Diffusion basis spectrum imaging and diffusion tensor imaging predict persistent black hole formation in multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Diffusion basis spectrum imaging (DBSI) extracts multiple anisotropic and isotropic diffusion tensors, providing greater histopathologic specificity than diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Persistent black holes (PBH) represent areas of severe tissue damage in multiple sclerosis (MS), and a high PBH burden is associated with worse MS disability. This study evaluated the ability of DBSI and DTI to predict which acute contrast-enhancing lesions (CELs) would persist as T1 hypointensities (i.e. PBHs) 12 months later. We expected that a higher radial diffusivity (RD), representing demyelination, and higher DBSI-derived isotropic non-restricted fraction, representing edema and increased extracellular space, of the acute CEL would increase the likelihood of future PBH development. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, relapsing MS patients with ≥1 CEL(s) underwent monthly MRI scans for 4 to 6 months until gadolinium resolution. DBSI and DTI metrics were quantified when the CEL was most conspicuous during the monthly scans. To determine whether the CEL became a PBH, a follow-up MRI was performed at least 12 months after the final monthly scan. RESULTS: The cohort included 20 MS participants (median age 33 years; 13 women) with 164 CELs. Of these, 59 (36 %) CELs evolved into PBHs. At Gd-max, DTI RD and AD of all CELs increased, and both metrics were significantly elevated for CELs which became PBHs, as compared to non-black holes (NBHs). DTI RD above 0.74 conferred an odds ratio (OR) of 7.76 (CI 3.77-15.98) for a CEL becoming a PBH (AUC 0.80, CI 0.73-0.87); DTI axial diffusivity (AD) above 1.22 conferred an OR of 7.32 (CI 3.38-15.86) for becoming a PBH (AUC 0.75, CI 0.66-0.83). DBSI RD and AD did not predict PBH development in a multivariable model. At Gd-max, DBSI restricted fraction decreased and DBSI non-restricted fraction increased in all CELs, and both metrics were significantly different for CELs which became PBHs, as compared to NBHs. A CEL with a DBSI non-restricted fraction above 0.45 had an OR of 4.77 (CI 2.35-9.66) for becoming a PBH (AUC 0.74, CI 0.66-0.81); a CEL with a DBSI restricted fraction below 0.07 had an OR of 9.58 (CI 4.59-20.02) for becoming a PBH (AUC 0.80, 0.72-0.87). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that greater degree of edema/extracellular space in a CEL is a predictor of tissue destruction, as evidenced by PBH evolution.

Perspectives and experiences with COVID-19 vaccines in people with MS.

Background: People with MS may have unique perspectives on COVID-19 vaccines due to their condition and/or medications. Objective: Assess perspectives and experiences with COVID-19 vaccination, and quantify variables impacting COVID-19 vaccine willingness in people with MS. Methods: A survey captured demographics, MS characteristics, and COVID-19 infection and exposures data; opinions on COVID-19 vaccine safety, side effects, and efficacy; and experiences following vaccination. Chi-square tests and a logistic regression model were used to denote between-group differences and variables predicting vaccine willingness, respectively. Results: Most (87.8%) of the 237 participants were willing to receive the vaccine. Fifteen percent held or delayed a DMT dose for vaccination. MS symptoms worsened in a minority (7.6% first/only dose; 14.7% second dose), and most side effects were mild (80.0%; 55.3%). Those not planning to receive the vaccine were primarily concerned with long-term safety (70.4%). Medical comorbidities (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=5.222; p=0.04) and following infection prevention precautions (aOR=6.330; p=0.008) were associated with vaccine willingness. Conclusion: Most individuals with MS surveyed plan to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. People with MS experience similar side effects to the general population, and few experience transient MS symptom worsening. These results can inform conversations on vaccination between providers and people with MS.

Effect of Immunosuppression on the Immunogenicity of mRNA Vaccines to SARS-CoV-2 : A Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic inflammatory disease (CID) treated with immunosuppressive medications have increased risk for severe COVID-19. Although mRNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccination provides protection in immunocompetent persons, immunogenicity in immunosuppressed patients with CID is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To determine the immunogenicity of mRNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in patients with CID. DESIGN: Prospective observational cohort study. SETTING: Two U.S. CID referral centers. PARTICIPANTS: Volunteer sample of adults with confirmed CID eligible for early COVID-19 vaccination, including hospital employees of any age and patients older than 65 years. Immunocompetent participants were recruited separately from hospital employees. All participants received 2 doses of mRNA vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 between 10 December 2020 and 20 March 2021. Participants were assessed within 2 weeks before vaccination and 20 days after final vaccination. MEASUREMENTS: Anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) IgG+ binding in all participants, and neutralizing antibody titers and circulating S-specific plasmablasts in a subset to assess humoral response after vaccination. RESULTS: Most of the 133 participants with CID (88.7%) and all 53 immunocompetent participants developed antibodies in response to mRNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, although some with CID developed numerically lower titers of anti-S IgG. Anti-S IgG antibody titers after vaccination were lower in participants with CID receiving glucocorticoids (n = 17) than in those not receiving them; the geometric mean of anti-S IgG antibodies was 357 (95% CI, 96 to 1324) for participants receiving prednisone versus 2190 (CI, 1598 to 3002) for those not receiving it. Anti-S IgG antibody titers were also lower in those receiving B-cell depletion therapy (BCDT) (n = 10). Measures of immunogenicity differed numerically between those who were and those who were not receiving antimetabolites (n = 48), tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (n = 39), and Janus kinase inhibitors (n = 11); however, 95% CIs were wide and overlapped. Neutralization titers seemed generally consistent with anti-S IgG results. Results were not adjusted for differences in baseline clinical factors, including other immunosuppressant therapies. LIMITATIONS: Small sample that lacked demographic diversity, and residual confounding. CONCLUSION: Compared with nonusers, patients with CID treated with glucocorticoids and BCDT seem to have lower SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-induced antibody responses. These preliminary findings require confirmation in a larger study. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, Marcus Program in Precision Medicine Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, and National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.

Glucocorticoids and B Cell Depleting Agents Substantially Impair Immunogenicity of mRNA Vaccines to SARS-CoV-2.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with chronic inflammatory diseases (CID) are frequently treated with immunosuppressive medications that can increase their risk of severe COVID-19. While novel mRNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccination platforms provide robust protection in immunocompetent individuals, the immunogenicity in CID patients on immunosuppression is not well established. Therefore, determining the effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in the setting of immunosuppression is essential to risk-stratify CID patients with impaired protection and provide clinical guidance regarding medication management. METHODS: We conducted a prospective assessment of mRNA-based vaccine immunogenicity in 133 adults with CIDs and 53 immunocompetent controls. Blood from participants over 18 years of age was collected before initial immunization and 1-2 weeks after the second immunization. Serum anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) IgG + binding, neutralizing antibody titers, and circulating S-specific plasmablasts were quantified to assess the magnitude and quality of the humoral response following vaccination. RESULTS: Compared to immunocompetent controls, a three-fold reduction in anti-S IgG titers (P=0.009) and SARS-CoV-2 neutralization (p<0.0001) were observed in CID patients. B cell depletion and glucocorticoids exerted the strongest effect with a 36- and 10-fold reduction in humoral responses, respectively (p<0.0001). Janus kinase inhibitors and antimetabolites, including methotrexate, also blunted antibody titers in multivariate regression analysis (P<0.0001, P=0.0023, respectively). Other targeted therapies, such as TNF inhibitors, IL-12/23 inhibitors, and integrin inhibitors, had only modest impacts on antibody formation and neutralization. CONCLUSIONS: CID patients treated with immunosuppressive therapies exhibit impaired SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-induced immunity, with glucocorticoids and B cell depletion therapy more severely impeding optimal responses.

Diffusion basis spectrum imaging provides insights into MS pathology.

OBJECTIVE: To use diffusion basis spectrum imaging (DBSI) to assess how damage to normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) in the corpus callosum (CC) influences neurologic impairment in people with MS (pwMS). METHODS: Using standard MRI, the primary pathologies in MS of axonal injury/loss, demyelination, and inflammation are not differentiated well. DBSI has been shown in animal models, phantoms, and in biopsied and autopsied human CNS tissues to distinguish these pathologies. Fifty-five pwMS (22 relapsing-remitting, 17 primary progressive, and 16 secondary progressive) and 13 healthy subjects underwent DBSI analyses of NAWM of the CC, the main WM tract connecting the cerebral hemispheres. Tract-based spatial statistics were used to minimize misalignment. Results were correlated with scores from a battery of clinical tests focused on deficits typical of MS. RESULTS: Normal-appearing CC in pwMS showed reduced fiber fraction and increased nonrestricted isotropic fraction, with the most extensive abnormalities in secondary progressive MS (SPMS). Reduced DBSI-derived fiber fraction and increased DBSI-derived nonrestricted isotropic fraction of the CC correlated with worse cognitive scores in pwMS. Increased nonrestricted isotropic fraction in the body of the CC correlated with impaired hand function in the SPMS cohort. CONCLUSIONS: DBSI fiber fraction and nonrestricted isotropic fraction were the most useful markers of injury in the NAWM CC. These 2 DBSI measures reflect axon loss in animal models. Because of its ability to reveal axonal loss, as well as demyelination, DBSI may be a useful outcome measure for trials of CNS reparative treatments.

Diffusion basis spectrum imaging for identifying pathologies in MS subtypes.

Diffusion basis spectrum imaging (DBSI) combines discrete anisotropic diffusion tensors and the spectrum of isotropic diffusion tensors to model the underlying multiple sclerosis (MS) pathologies. We used clinical MS subtypes as a surrogate of underlying pathologies to assess DBSI as a biomarker of pathology in 55 individuals with MS. Restricted isotropic fraction (reflecting cellularity) and fiber fraction (representing apparent axonal density) were the most important DBSI metrics to classify MS using brain white matter lesions. These DBSI metrics outperformed lesion volume. When analyzing the normal-appearing corpus callosum, the most significant DBSI metrics were fiber fraction, radial diffusivity (reflecting myelination), and nonrestricted isotropic fraction (representing edema). This study provides preliminary evidence supporting the ability of DBSI as a potential noninvasive biomarker of MS neuropathology.

Antidepressant response to aripiprazole augmentation associated with enhanced FDOPA utilization in striatum: a preliminary PET study.

Several double blind, prospective trials have demonstrated an antidepressant augmentation efficacy of aripiprazole in depressed patients unresponsive to standard antidepressant therapy. Although aripiprazole is now widely used for this indication, and much is known about its receptor-binding properties, the mechanism of its antidepressant augmentation remains ill-defined. In vivo animal studies and in vitro human studies using cloned dopamine dopamine D2 receptors suggest aripiprazole is a partial dopamine agonist; in this preliminary neuroimaging trial, we hypothesized that aripiprazole's antidepressant augmentation efficacy arises from dopamine partial agonist activity. To test this, we assessed the effects of aripiprazole augmentation on the cerebral utilization of 6-[(18)F]-fluoro-3,4-dihydroxy-l-phenylalanine (FDOPA) using positron emission tomography (PET). Fourteen depressed patients, who had failed 8 weeks of antidepressant therapy with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, underwent FDOPA PET scans before and after aripiprazole augmentation; 11 responded to augmentation. Whole brain, voxel-wise comparisons of pre- and post-aripiprazole scans revealed increased FDOPA trapping in the right medial caudate of augmentation responders. An exploratory analysis of depressive symptoms revealed that responders experienced large improvements only in putatively dopaminergic symptoms of lassitude and inability to feel. These preliminary findings suggest that augmentation of antidepressant response by aripiprazole may be associated with potentiation of dopaminergic activity.

Association of cerebral metabolic activity changes with vagus nerve stimulation antidepressant response in treatment-resistant depression.

BACKGROUND: Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has antidepressant effects in treatment resistant major depression (TRMD); these effects are poorly understood. This trial examines associations of subacute (3 months) and chronic (12 months) VNS with cerebral metabolism in TRMD. OBJECTIVE: (17)Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography was used to examine associations between 12-month antidepressant VNS response and cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (CMRGlu) changes at 3 and 12 months. METHODS: Thirteen TRMD patients received 12 months of VNS. Depression assessments (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale [HDRS]) and PET scans were obtained at baseline (pre-VNS) and 3/12 months. CMRGlu was assessed in eight a priori selected brain regions (bilateral anterior insular [AIC], orbitofrontal [OFC], dorsolateral prefrontal [DLPFC], and anterior cingulate cortices [ACC]). Regional CMRGlu changes over time were studied in VNS responders (decreased 12 month HDRS by ≥50%) and nonresponders. RESULTS: A significant trend (decreased 3 month CMRGlu) in the right DLPFC was observed over time in VNS responders (n = 9; P = 0.006). An exploratory whole brain analysis (P(uncorrected) = 0.005) demonstrated decreased 3 month right rostral cingulate and DLPFC CMRGlu, and increased 12 month left ventral tegmental CMRGlu in responders. CONCLUSIONS/LIMITATIONS: VNS response may involve gradual (months in duration) brain adaptations. Early on, this process may involve decreased right-sided DLPFC/cingulate cortical activity; longer term effects (12 months) may lead to brainstem dopaminergic activation. Study limitations included: a) a small VNS nonresponders sample (N = 4), which limited conclusions about nonresponder CMRGlu changes; b) no control group; and, c) patients maintained their psychotropic medications.

White matter microstructural integrity in youth with type 1 diabetes.

Decreased white and gray matter volumes have been reported in youth with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), but the effects of hyperglycemia on white matter integrity have not been quantitatively assessed during brain development. We performed diffusion tensor imaging, using two complimentary approaches--region-of-interest and voxelwise tract-based spatial statistics--to quantify white matter integrity in a large retrospective study of T1DM youth and control participants. Exposure to chronic hyperglycemia, severe hyperglycemic episodes, and severe hypoglycemia, as defined in the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT), were estimated through medical records review, HbA(1c) levels, and interview of parents and youth. We found lower fractional anisotropy in the superior parietal lobule and reduced mean diffusivity in the thalamus in the T1DM group. A history of three or more severe hyperglycemic episodes was associated with reduced anisotropy and increased diffusivity in the superior parietal lobule and increased diffusivity in the hippocampus. These results add microstructural integrity of white matter to the range of structural brain alterations seen in T1DM youth and suggest vulnerability of the superior parietal lobule, hippocampus, and thalamus to glycemic extremes during brain development. Longitudinal analyses will be necessary to determine how these alterations change with age or additional glycemic exposure.

Early brain vulnerability in Wolfram syndrome.

Wolfram Syndrome (WFS) is a rare autosomal recessive disease characterized by insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, optic nerve atrophy, diabetes insipidus, deafness, and neurological dysfunction leading to death in mid-adulthood. WFS is caused by mutations in the WFS1 gene, which lead to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-mediated cell death. Case studies have found widespread brain atrophy in late stage WFS. However, it is not known when in the disease course these brain abnormalities arise, and whether there is differential vulnerability across brain regions and tissue classes. To address this limitation, we quantified regional brain abnormalities across multiple imaging modalities in a cohort of young patients in relatively early stages of WFS. Children and young adults with WFS were evaluated with neurological, cognitive and structural magnetic resonance imaging measures. Compared to normative data, the WFS group had intact cognition, significant anxiety and depression, and gait abnormalities. Compared to healthy and type 1 diabetic control groups, the WFS group had smaller intracranial volume and preferentially affected gray matter volume and white matter microstructural integrity in the brainstem, cerebellum and optic radiations. Abnormalities were detected in even the youngest patients with mildest symptoms, and some measures did not follow the typical age-dependent developmental trajectory. These results establish that WFS is associated with smaller intracranial volume with specific abnormalities in the brainstem and cerebellum, even at the earliest stage of clinical symptoms. This pattern of abnormalities suggests that WFS has a pronounced impact on early brain development in addition to later neurodegenerative effects, representing a significant new insight into the WFS disease process. Longitudinal studies will be critical for confirming and expanding our understanding of the impact of ER stress dysregulation on brain development.

Treating prepartum depression to improve infant developmental outcomes: a study of diabetes in pregnancy.

Whether and how the co-occurrence of depression and diabetes in pregnancy may worsen infant development has not been reported. Pregnant women with diabetes and with (n = 34) or without (n = 34) major depressive disorder (MDD) were followed during pregnancy and 6-months postpartum. The MDD subset received randomly assigned treatment with cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) or supportive counseling (SC). Depression severity was measured with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI); infant developmental outcomes were measured with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID) and its Behavior Rating Scale (BRS). Infants of women with MDD had lower BRS scores (p = .02). Reduction in depression scores was associated with better infant outcomes on the BSID and BRS (p values <.03). These preliminary findings suggest depression occurring in pregnant women with diabetes is associated with poorer infant development and improvement in prepartum depression is associated with improvement in measures of infant development.

Prospectively determined impact of type 1 diabetes on brain volume during development.

OBJECTIVE: The impact of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) on the developing central nervous system is not well understood. Cross-sectional, retrospective studies suggest that exposure to glycemic extremes during development is harmful to brain structure in youth with T1DM. However, these studies cannot identify brain regions that change differentially over time depending on the degree of exposure to glycemic extremes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We performed a longitudinal, prospective structural neuroimaging study of youth with T1DM (n = 75; mean age = 12.5 years) and their nondiabetic siblings (n = 25; mean age = 12.5 years). Each participant was scanned twice, separated by 2 years. Blood glucose control measurements (HbA(1c), glucose meter results, and reports of severe hypoglycemia) were acquired during the 2-year follow-up. Sophisticated image registration algorithms were performed, followed by whole brain and voxel-wise statistical analyses of the change in gray and white matter volume, controlling for age, sex, and age of diabetes onset. RESULTS: The T1DM and nondiabetic control (NDC) sibling groups did not differ in whole brain or voxel-wise change over the 2-year follow-up. However, within the T1DM group, participants with more hyperglycemia had a greater decrease in whole brain gray matter compared with those with less hyperglycemia (P < 0.05). Participants who experienced severe hypoglycemia had greater decreases in occipital/parietal white matter volume compared with those with no severe hypoglycemia (P < 0.05) and compared with the NDC sibling group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that within diabetes, exposure to hyperglycemia and severe hypoglycemia may result in subtle deviation from normal developmental trajectories of the brain.

Hippocampal volumes in youth with type 1 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: Hippocampal neurons in adult animals and humans are vulnerable to severe hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia. Effects are hypothesized to be exacerbated during development, but existing studies on developing human brains are limited. We examined whether hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia experienced during brain development in humans affects hippocampal volumes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We analyzed T1-weighted magnetic resonance images in 95 youth with type 1 diabetes and 49 sibling control subjects aged 7-17 years. Youth with diabetes were categorized as having 0 (n = 37), 1-2 (n = 41), or 3 or more (3+; n = 17) prior severe hypoglycemic episodes. Hyperglycemia exposure was estimated from median lifetime A1C, weighted for duration of diabetes. Stereologic measurements of hippocampal volumes were performed in atlas-registered space to correct for whole brain volume. RESULTS: Greater exposure to severe hypoglycemia was associated with larger hippocampal volumes (F [3,138] = 3.6, P = 0.016; 3+ larger than all other groups, P < 0.05). Hyperglycemia exposure was not associated with hippocampal volumes (R(2) change = 0.003, F [1,89] = 0.31, P = 0.58, semipartial r = 0.06; one outlier removed for high median A1C), and the 3+ severe hypoglycemia group still had larger hippocampal volumes after controlling for age of onset and hyperglycemia exposure (main effect of hypoglycemia category, F [2,88] = 6.4, P = 0.002; 3+ larger than all other groups, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Enlargement of the hippocampus may reflect a pathological reaction to hypoglycemia during brain development, such as gliosis, reactive neurogenesis, or disruption of normal developmental pruning.

Effects of prior hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia on cognition in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: Despite the general consensus that youth with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) can experience modest cognitive impairment, debate continues over the role of severe hypoglycemia (Hypo) and/or hyperglycemia (Hyper) in producing such impairment. Our aim was to determine how Hypo and Hyper experienced during brain development predict patterns of subsequent cognitive performance in youth with T1DM. METHODS: We tested youth aged 5-16 yr (T1DM, n = 117; non-diabetic sibling controls, n = 58) on cognitive tasks (verbal and spatial intelligence, verbal and spatial memory, and processing speed). T1DM participants were categorized as having experienced 0, 1-2, or 3 or more (3+) Hypo episodes, as having their first Hypo episode before or after 5 yr of age and as having early (before age 5) or late (after age 5) diabetes onset. Hyper exposure was estimated with median hemoglobin A1c, adjusted for diabetes duration for each subject. RESULTS: The group with T1DM had lower estimated verbal intelligence than sibling controls. Within the T1DM group, verbal intelligence was reduced with increased exposure to Hyper, not to Hypo. In contrast, spatial intelligence and delayed recall were reduced only with repeated Hypo, particularly when Hypo episodes occurred before the age of 5 yr. Age of onset did not explain these results. CONCLUSIONS: Hypo and Hyper have qualitatively different effects on cognitive function in T1DM that depend in part on the timing of exposure during development, independent of onset age. This information extends the known benefits of avoiding both Hypo and chronic Hyper during childhood to include preservation of specific cognitive skills.

Regional brain volume differences associated with hyperglycemia and severe hypoglycemia in youth with type 1 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: Despite interest in the effects of type 1 diabetes on the developing brain, structural brain volumes in youth with this disease have not previously been examined. This study is the first to quantify regional brain volume differences in a large sample of youth with diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Magnetic resonance images (MRIs) were acquired from youth with diabetes (n = 108) and healthy sibling control subjects (n = 51) aged 7-17 years. History of severe hypoglycemia was assessed by parent interview and included seizure, loss of consciousness, or requiring assistance to treat. A1C values since diagnosis were obtained from medical records; median A1C was weighted by duration of disease. Voxel-based morphometry was used to determine the relationships of prior hypo- and hyperglycemia to regional grey and white matter volumes across the whole brain. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between diabetic and healthy control groups in grey or white matter. However, within the diabetic group, a history of severe hypoglycemia was associated with smaller grey matter volume in the left superior temporal region. Greater exposure to hyperglycemia was associated with smaller grey matter volume in the right cuneus and precuneus, smaller white matter volume in a right posterior parietal region, and larger grey matter volume in a right prefrontal region. CONCLUSIONS: Qualitatively different relationships were found between hypo- and hyperglycemia and regional brain volumes in youth with type 1 diabetes. Future studies should investigate whether these differences relate to cognitive function and how these regions are affected by further exposure.

Lamotrigine for bipolar disorder and comorbid cocaine dependence: a replication and extension study.

BACKGROUND: Bipolar disorder (BPD) is associated with high rates of substance abuse. We previously reported favorable results with lamotrigine in 30 patients with BPD and cocaine dependence. This report examines lamotrigine therapy in an additional 32 cocaine dependent patients. Data on these 32 participants are presented as a replication study. In addition, we extend the previous findings by combining data from both groups, and by exploring predictors of response. METHOD: Participants received a baseline evaluation and assessment for up to 36weeks with the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD(17)), Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS(18)), and Cocaine Craving Questionnaire (CCQ). Urine samples were obtained, and participants reported drug use during the previous week. RESULTS: In the replication sample (n=32), significant improvements were observed in HRSD(17), YMRS, BPRS(18), and CCQ (baseline to exit), as well as on dollars/week spent on cocaine. In the extension study, the original sample (n=30) and the replication sample (n=32) were combined for a total of 62 participants in the intent-to-treat sample. HRSD(17), YMRS, BPRS(18), and CCQ scores, as well as dollars spent on cocaine, decreased significantly. LIMITATIONS: The study has an open-label, uncontrolled design. CONCLUSION: Lamotrigine treatment was associated with significant improvements in mood, drug craving, and drug use. Controlled trials are needed.

Frequency and timing of severe hypoglycemia affects spatial memory in children with type 1 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: Repeated severe hypoglycemia has been reported to reduce long-term spatial memory in children with type 1 diabetes. Early exposure to hypoglycemia may be more damaging to cognitive function than later exposure. Our goal was to determine whether the age at which severe hypoglycemia occurs modulates the impact of severe hypoglycemia frequency on long-term spatial memory. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We combined data from three independent studies to obtain a sample of children aged 6-18 years with type 1 diabetes (n = 103) and nondiabetic control subjects (n = 60). Each study evaluated previous severe hypoglycemia and tested short (5 s)- and long (60 s)-delay spatial memory with the spatial delayed response task. Type 1 diabetic participants were categorized as having zero, one to two, or three or more severe hypoglycemic episodes and as having their first severe hypoglycemic episode before or after 5 years of age. Information on chronic hyperglycemia (HbA1c values) was also collected. RESULTS: We found that repeated severe hypoglycemia (more than three episodes) reduced long-delay spatial delayed response performance, particularly when severe hypoglycemic episodes began before the age of 5 years. Age of type 1 diabetes onset and estimates of chronic hyperglycemia did not influence performance. CONCLUSIONS: High frequency of and early exposure to severe hypoglycemia during development negatively affects spatial long-term memory performance.

Drug dreams in outpatients with bipolar disorder and cocaine dependence.

Patients with substance abuse or dependence often have dreams about alcohol or drugs during early recovery. However, the literature on drug dreams in rehabilitating patients with drug-related disorders remains limited. No data are available on drug dreams in people with substance-related disorders and other major mental illness. As part of a large study on the use of lamotrigine in patients with bipolar disorder and cocaine dependence, the frequency and nature of drug dreams, triggers for dreams, and response to the dreams during study participation were assessed in 37 outpatients for as long as 36 weeks. Altogether, 74% of participants experienced at least one drug dream during the study. Furthermore, drug dreams rapidly decreased during study participation. The presence of drug dreams at baseline did not predict mood, cocaine craving, or drug use at exit. No clear risk factors for drug dreams were identified. However, drug dreams were related to survival in the study by a negative U-shaped curve relationship in which those participants with the highest and lowest frequency of drug dreams discontinued from the study the earliest. Content of the dreams frequently included drug use or refusing to use the drug. Dreams of drug use tended to occur during the first few weeks of study participation. Most dreams were associated with triggers for drug use. The findings suggest that drug dreams are common in patients with bipolar disorder and cocaine dependence and are similar in nature to those previously reported in people with pure substance abuse.

Cocaine and amphetamine use in patients with psychiatric illness: a randomized trial of typical antipsychotic continuation or discontinuation.

Animal studies indicate that typical antipsychotics (neuroleptics) increase cocaine and amphetamine self-administration. Patients with psychiatric illnesses have high rates of substance abuse and frequently receive chronic typical antipsychotic therapy. This open, pilot study examined the effect of typical antipsychotic discontinuation on cocaine and amphetamine use in patients with psychiatric illnesses. Twenty-four evaluable outpatients were randomized to continue (n = 12) or discontinue (n = 12) chronic typical antipsychotic therapy. The atypical antipsychotic quetiapine was instituted, when necessary, for psychosis in the discontinuation group (n = 8). Participants were assessed weekly over 12 weeks with measures of psychiatric symptoms, drug use, and drug craving. Those discontinuing typical antipsychotics (n = 12) had significant reductions in drug craving compared with those continuing typical antipsychotics. No significant between-group differences in drug use were found. Typical antipsychotic discontinuation combined with a quetiapine switch for those with psychotic symptoms was associated with reduced drug craving. Definitive trials of typical antipsychotic discontinuation in dual-diagnosis patients are warranted.