All posts; Tags Include "Clinical Research"
- June 23, 2014
- 10:52 AM
- 525 views
Varenicline for Smoking Cessation
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Varenicline is a drug designed to assist smokers in cessation. It is marketed in the U.S. as Chantix.Varenicline is one of the first drugs to target the nicotine receptor. It is classified as a partial agonist, meaning it stimulates the nicotine receptor but to a weaker effect than nicotine itself.The mechanism of action of varenicline differs from that of another smoking cessation drug bupropion marked under trade name Zyban in the U.S.One concern with varenicline is the risk for psychiatric ad........ Read more »
Ebbert JO, Hatsukami DK, Croghan IT, Schroeder DR, Allen SS, Hays JT, & Hurt RD. (2014) Combination varenicline and bupropion SR for tobacco-dependence treatment in cigarette smokers: a randomized trial. JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association, 311(2), 155-63. PMID: 24399554
Rose JE, & Behm FM. (2014) Combination Treatment With Varenicline and Bupropion in an Adaptive Smoking Cessation Paradigm. The American journal of psychiatry. PMID: 24934962
Anthenelli RM, Morris C, Ramey TS, Dubrava SJ, Tsilkos K, Russ C, & Yunis C. (2013) Effects of varenicline on smoking cessation in adults with stably treated current or past major depression: a randomized trial. Annals of internal medicine, 159(6), 390-400. PMID: 24042367
Boudrez H, Hoengenaert JP, Nackaerts K, Messig M, & Metcalfe M. (2013) Predictors of quit success in Belgian participants of a varenicline observational smoking cessation study. Acta clinica Belgica, 68(1), 37-42. PMID: 23627193
- June 21, 2014
- 07:45 AM
- 1,193 views
West Nile Virus and Polio-like Syndromes: An Emerging Threat
by Pranab Chatterjee in Scepticemia
While the whole nation has been gripped by a media-induced frenzy about the fatal effects of the so-called “litchi virus” (do not get me started on this! This issue deserves a whole post of its own!), another virus-related news has quietly slipped beneath the radars of the cumulative hysteria. This article in the Times of India […]... Read more »
Maramattom BV, Philips G, Sudheesh N, & Arunkumar G. (2014) Acute flaccid paralysis due to West nile virus infection in adults: A paradigm shift entity. Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology, 17(1), 85-8. PMID: 24753667
- June 20, 2014
- 12:07 PM
- 570 views
Maternal Smoking and Child Conduct Disorder Risk
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Conduct disorder is a serious behavioral disorder of childhood characterized by aggression, destruction of property, lying, theft and violation of rules.A significant number of children with conduct disorder go on to adult antisocial personality disorder.Conduct disorder is known to have genetic as well as environmental risk factors.Darya Gaysina from the United Kingdom and colleagues recently published a review of maternal smoking during pregnancy and offspring conduct problems.This review exam........ Read more »
Gaysina D, Fergusson DM, Leve LD, Horwood J, Reiss D, Shaw DS, Elam KK, Natsuaki MN, Neiderhiser JM, & Harold GT. (2013) Maternal smoking during pregnancy and offspring conduct problems: evidence from 3 independent genetically sensitive research designs. JAMA psychiatry, 70(9), 956-63. PMID: 23884431
Cadoret RJ, Yates WR, Troughton E, Woodworth G, & Stewart MA. (1995) Genetic-environmental interaction in the genesis of aggressivity and conduct disorders. Archives of general psychiatry, 52(11), 916-24. PMID: 7487340
- June 19, 2014
- 11:20 AM
- 576 views
Smoking and Abnormal Brain Pleasure Response
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Smoking cessation in those with nicotine dependence is one of the most difficult challenges for patients and their clinicians.Research targeting the neurobiology of smoking cessation provides hope for designing more effective treatments for nicotine dependence.Takeshi Isomura along with colleagues in the U.S. and Japan recently summarized recent findings in the brain pleasure response in nicotine dependence.The brain ventral striatum region is known to be key in nearly all sensations of pleasure........ Read more »
Isomura T, Suzuki J, & Murai T. (2014) Paradise Lost: The relationships between neurological and psychological changes in nicotine-dependent patients. Addiction research , 22(2), 158-165. PMID: 24719610
Peters J, Bromberg U, Schneider S, Brassen S, Menz M, Banaschewski T, Conrod PJ, Flor H, Gallinat J, Garavan H.... (2011) Lower ventral striatal activation during reward anticipation in adolescent smokers. The American journal of psychiatry, 168(5), 540-9. PMID: 21362742
- June 18, 2014
- 11:22 PM
- 729 views
Cancer Vaccine
by Viputheshwar Sitaraman in Draw Science
Finally, a possible vaccine for cancer. [Infographic]... Read more »
Yukai He,, Yuan Hong,, Yibing Peng,, Lisa Butterfield,, Sheng Guo,, David Bartlett,, David Munn1,, Jose Guevara-Patino,, Junfeng Pang,, & Nahid Mivechi,. (2014) Engineering AFP and GPC3 to create highly immunogenic gene vaccines to prevent carcinogen-induced murine autochthonous hepatocellular carcinoma. The Journal of Immunology, 192(1). info:/
- June 10, 2014
- 10:54 AM
- 721 views
Smoking During Pregnancy and Fetal Growth
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Smoking cigarettes during pregnancy is linked to a variety of adverse effects including increased perinatal mortality, gestational bleeding and placenta abruptio and placenta previa.Newborns of smoking mothers weigh less than newborns of nonsmoking mothers.The specific distribution of target organ growth impairment with maternal smoking is less well studied.Devasuda Anblagan and colleagues in the United Kingdom and Canada recently published a study of fetal organ growth in smoking mothers.Using ........ Read more »
Anblagan D, Jones NW, Costigan C, Parker AJ, Allcock K, Aleong R, Coyne LH, Deshpande R, Raine-Fenning N, Bugg G.... (2013) Maternal smoking during pregnancy and fetal organ growth: a magnetic resonance imaging study. PloS one, 8(7). PMID: 23843995
- June 9, 2014
- 11:04 AM
- 946 views
Smoking Linked to Brain White Matter Dysfunction
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Tobacco smoking and nicotine dependence produce harmful effects on the brain.Some of these effects are related to direct effects on vascular health. Vascular changes seen with smoking are known to contribute to increased risk for stroke and dementia.Advances in brain imaging techniques allow for more direct study on smoking's effect on specific brain structures.Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a relatively recent imaging tool allowing for study of brain white matter function.Brain white matter ........ Read more »
Umene-Nakano W, Yoshimura R, Kakeda S, Watanabe K, Hayashi K, Nishimura J, Takahashi H, Moriya J, Ide S, Ueda I.... (2014) Abnormal white matter integrity in the corpus callosum among smokers: tract-based spatial statistics. PloS one, 9(2). PMID: 24516568
- June 4, 2014
- 10:12 AM
- 662 views
Types of Mathematics Learning Disorders
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Learning mathematics is a complex process that forms a key element in modern education.Significant mathematics learning difficulties emerge in 5 to 10 per cent of all elementary and secondary education students.Struggling to acquire skills in mathematics is more than a single deficit and appears to involve multiple cognitive skills.Giannis Karagiannakis and colleagures recently summarized what is known about mathematics learning disorders and proposed four subtypes. I will summarize these subtyp........ Read more »
Karagiannakis G, Baccaglini-Frank A, & Papadatos Y. (2014) Mathematical learning difficulties subtypes classification. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 57. PMID: 24574997
- June 3, 2014
- 11:14 AM
- 713 views
Executive Cognition in Autism Sprectrum Disorder
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Executive functions (EF) of the brain are processes used to make complex decisions and plans.Deficits in EF can produce significant impairment in the ability to successfully many daily life challenges.EF are felt to be primarily a reflection of workings of the frontal lobe although additional brain regions contribute this cognitive skill.Simonetta Panerai and colleagues from Italy recently examined the key components of EF in a group of children with autism sprectrum disorder (ASD). They adminis........ Read more »
Panerai S, Tasca D, Ferri R, Genitori D'Arrigo V, & Elia M. (2014) Executive Functions and Adaptive Behaviour in Autism Spectrum Disorders with and without Intellectual Disability. Psychiatry journal, 941809. PMID: 24829905
- June 3, 2014
- 09:56 AM
- 687 views
Gene Scissors
by Viputheshwar Sitaraman in Draw Science
Gene scissors allow scientists to cut out any gene: a dream for gene therapy! [Infographic]... Read more »
Gaj, T., Gersbach, C., & Barbas, C. (2013) ZFN, TALEN, and CRISPR/Cas-based methods for genome engineering. Trends in Biotechnology, 31(7), 397-405. DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2013.04.004
- June 2, 2014
- 11:52 AM
- 675 views
Brain Resting Connectivity Deficits in Autism
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Resting connectivity is a measure of brain circuitry obtained by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).This technique is relatively new but there is emerging evidence of the potential value in research and clinical assessment.Research in brain connectivity includes looking for distinct patterns in brain disorders compared to health controls.One such type of study in autism has been published by a group of Japanese researchers.Takashi Itahashi and colleagues recruited 46 adult subjects wit........ Read more »
Itahashi T, Yamada T, Watanabe H, Nakamura M, Jimbo D, Shioda S, Toriizuka K, Kato N, & Hashimoto R. (2014) Altered network topologies and hub organization in adults with autism: a resting-state FMRI study. PloS one, 9(4). PMID: 24714805
- June 2, 2014
- 04:00 AM
- 766 views
Moderate drinking or abstinence for alcoholics?
by DJMac in Recovery Review
There is evidence that treatment seekers favour abstinence when they come for help, but what does abstinence offer in terms of quality of life (QOL), compared to continued heavy drinking or moderate drinking? My own experience is that many dependent drinkers will first seek to try out controlled drinking. However some have already realised that [...]
The post Moderate drinking or abstinence for alcoholics? appeared first on Recovery Review.
... Read more »
Daeppen, J., Faouzi, M., Sanchez, N., Rahhali, N., Bineau, S., & Bertholet, N. (2014) Quality of Life Depends on the Drinking Pattern in Alcohol-Dependent Patients. Alcohol and Alcoholism. DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agu027
- May 31, 2014
- 10:58 PM
- 443 views
Vitamin D supplements might not protect against osteoporosis
by Valerie Ashton in The Molecular Scribe
Vitamin D supplements did not increase bone mineral density when results from studies were statistically combined in a meta-analysis published in The Lancet. Vitamin D is widely used to prevent osteoporosis. The new data suggest that vitamin D supplementation for the prevention of osteoporosis in typical individuals is unfounded. However, vitamin D deficient patients might benefit. ... Read more »
Reid IR, Bolland MJ, & Grey A. (2014) Effects of vitamin D supplements on bone mineral density: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet, 383(9912), 146-55. PMID: 24119980
Rosen CJ. (2014) Vitamin D supplementation: bones of contention. Lancet, 383(9912), 108-10. PMID: 24119979
Sadat-Ali M, & Al-Turki HA. (2014) Vitamin D supplements and bone mineral density. Lancet, 383(9925), 1293. PMID: 24725573
Reid IR, Bolland MJ, & Grey A. (2014) Vitamin D supplements and bone mineral density - Authors' reply. Lancet, 383(9925), 1293-4. PMID: 24725572
Macdonald H, & Aspray TJ. (2014) Vitamin D supplements and bone mineral density. Lancet, 383(9925), 1292. PMID: 24725570
Karras SN, Anagnostis P, Beauchet O, Goulis DG, & Annweiler C. (2014) Vitamin D supplements and bone mineral density. Lancet, 383(9925), 1292-3. PMID: 24725569
Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Kiel DP, Dawson-Hughes B, Orav JE, Li R, Spiegelman D, Dietrich T, & Willett WC. (2009) Dietary calcium and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D status in relation to BMD among U.S. adults. Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, 24(5), 935-42. PMID: 19113911
Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Willett WC, Wong JB, Stuck AE, Staehelin HB, Orav EJ, Thoma A, Kiel DP, & Henschkowski J. (2009) Prevention of nonvertebral fractures with oral vitamin D and dose dependency: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Archives of internal medicine, 169(6), 551-61. PMID: 19307517
- May 25, 2014
- 06:00 PM
- 848 views
Does Faster Epinephrine Administration Produce Better Outcomes from PEA-Asystole?
by Rogue Medic in Rogue Medic
If we are going to give epinephrine to patients with rhythms that are not shockable (PEA [Pulseless Electrical Activity] or Asystole), it appears that patients receiving epinephrine earlier have better outcomes than patients who receive epinephrine later in the hospital in the less acute care settings.
Does this mean that patients who receive epinephrine have better outcomes than patients who do not receive epinephrine?
We remain willfully ignorant of the answer to that question.
... Read more »
Bigham BL, Koprowicz K, Aufderheide TP, Davis DP, Donn S, Powell J, Suffoletto B, Nafziger S, Stouffer J, Idris A.... (2010) Delayed prehospital implementation of the 2005 American Heart Association guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiac care. Prehospital emergency care : official journal of the National Association of EMS Physicians and the National Association of State EMS Directors, 14(3), 355-60. PMID: 20388032
Donnino, M., Salciccioli, J., Howell, M., Cocchi, M., Giberson, B., Berg, K., Gautam, S., Callaway, C., & , . (2014) Time to administration of epinephrine and outcome after in-hospital cardiac arrest with non-shockable rhythms: retrospective analysis of large in-hospital data registry. BMJ, 348(may20 2). DOI: 10.1136/bmj.g3028
- May 21, 2014
- 01:04 PM
- 579 views
Testing Boosts Memory: Brain Region Involvement
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Taking tests provides one method to assess the level of learning in a subject matter.Testing may also be an aid to improving memory and learning.Studies support periodic testing as a superior strategy to restudying learned material. Testing may promote learning by activating memory retrieval.The mechanism for the beneficial effects of testing on memory have received limited research attention.However, a recent fMRI study provides some insight into the specific brain regions involved in memory im........ Read more »
Liu XL, Liang P, Li K, & Reder LM. (2014) Uncovering the neural mechanisms underlying learning from tests. PloS one, 9(3). PMID: 24647122
- May 13, 2014
- 11:05 AM
- 545 views
Sleep Manipulation to Enhance Cognition
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
In the next series of posts, I will focus on research related to learning, learning disabilities and education.Sleep is known to play a key role in consolidation of memories and and learning.However, there has been relatively little discussion of how the effect of sleep on learning might be enhanced.Susanne Diekelmann reviewed this issue in a recent manuscript published in the journal Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience.In this review, two theories for sleep enhancement of memories are proposed:Ac........ Read more »
Diekelmann, S. (2014) Sleep for cognitive enhancement. Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience. DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2014.00046
- May 7, 2014
- 11:01 AM
- 634 views
Sleep, Inflammation and Risk of Depression
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
I had the opportunity to attend a presentation by Dr. Michael Irwin at the Warren Neuroscience Lecture Series in Tulsa, OK.Dr. Irwin has been a leader in research related to sleep disturbance, inflammation and depression risk. Here are my notes from the presentation and few related citations.Notes on Irwin PresentationDepression is important because it is prevalent, recurrent and often resistant to treatmentSleep disturbance is common as a symptom of depression, but also may be an independe........ Read more »
Slavich, G., & Irwin, M. (2014) From stress to inflammation and major depressive disorder: A social signal transduction theory of depression. Psychological Bulletin, 140(3), 774-815. DOI: 10.1037/a0035302
Lee E, Cho HJ, Olmstead R, Levin MJ, Oxman MN, & Irwin MR. (2013) Persistent sleep disturbance: a risk factor for recurrent depression in community-dwelling older adults. Sleep, 36(11), 1685-91. PMID: 24179302
Inagaki TK, Muscatell KA, Irwin MR, Cole SW, & Eisenberger NI. (2012) Inflammation selectively enhances amygdala activity to socially threatening images. NeuroImage, 59(4), 3222-6. PMID: 22079507
- May 6, 2014
- 11:12 AM
- 842 views
Prioritizing Variants with Gene and Phenotype Knowledge
by Daniel Koboldt in Massgenomics
Exome and whole-genome sequencing offer powerful assays for disease diagnosis in clinical settings. In theory, they can help uncover the de novo mutations or inherited alleles responsible for rare genetic diseases. Over the past few years, several groups have developed strategies for filtering or prioritizing variants based on their likelihood to cause disease. Our tool, […]... Read more »
Singleton MV, Guthery SL, Voelkerding KV, Chen K, Kennedy B, Margraf RL, Durtschi J, Eilbeck K, Reese MG, Jorde LB.... (2014) Phevor combines multiple biomedical ontologies for accurate identification of disease-causing alleles in single individuals and small nuclear families. American journal of human genetics, 94(4), 599-610. PMID: 24702956
- April 28, 2014
- 10:04 AM
- 704 views
Religion As A Suicide Protective Factor: Part I
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Risk factors for suicide include male gender, older age, previous suicide attempts and presence of a mental disorder.Factors that reduce risk of suicide or provide a protective effect are less well understood.Two recent studies suggest religious belief and church attendance are linked to reduced risk of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts.Nicole Cushing and colleagues conducted a study of older adults suffering from depression.In this study, a series of subjects over 59 receiving outpatient o........ Read more »
Rushing NC, Corsentino E, Hames JL, Sachs-Ericsson N, & Steffens DC. (2013) The relationship of religious involvement indicators and social support to current and past suicidality among depressed older adults. Aging , 17(3), 366-74. PMID: 23121118
- April 22, 2014
- 10:21 AM
- 754 views
Religious Belief Linked to Brain Cortex Thickness
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
In a previous post, I reviewed a longitudinal study of religious belief and major depression.This study by Lisa Miller and colleagues found a reduced risk of depression in subjects who rated religious belief or spirituality as an important factor in their lives.Reduction in depression risk with religiosity/spirituality was largest (90% smaller risk) in those with a family history of depression.This correlation may not be causal and may be explained by some common third factor between religion an........ Read more »
Miller L, Bansal R, Wickramaratne P, Hao X, Tenke CE, Weissman MM, & Peterson BS. (2014) Neuroanatomical correlates of religiosity and spirituality: a study in adults at high and low familial risk for depression. JAMA psychiatry, 71(2), 128-35. PMID: 24369341
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