Mental Disorders Commons^™

The Effects Of Stress-Related Hormones On Excitatory Synapse Formation, Autumn C. Garvey

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Stress profoundly influences brain function through neuromodulatory hormones that regulate synaptic plasticity, yet how temporal patterns of hormone exposure shape excitatory synapse formation remains poorly understood. This study investigates how exposure to stress hormones, norepinephrine and cortisol, affects excitatory synapse development. While existing research primarily compares concentration models, real-world stress occurs in variable patterns that may produce distinct neural outcomes. To address this gap, differentiated Neuro2A neuronal cells are exposed to norepinephrine or cortisol under a continuous treatment paradigm designed to model chronic stress conditions. Following treatment, immunofluorescence imaging is utilized to quantify excitatory synapse formation through analysis of presynaptic …

Exploring Associations Between Mental Disorder And Creativity, David A. Romero Mora

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Mental disorder has been misunderstood and misrepresented throughout history, leading mental health research to be severely behind where it needs to be. Years of misinformation, over-medicalization, negative rhetoric, and stigmatization at the hands of the very same institutions that were believed to care for mental disorder have kept this misunderstanding alive. Further, studies throughout history have failed to look at the nuances of mental health, prioritizing generalizability. This thesis explores the relationship between mental disorder and creative expression, how other factors like cultural discourse and cognitive processes inform this relationship, as well as how analyzing this relationship can provide a …

Studying Chronotypes And Their Role In Sleep And Mental Health: A Scoping Review, Evan Nguyen

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Sleep patterns remain a significant public health concern globally, impacting several aspects of life, including mental health. This scoping review examined how chronotype and circadian typology predict mental health, with sleep quality serving as a crucial mediator. While the importance of sleep is widely acknowledged, there is a lack of studies specifically investigating chronotype-aligned interventions to reduce psychological distress. To address the shortage, a comprehensive review of the peer-reviewed literature was conducted, identifying six papers for analysis. These studies mostly utilized cross-sectional designs to assess diverse global groups, including university students, healthcare workers, and military personnel. The results indicate that …

The Quality-Of-Life Benefits And Risk Of Isotretinoin (Accutane) In Acne Treatment: A Systematic Review, Noelia Valencia Zuniga

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Acne vulgaris is a prevalent dermatological condition, particularly affecting adolescents and young adults. While often treated as a cosmetic issue, acne can significantly impair a patient's mental health and overall quality of life (QoL). Isotretinoin, commonly known as Accutane, is widely regarded as the most effective treatment for severe and persistent acne. However, its use is controversial due to a range of potential side effects, including psychiatric symptoms, teratogenicity, and other systemic complications. To better understand the risk-benefit profile of isotretinoin in acne treatment, we conducted a systematic review, focusing on the QoL benefits and risks associated with its use. …

Assessing The Relationship Between Perceived Psychological And Physical Pain In Adults With Orthopedic Pain, Daniel C. Karimi Dehkordi

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Suicide remains a public health concern in the U.S., particularly among individuals experiencing chronic pain and psychological distress. This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between perceived physical and psychological pain in 41 adults with chronic orthopedic conditions. The relationship between other risk and protective factors and perceived levels of pain distress was also examined. Results showed a significant positive correlation between psychological distress and physical pain (r(39) = 0.388, p < .05) and psychological distress and depressive/anxiety symptoms (r (39) = 0.477, p < .01). Psychological distress was moderately associated with feelings of hopelessness (r (39) = 0.403, p < .01), however, the relationship between physical pain and hopelessness was weak and nonsignificant (r (39) = -0.06, p = .71). Contrary to expectations, emotional support did not buffer the effects of psychological distress (r (39) = 0.07, p = 0.66). Mediational analysis confirmed that emotional support did not influence the relationship between physical pain and psychological distress (Beta (β) = -0.969, p = 0.572; Sobel Z = 0.5598, p = 0.575). Age was not correlated with psychological distress (r (39) = -0.24, p = 0.13) or mental health symptoms (r (39) = -0.05, p = .77). While there was no significant difference across sex, males reported higher mental health symptomatology and psychological distress scores than female counterparts. These findings underscore the direct impact of physical pain on psychological distress and challenge assumptions about the protective role of social support. The study highlights the need for integrated, multidisciplinary interventions targeting both physical and psychological pain to mitigate suicide risk among individuals with chronic orthopedic conditions. Future research should iii explore alternative support mechanisms and resilience-building strategies to address the complex interplay of pain, distress, and suicidality.

The Intersection Of Autism Spectrum Disorder And Mental Health: A Focus On College Students, Sudeepta Matha

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Rising prevalence rates of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), changes in diagnostic criteria, and increased public awareness have all contributed to the growing population of college students with ASD. However, many individuals - commonly referred to as the “lost generation” - go undiagnosed, due to experiencing negative interactions with mental health professionals. As a result, these individuals are not given the proper support and interventions required for a successful transition into adulthood, and often face heightened social isolation, academic problems, mental health challenges compared to their neurotypical peers. A combination of these factors can lead to increased suicidal ideation (SI) and …

Comparative Efficacy Of Hallucinogens In Treating Mood Disorders Through A Meta-Analysis Of Symptom Reduction, Dosage, And Duration, John Marco D.F. Muniz

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Hallucinogens including psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), ketamine, N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) (as ayahuasca), have re-emerged as potential rapid-acting treatments for mood disorders. We conducted a meta-analysis of placebo-controlled trials evaluating their efficacy in depression and anxiety disorders. Methods: A systematic review identified 12 trials (Total ≈ 670) meeting inclusion criteria (randomized, placebo-controlled). Data on Cohen’s d and Hedges’ g effect sizes for depression- and anxiety-related outcomes were extracted. We computed pooled effect sizes (weighted by sample size and inverse variance), performed subgroup analyses by drug, diagnosis, follow-up duration, and outcome measure type, and assessed heterogeneity (I², Q …

Cognitive Impairment And Depression In Hispanic And Non-Hispanic White Low-Income Older Adults A Cross-Sectional Study, Cecil Latta

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Hispanic older adults represent a growing population in the United States and may be disproportionately affected by cognitive impairment and depression. We theorize that cognitive impairment would be more prevalent in the older Hispanic community and would affect the levels of depression in both Hispanic and non-Hispanic Whites older adults. This cross-sectional study examined the association between cognitive impairment and depression in 157 older adults, including Hispanic (n = 91, 57.96%, age: M = 76.4, SD = 6.8) and non-Hispanic White (n = 66, 42.04%, age: M = 76.2, SD = 6.5). We used the Memory Impairment Screen to assess …

Sars-Cov-2 Infection History Is Positively Correlated With Frequency Of Psychotic Symptoms In Schizophrenia, Jackson D. Beecher

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Previous work in human and animal studies has implicated aberrant insular cortex (IC) activity in the pathophysiology of hallucinations. Of note, the IC overlaps with the olfactory cortex (OC), a region of the brain that receives extensive projections from sensory neurons of the olfactory epithelium. SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) is a highly infectious coronavirus with a demonstrated ability to cause anosmia; the virus does this by colocalizing with and damaging support cells in the olfactory epithelium, ultimately leading to alterations in olfactory receptor cell signaling to the OC. Given the overlap between OC and IC, we asked the question of whether COVID-19 …

Co-Occurrence Of Autism Spectrum Disorder And Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder With Idiopathic Hypersomnia: Data From The Hypersomnia Foundation Registry, Sophie Sevan Mikkelsen

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In recent years, hypersomnia patients and researchers alike have increasingly discussed the possibility of heightened comorbidities, or co-occurrences, of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with the central disorders of hypersomnolence: idiopathic hypersomnia (IH) and narcolepsy (N). While a few scarce studies have investigated a link between ADHD and N, there has been no research on the co-occurrence of these conditions with IH. This study, using data from the Hypersomnia Foundation’s CoRDS Patient Registry, is the first to identify self-reported rates of ASD and ADHD diagnoses by people with idiopathic hypersomnia. Four chi-square tests were conducted to determine …

Identifying Contributing Factors For Legal Placement Status In Involuntary Commitment And Voluntary Commitment In Child And Adolescent Psychiatry, Brianna R. Perry

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Psychiatric hospitalization of children and adolescents can be carried out either voluntarily or involuntarily. The aim of this form of inpatient hospitalization is to provide treatment for those who cannot manage the symptoms of their mental illnesses on their own. However, psychiatric hospitalizations of children and adolescents are costly and could lead to outcomes such as worsened mental state in former patients and distrust of the system in caregivers. It is crucial to have a solid understanding of specific components that lead to the hospitalization.

Purpose: To identify potential trends in patient admission data through the analysis …

Individual And Organizational Challenges To Implementing Prolonged Exposure Therapy In The Military Health System: A Systematic Review Of Client And Provider Perspectives, Paris R. Cloutier

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Military veterans and active-duty service members face high rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a chronic and debilitating condition that is comorbid with other negative psychological and social outcomes. PTSD symptomology in military careers is attributed to unique organizational factors and risks both during and post-deployment. Delivering modern, effective PTSD treatments derived from evidence-based research to the military population is a multi-faceted effort. Among these interventions, prolonged exposure therapy (PE) is a safe and effective trauma-focused treatment for veterans. To yield higher rates of PE success, common challenges faced by both military clients and their clinicians that may be impairing …

Post-Intensive Care Syndrome In Survivors Of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (Ards) And Covid-19 Ards: A Descriptive Study, Sara Hassan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) is an umbrella term for the long-term physical, cognitive, and mental health conditions survivors live with long after an ICU discharge. Mental health conditions experienced by survivors include anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Survivors of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and COVID ARDS who were on a ventilator are particularly at risk of developing long-term mental health conditions.

Study Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the severity of anxiety, depression, and PTSD in adult survivors of these two ARDS conditions (COVID ARDS; ARDS) who were admitted to intensive care units …

Nursing Interventions To Decrease Depressive And Anxious Symptoms In Hispanic-American Youth, Vanessa C. Hernandez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Introduction: Hispanic-American youth are less likely to receive mental health services despite being at increased risk for depression and anxiety. Having depression and anxiety at a young age can have detrimental long-term effects such as sexual risk behavior, delinquency, and suicide. Various kinds of nurses interact with this age group which can be a missed opportunity to intervene for the welfare of these youth. Interventions exist for depression and anxiety; however, they are not specific to nurses who care for young Hispanic-American patients. Methods: An integrative literature review was performed to identify nursing interventions for Hispanic American youth with depression …

The Psychological Impact Of An Intensive Care Admission On Survivors Of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome And Covid-19 Ards, Leah K. Shinn

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background:

With the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an influx of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), an inflammatory lung condition. ARDS survivors are at high risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to intensive care unit (ICU) medical treatments/procedures. They are known to have traumatic memories triggered by their sensorium months to years after being discharged from the ICU. One study found that 23% of ARDS survivors experienced long-term PTSD symptoms 2-3 years after hospital discharge (Bienvenu et al., 2018). Unknown is whether there are similarities in the memories and sensory triggers of PTSD amongst ARDS and …