Mental health symptoms in German elite athletes: a network analysis.

Introduction: Elite athletes are exposed to a variety of sport-specific stressors that may put them at particular risk for mental health symptoms and disorders. The aim of the present study was to assess data on mental health of elite athletes and investigate associations and interconnections among different variables using network analysis. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2021 to December 2022. The sample consisted of 275 German elite athletes (167 females) aged ≥18 years. Next to sociodemographic, medical and sport-related data, psychometric data such as psychological distress, symptoms of generalized anxiety, depression, and somatic symptom disorder have been gathered through questionnaires and analyzed by means of network analysis. Results: Over 95.0% of the athletes showed elevated distress and 28.6% reported symptoms of depression. Results of the network analysis show, among other findings, that symptoms of somatic symptom disorder were associated with severe injuries and substance use. Moreover, elite athletes who reported a better financial situation reported fewer symptoms of depression, generalized anxiety, and somatic symptom disorder. They also reported a lower incidence of mild to moderate injuries and severe injuries, fewer years spent in elite sports, less substance use, and fewer training sessions per week. Conversely, these athletes reported a higher level of distress. Furthermore, sex, financial situation and number of training units per week emerged as significant predictors for mental health symptoms. Discussion: Elite athletes showed increased numbers regarding mental health symptoms. Providing appropriate mental health interventions for elite athletes and further analysis of factors that influence the mental health of elite athletes and their interplay seem to be of central importance for the general well-being of elite athletes.

Concomitant Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumping Significantly Reduces Left Ventricular Pressure during Central Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation-Results from a Large Animal Model.

(1) Introduction: Simultaneous ECMO and IABP therapy is frequently used. Haemodynamic changes responsible for the success of the concomitant mechanical circulatory support system approach are rarely investigated. In a large-animal model, we analysed haemodynamic parameters before and during ECMO therapy, comparing central and peripheral ECMO circulation with and without simultaneous IABP support. (2) Methods: Thirty-three female pigs were divided into five groups: (1) SHAM, (2) (peripheral)ECMO(-)IABP, (3) (p)ECMO(+)IABP, (4) (central)ECMO(-)IABP, and (5) (c)ECMO(+)IABP. Pigs were cannulated in accordance with the group and supported with ECMO (±IABP) for 10 h. Systemic haemodynamics, cardiac index (CI), and coronary and carotid artery blood flow were determined before, directly after, and at five and ten hours on extracorporeal support. Systemic inflammation (IL-6; IL-10; TNFα; IFNγ), immune response (NETs; cf-DNA), and endothelial injury (ET-1) were also measured. (3) Results: IABP support during antegrade ECMO circulation led to a significant reduction of left ventricular pressure in comparison to retrograde flow in (p)ECMO(-)IABP and (p)ECMO(+)IABP. Blood flow in the left anterior coronary and carotid artery was not affected by extracorporeal circulation. (4) Conclusions: Concomitant central ECMO and IABP therapy leads to significant reduction of intracavitary cardiac pressure, reduces cardiac work, and might therefore contribute to improved recovery in ECMO patients.

The coding and effector transfer of movement sequences.

Three experiments utilizing a 14-element arm movement sequence were designed to determine if reinstating the visual-spatial coordinates, which require movements to the same spatial locations utilized during acquisition, results in better effector transfer than reinstating the motor coordinates, which require the same pattern of homologous muscle activation. Results demonstrated better transfer when visual-spatial coordinates were reinstated than when motor coordinates where reinstated regardless of the amount of practice (1, 4, or 12 days; Experiments 1-3, respectively). Transfer (left to right and right to left) was symmetric when visual-spatial coordinates were reinstated but not when motor coordinates were reinstated. When motor coordinates were reinstated after 12 days of practice and vision occluded, transfer was better from right limb to left than vice versa. The data are also consistent with the notion that multiple codes (visual, spatial, and motor) are developed over practice, with each contributing to transfer performance when the respective coordinates are reinstated. Further, the results indicate a disruption of the linkage (concatenation) between subsequences when one or more coordinates are changed on the transfer test.