Brain-derived neurotrophic factor in bipolar disorder: Associations with age at onset and illness duration.

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a heterogeneous disorder that contains neurodevelopmental differences. Defining homogeneous subgroups of BD patients by using age at onset (AAO) as a specifier may promote the classification of biomarkers. This study compares peripheral BDNF levels between pediatric and adult BD patients to investigate the associations between BDNF levels, AAO, and illness duration.

Neurocognitive functioning during symptomatic states and remission in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia: A comparative study.

Aims Patients with bipolar disorder present milder cognitive impairment in comparison to patients with schizophrenia. Psychotic symptoms are associated with poorer cognitive functioning in both disorders. We aim to compare cognitive dysfunction between bipolar disorder and schizophrenia across symptomatic and remitted states.

Cortical thickness and surface area as an endophenotype in bipolar disorder type I patients and their first-degree relatives.

Objectives: So far, few studies have investigated cortical thickness (CT) and surface area (SA) measures in bipolar disorder type I (BDI) in comparison to a high genetic risk group such as first-degree relatives (FR). This study aimed to examine CT and SA differences between BDI, FR and healthy controls (HC).

Methods: 3D T1 magnetic resonance images were acquired from 27 euthymic BDI patients, 24 unaffected FR and 29 HC.

Oxidatively-induced DNA damage and base excision repair in euthymic patients with bipolar disorder.

Oxidatively-induced DNA damage has previously been associated with bipolar disorder. More recently, impairments in DNA repair mechanisms have also been reported. We aimed to investigate oxidatively-induced DNA lesions and expression of DNA glycosylases involved in base excision repair in euthymic patients with bipolar disorder compared to healthy individuals.

DNA redox modulations and global DNA methylation in bipolar disorder: Effects of sex, smoking and illness state.

DNA redox modulations and methylation have been associated with bipolar disorder (BD) pathophysiology. We aimed to investigate DNA redox modulation and global DNA methylation and demethylation levels in patients with BD during euthymia, mania or depression in comparison to non-psychiatric controls. The roles of sex and smoking as susceptibility factors for DNA redox modulations and global DNA methylation and demethylation were also explored.

Glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor gene polymorpisms affect severity and functionality of bipolar disorder.

Glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor and other neurotrophins have important role in the development of mental disorders. Here, we aimed to assess the effects of Single nucleotide polymorphisms at potentially regulated regions of GDNF on severity and functionality of bipolar disorder and GDNF serum levels in bipolar disorder patients and healthy volunteers. Severity and functionality of bipolar disorder were evaluated using the Clinical Global Impression and Global Assessment of Functioning scales in sixty-six bipolar disorder patients.

Is the Ultimate Treatment Response Predictable with Early Response in Major Depressive Episode?

Introduction: New evidence suggests that the efficacy of antidepressants occurs within the first weeks of treatment and this early response predicts the later response. The purpose of the present study was to investigate if the partial response in the first week predicts the response at the end of treatment in patients with major depressive disorder who are treated with either antidepressant medication or electroconvulsive therapy.

Methods: Inpatients from Dokuz Eylül University Hospital with a major depressive episode, treated with antidepressant medication (n=52) or electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) (n=48), were recruited for the study.

Mutation/SNP analysis in EF-hand calcium binding domain of mitochondrial Ca[Formula: see text] uptake 1 gene in bipolar disorder patients.

Calcium signaling is important for synaptic plasticity, generation of brain rhythms, regulating neuronal excitability, data processing and cognition. Impairment in calcium homeostasis contributed to the development of psychiatric disorders such as bipolar disorder (BP). MCU is the most important calcium transporter in mitochondria inner membrane responsible for influx of Ca[Formula: see text].

Neuroanatomical correlates of genetic risk for bipolar disorder: A voxel-based morphometry study in bipolar type I patients and healthy first degree relatives.

Background: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a highly heritable mental illness which is associated with neuroanatomical abnormalities. Investigating healthy individuals at high genetic risk for bipolar disorder may help to identify neuroanatomical markers of risk and resilience without the confounding effects of burden of illness or medication.

Methods: Structural magnetic resonance imaging scans were acquired from 30 euthymic patients with BD-I (BP), 28 healthy first degree relatives of BD-I patients (HR), and 30 healthy controls (HC).

A Preliminary Observation of Increased Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Manic Switch due to Electroconvulsive Treatment in Depressive Patients.

Objective: Neurotrophic factors are known to be involved in the pathogenesis of mood disorders. However, the precise neurobiology underlying relapse into depression or switch to mania under antidepressant treatment is not fully understood. Evidence suggests the role of neuroplasticity in these processes.

Alterations in BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor) and GDNF (glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor) serum levels in bipolar disorder: The role of lithium.

Objective: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been consistently reported to be decreased in mania or depression in bipolar disorders. Evidence suggests that Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) has a role in the pathogenesis of mood disorders. Whether GDNF and BDNF act in the same way across different episodes in bipolar disorders is unclear.

New alterations at potentially regulated regions of the Glial Derived Neurotrophic Factor gene in bipolar disorder.

Introduction: Glial Derived Neurotrophic Factor (GDNF) plays an important role in the survival and differentiation of neurons. We examined 5'upstream and 3' untranslated region of the GDNF gene by PCR amplification and direct sequencing to explore the effect of alteration in the potentially regulated part of GDNF in bipolar disorder.

Materials And Methods: Sixty-six patients with bipolar disorder, 27 first degree relatives of these patients and 56 healthy volunteers were screened for mutations and polymorphisms in GDNF gene.

Prevalence and risk factors of depression among community dwelling elderly.

Depression in the elderly is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of depression among community-dwelling older population in an urban setting in Turkey. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 482 elderly individuals 65 years and over in an urban area.

Female vulnerability for thyroid function abnormality in bipolar disorder: role of lithium treatment.

Background: Previous studies have provided evidence of subtle thyroid hormone metabolism abnormalities in patients with mood disorders. Although these studies are informative, the precise role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis in bipolar disorder, especially in women, remains unclear. We sought to further corroborate thyroid function in patients with bipolar disorder in comparison to patients with other psychiatric, as well as non-psychiatric, diagnoses.

Can risk-taking be an endophenotype for bipolar disorder? A study on patients with bipolar disorder type I and their first-degree relatives.

Risk-taking behavior and impulsivity are core features of bipolar disorder. Whether they are part of the inherited aspect of the illness is not clear. We aimed to evaluate risk-taking behavior as a potential endophenotype for bipolar disorders, and its relationship with impulsivity and illness features.

Treatment-induced manic switch in the course of unipolar depression can predict bipolarity: cluster analysis based evidence.

Background: Antidepressants are known to induce manic switch in patients with depression. Treatment-induced mania is not considered as bipolar disorder in DSM IV. The aim of this study was to assess whether clinical characteristics of patients with unipolar depression with a history of treatment-induced mania were similar to those of patients with bipolar disorder.

Disturbance in long distance gamma coherence in bipolar disorder.

The aim of this study was to investigate long distance event-related gamma (28-48 Hz) coherence in mania before and after valproate monotherapy. Gamma coherence in response to visual oddball paradigm in ten medication-free, manic patients was studied before and after six weeks of valproate monotherapy in comparison to ten controls. Inter-hemispheric F(3)-F(4), C(3)-C(4), T(3)-T(4), T(5)-T(6), P(3)-P(4), O(1)-O(2) and intra-hemispheric F(3)-P(3), F(4)-P(4), F(3)-T(5), F(4)-T(6), F(3)-O(1), F(4)-O(2), C(3)-O(1), C(2)-O(4) electrode pairs were included in the analysis.

[Do general practitioners diagnose and treat patients with alcohol use problems?].

Aim: To determine the primary health care working general practitioners' knowledge, attitude and behavior towards alcohol use disorders.

Method: In this descriptive and cross-sectional study 135 general practitioners (GPs) completed the questionnaire.

Results: Pre and post graduate education on alcohol use disorders is low (25.

Reliability and validity of revised Turkish version of Mini Mental State Examination (rMMSE-T) in community-dwelling educated and uneducated elderly.

Objective: To evaluate the reliability and validity of the revised Turkish version of Mini Mental State Examination (rMMSE-T) in educated and uneducated community-dwelling elderly, to re-organize the present Turkish version of MMSE and to determine cut-off point of the revised test.

Methods: This cross-sectional and analytical study involved totally 490 elderly subjects selected by cluster sampling method. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, kappa analysis and Cronbach's alpha coefficients were used for statistical analysis.

Event related oscillations in euthymic patients with bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder involves dysfunction in gamma amino butyric acid (GABA)/glutamatergic systems and neural circuits that regulate cognitive processing. Valproate, a mood stabilizing anticonvulsant, modulates GABA/glutamate and shows neuroprotective effect. Electroencephalographic oscillatory activity assessment is an alternative brain imaging technique with high time resolution.

Brain oscillatory responses in patients with bipolar disorder manic episode before and after valproate treatment.

Background: GABA/Glutamatergic dysfunction and neural circuits which regulate cognitive processing are involved in the underlying pathology of bipolar disorder. Event related oscillatory neuroelectrical activity reflects integrative brain functioning, different frequency bands representing different cognitive functions.

Methods: Event Related Potentials to visual odd-ball paradigm in ten manic/hypomanic medication free, DSM-IV bipolar patients were measured before and after six weeks of valproate monotherapy in comparison to ten sex and age matched healthy controls.

Increased hexosaminidase activity in antipsychotic-induced extrapyramidal side effects: possible association with higher occurrence in bipolar disorder patients.

Dystonic movements and Parkinsonism are frequently seen in gangliosidoses and these conditions have been reported to modify dopaminergic plasticity. We investigated whether the activity of hexosaminidase, a type-two ganglioside (GM2) degrading enzyme, correlates with drug-induced extrapyramidal system (EPS) side effects in psychiatric patients. We compared hexosaminidase activity in the lymphocytes of 29 EPS-positive patients, 13 EPS-negative patients, and 30 healthy volunteers.

A double-blind study of combination of clozapine with risperidone in patients with schizophrenia: effects on cognition.

Background: Atypical antipsychotic drugs produce improvement in some domains of cognition as well as psychopathology in patients with schizophrenia. However, the effect of combinations of atypical antipsychotic drugs on cognitive function is unknown. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of risperidone or placebo on cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia who were previously treated with clozapine monotherapy.