{"title":"Cross-Cultural Differences in the Pathways to Internet Gaming Disorder","authors":"Peter K. H. Chew, Patrick K. F. Lin, Yong Jie Yow","doi":"10.1111/appy.12565","DOIUrl":"10.1111/appy.12565","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>No research to date has examined cross-cultural differences in the pathways to internet gaming disorder (IGD). The current study aimed to address this limitation by examining the relationships between nationality (Singaporeans vs. Australians), culture orientation, gaming motivations, and IGD.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Participants were 101 Singaporeans (55.4% males) and 98 Australians (52.0% males). They completed the Culture Orientation Scale, the Motives for Online Gaming Questionnaire, and the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short-Form.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A series of mediational analyses showed that Singaporeans tend to be more collectivistic (both horizontally and vertically). In turn, this culture orientation motivates them to play games for social reasons, increasing the risk for IGD. In contrast, Australians tend to be more individualistic (vertically only). In turn, this culture orientation motivates them to play games for competitive reasons, increasing the risk for IGD.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Limitations include the use of samples from two countries only, precluding a generalization of the results. Future research directions include examining the role of game genres as a mediator in the nationality-IGD relationship.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8618,"journal":{"name":"Asia‐Pacific Psychiatry","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/appy.12565","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142399150","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zhen Gui PhD, Qinge Zhang MD, Sha Sha MD, Xiao-Hong Li MD, Zhaohui Su PhD, Teris Cheung PhD, Xi-Ling Cui PhD, Gabor S. Ungvari MD, PhD, Katrine K. Wong PhD, Chee H. Ng MBBS, MD, Feng Yuan MD, Yu-Tao Xiang MD, PhD
{"title":"Bipolar disorder and oxidative stress: A bibliometric perspective","authors":"Zhen Gui PhD, Qinge Zhang MD, Sha Sha MD, Xiao-Hong Li MD, Zhaohui Su PhD, Teris Cheung PhD, Xi-Ling Cui PhD, Gabor S. Ungvari MD, PhD, Katrine K. Wong PhD, Chee H. Ng MBBS, MD, Feng Yuan MD, Yu-Tao Xiang MD, PhD","doi":"10.1111/appy.12564","DOIUrl":"10.1111/appy.12564","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objective</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Accumulating evidence indicates that oxidative stress and the disruption of antioxidant defenses play an important role in the neurobiology of bipolar disorder (BD). Studies have found that increased oxidative stress may be associated with cell apoptosis and neuronal damage in BD patients. Hence, this study explored the research field related to BD and oxidative stress from a bibliometrics perspective.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Literature search and relevant data retrieval based on the Web of Sciences Core Collection (WoSCC). R software (version 4.2.2), VOSviewer software (version 1.6.18), and CiteSpace (version 6.1.6) were used in this bibliometric analysis.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A total of 2081 publications related to BD and oxidative stress were published between 1986 and 2024. <i>Bipolar Disorders</i> was the journal that had the most publications in this area (72; 3.46%; IF = 5.9), while the United States (1285; 61.7%) and the University of Toronto (377; 18.1%) were the most productive country and institution, respectively. Apart from “oxidative stress” and “bipolar disorder,” the most frequently used keywords were “schizophrenia,” “prefrontal cortex,” and “nitric oxide.”</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The growing number of publications related to BD and oxidative stress in recent years highlights the importance of this research field. Hot topics in research related to BD and oxidative stress included animal experiments and molecular mechanisms, psychiatric-related inflammation and biomarkers, neurodegenerative diseases, and metabolism. Furthermore, the biological mechanisms of BD, particularly biomarkers and inflammation, may be the emerging research priority area in the future.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8618,"journal":{"name":"Asia‐Pacific Psychiatry","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/appy.12564","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141970534","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lien-Chung Wei MD, MPH, Happy Kuy-Lok Tan MD, MPH, MHS
{"title":"Letter to the editor—Reflections on “Total valproate versus free valproate in therapeutic drug monitoring for bipolar disorder: A cross-sectional study”","authors":"Lien-Chung Wei MD, MPH, Happy Kuy-Lok Tan MD, MPH, MHS","doi":"10.1111/appy.12562","DOIUrl":"10.1111/appy.12562","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8618,"journal":{"name":"Asia‐Pacific Psychiatry","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141417584","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aaradhana Rukadikar MBA (HR), Komal Khandelwal PhD
{"title":"Harnessing AI as an enabler for access to mental health care services","authors":"Aaradhana Rukadikar MBA (HR), Komal Khandelwal PhD","doi":"10.1111/appy.12557","DOIUrl":"10.1111/appy.12557","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8618,"journal":{"name":"Asia‐Pacific Psychiatry","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140897092","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yee-Lam E. Chan MD, Wang-Sheng Lin MD, Hui-Chen Lai MS, Chih-Yuan Hung MD, Mao-Hsuan Huang MD
{"title":"Changes in cognitive function after a 12-week POWER rehabilitation in older adults with schizophrenia and frailty","authors":"Yee-Lam E. Chan MD, Wang-Sheng Lin MD, Hui-Chen Lai MS, Chih-Yuan Hung MD, Mao-Hsuan Huang MD","doi":"10.1111/appy.12556","DOIUrl":"10.1111/appy.12556","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The effectiveness of isolated resistance training (RT) on cognitive function among older adults with schizophrenia is insufficiently investigated. This study investigated the effectiveness of 12-weeks POWER rehabilitation, a novel RT regimen, on cognitive function among older patients with schizophrenia and frailty.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Thirty-two older adults with schizophrenia and frailty were enrolled and randomized to receive either a 12-week, twice weekly POWER rehabilitation, or without add-on training. Cognitive functioning was assessed using mini-mental state examination (MMSE), digit symbol substitution test, color trail task (CTT), and digit span task (DST). Physical performance was assessed by walking speed and hand grip strength. The generalized estimating equations was used to compare pre- and post-training outcome measure between groups.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Between-group analysis revealed significant improvement in CTT1 and hand grip strength in the intervention group compared to the controls. Subgroup analyses showed CTT1 performance significantly improved after 12 weeks of POWER rehabilitation in the intervention group (time, <i>p</i> < .001), independent of age, educational level, global cognition, depressive symptoms, and psychotropic medication use. Increased hand grip strength was significantly associated with improved performance in MMSE, CTT1, and DST forward at study endpoint.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A 12-week POWER rehabilitation for older patients with schizophrenia and frailty is safe and feasible, and may benefit physical and some domains of cognitive functioning.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8618,"journal":{"name":"Asia‐Pacific Psychiatry","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140897090","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Total valproate versus free valproate in therapeutic drug monitoring for bipolar disorder: A cross-sectional study","authors":"Mullezhath Babu Nimesh Krishna MD, Jyothsna Chinnapura Seetharam MD, Archana Mishra DM, Rituparna Maiti MD, Biswa Ranjan Mishra MD, Anand Srinivasan DM","doi":"10.1111/appy.12555","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/appy.12555","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Introduction</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The debate about observing total versus free serum valproate levels for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) has been unresolved for decades. This study was planned to assess the agreement between the total versus free valproate levels and the advantage of one method over the other in TDM.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The present cross-sectional study was done on 93 patients with bipolar disorder. The intraclass correlation coefficient, Bland Altman analysis, and Lin's concordance analysis were done to assess the agreement between the total and free valproate concentrations. Linear and polynomial models were constructed to evaluate the relation between the two measurements. Receiver operating characteristics analysis was done to compare the accuracy for differentiating remission from non-remission on Young's mania rating scale (YMRS).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The intraclass correlation coefficient and Lin's concordance correlation coefficient were 0.491 (<i>p</i> = .002) and 0.055 (95% CI:0.037, 0.073), respectively. Bland Altman's analysis showed proportional bias. A polynomial model of second order was found to be the best fit for the prediction of free valproate from the data for total valproate, and 81.4% of the variability in free valproate could be explained when adjusted for albumin levels. The area under the curve for total valproate was 0.60 when compared to free valproate 0.56 for differentiating between remission and non-remission, but the comparison between the two ROC analyses was not statistically significant.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Free valproate does not provide any added advantage over the total valproate levels; hence, total valproate levels may continue to be used as the marker for drug monitoring.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8618,"journal":{"name":"Asia‐Pacific Psychiatry","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140343065","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Meiqi Wang MD, Yunxi Zhong MD, Yifan Chen MD, Qixiu Li MD, Xiaoying Su MD, Zhen Wei PhD, Long Sun PhD
{"title":"Differentiating the association between age of alcohol use initiation and conditional suicidal behaviors among adolescents","authors":"Meiqi Wang MD, Yunxi Zhong MD, Yifan Chen MD, Qixiu Li MD, Xiaoying Su MD, Zhen Wei PhD, Long Sun PhD","doi":"10.1111/appy.12554","DOIUrl":"10.1111/appy.12554","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Introduction</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Suicide and early alcohol use initiation are public health concerns. Previous studies have explored the associations between age of alcohol use initiation and suicidal behaviors, which progresses from ideation to action. Distinguishing between the various associations can help gain a deeper understanding of suicidal behaviors and aid in developing social suicide prevention strategies.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The study utilized the Youth Risk Behavior Survey to investigate this association. A total of 17 209 students were finally included in the study. Conditional suicidal behaviors included no suicidal behavior (NS), suicidal ideation without a plan or attempt (SINPA), suicide plan without an attempt (SPNA) and suicide attempt (SA).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Among 17 209 students, the prevalence of suicidal ideation, suicide plan, and suicide attempt were 21.4%, 17.3%, and 11.1%, respectively. Moreover, 15.2% of the students used alcohol before age 13, whereas 31.7% of students used alcohol at age 13 or older. Compared to NS, students using alcohol showed significant associations with SA (OR = 2.34, <i>p</i> < .001; OR = 1.29, <i>p</i> < .01), SPNA (OR = 1.68, <i>p</i> < .001; OR = 1.19, <i>p</i> < .05) and SINPA (OR = 1.55, <i>p</i> < .001; OR = 1.40, <i>p</i> < .001). Comparing with SINPA and SNPA, students using alcohol before age 13 were associated with SA (OR = 1.61, <i>p</i> < .001; OR = 1.46, <i>p</i> < .001), whereas those using alcohol at or after the age 13 were not associated with SA (OR = 0.98, <i>p</i> > .05; OR = 1.09, <i>p</i> > .05).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Discussion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study demonstrated that early alcohol use initiation was significantly associated with suicide attempts among students with suicidal ideations or plans.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8618,"journal":{"name":"Asia‐Pacific Psychiatry","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140179284","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Philip M. Jones BSc, MBBS, MBiostat, FACEM, Amy Sweeny BSc, RN, MPH, Grace Branjerdporn PhD, BOccThy(Hons I), CHIA, CertIV Tesol, Gerben Keijzers MBBS, MSc, FACEM, PhD, Andrea P. Marshall RN, PhD, Ya-Ling Huang RN, PhD, Emma J. Hall BN, GradCertCritCareNurs, Jamie Ranse BNurs, GradCertClinEd, GradCertClinEpi, MCritCareNurs, PhD, Dinesh Palipana OAM, LLB, GradDipLP, MD, EMC, Yang D. Teng PhD, MD, Julia Crilly OAM, BN, MEmergN(Hons), PhD, the COVERED COVID study investigators
{"title":"The impact of COVID-19 on emergency department presentations for mental health disorders in Queensland, Australia: A time series analysis","authors":"Philip M. Jones BSc, MBBS, MBiostat, FACEM, Amy Sweeny BSc, RN, MPH, Grace Branjerdporn PhD, BOccThy(Hons I), CHIA, CertIV Tesol, Gerben Keijzers MBBS, MSc, FACEM, PhD, Andrea P. Marshall RN, PhD, Ya-Ling Huang RN, PhD, Emma J. Hall BN, GradCertCritCareNurs, Jamie Ranse BNurs, GradCertClinEd, GradCertClinEpi, MCritCareNurs, PhD, Dinesh Palipana OAM, LLB, GradDipLP, MD, EMC, Yang D. Teng PhD, MD, Julia Crilly OAM, BN, MEmergN(Hons), PhD, the COVERED COVID study investigators","doi":"10.1111/appy.12553","DOIUrl":"10.1111/appy.12553","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with detrimental effects on mental health and psychological well-being. Although multiple studies have shown decreases in mental health-related Emergency Department (ED) presentations early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the medium-term effects on mental health-related ED presentations have remained less clear. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the pandemic on mental health ED presentations by comparing observed presentation numbers to predictions from pre-pandemic data.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This retrospective cohort study tallied weekly ED presentations associated with mental health disorders from a state-wide minimum dataset. Three time periods were identified: Pre-Pandemic (January 1, 2018–March 8, 2020), Statewide Lockdown (March 9, 2020–June 28, 2020), and Restrictions Easing (June 29, 2020–June 27, 2021). Time series analysis was used to generate weekly presentation forecasts using pre-pandemic data. Observed presentation numbers were compared to these forecasts.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Weekly presentation numbers were lower than predicted in 11 out of 16 weeks in the Statewide Lockdown period and 52 out of 52 weeks in the Restrictions Easing period. The largest decrease was seen for anxiety disorders (Statewide Lockdown: 76.8% of forecast; Restrictions Easing: 36.4% of forecast), while an increase was seen in presentations for eating disorders (Statewide Lockdown: 139.5% of forecast; Restrictions Easing: 194.4% of forecast).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Overall weekly mental health-related presentations across Queensland public EDs were lower than expected for the first 16 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings underline the limitations of emergency department provision of mental health care and the importance of alternate care modalities in the pandemic context.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8618,"journal":{"name":"Asia‐Pacific Psychiatry","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/appy.12553","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140100945","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chuhao Zhang MSc, Yeqing Dong PhD, ShuHua Li PhD, Meijuan Li PhD, Ying Gao MSc, Yuan Liu PhD, Xueying Liu MSc, Chi Zhou MSc, Jie Li MD, PhD
{"title":"Ghrelin and depressive symptoms in patients with first-episode drug-naïve major depressive disorder: The mediating role of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis","authors":"Chuhao Zhang MSc, Yeqing Dong PhD, ShuHua Li PhD, Meijuan Li PhD, Ying Gao MSc, Yuan Liu PhD, Xueying Liu MSc, Chi Zhou MSc, Jie Li MD, PhD","doi":"10.1111/appy.12552","DOIUrl":"10.1111/appy.12552","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the global burdens of disease, and its pathogenesis remains unclear. An increasing amount of research indicates that ghrelin regulates mood in patients with MDD. Still, current results are inconsistent, and the mechanisms underlying how ghrelin modulates depressive symptoms are inconclusive, especially in first-episode drug-naïve MDD patients. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the relationship and potential mechanism between ghrelin and first-episode drug-naïve MDD.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Ninety first-episode drug-naïve MDD patients and 65 healthy controls (HCs) were included. Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-17) as a measure of depressive symptoms. Plasma levels of ghrelin and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPA-axis) hormones were measured in all participants.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Compared to HCs, the ghrelin levels were higher in the MDD (<i>p</i> < .001) and still showed significance after covarying for sex, age, and Body Mass Index (BMI). Ghrelin was positively related to corticotropin-releasing-hormone (CRH) levels (<i>r</i> = .867, <i>p</i> < .001), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels (<i>r</i> = .830, <i>p</i> < .001), and cortisol levels (<i>r</i> = .902, <i>p</i> < .001) in partial correlation analysis. In addition, there was a positive correlation between HAMD total score and ghrelin levels (<i>r</i> = .240, <i>p</i> = .026). Other than that, the HAMD total score also had a positive correlation with the CRH (<i>r</i> = .333, <i>p</i> = .002) and cortisol (<i>r</i> = .307, <i>p</i> = .004) levels. Further mediation analysis demonstrated that the relationship between ghrelin and HAMD total score was mediated by CRH (ab-path; <i>β</i> = .4457, 95% CI = 0.0780–1.0253, c-path; <i>β</i> = .2447, <i>p</i> = .0260, c′-path; <i>β</i> = −.2009, <i>p</i> = .3427).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>These findings revealed that plasma ghrelin provides a pivotal link to depressive symptoms in first-episode drug-naive MDD patients. CRH mediated the relationship between ghrelin and HAMD total score. It might provide new insights into understanding the pathogenesis of MDD, contributing to intervention and treatment from this approach.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8618,"journal":{"name":"Asia‐Pacific Psychiatry","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139721424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}