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<td><span style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:20px;font-weight:bold;">PsyPost – Psychology News Daily Digest (Unofficial)</span></td>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/adolescents-with-adhd-tend-to-eat-more-snacks-than-their-peers/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Adolescents with ADHD tend to eat more snacks than their peers</a>
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<p><p>New research has found that 16-to-20-year-olds with ADHD tend to consume more snacks (e.g., dried snacks, chips, nuts, soft drinks, fruit juice, and energy drinks) than their peers without this disorder. The paper was published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/10870547241293946"><em>Journal of Attention Disorders</em></a>.</p>
<p>Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that interfere with daily functioning or development. Symptoms of inattention include difficulty sustaining focus, being easily distracted, and forgetting tasks, while hyperactivity-impulsivity involves excessive movement, difficulty staying still, or interrupting others. ADHD typically begins in childhood and can persist into adulthood, often adversely affecting academic, occupational, and social functioning.</p>
<p>Some studies have explored the links between ADHD symptoms and diet, but the results have remained unclear. These inquiries have suggested that a healthy dietary pattern might be associated with a decreased risk of ADHD. On the other hand, unhealthy dietary patterns, such as those represented by the Western diet, were associated with an increased risk. The Western diet is characterized by high consumption of processed and refined foods, added sugars, unhealthy fats, and red meat, combined with low intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats.</p>
<p>Study author Laura Dalnoki and her colleagues sought to examine the association between ADHD and dietary behavior in Dutch adolescents aged 16 to 20 years. They did not start with any specific hypothesis, opting instead to explore the relationship.</p>
<p>The researchers analyzed data from the KOALA Birth Cohort Study in the Netherlands. This study recruited healthy pregnant women with a conventional lifestyle from an ongoing study on pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain between 2000 and 2002. Data for the current study were collected in 2021 from their children, who were 16 to 20 years old at the time. In total, the analysis was based on data from 810 adolescent-parent pairs.</p>
<p>The adolescents completed an assessment of dietary behavior (a 28-item list of foods and beverages; participants indicated how often they consumed each item) and reported whether they had ever received a diagnosis of ADHD. Their parents completed assessments of their children’s behavioral problems (using the Conners’ Parent Rating Scale – Revised Short Form, which allowed researchers to assess the severity of ADHD symptoms) and impulsivity (using the Temperament in Middle Childhood Questionnaire).</p>
<p>The results showed that participants’ dietary intake could be categorized into five groups: snacks (high intake of soft drinks, fruit juice, dried snacks, chips, nuts or snacks, and energy drinks); healthy (lettuce, raw vegetables, fruit, eggs, and tea); animal-based (dairy products, meat and chicken, and fish); sweet (pastries, chocolate bars, candy bars, cake or biscuits, and sweets); and beverages (diet soft drinks, light fruit juices/drinks, sports drinks, and energy drinks).</p>
<p>In total, 80 participants were diagnosed with ADHD. These individuals reported consuming food and drink items from the snacks group more often than their peers without ADHD. Higher scores on ADHD symptom severity assessments were associated with more frequent consumption of food and drink items from the snacks category.</p>
<p>Participants who scored higher on impulsivity (as reported by their parents during their middle childhood) tended to consume items from the sweet group less often and items from the beverage group more often.</p>
<p>“The current study found that impulsivity, rather than ADHD itself, exhibited the most robust link with dietary behavior among adolescents, notably through its association with increased snack consumption. Targeting adolescents’ impulsive behavior could notably influence their dietary choices, potentially offering substantial health benefits,” the study authors concluded.</p>
<p>The study sheds light on the dietary pattern differences between young adults and adolescents with and without ADHD. However, the design of the study does not allow any cause-and-effect conclusions to be derived from the results.</p>
<p>The paper, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/10870547241293946">Exploring the Relationship of Dietary Intake With Inattention, Hyperactivity, and Impulsivity, Beyond ADHD,</a>” was authored by Laura Dalnoki, Petra P. M. Hurks, Jessica S. Gubbels, Simone J. P. M Eussen, Monique Mommers, and Carel Thijs.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/demographic-differences-in-fertility-linked-to-generational-shifts-in-the-political-landscape/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Demographic differences in fertility linked to generational shifts in the political landscape</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Dec 30th 2024, 06:00</div>
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<p><p>Could demographics be the key to understanding political change? A recent study published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/19485565.2024.2419075"><em>Biodemography and Social Biology</em></a> has found that conservatives in Europe tend to have more children and grandchildren than liberals, a trend that is shifting the balance of political attitudes over time. These findings suggest that reproductive behavior might play an unexpected role in shaping the political landscape.</p>
<p>Political attitudes are known to be relatively stable over the lifespan and are shaped by both social and genetic factors. These attitudes often play a role in behaviors such as marriage, family formation, and parenting. Previous research has highlighted that conservative individuals tend to prioritize traditional family structures, which might contribute to higher fertility rates. In contrast, liberal individuals often emphasize personal autonomy and individualism, which could lead to lower fertility.</p>
<p>Researchers <a href="https://homepage.univie.ac.at/martin.fieder/">Martin Fieder</a> and Susanne Huber were interested in exploring whether these fertility differences could result in a demographic shift in the prevalence of political attitudes. If conservatives consistently have more children than liberals, and political orientations are passed down socially and genetically, it could lead to a gradual increase in conservative views across generations. This could, in turn, affect the political landscape and the balance of ideologies in a society over the long term.</p>
<p>The new study builds on the researchers’ prior work, which <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02343" target="_blank" rel="noopener">identified a positive association</a> between conservative political orientation and higher fertility in Western societies. However, the researchers wanted to go beyond simply documenting this pattern. They sought to explore its potential consequences for political systems and societal attitudes.</p>
<p>“As evolutionary anthropologists, we are interested in the evolution of our political attitudes. Having found that there is only a reproductive advantage for the right in Western societies, we wanted to demonstrate the potential consequences of this right-wing advantage for our political system,” said Fieder, an associate professor of evolutionary demography at the University of Vienna and author of <em><a href="https://amzn.to/4j6VUD8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Not So Weird After All: The Changing Relationship Between Status and Fertility</a></em>.</p>
<p>The researchers used two large datasets to examine the relationship between political attitudes and fertility: the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) and the European Gender and Generation Survey (GSS). These datasets included information from multiple European countries, with SHARE also incorporating data from Israel. SHARE provided data on political orientation and family size across three generations, while GSS offered additional insights into attitudes toward family and sexuality.</p>
<p>In the SHARE data, participants aged 45 and older, totaling over 66,000 individuals, were asked to self-report their political orientation on an 11-point scale ranging from extreme left to extreme right. This scale was later simplified into broader categories—left, middle, and right—to facilitate analysis. The researchers calculated the average number of children and grandchildren for each participant, comparing these figures across political orientations. They also assessed generational changes by examining the proportion of conservative versus liberal individuals among participants, their children, and their grandchildren.</p>
<p>The GSS data included responses from over 120,000 individuals and focused on attitudes toward family and reproduction. Participants were asked whether they agreed or disagreed with statements such as “Homosexual couples should have the same rights as heterosexual couples” and “A woman must have children to feel fulfilled.” These attitudes were categorized as left, middle, or right, and were analyzed alongside participants’ family sizes.</p>
<p>The researchers found a consistent relationship between political conservatism and higher fertility. In most European countries included in the SHARE data, individuals with more conservative attitudes had more children and grandchildren than their liberal counterparts. For example, participants who identified as right-leaning on the political spectrum consistently reported larger family sizes. This pattern was particularly evident among individuals with the most conservative views, suggesting a strong link between traditional values and reproductive behavior.</p>
<p>Additionally, the researchers observed a generational shift in the proportion of conservative individuals. In most countries, the percentage of individuals identifying as conservative increased from grandparents (the first generation) to grandchildren (the third generation). This trend indicates that demographic factors, such as higher fertility among conservatives, may contribute to a gradual increase in the prevalence of conservative attitudes over time.</p>
<p>The GSS data supported these findings, showing that individuals with conservative attitudes toward family and reproduction tended to have larger families. For instance, those who believed that women must have children to feel fulfilled or who opposed equal rights for homosexual couples were more likely to have more children compared to those with liberal attitudes. This pattern was consistent across many of the countries included in the analysis.</p>
<p>The findings indicate that “demographics and the different fertility rates of left-wing versus right-wing individuals are important to understanding long-term political trends, and that the rise of right-wing parties/individuals we are currently seeing is also a consequence of demographics,” Fieder told PsyPost.</p>
<p>In some nations, such as Germany and France, the shift toward conservatism was particularly pronounced, with the proportion of conservative individuals in the younger generations increasing by more than 8 to 11 percentage points compared to the older generations.</p>
<p>Fieder said he was surprised by “the magnitude and strength of the demographic trends.”</p>
<p>Despite these overall trends, there were some exceptions. For example, in Israel, left-leaning individuals reported higher fertility rates than their right-leaning counterparts, an anomaly the researchers attributed to cultural and religious factors unique to that region. Additionally, some countries, such as Sweden, showed weaker or inconsistent associations between political orientation and family size.</p>
<p>Interestingly, the data also indicated that the fertility advantage among conservatives is relatively recent. In the grandparent generation, left-leaning individuals in many countries had larger sibling groups than conservatives. This reversal suggests that changes in societal norms, such as increased access to contraception and shifts in attitudes toward marriage and family, may have amplified the fertility differences associated with political orientation over time.</p>
<p>The researchers used statistical models that controlled for variables like age, education, and country of residence. This approach allowed them to isolate the effect of political attitudes on family size while accounting for other influencing factors. But the study, like all research, has limitations.</p>
<p>For instance, the SHARE dataset does not distinguish between biological and non-biological children, which could affect the accuracy of fertility estimates. Furthermore, while the findings suggest a recent reproductive advantage for conservatives, the underlying causes of this shift remain speculative and require further investigation.</p>
<p>The long-term goal for this line of research is to obtain “a better understanding of the evolution of our political attitudes and why they divide us so much,” Fieder said.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/19485565.2024.2419075">Demography leads to more conservative European societies</a>,” was published November 24, 2024.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/female-leaders-face-a-harsher-reality-new-study-highlights-alarming-risks/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Female leaders face a harsher reality—new study highlights alarming risks</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Dec 29th 2024, 18:00</div>
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<p><p>Despite some progress, women remain seriously underrepresented in politics globally. As of 2023, women held only <a href="https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/leadership-and-political-participation/facts-and-figures">26% of parliamentary seats</a> and 15.8% of the positions as heads of state or government.</p>
<p>My <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4508878">new research</a> with colleagues raises one possible factor in this representation that goes beyond discrimination in selection procedures. It is simply more dangerous for women to pursue careers in politics than men. They are far more likely to become targets of violence.</p>
<p>In Italy, where we conducted our study, elected female mayors are approximately three times more likely to experience an attack than their male equivalents.</p>
<p>The reasons behind women’s ongoing underrepresentation in the corridors of power are multifaceted. Research has explored factors from political parties sidelining women and voter discrimination, to cultural norms and traditional familial expectations. Political violence might be part of the story.</p>
<p>Although there is evidence suggesting that women are disproportionately targeted by political violence, researchers have yet to determine whether this relationship is truly causal. The main obstacle lies in data quality. Much of the research relies on self-reported surveys from selected politicians, which are non-representative.</p>
<p>Additionally, female politicians often differ from their male counterparts in ways that extend beyond gender. Women in politics tend to be younger, less connected, and perceived to be more honest than men. These are all factors that may make them more vulnerable to attacks.</p>
<p>Previous research hasn’t disentangled whether it’s these traits or their gender that puts them at higher risk.</p>
<p>Our study tackles these questions by leveraging 12 years of data on attacks against Italian politicians. We use data from the annual reports compiled by the NGO Avviso Pubblico. This organisation works closely with Italian local governments and provides a reputable source of information on both online and offline attacks against politicians, including verbal threats and physical violence.</p>
<p>Using this data, we can compare mayors who are similar in every way other than their gender. We compare towns where a female mayor won by a narrow margin with those where a male mayor won by a similar slim lead. Female and male mayors who win by small margins share similar characteristics across 16 different metrics, strengthening the case that gender plays a significant role in targeted acts of violence.</p>
<p>Female mayors are three times more likely to be targeted by political violence than their male counterparts, according to our findings. Even when accounting for possible discrepancies in reporting and other demographic factors, the increased risk for women remains clear. This suggests gender plays a critical role in political violence.</p>
<h2>Why are female politicians targeted more?</h2>
<p>There are several reasons why women in politics may face more attacks than men. One possibility is their behaviour in office. Research shows that women often implement different policies, have different priorities, and lead in ways that differ from men. These differences might partly explain why women are targeted more often.</p>
<p>Interestingly, our research indicates that policy choices are not a significant factor in explaining the gender gap in attacks. We observe no notable differences in spending choices on sectors like healthcare, social welfare, and education between male and female mayors.</p>
<p>Our findings support the idea that women face double standards when it comes to political violence. They are targeted even when they make the same decisions as men. Misogyny and gender bias may cause people to judge female leaders more harshly. Using detailed measures of mayoral performance, we found that the gender gap in attacks only appears when mayors perform poorly. In these cases, women are more likely to be targeted than men for similar shortcomings. This aligns with <a href="https://theconversation.com/even-in-2020-a-double-standard-is-still-applied-to-women-in-the-spotlight-146382">other evidence</a><br>
of double standards against women in the corporate world.</p>
<p>There is also the matter of visibility and the values of women’s empowerment represented by women leaderes. Female mayors are more frequently attacked in municipalities where gender quotas are enforced – suggesting a backlash in places where women achieve greater political representation.</p>
<p>Violence is even more common in municipalities where female mayors are not facing term limits, suggesting attacks on women mayors could even be specifically motivated by a desire to keep them out of power and influence.</p>
<p>And it seems to be an effective tactic. While women are just as likely as men to run for re-election, those who have been attacked are significantly less likely to do so. This indicates that violence discourages female politicians from seeking re-election, driving them out of office.</p>
<p>Addressing this issue requires long-term educational interventions to shift societal attitudes towards women leaders. In the short term, implementing stronger public safety measures for newly elected women is essential.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img decoding="async" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/238483/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1"><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p>
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<p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-are-female-politicians-more-often-targeted-with-violence-new-findings-confirm-depressing-suspicions-238483">original article</a>.</em></p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/narcissistic-traits-shape-the-relationship-between-depression-and-suicide-risk-study-suggests/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Narcissistic traits shape the relationship between depression and suicide risk, study suggests</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Dec 29th 2024, 14:00</div>
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<p><p>A new study published in the <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s41811-023-00185-x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Journal of Cognitive Therapy</a></em> sheds light on how different facets of pathological narcissism—vulnerability and grandiosity—interact with depression to influence suicidal ideation. The findings reveal that individuals with high levels of vulnerability are at greater risk for suicidal thoughts when experiencing depression, while the role of grandiosity is more complex and varies by population.</p>
<p>Pathological narcissism is a complex personality construct marked by an extreme focus on self-image and emotional instability when faced with perceived threats to self-esteem. It encompasses two distinct dimensions: vulnerability and grandiosity.</p>
<p>Vulnerable narcissism is characterized by hypersensitivity to criticism, fragile self-esteem, and a constant need for reassurance and admiration. Individuals with high vulnerability often experience intense emotional distress and are prone to depression, anxiety, and other internalizing disorders.</p>
<p>On the other hand, grandiose narcissism is associated with an inflated sense of self-importance, entitlement, and fantasies of superiority. Those with grandiose traits often display confidence and assertiveness but may struggle with interpersonal relationships due to their lack of empathy and exploitative tendencies. Both dimensions can coexist in the same individual, sometimes cycling over time, adding to the complexity of pathological narcissism.</p>
<p>The motivation for the study stemmed from the observation that pathological narcissism is a risk factor for both depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts. Despite this, the interplay between these variables remains poorly understood. Existing research has identified connections between vulnerability and suicidal ideation, while grandiosity has shown inconsistent relationships, sometimes acting as a protective factor.</p>
<p>However, no prior studies had explicitly examined how these narcissistic traits might influence the well-established link between depression and suicidal thoughts. This gap in the literature prompted researchers to investigate whether vulnerability and grandiosity could moderate this relationship.</p>
<p>To address these questions, researchers examined three distinct groups: 506 National Guard members, 379 community members with a history of suicidal thoughts or behaviors, and 300 firearm owners. These populations were chosen because of their elevated risk for suicide, providing a unique opportunity to study the interplay between narcissistic traits, depression, and suicidal ideation. Participants completed standardized questionnaires assessing pathological narcissism, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation.</p>
<p>In the military sample, higher levels of vulnerability amplified the link between depression and recent suicidal ideation. Grandiosity also had a potentiating effect, meaning that individuals with high grandiosity were more likely to report suicidal thoughts when experiencing depression. However, this finding was unexpected, as grandiosity is typically seen as a protective factor against suicidal ideation. The researchers hypothesize that the military culture, which values strength and stoicism, may exacerbate the negative effects of grandiosity in individuals struggling with depression.</p>
<p>The community sample showed a different pattern. Vulnerability again heightened the relationship between depression and suicidal ideation, but grandiosity appeared to have a buffering effect. Among individuals with high levels of grandiosity, depression was less strongly associated with suicidal thoughts. This protective effect may reflect the use of self-enhancing strategies to cope with depressive symptoms, which could mitigate the risk of suicidal ideation in a non-military context.</p>
<p>In the firearm owners sample, both vulnerability and grandiosity interacted with depression to predict the frequency of suicidal thoughts. However, these effects were not consistent across all measures of suicidal ideation. The researchers suggest that the unique risks associated with firearm ownership, including access to lethal means, may complicate the relationship between personality traits and suicidal behavior. Additionally, the effects of vulnerability and grandiosity were diminished when accounting for sexual minority status, highlighting the importance of considering broader social and cultural factors.</p>
<p>While the study provides valuable insights, it also has limitations. The reliance on self-report measures raises concerns about the accuracy of participants’ responses, particularly in stigmatized populations like the military. Differences in how suicidal ideation was measured across samples may also limit the comparability of findings. Future research should aim to replicate these results using more uniform methodologies and explore how grandiosity and vulnerability interact to influence suicidal thoughts.</p>
<p>Despite these limitations, the study has important implications for mental health interventions. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, which focuses on challenging maladaptive beliefs and promoting healthier coping strategies, could be particularly effective for individuals with high levels of vulnerability.</p>
<p>For example, therapists might help these individuals develop more stable self-esteem and reduce their reliance on external validation. Addressing grandiosity may involve helping individuals recognize the limitations of self-enhancing strategies and adopt a more balanced view of themselves and others.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41811-023-00185-x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The grim side of narcissism: Examining pathological traits, depression symptomology, and suicidal ideation in at‑risk populations</a>,” was authored by Olivia C. Preston, Samantha E. Daruwala, Sarah E. Butterworth, Joye C. Anestis, Bradley A. Green, and Michael D. Anestis.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/psychiatrists-detail-strange-case-of-woman-haunted-by-mysterious-possessions-for-seven-years/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Psychiatrists detail strange case of woman haunted by mysterious “possessions” for seven years</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Dec 29th 2024, 12:00</div>
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<p><p>What happens when cultural beliefs intersect with psychiatric conditions? A case study from <a href="https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.54991" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cureus</a> sheds light on a rare disorder known as trance and possession disorder, experienced by a 55-year-old woman in rural India. Her episodes of altered consciousness, perceived as possession, were ultimately linked to an underlying mood disorder known as dysthymia. The report, authored by psychiatrists from Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College in India, sheds light on the complexity of diagnosing and treating psychiatric conditions influenced by cultural factors.</p>
<p>Trance and possession disorder is a rare psychiatric phenomenon characterized by altered states of consciousness. In a trance state, individuals experience a temporary shift in awareness, often accompanied by behaviors or speech they cannot control. Possession states, however, are marked by the replacement of the individual’s sense of self with another identity, which might be perceived as a deity, a spirit, or even an animal. These episodes are deeply influenced by cultural and social factors, often manifesting in ways that reflect local beliefs and practices.</p>
<p>During these episodes, individuals may exhibit behaviors such as speaking in unfamiliar voices, making uncharacteristic gestures, or appearing unresponsive to their surroundings. Despite the dramatic presentation, these episodes are typically transient and may be triggered by emotional stress, unresolved conflicts, or social and environmental pressures. The condition is recognized under different names in psychiatric classifications, emphasizing the importance of cultural context in its diagnosis and interpretation.</p>
<p>Dysthymia, now often referred to as persistent depressive disorder, is a chronic form of depression characterized by a persistently low mood. Unlike major depression, its symptoms are less severe but last much longer, often for years. People with dysthymia might experience fatigue, low self-esteem, difficulty concentrating, and feelings of hopelessness. Though these symptoms are less acute, their prolonged nature can significantly impair an individual’s quality of life.</p>
<p>Dysthymia often coexists with other mental health conditions, exacerbating their symptoms. In the case study, the patient’s dysthymia likely heightened her vulnerability to the trance and possession episodes, creating a feedback loop where each condition influenced the other.</p>
<p>The patient in this case was a 55-year-old woman from Maharashtra, India. A homemaker from a lower socioeconomic background, she was brought to the psychiatric clinic by her daughter due to ongoing symptoms of low mood, headaches, social withdrawal, and difficulty managing daily tasks. These symptoms were compounded by episodes during which the patient would speak in a different voice, act out of character, and exhibit behaviors consistent with possession. These episodes, lasting up to two hours, had been occurring for seven years.</p>
<p>Her family initially sought the help of faith healers, a common response in many rural and traditional communities, which delayed medical intervention. When she finally presented at the clinic, a comprehensive medical evaluation was conducted. Blood tests, neurological examinations, and imaging studies, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electroencephalography (EEG), ruled out underlying physical conditions such as brain tumors or seizure disorders. The patient’s longstanding history of depressive symptoms, dating back to adolescence, provided further insight into the underlying causes of her condition.</p>
<p>Treatment combined medication and psychotherapy. The patient was prescribed escitalopram, an antidepressant aimed at alleviating her dysthymic symptoms. Weekly psychotherapy sessions addressed her emotional struggles and the link between her mood disorder and trance episodes. Over several months, her depressive symptoms improved, and the trance episodes became less frequent and intense. This outcome highlighted the value of treating both conditions holistically rather than focusing on them in isolation.</p>
<p>“If our patient’s prior psychiatric diagnosis of dysthymia had been recognized and treated appropriately, the trance episodes may not have occurred in the first place. Diagnosing TPD [trance and possession disorder] poses several challenges and limitations due to the complex interplay of cultural, spiritual, psychiatric, and socioeconomic factors. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to enhance the patient’s general functioning and quality of life,” the study authors concluded.</p>
<p>While case studies offer valuable insights into rare and complex conditions, they have inherent limitations. They focus on individual experiences, which may not be representative of broader populations. The findings cannot be generalized to all individuals with trance and possession disorder or dysthymia, and cultural factors unique to the patient’s background may limit the applicability of the observations to other settings.</p>
<p>Despite these limitations, case studies remain indispensable in advancing medical knowledge. They often shed light on unusual presentations of conditions and guide clinicians in understanding how different factors—biological, psychological, and social—interact in a single patient. In this case, the detailed narrative helps bridge the gap between clinical practice and cultural sensitivity, emphasizing the need for holistic approaches in mental health care.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.54991" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trance and Possession Disorder With Underlying Dysthymia: A Case Report</a>,” was authored by Yatika Chadha, Ragini Patil, Saket Toshniwal, and Nayan Sinha.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/nicotinamide-trial-for-alzheimers-disease-shows-no-clear-benefit-in-reducing-tau-proteins/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Nicotinamide trial for Alzheimer’s disease shows no clear benefit in reducing tau proteins</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Dec 29th 2024, 10:00</div>
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<p><p>A recent study published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000210152" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Neurology</a></em> explored whether high doses of nicotinamide, a derivative of vitamin B3, could reduce a protein associated with Alzheimer’s disease progression. Despite promising results in animal models, the study found no significant reduction in the tau protein among participants with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease who were treated with nicotinamide for 48 weeks. The findings suggest that while the treatment appeared safe, it did not achieve its intended biological effect.</p>
<p>Alzheimer’s disease, a condition characterized by progressive memory loss and cognitive decline, has proven difficult to treat. Recent advancements in therapies targeting amyloid plaques, a hallmark of the disease, have been groundbreaking but come with challenges. These treatments are costly, involve intravenous administration, and carry risks of adverse effects. Researchers are seeking alternative or complementary treatments that could be safer, more accessible, and potentially target other aspects of Alzheimer’s pathology.</p>
<p>One such target is tau, a protein that forms tangles in the brain. Tau tangles are closely linked to disease progression and serve as a key criterion for diagnosing Alzheimer’s. Nicotinamide emerged as a candidate for investigation based on its potential to modify tau proteins. Animal studies had suggested that nicotinamide could reduce tau phosphorylation, improve cognitive function, and stabilize cellular structures in the brain. The researchers aimed to determine whether similar effects could be observed in humans with early-stage Alzheimer’s.</p>
<p>“The study was conducted in an effort to translate promising results in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease into human,” said study author <a href="https://sites.mind.uci.edu/grill/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joshua Grill</a>, a professor and co-director of the <a href="https://mind.uci.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center</a> at the University of California, Irvine. “In a discovery made here at UC Irvine and replicated in a lab at the National Institute on Aging, nicotinamide counteracted the neurofibrillary tangles of disease in mice.”</p>
<p>“Additionally, it would be ideal if we could discover treatments that are cheap and easy to administer (e.g., oral therapies) that can counteract the biology of Alzheimer’s disease and this trial tested a hypothesis that oral nicotinamide could counteract the neurofibrillary tangles of the disease in mild stage patients.”</p>
<p>The researchers conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled trial conducted over 48 weeks. It involved 47 participants who were diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease, as confirmed by cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers. Participants were recruited from two sites, the University of California, Irvine, and the University of California, Los Angeles.</p>
<p>Participants were randomly assigned to receive either 1,500 milligrams of nicotinamide twice daily (a total of 3 grams per day) or a placebo. The treatment was administered in the form of sustained-release tablets. To ensure safety, participants underwent regular medical evaluations, including blood tests, cognitive assessments, and lumbar punctures to measure levels of tau and other biomarkers.</p>
<p>The primary focus of the study was to assess changes in phosphorylated tau (specifically at site 231, referred to as p-tau231) in the cerebrospinal fluid, a marker of tau modification. Secondary outcomes included other forms of tau, amyloid proteins, and measures of cognitive and functional decline.</p>
<p>The trial faced significant logistical challenges, including disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to delays and adjustments in data collection. Despite these hurdles, 41 participants completed the trial.</p>
<p>The study did not find significant differences in the levels of p-tau231 between the nicotinamide and placebo groups. While the placebo group showed a slight increase in p-tau231 levels over the course of the study, the reduction observed in the nicotinamide group was minimal and not statistically meaningful.</p>
<p>Other tau biomarkers, including total tau and another phosphorylated form (p-tau181), showed no significant changes attributable to nicotinamide treatment. Both groups experienced decreases in amyloid protein levels, but these changes were likely unrelated to the treatment.</p>
<p>Interestingly, participants in the nicotinamide group showed less decline in a clinical measure of dementia severity, the Clinical Dementia Rating–Sum of Boxes. However, this result did not hold up after accounting for statistical adjustments, and no similar improvements were observed in other cognitive or functional tests.</p>
<p>“We used the gold standard approach for testing medications—a double blind randomized placebo controlled trial,” Grill told PsyPost. “We also used biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid as the primary outcome. This isn’t easy, but it helps us answer questions with smaller sample sizes than studies that look at clinical and cognitive testing outcomes. Unfortunately, a relatively high dose of nicotinamide (3 g/day) was not able counteract the tau protein in neurofibrillary tangles in people with early stage Alzheimer’s disease.”</p>
<p>The treatment appeared safe overall, with no significant differences in the frequency or severity of adverse events between the nicotinamide and placebo groups. Most reported side effects, such as gastrointestinal discomfort and mild infections, were consistent with those seen in similar trials.</p>
<p>The researchers acknowledged several limitations. “The study was relatively small and only tested one dose and one duration of treatment (12 months). We don’t have reason to expect that higher dose or longer duration of treatment would make a difference, but the study didn’t address those possibilities,” Grill noted.</p>
<p>The study also did not include more advanced imaging techniques, such as tau positron emission tomography, which could provide deeper insights into how nicotinamide affects tau deposition in the brain. Furthermore, the disruptions caused by the pandemic likely impacted participant adherence and the consistency of data collection.</p>
<p>Another unanswered question is whether nicotinamide can effectively cross the blood-brain barrier in humans. Some studies suggest that nicotinamide metabolites can reach the brain, but this trial did not directly measure these metabolites.</p>
<p>“We are further exploring the data from the trial to see if there is reason to continue studying nicotinamide in this population,” Grill said.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000210152" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Phase 2A Proof-of-Concept Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Nicotinamide in Early Alzheimer Disease</a>,” was authored by Joshua D. Grill, Steven Tam, Gaby Thai, Beatriz Vides, Aimee L. Pierce, Kim Green, Daniel L. Gillen, Edmond Teng, Sarah Kremen, Maryam Beigi, Robert A. Rissman, Gabriel C. L´eger, Archana Balasubramanian, Carolyn Revta, Rosemary Morrison, Robin Jennings, Judy Pa, Jing Zhang, Shelia Jin, Karen Messer, and Howard H. Feldman.</p></p>
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<p><strong>Forwarded by:<br />
Michael Reeder LCPC<br />
Baltimore, MD</strong></p>
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