Archive for January, 2010
Blueberry Juice May Boost Memory
Blueberry Juice May Boost Memory (Via WebMD Health.) ———- Blueberry Supplementation Improves Memory in Older Adults J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Jan 4. [Epub ahead of print] Krikorian R, Shidler MD, Nash TA, Kalt W, Vinqvist-Tymchuk MR, Shukitt-Hale B, Joseph JA. The prevalence of dementia is increasing with expansion of the older adult population. In [...]
Inability to sustain positive emotion in Major Depression reflects failure to maintain Nucleus Accumbens activity
Reduced capacity to sustain positive emotion in major depression reflects diminished maintenance of fronto-striatal brain activation.: “ Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Dec 29;106(52):22445-50 Authors: Heller AS, Johnstone T, Shackman AJ, Light SN, Peterson MJ, Kolden GG, Kalin NH, Davidson RJ Anhedonia, the loss of pleasure or interest in previously rewarding stimuli, [...]
Brain Scan for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Brain Scan Offers First Biological Test in Diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Scientific American – Psychiatry 1/22/10 Carina Storrs The synchronous neural interactions test as a functional neuromarker for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): a robust classification method based on the bootstrap. J Neural Eng. 2010 Feb;7(1):16011. Epub 2010 Jan 20. Georgopoulos AP, Tan HR, Lewis [...]
Reduction in CRF Receptor type 1 expression in the Amygdala reduces Anxiety
The anxiolytic effect of environmental enrichment is mediated via amygdalar CRF receptor type 1. Mol Psychiatry. 2010 Jan 19; Authors: Sztainberg Y, Kuperman Y, Tsoory M, Lebow M, Chen A Environmental enrichment (EE) is known to have an anxiolytic effect in several animal models; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying these behavioral changes are not understood. [...]
CRF stimulates Pancreatic Beta Cell Insulin Secretion and Beta Cell Proliferation
CRFR1 is expressed on pancreatic beta cells, promotes beta cell proliferation, and potentiates insulin secretion in a glucose-dependent manner. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 Jan 12;107(2):912-7 Authors: Huising MO, van der Meulen T, Vaughan JM, Matsumoto M, Donaldson CJ, Park H, Billestrup N, Vale WW Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), originally characterized as the [...]
Levetiracetam inhibits interleukin-1beta inflammatory responses in the hippocampus and piriform cortex
Levetiracetam inhibits interleukin-1beta inflammatory responses in the hippocampus and piriform cortex of epileptic rats. Neurosci Lett. 2010 Jan 14; Authors: Kim JE, Choi HC, Song HK, Jo SM, Kim DS, Choi SY, Kim YI, Kang TC Levetiracetam (LEV, 2S-(oxo-1-pyrrolidinyl)butanamide, Keppra(R), UCB Pharma) is a new antiepileptic drug used to treat certain types of seizures in [...]
BDNF variant from Val66Met polymorphism reduces HPA-axis reactivity to acute stress.
The BDNF Val66Met polymorphism affects HPA-axis reactivity to acute stress. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2010 Jan 13; Authors: Alexander N, Osinsky R, Schmitz A, Mueller E, Kuepper Y, Hennig J BACKGROUND: Growing evidence suggests that individual differences in HPA-axis reactivity to psychosocial stress are partly due to heritable influences. However, knowledge about the role of specific genetic variants [...]
The major mood disorders have significant genetic overlap
Meta-analysis of genome-wide association data identifies a risk locus for major mood disorders on 3p21.1 Nature Genetics Published online: 17 January 2010 | doi:10.1038/ng.523 Francis J McMahon1, Nirmala Akula1, Thomas G Schulze1,2, Pierandrea Muglia3,4, Federica Tozzi3, Sevilla D Detera-Wadleigh1, C J M Steele1, René Breuer2, Jana Strohmaier2, Jens R Wendland1, Manuel Mattheisen5,6,7, Thomas W Mühleisen5,6, [...]
Methylprednisolone reduces nitric oxide formation in cytokine-stimulated oligodendroglial cells
Effects of methylprednisolone and glatiramer acetate on nitric oxide formation of cytokine-stimulated cells from the rat oligodendroglial cell line OLN-93. Neuroimmunomodulation. 2010;17(1):23-30 Authors: Holzknecht C, Röhl C OBJECTIVES: In multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune inflammatory disease, oligodendroglia are primarily affected and play an important role in the onset and process of the degeneration of neuronal axons. [...]
Activated microglia increase excitability of rat hippocampal neurons by producing interleukin-1beta.
Kainic acid-activated microglia mediate increased excitability of rat hippocampal neurons in vitro and in vivo: crucial role of interleukin-1beta. Neuroimmunomodulation. 2010;17(1):31-8 Authors: Zheng H, Zhu W, Zhao H, Wang X, Wang W, Li Z OBJECTIVE: It is known that highly activated microglia and the consequent production of inflammatory cytokines were associated with neuroexcitotoxic injuries. The [...]
Inflammatory biomarkers in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder
Inflammatory biomarkers in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder caused by myocardial infarction and the role of depressive symptoms.: “ Neuroimmunomodulation. 2010;17(1):39-46 Authors: von Känel R, Begré S, Abbas CC, Saner H, Gander ML, Schmid JP OBJECTIVE: Inflammation might link posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with an increased risk of cardiovascular events. We explored the association between [...]
Increased Pro-Inflammatory Activity underlying Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Evidence for low-grade systemic proinflammatory activity in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder. J Psychiatr Res. 2007 Nov;41(9):744-52. Epub 2006 Aug 9. von Känel R, Hepp U, Kraemer B, Traber R, Keel M, Mica L, Schnyder U. Department of General Internal Medicine, Division of Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital/INSELSPITAL, Freiburgstrasse 4, CH-3010 Berne, Switzerland. roland.vonkaenel@insel.ch Posttraumatic stress [...]
Pro-inflammatory cytokine activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis via NF-kappaB and Nurr-1 expression
Involvement of Nuclear Factor-kappaB and Nurr-1 in Cytokine-Induced Transcription of Proopiomelanocortin Gene in AtT20 Corticotroph Cells. Neuroimmunomodulation. 2009 Nov 17;17(2):88-96 Authors: Takayasu S, Iwasaki Y, Nigawara T, Asai M, Yoshida M, Kageyama K, Suda T Objective: The precise mechanism whereby proinflammatory cytokines activate the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis is still unclear. We examined whether transcription factors nuclear [...]
Testosterone improves Muscle Strength, Physical Function, Body Composition, and Quality of Life in Intermediate-Frail and Frail Elderly Men
Effects of Testosterone on Muscle Strength, Physical Function, Body Composition, and Quality of Life in Intermediate-Frail and Frail Elderly Men: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Jan 8; Authors: Srinivas-Shankar U, Roberts SA, Connolly MJ, O’ Connell MD, Adams JE, Oldham JA, Wu FC Context: Physical frailty is associated with reduced [...]
Thiazolidinedione associated with increased Risk of Fractures in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
Thiazolidinedione Use and the Longitudinal Risk of Fractures in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Jan 8; Authors: Habib ZA, Havstad SL, Wells K, Divine G, Pladevall M, Williams LK Context: Thiazolidinedione (TZD) use has recently been associated with an increased risk of fractures. Objective: The aim of this study [...]
Long-Term Growth Hormone Therapy Improves Body Composition and Motor Function
Long-Term Growth Hormone Therapy Changes the Natural History of Body Composition and Motor Function in Children with Prader-Willi Syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Jan 8; Authors: Carrel AL, Myers SE, Whitman BY, Eickhoff J, Allen DB Background: Children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) have decreased muscle mass, hypotonia, and impaired linear growth. Recombinant human GH [...]
Low Total Testosterone increases risk for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Associations of Total Testosterone, Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin, Calculated Free Testosterone, and Luteinizing Hormone with Prevalence of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in Older Men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Jan 8; Authors: Yeap BB, Hyde Z, Norman PE, Chubb SA, Golledge J Context: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is associated with mortality in older adults, and increasing aortic [...]
Obesity with Insulin Resistance Is Associated with a Proinflammatory and Prothrombotic State
Obesity without Established Comorbidities of the Metabolic Syndrome Is Associated with a Proinflammatory and Prothrombotic State, Even before the Onset of Puberty in Children. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Jan 8; Authors: Mauras N, Delgiorno C, Kollman C, Bird K, Morgan M, Sweeten S, Balagopal P, Damaso L Background: Metabolic syndrome (MS)-related comorbidities in obesity, [...]
Regional differences in grey matter in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia
Anatomy of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia: A meta-analysis. Schizophr Res. 2010 Jan 11; Authors: Ellison-Wright I, Bullmore E BACKGROUND: Recent genetic results have indicated that the two major, classically distinct forms of psychosis – schizophrenia and bipolar disorder – may share causative factors in common. However it is not clear to what extent they may [...]
