Elevated serum levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-18 in chronic methamphetamine users.

Objective: Chronic methamphetamine use causes aberrant changes in cytokines. Our aim was to analyze the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-18 in chronic methamphetamine users. Associations between cytokines levels with the demographic properties, methamphetamine use properties, and psychiatric symptoms in chronic methamphetamine users were also evaluated.

GRIN2B Gene Polymorphism in Chronic Ketamine Users.

Background And Objectives: We examined the allelic variants of N-methyl- d-aspartate receptor 2B (GRIN2B) and analyzed the associations between GRIN2B gene polymorphism with ketamine use conditions and psychopathological symptoms in chronic ketamine users.

Methods: A total of 231 subjects were recruited. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms of GRIN2B, rs1805502, rs7301328, rs890, and rs1806201 were examined in 151 male chronic ketamine users and 80 controls.

Changes in serum TNF-α, IL-18, and IL-6 concentrations in patients with chronic schizophrenia at admission and at discharge.

Objective: Schizophrenia is correlated with aberrant cytokine concentrations. The goal of our study was to detect the serum concentrations of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-18, and IL-6 concentrations in patients with chronic schizophrenia in the acute relapse state at admission and at discharge and to analyze the correlations between the three cytokine concentrations with psychosis symptoms.

Methods: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to analyze serum concentrations of TNF-α, IL-18, and IL-6 in 68 patients with chronic schizophrenia at admission and at discharge and in 80 controls.

Altered serum levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-18 in depressive disorder patients.

Objective: Depressive disorder is associated with abnormal changes in cytokines levels. This study aimed to assess serum concentrations of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α, interleukin (IL) 6, and IL-18 in depressive patients. The correlations between these three cytokine concentrations and the patients' clinical characteristics were also assessed.

Effect of living with patients on caregiver burden of individual with schizophrenia in China.

Caregiver burden may be especially high in China. However, there has been no empirical study comparing burden experienced by caregivers who live with their patient kin and caregivers live separately from their kin. This study compared caregiver burden in cohabiting and non-cohabiting families and examined characteristics that may account for observed differences ion experienced burden.

Comparison of burden among family members of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in a large acute psychiatric hospital in China.

Background: The difference of burden between caregivers of acute patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder has not been well studied in China, a culture where family responsibility has a very high value. Our aim is to compare family burden in these two categories diagnosis and to identify predictors of family burden in a large psychiatric hospital in China.

Methods: Two hundred forty-three schizophrenic patients and 200 bipolar patients were enrolled in a cross-sectional study.

Insight in inpatients with schizophrenia: relationship to symptoms and neuropsychological functioning.

Objective: Lack of insight into illness has long been recognized as a central characteristic of schizophrenia. Although recent theories have emphasized neurocognitive dysfunction as a central impairment in schizophrenia it remains unclear whether the lack of insight in schizophrenia is more strongly associated with measures of symptom severity or neuropsychological dysfunction.

Methods: Seventy-four consecutive inpatients with chronic schizophrenia were enrolled in a cross-sectional study.

Association of the 3' region of the neuregulin 1 gene with bipolar I disorder in the Chinese Han population.

Background: Based on the function of neuregulin 1 (NRG1) in neurodevelopment, susceptibility to bipolar disorder presumably involves this gene. The 3' region of NRG1 contains the majority of the coding exons, and transcripts from this region encode 8 of the 9 known NRG1 isoforms; therefore, this region is likely to be predominant versus the 5' region in terms of their relative contributions to NRG1 function. We investigated the association between the 3' region of the NRG1 gene and bipolar I disorder (BPI) in the Chinese Han population and performed further analyses depending on the presence or absence of psychotic features.