The Effects of Galantamine Hydrobromide Treatment on Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate and Cortisol Levels in Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Objective Mental fatigue, cognitive disorders, and sleep disturbances seen in chronic fatigue syndrome (CPS) may be attributed to cholinergic deficit. A functional deficiency of cholinergic neurotransmission may cause the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hypoactivity seen in CPS. Therefore, we investigated the alterations in stress hormones such as cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) in CPS patients before and after 4-week administration of galantamine hydrobromide, a selective acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, and aimed to investigate whether there are any relationships between the probable hormonal changes and cholinergic treatment

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate and their relationships with aggression in early and late alcohol withdrawal

The study aims at investigating the relationship between hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis alterations and aggression level in alcoholic patients during early and late alcohol withdrawal. Serum levels of basal cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) were measured three times, and cortisol and DHEAS response to dexamethasone twice during the early and late withdrawal periods in alcohol dependent males (n=30) and once in healthy control males (n=20). Abnormal cortisol non-suppression response to dexamethasone in dexamethasone suppression test (DST) was observed in some proportion of the patients in early withdrawal, which normalized in late withdrawal. The study revealed reduced basal DHEAS levels and reduced DHEAS response to dexamethasone in late withdrawal. When the patients were assessed in two separate groups as high- and low-aggressives, in the high-aggression group abnormality in DST was observed during both early and late withdrawal periods, in the low-aggression group it was observed only in early withdrawal. While basal DHEAS levels were low in the high-aggression group only in early withdrawal, it was reduced in the low-aggression group during late withdrawal period. Some alterations of the HPA axis during alcohol withdrawal might be associated not only with alcohol use per se but also with aggressivity tendency of alcoholic patients. (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Serum oxytocin levels in patients with depression and the effects of gender and antidepressant treatment

Abnormalities in the neurohypophyseal system have been reported in depression. This study aimed to investigate serum oxytocin levels in patients with depression and the effects of gender and antidepressant treatment on these levels. Serum oxytocin levels were measured before and after treatment with antidepressant drugs or electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in 40 inpatients (30 women, 10 men) who met the DSM-IV criteria for major depressive disorder (n = 29) or bipolar affective disorder depressive episode (n = 11), and in 32 healthy controls (20 women. 12 men). Serum oxytocin levels were decreased both pretreatment and post-treatment in the patients compared with those in the controls. Serum oxytocin levels were not affected by antidepressant drug treatment or ECT. The female patients had significantly lower oxytocin levels than the control females, whereas no difference was found between the male patients and the male controls. We found no difference in serum levels of oxytocin between the unipolar and bipolar depressive patients. Our result shows reduced oxytocin in depression and a gender difference in oxytocin levels. Furthermore, antidepressant treatments appear to have no effect on serum oxytocin levels. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

Cerebellar syndrome in a patient with pneumonia under lithium treatment: A case report

We report the case of a 31-year-old man with bipolar disorder who was on a combination therapy of lithium, lamotrigine and escitalopram. Serum lithium level was within therapeutic range. Cerebellar symptoms such as dysarthria, ataxia, and dyskinesia developed in the patient following the pneumonia. Cerebellar syndrome was most likely due to lithium neurotoxicity, which was associated with additional factors such as acute febrile pneumonia, fever and hyponatremia. The reported case suggests that infections may increase the risk of cerebellar toxicity of lithium, even in the therapeutic doses. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All fights reserved

Hippocampal volumes and cognitive functions in adult alcoholic patients with adolescent-onset

This study investigated hippocampal volumes and cognitive functions in adult alcoholic patients with adolescent- or late-onset alcohol use. Twenty-one male alcohol dependent inpatients and 13 healthy male controls were enrolled in this study. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging to measure hippocampal volumes and neuropsychological tests were performed in week 4 of abstinence in the patients and controls. The patients were divided into two subgroups (adolescent- and late-onset subgroups) according to the onset age of alcohol use. Alcoholic patients in general had significantly smaller right hippocampal volumes than the healthy controls. Patients' immediate memory, attention, acquisition and working memory subtest scores were inferior to those of the controls. The right hippocampus was significantly smaller in adult alcoholic patients with adolescent-onset use compared to the controls and the late-onset group. There was no significant correlation between neuropsychological test scores and hippocampal volumes. Our results suggest that hippocampal volume loss might be a feature of adolescent-onset alcoholic patients rather than of late-onset ones. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

The Effects of Antidepressants on Neuropeptide Y in Patients with Depression and Anxiety

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the neuropeptide Y (NPY) levels in patients with anxiety and depression and also the effects of antidepressants on this neuropeptide

Poststroke depressive symptoms and their relationship with quality of life, functional status, and severity of stroke

Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between depressive symptoms in 6 months after stroke and the quality of life (QOL), clinical and socio-demographical characteristics, functional status, and severity of stroke

Testosterone and 17-OH progesteron levels in women with depression and the effects of antidepressant treatment

Objective: Women suffer from depression more often than males, indicating that sex hormones might be involved in the etiology of this disease. The aim of this study was to investigate whether testosterone and 17-OH progesterone are related to the pathophysiology of depression in depressed women. We also investigated if any alteration takes place in these hormonal variables with antidepressant treatment. Methods: Forty female inpatients suffering from a depressive episode and 20 healthy female controls were recruited in the study. In the patient and control groups, serum total testosterone, 17-OH progesterone and SHBG levels were assayed. Pharmacotherapy was given to the patient group for 6-10 weeks (venlafaxine n=19, fluoxetine n=12, imipramine n=9). Hormonal measurements were repeated after the treatment in the patient group who responded to antidepressant treatment. Results: Serum testosterone levels were higher in the depressive women than in the healthy women. The testosterone levels were normalized by antidepressant treatment. 17-OH progesterone and SHBG levels did not differ between patients and controls. Conclusions: The result of normalized testosterone levels with pharmacotherapy suggests that testosterone may have a relationship with depression. Elevated levels of testosterone in depressed women might be a result of over activation of the adrenal glands, which are the main source of this hormone in women. (Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry 2010; 11:285-292