Linking atypical depression and insulin resistance-related disorders via low-grade chronic inflammation: Integrating the phenotypic, molecular and neuroanatomical dimensions.

Insulin resistance (IR) and related disorders, such as T2DM, increase the risk of major depressive disorder (MDD) and vice versa. Current evidence indicates that psychological stress and overeating can induce chronic low-grade inflammation that can interfere with glutamate metabolism in MDD as well as insulin signaling, particularly in the atypical subtype. Here we first review the interactive role of inflammatory processes in the development of MDD, IR and related metabolic disorders.

Functional neuroanatomy in panic disorder: Status quo of the research.

Aim: To provide an overview of the current research in the functional neuroanatomy of panic disorder.

Methods: Panic disorder (PD) is a frequent psychiatric disease. Gorman et al (1989; 2000) proposed a comprehensive neuroanatomical model of PD, which suggested that fear- and anxiety-related responses are mediated by a so-called "fear network" which is centered in the amygdala and includes the hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, periaqueductal gray region, locus coeruleus and other brainstem sites.

Glutamatergic dysfunction linked to energy and membrane lipid metabolism in frontal and anterior cingulate cortices of never treated first-episode schizophrenia patients.

Background: Glutamatergic dysfunction and altered membrane lipid and energy metabolism have been repeatedly demonstrated in the frontal/prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in schizophrenia. Though having been already studied in animals, the presumed link between glutamatergic function and structural plasticity has not been investigated directly in the human brain yet. We measured glutamate (Glu), focal energy metabolism, and membrane phospholipid turnover to investigate main pathologies in those key brain regions of schizophrenia.

Maintenance cognitive-behavioral therapy and manualized psychoeducation in the treatment of recurrent depression: a multicenter prospective randomized controlled trial.

Objective: This multicenter study compared the relapse and recurrence outcomes of two active treatments, maintenance cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and manualized psychoeducation, both in addition to treatment as usual, in patients in remission from depression.

Method: This was a multicenter prospective randomized observer-blinded study with two parallel groups. The authors assessed 180 patients with three or more previous major depressive episodes who met remission criteria over a 2-month baseline period and who were randomly assigned to 16 sessions of either maintenance CBT or manualized psychoeducation over 8 months and then followed up for 12 months.

Differential effects of serotonergic and noradrenergic antidepressants on brain activity during a cognitive control task and neurofunctional prediction of treatment outcome in patients with depression.

Background: We investigated the differential effects of serotonergic and noradrenergic antidepressants on brain activation in patients with major depressive disorder during a Stroop task. We predicted that pretreatment hyperactivity in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex would predict better treatment outcomes.

Methods: In total, 20 patients underwent naturalistic open-label clinical treatment with citalopram (n = 12) or reboxetine (n = 8).

Cortical inefficiency in patients with unipolar depression: an event-related FMRI study with the Stroop task.

Background: The present study is aimed to examine the neuronal correlates of Stroop interference in medication-free patients with major depressive disorder.

Methods: Sixteen patients fulfilling Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria for unipolar depression and 16 healthy control subjects matched for age, gender, and education were included. All subjects underwent an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) design with an adapted version of the Stroop task including congruent and incongruent task conditions.

Improvement in Daytime Sleepiness by the Use of an Oral Appliance in a Patient with Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome.

This case report details the treatment outcome of an oral appliance (OA) used in a patient suffering from excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) caused by an upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS). The patient demonstrated significant improvement in the multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) and the maintenance of wakefulness test (MWT) after treatment with an OA. The presented case suggests that an OA may be considered as a further treatment option for UARS.