Impact of Personality Features and Interpersonal Problems on Anxiety Among Older Adults

Introduction Anxiety is a significant mental health problem among older adults and is associated with multiple other mental disorders, poor psychosocial functioning, and reduced quality of life. Personality traits and disorders, along with interpersonal problems, may play a significant role in anxiety, but these relationships are not well understood among older adults. This study examined relationships between anxiety with normative personality traits, personality disorder (PD) features, and interpersonal problems. Method: Community-dwelling older adults (N = 130) completed the Geriatric Anxiety Scale (GAS), Coolidge Axis Two Inventory (CATI), Big Five Inventory-2 (BFI-2), and Circumplex Scales of Interpersonal Problems (CSIP). Results Anxiety was positively correlated with 13 of 14 CATI PD scales, ranging from .23 (Narcissistic) to .61 (Depressive). Regarding normative personality, anxiety was associated with Agreeableness (-.23), Conscientiousness (-.30), Extraversion (-.31), and Negative Emotionality (.56). Regarding interpersonal problems, anxiety was positively related to all eight CSIP scales: Self-Sacrificing (.30), Domineering (.31), Exploitable (.40), Intrusive (.41), Self-centered (.47), Nonassertive (.50), Socially Inhibited (.60), and Distant/Cold (.62). Regression analyses indicated that PD features accounted for the most variance in anxiety (53%), followed by interpersonal problems, (46%) and normative personality traits (33%). Discussion Anxiety appears to be meaningfully associated with PD features, several aspects of normative personality, and interpersonal problems, suggesting that these variables may play a role in the development of anxiety, or vice versa. Our findings especially speak to the growing awareness of the deleterious impact of PD features on clinical syndromes in later life, as evidenced by strong comorbidities with anxiety.

Gut microbiota depletion from early adolescence alters anxiety and depression-related behaviours in male mice with Alzheimer-like disease

The gut-microbiota–brain axis plays an important role in stress-related disorders, and dysfunction of this complex bidirectional system is associated with Alzheimer’s disease. This study aimed to assess the idea that whether gut microbiota depletion from early adolescence can alter anxiety- and depression-related behaviours in adult mice with or without Alzheimer-like disease. Male C57BL/6 mice were treated with an antibiotic cocktail from weaning to adulthood. Adult mice received an intracerebroventricular injection of amyloid-beta (Aβ)1–42, and were subjected to anxiety and depression tests. We measured, brain malondialdehyde and glutathione following anxiety tests, and assessed brain oxytocin and the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis function by measuring adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone following depression tests. Healthy antibiotic-treated mice displayed significant decreases in anxiety-like behaviours, whereas they did not show any alterations in depression-like behaviours and HPA axis function. Antibiotic treatment from early adolescence prevented the development of anxiety- and depression-related behaviours, oxidative stress and HPA axis dysregulation in Alzheimer-induced mice. Antibiotic treatment increased oxytocin in the brain of healthy but not Alzheimer-induced mice. Taken together, these findings suggest that gut microbiota depletion following antibiotic treatment from early adolescence might profoundly affect anxiety- and depression-related behaviours, and HPA axis function in adult mice with Alzheimer-like disease.

Stress-Related Behaviors in Companion Dogs Exposed to Common Household Noises, and Owners' Interpretations of Their Dogs' Behaviors

Sudden, loud noises are one of the most common triggers for fearful behaviors in dogs, and many companion dogs suffer from noise sensitivity. Existing research focuses on dramatic infrequent sounds (e.g., thunderstorms, fireworks). Anecdotally, and based on reports of undesirable behaviors in response to noises in the home, many common household noises may also be causing fear and anxiety in companion dogs. However, these responses have not yet been studied in home environments. We surveyed 386 dog owners about their dogs' responses to household sounds, and recorded dog behaviors and human reactions from 62 videos and compilations available on an online video sharing platform, featuring dogs reacting to common household noises. Numerous signs of canine fear and anxiety were reported by survey respondents and observed in the videos, in response to both daily, and irregular but “normal,” household noises. Responses were significantly stronger to sounds characterized as high frequency intermittent than to sounds characterized as low frequency continuous. Respondents appeared to underestimate their dogs' fearfulness, and the majority of humans in the videos responded to their dogs' behaviors with amusement; welfare concerns were rarely expressed. While these videos cannot be used to calculate actual prevalence of these issues, our data support that some owners are underestimating fearfulness in their dogs in response to household noises, and responding inappropriately to dogs' expressions of fear and anxiety. Better education is required for dog owners to accurately interpret canine body language, to both safeguard dogs' welfare and minimize development of anxiety-related behavior problems.

An extended amygdala-midbrain circuit controlling cocaine withdrawal-induced anxiety and reinstatement

While midbrain dopamine (DA) neuronal circuits are central to motivated behaviors, much remains unknown about our knowledge of how these circuits are modified over time by experience to facilitate selective aspects of experience-dependent plasticity. Most studies of the DA system in drug addiction focus on the role of the mesolimbic DA pathway from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) in facilitating drug-associated reward. In contrast, less is known about how midbrain DA cells and associated circuits contribute to negative affective states including anxiety that emerge during protracted withdrawal from drug administration. Here, we demonstrate the selective role of a midbrain DA projection to the amygdala (VTADA-Amygdala) for anxiety that develops during protracted withdrawal from cocaine administration but does not participate in cocaine reward or sensitization. Our rabies virus-mediated circuit mapping approach revealed a persistent elevation in spontaneous and task-related activity of GABAergic cells from the bed nucleus of the stria terminals (BNST) and downstream VTADA-Amygdala cells that could be detected even after a single cocaine exposure. Activity in BNSTGABA cells was related to cocaine-induced anxiety but not reward or sensitization, and silencing the projection from these cells to the midbrain was sufficient to prevent the development of anxiety during protracted withdrawal following cocaine administration. We observed that VTADA-Amygdala cells, but not other midbrain DA cells, were strongly activated after a challenge exposure to cocaine, and found that activity in these cells was necessary for the expression of reinstatement of cocaine place preference. Lastly, the importance of activity in VTADA-Amygdala cells extends beyond cocaine, as these cells mediate the development of anxiety states triggered by morphine and a predator odor. Our results provide an exemplar for how to identify key circuit substrates that contribute to behavioral adaptations and reveal a critical role for BNSTGABA-VTADA-Amygdala pathway in anxiety states induced by drugs of abuse or natural experiences as well as cocaine-primed reinstatement of conditioned place preference.

Effect of bladder dysfunction on development of depression and anxiety in Parkinson’s disease

Objectives: Parkinson's disease (PD) often presents with movement disorder. However, besides motor complaints, there are many complaints such as anxiety, depression, urinary complaints and constipation. The aim of this study was to investigate whether neurogenic lower urinary dysfunction (NLUD), which is frequently seen in PD, has an effect on the development of anxiety and depression in these patients. Materials and methods: The study included 32 males (66.6%) and 16 females (33.3%); in total 48 subjects were registered. For the diagnosis and severity of PD, the UK Parkinson's Disease Society Brain Bank Criteria, Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and the Hoehn-Yahr scale were used. Urological evaluation was performed using history, physical examination, laboratory tests and standard forms such as IPSS and OAB-V8. Results: There was no difference between the genders in terms of duration, severity and NLUD (p > 0.05). The incidence of anxiety and depression in PD patients was 62.8% and 72.1%, respectively. The prevalence of NLUD was 67.4% and depression and anxiety was found to increase (1.06 and 1.28 times, respectively) in relation to NLUD. In particular, there was a relationship between storage lower urinary tract symptoms and anxiety and depression development (p < 0.05). Conclusions: As expected, it was found that the incidence of NLUD, anxiety and depression was increased in PD. In addition, NLUD was found to be a risk factor for the development of anxiety and depression. Therefore, it is concluded that NLUD, which can potentially cause important complications, as well as motor complaints, should be closely monitored and treated in PD patients.

Assessment of Anxiety, Depression, Attitude, and Coping Strategies of the Egyptian Population during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed several challenges on different populations all around the world, with stress being identified as one of the major challenges. This study aims to investigate the impact of COVID-19-induced stress on the prevalence and severity of anxiety and/or depression, factors that predict the development of anxiety and/or depression, and coping strategies in the Egyptian population during the COVID 19 outbreak. Subjects and Methods: This is an observational cross-sectional online study. The questionnaire of our study included five sections: demographic and clinical data, attitude towards COVID-19, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and a specifically prepared and standardized Arabic version of a coping strategies scale. The questionnaire was uploaded on 20 May 2020 at 1 p.m. and closed on 7 July 2020 at 8 a.m. Results: The study questionnaire was completed by 283 Egyptians, with mean age 34.81 ± 11.36 years, of which 17% had been infected with COVID-19. The responses showed that 62.9% had moderate anxiety, whereas 12.4% had severe anxiety. Moreover, 13.8% had moderate depression, and 14.1% had severe depression. Our study demonstrated that age, mental status, and being infected with COVID-19 correlated with depression, whereas only age correlated with anxiety. Interestingly, our data showed that anxiety and depression were negatively correlated with some coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: Pandemics, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, imposes stress on individuals, which leads to the development of anxiety and/or depression. Several factors, which could be population-dependent, may help predict the development of anxiety or depression. We show the factors correlated with depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Egyptian population. Furthermore, certain personal coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic are negatively correlated with anxiety and depression. Therefore, our study sheds light on the importance of studying factors in each population that can lead to pandemic-induced psychological complications and those that can relieve such complications.

The Association between 5-Hydroxytryptamine Receptor 1B rs13212041 Polymorphism and Trait Anxiety in Chinese Han College Subjects

Trait anxiety is a vulnerable personality factor for anxiety and depression. High levels of trait anxiety confer an elevated risk for the development of anxiety and other psychiatric disorders. There is evidence that 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 1B (5-HT1B) gene polymorphisms play an important role in emotional disorders. Genotyping for four single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) (rs11568817, rs130058, rs6297, and rs13212041) was conducted for 388 high trait anxious (HTA) individuals and 463 low traitanxious (LTA) individuals in Chinese Han college subjects. The results showed that the frequencies of the C-allele and TC + CC genotype of rs13212041 in the LTA individuals were higher than that in the HTA individuals (p = 0.025 and p = 0.014, respectively). Both the C-allele and TC + CC genotype were associated with trait anxiety decreasing (OR = 0.771 and OR = 0.71, respectively). Furthermore, different gene model analysis also showed that the C allele was a protective factor for trait anxiety in Chinese Han college subjects. These findings suggest that 5-HT1B rs13212014 may play a role in trait anxiety among China Han college subjects. The rs13212014 polymorphism may be involved in decreasing the risk of trait anxiety. These results also provide a novel insight into the molecular mechanism underlying trait anxiety.