Diverse patterns of vulnerability to visual illusions in children with neurodevelopmental disorders

Cognitive Processing - Research on how children with neurodevelopmental disorders perceive, process, and interpret visual illusions (VIs) has been extensively focused on children with autism...     

Chronic administration of an angiotensin II receptor antagonist resets the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and improves the affect of patients with diabetes mellitus type 2: preliminary results

Diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM type 2) is associated with depressive symptomatology and intermittent hyperfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. DM type 2 is also accompanied by increased tissue levels of angiotensin II (Ang II), which stimulates the HPA axis through the Ang II type 1 receptors (AT1). We investigated the effect of candesartan, an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) that crosses the blood brain barrier, on the activity of the HPA axis and on the affect of 17 patients with DM type 2, aged 40-65 years, who were treated with 4 mg/day candesartan per os for at least 3 months. Before and after candesartan administration, a corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) stimulation test and psychological tests were performed. In response to hCRH, time-integrated secretion of ACTH was not altered by candesartan administration, however, the cortisol response was decreased significantly compared to baseline (mean +/- SEM, 2327 +/- 148.3 vs. 1943 +/- 131.9 microg/dl, P = 0.005) suggesting reduced sensitivity of the adrenals to ACTH. In parallel, there was a significant improvement in interpersonal sensitivity (0.91 +/- 0.16 vs. 0.70 +/- 0.15, P = 0.027) and depression scores (0.96 +/- 0.15 vs. 0.71 +/- 0.10, P = 0.026). We suggest that candesartan resets the HPA axis of patients with DM type 2 and improves their affect.     

Stressful life events, perceived stress, and 12-month course of geriatric depression: direct effects and moderation by the 5-HTTLPR and COMT Val158Met polymorphisms

Although the relation between stressful life events (SLEs) and risk of major depressive disorder is well established, important questions remain about the effects of stress on the course of geriatric depression. Our objectives were (1) to examine how baseline stress and change in stress is associated with course of geriatric depression and (2) to test whether polymorphisms of serotonin transporter (5-HTTLPR) and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT Val158Met) genes moderate this relation. Two-hundred and sixteen depressed subjects aged 60 years or older were categorized by remission status (Montgomery-Asberg depression rating scale≤6) at 6 and 12 months. At 6 months, greater baseline numbers of self-reported negative and total SLEs and greater baseline perceived stress severity were associated with lower odds of remission. At 12 months, only baseline perceived stress predicted remission. When we examined change in stress, 12-month decrease in negative SLEs and level of perceived stress were associated with improved odds of 12-month remission. When genotype data were included, COMT Val158Met genotype did not influence these relations. However, when compared with 5-HTTLPR L/L homozygotes, S allele carriers with greater baseline numbers of negative SLEs and with greater decrease in negative SLEs were more likely to remit at 12 months. This study demonstrates that baseline SLEs and perceived stress severity may influence the 12-month course of geriatric depression. Moreover, changes in these stress measures over time correlate with depression outcomes. 5-HTTLPR S carriers appear to be more susceptible to both the effects of enduring stress and the benefit of interval stress reduction.