Cardiovascular Psychiatry and Neurology This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Chromatin from peripheral blood mononuclear cells as biomarkers for epigenetic abnormalities in schizophrenia.
Authors: Gavin DP, Sharma RP Abstract Background. Studies have implicated abnormalities in epigenetic gene regulation in schizophrenia. Presentation. We hypothesize that identifying abnormalities in chromatin structure and the epigenetic machinery in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from schizophrenia patients could (a) help characterize a subset of schizophrenia patients and (b) lead to targeted pharmacological interventions. Testing. Investigate the relationship between clinical symptoms, demographics, hormonal fluctuations, substance abuse, disease characteristics across the major mental illnes...
Source: Cardiovascular Psychiatry and Neurology - November 25, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Cardiovasc Psychiatry Neurol Source Type: research

Possible Role of Platelet GluR1 Receptors in Comorbid Depression and Cardiovascular Disease.
Authors: Chen H Abstract The exact nature of the comorbidity between cardiovascular disease (CVD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) is poorly understood. The proposed mechanisms include various biochemical and molecular pathways as well as health behaviors such as physical inactivity. One possible link between MDD and CVD is increased platelet activity and blood viscosity. Recently, it was discovered that platelets express functional subtype of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors, for example, glutamate receptor 1 (GluR1). Here, I propose that this type of AMPA recep...
Source: Cardiovascular Psychiatry and Neurology - November 25, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Cardiovasc Psychiatry Neurol Source Type: research

Heart and brain tissue banks for research on co-occurring cardiovascular and neurological/psychiatric disorders.
Authors: Ikonomovic MD Abstract Epidemiological studies point to a strong and possibly causal association of psychiatric and neurological disorders with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Mechanistic links between these co-occurring illnesses are not well understood. Better insight into their relationship could help identify novel diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets. For successful translation of basic biomedical research into clinical practice, analyses of postmortem human tissues are essential. However, current tissue banks dedicated to psychiatric and neurological research collect only brain tissue sa...
Source: Cardiovascular Psychiatry and Neurology - November 25, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Cardiovasc Psychiatry Neurol Source Type: research

Depression with panic episodes and coronary vasospasm.
Authors: Vidovich MI, Ahluwalia A, Manev R Abstract Variant (Prinzmetal's) angina is an uncommon cause of precordial pain caused by coronary vasospasm and characterized by transient ST elevation and negative markers of myocardial necrosis. This is the case of a female patient with a prior history of depression and panic attacks who presented with recurrent symptoms including chest pain. A cardiac event monitor positively documented coronary vasospasm associated with anxiety-provoking chest pain, whereas the coronary arteries were angiographically normal. We noted that the frequency of angina attacks appare...
Source: Cardiovascular Psychiatry and Neurology - November 25, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Cardiovasc Psychiatry Neurol Source Type: research

Serotonin 5-HT(2A) Receptor Function as a Contributing Factor to Both Neuropsychiatric and Cardiovascular Diseases.
Authors: Nichols CD Abstract There are high levels of comorbidity between neuropsychiatric and cardiovascular disorders. A key molecule central to both cognitive and cardiovascular function is the molecule serotonin. In the brain, serotonin modulates neuronal activity and is actively involved in mediating many cognitive functions and behaviors. In the periphery, serotonin is involved in vasoconstriction, inflammation, and cell growth, among other processes. It is hypothesized that one component of the serotonin system, the 5-HT(2A) receptor, is a common and contributing factor underlying aspects of the com...
Source: Cardiovascular Psychiatry and Neurology - November 25, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Cardiovasc Psychiatry Neurol Source Type: research

P2X(7) Receptors as a Transducer in the Co-Occurrence of Neurological/Psychiatric and Cardiovascular Disorders: A Hypothesis.
Authors: Skaper SD, Giusti P Abstract Background. Over-stimulation of the purinergic P2X(7) receptor may bring about cellular dysfunction and injury in settings of neurodegeneration, chronic inflammation, as well as in psychiatric and cardiovascular diseases. Here we speculate how P2X(7) receptor over-activation may lead to the co-occurrence of neurological and psychiatric disorders with cardiovascular disorders. Presentation. We hypothesize that proinflammatory cytokines, in particular interleukin-1beta, are key players in the pathophysiology of neurological, psychiatric, and cardiovascular diseases. Crit...
Source: Cardiovascular Psychiatry and Neurology - November 25, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Cardiovasc Psychiatry Neurol Source Type: research

Cardiovascular disease and psychiatric comorbidity: the potential role of perseverative cognition.
Authors: Larsen BA, Christenfeld NJ Abstract The high comorbidity between psychiatric disorders and cardiovascular disease has received increasing attention, yet little is known about the processes linking the two. One plausible contributing mechanism is the tendency of those with psychiatric disorders to ruminate on stressful events. This phenomenon, sometimes called perseverative cognition, can extend the psychological and physiological effects of stress, which could contribute to cardiovascular disease etiology. In this paper, we discuss the potential role of perseverative cognition in mediating the rel...
Source: Cardiovascular Psychiatry and Neurology - November 25, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Cardiovasc Psychiatry Neurol Source Type: research

Putative Role of MicroRNA-Regulated Pathways in Comorbid Neurological and Cardiovascular Disorders.
Authors: Hébert SS Abstract Background. The conserved noncoding microRNAs (miRNAs) that function to regulate gene expression are essential for the development and function of the brain and heart. Changes in miRNA expression profiles are associated with an increased risk for developing neurodegenerative disorders as well as heart failure. Here, the hypothesis of how miRNA-regulated pathways could contribute to comorbid neurological and cardiovascular disorders will be discussed. Presentation. Changes in miRNA expression occurring in the brain and heart could have an impact on coexisting neurological and ca...
Source: Cardiovascular Psychiatry and Neurology - November 25, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Cardiovasc Psychiatry Neurol Source Type: research

Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (n-3 PUFAs) in Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) and Depression: The Missing Link?
Authors: Chang JP, Chen YT, Su KP Abstract Background. Based on epidemiological data, clinical trials, and meta-analytic reviews, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) seem to be a biological link between depression and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Presentation. Involvement of n-3 PUFAs in depression and CVDs may be associated with a chronic, low-grade, inflammation. We hypothesize that n-3 PUFAs link depression and CVDs via "PUFA-prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) cascade." Testing. To further support our hypothesis, case-control studies are needed to test the role of COX2 and PLA2 functions in depressi...
Source: Cardiovascular Psychiatry and Neurology - November 25, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Cardiovasc Psychiatry Neurol Source Type: research

P2X(7) Receptors in Neurological and Cardiovascular Disorders.
Authors: Skaper SD, Debetto P, Giusti P Abstract P2X receptors are ATP-gated cation channels that mediate fast excitatory transmission in diverse regions of the brain and spinal cord. Several P2X receptor subtypes, including P2X(7), have the unusual property of changing their ion selectivity during prolonged exposure to ATP, which results in a channel pore permeable to molecules as large as 900 daltons. The P2X(7) receptor was originally described in cells of hematopoietic origin, and mediates the influx of Ca(2+) and Na(+) and Ca(2+) and Na(+) ions as well as the release of proinflammatory cytokines. P2X(...
Source: Cardiovascular Psychiatry and Neurology - November 25, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Cardiovasc Psychiatry Neurol Source Type: research

The Decrease of n-3 Fatty Acid Energy Percentage in an Equicaloric Diet Fed to B6C3Fe Mice for Three Generations Elicits Obesity.
Authors: Hanbauer I, Rivero-Covelo I, Maloku E, Baca A, Hu Q, Hibbeln JR, Davis JM Abstract Feeding mice, over 3 generations, an equicaloric diet in which alpha-linolenic acid, the dietary precursor of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, was substituted by linoleic acid, the dietary precursor of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, significantly increased body weight throughout life when compared with standard diet-fed mice. Adipogenesis observed in the low n-3 fatty acid mice was accompanied by a 6-fold upregulation of stearyl-coenzyme A desaturase 1 (Scd1), whose activity is correlated to plasma triglyceride le...
Source: Cardiovascular Psychiatry and Neurology - November 25, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Cardiovasc Psychiatry Neurol Source Type: research

Possible treatment concepts for the levodopa-related hyperhomocysteinemia.
Authors: Müller T Abstract The saga of harmful levodopa (LD) in the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) resulted from outcomes of animal-and cell culture studies and the clinical observation of motor complication related to the short half life of LD. Further aspects of LD long term application, the LD associated homocysteine increase and its emerging consequences on progression, and onset of neuropsychiatric symptoms and of vascular disease are only partially considered. Therapeutic approaches for this LD-mediated neurotoxic homocysteine increase are vitamin supplementation or LD application with an inh...
Source: Cardiovascular Psychiatry and Neurology - November 25, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Cardiovasc Psychiatry Neurol Source Type: research

The heart-brain connection begets cardiovascular psychiatry and neurology.
Authors: Manev H PMID: 20029675 [PubMed] (Source: Cardiovascular Psychiatry and Neurology)
Source: Cardiovascular Psychiatry and Neurology - November 25, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Cardiovasc Psychiatry Neurol Source Type: research

Pharmacological Characterization of Inositol 1,4,5-tris Phosphate Receptors in Human Platelet Membranes.
Authors: Dwivedi Y, Pandey GN Abstract The phosphatidylinositol (PI) hydrolysis signaling system has been shown to be altered in platelets of depressed and schizophrenic subjects. Inositol (1,4,5) trisphosphate (Ins(1,4,5)P(3)), an integral component of the PI signaling system, mobilizes Ca(2+) by activating Ins(1,4,5)P(3) receptors. To eventually investigate the role of Ins(1,4,5)P(3) receptors in depression and other mental disorders, we characterized [(3)H]Ins(1,4,5)P(3) binding sites in crude platelet membranes prepared from small amounts of blood obtained from healthy human control subjects. We found ...
Source: Cardiovascular Psychiatry and Neurology - November 25, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Cardiovasc Psychiatry Neurol Source Type: research

Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9)-A Mediating Enzyme in Cardiovascular Disease, Cancer, and Neuropsychiatric Disorders.
Authors: Rybakowski JK Abstract Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) has been implicated in numerous somatic illnesses, including cardiovascular disorders and cancer. Recently, MMP9 has been shown to be increasingly important in several aspects of central nervous system activity. Furthermore, a pathogenic role for this enzyme has been suggested in such neuropsychiatric disorders as schizophrenia, bipolar illness, and multiple sclerosis. In this paper, the results of biochemical and molecular-genetic studies on MMP9 that have been performed in these pathological conditions will be summarized. Furthermore, I hy...
Source: Cardiovascular Psychiatry and Neurology - November 25, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Cardiovasc Psychiatry Neurol Source Type: research