Article
Clinical Neurology
Angela Nickerson, Yulisha Byrow, Meaghan O'Donnell, Richard A. Bryant, Vicki Mau, Tadgh McMahon, Greg Benson, Belinda J. Liddell
Summary: This study investigated the associations between self-efficacy, beliefs about others, and psychological and social outcomes in refugees. The results showed that exposure to potentially traumatic events was associated with lower self-efficacy and positive beliefs about others. Self-efficacy was negatively associated with depression and anger, while positive beliefs about others were positively associated with social engagement and depression symptoms.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
E. Kate Webb, Carissa N. Weis, Ashley A. Huggins, Elizabeth A. Parisi, Kenneth P. Bennett, Tara Miskovich, Jessica Krukowski, Terri A. deRoon-Cassini, Christine L. Larson
Summary: Neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage is significantly associated with lower neurocognitive functioning in trauma-exposed adults, with stable effects across time in most domains. Area-level variables may underlie individual vulnerability to developing psychiatric disorders.
Review
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Ahmed A. Moustafa, Denise Parkes, Louise Fitzgerald, Dylan Underhill, Julia Garami, Einat Levy-Gigi, Filip Stramecki, Ahmad Valikhani, Dorota Frydecka, Blazej Misiak
Summary: This review explores the link between childhood trauma, early-life stress, and substance use, abuse, and addiction. The discussion includes theories, neural studies, and potential treatment strategies for alcohol and drug abuse and addiction based on understanding early-life stressors that lead to drug use and relapse.
CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Developmental Biology
Malaz Kreiker, Katelyn Perez, Kevin L. Brown
Summary: Early life stress enhances memory for Pavlovian fear conditioning, but the effects of early weaning on fear conditioning in periweaning rats have not been well studied. Rats weaned early in life showed enhanced retention in fear conditioning, but infantile amnesia effects were still observed in young rats tested 15 days after training. Further studies are needed to explore the mechanisms underlying weaning-related enhancements and the role of social transmission of fear information.
DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Psychiatry
Or Duek, Robert H. Pietrzak, Ismene Petrakis, Rani Hoff, Ilan Harpaz-Rotem
Summary: The study found that psychiatric comorbidities, age, and race are key risk factors for poor medication adherence in PTSD treatment, while lack of engagement in psychotherapy and prescription of a single medication are the main risk factors for discontinuation. Older veterans are less likely to discontinue treatment.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Psychology, Social
S. Grinapol, M. Gelkopf, S. Pagorek-Eshel, T. Greene
Summary: The study found a relationship between Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) and early posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), but after controlling for early symptoms, SPS was not directly associated with subsequent PTSS. Additionally, SPS negatively moderated the association between early PTSS and PTSS at 1 month.
PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES
(2022)
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Ana Agusti, Femke Lamers, Maria Tamayo, Carlos Benito-Amat, Gara V. Molina-Mendoza, Brenda W. J. H. Penninx, Yolanda Sanz
Summary: Exposure to early life stress can significantly impact mental and physical health. The role of the intestinal microbiome in human health, particularly mental health, is becoming increasingly evident. This systematic review found a link between early life stress and the gut microbiome, but no consensus microbiome signatures were identified, highlighting the need for further studies with consistent stressors and validated measures to draw definitive conclusions.
Review
Psychiatry
Elizabeth Eder-Moreau, Xi Zhu, Chana T. Fisch, Maja Bergman, Yuval Neria, Liat Helpman
Summary: This article systematically reviews the neurobiological differences related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among females using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), highlighting the biopsychosocial factors that may contribute to female vulnerability to PTSD, the impact of timing and type of trauma exposure on PTSD risk, the role of cognitive and behavioral mechanisms in PTSD, and the unique symptom patterns and comorbidities in female-specific PTSD. The article concludes by identifying areas for future research, including the exploration of developmental aspects of brain alterations, the differential impact of trauma types and timing, the potential role of the neuroendocrine system in the neurobiology of PTSD among females, and the influence of social and cultural factors on neurobiology in females with PTSD.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Yuting Li, Xiaofei Huang, Xiuhang Ruan, Dingna Duan, Yihe Zhang, Shaode Yu, Amei Chen, Zhaoxiu Wang, Yujian Zou, Mingrui Xia, Xinhua Wei
Summary: This study aimed to predict the occurrence of freezing of gait (FOG) in early drug-naive Parkinson's disease (PD) patients using machine learning, and investigate alterations in cerebral morphology in early PD. The study found that models trained with structural morphological features showed good predictive performance for FOG, and adding clinical and laboratory data improved the performance. Elastic net-support vector machine models performed the best, and the main features used for prediction were structural morphological features mainly distributed in the left cerebrum. The study also found that the bilateral olfactory cortex showed significant cortical expansion in PD patients.
NPJ PARKINSONS DISEASE
(2022)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Xin Yi Yeo, Woo Ri Chae, Hae Ung Lee, Han-Gyu Bae, Sven Pettersson, Joanes Grandjean, Weiping Han, Sangyong Jung
Summary: The relationship between maternal and early-life gut microbiome and brain development has a significant impact on the health outcomes of offspring later in life.
Article
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
Ziqing Tang, Chuanlong Huang, Yang Li, Ying Sun, Xin Chen
Summary: The study found a link between threat-related early life adversity and an increased risk of edentulism, with both male and female participants showing this increased risk.
Review
Neurosciences
Patricia Gil-Paterna, Tomas Furmark
Summary: This paper presents a mini-review of studies using magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the involvement of the cerebellum in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety disorders. The results show mixed findings, but suggest that structures within the cerebellum, such as the vermis, are highly involved in these disorders. However, further research is needed to fully understand the neurofunctional and structural alterations in the cerebellum related to excessive anxiety and trauma.
FRONTIERS IN SYSTEMS NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Heather E. Dark, Nathaniel G. Harnett, Amy J. Knight, David C. Knight
Summary: The study revealed that there is a progressive decrease in hippocampal volume acutely (e.g., within approximately 1 month) following trauma exposure, and demonstrated that acutely assessed hippocampal volumes vary with posttraumatic stress symptom expression.
BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Ian H. Gotlib, Lauren R. Borchers, Rajpreet Chahal, Anthony J. Gifuni, Giana I. Teresi, Tiffany C. Ho
Summary: This study found that severity of early life stress predicted levels of depressive symptoms during the pandemic, which were higher in females than males. Importantly, the association between early life stress and depression was mediated by adolescents' reported levels of stress, even after controlling for demographic variables. These findings highlight the importance of monitoring the mental health of vulnerable children and adolescents during the pandemic and targeting perceived stress in high-risk youth.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Psychiatry
Agnieszka Burnos, Maria Wrzosek
Summary: The presented study aims to explore the relationship between quality of life after myocardial infarction and factors such as temperamental traits, stress coping, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. The findings suggest that certain temperamental traits are related to specific coping styles and quality of life indicators. Moreover, the severity of PTSD symptoms is negatively associated with overall quality of life.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Lucy Hiscox, Sidney Bray, Abigail Fraser, Richard Meiser-Stedman, Soraya Seedat, Sarah L. Halligan
Summary: Higher levels of PTSD symptoms are present among trauma-exposed females compared to males in adulthood. However, little is known about the emergence of this sex difference during development. This study found that sex differences in PTSD symptoms become apparent during adolescence, with females showing more significant symptom reduction at the age of 13.
PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Frank R. Wendt, Miguel Garcia-Argibay, Brenda Cabrera-Mendoza, Unnur A. Valdimarsdottir, Joel Gelernter, Murray B. Stein, Michel G. Nivard, Adam X. Maihofer, Caroline M. Nievergelt, Henrik Larsson, Manuel Mattheisen, Renato Polimanti, Sandra M. Meier
Summary: Genetic analyses and sibling comparisons confirm a causal relationship between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with ADHD genetic liability leading to increased risk of developing PTSD. Early and effective treatment of ADHD is crucial in preventing the occurrence of PTSD.
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Marco Solmi, Trevor Thompson, Andres Estrade, Agorastos Agorastos, Joaquim Radua, Samuele Cortese, Elena Dragioti, Friedrich Leisch, Davy Vancampfort, Lau Caspar Thygesen, Harald Aschauer, Monika Schloegelhofer, Elena Aschauer, Andres Schneeberger, Christian G. Huber, Gregor Hasler, Philippe Conus, Kim Q. Do Cuenod, Roland von Kaenel, Gonzalo Arrondo, Paolo Fusar-Poli, Philip Gorwood, Pierre-Michel Llorca, Marie-Odile Krebs, Elisabetta Scanferla, Taishiro Kishimoto, Golam Rabbani, Karolina Skonieczna-Zydecka, Paolo Brambilla, Angela Favaro, Akihiro Takamiya, Leonardo Zoccante, Marco Colizzi, Julie Bourgin, Karol Kaminski, Maryam Moghadasin, Soraya Seedat, Evan Matthews, John Wells, Emilia Vassilopoulou, Ary Gadelha, Kuan-Pin Su, Jun Soo Kwon, Minah Kim, Tae Young Lee, Oleg Papsuev, Denisa Mankova, Andrea Boscutti, Cristiano Gerunda, Diego Saccon, Elena Righi, Francesco Monaco, Giovanni Croatto, Guido Cereda, Jacopo Demurtas, Natascia Brondino, Nicola Veronese, Paolo Enrico, Pierluigi Politi, Valentina Ciappolino, Andrea Pfennig, Andreas Bechdolf, Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg, Kai G. Kahl, Katharina Domschke, Michael Bauer, Nikolaos Koutsouleris, Sibylle Winter, Stefan Borgwardt, Istvan Bitter, Judit Balazs, Pal Czobor, Zsolt Unoka, Dimitris Mavridis, Konstantinos Tsamakis, Vasilios P. Bozikas, Chavit Tunvirachaisakul, Michael Maes, Teerayuth Rungnirundorn, Thitiporn Supasitthumrong, Ariful Haque, Andre R. Brunoni, Carlos Gustavo Costardi, Felipe Barreto Schuch, Guilherme Polanczyk, Jhoanne Merlyn Luiz, Lais Fonseca, Luana V. Aparicio, Samira S. Valvassori, Merete Nordentoft, Per Vendsborg, Sofie Have Hoffmann, Jihed Sehli, Norman Sartorius, Sabina Heuss, Daniel Guinart, Jane Hamilton, John Kane, Jose Rubio, Michael Sand, Ai Koyanagi, Aleix Solanes, Alvaro Andreu-Bernabeu, Antonia San Jose Caceres, Celso Arango, Covadonga M. Diaz-Caneja, Diego Hidalgo-Mazzei, Eduard Vieta, Javier Gonzalez-Penas, Lydia Fortea, Mara Parellada, Miquel A. Fullana, Norma Verdolini, Eva Andrlikova, Karolina Janku, Mark John Millan, Mihaela Honciuc, Anna Moniuszko-Malinowska, Igor Loniewski, Jerzy Samochowiec, Lukasz Kiszkiel, Maria Marlicz, Pawel Sowa, Wojciech Marlicz, Georgina Spies, Brendon Stubbs, Joseph Firth, Sarah Sullivan, Asli Enez Darcin, Hatice Aksu, Nesrin Dilbaz, Onur Noyan, Momoko Kitazawa, Shunya Kurokawa, Yuki Tazawa, Alejandro Anselmi, Cecilia Cracco, Ana Ines Machado, Natalia Estrade, Diego De Leo, Jackie Curtis, Michael Berk, Philip Ward, Scott Teasdale, Simon Rosenbaum, Wolfgang Marx, Adrian Vasile Horodnic, Liviu Oprea, Ovidiu Alexinschi, Petru Ifteni, Serban Turliuc, Tudor Ciuhodaru, Alexandra Bolos, Valentin Matei, Dorien H. Nieman, Iris Sommer, Jim van Os, Therese van Amelsvoort, Ching-Fang Sun, Ta-wei Guu, Can Jiao, Jieting Zhang, Jialin Fan, Liye Zou, Xin Yu, Xinli Chi, Philippe de Timary, Ruud van Winkel, Bernardo Ng, Edilberto Pena, Ramon Arellano, Raquel Roman, Thelma Sanchez, Larisa Movina, Pedro Morgado, Sofia Brissos, Oleg Aizberg, Anna Mosina, Damir Krinitski, James Mugisha, Dena Sadeghi-Bahmani, Farshad Sheybani, Masoud Sadeghi, Samira Hadi, Serge Brand, Antonia Errazuriz, Nicolas Crossley, Dragana Ignjatovic Ristic, Carlos Lopez-Jaramillo, Dimitris Efthymiou, Praveenlal Kuttichira, Roy Abraham Kallivayalil, Afzal Javed, Muhammad Iqbal Afridi, Bawo James, Omonefe Joy Seb-Akahomen, Jess Fiedorowicz, Andre F. Carvalho, Jeff Daskalakis, Lakshmi N. Yatham, Lin Yang, Tarek Okasha, Aicha Dahdouh, Bjoern Gerdle, Jari Tiihonen, Jae Il Shin, Jinhee Lee, Ahmed Mhalla, Lotfi Gaha, Takoua Brahim, Kuanysh Altynbekov, Nikolay Negay, Saltanat Nurmagambetova, Yasser Abu Jamei, Mark Weiser, Christoph U. Correll
Summary: The COH-FIT survey is a valid instrument to measure global mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study confirmed the validity of COH-FIT items and the internal reliability of the co-primary outcome, the P-score. The survey has been translated into 30 languages and measures various mental health symptoms and factors.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Georgina Spies, Melanie Deist, Sharain Suliman, Soraya Seedat
Summary: This study developed and validated an abbreviated version of the HIV Neurobehavioral Research Center International Neurobehavioral Battery in a sample of people with HIV in South Africa. The abbreviated battery showed good sensitivity and excellent specificity compared to the full version, with a significant reduction in administration time. It can be a practical option in resource-limited settings for identifying HIV-related neurocognitive impairment.
Article
Education, Scientific Disciplines
Kathleen E. E. Crombie, Kenneth D. D. Crombie, Muneeb Salie, Soraya Seedat
Summary: Tertiary education in post-apartheid South Africa faces challenges of class, language, and race, highlighted by recent student protests. This study examines mistreatment of medical students at a South African university, finding it to be prevalent and associated with psychological distress. The study also reveals high rates of racial and gender discrimination, indicating a need for change.
TEACHING AND LEARNING IN MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Psychiatry
Lucy V. Hiscox, Tamsin H. Sharp, Miranda Olff, Soraya Seedat, Sarah L. Halligan
Summary: Women have a higher risk of developing PTSD than men after a traumatic experience. Recent research has found evidence of sex-based differences in genetic and epigenetic factors, brain structure and function, neuroendocrine and inflammatory responses, as well as the role of sleep on emotional memory processing. Sex differences have also been observed in recovery and PTSD treatment, and there is emerging evidence of sex-differentiated risk for medical and psychiatric comorbidities in PTSD.
CURRENT PSYCHIATRY REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Melanie Deist, Sharain Suliman, Martin Kidd, Donald Franklin, Mariana Cherner, Robert K. Heaton, Georgina Spies, Soraya Seedat
Summary: Reliable and valid neurocognitive (NC) test batteries are crucial in early detection of HIV-associated NC impairment. The HNRC Battery has shown cultural validity in international neuroHIV studies, but no norms are available for South Africa. Data from 500 HIV-uninfected participants were collected to develop demographically corrected South African norms, which resulted in a lower impairment rate compared to using US norms. These findings highlight the importance of localized norms in interpreting NC performance.
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Alberta S. J. van der Watt, Annerine Roos, Elmien Lesch, Soraya Seedat
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with increased breakup distress among emerging adult students in low- and middle-income countries. The results suggest that female sex, lack of religious affiliation, being Catholic, identifying with a minority sexual orientation, and experiencing childhood adversity and lifetime trauma exposure are significantly associated with increased breakup distress. Considering sociodemographic factors and adverse life events is important in assessing breakup distress.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY IN AFRICA
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Patricia C. Swart, Morne Du Plessis, Carlien Rust, Jacqueline S. Womersley, Leigh L. van den Heuvel, Soraya Seedat, Sian M. J. Hemmings
Summary: This study aimed to identify genetic loci associated with gene expression changes in a South African PTSD cohort. While several known cis-eQTLs were observed, no eQTLs that significantly influenced gene expression in a PTSD-dependent manner were identified. This exploratory study provides insight into the molecular mechanisms associated with PTSD in a non-European, admixed sample population.
JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Carlien Rust, Stefanie Malan-Muller, Leigh L. van den Heuvel, Daniel Tonge, Soraya Seedat, Etheresia Pretorius, Sian M. J. Hemmings
Summary: This narrative review explores the connection between gut dysbiosis, neuroinflammation, and stress-linked disorders (such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD), and investigates the role of tryptophan metabolism and platelets in this connection. Stress-induced alteration of gut microbiota may lead to increased intestinal permeability, triggering the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, activating platelets and causing them to release 5-HT into the plasma, leading to neuroinflammation and potential neurological damage.
JOURNAL OF NEUROIMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Allegra Moodley, Jacqueline S. Womersley, Patricia C. Swart, Leigh L. van den Heuvel, Stefanie Malan-Muller, Soraya Seedat, Sian M. J. Hemmings
Summary: This study used network analysis to investigate the associations between inflammation, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and metabolic syndrome. The results showed the relationships between inflammation and symptoms as well as metabolic syndrome, providing evidence for the role of inflammation in trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Alberta Susanna Johanna Van der Watt, Martin Kidd, Annerine Roos, Elmien Lesch, Soraya Seedat
Summary: Non-marital romantic relationship dissolutions (RRDs) are common among youths and may result in severe distress and suicidality. Studies suggest that RRDs are associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), similar to other traumatic events.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOTRAUMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Debra Kaminer, Candice Simmons, Soraya Seedat, Stephanie Skavenski, Laura Murray, Martin Kidd, Judith A. A. Cohen
Summary: This study evaluated the efficacy of an abbreviated eight-session version of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT) for reducing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptoms in South African adolescents. The results showed significant improvements in PTSD and depression symptoms in the TF-CBT group compared to the control group at post-treatment and three-month follow-up. This suggests that the abbreviated TF-CBT has potential efficacy in LMIC settings for adolescents with multiple trauma exposure.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOTRAUMATOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Psychology, Clinical
Natalia E. Fares-Otero, Jiaqing O, Georgina Spies, Jacqueline S. Womersley, Carolina Gonzalez, Goerkem Ayas, Tilahun Belete Mossie, Julia Carranza-Neira, Jose-Manuel Estrada-Lorenzo, Eduard Vieta, Inga Schalinski, Ulrich Schnyder, Soraya Seedat
Summary: This article presents a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis on the association between child maltreatment exposure in early life and resilience in adulthood. By searching relevant studies and conducting meta-analyses and meta-regression analyses, the researchers aim to understand the relationship between child maltreatment and resilience, as well as the potential moderators and mediators. This study is important in informing prevention and interventions to improve the health and outcomes of adults with a history of child maltreatment.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOTRAUMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Gondah Lekpeh, Muneeb Salie, Leigh L. van den Heuvel, Soraya Seedat
Summary: This study describes the neurological and/or neuropsychiatric manifestations in hospitalized COVID-19 patients and compares patients with and without such symptoms in terms of demographic and clinical characteristics, treatment, and outcomes. The results suggest that while COVID-19 patients with neurological and/or neuropsychiatric manifestations may have less respiratory symptoms, they still have similar mortality rates as patients without such symptoms.
SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
