This study investigated emotion regulation (ER) difficulties and repetitive negative thinking (RNT) in individuals with depression, anxiety disorders, or both, compared to nonclinical controls. We aimed to determine which aspects of ER difficulties and RNT are transdiagnostic or specific to one of the disorders, and whether the presence of comorbidities is associated with greater ER difficulties and higher levels of RNT. A total of N = 731 participants, including n = 354 individuals with depression, anxiety disorders, or both (mixed group), and n = 377 nonclinical controls, completed the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and the Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire (PTQ). Parametric and nonparametric analyses were conducted to assess group differences and comorbidity effects. The depression and anxiety disorders groups exhibited significantly greater ER difficulties and higher levels of RNT than nonclinical controls. The mixed group showed more pronounced difficulties in certain aspects of ER (nonacceptance of emotional responses, difficulties engaging in goal-directed behavior, impulse control difficulties, and limited access to ER strategies) and higher levels of RNT compared to the single-diagnosis groups. No significant differences were found in emotional awareness and clarity across clinical groups. Evidence regarding the relationship between the number of comorbid diagnoses and the severity of the difficulties was less clear. This suggests that specific disorders may have a more significant impact than comorbidity alone. Our findings highlight the transdiagnostic role of ER difficulties and RNT in depression and anxiety disorders and suggest that they may be a promising target for transdiagnostic interventions. Future research should further explore the nuanced ways in which ER difficulties and RNT vary across different mental disorders.

Literature suggests that early pubertal timing constitutes a risk factor for adolescent depression, especially in girls. However, adverse experiences preceding (e.g., childhood adversity), co-occurring with (e.g., changing peer and parent relationships), and following puberty (e.g., delinquent behavior) have been associated with both pubertal timing and adolescent depression, and little is currently known about how these experiences may be differentially associated with the correspondence between pubertal timing and depression across sex/gender. Using Canadian data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY), the present study investigated how sex/gender and relevant childhood, peri, and postpubertal psychosocial variables informed the relationship between pubertal timing and adolescent depressive symptoms. Preliminary models examining the relationship between pubertal timing and depressive symptoms in girls and boys suggested a linear association for both groups, facilitating a mixed-sex/gender analysis supporting direct testing of sex/gender interactions. Data from 1400 Canadian youth (53% female; 96% Caucasian) showed that girls were more likely to report earlier pubertal development and higher rates of depressive symptoms at age 16-17. In a base model ignoring psychosocial context, we observed a significant interaction where early pubertal timing was associated with greater depressive symptoms in girls, with no pubertal timing effect apparent in boys. However, after accounting for psychosocial factors, adolescent depressive symptoms were best predicted by childhood emotional problems, peripubertal body dissatisfaction and perceived parental rejection irrespective of sex/gender, with additional sex/gender-contingent effects of childhood family dysfunction and postpubertal delinquency. Moreover, pubertal timing did not explain significant variance in depressive symptoms in girls or boys after accounting for psychosocial context. These findings support the context-contingency of sex/gender differences in the association between pubertal timing and adolescent depression. Conceptual and methodological ramifications of the need for an integrated biopsychosocial focus are discussed.

Background: Depressive symptoms, pain, and frailty interactions in middle-aged and older adults do have longitudinal research support, yet the currently available evidence remains insufficient for a comprehensive understanding. This study aimed to examine their interrelationships and underlying mechanisms.Methods: This study utilized data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), which includes four assessments for depressive symptoms, pain, and frailty over 7 years. We included 4961 participants aged 45 years and older in our analysis. We employed cross-lagged panel models (CLPMs) and random intercept CLPMs (RI-CLPMs) to analyze the bidirectional temporal relationships at the between-person and within-person levels.Results: Cross-lagged panel analysis revealed bidirectional associations between depressive symptoms and pain. A reciprocal predictive relationship was also identified between frailty and pain. After controlling individual differences with the RI-CLPM, depressive symptoms continued to positively predict pain during subsequent periods. However, the predictive effect of pain on subsequent depressive symptoms turned nonsignificant. Although a cross-lagged relationship remained between pain and frailty, it showed a declining trend.Limitations: While engagement in depressive symptoms, pain, and frailty was assessed via questionnaire, long measurement intervals may not capture short-term fluctuations in the state of each variable.Conclusions: This study differentiated within- and between-individual effects, uncovering distinct lagged effects of pain, depression, and frailty across levels. It underscored the importance of jointly assessing these conditions and integrating within- and between-individual differences to formulate and execute targeted interventions.

BackgroundWith rapid population aging in China, understanding the relationship between depression symptoms and cognitive function is crucial for improving the mental health of older adults. This study investigates these dynamics using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS).MethodsWe analyzed data from the 2015, 2018, and 2020 waves of CHARLS, including 5203 participants aged 60 and above. Depression symptoms were measured using the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression-10 (CESD-10) scale, while cognitive function was assessed via the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scale. Cross-sectional network analysis was utilized for constructing the contemporaneous network, and cross-lagged panel network (CLPN) analysis was subsequently employed for longitudinal analysis.ResultsIn all three cross-sectional networks, “Hope” was identified as a key bridge symptom connecting the depression symptom community and the cognitive function community, while “Depressed mood” was found to be the central symptom of the entire network. In temporal networks, higher drawing ability at wave 1 was associated with greater “Hope” at wave 2, whereas higher “Fear” at wave 1 was related to lower recall ability at wave 2. Moreover, lower memory ability at wave 2 was associated with lower “Bothered” at wave 3.ConclusionThis study uncovered the dynamic interplay between specific depression symptoms and cognitive functions among Chinese older adults, thereby providing further validation for the scar theory and the cognitive vulnerability model. Additionally, it provides a critical theoretical foundation for developing intervention strategies targeting mental health and cognitive function in the aging population, as well as a scientific basis for related policy formulation. Future research should integrate quantitative and qualitative data for stronger causal validation.

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) patients are often associated with inhibition deficits in the visual cortex. Most previous research has focused on visual inhibition in MDD patients during acute and remission phases, with little research on first-episode and drug-naïve (FEDN) patients. To fill this gap, we psychophysically investigated the inhibitory process of visual motion in patients with FEDN MDD. Methods: Two psychophysical tasks: Center-Surround Suppression (CSS) and Motion Repulsion (MR) were utilized to investigate the presence of visual perceptual inhibition deficits in patients with FEDN MDD. We collected data from 74 patients with FEDN MDD and 68 healthy controls (HCs) matched for age, years of education, and gender. We also measured the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, 17-item (HAMD-17) for each patient to assess the severity of depressive symptoms. Results: The results showed that CSS was significantly deteriorated in FEDN MDD patients (p=0.001), but it did not correlate with the HAMD score (p > 0.05). In addition, no significant differences were observed between the two groups of subjects in terms of gender, age, and education level (all p > 0.05). Analysis of two previously published datasets using the same CSS task involving MDD patients in different illness stages revealed that the levels of CSS reduction in our FEDN patients were also significantly distinguishable from those in acute and recovered MDD patients (all p < 0.01). This quantitative comparison indicates that CSS impairments are dynamic over the course of illness development. Moreover, the magnitudes of MR showed no significant differences between MDD patients and HCs (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: Our study was the first to demonstrate the deteriorated CSS in patients with FEDN MDD. Notably, inhibitory deficits in MDD are also highly specific, as MDD affects only the CSS, but not the MR. Therefore, the discrepancy between these two psychophysical tasks suggests CSS may serve as a feasible early marker in MDD. These findings offer new insights into the specific visual cortical deficits in patients with FEDN MDD. Limitation: The current study lacks imaging data to support the perceptual phenomenon we observed.

BackgroundCognitive‐behavioral therapy (CBT) with exposure and response prevention (ERP) is a recommended treatment for obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD), although many patients who undergo this regimen do not achieve satisfactory symptom relief, and maintaining long‐term remission is challenging. Concentrated exposure therapy (cET) has emerged as a potential treatment for treatment‐resistant OCD. However, the role of insight as a predictor of treatment outcomes in this context remains underexplored.MethodsWe conducted a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) including 163 adults diagnosed with treatment‐resistant OCD. This study used linear regression models to evaluate whether pre‐treatment levels of insight and changes in insight—measured by the Yale‐Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y‐BOCS) insight item—were associated with outcomes after 4 days of cET and whether insight levels changed post‐treatment.ResultsBaseline insight did not predict OCD severity at post‐treatment or 3‐month follow‐up but was associated with greater OCD severity at the 12‐month follow‐up. Insight scores improved significantly from pre‐ to post‐treatment but worsened during the follow‐up period. Notably, a change in insight during cET was a significant predictor of OCD symptom severity at all follow‐up intervals.ConclusionsBaseline insight was not a strong predictor of short‐term treatment outcomes following cET but was related to long‐term OCD severity. Improvements in insight during cET were associated with achieving and maintaining reduced symptoms over time. These results suggest that improvements in OCD and enhanced insight are associated.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02656342.

ObjectiveDietary diversity has been found to be related to depressive symptoms. However, the relationship between the trajectory of dietary diversity score (DDS) and depressive symptoms in Chinese older adults remains unclear.MethodsThe longitudinal dataset of Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) from 2011 to 2018 was used to identify the DDS trajectory among older adults over 65 years old by latent class growth analysis. DDS and depressive symptoms were measured using the food frequency questionnaire and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-10, respectively. The logistic regression model was used to explore the association between the DDS trajectory and depressive symptoms measured in 2018, and network analysis was used to explore the inter-relationships of depressive symptoms.ResultsA total of 1549 participants were included. This study identified two different DDS trajectories: “persistent high DDS trajectory” and “low but slowly rising DDS trajectory.” After adjusting the covariates, participants with a low but slowly rising DDS trajectory had a higher risk of having depressive symptoms (odds ratio [OR] [95% confidence interval [CI]]: 1.71 [1.34–2.18], p<0.001). Comparisons of network structures of depressive symptoms in different DDS trajectories showed that local difference was found in edge CESD2-CESD6 (difficulty with concentrating-feeling nervous/fearful), and the central symptom in both groups was CESD3 “feeling blue/depressed.”ConclusionMaintaining high dietary diversity is associated with a lower risk of depressive symptoms among Chinese older adults. Educational campaigns highlighting the importance of dietary diversity could be implemented for this population to lower depression risk and promote healthy aging.

BackgroundThis cross-sectional study, utilizing National Health and Nutritional Examination Surveys (NHANESs) data from 2005 to 2018, examines the association between age at first live birth and depression among women aged 12 years or older.MethodsData encompassed 10,399 participants, with 1260 exhibiting depressive symptoms. The 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) assessed depression. Age at first live birth was categorized as <18, 18–25, and >25.ResultsWomen with depressive symptoms were more likely to be single, have lower incomes and education levels, be smokers, and exhibit higher body mass indexes (BMIs) or sleep disorders. Younger age at first live birth correlated with higher depression prevalence. Univariate analysis shows decreased depression chances for women with first live births at 18–25 (47% decrease) or >25 (76% decrease), with an 11% reduction for every year increase in age at first birth. Multivariate analyses confirm a significant association between age at first live birth and depression, even after adjusting for various factors.ConclusionThis study underscores the association between age at first live birth and depression, highlighting the need for considering reproductive history in mental health assessments. The findings emphasize the multifaceted nature of this relationship, demonstrating the impact of sociodemographic and lifestyle factors on mental health outcomes among women.

Background: Depressive and insomnia symptoms are common among older adults with chronic pain. We aimed to examine different chronic pain trajectories of older adults over an 8-year observation period and explore the network structures of depression and insomnia in each chronic pain group.Methods: The trajectories of pain in the USA-based Health and Retirement Study (HRS) data from 2010 to 2018 were examined using latent class growth analyses (LCGA) method. Depressive and insomnia symptoms were measured with the eight-item version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CESD-8) Scale and the four-item Jenkins Sleep Scale (JSS-4), respectively. Network models were constructed using the Ising model. Central symptoms and bridge symptoms were identified via expectedInfluence (EI) and bridge EI, respectively.Results: A total of 11,132 older adults were included in the trajectory analysis, with three chronic pain trajectories identified, including “severe pain trajectory,” “moderate pain trajectory,” and “non or mild pain trajectory”. From these trajectories, “Lack of happiness” (CESD4), “Feeling depressed” (CESD1), and “Feeling sad” (CESD7) emerged as the most central symptoms, while “Feeling tired in the morning” (JSS4) was identified as the key bridge symptom. However, the findings may not be generalizable to other parts of the world outside the USA.Conclusion: Older adults with different chronic pain trajectories exhibited similar depression and insomnia network structure. Implementing timely interventions that target central and bridge symptoms might mitigate the co-occurrence of depression and insomnia in this population.

Anxiety's prevalence is increasing, making it a widespread mental health concern. However, scale-based diagnostic methods have limitations. Music therapy helps regulate emotions and alleviate anxiety symptoms. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) offers a novel approach to diagnosing mental disorders by measuring changes in the concentrations of oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) and deoxygenated hemoglobin (HbR) in the superficial layers of the brain, thereby reflecting brain activation. This is the first study to use fNIRS to examine the impact of music therapy on anxiety. fNIRS was used to measure changes in HbO and HbR in the superficial brain regions of individuals with anxiety symptoms to evaluate music therapy effectiveness and identify brain regions associated with anxiety. This study recruited 83 participants: 17 comprised the healthy control group, and 66 comprised the anxiety group. The anxiety group was divided into an intervention group (34 participants) and a waiting-list group (32 participants). The intervention group underwent 12 music therapy sessions and exhibited significant changes compared with the waiting group. These changes included connectivity between Wernicke's area and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) as well as the visual association cortex and Broca's triangular area. These results suggested that the connectivity characteristics of these brain regions were associated with anxiety. Music therapy significantly improved brain network connectivity characteristics in individuals with anxiety symptoms. Furthermore, fNIRS indicators could serve as biomarkers for the auxiliary identification of anxiety symptoms, aiding early identification and intervention.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05648539