bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Memory and ventricular size in alcoholics
Authors: Acker C. , Jacobson R. R. , Lishman W. A.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

The relationship between memory performance and CT scan measures of ventricular size was investigated in a sample of 39 chronic alcoholics and 39 controls. Measures of verbal, non-verbal, recognition and recall memory were derived from the tests administered and were viewed in relation to the lateral ventricle and third ventricular size measurements. The results showed that the memory performance of male alcoholics was significantly related to measures of third ventricular size, but probably not to measures of the lateral ventricles. An association between verbal memory performance and CT scan measures was found in the male controls.
Cognitive brain potentials and psychological deficits in Alzheimer's dementia and Korsakoff's amnesic syndrome
Authors: Blackwood D. H. R. , St Clair D. M. , Blackburn I. M. , Tyrer G. M. B.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

Auditory-event-related potentials, including the P300 response, were recorded from 20 patients with Aizeheimer-type dementia (ATD), 17 patients with Korsakoff's syndrome (KS) and 23 age-matched control subjects. Each of the subjects was assessed using a version of the Luria Neuropsychological Investigation. Prolonged P300 latency and reduced P300 amplitude, which are features of normal ageing and which also occur, to a greater degree, in ATD, correlated significantly with degree of impairment of language ability in both Alzheimer patients and controls. On the other hand, the association between P300 latency changes and various tests of memory was not consistent across the three subject groups; there was a significant negative correlation between P300 latency and visual memory in ATD and a significant positive correlation in KS, whereas in controls no significant correlation was found. By contrast, P300 latency and memory for words were significantly negatively correlated in controls, but in neither of the patient groups.

Detailed studies of language function may further elucidate the complex relationships between neuropsychological measures and P300 changes in normal ageing and dementia.
Cognitive dysfunction in melancholia
Authors: Abrams Richard , Taylor Michael Alan
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

Sixty-seven patients with melancholia and 42 normal controls were tested with a battery of neuropsychological tasks selected to assess regional cortical functioning in both hemispheres. Compared with controls, melancholics exhibited a pattern of bifrontal and right parietal impairment, which was independent of age, sex, handedness and drug administration. These findings confirm and extend prior studies and contrast with those we and others have reported in patients with schizophrenia.
Stress, immunity and illness — a review
Authors: Dorian Barbara , Garfinkel Paul E.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

Psychological factors have long been thought to play a contributing role in either the predisposition, onset or course of various physical illnesses. Recently, rapid advances in immunology have created interest in the interaction between psychosocial factors, behaviour and the immune system. This paper reviews some of the models proposed to explain the relationship between psychological variables and physical illness and presents evidence for a contribution of psychological factors to certain illnesses in which abnormalities in immunologic state are thought to be important. From a somewhat different perspective, animal studies have demonstrated complex effects of stress, on disease susceptibility. Recent human studies have demonstrated consistent immunologic changes in people undergoing acute naturally occurring psychological stress such as bereavement or an important examination. In humans, the effects of chronic stress may be different from acute stress, corresponding to the findings in animals. Abnormalities in immunologic functioning and physical illness are reviewed for different psychiatric disorders — depression, anorexia nervosa and schizophrenia; depression is the only disorder which consistently demonstrated immunologic changes. Possible mechanisms for the stress/immune-change relationship are suggested.
Symptomatology, psychosexual development and gender identity in 42 anorexic males
Authors: Fichter M. M. , Daser C.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

Forty-two male patients with an anorexic syndrome were assessed. Twenty-nine of them had a primary anorexia nervosa (most of them also had bulimic symptoms). They were compared with a series of 23 female anorexia nervosa patients. The males scored more highly than female patients on a number of symptoms, but generally more similarities than differences in symptomatology were apparent. Male patients with primary anorexia nervosa also showed several signs of a disturbed psychosexual and gender identity development. The data support the hypothesis that males with atypical gender role behaviour have an increased risk for developing anorexia nervosa or bulimia in adolescence.
A longitudinal study of social support and depression in unemployed men
Authors: Bolton Winifred , Oatley Keith
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

Interviews were conducted with 49 men just after they had become unemployed, and with a matched sample of 49 employed men. Follow-up interviews took place 6–8 months later. At follow-up 20 originally unemployed men were still without work, and were significantly more depressed than the employed. Five of these 20, but no employed men, had become clinically depressed. In a multiple regression analysis there was a significant employment × social support interaction which indicated that depression scores at follow-up were higher in those who remained unemployed and who had little social contact with others in the month before losing their jobs. Depression becomes likely when people lose a source of social interaction that is important to their sense of worth, and have no alternative means of experiencing this worth in other relationships.
Regional cerebral blood flow in depression measured by positron emission tomography: the relationship with clinical dimensions
Authors: Bench C. J. , Friston K. J. , Brown R. G. , Frackowiak R. S. J. , Dolan R. J.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

We have previously reported focal abnormalities of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in a group of 33 patients with major depression. This report, on an extended sample of 40 patients who demonstrated identical regional deficits to those previously described, examines the relationships between depressive symptoms and patterns of rCBF. Patients' symptom ratings were subjected to factor analysis, producing a three-factor solution. The scores for these three factors, which corresponded to recognizable dimensions of depressive illness, were then correlated with rCBF. The first factor had high loadings for anxiety and correlated positively with rCBF in the posterior cingulate cortex and inferior parietal lobule bilaterally. The second factor had high loadings for psychomotor retardation and depressed mood and correlated negatively with rCBF in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and left angular gyrus. The third factor had a high loading for cognitive performance and correlated positively with rCBF in the left medial prefrontal cortex. These data indicate that symptomatic specificity may be ascribed to regional functional deficits in major depressive illness.
The Edinburgh cohort of HIV-positive drug users: the relationship between auditory P3 latency, cognitive function and self-rated mood
Authors: Egan V. G. , Chiswick A. , Brettle R. P. , Goodwin G. M.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

One hundred and six HIV-positive drug users were tested with a two-tone auditory evoked potential (AEP) task and a small battery of neuropsychological tests, to examine the relationship between the latency of the P300 component (P3) of the AEP, intellectual function, mood and drug use. Principal components analysis revealed a significant correlation between P3 latency and the first principal component (r = −0·43, P < 0·001). Varimax rotation generated three orthogonal components which we interpreted as intellectual performance, memory, and mood. Intellectual performance and self-reported mood were individually correlated with P3 latency, but memory was not (r = −0·36, P < 0·001; r = 0·23, P < 0·05; and r = −0·18, NS, respectively).

Subjects with symptomatic HIV disease had a higher correlation between P3 latency and intellectual performance than subjects with asymptomatic HIV disease and, among patients with symptomatic HIV disease, poorer memory was associated with a lower CD4 count. Opiate or benzodiazepine consumption did not correlate with poor intellectual performance, memory, or selfrated mood in our sample. These results indicate that there is a relationship between AEP latency and neuropsychological measures of intellectual function, and that it is influenced by subjective mood. Surprisingly, declared current drug use has no discriminable effect on these relationships.
War-induced prolonged stress and metabolic control in Type 2 diabetic patients
Authors: Pibernik-Okanović Mirjana , Roglić Gojka , Prašek Manja , Metelko Željko
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

Sound evidence that psychological stress may significantly worsen metabolic control in diabetic patients is lacking. The stressful effects of war on glycaemia control have not been assessed as yet. A randomly selected sample of displaced Type 2 diabetic persons (N= 44) was compared to a matched group of diabetic persons who had not been forced to leave their homes. The self-reported stress, depression level, fasting and post-prandial blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin and serum lipids were compared. The two groups were found to be significantly different in scores for self-reported stress and depression levels (P< 0·001). The proportion of subjects belonging to the category of clinically significant depression was larger in the group of displaced persons (P< 0·001), as well as the proportion of extreme scores for self-reported stress (P< 0·001). No significant differences between the groups were found for variables measuring metabolic control (P> 0·05), except for the serum triglycerides which were found to be significantly higher in the group of displaced persons (P< 0·01). This is assumed to be the result of differences in nutrition. The results do not demonstrate an association between prolonged stress and glycaemic control in Type 2 diabetic patients. The variability of data measuring stress and depression level in two extreme groups with respect to HbA1cvalues suggests that individual factors which determine the response to stressors need to be explored.
Psychosocial stress and breast cancer: the inter-relationship between stress events, coping strategies and personality
Authors: Cooper Cary L. , Faragher E. Brian
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

This quasi-prospective study of 2163 women attending a breast-screening clinic for a routine medical check-up indicates that certain types of coping strategies and personality dispositions predispose some women to an increased risk of developing breast cancer following the occurrence of a major life-event such as bereavement or other loss-related event. Regular exposure to stress situations appears to reduce the risk of a malignancy; experiencing a single, major life event was found to be potentially much more damaging, particularly if the individual was unable to externalize her emotions and obtain appropriate help and counselling.
Childhood adversities and adult depression: basic patterns of association in a US national survey
Authors: Kessler Ronald C. , Magee William J.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

The long-term relationships between various forms of childhood adversity and adult episodes of major depression are explored in a representative household survey of the United States adult (age 25 +) population. Seven of the eight childhood adversities considered are significantly associated with recent (12-month) episodes of depression. These effects are largely indirect consequences of some childhood adversities leading to a life history of depression and prior depression leading to new episodes. Only three of the eight childhood adversities directly affect recent onset or recurrence. The paper closes with a discussion of implications for future research on the long-term effects of childhood adversities.
Perceived health and high consumers of care: a study of mental health problems in a Swedish primary health care district
Authors: Borgquist L. , Hansson L. , Nettelbladt P. , Nordström G. , Lindelöw G.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

Many patients with mental health problems are treated in primary health care services. They are often multi-users of care. In the present investigation we have studied patients visiting primary health care clinics who have been assessed for mental health problems according to the Hopkins Symptom Check List (HSCL-25). Two quality-of-life instruments (the Nottingham Health Profile and the Mood Adjective Check List) were applied to describe further the perceived health of the sample.

A random sample of 93 patients was chosen out of 388 patients visiting a primary health care clinic in a Swedish health care district during four weeks in January and February 1990, and these patients were followed prospectively during one year. High consumers of health care during the follow-up period scored a poor perceived health. ‘Feeling worthless’, predicted a high number of days of sickness absenteeism. Hidden cases, not detected by the GPs, consumed more resources than those identified by the GPs. The importance of training and educating general practitioners in the early detection of patients with mental health problems is discussed.
Frontal lobe impairment in schizophrenia: relationship to intellectual functioning
Authors: Crawford J. R. , Obonsawin M. C. , Bremner M.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

Schizophrenic subjects (N = 48) and individually matched healthy controls were administered the Verbal Scale of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (VIQ) and a test of verbal fluency. The verbal fluency and VIQ scores of the schizophrenic subjects were significantly lower than the scores of the control subjects. An additional sample of healthy subjects (N = 144) was used to generate a regression equation for the prediction of verbal fluency scores from Verbal IQ and age. The verbal fluency scores obtained by the schizophrenic subjects were significantly lower than the scores predicted from the regression equation, whereas a significant difference was not obtained in the matched controls. These results provide further evidence of frontal lobe dysfunction in schizophrenia.
Antipsychotic medication, D2 dopamine receptor blockade and clinical response: a 123I IBZM SPET (single photon emission tomography) study
Authors: Pilowsky L. S. , Costa D. C. , Ell P. J. , Murray R. M. , Verhoeff N. P. L. G. , Kerwin R. W.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

The hypothesis that poor response to antipsychotic medication is due to inadequate occupancy of central D2 receptors was tested in vivo. We assessed striatal D2 dopamine receptor availability for binding with the specific ligand 123I IBZM by single photon emission tomography (SPET) in two groups of DSM-III-R diagnosed schizophrenic patients on typical antipsychotic medication, and a group of healthy controls (N = 20). Patients were characterized by clinical ratings as antipsychotic responders (N = 10) or non-responders (N = 8). Dynamic single slice SPET, at a slice chosen to include the basal ganglia, began immediately following intravenous injection of 185 MBq 123I IBZM. Semiquantitative analysis generated indices of D2 receptor availability for binding. There was no difference in striatal D2 receptor availability between the patient groups, both showing a similar degree of occupancy by antipsychotic medication compared to the control group. Thus, poor clinical response does not appear to be accounted for by differential blockade, or inadequate occupancy of striatal dopamine D2 receptors by antipsychotic medication.
Desperate remedies: a Gothic tale of madness and modern medicine
Authors: Scull Andrew
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

The theory that many diseases were produced by focal infection or chronic sepsis enjoyed a brief vogue in general medicine in the first quarter of the twentieth century. This paper explores its practical applications in psychiatry, which extended well into the 1930s. The analysis focuses particularly closely on the activities of Henry A. Cotton at the Trenton State Hospital in New Jersey.
Tachistoscopic tests of colour naming and matching in schizophrenia: evidence for posterior callosum dysfunction?
Authors: David A. S.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

Neuropsychological studies have shown that the integrity of the posterior corpus callosum is necessary for accurate colour naming in the left visual field (LVF) and colour matching across hemifields. Using this model, 22 schizophrenics, 14 depressive and 16 healthy matched controls were given a battery of tachistoscopic tests of colour perception. The schizophrenics made significantly more errors, in naming colours in the LVF compared to depressives, and in matching colours across fields compared to depressives and normals. There were no differences between groups for right visual (RVF) colour naming or matching within right and left visual fields. These findings support the hypothesis that trans-callosal transmission may be impaired in schizophrenia and are unlikely to be due to a specific disorder of colour perception, neuroleptic drugs or generally impaired performance. Those schizophrenics whose LVF naming errors exceeded RVF errors were more likely to have first rank symptoms and showed less cerebral atrophy but did not differ on other variables. The techniques described may be useful for further research into interhemispheric function in schizophrenia.
The positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia reflect impairments in the perception and initiation of action
Authors: Frith C. D.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

The CNS maintains a fundamental distinction between actions elicited by external stimuli and actions elicited by internal goals (acts of will). As a result the intact organism can monitor centrally three aspects of its own actions: (1) the action appropriate to current external stimulation (stimulus intention or meaning); (2) the action appropriate to current goals (willed intention); and (3) the action which was actually selected (corollary discharge). In Type I (acute) schizophrenic patients, intentions of will lead to actions, but these willed intentions are not monitored correctly. This apparent discrepancy between will and action gives rise to experiential (1st rank) positive symptoms (e.g. delusions of control and passivity). In Type II (chronic) patients, intentions of will are no longer properly formed and so actions are rarely elicited via this route. This gives rise to behavioural negative signs (e.g. poverty of speech).

The behaviour of Type II schizophrenics has surface similarities to that shown by patients with Parkinson's disease and patients with frontal lobe lesions in that all three types of patient show a relative deficit of actions elicited by willed intentions. Dopamine blocking drugs reduce positive symptoms in Type I patients precisely because they induce Parkinsonism, i.e. reduce the likelihood of actions being initiated by willed intentions. This in turn reduces the likelihood that actions will occur for which the patient had no awareness of his intention to act.
Evaluation of out-patient counselling compared with general practitioner care following overdoses
Authors: Hawton Keith , McKeown Steve , Day Alexandra , Martin Pauline , O'Connor Marianne , Yule Jackie
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

In a randomized prospective treatment study, 80 overdose patients (not requiring intensive psychiatric intervention) received either brief out-patient counselling or were returned to the care of their general practitioners with advice on management. There was little difference in outcome between the two groups. However, two sub-groups of patients benefited more from out-patient counselling than from general practitioner care, these were: (a) women, and (b) patients with dyadic problems. Counselling following overdoses should be focused on groups of patients such as these who are most likely to benefit from it. Further work is needed to identify treatment approaches that will help other groups who take overdoses, especially men.
Statistics and the nature of depression
Authors: Dunn G. , Sham P. , Hand D.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

A critical examination is made of the role that statistical methods have played in the understanding of depression. The development of instruments for measuring depression is illustrated by reference to the Beck Depression Inventory and the Hamilton Rating Scale. The controversy over the existence of one or two types of depression is examined from the perspective of the statistical tools used. Some of the problems in studies of the heritability of depression are outlined. The development of clinical trials of depression is examined, with particular reference to ECT and maintenance therapy, and the role of meta-analysis is discussed.
Assessing the risk of Alzheimer's disease in first-degree relatives of Alzheimer's disease cases
Authors: Korten A. E. , Jorm A. F. , Henderson A. S. , Broe G. A. , Creasey H. , McCusker E.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

Family history of Alzheimer's disease (AD) was investigated using a telephone re-interview of 99 cases and 116 controls selected from a case–control study of 170 matched pairs. It was found that the family history method used in the initial interview was satisfactory in identifying first-degree relatives and assessing their ages of birth and death, but the number of first-degree relatives suffering from AD was probably under-estimated. Family history of AD was confirmed as a risk factor for AD. Higher estimates of cumulative incidence were obtained among case relatives than among control relatives. No evidence was found to support the hypothesis that a familial form of AD is more common in those with earlier onset AD (before age 75) in those who display early, prominent features of aphasia or apraxia, or that an AD gene may be sex-linked. The curves for cumulative incidence showed no tendency to reach an asymptote, as is implied by the theory that some forms of AD are due to the action of an autosomal dominant gene. Estimates of lifetime risk by age 90 were within the range found by other investigators. Much larger samples of the very old are needed to obtain estimates of total lifetime risk with smaller standard errors.
Road traffic noise, noise sensitivity and psychological disorder
Authors: Stansfeld Stephen A. , Sharp Dan S. , Gallacher John , Babisch Wolfgang
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

The relationship between traffic noise exposure and psychological morbidity was assessed using the population-based Caerphilly Collaborative Survey of 2398 men from Caerphilly, South Wales. The findings showed that traffic noise exposure levels were strongly associated with annoyance to noise. Noise-sensitive men were more likely to be highly annoyed by noise exposure than less noise-sensitive men. There was no direct association between noise exposure level and psychological morbidity but there were provocative interactions with noise sensitivity. The role of noise sensitivity is discussed as an indicator of vulnerability to environmental stressors and a measure of negative affectivity and over-reporting.
The dissociation of explicit and implicit memory in depressed patients
Authors: Bazin N. , Perruchet P. , De Bonis M. , Féline A.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

Twenty-three in-patients fulfilling DSM-III-R criteria for major depressive disorder were submitted to a standard cued recall test, and to a word-stem completion test devised to assess the effect of the initial presentation without the explicit retrieval of the words being necessary. Results show that depressed patients are impaired on the cued recall task in comparison with controls matched for sex, age, and educational level. However, the two groups do not differ in the word-stem completion task. This dissociation between explicit and implicit expressions of memory disappeared when patients recovered, although they were still hospitalized and under psychotropic medication. These results are examined in the light of the distinction between effortful and automatic processes.
Tarantism, dancing mania and demonopathy: the anthro-political aspects of ‘mass psychogenic illness’
Authors: Bartholomew Robert E.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

This study questions the widely held assumption that the phenomenon known as mass psychogenic illness (MPI) existsper sein nature as a psychiatric disorder. Most MPI studies are problematical, being descriptive, retrospective investigations of specific incidents which conform to a set of pre-existing symptom criteria that are used to determine the presence of collective psychosomatic illness. Diagnoses are based upon subjective, ambiguous categories that reflect stereotypes of female normality which assume the presence of a transcultural disease or disorder entity, underemphasizing or ignoring the significance of episodes as culturally conditioned roles of social action. Examples of this bias include the mislabelling of dancing manias, tarantism and demonopathy in Europe since the Middle Ages as culture-specific variants of MPI. While ‘victims’ are typified as mentally disturbed females possessing abnormal personality characteristics who are exhibiting cathartic reactions to stress, it is argued that episodes may involve normal, rational people who possess unfamiliar conduct codes, world-views and political agendas that differ significantly from those of Western-trained investigators who often judge these illness behaviours independent of their local context and meanings.
A longitudinal study of bereavement phenomena in recently widowed elderly men
Authors: Byrne G. J. A. , Raphael B.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

A three-phase longitudinal design was used to study bereavement phenomena in a cohort (N = 78) of recently widowed elderly Australian men. One group of 57 widowers was compared with a second group of 21 widowers on a waiting list. A brief, interviewer-administered, structured questionnaire was used to rate the frequency of 22 self-reported bereavement phenomena. The prevalence and temporal evolution of these phenomena are described. Half of a subgroup of elderly widowers reporting high levels of bereavement phenomena at 6 weeks post-bereavement went on to exhibit persistent or chronic grief at 13 months post-bereavement. The prevalence of persistent or chronic grief throughout the first 13 months post-bereavement was 8·8%. Income, education and expectedness of the death were all negatively correlated with frequency of self-reported bereavement phenomena at 6 weeks post-bereavement. In a multiple regression analysis only expectedness of the death contributed significantly to prediction of the frequency of bereavement phenomena at 6 weeks post-bereavement. Widowers who were unable to anticipate their wife's death, even when their wife had suffered a long final illness, had a more severe bereavement reaction.
Stereotypy, schizophrenia and dopamine D2 receptor binding in the basal ganglia
Authors: Pedro B. M. , Pilowsky L. S. , Costa D. C. , Hemsley D. R. , Ell P. J. , Verhoeff N. P. L. G. , Kerwin R. W. , Gray N. S.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

Animal models suggest a relationship between disturbed striatal dopaminergic function and stereotyped behaviour. Several studies show increased stereotypy in schizophrenic patients compared to normal controls. We investigated the performance of 12 antipsychotic-drug-free schizophrenic patients, and 15 healthy control subjects on a neuropsychological measure of stereotypy – the two-choice guessing task – and correlated this with in vivo striatal dopamine D2 receptor binding, as measured by 123I-iodobenzamide single photon emission tomography. Patients and controls did not differ with respect to the measures of stereotypy derived from the task. However, there was a significant correlation between one of these measures (RR Information) and the degree of striatal D2 receptor binding asymmetry in the patient group only. In view of research connecting striatal and frontal lesions with stereotypy in animals and cognitive inflexibility in humans, these data could suggest a similar disturbance underlying the phenomenon in schizophrenia.
Spouse similarity for psychological distress and well-being: a population study
Authors: Du Fort G. Galbaud , Kovess V. , Boivin J.-F.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

While spouse similarity for psychiatric morbidity has been the object of numerous studies, most of these focused on clinical samples and, consequently, the interpretation of their results is limited by the existence of a selection bias. In this study, conducted on a sample of 845 general population couples, significant spouse similarity was observed for psychological distress and well-being, characterized by a marked symmetry in the relation between spouses' scores. The sex differences observed in many earlier studies would appear essentially to be artefactual. Spouse similarity was also found to be significant in the subpopulation of couples married less than two years, which pointed to assortative mating for psychological distress and well-being. While many studies have found educational dissimilarity and age difference between spouses to be associated with certain health variables, such as high blood pressure and coronary heart disease, these variables do not have a significant influence on individual levels of psychological distress and well-being. Spouse similarity for socio-demographic characteristics does not play a significant role in explaining spouse similarity for mental health. Consequently, assortative mating for psychological distress and well-being would appear to be primarily due to personal preference.
Course of multi-impulsive bulimia
Authors: Fichter M. M. , Quadflieg N. , Rief W.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

Thirty-two consecutively admitted females with bulimia nervosa (purging type) according to DSM-IV and additional impulsive behaviours (multi-impulsive bulimia (MIB)) and 32 age-matched female controls with DSM-IV bulimia nervosa (purging type) (uni-impulsive bulimia (UIB)) were assessed longitudinally on admission and at discharge following in-patient therapy and at a 2-year follow-up. Multi-impulsive bulimics were defined as presenting at least three of the six of the following impulsive behaviours in their life-time in addition to their bulimic symptoms at admission: (a) suicidal attempts, (b) severe autoaggression, (c) shop lifting (other than food), (d) alcohol abuse, (e) drug abuse, or (f) sexual promiscuity. Multi-impulsive bulimics were more frequently separated or divorced, had less schooling and held less-skilled jobs. Except for interoceptive awareness (EDI), which was more disturbed in multi-impulsive bulimics, there were no differences concerning scales measuring eating disturbances and related areas. Multi-impulsive bulimics showed more general psychopathology – anxiety, depression, anger and hostility, psychoticism – differed in several personality scales from uni-impulsive bulimics (e.g. increased excitability and anger/hostility) and had overall a less favourable course of illness. Multi-impulsive bulimics also received more in- and out-patient therapy previous to the index treatment and during the follow-up period. The data support the notion that ‘multi-impulsive bulimia’ or ‘multi-impulsive disorder’ should be classified as a distinct diagnostic group on axis I or that an ‘Impulsive Personality Disorder’ should be introduced on axis II. The development of more effective treatment for multi-impulsive bulimia is warranted.
A prospective study of widowhood and changes in symptoms of depression in a community sample of the elderly
Authors: De Leon C. F. Mendes , Kasl S. V. , Jacobs S.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

This survey examines changes in depressive symptomatology (CES-D) during bereavement in 1046 elderly subjects, of whom 139 became widowed during follow-up. Depression scores increased during the first year of bereavement, but generally returned to pre-widowhood levels thereafter. However, depression scores remained elevated among young-old widows (65–74year-olds) well after the first year of widowhood. Using cut-off scores, rates of high depressive symptoms remained somewhat elevated over baseline levels. Increases in depression scores during bereavement were not explained by socio-economic variables, health habits and health status. It is concluded that particularly young-old widows are at risk of developing chronic depressive symptomatology during bereavement that may warrant clinical attention.
Autism as a strongly genetic disorder: evidence from a British twin study
Authors: Bailey A. , Le Couteur A. , Gottesman I. , Bolton P. , Simonoff E. , Yuzda E. , Rutter M.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

Two previous epidemiological studies of autistic twins suggested that autism was predominantly genetically determined, although the findings with regard to a broader phenotype of cognitive, and possibly social, abnormalities were contradictory. Obstetric and perinatal hazards were also invoked as environmentally determined aetiological factors. The first British twin sample has been re-examined and a second total population sample of autistic twins recruited. In the combined sample 60% of monozygotic (MZ) pairs were concordant for autismversusno dizygotic (DZ) pairs; 92% of MZ pairs were concordant for a broader spectrum of related cognitive or social abnormalitiesversus10% of DZ pairs. The findings indicate that autism is under a high degree of genetic control and suggest the involvement of multiple genetic loci. Obstetric hazards usually appear to be consequences of genetically influenced abnormal development, rather than independent aetiological factors. Few new cases had possible medical aetiologies, refuting claims that recognized disorders are common aetiological influences.
ICD-10 mild cognitive disorder: epidemiological evidence on its validity
Authors: Christensen Helen , Henderson A. S. , Jorm A. F. , Mackinnon A. J. , Scott Ruth , Korten A. E.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

Criteria for the diagnosis of ICD-10 Mild Cognitive Disorder (MCD) were applied to a sample of 897 community dwelling elderly participants. Criterion A (the presence of a physical disorder) was met by 44%, Criterion B (report of a cognitive disorder) by 17%, Criterion C (an abnormality in quantified cognitive assessments) by 60%, and Criterion D (exclusion on basis of dementia and other conditions) by 74%. A total of 36 cases (4%) met all four criteria. Correlations between Criteria A and B, and B and C were weak (r = 0·18), and the correlation between Criteria A and C was almost zero (r = 0·02). This suggests that no syndrome exists. Membership of MCD was predicted by a report that memory or intelligence interfered with daily life but not by performance on cognitive tests or by a report of physical illness. Cases of MCD had higher anxiety, depression and neuroticism scores than normal elderly, but did not differ substantially on tests of cognitive functioning. These findings call into question the validity of the ICD-10 diagnosis of MCD.
Can memories of childhood sexual abuse be repressed?
Authors: Pope Harrison G. , Hudson James I.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

We sought studies which have attempted to test whether memories of childhood sexual abuse can be repressed. Despite our broad search criteria, which excluded only unsystematic anecdotal reports, we found only four applicable studies. We then examined these studies to assess whether the investigators: (1) presented confirmatory evidence that abuse had actually occurred; and (2) demonstrated that their subjects had actually developed amnesia for the abuse. None of the four studies provided both clear confirmation of trauma and adequate documentation of amnesia in their subjects. Thus, present clinical evidence is insufficient to permit the conclusion that individuals can repress memories of childhood sexual abuse. This finding is surprising, since many writers have implied that hundreds of thousands, or even millions of persons harbour such repressed memories. In view of the widespread recent public and scientific interest in the areas of trauma and memory, it is important to investigate further whether memories of sexual abuse can be repressed.
Ten-year follow-up of anorexia nervosa: clinical course and outcome
Authors: Eckert E. D. , Halmi K. A. , Marchi P. , Grove W. , Crosby R.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

The clinical course and outcome of anorexia nervosa are presented in a 10-year followup study of 76 severely ill females with anorexia nervosa who met specific diagnostic criteria and had participated in a well-documented hospital treatment study. Information was obtained on 100% of the subjects. A comprehensive assessment was made in 93% of the living subjects in specific categories of weight, eating and weight control behaviours, menstrual function, anorexic attitudes, and psychological, sexual, social and vocational adjustment. Five subjects had died, which gives a crude mortality rate of 6·6%. Standardized mortality rates demonstrated an almost 13-fold increase in mortality in the anorexia nervosa subjects. Only eighteen (23·7%) were fully recovered. Sixty-four per cent developed binge-eating at some time during their illness, 57% at least weekly. Twenty-nine (41%) were still bulimic at follow-up. The high frequency and chronicity of the bulimic symptoms plus the high rate of weight relapse (42% during the first year after hospital treatment) suggest that intensive intervention is needed to help anorexics restore and maintain their weight within a normal range and to decrease abnormal eating and weight control behaviours.
The capacity of a measure of disability (the LSP) to predict hospital readmission in those with schizophrenia
Authors: Parker Gordon , Hadzi-Pavlovic Dusan
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

One hundred and eighteen subjects with an admission diagnosis of schizophrenia were reassessed after 12 months to establish whether hospital readmission had occurred. All subjects were rated at baseline and after 12 months on the Life Skills Profile (LSP), a 39-item measure of disability, with scores demonstrating moderate stability. The baseline LSP score was a significant predictor of readmission, both in univariate and multivariate analyses. By contrast, several univariate variables (e.g. unemployment and non-compliance with medication over the review period) did not maintain their predictive capacity in multivariate analyses, suggesting that they were manifestations or consequences of significant disability, rather than independent contributors to poor outcome.
Obese binge eaters: metabolic characteristics, energy expenditure and dieting
Authors: Adami G. F. , Gandolfo P. , Campostano A. , Cocchi F. , Bauer B. , Scopinaro N.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

The study was carried out in two groups of massively obese women with BMI values who were to undergo bariatric surgery. The patients were evaluated for weight variability and for the presence and the frequency of binge eating. Body composition, resting energy expenditure (REE) and metabolic parameters were also measured. When non-bingeing individuals were compared with patients who met Binge Eating Disorder criteria, no differences in body composition, fat distribution, REE values and concentrations of serum lipids, insulin and thyroid hormones were found. On the other hand, weight variability due to reduced diet in the subjects' lifetime was significantly higher. This study does not support the hypothesis that in massively obese women binge eating is somehow induced by a reduced energy expenditure.
Isolated retrograde amnesia for autobiographical material associated with acute left temporal lobe encephalitis
Authors: Hokkanen L. , Launes J. , Vataja R. , Valanne L. , Iivanainen M.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

Retrograde amnesia for autobiographical material in the absence of anterograde amnesia or other memory disturbances was found in a patient with acute viral encephalitis. Memory loss showed a temporal gradient, but new learning was spared. Both brain perfusion imaging with 99mTc-HMPAO SPECT, and EEG localized the lesion in the left temporal lobe while CT and MRI were normal. This observation supports the anatomical differentiation between the different memory functions. The uncommon combination of isolated retrograde amnesia without other neuropsychological findings may raise the doubt of psychogenic aetiology, which in this case was refuted.
Historical epidemiology and the functional psychoses
Authors: Shepherd Michael
Published: July 2009

Sixty years ago the distinguished epidemiologist Joseph Goldberger, following his outstanding achievements in clarifying the causes of pellagra, was offered a large research grant to investigate schizophrenia. He responded to the proposal by studying the available evidence concerning the schizophrenic syndrome and then politely declined to take up the challenge. ‘In five or more years’, he wrote, ‘I could probably find out nothing. Much work will be needed on the physiology of the central nervous system and on many collateral problems before dementia praecox can be understood’ (Parsons, 1943).
Neuropsychological and P300 abnormalities in schizophrenics and their relatives
Authors: Roxborough H. , Muir W. J. , Blackwood D. H. R. , Walker M. T. , Blackburn I. M.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

Schizophrenic subjects (N = 30) performed less well than controls (N = 30) on neuropsychological tests sensitive to frontal and temporal lobe impairment and showed prolonged latency of the P300 event-related potential. Relatives of schizophrenic probands were also tested. Relatives with an abnormal P300 had a similar range of neuropsychological deficits as were found in the schizophrenic group and relatives with a normal P300 response performed as well as the normal control group. The results suggest that neurophysiological and neuropsychological testing of relatives may help to clarify the mode of inheritance of schizophrenia in some families.
Depression, demoralization and control over psychotic illness: a comparison of depressed and non-depressed patients with a chronic psychosis
Authors: Birchwood M. , Mason R. , MacMillan F. , Healy J.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

This paper explores the hypothesis that depression in chronic schizophrenia is in part a psychological response to an apparently uncontrollable life-event, namely the illness and its long-term disabilities. It is suggested that depression is linked to patients' perception of controllability of their illness and absorption of cultural stereotypes of mental illness. Clinically and operationally diagnosed schizophrenic and manic-depressive patients receiving long-term maintenance treatment were studied. The cross-sectional prevalence of depression in schizophrenics was 29% and 11% for patients with bipolar affective illness. The hypothesis was supported. Multivariate analyses revealed that patients' perception of controllability of their illness powerfully discriminated depressed from non-depressed psychotic patients. Although those patients who accepted their diagnosis reported a lower perceived control over illness and an external locus of control, label acceptance was not associated with lowered depression, self-esteem or unemployment. The cross-sectional nature of the study makes the direction of causality and the role of intrinsic illness variables difficult to ascertain; however, the results set the scene for prospective and intervention studies and the various possibilities are discussed.
Panic disorder in women: a population-based twin study
Authors: Kendler Kenneth S. , Neale Michael C. , Kessler Ronald C. , Heath Andrew C. , Eaves Lindon J.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

Previous studies based on probands from clinical samples suggest that panic disorder aggregates strongly in families and may be due to a highly penetrant single major locus. In this study we examine panic disorder as assessed at blind, structured psychiatric interview in 2163 women from a population-based twin registry. DSM-III-R diagnoses were assigned at a narrow and at a broad level both by clinician review and by computer algorithm. The familial aggregation of panic disorder in this sample was only modest. The relatively small number of affected individuals prevented a definitive resolution of competing genetic and non-genetic models of familial transmission. Although there was some inconsistency across diagnostic approaches, most results suggested that the familial aggregation of panic disorder was due largely to genetic factors. Using a multifactorial-threshold model, the best estimates of the heritability of liability ranged from 30 to 40%. From a familial perspective, panic disorder with phobic avoidance appears to represent a more severe form of the syndrome than panic disorder without avoidance. Our results, which suggest that in the general population panic disorder is only a moderately heritable condition, are at variance with results from several previous investigations based on clinically ascertained samples.
Behavioural and emotional problems in children and adolescents with congenital heart disease
Authors: Utens Elisabeth M. W. J. , Verhulst Frank C. , Meijboom Folkert J. , Duivenvoorden Hugo J. , Erdman Rudolph A. M. , Bos Egbert , Roelandt Jos T. C. , Hess John
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

Behavioural/emotional problems were assessed at least nine years after surgical correction for congenital heart disease (ConHD) in childhood. Parents of 144 10–15-year-old ConHD-children completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and 179, 11–17-year-old, ConHD-adolescents completed the Youth Self-Report (YSR). On the CBCL and YSR ConHD-children and adolescents obtained significantly higher problem scores than same-aged peers from normative reference groups. No significant differences were found between problem scores for different cardiac diagnostic groups. A negative correlation was found between CBCL total problem scores and IQ-scores of ConHD-children; for YSR total problem scores no such relationship was found.
New findings on tardive dyskinesia in a community sample
Authors: O'Hara Peter , Brugha Traolach S. , Lesage Alain , Wing John
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

In a geographically defined area sample of 141 long-term psychiatric patients in day care in south London, the relationship between tardive dyskinesia (TD) and other aspects of illness, treatment, and social and psychological functioning were studied. The results are compared with previous findings. TD was significantly associated with parkinsonian symptoms and with the number of years in contact with the psychiatric services. There was a trend, in affective disorder only, towards an association with current neuroleptic dose. The patients with affective disorder also had higher rates of TD than patients with schizophrenia and paranoid psychosis. History of treatment with ECT correlated negatively with TD among those with schizophrenia, and positively among those with affective disorder. As in other studies, duration of neuroleptic treatment did not correlate with the presence or absence of TD. In contrast to some previous reports, age and cognitive status were not related to TD status. Possible reasons for this are discussed.