A single session of rTMS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex influences attentional control in depressed patients.

Depressed patients are impaired in the ability to shift their focus of attention. This attentional control process is related to dysfunctions in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). It has been proposed that a dorsal circuit plays an important role in the interaction between emotional and attentional information processing.

[The Charles Bonnet syndrome and dementia].

An 83-year-old visually impaired woman was admitted to the hospital because of complex visual hallucinations. Her symptoms were indicative of the Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS). On the basis of this case we explore the relationship between CBS and dementia and discuss the different opinions on this topic.

Left and right High Frequency repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex does not affect mood in female volunteers.

Objective: High Frequency repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (HF-rTMS) has yielded divergent results concerning its effect on mood in normal volunteers. In a former study, we were unable to demonstrate negative mood effects after one session of HF-rTMS on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in a large group of healthy female volunteers: researchers had focused mainly on negative mood changes, overlooking a possible positive mood induction, while no studies had yet examined mood effects of HF-rTMS delivered on the right prefrontal cortex. In this study, we have tried to replicate our previous HF-rTMS findings on the left DLPFC in a new (large) group of healthy female subjects, and we focused especially on positive mood changes.

Possible association between 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine abuse and valvular heart disease.

Valvular heart disease, inducing valvular regurgitation, has been described in users of drugs such as anorectic agents and ergot derivates. 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; "ecstasy") also leads in vitro to the proliferation of cardiac valvular interstitial cells by activation of the 5-hydroxytryptamine 2B receptor. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of valvulopathy in young adults taking MDMA.

The impact of one session of HF-rTMS on salivary cortisol in healthy female subjects.

Previous studies in healthy volunteers reported a possible impact of high frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS) on stress hormones, like cortisol. In this sham-controlled, "single blind", crossover study, we examined whether HF-rTMS had an effect on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, by analysing salivary cortisol levels. Two studies were conducted.