Pairwise Analysis Can Account for Network Structures Arising From Spike-Timing Dependent Plasticity.

Pairwise analysis can account for network structures arising from spike-timing dependent plasticity.

PLoS Comput Biol. 2013 Feb; 9(2): e1002906
Babadi B, Abbott LF

Spike timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) modifies synaptic strengths based on timing information available locally at each synapse. Despite this, it induces global structures within a recurrently connected network. We study such structures both through simulations and by analyzing the effects of STDP on pair-wise interactions of neurons. We show how conventional STDP acts as a loop-eliminating mechanism and organizes neurons into in- and out-hubs. Loop-elimination increases when depression dominates and turns into loop-generation when potentiation dominates. STDP with a shifted temporal window such that coincident spikes cause depression enhances recurrent connections and functions as a strict buffering mechanism that maintains a roughly constant average firing rate. STDP with the opposite temporal shift functions as a loop eliminator at low rates and as a potent loop generator at higher rates. In general, studying pairwise interactions of neurons provides important insights about the structures that STDP can produce in large networks. HubMed – depression

 

Depression – the global crisis.

Indian J Psychol Med. 2012 Jul; 34(3): 201-3
Reddy MS

HubMed – depression

 

Parental Psychological Distress During Pregnancy and Early Growth in Preschool Children: The Generation R Study.

Am J Epidemiol. 2013 Feb 22;
Guxens M, Tiemeier H, Jansen PW, Raat H, Hofman A, Sunyer J, Jaddoe VW

This study separately assessed the associations of maternal and paternal psychological distress during pregnancy with early growth in preschool children. The study was based on data from a population-based cohort study involving 5,283 children and their parents (with data collected beginning in early pregnancy) in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, from 2002 to 2006. Information on parental psychological distress (symptoms of depression, anxiety, hostility, and family stress) was obtained by questionnaire in the second trimester of gestation by using the Brief Symptom Inventory and the “general functioning” subscale of the McMaster Family Assessment Device. Child height, weight, and body mass index (weight (kg)/height (m)(2)) were measured repeatedly from age 3 months to age 4 years. We observed no consistent associations between overall maternal psychological symptoms, depression, anxiety, or hostility and child height, weight, or body mass index after adjustment for confounders. All maternal psychological distress scores were positively associated with the risk of overweight in childhood; however, these associations attenuated toward the null and became nonsignificant after adjusting for potential confounders. We did not observe consistent associations between paternal psychological distress and growth in childhood. These results indicate that social, behavioral, or environmental factors that cluster with parental psychological distress may explain the previously suggested associations between maternal psychological distress and early childhood growth and risk of overweight. HubMed – depression

 

The James Supportive Care Screening: integrating science and practice to meet the NCCN guidelines for distress management at a Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Psychooncology. 2013 Feb 25;
Gregorio SW, Porensky EK, Minotti M, Brown S, Snapp J, Taylor RM, Adolph MD, Everett S, Lowther K, Callahan K, Streva D, Heinke V, Leno D, Flower C, McVey A, Andersen BL

BACKGROUND: Selecting a measure for oncology distress screening can be challenging. The measure must be brief, but comprehensive, capturing patients’ most distressing concerns. The measure must provide meaningful coverage of multiple domains, assess symptom and problem-related distress, and ideally be suited for both clinical and research purposes. METHODS: From March 2006 to August 2012, the James Supportive Care Screening (SCS) was developed and validated in three phases including content validation, factor analysis, and measure validation. Exploratory factor analyses were completed with 596 oncology patients followed by a confirmatory factor analysis with 477 patients. RESULTS: Six factors were identified and confirmed including (i) emotional concerns; (ii) physical symptoms; (iii) social/practical problems; (iv) spiritual problems; (v) cognitive concerns; and (vi) healthcare decision making/communication issues. Subscale evaluation reveals good to excellent internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent, divergent, and predictive validity. Specificity of individual items was 0.90 and 0.87, respectively, for identifying patients with DSM-IV-TR diagnoses of major depression and generalized anxiety disorder. CONCLUSIONS: Results support use of the James SCS to quickly detect the most frequent and distressing symptoms and concerns of cancer patients. The James SCS is an efficient, reliable, and valid clinical and research outcomes measure. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. HubMed – depression

 


 

Home Based Tele-Behavioral Health Care: An Introduction to the In-Home Depression Treatment Study