Role of psychosocial stress in complex diseases

peer reviewedComplex diseases are chronic diseases where the interrelations between genetic predisposition and environmental factors play an essential role in the arisen and the maintenance of the pathology. Upon psychological stress, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the sympathetic nervous system are activated resulting in release of glucocorticoids and catecholamines. Chronic stress may induce complex diseases where alterations of nervous, endocrine and immune systems are involved. Thus, chronic stress is more likely to induce a range of effects, depending on the capacity of the subject to cope with stress. CRH ("Corticotropin Releasing Hormone") is a key factor in the stress-immunity relationship. In this article, we propose an overview of the interrelations between central nervous, endocrine and immune systems and implications for health and diseases. The objective for the clinician is to propose therapeutic strategies targeting changes in human behaviour to cope with a potentially stressful environment

FROM PRECONCEIVED IDEAS ON HYSTERIA TO FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGICAL DISORDER

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Pain complaints in a patient with schizophrenia

peer reviewedSchizophrenia is a complex pathology. Its prevalence reaches almost 1 %. Its semiology can be diversified. Sensorial perception can be altered included pain perception. Most of the studies conclude that psychotic patients have a hypoalgesia. It's important to consider this fact to avoid missing potentially grave somatic disease

Nouveaux développement dans le traitement de la dépression

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Les antidépresseurs tricycliques et les IMAO ont-ils encore une place dans le traitement de la dépression?

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Anxiety Disorders and Organic Pathology: A Differential Diagnosis Difficulty

peer reviewedThe diagnostic criteria for panic disorder include symptoms commonly experienced by patients with organic diseases. We report a case of coronary artery spasm in a patient with chest pain, exhibiting atypical characteristics, and accompanied by symptoms of nervousness. The approach and the management of anxiety disorders are discussed

Mismatch negativity is not correlated with neuroendocrine indicators of catecholaminergic activity in healthy subjects.

The identification of the brain structures and neurotransmitters responsible for the generation and/or modulation of the mismatch negativity (MMN) may contribute to a clearer understanding of its functional significance, and may have clinical implications. In this context, some findings suggest that the scalp-recorded MMN reflects activity from multiple neuronal ensembles within or in the immediate vicinity of the primary auditory cortex and with possible contribution from the frontal cortex. However, few data are available concerning the influence of neurotransmitter systems on the MMN. In this study, the relationship between both noradrenergic and dopaminergic systems and the MMN were investigated in 34 healthy volunteers. Noradrenergic and dopaminergic activities were assessed with the apomorphine and clonidine challenge tests. The results showed no significant relationship between either growth hormone (GH) responses to apomorphine or clonidine and the MMN amplitude or latency. Therefore, this study does not demonstrate the implication of dopaminergic and noradrenergic activities as assessed by GH response to apomorphine and clonidine for the generation and/or the modulation of the MMN. However, given the complexity of the central neurotransmitter systems, these results cannot be considered as definitive evidence against a relationship between dopaminergic and noradrenergic activity and the MMN

Clinical characteristics of depressive episodes in Bipolar I and Bipolar II disorders

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