Bipolar disorder (BP) is among the top ten most disabling illnesses worldwide. This review includes findings from recent studies employing functional neuroimaging to examine functional abnormalities ...in neural systems underlying core domains of the psychopathology in BP: emotion processing, emotion regulation and executive control, and common comorbid features of BP, that are relevant to the wide spectrum of BP rather than focused on the more traditional BPI subtype, and that may facilitate future identification of diagnostically-relevant biomarkers of the disorder. In addition, an emerging number of studies are reviewed that demonstrate the use of neuroimaging to elucidate biomarkers whose identification may help to (1) identify at-risk individuals who will subsequently develop the illness to facilitate early intervention, (2) identify targets for treatment and markers of treatment response. The use of newer neuroimaging techniques and potential confounds of psychotropic medication upon neuroimaging findings in BP are also examined. These approaches will help to improve diagnosis and the mental well-being of all individuals with BP.
The authors describe a new variant of guanosine triphosphate (GTP)- cyclohydrolase deficiency in a young man with severe and disabling major depressive disorder with multiple near-lethal suicide ...attempts. His cerebrospinal fluid levels showed that the concentration of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), neopterin, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and homovanillic acid were below the reference range, suggesting a defect in the pterin biosynthetic pathway and in synthesis of dopamine and serotonin indicative of GTP-cyclohydrolase deficiency. Patient was started on sapropterin, a BH4 replacement protein, for the defect in the above pathway. In addition, the authors started 5-hydroxytryptophan titrated to 400 mg orally twice daily with concomittant carbidopa 37.5 mg orally four times a day, and he responded with remission of suicidal ideation and significant improvement in depression and function.
AIM:To characterize tumor necrosis factor receptorassociated protein 1(TRAP1)expression in the progression of ulcerative colitis(UC)-associated colorectal cancer.METHODS:Chronic UC is an inflammatory ...bowel disease that predisposes to colorectal cancer.Immunohistochemical analysis was used to evaluate TRAP1expression on tissue microarrays containing colonic tissues from 42 UC progressors(patients with cancer or dysplasia)and 38 non-progressors(dysplasia/cancer free patients).Statistical analyses of the TRAP1immunohistochemistry staining were performed using Graph Pad Prism.Differences in the TRAP1 level between non-progressors and progressors were tested for statistical significance using the Mann-Whitney test.Receiver operating characteristic curve method was used to quantify marker performance in distinguishing diseased cases from controls.RESULTS:TRAP1 was up-regulated in the colon tissues from UC progressors,but not in the colon tissues from UC non-progressors.Moreover,up-regulation of TRAP1 preceded the neoplastic changes:it was present in both the dysplastic and non-dysplastic tissues of UC progressors.When TRAP1 staining in rectal tissue was used as a diagnostic marker,it could distinguish progressors from non-progressors with 59%sensitivity and 80%specificity.Our study further showed that the increase of TRAP1 expression positively correlated with the degree of inflammation in the colorectal cancer tissues,which could be related to the increased oxidation present in the colonic mucosa from UC progressors.We then investigated the cellular proteome changes underlying oxidative stress,and found that oxidative stress could induce up-regulation of TRAP1 along with several other negative modulators of apoptosis.CONCLUSION:These results suggest that oxidative stress in long standing UC could lead to the increase of cytoprotective protein TRAP1,which in turn could promote cancer progression by preventing or protecting the oxidative damaged epithelial cells from undergoing apoptosis.TRAP1 could be a potential diagnostic marker for UC associated colorectal cancer.
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