The results of the third survey of the Swiss Corona Stress Study refer to the period from November 11-19, 2020, during which 11,612 people from all over Switzerland participated. Stress levels have increased significantly compared to the first survey during lockdown in April 2020. While the proportion of people reporting maximum stress levels was around 11% during the April lockdown, it rose to 20% in the second pandemic wave in November. The increase in stress was accompanied by an increase in depressive symptoms. The main drivers of psychological stress and depressive symptoms included burden due to a Covid-19-related change in work, school, or education, Covid-19-related financial losses, and fears about the future. These stressors have increased significantly, compared to the time of the April lockdown. Further factors were the fear that someone in the closest circle would become seriously ill or die from COVID-19, as well as the burden of social restrictions and burden from an increase in conflicts at home. While the proportion of respondents with moderately severe or severe (PHQ-9 ≥15) depressive symptoms was 3% before the pandemic, 9% during the April lockdown, and 12% during May, it increased to 18% in November. The risk for moderately severe or severe depressive symptoms was associated with age (with younger people showing the highest risk) and was increased in people experiencing financial losses due to the pandemic. In addition, people from the French-speaking part of Switzerland, which was most affected by the pandemic during the second wave, were at higher risk than people from the rest of Switzerland.
Although shared behavioral and neural mechanisms between working memory (WM) and motor sequence learning (MSL) have been suggested, the additive and interactive effects of training have not been studied. This study aimed at investigating changes in brain functional connectivity (FC) induced by sequential (WM + MSL and MSL + WM) and combined (WM × MSL) training programs. 54 healthy subjects (27 women; mean age: 30.2 ± 8.6 years) allocated to three training groups underwent twenty-four 40-min training sessions over 6 weeks and four cognitive assessments including functional MRI. A double-baseline approach was applied to account for practice effects. Test performances were compared using linear mixed-effects models and t-tests. Resting state fMRI data were analysed using FSL. Processing speed, verbal WM and manual dexterity increased following training in all groups. MSL + WM training led to additive effects in processing speed and verbal WM. Increased FC was found after training in a network including the right angular gyrus, left superior temporal sulcus, right superior parietal gyrus, bilateral middle temporal gyri and left precentral gyrus. No difference in FC was found between double baselines. Results indicate distinct patterns of resting state FC modulation related to sequential and combined WM and MSL training suggesting a relevance of the order of training performance. These observations could provide new insight for the planning of effective training/rehabilitation.
This paper reports the results of the 4th survey of the Swiss Corona Stress Study. During the survey period from November 16-28, 2021, 11167 people from all over Switzerland participated in the anonymous online survey. Stress factors: There were major differences between the group of vaccinated persons (58 percent of respondents) and the group of unvaccinated persons in terms of the stress factors associated with the subjective perception of stress. The greatest differences were found in the stress caused by measures such as the certificate requirement, which the majority of the unvaccinated perceived as stressful, while the majority of the vaccinated perceived it as relieving. The burden of conflicts in the family, among friends or at the workplace due to corona measures or vaccination was high among both vaccinated and unvaccinated persons. However, it was significantly higher among the latter. There were also large differences - here with a higher burden among vaccinated persons - in the fear about the health consequences of Covid-19, such as the concern that someone in the closest circle could become seriously ill. Fears of suffering from Long Covid in case of an infection, or that children might bring the coronavirus home and infect parents or grandparents, were also more prevalent among vaccinated than unvaccinated respondents. Among respondents with their own children between the ages of 4 and 11 (a total of 2079 people), only 17 percent among vaccinated parents were not at all afraid that their child will become infected with the coronavirus. Among unvaccinated parents, the figure was 68 percent. Depressive symptoms: The proportion of respondents with moderately severe or severe depressive symptoms (PHQ>=15) was 19 percent, with vaccination status not playing a relevant role. In April 2020 (lockdown), this proportion was 9 percent; in May 2020 (partial lockdown), 12 percent; and in November 2020 (second wave), 18 percent. Risk factors for moderately severe or severe depressive symptoms were:- Young age: Severe depressive symptoms were most common in the youngest group (14 to 24 years old), with a share of 33 percent. Among participants who attended school or college/university, depressive symptoms were most strongly related to stress from pressure to perform at school. - Financial losses: Individuals whose financial reserves decreased during the pandemic were more likely to experience major depressive symptoms (32 percent) than those with unchanged or increased reserves (13 percent). - Previous mental health issues: Individuals with mental health problems prior to the pandemic are more likely to experience major depressive symptoms (34 percent) than individuals who reported having no mental health problems prior to the pandemic (14 percent). Substance use: Among those taking tranquilizers or sleeping pills (3544 persons), 53.6 percent reported an increase, 3.5 percent a decrease, and 42.9 percent no change in use during the pandemic (Figure 4). A similar pattern emerges for persons using nicotine, alcohol, or cannabis. The extent of use of these substances is related to the severity of stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms.
Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic and governmental counter measurements, confinement in particular, have changed the routines of everyday life of people all over the world. To assess the psychological consequences of daily life changes during COVID-19 pandemic in the Iranian population.Method: We performed an anonymous online survey in the first 3 weeks of March 2020. Participants had to rate their stress levels and depressive symptoms during the last two weeks and before the pandemic retrospectively. The changes in psychological measurements and its association with socio-demographic factors and burdens due to confinement were assessed.Results: Overall, among the 3210 subjects who participated in our study, we observed an increase in both stress levels and average depression score. However, about 23% of subjects reported a decrease in their stress levels during the pandemic. The burden of childcare at home, restrictions in private life, and the burden of thoughts about the future were positively correlated with changes in stress levels and depression scores. On the other hand, feeling relieved in the pandemic condition, and enjoying more family time associated with less change in stress levels and depression scores. Being religious and older age were identified as resilience factors, whereas being a student, seeking a job, and having a psychiatric disorder history were identified as risk factors for depression.Conclusion: Stress levels and depressive symptoms have increased during COVID-19 pandemic and this increase is in relation to different social and personal burdens due to confinement strategy.
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