Psychiatry and Psychology Commons^™

Validation Of The Occupational Depression Inventory In Brazil: A Study Of 1,612 Civil Servants, Renzo Bianchi, Danísio Calixto Cavalcante, Cristina Queirós, Blezi Daiana Menezes Santos, Jay Verkuilen, Irvin Sam Schonfeld

Publications and Research

Objective: The Occupational Depression Inventory (ODI) assesses work-attributed depressive symptoms. The ODI has demonstrated robust psychometric and structural properties. To date, the instrument has been validated in English, French, and Spanish. This study examined the psychometric and structural properties of the ODI's Brazilian-Portuguese version.

Methods: The study involved 1612 civil servants employed in Brazil (MAGE = 44, SDAGE = 9; 60% female). The study was conducted online across all Brazilian states.

Results: Exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) bifactor analysis indicated that the ODI meets the requirements for essential unidimensionality. The general factor accounted for 91% of the common variance extracted. …

Sexual Health And Relationship Abuse Interventions In Pediatric Primary Care: A Systematic Review, Susheel Kant Khetarpal, Sarah Tiffany-Appleton, Erin E Mickievicz, Romina L Barral, Kimberly A Randell, Jeff R Temple, Elizabeth Miller, Maya I Ragavan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: Supporting adolescents in developing healthy relationships and promoting sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is an important responsibility of pediatric primary care providers. Less is known about evidence-based interventions in pediatric settings focused on healthy relationships and SRH.

METHODS: We conducted a systematic review to describe SRH and healthy relationship/adolescent relationship abuse (ARA) interventions for pediatric primary care over the past 20 years. Eligible articles were original research on an SRH-focused or ARA-focused intervention, conducted in-person within pediatric primary care or school-based health centers specifically for middle or high school-aged adolescents. Data abstracted from included articles included intervention description, content, …

Moral Injury To Inform Analysis Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Amanda Julia Manea

Senior Theses

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that almost one out of ten veterans struggle with. Although the National Center for PTSD has made extensive progress in characterizing and developing new treatments for PTSD, most veterans still experience symptoms of PTSD following treatment. Novel avenues of investigation, such as developing algorithms to review electronic health record (EHR) data and better understanding moral injury, are being pursued to address the gap that still exists when it comes to treating veterans. Moral injury is the individual evaluation of exposure to a potentially morally injurious event (PMIE) and can lead to …

Evaluating The Causal Effect Of Tobacco Smoking On White Matter Brain Aging: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Analysis In Uk Biobank, Chen Mo, Jingtao Wang, Zhenyao Ye, Hongjie Ke, Song Liu, Kathryn Hatch, Si Gao, Jessica Magidson, Chixiang Chen, Braxton D Mitchell, Peter Kochunov, L Elliot Hong, Tianzhou Ma, Shuo Chen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Tobacco smoking is a risk factor for impaired brain function, but its causal effect on white matter brain aging remains unclear. This study aimed to measure the causal effect of tobacco smoking on white matter brain aging.

DESIGN: Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis using two non-overlapping data sets (with and without neuroimaging data) from UK Biobank (UKB). The group exposed to smoking and control group consisted of current smokers and never smokers, respectively. Our main method was generalized weighted linear regression with other methods also included as sensitivity analysis.

SETTING: United Kingdom.

PARTICIPANTS: The study cohort included 23 …

Sensing Fear: Fast And Precise Threat Evaluation In Human Sensory Cortex, Wen Li, Andreas Keil

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Animal models of threat processing have evolved beyond the amygdala to incorporate a distributed neural network. In human research, evidence has intensified in recent years to challenge the canonical threat circuitry centered on the amygdala, urging revision of threat conceptualization. A strong surge of research into threat processing in the sensory cortex in the past decade has generated particularly useful insights to inform the reconceptualization. Here, synthesizing findings from both animal and human research, we highlight sensitive, specific, and adaptable threat representations in the sensory cortex, arising from experience-based sculpting of sensory coding networks. We thus propose that the human …

Single-Case Pilot Study For Longitudinal Analysis Of Referential Failures And Sentiment In Schizophrenic Speech From Client-Centered Psychotherapy Recordings, Travis A. Musich

Dissertations

Though computational linguistic analyses have revealed the presence of distinctly characteristic language features in schizophrenic disordered speech, the relative stability of these language features in longitudinal samples is still unknown. This longitudinal pilot study analyzed schizophrenic disordered speech data from the archival therapy audio recordings of one patient spanning 23 years. End-to-end Neural Coreference Resolution software was used to analyze transcribed speech data from three therapy sessions to identify ambiguous pronouns, referred to as referential failures, which were reviewed and confirmed by multiple raters. Speech samples were analyzed using Google Cloud Natural Language API software for sentiment variables (i.e., score, …

Childhood-Onset Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Exacerbates Opioid Use Disorder Consequences: Mediation By Impulsive Phenotypes, Liam R. Browning, Ciara Cannoy, Tabitha E. H. Moses, Leslie H. Lundahl Phd, David M. Ledgerwood Phd, Mark K. Greenwald Phd

Medical Student Research Symposium

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is highly prevalent and associated with opioid use disorder (OUD). Yet, little is known about the mechanisms by which ADHD (which is a heterogeneous construct/diagnosis) might alter the trajectory of OUD outcomes.

Aim: This cross-sectional study examines relationships between childhood ADHD (inferred as predating substance use) and the extent to which the effects of ADHD on lifetime heroin-use consequences are mediated by foreshortened time perspective and drug-use impulsivity.

Methods: Individuals who report heroin use (N=214) were screened using the Assessment of Hyperactivity and Attention (AHA), Impulsive Relapse Questionnaire (IRQ), Stanford Time Perception Inventory (STPI), …

Factors Associated With Suicide Mortality Among Childbearing-Aged Individuals: A Case-Control Study, Katerina A. Furman, Amy Loree Phd, Leah Hecht Phd, Katerina Furman Md Candidate, Lyuba Gavrilova Bs, Hsueh-Han Yeh Phd, Catherine Frank Md, Brian Ahmedani Phd

Medical Student Research Symposium

Purpose: Examine pregnancy-related, demographic, psychosocial and healthcare utilization factors among childbearing-aged individuals who were pregnant, postpartum or who experienced pregnancy loss

Methods: Data from nine health care systems in the Mental Health Research Network was included in this sample. A case-control study design was used in which 290 childbearing-age individuals who died by suicide (cases) from 2000-2015 were matched with 10 childbearing-age individuals from the same healthcare system and enrolled during the same time period who did not die by suicide (n=2,900). Conditional logistic regression was used to analyze associations between pregnancy/postpartum/pregnancy loss status and suicide.

Results: …

Radical Youth Work: A Community Based Approach To Working With Youth, Young Adults And Families, Weston J. Robins

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Eternal Strength Center for Radical Youth Work is a blended community center with customizable mental health therapeutic support for youth, young adults and families. Providing humanistic and person centered psychotherapy and counseling, alongside experiential therapies and community engagement we support families and youth struggling with anxiety, depression, substance abuse, self harm, suicidality and other challenges on their developmental growth journey.

The Pandemic Anxiety Inventory: A Validation Study, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Tasmyn Prytherch, Mark Cropley, Renzo Bianchi

Publications and Research

The Pandemic Anxiety Inventory (PAI) assesses anxiety symptoms individuals attribute to the presence of a pandemic. We conducted this study of 379 British adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and found that the PAI exhibited excellent reliability and solid criterion validity. Pandemic anxiety was associated with reduced social support, anticipated life changes, financial strain, job loss, economic insecurity, and the hospitalization or death of a close friend or relative. Using correlational and bifactor analyses, we found that the PAI demonstrated solid convergent and discriminant validity. The findings suggest that the PAI can be used in research and clinical practice.

The Pandemic Anxiety Inventory: A Validation Study, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Tasmyn Prytherch, Mark Cropley, Renzo Bianchi

Publications and Research

The Pandemic Anxiety Inventory (PAI) assesses anxiety symptoms individuals attribute to the presence of a pandemic. We conducted this study of 379 British adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and found that the PAI exhibited excellent reliability and solid criterion validity. Pandemic anxiety was associated with reduced social support, anticipated life changes, financial strain, job loss, economic insecurity, and the hospitalization or death of a close friend or relative. Using correlational and bifactor analyses, we found that the PAI demonstrated solid convergent and discriminant validity. The findings suggest that the PAI can be used in research and clinical practice.

Temporal Stability Of The Hemodynamic Response Function Across The Majority Of Human Cerebral Cortex, Haitham Salem, Tung Huynh, Natasha Topolski, Benson Mwangi, Madhukar H Trivedi, Jair C Soares, A John Rush, Sudhakar Selvaraj

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Artificial intelligence is currently being used to facilitate early disease detection, better understand disease progression, optimize medication/treatment dosages, and uncover promising novel treatments and potential outcomes.

METHODS: Utilizing the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) dataset, we built a machine learning model to predict depression remission rates using same clinical data as features for each of the first three antidepressant treatment steps in STAR*D. We only used early treatment data (baseline and first follow up) in each STAR*D step to temporally analyze predictive features of remission at the end of the step.

RESULTS: Our model showed significant prediction …

Five Negative Symptom Domains Are Differentially Associated With Resting State Amplitude Of Low Frequency Fluctuations In Schizophrenia, Eun-Jin Cheon, Alie G Male, Bingchen Gao, Bhim M Adhikari, Jesse T Edmond, Stephanie M Hare, Aysenil Belger, Steven G Potkin, Juan R Bustillo, Daniel H Mathalon, Judith M Ford, Kelvin O Lim, Bryon A Mueller, Adrian Preda, Daniel O'Leary, Gregory P Strauss, Anthony O Ahmed, Paul M Thompson, Neda Jahanshad, Peter Kochunov, Vince D Calhoun, Jessica A Turner, Theo G M Van Erp

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This study examined associations between resting-state amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and negative symptoms represented by total scores, second-order dimension (motivation and pleasure, expressivity), and first-order domain (anhedonia, avolition, asociality, alogia, blunted affect) factor scores in schizophrenia (n = 57). Total negative symptom scores showed positive associations with ALFF in temporal and frontal brain regions. Negative symptom domain scores showed predominantly stronger associations with regional ALFF compared to total scores, suggesting domain scores may better map to neural signatures than total scores. Improving our understanding of the neuropathology underlying negative symptoms may aid in addressing this unmet therapeutic need …

Clinical Characteristics, Impairment, And Psychiatric Morbidity In 102 Youth With Misophonia, Andrew G Guzick, Matti Cervin, Eleanor E A Smith, Jane Clinger, Isabel Draper, Wayne K Goodman, Marijn Lijffijt, Nicholas Murphy, Adam B Lewin, Sophie C Schneider, Eric A Storch

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: There is little information on the clinical presentation, functional impact, and psychiatric characteristics of misophonia in youth, an increasingly recognized syndrome characterized by high emotional reactivity to certain sounds and associated visual stimuli.

METHOD: One-hundred-two youth (8-17 years-old) with misophonia and their parents were recruited and compared with 94 youth with anxiety disorders. Participants completed validated assessments of misophonia severity, quality of life, as well as psychiatric symptoms and diagnoses.

RESULTS: The most common misophonia triggers included eating (96 %), breathing (84 %), throat sounds (66 %), and tapping (54 %). Annoyance/irritation, verbal aggression, avoidance behavior, and family impact …

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy For Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Samuel D Spencer, Jordan T Stiede, Andrew D Wiese, Wayne K Goodman, Andrew G Guzick, Eric A Storch

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by the presence of debilitating obsessions and compulsions. Cognitive and behavioral models of OCD provide a strong theoretic and empirical foundation for informing effective psychotherapeutic treatment. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for OCD, which includes a deliberate emphasis on exposure and response/ritual prevention, has consistently demonstrated robust efficacy for the treatment of pediatric and adult OCD and is the front-line psychotherapeutic treatment for OCD. Two case vignettes describing CBT for OCD in practice as well as recommendations for clinicians are provided.

Volume Of Subcortical Brain Regions In Social Anxiety Disorder: Mega-Analytic Results From 37 Samples In The Enigma-Anxiety Working Group, Nynke A Groenewold, Janna Marie Bas-Hoogendam, Alyssa R Amod, Max A Laansma, Laura S Van Velzen, Moji Aghajani, Kevin Hilbert, Hyuntaek Oh, Ramiro Salas, Andrea P Jackowski, Pedro M Pan, Giovanni A Salum, James R Blair, Karina S Blair, Joy Hirsch, Spiro P Pantazatos, Franklin R Schneier, Ardesheer Talati, Karin Roelofs, Inge Volman, Laura Blanco-Hinojo, Narcís Cardoner, Jesus Pujol, Katja Beesdo-Baum, Christopher R K Ching, Sophia I Thomopoulos, Andreas Jansen, Tilo Kircher, Axel Krug, Igor Nenadić, Frederike Stein, Udo Dannlowski, Dominik Grotegerd, Hannah Lemke, Susanne Meinert, Alexandra Winter, Michael Erb, Benjamin Kreifelts, Qiyong Gong, Su Lui, Fei Zhu, Benson Mwangi, Jair C Soares, Mon-Ju Wu, Ali Bayram, Mesut Canli, Raşit Tükel, P Michiel Westenberg, Alexandre Heeren, Henk R Cremers, David Hofmann, Thomas Straube, Alexander G G Doruyter, Christine Lochner, Jutta Peterburs, Marie-José Van Tol, Raquel E Gur, Antonia N Kaczkurkin, Bart Larsen, Theodore D Satterthwaite, Courtney A Filippi, Andrea L Gold, Anita Harrewijn, André Zugman, Robin Bülow, Hans J Grabe, Henry Völzke, Katharina Wittfeld, Joscha Böhnlein, Katharina Dohm, Harald Kugel, Elisabeth Schrammen, Peter Zwanzger, Elisabeth J Leehr, Lisa Sindermann, Tali M Ball, Gregory A Fonzo, Martin P Paulus, Alan Simmons, Murray B Stein, Heide Klumpp, K Luan Phan, Tomas Furmark, Kristoffer N T Månsson, Amirhossein Manzouri, Suzanne N Avery, Jennifer Urbano Blackford, Jacqueline A Clauss, Brandee Feola, Jennifer C Harper, Chad M Sylvester, Ulrike Lueken, Dick J Veltman, Anderson M Winkler, Neda Jahanshad, Daniel S Pine, Paul M Thompson, Dan J Stein, Nic J A Van Der Wee

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

There is limited convergence in neuroimaging investigations into volumes of subcortical brain regions in social anxiety disorder (SAD). The inconsistent findings may arise from variations in methodological approaches across studies, including sample selection based on age and clinical characteristics. The ENIGMA-Anxiety Working Group initiated a global mega-analysis to determine whether differences in subcortical volumes can be detected in adults and adolescents with SAD relative to healthy controls. Volumetric data from 37 international samples with 1115 SAD patients and 2775 controls were obtained from ENIGMA-standardized protocols for image segmentation and quality assurance. Linear mixed-effects analyses were adjusted for comparisons across seven …

Classifying Severe And Enduring Anorexia Nervosa: A Literature Review, Phoenix Black

University Honors Theses

Little focus is placed on the subsection of the eating disorder patient population who struggle chronically with their illness. This review synthesizes research on the topic to identify gaps in knowledge and reflect on implications for diagnosis and classification of severe and enduring anorexia nervosa. There was some variability between both clinicians and researchers who focused on this patient population, which is discussed based on different classifying criteria used to include or exclude an individual into the study. This review considers traditional methods used for classifying psychiatric diagnoses in relation to this disorder.

Recent Advances In Psychopharmacology: From Bench To Bedside Novel Trends In Schizophrenia, Asim A Shah, Syed Z Iqbal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Research in the field of psychopharmacology is ongoing to develop novel compounds which can revolutionize the treatment of psychiatric disorders. The concept of bench-to-bedside is a tedious process, transforming the initial research performed in the laboratories into novel treatment options. Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a chronic psychiatric illness with significant morbidity and mortality. SCZ not only presents with psychotic symptoms including hallucinations and delusions but also with negative and cognitive symptoms. The negative symptoms include the diminished ability to express emotions, loss of pleasure, and motivation with minimal social interactions. Conventional antipsychotics primarily target positive symptoms with minimal therapeutic benefits for …

Decision-Making Under Risk And Theory Of Mind In Adolescent Offenders In Provisional Deprivation Of Liberty, Rubens José Loureiro, Flavio Takemi Kataoka, Thiago Wendt Viola, Gisele Iesbich Vargas, Breno Sanvicente-Vieira, Rodrigo Grassi-Oliveira, Bruno Kluwe-Schiavon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Delinquent behaviors are risky behaviors that increase during puberty and reach their highest peak in late adolescence. It has been proposed that poor decision-making and theory of mind (ToM) are key cognitive processes implicated with delinquency during adolescence, affecting evaluation of risks and impairing appreciation of social norms. Nevertheless, it is not yet clear whether adolescent offenders who are subjected to provisional deprivation of liberty due to conflict with the law (adolescents in conflict with the law [ACL]) might, in fact, present a specific profile with regard to these cognitive processes.

OBJECTIVES: To assess deliberative decision-making and ToM among …

Functional Connectivity Signatures Of Nmdar Dysfunction In Schizophrenia—Integrating Findings From Imaging Genetics And Pharmaco-Fmri, Arnim J Gaebler, Nilüfer Fakour, Felix Stöhr, Jana Zweerings, Arezoo Taebi, Mariia Suslova, Juergen Dukart, Joerg F Hipp, Bhim M Adhikari, Peter Kochunov, Suresh D Muthukumaraswamy, Anna Forsyth, Thomas Eggermann, Florian Kraft, Ingo Kurth, Michael Paulzen, Gerhard Gründer, Frank Schneider, Klaus Mathiak

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Both, pharmacological and genome-wide association studies suggest N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) dysfunction and excitatory/inhibitory (E/I)-imbalance as a major pathophysiological mechanism of schizophrenia. The identification of shared fMRI brain signatures of genetically and pharmacologically induced NMDAR dysfunction may help to define biomarkers for patient stratification. NMDAR-related genetic and pharmacological effects on functional connectivity were investigated by integrating three different datasets: (A) resting state fMRI data from 146 patients with schizophrenia genotyped for the disease-associated genetic variant rs7191183 of GRIN2A (encoding the NMDAR 2 A subunit) as well as 142 healthy controls. (B) Pharmacological effects of the NMDAR antagonist ketamine and the GABA-A …

A Human Stem Cell-Derived Neuronal Model Of Morphine Exposure Reflects Brain Dysregulation In Opioid Use Disorder: Transcriptomic And Epigenetic Characterization Of Postmortem-Derived Ipsc Neurons, Emily F Mendez, Sandra L Grimm, Laura Stertz, Damian Gorski, Sai V Movva, Katherine Najera, Karla Moriel, Thomas D Meyer, Gabriel R Fries, Cristian Coarfa, Consuelo Walss-Bass

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Human-derived induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models of brain promise to advance our understanding of neurotoxic consequences of drug use. However, how well these models recapitulate the actual genomic landscape and cell function, as well as the drug-induced alterations, remains to be established. New

METHODS: We engineered a novel induced pluripotent stem cell-derived model of neural progenitor cells and neurons from cultured postmortem human skin fibroblasts, and directly compared these to isogenic brain tissue from the donor source. We assessed the maturity of the cell models across differentiation from stem cells to neurons using RNA cell type and maturity …

Experiences Of Covid-19-Related Racism And Impact On Depression Trajectories Among Racially/Ethnically Minoritized Adolescents, Sabrina R. Liu, Elysia Poggi Davis, Anton M. Palma, Hal S. Stern, Curt A. Sandman, Laura M. Glynn

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose

In 2020, racially/ethnically minoritized (REMD) youth faced the “dual pandemics” of COVID-19 and racism, both significant stressors with potential for adverse mental health effects. The current study tested whether short- and long-term trajectories of depressive symptoms from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic differed between REMD adolescents who did and did not endorse exposure to COVID-19-era-related racism (i.e., racism stemming from conditions created or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic).

Methods

A community sample of 100 REMD adolescents enrolled in an ongoing longitudinal study of mental health was assessed before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were 51% girls, mean …

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

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: This study intended to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on anxiety and stress among healthcare professionals in Ethiopia.

DESIGN: This study applied a design of systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

DATA SOURCES: ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND OUTCOMES: Observational studies examining anxiety and stress among healthcare professionals in Ethiopia following COVID-19 pandemic were considered. The primary outcomes were the prevalence of anxiety and stress and the secondary outcomes were factors associated to the prevalence of anxiety and stress.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two authors extracted the data and performed quality assessment independently. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to …

Disrupted White Matter Microstructure Correlates With Impulsivity In Children And Adolescents With Bipolar Disorder, Tianjia Zhu, Alessio Simonetti, Minhui Ouyang, Sherin Kurian, Johanna Saxena, Jair C Soares, Kirti Saxena, Hao Huang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Altered white matter (WM) microstructure likely occurs in children with bipolar disorder (BD) with impulsivity representing one of the core features. However, altered WM microstructures and their age-related trendlines in children with BD and those at high-risk of developing BD, as well as correlations of WM microstructures with impulsivity, have been poorly investigated. In this study, diffusion MRI, cognitive, and impulsivity assessments were obtained from children/adolescents diagnosed with BD, offspring of individuals with BD (high-risk BD) and age-matched healthy controls. A novel atlas-based WM skeleton measurement approach was used to quantify WM microstructural integrity with all diffusion-tensor-imaging (DTI) metrics including …

Cortical Connectomic Mediations On Gamma Band Synchronization In Schizophrenia, Xiaoming Du, Stephanie Hare, Ann Summerfelt, Bhim M Adhikari, Laura Garcia, Wyatt Marshall, Peng Zan, Mark Kvarta, Eric Goldwaser, Heather Bruce, Si Gao, Hemalatha Sampath, Peter Kochunov, Jonathan Z Simon, L Elliot Hong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Aberrant gamma frequency neural oscillations in schizophrenia have been well demonstrated using auditory steady-state responses (ASSR). However, the neural circuits underlying 40 Hz ASSR deficits in schizophrenia remain poorly understood. Sixty-six patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and 85 age- and gender-matched healthy controls completed one electroencephalography session measuring 40 Hz ASSR and one imaging session for resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) assessments. The associations between the normalized power of 40 Hz ASSR and rsFC were assessed via linear regression and mediation models. We found that rsFC among auditory, precentral, postcentral, and prefrontal cortices were positively associated with 40 Hz ASSR in …

Skin Stories And Family Feelings: The Contradictions Of Skin Picking In Mother And Daughter, Katrina Jacinto

Crossings: Swarthmore Undergraduate Feminist Research Journal

Skin picking, otherwise known as dermatillomania, is considered to be a medical disorder by the DSM-5. However, the embodied experiences of skin picking in myself and my mother do not align with the neat definitions offered by psychiatry. Through autoethnographic material and an ethnographic interview with my mother, I argue that skin picking is a bodily technique that is pathologized through stigma. In particular, I suggest that skin picking reveals the body as a polyvalent entity, in which the same features and practices take on different meanings in different bodies. This frames the discrepancies between mine, and my mother's, experiences. …

Enhancing The Quality Of Life For Senior Citizens: A Facilitator’S Guidebook For Mindful Music And Movement, Shannon Sexton

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Music appreciation and enjoyment enhance well-being throughout the lifespan. The challenges and constraints that people experience as they age can lead to lack of access to music, decreased physical activity, and fewer avenues for creative expression. Group music and movement interventions created for older populations offer opportunities for social connection and improved quality of life. Mindful practices add further benefit when combined with these interventions. Current available programs are scarce and most often do not encompass mixed modalities. In addition, the benefits of these programs do not show long-term sustainability. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the effects …

Microrna-Mrna Networks Are Dysregulated In Opioid Use Disorder Postmortem Brain: Further Evidence For Opioid-Induced Neurovascular Alterations, Sandra L Grimm, Emily F Mendez, Laura Stertz, Thomas D Meyer, Gabriel R Fries, Tanmay Gandhi, Rupa Kanchi, Sudhakar Selvaraj, Antonio L Teixeira, Thomas R Kosten, Preethi Gunaratne, Cristian Coarfa, Consuelo Walss-Bass

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: To understand mechanisms and identify potential targets for intervention in the current crisis of opioid use disorder (OUD), postmortem brains represent an under-utilized resource. To refine previously reported gene signatures of neurobiological alterations in OUD from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Brodmann Area 9, BA9), we explored the role of microRNAs (miRNA) as powerful epigenetic regulators of gene function.

METHODS: Building on the growing appreciation that miRNAs can cross the blood-brain barrier, we carried out miRNA profiling in same-subject postmortem samples from BA9 and blood tissues.

RESULTS: miRNA-mRNA network analysis showed that even though miRNAs identified in BA9 and blood …

Adolescent Psychological Assets And Cardiometabolic Health Maintenance In Adulthood: Implications For Health Equity, Farah Qureshi, Anne‐Josee Guimond, Elaine Tsao, Scott Delaney, Julia K. Boehm, Laura D. Kubzansky

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Positive cardiometabolic health (CMH) is defined as meeting recommended levels of multiple cardiometabolic risk factors in the absence of manifest disease. Prior work finds that few individuals—particularly members of minoritized racial and ethnic groups—meet these criteria. This study investigated whether psychological assets help adolescents sustain CMH in adulthood and explored interactions by race and ethnicity.

Methods and Results

Participants were 3478 individuals in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (49% female; 67% White, 15% Black, 11% Latinx, 6% other [Native American, Asian, or not specified]). In Wave 1 (1994–1995; mean age=16 years), data on 5 psychological assets (optimism, …

Psychotic Symptom, Mood, And Cognition-Associated Multimodal Mri Reveal Shared Links To The Salience Network Within The Psychosis Spectrum Disorders, Chuang Liang, Godfrey Pearlson, Juan Bustillo, Peter Kochunov, Jessica A Turner, Xuyun Wen, Rongtao Jiang, Zening Fu, Xiao Zhang, Kaicheng Li, Xijia Xu, Daoqiang Zhang, Shile Qi, Vince D Calhoun

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Schizophrenia (SZ), schizoaffective disorder (SAD), and psychotic bipolar disorder share substantial overlap in clinical phenotypes, associated brain abnormalities and risk genes, making reliable diagnosis among the three illness challenging, especially in the absence of distinguishing biomarkers. This investigation aims to identify multimodal brain networks related to psychotic symptom, mood, and cognition through reference-guided fusion to discriminate among SZ, SAD, and BP. Psychotic symptom, mood, and cognition were used as references to supervise functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) fusion to identify multimodal brain networks for SZ, SAD, and BP individually. These features were then used to assess the ability …