Studies have indicated that early-life or early-onset depression is associated with a 2- to 4-fold increased risk of developing Alzheimers disease (AD). In AD, aggregation of an abnormally phosphorylated form of the tau protein may be a key pathological event. Tau is known to play a major role in promoting microtubule assembly and stabilization, and in maintaining the normal morphology of neurons. Several studies have reported that stress may induce tau phosphorylation. The main aim of the present study was to investigate possible alterations in the tau protein in the hippocampus and frontal cortex of 32 male Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) and then re-exposed to CUMS to mimic depression and the recurrence of depression, respectively, in humans. We evaluated the effects of CUMS, fluoxetine, and CUMS re-exposure on tau and phospho-tau. Our results showed that a single exposure to CUMS caused a significant reduction in sucrose preference, indicating a state of anhedonia. The change in behavior was accompanied by specific alterations in phospho-tau protein levels, but fluoxetine treatment reversed the CUMS-induced impairments. Moreover, changes in sucrose preference and phospho-tau were more pronounced in rats re-exposed to CUMS than in those subjected to a single exposure. Our results suggest that changes in tau phosphorylation may contribute to the link between depression and AD.

Objective To explore the feature of functional connectivity of default mode network (DMN), centralexecutive network(CEN), and salience network (SN) in patients with schizophrenia during a resting state by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Methods The SPM8, DPARSFA, conn, REST softwares combined with data-driven region of interest analysis were used to compare the functional connectivity (FC) of the DMN, CEN, and SN in 74 patients with schizophrenia(SZ) and 79 age-and gender-matched normal controls(NC). Medial prefrontal cortex(MPFC)was selected as seed region for identifying DMN and CEN; right anterior insula(rAI) for SN. Results Compared with NC, SZ showed increased FC with bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex(DLPFC) and bilateral putamen of the MPFC, and increased FC with left middle frontal cortex and precuneus/ posterior cingulate cortex(Pcu/PCC) of the rAI. SZ also showed enhanced interconnectivity strengths of CEN-DMN, CEN-SN, and DMN-SN(p<0.05). Correlation analyses showed that the increased FC between MPFC and left DLPFC significantly negatively correlated with PANSS-negative symptoms(r=-0.224,p=0.030) and increased FC between rAI and Pcu/PCC significantly correlated with PANSS-positve symptoms (r=0.243,p=0.020). Conclusion This study provides evidence for resting state functional abnormalities of DMN, CEN, and SN in schizophrenia patients. These aberrant functional connectivities in some key brain regions of the three network could be responsible for the schizophrenic symptoms.

scores predicted lower intensity ratings accounting for about 10% of the variance in both conditions. EPQ-Extraversion and EPQ-Neuroticism explained 15% of the variance in TTR but in opposite directions. Higher EPQ-Neuroticism scores predicted lower SCR amplitude accounting for 8% of the variance. Conclusions: Measures of emotional reactivity show distinct patterns depending on experimental condition and personality characteristics.

Object To know the treatment experiences of patients with depression in general hospital, and their suggestion on the present mental health services. To provides theoretical support for optimizing the mental health services model in general hospital. Methods Qualitative interviews were given to 10 patients diagnosed as depressive disorder from department of psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University. Questions were asked from following aspects: the process of seeking medical help before hospitalization in psychiatry department(when, where, who, referral), evaluation of drug treatment (efficacy, side effects, doctors) and psychotherapy, satisfaction and suggestions on medical services(including hospital environment, medical staff and etc.), social rehabilitation (stigma, social functional recovery, survival / quality of life etc.), socioeconomic factors (health insurance coverage, financial resources, social support resources). Answers referred to above factors were conducted to statistical analysis. Results showed departments of neurology, gastroenterology, endocrinology, Chinese traditional medicine, obstetrics and gynecology are the first medical choice of depressive patients; the average number of departments before they get psychiatric treatment is five, the average number of referral is 2. Medication side effects are the most concerned problems. Enough and reasonable information given from doctor about drug's name, efficacy, side effects, and length of treatment can improve patient's compliance, even can predict recurrence rate. Discrimination medical personnel can reduce compliance of patients: contempt, pessimism, avoidance, activity limitations, and impolite language and behavior. Psychotherapy can shorten the hospital stay. Health insurance coverage, job, social support can predict social functional recovery. Conclusions Doctors in general hospital should improve their ability in recognizing depression to ensure referral patients timely; Education of depression, medication-related knowledge should offered by psychiatrists to improve patients’ treatment compliance, and reduce relapse rate; psychological therapy should be incorporated into psychiatric conventional treatment; Medical personnel should be conscious of using positive affirmation, respectful words and actions; effective communication with families is necessary for promoting patients’ social rehabilitation.

Background and Aims:Several studies have shown that the level of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) in schizophrenia is higher than in controls. And it is hypothesized that the neurotropic intracellular protozoan may contribute to the development of schizophrenia. The present study is to explore whether Bactrim, which is effective to T. gondii, can help to treat Toxoplasma-seropositive patients with schizophrenia.Methods:99 patients who were positive in IgG or IgM antibody to T. gondii were seperated into two groups randomly. One group recceived SMZco tablets (contained 400mg SMZ and 80mg TMP, 6 tablets/d) plus risperidone, and the other group received placebo and risperidone. Both the physicians and the patients did not know whether the patients took SMZco or placebo. The dosage of risperidone was tittered according to the patient's clinical symptoms and the maximum dose is 6mg/d. PANSS scales were used to assess the symptoms before and after treated for 6 weeks.Results:There was no significant difference in the scores of PANSS at baseline and after treatment. The rate of adverse effects, and the ratio of patients who have combined with benzodiazepine and anticholinergic medicine between the two groups did not differ significantly, while two patients in the SMZ group dropped out because of serious nausea and vomiting. The maximum dosage of risperidone in the SMZ group was lower than the placebo group (P<0.05).Conclusions:For toxoplasma-seropositive patients with schizophrenia, Bactrim may be helpful by decrease the dose of the antipsychotic medicine.