[Precision psychiatry and neuroimaging: Towards improved treatment success in psychosis].

Background: In the future, clinicians might use information about neurobiological processes, obtained through imaging techniques, to guide personalized prevention and intervention strategies for psychosis and related disorders. However, this requires more knowledge about these individuals’ brain function.

Aim: To advance the current knowledge on neurobiological processes in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) and individuals at increased risk of these disorders.

The association of tobacco smoking and metabolite levels in the anterior cingulate cortex of first-episode psychosis patients: A case-control and 6-month follow-up H-MRS study.

Tobacco smoking is highly prevalent among patients with psychosis and associated with worse clinical outcomes. Neurometabolites, such as glutamate and choline, are both implicated in psychosis and tobacco smoking. However, the specific associations between smoking and neurometabolites have yet to be investigated in patients with psychosis.

Endocannabinoid levels in plasma and neurotransmitters in the brain: a preliminary report on patients with a psychotic disorder and healthy individuals.

Background: Interactions between the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and neurotransmitter systems might mediate the risk of developing a schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD). Consequently, we investigated in patients with SSD and healthy controls (HC) the relations between (1) plasma concentrations of two prototypical endocannabinoids (N-arachidonoylethanolamine [anandamide] and 2-arachidonoylglycerol [2-AG]) and (2) striatal dopamine synthesis capacity (DSC), and glutamate and y-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). As anandamide and 2-AG might reduce the activity of these neurotransmitters, we hypothesized negative correlations between their plasma levels and the abovementioned neurotransmitters in both groups.

The association between clinical, sociodemographic, familial, and environmental factors and treatment resistance in schizophrenia: A machine-learning-based approach.

Background: Prediction of treatment resistance in schizophrenia (TRS) would be helpful to reduce the duration of ineffective treatment and avoid delays in clozapine initiation. We applied machine learning to identify clinical, sociodemographic, familial, and environmental variables that are associated with TRS and could potentially predict TRS in the future.

Study Design: Baseline and follow-up data on trait(-like) variables from the Genetic Risk and Outcome of Psychosis (GROUP) study were used.

The substantia nigra in the pathology of schizophrenia: A review on post-mortem and molecular imaging findings.

Dysregulation of striatal dopamine is considered to be an important driver of pathophysiological processes in schizophrenia. Despite being one of the main origins of dopaminergic input to the striatum, the (dys)functioning of the substantia nigra (SN) has been relatively understudied in schizophrenia. Hence, this paper aims to review different molecular aspects of nigral functioning in patients with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls by integrating post-mortem and molecular imaging studies.

The Relationships between Dopaminergic, Glutamatergic, and Cognitive Functioning in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional, Multimodal H-MRS and F-Fallypride PET Study.

Background: Individuals with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) are at increased risk of developing psychosis and cognitive impairments, which may be related to dopaminergic and glutamatergic abnormalities. Therefore, in this exploratory study, we examined the association between dopaminergic and glutamatergic functioning in 22q11DS.

Dopaminergic alterations in populations at increased risk for psychosis: A systematic review of imaging findings.

Alterations of the dopaminergic system may be important neurobiological correlates of vulnerability and transition to psychosis. We systematically reviewed the evidence for dopaminergic alterations demonstrated by in-vivo imaging studies in humans at increased risk of developing psychosis, covering clinical, genetic, and environmental high-risk groups. All 63 included studies utilized Positron Emission Tomography (PET), Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT), or neuromelanin-sensitive Magnetic Resonance Imaging (NM-MRI) methods to collect data concerning the dopaminergic system during rest and/or following pharmacological, behavioural, or cognitive challenges.

Development of a Methodological Quality Criteria List for Observational Studies: The Observational Study Quality Evaluation.

Existing study quality and risk of bias lists for observational studies have important disadvantages. For this reason, a comprehensive widely applicable quality assessment tool for observational studies was developed. Criteria from three quality lists were merged into a new quality assessment tool: the observational study quality evaluation (OSQE).

The impact of textual elements on the comprehensibility of drug label instructions (DLIs): A systematic review.

Introduction: Correct interpretation of drug labels instructions (DLIs) is needed for safe use and better adherence to prescribed drugs. DLIs are often too difficult for patients, especially for those with limited health literacy. What is yet unknown, is how specific textual elements in DLIs (e.

Virtual reality training of lucid dreaming.

Metacognitive reflections on one's current state of mind are largely absent during dreaming. Lucid dreaming as the exception to this rule is a rare phenomenon; however, its occurrence can be facilitated through cognitive training. A central idea of respective training strategies is to regularly question one's phenomenal experience: is the currently experienced world , or just a dream? Here, we tested if such lucid dreaming training can be enhanced with dream-like virtual reality (VR): over the course of four weeks, volunteers underwent lucid dreaming training in VR scenarios comprising dream-like elements, classical lucid dreaming training or no training.

Development of Comprehensible Prescription Label Instructions: A Study Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Approach.

Introduction: Patients receive information about their medication from different sources, including prescription labels. These labels are physically attached to each package dispensed to patients and contain the most important instructions on how to use the medication correctly. However, many patients experience difficulties in understanding and applying the instructions on these labels correctly, especially patients with limited health literacy.

The effects of infographics and several quantitative versus qualitative formats for cardiovascular disease risk, including heart age, on people's risk understanding.

Objective: To study how comprehension of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk is influenced by: (1) infographics about qualitative risk information, with/without risk numbers; (2) which qualitative risk dimension is emphasized; (3) heart age vs. traditional risk format.

Methods: For aim 1, a 2 (infographics versus text) x 2 (risk number versus no risk number) between-subjects design was used.

"Smoking Is Sóóó ... Sandals and White Socks": Co-Creation of a Dutch Anti-Smoking Campaign to Change Social Norms.

This article considers co-creation as a new persuasive strategy in health campaigns. Co-creation enables target audience members to become active campaign producers. A recent Dutch anti-smoking campaign applied co-creation, inviting the target audience to complete the slogan "smoking is sóóó .

The diversity in associations between community social capital and health per health outcome, population group and location studied.

Background: Literature on the effect of community social capital on health is inconsistent and could be related to differences in social capital measures, health outcomes, population groups and locations studied. Therefore this study examines the diversity in associations between community social capital and health by investigating different diseases, populations groups and locations.

Methods: Mortality records and individual data on sex, age, marital status, ethnic origin and place of residence were available for 6 years (1995-2000).

Environmental attributes related to walking and bicycling at the individual and contextual level.

Objective: The aim of the present paper was to give insight into the practical consequences of using either single-level or multilevel regression analyses on data from research on environmental determinants of physical activity.

Methods: For this purpose, results from single-level and multilevel regression analyses on comparable attributes of the environment were compared using a combination of individual and aggregated data, merged at the neighbourhood level.

Results: Using only individual level data, applying multilevel instead of single-level analyses did not substantially influence the results.

Higher mortality in urban neighbourhoods in The Netherlands: who is at risk?

Background: Urban residents have higher mortality risks than rural residents. These urban-rural differences might be more pronounced within certain demographic subpopulations.

Aim: To determine urban-rural differences in all-cause and cause-specific mortality within specific demographic subpopulations of the Dutch population.

The association of neighbourhood psychosocial stressors and self-rated health in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Objective: To investigate associations between neighbourhood-level psychosocial stressors (i.e. experience of crime, nuisance from neighbours, drug misuse, youngsters frequently hanging around, rubbish on the streets, feeling unsafe and dissatisfaction with the quality of green space) and self-rated health in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Ethnic differences in the effect of environmental stressors on blood pressure and hypertension in the Netherlands.

Background: Evidence strongly suggests that the neighbourhood in which people live influences their health. Despite this, investigations of ethnic differences in cardiovascular risk factors have focused mainly on individual-level characteristics. The main purpose of this study was to investigate associations between neighbourhood-level environmental stressors (crime, housing density, nuisance from alcohol and drug misuse, quality of green space and social participation), and blood pressure (BP) and hypertension among different ethnic groups.

Exceptions to the rule: healthy deprived areas and unhealthy wealthy areas.

In general, inhabitants of low socio-economic areas are unhealthier than inhabitants of high socio-economic areas, but some areas are an exception to this rule. These exceptions imply that other factors besides the socio-economic level of an area contribute to the health of the inhabitants of an area, e.g.

Systemic treatment of psoriatic patients with bexarotene decreases epidermal proliferation and parameters for inflammation, and improves differentiation in lesional skin.

Background: Bexarotene, a novel synthetic retinoid X receptor (RXR)-selective retinoid, has been reported to have antiproliferative and apoptotic stimulating effects in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. In benign, hyperproliferative, and retinoid sensitive disorders, such as psoriasis, bexarotene has not been evaluated so far and no information on these parameters is available.

Objective: In the present study, immunohistochemical parameters for proliferation, differentiation, inflammation, and apoptosis were investigated in a group of bexarotene-treated psoriatic patients.

Adalimumab, a fully human anti-TNF-alpha monoclonal antibody, treatment does not influence experimental UV response in the skin of rheumatoid arthritis patients.

TNF-alpha is known to play an important role in UV-induced immunomodulation and photodamage. It plays a role in UVB-mediated induction of apoptosis and is a strong inducer of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway, which eventually leads to the loss of dermal collagen and elastin content. Recently chimeric anti-TNF-alpha has been introduced as a therapy for rheumatoid arthritis.

The effect of a liquid nutrition supplement on body composition and physical functioning in elderly people.

Background & Aims: The elderly are at an increased risk of poor nutritional status which is mutually interacting with functional status. We evaluated the effects of a liquid nutrition supplement on anthropometric and functional indices in elderly people.

Methods: Subjects (n=68; mean age=82+/-7 years) with body mass index View Article and Find Full Text PDF