F. Van Den Eede

Psychomotor functioning in chronic fatigue syndrome and major depressive disorder: A comparative study

BACKGROUND Studies comparing chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and major depressive disorder (MDD) reported similarities as well as differences between the two disorders. However, whereas psychomotor symptoms have been studied extensively in MDD, such research in CFS is more limited. Moreover, the few studies that compared cognitive and motor performance in MDD and CFS yielded inconsistent results. This study hence directly compares fine psychomotor functioning in both syndromes. METHODS Thirty-eight patients diagnosed with CFS without a current major depressive episode (MDE), 32 MDD patients with a current MDE and 38 healthy controls performed two computerized copying tasks differing in complexity: a line-copying task that mainly requires motor effort and a figure-copying task requiring additional cognitive efforts. All participants were female. A multivariate general linear model was used to compute group differences. RESULT Overall, both patient groups performed more slowly than the controls. Compared to CFS patients, patients with MDD needed significantly more time to copy the single lines but no such between-group performance difference was observed for the figure reproductions. In this latter copying task, the increasing complexity of the figures resulted in prolonged reaction times for all three participant groups with the effect being larger and the magnitude similar for the two patient groups. LIMITATIONS All patients were female and most were on psychotropic medication. CONCLUSIONS Both the MDD and CFS patients tested demonstrated an overall fine motor slowing, with the motor component being more affected in the MDD patients than in the CFS patients while both patient groups showed similar cognitive impairments.

Impact of childhood trauma on course of panic disorder: contribution of clinical and personality characteristics

To investigate the impact of childhood trauma on the clinical course of panic disorder and possible contributing factors.

906 – Hyponatremia and antidepressants: are they worth their salt? a class-per-class review of the literature

Introduction Hyponatremia due to antidepressant-induced SIADH can cause significant morbidity and serious complications. It is commonly associated with SSRIs, but the frequency and class-specificity are unclear. Objectives To determine the relationship between hyponatremia and antidepressants, defining incidence and odds ratios for antidepressant classes, along with patient risk factors. Methods A review of the literature was performed in Web of Science and Pubmed until April 2012, using combinations of search strings “antidepressants” and antidepressant class and generic drug names with “hyponatr(a)emia”, “SIADH” or “inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion”. Results 19 effect studies and over 50 case reports were considered, the majority concerning SSRIs. Variation in study design, population and cut-off values caused divergence of hyponatremia incidences of 0.06-40% for SSRIs and 0.08-70% for venlafaxine. Incidence numbers for mirtazapine and TCAs were tenfold lower. Odds ratios for SSRIs (1.5 -4.0) were consistently higher than for TCAs (1.1-1.9). The risk associated with MAO-inhibitors, reboxetine and bupropion could not be established due to insufficient information. Patient risk factors included older age (OR 6.3) and concommitant use of (thiazide) diuretics (OR 11.2-13.5). Conclusion Hyponatremia is an underdiagnosed and potentially dangerous side-effect of antidepressants and this risk is not exclusive to SSRIs. Current evidence suggests a relatively high risk for hyponatremia with the use of SSRIs or venlafaxine, especially combined with patient risk factors, in which cases clinicians should actively screen for this complication. Mirtazapine and TCAs entail a moderate risk and can be considered as alternative treatment for patients with increased risk or history of hyponatremia.

Differential electrophysiological correlates of panic disorder in non-pulsatile tinnitus

AIMS The prevalence of panic disorder (PD) reportedly is up to fivefold higher in people with tinnitus than it is in the general population. The brain networks in the two conditions overlap but the pathophysiological link remains unclear. In this study the electrophysiological brain activity is investigated in adults with non-pulsatile tinnitus with and without concurrent PD. METHODS Resting-state EEGs of 16 participants with non-pulsatile tinnitus and PD were compared with those of 16 peers with non-pulsatile tinnitus without PD and as many healthy controls. The sLORETA technique was used to identify group-specific electrophysiological frequencies in the brain and to approximate the brain regions where differences occurred. The influence of distress was investigated and functional connectivity charted using the Region-of-Interest (ROI) approach (amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), insula, precuneus). RESULTS The comorbid group showed significantly diminished theta activity (p < 0.05) in the precuneus (BA7) compared to the tinnitus group without PD as well as in another region of the precuneus (BA31) as compared to the controls. Higher levels of distress influenced results in the tinnitus group without PD, while in those with PD a diminished connectivity was observed between the dorsal ACC and the other three ROIs as contrasted to the controls. CONCLUSIONS Adults with non-pulsatile tinnitus and concurrent PD show differential brain activity patterns to tinnitus only sufferers and healthy controls. Higher levels of distress may modulate brain activity in the absence of PD. Screening for distress is recommended in both clinical and research settings.

Differential effect of childhood trauma subtypes on fatigue and physical functioning in chronic fatigue syndrome

Objective There is a large consensus concerning the important aetiological role of childhood trauma in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). In the current study, we examine the differential effect of childhood trauma subtypes on fatigue and physical functioning in patients with CFS. Methods One hundred and fifty-five participants receiving treatment at the outpatient clinic for CFS of the Antwerp University Hospital in Belgium were included in this study. Stepwise regression analyses were conducted with the outcomes of the total score of the Checklist Individual Strength (CIS) measuring fatigue and the physical functioning subscale of the medical outcomes short form-36 health status survey (SF-36) as the dependent variables, and the scores on the five Traumatic Experiences Checklist (TEC) subscales as the independent variables. Results Fatigue and physical functioning scores in CFS patients were significantly predicted by sexual harassment only. A significant effect of emotional neglect, emotional abuse and bodily threat during childhood on elevated fatigue or reduced physical functioning levels could not be found. Conclusion There is a differential effect of childhood trauma subtypes on fatigue and physical functioning in CFS patients. Sexual harassment emerged as the most important predictor variable. Therefore, childhood (sexual) trauma has to be taken into account in assessment and treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome.