1,721,018 research outputs found
Apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism and previous alcohol withdrawal seizures
No full textAim of this study was to investigate the possible association of apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene polymorphism with a history of alcohol withdrawal seizures. We included 194 patients with alcohol dependence who were divided into patients with (SZ+) and without (SZ-) previous alcohol withdrawal seizures. ApoE genotypes were deter-mined using PCR. For statistical analysis we examined the number of ApoE alleles (ApoE2: n = 36; ApoE3: n = 311; ApoE4: n = 41). A significant positive association with a positive history of withdrawal seizures (SZ+) was found in the ApoE3 allele group (Fisher's exact test: p = 0.006) while a significant negative association was observed in the ApoE2 allele group (Fisher's exact test: p = 0.029). For the ApoE4 allele group no significant differences were found regarding a history of withdrawal seizures. Our findings suggest an association between the apolipoprotein E3 gene variant and an elevated risk of alcohol withdrawal seizures. These preliminary results must be validated in further studies. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
Decreased serum activity of semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) in patients treated with second generation antipsychotics: a link to impaired glucose metabolism?
No full textObjective: Although the treatment of schizophrenia with many second generation antipsychotics is known to be associated with metabolic changes, such as hyperglycemia or hypercholesterolemia, the underlying mechanisms of these adverse reactions remain unclear. In light of the recent focus on the involvement of semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) in glucose metabolism, we investigated SSAO serum activity in schizophrenic patients treated with antipsychotics with the objective of determining a possible link between SSAO and impaired glucose metabolism. Methods: Blood samples were drawn from 44 schizophrenic patients (24 receiving second generation antipsychotics known to disturb glucose metabolism) on day 1 and day 5 of inpatient treatment. Forty-one healthy adults with no medical condition known to influence SSAO served as controls. Results: Of the 44 schizophrenic patients, the 24 treated with second generation antipsychotics known to disturb glucose metabolism showed significantly lower SSAO serum activity [day 1 (mean +/- SD): 477 +/- 105 mU/L; day 5: 438 +/- 86 mU/L] than the 20 patients treated with other antipsychotics not known to influence glucose metabolism (day 1: 513 +/- 124 mU/L, p=0.359; day 5: 542 +/- 204 mU/L, p=0.021) only after 5 days of treatment and compared to healthy controls (526 +/- 142 mU/L, p=0.021). No differences were observed between schizophrenic patients treated with first generation antipsychotics and the controls. Conclusion: We found decreased SSAO serum activity exclusively in schizophrenic patients treated with second generation antipsychotics known to disturb glucose metabolism. In terms of the role of SSAO in glucose metabolism, the observed decrease in SSAO serum activity may be linked to metabolic changes that are known to occur in schizophrenic patients being treated with many second generation antipsychotics
An assessment of the potential value of elevated homocysteine in predicting alcohol-withdrawal seizures
No full textPurpose: Higher homocysteine levels were found in actively drinking patients with alcohol dependence. Recent studies have shown that high homocysteine levels are associated with alcohol-withdrawal seizures. The aim of the present study was to calculate the best predictive cutoff value of plasma homocysteine levels in actively drinking alcoholics (n = 88) with first-onset alcohol-withdrawal seizures. Methods: The present study included 88 alcohol-dependent patients of whom 18 patients had a first-onset withdrawal seizure. All patients were active drinkers and had an established diagnosis of alcohol dependence, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). Sensitivity and specificity were calculated by using every homocysteine plasma level found in the study population as cut-off value. A Bayes theorem was used to calculate positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive values for all cutoff values used. Results: The highest combined sensitivity and specificity was reached at a homocysteine plasma cutoff value of 23.9 mu M. Positive predictive values ranged from 0.23 to 0.745; the maximum was reached at a homocysteine plasma level of 41.7 mu M. Negative predictive values ranged from 0.50 to 0.935, with a maximum at a homocysteine plasma level of 15.8 mu M. Conclusions: Homocysteine levels above this cutoff value on admission are a useful screening tool to identify actively drinking patients at higher risk of alcohol-withdrawal seizures. This pilot study gives further hints that biologic markers may be helpful to predict patients at risk for first-onset alcohol-withdrawal seizures
Apolipoprotein E polymorphism, homocysteine serum levels and hippocampal volume in patients with alcoholism: an investigation of a gene-environment interaction
No full textThere is growing evidence that disadvantageous influences of the apolipoprotein E4 allele in the central nervous system are modified by environmental and dietary conditions. The present study investigated the gene-environment interaction of apolipoprotein E4 with homocysteine serum levels in patients with alcohol dependence with regard to alcohol-related hippocampal volume loss using volumetric high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging. We included 52 patients with alcohol-dependence. ApoE genotypes, homocysteine serum levels and hippocampal volumes were determined. We found a significant impact of homocysteine ( F = 13.2; df = 1; P < 0.001; 1-beta = 0.95), not for ApoE4 genotype (F = 0.482; df = 1; P = 0.49; 1 - beta = 0.05) on hippocampal volume. There was a significant interaction between both factors ( ApoE4 x Hcy; F = 8.8; df 1; P = 0.005; 1 - beta = 0.80). The ApoE4 allele constitutes a risk factor for hippocampal volume loss in patients with alcohol dependence under the conditions of hyperhomocysteinemia. We suggest that the disadvantageous effects of apolipoprotein E4 on alcohol-related brain volume loss are based on certain gene - environment interactions
Obsessive-compulsive alcohol craving is not associated with Apolipoprotein E genotype
No full textThis study examined a possible association with obsessive and compulsive alcohol craving in 192 alcohol-dependent patients undergoing detoxification treatment. Statistical analysis revealed no significant association between Apolipoprotein E polymorphism and obsessive-compulsive alcohol craving (analysis of variance: F = 1.11, P = 0.358)
HERPUD - Homocystein-inducible endoplasmic reticulum-resident ubiquitin-like domain member protein mRNA-Expression und Promotormethylierung bei Patientinnen mit Anorexia nervosa und Bulimia nervosa
Full text linkThe importance of epigenetic in the pathophysiology of several diseases increases, also concerning psychiatric ones like the psychogenic eating disorders anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. A part of the equation is the homocystein-inducible endoplasmic reticulum-resident ubiquitin-like domain member protein (HERPUD), especially its mRNA-expression and promotor-specific DNA-methylation. A possible impact of the last mentioned mechanisms was evaluated in patients with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Ethylenediaminetetraacetate-blood samples were analysed by using the quantitative real-time polymerase-chain-reaction. In both groups of patients with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa as well as in the control group no significant values were obtained, neither in the analysis of mRNA-expression nor in the analysis of promotor-specific DNA-methylation of HERPUD.Die Bedeutung der Epigentik in der Pathophysiologie von Erkrankungen verschiedener Art steigt. Dies betrifft auch psychiatrische Erkrankungen, wie die psychogenen Essstörungen Anorexia nervosa und Bulimia nervosa. Eine Rolle spielt hierbei das Homocystein-inducible endoplasmic reticulum-resident ubiquitin-like domain member protein (HERPUD), speziell seine mRNA-Expression und promotor-spezifische DNA-Methylierung. Ein möglicher Einfluss zuletzt genannter Mechanismen wurde bei Patientinnen mit Anorexia nervosa und Bulimia nervosa untersucht. Ethylendiamintetraacetat-Blutproben wurden mithilfe der quantitativen Real-Time Polymerase-Chain-Reaction analysiert. Es konnten weder bei der mRNA-Expression, noch bei der promotor-spezifischen DNA-Methylierung von HERPUD signifikante Werte in den Gruppen der Anorexia nervosa, der Bulimia nervosa und in der Kontrollgruppe gemessen werden
Short-term cognition deficits during early alcohol withdrawal are associated with elevated plasma homocysteine levels in patients with alcoholism
No full textHigher plasma homocysteine levels have been found in actively drinking alcoholics as well as in early abstinent patients. Furthermore, elevated homocysteine levels are associated with cognitive decline in dementia and in healthy elderly people. The aim of this prospective study was to investigate a possible association between homocysteine serum levels and clinically well known cognitive deficits during alcohol withdrawal. We examined 89 patients (67 men, 22 women) during early withdrawal treatment. Cognitive function was assessed using the c.I.-Test. Patients with cognitive deficits showed significantly higher homocysteine serum levels (Mann-Whitney-U, p = 0.004) than patients without cognitive deficits, while the difference in blood alcohol concentration was not significant. Using logistic regression analysis, cognitive deficits were best predicted by high homocysteine serum levels (Wald chi(2) = 4.071, OR = 1.043, 95% CI 1.001-1.086, p < 0.05), which was confirmed by Receiver Operating Curves (AUC = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.57-0.79, p = 0.004). The present results show first evidence of an association between elevated plasma homocysteine levels in alcoholics and cognition deficits in patients undergoing alcohol withdrawal
Apolipoprotein E4 genotype is not associated with short-term cognition deficits during alcohol withdrawal
No full textAim of this prospective study was to investigate a possible association between the apolipoprotein E4 (ApoE4) genotype and clinically well-known cognition deficits during alcohol withdrawal, We examined 172 patients with alcohol dependence (137 men, 35 women) during withdrawal treatment. The ApoE genotype was determined in all patients using polymerase chain reaction. Cognitive function was assessed applying the c.I.-Test on day 0 (admission) and on day 7 of withdrawal treatment. Using Pearson's chi(2) test we found no significant association between the ApoE4 genotype and cognition deficits for both dates (day 0: p = .463; day 7: p = .760). Moreover, multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed no significant association between presence of the ApoE4 allele and cognitive dysfunction. Even though ApoE4 plays an important role in alcoholism-related brain atrophy and cognition deficits in demented as well as in nondemented healthy elderly people, this study provides no evidence for an association with short-term cognition deficits during alcohol withdrawal. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved
Untersuchung des Methylierungsstatus der Gene NR3C1, NMDA2B und BDNF4 bei Schizophrenie und Alkoholabhängigkeit
Full text linkArzneistoffassoziierte Probleme in der Gerontopsychiatrie Auswertung über einen Ein-Jahres-Zeitraum
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