Schizophrenia is a disease that affects many areas of the brain. The dopamine hypothesis is one of the most widely-accepted ideas in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Besides alterations in the dopaminergic system...Schizophrenia is a disease that affects many areas of the brain. The dopamine hypothesis is one of the most widely-accepted ideas in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Besides alterations in the dopaminergic system in the central nervous system, there have been several reports of changes in dopaminergic systems in the peripheral blood of schizophrenic patients. Several reports have shown that dopamine receptor expression by lymphocytes is altered in patients with schizophrenia, but the results have been conflicting. We therefore re-assessed D3R and D4R mRNA levels in 11 patients with schizophrenia and 12 healthy subjects and correlated levels with severity of symptoms. D3R and D4R expression in lymphocytes and granulocytes was measured by quantitative RT-PCR and the severity of symptoms and cognitive impairment were assessed using the PANSS and BACS-J. There were no significant differences in mean D3R or D4R mRNA levels in lymphocytes from schizophrenic patients and controls and no significant difference in mean D4R mRNA levels in granulocytes (D3R mRNA undetectable). In patients with schizophrenia, D3R expression was inversely correlated with the total PANSS score (r = 0.768, p = 0.009), while D4R expression was positively correlated with working memory scales (r = 0.895, p = 0.001). In conclusion, these results imply that lymphocyte D3R and D4R are involved in the mechanisms of the disorder and could be used as target markers in the treatment of schizophrenia.展开更多
The relationships between expressed emotion (EE) of the families and the course of bipolar disorder have been examined only in a limited number of cohort studies. No study has yet been reported from Asia. The subjects...The relationships between expressed emotion (EE) of the families and the course of bipolar disorder have been examined only in a limited number of cohort studies. No study has yet been reported from Asia. The subjects were 12 patients that had been diagnosed with bipolar I disorder according to DSM-IV and their 12 key family members. The families of the patients were interviewed using the Camberwell Family Interview (CFI) within 2 weeks of the admission of the patients, and their EE were evaluated. The patients were then followed up for 9 months after their discharge from the hospital. The patients were divided into a high-EE group and a low-EE group using the cut-off based on the number of critical comments (CC) and emotional overinvolvement (EOI), and the 9-month relapse risk was compared. When the subjects with 3 or more CC or an EOI score of 3 or more were regarded as the high-EE group, and the others as the low-EE group, the 9-month relapse risk was 100% (3/3) for the high EE group and 0% (0/9) for the low EE group. (Fisher’s exact test p = 0.005) EE based on the CFI appear to be correlated with relapse in bipolar I disorder in Japan.展开更多
After HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy), which is a powerful antiviral drug regimen, was introduced into HIV therapy for AIDS patients, AIDS mortality decreased dramatically. The incidence of encephalopathy...After HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy), which is a powerful antiviral drug regimen, was introduced into HIV therapy for AIDS patients, AIDS mortality decreased dramatically. The incidence of encephalopathy among AIDS patients was reported to be 10% to 40% in the past, but the introduction of HAART resulted in a decrease in HIV encephalopathy and an increase in mild CNS-related deficits, which affect the quality of life of AIDS patients. We report the case of an AIDS patient who developed schizophrenia-like delusions associated with encephalopathy. Administration of an antipsychotic drug and hypnotics was effective in relieving the symptoms of patients with insomnia, depressed mood, and delusions. Further information on the neuronal mechanism underlying the mental symptoms observed in our patient will be necessary to understand the process of pathogenesis of the encephalopathy and to devise an adequate clinical strategy for treatment.展开更多
文摘Schizophrenia is a disease that affects many areas of the brain. The dopamine hypothesis is one of the most widely-accepted ideas in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Besides alterations in the dopaminergic system in the central nervous system, there have been several reports of changes in dopaminergic systems in the peripheral blood of schizophrenic patients. Several reports have shown that dopamine receptor expression by lymphocytes is altered in patients with schizophrenia, but the results have been conflicting. We therefore re-assessed D3R and D4R mRNA levels in 11 patients with schizophrenia and 12 healthy subjects and correlated levels with severity of symptoms. D3R and D4R expression in lymphocytes and granulocytes was measured by quantitative RT-PCR and the severity of symptoms and cognitive impairment were assessed using the PANSS and BACS-J. There were no significant differences in mean D3R or D4R mRNA levels in lymphocytes from schizophrenic patients and controls and no significant difference in mean D4R mRNA levels in granulocytes (D3R mRNA undetectable). In patients with schizophrenia, D3R expression was inversely correlated with the total PANSS score (r = 0.768, p = 0.009), while D4R expression was positively correlated with working memory scales (r = 0.895, p = 0.001). In conclusion, these results imply that lymphocyte D3R and D4R are involved in the mechanisms of the disorder and could be used as target markers in the treatment of schizophrenia.
文摘The relationships between expressed emotion (EE) of the families and the course of bipolar disorder have been examined only in a limited number of cohort studies. No study has yet been reported from Asia. The subjects were 12 patients that had been diagnosed with bipolar I disorder according to DSM-IV and their 12 key family members. The families of the patients were interviewed using the Camberwell Family Interview (CFI) within 2 weeks of the admission of the patients, and their EE were evaluated. The patients were then followed up for 9 months after their discharge from the hospital. The patients were divided into a high-EE group and a low-EE group using the cut-off based on the number of critical comments (CC) and emotional overinvolvement (EOI), and the 9-month relapse risk was compared. When the subjects with 3 or more CC or an EOI score of 3 or more were regarded as the high-EE group, and the others as the low-EE group, the 9-month relapse risk was 100% (3/3) for the high EE group and 0% (0/9) for the low EE group. (Fisher’s exact test p = 0.005) EE based on the CFI appear to be correlated with relapse in bipolar I disorder in Japan.
文摘After HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy), which is a powerful antiviral drug regimen, was introduced into HIV therapy for AIDS patients, AIDS mortality decreased dramatically. The incidence of encephalopathy among AIDS patients was reported to be 10% to 40% in the past, but the introduction of HAART resulted in a decrease in HIV encephalopathy and an increase in mild CNS-related deficits, which affect the quality of life of AIDS patients. We report the case of an AIDS patient who developed schizophrenia-like delusions associated with encephalopathy. Administration of an antipsychotic drug and hypnotics was effective in relieving the symptoms of patients with insomnia, depressed mood, and delusions. Further information on the neuronal mechanism underlying the mental symptoms observed in our patient will be necessary to understand the process of pathogenesis of the encephalopathy and to devise an adequate clinical strategy for treatment.
