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Frontiers in Psychology 2023Investigation of the psychological impact on soccer athletes during the pandemic is essential given their unique challenges, including training disruptions and...
INTRODUCTION
Investigation of the psychological impact on soccer athletes during the pandemic is essential given their unique challenges, including training disruptions and competition postponements. Understanding these effects will allow the development of specific strategies to preserve the mental health and performance of elite athletes, contributing to effective interventions with both short and long-term benefits.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological aspects and mental health of elite soccer athletes.
METHOD
The review adhered to PRISMA criteria, and the study protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42022341545). Searches were conducted until July 2023 in databases including Cochrane, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science. Only original, peer-reviewed studies in English, Portuguese, or Spanish assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological aspects and mental health of elite soccer athletes were included.
RESULTS
The search identified 1,055 records and 43 studies were included in this review between 2020 and 2023. In total, the sample included 16,321 soccer athletes of different age groups. Anxiety, depression, mood states, and mental well-being were the most investigated variables. Increased levels of anxiety, depression, and worsening mental well-being were observed in elite soccer athletes. Maintaining fitness during the pandemic showed positive results. Other variables, such as coping, resilience, and sleep quality monitoring, were less widely investigated. Evaluating methodological quality was considered regular for observational and experimental studies.
CONCLUSION
The study reveals a negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on elite soccer athletes, considering psychological aspects and their mental health, notably heightened anxiety and depression. Observational methods predominated, showing mood swings linked to individual characteristics and fitness maintenance efforts. Studies with better-designed methodological approaches and controlled experimental interventions are recommended in the future to mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic on soccer players.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?, identifier (CRD42022341545).
PubMed: 38333426
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1295652 -
Biomedicines Sep 2023Probiotics, also known as psychobiotics, have been linked to cognitive functions, memory, learning, and behavior, in addition to their positive effects on the digestive...
Probiotics, also known as psychobiotics, have been linked to cognitive functions, memory, learning, and behavior, in addition to their positive effects on the digestive tract. The purpose of this study is to examine the psychoemotional effects and cognitive functioning in children with gastrointestinal disorders who undergo psychobiotherapy. A total of 135 participants, aged 5-18 years, were divided into three groups based on the pediatrician's diagnosis: Group I (Control) consisted of 37 patients (27.4%), Group II included 65 patients (48.1%) with psychoanxiety disorders, and Group III comprised 33 individuals (24.4%) with psychiatric disorders. The study monitored neurotransmitter levels such as serotonin, GABA, glutamate, cortisol, and DHEA, as well as neuropsychiatric symptoms including headaches, fatigue, mood swings, hyperactivity, aggressiveness, sleep disorders, and lack of concentration in patients who had gastrointestinal issues such as constipation, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal problems. The results indicate that psychobiotics have a significant impact on reducing hyperactivity and aggression, and improving concentration. While further extensive studies are needed, these findings offer promising insights into the complexity of a child's neuropsychic behavior and the potential for balancing certain behaviors through psychobiotics.
PubMed: 37893017
DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11102643 -
Foot (Edinburgh, Scotland) Jun 2024Health specialists suggest a conservative approach comprising non-pharmacological interventions as the initial course of action for individuals with repetitive ankle... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Health specialists suggest a conservative approach comprising non-pharmacological interventions as the initial course of action for individuals with repetitive ankle sprain due to ankle instability. This systematic review aimed to assess the effectiveness of biomechanical devices (Foot Orthoses, Ankle Orthoses, and Taping) on gait and muscle activity in individuals with ankle instability.
METHODS
A systematic search was performed on electronic databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, Clinical Trials.gov, Web of Science, and Scopus. The PEDro scoring system was used to evaluate the quality of the included studies. We extracted data from population, intervention, and outcome measures.
RESULTS
In the initial search, we found 247 articles. After following the steps of the PRISMA flowchart, only 22 reports met the inclusion criteria of this study. The results show that biomechanical device therapy may increase swing time, stance time, and step. Additionally, studies suggest that these devices can reduce plantar flexion, inversion, and motion variability during gait. Biomechanical devices have the potential to optimize the subtalar valgus moment, push-off, and braking forces exerted during walking, as well as enhance the activity of specific muscles including the peroneus longus, peroneus brevis, tibialis anterior, gluteus medius, lateral gastrocnemius, rectus femoris, and soleus.
CONCLUSION
Biomechanical devices affect gait (spatiotemporal, kinetic, and kinematic variables) and lower limb muscle activity (root mean square, reaction time, amplitude, reflex, and wave) in subjects with ankle instability.
Topics: Humans; Joint Instability; Gait; Biomechanical Phenomena; Muscle, Skeletal; Ankle Joint; Foot Orthoses; Athletic Tape; Ankle Injuries
PubMed: 38513375
DOI: 10.1016/j.foot.2024.102083 -
Psychiatria Danubina Oct 2023Depressive disorders are characterized by fluctuating symptom severity, and developing an individual prognostic model for relapse is crucial for effective prevention....
BACKGROUND
Depressive disorders are characterized by fluctuating symptom severity, and developing an individual prognostic model for relapse is crucial for effective prevention. Chronobiological factors are poorly understood in this context.
METHODS
A systematic search was conducted to identify articles related to the prognosis of depression recurrence based on chronobiological factors. Relevant clinical studies were included, while reviews and case reports were excluded. A total of 14 articles were selected for review.
RESULTS
The included articles focused on various chronobiological factors, including circadian biorhythms, individual chronotype, mood swings, seasonal patterns, diurnal cortisol fluctuations, and light therapy. The accuracy of personified prognosis ranged from 22.7% to 93.8%, and the prognostic value of specific predictors in group prognosis varied from 23.9% to 54%. Methodological differences and limitations hindered direct comparison and clinical applicability.
CONCLUSIONS
Developing precise and practical models for depression recurrence prognosis remains limited. Parameters of circadian rhythm showed the highest accuracy for short-term prognosis, and the use of digital technologies, including AI, enhanced prognostic value. Relapse seasonality had limited practical applicability. Integrating other chronobiological factors into prognostic models requires further research. Utilizing digital technologies, including AI, can improve the accuracy and range of personified prognosis. Only a few selected parameters of the human chronobiological system were considered in the examined studies. There are indications of the other chronobiological factors that could be included in the integrated prognostic model of recurrence for its further improvement.
Topics: Humans; Depression; Prognosis; Mood Disorders; Circadian Rhythm; Recurrence
PubMed: 37800204
DOI: No ID Found -
The British Journal of General Practice... Feb 2024Bipolar disorders are serious mental illnesses, yet evidence suggests that the diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disorder can be delayed by around 6 years.
BACKGROUND
Bipolar disorders are serious mental illnesses, yet evidence suggests that the diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disorder can be delayed by around 6 years.
AIM
To identify signals of undiagnosed bipolar disorder using routinely collected electronic health records.
DESIGN AND SETTING
A nested case-control study conducted using the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) GOLD dataset, an anonymised electronic primary care patient database linked with hospital records. 'Cases' were adult patients with incident bipolar disorder diagnoses between 1 January 2010 and 31 July 2017.
METHOD
The patients with bipolar disorder (the bipolar disorder group) were matched by age, sex, and registered general practice to 20 'controls' without recorded bipolar disorder (the control group). Annual episode incidence rates were estimated and odds ratios from conditional logistic regression models were reported for recorded health events before the index (diagnosis) date.
RESULTS
There were 2366 patients with incident bipolar disorder diagnoses and 47 138 matched control patients (median age 40 years and 60.4% female: = 1430/2366 with bipolar disorder and = 28 471/47 138 without). Compared with the control group, the bipolar disorder group had a higher incidence of diagnosed depressive, psychotic, anxiety, and personality disorders and escalating self-harm up to 10 years before a bipolar disorder diagnosis. Sleep disturbance, substance misuse, and mood swings were more frequent among the bipolar disorder group than the control group. The bipolar disorder group had more frequent face-to-face consultations, and were more likely to miss multiple scheduled appointments and to be prescribed ≥3 different psychotropic medication classes in a given year.
CONCLUSION
Psychiatric diagnoses, psychotropic prescriptions, and health service use patterns might be signals of unreported bipolar disorder. Recognising these signals could prompt further investigation for undiagnosed significant psychopathology, leading to timely referral, assessment, and initiation of appropriate treatments.
PubMed: 38325893
DOI: 10.3399/BJGP.2022.0286 -
Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift... Dec 2023Karl Valentin, one of Germany's greatest comic talents, and the surgeon Ferdinand Sauerbruch probably met in Munich about 100 years ago. Their correspondence is...
Karl Valentin, one of Germany's greatest comic talents, and the surgeon Ferdinand Sauerbruch probably met in Munich about 100 years ago. Their correspondence is outlined. Another encounter some years later in Berlin has been documented. Sauerbruch was one of many physicians whom Valentin consulted because of his fragile health, especially his "mood depressions." Sauerbruch, himself plagued by mood swings, but as a surgeon not actually responsible for such illnesses, meets this special person with empathy.
PubMed: 38052221
DOI: 10.1055/a-2102-5551 -
Human Movement Science Jun 2024Parkinson's disease (PD) causes gait abnormalities that may be associated with an arm swing reduction. Medication and freezing of gait (FoG) may influence gait...
INTRODUCTION
Parkinson's disease (PD) causes gait abnormalities that may be associated with an arm swing reduction. Medication and freezing of gait (FoG) may influence gait characteristics. However, these comparisons do not consider differences in gait speed and clinical characteristics in individuals with PD.
OBJECTIVE
This study aims to analyze the effect of FoG and medication on the biomechanics of the trunk and upper limbs during gait in PD, controlling for gait speed and clinical differences between groups.
METHODS
Twenty-two people with a clinical diagnosis of idiopathic PD in ON and OFF medication (11 FoG), and 35 healthy participants (control) were selected from two open data sets. All participants walked on the floor on a 10-m-long walkway. The joint and linear kinematic variables of gait were compared: (1) Freezers and nonfreezers in the ON condition and control; (2) Freezers and nonfreezers in the OFF condition and control; (3) Group (freezers and nonfreezers) and medication.
RESULTS
The disease affects the upper limbs more strongly but not the trunk. The medication does not significantly influence the joint characteristics but rather the linear wrist displacement. The FoG does not affect trunk movement and partially influences the upper limbs. The interaction between medications and FoG suggests that the medication causes more substantial improvement in freezers than in nonfreezers.
CONCLUSION
The study shows differences in the biomechanics of the upper limbs of people with PD, FoG, and the absence of medication. The future rehabilitation protocol should consider this aspect.
PubMed: 38850765
DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2024.103242 -
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and... Jun 2024Children with affective dysregulation (AD) show an excessive reactivity to emotionally positive or negative stimuli, typically manifesting in chronic irritability,...
BACKGROUND
Children with affective dysregulation (AD) show an excessive reactivity to emotionally positive or negative stimuli, typically manifesting in chronic irritability, severe temper tantrums, and sudden mood swings. AD shows a large overlap with externalizing and internalizing disorders. Given its transdiagnostic nature, AD cannot be reliably and validly captured only by diagnostic categories such as disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD). Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate two semi-structured clinical interviews-one for parents and one for children.
METHODS
Both interviews were developed based on existing measures that capture particular aspects of AD. We analyzed internal consistencies and interrater agreement to evaluate their reliability. Furthermore, we analyzed factor loadings in an exploratory factor analysis, differences in interview scores between children with and without co-occurring internalizing and externalizing disorders, and associations with other measures of AD and of AD-related constructs. The evaluation was performed in a screened community sample of children aged 8-12 years (n = 445). Interrater reliability was additionally analyzed in an outpatient sample of children aged 8-12 years (n = 27).
RESULTS
Overall, internal consistency was acceptable to good. In both samples, we found moderate to excellent interrater reliability on a dimensional level. Interrater agreement for the dichotomous diagnosis DMDD was substantial to perfect. In the exploratory factor analysis, almost all factor loadings were acceptable. Children with a diagnosis of disruptive disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or any disorder (disruptive disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and depressive disorder) showed higher scores on the DADYS interviews than children without these disorders. The correlation analyses revealed the strongest associations with other measures of AD and measures of AD-specific functional impairment. Moreover, we found moderate to very large associations with internalizing and externalizing symptoms and moderate to large associations with emotion regulation strategies and health-related quality of life.
CONCLUSIONS
The analyses of internal consistency and interrater agreement support the reliability of both clinical interviews. Furthermore, exploratory factor analysis, discriminant analyses, and correlation analyses support the interviews' factorial, discriminant, concurrent, convergent, and divergent validity. The interviews might thus contribute to the reliable and valid identification of children with AD and the assessment of treatment responses.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
ADOPT Online: German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) DRKS00014963. Registered 27 June 2018.
PubMed: 38902809
DOI: 10.1186/s13034-024-00762-8 -
Psychiatry Research Dec 2023The purpose of this naturalistic, prospective study was to identify risk factors for mood disorders in offspring of parents with bipolar disorder (BPD) using the...
The purpose of this naturalistic, prospective study was to identify risk factors for mood disorders in offspring of parents with bipolar disorder (BPD) using the discordant-sibling design by comparing premorbid psychopathology or symptoms, temperament, personality traits and coping style as well as the perception of family-related characteristics among affected and unaffected siblings within the same family. This approach controls for confounding by unmeasured genetic and environmental factors shared within families. Our sample comprised 24 families of a parent with BPD with at least one child that developed BPD or major depressive disorder (n = 31), and at least one child who did not. Offspring were followed for a mean duration of 16.2 (s.d: 4.6) years. Information was collected from the offspring themselves. Generalized linear mixed models only revealed differences in three dimensions of the Dimension of Temperament Survey-Revised (DOTS-R) version: Offspring with mood disorders scored higher on "Approach-withdrawal", "Rhythmicity for daily habits", and "Task orientation" than their unaffected siblings. The higher scores, and not lower scores as expected, on these temperament dimensions observed in offspring that subsequently developed mood disorders may reflect increased vulnerability, but they could also mirror premorbid mood swings or strategies to cope with them.
Topics: Child; Humans; Bipolar Disorder; Mood Disorders; Siblings; Depressive Disorder, Major; Prospective Studies; Child of Impaired Parents; Parents; Risk Factors
PubMed: 38007982
DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115615 -
Neurological Sciences : Official... Apr 2024We present the case of a 6-year-old girl who initially presented with acute pelvic pain, ultimately diagnosed with imperforate hymen leading to hematocolpos....
We present the case of a 6-year-old girl who initially presented with acute pelvic pain, ultimately diagnosed with imperforate hymen leading to hematocolpos. Further investigation revealed additional clinical features including academic struggles, mood swings, and cutaneous findings, prompting consideration of a neurocutaneous syndrome. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) revealed features consistent with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), including radial migration lines in the subcortical white matter and an incidental arachnoid cyst. Notably, this case exhibited a unique presentation with absence of typical TSC findings such as subependymal nodules or cortical tubers. Additionally, precocious puberty, rarely associated with TSC, was observed, suggesting a potential link between hypothalamic lesions and hormonal imbalance. This case underscores the importance of comprehensive evaluation in pediatric patients presenting with seemingly unrelated symptoms, as it may unveil underlying conditions necessitating tailored management strategies.
PubMed: 38637341
DOI: 10.1007/s10072-024-07523-7