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Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021 15;9:627481. Epub 2021 Apr 15.

Department of Neurobiology, Neurology and Geriatrics, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Geriatrics, Beijing, China.

Patients with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) are at high risk for conversion to synucleinopathy and Parkinson disease (PD). This can potentially be monitored by measuring gait characteristics of iRBD patients, although quantitative data are scarce and previous studies have reported inconsistent findings. This study investigated subclinical gait changes in polysomnography-proven iRBD patients compared to healthy controls (HCs) during 3 different walking conditions using wearable motor sensors in order to determine whether gait changes can be detected in iRBD patients that could reflect early symptoms of movement disorder. Read More

Cureus 2021 Mar 30;13(3):e14188. Epub 2021 Mar 30.

Department of Anatomy, Graduate School of Science and Technology for Innovation, Yamaguchi University, Ube, 755-8611, JPN.

Background Lipid metabolism has been associated with the development of autism. The omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) readily undergo lipid peroxidation and conversion to malondialdehyde (MDA). MDA-modified low-density lipoprotein (MDA-LDL) is a marker of lipid peroxidation. Read More

S Afr J Psychiatr 2021 19;27:1607. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Department of Neurology, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of Kwazulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.

Background: Functional neurological disorders (FNDs) are commonly encountered in practice; however, there is a paucity of data in Africa.

Aim: To identify and describe the clinical profile of patients presenting with FNDs, underlying medical and psychiatric diagnoses and review the investigation and management of these patients.

Setting: Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital (IALCH), a tertiary-level hospital in Durban, South Africa. Read More

Mov Disord 2021 May 2. Epub 2021 May 2.

Developmental Neurosciences, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, Zayed Centre for Research into Rare Disease in Children, London, United Kingdom.

Adenylyl cyclase 5 (ADCY5)-related phenotypes comprise an expanding disease continuum, but much remains to be understood about the underlying pathogenic mechanisms of the disease. ADCY5-related disease comprises a spectrum of hyperkinetic disorders involving chorea, myoclonus, and/or dystonia, often with paroxysmal exacerbations. Hypotonia, developmental delay, and intellectual disability may be present. Read More

Metabolites 2021 Apr 6;11(4). Epub 2021 Apr 6.

Department of Radiology, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju 61469, Korea.

Alport Syndrome (AS) is a genetic disorder characterized by impaired kidney function. The development of a noninvasive tool for early diagnosis and monitoring of renal function during disease progression is of clinical importance. Hyperpolarized C MRI is an emerging technique that enables non-invasive, real-time measurement of in vivo metabolism. Read More

Neurosci Bull 2021 Apr 28. Epub 2021 Apr 28.

Clinical Research Center, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China.

Classic hypothalamic-pituitary-end-organ feedback loops - the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA), hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroidal axis (HPTA), and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPGA) - are associated with the neuroendocrine and immune systems in major depressive disorder (MDD). Female patients with MDD present with evident neuroendocrine and immunological changes. Glucocorticoid, thyroid hormone, and reproductive steroid levels fluctuate with menstrual cycles, which might lead to glucocorticoid receptor resistance, impairment of triiodothyronine conversion, and sex hormone secretion disorders. Read More

J Addict Med 2021 Apr 26. Epub 2021 Apr 26.

Addictions Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (TSH, PS); Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada (TSH, PS); Brant Haldimand Norfolk Rapid Access Addiction Medicine Clinic, Brantford, Ontario, Canada (TSH, SR, PB); Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada (PS); Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada (PS); Campbell Family Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (PS).

Background: Novel psychoactive substances, such as designer benzodiazepines unapproved for therapeutic purposes, are an emerging concern worldwide. They have unknown or unpredictable pharmacological properties. Using a case example, we discuss the use of "Xanax bars," which now generally do not contain the pharmaceutical alprazolam. Read More

Australas Psychiatry 2021 Apr 25:10398562211009247. Epub 2021 Apr 25.

Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Austin Health, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia.

Objective: Psychosocial trauma was associated with developing conversion disorder (also known as functional neurological disorder) before Freud, though why a particular symptom should arise is unknown. We aimed to determine if there was a relationship between trauma type and symptom.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients attending Australia's first functional neurology clinic, including referral, clinic letters and a clinic questionnaire. Read More

Adv Sci (Weinh) 2021 Apr 22;8(8):2004262. Epub 2021 Feb 22.

Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology Chongqing School University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS Chongqing) Chinese Academy of Sciences Chongqing 400714 China.

Single junction binary all-small-molecule (ASM) organic solar cells (OSCs) with power conversion efficiency (PCE) beyond 14% are achieved by using non-fullerene acceptor Y6 as the electron acceptor, but still lag behind that of polymer OSCs. Herein, an asymmetric Y6-like acceptor, BTP-FCl-FCl, is designed and synthesized to match the recently reported high performance small molecule donor BTR-Cl, and a record efficiency of 15.3% for single-junction binary ASM OSCs is achieved. Read More

Psychiatry Res 2021 Apr 20;300:113939. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Department of Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neurotoxicology,National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore 560 029, India.

Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2021 Apr 17. Epub 2021 Apr 17.

Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Italy; IRCCS Istituto Delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.

Objective/methods: Phosphorylated alpha-synuclein (p-syn) in dermal nerves of patients with isolated REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) is detectable by immunofluorescence-labeling. Skin-biopsy-p-syn-positivity was recently postulated to be a prodromal marker of Parkinson's disease (PD) or related synucleinopathies. Here, we provide two-to four-year clinical and skin biopsy follow-up data of 33 iRBD patients, whose skin biopsy findings at baseline were reported in 2017. Read More

Nat Commun 2021 Apr 22;12(1):2374. Epub 2021 Apr 22.

Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

Electric fields and currents, which are used in innovative materials processing and electrochemical energy conversion, can often alter microstructures in unexpected ways. However, little is known about the underlying mechanisms. Using ZnO-BiO as a model system, this study uncovers how an applied electric current can change the microstructural evolution through an electrochemically induced grain boundary transition. Read More

Aust N Z J Psychiatry 2021 Apr 22:48674211009621. Epub 2021 Apr 22.

Department of Neurology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia.

Patients with epilepsy have their authorisation to drive restricted under detailed guidelines, but the rules for those with non-epileptic seizures are far less clear. We surveyed specialist clinicians in Australia and found little agreement as to whether such guidelines existed for non-epileptic seizures or what they might be. A number of possible interpretations of the Australian fitness to drive guidelines are explored, and these are often vague in themselves, as well as uncertain in their scope. Read More

J Cyst Fibros 2021 Apr 18. Epub 2021 Apr 18.

Cystic Fibrosis Regional Support Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Brescia, ASST Spedali Civili Brescia, Brescia, Italy.

Objective: We evaluated the prevalence, Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) gene profile, clinical data, management and outcome for infants with a CFTR-related metabolic syndrome/CF Screen Positive, Inconclusive Diagnosis (CRMS/CFSPID) designation from six Italian centres.

Methods: All newborn bloodspot screening (NBS) positive infants born from January 2011 to August 2018 with a CF diagnosis or a CRMS/CFSPID designation were enrolled. Data on sweat testing, genetics, clinical course and management were collected. Read More

JAMA Psychiatry 2021 Apr 21. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.

Importance: Family and genetic approaches have traditionally been used to evaluate our diagnostic concepts. Using a novel method, the family genetic risk score (FGRS), can we validate the genetic architecture of major affective and psychotic disorders in a national Swedish sample?

Objective: To determine whether FGRSs, calculated for the entire Swedish population, can elucidate the genetic relationship between major affective and psychotic disorders and clarify the association of genetic risk with important clinical features of disease.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This cohort study included the native Swedish population born from January 1, 1950, through December 31, 1995, and followed up through December 31, 2017. Read More

Artif Intell Med 2021 Apr 19;114:102039. Epub 2021 Feb 19.

Center for Research in Psychology (CIPsi), School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; CICPSI, Faculdade de Psicologia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal. Electronic address:

The complexity and heterogeneity of schizophrenia symptoms challenge an objective diagnosis, which is typically based on behavioral and clinical manifestations. Moreover, the boundaries of schizophrenia are not precisely demarcated from other nosologic categories, such as bipolar disorder. The early detection of schizophrenia can lead to a more effective treatment, improving patients' quality of life. Read More

Am J Emerg Med 2021 Apr 14;48:110-113. Epub 2021 Apr 14.

Department of Psychiatry, Harran University Faculty of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey.

Objective: Conversion disorder is defined as a disorder with one or more neurological symptoms that accompany psychological conflict, suggesting a physical disorder. It has been shown that patients with conversion disorder have an imbalance in the autonomic nervous system. There are only a limited number of studies that have examined how conversion disorder is related with surface ECG parameters. Read More

Am J Health Syst Pharm 2021 Apr 19. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Department of Pharmacy, Critical Care, Maine Medical Center, Portland, ME, USA.

Purpose: Despite its availability for more than 70 years, many details concerning methadone remain contentious, such as the dosing equivalents for intravenous and enteral administration. A scoping review was performed to evaluate whether existing literature on methadone bioavailability in human subjects support the current recommendation that an equivalent enteral dose is twice the intravenous dose.

Methods: A librarian-assisted search of the PubMed and EMBASE databases identified all English-language articles with the terms methadone and bioavailability and/or conversion in the title or abstract published from inception though December 2019. Read More

Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2021 Apr 19. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Child Psychiatry Division, Edmond and Lily Safra Children's Hospital, Sheba Medical Center, 5262000, Tel Hashmoer, Israel.

This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate an association between stimulant treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in individuals with 22q11.2DS and the development of psychotic disorders, to evaluate long-term effectiveness and safety of stimulant treatment in individuals with 22q11.2DS compared to individuals with idiopathic ADHD, and to explore effects of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotype on 22q11. Read More

Acad Emerg Med 2021 Apr 18. Epub 2021 Apr 18.

Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.

We provide a narrative review of functional neurological disorder (FND, or conversion disorder) for the emergency department (ED). Diagnosis of FND has shifted from a 'rule-out' disorder to one now based on the recognition of positive clinical signs, allowing the ED physician to make a suspected or likely diagnosis of FND. Pubmed, Google Scholar, academic books, and a hand search through review article references were used to conduct a literature review. Read More

Brain 2021 Apr 14. Epub 2021 Apr 14.

Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences University of Verona, Verona, Italy.

Isolated REM sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) is an early-stage α-synucleinopathy in most, if not all, affected subjects. Detection of pathological α-synuclein in peripheral tissues of patients with isolated RBD may identify those progressing to Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies or multiple system atrophy, with the ultimate goal of testing preventive therapies. Real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) provided evidence of α-synuclein seeding activity in CSF and olfactory mucosa of patients with α-synucleinopathies. Read More

World J Nucl Med 2021 Jan-Mar;20(1):102-104. Epub 2020 Oct 23.

Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is a known autoimmune disorder that leads to chronic inflammation of the thyroid gland, with a gradual decline in function and eventual hypothyroidism. Conversion of Hashimoto's thyroiditis to Graves' disease is unusual clinically and has been occasionally reported in the literature. Awareness of such a rare phenomenon is important for the physicians evaluating patients with autoimmune thyroid disorders. Read More

Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021 Apr 10;127:25-36. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

Human Motor Control Section, Medical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. Electronic address:

Functional movement disorders (FMD) are a common and disabling neuropsychiatric condition, part of the spectrum of functional neurological/conversion disorder. FMD represent one of the most enigmatic disorders in the history of medicine. However, in the twenty years after the first report of distinctive abnormal brain activity associated with functional motor symptoms, there have been tremendous advances in the pathophysiologic understanding of these disorders. Read More

Psychol Med 2021 Apr 12:1-10. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.

Background: Cohort studies of the long-term outcome of anxiety, depression and personality status rarely join together.

Methods: Two hundred and ten patients recruited with anxiety and depression to a randomised controlled trial between 1983 and 1987 (Nottingham Study of Neurotic Disorder) were followed up over 30 years. At trial entry personality status was assessed, together with the general neurotic syndrome, a combined diagnosis of mixed anxiety-depression (cothymia) linked to neurotic personality traits. Read More

Front Psychiatry 2021 26;12:613156. Epub 2021 Mar 26.

Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.

Cognitive reappraisal is an emotion regulation strategy to reduce the impact of affective stimuli. This regulation could be incomplete in patients with functional neurologic disorder (FND) resulting in an overflowing emotional stimulation perpetuating symptoms in FND patients. Here we employed functional MRI to study cognitive reappraisal in FND. Read More

J Nerv Ment Dis 2021 Apr 9. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University, Afyonkarahisar Department of Pediatric Cardiology, University of Health Sciences, Konya Education and Research Hospital, Konya, Turkey.

Abstract: Vasovagal syncope constitutes 61% to 80% of syncope cases in the pediatric age group. Syncope is frequently associated with psychopathologies such as depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, somatization disorders, etc. Our study aims to evaluate vasovagal syncope cases in terms of additional psychopathologies, depression, and anxiety levels with a control group. Read More

Psychiatry Res 2021 Mar 21;300:113894. Epub 2021 Mar 21.

Mood Disorders Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia Translacional em Medicina (INCT-TM), Porto Alegre, Brazil. Electronic address:

Aim: To assess the differences in subjective cognitive dysfunction between major depressive disorder (MDD) and recently diagnosed Bipolar Disorder (BD) across euthymia and mood episodes.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study corresponding to the second wave of a longitudinal study. The first wave consisted of subjects aged between 18 and 60 diagnosed with MDD. Read More

Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy 2021 Apr 8;16(1):32. Epub 2021 Apr 8.

Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1120 NW 14th St, Miami, FL, 33136, USA.

Background: Standardization and harmonization of healthcare resource utilization data can improve evaluations of the economic impact of treating people with substance use disorder (SUD), including reductions in use of expensive hospital and emergency department (ED) services, and can ensure consistency with current cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analysis guidelines.

Methods: We examined self-reported healthcare and other resource utilization data collected at baseline from three National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)-funded Seek, Test, Treat, and Retain intervention studies of individuals living with/at risk for HIV with SUD. Costs were calculated by multiplying mean healthcare resource utilization measures by monetary conversion factors reflecting cost per unit of care. Read More

Med Hypotheses 2021 May 23;150:110567. Epub 2021 Mar 23.

Department of Neurology, Dokkyo Medical University, Japan. Electronic address:

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis patients demonstrate characteristic multistage progression and movement disorders, which are analogous to hystero-epilepsy in Jean-Martin Charcot's Tuesday Lessons. First, based on a review of the Tuesday Lessons recorded by Charcot's pupils, we hypothesized that there were patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis among those diagnosed with hystero-epilepsy in the nineteenth century. We found acute-onset multiple neuropsychiatric manifestations resembling anti-NMDAR encephalitis among patients with hystero-epilepsy. Read More

Dimens Crit Care Nurs 2021 May-Jun 01;40(3):139-148

Background: There are 2 classification of strokes: ischemic, if caused by an arterial occlusion from a clot or obstruction by atherosclerosis, and hemorrhagic, if caused by the rupture of a vessel and subsequent bleeding. Each type of stroke is influenced by platelet counts and platelet function. The intention of this article is to discuss the role of the platelet in the pathophysiology of acute stroke processes. Read More