Dissociative symptoms can emerge after trauma and interfere with attentional control and interoception; disruptions to these processes are barriers to mind-body interventions such as breath-focused mindfulness (BFM). To overcome these barriers, we tested the use of an exteroceptive augmentation to BFM, using vibrations equivalent to the amplitude of the auditory waveform of the actual breath, delivered via a wearable subwoofer in real time (VBFM). We tested whether this device enhanced interoceptive processes, attentional control and autonomic regulation in trauma-exposed women with dissociative symptoms.

65 women, majority (82%) Black American, aged 18–65 completed self-report measures of interoception and 6 BFM sessions, during which electrocardiographic recordings were taken to derive high-frequency heart rate variability (HRV) estimates. A subset (n = 31) of participants completed functional MRI at pre- and post-intervention, during which they were administered an affective attentional control task.

Compared to those who received BFM only, women who received VBFM demonstrated greater increases in interoception, particularly their ability to trust body signals, increased sustained attention, as well as increased connectivity between nodes of emotion processing and interoceptive networks. Intervention condition moderated the relationship between interoception change and dissociation change, as well as the relationship between dissociation and HRV change.

Vibration feedback during breath focus yielded greater improvements in interoception, sustained attention and increased connectivity of emotion processing and interoceptive networks. Augmenting BFM with vibration appears to have considerable effects on interoception, attention and autonomic regulation; it could be used as a monotherapy or to address trauma treatment barriers.

Patients with a severe mental illness such as bipolar I disorder (BP-I) have a higher prevalence of obesity and related metabolic comorbidities than the general population. This study evaluated the impact of cariprazine on weight and blood pressure in patients with BP-I depression using electronic medical records (EMRs) from a nationally representative database.

Analyses were based on data from EMRs in the Symphony Health’s Integrated Dataverse® from March 2015 to October 2018. Patients ≥18 years of age with ≥2 cariprazine fills (first dispensing=index date) and clinical activity for ≥12 months pre-index (baseline) and ≥1 month post-index were included. Patients also had a diagnosis of BP-I depression at their most recent episode prior to cariprazine initiation. The on-treatment period spanned from the index date to the earliest of cariprazine discontinuation, a switch to another atypical or long-acting injectable antipsychotic, end of clinical activity, or end of data. Metabolic outcomes of interest were weight and blood pressure (systolic and diastolic). For each outcome, patients were required to have ≥1 measurement in both the baseline and on-treatment periods. Linear trajectories during those periods were estimated using mixed-effects models; 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using non-parametric bootstrap procedures.

In total, 1702 patients who met study eligibility criteria had ≥1 weight measurement recorded in the baseline and on-treatment periods; of these patients, 178 had bipolar I depression as their most recent episode. Patients gained an average of 2.43 kg/year during the baseline period and 0.60 (95% CI: -1.97, 3.70) kg/year during the on-treatment period. Analyses of blood pressure change (n=179) showed that cariprazine had neutral effects over the on-treatment period. Patients’ systolic blood pressure increased at 1.12 mmHg/year during baseline and decreased at -0.63 (95% CI: -3.59, 2.25) mmHg/year during the on-treatment period. For diastolic blood pressure, increases of 0.25 mmHg/year during baseline and 0.44 (95% CI: -1.65, 2.16) mmHg/year during the on-treatment period were observed.

Although patient weight was increasing prior to cariprazine initiation, a neutral weight trajectory was seen with long-term cariprazine treatment among those with a most recent BP-I depression episode. Cariprazine also had minimal impact on systolic or diastolic blood pressure. Overall, these findings are consistent with prior short- and long-term studies showing that cariprazine has a neutral weight and metabolic profile.

AbbVie

Underrepresented researchers face more challenges than their well-represented counterparts. Perseverance and consistency of interest are associated with career success in well-represented physicians. Therefore, we examined associations of perseverance and consistency of interest with Clinical Research Appraisal Inventory (CRAI), science identity, and other factors related to career success among underrepresented post-doctoral fellows and early-career faculty.

This is a cross-sectional analysis of data collected from September to October 2020 among 224 underrepresented early-career researchers at 25 academic medical centers in the Building Up Trial. We used linear regression to test associations of perseverance and consistency of interest scores with CRAI, science identity, and effort/reward imbalance (ERI) scores.

The cohort is 80% female, 33% non-Hispanic Black, and 34% Hispanic. The median perseverance and consistency of interest scores were 3.8 (25th–75th percentile: 3.7,4.2) and 3.7 (25th–75th percentile: 3.2, 4.0), respectively. Higher perseverance was associated with a higher CRAI score (β = 0.82; 95% CI = 0.30, 1.33, p = 0.002) and science identity (β = 0.44; 95% CI = 0.19, 0.68, p = 0.001). Higher consistency of interest was associated with a higher CRAI score (β = 0.60; 95% CI = 0.23, 0.96, p = 0.001) and higher science identity score (β = 0.20; 95% CI = 0.03, 0.36, p = 0.02), while lower consistency of interest was associated with imbalance favoring effort (β = –0.22; 95% CI = –0.33, –0.11, p = 0.001).

We found that perseverance and consistency of interest are related to CRAI and science identity, indicating that these factors may positively influence one’s decision to stay in research.

Describe how dietary intake patterns of US young adults align with the EAT-Lancet Planetary Health Diet (PHD) sustainable diet goals and identify personal, behavioural, and socio-environmental correlates of sustainable intake.

Data on past-year dietary intake were captured using a FFQ. The PHD was applied to specific food groups, and a total PHD score was calculated. Linear regression models were used to identify associations between personal, behavioural and socio-environmental factors and PHD scores.

This cross-sectional analysis uses data from the second wave of EAT 2010–2018 (Eating and Activity over Time), a population-based longitudinal study recruited in Minnesota.

Ethnically/racially diverse group of participants (n 1308) with a mean age of 22·1 (sd 2·0) years.

The mean PHD score was 4·1 (sd 1·4) on a scale of 0–14, with 14 representing the most sustainable. On average, participants consumed fewer whole grains, fish, legumes, soya, and nuts than ideal for a sustainable diet, and an excess of eggs, added sugar, and meat. The PHD score was higher for participants with higher socio-economic status (SES) and greater educational attainment. Higher home availability of healthy food (β = 0·24, P < 0·001) and less frequent fast-food consumption (β = –0·26, P < 0·001) were the strongest correlates of PHD scores.

Results suggest that a high percentage of participants may not be achieving the sustainable diet goals defined by the PHD. Reductions in meat consumption and increases in plant-based foods are necessary to increase the sustainability of US young adults’ diets.

Identifying the correlates of mental health resilience (MHR)—defined as the discrepancy between one’s reported current mental health and one’s predicted mental health based on their physical performance—may lead to strategies to alleviate the burden of poor mental health in aging adults. Socioeconomic factors, such as income and education, may promote MHR via modifiable factors, such as physical activity and social networks.

A cross-sectional study was conducted. Multivariable generalized additive models characterized the associations between socioeconomic and modifiable factors with MHR.

Data were taken from the population-based Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), which collected data at various data collection sites across Canada.

Approximately 31,000 women and men between the ages of 45 and 85 years from the comprehensive cohort of the CLSA.

Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Physical performance was measured objectively using a composite of grip strength, sit-to-stand, and balance performance. Socioeconomic and modifiable factors were measured by self-report questionnaires.

Household income, and to a lesser extent, education were associated with greater MHR. Individuals reporting more physical activity and larger social networks had greater MHR. Physical activity accounted for 6% (95% CI: 4 to 11%) and social network accounted for 16% (95% CI: 11 to 23%) of the association between household income and MHR.

The burden of poor mental health in aging adults may be alleviated through targeted interventions involving physical activity and social connectedness for individuals with lower socioeconomic resources.