Cortisol Supplement Combined with Psychotherapy and Citalopram Improves Depression Outcomes in Patients with Hypocortisolism after Traumatic Brain Injury

Dysregulation of the dopaminergic system secondary to traumatic brain injury: implications for mood and anxiety disorders

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) represents a public health issue with a high mortality rate and severe neurological and psychiatric consequences. Mood and anxiety disorders are some of the most frequently reported. Primary and secondary damage can cause a loss of neurons and glial cells, leading to dysfunction of neuronal circuits, which can induce imbalances in many neurotransmitter systems. Monoaminergic systems, especially the dopaminergic system, are some of the most involved in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric and cognitive symptoms after TBI. In this work, we summarize the studies carried out in patients who have suffered TBI and describe alterations in the dopaminergic system, highlighting (1) dysfunction of the dopaminergic neuronal circuits caused by TBI, where modifications are shown in the dopamine transporter (DAT) and alterations in the expression of dopamine receptor 2 (D2R) in brain areas with dopaminergic innervation, thus establishing a hypodopaminergic state and (2) variations in the concentration of dopamine and its metabolites in biological fluids of post-TBI patients, such as elevated dopamine (DA) and alterations in homovanillic acid (HVA). On the other hand, we show a large number of reports of alterations in the dopaminergic system after a TBI in animal models, in which modifications in the levels of DA, DAT, and HVA have been reported, as well as alterations in the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). We also describe the biological pathways, neuronal circuits, and molecular mechanisms potentially involved in mood and anxiety disorders that occur after TBI and are associated with alterations of the dopaminergic system in clinical studies and animal models. We describe the changes that occur in the clinical picture of post-TBI patients, such as alterations in mood and anxiety associated with DAT activity in the striatum, the relationship between post-TBI major depressive disorders (MDD) with lower availability of the DA receptors D2R and D3R in the caudate and thalamus, as well as a decrease in the volume of the substantia nigra (SN) associated with anxiety symptoms. With these findings, we discuss the possible relationship between the disorders caused by alterations in the dopaminergic system in patients with TBI.

Neurobiological Mechanisms Of Depression Following Traumatic Brain Injury

OBJECTIVE

Depression is among the most pervasive and debilitating neuropsychiatric sequelae experienced by patients following a traumatic brain injury (TBI). While the individual mechanisms underlying depression and TBI have been widely studied, the neurobiological bases of depression after TBI remain largely unknown. This article highlights the potential mechanisms of action implicated in depression after TBI.

RESULTS

We review putative mechanisms of action including neuroinflammation, neuroendocrine dysregulation, metabolic abnormalities, and neurotransmitter and circuitry dysfunction. We also identify the current limitations in the field and propose directions for future research.

CONCLUSION

An improved understanding of the underlying mechanisms will aid the development of precision-guided and personalized treatments for patients suffering from depression after TBI.

Effectiveness of Pharmacotherapy for Depression after Adult Traumatic Brain Injury: an Umbrella Review

Symptoms of depression are common following traumatic brain injury (TBI), impacting survivors' ability to return to work, participate in leisure activities, and placing strain on relationships. Depression symptoms post TBI are often managed with pharmacotherapy, however, there is little research evidence to guide clinical practice. There have been a number of recent systematic reviews examining pharmacotherapy for post TBI depression. The aim of this umbrella review was to synthesize systematic reviews and meta-analyses of the effectiveness of pharmacotherapy for the management of post TBI depression in adults. Eligible reviews examined any pharmacotherapy against any comparators, for the treatment of depression in adults who had sustained TBI. Seven databases were searched, with additional searching of online journals, Research Gate, Google Scholar and the TRIP Medical Database to identify published and unpublished systematic reviews and meta-analyses in English up to May 2020. A systematic review of primary studies available between March 2018 and May 2020 was also conducted. Evidence quality was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Instruments. The results are presented as a narrative synthesis. Twenty-two systematic reviews were identified, of which ten reviews contained a meta-analysis. No new primary studies were identified in the systematic review. There was insufficient high quality and methodologically rigorous evidence to recommend prescribing any specific drug or drug class for post TBI depression. The findings do show, however, that depression post TBI is responsive to pharmacotherapy in at least some individuals. Recommendations for primary studies, systematic reviews and advice for prescribers is provided. Review Registration PROSPERO (CRD42020184915).

A systematic review on integrated care for traumatic brain injury, mental health, and substance use

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and mental health or substance use disorders (MHSU) are global public health concerns due to their prevalence and impact on individuals and societies. However, care for individuals with TBI and MHSU remains fragmented with a lack of appropriate services and supports across the continuum of healthcare. This systematic review provided an evidence-based foundation to inform opportunities to mobilize and adapt existing resources to integrate care for individuals with TBI and MHSU by comprehensively summarizing existing integrated activities and reported barriers and facilitators to care integration. MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Sociological Abstracts, and Dissertations & Theses Global were independently reviewed by two reviewers based on pre-determined eligibility criteria. Data on the integration activity, level and type of integration, reported barriers and facilitators, and the strategies aligning with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Framework on Integrated Person-Centred Care were extracted to form the basis for a narrative synthesis. Fifty-nine peer-reviewed articles were included, describing treatments (N = 49), programs (N = 4), or screening activities (N = 7). Studies discussing clinical integration at the micro- (N = 38) and meso- (N = 10) levels, service integration at the micro- (N = 6) and meso- (N = 5) levels, and functional integration at the meso-level (N = 1) were identified. A minority of articles reported on facilitators (e.g., cognitive accommodations in treatment plans; N = 7), barriers (e.g., lack of education on cognitive challenges associated with TBI; N = 2), or both (N = 6), related to integrating care. This review demonstrated that integrated TBI and MHSU care already exists across a range of levels and types. Given the finite and competing demands for healthcare resources, cognitive accommodations across treatment plans to facilitate integrated TBI and MHSU care should be considered. Multidisciplinary teams should also be explored to provide opportunities for education among health professionals so they can be familiar with TBI and MHSU.

Trial registration: Prospero Registration: CRD42018108343.

Mobile ELISA with a Transparent Incubator

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is one of the most important technologies for biochemical testing critical for diagnosis and monitoring of many diseases. Traditional systems for ELISA incubation and reading are expensive and bulky, thus cannot be used at point-of-care or in the field. Here, we designed and demonstrated a new miniature mobile phone-based system for ELISA. This mHealth system can be used to complete all steps of the assay, including incubation and reading. It can be fabricated at low cost, it is portable, and can transfer test results via mobile phone. We have designed incubation chamber, imaging enclosure, and data processing algorithm. We demonstrate how mobile ELISA can be calibrated for accurate measurements of cortisol and show successful measurements with the calibrated system. We show that the results acquired with our prototype match well the results obtained with the gold standard.

A combined therapeutic regimen of citalopram and environmental enrichment ameliorates attentional set-shifting performance after brain trauma

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) have led to lasting deficits for an estimated 5.3 million American patients. Effective therapies for these patients remain scarce and each of the clinical trials stemming from success in experimental models has failed. We believe that the failures may be, in part, due to the lack of preclinical assessment of cognitive domains that widely affect clinical TBI. Specifically, the behavioral tasks in the TBI literature often do not focus on common executive impairments related to the frontal lobe such as cognitive flexibility. In previous work, we have demonstrated that the attentional set-shifting test (AST), a task analogous to the clinically-employed Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), could be used to identify cognitive flexibility impairments following controlled cortical impact (CCI) injury. In this study, we hypothesized that both the administration of the antidepressant drug citalopram (CIT) and exposure to a preclinical model of neurorehabilitation, environmental enrichment (EE), would attenuate cognitive performance deficits on AST when provided alone and lead to greater benefits when administered in combination. Adult male rats were subjected to a moderate-severe CCI or sham injury. Rats were randomly divided into experimental groups that included surgical injury, drug therapy, and housing condition. We observed that both CIT and EE provided significant cognitive recovery when administered alone and reversal learning performance recovery increased the most when the therapies were combined (p < 0.05). Ongoing studies continue to evaluate novel ways of assessing more clinically relevant measurements of high order cognitive TBI-related impairments in the rat model.

The management of depression following traumatic brain injury: A systematic review with meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is prevalent. Declining mortality has led to increasing survivors with chronic sequalae, including depression. With a lack of guidelines, this review aims to provide a comprehensive, evidence-based summary of the management of depression following TBI.

METHODS

Systematic searches were conducted for quasi-experimental and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing pharmacotherapy, psychological interventions, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Databases searched CENTRAL, Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and ProQuest dissertations. Data extraction and risk-of-bias tools were used. Where possible, outcomes were combined into meta-analyses.

RESULTS

2719 studies were identified. After abstract screening and full-text reading, 34 remained. Prophylactic sertraline significantly reduced the odds of depression (OR (odds ratio) = 0.31 [95%CI (confidence interval) = 0.12 to 0.82]). Meta-analysis of RCT's showed TMS to have the greatest reduction in depression severity (SMD (Standardized-Mean-Difference) = 2.43 [95%CI = 1.24 to 3.61]). Stimulants were the only treatment superior to control (SMD = -1.03 [95%CI = - 1.6 to -0.47]).

CONCLUSION

Methylphenidate was the most effective pharmacotherapy. Sertraline appears effective for prevention. The efficacy of psychological interventions is unclear. TMS as a combination therapy appears promising. Heterogeneity of study populations and dearth of evidence means results should be interpreted cautiously.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors for Treating Neurocognitive and Neuropsychiatric Disorders Following Traumatic Brain Injury: An Evaluation of Current Evidence

The prevalence of neuropsychiatric disorders following traumatic brain injury (TBI) is 20%-50%, and disorders of mood and cognition may remain even after recovery of neurologic function is achieved. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) block the reuptake of serotonin in presynaptic cells to lead to increased serotonergic activity in the synaptic cleft, constituting first-line treatment for a variety of neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric disorders. This review investigates the utility of SSRIs in treating post-TBI disorders. In total, 37 unique reports were consolidated from the Cochrane Central Register and PubMed (eight randomized-controlled trials (RCTs), nine open-label studies, 11 case reports, nine review articles). SSRIs are associated with improvement of depressive but not cognitive symptoms. Pooled analysis using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale demonstrate a significant mean decrease of depression severity following sertraline compared to placebo-a result supported by several other RCTs with similar endpoints. Evidence from smaller studies demonstrates mood improvement following SSRI administration with absent or negative effects on cognitive and functional recovery. Notably, studies on SSRI treatment effects for post-traumatic stress disorder after TBI remain absent, and this represents an important direction of future research. Furthermore, placebo-controlled studies with extended follow-up periods and concurrent biomarker, neuroimaging and behavioral data are necessary to delineate the attributable pharmacological effects of SSRIs in the TBI population.