Faculty Bibliography

The association between stressful childhood experiences (SCE) and psychotic symptoms is still not clearly understood, and different causal pathways have been proposed. Generalized estimating equation modeling was used to test the dose-response relationship between SCE and delusions and hallucinations at baseline and follow-up periods and the possible confounding effects of dissociation on this relationship. The prevalence of SCE in individuals with psychotic disorders was high, with more co-occurring SCE categories being positively associated with more types of delusions and hallucinations. Each additional SCE was associated with a 1.20 increase in the incidence rate ratio (95% confidence interval [CI; 1.09, 1.32]) for hallucinations and a 1.19 increase (CI [1.09, 1.29]) for delusions, supporting a dose-response association. After we controlled for the mediating effects of dissociative symptoms at follow-up, SCE remained independently associated with delusions. We propose that cumulative SCE can result in complex trauma reactions that present with a broad range of symptomatology, including dissociative, posttraumatic stress disorder, and psychotic symptoms.

Introduction: Inadequate sleep duration is an important public health burden in the United States. However, there is a paucity of information on the relationships between psychological health and inadequate sleep. Our study examined the relationships between emotional distress and inadequate sleep. Methods: Data from the 2009 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), N = 27,731 participants 18 years and older, were analyzed to investigate the associations of emotional distress with inadequate sleep duration, adjusting for socio-demographic factors, health risks, and chronic diseases. We deine inadequate sleep as less than 7 or greater than 8 hours sleep durations; compared to healthy sleep (7-8 hours). We measured emotional distress, based on Kessler's 6 scale, which assesses the frequency of feeling sad, nervous, restless, hopeless, worthless, and burdened over a 30-day period. Responses were used to generate a score ranging from 0 to 24. Scores of > 13 are considered likely to indicate serious mental illness. Results: Of the sample, 52% were female, 80% were white, 12% black, and 8% other; 30% hold a HS diploma and 31% reported a family income below 31K. Analysis also showed that 10.9% reported emotional distress and 37.2% reported inadequate sleep. Results of our logistic regression analysis revealed that individuals with emotional distress had 57% greater odd of reporting inadequate sleep (OR = 1.5795% C.I. 1.54, 1.61, p < 0.001); the model adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, marital status, education, combined family income, body mass index, history of alcohol consumption, smoking status, and chronic diseases including, arthritis, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, coronary heart disease and heart conditions. Conclusion: Our indings showed that emotional distress, an important proxy for psychological health, was the strongest predictor of inadequate sleep. Other factors associated with inadequate sleep include demographic (age, education, sex, race/ethnicity, combined family income), health!

Introduction: Many risk factors have been implicated in the pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Recent evidence suggests that medical risk factors, such as uncontrolled/high blood pressure (BP), high cholesterol, triglycerides, high body mass index, diabetes, and dyslipidemia (all indicators of metabolic syndrome) are highly comorbid with OSA. However, data on the relationships between these risk factors and OSA among blacks with metabolic syndrome are lacking. Methods: Data for the present study were collected from 340 participants from the Metabolic Syndrome Outcome (MetSO) study, a NIHfunded cohort study of 1,035 blacks with metabolic syndrome (mean age = 62 + 13 years, 69% female, and 43% with annual family income < $10K). During initial interviews, patients provided sociodemographic, health risks, and history of chronic diseases. Patients with a score > 6 on the Apnea Risk Evaluation System (ARES) were considered at high OSA risk. Logistic regression analyses were employed to investigate whether metabolic syndrome indicators, particularly uncontrolled blood pressure, increased the odds of OSA. Results: Of the sample, 77.1% was at risk for OSA and 16.8% had uncontrolled BP. Analysis also showed 60.4% were diabetic, 8.9% had a stroke history, 74.3% had dyslipidemia, 91.1% were either overweight or obese and 30.9% had heart disease. Mean systolic BP was 134.8 + 18.4; diastolic BP was 75.6 + 11.9; LDL cholesterol was 105.6 + 36.9; HDL cholesterol was 48.0 + 17.3; triglycerides was 135.8 + 81.2; glucose was 138.4 + 68.3; and HbA1c was 7.93 + 1.63. Logistic regression analysis showed that uncontrolled BP independently increased the odds of OSA risk (OR = 1.94, 95% CI = 1.12-3.32, p < 0.01). Conclusion: Our indings suggest that uncontrolled BP was associated with a twofold greater risk of OSA in blacks. The clinical implication of this inding is that blacks with metabolic syndrome and who have uncontrolled BP should be screened for the presence of OSA

Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the enigmatic pineal gland in response to darkness, hence the name hormone of darkness. It has generated a great deal of interest as a therapeutic modality for various diseases particularly sleep disorders. This pleiotropic molecule has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticoagulopathic properties in addition to its endothelial protective effects. In this article we discuss melatonin secretion and mechanisms of action as well as therapeutic rationale. We also highlight the potential utility of melatonin in the deadly modern-day Ebola epidemic.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the association between visual impairment and insomnia symptoms in elderly populations. The purpose of this study was to ascertain associations between self-reported visual impairments and insomnia symptoms in a community-based sample of Russian immigrants. METHOD: Sample consisted of 307 community-residing Russians (ages: 25-95 years, mean=72.64 +/- 9.62; women=54% and men=46%). Semi-structured interviews assessed health-care needs and physical health characteristics. Collected demographic and health-related data were analyzed using SPSS 19.0. RESULTS: Overall, 93% reported at least one of several major health problems: visual impairment (48.4%), hypertension (53%), diabetes (25.7%), arthritis (52.8%), cancer (10.5%), weight problems (34.1%), and anxiety/depressive symptoms (43%), 62% had an insomnia diagnosis. Unadjusted logistic regression analysis showed that individuals with visual impairment were nearly three times as likely as those without to report insomnia symptoms [OR = 2.73, p < 0.01; 95% CI = 1.68-4.48]. Adjusting for the presence of socio demographic variables reduced the odds to 2.68; further adjustment for social isolation and anxiety and depressed symptoms reduced the odds to 2.20.Anxiety/depression mediated the relationship between visual impairment and insomnia. CONCLUSION: Individuals with visual impairment have twice the odds of reporting insomnia independent of anxiety/depression and social isolation, two common problems affecting quality of life in that population.

Objective: This study examines stressful childhood experiences (SCE) including childhood abuse and family context in a cohort of 183 people diagnosed with serious mental illness (SMI) and compares gender specific rates of SCE and clinical outcome variables. Methods: 111 men and 72 women with SMI were interviewed regarding SCE and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, dissociative symptoms, risk for self-harm, and adult re-victimization. Results: Both genders endorse high rates of SCE. Cumulative SCE (the sum of seven SCE) are linked to increased levels of all four outcome variables after adjusting for demographic factors. Conclusions: The study addresses the need to assess cumulative SCE in a population with SMI and its effects on clinical outcomes in both genders.