Brain structural correlates of insomnia severity in 1053 individuals with major depressive disorder: results from the ENIGMA MDD Working Group.

It has been difficult to find robust brain structural correlates of the overall severity of major depressive disorder (MDD). We hypothesized that specific symptoms may better reveal correlates and investigated this for the severity of insomnia, both a key symptom and a modifiable major risk factor of MDD. Cortical thickness, surface area and subcortical volumes were assessed from T1-weighted brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of 1053 MDD patients (age range 13-79 years) from 15 cohorts within the ENIGMA MDD Working Group. Insomnia severity was measured by summing the insomnia items of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). Symptom specificity was evaluated with correlates of overall depression severity. Disease specificity was evaluated in two independent samples comprising 2108 healthy controls, and in 260 clinical controls with bipolar disorder. Results showed that MDD patients with more severe insomnia had a smaller cortical surface area, mostly driven by the right insula, left inferior frontal gyrus pars triangularis, left frontal pole, right superior parietal cortex, right medial orbitofrontal cortex, and right supramarginal gyrus. Associations were specific for insomnia severity, and were not found for overall depression severity. Associations were also specific to MDD; healthy controls and clinical controls showed differential insomnia severity association profiles. The findings indicate that MDD patients with more severe insomnia show smaller surfaces in several frontoparietal cortical areas. While explained variance remains small, symptom-specific associations could bring us closer to clues on underlying biological phenomena of MDD.

Patterns of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use among transsexuals. / Patrones de consumo de alcohol, tabaco y drogas ilegales en personas transexuales.

This study evaluated the patterns of substance use in a large sample of male-to-female (MtoF) and female-to-male (FtoM) transsexuals. A total of 251 transsexual subjects (163 MtoF and 88 FtoM), attended in the Catalonia Gender Unit, completed self-administrated questionnaires on consumption of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, cocaine, opioids, and designer drugs. Results were compared with the general population in Catalonia using data from the National Health Service (EDADES 2013 study). Current consumption of alcohol (70.1%), tobacco (46.2%), and cannabis (16.3%) among transsexuals was similar when compared with men (72.1%, 42.1%, 12.8%) and increased when compared with women (57.6%, 35.2%, 5%); the consumption between MtoF and FtoM subgroups was similar.  The use of cocaine was almost ten times more prevalent in the MtoF subgroup than in the FtoM subgroup (1.1%), and in general population (less than 1%).  Only a few reported uses of opioids and designer drugs. In conclusion, the substance use among transsexuals, except for the use of cocaine, was similar between MtoF and FtoM subgroups, and resembled the consumption prevalence among men in the general population. The proportion of cocaine consumers in the MtoF subgroup was up to ten times higher than in other subgroups.

Este estudio evalúa los patrones de consumo de sustancias en personas transexuales de hombre a mujer (H-M) y de mujer a hombre (M-H). Un total de 251 personas transexuales (163 H-M y 88 M-H), atendidas en la Unidad de Identidad de Género de Cataluña, completaron un cuestionario autoadministrado sobre el consumo de alcohol, tabaco, cannabis, cocaína, opiáceos y drogas de diseño. Los resultados se compararon con datos del Servicio Nacional de Salud en población general en Cataluña (estudio EDADES 2013). La prevalencia del consumo de alcohol (70,1%), tabaco (46,2%) y cannabis (16,3%) actual en el total de personas transexuales de ambos sexos fue similar al de hombres en población general (72,1%, 42,1%, 12,8%) y mayor que la prevalencia en mujeres (57,6%, 35,2%, 5%); no se encontraron diferencias en dicho consumo entre H-M y M-H. El consumo de cocaína en H-M (9,8%) fue casi diez veces más prevalente que en el subgrupo M-H (1,1%) y que en ambos sexos en población general (menor del 1%). Sólo unos pocos referían consumo de opiáceos y drogas de diseño. En conclusión, el patrón de consumo de sustancias en personas transexuales, excepto para la cocaína, es similar entre ambos sexos, y se asemeja al patrón de consumo masculino en población general. El consumo de cocaína es hasta diez veces mayor en el grupo de mujeres transexuales (H-M) con respecto a los otros grupos.

Patrones de consumo de alcohol, tabaco y drogas ilegales en personas transexuales / Patterns of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use among transsexuals

Este estudio evalúa los patrones de consumo de sustancias en personas transexuales de hombre a mujer (H-M) y de mujer a hombre (M-H). Un total de 251 personas transexuales (163 H-M y 88 M-H), atendidas en la Unidad de Identidad de Género de Cataluña, completaron un cuestionario autoadministrado sobre el consumo de alcohol, tabaco, cannabis, cocaína, opiáceos y drogas de diseño. Los resultados se compararon con datos del Servicio Nacional de Salud en población general en Cataluña (estudio EDADES 2013). La prevalencia del consumo de alcohol (70,1%), tabaco (46,2%) y cannabis (16,3%) actual en el total de personas transexuales de ambos sexos fue similar al de hombres en población general (72,1%, 42,1%, 12,8%) y mayor que la prevalencia en mujeres (57,6%, 35,2%, 5%); no se encontraron diferencias en dicho consumo entre H-M y M-H. El consumo de cocaína en H-M (9,8%) fue casi diez veces más prevalente que en el subgrupo M-H (1,1%) y que en ambos sexos en población general (menor del 1%). Sólo unos pocos referían consumo de opiáceos y drogas de diseño. En conclusión, el patrón de consumo de sustancias en personas transexuales, excepto para la cocaína, es similar entre ambos sexos, y se asemeja al patrón de consumo masculino en población general. El consumo de cocaína es hasta diez veces mayor en el grupo de mujeres transexuales (H-M) con respecto a los otros grupos

This study evaluated the patterns of substance use in a large sample of male-to-female (MtoF) and female-to-male (FtoM) transsexuals. A total of 251 transsexual subjects (163 MtoF and 88 FtoM), attended in the Catalonia Gender Unit, completed self-administrated questionnaires on consumption of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, cocaine, opioids, and designer drugs. Results were compared with the general population in Catalonia using data from the National Health Service (EDADES 2013 study). Current consumption of alcohol (70.1%), tobacco (46.2%), and cannabis (16.3%) among transsexuals was similar when compared with men (72.1%, 42.1%, 12.8%) and increased when compared with women (57.6%, 35.2%, 5%); the consumption between MtoF and FtoM subgroups was similar. The use of cocaine was almost ten times more prevalent in the MtoF subgroup than in the FtoM subgroup (1.1%), and in general population (less than 1%). Only a few reported uses of opioids and designer drugs. In conclusion, the substance use among transsexuals, except for the use of cocaine, was similar between MtoF and FtoM subgroups, and resembled the consumption prevalence among men in the general population. The proportion of cocaine consumers in the MtoF subgroup was up to ten times higher than in other subgroups