The impact of sleep education, light intervention and relaxation on sleep and mood in the elderly.

Sleep and light education (SLE) combined with relaxation is a potential method of addressing sleep and affective problems in older people. 47 participants took part in a four-week sleep education program. SLE was conducted once a week for 60-90 minutes. Participants were instructed on sleep and light hygiene, sleep processes, and practiced relaxation techniques. Participants were wearing actigraphs for 6 weeks, completed daily sleep diaries, and wore blue light-blocking glasses 120 minutes before bedtime. Measures included scores of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Insomnia Severity Index (ISS), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and actigraphy measurements of sleep latency, sleep efficiency, and sleep fragmentation. Sleep quality increased after SLE based on the subjective assessment and in the objective measurement with actigraphy. PSQI scores were statistically reduced indicating better sleep. Scores after the intervention significantly decreased in ESS and ISS. Sleep latency significantly decreased, whereas sleep efficiency and fragmentation index (%), did not improve. Mood significantly improved after SLE, with lower scores on the BDI-II and STAI. SLE combined with relaxation proved to be an effective method to reduce sleep problems and the incidence of depressive and anxiety symptoms.

Microbial bionic nano-aromatic drugs for prevention of depression induced by chronic stress.

Depression is a mood disorder mainly clinically characterized by significant and persistent low spirits. Chronic stress is the leading cause of depression. However, traditional medicine has severe side effects in treating depression, ineffective treatment, and easy recurrence. Therefore, it is of great significance to prevent depression in the environment of chronic stress. In this study, aromatherapy was used for the prevention of depression. To solve the defects of intense volatility and inconvenience in using essential oils, we designed bionic nano-aromatic drugs and adhered them to the wallpaper. Inspired by the moldy wallpaper, we successively prepared the morphology-bionic nano-aromatic drugs, the function-bionic nano-aromatic drugs, and the bionic plus nano-aromatic drugs by referring to the morphology of microorganisms and substances in bacterial biofilms. Bionic nano-aromatic drugs remarkably promoted their adhesion on wallpaper. Molecular dynamics simulation explored its molecular mechanism. The essential oils, which were slowly released from the bionic nano-aromatic drugs, showed excellent biosecurity and depression prevention. These sustainedly released essential oils could significantly increase monoamine neurotransmitters in the brain under a chronic stress environment and had excellent neuroprotection. Besides, the bionic nano-aromatic drugs with simple preparation process and low cost had excellent application potential.

The association between raw garlic consumption and the risk of depressive symptoms: the TCLSIH cohort study.

Background: Garlic has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular improvement and other beneficial effects on human health. However, few studies have evaluated the association of garlic intake with the risk of depressive symptoms. The aim of this prospective cohort was to examine the association between the frequency of raw garlic consumption and depressive symptoms in the general adult population. Methods: A total of 7427 participants (mean ± standard deviation: 39.7 ± 10.5 years) without baseline depressive symptoms were included in the cohort study. Garlic consumption was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire, and depressive symptoms were assessed by a Chinese version of the Self-rating Depression Scale score (SDS score ≥ 45). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine the association between garlic consumption and the risk of depressive symptoms. Results: This study identified 1070 cases of depressive symptoms during a median follow-up of 2.0 years, with a depression prevalence of 73.4 cases per 1000 person-years. After multivariate adjustment, the hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for depressive symptoms in males were 1.00 (reference) for almost never, 1.05 (0.84, 1.32) for ≤1 time per week, 1.16 (0.90, 1.49) for 2-3 times per week, and 1.31 (0.97, 1.78) for ≥4 times per week, and in females, they were 1.00 (reference) for almost never, 0.85 (0.69, 1.06) for ≤1 time per week, 0.72 (0.54, 0.97) for 2-3 times per week, and 0.78 (0.53, 1.13) for ≥4 times per week. Conclusion: In a large general population, we demonstrate for the first time that moderate raw garlic consumption is associated with a reduced risk of depressive symptoms in females, but not in males. Additional prospective studies with long-term follow-up and randomized controlled trials are necessary to confirm the preliminary results of the current study.

Not Just a Mood Disorder─Is Depression a Neurodevelopmental, Cognitive Disorder? Focus on Prefronto-Thalamic Circuits.

Depression is one of the most burdensome psychiatric disorders, affecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide. The disease is characterized not only by severe emotional and affective impairments, but also by disturbed vegetative and cognitive functions. Although many candidate mechanisms have been proposed to cause the disease, the pathophysiology of cognitive impairments in depression remains unclear. In this article, we aim to assess the link between cognitive alterations in depression and possible developmental changes in neuronal circuit wiring during critical periods of susceptibility. We review the existing literature and propose a role of serotonin signaling during development in shaping the functional states of prefrontal neuronal circuits and prefronto-thalamic loops. We discuss how early life insults affecting the serotonergic system could be important in the alterations of these local and long-range circuits, thus favoring the emergence of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as depression.

Associations of comorbid depression with cardiovascular-renal events and all-cause mortality accounting for patient reported outcomes in individuals with type 2 diabetes: a 6-year prospective analysis of the Hong Kong Diabetes Register.

Background: Psychosocial status and patient reported outcomes (PRO) [depression and health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL)] are major health determinants. We investigated the association between depression and clinical outcomes in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), adjusted for PRO. Methods: Using prospective data from Hong Kong Diabetes Register (2013-2019), we estimated the hazard-ratio (HR, 95%CI) of depression (validated Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) score≥7) with incident cardiovascular disease (CVD), ischemic heart disease (IHD), chronic kidney disease (CKD: eGFR<60 ml/min/1.73m2) and all-cause mortality in 4525 Chinese patients with T2D adjusted for patient characteristics, renal function, medications, self-care and HRQoL domains (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, anxiety/depression measured by EQ-5D-3L) in linear-regression models. Results: In this cohort without prior events [mean ± SD age:55.7 ± 10.6, 43.7% women, median (IQR) disease duration of 7.0 (2.0-13.0) years, HbA1c, 7.2% (6.6%-8.20%), 26.4% insulin-treated], 537(11.9%) patients had depressive symptoms and 1923 (42.5%) patients had some problems with HRQoL at baseline. After 5.6(IQR: 4.4-6.2) years, 141 patients (3.1%) died, 533(11.8%) developed CKD and 164(3.6%) developed CVD. In a fully-adjusted model (model 4) including self-care and HRQoL, the aHR of depression was 1.99 (95% confidence interval CI):1.25-3.18) for CVD, 2.29 (1.25-4.21) for IHD. Depression was associated with all-cause mortality in models 1-3 adjusted for demographics, clinical characteristics and self-care, but was attenuated after adjusting for HRQoL (model 4- 1.54; 95%CI: 0.91-2.60), though HR still indicated same direction with important magnitude. Patients who reported having regular exercise (3-4 times per week) had reduced aHR of CKD [0.61 (0.41-0.89)]. Item 4 of PHQ-9 (feeling tired, little energy) was independently associated with all-cause mortality with aHR of 1.66 (1.30-2.12). Conclusion: Depression exhibits significant association with CVD, IHD, and all-cause mortality in patients with diabetes, adjusting for their HRQoL and health behaviors. Despite the association between depression and all-cause mortality attenuated after adjusting for HRQoL, the effect size remains substantial. The feeling of tiredness or having little energy, as assessed by item Q4 of the PHQ-9 questionnaire, was found to be significantly associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality after covariate adjustments. Our findings emphasize the importance of incorporating psychiatric evaluations into holistic diabetes management.

[Essential oil of Cinnamomum camphora mitigates depression-like behavior in mice by regulating Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and inhibiting inflammatory cytokines].

This study aims to investigate the essential oil(EOL) of Cinnamomum camphora regarding its anti-depression effect and mechanism in regulating inflammatory cytokines and the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1(HO-1) pathway. A mouse model of depression was established by intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide(LPS). Open field, elevated plus maze, and forced swimming tests were carried out to examine mouse behaviors. Western blot and qRT-PCR were employed to determine the expression of proteins and genes in the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in the hippocampus. The levels of tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α, interleukin(IL)-6, and IL-1ß in the serum were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). The changes of apoptosis in mouse brain were detected by Tunel staining. Compared with the blank control group, the model group showed shortened distance travelled and time spent in the central zone and reduced number of entries in the central zone in the open field test. In the elevated plus maze test, the model group showed reduced open arm time(OT%) and open arm entries(OE%). In the force swimming test, the model group showed extended duration of immobility compared with the blank control group. Compared with the model group, the treatment with EOL significantly increased the distance travelled and time spent in the central zone and increased the number of entries in the central zone in the open field test. In addition, EOL significantly increased the OT% and OE% in the elevated plus maze and shor-tened the immobility duration in the forced swimming test. The model group showed lower expression levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 and hig-her levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß than the blank control group. Compared with the model group, the treatment with EOL up-regulated the expression levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 and lowered the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß. The Tunel staining results showed that the apoptosis rate in the brain tissue of mice decreased significantly after the treatment with EOL. To sum up, EOL can mitigate the depression-like behaviors of mice by up-regulating the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 and preventing hippocampal inflammatory damage. The findings provide empirical support for the application of EOL and aromatherapy in the treatment of depression.

Anethole as a promising antidepressant for maternal separation stress in mice by modulating oxidative stress and nitrite imbalance.

The occurrence of major depressive disorder is widespread and can be observed in individuals belonging to all societies. It has been suggested that changes in the NO pathway and heightened oxidative stress may play a role in developing this condition. Anethole is a diterpene aromatic compound found in the Umbelliferae, Apiaceae, and Schisandraceae families. It has potential pharmacological effects like antioxidant, anxiolytic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, gastroprotective, anticancer, estrogenic, and antimicrobial activities. This study aimed to investigate the potential antidepressant properties of Anethole in a mouse model experiencing maternal separation stress while also examining its impact on oxidative stress and nitrite levels. The research involved the participation of 40 male NMRI mice, separated into five distinct groups to conduct the study. The control group was administered 1 ml/kg of normal saline, while the MS groups were given normal saline and Anethole at 10, 50, and 100 mg/kg doses. The study comprised various behavioural tests, including the open field test (OFT), forced swimming test (FST), and splash test, to assess the effects of Anethole on the mice. In addition to the behavioural tests, measurements were taken to evaluate the total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA), and nitrite levels in the hippocampus of the mice. According to the findings, maternal separation stress (MS) led to depressive-like conduct in mice, including a rise in immobility duration during the FST and a reduction in the duration of grooming behaviour in the splash test. Additionally, the results indicated that MS correlated with an increase in the levels of MDA and nitrite and a reduction in the TAC in the hippocampus. However, the administration of Anethole resulted in an increase in grooming activity time during the splash test and a decrease in immobility time during the FST. Anethole also exhibited antioxidant characteristics, as demonstrated by its ability to lower MDA and nitrite levels while increasing the TAC in the hippocampus. The results suggest that Anethole may have an antidepressant-like impact on mice separated from their mothers, likely partly due to its antioxidant properties in the hippocampus.

Biomarker triterpenoids of Centella asiatica as potential antidepressant agents: Combining in vivo and in silico studies.

Although there are various treatments available for depression, some patients may experience resistance to treatment or encounter adverse effects. Centella asiatica (C. asiatica) is an ancient medicinal herb used in Ayurvedic medicine for its rejuvenating, neuroprotective and psychoactive properties. This study aims to explore the antidepressant-like effects of the major constituents found in C. asiatica, i.e., asiatic acid, asiaticoside, madecassic acid, and madecassoside at three doses (1.25, 2.5, and 5 mg/kg, i.p), on the behavioural and cortisol level of unpredictable chronic stress (UCS) zebrafish model. Based on the findings from the behavioural study, the cortisol levels in the zebrafish body after treatment with the two most effective compounds were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Furthermore, a molecular docking study was conducted to predict the inhibitory impact of the triterpenoid compounds on serotonin reuptake. The in vivo results indicate that madecassoside (1.25, 2.5, and 5 mg/kg), asiaticoside and asiatic acid (5 mg/kg) activated locomotor behaviour. Madecassoside at all tested doses and asiaticoside at 2.5 and 5 mg/kg significantly decreased cortisol levels compared to the stressed group, indicating the potential regulation effect of madecassoside and asiaticoside on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis overactivity. This study highlights the potential benefits of madecassoside and asiaticoside in alleviating depressive symptoms through their positive effects on behaviour and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)- axis in a chronic unpredictable stress zebrafish model. Furthermore, the in silico study provided additional evidence to support these findings. These promising results suggest that C. asiatica may be a valuable and cost-effective therapeutic option for depression, and further research should be conducted to explore its potential benefits.

Coping with test anxiety using imagery rescripting: A two-session randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Up to 55 % of students experience test anxiety (TA), which is characterized by intense physiological and psychological symptoms before or during exams, such as anxiety, fear of failure, sweating, or increased heart rate. Furthermore, TA increases graduation times and can result in discontinuance of the graduate program all together. Previous research demonstrated the beneficial effects of combining cognitive behavioral therapy with imagery rescripting, however, treatment programs are comparably long. Hence, they do not account for the students´ time-sensitive schedules. Therefore, the present study investigates a two-session short-intervention using imagery rescripting to treat TA. METHODS: 44 students and pupils were randomly assigned to either the two-session imagery rescripting intervention (22 participants) or the waitlist-control condition (22 participants). One week before the intervention clinical interviews were conducted and self-report questionnaires on TA, self-efficacy, symptoms of depression, and intrusive prospective images were completed (T1). The same questionnaires were completed one week (T2) and six months after the intervention (T3). RESULTS: Test anxiety significantly decreased from T1 to T2, as well as from T1 to T3 within the intervention group. Furthermore, there were medium to large within and between group effects for situational test anxiety, self-efficacy, symptoms of depression, as well as prospective intrusive images, showing significant improvements for the intervention group at six months follow-up. LIMITATIONS: The study is limited to the comparably small sample size, as well as the sole usage of self-report measurements. CONCLUSIONS: The presented short-intervention provides a feasible treatment technique, which can be easily applied within school and university counseling centers.

Efficacy of patient education and duloxetine, alone and in combination, for patients with multisystem functional somatic disorder: Study protocol for the EDULOX trial.

BACKGROUND: Multisystem functional somatic disorder is characterized by specific patterns of persistent physical symptoms with a complex biopsychosocial etiology. The disorder can lead to disability and personal suffering. Current treatment options require specialized settings, therefore patients often wait a long time to receive specific treatment. Patient education is considered important in most treatment programs, but has only been investigated sparsely as a stand-alone treatment. Pharmacological treatment is limited to tricyclic antidepressants in low doses with no antidepressant properties. Duloxetine has been found effective in single organ functional disorders. As a treatment for multisystem functional somatic disorder, duloxetine could reduce symptoms and treat comorbid anxiety and depression. It may furthermore enhance the effect of patient education through a hypothesized effect on cognitive functioning. The purpose of the EDULOX trial is to study psycho-EDUcation and duLOXetine alone and in combination. METHODS: This is a nested study design. The parent trial "EDULOX1" (n = 424) will compare a patient education program with enhanced usual care in an open-labelled, randomized controlled trial. In addition to this, eligible participants will furthermore receive either duloxetine or active placebo in the nested, double-blinded, randomized controlled trial, "EDULOX2" (n = 212). Patient and clinician reported outcomes will be collected through questionnaires. CONCLUSION: The EDULOX trial may establish evidence for treatments applicable for the majority of patients with multisystem functional somatic disorder. If effective, duloxetine would be a more tolerable pharmacological treatment option that can target comorbid depression and anxiety, and potentially boost the effect of patient education. Trial registration number The study is registered at www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov (NCT06232473) and the internal list of research projects at the Region of Central Denmark (Case number 1-16-02-305-23). Approval from the Danish Medical Research Ethics Committees (Case number: 2212291) and the Danish Medicines Agency was obtained under EudraCT Number: 2022-002780-30 and Sponsor's Protocol Code Number: 9515.

Personalized Music Therapy for Elderly Patients with Chronic Renal Failure to Improve their Quality of Life and Mental Health: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic renal failure (CRF) poses significant clinical risks. Therefore, attention should be paid to the daily nursing of such patients, and better clinical nursing programs should be provided. METHODS: The data of 120 patients with CRF at Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital from March 2020 to March 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. After 8 patients were excluded, 112 patients were finally included in this study. The included patients were divided into group A (58 patients receiving clinical routine nursing) and group B (54 patients receiving clinical routine nursing and personalized music) according to different nursing schemes. The anxiety level, depression level, quality of life (QOL), and clinical satisfaction of the patients in both groups were compared before and after nursing. RESULTS: Before the implementation of nursing, no significant difference existed in the levels of anxiety, depression, and QOL between the two groups (P > 0.05). After nursing, group B had significantly lower levels of anxiety and depression and significantly higher QOL than group A (P < 0.001). No significant difference in clinical nursing satisfaction was found between the two groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The implementation of personalized music can improve the QOL and psychological states of patients, with clinical application value.

Dietary intake with supplementation of vitamin D, vitamin B6, and magnesium on depressive symptoms: a public health perspective.

Objective: This study aims to understand the impact of dietary intake through supplementation of vitamins D, B6, and magnesium on elevated depressive symptoms, a mental health illness that is a leading contributor to global disability and a public health concern. Methods: Multiple datasets from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017-March 2020 investigated the associations between vitamin D, B6, and magnesium on depression screening scores. A cross-sectional sample of adults over 20 was extracted (n = 9,232). Chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the associations. Results: Individuals with low amounts of vitamin D (p = 0.0481) were more likely to report elevated depressive symptoms relative to those with low amounts of vitamin B6 (p = 0.0225). These results remained significant among those with high magnesium (p = 0.0133) proportionate to high vitamin B6 (p = 0.0225). In the age-adjusted model, a lower intake of vitamin D, vitamin B6, and magnesium showed a relationship with elevated depressive symptoms (Vitamin D: OR = 0.611, 95% CI 0.382-0.980 Vitamin B6: OR = 0.503, 95% CI 0.291-0.867 Magnesium: OR = 0.458, 95% CI 0.277-0.759). The fully adjusted regression model (gender, race/ethnicity, and household food security) showed that a lower intake of vitamin B6 and magnesium correlated with elevated depressive symptoms (Vitamin B6: OR = 0.439, 95% CI 0.260-0.738 Magnesium: OR = 0.465, 95% CI 0.303-0.714). Conclusion: Preventive measures could be addressed by identifying the risks of vitamin deficiencies. Further epidemiological research is needed for the individual effects of vitamin supplementation and depression screening scores. Future prospective cohort studies exploring these associations, focusing on daily dietary intake, are needed to validate the direction of causation further and understand the underlying mechanisms.

The effects of jujube (Ziziphus jujube) on metabolic and mental health outcomes in patients with metabolic syndrome: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: The effects of jujube (Ziziphus jujube) consumption on metabolic and mental health outcomes in subjects diagnosed with metabolic syndrome (MetS) is unknown and remains to be examined. Hence, we carried out a parallel-group, randomized controlled trial to investigate this issue. METHODS: Eligible participants were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 30) or the control (n = 30) groups to receive either jujube or a placebo for eight weeks. Subjects were provided with 30 g dried jujube powder or placebo and were asked to consume half of the powder at 10 a.m. and the rest at 4 p.m. Lipid profile, fasting blood glucose (FBG), waist circumference (WC), and blood pressure were evaluated as primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes collected were mental health measures (e.g., depression, anxiety, and stress). RESULTS: Jujube consumption failed to decrease FBG, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and blood pressure, as well as depression and anxiety scores (P > 0.05). However, the between-group comparison revealed a significant improvement in WC (- 3.98 vs. - 0.51, P = 0.01), triglyceride (TG) (- 24.96 vs. - 0.73, P = 0.03), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (2.83 vs. 0.40, P = 0.01) in the jujube group compared to the placebo. In addition, compared to the control group, jujube consumption led to a significant improvement in the score of stress (- 5.80 vs. - 2.86, P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Jujube consumption only had beneficial effects on WC, TG, and HDL-C in subjects with MetS. However, the current study has methodological weaknesses in blinding and herb purity/potency testing, which should be addressed in future studies.

Network pharmacology and experimental evidence: ERK/CREB/BDNF signaling pathway is involved in the antidepressive roles of Kaiyu Zhishen decoction.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) emerges as a complex psychosomatic condition, notable for its considerable suicidality and mortality rates. Increasing evidence suggests the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine in mitigating depression symptoms and offsetting the adverse effects associated with conventional Western therapeutics. Notably, clinical trials have revealed the adjunctive antidepressant potential of Kaiyu Zhishen Decoction (KZD) alongside Western medication. However, the standalone antidepressant efficacy of KZD and its underlying mechanisms merit in-depth investigation. AIM OF THE STUDY: This research aims to elucidate the impact of KZD on MDD and delineate its mechanistic pathways through integrated network pharmacological assessments and empirical in vitro and in vivo analyses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To ascertain the optimal antidepressant dosage and mechanism of KZD, a Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress (CUMS)-induced depression model in mice was established to evaluate depressive behaviors. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and network pharmacological approaches were employed to predict KZD's antidepressant mechanisms. Subsequently, hippocampal samples were subjected to 4D-DIA proteomic sequencing and validated through Western blot, immunofluorescence, Nissl staining, and pathway antagonist applications. Additionally, cortisol-stimulated PC12 cells were utilized to simulate neuronal damage, analyzing protein and mRNA levels of MAPK-related signals and cell proliferation markers. RESULTS: The integration of network pharmacology and HPLC identified kaempferol and quercetin as KZD's principal active compounds for MDD treatment. Proteomic and network pharmacological KEGG pathway analyses indicated the MAPK signaling pathway as a critical regulatory mechanism for KZD's therapeutic effect on MDD. KZD was observed to mitigate CUMS-induced upregulation of p-ERK/ERK, CREB, and BDNF protein expressions in hippocampal cells by attenuating oxidative stress, thereby ameliorating neuronal damage and exerting antidepressant effects. The administration of PD98059 counteracted KZD's improvements in depression-like behaviors and downregulated p-ERK/ERK and BDNF protein expressions in the hippocampus. CONCLUSIONS: This investigation corroborates KZD's pivotal, dose-dependent role in antidepressant activity. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrate KZD's capacity to modulate the ERK-CREB-BDNF signaling pathway by diminishing ROS expression induced by oxidative stress, enhancing neuronal repair, and thus, manifesting antidepressant properties. Accordingly, KZD represents a promising herbal candidate for further antidepressant research.

The effect of clay therapy on hopelessness and depression levels in chronic stroke patients in addition to physical therapy.

BACKGROUND: Clay art therapy can be used as part of rehabilitation for chronic stroke patients. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to examine the effect of clay therapy on hopelessness and depression levels in chronic stroke patients who receive physical therapy and compare them to patients who only receive physical therapy. METHODS: This randomized controlled study was conducted between August 1st - September 28th, 2022 in Turkiye, with 60 patients who agreed to participate in the study and met the inclusion criteria, which were chronic stroke patients who received physical therapy. The patients were divided into two groups (30 in the experimental group, 30 in the control group) with the control group receiving only their routine physical therapy and rehabilitation (5 days a week, 40 sessions in total), while the experimental group received their routine physical therapy and rehabilitation program as well as clay therapy twice a week, 60 min per session, for 8 weeks. Demographic information of all the participants was recorded, and the Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Hopelessness Scale were administered before and after treatment. RESULTS: The patients' depression posttest scores (t(58) = -11.386; p = 0.000 < 0,05), and hopelessness posttest scores (t(58) = -10.247; p = 0.000 < 0,05) differed significantly based on their groups. The control group's depression posttest scores (x¯ =25,033) and hopelessness posttest scores (x¯ =15,000) were higher than the experimental group's depression posttest scores (x¯ =9,067) and hopelessness posttest scores (x¯ =8,000). The control group's feeling about the future posttest scores (x¯ =2,967) were higher than the experimental group's posttest scores (x¯ =0,967). The control group's loss of motivation posttest scores (x¯ =6,400) were higher than the experimental group's posttest scores (x¯ =2,667). CONCLUSION: It was seen that clay therapy, in addition to physical therapy, was effective in reducing depression and hopelessness in chronic stroke patients.

[Tea polyphenols improves depression-like behavior in aged type 2diabetes rats by regulating microglia polarization].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of tea polyphenols(TP) on improving depression-like behavior in aged type 2 diabetes(T2DM) model rats. METHODS: A total of 40 8-week-old SD male rats were randomly divided into the control group(n=10) and the modeling group(n=30) according to the body weight. The rats in the modeling group were fed with high-glucose and high-fat diet and treated with 50 mg/kg D-galactose by intraperitoneal injection daily until the end of the experiment, while the rats in the control group were fed with the standard diet and treated with an equal volume of saline by intraperitoneal injection. After 4 weeks, the rats in the modeling group were injected with 25 mg/kg STZ, meanwhile the rats in the control group were injected with an equal volume of citric acid buffer. The level of fasting blood glucose(FBG) was measured on the 14~(th) day. When FBG≥16.7 mmol/L, the rats were identified as successful model of the T2DM rats. Then, the model rats were randomly divided into the model group, 150, 300 mg/kg TP groups(n=10, respectively), and the rats were given intragastric intervention for 8 weeks. The levels of the FBG were detected, and the depression-like behavior of rats was assessed by the open field test(OFT) and forced swimming test(FST). The density of microglia in hippocampus CA1 region was assessed by immunofluorescence staining, and protein expressions of P53, Iba1, iNOS, Arg-1 and BDNF were determined by western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the levels of FBG in the rats of the model group were obviously increased(P<0.01). In the OFT, the frequencies of rearing and grooming in the rats of model group markedly was decreased, while in the FST, the immobility time extensively was increased(P<0.01). The density of microglia in hippocampus CA1 region was increased(P<0.01). The expressions of P53, Iba1 and iNOS were increased, and the expressions of Arg-1 and BDNF were decreased(P<0.01). Additionally, compared with the model group, in the OFT, the frequencies of rearing and grooming were increased in the rats in 150 and 300 mg/kg TP group(P<0.01). The density of microglia in hippocampus CA1 region was decreased(P<0.01). The expressions of P53, Iba1 and iNOS were down-regulated, and the expression of BDNF was up-regulated(P<0.01). Additionally, compared with the model group, the levels of FBG was decreased in the rats in the 300 mg/kg TP group(P<0.01). The immobility time was decreased in the FST(P<0.01). The expression of Arg-1 was down-regulated(P<0.01). CONCLUSION: TP can improve depression-like behavior in aged T2DM model rats, and its mechanism may be related to regulate microglia M1/M2 polarization and up-regulate expression of BDNF in hippocampus.

Homotherapy-for-heteropathy of Bupleurum Chinense DC.-Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi in treating depression and colorectal cancer: A network pharmacology and animal model approach.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Bupleurum chinense DC.-Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (BS) is a classic drug pair that has good clinical effects on depression and many tumors. However, the concurrent targeting mechanism of how the aforementioned drug pair is valid in the two distinct diseases, has not been clarified yet. AIM OF THE STUDY: The components of BS were detected by LC-MS, combined with network pharmacology to explore the active ingredients and common targeting mechanism of its multi-pathway regulation of BS in treating depression and CRC, and to validate the dual effects of BS using the CUMS mice model and orthotopic transplantation tumor mice model of CRC. RESULTS: Twenty-nine components were screened, 84 common gene targets were obteined, and the top 5 key targets including STAT3, PIK3R1, PIK3CA, AKT1, IL-6 were identified by PPI network. GO and KEGG analyses revealed that PI3K/AKT and JAK/STAT signaling pathways might play a crucial role of BS in regulating depression and CRC. BS significantly modulated CUMS-induced depressive-like behavior, attenuated neuronal damage, and reduced serum EPI and NE levels in CUMS model mice. BS improved the pathological histological changes of solid tumors and liver tissues and inhibited solid tumors and liver metastases in tumor-bearing mice. BS significantly decreased the proteins' expression of IL-6, p-JAK2, p-STAT3, p-PI3K, p-AKT1 in hippocampal tissues and solid tumors, and regulated the levels of IL-2, IL-6 and IL-10 in serum of two models of mice. CONCLUSION: BS can exert dual antidepressant and anti-CRC effects by inhibiting the expression of IL-6/JAK2/STAT3 and PI3K/AKT pathway proteins and regulating the release of inflammatory cytokines.

Mind shift I: Fructus Aurantii - Rhizoma Chuanxiong synergistically anchors stress-induced depression-like behaviours and gastrointestinal dysmotility cluster by regulating psycho-immune-neuroendocrine network.

BACKGROUND: Researchers have not studied the integrity, orderly correlation, and dynamic openness of complex organisms and explored the laws of systems from a global perspective. In the context of reductionism, antidepressant development formerly focused on advanced technology and molecular details, clear targets and mechanisms, but the clinical results were often unsatisfactory. PURPOSE: MDD represents an aggregate of different and highly diverse disease subtypes. The co-occurrence of stress-induced nonrandom multimorbidity is widespread, whereas only a fraction of the potential clusters are well known, such as the MDD-FGID cluster. Mapping these clusters, and determining which are nonrandom, is vital for discovering new mechanisms, developing treatments, and reconfiguring services to better meet patient needs. STUDY DESIGN: Acute stress 15-minute forced swimming (AFS) or CUMS protocols can induce the nonrandom MDD-FGID cluster. Multiple biological processes of rats with depression-like behaviours and gastrointestinal dysmobility will be captured under conditions of stress, and the Fructus Aurantii-Rhizoma Chuanxiong (ZQCX) decoction will be utilized to dock the MDD-FGID cluster. METHODS/RESULTS: Here, Rhizoma Chuanxiong, one of the seven components of Chaihu-shugan-San, elicited the best antidepressant effect on CUMS rats, followed by Fructus Aurantii. ZQCX reversed AFS-induced depression-like behaviours and gastrointestinal dysmobility by regulating the glutamatergic system, AMPAR/BDNF/mTOR/synapsin I pathway, ghrelin signalling and gastrointestinal nitric oxide synthase. Based on the bioethnopharmacological analysis strategy, the determined meranzin hydrate (MH) and senkyunolide I (SI) by UPLC-PDA, simultaneously absorbed by the jejunum and hippocampus of rats, have been considered major absorbed bioactive compounds acting on behalf of ZQCX. Cotreatment with MH and SI at an equivalent dose in ZQCX synergistically replicated over 50.33 % efficacy of the parent formula in terms of antidepressant and prokinetic actions by modulating neuroinflammation and ghrelin signalling. CONCLUSION: Brain-centric mind shifts require the integration of multiple central and peripheral systems and the elucidation of the underlying neurobiological mechanisms that ultimately contribute to novel therapeutic options. Ghrelin signalling and the immune system may partially underlie multimorbidity vulnerability, and ZQCX anchors stress-induced MDD-FGID clusters by docking them. Combining the results of micro details with the laws of the macro world may be more effective in finding treatments for MDD.

Job boredom as an antecedent of four states of mental health: life satisfaction, positive functioning, anxiety, and depression symptoms among young employees - a latent change score approach.

BACKGROUND: Job boredom has been generally associated with poorer self-rated health but the evidence is mainly cross-sectional and there is a lack of a holistic mental health approach. We examined the temporal relationships between job boredom and mental health indicators of life satisfaction, positive functioning, anxiety, and depression symptoms. METHODS: We analyzed a two-wave postal survey data of adults aged 23 to 34 that was collected from the Finnish working population between 2021 and 2022 (n = 513). Latent change score modelling was used to estimate the effects of prior levels of job boredom on subsequent changes in mental health indicators, and of prior levels of mental health indicators on subsequent changes in job boredom. RESULTS: Job boredom was associated with subsequent decreases in life satisfaction and positive functioning and increases in anxiety and depression symptoms. Of these associations, job boredom was more strongly associated with changes in positive functioning and anxiety symptoms than with changes in life satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Our two-wave study suggests that job boredom, a motivational state of ill-being in the work domain, spills over into general mental health by decreasing life satisfaction and positive functioning and increasing anxiety and depression symptoms. Our findings contribute to the understanding of the potential detrimental effects of job boredom and its nomological network. From a practical perspective, workplaces are adviced to improve working conditions that mitigate job boredom and thus promote employees' mental health.

Cynaroside improved depressive-like behavior in CUMS mice by suppressing microglial inflammation and ferroptosis.

Depression is a common mental health disorder, and in recent years, the incidence of various forms of depression has been on the rise. Most medications for depression are highly dependency-inducing and can lead to relapse upon discontinuation. Therefore, novel treatment modalities and therapeutic targets are urgently required. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) offers advantages in the treatment of depression owing to its multi-target, multi-dimensional approach that addresses the root cause of depression by regulating organ functions and balancing Yin and Yang, with minimal side effects. Cynaroside (CNS), an extract from the traditional Chinese herb honeysuckle, is a flavonoid compound with antioxidant properties. In this study, network pharmacology identified 44 potential targets of CNS associated with depression and several highly correlated inflammatory signaling pathways. CNS alleviated LPS-induced M1 polarization and the release of inflammatory factors in BV-2 cells. Transcriptomic analysis and validation revealed that CNS reduced inflammatory polarization, lipid peroxidation, and ferroptosis via the IRF1/SLC7A11/GPX4 signaling pathway. In vivo experiments showed that CNS treatment had effects similar to those of fluoxetine (FLX). It effectively ameliorated anxiety-, despair-, and anhedonia-like states in chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced mice and reduced microglial activation in the hippocampus. Thus, we conclude that CNS exerts its therapeutic effect on depression by inhibiting microglial cells from polarizing into the M1 phenotype and reducing inflammation and ferroptosis levels. This study provides further evidence that CNS is a potential antidepressant, offering new avenues for the treatment of depression.