Multiple lines of evidence suggest that inflammation and glutamate dysfunction contribute to the pathophysiology of depression. In this review we provide an overview of how these two systems may interact. Excess levels of inflammatory mediators occur in a subgroup of depressed patients. Studies of acute experimental activation of the immune system with endotoxin and of chronic activation during interferon-α treatment show that inflammation can cause depression. Peripheral inflammation leads to microglial activation which could interfere with excitatory amino acid metabolism leading to inappropriate glutamate receptor activation. Loss of astroglia, a feature of depression, upsets the balance of anti- and pro-inflammatory mediators and further impairs the removal of excitatory amino acids. Microglia activated by excess inflammation, astroglial loss, and inappropriate glutamate receptor activation ultimately disrupt the delicate balance of neuroprotective versus neurotoxic effects in the brain, potentially leading to depression.

In this article, the literature examining the relationship between testosterone and various cognitive domains in elderly men is reviewed. The review focuses on the role of endogenous testosterone levels and the effects of androgen depletion and replacement. The cognitive domains most commonly linked to testosterone include memory and visuospatial function. Indeed, the literature suggests that in certain conditions (ie, hypogonadism, cognitive impairment) testosterone levels may be significantly associated with memory and visuospatial function, but not other cognitive functions. Studies with larger sample sizes and more sensitive cognitive measures are indicated, as questions remain about the potential role of testosterone as a cognitive enhancer.

Many adults with a diagnosed psychiatric disorder also have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In many cases, comorbid ADHD is unrecognized and/or undertreated. Differential diagnosis of adult ADHD can be challenging because ADHD symptoms may overlap with other psychiatric disorders and patients may lack insight into their ADHD-related symptoms. Current ADHD diagnostic criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition-Text Revision may prevent appropriate diagnosis of many patients with significant ADHD symptoms. Adults may not be able to provide a history of onset of symptoms during childhood, and it may be difficult to confirm that ADHD symptoms are not better accounted for by other comorbid psychiatric conditions. Comorbid ADHD is most prevalent among patients with mood, anxiety, substance use, and impulse-control disorders. ADHD can negatively affect outcomes of other comorbid psychiatric disorders, and ADHD symptoms may compromise compliance with treatment regimens. Furthermore, unrecognized ADHD symptoms may be mistaken for poor treatment response in these comorbid disorders. In these individuals, ADHD pharmacotherapy seems to be as effective in reducing core ADHD symptoms, as it is in patients who have no comorbidity. Limited evidence further suggests that ADHD therapy may help to improve symptoms of certain psychiatric comorbidities, such as depression. Therefore, management of ADHD may help to stabilize daily functioning and facilitate a fuller recovery.

Diphenhydramine is a widely used antihistaminic that is frequently included in over-the-counter medications. Due to its sedating properties, diphenhydramine is used in some hypnotic preparations. Occasionally, patients respond to diphenhydramine with paradoxical excitation. There are no studies on the prevalence of paradoxical excitation in healthy subjects. Diphenhydramine appears to cause mild inhibition of the cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2D6 enzyme. This can be interpreted as competitive inhibition, suggesting that diphenhydramine may be a CYP2D6 substrate. When subjects have at least three active copies of the CYP2D6 gene, they are called ultrarapid metabolizers (UMs) and present high metabolic capacity for CYP2D6 substrates. In the United States, CYP2D6 UMs may account for ∼1 % to 2% of the population. We describe three CYP2D6 UMs who reported paradoxical excitation on diphenhydramine. These cases suggest that in CYP2D6 UMs, diphenhydramine may be converted to a compound that causes excitation due to the abnormally high CYP2D6 activity. Therefore, such individuals may be at higher risk for excitation. Although these are onl y three anecdotal cases of paradoxical excitation from three CYP2D6 UMs, the reports illustrate the need for larger, more formal studies of diphenhydramine responses in CYP2D6 UMs and of diphenhydramine metabolism.

We describe the eighth case study of a female diagnosed with anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor encephalitis without an identified tumor who presented with floridly psychotic symptoms following a 2-week prodromal phase with new-onset headaches and presyncopal episodes. While hospitalized, the patient had seizures, autonomic dysfunction, involuntary movements, and a decline in mental status. A subsequent assay was positive for anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antibodies. In contrast to most reported cases, an initial trial with corticosteroids was therapeutically unsuccessful. Subsequent treatment with intravenous immunoglobulins, however, resulted in a prompt, robust clinical response and enabled the patient to be rapidly discharged from the hospital, with minimal neuropsychiatrie sequelae.

Introduction: Evidence from phenomenological, family, genetic, and treatment studies from Western centers have suggested that tic-related obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) could be different from non-tic-related OCD. This study from India investigated the differences in OCD with and without tics, with respect to sociode-mographics, symptom profile, and comorbidity, including obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders, to examine whether the clinical profile of tic-related OCD is similar to that reported previously.

Methods: Fifty subjects with OCD and tics (chronic motor tics and Tourette syndrome) were compared with 141 OCD subjects without tics.

Results: Subjects having OCD with tics tended to be males, and had an earlier onset of illness. They had more of symmetry/aggressive and religious obsessions, and cleaning, ordering/arranging, hoarding, and repeating compulsions and were associated with trichotillomania and hypochondraisis. Stepwise backward (Wald) regression analysis showed that an early age of onset, male gender, aggressive obsessions, cleaning compulsions, and trichotillomania were significantly associated with tic-related OCD.

Conclusion: The findings of this study from India are broadly similar to those reported previously from the West indicating the universality of differences in tic- and non-tic-related OCD. Our findings also support the existing evidence that tics contribute to the heterogeneity of OCD.

Antidepressants are important in the treatment of depression, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are first-line pharmacologic options. However, only 50% to 70% of patients respond to first treatment and <40% remit. Since depression is associated with substantial morbidity, mortality, and family burden, it is unfortunate and demanding on health resources that patients must remain on their prescribed medications for at least 4 weeks without knowing whether the particular antidepressant will be effective. Studies have suggested a number of predictors of treatment response, including clinical, psychophysiological, neuroimaging, and genetics, each with varying degrees of success and nearly all with poor prognostic sensitivity and specificity. Studies are yet to be conducted that use multiple measures from these different domains to determine whether sensitivity and specificity can be improved to predict individual treatment response. It is proposed that a focus on standardized testing methodologies across multiple testing modalities and their integration will be crucial for translation of research findings into clinical practice.

Although treatments for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) currently focus on symptomatic therapies, we are entering into an era of disease-modifying therapies. Central to disease modification is early diagnosis; the disease should be slowed as early as possible, maximizing the preservation of cognitive integrity. Ideally, AD should be diagnosed before the onset of dementia, perhaps with the use of biomarkers.

Some therapies suggest that cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine have disease-modifying properties, though not all studies agree. Doody and colleagues have produced data suggesting that these agents may modify the course of AD, but it is not clear that they affect the underlying mechanisms that lead to cell death. Rather than being disease-modifying agents, cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine have potential as disease-course-modifying agents. Language precision will be extremely important in describing these therapies. One European consensus conference concluded that affecting disease course is not adequate for disease modification, but this has not been largely endorsed.

Symptomatic therapies are those affecting the course of the disease. Their benefits are multidimensional, improving cognition, global assessment, activities of daily living, behavior, and caregiver burden. Symptomatic therapies should defer decline. Clinical trials show that symptomatic therapies produce an initial improvement above baseline. However, some patients experience observable changes and some experience none. These therapies are believed to produce ~1 point improvement on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) average, and a decline that is otherwise parallel to a placebo group after a period of delayed progression (Slide 1).