Cingulate dynamics track depression recovery with deep brain stimulation.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subcallosal cingulate (SCC) can provide long-term symptom relief for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). However, achieving stable recovery is unpredictable, typically requiring trial-and-error stimulation adjustments due to individual recovery trajectories and subjective symptom reporting. We currently lack objective brain-based biomarkers to guide clinical decisions by distinguishing natural transient mood fluctuations from situations requiring intervention.

Protein kinase D2 regulates epithelial sodium channel activity and aldosterone non-genomic responses in renal cortical collecting duct cells.

Protein kinase D2 (PKD2) is a serine/threonine protein kinase which plays an important role in vesicle fission at the trans-Golgi network (TGN) to coordinate subcellular trafficking with gene expression. We found that in the rat kidney, PKD2 is specifically expressed in collecting duct principal cells predominantly at the apical membrane and with lower basal expression in cytosolic compartments. When rats were maintained on a Na depleted diet (<0.

Long-Term Outcomes of Subcallosal Cingulate Deep Brain Stimulation for Treatment-Resistant Depression.

Objective: Deep brain stimulation of the subcallosal cingulate (SCC DBS) has been studied as a potential treatment for severe and refractory major depressive disorder since 2005. The authors used an open-label, long-term follow-up design to examine participants enrolled in a clinical trial of SCC DBS for treatment-resistant depression.

Methods: Long-term outcome data were collected for 28 patients (20 with major depressive disorder and seven with bipolar II disorder; one patient in the major depression subgroup was later reclassified as having bipolar II disorder) receiving SCC DBS for 4-8 years.

When Medical News Comes from Press Releases-A Case Study of Pancreatic Cancer and Processed Meat.

The media have a key role in communicating advances in medicine to the general public, yet the accuracy of medical journalism is an under-researched area. This project adapted an established monitoring instrument to analyse all identified news reports (n = 312) on a single medical research paper: a meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Cancer which showed a modest link between processed meat consumption and pancreatic cancer. Our most significant finding was that three sources (the journal press release, a story on the BBC News website and a story appearing on the 'NHS Choices' website) appeared to account for the content of over 85% of the news stories which covered the meta analysis, with many of them being verbatim or moderately edited copies and most not citing their source.

Rapid aldosterone actions on epithelial sodium channel trafficking and cell proliferation.

Aldosterone regulates blood pressure through its effects on the kidney and the cardiovascular system. Dysregulation of aldosterone signalling can result in hypertension which in turn can lead to chronic pathologies of the kidney such as renal fibrosis and nephropathy. Aldosterone acts by binding to the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), which acts as a ligand-dependent transcription factor in target tissues such as segments of the distal nephron including the connecting tubule and cortical collecting duct (CCD).

Accelerated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for treatment-resistant depression.

Background: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has shown safety and efficacy for treatment-resistant depression, but requires daily treatment for 4-6 weeks. Accelerated TMS, with all treatments delivered over a few days, would have significant advantages in terms of access and patient acceptance.

Methods: Open-label accelerated TMS (aTMS), consisting of 15 rTMS sessions administered over 2 days, was tested in 14 depressed patients not responding to at least one antidepressant medication.

Bupropion decreases resting motor threshold: a case report.

Background: Bupropion is associated with a dose-related increased seizure risk. This effect could correlate with a change in motor cortex excitability. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can assess changes in motor cortical excitability by measuring resting motor threshold (RMT).

Engagement with dietary fibre and receptiveness to resistant starch in Australia.

Objective: To investigate community engagement with the health benefits of dietary fibre (DF) and its potential as a framework for the promotion of increased consumption of resistant starch (RS).

Setting: A nationwide postal Food and Health Survey conducted in Australia by CSIRO Human Nutrition.

Subjects: Adults aged 18 years and above, selected at random from the Australian Electoral Roll (n 849).

Morphologic alterations in the corpus callosum in abuse-related posttraumatic stress disorder: a preliminary study.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies in children with maltreatment-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have demonstrated smaller corpus callosum area, with the greatest magnitude of change in posterior portions of the corpus callosum. The purpose of this study was to measure corpus callosum area in adult female patients with childhood abuse-related PTSD and comparison subjects. MRI was used to measure the midsagittal area of the corpus callosum as well as subregions of the corpus callosum in 9 female subjects with abuse-related PTSD and 9 healthy female subjects.

A double blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of galantamine augmentation of antidepressant treatment in older adults with major depression.

Objective: Depression in older adults is often associated with cognitive abnormalities and may predict later development of a primary cognitive disorder. This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study was designed to assess the safety and efficacy of galantamine augmentation of antidepressant treatment for depressive and cognitive symptoms in older adults with major depression.

Methods: Thirty-eight, non-demented older adults (age >50) with major depression were randomized to receive galantamine or placebo augmentation of standard antidepressant pharmacotherapy (venlafaxine XR or citalopram).

Smaller volume of anterior cingulate cortex in abuse-related posttraumatic stress disorder.

Objective: The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) plays an important role in emotion, and studies in animals have shown changes in ACC structure with early life stress. The purpose of this study was to measure volume of the ACC in PTSD.

Method: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to measure ACC volume in 8 subjects with abuse-related PTSD and 13 healthy subjects without PTSD.

Effects of phenytoin on memory, cognition and brain structure in post-traumatic stress disorder: a pilot study.

Phenytoin (Dilantin) is an anticonvulsant used in the treatment of epilepsy. It is believed to act by modulation of glutamatergic transmission. Because the neurobiology of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been hypothesized to involve alterations in glutamatergic transmission with subsequention neurotoxicity, we assessed the effects of phenytoin on cognition and brain structure in PTSD patients.