Using Bayesian Networks to Investigate Psychological Constructs: The Case of Empathy.

Network analysis is an emerging field for the study of psychopathology that considers constructs as arising from the interactions among their constituents. Pairwise effects among psychological components are often investigated by using this framework. Few studies have applied Bayesian networks, models that include directed interactions to perform causal inference on psychological constructs.

A network structure of manic symptoms.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to explore mania as a network of its symptoms, inspired by the network approach to mental disorders.

Methods: Network structures of both cross-sectional and temporal effects were measured at three time points (admission, middle of hospital stay, and discharge) in a sample of 100 involuntarily committed patients diagnosed with bipolar I disorder with severe manic features and hospitalized in a specialized psychiatric ward.

Results: Elevated mood is the most interconnected symptom in the network on admission, while aggressive behavior and irritability are highly predictive of each other, as well as language-thought disorder and "content" (the presence of abnormal ideas or delusions).

Bayesian Network Structure and Predictability of Autistic Traits.

The aim of this work is to explore the construct of autistic traits through the lens of network analysis with recently introduced Bayesian methods. A conditional dependence network structure was estimated from a data set composed of 649 university students that completed an autistic traits questionnaire. The connectedness of the network is also explored, as well as sex differences among female and male subjects in regard to network connectivity.

A Machine Learning Approach to Relationships Among Alexithymia Components.

Background: The aim of this paper is to explore the network structures of alexithymia components and compare results with relevant prior literature.

Subjects And Methods: In a large sample of university students, undirected and directed network structures of items from the Bermond Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire form B are estimated with state-of-the-art network analysis and structure learning tools. Centrality estimates are used to address the topic of item redundancy and select relevant alexithymia components to study.

Network Structures of Symptoms From the Zung Depression Scale.

The Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) is a psychometric tool composed of 20 items used to assess depression symptoms. The aim of this work is to perform a network analysis of this scale in a large sample composed of 1090 French-speaking Belgian university students. We estimated a regularized partial correlation network and a Directed Acyclic Graph for the 20 items of the questionnaire.

Alterations of neural network organization during REM sleep in women: implication for sex differences in vulnerability to mood disorders.

Background: Sleep plays an important role in vulnerability to mood disorders. However, despite the existence of sex differences in vulnerability to mood disorders, no study has yet investigated the sex effect on sleep network organization and its potential involvement in vulnerability to mood disorders. The aim of our study was to empirically investigate the sex effect on network organization during REM and slow-wave sleep using the effective connectivity measured by Granger causality.

Exploring network structure and central items of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory.

Objectives: The aim of this work is to explore the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) using network analysis in a dataset of 942 university students from the French-speaking part of Belgium.

Methods: We estimated an Ising Model for the forty items in the questionnaire and explored item interconnectedness with strength centrality. We provide in the supplementary materials the dataset used for the analyses as well as the full code to ensure the reproducibility of our results.

Network Approach to Items and Domains From the Toronto Alexithymia Scale.

The aim of this study is to explore network structures of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale in a large sample of 1925 French-speaking Belgian university students and compare results with previous studies from different samples and tools to identify potential targets for clinical intervention. We estimated network models for the 20 items of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale and for its three domains , , and . We explored item connectivity through node predictability (shared variance with other network components).

Alterations of neural network organisation during rapid eye movement sleep and slow-wave sleep in major depression: Implications for diagnosis, classification, and treatment.

The aim of this study was to empirically investigate the network organisation during rapid eye movement sleep (REMS) and slow-wave sleep (SWS) using the effective connectivity measured using the Granger causality to identify new potential biomarkers for the diagnosis, classification, and potential favourable response to treatment in major depression. Polysomnographic data were analysed from 24 healthy individuals and 16 major depressed individuals recruited prospectively. To obtain the 19×19 connectivity matrix of all possible pairwise combinations of electrodes by the Granger causality method from our electroencephalographic data, we used the Toolbox MVGC multivariate Granger causality.

Network analysis of Contingencies of Self-Worth Scale in 680 university students.

This study investigates the Contingencies of Self-Worth Scale (CSWS) in a sample of 680 university students from a network perspective. We estimated regularized partial correlations among seven CSWS domains: family support, competition, appearance, God's love, academic competence, virtue and other's approval. Competition - academic competence and competition - appearance represent the strongest connections in the network.

Objective sleep alterations and long-term use of short or intermediate half-life benzodiazepine receptor agonists are risk factors for high blood pressure in individuals with insomnia: a study in 1272 individuals referred for sleep examinations.

Introduction: Given conflicting data in the literature, the aim of this study was to examine the risk of high blood pressure (HBP) associated with sleep alterations, measured during polysomnography, and long-term use of benzodiazepine receptor agonists in a large sample of individuals with insomnia.

Methods: Demographic and polysomnographic data from 1272 individuals with insomnia recruited from the research database of the sleep laboratory of Erasme Hospital were analyzed. HBP status was defined by the presence of one of the following: self-report at interview of either a physician's diagnosis or taking antihypertensive medication; or an average systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg or an average diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg at the medical examination.

Risk of high blood pressure associated with objective insomnia and self-reported insomnia complaints in major depression: A study on 703 individuals.

Background: Since few studies have investigated the risk of high blood pressure associated with objective insomnia and self-reported insomnia complaints in major depression, the aim of this study was to examine this risk in a large sample of individuals with major depression.

Methods: Data from 703 individuals with major depression recruited from the research database of the sleep laboratory of the Erasme Hospital were analysed. High blood pressure status was defined by the presence of one of the following: self-reports at interview of either a physician-diagnosis or taking antihypertensive medication; or an average systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg or an average diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg during at least two medical examinations.

Prevalence and risk factors of excessive daytime sleepiness in major depression: A study with 703 individuals referred for polysomnography.

Background: To date, few studies have investigated the prevalence and risk factors of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in major depression. Thus, the aim of the present study was to examine the prevalence and risk factors of EDS in a large sample of individuals with major depression.

Methods: Data from 703 individuals with major depression were retrospectively collected from the sleep laboratory research database of Erasme Hospital for analysis.

The sleep network organization during slow-wave sleep is more stable with age and has small-world characteristics more marked than during REM sleep in healthy men.

Sleep plays an important role in cognitive functioning. However, few studies have investigated the sleep network organization. The aim of our study was to empirically investigate the presence and the stability with age of a small-world network organization during REM and slow-wave sleep using the effective connectivity measured by the Granger causality.

Prevalence and risk factors of type 2 diabetes in insomnia sufferers: a study on 1311 individuals referred for sleep examinations.

Background: Several studies have investigated the particular relationship between insomnia and type 2 diabetes. However, few studies have investigated the prevalence and risk factors for type 2 diabetes in insomnia sufferers. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and risk factors of type 2 diabetes in a large sample of insomnia sufferers.

Network analysis of empathy items from the interpersonal reactivity index in 1973 young adults.

The aim of this work is to perform a network analysis on the French adaptation of the interpersonal reactivity index (IRI) scale from a large Belgian database and provide additional information for the construct of empathy. We analyze a database of 1973 healthy young adults who were queried on the IRI scale. A regularized partial correlation network is estimated.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Type 2 Diabetes in Major Depression: A Study on 703 Individuals Referred for Sleep Examinations.

Background: Several studies have investigated the prevalence and risk factors of depression in individuals with type 2 diabetes. However, few studies have investigated the prevalence and risk factors for type 2 diabetes in major depression.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and risk factors of type 2 diabetes in a large sample of individuals with major depression.

Prevalence and risk factors of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in major depression: a observational and retrospective study on 703 subjects.

Background: Several studies have investigated the prevalence and risk factors of depression in subjects with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. However, few studies have investigated the prevalence and risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in major depression. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and risk factors of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in a large sample of individuals with major depression.

Prevalence and risk factors of excessive daytime sleepiness in insomnia sufferers: A study with 1311 individuals.

Background: Several studies have investigated the prevalence and risk factors of excessive daytime sleepiness in the general population. However, few studies have investigated these in the particular subpopulation of insomnia sufferers. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and risk factors of excessive daytime sleepiness in a large sample of insomnia sufferers.

The dichotomy between low frequency and delta waves in human sleep: A reappraisal.

Background: We present the results of an analysis of the low frequency (LF) (0.25-1Hz) and delta (1-4Hz) waves during human sleep. Our objective was to investigate whether LF and delta waves should be considered as separate entities.

Hyperarousal during sleep in untreated, major depressed subjects with prodromal insomnia: A polysomnographic study.

In primary insomnia, specific dynamics of hyperarousal are evident during the night. Similarly, in major depression, many elements also favor of the presence of hyperarousal. Thus, it would be interesting to investigate if hyperarousal presents the same dynamic in major depression.

Similar polysomnographic pattern in primary insomnia and major depression with objective insomnia: a sign of common pathophysiology?

Background: Our aim is to verify empirically the existence of a major depressed subgroup with a similar polysomnographic pattern as primary insomnia, including at rapid eye movement sleep level.

Methods: The polysomnographic data from 209 untreated individuals (30 normative, 84 primary insomnia sufferers, and 95 major depressed patients with objective insomnia) who were recruited retrospectively from the Erasme hospital database were studied for the whole night and thirds of the night.

Results: Primary insomnia sufferers and major depressed patients with objective insomnia exhibit a similar polysomnographic pattern both for the whole night (excess of wake after sleep onset, deficit in slow-wave sleep/rapid eye movement sleep, and non-shortened rapid eye movement latency) and thirds of the night (excess of wake after sleep onset at first and last third, deficit in slow-wave sleep in first third, and deficit in rapid eye movement sleep in first and last third), including at rapid eye movement sleep level.

Prevalence and risk factors of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in insomnia sufferers: a study on 1311 subjects.

Background: Several studies have investigated the prevalence and risk factors of insomnia in subjects with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. However, few studies have investigated the prevalence and risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in insomnia sufferers. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and risk factors of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in a large sample of insomnia sufferers.

The measurement of alexithymia in children and adolescents: Psychometric properties of the Alexithymia Questionnaire for Children and the twenty-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale in different non-clinical and clinical samples of children and adolescents.

This study had two aims. Firstly, the psychometric properties of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and the Alexithymia Questionnaire for Children (AQC) that measure the three dimensions of alexithymia (DIF, difficulty identifying feelings; DDF, difficulty describing feelings; EOT, externally-oriented thinking) were explored in various samples of children, adolescents or young adults to detect the best factor-structure and to examine if the Externally-Oriented Thinking (EOT) factor must be deleted or not. Secondly, the capacity for adolescents to distinguish between alexithymia and depression was studied using factorial analyses of items of self-report of alexithymia and depression scales.

Hyperarousal during sleep in untreated primary insomnia sufferers: A polysomnographic study.

Because some evidence favors the hyperarousal model of insomnia, we sought to learn more about the dynamics of this phenomenon during sleep. Polysomnographic data from 30 normative subjects and 86 untreated primary insomnia sufferers recruited from the database of the sleep laboratory were studied for whole nights and in terms of thirds of the night. Untreated primary insomnia sufferers had an increased sleep latency and excess of WASO, together with a deficit in REM and NREM sleep during the entire night.