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Circadian rhythms are associated with bipolar disorder (BD). This cross-sectional study aimed at investigating ARNTL and MAOA gene expression differences (1) between individuals with BD and controls, (2) between affective episodes, and (3) the relationship between ARNTL and MAOA expression. ARNTL and MAOA gene expression in peripheral mononuclear blood cells were analysed from fasting blood samples (BD n = 81, controls n = 54) with quantitative real-time PCR operating on TaqMan® assays (normalised to 18S RNA expression). ANCOVAs corrected for age, sex, body mass index, and medication was used to evaluate expression differences and correlation analyses for the relation between ARNTL and MAOA expression. ARNTL gene expression differed between affective episodes (F(2,78) = 3.198, p = 0.047, Partial Eta2= 0.083), but not between BD and controls (n.s.). ARNTL and MAOA expression correlated positively in BD (r = 0.704, p < 0.001) and in controls (r = 0.932, p < 0.001). MAOA expression differed neither between BD and controls nor between affective episodes (n.s.). Clock gene expression changes were observed in different affective states of BD. More precisely, ARNTL gene expression was significantly higher in euthymia than in depression. ARNTL and MAOA gene expression correlated significantly in BD and in controls, which emphasises the strong concatenation between circadian rhythms and neurotransmitter breakdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

However, the histamine content of alcoholic beverages, especially red wine, and possibly parallel consumed food, e.g. mature cheese [4], may play a key role in triggering migraines and headaches. Diamine oxidase (DAO) supplement reduces headache in episodic migraine patients with DAO deficiency: a randomized double-blind trial. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Individuals with bipolar disorder have a high prevalence of metabolic syndrome and an increased risk for cognitive deficits. The aim of this longitudinal study was to investigate the trajectory of cognitive decline in dependence of metabolic syndrome over a one-year interval.Methods: 52 well-diagnosed individuals with bipolar disorder, euthymic at baseline and follow-up (n = 17 with metabolic syndrome vs. n = 35 without metabolic syndrome) were investigated with a comprehensive neurocognitive test battery (Trail Making Test A/B, Digit Symbol Test, California Verbal Leaning Test, or the Verbal Learning and Memory Test respectively) twice within the interval of one year.Results: Patients with bipolar disorder and additional metabolic syndrome performed significantly worse in the domain of psychomotor and processing speed/attention than patients without metabolic syndrome at test point one. No deteriorating effects of metabolic syndrome on the cognitive domain scores and overall cognitive performance were found at the one-year follow up. However, no cognitive decline could be reported in both groups.Limitations: Time interval, small sample size and selection of metabolic syndrome affected patients were the major limitations of this study.Conclusion: There was no association of metabolic syndrome on the one-year trajectory of cognitive function in bipolar disorder. Future studies should expand the observation period and investigate larger samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Cerebral white matter lesions (WML) have been found in normal aging, vascular disease and several neuropsychiatric conditions. Correlations of volumetric measured WML with clinical parameters in men with Bipolar Disorder (BD) have been described in a currently submitted work of our study group. As we try to elucidate common pathways between obesity/metabolic syndrome and BD we reinvestgated our data in the context of obesity. Methods In a cross-sectional study 100 euthymic individuals (52 male, 48 female) with BD were enrolled to undergo brain magnetic resonance imaging using 3T including a FLAIR sequence for volumetric assessment of WML-load using FSL-software. Additionally, clinical characteristics and psychometric measures including Structured Clinical Interview according to DSM-IV were evaluated. Partial correlation analysis (WML-load with lifetime number of manic/depressive episodes) were performed in 4 different groups (male normalweight, male overweight/obese, female normalweight, female overweight/obese) Results In overweight/obese men only (n=41), the number of manic/hypomanic episodes ( r =0.85 ; p< 0.001) as well as depressive episodes ( r =0.55; p <0.001) correlated positively with WML-load. Conclusions WML-load strongly correlated with the number of manic episodes in overweight male BD patients, suggesting that overweight men might be more vulnerable to mania in the context of cerebral white matter changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Bipolar Disorder is a devastating disease with a genetic heritability. An orchestra of around 500 gene variants is leading to vulnerability. One interesting candidate gene group are the socalled CLOCK GENES. The molecular 24h clock has several CLOCK GENES and the last gene ARNTL encodes for an activator of MAOA transcription and leads therefore to changes in neurotransmitter levels. Methods Genotyping of 150 paricipants with Bipolar Disorder and 78 healthy controls with the Illumina GWAS chip Omniexpress 1.1. Hypothesis driven extraction of ARNTL SNPs with the software PLINK. Statistical analysis with Chi square test with SPSS. Results Patients with Bipolar Disorder differ significantly in ARNTL genotypes compared to healthy controls. Details are presented during the poster session. Discussion Circadian rhythms seem to play an important pathogenetic mechanism in Bipolar Disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Food craving (FC) has been linked todepressive mood before. However, no study exists evaluating FC in a sample of bipolar disorder (BD). Aims This study aimed to determine the prevalence of FC in individuals with BD during euthymia. Methods Fifty individuals with a BD diagnosis according to the DSM-IV guidelines were drawn from the dedicated outpatient center of the University Clinic of Psychiatry Graz. Data were compared with data from a healthy control sample (HC, n=50). All probands took part in the BIPFAT study exploring shared pathophysiological pathways of obesity and brain function in BD. Participants completed a comprehensive diagnostic battery (including the Food Craving Questionnaire by White et al. 2002) measuring anamnestic, anthropometric, and clinical data. We performed a MANCOVA controlling for key covariates including gender, age, body mass index, smoking, mood stabilizing medication, and lipid levels. Results BD patients exhibited significantly more total food craving ( F =6.10, p =.016) and more sweets craving than controls ( F =6.38, p =.014). Additionally, levels of fat craving were higher by trend in the male patient group than in the male control group ( F =3.15, p =.087). Conclusions A higher prevalence of FC in BD patients than in controls suggests that FC may be of clinical importance in BD. Potentially, FC plays a role in the development of obesity, a well-known risk factor for unfavorable course of illness in BD. Furthermore, the impact of dysfunctions in the serotonergic system and/or an altered activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in relationship to increased FC are critically discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]