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.     

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。     

Neocortical gray matter volume in first-episode schizophrenia and first-episode affective psychosis: a cross-sectional and longitudinal MRI study.

BACKGROUND: Overall neocortical gray matter (NCGM) volume has not been studied in first-episode schizophrenia (FESZ) at first hospitalization or longitudinally to evaluate progression, nor has it been compared with first-episode affective psychosis (FEAFF). METHODS: Expectation-maximization/atlas-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tissue segmentation into gray matter, white matter (WM), or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) at first hospitalization of 29 FESZ and 34 FEAFF, plus 36 matched healthy control subjects (HC), and, longitudinally approximately 1.5 years later, of 17 FESZ, 21 FEAFF, and 26 HC was done. Manual editing separated NCGM and its lobar parcellation, cerebral WM (CWM), lateral ventricles (LV), and sulcal CSF (SCSF). RESULTS: At first hospitalization, FESZ and FEAFF showed smaller NCGM volumes and larger SCSF and LV than HC. Longitudinally, FESZ showed NCGM volume reduction (-1.7%), localized to frontal (-2.4%) and temporal (-2.6%) regions, and enlargement of SCSF (7.2%) and LV (10.4%). Poorer outcome was associated with these LV and NCGM changes. FEAFF showed longitudinal NCGM volume increases (3.6%) associated with lithium or valproate administration but without clinical correlations and regional localization. CONCLUSIONS: Longitudinal NCGM volume reduction and CSF component enlargement in FESZ are compatible with post-onset progression. Longitudinal NCGM volume increase in FEAFF may reflect neurotrophic effects of mood stabilizers.     

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.     

新疆维吾尔自治区精神障碍流行病学调查及影响因素研究

背景经济社会的发展、生活方式的转变及新型冠状病毒感染疫情的发生都对人群心身健康水平产生影响,进而可能使精神障碍的患病情况发生变化。然而,目前新疆维吾尔自治区的精神障碍流行病学调查资料尚不完善。目的 调查新疆维吾尔自治区北部（简称北疆）≥15岁人群的常见精神障碍患病率及影响因素,并同新疆维吾尔自治区南部（简称南疆）相关资料进行汇总与对比,得出全疆常见精神障碍患病情况,为制定相应的精神卫生规划提供科学依据。方法 于2021年11月至2022年7月,采用多阶段分层随机抽样法在北疆选取居民3 853例为研究对象。以社会人口学调查表、自评量表（12项一般用健康问卷、心境障碍问卷、90项症状清单等）及他评量表（汉密尔顿抑郁量表、贝克-拉范森躁狂量表、简明精神病量表等）作为调查工具,以国际疾病分类第10版（ICD-10）中的精神与行为障碍分类为诊断标准,由两名具有≥5年工作经验的精神科医师对纳入居民进行精神障碍诊断,诊断不一致者由精神科主任或副主任医师进行二次诊断。结果 北疆地区常见精神障碍时点患病率为9.71%(374/3 853),年龄调整率为10.07%;全疆常见精神障碍时点患病率为9.69%...