Irregular light–dark cycles and circadian/sleep disturbances have been suggested as risk or co-oc... more Irregular light–dark cycles and circadian/sleep disturbances have been suggested as risk or co-occurring factors in depression. Among a set of metrics developed to quantify strain on the circadian system, social jetlag (SJL) has been put forward as a measure of the discrepancy between biological and social clocks. Here, we approached the question on whether light exposure and SJL would also be associated with depressive symptoms in Quilombola communities in Southern Brazil. These rural communities are void of potential confounders of modern lifestyles and show low levels of SJL. 210 Quilombolas (age range 16–92; 56% women) were asked about their sleep times and light exposure using the Munich ChronoType Questionnaire (MCTQ). The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to assess depressive symptoms. Additionally, we analyzed 7-day actimetry recordings in 124 subjects. BDI scores higher than 10 (having clinically significant depressive symptoms; controlled for age and sex in the mult...
Study Objectives In field studies using wrist-actimetry, not identifying/handling off-wrist inter... more Study Objectives In field studies using wrist-actimetry, not identifying/handling off-wrist intervals may result in their misclassification as immobility/sleep and biased estimations of rhythmic patterns. By comparing different solutions for detecting off-wrist, our goal was to ascertain how accurately they detect nonwear in different contexts and identify variables that are useful in the process. Methods We developed algorithms using heuristic (HA) and machine learning (ML) approaches. Both were tested using data from a protocol followed by 10 subjects, which was devised to mimic contexts of actimeter wear/nonwear in real-life. Self-reported data on usage according to the protocol were considered the gold standard. Additionally, the performance of our algorithms was compared to that of visual inspection (by 2 experienced investigators) and Choi algorithm. Data previously collected in field studies were used for proof-of-concept analyses. Results All methods showed similarly good pe...
Background: To date, no biomarker has been able to predict antidepressant response at an early bl... more Background: To date, no biomarker has been able to predict antidepressant response at an early blockade of norepinephrine or serotonin uptake. The transient nocturnal increase in plasma melatonin levels is upregulated by blocking these uptakes. The aim of this study was to test whether fluoxetine increase in urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6s) is an indicator of serotonin uptake blockade. Methods: A total of 20 women (35–45 years of age) recruited from the community had a diagnosis of major depressive disorder confirmed by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Depressive symptoms were evaluated by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Participants were instructed to take 20 mg of fluoxetine every morning. Every 4 weeks, the dose could be increased by 20 mg until symptom remission. The concentration of aMT6s was evaluated in overnight urine samples collected 1 day before and 1 day after the first fluoxetine dose. Results: An increase in aMT6s correlated to a decrease in BDI s...
AVALIAÇÃO DE TRANSTORNOS DE SAÚDE EM POPULAÇÃO DO VALE DO TAQUARI, RIO GRANDE DO SUL, BRASIL, E S... more AVALIAÇÃO DE TRANSTORNOS DE SAÚDE EM POPULAÇÃO DO VALE DO TAQUARI, RIO GRANDE DO SUL, BRASIL, E SUA RELAÇÃO COM USO DE AGROTÓXICOS ALÍCIA DEITOS; GABRIELA LASTE; ANA CLÁUDIA DE SOUZA; ANDRESSA DE SOUZA; ...
The diurnal light cycle has a crucial influence on all life on earth. Unfortunately, modern socie... more The diurnal light cycle has a crucial influence on all life on earth. Unfortunately, modern society has modified this life-governing cycle by stressing maximum production and by giving insufficient attention to the ecological balance and homeostasis of the human metabolism. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of exposure or lack of exposure to natural light in a rest/activity rhythm on cortisol and melatonin levels, as well as on psychological variables in humans under natural conditions. This is a cross-sectional study. The subjects were allocated split into two groups according to their workspace (10 employees in the "with window" group and 10 in the "without window" group). All participants were women and wore anactigraph (Actiwatch 2, Philips Respironics), which measures activity and ambient light exposure, for seven days. Concentrations of melatonin and cortisol were measured from the saliva samples. Participants were instructed to collect saliva during the last day of use of the actigraph at 08:00 am, 4:00 pm and 10:00 pm. The subjects answered the Self-Reporting Questionnaire-20 (SRQ-20) to measure the presence of minor psychiatric disorders; the Montgomery-Asberg (MA) scale was used to measure depression symptoms, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaire (PSQI) was used to evaluate the quality of sleep. The Rayleigh analysis indicates that the two groups, "with window" an d "without window", exhibited similar activities and light acrophases. In relation to light exposure, the mesor was significantly higher (t = -2.651, p = 0.023) in t he "with window" group (191.04 ± 133.36) than in the "without window" group (73.8 ± 42.05). Additionally, the "with window" group presented the highest amplitude of light exposure (298.07 ± 222.97). Cortisol levels were significantly different between the groups at 10:00 pm (t = 3.009, p = 0.008; "without window" (4.01 ± 0.91) "with window" (3.10 ± 0.30)). In terms of the melatonin levels, the groups differed at two different times of day: 08:00 am (t = 2.593, p = 0.018) and 10:00 pm (t = -2.939, p = 0.009). The "with window" group had a lower melatonin level at 08:00 am (3.54 ± 0.60) but a higher level at 10:00 pm (24.74 ± 4.22) than the "without window" group. Higher cortisol levels were positively correlated with minor psychiatric disorders and depressive symptoms (MA) at 10:00 pm. Lower melatonin levels at 10:00 pm were correlated with depressive symptoms and poor quality of sleep (PSQI). Our study demonstrated that not only may light pollution affect human physiology but also lack of…
The association among items of the self-reported version of the Hamilton Depression Scale (Carrol... more The association among items of the self-reported version of the Hamilton Depression Scale (Carroll Rating Scale), answered according to a memory of a maximally disturbing event experienced, and respondents' sex was examined in a nonclinical sample of 320 college students, 164 women (M age=21.7 yr., SD=3.6) and 156 men (M age=23.5 yr., SD=5.8). An assessment of sex bias was also evaluated. Multiple regression analysis showed that statements regarding unhappiness, urge to cry, dizziness and faintness, and waking in the middle of the night were significantly associated with women. Removal of these items from the Carroll Rating Scale Total scores eliminated the sex differences in depression rates. Items that displayed significant sex bias were those regarding behavior and emotions commonly attributed to women within the general population.
Irregular light–dark cycles and circadian/sleep disturbances have been suggested as risk or co-oc... more Irregular light–dark cycles and circadian/sleep disturbances have been suggested as risk or co-occurring factors in depression. Among a set of metrics developed to quantify strain on the circadian system, social jetlag (SJL) has been put forward as a measure of the discrepancy between biological and social clocks. Here, we approached the question on whether light exposure and SJL would also be associated with depressive symptoms in Quilombola communities in Southern Brazil. These rural communities are void of potential confounders of modern lifestyles and show low levels of SJL. 210 Quilombolas (age range 16–92; 56% women) were asked about their sleep times and light exposure using the Munich ChronoType Questionnaire (MCTQ). The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to assess depressive symptoms. Additionally, we analyzed 7-day actimetry recordings in 124 subjects. BDI scores higher than 10 (having clinically significant depressive symptoms; controlled for age and sex in the mult...
Study Objectives In field studies using wrist-actimetry, not identifying/handling off-wrist inter... more Study Objectives In field studies using wrist-actimetry, not identifying/handling off-wrist intervals may result in their misclassification as immobility/sleep and biased estimations of rhythmic patterns. By comparing different solutions for detecting off-wrist, our goal was to ascertain how accurately they detect nonwear in different contexts and identify variables that are useful in the process. Methods We developed algorithms using heuristic (HA) and machine learning (ML) approaches. Both were tested using data from a protocol followed by 10 subjects, which was devised to mimic contexts of actimeter wear/nonwear in real-life. Self-reported data on usage according to the protocol were considered the gold standard. Additionally, the performance of our algorithms was compared to that of visual inspection (by 2 experienced investigators) and Choi algorithm. Data previously collected in field studies were used for proof-of-concept analyses. Results All methods showed similarly good pe...
Background: To date, no biomarker has been able to predict antidepressant response at an early bl... more Background: To date, no biomarker has been able to predict antidepressant response at an early blockade of norepinephrine or serotonin uptake. The transient nocturnal increase in plasma melatonin levels is upregulated by blocking these uptakes. The aim of this study was to test whether fluoxetine increase in urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6s) is an indicator of serotonin uptake blockade. Methods: A total of 20 women (35–45 years of age) recruited from the community had a diagnosis of major depressive disorder confirmed by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Depressive symptoms were evaluated by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Participants were instructed to take 20 mg of fluoxetine every morning. Every 4 weeks, the dose could be increased by 20 mg until symptom remission. The concentration of aMT6s was evaluated in overnight urine samples collected 1 day before and 1 day after the first fluoxetine dose. Results: An increase in aMT6s correlated to a decrease in BDI s...
AVALIAÇÃO DE TRANSTORNOS DE SAÚDE EM POPULAÇÃO DO VALE DO TAQUARI, RIO GRANDE DO SUL, BRASIL, E S... more AVALIAÇÃO DE TRANSTORNOS DE SAÚDE EM POPULAÇÃO DO VALE DO TAQUARI, RIO GRANDE DO SUL, BRASIL, E SUA RELAÇÃO COM USO DE AGROTÓXICOS ALÍCIA DEITOS; GABRIELA LASTE; ANA CLÁUDIA DE SOUZA; ANDRESSA DE SOUZA; ...
The diurnal light cycle has a crucial influence on all life on earth. Unfortunately, modern socie... more The diurnal light cycle has a crucial influence on all life on earth. Unfortunately, modern society has modified this life-governing cycle by stressing maximum production and by giving insufficient attention to the ecological balance and homeostasis of the human metabolism. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of exposure or lack of exposure to natural light in a rest/activity rhythm on cortisol and melatonin levels, as well as on psychological variables in humans under natural conditions. This is a cross-sectional study. The subjects were allocated split into two groups according to their workspace (10 employees in the "with window" group and 10 in the "without window" group). All participants were women and wore anactigraph (Actiwatch 2, Philips Respironics), which measures activity and ambient light exposure, for seven days. Concentrations of melatonin and cortisol were measured from the saliva samples. Participants were instructed to collect saliva during the last day of use of the actigraph at 08:00 am, 4:00 pm and 10:00 pm. The subjects answered the Self-Reporting Questionnaire-20 (SRQ-20) to measure the presence of minor psychiatric disorders; the Montgomery-Asberg (MA) scale was used to measure depression symptoms, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaire (PSQI) was used to evaluate the quality of sleep. The Rayleigh analysis indicates that the two groups, "with window" an d "without window", exhibited similar activities and light acrophases. In relation to light exposure, the mesor was significantly higher (t = -2.651, p = 0.023) in t he "with window" group (191.04 ± 133.36) than in the "without window" group (73.8 ± 42.05). Additionally, the "with window" group presented the highest amplitude of light exposure (298.07 ± 222.97). Cortisol levels were significantly different between the groups at 10:00 pm (t = 3.009, p = 0.008; "without window" (4.01 ± 0.91) "with window" (3.10 ± 0.30)). In terms of the melatonin levels, the groups differed at two different times of day: 08:00 am (t = 2.593, p = 0.018) and 10:00 pm (t = -2.939, p = 0.009). The "with window" group had a lower melatonin level at 08:00 am (3.54 ± 0.60) but a higher level at 10:00 pm (24.74 ± 4.22) than the "without window" group. Higher cortisol levels were positively correlated with minor psychiatric disorders and depressive symptoms (MA) at 10:00 pm. Lower melatonin levels at 10:00 pm were correlated with depressive symptoms and poor quality of sleep (PSQI). Our study demonstrated that not only may light pollution affect human physiology but also lack of…
The association among items of the self-reported version of the Hamilton Depression Scale (Carrol... more The association among items of the self-reported version of the Hamilton Depression Scale (Carroll Rating Scale), answered according to a memory of a maximally disturbing event experienced, and respondents' sex was examined in a nonclinical sample of 320 college students, 164 women (M age=21.7 yr., SD=3.6) and 156 men (M age=23.5 yr., SD=5.8). An assessment of sex bias was also evaluated. Multiple regression analysis showed that statements regarding unhappiness, urge to cry, dizziness and faintness, and waking in the middle of the night were significantly associated with women. Removal of these items from the Carroll Rating Scale Total scores eliminated the sex differences in depression rates. Items that displayed significant sex bias were those regarding behavior and emotions commonly attributed to women within the general population.
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