White matter integrity in medication-free women with peripartum depression: a tract-based spatial statistics study.

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies in depression show decreased structural connectivity in the left anterior limb of the internal capsule and the genu of the corpus callosum but no such studies exist in peripartum depression (PPD), which affects 1 in 8 women. We analyzed fractional anisotropy (FA) as a measure of white matter integrity of these two tracts using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS). We then conducted an exploratory whole-brain analysis to identify additional regions implicated in PPD. Seventy-five pregnant, medication-free women were evaluated with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and Structured Clinical Interview (SCID) for DSM-IV-TR in pregnancy and in the postpartum. Structural MRI and DTI sequences were acquired in forty-four women within 2-8 weeks postpartum. TBSS data were analyzed between healthy comparison postpartum women (HCW) and women who developed PPD to determine differences in white matter integrity within the left anterior limb of the internal capsule and the genu of the corpus callosum, then analyzed across participants to explore correlation between FA and the EPDS score. An exploratory whole-brain analysis was also conducted to identify other potential regions showing differences in white matter integrity between groups, as well as correlation between EPDS and FA across groups. All results were corrected for multiple comparisons and analyses conducted using FSL, p < 0.05, K > 10. In comparison to HCW, women with PPD had significantly lower FA in left anterior limb of the internal capsule (p = 0.010). FA was negatively correlated with EPDS scores in the left anterior limb of the internal capsule (p = 0.019). In the whole-brain analysis, FA in the right retrolenticular internal capsule (p = 0.03) and two clusters within the body of the corpus callosum (p = 0.044, p = 0.050) were negatively correlated with EPDS; there were no between-group differences in FA. Reduced FA in the left anterior limb of the internal capsule suggests disruption of fronto-subcortical circuits in PPD. A negative correlation between FA within the body of the corpus callosum and EPDS total score could additionally reflect disrupted interhemispheric structural connectivity in women with depressive symptoms.

Ebola Virus Training: A Needs Assessment and Gap Analysis.

In response to the 2014 Ebola virus disease outbreak, the Worker Training Program embarked on an assessment of existing training for those at risk for exposure to the virus. Searches of the recent peer-reviewed literature were conducted for descriptions of relevant training. Federal guidance issued during 2015 was also reviewed. Four stakeholder meetings were conducted with representatives from health care, academia, private industry, and public health to discuss issues associated with ongoing training. Our results revealed few articles about training that provided sufficient detail to serve as models. Training programs struggled to adjust to frequently updated federal guidance. Stakeholders commented that most healthcare training focused solely on infection control, and there was an absence of employee health-related training for non-healthcare providers. Challenges to ongoing training included funding and organizational complacency. Best practices were noted where management and employees planned training cooperatively and where infection control, employee health, and hospital emergency managers worked together on the development of protective guidance. We conclude that sustainable training for infectious disease outbreaks requires annual funding, full support from organizational management, input from all stakeholders, and integration of infection control, emergency management, and employee health when implementing guidance and training.

Peripartum neuroactive steroid and γ-aminobutyric acid profiles in women at-risk for postpartum depression.

Neuroactive steroids (NAS) are allosteric modulators of the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system. NAS and GABA are implicated in depression. The peripartum period involves physiologic changes in NAS which may be associated with peripartum depression and anxiety. We measured peripartum plasma NAS and GABA in healthy comparison subjects (HCS) and those at-risk for postpartum depression (AR-PPD) due to current mild depressive or anxiety symptoms or a history of depression. We evaluated 56 peripartum medication-free subjects. We measured symptoms with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D17), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State (STAI-S). Plasma NAS and GABA were quantified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. We examined the associations between longitudinal changes in NAS, GABA and depressive and anxiety symptoms using generalized estimating equation methods. Peripartum GABA concentration was 1.9±0.7ng/mL (p=0.004) lower and progesterone and pregnanolone were 15.8±7.5 (p=0.04) and 1.5±0.7ng/mL (p=0.03) higher in AR-PPD versus HCS, respectively. HAM-D17 was negatively associated with GABA (ß=-0.14±0.05, p=0.01) and positively associated with pregnanolone (ß=0.16±0.06, p=0.01). STAI-S was positively associated with pregnanolone (ß=0.11±0.04, p=0.004), allopregnanolone (ß=0.13±0.05, p=0.006) and pregnenolone (ß=0.02±0.01, p=0.04). HAM-A was negatively associated with GABA (ß=-0.12±0.04, p=0.004) and positively associated with pregnanolone (ß=0.11±0.05, p=0.05). Altered peripartum NAS and GABA profiles in AR-PPD women suggest that their interaction may play an important role in the pathophysiology of peripartum depression and anxiety.

Cortisol response to the Trier Social Stress Test in pregnant women at risk for postpartum depression.

Antepartum depression and anxiety are risk factors for postpartum depression (PPD). Postpartum abnormalities in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) reactivity are associated with PPD. It is not known if antepartum HPA abnormalities exist in women at risk for PPD (AR-PPD). We measured salivary cortisol response to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) in 44 (24 AR-PPD, 20 healthy comparison) pregnant women. Depression and anxiety were measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State (STAI-S). We analyzed longitudinal changes in cortisol using generalized estimating equation methods to control for the correlation within subjects at the six TSST time points. Group differences in area under the curve (AUC) were examined. A majority (70.8 %) of the AR-PPD had prior depression. EPDS total score was higher in AR-PPD vs. comparison women (mean EPDS = 9.8 ± 4.9 vs. mean EPDS = 2.4 ± 2.0 respectively, p < 0.001). Mean STAI-S total score was higher in AR-PPD vs. comparison women at all TSST time points and over time (z = 2.71, df = 1, p = 0.007). There was no significant difference in cortisol concentration over time between groups. We observed no detectable difference in cortisol response to psychosocial stress induced by the TSST despite clinically significant between-group differences in current/past depression and current symptomatology.