Recurrence of suicidal ideation due to treatment with antidepressants in anxiety disorder: a case report

This report describes a patient suffering from panic disorder who developed repeated suicidal ideation specifically due to the treatment with Venlafaxine. A first suicide attempt years ago occurred while being treated with Venlafaxine. Subsequent treatment with SSRIs or other antidepressants involved no suicidal ideation. Re-commencement of Venlafaxine four years later immediately led to a second suicide attempt. This unwanted effect subsided immediately after switching to another SNRI (i.e. Duloxetine). The case report underlines the importance of onset of suicide risk in panic disorders due to specific antidepressants

Consensus on the reporting and experimental design of clinical and cognitive-behavioural neurofeedback studies (CRED-nf checklist)

Neurofeedback has begun to attract the attention and scrutiny of the scientific and medical mainstream. Here, neurofeedback researchers present a consensus-derived checklist that aims to improve the reporting and experimental design standards in the field.</p

The Role of Microglia in the (Mal)adaptive Response to Traumatic Experience in an Animal Model of PTSD

The present study investigates whether predator scent-stress (PSS) shifts the microglia from a quiescent to a chronically activated state and whether morphological alterations in microglial activation differ between individuals displaying resilient vs. vulnerable phenotypes. In addition, we examined the role that GC receptors play during PSS exposure in the impairment of microglial activation and thus in behavioral response. Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to PSS or sham-PSS for 15 min. Behaviors were assessed with the elevated plus-maze (EPM) and acoustic startle response (ASR) paradigms 7 days later. Localized brain expression of Iba-1 was assessed, visualized, and classified based on their morphology and stereological counted. Hydrocortisone and RU486 were administered systemically 10 min post PSS exposure and behavioral responses were measured on day 7 and hippocampal expression of Ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba-1) was subsequently evaluated. Animals whose behavior was extremely disrupted (PTSD-phenotype) selectively displayed excessive expression of Iba-1 with concomitant downregulation in the expression of CX3C chemokine receptor 1 (CX3CR1) in hippocampal structures as compared with rats whose behavior was minimally or partially disrupted. Changes in microglial morphology have also been related only to the PTSD-phenotype group. These data indicate that PSS-induced microglia activation in the hippocampus serves as a critical mechanistic link between the HPA-axis and PSS-induced impairment in behavioral responses

Heat-Stress Preconditioning Attenuates Behavioral Responses to Psychological Stress: The Role of HSP-70 in Modulating Stress Responses

Exposure to high ambient temperature is a stressor that influences both biological and behavioral functions and has been previously shown to have an extensive impact on brain structure and function. Physiological, cellular and behavioral responses to heat-stress (HS) (40&ndash;41 &deg;C, 2 h) were evaluated in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. The effect of HS exposure before predator-scent stress (PSS) exposure (i.e., HS preconditioning) was examined. Finally, a possible mechanism of HS-preconditioning to PSS was investigated. Immunohistochemical analyses of chosen cellular markers were performed in the hippocampus and in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). Plasma corticosterone levels were evaluated, and the behavioral assessment included the elevated plus-maze (EPM) and the acoustic startle response (ASR) paradigms. Endogenous levels of heat shock protein (HSP)-70 were manipulated using an amino acid (L-glutamine) and a pharmacological agent (Doxazosin). A single exposure to an acute HS resulted in decreased body mass (BM), increased body temperature and increased corticosterone levels. Additionally, extensive cellular, but not behavioral changes were noted. HS-preconditioning provided behavioral resiliency to anxiety-like behavior associated with PSS, possibly through the induction of HSP-70. Targeting of HSP-70 is an attractive strategy for stress-related psychopathology treatment

Body temperature in patients with panic disorder treated with escitalopram

The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of escitalopram on peripheral body temperature (PBT) in panic disorder. In a 4 week case–control study (N = 12 female patients; N = 12 matched healthy controls), the daytime PBT declined compared to night time PBT in patients. The prospective relationship between PBT and panic disorder shows a decline of daytime PBT compared to the night time PBT in panic disorder from week 2 of treatment with escitalopram onwards. The effect of escitalopram on daytime PBT may have occurred through an activation of the sympathetic system.Doron Todder, Michael Fox, Bernhard T. Baun

Longitudinal changes of day-time and night-time gross motor activity in clinical responders and non-responders of major depression

Psychomotor retardation (PR) is among the most important features of depression. This study investigates the development of day- and night-time as well as intensity and quantity of circadian motor activity during a 4-week course of treatment among 27 patients with depression compared to 27 healthy controls. A diagnosis of major depression was made using SCID. Motor activity was continuously measured with an actigraph during the study and clinical course of depression with HAM-D-21. Motor activity was described as the quantity and intensity of movements during day- and night- time. Clinically improved patients had significantly intensified movements after 4 weeks, compared to subjects with <50% improvement on HAM-D. While the measures of day-time level of movements captured the clinical improvement of depression, clinical improvement was not reflected by the night-time measurements. This study demonstrates that the separated analysis of level and quantity of movements supports a better understanding of the nature of psychomotor retardation during depression. The subdivision in day- and night-time activity objectively measured with actigraphy captures distinct patterns of motor activity and represents prognostic factors in the treatment outcome of depression. The study also highlights the importance of studying the intensity of movements separately from the quantity of movements in relation to treatment outcome.Doron Todder, Serdal Caliskan & Bernhard T. Baun

Consensus on the reporting and experimental design of clinical and cognitive-behavioural neurofeedback studies (CRED-nf checklist)

This checklist is intended to encourage robust experimental design and clear reporting for clinical and cognitive-behavioural neurofeedback experiments

Consensus on the reporting and experimental design of clinical and cognitive-behavioural neurofeedback studies (CRED-nf checklist).

Neurofeedback has begun to attract the attention and scrutiny of the scientific and medical mainstream. Here, neurofeedback researchers present a consensus-derived checklist that aims to improve the reporting and experimental design standards in the field