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1.
Bipolar Disord ; 26(5): 431-441, 2024 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38750644

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To provide up-to-date clinical guidance on the efficacy of lamotrigine in bipolar disorder (BD). METHODS: Eligible studies were identified during a systematic literature search according to PRISMA-guidelines. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies that quantitatively assessed lamotrigine's efficacy in BD. We divided the included studies into three groups: 1. acute treatment of depression, 2. acute treatment of mania and hypomania, and 3. maintenance treatment. Analyses were stratified by control group (placebo vs active comparator) and treatment strategy (monotherapy vs add-on treatment). RESULTS: We included 20 RCTs (n = 1166 lamotrigine users) and 20 cohort studies (n = 11,141 lamotrigine users). Twenty-four of these studies were included in meta-analyses. During depressive episodes, greater decreases in depressive symptomatology were associated with initiation of lamotrigine as add-on treatment than with placebo (SMD -0.30 [95% CI = -0.51, -0.10], df = 3, p = 0.004). Decreases in depressive symptomatology did not differ significantly between lamotrigine and the active comparator (SMD -0.28 [95% CI = -1.06, 0.50], df = 3, p = 0.488). As a maintenance treatment, lamotrigine was associated with a significantly lower relapse/recurrence rate than placebo (risk ratio (RR) 0.84 [95% CI = 0.71, 0.99], df = 2, p = 0.037). Relapse/recurrence rates did not differ significantly between lamotrigine and lithium (RR 1.06 [95% CI = 0.89, 1.25], df = 2, p = 0.513). A qualitative assessment of high-quality register-based studies found that lamotrigine was associated with lower hospital admission rates than other commonly used treatment regimes. CONCLUSIONS: There is substantial evidence for the efficacy of lamotrigine in BD, specifically as add-on treatment during acute depressive episodes and as maintenance treatment for preventing relapse and recurrence.


Subject(s)
Bipolar Disorder , Lamotrigine , Triazines , Lamotrigine/therapeutic use , Humans , Bipolar Disorder/drug therapy , Triazines/therapeutic use , Antimanic Agents/therapeutic use , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic , Treatment Outcome , Anticonvulsants/therapeutic use
2.
Mol Psychiatry ; 23(5): 1145-1156, 2018 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28630453

ABSTRACT

In order to determine the impact of the epigenetic response to traumatic stress on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), this study examined longitudinal changes of genome-wide blood DNA methylation profiles in relation to the development of PTSD symptoms in two prospective military cohorts (one discovery and one replication data set). In the first cohort consisting of male Dutch military servicemen (n=93), the emergence of PTSD symptoms over a deployment period to a combat zone was significantly associated with alterations in DNA methylation levels at 17 genomic positions and 12 genomic regions. Evidence for mediation of the relation between combat trauma and PTSD symptoms by longitudinal changes in DNA methylation was observed at several positions and regions. Bioinformatic analyses of the reported associations identified significant enrichment in several pathways relevant for symptoms of PTSD. Targeted analyses of the significant findings from the discovery sample in an independent prospective cohort of male US marines (n=98) replicated the observed relation between decreases in DNA methylation levels and PTSD symptoms at genomic regions in ZFP57, RNF39 and HIST1H2APS2. Together, our study pinpoints three novel genomic regions where longitudinal decreases in DNA methylation across the period of exposure to combat trauma marks susceptibility for PTSD.


Subject(s)
Epigenesis, Genetic , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/genetics , Adult , Cohort Studies , DNA Methylation , DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics , DNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Genetic Testing/methods , Humans , Immediate-Early Proteins/genetics , Immediate-Early Proteins/metabolism , Longitudinal Studies , Male , Military Personnel/psychology , Prospective Studies , Repressor Proteins , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/metabolism , Transcription Factors/genetics , Transcription Factors/metabolism
3.
J Youth Adolesc ; 48(6): 1082-1099, 2019 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30805852

ABSTRACT

The development of social behavior could be affected by stressful parenting. The mineralocorticoid receptor, one of the two main receptors for the stress hormone cortisol, plays a vital role in adequate responses to stress. Therefore, the effects of stressful parenting on social development (i.e., empathic concern, perspective taking and prosocial behavior) may be moderated by functional genetic variation in mineralocorticoid receptor haplotypes (a combination of alleles). A group of 343 adolescents (44.3% females) was followed from the age of 13 until 24 years. Growth curve analyses showed lower levels of prosocial behaviors and a slower increase in empathic concern and perspective taking in adolescents who reported more stressful parenting. In contrast, relatively higher levels of prosocial behavior, empathic concern and perspective taking were present in combination with stress resilient mineralocorticoid receptor haplotypes. Despite sex differences in social development with earlier social development for girls, no consistent sex differences were found with regard to mineralocorticoid receptor haplotypes. The current study showed that genetic variation in mineralocorticoid receptor impacts the social development during adolescence and young adulthood.


Subject(s)
Adolescent Behavior/physiology , Adolescent Development/physiology , Haplotypes , Parenting/psychology , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/genetics , Social Behavior , Stress, Psychological/psychology , Adolescent , Adolescent Behavior/psychology , Empathy , Female , Genetic Markers , Humans , Longitudinal Studies , Male , Psychology, Adolescent , Stress, Psychological/genetics , Young Adult
4.
Psychol Med ; 47(4): 776-784, 2017 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27873559

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Poor educational achievement is associated with a range of psychiatric disorders. Several studies suggest that this underperformance is due to cognitive deficits that commence before disease onset and reflect a genetic risk for this disorder. However, the specificity and the familial contribution of this cognitive deficit are not clear. We analysed lifetime educational achievement of psychiatric patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar or depressive disorder and their unaffected siblings. METHOD: In a register-based case-control study, 1561 patients with schizophrenia, 813 patients with bipolar disorder, 8112 patients with depression, and their siblings were each matched with eight population controls. Patients, siblings and controls were compared on the highest educational stream they completed. RESULTS: Lower educational achievement was present in schizophrenia patients from primary school onwards [completing primary school: odds ratio (OR) 0.69; completing secondary school: OR 0.69; completing academic education: OR 0.46], compared to patients with bipolar disorder or depression. Siblings of schizophrenia, bipolar or depressed patients showed no underachievement at primary or secondary school, but siblings of schizophrenia patients as well as siblings of depressed patients were less successful in their educational achievement after secondary school (completing academic education, schizophrenia siblings: OR 0.90; depressive disorder siblings: OR 0.91). CONCLUSIONS: Educational underachievement from primary school onwards is specifically related to schizophrenia and not to bipolar disorder or depression. Moreover, it appears to be a harbinger of the illness, since it is not found in their siblings. These results add to evidence that early cognitive deficits are a distinct feature of the schizophrenia phenotype.


Subject(s)
Bipolar Disorder/epidemiology , Depressive Disorder/epidemiology , Educational Status , Registries/statistics & numerical data , Schizophrenia/epidemiology , Siblings , Adult , Case-Control Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Netherlands/epidemiology , Young Adult
5.
Psychol Med ; 46(4): 807-18, 2016 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26621616

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia is associated with lower intelligence and poor educational performance relative to the general population. This is, to a lesser degree, also found in first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients. It is unclear whether bipolar disorder I (BD-I) patients and their relatives have similar lower intellectual and educational performance as that observed in schizophrenia. METHOD: This cross-sectional study investigated intelligence and educational performance in two outpatient samples [494 BD-I patients, 952 schizophrenia spectrum (SCZ) patients], 2231 relatives of BD-I and SCZ patients, 1104 healthy controls and 100 control siblings. Mixed-effects and regression models were used to compare groups on intelligence and educational performance. RESULTS: BD-I patients were more likely to have completed the highest level of education (odds ratio 1.88, 95% confidence interval 1.66-2.70) despite having a lower IQ compared to controls (ß = -9.09, S.E. = 1.27, p < 0.001). In contrast, SCZ patients showed both a lower IQ (ß = -15.31, S.E. = 0.86, p < 0.001) and lower educational levels compared to controls. Siblings of both patient groups had significantly lower IQ than control siblings, but did not differ on educational performance. IQ scores did not differ between BD-I parents and SCZ parents, but BD-I parents had completed higher educational levels. CONCLUSIONS: Although BD-I patients had a lower IQ than controls, they were more likely to have completed the highest level of education. This contrasts with SCZ patients, who showed both intellectual and educational deficits compared to healthy controls. Since relatives of BD-I patients did not demonstrate superior educational performance, our data suggest that high educational performance may be a distinctive feature of bipolar disorder patients.


Subject(s)
Achievement , Bipolar Disorder/psychology , Cognition , Family/psychology , Intelligence , Schizophrenia , Schizophrenic Psychology , Adult , Aged , Case-Control Studies , Cross-Sectional Studies , Educational Status , Female , Humans , Intelligence Tests , Male , Middle Aged , Odds Ratio , Young Adult
6.
Mol Psychiatry ; 20(12): 1557-64, 2015 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25666758

ABSTRACT

The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) coagonists glycine, D-serine and L-proline play crucial roles in NMDAR-dependent neurotransmission and are associated with a range of neuropsychiatric disorders. We conducted the first genome-wide association study of concentrations of these coagonists and their enantiomers in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of human subjects from the general population (N=414). Genetic variants at chromosome 22q11.2, located in and near PRODH (proline dehydrogenase), were associated with L-proline in plasma (ß=0.29; P=6.38 × 10(-10)). The missense variant rs17279437 in the proline transporter SLC6A20 was associated with L-proline in CSF (ß=0.28; P=9.68 × 10(-9)). Suggestive evidence of association was found for the D-serine plasma-CSF ratio at the D-amino-acid oxidase (DAO) gene (ß=-0.28; P=9.08 × 10(-8)), whereas a variant in SRR (that encodes serine racemase and is associated with schizophrenia) constituted the most strongly associated locus for the L-serine to D-serine ratio in CSF. All these genes are highly expressed in rodent meninges and choroid plexus, anatomical regions relevant to CSF physiology. The enzymes and transporters they encode may be targeted to further construe the nature of NMDAR coagonist involvement in NMDAR gating. Furthermore, the highlighted genetic variants may be followed up in clinical populations, for example, schizophrenia and 22q11 deletion syndrome. Overall, this targeted metabolomics approach furthers the understanding of NMDAR coagonist concentration variability and sets the stage for non-targeted CSF metabolomics projects.


Subject(s)
Alanine/metabolism , Glycine/metabolism , Proline/metabolism , Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate/agonists , Serine/metabolism , Adolescent , Adult , Alanine/blood , Alanine/cerebrospinal fluid , Chromatography, Liquid , Female , Genetic Variation , Genome-Wide Association Study , Glycine/blood , Glycine/cerebrospinal fluid , Humans , Male , Membrane Transport Proteins/genetics , Middle Aged , Proline/blood , Proline/cerebrospinal fluid , Proline Oxidase/genetics , Quantitative Trait Loci , Serine/blood , Serine/cerebrospinal fluid , Tandem Mass Spectrometry , Young Adult
7.
Community Ment Health J ; 50(7): 823-30, 2014 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24728845

ABSTRACT

Cannabis use is a known risk factor for a range of mental health problems, but less is known on the association with general mental health. We aim to explore the relationship between cannabis use and general mental health. We did a cross-sectional online survey of 1,929 young adults aged 18-30 years. Participants reported socio-demographic data, substance use and the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90). Monthly cannabis use was associated with a higher total score on the SCL-90, both in a crude (OR 1.94, 95% CI 1.57-2.38) and fully adjusted model (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.07-2.03). The association between cannabis and mental health was stronger in women and weekly users, and was independent of age at first use of cannabis. We conclude that moderate cannabis use is associated with general mental health problems in young adulthood. This relationship is independent of age at first use and of other risk factors, and is strongest in women.


Subject(s)
Marijuana Abuse/psychology , Mental Health , Adolescent , Adult , Checklist , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Marijuana Abuse/complications , Mental Disorders/complications , Mental Health/statistics & numerical data , Risk Factors , Sex Factors , Young Adult
8.
Psychol Med ; 43(11): 2393-401, 2013 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23414608

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Cannabis use is associated with increased risk for psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) and psychotic disorders. It remains unclear whether this relationship is causal or due to confounding. METHOD: A total of 1929 young adults aged 18-30 years participated in a nationwide internet-based survey in The Netherlands and gave information on demographics, substance use and parental psychiatric illness and completed the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE). RESULTS: Cigarette smoking and cannabis use were equally strongly associated with the frequency of PLEs in a fully adjusted model (ß = 0.098 and 0.079 respectively, p < 0.05). Cannabis use was associated with distress from PLEs in a model adjusted for an elaborate set of confounders excluding smoking (ß = 0.082, p < 0.05). However, when cigarette smoking was included in the model, cannabis use was not a significant predictor of distress from PLEs. Cigarette smoking remained associated with distress from PLEs in a fully adjusted model (ß = 0.107, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Smoking is an equally strong independent predictor of frequency of PLEs as monthly cannabis use. Our results suggest that the association between moderate cannabis use and PLEs is confounded by cigarette smoking.


Subject(s)
Marijuana Smoking/epidemiology , Psychotic Disorders/epidemiology , Smoking/epidemiology , Stress, Psychological/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Linear Models , Male , Marijuana Smoking/psychology , Netherlands/epidemiology , Psychotic Disorders/psychology , Smoking/psychology , Stress, Psychological/psychology , Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology , Substance-Related Disorders/psychology , Surveys and Questionnaires , Young Adult
9.
Psychol Med ; 43(9): 1849-56, 2013 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23200103

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Although the association between cannabis use and a wide range of psychiatric symptoms is fairly well established, it is not clear whether cannabis use is also a risk factor for general mental health problems at secondary school. Method A total of 10 324 secondary school children aged 11-16 years, participating in an ongoing Public Health Service School Survey, gave information on demographics, substance use, school factors and stressful life events and completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). RESULTS: Cannabis use in the past month was associated with a clinically relevant score on the SDQ [unadjusted odds ratio (OR) 4.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.46-5.76]. Other risk factors associated with poor psychosocial functioning were: a low level of education, alcohol use, cigarette smoking, hard drug use, frequent truancy, an unfavourable school evaluation, feeling unsafe at school, being victimized, frequent absence due to illness, a mentally ill parent, molestation by a parent, financial problems and feeling distressed by an adverse event. In a full model adjusting for these risk factors, cannabis was not significantly associated with mental health problems, although an association at trend level was apparent. Of these risk factors, regular alcohol use, cigarette smoking, hard drug use, frequent truancy, an unfavourable school evaluation and frequent absence due to illness were also associated with cannabis use. CONCLUSIONS: The association between cannabis use and poor psychosocial functioning in adolescence is due, at least in part, to confounding by other risk factors. Thus, cannabis use can best be viewed as an indicator of risk for mental health problems in adolescence.


Subject(s)
Marijuana Smoking/epidemiology , Mental Disorders/epidemiology , Adolescent , Alcohol Drinking/epidemiology , Bullying/psychology , Child , Child Abuse/psychology , Child Abuse/statistics & numerical data , Child of Impaired Parents/psychology , Child of Impaired Parents/statistics & numerical data , Educational Status , Female , Humans , Male , Marijuana Smoking/psychology , Mental Disorders/psychology , Netherlands , Odds Ratio , Risk Factors , Smoking/epidemiology
10.
Psychol Med ; 41(6): 1301-10, 2011 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-20925969

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Cannabis use is associated with psychosis and a range of subclinical psychiatric symptoms. The strength of this association depends on dosage and age at first use. The current study investigates whether level of cannabis exposure and starting age are associated with specific profiles of subclinical symptoms. METHOD: We collected cross-sectional data from a young adult population sample by administering an online version of the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE). Cannabis exposure was quantified as the amount of Euros spent on cannabis per week and the age of initial cannabis use. The primary outcome measure was the odds ratio (OR) to belong to the highest 10% of scores on the total CAPE and the positive-, negative- and depressive symptom dimensions. RESULTS: In 17 698 adolescents (mean age 21.6, s.d.=4.2 years), cannabis use at age 12 years or younger was strongly associated with a top 10% score on psychotic experiences [OR 3.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.1-4.3] and to a lesser degree with negative symptoms (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.5). The OR of heavy users (>€25/week) for negative symptoms was 3.4 (95% CI 2.9-4.1), for psychotic experiences 3.0 (95% CI 2.4-3.6), and for depressive symptoms 2.8 (95% CI 2.3-3.3). CONCLUSIONS: Early start of cannabis use is strongly associated with subclinical psychotic symptoms and to a lesser degree with negative symptoms, while smoking high amounts of cannabis is associated with increased levels of all three symptom dimensions: psychotic, negative and depressive. These results support the hypothesis that the impact of cannabis use is age specific.


Subject(s)
Marijuana Abuse/epidemiology , Marijuana Smoking/epidemiology , Psychoses, Substance-Induced/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Age of Onset , Child , Female , Humans , Male , Netherlands , Psychoses, Substance-Induced/diagnosis , Psychoses, Substance-Induced/psychology , Statistics as Topic , Surveys and Questionnaires , Young Adult
11.
Acta Psychiatr Scand ; 123(5): 368-75, 2011 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21198455

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between cannabis use and mental health. METHOD: A cross-sectional analysis in a sample of 17 698 individuals with a mean age of 22 years (SD: 4.2). Participants provided information on the amount and initial age of cannabis use and history of psychiatric hospitalizations through a web-based questionnaire. To quantify Δ(9) -tetrahydrocannabinol exposure, we operationalized cannabis use as the amount of money spent on cannabis per week over the last month. The odds ratio of having a history of psychiatric hospitalizations was the primary outcome measure. RESULTS: We found a dose-response relationship between the amount of cannabis use and the odds for psychiatric hospitalization. Adjusted odds ratios for hospitalization increased with the amount of cannabis consumed from 1.6 (95% CI: 1.1-2.3) in incidental users to 6.2 (95% CI: 4.3-8.9) in heavy users (>€25/week). Our data suggested that concomitant drug use was an intermediate factor. Exposure to cannabis before the age of 12 years was found to carry a 4.8 (95% CI: 2.9-7.8) times increased odds for past psychiatric hospitalizations. CONCLUSION: We conclude that early and heavy uses of cannabis are each and independently associated with poor mental health in its users.


Subject(s)
Dronabinol , Hospitals, Psychiatric/statistics & numerical data , Marijuana Abuse/therapy , Patient Readmission/statistics & numerical data , Adolescent , Adult , Age Factors , Costs and Cost Analysis , Cross-Sectional Studies , Data Collection , Dronabinol/administration & dosage , Dronabinol/adverse effects , Dronabinol/economics , Female , Hallucinogens/administration & dosage , Hallucinogens/adverse effects , Hallucinogens/economics , Humans , Male , Marijuana Abuse/economics , Mental Health , Netherlands , Odds Ratio
12.
Behav Genet ; 40(4): 564-71, 2010 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-20232132

ABSTRACT

There is increasing interest in methods to disentangle the relationship between genotype and (endo)phenotypes in human complex traits. We present a population-based method of increasing the power and cost-efficiency of studies by selecting random individuals with a particular genotype and then assessing the accompanying quantitative phenotypes. Using statistical derivations, power- and cost graphs we show that such a "forward genetics" approach can lead to a marked reduction in sample size and costs. This approach is particularly apt for implementing in epidemiological studies for which DNA is already available but the phenotyping costs are high.


Subject(s)
Genetics, Population/economics , Genetics, Population/methods , Genetics, Population/statistics & numerical data , Genome-Wide Association Study/methods , Genome-Wide Association Study/statistics & numerical data , Models, Genetic , Computational Biology/methods , Computational Biology/statistics & numerical data , Genotype , Humans , Phenotype , Quantitative Trait, Heritable
13.
Acta Psychiatr Scand ; 121(3): 190-200, 2010 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19694628

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: It remains unclear whether unipolar psychotic depression should be treated with an antidepressant and an antipsychotic or with an antidepressant alone. METHOD: In a multi-center RCT, 122 patients (18-65 years) with DSM-IV-TR psychotic major depression and HAM-D-17 > or = 18 were randomized to 7 weeks imipramine (plasma-levels 200-300 microg/l), venlafaxine (375 mg/day) or venlafaxine-quetiapine (375 mg/day, 600 mg/day). Primary outcome was response on HAM-D-17. Secondary outcomes were response on CGI and remission (HAM-D-17). RESULTS: Venlafaxine-quetiapine was more effective than venlafaxine with no significant differences between venlafaxine-quetiapine and imipramine, or between imipramine and venlafaxine. Secondary outcomes followed the same pattern. CONCLUSION: That unipolar psychotic depression should be treated with a combination of an antidepressant and an antipsychotic and not with an antidepressant alone, can be considered evidence based with regard to venlafaxine-quetiapine vs. venlafaxine monotherapy. Whether this is also the case for imipramine monotherapy is likely, but cannot be concluded from the data.


Subject(s)
Affective Disorders, Psychotic/drug therapy , Cyclohexanols/therapeutic use , Depressive Disorder/drug therapy , Dibenzothiazepines/therapeutic use , Imipramine/therapeutic use , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic/therapeutic use , Antipsychotic Agents/therapeutic use , Double-Blind Method , Drug Administration Schedule , Drug Dosage Calculations , Drug Therapy, Combination , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Quetiapine Fumarate , Remission Induction , Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Severity of Illness Index , Treatment Outcome , Venlafaxine Hydrochloride , Young Adult
14.
Psychoneuroendocrinology ; 112: 104518, 2020 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31780186

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Thyroid autoimmunity has been associated with bipolar disorder (BD). However, results from previous studies on the seroprevalence of anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPO-abs) in BD are inconsistent. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study is to investigate whether the seroprevalence and titer levels of TPO-abs are related to BD. METHOD: TPO-abs were measured in plasma samples of 760 patients with bipolar disorder, 261 first-degree relatives and 363 controls by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). To address methodological limitations of previous studies, we assessed clinical characteristics with several (self-reported) questionnaires to investigate whether TPO-abs positivity is related to particular clinical subgroups of BD patients. We performed an additional meta-analysis of seroprevalences of TPO-abs in BD patients including data from present and previous studies. RESULTS: Seroprevalence or titer levels of TPO-abs did not significantly differ between patients with BD, their first-degree relatives, and controls. In BD patients, the prevalence of TPO-abs was unrelated to specific clinical factors, including lithium use. Our meta-analysis of twelve studies showed an overall odds ratio of 1.3 (CI 95 %: 0.7-2.3; p = 0.30), reaffirming the absence of an association of BD with TPO-abs. CONCLUSIONS: In the largest study of TPO-abs in BD to date, our findings indicate that TPO-abs are not associated with (the risk for) bipolar disorder.


Subject(s)
Autoantibodies/blood , Autoantigens/immunology , Autoimmune Diseases/blood , Bipolar Disorder/blood , Iodide Peroxidase/immunology , Iron-Binding Proteins/immunology , Adult , Aged , Autoimmune Diseases/epidemiology , Bipolar Disorder/epidemiology , Comorbidity , Family , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Netherlands/epidemiology , Risk , Seroepidemiologic Studies
15.
Schizophr Res ; 108(1-3): 25-32, 2009 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19106036

ABSTRACT

Language functions in schizophrenia patients are represented more bilateral, i.e. less lateralized than in healthy subjects. This decreased lateralization is also observed in individuals at increased risk for schizophrenia. Language lateralization is related to handedness; in that left- and mixed-handed individuals more frequently have decreased lateralization in comparison to right-handed subjects. Population schizotypy can be considered part of the schizophrenia spectrum disorders. In line with this, population schizotypy has repeatedly, though inconsistently, been associated with left-handedness. In order to define the exact association between handedness and schizotypy, we performed meta-analyses on the available literature. We found that non-right-handed subjects, but not strong left-handers, had higher scores on schizotypy questionnaires than right-handed subjects. Mixed-handers showed a trend towards higher schizotypy in comparison to strong left-handers. It is argued that the higher schizotypy in non-right-handed individuals reflects the higher incidence of bilateral language lateralization in this group. Bilateral language organisation may underlie loosening of association, possibly leading to higher schizotypy scores.


Subject(s)
Functional Laterality , Schizotypal Personality Disorder/diagnosis , Schizotypal Personality Disorder/physiopathology , Databases, Factual/statistics & numerical data , Humans , Language , Neuropsychological Tests , Personality Inventory , Reference Values , Schizotypal Personality Disorder/psychology , Surveys and Questionnaires
16.
Schizophr Res ; 102(1-3): 197-205, 2008 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18328672

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The use of symptom dimensions of schizophrenia as quantitative phenotypes has been proposed as a mean to reduce the heterogeneity of schizophrenia and facilitate genetic research. However, the genetic background of symptom dimensions is not clear. AIM: We aim to investigate whether the symptom dimensions "reality distortion", "psychomotor poverty" and "disorganization" are heritable phenotypes. METHOD: We performed a Medline search including all papers from 1980 to August 2007. In addition to reviewing the articles, we performed meta-analyses on these studies where possible. RESULTS: We identified 18 relevant papers. Only the studies on affected sibling pairs were suitable for meta-analysis. Data from twin and affected sibling studies are consistent with a genetic contribution to the disorganization dimension. However these studies did not unequivocally support a large genetic contribution to neither the reality distortion symptom dimension nor to the psychomotor poverty symptom dimension. In contrast several molecular genetic studies did report associations of genes with psychomotor poverty. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that only the disorganization symptom dimension may provide an useful alternative phenotype for genetic research. More research is required to make any definitive conclusions.


Subject(s)
Schizophrenia/genetics , Schizophrenic Psychology , Diseases in Twins/diagnosis , Diseases in Twins/genetics , Family , Genetic Heterogeneity , Genotype , Humans , Linkage Disequilibrium , Pedigree , Phenotype , Psychomotor Disorders/diagnosis , Psychomotor Disorders/genetics , Reality Testing , Schizophrenia/diagnosis , Schizophrenia, Disorganized/genetics
17.
NPJ Schizophr ; 4(1): 16, 2018 Aug 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30131491

ABSTRACT

Epigenetic changes may account for the doubled risk to develop schizophrenia in individuals exposed to famine in utero. We therefore investigated DNA methylation in a unique sample of patients and healthy individuals conceived during the great famine in China. Subsequently, we examined two case-control samples without famine exposure in whole blood and brain tissue. To shed light on the causality of the relation between famine exposure and DNA methylation, we exposed human fibroblasts to nutritional deprivation. In the famine-exposed schizophrenia patients, we found significant hypermethylation of the dual specificity phosphatase 22 (DUSP22) gene promoter (Chr6:291687-293285) (N = 153, p = 0.01). In this sample, DUSP22 methylation was also significantly higher in patients independent of famine exposure (p = 0.025), suggesting that hypermethylation of DUSP22 is also more generally involved in schizophrenia risk. Similarly, DUSP22 methylation was also higher in two separate case-control samples not exposed to famine using DNA from whole blood (N = 64, p = 0.03) and postmortem brains (N = 214, p = 0.007). DUSP22 methylation showed strong genetic regulation across chromosomes by a region on chromosome 16 which was consistent with new 3D genome interaction data. The presence of a direct link between famine and DUSP22 transcription was supported by data from cultured human fibroblasts that showed increased methylation (p = 0.048) and expression (p = 0.019) in response to nutritional deprivation (N = 10). These results highlight an epigenetic locus that is genetically regulated across chromosomes and that is involved in the response to early-life exposure to famine and that is relevant for a major psychiatric disorder.

18.
Int J Epidemiol ; 36(6): 1363-9, 2007 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-17971387

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The often limited influence of disease associated alleles on the vulnerability to complex diseases has lead to increased interest in environmental interaction with genotype. However, gene environmental interactions (GEIs) are not easily studied, since high numbers of subjects are required to detect GEI. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study provides a potential useful method to increase the power of such studies through selective sampling for environmental exposure. We show that selecting the top and bottom 10% regarding environmental exposure can lead to a 70% reduction in the required number of subjects for genotyping. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the potential usefulness of selective sampling in the study of the interplay between genes and environment. The reduction of required subjects can be particularly advantageous in studies where genotyping is extensive, such as in whole genome screens or in studies where phenotyping is expensive.


Subject(s)
Bias , Environmental Exposure/statistics & numerical data , Genetic Predisposition to Disease/epidemiology , Genotype , Humans , Research Design , Sample Size , Sampling Studies
19.
Eur Neuropsychopharmacol ; 17(9): 567-72, 2007 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-17250995

ABSTRACT

We review the role of two susceptibility genes; G72 and DAAO in glutamate neurotransmission and the aetiology of schizophrenia. The gene product of G72 is an activator of DAAO (D-amino acid oxidase), which is the only enzyme oxidising D-serine. D-serine is an important co-agonist for the NMDA glutamate receptor and plays a role in neuronal migration and cell death. Studies of D-serine revealed lower serum levels in schizophrenia patients as compared to healthy controls. Furthermore, administration of D-serine as add-on medication reduced the symptoms of schizophrenia. The underlying mechanism of the involvement of G72 and DAAO in schizophrenia is probably based on decreased levels of D-serine and decreased NMDA receptor functioning in patients. The involvement of this gene is therefore indirect support for the glutamate dysfunction hypothesis in schizophrenia.


Subject(s)
Carrier Proteins/physiology , D-Amino-Acid Oxidase/physiology , Glutamic Acid/metabolism , Schizophrenia/metabolism , Synaptic Transmission/genetics , Carrier Proteins/genetics , D-Amino-Acid Oxidase/genetics , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Humans , Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins , Models, Biological , Schizophrenia/genetics , Schizophrenia/physiopathology
20.
Neuroimage Clin ; 14: 195-200, 2017.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28180078

ABSTRACT

There is ample evidence that the inhibitory GABA and the excitatory glutamate system are essential for an adequate response to stress. Both GABAergic and glutamatergic brain circuits modulate hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis activity, and stress in turn affects glutamate and GABA levels in the rodent brain. However, studies examining stress-induced GABA and glutamate levels in the human brain are scarce. Therefore, we investigated the influence of acute psychosocial stress (using the Trier Social Stress Test) on glutamate and GABA levels in the medial prefrontal cortex of 29 healthy male individuals using 7 Tesla proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. In vivo GABA and glutamate levels were measured before and 30 min after exposure to either the stress or the control condition. We found no associations between psychosocial stress or cortisol stress reactivity and changes over time in medial prefrontal glutamate and GABA levels. GABA and glutamate levels over time were significantly correlated in the control condition but not in the stress condition, suggesting that very subtle differential effects of stress on GABA and glutamate across individuals may occur. However, overall, acute psychosocial stress does not appear to affect in vivo medial prefrontal GABA and glutamate levels, at least this is not detectable with current practice 1H-MRS.


Subject(s)
Glutamic Acid/metabolism , Prefrontal Cortex/metabolism , Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy , Stress, Psychological/diagnostic imaging , gamma-Aminobutyric Acid/metabolism , Acute Disease , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Hydrocortisone/blood , Male , Prefrontal Cortex/diagnostic imaging , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Stress, Psychological/blood , Surveys and Questionnaires , Young Adult
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