Sex Specific Changes in Tryptophan Breakdown Over a 6 Week Treatment Period

Introduction: Despite the knowledge of sex differences concerning neurobiological parameters as well as clinical course of illness in individuals with mood disorders, the literature concerning tryptophan (Trp) breakdown, specific for women and men, is sparse to date. The current study aimed to evaluate sex differences in Trp, kynurenine (Kyn) and Kyn/Trp concentrations in general, as well as differences in changes of those concentrations over the course of a 6-week rehabilitation program in individuals with life-time unipolar affective disorder. For this purpose changes in Trp and Kyn as well as the Kyn/Trp concentrations between the time of admission (t1) and discharge (t2) were analyzed in dependence of sex. Furthermore, correlations between Trp and Kyn levels and clinical parameters were performed separately for male and female participants.Material and Methods:Results: For the current analysis 426 individuals with lifetime affective disorder completing a 6-week rehabilitation program were included. In both sexes, psychiatric symptoms decreased significantly over time. There was a significant difference between women (n = 242) and men (n = 184) regarding the changes in Trp, Kyn, and Kyn/Trp over time even if controlled for relevant covariates [multivariate: F(3, 380) = 2.663, η2 = 0.021, p = 0.048]. Kyn as well as Kyn/Trp concentrations increased significantly in men over time (Kyn F = 4.809, η2 = 0.012, p = 0.029; Kyn/Trp F = 7.923, η2 = 0.020, p = 0.005). Results remained the same when controlled for psychiatric symptoms.Discussion: The main finding of the present study is the significant difference between women and men regarding the change in Trp, Kyn, and Kyn/Trp over a 6-week psychiatric treatment period, while the depression severity scores as well as general psychiatric symptoms decreased. Sex specific changes in Trp-Kyn pathways have only been explored to a very small extent to date in the literature but are of high clinical relevance in the context of personalized medicine

THE OUTCOME OF PSYCHIATRIC REHABILITATION TREATMENT DEPENDS ON AFFECTIVE STATE AT THE TIME OF ADMISSION

Background: In Austria, new approaches of rehabilitation programs focus on the prevention of mental illness and offer treatment not only for acute psychiatric patients, but also for those who are at risk of developing a mental disorder or have recovered from one.The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a psychiatric rehabilitation program on individuals with different mood states. Subjects and methods: 600 patients with a history of affective disorder were tested at the time of admission to an Austrian inpatient psychiatric rehabilitation center. Data of extreme groups - patients who were depressed (n=59; BDI-II <9 and HAMD <8) or euthymic (n=59; BDI 19) at the time of therapy start - were analyzed. The participants completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey, the Symptom Checklist - Revised and the Stress Coping Questionnaire at the beginning and the end of the 6-weeks rehabilitation program. Results: After 6 weeks, both groups showed significantly less psychiatric symptoms (BDI-II, HAMD, SCL-90, and negative coping strategies (SVF). Importantly, work-related stress symptoms (“burnout” symptoms) improved significantly in the euthymic group. Conclusions: Euthymic patients seem to be able to focus on work-related stress symptoms including reduced emotional exhaustion through treatment, while currently depressed patients primarily benefit by an improvement in general psychiatric symptomatology. The results indicate the crucial role of mood state validated with standardized psychological questionnaires BDI-II and HAMD at time of admission to such programs. These findings could have implications on treatment decisions for psychiatric patients and assist in making a forecast concerning ability to recover and treatment prognosis

Entwicklung und Validierung eines Verfahrens zur Erfassung emotionaler Kompetenz bei Jugendlichen (TEK-J 2.0) : Kriteriumsvalidierung

Im Rahmen dieser Diplomarbeit und der Diplomarbeit von Frau Hollerwoeger (2012) wurde ein Verfahren zur Erfassung der emotionalen Kompetenz bei Jugendlichen (TEK-J 2.0) entwickelt. Als Vorbild diente der Test zur Erfassung emotionaler Kompetenz bei Jugendlichen (TEK-J; Freudenthaler, Neubauer & Becker, 2004). Der TEK-J 2.0 ist, wie sein Vorg\ue4nger, ein szenariobasierter typical performance Test. Er besteht aus 30 emotionsgeladenen Situationsbeschreibungen mit jeweils vier Antwortalternativen. Der Test l\ue4sst sich in zwei Subskalen, in die intra- und in die interpersonale emotionale Kompetenz, unterteilen. In dieser Arbeit werden der Konstruktionsprozess sowie die Kriteriumsvalidierung des TEK-J 2.0 dargestellt. Der Konstruktionsprozess verlief in sieben Phasen. Zuerst wurden Interviews mit Personen in Sozial- und Dienstleistungsberufen gef\ufchrt. Mit den gewonnenen Informationen wurden Items generiert und diese wurden 68 Sch\ufclerInnen (7. und 8. Schulstufe) im offenen Format vorgelegt. Die Antworten der Sch\ufclerInnen wurden zu vier Antwortalternativen verdichtet. Mit dem resultierenden Fragebogen wurden kognitive Surveys mit sechs Sch\ufclerInnen (11 - 13 j\ue4hrig) durchgef\ufchrt. Danach wurden die Antwortalternativen von Experten nach Ausma f ihrer emotionalen Kompetenz gereiht. Die daraus entstandene Erstversion des TEK-J 2.0 wurde zusammen mit anderen Verfahren 464 Sch\ufclerInnen (8.Schulstufe) vorgelegt, um die G\ufcte des Tests zu pr\ufcfen. Der Test zeigt zufriedenstellende Trennsch\ue4rfen sowie eine zufriedenstellende Reliabilit\ue4t. Die explorative Faktorenanalyse zeigt die erwartete Zwei-Faktoren-Struktur. Die Kriteriumsvalidit\ue4t des Tests und der Subskalen konnte best\ue4tigt werden. Insgesamt ist Reliabilit\ue4t und Validit\ue4t des TEK-J 2.0 etwas h\uf6her als beim TEK-J. Im Zuge dieser Forschungsarbeit konnte ein valides und n\ufctzliches Verfahren zur Erfassung emotionaler Kompetenz entwickelt werden, welches bessere G\ufctekriterien aufweist, als das Vorg\ue4ngermodell.The aim of the present study is to develop an instrument that measures emotional competence in adolescents and children (TEK-J 2.0). The Test zur Erfassung Emotionaler Kompetenz bei Jugendlichen (TEK-J von Freudenthaler, Neubauer und Becker, 2004) served as a Model for the construction of the TEK-J 2.0. Analogous to its Model, the TEK-J 2.0 is a scenario based typical performance test. The test consists of 30 descriptions of emotional situations, with each containing four possible answers. The test is divided by two subscales: the intra- and the interpersonal emotional competence. In this paper, the development process and the criterion based validation are described. The test development was split up into seven phases. First, interviews with people employed in the social or service field were conducted. With the information from the interviews, 46 emotional situations were generated and given to 68 pupils (7th and 8th grade), who had to write down how they would react in the situations. The answers were condensed to four answers for each situation. With the resulting questionnaire, cognitive surveys with six pupils between the ages of 11 and 13 were performed. 10 experts then had to rate how emotionally-competent the answers were. In the main testing, 464 pupils filled out the TEK-J 2.0 together with several other questionnaires to evaluate the test criteria of the TEK-J 2.0. The reliability and the convergent and discriminant validity of the test were satisfying. The exploratory factor analysis showed the expected two-factor-structure. The validation of the TEK-J 2.0 and its subscales showed satisfying results. Both, the reliability and validity were higher for the TEK-J 2.0 than the TEK-J. A valid and useful measure of emotional competence in adolescents and children was developed within this study and its test criteria show better results than the prototype.Riedrich KarinGraz, Univ., Dipl.-Arb., 2012Zsfassung in dt. und engl. Sprach

The impact of probiotic supplements on cognitive parameters in euthymic individuals with bipolar disorder:a pilot study

INTRODUCTION: Cognitive dysfunction is prevalent in depressive as well as manic episodes in individuals with Bipolar Disorder (BD). Even more, after symptom remission, many individuals with BD experience persisting cognitive impairment also in euthymic periods, leading to high illness burden and low quality of life. According to a recent research in animals and healthy humans, microbiota may influence cognitive processes via the brain-gut axis. A strategy to examine the role of the microbiota in different diseases is the intake of supplements that modulate the gut microbiome. The aim of this pilot study was to analyze the impact of probiotic supplements on cognitive parameters in a cohort of euthymic individuals with BD, receiving daily probiotic treatment over a time period of 3 months.METHODS: A total of 20 euthymic individuals with BD received probiotic supplement over a time period of 3 months and completed a cognitive test battery at 3 time points (t1 at time of inclusion, t2 after one month and t3 after 3 months of probiotic intake).RESULTS: We found a significant improvement of performance concerning attention and psychomotor processing speed measured with the Digit Symbol Test after one (t2) as well as after 3 months (t3) of treatment (F = 8.60; η2 = 0.49, p &lt; 0.01). Furthermore, executive function measured with the TMT-B, increased significantly over 3 months (F = 3.68; η2 = 0.29, p &lt; 0.05).CONCLUSION: The results confirm the hypotheses that probiotic supplement might help stable individuals with BD to improve the cognitive function, which in turn might lead to better psychosocial, occupational, work and financial functioning. Nevertheless, the idea of this potential new treatment is challenging because of the variety of the human's gut microbiota.</p