GLP-1a: Going Beyond Traditional Use

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a human incretin hormone derived from the proglucagon molecule. GLP-1 receptor agonists are frequently used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity. However, the hormone affects the liver, pancreas, brain, fat cells, heart, and gastrointestinal tract. The objective of this study was to perform a systematic review on the use of GLP-1 other than in treating diabetes. PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase were searched, and the PRISMA guidelines were followed. Nineteen clinical studies were selected. The results showed that GLP-1 agonists can benefit defined off-medication motor scores in Parkinson’s Disease and improve emotional well-being. In Alzheimer’s disease, GLP-1 analogs can improve the brain’s glucose metabolism by improving glucose transport across the blood–brain barrier. In depression, the analogs can improve quality of life and depression scales. GLP-1 analogs can also have a role in treating chemical dependency, inhibiting dopaminergic release in the brain’s reward centers, decreasing withdrawal effects and relapses. These medications can also improve lipotoxicity by reducing visceral adiposity and decreasing liver fat deposition, reducing insulin resistance and the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases. The adverse effects are primarily gastrointestinal. Therefore, GLP-1 analogs can benefit other conditions besides traditional diabetes and obesity uses.

Relationships Between Childhood Health Experience and Depression Among Older People: Evidence From China

The assessment of childhood health experience helps to identify the risk of depression among older people. Poor childhood experience is generally associated with depression in adulthood. However, whether such association can be extended to older people’ life remains unclear. The history of parental mental health was obtained from 2014 CHARLS Wave 3 (Life History Survey) data while other data from 2011 CHARLS Wave 1 baseline data. The study involves 4,306 respondents. The depression was assessed by the Chinese version of Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scales (CES-D) using logistic regression model. More than 40% of older people suffered from depression, 25% of whom experienced poor childhood self-reported health. Nearly 20% of their mothers and more than 10% of their fathers had a history of poor mental health. Poor childhood health experiences have shown to be associated with higher odds of depression (good self-reported health OR: 0.732, p = 0.000, 95% CI: 0.633–0.847; poor mother’s mental health OR: 1.391, p = 0.001, 95% CI: 1.138–1.699; poor father’s mental health OR: 1.457, p = 0.003, 95% CI: 1.141–1.862). There is a high rate of depression among the older adults in China. In China, older people with poor childhood health experiences are more likely to suffer from depression.

O045 Anxiety and daytime sleepiness scores have a weak but statistically significant correlation with apnoea-hypopnoea index

Background Previous datasets demonstrate inconsistent relationships between apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) and questionnaire measures of daytime sleepiness, anxiety and depression. Methods 1149 consecutive diagnostic polysomnograms at a quaternary hospital were retrospectively analysed (2020–2021). Relationships between age, sex, AHI, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales (HADS-A and HADS-D) were reviewed. Progress to date:Mean age was 47.8+/-15.7 years, with male gender bias (59%). 49.9% had elevated HADS-A (>7; mean 8.1+/-4.5). 33.7% had elevated HADS-D (>7; mean 6.2+/-4.0). 29.6% had sleepiness (ESS >10; mean 7.9+/-5.0). Mean AHI was 23.5+/-27.9 events/hour. 69.7% had obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA); 45.0% were moderate-severe (AHI >14/h). HADS-A (9.1 versus 7.3; P<0.001; 95% CI [-2.32, -1.25]), HADS-D (6.9 versus 5.8; P<0.001; 95% CI [-1.62, -0.67]) and ESS (8.2 versus 7.7; P=0.039; 95% CI [-1.21, -0.03]) were higher in females. Males had greater OSA severity (AHI 27.0/h versus 18.6/h; p<0.001; 95% CI [5.15, 11.67]). Pearson’s tests demonstrated a statistically significant but weak positive correlation between AHI and HADS-A (P=0.021, R=0.07, N=1096), and AHI and ESS (P=0.042, R=0.06, N=1135). AHI and HADS-D showed no correlation. ESS weakly correlated with HADS-A (P<0.001, R=0.237, N=1104). Intended outcome and impact:Severity of sleep apnoea as defined by AHI only explains a small proportion of the variance in daytime sleepiness and anxiety as measured by the ESS and HADS-A, respectively, with weak linear relationships demonstrated. Neither ESS nor HADS-A were helpful in predicting the presence of OSA. Further study is required to determine optimal polysomnographic correlates of sleep apnoea symptoms.

Anxiety Sensitivity Domains are Differently Affected by Social and Non-social Autistic Traits

Anxiety sensitivity (AS) is implicated in the development and maintenance of several psychopathological conditions. Non-clinical individuals with high autistic traits may develop anxiety disorders and depressive symptoms. Here, we investigated the relationships of autistic traits with AS dimensions and depression, considering sex. We referred to the two-factor model of the autism spectrum quotient to distinguish social and non-social autistic traits and assessed 345 university students on AS and depression scales. Results showed that only social autistic traits predicted general AS and anxiety-related concerns regarding social and cognitive domains. The present results emphasize the need of assessing multiple domains of anxiety in individuals on the autistic spectrum, differentiating social and non-social traits.

Association between Maternal Depression during Pregnancy and Newborn DNA Methylation

Around 15% to 65% of women globally experience depression during pregnancy, prevalence being particularly high in low- and middle-income countries. Prenatal depression has been associated with adverse birth and child development outcomes. DNA methylation (DNAm) may aid in understanding this association. In this project, we analyzed associations between prenatal depression and DNAm from cord blood from participants of the South African Drakenstein Child Health Study. We examined DNAm in an epigenome wide association study (EWAS) of 248 mother child pairs. DNAm was measured using the Infinium MethylationEPIC (N=145) and the Infinium HumanMethylation450 (N=103) arrays. Prenatal depression scores, obtained with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), were analyzed as continuous and dichotomized variables. We used linear robust models to estimate associations between depression and newborn DNAm, adjusted for measured (smoking status, household income, sex, preterm birth, cell type proportions, and genetic principal components) and unmeasured confounding using Cate and Bacon algorithms. Bonferroni correction was used to adjust for multiple testing. DMRcate was used to test for differentially methylated regions (DMRs). Differential DNAm in GNAS (cg22798925, Δ beta per IQR(EPDS)=0.0066, p= 1.06 x 10-7) was significantly associated with EPDS. For dichotomized BDI-II thresholds, Differential DNAm in CTNNA2 (cg04859497, Δ beta=-0.064, p= 8.09 x 10-10) and OSBPL10 (cg27278221, Δ beta=-0.020, p= 5.40 x 10-8) was significantly associated with the dichotomized BDI-II variables. Eight DMRs were associated with at least two depression scales. Further studies are needed to replicate these findings and investigate their biological impact.

Transdiagnostic Cognitive Processes in Chronic Pain and Comorbid PTSD and Depression in Veterans

Background Chronic pain in Veterans is a major problem compounded by comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Adopting a transdiagnostic framework to understanding “shared territory” among these diagnoses has the potential to inform our understanding of the underlying cognitive processes and mechanisms that transverse diagnostic boundaries. Purpose To examine the associations between pain-related cognitive processes (diversion, distancing, absorption, and openness), pain intensity, PTSD and depressive symptoms, and the extent to which Veterans with chronic pain with and without comorbid PTSD and depression engage in different/similar pain-related cognitive processes. Methods Secondary analysis of pretreatment data with a subsample (n = 147) of Veterans with chronic pain from a larger clinical trial. Pretreatment PCL-5 and PROMIS Depression scales were used to categorize participants into three groups: (a) Pain-only; (b) Pain-PTSD; and (c) Pain-PTSD-DEP. Results Compared to the Pain-only group, the Pain-PTSD and Pain-PTSD-DEP groups reported significantly greater pain intensity, PTSD and depressive symptoms, and ruminative pain absorption. The Pain-PTSD-DEP group had significantly lower pain diversion and pain openness scores. When diversion and openness were used within the Pain-PTSD-DEP group, however, they were both associated with lower pain intensity and openness was additionally associated with lower PTSD scores. However, in the Pain-PTSD group, pain openness was associated with higher depression scores. Conclusions Across increasing complexity of comorbidity profiles (i.e., one vs. two comorbid conditions), ruminative absorption with pain emerged as a cognitive process that transverses diagnoses and contributes to worse outcomes. Nonjudgmental acceptance may not be universally beneficial, potentially depending upon the nature of comorbidity profiles.

THE RELATION OF HUMOR TO DEPRESSION AND PERSONALITY

Background:Depression is a common illness in the world.Humor plays an important role in mental health filed as a coping mechanism. Different personality variables seem to be factors associated with depression. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to study the relationship among different personalities and coping humor which may lead to identified associated depression Methodology:An online website of the questionnaires was created for data collection using three scales combined: Coping humor scale (CHS), Zung depression scale, Eysencks Personality Inventory (EPI) which was conducted on a convenience sample population of at least 200 college students participants from King Faisal University. After conducting the research, the data was collected, analyzed and processed in tables using the appropriate statistical measurements, in return the results were given and concluded. Results: We collected data from 502 participants with mean age 23.6 ± 3.5 years old and 74.3 % of participants were females. The mean scores of CHS, depression scales, extraversion/introversion and Neuroticism/emotional stability were 20.27 (out of 28), 44.42 (out of 80), 18.27 (out of 24), and 10.99 (out of 24).There is a significant negative correlation between coping humor scale and depression scale (P=0.00). Conclusion:There is a significant negative correlation between depression and coping of humor among students in Al Alahsa, Saudi Arabia. Moreover, extraverted participants and emotional stable participants were associated with higher usage of humor to cope and less level of depression.

Psychological distress in a sample of Moroccan prisoners with drug-dependence

Research regarding mental illness and drug addiction among inmates in Morocco requires increased knowledge; previous literature reported that prisoners suffer from severe psychological distress. The present study aimed to provide information about Moroccan prisoners’ psychological distress and define the differences in psychological distress levels among inmates with and without drug-dependence. A sample of 177 male inmates completed a set of surveys, including the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT) and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). The “Drug dependence” group scored significantly higher psychological distress levels in each of the BSI domains. The strongest differences were measured in the General Severity Index (GSI), hostility, and depression scales. Moroccan prison inmates have high psychological distress, and those with drug-dependence have even higher. There is a need of psychiatric assessment, selection, and care possibilities in prison inmate populations.