Patients' perceived treatment need owing to temporomandibular disorders and perceptions of related treatment in dentistry—A mixed‐method study

Background: To easily identify patients who could benefit from a temporomandibular disorder (TMD) examination, three screening questions (3Q/TMD) have been introduced in large parts of Sweden. The questions are related to a TMD diagnosis. However, how the questions relate to a treatment need is unknown.Objectives: The first aim of the study was to identify predicting factors for perceived treatment need among adult individuals who screened positive to the 3Q/TMD. The second aim was to explore individuals' thoughts and experiences related to treatment of their TMD complaint.Methods: This mixed‐method study with a case‐control design was conducted in Västerbotten, Sweden, during 2014. Individuals who screened positive to at least one of the 3Q/TMD questions were allocated 3Q‐positives, whereas those with negative answers to all questions were allocated 3Q‐negatives. In total, 300 individuals (140 randomly selected 3Q‐positives, and 160 age‐ and gender‐matched 3Q‐negatives) were included. All individuals answered questions related to treatment need. The answers were analysed in a qualitative approach with qualitative content analysis.Results: In total, 81% of 3Q‐positives expressed a treatment need related to their TMD symptoms. The perceived treatment need was predicted by frequent pain (Q1) and frequent functional disturbances (Q3). Among the 3Q‐positives, 54% reported mistrust in dentists' ability to treat TMD symptoms. The informants expressed a need for information about their symptoms and possible treatment options.Conclusion: Affirmative answers to 3Q/TMD were associated with TMD treatment need. Dentists should give advice to patients with TMD symptoms and address their concerns.</p

Acute administration of lithium, but not valproate, modulates cognitive judgment bias in rats

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Both valproic acid (VPA) and lithium (LI) are well-established treatments for therapy of intense and sustained mood shifts, which are characteristics of affective disorders, such as bipolar disorder (BP). As mood and cognitive judgment bias have been found to be strongly interrelated, the present study investigated, in an animal model, whether acute treatment with VPA or LI could affect cognitive judgment bias. METHODS: To accomplish this goal, two groups of rats received single injections of either VPA or LI after initial behavioral training and were subsequently tested with the ambiguous-cue interpretation (ACI) test. Both drugs were administered in three doses using the fully randomized Latin square design. RESULTS: VPA (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg) had no significant effect on the interpretation of the ambiguous cue. LI at the lowest dose (10 mg/kg) had no effect; at an intermediate dose (50 mg/kg), it significantly biased animals towards positive interpretation of the ambiguous cue, and at the highest dose (100 mg/kg), it impaired the ability of animals to complete the test. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating lithium’s effects on increased optimistic judgment bias. Future studies may focus on the ability of putative pharmacotherapies to modify the cognitive judgment bias dimension of patients at risk for bipolar disorder or depression

Inflammation and lithium: clues to mechanisms contributing to suicide-linked traits

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, yet it remains difficult to understand the mechanistic provocations and to intervene therapeutically. Stress is recognized as a frequent precursor to suicide. Psychological stress is well established to cause activation of the inflammatory response, including causing neuroinflammation, an increase of inflammatory molecules in the central nervous system (CNS). Neuroinflammation is increasingly recognized as affecting many aspects of CNS functions and behaviors. In particular, much evidence demonstrates that inflammatory markers are elevated in traits that have been linked to suicidal behavior, including aggression, impulsivity and depression. Lithium is recognized as significantly reducing suicidal behavior, is anti-inflammatory and diminishes aggression, impulsivity and depression traits, each of which is associated with elevated inflammation. The anti-inflammatory effects of lithium result from its inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3). GSK3 has been demonstrated to strongly promote inflammation, aggressive behavior in rodents and depression-like behaviors in rodents, whereas regulation of impulsivity by GSK3 has not yet been investigated. Altogether, evidence is building supporting the hypothesis that stress activates GSK3, which in turn promotes inflammation, and that inflammation is linked to behaviors associated with suicide, including particularly aggression, impulsivity and depression. Further investigation of these links may provide a clearer understanding of the causes of suicidal behavior and provide leads for the development of effective preventative interventions, which may include inhibitors of GSK3