Chlorogenic Acid Improves PTSD-like Symptoms and Associated Mechanisms

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xing-Dong Chen ◽  
Jun-Jie Tang ◽  
Shuang Feng ◽  
Hua Huang ◽  
Feng-Nian Lu ◽  
...  

: Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine, abundant in honeysuckle and eucommia, has a wide range of biological activities, and pharmacological effects. Previous studies have shown that CGA can regulate learning, memory, cognitive ability, coupled with improvement to anxiety, depression, and other post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-like symptoms. This article explores the protective effects of CGA on neurons, through its anti-apoptotic effect, inhibition of neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, which may be the mechanisms of its improvement of PTSD-like symptoms. It may provide a new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of PTSD and its comorbidities.

Author(s):  
Mioara Grigoras ◽  
◽  
Anamaria Ciubara ◽  

This Article seeks to give an overview of how the pandemic has affected society throughout this period, which can be a source of many mental health problems. As in the Spanish influenza pandemic, the COVID-19 pandemic and the imposition of measures of social separation, isolation and limitation of contact with other people were, and are still, a major stress factor. The stress associated with this period disrupted the functioning of people both individually and socially, being the main factor of the phenomenon called compensation. Under the current circumstances, people have a predisposition for emotional disorders such as: Anxiety, depression, stress, insomnia, anger, Emotional depletion and including post-traumatic symptoms of disorder, according to recent studies by the Lancet analyzing the psychological effects of quarantine. The COVID-19 crisis has a wide range of effects on our mental and emotional health: From negative emotions with greater intensity and duration, such as anxiety and depression, to unfinished emotional mourning, linked both to the loss of loved ones and even to emotional and relational disconnection. Also, all that has happened in recent times makes us live in “collective pain” , we have lost our right to travel without restrictions or the freedom to participate in sad events or family and community joy, we have lost family or friends. In many cases of these losses, the strands of the dollar are also being cut, which is why people need additional support. We need to find solutions to this, because we have to deal with the natural grief caused by human disappearance, as we know it, but also an isolation characteristic of the suffering process that now overlaps the physical isolation imposed by the epidemic. Another important aspect is to prevent instability in the psycho-social element of the human Community. It is clear that there is a need to impose safety measures both jointly and individually. Psychological aspects should be addressed early, so that measures can be taken to reduce the psychological costs of pandemic, perceived isolation and to address uncertainties that can give rise to anxiety and depression. Addressing psychological issues has effects not only in the short term, motivating adherence to pandemic measures, but also in the long term, through lower incidence of post-traumatic stress, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, etc. The fastest change expected after this crisis will be the individual one, each crisis is a chance for every person to look further.


Author(s):  
Aala El-Khani ◽  
Karin Haar ◽  
Milos Stojanovic ◽  
Wadih Maalouf

War exposure and forced displacement threatens the wellbeing of caregivers and their children, leaving them at risk of negative outcomes, such as elevated rates of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. The importance of engaged, responsive and stable parenting for positive child wellbeing has been documented across diverse cultural and economic backgrounds. Despite the higher need for caregivers to be nurturing in challenging settings, they struggle to provide adequate support for their children due to lack of resources or their inability to deal with their own emotional challenges. A feasibility study was conducted of a new, open-access and light-touch family skills intervention, Strong Families (for families in humanitarian and challenged settings) on refugee families residing in Reception Centers in Serbia. Questionnaires and interviews were completed by participating caregivers and facilitators. Qualitative results indicated that the intervention was feasible to run in this humanitarian context, that caregivers viewed the intervention as culturally acceptable and complemented the quantitative results that showed promise for enhancing child behavior and family functioning tested indicators. Despite being a light intervention, Strong Families indicated improvement on child mental health, parenting practices and parent and family adjustment skills. Prioritizing family mental health and functioning as a primary need that parallels that of accessing physical medical care, sanitation and clean water must be the definitive next step in humanitarian aid.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 215013272110167
Author(s):  
Tara Rava Zolnikov ◽  
Tanya Clark ◽  
Tessa Zolnikov

Anxiety and fear felt by people around the world regarding the coronavirus pandemic is real and can be overwhelming, resulting in strong emotional reactions in adults and children. With depressive and anxiety disorders already highly prevalent in the general population (300 million worldwide), depression and/or anxiety specifically because of the pandemic response is likely. Moreover, the current state of panic in the face of uncertainty is apt to produce significant amounts of stress. While this situation has the potential to cause psychological disorders in previously unaffected populations, perhaps more impactful is the exacerbation of symptoms of many existing disorders including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and hoarding disorder.


2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amany Elshabrawy Mohamed ◽  
Amira Mohamed Yousef

Abstract Background Coronavirus has affected more than 100 million people. Most of these patients are hospitalized in isolation wards or self-quarantined at home. A significant percentage of COVID-19 patients may experience psychiatric symptoms. This study attempts to assess depressive, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress symptoms in home-isolated and hospitalized COVID-19 patients, besides whether the isolation setting affected these symptoms’ presentation. Results The study involved 89 patients with confirmed COVID-19 virus, and the patients were divided into 2 groups: 43 patients in the home-isolated group (group A) and 46 patients in the hospital-isolated group (group B). The majority of subjects were male and married; also, they were highly educated. 30.2% from group A and 47.8% from group B had a medical occupation. There was a statistically significant difference (p= 0.03) between both groups in the presence of chronic disease. There was a statistically significant increase in suicidal thoughts in the home-isolated group (37.2%) (p = 0.008**). We found a statistically significant increase in the abnormal scores of Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale–Depression (HADS–Depression) in the home-isolated group (69.7%) compared to the hospital-isolated group (32.6%) (p <0.001**) which denotes considerable symptoms of depression. Moreover, we found that (32.6%) from the home-isolated group and (39.1%) from the hospital-isolated group had abnormal scores of Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale–Anxiety (HADS–Anxiety) which denotes considerable symptoms of anxiety. Also, we found 66.7% and 87.2% scored positive by the Davidson Trauma Scale (DTS) in the home-isolated group and hospital-isolated group, respectively. Which was statistically significant (p = 0.02**). On doing a binary logistic regression analysis of HADS and DTS with significantly related independent factors, we revealed that lower education levels and family history of psychiatric disorder were risk factors for abnormal HADS–Anxiety scores in COVID-19 patients. The medical occupation was a protective factor against having abnormal HADS–Depression scores in COVID-19 patients, while home isolation was a risk factor. On the contrary, the medical occupation was a risk factor for scoring positive in DTS in COVID-19 patients. Simultaneously, low levels of education and home isolation were protective factors. Conclusion A significant number of patients diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus develop depressive, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress symptoms, whether they were isolated in the hospital or at home; besides, the isolation setting may affect the presenting symptoms.


Author(s):  
Nilamadhab Kar ◽  
Narendra Nath Samantaray ◽  
Shreyan Kar ◽  
Brajaballav Kar

Abstract Background: Early Identification of disaster victims with mental health problems may be useful, but information within a short period after a disaster is scarce in developing countries. This study examined anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress symptoms at 1 month following 2019 Cyclone Fani in Odisha, India. Method: Post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) were assessed by the Primary care PTSD screen for DSM 5 (PC-PTSD-5), anxiety symptoms by the Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), and depression by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). The survey included participants’ disaster experience e.g., evacuation, fear of death, injury, death in family, damage to house, difficulty for food, displacement, and effect on livelihood. Results: Proportion of sample (n = 80) with probable PTSD was 42.9%, with severe anxiety was 36.7%, moderately severe depression was 16.5%, and severe depression was 3.8%. Suicidal cognitions were reported to increase by 14%. Comorbidity was common; with significant (P < 0.01) correlation between PTSS and anxiety (r = 0.69), depression (r = 0.596), and between anxiety and depression (r = 0.63). Damage of house and displacement were associated significantly with PTSD; evacuation and displacement with moderate and severe depression; and displacement with severe anxiety. No specific demographic factors were significantly linked to the psychiatric morbidities. Conclusion: A considerable proportion of victims had psychiatric morbidities at 1 month. Associated risk factors included housing damages, evacuation, and displacement, suggesting the need to improve the disaster-management process.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Griffiths ◽  
Farah Hina

Purpose Insomnia is highly prevalent in prisoners. The purpose of this paper is a review of research evidence on interventions with sleep as an outcome (2000 to 2020) and rates of insomnia prevalence and associated factors in prisons (2015 to 2020). Design/methodology/approach An internet-based search used Medline, PubMed, PsycINFO (EBSCOhost), Embase, Web of Science and Scopus. Seven interventions and eight sleep prevalence or sleep-associated factor papers were identified. Findings Intervention research was very limited and the quality of the research design was generally poor. Interventions such as cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), yoga and mindfulness can be beneficial in a prison setting. This review identified a high prevalence of insomnia in prisons across the world, which was supported by recent evidence. Factors associated with insomnia include anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, personality disorder and pain. Research limitations/implications There is a need for appropriately powered randomised control trials of CBT-I in prisons and a need to use objective measures of sleep quality. Originality/value Due to a lack of an up-to-date review, this paper fulfils the need for a review of the evidence on interventions in prison settings with sleep as an outcome, rates of insomnia prevalence and associated factors in prisons.


Author(s):  
Markus Reuber ◽  
Gregg H. Rawlings ◽  
Steven C. Schachter

This chapter examines the personal experience of a Therapist with Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES). As a Therapist in private practice, the Therapist strongly believed that to end the stigma of mental health conditions, she needed to own her own mental health disorders. The Therapist could not sit across from her clients every day and tell them not to be ashamed of their debilitating Anxiety, Depression, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and yet hide her own mental illness from the world. As such, the therapist spoke openly on social media about mental health and her own journey, and the Therapist shared positive messages about the disorders she treated—that is, until the therapist’s own experience crossed over from the garden variety “Anxiety and Depression” that she saw every day into a much less widely known disorder, PNES. Then, the Therapist became less of a Therapist and more of a patient, trying to maintain some sort of sanity and perspective afforded to her from her years of training as a therapist.


2019 ◽  
pp. 71-77
Author(s):  
David L. Brody

Often the complaint of mood instability comes from the collateral source. First priority: assess safety. Severe mood instability can lead to suicide. Next, determine whether the problem is actually mood instability, as opposed to sustained major anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder. Nonpharmacological interventions are the most important, and include education, sleep management, prescription for cardiovascular exercise, pain control, cessation of alcohol and other disinhibiting substances, such as levetiracetam and cognitive behavioral therapy. Preferred pharmacological options that do not substantially impair cognitive recovery include lamotrigine (Lamictal) and oxcarbazepine (Trileptal). Other options include carbamazepine (Tegretol) when cost is an issue, propranolol (Inderal) when violence is a concern, and low-dose atypical antipsychotics.


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