Low-grade systemic inflammation may be a key player in the immune activation that has been reported for mental health deterioration. We hypothesised that elevated serum levels of inflammatory cytokines increase neuroinflammation and exacerbate depressive symptoms.

Eating disorders can significantly impact the psychosocial functioning and physical health of adolescents. Early and effective treatment is crucial to prevent long-lasting and potentially devastating adverse effects. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has recommended cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for eating disorders in adolescents when family therapy is unacceptable, contraindicated, or ineffective. This recommendation was primarily based on the review of promising results from the enhanced version of CBT (CBT-E) adapted for adolescents with eating disorders aged between 12 and 19 years. A non-randomized effectiveness trial has also shown that CBT-E achieved a similar outcome to family-based treatment (FBT) at 6- and 12-months. CBT-E has several advantages. It is acceptable to young people, and its collaborative nature suits ambivalent young patients who may be particularly concerned about control issues. The transdiagnostic scope of the treatment is an advantage as it can treat the full range of disorders that occur in adolescent patients. It is an individual one-on-one treatment that does not necessitate the full involvement of the family. This approach is particularly beneficial for families that can only provide limited support. Future challenges include clarifying the relative efficacy of CBT-E and family therapy for the treatment of adolescent patients with eating disorders in a randomized control trial and increasing its effectiveness, identifying the reasons for the lack of response, and modifying the treatment accordingly.

A decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR), estimated using creatinine (Cr- eGFR), is often found at the initial presentation of anorexia nervosa (AN). Its pathophysiology has been explained mainly by dehydration, and chronic hypokalemia is also thought to be a cause. However, because we have often experienced cases of AN with decreased Cr-eGFR without these conditions, we must consider different etiologies. The focus of this paper is on low free triiodothyronine (FT3) syndrome. We also discuss the utility of eGFR, estimated using cystatin-C (CysC-eGFR), for these patients.

Family caregivers, mostly parents, are greatly involved in the care of their children with end stage kidney disease (ESKD) globally. Yet, the experiences of these caregivers and the demands placed on them by the caregiving role have not been explored or documented in Ghana. This study explored how caregiving affects the psychological, physical, social, and spiritual well-being of family caregivers of children with end stage kidney disease (ESKD) in Ghana.

Intervention for older patients with cardiac disease and subthreshold depression (StD) may be an effective strategy to prevent the development of major depressive disorder. The subliminal priming with supraliminal reward stimulation (SPSRS) website developed by us is an advanced intervention that can improve depressive symptoms in individuals with StD by presenting positive word stimuli in videos. However, its efficacy for treating depressive symptoms in older patients with cardiac disease and StD has not been investigated. Here, we present a pilot randomized controlled trial protocol to investigate the preliminary efficacy of an intervention for older patients with cardiac disease with StD.

Patients with primary focal hyperhidrosis (hyperhidrosis) are known to have higher levels of anxiety induced by sweating than those who do not. However, in hyperhidrosis, no scale has been developed to measure anxiety specific to hyperhidrosis symptoms. Therefore, this study aimed to develop an anxiety scale specific to hyperhidrosis symptoms (ASSHS) and to verify its reliability and validity.

The autonomic nervous system plays a vital role in regulating physiological functions. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a method that provides insights into autonomic nerve modulation. This paper presents a research protocol investigating proof of mechanism for the impact of taVNS on autonomic functions and aims to both deepen theoretical understanding and pave the way for clinically relevant applications.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common, functional gastrointestinal disorder. Because IBS often develops and worsens with stress, it requires treatment from both physical and mental perspectives. Recent years have seen increasing reports of its impact on the daily performance and productivity of workers with IBS, leading to sick leaves and lower quality of life. Therefore, this narrative review aimed to summarize the work and psychosocial characteristics of individuals with IBS.

The study investigated the effects of loving-kindness meditation (LKM) on doctors' communication anxiety, trust, calling, and defensive medicine practice.

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is among the recommended non-pharmacological treatments for patients with insomnia. While there are multiple reports on the effects of CBT-I treatment, few studies evaluating the factors associated with the treatment response to CBT-I have been reported. The present study aimed to confirm the effects of CBT-I in patients with insomnia and to examine the clinico-demographic factors that can predict the outcomes of CBT-I in these patients.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients suffer from symptoms that cannot be explained by a single underlying biological cause. It is sometimes claimed that these symptoms are a manifestation of a disrupted autonomic nervous system. Prior works studying this claim from the complex adaptive systems perspective, have observed a lower average complexity of physical activity patterns in chronic fatigue syndrome patients compared to healthy controls. To further study the robustness of such methods, we investigate the within-patient changes in complexity of activity over time. Furthermore, we explore how these changes might be related to changes in patient functioning.

This study aimed to evaluate the association of COVID-19 preventive behavior and job-related stress with sleep quality among healthcare workers (HCWs). We conducted a cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire at the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan.

I previously reported a case of functional hyperthermia (FH) in a patient with an axillary temperature just slightly above 37.0 °C who persistently requested treatment. Because the severity of her fatigue increased remarkably when her axillary temperature increased above 37.0 °C, she felt that the temperature of 37.0 °C was disabling. In the present study, I analyzed a larger number of patients with FH to investigate the incidence of disabling symptoms with increasing body temperature, the kinds of symptoms associated with increased body temperature, and the temperatures at which these symptoms became disabling.

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, pharmacists, despite their vital contributions, have faced significant challenges that have impacted their mental well-being, potentially leading to the development of Post-Traumatic Stress symptoms (PTSS). The aim of this study was to investigate the role of work-related fatigue as a potential moderator in the relationship between pharmacists' resilience and their likelihood of experiencing PTSS during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Feeding and eating disorders are severe mental disorders that gravely affect patients' lives. In particular, patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) or bulimia nervosa (BN) appear to have poor social cognition. Many studies have shown the relationship between poor social cognition and brain responses in AN. However, few studies have examined the relationship between social cognition and BN. Therefore, we examined which brain regions impact the ability for social cognition in patients with BN.

Assessment of extrapulmonary comorbidities is essential in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Deterioration of balance and increasing fear of falling are two of the most significant extrapulmonary manifestations. Although pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is well-known and effective for COPD patients, there is a need for alternative treatments to enhance balance and alleviate concerns about falling. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Body Awareness Therapy (BAT), in addition to the PR program, on balance and fear of falling in patients with COPD.

In Europe, an herbal medicine containing peppermint oil is widely used in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In Japan, however, no clinical evidence for peppermint oil in IBS has been established, and it has not been approved as a drug for IBS. Accordingly, we conducted a clinical study to confirm the efficacy and safety of peppermint oil (ZO-Y60) in Japanese patients with IBS.

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic impacted both the physical and mental health of individuals. The resilience quotient (RQ) is an important factor that decreases mental health problems. This study aimed to explore mental health problems and RQ in patients who visit Primary Care Units (PCU).

This study aims to assess the influence of vitiligo illness on the quality of life of female individuals residing in Ajdabiya, Libya. Through this investigation, we aim to enhance our comprehension of the potential impact of cultural norms and conventional gender roles on managing and caring for skin disorders within a North African society. Over a 20-week period, 65 female participants diagnosed with vitiligo were recruited. The participants' quality of life was assessed using the Skindex-16 scale. This validated tool measures the impact of skin disease on several aspects of an individual's life, including physical, emotional, and social well-being. The findings of this study indicate that the quality of life of women with vitiligo significantly differed with age, social and functional status, and economic status. However, the illness profoundly impacted patients' lives emotionally, with clear consequences, including diminished emotional satisfaction and reduced social participation. The results of this study highlight the negative effects that vitiligo disease can have on women's quality of life within traditional Libyan society. This investigation also indicates that cultural norms and traditional gender patterns may contribute to these effects.

Postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a subset of orthostatic dysregulation, has been reported to be associated with anxiety. POTS can be classified into two forms based on the degree of tachycardia during orthostasis. Reportedly, POTS with decreased orthostatic heart rate increase is associated with suppressed cardiac parasympathetic activity and increased sympathetic activity in the supine position. In this study, the relationship between the two types of POTS and anxiety was evaluated in terms of autonomic function.

The purpose of this study was to develop an internet-based Guided Self-Help CBT (iGSH-CBT) for Bulimia Nervosa (BN) / Binge Eating Disorder (BED) for Japanese patients and to test its feasibility.

The management of low-grade fever in adults has not been codified. This gap is related not only to the numerous possible aetiologies but also to the difficulty of escaping the monocausal model of diseases. This article explores the complex issue of positive signs in 'psychogenic fever' through Reimann's 1930s series. The discussion emphasises Canguilhem's positions regarding vital signs and proposes (1) a semantic clarification of 'habitual hyperthermia' and (2) an amendment of the Belgian diagnostic criteria based on the concept of functional disorder. This paper also suggests following Peirce's pragmatism in the face of an uncommon clinical picture.

Previous studies have shown that patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) are likely to be affected by delirium and other psychiatric complications. We aimed to evaluate the relation between COVID-19 vaccination status and referral of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 for consultation-liaison psychiatry services.

Treatment of type 1 diabetes is a process involving not only sick children, but also their caregivers.

Visceral hypersensitivity in functional dyspepsia can be localized or widespread, and there is no simple method of assessment. Measuring interoceptive accuracy at different sites provides an assessment of perceptual hypersensitivity to specific ecological phenomena. The purpose of this study was to characterize visceral hypersensitivity by comparing gastric sensory and cardiac perceptual tests in patients with postprandial distress syndrome and in healthy volunteers.

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a disease characterized by chronic widespread pain concomitant with psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety and depression. It has been reported that FM patients engage in pain catastrophizing. In this study, we investigated characteristics of the brain volume of female FM patients and the association between psychological indices and brain volume. Thirty-nine female FM patients and 25 female healthy controls (HCs) were recruited for the study, and five FM patients were excluded due to white matter lesions. The following analyses were performed: (1) T1-weighted MRI were acquired for 34 FM patients (age 41.6 ± 7.4) and 25 HCs (age 39.5 ± 7.4). SPM12 was used to compare their gray and white matter volumes. (2) Data from anxiety and depression questionnaires (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (subscales rumination, helplessness, magnification), and MRI were acquired for 34 FM patients (age 41.6 ± 7.4). Correlation analysis was done of the psychological indices and brain volume. We found that (1) The white matter volume of the temporal pole was larger in the FM patient group than in the HC group. (2) Correlation analysis of the psychological indices and gray matter volume showed a negative correlation between trait anxiety and the amygdala. For the white matter volume, positive correlations were found between depression and the brainstem and between magnification and the postcentral gyrus. Changes in the brain volume of female FM patients may be related to anxiety, depression, and pain catastrophizing.

Procrastination is a psychological trait that causes individuals to put off doing things that need to be done. It has recently shown to result in the worsening of symptoms due to delays in seeking medical care. However, it is not clear how perception of dental disease influences dental visits. This study examined the associations of procrastination and personality traits with delayed dental visits for both acute and chronic conditions.