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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Mental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2021) | Viewed by 40424

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Fernando Sánchez-Santed

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Guest Editor

Department Psychology and CEINSA, Universidad de Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain
Interests: neurotoxicology; neurodevelopment; pesticide; organophosphate

Dr. Maria Teresa Colomina Fosch

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Assistant Guest Editor

Dept. Psychology, Universidad Rovirai Virgili, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
Interests: neurotoxicology; developmental toxicology; behavioral toxicology

Dr. Caridad López Granero

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Assistant Guest Editor

Dept. Psychology, Universidad de Zaragoza, 440030 Teruel, Spain
Interests: public health; air quality; environmental pollutants; aging; rural/urban residential settings; cognitive reserve; biomarkers; oxidative stress; inflammation

Dr. Ingrid Reverte

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Assistant Guest Editor

1. Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
2. Santa Lucia Foundation (IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia), 00185 Rome, Italy
Interests: behavioral; cognitive;neuropharmacological; chemogenetic; anatomical techniques in rodents

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As defined by the WHO, “Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. However, mental health remains a neglected part of global efforts to improve health”. In addition, “Mental health conditions include mental, neurological and substance use disorders, suicide risk and associated psychosocial, cognitive and intellectual disabilities”. (https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/310981/WHO-MSD-19.1-eng.pdf?ua=1).

An increasing number of factors are being related to mental health, as either detrimental or protective. Thus, despite genetic variability, different environmental conditions can, in a very broad sense, also be related with the impairment or promotion of mental health. Most, if not all, of these non-genetic factors can be explained by the individual lifestyle. Thus, nutrition, physical activity, intellectual activity, occupation and hobbies, residential factors such as geographical location or style of building, economic status, access to health and educational systems, stress, violence or abuse, exposure to toxics or drugs (either legal or illegal), etc. are all clearly related to mental health. However, these are not the only causative factors; our past experience—even prenatal—can help to explain our emotional or cognitive status and its relationship with individual and social performance, through the modulation of mental health.

As an example, living in a rural area can be related to lower levels of stress, exposure to greener and broader landscape, exposure to certain toxics such as pesticides, lower levels of social interaction (in some cases), variable degrees of health and social protection systems, etc. In contrast, urban living can be related to higher levels of physical and social stress, lower levels of pesticides exposure but higher levels of exposure to other toxics through air pollution (PM_2.5) or heavy metals, and better performance of health and social protection systems.

This Special Issue welcomes scientific thoughts, articles, reviews, or any contributions shedding light on the complex relation between variation in the lifestyle and its effect on mental health, at any point of the life span from conception to aging.

Dr. Fernando Sánchez-Santed
Dr. Maria Teresa Colomina Fosch
Dr. Caridad López Granero
Dr. Ingrid Reverte
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

lifestyle
mental health
cognition
emotion
psychopathology
neurotoxicity
neurodevelopment
brain
stress
diet
nutrition
pesticides
metals
air pollution
urban living
rural living
exercise
sport
drugs

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 365 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Relationship between Mental Health, Educational Burnout and Strategies for Coping with Stress among Students: A Cross-Sectional Study of Poland

by Piotr Długosz and Damian Liszka

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(20), 10827; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182010827 - 15 Oct 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3857

Abstract

This study sought to investigate the risk factors of poor psychosomatic health among students during the quarantine of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey was conducted on-line, on a sample of 1978 respondents in Poland. The study was carried out towards the end of the summer 2020 semester. The questionnaire used in the study was designed so that it allows for the observation of the main risk factors which have an impact on the students’ mental health. Variance analysis and hierarchical regression analysis were used to determine the predictors of mental health problems. The results indicate that average and high levels of psychosomatic disorders were observed among 61% of respondents. The hierarchical regression analysis showed that an increase in the level of educational burnout, a decreased life satisfaction, and use of negative strategies of coping with stress, were accompanied by a deteriorated mental condition of students. Moreover, it was observed that female respondents scored higher on the scale of disorders in comparison to males. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Life Style and Mental Health)

12 pages, 396 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Problematic Internet Use in a Population of Spanish University Students

by Enrique Ramón-Arbués, José Manuel Granada-López, Blanca Martínez-Abadía, Emmanuel Echániz-Serrano, Isabel Antón-Solanas and Michael Nash

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(14), 7620; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147620 - 17 Jul 2021

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3827

Abstract

(1) Background: To examine the prevalence, and associated factors of, problematic Internet use in a sample of Spanish university students. (2) Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study of a convenience sample of 698 university students. Self-esteem, alcohol consumption, perceived social support, depression, anxiety, stress and problematic Internet use were evaluated using the Rosenberg, CAGE, DUKE-UNC-11, DASS-21 and Young’s Internet Addiction Test, respectively. (3) Results: Problematic internet use was reported by 21% of respondents. Risk of problematic Internet use was independently associated with the preferred use of the smartphone, time of exposure to the Internet, less perceived social support, problematic alcohol consumption and symptoms of stress and anxiety. We found significant association between problematic internet use and time of exposure to the Internet, residential status, alcohol consumption, self-esteem, perceived social support and psychological distress, after bivariate analysis. (4) Conclusions: A considerable prevalence of problematic Internet use was found; in our sample problematic Internet use was associated with stress, alcohol consumption, anxiety and perceived social support. Strategies aimed at the early identification of problematic Internet use may lead to an improvement in the psychosocial health of the university student population. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Life Style and Mental Health)

19 pages, 3461 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Increased Compulsivity in Adulthood after Early Adolescence Immune Activation: Preclinical Evidence

by Santiago Mora, Elena Martín-González, Ángeles Prados-Pardo, Pilar Flores and Margarita Moreno

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(9), 4684; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094684 - 28 Apr 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2181

Abstract

Immune activation during early developmental stages has been proposed as a contributing factor in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and autism in both human and animal studies. However, its relationship with the vulnerability to inhibitory control deficit, which is a shared feature among those conditions, remains unclear. The present work studied whether postnatal immune activation during early adolescence, combined with exposure to early-life adverse events, could lead to adult vulnerability to impulsive and/or compulsive behaviors. Male Wistar rats were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in early adolescence at postnatal day 26 (PND26). During peripuberal period, half of the animals were exposed to a mild stress protocol. In adulthood, behavioral assessment was performed with the aid of the sustained attentional 5-choice serial reaction time (5-CSRT) task, schedule-induced polydipsia (SIP), and open-field locomotor activity and novelty reactivity. Rats exposed to LPS showed more compulsive responses than their control counterparts on 5-CSRT task, although no differences were observed in SIP or locomotor responses. Our study contributes to the knowledge of the relationship between immune activation and inhibitory control deficit. Future studies should aim to disentangle how, and to what extent, immune activation impacts behavior, and to understand the role of early life mild stress. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Life Style and Mental Health)

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11 pages, 685 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Physical Activity and Resilience among College Students: The Mediating Effects of Basic Psychological Needs

by Shanshan Xu, Zongyu Liu, Siyu Tian, Zhiyao Ma, Cunxian Jia and Guoxiao Sun

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(7), 3722; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18073722 - 2 Apr 2021

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 6119

Abstract

Considering the significance of resilience in coping with adversity, how to improve college students’ resilience is worthy of attention. Previous studies have revealed that physical activity can promote resilience; however, few studies examined the mediating factors between them. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of physical activity on resilience, as well as the mediating effects of competence need, autonomy need, and relatedness need between physical activity and resilience. The study involved 2375 college students (1110 males and 1265 females), with an average age of 20.25 years (SD = 2.04). Participants completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form, Basic Needs Satisfaction in General Scale, and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. Results showed that physical activity was positively associated with resilience, and the three basic needs played significant mediating roles between physical activity and resilience. The indirect effect of competence need was significantly greater than that of autonomy need and relatedness need. To conclude, physical activity plays an important role in resilience among college students, and the satisfaction of competence, autonomy, and relatedness needs mediates the relationship between physical activity and resilience, among which, competence need appears as the strongest mediator. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Life Style and Mental Health)

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17 pages, 2832 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sex and Exposure to Postnatal Chlorpyrifos Influence the Epigenetics of Feeding-Related Genes in a Transgenic APOE Mouse Model: Long-Term Implications on Body Weight after a High-Fat Diet

by Laia Guardia-Escote, Jordi Blanco, Pia Basaure, Judit Biosca-Brull, Rikst Nynke Verkaik-Schakel, Maria Cabré, Fiona Peris-Sampedro, Cristian Pérez-Fernández, Fernando Sánchez-Santed, Torsten Plösch, José L. Domingo and Maria Teresa Colomina

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(1), 184; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18010184 - 29 Dec 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2817

Abstract

Developmental exposure to toxicants and diet can interact with an individual’s genetics and produce long-lasting metabolic adaptations. The different isoforms of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) are an important source of variability in metabolic disorders and influence the response to the pesticide chlorpyrifos (CPF). We aimed to study the epigenetic regulation on feeding control genes and the influence of postnatal CPF exposure, APOE genotype, and sex, and how these modifications impact on the metabolic response to a high-fat diet (HFD). Both male and female apoE3- and apoE4-TR mice were exposed to CPF on postnatal days 10–15. The DNA methylation pattern of proopiomelanocortin, neuropeptide Y, leptin receptor, and insulin-like growth factor 2 was studied in the hypothalamus. At adulthood, the mice were given a HFD for eight weeks. The results highlight the importance of sex in the epigenetic regulation and the implication of CPF treatment and APOE genotype. The body weight progression exhibited sex-dimorphic differences, apoE4-TR males being the most susceptible to the effects induced by CPF and HFD. Overall, these results underscore the pivotal role of sex, APOE genotype, and developmental exposure to CPF on subsequent metabolic disturbances later in life and show that sex is a key variable in epigenetic regulation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Life Style and Mental Health)

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13 pages, 358 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Risk Factors of Metabolic Syndrome in Community-Dwelling People with Schizophrenia

by Min Jung Sun and Mi Heui Jang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(18), 6700; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17186700 - 14 Sep 2020

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2811

Abstract

This study investigated the prevalence and risk factors of metabolic syndrome in 100 community-dwelling people with schizophrenia registered in mental health facilities in Seoul, Korea. This study was conducted between 12 September and 15 November 2019. This study used a cross-sectional descriptive design. The data included were general and disease-related characteristics, diagnostic tests for metabolic syndrome, lifestyles, depression, and social support. The analysis of collected data was done by using the SPSS 24.0 program. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 42.0%. Higher body mass index (odds ratio [OR] = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.16–2.18, p = 0.004), and depression (OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.06–1.42, p = 0.008) were associated with higher risks of metabolic syndrome, while physical activity and weight control (OR = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.54–0.94, p = 0.018), dietary habits (OR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.54–0.93, p = 0.011), and medication and health management (OR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.31–0.86, p = 0.012) were associated with lower risks. Mental health care nurses need to recognize the high prevalence of metabolic syndrome in people with schizophrenia in the community and provide differentiated, customized lifestyle improvement programs based on the body mass index and depression status of each person with schizophrenia. Furthermore, comprehensive lifestyle improvement programs and health examination services that people with schizophrenia can easily adhere to should be developed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Life Style and Mental Health)

Review

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24 pages, 644 KiB

Open AccessReview

Relationship between Prenatal or Postnatal Exposure to Pesticides and Obesity: A Systematic Review

by Helena Pinos, Beatriz Carrillo, Ana Merchán, Judit Biosca-Brull, Cristian Pérez-Fernández, María Teresa Colomina, Fernando Sánchez-Santed, Fernando Martín-Sánchez, Paloma Collado, Jorge L. Arias and Nélida M. Conejo

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(13), 7170; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18137170 - 4 Jul 2021

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4585

Abstract

In recent years, the worldwide prevalence of overweight and obesity among adults and children has dramatically increased. The conventional model regarding the onset of obesity is based on an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure. However, other possible environmental factors involved, such as the exposure to chemicals like pesticides, cannot be discarded. These compounds could act as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDC) that may interfere with hormone activity related to several mechanisms involved in body weight control. The main objective of this study was to systematically review the data provided in the scientific literature for a possible association between prenatal and postnatal exposure to pesticides and obesity in offspring. A total of 25 human and 9 animal studies were analyzed. The prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal exposure to organophosphate, organochlorine, pyrethroid, neonicotinoid, and carbamate, as well as a combined pesticide exposure was reviewed. This systematic review reveals that the effects of pesticide exposure on body weight are mostly inconclusive, finding conflicting results in both humans and experimental animals. The outcomes reviewed are dependent on many factors, including dosage and route of administration, species, sex, and treatment duration. More research is needed to effectively evaluate the impact of the combined effects of different pesticides on human health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Life Style and Mental Health)

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30 pages, 594 KiB

Open AccessReview

Relationship between Autism Spectrum Disorder and Pesticides: A Systematic Review of Human and Preclinical Models

by Judit Biosca-Brull, Cristian Pérez-Fernández, Santiago Mora, Beatriz Carrillo, Helena Pinos, Nelida Maria Conejo, Paloma Collado, Jorge L. Arias, Fernando Martín-Sánchez, Fernando Sánchez-Santed and Maria Teresa Colomina

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(10), 5190; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18105190 - 13 May 2021

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 4936

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex set of neurodevelopmental pathologies characterized by impoverished social and communicative abilities and stereotyped behaviors. Although its genetic basis is unquestionable, the involvement of environmental factors such as exposure to pesticides has also been proposed. Despite the systematic analyses of this relationship in humans, there are no specific reviews including both human and preclinical models. The present systematic review summarizes, analyzes, and discusses recent advances in preclinical and epidemiological studies. We included 45 human and 16 preclinical studies. These studies focused on Organophosphates (OP), Organochlorine (OC), Pyrethroid (PT), Neonicotinoid (NN), Carbamate (CM), and mixed exposures. Preclinical studies, where the OP Chlorpyrifos (CPF) compound is the one most studied, pointed to an association between gestational exposure and increased ASD-like behaviors, although the data are inconclusive with regard to other ages or pesticides. Studies in humans focused on prenatal exposure to OP and OC agents, and report cognitive and behavioral alterations related to ASD symptomatology. The results of both suggest that gestational exposure to certain OP agents could be linked to the clinical signs of ASD. Future experimental studies should focus on extending the analysis of ASD-like behaviors in preclinical models and include exposure patterns similar to those observed in human studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Life Style and Mental Health)

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Other

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15 pages, 584 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Can Physical Activity Reduce the Risk of Cognitive Decline in Apolipoprotein e4 Carriers? A Systematic Review

by Jose Luis Perez-Lasierra, Jose Antonio Casajús, José Antonio Casasnovas, Jose Miguel Arbones-Mainar, Antonio Lobo, Elena Lobo, Belén Moreno-Franco and Alejandro Gonzalez-Agüero

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(14), 7238; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147238 - 6 Jul 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2677

Abstract

Physical activity (PA) reduces the risk of cognitive decline (CD) in the general population. However, little is known about whether the presence of the apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 allele (APOE e4) could modify this beneficial effect. The aim of this systematic review was to analyze and synthetize the scientific evidence related to PA levels and CD risk in cognitively healthy APOE e4 carriers. Four electronic databases were analyzed. Only original articles with longitudinal study design were selected to analyze the relationship between PA and CD in APOE e4 carriers. Five studies were included in the systematic review. All studies except one stated that PA is a protective factor against CD in APOE e4 carriers. Moreover, partial support was found for the hypothesis that a greater amount and intensity of PA are more beneficial in CD prevention. The results support the idea that PA is a protective factor against CD in APOE e4 carriers. Nevertheless, it would be necessary to carry out further studies that would allow these findings to be contrasted. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Life Style and Mental Health)

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20 pages, 539 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

The Role of Social Stress in the Development of Inhibitory Control Deficit: A Systematic Review in Preclinical Models

by Lucía Sánchez-Salvador, Ángeles Prados-Pardo, Elena Martín-González, Manuela Olmedo-Córdoba, Santiago Mora and Margarita Moreno

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(9), 4953; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094953 - 6 May 2021

Viewed by 2842

Abstract

Inhibitory control deficit and impulsivity and compulsivity behaviours are present in different psychopathological disorders such as addiction, obsessive-compulsive disorders and schizophrenia, among others. Social relationships in humans and animals are governed by social organization rules, which modulate inhibitory control and coping strategies against stress. Social stress is associated with compulsive alcohol and drug use, pointing towards a determining factor in an increased vulnerability to inhibitory control deficit. The goal of the present review is to assess the implication of social stress and dominance on the vulnerability to develop impulsive and/or compulsive spectrum disorders, with the aid of the information provided by animal models. A systematic search strategy was carried out on the PubMed and Web of Science databases, and the most relevant information was structured in the text and tables. A total of 34 studies were recruited in the qualitative synthesis. The results show the role of social stress and dominance in increased drug and alcohol use, aggressive and impulsive behaviour. Moreover, the revised studies support the role of Dopaminergic (DA) activity and the alterations in the dopaminergic D1/D2 receptors as key factors in the development of inhibitory control deficit by social stress. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Life Style and Mental Health)

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5 pages, 600 KiB

Open AccessBrief Report

Depression and Nicotine Withdrawal Associations with Combustible and Electronic Cigarette Use

by Michele L. Pergadia, John W. Newcomer and David G. Gilbert

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(24), 9334; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17249334 - 14 Dec 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2192

Abstract

Depression is a risk factor for nicotine use and withdrawal. Population level epidemiologic studies that include users of either combustible or electronic cigarette (NICUSER) could inform interventions to reduce nicotine dependence in vulnerable populations. The current study examined the relationship between depression diagnosis (DEPDX), NICUSER, and lifetime rates of DSM-V nicotine withdrawal (NW) symptoms in a nationally representative sample of US adults (N = 979), who answered related questions in surveys administered through GfK’s KnowledgePanel. Over 42% of the sample reported lifetime ever combustible cigarette use, 15.6% electronic-cigarette use, and 45.9% either (NICUSER). Weighted logistic regression analyses (controlling for age and gender) found that DEPDX was associated with 2.3 times increased odds (ratio (OR); 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.5–3.5) of being a NICUSER. Regarding risks of NW symptoms among NICUSER, models that additionally controlled for frequency of nicotine use found that DEPDX was significantly associated with increased odds of concentration problems (OR = 2.4; 95% CI: 1.3–4.5) and depressed mood (OR = 2.2; 95% CI: 1.1–4.1) when quitting or cutting down on nicotine use. Results highlight the consistent comorbidity between depression, nicotine use, and symptomatic nicotine withdrawal in a population-based sample of combustible and electronic cigarette users. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Life Style and Mental Health)

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