Gene expression analysis of and the clock gene in individuals with bipolar disorder compared to healthy controls.

Introduction: Circadian rhythms are associated with bipolar disorder (BD). This cross-sectional study aimed at investigating and gene expression differences (1) between individuals with BD and controls, (2) between affective episodes, and (3) the relationship between and expression.

Methods: and gene expression in peripheral mononuclear blood cells were analysed from fasting blood samples (BD  =  81, controls  = 54) with quantitative real-time PCR operating on TaqMan® assays (normalised to 18S RNA expression).

[Symptom Monitoring and Detection of Early Warning Signs in Bipolar Episodes Via App - Views of Patients and Relatives on e-Health Need].

Background: The onset and early warning signs of episodes of bipolar disorder are often realized late by those affected. The earlier an incipient episode is treated, the more prognostically favorable the course will be. Symptom monitoring via smartphone application (app) could be an innovative way to recognize and react to early warning signs more swiftly.

[Comorbidity of posttraumatic stress disorder and addiction from a biopsychosocial perspective].

Posttraumatic stress disorder and substance use disorder often co-occur within the health care system. Their comorbidity is associated with more serious acute clinical symptomatology, more frequent hospital admissions in state of emergency and significantly lower chances of improvement by psychological and pharmacological treatment. Their comorbidity contributes to dramatically unfavourable courses of illness as regards all biopsychosocial levels.

The Relationship Between Food Craving, Appetite-Related Hormones and Clinical Parameters in Bipolar Disorder.

Obesity and weight gain in bipolar disorder (BD) have multifactorial underlying causes such as medication side effects, atypical depressive symptomatology, genetic variants, and disturbances in the neuro-endocrinal system. Therefore, we aim to explore the associations between food craving (FC), clinical parameters, psychotropic medication, and appetite-related hormones. In this cross-sectional investigation, 139 individuals with BD and 93 healthy controls (HC) completed the food craving inventory (FCI).

The association between anti-inflammatory effects of long-term lithium treatment and illness course in Bipolar Disorder.

Introduction: Altered levels of acute-phase proteins are often described in different conditions in BD. Nevertheless, data on the association between lithium treatment and inflammatory markers in the long-term course of BD are still missing. The aim of the study was to examine the long-term course of BD concerning long-term lithium treatment, chronic inflammatory processes and symptom progression.

Do increases in deep grey matter volumes after electroconvulsive therapy persist in patients with major depression? A longitudinal MRI-study.

Background: Previous MRI studies reported deep grey matter volume increases after electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the clinical correlates of these changes are still unclear. It remains debated whether such volume changes are transient, and if they correlate with affective changes over time.

Fundamentally altered global- and microstate EEG characteristics in Huntington's disease.

Objective: Huntington's disease (HD) is characterized by psychiatric, cognitive, and motor disturbances. The study aimed to determine electroencephalography (EEG) global state and microstate changes in HD and their relationship with cognitive and behavioral impairments.

Methods: EEGs from 20 unmedicated HD patients and 20 controls were compared using global state properties (connectivity and dimensionality) and microstate properties (EEG microstate analysis).

Lower cognitive reappraisal capacity is related to impairments in attachment and personality structure in poly-drug use: an fMRI study.

Insecure attachment, impaired personality structure and impaired emotion regulation figure prominently in substance use disorders. While negative emotions can trigger drug-use and relapse, cognitive reappraisal may reduce emotional strain by promoting changes in perspective. In the present study, we explored behavioral and neural correlates of cognitive reappraisal in poly-drug use disorder by testing individuals' capability to generate cognitive reappraisals for aversive events (Reappraisal Inventiveness Test).

The Influence of an Attachment-Related Stimulus on Oxytocin Reactivity in Poly-Drug Users Undergoing Maintenance Therapy Compared to Healthy Controls.

Background: Substance use disorders (SUDs) have been described as a dysfunctional way to compensate for deficiencies in that person's underlying attachment system. Furthermore, the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT), which is a critical component of the neurobiology of the attachment system, has been shown to effectively reduce addictive behavior and therefore has been discussed as a potential medication in SUD treatment. This study investigates variation in peripheral OT plasma levels as a function of exposure to an attachment-related stimulus in SUD patients compared to healthy controls (HCs).

Priming of Anti-tumor Immune Mechanisms by Radiotherapy Is Augmented by Inhibition of Heat Shock Protein 90.

Radiotherapy is an essential part of multi-modal cancer therapy. Nevertheless, for certain cancer entities such as colorectal cancer (CRC) the indications of radiotherapy are limited due to anatomical peculiarities and high radiosensitivity of the surrounding normal tissue. The development of molecularly targeted, combined modality approaches may help to overcome these limitations.

Interleukin-6 Gene Expression Changes after a 4-Week Intake of a Multispecies Probiotic in Major Depressive Disorder-Preliminary Results of the PROVIT Study.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent disease, in which one third of sufferers do not respond to antidepressants. Probiotics have the potential to be well-tolerated and cost-efficient treatment options. However, the molecular pathways of their effects are not fully elucidated yet.

Personality Structure and Attachment in Bipolar Disorder.

Background: An impairment of self and interpersonal functioning has an impact on coping strategies, regulation of affect and stress. Little is known so far about the impairment of personality functioning in patients with bipolar disorder (BD). The aim of this study is to assess the effects of personality structure and attachment in BD patients on the symptom burden.

Body Mass Index Predicts Decline in Executive Function in Bipolar Disorder: Preliminary Data of a 12-Month Follow-up Study.

Introduction: Obesity and associated risk factors have been linked to cognitive decline before.

Objectives: In the present study, we evaluated potential cumulative negative effects of overweight and obesity on cognitive performance in euthymic patients with bipolar disorder (BD) in a longitudinal design.

Methods: Neurocognitive measures (California Verbal Learning Test, Trail Making Test [TMT] A/B, Digit-Symbol-Test, Digit-Span, d2 Test), anthropometrics (e.

Psychobiology of Attachment and Trauma-Some General Remarks From a Clinical Perspective.

Attachment refers to a psychobiological principle that is deeply rooted in evolutionary development; it is thought to contribute a major advantage in the survival of the social group. Within individual development it indicates a primary motivational system that guides the initial transactions between mother and baby and furthermore mediates affective attunement and regulation. Psychosocial learning, in close interaction with genetics and epigenetics, also develops a decisive foundation for further brain development of the infant.

Reduced Brain Electric Activity and Functional Connectivity in Bipolar Euthymia: An sLORETA Source Localization Study.

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic illness with a relapsing and remitting time course. Relapses are manic or depressive in nature and intermitted by euthymic states. During euthymic states, patients lack the criteria for a manic or depressive diagnosis, but still suffer from impaired cognitive functioning as indicated by difficulties in executive and language-related processing.

Total gray matter volume is reduced in individuals with bipolar disorder currently treated with atypical antipsychotics.

Background/aims: Recent evidence indicates that the intake of atypical antipsychotics (AAP) is associated with gray matter abnormalities in patients with psychiatric disorders. We explored if patients with bipolar disorder (BD) who are medicated with AAP exhibit total gray matter volume (TGV) reduction compared to BD individuals not medicated with AAP and healthy controls (HC).

Methods: In a cross-sectional design, 124 individuals with BD and 86 HC underwent 3T-MRI of the brain and clinical assessment as part of our BIPFAT-study.

The Influence of Attachment Styles and Personality Organization on Emotional Functioning After Childhood Trauma.

Current literature suggests a tenuous link among childhood trauma, personality organization, adult attachment, and emotional functioning in various psychiatric disorders. However, empirical research focusing on the interaction of these concepts is sparse. Therefore, this study intends to investigate the influence of personality organization and attachment dimensions on the relationship between childhood maltreatment and emotional functioning in adult life.

Do Primary Emotions Predict Psychopathological Symptoms? A Multigroup Path Analysis.

Research involving animal models has repeatedly proposed dysregulations in subcortically rooted affective systems as a crucial etiological factor in the development of a variety of psychiatric disorders. However, empirical studies with human participants testing these hypotheses have been sparse. Associations between primary emotions systems and different psychiatric symptoms were investigated in order to gain insights into the influence of evolutionary-rooted primary emotions on psychopathology.

Differences in Kynurenine Metabolism During Depressive, Manic, and Euthymic Phases of Bipolar Affective Disorder.

Background & Objective: The kynurenine pathway is involved in inflammatory diseases. Alterations of this pathway were shown in psychiatric entities as well. The aim of this study was to determine whether specific changes in kynurenine metabolism are associated with current mood symptoms in bipolar disorder.

Sense of coherence is linked to post-traumatic growth after critical incidents in Austrian ambulance personnel.

Background: Ambulance personnel, as well as other emergency services like fire-fighters or the police force, are regularly confronted with experiences of extreme psychological distress and potentially traumatizing events in the line of their daily duties. As a consequence, this occupational group is exposed to an elevated risk of developing symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress (PTSS). Subsequently, symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress have been observed as potentially co-occurring with Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) in ambulance personnel as well.

Body modification in Germany: prevalence, gender differences and attitude towards cosmetic surgery.

Background: The most popular body modifications are tattoos and piercings and their prevalence has increased in recent years. The current study gathered statistics regarding tattoing, piercing and body-hair removal, differentiated by gender and attitude towards cosmetic surgery.

Methods: The study was based on 2512 individuals and was performed as a population-based survey with the assistance of a demographic consulting company.