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Kocsel N, Galambos A, Szőke J, Kökönyei G. The moderating effect of resting heart rate variability on the relationship between pain catastrophizing and depressed mood: an empirical study. Biol Futur 2024; 75:29-39. [PMID: 37934392 DOI: 10.1007/s42977-023-00190-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Previous research indicated that pain catastrophizing-a negative emotional and cognitive response toward actual or anticipated pain-could contribute to pain intensity and could be associated with depressive symptoms not just in chronic pain patients but in healthy population as well. Accumulated evidence suggests that resting heart rate variability (HRV) as a putative proxy of emotion regulation could moderate the association of self-reported pain catastrophizing and depressed mood. In the present cross-sectional study, we investigated these associations in a healthy young adult sample controlling for the effect of trait rumination. Seventy-two participants (58 females, mean age = 22.2 ± 1.79 years ranging from 19 to 28 years old) completed the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale and the Ruminative Response Scale. Resting HRV was measured by time domain metric of HRV, the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD). The results showed that the relationship between pain catastrophizing and depressive symptoms is significantly moderated by resting HRV (indexed by lnRMSSD). Specifically, in participants with higher resting HRV there was no significant relationship between the two investigated variables, while in participants with relatively low or medium HRV pain catastrophizing and depressed mood showed significant positive association. The relationship remained significant after controlling for sex, age and trait rumination. These results might indicate that measuring pain catastrophizing and depressive symptoms is warranted in non-clinical samples as well and higher resting HRV could have a buffer or protective role against depressive symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natália Kocsel
- Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Attila Galambos
- Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Júlia Szőke
- Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Doctoral School of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gyöngyi Kökönyei
- Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- NAP3.0-SE Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group, Hungarian Brain Research Program, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
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2
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Dell’Acqua C, Mura F, Messerotti Benvenuti S, Patron E, Palomba D. Reduced heart rate variability and expressive suppression interact to prospectively predict COVID-19 pandemic-related post-traumatic stress symptoms. Sci Rep 2022; 12:21311. [PMID: 36494439 PMCID: PMC9734110 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25915-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic is a unique period of stress that, in some cases, led to post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSSs). Emotion regulation strategies are known to modulate the emotional response to stressful events. Expressive suppression (ES) is a maladaptive strategy related to the exacerbation of the physiological stress response. Heart rate variability (HRV), an index of cardiac autonomic balance strictly related to ES, was also shown to predict PTSSs. This was the first study to investigate whether the pre-pandemic ES use and resting-state HRV predicted pandemic-related PTSSs. Before the pandemic, 83 (58 females) university students completed the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), self-report measures of anxiety and depressive symptoms, and a three-minute resting-state electrocardiogram recording. After 12 months, 61 (45 females) participants completed a self-report measure of pandemic-related PTSSs and repeated the self-report psychological measures. Pre-pandemic anxiety symptoms prospectively predicted greater PTSSs. Moreover, a significant interaction between HRV and ES in predicting PTSSs emerged, whereby those who had higher levels of ES and reduced HRV showed higher PTSSs. These findings suggest that an integrated assessment of HRV and ES might be useful for identifying individuals who are more vulnerable to the development of PTSSs during crises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carola Dell’Acqua
- grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Via Venezia, 8, 35131 Padua, Italy ,grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Padova Neuroscience Center (PNC), University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Francesca Mura
- grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Via Venezia, 8, 35131 Padua, Italy ,grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Padova Neuroscience Center (PNC), University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Simone Messerotti Benvenuti
- grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Via Venezia, 8, 35131 Padua, Italy ,grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Padova Neuroscience Center (PNC), University of Padua, Padua, Italy ,grid.411474.30000 0004 1760 2630Hospital Psychology Unit, Padua University Hospital, Padua, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Patron
- grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Via Venezia, 8, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Daniela Palomba
- grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Via Venezia, 8, 35131 Padua, Italy ,grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Padova Neuroscience Center (PNC), University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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Zhang Z, Li S, Huang P, Liu Z, Li S, Zhang J, Liu Z. The modulation of attentional deployment on emotional sensitivity to missed opportunity in depressive individuals: An event-related potential study. J Affect Disord 2022; 317:29-36. [PMID: 36030994 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.08.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression affects individuals' physical and mental health seriously. It's important to explore the pathological mechanisms underlying depression. However, the emotional sensitivity to missed opportunity in depressive individuals and whether attentional deployment influences it remain unclear. The exploration of these questions could help to find novel approaches for the treatment of depression. METHODS Experiment 1 investigated the emotional sensitivity to missed opportunity in depressive participants during a sequential risk-taking task relative to healthy participants. Experiment 2 added attentional deployment manipulation to the task, i.e., inducing participants to focus on the positive or negative part of decision outcome, and investigated the modulation of attentional deployment on depressive participants' emotional sensitivity to missed opportunity and the neural mechanisms underlying this process by using EEG. RESULTS Depressive participants showed stronger emotional sensitivity to missed opportunity and LPP was a biomarker of this sensitivity. Moreover, focusing on the positive part of outcome reduced depressive participants' emotional sensitivity to missed opportunity effectively, and alpha power in the parietal area played a key role in this process. CONCLUSIONS The current study primarily revealed that depressive individuals were more sensitive to missed opportunity and attentional deployment was an effective way to modulate this sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyu Zhang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Behavior and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Shuang Li
- Department of Mental Health Education for College Students, School of Marxism, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China; School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Pujiang Huang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Behavior and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhiyu Liu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Behavior and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Shuyu Li
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Behavior and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jiayao Zhang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Behavior and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhiyuan Liu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Behavior and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China.
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Early indicators of vulnerability to depression: The role of rumination and heart rate variability. J Affect Disord 2022; 312:217-224. [PMID: 35760196 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.06.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the evidence of increased levels of rumination and reduced heart rate variability (HRV) in depression, whether these measures can be considered early indicators of vulnerability to depression has yet to be investigated. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate both levels of rumination and resting HRV in individuals with familial risk for depression that is the most reliable risk factor for the disorder. METHODS Rumination and vagally-mediated HRV were assessed using the Ruminative Response Scale and a smartphone-based photoelectric volumetric pulse wave assay, respectively, in 25 individuals who had family history of depression (but did not report current depressive symptoms), 15 individuals who reported depressive symptoms (but had no family history of depression), and 25 controls (without depressive symptoms and family history of depression). RESULTS Individuals with depressive symptoms and those with a family history of depression were characterized by higher levels of rumination and lower cardiac vagal control than controls. LIMITATIONS Given the small sample size, this study should be used to design larger confirmatory studies; the cross-sectional nature of the study does not allow discussing the results in terms of cause-effect relationships. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggested that individuals at risk of developing depression, also in absence of depressive symptoms, are defined by defective self-regulation capacity that may lead to future depression episodes. Increased ruminative thoughts and reduced HRV may represent early indicators of vulnerability to depression. Effective prevention programs designed to reduce rumination and/or increase HRV may reduce the risk of developing a full-blown depressive episode.
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Dell'Acqua C, Dal Bò E, Moretta T, Palomba D, Messerotti Benvenuti S. EEG time-frequency analysis reveals blunted tendency to approach and increased processing of unpleasant stimuli in dysphoria. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8161. [PMID: 35581359 PMCID: PMC9113991 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12263-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
To date, affective and cognitive processing of emotional information in individuals with depressive symptoms have been examined through peripheral psychophysiological measures, event-related potentials, and time–frequency analysis of oscillatory activity. However, electrocortical correlates of emotional and cognitive processing of affective content in depression have not been fully understood. Time–frequency analysis of electroencephalographic activity allows disentangling the brain's parallel processing of information. The present study employed a time–frequency approach to simultaneously examine affective disposition and cognitive processing during the viewing of emotional stimuli in dysphoria. Time–frequency event-related changes were examined during the viewing of pleasant, neutral and unpleasant pictures in 24 individuals with dysphoria and 24 controls. Affective disposition was indexed by delta and alpha power, while theta power was employed as a correlate of cognitive elaboration of the stimuli. Cluster-based statistics revealed a centro-parietal reduction in delta power for pleasant stimuli in individuals with dysphoria relative to controls. Also, dysphoria was characterized by an early fronto-central increase in theta power for unpleasant stimuli relative to neutral and pleasant ones. Comparatively, controls were characterized by a late fronto-central and occipital reduction in theta power for unpleasant stimuli relative to neutral and pleasant. The present study granted novel insights on the interrelated facets of affective elaboration in dysphoria, mainly characterized by a hypoactivation of the approach-related motivational system and a sustained facilitated cognitive processing of unpleasant stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carola Dell'Acqua
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Via Venezia 8, 35131, Padua, Italy. .,Padova Neuroscience Center (PNC), University of Padua, Via Orus 2/B, 35131, Padua, Italy.
| | - Elisa Dal Bò
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Via Venezia 8, 35131, Padua, Italy.,Padova Neuroscience Center (PNC), University of Padua, Via Orus 2/B, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Tania Moretta
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Via Venezia 8, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Daniela Palomba
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Via Venezia 8, 35131, Padua, Italy.,Padova Neuroscience Center (PNC), University of Padua, Via Orus 2/B, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Simone Messerotti Benvenuti
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Via Venezia 8, 35131, Padua, Italy.,Padova Neuroscience Center (PNC), University of Padua, Via Orus 2/B, 35131, Padua, Italy
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Emotional processing prospectively modulates the impact of anxiety on COVID-19 pandemic-related post-traumatic stress symptoms: an ERP study. J Affect Disord 2022; 303:245-254. [PMID: 35172175 PMCID: PMC8842094 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.02.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Considering that the elevated distress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, in some cases, led to post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), it has been proposed as a specific traumatic event. The present longitudinal study investigated pre-pandemic motivated attention to emotional stimuli, as indexed by Late Positive Potential (LPP) amplitude, in relation with the potential differential role of anxiety and depressive symptoms in predicting PTSS severity related to the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS A total of 79 university students initially completed self-report measures of depression and anxiety along with a passive viewing task of emotional (pleasant, unpleasant) and neutral pictures while electroencephaloghic activity was recorded. In December 2020, 57 participants completed a questionnaire assessing PTSS. RESULTS Significant interactions between anxiety and LPP emerged in predicting pandemic-related PTSS, where greater anxiety symptoms predicted PTSS only in individuals with greater LPP to unpleasant or with reduced LPP to pleasant stimuli. LIMITATIONS The prevalence of the female sex, the relatively young age of the participants, as well as the fact that they were all enrolled in a University course might not allow the generalization of the findings. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, the present longitudinal study provided novel evidence on EEG predictors of pandemic-related PTSS that might be useful for the prevention and treatment of PTSS. Indeed, assessing anxiety symptoms and pre-trauma LPP to emotional stimuli might be a useful target for identifying individuals that are more vulnerable to the development of PTSS during times of crisis.
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Svendsen JL, Schanche E, Vøllestad J, Visted E, Jentschke S, Karl A, Binder PE, Osnes B, Sørensen L. Self-Compassion and Its Association With Ruminative Tendencies and Vagally Mediated Heart Rate Variability in Recurrent Major Depression. Front Psychol 2022; 13:798914. [PMID: 35330721 PMCID: PMC8940525 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.798914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Recurrent Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is one of the most disabling mental disorders in modern society. Prior research has shown that self-compassion protects against ruminative tendencies, a key feature of recurrent MDD. In addition, self-compassion has been found to be positively related to higher psychophysiological flexibility (indexed by a higher vagally mediated heart rate variability; vmHRV) in young, healthy adults. To our knowledge, there is a lack of studies on how self-compassion relates to vmHRV in patients with recurrent MDD. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether higher self-compassion would associate with (1) lower ruminative tendencies and (2) higher vmHRV in a sample of adults with recurrent MDD. Methods We included a sample of 63 patients (46 females) between 20 and 71 years old (M = 40.24, SD = 12.8) with a history of three or more depressive episodes. They filled out the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Rumination Rating Scale (RRS). ECG (used to derive vmHRV) was acquired while resting and the square root of the mean squared differences of successive RR interval values (RMSSD) was calculated as measure of vmHRV. Results As hypothesized, self-compassion was associated with lower ruminative tendencies. However, self-compassion was not associated with level of vmHRV. Several confounding variables were controlled for in the statistical analyses, and higher age predicted lower vmHRV across all statistical analyses. Conclusion The results confirmed our hypothesis that higher self-compassion would be associated with lower ruminative tendencies in recurrent MDD. Contrary to our expectation, we did not find that the tendency to be more self-compassionate was associated with higher vmHRV. As such, higher self-compassion seems to relate with a lower tendency to ruminate about past mistakes and events but does not seem to relate to a flexible autonomic stress response (as indexed by higher vmHRV). Other potential explanatory factors for lower vmHRV in recurrent MDD is suggested as focus for exploration in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jon Vøllestad
- Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Endre Visted
- Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Anke Karl
- Mood Disorder Centre, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Per-Einar Binder
- Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Berge Osnes
- Bjørgvin District Psychiatric Centre, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Lin Sørensen
- Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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He Y, Li T. Mediating Model of College Students' Chinese Zhongyong Culture Thinking Mode and Depressive Symptoms. Psychol Res Behav Manag 2021; 14:1555-1566. [PMID: 34629912 PMCID: PMC8495231 DOI: 10.2147/prbm.s327496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background College is a key period for students' learning and development, as they begin independently to face life's adversities. The essence of China's zhongyong culture is to provide a practical way of thinking, a basic principle of the Chinese people. However, empirical research on psychopathology is lacking. The present study investigated Chinese college students to explore and explain the psychological mechanism of depressive symptoms via the zhongyong practical thinking mode. Methods The study examined the relationship between zhongyong practical thinking and depressive symptoms, coping style, and ruminations of 501 Chinese college students. The statistical software SPSS was used to establish an intermediary model between moderate zhongyong practical thinking and depressive symptoms. Results Rumination partially mediated the relationship between zhongyong practical thinking and depressive symptoms, but coping style had no mediating effect. Therefore, reducing the negative rumination behaviours of college students may be more conducive to alleviating their depressive symptoms. The chain mediating effect of coping style and rumination was significant. The college students with high levels of zhongyong thinking adopted positive coping styles to cope with various pressures and situations, reducing negative coping and rumination and thereby reducing their depressive symptoms. Discussion The results of the study could help universities to provide courses and activities that promote students' mental health from the perspective of zhongyong psychological interventions. The results provide a model for further studies of the influence of zhongyong practical thinking on depressive symptoms amongst college students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqing He
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,Institute of Analytical Psychology, City University of Macau, Macau, People's Republic of China
| | - Tao Li
- Department of Radiology, Shenzhen Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
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