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December 14, 2001         News Morgue Search  www.feat.org/search/news.asp

RESEARCH

·        Bipolar Disorder Successfully Treated With Nutritional Supplement

·        Effective Mood Stabilization With a Chelated Mineral Supplement

·        DPP IV Actions on Gluten, Casein, and Soy (Earlier Study)

·        Language Trait Locus, Chromosome 7q & Multiplex

Autism Families Evidence

·        Depression In Mothers And Fathers Of Children With

Intellectual Disability

Bipolar Disorder Successfully Treated With Nutritional Supplement Study in

the latest Journal of Clinical Psychiatry points to possible link between

nutrition and mood stabilization

[The study referred to below is “Effective Mood Stabilization With a

Chelated Mineral Supplement: An Open-Label Trial in Bipolar Disorder

follows.” The abstract to it follows below.]

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2001-12/tsgo-bds121201.php

The idea that effective mood stabilization can be achieved through the use of vitamins, trace elements and amino acids is advanced in a study of bipolar adults published in the latest issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. The same issue contains a commentary on the research.

The articles are available at:

<http://www.psychiatrist.com/bipolar/index.htm>  The subject of the research is EM Power+, a nutritional supplement formulated by the Synergy Group of Canada. The supplement has 36 ingredients and is comprised of natural dietary minerals including calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, potassium, as well as various vitamins such as A, C, D, E, and several B vitamins.  David Hardy and Anthony Stephan, co-founders of the Synergy Group of Canada responded to the study results: “This study is an important step in the evolution of our efforts to help the mentally ill.” “We have spent the last five years developing and testing a nutritional supplement that will help alleviate mental illness. To have our research findings validated by this group of formidable academics is very encouraging. This is good news for the mentally ill,” they added.

* * *

Effective Mood Stabilization With a Chelated Mineral Supplement:

An Open-Label Trial in Bipolar Disorder

http://www.psychiatrist.com/bipolar/popper-kaplan.pdf Bonnie J. Kaplan, Ph.D.; J. Steven A Simpson, Ph.D., MD.;

Richard C. Ferre, MD.; Chris P. Gorman, MD.;

David M McMullen, MD.; and Susan G. Crawford, MSc.

Background: To determine in open trials the therapeutic benefit of a nutritional supplement for bipolar disorder.

Method: The sample consisted of 11 patients with DSM-JV—diagnosed bipolar disorder aged 19 to 46 years, who were taking a mean of 2.7 psychotropic medications each at study entry. Three additional patients dropped out prematurely. The intervention is a broad-based nutritional supplement of dietary nutrients, primarily chelated trace minerals and vitamins, administered in high doses. At study entry and periodically thereafter, patients were assessed with the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), and the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS).

Results: For those who completed the minimum 6-month open trial, symptom reduction ranged from 55% to 66% on the outcome measures; need for psychotropic medications decreased by more than 50%. Paired t tests revealed treatment benefit on all measures for patients completing the trial: HAM-D mean score at entry = 19.0, mean score at last visit = 5.4, = 5.59, df = 9, p < 01; BPRS mean score at entry = 35.3, mean score at last visit = 7.4, = 2.57, df = 9, p < .05; YMRS mean score at entry = 15.1, mean score at last visit = 6.0, = 4.11, df= 9, p < .01. The effect size for the intervention was large (> .80) for each measure. The number of psychotropic medications decreased significantly to a mean ± SD of 1.0 ± 1.1 (t = 3.54, df = 10, p < .01). In some cases, the supplement replaced psychotropic medications and the patients remained well. The only reported side effect (i.e., nausea) was infrequent, minor, and transitory.

Conclusion: Some cases of bipolar illness may be ameliorated by nutritional supplementation. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial in adults with bipolar I disorder is currently underway, as well as open trials in children.

Report

Solid scientific research shows that many dietary nutrients, including minerals and vitamins, are essential for normal brain function. For instance, deficient levels of various B vitamins are related to pathologic brain and behavior disorders ranging from Korsakoff’s syndrome to pellagra.  Recent work on folic acid (vitamin B9) suggests that low levels may be associated with depressive symptomatology and poor response to antidepressant medication.

Less is known about the role of trace elements, but there is

considerable evidence that these too may be essential for normal brain

function. Zinc provides a good example. Most of the excitatory neurons of

the cerebral cortex have glutamate as their primary transmitter. One type of

glutaminergic neuron accumulates zinc within vesicles at axon terminals and

releases it into the synapse upon firing.3

The precise roles of zinc in synaptic function are not known, although its presence is certain,4 and there are zinc-binding sites on one subset of glutamate receptor called the NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor.5 Zinc, copper, and magnesium all appear to play important modulatory roles in controlling the NMDA receptor,68 which has been implicated in various forms of cortical plasticity, including learning.9 It is possible, then, that decreased levels of some minerals in the brain may produce abnormal NMDAmediated plasticity and subsequent abnormalities in behavior.

·        Paper continues at: http://www.psychiatrist.com/bipolar/popper-kaplan.pdf © Copyright 2001 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.  (J Gun Psychiatry 200];62:936—944)

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* * *

DPP IV Actions on Gluten, Casein, and Soy

[From June 13, 2001. Devin’s comments:  This study indicates that DPP IV, in the presence of another non-specific aminopeptidase and another protease, can hydrolyze approximately 65% - 70% of the peptide bonds in gluten, casein, and soy protein.]

J Agric Food Chem 2001 Apr;49(4):2061-3 Synergistic Action of an X-Prolyl Dipeptidyl Aminopeptidase and a Non-Specific Aminopeptidase in Protein Hydrolysis  Byun T, Kofod L, Blinkovsky A.Novozymes Biotech, Incorporated, 1445 Drew Avenue, Davis, California 95616.

Non-specific monoaminopeptidase (AP; E.C. 3.4.11) and X-prolyl dipeptidyl aminopeptidase (X-PDAP; E.C. 3.4.14.5), both from Aspergillus oryzae, demonstrate strong synergism in hydrolyzing proline-containing peptides. Incubation of AP alone with the peptide Ala-Pro-Gly-Asp-Arg-Ile-Tyr-Val-His-Pro-Phe does not generate free amino acids. However, when AP and X-PDAP are added in combination, complete and immediate hydrolysis of all peptide bonds, other than X-Pro bonds, is observed.

In the enzymatic hydrolysis of casein, soy, and gluten, degree of hydrolysis (DH) values of 54, 54, and 47% were achieved, respectively, when subtilisin (E.C. 3.4.21.62) was supplemented with AP. Addition of a third enzyme, X-PDAP, resulted in significantly higher DH values of 69, 72, and 64%, respectively, establishing the utility of this synergism in protein hydrolysis.

* * *

Language Trait Locus, Chromosome 7q & Multiplex Autism Families Evidence for a Language Quantitative Trait Locus on Chromosome 7q in Multiplex Autism Families.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_ui ds=11741194&dopt=Abstract Alarcon M, Cantor RM, Liu J, Gilliam TC, Geschwind DH. Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics and Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, and Department of Neurology, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Autism is a syndrome characterized by deficits in language and social skills and by repetitive behaviors. We hypothesized that potential quantitative trait loci (QTLs) related to component autism endophenotypes might underlie putative or significant regions of autism linkage.

We performed nonparametric multipoint linkage analyses, in 152 families from the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange, focusing on three traits derived from the Autism Diagnostic Interview: “age at first word,” “age at first phrase,” and a composite measure of “repetitive and stereotyped behavior.”

Families were genotyped for 335 markers, and multipoint sib pair linkage analyses were conducted. Using nonparametric multipoint linkage analysis, we found the strongest QTL evidence for age at first word on chromosome 7q (nonparametric test statistic [Z] 2.98; P=.001), and subsequent linkage analyses of additional markers and association analyses in the same region supported the initial result (Z=2.85, P=.002; chi2=18.84, df 8, P=.016).

Moreover, the peak fine-mapping result for repetitive behavior (Z=2.48; P=.007) localized to a region overlapping this language QTL. The putative autism-susceptibility locus on chromosome 7 may be the result of separate QTLs for the language and repetitive or stereotyped behavior deficits that are associated with the disorder.

PMID: 11741194 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

* * *

Depression In Mothers And Fathers Of Children With Intellectual Disability.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_ui ds=11737541&dopt=Abstract Depression in mothers and fathers of children with intellectual disability.

Olsson MB, Hwang CP.  University of Trollhattan-Uddevalla, Vanersborg, Sweden Department of Psychology, Goteborg University, Goteborg, Sweden.

Parental depression was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) in 216 families with children with autism and/or intellectual disability (ID), and in 214 control families. Mothers with children with autism had higher depression scores (mean = 11.8) than mothers of children with ID without autism (mean = 9.2), who in turn, had higher depression scores than fathers of children with autism (mean = 6.2), fathers of children with ID without autism (mean = 5.0), and control mothers (mean = 5.0) and fathers (mean = 4.1).

Forty-five per cent of mothers with children with ID without autism and 50% of mothers with children with autism had elevated depression scores (BDI > 9), compared to 15-21% in the other groups. Single mothers of children with disabilities were found to be more vulnerable to severe depression than mothers living with a partner.

PMID: 11737541 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

* * *

Sensory Impairments, Intellectual Disability And Psychiatry

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_ui ds=11737534&dopt=Abstract Carvill S. Bilton, Rugby, UK.

The present review looks at: (1) prevalence studies of sensory impairments in people with intellectual disability (ID); (2) studies looking at psychological and psychiatric disorders in people with sensory impairments; and (3) studies that have examined the association of sensory impairments with autism. Research has indicated that sensory impairments are more common in people with ID.

Psychiatric disorders are believed to be more common in children with visual impairment (VI) when associated with other handicaps. Some authors believe that hearing impairment (HI) can result in personality disorders.  Studies have also shown a higher prevalence of psychiatric disorders in children with HI and a higher incidence of deaf people in psychiatric hospitals than in the general population.

Psychiatric disorders in children with HI are particularly associated with low IQ and low communication ability, especially in those with multiple handicaps. There is little evidence for a higher incidence of schizophrenia in people with HI. Blind people demonstrate many autistic-like features and there has been discussion in the literature as to their cause. Deaf people also demonstrate some similar features to those in autism, but an association with autism has not been conclusively made. Deaf-blind people commonly demonstrate problem behaviour (e.g. self-injury).

Usher syndrome, which is the most common cause of deaf-blindness, is associated with psychiatric disorders, particularly psychosis. The need for assessment of sensory functioning in people with ID, the difficulties inherent in this and the need for specialist services is stressed.

PMID: 11737534 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

* * *

A Biogenic Amine-Synapse Mechanism For Mental Retardation And Developmental Disabilities.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_ui

ds=11738835&dopt=Abstract

Okado N, Narita M, Narita N. Neurobiology Laboratory, Institute of Basic

Medical Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Tsukuba, Japan

Recent studies have demonstrated that biogenic amines have a function of facilitating formation and maintenance of synapses in diverse regions of the central nervous system in developing and adult animals. The normal number of synapses maintained by biogenic amines are crucial to acquire learning and memory.

The level of biogenic amines was reported to decrease in the brain by several neurodevelopmental disorders associated with mental retardation and developmental disabilities such as Rett syndrome, autism and Down syndrome.  Taken into consideration this fact together with the function of biogenic amines for synapses, the density of synapses appears to decrease considerably in the brains of patients suffered from the neurodevelopmental disorders.

The synaptic overproduction during the critical period of development especially 1 year after birth has been considered as a background mechanism to provide plasticity for the developing brain. Synaptic overproduction does not appear to occur in the brains of patients suffered from the neurodevelopmental disorders, which they are observed mental retardation occurring in the first 1 year after birth.

Along with the neurodevelopmental disorders, environmental factors (stress, drugs and nutrition) during pre- and post-natal critical developmental periods are known to change levels of biogenic amines in the brain. In fact, maternal stress has been shown to decrease the levels of serotonin and the density of synapses in the hippocampus of the offspring, and they showed developmental disabilities in the spatial learning and memory.

A cascade appears to exist from either the child neurological disorders or the environmental factors to mental retardation and developmental disabilities by decreases in the levels of biogenic amines and synaptic density.

PMID: 11738835 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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