The use of first and second-generation antipsychotic drugs and the potential to develop gestational diabetes mellitus among perinatal patients with psychosis.

There is limited knowledge about the effects of antipsychotic exposure on the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in women with mental illness. Studies have demonstrated an association between antipsychotic medications and metabolic problems such as weight gain and diabetes mellitus in non-pregnant patients with psychiatric disorders. GDM increases the risk of adverse maternal outcomes, including pregnancy-induced hypertension, antepartum and postpartum haemorrhage, and caesarean delivery.

Assessment and treatment of depression in people with multiple sclerosis: A qualitative analysis of specialist clinicians' experiences.

Background: Depression is common in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), with lifetime prevalence estimates between 25 and 50%. Depression is commonly underdiagnosed and undertreated in people with MS. This qualitative study assessed current practices, as well as facilitators and required resources to improve detection and management of depression in people with MS.

The Placebo Response in Double-Blind Randomised Trials Evaluating Regenerative Therapies for Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

In the field of stem cell technologies, exciting advances are taking place leading to translational research to develop cell-based therapies which may replace dopamine releasing neurons lost in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). A major influence on trial design has been the assumption that the use of sham operated comparator groups is required in the implementation of randomised double-blind trials to evaluate the placebo response and effects associated with the surgical implantation of cells. The aim of the present review is to identify the improvements in motor functioning and striatal dopamine release in patients with PD who have undergone sham surgery.

Pilot Data on the Feasibility And Clinical Outcomes of a Nomegestrol Acetate Oral Contraceptive Pill in Women With Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder.

Background: Up to 80% of reproductive-aged women experience premenstrual symptoms. Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a severe form, affecting 2-5% of women. Combined oral contraceptive pills (COCPs) are used in the treatment of PMDD.

Characterizing Cortical Oscillatory Responses in Major Depressive Disorder Before and After Convulsive Therapy: A TMS-EEG Study.

Background: Combined transcranial magnetic stimulation and electroencephalography (TMS-EEG) is emerging as a powerful technique for interrogating neural circuit dysfunction in psychiatric disorders. Here, we utilized time-frequency analyses to characterize differences in neural oscillatory dynamics between subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy controls (HC). We further examined changes in TMS-related oscillatory power following convulsive therapy.

Modulation of functional network properties in major depressive disorder following electroconvulsive therapy (ECT): a resting-state EEG analysis.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a highly effective neuromodulatory intervention for treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (MDD). Presently, however, understanding of its neurophysiological effects remains incomplete. In the present study, we utilised resting-state electroencephalography (RS-EEG) to explore changes in functional connectivity, network topology, and spectral power elicited by an acute open-label course of ECT in a cohort of 23 patients with treatment-resistant MDD.

Resting-state electroencephalographic functional network alterations in major depressive disorder following magnetic seizure therapy.

Magnetic seizure therapy (MST) is emerging as a safe and well-tolerated experimental intervention for major depressive disorder (MDD), with very minimal cognitive side-effects. However, the underlying mechanism of action of MST remains uncertain. Here, we used resting-state electroencephalography (RS-EEG) to characterise the physiological effects of MST for treatment resistant MDD.

Exploring behaviours of concern including aggression, self-harm, sexual harm and absconding within an Australian inpatient mental health service.

Objective: Patients admitted to mental health services may exhibit behaviours of concern (BOCs) such as aggression, self-harm, absconding and sexual harm. BOCs can lead to restrictive interventions, which have adverse effects on patients, carers and staff. This paper aims to explore the nature and outcome of BOCs within an adult inpatient mental health setting.

Magnetic seizure therapy is efficacious and well tolerated for treatment-resistant bipolar depression: an open-label clinical trial.

Background: Treatment-resistant bipolar depression can be treated effectively using electroconvulsive therapy, but its use is limited because of stigma and cognitive adverse effects. Magnetic seizure therapy is a new convulsive therapy with promising early evidence of antidepressant effects and minimal cognitive adverse effects. However, there are no clinical trials of the efficacy and safety of magnetic seizure therapy for treatment-resistant bipolar depression.

Magnetic seizure therapy (MST) for major depressive disorder.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is effective for major depressive disorder (MDD) but its effects on memory limit its widespread use. Magnetic seizure therapy (MST) is a potential alternative to ECT that may not adversely affect memory. In the current trial, consecutive patients with MDD consented to receive MST applied over the prefrontal cortex according to an open-label protocol.

A pilot investigation of an intensive theta burst stimulation protocol for patients with treatment resistant depression.

Introduction: Accelerated or intensive forms of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) are increasingly being explored for their potential to produce more efficient and rapid treatment benefits in major depressive disorder (MDD). However, accelerated or intensive protocols using standard forms of rTMS are still quite time-consuming to apply. Theta burst stimulation (TBS) is a novel form of magnetic stimulation with the potential to produce similar anti-depressant effects but in a much abbreviated period of time.

Improvement in depression with oestrogen treatment in women with schizophrenia.

Women with schizophrenia are often noted to suffer with comorbid depression. Many studies have shown associations between fluctuating oestrogen levels in the brain and mental illness. This study investigates the effect of oestradiol treatment on comorbid depressive symptoms in women with schizophrenia.

Clinical utility and prospective of TMS-EEG.

Concurrent transcranial magnetic stimulation and electroencephalography (TMS-EEG) has emerged as a powerful tool to non-invasively probe brain circuits in humans, allowing for the assessment of several cortical properties such as excitability and connectivity. Over the past decade, this technique has been applied to various clinical populations, enabling the characterization and development of potential TMS-EEG predictors and markers of treatments and of the pathophysiology of brain disorders. The objective of this article is to present a comprehensive review of studies that have used TMS-EEG in clinical populations and to discuss potential clinical applications.

The ice in voices: Understanding negative content in auditory-verbal hallucinations.

Negative voice-content is the best sole predictor of whether the hearer of an auditory-verbal hallucination will experience distress/impairment necessitating contact with mental health services. Yet, what causes negative voice-content and how interventions may reduce it remains poorly understood. This paper offers definitions of negative voice content and considers what may cause negative voice-content.

How self-inflicted injury and gender impacted the outcome following a severe burn.

Background: A high prevalence of self-inflicted burn injury is noted in severe burn injury. It remains unclear as to whether gender and past psychiatric history impact upon whether injury is self-inflicted and the outcomes.

Aims: Review the psychiatric history of patients treated in a statewide burn service following severe burn injury and determine whether psychiatric history, extent of burn and mortality are impacted by gender and whether the injury was self-inflicted.

The impact of intrinsic motivation on session attendance and reliable cognitive improvement in cognitive remediation in schizophrenia.

Objective: Cognitive remediation (CR) is considered a potentially effective method of improving cognitive function in people with schizophrenia. Few studies, however, have explored the role of intrinsic motivation on treatment utilization or training outcomes in CR in this population. This study explored the impact of task-specific intrinsic motivation on attendance and reliable cognitive improvement in a controlled trial comparing CR with a computer game (CG) playing control.

No Change in Social Decision-Making Following Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Right Temporoparietal Junction.

The right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ) is thought to play an important role in social cognition and pro-social decision-making. One way to explore this link is through the use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive brain stimulation method that is able to modulate cortical activity. The aim of this research was therefore to determine whether anodal tDCS to the rTPJ altered response to a social decision-making task.

Exploring alternative rTMS strategies in non-responders to standard high frequency left-sided treatment: A switching study.

Background: High-frequency left-sided repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is now commonly used treatment for patients with depression. However, there are several other forms of rTMS (low-frequency right-sided and sequential bilateral rTMS) which have also been shown to be effective. No information has been systematically gathered on the likelihood of response to alternative forms of rTMS in patients who do not improve after an initial course of left-sided treatment.

Accelerated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in the treatment of depression.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is increasingly used clinically in the treatment of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, rTMS treatment response can be slow. Early research suggests that accelerated forms of rTMS may be effective but no research has directly evaluated a schedule of accelerated rTMS compared to standard rTMS.

Magnetic Seizure Therapy in Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia: A Pilot Study.

Objective: Electroconvulsive therapy is effective in treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) but use is limited due to stigma and concerns around cognitive adverse effects. Magnetic seizure therapy (MST) is a promising new neuromodulation technique that uses transcranial magnetic stimulation to induce therapeutic seizures. Studies of MST in depression have shown clinical improvement with a favorable adverse effect profile.

The role of aggression-related early maladaptive schemas and schema modes in aggression in a prisoner sample.

Contemporary social-cognitive aggression theory and extant empirical research highlights the relationship between certain Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMSs) and aggression in offenders. To date, the related construct of schema modes, which presents a comprehensive and integrated schema unit, has received scant empirical attention. Furthermore, EMSs and schema modes have yet to be examined concurrently with respect to aggressive behavior.

Neurocognitive and Self-efficacy Benefits of Cognitive Remediation in Schizophrenia: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of computer-assisted "drill-and-strategy" cognitive remediation (CR) for community-dwelling individuals with schizophrenia on cognition, everyday self-efficacy, and independent living skills.

Methods: Fifty-six people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were randomized into CR or computer game (CG) playing (control), and offered twenty 1-hr individual sessions in a group setting over 10 weeks. Measures of cognition, psychopathology, self-efficacy, quality of life, and independent living skills were conducted at baseline, end-group and 3 months following intervention completion.