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Berk M (berk + m)
Selected AbstractsAssessing oxidative pathway genes as risk factors for bipolar disorderBIPOLAR DISORDERS, Issue 5 2010Janice M Fullerton Fullerton JM, Tiwari Y, Agahi G, Heath A, Berk M, Mitchell PB, Schofield PR. Assessing oxidative pathway genes as risk factors for bipolar disorder. Bipolar Disord 2010: 12: 550,556. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Objectives:, There is a growing body of evidence implicating oxidative stress and the glutathione system in the pathogenesis of major psychiatric illnesses, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Here we investigate whether genes involved in oxidative stress regulation are associated with increased risk for bipolar disorder. Methods:, Four candidate genes were selected a priori from two different steps in the oxidative stress pathway, specifically the synthesis of glutathione [catalytic subunit of glutamate cysteine ligase (GCLC) and regulatory subunit of glutamate cysteine ligase (GCLM)] and the removal of reactive oxygen species [superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) and glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPX3)]. Haplotype tagging and functional nucleotide polymorphisms were selected in each gene and tested for association with bipolar disorder under narrow (n = 240) and broad (n = 325) phenotypic models, compared to healthy controls (n = 392, comprising 166 psychiatrically assessed unaffected controls plus 226 healthy individuals). Results:, Single marker association analysis did not reveal significant association with bipolar disorder; however, haplotypes in the SOD2 gene showed nominal association (global ,2 = 8.94, p = 0.03; broad model). Interaction analysis revealed a significant interaction between SOD2 and GPX3 haplotypes, which further increases risk for bipolar disorder (odds ratio = 2.247, ,2 = 9.526, p = 0.002, corrected p = 0.029). Conclusions:, Further characterization of the SOD2 and GPX3 interaction using larger cohorts is required to determine the role of these oxidative pathway genes as risk factors for bipolar disorder. [source] Pretreatment and outcome correlates of past sexual and physical trauma in 118 bipolar I disorder patients with a first episode of psychotic maniaBIPOLAR DISORDERS, Issue 3 2010Philippe Conus Conus P, Cotton S, Schimmelmann BG, Berk M, Daglas R, McGorry PD, Lambert M. Pretreatment and outcome correlates of past sexual and physical trauma in 118 bipolar I disorder patients with a first episode of psychotic mania. Bipolar Disord 2010: 12: 244,252. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Objectives:, To assess the prevalence and correlates of childhood and adolescent sexual and/or physical abuse (SPA) in bipolar I disorder (BDI) patients treated for a first episode of psychotic mania. Methods:, The Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre admitted 786 first-episode psychosis patients between 1998 and 2000. Data were collected from patients' files using a standardized questionnaire. A total of 704 files were available; 43 were excluded because of a nonpsychotic diagnosis at endpoint and 3 due to missing data regarding past stressful events. Among 658 patients with available data, 118 received a final diagnosis of BDI and were entered in this study. Results:, A total of 80% of patients had been exposed to stressful life events during childhood and adolescence and 24.9% to SPA; in particular, 29.8% of female patients had been exposed to sexual abuse. Patients who were exposed to SPA had poorer premorbid functioning, higher rates of forensic history, were less likely to live with family during treatment period, and were more likely to disengage from treatment. Conclusions:, SPA is highly prevalent in BDI patients presenting with a first episode of psychotic mania; exposed patients have lower premorbid functional levels and poorer engagement with treatment. The context in which such traumas occur must be explored in order to determine whether early intervention strategies may contribute to diminish their prevalence. Specific psychological interventions must also be developed. [source] The validity and internal structure of the Bipolar Depression Rating Scale: data from a clinical trial of N-acetylcysteine as adjunctive therapy in bipolar disorderACTA NEUROPSYCHIATRICA, Issue 5 2010Michael Berk Berk M, Dodd S, Dean OM, Kohlmann K, Berk L, Malhi GS. The validity and internal structure of the Bipolar Depression Rating Scale: data from a clinical trial of N-acetylcysteine as adjunctive therapy in bipolar disorder. Background: The phenomenology of unipolar and bipolar disorders differ in a number of ways, such as the presence of mixed states and atypical features. Conventional depression rating instruments are designed to capture the characteristics of unipolar depression and have limitations in capturing the breadth of bipolar disorder. Method: The Bipolar Depression Rating Scale (BDRS) was administered together with the Montgomery Asberg Rating Scale (MADRS) and Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) in a double-blind randomised placebo-controlled clinical trial of N-acetyl cysteine for bipolar disorder (N = 75). Results: A factor analysis showed a two-factor solution: depression and mixed symptom clusters. The BDRS has strong internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.917), the depression cluster showed robust correlation with the MADRS (r = 0.865) and the mixed subscale correlated with the YMRS (r = 0.750). Conclusion: The BDRS has good internal validity and inter-rater reliability and is sensitive to change in the context of a clinical trial. [source] Obesity is associated with previous suicide attempts in bipolar disorderACTA NEUROPSYCHIATRICA, Issue 2 2010Fabiano A. Gomes Gomes FA, Kauer-Sant'Anna M, Magalhães PV, Jacka FN, Dodd S, Gama CS, Cunha Â, Berk M, Kapczinski F. Obesity is associated with previous suicide attempts in bipolar disorder. Objective: There is a paucity of data about risk factors for suicide attempts in bipolar disorder. The aim of this study is to examine the association between suicide attempts and obesity in people with bipolar disorder. Methods: Two hundred fifty-five DSM-IV out-patients with bipolar disorder were consecutively recruited from the Bipolar Disorder Program at Hospital das Clínicas de Porto Alegre and the University Hospital at the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Brazil. Diagnosis and clinical variables were assessed with Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-axis I (SCID I) and Program structured protocol. History of suicide attempts was obtained from multiple information sources including patients, relatives and review of medical records. Patients with body mass index (BMI) , 30 were classified as obese. Results: Over 30% of the sample was obese and over 50% had a history of suicide attempt. In the multivariate model, obese patients were nearly twice (OR = 1.97, 95% CI: 1.06,3.69, p = 0.03) as likely to have a history of suicide attempt(s). Conclusion: Our results emphasise the relevance of obesity as an associated factor of suicide attempts in bipolar disorder. Obesity may be seen as correlate of severity and as such, must be considered in the comprehensive management of bipolar patients. [source] | ||||||||||