Combating mood disorders
September 29, 2011 by admin · Leave a Comment
Psychiatric ailments such as depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder or anxiety states are often associated with disturbances in the metabolism of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Neurotransmitters are compounds that are released from the synapses at nerve cell endings and activate the firing of neighboring neurons. Thus, as their name suggests, they mediate the transmission of nerve impulses. The serotonin transporter (SERT) is responsible for reuptake of the transmitter into neurons, terminating its action. SERT is a major target for drugs that are used to treat many mood disorders, and the search for new SERT inhibitors is of continuing therapeutic relevance. A research team led by Professor Klaus Wanner of the Department of Pharmacy in the Center for Pharmaceutical Research at Ludwig-Maximilians Univeristät München (LMU) has now developed a novel binding assay, based on the use of mass spectrometry (MS), which promises to simplify the search for potential SERT inhibitors very significantly. The major advantage of the technique is that, unlike conventional binding assays, it avoids the need to use radiolabeled substances. A paper that describes the new assay will appear in the journal ChemMedChem on 4. October. The article has been rated as a “very important paper” and is featured on the cover of the upcoming issue of the journal.
Bipolar disorder: Mind-body connection suggests new directions for treatment, research
May 23, 2011 by admin · Leave a Comment
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — A new study by motor control and psychology researchers at Indiana University suggests that postural control problems may be a core feature of bipolar disorder, not just a random symptom, and can provide insights both into areas of the brain affected by the psychiatric disorder and new potential targets for treatment.
Study examines prevalence and severity of bipolar disorder worldwide
March 6, 2011 by admin · Leave a Comment
Despite international variation in prevalence rates of bipolar spectrum disorder, the severity and associated disorders are similar and treatment needs are often unmet, especially in low-income countries, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Brain imaging identifies differences in childhood bipolar disorder, ADHD
October 11, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago are the first to use brain imaging to examine the effects of emotion on working memory function in children with pediatric bipolar disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Ketamine may relieve depression quickly for those with treatment-resistant bipolar disorder
August 1, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
A single intravenous dose of the anesthetic agent ketamine appears to reduce symptoms of depression within 40 minutes among those with bipolar disorder who have not responded to other treatments, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
New link identified for bipolar disorder
Possible mechanism identified for how lithium treats bipolar disorcer
Lithium has been established for more than 50 years as one of the most effective treatments for manic depression, clinically termed bipolar disorder.
MSU researcher identifies links between hypertension, bipolar disorders
Contact: Jason Cody
codyja@msu.edu
517-432-0924
Michigan State University Read more
Is it really bipolar disorder?
March 24, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
Contact: Nancy Cawley Jean
njean@lifespan.org
Lifespan
New study finds widely used screening scale misidentifies borderline personality disorder as bipolar disorder
Faulty body clock may make kids bipolar
November 11, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Malfunctioning circadian clock genes may be responsible for bipolar disorder in children. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Psychiatry found four versions of the regulatory gene RORB that were associated with pediatric bipolar disorder.
New light on bipolar treatment drugs
April 21, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Potential mechanism identified for Lithium operation in the brain
Lithium has been established for more than 50 years as one of the most effective treatments for bipolar mood disorder.
