Early-life stress (ES) leads to cognitive dysfunction in female adolescents, but the underlying neural mechanisms remain elusive. Recent evidence suggests that the cell adhesion molecules NECTIN1 and NECTIN3 play a role in cognition and ES-related cognitive deficits in male rodents. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether and how nectins contribute to ES-induced cognitive dysfunction in female adolescents. Applying the well-established limited bedding and nesting material paradigm, we found that ES impairs recognition memory, suppresses prefrontal NECTIN1 and hippocampal NECTIN3 expression, and upregulates corticotropin-releasing hormone (Crh) and its receptor 1 (Crhr1) mRNA levels in the hippocampus of adolescent female mice. Genetic experiments revealed that the reduction of dorsal CA1 (dCA1) NECTIN3 mediates ES-induced object recognition memory deficits, as knocking down dCA1 NECTIN3 impaired animals' performance in the novel object recognition task, while overexpression of dCA1 NECTIN3 successfully reversed the ES-induced deficits. Notably, prefrontal NECTIN1 knockdown did not result in significant cognitive impairments. Furthermore, acute systemic administration of antalarmin, a CRHR1 antagonist, upregulated hippocampal NECTIN3 levels and rescued object and spatial memory deficits in stressed mice. Our findings underscore the critical role of dCA1 NECTIN3 in mediating ES-induced object recognition memory deficits in adolescent female mice, highlighting it as a potential therapeutic target for stress-related psychiatric disorders in women.
Animals ; Female ; Mice ; CA1 Region, Hippocampal/metabolism* ; Cell Adhesion Molecules/metabolism* ; CRF Receptor, Type 1/metabolism* ; Memory Disorders/etiology* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Nectins/genetics* ; Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone/antagonists & inhibitors* ; Recognition, Psychology/physiology* ; Stress, Psychological/complications*

INTRODUCTION: Frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) exposed to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are at risk of psychological distress. This study evaluates the psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic on HCWs in a national paediatric referral centre. METHODS: This was a survey-based study that collected demographic, work environment and mental health data from paediatric HCWs in the emergency, intensive care and infectious disease units. Psychological impact was measured using the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale-21. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors associated with psychological distress. RESULTS: The survey achieved a response rate of 93.9% (430 of 458). Of the 430 respondents, symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress were reported in 168 (39.1%), 205 (47.7%) and 106 (24.7%), respectively. Depression was reported in the mild (47, 10.9%), moderate (76, 17.7%), severe (23, 5.3%) and extremely severe (22, 5.1%) categories. Anxiety (205, 47.7%) and stress (106, 24.7%) were reported in the mild category only. Collectively, regression analysis identified female sex, a perceived lack of choice in work scope/environment, lack of protection from COVID-19, lack of access to physical activities and rest, the need to perform additional tasks, and the experience of stigma from the community as risk factors for poor psychological outcome. CONCLUSION A high prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress was reported among frontline paediatric HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Personal psychoneuroimmunity and organisational prevention measures can be implemented to lessen psychiatric symptoms. At the national level, involving mental health professionals to plan and coordinate psychological intervention for the country should be considered.
Adult ; Anxiety/etiology* ; COVID-19/psychology* ; Depression/etiology* ; Female ; Health Surveys ; Hospitals, Pediatric ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Occupational Diseases/etiology* ; Pandemics ; Personnel, Hospital/psychology* ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Self Report ; Severity of Illness Index ; Singapore/epidemiology* ; Stress, Psychological/etiology*

INTRODUCTION: Emerging infectious disease outbreaks, such as the present coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, often have a psychological impact on the well-being of the general population, including survivors and caregivers. Our study aimed to synthesise extant literature regarding the combined psychological responses and coping methods used by the general population in past outbreaks. METHODS: We conducted a narrative synthesis of the published literature over the last two decades with a quality appraisal of included articles that reported both psychological responses and coping strategies within infectious disease outbreaks. RESULTS: A total of 144 papers were identified from the search, 24 of which were included in the review. Overall, 18 studies examined the psychosocial responses of the general population towards the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic, four studies focused on the Ebola epidemic and two studies covered the H1N1 outbreak. Common themes in psychological responses included anxiety/fears, depression, anger, guilt, grief and loss, post-traumatic stress and stigmatisation, but also a greater sense of empowerment and compassion towards others. Coping strategies adopted included problem-focused coping (seeking alternatives, self- and other-preservation), seeking social support, avoidance, and positive appraisal of the situation. CONCLUSION Amid the range of psychosocial responses seen in past infectious disease outbreaks, practical considerations for the current COVID-19 pandemic need to focus on the individual in the context of the larger social environment, with an emphasis on raising awareness of the range of possible psychosocial responses, access to psychological help, self-care, empowering self-support groups and sustained engagement with updated, reliable information about the outbreak.
Adaptation, Psychological ; physiology ; Betacoronavirus ; Coronavirus Infections ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Health Personnel ; psychology ; Humans ; Mental Health ; Pandemics ; Pneumonia, Viral ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Stress, Psychological ; epidemiology ; etiology ; psychology

Anxiety ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Autism Spectrum Disorder ; complications ; therapy ; Caregivers ; psychology ; Child ; Coronavirus Infections ; complications ; Humans ; Pandemics ; Pneumonia, Viral ; complications ; Stress, Psychological ; prevention & control

OBJECTIVE: To explore the pathogenic role of changes of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in the hippocampus in depression- and anxiety-like behaviors caused by prenatal stress (PS) in offspring rats. METHODS: Twelve female SpragueDawley rats weighing 240-260 g were randomly divided into control and restraint stress groups. The rats in the control group received no interventions, and those in restraint stress group were subjected to restraint stress (three times a day, 45 min each time) at the gestational age of 14-20 days. The 1-month-old offspring rats underwent open field test and forced swimming test to assess the anxiety- and depression-like behaviors, and the expressions of Wnt1, Gsk-3β and β-catenin in the hippocampus were detected using Western blotting. RESULTS: In open field test, the offspring rats with PS showed significantly decreased crossings of the center ( < 0.01) with reduced time spent in the center ( < 0.05) compared with control offspring rats. In forced swimming test, the offspring rats in PS group exhibited a significantly longer immobility time than in the control rats, and showed obvious depression- and anxiety-like behaviors. Compared with those in the control offspring rats, Gsk-3β expression increased significantly while the expressions of β-catenin and Wnt1 were significantly lowered in the hippocampus of the offspring rats in PS group ( < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS PS causes changes in Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in the hippocampus to contribute to the occurrence of depression-and anxiety-like behaviors in rats.
Animals ; Anxiety ; etiology ; metabolism ; Behavior, Animal ; Depression ; etiology ; metabolism ; Female ; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Pregnancy ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Restraint, Physical ; psychology ; Stress, Psychological ; complications ; Swimming ; psychology ; Wnt Signaling Pathway

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of genetic polymorphisms of norepinephrine metabolizing enzymes with postpartum depression and analyze the risk factors for postpartum depression in women following cesarean section. METHODS: A total of 591 Chinese woman of Han Nationality undergoing caesarean section were enrolled in this study. The diagnosis of postpartum depression was established for an Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) score ≥9. For all the women without antepartum depression, the genotypes of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT; at 5 sites including rs2020917 and rs737865) and monoamine oxidase A (rs6323) were determined using Sequenom Mass Array single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis. We analyzed the contribution of the genetic factors (SNPs, linkage disequilibrium and haplotype) to postpartum depression and performed logistic regression analysis to identify all the potential risk factors for postpartum depression and define the interactions between the genetic and environmental factors. RESULTS: The incidence of postpartum depression was 18.1% in this cohort. Univariate analysis suggested that COMT polymorphism at rs2020917 (TT genotype) and rs737865 (GG genotype) were significantly correlated with the occurrence of postpartum depression ( < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that COMT polymorphism at rs2020917 (TT genotype) and rs737865 (GG genotype), severe stress during pregnancy, and domestic violence were the risk factors for postpartum depression ( < 0.05); no obvious interaction was found between the genetic polymorphisms and the environmental factors in the occurrence of postpartum depression. CONCLUSIONS The rs2020917TT and rs737865GG genotypes of COMT, stress in pregnancy, and domestic violence are the risk factors for postpartum depression.
Catechol O-Methyltransferase ; genetics ; Cesarean Section ; adverse effects ; Depression, Postpartum ; diagnosis ; enzymology ; genetics ; Domestic Violence ; psychology ; Female ; Gene-Environment Interaction ; Genotype ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Linkage Disequilibrium ; Monoamine Oxidase ; genetics ; Norepinephrine ; metabolism ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Postoperative Complications ; diagnosis ; enzymology ; genetics ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; etiology ; psychology ; Risk Factors ; Stress, Psychological

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to find the relationship and conceptual model of discrimination, stress, support, and depression among the elderly in South Korea. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study involving 207 community-dwelling elders. Data were collected through questionnaires from May 5 to May 31, 2014 in community senior centers, and analyzed using descriptive statistics, t test, analysis of variance, Scheffè test, and structural equation modeling. RESULTS: There were significant effects of discrimination on stress, support on stress and stress on depression. Moreover, there were two significant indirect effects observed between discrimination and depression, and between support and depression. For each indirect effect, the mediating factor was stress. Additionally, there was no direct effect between discrimination and depression or support. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that social support and discrimination had indirect effects on depression through stress. More specifically, decreased stress led to a reduction of depression. Therefore, social support based on a thorough understanding of stress is very important for caring elderly who are depressive.
Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Depressive Disorder/epidemiology/*psychology ; Female ; Humans ; Models, Psychological ; Prejudice/psychology ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Rural Health ; Social Class ; Social Discrimination/*psychology ; Social Support ; Stress, Psychological/epidemiology/*etiology

INTRODUCTIONThe Diabetes Health Profile-18 (DHP-18) measures diabetes-related psychological well-being in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). It includes 3 subscales: psychological distress (PD), barriers to activity and disinhibited eating. The psychometric properties of the DHP have not been evaluated in Asia. The aim of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of the DHP in multiethnic Singapore.

MATERIALS AND METHODSPatients between the ages of 18 to 65 diagnosed with diabetes (either type 1 or type 2) for at least 1 year were recruited from a diabetes outpatient clinic in a tertiary hospital. They completed a set of self-administered questionnaires including sociodemographic information and the DHP. Validity of the DHP was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Reliability was assessed with internal consistency and sensitivity was determined by effect size, associated with detecting a statistically significant and clinically important difference between various patient subgroups.

RESULTSA total of 204 patients with mean age 45.4 (11.9) years, comprising 64% males and 50% Chinese, 27% Indian and 12% Malay were studied. In CFA, model fit was poor. Forced 3-factor EFA supported the original 3-factor structure of the DHP. Convergent and discriminant validity was demonstrated (100% scaling success). DHP was sensitive across majority of social demographic, clinical and social-functioning determinants (i.e., effect size >0.3). Cronbach's alpha exceeded 0.70 for all subscales. Ceiling effects were negligible but large floor effects were seen for the PD subscale (23%).

CONCLUSIONThe DHP is valid, reliable and sensitive for measuring well-being in Asian patients with T2DM.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; psychology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; psychology ; Emotional Adjustment ; Ethnic Groups ; psychology ; statistics & numerical data ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Feeding Behavior ; psychology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Psychological Tests ; Psychometrics ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Singapore ; Stress, Psychological ; diagnosis ; etiology ; psychology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

It is important to assess psychological distress after a diagnosis for cancer survivors, a population with a high risk for psychological distress. The aim of this study is to assess psychological distress among cancer survivors and to clarify the associated factors. In this cross-sectional analysis, data were obtained from standardized questionnaires administered to 1,163 cancer survivors and 49,243 non-cancer survivors who participated in the Fourth and Fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007-2012). We identified the adjusted rates for psychological distress and assessed factors associated with this kind of distress using multivariate logistic regression. Cancer survivors tended to have a higher adjusted rate of psychological distress than the general population. The current depressive symptom rate for cancer survivors was 16.69%, and the adjusted rate for history of depression in cancer survivors was 15.61%. The adjusted rate for higher level of stress was 25.51% in cancer survivors. Among the cancer survivors, younger subjects, female subjects, and those with limited social support were more prone to psychological distress. In addition, current smokers or risky drinkers, those with chronic diseases, and those with a poor self-perception of their health status were also identified as a high-risk group for psychological distress. As the number of cancer survivors has increased, the importance of assessing psychological distress after a cancer diagnosis should be emphasized among all cancer survivors. Further, psychological supportive care interventions for cancer survivors are needed to improve the survival rate and improve their quality of life.
Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Depression/etiology ; Female ; Health Status ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasms/*diagnosis/mortality ; Nutrition Surveys ; Quality of Life ; Social Support ; Socioeconomic Factors ; *Stress, Psychological ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Survivors/*psychology

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to assess predictor variables of husbands in multicultural families and examine the relationship among variables after setting up a hypothetical model including influencing factors, so as to provide a framework necessary for developing nursing interventions of domestic violence. METHODS: The participants were 260 husbands in multicultural families in four cities in Korea. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 and AMOS 20.0. RESULTS: Self-control, social support, family of origin violence experience and stress on cultural adaptation directly affected to dysfunctional communication, and the explanatory power of the variables was 64.7%. Family of origin violence experience in domestic stress on cultural adaptation, and dysfunctional communication were directly related to domestic violence in multicultural families, and the explanatory power of the variables was 64.6%. We found out that all variables in the model had mediation effects to domestic violence through dysfunctional communication. In other words, self-control and social support had complete mediation effects, and family of origin violence experience in domestic violence and stress on cultural adaptation had partial mediation effects. CONCLUSIONS: The variables explained in this study should be considered as predictive factors of domestic violence in multicultural families, and used to provide preventive nursing intervention. Our resutls can be taken into account for developing and implementing programs on alleviating dysfunctional communication in multicultural families in Korea.
Acculturation ; Communication ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; *Cultural Diversity ; Domestic Violence/ethnology/*statistics & numerical data ; Emigrants and Immigrants/psychology/statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Models, Psychological ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Self-Control/psychology ; Social Support ; Spouses/ethnology/psychology/statistics & numerical data ; Stress, Psychological/ethnology/etiology