Structural variation in the glycogen synthase kinase 3β and brain-derived neurotrophic factor genes in Japanese patients with bipolar disorders.

Background: Lithium is the first-line drug for the treatment of bipolar disorders (BDs); however, not all patients responded. Glycogen synthase kinase (GSK) 3β and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) play a role in the therapeutic action of lithium. Since structural variations were reported in these genes, it is possible that these genomic variations may be involved in the therapeutic responses to lithium.

Bladder recovery relates with increased mid-cingulate perfusion after shunt surgery in idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus: a single-photon emission tomography study.

Aims Of Study: It is reported that severe bladder disorder in idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is predicted by right frontal hypoperfusion. However, it is not known whether bladder recovery is predicted by brain perfusion change after shunt surgery. To address this issue, we compared bladder and brain function before and after shunt surgery in iNPH.

Correlation of right frontal hypoperfusion and urinary dysfunction in iNPH: a SPECT study.

Objectives: To elucidate the pathophysiology of urinary dysfunction in idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) by single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and statistical brain mapping.

Methods: Urinary symptoms were observed and N-isopropyl-p-[(123)I]-iodoamphetamine (IMP)-SPECT imaging was performed in 97 patients with clinico-radiologically definite iNPH. The patients included 56 men and 41 women; mean age, 74 years.

[Language impairment and semantic memory loss of semantic dementia].

Semantic dementia (SD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by atrophy of the anterior temporal regions and progressive loss of semantic memory. SD has recently been reported to be associated with a pathologic diagnosis of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) with T DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43) immunoreactive inclusions (FTLD-TDP) type 2 by Mackenzie. In the first several years of the disease, SD patients, especially those with left hemisphere-dominant temporal atrophy, present with primary progressive aphasia, in which language deterioration is obvious; however, they do not have other cognitive and behavioral impairments.

Event-related synchronization of alpha activity in early Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment: an MEG study combining beamformer and group comparison.

In patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), it is sometimes challenging to identify typical findings in electroencephalography (EEG) or magnetoencephalography (MEG) such as a slowing of the posterior dominant activity or an increase in slow activity. In this MEG study, we evaluated the event-related synchronization (ERS) of alpha activity after eye closing in patients with early AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) who presented no slow MEG pattern. Thirteen patients with probable AD and thirteen patients with MCI, who met NINCDS-ADRDA and Petersen's diagnostic criteria, respectively, were enrolled.