Response to escitalopram was associated with significantly lower self-reported deficits in reward processing at baseline. Activity during the reward anticipation, but not the reward consumption, phase of the MID task was correlated with clinical response to escitalopram at week 8. Early (baseline to week 2) increases in frontostriatal connectivity during reward anticipation significantly correlated with reduction in depressive symptoms after 8 weeks of treatment. Escitalopram response is associated with clinical and neuroimaging correlates of reward processing. These results represent an important contribution towards identifying and integrating biological, behavioral, and clinical correlates of treatment response. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01655706.Lithium remains the gold standard for the treatment of bipolar disorder (BD); however, its use has declined over the years mainly due to the side effects and the subjective experience of cognitive numbness reported by patients.  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/rvx-208.html  In the present study, we aim to methodically test the effects of lithium on neurocognitive functioning in the largest single cohort (n = 262) of BD patients reported to date by harnessing the power of a multi-site, ongoing clinical trial of lithium monotherapy. At the cross-sectional level, multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was conducted to examine potential group differences across neurocognitive tests [California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT trials 1-5,CVLT delayed recall), Wechsler Digit Symbol, Trail-making Test parts A and B (TMT-A; TMT-B), and a global cognition index]. At the longitudinal level, on a subset of patients (n = 88) who achieved mood stabilization with lithium monotherapy, we explored the effect of lithium treatment across time on neurocognitive functioning. There were no differences at baseline between BD patients that were taking lithium compared with those that were not. At follow-up a significant neurocognitive improvement in the global cognitive index score [F = 31.69; p  less then  0.001], CVLT trials 1-5 [F = 29.81; p  less then  0.001], CVLT delayed recall [F = 15.27; p  less then  0.001], and TMT-B [F = 6.64, p = 0.012] was detected. The cross-sectional and longitudinal (on a subset of 88 patients) investigations suggest that lithium may be beneficial to neurocognitive functioning in patients with BD and that at the very least it does not seem to significantly impair cognition when used therapeutically.The core features of schizophrenia (SCZ) include cognitive deficits and impaired sensory gating represented by P50 inhibition deficits, which appear to be related to the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). An agonist of nAChR receptor may improve these defects. This study aimed to investigate how administering multiple doses of tropisetron, a partial agonist of nAChR, for 1 day would affect cognitive deficits and P50 inhibition deficits in SCZ patients. We randomized 40 SCZ non-smokers into a double-blind clinical trial with four groups placebo, 5 mg/d, 10 mg/d, and 20 mg/d of oral tropisetron. Their P50 ratios were all more than 0.5 and they took risperidone at 3-6 mg/day for at least a month before participating in the experiment. We measured the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) and P50 inhibition before and one day after treatment. After one day of treatment, the total RBANS scores of the 20 mg and 5 mg tropisetron groups, and the immediate memory of the 10 mg group were significantly higher than placebo group. The P50 ratio was smaller in the 5 mg and 10 mg groups than in the placebo group (both p  less then  0.05) after treatment. Furthermore, the improvement in RBANS total score was correlated with increased S1 latency (p  less then  0.05), and the increase in immediate memory score was correlated with decreased S2 amplitude. One day of treatment with tropisetron improved both cognitive and P50 inhibition deficits, suggesting that longer term treatment with α7 nAChR agonists for these deficits in SCZ may be promising.The rising popularity of artificial intelligence (AI) in ophthalmology is fuelled by the ever-increasing clinical "big data" that can be used for algorithm development. Cataract is one of the leading causes of visual impairment worldwide. However, compared with other major age-related eye diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and glaucoma, AI development in the domain of cataract is still relatively underexplored. In this regard, several previous studies explored algorithms for automated cataract assessment using either slit lamp of color fundus photographs. However, several other study groups proposed or derived new AI-based calculation for pre-cataract surgery intraocular lens power. Along with advancements in digitization of clinical data, data curation for future cataract-related AI developmental work is bound to undergo significant improvements in the foreseeable future. Even though most of these previous studies reported early promising performances, limitations such as lack of robust, high-quality training data, and lack of external validations remain. In the next phase of work, apart from algorithm's performance, it will also be pertinent to evaluate deployment angles, feasibility, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of these new cataract-related AI systems.The proposed doses of chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) for treatment of COVID-19 (1000 mg/day for 10 days, CQ; 800 mg first day then 400 mg/day for 5 days, HCQ) in many guidelines worldwide, are considerably higher than the maximum recommended daily safe doses of both agents (≤2.3 mg/kg/day, CQ; ≤5.0 mg/kg/day, HCQ) for development of retinal toxicity. Irreversible retinal damage can occur if the exposure to the safe doses is >5 years. It is not known whether exposure to high doses over a short period of time can also cause the damage. We recommend that before prescribing CQ or HCQ, history of ocular disease should be obtained to avoid the prescription if appropriate. If either agent is to be used, routine baseline ocular examination is not absolutely necessary. Patients who do not have ocular disease should also be informed about the potential risk of retinal toxicity. Both agents, however, have not yet been proven to be beneficial to COVID-19.