APOE ε4 allele elevates the expressions of inflammatory factors and promotes Alzheimer's disease progression: A comparative study based on Han and She populations in the Wenzhou area.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the impact of apolipoprotein E 4 (APOE4) gene polymorphisms on the expressions of inflammatory factors and the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods: A total of 185 AD patients (the case group, 130 cases from the Han ethnic group and 55 cases from the She ethnic group) and 190 healthy individuals (the control group, 130 cases from the Han ethnic group and 60 cases from the She ethnic group) were recruited for our study. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was conducted to detect APOE4 genotype and allele frequency.

Stereopsis deficits in patients with schizophrenia in a Han Chinese population.

Although cognitive and sensory deficits have been identified as a core feature of schizophrenia, only a small portion of visual sensorium has been explored. To date, studies on visual system of three-dimensional percepts based on two-dimensional information still are limited. This study is the first to examine the integrity of stereopsis of schizophrenia in a Han Chinese population, and to further investigate the correlation of stereopsis with clinical symptoms.

Elevated triglyceride levels are associated with cognitive impairments among patients with major depressive disorder.

Background: Cognitive deficits have been identified as one of core clinical symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD). Accumulating evidence indicated that triglycerides (TG) might be associated with MDD and cognitive decline.

Objective: This study examined whether patients with MDD had poorer cognitive functions than healthy controls, and further investigate whether TG levels were involved in MDD, and its cognitive impairments in a Han Chinese population.

The gene: schizophrenia susceptibility and cognitive dysfunction.

Background: Cognitive dysfunction has been recognized as a cardinal feature of schizophrenia. Elucidating the neurobiological substrates of cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia would help identify the underlying mechanism of this disorder. The rs1064395 single nucleotide polymorphism, within the gene encoding neurocan (), is reported to be associated with schizophrenia in European populations and may influence brain structure in patients with schizophrenia.

Correlations of PTEN genetic polymorphisms with the risk of depression and depressive symptoms in a Chinese population.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the correlations of three common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the PTEN gene (rs701848 T>C, rs2735343 G>C and rs112025902 A>T) with the risk of depression and depressive symptoms in a Chinese population.

Methods: From July 2011 to June 2013, a total of 384 patients with depression and 400 healthy individuals were included in this study. These SNPs in the PTEN gene were detected by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and direct sequencing.

Association between DβH 5'-insertion/deletion polymorphism and cognition in patients with chronic schizophrenia.

Background: Cognitive deficits have been identified as a core feature of patients with schizophrenia. Many genes associated with the dopamine and norepinephrine systems are related to the cognitive deficits of patients with schizophrenia. Dopamine β-hydroxylase (DβH) is a key enzyme that converts dopamine to norepinephrine and for which activity and levels are under strong genetic control.

TCF4 gene polymorphism is associated with cognition in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls.

Background: Cognitive deficits have been identified as an important core feature of schizophrenia. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the transcription factor 4 (TCF4) gene have been reported to be involved in the susceptibility to schizophrenia and be significantly related to cognitive deficits of schizophrenia and controls. This study examines whether the TCF4 rs2958182 polymorphism influences cognitive functions in chronic schizophrenia and controls.

Association of angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphism with schizophrenia and depressive symptom severity in a Chinese population.

Background: Depressive symptoms are frequently observed in schizophrenia patients. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), a key enzyme of renin-angiotensin system, can catalyze the degradation of neuropeptides and modulate dopaminergic and serotonergic neurotransmission. Previous studies have revealed the association of the ACE gene insertion/deletion polymorphism with depressive disorder and its treatment response but not with the depressive symptoms in schizophrenia.

Possible association between DBH 19 bp insertion/deletion polymorphism and clinical symptoms in schizophrenia with tardive dyskinesia.

Overactivity of dopaminergic neurotransmission is a putative mechanism of tardive dyskinesia (TD). Previous studies have found dysfunction in plasma dopamine beta-hydoxylase (DBH) in schizophrenia with TD. Moreover, DBH, whose activity and levels are strongly controlled by the DBH gene, is a key enzyme in the conversion of dopamine (DA) to norepinephrine (NE) associated with excited behavior.

Association between the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene insertion/deletion polymorphism and first-episode patients with schizophrenia in a Chinese Han population.

Background: Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), a key enzyme of the renin-angiotensin system, can modulate dopamine turnover in the midbrain. Previous studies have revealed an association between ACE gene insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism and chronic schizophrenia, yet results are conflicting.

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to examine whether the ACE gene I/D polymorphism is associated with first-episode patients with schizophrenia (FEP) in a Chinese Han population.

[A comparative study on mental health among students and adults in the earthquake-hit areas].

Objective: To understand mental health status of the students and adults in the earthquake disaster areas, as to providing guidance on intervention for post-disaster psychological crisis.

Methods: The Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20), an appendix of The Ministry of Health of "emergency psychological crisis intervention guiding principles", was used among 1222 victims in Wenchuan earthquake, Sichuan province. This questionnaire survey was conducted in 729 students and 493 adult victims in a randomized method.