The Role of Amygdala in Patients With Euthymic Bipolar Disorder During Resting State

The current study aims to explore the functional changes of the amygdala in patients with euthymic Bipolar Disorder (BD) using resting state fMRI (rs-fMRI). Twenty-one euthymic patients with bipolar disorder and 28 healthy controls participated in this study. Two of the euthymic patients with BD and three of the healthy controls were excluded due to excessive head motion. We found that patients with euthymia (38.79 ± 12.03) show higher fALFF (fractional Amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation) value of the amygdala (t = 2.076, P = 0.044), and lower functional connectivity between the amygdala and supplementary motor area (p < 0.01, GRF corrected) than healthy controls (33.40 ± 8.21). However, euthymic patients did not show a differential activity in ReHo (Regional Homogeneity) and gray matter of the amygdala region as compared to healthy controls. Thus, despite the absence of clinical symptoms in euthymic patients with BD, the amygdala functional activity and its connectivity to other brain regions remain altered. Further investigation of negative emotions and social functioning in euthymic patients with BD are needed and can help pave the way for a better understanding of BD psychopathology

Childhood Sexual Abuse and the Development of Recurrent Major Depression in Chinese Women

Background Our prior study in Han Chinese women has shown that women with a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) are at increased risk for developing major depression (MD). Would this relationship be found in our whole data set? Method Three levels of CSA (non-genital, genital, and intercourse) were assessed by self-report in two groups of Han Chinese women: 6017 clinically ascertained with recurrent MD and 5983 matched controls. Diagnostic and other risk factor information was assessed at personal interview. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated by logistic regression. Results We confirmed earlier results by replicating prior analyses in 3,950 new recurrent MD cases. There were no significant differences between the two data sets. Any form of CSA was significantly associated with recurrent MD (OR 4.06, 95% confidence interval (CI) [3.19–5.24]). This association strengthened with increasing CSA severity: non-genital (OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.58–3.15), genital (OR 5.24, 95% CI 3.52–8.15) and intercourse (OR 10.65, 95% CI 5.56–23.71). Among the depressed women, those with CSA had an earlier age of onset, longer depressive episodes. Recurrent MD patients those with CSA had an increased risk for dysthymia (OR 1.60, 95%CI 1.11–2.27) and phobia (OR 1.41, 95%CI 1.09–1.80). Any form of CSA was significantly associated with suicidal ideation or attempt (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.20–1.89) and feelings of worthlessness or guilt (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.02–2.02). Intercourse (OR 3.47, 95%CI 1.66–8.22), use of force and threats (OR 1.95, 95%CI 1.05–3.82) and how strongly the victims were affected at the time (OR 1.39, 95%CI 1.20–1.64) were significantly associated with recurrent MD

Associations of Educational Attainment, Occupation, Social Class and Major Depressive Disorder among Han Chinese Women

Background The prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD) is higher in those with low levels of educational attainment, the unemployed and those with low social status. However the extent to which these factors cause MDD is unclear. Most of the available data comes from studies in developed countries, and these findings may not extrapolate to developing countries. Examining the relationship between MDD and socio economic status in China is likely to add to the debate because of the radical economic and social changes occurring in China over the last 30 years. Principal findings We report results from 3,639 Chinese women with recurrent MDD and 3,800 controls. Highly significant odds ratios (ORs) were observed between MDD and full time employment (OR = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.25–0.46, logP = 78), social status (OR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.77–0.87, logP = 13.3) and education attainment (OR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.86–0.90, logP = 6.8). We found a monotonic relationship between increasing age and increasing levels of educational attainment. Those with only primary school education have significantly more episodes of MDD (mean 6.5, P-value = 0.009) and have a clinically more severe disorder, while those with higher educational attainment are likely to manifest more comorbid anxiety disorders. Conclusions In China lower socioeconomic position is associated with increased rates of MDD, as it is elsewhere in the world. Significantly more episodes of MDD occur among those with lower educational attainment (rather than longer episodes of disease), consistent with the hypothesis that the lower socioeconomic position increases the likelihood of developing MDD. The phenomenology of MDD varies according to the degree of educational attainment: higher educational attainment not only appears to protect against MDD but alters its presentation, to a more anxious phenotype

The ecosystem carbon accumulation after conversion of grasslands to pine plantations in subtropical red soil of South China

Pourquoi les cités de la Méditerranée orientale fascinent-elles tant ? En quoi la connaissance d’Alexandrie, de Beyrouth, de Constantinople, d’Odessa, de Salonique et de Smyrne est-elle un sésame indispensable à la compréhension d’un monde essentiellement pluriel dans lequel nos sociétés, issues des premiers États-nations, prennent conscience d’être projetées ? L’histoire de la Smyrne ottomane tardive est exemplaire d’une gestion sociale élaborée impliquant différents groupes humains, aux références religieuses et en partie juridiques divergentes. La pluralité des langues parlées en ville et la diversité des mises vestimentaires donnent au visiteur et au lecteur pressés une impression superficielle de Babel chaotique, alors que les représentations de l’ordre familial et social étaient largement partagées par l’ensemble des Smyrniotes - qu’il s’agisse de citadins grecs, turcs, juifs, arméniens, levantins. La place respective des uns et des autres dans cet arrangement hiérarchisé permettait une cohabitation quotidienne. En fait, c’est avec grand art que les moments de proximité ouverte et ceux d’intimité exclusive étaient agencés dans la cité. La diversité, considérée comme une donnée, fut pourtant perçue par des cercles politiquement actifs de la ville et au-delà comme de moins en moins légitime... Ces sociétés urbaines du siècle passé ne nous offrent donc pas de « plan de route » infaillible pour une coexistence inscrite dans la pluralité. Leur fin, le plus souvent catastrophique - celle de Smyrne fut particulièrement violente et meurtrière -, doit au contraire nous alerter sur les dangers d’une absence de citoyenneté commune dans ces mondes cloisonnés.À Madame Lucette Valensi, qui a dirigé ma thèse de doctorat en histoire, à l’EHESS. Je suis heureux de l’honneur qui m’a été fait. À Mélanie Keledjian, qui me rend plus familier ce si proche Orient. Et à Chahé, notre fils