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Children (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Approximately 7.6% of children are diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and sleep impairments affect 25-85%. There is a noticeable lack of...
BACKGROUND
Approximately 7.6% of children are diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and sleep impairments affect 25-85%. There is a noticeable lack of research on girls and sex differences. The aim of this study was to examine sex differences in children with uncomplicated ADHD and sleep problems.
METHODS
Cross-sectional baseline data were retrieved from a randomized controlled trial with weighted blankets (55 boys and 41 girls, 6-14 years) on a cohort recently diagnosed with uncomplicated ADHD and sleep problems. Differences between boys and girls in ADHD symptoms, objectively and subjectively measured sleep, anxiety, and functioning were examined via parent- or self-reported validated instruments.
RESULTS
Girls reported significantly lower (worse) satisfaction with well-being, life overall, and school, but not for family. Parents reported more sleep anxiety and night-time wakings among boys, but no sex differences in other measures and also not in self-reported measures or objective sleep measures. Children who reported worry, sadness, or unhappiness had more sleep problems.
CONCLUSIONS
Boys with ADHD and sleep problems may need support with sleep-related anxiety and night-time wakings, while girls may require support with overall functioning. Additionally, children who express feelings of worry, sadness, or unhappiness alongside their ADHD symptoms should have attention given to their sleep.
PubMed: 38929216
DOI: 10.3390/children11060636 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jun 2024Projects for workplace health promotion (WHP) for back pain traditionally focus exclusively on work-related but not on leisure-time stress on the spine. We developed a...
BACKGROUND
Projects for workplace health promotion (WHP) for back pain traditionally focus exclusively on work-related but not on leisure-time stress on the spine. We developed a comprehensive WHP project on the back health of hospital workers regardless of the physical characteristics of their work and compared its effects on sedentary and physically active hospital workers.
METHODS
Study assessments were carried out before and six months after participation in the WHP intervention. The primary outcome parameter was back pain (Oswestry Disability Index, ODI). Anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7), work ability (Work Ability Index), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), stress (Perceived Stress Scale-10), and quality of life (Short Form-36) were assessed via questionnaires as secondary outcome parameters. Physical performance was measured via the 30 seconds Sit-to-Stand test (30secSTS).
RESULTS
Sixty-eight healthcare workers with non-specific back pain were included in the evaluation study of the WHP project "Back Health 24/7/365". After six months, back pain, physical performance, and self-perceived physical functioning (SF-36 Physical Functioning subscale) improved significantly in both groups. Not a single parameter showed an interaction effect with the group allocation.
CONCLUSIONS
A comprehensive WHP-intervention showed significant positive effects on hospital workers regardless of the physical characteristics of their work.
Topics: Humans; Health Promotion; Male; Female; Adult; Middle Aged; Back Pain; Occupational Health; Personnel, Hospital; Workplace; Quality of Life; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 38929018
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21060772 -
International Journal of Environmental... May 2024Confronting a breast cancer diagnosis, along with complex and challenging treatment procedures, is an extremely stressful experience. Psychological resilience is the...
Confronting a breast cancer diagnosis, along with complex and challenging treatment procedures, is an extremely stressful experience. Psychological resilience is the ability to maintain or restore normal functioning while facing adversity. We aimed to explore the impact of an early breast cancer diagnosis on psychological resilience, distress, and perception of health. A cross-sectional study was conducted, including 50 patients newly diagnosed with early breast cancer and 67 healthy women with screening mammograms graded 1 or 2 using a Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System. The levels of distress, perception of health, and psychological resilience were assessed using the depression, anxiety, and stress scale, the SF 36-Item Health Survey 1.0, and the Connor-Davidson RISC-25 scale. Differences between variables were examined using the -test and chi-square test for interval and categorial variables. The surveys were conducted within four weeks of a breast cancer diagnosis. Patients with breast cancer reported a deterioration of their health relative to the previous year and significantly higher levels of psychological resilience, while there was no significant difference between the groups in levels of stress, anxiety, or depression. The process of diagnosis with early breast cancer may activate psychological dynamic processes which are involved in the effective adaptation to acute stress, leading to higher resilience levels in breast cancer patients compared to healthy controls.
Topics: Humans; Breast Neoplasms; Female; Resilience, Psychological; Middle Aged; Cross-Sectional Studies; Adult; Stress, Psychological; Anxiety; Depression; Aged
PubMed: 38928924
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21060677 -
Brain Sciences Jun 2024: To characterize the cognitive profile of long COVID-19 subjects and its possible association with clinical symptoms, emotional disturbance, biomarkers, and disease...
: To characterize the cognitive profile of long COVID-19 subjects and its possible association with clinical symptoms, emotional disturbance, biomarkers, and disease severity. : We performed a single-center cross-sectional cohort study. Subjects between 20 and 60 years old with confirmed COVID-19 infection were included. The assessment was performed 6 months following hospital or ambulatory discharge. Excluded were those with prior neurocognitive impairment and severe neurological/neuropsychiatric disorders. Demographic and laboratory data were extracted from medical records. : Altogether, 108 participants were included, 64 were male (59.25%), and the mean age was 49.10 years. The patients were classified into four groups: non-hospitalized (NH, n = 10), hospitalized without Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or oxygen therapy (HOSPI, n = 21), hospitalized without ICU but with oxygen therapy (OXY, n = 56), and ICU (ICU, n = 21) patients. In total, 38 (35.18%) reported Subjective Cognitive Complaints (SCC). No differences were found considering illness severity between groups. Females had more persistent clinical symptoms and SCC than males. Persistent dyspnea and headache were associated with higher scores in anxiety and depression. Persistent fatigue, anxiety, and depression were associated with worse overall cognition. : No cognitive impairment was found regarding the severity of post-COVID-19 infection. SCC was not associated with a worse cognitive performance, but with higher anxiety and depression. Persistent clinical symptoms were frequent independent of illness severity. Fatigue, anxiety, and depression were linked to poorer cognitive function. Tests for attention, processing speed, and executive function were the most sensitive in detecting cognitive changes in these patients.
PubMed: 38928604
DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14060604 -
Brain Sciences Jun 2024Anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety, panic disorder, and post-traumatic stress, constitute the most frequent mental disorders and occur in about 14-18% of...
Anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety, panic disorder, and post-traumatic stress, constitute the most frequent mental disorders and occur in about 14-18% of the overall population [...].
PubMed: 38928597
DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14060597 -
Brain Sciences Jun 2024Panic disorder (PD) and focal epilepsy, in particular, temporal lobe epilepsy, often present diagnostic challenges due to overlapping clinical manifestations. This...
Panic disorder (PD) and focal epilepsy, in particular, temporal lobe epilepsy, often present diagnostic challenges due to overlapping clinical manifestations. This article describes the case of a 25-year-old female, misdiagnosed with PD for 15 years, whose recurring episodes of sudden fear, palpitations, and nausea were later identified as manifestations of focal epilepsy. Initially unresponsive to conventional anti-anxiety medications, the patient's correct diagnosis was only established through comprehensive electro-clinical, neuropsychological, and neuroimaging evaluations during her admission to our research hospital. Long-term video-EEG monitoring (LTVEM) played a pivotal role in identifying the epileptic nature of her episodes, which were characterized by paroxysmal activity in the right temporal and zygomatic regions, consistent with the location of a dysplastic lesion in the right amygdala, as revealed by high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging. These findings underline the importance of considering focal epilepsy in the differential diagnosis of PD, especially in cases refractory to standard psychiatric treatments. The misdiagnosis of epilepsy as PD can lead to significant delays in appropriate treatment, potentially exacerbating the patient's condition and affecting their quality of life. This case emphasizes the necessity of a multidisciplinary approach and the utilization of advanced diagnostic tools like LTVEM in elucidating the underlying causes of paroxysmal psychiatric symptoms.
PubMed: 38928594
DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14060594 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024Migraine is a common and debilitating neurological disorder characterized by the recurrent attack of pulsating headaches typically localized on one side of the head... (Review)
Review
Migraine is a common and debilitating neurological disorder characterized by the recurrent attack of pulsating headaches typically localized on one side of the head associated with other disabling symptoms, such as nausea, increased sensitivity to light, sound and smell and mood changes. Various clinical factors, including the excessive use of migraine medication, inadequate acute treatment and stressful events, can contribute to the worsening of the condition, which may evolve to chronic migraine, that is, a headache present on >15 days/month for at least 3 months. Chronic migraine is frequently associated with various comorbidities, including anxiety and mood disorders, particularly depression, which complicate the prognosis, response to treatment and overall clinical outcomes. Emerging research indicates a connection between alterations in the composition of the gut microbiota and mental health conditions, particularly anxiety and depression, which are considered disorders of the gut-brain axis. This underscores the potential of modulating the gut microbiota as a new avenue for managing these conditions. In this context, it is interesting to investigate whether migraine, particularly in its chronic form, exhibits a dysbiosis profile similar to that observed in individuals with anxiety and depression. This could pave the way for interventions aimed at modulating the gut microbiota for treating difficult-to-manage migraines.
Topics: Humans; Migraine Disorders; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Brain-Gut Axis; Anxiety; Depression; Dysbiosis; Animals
PubMed: 38928361
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126655 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024Alcohol use disorder is considered a chronic and relapsing disorder affecting the central nervous system. The serotonergic system, mainly through its influence on the...
Alcohol use disorder is considered a chronic and relapsing disorder affecting the central nervous system. The serotonergic system, mainly through its influence on the mesolimbic dopaminergic reward system, has been postulated to play a pivotal role in the underlying mechanism of alcohol dependence. The study aims to analyse the association of the rs6295 polymorphism of the gene in women with alcohol use disorder and the association of personality traits with the development of alcohol dependence, as well as the interaction of the rs6295, personality traits, and anxiety with alcohol dependence in women. The study group consisted of 213 female volunteers: 101 with alcohol use disorder and 112 controls. NEO Five-Factor and State-Trait Anxiety Inventories were applied for psychometric testing. Genotyping of rs6295 was performed by real-time PCR. We did not observe significant differences in rs6295 genotypes ( = 0.2709) or allele distribution ( = 0.4513). The AUD subjects scored higher on the anxiety trait ( < 0.0001) and anxiety state ( < 0.0001) scales, as well as on the neuroticism ( < 0.0001) and openness ( = 0134) scales. Significantly lower scores were obtained by the AUD subjects on the extraversion ( < 0.0001), agreeability ( < 0.0001), and conscientiousness ( < 0.0001) scales. Additionally, we observed a significant effect of rs6295 genotype interaction and alcohol dependency, or lack thereof, on the openness scale ( = 0.0016). In summary, this study offers a comprehensive overview of alcohol dependence among women. It offers valuable insights into this complex topic, contributing to a more nuanced understanding of substance use among this specific demographic. Additionally, these findings may have implications for developing prevention and intervention strategies tailored to individual genetic and, most importantly, personality and anxiety differences.
Topics: Humans; Female; Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A; Alcoholism; Personality; Adult; Anxiety; Middle Aged; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Genotype; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Alleles; Genetic Association Studies; Case-Control Studies
PubMed: 38928270
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126563 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024Endometriosis (EM), a chronic condition in endometrial tissue outside the uterus, affects around 10% of reproductive-age women, significantly affecting fertility. Its... (Review)
Review
Endometriosis (EM), a chronic condition in endometrial tissue outside the uterus, affects around 10% of reproductive-age women, significantly affecting fertility. Its prevalence remains elusive due to the surgical confirmation needed for diagnosis. Manifesting with a range of symptoms, including dysmenorrhea, dyschezia, dysuria, dyspareunia, fatigue, and gastrointestinal discomfort, EM significantly impairs quality of life due to severe chronic pelvic pain (CPP). Psychological manifestations, notably depression and anxiety, frequently accompany the physical symptoms, with CPP serving as a key mediator. Pain stems from endometrial lesions, involving oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, angiogenesis, and sensitization processes. Microbial dysbiosis appears to be crucial in the inflammatory mechanisms underlying EM and associated CPP, as well as psychological symptoms. In this scenario, dietary interventions and nutritional supplements could help manage EM symptoms by targeting inflammation, oxidative stress, and the microbiome. Our manuscript starts by delving into the complex relationship between EM pain and psychological comorbidities. It subsequently addresses the emerging roles of the microbiome, inflammation, and oxidative stress as common links among these abovementioned conditions. Furthermore, the review explores how dietary and nutritional interventions may influence the composition and function of the microbiome, reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, alleviate pain, and potentially affect EM-associated psychological disorders.
Topics: Humans; Female; Oxidative Stress; Endometriosis; Inflammation; Microbiota; Pelvic Pain; Mental Disorders
PubMed: 38928175
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126473 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024It seems that BDNF has a direct influence on the brain pathways and is typically engaged during the processing of rewards. A surge in BDNF levels in the ventral...
It seems that BDNF has a direct influence on the brain pathways and is typically engaged during the processing of rewards. A surge in BDNF levels in the ventral tegmental area (the region from which the dopaminergic neurons of the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system originate and extend to the dorsolateral and ventromedial striatum) triggers a state of reward similar to that produced by opiates in animal studies. The aims of the study were (1) to analyze the association of the gene rs6265 polymorphism with AUD (alcohol use disorder) in women, (2) analyze personality and anxiety in alcohol-dependent and control woman, and (3) conduct an interaction analysis of rs6265 on personality, anxiety, and alcohol dependence. Our study found a notable interaction between the anxiety (trait and state), neuroticism, rs6265, and AUD. The alcohol AUD G/A genotype carriers revealed higher level of the anxiety trait ( < 0.0001) and neuroticism ( < 0.0001) compared to the control group with G/A and G/G genotypes. The alcohol use disorder subjects with the G/A genotype displayed higher levels of an anxiety state than the control group with G/A ( < 0.0001) and G/G ( = 0.0014) genotypes. Additionally, the alcohol use disorder subjects with the G/G genotype obtained lower levels of agreeability compared to the controls with G/A ( < 0.0001) and G/G ( < 0.0001) genotypes. Our study indicates that anxiety (trait and state) and neuroticism are interacting with the gene rs6265 polymorphism in alcohol-dependent women. Characteristics like anxiety (both as a trait and a state) and neuroticism could have a significant impact on the mechanism of substance dependency, particularly in females who are genetically susceptible. This is regardless of the reward system that is implicated in the emotional disruptions accompanying anxiety and depression.
Topics: Humans; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; Female; Alcoholism; Adult; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Personality; Middle Aged; Anxiety; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genotype; Neuroticism; Case-Control Studies
PubMed: 38928154
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126448