The COVID-19 pandemic generated a unique scenario to analyze the psychological impact of global and extreme situations on the population. Now, a study reveals the importance of the configuration of individual brain networks —before the COVID-19 outbreak— in people's ability of managing the impact of stress and coping strategies regarding the pandemic.
According to the article, published in the journal Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, the state of brain functionality —and not only sociodemographic or psychological aspects— should be taken into account in order to identify the most vulnerable population and thus be able to design preventive mental health strategies to face a global stress factor such as a pandemic.
The study was coordinated by researchers María Cabello-Toscano, David Bartrés-Faz and Lídia Vaqué-Alcázar, from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and the Institute of Neurosciences of the University of Barcelona (UBNeuro), and members of the August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), and it was co-led by the researchers álvaro Pascual-Leone and Josep M. Tormos, from the Guttmann Institute Neurorehabilitation Hospital. The study has been developed within the framework of the "Barcelona Brain Health Initiative" project of the Institut Guttmann -affiliated to the UAB- and has received the support of La Caixa Foundation.
The study, which is funded by the PANDEMIAS 2020 call of the Agency for Management of University and Research Grants (AGAUR) and the 2020 edition of La Marató de TV3 and Catalunya Ràdio dedicated to COVID-19, involves teams from Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) and the Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBERSAM), among others.
Understanding pre-pandemic predictors
In the study, based on a sample of 2,023 people aged between 40 and 65, the team analysed whether sociodemographic, psychological and neurobiological factors before the pandemic could be predictors of the changes in mental health experienced by the population during the first year of COVID-19.
As in previous studies, we found that being a woman represents a risk factor, but younger people also suffered more in terms of increased symptoms of anxiety and depression."
Professor David Bartrés-Faz, Member, Department of Medicine, UB and Associate Researcher, Institut Guttmann
"This second result —the researcher continues— is consistent with most studies in the scientific literature. It suggests that women and younger people have suffered more from the effect of periods of confinement and restriction during the pandemic".
"The second level of predictors we identified are psychological. Perceiving more stress during the pandemic months was associated with increased symptoms of anxiety and depression during that period. However, having good stress coping strategies —seeking support from others, relativizing or putting emotional states in context— attenuated the negative effect of stress", Bartrés-Faz notes.
Neuroimaging: shaping brain networks
The application of neuroimaging techniques has made it possible to determine useful indicators to identify the most vulnerable populations to the effect of prolonged stress and with a potential impact on mental health. This is an effective technology for understanding abnormalities in brain morphology or functionality in different cases (schizophrenia, etc.) or for advancing knowledge of how certain entities, currently identified on the basis of clinical diagnoses, may correspond to different neurobiological entities.
"Using neuroimaging techniques, we were able to show that the effect of perceived stress and coping strategies also depend on the configuration of the state of brain networks before the onset of the pandemic", says researcher María Cabello-Toscano, first author of the paper.
Therefore, people who are characterized by a more "isolated" functioning of one network —called executive control— from the rest of the brain's networks —associated with self or self-referential information— are more sensitive to the effects of stress and therefore need better coping strategies in order not to show symptoms of anxiety or depression.
The brain networks that were identified which interact with perceived stress and coping strategies —for example, the frontal executive network, the salience network and the default brain network— overlap with those described in the scientific literature as circuits involved in resilience processes in stress, "but also in resilience processes, understood as the ability to maintain cognitive function in elderly people in the face of brain atrophy or even in the onset of neurodegenerative diseases", says researcher Lídia Vaqué-Alcázar.
COVID-19 and mental health: an innovative perspective
From a methodological perspective, combining the analysis of psychological factors and neuroimaging brain measures is an innovative strategy in the context of the studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Another methodological turning point was the long-term, year-long follow-up of a large population sample and the availability of a large amount of information on mental health aspects of the participants in the study during the two years prior to the onset of the pandemic.
"This aspect allowed us to adjust the results considering the previous characteristics of each person, which differentiates our study from many other studies based on ad hoc surveys to assess the impact of COVID-19 on mental health with the ongoing pandemic", says Bartés-Faz. "In the absence of previous data —the researcher continues—, it is difficult to interpret whether the results obtained are a true reflection of the impact of COVID-19 or were already observable characteristics in that sample prior to the onset of the pandemic".
In the field of preventive medicine and global health, "it is not the individual factors but the combination of these elements in each individual what allows us to predict the risk of vulnerability in terms of anxiety and depression symptoms during a prolonged stress factor", states Bartrés-Faz.
"These findings point in the direction of applying customized preventive medicine to promote brain health and reduce the risk of diseases. Thus, interventions should be designed in a more individualised way and we should take into account the set of socio-demographic, psychological, biological, lifestyle and risk factors of individuals, among others", concludes the research team.
University of Barcelona
Cabello-Toscano, M., et al. (2022) Functional brain connectivity prior to the COVID-19 outbreak moderates the effects of coping and perceived stress on mental health changes. A first year of COVID-19 pandemic follow-up study. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging. doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsc.2022.08.005.
Posted in: Medical Science News | Medical Research News
Tags: Anxiety, Brain, Cognitive Function, covid-19, Depression, Global Health, Hospital, Medicine, Mental Health, Morphology, Neurodegenerative Diseases, Neuroimaging, Neuroscience, Pandemic, Psychiatry, Research, Schizophrenia, Stress
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Janga la COVID-19 lilitokeza hali ya kipekee ya kuchambua athari za kisaikolojia za hali za hali ya juu na za hali ya juu kwa idadi ya watu. Utafiti wa hivi karibuni unafunua umuhimu wa muundo wa mitandao ya ubongo ya mtu binafsi kabla ya mlipuko wa COVID-19 katika uwezo wa watu wa kusimamia athari za mkazo na mikakati ya kukabiliana na janga hilo. Kulingana na makala hiyo, iliyochapishwa katika jarida la Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, hali ya utendaji wa ubongo - na sio tu mambo ya kijamii au kisaikolojia - inapaswa kuzingatiwa ili kutambua idadi ya watu walio hatarini zaidi na hivyo kuweza kubuni mikakati ya kuzuia afya ya akili kukabiliana na sababu ya mkazo wa ulimwengu kama janga. Utafiti huo uliongozwa na watafiti Maria Cabello-Toscano, David Bartrés-Faz na Lidia Vaque Alcazar, kutoka Chuo Kikuu cha Tiba na Sayansi ya Afya na Taasisi ya Neuroscience ya Chuo Kikuu cha Barcelona (UBNEURO), na wanachama wa Taasisi ya Utafiti wa Biomedical ya August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), na iliongozwa na watafiti Alvaro Pascual-Leon na Josep M. Tormos, kutoka Hospitali ya Neurorehabilitation ya Taasisi ya Guttmann. Utafiti huo umefanywa katika mfumo wa mradi wa "Barcelona Brain Health Initiative" wa Institut Guttmann -mshirika wa UAB- na umepokea msaada wa La Caixa Foundation. Utafiti huo, ambao unafadhiliwa na wito wa PANDEMIA 2020 wa Shirika la Usimamizi wa Ufadhili wa Chuo Kikuu na Utafiti (AGAUR) na toleo la 2020 la La Maratón de TV3 na Catalunya Ràdio, unaojitolea kwa COVID-19, unahusisha timu kutoka Hospitali ya Kliniki ya Barcelona, Taasisi ya Afya ya Ulimwenguni (ISGLOBAL) na Kituo cha Mtandao cha Utafiti wa Biomedical katika Afya ya Akili (CIBERSAM). Katika utafiti huo, uliotegemea sampuli ya watu 2,023 wenye umri kati ya miaka 40 na 65, timu hiyo ilichambua ikiwa sababu za kijamii, za kisaikolojia na za neurobiolojia kabla ya janga hilo zinaweza kuwa watabiri wa mabadiliko ya afya ya akili yaliyopatikana na idadi ya watu wakati wa mwaka wa kwanza wa COVID-19. "Kama ilivyo katika masomo ya awali, tuligundua kuwa kuwa mwanamke inawakilisha sababu ya hatari, lakini watu vijana pia walipata zaidi katika suala la dalili za kuongezeka kwa wasiwasi na unyogovu. """ Profesa David Bartress-Faz, mwanachama wa Idara ya Tiba, UB na Mtafiti Mshirika, Institut Guttmann, anasema: "Hati hii ya pili, ""mtafiti anaendelea, ""ni sawa na masomo mengi katika fasihi ya kisayansi." "Imeonyesha kuwa wanawake na vijana wameteseka zaidi kutokana na athari za vipindi vya kufungwa na vizuizi wakati wa janga hilo. """ "Kiwango cha pili cha viashiria tulivyogundua ni vya kisaikolojia. Kuona mkazo zaidi wakati wa miezi ya janga hilo kulihusishwa na kuongezeka kwa dalili za wasiwasi na unyogovu wakati huo. Hata hivyo, kuwa na mikakati nzuri ya kukabiliana na mkazo - kutafuta msaada kutoka kwa wengine, kuhalalisha au kuweka hali za kihisia katika muktadha - ilipunguza athari mbaya ya mkazo, "Bartrés-Faz anasema. Neuroimaging: kuunda mitandao ya ubongo: Matumizi ya mbinu za neuroimaging yamewezesha kuamua viashiria muhimu vya kutambua idadi ya watu walio hatarini zaidi kwa athari ya mkazo wa muda mrefu na athari ya uwezekano juu ya afya ya akili. Hii ni teknolojia ya ufanisi kwa ajili ya kuelewa abnormalities katika ubongo morphology au utendaji katika kesi tofauti (schizophrenia, nk.) Kwa mfano, kuna uwezekano wa kuendeleza maarifa ya jinsi baadhi ya vitu, sasa kutambuliwa kwa msingi wa utambuzi wa kliniki, inaweza kuwa sawa na vitu tofauti neurobiological. "Kwa kutumia mbinu za neural imaging, tumeweza kuonyesha kuwa athari ya mkazo unaoonekana na mikakati ya kukabiliana pia inategemea muundo wa hali ya mitandao ya ubongo kabla ya kuanza kwa janga hilo, ""mtafiti María Cabello-Toscano, mwandishi wa kwanza wa karatasi hiyo, alisema." Kwa hiyo, watu ambao ni sifa ya kazi zaidi "kutengwa" ya mtandao mmoja - aitwaye udhibiti mtendaji - kutoka kwa wengine wa ubongo wa mitandao - kuhusishwa na binafsi au habari ya kujitegemea - ni nyeti zaidi kwa athari za mkazo na kwa hiyo wanahitaji mbinu bora za kukabiliana ili wasionyeshe dalili za wasiwasi au unyogovu. "Mashirika ya ubongo ambayo yalitambuliwa ambayo huingiliana na dhiki inayotambuliwa na mikakati ya kukabiliana - kwa mfano, mtandao wa mtendaji wa mbele, mtandao wa salience na mtandao wa ubongo wa default - hujipinda na wale waliotajwa katika fasihi ya kisayansi kama mizunguko inayohusika katika michakato ya upinzani katika dhiki, ""lakini pia katika michakato ya upinzani, inayoeleweka kama uwezo wa kudumisha kazi ya utambuzi kwa wazee katika uso wa atrophy ya ubongo au hata katika mwanzo wa magonjwa ya neurodegenerative.""" COVID-19 na Afya ya Akili: Mtazamo wa Ubunifu Kutoka kwa mtazamo wa mbinu, kuchanganya uchambuzi wa sababu za kisaikolojia na vipimo vya ubongo vya neural imaging ni mkakati wa ubunifu katika muktadha wa masomo yaliyofanywa wakati wa janga la COVID-19. "Mtazamo mwingine wa mbinu ulikuwa kufuatilia kwa muda mrefu, kwa mwaka mzima wa sampuli kubwa ya idadi ya watu na upatikanaji wa kiasi kikubwa cha habari juu ya masuala ya afya ya akili ya washiriki katika utafiti huo katika miaka miwili kabla ya kuanza kwa janga hilo. """ "Hii ilituwezesha kurekebisha matokeo kwa kuzingatia sifa za awali za kila mtu, ambayo inatofautisha utafiti wetu na masomo mengine mengi kulingana na tafiti za ad hoc kutathmini athari za COVID-19 kwa afya ya akili na janga linaloendelea. """ "Kwa kukosekana kwa data za awali, ni vigumu kutafsiri ikiwa matokeo yaliyopatikana ni mwangaza wa kweli wa athari za COVID-19 au tayari yalikuwa sifa zinazoonekana katika sampuli hiyo kabla ya kuanza kwa janga hilo. """ Katika uwanja wa dawa za kuzuia na afya ya kimataifa, sio sababu za mtu binafsi, lakini mchanganyiko wa mambo haya katika kila mtu, ambayo inaruhusu kutabiri hatari ya hatari katika suala la wasiwasi na dalili za unyogovu wakati wa sababu ya mkazo wa muda mrefu. "Ugunduzi huu unaonyesha mwelekeo wa kutumia dawa za kuzuia zinazolingana na mahitaji ya mtu binafsi ili kukuza afya ya ubongo na kupunguza hatari ya magonjwa. Kwa hivyo, uingiliaji unapaswa kubuniwa kwa njia ya kibinafsi na tunapaswa kuzingatia seti ya sababu za kijamii, za kijamii, za kisaikolojia, za kibiolojia, za mtindo wa maisha na za hatari za watu, kati ya zingine, timu ya utafiti imesema. Chuo Kikuu cha Barcelona Cabello-Toscano, M., et al. Uunganisho wa ubongo wa kazi kabla ya mlipuko wa COVID-19 hupunguza athari za kukabiliana na mkazo unaoonekana kwenye mabadiliko ya afya ya akili. Mwaka wa kwanza wa utafiti wa kufuatilia janga la COVID-19 Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience na Neuroimaging. (Dai.org 10.1016 jbc2022.08.005) "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika makala ya ""Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti."