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Masahito Tomotake

Publications and source records attributed to Masahito Tomotake.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met polymorphism in schizophrenia is associated with age at onset and symptoms.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophic factor that promotes several functions of neurons and modulates neurotransmissions. It has been reported that there are alterations of BDNF levels in schizophrenic brains and that BDNF gene expressional changes would be responsible for the etiology of schizophrenia. Recent studies have shown that a variation of BDNF gene (Val66Met polymorphism) affects the function of neurons, and is associated with several neurological and psychiatrical disorders. We investigated the relationship between BDNF Val66Met polymorphism and the onset age as well as levels of clinical symptoms in 159 of chronic schizophrenia in-patients diagnosed by DSM-IV. The mean onset ages were 27.5+/-9.5 for BDNF Val/Val, 25.5+/-7.4 for BDNF Val/Met and 22.9+/-6.0 for BDNF Met/Met and this polymorphism was significantly associated with age at onset (P=0.023). The mean Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale scores (BPRS) were significantly different among those three groups (P=0.003). No significant differences were demonstrated comparing the BDNF genotype distributions of positive and negative family history (P=0.21). Our investigation indicates that the BDNF gene Val66Met polymorphism is related to the onset age of schizophrenia and the levels of clinical symptoms that remain after long-term antipsychotic treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Effect of antipsychotic replacement with quetiapine on the symptoms and quality of life of schizophrenic patients with extrapyramidal symptoms.

Replacement of antipsychotic drugs with quetiapine (QTP) was tried in a naturalistic setting in chronic schizophrenic patients who still showed moderate psychiatric symptoms and either showed extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) or took anti-parkinson drugs for the EPS. QTP was added on and gradually increased while the previous drugs were tapered and discontinued whenever possible. Clinical symptoms, objective and subjective QOL, and EPS were measured before and 6 months after QTP addition, using Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), Quality of Life Scale (QLS), Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale (SQLS) and Drug-Induced Extrapyramidal Symptom Scale (DIEPSS), respectively. Twenty-one patients completed the trial and received the assessment. It was found that replacement with QTP-improved clinical symptoms, objective and subjective QOL and EPS. This improvement was equally observed in not only patients who switched to QTP monotherapy (n = 11) but also patients who took QTP together with reduced small doses (4.4 +/- 4.3 mg/day) of previous drugs (n = 11). The results suggest that replacement with QTP improves symptoms as well as objective and subjective QOL in a subgroup of schizophrenia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Subjective and objective measures of quality of life have different predictors for people with schizophrenia.

This study investigated the relationship between subjective and objective quality of life and assessed predictors in people with schizophrenia. The study population consisted of 99 stabilized outpatients with schizophrenia (DSM-IV) who had been regularly receiving outpatient treatment at the Department of Psychiatry, The Tokushima University Hospital. Subjective and objective quality of life were estimated using the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale and the Quality of Life Scale, respectively. Psychiatric symptoms were also measured with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale and the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia. Scores on the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale Motivation and Energy scales significantly correlated with the Quality of Life Scale total scores -.40 (p <.001), and with the scores on Interpersonal Relations subscale -.42 (p <.001), Instrumental Role subscale -.28 (p = .005), Intrapsychic Foundations subscale -.39 (p<.001), and Common Objects and Activities subscale -.25 (p =.014). The Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale Psychosocial scale significantly correlated with only the Quality of Life Scale total score -.20 (p =.05), and there was no significant correlation between the scores on the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale Symptoms and Side-effects scales and the Quality of Life Scale. Stepwise regression analyses showed that the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia score was the most important predictor of each scale of the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale, and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale Negative Symptoms score was the most important predictor of the Quality of Life Scale total score and each subscale. These results suggest that subjective and objective quality of life have different predictors and should be considered as separate and complementary outcome variables.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Temperament, character, and eating attitudes in Japanese college women.

The present study investigated associations between dimensions of personality characteristics and eating attitudes in Japanese college women. 91 college women with a mean age of 20.7 yr. (SD=2.3 yr.), attending a School of Nursing or a School for Kindergarten Teachers, voluntarily responded to the Japanese version of the Temperament and Character Inventory and the Eating Attitudes Test. A significant positive correlation was found between the scores on the Temperament and Character Inventory subscale of Harm Avoidance and the Eating Attitudes Test total scores (Spearman p = .24, p = .02) and the scores on the Eating Attitudes Test subscale of Food Preoccupation (Spearman p = .33, p =.002). The scores on the Temperament and Character Inventory subscale of Self-directedness showed significant negative correlations with the Eating Attitudes Test total scores (Spearman p = -.35, p = .001) and the scores on the Eating Attitudes Test subscales of Dieting (Spearman p = -.29, p = .005) and Food Preoccupation (Spearman p = -.43, p = .0001). The present results suggest that Japanese college women who score high on Harm Avoidance and low on Self-directedness may be more likely to develop inappropriate eating attitudes.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Traits of irrational beliefs related to eating problems in Japanese college women.

This study focused on the relation of irrational beliefs and Body Mass Index (BMI) to inappropriate eating attitudes in Japanese college women. A total of 110 nonclinical subjects completed the Japanese Irrational Belief Test (JIBT) and the Japanese version of the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT). The JIBT subscale of 'self expectation' had significant positive correlations with the EAT total score and the subscales of 'obsession with eating', 'dieting' and 'obese-phobia'. The JIBT subscale of 'dependence' had a significant positive correlation with the EAT subscale of 'obsession with eating'. BMI score showed significant positive correlations with the EAT total score and the subscales of 'dieting' and 'obesephobia'. The present results suggest that characteristic irrational beliefs are associated with inappropriate eating attitudes, suggesting that clarifying and then modifying the irrationality may be a useful method of preventive intervention in nonclinical young women with eating problems.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Personality profiles in patients with eating disorders.

The present review focused on the personality profiles of patients with eating disorders. Studies using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R Personality Disorder showed high rates of diagnostic co-occurrence between eating disorders and personality disorders. The most commonly observed were histrionic, obsessive-compulsive, avoidant, dependent and borderline personality disorders. Studies using the Cloninger's personality theory suggested that high Harm Avoidance might be relevant to the pathology of anorexia nervosa and high Novelty Seeking and Harm Avoidance to bulimia nervosa. Moreover, high Self-Directedness was suggested to be associated with favorable outcome in bulimia nervosa. The assessment of personality in a cross-sectional study, however, might be influenced by the various states of the illness. Therefore, a sophisticated longitudinal study will be required to advance this area of research.

Anorexia Nervosa↗