[Suicidal behaviour in Belgian prisons: an overview and integrated prevention model]. / Suïcidaal gedrag in Belgische gevangenissen: overzicht en geïntegreerd preventiemodel.

BACKGROUND: Suicidal behaviour is a global public health concern that disproportionately affects the most vulnerable members of society, including prisoners. AIM: To map the epidemiology and risk factors for suicidal behaviour in Belgian prisons, and make recommendations to improve its management and prevention. METHOD: A national case file analysis of all suicides in Belgian prisons over a 20-year period (2000-2019) and a large-scale survey study covering 13% of the prison population nationwide (n = 1326). RESULTS: Suicide accounts for one-third (33%) of all deaths in Belgian prisons. One in five (22%) prisoners in Belgium have attempted suicide in their lifetime, half of whom (10%) did so while incarcerated. Female prisoners have a higher prevalence of suicidal thoughts and attempts than their male counterparts. Risk factors for suicidal behaviour in prison include recent suicidal ideation, previous self-harm, psychiatric morbidity, environmental stressors, and aspects of the prison climate. CONCLUSION: In Belgium, suicidal behaviour is five times more common in prisoners compared to the general population. We propose an integrated prevention model that incorporates targeted interventions aimed at high-risk individuals in combination with population strategies that promote the health and wellbeing of all people in prison.

[GHB abuse in a pregnant patient in clinical practice]. / GHB-misbruik bij een zwangere patiënte in de klinische praktijk.

Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is a controlled substance that is often abused due to its euphoric, sexual and sedative effects. Both acute intoxication with and withdrawal from GHB are potentially lethal, and need to be treated in an in-patient environment. We report the case of a female patient who used GHB regularly during the first trimester of pregnancy. We subsequently describe available evidence on the impact of GHB on fetal development, and how existing guidelines for GHB detoxification differ in pregnant patients.

Ghent University Hospital's protocol regarding the procedure concerning euthanasia and psychological suffering.

BACKGROUND: Notwithstanding fears of overly permissive approaches and related pleas to refuse euthanasia for psychological suffering, some Belgian hospitals have declared that such requests could be admissible. However, some of these hospitals have decided that such requests have to be managed and carried out outside their walls. MAIN TEXT: Ghent University Hospital has developed a written policy regarding requests for euthanasia for psychological suffering coming from patients from outside the hospital. The protocol stipulates several due care criteria that go beyond the requirements of the Belgian Euthanasia Law. For instance, the legally required first and second consulted physicians should all be psychiatrists and be affiliated with a psychiatry department of a Flemish university hospital. Moreover, euthanasia for psychological suffering can only be performed if the advices of these consulted physicians are positive. Importantly, preliminary reflection by the multidisciplinary Hospital Ethics Committee was introduced to discuss every request for euthanasia for psychological suffering coming from outside the hospital. CONCLUSION: In this way, the protocol supports psychiatrists faced with the complexities of assessing such requests, improves the quality of euthanasia practice by ensuring transparency and uniformity, and offers patients specialised support and guidance during their euthanasia procedure. Nevertheless, some concerns still remain (e.g. relating to possible unrealistic patient expectations and to the absence of aftercare for the bereaved or for patients whose requests have been refused).

Bacillus velezensis as antagonist towards Penicillium roqueforti s.l. in silage: in vitro and in vivo evaluation.

AIMS: The present study was conducted to evaluate the antagonistic effect of Bacillus velezensisNRRL B-23189 towards Penicillium roqueforti s.s. and Penicillium paneum (designated together as P. roqueforti s.l.) in silage conditions. METHODS AND RESULTS: Corn silage conditions were simulated in vitro, and the impact of B. velezensis culture supernatant or cell suspension on P. roqueforti s.l. growth and roquefortine C production was evaluated. The antagonism was promising, but growth of B. velezensis in corn silage infusion was poor. Additionally, an in vivo experiment was carried out with mini-silos containing a mixture of perennial ryegrass and white clover inoculated with P. roqueforti s.l. The applied B. velezensis cell suspension was unsuccessful in reducing P. roqueforti s.l. numbers, but did not compromise the silage acidification. CONCLUSIONS: Although the antagonism observed in vitro was promising, the applied B. velezensis cell suspension could not live up to the expectations in vivo. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: To our knowledge, the present study is the first one evaluating the antagonistic properties of B. velezensis towards toxigenic moulds in silage conditions, offering a good base for further research.

Flow Cytometry Is a Powerful Tool for Assessment of the Viability of Fungal Conidia in Metalworking Fluids.

Fungal contamination of metalworking fluids (MWF) is a dual problem in automated processing plants because resulting fungal biofilms obstruct cutting, drilling, and polishing machines. Moreover, some fungal species of MWF comprise pathogens such as Fusarium solani Therefore, the development of an accurate analytical tool to evaluate conidial viability in MWF is important. We developed a flow cytometric method to measure fungal viability in MWF using F. solani as the model organism. To validate this method, viable and dead conidia were mixed in several proportions and flow was cytometrically analyzed. Subsequently, we assessed the fungicidal activity of two commercial MWF using flow cytometry (FCM) and compared it with microscopic analyses and plating experiments. We evaluated the fungal growth in both MWF after 7 days using quantitative PCR (qPCR) to assess the predictive value of FCM. Our results showed that FCM distinguishes live from dead conidia as early as 5 h after exposure to MWF, whereas the microscopic germination approach detected conidial viability much later and less accurately. At 24 h, microscopic analyses of germinating conidia and live/dead analyses by FCM correlated well, although the former consistently underestimated the proportion of viable conidia. In addition, the reproducibility and sensitivity of the flow cytometric method were high and allowed assessment of the fungicidal properties of two commercial MWF. Importantly, the obtained flow cytometric results on viability of F. solani conidia at both early time points (5 h and 24 h) correlated well with fungal biomass measurements assessed via a qPCR methodology 7 days after the start of the experiment.IMPORTANCE This result shows the predictive power of flow cytometry (FCM) in assessing the fungicidal capacity of MWF formulations. It also implies that FCM can be implemented as a rapid detection tool to estimate the viable fungal load in an industrial processing matrix (MWF).

[Suicidal behaviour among prisoners: prevalence and association with psychological distress in Flemish prisons]. / Suïcidaal gedrag bij gedetineerden in Vlaanderen: prevalentie en samenhang met psychische distress.

BACKGROUND: Internationally, the prevalence of suicidal behaviour (suicidal ideation, suicide plan and attempted suicide) is significantly elevated among prisoners compared to the community at large. AIM: To estimate the prevalence of suicidal behaviour among prisoners in the Flanders region of Belgium, to identify differences according to gender and custodial status, and to examine the association of recent suicidal ideation and suicide plan with psychological distress. METHOD: We performed a cross-sectional survey using a representative sample of 1,326 prisoners, randomly selected from 15 Flemish prisons. RESULTS: During their lifetime, an estimated 44.4% of prisoners in Flanders reported suicidal ideation, 30.2% made a suicide plan, and one-fifth (21.8%) attempted suicide at least once. Past-year suicidal ideation in prison was endorsed by one-fourth (24.9%) of all prisoners, and 14.3% made a recent suicidal plan during their current incarceration. Approximately one in ten prisoners (9.5%) attempted suicide while in prison. Recent suicidal ideation and suicide plan were significantly associated with high levels of psychological distress. Generally, female prisoners reported significant higher levels of suicidal behaviour than men, while differences according to custodial status were less unequivocal. CONCLUSION: Corroborating international research findings, high rates of suicidal behaviour were identified among prisoners in Flanders, compared to the general population. Not only is suicidal behaviour a significant risk factor for suicide, it is also important in its own right as an indicator of profound psychological distress. Suicidal behaviour should therefore be an important target for prevention and intervention in this at-risk population.

Antifungal and antimycotoxigenic metabolites in Anacardiaceae species from northwest Argentina: isolation, identification and potential for control of Fusarium species.

AIMS: The purpose of this research was to identify antifungal compounds from leaves of Schinus and Schinopsis species useful for the control of toxigenic Fusarium species responsible of ear rot diseases. METHODS AND RESULTS: Leaves of Schinopsis (S. lorentzii and S. haenkeana) and Schinus (S. areira, S. gracilipes and S. fasciculatus) were sequentially extracted with dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and methanol. The antifungal activity of the fraction soluble in methanol of these extracts (fCH2Cl2, fAcEt and fMeOH, respectively) was determined by the broth microdilution method and the disc-diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory dose (MID), the diameter of growth inhibition (DGI) and the minimum concentration for 50% inhibition of fungal growth (MIC50) were calculated. The fCH2Cl2 and fAcEt of the Schinopsis species had the lowest MID and MIC50 values and the highest DGI. The antifungal compounds were identified as lupeol and a mix of phenolic lipids. The last one had the highest antifungal activity with MIC50 31-28 µg g(-1) and 165-150 µg g(-1) on Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium verticillioides, respectively. The identified metabolites completely inhibited fumonisin and deoxynivalenol production at lower concentrations than ferulic acid, a natural antimycotoxigenic compound. CONCLUSIONS: It was proven that lupeol and phenolic lipids were inhibitors of both fungal growth and mycotoxin production of toxigenic Fusarium species. This fact is specially interesting in the control of the toxigenic Fusarium species because several commercial antifungals showed to stimulate mycotoxin biosynthesis at sublethal concentrations. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Control of toxigenic Fusarium species requires compounds able to inhibit both fungal growth and mycotoxin production. Our results suggest that the use of lupeol as food preservative and the phenolic lipids as fungal growth inhibitors of F. verticillioides and F. graminearum did not imply an increase in mycotoxin accumulation.

Evaluation of Resistance to Powdery Mildew in Triticale Seedlings and Adult Plants.

Triticale (×Triticosecale) is the intergeneric hybrid between the female parent wheat and the male parent rye. With the expansion of the triticale growing area, powdery mildew emerged on this new host and has become a significant disease on triticale. Recent research demonstrated that this "new" powdery mildew on triticale has emerged through a host range expansion of powdery mildew of wheat. Moreover, this expansion occurred recently and multiple times at different locations in Europe. An effective and environmentally sensitive approach to controlling powdery mildew involves breeding crop plants for resistance. The main goal of this study was to identify the presence of powdery mildew resistance in commercial triticale cultivars. First, the avirulence (AVR) genes and gene complexity carried by this new powdery mildew population on triticale were characterized. Virulence was identified for all the resistance genes evaluated in the present study, and virulence frequencies higher than 50% were recorded on the genes Pm3f, Pm5b, Pm6, Pm7, Pm8, and Pm17. Using molecular markers, the presence of resistance genes Pm3f and Pm17 was identified in certain triticale cultivars. The triticale cultivars were also evaluated for the presence of quantitative resistance at adult plant growth stages in a 2-year field experiment. Despite the high disease pressure, cultivars highly resistant at the adult-plant growth stages were identified. Because 'Grenado' also showed effective race-specific resistance, this cultivar could be of high value for breeding for durable resistance to powdery mildew. Altogether, this study reveals valuable information on the presence of powdery mildew resistance in commercial triticale cultivars, which can be used in breeding programs in triticale. Additionally, this study underscores the need to broaden the base of powdery mildew resistance in triticale through introgression and deployment of new sources of mildew resistance, including quantitative resistance.

Aligning quality of life and guidelines for off-label psychotropic drugs in adults with intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviour.

Introduction: Adults with intellectual disabilities have an increased vulnerability to mental health problems and challenging behaviour. In addition to psychotherapeutic or psychoeducational methods, off-label pharmacotherapy, is a commonly used treatment modality. Objective: The aim of this study was to establish evidence-based guideline recommendations for the responsible prescription of off-label psychotropic drugs, in relation to Quality of Life (QoL). Method: A list of guidelines was selected, and principles were established based on international literature, guideline review and expert evaluation. The Delphi method was used to achieve consensus about guideline recommendations among a 58-member international multidisciplinary expert Delphi panel. Thirty-three statements were rated on a 5-point Likert-scale, ranging from totally disagree to totally agree, in consecutive Delphi rounds. When at least 70% of the participants agreed (score equal or higher than 4), a statement was accepted . Statements without a consensus were adjusted between consecutive Delphi rounds based on feedback from the Delphi panel. Results: Consensus was reached on 4 general:the importance of non-pharmaceutical treatments, comprehensive diagnostics and multidisciplinary treatment. Consensus was reached in 4 rounds on 29 statements. No consensus was reached on 4 statements concerning: freedom-restricting measures, the treatment plan, the evaluation of the treatment plan, and the informed consent. Conclusion: The study led to recommendations and principles for the responsible prescription - aligned with the QoL perspective - of off-label psychotropic drugs for adults with intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviour. Extensive discussion is needed regarding the issues on which there was no consensus to furthering the ongoing development of this guideline.

Parsing the components of the psychomotor syndrome in schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE: Catatonia, extrapyramidal signs, psychomotor slowing, and (motoric) neurological soft signs are well-known psychomotor symptoms in schizophrenia. This study aims at investigating the interrelations between these symptoms. In addition, associations between psychomotor symptoms, clinical symptoms, and cognitive functioning will be studied. METHOD: An extensive test battery containing psychomotor (Bush Francis Catatonia Rating Scale; St Hans Rating Scale; Salpêtrière Retardation Rating Scale; Neurological Evaluation Scale) and clinical (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale; Calgary Depression Scale) rating scales as well as instrumental psychomotor tests (Line Copying Task; Finger Tapping Task) and cognitive tasks (Symbol Digit Substitution Test; Stroop Colour Word Test; Continuous Performance Test; Letter Number Sequencing) was administered to a sample of 124 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. RESULTS: Correlational analyses showed that two clusters emerge from our data: first, a psychomotor poverty cluster referring to the interrelations between catatonia, parkinsonism, psychomotor slowing, and negative symptoms; second, a cluster containing motoric neurological soft signs, which were found to be correlated with cognitive functioning. CONCLUSION: Psychomotor abnormalities are highly prevalent phenomena in schizophrenia that have to be considered as a heterogeneous construct. However, longitudinal and neurobiological research is needed to further explore the precise nature of the interrelations found in this study.

Toward a Reliable Evaluation of Forecasting Systems for Plant Diseases: A Case Study Using Fusarium Head Blight of Wheat.

Despite great efforts to forecast plant diseases, many of the existing systems often fall short in providing farmers with accurate predictions. One of the main problems arises from the existence of year and location effects, so that more advanced procedures are required for evaluating existing systems in an unbiased manner. This paper illustrates the case of Fusarium head blight of winter wheat in Belgium. We present a new cross-validation strategy that enables the evaluation of the predictive performance of a forecasting system for years and locations that are different from the years and locations on which the forecast was developed. Four different cross-validation strategies and five regression techniques are used. The results demonstrated that traditional evaluation strategies are too optimistic in their predictions, whereas the cross-year cross-location validation strategy yielded more realistic outcomes. Using this procedure, the mean squared error increased and the coefficient of determination decreased in predicting disease severity and deoxynivalenol content, suggesting that existing evaluation strategies may generate a substantial optimistic bias. The strongest discrepancies between the cross-validation strategies were observed for multiple linear regression models.

Identification and characterization of yeasts causing chalk mould defects on par-baked bread.

Pichia anomala, Hyphopichia burtonii and Saccharomycopsis fibuligera are spoilage yeasts causing chalk mould defects on par-baked breads packaged under modified atmosphere. The first objective of this study was to identify yeasts isolated from spoiled par-baked breads by means of a RAPD protocol and to determine the dominant spoilers amongst identified strains. The second objective was to determine the effects of water activity (a(w)) and pH value on the growth rates and lag phase durations of P. anomala, H. burtonii and S. fibuligera. 95% of the yeasts tested were identified as P. anomala and 5% as S. fibuligera, H. burtonii was not detected. In order to investigate the effect of a(w) and pH the growth of the three yeasts was tested within an a(w) range of 0.88-0.98 and a pH range of 2.8-8.0. P. anomala was able to grow from pH 2.8 to 8 without a clear optimum. S. fibuligera and H. burtonii showed a pH optimum for growth of 5. The optimum water activity for growth was different for the three strains and varied between 0.96 and 0.98. These growth data were further used to develop secondary models that describe the relationship between a(w) and the radial or colony growth rate (g, mm/d) or the lag phase duration (λ, d). The identification of the spoilage organisms and a good understanding of the effects of a(w) and pH on the growth behavior is essential for future development of adequate conservation strategies against chalk mould defects.

Survival of the fittest: how the rice microbial community forces Sarocladium oryzae into pathogenicity.

The fungus Sarocladium oryzae (Sawada) causes rice sheath rot and produces the phytotoxins cerulenin and helvolic acid. Both toxins show antimicrobial activity but only helvolic acid production in the rice sheath correlates with virulence. Sarocladium oryzae isolates that differ in their toxin production were used to study their interaction with the rice culturable bacterial endophyte community. The diversity and community structure was defined in the edge of sheath rot lesions, followed by a null model-based co-occurrence analysis to discover pairwise interactions. Non-random pairs were co-cultured to study the nature of the interactions and the role of the toxins herein. Compared to healthy sheaths, endophyte diversity strongly increased when infected with the least virulent S. oryzae isolates producing low amounts of toxins. Virulent S. oryzae isolates did not affect diversity but caused strong shifts in species composition. The endophyte community of healthy rice plants was dominated by B. cereus. This bacterium was enriched in lesions produced by low-virulent S. oryzae isolates and caused hyphal lysis. Contrarily, helvolic acid producers eliminated this bacterium from the sheath endosphere. We conclude that S. oryzae needs to produce antibiotics to defend itself against antagonistic rice endophytes to successfully colonize and infect the rice sheath.

Auxin, Abscisic Acid and Jasmonate Are the Central Players in Rice Sheath Rot Caused by Sarocladium oryzae and Pseudomonas fuscovaginae.

Sheath rot is an emerging rice disease that causes severe yield losses worldwide. The main causal agents are the toxin producers Sarocladium oryzae and Pseudomonas fuscovaginae. The fungus S. oryzae produces helvolic acid and cerulenin and the bacterium P. fuscovaginae produces cyclic lipopeptides. Helvolic acid and the lipopeptide, fuscopeptin, inhibit membrane-bound H+-ATPase pumps in the rice plant. To manage rice sheath rot, a better understanding of the host response and virulence strategies of the pathogens is required. This study investigated the interaction of the sheath rot pathogens with their host and the role of their toxins herein. Japonica rice was inoculated with high- and low-helvolic acid-producing S. oryzae isolates or with P. fuscovaginae wild type and fuscopeptin mutant strains. During infection, cerulenin, helvolic acid and the phytohormones abscisic acid, jasmonate, auxin and salicylic acid were quantified in the sheath. In addition, disease severity and grain yield parameters were assessed. Rice plants responded to high-toxin-producing S. oryzae and P. fuscovaginae strains with an increase in abscisic acid, jasmonate and auxin levels. We conclude that, for both pathogens, toxins play a core role during sheath rot infection. S. oryzae and P. fuscovaginae interact with their host in a similar way. This may explain why both sheath rot pathogens cause very similar symptoms despite their different nature.

[SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and suicidality in adults, adolescents and children]. / SSRI's en suïcidaliteit bij volwassenen, adolescenten en kinderen.

BACKGROUND: There is considerable controversy about the possible link between suicidal behaviour and antidepressants. Since ethical and methodological problems prevent direct research, discussion has to draw largely on indirect evidence. AIM: To review randomised controlled trials (rcts), observational studies, ecological studies and recommendations of the Food and Drug Administration (fda) regarding the risk of suicidality linked to the use of ssris. METHOD: We summarised and reviewed critically the literature on suicidality and ssris via the PubMed database up till March 2008. RESULTS: Various analyses, most of which were meta-analyses, showed that in adults ssris increase the risk of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. However, neither observational studies nor the findings of the fda gave any indication of an increased risk of suicide in adults being treated with ssris. On the other hand, if patients were on antidepressants, the younger they were, the greater was the risk of suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts. Children, adolescents and young adults who were on ssris ran an increased risk of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. One observational study did not show this association. CONCLUSION: Treatment with ssris does not increase the risk of suicide in adults, but it is difficult to make a firm pronouncement about the effect of ssris on suicidal behaviour (ideation and suicide attempts). However, in children, adolescents and young adults being treated with ssris, there is an increased risk of attempted suicide.

[The syndrome of Cotard: an overview]. / Het syndroom van Cotard. Een overzicht.

BACKGROUND: There is increasing controversy about whether psychiatric illnesses should be divided into categories. One of the reasons is that such a categorial system, by its very nature, cannot provide a detailed description of specific psychopathological symptoms. A patient with Cotard's syndrome, for instance, is characterised by a nihilistic delusion relating to his own body and the syndrome does not fit into any one category. We report on a case of Cotard's syndrome encountered at our clinic. AIM: To provide an overview of the characteristics of Cotard's syndrome, including its history, phenomenology, pathogenesis and treatment. METHOD: A Medline search was conducted for the period 1980-2006 using the search term 'Cotard$'. This resulted in 68 publications, of which 18 were not used. Cross-references were used as well. RESULTS: Cotard's syndrome cannot be fitted unambiguously into any one category of the current classification system. Current evidence regarding Cotard's syndrome is based mainly on case studies and therefore no clarity can be obtained about the various aspects of the syndrome, such as prevalence, pathogenesis, treatment.

[The effects of energy drinks on cognitive performance]. / De effecten van energiedranken op de cognitieve prestaties.

BACKGROUND: Energy drinks have become more and more popular since the late nineties. The manufactures claim that these drinks improve physical endurance, reaction speed and concentration. The main ingredients of energy drinks are caffeine, sugar, taurine and glucuronolactone. According to the manufacturers, the stimulating effects of these drinks are due to interaction between the various ingredients. AIM: To investigate whether energy drinks do indeed improve cognitive performance and to find out which ingredients are responsible for this effect and other benefits. METHOD: We searched the literature for the period from 1997 to 2006 on the basis of Medline, by using the search term 'energy drink or energy drinks' and restricting the search to 'humans'. results Not only did focused and sustained attention improve significantly but so did reaction speed in all sorts of reaction-time tasks. Memory improved too, but not to the same degree. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that most of the effects of energy drinks on cognitive performance are related mainly to the presence of caffeine. Further investigation is needed into the effects of the lesser known ingredients of energy drinks (taurine, glucuronolactone) if we are to obtain a better understanding of the possible interactions.

Processing of mycotoxin contaminated waste streams through anaerobic digestion.

Food and feed stocks heavily contaminated with mycotoxins are rendered unfit for consumption and therefore discarded as waste. Due to the lack of guidelines and in accordance with the prudent avoidance principle, these waste streams are often incinerated. For better valorization, these streams could be used as input for anaerobic digestion. However, the degradation of multiple mycotoxins during anaerobic digestion and their effect on the methane production is currently unknown. In batch tests spiked with mycotoxins, aflatoxin B1, ochratoxin A, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone and T-2 toxin were degraded for more than 90%. For mesophile and thermophile digestion respectively, fumonisin B1 was degraded for 70% and 85%, and most ergot alkaloids for 64% and 98%. Neither biogas production, nor methane production were influenced by the presence of the mycotoxins. Subsequently, semi-continuous reactors fed with contaminated maize resulted in more than 99% degradation for all mycotoxins after 1.8 hydraulic retention time with stable biogas production and process parameters. This study shows that mycotoxin contaminated organic waste can be safely valorized to methane while the digestate is void of mycotoxin residues.

Changes in canine cerebral perfusion after accelerated high frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS): A proof of concept study.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been proposed as a treatment for several neuropsychiatric disorders in human beings, but the neurobiological effects of rTMS in dogs have not been investigated to date. A proof of concept study was designed to evaluate the effect of rTMS on cerebral perfusion, measured with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), in dogs. An accelerated high frequency (aHF)-rTMS (20Hz) protocol was applied to the canine left frontal cortex. To accurately target this area, eight dogs underwent a 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan before stimulation. The left frontal cortex was subjected to five consecutive aHF-rTMS sessions with a figure-of-eight coil designed for human beings at an intensity of 110% of the motor threshold. The dogs underwent 99mTc-d,1 hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (HMPAO) SPECT scans 1 week prior to and 1day after the stimulations. Perfusion indices (PIs) were determined semi-quantitatively; aHF-rTMS resulted in significantly increased PIs in the left frontal cortex and the subcortical region, whereas no significant differences were noted for the other regions. Behaviour was not influenced by the stimulation sessions. As has been observed in human beings, aHF-rTMS applied to the left frontal cortex alters regional cerebral perfusion in dogs.