Depressive symptoms in pregnancy are risk factors for postpartum depression and associated to adverse child outcomes (Glover, 2014). Depressive symptoms decreases after participation in mindfulness and self-compassion based interventions for pregnant women (e.g. Goodman et al., 2014). However, apart from intervention trials, there are not studies on the relationship between mindfulness, self-compassion and depressive symptoms in pregnancy (Zoeterman, 2014).

To explore the association between mindfulness, self-compassion and depressive symptoms in pregnant women.

Four hundred and twenty-seven pregnant women (mean age: 32.56 ± 4.785 years) in their second trimester of pregnancy completed a set of self-report questionnaires validated for pregnancy: Facets of Mindfulness Questionnaire-10 ([FMQ-10]; Azevedo et al., 2015; to evaluate Nonjudging of experience/NJ, acting with awareness (AA) and observing and describing (OD), Self-Compassion Scale ([SCS]; Bento et al., 2015; to evaluate self-kindness, self-judgment, common humanity [CH], isolation, mindfulness and over-identification [OD]) and Postpartum Depression Screening Scale-24 (PDSS-24; Pereira et al., 2013). Only variables significantly correlated with the outcomes were entered in the multiple regression models.

FMQ-10 and SCS Total scores were both significant predictors of PDSS-24 (B = –0.294,–0.272). Derealization and failure predictors were NJ and Isolation (B = –0.234; 0.384); Suicidal ideation predictor was NJ, OD and isolation (B = –0.152;–0.115; 0.334); concentration difficulties and anxiety predictors were isolation and CH (B = 0.296;–0.201); Sleep difficulties predictors were AA and isolation (B = –0.199; 0.248) (all P < 0.05).

Mindfulness and self-Ccompassion dimensions, particularly nonjudging of experience, acting with awareness, observing and describing are protective correlates of antenatal depressive symptoms. Isolation is a correlate of PD in pregnancy.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Depressive disorders are the most prevalent mental diseases and they cause a major impact in our society.

The objective of this study is to establish the prevalence of depressive disorders in Andalusia.

The aim is to provide useful information regarding this prevalent and disabling condition, in order to contribute to its prevention and treatment.

Our results proceed from the PISMA-ep study, undertook in Andalusia. In this cross-sectional community based study, 4507 participants between 18 and 75 years of age were interviewed by fully trained professionals. The main diagnostic tool was the Spanish version of the MINI Neuropsychiatric International Interview.

Our sample consists of 4507 participants. 50.9% of them were females. Mean age was 42.8 years. The estimated one-month prevalence of any mood disorder was 7.9% (7.1–8.6). The estimated one-month prevalence of major depression was 6, 4% (5.6–7.1). The prevalence of the other measured depressive disorders were as follows: Recurrent depressive episode: 3.7% (3.2–4.3), Melancholic depression: 3% (2.5–3.5), Severe depressive episode with psychotic symptoms: 1.4% (1.1–1.8).

The PISMA-ep is the first large mental health epidemiological study ever developed in the largest region of Spain. The results obtained in this region show a higher prevalence of depressive disorders in Andalusia, when compared with prior studies that used a nationally representative sample (i.e. the ESEMeD study). The reasons for this higher prevalence are yet to be explored.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The quality of life in patients with depression may be a measure of the efficiency of its management. Although quality of life is a subjective concept, difficult to assess, it may be reflected by the degree of social adaptation and the individual's level of functioning.

The study evaluates the time evolution of depressive symptoms and of some parameters attesting the quality of life in patients diagnosed with depression who are on antidepressant treatment.

Highlighting the evolution in time of depressive symptoms and patients’ perceptions on some aspects of quality of life.

There were included 23 patients who met the criteria of depressive episode, single or within recurrent depressive disorder, according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10-AM), requiring antidepressant treatment. Subjects were evaluated at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD), Sheehan disability scale (SDS), Social Adjustment Scale – Self-report (SASS).

Statistically significant decrease in mean HAMD scores was observed in the second administration. There were registered statistically significant differences of scores obtained in the two administrations for the 17 items of the SASS scale. Correlations with statistical significance between HAMD scores and some of the SDS areas were observed.

Results showed a favorable course of depressive symptoms while under treatment and differences in time of subjects’ perception on several aspects evaluated on SASS for the group studied. Correlations with statistical significance between HAMD scores and some SDS areas were observed.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Depression leads to substantial suffering for the patients, their families and becomes an economic burden for system [1,2]. Patients and clinicians tend to rate the remission differently [3].

We investigate if clinicians and patients rate different the treatment response. This study assed the evolution of major depressive episode (MDE) in patients treated with Agomelatine, in Romania. It was designed as a multicentre, observational study that included 1213 adult patients evaluated in 75 sites in 2014. The design included 3 visits (baseline (V1); visit at 2/3 weeks (V2); visit 6/8 weeks (V3)). The scales used were: MADRS, SHAPS, CGI-I, CGI-S, PGI-I, PGI-S.

The MDE improvement was significant (P < 0.001) for all aspects evaluated. At baseline, more clinicians vs. patients considered the moderately or markedly ill as best descriptors of the state. The difference between the two assessments was even higher for V2 and V3. During V2 clinicians reported “minimally improvement” while patients reported “much improvement” in higher percentage. During V3, both, clinicians and patients reported a “very much improved” clinical status. Of the patients 42.60% reported at V3 “normal”, not at all ill’ in comparison to 34.81% of clinicians who reported the same (P < 0.001).

This could mean that patients are not aware of the severity of their disease. This data could be interpreted in the way that patients are more prone to rate higher the improvements as response to treatment and the clinicians to rate as response a more than 50% decrease of symptomatology.

References not available.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Response styles theory postulates that rumination is a central factor in occurrence, severity and maintaining of depression. High neuroticism has been associated with tendency to ruminate.

To evaluate the relationships between rumination, neuroticism and depression in a naturalistic prospective cohort of primary care patients with depressive disorders with life-chart methodology.

We hypothesized, that rumination would correlate with severity and duration of depression and with concurrent anxiety, gender and neuroticism.

In the Vantaa Primary Care Depression Study, a stratified random sample of 1119 adult patients was screened for depression using the Prime-MD. Depressive and comorbid psychiatric disorders were diagnosed using SCID-I/P and SCID-II. Of the 137 patients with depressive disorders, 82% completed the five-year follow-up with a graphic life chart. Neuroticism was measured with the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI-Q). Response styles were investigated at five years using the Response Styles Questionnaire (RSQ-43).

Rumination correlated significantly with Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (r = 0.54), Beck Depression Inventory (r = 0.61), Beck Anxiety Inventory (r = 0.50), Beck Hopelessness Scale (r = 0.51) and Neuroticism (r = 0.58). Rumination correlated also with proportion of follow-up time spent depressed (r = 0.38). In multivariate regression, high rumination was significantly predicted by current depressive symptoms and neuroticism, but not by anxiety symptoms or preceding duration of depressive episodes.

Rumination correlated with current severity of depression, but the association with preceding episode duration remained uncertain. The association between neuroticism and rumination was strong. The findings are consistent with rumination as a state-related phenomenon, which is also strongly intertwined with traits predisposing to depression.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Endocannabinoid system has been highlighted as one of the most relevant research topics by neurobiologists, pharmacists, basic scientists and clinicians. The association between endocannabinoids and its congeners and mood disorders is relatively recent. However, evidence from both clinical and preclinical studies is increasing and many researchers point out endocannabinoid system and particularly endocannabinoids and congeners as promising pharmacological targets.

The main objective of this study is to compare the plasma concentrations of endocannabinoids and congeners between a sample of patients with depression and a sample of control subjects, and the influence of variables such as age, body mass index, gender, severity of symptoms, and antidepressant medication.

Plasma concentrations of endocannabinoids and congeners will be analyzed in 69 patients with depression from primary care and 47 controls using mass spectrometry analysis.

Statistically significant differences in 2-arachidonoylglycerol and monoacylglycerols were found between both samples. Somatic symptoms of depression seems to be more related to these compounds that to cognitive-affective symptoms. In addition, differences between mildly and moderately depressed patients were found in concentrations of AEA, LEA, DGLEA and POEA. Patients with antidepressant medication showed higher levels of 2-AG, DGLEA and OEA.

The results of this study provide evidence supporting the hypothesis that in depression there is a dysregulation of the inflammatory signaling and, consequently the immune system. The results of this study could also support the realization of translational research to better understand the mechanisms of this widely distributed system.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Evidence indicates that manic symptoms, below the threshold for hypomania (mixed features), are common in individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD).

To evaluate the effect of lurasidone on specific depressive and manic symptoms, based on Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) items, in patients with MDD with mixed features.

Patients meeting DSM-IV-TR criteria for MDD, who presented with 2–3 protocol-specified manic symptoms, were randomized to 6 weeks of double-blind treatment with lurasidone monotherapy 20–60 mg/d (n = 109) or placebo (n = 100). Change from baseline in the MADRS total, MADRS-6 core depression subscale, individual MADRS items, and total and individual items of the YMRS were analyzed by MMRM, and Cohen's d effect sizes (d) were calculated for week 6 change scores.

Lurasidone improved depressive symptoms at week 6 in the MADRS total score (–20.5 vs. –13.0; P < 0.0001; d = 0.8) and MADRS-6 core depression score (–13.0 vs. –8.5; P < 0.0001; d = 0.7). Significant improvement on lurasidone was observed at week 6 on all ten MADRS items (d = 0.36–0.78). Effect sizes for the MADRS-6 core depression subscale items ranged from 0.36 to 0.78 at week 6. Treatment with lurasidone was associated with significantly greater week 6 improvement on the YMRS (–7.0 vs. –4.9; P < 0.0001). Effect sizes for the 5 YMRS items with baseline item severity ≥ 2 ranged from 0.32 to 0.48.

In this study of MDD with mixed features, lurasidone was effective in treating the range of depressive and manic symptoms that patients presented with.

Sponsored by Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Self-assessment tools are frequently used as screening tools for depression. However, they are usually long and time-consuming.

To assess specificity, sensitivity and overall accuracy of a novel, very short, 5 questions tool.

The questionnaire consists of 3 phenomenological (based on main symptoms of depression) and 2 questions to assess functional impact of the symptoms. One hundred and ninety patients diagnosed clinically as having major depression (according to ICD-10 criteria and with the help of MINI tool) filled the questionnaire in twice, during episode and remission.

At least two (out of three possible) “yes” answers to phenomenological questions and both two “yes” functional answers yielded 100% specificity (no person in remission). At least one “yes” answer to phenomenological questions and both “yes” answers to functional question yielded 82.8% specificity, 83.7% sensitivity and 83,3% overall accuracy. These results varied insignificantly in subgroups with different depression severity.

A short, 5-question questionnaire may be used as a screening tool for depression. Specificity, sensitivity and overall accuracy are above 80% largely independently of depression severity.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Depression is among the most common mental illnesses in Canada. Although many factors contribute to depression, stress is among the most commonly reported. Studies suggest that marginalized groups often experience high levels of stress.

To examine associations between ethnicity and depressive symptoms among university students.

To identify if ethnic groups, particularly Aboriginal students, are at greater risk of depression.

Online survey data were collected from students attending eight universities in the Canadian Maritime Provinces (n = 10,180). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 12-item version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Ethnicity was organized into five groups: Caucasian only, Aboriginal only, Aboriginals with other ethnicities, Mixed Ethnicity (not including Aboriginal), and Other (single ethnicity not including Aboriginal or Caucasian). Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models were used to assess associations between ethnicity and elevated depressive symptoms. Adjusted models accounted for demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioural characteristics.

In adjusted analyses for men, Mixed (OR: 2.01; 95% CI: 1.12–3.63) and Other ethnic students (OR: 1.47; 95% CI: 1.11–1.96) were more likely to have elevated depressive symptoms than Caucasians. There were no differences between those who were Aboriginal and those who were Caucasian. In unadjusted and adjusted analyses for women, depressive symptoms in ethnic groups (including Aboriginals) were not significantly different from Caucasians.

Among male university students in the Maritime, ethnicity (other than being Aboriginal) was associated with depressive symptoms in comparison to Caucasians, after adjusting for covariates. However, among women, ethnicity was not significantly associated with depressive symptoms.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Wake-therapy (or “Sleep deprivation”) has the potential of providing a fast anti-depressive response as add-on treatment to pharmaceutical intervention. Agitation in a depressive state is well known and is often associated with interrupted sleep. Although hypomanic symptoms have been reported following a single nights wake, agitation has not been examined.

To examine if agitation increases among inpatients undergoing wake-therapy compared to treatment as usual (TAU).

Admitted patients suffering from a depressive episode will be randomized to either wake-therapy combined with bright light therapy in addition to TAU, including medication, or to TAU alone. Before wake-therapy, patients are assessed using PANSS-EC, aimed at measuring only agitation. The day after a single nights wake, the assessment will be repeated. Likewise, agitation will be assessed in the control group directly after randomization as well as the day after.

In this trial, 50 patients will be randomized for treatment. Results concerning agitation among patients that have undergone the trial will be presented.

Agitation as a side effect of wake-therapy has been scarcely investigated and this randomized trial will contribute to the knowledge of agitation following wake-therapy.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Cognitive dysfunction is an important aspect of depression that includes problems with thinking, concentration and memory. Research suggests that the cognitive aspect of depression is highly prevalent and has a significant impact on patient functioning. Currently, cognitive dysfunction in depression is largely unrecognised, unmonitored and untreated.

We aim to define cognitive dysfunction in clinical depression (major depressive disorder) and explore its detection and management in the UK, highlighting priority areas to be addressed.

A modified Delphi method was used as the process to gain consensus. A multi-stakeholder steering committee of depression experts (including psychiatrists, psychologists, primary care physicians, and representatives from occupational therapy and a depression charity) provided the key themes and, through round-table discussion, developed draft statements. The main areas of focus were burden, detection and management of cognitive dysfunction in depression. These statements formed a questionnaire to be reviewed by 150–200 health-care professionals with an involvement in the management of depression, with level of agreement noted as ‘strongly disagree’, ‘disagree’, ‘don’t know/uncertain’, ‘agree’ or ‘strongly agree’. Responses to the questionnaire will be analysed (very high agreement [> 66%] or very low agreement [< 33%]) and the steering committee will revise and finalise the consensus statements, and identify priority areas for future consideration. The steering committee was initiated and supported by the pharmaceutical company Lundbeck Ltd, through an educational grant. Lundbeck Ltd did not influence content.

Results of the questionnaire and the evolution of the final consensus statements will be presented.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The eating disorder (ED) are anorexia nervosa, bulimia and unspecified eating disorder behavior according to ICD-10. Currently the ED have become a social and health problem of the first kind that require specialized and interdisciplinary approach to the response of such disorders.

The growing demand observed in different assistive devices is associated with increased incidence of eating disorders in recent decades.

She is a woman of 23 years old, single. It is the small two brothers. He lives with his parents and brother 25 years. It is fourth-year student of law. It is derived from primary care by their GP after significant weight loss by decreasing the intake of foods high in calories and low mood. It is defined as a very responsible person, controller and is always looking for perfection in every activity performed. He began to try to lose weight about a year that relates to start time of stress ago. She speaks that had many exams and wanted to get top marks in all. With good adherence to psychotherapy and monitoring by nurses. Aspects of body image as well as traits such as perfectionism work.

These clinical conditions are characterized by their complexity and diversity symptomatology, which involves a significant interference in their functioning in different vital areas and clinically significant distress. After the psychotherapeutic approach, a significant reduction in the clinic that she had at the beginning and an improvement in mood was observed.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Several reviews have reported the incidence of schizophrenia in patients with eating disorders (ED) to be between 3–10% and the incidence of transient psychotic episodes to be 10–15%. On the other hand, anorexia nervosa appears to affect 1 to 4% of schizophrenia patients. Reports of psychosis and ED occurring in the same patient have led to various views as to the nature of the relationship between the two.

Analysis of the literature illustrated by different clinical cases in which appears to be a relationship between ED and psychosis.

Critical reflection about the hypothesis that could underlie the comorbidity of psychotic illness and ED.

Non-systematic review of a literature search using the keywords: eating disorders; psychosis; comorbidity.

There is no consistent sequence in the co-occurrence of the two conditions – ED sometimes precede and sometimes follows the onset of psychosis. ED patients can develop psychotic symptoms, most frequently transient in the course of the disorder, while others are subsequently diagnosed with a chronic psychotic disorder. On the other hand, patients with a primary psychotic illness can develop an eating disorder. The connection between the two, however, remains speculative, considering the hypothesis that ED and psychosis can be entirely separate disorders that can, by chance, occur in the same person.

The area of comorbidity and overlapping symptoms in psychiatry requires more deep research. Despite evidence from case series, the comorbidity between ED and psychosis is poorly understood, and firm conclusions cannot be drawn from this analysis.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Several studies have proved that people who suffer from Anorexia Nervosa (AN) experience higher levels of anxiety, stress and depression than general population; while controversial results have been found among obese people (OB); the purpose of this study is to compare levels of anxiety, stress, and depression in AN sample, in OB sample and in Healthy Control Group (HC).

AN sample: 27 anorexic inpatient women in an eating disorder unit. OB sample: 27 obese women evaluated for elegibility of bariatric surgery intervention. HC group: 27 women from different countries had been recruited. DASS 21 and STAI-Y questionnaires had been subministred to evaluate anxiety, stress and depression. The questionnaires had been scores and statistical analysis had been held to determine whether the differences founded in the 3 populations were significant or not (P-value < 0.05).

Table 1. The differences founded were significant.

Anxiety and stress (DASS21, STAI): AN have reported higher levels than OB and HC that present similar levels. Depression (DASS21): AN have reported higher levels than OB and HC; OB higher levels than HC.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Night Eating Syndrome (NES) was described in 1955 in a subset of patients resistant to weight loss. It is characterized by morning anorexia, evening hyperfagia and sleep disturbances. It is also more prevalent among patients with another eating disorder (ED), particularly binge-eating disorder (BED) or bulimia nervosa (BN).

Review of the literature about the relationship between NES and another EDs and to present a case report of a patient with a long-standing purgative anorexia nervosa (AN-BP) and comorbid NES.

review of the literature using the database Medline through Pubmed, with the keywords: “night eating syndrome” and “eating disorder”.

NES is highly prevalent among patients with EDs, with an estimated prevalence of about 5–44%. However, most of the existent literature explores the relationship between NES and BED or BN, and it is not consensual if NES is a subtype of another ED. There is still scarce evidence about NES and AN comorbidity.

In this case report, we present a patient with a history of AN-BP, in which the recovery of lost weight and the increase of body mass index (BMI) occurred simultaneously with a period of worsening NES symptoms, which leads the authors to question if the psychopathology of NES has contributed to the recovery of BMI at the expense of maintaining a dysfunctional eating pattern.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

According to the most widely influential treatment guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and the American Psychiatric Association, existing evidence for adult AN treatment is weak, and more treatment studies are needed.

The primary objective of this project is to gain knowledge about the effectiveness of CBT-E in the treatment of Anorexia Nervosa (AN). Secondary objectives are to prospectively examine baseline predictors of treatment outcome/drop-out and to examine variables related to treatment process and patient engagement as predictors of outcome/drop-out. Thirdly, in a multidisciplinary approach, to focus on selected pathophysiological mechanisms including disturbed neuropsychological functioning, changes in the gut microbiota, immunological and genetic measures in patients with severe AN in different stages of the disease, and further to investigate to what extent they are related to treatment outcome.

The sample consists of patients aged ≥ 16 years with AN admitted to outpatient treatment (CBT-E) at Section for Eating Disorders, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. Outcome measures include BMI, self-reported eating disorder symptoms (EDE-Q), depression (BDI), anxiety (BAI) general psychiatric symptomatology (SCL-90-R, M.I.N.I 6.0), health related quality of life (CIA, RAND-36), physical activity (accelerometers) and neuropsychological functioning. The main measurement points are at the start of treatment, 3 months, end of treatment and one year follow-up. Baseline predictors of treatment outcome and drop-out will be examined as well as the association between early adherence, behavioral change, therapeutic alliance and treatment outcome. In addition biochemical, genetic and bacteriological assessments will be conducted.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Stress exposure is a risk factor for both the onset and the maintenance of Eating Disorders (EDs). The attachment theory may provide a framework to explain the relationship between social stress and EDs, since secure attachment promotes the seeking for support in order to help people to face stressful events. The endogenous stress response system, including the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, is likely involved in mediating the role of attachment in the subjects’ coping with stressful situations.

We explored cortisol responses to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) of patients with EDs in order to evaluate possible associations between subjects’ attachment styles and HPA axis functioning.

Twenty-one adult patients with EDs (7 with secure attachment and 14 with insecure attachment) filled in the Experience in Close Relationship (ECR) questionnaire, which assesses the adult attachment style, and were exposed to the TSST. Saliva samples were collected before and after the stress in order to measure cortisol levels.

As compared to ED patients with secure attachment, those with insecure attachment showed a significant different pattern of the HPA response to the stress test.

Present findings suggest that attachment style may influence the HPA response to stress in patients with EDs and this effect may have relevant implications for the pathophysiology of EDs.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.