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Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews Mar 2013In two recent reports, melanopsin gene variations were associated with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and in changes in the timing of sleep and activity in healthy... (Review)
Review
In two recent reports, melanopsin gene variations were associated with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and in changes in the timing of sleep and activity in healthy individuals. New studies have deepened our understanding of the retinohypothalamic tract, which translates environmental light received by the retina into neural signals sent to a set of nonvisual nuclei in the brain that are responsible for functions other than sight including circadian, neuroendocrine and neurobehavioral regulation. Because this pathway mediates seasonal changes in physiology, behavior, and mood, individual variations in the pathway may explain why approximately 1-2% of the North American population develops mood disorders with a seasonal pattern (i.e., Major Depressive and Bipolar Disorders with a seasonal pattern, also known as seasonal affective disorder/SAD). Components of depression including mood changes, sleep patterns, appetite, and cognitive performance can be affected by the biological and behavioral responses to light. Specifically, variations in the gene sequence for the retinal photopigment, melanopsin, may be responsible for significant increased risk for mood disorders with a seasonal pattern, and may do so by leading to changes in activity and sleep timing in winter. The retinal sensitivity of SAD is hypothesized to be decreased compared to controls, and that further decrements in winter light levels may combine to trigger depression in winter. Here we outline steps for new research to address the possible role of melanopsin in seasonal affective disorder including chromatic pupillometry designed to measure the sensitivity of melanopsin containing retinal ganglion cells.
Topics: Animals; Circadian Rhythm; Humans; Photoreceptor Cells; Retinal Ganglion Cells; Rod Opsins; Seasonal Affective Disorder; Sleep
PubMed: 23286902
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2012.12.009 -
JAMA Network Open May 2023Despite the COVID-19 pandemic's effect on daily life, limited research exists on the prevalence and risk factors of suicidality and sadness among South Korean...
IMPORTANCE
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic's effect on daily life, limited research exists on the prevalence and risk factors of suicidality and sadness among South Korean adolescents.
OBJECTIVES
To examine whether the observed sadness and suicidality in the early to middle periods of the COVID-19 pandemic differed from the expected level and to investigate changes in risk factors for sadness and suicidality.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
This nationwide serial cross-sectional survey study used data on 1 109 776 Korean adolescents aged 13 to 18 years from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey from 2005 to 2021.
EXPOSURE
The COVID-19 pandemic.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
The pattern of changes in the percentage or proportion of sadness or suicidality, as well as the risk factors for sadness or suicidality. The transitional effect of the COVID-19 pandemic was assessed using weighted odds ratios (wORs) or weighted beta coefficients with 95% CIs.
RESULTS
Between 2005 and 2021, 1 109 776 adolescents (mean [SD] age, 15.0 [1.7] years; 51.5% male adolescents; and 51.7% in grades 7-9 and 48.3% in grades 10-12) were included in the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. The slope of the long-term trends in sadness and suicidality decreased in the prepandemic period (sadness: from 37.8% [95% CI, 37.4%-38.2%] in 2005-2007 to 26.1% [95% CI, 25.9%-26.4%] in 2016-2019; suicidality: from 23.0% [95% CI, 22.7%-23.3%] in 2005-2007 to 12.3% [95% CI, 12.1%-12.5%] in 2016-2019), whereas the slope increased during the COVID-19 pandemic (sadness: from 25.0% [95% CI, 24.5%-25.6%] in 2020 to 26.6% [95% CI, 26.1%-27.1%] in 2021; trend difference in β, 0.249 [95% CI, 0.236-0.262]; suicidality: from 10.7% [95% CI, 10.3%-11.1%] in 2020 to 12.5% [95% CI, 12.1%-12.9%] in 2021; trend difference in β, 0.328 [95% CI, 0.312-0.344]). The trends presented a similar tendency in the subgroups according to sex, school grade, residential area, smoking status, and current alcohol use. Compared with the prepandemic period, the risk factors associated with sadness during the pandemic were younger age (wOR, 0.907; 95% CI, 0.881-0.933), female sex (wOR, 1.031; 95% CI, 1.001-1.062), urban residence (wOR, 1.120; 95% CI, 1.087-1.153), current smoking status (wOR, 1.134; 95% CI, 1.059-1.216), and current alcohol use (wOR, 1.051; 95% CI, 1.002-1.102). Female sex (wOR, 1.064; 95% CI, 1.021-1.109), urban residence (wOR, 1.117; 95% CI, 1.074-1.162), and low economic status (wOR, 1.286; 95% CI, 1.180-1.403) were the risk factors significantly associated with suicidality after the COVID-19 pandemic began.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
In this nationwide serial cross-sectional survey study of South Korean adolescents, the slope of the prevalence of sadness and suicidality increased during the COVID-19 pandemic after a decrease prior to the pandemic. The findings suggest that public health measures are needed to recognize vulnerable groups with risk factors and to prevent an increase in sadness and suicidality among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Topics: Humans; Adolescent; Female; Male; COVID-19; Pandemics; Cross-Sectional Studies; Sadness; Suicide; Risk Factors; Republic of Korea
PubMed: 37223902
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.14838 -
Journal of Anxiety Disorders Dec 2021Quality contact with other people serves as a reliable mood enhancement strategy. We wondered if the emotional benefits of socializing are present even for those with a...
Quality contact with other people serves as a reliable mood enhancement strategy. We wondered if the emotional benefits of socializing are present even for those with a psychological disorder defined by social distress and avoidance: social anxiety disorder (SAD). We conducted two ecological momentary assessment (EMA) studies and analyzed 7243 total surveys. In both studies, community adults diagnosed with SAD and healthy controls received five surveys each day for 2 weeks. Consistent with research on positivity deficits in SAD, between-person analyses in both studies suggest that, on average, participants with SAD reported lower positive and higher negative affect in social and non-social situations than healthy controls. Within-person analyses, however, revealed that in both studies participants with SAD and healthy controls reported higher positive affect when with others than when alone; no differences were found for negative affect for those with SAD. The difference in positive affect between social and nonsocial situations was smaller for participants with SAD in Study 1, suggesting that people with SAD may experience diminished reward responding when socializing. Our results suggest that even those with a mental illness defined by interpersonal distress can and do derive positive emotions from social interactions.
Topics: Adult; Anxiety; Ecological Momentary Assessment; Emotions; Happiness; Humans; Phobia, Social; Social Behavior
PubMed: 34509949
DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2021.102474 -
Depression Research and Treatment 2015Seasonal affective disorder or SAD is a recurrent major depressive disorder with a seasonal pattern usually beginning in fall and continuing into winter months. A... (Review)
Review
Seasonal affective disorder or SAD is a recurrent major depressive disorder with a seasonal pattern usually beginning in fall and continuing into winter months. A subsyndromal type of SAD, or S-SAD, is commonly known as "winter blues." Less often, SAD causes depression in the spring or early summer. Symptoms center on sad mood and low energy. Those most at risk are female, are younger, live far from the equator, and have family histories of depression, bipolar disorder, or SAD. Screening instruments include the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ). Typical treatment includes antidepressant medications, light therapy, Vitamin D, and counselling. This paper provides an overview of SAD.
PubMed: 26688752
DOI: 10.1155/2015/178564 -
Translational Psychiatry Dec 2017Experimental endotoxemia is a translational model to study inflammatory mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of mood disorders including depression. Disturbed... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Experimental endotoxemia is a translational model to study inflammatory mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of mood disorders including depression. Disturbed affective cognition constitutes a core aspect in depression, but has never been studied in the context of inflammation. We combined experimental endotoxemia with an established experimental mood induction procedure to assess the interaction between acute inflammation and sad mood and their effects on affective cognition. In this randomized cross-over study, N = 15 healthy males received endotoxin (0.8 ng/kg lipopolysaccharide iv) on one study day and placebo an otherwise identical study day. The affective Go/Nogo task was conducted after experimental induction of neutral and sad mood. Inflammatory markers were assessed hourly. Endotoxin application induced a transient systemic inflammation, characterized by increased leukocyte counts, TNF-alpha and interleukin-6 plasma concentrations (all p < 0.01, interaction effects). Mood induction led to greater sadness ratings, with highest ratings when sad mood was induced during inflammation (p < 0.05, interaction effect). Based on a 2 (endotoxin vs. placebo) × 2 (sad vs. neutral mood) × 2 (sad vs. happy Go/Nogo target words) factorial design, we observed a significant target × endotoxin condition interaction (p < 0.01) reflecting slower responses to sad targets during endotoxemia. Additionally, we found a valence × mood interaction (p < 0.05), reflecting slower reaction times to sad targets in sad mood. In summary, acute inflammation and sad mood are risk factors for disturbed affective cognition. The results may reflect a mood-congruency effect, with prolonged and sustained processing of mood-congruent information during acute inflammation, which may contribute to depression risk.
Topics: Adult; Affect; Cognition; Cross-Over Studies; Depression; Double-Blind Method; Endotoxemia; Humans; Inflammation; Lipopolysaccharides; Male; Young Adult
PubMed: 29225332
DOI: 10.1038/s41398-017-0043-0 -
General Psychiatry 2024The co-occurrence of depression and anxiety among adolescents is typically associated with suicide ideation.
BACKGROUND
The co-occurrence of depression and anxiety among adolescents is typically associated with suicide ideation.
AIMS
The study aimed to investigate the symptom-level relationship between suicide ideation and the comorbidity of depression and anxiety.
METHODS
1501 adolescents aged 12-19 years were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, and 716 adolescents who scored ≥5 on both scales were selected as participants. Network analysis was used to identify the network structure of depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms. Participants were categorised into either the suicide ideation or non-suicide ideation groups based on their scoring on the suicide-related item in PHQ-9. A comparison was made between the depression-anxiety symptom networks of the two groups.
RESULTS
'Restlessness', 'sad mood' and 'trouble relaxing' were the most prominent central symptoms in the depression-anxiety symptom network, and 'restlessness', 'nervousness' and 'reduced movement' were the bridge symptoms in this network. 'Sad mood' was found to be directly related to 'suicide ideation' with the highest variance. The network structure was significantly different in properties between the suicide ideation group and the non-suicide ideation group, with 'restlessness' and 'sad mood' exhibiting significantly higher influence in the network of the suicide ideation group than that in the non-suicide ideation group.
CONCLUSION
Restlessness and sad mood could be targeted for the intervention of depression-anxiety symptoms among adolescents with suicide ideation.
PubMed: 38562407
DOI: 10.1136/gpsych-2023-101225 -
Cognitive Therapy and Research Feb 2013Since the introduction of the associative network theory, mood-congruent biases in emotional information processing have been established in individuals in a sad and...
Since the introduction of the associative network theory, mood-congruent biases in emotional information processing have been established in individuals in a sad and happy mood. Research has concentrated on memory and attentional biases. According to the network theory, mood-congruent behavioral tendencies would also be predicted. Alternatively, a general avoidance pattern would also be in line with the theory. Since cognitive biases have been assumed to operate strongly in case of social stimuli, mood-induced biases in approach and avoidance behavior towards emotional facial expressions were studied. 306 females were subjected to a highly emotional fragment of a sad or a happy movie, to induce either a sad mood or a happy mood. An Approach-Avoidance Task was implemented, in which single pictures of faces (with angry, sad, happy, or neutral expression) and non-social control pictures were presented. In contrast to our expectations, mood states did not produce differential behavioral biases. Mood-congruent and mood-incongruent behavioral tendencies were, however, present in a subgroup of participants with highest depressive symptomatology scores. This suggests that behavioral approach-avoidance biases are not sensitive to mood state, but more related to depressive characteristics.
PubMed: 23355753
DOI: 10.1007/s10608-012-9436-9 -
Communications Biology Jun 2022Knowledge of the neural underpinnings of processing sad information and how it differs in people with depression could elucidate the neural mechanisms perpetuating sad...
Knowledge of the neural underpinnings of processing sad information and how it differs in people with depression could elucidate the neural mechanisms perpetuating sad mood in depression. Here, we conduct a 7 T fMRI study to delineate the neural correlates involved only in processing sad information, including pons, amygdala, and corticolimbic regions. We then conduct a 3 T fMRI study to examine the resting-state connectivity in another sample of people with and without depression. Only clinically depressed people demonstrate hyperactive amygdala-pons connectivity. Furthermore, this connectivity is related to depression symptom severity and is a significant indicator of depression. We speculate that visual sad information reinforces depressed mood and stimulates the pons, strengthening the amygdala-pons connectivity. The relationship between this connectivity and depressive symptom severity suggests that guiding one's visual attention and processing of sad information may benefit mood regulation.
Topics: Amygdala; Depression; Emotions; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Pons
PubMed: 35688901
DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03463-0 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2021Previous research has shown that drawing improves short-term mood in children when used to distract from rather than express negative thoughts and feelings. The current...
Previous research has shown that drawing improves short-term mood in children when used to distract from rather than express negative thoughts and feelings. The current study sought to examine (a) drawing might elevate mood in children ages 6-12 by examining the role played by absorption, enjoyment, and perceived competence as well as entering an imaginary world; and (b) whether children spontaneously use drawing to distract from a sad mood. Across three studies, children were asked to think of a disappointing event. After a sad mood induction, they drew for 5 min. Mood was measured before and after the mood induction and after drawing. Three main findings emerged. First, drawing to distract led to greater absorption and enjoyment than did drawing to express. Second, children's mood improved equally when drawing imaginary and real scenes showing that the key ingredient is that the content of the drawings be distracting in nature. Third, drawing improved mood even when children were given no instructions on the content of their drawings and children were more likely to use drawing as a way to distract themselves from a sad mood. These studies help to define the characteristics of drawing activities that foster mood improvement in children and highlight the important role of the arts in emotion regulation.
PubMed: 33603704
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.622927 -
Journal of Psychiatric Research Jun 2023Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is well documented in the medical literature, particularly in more northern latitudes in agreement with proposed hypotheses for SAD's... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is well documented in the medical literature, particularly in more northern latitudes in agreement with proposed hypotheses for SAD's pathophysiology. However, in the southern latitudes SAD's presence remains underexplored. The second largest country in the southern hemisphere is Australia. Australia has wide ranging geographical and climatic differences that are expected to support SAD's presence. The aim of this study is therefore, to establish an evidence base for SAD in Australia.
METHODS
PubMed and Google Scholar were searched for published peer-review studies focussed on, or related to SAD, winter depression or seasonal variation in mood in Australia. There were no time-period restrictions.
RESULTS
Thirteen studies were identified. Studies explored the presence/nature of SAD, contributing factors, autonomic activity, treatment, and the validity of the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire in the Australian population. An association between changes in mood and behaviour and seasonal occurrence was clearly identified, with SAD's presence varying by location. The highest percentage of study participants with SAD in a single location was observed in Tasmania, Australia's most southern state. The findings and interpretations of the studies included in this review are subject to the number of locations assessed, the number of studies undertaken at each location and individual study limitations.
CONCLUSIONS
Ascertaining information on the prevalence and correlates of SAD in the southern hemisphere, particularly in high-risk locations could contribute to clinical literacy into the syndrome, support management practices, and promote the early identification and treatment of the disorder.
Topics: Humans; Seasonal Affective Disorder; Australia; Phototherapy; Surveys and Questionnaires; Seasons
PubMed: 37167837
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.05.003