The effects of running and meditation on beta-endorphin, corticotropin-releasing hormone and cortisol in plasma, and on mood

The relations between three hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis, beta-endorphin (β-EP), corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and cortisol, and mood change were examined in 11 elite runners and 12 highly trained meditators matched in age, sex, and personality. Despite metabolic differences between running and meditation, we predicted that mood change after these activities would be similar when associated with similar hormonal change. Compared to pre-test and control values, mood was elevated after both activities but not significantly different between the two groups at post-test. There were significant elevations of β-EP and CRH after running and of CRH after meditation, but no significant differences in CRH increases between groups. CRH was correlated with positive mood changes after running and meditation. Cortisol levels were generally high but erratic in both groups. We conclude that positive affect is associated with plasma CRH immunoreactivity which itself is significantly associated with circulating β-EP supporting a role for CRH in the release of β-EP. Increased CRH immunoreactivity following meditation indicates, however, that physical exercise is not an essential requirement for CRH release.     

Antidepressant-associated maniform states in acute treatment of patients with bipolar-I depression

Medical records of 158 patients with bipolar depression were analysed for the incidence of a switch from depression to maniform states (mania and hypomania). Relation to psychopharmacological treatment was investigated. Thirty-nine (25%) patients of the total sample had switched to a maniform state during the treatment period in the hospital. Among that group the phenomenon occurred in 23 patients (15%) as a hypomania and in 16 patients (10%) as a mania. Patients with a switch were significantly more often treated with tricyclic antidepressants (TCA) than patients without switch (79.5% vs 51.3%). Mood stabilising medication might reduce the risk for switching, especially in patients treated with TCA; however, it seems not totally sufficient, since 59% of the switched patients received mood stabilisers. The switch phenomenon was not associated with sociodemographic or clinical data. Received: 23 September 1998 / Accepted: 28 September 1998     

About the centrality of mood lowering in mood disorders : Plenary Lecture ECNP Congress, Monte Carlo, October 1991

5-HT disturbances in depression (as exemplified by lowered CSF 5-HIAA) are not syndrome specific but related to components of the depressive syndrome, specifically to increased anxiety and aggression. These 5-HT disturbances are probably core pathogenetic processes not derivative features. I hypothesized that in this subtype of depression, i.e. in “5-HT related depression”, the key psychopathological disturbances are dysregulation of anxiety and aggression, while mood lowering is a “by-product”. Based on this hypothesis it was predicted that agents which ameliorate anxiety and/or aggression via harmonization of 5-HTergic transmission will, in addition, exert overall antidepressant effect in “5-HT related depression”. The study of the relative “weight” of the various psychopathological components of depression is a basic exercise in understanding the nature of that condition and could, as such, greatly facilitate the goal-directed search for new and innovative antidepressants.     

Multivariable non-linear controller for a synchronous generator

The problem of multivariable controller synthesis for a turbogenerator is considered. Using the feedback linearization approach for multi-input non-linear systems, the existence of a linearizing state feedback for the improved reduced-order model of a turbogenerator is proved and the simplest form of this feedback is derived. Application of the obtained non-linear controller to the multivariable control of a turbogenerator provides very good results not only for the reduced-order model but also for the ‘exact’ (Park's) model of a turbogenerator. Simulations of fault and post-fault conditions in the obtained nonlinear control system confirm its superiority over a system with a voltage regulator and power system stabilizer.     

精神病混合家系GRIK2基因多态性的关联研究

目的　在中国汉族人群混合家系中探讨GRIK2基因多态性与精神分裂症、心境障碍是否 关联。方法　采用PCR RFLP技术对GRIK2基因多态性rs6922753(T/C)和rs2227283(G/A)分型,进行 传递不平衡检验(TDT)。结果　(1)rs6922753多态性与精神分裂症(χ2=3.13,P>0.05)或心境障碍 (χ2=3.20,P>0.05)无关联,但在发病年龄≤25岁的患者中与两组疾病均相关联(P<0.05);(2) rs2227283多态性与精神分裂症(χ2=9.85,P<0.01)、心境障碍(χ2=13.50,P<0.01)呈显著关联;(3) 双位点TDT提示单体型TG、CA与精神分裂症、心境障碍相关联(P<0.05)。结论　在中国汉族人群 中GRIK2基因或邻近基因可能是精神分裂症和心境障碍的共同易患基因之一,并可能影响发病年龄。     

Neurobiology of Bipolar Illness: Implications for Future Study and Therapeutics

Many findings implicating prefrontal cortical and limbic areas of the brain and endocrine systems in the neuropathology and pathophysiology of bipolar illness have greatly increased our understanding of the neurobiology of the illness. New imaging techniques such as PET, MRI, SPECT, and MRS have detailed more evidence of specific regional alterations in the brains of bipolar patients than was thought possible just 20 years ago. These methods are beginning to be used to help predict response to treatment. Examining the mechanisms of action of mood stabilizers (such as lithium, carbamazepine, and valproate) has provided clues to potential underlying neurobiological abnormalities in the illness. Recent studies of postmortem brain tissue have begun to confirm prefrontal cortical and limbic neurochemical and microstructural alterations in patients with bipolar illness compared with controls. It is postulated that it is the balance between primary pathological versus secondary adaptive alterations in gene expression in the illness and their enhancement or dampening by pharmacotherapy, that may determine the episodic course of mood fluctuations and remissions. Further examination of the pathophysiology and neurobiology of bipolar illness should lead to both more effective treatments and, potentially, secondary and even primary episode prevention.     

Mood state and cerebral metabolism in persons with age-associated memory impairment

People undergoing medical procedures sometimes experience feelings that may influence the results. In this study, we explore the relationship between changes in mood state self-ratings and cerebral glucose metabolism during positron emission tomography (PET) in persons with age-associated memory impairment (mean age 59.4±9.8 years). Brain regions of interest involved in both mood and memory were examined. Mood ratings of increased boredom correlated significantly with mesial temporal and parietal asymmetry and decreased parietal metabolism. Mood ratings of increased fatigue correlated with basal ganglia asymmetry and the right basal ganglia and left mesial temporal metabolism. These findings suggest that subjective mood state changes during PET may influence metabolism in brain regions implicated in emotion and memory function in people with age-related memory complaints.     

Phenylpropanolamine: reinforcing and subjective effects in normal human volunteers

The reinforcing and subjective effects of phenylpropanolamine (PPA, 25 and 75 mg, PO) were compared with those of d-amphetamine (AMP, 5 mg) in a group of normal, healthy adults (eight males, nine females) with no history of drug abuse. A discrete-trial choice procedure was used in which subjects first sampled placebo and a dose of one of the drugs. Subjects were then allowed to choose between self-administration of drug or placebo on three separate occasions. The relative frequency with which active drug was chosen over placebo was used as the primary index of the drug's reinforcing efficacy. Subjective effects were measured with the Profile of Mood States, a short version of the Addiction Research Center Inventory and a series of visual analog scales. Ratings of drug liking, drug labelling, general activity level and strength of drug preference were also obtained. As expected, AMP was chosen significantly more often than expected by chance (69% of occasions). AMP also increased ratings of drug liking, preference strength, and activity level, and produced a profile of subjective effects consistent with its well-established stimulant and euphorigenic properties. The low dose of PPA was without effect on most measures. PPA 75 mg was chosen significantly less often than expected by chance (39% of occasions). This dose of PPA was most frequently labelled as a stimulant, and produced significant increases on ratings of Anxiety and stimulated, and decreases on ratings of sedated and hungry. Unlike AMP, PPA did not affect ratings of drug liking or mood scales reflecting euphoria. In sum, these results indicate that PPA does not possess AMP-like dependence potential.