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Biomedical subjects

K Kamijima

Publications and source records attributed to K Kamijima.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Possible association between nonsynonymous polymorphisms of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene and schizophrenia in a Japanese population.

We examined, for the first time, the possible association between schizophrenia and the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene which plays an important role in neurodevelopment. When two nonsynonymous polymorphisms (Arg1491Lys and Glu1529Asp) were examined, there were significant differences in genotype and allele distributions between patients and controls. Individuals homozygous for the minor allele (1491Lys-1529Asp) were more common in patients than in controls (p = 0.0064, odds ratio 2.4, 95% CI 1.3-4.6). These results suggest that genetic variations of the ALK gene might confer susceptibility to schizophrenia.

Alleles↗
PubMed2006

A complex polymorphic region in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene confers susceptibility to bipolar disorder and affects transcriptional activity.

Previous studies have suggested that genetic variations in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene may be associated with several neuropsychiatric diseases including bipolar disorder. The present study examined a microsatellite polymorphism located approximately 1.0 kb upstream of the translation initiation site of the BDNF gene for novel sequence variations, association with bipolar disorder, and effects on transcriptional activity. Detailed sequencing analysis revealed that this polymorphism is not a simple dinucleotide repeat, but it is highly polymorphic with a complex structure containing three types of dinucleotide repeats, insertion/deletion, and nucleotide substitutions that gives rise to a total of 23 novel allelic variants. We obtained evidence supporting the association between this polymorphic region (designated as BDNF-linked complex polymorphic region (BDNF-LCPR)) and bipolar disorder. One of the major alleles ('A1' allele) was significantly more common in patients than in controls (odds ratio 2.8, 95% confidential interval 1.5-5.3, P=0.001). Furthermore, a luciferase reporter gene assay in rat primary cultured neurons suggests that this risk allele (A1) has a lower-transcription activity, compared to the other alleles. Our results suggest that the BDNF-LCPR is a functional variation that confers susceptibility to bipolar disorder and affects transcriptional activity of the BDNF gene.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Association study of the frizzled-3 (FZD3) gene with schizophrenia and mood disorders.

Two research groups have recently reported a significant association between schizophrenia and genetic variants of Frizzled-3 (FZD3) gene. We examined a possible association in a Japanese sample of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, unipolar depression and controls with four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), tested in previous reports. We failed to find significant association in the four SNPs or haplotype analysis. The FZD3 gene might not play a role in conferring susceptibility to major psychosis in our sample.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

A comparative study of the efficacy and safety profiles between fluvoxamine and nortriptyline in Japanese patients with major depression.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety profiles between fluvoxamine and nortriptyline in Japanese patients with major depression. METHODS: The efficacy and safety profiles of fluvoxamine, a selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor, and nortriptyline were compared under a single-blind fashion in 74 Japanese patients with major depression. The efficacy was assessed using the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI) severity and improvement scores, while the safety profiles were assessed using the UKU Side Effect Rating Scale at baseline, and on days 7, 14, 28 and 56. Moreover, with the aim of determining the distinct efficacy profiles of each drug, the effects on each of the factor scores extracted by the principal component analysis performed for HAM-D scores were compared between drugs. RESULTS: Both drug groups showed significant amelioration of depressive symptomatology over the trial period lasting for 8 weeks. Statistical analyses revealed no significant between-group differences regarding the efficacy assessed by either HAM-D or CGI scores; however, the efficacy of nortriptyline tended to appear earlier than that of fluvoxamine. Moreover, no significant differences were obtained for the factor scores, representing 'depressed mood', 'physical symptoms' or 'sleep disturbances', although 'sleep disturbances' appeared to improve earlier in the nortriptyline group than in the fluvoxamine group. As for the safety profiles, the nortriptyline group scored a significantly higher incidence of adverse events such as dysarthria or orthostatic dizziness, as well as increased heart rate. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that fluvoxamine is generally comparable to nortriptyline in its efficacy and superior in its safety profile, in accordance with findings obtained in previous comparative clinical trials conducted in Caucasian populations.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Cross-cultural equivalence in depression assessment: Japan-Europe-North American study.

OBJECTIVE: Worldwide use of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) presupposes that depression symptomatology can be measured the same way across countries but no empirical study has yet examined this issue. We therefore examined cross-cultural consistency of factor structure of HRSD. METHOD: A 17-item HRSD data were sought for 5,185 individuals diagnosed with major depression in Japan, Europe and North America. Candidate factor structures were obtained with simultaneous component analysis (SCA) across the three cultures. They were then submitted to multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). RESULTS: According to SCA, 3-, 4- or 5-factor solutions were found to optimally and adequately summarize the variables for all the three populations. When submitted to CFA, the 5-factor solution was the best fitting and the most parsimonious: they were 'anhedonia/retardation,''guilt/agitation,''bodily symptoms,''insomnia' and 'appetite.' CONCLUSION: Common underlying factors exist for HRSD among Japanese, European and American patients with major depression.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Association analysis of the -308G>A promoter polymorphism of the tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) gene in Japanese patients with schizophrenia.

Two research groups have thus far reported a significant association between schizophrenia and a promoter polymorphism (-308G > A) of the gene encoding tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), while contradictive negative results have also been reported. We examined the possible association in a Japanese sample of 297 schizophrenia cases and 458 controls. Allele frequencies of both the patients and controls were very low (1.5% and 0.8%, respectively), and the difference was not statistically significant. We conclude that the effect of the -308G > A polymorphism on the development of schizophrenia is, if any, weak and the majority of Japanese schizophrenics are unrelated to the -308G > A polymorphism of the TNF-alpha gene.

Adenine↗
PubMed2004

Recognition of emotion from moving facial and prosodic stimuli in depressed patients.

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that depressed patients have a "negative bias" in recognising other people's emotions; however, the detailed structure of this negative bias is not fully understood. OBJECTIVES: To examine the ability of depressed patients to recognise emotion, using moving facial and prosodic expressions of emotion. METHODS: 16 depressed patients and 20 matched (non-depressed) controls selected one basic emotion (happiness, sadness, anger, fear, surprise, or disgust) that best described the emotional state represented by moving face and prosody. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between depressed patients and controls in their recognition of facial expressions of emotion. However, the depressed patients were impaired relative to controls in their recognition of surprise from prosodic emotions, judging it to be more negative. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that depressed patients tend to interpret neutral emotions, such as surprise, as negative. Considering that the deficit was seen only for prosodic emotive stimuli, it would appear that stimulus clarity influences the recognition of emotion. These findings provide valuable information on how depressed patients behave in complicated emotional and social situations.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Analysis of enhancer activity of a dinucleotide repeat polymorphism in the neurotrophin-3 gene and its association with bipolar disorder.

Growing evidence has implicated the possible involvement of neurotrophins in the pathogenesis of functional psychoses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Previous studies reported a significant association of a dinucleotide repeat polymorphism of the neurotrophin-3 (NTF3) gene with schizophrenia. The aims of the present study were to examine whether this polymorphism is associated with bipolar disorder and whether the polymorphic region has an enhancer/silencer effect on transcriptional activity in an allele-dependent manner. In an association analysis between the polymorphism and bipolar disorder in a Japanese sample of 88 patients and 98 controls matched for age, sex, and ethnicity, the distribution of alleles did not differ significantly between the two groups. pGL3-promoter luciferase reporter vectors containing the polymorphic region increased luciferase activity relative to empty pGL3-promoter vector in HeLa, IMR-32 (neuroblastoma) and Hs683 (glioma) cell lines; however, no significant difference was detected between alleles for either cell line. Our results suggest that the examined polymorphism has no major role in giving susceptibility to bipolar disorder. Although the polymorphic region may have an enhancer-like effect on transcriptional activity, we obtained no evidence for allele-dependent differential effects.

Alleles↗
PubMed2003

Induction of kf-1 after repeated electroconvulsive treatment and chronic antidepressant treatment in rat frontal cortex and hippocampus.

It has been proposed that signaling pathways involved in adaptive neural plasticity are long-term targets for the action of electroconvulsive treatment (ECT), which is widely used in the treatment of drug-resistant depression. We have previously performed EST analysis to identify some molecular machinery responsible for antidepressant effect. One of the cDNA fragments identified as antidepressant related genes/ESTs was identified as kf-1 which has a RING-H2 finger motif at the carboxy-terminus. In the present study, we have demonstrated the induction of kf-1 in rat frontal cortex and hippocampus not only after chronic antidepressant treatment, but also after a single and repeated ECT. RING finger proteins are proposed to play some important roles in the ubiquitin-proteasome system. In conclusion, the current investigation has identified kf-1 as a novel molecular target for antidepressants and ECT.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Differential expression of VAMP2/synaptobrevin-2 after antidepressant and electroconvulsive treatment in rat frontal cortex.

The biological basis for the therapeutic mechanisms of depression is still unknown. We have previously performed expressed-sequence tag (EST) analysis to identify some molecular machinery responsible for antidepressant effect. Then, we developed our original cDNA microarray, on which cDNA fragments identified as antidepressant-related genes/ESTs were spotted. In this study, with this microarray followed by Western blot analysis, we have demonstrated the induction of vesicle-associated membrane protein 2(VAMP2/synaptobrevin-2) in rat frontal cortex not only after chronic antidepressant treatment, but also after repeated electroconvulsive treatment. On the other hand, expression of SNAP-25 and syntaxin-1 was not changed by these treatments. These components make a soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein attachment protein receptor complex with VAMP2 and mediate the synaptic vesicle docking/fusion machinery. In conclusion, it is suggested that VAMP2/synaptobrevin-2 plays important roles in the antidepressant effects. Our results may contribute to a novel model for the therapeutic mechanism of depression and new molecular targets for the development of therapeutic agents.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Induction of cysteine string protein after chronic antidepressant treatment in rat frontal cortex.

We have previously identified 204 partial cDNA fragments (ADRG1-204) as antidepressant related genes/expressed sequence tags. Then, we developed our original cDNA microarrays, on which the 194 clones out of ADRG1-204 were spotted. With this ADRG microarray, we found that the expression of a spot, ADRG55, which representing cysteine string protein (CSP), was significantly increased in rat brain after chronic treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, sertraline. In the present study, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis confirmed the induction of CSP at mRNA levels in rat frontal cortex after chronic treatment with two different classes of antidepressants, imipramine or sertraline. Western blot analysis also revealed that CSP-immunoreactivity was increased after antidepressant treatment. In conclusion, our data suggest that CSP is one of the common functional molecules induced after chronic antidepressant treatment.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Effects of risperidone on event-related potentials in schizophrenic patients.

In order to examine the effects of risperidone on cognitive impairment in schizophrenia, event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded before and after switching from conventional neuroleptics to risperidone in schizophrenic patients. ERPs were recorded during two auditory discrimination tasks (an oddball task and a distraction task) in 10 medicated schizophrenic patients during conventional neuroleptic and risperidone treatments. The amplitudes and latencies of N 100 and P300 component were measured in ERPs for target stimuli in the oddball task and in ERPs for target and novel stimuli in the distraction task. Although N 100 amplitude and latency and P 300 amplitude did not change significantly after switching the drug compared to that during conventional neuroleptic treatment, P 300 latency for target stimuli shortened significantly during risperidone treatment in both tasks, accompanied by the shortening of the reaction time in the distraction task. The P 300 latency change did not correlate with the change of the severity of psychopathology. These findings suggest that risperidone may speed the information processing in schizophrenic patients, contributing to the improvement of cognitive functions.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Measurements of both hippocampal blood flow and hippocampal gray matter volume in the same individuals with Alzheimer's disease.

We evaluated both hippocampal blood flow and hippocampal gray matter volume using single photon emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in the same individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and in age-matched controls. The hippocampal blood flow was not significantly lower in mild AD patients (n = 21, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) 23.3+/-2.1) than in controls (n = 16) with a 57% overlap. The hippocampal blood flow was significantly lower in advanced AD patients (n = 22, MMSE 15.4+/-3.2) than in controls. The hippocampal gray matter volume was significantly smaller in mild AD patients than in controls, although a 43% overlap was present. There was no significant difference in the hippocampal gray matter volume between the mild and advanced AD patients. The combination of measurements of hippocampal blood flow and gray matter volume discriminated 71% of mild AD patients from controls. These results suggest the usefulness of a combined analysis of hippocampal blood flow and gray matter volume for the early diagnosis of AD.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

[Treatment of major depressive disorder--method and selection of the treatment].

There are many ways of treatment for depression. Among them the most popular and effective treatment is pharmacotherapy. In the acute phase, pharmacotherapy with antidepressants, certain forms of psychotherapy, the combination of pharmacotherapy plus psychotherapy, and electroconvulsive treatment have clearly proven to be efficacious in most types of unipolar depressive disorders. The common augmenting agents probably are lithium, thyroid hormone, dopaminergic agents, and mood stabilizers. Certain treatments may be more effective in specific subtypes; for example, light therapy is useful for seasonal affective disorder. During the 16-24 weeks following remission, patients with antidepressant medications in the acute phase should be maintained on these agents to prevent relapse. For patient pharmacotherapy or psychotherapy has not been effective, the use of ECT may be useful. Following the continuation phase, maintenance-phase treatment should be considered for patients who have many depressive episodes to prevent recurrences of major depressive disorder.

Acute-Phase Reaction↗
PubMed2000

Identification of a novel gene with RING-H2 finger motif induced after chronic antidepressant treatment in rat brain.

Previously, we have identified 200 cDNA fragments as antidepressant related genes/ESTs. In this study, using these cDNAs, we developed our original cDNA microarray for rapid secondary screening of candidate genes as the novel therapeutic targets. With this microarray, we found that the expression of a novel gene, ADRG34, was significantly increased in rat hippocampus which had been chronically treated with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressant, sertraline. RT-PCR analysis also demonstrated the induction of ADRG34 at mRNA levels in rat hippocampus and the frontal cortex. This cDNA encoded 685 amino acid residues containing a RING-H2 finger motif at the carboxy-terminal. Sequence analysis of ADRG34 with the EMBL/GenBank database showed significant homology to mouse and human kf-1 gene. Our data suggest that ADRG34, a possible rat homologue of kf-1, may be one of the common functional molecules induced after chronic antidepressant treatment.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2000

Event-related potentials and thought disorder in schizophrenia.

We examined the relationship between event-related potentials and thought disorder in schizophrenia. The subjects were 29 chronic schizophrenic patients. Thought disorder was assessed using the Comprehensive Index of Positive Thought Disorder developed by Harrow and colleagues (Harrow and Quinlan, 1985; Marengo et al., 1986). Auditory event-related potentials were recorded during a standard oddball task. The P300 amplitude correlated negatively with the severity of the thought disorder. The P300 amplitude in the patients with thought disorder was significantly smaller than in the patients without thought disorder. These results suggest that a reduction in P300 amplitude is associated with a fundamental impairment of information processing in schizophrenic patients.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Steady-state plasma levels of nortriptyline and its hydroxylated metabolites in Japanese patients: impact of CYP2D6 genotype on the hydroxylation of nortriptyline.

The authors investigated the impact of the CYP2D6 genotype on steady-state concentrations of nortriptyline (NT) and its metabolites, trans-10-hydroxynortriptyline (EHNT) and cis-10-hydroxynortriptyline in a Japanese population of psychiatric patients. Forty-one patients (20 men and 21 women) were orally administered nortriptyline hydrochloride. The allele frequencies of the CYP2D6*5 and CYP2D6*10 were 4.9% and 34.1%, respectively. Significant differences in NT concentrations corrected for dose and weight were observed between the subjects with no mutated alleles and those with one mutated allele (mean +/- SD for no mutated alleles vs. one mutated allele: 70.3 +/- 25.4 vs. 98.4 +/- 36.6 ng/mL x mg(-1) x kg(-1); t = 2.54, dcf = 33, p < 0.05) and between the subjects with no mutated alleles and two mutated alleles (no mutated alleles vs. two mutated alleles: 70.3 +/- 25.4 vs. 147 +/- 31.1 ng/mL x mg(-1) x kg(-1); t = 5.87, df = 19, p < 0.0001). Also, a significant difference in the NT/EHNT ratio, which is representative of the hydroxylation ratio of NT, was observed between the subjects with no mutated alleles and those with two mutated alleles (no mutated alleles vs. two mutated alleles: 0.82 +/- 0.30 vs. 2.71 +/- 0.84; t = 7.86, df = 19, p < 0.0001). Multiple regression analysis showed that the number of mutated alleles of CYP2D6, which was the only significant factor, accounted for 41% and 48% of the variability in log(NT corrected for dose and weight) and log(NT/EHNT), respectively.

Adjustment Disorders↗