LinkBlog

Disclaimer

All content within Anxiety Insights is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your doctor or other health care professional.

Anxiety Insights is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a reader based on the content of this website.

Anxiety Insights is not liable for the contents of any external internet sites listed, nor does it endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised on any of the sites.

Always consult your doctor if you are in any way concerned about your health.

Depression linked with first stroke in elderly

« H E » email

posted Wednesday, 23 July 2008

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The results of a study in the current issue of the journal Stroke suggest that there is an association between depression and an increased risk of having a first stroke in elderly patients.

More...

copy;2008 Reuters

tags: clinical depression stroke

links: digg this del.icio.us technorati reddit

comments

Action-potential

Wave of electrochemical activity generated by the flow of positively charged ions across the neuronal membrane which causes a neuron to 'fire'
- Click page link for more information -

Affective disorders

Mental disorders characterized by dramatic changes or extremes of mood - depression, mania, or both - including depression, bipolar disorder (manic depression), and schizo affective disorders.
- Click page link for more information -

Alleles

An alternative form of a gene (one member of a pair) that is located at a specific position on a specific chromosome. There are two alleles for each trait.
- Click page link for more information -

Amygdalae

Two almond-shaped groups of neurons - there is one amygdala (Greek for almond) in each brain hemisphere. They have the primary role in processing and storing memories of emotional reactions.

Part of the Limbic System the amygdalae trigger an instant fear reaction to perceived threats, real or imagined.
- Click page link for more information -

Anterior cingulate cortex

Has a role in empathy, emotions, cognitive control (attention, conflict monitoring during information processing) and plays a role in stimulus reinforcement learning and reward-guided selection of actions.

Also controls autonomic functions such as heart rate and blood pressure in the context of current behavior.
- Click page link for more information -

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor

Protein required for the growth and survival of nerve cells during development, and for maintenance of adult nerve cells. Studies have shown that some neurotrophic factors can trigger regrowth of damaged nerve cells and stimulate growth and differentiation of new neurons and synapses in the hippocampus.
- Click page link for more information -

Cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT)

Type of psychotherapy emphasizing the important role of thinking in how we feel and what we do.

Based on the concept that our thoughts cause our feelings and behaviors, not external things like people, situations, and events. The benefit of this fact is that we can change the way we think to feel/act better even if the situation does not change.
- Click page link for more information -
(Additional information in Ai side panel)

Clinical trial-Phase 1

The first test in humans of a new treatment to see if it is safe to use in people.
- Click page link for more information -

Compassion meditation

Based on Tibetan Buddhism techniques. Trains the mind to optimize the way it perceives relationships with others. Experienced practitioners are able to alter brain functioning to boost positive emotions, and enhance their immune systems.

Related to Mindfulness Meditation/Psychotherapy.
- Click page link for more information -

Corticotropin-releasing factor

A polypeptide hormone and neuro- transmitter involved in the stress response.

CRF hyper secretion is believed to contribute to hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in depressed patients. Hyper secretion has also been implicated in anxiety.
- Click page link for more information -

Cortisol

The most potent of the stress hormones. Synthesized from cholesterol by the adrenal glands. Increases blood pressure, blood sugar levels and suppresses immune function.
- Click page link for more information -

Dentate gyrus

Part of the hippocampus. Thought to contribute to formation of new memories and is one of the few brain regions where neurogenesis occurs. Has a role in recognizing the differences that make each place unique. Processing errors may play a role in deja vu.
- Click page link for more information -

Depression - Atypical

Defined by the ability to feel better temporarily in response to positive life events, plus any two of the following criteria: excessive sleep, overeating, a feeling of heaviness in the limbs and a sensitivity to rejection. Despite the name, it is actually the most common form of depression.
- Click page link for more information -

Depression - Clinical/Major

Characterized by a pervasive, unremitting low mood and loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities. In addition there are other physical and mental symptoms that may include fatigue, difficulty with concentration and memory, feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, headaches, body aches, and thoughts of suicide.
- Click page link for more information -

Epigenetics

Process by which environmental factors like diet, stress, and ante/post-natal maternal factors can change gene function without altering the DNA sequence. These changes may remain through cell divisions and may also be passed down through multiple generations.
- Click page link for more information -

First-degree relative

A parent, sibling or child of an individual.

Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA)

The major inhibitory neurotransmitter of the central nervous system. Dampens brain activity and promotes a state of calm.

An amino acid produced in the brain as a by-product of the Krebs glucose metabolism cycle which powers brain cells.

Note 1: Benzodiazepines (Valium® etc) do not increase brain GABA levels, but increase the sensitivity of GABA receptors.

Note 2: GABA does not penetrate the Brain-Blood-Barrier so GABA supplements are, at best, expensive placebos.
- Click page link for more information -

Heterozygote, Homozygote

Heterozygote: Any organism which has two differing forms of a particular gene for a specific trait, one inherited from each parent.

Homozygote: Any organism which has two identical forms of a particular gene for a specific trait, one inherited from each parent.

Because genes are either dominant or recessive, the genetic makeup (genotype) of an organism cannot always be determined by physical appearance alone.

Hippocampus

A seahorse shaped sheet of neurons laying next to the Amygdalae. Regulates emotions and short term memory.
- Click page link for more information -

Homologous

Anatomical structures that perform the same function in different biological species having evolved from the same structure in a shared ancestor species.

Hypothalamus

Regulates homeostasis, the maintenance of the body's status quo by producing hormones which control: Body temperature, Hunger, Moods, Sex drive, Sleep and Thirst.
- Click page link for more information -

Interpersonal psychotherapy

Time-limited psychotherapy focusing on the interpersonal context and building interpersonal skills. Based on the belief that interpersonal factors may contribute heavily to psychological problems. Distinguished from other forms of therapy in its emphasis on the interpersonal rather than the intra psychic.
- Click page link for more information -

Lyme disease

Caused by spirochaete bacteria of the genus Borrelia which are found worldwide. It is called 'Chronic lymphocytic meningitis', 'Neuroborreliosis', 'Garin-Bujadoux syndrome' and 'Bannwarth's syndrome' in Europe.

In addition to symptoms typical of infectious disease - fever, chills, headache, rash etc, Lyme can also produce 'classic' anxiety symptoms including tingling or numbness of the extremities, disorientation, mental 'fog,' short term memory loss, fatigue, poor concentration and sleep disturbance, and may trigger depression. In some cases, these symptoms may not become apparent for many years after the initial infection.
- Click page link for more information -

Meta-analysis

Mathematical technique to amalgamating, summarizing, and reviewing previous quantitative research to arrive at one overall measure of treatment effect.

A weakness of the method is that sources of bias in the original research are not controlled by the method. A good meta-analysis of badly designed studies will still result in bad statistics.
- Click page link for more information -

Mindfulness psychotherapy

Mindfulness is the practice of becoming more aware of the present moment, rather than dwelling in the past or projecting into the future. It generally involves a heightened awareness of sensory stimuli (really noticing your breathing, feeling the sensations of your body, etc); and being 'in the now'. Principles may be combined with the concepts of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT) as Mindfulness-based Psychotherapy.
- Click page link for more information -

Neurogenesis

Process by which new neurons are generated after the postnatal stage of development. It appears to only occur in two areas of the brain, the hippocampus and the olfactory bulbs. Hippocampal neurogenesis is thought to counter anxiety and depression.
- Click page link for more information -

Neuropeptide

One of about 100 peptides including endorphins, enkephalins, oxytocin and vasopressin which mediate brain function by regulating gene expression, local blood flow and synaptogenesis. The neuropeptides Cholecystokinin, Substance P and Neuropeptide Y have been linked to anxiety and depressive disorders.
- Click page link for more information -

Neuroplastic

The brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections.
- Click page link for more information -

Polymorphism

Natural variations in a gene, DNA sequence, protein, or chromosome-Click page link for more information-

Prefrontal Cortex

Area of the brain's frontal lobes involved in planning complex cognitive behaviors, the expression of personality and social behavior.
- Click page link for more information -

Prospective study

Tests a specific question, usually about how a specific exposure(s) affects a specific outcome(s) by recruiting appropriate participants and checks the outcomes over the following months or years.

Psychodynamic psychotherapy

Talking therapy used to help a person find relief from emotional pain. It is based on the theories and techniques of Freudian/Jung style psychoanalysis. However, practitioners don't necessarily accept the 'classical' psychoanalysis theory that emotional conflicts are primarily sexual in nature.

Receptor

Short-lived protein molecules embedded in the cell wall of neurons, especially of their synapses, to which neurotransmitters attach to initiate an action. Also called ´binding sites´
- Click page link for more information -

Receptor agonist

A chemical which is able to bind to receptors of a neurotransmitter and trigger the same biological response as that neurotransmitter.

Receptor antagonist

A drug that is so similar chemically to a neurotransmitter that it is capable of binding to a receptor for the neurotransmitter but which does not trigger the biological response of that neurotransmitter. By blocking its receptors the antagonist disrupts or inhibits the action of the neurotransmitter.

Safety behavior

Behavior undertaken to reduce anxious thoughts, or to keep yourself 'safe' from imagined threats, or to hide your anxious state from others. Examples include constant monitoring of breathing or heart rate, shopping during quiet retail hours, taking precautionary tranquillizers "just in case," taking circuitous routes to avoid highways or bridges when driving, sitting close to exits, avoiding eye contact, playing with keys to hide trembling hands.

Seasonal affective disorder

A type of depression triggered by the seasons. The most common type is winter-onset depression (aka Winter blues), but some also regularly become depressed at the start of spring-summer.
- Click page link for more information -

Serotonin transporter

A protein that transports the neurotransmitter serotonin across cell membranes.
- Click page link for more information -

Somatization disorder

Manifests as chronic, persistent complaints of varied physical symptoms that have no identifiable organic origin or basis. Often co morbid with other psychological disorders, particularly anxiety or mood disorders, plus irritable bowel syndrome and chronic pain. Occurs in 0.2% to 2% of females and 0.2% of males. Also known as Briquet's disorder.-Click page link for more information-

Sympathetic nervous system

The part of the nervous system which controls the body’s internal, involuntary processes including breathing, digestion, blood vessel tone, heart rate, etc. It also mediates the fight-or-flight response.

Synapses

Gaps between neurons through which "information" flows from one neuron (brain cell) to another.
- Click page link for more information -

White matter

Regions of the brain and spinal cord largely composed of nerve fibers (axons) sheathed in insulating myelin composed of lipids (fats) which give them their color.

White matter abnormalities (hyperintensities):
Damage to the myelin insulation. May be inherited, the result of disease (Multiple Sclerosis) or physical injury, stroke etc. Most brains accumulate some WM abnormalities with age.
- Click page link for more information -

««	Jan 2009					»»
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
				1	2	3
4	5	6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14	15	16	17
18	19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30	31

Calendar