Evaluation of mental stress by physiological indices derived from finger plethysmography

Background

Quantitative evaluation of mental stress is important to prevent stress-related disorders. Finger plethysmography (FPG) is a simple noninvasive method to monitor peripheral circulation, and provides many physiological indices. Our purpose is to investigate how FPG-derived indices reflect on mental stress, and to clarify any association between these physiological indices and subjective indices of mental stress.

Methods

Thirty-one healthy women (mean age, 22 years ± 2) participated. The participants rested by sitting on a chair for 10 min. They then performed a computerized version of the Stroop color-word conflict test (CWT) for 10 min. Finally, they rested for 10 min. FPG was recorded throughout the experiment. The participants completed a brief form of the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire before and after the test. Using the FPG data, we conducted chaos analysis and fast Fourier transform analysis, and calculated chaotic attractors, the largest Lyapunov exponent, a high-frequency (HF) component, a low-to-high-frequency (LF/HF) ratio, finger pulse rate and finger pulse wave amplitude.

Results

The HF component decreased and the LF/HF ratio increased significantly during the test (P < 0.01), while the confusion subscale of POMS increased after the test (P < 0.05). During testing, finger pulse rate significantly increased (P < 0.001), and the finger pulse wave amplitude decreased (P < 0.001). The attractor size reduced during testing and returned to a baseline level afterwards. Although the largest Lyapunov exponent showed no significant change during testing, significant negative correlation with the tension-anxiety subscale of POMS was observed at the beginning (P < 0.01). A significant negative correlation between the LF/HF ratio and two subscales was also observed in the beginning and middle of the test (P < 0.05). There were no correlations during the rest periods.

Conclusions

The physiological indices derived from FPG were changed by mental stress. Our findings indicate that FPG is one of the easiest methods to evaluate mental stress quantitatively. In particular, the largest Lyapunov exponent and the LF/HF ratio might be associated with acute mental stress. Farther examination is needed to find any association between the physiological indices and various types of mental stress.     

Importance of Shank3 protein in regulating metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) expression and signaling at synapses

Shank3/PROSAP2 gene mutations are associated with cognitive impairment ranging from mental retardation to autism. Shank3 is a large scaffold postsynaptic density protein implicated in dendritic spines and synapse formation; however, its specific functions have not been clearly demonstrated. We have used RNAi to knockdown Shank3 expression in neuronal cultures and showed that this treatment specifically reduced the synaptic expression of the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5), but did not affect the expression of other major synaptic proteins. The functional consequence of Shank3 RNAi knockdown was impaired signaling via mGluR5, as shown by reduction in ERK1/2 and CREB phosphorylation induced by stimulation with (S)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG) as the agonist of mGluR5 receptors, impaired mGluR5-dependent synaptic plasticity (DHPG-induced long-term depression), and impaired mGluR5-dependent modulation of neural network activity. We also found morphological abnormalities in the structure of synapses (spine number, width, and length) and impaired glutamatergic synaptic transmission, as shown by reduction in the frequency of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSC). Notably, pharmacological augmentation of mGluR5 activity using 3-cyano-N-(1,3-diphenyl-1H-pyrazol-5-yl)-benzamide as the positive allosteric modulator of these receptors restored mGluR5-dependent signaling (DHPG-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2) and normalized the frequency of mEPSCs in Shank3-knocked down neurons. These data demonstrate that a deficit in mGluR5-mediated intracellular signaling in Shank3 knockdown neurons can be compensated by 3-cyano-N-(1,3-diphenyl-1H-pyrazol-5-yl)-benzamide; this raises the possibility that pharmacological augmentation of mGluR5 activity represents a possible new therapeutic approach for patients with Shank3 mutations.     

Symbolic Healing of Early Psychosis: Psychoeducation and Sociocultural Processes of Recovery

This article analyzes sociocultural processes of recovery in a Danish mental health service providing two years of integrated biopsychosocial treatment following first-episode psychosis. The study is based on ethnographic research in the service and person-centered involvement with 15 clients. The analysis applies Dow's [1986 American Anthropologist 88:56-69] model of universal components of symbolic healing to elucidate sociocultural aspects of therapeutic efficacy that are alternatively disregarded as placebo or nonspecific effects. It is demonstrated how staff engaged with clients to deliver "psychoeducation" that provided scientific and biomedical theories about mental illness, constituting a shared "mythic world" that was accepted as an experiential truth and used to explain clients' illness experiences. The analysis highlights the need to supplement attention in Dow's model to the healing procedure with consideration of variability in the healing process. Depending on individual responses to the intervention, the staff's professional backgrounds and staff-client relationships different recovery models were applied. One suggested "episodic psychosis" and full recovery, and the other suggested "chronic schizophrenia" and the necessity of comprehensive life adjustments to the mental illness. The recovery models influenced clients' perspectives on illness and self as they engaged in identity work, negotiating future plans and individual life projects by including also alternative systems of explanation from the wider cultural repertoire.     

Explaining Mental Health Treatment Disparities: Ethnic and Cultural Differences in Family Involvement

In a large, representative sample of persons receiving public mental health treatment, we examined whether ethnic minority consumers were more likely than white consumers to live with their families and to receive family support. We then evaluated whether differences observed in family involvement explained treatment disparities observed in outpatient and inpatient mental health services. Results indicated that Asian American and Latino consumers, especially, were considerably more likely than white consumers to live with family members and to receive family support. Ethnocultural differences in living with family did explain treatment intensity disparities whether or not consumers described themselves as dependent on family support. The results support the hypothesis that cultural differences in family involvement and support play a role in explaining mental health treatment disparities.     

Functional Effects of a Pathogenic Mutation in Cereblon (CRBN) on the Regulation of Protein Synthesis via the AMPK-mTOR Cascade

Initially identified as a protein implicated in human mental deficit, cereblon (CRBN) was recently recognized as a negative regulator of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in vivo and in vitro. Here, we present results showing that CRBN can effectively regulate new protein synthesis through the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway, a downstream target of AMPK. Whereas deficiency of Crbn repressed protein translation via activation of the AMPK-mTOR cascade in Crbn-knock-out mice, ectopic expression of the wild-type CRBN increased protein synthesis by inhibiting endogenous AMPK. Unlike the wild-type CRBN, a mutant CRBN found in human patients, which lacks the last 24 amino acids, failed to rescue mTOR-dependent repression of protein synthesis in Crbn-deficient mouse fibroblasts. These results provide the first evidence that Crbn can activate the protein synthesis machinery through the mTOR signaling pathway by inhibiting AMPK. In light of the fact that protein synthesis regulated by mTOR is essential for various forms of synaptic plasticity that underlie the cognitive functions of the brain, the results of this study suggest a plausible mechanism for CRBN involvement in higher brain function in humans, and they may help explain how a specific mutation in CRBN can affect the cognitive ability of patients.     

Further delineation of novel 1p36 rearrangements by array-CGH analysis: Narrowing the breakpoints and clarifying the "extended" phenotype

High resolution oligonucleotide array Comparative Genome Hybridization technology (array-CGH) has greatly assisted the recognition of the 1p36 contiguous gene deletion syndrome. The 1p36 deletion syndrome is considered to be one of the most common subtelomeric microdeletion syndromes and has an incidence of ~1 in 5000 live births, while respectively the "pure" 1p36 microduplication has not been reported so far. We present seven new patients who were referred for genetic evaluation due to Developmental Delay (DD), Mental Retardation (MR), and distinct dysmorphic features. They all had a wide phenotypic spectrum. In all cases previous standard karyotypes were negative. Array-CGH analysis revealed five patients with interstitial 1p36 microdeletion (four de novo and one maternal) and two patients with de novo reciprocal duplication of different sizes. These were the first reported "pure" 1p36 microduplication cases so far. Three of our patients carrying the 1p36 microdeletion syndrome were also found to have additional pathogenetic aberrations. These findings (del 3q27.1; del 4q21.22-q22.1; del 16p13.3; dup 21q21.2-q21.3; del Xp22.12) might contribute to the patients' severe phenotype, acting as additional modifiers of their clinical manifestations. We review and compare the clinical and array-CGH findings of our patients to previously reported cases with the aim of clearly delineating more accurate genotype-phenotype correlations for the 1p36 syndrome that could allow for a more precise prognosis.     

Scurvy in the Great Irish Famine: evidence of vitamin C deficiency from a mid-19th century skeletal population

Scurvy has increasingly been recognized in archaeological populations since the 1980s but this study represents the first examination of the paleopathological findings of scurvy in a known famine population. The Great Famine (1845-1852) was a watershed in Irish history and resulted in the death of one million people and the mass emigration of just as many. It was initiated by a blight which completely wiped out the potato-virtually the only source of food for the poor of Ireland. This led to mass starvation and a widespread occurrence of infectious and metabolic diseases. A recent discovery of 970 human skeletons from mass burials dating to the height of the famine in Kilkenny City (1847-1851) provided an opportunity to study the skeletal manifestations of scurvy-a disease that became widespread at this time due to the sudden lack of Vitamin C which had previously almost exclusively been provided by the potato. A three-scale diagnostic reliance approach has been employed as a statistical aid for diagnosing the disease in the population. A biocultural approach was adopted to enable the findings to be contextualized and the etiology and impact of the disease explored. The results indicate that scurvy indirectly influenced famine-induced mortality. A sex and stature bias is evident among adults in which males and taller individuals displayed statistically significantly higher levels of scorbutic lesions. The findings have also suggested that new bone formation at the foramen rotundum is a diagnostic criterion for the paleopathological identification of scurvy, particularly among juveniles.     

Vertebral morphology influences the development of Schmorl's nodes in the lower thoracic vertebrae

Schmorl's nodes are the result of herniations of the nucleus pulposus into the adjacent vertebral body and are commonly identified in both clinical and archaeological contexts. The current study aims to identify aspects of vertebral shape that correlate with Schmorl's nodes. Two‐dimensional statistical shape analysis was performed on digital images of the lower thoracic spine (T10–T12) of adult skeletons from the late medieval skeletal assemblages from Fishergate House, York, St. Mary Graces and East Smithfield Black Death cemeteries, London, and postmedieval Chelsea Old Church, London. Schmorl's nodes were scored on the basis of their location, depth, and size. Results indicate that there is a correlation between the shape of the posterior margin of the vertebral body and pedicles and the presence of Schmorl's nodes in the lower thoracic spine. The size of the vertebral body in males was also found to correlate with the lesions. Vertebral shape differences associated with the macroscopic characteristics of Schmorl's nodes, indicating severity of the lesion, were also analyzed. The shape of the pedicles and the posterior margin of the vertebral body, along with a larger vertebral body size in males, have a strong association with both the presence and severity of Schmorl's nodes. This suggests that shape and/or size of these vertebral components are predisposing to, or resulting in, vertically directed disc herniation. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

某部1366名新人伍战士性格特征和心理健康特点的追踪研究

目的：探讨并系统追踪研究新入伍战士在两年军营生活期间性格特征以及心理健康发展特点,揭示新兵入伍初期个性发展规律,为进一步筛查精神障碍易感新兵提供理论依据。方法：选取2010年某部冬季应征入伍新兵,采用问卷法对1366名新入伍男性战士在入伍第一年和第二年分别进行卡特尔十六种个性因素测验（16PF）的测试,采用分组测试和配对样本t检验进行统计分析。结果：研究表明,新入伍战士在第一年和第二年之间在稳定性、恃强性、兴奋性、有恒性、敢为性、怀疑性、幻想性、世故性、忧虑性、实验性、独立性、自律性和紧张性13种初级因素存在显著性变化,在适应焦虑型、内向外向型、感性用事与安详机警性、怯懦与果敢型、心理健康因素以及新环境成长能力因素等六项次级因素也有显著性差异,不同的学历和家庭背景也存在显著的变化。结论：本研究结果提示,入伍战士在两年军营生活期间其性格特征和心理健康特点均发生明显变化,而随着战士入伍时间的变化,对于部队生活的逐渐适应,其个性特征以及心理健康特点都出现了一定的变化规律,了解掌握这些心理健康发展的变化规律将有助于更科学地指导部队心理卫生服务工作,保证和提高军队战斗力。     

高职院校中专学生SCL-90评定结果分析

目的:分析影响高职院校中专学生的心理健康状况的相关因素.方法:对抽取的江苏省某职业院校437名学生,用症状自评量表(SCL-90)调查,以因子分≥3筛查阳性个体进行检出率及年级差异的比较.结果:低年级学生SCL-909个因子得分均高于全国常模值,比较差异均有统计学意义(P＜0.05).心理健康阳性检出率的排序,其中排在前3位的分别为敌对、人际关系敏感以及强迫症状,它们的阳性检出率分别为6.86％、5.95％和5.03％,高于其他因子,比较差异均有统计学意义(P＜0.05).2009级学生的阳性率高于2010级,但心理健康阳性检出率年级差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).结论:高职院校的中专学生心理健康状况不容乐观,敌对、人际关系敏感、强迫症状、抑郁、焦虑是其面临的主要心理问题,学校应该针对性的开展心理干预措施.