Continuous decrease in serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in a neuropsychiatric syndrome of systemic lupus erythematosus patient with organic brain changes

In the present study, the authors reported on a case in neuropsychiatric syndromes of systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) with irreversible organic brain changes. The authors also longitudinally investigated serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in the patient. We found that serum BDNF levels in the NPSLE patient with irreversible organic brain change were consistently low, independent of the severity of psychiatric symptoms. Thus, the longitudinal measurement of serum BDNF levels might be useful in predicting the prognosis of NPSLE

Steroid psychosis in a polyarteritis nodosa patient successfully treated with risperidone: tracking serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels longitudinally

We previously reported a case in which steroid-induced psychosis was eliminated with risperidone treatment in a patient with polyarteritis nodosa (PN). In the present report, we longitudinally tracked the serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). We found that corticosteroid lowered serum BDNF levels, and improvement of psychiatric symptoms was intact with the serum BDNF levels seen in the patients

Development and validation of the 25â item Hikikomori Questionnaire (HQâ 25)

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146508/1/pcn12691_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146508/2/pcn12691.pd

COMT Val158Met, but not BDNF Val66Met, is associated with white matter abnormalities of the temporal lobe in patients with first-episode, treatment-naïve major depressive disorder: a diffusion tensor imaging study

We investigated the association between the Val158Met polymorphism of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene, the Val66Met polymorphism of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene, and white matter changes in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy subjects using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). We studied 30 patients with MDD (17 males and 13 females, with mean age ± standard deviation [SD] =44±12 years) and 30 sex- and age-matched healthy controls (17 males and 13 females, aged 44±13 years). Using DTI analysis with a tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) approach, we investigated the differences in fractional anisotropy, radial diffusivity, and axial diffusivity distribution among the three groups (patients with the COMT gene Val158Met, those with the BDNF gene Val66Met, and the healthy subjects). In a voxel-wise-based group comparison, we found significant decreases in fractional anisotropy and axial diffusivity within the temporal lobe white matter in the Met-carriers with MDD compared with the controls (P<0.05). No correlations in fractional anisotropy, axial diffusivity, or radial diffusivity were observed between the MDD patients and the controls, either among those with the BDNF Val/Val genotype or among the BDNF Met-carriers. These results suggest an association between the COMT gene Val158Met and the white matter abnormalities found in the temporal lobe of patients with MDD

Suicidal ideation and burnout among psychiatric trainees in Japan

AIM: Burnout is a psychological condition that may occur in all workers after being exposed to excessive work-related stresses. We investigated suicidal ideation and burnout among Japanese psychiatric trainees as a part of the Burnout Syndrome Study (BoSS) International.  METHODS: In the Japanese branch, 91 trainees fully completed suicide ideation and behaviour questionnaire (SIBQ) and Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS).  RESULTS: Passive suicidal ideation was reported by 38.5% of Japanese trainees and 22.0% of them had experienced active suicidal ideation. The burnout rate among Japanese subjects was 40.0%. These results were worse compared to the all 1980 trainees who fully completed the main outcome measure in BoSS International, 25.9%, 20.4% and 36.7%, respectively.  CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest a higher risk of suicide among Japanese residents. Japan has a higher suicide rate than other countries. Early detection of, and appropriate intervention for, suicidal ideation is important in preventing suicide in psychiatry residents

Nationwide survey of work environment, work-life balance and burnout among psychiatrists in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Psychiatry has been consistently shown to be a profession characterised by 'high-burnout'; however, no nationwide surveys on this topic have been conducted in Japan. AIMS: The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of burnout and to ascertain the relationship between work environment satisfaction, work-life balance satisfaction and burnout among psychiatrists working in medical schools in Japan. METHOD: We mailed anonymous questionnaires to all 80 psychiatry departments in medical schools throughout Japan. Work-life satisfaction, work-environment satisfaction and social support assessments, as well as the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), were used. RESULTS: Sixty psychiatric departments (75.0%) responded, and 704 psychiatrists provided answers to the assessments and MBI. Half of the respondents (n = 311, 46.0%) experienced difficulty with their work-life balance. Based on the responses to the MBI, 21.0% of the respondents had a high level of emotional exhaustion, 12.0% had a high level of depersonalisation, and 72.0% had a low level of personal accomplishment. Receiving little support, experiencing difficulty with work-life balance, and having less work-environment satisfaction were significantly associated with higher emotional exhaustion. A higher number of nights worked per month was significantly associated with higher depersonalisation. CONCLUSIONS: A low level of personal accomplishment was quite prevalent among Japanese psychiatrists compared with the results of previous studies. Poor work-life balance was related to burnout, and social support was noted to mitigate the impact of burnout

Genetic Variation in the Catechol-O-Methyl Transferase Val108/158Met Is Linked to the Caudate and Posterior Cingulate Cortex Volume in Healthy Subjects: Voxel-Based Morphometry Analysis of Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

The effect of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met polymorphism on brain morphology has been investigated but remains controversial. We hypothesized that a comparison between Val/Val and Val/Met individuals, which may represent the most different combinations concerning the effects of the COMT genotype, may reveal new findings. We investigated the brain morphology using 3-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging in 27 Val/Val and 22 Val/Met individuals. Voxel-based morphometry revealed that the volumes of the bilateral caudate and posterior cingulate cortex were significantly smaller in Val/Val individuals than in Val/Met individuals [right caudate: false discovery rate (FDR)-corrected p = 0.048; left caudate: FDR-corrected p = 0.048; and bilateral posterior cingulate cortex: FDR-corrected p = 0.048]. This study demonstrates that interacting functional variants of COMT affect gray matter regional volumes in healthy subjects

Means MBI scores and burnout rates.

<p>a Chi-squared test; the results of three burnout subsets were compared.</p

Rates of work-life balance and environmental satisfaction.

<p>A: Are you experiencing difficulties in maintaining your work-life balance? (1: not at all, 5: very much) B: Are you satisfied with your work environment? (1: not satisfied at all, 5: very much satisfied).</p

Factors associated with burnout and stress: multivariate linear regression analysis (n = 704).

<p>β: standardised regression coefficient.</p><p>VIF: variance inflation factor.</p>a<p>Coded as: 0 =  Male; 1 =  Female.</p>b<p>Coded as: 1 =  Professor or Associate Professor; 2 =  Assistant Professor; 3 =  Psychiatric Resident; 4 =  Postgraduate Student.</p>c<p>Coded as: 0 =  Married; 1 =  Not married.</p>d<p>Coded as: 0 =  Have children; 1 =  Do not have children.</p>e<p>Coded as: 1 =  Less than 40 hours; 2 = 40 to less than 50 hours; 3 = 50 hours or more.</p>f<p>Coded as: 1 =  None; 2 =  Less than 4 times; 3 = 5 to 9 times; 4 = 10 times or more.</p>g<p>Possible range: 1–5. Higher scores indicate higher satisfaction levels.</p>*<p>Statistically significant variables.</p