| 21. |
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| 22. |
- Berman, Anne H., et al.
(author)
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Reducing Risky Alcohol Use via Smartphone App Skills Training Among Adult Internet Help-Seekers : A Randomized Pilot Trial
- 2020
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In: Frontiers in Psychiatry. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1664-0640. ; 11
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Alcohol is one of the leading risk factors for global disease burden and overconsumption leads to a wide variety of negative consequences in everyday life. Digital interventions have shown small positive effects in contributing to reductions in problematic use. Specific research on smartphone apps is sparse and the few studies published indicate effects ranging from negative or null to small or moderate. TeleCoach™, a web-based skills training smartphone app, has shown positive effects in non-treatment-seeking university students with excessive drinking. This pilot trial aimed to evaluate app effects in a sample of internet help-seekers from the general population in Sweden. A total of 89 participants were recruited via online advertisement. Following baseline assessment for hazardous use, they were randomized to TeleCoach or a web-based control app offering brief information and advice regarding problematic alcohol use. The primary outcome was number of standard drinks per week; secondary outcomes included drinking quantity and frequency, binge drinking and blood alcohol count measures as well as app user data and comorbidity related to depression, anxiety, and drug use. Analysis of baseline and 6-week follow-up outcomes showed significant within-group effects on alcohol consumption but no significant between-group differences. Effect sizes for the within-group changes in the primary outcome over time were significant [F(1, 55)=43.98; p < 0.001], with a Cohen's d of 1.37 for the intervention group and 0.92 for the control group. This difference in effect sizes indicated that continuation of the study as a large randomized, controlled trial with up to 1,000 participants could be worthwhile.
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| 23. |
- Bermo, Mohammed, et al.
(author)
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Utility of SPECT Functional Neuroimaging of Pain
- 2021
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In: Frontiers in Psychiatry. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1664-0640. ; 12
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Functional neuroimaging modalities vary in spatial and temporal resolution. One major limitation of most functional neuroimaging modalities is that only neural activation taking place inside the scanner can be imaged. This limitation makes functional neuroimaging in many clinical scenarios extremely difficult or impossible. The most commonly used radiopharmaceutical in Single Photon Emission Tomography (SPECT) functional brain imaging is Technetium 99 m-labeled Ethyl Cysteinate Dimer (ECD). ECD is a lipophilic compound with unique pharmacodynamics. It crosses the blood brain barrier and has high first pass extraction by the neurons proportional to regional brain perfusion at the time of injection. It reaches peak activity in the brain 1 min after injection and is then slowly cleared from the brain following a biexponential mode. This allows for a practical imaging window of 1 or 2 h after injection. In other words, it freezes a snapshot of brain perfusion at the time of injection that is kept and can be imaged later. This unique feature allows for designing functional brain imaging studies that do not require the patient to be inside the scanner at the time of brain activation. Functional brain imaging during severe burn wound care is an example that has been extensively studied using this technique. Not only does SPECT allow for imaging of brain activity under extreme pain conditions in clinical settings, but it also allows for imaging of brain activity modulation in response to analgesic maneuvers whether pharmacologic or non-traditional such as using virtual reality analgesia. Together with its utility in extreme situations, SPECTS is also helpful in investigating brain activation under typical pain conditions such as experimental controlled pain and chronic pain syndromes.
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| 24. |
- Bileviciute-Ljungar, Indre, et al.
(author)
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Emotional Awareness Correlated With Number of Awakenings From Polysomnography in Patients With Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome : A Pilot Study
- 2020
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In: Frontiers in Psychiatry. - : FRONTIERS MEDIA SA. - 1664-0640. ; 11
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction: Unrefreshing sleep is one of the diagnostic criteria in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), which could be explained by sleep disorders, for example obstructive sleep apnea, reported in our previous study with polysomnography. Our previous findings also indicate difficulties in emotional regulation when measuring alexithymia by TAS-20 (Toronto Alexithymia Scale) and level of emotional awareness by LEAS (Level of Emotional Awareness Scale) in ME/CFS patients. However, the reasons for this are unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate correlations between data from subjective emotional regulation and polysomnography.Methods: Twenty-three ME/CFS patients (5 men and 18 women) of mean age 43, and 30 matched healthy controls (9 males and 21 women) of mean age 45, filled in TAS-20, LEAS, and Hospital Depression and Anxiety Scale (HADS). A polysomnography was performed on patients but not on healthy controls. Thus, values of normal population were used for sleep evaluation in ME/CFS patients.Result: There were significant differences between patients and controls in several aspects of emotional regulation, for example LEAS-self and LEAS-total. Seventy percent of the patients had increased numbers of awakenings (shifts from any sleep stage to awake), 22% had obstructive sleep apneas, and 27% had periodic limb movements. Correlation analysis showed that number of awakenings significantly correlated with LEAS-self and LEAS-total, p < 0.01, respectively. There were no other significant correlations.Conclusion: This pilot study demonstrated significant correlations between reduced emotional awareness and number of awakenings in polysomnography. Future studies with larger cohorts need to be conducted.
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| 25. |
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| 26. |
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| 27. |
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| 28. |
- Blom, Eva Henje, et al.
(author)
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Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy of a Novel RDoC-Based Treatment Program for Adolescent Depression : "Training for Awareness Resilience and Action" (TARA)-A Pilot Study
- 2017
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In: Frontiers in Psychiatry. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1664-0640. ; 7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: The novel group treatment program Training for Awareness, Resilience, and Action (TARA) was developed to target specific mechanisms based on neuroscience findings in adolescent depression and framed within the National Institute of Mental Health Research Domain Criteria. TARA contains training of autonomic and emotional self-regulation, interoceptive awareness, relational skills, and value-based committed action.Methods: We performed a single-arm trial to test the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of TARA in reducing depression and anxiety levels and assessed whether the specific targeted domains of function reflected the hypothesized symptom change. Twenty-six adolescents (14–18 years old, 7 males and 19 females) participated in the 12-week group program. Assessment was performed before (T0), immediately after (T1), and 3 months after the end of TARA (T2).Results: Significant improvement was seen in depression symptoms (Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale Second Edition) between T0–T1 (t-value = −3.56, p = 0.002, CI = −6.64, −1.77) and T0–T2 (t-value = −4.17, p < 0.001, CI = −11.20, −3.75) and anxiety symptoms (Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children) between T0–T1 (t-value = −2.26, p = 0.033, CI = −4.61, −0.21) and T0–T2 (t-value = −3.06, p = 0.006, 95% confidence interval = −9.02, −1.73). Significant improvements in psychological flexibility, sleep, and mindfulness skills were also found between T0 and T2.Limitations: The sample size was small without a control condition. The pilot design did not allow for testing the hypothesized brain changes and effect of TARA on relevant systemic biomarkers.Conclusion: TARA is feasible in a sample of clinically depressed and/or anxious adolescents and preliminary efficacy was demonstrated by reduced depression and anxiety symptoms. The specific symptom and behavioral outcomes corresponded well with the hypothesized mechanisms of change.
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| 29. |
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| 30. |
- Bogren, Mats, et al.
(author)
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Remission of Persistent Negative Symptoms and Psychosocial Consequences by Combined Clozapine and Cariprazine Treatment in a Patient With Long-Standing Treatment-Resistant Schizoaffective Disorder
- 2022
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In: Frontiers in Psychiatry. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1664-0640. ; 13
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This patient case report describes a 45-year old white unmarried man with disability pension due to schizoaffective disorder, diagnosed at the age of 24. He lives in an apartment and has housing support. Retrospectively, the patient displayed prodromal markers of a disorder within the schizophrenia spectrum many years before the onset of frank psychosis, indeed since childhood. Over the years several symptoms and signs across schizophrenia domains have been manifest: positive, negative, cognitive, and affective, among which the negative and affective symptoms and signs were the earliest to appear. While the positive, disorganized, and catatonic symptoms responded to treatment – when duly tested and complied with – the negative and affective symptoms have been notoriously difficult to handle. We now report on the successful introduction of cariprazine (CAR) to his ongoing clozapine (CLZ) medication, the result of which has been a near-complete remission of his persistent negative and psychosocial issues. We interpret this remarkable alleviation of the patient's disease – and concomitant improvement of his quality of life – in terms of neuroreceptor target complementarity between CLZ and CAR, with particular emphasis on the contributions from the D3 and D2 receptor partial agonist components of the latter agent.
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