Dysfunctions in sensorimotor control and decision processing in schizophrenia

Στην παρούσα εργασία μελετήθηκε η βιβλιογραφία η σχετιζόμενη με την δυσλειτουργία του κινητικοαισθητικού ελέγχου και της επεξεργασίας λήψης αποφάσεων στην σχιζοφρένεια. Αρχικά, στην εισαγωγή γίνεται μια σύντομη περιγραφή των πιο χαρακτηριστικών συμπτωμάτων της διαταραχής. Ακολουθεί η ανατομική παρουσίαση των εγκεφαλικών δικτύων που μπορεί να παρουσιάζουν βλάβη στην σχιζοφρένεια. Κατόπιν εξετάζεται ο τρόπος επεξεργασίας της λήψης αποφάσεων σε υγιείς και σχιζοφρενείς. Το επόμενο κεφάλαιο παρουσιάζει την βιβλιογραφία σχετικά με τις κινητικοαισθητικές ανωμαλίες που απαντώνται στην σχιζοφρένεια. Έγινε προσπάθεια να συνδεθούν οι τύποι των κινητικοαισθητικών ανωμαλιών με τις ανατομικές τους βλάβες. Επίσης ελήφθησαν υπ’ όψη τα νευροφυσιολογικά δεδομένα και οι απεικονιστικές μελέτες. Κατόπιν παρουσιάζονται οι μελέτες που έγιναν με την χρήση χειρονακτικών και σακκαδικών χρόνων αντίδρασης που και οι δύο είναι γνωστό ότι επηρεάζονται στην σχιζοφρένεια. Επίσης παρουσιάζονται μελέτες που χρησιμοποίησαν ταυτόχρονα χειρονακτικούς και σακκαδικούς χρόνους αντίδρασης. Στο τέλος της μελέτης υπάρχει μια συζήτηση που αξιολογεί περιληπτικά τα ευρήματα της τεράστιας βιβλιογραφίας εν μέσω των ετών μαζί με υποδείξεις για περαιτέρω τρόπους διερεύνησης των δυσλειτουργιών του κινητικοαισθητικού ελέγχου και της λήψης αποφάσεων στην σχιζοφρένεια.In the present study, the literature on the dysfunctions of the sensorimotor control and the processes of decision making in schizophrenia (SZ) is reviewed. At the beginning, there is an introduction with a brief description of the most characteristic symptoms of the disorder. The anatomic presentation of the brain networks that may be lesioned in SZ follows. Afterwards, the way decision making is taking place in health and in SZ is presented. The next chapter presents a literature review on the sensorimotor abnormalities which are encountered in SZ. Effort was taken to combine the types of sensorimotor abnormalities with their anatomic lesions. Neurophysiological data and imaging studies were also taken into consideration. Next, are presented the studies which have been performed using manual and saccadic reaction times, which are both known to be affected in SZ. Studies that have used manual reaction time and saccadic reaction times simultaneously are also presented. At the end of the study there is a discussion summarizing the findings of the vast literature through the years together with suggestions for further ways of exploring the dysfunctions of the sensorimotor control and the decision making in SZ

Advances in the treatment of prolactinomas

Prolactinomas account for approximately 40% of all pituitary adenomas and are an important cause of hypogonadism and infertility. The ultimate goal of therapy for prolactinomas is restoration or achievement of eugonadism through the normalization of hyperprolactinemia and control of tumor mass. Medical therapy with dopamine agonists is highly effective in the majority of cases and represents the mainstay of therapy. Recent data indicating successful withdrawal of these agents in a subset of patients challenge the previously held concept that medical therapy is a lifelong requirement. Complicated situations, such as those encountered in resistance to dopamine agonists, pregnancy, and giant or malignant prolactinomas, may require multimodal therapy involving surgery, radiotherapy, or both. Progress in elucidating the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of prolactinomas may enable future development of novel molecular therapies for treatment-resistant cases. This review provides a critical analysis of the efficacy and safety of the various modes of therapy available for the treatment of patients with prolactinomas with an emphasis on challenging situations, a discussion of the data regarding withdrawal of medical therapy, and a foreshadowing of novel approaches to therapy that may become available in the future

Bromocriptine: Past and present : From the In Vitro and In Vivo Experimental Studies to the Clinical Data Bromocriptine: Past and present : From the In Vitro and In Vivo Experimental Studies to the Clinical Data

Abstract Bromocrriptine is a drug introduced in the medical therapeutics in 1967, and since then it has been widely used in the treatment of hyperprolactinaemia

Plasma Changes of Pituitary Protein 7B2 in Chronic Renal Failure Before and After Haemodialysis, Comparisons with Pituitary Hormones and Neuropeptides Plasma Changes of Pituitary Protein 7B2 in Chronic Renal Failure Before and After Haemodialysis, Compari

Abstract Pituitary protein 7B2, is a highly conserved molecule, located in the gonadotrophs and released by luteinising hormone releasing hormone (LHRH), in vitro and in vivo. 7B2-immunoreactivity (7B2-IR) was estimated in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) before and after haemodialysis. Twenty patients (twelve male, eight female) aged 18-67 (43.9 + 17.7 [SD]) years with CRF were studied before and after haemodialysis. A blood sample was taken from the haemodialysis access site (Cimino fistula) [n=13] or Scribner shunt [n=7]. Haemodialysis was then carried out using a hollow fibre AK 10 dialyser and Gambro control unit. A second blood sample was taken ten minutes after the end of haemodialysis. Pre and post-dialysis blood pressure, pulse and weight were recorded. Plasma creatinine was also recorded before and after haemodialysis

Stress management and erectile dysfunction: A pilot comparative study

Summary: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a complex disorder with various biopsychosocial implications leading the individual into a state of chronic stress that further worsens ED symptoms. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of a 8-week stress management programme on erectile dysfunction (ED). A convenience sample of 31 newly diagnosed men with ED, aged between 20 and 55 years, was recruited during a period of 5 months to receive either tadalafil (12 patients) or tadalafil and the 8-week stress management programme. Both groups showed statistical significant improvement of both perceived stress and erectile function scores. Men practising stress management showed a statistical significant reduction in perceived stress score compared with men receiving tadalafil alone. No other statistical significant differences were noted between the two groups, although the stress management group showed a lower daily exposure to cortisol compared with the control group after 8 weeks. Finally, perceived stress and cortisol showed some interesting correlations with sexual function measurements. These findings provide important insight into the role of stress management, as part of the recommended biopsychosocial approach, in ED. Future studies should focus on randomised, controlled trials with larger samples and longer follow-up time. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH

Climate Changes Exacerbate the Spread of Ixodes ricinus and the Occurrence of Lyme Borreliosis and Tick-Borne Encephalitis in Europe—How Climate Models Are Used as a Risk Assessment Approach for Tick-Borne Diseases

Climate change has influenced the transmission of a wide range of vector-borne diseases in Europe, which is a pressing public health challenge for the coming decades. Numerous theories have been developed in order to explain how tick-borne diseases are associated with climate change. These theories include higher proliferation rates, extended transmission season, changes in ecological balances, and climate-related migration of vectors, reservoir hosts, or human populations. Changes of the epidemiological pattern have potentially catastrophic consequences, resulting in increasing prevalence of tick-borne diseases. Thus, investigation of the relationship between climate change and tick-borne diseases is critical. In this regard, climate models that predict the ticks’ geographical distribution changes can be used as a predicting tool. The aim of this review is to provide the current evidence regarding the contribution of the climatic changes to Lyme borreliosis (LB) disease and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and to present how computational models will advance our understanding of the relationship between climate change and tick-borne diseases in Europe

Correlation of Histological type, Grade and Results of IHC and SISH regarding Cerb2-HER2/neu Amplification

<p><i>Breast cancer is one of the most common causes of death worldwide. The increasing incidence of breast cancer and its associated mortality highlights the need for new diagnostic procedures and immunohistochemical techniques improving the therapeutic management, especially the targeted treatment. To highlight and assess the expression of oncogene HER2, regarding to the results of Immunohistochemistry (IHC) scoring 2+ and Silver DNA in Situ Hybridization (SISH) technique and identify breast cancer type, special histological types, grade, and the correlation regarding to histological type, grade, and other biomarkers such as estrogen and progesterone receptors, and Ki-67.</i></p&gt

Awareness, Knowledge and Risky Behaviors of Sexually Transmitted Diseases among Young People in Greece

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) affect mainly young individuals and cause health, social, and economic problems worldwide. The present study used a web questionnaire to assess the awareness, knowledge, sexual behaviors, and common practices regarding STDs in young Greek adults. The 1833 individuals, aged 18–30 years, who responded to the study seem to be particularly knowledgeable regarding STDs such as AIDS (97.7%), warts (97%), Chlamydia (92.2%), genital herpes (89.9%), syphilis (81.9%), and gonorrhea (72.1%), whereas lower percentages were noted for trichomoniasis (39.3%), Molluscum contagiosum (12.9%), mycoplasmosis (11.6%), and amoebiasis (7.4%). Regarding oral STD transmission, participants replied correctly for genital herpes (45%), warts (35.8%), and AIDS (HIV; 33.8%), whereas 30.2% were unfamiliar with oral sexual transmission. Of the participants, 52% were not aware that STDs might cause infertility. Only 40.4% of the respondents reported always using condoms during sexual intercourse, and 48.6% had never been tested for STDs. The majority of the young population (55%) presented a moderate knowledge STD score (41–60%) and was associated with demographic parameters such as age, gender, sexual preference, number of sexual partners, and residence (p < 0.05). These findings provide important information regarding the prevention of STDs and highlight the significance of developing more effective sex education programs for young people in Greece