Category: Psychiatry
Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone improves Cognition in Older Adults and Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment
Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), growth hormone, and insulinlike growth factor 1 have potent effects on brain function, their levels decrease with advancing age, and they likely play a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease. Previously, we reported favorable cognitive effects of short-term GHRH administration in healthy older adults and provided preliminary evidence to suggest a similar benefit in adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The intent-to-treat analysis indicated a favorable effect of GHRH on cognition which was comparable in adults with MCI and healthy older adults. Subsequent analyses indicated a positive GHRH effect on executive function and a trend showing a similar treatment-related benefit in verbal memory. Treatment with GHRH increased insulinlike growth factor 1 levels by 117%, which remained within the physiological range, and reduced percent body fat by 7.4%. Treatment with GHRH increased fasting insulin levels within the normal range by 35% in adults with MCI but not in healthy adults. Adverse events were mild and were reported by 68% of GHRH-treated adults and 36% of those who received placebo.
Thioridazine Inhibits Peroxisomal β-oxidation, Leading to Increased Very Long Chain Fatty Acids and Beta-Amyloid Peptide and an Increased Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by the accumulation of the β-amyloid peptide (Aβ), which is generated from sequential cleavages of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) by β-secretase (BACE1) and γ-secretase. Increased very long chain fatty acid (VLCFA) levels in AD brains imply that peroxisomal β-oxidation dysfunction may be associated with AD pathogenesis. Thioridazine is a selective peroxisomal β-oxidation inhibitor. Thioridazine caused VLCFA accumulation and increases in Aβ(40) content, APP immunoreactivity and APP(751+770) mRNA expressions in the rat cerebral cortex. Impaired peroxisomal function may play an important role in the progression of AD pathology.
A comparison of psychiatry and internal medicine
A comparison of psychiatry and internal medicine: a bibliometric study Acad Psychiatry. 2012 Mar 1;36(2):129-32 Stone K, Whitham EA, Ghaemi SN Abstract OBJECTIVE: Psychiatric education needs to expose students to a broad range of topics. One resource for psychiatric education, both during initial training and in later continuing medical education, is the scientific literature, as [...]
Reduced GABA Concentration in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity DisorderReduced GABA Concentration in ADHD.
Reduced GABA Concentration in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity DisorderReduced GABA Concentration in ADHD Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2012 Jul 1;69(7):750-3 Authors: Edden RA, Crocetti D, Zhu H, Gilbert DL, Mostofsky SH Abstract CONTEXT Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder characterized by a deficit in behavioral inhibition. Recent evidence also suggests a deficit in cortical inhibition via the GABA [...]
Antidepressant Combination for Major Depression: Flaws in Evidenced-Based Medicine
Antidepressant combination for major depression in incomplete responders-a systematic review. J Affect Disord. 2012 Jul 24; Authors: Lopes Rocha F, Fuzikawa C, Riera R, Ramos MG, Hara C Abstract BACKGROUND: Antidepressant combination has been suggested as a strategy to increase treatment efficacy. The objective of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis [...]
Celebrex is a Potent Antidepressant
Effect of celecoxib add-on treatment on symptoms and serum IL-6 concentrations in patients with major depressive disorder: Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study J Affect Disord. 2012 Apr 18; Authors: Abbasi SH, Hosseini F, Modabbernia A, Ashrafi M, Akhondzadeh S Abstract BACKGROUND: It has been proposed that the mechanism of the antidepressant effect of celecoxib is linked [...]
Residual Memory Dysfunction In Major Depressive Disorder Means Incomplete Treatment
Residual memory dysfunction in recurrent major depressive disorder-A longitudinal study from Juntendo University Mood Disorder Project J Affect Disord. 2012 Jul 23; Authors: Maeshima H, Baba H, Nakano Y, Satomura E, Namekawa Y, Takebayashi N, Suzuki T, Mimura M, Arai H Abstract BACKGROUND: Depression may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Large cohort studies [...]
Maternal Gluten Sensitivity Raises Risk for Psychosis in Children
Maternal antibodies to dietary antigens and risk for nonaffective psychosis in offspring Am J Psychiatry. 2012 Jun;169(6):625-32 Authors: Karlsson H, Blomström Å, Wicks S, Yang S, Yolken RH, Dalman C Abstract OBJECTIVE:The authors analyzed archival dried blood spots obtained from newborns to assess whether levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG) directed at dietary antigens were [...]
Bereavement Induces Systemic Inflammation
When grief makes you sick: Bereavement induced systemic inflammation is a question of genotype Authors: Schultze-Florey CR, Martínez-Maza O, Magpantay L, Breen EC, Irwin MR, Gündel H, O’Connor MFBrain Behav Immun. 2012 Jun 23; Abstract Although bereavement is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in the surviving spouse, some widow(er)s remain healthy. Genetic variability in expression [...]
Dopamine Dysfunction in Schizophrenia
The Nature of Dopamine Dysfunction in Schizophrenia and What This Means for Treatment: Meta-analysis of Imaging Studies Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2012 Apr 2; Authors: Howes OD, Kambeitz J, Kim E, Stahl D, Slifstein M, Abi-Dargham A, Kapur S Abstract CONTEXT: Current drug treatments for schizophrenia are inadequate for many patients, and despite 5 decades [...]
Eye Movement Tests For Schizophrenia
Simple Viewing Tests Can Detect Eye Movement Abnormalities That Distinguish Schizophrenia Cases from Controls with Exceptional Accuracy. Biol Psychiatry. 2012 May 22; Authors: Benson PJ, Beedie SA, Shephard E, Giegling I, Rujescu D, St Clair D Abstract BACKGROUND: We have investigated which eye-movement tests alone and combined can best discriminate schizophrenia cases from control [...]
Substitute Autism for this finding: Poor nutrition at age 3 is associated with schizotypal personality at age 23
Poor nutrition at age 3 and schizotypal personality at age 23: the mediating role of age 11 cognitive functioning. Am J Psychiatry. 2012 Aug 1;169(8):822-30 Authors: Venables PH, Raine A Abstract OBJECTIVE: Poor prenatal nutrition has been associated with schizophrenia spectrum disorders in the Netherlands and China, and it has been suggested that perinatal and postnatal [...]
N-acetylcysteine reduces Cannabis Dependence
A double-blind randomized controlled trial of N-acetylcysteine in cannabis-dependent adolescents. Am J Psychiatry. 2012 Aug 1;169(8):805-12 Authors: Gray KM, Carpenter MJ, Baker NL, Desantis SM, Kryway E, Hartwell KJ, McRae-Clark AL, Brady KT Abstract OBJECTIVE: Preclinical findings suggest that the over-the-counter supplement N-acetylcysteine (NAC), via glutamate modulation in the nucleus accumbens, holds promise as [...]
Metformin reduces antipsychotic-induced amenorrhea and weight gain in women with schizophrenia
Metformin for treatment of antipsychotic-induced amenorrhea and weight gain in women with first-episode schizophrenia: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study Am J Psychiatry. 2012 Aug 1;169(8):813-21 Authors: Wu RR, Jin H, Gao K, Twamley EW, Ou JJ, Shao P, Wang J, Guo XF, Davis JM, Chan PK, Zhao JP Abstract OBJECTIVE: Data on the treatment [...]
Glucocorticoids Protect Against Effects of Stress on the Amygdala
Glucocorticoids Protect Against the Delayed Behavioral and Cellular Effects of Acute Stress on the Amygdala. Biol Psychiatry. 2012 May 7; Authors: Rao RP, Anilkumar S, McEwen BS, Chattarji S Abstract BACKGROUND: A single episode of acute immobilization stress has previously been shown to trigger a delayed onset of anxiety-like behavior and spinogenesis in the basolateral [...]
Antidepressants are still useful – they increase neurogenesis and angiogenesis
Hippocampal Angiogenesis and Progenitor Cell Proliferation Are Increased with Antidepressant Use in Major Depression. Biol Psychiatry. 2012 May 30; Authors: Boldrini M, Hen R, Underwood MD, Rosoklija GB, Dwork AJ, Mann JJ, Arango V Abstract BACKGROUND: Adult neurogenesis is coupled to angiogenesis in neurogenic niches in the dentate gyrus (DG) and increased by antidepressants in rodents. [...]
