Trajectories of Agouti-Related Protein and Leptin Levels During Antipsychotic-Associated Weight Gain in Patients With Schizophrenia.

Trajectories of Agouti-Related Protein and Leptin Levels During Antipsychotic-Associated Weight Gain in Patients With Schizophrenia.

Filed under: Addiction Rehab

J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2012 Nov 5;
Ehrlich S, Leopold K, Merle JV, Theophil I, Haag W, Lautenschlager M, Schaefer M

OBJECTIVE: Some but not all second-generation antipsychotics can induce considerable weight gain and metabolic syndrome. Although the exact biochemical mechanisms for these adverse effects are unclear, appetite-regulating neuropeptides of the central nervous system are thought to be implicated in this process. The hypothalamic mediator Agouti-related protein (AGRP) is inhibited by leptin and was shown to increase food intake. The aim of the present study was to investigate the trajectory of AGRP levels during antipsychotic-induced weight gain. METHODS: As part of a controlled prospective clinical study, we determined indicators of body fat mass, plasma AGRP, and leptin levels in 16 patients with schizophrenia treated with ziprasidone and 21 patients with schizophrenia treated with olanzapine. Measurements by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were obtained before treatment (T0), after 4 weeks (T1), and after 3 months (T2) of treatment. RESULTS: Whereas body mass index and leptin levels increased in patients treated with olanzapine compared to patients treated with ziprasidone, plasma AGRP levels did not differ among the treatment groups and did not change over time. Associations between AGRP and fat mass as well as appetite were disrupted in the olanzapine-treated patients but not in the ziprasidone group. CONCLUSION: Future studies are needed to test whether the lack of a decrease in AGRP levels during weight gain in patients treated with olanzapine could perpetuate adverse metabolic long-term effects.
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Authors’ reply.

Filed under: Addiction Rehab

J Addict Med. 2012 Dec; 6(4): 318
Walley AY, Samet JH, Alford DP

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Impulsivity Trajectories and Gambling in Adolescence among Urban Male Youth.

Filed under: Addiction Rehab

Addiction. 2012 Nov 7;
Liu W, Lee GP, Goldweber A, Petras H, Storr CL, Ialongo NS, Martins SS

AIM.: Building on the recent emerging literature on the impulsivity trajectory-gambling association, this study investigated the association between developmental trajectories of teacher-rated impulsivity in early adolescence (ages 11-15) and subsequent gambling and gambling problems (i.e. at-risk and problem gambling) by age 19. DESIGN.: Prospective cohort design. SETTING.: Urban communities in Baltimore, Maryland. PARTICIPANTS.: The sample consists of 310 predominately minority (87%) and low SES (70%) males followed from first grade to late adolescence. MEASUREMENTS.: Impulsivity was measured using teacher ratings of classroom behavior. Self-reported gambling behavior was assessed using the South Oaks Gambling Screen-Revised for Adolescents (SOGS-RA). FINDINGS.: Results from a conventional growth model suggest the intercept of the impulsivity development (as measured by the repeated assessments of impulsivity across the entire developmental period) was significantly associated with gambling. Results from a general growth mixture model evidenced two distinct trajectories: a high impulsivity trajectory (41% the sample) and a low impulsivity trajectory (59% of the sample). Despite its non-significant association with any gambling, heterogeneity in impulsivity development was significantly associated with gambling problems. Specifically, being in the high impulsivity trajectory doubled the odds of meeting criteria for at-risk or problem gambling (OR= 2.09[1.02, 4.27]) and tripled the odds of meeting criteria for problem gambling (OR=2.84[1.02, 7.91]). CONCLUSIONS.: Development in impulsivity is strongly associated with problem/at-risk gambling in adolescence among urban male youth. Findings highlight the importance of distinguishing gambling problems from any gambling when evaluating programs aimed at reducing youth gambling problems through reducing impulsivity.
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Local government alcohol policy development: case studies in three New Zealand communities.

Filed under: Addiction Rehab

Addiction. 2012 Nov 7;
Maclennan B, Kypri K, Room R, Langley J

AIMS: Local alcohol policies can be effective in reducing alcohol-related harm. The aim of this study was to examine local government responses to alcohol-related problems and identify factors influencing their development and adoption of alcohol policy. DESIGN, SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS: Case studies were used to examine local government responses to alcohol problems in three New Zealand communities: a rural town, a provincial city, and a metropolitan city. Newspaper reports, local government documents and key informant interviews were used to collect data which were analysed using two conceptual frameworks: Kingdon’s Streams model and the Stakeholder model of policy development. MEASUREMENTS: Key informant narratives were categorised according to the concepts of the Streams and Stakeholder models. FINDINGS: Kingdon’s theoretical concepts associated with increased likelihood of policy change seemed to apply in the rural and metropolitan communities. The political environment in the provincial city, however, was not favourable to the adoption of alcohol restrictions. The Stakeholder model highlighted differences between the communities in terms of power over agenda-setting and conflict between politicians and bureaucrats over policy solutions to alcohol-related harm. These differences were reflected in the ratio of policies considered versus adopted in each location. Decisions on local alcohol policies ultimately lie with local politicians although the policies that can be adopted by local government are restricted by central government legislation. CONCLUSIONS: The adoption of policies and strategies to reduce alcohol-related harm may be better facilitated by an agenda-setting process where no “gate-keepers” determine what gets onto the agenda, and community mobilisation efforts to create competitive local government elections around alcohol issues. Policy adoption would also be facilitated by more enabling central government legislation.
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“THE RECEIVER”: My idea/concept for a horror film! (just in time for Halloween!) – So I was watching Paranormal Activity 2, and it sucked, and while watching it I thought up my own horror movie plot. I lay out the plot in this video, it’s a bit complex, but very interesting. It involves everything from smoking crystal meth, schizophrenia, millionaires, car accidents, addiction, rehab, weird Christian cults, brutal murders (inspired by the real life case of John Allen Rubio), visions of God, death row, ghosts, child molesters, etc. COMMENT AND RATE! (Just in time for Halloween)

 

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