Melatonin sensitivity to dim white light in affective disorders.
(9/1210)
Both dim and bright light has been shown to suppress the nocturnal secretion of the pineal hormone melatonin. Early reports suggests that an abnormal response to light occurs in patients with bipolar affective disorder, where as patients with major depressive disorder respond similarly to controls. It has been suggested that this abnormal sensitivity of the melatonin response to light could be a trait marker of bipolar affective disorder. However reports lack consistency. Hence, we investigated the melatonin suppression by dim light (200 lux) in patients with bipolar affective disorder, seasonal affective disorder and major depressive disorder. Results suggest that a supersensitive melatonin suppression to light in bipolar affective disorder (p < .005), and seasonal affective disorder (p < .05), whereas patients with major depressive disorder display similar suppression to controls. The supersensitivity may be a mechanism where by phase-delayed rhythms, are resynchronised to a new circadian position. Conversely, an abnormality may exist in the pathway from the retina to the suprachiamatic nucleus. (+info)
Detection of borna disease virus-reactive antibodies from patients with psychiatric disorders and from horses by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay.
(10/1210)
The prevalence of Borna disease virus (BDV)-specific antibodies among patients with psychiatric disorders and healthy individuals has varied in several reports using several different serological assay methods. A reliable and specific method for anti-BDV antibodies needs to be developed to clarify the pathological significance of BDV infections in humans. We developed a new electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) for the antibody to BDV that uses two recombinant proteins of BDV, p40 and p24 (full length). Using this ECLIA, we examined 3,476 serum samples from humans with various diseases and 917 sera from blood donors in Japan for the presence of anti-BDV antibodies. By ECLIA, 26 (3.08%) of 845 schizophrenia patients and 9 (3.59%) of 251 patients with mood disorders were seropositive for BDV. Among 323 patients with other psychiatric diseases, 114 with neurological diseases, 75 with chronic fatigue syndrome, 85 human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients, 50 with autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosis and 17 with leprosy, there was no positive case except one case each with alcohol addiction, AIDS, and dementia. Although 19 (1.36%) of 1,393 patients with various ocular diseases, 10 (1.09%) of 917 blood donors, and 3 (4.55%) of 66 multitransfused patients were seropositive for BDV-specific antigen, high levels of seroprevalence in schizophrenia patients and young patients (16 to 59 years old) with mood disorders were statistically significant. The immunoreactivity of seropositive sera could be verified for specificity by blocking with soluble p40 and/or p24 recombinant protein. Anti-p24 antibody was more frequent than p40 antibody in most cases, and in some psychotic patients antibody profiles showed only p40 antibody. Although serum positive for both p40 and p24 antibodies was not found in this study, the p40 ECLIA count in schizophrenia patients was higher than that of blood donors. Furthermore, we examined 90 sera from Japanese feral horses. Antibody profiles of control human samples are similar to that of naturally BDV-infected feral horses. We concluded that BDV infection was associated in some way with psychiatric disorders. (+info)
An intronic polymorphic domain often associated with susceptibility to affective disorders has allele dependent differential enhancer activity in embryonic stem cells.
(11/1210)
Variable number tandem repeats (VNTR) within non-coding regions of a number of genes have been correlated with susceptibility to various disease states. In particular, a VNTR polymorphism of a 16 or 17 bp element within intron 2 of the human serotonin transporter gene has been correlated with a predisposition to affective disorders. We have demonstrated that this region will support differential levels of reporter gene expression in differentiating embryonic stem cells, this being dependent on the presence of 10 or 12 copies of the repeat. The VNTR domain can therefore act as a transcriptional regulator, a property which potentially contributes to disease susceptibility. (+info)
Hippocampal remodeling and damage by corticosteroids: implications for mood disorders.
(12/1210)
Mood disorders are common, recurrent and disabling illnesses which are frequently associated with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation and memory loss. The hippocampus provides negative feedback to the HPA axis and has an important role in key aspects of spatial and declarative memory. Thus, hippocampal dysfunction could account for both the memory impairment and neuroendocrine abnormalities found in mood disorders. The critical role of the hippocampus in declarative memory, emotional processing, and vulnerability to stress has been demonstrated in both animal and human studies. Cellular processes in the hippocampus including long-term potentiation, neurogenesis, and dendritic remodeling are currently areas of intense study. Human studies report cognitive impairment consistent with hippocampal dysfunction in depression, bipolar disorder, Cushing's disease, and in those individuals receiving exogenous corticosteroids. This review examines data on the role of corticosteroids in hippocampal remodeling and atrophy in patients with mood disorders. Interventions to prevent or reverse the damaging effects of corticosteroids on the hippocampus are discussed. (+info)
5-HT1B receptors: a novel target for lithium. Possible involvement in mood disorders.
(13/1210)
Lithium ion is widely used to treat depressive patients, often as an initial helper for antidepressant drugs or as a mood stabilizer; however, the toxicity of the drug raises serious problems, because the toxic doses of lithium are quite close to the therapeutic ones. Thus, precise characterization of the target(s) involved in the therapeutic activity of lithium is of importance. The present work, carried out at molecular, cellular, and in vivo levels, demonstrates that 5-HT1B receptor constitutes a molecular target for lithium. Several reasons suggest that this interaction is more likely related to the therapeutic properties of lithium than to its undesirable effects. First, the observed biochemical and functional interaction occurs at concentrations that precisely correspond to effective therapeutic doses of lithium. Second, 5-HT1B receptors are well characterized as controlling the activity of the serotonergic system, which is known to be involved in affective disorders and the mechanism of action of various antidepressants. These findings represent progress in our knowledge of the mechanism of action of lithium that may facilitate clinical use of the ion and also open new directions in the research of antidepressant therapies. (+info)
Behavioural phenotype of Cornelia de Lange syndrome.
(14/1210)
A postal questionnaire was used to study 49 individuals with Cornelia de Lange syndrome (including both the classical and the mild forms) to ascertain behavioural phenotype. Ages ranged from early childhood to adulthood (mean age, 10.2 years; SD, 7.8) and the degree of mental retardation from borderline (10%), through mild (8%), moderate (18%), and severe (20%) to profound (43%). A wide variety of symptoms occurred frequently, notably hyperactivity (40%), self injury (44%), daily aggression (49%), and sleep disturbance (55%). These correlated closely with the presence of an autistic like syndrome and with the degree of mental retardation. The frequency and severity of disturbance, continuing beyond childhood, is important when planning the amount and duration of support required by parents. (+info)
Cognitive function and mood after profound nocturnal hypoglycaemia in prepubertal children with conventional insulin treatment for diabetes.
(15/1210)
OBJECTIVES: To examine the frequency of nocturnal hypoglycaemia, and the effects on cognitive function and mood, in children with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). DESIGN: Two overnight glucose profiles, in the home environment, and assessments of cognitive function and mood the following day. Twenty nine prepubertal patients with IDDM (median age, 9.4 years; range, 5.3-12.9) and 15 healthy controls (single overnight profile), median age 9.5 (range, 5.6-12.1) years were studied. RESULTS: Asymptomatic hypoglycaemia (glucose < 3.5 mmol/l) was observed in 13 of 29 patients studied on night 1: four of these and seven others were hypoglycaemic on night 2. The median glucose nadir was 1.9 (range, 1.1-3.3) mmol/l and the median duration of hypoglycaemia was 270 (range, 30-630) minutes. Hypoglycaemia was related to insulin dose, but not glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) values, and was partially predicted by a midnight glucose of < 7.2 mmol/l. Cognitive performance was not altered after hypoglycaemia but a lowering of mood was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Young children on conventional insulin regimens are at high risk for profound, asymptomatic nocturnal hypoglycaemia, which is difficult to predict. There was no short term effect on cognitive function but mood change was detected. (+info)
Measurement of transference interpretations.
(16/1210)
The authors present a cost-efficient process rating scale for detailed measurement of how much transference interpretations and related therapist interventions are used in brief dynamic psychotherapy. Theoretical and methodological considerations on how to operationalize and quantify such therapeutic interventions are discussed. The scale had highly satisfactory interrater reliability for three raters, who rated 60 whole sessions from an ongoing randomized study of two manualized forms of brief dynamic psychotherapy. In one treatment group, moderate emphasis on transference analysis was intended. In the other, minor or no use of the studied component was intended. The two treatment groups differed significantly in the use of transference interpretations and related interventions. There was no significant difference in therapists' general therapeutic skill or use of supportive interventions. The treatment differentiation was consistent with the manuals. (+info)