Adverse childhood experiences and depressive symptoms in later life: Longitudinal mediation effects of inflammation

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been associated with both inflammation and depression. However, few studies have examined the role of inflammation as a possible biological mechanism underlying the association of ACEs with depression in later life using longitudinal data. This study investigated the longitudinal mediation effects of inflammation in the relationship between ACEs and depressive symptoms in older adults. / Methods: We utilised data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (N = 4382). ACEs (i.e. threat, family dysfunction, low parental bonding, loss experiences) were assessed retrospectively at wave 3 (2006/07). C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammatory marker, was measured at waves 2 (2004/05), 4 (2008/09), and 6 (2012/13). Depressive symptoms were ascertained from wave 6 to 8 (2016/17). The mediation analysis was conducted using parallel process latent growth curve modelling. / Results: Greater ACEs cumulative exposure was associated with higher CRP and depressive symptoms at baseline (βCRPi = 0.066[0.030–0.102]; βDEPi = 0.149[0.115–0.183]) and with their increase over time (βCRPs = 0.205[0.095–0.315]; βDEPs = 0.355[0.184–0.526]). Baseline CRP levels were positively associated with baseline depressive symptoms (βDEPi = 0.145[0.104–0.186]) and their trajectory (βDEPs = 0.215[0.124–0.306]). The mediation analysis indicated that higher baseline CRP levels mediated respectively 7% and 5% of the total effect of ACEs cumulative exposure on the baseline value and change in depressive symptoms. These mediation effects were larger for Loss experiences (i.e. 20% and 12% respectively) than for other types of ACEs. In addition, they were independent of possible confounders and additional mediators including adult socioeconomic position and lifestyle factors. / Conclusion: ACEs were related to higher depressive symptoms partly via elevated CRP levels. Inflammation might be one of the psychobiological mechanisms underlying the link between ACEs and depression. Psychosocial and behavioural interventions to prevent and reduce the negative impact of ACEs might help to lower the risk of inflammation and depression in the population

Analysis of anisotropic hardening in high strength steel (HSS) in line pipes for strain-based applications

In this paper are reported the results of an extensive and innovative mechanical characterization carried out on three large diameter line pipes for gas transportation useful to calibrate a new plasticity finite element numerical simulation (FEM) model developed at Rina Consulting – Centro Sviluppo Materiali. In particular, the anisotropic hardening for the materials has been characterized by tensile tests carried out in the base material of the pipe with tensile specimen extracted along different orientations, considering also the pipe through thickness direction

Analysis of the micro-voids fraction in structural steels and its evolution during plastic deformation until failure

In this work the results of an experimental analysis performed on different steels of commercial use having different microstructure and yield value are reported. The materials were characterized by performing tensile and torsion tests, bringing the material up to rupture. The specimens were extracted according to different orientations to verify the influence of anisotropy on the size and distribution of micro-voids present in the broken material. After the mechanical tests, an analysis was made of the amount of micro-voids present in the original, not deformed material and in the deformed material until failure. The results obtained show that for all the analyzed steels the initial fraction of micro-voids is negligible, and no growth or formation of further voids is observed as the applied plastic deformation increases, even for strain values close to rupture

Levels of Severity of Depressive Symptoms Among At-Risk Groups in the UK During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Importance: An immediate research priority is to investigate and monitor the psychological well-being among high-risk groups during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Objective: To examine levels of severity of depressive symptoms over time among individuals with high risk in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study is part of an ongoing large panel study of adults aged 18 years and older residing in the UK, the COVID-19 Social Study, established on March 21, 2020. Data analysis was conducted in May 2020. Exposures: Sociodemographic risk factors included belonging to the Black, Asian, and minority racial/ethnic communities, low socioeconomic position (SEP), and essential worker roles (eg, workers in health and social care, education, childcare, or key public services). Health-related and psychosocial risk factors included preexisting physical and mental health conditions, experience of psychological or physical abuse, and low social support. Main Outcomes and Measures: Depressive symptoms were measured on 7 occasions from March 21 to April 2, 2020, using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Group-based depressive symptom trajectories were derived using latent growth mixture modeling. Results: The analytical sample comprised 51 417 adults aged 18 years and older (mean [SD] age, 48.8 [16.8] years; 26 276 [51.1%] women; 6145 members [12.0%] of Black, Asian, and minority racial/ethnic communities). Among these, 17 143 participants (33.3%) were in the lowest SEP quartile, and 11 342 participants (22.1%) were classified as essential workers. Three levels of severity of depressive symptoms were identified: low (30 850 participants [60.0%]), moderate (14 911 participants [29.0%]), and severe (5656 participants [11.0%]). After adjusting for covariates, experiences of physical or psychological abuse (odds ratio [OR], 13.16; 95% CI, 12.95-13.37; P < .001), preexisting mental health conditions (OR, 12.99; 95% CI, 12.87-13.11; P < .001), preexisting physical health conditions (OR, 3.41; 95% CI, 3.29-3.54; P < .001), low social support (OR, 12.72; 95% CI, 12.57-12.86; P < .001), and low SEP (OR, 5.22; 95% CI, 5.08-5.36; P < .001) were significantly associated with severe depressive symptoms. No significant association was found for race/ethnicity (OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.85-1.28; P = .56). Participants with essential worker roles were less likely to experience severe depressive symptoms (OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53-0.80; P < .001). Similar patterns of associations were found for the group of participants with moderate depressive symptoms (abuse: OR, 5.34; 95% CI, 5.15-5.54; P < .001; mental health condition: OR, 4.24; 95% CI, 4.24-4.24; P < .001; physical health condition: OR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.80-1.98; P < .001; low social support: OR, 4.71; 95% CI, 4.60-4.82; P < .001; low SEP: OR, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.87-2.08; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study of UK adults participating in the COVID-19 Social Study, people with psychosocial and health-related risk factors, as well as those with low SEP, were at the most risk of experiencing moderate or severe depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic

Identifying risk factors involved in the common versus specific liabilities to substance use: A genetically informed approach

Individuals most often use several rather than one substance among alcohol, cigarettes or cannabis. This widespread co‐occurring use of multiple substances is thought to stem from a common liability that is partly genetic in origin. Genetic risk may indirectly contribute to a common liability to substance use through genetically influenced mental health vulnerabilities and individual traits. To test this possibility, we used polygenic scores indexing mental health and individual traits and examined their association with the common versus specific liabilities to substance use

Persistent depressive symptoms, HPA-axis hyperactivity, and inflammation: the role of cognitive-affective and somatic symptoms

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis hyperactivity and inflammation are thought to be prominent in the aetiology of depression. Although meta-analyses have confirmed this relationship, there is considerable variability in the effect sizes across studies. This could be attributed to a differential role of such biological systems in somatic versus cognitive-affective depressive symptoms which remains largely unexplored. Furthermore, most longitudinal research to date has focused on transient rather than persistent depressive symptoms. In the current study, we investigated the associations of hair cortisol and plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) with the longitudinal persistence and dimensions (cognitive-affective versus somatic) of depressive symptoms over a 14-year period using Trait‐State‐Occasion (TSO) structural equation modelling. The data came from a large sample of older adults from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Depressive symptoms were assessed from wave 1 (2002–03) to wave 8 (2016–17). Hair cortisol (N = 4761) and plasma CRP (N = 5784) were measured in wave 6 (2012–13). Covariates included demographic, socioeconomic, lifestyle, chronic disease, and medication data. Our results revealed that higher cortisol and CRP levels were significantly associated with persistent depressive symptoms across the study period. Notably, both biomarkers exhibited stronger relationships with somatic than with cognitive-affective symptoms. The associations with somatic symptoms were also independent of relevant confounding factors. In contrast, their associations with cognitive-affective symptoms were weak after adjustment for all covariates. These distinct associations reveal the importance of considering symptom-specific effects in future studies on pathophysiological mechanisms. Ultimately, this will have the potential to advance the search for biomarkers of depression and facilitate more targeted treatments

The role of loneliness in the association between chronic physical illness and depressive symptoms among older adults: A prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND: Chronic physical illness increases the risk of subsequent depressive symptoms, but we know little about the mechanisms underlying this association that interventions can target. We investigated whether loneliness might explain associations between chronic illness and subsequent depressive symptoms. METHODS: We used English Longitudinal Study of Ageing data, a prospective cohort of adults over 50. Our exposure was chronic illnesses (wave two) including arthritis, cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Loneliness scores were a mediator on the short University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness Scale at wave three. Depressive symptom scores (outcome) were measured using the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (wave four). We examined associations of chronic physical illness with loneliness and depressive symptoms in univariable and multivariable regression models. RESULTS: Fully-adjusted models included 2436 participants with the depression outcome and 2052 participants with the loneliness outcome. Chronic physical illness was associated with 21 % (incident rate ratio = 1.21, 95%CI = 1.03–1.42) higher depression scores at follow-up. We found no evidence of an association between chronic physical illness and loneliness and therefore did not proceed to analyses of mediation. LIMITATIONS: More prevalent chronic illnesses could have driven our results, such as cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic physical illnesses increase the risk of depressive symptoms in older adults. However, we did not find any that chronic physical illnesses were associated with an increased risk of subsequent loneliness. Therefore, interventions targeting loneliness to reduce depression in older adults with chronic physical illness may be insufficient

Emergence of fox rabies in north-eastern Italy.

Italy has been classified as rabies-free since 1997. In October 2008, two foxes have been diagnosed with rabies in the Province of Udine, north-east Italy. One case of human exposure caused by a bite from one of the foxes has occurred and was properly treated

Testing the causal relationships of physical activity and sedentary behaviour with mental health and substance use disorders: a Mendelian randomisation study.

Observational studies suggest that physical activity can reduce the risk of mental health and substance use disorders. However, it is unclear whether this relationship is causal or explained by confounding bias (e.g., common underlying causes or reverse causality). We investigated the bidirectional causal relationship of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) with ten mental health and substance use disorders, applying two-sample Mendelian Randomisation (MR). Genetic instruments for the exposures and outcomes were derived from the largest available, non-overlapping genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Summary-level data for objectively assessed PA (accelerometer-based average activity, moderate activity, and walking) and SB and self-reported moderate-to-vigorous PA were obtained from the UK Biobank. Data for mental health/substance use disorders were obtained from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium and the GWAS and Sequencing Consortium of Alcohol and Nicotine Use. MR estimates were combined using inverse variance weighted meta-analysis (IVW). Sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the robustness of the results. Accelerometer-based average PA was associated with a lower risk of depression (b = -0.043, 95% CI: -0.071 to -0.016, effect size[OR] = 0.957) and cigarette smoking (b = -0.026; 95% CI: -0.035 to -0.017, effect size[β] = -0.022). Accelerometer-based SB decreased the risk of anorexia (b = -0.341, 95% CI: -0.530 to -0.152, effect size[OR] = 0.711) and schizophrenia (b = -0.230; 95% CI: -0.285 to -0.175, effect size[OR] = 0.795). However, we found evidence of reverse causality in the relationship between SB and schizophrenia. Further, PTSD, bipolar disorder, anorexia, and ADHD were all associated with increased PA. This study provides evidence consistent with a causal protective effect of objectively assessed but not self-reported PA on reduced depression and cigarette smoking. Objectively assessed SB had a protective relationship with anorexia. Enhancing PA may be an effective intervention strategy to reduce depressive symptoms and addictive behaviours, while promoting sedentary or light physical activities may help to reduce the risk of anorexia in at-risk individuals