Hironori Shimada

Adrenal hormone response and psychophysiological correlates under psychosocial stress in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome

OBJECTIVE In this study, we investigated levels and relative ratios of adrenal hormones (including cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA], and DHEA-sulfate [DHEA-S]) and their psychophysiological correlates under acute psychosocial stress in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). METHODS Fifty-three college students participated in the study (male: 42, female: 11; mean age: 22.64years), including 13 individuals with IBS (IBS group) and 40 individuals without IBS (control group). The participants were exposed to a standardized laboratory stressor, which included delivering a speech and performing a mental arithmetic task. We measured subjective stress levels and salivary cortisol, DHEA, and DHEA-S levels at relevant time points before, during, and after the tasks. RESULTS DHEA-S level and the DHEA-S/DHEA ratio in the IBS group were significantly lower than those in the control group, and the cortisol/DHEA-S ratio in the IBS group was higher than that in the control group throughout the experiment. In the IBS group, the appraisal of a threat was positively correlated with cortisol levels (r=0.61), and the appraisal of controllability was negatively correlated with cortisol levels (r=-0.64) and with the cortisol/DHEA ratio (r=-0.71). The control group showed a significant positive correlation between the appraisal of threat and cortisol levels (r=0.32). CONCLUSION The present study indicates that individuals with IBS had lower DHEA-S levels, and that their stressful cognitive appraisals under acute psychosocial stress caused the effects of cortisol to dominate. This adrenal hormone response may be involved in exacerbating abdominal symptoms in individuals with IBS.

Acutely Elevated Cortisol in Response to Stressor Is Associated with Attentional Bias Toward Depression-Related Stimuli but Is Not Associated with Attentional Function

Cortisol induces attentional bias toward a negative stimulus and impaired attentional function. Depressed individuals have high levels of cortisol, and exhibit an attentional bias toward a depression-related stimulus and impaired processing speed and executive attention, which are components of attentional function. Therefore, the study tested the hypotheses that an acute increase in cortisol in response to a stressor is associated with attentional bias toward a depression-related stimulus and impaired processing speed and executive attention. Thirty-six participants were administered the dot-probe task for the measurement of attentional bias toward a depression-related stimulus and the Trail Making Test A and B for the measurement of processing speed and executive attention before and after a mental arithmetic task. It was revealed that attentional bias toward a depression-related stimulus following the stressor was observed only among the responders (i.e., participants with cortisol elevation in response to a stressor). On the other hand, no differences in the performance of processing speed and executive attention were noted between the responders and non-responders. The results indicate that acutely elevated cortisol is related to attentional bias, but is not related to processing speed and executive attention. The results have an implication for the etiology of depression.

Irritable bowel syndrome, its cognition, anxiety sensitivity, and anticipatory anxiety in panic disorder patients

The present study examined the effect of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), cognitive appraisal of IBS, and anxiety sensitivity on anticipatory anxiety (AA) and agoraphobia (AG) in patients with panic disorder (PD).

Effect of day-to-day variations in adrenal cortex hormone levels on abdominal symptoms.

IntroductionThe hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is known to be related to abdominal symptoms, and the relationship between abdominal pain and cortisol secretory patterns has been previously investigated using a cross-sectional approach. Here, we investigated the effect of day-to-day variations in salivary cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate levels on abdominal symptoms in healthy individuals.MethodsEleven college students (4 males and 7 females) participated in this study. The participants were asked to collect their saliva immediately after awakening and before bedtime for eight consecutive days. They also completed a questionnaire about abdominal symptoms before bedtime. The linear mixed model was applied to analyze the effects of the day-by-day variability or the 8-day average adrenal hormone level (at awakening, before bedtime, slope from awakening to bedtime) on abdominal symptoms.ResultsThe day-to-day variability of cortisol levels before bedtime was negatively related with loose stool, while the day-to-day variability of the cortisol slope was positively correlated with loose stool. A low 8-day average dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate level at awakening was positively related with frequent bowel movements, loose stool, and long bouts of severe abdominal pain. Likewise, a low 8-day average dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate slope was positively related with long bouts of abdominal pain.ConclusionsLow cortisol levels before bedtime and a steeper diurnal cortisol slope during the day may be related to bouts of diarrhea during the day.

Cognitive dysfunctions after recovery from major depressive episodes.

Although recent studies have indicated that cognitive dysfunctions may persist after recovery from a major depressive episode (MDE), the claim remains controversial. To clarify this clinically important issue, we investigated the cognitive functions of people who had experienced one or more MDE, after controlling for several confounding variables: differences in (a) medications, (b) age ranges, and (c) disorder characteristics. Neuropsychological tests for memory, attention, and executive function were employed to compare 12 recovered depressed participants who had fully met the criteria for MDE to 30 participants who had partially met the criteria or had not met them at all. The recovered depressed participants were impaired on tasks of verbal learning and memory and selective or divided attention in contrast to others. After an alpha correction was applied, the deficits in divided attention remained significant. These cognitive shortfalls also distinguished people who had experienced an MDE from those who had partially experienced them or had not experienced them at all. We suggest that the experience of an MDE may have a persistent negative influence on cognitive functions, particularly on their higher levels, such as divided attention.

Translation and Initial Validation of the Japanese Version of the Self-Beliefs Related to Social Anxiety Scale

Cognitive models of social anxiety posit that there are several types of maladaptive beliefs responsible for persistent social anxiety. Although these beliefs are theoretically important, currently there is no validated measure of these beliefs in Japan. In the present study, we translated into Japanese a well-validated measure of these beliefs, the Self-Beliefs Related to Social Anxiety (SBSA) Scale. The psychometric properties of the scale were also examined in two nonclinical samples (ns = 401 and 30). Using confirmatory factor analysis, the Japanese version of the SBSA was found to have a correlated three-factor structure that consisted of “conditional beliefs,” “unconditional beliefs,” and “high standard beliefs.” In addition, the Japanese version of the SBSA and its subscales demonstrated good internal consistency reliability and test–retest reliability. The Japanese version of the SBSA also demonstrated good convergent and divergent validity. Future applications of the Japanese version of the SBSA are discussed.

Sociocultural Beliefs, As Well As Goodness of Fit, Influence the Effectiveness of Coping in Japanese Workers

BackgroundAlthough the goodness-of-fit hypothesis (GOFH) is one of the most important theories in research about the effect of coping on distress related to different stressful situations, there has been a mixed response to it in the literature.PurposeThe present study examined whether the effect of the sociocultural context in stressful situations is consistent with the GOFH. The study investigated sociocultural beliefs about the appropriateness of different coping strategies in a given group as the sociocultural context.MethodJapanese employees (N = 1,156) of an information technology company reported their appraisal of stressors’ controllability, the coping strategies they employed for the stressors, their sociocultural beliefs about coping strategies, and their psychological distress in response to the stressors.ResultsThe GOFH was supported only for problem-focused coping with task stressors and not for interpersonal stressors. The applicability of the GOFH differed by sociocultural beliefs about coping, namely an appraisal of what coworkers might think about the appropriateness of the coping method.ConclusionThese results suggest that it is important for managing stress to consider the sociocultural context as well as the GOFH.

Assessing adaptive behaviors of individuals with hikikomori (prolonged social withdrawal): development and psychometric evaluation of the parent-report scale

ABSTRACT It is important to appropriately assess the adaptive behaviors of individuals with hikikomori (IWH) using parent reports. However, currently, there is no gold standard in the assessment of adaptive behaviors of IWH. This study aimed to: (1) develop the Adaptive Behaviors Scale for Hikikomori (ABS-H); (2) examine the factor structure of the ABS-H; and (3) examine the reliability and validity of ABS-H. A factor analysis and item response theory (IRT) analysis were conducted using data from 761 parents. Reliability and validity of ABS-H were assessed using measures of severity of hikikomori, difficulty in social participation, extent of places where IWH were active, days on which IWH went out, duration of hikikomori and happiness about relationship with one’s child. A total of 26 items were selected and item-trait was examined from the IRT results. Factor analysis identified four group factors. Cronbach’s alpha was found to be .97. Criterion-referenced, convergent and discriminant validity of the instrument were satisfactory. This study suggests that the ABS-H is a reliable measure with acceptable criterion-referenced, convergent and discriminant validity. Further research is needed to clarify the extent to which the ABS-H is sensitive in capturing the changes in the features of hikikomori.

Effects of distraction on negative behaviors and salivary α-amylase under mildly stressful medical procedures for brief inpatient children.

Inconsistent results have been reported on the effects of distraction on negative emotions during medical procedures in infants. These differing results may be attributable to the fact that the effects are apparent under a mildly stressful medical procedure. A total of 17 infants, 18 preschoolers, and 15 school-aged children who were hospitalized were administered, monitoring for vital signs, a mildly stressful medical procedure, by a nurse in a uniform with attractive character designs as a distractor. Consistent with the hypothesis, participating infants showed fewer negative behaviors and lower salivary α-amylase levels when distracted. The results support the efficacy of distraction in infants under a mildly stressful medical procedure.

Adaptation and validation of the Japanese version of the Gambling Urge Scale

Abstract In Japan, accurately assessing and targeting gambling urges is important for the treatment of gambling disorder because people are constantly exposed to external triggers that elicit gambling urges. However, a valid measure that assesses gambling urges has not been adequately established. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Japanese version of the Gambling Urge Scale (GUS-J), which is a well-known valid 6-item instrument in English-speaking countries. Two hundred and thirty-nine participants completed questionnaires, 86 of which met the criteria for a probable gambling disorder. As with the original GUS, the GUS-J was demonstrated to be a one-factor model that accounted for 63.82% of the total item variance, with all items demonstrating loadings of .40 or higher. With regard to reliability, the GUS-J showed good internal consistency (α = .88). Furthermore, validity based on evidence of relationships with other variables, especially convergent and concurrent validity of the GUS-J, were supported by several analyses that examined hypotheses based on previous findings. In conclusion, this study showed that the GUS-J has good psychometric properties as an assessment tool for gambling urges in Japanese people and it will be useful for future clinical practice and research.