Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Cognitive Distortions In Relation To Plasma Cortisol And Oxytocin Levels In Major Depressive Disorder, Susan J. Thomas, Theresa A. Larkin

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Negative thinking is prominent in major depressive disorder (MDD). Cognitive models propose that negative thinking influences the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and cortisol release. Oxytocin is also linked to MDD, social and affective processing, and stress buffering. Little research has examined direct relationships between negative cognitions, cortisol, and oxytocin. Methods: Sixty-one unmedicated participants meeting DSM-5 criteria for MDD and 60 healthy controls completed measures of psychopathology, stress, and cognitions. Plasma samples were analyzed for cortisol and oxytocin. Between-group analyses of variance were conducted along with correlational, regression and mediation analyses. Results: Depressed participants reported greater frequency and believability of negative thoughts than …

Serum Apob Levels In Depressive Patients: Associated With Cognitive Deficits, Li Hui, Mei Han, Xiang Dong Du, Bao Hua J. Zhang, Shu Chang He, Tian Nan Shao, Guang Zhong Yin

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Cognitive deficits have been regarded as one of the most significant clinical symptoms of depressive disorder. Accumulating evidence has shown that apolipoprotein B (ApoB) levels, which are responsible for inducing neurodegeneration, may be involved in cognitive deficits. This study examines cognitive deficits, and the correlation of serum ApoB levels with cognitive deficits of depressive disorder. 90 depressive patients and 90 healthy controls with matched age and gender were recruited. Cognition was assessed using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). Serum ApoB levels in depressive patients were measured by immunoturbidimetric method. Our results showed that depressive patients …

A Systematic Review Of The Effect Of Cannabidiol On Cognitive Function: Relevance To Schizophrenia, Ashleigh L. Osborne, Nadia Solowij, Katrina Weston-Green

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Background and objectives Cognitive impairment is a core symptom domain of schizophrenia, neurological disorders and substance abuse. It is characterised by deficits in learning, memory, attention and executive functioning and can severely impact daily living. Antipsychotic drugs prescribed to treat schizophrenia provide limited cognitive benefits and novel therapeutic targets are required. Cannabidiol (CBD), a component of the cannabis plant, has anti-inflammatory and antipsychotic-like properties; however, its ability to improve cognitive impairment has not been thoroughly explored. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate preclinical and clinical literature on the effects of CBD in cognitive domains relevant to schizophrenia. …

Complementary Medicine For The Modification Of Risk Factors For Cognitive Impairment, Genevieve Z. Steiner, Sai Seto, Yiu Wa Kwan, Crystal Haskell-Ramsay, David A. Camfield

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

There is a natural decline in cognitive function as we age, particularly in processing speed and working memory. A range of modifiable factors can increase the risk of accelerated cognitive decline including hypertension, chronic inflammation, atherosclerosis, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, stroke, and impaired central nervous system glucose regulation. Given the lack of adequate interventions for cognitive decline and dementia, it is essential that treatments with the potential to reduce the risk of cognitive impairment are thoroughly explored.

A Systematic Review Of Intervention Studies Examining Nutritional And Herbal Therapies For Mild Cognitive Impairment And Dementia Using Neuroimaging Methods: Study Characteristics And Intervention Efficacy, Genevieve Z. Steiner, Danielle Mathersul, Freya Macmillan, David A. Camfield, Nerida Klupp, Sai Seto, Yong Huang, Mark Hohenberg, Dennis Chang

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Neuroimaging facilitates the assessment of complementary medicines (CMs) by providing a noninvasive insight into their mechanisms of action in the human brain. This is important for identifying the potential treatment options for target disease cohorts with complex pathophysiologies. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate study characteristics, intervention efficacy, and the structural and functional neuroimaging methods used in research assessing nutritional and herbal medicines for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. Six databases were searched for articles reporting on CMs, dementia, and neuroimaging methods. Data were extracted from 21/2,742 eligible full text articles and risk of bias was …

Cognitive, Affective And Social Processes Involved In Help-Negation After Critical Suicidal Thoughts, Coralie Wilson, Alexander Svenson, Peter Caputi

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Presentation at the National Suicide Prevention Conference, Melbourne Australia, July 2013

Help-negation is defined as the process of help withdrawal or avoidance found among those currently experiencing clinical and subclinical levels of different forms of psychological distress, including low and critical levels of suicidal ideation (Wilson, Bushnell, Caputi, 2011). Understanding the determinants of help-negation in suicidal samples that have not yet come to treatment provides a potent opportunity to target prevention and early intervention strategies to facilitate appropriate and timely help-seeking. Over 20 help-negation studies have ruled out variables that might explain the withdrawal process associated with suicidal thoughts. These …

Cognitive Phenotyping Of Amyloid Precursor Protein Transgenic J20 Mice, Tim Karl, Surabhi Bhatia, David Cheng, Woojin Scott Kim, Brett Garner

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Transgenic mice that express familial Alzheimer's disease mutant forms of the human amyloid precursor protein (hAPP) have proved to be invaluable in determining the impact that the neurotoxic amyloid-β peptide has in vivo. In addition to the propensity to accumulate cerebral amyloid plaques, a crucial characteristic of hAPP mouse models is their cognitive impairments. To date the most widely used test for analyzing cognitive impairment in hAPP mice is the Morris water maze (MWM) which, due to the fact that mice are not "natural" swimmers, may not always be the ideal paradigm to investigate cognitive behaviours. Furthermore, not all cognitive …