Endogenous opioid peptides and epilepsy

In recent years a large number of pept:ides, many of which were originall.y characterized in non-neural tissues, have been reported to be present in the central nervous system ( CNS) . The detection of these peptides within the CNS has raised many questions regarding their source and mechanism of action. In view of the accumulating information, it seems that the function of the classical neurotransmitters in the CNS would be better clarified by elucidating the role of the brain neuropeptides. The classification of the major categories of the main peptides, as listed below, is a some what arbitrary one as it is based on the first localization of a given peptide, while the opioid peptide family is given separately. For many of the peptides described in brain, their major functional role is still unknown. However, even before the major discoveries in the past decade, the opiates were known to possess selective and unique pharmacological properties. It was well known that opiates were effective in the treatment of pain and were useful as cough suppressants. They are also known to depress respiration and blood pressure and to exert an effect on behaviour, like euphoria, sedation and depression. The diversity/complexity of their properties suggests that like the catecholamines, endogenous opioids may have a basic, multisystem regulation essential to the maintenance of homeostasis and to the survival of the organism. In the last years we have tried to reveal one of these petidergic secrets and focussed our attention on the opioid pe~ides, more specifically in relation to the excitatory phenomena which they might induce after systemic or intraventricular administratio

Serum BDNF Concentrations Show Strong Seasonal Variation and Correlations with the Amount of Ambient Sunlight

Contains fulltext : 109494.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)Earlier findings show seasonality in processes and behaviors such as brain plasticity and depression that in part are regulated by Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). Based on this we investigated seasonal variation in serum BDNF concentrations in 2,851 persons who took part in the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA). Analyses by month of sampling (monthly n's >196) showed pronounced seasonal variation in serum BDNF concentrations (P<.0001) with increasing concentrations in the spring-summer period (standardized regression weight (ss) = 0.19, P<.0001) and decreasing concentrations in the autumn-winter period (ss = -0.17, P<.0001). Effect sizes [Cohen's d] ranged from 0.27 to 0.66 for monthly significant differences. We found similar seasonal variation for both sexes and for persons with a DSM-IV depression diagnosis and healthy control subjects. In explorative analyses we found that the number of sunshine hours (a major trigger to entrain seasonality) in the week of blood withdrawal and the 10 weeks prior to this event positively correlated with serum BDNF concentrations (Pearson's correlation coefficients ranged: 0.05-0.18) and this could partly explain the observed monthly variation. These results provide strong evidence that serum BDNF concentrations systematically vary over the year. This finding is important for our understanding of those factors that regulate BDNF expression and may provide novel avenues to understand seasonal dependent changes in behavior and illness such as depression. Finally, the findings reported here should be taken into account when designing and interpreting studies on BDNF

Descriptive information on the NESDA sample (mean ± std or percentages [<i>n</i>]) by season of sampling.

<p>Abbreviations: BAI, Beck’s Anxiety Inventory; IDS, Inventory of Depressive Symptoms; MDD, Major Depressive Disorder.</p><p>1 Mean met-minutes (i.e., ratio of energy expenditure during activity to energy expenditure at rest).</p><p>2 Current (6 months diagnosis).</p><p>3 Included a diagnosis of social phobia, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and/or agoraphobia.</p><p>4 Included the use of a pharmacological antidepressant (SSRI, SNRI, TCA, NaSSA, and/or St. John’s worth) for at.</p><p>least one month at regular dose (World Health Organization [WHO]).</p><p>a Post-hoc tests showed higher levels in the winter as compared to the other seasons.</p><p>b Post-hoc tests showed higher percentages in the summer, autumn and spring as compared to the winter season.</p

Serum BDNF concentrations by month of sampling and gender (Panel A) and current psychiatric status (Panel B).

<p>Error bars reflect the SEM.</p

Serum BDNF concentrations by month of sampling.

<p>Error bars reflect the SEM. For pair-wise comparisons we refer to <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0048046#pone.0048046.s004" target="_blank">Table S2</a>.</p

Prediction of Mental Health Services Use One Year After Regular Referral to Specialized Care Versus Referral to Stepped Collaborative Care

Referral to collaborative mental health care within the primary care setting is a service concept that has shown to be as effective as direct referral to specialized mental health care for patients with common mental disorders. Additionally it is more efficient in terms of lower mental health services use. This post-hoc analysis examines if treatment intensity during 1-year of follow-up can be predicted prospectively by baseline characteristics. With multilevel multivariate regression analyses baseline characteristics were examined as potential predictors of visit counts. Results showed that only the enabling factors service concept and referral delay for treatment had a significant association with mental health visit counts, when outcome was dichotomized in five or more visits. Inclusion of the outcome variable as a count variable confirmed the predictive value of service concept and referral delay, but added marital status as a significant predictor. Overall, enabling factors (service concept and referral delay) seem to be important and dominant predictors of mental health services use