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- Aardal-Eriksson, Elisabeth, et al.
(author)
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Salivary cortisol, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and general health in the acute phase and during 9-month follow-up
- 2001
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In: Biological Psychiatry. - 0006-3223 .- 1873-2402. ; 50:12, s. 986-993
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Because traumatic events are unpredictable, there are few studies of psychobiological states immediately following such events. Our study aimed to determine the relation of salivary cortisol to psychologic distress immediately after a traumatic event and then during follow-up.Methods: Measurement of morning and evening salivary cortisol and ratings of psychologic distress (using the Impact of Events Scale [IES], the Post Traumatic Symptom Scale, and the General Health Questionnaire) were performed with 31 United Nations soldiers at three time points—5 days and 2 and 9 months—following a mine accident in Lebanon.Results: Five days after the accident, 15 subjects reported substantial posttraumatic distress according to the IES, as well as significantly lower morning and higher evening cortisol levels compared with the low-impact group. Within 9 months, the posttraumatic distress of the high-impact group was reduced, accompanied by an increase in morning and a decrease in evening cortisol levels. There were significant relationships between evening cortisol and all rating scales at the first and third time points.Conclusions: Subclinical posttraumatic stress following an adverse event can be measured biologically via salivary cortisol levels soon after the event.
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- Castensson, Anja, et al.
(author)
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Decrease of serotonin receptor 2C in schizophrenia brains identified by high-resolution mRNA expression analysis
- 2003
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In: Biological Psychiatry. - 0006-3223 .- 1873-2402. ; 54:11, s. 1212-1221
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: RNA expression profiling can provide hints for the selection of candidate susceptibility genes, for formulation of hypotheses about the development of a disease, and/or for selection of candidate gene targets for novel drug development. We measured messenger RNA expression levels of 16 candidate genes in brain samples from 55 schizophrenia patients and 55 controls. This is the largest sample so far used to identify genes differentially expressed in schizophrenia brains. METHODS: We used a sensitive real-time polymerase chain reaction methodology and a novel statistical approach, including the development of a linear model of analysis of covariance type. RESULTS: We found two genes differentially expressed: monoamine oxidase B was significantly increased in schizophrenia brain (p =.001), whereas one of the serotonin receptor genes, serotonin receptor 2C, was significantly decreased (p =.001). Other genes, previously proposed to be differentially expressed in schizophrenia brain, were invariant in our analysis. CONCLUSIONS:The differential expression of serotonin receptor 2C is particularly relevant for the development of new atypical antipsychotic drugs. The strategy presented here is useful to evaluate hypothesizes for the development of the disease proposed by other investigators.
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3. |
- Castensson, Anja, et al.
(author)
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Decrease of serotonin receptor 2C in schizophrenia brains identified by high-resolution mRNA expression analysis
- 2003
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In: Biological Psychiatry. - : Elsevier BV. - 0006-3223 .- 1873-2402. ; 54:11, s. 1212-1221
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: RNA expression profiling can provide hints for the selection of candidate susceptibility genes, for formulation of hypotheses about the development of a disease, and/or for selection of candidate gene targets for novel drug development. We measured messenger RNA expression levels of 16 candidate genes in brain samples from 55 schizophrenia patients and 55 controls. This is the largest sample so far used to identify genes differentially expressed in schizophrenia brains.Methods: We used a sensitive real-time polymerase chain reaction methodology and a novel statistical approach, including the development of a linear model of analysis of covariance type.Results: We found two genes differentially expressed: monoamine oxidase B was significantly increased in schizophrenia brain (p = .001), whereas one of the serotonin receptor genes, serotonin receptor 2C, was significantly decreased (p = .001). Other genes, previously proposed to be differentially expressed in schizophrenia brain, were invariant in our analysis.Conclusions: The differential expression of serotonin receptor 2C is particularly relevant for the development of new atypical antipsychotic drugs. The strategy presented here is useful to evaluate hypothesizes for the development of the disease proposed by other investigators.
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6. |
- Humble, Mats, 1952-, et al.
(author)
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Reactivity of serotonin in whole blood : relationship with drug response in obsessive-compulsive disorder
- 2001
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In: Biological Psychiatry. - New York, USA : Elsevier. - 0006-3223 .- 1873-2402. ; 49:4, s. 360-368
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Obsessive-compulsive disorder responds almost only to potent serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Previous studies have suggested a relation between serotonergic function and clinical outcome in serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder.Methods: In a randomized, double-blind trial, comparing clomipramine, paroxetine, and a placebo in obsessive-compulsive disorder, serotonin levels in whole blood (WB-5-HT) were measured at baseline, after 1 week, and after 4 weeks of treatment and related to clinical outcome in 36 patients.Results: In patients treated with serotonin reuptake inhibitors there was a pronounced decrease of WB-5-HT, variable after 1 week and uniformly maximal after 4 weeks. The decrease of WB-5-HT after 1 week of serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment correlated negatively with clinical outcome after 12 weeks (r = -.61, p =.0006); hence, patients with slower WB-5-HT reactivity eventually responded better to treatment. Baseline WB-5-HT, but not WB-5-HT reactivity, was related to season. Depression, autistic traits, and previous serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment predicted nonresponse.Conclusions: A fast decrease of WB-5-HT was associated with poor clinical outcome. This may be related to faster serotonin efflux from platelets, which has previously been linked to autism. Further studies are necessary to identify the underlying mechanism and discern whether serotonin reuptake inhibitor-induced WB-5-HT decrease is clinically useful.
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7. |
- Johansson, Carolina, et al.
(author)
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Seasonal affective disorder and the G-protein beta-3-subunit C825T polymorphism
- 2004
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In: Biological Psychiatry. - New York : Elsevier. - 0006-3223 .- 1873-2402. ; 55:3, s. 317-319
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G-proteins) have been implicated in affective disorders, with reports of altered signal transduction and G-protein levels. Association with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) has been found for the higher activity T-allele of the G-protein beta-3-subunit C825T polymorphism.Methods. European SAD patients (n = 159) and matched controls (n = 159) were genotyped for the C825T. Seasonality and diurnal preference were investigated in subsets of the material (n = 177 and 92, respectively).Results. We found no association between C825T and SAD (chi(2) = .09, p = .96) or seasonality (F = 1.76, p = .18). There was some evidence for an effect on diurnal preference but only in the control group (n = 46, t = - 2.8, Bonferroni corrected p = .045).Conclusions: These results suggest that the G-protein beta-3-subunit 825 T-allele does not play a major role in susceptibility to seasonal affective disorder in the population studied.
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8. |
- Tillfors, Maria, et al.
(author)
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Cerebral blood flow during anticipation of public speaking in social phobia : a PET study.
- 2002
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In: Biological Psychiatry. - 0006-3223 .- 1873-2402. ; 52:11, s. 1113-1119
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND The aim was to examine the neural correlates of anxiety elicited by the anticipation of public speaking in individuals with social phobia. Positron emission tomography and (15)O-water was used to measure regional cerebral blood flow in subjects with DSM-IV defined social phobia during anxiety anticipation. Heart rate and subjective anxiety were also recorded. While being scanned, subjects were speaking alone either before or after speaking in public. To evaluate anticipatory anxiety we compared individuals speaking alone before they were speaking in front of an audience with those who did the reverse. RESULTS Heart rate and subjective anxiety measures confirmed anticipatory anxiety in social phobics who performed their private speech before their public. This was accompanied by enhanced cerebral blood flow in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, left inferior temporal cortex, and in the left amygdaloid-hippocampal region. Brain blood flow was lower in the left temporal pole and bilaterally in the cerebellum in the anticipation group. CONCLUSIONS Brain regions with altered perfusion presumably reflect changes in neural activity associated with worry about anticipated public performance. We speculate that anticipatory anxiety in social phobics originates in an affect sensitive fear network encompassing the amygdaloid-hippocampal region, prefrontal, and temporal areas.
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