Reduced sociability in a prenatal immune activation model: Modulation by a chronic blonanserin treatment through the amygdala-hippocampal axis.

The environmental disturbances in a critical neurodevelopmental period exert organizational effects on brain intrinsic plasticity including excitatory and inhibitory (E/I) neurotransmission those can cause the onset of psychiatric illness. We previously reported that treatment of neural precursor cells with N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist MK-801 induced reduction of GABAergic interneuron differentiation, and these changes recovered by atypical antipsychotic blonanserin treatment in vitro. However, it remains unclear how this treatment affects neural circuit changes in hippocampus and amygdala, which might contribute to the prevention of onset process of schizophrenia.

Antidepressant activities of escitalopram and blonanserin on prenatal and adolescent combined stress-induced depression model: Possible role of neurotrophic mechanism change in serum and nucleus accumbens.

Background: There has been number of studies suggesting experiences of adversity in early life interrelated subsequent brain development, however, neurobiological mechanisms confer risk for onset of psychiatric illness remains unclear.

Methods: In order to elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms underlying early life adversity-induced refractory depression in more detail, we administered corticosterone (CORT) to adolescent rats with or without prenatal ethanol exposure followed by an antidepressant or antipsychotic and examined alterations in depressive and social function behaviors and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in serum, the hippocampus, anterior cingulate cortex, and nucleus accumbens.

Results: The combined stress exposure of prenatal ethanol and adolescent CORT prolonged immobility times in the forced swim test (FST), and increased investigation times and numbers in the social interaction test (SIT).

Psychiatric Consultations at an Emergency Department in a Metropolitan University Hospital in Northern Japan.

Many patients with mental disorders visit emergency departments (EDs). However, the majority of these patients do not receive psychiatric assessment. In the present study, we investigated the detailed proportion of patients with mental disorders visiting an urban ED in the largest northern city in Japan.

Prevalence rate of Internet addiction among Japanese college students: Two cross-sectional studies and reconsideration of cut-off points of Young's Internet Addiction Test in Japan.

Aim: Due to variation in estimates of the prevalence of Internet addiction (IA) in prior research, we conducted two cross-sectional studies over 2 years investigating the prevalence rate of IA in college students in Japan and reconsidered appropriate cut-off points of a self-rating scale to screen possible IA.

Methods: This study was composed of two parts: survey I in 2014 and survey II in 2016, which were conducted in the same schools with an interval of 2 years. The study questionnaire included questions about demographics and Internet use, and Young's Internet Addiction Test (IAT).

Antipsychotics promote GABAergic interneuron genesis in the adult rat brain: Role of heat-shock protein production.

Current antipsychotics reduce positive symptoms and reverse negative symptoms in conjunction with cognitive behavioral issues with the goal of restoring impaired occupational and social functioning. However, limited information is available on their influence on gliogenesis or their neurogenic properties in adult schizophrenia brains, particularly on GABAergic interneuron production. In the present study, we used young adult subventricular zone (SVZ)-derived progenitor cells expressing proteoglycan NG2 cultures to examine the oligodendrocyte and GABAergic interneuron genesis effects of several kinds of antipsychotics on changes in differentiation function induced by exposure to the NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801.

Internet addiction and self-evaluated attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder traits among Japanese college students.

Aim: Internet addiction (IA), also referred to as Internet use disorder, is a serious problem all over the world, especially in Asian countries. Severe IA in students may be linked to academic failure, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and forms of social withdrawal, such as hikikomori. In this study, we performed a survey to investigate the relation between IA and ADHD symptoms among college students.

Survey of the relationship between internet addiction and social withdrawal (HIKIKOMORI) in Japan.

Purpose: The Internet was originally designed to facilitate communication and research activities.'However, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of the Internet in recent years for commerce, education, and entertainment, including video games. Internet addiction as.

Influence of comorbid alcohol use disorder on treatment response of depressive patients.

Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) frequently also have alcohol use disorder (AUD) and they are more likely to experience symptomatic recurrence and resist treatment. How the two disorders interrelate has not yet been fully examined in Japanese subjects. The treatment response of 47 MDD patients was followed for 12 weeks.

[Treatment response of depressive patients with comorbid problem drink].

In this study, we investigated the impact of Problem Drink on depression. Forty participants with depression were divided into 2 groups: non-Problem Drinker (NPD) group (n = 22) and Problem Drinker (PD) group (n = 18) according to Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) score (NPD < 12, PD > or = 12). Depression was assessed by the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview.

The study of cognitive characteristics in Asperger's disorder by using a modified Prisoner's Dilemma game with a variable payoff matrix.

Individuals with Asperger's Disorder (ASP) have difficulties in social reciprocity and in providing appropriate cooperative behavior. The Prisoner's Dilemma (PD) is a well-known model in game theory that illustrates the paradoxical disposition of interaction between two individuals with opposing interests, and may be a useful tool in the diagnosis of ASP in early childhood. In this study, we investigated the cognitive characteristics of ASP by using a modified PD game.