Psychological,endocrine and neural responses to social evaluation in subclinical depression

This study aimed to identify vulnerability patterns in psychological, physiological and neural responses to mild psychosocial challenge in a population that is at a direct risk of developing depression, but who has not as yet succumbed to the full clinical syndrome. A group of healthy and a group of subclinically depressed participants underwent a modified Montreal Imaging Stress task (MIST), a mild neuroimaging psychosocial task and completed state self-esteem and mood measures. Cortisol levels were assessed throughout the session. All participants showed a decrease in performance self-esteem levels following the MIST. Yet, the decline in performance self-esteem levels was associated with increased levels of anxiety and confusion in the healthy group, but increased levels of depression in the subclinical group, following the MIST. The subclinical group showed overall lower cortisol levels compared with the healthy group. The degree of change in activity in the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex in response to negative evaluation was associated with increased levels of depression in the whole sample. Findings suggest that even in response to a mild psychosocial challenge, those individuals vulnerable to depression already show important maladaptive response patterns at psychological and neural levels. The findings point to important targets for future interventions.     

运动应激试验前后血清皮质醇和IL-6水平与白大衣性高血压的关系

目的探讨运动应激试验前后血清皮质醇和IL-6水平的变化及其与白大衣性高血压的关系。方法选取2014年1月至2016年8月该院收治的白大衣性高血压患者48例作为研究组,选取同期普通高血压患者30例作为普通组和30例健康体检者作为对照组。3组均在空腹状态,在功率200 W的自行车上以蹬车2min后间歇5min再重复运动直至极度疲劳,完成运动应激试验。检测比较3组运动前、运动后即刻及运动后3h的血清皮质醇和IL-6水平及平均动脉压(MAP),分析血清皮质醇和IL-6水平对白大衣性高血压的诊断价值及其与患者MAP的关系。结果与对照组比较,研究组和普通组运动前后的血清皮质醇和IL-6水平及MAP均升高;与普通组比较,研究组运动前后的血清皮质醇和IL-6水平及MAP均升高(P0.05)。研究组运动后即刻及运动后3h的血清皮质醇和IL-6水平及MAP均较运动前升高(P0.05)。ROC曲线分析结果显示,运动应激试验前后血清皮质醇和IL-6水平对白大衣性高血压的诊断价值良好,其中以运动后即刻血清皮质醇和IL-6水平联合诊断白大衣性高血压的价值最优。Pearson线性相关分析结果显示,运动应激试验前后血清皮质醇和IL-6水平与白大衣性高血压MAP均呈正相关(r分别为0.844、0.802,P0.05)。结论运动应激试验前后血清皮质醇和IL-6水平对白大衣性高血压的诊断价值良好且与其血压水平相关,可能作为白大衣性高血压诊断和病情评估的参考指标。     

Evaluation of stress and pain during rapid maxillary expansion treatments

Summary The purpose of this study was to use salivary cortisol levels, pressure pain threshold (PPT) and Spielberger’s State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC) to assess stress, anxiety and pain during the expansion and retention phase of rapid maxillary expansion (RME) in children and investigate to whether this parameters are associated with gender or skeletal maturity stages. STAIC was used to assess the anxiety levels of the children. Salivary samples were collected for stress hormone determination. Visual Analog Scale was used for pain determination. Pressure pain threshold (PPT) was measured by using algometer. Data collection was performed a week before RME treatment (T0), at the day of the expansion appliance was bonded (T1), at the days of 1st, 4th, 7th, 14th, 25th, 36th activations of expansion screw (T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7) and after the retention period of 3 months (T8). The results of this study showed that the differences were statistically significant within‐day (P < 0·001) and within‐hours (P < 0·001) in cortisol levels during treatment. PPT levels were statistically significant within sex differences and skeletal maturity stages (P < 0·05). State‐trait anxiety scale scores were similar with respect to gender (P > 0·05). There were statistically significant differences of state‐trait anxiety levels between pre and post‐treatment stages (P < 0·05). The maximum number of patients reporting pain were days at T3 and T4. From day T5 the percentage of patients reporting pain then gradually reduced. Based on the findings of this study, it has been shown that RME leads to changes in patients’ state‐trait anxiety and cortisol levels.