Executive Functions and Attention in Patients With Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures Compared With Healthy Controls: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective: Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNESs) are considered functional neurological symptoms and are highly prevalent in specialized epilepsy clinics. The underlying mechanisms of PNES are not fully understood. Recent findings point toward possible alterations in attention and executive functions.

Evaluation of a new body-focused group therapy versus a guided self-help group program for adults with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES): a pilot randomized controlled feasibility study.

Objective: Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES), a common phenomenon in neurological settings, are regarded as a paroxysmal type of functional neurological disorder (FND). In a substantial proportion, PNES are disabling with poor long-term outcomes and high economic costs. Despite the clinical and financial consequences of PNES, there is still a lack of controlled clinical trials on the treatment of this challenging disorder.

Immunological substrates of depressive symptoms in patients with severe obesity: An exploratory study.

In this pilot study, we explored the immune phenotype of patients with severe obesity and comorbid depressive symptoms compared to non-depressed patients with obesity and normal-weight controls. Immune cell subsets were analysed by flow cytometry and depressive symptoms assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Cell frequencies were correlated with depressive symptom scores and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR).

Insecure and Unresolved/Disorganized Attachment in Patients With Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures.

Background: Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are still poorly understood and difficult to treat. Attachment theory could add new aspects to the understanding of the multifactorial genesis and maintenance of PNES and the therapeutic needs of this patient group.

Objective: The aim of the present study is to systematically assess attachment in adult patients with PNES with a focus on the role of unresolved/disorganized attachment.

Simvastatin add-on to escitalopram in patients with comorbid obesity and major depression (SIMCODE): study protocol of a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Introduction: Major depressive disorder (MDD) and obesity are both common disorders associated with significant burden of disease worldwide. Importantly, MDD and obesity often co-occur, with each disorder increasing the risk for developing the other by about 50%-60%. Statins are among the most prescribed medications with well-established safety and efficacy.

Ictal level of awareness in psychogenic nonepileptic seizures correlates with the experience of traumatic events in childhood: A cross sectional study.

There is a great amount of research regarding the particular ictal manifestations of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) with a focus on the differences to epileptic seizures (Vogrig et al., 2019 [4]; Tyson et al., 2018 [5]; De Paola et al.

[Pilot Data from the Evaluation of an Integrative Body Psychotherapy Program for Patients with Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures].

Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) occur in the context of various diseases. Therefore, PNES patients represent a heterogeneous group with different causative disorders. The etiology is still poorly understood.

Childhood trauma and diagnosis of major depression: Association with memory and executive function.

Cognitive function is often impaired in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Childhood trauma is a risk factor for developing MDD and is also associated with cognitive impairments in later life. We aimed to investigate the effects of childhood trauma on cognitive function in MDD.

Mineralocorticoid receptor function in depressed patients and healthy individuals.

Background: Many studies have shown disturbed glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in depressed patients. In contrast, only few studies targeted mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) function with inconclusive results. We examined the effects of the MR antagonist spironolactone on cortisol secretion in depressed patients and healthy individuals.

Association between major depression and cardiovascular risk: the role of antidepressant medication.

Rationale And Objectives: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Apart from biological and life style factors, the use of antidepressants and their potentially adverse effects might contribute to the increased CVD risk. Therefore, we compared cardiovascular risk profiles between relatively young depressed patients without CVD with and without antidepressant medication and healthy participants.

Effects of mineralocorticoid receptor blockade on empathy in patients with major depressive disorder.

Background: The mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) is highly expressed in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex and is involved in social cognition. We recently found that pharmacological stimulation of the MR enhances emotional empathy but does not affect cognitive empathy. In the current study, we examined whether blockade of the MR impairs empathy in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy individuals.

Does fludrocortisone influence autobiographical memory retrieval? A study in patients with major depression, patients with borderline personality disorder and healthy controls.

There is evidence that stimulation of mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) enhances memory in healthy subjects and in patients with major depression (MDD). In contrast, in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD), this effect seems to be task dependent. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of MR stimulation on autobiographical memory retrieval in healthy individuals, patients with MDD, and patients with BPD.

Cognitive function in older adults with major depression: Effects of mineralocorticoid receptor stimulation.

Memory and executive function are often impaired in older adults with major depression. Mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) are abundantly expressed in the hippocampus and in the prefrontal cortex, brain areas critical for memory and executive function. In both aging and depression, MR expression in the brain is reduced.

Visual Attention and Saccadic Oculomotor Control in Parkinson's Disease.

Background: In patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) we aimed at differentiating the relation between selective visual attention, deficits of programming and dynamics of saccadic eye movements while searching for a target and hand-reaction time as well as hand-movement time. Visual attention is crucial for concentrating selectively on one aspect of the visual field while ignoring other aspects. Eye movements are anatomically and functionally related to mechanisms of visual attention.

Effects of mineralocorticoid receptor stimulation via fludrocortisone on memory in women with borderline personality disorder.

In a previous study, we found that in contrast to healthy controls, hydrocortisone administration had enhancing effects on memory in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Because hydrocortisone acts on glucocorticoid receptors (GR) and mineralocorticoid receptors (MR), it is unclear which receptor mediated these effects. The aim of the current study was to test whether more selective MR stimulation with fludrocortisone improves memory in BPD.

Hair cortisol and cortisol awakening response are associated with criteria of the metabolic syndrome in opposite directions.

Findings on the association between hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity and metabolic risk are equivocal. Different methods of measuring HPA activity might indicate adverse vs. beneficial effects of HPA activity on metabolic risk thus contributing to heterogenous findings.

Stimulation of the mineralocorticoid receptor improves memory in young and elderly healthy individuals.

Glucocorticoids play an important role in cognitive function and act on glucocorticoid receptors and mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs) in the brain. Previously, the blockade of the MR has been shown to impair visuospatial and working memory in healthy young men. Here, we investigated the effects of the MR agonist fludrocortisone on memory in young and elderly healthy individuals.

Mineralocorticoid receptor stimulation improves cognitive function and decreases cortisol secretion in depressed patients and healthy individuals.

Memory and executive function are often impaired in patients with major depression, while cortisol secretion is increased. Mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) are abundantly expressed in the hippocampus and in the prefrontal cortex, brain areas critical for memory, executive function, and cortisol inhibition. Here, we investigated whether MR stimulation with fludrocortisone (1) improves memory and executive function and (2) decreases cortisol secretion in depressed patients and healthy individuals.

Enhanced emotional empathy after mineralocorticoid receptor stimulation in women with borderline personality disorder and healthy women.

The mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) is highly expressed in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. MR have an important role in appraisal processes and in modulating stress-associated emotional reactions but it is not known whether the MR affects empathy. Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by disturbed emotion regulation and alterations in empathy.

Mood-congruent memory in depression - the influence of personal relevance and emotional context.

The investigation of veridical mood-congruent memory (MCM) in major depressive disorder (MDD) has been subject of many studies, whereas mood-congruent false memory has received comparatively little attention. The present study examined the influence of valence, personal relevance and the valence of the context of the learning material on true and false MCM in 20 inpatients with MDD and 20 healthy controls. Sixty positive, negative, neutral or personally relevant nouns were either combined with a positive, negative or neutral adjective.

Depressive syndromes in neurological disorders.

Depressive syndromes represent a common and often characteristic feature in a number of neurological disorders. One prominent example is the development of post-stroke depression, which can be observed in more than one-third of stroke survivors in the aftermath of an ischemic stroke. Thus, post-stroke depression represents one of the most prevalent, disabling, and potentially devastating psychiatric post-stroke complications.

No effects of antidepressants on negative symptoms in schizophrenia.

Negative symptoms are common in schizophrenia, but often difficult to differentiate from depression. They are associated with long-term impairment and do not respond well to current treatment approaches. Even though antidepressants are commonly prescribed in schizophrenia, their beneficial effect is still under debate.