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Increasing serotonin decreases quarrelsome behaviours and enhances agreeable behaviours in humans. Antidepressants, even those whose primary action is not on serotonin, seem to increase serotonin function. We suggest that antidepressants act in part by effects on social behaviour, which leads to a gradual improvement in mood. We review the evidence supporting the idea that anti - depressants may be moving behaviour from quarrelsome to agreeable. The more positive social responses of interaction partners would initiate a cycle of more positive social behaviour, and this iterative process would result in a clinically significant improvement in mood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research indicates that suicide rates are elevated in those living at higher altitudes in both the United States and South Korea. A possible mechanism that was proposed is metabolic stress associated with hypoxia. This commentary discusses these results, and also the association between elevated suicide rates and other conditions associated with hypoxia (smoking, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma). Tryptophan hydroxylase may not normally be saturated with oxygen, so mild hypoxia would decrease serotonin synthesis. Low brain serotonin is known to be associated with suicide. Thus, the commentary proposes and discusses the hypothesis that decreased brain serotonin synthesis associated with hypoxia is a mechanism that may contribute to suicide in conditions causing hypoxia. Finally the commentary proposes various studies that could test aspects of this hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite evidence that bright light can improve mood, the neurobiology remains poorly understood. Some evidence implicates the catecholamines. In the present study, we measured the effects of transiently decreasing dopamine (DA) synthesis on mood and motivational states in healthy women with mild seasonal mood changes who were tested in either bright or dim light. Methods: On 2 test days, participants slept overnight in a light-controlled room. On the morning of each session, half of the participants awoke to gradual increases of bright light, up to 3000 lux, and half to dim light (10 lux). For all participants, DA was reduced on 1 of the test days using the acute phenylalanine/tyrosine depletion (APTD) method; on the other day, they ingested a nutritionally balanced control mixture (BAL). Beginning 4 hours postingestion, participants completed subjective mood questionnaires, psychological tests and a progressive ratio breakpoint task during which they worked for successive units of $5. Results: Thirty-two women participated in our study. The APTD lowered mood, agreeableness, energy and the willingness to work for monetary reward. The effects on energy and motivation were independent of light, while the effects on mood and agreeableness were seen in the dim condition only, being prevented by bright light. Limitations: Acute phenylalanine/tyrosine depletion might affect systems other than DA. The sample size was small. Conclusion: These results suggest that increased DA function may be responsible for some of the beneficial effects of light, while adding to the evidence that the neurobiology of mood and motivational states can be dissociated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) technique has been used extensively to study the effect of low serotonin in the human brain. This review assesses the validity of a number of published criticisms of the technique and a number of previously unpublished potential criticisms. The conclusion is that ATD can provide useful information when results are assessed in conjunction with results obtained using other techniques. The best-established conclusion is that low serotonin function after tryptophan depletion lowers mood in some people. However, this does not mean that other variables, altered after tryptophan depletion, are necessarily related to low serotonin. Each aspect of brain function has to be assessed separately. Furthermore, a negative tryptophan depletion study does not mean that low serotonin cannot influence the variable studied. This review suggests gaps in knowledge that need to be filled and guidelines for carrying out ATD studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent clinical trials suggest that 3 single biological treatments have effects that persist. Based on research showing that the muscles involved in facial expressions can feed back to influence mood, a single trial diminishing glabella frown lines with botulinum toxin demonstrated a significant antidepressant effect for 16 weeks. Based primarily on research with animal models of depression suggesting that glutamate may be involved in depression, the N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist ketamine has been tested in several trials. A single dose decreased depression for up to a week. The reported effects of the use of mushrooms containing psilocybin by a number of cultures around the world has stimulated several trials showing beneficial effects of a single dose of psilocybin for over a year in healthy people, and for up to 3 months in patients with anxiety disorders who have advanced cancer. This article discusses these studies, their rationale, their possible mechanisms of action, the future clinical research required to establish these therapies and the basic research required to optimize single treatments that have lasting effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article the author, in his last editorial, reflects on the 21 years on the editorial board and 11 years as coeditor-in-chief of the Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience (JPN). He discusses the strengths of the journal and describes some of his professional experiences and insights about the publication process. Also noted is his editorial sojourn with JPN and his interactions with the editorial board, the authors, and the role of manuscript reviewers.

In this article, the authors reflect on the threats posed by the dishonesty of a small minority of scientists, to the integrity of science. They opine that that faulty measurement of biochemical compounds is sufficiently common and it also serves to undermine the integrity and efficiency of science. Series of erroneous reports in the neuroscience literature that the authors are personally familiar with, due to areas of their research, are discussed.

The article presents the author's opinion on bias and conflict of interest in research literature. Focusing on the investigations in the U.S. Senate, of the nine psychiatric researchers who allegedly solicited varied favors, the author looks into the creation of bias and the nature of conflict of interest that creep into scientific research studies. Issues that scientific journals have to deal with, regarding these biases and conflicts are also discussed.

Background: Previous research has shown that many people experience a temporary worsening of mood following acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) and that concurrent use of serotonergic medications may influence such mood responses. We investigated mood and other consequences of ATD in women with bulimia nervosa who were or were not using concurrent serotonergic medications compared with women without bulimia. Methods: Women self-referred for treatment of bulimia who were either not currently using psychoactive medications (n = 26) or who were using serotonin reuptake inhibitor medications exclusively (n = 13), as well as medication-free normaleater control women (n = 25) completed interviews and questionnaires assessing eating and comorbid psychopathology and then participated in an ATD procedure involving balanced and tryptophan-depleted conditions. Results: In the tryptophan-depleted condition, the groups displayed similar and significant decrements in plasma tryptophan levels and mood. Women with bulimia who were using serotonin reuptake inhibitors, but not the other groups, also reported an increased urge to binge eat in the tryptophan-depleted condition. Limitations: Application of medication in participants with bulimia was not random. Conclusion: Acute reductions in serotonin availability produced similar mood-reducing effects in bulimic and nonbulimic women. To the extent that ATD affected subjective experiences pertinent to eating (i.e., urge to binge eat), such effects appeared to depend upon ATD-induced competition with the therapeutic effects of serotonergic medications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses various reports published within the issue, including the impact of the utilization of positron emission tomography in the detection of brain serotonin and another about the inclusion of happiness and well-being to ensure protection against mental and physical disorders.

Copyright of Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience is the property of CMA Impact Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience is the property of CMA Impact Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Current methods of assessment in clinical psychopharmacology have several serious disadvantages, particularly for the study of social functioning. We aimed to review the strengths and weaknesses of current methods used in clinical psychopharmacology and to compare them with a group of methods, developed by personality/social psychologists, termed ecological momentary assessment (EMA), which permit the research participant to report on symptoms, affect and behaviour close in time to experience and which sample many events or time periods. EMA has a number of advantages over more traditional methods for the assessment of patients in clinical psychopharmacological studies. It can both complement and, in part, replace existing methods. EMA methods will permit more sensitive assessments and will enable more wide-ranging and detailed measurements of mood and behaviour. These types of methods should be adopted more widely by clinical psychopharmacology researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience is the property of CMA Impact Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article discusses the current state of university research and explains why some aspects of the current situation are disturbing. Changes that started during the second half of the 20th century and that have continued into the 21st threaten to bring about fundamental changes in the nature of universities. Some of the changes are commendable, for example, the large expansion in the proportion of the population attending universities, at least in the richer nations. Other trends are disturbing, especially the increasing tendency of governments and industry to view universities as engines for short-term economic gain. While universities certainly cannot ignore the context in which they function and the needs of society, responding purely to short-term economic considerations threatens to subvert the very nature of universities and some of the benefits they provide to society.

Objective: S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe) is a major methyl donor in the brain and is also an antidepressant with few reported side effects; however, SAMe is relatively expensive and unstable. Brain SAMe can be increased by giving methionine to rats, raising the possibility that methionine may be an antidepressant. We aimed to study whether SAMe and methionine, when given orally to rats, could raise levels of SAMe in the central nervous system (CNS). We also aimed to test the relative abilities of SAMe and methionine to increase tailflick latency after a thermal stimulus. This test was used to measure changes in CNS function. Methods: Rats were given SAMe and methionine orally at various doses, and biochemical and behavioural testing was carried out at intervals up to 6 hours later. Results: Methionine raised SAMe levels in various regions of the CNS and increased tail-flick latency, both at lower doses than SAMe. Conclusion: Methionine should be tested for antidepressant properties in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The administration of amino acid (AA) mixtures that are selectively deficient either in tryptophan or phenylalanine plus tyrosine can decrease serotonin or catecholamine synthesis, respectively. In the present study, we assessed whether a mixture that was simultaneously deficient in tryptophan, phenylalanine and tyrosine could induce sufficient protein synthesis that plasma levels of all 3 monoamine precursors would decrease. Design: Ten healthy volunteers (5 male, 5 female) were administered a tryptophan/ phenylalanine/tyrosine-deficient AA mixture in an open-label study. Plasma concentrations of large neutral AAs were measured before and 5 hours after mixture ingestion. Results: The tryptophan/phenyl-alanine/ tyrosine-deficient mixture lowered plasma concentrations of the 3 AAs by 67%, 78% and 77%, respectively (p < 0.001); their ratio to other large neutral AAs was decreased more, namely, by 87%, 90% and 90% (p < 0.001). Mood lowering was seen on 3 subscales of the bipolar Profile of Mood States, that is, elated-depressed, composed-anxious and clearheaded-confused, as well as 2 visual analog scales, bored and irritated (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Acute tryptophan/phenylalanine/tyrosine depletion may be a suitable new method for rapidly decreasing serotonin and catecholamine transmission simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Editorial. Focuses on the theory and practice of peer review of manuscripts appearing in medical journals. Objectives of editorial peer review; Problems in assessing various studies of peer review; Factors to be considered in reviewing and publishing articles.

Highlights the activities and topics discussed at the 25th Annual Meeting of the Canadian College of Neuropsychopharmacology held in Ontario from June 9 to 12, 2002. Plenary lectures; Award lectures; Symposia; Guest speakers.

Presents the case of a child who fidgets and has difficulty waiting his turn, and how his mother believed the behaviors were caused by his high consumption of sugar. Theory that food ingestion can influence mood and behavior; Problems of using nutrients in their purified form; Tryptophan, serotonin, mood and aggression; S-adenosylmethionine, folic acid, and mood; Carbohydrate, serotonin, acetylcholine, behavior and memory; Fats and the brain; Conclusion.

Focuses on the promises and limitations of genetic research for medical and psychiatric disorders. Link between specific gene and a disorder; Link between Lesch-Nyhan syndrome severity and deficiency of hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase; Role of serotonin in brain development.

Summarizes lectures and symposia at the 22nd annual meeting of the Canadian College of Neuropsychopharmacology from June 12 to 15, 1999 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Includes lectures on possible schizophrenia researches; Symposium on pain, mood, and anxiety disorders; Winners of the CCNP Young Investigator and Heinz Lehmann Award lectures.

The author discusses the lack of progress that has been achieved in the discovery of new treatments for depression. He describes some of the potential targets for antidepressants that have recently been identified. The scope that exists with regards to combining different treatments for better outcomes for depression treatment is included. The immense opportunities that exist for gaining greater knowledge about the treatment of patients with depression are highlighted.

The author comments on the more practical aspects of peer review at the "Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience." He states that the most difficult task for an editor is to maintaining consistent standards for acceptance across a broad range of fields. He stresses that in all aspects of research publishing, clear communication is desirable; however, it is not always present. A guideline on how authors can speed up the peer review process and help create a good impression is also presented.

The author reflects on the importance of conducting more studies on folate and depression to potentiate the action of standard antidepressant therapies. He suggests that researchers should focus on the dosage of folate needed to get its maximum effect and to assess if therapeutic response may differ in different subgroups such as those with and without overt folate deficiency. Furthermore, he mentions facts that support the significance of giving folate supplements to depression patients.

The article discusses issues related to ethical conduct of journal editors. It informs that there has been increasing concern about scientific misconduct, during the past decade. Using the keyword "misconduct," the number of articles retrieved on MEDLINE averaged 100 per year for the decade 1993-2002 compared with an average of 28 per year for the preceding decade. Many organizations have developed Guidelines for preventing and dealing with misconduct. But the role of the medical journal has come under scrutiny, only recently. Late last year, the Committee on Publication Ethics published a draft code of conduct for medical editors. The article aims to discuss the draft code and to describe how the editors of the Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience are responding to the issues in it. It informs that the first section of draft code concerns accuracy and correcting the record. The problem in it is submission of data that have in some way been deliberately manipulated. And another problem is, which is more common, is sloppy reporting by authors.

Editorial. Focuses on the controversy concerning lifestyle drugs. Attempts to increase happiness through lifestyle drugs; Market for lifestyle drugs; Types of lifestyle drugs.

Focuses on the ethics of placebo in clinical psychopharmacology. Ethics on the use of placebo; Acceptance of clinical equipoise in relation with the use of placebo; Importance of testing the benefits, risks and effectiveness of placebo.

Editorial. Focuses on the understanding of brain disorders. Importance of lipids as constituent of the brain; Role of impaired fatty acid and phospholipid metabolism in the etiology of psychiatric disorders; Relevance to the development of biological psychiatry; Association between the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids and prevalence of depression.

The article offers information on bright light treatment for nonseasonal and seasonal depression, and highlights the case of a 58-year-old man being treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), who sought a more natural treatment for episodes of depression. It mentions a Cochrane review which suggests that bright light, at 2500 lux or more can help improve moods and sleep efficiency, and reduce depression.

The article discusses various reports published within the issue, including one on the Ecological Society of America, one on the role of universities to sustainable development, and one on the effects of climate change to human health.

The author focuses on the significance of the neurobiology of human social behavior, which is often a neglected topic. He explains that humans share some broader aspects of social behavior with other animals such as affiliation and aggression. However, the social behavior of humans are far more complex than them. He stresses that psychiatric disorders often involve some disruption of normal social behaviour with abnormal social functioning as symptoms.

The article criticizes modern trends and jargons in psychiatry neuroscience. The spread of knowledge in the scientific community is hampered by jatrgons and neologisms imposed by scientists upon themselves. The trend concerning the proliferation of jargons started with the introduction of "genomics" in 1964 and "proteomics" in 1997. The use of suffixes like "omics" and prefixes like "neuro" somehow complicate studies and research in the field.

Editorial. Comments on the preliminary sequencing of the human genome. Importance of knowledge on the process; Information needed to produce human being; Discovery of genes through sequencing of the human genome.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Single Treatments That Have Lasting Effects: Some Thoughts on the Antidepressant Effects of Ketamine and Botulinum Toxin and the Anxiolytic Effect of Psilocybin" by Simon N. Young in the 2013 issue, including a response from the author of the article.

The author expresses his views on the research on the relations of vitamin D and depression. The author stated that the study asks whether the lower levels of vitamin D are a cause or consequence of depression. He believes that treatment of depression with vitamin D is an idea worth testing in carefully selected populations like those with low vitamin D levels.

The article reports on the role of fish oils in preventing reoccurring depression. Several meta-analyses conducted indicate a significant anti-depressant effect from fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids) intake. However, there is no evidence for substituting fish oil for anti-depressants. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends at least 2 servings of fish or fish oils a week for patients, for good heart health. Nevertheless they discourage patients from substituting antidepressants with fish oil.

The article focuses on L-Tyrosine regarding alleviation of the effects of stress. The reported effects of L-tyrosine are acute effects in preventing a decline in cognitive function in response to physical stressors such as lower body negative pressure stress, cold stress and others. Moreover, he mentions that the use of L-tyrosine cannot be recommended for patients and those who are taking it need to be educated regarding its long-term safety.

Features questions related to psychopharmacology for the clinician. Issue of the effectiveness of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) and 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) as natural, over-the-counter alternative to Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitor (SSRI) for the treatment of depression; Discussion on the composition of the oral dosage and long term side effects of both drugs; Conclusion that recommendation of neither drug maybe made in the long run on grounds of effectiveness or safety.

Reports on the 26th Annual Meeting of the Canadian College of Neuropsychopharmacology (CCNP) held at Montréal, Canada from June 1-4, 2003. Summary of the 3 plenary lectures, 2 award lectures and 9 symposia available online; Description of highlights of the sessions.

Discusses the use of tryptophan as a natural dietary hypnotic. Physiological effects of tryptophan; Side-effects; Drug dosage.