There is converging evidence of dendritic spine dysfunction in schizophrenia. In the present study we hypothesized that the expression of key proteins involved in dendritic spine development and stability may be affected in schizophrenia. Postmortem frontal cortex (BA6) from patients with schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder and healthy controls was processed for glutamate post-synaptic fraction extraction and post-synaptic density purification. Protein expression of the post-synaptic fraction and the post-synaptic density was assessed using immunoprecipitation and Western blotting respectively. The expression of the N-methyl-d-aspartate glutamate receptor (NMDAR) subunit NR2A, post-synaptic density 95 (PSD-95), Ca/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II subunits α and β (CaMKIIα and β) were significantly reduced in schizophrenia. A significant decrease in the expression of NR2A was also observed in patients with major depressive disorder relative to controls, but not in patients with bipolar disorder. These results add to existing evidence for disturbed post-synaptic glutamate function and synaptic plasticity in schizophrenia. There may also be subtle disturbances in the post-synaptic glutamatergic function in major depressive disorder.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2021.135629 | DOI Listing |
PLoS One
January 2025
Brain and Mind Institute, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya.
Introduction: Self-harm represents a complex and multifaceted public health issue of global significance, exerting profound effects on individuals and communities alike. It involves intentional self-poisoning or self-injury with or without the motivation to die. Although self-harm is highly prevalent, limited research has focused on the patterns and trends of self-harm among hospital populations in low- and middle-income countries, particularly within Africa.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBreast Cancer Res Treat
January 2025
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Purpose: Individuals with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) may live with their disease for many years. We initiated the Johns Hopkins Hope at Hopkins Clinic to assess the needs and optimize the care of these patients.
Patients And Methods: Patients with MBC who agreed to participate in the Clinic in addition to usual care completed patient-reported outcome (PRO) surveys.
Alterations in the kynurenine pathway, and in particular the balance of neuroprotective and neurotoxic metabolites, have been implicated in the pathophysiology of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and antidepressant treatment response. In this study, we examined the relationship between changes in kynurenine pathway activity (Kynurenine/Tryptophan ratio), focusing on the balance of neuroprotective-to neurotoxic metabolites (Kynurenic Acid/Quinolinic Acid and Kynurenic Acid/3-Hydroxykynurenine ratios), and response to 8 weeks of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) treatment, including early changes four weeks after SSRI initiation. Additionally, we examined relationships between kynurenine metabolite ratios and three promising biomarkers of depression and antidepressant response: amygdala/hippocampal volume, and glutamate metabolites in the anterior cingulate cortex.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBrain Behav Immun Health
February 2025
Dept of Immunology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Background: A considerable proportion (21%) of patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) suffers from depression. These subjects are characterized by reduced naïve T cells and a premature T cell senescence similar to that of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). It is known that T cells are essential for limbic system development/function.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPak J Med Sci
January 2025
Kailong Gu Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, Huzhou Third Municipal Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Huzhou University, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province 313000, China.
Background & Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been increasingly recognized as a comorbidity in many psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder (BD). This study aimed to synthesize existing evidence to determine the frequency of OSA in patients diagnosed with BD and identify potential predictors of its occurrence.
Methods: PubMed, Scopus, CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials), and Google Scholar databases were searched for English-language papers published up from 1 January 1960 to 31 October 2023 that reported incidences of OSA in patients with BP and provided sufficient data for quantitative analysis.
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