Mediating role of health literacy in the relationship between social isolation and psychological distress among pre-frail older adults

BACKGROUND Frailty has become a significant public health issue.The recent increase in the number of frail older adults has led to increased attention being paid to psycho-logical care services in communities.The social isolation of pre-frail older adults can impact their psychological distress.AIM To explore the mediating effect of health literacy between social isolation and psychological distress among communitydwelling older adults with pre-frailty.METHODS This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 254 pre-frail older individuals aged 60 years and over.Social isolation,health literacy,and psycholo-gical distress were comprehensively measured using the Lubben Social Network Scale-6,12-item Short-Form Health Literacy Questionnaire,and the Kessler Psy-chological Distress Scale-10.Data were evaluated using the SPSS 27.0 package program and the PROCESS macro tool.Descriptive statistical analyses,correlation analyses,and bootstrap mediation tests were used to assess associations between the variables.RESULTS The results showed that social isolation had an effect on health literacy among pre-frail older adults(β=0.240,P<0.001),social isolation impact on psycho-logical distress pre-frail older adults(β=-0.415,P<0.001);health literacy was identified effect on psychological distress among pre-frail older persons(β=-0.307,P<0.001).Health literacy partially mediated the relationship between social isolation and psychological distress among community-dwelling older adults with pre-frailty,with a mediation effect of-0.074,accounting for 17.83%of the total effect.

Quality of life and psychological distress in end-stage renal disease patients undergoing hemodialysis and transplantation

BACKGROUND Among diverse profound impacts on patients’quality of life(QoL),end-stage renal disease(ESRD)frequently results in increased levels of depression,anxiety,and stress.Renal replacement therapies such as hemodialysis(HD)and transplantation(TX)are intended to enhance QoL,although their ability to alleviate psychological distress remains uncertain.This research posits the existence of a significant correlation between negative emotional states and QoL among ESRD patients,with varying effects observed in HD and TX patients.AIM To examine the relationship between QoL and negative emotional states(depression,anxiety,and stress)and predicted QoL in various end-stage renal replacement therapy patients with ESRD.METHODS This cross-sectional study included HD or TX patients in the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia.The 36-item Short Form Survey and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale(DASS)was used for data collection,and correlation and regression analyses were performed.RESULTS The HD and TX transplantation groups showed statistically significant inverse relationships between QoL and DASS scores.HD patients with high anxiety levels and less education scored low on the physical component summary(PCS).In addition,the results of the mental component summary(MCS)were associated with reduced depression.Compared with older transplant patients,TX patients’PCS scores were lower,and depression,stress,and negative working conditions were highly correlated with MCS scores.CONCLUSION The findings of this study revealed notable connections between well-being and mental turmoil experienced by individuals undergoing HD and TX.The PCS of HD patients is affected by heightened levels of anxiety and lower educational attainment,while the MCS of transplant patients is influenced by advancing age and elevated stress levels.These insights will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of patient support.

Relationship between preoperative psychological stress and shortterm prognosis in elderly patients with femoral neck fracture

BACKGROUND Older adults are at high risk of femoral neck fractures(FNFs).Elderly patients face and adapt to significant psychological burdens,resulting in different degrees of psychological stress response.Total hip replacement is the preferred treatment for FNF in elderly patients;however,some patients have poor postoperative prognoses,and the underlying mechanism is unknown.We speculated that the postoperative prognosis of elderly patients with FNF may be related to preoperative psychological stress.AIM To explore the relationship between preoperative psychological stress and the short-term prognosis of elderly patients with FNF.METHODS In this retrospective analysis,the baseline data,preoperative 90-item Symptom Checklist score,and Harris score within 6 months of surgery of 120 elderly patients with FNF who underwent total hip arthroplasty were collected.We analyzed the indicators of poor short-term postoperative prognosis and the ability of the indicators to predict poor prognosis and compared the correlation between the indicators and the Harris score.RESULTS Anxiety,depression,garden classification of FNF,cause of fracture,FNF reduction quality,and length of hospital stay were independent influencing factors for poor short-term postoperative prognoses in elderly patients with FNF(P<0.05).The areas under the curve for anxiety,depression,and length of hospital stay were 0.742,0.854,and 0.749,respectively.The sensitivities of anxiety,depression,garden classification of FNF,and prediction of the cause of fracture were 0.857,0.786,0.821,and 0.821,respectively.The specificities of depression,FNF quality reduction,and length of hospital stay were the highest at 0.880,0.783,and 0.761,respectively.Anxiety,depression,and somatization scores correlated moderately with Harris scores(r=-0.523,-0.625,and-0.554;all P<0.001).CONCLUSION Preoperative anxiety,depression,and somatization are correlated with poor short-term prognosis in elderly patients with FNF and warrant consideration.

Exploring the Interplay between Job Stress,Work Performance,and Attitudes toward Professional Psychological Help among Employees

Objective:This study explores the interplay between job stress,job-related factors,work performance,and attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help among Vietnamese employees.Methods:A total of 374 employees in Vietnam were surveyed using random sampling and an online questionnaire from November 07 to November 28,2023.Demographic data and self-reported from three scales:The New Job Stress Scale(NJSS),Work Performance(WP),and Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help(ATSPPH_SF)were collected.Results:Significant variations were found across several variables,including forms of work,operating hours,education levels,monthly income,numbers of daily working hours,and the presence of a psychological counseling department within the company.Our analysis has highlighted direct relationships between key latent variables.Employees who were more open to seeking professional help tended to report higher levels of job stress.The negative relationship was found between job stress and attitudes toward seeking professional help.Additionally,work effort was positively associated with work quality.Moderation analyses revealed the influence of co-worker support on role expectation conflict and work effort,role expectation conflict and work-life balance,as well as interactions between role expectation conflict and attitudes needed toward seeking professional help.Mediation analyses showed that work effort mediated relationships between openness to seeking professional help,co-worker support,work-life balance,role expectation conflict,and work quality.Attitudes toward seeking professional help also mediated relationships between work-life balance,job stress,and work quality.Conclusion:The study highlights the complex dynamics surrounding job stress,job-related factors,work performance,and attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help among Vietnamese employees.It highlights the importance of addressing help-seeking barriers,promoting work engagement,and fostering healthy work-life balance for employee well-being and productivity.Further research across diverse contexts and interventions is needed.

Study on the correlation between abdominal infection and psychological stress in children based on nucleic acid detection

BACKGROUND Diagnosing and treating abdominal infection in children remains a challenge.Nucleic acid detection,as a rapid and accurate diagnosis tool,has great significance in this field.AIM To investigate the diagnosis and treatment of abdominal infection by nucleic acid detection and its possible correlation with psychological stress in children.METHODS A total of 50 pediatric patients diagnosed with abdominal infections between September 2020 and July 2021 were included in this study.Intra-abdominal pus samples were collected for pathogen culture,drug susceptibility testing,and broad-spectrum bacterial nucleic acid testing.Psychological stress,anxiety,depression,and coping styles were assessed using the coping with a disease(CODI)scale.RESULTS Based on susceptibility testing,a regimen of cefazoxime,piperacillin/tazobactam,and metronidazole or ornidazole achieved 100%effectiveness in treating appendicitis.Psychological assessments revealed a positive correlation between pressure level and both anxiety(r=0.324,P=0.001)and depressive disorders(r=0.325,P<0.001).Acceptance and distancing as coping strategies were negatively correlated with anxiety and depression,while negative emotional responses were strongly associated with increased anxiety(r=0.574,P<0.001)and depression(r=0.511,P=0.001).Coping strategies such as illusion and escape showed no significant correlation with emotional outcomes.CONCLUSION Nucleic acid testing helps in the diagnosis of abdominal infections in children,and also focuses on children's mental health.

Psychological Distress amongst Healthcare Workers in Douala

Introduction: Psychological distress can affect every worker’s mental health or working ability, and specifically the healthcare workers. It is essential to prevent and treat it in order to anticipate predictable consequences. The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of psychological distress among the healthcare workers in the city of Douala. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out during the 1st semester of 2023 in two reference hospitals of the city of Douala. All volunteer staff from the targeted hospitals were involved. We collected data using a mixed questionnaire that included the working conditions, as of the socioprofessional and psychological characteristics of the healthcare workers. We measured the level of psychological distress using the Kessler scale. Analysis was performed using the Chi-2 test and multivariate analysis. Threshold value was & = 5%, p Results: The participation rate was 86.3%. Women (81.7%) and nurses (77.6%) predominated in the sample. The mean age was 35.38 ± 8.9 years, and individuals in their thirties accounted for 46.79% of the sample. The prevalence of psychological distress was 19.5%. The psychological distress was categorized as mild (48.72%), moderate (18.46%) or severe (32.82%). Risk factors for psychological distress included being of the catholic faith (OR = 3.6, p = 0.04), poor sleep quality (OR = 3.9, p = 0.001) and long working hours (OR = 2.2, p = 0.002). Overtime was the only protective factor identified (OR = 0.6, p = 0.04). Conclusion: Nearly 1 out of 5 healthcare workers suffered from psychological distress exacerbated by poor working and living conditions. There is an urgent need to improve their working conditions to prevent the development of more severe consequences.

Unlocking the power of physical activity in easing psychological distress

The severity of the current global mental health situation and the importance of maintaining psychological well-being call for more powerful,convenient,and efficient solutions for addressing psychological issues and relieving mental stress.Physical activity not only effectively improves physical fitness and reduces negative emotions such as anxiety and depression but also increases the improvement of psychological health and sense of well-being.At the same time,physical activity interventions for mental health have unique advantages,including reducing the side effects of psychological interventions and increasing necessity,convenience,and cost-effectiveness,as well as flexible adaptability across multiple methods,groups,and age ranges,providing stronger support for relieving psychological stress and addressing psychological issues.Although physical activity is an important intervention measure in relieving psychological stress,its value and role in mental health care seem to have not yet received sufficient attention,and its potential remains to be further revealed.Given the significant advantages and effectiveness of physical activity in mental health intervention practices,it is necessary to stimulate its potential in relieving psychological stress through various means in future studies to better safeguard the public’s physical and mental health.Developing guidelines for physical activity for improved mental health,enhancing organic integration with other intervention measures,and providing necessary respect,encouragement,and support are important directions to consider.

Tendency to Avoid Physical Activity and Sport:Associations with Weight Stigma,and Psychological Distress in a Two-Wave Longitudinal Study

Background:Physical inactivity is a major public health problem worldwide that results in physical and mental health problems.One major issue for physical inactivity is weight stigma(WS),especially perceived WS,which could lead to a tendency to avoid physical activity(PA).To better understand the association between perceived WS and PA,knowledge of the likely mediators in this association such as weight bias internalization(WBI)and psychological distress were investigated in the present study.Methods:Using a two-wave longitudinal study and convenient sampling,388 Taiwan residents participants(55%females;mean age=29.7 years[SD±6.3])completed two surveys six months apart.Body mass index(BMI),Perceived Weight Stigma Scale(PWSS),Weight Bias Internalization Scale(WBIS),Depression,Anxiety,Stress Scale(DASS-21),and Tendency to Avoid Physical Activity and Sport Scale(TAPAS)were assessed.Results:A mediation model controlling for age,gender,and BMI with 5000 bootstrapping resamples was performed.Perceived WS exerted significant direct effects on WBI(β=0.25;p<0.001),psychological distress(β=0.15;p=0.003),and tendency to avoid PA(β=0.10;p=0.027);WBI exerted a significant direct effect on tendency to avoid PA(β=0.47;p<0.001).Standardized indirect effects of WBI and psychological distress on the association between perceived WS and tendency to avoid PA were 0.12 and 0.01,respectively.Conclusion:Given the direct association of perceived WS on the tendency to avoid PA and the mediating role of WBI in this association,interventions addressing perceived WS and WBI may contribute to promoting PA.Therefore,health interventionists(both when planning and executing PA programs)need to consider weight stigmawhen encouraging physical activity.

Advances in the Study of Psychological Stress and Eating Behavior in Children and Adolescents

With the rapid development and change in society,children and adolescents are facing more and more psychological pressure,which comes not only from academic performance and interpersonal relationships but also from family environment,social expectations and other aspects.Psychological stress not only affects the mental health of children and adolescents but is also closely related to their eating behavior.Therefore,exploring the relationship between psychological stress and eating behaviors is of great significance in promoting the physical and mental health development of children and adolescents.Based on this,the study reviewed the research progress on the relationship between psychological stress and eating behavior of children and adolescents in recent years.The relationships between psychological stress and general eating behaviors,abnormal eating behaviors and eating disorders were successively reviewed,and the related physiological mechanisms were explored with a view to providing a scientific basis for mental health education and eating behavior intervention for children and adolescents.

Linking Perceived Risk of Public Health Emergency to Psychological Distress among Chinese College Students: The Chain Mediation Role of Balanced Time Perspective and Negative Coping Styles

Background:With public health emergencies(PHE)worldwide increasing,the perceived risk of PHE has been one of the critical factors influencing college students’psychological distress.However,the mechanisms by which the perceived risk of PHE affects college students’psychological distress are not clear.The study’s purpose was to investigate the mediation roles of deviation from a balanced time perspective(DBTP)and negative coping styles between the perceived risk of PHE and psychological distress.Methods:A convenience sampling method was used to survey 1054 Chinese college students with self-reporting.Data was collected using the Public Risk Perception Scale(PRPS),the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory(ZTPI),the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire(SCSQ),the PHE Anxiety Scale,and the Chinese version of the Patient Health Questionnaire(PHQ).The associations between the perceived risk of PHE,DBTP,negative coping styles,and psychological distress were clarified using the correlation analysis.Additionally,the mediating roles of DBTP and negative coping styles between the perceived risk of PHE and psychological distress were investigated using a structural equation model.Results:The findings revealed low to moderate correlations between the variables studied.Students’perceived risk of PHE was a positive predictor of their psychological distress(b=0.219,p<0.01).DBTP and negative coping styles played chain mediation roles between them with the effect being 0.009 and a 95%Boot CI of[0.003,0.023].This chain mediation model had an excellent fit index(χ^(2)/df=4.732,CFI=0.973,TLI=0.930,RMSEA=0.048,SRMR=0.047).Conclusion:These findings showed how the perceived risk of PHE affected college students’psychological distress.Specifically,these results suggested that improving students’mental ability to switch effectively among different time perspectives depending on task features and situational considerations and reducing their negative coping styles might be effective ways to promote their mental health.

Analysis of the Degree of Psychological Distress of Elderly Patients with Recurrent Trigeminal Neuralgia and Its Influencing Factors

Objective:To analyze the degree of psychological distress among elderly patients with recurrent trigeminal neuralgia and its influencing factors.Methods:A single-center cross-sectional study was conducted on 126 elderly patients with recurrent trigeminal neuralgia who visited the Pain Department of our hospital from March 2022 to April 2024.Logistic regression analysis was employed to evaluate the factors influencing psychological distress,based on general patient data,the Distress Thermometer(DT),the Perceived Social Support from Family Scale(PSS-Fa),and the Pitsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI).Results:Among the 126 elderly patients with recurrent trigeminal neuralgia,those with a DT score≥4(72 patients,57.14%)were more prevalent than those with a DT score<4(54 patients,42.86%).The average DT score for all patients was 4.35±1.72.Patients in the DT score≥4 group were older than those in the DT score<4 group(t=4.207,P=0.000),had lower PSS-Fa scores(t=5.925,P=0.000),and had higher PSQI scores(t=17.858,P=0.000).There were no statistically significant differences in gender,marital status,residence area,education level,disease type,or pain location(all P>0.05).Older age and poor sleep quality were identified as independent risk factors for psychological distress in elderly patients with recurrent trigeminal neuralgia(OR=1.258,OR=1.713,both P<0.05),while higher levels of family support were identified as a protective factor(OR=0.581,P=0.025).Conclusion:Elderly patients with recurrent trigeminal neuralgia experience psychological distress,and the degree of severity depends on age,quality of sleep,and level of family support.

Holistic approaches to mitigating psychological distress in gynecological cancer patients

This article delves into the psychological impact of gynecological malignancies and suggests pathways to improve the quality of life(QoL)for affected patients.Building on Shang et al's comprehensive analysis,this piece integrates insights from various studies to highlight the profound influence of psychological and physical symptoms on patients undergoing treatment for gynecological cancers.The study underscores that anxiety and depression significantly exacerbate the disease's toll.Factors such as physical exercise and digital and interactive health interventions show promise in mitigating these adverse effects.The article emphasizes the necessity for a holistic care approach that addresses both physical and emotional needs.Recommendations include enhanced training for healthcare providers,public awareness campaigns,streamlined diagnostic pathways,and improved access to specialist care.These integrated strategies aim to ensure that women facing gynecological cancers can maintain an optimal QoL through comprehensive and multidisciplinary care models.

Psychological stress impact neurotrophic factor levels in patients with androgenetic alopecia and correlated with disease progression

BACKGROUND Androgenetic alopecia(AGA)is a common form of hair loss that can be influenced by psychological factors.AIM To investigate the impact of mental stress on neurotrophic factors in patients with AGA and correlate the findings with the progression of AGA.METHODS A total of 120 patients with AGA were analyzed in this study,which were divided into a non-stress group(n=30)and a stress group(n=90)on the basis of the presence or absence of psychological stress confirmed by Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 scale.The baseline demographic characteristics,serum cortisol levels,hair growth parameters,neurotrophic factors,and AGA progression scores between the non-stress and stress groups were compared.Correlation analyses were conducted to assess the relationships among stress,neurotrophic factors,hair loss progression,and AGA progression.RESULTS This study revealed significantly higher cortisol levels throughout the day in the stress group than in the non-stress group.The stress group exhibited lower levels of nerve growth factor,brain-derived neurotrophic factor,and glial cell linederived neurotrophic factor and higher expression levels of neurotrophin(NT)-3 and NT-4 than the non-stress group.Hair parameters indicated lower hair diameter,decreased hair density,and more severe AGA grading in the stress group,whereas follicle count and terminal/vellus hair ratio showed no significant differences between the two groups.After 1 year of treatment with 5%minoxidil,efficacy was observed to be lower but AGA progression was notably more pronounced in the stress group than in the non-stress group.Disease progression was positively correlated with high stress and NT-4 levels.CONCLUSION This study provides compelling evidence of the influence of mental stress on neurotrophic factors and its correlation with the progression of AGA.The findings underscore the need for a comprehensive approach to the management of AGA that considers the physiological and psychosocial aspects.Further research is warranted to validate the findings and explore targeted therapeutic interventions for individuals with stress-related AGA.

Psychological Stress and Nursing Intervention of Sick Children

Holistic nursing is guided by modern nursing concept and framed by nursing procedures, providing high quality nursing according to patients’ psychological, physiological, social and cultural needs. To develop holistic nursing in pediatrics is to develop nursing services for the purpose of satisfying the various clinical needs and psychological nursing of children. It is of great significance to establish holistic nursing concept, provide high quality nursing service for hospitalized children, and take targeted psychological intervention to alleviate their adverse psychological stress, which can improve treatment compliance and clinical efficacy, and shorten the length of hospital stay. In this paper, scientific and effective psychological nursing stress intervention means are used to improve the psychological anti-stress level of hospitalized children, and nursing intervention means are put forward, contribute to the maintenance of children’s mental health and the development of children’s mental health work and also to provide a theoretical basis for the intervention and treatment of children with psychological stress.

Reciprocal Association between Psychological Distress and PTSD and Their Relationship with Pre-Displacement Stressors among Displaced Women

It is established in the psychological literature that pre-displacement stressors,PTSD symptoms,and psycholo-gical distress are associated among internally displaced persons.However,existing studies have not demonstrated the mechanism underlying these associations.This study compared two explanatory models;one with PTSD symptoms severity explaining the indirect association between pre-displacement stressors and psychological dis-tress,and the other with psychological distress explaining the indirect relationship between pre-displacement stressors and PTSD symptoms severity.In a cross-sectional design,631 women(Mean age=31.18±8.59)were conveniently and purposely selected from the displaced women harboured in two camps in Borno State,Nigeria,due to the Boko-Haram insurgency.Data were collected utilizing structured questionnaires and subjected to path analyses.Results demonstrated that PTSD symptoms severity and psychological distress indirectly explained their respective and independent association with pre-displacement stressors.However,PTSD symptoms had a statis-tically larger standardized indirect effect size,greater indirect effect percentage,and bigger kappa-squared(k2)effect size than psychological distress.PTSD symptoms and psychological distress may have a reciprocal influence on each other from pre-displacement stressors.However,PTSD symptoms can better explain the association between pre-displacement stressors and psychological distress than the other way around.These outcomes have important implications for the psychological treatment of displaced persons.

The Relationship between Workplace Stressors and Job Strain with Psychological Distress among Employed Malaysian Breast Cancer Survivors

Evidence showed occupational factors may contribute distress to breast cancer survivors, however, very few studies focused on the occupational factors and job strain among breast cancer survivors. This study examined the relationship between job strain and workplace stressors with psychological distress among employed breast cancer survivors after the completion of their medical treatment. Study subject were outpatients of 2 hospitals and members of 4 breast cancer support groups. They were requested to fill up the Job Content Questionnaires (JCQ), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Distress Thermometer (DT) were filled up by the selected respondents. On simple logistic regression, psychological job demand and job strain were significantly associated with anxiety, distress on HADS-T and DT at (p < 0.001). While, psychological job demand (p < 0.001), social support (p = 0.047) and job strain (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with depression. Results showed survivors with high job strain has 4.74 time the odds of having anxiety (p < 0.001). Survivors with high psychological job demand have 8.08 time the odds of getting depression (p < 0.001). On the other hand, social support served as a protective factor of depression, (p = 0.041). Survivors with high psychological job demand were 4.4 time the odds of having distress (HADS-T) (p = 0.012). As a conclusion, survivors who experienced high psychological job demand, low social support and high job strain were reported with anxiety, depression or psychological distress.

Impact of psychological stress on irritable bowel syndrome

Psychological stress is an important factor for the development of irritable bowel syndrome(IBS). More and more clinical and experimental evidence showed that IBS is a combination of irritable bowel and irritable brain. In the present review we discuss the potential role of psychological stress in the pathogenesis of IBS and provide comprehensive approaches in clinical treatment. Evidence from clinical and experimental studies showed that psychological stresses have marked impact on intestinal sensitivity, motility, secretion and permeability, and the underlying mechanism has a close correlation with mucosal immune activation, alterations in central nervous system, peripheral neurons and gastrointestinal microbiota. Stress-induced alterations in neuro-endocrine-immune pathways acts on the gut-brain axis and microbiota-gut-brain axis, and cause symptom flare-ups or exaggeration in IBS. IBS is a stresssensitive disorder, therefore, the treatment of IBS should focus on managing stress and stress-induced responses. Now, non-pharmacological approaches and pharmacological strategies that target on stress-related alterations, such as antidepressants, antipsychotics, miscellaneous agents, 5-HT synthesis inhibitors, selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitors, and specific 5-HT receptor antagonists or agonists have shown a critical role in IBS management. A integrative approach for IBS management is a necessary.

Involvement of parasympathetic pelvic efferent pathway in psychological stress-induced defecation

AIM:To investigate the role of the pelvic nerve pathway in stress-induced acceleration of colorectal transit and defecation in rats.METHODS:Surgical transection of rectal nerves(rectal branches of the pelvic nerve),vagotomy(Vag) or adrenalectomy(Adx) were performed bilaterally in rats.Number of fecal pellet output of these rats was measured during 1-h water avoidance stress(WAS).To evaluate the colonic transit,rats were given phenol red through the catheter indwelled in the proximal colon and subjected to WAS.After WAS session,entire colon and rectum were isolated and distribution of phenol red was measured.Distal colonic and rectal transit was evaluated using glass bead.Rats were inserted the glass bead into the distal colon and evacuation rate of the bead was measured.Neural activation was assessed by immunohistochemical staining of c-Fos and PGP9.5 in colonic whole-mount preparations of longitudinal muscle myenteric plexus(LMMP).RESULTS:In the sham-operated rats(sham op),WAS significantly increased defecation and accelerated colorectal transit with marked elevation of plasma corticosterone level.Compared with sham-operated rats,increase in the excretion of fecal pellets during WAS was significantly reduced by rectal nerve transection(RNT)(sham op:6.9 ± 0.8 vs RNT:4.3 ± 0.6,P < 0.05) or Vag(sham op:6.4 ± 0.8 vs Vag:3.7 ± 1.1,P < 0.05),although corticosterone level remained elevated.Adx-rats significantly increased the defecation despite the lower corticosterone level.Distribution pattern of phenol red showed RNT inhibited distal colonic and rectal transit accelerated by WAS,while Vag inhibited proximal colonic transit.Suppression of distal colonic and rectal transit by RNT was further confirmed by the bead evacuation rate(sham op:80.0% vs RNT:53.8%).WAS significantly increased the number of c-Fos-immunoreactive neural cells in the LMMP of the proximal and distal colon,whereas c-Fos expression was decreased by RNT in the distal colon(sham op:9.0 ± 2.0 vs RNT:4.4 ± 1.0,P < 0.05) and decreased by Vag in the proximal colon.CONCLUSION:Pelvic nerve conveys WAS stimuli from the brain to the distal colon,and directly activate the myenteric neurons,followed by the increase of its motility.

Effects of psychological stress on small intestinal motility and expression of cholecystokinin and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide in plasma and small intestine in mice

AIM: To investigate the effects of psychological stress on small intestinal motility and expression of cholecystokinin (CCK) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in plasma and small intestine, and to explore the relationship between small intestinal motor disorders and gastrointestinal hormones under psychological stress. METHODS: Thirty-six mice were randomly divided into psychological stress group and control group. A mouse model with psychological stress was established by housing the mice with a hungry cat in separate layers of a two-layer cage. A semi-solid colored marker (carbon-ink) was used for monitoring small intestinal transit. CCK and VIP levels in plasma and small intestine in mice were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). RESULTS: Small intestinal transit was inhibited (52.18±19.15% vs70.19±17.79%, P<0.01) in mice after psychological stress, compared to the controls. Small intestinal CCK levels in psychological stress mice were significantly lower than those in the control group (0.75±0.53 μg/g vs1.98±1.17 μg/g, P<0.01), whereas plasma CCK concentrations were not different between the groups. VIP levels in small intestine were significantly higher in psychological stress mice than those in the control group (8.45±1.09 μg/g vs7.03±2.36 μg/g, P<0.01), while there was no significant difference in plasma VIP levels between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Psychological stress inhibits the small intestinal transit, probably by down-regulating CCK and up-regulating VIP expression in small intestine.

Effect of psychological stress on gastric motility assessed by electrical bio-impedance

AIM:To evaluate gastric motility using electrical bioimpedance(EBI) and gastric changes as a result of stress induced by psychological tests.METHODS:A group of 57 healthy women,aged 40-60 years,was recruited,and a clinical history and physical examination were performed.The women were free from severe anxiety,chronic or acute stress,severe depression,mental diseases and conditions that affect gastric activity.The women were evaluated under fasting conditions,and using a four-electrode configuration,the gastric signals were obtained through a BIOPAC MP-150 system.The volunteers were evaluated using the following paradigm:basal state,recording during the Stroop Test,intermediate resting period,recording during the Raven Test,and a final resting period.We analyzed the relative areas of the frequency spectrum:A1(1-2 cpm),A2(2-4 cpm),A3(4-8 cpm),and A4(8-12 cpm),as well as the median of area A2 + A3.The data were analyzed by an autoregressive method using a Butterworth filter with MatLab and Origin.Analysis of variance(ANOVA) and Friedman ANOVA(for nonparametric variables) were performed;in addition,pairs of groups were compared using the T dependent and Wilcoxon T tests.RESULTS:The results of the main values of area A2 were not significantly different comparing the five steps of the experimental paradigm.Nevertheless,there was a tendency of this A2 region to decrease during the stress tests,with recuperation at the final resting step.When an extended gastric region was considered(1-4 cpm),significant differences with the psychological stress tests were present(F = 3.85,P = 0.005).The A3 region also showed significant changes when the stress psychological tests were administered(F = 7.25,P < 0.001).These differences were influenced by the changes in the adjacent gastric region of A2.The parameter that we proposed in previous studies for the evaluation of gastric motility by electrical bio-impedance(EBI) was the median of the area under the region from 2 to 8 cpm(A2 + A3).The mean values of these frequencies(median of the A2 + A3 area) with the stress test showed significant changes(F = 5.5,P < 0.001).The results of the WilcoxonT test for the A4 area parameter,which is influenced by the breathing response,changed significantly during the Raven stress test(P < 0.05).CONCLUSION:We confirm that the gastric response to acute psychological stress can be evaluated by short-term EBI.