Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

J Psychiatr Res 2021 Apr 1;138:96-102. Epub 2021 Apr 1.

Clinical Research Center & Division of Mood Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai, 200031, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai, 201108, China; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangzhou, 510515, China. Electronic address:

Effective and targeted interventions for improving quality of life (QOL) in addition to achieving 'clinical remission' are imperatives for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). This study aimed to examine potential predictors and moderators of QOL in depression. Data were obtained from the Algorithm Guided Treatment Strategies for Major Depressive Disorder (AGTs-MDD) study, a multisite, randomized controlled trial composed of 980 depressed patients. Read More

Contemp Clin Trials 2021 Apr 7:106394. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Yale School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Disease, Yale AIDS Program, New Haven, CT, USA. Electronic address:

Background: Hospitalization with co-occurring opioid use disorder (OUD) and infections presents a critical time to intervene to improve outcomes for these intertwined epidemics that are typically managed separately. A surge in life-threatening infectious diseases associated with injection drug use, including bacterial and fungal infections, HIV, and HCV accounts for substantial healthcare utilization, morbidity, and mortality. Infectious Disease (ID) specialists manage severe infections that require hospitalization and are a logical resource to engage patients in medication treatment for OUD (MOUD). Read More

Neurosci Lett 2021 Apr 7:135877. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA. Electronic address:

Despite successful viral suppression by combinatorial anti-retroviral therapy, HIV infection continues to negatively impact the quality of life of patients by promoting neuropathy and HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders (HAND), where substance use disorder (SUD) is highly comorbid and known to worsen health outcomes. While substance abuse exacerbates the progression of HIV, emerging evidence also suggests the virus may potentiate the rewarding effect of abused substances. As HIV does not infect neurons, these effects are theorized to be mediated by viral proteins. Read More

Brain Res Bull 2021 Apr 7. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil. Electronic address:

Sex differences are often observed in psychiatric patients, especially major depressive disorders (MDD), schizophrenia, and developmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The prevalence rates between males and females seem variate according to the clinical condition. Although the findings are still incipient, it is suggested that these differences can involve neuroanatomical, neurochemical, and physiological sex differences. Read More

Behav Brain Res 2021 Apr 7:113293. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Bioscience Institute, University of Passo Fundo (UPF), Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil; Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology and Neurobiology, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow, Russia; The International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium (ZNRC), Slidell, LA, USA. Electronic address:

Typically triggered by stress, anxiety disorders are most common and widespread mental illnesses. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is rapidly becoming an important aquatic model species in stress research and central nervous system (CNS) drug screening. Paracetamol is currently the most prescribed medication for pain and fever, and is among the most commonly used drugs globally. Read More

J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab 2021 Apr 12. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Department of Health Promotion, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Bergen, Norway.

Objectives: To explore mental and somatic health, quality of life, alcohol-related problems, sleep problems, and diabetes related distress in university students with type 1 diabetes (T1D), compared to students without T1D. Further, we evaluated associations with gender, treatment modalities, and achieved metabolic control.

Methods: All fulltime Norwegian students aged 18-35 years pursuing higher education in 2018 (n=162. Read More

Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2021 Apr 10. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University, School of Public Health, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston University, School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Grayken Center on Addiction, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.

Background: Objective measurement of alcohol consumption is important for clinical care and research. Adjusting for self-reported alcohol use, we conducted an individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis to examine factors associated with the sensitivity of phosphatidylethanol (PEth), an alcohol metabolite, among persons self-reporting unhealthy alcohol consumption.

Methods: We identified 21 eligible studies and obtained 4073 observations from 3085 participants with Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test - Consumption (AUDIT-C) positive scores (≥3 for women and ≥4 for men) and PEth measurements. Read More

J Autism Dev Disord 2021 Apr 10. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

Department of Occupational Therapy, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., AHC3, Miami, FL, 33199, USA.

Auditory sensory over-responsivity (aSOR) is a frequently reported sensory feature of autism spectrum disorders (ASD); however, there is little consensus regarding its prevalence and severity. This cross-sectional study uses secondary data from the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R; Item 72: undue sensitivity to noise) housed in the US National Institute of Mental Health Data Archives to identify prevalence and severity of aSOR. Of the 4104 subjects with ASD ages 2-54 (M = 9, SD = 5. Read More

J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs 2021 Apr 10. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Introduction: High rates of aggression and violence are a persistent problem in inpatient mental health environments. A comparison of staff's and patients' perceptions of the causes may provide novel insights.

Aim: To compare patients' and staff's perspectives on the causes of aggression and violence in inpatient environments. Read More

Int J Dev Neurosci 2021 Apr 10. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

Departamento de Fisiologia e Comportamento, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is the most common cause of birth defects. The severe variations are in fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) but the most frequent cases are alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND), which are of a difficult diagnosis. ARND characteristics include impaired social behavior, anxiety and depression prevalence, cognitive deficits, and an increased chance for drug addiction. Read More

BMJ Open 2021 Apr 9;11(4):e045727. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Department of Pharmacy, University of Asia Pacific, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Objectives: Mental health problems significantly increased worldwide during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. At the early stage of the outbreak, the government of Bangladesh imposed lockdown and quarantine approaches to prevent the spread of the virus, which impacted people's daily life and health. The COVID-19 pandemic has also affected people's economic status, healthcare facilities and other lifestyle factors in Bangladesh. Read More

Sci Adv 2021 Apr 9;7(15). Epub 2021 Apr 9.

KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium.

A hexanucleotide repeat expansion in the gene is the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). How this mutation leads to these neurodegenerative diseases remains unclear. Here, we show using patient stem cell-derived motor neurons that the repeat expansion impairs microtubule-based transport, a process critical for neuronal survival. Read More

J Neurosci 2021 Apr 6. Epub 2021 Apr 6.

Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, University of California, Irvine, 1203 McGaugh Hall, Irvine, CA 92697.

Pursuing rewards while avoiding danger is an essential function of any nervous system. Here, we examine a new mechanism helping rats negotiate the balance between risk and reward when making high-stakes decisions. Specifically, we focus on GABA neurons within an emerging mesolimbic circuit nexus-the ventral pallidum (VP). Read More

J Neurosci 2021 Apr 7. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands

Deficits in impulse control and attention are prominent in the symptomatology of mental disorders such as ADHD, substance addiction, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, yet the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. Frontostriatal structures, such as the nucleus accumbens (NAcb), the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and their dopaminergic innervation from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) have been implicated in impulse control and attention. What remains unclear, is how the temporal pattern of activity of these VTA projections contributes to these processes. Read More

J Pediatr Surg 2021 Mar 18. Epub 2021 Mar 18.

Department of Pediatrics, Lundquist Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA USA.

Background: Trauma patients undergo a standardized history and physical, however identification of mental health risk factors is not typically included. We aimed to assess the feasibility of using a modified version of Psychological Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment (PsySTART) to identify post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) risk factors in pediatric trauma patients. We hypothesized that PsySTART could identify risk factors and be integrated into the electronic medical record (EMR). Read More

Trials 2021 Apr 9;22(1):264. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.

Background: Patients with mild to moderate depressive symptoms can have limited access to regular treatment; to ensure appropriate care, low-threshold treatment is needed. Effective online interventions could increase the supply of low-threshold treatment. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of online interventions. Read More

Hum Resour Health 2021 Apr 9;19(1):49. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Department of Psychiatry, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, 880 Kitakobayashi, Mibu, Tochigi, 321-0293, Japan.

Background: Depopulation accompanied by population aging is a major public health concern in Japan. Although adequate allocation of mental healthcare resources is needed, there have been few studies on the impact of population change on the supply-demand balance for mental illness in Japan. The aim of this study is to predict psychiatrists' distribution for patients with mental illness via a utilization-based approach. Read More

BMC Psychiatry 2021 Apr 9;21(1):186. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.

BMC Public Health 2021 Apr 9;21(1):702. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Haidian District Huayuan North Road No. 51, Beijing, 100191, China.

Background: The current study examined the change in local government staff's emotional distress over 7 years after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, and the influence of earthquake exposure and professional quality of life (ProQOL) on emotional distress.

Methods: This longitudinal study assessed 250 participants at 1 year after the earthquake; 162 (64.8%) were followed up at 7 years. Read More

BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2021 Apr 9;21(1):284. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.

Background: Sleep disorders, which are among the foremost important medical care issues, are prevalent in pregnancy. The present study is a meta-analysis of the prevalence of insomnia in the third trimester of pregnancy. This study aims to systematically review the overall prevalence of insomnia in the third trimester of pregnancy through conducting a meta-analysis. Read More

Ultraschall Med 2021 Apr 9. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Centre for Ultrasound and Prenatal Medicine Frankfurt/Main, Germany.

The first part of this CME article (issue 5/20) provided a detailed examination of the biophysical effects of ultrasound waves, the exposure values, and in particular the thermal effect. In vivo and in vitro measurements have shown that the temperature increase in tissue associated with B-mode ultrasound is far too low to pose a potential risk. Even experiments with exposure values in the range of pulsed Doppler have shown that temperature increases of over 1. Read More

Psychiatry Res 2021 Mar 31;300:113915. Epub 2021 Mar 31.

Center for Drug and Alcohol Research and Collaborating Center on Alcohol and Drugs, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a public health emergency. Individuals with substance use disorder have a higher risk of infection and may suffer from more severe forms of the disease. Our goal is to investigate the prevalence of risk factors for COVID-19 severity in individuals with different substance use and explore whether specific types of substance are potentially associated with more clinical risk factors which could increase morbimortality in this population. Read More

Neuroimage Clin 2021 Mar 29;30:102651. Epub 2021 Mar 29.

Department of Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland. Electronic address:

An accurate evaluation and detection of awareness after a severe brain injury is crucial to a patient's diagnosis, therapy, and end-of-life decisions. Misdiagnosis is frequent as behavior-based assessments often overlook subtle signs of consciousness. This study aimed to identify brain MRI characteristics of patients with residual consciousness after a severe brain injury and to develop a simple MRI-based scoring system according to the findings. Read More

J Psychiatr Res 2021 Mar 31;138:89-95. Epub 2021 Mar 31.

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3230 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.

Electrophysiological alterations may represent a neural substrate of impaired neurocognitive processes and other phenotypic features in Fragile X Syndrome (FXS). However, the role of biological sex in electroencephalography (EEG) patterns that differentiate FXS from typical development has not been determined. This limits use of EEG in both the search for biomarkers of impairment in FXS as well as application of those markers to enhance our understanding of underlying neural mechanisms to speed treatment discovery. Read More

Brain Lang 2021 Apr 6;218:104950. Epub 2021 Apr 6.

Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47401, United States; Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, United States. Electronic address:

Individuals with primary progressive aphasia (PPA) exhibit differential impairment patterns in noun and verb naming, but it remains unclear whether anomia treatment results in similar improvements in noun and verb naming. Therefore, we examined the immediate and long-term (3-months post-treatment) behavioral and neural effects of an anomia treatment on object and action naming skills in PPA. A case-series design was utilized involving two individuals with PPA. Read More

Am J Emerg Med 2021 Apr 2;48:1-11. Epub 2021 Apr 2.

Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Clínic, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain.

Purpose: Patients evaluated in the emergency department (ED) who have concerning symptoms suggestive of a cancer diagnosis are mostly referred to the quick diagnosis unit of our tertiary hospital. This study analyzed the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the volume, disease patterns, and accessibility to essential investigations of patients with suspected cancer referred by the ED to this unit.

Methods: Trends in referrals were analyzed from January 1 to July 8, 2020 and the corresponding dates of 2019. Read More

J Affect Disord 2021 Mar 31;287:372-379. Epub 2021 Mar 31.

Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China. Electronic address:

Objective: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are suggested as the first-line treatment for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), but the remission rate is unsatisfactory. We aimed to establish machine learning models and explore variables available at baseline to predict the 8-week outcome among patients taking SSRIs.

Methods: Data from 400 patients were used to build machine learnings. Read More

Asian J Psychiatr 2021 Mar 27;59:102637. Epub 2021 Mar 27.

Molecular Genetics Lab, Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India; Accelerator Program for Discovery in Brain disorders using Stem cells (ADBS), National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India. Electronic address:

Abnormal indices of cell cycle regulation have been reported in multiple psychiatric disorders. Though reports specific to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) are scant, numerous studies have highlighted partly common underlying biology in psychiatric disorders, cell cycle regulation being one such process. In this study, we therefore aimed to explore cell cycle in OCD. Read More

Neurochem Int 2021 Apr 6:105041. Epub 2021 Apr 6.

School of Rehabilitation, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China. Electronic address:

Fluoxetine (FLX), a commonly used selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, is often used to treat depression during pregnancy. However, prenatal exposure to FLX has been associated with a series of neuropsychiatric illnesses. The use of a rodent model can provide a clear indication as to whether prenatal exposure to SSRIs, independent of maternal psychiatric disorders or genetic syndromes, can cause long-term behavioral abnormalities in offspring. Read More