The interest in different aspects of personality and the neuropsychological basis for behaviour in eating disorder patients has increased over the last decade. The present study aims at exploring personality traits, self-injurious behaviour (SIB) and suicide attempts in a group of severely ill eating disorder patients. Patients with eating disorders (N = 38) and age-matched controls (N = 67) were examined concerning self-reported personality traits by means of the Karolinska scales of personality (KSP). Psychosocial history and SIB was collected from medical records. Depression was rated by means of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results indicated significantly higher anxiety-related and detachment traits in both anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) patients and higher hostility in BN patients than controls. No specific personality traits could be defined as typical for self-injurious or suicidal behaviour. The AN group was lower than the BN group on scales measuring impulsivity, guilt and anxiety. Furthermore, presence of SIB and suicide attempts was more frequent among the BN patients.

BACKGROUND: Various approaches have been made over the years to classify psychotic patients according to inadequate treatment response, using terms such as treatment resistant or treatment refractory. Existing classifications have been criticized for overestimating positive symptoms; underestimating residual symptoms, negative symptoms, and side effects; or being to open for individual interpretation. The aim of this study was to present and evaluate a new method of classification according to treatment response and, thus, to identify patients in functional remission. METHOD: A naturalistic, cross-sectional study was performed using patient interviews and information from patient files. The new classification method CANSEPT, which combines the Camberwell Assessment of Need rating scale, the Udvalg for Kliniske Undersøgelser side effect rating scale (SE), and the patient's previous treatment history (PT), was used to group the patients according to treatment response. CANSEPT was evaluated by comparison of expected and observed results. RESULTS: In the patient population (n = 123), the patients in functional remission, as defined by CANSEPT, had higher quality of life, fewer hospitalizations, fewer psychotic symptoms, and higher rate of workers than those with the worst treatment outcome. CONCLUSION: In the evaluation, CANSEPT showed validity in discriminating the patients of interest and was well tolerated by the patients. CANSEPT could secure inclusion of correct patients in the clinic or in research.

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can develop after one or more traumatic events causing extreme stress or grave physical harm. The neurokinin-1 (NK1) receptor is the primary receptor for substance P (SP); a neuropeptide suggested being involved in anxiety and depression. The present study investigated differences in NK1-receptor availability between PTSD patients and healthy controls, using positron emission tomography (PET). Methods: Eleven male refugee patients (age: 41±10) with DSM-IV defined PTSD and nine healthy male control subjects (age: 33±10) were investigated using the PET-tracer [11C]GR205171, supplied by Uppsala Imanet. GR205171 is a highly selective NK1-receptor antagonist. Scans were performed during 60 minutes in the resting state. Parametric images were generated using the graphical reference Patlak method assuming irreversible binding of [11C]GR205171 from 20-60 minutes and having cerebellum as reference region. Exploratory whole brain analyses were performed using the statistical parametric mapping (SPM2) software. Results: PTSD patients had lower [11C]GR205171 binding compared to controls, in frontal cortical clusters encompassing bilaterally insula and left Brodmann area 11, reflecting lower NK1-receptor availability. No areas were found in which PTSD patients had higher [11C]GR205171 binding. Conclusions: This is the first study reporting differences in NK1-receptor availability in PTSD patients relative to controls. A tentative conclusion is that PTSD patients have a down regulation of the NK1-receptor system, which could be either a risk factor or due to emotional trauma processing.

In two experiments, MPTP was administered to C57/BL6 mice according to a single-dose weekly regime (MPTP: 1 x 30 mg/kg on the fifth day of the week, Friday, over 4 weeks) with vehicle group (Vehicle: 1 x 5 ml/kg) treated concurrently. Exercise schedules (delayed) were introduced either at the beginning of the week after the second MPTP injection (MPTP + Exercise(2) group), or at the beginning of the week after the fourth MPTP injection (MPTP + Exercise(4) group). Wheel-running was provided on the first 4 days of each week (Monday-Thursday) more than 30-min periods. In Experiment I, wheel-running exercise was introduced either after 2 or 4 weeks after MPTP/Vehicle. MPTP and Vehicle groups not provided access to the running wheels were placed in single cages within the wheel-running room over 30-min concomitantly with the wheel-running groups. In Experiment II, wheel-running exercise was introduced 2 weeks after MPTP/Vehicle but a no-exercise control group with non-revolving wheel included (MPTP-Wheel). In both experiments, spontaneous motor activity tests during 60-min intervals were performed at the end (Fridays) of weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 10, where the week on which the first injection of MPTP was the first week; in the case of weeks 1-4, this was immediately before MPTP/Vehicle injections. It was observed that the introduction of the exercise schedule after the second MPTP injection, but not after the fourth injection, restored motor activity that had been markedly elevated by the end of the tenth week. Subthreshold administration of l-dopa tests was performed after the spontaneous motor activity tests 6, 8 and 10; these indicated significant effects of exercise, MPTP + Exercise(2) group, on Tests 6 and 8, but not Test 10. The physical exercise schedule in that group also showed markedly attenuated loss of dopamine (DA). Restoration of MPTP-induced motor activity deficits and DA loss was a function of the point at which exercise was introduced, in the present case after two administrations of the neurotoxin. In Experiment II, physical exercise markedly attenuated the hypokinesic effect of MPTP in the exercise condition, MPTP-exercise, but not in the non-exercise conditions, MPTP-Cage and MPTP-Wheel, for both spontaneous motor activity and l-dopa-induced activity. MPTP-induced loss of DA was also attenuated by exercise.

Both clinical and laboratory studies have demonstrated that different types of physical exercise may alleviate Parkinsonism yet evidence for complete restoration of motor function and biomarker integrity are difficult to identify. MPTP (1 x 30 mg/kg, s.c., 4 groups) or saline (vehicle 1 x 5 ml/kg, s.c., 1 group) were administered in a single dose regime over three consecutive weeks on Fridays. Three MPTP groups were given four 30-min periods/week (Mondays to Thursdays), of these two groups, MPTP + Exer + M(i) and MPTP + Exer + M(ii); the former were introduced to exercise and Milmed (oral injection) on the week following the 1st MPTP injection and the latter on the Monday prior to the 1st injection of MPTP onwards. One MPTP group, MPTP + Exer, was given access to exercise (running wheels) from the week following the 1st MPTP injection onwards. The fourth MPTP group, MPTP-NoEx, and the Vehicle group were only given access to exercise on a single day each week (Wednesdays, exercise test) from the week following the 1st MPTP injection onwards. The exercise/exercise + Milmed regime was maintained for a further 9 weeks. It was observed that exercise by itself ameliorated MPTP-induced deficits regarding motor function and dopamine loss only partially whereas in the groups combining exercise with twice weekly dosages of Milmed the MPTP-induced deficits were abolished by the 10th week of the intervention. The three main conclusions that were drawn from correlational analyses of individual mice were: (i) that DA integrity was observed to be a direct function of ability to express running exercise in a treadmill wheel-running arrangement, and (ii) that DA integrity was observed to be a direct function of the capacity for motor performance as measured by spontaneous motor activity and subthreshold l-Dopa (5 mg/kg) induced activity in the motor activity test chambers, and (iii) that the extent to which running exercise in a running wheel was predictive of later motor performance in the activity test chambers was highly convincing.

1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) induces permanent neurochemical and functional deficits. Following the administration of either two or four injections of the dopamine neurotoxin, MPTP, at a dose of 40 mg/kg, C57/BL6 mice were given access to running-wheels (30-min sessions, four times/week, Monday-Thursday) and treatment with the treated yeast, Milmed (R) (four times/week, Monday-Thursday), or simply running-wheel exercise by itself, over ten weeks. It was observed that the combination of physical exercise and Milmed (R) treatment, the MPTP + Exercise + Yeast (MC) group [MPTP + Exercise + Milmed (R) (MC)], restored spontaneous motor activity markedly by test day 10, restored completely subthreshold L-Dopa-induced activity, and dopamine concentration to 76% of control values, in the condition wherein two administrations of MPTP (2 x 40 mg/kg) were given prior to initiation of exercise and/or Milmed (R) treatment. Physical exercise by itself, MPTP + Exercise (MC) group, attenuated these deficits only partially. Administration of MPTP four times (i.e., 40 mg/kg, s.c., once weekly over four weeks for a total of 160 mg/kg, MPTP + Exercise + Yeast (MC) group [MPTP + Exercise + Milmed (R) (SC)] and MPTP + Exercise (SC), induced a lesioning effect that was far too severe for either exercise alone or the exercise + Milmed (R) combination to ameliorate. Nevertheless, these findings indicate a powerful effect of physical exercise reinforced by Milmed (R) treatment in restoring MPTP-induced deficits of motor function and dopamine neurochemistry in mice.

Disasters and major accidents are a significant cause of distress worldwide. High levels of posttraumatic stress can become chronic after severe and prolonged psychological trauma, raising concerns about the extent of adverse long-term consequences after single events. The present thesis aimed to describe the course and burden of posttraumatic stress in survivors from a ferry disaster in the Baltic Sea, an airliner crash-landing in Gottröra, Sweden, and a bus accident involving Swedish 6^th grade schoolchildren in Måbødalen, Norway.

The participants were surveyed 1 month to 4 years after the events and again after 14 to 20 years. The follow-up surveys included 33 ferry disaster survivors, 70 airline survivors, and 7 surviving schoolchildren with a comparison group from the same school (n = 33). Short- and long-term changes in posttraumatic stress were estimated separately in generalised regression models refined by linear splines. In-depth interviews were conducted with 22 ferry survivors 15 years after the disaster, including structured clinical interviews and thematic analysis of survivors’ descriptions of consequences of the event and social support.

Approximately half of all survivors experienced significant posttraumatic stress at the initial assessments. Significant long-term distress was noted in one fourth of the ferry survivors and one sixth of the airline survivors. The bus crash was not associated with significant long-term posttraumatic stress. A poorer long-term outcome was noted in women and in bereaved survivors.

The thematic analysis revealed that long-term consequences not only included negative aspects but also positive ones, including personal growth and existential awareness. There was ample availability of social support, although the need for support extended over a period of several years. Barriers to support from significant others were described in detail by the survivors.

The results extend previous research by providing a comprehensive account of long-term consequences of disasters and major accidents in light of early reactions. The interviews provide some new insights into features of social support that warrant further study. Important future challenges include evaluating whether timely attention to survivors at risk for chronic distress and significant others can facilitate recovery.

In Sweden, four out of five people have smartphones, indicating the potential to increase the reach of low- intensity support after trauma via smartphone-apps to aid recovery. While there are many apps in the mental health field available to the general public, their effects are rarely evaluated. The PTSD Coach smartphone-app was developed by the VA ́s National Center for PTSD—Dissemination and Training Division. A Swedish version was developed by using existing code while making adjustment to the content for a Swedish context with a view for use by both civilians and veterans. A pilot study is underway and the findings will be used to inform a larger efficacy study. To date, 31 participants have been recruited to the pilot study, in which they use the Swedish version of the PTSD Coach for four weeks. Pre- and post- assessments include a structured clinical interview (MINI), PCL-5, PHQ-9 and the Swedish version of the PTSD Coach Survey. The participants’ experiences with using the app are explored in focus groups. During this presentation, the adaptation for the Swedish PTSD Coach will be outlined and experiences from the development and pilot study of the Swedish version will be described. 

Objective: This study aimed to describe the quantity, scope, and fundamental characteristics of recently published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of psychological interventions.

Methods: We queried two major databases (PsycINFO and PubMeD) for primary reports published in 2010 of RCTs of psychological interventions for participants with a medical condition. We collected data on the characteristics of the trials, participants, interventions, outcomes, and reports.

Results: Of 3,696 retrieved reports 295 primary publications were included. About half (53%) of trials included participants with a mental disorder and more than half evaluated interventions based on a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) framework. A majority of trials recruited participants in North America and Europe (79%). A minority of the trials focused on children and adolescents (17%) or the elderly (8%). The median sample size of the intervention arm was n = 41. Thirty-nine percent of trials reported solely patient-reported outcomes. Only 5% of reports indicated funding from for-profit organizations. The median 2010 impact factor of the journals in which reports were published was 2.96.

Conclusion: This snapshot of the research on psychological interventions suggests that the evidence base for psychological interventions is expanding mainly for CBT interventions for adults in high-income countries. Although the restrictive inclusion criteria limit the generalizability of these results, researchers and funding agencies might be advised to strive for greater diversity regarding interventions, geographical/cultural settings and age groups. Regularly updated reviews of this research field, with gradually refined methodology and increased scope, may further inform funders and researchers.

There has been much research on social support and its association with both general mental and physical health, and social support is an important salutogenic factor after traumatic events. Still, the magnitude of the effect of social support on posttraumatic stress (PTS) is not fully understood. In particular, the importance of social support after disasters may be contingent on exposure severity. In a survey of Swedish tourists 14 months after the tsunami in Southeast Asia (N4910), in which the survivors were exposed to few post-disaster adversities, detailed information on exposure severity allowed for an examination of the effect of the interaction between social support and exposure severity on PTS. Social support was assessed by the Crisis Support Scale and PTS by the Impact of Event Scale-Revised. Preliminary analyses will be presented, and the size and significance of the effect will be discussed.

This prospective longitudinal study aimed to examine posttraumatic stress in survivors 14 years after a ferry disaster, and estimate short- and long-term changes in stress associated with traumatic bereavement and acute dissociation. There were 852 people who perished in the disaster, 137 survived. The 51 Swedish survivors were surveyed with the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) at 3 months, 1, 3, and 14 years (response rates 82%, 65%, 51%, and 69%). Symptoms decreased from 3 months to 1 year; no change was found thereafter. After 14 years, 27% reported significant symptoms. Traumatic bereavement, but not acute dissociation, was associated with long-term symptom elevation. Chronic posttraumatic stress can persist in a minority of survivors, and traumatic bereavement appears to hinder recovery.

Background

Survivors of natural disasters are thought to be at an increased risk of psychiatric disorders, however the extent of this risk, and whether it is linked to pre-existing psychopathology, is not known. We aimed to establish whether Swedish survivors of tsunamis from the 2004 Sumatra–Andaman earthquake had increased risks of psychiatric disorders and suicide attempts 5 years after repatriation.

Methods

We identified Swedish survivors repatriated from southeast Asia (8762 adults and 3742 children) and 864 088 unexposed adults and 320 828 unexposed children matched for sex, age, and socioeconomic status. We retrieved psychiatric diagnoses and suicide attempts from the Swedish patient register for the 5 years after the tsunami (from Dec 26, 2004, to Jan 31, 2010) and estimated hazard ratios (HRs), then adjusted for pre-tsunami psychiatric disorders, and, for children, for parental pre-tsunami disorders.

Findings

Exposed adults were more likely than unexposed adults to receive any psychiatric diagnosis (547 [6.2%] vs 47 734 [5.5%]; adjusted HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.11–1.32), particularly stress-related disorders (187 [2.1%] vs 8831 [1.0%]; 2.27, 1.96–2.62) and suicide attempts (38 [0.43%] vs 2752 [0.32%]; 1.54, 1.11–2.13), but not mood or anxiety disorders. Risk of psychiatric diagnoses did not differ between exposed and unexposed children and adolescents (248 [6.6] vs 22 081 [6.9%]; 0.98, 0.86–1.11), although exposed children and adolescents had a higher risk for suicide attempts with uncertain intent (1.43; 1.01–2.02) and stress-related disorders (1.79; 1.30–2.46), mainly during the first 3 months after the tsunami.

Interpretation

The 2004 tsunami was, independently of previous psychiatric morbidity, associated with an increased risk of severe psychopathology, mainly stress-related disorders and suicide attempts, in children and adults. Survivors of natural disasters should be targeted with early interventions and active long-term follow-up to prevent, detect, and alleviate psychiatric disorders that might follow.

Background:

Disasters yield increased rates of psychological disorders decades later. Other consequences, however, have received little attention in the past.

Objective:

We aimed to examine diagnostic status and survivors’ views on disaster-related consequences and social support.

Methods:

A mixed-methods approach was used with 22 survivors (of 49 eligible) 15 years after a ferry disaster. Data collection included audiotaped interviews with open-ended questions and diagnostic assessment of Axis-I disorders.

Results:

The post-disaster incidence was 54% (12/22) for Axis-I disorders, and 45% (10/22) for full or subsyndromal posttraumatic stress disorder. Thematic analysis revealed that survivor perception of the longterm consequences included positive (character change) and negative aspects (being ascribed a survivor identity). Participants’ sought social support for several years, yet many felt hindered by experiential dissimilarity and distress of significant others.

Conclusions:

Axis-I disorders were prevalent, but not salient to survivors’ perceptions in the long-term. Postdisaster interventions need to attend to common barriers to support.

Social support buffers the negative impact of stressful events. Less, however, is known about the characteristics of this association in the context of disaster and findings have been discrepant regarding direct and buffering effects. This study tested whether the protective effects of social support differed across levels of exposure severity (i.e., buffered distress) and assessed whether the buffering effect differed between event-specific and general distress. Participants were 4,600 adult Swedish tourists (44% of invited; 55% women) repatriated within 3 weeks after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. A survey 14 months after the disaster included the Crisis Support Scale, the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Social support buffered the negative impact of exposure on both outcomes. The support and distress association ranged from very small in participants with low exposure to moderate in those with high exposure (η_p² = .004 to .053). The buffering effect was not found to differ between the IES-R and GHQ-12, F(2, 4589) = 0.87, p = .42. The findings suggest that social support moderates the stressor-distress relationship after disasters. This study might help explain discrepant findings and point to refinements of postdisaster interventions.

Although clinical experience and past research have shown that posttraumatic stress (PTS) can last for decades after a disaster, long-term follow-ups are scarce and little is known about predictors of chronic PTS. In this presentation, long-term consequences of disasters will be described by a summary of the findings from three surveys of man-made/technological disasters with 2-4 assessments during the first 34-4 years and with a long-term assessment of PTSD and general mental health after 14-20 years (Ns = 33-57). Similarities and dissimilarities in the course of PTS between the disasters will be presented. The influence of traumatic bereavement, psychological or pharmacological treatment, and additional negative life events on long-term PTS will be discussed, and experiences form conducting long-term studies will be communicated.

Disasters and other adverse life events may cause severe and chronic posttraumatic stress (PTS) in survivors. Knowledge varies within and across countries in Europe regarding psychosocial interventions after such events. Between 2007 and 2011, The European Network for Traumatic Stress (TENTS) established a network of expertise with the aim to examine the effectiveness of interventions on PTS after trauma, and develop and disseminate a teaching package throughout Europe. The systematic review by TENTS found a scarcity of research on acute interventions, and a lack of efficacy for preventive interventions, whereas trauma-focused psychotherapy is effective for severe acute and chronic PTS. Pharmacotherapy can alleviate chronic PTS although its effects are small. Sweden has a developed network for early psychosocial interventions after major events. As in most of Europe, however, there is a need for greater access to evidence-based psychotherapy.

Background: Both self-rated health (SRH) and inflammation are implicated in chronic diseases and premature mortality. Better SRH is associated with lower proinflammatory cytokines, but there is little evidence about whether this relationship is more stable or dynamic. Objective: To study the between- and within-person associations between SRH and IL-6. Methods: Older adults (N = 131; M-age = 75 years) rated their health and provided blood samples for analysis of IL-6 at separate occasions every 6 months over a period up to 5 years. Age, sex, BMI, neuroticism, and statin use were examined as covariates in multilevel models. Results: In bivariate models, better SRH, lower BMI, younger age, and female sex correlated with lower IL-6. In multilevel models, stable SRH (between-person differences; p < .001) but not dynamic SRH (within-person changes; p = .93) correlated with IL-6. The stable relationship persisted with demographic and health covariates in the model. Conclusions: Better stable SRH but not dynamic SRH was robustly associated with lower IL-6 among older adults, lending support to previous cross-sectional findings on the relation between inflammatory markers and SRH. The findings suggest that trait-like mechanisms, rather than changes over a time scale of 6-month waves, govern this association. To further investigate the mechanisms behind the SRH-IL-6 association, studies with different measurement frequencies, higher within-person variability, and experimental approaches are warranted.

BACKGROUND: Greater access to evidence-based psychological treatments is needed. This review aimed to evaluate whether internet-delivered psychological treatments for mood and anxiety disorders are efficacious, noninferior to established treatments, safe, and cost-effective for children, adolescents and adults.

METHODS: We searched the literature for studies published until March 2013. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were considered for the assessment of short-term efficacy and safety and were pooled in meta-analyses. Other designs were also considered for long-term effect and cost-effectiveness. Comparisons against established treatments were evaluated for noninferiority. Two reviewers independently assessed the relevant studies for risk of bias. The quality of the evidence was graded using an international grading system.

RESULTS: A total of 52 relevant RCTs were identified whereof 12 were excluded due to high risk of bias. Five cost-effectiveness studies were identified and three were excluded due to high risk of bias. The included trials mainly evaluated internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (I-CBT) against a waiting list in adult volunteers and 88% were conducted in Sweden or Australia. One trial involved children. For adults, the quality of evidence was graded as moderate for the short-term efficacy of I-CBT vs. waiting list for mild/moderate depression (d = 0.83; 95% CI 0.59, 1.07) and social phobia (d = 0.85; 95% CI 0.66, 1.05), and moderate for no efficacy of internet-delivered attention bias modification vs. sham treatment for social phobia (d = -0.04; 95% CI -0.24, 0.35). The quality of evidence was graded as low/very low for other disorders, interventions, children/adolescents, noninferiority, adverse events, and cost-effectiveness.

CONCLUSIONS: I-CBT is a viable treatment option for adults with depression and some anxiety disorders who request this treatment modality. Important questions remain before broad implementation can be supported. Future research would benefit from prioritizing adapting treatments to children/adolescents and using noninferiority designs with established forms of treatment.

This study evaluated the properties of Swedish versions of self-report measures of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with emphasis on the Impact of Event Scale–Revised (IES-R). Survey data from adult survivors 1, 3, and 6 years after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami (n = 1506) included the IES-R (from which the IES-6 was derived) and the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). The PTSD Checklist (PCL) was included in one survey. A structured clinical interview was performed after 6 years (n = 142). Factor analyses of the IES-R and PCL indicated that a dysphoric-arousal model provided good fit invariant across assessments. Both measures were accurate in excluding PTSD while all measures provided poorer positive predictive values. The IES-R, but not the IES-6 and GHQ-12, evidenced stability across assessments. In conclusion, the Swedish IES-R and PCL are sound measures of chronic PTSD, and the findings illustrate important temporal aspects of PTSD assessment.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of atomoxetine on emotional control in adults with ADHD. Methods: We performed an integrated analysis using individual patient data pooled from three Eli Lilly-sponsored studies. An integrated analysis can be viewed as a meta-analysis of individual patient-level data, rather than study-level summary data. Results: Two populations were identified: a large sample of patients with pre-treatment baseline data (the "overall population''; n = 2846); and a subset of these patients with placebo-controlled efficacy data from baseline to 10 or 12 weeks after initiating treatment (the "placebo-controlled population''; n = 829). At baseline, in the overall population, similar to 50% of ADHD patients had BRIEF-AS (Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult Version Self-Report) Emotional control subscores between 21 and 30, compared with similar to 10% of normative subjects in the BRIEF-A manual. At endpoint, in the placebo-controlled population, atomoxetine led to a small (effect size 0.19) but significant (P = 0.013) treatment effect for emotional control. The effect size was 0.32 in patients with BRIEF-AS Emotional control scores > 20 at baseline. Improvements in emotional control correlated with improvements in the core ADHD symptoms and quality-of-life. Discussion: As deficient emotional control is associated with impaired social, educational and occupational functioning over and above that explained by core ADHD symptoms alone, improvements in emotional control may be clinically relevant. Conclusion: At baseline, adults with ADHD were more likely to have impaired emotional control than normative subjects. In the adult ADHD patients, atomoxetine treatment was associated with improvements in emotional control, as well as in core ADHD symptoms and quality-of-life.

Anxious personality traits, including those encompassed by negative emotionality (neuroticism) and the tendency to worry about close relationships (attachment anxiety) during pregnancy were the focus of this thesis. The overall aim was to examine perinatal correlates of these characteris-tics in terms of psychiatric and obstetric health as well as antenatal care (ANC).

Papers I-II were part of a large population-based project on pregnant women in Uppsala in 2009-2012 (n=2160). Papers III-IV adjoined participants from several projects in 2005-2011, on oral contraceptive use, infertility, induced abortion, premenstrual mood disorder, and perina-tal depression (n=2819). The participants reported on the Swedish universities Scales of Per-sonality for neuroticism (papers II-IV) and the Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ) for attachment anxiety (papers I-II). The participants also answered the Edinburgh Postnatal De-pression Scale on depressive symptoms (paper II). In paper III, information on obstetric com-plications for primiparous women with singleton pregnancies (n=1969) was extracted from Swedish national health registers. In paper IV, ANC use was derived from medical records of obstetric low-risk women residing in Uppsala (n=1052).

The ASQ had similar psychometric properties in pregnant women (n=1631) as in previous reports (paper I). In non-depressed pregnant women (n=1431), the combination of neuroticism and attachment anxiety was the best risk indicator of postpartum depressive symptoms (paper II). Whereas high neuroticism was not related to obstetric complications (paper III), it was associated with higher use of ANC (paper IV).

Summarized, this thesis illustrates how anxious personality traits may predispose for post-partum depression and higher use of ANC in the absence of obstetric complications. Future development of these findings should be to evaluate individual and societal benefits of a greater emphasis on psychological support in ANC.

Background:

Personality traits such as neuroticism can help identify pregnant women at risk of postpartum depressive symptoms (PPDS). However, it is unclear whether attachment style could have an additional contribution to this risk elevation. This study aimed to examine the overlap of adult attachment insecurity and neuroticism/trait anxiety as PPDS predictors, taking into account baseline depressive symptoms.

Methods:

A Swedish population-based sample of pregnant women reported on adult attachment and either neuroticism (n = 1063) or trait anxiety (n = 555). Depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline, and at six weeks and six months postpartum. Correlations between attachment and neuroticism/trait anxiety were calculated. Generalized linear models of PPDS tested the effect of attachment anxiety and avoidance, adjusting for neuroticism/trait anxiety and baseline depression. Logistic regression models with combined high attachment anxiety and-neuroticism/trait anxiety visualized their value as risk factors beyond antenatal depression.

Results:

Attachment and neuroticism/trait anxiety were highly correlated (r = .55.77). Attachment anxiety exerted a partially independent effect on PPDS at six weeks (p < .05) and at six months (p < .05) adjusting for neuroticism. Among antenatally non-depressed, combined high attachment anxiety and high neuroticism or trait anxiety was predictive of PPDS at both assessment points. Limitations: Low acceptance rate, exclusive use of self-reports.

Conclusions:

Beyond personality, attachment anxiety had a small independent effect on the risk of PPDS. Combining items of adult attachment and neuroticism/trait anxiety could prove useful in antenatal screening for high risk of PPDS.

Objectives: (i) To evaluate the reliability and factor structure of the Attachment Style Questionnaire – Short Form (ASQ-SF) for use in pregnant women and (ii) to compare the reliability and factor structure of the short- and full version-ASQ among pregnant women. Background: Adult attachment insecurity is currently included as a major risk factor in studies of perinatal health. None of the self-report measures with a Swedish translation have been psychometrically evaluated in a pregnant cohort.

Methods: A population-based cohort of 1631 pregnant women answered the ASQ in late pregnancy. Internal consistency (item- subscale correlations, Cronbach’s α, and α if item deleted) was evaluated for the seven available subscales. Con rmatory factor analysis (CFA) was run to examine the factor structure of the short form compared with the full-version. Test–retest correlations were assessed in a subgroup (n = 48).

Results: All mean item-subscale correlations for the ASQ-SF were > 0.30. Cronbach’s α’s for ASQ-SF dimensions were as follows: Avoidance (0.87); Anxiety (0.89); Discomfort with Closeness (0.85); Relationships as Secondary (0.54); Con dence (0.83); Need for Approval (0.76); and Preoccupation with Relationships (0.77). No item removal substantively increased subscale α’s. The CFA demonstrated better model t for the ASQ-SF than for the full-version ASQ, while other reliability measures were similar. Test–retest correlations ranged from 0.65 to 0.84.

Conclusion: The ASQ-SF showed similar psychometric properties in pregnant women as in the general population and had good reliability, but the optimal factor structure needs to be studied further. Results support the usage of the ASQ-SF in pregnant cohorts. 

Objective: To evaluate the performances of two auditory brainstem response (ABR) profiling tests as potential biomarkers and diagnostic support for schizophrenia and adult attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), respectively, in an investigator-initiated blinded study design.

Method: Male and female patients with schizophrenia (n=26) and adult ADHD (n=24) meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM IV) diagnostic criteria and healthy controls (n=58) comprised the analysis set (n=108) of the total number of study participants (n=119). Coded sets of randomized ABR recordings were analysed by an independent party blinded to clinical diagnoses before a joint code-breaking session.

Results: The ABR profiling test for schizophrenia identified schizophrenia patients versus controls with a sensitivity of 84.6% and a specificity of 93.1%. The ADHD test identified patients with adult ADHD versus controls with a sensitivity of 87.5% and a specificity of 91.4%.

Conclusion: The ABR profiling tests discriminated schizophrenia and ADHD versus healthy controls with high sensitivity and specificity. The methods deserve to be further explored in larger clinical studies including a broad range of psychiatric disorders to determine their utility as potential diagnostic biomarkers.

Aim: Poor social skills are a risk factor for becoming bullied, which could explain why this frequently occurs to children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Poor social skills tend to coexist with clumsiness. According to a pilot study, poor performance in physical education (PE) was correlated with bully victimization. Methods: Sixty-nine healthy university students reported performance in PE and bully victimization in childhood. In addition, the participants responded to questionnaires for ADHD and ASDs to assess personality traits related to increased risk for bully victimization. Results: Below average performance in PE was a risk factor of being bullied in school with an odds ratio of 3.6 [95% confidence interval: 1.23-10.5; p = 0.017]. Strong correlations between poor performance in PE and long duration of victimization (p = 0.007) and poor performance in PE and high frequency of victimization (p = 0.008) were found. Autistic traits were related to performance below average in PE. Conclusion: Poor motor skills are a strong risk factor for becoming bullied. Prevention programmes that identify, protect and empower the clumsy children could be an important step to avoid bullying of the most vulnerable children.

Background: Experimental studies in humans have yielded evidence that adaptive immune function, including the production of antigen-specific antibodies, is distinctly impaired when sleep is deprived at the time of first antigen exposure. Here we examined the effects of a regular 24- hour sleep-wake cycle (including 8 hours of nocturnal sleep) and a 24-hour period of continuous wakefulness on the 7 week antibody production in 11 males and 13 females in response to the H1N1 (swine flu) virus vaccination. The specific antibody titer in serum was assayed by the hemagglutination inhibition test on the days 5, 10, 17, and 52 following vaccination.

Results: In comparison to the sleep group, sleep-deprived males but not females had reduced serum concentration of H1N1-specific antibodies five days after vaccination, whereas antibody titers at later time points did not differ between the conditions.

Conclusions: These findings concur with the notion that sleep is a supportive influence in the very early stage of an adaptive immune response to a viral antigen. However, our results do not support the view that acute sleep deprivation has lasting effects on the human antibody titer response to influenza vaccination.

STUDY OBJECTIVES:

To investigate whether total sleep deprivation (TSD) affects circulating concentrations of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and S100 calcium binding protein B (S-100B) in humans. These factors are usually found in the cytoplasm of neurons and glia cells. Increasing concentrations of these factors in blood may be therefore indicative for either neuronal damage, impaired blood brain barrier function, or both. In addition, amyloid β (Aβ) peptides 1-42 and 1-40 were measured in plasma to calculate their ratio. A reduced plasma ratio of Aβ peptides 1-42 to 1-40 is considered an indirect measure of increased deposition of Aβ 1-42 peptide in the brain.

DESIGN:

Subjects participated in two conditions (including either 8-h of nocturnal sleep [22:30-06:30] or TSD). Fasting blood samples were drawn before and after sleep interventions (19:30 and 07:30, respectively).

SETTING:

Sleep laboratory.

PARTICIPANTS:

15 healthy young men.

RESULTS:

TSD increased morning serum levels of NSE (P = 0.002) and S-100B (P = 0.02) by approximately 20%, compared with values obtained after a night of sleep. In contrast, the ratio of Aβ peptides 1-42 to 1-40 did not differ between the sleep interventions.

CONCLUSIONS:

Future studies in which both serum and cerebrospinal fluid are sampled after sleep loss should elucidate whether the increase in serum neuron-specific enolase and S100 calcium binding protein B is primarily caused by neuronal damage, impaired blood brain barrier function, or is just a consequence of increased gene expression in non-neuronal cells, such as leukocytes.

Negative symptoms in schizophrenia and core depressive symptoms share phenomenology and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a treatment modality for both conditions. The most common treatment site has been the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) but there might be more optimal targets. Furthermore, the implementation of the currently approved protocols is hampered by the long duration. More intense stimulation protocols such as the theta burst stimulation (TBS) are significantly shorter and may be as effective and safe.

The overall aim of this project is to evaluate the treatment effect of TBS on poor motivation and anhedonia in schizophrenia and depression and to explore the neurobiological correlates of these deficits.

The dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) is a key cortical area in networks associated with motivation and anhedonia and it is affected in both schizophrenia and depression. The dmPFC has recently been identified as a possible site of stimulation and is now within reach by new angled coils that have deeper tissue penetration.

Our study will enroll 38 patients with schizophrenia, 38 patients with depression and 38 healthy volunteers. Patients will be given daily TBS (totally 2400 pulses, 1200 on each hemisphere) over the dmPFC during 10 days. Target symptoms will be assessed with the Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS). We will also assess cortical excitability with paired-pulse stimulation and the pre-attentive memory function with mismatch negativity (MMN), spontaneous motor activity (assessed with 24 hours accelerometer) as well as autonomic nervous system tone (assessed by skin conductance, heart rate variability and breathing pattern). In addition, we will evaluate cognitive function (speed of processing, verbal fluency, auditory and working memory, visuospatial ability) during rest and stress.

A history of anorexia nervosa has been associated with a reduced risk of developing breast cancer. We investigated survival after breast cancer among women with a prior anorexia nervosa diagnosis compared with women in a population comparison group. This register-based study included combined data from Sweden, Denmark and Finland. A total of 76 and 1462 breast cancer cases identified among 22,654 women with anorexia nervosa and 224,619 women in a population comparison group, respectively, were included in the study. Hazard ratios (HR) for overall and breast cancer-specific mortality after breast cancer diagnosis were estimated using Cox regression. Cause of death was available only for Swedish and Danish women; therefore, the analysis on breast cancer-specific mortality was restricted to these women. We observed 23 deaths after breast cancer among anorexia nervosa patients and 247 among population comparisons. The overall mortality after the breast cancer diagnosis was increased in women with a history of anorexia nervosa compared with population comparisons (HR 2.5, 95% CI 1.6-3.9) after adjustment for age, period and extent of disease. Results were similar for overall (HR 2.3, 95% CI 1.4-3.6) and breast cancer-specific mortality (HR 2.1, 95% CI 1.3-3.6) among Swedish and Danish women. We found that female breast cancer patients with a prior diagnosis of anorexia nervosa have a worse survival compared with other breast cancer patients.

Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-i) is the most effective treatment for insomnia. Studies show that auricular acupuncture (AA) may alleviate insomnia symptoms.

The overall aim of the thesis was to compare treatment effects of auricular acupuncture (AA) with cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-i) on symptoms of insomnia, anxiety, depression, hypnotic drugs consumption and quality of life from short- and long-term perspectives.

Paper I had a qualitative approach with a descriptive design. 16 participants received group-treatment with AA during their protracted withdrawal phase and were interviewed about their experiences. They participants experienced a reduction in protracted withdrawal symptoms, improved subjective sleep quality, a strong sensation of peacefulness and increased wellbeing.

Paper II, III and IV present results from a randomised controlled trial in where the effects of group-treatment with AA and CBT-i were compared in short- and long-term using subjective (questionnaires and sleep diary) and objective (actigraphy) measurements.

The results showed that CBT-i was superior to AA in reducing insomnia symptoms in both the short and long run. Both groups experienced significant long-term reduction of depressive symptoms. Further, both groups managed to maintain a decreased intake of hypnotic drugs at the end of the treatment when compared to baseline measurement. Short-term reduction of symptoms of anxiety and depression improved only in the AA group. The results from the objective actigraph recordings showed that the AA group slept more and the CBT-i group less after the treatment and that sleep patterns in both groups reverted to pre-treatment levels after 6 months.

Conclusively: AA, as administered in this study, was not as good as CBT-i in treating insomnia symptoms, and should not be used as a stand-alone treatment for insomnia. Our results also demonstrate that prolonged sleep time does not necessarily yield better sleep, and that the perception of insomnia symptoms is not inevitably affected by sleep duration. AA was as effective as CBT-i in ending hypnotic drugs consumption. Moreover, AA was more successful than CBT-i in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression in the short run. Further studies investigating AA for anxiety and depression are motivated.

Over the last decades interest in using auricular acupuncture for substance dependence care has increased. The specific auricular acupuncture protocol used follows the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) definition. This paper describes patients’ experiences of receiving auricular acupuncture during protracted withdrawal. Interviews were conducted with fifteen patients treated at an outpatient clinic for substance dependence. Content analysis was used to analyze the interviews. The analysis resulted in eight categories of positive experiences and five categories of negative experiences. The positive experiences were: Relaxation and wellbeing, Peacefulness and harmony, New behaviours, Positive physical impact, Importance of context, Anxiety reduction and Reduced drug- and alcohol consumption. The negative experiences were: Nothing negative, Disturbing context, Short term effect, Depending on someone else, Time consuming, Physical distrations and Remaining cravings. The conclusion of this study is that all respondents appreciated NADA treatment. This study supports further research on using NADA in addiction treatment to reduce suffering during protracted withdrawal and in other contexts.

Objective. The most effective nonpharmacological treatment for insomnia disorder is cognitive behavioural therapy-insomnia (CBT-i). However CBT-i may not suit everyone. Auricular acupuncture (AA) is a complementary treatment. Studies show that it may alleviate insomnia symptoms. The aim of this randomised controlled study was to compare treatment effects of AA with CBT-i and evaluate symptoms of insomnia severity, anxiety, and depression. Method. Fifty-nine participants, mean age 60.5 years (SD 9.4), with insomnia disorder were randomised to group treatment with AA or CBT-i. Self-report questionnaires, the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep scale (DBAS-16), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HAD), were collected at baseline, after treatment, and at 6-month follow-up. A series of linear mixed models were performed to examine treatment effect over time between and within the groups. Results. Significant between-group improvements were seen in favour of CBT-i in ISI after treatment and at the 6-month follow-up and in DBAS-16 after treatment. Both groups showed significant within-group postintervention improvements in ISI, and these changes were maintained six months later. The CBT-i group also showed a significant reduction in DBAS-16 after treatment and six months later. Conclusions. Compared to CBT-i, AA, as offered in this study, cannot be considered an effective stand-alone treatment for insomnia disorder.

Introduction: The interest in non-pharmacological interventions for insomnia disorder has increased. The aim was to assess the immediate treatment effects of auricular acupuncture (AA) and cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-i) regarding discontinuation of hypnotic usage and symptoms of anxiety, depression and insomnia.

Method: Prospective randomised controlled study. Fifty-seven participants (mean age 61 years (SD 8.6)) with insomnia disorder and long-term use of non-benzodiazepine hypnotics received group-treatment with AA or CBT-i. Pre- and post-treatment measures included symptoms of anxiety, depression and insomnia via self-report questionnaires: Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HAD-A, HAD-D) and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Other sleep parameters and hypnotic consumption were measured with a sleep diary. Linear mixed models were performed to examine treatment effect over time within and between the groups.

Results: Seventy-one percent of the AA participants and 84% of the CBT-i participants managed to discontinue their hypnotic drug consumption post-treatment. Symptoms of anxiety and depression decreased within the AA group (HAD-A (p < 0.05), HAD-D (p < 0.05)) and insomnia symptoms decreased within the CBT-i group (ISI (p < 0.001)). The only between-group difference occurred in ISI (p < 0.001), in favour of CBT-i. According to the within-group sleep diary results, the CBT-i group went to bed later (p < 0.001), fell asleep quicker (p < 0.05), increased their sleep efficiency (p < 0.001) and self-rated sleep quality (p < 0.05) post-treatment.

Conclusions: Both groups ended/maintained low hypnotic drug consumption post-treatment. Short-term reductions occurred in the AA group in anxiety and depression symptoms and in the CBT-i group regarding insomnia symptoms.