RESUMEN
Only a small number of studies have assessed structural differences between the two hemispheres during childhood and adolescence. However, the existing findings lack consistency or are restricted to a particular brain region, a specific brain feature, or a relatively narrow age range. Here, we investigated associations between brain asymmetry and age as well as sex in one of the largest pediatric samples to date (n = 4265), aged 1-18 years, scanned at 69 sites participating in the ENIGMA (Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis) consortium. Our study revealed that significant brain asymmetries already exist in childhood, but their magnitude and direction depend on the brain region examined and the morphometric measurement used (cortical volume or thickness, regional surface area, or subcortical volume). With respect to effects of age, some asymmetries became weaker over time while others became stronger; sometimes they even reversed direction. With respect to sex differences, the total number of regions exhibiting significant asymmetries was larger in females than in males, while the total number of measurements indicating significant asymmetries was larger in males (as we obtained more than one measurement per cortical region). The magnitude of the significant asymmetries was also greater in males. However, effect sizes for both age effects and sex differences were small. Taken together, these findings suggest that cerebral asymmetries are an inherent organizational pattern of the brain that manifests early in life. Overall, brain asymmetry appears to be relatively stable throughout childhood and adolescence, with some differential effects in males and females.
Asunto(s)
Encéfalo , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética , Caracteres Sexuales , Humanos , Adolescente , Masculino , Niño , Femenino , Preescolar , Lactante , Encéfalo/diagnóstico por imagen , Encéfalo/crecimiento & desarrollo , Encéfalo/anatomía & histología , Factores de Edad , Desarrollo Infantil/fisiología , Lateralidad Funcional/fisiología , Desarrollo del Adolescente/fisiologíaRESUMEN
Brain development during childhood and early adolescence is characterized by global changes in brain architecture. Neuroimaging studies have revealed overall decreases in cortical thickness (CT) and increases in fractional anisotropy (FA). Furthermore, previous studies have shown that certain cortical regions display coordinated growth during development. However, there is significant heterogeneity in the timing and speed of these developmental transformations, and it is still unclear whether white and grey matter changes are co-localized. In this multimodal neuroimaging study, we investigated the relationship between grey and white matter developmental changes and asynchronous maturation within brain regions in 249 normally developing children between the ages 7-14. We used structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to analyze CT and FA, respectively, as well as their covariance across development. Consistent with previous studies, we observed overall cortical thinning with age, which was accompanied by increased FA. We then compared the coordinated development of grey and white matter as indexed by covariance measures. Covariance between grey matter regions and the microstructure of white matter tracts connecting those regions were highly similar, suggesting that coordinated changes in the cortex were mirrored by coordinated changes in their respective tracts. Examining within-brain divergent trajectories, we found significant structural decoupling (decreased covariance) between several brain regions and tracts in the 9- to 11-year-old group, particularly involving the forceps minor and the regions that it connects to. We argue that this decoupling could reflect a developmental pattern within the prefrontal region in 9- and 11-year-old children, possibly related to the significant changes in cognitive control observed at this age.
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Encéfalo/diagnóstico por imagen , Encéfalo/crecimiento & desarrollo , Sustancia Gris/diagnóstico por imagen , Sustancia Gris/crecimiento & desarrollo , Sustancia Blanca/diagnóstico por imagen , Sustancia Blanca/crecimiento & desarrollo , Adolescente , Niño , Estudios Transversales , Imagen de Difusión por Resonancia Magnética , Femenino , Humanos , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética , Masculino , Imagen Multimodal , Tamaño de los ÓrganosRESUMEN
Psychotic disorders affect ~3% of the general population and are among the most severe forms of mental diseases. In early stages of psychosis, clinical aspects may be difficult to distinguish from one another. Undifferentiated psychopathology at the first-episode of psychosis (FEP) highlights the need for biomarkers that can improve and refine differential diagnosis. We investigated gene expression differences between patients with FEP-schizophrenia spectrum (SCZ; N=53) or FEP-Mania (BD; N=16) and healthy controls (N=73). We also verified whether gene expression was correlated to severity of psychotic, manic, depressive symptoms and/or functional impairment. All participants were antipsychotic-naive. After the psychiatric interview, blood samples were collected and the expression of 12 psychotic-disorder-related genes was evaluated by quantitative PCR. AKT1 and DICER1 expression levels were higher in BD patients compared with that in SCZ patients and healthy controls, suggesting that expression of these genes is associated more specifically to manic features. Furthermore, MBP and NDEL1 expression levels were higher in SCZ and BD patients than in healthy controls, indicating that these genes are psychosis related (independent of diagnosis). No correlation was found between gene expression and severity of symptoms or functional impairment. Our findings suggest that genes related to neurodevelopment are altered in psychotic disorders, and some might support the differential diagnosis between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, with a potential impact on the treatment of these disorders.
Asunto(s)
Trastorno Bipolar/genética , Regulación de la Expresión Génica/genética , Trastornos Psicóticos/genética , Esquizofrenia/genética , Psicología del Esquizofrénico , Adulto , Proteínas Portadoras/genética , Estudios de Casos y Controles , ARN Helicasas DEAD-box/genética , Diagnóstico Diferencial , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Proteína Básica de Mielina/genética , Proteínas Proto-Oncogénicas c-akt/genética , Escalas de Valoración Psiquiátrica/estadística & datos numéricos , Psicometría , Trastornos Psicóticos/diagnóstico , Trastornos Psicóticos/psicología , Valores de Referencia , Ribonucleasa III/genética , Esquizofrenia/diagnóstico , Estadística como Asunto , Adulto JovenAsunto(s)
Antipsicóticos/administración & dosificación , Cannabidiol/administración & dosificación , Trastornos Psicóticos/prevención & control , Esquizofrenia/prevención & control , Envejecimiento/efectos de los fármacos , Envejecimiento/psicología , Animales , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Conducta Exploratoria/efectos de los fármacos , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Actividad Motora/efectos de los fármacos , Poli I-C , Pruebas Psicológicas , Trastornos Psicóticos/fisiopatología , Trastornos Psicóticos/psicología , Esquizofrenia/fisiopatología , Psicología del Esquizofrénico , Conducta Social , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between peripheral biomarkers and child psychopathology in a large community sample. METHOD: A total of 625 aged 6- to 13-year old subjects were recruited from a community school-based study. Psychopathology was assessed using the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL). Psychiatric diagnosis was evaluated using the Development and Well-Being Assessment. The following biomarkers were examined in peripheral blood: brain-derived neurotrophic factor, cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, IFN-g, and TNF-α), chemokines (eotaxin/CCL11, IP-10, MCP-1), cytokine receptors (sTNFR1 and sTNFR2), and the oxidative stress marker TBARS. RESULTS: We found significant associations between sTNFR2, eotaxin/CCL11 and CBCL total score, as well as with specific dimensions of psychopathology. There were different patterns of association between these biomarkers and psychological and behavioural symptoms in children with and without a mental disorder. TBARS, IL-6 and MCP-1 were more specific to some clusters of symptoms in children with a psychiatric diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Our data support the potential use of biomarkers, especially those involved in immune-inflammatory pathways, in investigating neurodevelopmental psychopathology. Their association with different dimensions of symptoms might be of useful when analyzing illness severity and clusters of symptoms within specific disorders.
RESUMEN
In schizophrenia (SCZ), higher angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) levels have been reported in patient's blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Hereby, we propose to explore whether the ACE activity levels are associated to cognitive performance in SCZ. Seventy-two patients with SCZ or schizoaffective disorder diagnosis, and 69 healthy controls (HCs) underwent a cognitive battery with parallel collection of peripheral blood samples to measure ACE activity. Significant higher ACE activity levels were confirmed in the plasma of SCZ patients compared with HCs (Student's t=-5.216; P<0.001). ACE activity significantly correlated to Hopkins delayed recall measures (r=-0.247; P=0.004) and Hopkins total (r=-0.214; P=0.012). Subjects grouped as high ACE activity (above average) had worse performance compared with low ACE activity level group for Hopkins delayed recall measure, even after correction for clinical condition, age, gender and years of education (P=0.029). The adjusted R squared for this final model was 0.343. This result was evident only comparing extreme groups for ACE activity, when splitting the sample in three groups with similar number of subjects. To clarify this finding, we performed an evaluation of the cognitive performance of transgenic mice with three copies of ACE gene in novel object recognition (NOR) test, which showed that such animals presented impairment in NOR (P<0.05) compared with two copies of wild-type animals. The results observed in SCZ patients and animal model suggest both the association of ACE to cognitive deficits in SCZ. This finding may support the evaluation of novel treatment protocols and/or of innovative drugs for specific intervention of cognitive deficits in SCZ envisioning concomitant ACE activity and behavior evaluations.
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Trastornos del Conocimiento/sangre , Trastornos del Conocimiento/complicaciones , Peptidil-Dipeptidasa A/sangre , Esquizofrenia/sangre , Esquizofrenia/complicaciones , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Animales , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Ratones , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Persona de Mediana Edad , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To verify the association between violence and alcohol dependence syndrome in sample populations. METHOD: Population-wide survey with multistage probabilistic sample. 3,744 individuals of both genders, aged from 15 to 75 years, were interviewed from the cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 2.1). RESULTS: In both cities, alcohol dependence was associated with the male gender, having suffered violence related to criminality, and having suffered familial violence. In both cities, urban violence, in more than 50% of cases, and familial violence, in more than 90% of cases, preceded alcohol dependence. The reoccurrence of traumatic events occurred in more than half of individuals dependent on alcohol. In São Paulo, having been diagnosed with PTSD is associated with violence revictimization (P = 0.014; Odds = 3.33). CONCLUSION: Alcohol dependence syndrome is complexly related to urban and familial violence in the general population. Violence frequently precedes alcoholism, but this relationship is dependent on residence and traumatic events. This vicious cycle contributes to perpetuating the high rates of alcoholism and violence in the cities. Politicians ordering the reduction of violence in the large metropolises can, potentially, reduce alcoholism and contribute to the break of this cycle.
Asunto(s)
Alcoholismo/diagnóstico , Alcoholismo/epidemiología , Víctimas de Crimen/estadística & datos numéricos , Violencia/estadística & datos numéricos , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Alcoholismo/psicología , Brasil/epidemiología , Víctimas de Crimen/psicología , Demografía , Femenino , Humanos , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Prevalencia , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Fetal alcohol syndrome is a neurological and developmental disorder caused by exposure of developing brain to ethanol. Administration of osmotin to rat pups reduced ethanol-induced apoptosis in cortical and hippocampal neurons. Osmotin, a plant protein, mitigated the ethanol-induced increases in cytochrome c, cleaved caspase-3, and PARP-1. Osmotin and ethanol reduced ethanol neurotoxicity both in vivo and in vitro by reducing the protein levels of cleaved caspase-3, intracellular [Ca(2+)]cyt, and mitochondrial transmembrane potential collapse, and also upregulated antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein. Osmotin is a homolog of adiponectin, and it controls energy metabolism via phosphorylation. Adiponectin can protect hippocampal neurons against ethanol-induced apoptosis. Abrogation of signaling via receptors AdipoR1 or AdipoR2, by transfection with siRNAs, reduced the ability of osmotin and adiponectin to protect neurons against ethanol-induced neurodegeneration. Metformin, an activator of AMPK (adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase), increased whereas Compound C, an inhibitor of AMPK pathway, reduced the ability of osmotin and adiponectin to protect against ethanol-induced apoptosis. Osmotin exerted its neuroprotection via Bcl-2 family proteins and activation of AMPK signaling pathway. Modulation of AMPK pathways by osmotin, adiponectin, and metformin hold promise as a preventive therapy for fetal alcohol syndrome.
Asunto(s)
Apoptosis , Encéfalo/patología , Etanol/toxicidad , Degeneración Nerviosa/tratamiento farmacológico , Degeneración Nerviosa/patología , Fármacos Neuroprotectores/uso terapéutico , Proteínas de Plantas/uso terapéutico , Adenilato Quinasa/metabolismo , Animales , Animales Recién Nacidos , Apoptosis/efectos de los fármacos , Biomarcadores/metabolismo , Encéfalo/efectos de los fármacos , Encéfalo/embriología , Células Cultivadas , Femenino , Técnica del Anticuerpo Fluorescente , Hipocampo/patología , Potencial de la Membrana Mitocondrial/efectos de los fármacos , Neuronas/efectos de los fármacos , Neuronas/metabolismo , Neuronas/patología , Fármacos Neuroprotectores/farmacología , Proteínas de Plantas/farmacología , Ratas Sprague-Dawley , Receptores de Adiponectina/metabolismoRESUMEN
The glutamate-induced excitotoxicity pathway has been reported in several neurodegenerative diseases. Molecules that inhibit the release of glutamate or cause the overactivation of glutamate receptors can minimize neuronal cell death in these diseases. Osmotin, a homolog of mammalian adiponectin, is a plant protein from Nicotiana tabacum that was examined for the first time in the present study to determine its protective effects against glutamate-induced synaptic dysfunction and neurodegeneration in the rat brain at postnatal day 7. The results indicated that glutamate treatment induced excitotoxicity by overactivating glutamate receptors, causing synaptic dysfunction and neuronal apoptosis after 4 h in the cortex and hippocampus of the postnatal brain. In contrast, post-treatment with osmotin significantly reversed glutamate receptor activation, synaptic deficit and neuronal apoptosis by stimulating the JNK/PI3K/Akt intracellular signaling pathway. Moreover, osmotin treatment abrogated glutamate-induced DNA damage and apoptotic cell death and restored the localization and distribution of p53, p-Akt and caspase-3 in the hippocampus of the postnatal brain. Finally, osmotin inhibited glutamate-induced PI3K-dependent ROS production in vitro and reversed the cell viability decrease, cytotoxicity and caspase-3/7 activation induced by glutamate. Taken together, these results suggest that osmotin might be a novel neuroprotective agent in excitotoxic diseases.
Asunto(s)
Encéfalo/metabolismo , Ácido Glutámico/toxicidad , MAP Quinasa Quinasa 4/metabolismo , Degeneración Nerviosa/tratamiento farmacológico , Fármacos Neuroprotectores/administración & dosificación , Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinasas/metabolismo , Proteínas de Plantas/administración & dosificación , Proteínas Proto-Oncogénicas c-akt/metabolismo , Animales , Encéfalo/efectos de los fármacos , Encéfalo/crecimiento & desarrollo , Hipocampo/efectos de los fármacos , Hipocampo/metabolismo , Humanos , MAP Quinasa Quinasa 4/genética , Degeneración Nerviosa/genética , Degeneración Nerviosa/metabolismo , Degeneración Nerviosa/fisiopatología , Plasticidad Neuronal , Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinasas/genética , Proteínas Proto-Oncogénicas c-akt/genética , Ratas , Ratas Sprague-Dawley , Transducción de Señal/efectos de los fármacos , Sinapsis/fisiologíaRESUMEN
The single photon emission microscope (SPEM) is an instrument developed to obtain high spatial resolution single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images of small structures inside the mouse brain. SPEM consists of two independent imaging devices, which combine a multipinhole collimator, a high-resolution, thallium-doped cesium iodide [CsI(Tl)] columnar scintillator, a demagnifying/intensifier tube, and an electron-multiplying charge-coupling device (CCD). Collimators have 300- and 450-µm diameter pinholes on tungsten slabs, in hexagonal arrays of 19 and 7 holes. Projection data are acquired in a photon-counting strategy, where CCD frames are stored at 50 frames per second, with a radius of rotation of 35 mm and magnification factor of one. The image reconstruction software tool is based on the maximum likelihood algorithm. Our aim was to evaluate the spatial resolution and sensitivity attainable with the seven-pinhole imaging device, together with the linearity for quantification on the tomographic images, and to test the instrument in obtaining tomographic images of different mouse organs. A spatial resolution better than 500 µm and a sensitivity of 21.6 counts·s-1·MBq-1 were reached, as well as a correlation coefficient between activity and intensity better than 0.99, when imaging 99mTc sources. Images of the thyroid, heart, lungs, and bones of mice were registered using 99mTc-labeled radiopharmaceuticals in times appropriate for routine preclinical experimentation of <1 h per projection data set. Detailed experimental protocols and images of the aforementioned organs are shown. We plan to extend the instrument's field of view to fix larger animals and to combine data from both detectors to reduce the acquisition time or applied activity.
RESUMEN
The single photon emission microscope (SPEM) is an instrument developed to obtain high spatial resolution single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images of small structures inside the mouse brain. SPEM consists of two independent imaging devices, which combine a multipinhole collimator, a high-resolution, thallium-doped cesium iodide [CsI(Tl)] columnar scintillator, a demagnifying/intensifier tube, and an electron-multiplying charge-coupling device (CCD). Collimators have 300- and 450-µm diameter pinholes on tungsten slabs, in hexagonal arrays of 19 and 7 holes. Projection data are acquired in a photon-counting strategy, where CCD frames are stored at 50 frames per second, with a radius of rotation of 35 mm and magnification factor of one. The image reconstruction software tool is based on the maximum likelihood algorithm. Our aim was to evaluate the spatial resolution and sensitivity attainable with the seven-pinhole imaging device, together with the linearity for quantification on the tomographic images, and to test the instrument in obtaining tomographic images of different mouse organs. A spatial resolution better than 500 µm and a sensitivity of 21.6 counts·s-1·MBq-1 were reached, as well as a correlation coefficient between activity and intensity better than 0.99, when imaging 99mTc sources. Images of the thyroid, heart, lungs, and bones of mice were registered using 99mTc-labeled radiopharmaceuticals in times appropriate for routine preclinical experimentation of <1 h per projection data set. Detailed experimental protocols and images of the aforementioned organs are shown. We plan to extend the instrument's field of view to fix larger animals and to combine data from both detectors to reduce the acquisition time or applied activity.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Previous research has shown associations between source memory errors and hallucinations in patients with schizophrenia. We bring together here findings from a broad memory investigation to specify better the type of source memory failure that is associated with auditory and visual hallucinations. METHOD: Forty-one patients with schizophrenia and 43 healthy participants underwent a memory task involving recall and recognition of lists of words, recognition of pictures, memory for temporal and spatial context of presentation of the stimuli, and remembering whether target items were presented as words or pictures. RESULTS: False recognition of words and pictures was associated with hallucination scores. The extra-list intrusions in free recall were associated with verbal hallucinations whereas the intra-list intrusions were associated with a global hallucination score. Errors in discriminating the temporal context of word presentation and the spatial context of picture presentation were associated with auditory hallucinations. The tendency to remember verbal labels of items as pictures of these items was associated with visual hallucinations. Several memory errors were also inversely associated with affective flattening and anhedonia. CONCLUSIONS: Verbal and visual hallucinations are associated with confusion between internal verbal thoughts or internal visual images and perception. In addition, auditory hallucinations are associated with failure to process or remember the context of presentation of the events. Certain negative symptoms have an opposite effect on memory errors.
Asunto(s)
Aprendizaje por Asociación , Alucinaciones/diagnóstico , Alucinaciones/psicología , Trastornos de la Memoria/diagnóstico , Trastornos de la Memoria/psicología , Escalas de Valoración Psiquiátrica/estadística & datos numéricos , Esquizofrenia/diagnóstico , Psicología del Esquizofrénico , Adulto , Anhedonia , Atención , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Memoria a Corto Plazo , Persona de Mediana Edad , Orientación , Reconocimiento Visual de Modelos , Psicometría , Represión Psicológica , Percepción del Habla , Estadística como Asunto , Aprendizaje VerbalRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: To assess the influence of total or selective REM sleep deprivation on the dopamine transporter (DAT) densities and sleep patterns of healthy volunteers. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Evaluation of polysomnography recordings and DAT density after 4 nights of selective REM sleep deprivation followed by 3 nights of sleep recovery compared to a control group and a group that was subjected to 2 nights of total sleep deprivation. Single positron emission computed tomography and [99mTc]TRODAT-1 were used to assess the cerebral DAT density in the striatum at baseline, after REM sleep deprivation and total sleep deprivation as well as after sleep recovery. Blood was collected daily to examine prolactin and estradiol levels, which were correlated with dopaminergic activity. PATIENTS OR PARTICIPANTS: Thirty healthy male volunteers ranging from 19 to 29 years of age were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups after giving written informed consent (10 non-sleep deprived, 10 total sleep deprived, and 10 REM sleep deprived). MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Four nights of REM sleep deprivation and 2 nights of total sleep deprivation induced distinct and heterogeneous patterns of sleep recovery. No significant modulation of DAT availability was observed within groups. In the recovery nights, changes in cortisol, prolactin and estradiol concentrations were significantly correlated with specific sleep stages in the total and REM sleep deprived groups. In addition, DAT density was positively correlated with estradiol concentration and inversely associated with SWS latency only after total sleep deprivation. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that although sleep deprivation did not promote significant alterations in DAT density within the striatum, there were significant correlations among transporter availability, hormonal concentrations and sleep parameters.
Asunto(s)
Cuerpo Estriado/diagnóstico por imagen , Proteínas de Transporte de Dopamina a través de la Membrana Plasmática/metabolismo , Privación de Sueño/diagnóstico por imagen , Tomografía Computarizada de Emisión de Fotón Único , Adulto , Mapeo Encefálico , Estradiol/sangre , Humanos , Masculino , Compuestos de Organotecnecio , Polisomnografía , Prolactina/sangre , Valores de Referencia , Fases del Sueño/fisiología , Tropanos , Vigilia/fisiología , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Previous research has demonstrated that various types of verbal source memory error are associated with positive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. Notably, intrusions in free recall have been associated with hallucinations and delusions. We tested the hypothesis that extra-list intrusions, assumed to arise from poor monitoring of internally generated words, are associated with verbal hallucinations and that intra-list intrusions are associated with global hallucination scores. METHOD: A sample of 41 patients with schizophrenia was administered four lists of words, followed by free recall. The number of correctly recalled words and the number of extra- and intra-list intrusions were tallied. RESULTS: The verbal hallucination score was significantly correlated with the number of extra-list intrusions, whereas it was unrelated to the number of correctly recalled words. The number of intra-list intrusions was significantly correlated with the global, but not with the verbal, hallucination score in the subsample of hallucinating patients. It was marginally significantly correlated with the delusion score in delusional patients. CONCLUSIONS: The data corroborate the view that verbal hallucinations are linked to defective monitoring of internal speech, and that errors in context processing are involved in hallucinations and delusions.
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Alucinaciones/psicología , Trastornos de la Memoria/psicología , Recuerdo Mental , Psicología del Esquizofrénico , Adulto , Estudios de Casos y Controles , Femenino , Alucinaciones/diagnóstico , Alucinaciones/epidemiología , Humanos , Entrevistas como Asunto , Londres/epidemiología , Masculino , Trastornos de la Memoria/diagnóstico , Trastornos de la Memoria/epidemiología , Persona de Mediana Edad , Pruebas Neuropsicológicas , Esquizofrenia/diagnóstico , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
The adaptive behavior of human beings is usually supported by rapid monitoring of outstanding events in the environment. Some investigators have suggested that a primary attention deficit might trigger symptoms of schizophrenia. In addition, researchers have long discussed the relationship between schizophrenia and the schizophrenia-like psychosis of epilepsy (SLPE). On the basis of these considerations, the objective of the present study was to investigate attention performance of patients with both disorders. Patient age was 18 to 60 years, and all patients had received formal schooling for at least four years. Patients were excluded if they had any systemic disease with neurologic or psychiatric comorbidity, or a history of brain surgery. The computer-assisted TAVIS-2R test was applied to all patients and to a control group to evaluate and discriminate between selective, alternating and sustained attention. The TAVIS-2R test is divided into three parts: one for selective attention (5 min), the second for alternating attention (5 min), and the third for the evaluation of vigilance or sustained attention (10 min). The same computer software was used for statistical analysis of reaction time, omission errors, and commission errors. The sample consisted of 36 patients with schizophrenia, 28 with interictal SLPE, and 47 healthy controls. The results of the selective attention tests for both patient groups were significantly lower than that for controls. The patients with schizophrenia and SLPE performed differently in the alternating and sustained attention tests: patients with SLPE had alternating attention deficits, whereas patients with schizophrenia showed deficits in sustained attention. These quantitative results confirmed the qualitative clinical observations for both patient groups, that is, that patients with schizophrenia had difficulties in focusing attention, whereas those with epilepsy showed perseveration in attention focus.
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Adolescente , Adulto , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Atención/fisiología , Epilepsia/psicología , Psicología del Esquizofrénico , Esquizofrenia/fisiopatología , Factores de Edad , Estudios de Casos y Controles , Trastornos del Conocimiento/diagnóstico , Trastornos del Conocimiento/fisiopatología , Escolaridad , Epilepsia/diagnóstico , Pruebas de Inteligencia , Modelos Lineales , Pruebas Neuropsicológicas , Trastornos Psicóticos/diagnóstico , Trastornos Psicóticos/fisiopatología , Esquizofrenia/diagnósticoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Kleine-Levin syndrome (KLS) is a rare disorder whose pathophysiological mechanisms remain unknown. PATIENTS AND METHODS: To investigate dopamine abnormalities in KLS, a [99mTc]-TRODAT-1 single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) was performed in a patient with KLS during the asymptomatic period and compared with three matched healthy controls. RESULTS: The patient had 14% lower striatal dopamine transporter binding potential (DAT-BP) compared to the mean DAT-BP of three healthy controls. CONCLUSION: This study provides in vivo evidence for abnormalities in the DAT-BP, suggesting an involvement of the dopaminergic system in the pathophysiology of KLS.
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Proteínas de Transporte de Dopamina a través de la Membrana Plasmática/metabolismo , Síndrome de Kleine-Levin/diagnóstico , Síndrome de Kleine-Levin/metabolismo , Adolescente , Estudios de Casos y Controles , Cuerpo Estriado/diagnóstico por imagen , Humanos , Síndrome de Kleine-Levin/diagnóstico por imagen , Masculino , Compuestos de Organotecnecio , Polisomnografía/métodos , Radiofármacos , Tomografía Computarizada de Emisión de Fotón Único/métodos , TropanosRESUMEN
The adaptive behavior of human beings is usually supported by rapid monitoring of outstanding events in the environment. Some investigators have suggested that a primary attention deficit might trigger symptoms of schizophrenia. In addition, researchers have long discussed the relationship between schizophrenia and the schizophrenia-like psychosis of epilepsy (SLPE). On the basis of these considerations, the objective of the present study was to investigate attention performance of patients with both disorders. Patient age was 18 to 60 years, and all patients had received formal schooling for at least four years. Patients were excluded if they had any systemic disease with neurologic or psychiatric comorbidity, or a history of brain surgery. The computer-assisted TAVIS-2R test was applied to all patients and to a control group to evaluate and discriminate between selective, alternating and sustained attention. The TAVIS-2R test is divided into three parts: one for selective attention (5 min), the second for alternating attention (5 min), and the third for the evaluation of vigilance or sustained attention (10 min). The same computer software was used for statistical analysis of reaction time, omission errors, and commission errors. The sample consisted of 36 patients with schizophrenia, 28 with interictal SLPE, and 47 healthy controls. The results of the selective attention tests for both patient groups were significantly lower than that for controls. The patients with schizophrenia and SLPE performed differently in the alternating and sustained attention tests: patients with SLPE had alternating attention deficits, whereas patients with schizophrenia showed deficits in sustained attention. These quantitative results confirmed the qualitative clinical observations for both patient groups, that is, that patients with schizophrenia had difficulties in focusing attention, whereas those with epilepsy showed perseveration in attention focus.
Asunto(s)
Atención/fisiología , Epilepsia/psicología , Esquizofrenia/fisiopatología , Psicología del Esquizofrénico , Adolescente , Adulto , Factores de Edad , Estudios de Casos y Controles , Trastornos del Conocimiento/diagnóstico , Trastornos del Conocimiento/fisiopatología , Escolaridad , Epilepsia/diagnóstico , Femenino , Humanos , Pruebas de Inteligencia , Modelos Lineales , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Pruebas Neuropsicológicas , Trastornos Psicóticos/diagnóstico , Trastornos Psicóticos/fisiopatología , Esquizofrenia/diagnósticoRESUMEN
The development of in vivo molecular imaging to evaluate the dopamine (DA) system with positron-emission tomography and single photon emission computed tomography has been of key importance on monitoring in vivo nigrostriatal neuronal loss in Parkinson's disease (PD), mostly through assessments of pre- and post-synaptic DA receptors. The discoveries of genes related to hereditary forms of parkinsonism (PARK1, PARK2, PARK6, PARK7 and PARK8) have increased our understanding either of distinct subtypes of clinical expression in PD or its etiology. This article revises current data on molecular neuroimaging of genetic forms of parkinsonism comparing and contrasting its main features with the classical sporadic forms. Awareness of the spectrum variance in the genotype and its respective PD phenotype are useful to distinguish different pathophysiological mechanisms of PD.
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Encéfalo/patología , Diagnóstico por Imagen , Técnicas Genéticas , Trastornos Parkinsonianos/genética , Trastornos Parkinsonianos/patología , Predisposición Genética a la Enfermedad , HumanosAsunto(s)
Predisposición Genética a la Enfermedad , Hipocampo/metabolismo , Receptores de N-Metil-D-Aspartato/genética , Receptores de N-Metil-D-Aspartato/metabolismo , Esquizofrenia/metabolismo , Análisis de Varianza , Antipsicóticos/uso terapéutico , Estudios de Casos y Controles , Clozapina/uso terapéutico , Lateralidad Funcional/fisiología , Guanidinas/metabolismo , Hipocampo/diagnóstico por imagen , Hipocampo/fisiopatología , Humanos , Valores de Referencia , Esquizofrenia/tratamiento farmacológico , Esquizofrenia/fisiopatología , Distribución Tisular , Tomografía Computarizada de Emisión de Fotón ÚnicoRESUMEN
The objective of the present survey was to assess the Brazilian scientific production in psychiatry, psychobiology, and mental health during the 1998-2002 period. The universities' graduate programs concentrate the vast majority of the scientific production in Brazil. We assessed the annual reports from the graduate programs to the Brazilian Ministry of Education concerning master's and doctoral theses and the articles published in journals indexed by the Institute of Scientific Information (ISI). There are nine Master's and Doctoral graduate programs dedicated to research in psychiatry, neuropsychiatry, psychobiology, and mental health in the country, seven being located in southern states. During the 5-year period, from 1998 to 2002, 186 students received their doctorate degree (37/year). The programs published 637 articles in journals indexed by ISI, the majority of them in journals with an impact factor higher than 2. The research advisors' productivity varied among graduate programs, ranging from 0.6 to 2.0 articles per year in ISI-indexed journals. Despite the substantial barriers faced by the Brazilian scientific community (mainly financial and writing difficulties), Brazil's scientific mental health production is on the rise. The number of articles published in ISI-indexed journals has doubled without a significant increase in the number of graduate theses, suggesting that there was an improvement in both the quality of the scientific production and the productivity of the graduate programs. Based on these data, it is reasonable to predict a tendency to an increase in production over the next few years.