Subjects participating in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations regularly report anxiety and stress related reactions. This may result in impaired data quality and premature termination of scans. Moreover, cognitive functions and neural substrates can be altered by stress. While prior studies investigated pre–post scan differences in stress reactions only, the present study provides an in-depth analysis of mood changes and hormonal fluctuations during the time course of a typical fMRI session. Thirty-nine subjects participated in the study. Subjective mood, salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) and cortisol were assessed at six time points during the lab visit. Associations between hormonal data and neural correlates of a visual detection task were observed using a region of interest approach applied to the thalamic region. Mood and hormonal levels changed significantly during the experiment. Subjects were most nervous immediately after entering the scanner. SAA was significantly elevated after MRI preparation. A subgroup of n = 5 (12.8%) subjects showed pronounced cortisol responses exceeding 2.5 nmol/l. Preliminary fMRI data revealed an association between sAA levels and left thalamic activity during the first half of the experiment that disappeared during the second half. No significant correlation between cortisol and thalamic activity was observed. Results indicate that an fMRI experiment may elicit subjective and neuroendocrine stress reactions that can influence functional activation patterns.

Hintergrund. Sibutramin ist ein Medikament, das häufig zur Gewichtsreduktion eingesetzt wird. Es hemmt die Wiederaufnahme von Noradrenalin und Serotonin. Noradrenalin-Wiederaufnahme-Hemmung könnte zu arterieller Hypertonie führen. Methoden. In einer doppelt-blinden, randomisierten Cross-Over Studie untersuchten wir 11 junge, gesunde Probanden (7 Männer, 4 Frauen, Alter 27±2 Jahre, BMI 23.1±0.7Kg/m2). Sie nahmen 26 Stunden (h) und 14h vor Studienbeginn 10mg Sibutramin ein, und 2h vor Untersuchungsbeginn 20mg. Die Wirkung verglichen wir mit Placebo und der Kombination von Sibutramin und 200mg des Beta1-Adrenorezeptor-Blockers Metoprolol. Autonome Reflextests, eine graduelle Kipptischuntersuchung, Plasmakatecholamin-Bestimmungen und eine indirekt kalorimetrische Messung wurden durchgeführt. Herzfrequenz- und Blutdruckbestimmungen erfolgten kontinuierlich und nichtinvasiv. Wir zeichneten das Schlagvolumen, das Herzzeitvolumen und den peripheren Widerstand impedanzkardiografisch auf. Ergebnisse. Sibutramin verursachte einen leichten Anstieg der Herzfrequenz in Ruhe (p / Background. Sibutramine, a serotonin and norepinephrine transporter blocker, is widely used as an adjunctive obesitytreatment. Norepinephrine reuptake inhibition with sibutramine conceivably could exacerbate arterial hypertension andpromote cardiovascular disease. Methods. In 11 healthy subjects (7 men, age 27±2 years, body mass index 23.1±0.7 kg/m2), we compared the effect of sibutramine or matching placebo (ingested 26, 14, and 2 hours before testing) on cardiovascular responses to autonomic reflex tests and to a graded head-up tilt test. In addition, we tested sibutramine in combination with metoprolol. Testing was conducted in a double-blind and crossover fashion. Results. Supine systolic blood pressure was 113±3 mm Hg with placebo, 121±3 mm Hg with sibutramine (P

The objective was to examine duloxetine 60–120mg/day treatment for relapse prevention in adults with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Adult patients (N=887; mean age=43.3 years; 61.0% female) with DSM-IV-TR-defined GAD diagnosis were treated with duloxetine for 26 weeks. Patients who completed open-label phase and were treatment responders (≥50% reduction in Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale total score to ≤11 and “much”/“very much improved” ratings for the last 2 visits of open-label phase) were randomly assigned to receive duloxetine or placebo for a 26-week double-blind continuation phase. Relapse was defined as ≥2-point increase in illness severity ratings or by discontinuation due to lack of efficacy. During the double-blind phase, placebo-treated patients (N=201) relapsed more frequently (41.8%) than duloxetine-treated patients (13.7%, N=204, P≤0.001) and worsened on each outcome measure (P≤0.001, all comparisons). Duloxetine 60–120 mg/day treatment was efficacious and reduced risk of relapse in patients with GAD.

Background: Medication-related interferences with measurements of catecholamines and their metabolites represent important causes of false-positive results during diagnosis of phaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs). Such interferences are less troublesome with measurements by liquid chromatography with tandem mass-spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) than by other methods, but can still present problems for some drugs. Levodopa, the precursor for dopamine used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, represents one potentially interfering medication. Methods: Plasma and urine samples, obtained from 20 Parkinsonian patients receiving levodopa, were analysed for concentrations of catecholamines and their O-methylated metabolites by LC-MS/MS. Results were compared with those from a group of 120 age-matched subjects and 18 patients with PPGLs. Results: Plasma and urinary free and deconjugated (freeþconjugated) methoxytyramine, as well as urinary dopamine, showed 22- to 148-fold higher (P<0.0001) concentrations in patients receiving levodopa than in the reference group. In contrast, plasma normetanephrine, urinary noradrenaline and urinary free and deconjugated normetanephrine concentrations were unaffected. Plasma free metanephrine, urinary adrenaline and urinary free and deconjugated metanephrine all showed higher (P<0.05) concentrations in Parkinsonian patients than the reference group, but this was only a problem for adrenaline. Similar to normetanephrine, plasma and urinary metanephrine remained below the 97.5 percentiles of the reference group in almost all Parkinsonian patients. Conclusions: These data establish that although levodopa treatment confounds identification of PPGLs that produce dopamine, the therapy is not a problem for use of LC-MS/MS measurements of plasma and urinary normetanephrine and metanephrine to diagnose more commonly encountered PPGLs that produce noradrenaline or adrenaline.

Die Höhe des optimalen zerebralen Perfusionsdruckes nach schwerem Schädel-Hirn-Trauma wird kontrovers diskutiert. Während im sogenannten Lund-Konzept ein niedriger Perfusionsdruck angestrebt und die Gabe von Katecholaminen aufgrund potentieller zerebraler vasokonstringierender und weiterer Nebeneffekte vermieden wird, befürwortet das CPP-Konzept nach Rosner eine Anhebung des zerebralen Perfusionsdruckes, wenn notwendig unter intravenöser Gabe von Katecholaminen. Vor diesem Hintergrund galt es, in einem experimentellen Schädel-Hirn-Trauma- Modell der Ratte (Controlled Cortical Impact Injury) den Bereich des optimalen zerebralen Perfusionsdruckes nach traumatischer Hirnkontusion zu ermitteln und den Effekt von Katecholaminen auf den posttraumatischen zerebralen Blutfluss und die Entwicklung des sekundären Hirnschadens zu untersuchen. Die wesentlichen Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit lassen sich wie folgt zusammenfassen: In der Akutphase nach Hirnkontusion liegt der Bereich des zerebralen Perfusionsdruckes, welcher die Entwicklung des Kontusionsvolumens nicht beeinflusst, zwischen 70 und 105 mm Hg. Eine Senkung des Perfusionsdruckes unterhalb bzw. Anhebung oberhalb dieser Schwellenwerte vergrößert das Kontusionsvolumen. Die Anhebung des Blutdruckes mittels intravenöser Infusion von Dopamin oder Noradrenalin führt sowohl in der Frühphase als auch in der Spätphase nach Trauma (4 Stunden bzw. 24 Stunden nach kortikaler Kontusion) zu einem signifikanten Anstieg im kortikalen perikontusionellen Blutfluss und in der Hirngewebe-Oxygenierung. Die durch Anhebung des zerebralen Perfusionsdruckes auf über 70 mm Hg induzierte Verbesserung des posttraumatischen zerebralen Blutflusses bewirkte jedoch keine Reduzierung der Hirnschwellung. Für eine Katecholamin-induzierte zerebrale Vasokonstriktion nach kortikaler Kontusion gibt es keinen Anhalt. Um die Entwicklung des sekundären Hirnschadens nach kortikaler Kontusion zu minimieren, sollte der zerebrale Perfusionsdruck nach traumatischem Hirnschaden nicht unterhalb 70 mm Hg liegen. Eine Anhebung des Perfusionsdruckes auf über 70 mm Hg erscheint nicht notwendig oder vorteilhaft zu sein. Wenn notwendig, kann sowohl in der Früh- als auch Spätphase nach Trauma der zerebrale Perfusionsdruck mittels intravenöser Gabe von Katecholaminen angehoben werden. / The optimum cerebral perfusion pressure after severe traumatic brain injury remains to be controversial. In the Lund concept a relatively low cerebral perfusion pressure is preferred, and administration of catecholamines is avoided due to potential catecholamine-mediated cerebral vasoconstriction and other side effects. In contrast, the CPP concept of Rosner recommends elevation of cerebral perfusion pressure, if needed by intravenous administration of catecholamines. Based on this, in an experimental model of traumatic brain injury of the rat (Controlled Cortical Impact Injury) the optimum range of cerebral perfusion pressure after traumatic brain contusion and the effects of catecholamines on posttraumatic cerebral perfusion and development of secondary brain injury were investigated. The most significant results can be summarized as follows: In the acute phase after brain contusion the range of cerebral perfusion pressure that does not affect the development of posttraumatic contusion volume was found to be between 70 and 105 mm Hg. Reduction of the cerebral perfusion pressure below or elevation above these thresholds increases contusion volume. Elevation of blood pressure by intravenous infusion of dopamine or norepinephrine during the early (4 hours) as well as late (24 hours) phase after trauma results in a significant increase in pericontusional blood flow and brain tissue oxygenation. The increase in cerebral blood flow by elevating cerebral perfusion pressure above 70 mm Hg did not decrease cerebral edema formation. There was no evidence of a catecholamine-induced cerebral vasoconstriction after cortical contusion. In order to minimize secondary brain injury after cortical contusion, cerebral perfusion pressure should not fall bellow 70 mm Hg. However, a further active elevation of cerebral perfusion pressure does not appear necessary or beneficial. If needed cerebral perfusion pressure can be elevated by administration of catecholamines in the early as well late phase after trauma.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a mood disorder majorly responsible for disability and mortality worldwide. With a lifetime prevalence of 15-20%, it is the main cause of functional impairment in Western societies as well as the fourth most debilitating illness in the world. Although the pathophysiology of MDD is not yet fully understood, some evidence that suggest the presence of a neuroanatomical deficiency have given rise to the theory of a specific imbalance in the monoamine neurotransmitters noradrenaline (NA) and/or serotonin (5-HT) levels in the brain. Overall, the various classes of antidepressant agents that have been developed to increase monoamine levels on the basis of this proposal have been successful. However, facts relating to prevalent escalation in the illness and recurring episodes of depression point towards a need to enhance clinical treatment. Most conventional antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and selective serotonin and noradrenaline inhibitors (SNRI) pose problems in symptomatic improvement. These include therapeutic lag, safety and tolerability issues, making more than 30% patients with MDD unable to reach adequate relief. In this respect, the action mechanism has moved beyond conventional SSRI and lead to the introduction of vilazodone, a novel antidepressant with an additional 5-HT1A partial agonist profile argued to be of potential benefit for a greater efficacy, faster onset of action and better tolerability. Using secondary data, this project aimed to evaluate the role of vilazodone as a SPARI-drug in the overall clinical treatment of MDD as well as its potential in addressing some of the most common obstacles in antidepressant treatment. Study results proved vilazodone’s efficacy to be superior to placebo. Patients across all studies showed significant improvement in depressive symptoms measured in MADRS and HAMD17. Vilazodone was also shown to be generally safe and tolerable but was not positively distinguished from placebo with regards to adverse effects. An overall, meaningful improvement in depressive symptoms was demonstrated in vilazodone, which reinforces its merit as an important treatment option for patients with MDD.

This revision of the 2005 British Association for Psychopharmacology guidelines for the evidence-based pharmacological treatment of anxiety disorders provides an update on key steps in diagnosis and clinical management, including recognition, acute treatment, longer-term treatment, combination treatment, and further approaches for patients who have not responded to first-line interventions. A consensus meeting involving international experts in anxiety disorders reviewed the main subject areas and considered the strength of supporting evidence and its clinical implications. The guidelines are based on available evidence, were constructed after extensive feedback from participants, and are presented as recommendations to aid clinical decision-making in primary, secondary and tertiary medical care. They may also serve as a source of information for patients, their carers, and medicines management and formulary committees.