An interventional study of Dietary polystyrene microplastics from disposable plastic tableware in Depression, Anxiety, sponsored by Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital. Completed at 1 site in China. Open to participants aged 20 Years to 30 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-08-22.
Sponsored by Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital · Not applicable, Interventional, and Basic science
The objective of this clinical trial is to explore the potential impact of dietary polystyrene microplastics on anxiety- and depression-like behaviors in resident physicians. Specifically, the study aims to address two key questions:
Participants will be divided into two groups based on their habitual eating practices: The control group, consisting of resident physicians, will use non-disposable plastic tableware (NDPT) provided by hospital canteens for two months. In contrast, the exposure group, also comprising resident physicians, will use disposable plastic tableware (DPT) made of polystyrene, provided by the same hospital canteens, over the same period.
The mental health and well-being of resident physicians is a critical topic that has gained increasing attention recently. Recent studies have shown a growing prevalence of mental health illnesses worldwide. For medical trainees and resident physicians, high rates of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and burnout have been consistently observed. Moreover, contemporary research suggests that dietary exposure plays a pivotal role in the development of mental illnesses. Disposable plastic tableware, commonly used during resident training programs, could be a contributing factor. However, the specific effects of dietary exposure from such tableware on mental health, particularly through the gut-brain axis, remain largely unexplored. Consequently, investigating the potential impact of dietary polystyrene microplastics on anxiety- and depression-like behaviors in resident physicians is essential.
8,057 studies on the registry are indexed under Depression; 1,643 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 15 is below the median of 84 across 6,718 interventional studies indexed under Depression.
Browse Depression studies →Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital is the lead sponsor of 60 studies on the registry; 31 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
The control group, consisting of resident physicians, will use non-disposable plastic tableware (NDPT) provided by hospital canteens for two months.
The exposure group, also comprising resident physicians, will use disposable plastic tableware (DPT) made of polystyrene, provided by the same hospital canteens for two months
Other: Dietary polystyrene microplastics from disposable plastic tableware
Microplastic release from the daily use of disposable plastic materials (e.g., plastic boxes) when holding hot food or drink.
Assessing mental status using the depression anxiety stress scales-21 (DASS-21) questionnaire
In this study, the researchers utilized the Chinese version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21), a widely recognized and reliable instrument for assessing depression, anxiety, and stress. This comprehensive tool is divided into three sections, each dedicated to evaluating the levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, respectively. The depression scale scores range from 0 to 21, with normal scores falling below 4. Anxiety scores also range from 0 to 21, with normal scores below 3. For stress, scores range from 0 to 18, with scores below 7 considered normal. Higher scores on any of these scales indicate elevated levels of depression, anxiety, or stress. In this research, the DASS-21 was employed to monitor the variations in anxiety and depression-like behaviors among the two groups, both at baseline and after the treatment period.
Time frame: At the baseline and end of this clinical trial an average of two months. the enrolled participants will be asked to complete the DASS-21 questionnaire.
Alterations in human gut microbial diversity investigated through 16S rRNA
The gut microbiota encompasses the microorganisms residing in the human gastrointestinal tract. Microbial diversity refers to the variety of different species present in the gut microbiome. In this study, DNA extraction from fecal samples is carried out in two primary steps. Initially, the sample undergoes purification using multiple reagents and centrifugation. This process isolates the microbes by removing other fecal components. The next step involves lysing bacterial cells; this is achieved by incubating the samples in lysis buffer with agitation. Subsequently, the extracted DNA is amplified through techniques such as multiple displacement amplification. A 16S rRNA primer is then selected for gene sequencing. The sequences obtained from the 16S rRNA will be analyzed to ascertain the gut microbial diversity at the species level.
Time frame: At the beginning and conclusion of this clinical trial, spanning an average duration of two months, the enrolled participants will be asked to provide fecal samples
This study is completed, as verified in Aug 2024. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital