Escitalopram attenuates fear stress-induced increase in amygdalar dopamine following methamphetamine-induced sensitisation: Implications of fine-tuning action of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors on emotional processing.

Serotonin reuptake inhibitors modulate the serotonergic pathways of the nervous system and are widely used for treating psychiatric conditions such as anxiety and depression. The dopaminergic system is related to the development of these conditions. Previous studies on methamphetamine-sensitised rats (behavioural models of stress vulnerability) have shown increased release of dopamine in response to conditioned stress in the amygdala.

Diazepam suppresses the stress-induced dopaminergic release in the amygdala of methamphetamine-sensitized rat.

Although the benzodiazepine class of drugs has proven useful in treating anxiety symptoms, recent studies yield no consistent empirical support for their use in treating psychiatric disorders. However, animal studies using a fear conditioning paradigm have suggested that benzodiazepines facilitate fear memory extinction, dependent on treatment timing and subject conditions. However, we have no data on the effect of subject conditions.

Dopamine dynamics during emotional cognitive processing: Implications of the specific actions of clozapine compared with haloperidol.

Clozapine has improved efficacy relative to typical antipsychotics in schizophrenia treatment, particularly regarding emotional symptoms. However, the mechanisms underlying its therapeutic benefits remain unclear. Using a methamphetamine-sensitised rat model, we measured changes in dopamine levels in the amygdalae in response to a fear-conditioned cue, serving as a biochemical marker of emotional cognitive processing disruption in psychosis, for analysing the biochemical mechanisms associated with the clinical benefits of clozapine.

[The benzodiazepines use disorder].

Benzodiazepines are widely used as anti-anxiety drugs and sleeping drugs. On the other hand, it is also true that use disorders such as abuse or dependence is often a problem. Including the distinctive usual dose depends on the BZ drugs use disorders, I outlined the actual situation, diagnostic criteria, and the treatment.

Risk factors for the transmission of foot-and-mouth disease during the 2010 outbreak in Japan: a case-control study.

Background: In 2010, foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) occurred for the first time in a decade in Japan. Movement or shipment of people and animals around infected farms was restricted; however these contingency measures proved insufficient to prevent FMD spread. Consequently, a total of 292 farms were confirmed as infected during this outbreak.