Anxiety Related Articles

The brain is the key organ in the response to stress. Brain reactions determine what in the world is threatening and might be stressful for us, and regulate the stress responses that can be either adaptive or maladaptive. Chronic stress can affect the brain and lead into depression: Environmental stressors related to job or family situation are important triggers of depressive episodes and major life events such as trauma or abuse amongst the most potent factors inducing depression.
The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that major depression will soon be the world??s greatest public health burden. Thus optimising antidepressive therapy with regard to delayed or insufficient treatment response and unwanted side effects is urgent. Since the development of novel antidepressants is based upon an improved neurobiological understanding of this condition, new information about the cellular changes that take place in the brain is required.
Professor Fuchs from the Clinical Neurobiology Laboratory, German Primate Center in Goettingen, will present the latest findings on how brain cells can be adversely affected by stress and depression. He will explain how the adult brain is generating new cells and which impact these findings will have on the development of novel antidepressant drugs.
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Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
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SPEAKER: Professor Eberhard Fuchs, Clinical Neurobiology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Goettingen, and Department of Neurology, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Goettingen, Germany. Buy ultram without prescription Press conference on 31 August 2008 in Barcelona, Spain.
Source: Sonja Mak
European College of Neuropsychopharmacology
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Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) is a gas most commonly associated with the smell of stink bombs, sewage and rotten eggs, but a team of researchers from the Peninsula Medical School in the South West of England and King’s College London have now identified a role for this gas in regulating blood pressure, according to research published in the leading science journal Circulation.
The research team has previously shown that H2S is produced naturally within our bodies, along with other gaseous molecules such as nitric oxide and that a balance between these gases relates to good health, whereas an imbalance could indicate disease. In the case of high blood pressure, a reduction in nitric oxide results in increased blood pressure, while H2S may counteract this.
H2S works by relaxing vascular tissue and improving the flexibility of veins and arteries, making for a smoother flow of blood around the body. In the past, limited studies on H2S could be performed as the only approach available to researchers was to use H2S gas from a cylinder or the highly toxic compound sodium hydrosulphide (NaHS), often administered as a bolus.
However, the research team from the Peninsula Medical School and King’s College have synthesised a new molecule which would allow H2S to be released into the body in a more controllable and regulated manner. The result is a slow-releasing H2S donor molecule which can be used to model the effects of naturally produced H2S and allow researchers to further understand the role H2S has in the body during health and disease.
Prof. Philip K. Moore from King’s College commented: "The enzymes that make H2S in the body do so slowly. Buy ultram pills Therefore, generating H2S in a slow and sustained manner may be a better way to study the physiology and pathophysiology of H2S in man than previously used approaches".
Dr. Matt Whiteman from the Peninsula Medical School added: "These are exciting times. We are only just starting to unravel the surprising role H2S has in the body not only in the cardiovascular system but also its role in inflammation, neurodegeneration and diabetes, as well as its role in health".
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Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
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The Peninsula Medical School is a joint entity of the University of Exeter, the University of Plymouth and the NHS in the South West of England, and a partner of the Combined Universities in Cornwall. The Peninsula Medical School has created for itself an excellent national and international reputation for groundbreaking research in the areas of diabetes and obesity, neurological disease, child development and ageing, clinical education and health technology assessment.
Source: Andrew Gould
The Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry
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Researchers from the Cleveland Clinic, Brown University, and Massachusetts General Hospital will present results of a long-term outcome study that builds on previous promising research, which has shown that deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a potentially effective treatment option for people with treatment resistant major depression.
The World Health Organization rates major depression as the top cause of disability worldwide. While many patients with major depression find relief through a combination of psychotherapy and medication, some people are left severely disabled. Patients who are most resistant to medications, psychotherapies, and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) have little hope of recovery, and suffer a heightened risk of suicide and mortality. Sadly, statistics show that the suicide rate in people with major depression is as high as 15 percent.
DBS surgery involves the placement of tiny implantable electrodes into specific parts of the brain that are functioning abnormally. These electrodes emit tiny pulses of electrical stimulation to block the abnormal activity in the brain, which causes a variety of symptoms such as pain, tremors, movement problems; as well as obsessions, moods and anxieties associated with psychiatric disorders. The success of DBS is dependent on the surgical team’s ability to precisely pinpoint the specific brain area for stimulation. The advantage of DBS is that it is reversible, nondestructive, and can be modified by adjustment of the stimulator settings after implantation.
Ali R. Rezai, MD, director of Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Neurological Restoration, and a multi-center team of investigators were inspired by the success of DBS in treating the tremors associated with Parkinson’s and movement disorders like dystonia and essential tremor. "Starting in 2001, we began treating patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) with promising outcomes. These findings resulted in the initiation of a subsequent trial for patients with severe and medication intractable major depression, starting in 2003," stated Dr. Rezai.
"The preliminary results of research undertaken between 2003 and 2005 indicated that bilateral DBS of the anterior limb of the internal capsule holds promise for the treatment of intractable major depression, which led to the more extensive research results being presented today," added Dr. Rezai.
The results of the current study, Deep Brain Stimulation for the Treatment of Depression: Long-Term Outcomes from a Prospective Multi-Center Trial, will be presented by Dr. Rezai, from 10:30 to 10:44 a.m. on Tuesday, April 29, 2008, during the 76th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons in Chicago. Co-authors are Linda Carpenter, MD, Darin Dougherty, MD, Emad Eskandar, MD, Gerhard Friehs, MD, Cynthia Kubu, PhD, Andre Machado, MD, PhD, Paul Malloy, PhD, Donald Malone, MD, Lawrence H. Price, MD, Steven Rasmussen, MD, Scott Rauch, MD, Stephen Salloway, MD, and Audrey Tyrka, MD, PhD. This multidisciplinary group consists of close collaboration between neurosurgeons, psychiatrists and psychologists from these institutions.
Fifteen chronic and severely depressed patients were enrolled in this study. These patients had failed multiple medication trials, as well as psychotherapy and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). These highly intractable and often suicidal patients underwent bilateral DBS implantation in the ventral internal capsule/ventral striatum (VC/VS) at the three institutions.
The Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRAS) was the primary outcome scale, among many scales, including those assessing overall quality of life, functioning and cognitive status. The outcome raters were blinded to the DBS status of the patient. Follow-up ranged from six to 48 months, with a duration of one year or longer in 11 of the 15 patients. Responder criteria was defined by this study as a 50 percent decrease in MADRAS scores. The following outcomes were noted:
– Responses were seen in seven (47 percent) of 15 patients at six months, five (45.5 percent) of 11 at 12 months, and eight (53.3 percent) of 15 at last follow-up.
– Long-term improvement in depression severity, functioning, and quality of life were all noted.
– Measures of short-term memory improved.
– There were no hemorrhages, infections or other neurological deficits.
"This research substantiates our earlier findings, which indicate that bilateral DBS of the anterior limb of the internal capsule holds promise and hope for select patients suffering from severe and treatment resistant major depression, stated Dr. Rezai. "While about half of this patient group responded to treatment, I feel that as we learn more about this rather new technology, efficacy will continue to improve. It is important to understand that this treatment is not for everyone with major depression and only for those that have tried various medications, psychotherapy and ECT. But, nevertheless, it is very promising news for the many suffering patients and their family members that have virtually given up hope."
Results of the OCD study, Deep Brain Stimulation of the Ventral Internal Capsule/Ventral Striatum for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): World-Wide Experience, will be presented by Dr. Rezai, one day prior to the depression study, 2:45 to 2:59 p.m., Monday, April 28. While OCD is not as prevalent as depression, it does affect 2 to 3 percent of the United States population, and at least 10 percent of patients have disabling cases that are resistant to treatment. The results reveal meaningful symptom reductions and functional improvement in about two-thirds of highly resistant patients after open treatment. Recent improvements in outcomes have been achieved through refinements in targeting areas. This is a worldwide cooperative prospective study involving the largest number of severe and intractable OCD patients with long-term follow-up with DBS.
Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with more than 7,200 members worldwide. The AANS is dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurological surgery in order to provide the highest quality of neurosurgical care to the public. All active members of the AANS are certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (Neurosurgery) of Canada or the Mexican Council of Neurological Surgery, AC. Neurological surgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the entire nervous system, including the spinal column, spinal cord, brain and peripheral nerves.
American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS)
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Rolling Meadows, IL 60008
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Palatin Technologies, Inc. (Amex: PTN) and King Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(NYSE: KG) announced today that they have delayed plans for the initiation
of Phase 3 clinical trials with bremelanotide, a first in class
melanocortin agonist drug candidate, for the treatment of male erectile
dysfunction (ED). The decision follows responses from representatives of
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which raised serious concerns
about the acceptable benefit/risk ratio to support the progression of the
proposed program into Phase 3 studies for ED.
After reviewing the data generated in the Phase 1 and 2 studies, the
FDA questioned the overall efficacy results and the clinical benefit of
this product in both the general and diabetic ED populations, and cited
blood pressure increases as its greatest safety concern. Though not
supportive of the proposed Phase 3 studies for ED with bremelanotide, the
FDA stated that it was amenable to proposals for a different drug
development pathway, such as for a second-line therapy in non-responders to
currently approved PDE-5 inhibitors.
"The safety of patients in our clinical program has always been our
number one priority and we will work closely with the FDA, King, and our
advisors to determine the next steps for the program," stated Carl Spana,
Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Palatin.
Palatin and King plan to review the FDA comments in the overall context
of the program in order to determine next steps related to the further
development of bremelanotide for the treatment of ED.
About ED
ED is defined as the consistent inability to attain and maintain an
erection sufficient for sexual intercourse. The condition is correlated
with increasing age, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes,
hyperlipidemia, and smoking. In addition, certain prescription drugs and
psychogenic issues may contribute to ED. It is estimated that some degree
of ED affects one half of all men over the age of 40 and that 150 million
men worldwide suffer from ED.
About Palatin Technologies, Inc.
Palatin Technologies, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on
discovering and developing targeted, receptor-specific small molecule and
peptide therapeutics. Palatin’s internal research and development
capabilities, anchored by its proprietary MIDAS(TM) technology, are fueling
product development. Palatin’s strategy is to develop products and then
form marketing collaborations with industry leaders in order to maximize
their commercial potential. To date, Palatin has entered into
collaborations with AstraZeneca, King Pharmaceuticals, and Tyco Healthcare
Buy clomid pills Mallinckrodt. For additional information regarding Palatin, please visit
Palatin Technologies’ website at
About King Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
King, headquartered in Bristol, Tennessee, is a vertically integrated
branded pharmaceutical company. King, an S&P 500 Index company, seeks to
capitalize on opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry through the
development, including through in-licensing arrangements and acquisitions,
of novel branded prescription pharmaceutical products in attractive markets
and the strategic acquisition of branded products that can benefit from
focused promotion and marketing and product life-cycle management.
Palatin Technologies, Inc

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