Journal of affective disorders
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Bipolar disorder (BD) is a highly heritable mental illness which is associated with neuroanatomical abnormalities. Investigating healthy individuals at high genetic risk for bipolar disorder may help to identify neuroanatomical markers of risk and resilience without the confounding effects of burden of illness or medication. ⋯ Our findings suggest that increased inferior frontal gyrus and decreased cerebellar volumes might be associated with genetic predisposition for bipolar disorder. Longitudinal studies are needed to better understand the predictive and prognostic value of structural changes in these regions.
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While suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB) among college students are common, the associations between STB and academic performance are not well understood. ⋯ Lifetime STB has a strong negative association with academic performance in college. Our study suggests a potential role for the college environment as target for treatment and prevention interventions.
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Ketamine is associated with rapid antidepressant efficacy but the biological mechanisms underpinning this effect are unclear. Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (sBDNF) is a potential circulating biomarker of treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and ketamine response but it is unclear if this is a common target of both ketamine and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), the current gold standard for TRD. Moreover, the impact of multiple ketamine infusions on sBDNF has not yet been established. ⋯ SBDNF normalisation does not appear to be a prerequisite for symptomatic improvement in TRD following ketamine or ECT treatment.