Depression embodied: an ambiguous striving against fading

Although depression is associated to physical discomfort, meanings of the body in depression are rarely addressed in clinical research. Drawing on the concept of the lived body, this study explores depression as an embodied phenomenon. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, the analysis of narrative‐based interviews with 11 depressed adults discloses a thematic structure of an embodied process of an ambiguous striving against fading. Five subthemes elicit different dimensions of this process, interpreted as disabling or enabling: feeling estranged, feeling confined, feeling burdensome, sensing life and seeking belongingness. In relation to clinical practice, we suggest that the interdisciplinary team can focus on enhancing the enabling dimensions, for example through guided physical activities to support the patient to feel more alive, capable and connected. Moreover, we suggest that the treatment process benefits from an increased awareness of the ambiguity in the patient's struggle, acknowledging both destructive and recharging elements of the withdrawing, and the perceived conflict in‐between.     

高龄产妇产后抑郁影响因素的质性研究

目的 探究高龄产妇产后抑郁的影响因素，为护理人员今后在临床工作中提供个性化的护理服务提供参考依据。方法 采用质性研究中的现象学研究法对2021年12月至2022年4月在内蒙古医科大学附属医院妇产科建档分娩的16例高龄产妇进行半结构式访谈，并以Colaizzi现象学研究方法进行资料分析。结果 提炼出影响高龄产妇产后抑郁的4个主题：躯体性压力源；负性心理体验；社会支持缺乏，矛盾出现；角色转变对高龄产妇的影响。结论 需重视高龄产妇产后的主观感受，加强产前产后健康宣教，构建以家庭为中心的高龄产妇产后护理模型，减少产后抑郁的发生。     

Transient and sustained effects of dopamine and serotonin signaling in motivation‐related behavior

Pharmacological studies of antidepressants and atypical antipsychotics have suggested a role of dopamine and serotonin signaling in depression. However, depressive symptoms and treatment effects are difficult to explain based simply on brain‐wide decrease or increase in the concentrations of these molecules. Recent animal studies using advanced neuronal manipulation and observation techniques have revealed detailed dopamine and serotonin dynamics that regulate diverse aspects of motivation‐related behavior. Dopamine and serotonin transiently modulate moment‐to‐moment behavior at timescales ranging from sub‐second to minutes and also produce persistent effects, such as reward‐related learning and stress responses that last longer than several days. Transient and sustained effects often exhibit specific roles depending on the projection sites, where distinct synaptic and cellular mechanisms are required to process the neurotransmitters for each transient and sustained timescale. Therefore, it appears that specific aspects of motivation‐related behavior are regulated by distinct synaptic and cellular mechanisms in specific brain regions that underlie the transient and sustained effects of dopamine and serotonin signaling. Recent clinical studies have implied that subjects with depressive symptoms show impaired transient and sustained signaling functions; moreover, they exhibit heterogeneity in depressive symptoms and neuronal dysfunction. Depressive symptoms may be explained by the dysfunction of each transient and sustained signaling mechanism, and distinct patterns of impairment in the relevant mechanisms may explain the heterogeneity of symptoms. Thus, detailed understanding of dopamine and serotonin signaling may provide new insight into depressive symptoms.     

A randomized study on the effect of modified behavioral activation treatment for depressive symptoms in rural left-behind elderly

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a modified behavioral activation treatment (MBAT) intervention on reducing depressive symptoms in rural left-behind elderly.

Method: This is a randomized study registered in Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR-IOR-17011289). Eighty rural left-behind elderly people who had a Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) score between 11 and 25 were randomly assigned to the intervention (n?=?40) and control group (n?=?40). The intervention group received both MBAT and regular treatment for 8 weeks while the control group received regular treatment. Both groups were assessed with the GDS, Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ) at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and at 3 months post-intervention.

Results: There were a total of 73 participants that completed the intervention. The scores of GDS and BAI decreased significantly, but the scores of OHQ increased significantly in the intervention group after 8 sessions of MBAT (P?<?.01). The reduction in depression symptoms after the intervention was maintained at the 3-month follow-up. Significant differences in GDS, BAI, and OHQ scores were observed between the intervention group and the control group (P?<?.01).

Conclusion: MBAT produced a significantly greater reduction in depressive symptoms than regular care in rural left-behind elderly.

Clinical or methodological significance of this article: A modified behavioral activation (BA) psychotherapy can significantly reduce the recurrence and seriousness of depression symptoms in the left-behind elderly with mild to moderate depression. This study also suggests that further study of the MBAT as an intervention will provide a direction for the management of mental health in rural left-behind elders.     

新型冠状病毒肺炎出院患者生活质量及影响因素研究

目的:了解新型冠状病毒肺炎(COVID-19)患者出院后的生活质量及其影响因素,为优化早期干预方案,预防社区生活受限,制定相应社区康复措施提供依据。方法:选择2020年3—4月在武汉华润武钢总医院治愈出院的COVID-19患者57例,于2020年4—5月通过"问卷星"平台采用简明健康状况调查量表(SF-12V2)调查患者的生活质量;采用焦虑自评量表(SAS)调查患者的焦虑状态;采用抑郁自评量表(SDS)调查患者的抑郁状态;采用呼吸困难指数量表(mMRC)调查患者的呼吸困难程度。比较不同特征COVID-19患者生活质量的差异;分析患者生活质量与焦虑、抑郁和呼吸困难程度的相关性及其相关的影响因素。结果:共发放57份调查问卷,剔除重复及无效问卷3份,获得有效问卷54份,问卷有效率达94.74%。(1)COVID-19出院后患者生活质量情况:生理总评分和心理总评分分别为(37.02±12.32)分、(38.46±14.42)分;呼吸困难等级0~3级的分别为3例(5.56%)、45例(83.33%)、5例(9.26%)、1例(1.85%);有19例(35.19%)存在焦虑情绪(SAS≥50分)和抑郁情绪(SDS≥53分)。(2)不同特征COVID-19患者生活质量比较:不同疾病分型的患者在生理总评分方面差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。(3)生活质量与焦虑、抑郁和呼吸困难程度的相关性分析:Pearson相关分析结果显示,SF-12V2生理总评分与焦虑程度(r=-0.34,P=0.011)和呼吸困难程度(r=-0.39,P=0.003)之间存在负相关性,SF-12V2心理总评分与焦虑程度(r=-0.46,P=0.001)和抑郁程度(r=-0.40,P=0.002)之间存在负相关性。(4)COVID-19患者生活质量的影响因素分析:多元线性回归分析显示,性别(β=8.27)、抑郁程度(β=-0.34)和疾病分型(β=-11.68)是患者SF-12V2生理总评分的重要决定因素(P<0.05);焦虑程度(β=-0.62)是患者SF-12V2心理总评分的重要决定因素(P<0.05)。结论:COVID-19出院患者存在呼吸困难、焦虑抑郁情绪和生活质量下降的问题;性别、疾病分型、抑郁程度和焦虑程度是COVID-19患者生活质量下降的重要因素。COVID-19患者(特别是女性患者和重型患者)出院后要尽早进行抑郁症和焦虑症的筛查和干预,减少患者负性情绪,鼓励患者适当参与康复训练,提高呼吸功能,从而促进生活质量提高。