| 1. |
- Bernabe, Beatriz Penalver, et al.
(author)
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Interactions between perceived stress and microbial-host immune components : two demographically and geographically distinct pregnancy cohorts
- 2023
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In: Translational Psychiatry. - : Springer Nature. - 2158-3188. ; 13
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Higher stress during pregnancy associates with negative outcomes and elevated inflammation. The gut microbiota, reflecting environment and social interactions, alongside host immune responses have the potential to better understand perceived stress and identify when stress is excessive in pregnancy. Two U.S. cohorts of 84 pregnant individuals, composed of urban women of color and suburban white women, completed the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10) and provided fecal and blood samples at two time points. Confirmatory Factor Analysis assessed the robustness of a two-factor PSS-10 model (Emotional Distress/ED and Self-Efficacy/SE). Gut microbiota composition was measured by 16 S rRNA amplicon sequencing and the immune system activity was assessed with a panel of 21 T-cell related cytokines and chemokines. ED levels were higher in the suburban compared to the urban cohort, but levels of SE were similar. ED and SE levels were associated with distinct taxonomical signatures and the gut microbiota data improved the prediction of SE levels compared with models based on socio-demographic characteristics alone. Integration of self-reported symptoms, microbial and immune information revealed a possible mediation effect of Bacteroides uniformis between the immune system (through CXCL11) and SE. The study identified links between distinct taxonomical and immunological signatures with perceived stress. The data are congruent with a model where gut microbiome and immune factors, both impacting and reflecting factors such as close social relationships and dietary fiber, may modulate neural plasticity resulting in increased SE during pregnancy. The predictive value of these peripheral markers merit further study.
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| 2. |
- Bixo, Liv, et al.
(author)
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'Sick and tired' : Patients reported reasons for not participating in clinical psychiatric research
- 2021
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In: Health Expectations. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1369-6513 .- 1369-7625. ; 24:S1, s. 20-29
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Meaningful and generalizable research depends on patients' willingness to participate. Studies often fail to reach satisfactory representativeness.Objective: This paper aims to investigate reasons for not participating in research among young adult patients with psychiatric illness.Method: A quantitative cross-sectional study was performed based on questionnaires reported on by 51 psychiatric patients (14 males, 35 females and two unspecified) who had previously declined participation in an ongoing research project. Thereafter, a qualitative interview with subsequent content analysis was conducted with ten additional patients (five males, five females).Results: The questionnaires indicate being 'too tired/too sick to participate' as the most common barrier. Lack of time and fear of needles were other common barriers. Lack of trust or belief in the value of research was less inhibitive. In the interviews, disabling psychiatric symptoms were confirmed as the main reason for not participating. Several potential ways to increase participation were identified, such as simplification of procedures and information as well as providing rewards and feedback, and building relationships before asking.Conclusion: This study is unusual as it focuses on the group of young people attending psychiatry outpatient clinics we know very little about - those who do not partake in research. Our results indicate that fatigue and sickness reduce research participation and identify factors that may facilitate enrolment of this important group.
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| 3. |
- Brunet-Ratnasingham, Elsa, et al.
(author)
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Sustained IFN signaling is associated with delayed development of SARS-CoV-2-specific immunity.
- 2024
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In: Nature Communications. - 2041-1723. ; 15:1, s. 4177-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Plasma RNAemia, delayed antibody responses and inflammation predict COVID-19 outcomes, but the mechanisms underlying these immunovirological patterns are poorly understood. We profile 782 longitudinal plasma samples from 318 hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Integrated analysis using k-means reveals four patient clusters in a discovery cohort: mechanically ventilated critically-ill cases are subdivided into good prognosis and high-fatality clusters (reproduced in a validation cohort), while non-critical survivors segregate into high and low early antibody responders. Only the high-fatality cluster is enriched for transcriptomic signatures associated with COVID-19 severity, and each cluster has distinct RBD-specific antibody elicitation kinetics. Both critical and non-critical clusters with delayed antibody responses exhibit sustained IFN signatures, which negatively correlate with contemporaneous RBD-specific IgG levels and absolute SARS-CoV-2-specific B and CD4+ T cell frequencies. These data suggest that the "Interferon paradox" previously described in murine LCMV models is operative in COVID-19, with excessive IFN signaling delaying development of adaptive virus-specific immunity.
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| 4. |
- Bränn, Emma, et al.
(author)
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Inflammatory markers in women with postpartum depressive symptoms
- 2020
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In: Journal of Neuroscience Research. - : Wiley. - 0360-4012 .- 1097-4547. ; 98:7, s. 1309-1321
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Postpartum depression (PPD) is a devastating disorder affecting not only more than 10% of all women giving birth, but also the baby, the family, and the society. Compiling evidence suggests the involvement of the immune system in the pathophysiology of major depression; yet, the immune response in perinatal depression is not as well studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the alterations in peripheral levels of inflammatory biomarkers in 169 Swedish women with and without depressive symptoms according to the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale or the M.I.N.I neuropsychiatric interview at eight weeks postpartum. Among the 70 markers analyzed with multiplex proximity extension assay, five were significantly elevated in women with postpartum depressive symptoms in the adjusted LASSO logistic regression analysis: Tumor necrosis factor ligand superfamily member (TRANCE) (OR-per 1 SD increase = 1.20), Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) (OR = 1.17) Interleukin (IL)-18 (OR = 1.06), Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) (OR = 1.25), and C-X-C motif chemokine 1 (CXCL1) (OR 1.11). These results indicate that women with PPD have elevated levels of some inflammatory biomarkers. It is, therefore, plausible that PPD is associated with a compromised adaptability of the immune system.
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| 5. |
- Cunningham, Janet, et al.
(author)
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Antibody Responses to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 in the Serum and Cerebrospinal Fluid of Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 and Neurological Symptoms
- 2022
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In: Journal of Infectious Diseases. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0022-1899 .- 1537-6613. ; 225:6, s. 965-970
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Antibody responses to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 16 patients with coronavirus disease 2019 and neurological symptoms were assessed using 2 independent methods. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) specific for the virus spike protein was found in 81% of patients in serum and in 56% in CSF. SARS-CoV-2 IgG in CSF was observed in 2 patients with negative serological findings. Levels of IgG in both serum and CSF were associated with disease severity (P < .05). All patients with elevated markers of central nervous system damage in CSF also had CSF antibodies (P = .002), and CSF antibodies had the highest predictive value for neuronal damage markers of all tested clinical variables.
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| 6. |
- Cunningham, Janet, et al.
(author)
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Impact of time and temperature on gut microbiota and SCFA composition in stool samples
- 2020
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In: PLOS ONE. - : PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE. - 1932-6203. ; 15:8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Gut dysbiosis has been implicated in the pathophysiology of a growing number of non-communicable diseases. High through-put sequencing technologies and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) profiling enables surveying of the composition and function of the gut microbiota and provide key insights into host-microbiome interactions. However, a methodological problem with analyzing stool samples is that samples are treated and stored differently prior to submission for analysis potentially influencing the composition of the microbiota and its metabolites. In the present study, we simulated the sample acquisition of a large-scale study, in which stool samples were stored for up to two days in the fridge or at room temperature before being handed over to the hospital. To assess the influence of time and temperature on the microbial community and on SCFA composition in a controlled experimental setting, the stool samples of 10 individuals were exposed to room and fridge temperatures for 24 and 48 hours, respectively, and analyzed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, qPCR and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. To best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the influence of storage time and temperature on the absolute abundance of methanogens, and ofLactobacillus reuteri. The results indicate that values obtained for methanogens,L.reuteriand total bacteria are still representative even after storage for up to 48 hours at RT (20 degrees C) or 4 degrees C. The overall microbial composition and structure appeared to be influenced more by laboratory errors introduced during sample processing than by the actual effects of temperature and time. Although microbial activity was demonstrated by elevated SCFA at both 4 degrees C and RT, SCFAs ratios were more stable over the different conditions and may be considered as long as samples are come from similar storage conditions.
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| 7. |
- Cunningham, Janet L, et al.
(author)
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Anti-SARS-CoV2 antibody responses in serum and cerebrospinal fluid of COVID-19 patients with neurological symptoms.
- 2022
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In: The Journal of infectious diseases. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1537-6613 .- 0022-1899. ; 225:6, s. 965-970
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 in serum and CSF from 16 COVID-19 patients with neurological symptoms were assessed using two independent methods. IgG specific for the virus spike protein was found in 81% of cases in serum and in 56% in CSF. SARS-CoV-2 IgG in CSF was observed in two cases with negative serology. Levels of IgG in both serum and CSF were associated with disease severity (p<0.05). All patients with elevated markers of CNS damage in CSF also had CSF antibodies (p=0.002), and CSF antibodies had the highest predictive value for neuronal damage markers of all tested clinical variables.
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| 8. |
- Cunningham, Janet L., et al.
(author)
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Experiences in implementing immunopsychiatry in real life
- 2023
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In: Journal of Affective Disorders Reports. - : Elsevier. - 2666-9153. ; 13
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Immunological mechanisms, both alone and in combination, are associated with a broad range of psychiatric disorders encompassing autoimmune, autoinflammatory disorders but also genetic, metabolic, or other immunological disorders. Early treatment improves the outcome for autoimmune disorders, but early diagnosis is more difficult when isolated psychiatric symptoms are manifestations of autoimmunity. Treatment of these cases must encompass integrated models of disease, as both systemic autoimmunity and psychological processes influence mental health. Several challenges need to be overcome to efficiently merge psychiatric and somatic disease paradigms and medical care ranging from language and conceptual barriers to organizational barriers. Since 2015, the Immunopsychiatry team at Uppsala University has developed a collaborative multidisciplinary approach to improve and integrate care for patients with moderate to severe psychiatric disorders. Based on this experience, we have outlined the obstacles to be overcome in taking steps forward to achieve the long-term goal of understanding and early detection and identification of treatable immunological conditions within the psychiatric patient population; the described framework of evaluations and work-flow may serve as a model for other centers.
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| 9. |
- Endres, Dominique, et al.
(author)
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Immunological causes of obsessive-compulsive disorder : is it time for the concept of an "autoimmune OCD" subtype?
- 2022
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In: Translational Psychiatry. - : Springer Nature. - 2158-3188. ; 12:1
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a highly disabling mental illness that can be divided into frequent primary and rarer organic secondary forms. Its association with secondary autoimmune triggers was introduced through the discovery of Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal infection (PANDAS) and Pediatric Acute onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS). Autoimmune encephalitis and systemic autoimmune diseases or other autoimmune brain diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, have also been reported to sometimes present with obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS). Subgroups of patients with OCD show elevated proinflammatory cytokines and autoantibodies against targets that include the basal ganglia. In this conceptual review paper, the clinical manifestations, pathophysiological considerations, diagnostic investigations, and treatment approaches of immune-related secondary OCD are summarized. The novel concept of "autoimmune OCD" is proposed for a small subgroup of OCD patients, and clinical signs based on the PANDAS/PANS criteria and from recent experience with autoimmune encephalitis and autoimmune psychosis are suggested. Red flag signs for "autoimmune OCD" could include (sub)acute onset, unusual age of onset, atypical presentation of OCS with neuropsychiatric features (e.g., disproportionate cognitive deficits) or accompanying neurological symptoms (e.g., movement disorders), autonomic dysfunction, treatment resistance, associations of symptom onset with infections such as group A streptococcus, comorbid autoimmune diseases or malignancies. Clinical investigations may also reveal alterations such as increased levels of anti-basal ganglia or dopamine receptor antibodies or inflammatory changes in the basal ganglia in neuroimaging. Based on these red flag signs, the criteria for a possible, probable, and definite autoimmune OCD subtype are proposed.
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| 10. |
- Endres, Dominique, et al.
(author)
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Spectrum of Novel Anti-Central Nervous System Autoantibodies in the Cerebrospinal Fluid of 119 Patients With Schizophreniform and Affective Disorders
- 2022
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In: Biological Psychiatry. - : Elsevier. - 0006-3223 .- 1873-2402. ; 92:4, s. 261-274
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Autoimmune psychosis may be caused by well-characterized anti-neuronal autoantibodies, such as those against the NMDA receptor. However, the presence of additional anti-central nervous system (CNS) autoantibodies in these patients has not been systematically assessed.METHODS: Serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients with schizophreniform and affective syndromes were analyzed for immunoglobulin G anti-CNS autoantibodies using tissue-based assays with indirect immunofluorescence on unfixed murine brain tissue as part of an extended routine clinical practice. After an initial assessment of patients with red flags for autoimmune psychosis (n = 30), tissue-based testing was extended to a routine procedure (n = 89).RESULTS: Based on the findings from all 119 patients, anti-CNS immunoglobulin G autoantibodies against brain tissue were detected in 18% (n = 22) of patients (serum 9%, CSF 18%) following five principal patterns: 1) against vascular structures, most likely endothelial cells (serum 3%, CSF 8%); 2) against granule cells in the cerebellum and/or hippocampus (serum 4%, CSF 6%); 3) against myelinated fibers (serum 2%, CSF 2%); 4) against cerebellar Purkinje cells (serum 0%, CSF 2%); and 5) against astrocytes (serum 1%, CSF 1%). The patients with novel anti-CNS autoantibodies showed increased albumin quotients (p =.026) and white matter changes (p =.020) more frequently than those who tested negative for autoantibodies.CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrates five novel autoantibody-binding patterns on brain tissue of patients with schizophreniform and affective syndromes. CSF yielded positive findings more frequently than serum analysis. The frequency and spectrum of autoantibodies in these patient groups may be broader than previously thought.
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