scrub typhus was reduced through the use of treated clothing. Successful reduction of leishmaniasis was achieved through the use of topical repellents, treated bednets and treated clothing in individual studies. Malaria has been reduced by the use of insecticide‐treated bednets (ITN), certain campaigns involving topical repellents, and the combination of treated bednets and topical repellents. Although area repellents such as mosquito coils are used extensively, their ability to protect humans from vector‐transmitted pathogens has not been proven. Taken together, the literature indicates that personal protection measures must be used correctly to be effective. A study that showed successful control of malaria by combining treated bednets and topical repellents suggests that combinations of personal protection measures are likely to be more effective than single methods. Implementation of successful programmes based on personal protection will require a level of cooperation commonly associated with other basic societal functions, such as education and food safety.     

A causal approach to the study of fertility and familism

This paper tests, within the framework of LISREL, the causal structures of fertility using data from the 1973-74 Growth of Alberta Family Study (GAFS) of women aged 18-44 who are currently married or living common-law. Differential fertility among two groups of women classified by nativity also are examined. The women's background characteristics (e.g., age, religiosity, and education) are viewed as exogenous variables. The endogenous variables are familism and expected family size; familism is designated as an intermediate variable in the model, linking demographic and socioeconomic (including cultural) factors to fertility, The results indicate that familism acts as an important variable explaining fertility, particularly, among foreign-born women. The study confirms and extends earlier research findings that religiosity and education influence couples' fertility, the former positively and the latter negatively.     

Plasma Concentrations of BDNF and IGF-1 in Abstinent Cocaine Users with High Prevalence of Substance Use Disorders: Relationship to Psychiatric Comorbidity

Recent studies have identified biomarkers related to the severity and pathogenesis of cocaine addiction and common comorbid psychiatric disorders. Monitoring these plasma mediators may improve the stratification of cocaine users seeking treatment. Because the neurotrophic factors are involved in neural plasticity, neurogenesis and neuronal survival, we have determined plasma concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and IGF-1 binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) in a cross-sectional study with abstinent cocaine users who sought outpatient treatment for cocaine (n = 100) and age/body mass matched controls (n = 85). Participants were assessed with the diagnostic interview ‘Psychiatric Research Interview for Substance and Mental Disorders’. Plasma concentrations of these peptides were not different in cocaine users and controls. They were not associated with length of abstinence, duration of cocaine use or cocaine symptom severity. The pathological use of cocaine did not influence the association of IGF-1 with age observed in healthy subjects, but the correlation between IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 was not significantly detected. Correlation analyses were performed between these peptides and other molecules sensitive to addiction: BDNF concentrations were not associated with inflammatory mediators, lipid derivatives or IGF-1 in cocaine users, but correlated with chemokines (fractalkine/CX3CL1 and SDF-1/CXCL12) and N-acyl-ethanolamines (N-palmitoyl-, N-oleoyl-, N-arachidonoyl-, N-linoleoyl- and N-dihomo-γ-linolenoyl-ethanolamine) in controls; IGF-1 concentrations only showed association with IGFBP-3 concentrations in controls; and IGFBP-3 was only correlated with N-stearoyl-ethanolamine concentrations in cocaine users. Multiple substance use disorders and life-time comorbid psychopathologies were common in abstinent cocaine users. Interestingly, plasma BDNF concentrations were exclusively found to be decreased in users diagnosed with both primary and cocaine-induced disorders for mood and anxiety disorders. In summary, BDNF, IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 were not affected by a history of pathological use of cocaine supported by the absence of associations with other molecules sensitive to cocaine addiction. However, BDNF was affected by comorbid mood disorders. Further research is necessary to elucidate the role of BDNF and IGF-1 in the transition to cocaine addiction and associated psychiatric comorbidity.     

Influence of GSTM1 and NAT2 genotypes on the relationship between personal exposure to PAH and biomarkers of internal dose

This study examined the interaction of glutathione S-transferase (GSTM1) and N acetyltransferase (NAT2) genotypes and personal exposure to carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) with biomarkers of exposure in a cohort of 51 non-smoking women from Bohemia, CZ. The biomarkers included urinary PAH metabolities and white blood cell DNA adducts. Personal PAH exposure was significantly correlated with urinary PAH metabolites for all individuals (r 0.36, p 0.01, n 46). After stratifying by genetic polymorphism the correlation between personal PAH exposure and urinary PAH metabolites increased for individuals with NAT2 slow acetylators (r 0.58, p 0.001, n 29) and the combination of GSTM1 null and NAT2 slow acetylators (r 0.60, p 0.01, n 16). DNA adduct levels were not significantly correlated with personal PAH exposure (r 0.16, p 0.32, n 51), unless restricted to individuals with the GSTM1 gene (r 0.59, p 0.005, n 21). Personal exposure data were essential for elucidating the possible effect of genotypes on the relationship between PAH exposure and these two classes of internal biomarkers. \[This abstract does not necessarily reflect EPA policy.]