Psychopharmacology RSS : Gourt

A genetic schizophrenia-susceptibility region located between the ANKK1 and DRD2 genes.

A genetic schizophrenia-susceptibility region located between the ANKK1 and DRD2 genes. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2010 Feb 4; Authors: Dubertret C, Bardel C, Ramoz N, Martin PM, Deybach JC, Adès J, Gorwood P, Gouya L BACKGROUND: The gene coding for the D2 dopamine receptor (DRD2) is considered to be one of the most pertinent candidate genes in schizophrenia. However, genetic studies have yielded conflicting results whereas the promising TaqIA variant/rs1800497 has been mapped in a novel gene, ANKK1. METHODS: We investigated eleven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) spanning the DRD2 and ANKK1 genes, using both a case-control association study comparing 144 independent patients to 142 matched healthy subjects, and a transmission disequilibrium test in 108 trios. This classical genetic study was coupled with a cladistic phylogeny-based association test of human variants, and with an interspecies evolution study of ANKK1. RESULTS: Case-control study, followed by a 108 trios family-based association analysis for replication, revealed an association between schizophrenia and the ANKK1 rs1800497 (p=0.01, Odds Ratio=1.5, 95% Confidence Interval=1.1-2.2), and the intergenic rs2242592 (p=2.10(-4), OR=1.8, 95%CI=1.3-2.5). A significant SNP-SNP interaction was also found (p<10(-5), OR=2.0, 95%CI =1.6-2.5). The phylogeny-based association test also identified an association between both these polymorphisms and schizophrenia. Finally, interspecies comparison of the sequences from chimpanzee, orangutan, rhesus macaque and human species suggested specific involvement of ANKK1 in the human lineage. CONCLUSIONS: Intergenic rs2242592 appears to be involved in the genetic vulnerability to schizophrenia, whereas the ANKK1 rs1800497 appears to have a modifying rather than causative effect. Finally, ANKK1 may be a specific human lineage-trait involved in a specific human disease, schizophrenia. PMID: 20138949 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Functional neuroimaging of minocycline's effect in a patient with schizophrenia.

Functional neuroimaging of minocycline's effect in a patient with schizophrenia. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2010 Feb 4; Authors: Chaves C, de Marque CR, Wichert-Ana L, Maia-de-Oliveira JP, Itikawa EN, Crippa JA, Zuardi AW, Todd KG, Baker GB, Dursun SM, Hallak JE PMID: 20138948 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Repeated filicide-suicide attempts by a mother with bipolar II depression.

Repeated filicide-suicide attempts by a mother with bipolar II depression. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2010 Feb 3; Authors: Chiu NM PMID: 20138201 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Escitalopram induced galactorrhoea: A case report.

Escitalopram induced galactorrhoea: A case report. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2010 Feb 3; Authors: Aggarwal A, Kumar R, Sharma RC, Sharma DD PMID: 20138200 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Mirtazapine treatment of periodic catatonia in organic mental disorder: A case report.

Mirtazapine treatment of periodic catatonia in organic mental disorder: A case report. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2010 Feb 3; Authors: Yeh YW, Chen CY, Kuo SC, Wang TY, Wang HY, Chen CL PMID: 20138199 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Association of a trait-like bias towards the perception of negative subjective life events with risk of developing premenstrual symptoms.

Association of a trait-like bias towards the perception of negative subjective life events with risk of developing premenstrual symptoms. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2010 Feb 3; Authors: Gonda X, Fountoulakis KN, Csukly G, Telek T, Pap D, Rihmer Z, Bagdy G OBJECTIVE: Premenstrual symptoms affect the majority of healthy women. Premenstrual symptomatology has earlier been linked to stress and a state-like alteration in the perception of life events in the late luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. We hypothesised there is also a trait-like negative bias in the perception of life events evident throughout the whole cycle which is associated with the likelihood to manifest more marked symptoms in the late luteal phase of the cycle. METHODS: 88 healthy women completed the PRISM calendar for three consecutive cycles and the Objective and Subjective Event Checklist during the follicular phase of the first cycle. Association between PRISM score change from the follicular through the late luteal phase and life event variables were investigated by Generalized Linear Model Analysis (GENMOD). RESULTS: The PRISM score change showed a significant negative association with the ratio of positive subjective life events and a significant positive association with the ratio of negative subjective life events. There were no significant results in case of the objective life events. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that women manifesting a more marked increase of symptoms from the late follicular through the late luteal phase of the menstrual cycle are more likely to notice negative subjective life events and less likely to notice positive subjective life events. This suggest a trait-like negative bias in the perception of life events present throughout the whole reproductive cycle which may play an important role in the emergence of premenstrual symptoms. PMID: 20138198 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Hypothalamic glutamate levels following serotonergic stimulation: A pilot study using 7 Tesla magnetic resonance spectroscopy in healthy volunteers.

Hypothalamic glutamate levels following serotonergic stimulation: A pilot study using 7 Tesla magnetic resonance spectroscopy in healthy volunteers. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2010 Feb 2; Authors: Jacobs GE, der Grond JV, Teeuwisse WM, Langeveld TJ, van Pelt J, Verhagen JC, de Kam ML, Cohen AF, Zitman FG, van Gerven JM INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE: Functional proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) can be applied to measure pharmacodynamic effects of central nervous system (CNS)-active drugs. The serotonin precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), administered together with carbidopa and granisetron to improve kinetics and reduce adverse effects, acutely enhances central serotonergic neurotransmission and induces hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal-(HPA) axis activation. We studied the hypothalamic levels of glutamate/glutamine (Glx), choline (Chol), N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) and creatine using 7-Tesla (7T) MRS, and adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol in peripheral blood, after the administration of the 5-HTP function test in healthy volunteers. METHODS: A randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled, two-way crossover study was performed in 12 healthy males with a 7day wash-out period. After administration of the oral 5-HTP function test, ACTH and cortisol were measured over four hours and MRS scans at 7T were performed every 30 minutes over three hours measuring Glx:Creatine, Chol:Creatine and NAA:Creatine ratios. RESULTS: In the hypothalamus, the administration of 5-HTP had no effect on the average Glx, Chol or NAA levels over 180 minutes but induced a significant decrease of Glx at 60 minutes on post-hoc analysis. 5-HTP induced significant ACTH release reaching an E(max) of 60.2ng/L at 80 minutes followed by cortisol with an E(max) of 246.4ng/mL at 110 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: The reduction in hypothalamic Glx-levels after serotonergic stimulation is compatible with activation of excitatory neurons in this region, which is expected to cause depletion of local glutamate stores. The hypothalamic MRS-response reached its maximum prior to subsequent increases of ACTH and cortisol, which supports the functional relevance of hypothalamic Glx-depletion for activation of the HPA-axis. This exploratory study shows that MRS is capable of detecting neuronal activation following functional stimulation of a targeted brain area. PMID: 20138102 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]