All posts; Tags Include "Clinical Research"
- May 22, 2015
- 04:07 AM
- 469 views
Clinical trials for rare diseases – finding and keeping patients
by Danielle Stevenson in BHD Research Blog
International Clinical Trial day (May 20th) celebrates the medical advances as a result of clinical trials. Clinical trials are essential to ensure drug safety and efficacy, and the recent increase in the development of orphan drugs has led to an increase in rare disease clinical trials. The nature of rare diseases creates specific challenges for clinical trial design and patient recruitment.... Read more »
Bell SA, & Tudur Smith C. (2014) A comparison of interventional clinical trials in rare versus non-rare diseases: an analysis of ClinicalTrials.gov. Orphanet journal of rare diseases, 170. PMID: 25427578
Gagne JJ, Thompson L, O'Keefe K, & Kesselheim AS. (2014) Innovative research methods for studying treatments for rare diseases: methodological review. BMJ (Clinical research ed.). PMID: 25422272
- May 18, 2015
- 10:45 AM
- 526 views
Brain Imaging and Conduct Disorder: Temporal Lobe Abnormalities
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Conduct disorder is a complex behavioral disorder with significant risk for later adult psychopathology.There is increasing evidence for a biological basis for conduct disorder.Twin studies show a significant genetic contribution to the disorder.Brain imaging studies also point to biological factors in conduct disorder.Gregory Wallace and colleagues recently published a structural MRI study of conduct disorder in 22 adolescents between the ages of 10 and 18. Conduct disorder subjects were compar........ Read more »
Wallace GL, White SF, Robustelli B, Sinclair S, Hwang S, Martin A, & Blair RJ. (2014) Cortical and subcortical abnormalities in youths with conduct disorder and elevated callous-unemotional traits. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 53(4), 456-650. PMID: 24655655
- May 14, 2015
- 01:15 PM
- 732 views
Mary-Claire King on Inherited Breast/Ovarian Cancer
by Daniel Koboldt in Massgenomics
It is a rare but delightful opportunity to learn about something from an acknowledged world expert. Such was the case last month when I heard Mary-Claire King give the Stanley J. Korsmeyer Memorial lecture, hands-down one of the best talks I’ve ever heard. She was a wonderful public speaker: funny, charming, and straight-shooting. Her topic, of […]... Read more »
Hall JM, Lee MK, Newman B, Morrow JE, Anderson LA, Huey B, & King MC. (1990) Linkage of early-onset familial breast cancer to chromosome 17q21. Science (New York, N.Y.), 250(4988), 1684-9. PMID: 2270482
King MC. (2014) "The race" to clone BRCA1. Science (New York, N.Y.), 343(6178), 1462-5. PMID: 24675952
- May 14, 2015
- 10:31 AM
- 523 views
Male Depression Risk Via Childhood Conduct Disorder
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Conduct disorder represents an important childhood-onset condition that commonly persists into adulthood.Adult antisocial personality disorder and substance abuse are known risks associated with conduct disorder.A recent study by Kenneth Kendler and Charles Gardner identified male conduct disorder as a risk factor for adult major depression.Their study using the Virginia Twin Registry examined 20 developmental risk factors in male and female twins for presence of recent adult major depression.A ........ Read more »
Kendler, K., & Gardner, C. (2014) Sex Differences in the Pathways to Major Depression: A Study of Opposite-Sex Twin Pairs. American Journal of Psychiatry, 171(4), 426-435. DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2013.13101375
- May 8, 2015
- 04:13 AM
- 677 views
Advances in immunotherapy for renal cell carcinoma
by Danielle Stevenson in BHD Research Blog
In recent years there has been renewed interest in immunotherapies to treat of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Immunotherapies increase the body’s natural finely regulated multiple-step anti-tumour immune response (Figure 1). The balance of stimulatory and inhibitory signals (reviewed in Chen & Mellman, 2013) are important in maintaining self-tolerance and modulating normal immune responses to minimising health tissue damage. However, tumours can develop mechanisms to evade this im........ Read more »
Chen DS, & Mellman I. (2013) Oncology meets immunology: the cancer-immunity cycle. Immunity, 39(1), 1-10. PMID: 23890059
- May 7, 2015
- 10:30 AM
- 623 views
Conduct Disorder: Predictors, Gender and Genetics
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Genetic factors contribute to risk for many childhood mental disorders.Gender issues in childhood psychopathology are also important factors.Boys show higher rates for conduct disorder (CD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).Nora Kerekes and colleagues in Sweden and Australia examined a large twin study of childhood behavioral and neurobehavioral disorders. The aims of this study were to better understand the developmental and genetic feature........ Read more »
Kerekes, N., Lundström, S., Chang, Z., Tajnia, A., Jern, P., Lichtenstein, P., Nilsson, T., & Anckarsäter, H. (2014) Oppositional defiant- and conduct disorder-like problems: neurodevelopmental predictors and genetic background in boys and girls, in a nationwide twin study. PeerJ. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.359
- May 5, 2015
- 11:12 AM
- 485 views
Bad Boy. Bad Boy. Is It Conduct Disorder?
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Defining the line between normal childhood behavior and more serious problems like conduct disorder (CD) is important.Conduct disorder is linked to a significant risk for a lifelong problem with aggression. Identifying CD early in life provides the hope that early intervention might reduce the later consequences of the disorder.The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry has an excellent online resource center to understand conduct disorder. They note the condition is characteri........ Read more »
Lahey BB, & Waldman ID. (2012) Annual research review: phenotypic and causal structure of conduct disorder in the broader context of prevalent forms of psychopathology. Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines, 53(5), 536-57. PMID: 22211395
- May 4, 2015
- 09:00 AM
- 555 views
this is your brain on cosmic rays
by Greg Fish in weird things
Back in the day, I argued that if we were going to get serious about space exploration, we also had to budget for large, luxury spacecraft rather than just capsules in which we would cram the brave men and women we’d be sending to other worlds with a pat on the back for agreeing to deal with the discomfort and damage to their bodies. Among the reasons listed were the basic physiological problems of spending many months in zero gravity, and mental health hazards of boredom and cabin fever. ........ Read more »
Vipan K. Parihar, Barrett Allen, Katherine K. Tran, Trisha G. Macaraeg, Esther M. Chu, Stephanie F. Kwok, Nicole N. Chmielewski, Brianna M. Craver, Janet E. Baulch, Munjal M. Acharya, Francis A. Cucinotta, & Charles L. Limoli. (2015) What happens to your brain on the way to Mars. Science Advances, 1(4). info:/10.1126/sciadv.1400256
- April 30, 2015
- 10:35 AM
- 577 views
Bupropion: A Non-stimulant ADHD Drug Treatment
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Stimulant drugs including dextroamphetamine (Adderall) and methylphenidate (Ritalin) remain among the most common and effective drug treatments for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).Alternative to stimulant drugs are needed to expand treatment options for clinicians and patients.One problem with the stimulants is the potential for misuse and diversion of prescription drugs to illicit drug use.One non-stimulant FDA approved drug (atomoxetine/Strattera) is available in the U.S.An add........ Read more »
Hamedi M, Mohammdi M, Ghaleiha A, Keshavarzi Z, Jafarnia M, Keramatfar R, Alikhani R, Ehyaii A, & Akhondzadeh S. (2014) Bupropion in adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: a randomized, double-blind study. Acta medica Iranica, 52(9), 675-80. PMID: 25325205
Stuhec M, Munda B, Svab V, & Locatelli I. (2015) Comparative efficacy and acceptability of atomoxetine, lisdexamfetamine, bupropion and methylphenidate in treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents: A meta-analysis with focus on bupropion. Journal of affective disorders, 149-159. PMID: 25813457
- April 27, 2015
- 10:50 AM
- 474 views
ADHD and Vehicular Accident Risk
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Attention and impulsive behaviors found in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can contribute to accident risk in children and adults.A recent study of adult drivers in France provides evidence for increased accident risk in adults with ADHD.Researchers at the Bordeaux University Hospital interviewed a series of adult drivers seen in the emergency department following a road traffic crash.A total of 777 eligible subjects completed assessments of accident information, distraction expo........ Read more »
El Farouki K, Lagarde E, Orriols L, Bouvard MP, Contrand B, & Galéra C. (2014) The increased risk of road crashes in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) adult drivers: driven by distraction? Results from a responsibility case-control study. PloS one, 9(12). PMID: 25536069
- April 22, 2015
- 12:13 PM
- 511 views
Brain EEG and the Genetics of ADHD
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Twin studies in ADHD demonstrate a significant genetic contribution to the disorder.Linking this genetic influence to specific biomarkers may provide a better understanding of the pathophysiology of ADHD.Grainne McLoughlin and colleagues at the University of California San Diego and King's College London recently published a twin study of brain EEG and the genetics of ADHD.In their study 67 twin pairs (34 monozygotic and 33 dizygotic) between the ages of 12 and 15 years completed tasks measuring........ Read more »
McLoughlin G, Palmer JA, Rijsdijk F, & Makeig S. (2014) Genetic overlap between evoked frontocentral theta-band phase variability, reaction time variability, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms in a twin study. Biological psychiatry, 75(3), 238-47. PMID: 24001472
- April 20, 2015
- 11:32 AM
- 475 views
ADHD and Autism Overlap: Adult Twin Study
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Clinical studies show high rates of ADHD in adults with autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These studies have estimated the prevalence of ADHD in adults with ASD at between 28 and 44% of individuals. The prevalence of ADHD in the adult general population without ASD is estimated at 2.5%.Given the overlap between these two developmental disorders, it makes sense to examine genetic factors that might contribute to co-occurrence.TJC Polderman along with colleagues from the Netherlands, ........ Read more »
Polderman TJ, Hoekstra RA, Posthuma D, & Larsson H. (2014) The co-occurrence of autistic and ADHD dimensions in adults: an etiological study in 17,770 twins. Translational psychiatry. PMID: 25180574
- April 17, 2015
- 04:38 AM
- 603 views
Rhabdomyomas: an additional BHD hamartoma phenotype?
by Danielle Stevenson in BHD Research Blog
Hamartomas are benign, focal malformations formed by an excess of normal tissue growing in a disorganised fashion. Several hamartoma syndromes have been linked to aberrant mTOR signalling including BHD and Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC). In addition to the predisposition of BHD patients to develop hair follicle hamartomas or fibrofolliculomas (Birt et al., 1977), Fuyura et al., (2012) propose that the pulmonary cysts in BHD patients are hamartoma-like cystic alveolar formations. The benign nat........ Read more »
Bondavalli D, White SM, Steer A, Pflaumer A, & Winship I. (2015) Is cardiac rhabdomyoma a feature of Birt Hogg Dubé syndrome?. American journal of medical genetics. Part A, 167(4), 802-4. PMID: 25655561
- April 16, 2015
- 10:32 AM
- 523 views
What is Neurofeedback Training for ADHD?
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
There are a variety of behavioral strategies for treating the attention and activity components of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).One of these strategies is known as neurofeedback. A recent study in the journal Pediatrics found evidence for effectiveness of in-school neurofeedback for ADHD in a randomized controlled trial.In this trial, 104 children between the ages of 7 and 11 years of age were randomized to one of three research arms: in-school neurofeedback, cognitive th........ Read more »
Steiner NJ, Frenette EC, Rene KM, Brennan RT, & Perrin EC. (2014) In-school neurofeedback training for ADHD: sustained improvements from a randomized control trial. Pediatrics, 133(3), 483-92. PMID: 24534402
- April 13, 2015
- 10:22 AM
- 514 views
Treating Insomnia in Children with ADHD
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Insomnia commonly complicates the clinical presentation and treatment in children with ADHD.Stimulant therapy may provide significant relief for daytime attention and hyperactivity symptoms. However, stimulants do not appear to help with comorbid insomnia. In fact, stimulant therapy may cause more problems with insomnia in ADHD.Behavioral treatments are known to be effective in children without ADHD. Now we have a recently published study showing the effectiveness of behavioral treatment of inso........ Read more »
Hiscock H, Sciberras E, Mensah F, Gerner B, Efron D, Khano S, & Oberklaid F. (2015) Impact of a behavioural sleep intervention on symptoms and sleep in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and parental mental health: randomised controlled trial. BMJ (Clinical research ed.). PMID: 25646809
- April 9, 2015
- 10:38 AM
- 530 views
Brain Volume Differences in ADHD Normalize By Adulthood
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Brain volume differences in ADHD have been documented in some childhood studies.ADHD symptoms diminish with maturation in many but not all individuals. It is unclear whether this improvement in symptoms is also related to maturation of brain regions.A recent study from the Netherlands provides some answers on this issue. A. Marten H. Onnink and colleagues performed a structural MRI study of 119 adults with ADHD compared to a group of controls.This study is important because it examined effects o........ Read more »
Onnink AM, Zwiers MP, Hoogman M, Mostert JC, Kan CC, Buitelaar J, & Franke B. (2014) Brain alterations in adult ADHD: effects of gender, treatment and comorbid depression. European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, 24(3), 397-409. PMID: 24345721
- April 8, 2015
- 11:16 AM
- 511 views
Adult ADHD and Brain White Matter Deficits
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
In my last post I reviewed a recent diffusion tensor imaging study of ADHD in children. This study found evidence for brain white matter deficits in several ciruitry regions including frontal, temporal and occipital areas.To follow up on this post, I want to highlight a recent study of DTI in adults with ADHD.This study from Brazil recruited 22 drug treatment-naive subjects between the ages of 18 and 50 years of age.This study excluded subjects with a history of substance dependence or other med........ Read more »
Chaim TM, Zhang T, Zanetti MV, da Silva MA, Louzã MR, Doshi J, Serpa MH, Duran FL, Caetano SC, Davatzikos C.... (2014) Multimodal magnetic resonance imaging study of treatment-naïve adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. PloS one, 9(10). PMID: 25310815
- April 7, 2015
- 11:57 AM
- 540 views
ADHD and Brain White Matter Deficits
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Structural brain imaging studies in ADHD fail to find consistent differences from non-ADHD populations.However, there is increasing evidence linking ADHD to changes in brain white matter function.An example of these findings is a recent study from China examining white matter in children with ADHD.ADHD is typically subgrouped into inattention (ADHD-I), hyperactivity ADHD-H or combined categories (ADHD-C). In the recent Chinese study, inattention and combined subgroups of children were compa........ Read more »
Lei D, Ma J, Du X, Shen G, Jin X, & Gong Q. (2014) Microstructural abnormalities in the combined and inattentive subtypes of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a diffusion tensor imaging study. Scientific reports, 6875. PMID: 25363043
- April 1, 2015
- 11:20 AM
- 453 views
Fatherhood and the Biology of Infant Care Behavior
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Early positive parental-infant attachment provides a key developmental advantage.The maternal-infant dyad has received the most research attention. However, fathers also can play an important role in infant development. An increasing number of studies focus on the biology of fatherhood and infant care behavior.Ilanit Gordon along with colleagues in Israel and the United States examined the role of two central neuropeptides in paternal behavior during the first six months of infancy.In their stud........ Read more »
Gordon I, Zagoory-Sharon O, Leckman JF, & Feldman R. (2010) Prolactin, Oxytocin, and the development of paternal behavior across the first six months of fatherhood. Hormones and behavior, 58(3), 513-8. PMID: 20399783
Mascaro JS, Hackett PD, Gouzoules H, Lori A, & Rilling JK. (2014) Behavioral and genetic correlates of the neural response to infant crying among human fathers. Social cognitive and affective neuroscience, 9(11), 1704-12. PMID: 24336349
- March 31, 2015
- 05:45 AM
- 1,057 views
African-Americans Receive Heart Transplants at Hospitals With Poor Performance Track Records
by Jalees Rehman in The Next Regeneration
About five million people in the US suffer from heart failure, and approximately half of them die within five years of being diagnosed. Only about 2,500 hundred people a year receive a heart transplant – the treatment of last resort. A new heart can be life-saving, but it is also life-changing. Even under the best conditions, the surgery is complex, and recovery carries a heavy physical and emotional burden.
... Read more »
Kilic, A., Higgins, R., Whitson, B., & Kilic, A. (2015) Racial Disparities in Outcomes of Adult Heart Transplantation. Circulation, 131(10), 882-889. DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.114.011676
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