{Fe(NO)(2)(9) Dinitrosyl Iron Complex Acting as a Vehicle for the NO Radical.

To carry and deliver nitric oxide with a controlled redox state and rate is crucial for its pharmaceutical/medicinal applications. In this study, the capability of cationic {Fe(NO)} dinitrosyl iron complexes (DNICs) [(DDB)Fe(NO)] (R = Me, Et, Iso; DDB = N,N'-bis(2,6-dialkylphenyl)-1,4-diaza-2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene) carrying nearly unperturbed nitric oxide radical to form [(DDB)Fe(NO)(NO)] was demonstrated and characterized by IR, UV-vis, EPR, NMR, and single-crystal X-ray diffractions. The unique triplet ground state of [(DDB)Fe(NO)(NO)] results from the ferromagnetic coupling between two strictly orthogonal orbitals, one from Fe d and the other a π* orbital of a unique bent axial NO ligand, which is responsible for the growth of a half-field transition (ΔM = 2) from 70 to 4 K in variable-temperature EPR measurements.

Intercorrelations between the Personal and Social Performance Scale, cognitive function, and activities of daily living.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the intercorrelation between the Personal and Social Performance (PSP) score, cognitive function, and activities of daily living (ADLs). Twenty patients with chronic schizophrenia were recruited; the PSP and ADL scales and psychological assessments including the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R), and the Continuous Performance Test (CPT) were administered. Positive correlations between the total PSP scale score and performance in the WMS-R, CPT, and ADL scores were identified.

TPH1 is associated with major depressive disorder but not with SSRI/SNRI response in Taiwanese patients.

Rationale: Tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH1), which encodes the rate-limiting enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase in the biosynthesis of serotonin, is a candidate gene in the development and treatment response of major depressive disorder (MDD); however, its actual role is uncertain.

Objectives: We aimed to compare the allele frequencies of TPH1 in MDD patients and healthy controls in Taiwan, and also to investigate the association between TPH1 A218C and treatment response to either fluoxetine or venlafaxine in a Taiwanese population with MDD.

Methods: One hundred five healthy controls and 115 outpatients diagnosed with MDD were recruited and genotyped for the TPH1 218A/C (rs1800532) polymorphism.

Increased plasma leptin in antipsychotic-naïve females with schizophrenia, but not in males.

Background: Metabolic abnormalities, including insulin resistance and increased leptin levels, were noted in patients with schizophrenia who had received antipsychotics. In this study, we examined the leptin levels of antipsychotic-naïve schizophrenic patients.

Method: Seventeen antipsychotic-naïve patients with schizophrenia and 16 sex-, age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched subjects were recruited from the psychiatric outpatient clinic and community, respectively.

Rapid leptin elevation after initiation of olanzapine?

Weight gain is a common adverse effect associated with olanzapine treatment. Another side effect of olanzapine treatment is a significant increase in circulating leptin levels. This preliminary study monitored the changes in leptin levels for 2 weeks after olanzapine treatment had been initiated.