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Food Chemistry Jun 2024This pilot study evaluated the impact of pistachio consumption on cognitive performance and mood in overweight young adults. Pistachios were characterized (chemical and...
This pilot study evaluated the impact of pistachio consumption on cognitive performance and mood in overweight young adults. Pistachios were characterized (chemical and nutraceutical), and a baseline-final, uncontrolled nutritional intervention was performed (28 g of pistachio/28 days). Psychometric tests were applied to estimate cognitive performance and mood; anthropometric evaluation, biochemical analysis, and plasma antioxidant activity were included. The main component of nuts was lipids (48.1%). Pistachios consumption significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduced waist circumference (-1.47 cm), total cholesterol (-10.21 mg/dL), LDL (-6.57 mg/dL), and triglycerides (-21.07 mg/dL), and increased plasma antioxidant activity. Pistachio supplementation improved risk tolerance (p ≤ 0.006) and decision-making strategy (p ≤ 0.002; BART-task), executive functions (BCST-task; p ≤ 0.006), and selective and sustained attention (Go/No-Go-test; p ≤ 0.016). The mood state was positively modulated (p ≤ 0.05) for anxiety, anger-hostility, and sadness-depression. These results show for the first time the benefits of pistachio consumption on cognitive performance and mood in overweight young adults.
PubMed: 38943918
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.140211 -
Clinical Psychology Review Jun 2024Personal recovery represents a paradigm shift in mental healthcare. Validated self-report outcome measures (PROMs) are needed to facilitate the transformation towards... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Personal recovery represents a paradigm shift in mental healthcare. Validated self-report outcome measures (PROMs) are needed to facilitate the transformation towards recovery-oriented practices and services. Objectives were to identify published measures and analyze their measurement properties using a standardized methodology.
METHODS
Following the COSMIN guidelines, we conducted a systematic review of personal recovery PROMs in serious mental illness. The MEDLINE, PMC, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, PBSC and Scopus electronic databases were searched for articles published between May 2012 and February 2024. Full-text articles from a previous systematic review were also examined.
RESULTS
91 studies were included in the review, describing 25 PROMs. Ten of them had not been identified in previous reviews. Quality of evidence was globally poor for most PROM measurement properties. Very little evidence was found for cross-cultural validity, measurement invariance, measurement error and criterion validity. The Recovery Assessment Scale and Questionnaire about the Process of Recovery showed the strongest evidence for sufficient psychometric data on a wide range of measurement properties.
CONCLUSIONS
Several personal recovery measures are now available. While research is still needed to enhance their validity on some psychometric properties, the current tools appear sufficient to cover most research and clinical needs.
PubMed: 38943916
DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2024.102459 -
The International Journal on Drug Policy Jun 2024Alcohol pricing policies may reduce alcohol-related harms, yet little work has been done to model their effectiveness beyond health outcomes especially in Australia. We...
AIMS
Alcohol pricing policies may reduce alcohol-related harms, yet little work has been done to model their effectiveness beyond health outcomes especially in Australia. We aim to estimate the impacts of four taxation and minimum unit pricing (MUP) interventions on selected social harms across sex and age subgroups in Australia.
METHODS
We used econometrics and epidemiologic simulations using demand elasticity and risk measures. We modelled four policies including (A) uniform excise rates (UER) (based on alcohol units) (B) MUP $1.30 on all alcoholic beverages (C) UER + 10 % (D) MUP$ 1.50. People who consumed alcohol were classified as (a) moderate (≤ 14 Australian standard drinks (SDs) per week) (b) Hazardous (15-42 SDs per week for men and 14-35 ASDs for women) and (c) Harmful (> 42 SDs per week for men and > 35 ASDs for women). Outcomes were sickness absence, sickness presenteeism, unemployment, antisocial behaviours, and police-reported crimes. We used relative risk functions from meta-analysis, cohort study, cross-sectional survey, or attributable fractions from routine criminal records. We applied the potential impact fraction to estimate the reduction in social harms by age group and sex after implementation of pricing policies.
RESULTS
All four modelled pricing policies resulted in a decrease in the overall mean baseline of current alcohol consumption, primarily due to fewer people drinking harmful amounts. These policies also reduced the total number of crimes and workplace harms compared to the current taxation system. These reductions were consistent across all age and sex subgroups. Specifically, sickness absence decreased by 0.2-0.4 %, alcohol-related sickness presenteeism by 7-9 %, unemployment by 0.5-0.7 %, alcohol-related antisocial behaviours by 7.3-11.1 %, and crimes by 4-6 %. Of all the policies, the implementation of a $1.50 MUP resulted in the largest reductions across most outcome measures.
CONCLUSION
Our results highlight that alcohol pricing policies can address the burden of social harms in Australia. However, pricing policies should just form part of a comprehensive alcohol policy approach along with other proven policy measures such as bans on aggressive marketing of alcoholic products and enforcing the restrictions on the availability of alcohol through outlet density regulation or reduced hours of sale to have a more impact on social harms.
PubMed: 38943908
DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104502 -
Acta Psychologica Jun 2024In a context marked by teachers' shortage, prioritizing teachers' well-being emerges as one of the factors that can encourage them to stay in the profession. Well-being...
In a context marked by teachers' shortage, prioritizing teachers' well-being emerges as one of the factors that can encourage them to stay in the profession. Well-being is a multidimensional concept and difficult to define and measure. Moreover, its link with Psychological Capital (PsyCap), a concept that includes personal psychological resources (hope, self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism) (Luthans & Youssef, 2004), has received little attention in the educational sciences. The main objective of this paper is therefore to investigate the links between these two concepts from a theoretical point of view in psychology and educational sciences. For this purpose, the scoping review methodology (Tricco et al., 2018) is mobilized to identify research issues, methodological questions, and the various links between well-being and PsyCap. Based on a systematic review of 376 bibliographic references conducted in the main databases in psychology and educational sciences, 32 articles were selected analysed. The data extracted indicate that these concepts particularly affect teachers (42.11 % of subjects concerned, N = 42,750). In addition, all the sources selected report significant and positive statistical links between well-being and PsyCap. These results suggest possible avenues for research on teachers' well-being.
PubMed: 38943874
DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2024.104370 -
Peptides Jun 2024This paper is the forty-sixth consecutive installment of the annual anthological review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system, summarizing articles... (Review)
Review
This paper is the forty-sixth consecutive installment of the annual anthological review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system, summarizing articles published during 2023 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides and receptors as well as effects of opioid/opiate agonists and antagonists. The review is subdivided into the following specific topics: molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors (1), the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia in animals (2) and humans (3), opioid-sensitive and opioid-insensitive effects of nonopioid analgesics (4), opioid peptide and receptor involvement in tolerance and dependence (5), stress and social status (6), learning and memory (7), eating and drinking (8), drug and alcohol abuse (9), sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology (10), mental illness and mood (11), seizures and neurologic disorders (12), electrical-related activity and neurophysiology (13), general activity and locomotion (14), gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions (15), cardiovascular responses (16), respiration and thermoregulation (17), and immunological responses (18).
PubMed: 38943841
DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2024.171268 -
Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Jun 2024Heavy alcohol drinking is a major, preventable problem that adversely impacts the physical and mental health of US young adults. Studies seeking drinking risk factors...
Heavy alcohol drinking is a major, preventable problem that adversely impacts the physical and mental health of US young adults. Studies seeking drinking risk factors typically focus on young adults who enrolled in 4-year residential college programs (4YCP) even though most high school graduates join the workforce, military, or community colleges. We examined 106 of these understudied young adults (USYA) and 453 4YCPs from the National Consortium on Alcohol and NeuroDevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA) by longitudinally following their drinking patterns for 8 years from adolescence to young adulthood. All participants were no-to-low drinkers during high school. Whereas 4YCP individuals were more likely to initiate heavy drinking during college years, USYA participants did so later. Using mental health metrics recorded during high school, machine learning forecasted individual-level risk for initiating heavy drinking after leaving high school. The risk factors differed between demographically matched USYA and 4YCP individuals and between sexes. Predictors for USYA drinkers were sexual abuse, physical abuse for girls, and extraversion for boys, whereas 4YCP drinkers were predicted by the ability to recognize facial emotion and, for boys, greater openness. Thus, alcohol prevention programs need to give special consideration to those joining the workforce, military, or community colleges, who make up the majority of this age group.
PubMed: 38943839
DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101413 -
Psychiatry Research Jun 2024The 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD-17) is the most popular depression measure in antidepressant clinical trials. Prior evidence indicates poor...
Evaluating the psychometric structure of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression pre- and post-treatment in antidepressant randomised trials: Secondary analysis of 6843 individual participants from 20 trials.
BACKGROUND
The 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD-17) is the most popular depression measure in antidepressant clinical trials. Prior evidence indicates poor replicability and inconsistent factorial structure. This has not been studied in pooled randomised trial data, nor has a psychometrically optimal model been developed.
AIMS
To examine the psychometric properties of the HRSD-17 for pre-treatment and post-treatment clinical trial data in a large pooled database of antidepressant randomised controlled trial participants, and to determine an optimal abbreviated version.
METHOD
Data for 6843 participants were obtained from the data repository Vivli.org and randomly split into groups for exploratory (n = 3421) and confirmatory (n = 3422) factor analysis. Invariance methods were used to assess potential sex differences.
RESULTS
The HRSD-17 was psychometrically sub-optimal and non-invariant for all models. High item variances and low variance explained suggested redundancy in each model. EFA failed at baseline and produced four item models for outcome groups (five for placebo-outcome), which were metric but not scalar invariant.
CONCLUSIONS
In antidepressant trial data, the HRSD-17 was psychometrically inadequate and scores were not sex invariant. Neither full nor abbreviated HRSD models are suitable for use in clinical trial settings and the HRSD's status as the gold standard should be reconsidered.
PubMed: 38943787
DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2024.116057 -
Psychiatry Research Jun 2024The COVID-19 pandemic had a great impact on mental health both in the general population and in individuals with preexisting mental disorders. Lockdown, social...
The COVID-19 pandemic had a great impact on mental health both in the general population and in individuals with preexisting mental disorders. Lockdown, social restrictions, changes in daily habits and limited access to health services led to changes in consultations in mental health services. This study aimed to determine changing trends in psychiatric admissions by the inclusion of adult patients admitted to the Emergency Department (ED) of Hospital Clínic of Barcelona between 2019 and 2021. Acute admissions, social issues and psychiatric diagnoses were compared between years, seasons and considering the interaction between both years and seasons. A total of 13,677 individuals were included in the analysis. An overall reduction in consultations to the ED and a higher proportion of acute admissions was observed in 2020 in context of the COVID-19 outbreak. Increased prevalence of sleeping disorders and substance use disorders was found in 2020. Self-harming behavior, suicidal thoughts and suicidal behavior showed an increasing tendency over time, with their highest rates in 2021. Prevention and management strategies should be considered in order to address increasing needs in mental health care.
PubMed: 38943785
DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2024.116015 -
European Neuropsychopharmacology : the... Jun 2024Minor physical anomalies (MPAs) are anatomical variations that are markers of aberrant early neurodevelopment. Schizophrenia is associated with increased MPA frequency,... (Review)
Review
Minor physical anomalies (MPAs) are anatomical variations that are markers of aberrant early neurodevelopment. Schizophrenia is associated with increased MPA frequency, however, the frequency and distribution of MPAs exhibit substantial heterogeneity in schizophrenia and are not exclusive to this disorder. MPAs at different localizations might represent different developmental origins and might be related to latent genetic predisposition or vulnerability to develop full-blown psychosis. Therefore, we conducted a thorough review of minor physical anomalies (MPAs) in schizophrenia (Sch) and first-degree relatives (SchRel). Analyzing 52 studies published from January 1980 to October 2023, the meta-analysis compared MPA scores between 3780 schizophrenia patients and 3871 controls, as well as 1415 SchRel and 1569 controls. The total MPA score was significantly increased in schizophrenia compared to controls (g = 0.78 [0.63-0.93], p<0.001). In regional MPA meta-analyses, effect sizes ranged from 0.56 to 0.78. The difference between SchRel and controls was moderate (g = 0.44 [0.28-0.61], p<0.001). When individual MPA items were analyzed separately, fine electric hair, malformed ear, asymmetrical ear, curved 5th finger were anomalies that were shared between both schizophrenia and SchRel. Also, direct comparisons of the frequency of MPAs in schizophrenia and their relatives were conducted. Additionally, the early age of onset of schizophrenia was associated with mouth anomalies (Z=-2.13, p = 0.03), and ear anomalies were associated with a higher percentage of males in the schizophrenia group (Z = 2.64, p = 0.008). These findings support the notion that different MPAs might be associated with genetic susceptibility as well as vulnerability to developing full-blown psychosis. Studies investigating clinical and neurobiological correlates of MPAs in schizophrenia might be helpful in characterizing subtypes of psychoses that are associated with different developmental processes.
PubMed: 38943776
DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2024.05.007 -
European Journal of Oncology Nursing :... Jun 2024Self-management is an essential component of the curative treatment trajectory of esophageal cancer patients. The aims of this study were to explore expectations and...
PURPOSE
Self-management is an essential component of the curative treatment trajectory of esophageal cancer patients. The aims of this study were to explore expectations and needs of esophageal cancer patients during curative treatment regarding self-management, relevant aspects of self-management in which they need additional support, and to explore their willingness to use eHealth.
METHODS
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with esophageal cancer patients, who had been treated with neoadjuvant chemo(radio)therapy followed by surgery, maximally 1 year after surgery. Based on the general model of self-management, the following themes were discussed: experience-based knowledge, contribution to care, living with the condition, and organization of care and support. A stepwise systematic text condensation guided the data analysis.
RESULTS
All four domains of the general model of self-management were identified. All participants described a remarkable difference between the pre-operative pathway, when it felt like they were taken by the hand, and the postoperative pathway, when it felt like they were thrown into the deep end. They adjusted to their new life situation by learning new experiences, while dealing with their diminished confidence in their bodies. Patients expressed the need for support from different sources, and were open to the idea of using eHealth in addition to usual care. (digital) Self-management support should be easily accessible, person-centered, confidential, and include personal contact.
CONCLUSION
Differences were found among esophageal cancer patients regarding self-management, self-management support and eHealth for self-management purposes, indicating there is no one approach that will meet the needs of all patients at all times.
PubMed: 38943774
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejon.2024.102638