Psychiatry and Psychology Commons^™

The Kynurenine Pathway In Alzheimer’S Disease: A Meta-Analysis Of Central And Peripheral Levels, Brisa S Fernandes, Mehmet Enes Inam, Nitesh Enduru, Joao Quevedo, Zhongming Zhao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: Changes in the kynurenine pathway are recognized in psychiatric disorders, but their role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is less clear. We aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine whether tryptophan and kynurenine pathway metabolites are altered in AD.

METHODS: We performed a systematic review and random-effects meta-analyses. Inclusion criteria were studies that compared AD and cognitively normal (CN) groups and assessed tryptophan or kynurenine pathway metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid or peripheral blood.

RESULTS: Twenty-two studies with a total of 1,356 participants (664 with AD and 692 CN individuals) were included. Tryptophan was decreased only in peripheral …

Sustaining Breaths For Restorative Rest: A Preliminary Evaluation Of Sleep, Mental Health, And Cognitive Function Following Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation For Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Elliottnell Perez

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep-related breathing disorder that produces repetitive obstruction or collapse of the upper airway. Positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy is the gold standard treatment for OSA. Hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HNS) is considered an alternative treatment for patients who are unable to tolerate PAP therapy. The purpose of the study was to examine sleep, mental health, and cognitive health outcomes before and after HNS to determine its viability as an alternative treatment.

Methods: The study utilized a single-group, pretest-posttest design. Objective and subjective sleep was measured using actigraphy, sleep diary, and questionnaires. Objective and subjective …

Cannabis Cues And Effects On Social Anxiety, Erica Steinberg

All Master's Theses

Prior research has shown that individuals experiencing social anxiety may use cannabis for self-medication; therefore, the current study evaluated if viewing cannabis cues would reduce feelings of social anxiety. Central Washington University undergraduates enrolled in psychology courses (n = 124; 66.7% female; M_age = 19.8, SD_age = 4.7) were shown cannabis cues after viewing expressive facial images that prior research has shown induces feelings of social anxiety. Contrary to prior research, the current study found that emotional faces did not significantly affect state-trait anxiety as measured by the 6-item State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-6) but that trait social …

The Potential Of Ketamine For Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Review Of Clinical Evidence, Anya Ragnhildstveit, Jeremy Roscoe, Lisa C Bass, Christopher L Averill, Chadi G Abdallah, Lynnette A Averill

Staff and Researcher Publications

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a devastating condition, for which there are few pharmacological agents, often with a delayed onset of action and poor efficacy. Trauma-focused psychotherapies are further limited by few trained providers and low patient engagement. This frequently results in disease chronicity as well as psychiatric and medical comorbidity, with considerable negative impact on quality of life. As such, off-label interventions are commonly used for PTSD, particularly in chronic refractory cases. Ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NDMA) receptor antagonist, has recently been indicated for major depression, exhibiting rapid and robust antidepressant effects. It also shows transdiagnostic potential for an …

Nourishing The Brain On Deep Space Missions: Nutritional Psychiatry In Promoting Resilience, Nihar N Pathare, Flavia Fayet-Moore, Jennifer A Fogarty, Felice N Jacka, Philip Strandwitz, Gary E Strangman, Dorit B Donoviel

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The grueling psychological demands of a journey into deep space coupled with ever-increasing distances away from home pose a unique problem: how can we best take advantage of the benefits of fresh foods in a place that has none? Here, we consider the biggest challenges associated with our current spaceflight food system, highlight the importance of supporting optimal brain health on missions into deep space, and discuss evidence about food components that impact brain health. We propose a future food system that leverages the gut microbiota that can be individually tailored to best support the brain and mental health of …

Implementation Of A Death Anxiety Screening Protocol Specific To Patients With Advanced Cancer In An Outpatient Palliative Care Setting, Olivia M. Sasdi

DNP Projects

Abstract

Background: Recent studies have shown that upwards of 80% of patients with advanced cancer suffer from death anxiety resulting in increased physical and psychological suffering. Despite death anxiety’s ubiquitous nature and negative impact, the literature regarding this condition consistently indicates that it remains under-identified and undertreated in patients with advanced cancer. The “Death and Dying Distress Scale” (DADDS) is a clinically validated tool used to identify, measure, and guide effective treatment modalities for death anxiety specifically in patients with advanced cancer, but is scarcely used routinely in practice. Incorporating this screening tool to be used regularly could improve identification …

Beyond Breathless: Unravelling The Enigma Of Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformations, Sri Mounya Jampala, Jagadish Kumar K Dr., Manjunath V G, Nandish H R

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformations (AVMs) are abnormal connections between the pulmonary arteries and veins, leading to a direct shunting of blood without passing through the normal capillary bed. These AVMs can be associated with a rare genetic disorder called Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT), also known as Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome. HHT is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by the development of fragile telangiectasias in various organs, including the skin and mucous membranes. These telangiectasias are prone to bleeding, leading to recurrent nosebleeds and mucocutaneous bleeding. In patients with HHT, the most common site of AVMs is in the lungs. Pulmonary AVMs can cause …

Stroke: A Neurological Complication In Covid-19., Abhigna M, Vikram Patil

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

No abstract provided.

The Trichobezoar Enigma: Untangling The Intricacies Of Rapunzel Syndrome, Debabrata Sahu, Dr Rajkishor Sahu

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Rapunzel Syndrome is a rare manifestation of trichobezoar, characterized by the presence of hair strands extending beyond the stomach and into the duodenum. Trichobezoars typically develop in individuals with a history of trichotillomania, a compulsive behavioral disorder involving hair-pulling, combined with trichophagia, the ingestion of hair. While trichobezoars predominantly form within the stomach, their occurrence in the jejunum is infrequent. This condition is more commonly observed in adolescent females.

The formation of bezoars within the gastrointestinal tract is typically attributed to anatomical changes. However, in cases where no such anatomical abnormalities are present, psychiatric disorders like trichotillomania can lead to …

Modified Electroconvulsive Therapy As Maintenance Treatment, Jatin Kumar, Kishor M, Murali M R

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Depression is the most common psychiatric condition that significantly affects the quality of life of individual affected with it and it can present with various signs and symptoms. It usually presents with persistent and pervasive sadness of mood, anhedonia, sleep disturbance, reduced appetite, reduced concentration, multiple somatic symptoms, and suicidal thoughts. In this case report a 61-year-old gentleman presented with sadness of mood, loss of interest, sleep disturbance, multiple body aches, and abdominal pain which varied from 2 to 6 weeks. He had failed to respond to multiple classes of antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and antipsychotics. However, he would respond well …

Cerebral Venous Thrombosis In Pregnancy : A Case Report, Dr Sumuk M S Sr, Dr Anupama Marnal B A Sr, Dr Mamatha S Professor And Head Of The Department, Poornima M Associate Professor

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is a rare complication encountered in pregnancy. Symptoms of CVT include headache, limb paresis, seizures , disturbed consciousness , visual disturbances. We present our 25 years old pregnant patient who presented with unsteadiness of gait , weakness and numbness of all four limbs, vomiting headache , giddiness due to which it was difficult for her to perform her daily activities. After the differential diagnostic examinations, we recognised cerebral venous thrombosis. After anti-coagulant treatment , the symptoms resolved. We would like to convey that such symptoms in pregnant women we should always think of CVT.

Relationship Between Femoral Artery Intima-Media Thickness And Atherosclerosis In Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease- A One Year Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study, Dr. Somashekhar Sogi, Dr. Ravi Sarvi, Dr. Pradeep Goudar, Dr. Mallikarjun Karishetti, Dr.V.V Hattiholi, Dr.Meenakshi Sarvi

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. CKD and Peripheral arterial disease both independently increase the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and contribute significantly to morbidity and mortality. There is limited data about the co-relation between ultrasound measures of the femoral artery in peripheral vascular disease (PVD) & renal functional status. This research hence will help us in the establishment of a relationship between femoral intima-media thickness (fIMT) with CKD. Also, IMT assessment might help in earlier detection of atherosclerotic plaques & hence PVD.

Materials and methods: A cross sectional …

Hyperdiploid Chromosomes In Patients With B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Anjali Shastry

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Introduction: Hyperdiploidy (more than 50 chromosomes) is an important cytogenetic abnormality found in B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B cell ALL). The presence of hyperdiploidy > 50 is considered to be a good prognostic marker since it has increased sensitivity to standard chemotherapy. Patients with hyperdiploidy have the longest disease-free survival compared with any other cytogenetic group.

Aim of study:

To estimate prevalence of hyperdiploid chromosomes in patients with B cell ALL through conventional karyotyping and Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH).

Materials and methods:

Retrospective study was done on 200 bone marrow samples diagnosed with B cell Acute lymphoblastic leukemia …

Dengue Fever With Normal Platelet Count In A Patient With Β-Thalassemia Trait: A Case Report, Pankaj Kumar Jain, Manoj Seval, Vikas Meena, Rajesh Yadav

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Dengue fever is an arboviral infection typically characterized by thrombocytopenia and hemoconcentration. However, hematological manifestations may differ in patients with underlying hemoglobinopathies. We report a case of 18-year-old female diagnosed with dengue fever (IgM ELISA positive), presented with persistent fever, vomiting, and myalgia. Laboratory evaluation revealed moderate microcytic anemia (Hb 9.7 g/dL, MCV 54.7 fL) with a low Mentzer index (8.7). High-performance liquid chromatography confirmed β-thalassemia trait (HbA2 4.6%). Contrary to the typical presentation of dengue, the patient had elevated platelet counts at admission (584,000/µL), which remained within normal to high range during hospitalization. This case highlights that dengue infection …

Family-Based Support As Social Determinants Of Health Protective Factor On Depression Of Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Bisola E. Duyile

Theses and Dissertations

All parents experience challenges in their caregiving roles (Barańczuk & Pisula, 2020). However, parents raising a child/children with disabilities experience different social barriers (Oliver, 1996) that may also contribute to additional stressors in their caregiving role (Tomeny, 2016). Although these parents, on average, have reported greater symptoms of depression than parents of typically developing children, research shows that parents who reported receiving social support had lower symptoms of depression and stress (Das et al., 2017; Singh et al., 2017). Through the social determinants of health (SDOH) framework (ODPHP, 2022), the present study investigated informal/family-based support and its protective impact on …

Enabling Structural Resilience Of Street-Involved Children And Youth In Kenya: Reintegration Outcomes And The Flourishing Community Model, Michael L Goodman, Sarah E Seidel, Andrew Springer, Aleisha Elliott, Christine Markham, Hani Serag, Philip Keiser, Ben Raimer, Lauren Raimer-Goodman, Christine Gatwiri, Kelvin Munene, Stanley Gitari

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Millions of children and youth live on city streets across the globe, vulnerable to substance use, abuse, material and structural neglect. Structural resilience, the re-establishment of access to structural goods within a society such as housing, education, and healthcare following some interruption, provides an orientation for research and interventional efforts with street-involved children and youth (SICY). Further, a structural resilience framework supports organizing interactions between levels and sectors of a socio-ecology.

Methods: Following the expressed interests of Kenyan SICY, and consistent with emerging policy interests at national and global levels, we assess reintegration trajectories of Kenyan SICY (n …

Pregnancy-Related Covid Worry, Depressive Symptom Severity, And Mediation Through Sleep Disturbance In A Low-Income, Primarily Latinx Population In California’S Central Valley, Jennifer N Felder, Patience A Afulani, Kimberly Coleman-Phox, Serwaa S Omowale, Charles E Mcculloch, Lauren Lessard, Miriam Kuppermann

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: This study (1) assessed the psychometric properties of a pregnancy-related COVID worry scale, (2) explored variations in pregnancy-related COVID worry over the course of the pandemic, and (3) examined associations between pregnancy-related COVID worry and depressive symptom severity, and evaluated sleep disturbance as a mediator.

Methods: Data were drawn from an ongoing randomized trial comparing the effectiveness of two enhanced forms of prenatal care. The current analysis includes baseline pre-randomization data collected from participants who enrolled November 2020-November 2021 (n = 201). Participants were pregnant individuals with low income and primarily Latinx.

Results: Our 7-item scale was valid and …

Effect Of Relaxation Intervention On Stress Levels And Cognitive Skills In Professional Students, Sandhra Sabu, Ravikiran Kisan, . Swapnali

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Background: Medical Professional training is likely to encounter a variety of hassles and stress in relation to the developmental tasks associated with transition from school life to professional college life. The vast syllabus, peer competition for academic performance, continuous evaluation, and long duration of the training makes medical education stressful. Many students feel a need to relieve stress and it is a necessity to equip students with proven techniques to reduce stress and cope up with the situation. Proper cognitive functioning has been found to be an important factor for academic performance.

Methods: The present study is a cross …

Adolescent Loneliness During The Covid-19 Pandemic: The Role Of Pre-Pandemic Risk Factors, Hena Thakur, Morgan Stutts, Jae Wan Choi, Jeff R Temple, Joseph R Cohen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global mental health crisis that disproportionately impacts adolescents. Loneliness is a particularly salient pandemic psychosocial outcome to understand; however, research to date on this outcome is sparse and largely cross-sectional. In response, we examined pre-pandemic risk factors for pandemic loneliness. Further, we examined how risk may differ based on key demographics, and whether mediation or moderation models best explained potential disparities in experiencing loneliness. Self-reported, pre-pandemic mental health, trauma exposure, and family conflict survey data were collected at Wave 1 in a diverse sample of 369 adolescents (54.5% female, 45.5% male; 30.1% White; 30.9% Black; …

Association Between Brain Similarity To Severe Mental Illnesses And Comorbid Cerebral, Physical, And Cognitive Impairments, Yizhou Ma, Mark D Kvarta, Bhim M Adhikari, Joshua Chiappelli, Xiaoming Du, Andrew Van Der Vaart, Eric L Goldwaser, Heather Bruce, Kathryn S Hatch, Si Gao, Ann Summerfelt, Neda Jahanshad, Paul M Thompson, Thomas E Nichols, L Elliot Hong, Peter Kochunov

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Severe mental illnesses (SMIs) are often associated with compromised brain health, physical comorbidities, and cognitive deficits, but it is incompletely understood whether these comorbidities are intrinsic to SMI pathophysiology or secondary to having SMIs. We tested the hypothesis that cerebral, cardiometabolic, and cognitive impairments commonly observed in SMIs can be observed in non-psychiatric individuals with SMI-like brain patterns of deviation as seen on magnetic resonance imaging. 22,883 participants free of common neuropsychiatric conditions from the UK Biobank (age = 63.4 ± 7.5 years, range = 45–82 years, 50.9% female) were split into discovery and replication samples. The regional vulnerability index …

Depression And Insomnia Among Healthcare Professionals During Covid-19 Pandemic In Ethiopia: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Aragaw Asfaw Hasen, Abubeker Alebachew Seid, Ahmed Adem Mohammed

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Healthcare professionals play a great role in the struggle against COVID-19. They are highly susceptible to COVID-19 due to their responsibilities. This susceptibility directly affects their mental health status. Comprehensive evidence on prevalence of depression and insomnia during this pandemic is vital. Thus, this study aims to provide the pooled prevalence of depression and insomnia, and their associated factors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies were searched from PubMed, Cochrane Library, CrossRef, African Journals Online and Google Scholar databases from …

Poor Sleep Quality And Suicidal Ideation Among Pregnant Women During Covid-19 In Ethiopia: Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Aragaw Asfaw Hasen, Abubeker Alebachew Seid, Ahmed Adem Mohammed

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 has profoundly impacted the mental health and well-being of pregnant women worldwide. In Ethiopia, the poor sleep quality and suicidal ideation among pregnant women has increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to provide comprehensive evidence on the prevalence and associated factors of poor sleep quality and suicidal ideation among pregnant women during COVID-19 in Ethiopia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study is based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) recommendation. Data were searched from PubMed, Google Scholar, and African Journals Online from the occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic to February 2023. …

Sulforaphane Improves Cognitive Function Administered Following Traumatic Brain Injury, Jackson W S Gasperecz, Elizabeth Baumler, Leila Wood, Jeff R Temple

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

As the second leading cause of death among Americans aged 10 to 34, suicide is a serious public health concern. One potential predictor of suicidality is dating violence (DV) victimization, such as any physical, psychological, or sexual abuse by a current or former intimate partner. However, little longitudinal data exists on the relationship between suicidal ideation and DV. To address this gap in knowledge, we leverage data from two years of our longitudinal study

Within Subject Cross-Tissue Analyzes Of Epigenetic Clocks In Substance Use Disorder Postmortem Brain And Blood, Brenda Cabrera-Mendoza, Laura Stertz, Katherine Najera, Sudhakar Selvaraj, Antonio L Teixeira, Thomas D Meyer, Gabriel R Fries, Consuelo Walss-Bass

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

There is a possible accelerated biological aging in patients with substance use disorders (SUD). The evaluation of epigenetic clocks, which are accurate estimators of biological aging based on DNA methylation changes, has been limited to blood tissue in patients with SUD. Consequently, the impact of biological aging in the brain of individuals with SUD remains unknown. In this study, we evaluated multiple epigenetic clocks (DNAmAge, DNAmAgeHannum, DNAmAgeSkinBlood, DNAmPhenoAge, DNAmGrimAge, and DNAmTL) in individuals with SUD (n = 42), including alcohol (n = 10), opioid (n = 19), and stimulant use disorder (n = 13), and controls (n = 10) in …

Validation Of The Brazilian Portuguese Version Of The Quick Inventory Of Depressive Symptomatology And Self-Report (Qids-Sr16) For The Brazilian Population, Lucas Bandinelli, Julia Luiza Schäfer, Bruno Kluwe-Schiavon, Rodrigo Grassi-Oliveira

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QID-SR16), a self-report instrument based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV) criteria that assesses the severity of depression symptoms, in the Brazilian population.

METHODS: Participants were 4,400 Brazilians over the age of 15 years recruited for an online survey assessing depressive symptoms during the early phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Brazil. The internal consistency, construct validity, and convergent and discriminant validity of the QIDS-SR16 were evaluated.

RESULTS: The model tested was considered an adequate fit to the …

Non-Pharmacological Treatment-Related Changes Of Molecular Biomarkers In Major Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Courtney L Irwin, Patrícia S Coelho, Bruno Kluwe-Schiavon, Anabela Silva-Fernandes, Óscar F Gonçalves, Jorge Leite, Sandra Carvalho

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a serious mood disorder and leading cause of disability. Despite treatment advances, approximately 30% of individuals with MDD do not achieve adequate clinical response. Better understanding the biological mechanism(s) underlying clinical response to specific psychopharmacological interventions may help fine tune treatments in order to further modulate their underlying mechanisms of action. However, little is known regarding the effect of non-pharmacological treatments (NPTs) on candidate molecular biomarker levels in MDD. This review aims to identify molecular biomarkers that may elucidate NPT response for MDD.

METHODS: We performed a systematic review and a multilevel linear mixed-effects …

Processing Speed – A Potential Candidate Cognitive Endophenotype For Bipolar Disorder, Mirona Letitia Dobri, Taya Prince, Alexandre Paim Diaz, Giovana B Zunta-Soares, Sudhakar Selvaraj, Rodrigo Machado-Vieira, Thomas D Meyer, Marsal Sanches, Jair C Soares

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic multifactorial disorder that presents with cognitive impairment as one of its main features, in patients as well as in their first-degree relatives. However, the profile of cognitive dysfunction in BD patients and their relatives is not yet well defined. Various neurocognitive deficits have been proposed as endophenotypes for BD. In the present study, we explored the susceptibility to neurocognitive deficits in BD patients and their siblings compared to healthy controls.

METHOD: A sample consisting of patients diagnosed with BD (

RESULTS: Compared to healthy controls, BD patients and their unaffected siblings showed deficits …

Non-Canonical Pathways In The Pathophysiology And Therapeutics Of Bipolar Disorder, Rodrigo Machado-Vieira, Alan C Courtes, Carlos A Zarate, Ioline D Henter, Husseini K Manji

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Bipolar disorder (BD) is characterized by extreme mood swings ranging from manic/hypomanic to depressive episodes. The severity, duration, and frequency of these episodes can vary widely between individuals, significantly impacting quality of life. Individuals with BD spend almost half their lives experiencing mood symptoms, especially depression, as well as associated clinical dimensions such as anhedonia, fatigue, suicidality, anxiety, and neurovegetative symptoms. Persistent mood symptoms have been associated with premature mortality, accelerated aging, and elevated prevalence of treatment-resistant depression. Recent efforts have expanded our understanding of the neurobiology of BD and the downstream targets that may help track clinical outcomes and …

Reproductive Coercion Victimization And Associated Mental Health Outcomes Among Female-Identifying Young Adults, Emily A Muñoz, Ryan C Shorey, Jeff R Temple

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Reproductive coercion is a serious public health problem. Victimization has been associated with poor mental health outcomes, including symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression in clinical and college samples. We build on these findings by examining the association between reproductive coercion victimization and mental and behavioral health outcomes, including depression, PTSD symptoms, anxiety, and drinking behaviors in a diverse community-derived sample of female-identifying young adults (mean age = 20; SD=.72). Participants (n = 368) were originally recruited as part of a study on dating violence in seven Texas public high schools. Participants completed an online study that …

Changes In Mental Health As A Predictor Of Cannabis Coping Motives And Consequences: Examining The Impact Of Covid-19 Among College Students, Rebecca Dunaief, Adrian Jorge Bravo, James Henson

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: Cannabis use is common among college students and many students use cannabis to cope with negative affect. The COVID-19 pandemic was a particularly stressful time for college students. Subsequently, the present study compared college students who reported increases in anxiety/depression symptoms since COVID-19 stay at home orders to those who reported no change in anxiety/depression symptoms on cannabis coping motives, use frequency, and negative consequences. Specifically, we examined whether self-reported changes (i.e., group that indicated increases) in poor mental health during COVID-19 were associated with problematic cannabis use via higher cannabis coping motives. Method: College students (analytic n = …