Computational Analysis of Neonatal Mouse Ultrasonic Vocalization.

Neonatal vocalization is structurally altered in mouse models of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Our published data showed that pup vocalization, under conditions of maternal separation, contains sequences whose alterations in a genetic mouse model of ASD impair social communication between pups and mothers. We describe details of a method which reveals the statistical structure of call sequences that are functionally critical for optimal maternal care.

Environmental enrichment enhances autophagy signaling in the rat hippocampus.

The findings that antidepressive treatments increase hippocampal neurotrophins have led researchers to emphasize the importance of neurogenesis, formation of new dendrites, and survival of neurons in the brain. However, it is difficult to maintain neural plasticity just by enriching the environment to facilitate formation of new networks. Neural plasticity also requires a degradation process that clears off unnecessary and undesirable components.

Therapeutic effect of paroxetine on stress-induced gastric lesions in mice.

Compared to the well-known anti-ulcerogenic properties of tricyclic antidepressants, the impact of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) on gastric mucosa is less clear. Human clinical trials have shown that SSRIs and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) act synergistically and promote stomach ulcer formation and upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding. Acute SSRI treatment confers an additional risk for the formation of NSAID-induced gastric ulcers through increase in gastric acid secretion.

Comparison of psychiatrists' views on classification of mental disorders in four East Asian countries/area.

Objective: Authors of this study collaborated with psychiatrists in East Asia to undertake the international survey with the following objectives: (1) to identify the psychiatric classification systems currently used in East Asia, (2) to describe the views of psychiatrists on the classificatory systems of mental disorders in Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan, (3) to analyze their similarities and differences among the four countries/area, and (4) to discuss factors which influence the usages of the classificatory systems in East Asia.

Method: Views of psychiatrists in four East Asian countries/area were collected by a minimum of 100 psychiatrists in each country/area using the same questionnaire. Psychiatrists from East Asian countries/area completed the questionnaire developed originally by a New Zealand psychiatrist and translated into Japanese, Korean and Chinese.