Neurocognitive markers of suicidal ideation in patients with anxiety and mood disorders

Abstract

Objective: This study aims at identifying associations between cognitive function and suicidal ideation in the sample of patients with anxiety and mood disorders (AMD).

Methods: In sum, 186 (age = 39?±?12.3 years; 142 [76.3%] females) patients with AMD were enrolled in the study. Assessment included evaluation of socio-demographic information, medication use, anxiety and depression symptoms. Cognitive tests included measures of psychomotor performance and incidental learning using the Digit Symbol Test. Trail Making Tests respectively measured perceptual speed, task-switching and executive control. Additionally, 21 patients completed tests from the Cambridge Automated Neuropsychological Test Battery measuring set shifting (Interdimensional/extradimensional set-shift), executive planning (Stockings of Cambridge), and decision making (Cambridge Gamble Task [CGT]).

Results: Almost half (45.0%, n?=?86) of the study sample patients had experienced suicidal ideations. In multivariable regression analysis, suicidal ideation was associated with a greater overall proportion of bet and risk taking on the CGT task (β?=?0.726, p?=?.010 and β?=?0.634, p?=?.019), when controlling for socio-demographic characteristics, medication use, anxiety and depression symptoms.

Conclusions: Outpatients with AMD and suicidal ideation could be distinguished by the presence of cognitive deficits in the executive function domain, particularly in impulse-control and risk taking.     

Serum leptin concentrations in pre- and postmenopausal women on sex hormone therapy.

AIM: The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of endogenous estradiol and estrogen and estrogen-progestin therapies on concentration in pre- and postmenopausal women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study groups consisted of 26 women with surgical menopause (mean+/-standard deviation (SD): age 51.8+/-2.6 years, body mass index (BMI) 26.45+/-4.56 kg/m(2)), 54 with natural menopause (mean+/-SD: age 50.5+/-3.0 years, BMI 25.75+/-4.09 kg/m(2)) and 40 premenopausal controls (mean+/-SD: age 48.3+/-2.3 years, BMI 26.23+/-4.12 kg/m(2)). The group with surgical menopause received estradiol transdermally (50 microg/day) and those with natural menopause received additionally medroxyprogesterone acetate (5 mg/day) for the last 12 days of the cycle. Before and after 4 months of therapy, body weight, waist and hip circumferences and blood pressure were measured, and BMI and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were calculated. Serum leptin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E(2)), testosterone, prolactin and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) were measured prior to and after treatment. RESULTS: Leptin concentrations did not differ statistically among the groups. No correlations between leptin and E(2), FSH, prolactin, testosterone and DHEAS concentrations were found in any of the groups before and after treatment. Leptin level correlated positively with body mass, BMI and hip and waist circumferences in all groups. There were no correlations between leptin and WHR in the pre- and postmenopausal groups. In the premenopausal group and in some postmenopausal groups, serum leptin level correlated with blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: Endogenous E(2) and androgens in premenopausal women and estrogen and estrogen-progestin therapies in postmenopausal subjects do not influence serum leptin concentrations. Leptin level is related to body mass and BMI, but not to sex hormone status. The distribution of adipose tissue and the type of obesity (android or gynoid) have no influence on serum leptin concentration. The correlation between serum leptin level and blood pressure requires further investigation.     

Evaluation of gastric emptying in familial and sporadic Parkinson disease

ObjectiveTo assess for the presence of gastric dysmotility in familial and sporadic Parkinson disease (PD).Methods10 subjects with familial Parkinson disease (fPD), 35 subjects with sporadic Parkinson disease (sPD), and 15 controls, all from academic tertiary care movement disorders centers, were studied. fPD was defined as the presence of at least 2 affected individuals within 2–3 consecutive generations in a family. Molecular genetic analysis has not revealed, thus far, any known genomic abnormality in these families. Gastric emptying was assessed by dynamic abdominal scintigraphy over 92 min following ingestion of a solid meal containing 99mTc-labeled colloid of 40 MBq activity. The main outcome measures were gastric emptying half-time and radiotracer activity over the gastric area at 46 and at 92 min.ResultsGastric emptying time was delayed in 60% of subjects with PD. In comparison to mean t_1/2 of 38 ± 7 min in controls, mean t_1/2 was 58 ± 25 min in fPD (p = 0.02) and 46 ± 25 min in sPD (p = 0.10). Both fPD and sPD groups included subjects with delayed gastric emptying at an early stage of disease.ConclusionsPatients with fPD showed significantly delayed gastric emptying in comparison to normal age-matched individuals. Further studies of gastrointestinal dysfunction in PD, particularly fPD, are warranted.     

Effect of organism environment upon bacteriostatic and mechanical properties of palacos R cement with antibiotic--second part]

The results of bacteriological tests of Palacos R cement with antibiotic 4 days, 7 days, 2 weeks, 3 weeks and 4 weeks after implantation in rabbit organism have been presented in this work. The results of tests of mechanical characteristics of cement with and without antibiotic samples after being kept in physiological saline for 3 to 6 weeks have also been discussed. Bacteriological tests prove that antibiotic (III generation cephalosporin) added to surgical cement retain its bacteriostatic properties. When tested on rabbits cement plus antibiotic retains its bacteriostatic properties after 4 weeks period. It has state, that by reason of prolonged time of activity antibiotic into surgical cement, it is necessary to investigate the mechanical characteristics of cement conditioned in physiological saline for 3 months at least.     

Versuche über die Ausscheidung von gasförmigem Stickstoff aus den im Körper umgesetzten Eiweissstoffen

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