Showing papers in "World Journal of Biological Psychiatry in 2013"
TL;DR: This 2013 update of the practice guidelines for the biological treatment of unipolar depressive disorders was developed by an international Task Force of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry to produce a series of practice recommendations that are clinically and scientifically meaningful based on the available evidence.
Abstract: Objectives. This 2013 update of the practice guidelines for the biological treatment of unipolar depressive disorders was developed by an international Task Force of the World Federation of Societi...
485 citations
TL;DR: The purpose is to supply a systematic overview of all scientific evidence pertaining to the long-term treatment of bipolar disorder in adults, and lithium continues to be the substance with the broadest base of evidence across treatment scenarios.
Abstract: Objectives. These guidelines are based on a fi rst edition that was published in 2004, and have been edited and updated with the available scientifi c evidence up to October 2012. Their purpose is to supply a systematic overview of all scientifi c evidence pertaining to the long-term treatment of bipolar disorder in adults. Methods . Material used for these guidelines are based on a systematic literature search using various data bases. Their scientifi c rigor was categorised into six levels of evidence (A – F) and different grades of recommendation to ensure practicability were assigned. Results . Maintenance trial designs are complex and changed fundamentally over time; thus, it is not possible to give an overall recommendation for long-term treatment. Different scenarios have to be examined separately: Prevention of mania, depression, or an episode of any polarity, both in acute responders and in patients treated de novo . Treatment might differ in Bipolar II patients or Rapid cyclers, as well as in special subpopulations. We identifi ed several medications preventive against new manic episodes, whereas the current state of research into the prevention of new depressive episodes is less satisfactory. Lithium continues to be the substance with the broadest base of evidence across treatment scenarios. Conclusions . Although major advances have been made since the fi rst edition of this guideline in 2004, there are still areas of uncertainty, especially the prevention of depressive episodes and optimal long-term treatment of Bipolar II patients.
362 citations
TL;DR: These updated guidelines are based on a first edition of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry guidelines for biological treatment of schizophrenia published in 2006 and provide evidence-based practice recommendations that are clinically and scientifically meaningful.
Abstract: These updated guidelines are based on a first edition of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP) guidelines for biological treatment of schizophrenia published in 2006. For this 2012 revision, all available publications pertaining to the biological treatment of schizophrenia were reviewed systematically to allow for an evidence-based update. These guidelines provide evidence-based practice recommendations that are clinically and scientifically meaningful. They are intended to be used by all physicians diagnosing and treating people suffering from schizophrenia. Based on the first version of these guidelines, a systematic review of the MEDLINE/PUBMED database and the Cochrane Library, in addition to data extraction from national treatment guidelines, has been performed for this update. The identified literature was evaluated with respect to the strength of evidence for its efficacy and then categorised into six levels of evidence (A-F) and five levels of recommendation (1-5) ( Bandelow et al. 2008a ,b, World J Biol Psychiatry 9:242, see Table 1 ). This second part of the updated guidelines covers long-term treatment as well as the management of relevant side effects. These guidelines are primarily concerned with the biological treatment (including antipsychotic medication and other pharmacological treatment options) of adults suffering from schizophrenia.
339 citations
TL;DR: People with a lifetime diagnosis of EDs show an attentional bias to rejecting faces and a difficulty disengaging attention from these stimuli and this may contribute to the causation or maintenance of the illness.
Abstract: Objectives. People with eating disorders (EDs) have difficulties with social functioning. One explanatory mechanism is a problem with over-sensitivity to rejection and/or low sensitivity to social reward. The aim of this study is to investigate attentional bias to facial stimuli in people with a lifetime diagnosis of EDs and healthy controls (HCs) and to test whether these attentional biases are linked to adverse early experiences. Methods. Forty-six participants with a current diagnosis of EDs (29 with anorexia nervosa (AN) and 17 with bulimia nervosa (BN)), 22 participants recovered from an eating disorder (13 with past AN and nine with past BN) and 50 HCs completed a dot-probe task with faces expressing rejection and acceptance. Participants reported on parental style and adverse early experiences. Results. People with a lifetime diagnosis of EDs show an attentional bias to rejecting faces and a difficulty disengaging attention from these stimuli. Also, they had a sustained attentional avoidanc...
153 citations
TL;DR: Analyzing cytokine profiles in amniotic fluid samples of children developing autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and controls and controls, adjusting for maternal autoimmune disorders and maternal infections during pregnancy found individuals with ASD had significantly elevated AF levels of TNF-α and T NF-β compared to controls.
Abstract: Objectives. The aim of the study was to analyze cytokine profiles in amniotic fluid (AF) samples of children developing autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and controls, adjusting for maternal autoimmune disorders and maternal infections during pregnancy. Methods. AF samples of 331 ASD cases and 698 controls were analyzed for inflammatory cytokines using Luminex xMAP technology utilizing a historic birth cohort. Clinical data were retrieved from nationwide registers, and case-control differences in AF cytokine levels were assessed using chi-square tests, logistic and tobit regression models. Results. Overall, individuals with ASD had significantly elevated AF levels of TNF-α and TNF-β compared to controls. Analyzing individuals diagnosed only with ICD-10 codes yielded significantly elevated levels of IL-4, IL-10, TNF-α and TNF-β in ASD patients. Restricting analysis to infantile autism cases showed significantly elevated levels of IL-4, TNF-α and TNF-β compared to controls with no psychiatric comorbid...
149 citations
TL;DR: Attention to detail is a stronger candidate endophenotype of AN compared to BN, where poor global integration may be more relevant, and integrating cognitive remediation of these traits into treatment for the subset of patients it is relevant for may improve outcome.
Abstract: Objectives. To investigate whether attention to detail is a similarly strong candidate endophenotype of anorexia (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN), and to explore the incidence and clinical correlates ...
115 citations
TL;DR: The observed trend in BIS score reductions may warrant further investigation to study whether topiramate reduces clinically important impulsivity in PG, and treatment studies with larger samples and less stringent exclusion criteria are needed to produce results that can be generalized to pathological gamblers in the community.
Abstract: Objectives. Pathological gambling (PG) is an impulse control disorder characterized by recurrent gambling thoughts and behaviours that impair social functioning. Earlier studies suggested that topi...
96 citations
TL;DR: The findings support hypotheses about an involvement of oxytocinergic gene variants in schizophrenia vulnerability and warrant independent replication.
Abstract: Objectives. Dysfunctions of the “social brain” belong to the core features of schizophrenia. The neurohormone oxytocin (OXT), mediated through its specific receptor (OXTR), is involved in the regul...
94 citations
TL;DR: Findings of decreased FA values in the genu of the CC in PG subjects suggest that, like with other disorders of behavioral dyscontrol, white matter microstructural abnormalities contribute to the pathophysiology of PG.
Abstract: Objective. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have demonstrated functional prefrontal cortical (PFC) abnormalities in pathological gambling (PG) and other psychiatric disorders characterized ...
85 citations
TL;DR: These findings provide the first evidence that PG severity in humans is linked to increased levels of 5-HT1BRs in regions previously implicated in functional neuroimaging studies of PG.
Abstract: Objectives. Although serotonergic mechanisms have been implicated in pathological gambling (PG), no ligand-based imaging studies have assessed serotonin receptors in individuals with PG. Given its role in substance addictions and its abundance in brain regions implicated in PG, we evaluated serotonin 1B receptors (5-HT 1B Rs) in PG. Methods. Ten medication-free subjects with PG (meanSD age � 36.3 � 9.4 years, nine men) and ten control comparison (CC) subjects (meanSD age � 35.8 � 9.9 years, nine men) underwent ( 11 C)P943 positron emission scanning on a high resolution research tomograph. Results. 5-HT 1B R BP ND values were similar in PG and CC subjects ( P � 0.1). Among PG subjects, scores on the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) correlated positively with 5-HT 1B R BP ND values in the ventral striatum ( r � 0.66; P � 0.04), putamen ( r � 0.67; P � 0.03) and anterior cingulate cortex ( r � 0.73; P � 0.02). Conclusions. These fi ndings provide the fi rst evidence that PG severity in humans is linked to increased levels of 5-HT 1B Rs in regions previously implicated in functional neuroimaging studies of PG. These fi ndings indicate a potential role for serotonergic function in the ventral striatum and anterior cingulate cortex contributing to problem gambling severity and warrant further studies to investigate whether numbers of available 5-HT 1B Rs might represent a vulnerability factor for PG or develop in relationship to problem gambling.
81 citations
TL;DR: Prolonged amygdala response and a functional disconnection between ventral and dorsal mPFC regions may be part of the neural mechanisms underlying emotional dysregulation in BPD patients.
Abstract: Objectives. Affective dysregulation is a clinical hallmark of borderline personality disorder (BPD). This study used an instructed fear task combined with functional MRI (fMRI) and skin conductance response (SCR) to test hypotheses about mechanisms of disturbed fronto-limbic neural circuitry underlying dysfunctional emotional processing in BPD. Methods. Female BPD patients and matched control subjects were exposed to two visual stimuli during fMRI scanning and SCR recording. Subjects were instructed shortly before scanning that one stimulus (Threat) potentially represents an aversive event whereas another stimulus (Safe) represents safety. The aversive event (electrodermal stimulation) itself was only experienced before this instruction and never occurred during fMRI scanning. Results. Both groups showed stronger SCR to Threat compared to Safe indicating differential fear response which habituated over time. BPD compared to control subjects did not show fMRI signal decrease of amygdala activity or...
TL;DR: Agomelatine, a melatonergic analogue drug acting as MT1/MT2 agonist and 5-HT2C antagonist, has been reported to be effective as antidepressant drug and enhances neuroplasticity mechanisms and adult neurogenesis in brain areas such as hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.
Abstract: Objectives. The treatment of major affective disorders, commonly associated with high disability and elevated social costs may be still considered unsatisfactory. Among all antidepressant drugs, predominantly acting through monoaminergic mechanisms, agomelatine is of particular interest due to another alternative mechanism of action. Targeting melatonergic receptors, agomelatine play a crucial role in synchronizing circadian rhythms, known to be altered in depressed subjects. Methods. A critical review of the literature focusing on efficacy, safety and tolerability of agomelatine in major affective disorders was performed. Additionally, we focused on the potential of agomelatine in enhancing neuroplasticity mechanisms and promote neurogenesis. A total of 136 articles from peer-reviewed journals were identified, of which 50 were assessed for eligibility and 21 were included. Results. Agomelatine, a melatonergic analogue drug acting as MT1/MT2 agonist and 5-HT2C antagonist, has been reported to be e...
TL;DR: In this paper, weak central coherence and poor set shifting are risk markers for eating disorders that are present post-recovery and in first degree relatives, and the aim of this study was to examine these traits in twins with eating disorders.
Abstract: Objectives. Weak central coherence and poor set shifting are risk markers for eating disorders that are present post recovery and in first degree relatives. The aim of this study was to examine these traits in twins with eating disorders. Methods. Neuropsychological tests were administered to 114 female twins (n = 53 met lifetime DSM-IV eating disorder criteria, n = 19 non-eating disorder cotwins and n = 42 controls). Within pair correlations for monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins were calculated and generalised estimating equations (GEE) compared probands, with non-eating disorder cotwins and controls. Results. The genetic basis was highest for the central coherence tasks (Rey–Osterrieth Complex Figure Task: MZ twins r = 0.44 [CI: 0.07–0.70, P = 0.01] and Group Embedded Figures Test: MZ twins r = 0.58 [CI: 0.26–0.79, P = 0.00]). Poor set shifting was related to obsessive compulsive symptoms in both individuals with eating disorders and their non-eating disorder cotwins (r = 0.2–0.5). Concl...
TL;DR: This study and meta-analysis of the literature indicate that theBDNF Val66Met variant is not associated with serum BDNF, but other variants in the BDNF and NTRK3 genes might regulate the level of serum BD NF.
Abstract: Objectives. Lower levels of serum brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is one of the best known biomarkers of depression. To identify genetic variants associated with serum BDNF, we tested the Val66Met (rs6265) functional variant and conducted a genome-wide association scan (GWAS). Methods. In a community-based sample (N = 2054; aged 19–101, M = 51, SD = 15) from Sardinia, Italy, we measured serum BDNF concentration and conducted a GWAS. Results. We estimated the heritability of serum BDNF to be 0.48 from sib-pairs. There was no association between serum BDNF and Val66Met in the SardiNIA sample and in a meta-analysis of published studies (k = 13 studies, total n = 4727, P = 0.92). Although no genome-wide significant associations were identified, some evidence of association was found in the BDNF gene (rs11030102, P = 0.001) and at two loci (rs7170215, P = 4.8 × 10–5 and rs11073742 P = 1.2 × 10–5) near and within NTRK3 gene, a neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor. Conclusions. Our study and me...
TL;DR: A gene-centric, low coverage single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) pilot genome-wide association study seeking new candidate regions in suicides with and without depression, combined with gene expression assay of brain tissue highlights a role for neuroimmunological effects in suicidal behaviour.
Abstract: Objectives. Suicide is partly heritable but the responsible genes have not been identified. We conducted a gene-centric, low coverage single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) pilot genome-wide association study (GWAS) seeking new candidate regions in suicides with and without depression, combined with gene expression assay of brain tissue. Methods. Ninety-nine Caucasian subjects, including 68 who completed suicide and 31 who died suddenly from other causes, were genotyped postmortem using GeneChip® Mapping 50K Xba. Clinical data were obtained from relatives. SNPs with Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium P values below 0.001 were excluded from analysis. Illumina chip expression arrays assayed the transcriptome in prefrontal cortex in a drug-free subgroup. Results. GWAS analysis (cutoff P < 0.001) yielded 58 SNPs, 22 of them in or near 19 known genes, with risk allele-associated odds ratios between 2.7 and 6.9. Diagnosis of mood disorder did not explain the associations. Some of the SNPs matched into four functi...
TL;DR: A synthetic review of recent studies evidencing an association between human endogenous retrovirus-W (HERV-W) and schizophrenia indicates that HERV-w may be an important genetic factor interplaying with the environmental risk factor of infections and that, through this, HERv-W may be important for disease pathogenesis.
Abstract: Objectives. Provide a synthetic review of recent studies evidencing an association between human endogenous retrovirus-W (HERV-W) and schizophrenia. Methods. Bibliography analysis and contextual sy...
TL;DR: The findings suggest the presence of two factors associated with 5-HT2CR editing, one of which probably stems from decreased ADAR2 expression and is linked to MDD and is associated with less editing and, therefore, less receptor function.
Abstract: Objectives. mRNA for serotonin 2C receptor (5-HT2CR) undergoes editing which results in numerous isoforms. More highly edited isoforms exhibit decreased function. We recently found greater 5-HT2CR editing in suicide victims with prior bipolar disorder (BPD) or schizophrenia (SZ) compared with non-suicide patients and normal controls (NC). This study compares suicides and non-suicides with major depressive disorder (MDDSuic and MDDNoSuic) and non-suicide NC. Methods. mRNA editing was assessed in prefrontal cortex of 24 MDDSuic, 21 MDDNoSuic, and 56 NC using next generation sequencing. mRNA expression of 5-HT2CR and editing enzymes (ADAR1-2) was assessed by real-time PCR. Results. Editing was lower in MDDNoSuic than in MDDSuic, which did not differ from NC. No differences in the 5-HT2CR or ADAR1 expression were detected. ADAR2 expression was higher in NC than in MDD subjects, but did not differ between MDDNoSuic and MDDSuic. Conclusions. Our findings suggest the presence of two factors associated wi...
TL;DR: The frequency of application of electroconvulsive therapy in Germany has increased during the last 12 years by a factor of more than 2.5 and in Western industrialized countries, numbers vary by more than 10 amongst the countries with a slow trend of equalization.
Abstract: Objectives. The aim of the study was to document the present situation of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in Germany, compare its handling with regard to other industrialized countries and with regard to a survey 12 years ago. Methods. A questionnaire on the frequency and type of administration of ECT in 2008 was sent electronically to 423 psychiatric hospitals. As needed, up to five reminders were carried out by telephone. On this occasion, the question of whether ECT is administered, could be clarified for each hospital. Results. A total of 43% (183/423) of hospitals declared to administer ECT; 63% (115/183) reported nearly 20,000 treatments. A total incidence of 30,000 treatments performed on 2800 individual patients was estimated. This means that 3.4 patients per 105 inhabitants, 0.4‰ of all depressed patients, and about 1% of depressed inpatients, are treated with ECT in Germany. Conclusions. The frequency of application has increased during the last 12 years by a factor of more than 2.5 in G...
TL;DR: These results illustrate an interaction of emotion and cognition in affective instable individuals with enhanced reactivity to emotionally salient stimuli which might be an important factor regarding the understanding of aggressive and violent behaviour in these individuals.
Abstract: Objective. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the influence of concurrently presented emotional stimuli on cognitive task processing in violent criminal offenders primarily characterized...
TL;DR: Altered emotion processing in BPD patients is likely to affect the reward system and more basic deficits in reward circuitry and other midline regions’ level of resting state activity may contribute to this effect.
Abstract: Objectives Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by a pervasive affective dysregulation While recent imaging studies demonstrated the neural correlates of abnormal emotion proces
TL;DR: Altered levels of secretagogin in serum from a cohort of living first onset schizophrenia patients were also detected, suggesting disease association and illustrating the potential for translating some components of this molecular profile to serum-based assays.
Abstract: Objectives. To identify a molecular profile for schizophrenia using post-mortem pituitaries from schizophrenia and control subjects. Methods. Molecular profiling analysis of pituitaries from schizophrenia (n = 14) and control (n = 15) subjects was carried out using a combination of liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MSE), multiplex analyte profiling (MAP), two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) and Western blot analysis. Results. This led to identification of differentially expressed molecules in schizophrenia patients including hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis-associated constituents such as cortisol, pro-adrenocorticotropic hormone, arginine vasopressin precursor, agouti-related protein, growth hormone, prolactin and secretagogin, as well as molecules associated with lipid transport and metabolism such as apolipoproteins A1, A2, C3 and H. Altered levels of secretagogin in serum from a cohort of living first onset schizophrenia patients were also detected, sug...
TL;DR: A systematic review of all case–control and family-based studies testing this SNP in AN indicated that the BDNF Val66Met variant is not associated with AN at detectable levels.
Abstract: Objectives. The Val66Met polymorphism (rs6265) of the BDNF gene is a non-synonymous polymorphism, previously associated with anorexia nervosa (AN). Methods. We genotyped rs6265 in 235 patients with AN and 643 controls. Furthermore, we performed a systematic review of all case–control and family-based studies testing this SNP in AN, and combined the results in a meta-analysis. Results. The results of the case–control study were non-significant. For the meta-analysis, nine studies were identified (ncases = 2,767; ncontrols = 3,322, ntrios = 53) and included. Primarily, the analyses indicated an association with OR of 1.11 (P = 0.024) in the allelic contrast, and OR of 1.14 (P = 0.025) for the dominant effect of the Met allele. However, additional analyses revealed that the first published study (from those included in the meta-analysis) overly influenced the pooled effect size (possibly due to a phenomenon known as a winner's curse). When this case–control study was replaced by a trio study (ntrios ...
TL;DR: This study indicated that the rare variant rs10447760 in FoxP2 may play an important role in schizophrenia and major depression in the Chinese Han population.
Abstract: Objectives. The FoxP2 gene, located on 7q31, encodes a transcription factor. It was first discovered through investigations of a large multigenerational family (the KE family) with a rare severe sp...
TL;DR: This study confirmed an association between anti-gliadin IgG antibodies and schizophrenia, limited by its cross sectional design, which could lead to novel treatment targets, preventive and therapeutic considerations in schizophrenia.
Abstract: Objectives. We aimed to replicate, in a larger sample and in a different geographical location, the previously reported elevation of anti-gliadin IgG antibodies in schizophrenia. Methods. A total of 950 adults with schizophrenia (severity assessed by PANSS) and 1000 healthy controls were recruited in the Munich metropolitan area. Anti-gliadin IgG antibodies were analyzed with ELISA. χ2-tests and logistic regression were used to analyze the association of schizophrenia with elevated anti-gliadin IgG. A multivariable general linear model was used to compare anti-gliadin IgG levels between patients and controls. Results. The odds ratio of having elevated anti-gliadin IgG antibodies in the schizophrenia group was 2.13 (95% CI 1.57 to 2.91, p < 0.0001). Mean anti-gliadin IgG levels were higher in schizophrenia patients (0.81 ± 0.79 vs. 0.52 ± 0.56, t = 9.529, df = 1,697, p < 0.0001) and the difference persisted after adjusting for potential confounders. Conclusions. Our study, limited by its cross sect...
TL;DR: These findings underscore the involvement of the ventral frontal-striatal circuit in paediatric OCD and the plasticity of this circuit in response to the modulatory effects of CBT.
Abstract: Objectives. Identify differences in regional brain volume between medication-free pediatric OCD patients and controls and examine changes after cognitive behavioural therapy. Methods. We assessed 29 medication-free paediatric OCD patients (Age: M = 13.78 years; SD = 2.58; range 8.2–19.0) and 29 controls, matched on age and gender, with T1-weighted MR scans in a repeated measures, pre-post treatment design. Voxel based morphometry (VBM) following diffeomorphic anatomical registration through exponential lie algebra (DARTEL) was used to test voxel-wise for the effects of diagnosis and treatment on regional gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) volumes. Results. After cognitive behavioural therapy, orbitofrontal GM and capsula externa WM increased in paediatric OCD relative to controls. In patients, changes in symptom severity (delta CY-BOCS) correlated positively with GM volume in the orbitofrontal cortex after treatment. Furthermore, before treatment, paediatric OCD patients, compared to the contr...
TL;DR: The data suggest that common allelic variants in the DDC gene may be involved in autism susceptibility, and this gene is considered strong candidates for autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Abstract: Objectives. Neurotransmitter systems and neurotrophic factors can be considered strong candidates for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The serotoninergic and dopaminergic systems are involved in neurotransmission, brain maturation and cortical organization, while neurotrophic factors (NTFs) participate in neurodevelopment, neuronal survival and synapses formation. We aimed to test the contribution of these candidate pathways to autism through a case–control association study of genes selected both for their role in central nervous system functions and for pathophysiological evidences. Methods. The study sample consisted of 326 unrelated autistic patients and 350 gender-matched controls from Spain. We genotyped 369 tagSNPs to perform a case-control association study of 37 candidate genes. Results. A significant association was obtained between the DDC gene and autism in the single-marker analysis (rs6592961, P = 0.00047). Haplotype-based analysis pinpointed a four-marker combination in this gene ass...
TL;DR: Several lines of evidence support a link between developmental neuroplasticity and neurodegenerative processes later in life.
Abstract: Objectives. Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease, marked by characteristic protein aggregations, are more and more accepted to be synaptic disorders and to arise from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. In this review we propose our concept that neuroplasticity might constitute a link between early life challenges and neurodegeneration. Methods. After introducing the general principles of neuroplasticity, we show how adverse environmental stimuli during development impact adult neuroplasticity and might lead to neurodegenerative processes. Results. There are significant overlaps between neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative processes. Proteins that represent hallmarks of neurodegeneration are involved in plastic processes under physiological conditions. Brain regions – particularly the hippocampus – that retain life-long plastic capacities are the key targets of neurodegeneration. Neuroplasticity is highest in young age making the brain more susceptible to...
TL;DR: Memantine was largely well-tolerated and associated with improvement in ADHD symptoms and neuropsychological performance and Randomized studies are indicated to confirm whether memantine is a novel therapy for ADHD across the lifespan.
Abstract: Objectives. Available pharmacotherapies treat some adults with ADHD inadequately. A small literature suggests that glutamate modulation could have effects on ADHD. Methods. Memantine, an N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, was titrated to a maximum dose of 10 mg BID in 34 adult subjects aged 18–55 who met DSM-IV criteria for ADHD or ADHD NOS on structured interview. Twenty-eight subjects completed 12 weeks exposure. The Adult ADHD Investigator Symptom Report (AISRS), Clinical Global Impression (CGI), a neuropsychological battery sensitive to domains of executive function, and the CANTAB cognitive battery were administered. Paired t-tests compared treated and baseline scores. Results. At week 12, AISRS data showed reduction in total symptoms (–17.5, P < 0.001), inattentive symptoms (−10.6, P < 0.001), and hyperactive symptoms (–6.9, P < 0.01). A total of 44% of subjects had CGI ratings of much or very much improved. Cognitive performance improved in measures of attention, working memor...
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that RELN is a susceptibility gene for schizophrenia in Chinese population, and it is likely a common risk gene for schizophrenic disease in major populations worldwide.
Abstract: Objectives. Several lines of evidence have shown that both RELN mRNA and protein are possibly down-regulated in the brain of schizophrenia patients. Recent association studies in European populatio...
TL;DR: The results suggest that a genetic variant of AKT1 might be associated with attentional deficits and brain morphological vulnerability in patients with schizophrenia.
Abstract: Objectives. A meta-analysis of the associations between genetic variants in the AKT1 gene and schizophrenia found that a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP5; rs2494732) was associated with schizop...