Pregabalin effects on neural response to emotional faces

Pregabalin has shown promise in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies indicate agents used to treat anxiety, e.g., SSRIs and benzodiazepines, attenuate amygdala, insula, and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) activation during emotional processing. Our prior study has shown that during anticipation of an emotional stimulus, pregabalin attenuates amygdala and insula activation but increases medial PFC activation. In this study, we examined whether, similar to SSRIs and benzodiazepines, pregabalin attenuates amygdala, insula, and medial PFC during emotional face processing. Sixteen healthy volunteers underwent a double-blind within-subjects fMRI study investigating effects of placebo, 50 mg, and 200 mg pregabalin on neural activation during an emotional face-matching task. Linear mixed model analysis revealed that pregabalin dose-dependently attenuated left amygdala activation during fearful face-matching and left anterior insula activation during angry face-matching. The 50 mg dose exhibited more robust effects than the 200 mg dose in the right anterior insula and ventral ACC. Thus, pregabalin shares some similarity to SSRIs and benzodiazepines in attenuating anger and fear-related insula and amygdala activation during emotional face processing. However, there is evidence that a subclinical 50 mg dose of pregabalin produced more robust and widespread effects on neural responses in this paradigm than the more clinically relevant 200 mg dose. Taken together, pregabalin has a slightly different effect on brain activation as it relates to anticipation and emotional face processing, which may account for its unique characteristic as an agent for the treatment of anxiety disorders

Enhancing Social Connectedness in Anxiety and Depression Through Amplification of Positivity: Preliminary Treatment Outcomes and Process of Change.

BackgroundAnxiety and depressive disorders are often characterized by perceived social disconnection, yet evidence-based treatments produce only modest improvements in this domain. The well-established link between positive affect (PA) and social connectedness suggests that directly targeting PA in treatment may be valuable.MethodA secondary analysis of a waitlist-controlled trial (N=29) was conducted to evaluate treatment response and process of change in social connectedness within a 10-session positive activity intervention protocol-Amplification of Positivity (AMP)-designed to increase PA in individuals seeking treatment for anxiety or depression (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02330627). Perceived social connectedness and PA/negative affect (NA) were assessed throughout treatment. Time-lagged multilevel mediation models examined the process of change in affect and connectedness throughout treatment.ResultsThe AMP group displayed significantly larger improvements in social connectedness from pre- to post-treatment compared to waitlist; improvements were maintained through 6-month follow-up. Within the AMP group, increases in PA and decreases in NA both uniquely predicted subsequent increases in connectedness throughout treatment. However, experiencing heightened NA throughout treatment attenuated the effect of changes in PA on connectedness. Improvements in connectedness predicted subsequent increases in PA, but not changes in NA.ConclusionsThese preliminary findings suggest that positive activity interventions may be valuable for enhancing social connectedness in individuals with clinically impairing anxiety or depression, possibly through both increasing positive emotions and decreasing negative emotions

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: Guiding Management with Careful Assessment of Comorbid Mental and Physical Illness

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common and serious psychiatric condition in the civilian and veteran population. The lifetime prevalence of PTSD in the Canadian general population is 9.2%, which, surprisingly, is not significantly different from the 7.2% lifetime prevalence rate within the Canadian Regular Forces. In Canadian veterans pensioned with a medical condition the 1-month prevalence was 10.3%. Given the serious functional impairment and impaired quality of life associated with PTSD, careful assessment and treatment of PTSD is warranted. Due to the complex clinical presentation of PTSD, which can include symptoms across the continuum from adjustment disorder and subthreshold PTSD to “full-blown” PTSD, this issue of Mood and Anxiety Disorders Rounds is confined to a general overview of the psychiatric management of PTSD with comorbid psychiatric conditions. Despite the challenges researchers face in conducting studies on the effectiveness of treatment of this disorder, if evidence-based practices are utilized using established guidelines, remission can be achieved in 30%–50% of PTSD cases

Social fears and social phobia in a community sample of adolescents and young adults: prevalence, risk factors and comorbidity

Background. The paper describes prevalence, impairments, patterns of co-morbidity and other correlates of DSM-IV social phobia in adolescents and young adults, separating generalized and non-generalized social phobics. Methods. Data are derived from the baseline investigation of the Early Developmental Stages of Psychopathology Study (EDSP), a prospective longitudinal community study of 3021 subjects, aged 14–24. Diagnoses were based on the DSM-IV algorithms of an expanded version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Results. Lifetime prevalence of DSM-IV/CIDI social phobia was 9·5% in females and 4·9% in males, with about one-third being classified as generalized social phobics. Twelve-month prevalence was only slightly lower, indicating considerable persistence. Respondents with generalized social phobia reported an earlier age of onset, higher symptom persistence, more co-morbidity, more severe impairments, higher treatment rates and indicated more frequently a parental history of mental disorders than respondents with non-generalized social phobia. Conclusions. History of DSM-IV social phobia was found to be quite prevalent in 14–24 year-olds. The generalized subtype of social phobia was found to have different correlates and to be considerably more persistent, impairing and co-morbid than non-generalized social phobia. Although generalized social phobics are more likely than non-generalized social phobics to receive mental health treatments, the treatment rate in this sample was low despite the fact that mental health services are free in Germany

Medical conditions and depressive, anxiety, and somatic symptoms in older adults with and without generalized anxiety disorder

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine medical illness and anxiety, depressive, and somatic symptoms in older medical patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). METHOD: A case-control study was designed and conducted in the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Geriatrics Clinics. A total of fifty-four older medical patients with GAD and 54 matched controls participated. MEASUREMENTS: The measurements used for this study include: Brief Symptom Inventory-18, Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, and the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule. RESULTS: Older medical patients with GAD reported higher levels of somatic symptoms, anxiety, and depression than other older adults, as well as higher rates of diabetes and gastrointestinal conditions. In a multivariate model that included somatic symptoms, medical conditions, and depressive and anxiety symptoms, anxiety symptoms were the only significant predictors of GAD. CONCLUSION: These results suggest first, that older medical patients with GAD do not primarily express distress as somatic symptoms; second, that anxiety symptoms in geriatric patients should not be discounted as a byproduct of medical illness or depression; and third, that older adults with diabetes and gastrointestinal conditions may benefit from screening for anxiety

Focal And Aberrant Prefrontal Engagement During Emotion Regulation In Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/109312/1/da22243.pd

Moregrasp: Restoration of Upper Limb Function in Individuals with High Spinal Cord Injury by Multimodal Neuroprostheses for Interaction in Daily Activities

The aim of the MoreGrasp project is to develop a noninvasive, multimodal user interface including a brain-computer interface (BCI) for intuitive control of a grasp neuroprosthesis to support individuals with high spinal cord injury (SCI) in everyday activities. We describe the current state of the project, including the EEG system, preliminary results of natural movements decoding in people with SCI, the new electrode concept for the grasp neuroprosthesis, the shared control architecture behind the system and the implementation of a user-centered design

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Risk of Posttraumatic Stress and Related Disorders: A Prospective Longitudinal Evaluation in U.S. Army Soldiers

Crossâ sectional associations between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been observed, but longitudinal studies assessing this association are lacking. This prospective study evaluated the association between predeployment ADHD and postdeployment PTSD among U.S. Army soldiers. Soldiers who deployed to Afghanistan were surveyed before deployment (T0) and approximately 1 month (T1), 3 months (T2), and 9 months (T3) after their return. Logistic regression was performed to estimate the association between predeployment ADHD and postdeployment (T2 or T3) PTSD among 4,612 soldiers with data at all waves and no record of stimulant medication treatment during the study. To evaluate specificity of the ADHDâ PTSD association, we examined associations among predeployment ADHD, postdeployment major depressive episode (MDE), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and suicidal ideation. Weighted prevalence of ADHD predeployment was 6.1% (SE = 0.4%). Adjusting for other risk factors, predeployment ADHD was associated with risk of postdeployment PTSD, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.13, 95% CI [1.51, 3.00], p < .001, including incidence among soldiers with no predeployment history of PTSD, AOR = 2.50, 95% CI [1.69, 3.69], p < .001. ADHD was associated with postdeployment MDE, AOR = 2.80, 95% CI [2.01, 3.91], p < .001, and GAD, AOR = 3.04, 95% CI [2.10, 4.42], p < .001, but not suicidal ideation. Recognition of associations between predeployment ADHD and postdeployment PTSD, MDE, and GAD may inform targeted prevention efforts. Future research should examine whether treatment of ADHD is protective against PTSD and related disorders in traumaâ exposed individuals.ResumenSpanish Abstracts by Asociación Chilena de Estrés Traumático (ACET)El trastorno de déficit atencional con hiperactividad y el riesgo del trastorno de estrés postraumático y trastornos relacionados: Una evaluación longitudinal prospectiva en soldados del ejército estadounidenseTDAH Y RIESGO DE TEPT EN SOLDADOS DEL EJà RCITO DE EE.UU.Se han observado asociaciones transversales entre el trastorno por déficit de atención con hiperactividad (TDAH) y el trastorno por estrés postraumático (TEPT), pero faltan estudios longitudinales que evalúen esta asociación. Este estudio prospectivo evaluó la asociación entre el TDAH previo al despliegue y el TEPT posterior al despliegue entre los soldados del Ejército de Estados Unidos. Los soldados desplegados en Afganistán fueron encuestados antes del despliegue (T0) y aproximadamente 1 mes (T1), 3 meses (T2), y 9 meses (T3) después de su regreso del despliegue. Se realizó una regresión logística para estimar la asociación entre el TDAH previo al despliegue y el TEPT posterior al despliegue (T2 o T3) en 4.612 soldados con datos en todas las etapas y sin registro de tratamiento con medicamentos estimulantes durante el estudio. Para evaluar la especificidad de la asociación TDAHâ TEPT, examinamos las asociaciones entre el TDAH previo al despliegue, el episodio depresivo mayor posterior al despliegue (EDM), el trastorno de ansiedad generalizada (TAG), y la ideación suicida. La prevalencia ponderada del TDAH previo al despliegue fue de 6.1% (SE = 0.4%). Al controlar los otros factores de riesgo, el TDAH previo al despliegue se asoció con el riesgo de TEPT posterior al despliegue, odds ratio ajustado (AOR en su sigla en inglés) = 2.13, IC del 95% [1.51, 3.00], p <.001, incluida la incidencia entre soldados sin historial previo al despliegue de TEPT, AOR = 2.50, IC del 95% [1.69, 3.69], p <.001. El TDAH se asoció con el EDM posterior al despliegue, AOR = 2.80, IC del 95% [2.01, 3.91], p <.001, y TAG, AOR = 3.04, IC del 95% [2.10, 4.42], p <.001, pero no con ideación suicida. El reconocimiento de las asociaciones entre el TDAH previo al despliegue y el TEPT, el EDM, y el TAG posterior al despliegue puede informar los esfuerzos de prevención específicos. Las investigaciones futuras deberían examinar si el tratamiento del TDAH protege contra el TEPT y los trastornos relacionados en personas expuestas a trauma.æ ½è±¡Traditional and Simplified Chinese Abstracts by the Asian Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (AsianSTSS)ç°¡é« å ç¹ é« ä¸­æ æ ®è¦ ç ±äº æ´²å µå ·å¿ ç ç  ç©¶å­¸æ 翻譯Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Risk of Posttraumatic Stress and Related Disorders: A Prospective Longitudinal Evaluation in US Army SoldiersTraditional Chineseæ¨ é¡ : å° æ³¨å ä¸ è¶³æ é åº¦æ´»èº ç è æ £å µå ·å¾ å£ å ç å ç ¸é ç ¾ç ç é¢¨é ª:å° ç¾ å è» äººé ²è¡ ç å ç »ç¸±è²«ç  ç©¶æ ®è¦ : é å¾ ä¸ ç ´æ ç  ç©¶æª¢è¦ å° æ³¨å ä¸ è¶³æ é åº¦æ´»èº ç (ADHD)è å µå ·å¾ å£ å ç (PTSD)ä¹ é ç æ©«æ ·æ §é é £, å ¯æ ¯, æ å ä» æ¬ ç¼ºæª¢è¦ å ©è é é £ç ç¸±è²«ç  ç©¶ã æ ¬å ç »ç  ç©¶æ ¨å ¨é é ç¾ è» æ¨£æ ¬, è© ä¼°æ å½¹å ADHDè· æ å½¹å¾ PTSDç é é £ã æ¨£æ ¬ç ºå å¾ é ¿å¯ æ± æ å½¹ç è» äºº, å ¨æ å½¹å (T0)å å® æ æ å½¹å¾ ç´ 1å æ (T1)ã 3å æ (T2)å 9å æ (T3)æ ¥å èª¿æ ¥ã æ å 以é 輯迴歸å æ å æ æ 波段ç æ ¸æ , ä¼°è¨ 4,612å è» äººæ å½¹å ADHDè· æ å½¹å¾ (T2 æ T3)PTSDç é é £ã ç  ç©¶ä¸­, æ¨£æ ¬ä¸¦ç ¡æ ç ¨è å¥®è ¥ç ©ã ç ºäº è§£ADHDâ PTSDç ç ¹æ® é é £, æ å æª¢è¦ ä»¥ä¸ é  ç ®ä¹ é ç é é £:æ å½¹å ADHDã å® æ æ å½¹å¾ ç å ´é æ é¬±ç¯ æ®µ(MDE)ã å»£æ³ æ §ç ¦æ ®ç (GAD)ã è ªæ®ºæ 念ã æ å½¹å ADHDæ ®é åº¦ç º6.1% (SE = 0.4%)ã å° å ¶ä» é¢¨é ªå  ç´ ä½ èª¿ç¯ å¾ , æ å½¹å ADHDè· æ å½¹å¾ æ £PTSDç é¢¨é ªæ æ é é £(å·²èª¿ç¯ å ç® æ¯ (AOR) = 2.13, 95% CI [1.51, 3.00], p < .001), ç ¶ä¸­å æ ¬æ å½¹å ä¸¦ç ¡PTSDç è» äºº(AOR = 2.50, 95% CI [1.69, 3.69], p < .001)ã ADHDè· å® æ æ å½¹å¾ æ £MDEç (AOR = 2.80, 95% CI [2.01, 3.91], p < .001)å GAD(AOR = 3.04, 95% CI [2.10, 4.42] p < .001)é ½æ é , ä½ è· è ªæ®ºæ å¿µç ¡é ã äº è§£æ å½¹å ADHDè· æ å½¹å¾ PTSDã MDEå GADç é é £, å ¯è ½æ å ©ç ¼å± é å° æ §ç é  é ²å·¥ä½ ã æ ªä¾ ç  ç©¶æ æª¢è¦ å° å å µäººå£«æ ä¾ ADHDæ²»ç , æ ¯å ¦å° å ¶PTSDå ç ¸é ç ¾ç æ ä¿ è­·æ æ ã Simplified Chineseæ  é¢ : ä¸ æ³¨å ä¸ è¶³æ è¿ åº¦æ´»è· ç ä¸ æ £å 伤å å å ç å ç ¸å ³ç ¾ç ç é£ é ©:å¯¹ç¾ å ½å äººè¿ è¡ ç å ç »çºµè´¯ç  ç©¶æ ®è¦ : è¿ å¾ ä¸ ç ´æ ç  ç©¶æ£ è§ ä¸ æ³¨å ä¸ è¶³æ è¿ åº¦æ´»è· ç (ADHD)ä¸ å 伤å å å ç (PTSD)ä¹ é ´ç æ¨ªæ ­æ §å ³è¿ , å ¯æ ¯, æ ä»¬ä» æ¬ ç¼ºæ£ è§ ä¸¤è å ³è¿ ç çºµè´¯ç  ç©¶ã æ ¬å ç »ç  ç©¶æ ¨å ¨é è¿ ç¾ å æ ·æ ¬, è¯ ä¼°æ å½¹å ADHDè· æ å½¹å PTSDç å ³è¿ ã æ ·æ ¬ä¸ºå å¾ é ¿å¯ æ± æ å½¹ç å 人, å ¨æ å½¹å (T0)å å® æ æ å½¹å 约1个æ (T1)ã 3个æ (T2)å 9个æ (T3)æ ¥å è° æ ¥ã æ ä»¬ä»¥é »è¾ å å½ å æ å æ æ 波段ç æ °æ ®, 估计4,612å å 人æ å½¹å ADHDè· æ å½¹å (T2 æ T3)PTSDç å ³è¿ ã ç  ç©¶ä¸­, æ ·æ ¬å¹¶æ  æ ç ¨å ´å¥ è ¯ç ©ã ä¸ºäº è§£ADHDâ PTSDç ç ¹æ® å ³è¿ , æ ä»¬æ£ è§ ä»¥ä¸ é¡¹ç ®ä¹ é ´ç å ³è¿ :æ å½¹å ADHDã å® æ æ å½¹å ç 严é æ é è 段(MDE)ã å¹¿æ³ æ §ç ¦è ç (GAD)ã è ªæ æ 念ã æ å½¹å ADHDæ ®é 度为6.1% (SE = 0.4%)ã å¯¹å ¶ä» é£ é ©å  ç´ ä½ è° è å , æ å½¹å ADHDè· æ å½¹å æ £PTSDç é£ é ©æ æ å ³è¿ (å·²è° è è ç® æ¯ (AOR) = 2.13, 95% CI [1.51, 3.00], p < .001), å½ ä¸­å æ ¬æ å½¹å å¹¶æ  PTSDç å 人(AOR = 2.50, 95% CI [1.69, 3.69], p < .001)ã ADHDè· å® æ æ å½¹å æ £MDEç (AOR = 2.80, 95% CI [2.01, 3.91], p < .001)å GAD(AOR = 3.04, 95% CI [2.10, 4.42] p < .001)é ½æ å ³, ä½ è· è ªæ æ å¿µæ  å ³ã äº è§£æ å½¹å ADHDè· æ å½¹å PTSDã MDEå GADç å ³è¿ , å ¯è ½æ å ©å å± é å¯¹æ §ç é¢ é ²å·¥ä½ ã æ ªæ ¥ç  ç©¶åº æ£ è§ å¯¹å å 人士æ ä¾ ADHDæ²»ç , æ ¯å ¦å¯¹å ¶PTSDå ç ¸å ³ç ¾ç æ ä¿ æ ¤æ åº ãPeer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146971/1/jts22347_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146971/2/jts22347.pd