Effect of blue-blocking glasses in major depressive disorder with sleep onset insomnia: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Blue wavelengths form the portion of the visible electromagnetic spectrum that most potently regulates circadian rhythm. We hypothesized that wearing blue-blocking (BB) glasses in the evening may influence circadian rhythm disturbances in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), resulting in improved sleep and mood. We used a randomized placebo-controlled double-blinded design.

Escitalopram versus paroxetine controlled release in major depressive disorder: a randomized trial.

Objective: There are no direct comparisons between escitalopram and paroxetine controlled release in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Methods: We conducted a 24-week, rater-masked, randomized trial of escitalopram (5-20 mg/day) versus paroxetine controlled release (12.5-50 mg/day) in patients with MDD (UMIN000011191).

A randomized trial of aripiprazole vs blonanserin for the treatment of acute schizophrenia and related disorders.

Objective: There has been no direct comparison of aripiprazole and blonanserin for schizophrenia treatment. We conducted a 24-week, rater-masked, randomized trial of aripiprazole (6-30 mg/d) vs blonanserin (4-24 mg/d) in schizophrenia patients who were not taking any antipsychotic medication for more than 2 weeks before enrollment (UMIN000011194).

Methods: The primary outcome measure for efficacy was improvement of Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total score at week 24.

An autopsy case of dementia with Lewy bodies clinically diagnosed to have a behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia.

We herein report the case of a 75-year-old male who had shown many psychiatric symptoms, but whose autopsy disclosed the presence of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). When he was 70 years old, the patient had presented with stereotyped behavior, dietary changes, and a decline in social interpersonal conduct in clinical settings, and it was thought that these symptoms were consistent with a behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), and he lacked the core features of DLB. Nevertheless, this case was pathologically defined as the limbic type of DLB after he died at the age of 75 years.

Efficacy and safety of noradrenalin reuptake inhibitor augmentation therapy for schizophrenia: a meta-analysis of double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trials.

Background: We performed an updated meta-analysis of noradrenalin reuptake inhibitor (NRI) augmentation therapy in patients with schizophrenia treated with antipsychotics based on a previous meta-analysis (Singh et al.).

Methods: PubMed, Cochrane Library databases, and PsycINFO citations were searched from their inception to June 10, 2013 without language restrictions.

Comparative clinical profile of mirtazapine and duloxetine in practical clinical settings in Japan: a 4-week open-label, parallel-group study of major depressive disorder.

No studies have compared mirtazapine with duloxetine in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Fifty-six patients were nonrandomly assigned to a 4-week treatment with either 15 to 45 mg/day of mirtazapine (n = 22) or 20 to 60 mg/day of duloxetine (n = 34). The primary efficacy measurements were the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) and the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression 6-point Rating Scale (MADRS) scores.

Efficacy and tolerability of clozapine in Japanese patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia: results from a 12-week, flexible dose study using raters masked to antipsychotic choice.

Japan approved clozapine for treatment-resistant schizophrenia in June 2009. The aim of this study was to evaluate clozapine's efficacy and tolerability in Japanese patients. A twelve-week, single-arm clinical trial of clozapine in treatment-resistant schizophrenia inpatients, was conducted under real-world conditions using raters masked for type of antipsychotic.

Relationship between nicotine dependence and the endophenotype-related trait of cognitive function but not acoustic startle reponses in Japanese patients with schizophrenia.

Objectives: We investigated whether nicotine dependence affects these endophenotypes in Japanese schizophrenia patients and whether alpha4 and beta2 subunits of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor genes (alpha4 subunit of the nAChR gene (CHRNA4)/beta2 subunit of the nAChR gene (CHRNB2)) were associated with nicotine dependence in patients (n = 100) and healthy controls (n = 107).

Methods: First, in patients, we evaluated cognitive function, using the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia, and acoustic startle responses. Second, we evaluated the severity of nicotine dependence, using the Tobacco Dependence Screener, the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence, and the Brinkman index in current smokers in both groups.

The relationship between acoustic startle response measures and cognitive functions in Japanese patients with schizophrenia.

Recently, schizophrenia endophenotypes have been actively investigated to better understand the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Past studies have shown that cognitive functions, including working memory and executive function, correlate with acoustic startle responses, such as prepulse inhibition (PPI), in patients with schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between cognitive functions and acoustic startle response in Japanese patients with schizophrenia.

Effect of aripiprazole, risperidone, and olanzapine on the acoustic startle response in Japanese chronic schizophrenia.

Background: Studies have also shown that differences in the kind of the antipsychotics influenced disruption of the sensorimotor gating system, including prepulse inhibition (PPI), acoustic startle reflex (ASR), and habituation (HAB). We investigated the influence on startle response in chronic schizophrenia in 20 patients with schizophrenia taking risperidone, 21 patients with schizophrenia taking olanzapine, and 20 patients with schizophrenia taking aripiprazole.

Method: The patients who participated in this study were on maintenance therapy with only one antipsychotic drug for 4 months.

Investigation of clinical factors influencing cognitive function in Japanese schizophrenia.

Several investigators have reported cognitive dysfunction in chronic schizophrenia that was associated with insight and social skills. Such cognitive dysfunction seriously hinders an immediate return to normal life. Recently, Kaneda et al.

Prepulse inhibition of the startle response with chronic schizophrenia: a replication study.

Prepulse inhibition (PPI) deficit, the acoustic startle reflex (ASR) and habituation (HAB) impairment are considered to be endophenotypes for schizophrenia. The recent two studies have reported that a PPI deficit was detected in Japanese schizophrenic patients. We replicated that study using larger samples (115 schizophrenic patients and 111 normal controls) than the original study and a method same as original study.