Long-Term Exposure to Morphine Induces Cross-Tolerance to Acute Antinociceptive Effect of Remifentanil on Somatic and Visceral Stimuli in Rats.

Purpose: Remifentanil is one of the most commonly used opioids intraoperatively. Previous reports indicate that long-term use of opioids may lead to cross-tolerance to remifentanil, which poses a challenge in the control of acute pain intraoperatively. However, there is limited information regarding cross-tolerance to remifentanil, especially in visceral pain.

Delirium is associated with high mortality in older adult patients with acute decompensated heart failure.

Background: Delirium is associated with high mortality after cardiac surgery. However, evidence on the epidemiology of delirium in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is limited. This study aimed to assess the incidence and prognostic impact of delirium in patients with ADHF.

Interkinetic nuclear migration in the tracheal and esophageal epithelia of the mouse embryo: Possible implications for tracheo-esophageal anomalies.

Interkinetic nuclear migration (INM) is a cell polarity-based phenomenon in which progenitor cell nuclei migrate along the apico-basal axis of the pseudostratified epithelium in synchrony with the cell cycle. INM is suggested to be at least partially cytoskeleton-dependent and to regulate not only the proliferation/differentiation of stem/progenitor cells but also the localized/overall size and shape of organs/tissues. INM occurs in all three of the germ-layer derived epithelia, including the endoderm-derived gut.

Electroconvulsive shock attenuated microgliosis and astrogliosis in the hippocampus and ameliorated schizophrenia-like behavior of Gunn rat.

Background: Although electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is regarded as one of the efficient treatments for intractable psychiatric disorders, the mechanism of therapeutic action remains unclear. Recently, many studies indicate that ECT affects the immune-related cells, such as microglia, astrocytes, and lymphocytes. Moreover, microglial activation and astrocytic activation have been implicated in the postmortem brains of schizophrenia patients.

Effects of Yokukansan, a Japanese Kampo Medicine for Symptoms Associated Autism Spectrum Disorder.

A neuropsychiatric syndrome, Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is qualified via impairments in qualitative communication, social interaction, and stereotyped or restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. While all ASDs are considered to have qualitative deficits in social relatedness to others, many people with ASDs have other symptoms, including irritability (which includes aggression, self-injurious behavior, and severe tantrums). In order to decrease these behaviors, it is often helpful to make use of behavioral therapy.

Interkinetic nuclear migration in the mouse embryonic ureteric epithelium: Possible implication for congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract.

Interkinetic nuclear migration (INM) is a phenomenon in which progenitor cell nuclei migrate along the apico-basal axis of the pseudostratified epithelium, which is characterized by the presence of apical primary cilia, in synchrony with the cell cycle in a manner of apical mitosis. INM is suggested to regulate not only stem/progenitor cell proliferation/differentiation but also organ size and shape. INM has been reported in epithelia of both ectoderm and endoderm origin.

Regional cerebral blood flow in late-onset schizophrenia: a SPECT study using 99mTc-ECD.

Progressive disability in schizophrenia has been considered to be associated with onset-age. The objective of this study was to evaluate age onset-related degeneration in rCBF in patients with schizophrenia. We evaluated characteristic changes in brain perfusion by age, gender, medication and clinical symptoms in medicated patients with early-onset (EOS: developed at younger than 40 years old: n = 44) and late-onset (LOS: developed at older than 40 years old: n = 19) schizophrenia and control subjects matched for age and gender (n = 37) using statistical parametric mapping (SPM8) applied to 99mTc-ECD SPECT.

Analysis of oxidative stress expressed by urinary level of biopyrrins and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine in patients with chronic schizophrenia.

Aims: Previous studies have supported the claim that psychological stress induces the production of reactive oxygen species. Several authors have suggested that patients with psychiatric disorders show high levels of oxidative stress markers. We examined different oxidative stress markers in patients with chronic schizophrenia.

Efficacy and safety of yokukansan in treatment-resistant schizophrenia: a randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Objectives. We aimed at evaluating both the efficacy and safety of TJ-54 (Yokukansan) in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia. This randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted.

Efficacy and safety of yokukansan in treatment-resistant schizophrenia: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (a Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, five-factor analysis).

Background: Treating schizophrenia patients who fail to respond to antipsychotics is a major challenge, and the percentage of treatment-resistant patients is estimated to be 20-25 %. Recent studies indicate that yokukansan (YKS; D2 and 5HT1A partial agonist and 5HT2A and glutamate antagonist) to be safe and useful in treating behavioral and psychological symptoms associated with dementia and other neuropsychiatric conditions. We aimed at evaluating both the efficacy and safety of YKS in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia.

The effects of aging on changes in regional cerebral blood flow in schizophrenia.

Aims: Although there have been no conclusive pathophysiological findings in support of the degeneration theory in the etiology of schizophrenia to date, results of our neuroimaging studies suggest functional changes in the brains of schizophrenics. We evaluated age-related changes of brain perfusion in medicated patients with schizophrenia.

Method: In this study, we evaluated age-related changes in brain perfusion in medicated schizophrenia patients (n = 44) and control subjects (n = 37) undergoing (99m)Tc-ethyl cysteinate dimer single-photon emission computed tomography.

The effects of combine treatment of memantine and donepezil on Alzheimer's disease patients and its relationship with cerebral blood flow in the prefrontal area.

Background: In this study, we evaluated the effect on cognitive function of memantine, behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, and the care burden, in patients with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease (AD). Furthermore, with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), we examined the association between effect of memantine and brain blood flow.

Methods: We evaluated the effect of memantine administration from baseline on Clinical Global Impression-Improvement scale, mini mental state examination (MMSE), Clock Drawing Test (CDT), Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), Japanese version of the Zarit Burden Interview (J-ZBI) and NIRS in two groups, donepezil administration memantine combination group (combination group, n = 19) donepezil administration memantine non-administration group (control group, n = 18) were assessed at weeks 0, 4, 12, and 24.

Minocycline improves recognition memory and attenuates microglial activation in Gunn rat: a possible hyperbilirubinemia-induced animal model of schizophrenia.

Background: Accumulating evidence indicates that neuroinflammation plays a significant role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. We previously reported evidence of schizophrenia-like behaviors and microglial activation in Gunn rats. We concluded that the Gunn rat, which exhibits a high concentration of unconjugated bilirubin, may be useful as an animal model of schizophrenia.

Simple and rapid detection of HLA-A*31:01 for prediction of carbamazepine-induced hypersensitivity using loop-mediated isothermal amplification method.

Background: Carbamazepine (CBZ), which is widely used in management of epilepsy or neuropathic pain, causes fatal severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs). CBZ-induced SCARs are known to occur in strong association with human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A*31:01 in Japanese and European populations. HLA genotyping is currently used to detect human HLA-A*31:01.

Yokukansan promotes hippocampal neurogenesis associated with the suppression of activated microglia in Gunn rat.

Background: The pathophysiology of schizophrenia (SCZ) remains unclear, and its treatment is far from ideal. We have previously reported that yokukansan (YKS), which is a traditional Japanese medicine, is effective as an adjunctive therapy for SCZ. However, the mechanisms underlying the action of YKS have not yet been completely elucidated.

Glia: an important target for anti-inflammatory and antidepressant activity.

Activated glial cells are capable of generating various inflammatory mediators, including cytokines, nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species. These potentially neurotoxic molecules have been suggested to play a role in the etiology and development of depression. Accumulating evidence indicates that antidepressants have inhibitory effects on inflammatory activation of glial cells and confer neuroprotection under neuropathological conditions.

Yokukansan (TJ-54) for irritability associated with pervasive developmental disorder in children and adolescents: a 12-week prospective, open-label study.

Background: Autistic disorder is a neuropsychiatric syndrome characterized by deficits in social interaction; qualitative impairments in communication; and restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. It is classified as a type of pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). All PDDs have a qualitative impairment in social relatedness.

The effects of antipsychotics on behavioral abnormalities of the Gunn rat (unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia rat), a rat model of schizophrenia.

Background: There have been reports of a positive relationship between schizophrenia and hyperbilirubinemia. Patients with schizophrenia show a significantly higher frequency of hyperbilirubinemia than patients suffering from other psychiatric disorders and when compared to the general population. Previously we observed that patients suffering from schizophrenia frequently present an elevated unconjugated bilirubin plasma concentration, when admitted to the hospital.

Yokukansan (TJ-54) for treatment of very-late-onset schizophrenia-like psychosis: an open-label study.

Background: Although schizophrenia affects all age groups, late or very-late-onset schizophrenia-like psychosis has not been well studied, and various treatment issues remain unresolved. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of yokukansan (TJ-54), Japanese herbal medicine, monotherapy in a diagnostically homogenous group of elderly patients without cognitive impairment suffering from very-late-onset schizophrenia.

Methods: Forty patients of mean age 73.

Marked improvement in delirium with ramelteon: five case reports.

Delirium is a common and serious acute neuropsychiatric syndrome characterized by inattention and global cognitive dysfunction. Delirium is associated with higher morbidity, higher mortality and longer hospitalization, but its aetiology remains unclear. We successfully treated five cases of delirium within 1 day with ramelteon, a novel selective melatonin receptor agonist.

Yokukansan (TJ-54) for treatment of pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified and Asperger's disorder: a 12-week prospective, open-label study.

Background: Numerous medications have been tested on patients with pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger's disorder. Although many of these medications have been demonstrated to be useful, no clear primary treatment for PDD-NOS and Asperger's disorder has emerged. Despite the efficacy of some of the medicines, the acceptability and side effects have proven to be barriers to their use.

Morphological features of microglial cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus of Gunn rat: a possible schizophrenia animal model.

Background: Schizophrenia is a debilitating and complex mental disorder whose exact etiology remains unknown. There is growing amount of evidence of a relationship between neuroinflammation, as demonstrated by microglial activation, and schizophrenia. Our previous studies have proposed that hyperbilirubinemia plays a role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.