Objectives:Major depressive disorder is diagnosed on the basis of patient’s self-reported experiences, behavior reported by relatives, and a mental status examination, and yet we do not have any reliable biomarker for this. Mood-regulating pathways are affected by oxidative injury to lipids and cortisol is released into the blood due to stimulation of corticotrophin receptors in the adrenal cortex. Here, we aimed to determine serum levels of malondialdehyde and cortisol in major depressive disorder patients and controls.Methods:We collected blood samples from 247 major depressive disorder patients and 248 controls. Serum levels of malondialdehyde and cortisol were measured by ultraviolet spectrophotometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit, respectively.Results:We found malondialdehyde levels were significantly higher in patients than controls, with mean ± standard deviation at 4.49 ± 1.37 and 2.87 ± 0.82 µmol/L, respectively, p < 0.001. Cortisol levels were also found significantly higher in patients than controls, with mean ± SD at 19.22 ± 1.64 and 17.37 ± 1.34 µg/dL, respectively, p < 0.001. Significant negative correlation was observed between serum levels of malondialdehyde and cortisol in patients (r =−0.170, p = 0.021). Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed good diagnostic value for malondialdehyde and cortisol, with the area under the curve at 0.853 and 0.819, respectively.Conclusion:The present study suggests that increased serum levels of malondialdehyde and cortisol are strongly associated with major depressive disorder. We believe elevations of malondialdehyde and cortisol in serum level arise independently and they could serve as biomarkers for major depressive disorder.

doi: medRxiv preprint NOTE: This preprint reports new research that has not been certified by peer review and should not be used to guide clinical practice.Higher levels of serum IL-1β and TNF-α are associated with an increased probability of major depressive disorder ABSTRACT Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a serious psychiatric disorder but there are no reliable risk assessment tools for this condition. The actual reason for affecting depression is still controversial. It is assumed that the dysregulated cytokines are produced due to the hyperactivation of the immune system in depression. We aimed to evaluate the possible alteration and the role of serum interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in MDD patients. The diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5 th edition was used to diagnose patients and evaluation of healthy controls (HCs). The severity of depression was measured by the Hamilton depression rating scale (Ham-D). Serum IL-1β and TNF-α levels were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Increased levels of serum IL-1β and TNF-α were observed in MDD patients compared to HCs. These higher levels of peripheral markers were positively correlated with the severity of depression.Moreover, females with higher Ham-D scores showed greater serum IL-1β and TNF-α levels compared to males. Good predictive values were detected for both serum IL-1β and TNF-α levels by receiver operating characteristic analysis. Therefore, the elevated levels of serum IL-1β and TNF-α might be used as risk assessment indicators for MDD.

Dominant mutations in PIEZO2, which codes for the principal mechanotransduction channel for proprioception and touch sensation, have been found to cause different forms of distal arthrogryposis. Some observations suggest that these dominant mutations induce a gain-of-function effect on the channel. Here, we report a consanguineous family with three siblings who showed short stature, scoliosis, gross motor impairment, and a progressive form of contractures involving the distal joints that is distinct from that found in patients with dominant mutations in PIEZO2. These siblings also displayed deficits in proprioception and touch sensation. Whole-exome sequencing performed in the three affected siblings revealed the presence of a rare homozygous variant (c.2708C>G; p.S903*) in PIEZO2. This variant is predicted to disrupt PIEZO2 function by abolishing the pore domain. Sanger sequencing confirmed that all three siblings are homozygous whereas their parents and an unaffected sibling are heterozygous for this variant. Recessive mutations in PIEZO2 thus appear to cause a progressive phenotype that overlaps with, while being mostly distinct from that associated with dominant mutations in the same gene.

Background: The alterations of biological markers are thought to be effective tools to understand the pathophysiology and management of major depressive disorder (MDD). A lot of researches has implied many markers for depression, but any of them fully discovered the association between the markers and depression. The present study investigated the serum levels of amino acids and non-enzymatic antioxidants in major depression, and also explained their association with depression. Methods: This study examined 247 MDD patients and 248 healthy controls (HCs) matched by age and sex. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (Ham-D) was used to all the participants to measure the severity of depression. Quantification of serum amino acids, vitamin A and E were carried out using the HPLC system whereas vitamin C levels were measured by UV-spectrophotometer. All the statistical analysis was performed by SPSS statistical software (version 23.0). The independent sample t-test, the Mann-Whitney U test, and the Fisher's exact test were applied to detect the group differences where a Bonferroni correction applied to the p value. Results: It was observed that serum levels of four amino acids (methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and tyrosine) along with three non-enzymatic antioxidants (vitamin A, E, and C) were significantly dropped in MDD patients compared to HCs (Cohen's d (d): − 0.45, − 0.50, − 0.68, − 0.21, − 0.27, − 0.65, and − 0.24, respectively). Furthermore, Ham-D scores of cases were negatively correlated with serum levels of methionine (r = − 0.155, p = 0.015) and tyrosine (r = − 0.172, p = 0.007). Conclusion: The present study suggests that lowered serum methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and nonenzymatic antioxidants are associated with depression. The reduction of these parameters in MDD patients may be the consequence, and not the cause, of major depression.

Background and Aims: The ongoing public health emergency has created incredible fear of getting the infection and a terrible psychological burden among all levels. The pandemic has severely affected private job holders' economic status and lifestyle factors in Bangladesh. Here we aimed to assess fear and depressive symptoms among private job holders in Bangladesh during the Covid-19 pandemic and associated risk factors. Methods:We conducted this online cross-sectional survey between January 15, 2021, and March 15, 2021, among 510 private job holders aged above 18 years. We followed the convenience sampling method for data collection. We assessed sociodemographic factors and two psychometric parameters. We applied the Fear of Covid-19 Scale and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 to assess increased fear and depressive symptoms, respectively. Chi-square test, independent sample t-test, and binary logistic regression analysis were performed for data analysis. Results:The prevalence of increased fear and depressive symptoms were 86.27% and 42.16%, respectively. Factors associated with increased fear among private job holders during COVID-19 were economic class, obesity, on-time salary, company's downsizing policy, salary reduction, home office, and transportation facilities.However, depressive symptoms were associated with marital status, education level, residence area, the organizational practice of health safety rules, company performance, on-time salary, health insurance, downsizing, salary reduction policy, organization type, transportation, and mental health support at work. The present study also noticed some interrelations among the above factors with mental health issues.