Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses of Psychosocial Interventions for Veterans of the Military.

Systematic review and meta-analyses of psychosocial interventions for veterans of the military.

Filed under: Depression Treatment

Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2012; 3:
Kitchiner NJ, Roberts NP, Wilcox D, Bisson JI

The efficacy of psychosocial therapies for common mental health disorders in veterans is unclear and requires further examination.Systematic review and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Twenty databases were searched. Studies were included if they reported a psychosocial intervention designed to treat or reduce common mental health symptoms in veterans identified as being symptomatic at the time they entered the study. Studies of substance dependency disorders and psychosis were excluded. Eligible studies were assessed against methodological quality criteria and data were extracted and analysed.Twenty-nine RCTs were identified. There was evidence for the use of trauma-focused therapies for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and some evidence for psychological interventions in the treatment of borderline personality disorder, depression, insomnia, and panic disorder co-morbid to PTSD. However, methodological quality of many of the studies was less than optimal.Trauma-focused psychological therapies are likely to be effective for combat-related PTSD but there is a need for more research to determine the efficacy of psychological treatments for other mental health disorders in veterans.
HubMed – depression

 

Physical activity and exercise in the treatment of depression.

Filed under: Depression Treatment

Front Psychiatry. 2012; 3: 106
Blake H

HubMed – depression

 

Novel modulatory effects of neurosteroids and benzodiazepines on excitatory and inhibitory neurons excitability: a multi-electrode array recording study.

Filed under: Depression Treatment

Front Neural Circuits. 2012; 6: 94
Puia G, Gullo F, Dossi E, Lecchi M, Wanke E

The balance between glutamate- and GABA-mediated neurotransmission in the brain is fundamental in the nervous system, but it is regulated by the “tonic” release of a variety of endogenous factors. One such important group of molecules are the neurosteroids (NSs) which, similarly to benzodiazepines (BDZs), enhance GABAergic neurotransmission. The purpose of our work was to investigate, at in vivo physiologically relevant concentrations, the effects of NSs and BDZs as GABA modulators on dissociated neocortical neuron networks grown in long-term culture. We used a multi-electrode array (MEA) recording technique and a novel analysis that was able to both identify the action potentials of engaged excitatory and inhibitory neurons and to detect drug-induced network up-states (burst). We found that the NSs tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone (THDOC) and allopregnanolone (ALLO) applied at low nanomolar concentrations, produced different modulatory effects on the two neuronal clusters. Conversely, at high concentrations (1 ?M), both NSs, decreased excitatory and inhibitory neuron cluster excitability; however, even several hours after wash-out, the excitability of inhibitory neurons continued to be depressed, leading to a network long-term depression (LTD). The BDZs clonazepam (CLZ) and midazolam (MDZ) also decreased the network excitability, but only MDZ caused LTD of inhibitory neuron cluster. To investigate the origin of the LTD after MDZ application, we tested finasteride (FIN), an inhibitor of endogenous NSs synthesis. FIN did not prevent the LTD induced by MDZ, but surprisingly induced it after application of CLZ. The significance and possible mechanisms underlying these LTD effects of NSs and BDZs are discussed. Taken together, our results not only demonstrate that ex vivo networks show a sensitivity to NSs and BDZs comparable to that expressed in vivo, but also provide a new global in vitro description that can help in understanding their activity in more complex systems.
HubMed – depression

 

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