Journal of Affective Disorders Reports

BackgroundMajor depressive disorder (MDD) with suicidality represents a significant public health concern, as suicide ranks among the leading causes of death worldwide. While electroencephalography (EEG) has shown promise in depression diagnosis, its utility in identifying suicidal risk remains underexplored. This study aims to develop and validate a Suicidal Risk Index (SR Index) using EEG biomarkers and machine learning (ML) algorithms for distinguishing between MDD patients with and without suicidality. MethodsIn this retrospective observational study, resting-state EEG data were collected using Stress EEG Assessment (SEA) system. SR Index was developed by integrating the PHQ-9 scale with EEG-derived features, including band power, coherence, and fractal dimension, optimized using ML algorithms to enhance accuracy. ResultsThe study included 268 participants (159 without suicidality, 109 with suicidality). The SR Index demonstrated robust discriminative ability with an AUC of 0.8117 (p=2.63x10-18). At the optimal cutoff value of 8, the model achieved 88.99% sensitivity, 57.23% specificity, 67.86% positive predictive value, and 78.85% negative predictive value, with a balanced accuracy of 73.11%. ConclusionsThe SR Index shows promise as an objective tool for identifying suicidality in MDD patients, potentially complementing traditional clinical assessments. This approach may enhance early detection and risk stratification in clinical settings, potentially improving suicide prevention strategies. HighlightsO_LINovel EEG- and ML-based Suicidal Risk Index distinguishes MDD patients with and without suicidality. C_LIO_LISR Index achieves 88.99% sensitivity and 73.11% balanced accuracy in identifying suicidal risk. C_LI

BackgroundStudies suggest that good self-management is associated with better coping with chronic mental conditions. However, an encompassing assessment of the relationship between depression and self-management competence is lacking. MethodsThis study assesses the relationship between depressiveness and self-management competence in a sample of 83 depressed in-patients. Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) was used to assess depressiveness. The Self-Management Self-Test (SMST) was used to assess self-management competence. Patient surveys took place at the time of hospital admission (T1) and at the time of hospital discharge or approximately 4 to 6 weeks after (T2). ResultsSelf-management competence correlated negatively with depressiveness at T1. Four out of five specific dimensions of self-management competence correlated inversely with depressiveness at T1. Self-management competence differed depending on the severity of the depressive syndrome and was higher the lower the severity of the depressive syndrome was. In the course of clinical treatment, self-management competence increased. Change of self-management competence during clinical treatment was not dependent on the sociodemographic variables gender or age. Change of self-management competence during clinical treatment predicted the change of depressiveness between hospital admission and discharge (T2 vs. T1) as well as depressiveness at T2. LimitationsSample size was relatively small. The SMST is a relatively new psychometric instrument that has not yet found widespread use in clinical research. ConclusionOur findings offer clinical evidence that in depressed in-patients, self-management competence and depressiveness are associated constructs. These results suggest that self-management competence may be a valuable resource in the treatment of depressive disorders.

BackgroundThe October 7, 2023, terrorist attack in Israel led to over 1,200 civilian deaths and the abduction of 251 individuals to Gaza. While prior studies have documented the psychological toll on directly affected populations, the broader emotional impact of the ongoing hostage crisis on the general public remains unclear. This study explored how concern for the hostages relates to psychological distress and functional impairment, conceptualizing this reaction as a form of collective prolonged grief. MethodsA nationally representative sample of 515 Israeli adults completed self-report questionnaires at two timepoints: August 2023 (pre-attack) and May 2025. Measures assessed anxiety, depression, PTSD symptoms, cumulative stress, emotional burnout, and daily functioning. Concern for the hostages was rated on a 4-point scale. Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) symptoms were measured using an adapted PG-13 scale to reflect ambiguous loss. Multivariate analyses controlled for baseline distress and trauma exposure. ResultsHigher concern levels were significantly associated with elevated distress across all symptom domains. Nearly half (48.7%) of participants met criteria for probable PGD in relation to the hostage situation. These individuals exhibited significantly higher psychological symptoms and lower functional well-being--including poorer sleep, reduced concentration, and diminished optimism and hope. ConclusionsFindings indicate that the prolonged hostage crisis constitutes a collective psychological burden marked by ambiguous loss and unresolved national trauma. This form of distress affects even those without direct exposure. Mental health efforts must extend beyond trauma-specific care to include interventions for symbolic and collective grief. National leadership plays a critical role in recognizing this suffering and restoring societal trust.

The studys objective was to establish the prevalence and variables associated with post-traumatic stress disorder risk (PTSD-R) in a sample of COVID-19 survivors in Santa Marta, Colombia. A cross-sectional study was designed with a non-probabilistic sample of adult COVID-19 survivors. Participants were demographically characterized and completed scales for depression risk, insomnia risk, and PTSD-R. Three hundred and thirty COVID-19 survivors between 18 and 89 years participated; 61.52% were women. The frequency of depression risk was 49.70%; insomnia risk, 60.61%; and PTSD-R, 13.33%. Depression risk (OR = 41.43, 95% CI 5.54 - 311.63), insomnia risk (OR = 5.25, 95% CI 1.77 - 18.71), low income (OR = 3.46, 95% CI 1.38 - 8.67) and being married or free union (OR = 2.65, 95% CI 1.13 - 6.22) were associated with PTSD-R. In conclusion, two out of every fifteen COVID-19 survivors are in PTSD-R. Depression and insomnia risk are strongly associated with PTSD-R in COVID-19 survivors.

Meta-analysis shows that sub-clusters defined by affected domains of psychosocial functioning capture PTSD subtypes better than symptom clusters defined in the DSM-IV. This pilot study investigated the association between symptom sub-clusters and brain volume in twelve persons with PTSD (females, mean age 40.9 years). Structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images were acquired, and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to estimate local gray matter volume throughout the brain. Participants gray matter volume was correlated with both overall PTSD severity and sub-cluster severities. In this preliminary study examining sub-clusters and brain morphometry, we found that neuronal changes associated with sub-clusters may provide a more complete understanding of the neuroanatomical changes that occur in PTSD beyond what can be ascertained using overall disorder severity or comparisons with control subjects. The results of our study suggest that the neurobiological changes resulting from severe trauma depend on the specific sub-clusters of symptoms experienced by individuals with PTSD.

ImportanceSuicide remains a leading cause of death worldwide, underscoring the importance of identifying neurobiological markers associated with suicidal behaviors. While non-suicidal self-directed violence (NSSDV) is an established risk factor for future suicide attempts (SA), the underlying neural distinctions between these behaviors remain insufficiently understood. ObjectiveTo examine functional connectivity (FC) changes that may differentiate SA from NSSDV based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Design, setting, and participantsIn this case-control study, cross-sectional data of participants with a history of self-directed violence (SDV) were stratified into SA (n = 579) and NSSDV (n = 491) groups based on self-reported questionnaires. Both cross-sectional data and rs-fMRI data were collected from the UK Biobank between October 2016 to January 2024. Main outcomes and measuresFC matrices across different brain regions were analyzed. A general linear regression model was employed to identify significant FC correlations with SA. An exploratory analysis examined the correlation between FC and SDV frequency and interval. ResultsA total of 1,070 participants with a history of self-directed violence (SDV) were stratified into SA and NSSDV groups. Compared to NSSDV, the SA group exhibited decreased FC in bilateral amygdala and right putamen, alongside increased FC in the right caudate. Higher frequency of SDV was correlated to increased FC between the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and occipital regions, whereas individuals reporting SDV within the past 12 months showed decreased FC between the OFC and both the rectus gyrus and temporal lobe. Conclusions and relevanceThis large-sample rs-fMRI study highlights distinct FC alterations associated with different dimensions of self-harm. The limbic and reward circuits appear particularly relevant in differentiating SA from NSSDV and in capturing variations tied to SDV frequency and recency. These insights advance our understanding of suicidal behaviors neurobiological underpinnings and may inform targeted risk stratification.

BackgroundSuicidal ideation (SI) and suicidal behavior (SB) may have different etiological pathways, particularly related to feedback processing. Identifying ERP components related to these suicide states may help researchers localize and understand these differences. Objective. Our primary purpose was to utilize time-frequency decomposition techniques to assess neurophysiological correlates of SI and SB during positive and negative feedback processing. Methods271 subjects (55.7% female; mean age=35.75, SD=16.07; 30.6% veterans) completed a questionnaire battery and a multi-task protocol, including a gambling feedback task (Gehring & Willoughby, 2002), while electroencephalography (EEG) was collected using a 96-channel EEG system. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted across 20 self-report suicide items selected to index SI and SB from several suicide-relevant questionnaires. EFA results produced 2 factors, corresponding to SI and SB. Time-frequency principal component analyses produced measures across all frequency bands (i.e., delta-FN/P3, delta-SW, theta-FN, alpha, beta-1, beta-2, and gamma). ResultsExcepting alpha amplitude, all measured frequencies were related to SB, and not SI (across loss and gain, with some loss-gain differences). Alpha, uniquely, showed a relationship to SI and not to SB (across loss and gain, no loss-gain differences). Robust regressions confirmed that the delta, theta, and high-frequency (HF; beta-1, beta-2, and gamma as combined HF loss, gain, and loss-gain difference factors) measures were each independently related to SB. DiscussionBroadly, the results indicate that individuals with SB showed heightened neurophysiological response across multiple ERP components (except alpha) to gambling feedback, with significantly greater increases to loss stimuli relative to gain stimuli. General Scientific SummaryThis study, using time-frequency EEG/ERP measures from a gambling feedback task, supports the theoretical framework that suicidal behavior and suicidal ideation can be indexed separately. Generally, stronger reactivity to all feedback (i.e., loss and gain feedback during a gambling task) is seen in those with suicidal behavior and not in those with suicidal ideation, but with a small separate effect related to suicidal ideation.

BackgroundDepression is a common mental disorder that significantly influences mental health outcomes and increases the risk of all-cause mortality. However, the dose-response relationship between depression and all-cause mortality remains unclear. MethodsA total of 36,193 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2018 were included in this study. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scale, and all-cause mortality data were obtained from the National Death Index. Weighted Cox regression models were applied to evaluate the association between depression and all-cause mortality, with special attention to non-linear relationships. ResultsAmong the study population, 8.74% were identified as having depression. The mean follow-up duration was 90.53 months, during which 9.87% of participants died from all causes. A significant non-linear association was observed between PHQ-9 scores and all-cause mortality. All-cause mortality increased markedly with depression scores [&le;] 7 (HR: 1.068, 95% CI: 1.042-1.095, P < 0.0001) and plateaued when scores approached 7. ConclusionsElevated depressive symptoms, even at mild levels, are associated with a substantial increase in all-cause mortality. These findings underline the necessity for early identification and intervention for depressive symptoms to reduce long-term adverse health outcomes. This research provides critical evidence to inform public health strategies targeting the reduction of depression-related mortality.

BackgroundAnhedonia, the diminished capacity to experience pleasure, is a transdiagnostic symptom increasingly studied in various psychiatric conditions. While recognized in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), its unique relationship with OCD severity, independent of comorbid depression, remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of anhedonia in individuals with OCD, its association with OCD symptom severity, and whether this association persists after controlling for depressive symptoms. Methods227 adult participants with a primary or co-primary OCD diagnosis completed self-report measures for anhedonia, OCD severity, and depressive symptoms. Hypothesis-driven and exploratory analyses included descriptive statistics, hierarchical multiple linear regression, and group comparisons. ResultsClinically significant anhedonia was found in 14.5% of the sample, though mean anhedonia levels were generally low (M = 0.96, SD = 1.79). A significant positive correlation was initially observed between anhedonia and OCD severity (r = .148, p = .027). However, in a hierarchical regression model, while depressive symptoms significantly predicted OCD severity ({beta} = 0.602, p < .001), anhedonia did not explain unique variance ({Delta}R{superscript 2} < .001, p = .931) after controlling for depression. ConclusionsGeneral anhedonia is present in a subset of individuals with OCD and shows an initial correlation with OCD severity. However, this relationship appears to be largely accounted for by comorbid depressive symptoms. These findings underscore the critical importance of controlling for depression when researching OCD, as well as targeting depression when delivering evidence-based interventions for OCD.

Interoception, the perception of internal bodily signals, is thought to play a key role in health behavior. Interoceptive domains (e.g., accuracy and attention) are associated with mental disorders in various ways, underscoring the need for specific measures for different interoceptive domains. To allow for studying interoceptive domains in the Dutch population, the current study aimed to investigate the reliability and validity of Dutch translations of the Interoceptive Accuracy Scale (IAS-D) and Interoceptive Attention Scale (IATS-D). In a sample of 779 participants (mean age 52.98 {+/-} 16.47, 49.6% female), the IAS-D showed good internal consistency ( = 0.89) with a four-factor structure according to the confirmatory factor analysis (CFI = 0.816, TLI = 0.788, RMSEA = 0.084). The IAS-D had significant negative relations to the Interoceptive Confusion Questionnaire ({beta} = -0.638, p < 0.001), depression ({beta} = -0.298, p < 0.001), and alexithymia ({beta} = 0.528, p < 0.001). The IATS-D showed good internal consistency ( = 0.94) with a three-factor structure according to the confirmatory factor analysis (CFI = 0.852, TLI = 0.833, RMSEA = 0.100). The IATS-D had significant positive relations with the Interoceptive Confusion Questionnaire ({beta} = 0.481, p < 0.001), Body Perception Questionnaire ({beta} = 0.207, p < 0.001), depression ({beta} = 0.377, p < 0.001), and alexithymia ({beta} = 0.528, p < 0.001). The IAS-D and IATS-D are considered reliable and valid instruments for assessing self-reported interoceptive accuracy and attention in Dutch-speaking populations, supporting public health research on the role of interoception in health behavior. HighlightsO_LIInteroceptive domains associate with mental disorders in various ways C_LIO_LISpecific measures for interoceptive domains are needed C_LIO_LIIAS-D and IATS-D are reliable and valid instruments C_LIO_LIIAS-D and IATS-D can distinguish between interoceptive domains C_LI

BackgroundDepression is a common cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. To detect depression, we compared Beck Depression Inventory scoring as a valid tool with participants self-reporting depression. MethodologyThis cross-sectional study aimed to explore the diagnostic values of self-reporting in patients with depression comparing to Beck Depression Inventory scoring in Mazandaran Persian cohort study, with a total of 1300 samples. The sample size was determined to include 155 participants through the census method. In order to increase the test power, 310 healthy participants were included in the study through random selection. In order to evaluate the diagnostic value of self-reporting, BDI-II was completed by blind interviewing to the case group as well as to another group who reported that they were not depressed, as control. ResultsSensitivity, specificity, accuracy, false positive, false negative, positive and negative predictive values of self-reporting was calculated 58.4%, 79.1%,73.4%, 20.8%, 41.6%, 51.8%, and 83.2% for the total population respectively, as well as, sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive values of self-report in males were 83.3%, 77.2%, 77.1%, 43.8% and 95.6% and 53.7%, 78.1%, 71.2%, 49.2%, and 81.1% for females, respectively. ConclusionThe positive predictive value and sensitivity of self-reporting are insufficient in total population and females, and therefore self-reporting cannot detect depressed patients, but regarding to its average positive predictive value, perhaps, it can be used to identify non-depressant individuals.

Levels and distributions of depression symptoms 8-10 months after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic are reported in a population of faculty, staff, and students at Duke University who faced minimal infection and economic disruption due to the pandemic. Almost 5,000 respondents age 18-81 years who completed the 20-item Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D) battery reported high rates of depression symptoms with more than 40% reporting levels that indicate risk of moderate depression and 25% indicating risk of severe depression. There is a very steep age gradient with the highest levels reported by the youngest respondents of whom over 40% are at risk of severe depression. Symptoms are worse among those who report the demands of work often interfere with family responsibilities but these pressures neither explain the high reported rates nor the steep age gradient. Severe depression risks are highest among students. High levels of depression symptoms during the pandemic appear to be persistent and not confined to those at greatest risk of infection or economic insecurity.

Neuroticism, a personality trait, can predict major depressive disorder (MDD). The current study aims to determine whether a) neuroticism is a feature of the acute state of MDD, including suicidal behaviors (SB); and b) adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with neuroticism in MDD. This study included 133 participants, 67 normal controls and 66 MDD patients, and assessed the Big 5 Inventory (BFI), ACEs using the ACE Questionnaire, and the phenome of depression using the Hamilton Depression (HAMD) Rating Scale (HAMD), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) scores to assess current SB. Neuroticism was significantly higher in MDD than controls, and it explained 64.9% of the variance in the depression phenome (a latent vector extracted from HAMD, BDI, STAI, and current SB scores). The other BFI domains had much less (extraversion, agreeableness) or no effect (openness, conscientiousness). One latent vector could be extracted from the phenome, lifetime dysthymia, lifetime anxiety disorders and neuroticism scores. Neglect (physical and emotional) and abuse (physical, neglect and sexual) account for approximately 30% of the variance in this latent vector. Partial Least Squares analysis showed that the effects of neglect on the phenome were partially mediated by neuroticism, whereas the effects of abuse were completely mediated by neuroticism. Neuroticism (trait) and the MDD phenome (state) are both manifestations of the same latent core, with neuroticism being a less severe manifestation of major depression, which in fact is a multiplicative manifestation of neuroticism.

BackgroundMajor depression (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) have become one of the leading global causes of disability and both are characterized by marked interpersonal and social impairments. However, despite a high comorbidity and overlapping social-emotional deficits it remains unclear whether MDD and GAD share a common neural basis during interpersonal processing. MethodsThis study combined an emotional face processing paradigm with fMRI and dimensional and categorical analyses in a sample of unmedicated MDD and GAD patients (N = 72) as well as healthy controls (N = 35). ResultsNo group differences were found in categorical analyses. However, the dimensional analyses revealed that dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) reactivity to sad facial expressions was positively associated with depressive, yet negatively associated with GAD symptom load in the entire sample. On the network level depression symptom load was positively associated with functional connectivity between the bilateral amygdala and a widespread network including the anterior cingulate and insular cortex. LimitationsSex differences were not examined in the present study and some patients exhibited depression-GAD comorbidity. ConclusionsTogether, these findings suggest that the dlPFC - engaged in cognitive and emotional processing - exhibits symptom- and emotion-specific alteration during interpersonal processing. Dysregulated communication between amygdala and core regions of the salience network may represent MDD-specific neural dysregulations.

This study aimed to analyze the predictive capacity of fear of Covid-19, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and the variable pandemic year on suicidal behaviors in the years 2020, 2021, and 2022. The total sample consisted of 7,735 adults from all regions of the country and over 1.300 Brazilian cities, with an average age of 34 years. The research instruments used were the Fear of Covid-19 Scale (FCV-19S), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), the Patient Health Questionnaire Scale (PHQ-9), and a question assessing the absence, presence of suicidal ideation, and suicide planning or attempts. Data analysis was conducted using multinomial logistic regression. The main findings showed that fear of Covid-19 (severe [OR = 0.696]), anxiety (mild [OR = 2.183], moderate [OR = 2.436], and severe [OR = 2.757]), and depression (mild [OR = 2.831], moderate [OR = 4.769], and severe [OR = 10.660]) were statistically significant in relation to suicidal ideation. As for suicide planning and attempts, predictors included year (2022 [OR = 1.297]), fear of Covid-19 (moderate [OR = 0.614] and severe [OR = 0.445]), anxiety (mild [OR = 2.253], moderate [OR = 2.988], and severe [OR = 3.577]), and depression (mild [OR = 3.021], moderate [OR = 8.189], and severe [OR = 40.363]). In conclusion, the effects of the pandemic need to continue to be monitored, as mental health surveillance data are crucial in guiding effective policies aimed at suicidal behavior.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by disrupted functional network connectivity (FNC), with unclear underlying dynamics. We investigated both static FNC (sFNC) and dynamic FNC (dFNC) on resting-state fMRI data from drug-naive first-episode MDD patients and healthy controls (HC). MDD patients exhibited lower sFNC within and between sensory and motor networks than HC. Four dFNC states were identified, including a globally-weakly-connected state, a cognitive-control-dominated state, a globally-positively-connected state, and an antagonistic state. The antagonistic state was marked by strong positive connections within the sensorimotor domain and their anti-correlations with the executive-motor control domain. Notably, MDD patients exhibited significantly longer time dwelling in the globally-weakly-connected state, at the cost of significantly shorter time dwelling in the antagonistic state. Further, only the mean dwell time of this antagonistic state was significantly anticorrelated to disease severity measures. Our study highlights the altered dynamics of the antagonistic state as a fundamental aspect of disrupted FNC in early MDD.

ObjectiveTo assess depression response and remission rates with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in a community clinic and to identify factors predicting success in treatment. MethodsWe identified 35 patients by a retrospective chart review with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder or depressive disorder not otherwise specified (according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV-TR) who were treated with an acute series of ECT at the Pine Rest ECT Clinic from March, 2014 to March, 2015. Clinical variables, demographics, depression response rates (based on Patient Health Questionnaire-9; PHQ-9), and anxiety response rates (based on Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item) were analyzed. ResultsDepression response (defined as [&ge;] 50% reduction in PHQ-9 score) and remission rates (defined as final PHQ-9 score < 5) were 54.3% and 31.4%, respectively. This was a highly treatment resistant sample, with an average of 5.3 antidepressant failures prior to initiating ECT. Logistic regression analysis found that depression response rates were predicted by an improvement in anxiety symptoms (odds ratio 1.41; 95% confidence interval, 1.11, 1.78). Additionally, patients with initial severe anxiety scores were less likely than other patients to exhibit a response in depression (p = .027). ConclusionAlmost half of this sample of patients with treatment resistant depression did not respond to ECT in this community-based clinic. Patients who experienced a response in anxiety symptoms were more likely to experience a depression response while those with severe anxiety were less likely to respond.

BackgroundTo investigate the mediating role of family poverty income ratio (PIR) in the association between depression and mortality risk, including all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality, using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). MethodsThe study included a cohort of participants from seven NHANES cycles (2005-2018) with available depressive assessments and family PIR data. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality, and the secondary endpoint was cardiovascular mortality, ascertained from National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) mortality follow-up data. To evaluate the relationship between depression and mortality, we employed restricted cubic splines (RCS), Cox proportional hazards regression models. After adjusting for covariates such as age, sex, education, and marital status, mediation analysis was conducted to assess the mediating effects of the family PIR on these associations. ResultsThe prevalence of depressive symptoms among the 33,132 participants was 8.64%, with a mean age of 47.62 {+/-} 18.69 years. After adjusting for multiple confounders, higher Patient Health Questionnaire-9(PHQ-9) scores were significantly associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality (HR = 1.050, 95% CI: 1.042-1.058, P < 0.0001) and cardiovascular mortality (HR = 1.035, 95% CI: 1.019-1.050, P < 0.00001). Mediation analysis revealed that 14.51% and 5.82% of the effects of depression on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, respectively, were mediated through family PIR. ConclusionThe family PIR plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between depressive and mortality risk, highlighting the importance of socioeconomic factors in understanding and reducing depression-related mortality. Interventions targeting both mental health and socioeconomic support are essential to improve overall survival among individuals with depression.

Binge eating disorder (BED) is one of the most prevalent eating disorders and involves an increased risk of mental health problems, obesity and metabolic disease. Recent studies suggest that BED is similar to addictive disorders in its phenomenology and neurobiological mechanisms. Comorbid addiction (e.g., substance use disorders and behavioral addiction) is also very frequent in BED patients. However, it is still unclear whether BED population with comorbid addictions differ in their cognitive and mental health characteristics (e.g., impulsivity, behavioral inhibition, self-control, emotion regulation, mood and anxiety) than those without comorbid addiction. In the present study, we compared various psychometric scales across 30 binge-eating individuals with co-occurring addictive behaviors (i.e., alcohol, nicotine, gambling, and video games), 32 binge-eating individuals without addiction, and 178 healthy control subjects with neither binge-eating nor addiction. Both binge-eating groups showed a significant increase in inhibition motivation (BAS/BIS-inhibition), perceived stress, and state/trait anxiety compared to healthy controls, but there was no difference between the two binge-eating groups. Higher impulsivity and lower self-control were observed in both binge-eating populations to a significantly larger extent in the group with comorbid addiction. Interestingly, significantly increased depression and impaired emotion regulation (less use of cognitive reappraisal) were observed only in the binge-eating group with comorbid addiction when compared to the healthy controls. Our findings demonstrated the commonality and difference in binge-eating populations with and without comorbid addiction. It will help to elucidate cognitive and mental health aspects of comorbid addiction in BED and develop more tailored diagnoses and treatments.

One of the most promising areas of research into the biological underpinnings of depression is genetic studies. However, the absence of generally accepted phenotyping methods leads to the difficulties in generalizing their results due to the heterogeneity of the samples. Thus, the development of a reliable and convenient phenotyping method that allows large sample sizes to be included in studies remains a top priority for the further development of genetic studies of depression. The aim of this study was to evaluate the applicability of the online version of the depression subscale of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-D) for depression phenotype screening in the general population. Using online HADS-D we performed screening of depressive symptoms and compared results with known population patterns of depression. We conducted an online survey of 2610 Russian-speaking respondents over the age of 18. The overall HADS-D score was higher in women (p=0.003), in individuals under 30 y.o compared to participants over 42 y.o. (p=0.004) and in individuals reporting cardiovascular diseases (CVD) symptoms (p<0.0001). Linear regression showed that the presence of CVD leads to higher HADS-D scores (p<0.001), male gender (p=0.002) and older age (p<0.001) led to lower scores. Logistic regression showed that CVD increases the risk of having depression symptoms by HADS-D (p=0.033, OR=1.29), older age (p=0.015, OR=0.87) and male sex (as a trend, p=0.052, OR=0.80) decrease this risk. These results are consistent with the known data on the association of sex, age, and the presence of CVD with the prevalence of depression. The online version of HADS-D, given the ease of its usage, can be regarded as an effective tool for phenotyping depression in the general population.