Recent post-mortem and imaging studies provide evidence for a glial reduction in different brain areas in mood disorders. This study was aimed to test whether glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), a member of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta superfamily, in blood levels was associated with mood disorders. We measured GDNF and TGF-beta levels in whole blood in remitted patients with mood disorders [n=56; major depressive disorders (MDD) 39, bipolar disorders (BD) 17] and control subjects (n=56). GDNF and TGF-beta were assayed with the sandwich ELISA method. Total GDNF levels were significantly lower in MDD and in BD than in control subjects (MDD, p=0.0003; BD, p=0.018), while no significant difference in total TGF-beta1 or total TGF-beta2 levels was found in these groups. Our study suggests that lower GDNF levels might be involved in the pathophysiology of mood disorders, although this preliminary study has several limitations.

ObjectiveA number of programs representing virtual patients for use in teaching settings have been developed in the field of psychiatry; however, they simulate only the interview process, not the entire scope of treatment. The authors have developed software through which students can experience the practice of psychiatry (in particular, with dementia patients) in its entirety. This study compares this software with conventional learning methods.MethodThe control group was 43 fifth-year medical students in 2014 who studied using a conventional learning method (taking lectures and being in contact with actual patients). The experimental group was 36 fifth-year medical students in 2015 that used computer software (taking lectures and with reduced time in contact with actual patients). The authors compared the two groups. Each group was tested before and after clinical training on their acquisition of knowledge of dementia. The control group was tested in 2014, and the experimental group was tested in 2015.ResultsThe difference in average test scores between the two groups was statistically significant (p = 0.01), with the experimental group scoring higher.ConclusionsThe results indicate that students who were taught using a computer-based software method were better able to answer a standard series of questions designed to evaluate their understanding of dementia than those who were taught in a conventional manner.This study demonstrated that there is a possibility to improve education in the field of psychiatry using a comprehensive clinic simulator.

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