Journal of affective disorders
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Certain pharmacological agents administered during electroconvulsive therapy may have the potential to prevent persistent retrograde amnesia induced during electroconvulsive therapy. This review examines mechanisms for electroconvulsive therapy-induced retrograde amnesia, and evaluates the suitability of the anaesthetic ketamine for preventing this amnestic outcome. ⋯ A clinical trial is warranted to determine if ketamine anaesthesia during electroconvulsive therapy can lessen persistent retrograde amnesia and improve therapeutic response. Electroconvulsive therapy with ketamine anaesthesia may provide effective antidepressant action with minimal side effects.
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The literature is unclear regarding the relationship between hospital outcome (i.e., symptom improvement during a hospital admission) and readmission, questioning the validity of readmission as an indicator of the quality of the previous hospitalization. Thus, the present aim was to examine if hospital outcome is a predictor of readmission and identify the factors that may mask any effects. ⋯ These findings support that readmission may be a useful indicator of the quality of the previous hospitalization.
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The addition of small amounts of lignocaine (50 mg) to propofol (200 mg) has been previously shown to reduce pain in injection, a common problem with this particular anaesthetic agent. The aim of this study was to investigate whether using the mixture of propofol plus lignocaine had any adverse effects on ECT seizure expression (duration, and ictal quality). ⋯ The addition of a small dose of lignocaine to propofol during ECT treatment enhanced rather than reduced the quality of the seizures produced.
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Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) may display elevated plasma levels of pro-inflammatory substances. Although the underlying mechanisms are unknown, inflammation has been proposed to play a direct role in the generation of depressive symptoms. Skeletal muscle is a potent producer of cytokines, and physical exercise has been suggested to alleviate symptoms of depression. In this study we therefore addressed the question of whether MDD patients display altered levels of pro-, anti-inflammatory and regulatory factors in the blood in response to acute exercise. ⋯ Exercise induces changes in the blood levels of cytokines in unmedicated MDD patients. Whether these changes affect symptoms of depression should be evaluated in long-term studies of the anti-depressive effects of exercise.
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Patients with depression often experience pain. There is limited understanding of the relation between pain and other symptoms (depressive, anxious and non-painful somatic symptoms). This exploratory study assesses pain severity and interference of pain with functioning in a clinically depressed population and investigates the relation between the different groups of symptoms. ⋯ Over half of depressed patients in this study experienced moderate to severe pain. Painful somatic symptoms appear to be closely related to non-painful somatic symptoms, more than to depressive or anxious symptoms suggesting that painful and non-painful somatic symptoms can be considered as one group of 'somatic symptoms,' all of them associated with depressive and anxious symptoms.