Exploring the role of gut microbiota in depression: Pathogenesis and therapeutic insights.

Depression is a common clinical mental disorder characterized by persistent low mood and anhedonia. It has become a major global public health issue due to its complex etiology and unclear mechanisms, resulting in limited diagnostic and therapeutic options. Recent studies indicate that dysbiosis of gut microbiota is closely related to the onset and progression of depression.

The impact of sleep disturbances on treatment efficacy and prognosis in patients with depressive and anxiety disorders.

Introduction: Little was known about the relationship between sleep disturbances and depressive and anxiety disorders, as well as the efficacy of treatment regimens.

Methods: During 2021 to 2023, a total of 417 participants were screened by Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA-14) for psychological status, and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) assessment. 409 participants were finally enrolled, of which 188 (45.

Prevalence and clinical correlates of abnormal lipid metabolism in first-episode and drug-naïve patients with major depressive disorder: A large-scale cross-sectional study.

Objective: Studies have shown an association between abnormal lipid profiles and MDD, but there are few studies on the clinical correlates of lipid abnormalities in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of abnormal lipid metabolism and its correlates in Chinese first-episode and drug-naïve MDD patients, which has not yet been reported.

Methods: A total of 1718 outpatients with first-episode and drug-naïve MDD were included.

Reliability and validity of the brief psychosomatic symptom scale (BPSS) in patients from general hospitals.

Objectives: To verify the Brief Psychosomatic Symptom Scale (BPSS) among patients with psychosomatic-related disorders in general hospitals and determine the threshold of BPSS.

Methods: The BPSS is a shortened 10-item version of the psychosomatic symptoms scale (PSSS). Data from 483 patients and 388 healthy controls were included for psychometric analyses.

TRPV1 is a risk factor for sleep disturbance in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: a case control study.

Background/aims: Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is a chronic high-morbidity disease with a bidirectional relationship with sleep disturbance (SD) that may occur the transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 receptor (TRPV1) in the oesophageal mucosa. Yet the related mechanism was still unclear, the aim of this study is to investigate whether TRPV1 is associated with the presence of SD in GORD patients.

Methods: A case-control study was performed.

Association of thyroid function with abnormal lipid metabolism in young patients with first-episode and drug naïve major depressive disorder.

Introduction: Abnormal lipid metabolism in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) has received increasing attention. The coexistence of MDD and abnormal thyroid function has been intensively studied. Moreover, thyroid function is closely related to lipid metabolism.

Benzodiazepine-Receptor Agonist Utilization in Outpatients with Anxiety Disorder: A Retrospective Study Based on Electronic Healthcare Data from a Large General Tertiary Hospital.

Benzodiazepine-receptor agonists (BZRAs), including benzodiazepines (BZDs) and drugs related to BZDs (Z-drugs), are commonly used for anxiety, but often have side effects. We retrospectively investigated the utilization and prescription characteristics of BZRAs for patients with anxiety disorders in a large tertiary care general hospital between 2018 and 2021, based on electronic healthcare records. We also examined the pattern of simultaneous consumption of multiple BZRA drugs, and the diseases coexisting with anxiety that are associated with this.

Left intermittent theta burst stimulation combined with right low-frequency rTMS as an additional treatment for major depression: A retrospective study.

Background: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is an effective treatment for major depression (MD). We retrospectively analyzed the efficacy of intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) combined with low-frequency rTMS (LF-rTMS) on the right DLPFC as an additional therapy to standard medication treatment.

Materials And Methods: The study included 54 patients with MD who completed 10 courses (5 days per week) of rTMS as an add-on therapy.

MAMF-GCN: Multi-scale adaptive multi-channel fusion deep graph convolutional network for predicting mental disorder.

Purpose: Existing diagnoses of mental disorders rely on symptoms, patient descriptions, and scales, which are not objective enough. We attempt to explore an objective diagnostic method on fMRI data. Graph neural networks (GNN) have been paid more attention recently because of their advantages in processing unstructured relational data, especially for fMRI data.

Efficacy of an internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for subthreshold depression among Chinese adults: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Subthreshold depression (sD) negatively impacts well-being and psychosocial function and is more prevalent compared with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, as adults with sD are less likely to seek face-to-face intervention, internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (ICBT) may overcome barriers of accessibility to psychotherapy. Although several trials explored the efficacy of ICBT for sD, the results remain inconsistent.

Anxiety and depression are associated with reduced quality of life and increased cough severity in chronic cough.

Background: Chronic cough has led to a substantial socioeconomic burden globally. Psychiatric comorbidities are reported in many chronic diseases. However, the relationship between mental disorders and chronic cough remains unclear.

Deficits in N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Function and Synaptic Plasticity in Hippocampal CA1 in APP/PS1 Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor is a critical molecule for synaptic plasticity and cognitive function. Impaired synaptic plasticity is thought to contribute to the cognitive impairment associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the neuropathophysiological alterations of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) function and synaptic plasticity in hippocampal CA1 in transgenic rodent models of AD are still unclear.

Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for psychological distress in older adults without cognitive impairment living in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic: A feasibility study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a detrimental effect on the mental health of older adults living in nursing homes. Very few studies have examined the effects of Internet-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (ICBT) on older adults living in nursing homes during the pandemic. We conducted a feasibility study using a single-group design, to explore the effectiveness of ICBT on psychological distress in 137 older adults (without cognitive impairment) from 8 nursing homes in 4 southeast cities in China, between January and March 2020.

REM Sleep Fragmentation in Patients With Short-Term Insomnia Is Associated With Higher BDI Scores.

To observe the changes in sleep characteristics and BDI scores in patients with short-term insomnia disorder (SID) using a longitudinal observational study. Fifty-four patients who met the criteria for SID of the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, third edition, were recruited. Depression levels were assessed using the Beck depression inventory (BDI) at enrollment and after 3 months of follow-up, respectively.

Mental health status among family members of health care workers in Ningbo, China, during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak: a cross-sectional study.

Background: To date, the psychological impact of COVID-19 epidemic among family members of health care workers (HCWs) in China has been neglected. This cross-sectional study investigates the mental health status and related factors in families of HCWs employed in designated hospitals in Ningbo, China.

Methods: Family members of HCWs in five designated hospitals in Ningbo, China, were recruited in February, 2020 for this study.

Development of the psychosomatic symptom scale (PSSS) and assessment of its reliability and validity in general hospital patients in China.

Objectives: To develop and verify the Psychosomatic Symptom Scale (PSSS) among psychosomatic patients and the cut-off value of PSSS in distinguishing psychosomatic patients from health controls.

Methods: The PSSS was drafted by an expert workgroup. 996 patients and 366 controls from 14 general hospitals in China were recruited to complete PSSS, Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) and Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90).

Increased plasma asprosin levels in patients with drug-naive anorexia nervosa.

Purpose: Asprosin is a centrally acting appetite-promoting hormone and promotes glucose production in the liver. This study is the first to investigate the difference in asprosin in the plasma between anorexia nervosa (AN) and healthy controls, and to explore the relationship between asprosin changes and plasma glucose levels and AN symptoms.

Methods: Plasma asprosin and glucose concentrations were detected in AN patients (n = 46) and healthy control subjects (n = 47).

Role of endoplasmic reticulum stress in depression (Review).

Depression is a devastating mood disorder that causes profound disability worldwide. Despite the increasing number of antidepressant medications available, the treatment options for depression are limited. Therefore, understanding the etiology and pathophysiology of depression, and exploiting potential novel agents to treat and prevent this disorder are imperative.

Effect of eicosapentaenoic acid and pitavastatin on electrophysiology and anticoagulant gene expression in mice with rapid atrial pacing.

Atrial remodeling is considered to be any persistent change in atrial structure or function, and is responsible for the development and perpetuation of atrial fibrillation (AF). Oxidative stress and intracellular pH regulation may also be linked to AF; however it remains unclear whether eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) or statins have beneficial therapeutic effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of EPA and pitavastatin on the electrophysiology of and gene expressions in mice with rapidly-paced atria.

[Benefit of network education to college students' knowledge about sexual and reproductive health in Ningbo city].

Objective: To investigate how network education can improve college students' knowledge on sexual and reproductive health in Ningbo city.

Methods: From December 2012 to June 2013, we conducted a questionnaire investigation among college students in Ningbo city about the effects of network education on their knowledge about sexual psychology, sexual physiology, sexual ethics, and reproductive health.

Results: A total of 7 362 college students accomplished the investigation, of whom 2 483 (42.