Depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK.

BACKGROUND: The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on mental health is still being unravelled. It is important to identify which individuals are at greatest risk of worsening symptoms. This study aimed to examine changes in depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms using prospective and retrospective symptom change assessments, and to find and examine the effect of key risk factors. METHOD: Online questionnaires were administered to 34 465 individuals (aged 16 years or above) in April/May 2020 in the UK, recruited from existing cohorts or via social media. Around one-third (n = 12 718) of included participants had prior diagnoses of depression or anxiety and had completed pre-pandemic mental health assessments (between September 2018 and February 2020), allowing prospective investigation of symptom change. RESULTS: Prospective symptom analyses showed small decreases in depression (PHQ-9: -0.43 points) and anxiety [generalised anxiety disorder scale - 7 items (GAD)-7: -0.33 points] and increases in PTSD (PCL-6: 0.22 points). Conversely, retrospective symptom analyses demonstrated significant large increases (PHQ-9: 2.40; GAD-7 = 1.97), with 55% reported worsening mental health since the beginning of the pandemic on a global change rating. Across both prospective and retrospective measures of symptom change, worsening depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms were associated with prior mental health diagnoses, female gender, young age and unemployed/student status. CONCLUSIONS: We highlight the effect of prior mental health diagnoses on worsening mental health during the pandemic and confirm previously reported sociodemographic risk factors. Discrepancies between prospective and retrospective measures of changes in mental health may be related to recall bias-related underestimation of prior symptom severity.

Cognitive processing of infant stimuli in pregnant women with and without affective disorders and the association to postpartum depression.

Pregnancy and childbirth are among the strongest risk factors for depression but the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying this enhanced risk are unknown. This study investigated emotional and non-emotional cognition in 57 pregnant women with or without an affective disorder during their third trimester, and the association between cognitive biases and subsequent postpartum depression (PPD). Of the pregnant women, 22 had a diagnosis of unipolar disorder (UD) and seven of bipolar disorder (BD) in full or partial remission, while 28 had no history of affective disorder. We included a control group of 29 healthy non-pregnant women. First, participants were interviewed, completed non-emotional and emotional cognitive tests and lastly filled out questionnaires. The participants were assessed two times after birth: at a home visit shortly after birth, and with a telephone interview to assess PPD in the first six months after birth. Healthy pregnant women rated infant cries less negatively than non-pregnant women, possibly reflecting preparation for motherhood. Pregnant women with UD exhibited a negative bias in ratings of infant cries, whereas pregnant women with BD showed a positive bias in ratings of infant happy faces and recognition of adult facial expressions. Across all pregnant women, more negative ratings of infant cries were associated with enhanced risk of PPD. Negatively biased perception of infant cries during pregnancy may thus signal vulnerability toward PPD.

Post-traumatic stress influences the brain even in the absence of symptoms: A systematic, quantitative meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies.

Stress affects brain function, and may lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Considerable empirical data for the neurobiology of PTSD has been derived from neuroimaging studies, although findings have proven inconsistent. We used an activation likelihood estimation analysis to explore differences in brain activity between adults with and without PTSD in response to affective stimuli. We separated studies by type of control group: trauma-exposed and trauma-naïve. This revealed distinct patterns of differences in functional activity. Compared to trauma-exposed controls, regions of the basal ganglia were differentially active in PTSD; whereas the comparison with trauma-naïve controls revealed differential involvement in the right anterior insula, precuneus, cingulate and orbitofrontal cortices known to be involved in emotional regulation. Changes in activity in the amygdala and parahippocampal cortex distinguished PTSD from both control groups. Results suggest that trauma has a measurable, enduring effect upon the functional dynamics of the brain, even in individuals who experience trauma but do not develop PTSD. These findings contribute to the understanding of whole-brain network activity following trauma, and its transition to clinical PTSD.

The functional neuroanatomy of the evolving parent-infant relationship.

Infant survival and the development of secure and cooperative relationships are central to the future of the species. In humans, this relies heavily on the evolving early parent-infant social and affective relationship. While much is known about the behavioural and psychological components of this relationship, relatively little is known about the underlying functional neuroanatomy. Affective and social neuroscience has helped to describe the main adult brain networks involved, but has so far engaged very little with developmental findings. In this review, we seek to highlight future avenues for research by providing a coherent framework for describing the parent-infant relationship over the first 18 months. We provide an outline of the evolving nature of the relationship, starting with basic orienting and recognition processes, and culminating in the infant's attainment of higher socio-emotional and cognitive capacities. Key social and affective interactions, such as communication, cooperative play and the establishment of specific attachments propel the development of the parent-infant relationship. We summarise our current knowledge of the developing infant brain in terms of structure and function, and how these relate to the emergent abilities necessary for the formation of a secure and cooperative relationship with parents or other caregivers. Important roles have been found for brain regions including the orbitofrontal, cingulate, and insular cortices in parent-infant interactions, but it has become clear that much more information is needed about the developmental time course and connectivity of these regions.

Fas promoter polymorphisms: genetic predisposition to sarcoidosis in African-Americans.

Apoptosis may perpetuate some forms of inflammation. Of the apoptotic pathway proteins, Fas is particularly overexpressed in sarcoidosis. We hypothesized that Fas promoter single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) contribute to the development and severity of sarcoidosis. Associations of known Fas promoter SNPs (-670, -690 and -1377) and deduced haplotypes with sarcoidosis and sarcoidosis severity were evaluated using matched case-control (n = 656 pairs) and case-comparison (n = 656) studies, respectively, using conditional logistic regression. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was confirmed for all three polymorphisms in African-Americans (AA), and for the -670 and -1377 in whites. Genotype and allele frequencies were significantly different between whites and AA. Race-stratified analysis revealed that a common haplotype, -1377G/-690T/-670G, was associated with sarcoidosis [odds ratio (OR) = 1.78, P = 0.05] only in AA. The haplotype -1377G/-690C/-670A was negatively associated with sarcoidosis (OR = 0.39, P = 0.03) only in AA. In conclusion, the consistency of these findings suggests that Fas promoter genetic variants may be related to sarcoidosis disease risk in AA.

Effect of heat treatment on plasma creatinine measurement.

The effects of heat treatment on plasma creatinine values obtained by enzymatic and kinetic alkaline picrate methods were compared. No marked differences were found for plasma samples following heat treatment at 56 degrees C for 0.5 or 1 h, compared to nonheat treated samples.

A comparison of two dye-binding methods for the determination of dog, rat and human plasma albumins.

Plasma albumin was determined in human, rat and dog samples by bromocresol green and bromocresol purple dye-binding methods. The bromocresol purple method produced significantly lower values in dog and rat plasma samples, although the use of homologous standards reduced the differences between the two methods. These observations reflect differing affinities of the two dyes for albumins of different species.

The effects of levamisole on urinary enzyme measurements and proximal tubule cell inclusions in male rats.

A markedly increased incidence of large angular secondary lysosomes was observed in the proximal tubular cells of male Wistar rats dosed orally with levamisole, 75 mg/kg body weight for 15 days. These inclusions were similar in appearance to those previously observed in male rats treated with decahydronaphthalene. Urinary enzymes were measured throughout the study, and of these enzymes lactate dehydrogenase and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase activities were higher on days 9 and 13 for rats dosed with levamisole in comparison with control animals. Urine volumes increased for the levamisole treatment group, but no treatment related changes of urine protein output were found.

Potential errors in the measurement of total protein in male rat urine using test strips.

Widely differing results were obtained for urinary protein determinations in male rats using 2 test strips and a quantitative Coomassie Blue sodium dodecyl sulphate method. A comparison of the sensitivity of the protein methods with respect to rat albumin and alpha 2U globulin was made; both test strips were found to be relatively insensitive to the presence of alpha 2U globulin. Resultant limitations of test strips in monitoring adult male rat urine protein concentrations are discussed.