bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PW01-84 - Mild Cognitive Impairment - Clinical And Imaging Features In Arad County
Authors: Mila C. , Podea D.M. , Chenderes R.M.
Published: June 2010

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)is the most obvious decrease mental function, considered to be a potential transitional stage between normal cognitive function and dementia. The number of older people is growing rapidly worldwide and the fact that elderly people are also apparently living longer, dementia, the most common cause of cognitive impairment is getting to be a greater public health problem.

Objective

The aim of this study is to evaluate the correlation between clinical features and imaging aspects at patient diagnosed with MCI.

Material and methods

The study comprises a number of 45 elderly patients diagnosed with MCI. MMSE score between 28-21 points is considered mild cognitive impairment. The patients were evaluated with MMSE (Mini Mental State Evaluation), clock drawing test (CDT), Raven QI test and computer tomography.

Results

The average of MMSE was 23.88. The most affected items of MMSE were attention, concentration and recall. The results CDT was reduced on average by 2.57 points from the maximum of 4 points. Raven test showed that almost all the patient included presented QI under 90 points, an intelligence level under limits. The patients with lower MMSE score have more than one imaging change. All the patients with low CDT score have cortical atrophy.

Conclusions

In general imaging changes are correlated with MMSE and CDT scores: as the scores are lower the tomography changes are more severe.

Acknowledgment

The work reported in this paper was supported by grant PNCDI2-41-057/2007 from the Romanian Ministry of Education and Research.
PW01-90 - Influence Of Apolipoprotein E Genotype On Cognitive Function In Patients With Mild Alzheimer Dementia
Authors: Stoppe G. , Saake A. , Wolf S.
Published: June 2010

Background

Apolipoprotein E allele ɛ4 is a well established risk factor for Alzheimer dementia (AD). Its presence modifies also the influence of other risk factors as well as the conversion rate of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to overt dementia. In how far it also influences the clinical presentation of AD, is not known yet.

Method

Patients of the memory clinic Göttingen were approached if they fulfilled the inclusion criteria: very mild or mild AD according to NINCDS-ADRDA criteria, MMSE 20-30, and at least two of three typical instrumental findings (hippocampal atrophy in MRI, bilateral temporo-parietal hypoperfusion in Neurolite-SPET, low Aβ1-42and increased tau in CSF). They underwent an extensive neuropsychological investigation. A follow-up took place within one year.

Results

N=74 patients (38M, 36F; mean age 68.1y; MMSE 25.9 ± 2.8) and N=28 age- and sex- and education-matched controls could be recruited. N=36 patients had one (N=20) or two (N=16) APOE -ɛ4-alleles. 53 of 57 CSF analyses revealed AD-typical findings, 64 of 74 cranial MRT revealed bilateral hippocampal or global atrophy and 42 of 64 Neurolite-SPETs showed typical findings. Results of non-memory tests - language, visuospatial ability, attention - did not reveal any difference with regard to APOE genotype. Two memory tests and a memory composite score were significantly worse in the APOE -ɛ4-positive group and even worse in the homozygote group.

Conclusion

APOE -ɛ4 influences in a dose dependent manner the neuropsychological functioning in mild AD.
PW01-106 - Evaluation Of The Effect Of Religiosity On Mental Health Of Nursing Students In Northern Greece
Authors: Papazisis G. , Tsiga E. , Katsigiannopoulos K. , Lagos I.-C. , Koutsoumpelis P. , Katis V. , Sapountzi-Krepia D.
Published: June 2010

Introduction

Religious and spiritual beliefs are widely recognized as important components of human wellness, of health care outcomes and of holistic medical and nursing care. There are controversial data suggesting a correlation between religiosity and mental health disorders among young adults and students. Aim of the study was to determine the association between self-esteem, depression and religious and spiritual beliefs among nursing students in Thessaloniki, Greece.

Methods

A total of 122 students agreed to participate in the study. Data was collected using the Greek versions of three self-administered, structured, pre-tested questionnaires: I) The Royal Free Interview for Religious and Spiritual Beliefs II) Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) and III) Rosenberg self-esteem scale.

Results

Self-esteem was found normal in 89,3% of the students, low in 10,7%, but it is important to notice that nobody reported high self-esteem levels. The vast majority of the students (61,5%) reported both religious and spiritual beliefs. 27% reported only religious beliefs and 9% only spiritual beliefs. 31,9% of the students perceived depressive symptoms, most of them in mild levels (19,5%). Praying, religious reading and religious attendance were associated with normal self-esteem and low depressive symptoms. However, a consistent negative correlation was found between intrinsic religiosity and depression.

Discussion

These findings indicate that religious and spiritual variables influence the psychological well-being of students. Religiosity may have a protective role against depression; however, our study sample is relative small and further studies are required in order to evaluate the effect of religious beliefs on the mental health of students.
PW01-111 - Prevalence Of Insomnia In General Population
Authors: Sepehrmanesh Z. , Ahmadvand A. , Ghoreishi F.
Published: June 2010

Objectives

Sleep is the most important biological circadian rythm. Researches have shown that sleep deprivation causes reduction of hypothalamus function, decrease glucose tolerance and increase cardio-vascular diseases, hypertension and also decrease their mental and intellectual activity of human. This research investigate insomnia in adult people (Kashan city,Iran.)

Methods

This cross-sectional research has been done in Kashan,2008 by using classified randomized sampling in 39 health centers among persons with 18 years old and over (N= 1155). Written consent was taken from subjects, and all of them answered to demographic questionnaire,and researcher-made insomnia questionnaire. Test-retest Reliability of this test was 99% and its internal consistency was 82% by using α kronbach. Data was analyzed by using Fisher exact test.

Results

Prevalence of insomnia was (n=684, 59.2%). The highest rate of insomnia were found among adult with age of 42 to 65 years old (n=266, 67.9%) and then in sex of feminity (n=387, 56.5%). There was significant relationship between insomnia and psychiatric history [PV< 0/0001, OR=2.24], sleep disorder in family [PV< 0/0001, OR=4.67] and drinking caffeine before sleep [PV< 0/001, OR=1.64].

Conclusions

The majority of adult person suffer from insomnia and most sleep problems are observed among middle age group. Since sleep disorders can be related to social, psychological and physical problems, paying attention to quality and hygiene sleep in general population is essential.
PW01-114 - Neurosyphilis With Psychiatric Co-Morbidity In General Hospitals In The Netherlands, 1999-2007
Authors: Lens - Daey Ouwens I.M. , van Veen M.G. , van den Wijngaard C.C. , Notermans D.W. , de Vries H.J.C. , van der Sande M.
Published: June 2010

Introduction

Recent surveys show a steady increase in infectious syphilis incidence among sexual transmitted infection clinic visitors in many industrialized countries. Untreated, 30% of patients develop symptomatic neurosyphilis, possibly presenting with a variety of behavioral en neurological symptoms. Neurosyphilis is diagnosed on specific abnormalities in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

Objectives

Case reports on neurosyphilis in Dutch patients prompted us to explore the epidemiology of neurosyphilis with psychiatric co morbidity.

Aim

To estimate the incidence of neurosyphilis and psychiatric co morbidity in the Netherlands based on data of hospitalizations in general hospitals from 1999-2007.

Methods

Hospitalization data were collected from the Dutch National Medical Register. We included all records on hospitalizations with any kind of neurosyphilis, except congenital neurosyphilis, as discharge- or secondary diagnosis (ICD9-code 094 and subcategory codes).

Results

Between 1999 and 2007, 542 cases of neurosyphilis were registered, approximately 60 cases per year. Of all cases, 76% were male. Co-infection with HIV was seen in 74 (14%) of hospitalized cases of whom 91% were male. In 35 (6%) cases one or more concurrent psychiatric disorders were diagnosed, including 10 organic psychiatric disorders, 8 dementia cases, 6 substance abuses, 4 affective disorders, 7 psychotic disorders, 2 personality disorders and 8 miscellaneous diagnoses.

Conclusions

Neurosyphilis is still diagnosed in patients admitted to Dutch general hospitals. Under diagnosis due to unfamiliarity with the recent syphilis surge is possible. Over reporting is also possible due to incorrect diagnosis not based on CSF results. The reemerging syphilis epidemic may result in an increasing neurosyphilis incidence.
PW01-99 - Common Mental Disorders And Fertility Problems In The Normal Populaton
Authors: Biringer E. , Kessler U. , Mykletun A.
Published: June 2010

Objective

Clinical studies have found higher occurrences of anxiety and depression in women who experience fertility problems. However, the relationship between common mental symptoms and sub-/infertility should also be investigated in the normal population.

Methods

In a valid N=15,000 sample of women (mean age=36 years, s.d.=8.4, range 19-49) in the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study 1995-97 (HUNT 2), the relationship of anxiety- and/or depression with fertility problems was explored by means of logistic regression analysis. Psychological symptoms were measured by the 14-item Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) (cut-off=14+, i.e. 90th percentile). Sub-/infertility was defined as having ever tried to get pregnant for more than one year without success. Analyses were adjusted for age, education, civil status, somatic conditions, parity, and gynaecological surgery.

Results

In all, 2,058 (14%) of women were sub- or infertile. Mean HADS total score was 7.8 (s.d. 5.73, range 0-35) in this group and 7.1 (s.d. 5.43, range 0-39) in the group without fertility problems. Odds ratios for fertility problems in the group that scored above HADS cut-off were 1.26 (95% CI=1.09; 1.45), p=0.002 in the crude analysis and 1.13 (95% CI=0.97;1.31), p=0.123 in the adjusted analysis.

Conclusion

The effect size for the relationship between common mental disorders and fertility problems in this epidemiological study was weak. However, it may represent a more true estimate of the relationship than findings from earlier clinical studies, as such clinical studies may be biased due to differences between help-seeking patients and healthy controls.
PW01-116 - Clinical-Psychopathological Prerequisites Of Criminal Violence In Veterans Of Local Wars
Authors: Fastovtsov G. , Oskolkova S.
Published: June 2010

The aim of the investigation was to determine clinical-dynamic characteristics of combat-related PTSD, as well as individual and personality features and prerequisites of criminal aggression and mental disturbances observed at the moment of offence.

Subjects and methods

174 male combatants aged 22-43 y.o.; clinico-psychopathological and statistical methods; quality of life self-evaluating scales.

Results

Combatants were divided into 5 groups: 3 psychotic and 2 nonpsychotic. The probability of heteroaggressive behavior seems to increase in accordance with duration of exposure and severity of stress factors. Criminal behavior dominated in first three years after the impact of the combat stress factors. Besides various PTSD symptoms mentioned in ICD-10, DSM-IV, new personality features in emotional, cognitive and motivational value spheres were observed. The more pronounced were these changes, the more prominent were interpersonal difficulties and violence. A frequent or chronical emotional prerequisite of aggression was proneness to emotional excitement in an interpersonal conflict. «Flashbacks» about war situations seemed to release under the influence of strong emotion. Their value system was polar: black and white: either friend or enemy. Therefore, their opinions were rigid, not realistic. They committed offences against person in emotional conditions triggered by stress, when situation was associated with life threat at war or an emotionally overwhelming opposition.

Conclusion

Detailed analysis of personality characteristics of the offender, duration of exposure to combat stress and its severity, as well as subsequent social stress factors and their psychological impact, and circumstances of offence itself is essential for correct judgement during forensic psychiatric evaluation.
PW01-118 - Personality Traits And Response Inhibition In Pedophile Sexual Abusers, Pedophile Internet Abusers And Controls - Preliminary Results
Authors: Habermeyer B. , Händel N. , Lemoine P. , Seifritz E. , Mager R. , Dittmann V. , Graf M.
Published: June 2010

Objectives

Recent research about pedophilia suggested an association between pedophilia, neurocognitive disturbance and specific personality profiles. Especially neuropsychological functions associated with the prefrontal and motor processing loops showed to be impaired in pedophilia. But in most studies about pedophilia subjects were recruited from high security forensic hospitals. The results might therefore be influenced by selection bias. To overcome this bias we conducted a study that aimed to compare neurocognitive disturbance and specific personality profiles of pedophile sexual abusers, pedophile internet abusers and controls.

Methods

We included until now 5 male pedophile sexual abusers, 4 male pedophile internet abusers and 6 male control subjects. Subjects were matched for age and IQ. Personality profiles were assessed by SKID and MMPI. Response inhibition was tested in a classical Go/NoGo task.

Results

Assessments of personality profiles showed similar sub threshold profiles for the controls and the group of internet abusers while subjects from security forensic hospital setting fulfilled criteria of personality disorders. Accordingly showed the Go/NoGo task higher rates of failed response inhibition in the group of paedophilic subjects from high security forensic hospital setting and lower rates for pedophile internet abusers and/or controls.

Conclusions

Our preliminary data suggests that results of recent studies about neurocognitive disturbance and neuroimaging correlates of paedophilia might be influenced by selection bias and might rather reflect impairment of personality and social interaction in a broader sense. Future research about paedophilia should consequently aim to disentangle personality impairment from sexual orientation.
PW01-126 - In-Patient Versus Home Based Models Of Acute Mental Illness Care In Adults: Direct Cost Comparison From Provider'S Perspective
Authors: Raji A. , Jackson A.
Published: June 2010

Aims

In the controlled and uncontrolled studies, community care as alternatives to in-patient care yielded similar or better outcomes. The aim of this study is to compare the direct cost of in-patient and home based care of acute mental illness from the health care provider's perspective.

Methods

82 patients exclusively treated as in-patient and 80 patients exclusively treated at home in 2008 on account of acute mental illness, in the psychiatric department of an Irish general hospital were suitable for stratified randomisation in each group. 32 patients were selected from each group. Micro-costing technique was used to retrospectively estimate from the clinical record, the direct costs of treatment for each patient (n=64).

Results

The average direct cost per patient treated in the hospital was €5,579 (range, €1,668 - €24,048, 95% confidence interval (CI) of €3808 to €7350), compared to €3,977 (range, €779 - €10,355, 95% CI of €3034 to €4921) for each patient treated at home. The average daily in-patient admission cost was €343 (95% CI of €332 to €354), compared to €147 (95% CI of €142 to €152) per day for each patient treated at home.

Conclusions

Home based care of adult patients presenting with acute mental illness, that could have been admitted in the absence of a home based treatment unit incurred lower daily costs to the health care provider compared to in-patient care (Mann-Whitney U test, z=6.876, p=0.000). This underscores the need for more researches to further develop Home based models of acute mental illness care.
PW01-132 - Psychometric Analysis Of Kernberg€S Personality Inventory (Ipo) Reduced
Authors: García-García M. , Benítez-Hernández M.M. , Fernández-Jiménez E. , Fuentes-Márquez S. , Senín-Calderón M.C. , Valdés-Díaz M. , Rodríguez-Testal J.F.
Published: June 2010

Antecedents

Kernberg's classification of personality disorders (1987) differentiates psychic organization according to the severity: neurotic, borderline and psychotic. Lenzenweger et al. (2001) used a reduced version of IPO with 57 items developed by Kernberg and Clarkin (1995).

Objectives and hypothesis

IPO was applied in a sample of patients and a control group. We expected to find an adequate reliability and validity of the inventory. Scales adequately distinguish content borderline, neurotic and psychotic.

Method

Participants: 288 subjects (64.9% women), 116 patients attended to private clinical practice from February 2007 to September 2009. 172 control subjects matched by sex, social class and sincerity (EPI).

Transversal design, a measure collective in the comparison group and individual in patients ones. A group of patients was selected for the retest (n = 88).

Instruments. We applied IPO, the BPRS, MCMI-II and MIPS. Diagnoses according to DSM-IV-TR.

Results

Internal consistency (Cronbach) was adequate for the three scales: .83; .90 and .89. The testretest reliability was correct for a mean interval of 44 days (.78; .81; .78). The validity analyses differed between diagnostic groups in Axis I (p< .05), but not in the clusters of personality (p>.05). No differences in BPRS with scale of borderline, but yes with neurotic and psychotic ones. The MCMI-II was properly differentiated by the three scales of the IPO.

Conclusions

The IPO is an useful scale with reliability and validity. The main drawback concerns certain aspects of the borderline scale.
PW01-133 - Italian Validation Of Amdp-System: Prelyminary Results
Authors: Mazzi F. , Grandi S. , Ferrari S. , Pingani L. , Rigatelli M.
Published: June 2010

Introduction

The AMDP -system (Arbeitsgemenschaft fur Methodic und Dokumentation in der Psychiatrie) consist of a psychopathology scale (100+15 items) and of a somatic scale (40+7 items), It is widely used in the German-speaking and French-speaking countries.

Objective

To describe the development and italian validation of the (AMDP), designed to assess psychopathology in psychiatric patients.

Method

Diagnosis of 125 patients were assessed according to DSM-IV using SCID (Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV) and AMDP.

To assess sensitivity to change, 24 patients were involved in a 4-week rehabilitation program and then reassessed at the end of 4 weeks.

To evaluate inter-rater reliability, all patients were assessed by two clinicians in a joint rater session.

Results

All AMDP-subscales showed significant improvement after 4-week rehabilitation program (P< 0.05).

Inter-rater eliability was substantial (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC > 0.70) in all subscales of AMDP.

Conclusions

The AMDP is a valid, reliable instrument to evaluate severity and treatment response in psychiatry. Given its simplicity, and clinical validity, AMDP is appropriate for use in observational studies and routine clinical practice.
PW01-138 - A Serbian Translation Of The 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale - Development And Validation Of The Factorial Structure
Authors: Trajanovic N. , Djuric V. , Latas M. , Milovanovic S.
Published: June 2010

Introduction

Alexithymia represents a personality trait construct encompassing difficulty identifying and describing feelings, distinguishing between feelings and the related physical sensations, and an externally oriented cognition. A self-report 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) is a commonly used tool to measure alexithymia. It has been translated into more than 20 different languages, crossing the cultural and language barriers. TAS-20 has a factorial structure: factor 1 assesses difficulty identifying feelings; factor 2 assesses difficulty describing feelings; factor 3 assesses externally oriented thinking.

Objective

The objective of the study was to validate a Serbian translation, including the factorial structure, of the TAS-20.

Methods

TAS-20 was expertly translated from English to Serbian and given to a bilingual non-clinical sample fluent in both English and Serbian (n=47, age 18-60). The subjects were assigned to complete Serbian version (TAS-20-SRB) at week one, and the English version (TAS-20-ENG) at week two (7-14 days apart). The collected data were analysed using a paired samples correlations and paired samples t-test.

Results

There were no statistically significant differences in paired samples comparisons of means of total score and scores on each of three factors of TAS-20-ENG and TAS-20-SRB (p>0.05). The results of correlations of total scores and scores on factors show the statically significant correlations (p< 0.001), and also that the correlations were very high (from 0.87 to 0.95).

Conclusion

Bilingual subjects showed temporally and quantitatively congruent scores on both TAS-20 and TAS-20-SRB, suggesting that the Serbian translation of TAS-20 was valid, and that the factorial structure remained stable.
PW01-139 - The Impact Of Language And Culture On The Delivery Of Standardized Rater Training For The Panss Across Seven Countries
Authors: Yavorsky W. , Liechti S. , Defries A. , Opler M.
Published: June 2010

Objectives

There is a considerable body of literature suggesting that standardized rater training is a critical element to achieving inter-rater reliability. With the advance of clinical and research trials to worldwide locations there have been challenges in tailoring instruments not only in terms of language but also culture. In this study we compare different cohorts of raters receiving training from seven different countries. We asked if there was any consistent by-country impact on certain items, factors, or subscales on the instrument.

Methods

The data set comes from rater training events held in Russia, India, Singapore, Austria and the United States including participants from seven different countries. Raters (n=221) scored videotaped interviews of schizophrenic patients using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Results were compared across countries and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) compared by total score, subscale score and by item.

Results

There were no significant differences between rater cohorts in terms of PANSS total score. Differences emerged in terms of the assessment of negative symptoms in general and the assessment of unusual thought content in particular.

Conclusion

The lack of differences in rater performance across countries indicates that standardized rater training is broadly effective in cohorts selected to participate in clinical trials. By item analysis indicated that there are some important differences in the way that different groups conceptualize items. This suggests a need to tailor training to those items that are less reliable in certain groups to ensure reliability and validity in the use of this instrument.
PW01-141 - Brain Dysfunction In Schizomanic Patients Versus Healthy Controls: A Fmri Study
Authors: Amann B. , Mercé M. , Ortiz-Gil J. , Salvador R. , McKenna P. , Sarró S. , Pomarol-Clotet E.
Published: June 2010

Objectives

Functional brain activity has been only studied marginally in schizoaffective disorder (SAD), a disorder whose nosological status is controversial. The present study investigated the prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity of schizomanic patients during performance of a working memory task.

Method

13 schizoaffective patients, with current schizomanic episode (Young> 18); and 26 sex- and age-matched healthy controls underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while performing baseline, 1-back and 2-back versions of the n-back task. Linear models were used to obtain maps of activations and deactivations in the groups.

Results

During performance of the n-back task, controls showed activation in a cluster of frontal areas and de-activation in the medial orbitofrontal and anterior cingulate cortex. The SAD patients showed significantly less activation in prefrontal areas than the controls. They also showed a marked failure to de-activate in medial frontal cortex. The SAD patients’ impaired task performance was associated with both reduced activation of the dorsolateral PFC and reduced de-activation of the medial frontal areas.

Conclusions

Schizomanic patients show failure of activation in a network of cortical regions, and also a failure to de-activate the ventromedial PFC and anterior cingulate cortex. This latter area corresponds to the one of the components of the 'default mode network´. This pattern of abnormality is similar to that found by our group to characterise schizophrenia (failure to activate and failure to de-activate), but different from that which characterises manic patients (failure to de-activate only).
PW01-144 - Disconnected Regions That Make Patients Prone To Psychosis
Authors: Foucher J. , Pham B.-T. , Marrer C. , Gounot D. , Danion J.-M.
Published: June 2010

Introduction

The abnormal connectivity between brain regions has been proposed to account for the physiopathology of psychoses. But which brains regions or which specific links could play the more important role for psychosis to emerge? This study looked at long range functional connectivity in a large sample of schizophrenic patients during resting state.

Methods

Forty-two patients with DSM-IV defined schizophrenia were recruited and compared to 57 controls. Participants took part to a 20 min resting state fMRI scan keeping eyes closed but remaining awake. The signal from the 78 Brodman areas was averaged between which a correlation coefficient was computed as the metric for functional connectivity. Patients and controls were compared using permutation test correcting for multiple testing.

Results

The differences can be better described in terms of hub regions that are more disconnected with others than by specific links. The internal temporal, the temporal pole, the inferior temporal and the anterior cingulate regions were the most disconnected. The sensori-motor frontal and parietal regions were less clearly implicated and were correlated with chlorpromazine equivalent dose. There were no inter-hemispheric difference.

Discussion

The temporal pole was the most differently connected between the two groups. This region is poorly know as there is no equivalent in the other primates. The internal temporal areas (essentially the enthorhinal cortex) were also much concerned in accordance with the limbic hypothesis of psychosis. Surprisingly the prefrontal regions were not involved probably because of the absence of a outward directed cognitive task.
PW01-148 - Effective Connectivity Within The Network Of Fearful Facial Affect Recognition In Patients With Bipolar Disorder Compared To Healthy Controls
Authors: Kempton M. , Dima D. , Roiser J. , Stephan K. , Friston K. , Frangou S.
Published: June 2010

Objectives

There is significant overlap between the cortical network involved in fearful face perception and regional abnormalities identified in patients with bipolar disorder. The primary aim of this study was to measure effective connectivity arising from Dynamic Causal Modelling (DCM) to identify differences within this network in a group of patients with bipolar disorder and controls during an affective processing task.

Methods

Functional MRI was used to record brain activations from 52 euthymic patients with bipolar disorder and 44 healthy controls engaged in a fearful versus neutral facial affect recognition task. We used Bayesian model selection to identify the best model of effective connectivity, as well as a random-effects analysis. Additionally, the endogenous connections and modulatory influences were extracted and further analyzed.

Results

Within the network subserving fearful facial affect recognition, patients with bipolar disorder demonstrated reduced connectivity from the inferior occipital gyrus to the fusiform gyrus compared to healthy controls. Furthermore this connection when modulated by fear showed a reduction in strength in patients with bipolar disorder.

Conclusions

Bipolar disorder was associated with deficits early in the processing of facial affect suggesting the possibility of perceptual abnormalities being associated with the disorder.

Dr Frangou was supported by a NARSAD Independent Investigator Award
PW01-149 - The Cerebral Bases Of Somatization, Depression, Dissociation, And Anxiety In Depersonalization Disorder
Authors: Lemche E. , Surguladze S.A. , Giampietro V.P. , Brammer M.J.
Published: June 2010

Introduction

It is an unsettled issue in the literature, under which nosological group depersonalization disorder (DPD) should be subsumed.

Objectives

We measured clinical traits in DPD patients that had previously been implicated in DPD.

Methods

Investigated were N = 9 patients with DPD and N = 12 normal controls. To establish the diagnosis of DPD, ICD-10 criteria and cut-off values (CDS > 70) were included. Clinical traits were measured with internationally established psychiatric taxons. Implicit fMRI tasks inducing three steps of happy and sad facial expressions were run, and clinical trait scores were correlated with brain activation in each emotion category.

Results

Significant differences in the regression slopes for the two groups were observed for somatization in the right temporal operculum (happy) and ventral striatum bilaterally (sad). Discriminative regions for depression were the right middle frontal gyrus (happy) and left amygdala (sad). For dissociation, discriminative regions were the left pulvinar (happy) and left parahippocampal gyrus (sad). For state anxiety, discriminative regions were the left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (happy) and left ventrolateral cortex (sad)(different locations). For trait anxiety, discriminative regions were the right caudate head (happy) and left retrosplenial cortex (sad).

Conclusions

Our results endorse the notion that depersonalization disorder patients show multifaceted clinical traits, but do not justify any bias for a certain nosological category. The differential regions ascertained by regression during emotion processing comparing to normal controls reflect substantial deviations in DPD for clinical trait processing in the brain.
PW01-150 - Ascertainment Of The Cerebral Bases Of Alexithymia Traits In Depersonalization Disorder
Authors: Lemche E. , Surguladze S.A. , Giampietro V.P. , Brammer M.J.
Published: June 2010

Objectives

The current study elucidates the relations between alexithymia and brain activation towards happy and sad emotional stimulation in Depersonalization Disorder (DPD). We hypothesized that various facets of the alexithymia construct are differentially related to single neural structures characterizing abnormal emotion processing in DPD.

Methods

Investigated were N = 9 patients with DPD and N = 12 normal controls. To establish the diagnosis of DPD, ICD-10 and scale cut-off values (CDS > 70) were included. Alexithymia was measured using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Implicit fMRI tasks inducing three steps of happy and sad facial expressions were run, and clinical trait scores were correlated with brain activation in each emotion category.

Results

Significant positive correlations for alexithymia levels in DPD patients were in the right hypothalamus (happy, r = 0.60, p < 0.00001) and right retrosplenial cortex (sad, r = 0.78, p < 0.00001). The prominent regions for alexithymia levels in normal controls were instead in the left cerebellum (happy, r = 0.71, p < 0.00001) and right ventrolateral cortex (sad, r = 0.89, p < 0.00001). Significant differences in the regression slopes for the two groups were observed in the left putamen (happy, average Δr = 0.86, p < 0.0255) and in the left dorsal ACC (sad, average Δr = 0.87, p < 0.0087).

Conclusions

The present results suggest that the alexithymia trait is related to specific brain regions dependent on emotion. DPD patients recruit different brain regions compared to normal controls in alexithymia.
PW01-151 - Neural Networks For Motion Processing And Pursuit Eye Movements In Untreated First-Episode Psychosis
Authors: Lencer R. , Keedy S.K. , Reilly J.L. , Mc Donough B.E. , Sprenger A. , Sweeney J.A.
Published: June 2010

Objective

To identify alterations in neural networks for visual motion perception and pursuit tracking and their interrelationship in schizophrenia, and secondarily to evaluate their comparability to findings in psychotic bipolar disorder.

Methods

Untreated first-episode patients with schizophrenia (N=24) and psychotic bipolar disorder (N=13), and 20 matched healthy participants performed a passive visual motion processing task and a pursuit eye tracking task, which patients have been shown to perform as well as healthy subjects, during functional neuroimaging. Available subjects were retested after four weeks, during which both patient groups received second generation antipsychotics.

Results

During the motion processing task, neither patient group showed reduced activation in V5, but activations in its projection fields in posterior parietal cortex were reduced in both groups. Pursuit related neural activation in both patients groups was not reduced in sensorimotor systems, but was enhanced in anterior intraparietal sulcus and insula. In schizophrenia, activation was also enhanced in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and dorsomedial thalamus. Greater V5 activation during passive motion processing predicted greater activation in posterior parietal cortex during pursuit in healthy individuals but not in patients. The only significant change at follow-up was decreased anterior cingulate activation during pursuit in schizophrenia.

Conclusions

Reduced transfer of visual motion information to parietal association cortex may compromise information about target speed and tracking error needed for sensorimotor transformations during pursuit tracking in psychotic disorders. Enhanced activation of a prefrontal-thalamo-parietal network during pursuit tracking in schizophrenia may represent compensation for this deficit.
PW01-161 - Generalized Anxiety Disorder And Immunity Markers In A Stratified Population Sample
Authors: Korkeila J. , Runsten S. , Ollikainen S. , Korkeila K.
Published: June 2010

Purpose of the study

Increased levels of high-sensitivity CRP have been associated with e.g. major depression, chronic stress and obesity. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the association between generalized anxiety disorder and hsCRP.

Methods

The study sample consisted non-smoking women who were living in the town of Turku or nearby and had taken part in the longitudinal Health and Social Support Study (the HeSSup Study) in 1998 and 2003. Of these 312 women the address was unknown for 82, 230 were contacted and 153 subjects responded (67%), 18 (8%) refused to take part and 19 (8%) were excluded. All 116 participants signed and returned the informed consent. The MINI neuropsychiatric interview was used for diagnostics and blood samples were drawn for the analyses of hsCRP and cytokines.

Results

The range mean of hsCRP-level was 1.7 mg/l (range: 0.17 -30.9 mg/l). The mean of BMI was 25.3 (SD=5.0, 17.3-50.8). There was an inverse correlation between GAD and BMI (rho= -0.19, p< 0.05). The odds for a person with GAD diagnosis to have high CRP was 0.37-fold (0.14-0.88), an increased IFN-G-1 0.74 -fold(0.61-0.90) an increased TNF-alfa 1.31-fold (1.01-1.71). Adding BMI to the multivariate analysis did not render the results insignificant.

Conclusions

We found a significant inverse correlation between immunity markers and GAD.
PW01-165 - Identification Of A De Novo 22q11.2 Distal Deletion In An Adult Female Referred For An Anxiety Disorder
Authors: Verhoeven W. , De Leeuw N. , Egger J. , Brunner H.
Published: June 2010

Velocardiofacial syndrome, nowadays called 22q11 deletion syndrome (22q11DS), involves a common hemizygous interstitial microdeletion at 22q11.2. The syndrome has a highly variable expression including congenital cardiac and vascular anomalies, endocrine dysfunctions, facial dysmorphisms and an increased risk for the occurrence of a specific psychopathological phenotype.

The patient is an 18-years-old female and only child from non consanguineous parents. She was referred because of anxious preoccupations with death. Her history mentioned postnatal feeding problems, surgical correction of septal defects aged 6 months, frequent upper airway infections during childhood, developmental delay and recurrent anxieties. Her somatic phenotype was characterized by nasal speech, minor facial dysmorphisms, bilateral hypoplasia of the thenar eminence. Neuropsychiatric examination demonstrated affective instability, severe anxieties accompanied with social withdrawal, ideas of reference, perseverations and paranoid ideation. Neuropsychological assessment demonstrated executive dysfunctions, attention deficits, low social and interpersonal skills and a disharmonic intelligence profile with limited verbal capacities. Total IQ was 81 indicating low intelligence level. Laboratory analyses and MRI scanning of the brain revealed no abnormalities. A provisional clinical diagnosis of 22q11 deletion syndrome was made. Treatment with 20mg citalopram daily for 2 years resulted in complete remission of anxiety symptoms.

Routine cytogenetic investigation demonstrated a normal 46XX karyotype, and no fragile X. 22q11.2 FISH analysis showed no deletions nor did subsequent MLPA subtelomere deletion testing. SNP array analysis demonstrated a 738,8 kb distal deletion in 22q11.21q11.22.

This report demonstrates the importance of testing for 22q11.2 distal deletions in patients with a mild phenotypical presentation, etiologically suggestive for 22q11DS.
PW01-55 - Stress And Burnout In Train Engine Drivers
Authors: Garber K. , Kuntner K. , Giacomuzzi S.
Published: June 2010

Objectives

The job of an engine driver appeared ideal for research studies because of its extremely high responsibility coupled with a high level of permanent concentration.

Methods

The main elements of the study focused on applying the EQ-5D (Quality of Life Questionnaire), SVF 78 (Stress Processing Questionnaire) and FBL-R (Freiburg Complaint List; revised version).

Results

It turned out hat exactly fifty percent of all train drivers regret having chosen their job and judged their professional strain very high (p< 0.001). The SVF 78 reveals the following: persons of the First Group achieved much higher values in the scales regarding “escape” (p=0.029), “mental preoccupation after work” (p=0.003), “resignation” (p=0,011) and in the total amount of negative strategies (p=0.004), while Group 2 presents only higher values in the scale concerning the “playing down” (p=0.039) effect.

There were also a wide-ranging differences between the two groups, especially in the scales about “general state of health” (p< 0.001), “cardiovascular complaints” (p< 0.001), “pain” (p< 0.001), “sensory perception” (p< 0.001), “emotional reactivity” (p=0.001) and “total sum of complaints” (p< 0.001). The EQ-5D showed that train drivers who are content about the choice of their job judge their quality of life much higher than those regretting their choice (p< 0.001).

Conclusions

The results make clear that the dissatisfaction about the chosen job has negative effects on both the physical and psychological well-being.
PW01-170 - The Stress-Vulnerability Model; How Does Stress Impact On Mental Illness At The Level Of The Brain....And What Are The Consequences?
Authors: Agius M. , Goh C.
Published: June 2010

Background

The stress -vulnerability model is an extremely useful model for identifying and treating relapses of mental illness. We accept that human persons carry genetic and other predisposition to mental illness. However, the question arises as to how stress impacts on a person in order to cause mental illness to develop. Furthermore there arises the issue as to what other effects such stress has on the human body beyond the human brain.

Aim

To research and integrate the current literature in order to establish how stress impacts on the brain at the cellular level, and to establish whether there are other consequences for the human body brought about by the impact of stress on the human brain.

MethodLiterature Search.

Results

The present literature describes a complex set of interactions involving stress induces elevated levels of cortisol, immune responses, enhanced production of corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF), glucocorticoid receptor tolerance thus impairing the negative feedback mechanism of the HPA axis, neurodegenerative changes in the hippocampus, and balance between trophic and atrophic factors within neurons, thus affecting neurogenesis and brain plasticity. The poster explores the interrelationship between all these factors, and the genetic component which in large part constitutes the ‘vulnerability’ part of the model.

Conclusion

We also show that the effects of heightened cortisol levels are not confined to the brain. but also cause metabolic problems including the ‘Metabolic Syndrome’.

Such problems occur in many Psychiatric illnesses, including Depression, PTSD, as well as Schizophrenia.
PW01-263 - Galantamine Compared To Risperidone In Neuropsychiatric And Behavioural Symptoms In Alzheimer Patients: A One-Center Clinical Trial In 100 Patients
Authors: Freund-Levi Y. , Wahlund L.-O. , Eriksdotter-Jönhagen M.
Published: June 2010

Neuropsychiatric symptoms and behavioral disturbances in dementia (BPSD) are key symptoms of AD, adds to cognitive decline and causes an increased caregivers burden. Antipsychotics provide a limited treatment option and acetylcholineesterase inhibitors (AchEI) also show beneficial effects in treatment of BPSD.

Objective

To compare treatment effects between AchEI (galantamine, GAL) and antipsychotics (risperidone, RIS) in patients with BPSD.

Methods

Open randomized trial in 100 patients (mean 78.7years, 67% females) using the NeuroPsychiatric Inventory score (NPI)>10 on patients (73% mild to moderate AD and 27% other dementias, treated with GAL (n=50) or RIS (n=50) for 12 weeks. Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPI, CMAI, FAST), caregivers stress (PGWB), cognition (MMSE) and severity (CIBIC) were assessed at baseline and 12 weeks.

Results

91 patients completed the trial. Safety and tolerability were good. 58% were APOEɛ4 carriers. At baseline MMSE was 20.1±4.6, and NPI 51.0±25.8. After 12 weeks NPI total scores had improved significantly (GAL: 16.6±16.1, RIS: 16.2±16.2).

In both groups there were statistically significant improvements after 12 weeks. In several of the NPI-domains galantamine and risperidone were equally effective. RIS showed a significant treatment advantage in the NPI-domains irritation (p=0.02), agitation (p=0.02) and a trend in aberrant motor behaviour (p=0.08). GAL showed a ppositive trend in apathy/indifference (p=0.09), night time behaviour (p=0.07) and appetite (p=0.06). GAL improved MMSE scores with 2.8 p (p< 0.001) and RIS with 1 p (p< 0.07).

Conclusion

This indicates that GAL could be beneficial in the treatment of neuropsychiatric and behavioural symptoms underlying AD unless aggressive symptoms are prominent.
PW01-265 - Naturalistic Use Of The Coated And Orally Disintegrating Tablets Of Olanzapine In Schizophrenic And Bipolar Outpatients: European Baseline Results
Authors: Rouillon F. , Chartier F. , Kraemer S. , Lukasiewicz M. , Tcherny-Lessenot S. , Beal C.
Published: June 2010

Objective

To assess in a naturalistic setting the effectiveness of olanzapine within 12-month follow-up, in schizophrenic and bipolar outpatients.In this abstract, baseline patient characteristics are provided and compared between the olanzapine coated (OC) and orally disintegrating (OD) formulations to investigate prescribing patterns.

Method

ZEN is a 1-year prospective, observational study, carried out in France, Germany and Greece from April’07 to May’09. Baseline patient characteristics were compared using Students-t, Chi2 or Fisher's-exact tests. Patients who started olanzapine prior to 60 days before the study or for whom the olanzapine formulations could not be determined were excluded from the analysis.

Results

903 of the 927 enrolled patients were analyzed (45.2% paranoid schizophrenia, 32.2% bipolar disorder). 410 patients received the OC form and 493 the OD form. Distribution of gender was comparable across groups (55.1% male).OC patients were older than OD patients (43.1 vs 39.1 years, p< 0.001) and had a longer mean duration of illness (14.4 vs 11.2 years; p< 0.001). OD patients were more severely ill irrespective of diagnosis (p< 0.006, mean CGI schizophrenia=4.2 vs 3.8, CGI bipolar disorder=4.1 vs 3.7). At initiation, daily dose in OD patients was higher (15.0 vs 10.6 mg, p< 0.0001). Based on the 6-level SUMD scale, more OC patients were clearly aware of having a mental disorder (44.7% vs 32.9%; p< 0.001). OC patients were more compliant at baseline (mean MARS score 6.6 vs 5.5, p< 0.001).

Conclusion

Baseline characteristics show that the utilization of each oral form of olanzapine in outpatient setting is associated with different patient profiles.
PW01-175 - Comparison Of The Quality Of Life Of Patients With Schizophrenia In Urban And Rural Districts
Authors: Adomaitienė V. , Taranda V. , Jaras A. , Dambrauskienė K. , Lygnugarytė A. , Andriuškevičienė L.
Published: June 2010

Objective

The goal of the study was to analyze and compare the quality of life of patients with schizophrenia who live in rural and in urban districts.

Methods

Our group was randomly selected and consisted of 123 urban and 116 rural patients. We used standardized international mental health quality of life scale (QOL-36) questionnaire implemented by Phillip W. Long (2003). Statistical analysis was conducted with SPSS 16.0 program.

Results

Social problems are equally common to both groups of respondents regardless their age and the length of the disease (p< 0,05). Professional - economic problems: 59% in districts, 91% in a city; insufficient income - 88% in districts, 69% in a city. Problems in sexual sphere were by 31% of urban patients and 77% of rural patients. Sleep disorders are bothering 34.6% of districts residents and 81% of city residents. The quality of life is estimated equally bad by the residents, despite their age and the duration of the disease.

Conclusions

The most frequent problems both in districts and in a city: unemployment, low income; cognitive disorders, physical fatigue, lack of interest/feelings; difficulties in communication with close friends. Problems are of different importance to urban and rural residents - sleep disorders (not important for rural residents), problems in sexual sphere (not important rural residents). The quality of life is estimated equally bad by the patients with schizophrenia, despite their age and the duration of the disease.