1.Advances in the study on brain-gut axis mechanism of common mental disorders and clinical intervention
Sichuan Mental Health 2023;36(3):193-196
There are a large number of microbial communities in human intestine, which play an important role in many physiological processes of the body. It has been found that intestinal microorganisms can act on brain diseases through brain-gut axis mechanism. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the mechanism of intestinal microorganisms in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression, and to provide new ideas for the prevention and treatment of psychiatric disorders.
2.Clinical features and treatment status of adolescent patients with bipolar disorder
Qian SUN ; Wei JIANG ; Jiong LUO ; Wen WANG ; Hu WANG ; Yanping REN
Sichuan Mental Health 2023;36(3):197-201
BackgroundGender and age differences in the clinical manifestations of patients with bipolar disorder can affect the clinical diagnosis and treatment process. The current treatment effect of bipolar disorder in adolescents is not ideal, which has become the main reason for disability during the learning period. ObjectiveTo analyze the clinical features and medication therapy status of bipolar disorder in adolescents, and to provide references to support for personalized diagnosis and treatment. MethodsOn January 16, 2023, 1 169 patients with bipolar disorder who were hospitalized at Beijing Anding Hospital Affiliated Capital Medical University from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2017 were retrospectively enrolled. Medical records were collected and analyzed to compare the clinical features among patients of different gender and age groups, and to explore the differences in medication use among patients of different genders in different types of seizures. ResultsMale patients reported a larger proportion of manic episodes, and a smaller proportion of depressive episodes than female patients (P<0.05).Female patients reported a larger proportion of non-suicidal self-harm behaviors than male patients (χ2=7.761, P<0.01).And patients in low-age group featured a larger proportion of mixed seizures, impulsive behaviors and family history of bipolar disorders along with a smaller proportion of manic episodes than those in high-age group (P<0.05 or 0.01). High-age group had a longer average length of hospital stay than low-age group (t=-2.930, P<0.01). In manic episode patients, males were found to have a larger proportion of valproate and atypical antipsychotic drug administration than females (P<0.01). Among atypical antipsychotic drugs, males accounted for a larger proportion of administration of risperidone and olanzapine (χ2=26.957) than females (P<0.05 or 0.01), while females constituted a larger proportion of administration of quetiapine (χ2=14.865) and aripiprazole than males (P<0.01). In depressive episode patients, females had a larger proportion of administration of olanzapine than males (P<0.01). In patients with mixed seizures, females occupied a larger proportion of administration of lithium carbonate than males (χ2=9.253, P<0.01), and males exhibited a larger proportion of administration of valproate than females (P<0.05). ConclusionDifferences have been shown in diagnostic classification and concomitant symptoms among adolescent bipolar disorder of different genders and ages. Furthermore, medications of lithium carbonate, valproate, atypical antipsychotic and other drugs differ by gender among adolescents of different subtypes of bipolar disorder. [Funded by Key Special Project of the National Key R&D Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology for "Major Chronic Non communicable Disease Prevention and Control Research" (number, 2017YFC1311101)]
3.Executive function in adolescent patients with major depressive episode with psychotic symptoms and childhood trauma
Shiqi SONG ; Jianbo LIU ; Mengxiao YAN ; Minsi ZHOU ; Ming GAO ; Wentai FENG ; Jianping LU
Sichuan Mental Health 2023;36(3):202-208
BackgroundThere are differences in executive function between major depressive episode patients with or without psychotic symptoms, and childhood trauma may affect the executive function of patients with major depressive episode. Previous research studies predominantly focused on adult patients with major depressive episode, with a lack of studies specifically focusing on adolescent patients with major depressive episode. ObjectiveTo investigate the differences in executive function among adolescent patients with major depressive episode, with or without psychotic symptoms and childhood trauma. MethodsA total of 112 hospitalized adolescent patients with major depressive episode who met the criteria of the International Classification of Diseases, tenth edition (ICD-10) were included in the study. The participants were recruited from the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital during the period from August 2020 to November 2021. Additionally, 27 healthy controls were recruited through public advertisements. The Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) was used to assess executive function through the administration of the Motor Screening Task (MOT), Spatial Working Memory(SWM) and Rapid Visual Information Processing (RVP) modules. Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF) was used to assess the trauma type. ResultsCompared with healthy controls, adolescent patients with major depressive episode had a longer mean delay (Z=-3.407, P=0.001) in the MOT task. In the SWM task, the patients had a higher total number of intergroup error responses (Z=-3.291, P=0.001), a higher total number of intragroup error responses (Z=-3.461, P=0.001), more total number of double error responses (Z=-3.218, P=0.001), a higher total error responses (Z=-3.312, P=0.001), higher strategy scores (Z=-2.437, P=0.015) and longer average delay time (Z=-2.055, P=0.040). In the RVP task, the patients had fewer hits (Z=-3.196, P=0.001), more misses (Z=-3.179, P=0.001), fewer rejections (Z=-2.772, P=0.006), lower hit probability (Z=-3.187, P=0.001) and lower A´ scores (Z=-3.070, P=0.002).Compared with adolescent patients with major depressive episode without psychotic symptoms, those with psychotic symptoms had a lower total number of double error responses (Z=-2.566, P=0.010) in SWM task. Compared with adolescent patients with major depressive episode who did not experience emotional neglect, those who experienced emotional neglect had longer average delay time (Z=-3.183, P=0.001) in MOT task, fewer total hits (Z=-2.445, P=0.014), more total missed reports (Z=-2.467, P=0.014), lower hit probability (Z=-2.445, P=0.014) and lower A´scores (Z=-2.089, P=0.037) in RVP task. Adolescent patients with major depressive episode who had experienced emotional abuse had longer average delay time in MOT task than those who had not experienced emotional abuse (Z=-2.552, P=0.011). ConclusionAdolescent patients with major depressive episode exhibit abnormalities in a majority of executive function domains. Specifically, those without psychotic symptoms and with childhood trauma demonstrate significantly impaired executive function. [Funded by Shenzhen Fund for Guangdong Provincial High-level Clinical Key Specialties (number, SZGS013), Basic and Applied Basic Research Fund of Guangdong Province (number, 2019A1515110047), Shenzhen Science and Technology Planning Project (number, JCYJ20190809155019338)]
4.Attitudes towards suicidal behavior and related factors in adolescent patients with depressive episode
Jiawei ZHAO ; Wei LIU ; Daojin WANG
Sichuan Mental Health 2023;36(3):209-215
BackgroundAttitude towards suicide among adolescents is closely linked with their suicidal behavior. Previous studies on suicidal attitudes and related factors primarily focused on school samples, with limited research on relevant clinical samples of adolescents with depressive episode. ObjectiveTo analyze the attitudes towards suicidal behavior and the influencing factors in adolescent patients with depressive episode, so as to provide references for suicide intervention in this population. MethodsA total of 100 adolescent patients who met the diagnostic criteria for depressive episode according to the International Classification of Diseases, tenth edition (ICD-10) were selected from the outpatient and inpatient departments of the Fourth People's Hospital of Wuhu from May 2021 to July 2022. A self-designed general demographic questionnaire, Hamilton Depression Scale-17 item (HAMD-17), Suicide Attitude Questionnaire (QSA), Egma Minnen av Bardndosnauppforstran (EMBU) and Internet Addiction Test (IAT) were used to evaluate the patients' depressive symptoms, attitudes towards suicide, parenting styles and Internet addiction, respectively. Spearman and Pearson correlation analyses were used to examine the correlation between the factor scores of attitudes towards suicidal behavior in QSA and demographic characteristics, HAMD-17 score, EMBU score and IAT score. Multiple linear regression was conducted to screen the risk factors associated with attitudes towards suicidal behavior, and ROC curves were plotted to evaluate the predictive efficacy of each factor. ResultsThe scores on attitudes towards suicidal behavior in QSA among adolescent patients with depressive episode were positively correlated with scores on attitude towards the suicidal person, attitude towards euthanasia, as well as scores on mother's emotional warmth and understanding factor (r=0.210~0.485, P<0.05 or 0.01). Conversely, they were negatively correlated with father's education level, suicidal behavior in the past 6 months, HAMD-17 score, IAT score, father's punishment and harshness, father's overinvolved, father's rejection and denial, father's overprotection, mother's overinvolved and overprotection, mother's rejection and denial, and mother's punishment and harshness factor scores (r=-0.571~-0.290, P<0.05 or 0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that QSA scores on attitude towards the suicidal person (β=0.198, P<0.01) and attitude towards euthanasia (β=0.302, P<0.01) positively predicted score on attitude towards suicidal behavior, and fathers' education level (β=-0.180, P=0.043), HAMD-17 scores (β=-0.366, P<0.01) and IAT scores (β=-0.191, P=0.030) negatively predicted scores on attitude towards suicidal behavior. The differences in predictive efficacy between the factors were not statistically significant (Z=-1.289~0.092, P>0.05). ConclusionInternet addiction, depression severity, attitudes towards suicide, attitudes towards euthanasia and father's education level may influence attitudes towards suicidal behavior in adolescent patients with depressive episode. [Funded by Scientific Research Project of Wuhu Municipal Health Commission in 2021 (number, WHWJ2021y076), Bengbu Medical College Postgraduate Science and Technology Innovation Project (number, Byycxz21040)]
5.Association between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and suicidal ideation in children and adolescents with first-episode depression
Shu CUI ; Zhiwei LIU ; Yun LIU ; Xiaoqin ZHOU ; Gaofeng YAO ; Feng SUN ; Longlong SUN
Sichuan Mental Health 2023;36(3):216-221
BackgroundSuicide is one of the serious public health problems worldwide. The relationship between suicide and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) may vary in different regions and different age. It is necessary to further investigate the relationship between NLR and suicidal ideation in Chinese children and adolescents with depression. ObjectiveTo explore the correlation between NLR and suicidal ideation in children and adolescents with depression, so as to provide clues for exploring the biomarkers of suicide. MethodsA retrospective analysis of 536 children and adolescents with depression who were hospitalized in the Third People's Hospital of Fuyang from January 2020 to December 2022 and met the diagnostic criteria of the International Classification of Diseases, tenth edition (ICD-10) was performed. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether they reported suicidal ideation. Demographic data, discharge diagnosis, Hamilton Depression Scale-17 item (HAMD-17) score and hematological test data (neutrophil counts, lymphocyte counts) on the second day were collected from medical records. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine the optimal cut-off point of NLR for predicting suicidal ideation in children and adolescents with depression, and binary Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors for suicidal ideation. ResultsAmong the 536 patients, 429 cases (80.04%) had no suicidal ideation, and 107 cases (19.96%) had suicidal ideation. Compared with patients without suicidal ideation, the HAMD-17 score [(25.28±8.86) vs. (21.21±8.46), F=19.400, P<0.01], neutrophil level [(3.85±1.68)×109/L vs. (3.15±1.14)×109/L, Z=4.073, P<0.01], and NLR level [(1.96±1.50) vs. (1.52±0.71), Z=3.532, P<0.01] in the suicidal ideation patients were significantly higher. The optimal critical NLR value determined by the ROC curve was 1.52 (59.80% sensitivity, 58.50% specificity), with an area under the curve of 0.610. Logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of suicidal ideation was 1.94 times higher in those with high NLR than in the low NLR after controlling for age, sex, age at onset, duration of illness, and HAMD-17 score (OR=1.940, 95% CI: 1.251~3.009, P=0.003). ConclusionNLR may be a risk factor and potential biomarker influencing suicidal ideation in the children and adolescents with first-episode depression. [Funded by Scientific Research Project of Fuyang Municipal Health Commission (number, FY2020xg14)]
6.Improvement of cognitive function by escitalopram and paroxetine in patients with first-episode depressive disorder and its relationship with thyroid hormone levels
Mingming ZHAO ; Jiahui MA ; Chao LI ; Gengyun NIU ; Zhifei WANG ; Zengxun LIU
Sichuan Mental Health 2023;36(3):222-227
BackgroundThe incidence of cognitive impairment in patients with depressive disorder is high, and the causes and mechanisms of which deserve more attention. It is usual that the thyroid hormone levels in patients with depressive disorder alter. Further research is needed to explore whether the cognitive function changes in patients with depressive disorder are related to thyroid hormone levels. ObjectiveTo explore the improvement of cognitive function in patients with first-episode depressive disorder after escitalopram and paroxetine treatment, and to analyse its correlation with thyroid hormone levels, so as to look for potential biomarkers of cognitive function change in patients with depressive disorder. MethodsFrom March 2021 to March 2022, 120 patients who met the diagnostic criteria of the International Classification of Diseases, tenth edition (ICD-10) for depression and were hospitalized at Shandong Mental Health Center were selected as the research objects. They were randomly divided into two groups by random number table method with 60 patients in each group. The two groups were treated with escitalopram (starting dose 5 mg/d) and paroxetine (starting dose 20 mg/d) for 6 weeks. Before and 6 weeks after the treatment, levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4) and free triiodothyronine (FT3) were tested respectively. Depression degree and cognitive function level were assessed using the Hamilton Depression Scale-17 item (HAMD-17) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), respectively. Pearson or Spearman correlation analysis was used to examine the correlation between the MoCA score difference before and after the treatment and the post-treatment level of thyroid hormone. ResultsBefore and 6 weeks after the treatment, the time effect of HAMD-17 total score in both groups was statistically significant (F=1 236.568, P<0.01). Also, the time effect, group effect as well as interaction effect of time and group of MoCA total score in both groups were statistically significant (F=79.186, 6.026, 20.417, P<0.05 or 0.01). The time effect, group effect as well as the interaction effect of time and group for FT3 level and FT4 level were statistically significant in both groups (F=75.973, 20.287, 0.961, 84.194, 0.142, 8.299, P<0.05 or 0.01). According to the simple effect analysis. After the treatment, the MoCA total score in both groups was higher than that before treatment, while FT3 and FT4 levels were lower than those before treatment (F=15.864, 5.421, 8.524, 6.443, 7.628, 3.639, P<0.01). After the 6-week treatment, the MoCA total score as well as FT3 and FT4 level differences in escitalopram and paroxetine groups were of statistical significance (t=5.841, -0.705, -2.349, P<0.05 or 0.01). The MoCA score difference before and after treatment in paroxetine group was positively correlated with FT3 and FT4 levels after treatment (r=0.276, 0.382, P<0.05 or 0.01). ConclusionBoth escitalopram and paroxetine can improve cognitive function in patients with first-episode depressive disorder. The improvement may be related to the changes in serum FT3 and FT4 levels.
7.Identification of potential hub genes involved in alcohol use disorder via bioinformatics analysis
Rong ZHAO ; Youwei ZHU ; Bin XIE
Sichuan Mental Health 2023;36(3):228-234
BackgroundAlcohol use disorder (AUD) is a type of chronic relapsing brain disorder. Genetic factors play an important role in the pathogenesis of AUD. And screening for molecular markers of AUD is of great significance for further elucidating the pathogenesis of the disease, discovering novel therapeutic targets and preventing relapse. ObjectiveTo explore relevant hub genes and potential signal pathways associated with the development of AUD through bioinformatics analysis, and to provide a new direction for the prevention and treatment of AUD. MethodsThe GSE161986 dataset was acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The limma package in R was utilized to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was carried out using the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID). A protein–protein interaction (PPI) network of DEGs was assessed using the STRING database and visualized by Cytoscape software. Finally, hub genes were validated in GSE44456 dataset. ResultsA total of 114 DEGs were identified. GSEA revealed that these genes were mainly involved in the regulation of signal transduction, protein binding, membrane trafficking and MAPK signaling pathway. PPI network and validation study indicated that GAD1, TIMP1 and CD44 were potential hub genes involved in AUD. ConclusionAberrant expression of GAD1 and TIMP1 as well as MAPK signaling pathway may play a key role in the pathogenesis of AUD, and may serve as potential molecular targets for the diagnosis and treatment of AUD. [Funded by "Flying Project" of Shanghai Mental Health Center (number, 2022-FX-01)]
8.Study of prefrontal cortex activation characteristics of patients with psychiatric disorders in verbal fluency task using functional near-infrared spectroscopy
Yulu YANG ; Yunyi SUN ; Hongqi XIAO ; Yaozong ZHENG ; Mei WANG ; Danlin SHEN ; Qing LI ; Daifa WANG ; Changjian QIU ; Yajing MENG
Sichuan Mental Health 2023;36(3):235-241
BackgroundFunctional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a new generation of imaging tool that can be used to assist the diagnosis of psychiatric disorders. However, whether the patterns of prefrontal cortex activation observed by fNIRS are specific for different psychiatric disorders remains to be explored. ObjectiveTo investigate the characteristics of prefrontal cortex activation in patients with depression, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in verbal fluency task (VFT) using fNIRS. MethodsFrom September to December 2021, 39 patients with schizophrenia, 205 patients with depressive disorder, 212 patients with anxiety disorder and 77 patients with bipolar disorder meeting the diagnostic criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) were recruited in the outpatient and inpatient department of West China Hospital, Sichuan University. fNIRS was used to monitor the prefrontal cortex hemodynamic changes of patients under VFT, and the clinical symptoms of patients were assessed by Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) and Hypomania Checklist-32 items(HCL-32). Differences in mean oxyhemoglobin (HbO2) concentration and the initial slope from 2 to 7 second during VFT were compared among patients with different diseases, and the correlation between mean HbO2 concentration/initial slope and clinical symptoms was analyzed by partial correlation analysis. ResultsThe concentration of HbO2 in channel 4 (Z=2.828, P=0.028) and channel 6 (Z=2.912, P=0.022) in patients with depression were significantly higher than those in patients with schizophrenia. Patients with anxiety had significantly higher changes in mean HbO2 concentration in channel 4 (Z=3.154, P=0.010), channel 5 (Z=3.021, P=0.015), channel 6 (Z=2.980, P=0.017) and of all channels (Z=2.881, P=0.024) than those of schizophrenia patients. There was a statistically significant difference in the initial slope of channel 3 between patients with depressive disorder and those with bipolar disorder (Z=2.691, P=0.039). Among patients with bipolar disorder, the anger-hostility scores of SCL-90 were negatively correlated with the mean HbO2 concentration changes in channel 4 (r=-0.505, P=0.004), channel 6 (r=-0.390, P=0.004), channel 15 (r=-0.546, P=0.002), channel 16 (r=-0.550, P=0.002) and the mean HbO2 concentration changes of all channels (r=-0.491, P=0.006). ConclusionPatients with schizophrenia had lower activation in frontopolar and orbitofrontal region than patients with depression and anxiety disorder, and the initial slope of the right frontopolar, inferior frontal and orbitofrontal region in patients with depression is higher than patients with bipolar disorder. In addition, patients with bipolar disorder had less activation in the frontopolar and orbitofrontal lobe, the insular cover of Broca's area and the upper outer frontal cortex, and were more irritable and hostile. [Funded by 1·3·5 Project for Disciplines of Excellence-Clinical Research Incubation Project, West China Hospital, Sichuan University (number, ZYJC21083)]
9.Analysis of risk factors for delirium in critically ill patients in a psychiatric hospital: a retrospective study
Weiqun TAO ; Xiaoying YE ; Li'na REN ; Xinhui XIE ; Haihua DENG ; Baixin CHEN ; Yun LI
Sichuan Mental Health 2023;36(3):242-247
BackgroundThe incidence of delirium in critically ill psychiatric patients is high, and there are many factors affecting delirium occurrence. At present, epidemiological studies on delirium among critically ill patients in psychiatric hospitals are limited. ObjectiveTo explore the risk factors for delirium in critically ill patients in a psychiatric hospital, so as to guide the clinical management of delirium in psychiatric hospitals. MethodsThis retrospective study included 427 critically ill patients who were admitted to Shenzhen Kangning Hospital from January 1, 2019 to May 31, 2021. The delirium situation, gender, age, pre-admission course of illness (duration from the onset of acute mental state changes to in-patient registration at a psychiatric hospital), history of mental illness, history of cognitive dysfunction, history of using psychoactive substances, history of using sedative and hypnotic drugs, number of combined chronic diseases, number of combined drugs and type of disease were examined as potential risk factors for delirium. Single Logistic regression was used to analyze the potential risk factors for delirium, and the potential risk factors were incorporated into the multi-factor Logistic regression analysis model so as to gradually screen out the risk factors for delirium in critically ill psychiatric patients. ResultsDelirium was present in 33.49% (143/427) of critically ill patients. Multi-factor Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the presence of delirium was associated with mental and behavioral disorders caused by psychoactive substances (OR=8.949, P<0.01), absent history of mental illness (OR=4.202, P<0.01), number of combined chronic diseases (OR=1.249, P<0.01), age (OR=1.031, P<0.01) and pre-admission course of illness (OR=0.942, P<0.01) . ConclusionDelirium was present in nearly 1/3 critically ill patients in the psychiatric hospital. The risk factors for delirium included short course of illness before admission, age, more combined chronic diseases, absent history of mental illness, mental and behavioral disorders caused by psychoactive substances. [Funded by Shenzhen Fund for Guangdong Provincial High-level Clinical Key Specialties (number, SZGSP013)]
10.Effect of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia on sleep quality and cognitive function in patients with chronic insomnia disorder
Lijun JIA ; Mengting HE ; Jiawei HE ; Xiaoya CHEN ; Hudan CHEN ; Yi WANG ; Jing YAO
Sichuan Mental Health 2023;36(3):248-253
BackgroundInsomnia disorder has become a common disease in the current society. Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomnia (CBTI) is one of the non-drug treatment methods for insomnia disorder, but relevant studies of its effect on sleep quality and cognitive function of patients with insomnia disorder are limited. ObjectiveTo explore the effects of CBTI on sleep quality and cognitive function in patients with insomnia disorder, so as to provide references for non-drug treatment of insomnia disorder. MethodsA total of 47 patients with insomnia disorder were recruited as the study subjects. They all met the diagnostic criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) and have visited Sichuan Mental Health Center from January 2021 to October 2022. The patients underwent CBTI for 6 weeks. Before the treatment, depression and anxiety symptoms were assessed using Hamilton Depression Scale-24 item (HAMD-24) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA). Sleep status and cognitive function were assessed using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) before and 6 weeks after the treatment. Spearman correlation analysis was used to examine the correlation between the reduction of PSQI score and the increase of MoCA score after treatment. ResultsAfter the 6-week treatment, the factor scores and total score of PSQI across 6 subscales (the sleep quality, sleep onset time, sleep time, sleep efficiency, sleep disorder and daytime dysfunction) were lower than those before the treatment, and the score differences were of statistical significance (t=5.569~15.290, P<0.01). Both factor and total scores of MoCA across 6 items (visuospatial and executive, naming, attention, language, abstraction and memory) were significantly higher than those before the treatment with score differences reaching statistical significance (t=-11.273~-4.277, P<0.01). Spearman correlation analysis demonstrated that there was a positive correlation between the decrease in PSQI total score and the increase in MoCA total score after the 6-week CBTI treatment (r=0.323, P=0.027). ConclusionCBTI may help improve sleep quality and cognitive function in patients with insomnia disorders. The improvement of sleep quality after CBTI intervention may be related to the improvement of cognitive function. [Funded by Scientific Research Project of Sichuan Provincial Health Commission (number, 19PJ216)]