Trauma and mental health in young adults who arrived in France as unaccompanied and separated migrant children.

Objectives: The mental health of unaccompanied and separated minors (UASC) has been widely studied but not their first years of adulthood, often characterised by uncertainty after leaving child protection. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of psychiatric disorders using standardised and validated research instruments and examine the effect of exposure to trauma.

Methods: One hundred and ten youth (92.

Association between uncertainty regarding right-to-stay and mental health in unaccompanied and separated migrant children (UASC) reaching adulthood: findings from France.

Purpose: There is substantial evidence suggesting high levels of mental health problems in unaccompanied and separated children (UASC). However, there is less focus on the first years of adulthood characterised by increased vulnerability and fear of expulsion. We aimed to describe the mental health of UASC on reaching adulthood, and how this was affected by uncertainty regarding their right-to-stay in France.

The association between adverse childhood events and later-life cognitive function and dementia risk.

Background: Considerable work exists in the literature to describe the negative impacts of early-life stress exposures on health in adulthood. This study investigated whether the accumulation of adverse childhood events is associated with later-life cognitive function and incident dementia.

Methods: Participants were 1562 community-dwelling older adults, who were enrolled in the ESPRIT cohort in France.

A Prospective Study of Diurnal Cortisol and Incident Dementia in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Diurnal salivary cortisol was measured in 334 older adults without dementia, at four times on two separate days, under quiet and stressful conditions. In multivariate Cox proportional hazard models, higher global diurnal cortisol secretion was associated with incident dementia (HR = 1.09 [1.

Steroid 21-hydroxylase gene variants and late-life depression.

Objectives: A feature of late-life depression is alterations of the stress hormone system. The CYP21A2 gene encodes for the steroid 21-hydroxylase enzyme which is required for the biosynthesis of mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids, two main components of the stress response in humans. Variants in the CYP21A2 gene could influence risk of late-life depression, but this has not been examined.

Structural brain alterations in older adults exposed to early-life adversity.

Background: Adverse childhood events may have differential effects on the brain that persist into adulthood. Findings on structural brain alterations in older adults exposed to early-life adversity are inconsistent notably due to heterogeneity in imaging studies, population, psychiatric comorbidities, nature of adverse events, and genetic vulnerability. This study examines whether exposure related to physical or sexual maltreatment, emotional maltreatment, and global adverse environment during childhood are associated with specific alterations in grey matter volumes and if this varies according to sex and serotonin transporter-linked promoter region (5-HTTLPR) genotype.

11β-Hydroxylase (CYP11B1) gene variants and new-onset depression in later life.

Background: Cumulative exposure to high glucocorticoid levels is detrimental for the brain and may have particular implications in later life. A feature of late-life depression is increased cortisol secretion. Variants in the CYP11B1 gene, which codes for the enzyme responsible for cortisol synthesis, could influence risk of late-life depression, but this hypothesis has not been examined.

The long-term consequences of trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms on later life cognitive function and dementia risk.

Stress may be a risk factor for dementia, however it is unknown whether post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are associated with incident dementia in community-dwelling older individuals. The aim was to determine whether lifetime major trauma with and without re-experiencing of PTSD symptoms is associated with later-life cognition and dementia risk. Participants were 1,700 community-dwelling older adults (65+) in the longitudinal ESPRIT study followed over 14 years.

Structural brain changes with lifetime trauma and re-experiencing symptoms is genotype-dependent.

: Findings on structural brain alterations following trauma are inconsistent due probably to heterogeneity in imaging studies and population, clinical presentations, genetic vulnerability, and selection of controls. This study examines whether trauma and re-experiencing symptoms are associated with specific alterations in grey matter volumes and if this varies according to genotype. : Structural MRI was used to acquire anatomical scans from 377 community-dwelling older adults.

The extent to which childhood adversity and recent stress influence all-cause mortality risk in older adults.

Background: Psychological stress is recognized as a major risk factor for a range of non-communicable diseases and possibly mortality. The extent to which the type and timing of stress exposure influences mortality, and potential differences between genders, remains unknown.

Objective: To examine the association between early-life and recent stressful experiences and mortality risk in later life, and to determine possible gender differences in these associations.

Lifetime major depression and grey-matter volume.

Background: There is evidence of structural brain alterations in major depressive disorder (MDD), but little is known about how these alterations might be affected by age at onset or genetic vulnerability. This study examines whether lifetime episodes of MDD are associated with specific alterations in grey-matter volume, and whether those alterations vary according to sex or serotonin transporter-linked promoter region (5-HTTLPR) genotype (LL, SL or SS).

Methods: We used structural MRI to acquire anatomic scans from 610 community-dwelling participants.

The effect of an adverse psychological environment on salivary cortisol levels in the elderly differs by genotype.

Background: An adverse psychological environment (e.g. stressful events or depression) has been shown to influence basal cortisol levels and cortisol response to stress.

Preliminary evidence for a role of the adrenergic nervous system in generalized anxiety disorder.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a common chronic condition that is understudied compared to other psychiatric disorders. An altered adrenergic function has been reported in GAD, however direct evidence for genetic susceptibility is missing. This study evaluated the associations of gene variants in adrenergic receptors (ADRs) with GAD, with the involvement of stressful events.

Heterogeneity in HPA axis dysregulation and serotonergic vulnerability to depression.

Variability in the serotonin transporter (5-HTTLPR) gene can influence the risk of depression associated with adversity, as well as cortisol stress reactivity, although not consistently. No study has examined the impact of both a stressful environment and corticotropic-axis dysfunction on depression, as a function of 5-HTTLPR. This population-based study included 334 subjects aged 65 and older.

Biological underpinnings of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder: focusing on genetics and epigenetics.

Certain individuals are more susceptible to stress and trauma, as well as the physical and mental health consequences following such exposure, including risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This differing vulnerability is likely to be influenced by genetic predisposition and specific characteristics of the stress itself (nature, intensity and duration), as well as epigenetic mechanisms. In this review we provide an overview of research findings in this field.

Generalized anxiety in community-dwelling elderly: Prevalence and clinical characteristics.

Background: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a chronic and disabling disorder with a low rate of full remission. As it is commonly assumed that cases in the elderly principally represent the continuing chronic course of early onset illness, there has been little research into the clinical characteristics, including comorbid psychiatric and physical conditions, which may be specific to older people.

Methods: Lifetime GAD and psychiatric comorbidity were diagnosed in 1974 community-dwelling elderly people aged 65 or over using a standardized psychiatric examination, the MINI, based on DSM-IV criteria.

Glycemia, insulin resistance, insulin secretion, and risk of depressive symptoms in middle age.

Objective: The extent to which abnormal glucose metabolism increases the risk of depression remains unclear. In this study, we investigated prospective associations of levels of fasting glucose and fasting insulin and indices of insulin resistance and secretion with subsequent new-onset depressive symptoms (DepS).

Research Design And Methods: In this prospective cohort study of 3,145 adults from the Whitehall II Study (23.

Measuring resilience in adult women using the 10-items Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Role of trauma exposure and anxiety disorders.

Purpose: Resilience is the ability of individuals to adapt positively in the face of trauma. Little is known, however, about lifetime factors affecting resilience.

Methods: We assessed the effects of psychiatric disorder and lifetime trauma history on the resilience self-evaluation using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10) in a high-risk-women sample.

Depressed mood and blood pressure: the moderating effect of situation-specific arousal levels.

Previous studies are inconclusive with regard to the relationship between variations in blood pressure (BP) and affect. In the present study we evaluated the hypothesis that inconsistencies in previous findings may be attributed to the moderating role of variations in psychological or physical conditions during BP measurement. Change in depressive symptoms was examined in 1046 individuals at two points in time, at inclusion into the study, when BP was measured repeatedly under higher (standing posture or anticipation of interview) and lower (supine posture or recovery after interview) arousal conditions, and at 4year follow-up.

Temporal analysis of heart rate variability as a predictor of post traumatic stress disorder in road traffic accidents survivors.

Background: Road Traffic Accidents (RTA) are most probably the leading cause of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in developed countries. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) disturbances, due to psychological trauma, are part of the pathophysiology of PTSD. The aim of the present study was to determine whether early heart rate variability (HRV) measurement, a biomarker of the ANS function, could act as a predictor of PTSD development after a RTA.

Steroid and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, cognitive decline, and dementia.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of anti-inflammatory intake on cognitive function in 7234 community-dwelling elderly persons. Cognitive performance, clinical diagnosis of dementia, and anti-inflammatory use were evaluated at baseline, and 2, 4, and 7 years later. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were adjusted for sociodemographic, behavioral, physical, mental health variables, and genetic vulnerability (apolipoprotein E ε4).

Late-life health consequences of exposure to trauma in a general elderly population: the mediating role of reexperiencing posttraumatic symptoms.

Objective: A history of trauma is associated with poor mental and physical health, but the specific impact of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms on physical health using objective indicators of health status has rarely been evaluated in elderly civilians. This study investigates the long-term consequences of a lifetime exposure to trauma on health in a French elderly general population.

Method: Data from this retrospective study were derived from a longitudinal study (the Enquête de Santé Psychologique-Risques, Incidence et Traitement [ESPRIT]) of community-dwelling participants.

Gender and genotype modulation of the association between lipid levels and depressive symptomatology in community-dwelling elderly (the ESPRIT study).

Background: Lipids appear to mediate depressive vulnerability in the elderly; however, sex differences and genetic vulnerability have not been taken into account in previous prospective studies.

Methods: Depression was assessed in a population of 1040 women and 752 men aged 65 years and older at baseline and after 7-year follow-up. Clinical level of depression (DEP) was defined as having either a score of 16 or higher on the Centre for Epidemiology Studies Depression scale or a diagnosis of current major depression on the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview.

Resilience and mental health.

The relationship between disease and good health has received relatively little attention in mental health. Resilience can be viewed as a defence mechanism, which enables people to thrive in the face of adversity and improving resilience may be an important target for treatment and prophylaxis. Though resilience is a widely-used concept, studies vary substantially in their definition, and measurement.