Predictors for quality of life improvement following rTMS treatment in neuropathic pain patients.

Objectives: Recently, Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) has gained attention for its potential in relieving neuropathic pain (NP). NP encompasses central and peripheral neuralgia, characterized by sensory abnormalities and spontaneous pain. Pharmacological treatments often provide partial relief with significant side effects, making rTMS an attractive alternative.

Serum BDNF and pro-BDNF levels in alcohol use disorders according to depression status: An exploratory study of their evolution two months after withdrawal.

Background: Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are complex pathologies with a myriad of molecular actors involved in both disease progression and remission. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is suspected to be one such actor due to its neurotrophic effects. The BDNF precursor, pro-BDNF, has different effects, as it mainly promotes neuronal apoptosis.

BDNF CpG methylation and serum levels covary during alcohol withdrawal in patients with alcohol use disorder: A pilot study.

Objectives: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels vary in various conditions including alcohol use disorder (AUD). We aimed to identify drivers of these variations.

Methods: Twelve patients with AUD were assessed at hospitalisation for alcohol withdrawal and four months later.

Distinct Predictors of Clinical Response after Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation between Bipolar and Unipolar Disorders.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been shown to be therapeutically effective for patients suffering from drug-resistant depression. The distinction between bipolar and unipolar disorders would be of great interests to better adapt their respective treatments. We aimed to identify the factors predicting clinical improvement at one month (M1) after the start of rTMS treatment for each diagnosis, which was preceded by a comparison of the patients' clinical conditions.

Predictors of clinical response after rTMS treatment of patients suffering from drug-resistant depression.

Repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a therapeutic brain-stimulation technique that is particularly used for drug-resistant depressive disorders. European recommendations mention the effectiveness of 30 to 64%. The failure rate of treatment is high and clinical improvement is visible only after a certain period of time.

BDNF and pro-BDNF in serum and exosomes in major depression: Evolution after antidepressant treatment.

Background: The study of clinically related biological indicators in Major Depression (MD) is important. The Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) appears to play an important role in MD, through its neurotrophic effect, and its levels are significantly decreased. The variation in the serum levels of its precursor proBDNF, which has opposite effects, is not known.

Painful Life Events in Psychiatric Disorders: A Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis.

We reported in a previous study the painful events experienced in the past in subjects with schizophrenia or major depression, in comparison to controls, and related them to the experimental pain sensitivity, anxiety, and the diagnosis. We present here the detailed analysis of these past painful events, with the aim of determining whether schizophrenic, depressive and control groups are qualitatively (type of painful events experienced, emotional or sensory components associated with pain) and quantitatively (duration, severity, and intensity) comparable concerning their past painful experiences. The questionnaire used relies on memory and feelings and will provide an indication about the way pain is experienced and memorized in daily life.

Past Pain Experience and Experimentally induced Pain Perception.

Unlabelled: Many intercurrent factors may be involved in the modulation of the pain message and its expression, such as the previous experience of pain built along the life. In this study, we aimed to determine whether susceptibility to experimentally induced pain is differentially influenced by the individual previous painful experience in subjects with schizophrenia (SC) major depression (MD), and controls (C).

Methods: The SC (30), MD (32) and C (30) groups participated in experimental pain tests (application of pressure and induction of ischemia) after a semi-structured interview to make an inventory of the previous painful experiences, and the evaluation of anxiety either with autonomic (heart rate, blood pressure) or psychological (Hospital Anxiety Depression scale HAD) measures, and catastrophism.

Experimental pain hypersensitivity in schizophrenic patients.

Objective: Whether schizophrenic patients are hypoalgesic or feel pain in the same manner as unaffected individuals can affect the primary care of schizophrenic patients, which often involves an assessment of pain severity made by a medical provider. This study was developed to explore the pain sensitivity of schizophrenics under conditions similar to those of a medical examination that included investigating for sites of pain.

Methods: We developed 2 experimental models of pain induction using either pressure or ischemia and used them with 35 schizophrenic patients and 35 controls to record: (1) the stimulus intensity required to induce moderate pain; and (2) the pain intensity induced by a predetermined level of pressure.