Exercise elevates serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor in partially remitted depression.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a pleiotropic cytokine implicated in the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD). In MDD, serum BDNF levels are attenuated. Healthy adults show BDNF elevation after exercise.

Computer-Assisted Cognitive Remediation in Schizophrenia: Efficacy of an Individualized . Generic Exercise Plan.

Computer-assisted cognitive remediation (CACR) is an economical, adjustable, and effective treatment for individuals with schizophrenia. The current randomized controlled study examined whether an individualized or generic exercise plan in CACR is superior in patients with multiple cognitive deficits compared to treatment-as-usual (TAU). Fifty-nine inpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia were randomly assigned to 1) TAU, 2) TAU plus an individualized exercise plan in CACR, or 3) TAU plus a generic exercise plan in CACR.

Cognitive remediation therapy for partially remitted unipolar depression: A single-blind randomized controlled trial.

Background: There is an urgent need for the development and evaluation of targeted interventions for cognitive impairment (CI) in patients with (partially) remitted major depressive disorder (MDD). The aim of our study was therefore to evaluate the effect of cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) on cognitive and psychosocial functioning in a sample of patients with MDD, taking into account comorbidity, psychopathology, remission status and CI profile. Furthermore, we compared a generalized training (GT) with an individualized training (IT) approach regarding their effects on cognition.

Abnormal Cerebellar Volume in Patients with Remitted Major Depression with Persistent Cognitive Deficits.

Cerebellar involvement in major depressive disorder (MDD) has been demonstrated by a growing number of studies, but it is unknown whether cognitive functioning in depressed individuals is related to cerebellar gray matter volume (GMV) abnormalities. Impaired attention and executive dysfunction are characteristic cognitive deficits in MDD, and critically, they often persist despite remission of mood symptoms. In this study, we investigated cerebellar GMV in patients with remitted MDD (rMDD) that showed persistent cognitive impairment.

Analysis of risk communication teaching in psychosocial and other medical departments.

: Teaching students about risk communication is an important aspect at medical schools given the growing importance of informed consent in healthcare. This observational study analyzes the quality of teaching content on risk communication and biostatistics at a medical school.: Based on the concept of curriculum mapping, purpose-designed questionnaires were used via participant observers to record the frequency, characteristics and context of risk communication employed by lecturers during teaching sessions for one semester.

Predictors of cognitive remediation therapy improvement in (partially) remitted unipolar depression.

Background: There is urgent need for development and evaluation of targeted interventions for cognitive deficits in (partially) remitted major depression. Until now the analyses of the moderators of treatment efficacy were only examined in mixed samples of patients with schizophrenia, affective spectrum and schizoaffective disorders. Thus, the aim of our study was to evaluate the predictors of cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) improvement in a sample of (partially) remitted major depressive disorder patients.

Cognitive remediation therapy modulates intrinsic neural activity in patients with major depression.

Background: Cognitive impairment is a core feature of major depressive disorder (MDD). Cognitive remediation may improve cognition in MDD, yet so far, the underlying neural mechanisms are unclear. This study investigated changes in intrinsic neural activity in MDD after a cognitive remediation trial.

Are we preparing future doctors to deal with emotionally challenging situations? Analysis of a medical curriculum.

Objective: Skilful communication by doctors is necessary for healthcare delivery during emotionally challenging situations. This study analyses a medical curriculum for the frequency and intensity of teaching content on communication in emotionally challenging situations.

Methods: A questionnaire with 31 questions ("EmotCog31") was used to evaluate teaching sessions at 17 departments of a medical school for one semester.

Neurocognitive performance in patients with depression compared to healthy controls: Association of clinical variables and remission state.

Cognitive impairment in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) has been postulated to persist into remission. However, inconsistent definitions of clinical remission, patterns and influencing factors, isolated cognitive tasks, and the lack of appropriately matched controls (HCs) present significant limitations of previous studies. Furthermore, studies investigating cognition in partially remitted patients are particularly scarce.

Cognitive Impairment Along the Course of Depression: Non-Pharmacological Treatment Options.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders, with a large global impact on both the individual and the society. In this narrative review, we summarize neurocognitive deficits during acute and (partially) remitted states of depression. Furthermore, we outline the potential negative effect of cognitive impairment (CI) on functional recovery, and discuss the role of several variables in the development of CI for MDD patients.

Serum calcium levels and neuropsychological performance in depression and matched healthy controls: Reversal of correlation a marker of the aging cognitive clock?

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with cognitive impairment, that might be related to disturbed calcium homeostasis. Calcium-related processes have also been implicated in age related cognitive decline. Since serum calcium and brain interstitial fluids maintain long-term equilibrium under normal physiological states, serum calcium levels could affect neuronal and hence cognitive function.

Monocausal attribution and its relationship with reasoning biases in schizophrenia.

Background: Aberrant attributional styles are counted to a set of circumscribed cognitive biases that are implicated in the pathogenesis of (paranoid) psychosis. However, evidence for a specific profile (e.g.

Performance of International Medical Students In psychosocial medicine.

Background: Particularly at the beginning of their studies, international medical students face a number of language-related, social and intercultural challenges. Thus, they perform poorer than their local counterparts in written and oral examinations as well as in Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) in the fields of internal medicine and surgery. It is still unknown how international students perform in an OSCE in the field of psychosocial medicine compared to their local fellow students.

Relationship between serum calcium and neuropsychological performance might indicate etiological heterogeneity underlying cognitive deficits in schizophrenia and depression.

Cognitive dysfunction is a core feature of schizophrenia spectrum and depressive disorders. Influx of extracellular calcium is essential for neuronal processes such as pre-synaptic neurotransmitter release and NMDA receptor mediated neuroplasticity. Since serum and brain interstitial fluids maintain equilibrium for ion concentrations via passive diffusion, the amount of peripheral calcium could affect neuronal and hence cognitive function.

Influence of Antipsychotic and Anticholinergic Loads on Cognitive Functions in Patients with Schizophrenia.

Many patients with schizophrenia show cognitive impairment. There is evidence that, beyond a certain dose of antipsychotic medication, the antipsychotic daily dose (ADD) may impair cognitive performance. Parallel to their D2 receptor antagonism, many antipsychotics show a significant binding affinity to cholinergic muscarinic receptors.

Reasoning in psychosis: risky but not necessarily hasty.

Introduction: A liberal acceptance (LA) threshold for hypotheses has been put forward to explain the well-replicated "jumping to conclusions" (JTC) bias in psychosis, particularly in patients with paranoid symptoms. According to this account, schizophrenia patients rest their decisions on lower subjective probability estimates. The initial formulation of the LA account also predicts an absence of the JTC bias under high task ambiguity (i.

Neurocognitive deficits are relevant for the jumping-to-conclusions bias, but not for delusions: A longitudinal study.

Patients with delusions exhibit an increased tendency to arrive at decisions based on very limited evidence (jumping-to-conclusions; JTC), making this reasoning bias relevant for the treatment of delusions. Neurocognitive deficits contribute to JTC, but it is not known whether this has any bearing on the clinical syndrome of delusions. We addressed this question by reanalyzing data from an efficacy study of non-pharmacological interventions as adjunctive treatments in schizophrenia.

Sustained and "sleeper" effects of group metacognitive training for schizophrenia: a randomized clinical trial.

Importance: Cognitive interventions increasingly complement psychopharmacological treatment to enhance symptomatic and functional outcome in schizophrenia. Metacognitive training (MCT) is targeted at cognitive biases involved in the pathogenesis of delusions.

Objective: To examine the long-term efficacy of group MCT for schizophrenia in order to explore whether previously established effects were sustained.

Investigation of the role of the jumping-to-conclusions bias for short-term functional outcome in schizophrenia.

Symptom severity and neuropsychological deficits negatively influence functional outcomes in patients with schizophrenia. Recent research implicates specific types of biased thinking styles (e.g.