Role of PDE9 in Cognition.

Inhibition of phosphodiesterases (PDEs) has been demonstrated to enhance performance of animals in various cognition tasks and accordingly PDE inhibitors have been proposed as new approach for treatment of cognitive dysfunction (Reneerkens et al. Psychopharmacology 202:419-443, 2009; Schmidt Curr Top Med Chem 10(2):222-230, 2010). One of the eleven PDE isoforms, showing expression in cognition relevant brain regions across species, is PDE9, which hydrolyzes cGMP only. Furthermore, it is well established that the nitric oxide (NO)/cGMP pathway and NMDA receptor signaling has a crucial function in synaptic plasticity and cognitive function. In this chapter, we will provide an overview on PDE9, its expression and function in the brain, and hence, its relevance for synaptic plasticity and cognitive performance. Moreover, the recent advances of PDE9 inhibition as potential therapeutic approach for treatment of cognitive dysfunction in CNS disorders will be discussed.

[Internet therapy. Opportunities and boundaries]. / Internettherapie. Möglichkeiten und Grenzen.

Internet therapy is directed toward people whose access to the usual treatment structures is limited. Further, Internet therapy is aimed at patients with circumscribed psychiatric disorders or symptoms. Compared to usual face-to-face treatment the duration of the Internet therapy programs evaluated were rather short, and frequently only small populations were examined. The studies presented demonstrate that Internet-based therapy of specific disorders is suitable for a significant reduction of symptoms. As follow-up data of longer duration are not available, no concluding statement relating to sustained symptom reduction can be made. Further, it remains unclear whether efficacy of the Internet therapy programs examined is comparable to usual treatment, since only two studies compare Internet therapy with face-to-face treatment.

Complicated grief after traumatic loss: a 14-month follow up study.

The traumatic loss of an unborn child after TOP due to fetal malformation and/or severe chromosomal disorders in late pregnancy is a major life-event and a potential source of serious psychological problems for those women. To obtain information on the course of grief following a traumatic loss, 62 women who had undergone TOP between the 15th and 32nd gestational week were investigated in a longitudinal study design and compared with 65 women after spontaneous delivery of a full-term healthy child. Grief, posttraumatic stress, depression, anxiety and psychiatric disorders were evaluated 14 days, 6 months and 14 months after the event, implementing validated self-report and clinician rated instruments. Compared to women after spontaneous delivery, women after induced TOP were significantly more stressed regarding all psychological outcomes at all three measuring points. Especially, 14 months after TOP 13.7% of the women fulfilled all criteria of a complicated grief diagnoses following Horowitz et al. (1997, Am J Psychiat 154:7904-7910). 16.7% were diagnosed as having a manifest psychiatric disorder according to DSM-IV. All in all, 25% of these women were critically affected by the traumatic loss. TOP for fetal anomaly is to be seen as a major life event, which causes complicated grief reactions and psychiatric disorders for a substantial number of women.

[Influence of detomidine on echocardiographic function parameters and cardiac hemodynamics in horses with and without heart murmur]. / Einfluss von Detomidin auf echokardiographische Funktionsparameter und kardiale Hämodynamik bei Pferden mit und ohne Herzgeräusch.

30 warmblood horses were examined before and after sedation with 20 micrograms/kg BW detomidine, to determine changes of cardiac function parameters, using B-mode, M-mode and Doppler echocardiography. 15 horses showed a heart murmur, but no clinical signs of cardiac heart failure, 15 horses had neither a heart murmur nor other signs of cardiac disease. After sedation with detomidine we could recognise a significant increase of end-diastolic left atrium diameter, an increase of end-systolic left ventricular diameter and aortic root diameter. The end-systolic thickness of papillary muscle and interventricular septum showed a decrease. Fractional shortening and amplitude of left ventricular wall motion was decreased after sedation. The mitral valve echogram revealed a presystolic valve closure and an inflection in the Ac slope (B-notch) in xy horses before sedation. Both increased after sedation with detomidine. Doppler echocardiography showed a decrease of blood flow velocity and velocity time integral (VTI) in the left and right ventricular outflow tract after sedation. Regurgitant flow signals were intensified following sedation in xy horses, especially at the mitral valve.

[Echocardiography and therapy of atrial fibrillation in horses]. / Echokardiographie und Therapie beim Vorhofflimmern des Pferdes.

Echocardiographic evaluation of 45 horses (43 warm-blooded horses, one Thoroughbred and one Standardbred) with atrial fibrillation was performed, using M-mode, B-mode and pulsed-wave Doppler echocardiography. Seventeen (38%) of these horses had a history of poor performance. An increase of left ventricular shortening fraction was found in 25 horses (56%). Atrial dilatation was seen in 37 horses (82%). Eight horses (18%) had normal atrial dimensions. In nine horses only left atrium and in six horses only right atrium was enlarged. In the other 22 horses both atria were dilated. Correlation was found between atrial and ventricular dilatation. M-mode echocardiogram of septal leaflet of mitral valve revealed the lack of A-peak and showed diastolic undulation. Additionally, pulsewave Doppler spectral tracings of atrial outflow tract showed absence of A-peak which is associated with atrial in healthy horses. Quinidine sulfate was used for treatment in 19 horses. Nine horses converted to sinus rhythm, eight of them had normal atrial dimensions. Treatment was not successful in nine horses with severe atrial dilatation and in one horse with normal atrial dimensions but with mitral valve insufficiency. Echocardiographic evaluation of atrial diameters seems to be a reliable method to predict therapeutic success in horses with atrial fibrillation.