Unveiling the shadows - Substance use among para-athletes: A qualitative study with Swiss elite para-athletes

Background Despite the growth of para-sport, little research has been conducted on psychotropic substance use among Swiss elite para-athletes (McDuff et al., 2019; Rice et al., 2016; Weber et al., 2022). This study is among the first to explore this under-researched area, focusing on athletes’ perceptions and mental health concerns related to substance use. Methodology Adopting a qualitative research design, this study conducted semi-structured interviews with fifteen (N = 15) active Swiss adult elite para-athletes from nine different summer and winter sports. Thematic analysis was employed to interpret the interview data, focusing on athletes' perceptions and experiences related to substance use (Guest et al., 2012). Findings On the one hand, an increase in athletic level and professionalisation seem to leave little room for the use of substances that could be detrimental to athletic performance. On the other hand, the results suggest that stress, negative emotions, physical pain, and a background of substance use may be positively associated with substance use in elite para-athletes (Lardi et al., in preparation). Conclusion The findings suggest a need for targeted interventions and support systems within athletic federations. Proposed measures include the development of comprehensive prevention strategies, regulatory frameworks, and treatment programs tailored to the unique needs of para-athletes. This study contributes valuable insights into substance use among Swiss elite para-athletes, advocating for specialized interventions to support athlete well-being. References Guest, G., MacQueen, K., & Namey, E. (2012). Applied Thematic Analysis. SAGE. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781483384436 Lardi, M., Kiselev, N., Imboden, C., Stoffel, O., Heiniger, A., & Schaub, M. (in preparation). Unveiling the shadows - Substance use among para-athletes: A qualitative study with Swiss elite para-athletes. McDuff, D., Stull, T., Castaldelli-Maia, J. M., Hitchcock, M. E., Hainline, B., & Reardon, C. L. (2019). Recreational and ergogenic substance use and substance use disorders in elite athletes: A narrative review. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 53(12), 754-760. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2019-100669 Rice, S. M., Purcell, R., De Silva, S., Mawren, D., McGorry, P. D., & Parker, A. G. (2016). The mental health of elite athletes: A narrative systematic review. Sports Medicine, 46, 1333-1353. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0492-2 Weber, K., Patterson, L. B., & Blank, C. (2022). Doping in disabled elite sport: Perceptions, knowledge and opinions from the perspective of German and UK coaches. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 62, Article 102233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.10223

Perspectives on mental health and well-being

Abstract: Introduction: The aim of this study is to provide an overview of Paralympic athletes’ views on mental health in a competitive sport context. Although research in the field of Paralympic sport has increased exponentially over the last two decades, mental health and its promotion have hardly been the subject of research so far. Previous research shows that the practice of competitive sports influences the mental health of Paralympic athletes both positively and negatively. Mental disorders are no exception, even in elite sports. Well-coordinated health care for the prevention and treatment of mental health challenges and mental disorders in elite sports is crucial for this purpose. Methods: The methodological approach of the present study is based on a qualitative research design. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews and their evaluation with the help of applied thematic analysis. For the interviews, 15 active, adult, Swiss elite Para athletes were recruited. Results: The results suggest that athletic success, the athletic activity itself and an improvement in physical health can lead to an increase in mental well-being. On the other hand, athletic failure, pressure to perform, and physical problems can cause psychological stress and facilitate mental disorders. Conclusion: In particular, the coordinated handling of mental health challenges and mental disorders among Paralympic athletes seems to need improvement, especially regarding the use of sports psychiatry and psychotherapy services

Mental health and substance use among elite para-athletes: An cross-sectional survey

Objective The scientific studies on the mental health and substance use among elite para-athletes are rare (Lardi et al., in preparation; Lüdi et al., 2023). However, the shows similarities as well as differences to the regular elite athletes’ populations (Rice et al., 2016; Swartz et al., 2019). The aim of this study was to investigate the mental health and substance use of para-athletes (PAs) from their perspective, in order to gain an overview of the situation in elite para-sport and to potentially create a basis for prevention campaigns and, if necessary, interventions. Methodology An online survey (SoSciSurvey) was used to create a questionnaire, which was translated into eight languages to reach PAs internationally. In addition to socio-demographic and sports-specific (Para-Sport, PS) variables, psychological and physical factors, as well as substance use, were assessed using standardized instruments. Results (CAVE: at the time at submission preliminary since the survey ends by the end of November/The final results will be presented at the congress): The PAs (N = 82) showed different prevalences regarding mental disorders compared to data from the general population and regular elite athletes, with disorder-specific deviations. There were significant gender differences in psychological distress (K-10, p .05), but there was a significant correlation (p .05), and there was no significant gender difference (AUDIT-C, p > .05). Conclusions Based on the results, prevention should occur in the disorder-specific area and refer to the professional services, social support, focusing more on discrimination, and include substance use (alcohol and cannabis). It is important to consider that PAs are a vulnerable population and research gaps still exist. References Lardi, M., Kiselev, N., Imboden, C., Stoffel, O., Heiniger, A., & Schaub, M. (in preparation). Unveiling the shadows - Substance use among para-athletes: A qualitative study with Swiss elite para-athletes. Lüdi, L., Pfarrwaller, G., Imboden, C., Stoffel, O., Schlüssel, M., Heiniger, A., Kleim, B., & Kiselev, N. (2023). Perspectives on mental health and well-being: Voices of Swiss paralympic athletes. Sports Psychiatry: Journal of Sports and Exercise Psychiatry. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1024/2674-0052/a000057 Rice, S. M., Purcell, R., De Silva, S., Mawren, D., McGorry, P. D., & Parker, A. G. (2016). The mental health of elite athletes: A narrative systematic review. Sports Medicine, 46, 1333-1353. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0492-2 Swartz, L., Hunt, X., Bantjes, J., Hainline, B., & Reardon, C. L. (2019). Mental health symptoms and disorders in Paralympic athletes: A narrative review. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 53(12), 737-740. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2019-10073

Unveiling the shadows - Substance use among para-athletes: A qualitative study with Swiss elite para-athletes

Background Despite the growth of para-sport, little research has been conducted on psychotropic substance use among Swiss elite para-athletes (McDuff et al., 2019; Rice et al., 2016; Weber et al., 2022). This study is among the first to explore this under-researched area, focusing on athletes’ perceptions and mental health concerns related to substance use. Methodology Adopting a qualitative research design, this study conducted semi-structured interviews with fifteen (N = 15) active Swiss adult elite para-athletes from nine different summer and winter sports. Thematic analysis was employed to interpret the interview data, focusing on athletes' perceptions and experiences related to substance use (Guest et al., 2012). Findings On the one hand, an increase in athletic level and professionalisation seem to leave little room for the use of substances that could be detrimental to athletic performance. On the other hand, the results suggest that stress, negative emotions, physical pain, and a background of substance use may be positively associated with substance use in elite para-athletes (Lardi et al., in preparation). Conclusion The findings suggest a need for targeted interventions and support systems within athletic federations. Proposed measures include the development of comprehensive prevention strategies, regulatory frameworks, and treatment programs tailored to the unique needs of para-athletes. This study contributes valuable insights into substance use among Swiss elite para-athletes, advocating for specialized interventions to support athlete well-being. References Guest, G., MacQueen, K., & Namey, E. (2012). Applied Thematic Analysis. SAGE. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781483384436 Lardi, M., Kiselev, N., Imboden, C., Stoffel, O., Heiniger, A., & Schaub, M. (in preparation). Unveiling the shadows - Substance use among para-athletes: A qualitative study with Swiss elite para-athletes. McDuff, D., Stull, T., Castaldelli-Maia, J. M., Hitchcock, M. E., Hainline, B., & Reardon, C. L. (2019). Recreational and ergogenic substance use and substance use disorders in elite athletes: A narrative review. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 53(12), 754-760. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2019-100669 Rice, S. M., Purcell, R., De Silva, S., Mawren, D., McGorry, P. D., & Parker, A. G. (2016). The mental health of elite athletes: A narrative systematic review. Sports Medicine, 46, 1333-1353. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0492-2 Weber, K., Patterson, L. B., & Blank, C. (2022). Doping in disabled elite sport: Perceptions, knowledge and opinions from the perspective of German and UK coaches. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 62, Article 102233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.10223

Voices of Swiss Paralympic athletes: Perspectives on mental health and well-being

Introduction The aim of this study is to provide an overview of Paralympic athletes’ views on mental health in a competitive sport context. Although research in the field of Paralympic sport has increased exponentially over the last two decades, mental health and its promotion have hardly been the subject of research so far (Claussen et al., 2022). Previous research shows that the practice of competitive sports influences the mental health of Paralympic athletes both positively and negatively (Swartz et al., 2019). Mental disorders are no exception, even in elite sports. Well-coordinated health care for the prevention and treatment of mental health challenges and mental disorders in elite sports is crucial for this purpose. Methods The methodological approach of the present study is based on a qualitative research design. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews and their evaluation with the help of applied thematic analysis (Guest et al., 2012). For the interviews, 15 active, adult, Swiss elite Para athletes were recruited. Results The results suggest that athletic success, the athletic activity itself and an improvement in physical health can lead to an increase in mental well-being. On the other hand, athletic failure, pressure to perform, and physical problems can cause psychological stress and facilitate mental disorders. (Lüdi et al., 2023). Conclusion In particular, the coordinated handling of mental health challenges and mental disorders among Paralympic athletes seems to need improvement, especially regarding the use of sports psychiatry and psychotherapy services. References Claussen, M. C., Imboden, C., Raas, M. I., Hemmeter, U., Seifritz, E., & Hofmann, C. G. (2022). Sportpsychiatrie und -psychotherapie im Leistungssport – Interdisziplinäre und interprofessionelle Versorgung und Zusammenarbeit [Sports psychiatry in competitive sports – Interdisciplinary and interprofessional care and collaboration]. Praxis, 111(4), 213-219. https://doi.org/10.1024/1661-8157/a003849 Guest, G., MacQueen, K., & Namey, E. (2012). Applied Thematic Analysis. SAGE. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781483384436 Lüdi, L., Pfarrwaller, G., Imboden, C., Stoffel, O., Schlüssel, M., Heiniger, A., Kleim, B., & Kiselev, N. (2023). Perspectives on mental health and well-being: Voices of Swiss paralympic athletes. Sports Psychiatry: Journal of Sports and Exercise Psychiatry. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1024/2674-0052/a000057 Swartz, L., Hunt, X., Bantjes, J., Hainline, B., & Reardon, C. L. (2019). Mental health symptoms and disorders in Paralympic athletes: A narrative review. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 53(12), 737-740. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2019-10073

Mental health and substance use among elite para-athletes: An cross-sectional survey

Objective The scientific studies on the mental health and substance use among elite para-athletes are rare (Lardi et al., in preparation; Lüdi et al., 2023). However, the shows similarities as well as differences to the regular elite athletes’ populations (Rice et al., 2016; Swartz et al., 2019). The aim of this study was to investigate the mental health and substance use of para-athletes (PAs) from their perspective, in order to gain an overview of the situation in elite para-sport and to potentially create a basis for prevention campaigns and, if necessary, interventions. Methodology An online survey (SoSciSurvey) was used to create a questionnaire, which was translated into eight languages to reach PAs internationally. In addition to socio-demographic and sports-specific (Para-Sport, PS) variables, psychological and physical factors, as well as substance use, were assessed using standardized instruments. Results (CAVE: at the time at submission preliminary since the survey ends by the end of November/The final results will be presented at the congress): The PAs (N = 82) showed different prevalences regarding mental disorders compared to data from the general population and regular elite athletes, with disorder-specific deviations. There were significant gender differences in psychological distress (K-10, p < .001), depression severity (PHQ-9, p < .001), and anxiety severity (GAD-7, p < .001). The majority of PAs reported good or very good mental (69.51%) and physical (64.63%) health, and these results significantly correlated (p < .001) with a strong effect size. PAs were more likely to disclose and seek support in professional than in private settings. 51.22% of the PAs felt disadvantaged in everyday life, and in PS, it was 29.27%. The BA and K-10 did not correlate significantly (p > .05), but there was a significant correlation (p < .001) between discrimination in PS and the K-10. The results of discrimination in everyday life and in PS both significantly correlated with the WHODAS-12 (p < .01, and p < .001), with a weak and moderate effect size, respectively. Regarding substance use, 41.46% of PAs reported alcohol, 7.32% nicotine, and 8.54% cannabis use. The AUDIT-C did not significantly correlate with the K-10 or the WHODAS-12 (p > .05), and there was no significant gender difference (AUDIT-C, p > .05). Conclusions Based on the results, prevention should occur in the disorder-specific area and refer to the professional services, social support, focusing more on discrimination, and include substance use (alcohol and cannabis). It is important to consider that PAs are a vulnerable population and research gaps still exist. References Lardi, M., Kiselev, N., Imboden, C., Stoffel, O., Heiniger, A., & Schaub, M. (in preparation). Unveiling the shadows - Substance use among para-athletes: A qualitative study with Swiss elite para-athletes. Lüdi, L., Pfarrwaller, G., Imboden, C., Stoffel, O., Schlüssel, M., Heiniger, A., Kleim, B., & Kiselev, N. (2023). Perspectives on mental health and well-being: Voices of Swiss paralympic athletes. Sports Psychiatry: Journal of Sports and Exercise Psychiatry. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1024/2674-0052/a000057 Rice, S. M., Purcell, R., De Silva, S., Mawren, D., McGorry, P. D., & Parker, A. G. (2016). The mental health of elite athletes: A narrative systematic review. Sports Medicine, 46, 1333-1353. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0492-2 Swartz, L., Hunt, X., Bantjes, J., Hainline, B., & Reardon, C. L. (2019). Mental health symptoms and disorders in Paralympic athletes: A narrative review. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 53(12), 737-740. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2019-10073

A stereotaxic breed-averaged, symmetric T2w canine brain atlas including detailed morphological and volumetrical data sets

Stereotaxic systems and automatic tissue segmentation routines enable neuronavigation as well as reproducible processing of neuroimage datasets. Such systems have been developed for humans, non-human-primates, sheep, and rodents, but not for dogs. Although dogs share important neurofunctional and -anatomical features with humans, and in spite of their importance in translational neuroscience, little is known about the variability of the canine brain morphology and, possibly related, function. Moreover, we lack templates, tissue probability maps (TPM), and stereotaxic brain labels for implementation in standard software utilities such as Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM). Hence, objective and reproducible, image-based investigations are currently impeded in dogs. We have created a detailed stereotaxic reference frame for dogs including TPM and tissue labels, enabling inter-individual and cross-study neuroimage analysis. T2w datasets were acquired from 16 neurologically inconspicuous dogs of different breeds by 3T MRI. The datasets were averaged after initial preprocessing using linear and nonlinear registration algorithms as implemented in SPM8. TPM for gray (GM) and white matter (WM) as well as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were created. Different cortical, subcortical, medullary, and CSF regions were manually labeled to create a spatial binary atlas being aligned with the template. A proof-of-concept for automatic determination of morphological and volumetrical characteristics was performed using additional canine datasets (n=64) including a subgroup of laboratory beagles (n=24). Overall, 21 brain regions were labeled using the segmented tissue classes of the brain template. The proof-of-concept trial revealed excellent suitability of the created tools for image processing and subsequent analysis. There was high intra-breed variability in frontal lobe and hippocampus volumes, and noticeable inter-breed corpus callosum volume variation. The T2w brain template provides important, breed-averaged canine brain anatomy features in a spatial standard coordinate system. TPM allows automatic tissue segmentation using SPM and enables unbiased automatic image processing or morphological characterization in different canine breeds. The reported volumetric and morphometric results may serve as a starting point for further research aimed at in vivo analysis of canine brain anatomy and function

European larch sapwood: A model for predicting the cambial age and for a more accurate dating

International audienceEuropean larch (Larix decidua Mill.) holds significant importance as a forest tree species throughout the Alps and in certain regions of central Europe. Its extensive use as construction timber has made it a subject of substantial interest in dendroarchaeological studies aimed at understanding the long-term interactions between human societies and forests. Precise dating of felling phases, accurate estimation of the age of harvested wood, and information on the geographical origin of wood play a crucial role when it comes to characterize these interactions. In this study, we compiled a large dataset of L. decidua samples from across the European Alps to provide a robust statistical model that predicts the cambial age of L. decidua trees based on the number of heartwood rings. By extension, this model can be used to estimate the number of sapwood rings so as to approximate the felling date and to more precise date archaeological larch timber. The model requires almost complete heartwood sequences (<5 missing rings) to achieve accurate estimations. Our results also evidence that the ratio between the number of sapwood and heartwood rings varies across the Alps. At the same time, the indicator developed in this work is not suitable for a determination of wood origin, raising doubts about the effectiveness of attempts aimed at dendroprovenancing L. decidua based on sapwood

The sex-specific associations of the aromatase gene with Alzheimer's disease and its interaction with IL10 in the Epistasis Project

Epistasis between interleukin-10 (IL10) and aromatase gene polymorphisms has previously been reported to modify the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, although the main effects of aromatase variants suggest a sex-specific effect in AD, there has been insufficient power to detect sex-specific epistasis between these genes to date. Here we used the cohort of 1757 AD patients and 6294 controls in the Epistasis Project. We replicated the previously reported main effects of aromatase polymorphisms in AD risk in women, for example, adjusted odds ratio of disease for rs1065778 GG=1.22 (95% confidence interval: 1.01-1.48, P=0.03). We also confirmed a reported epistatic interaction between IL10 rs1800896 and aromatase (CYP19A1) rs1062033, again only in women: adjusted synergy factor=1.94 (1.16-3.25, 0.01). Aromatase, a rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis of estrogens, is expressed in AD-relevant brain regions,and is downregulated during the disease. IL-10 is an anti-inflammatory cytokine. Given that estrogens have neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory activities and regulate microglial cytokine production, epistasis is biologically plausible. Diminishing serum estrogen in postmenopausal women, coupled with suboptimal brain estrogen synthesis, may contribute to the inflammatory state, that is a pathological hallmark of AD.European Journal of Human Genetics advance online publication, 5 June 2013; doi:10.1038/ejhg.2013.116

Same data, different conclusions : radical dispersion in empirical results when independent analysts operationalize and test the same hypothesis

In this crowdsourced initiative, independent analysts used the same dataset to test two hypotheses regarding the effects of scientists’ gender and professional status on verbosity during group meetings. Not only the analytic approach but also the operationalizations of key variables were left unconstrained and up to individual analysts. For instance, analysts could choose to operationalize status as job title, institutional ranking, citation counts, or some combination. To maximize transparency regarding the process by which analytic choices are made, the analysts used a platform we developed called DataExplained to justify both preferred and rejected analytic paths in real time. Analyses lacking sufficient detail, reproducible code, or with statistical errors were excluded, resulting in 29 analyses in the final sample. Researchers reported radically different analyses and dispersed empirical outcomes, in a number of cases obtaining significant effects in opposite directions for the same research question. A Boba multiverse analysis demonstrates that decisions about how to operationalize variables explain variability in outcomes above and beyond statistical choices (e.g., covariates). Subjective researcher decisions play a critical role in driving the reported empirical results, underscoring the need for open data, systematic robustness checks, and transparency regarding both analytic paths taken and not taken. Implications for organizations and leaders, whose decision making relies in part on scientific findings, consulting reports, and internal analyses by data scientists, are discussed