Acute assessment of subjective appetite and implicated hormones after a hypnosis-induced hallucinated meal: a randomized cross-over pilot trial.

The use of hypnosis can generate hallucinatory phenomena, which ranged from vivid/auditory imagery to fully developed "hallucinations" in selected people. The aim of this pilot trial was investigating the acute effects of a hypnosis-induced hallucinated breakfast (HB) compared to those of a real breakfast (RB) on subjective appetite and appetite-regulating hormones in highly hypnotizable individuals. Eight healthy post-menopausal women were recruited to consume two meals: the HB and the RB in a randomized crossover design. Participants underwent appetite sensations measurements (before meal and each 30-min until 270-min) and blood sample collection (at 0, 20, 60, 90, 180-min). A 3-day food-record was filled after each meal. The adjusted repeated measures ANCOVA did not show any meal×time interactions on subjective appetite postprandially. As expected, significantly higher glucose (p < 0.001), insulin (p < 0.001), and lower free fatty acid (p < 0.001) concentrations were found after the RB, but not following HB. Furthermore, RB significantly increased postprandial levels of glucagon-like-peptide-1 and peptide-YY at 20, 60, 90 and 180-min, whereas acylated-ghrelin and leptin levels did not differ. Postprandial neuropeptide-Y and orexin-A values significantly increased at different time-points after RB, but not following HB, while α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone levels enhanced after HB only. Energy intakes were significantly lower after HB on the test-day only (HB = 1146.6 ± 343.8 vs RB = 1634.7 ± 274.2 kcal/d; p = 0.003). Appetite sensation might be modulated by fully developed meal "hallucination" induced by hypnosis, likely affecting brain-peptides implicated in the appetite regulation. However, further studies are needed to verify these results obtained in a highly selected group of individuals. NCT03934580.

ApoE elevation is associated with the persistence of psychotic experiences from age 12 to age 18: Evidence from the ALSPAC birth cohort.

Apolipoproteins, which play important roles in lipid metabolism, innate immunity and synaptic signalling, have been implicated in first episode psychosis and schizophrenia. This is the first study to investigate plasma apolipoprotein expression in children with psychotic experiences that persist into adulthood. Here, using semi-targeted proteomic analysis we compared plasma apolipoprotein expression levels in age 12 subjects who reported psychotic experiences at both age 12 and age 18 (n = 37) with age-matched subjects who only experienced psychotic experiences (PEs) at age 12 (n = 38). Participants were recruited from the UK Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort who participated in psychiatric assessment interviews at ages 12 and 18. We identified apoE, a protein with significant regulatory activity on cholesterol metabolism in the brain, to be significantly up regulated (p < 0.003) in those with persistent psychotic experiences. We confirmed this finding in these samples using ELISA. Our findings indicate elevated plasma apoE in age 12 children who experience PEs is associated with persistence psychotic experiences.

Protein Profiling in Serum and Cerebrospinal Fluid Following Complex Surgery on the Thoracic Aorta Identifies Biological Markers of Neurologic Injury.

Surgery on the arch or descending aorta is associated with significant risk of neurological complications. As a consequence of intubation and sedation, early neurologic injury may remain unnoticed. Biomarkers to aid in the initial diagnostics could prove of great value as immediate intervention is critical. Twenty-three patients operated in the thoracic aorta with significant risk of perioperative neurological injury were included. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum were obtained preoperatively and in the first and second postoperative days and assessed with a panel of 92 neurological-related proteins. Three patients suffered spinal cord injury (SCI), eight delirium, and nine hallucinations. There were markers in both serum and CSF that differed between the affected and non-affected patients (SCI; IL6, GFAP, CSPG4, delirium; TR4, EZH2, hallucinations; NF1). The study identifies markers in serum and CSF that reflect the occurrence of neurologic insults following aortic surgery, which may aid in the care of these patients.

Elevated serum adenosine deaminase levels in neuroleptic-naïve patients with recent-onset schizophrenia.

The present study examined serum levels of adenosine deaminase (ADA), an adenosine metabolizing enzyme, in neuroleptic-naive patients with recent-onset schizophrenia and age-matched healthy comparison subjects. ADA levels were found to be higher among patients, and revealed a possible link between evening rise and severity of auditory hallucinations as well as morning rise and severity of avolition-apathy in patients with schizophrenia. These findings suggest the potential utility of serum ADA as a peripheral biomarker of schizophrenia.

Associations between plasma ceramides and cognitive and neuropsychiatric manifestations in Parkinson's disease dementia.

BACKGROUND: The abnormal metabolism of ceramides may account for the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD). However, the effect of ceramides on cognitive domain impairments and neuropsychiatric symptoms of PDD remains unknown. METHODS: A total of 38 PDD, 40 PD with no cognitive impairment (PD-NC) and 40 normal controls were included. A series of cognitive tests and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) were used to assess cognitive domains and neuropsychiatric symptoms. A non-fasting blood sample was obtained from each subject. Plasma ceramide levels were tested by HPLC-MS/MS analysis. RESULTS: C14:0 and C24:1 levels were significantly higher in PDD than in PD-NC and normal controls. Verbal memory was negatively correlated with C14:0 and C24:1. After controlling for confounding factors, C22:0, C20:0 and C18:0 were significantly associated with hallucinations, anxiety and sleep behavior disturbances, respectively. CONCLUSION: In PDD, the increase in ceramide levels was correlated with decreased memory function and associated with higher odds of multiple neuropsychiatric symptoms.

Identification of blood biomarkers for psychosis using convergent functional genomics.

There are to date no objective clinical laboratory blood tests for psychotic disease states. We provide proof of principle for a convergent functional genomics (CFG) approach to help identify and prioritize blood biomarkers for two key psychotic symptoms, one sensory (hallucinations) and one cognitive (delusions). We used gene expression profiling in whole blood samples from patients with schizophrenia and related disorders, with phenotypic information collected at the time of blood draw, then cross-matched the data with other human and animal model lines of evidence. Topping our list of candidate blood biomarkers for hallucinations, we have four genes decreased in expression in high hallucinations states (Fn1, Rhobtb3, Aldh1l1, Mpp3), and three genes increased in high hallucinations states (Arhgef9, Phlda1, S100a6). All of these genes have prior evidence of differential expression in schizophrenia patients. At the top of our list of candidate blood biomarkers for delusions, we have 15 genes decreased in expression in high delusions states (such as Drd2, Apoe, Scamp1, Fn1, Idh1, Aldh1l1), and 16 genes increased in high delusions states (such as Nrg1, Egr1, Pvalb, Dctn1, Nmt1, Tob2). Twenty-five of these genes have prior evidence of differential expression in schizophrenia patients. Predictive scores, based on panels of top candidate biomarkers, show good sensitivity and negative predictive value for detecting high psychosis states in the original cohort as well as in three additional cohorts. These results have implications for the development of objective laboratory tests to measure illness severity and response to treatment in devastating disorders such as schizophrenia.

Antiphospholipid antibodies in blood and cerebrospinal fluids of patients with psychosis.

Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) have been reported in the cerebrospinal fluids (CSF) of neurology patients but no CSF studies with psychiatric patients exist. We tested serum from 100 hospitalized psychotic patients having hallucinations and/or delusions for aPL. Patients with positive serum aPL findings were asked to submit CSF for aPL testing. Five CSF samples had aPL specificities not found in the patient's serum suggesting the possibility of intrathecal synthesis. Specificity and isotype discordance between CSF and blood aPL in these psychiatric patients implicates a central nervous system independent autoimmune process that may have an underlying association with the pathophysiology of their diseases.

Plasma homovanillic acid levels in schizophrenic patients: correlation with negative symptoms.

The relation between changes in the levels of plasma homovanillic acid (pHVA) and clinical evolution during neuroleptic treatment of schizophrenic patients has not been satisfactorily characterized, as a number of conflicting findings have been reported. Significant correlations have generally been found using the assessment of positive symptoms as an index of clinical outcome. Nevertheless, attempts to correlate pHVA concentrations with negative symptoms have yielded contradictory results. With a view to evaluating if different responses in negative symptoms are associated with distinct pHVA profiles, we examined the levels of pHVA in 46 neuroleptic-free schizophrenic patients and in these patients after neuroleptic treatment. Negative and positive symptoms were also addressed before and after treatment. Our results reveal that at least two classes of negative symptoms exist; the clinical evolution of the first class of negative symptoms parallels that of positive symptoms, and clinical improvement correlates with reduced dopaminergic activity. In contrast, in the second class, reduced dopaminergic activity is associated with a further deterioration of negative symptoms. These findings corroborate the heterogeneity of negative symptoms and may contribute to a better definition of endophenotypes in the schizophrenic syndrome.

Phenotypic associations of tau and ApoE in Parkinson's disease.

Overlaps in clinical, pathological and molecular features of Parkinson's disease (PD), dementing and motor tauopathies have prompted association studies in search of common genetic risk factors that may predispose or modify this spectrum of disorders. To explore possible phenotypic implications, we studied common tau and ApoE gene polymorphisms, associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and PD, in a clinically and pathologically characterized cohort of PD patients and aged control subjects. Our results reveal a novel association between PD-related hallucinations and H1H1 genotype. We also report an association between PDD and the presence of the ApoE epsilon4 allele. Better determination of subsets of PD patients based upon the presence of specific phenotypic features may improve the accuracy of association studies.

Phospholipid patterns of erythrocytes in schizophrenia: relationships to symptomatology.

The phospholipid composition of red blood cells (RBC) from 32 haloperidol-treated schizophrenic patients, classified according to the positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) as showing either predominantly positive or predominantly negative symptoms, was determined and compared with that of normal controls. While the levels of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine were similar in all three groups, sphingomyelin (SM) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) were, respectively, increased and decreased in RBCs of schizophrenic patients. In both patient groups, the SM/PE ratios correlated directly with the PANSS negative symptom scale scores and inversely with the positive symptom scale scores. However, the inverse changes in the contents of SM and PE were much more expressed in the negative group. It is suggested that a main source of that difference is a higher activity of the polyunsaturated acid-selective phospholipase A(2) in the negative syndrome patients than in the positive syndrome and control groups.

24-Hour monitoring of cortisol and corticotropin secretion in psychotic and nonpsychotic major depression.

BACKGROUND: Considerable research has been devoted to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in depression, but relatively little attention has been given to intensive monitoring of hormone secretion over time. Such research is potentially important because the HPA axis has prominent circadian and ultradian periodicity. Comparison of depressed patients with and without psychotic features is also important because HPA axis abnormalities may be especially pronounced in psychotic depressed patients. METHODS: Eleven patients with psychotic major depression (PMD patients), 38 patients with nonpsychotic major depression (NPMD patients), and 33 healthy control subjects, all drug free, were studied. Patients with PMD and NPMD were outpatients recruited primarily by advertisement. Subjects were admitted to a General Clinical Research Center and had blood drawn through an intravenous line for determination of cortisol and corticotropin (ACTH) levels every hour for 24 hours. RESULTS: Among NPMD patients, the 24-hour cortisol amplitude was significantly (P =.02) reduced in comparison with control subjects, while ACTH indices did not differ between NPMD patients and the control group. Among PMD patients, the ACTH 24-hour mean was significantly (P =.03) increased compared with controls, while PMD patients and the control group did not differ significantly in cortisol indices. CONCLUSION: In the population studied, PMD and NPMD patients have distinct profiles of HPA axis dysregulation.

Inverse correlation between hallucinations and serum prolactin in patients with non-affective psychoses.

Serum prolactin (PRL) was correlated with clinical symptomatology in 17 drug-free patients suffering from non-affective psychoses. A clear-cut negative correlation was found between the Comprehensive Psychiatric Rating Scale (CPRS) items assessing hallucinations and serum PRL levels (r=-6.14, P=0.009). No correlation was observed between clinical measures (total CPRS score, schizophrenia subscale score or depression and anxiety subscale score) and serum PRL.

Factors affecting the development of spontaneous recurrence of methamphetamine psychosis.

The process triggering spontaneous recurrences of methamphetamine (MAP) psychosis (i.e. flashbacks) was studied in 41 flashbackers, along with 84 non-flashbackers with a history of MAP psychosis. Plasma monoamine metabolite levels were assayed in 25 of the 41 flashbackers, 16 of the 84 non-flashbackers, 9 subjects with persistent MAP psychosis and 28 control subjects. All flashbackers had experienced threatening events or frightening paranoid-hallucinatory states during previous MAP use. The dominant factor triggering flashbacks was a mild fear of other people. Plasma norepinephrine levels were elevated during flashbacks. The results suggest that a mild fear of other people may have elicited memories of MAP psychosis associated with threatening experiences through increased sensitivity to psychosocial stressors. As a result the flashbacks occurred, including an increase in peripheral noradrenergic activity.

Hypercalcemia in an euthyroid patient with secondary hypoadrenalism and diabetes insipidus due to hypothalamic tumor.

A 20-year-old Japanese man with a hypothalamic tumor (most likely germ-cell tumor) which caused secondary hypoadrenalism, hypogonadism and diabetes insipidus developed hypercalcemia and acute renal failure. The serum levels of intact PTH (iPTH), PTH-related protein (PTH-rP), 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D (1,25- (OH)2 D), ACTH, cortisol, gonadotropins and testosterone were decreased, but his serum levels of triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) were within the normal range at admission, with depressed TSH and slightly increased thyroglobulin. The hypercalcemia was refractory to extensive hydration and calcitonin, but was ameliorated by pamidronate. After irradiation of the hypothalamic tumor, panhypopituitarism gradually developed. The patient has been normocalcemic for the last 2 years and is doing well under replacement therapy with glucocorticoid, L-thyroxine, methyltestosterone and 1-desamino D arginine vasopressin (dDAVP). As to the mechanism of euthyroidism at admission, transient destructive thyroiditis associated with hypopituitarism or delayed development of hypothyroidism following the hypoadrenalism was suggested. This is the first reported case of hypercalcemia in secondary hypoadrenalism due to hypothalamic tumor. Hypercalcemia was most likely induced by increased bone resorption, which was probably elicited by the combined effects of deficient glucocorticoid and sufficient thyroid hormones in addition to hypovolemia and reduced renal calcium excretion. Furthermore, severe dehydration due to diabetes insipidus and disturbance of thirst sensation caused by the hypothalamic tumor aggravated the hypercalcemia, leading to acute renal failure.

Spiperone binding capacity in lymphocytes of patients with alcohol- and drug-induced psychosis: preliminary results.

An increased spiperone binding capacity in lymphocytes has been proposed as a possible biological marker for schizophrenia while in previous studies patients with alcohol dependence were shown to have a normal binding capacity. In a pilot study the spiperone binding capacity was studied in 8 patients with alcohol hallucinosis, 11 patients with acute drug-induced psychosis and 12 patients with other organic psychosis. An increased binding capacity, defined as > 4 fmol/l E6 cells, was found in only 1 patient with alcohol hallucinosis, 3 patients with drug-induced psychosis and 2 patients with other organic psychosis. Possible implications of these findings for future research are discussed.

Dose-response effects of intravenous caffeine in normal volunteers.

The administration of caffeine has been developed as a chemical model for the study of anxiety. However, previous researchers investigating caffeine-induced anxiety states in humans have administered oral caffeine. In this dose-response study, we investigated the effects of blindly administered intravenous caffeine (3, 5, and 7 mg/kg) versus placebo in normal control subjects. We report the first series of subjects experiencing olfactory hallucinations (10 of 10 subjects, 24 of 30 infusions) immediately following intravenous caffeine infusion. In addition, consistent with our previous work with oral caffeine, we found dose-related increases in ratings of anxiety and blood levels of cortisol and lactate. One subject experienced a DSM-III-R panic attack. Further questioning revealed that his mother suffers panic attacks. Our findings of olfactory hallucinations are discussed within the context of localized limbic system dysfunction, noting the phenomenologic and possible neuroanatomic overlap between panic disorder and complex partial seizures.

[Temporal-lobe epilepsy with psychosensory and gustatory attacks]. / Visochnaia épilepsiia s psikhosensornymi i vkusovymi pristupami.

A variety of temporal epilepsy that manifested by paroxysms in the form of psychosensory and gustatory ones is described. A 20-year-old man was placed under observation. Since 14 years of age he demonstrated attack-like conditions with a sensation of the pushing apart and swelling in the head, of an increase of the head size, and unpleasant sickly sweet taste in the mouth. The attacks were accompanied by anxiety and general weakness. Neurological examination revealed left-handed hemisymptomatology, EEG demonstrated activity prevailing in the occipitotemporal leads on the right. The neuropsychological findings attested to the impairment of the structures of the right temporal lobe. Analysis of the clinical manifestations of epilepsy, of the neurological findings, and the neuropsychologist's conclusion made it possible to suggest the site of the epileptic focus in the field of the hippocamp on the right.