The effects of coloring therapy on patients with generalized anxiety disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder(GAD)has harmful effects on physical and mental health and quality of life.Coloring therapy has been reported to have a positive effect on improving patient anxiety and depression.But there are no reported clinical trials examining their effectiveness as a treatment for GAD.This study was planned to evaluate the effectiveness of coloring therapy combined with conventional therapy in improving anxiety,depression,and positive and negative emotions with GAD.This randomized controlled study comprising 88 GAD patients was selected for intervention in different wards.The control group(n=45)was given conventional antianxiety medication and physical therapy,and the experimental group(n=43)received coloring therapy combined with conventional therapy.The Self-Rating Depression Scale,Self-Rating Anxiety Scale(SAS),Hamilton Depression Scale,Hamilton Anxiety Scale(HAMA),and Positive and Negative Affect Scale were assessed in both groups before and 3 weeks after the intervention.After the intervention,there were statistical differences in intra-and inter-group comparisons of anxiety,depression,and positive and negative mood scales in the experimental and control groups(p<.05).The minus in anxiety/positive emotions pre-and postintervention in the experimental group was statistically significant compared to that in anxiety/positive emotions pre-and postintervention in the control group(HAMA:d=1.45,95%confidence interval[CI](0.34,2.57),p=.011;SAS:d=3.87,95%CI(1.73,6.00),p=.001;positive:d=1.76,95%CI(0.17,3.34),p=.030).The minus in depressive/negative emotions pre-and postintervention in the experimental group was not statistically significant compared with that in depressive/negative emotions pre-and postintervention in the control group(p>.05).For GAD patients,adding coloring therapy based on conventional drug therapy and physical therapy can not only reduce depression and negative emotions but also have better effects on reducing anxiety and improving positive emotions than conventional therapy.

Role of hippocampal dentate gyrus neurons in the protective effects of heat shock factor 1 on working memory

Increasing evidence suggests that heat shock factor 1 exerts endogenous protective effects on working memory under conditions of chronic psychological stress. However, the precise underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study examined the protective factors affecting working memory in heat shock transcription factor 1 gene knockout mice. The results indicated that the number of correct T maze alternations decreased following mild chronic psychological stress in knockout mice. This change was accompanied by a decrease in neurogenesis and an increase in neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampal dentate gyrus. The number of correct T maze alternations was positively correlated with neurogenesis in hippocampal dentate gyrus, and negatively correlated with neuronal apoptosis. In wild type mice, no significant difference was detected in the number of correct T maze alternations or neuronal apoptosis in hippocampal dentate gyrus. These results indicate that the heat shock factor 1 gene has an endogenous protective role in working memory during mild chronic psychological stress associated with dentate gyrus neuronal apoptosis Moreover, dentate gyrus neurogenesis appears to participate in the protective mechanism.

8-hydroxy-dipropylaminotetralin promotes neural plasticity in epileptic rats with depression

Rats with chronic pilocarpine-induced temporal lobe epilepsy complicated with depression were studied. Anti-5-bromodeoxyuridine immunofluorescence staining and Timms staining showed that neurogenesis within the hippocampal dentate gyrus and mossy fiber sprouting were increased in model rats. Neurogenesis within the hippocampal dentate gyrus was further enhanced, while mossy fiber sprouting was decreased in model rats administered carbamazepine alone or in combination with the 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A receptor agonist, 8-hydroxy-dipropylaminotetralin （0.1 and 1 mg/kg）. Among the groups, the effect was the most significant in rats receiving carbamazepine in conjunction with 1 mg/kg 8-hydroxy-dipropylaminotetralin. Thus, high dose 8-hydroxy-dipropylaminotetralin can improve neural plasticity in epileptic rats with depression.