Low serum HDL‐cholesterol levels are associated with long symptom duration in patients with major depressive disorder

Aims: The purpose of the present study was to examine whether the association between depression and the serum high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) is modified by symptom duration. Methods: Depressed patients (n = 88) and an age‐ and sex‐matched group of healthy general population controls (n = 88) underwent a Structured Clinical Interview for DSM‐IV (SCID), and depressed participants reported the duration of their symptoms. The serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), HDL‐C, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C), triglycerides (TG) and non‐HDL, and the ratios of LDL‐C/HDL and TC/HDL‐C were assessed. Results: Major depressive disorder (MDD) subjects with a long symptom duration (≥3 years) had lower levels of HDL‐C compared with healthy controls or MDD subjects with a symptom duration <3 years. The likelihood for long symptom duration doubled for each 0.5‐mmol/L decrease in HDL‐C levels in regression models adjusted for age, gender, marital status, overweight, symptom severity, alcohol consumption, smoking, physical exercise, medication use, and non‐HDL‐C (P < 0.05). Conclusions: These findings suggest that a low serum HDL‐C level, a risk factor for coronary heart disease, is specifically associated with long‐term depressive symptomatology.     

Small molecule designed to target metal binding site in the alpha2I domain inhibits integrin function

Integrin alpha2beta1 is a potential target molecule in drug development. We have established "design" criteria for molecules that bind to the "closed" conformation of alpha2I domain via Mg(2+) in MIDAS (metal ion dependent adhesion site) while simultaneously forming interactions with neighboring amino acid residues. Specific tetracyclic Streptomyces products belonging to the group of aromatic polyketides fulfill our criteria and inhibit alpha2beta1 integrin. All previously described inhibitors of alphaI domain integrins act in an allosteric manner.     

Acute changes in muscle activation and leg extension performance after different running exercises in elite long distance runners

This study investigated acute changes in muscle activation and muscular power performance after three different running exercises in elite long-distance runners. Twenty-two nationally and internationally ranked long-distance runners performed first an incremental treadmill running test until exhaustion (MR) and then 40 min continuous (TR) and intermittent (2 min run/2 min rest) (IR) running exercises at an intensity of 80 and 100% of the velocity associated with VO_2max, respectively. Muscle activation and muscular power performance tests (counter-movement jumps, CMJ, and a set of ten maximal half squats from the static starting position with an extra load of 35% of the subjects,′ one repetition maximum) were performed before and immediately after the runs. The average mechanical power (P) of the half squats was calculated and the root mean square electromyogram (EMGrms) from the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, gastrocnemius and biceps femoris muscles was recorded simultaneously during the half squat performances. The results showed an acute exercise–induced increase in P (ANOVA time effect, P=0.000) together with a reduction in EMGrms of the knee extensor muscles (ANOVA time effect, P=0.000). However, mechanical P expressed as a relative change within the set decreased after MR. In TR the improvement in P correlated positively with the maximal running performance of the runners (P<0.05), while in IR it correlated negatively (P<0.05). Jumping performance was significantly enhanced after each run (P<0.001, for all) and the improvement correlated negatively with the maximal sprinting speed and maximal jumping height of the runners (P<0.01, for all). It is concluded that in elite long distance runners an intensive prolonged running exercise reduces the surface EMG of the knee extensor muscles, and may lead to a different coordination strategy in leg extension exercises performed into the vertical direction. After continuous type of running the power improvement correlates positively with maximal endurance running capacity, whereas after intermittent type of running it correlates negatively.     

Serum anti-inflammatory markers in general population subjects with elevated depressive symptoms

Anti-inflammatory substances have previously been suggested to show compensatory elevations in depressed individuals with pronounced inflammatory changes. In order to further clarify these observations, we examined depression-related alterations in the serum levels of anti-inflammatory markers interleukin (IL)-1 receptor antagonist (RA) and IL-10 and the pro-inflammatory marker IL-6 in 416 general population participants. Depression was evaluated with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Participants with elevated depressive symptoms (BDI > 14, n = 44) had increased levels of IL-1 RA and IL-6. No changes were observed in their IL-10 levels. In multivariate modeling with adjustments for age, gender, obesity, regular smoking, alcohol use, metabolic syndrome, physical exercise, sleep disturbance, and the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, a high level of IL-1 RA was associated with an increased likelihood of belonging to the group with elevated depressive symptoms (OR for each 1 SD increase in the serum level of IL-1 RA: 2.17, 95% CI 1.35–3.48, p = 0.001). The significance of IL-6 alterations did not persist in the same model. The pronounced secretion of anti-inflammatory marker IL-1 RA may reflect the presence of compensatory mechanisms during a depression-related inflammatory state.     

Midbrain binding of [123I]nor-beta-CIT in atypical depression

BACKGROUND: Altered serotonin (SERT) and dopamine transporter (DAT) densities have been recorded in major depression. Atypical depression (ATD) has been suggested to be connected to decreased serotonergic transmission, but no studies have been published on the association between brain serotonin transporter density and ATD. METHODS: PATIENTS with depression (n=29) were divided into three groups according to DSM-IV criteria: atypically depressed, melancholic patients, and "undifferentiated" patients. Depressive symptoms were evaluated with the 29-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D-29). Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with [(123)I]nor-beta-CIT was used to evaluate serotonin transporter density (SERT) in the midbrain and dopamine transporter density (DAT) in the striatum of patients and healthy controls (n=18). RESULTS: All subgroups except those with undifferentiated depression had lower SERT densities compared to controls. No significant differences were found in the densities between the subgroups. Atypical scores of HAM-D-29 were associated with SERT densities in the midbrain (beta=-0.40, t=-2.3, p=0.03), even after adjustment for age, gender and HAM-D-21 scores (beta=-0.39, t=-2.32, p=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The association between atypical scores of HAM-D-29 and midbrain SERT densities suggests a relationship between serotonergic dysfunction and ATD.     

Changes in midbrain serotonin transporter availability in atypically depressed subjects after one year of psychotherapy

BACKGROUND: Psychotherapy is an effective treatment method for depression, but no differences in the psychotherapy response have been found between the subtypes of depression. The effect of psychotherapy on neurotransmitter transporter functions has never been recorded in depressed subjects. METHODS: Depressive outpatients (N=19) received psychodynamic psychotherapy for 12 months. All subjects fulfilled the DSM-IV criteria for depression, and 8 were classified as having atypical depression. The severity of depression was assessed with the 29-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D-29). Midbrain serotonin transporter (SERT) and striatum dopamine transporter (DAT) densities were recorded using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) brain imaging with the [123I]nor-beta-CIT radioligand before and after psychotherapy. RESULTS: Midbrain SERT density significantly increased during psychotherapy in atypicals but not in nonatypicals. There were no changes in the levels of DAT. CONCLUSIONS: The psychotherapy-related SERT elevation of atypically depressed subjects may be due to some unknown adaptive mechanisms inducing an increase in either the levels of SERT or serotonergic nerve terminals and therefore enhancing serotonergic activity and improving mood.     

Dissociation, self-cutting, and other self-harm behavior in a general population of Finnish adolescents

A few studies on adult clinical samples have demonstrated that dissociation predicts self-harm behavior without intent to die. Furthermore, a similar association has been found from selected adolescent populations. However, no studies have been published on the association between dissociation and self-harm behavior in general populations of either adults or adolescents. We investigated whether a high level of dissociation predicts self-cutting or other self-harm behavior in a Finnish general population sample of 4019 adolescents aged between 13 and 18 years. Those with a high level of dissociation measured with the Adolescent Dissociative Experiences Scale had a higher risk of current self-cutting and other self-harm behavior, even when adjusted for several possible confounding factors. Self-cutting adolescents had higher Adolescent Dissociative Experiences Scale scores than those displaying other kinds of self-harm behavior. These results indicate that a high level of dissociation is an independent risk factor for self-harm behavior in adolescents, and may have value both in clinical work and further research.     

Primary and multisensory cortical activity is correlated with audiovisual percepts

Incongruent auditory and visual stimuli can elicit audiovisual illusions such as the McGurk effect where visual /ka/ and auditory /pa/ fuse into another percept such as/ta/. In the present study, human brain activity was measured with adaptation functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate which brain areas support such audiovisual illusions. Subjects viewed trains of four movies beginning with three congruent /pa/ stimuli to induce adaptation. The fourth stimulus could be (i) another congruent /pa/, (ii) a congruent /ka/, (iii) an incongruent stimulus that evokes the McGurk effect in susceptible individuals (lips /ka/ voice /pa/), or (iv) the converse combination that does not cause the McGurk effect (lips /pa/ voice/ ka/). This paradigm was predicted to show increased release from adaptation (i.e. stronger brain activation) when the fourth movie and the related percept was increasingly different from the three previous movies. A stimulus change in either the auditory or the visual stimulus from /pa/ to /ka/ (iii, iv) produced within‐modality and cross‐modal responses in primary auditory and visual areas. A greater release from adaptation was observed for incongruent non‐McGurk (iv) compared to incongruent McGurk (iii) trials. A network including the primary auditory and visual cortices, nonprimary auditory cortex, and several multisensory areas (superior temporal sulcus, intraparietal sulcus, insula, and pre‐central cortex) showed a correlation between perceiving the McGurk effect and the fMRI signal, suggesting that these areas support the audiovisual illusion. Hum Brain Mapp, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Official marital status, cohabiting, and self-rated health-time trends in Finland, 1978-2001

BACKGROUND: Married persons are healthier and live longer than single, divorced, and widowed persons. Time trends in self-rated health (SRH) by marital status and cohabitation have remained largely unstudied. We aim to assess the levels and trends of SRH by official marital status and cohabitation, and to study the causes of these differences. METHODS: Two nationally representative cross-sectional surveys were conducted 20 years apart in Finland. Data on self-reported marital status, SRH, education, smoking, and long-standing illness were collected from Finns aged 30-64 years in 1978-80 (Mini-Finland Health Survey, N = 6102, response rate 96%) and 2000-01 (Health 2000 Survey, N = 5871, response rate 92%). RESULTS: SRH has improved in the last 20 years, but differences between marital status groups have not reduced. In 2000-01, non-married persons reported worse SRH than married persons. Among men, single [cumulative odds ratio (COR) = 1.55; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.22-1.99] and divorced (COR = 1.55; 95% CI 1.17-2.05) persons showed the poorest SRH, while among women widows (1.53; 95% CI 1.04-2.26) were the most disadvantaged group. The SRH of cohabiting persons did not significantly differ from that of married persons. Differences in educational structure, smoking, and the prevalence of long-term illness explain part of the marital status differences in SRH among men, but less so among women. Among both single men and women as well as among widowed women, SRH had improved slightly less than in the other groups. CONCLUSION: The challenges on public health posed by growing numbers of currently not married people are likely to increase.