Sonya S. Deschênes

Social approach to pain in laboratory mice

Abstract It has been recently demonstrated that pain behavior in the mouse can be modulated by the presence of a conspecific, but what remains unclear is whether such pain behavior can serve the function of soliciting social approach. Using a novel social approach paradigm, we tested mice in various dyadic or triadic conditions, including “jailed” mice—some in pain via intraperitoneal injection of 0.9% acetic acid—and test mice free to approach or avoid the jailed mice. We observed a sex-specific effect whereby female, but not male, test mice approached a familiar same-sex conspecific in pain more frequently than an unaffected familiar or unfamiliar, but affected, conspecific. Despite a substantial literature emphasizing oxytocins role in affiliative and pair-bonding behavior, this effect was also observed in female mice lacking the oxytocin receptor, suggesting that pain-related social approach may not be mediated by oxytocin. Furthermore, we found that the frequency of contact by the test mouse was negatively correlated with the pain behavior of the jailed mouse, suggesting that proximity of a familiar unaffected conspecific may have analgesic properties.

The Role of Anger in Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Little is known about the role of anger in the context of anxiety disorders, particularly with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The aim of study was to examine the relationship between specific dimensions of anger and GAD. Participants (N = 381) completed a series of questionnaires, including the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-Q-IV; Newman et al., 2002, Behavior Therapy, 33, 215–233), the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI-2; Spielberger 1999, State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2: STAXI-2 professional manual, Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources) and the Aggression Questionnaire (AQ; Buss & Perry 1992, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 63, 452–459). The GAD-Q-IV identifies individuals who meet diagnostic criteria for GAD (i.e. GAD analogues) and those who do not (non-GAD). The STAXI-2 includes subscales for trait anger, externalized anger expression, internalized anger expression, externalized anger control and internalized anger control. The AQ includes subscales for physical aggression, verbal aggression, anger and hostility. The GAD-Q-IV significantly correlated with all STAXI-2 and AQ subscales (rs ranging from .10 to .46). Multivariate analyses of variance revealed that GAD analogues significantly differed from non-GAD participants on the combined STAXI-2 subscales (η2 = .098); high levels of trait anger and internalized anger expression contributed the most to GAD group membership. GAD analogue participants also significantly differed from non-GAD participants on the combined AQ subscales (η2 = .156); high levels of anger (affective component of aggression) and hostility contributed the most to GAD group membership. Within the GAD analogue group, the STAXI-2 and AQ subscales significantly predicted GAD symptom severity (R 2 = .124 and .198, respectively). Elevated levels of multiple dimensions of anger characterize individuals who meet diagnostic criteria for GAD.

Generalized anxiety disorder publications: Where do we stand a decade later?

The purpose of this study was to extend previous work examining publication rates for the anxiety disorders and publication topics for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Specifically, we examined anxiety disorder publication rates in MEDLINE and PsycINFO from 1998 to 2008. The results show: (1) that with the exception of panic disorder, there was a significant increase in the annual rate of publications for every anxiety disorder; (2) that GAD had the second lowest annual rate of publications in every year - with no more than 8% of anxiety disorder publications devoted to GAD in any given year; and (3) that GAD publications focused more often on treatment (44%) than on descriptive issues (26%), process issues (22%), and general reviews (8%). Given that citation analysis appears to be a valid indicator of research progress, the current findings suggest that research on GAD continues to lag behind research on most other anxiety disorders.

Associations between diabetes, major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder comorbidity, and disability: findings from the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey--Mental Health (CCHS-MH).

OBJECTIVE To examine the associations between diabetes, disability, and the likelihood of comorbid major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). METHODS Data were obtained from the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey - Mental Health (N=17 623). Diabetes assessment consisted of a self-reported diagnosis of diabetes made by a health care professional. Disability was assessed via self-report. 12-Month and lifetime MDD and GAD were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview 3.0. RESULTS In multinomial logistic regression models adjusted for sociodemographic and health-related factors, having diabetes was associated with a greater likelihood of 12-month comorbid MDD and GAD (OR=1.99, 95% CI [1.22, 3.25], p=.006), compared with those with neither MDD nor GAD. No significant associations were found for MDD without GAD or GAD without MDD. This pattern of effects held when lifetime diagnoses of MDD and GAD were considered. For individuals with diabetes (n=1730), adjusted binary logistic regression models demonstrated that with 12-month diagnoses, MDD without GAD (OR=2.79, 95% CI [1.39-5.62], p=.004), GAD without MDD (OR=3.69, 95% CI [1.34-10.11], p=.01), and comorbid MDD and GAD (OR=4.17, 95% CI [1.66-10.51], p=.002) were associated with greater disability than the control group. Only comorbid MDD and GAD were associated with disability when lifetime diagnoses of MDD and GAD were considered. CONCLUSIONS Individuals with diabetes may be particularly vulnerable to comorbid MDD and GAD, and MDD-GAD comorbidity may exacerbate disability in persons with diabetes.

Intolerance of Uncertainty Mediates the Relation Between Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms and Anger

Previous research has shown that individuals with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) report elevated anger compared with nonanxious individuals; however, the pathways linking GAD and anger are currently unknown. We hypothesized that negative beliefs about uncertainty, negative beliefs about worry and perfectionism dimensions mediate the relationship between GAD symptoms and anger variables. We employed multiple mediation with bootstrapping on cross-sectional data from a student sample (N = 233) to test four models assessing potential mediators of the association of GAD symptoms to inward anger expression, outward anger expression, trait anger and hostility, respectively. The belief that uncertainty has negative personal and behavioural implications uniquely mediated the association of GAD symptoms to inward anger expression (confidence interval [CI] = .0034, .1845, PM = .5444), and the belief that uncertainty is unfair and spoils everything uniquely mediated the association of GAD symptoms to outward anger expression (CI = .0052, .1936, PM = .4861) and hostility (CI = .0269, .2427, PM = .3487). Neither negative beliefs about worry nor perfectionism dimensions uniquely mediated the relation of GAD symptoms to anger constructs. We conclude that intolerance of uncertainty may help to explain the positive connection between GAD symptoms and anger, and these findings give impetus to future longitudinal investigations of the role of anger in GAD.

Cyclical relationship between depressive symptoms and diabetes distress in people with Type 2 diabetes mellitus: results from the Montreal Evaluation of Diabetes Treatment Cohort Study

To determine if longitudinal cyclical relationships exist between depressive symptoms and diabetes distress in people with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Depression and risk of type 2 diabetes: the potential role of metabolic factors

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the interaction between depressive symptoms and metabolic dysregulations as risk factors for type 2 diabetes. The sample comprised of 2525 adults who participated in a baseline and a follow-up assessment over a 4.5-year period in the Emotional Health and Wellbeing Study (EMHS) in Quebec, Canada. A two-way stratified sampling design was used, on the basis of the presence of depressive symptoms and metabolic dysregulation (obesity, elevated blood sugar, high blood pressure, high levels of triglycerides and decreased high-density lipoprotein). A total of 87 (3.5%) individuals developed diabetes. Participants with both depressive symptoms and metabolic dysregulation had the highest risk of diabetes (adjusted odds ratio=6.61, 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.86–9.01), compared with those without depressive symptoms and metabolic dysregulation (reference group). The risk of diabetes in individuals with depressive symptoms and without metabolic dysregulation did not differ from the reference group (adjusted odds ratio=1.28, 95% CI: 0.81–2.03), whereas the adjusted odds ratio for those with metabolic dysregulation and without depressive symptoms was 4.40 (95% CI: 3.42–5.67). The Synergy Index (SI=1.52; 95% CI: 1.07–2.17) suggested that the combined effect of depressive symptoms and metabolic dysregulation was greater than the sum of individual effects. An interaction between depression and metabolic dysregulation was also suggested by a structural equation model. Our study highlights the interaction between depressive symptoms and metabolic dysregulation as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Early identification, monitoring and a comprehensive management approach of both conditions might be an important diabetes prevention strategy.

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia during worry forecasts stress-related increases in psychological distress.

Abstract Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) has been conceptualized as an index of emotion regulation abilities. Although resting RSA has been associated with both concurrent and prospective affective responses to stress, the impact of RSA reactivity on emotional responses to stress is inconsistent across studies. The type of emotional stimuli used to elicit these phasic RSA responses may influence the adaptive value of RSA reactivity. We propose that RSA reactivity to a personally relevant worry-based stressor might forecast future affective responses to stress. To evaluate whether resting RSA and RSA reactivity to worry inductions predict stress-related increases in psychological distress, an academic stress model was used to prospectively examine changes in psychological distress from the well-defined low- and high-stress periods. During the low-stress period, 76 participants completed self-report mood measures and had their RSA assessed during a resting baseline, free worry period and worry catastrophizing interview. Participants completed another mood assessment during the high-stress period. Results indicated that baseline psychological distress predicted larger decreases in RSA during the worry inductions. Lower resting RSA and greater RSA suppression to the worry inductions at baseline prospectively predicted larger increases in psychological distress from the low- to high-stress period, even after accounting for the impact of baseline distress on RSA. These results provide further evidence that RSA may represent a unique index of emotion regulation abilities in times of stress.

Anxiety Symptoms and Functioning in a Community Sample of Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes: A Longitudinal Study

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with limitations in day‐to‐day functioning and with symptoms of anxiety. Although cross‐sectional associations between anxiety and functioning in individuals with T2D have been reported, the temporal dynamics of these associations are unclear. The present study examined the longitudinal cross‐lagged associations between anxiety symptoms and functioning in a community sample of individuals with T2D.

Associations between depression, chronic physical health conditions, and disability in a community sample: A focus on the persistence of depression

BACKGROUND Previous research has demonstrated that comorbid depression and chronic physical health conditions are associated with disability. The distinction between persistent and transient depression in the relationship between physical health conditions and disability, however, is poorly understood. The present study examined the interactive effects of major depressive disorder (MDD) and chronic physical health conditions on disability in a community sample; the effects of persistent or transient depression on disability were also examined. METHODS Participants were from the Epidemiological Catchment Area of Montreal South-West Study (total N=2202). Past 12-month MDD, chronic physical conditions, functional disability, and disability days experienced within the past month were concurrently assessed. A subsample (n=1226) was used to examine the persistence of depression across three waves of data collection over approximately six years. RESULTS Individuals with comorbid MDD and chronic physical health conditions were approximately thirteen times more likely to have moderate to severe functional disability and had the highest mean number of disability days compared to those without MDD or a chronic physical health condition. Persistent MDD was most strongly associated with functional disability and disability days, and persistence of MDD interacted with physical health conditions to increase likelihood of concurrent disability. LIMITATIONS Our study is limited by a single assessment point for disability and chronic health conditions and by the use of self-report. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that MDD, particularly when persistent, is associated with disability among individuals with a broad range of chronic physical health conditions.