Background Antipsychotic treatment is associated with metabolic disturbance. However, the degree to which metabolic alterations occur in treatment with different antipsychotics is unclear. Predictors of metabolic dysregulation are poorly understood and the association between metabolic change and change in psychopathology is uncertain. We aimed to compare and rank antipsychotics on the basis of their metabolic side-effects, identify physiological and demographic predictors of antipsychotic-induced metabolic dysregulation, and investigate the relationship between change in psychotic symptoms and change in metabolic parameters with antipsychotic treatment.Methods We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO from inception until June 30, 2019. We included blinded, randomised controlled trials comparing 18 antipsychotics and placebo in acute treatment of schizophrenia. We did frequentist random-effects network meta-analyses to investigate treatment-induced changes in body weight, BMI, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglyceride, and glucose concentrations. We did meta-regressions to examine relationships between metabolic change and age, sex, ethnicity, baseline weight, and baseline metabolic parameter level. We examined the association between metabolic change and psychopathology change by estimating the correlation between symptom severity change and metabolic parameter change. FindingsOf 6532 citations, we included 100 randomised controlled trials, including 25 952 patients. Median treatment duration was 6 weeks (IQR 6-8). Mean differences for weight gain compared with placebo ranged from −0•23 kg (95% CI −0•83 to 0•36) for haloperidol to 3•01 kg (1•78 to 4•24) for clozapine; for BMI from −0•25 kg/m² (−0•68 to 0•17) for haloperidol to 1•07 kg/m² (0•90 to 1•25) for olanzapine; for total-cholesterol from −0•09 mmol/L (-0•24 to 0•07) for cariprazine to 0•56 mmol/L (0•26-0•86) for clozapine; for LDL cholesterol from −0•13 mmol/L (−0.21 to −0•05) for cariprazine to 0•20 mmol/L (0•14 to 0•26) for olanzapine; for HDL cholesterol from 0•05 mmol/L (0•00 to 0•10) for brexpiprazole to −0•10 mmol/L (−0•33 to 0•14) for amisulpride; for triglycerides from −0•01 mmol/L (−0•10 to 0•08) for brexpiprazole to 0•98 mmol/L (0•48 to 1•49) for clozapine; for glucose from −0•29 mmol/L (−0•55 to −0•03) for lurasidone to 1•05 mmol/L (0•41 to 1•70) for clozapine. Greater increases in glucose were predicted by higher baseline weight (p=0•0015) and male sex (p=0•0082). Non-white ethnicity was associated with greater increases in total cholesterol (p=0•040) compared with white ethnicity. Improvements in symptom severity were associated with increases in weight (r=0•36, p=0•0021), BMI (r=0•84, p<0•0001), totalcholesterol (r=0•31, p=0•047), and LDL cholesterol (r=0•42, p=0•013), and decreases in HDL cholesterol (r=−0•35, p=0•035).Interpretation Marked differences exist between antipsychotics in terms of metabolic side-effects, with olanzapine and clozapine exhibiting the worst profiles and aripiprazole, brexpiprazole, caripraz...

Purpose Malignant astrocytomas (MAs) are aggressive central nervous system tumors with poor prognosis. Activating mutation of BRAF (BRAFV600E) has been reported in a subset of these tumors, especially in children. We have investigated the incidence of BRAFV600E in additional pediatric patient cohorts, and examined the effects of BRAF blockade in preclinical models of BRAFV600E and wild-type BRAF MA. Experimental Design BRAFV600E mutation status was examined in two pediatric MA patient cohorts. For functional studies, BRAFV600E MA cell lines were used to investigate the effects of BRAF shRNA knockdown in vitro, and to investigate BRAF pharmacologic inhibition, in vitro and in vivo. Results BRAFV600E mutations were identified in 11 and 10 percent of MAs from two distinct series of tumors (6 of 58 cases total). BRAF was expressed in all MA cell lines examined, among which BRAFV600E was identified in four instances. Using the BRAFV600E specific inhibitor PLX4720, pharmacologic blockade of BRAF revealed preferential anti-proliferative activity against BRAFV600E mutant cells in vitro, in contrast to the use of shRNA-mediated knockdown of BRAF, which inhibited cell growth of glioma cell lines regardless of BRAF mutation status. Using orthotopic MA xenografts, we demonstrate that PLX4720 treatment decreases tumor growth and increases overall survival in mice bearing BRAFV600E mutant xenografts, while being ineffective, and possibly tumor promoting, against xenografts with wild-type BRAF. Conclusions Our results indicate a 10% incidence of activating BRAFV600E among pediatric MAs. With regard to implications for therapy, our results support evaluation of BRAFV600E specific inhibitors for treating BRAFV600E MA patients.

Low-grade astrocytomas (LGAs) are the most common type of brain tumor in children. Until recently, very little was known about the underlying biology and molecular genetics of these tumors. However, within the past year a number of studies have shown that the MAPK pathway is constitutively activated in a high proportion of LGAs. Several genetic aberrations which generate this deregulation of the MAPK pathway have been identified, most notably gene fusions between KIAA1549 and BRAF. In this review we summarize these findings, discuss how these gene fusions may arise and consider possible implications for diagnosis and treatment.

Although THs and FHs do not appear to view dementia as a specific disease, they may provide a means of identifying people with dementia in this setting.

Background Approximately 188 million people use cannabis yearly worldwide, and it has recently been legalised in 11 US states, Canada, and Uruguay for recreational use. The potential for increased cannabis use highlights the need to better understand its risks, including the acute induction of psychotic and other psychiatric symptoms. We aimed to investigate the effect of the cannabis constituent Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) alone and in combination with cannabidiol (CBD) compared with placebo on psychiatric symptoms in healthy people.Methods In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, and PsycINFO for studies published in English between database inception and May 21, 2019, with a within-person, crossover design. Inclusion criteria were studies reporting symptoms using psychiatric scales (the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale [BPRS] and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale [PANSS]) following the acute administration of intravenous, oral, or nasal THC, CBD, and placebo in healthy participants, and presenting data that allowed calculation of standardised mean change (SMC) scores for positive (including delusions and hallucinations), negative (such as blunted affect and amotivation), and general (including depression and anxiety) symptoms. We did a random-effects meta-analysis to assess the main outcomes of the effect sizes for total, positive, and negative PANSS and BPRS scores measured in healthy participants following THC administration versus placebo. Because the number of studies to do a meta-analysis on CBD's moderating effects was insufficient, this outcome was only systematically reviewed. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42019136674.Findings 15 eligible studies involving the acute administration of THC and four studies on CBD plus THC administration were identified. Compared with placebo, THC significantly increased total symptom severity with a large effect size (assessed in nine studies, with ten independent samples, involving 196 participants: SMC 1•10 [95% CI 0•92-1•28], p<0•0001); positive symptom severity (assessed in 14 studies, with 15 independent samples, involving 324 participants: SMC 0•91 [95% CI 0•68-1•14], p<0•0001); and negative symptom severity with a large effect size (assessed in 12 studies, with 13 independent samples, involving 267 participants: SMC 0•78 [95% CI 0•59-0•97], p<0•0001). In the systematic review, of the four studies evaluating CBD's effects on THC-induced symptoms, only one identified a significant reduction in symptoms.Interpretation A single THC administration induces psychotic, negative, and other psychiatric symptoms with large effect sizes. There is no consistent evidence that CBD induces symptoms or moderates the effects of THC. These findings highlight the potential risks associated with the use of cannabis and other cannabinoids that contain THC for recreational or therapeutic purposes.

IMPORTANCE Ketamine hydrochloride is increasingly used to treat depression and other psychiatric disorders but can induce schizophrenia-like or psychotomimetic symptoms. Despite this risk, the consistency and magnitude of symptoms induced by ketamine or what factors are associated with these symptoms remain unknown. OBJECTIVE To conduct a meta-analysis of the psychopathological outcomes associated with ketamine in healthy volunteers and patients with schizophrenia and the experimental factors associated with these outcomes. DATA SOURCES MEDLINE, Embase, and PsychINFO databases were searched for withinparticipant, placebo-controlled studies reporting symptoms using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) or the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) in response to an acute ketamine challenge in healthy participants or patients with schizophrenia. STUDY SELECTION Of 8464 citations retrieved, 36 studies involving healthy participants were included. Inclusion criteria were studies (1) including healthy participants; (2) reporting symptoms occurring in response to acute administration of subanesthetic doses of ketamine (racemic ketamine, s-ketamine, r-ketamine) intravenously; (3) containing a placebo condition with a within-subject, crossover design; (4) measuring total positive or negative symptoms using BPRS or PANSS; and (5) providing data allowing the estimation of the mean difference and deviation between the ketamine and placebo condition. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS Two independent investigators extracted study-level data for a random-effects meta-analysis. Total, positive, and negative BPRS and PANSS scores were extracted. Subgroup analyses were conducted examining the effects of blinding status, ketamine preparation, infusion method, and time between ketamine and placebo conditions. The Metaanalysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Standardized mean differences (SMDs) were used as effect sizes for individual studies. Standardized mean differences between ketamine and placebo conditions were calculated for total, positive, and negative BPRS and PANSS scores. RESULTS The overall sample included 725 healthy volunteers (mean [SD] age, 28.3 [3.6] years; 533 [73.6%] male) exposed to the ketamine and placebo conditions. Racemic ketamine or S-ketamine was associated with a statistically significant increase in transient psychopathology in healthy (continued) Key Points Question What psychopathological outcomes are associated with ketamine hydrochloride in healthy volunteers and patients with schizophrenia, and what factors are associated with these outcomes? Findings This meta-analysis of 36 studies, including 725 unique healthy participants, found that the acute administration of ketamine relative to placebo was associated with a meaningful increase in positive and negative symptoms of psychosis in healthy volunteers and patients with schizophrenia. This assoc...

Gene fusions involving members of the RAF family of protein kinases have recently been identified as characteristic aberrations of low-grade astrocytomas, the most common tumors of the central nervous system in children. While it has been shown that these fusions cause constitutive activation of the ERK/MAPK pathway, very little is known about their formation. Here, we present a detailed analysis of RAF gene fusion breakpoints from a well-characterized cohort of 43 lowgrade astrocytomas. Our findings show that the rearrangements that generate these RAF gene fusions may be simple or complex and that both inserted nucleotides and microhomology are common at the DNA breakpoints. Furthermore, we identify novel enrichment of microhomologous sequences in the regions immediately flanking the breakpoints. We thus provide evidence that the tandem duplications responsible for these fusions are generated by microhomology-mediated break-induced replication (MMBIR). Although MMBIR has previously been implicated in the pathogenesis of other diseases and the evolution of eukaryotic genomes, we demonstrate here that the proposed details of MMBIR are consistent with a recurrent rearrangement in cancer. Our analysis of repetitive elements, Z-DNA and sequence motifs in the fusion partners identified significant enrichment of the human minisatellite conserved sequence/x-like element at one side of the breakpoint. Therefore, in addition to furthering our understanding of low-grade astrocytomas, this study provides insights into the molecular mechanistic details of MMBIR and the sequence of events that occur in the formation of genomic rearrangements.

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