Outcomes of an interdisciplinary return to work intervention including occupational therapy for mood and adjustment disorders: A single-arm clinical trial.

Background: Mood and adjustment disorders are two major causes of long-term sick leave among employees, leading to large social losses. Therefore, a return to work (RTW) intervention was attempted, targeting patients with mood and adjustment disorders.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the outcome of an interdisciplinary RTW intervention including occupational therapy implemented within the Japanese healthcare framework.

Subjective assessment of participants in education programs on clinical practice guidelines in the field of psychiatry.

The Effectiveness of Guidelines for Dissemination and Education in psychiatric treatment (EGUIDE) project, which is a nationwide dissemination and implementation program for clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) in the field of psychiatry, is currently ongoing. In the current study, a subjective assessment of the participants in the EGUIDE programs was assessed using a questionnaire. Then, the relationships between the subjective assessment, the characteristics of the participants, and the clinical knowledge of the CPGs were evaluated.

Sex differences in serum levels of 5α-androstane-3β, 17β-diol, and androstenediol in the young adults: A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry study.

Animal experiments have consistently shown that estrogen receptor β (ERβ)-selective ligands have antidepressant and anxiolytic effects. In humans, endogenous ligands for ERβ include 5α-androstane-3β, 17β-diol (3βAdiol) and androstenediol (Δ5-diol). We determined, for the first time, the exact serum levels of 3βAdiol and Δ5-diol in young healthy volunteers using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).

Possible utilization of salivary IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio as a marker of chronic stress in healthy individuals.

Introduction: Several studies show that psychological stress reduces Th1/Th2 ratio in blood samples. However, evidence is scarce regarding the cytokine alterations during stress in saliva. We investigated the influence of chronic stress on Th1/Th2 ratio and cytokine profiles in the saliva of healthy individuals.

Prescription patterns in patients with schizophrenia in Japan: First-quality indicator data from the survey of "Effectiveness of Guidelines for Dissemination and Education in psychiatric treatment (EGUIDE)" project.

Background: Guideline for Pharmacological Therapy for Schizophrenia was published by the Japanese Society of Neuropsychopharmacology in 2015. "Effectiveness of Guidelines for Dissemination and Education in psychiatric treatment (EGUIDE)" project aimed to standardize medical practice using quality indicators (QIs) as indices to evaluate the quality of medical practice. In this study, we have reported the quality indicator values of prescription before the beginning of the guideline lectures in the EGUIDE project to ascertain the baseline status of treating patients with schizophrenia.

Improvement of psychiatrists' clinical knowledge of the treatment guidelines for schizophrenia and major depressive disorders using the 'Effectiveness of Guidelines for Dissemination and Education in Psychiatric Treatment (EGUIDE)' project: A nationwide dissemination, education, and evaluation study.

Aim: Although treatment guidelines for pharmacological therapy for schizophrenia and major depressive disorder have been issued by the Japanese Societies of Neuropsychopharmacology and Mood Disorders, these guidelines have not been well applied by psychiatrists throughout the nation. To address this issue, we developed the 'Effectiveness of Guidelines for Dissemination and Education in Psychiatric Treatment (EGUIDE)' integrated education programs for psychiatrists to disseminate the clinical guidelines. Additionally, we conducted a systematic efficacy evaluation of the programs.

Jitteriness/Anxiety Syndrome Developing Immediately following Initiation of Oral Administration of Sertraline.

Here, we report our experience with patients in whom jitteriness/anxiety syndrome developed immediately following the start of oral sertraline administration. Administration was discontinued in these patients on day 2, and the jitteriness/anxiety syndrome improved the following day. Jitteriness/anxiety syndrome may develop immediately following oral administration of even low doses of sertraline, and improvement can be expected if sertraline is promptly discontinued.

Novel oestrogen receptor β-selective ligand reduces obesity and depressive-like behaviour in ovariectomized mice.

Hormonal changes due to menopause can cause various health problems including weight gain and depressive symptoms. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that oestrogen receptors (ERs) play a major role in postmenopausal obesity and depression. However, little is known regarding the ER subtype-specific effects on obesity and depressive symptoms.

Negative Correlation between Serum Cytokine Levels and Cognitive Abilities in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Evidence suggests that cytokines may be one of the major factors influencing cognitive development in those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To shed light on the neural and cognitive mechanisms of ASD, we investigated the association between peripheral cytokine levels and cognitive profiles in children with ASD. The serum levels of 10 cytokines (granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor-α) were examined in 14 children with ASD using the Human Ultrasensitive Cytokine Magnetic 10-Plex Panel for the Luminex platform.

Sex differences in the serum level of endogenous ligands for estrogen receptor β in the elderly population.

Animal studies suggest that estrogen receptor β (ERβ)-agonists, but not ERα-agonists, are antidepressants. Several endogenous ligands for ERβ have been proposed, including 5α-androstane-3β, 17β-diol (3βAdiol), Androstenediol (Δ5-diol), and 7α-hydroxydehydroepiandrosterone (7α-OH-DHEA). The aim of this study was to determine the serum and salivary levels of natural ERβ ligands in men and women with and without past depressive episodes in the elderly population.

Patterns of hippocampal atrophy differ among Alzheimer's disease, amnestic mild cognitive impairment, and late-life depression.

Aim: This study investigated whether the characteristic changes in hippocampal atrophy seen in coronal scans are useful for differentiating Alzheimer's disease (AD), amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), and major depressive disorder (MDD).

Methods: Subjects included 58 patients with AD, 33 with aMCI, 20 with MDD, and 22 normal controls, all aged 60 years or older. For each subject, eight coronal short TI inversion recovery images perpendicular to the hippocampal longitudinal axis were obtained.

Chronic exposure to carbon monoxide in two elderly patients using a kotatsu, a traditional Japanese charcoal-based heater.

We report on two elderly patients with cognitive impairments, for whom chronic carbon monoxide (CO) exposure was suspected based on elevated carboxyhaemoglobin levels in their serum. On their initial visits, cognitive impairment and brain magnetic resonance imaging findings in both patients were compatible with the diagnosis of Alzheimer's-type dementia. However, after discontinuation of the use of a kotatsu, a charcoal-based heater, their serum carboxyhaemoglobin levels normalized and their physical symptoms resolved.

Concerns expressed by parents of children with pervasive developmental disorders for different time periods of the day: a case-control study.

Background/aim: The Questionnaire: Children with Difficulties (QCD) is a parent-assessed questionnaire designed to evaluate child's difficulties in functioning during specific periods of the day. This study aimed to evaluate difficulties in daily functioning of children and adolescents with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) using the QCD. Results were compared with those for a community sample.

A case-control study of the difficulties in daily functioning experienced by children with depressive disorder.

Objective: The parent-assessed children-with-difficulties questionnaire (Questionnaire-Children with Difficulties; QCD) is designed to evaluate a child׳s difficulties in functioning during specific periods of the day. This study aimed to use the QCD to evaluate the difficulties in daily functioning experienced by children with depressive disorders.

Methods: A case-control design was used.

Comparison of alterations in cerebral hemoglobin oxygenation in late life depression and Alzheimer's disease as assessed by near-infrared spectroscopy.

Background: Patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) often present with apathy symptoms resembling the decreased motivation observed in depressed patients. Therefore, differentiating the initial phase of AD from late life depression may be difficult in some cases. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a functional neuroimaging modality that uses near-infrared light to measure changes in hemoglobin concentration on the cortical surface during activation tasks.

The reliability and validity of the Questionnaire - Children with Difficulties (QCD).

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Questionnaire-Children with Difficulties (QCD), which was developed for the evaluation of children's daily life behaviors during specified periods of the day.

Methods: The subjects were 1,514 Japanese public elementary and junior high school students. For the examination of reliability, Cronbach's alpha was calculated to assess the internal consistency of the questionnaire.

Poor performance on the Iowa gambling task in children with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Background: Several lines of evidence implicate orbitofrontal cortex dysfunction in the pathophysiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The purpose of this study was to investigate neuropsychological dysfunction of the orbitofrontal cortex in children with OCD.

Methods: The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), which reflects orbitofrontal cortex function, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), which is associated with functioning of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, were administered to 22 children with OCD and 22 healthy controls matched for gender, age, and intelligence.

Psychotic symptoms complicate the clinical differentiation of Parkinson's disease with major depressive disorder from dementia with Lewy bodies.

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is diagnosed clinically according to the diagnostic criteria in the Third Report of the DLB Consortium. However, psychotic symptoms, such as visual hallucinations, delusions, and stupor, may complicate the clinical diagnosis of DLB. The present study reports on a patient with Parkinson's disease that was difficult to distinguish from DLB because of the presence of various psychotic symptoms.