Psychological effects of aromatherapy on chronic hemodialysis patients

Effects of aromatherapy (odorless condition, lavender, and hiba oil) on mood and anxiety were investigated in 14 female patients who were being treated with chronic hemodialysis. A control period consisting of natural hospital smells was established before each test session, and then aromatic test conditions were systematically evaluated for odorless conditions as well as aromatic conditions containing lavender and hiba oil aromas. The effects of aromatherapy were measured using the Hamilton rating scale for depression (HAMD) and the Hamilton rating scale for anxiety (HAMA). Hiba oil aroma significantly decreased the mean scores of HAMD and HAMA, and lavender aroma significantly decreased the mean scores of HAMA. The mean scores of HAMD and HAMA in an odorless condition were not significantly different from those of the control conditions. These results indicate that in chronic hemodialysis patients hiba oil is an effective, non-invasive means for the treatment of depression and anxiety, and that lavender alleviates anxiety.     

One-year prevalence and incidence of depression among first-year university students in Japan: a preliminary study

A structured interview was used to examine the 1-year incidence and prevalence of depression among 116 first-year university students. While 24 of the subjects (20.7%) met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th ed. (DSM-IV) criteria for Major Depressive Episode (MDE), 62 (53.4%) met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 3rd ed. Revised (DSM-III-R) criteria for MDE, and 27 (23.3%) also met the Research Diagnostic Criteria (RDC) for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) for the 12 months prior to the interview. Moreover, 23 of the subjects (19.8%) had onset of the DSM-IV criteria for MDE, 54 (46.6%) had onset of the DSM-III-R criteria for MDE, 24 (20.7%) had onset of the RDC for MDD, during the same time period. These high rates of depression may be explained by the students' difficulties in and by their readjustment after entering university.     

半夏厚朴汤醇提物对大鼠慢性抑郁模型的影响

目的 :研究半夏厚朴汤醇提物对大鼠慢性抑郁模型 (CMS)的影响 ,探索其抗抑郁机制。方法 :以 1%蔗糖水摄入量作为指标 ,慢性给予各种低强度复合刺激 ,造成大鼠慢性抑郁模型。按试剂盒酶法测定血脂 ;采用乳酸脱氢酶 (LDH)释放法测定脾细胞内自然杀伤细胞活性 ;采用邻苯三酚自氧化法测定红细胞内超氧化物岐化酶活性 ;按试剂盒显色法测定血清和组织中一氧化氮合酶活性 ;采用硫代巴比妥酸法测定心脏中丙二醛含量。结果 :在大鼠CMS模型中半夏厚朴汤醇提物可增加动物蔗糖摄入量 ;增加其脾脏自然杀伤细胞活性 ;升高血清中高密度脂蛋白 (HDL C)水平 (P<0 .0 5 ) ,降低甘油三酯水平 (P<0 .0 0 1) ;降低血红细胞内超氧化物岐化酶活性及血清和肝组织中一氧化氮合酶活性 ;同时抑制组织中脂质过氧化程度 ,降低心肌组织中丙二醛含量。结论 :半夏厚朴汤醇提物通过多途径而达到抗抑郁作用。     

药品行政保护品种介绍:神经和精神系统药物(一)(待续)

文拉法辛缓释胶囊　通用名 :文拉法辛 (venla faxine)缓释胶囊。商品名 :怡诺思 (Efexor)缓释胶囊。化学名 :(R/S) 1 [2 (二甲胺 ) 1 (4 甲氧苯基 )乙基 ]环己醇盐酸盐。结构式见图 1。图 1　文拉法辛结构式　　　Fig 1　Structureofvenlafaxine　　申请日 :1999年 4月 16日。申请人 :荷兰AHP制药有限公司。申请号 :A NL 990 4 16 10。授权号 :B NL 9912 2 32 1。授权日 :1999年 12月 2 3日。法定行政保护期 :从授权之日起 7.5a ,到 2 0 0 7年 6月2 3日止。专利介绍 :欧洲专利第 0 12 2 6 6 9号。商标注册 :在我国注册的商标为怡诺…     

Attentional Difficulties in Middle Childhood and Psychosocial Outcomes in Young Adulthood

The associations between (dimensionally scored) measures of attentional difficulties at age 8 and psychosocial outcomes at age 18 were examined in a birth cohort of New Zealand children. Increasing attentional difficulties during middle childhood were associated with increased risks of academic failure or difficulties, juvenile offending, and substance use behaviours in young adulthood. However, those with early attentional difficulties were a high-risk group characterised by social disadvantages, early conduct difficulties, lower 1Q, and related characteristics. Statistical adjustments showed: (a) that attentional difficulties were related to later academic success even when due allowance was made for potentially confounding factors; and (b) early attentional difficulties were unrelated to later juvenile offending or substance use behaviours after adjustment for confounding. In all cases there was evidence of consistent dose/response relationships between the extent of early attentional difficulties and later academic outcomes, suggesting that these associations were not confined to those with extreme symptoms.     

Diffuse fibromatosis on the scalp in infancy: A variant of juvenile hyaline fibromatosis

Various types of fibromatosis have been reported in infancy and early childhood. We describe an infant with diffuse fibromatosis on the scalp. A one year and five months-old girl showed a diffuse and hard mass 3 × 5 cm in diameter and no tenderness on the scalp. Two months later, the size of the mass had increased and several other tumors appeared on the lateral head. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) disclosed that a large and diffuse tumor had spread from the frontal to occipital head; a ‘helmet-like’ configuration of the tumor was exhibited on sagittal MR images. The tumor showed high signal intensity on T2-weighted images and was enhanced with Gd-DTPA. Histological examination showed a fibroblastic proliferation with intervening thick collagen bundles. The patient was diagnosed as having diffuse fibromatosis. The tumor at the resection site immediately recurred, whereas the tumor in the frontal head showed marked regression. Three months after the resection, new tumors appeared in the occipital head. The size and number of these tumors have remained unchanged for more than 18 months. The sites and appearance of the tumors were identical to that of juvenile hyaline fibromatosis (JHF) in this patient. However, JHF usually includes fibroblasts associated with large amounts of hyalinized collagen-like material, which were not present in our patient. The different histology of JHF comparing our case and other reported cases may depend on the different phase of the disease progression at resection. Long-term observation is necessary for the appropriate diagnosis and evaluation of prognosis in this patient.     

Estrogen-regulated non-reproductive behaviors and breast cancer risk: Animal models and human studies

The possible role of personality patterns and psychosocial factors in breast cancer has been studied extensively, through both human and animal experiments. The data are conflicting, and the conclusions controversial. This review will serve two purposes. First, we present evidence that behavioral patterns most commonly linked to breast cancer risk are at least partly regulated by estrogens. This section will suggest that some estrogen-regulated behaviors may be markers of increased breast cancer risk. Second, we will briefly review recent findings in animals connecting psychosocial factors to cancer. We also will address the plausible biological mechanisms. The literature suggests that estrogens, particularly when exposure occurs during the critical developmental periods, such as in utero, puberty, pregnancy, and menopause, influence affective behaviors and increase breast cancer risk. The affective behaviors include depression, aggression, and alcohol intake. Thus, psychosocial and personality factors do not necessarily have a direct impact on breast cancer risk; instead, estrogens have a dual effect on behavior and on the breast.     

Mechanisms of motor learning in the cerebellum

How the elaborate neuronal circuit in the cerebellum operates and is involved in motor learning is a question addressed in earnest in studies on the cerebellum. During the past four decades, experimental studies have revealed circuit and module structures of the cerebellum, established long-term depression (LTD) as a unique and characteristic type of synaptic plasticity in the cerebellum, and analysed signal contents of activates of cerebellar neurons related to motor learning. In the 1990s, these studies were developed to detailed analyses of the signal transduction underlying LTD, and to uncovering the involvement of the cerebellum in cognitive function. On the other hand, theoretical studies yielded epochal Marr-Albus network models of the cerebellum around 1970, and introduced control system principles explaining the essential roles of the cerebellum in motor learning as providing internal models, both forward and inverse. The author maintains the hypothesis that reorganisation of the neuronal circuit by error-driven induction of LTD constitutes the major memory and learning mechanisms of the cerebellum. In this article, we examine the validity of the hypothesis in light of currently available data in recent studies of the cerebellum.     

Modulation of triceps surae H-reflexes as a function of the reflex activation history during standing and stepping

The facilitatory effectiveness of spindle afferent feedback is controlled by modulation of segmental reflex excitability such that the level of muscle activation is appropriate for the task. Phase-dependent modes of reflex modulation have been well-characterized. We hypothesized that segmental reflex excitability of the triceps surae was also modulated in a manner associated with the activation history of the spindle afferents and the segmental reflex pathway during isometric contractions, standing and stepping. In the first experiment. pairs of soleus (S) H-reflexes were evoked 80 ms apart with equal strength stimuli at rest and while subjects isometrically contracted their S against loads of 10%. 20%. and 50% of their maximum voluntary efforts. The percent depression of the second H-reflex relative to the first was used as a measure of the effect of reflex activation history. At rest, the second H-reflexes were depressed an average of 73% relative to the first. The degree of depression was progressively reduced as the plantarflexion torque increased. In the second experiment, paired H-reflexes were obtained from the S and medial (MG) and lateral gastrocnemii (LG) muscles while subjects were standing and during the stance phase of step initiation. The degree of depression of the second H-reflex during standing ( > 78%) was similar in magnitude to that produced at rest in Experiment I. At the end of the stance phase of stepping. depression of the second H-reflex of all three muscles was reduced to less than 25%. We conclude that the segmental reflex excitability is modulated as a function of the reflex activation history during these tasks.