From brain to body: exploring the connection between altered reward processing and physical fitness in schizophrenia.

Understanding the underlying mechanisms that link psychopathology and physical comorbidities in schizophrenia is crucial since decreased physical fitness and overweight pose major risk factors for cardio-vascular diseases and decrease the patients' life expectancies. We hypothesize that altered reward anticipation plays an important role in this. We implemented the Monetary Incentive Delay task in a MR scanner and a fitness test battery to compare schizophrenia patients (SZ, n = 43) with sex- and age-matched healthy controls (HC, n = 36) as to reward processing and their physical fitness.

Exploring the link between functional connectivity of ventral tegmental area and physical fitness in schizophrenia and healthy controls.

Decreased physical fitness and being overweight are highly prevalent in schizophrenia, represent a major risk factor for comorbid cardio-vascular diseases and decrease the life expectancy of the patients. Thus, it is important to understand the underlying mechanisms that link psychopathology and weight gain. We hypothesize that the dopaminergic reward system plays an important role in this.

Using the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Model to Support Mental Health in Schools.

The COVID-19 pandemic increased already high rates of student mental health concerns and further underscored inequities and disparities in access to services and care. As schools continue to address the effects of the pandemic, they must prioritize student mental health and well-being. In this commentary, using feedback from the Maryland School Health Council, we present the connection between mental health in school and the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model, a school health model commonly employed by schools and school districts.

Trends in (not) using scales in major depression: A categorization and clinical orientation.

Background: Standard depression rating scales like the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale were developed more than 40 years ago. They are mandatory in clinical trials but are for a variety of reasons seldom used in clinical practice. Moreover, most clinicians are less familiar with more recent trends or with some dilemmas in assessment tools for major depression.

Age at natural menopause and life expectancy with and without type 2 diabetes.

Objective: Effective interventions of future health care require a better understanding of the health risks associated with early onset of menopause and diabetes, but the necessary data are scarce. Little quantitative information is available about the combined association of early menopause and diabetes on life expectancy and the number of years lived with and without diabetes.

Methods: We included 3,650 postmenopausal women aged 45+ years from the Rotterdam Study, a prospective population-based cohort study.

Pilot-Testing an Intervention to Enhance Wellness Policy Implementation in Schools: Wellness Champions for Change.

Objective: To develop and pilot-test Wellness Champions for Change (WCC) to enhance local wellness policy (LWP) implementation by forming wellness teams.

Design: Randomized, controlled school-level pilot study.

Setting: Five Maryland school districts.

Lifestyle factors, cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in middle-aged and elderly women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, incidence and death increases from around the time of menopause comparing to women in reproductive age. A healthy lifestyle can prevent CVD, but it is unclear which lifestyle factors may help maintain and improve cardiovascular health for women after menopausal transition. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies to evaluate the association between modifiable lifestyle factors (specifically smoking, physical activity, alcohol intake, and obesity), with CVD and mortality in middle-aged and elderly women.

High Androgens in Postmenopausal Women and the Risk for Atherosclerosis and Cardiovascular Disease: The Rotterdam Study.

Context: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is closely linked to hyperandrogenism (HA). In PCOS, HA has been associated with metabolic disturbances that increase the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Objective: To assess the association of high serum androgen levels, as a postmenopausal remnant of PCOS, with the prevalence of atherosclerosis and incidence of CVD in postmenopausal women.

Barriers and Enablers to the Implementation of School Wellness Policies: An Economic Perspective.

Background: Local wellness policies (LWPs) are mandated among school systems to enhance nutrition/physical activity opportunities in schools. Prior research notes disparities in LWP implementation. This study uses mixed methods to examine barriers/enablers to LWP implementation, comparing responses by student body income.

Age at natural menopause and risk of type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study.

Aims/hypothesis: In this study, we aimed to examine the association between age at natural menopause and risk of type 2 diabetes, and to assess whether this association is independent of potential mediators.

Methods: We included 3639 postmenopausal women from the prospective, population-based Rotterdam Study. Age at natural menopause was self-reported retrospectively and was treated as a continuous variable and in categories (premature, <40 years; early, 40-44 years; normal, 45-55 years; and late menopause, >55 years [reference]).

School wellness team best practices to promote wellness policy implementation.

Schools with wellness teams are more likely to implement federally mandated Local Wellness Policies (LWPs, Local Education Agency-level policies for healthy eating/physical activity). Best practices have been developed for wellness teams based on minimal empirical evidence. The purpose of this study is to determine, among schools with wellness teams, associations between LWP implementation and six wellness team best practices (individually and as a sum score).

Associations of Steroid Sex Hormones and Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin With the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Women: A Population-Based Cohort Study and Meta-analysis.

It remains unclear whether endogenous sex hormones (ESH) are associated with risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in women. Data of 3,117 postmenopausal women participants of the Rotterdam Study were analyzed to examine whether ESH and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) were associated with the risk of incident T2D. Additionally, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies assessing the prospective association of ESH and SHBG with T2D in women.

Design of a frailty index among community living middle-aged and older people: The Rotterdam study.

Objectives: To design a frailty index (FI) and evaluate three methods to handle missing data. Furthermore, we evaluated its construct (i.e.

Development of a Healthy Aging Score in the Population-Based Rotterdam Study: Evaluating Age and Sex Differences.

Objectives: To develop a healthy aging score (HAS), to assess age and sex differences in HAS, and to evaluate the association of the HAS with survival.

Design: Prospective population-based cohort.

Setting: Inhabitants of Ommoord, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Happiness, rather than depression, is associated with sexual behaviour in partnered older adults.

Background: The relation between positive psychological well-being (PPWB) and sexual behaviour is understudied in older adult groups.

Objective: To examine the relation between PPWB (positive affect and life satisfaction) and sexual behaviour (sexual activity and physical tenderness) in older adults, and whether it is independent from depressive symptoms and uniform across older age groups.

Design: Cross-sectional.

Fertile lifespan characteristics and all-cause and cause-specific mortality among postmenopausal women: the Rotterdam Study.

Objective: To characterize the relation between established and previously unexplored characteristics of the fertile life with all-cause and cause-specific mortality.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Not applicable.

The functions of estrogen receptor beta in the female brain: A systematic review.

Females have unique and additional risk factors for neurological disorders. Among classical estrogen receptors, estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) has been suggested as a therapeutic target. However, little is known about the role of ERβ in the female brain.

Maternal weight status, diet, and supplement use as determinants of breastfeeding and complementary feeding: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Context: Infant feeding practices are influenced by maternal factors.

Objective: The aim of this review is to examine the associations between maternal weight status or dietary characteristics and breastfeeding or complementary feeding.

Data Sources: A systematic literature search of the Embase, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, MEDLINE, PubMed, and Web of Science databases was performed.

Sex Steroids, Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin and Cardiovascular Health in Men and Postmenopausal Women: The Rotterdam Study.

Context: The concept of cardiovascular health was recently introduced. Sex steroids and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) influence different health domains, but no studies assessed their role in cardiovascular health.

Objective: To assess the association between estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), SHBG, and free androgen index (FAI) with cardiovascular health.

Efficacy and Safety of Flibanserin for the Treatment of Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder in Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance: In August 2015, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved flibanserin as a treatment for hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in premenopausal women, despite concern about suboptimal risk-benefit trade-offs.

Objective: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials assessing efficacy and safety of flibanserin for the treatment of HSDD in women.

Data Sources: Medical databases (among others, Embase, Medline, Psycinfo) and trial registries were searched from inception to June 17, 2015.

Estrogen receptor β actions in the female cardiovascular system: A systematic review of animal and human studies.

Five medical databases were searched for studies that assessed the role of ERβ in the female cardiovascular system and the influence of age and menopause on ERβ functioning. Of 9472 references, 88 studies met our inclusion criteria (71 animal model experimental studies, 15 human model experimental studies and 2 population based studies). ERβ signaling was shown to possess vasodilator and antiangiogenic properties by regulating the activity of nitric oxide, altering membrane ionic permeability in vascular smooth muscle cells, inhibiting vascular smooth muscle cell migration and proliferation and by regulating adrenergic control of the arteries.

Androgen levels in women with various forms of ovarian dysfunction: associations with cardiometabolic features.

Study Question: Are differences in androgen levels among women with various forms of ovarian dysfunction associated with cardiometabolic abnormalities?

Summary Answer: Androgen levels differed substantially between women with and without ovarian dysfunction, and increased androgen levels were associated with impaired cardiometabolic features in all women irrespective of their clinical condition.

What Is Known Already: Sex steroid hormones play important roles in the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Extremes of low as well as high androgen levels have been associated with increased CVD risk in both men and women.

The global impact of non-communicable diseases on macro-economic productivity: a systematic review.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have large economic impact at multiple levels. To systematically review the literature investigating the economic impact of NCDs [including coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), cancer (lung, colon, cervical and breast), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD)] on macro-economic productivity. Systematic search, up to November 6th 2014, of medical databases (Medline, Embase and Google Scholar) without language restrictions.