key: cord-1011736-48rcmow5
authors: Ruzickova, T.; Carson, J.; Murphy, S.; Harmer, C.
title: P.230 Effects of online behavioural activation on depression during covid-19
date: 2021-02-25
journal: Eur Neuropsychopharmacol
DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2021.01.059
sha: cafd93a29d49d5bb0c621e3d1ffc911f994ab9ff
doc_id: 1011736
cord_uid: 48rcmow5

nan

Abstracts treatment for this disorder is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), but their efficacy is incomplete [4] . Adolescent depression is associated with social deprivation that jeopardizes the individual socioemotional development and reportedly leads to reduced plasticity [5] . Therefore, we hypothesized that both neural plasticity and social competencies should be targeted in order to increase treatment efficacy. A combination of both SSRI treatment, reportedly increasing neural plasticity, and social enrichment, which provides social stimulation, should be considered for a more effective recovery from depression. To assess such hypothesis in a preclinical model, we exposed C57BL/6 male and female mice (n = 20) either to social isolation protocol during adolescence [from postnatal day (PND) 21 to 55], to induce a depression-like phenotype, or standard housing conditions (i.e. controls). On PND 45, we assessed the depressive-like profile, through saccharine preference, and emotional and cognitive domains, through a battery of behavioral tests, including open field, novel object recognition, elevated plus maze, and fear condition test. Moreover, we evaluated neural plasticity, measuring the expression levels of the neurotrophin BDNF in addition to matrix metalloproteinases expression and activity. Data were analysed with one-or two-way ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc comparison or non-parametric methods according to data distribution. As expected, preliminary data showed that isolated male mice displayed increased liking-type anhedonia (i.e. decreased saccharin preference) compared to control mice both in adolescence [F(1,28) = 6.003, p = 0.0208] and at young adulthood phase [F(16,240) = 2.071, p = 0.0102]. When we compared the liking-type anhedonia in isolated and control female mice, though missing to reach statistical significance [F(16,224) = 1.534, p = 0.0895], a trend towards a decrease in the saccharine preference in the isolated group was found, in line with male groups. We did not observe any significant difference in body weight, water and food consumption. Our prediction is that male and female mice following social isolation will display a depressive-like emotional and cognitive behavioral profile and will show decreased neural plasticity markers in the hippocampus and in other key brain areas involved in depression. We will then study the effects of the treatment with the SSRI fluoxetine (three weeks 10 mg/kg/day) in adulthood, expecting that the combination of drug treatment with the social enrichment will be more effective in recovering from depressivelike behavior than SSRI treatment alone. This is because the increased neural plasticity and consequent ability to change behavioral outcome, induced by the pharmacological treatment, can be exploited only in a social environment providing the stimulation and the social experience lost during the adolescent phase. Overall, these experiments are aimed at identifying the neural bases of the enhanced efficacy reported for the combination of SSRIs and psychotherapy or environmental interventions in the treatment of depression.

T. Ruzickova , J. Carson, S. Murphy, C. Harmer

Background: The covid-19 pandemic has increased the incidence of depression and anxiety worldwide [1] and highlighted the need for cost-effective treatments that can be quickly disseminated. However, most psychological treatments are expensive to administer and not easily available globally. Behavioural activation is known to be a simple depression treatment that helps patients reconnect with daily activities, and it can be cost-effectively administered by non-therapists [2] . However, it is unclear whether it remains effective when daily activities are significantly disrupted during periods of social distancing and quarantine. Objective: To test the effects of an online behavioural activation programme during the covid-19 pandemic when administered by non-therapists on (a) symptoms of depression and anxiety, b) behavioural activation and covid-related lifestyle disruption and 3) emotional cognitive bias when responding to positive and negative stimuli. Methods: For a randomised, controlled study, we recruited sixty-eight volunteers experiencing depression between May and September 2020 and we assessed the effectiveness of a 4-week online behavioural activation in comparison to a passive control group. The intervention was administered by two researchers after a 15h-long training and supervision from a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner. Questionnaires assessing depression, anxiety, behavioural activation and covid-related lifestyle disruption, anxiety and stress were used at baseline, midway, end of intervention and at one month follow up. Computerised tasks such as Emotional Categorisation Task and Emotional Recall Task were used to assess emotional cognitive bias at baseline, midway and end of intervention. Independent sample t-tests and mixed measures ANOVA were used to test statistical significance when appropriate. Results: The online intervention decreased self-reported symptoms of depression compared to the control group (p < 0.001) and increased levels of activation (p = 0.005) across the four time points with significant differences remaining European Neuropsychopharmacology 44 (2021) S16-S38 at follow up. There was a mean rating of 82% for helpfulness of the intervention and 86% for likelihood to continue using the techniques. There were no significant effects of intervention on state anxiety and covid-related lifestyle disruption as both groups showed remission reflected in significant main effects of time. There were no significant effects of the intervention on emotional cognition on the Emotional Categorisation Task or the Emotional Recall Task. Conclusion: Online behavioural activation administered by non-therapists was effective in reducing symptoms of depression and increasing activation, although this was not reflected in changes to automatic emotional cognition. State anxiety and covid lifestyle disruption seemed to show significant spontaneous remission during our period of testing, indicating that covid-related anxiety, disruption and stress may be temporary. The intervention was rated as highly acceptable by participants experiencing depression. This study suggests that this online behavioural activation intervention can be effective despite the constraints of social distancing and that it has the potential to be cheaply disseminated during a global public health emergency when administered by non-therapists.

10-year research update review: the epidemiology of child and adolescent psychiatric disorders: I. Methods and public health burden

Depression in adolescence

Diagnosis and definition of treatmentresistant depression

Evaluation of outcomes with citalopram for depression using measurement-based care in STAR * D: implications for clinical practice

Social relationship correlates of major depressive disorder and depressive symptoms in Switzerland: nationally representative cross sectional study

Increase in prevalence of current mental disorders in the context of COVID-19: analysis of repeated nationwide cross-sectional surveys

Cost and Outcome of Behavioural Activation versus Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Depression (COBRA): a randomised, controlled, non-inferiority trial

Familial environment modifies association of DNA methyltransferases gene variants and cognitive functioning R. Enikeeva 1 , A. Kazantseva 1

The study of cognitive functioning and cognitive deficit is becoming increasingly relevant today due to an increased frequency of cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disorders even in the middle age. In turn, the level of cognitive functioning is the basis of life success and individual self-realization. It is established that the mechanisms underlying individual predisposition to individual cognitive functioning are complex, and genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors play a significant role. Together with the data on associated SNPs [1] , recent findings point to a significant role of epigenetic mechanisms in cognitive development. Since environmental factors [2] and DNA methyltransferases are responsible for certain epigenetic changes in DNA methylation profile [3] , the present study aimed to examine the main effect of DNA methyltransferases gene ( DNMT1 , DNMT3A , DNMT3B ) variants on cognitive abilities and to detect gene-by-environment interaction models explaining individual variance in cognitive functioning in mentally healthy young adults from Russia.The study consisted of 897 mentally healthy individuals (79% women; 19.74 ±1.51 years) of Caucasian origin (428 Russians, 200 Tatars, 117 Udmurts, and 152 of mixed ethnicity) from Russia. The assessment of cognitive abilities ("number sense", 3D mental rotation, non-verbal intelligence, working memory) was performed using the Battery of cognitive tests developed at International Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Investigations into Individual Differences in Learning (InLab) (Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London). The genotyping of DNMT1 rs10418707, DNMT3A rs1550117, DNMT3B rs2424932 gene SNPs was performed via PCR-based KASP genotyping technology on "CFX96" DNA Analyzer (BioRad, USA). Statistical analysis included multiple linear regression followed by FDR-correction for multiple testing (PLINK v.1.09). Genotypes and 13 environmental parameters served as independent factors and cognitive abilities as dependent variable.We failed to observe the main effect of examined gene variants in individual differences in cognitive functioning after correction for multiple comparisons. However, the GxE analysis revealed statistically significant models, which explained individual variances in the level of non-verbal intelligence: 1) DNMT1 rs10418707 and rearing in bilingual family ( β = 4.28; Р = 0.003); 2) DNMT3A rs1550117 and increased family income in childhood ( β = 16.7; Р = 0.008); 3) DNMT3B rs2424932 and rearing in a full family ( β = -4.61; Р = 0.023); 4) DNMT3B rs2424932 and paternal age at child's birth ( β = -0.13; Р = 0.037). In turn, the income level modulated the association of DNMT1 rs10418707 ( β = -2.34; Р = 0.017) and DNMT3B rs2424932 ( β = -1.75; Р = 0.025) with working memory, which is impaired in neurodegenerative diseases associated with cognitive decline.Our findings indicate a significant role of interaction between rearing specificity (including family income in childhood, bilingual rearing and the involvement of both parents in individual's development) and genetic predisposition mediated by variants in the genes responsible for the changes in DNA methylation profile in cognitive functioning.