Objective To explore the effects of aripiprazole on clinical symptoms and neurotrophic factor levels in patients with schizophrenia. Methods Forty patients with schizophrenia and 40 normal controls were included in the study. The clinical symptoms of patients receiving aripiprazole only for 12 weeks were evaluated by using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Stroop Color-Word Test (SCWT), Continuous Performance Test, Digit-Symbol Coding Test and Trail Making Test-A were used to evaluate the cognitive function both in patients and controls. Serum levels of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and Neurotrophin 3 (NT-3) were measured using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Results The clinical scores, cognitive function and levels of neurotrophic factors were different before and after treatment (P<0.01). And those were significantly lower in patients than in control group (P<0.05). Before treatment, BDNF was negatively correlated with PANSS negative symptom score (r=-0.362, P=0.022);NGF was related to the total score of PANSS (r=0.332, P=0.037) and positive symptoms (r=0.401, P=0.010); NT-3 was associated with negative symptom scores (r=-0.376, P=0.017) and SCWT-color words (r=0.332, P=0.037) in patient group. After treatment, the increase in BDNF was correlated with the reduction in PANSS total score (r=0.371, P=0.018), negative symptom score (r=0.345, P=0.029) and general pathology score (r=0.342, P=0.031). There was a correlation of the increase of NGF with the decrease of PANSS total scores (r=0.437, P=0.005) and with positive symptom scores (r=0.357, P=0.024). Conclusion Treatment with Aripiprazole can improve the clinical symptoms and cognitive functiona impairments in patients with schizophrenia, which may be related to the increase in serum levels of BDNF, NGF and NT-3.

Objective To investigate the effect of agomelatine on the clinical efficacy in elderly patients with acute cerebral infarction(ACI)and comorbid anxiety-depression disorders by regu-lating serum neurotransmitters and nerve cytokines.Methods A total of 160 elderly ACI patients with anxiety and depression symptoms admitted in Pingxiang Second People's Hospital from June 2020 to December 2023 were enrolled in this study.All of them received thrombolysis or interven-tional therapy,and then were randomly divided into control and observation groups,with 80 patients in each group.The control group received conventional psychological intervention,while the observation group was given additional oral administration of agomelatine.Cognitive function,neurological function,neurotransmitters and neuronal cytokines,anxiety and depression scores,sleep quality,quality of life,daily activity ability and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups.Results After intervention,Mini Mental State Examination(MMSE)scores,levels of neuropeptide Y(NPY),5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT),norepinephrine(NE),dopamine and brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF),36-item Brief Health Questionnaire(SF-36)score,and Bar-thel index scale score were significantly higher in both 2 groups when compared with above indicators before the intervention(P＜0.01).And the MMSE score,NPY,5-HT,NE,dopamine and BDNF levels,SF-36 score and Barthel index scale score were obviously higher in the observa-tion group than the control group(P＜0.01).Both groups obtained notably lower NIHSS score,S100 calcium binding protein B(S100B)and myelin basic protein(MBP)levels,Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale(HAMA)score,and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale 17(H AMD-17)score and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI)score after intervention(P＜0.01).And the NIHSS score,S100B and MBP levels,HAMA score,HAMD-17 score,and PSQI score were statistically lower in the observation group than the control group(P＜0.01).During the treatment process,no signifi-cant difference was observed in the incidence of total adverse reactions between the two groups(3.75％vs 6.25％,x2=0.526,P=0.468).Conclusion When agomelatine tablets are indicated for ACI patients with concomitant anxiety-depression disorders,they can effectively rehabilitate cog-nitive function,enhance neurological function,improve sleep quality and quality of life,optimize activities of daily living,eliminate negative emotions,and correct the expression of neurotransmit-ters and neurotrophic factors.