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Schizophrenia (SC) and bipolar disorder (BP) share many clinical features, among them psychosis. We previously identified a putative gene locus for psychosis on chromosome 18p in a sample from the Central Valley of Costa Rica (CVCR) population. The present study replicated the association to a specific allele of microsatellite marker D18S63 on 18p11.3, using a newly collected sample from the CVCR. A combined analysis of both samples, plus additional subjects, showed that this specific allele on D18S63, which lies within an intron on the TGFB-induced factor (TGIF) gene, is strongly associated (P-value=0.0005) with psychosis. Eleven additional SNP markers, spanning five genes in the region, were analyzed in the combined sample from the CVCR. Only the four SNPs within the TGIF gene were in strong linkage disequilibrium with D18S63 (D'=1.00). A specific haplotype for all five markers within the TGIF gene showed evidence of association (P-value=0.011) to psychosis. A second, distinct haplotype, containing a newly identified nonsynonymous polymorphism in exon 5 of the TGIF gene, showed a nonsignificant trend towards association to psychosis (P-value=0.077). TGIF is involved in neurodevelopment, neuron survival and controls the expression of dopamine receptors. Altogether, our results point to the possible involvement of TGIF in the pathophysiology of psychotic disorders in the CVCR population.

Adverse effects of antipsychotics are important determinants of patient attitudes towards medications, adherence to treatment, and quality of life. A discussion of adverse effects is therefore a crucial element of treatment and offers a unique opportunity for dialogue between the patient and the clinician. Unfortunately, clinicians in routine clinical practice have had very limited guidance regarding how best to initiate this discussion. In fact, despite the recognition of the importance of adverse effects, their systematic assessment has been, for the most part, confined to research settings, where the main focus has been on extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS). Furthermore, until recently, clinicians tended to discount patient subjective experiences with antipsychotic medications, focusing on the evaluation of objective severity. However, ignoring the subjective experience of patients results in inadequate communication between the patient and the clinician. The Approaches to Schizophrenia (Communication ASC) Steering Group, comprised of psychiatrists from the US, Canada and the UK, identified the need to develop a tool that could be used in routine clinical care settings to facilitate the communication between patients and clinicians regarding adverse effects. In order to be useful the instrument needed to be brief, clinically focused and easy to administer. As for the content, it needed to include the patients’ subjective experiences with antipsychotics and to assess a broad adverse effect profile (i.e. both EPS and non-EPS effects). To address these needs, the Steering Group designed two checklists: the ASC-Self-Report (ASC-SR) and the ASC-Clinic (ASC-C). The ASC-SR is a self-report checklist completed by the patient. It contains a list of common problems experienced by patients receiving antipsychotics. The ASC-C is a clinician-administered version that is designed to be completed by the clinician and the patient together during a regular clinic visit. The experience with the ASC-SR and ASC-C checklists across sites and countries has been encouraging. The vast majority of respondents in a pilot study of the ASC checklists found the ASC-SR user friendly and helpful in their communication with the healthcare team. Likewise, almost half of the healthcare professionals reported that the ASC-C assisted them in identifying previously unrecognized adverse effects. Additional experience in the UK and the US has provided further support for clinical use of the checklists.

Family-based association of an ANK3 haplotype with bipolar disorder in Latino populations

A transient analysis based on the particle-pellet model, which includes the effect of structural changes is presented for non-catalytic gas-solid reactions. Changes in the conversion-time relationship and in temperature profiles in the pellet are considered. The numerical solution of the resulting non-linear partial differential equations is performed using the method of lines, whereby finite difference discretization in the spatial variable yields a stiff system of ordinary differential equations in the time variable. The resulting initial value problem is solved with a general-purpose ordinary differential equation solver. The results obtained using this transient model have been compared with those using a simplified model in which a pseudo-steady state is assumed. Significant differences were found for cases in which structural changes are large.

Mechanical and visual stimulation lasting for fractions of seconds to few seconds induce inTenebrio molitor at larval stage coordinate motor responses. Such movements are oscillatory in nature, their frequency is about 0.1 Hz and this value is largely independent from the intensity of the stimulus, their amplitude is proportional to it.