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Miloslav Kopecek

Publications and source records attributed to Miloslav Kopecek.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

Changes in QEEG prefrontal cordance as a predictor of response to antidepressants in patients with treatment resistant depressive disorder: a pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies of patients with unipolar depression have shown that early decreases of EEG cordance (a new quantitative EEG method) can predict clinical response. We examined whether early QEEG decrease represents a phenomenon associated with response to treatment with different antidepressants in patients with treatment resistant depression. METHOD: The subjects were 17 inpatients with treatment resistant depression. EEG data and response to treatment were monitored at baseline and after 1 and 4 weeks on an antidepressant treatment. QEEG cordance was computed at three frontal electrodes in theta frequency band. The prefrontal cordance combines complementary information from absolute and relative power of EEG spectra. Recent studies have shown that cordance correlates with cortical perfusion. Depressive symptoms were assessed using Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). RESULTS: All 17 patients completed the 4-week study. All five responders showed decreases in prefrontal cordance after the first week of treatment. Only 2 of the 12 nonresponders showed early prefrontal cordance decrease. The decrease of prefrontal QEEG cordance after week 1 in responders as well as the increase in nonresponders were both statistically significant (p-value 0.03 and 0.01, respectively) and the changes of prefrontal cordance values were different between both groups (p-value 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that decrease in prefrontal cordance may indicate early changes of prefrontal activity in responders to antidepressants. QEEG cordance may become a useful tool in the prediction of response to antidepressants.

Adult↗

Prospective study of hippocampal volume and function in human subjects treated with corticosteroids.

PURPOSE: Decreased hippocampal volume reported in neuropsychiatric and endocrine disorders is considered a result of putative neuronal damage mediated by corticosteroids. This is the first prospective study of hippocampal volume and function in patients treated with corticosteroids. METHODS: 14 subjects treated systemically with prednisone or betamethasone for dermatological or rheumatic disorders underwent prospective neurocognitive testing (Auditory Verbal Learning Test-AVLT, Trail Making Test-TMT, Digit Span-DS) and nine of them also repeated magnetic resonance volumetry. RESULTS: The mean duration of treatment between the first and the second assessment was 73+/- 38 days with mean daily dose of 37+/- 17 mg prednisone and 193+/- 29 days, with mean daily dose of 24+/- 15 mg prednisone between the first and the third assessment. There was a trend towards decreases in total AVLT scores and an improvement in the TMT and DS, but no significant changes in the volumes of the right or the left hippocampi between the assessments. Prednisone dose did not correlate with the hippocampal volume change. CONCLUSION: We observed a trend for decline in verbal memory despite improvement in psychomotor speed, attention/working memory and no macroscopic hippocampal volume changes during 36-238 days of treatment with therapeutic doses of corticosteroids.

Adult↗

The effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on symptoms in obsessive compulsive disorder. A randomized, double blind, sham controlled study.

BACKGROUND: The goal of our study is to assess whether transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) would facilitate the effect of antidepressant in OCD patients. METHOD: The aim of the randomized, double-blind, sham controlled study was to compare the 2 and 4 week efficacy of the 10 sessions rTMS with sham rTMS in serotonin reuptake inhibitor resistant OCD patient. Thirty three right-handed patients were randomly assigned to either active rTMS or to sham rTMS. Active rTMS with the frequency of 1 Hz at 110% of motor threshold (MT) was administered over the left dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex. The same time schedule was used for sham administration. Thirty patients finished the study, three patients' dropped out at the beginning. Psychopathology was assessed by CGI, HAMA, Y-BOCS and BAI before the treatment, immediately after the experimental treatment, and 2 weeks after the experimental treatment by an independent reviewer. RESULTS: Both groups improved during the study period but the treatment effect did not differ between them in any of the instruments. CONCLUSION: Low frequency rTMS administered over the left dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex during 10 daily sessions did not differ from sham rTMS in facilitating the effect of serotonin reuptake inhibitors in OCD patients.

Adult↗

Low-dose risperidone augmentation of antidepressants or anxiolytics is associated with hyperprolactinemia.

OBJECTIVE: Risperidone in antipsychotic doses induces hyperprolactinemia. The aim of this study was to verify whether the same is true for low doses of risperidone (0.5-2 mg per day) added to antidepressants or anxiolytics. METHODS: Prolactin levels were measured in 4 men (mean age 49.5+/-19.1 years) and 8 women (mean age 31.3+/-8.2 years) inpatients with depressive and anxiety disorders who were treated with risperidone (median doses per day 1.25 mg) for median 15.5 days as an augmentation treatment to antidepressants (n=8), anxiolytics (n=6) and mood stabilizers (n=2). RESULTS: 11 of 12 patients had hyperprolactinemia. Median plasma prolactin level was 1598 mIU/ml, 95% CI 1 040-2 661 mIU/ml. Significant correlation between risperidone daily dose and plasma prolactin level (Spearman's R=0.655, p=0.02) was detected. Two women suffered from galactorrhea and one from amenorrhea. CONCLUSIONS: Even low doses of risperidone used as an augmentation to antidepressants or benzodiazepines are associated with hyperprolactinemia and can induce endocrinological side effects. The co-medication of antidepressants and benzodiazepines can potentially increase intensity of prolactinemia.

Adult↗

Ziprasidone-induced galactorrhea: a case report.

OBJECTIVES: Second-generation antipsychotics presumably lack the typical side effects of conventional antipsychotics. METHODOLOGY: A 34 year old Caucasian woman with ICD-10 diagnosis of Recurrent depressive disorder with current moderate symptoms, and with a history of repeated self-injury was treated with lithium, clonazepam and ziprasidone. RESULTS: On the ninth day of ziprasidone administration, galactorrhea appeared. After 36 days of ziprasidone therapy, galactorrhea persisted. The prolactin plasma level was 28 ng/ml. Thyroid tests (TSH,T3,T4) and the lithium plasma level were within the normal range during ziprasidone treatment. Two weeks after the ziprasidone withdrawal, galactorrhea disappeared and the prolactin level decreased down to 18 ng/ml. CONCLUSION: Psychiatrists should be aware that even second-generation antipsychotics, including ziprasidone, have a propensity to cause side-effects associated with the dopamine D2 receptor blockade, such as galactorrhea.

Adult↗

The change of regional brain metabolism (18FDG PET) in panic disorder during the treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy or antidepressants.

BACKGROUND: The goal of our study was to identify brain structures in patients with panic disorder (PD) that show changes in 18FDG PET during the treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or antidepressants. METHOD: Twelve patients suffering from panic disorder were studied with [18F]-2-fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18FDG PET) scanning during resting state (condition of random episodic silent thinking, REST). After PET examination patients were randomly assigned to either cognitive behavioral treatment group (6 patients) or antidepressants treatment group (6 patients). After a 3 month period 18FDG PET examination was repeated in both groups. Psychopathology was assessed using the rating scales HAMA, CGI and Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS). Data were analysed using software for statistical parametric mapping (SPM99). RESULTS: The scores of psychopathology rating scales (CGI, HAMA, PDSS) decreased in both groups. Changes of 18FDG uptake in the pharmacotherapy group: decreases were found in the a priori hypothesized regions in the right hemisphere, in the superior, middle, medial and inferior frontal gyrus, superior and middle temporal gyrus, and increases were detected in the a priori hypothesized regions, mainly in the left hemisphere in medial and middle frontal gyrus, superior, middle and transverse temporal gyrus. Changes of 18FDG uptake in the CBT group: decreases were found in the a priori hypothesized regions of the right hemisphere in the inferior temporal gyrus, superior and inferior frontal gyrus, and increases were detected in the a priori hypothesized region, mostly in the left hemisphere: inferior frontal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus and insula. We did not detect changes in 18FDG uptake in the limbic region (hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus and amygdala). CONCLUSIONS: Changes in brain metabolism (18FDG uptake) after the treatment either with CBT or with antidepressants were similar in number of brain areas, with prominent right-left difference. This is in concordance with the asymmetry of brain activity noted in patients with PD according to previous PET (and SPECT) studies.

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Hyperprolactinemia after low dose of amisulpride.

OBJECTIVES: Amisulpride in antipsychotic doses can induce hyperprolactinemia. The aim of this study was to prove whether the same is true for low doses of amisulpride. METHODOLOGY: Plasma prolactin levels were measured in 5 males and 5 females with depressive symptoms who were treated with 50 mg of amisulpride per day as an augmentation to antidepressants (n=5), benzodiazepine anxiolytics (n=8) or in monotherapy (n=1). Six of these patients were assessed prior to onset of amisulpride treatment and after 10 days of amisulpride use. Four patients had been using amisulpride for more than a month. RESULTS: There was a significant increase of prolactin levels from mean 16+/-6 ng/ml to 113+/-65 ng/ml (median 14.5 ng/ml to median 92 ng/ml; Wilcoxon matched pair test, p=0.027). All patients had hyperprolactinemia (30-200 ng/ml). The prolactinemia was significantly higher in females (mean 160+/-50 ng/ml; median 198 ng/ml) than in males (mean 48+/-12 ng/ml; median 48 ng/ml; Mann-Whitney U test, p=0.041). CONCLUSION: Even low doses of amisulpride used as an augmentation to antidepressant treatment, benzodiazepines or in monotherapy seem to be associated with hyperprolactinemia. The co-medication of antidepressants and benzodiazepines can potentially increase intensity of prolactinemia.

Adult↗

The double-blind sham-controlled study of high-frequency rTMS (20 Hz) for negative symptoms in schizophrenia: negative results.

The high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS) over the prefrontal cortex is a promising method for the treatment of negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Using double-blind sham-controlled parallel design, we evaluated the effect of HF-rTMS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) on negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. Sixteen schizophrenia patients with predominantly negative symptoms on stable antipsychotic medication were treated with 20 Hz rTMS (90% of motor threshold, 2000 stimuli per session) over ten days within 2 weeks with six weeks follow-up. The effect was assessed using PANSS, CGI, MADRS and neuropsychological tests. We failed to find any significant effect of active rTMS. Sham rTMS showed a trend for improvement over time on positive and negative subscales of PANSS and MADRS. Between-group comparisons failed to reveal any significant differences on any rating scales except a positive subscale of PANSS after 8 weeks. Results from our study did not confirm that HF-rTMS over the left DLPCF affects the negative symptoms of schizophrenia and alternative rTMS approaches are discussed.

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