Toxoplasma gondii IgG serointensity and cognitive function in bipolar disorder.

Background: Alongside affective episodes, cognitive dysfunction is a core symptom of bipolar disorder. The intracellular parasite T. gondii has been positively associated with both, the diagnosis of bipolar disorder and poorer cognitive performance, across diagnostic boundaries.

Electroconvulsive Treatment Utilization for Inpatient Management of Catatonia in Adolescents With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine rates of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) use for catatonia in schizophrenia spectrum disorders, stratified by patient demographics and hospital characteristics, and its impact on inpatient length of stay and cost.

Methods: We found 155 adolescents (aged 12-18 years) with principal discharge diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorders with catatonia from the National Inpatient Sample. They were subgrouped into ECT (n = 20) and non-ECT (n = 135) groups.

Decreasing Tryptophan and Increasing Neopterin Plasma Levels During Pregnancy are Associated with High First Trimester K-Serotype IgG Serointensity in a Cohort of Hispanic Women.

Background: Immune activation or high levels of stress may lead to increased metabolism of tryptophan during pregnancy. Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), the "keystone" periodontal pathogen, induces immune and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) activation. Thus, we hypothesized that larger gestational decreases in tryptophan and elevations in neopterin and kynurenine would occur in pregnant women with elevated IgG antibodies to Pg capsular (K) serotypes.

Predictors of civil and forensic inpatient psychiatric readmissions at a Public Mental Health Hospital.

Inpatient psychiatric readmissions are increasingly prevalent and associated with worse prognostic outcomes and high economic costs, regardless of the medicolegal ramifications that necessitate them. Unlike most general medical readmissions, psychiatric readmissions are commonly warranted for both medical and legal purposes. However, studies focusing on analyzing the predictors of inpatient psychiatric readmission and their relationship to civil versus forensic readmission are limited.

Periodontal Pathogens and Neuropsychiatric Health.

Increasing evidence incriminates low-grade inflammation in cardiovascular, metabolic diseases, and neuropsychiatric clinical conditions, all important causes of morbidity and mortality. One of the upstream and modifiable precipitants and perpetrators of inflammation is chronic periodontitis, a polymicrobial infection with Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) playing a central role in the disease pathogenesis.

Periodontal, metabolic, and cardiovascular disease: Exploring the role of inflammation and mental health.

Previous evidence connects periodontal disease, a modifiable condition affecting a majority of Americans, with metabolic and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This review focuses on the likely mediation of these associations by immune activation and their potential interactions with mental illness. Future longitudinal, and ideally interventional studies, should focus on reciprocal interactions and cascading effects, as well as points for effective preventative and therapeutic interventions across diagnostic domains to reduce morbidity, mortality and improve quality of life.

Moderation of the relationship between Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity and trait impulsivity in younger men by the phenylalanine-tyrosine ratio.

Previously, we reported that Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii)-seropositivity is associated with higher impulsive sensation seeking in younger men. As dopaminergic and serotonergic signaling regulate impulsivity, and as T.

No evidence for airborne transmission of in a very high prevalence area in Lancaster County.

Background: () has been associated with acute food-borne illness, chronic low-grade inflammation, neuropsychiatric conditions and reactivation of chronic latent infection in immunocompetent hosts. Primary infection with in pregnant women can lead to congenital toxoplasmosis. In addition to well-known oral tissue-cyst or oocyst ingestion, we hypothesized that the very high prevalence of in certain populations exposed to agricultural dust could be, in part, a consequence of airborne infection with oocysts.

Seasonality of blood neopterin levels in the Old Order Amish.

Seasonal changes in non-human animals and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in humans are associated with immune activation in winter relative to summer. We intended to measure seasonal variation in neopterin, a marker of cellular immunity, and its interactions with gender and seasonality of mood. We studied 320 Amish from Lancaster, PA, USA (men = 128; 40%) with an average age [Standard deviation (SD)] of 56.

Automatic implantable cardiac defibrillator implantation may precipitate effort-induced thrombosis in young athletes: a case report and literature review.

Upper extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a common finding after implantation of an automatic implantable cardiac defrillator (AICD). We describe the case of a patient who developed a left upper extremity DVT 4.5 months after implantation of an AICD and was found to have a lead-induced stenosis with possible underlying Paget-Schroetter syndrome (PSS) in the midbrachiocephalic vein on venography.