The Relationship between Insomnia and the Pathophysiology of Major Depressive Disorder: An Evaluation of a Broad Selection of Serum and Urine Biomarkers.

Insomnia exhibits a clinically relevant relationship with major depressive disorder (MDD). Increasing evidence suggests that insomnia is associated with neurobiological alterations that resemble the pathophysiology of MDD. However, research in a clinical population is limited.

SERIES: eHealth in primary care. Part 5: A critical appraisal of five widely used eHealth applications for primary care - opportunities and challenges.

Background: Given the pressure on modern healthcare systems, eHealth can offer valuable opportunities. However, understanding the potential and challenges of eHealth in daily practice can be challenging for many general practitioners (GPs) and their staff.

Objectives: To critically appraise five widely used eHealth applications, in relation to safe, evidence-based and high-quality eHealth.

SERIES: eHealth in primary care. Part 3: eHealth education in primary care.

Background: Education is essential to the integration of eHealth into primary care, but eHealth is not yet embedded in medical education.

Objectives: In this opinion article, we aim to support organisers of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and teachers delivering medical vocational training by providing recommendations for eHealth education. First, we describe is required to help primary care professionals and trainees learn about eHealth.

The serotonin transporter gene-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) and the sleep-promoting effects of tryptophan: A randomized placebo-controlled crossover study.

Background: The low-expressive short (S) allele of a functional polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) within the serotonin (5-hydroxytriptamine; 5-HT) transporter gene (SLC6A4) has been associated with a reduced functioning of the brain 5-HT system relative to the long (L) allele. As a consequence, the S-allele is found to predispose individuals to a higher risk of sleep quality reduction and clinical insomnia.

Aims: The present study investigated whether subchronic pre-sleep tryptophan administration could compensate for this predisposition by improving sleep in 5-HTTLPR S-allele carriers.

The involvement of sleep in the relationship between the serotonin transporter gene-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) and depression: A systematic review.

Background: Recent meta-analyses stimulate an ongoing debate whether 5-HTTLPR modulates the risk for depression including a more pronounced association between stress and depression in the short (S) allele relative to the long (L) allele. Elucidating the pathways by which 5-HTTLPR contributes to depression could resolve this controversy. Insomnia independently contributes to the onset and course of negative affective symptoms and, hence, represents one of the primary risk factors for depression.

The serotonin transporter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) and cortisol stress responsiveness: preliminary evidence for a modulating role for sleep quality.

The short (S) allele of a functional polymorphism () within the promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene () is found to predispose the risk for stress-related affective disorders relative to the long (L) allele. Evidence suggests that elevated stress reactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis might underlie this association although there is little understanding about the origin of inconsistent findings. Since inadequate sleep is commonly known to promote HPA stress reactivity, it might well play an important modulating role.

The influence of sleep on human hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity: A systematic review.

Inadequate sleep is highly prevalent and known to decline both physical- and mental health. Literature suggests that altered functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis might underlie this association. This assumption is mainly based on changes in basal neuroendocrine activity and it is of equal importance to elucidate whether sleep may also influence HPA stress responsiveness.

Mind wandering during attention performance: Effects of ADHD-inattention symptomatology, negative mood, ruminative response style and working memory capacity.

Objective: In adulthood, depressive mood is often comorbid with ADHD, but its role in ADHD-inattentiveness and especially relations with mind wandering remains to be elucidated. This study investigated the effects of laboratory-induced dysphoric mood on task-unrelated mind wandering and its consequences on cognitive task performance in college students with high (n = 46) or low (n = 44) ADHD-Inattention symptomatology and Hyperactivity/Impulsivity symptoms in the normal range.

Methods: These non-clinical high/low ADHD-Inattention symptom groups underwent negative or positive mood induction after which mind wandering frequency was measured in a sustained attention (SART), and a reading task.

Interaction between 5-HTTLPR genotype and cognitive stress vulnerability on sleep quality: effects of sub-chronic tryptophan administration.

Background: Abundant evidence suggests that allelic variation in the serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) influences susceptibility to stress and its affective consequences due to brain serotonergic vulnerability. Based on recent assumptions, the present study examined whether the 5-HTTLPR genotype may also interact with a vulnerability to chronic stress experience (conceptualized by trait neuroticism) in order to influence sleep quality and, additionally, whether this is influenced by brain serotonergic manipulations.

Methods: In a well-balanced experimental design, homozygous S-allele (n = 57) and L-allele (n = 54) genotypes with high and low chronic stress vulnerability (neuroticism) were first assessed for general past sleep quality during a month before onset of the experiment.