Dysregulation of Noradrenergic Activity: Its Role in Conceptualizing and Treating Major Depressive Disorder, Schizophrenia, Agitation in Alzheimer's Disease, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

When discussing neurotransmitters whose signaling plays an important role in psychiatric illnesses, serotonin and dopamine may be the first that come to mind. Although serotonin and dopamine have significant roles, the impact of norepinephrine signaling is often overlooked. A growing body of evidence suggests that hyperactivity of norepinephrine signaling is an underlying issue in psychiatric disorders; conversely, there is evidence to suggest that deficits in the noradrenergic system are just as significant.

Naltrexone augmented with prazosin for alcohol use disorder: results from a randomized controlled proof-of-concept trial.

Aims: We conducted a proof-of-concept randomized controlled trial of the mu-opioid receptor antagonist, naltrexone, augmented with the alpha-1 adrenergic receptor antagonist, prazosin, for alcohol use disorder in veterans. We sought a signal that the naltrexone plus prazosin combination regimen would be superior to naltrexone alone.

Methods: Thirty-one actively drinking veterans with alcohol use disorder were randomized 1:1:1:1 to naltrexone plus prazosin (NAL-PRAZ [n = 8]), naltrexone plus placebo (NAL-PLAC [n = 7]), prazosin plus placebo (PRAZ-PLAC [n = 7]), or placebo plus placebo (PLAC-PLAC [n = 9]) for 6 weeks.

Increased [F]Fluorodeoxyglucose Uptake in the Left Pallidum in Military Veterans with Blast-Related Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Potential as an Imaging Biomarker and Mediation with Executive Dysfunction and Cognitive Impairment.

Blast-related mild traumatic brain injury (blast-mTBI) can result in a spectrum of persistent symptoms leading to substantial functional impairment and reduced quality of life. Clinical evaluation and discernment from other conditions common to military service can be challenging and subject to patient recall bias and the limitations of available assessment measures. The need for objective biomarkers to facilitate accurate diagnosis, not just for symptom management and rehabilitation but for prognostication and disability compensation purposes is clear.

CSF β-Amyloid and Tau Biomarker Changes in Veterans With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

Background And Objectives: Moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injuries (TBI) have been reported to increase the risk of Alzheimer disease (AD). Whether mild TBI (mTBI) in veterans confers a similar increased risk of AD is less known. This study investigated early AD changes using CSF biomarkers in veterans with blast mTBI.

Perivascular Space Burden and Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers in US Veterans With Blast-Related Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

Blast-related mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is recognized as the "signature injury" of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Sleep disruption, mTBI, and neuroinflammation have been individually linked to cerebral perivascular space (PVS) dilatation. Dilated PVSs are putative markers of impaired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and interstitial fluid exchange, which plays an important role in removing cerebral waste.