Symptoms of Depression Change With Olfactory Functions

Olfactory loss is associated with symptoms of depression. The present study, conducted on a large cohort of mostly dysosmic patients, aimed to investigate whether improvement in olfactory performance would correspond with a decrease in depression severity and, if so, to what extent. In 171 participants, we assessed olfactory function and severity of depression before and after an average interval of 11 months, with many patients improving in function. Separate analyses were conducted for a) the whole group of patients and b) the group of dysosmic patients in both classic and Bayesian ways. Student t-test demonstrates that the whole sample improved consistently, especially within the group of dysosmic patients in terms of odor identification, and the dysosmic group also improved in terms of odor threshold and olfactory functions in general. Pearson correlation showed that the increase in olfactory functions corresponded with the decrease in depression severity, particularly in dysosmic patients. To conclude, the present study results indicate that symptoms of depression change with olfactory functions in general and odor identification in particular.

Correlates of anxiety and depression in a community cohort of people who smoke methamphetamine

Objective: Anxiety and depression are the most common mental health disorders experienced by Australians. These disorders are commonly found in people who use methamphetamine; however, much of this research has involved participants recruited from treatment settings who inject methamphetamine. We therefore explored (1) the prevalence of moderate to severe anxiety and depression in a community-recruited cohort who smoked methamphetamine and (2) examined potential factors associated with moderate to severe anxiety or depression in this cohort. Method: Data were derived from baseline surveys of 725 participants of the prospective ‘VMAX’ study, recruited from metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas of Victoria, Australia, via snowball and respondent-driven sampling. Anxiety and depression were measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 instruments. Independent associations between moderate to severe scores on these measures and demographic, socio-economic, substance use and other health and social characteristics were examined using multivariable logistic regression. Results: More than half (60%) of the participants were classified as experiencing moderate to severe anxiety and/or depression. In the multivariable models, having poor/very poor self-rated health, methamphetamine dependence and being unemployed were associated with higher odds of experiencing both moderate to severe depression and moderate to severe anxiety. Living in a large rural town, identifying as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and smoking methamphetamine were associated with lower odds of experiencing moderate to severe depression. Being female was associated with higher odds of experiencing moderate to severe anxiety. Conclusion: The high rates of anxiety and/or depression found in the VMAX cohort were associated with demographic, socio-economic, substance use and other health and social factors. The prevalence of moderate to severe anxiety is a novel finding that warrants further study. Further work is needed to determine how anxiety and depression change over time among people who smoke methamphetamine, to help identify key intervention points.

Change in Negative Attention Bias Mediates the Association Between Attention Bias Modification Training and Depression Symptom Improvement

Attention bias modification training (ABMT) is purported to reduce depression by targeting and modifying an attentional bias for sadness-related stimuli. However, few tests of this hypothesis have been completed. Method: The current study examined whether change in attentional bias mediated a previously reported association between ABMT condition (active ABMT, sham ABMT, assessments only; N = 145) and depression symptom change among depressed adults. The pre-registered, primary measure of attention bias was a discretized eye tracking metric that quantified the proportion of trials where gaze time was greater for sad stimuli than neutral stimuli. Results: Contemporaneous longitudinal simplex mediation indicated that change in attentional bias early in treatment partially mediated the effect of ABMT on depression symptoms. Specificity analyses indicated that in contrast to the eye-tracking mediator, reaction time assessments of attentional bias for sad stimuli (mean bias and trial level variability) and lapses in sustained attention did not mediate the association between ABMT and depression change. Results also suggested that mediation effects were limited to a degree by suboptimal measurement of attentional bias for sad stimuli. Conclusion: When effective, ABMT may improve depression in part by reducing an attentional bias for sad stimuli, particularly early on during ABMT.

The Temporal Associations of Therapeutic Alliance and Manual Adherence With Depressive Symptom Change in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adult Outpatient Major Depression

Background: The therapeutic alliance is considered an important causal agent of psychotherapy efficacy. However, studies in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for depression have suggested that alliance might be more of a consequence rather than a cause of depressive symptom change, while adherence to CBT specific techniques was found to be associated with subsequent depression change. We aimed to add to this body of literature by assessing the temporal associations of both therapeutic alliance and manual adherence with depressive symptom change in a relatively large sample of depressed adult outpatients over the full course of CBT.Methods: Adults with a major depressive episode (n = 98) participating in a randomized clinical trial were offered 22 weeks of CBT and rated the Penn Helping Alliance Questionnaire (HAq-I) at weeks 5 and 22. Therapists rated their adherence to the CBT manual after each session and observers assessed the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores at weeks 0, 5, 10, and 22. Linear mixed model analyses were used to assess the associations of alliance and adherence with prior and subsequent depression change.Results: HAq-I Relationship and manual adherence ratings were not significantly associated with prior nor with subsequent depression change (p > 0.14). Prior depression change was associated with the HAq-I subscale Perceived helpfulness at the end of treatment (r = 0.30, CI = 0.03–0.56, p = 0.03).Conclusion: We were not able to replicate prior depression change in CBT for depression to be associated with improved quality of the therapeutic alliance when using a more “pure” measure of the therapeutic relationship. Limitations of this study include the subjective alliance and adherence assessments. Our findings indicate the need to appropriately distinguish between the perceived helpfulness and the relationship factors when examining therapeutic alliance.

Caregiver Depression, Change in the Severity of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms, and Subsequent Caregiver Abuse

Objectives: To examine whether caregiver (CG) depression predicts subsequent occurrence of elder abuse and whether change in the severity how care-recipient change in the severity of care recipient (CR) neuropsychiatric symptoms influence this association. Methods: Using two-year longitudinal data, we analyzed a consecutive sample of 800 Chinese family CGs and their CRs with dementia recruited from the geriatric and neurological departments of three Grade-A hospitals in People’s Republic of China (PRC). All the participatory dyads were assessed between September 2015 and February 2016 and followed for two years. Results: CG depression at baseline predicted the subsequent occurrence of physical and psychological abuse and CG neglect. However, change in the severity of CR neuropsychiatric symptoms altered these relationships. Specifically, while unchanged and increased CR neuropsychiatric symptoms heightened the positive effect of CG depression on subsequent abuse, decreased CR neuropsychiatric symptoms protected older adults from abuse by a depressed CG. Conclusion: This study showed the differential impact of CG depression on subsequent occurrence of elder abuse depending on the change in the severity of neuropsychiatric symptoms related to the CRs. The present findings provide important insights to the design of a systematic and integrative intervention protocol for elder abuse that simultaneously focuses on treating CG depression and CR neuropsychiatric symptoms.

Discontinuing cannabis improves depression in people with multiple sclerosis: A short report

To assess whether symptoms of depression change when people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) discontinue cannabis use, 40 cognitively impaired pwMS who smoked cannabis almost daily were randomly assigned to either a cannabis continuation (CC) or cannabis withdrawal (CW) group. Both groups were followed for 28 days. All participants completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. At day 28 the 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ9-tetrahydro-cannabinol (THCCOOH)/creatinine ratio in the CW group declined to zero ( p = 0.0001), but remained unchanged in the CC group ( p = 0.709). Depression scores in those pwMS who were using cannabis to manage their depression remained statistically unchanged in the CC group, but declined in the CW group ( p = 0.006). Despite pwMS using cannabis to help their mood, depression improved significantly off the drug. Our finding provides a cautionary note in relation to cannabis use in pwMS, at least with respect to depression.

Symptoms and Underlying Factors of Depression among Inmates in Bonga Town Correctional Center, Kaffa Zone, SNNPR, Ethiopia

The main objective of this study was to examine symptoms and underlying factors of depression among inmates of Bonga Town correctional center. The institution-based cross-sectional study design was employed and through systematic sampling, 327 inmates from February to March 2017 were considered for this study. Data was collected by using a standardized self-reported questionnaire. Stepwise regression was conducted to identify associated factors. Mann Whitney U test was used to determine gender difference on symptoms of depression. The finding of this study revealed symptoms of depression (change in appetite, change in sleep pattern, loss of energy, self-dislike) prevail among inmates of Bonga Town correctional center. The level of depression was moderate 52.29%. Pessimism (r=.120, P=.030), self-dislike (r=.136, P=.014) and crying (r=.142, p=.010) were symptoms of depression associated with inmates years of incarceration. Socio-demographic factors, environmental factors were to as well as psychosocial factors were associated with depression. There was a significant gender difference in each symptom of depression; i.e female inmates suffered more than male inmates in each symptom of. Bonga correctional center communities should work cooperatively with Bonga G/Tsadik Shawo hospital to help inmates who were at risk.

Influence of change expectancy and recovery processes on depression severity

Consumer recovery processes refer to social Connectedness, Hope, Identity, Meaning in life, and Empowerment (“CHIME”). This study examined if expectations of change in depression could mediate the relationship between CHIME recovery processes and depression severity. Participants were patients who consulted clinical psychologists at primary care clinics. Measures of depression change expectancy, CHIME recovery processes, and depression symptoms were administered. Change expectancy partially mediated the relationship between Hope and depression severity. The same was found for Identity, but Identity also mediated the relationship between change expectancy and depression. Thus, Hope may reduce depression by improving change expectancies, whereas Identity and change expectancy may have reciprocal influences that alter depression. Findings suggest that the CHIME recovery processes may facilitate recovery from depression.