Clinical characteristics of patients with chronic migraine, depending on their personality profile.

Background:chronic migraine (СM) is a highly disabling neurological disease that is difficult to treat. The success of therapeutic management depends, in part, on psychosocial and personal factors. Aims:we have evaluated the clinical characteristics of patients suffering from СM, depending on the prevailing coping strategy of the individual. Methods:104 people with an established diagnosis of СM were examined, all of them underwent clinical and neurological examination and questionnaire testing. Results:in our group of patients, active behavioral coping strategies (a strategy for solving the problem and seeking social support) prevailed, passive coping was much less common. Patients with active coping strategies had the lowest level of comorbid psychoemotional disorders. Patients with passive coping strategies had a shorter history, the least severity of the effect of migraine, but were comparable in frequency of headaches and time lost due to headaches with patients with active coping strategies. Key words:chronic migraine, coping strategies, comorid disorders, anxiety, depression.

Sex-Specific Behavioral Response to Early Adolescent Stress in the Genetically More Stress-Reactive Wistar Kyoto More Immobile, and Its Nearly Isogenic Wistar Kyoto Less Immobile Control Strain

Genetic predisposition and environmental stress are known etiologies of stress-related psychiatric disorders. Environmental stress during adolescence is assumed to be particularly detrimental for adult affective behaviors. To investigate how genetic stress-reactivity differences modify the effects of stress during adolescence on adult affective behaviors we employed two inbred strains with differing stress reactivity. The Wistar Kyoto More Immobile (WMI) rat strain show increased stress-reactivity and despair-like behaviors as well as passive coping compared to the nearly isogenic control strain, the Wistar Kyoto Less Immobile (WLI). Males and females of these strains were exposed to contextual fear conditioning (CFC) during early adolescence (EA), between 32 and 34 postnatal days (PND), and were tested for the consequences of this mild EA stress in adulthood. Early adolescent stress significantly decreased anxiety-like behavior, measured in the open field test (OFT) and increased social interaction and recognition in adult males of both strains compared to controls. In contrast, no significant effects of EA stress were observed in adult females in these behaviors. Both males and females of the genetically less stress-reactive WLI strain showed significantly increased immobility in the forced swim test (FST) after EA stress compared to controls. In contrast, immobility was significantly attenuated by EA stress in adult WMI females compared to controls. Transcriptomic changes of the glucocorticoid receptor (Nr3c1, GR) and the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) illuminate primarily strain and stress-dependent changes, respectively, in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of adults. These results suggest that contrary to expectations, limited adolescent stress is beneficial to males thru decreasing anxiety and enhancing social behaviors, and to the stress more-reactive WMI females by way of decreasing passive coping.

Repetitive and Inflexible Active Coping and Addiction-like Neuroplasticity in Stressed Mice of a Helplessness–Resistant Inbred Strain

Dysfunctional coping styles are involved in the development, persistence, and relapse of psychiatric diseases. Passive coping with stress challenges (helplessness) is most commonly used in animal models of dysfunctional coping, although active coping strategies are associated with generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic, and phobias as well as obsessive-compulsive and post-traumatic stress disorder. This paper analyzes the development of dysfunctional active coping strategies of mice of the helplessness–resistant DBA/2J (D2) inbred strain, submitted to temporary reduction in food availability in an uncontrollable and unavoidable condition. The results indicate that food-restricted D2 mice developed a stereotyped form of food anticipatory activity and dysfunctional reactive coping in novel aversive contexts and acquired inflexible and perseverant escape strategies in novel stressful situations. The evaluation of FosB/DeltaFosB immunostaining in different brain areas of food-restricted D2 mice revealed a pattern of expression typically associated with behavioral sensitization to addictive drugs and compulsivity. These results support the conclusion that an active coping style represents an endophenotype of mental disturbances characterized by perseverant and inflexible behavior.

Exploration of Psychological Mechanism of Smartphone Addiction Among International Students of China by Selecting the Framework of the I-PACE Model

The I-PACE (interaction of person-affect-cognition-execution) model explains that the causes of addiction are the result of individual susceptibility (genetic and personality), psychopathological factors (negative emotions), and cognitive and affective factor interaction. The issue of smartphone addiction and its emerging effects are now becoming an essential social enigma. This study is aimed at exploring how personal, affective, cognitive, and execution factors accelerate the mechanism of smartphone addiction among international students. Randomly selected, six hundred international students have constituted the population for our study. All participants were asked to complete self-administered questionnaires. The questionnaire included demographics (gender, place of stay, educational level, and reason for smartphone usage), Mobile Phone Addiction Index, Loneliness Scale (UCLA), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Perceived Stress Scale, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, and Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS. 20.3% (n = 122) of international students are agonized with smartphone addiction, while 79.7% (n = 478) use smartphones at an average level. Students’ place of stay, neuroticism personality, social desirability, self-esteem, loneliness, depression, perceived stress, and passive coping are associated with smartphone addiction. Loneliness and depression show a strong positive significant correlation, among other variables while loneliness, neurotic personality, depression, low self-esteem, stress, and passive coping are risk factors for smartphone addiction. This study reveals that international students are a high-risk group for smartphone addiction. It has a great deal of impact on students’ behavior and psyche. Multiple social, psychological, affective, and cognitive factors affect smartphone addiction. It would be beneficial to direct the students to limit their phone usage and indulge in other healthy physical activities to complete academic goals.

Stress and the Cardiovascular System

<p>The research reported in this thesis is primarily concerned with systemic arterial pulse transit time (PTT) which is of physiological significance because it is the most appropriate indicator of arterial compliance, the primary determinant of cardiac load, PTT acceleration or deceleration being associated with an increase or decrease in cardiac load respectively. Initially, PTT was investigated in the context of active/passive coping. Obrist, et al., (1978) proposed that active coping is generated by tasks of moderate difficulty and is characterized by large, sustained cardiac accelerations. Interbeat interval (IBI) was measured as the reference response for active/passive coping. The assumption is that active coping is the behavioural state which provides the link between psychological stress and hypertension. However, contemporary cardiovascular physiologists put more emphasis on arterial compliance than IBI because it is not only significant in essential hypertension, but is also a critical determinant of circulation efficiency in health and disease. In Experiment 1 men and women completed mental arithmetic, problem solving, reaction time and personal tempo (voluntary button pressing). Acceleratory and deceleratory PTT changes were found during all tasks; IBI changes were predominantly acceleratory and their magnitude was determined by task difficulty. In Experiment 2 subjects completed problem solving tasks at two levels of difficulty. The results confirmed that unexplained directional variability characterized PTT changes and acceleration characterized IBI changes. It was hypothesized that subject state could be a determinant of PTT response direction. In Experiment 3 the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Stress Arousal Checklist, the Eysenck Personality Inventory and the Jenkins Activity Survey were administered before problem solving at three levels of difficulty and personal tempo were completed. PTT directional variability was not accounted for by any of the measures used. IBI changes were again acceleratory and their magnitude was determined by task difficulty. Two extensions of the active/passive coping hypothesis were proposed: 1) that task difficulty and magnitude of IBI change are related along a continuum of behavioural coping; 2) that task type, not difficulty, determines the frequency of IBI acceleration. The effect of task contingency on IBI change was identified as requiring more detailed investigation. It was further hypothesized that relative subject state as measured by a change in resting IBI (Malmo, 1959) could predict the direction of PTT change during task. In Experiment 4 subjects completed all tasks from Experiment 3 in both parts of an extended experimental session. Half the subjects ingested caffeine. IBI decelerated during baseline from part 1 to part 2 and deceleratory PTT changes dominated task responding in part 2. However, a caffeine-induced deceleration in IBI across baselines was not associated with deceleratory PTT change, and directional variability continued to characterize PTT changes. In order to eliminate the directional variability of PTT changes during tasks a further experiment was undertaken which manipulated relative behavioural state prior to task by informing subjects on their first attendance at the laboratory that they would be required to perform a demanding problem solving task on their fifth attendance. From sessions 1 to 4 subjects attended the laboratory for short rest periods only during which cardiovascular activity was recorded. On the fifth session subjects also completed a task. In that experiment (Experiment 5), IBI acceleration over multiple session baselines in anticipation of a task was associated with uniformly acceleratory PTT changes during tasks, supporting the hypothesis that subject initial state is an important determinant of the direction of PTT change, and hence in whether cardiac load increases or decreases under stress.</p>

Stress and the Cardiovascular System

<p>The research reported in this thesis is primarily concerned with systemic arterial pulse transit time (PTT) which is of physiological significance because it is the most appropriate indicator of arterial compliance, the primary determinant of cardiac load, PTT acceleration or deceleration being associated with an increase or decrease in cardiac load respectively. Initially, PTT was investigated in the context of active/passive coping. Obrist, et al., (1978) proposed that active coping is generated by tasks of moderate difficulty and is characterized by large, sustained cardiac accelerations. Interbeat interval (IBI) was measured as the reference response for active/passive coping. The assumption is that active coping is the behavioural state which provides the link between psychological stress and hypertension. However, contemporary cardiovascular physiologists put more emphasis on arterial compliance than IBI because it is not only significant in essential hypertension, but is also a critical determinant of circulation efficiency in health and disease. In Experiment 1 men and women completed mental arithmetic, problem solving, reaction time and personal tempo (voluntary button pressing). Acceleratory and deceleratory PTT changes were found during all tasks; IBI changes were predominantly acceleratory and their magnitude was determined by task difficulty. In Experiment 2 subjects completed problem solving tasks at two levels of difficulty. The results confirmed that unexplained directional variability characterized PTT changes and acceleration characterized IBI changes. It was hypothesized that subject state could be a determinant of PTT response direction. In Experiment 3 the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Stress Arousal Checklist, the Eysenck Personality Inventory and the Jenkins Activity Survey were administered before problem solving at three levels of difficulty and personal tempo were completed. PTT directional variability was not accounted for by any of the measures used. IBI changes were again acceleratory and their magnitude was determined by task difficulty. Two extensions of the active/passive coping hypothesis were proposed: 1) that task difficulty and magnitude of IBI change are related along a continuum of behavioural coping; 2) that task type, not difficulty, determines the frequency of IBI acceleration. The effect of task contingency on IBI change was identified as requiring more detailed investigation. It was further hypothesized that relative subject state as measured by a change in resting IBI (Malmo, 1959) could predict the direction of PTT change during task. In Experiment 4 subjects completed all tasks from Experiment 3 in both parts of an extended experimental session. Half the subjects ingested caffeine. IBI decelerated during baseline from part 1 to part 2 and deceleratory PTT changes dominated task responding in part 2. However, a caffeine-induced deceleration in IBI across baselines was not associated with deceleratory PTT change, and directional variability continued to characterize PTT changes. In order to eliminate the directional variability of PTT changes during tasks a further experiment was undertaken which manipulated relative behavioural state prior to task by informing subjects on their first attendance at the laboratory that they would be required to perform a demanding problem solving task on their fifth attendance. From sessions 1 to 4 subjects attended the laboratory for short rest periods only during which cardiovascular activity was recorded. On the fifth session subjects also completed a task. In that experiment (Experiment 5), IBI acceleration over multiple session baselines in anticipation of a task was associated with uniformly acceleratory PTT changes during tasks, supporting the hypothesis that subject initial state is an important determinant of the direction of PTT change, and hence in whether cardiac load increases or decreases under stress.</p>

Pain coping strategies and their association with quality of life in people with Parkinson’s disease: A cross-sectional study

Objective To develop multidimensional approaches for pain management, this study aimed to understand how PD patients cope with pain. Design Cross-sectional, cohort study. Setting Monocentric, inpatient, university hospital. Participants 52 patients with Parkinson’s disease (without dementia) analysed. Primary and secondary outcome measures Motor function, nonmotor symptoms, health-related quality of life (QoL), and the Coping Strategies Questionnaire were assessed. Elastic net regularization and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) were used to study the association among coping, clinical parameters, and QoL. Results Most patients cope with pain through active cognitive (coping self-statements) and active behavioral strategies (increasing pain behaviors and increasing activity level). Active coping was associated with lower pain rating. Regarding QoL domains, active coping was associated with better physical functioning and better energy, whereas passive coping was associated with poorer emotional well-being. However, as demonstrated by MANOVA, the impact of coping factors (active and passive) on the Short Form 36 domains was negligible after correction for age, motor function, and depression. Conclusion Passive coping strategies are the most likely coping response of those with depressive symptoms, whereas active coping strategies are the most likely coping response to influence physical function. Although coping is associated with pain rating, the extent that pain coping responses can impact on QoL seems to be low.

Evaluating Experiences of Stress and Coping Among African American Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic to Inform Future Interventions

Background African American (AA) women experience disproportionate levels of chronic disease, which is theorized to be driven by greater exposure to acute and chronic stress. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has further exacerbated existing health disparities among AA communities. Understanding how AA women have experienced and responded to stress during the pandemic may help to inform how future interventions can better address physical and mental well-being in AA communities. Aims Drawing from stress and coping models and an ecological framework, the present study conducted a theory-based qualitative assessment of stress-related experiences during the pandemic among a cohort of AA women, including (1) sources of stress, (2) coping strategies, (3) perceptions of health-related behaviors, (4) the role of community, and (5) recommendations for future interventions. Method After completing a group-based physical activity intervention program during the COVID-19 pandemic, a cohort of AA women ( N =17, Mage= 49.3 ± 11.24) completed individual interviews. Sessions were conducted by phone, audiotaped, transcribed, and coded by independent raters ( rs = .71–.73). Themes were identified using deductive and inductive approaches. Results Among sources of stress directly related to the pandemic, being at home, getting sick, and homeschooling/parenting were the most frequently discussed themes. Participants engaged in active coping (problem and emotion-focused), with health behaviors, social support, and religion/spirituality, emerging as frequently discussed themes. Although some participants reported passive coping strategies (e.g., avoidance), this approach was less pronounced. Conclusions These qualitative results are used to guide suggestions for future interventions that jointly address stress and health-related behaviors in order to improve translation of research into practice and policy for future pandemics and disasters.

Divergent encoding of active avoidance behavior in corticostriatal and corticolimbic projections

Active avoidance behavior, in which an animal performs an action to avoid a stressor, is crucial for survival and may provide insight into avoidance behaviors seen in anxiety disorders. Active avoidance requires the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), which is thought to regulate avoidance via downstream projections to the striatum and amygdala. However, the endogenous activity of projection-defined dmPFC subpopulations during active avoidance learning remains unexplored. Here we utilized fiber photometry to record from the dmPFC and its downstream projections to the dorsomedial striatum (DMS) and the basolateral amygdala (BLA) during active avoidance learning in mice. We examined neural activity during conditioned stimulus (CS) presentations, active avoidance, and cued freezing. Both prefrontal projections showed learning-related increases in activity during CS onset throughout active avoidance training. The dmPFC as a whole showed increased activity during avoidance and decreased activity during cued freezing. Finally, dmPFC-DMS and dmPFC-BLA projections showed divergent encoding of active avoidance behavior, with the dmPFC-DMS projection showing increased activity and the dmPFC-BLA showing decreased activity during active avoidance. Our results identify differential prefrontal encoding of active and passive coping behaviors in the same behavioral paradigm and demonstrate divergent encoding of active avoidance in projection-specific dmPFC subpopulations.