Focusing on Comorbidity A Novel Meta-Analytic Approach and Protocol to Disentangle the Specific Neuroanatomy of Co-occurring Mental Disorders

Background: In mental health, comorbidities are the norm rather than the exception. However, current meta-analytic methods for summarizing the neural correlates of mental disorders do not consider comorbidities, reducing them to a source of noise and bias rather than benefitting from their valuable information. Objectives: We describe and validate a novel neuroimaging meta-analytic approach that focuses on comorbidities. In addition, we present the protocol for a meta-analysis of all major mental disorders and their comorbidities. Methods: The novel approach consists of a modification of Seed-based d Mapping with Permutation of Subject Images (SDM-PSI) in which the linear models have no intercept. As in previous SDM meta-analyses, the dependent variable is the brain anatomical difference between patients and controls in a voxel. However, there is no primary disorder, and the independent variables are the percentages of patients with each disorder and each pair of potentially comorbid disorders. We use simulations to validate and provide an example of this novel approach, which correctly disentangled the abnormalities associated with each disorder and comorbidity. We then describe a protocol for conducting the new meta-analysis of all major mental disorders and their comorbidities. Specifically, we will include all voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies of mental disorders for which a meta-analysis has already been published, including at least 10 studies. We will use the novel approach to analyze all included studies in two separate single linear models, one for children/adolescents and one for adults. Discussion: The novel approach is a valid method to focus on comorbidities. The meta-analysis will yield a comprehensive atlas of the neuroanatomy of all major mental disorders and their comorbidities, which we hope might help develop potential diagnostic and therapeutic tools

Comparing post-release survival and habitat use by captive-bred Cabot’s Tragopan (Tragopan caboti) in an experimental test of soft-release reintroduction strategies

Background: Restoring a viable population by reintroduction is the ultimate goal of a large number of ex situ conservation projects for endangered animals. However, many reintroductions fail to establish a population in the wild, partly because released animals cannot acclimate to the native environment of the release site, resulting in very low survival rates. Acclimation training is a technique to resolve this problem, although it does not have positive results in all species. We tested whether acclimation training and soft-release could improve the reintroduction success for captive-bred Cabot’s Tragopan (Tragopan caboti), an endangered pheasant in southern China. Methods: Reintroduction of captive-bred Cabot’s Tragopan was carried out in the Taoyuandong National Nature Reserve, China from 2010 to 2011. We built a soft-release enclosure for acclimation training in the typical montane habitat of this pheasant. Nine birds were acclimated to the environment of this release site in this cage for more than 50 days before release (“trained birds”), while 11 birds remained only in the cage for 3 days prior to release (“untrained birds”). Released birds were tagged with a collar radio-transmitter. Results: Post-release monitoring revealed that the survival rate of trained birds was higher than that of untrained birds after 50 days (trained: 85.7%; untrained: 20.0%). Cox regression analysis showed that there was a significant difference in the mortality rates between the trained and untrained birds. In addition, a survey of the habitat of the experimental and the control groups showed significant differences in habitat selection between the groups. Conclusion: Our study suggests that pre-release acclimatization training is an important factor that can lead to improved survival and habitat selection of captive-bred reintroduced tragopans

Une méta-analyse de l’efficacité des thérapies cognitivo-comportementales dans le traitement de la dépression chez les personnes âgées

A comprehensive meta-analysis was conducted using studies of cognitive-behavioural-therapy based interventions (CBT-BIs) for late-life depression. Patient characteristics, CBT modality, and other study variables were analyzed using subgroup and metaregression analysis methods. Results showed the collective treatment effect of CBT-BIs for reducing late-life depression to be moderate (g = -0.63) with significant heterogeneity (I2 = 66.12%). CBT-BIs were found to be no more effective immediately posttreatment than other psychological treatments, pharmacotherapy, or combination interventions. The data support the notion that CBT is more effective in the long term.On a mené une méta-analyse approfondie d’après des interventions basées sur la thérapie cognitivo-comportementale (IB-TCC) conçues pour le traitement de la dépression à un âge avancé. On analysa les caractéristiques du patient, les modalités de la TCC et d’autres variables de l’étude, en ayant recours à des méthodes d’analyse de sous-groupe et d’analyse de métarégression. Les résultats ont révélé que l’effet du traitement collectif des IB-TCC en vue d’atténuer la dépression en âge avancé était moyen (g = -0,63) et considérablement hétérogène (I2 = 66,12 %). On a conclu que les IB-TCC ne se révélaient pas plus efficaces immédiatement après le traitement que les autres types de traitements psychologiques, pharmacothérapeutiques ou que les interventions combinées. Les données semblent indiquer que la TCC est plus efficace à long terme