Previous studies of patients with unipolar depression have shown that early decrease of prefrontal EEG cordance in theta band can predict clinical response to various antidepressants. We have now examined whether decrease of prefrontal quantitative EEG (QEEG) cordance value after 1 week of venlafaxine treatment predicts clinical response to venlafaxine in resistant patients.

We analyzed 25 inpatients who finished 4-week venlafaxine treatment. EEG data were monitored at baseline and after 1 week of treatment. QEEG cordance was computed at three frontal electrodes in theta frequency band. Depressive symptoms and clinical status were assessed using Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), Beck Depression Inventory-Short Form (BDI-S) and Clinical Global Impression (CGI).

Eleven of 12 responders (reduction of MADRS ≥50%) and only 5 of 13 non-responders had decreased prefrontal QEEG cordance value after the first week of treatment (p = 0.01). The decrease of prefrontal cordance after week 1 in responders was significant (p = 0.03) and there was no significant change in non-responders. Positive and negative predictive values of cordance reduction for response were 0.7 and 0.9, respectively.

The reduction of prefrontal theta QEEG cordance value after first week of treatment might be helpful in the prediction of response to venlafaxine.

To determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in outpatients treated with antipsychotics included in a primary-health-care database.

A cross-sectional study was carried out assessing an administrative outpatients claim-database from 5 primary-health-centers. Subjects on antipsychotics for more than 3 months were included. The control group was formed by the outpatients included in the database without exposition to any antipsychotic drugs. MS was defined according to the modified NCEP-ATP III criteria, and required confirmation of at least 3 of the 5 following components: body mass index >28.8 kg/m2, triglycerides >150 mg/ml, HDL-cholesterol <40 mg/ml (men)/<50 mg/ml (women), blood pressure >130/85 mmHg, and fasting serum glucose >110 mg/dl.

We identified 742 patients [51.5% women, aged 55.1 (20.7) years] treated with first- or second-generation antipsychotics during 27.6 (20.3) months. Controls were 85.286 outpatients [50.5% women, aged 45.5 (17.7) years]. MS prevalence was significantly higher in subjects on antipsychotics: 27.0% (95% CI, 23.8–30.1%) vs. 14.4% (14.1–14.6%); age- and sex-adjusted OR = 1.38 (1.16–1.65, P < 0.001). All MS components, except high blood pressure, were significantly more prevalent in the antipsychotic group, particularly body mass index >28.8 kg/m2: 33.0% (29.6–36.4%) vs. 17.8% (17.6–18.1%), adjusted OR = 1.63 (1.39–1.92, P < 0.001), and low HDL-cholesterol levels: 48.4% (44.8–52.0%) vs. 29.3% (29.0–29.6%); adjusted OR = 1.65 (1.42–1.93, P < 0.001). Compared with the reference population, subjects with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (BD), but not dementia, showed a higher prevalence of MS.

Compared with the general outpatient population, the prevalence of MS was significantly higher in patients with schizophrenia or BD treated with antipsychotics.

To investigate whether measurement of plasma levels can predict tolerance to oxcarbazepine (OXC).

We reviewed medical records to identify all inpatients consecutively treated by OXC at the University Department of Psychiatry in Bordeaux. Adverse effects were rated before treatment onset, at day 3, then every week and at discharge or at discontinuation. Residual hydroxy-OXC concentrations were measured on blood samples at the same periods.

OXC was prescribed to 20 patients with bipolar (n = 18) or schizoaffective bipolar-type disorder (n = 2). Reported side effects were transient and occurred mostly at the beginning of the treatment. Three patients stopped OXC because of severe cutaneous side effects. Residual hydroxy-OXC plasma levels were similar in patients with or without occurrence of side effects at all times of assessment.

Our data suggest that the occurrence of severe side-effects is relatively high with OXC. Measurement of plasma OXC levels does not appear to be of interest in clinical practice since plasma concentrations are not predictive of the occurrence of side effects.

Both psychodynamic group therapy (PGT) and clonazepam are used as treatment strategies in reducing symptoms of generalized social anxiety disorder (GSAD). However, many individuals remain symptomatic after treatment with PGT or clonazepam.

Fifty-eight adult outpatients with a diagnosis of GSAD according to DSM-IV were randomized to 12 weeks PGT plus clonazepam or clonazepam. The Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) Scale was the primary efficacy measure. Secondary efficacy measures included the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) total score, the World Health Organization Instrument to Assess Quality of Life—Brief (WHOQOL-Bref) Scale and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).

CGI-I data from 57 patients (intent-to-treat population) showed that patients who received PGT plus clonazepam presented significantly greater improvement than those who received clonazepam (P = 0.033). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the secondary efficacy measures.

Our study suggests that the combination of PGT with clonazepam may be a promising strategy for the treatment of GSAD, regarding gains in the global functioning. However the present study failed to detect more specific changes in social anxiety symptomatology between the two groups.

Both genes and environment play a role in depression. Data indicate that in addition to monoamines, other endogenous compounds, such as neuropeptides, as well as hippocampal cell loss/neurogenesis may be important in pathophysiology and treatment of depression. Finally, it is not clear whether early intervention could alleviate or prevent the disorder. Consequently, we studied neuropeptides in animal models: (i) a genetic model, the Flinders Sensitive Line (FSL) rat and their controls, FRL line, (ii) an environmental model, early maternal separation that mimics early life trauma in humans - experiences that predict adult life psychopathology, and (iii) maternal separation superimposed on the genetic FSL model

Behavior was studied when the animals reached adulthood, and brain neurochemistry and cell proliferation postmortem. On postnatal days (PND) 2–14, FSL and FRL pups were maternally separated for 180. Escitalopram or vehicle were started on PND 44. Porsolt swim test was done on PND 64-65.

baseline FSL-FRL differences were found in the Porsolt swim test and in brain neuropeptides, in particular NPY and CGRP in selected brain regions. Cell proliferation was also affected. Moreover, maternal separation and escitalopram also differentiated between the strains.

Both genes and environment play a role in “depression” but the consequences of early life events are more deleterious in genetically vulnerable individuals. Neurochemical, in particular NPY and CRH, and cell proliferation changes indicate that we may have identified some biological correlates of depression. potential strategy to alleviate adult life psychopathology.

The European Commission GENDEP project LSHB-CT-2003-503428; The Lundbeck Foundation.

The study aimed to examine agreement between patients' and professional staff members' ratings on the Global Assessment of Functioning scale (GAF).

A total of 191 young adult psychiatric outpatients were included in a naturalistic, longitudinal study. Axis I and axis II disorders were assessed by means of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Before and after treatment, patients and trained staff members did a GAF rating. Agreement between GAF ratings was analyzed using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC).

The overall intra-class correlation coefficients before and after treatment were 0.65 and 0.86, respectively. Agreement in different axis I diagnostic groups varied, but was generally lower before treatment as compared to after treatment (0.50–0.66 and 0.78–0.90, respectively). Excessive psychiatric co-morbidity was associated with the lowest inter-rater reliability. Agreement, with respect to change in GAF scores during treatment, was good to excellent in all groups.

Overall, agreement between patients' and professionals' ratings on the GAF scale was good before and excellent after treatment. The results support the usefulness of the self-report GAF instrument for measuring outcome in psychiatric care. However, more research is needed about the difficulties in rating severely disordered patients.

A growing body of evidence suggests that the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is involved in the aetiopathology of mood disorders. GDNF is a neurotrophic factor from the transforming growth factor-β-family, playing a role in cell development and function in the limbic system. This is the first study to examine GDNF concentration in different brain regions of patients with depressive disorder (DD).

We used sandwich-ELISA-technique to ascertain GDNF concentration and Lowry assay for overall protein levels in post-mortem brain tissue of 7 patients with recurrent depressive disorder and 14 individuals without any neurological or psychiatric diagnoses. We included cortical regions as well as limbic area's (hippocampus, entorhinal cortex) basal ganglia (putamen, caudate nucleus), thalamus and cingulated gyrus.

We found a significant increase in GDNF concentration in the parietal cortex of patients with DD compared to the control group. In other regions the trend of an increased GDNF concentration did not reach statistical difference.

This proof of concept study supports previous findings of an alteration of the GDNF in patients with depressive disorder. However, for the first time a significant increase of GDNF in a cortical brain area was found in DD.

Empirical studies on migration and mental health of migrants are still rare. In Germany they are often characterised by low sample sizes and are limited to certain diseases and geographical areas (old federal states). The comparability of their results is limited. Nonetheless, the assessment of migrants’ health is necessary for adequate medical and psychosocial care for this target group.

To provide data on mental health of migrants from Poland and from Vietnam in Germany. Methods: We have assessed a random sample of migrants from Poland (n=140) and from Vietnam (n=88) using the Giessen Subjective Complaints List – 24 (GSCL-24) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Additionally we asked migrants about their knowledge of health care institutions in case of psychosocial problems, their demands and the existing barriers to health care utilisation.

Migrants from Poland and Vietnam have a higher general score of complaints of physical ill-health and higher anxiety and depression values than Germans. Psychosocial and medical institutions are visited less.

Further analytical studies are needed to clarify health differences between these groups. Migrants are a heterogeneous group and only group-specific investigations will clarify associations between countries of origin, health status and use of health care institutions.

Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent in population of European countries. However, the effect of Valproate (depakine-chrono) on generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) has not been studied in a double-blind placebo-controlled design.

Eighty patients (all men) were washout from the all medications. Each patient was randomized to receive either depakine-chrono (40 patients) for 6 weeks or matched placebo (40 patients) in a double-blind manner. Eligible participants, in addition to meeting the DSM-IV criteria for GAD and having a minimum score of 25 and more on the Hamilton Anxiety Scale, were required to be between 18 and 65 years. Response was defined as a 50% reduction in the Hamilton anxiety scale score. Response and side effects with depakine-chrono and placebo were compared by using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and chi-square tests. Six patients did not return for at least one subsequent assessment, leaving 74 patients (36 taking depakine-chrono and 38 taking placebo) in the valuables study group.

Twenty six of the 36 depakine-chrono-treated participants responded by 6 weeks, versus six of the 38 placebo-treated participants (p < 0.001). The most common and problematic side effect in the depakine-chrono group was dizziness and nausea.

The authors believe this to be the first double-blind placebo-controlled randomization study to test the efficacy of a depakine-chrono in the management of anxiety disorders. They need to be replicated in a larger study group.

This report describes the mental health of Dutch peacekeeping veterans, 10--25 years after deployment, and its association with deployment-related traumatic events.

We randomly selected a group of 1046 peacekeeping veterans, who participated in military missions in Lebanon, former Yugoslavia, and various other missions between 1979 and 1997. We sent a questionnaire assessing current levels of psychological distress (Brief Symptom Inventory -- BSI), and a questionnaire assessing trauma related to deployment.

Psychological data were available for 729 veterans. In 83% of the veterans, no significant psychological distress was found, whereas 17% scored above the BSI cut-off for psychopathology. Interestingly, this percentage was equal to that in a non-patient norm group.

From this finding we concluded that 10--25 years post-deployment, Dutch peacekeeping veterans do not show more psychological distress than the general Dutch population. In addition, we did not find a significant association between trauma exposure 10--25 years ago and current BSI scores. Moreover, trauma-exposure explained only 9% of the variance in psychological distress. Thus, although military peacekeeping operations may have a strong impact on the lives of soldiers, in this group of veterans they do not seem to have caused severe psychological distress10--25 years after deployment.