Purchases of antidepressants after cancer at a young age in Finland

According to previous studies, childhood cancer survivors have an elevated risk for late mental health effects. However, only few studies exist on young adulthood (YA) cancer survivors’ mental health outcomes. In our study, we examined first time antidepressant (AD) medication purchases of childhood and YA cancer patients compared to siblings. The first time AD medication purchases of 7,093 cancer patients aged 0–34 years at diagnosis and a sibling cohort (N = 26,882) were retrieved from the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela) since 1.1.1993. Cancer patients diagnosed between 1.1.1994 and 31.12.2004 were identified from the Finnish Cancer Registry and sibling controls via the Population Registry Centre. Statistical analyses were performed via the Cox regression model, and the hazard ratios (HR) were adjusted for age and gender. Increased hazard ratios for AD purchases were found in the younger (0–19 years at cancer diagnosis) [HR 5.2, 95%CI (3.7–7.2)] and older (age 20–34 years at cancer diagnosis) [HR 4.5, 95%CI (3.9–5.2)] cancer patient groups compared to siblings. The gender effect was similar in patients and controls, showing that females have higher risk for AD purchases than males. Males in the younger patient group had highest HR (5.6) for AD purchases compared to siblings. Patients with sarcoma or CNS tumor in the younger age group and leukemia or CNS malignancy in the older age group had the highest risk for AD medication purchases. The frequency and risk for AD purchases has been increasing during recent decades in both cancer patient age groups compared to siblings. Thus, cancer patients’ psychological support should be properly assessed already after primary treatment. Certain diagnostic groups as well as female patients may require more psychological support than others.     

Brand-Name Antidepressants Outperform Their Generic Counterparts in Preventing Hospitalization for Depression: The Real-World Evidence from Taiwan

BackgroundGeneric antidepressants are approved on the market based on evidence of bioequivalence to their brand-name versions. We aimed to assess whether generic antidepressants exert equal effectiveness as their brand-name counterparts for treating patients with depressive disorders.MethodsIn a nationwide, population-based cohort in Taiwan from 1997 through 2013, patients with a diagnosis of a depressive disorder aged between 18 and 65 years who were new users of antidepressant drugs were classified into either the brand-name group or the generic group. All patients were followed up until medication discontinuation or the end of the study period. We assessed the risk for hospitalization as a primary outcome and augmentation therapy, daily dose, medication discontinuation, or switching to another antidepressant as secondary outcomes.ResultsA total of 277 651 brand-name users (35.8% male; mean age: 41.2 years) and 270 583 generic users (35.8% male; mean age: 41.0 years) were divided into 10 different antidepressant groups (fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, escitalopram, citalopram, venlafaxine, mirtazapine, moclobemide, imipramine, and bupropion). We found that patients treated with the generic form of sertraline, paroxetine, escitalopram, venlafaxine, mirtazapine, and bupropion demonstrated significantly higher risks of psychiatric hospitalization (adjusted hazard ratios ranged from 1.20–2.34), compared to their brand-name counterparts. The differences between brand-name antidepressants and their generic counterparts in secondary outcomes varied across different drugs.ConclusionsCompared to most generic antidepressants, brand-name drugs exhibited more protective effects on psychiatric hospitalization for depressive patients. These findings could serve as an important reference for clinicians when encountering patients with depressive disorder.     

越鞠甘麦大枣汤增强突触可塑性产生抗抑郁样作用＊

目的 研究越鞠甘麦大枣汤的抗抑郁样作用并分析其对小鼠海马突触可塑性的影响。方法 昆明小鼠随机分为对照组和越鞠甘麦大枣汤组，给药24 h和7 天后进行悬尾测试（Tail suspension test，TST）和强迫游泳测试（Forced swimming test，FST）。运用电生理（electrophysiological experiment）技术检测小鼠海马区Schaffe侧枝-CA1的长时程增强（long term potentiation，LTP），利用western blot方法分析海马脑区α-氨基-3-羟基-5-甲基-4-异恶唑丙酸受体（α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionicacid receptor，AMPAR）和N-甲基-d-天冬氨酸受体（N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor， NMDAR）相关突触蛋白的表达水平。结果 给药24 h和7天后，与对照组小鼠相比，越鞠甘麦大枣汤给药组小鼠在TST（P <0.001）和FST（P <0.01）中的不动时间均明显降低，氯胺酮在给药24 h后显示出抗抑郁作用，但到第7天不能降低小鼠不动时间，越鞠甘麦大枣汤显示出更持久的抗抑郁样作用。电生理实验中，越鞠甘麦大枣汤可增强小鼠海马区的LTP（P < 0.001）。Western blot结果显示，GluR1、NR2B以及NR1的表达水平在给药后均明显增加（P < 0.05）。结论 越鞠甘麦大枣汤可能通过增强昆明小鼠海马脑区LTP，以及增加AMPA和NMDA受体相关突触蛋白的表达水平以提高突触传递效能，从而产生抗抑郁样作用。     

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and post-stroke depression

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is well known to play a critical role in cognition. Its role in mood disorders, including post stroke depression (PSD), is also recognized with more evidence surfacing. In patients with PSD, their serum BNDF level is lower than in those without depression. Furthermore, antidepressants could enhance BDNF expression in the brain, resulting in an alleviation of depression symptoms. Such therapeutic effect can be abolished in animals with the BDNF gene deleted. In PSD patients, the presence of stroke may contribute to the development of depression, including affecting the expression of BDNF. However, the mechanisms of BDNF in the development of PSD remain largely unknown. Lower BDNF levels may have existed in some patients before stroke onset, making them vulnerable to develop depressive symptoms. Meanwhile, the hypoxic environment induced by stroke could possibly downregulate BDNF expression in the brain. Current antidepressant treatments are not specific for PSD and there is a lack of treatments to address the linkage between stroke and PSD. This review summarizes the current knowledge of BDNF in PSD. By regulating BDNF expression, a synergistic effect may be achieved when such treatments are applied together with existing antidepressants.     

Evaluation of vilazodone for the treatment of depressive and anxiety disorders

Introduction: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) significantly contribute to the global burden of disease. Vilazodone, a combined serotonin reuptake inhibitor and 5-HT1A partial agonist, is an approved therapy for the treatment of MDD and which has been further investigated for GAD.

Areas covered: This article covers the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of vilazodone and provides an evaluation of the clinical usefulness of vilazodone for the treatment of MDD and anxiety disorders. A literature search was performed using PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library.

Expert opinion: Studies have shown that vilazodone is significantly superior to placebo. However, vilazodone cannot as yet be recommended as a first-line treatment option for MDD as it is unclear whether the drug’s dual mechanism of action provides greater efficacy than prevailing treatment options. Moreover, more phase IV studies are needed to establish its efficacy and long-term safety in larger and more diverse populations. Although vilazodone may have an additional advantage for the treatment of anxiety symptoms in MDD, here also additional studies are required to confirm its efficacy over and above SSRI alternatives and other antidepressant treatments. Therefore, presently, vilazodone should be considered as a second- or third-line treatment option for MDD and GAD.     

Acute Neurofunctional Effects of Escitalopram in Pediatric Anxiety: A Double-Blind,Placebo-Controlled Trial

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补肝散不同分离组份抗抑郁活性筛选

目的 对补肝散醇提物不同分离组份的抗抑郁活性进行筛选。方法 采用慢性不可预知温和应激（chronicunpredictable mild stress,CUMS）对小鼠进行为期8周的造模,造模4周后,分别以盐酸帕罗西汀（paroxetine hydrochloride,PX）、补肝散醇提物、石油醚（A）、二氯甲烷（B）、乙酸乙酯（C）及正丁醇（D）4个分离组份进行为期4周的灌胃治疗,考察各组小鼠的行为学及脑内神经递质含量的变化。结果 连续给药4周（造模8周）后,PX组（0.026 g·kg^-1）、补肝散醇提物组（1.92 g·kg^-1）及其分离组份C（0.232 g·kg^-1）、D（1.04 g·kg^-1）和B（0.160 g·kg^-1）组均能明显逆转模型小鼠的抑郁表现如糖水偏好率下降、强迫游泳不动时间延长等抑郁症状。能不同程度地增加其脑内额叶皮质中5-羟色胺和多巴胺的含量,其中PX、醇提物及分离组份C的作用更为明显（与模型组比较,P<0.05或<0.01）。结论 补肝散醇提物的抗抑郁活性部位主要集中于乙酸乙酯和正丁醇分离组份,其次是二氯甲烷分离组份。