bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dental anxiety ‐ the development of a measurement model
Authors: Weiner A. A. , Sheehan D. V. , Jones K. J.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT— A more detailed measurement instrument for dental anxiety has been developed. To investigate the dimensionability of the response, two instruments were administered to 452 persons. The first set of items (33) concerned stimuli which might prove fearsome to patients. Some of these were dental specific, others were not. A second instrument (20 items) elicited the anxiety symptoms experienced. By comparing separate Kaiser‐Caffrey Alpha Factor Analyses two factors were identified within each instrument. These were labelled “generalized” phobias and “dental specific” phobias; and “endogenous” and “exogenous” (anticipatory) anxiety symptoms. Four scales were constructed using simple summations of highly loaded variables. The scales are quite reliable. Although correlations among the scales proved to be significant they are all quite low, indicating that the four scales give more or less non‐redundant information about the patient. The scale had discriminating validity in differentiating between patients who acknowledge experiencing spontaneous panic/anxiety attacks and those who did not. The data confirm that dental fears are relatively independent of other generalized anticipatory fears. The results cast doubt on previously held assumptions regarding the unidimensionality of anxiety. They are consistent with a new classification of anxiety and phobic disorders presented elsewhere. The implications for research and patient management are discussed.
Lithium: long‐term effects on the kidney I. Renal function in retrospect
Authors: Hetmar O. , Bolwig T. G. , Brun C. , Ladefoged J. , Larsen S. , Rafaelsen O. J.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT—46 patients treated with lithium for an average of 8 years participated in a functional‐morphological follow‐up study based on a 12‐day hospitalization and involving a kidney biopsy. The functional part of the study showed that tubular function was markedly influenced, leading to increased urine volume (average 3 1/24 h) and a decreased renal concentration capacity in 85% of the patients. Glomerular function was generally not influenced, and only 10% of the patients had glomerular filtration rates below their age‐corrected normal ranges. Both urine volume and glomerular filtration rates showed significant correlations with dosage schedule. Urine volume was lower and glomerular filtration rate higher on a one‐dose schedule than when lithium was given in divided doses during the day. It is concluded that discontinuity in lithium treatment minimizes lithium effects on kidney function.
Prevalence of tardive dystonia
Authors: Yassa R. , Nair V. , Dimitry R.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT: Tardive dystonia is a rare late‐onset side effect of neuroleptics. This paper presents a prevalence study of 351 inpatients conducted in our hospital. Seven patients (2%) were found to suffer from this condition. The majority were found to be young and had received neuroleptics for a variable number of years before the onset of the dystonia. In general, treatment of this condition is disappointing.
Clinical and social characteristics of male parasuicides: variation by employment status and duration of unemployment
Authors: Platt S.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT In this study employed and unemployed male parasuicides were compared on a number of clinical, sociodemographic and other characteristics in order to establish which, if any, were significantly related to employment status. A further analysis examined variation in personal attributes by duration of unemployment. The unemployed group was found to contain a higher proportion of individuals who were unmarried, living outside the family, of lower social class, given a diagnosis of abnormal personality, misusing drugs habitually, in trouble with the police and with a criminal record. Comparisons within the unemployed group showed that age and civil state varied significantly by duration of unemployment, but no linear trend was evident. Longer durations of unemployment were associated significantly with personality diagnosis and receipt of psychotropic drug treatment. Within the limits dictated by the study design (cross‐sectional, without general population controls), the findings are discussed in terms of their compatibility with the causal or self‐selection models of the unemployment‐parasuicide relationship.
Neuropsychological assessment of mental deterioration: purpose of a brief battery and a probabilistic definition of “normality” and “non‐normality”
Authors: Gallassi R. , Lenzi P. , Stracciari A. , Lorusso S. , Ciardulli C. , Morreale A. , Mussuto V.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT A brief battery for mental deterioration assessment was obtained by Discriminant Analysis techniques from the Mental Deterioration Battery (MDB) (1) and yielded 98 % correct classifications in a sample of 60 subjects (30 pathological and 30 controls). This battery, named Brief Mental Deterioration Battery (BMDB), both quick and easy to administer, is composed of four tests: Rey's 15 Words Test, Immediate Visual Memory, Barrage, and Simple Analogies Test. MDB was administered to a further sample of 60 normal subjects and, by multivariate statistical techniques, a probabilistic definition of “normality” and consequently of “non‐normality” was given. When applied to pathological and control groups, this probabilistic dichotomic classification yielded groups almost identical to the previous ones.
Haloperidol decanoate and flupenthixol decanoate in schizophrenia
Authors: Eberhard G. , Hellbom E.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACTThirty‐two schizophrenic patients, previously treated with antipsychotics, were treated with haloperidol decanoate and flupenthixol decanoate in a double‐blind cross‐over study. The drugs were given for 24 weeks each at an individually adapted dose. The last three injections of either drug were given at fixed 4‐week intervals. The mean dose over the two treatment periods changed from 131 mg (start) to 151 mg (week 24) in the haloperidol decanoate group and from 56 mg to 66 mg in the flupenthixol decanoate group, the inter‐drug ratio being 2.3:1. During the first study period, the patients’ condition remained rather stable with both drugs. After crossing‐over, the symptoms were further reduced with haloperidol decanoate but increased with flupenthixol decanoate. Side effects of the two drugs were comparable and were generally few and mild. It was concluded that 4‐week intramuscular administration of haloperidol decanoate provides appropriate control of schizophrenic symptoms, but that flupenthixol decanoate should be dosed at shorter intervals.
Effectiveness and application of partial hospitalization
Authors: Schene A. H. , Gersons B. P. R.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT Especially during the past 15 years, partial hospitalization (PHP) has been studied extensively. This article reviews the effectiveness and applicability of PHP. To clarify where PHP might fit into the overall mental health care system, the results of empirical research are evaluated with special attention to topics such as treated population, program evaluation, comparison of PHP with inpatient treatment, PHP as alternative to outpatient treatment, comparison of different PHP's, cost effectiveness and burden on the family. The general conclusion is that PHP can be a reasonable alternative to inpatient as well as to outpatient treatment, taking into account factors such as symptomatology, cost and and family burden. PHP seems in particular to enhance social role functioning, which might be attributed to the fact that contact between patient and environment is not disturbed by hospitalization. Suggestions for further research are presented. Furthermore it is recommended in order to improve generalizability of results to differentiate the different functions PHP can fulfil in the mental health care system.
Personality traits predicting weight loss outcome in obese patients
Authors: Jönsson B. , Björvell H. , Levander S. , Rössner S.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT A personality inventory, the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP), was administered to a group of 28 severely obese patients before treatment with jaw fixation. Several items significantly predicted incapacity to maintain the achieved weight loss 1 year after treatment: anxiety, monotony avoidance, suspiciousness and a low degree of socialization. These personality traits constitute a syndrome of ego weakness or impulsivity which warrants further study.
Suicide in southwestern Greece 1979–1984
Authors: Beratis S.
Published: August 2007

Study of suicide in a province of southwestern Greece (population 295,000) from 1979 through 1984 demonstrated: 1) mean suicide rate 0.48/10,000 population/year; 2) significant increase of the suicide rate in men after the age of 65, but not in women; 3) significantly higher suicide rate in men from rural than from urban areas; 4) significantly higher suicide rate in men than in women from rural areas, no difference in urban areas; 5) differences in suicide frequency or age at suicide were observed between subjects of different marital status; 6) violent methods of suicide were most frequently used; and 7) psychological disorders were the most frequent causes of suicide. Many of these findings are observed for the first time. Some may be related to the characteristics of the population studied, whereas others may also be present in other populations.
Characteristics of a good ward atmosphere
Authors: Friis S.
Published: August 2007

Thirty‐five short term wards were evaluated with the WAS and a good milieu index. The results indicated that psychotic and non‐psychotic patients need different types of atmosphere. Psychotic patients seem to benefit primarily from a milieu with a high level of Support, Practical orientation and Order and organization, and a low level of Anger and aggression, whereas non‐psychotic patients seem to benefit mostly from a milieu with a high level of all subscales except for two: the level of Staff control ought to be low and the level of Anger and aggression ought probably to be intermediate.
Survival analysis (or time to an event analysis), and the Cox regression model ‐ methods for longitudinal psychiatric research
Authors: Allgulander C. , Fisher L. D.
Published: August 2007

A multivariate statistical instrument is presented, which combines the life table with regression analysis: the Cox proportional hazards regression model. It is suitable for analyzing longitudinal clinical data, and to find predictors of different outcomes in psychiatric research such as death, relapse or cure. All patient information can be used, since the time to the outcome event is included in the model. Treatments can be compared, and prognostic indices created.
Immigration and major affective disorder
Authors: Grove W. , Clayton P. J. , Endicott J. , Hirschfeld R. M. A , Andreasen N. C. , Klerman G. L.
Published: August 2007

We studied bipolar (ever manic; n: = 297) primary unipolar (never secondary; n: = 328), and secondary unipolar (n: = 241) RDC major affective disorder patients in the NIMH — CRB Collaborative Study of the Psychobiology of Depression — Clinical. We examined rates of immigration, for patients and their parents, in these three diagnostic groups. Primary patients had a twofold increase in the odds in favor of immigration, compared to secondary patients. The difference persisted when proband age was statistically controlled, and could not be accounted for by any difference in sex ratios between groups. Previous findings of an increased rate of immigration in bipolar patients could not be replicated.
Premenstrual changes and changes in gonadal hormones
Authors: Halbreich U. , Endicott J. , Goldstein S. , Nee J.
Published: August 2007

Changes in plasma levels of estradiol and progesterone and their temporal relationship with changes in mood and behavior were studied along the menstrual cycle in 17 normal women with a wide range of severity and types of premenstrual changes (PMC). Emphasizing changes in hormonal levels over time as well as their rates of change, selective clinical features of premenstrual changes were found to be positively associated with peak levels of progesterone, its rate of decrease over time, and the ratio between the rates of decrease‐over‐time of progesterone and estradiol levels. A time‐lag of 4–7 days between changes in plasma levels of progesterone and changes in clinical features was also found. Rate of change of estradiol was somewhat associated with clinical PMC. It is suggested that the association between gonadal hormones, other biological changes, and mood should be further studied as a diversified, dynamic, time‐related process.
Neurotic depression and DSM‐III
Authors: Torgersen S.
Published: August 2007

The background for the removing of the concept of neurosis from the American diagnosing system is discussed. Results are presented showing how cases diagnosed as neurotic depression according to ICD‐9, are distributed on various DSM‐III diagnoses. It appears that half of the sample is diagnosed as major depression, one‐fifth as dysthymic disorder and one‐fifth as depressive adjustment disorder. Concerning the delineation between different unipolar depressive diagnoses in DSM‐III, results from a twin study are presented showing that many cotwins have a different depressive diagnosis than their index twin partner. It is concluded that the heterogeneous ICD‐9 diagnosis of neurotic depression seems in DSM‐III to have been replaced by an equal heterogeneous diagnosis major depression.
Effect of chlormethiazole on the hepatic monooxygenase enzyme system
Authors: Hoensch H. P.
Published: August 2007

‐ Ethanol abuse has been shown to induce hepatic monooxygenase activity. In order to study the effect of chlormethiazole on the hepatic monooxygenase enzyme system, the O‐deethylation of 7‐ethoxycoumarin was studied. Chlormethiazole was found to inhibit ethanol‐induced monooxygenase activity.
Clinical experiences and a review of chlormethiazole in the management of pre‐eclampsia and eclampsia
Authors: Campbell D. M.
Published: August 2007

The management of pre‐eclampsia and eclampsia with chlormethiazole is reviwed. Chlromethiazole, magnesium sulphate and benzodiazepines were found to be easy to administer, rapidly acting and effective in controlling convulsions. Respiratory depression in the fetus was found to be shorter lived when using chlormethiazole than the other two treatments.
Schizophrenic relapse after drug withdrawal is predictable
Authors: Dencker S. J. , Malm U. , Lepp M.
Published: August 2007

Abstract—Thirty‐two patients in remission were followed by regular ratings during a prospective neuroleptic withdrawal study. They were outpatients who fulfilled the DSM‐III criteria of schizophrenia and who were motivated for drug withdrawal. The relapse rate was 81 %. The results from the rating scales confirm the hypothesis that a symptom increase occurs before psychotic relapse. In the order statistical differences occurred, the factors predicting relapse were those concerned with positive psychopathology, motor dysfunction, impaired affects and sleep disturbances. The corresponding symptoms and signs were mainly concerned with thought disorders, paranoid ideation, overactivity, depression and insomnia middle, all of nonpsychotic degree of severity. If prodromes appear, the patient should resume his neuroleptic treatment, or other preventive measures should be taken. By such therapeutic interactions, psychotic relapse may be prevented, or can be dealt with in an outpatient setting.
Prediction of outcome in depression by negative symptoms
Authors: Chaturvedi S. K. , Sarmukaddam S. B.
Published: August 2007

Abstract— Negative symptoms have been assessed in 34 cases of major endogenous depression (RDC) using the Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms. Correlation coeffecients between negative symptoms and improvement rated on a 5‐point scale were determined. Poverty of speech, affective flattening and avolition ‐apathy were found to be related with poor outcome. There was also a negative relationship between improvement and certain frequently occurring negative sym‐toms: inability to feel emotions, feelings of emptiness in thinking and feeling of avolition. High total negative symptom scores predicted poor outcome.
Prophylactic treatment with mianserin, therapy adherence and plasma monitoring: A case report
Authors: Altamura A. C. , Mauri M. , Guercetti G.
Published: August 2007

Abstract— A patient suffering from major depression was treated with mianserin for 6 years, with drug plasma monitoring. No relapses or significant side effects occurred during this period.
A prospective study of postpartum psychoses in a high‐risk group
Authors: McNeil T. F.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT— Among 88 reproductions to women with a history of nonorganic psychosis, 25 postpartum episodes (PPPs) occurring during the total 6‐month period following the current delivery were not systematically related to the woman's demographic characteristics, to her psychiatric history characteristics surrounding onset of the previous disorder or to a history of PPPs following previous reproductions. PPPs were highly significantly related to greater length of previous psychiatric hospitalization and to active mental disturbance just prior to this pregnancy, and this was true both for PPPs developing within 3 weeks of delivery and for those developing later. Considerable differences were found in the demographic characteristics that were related to development of PPPs within these Early vs. Later Onset cases, suggesting these to represent different disorders not only diagnostically but also demographically. In several diagnostic categories, selected demographic or psychiatric history characteristics identified subgroups with PPP rates as high as 75%.
Psychiatric manifestations of enteric fever
Authors: Hafeiz H. B.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT—This is a study of the aetiological and clinical aspects of 50 cases of typhoid fever with psychiatric manifestations in the Sudan. The incidence of psychiatric symptoms was 8%, the clinical picture was one of acute psycho‐organic reactions (74%), and in 18% the psychiatric symptoms preceded the onset of the fever. The typhoid infection and, to a lesser degree, susceptible personality seem to be important aetiological factors.
Social and resource factors related to the utilization of emergency psychiatric services in the Athens area
Authors: Vaslamatzis Gr. , Kontaxakis V. , Markidis M. , Katsouyanni K.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT— Emergency Psychiatric Service of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Athens is the only referral service for the emergency psychiatric cases coming from the Athens greater area. During 1981 2,169 patients used the Service. The relations of socio‐demographic and resource factors of the 26 districts of the greater area of Athens to a Standardized Psychiatric Emergencies Index (S.P.E.I.) are investigated in the study. Unemployment, education, profession, distance from the service, psychiatric coverage and involuntary incoming were considered as independent variables and S.P.E.I. for 1981 as a dependent variable. Multiple regression analysis showed that the only factor significantly correlated with the emergency use of the psychiatric service is the distance from the Facility.
[3H] Imipramine binding sites are decreased in platelets of chronic pain patients
Authors: Magni G. , Andreoli F. , Arduino C. , Arsie D. , Ceccherelli F. , Ambrosio F. , Eandi M.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT— Tritiated imipramine binding to whole platelets was measured in sixteen chronic pain patients not suffering from major depression and in a control group. Maximum binding was significantly lower in chronic pain patients than in the control group, whereas the binding affinity was not significantly different.
Unaltered 24 h serum PRL levels and PRL response to TRH in contrast to decreased 24 h serum TSH levels and TSH response to TRH in major depressive disorder
Authors: Undén F. , Ljunggren J.‐G. , Kjellman B. F. , Beck‐Friis J. , Wetterberg L.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT— The 24 h serum levels of prolactin (PRL) and thyrotropin (TSH) assessed at ten different time points and the PRL and TSH responses to TRH administration (ΔPRL, ΔTSH) were investigated in 26 inpatients meeting the RDC criteria for an acute major depressive disorder. Fourteen of these patients were reinvestigated in a state of partial or complete remission. Comparison between the patients during both relapse and remission and 23 healthy controls showed no differences in the paramenters reflecting the 24 h PRL levels or ΔPRL. However, significantly lower 24 h TSH levels and ΔTSH were found in the patient group in the acute phase. Antidepressant medication, sedatives or the outcome of the dexamethasone test did not significantly influence the PRL levels or ΔPRL. Both the patient group and the controls revealed normal sleep associated PRL release indicating unaltered serotoninergic and/or dopaminergic neurotransmission regulating the PRL secretion. The present results indicate a selective disturbance affecting the pituitary TSH secretion, and are consistent with our hypothesis that the mechanism behind the decreased TSH levels and the impaired TSH response to TRH in acute major depressive disorder involves a down‐regulation of the pituitary TRH receptors.
Normalization of regional cerebral blood flow in alcoholics during the first 7 weeks of abstinence
Authors: Berglund M. , Hagstadius S. , Risberg J. , Johanson T. M. , Bliding Å. , Mubrin Z.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT— Twenty‐two institutionalized alcoholics were studied after 1, 3, 5 and 7 weeks of abstinence with measurements of the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), psychometric testing and clinical ratings. Twenty‐two healthy volunteers served as age‐matched controls. Mean rCBF was significantly reduced in the alcoholics at all measurements compared to the controls. The older alcoholics (median cut) showed a 9% increase of rCBF from the 1st to the 7th week (P < 0.01). The mean rCBF in these alcoholics also increased more in the right than in the left hemisphere (<P < 0.05) during the investigation. The differences between the alcoholics and the controls were most pronounced in the right frontal lobe. The mean flow changes were correlated to improvement in clinical state. Right hemisphere and frontal lobe flow decreases were more accentuated in older alcoholics.
Weight loss, cortisol levels, and dexamethasone suppression in major depressive disorder
Authors: Casper R.C. , Swann A.C. , Stokes P.E. , Chang S. , Katz M.M. , Garver D.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT— Appetite and/or weight loss are integral, albeit not necessary, symptoms of depression. We explored the contribution of diminished appetite and/or weight loss ascertained by history to the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenocortical (HPA) axis dysregulation in 120 patients with primary major depressive disorder. Significant positive relationship for both appetite and weight loss with cortisol levels in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were observed. Plasma cortisol levels were consistently higher in patients who noted both appetite and weight loss as opposed to patients without appetite or weight loss. Depressed patients with weight loss showed higher rates of dexamethasone‐nonsuppression. Age and severity of depression influenced but did not eliminate the significance of the findings, suggesting that weight loss accounts in part for the HPA‐axis function changes observed in depression.
Individualized measures of outcome versus standardized rating scales in evaluation of in‐hospital psychiatric treatment
Authors: Hansson L. , Berglund M. , Öhman R.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT— The differentiating power of two individually related measures of outcome, target complaints and psychiatrists’ evaluation of individually defined treatment objectives, were studied in two models of treatment planning, one with and one without active patient participation. Target complaints were measured at admission, after 5 days and at discharge. Treatment objectives were initially defined in written treatment contracts and evaluated at discharge. These measures were compared with patients’ self‐reported symptoms as well as with independently rated clinical symptoms at admission and discharge. Both target complaints and psychiatrists’ evaluations measured improvement during treatment. The differentiating power between the two experimental conditions was, however, much weaker than that of the symptom rating scales. The psychiatrists’ evaluations were strongly influenced by state at discharge and only to a minor extent by changes during treatment. It is concluded that symptom rating scales are superior to individualized measures of outcome in studies on a general psychiatric ward, possibly because the patients are fairly homogenous concerning anxiety.
Delusional misidentification of the Capgras and intermetamorphosis types responding to clorazepate
Authors: Joseph A. B.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT— A patient with chronic psychosis and intermittent psychotic misidentification of the Capgras and intermetamorphosis types refractory to neuroleptic treatment was given a trial of clorazepate. Complete remission of psychotic symptoms was achieved for the first time in 19 years, but these recurred when the patient discontinued her clorazepate. It is concluded that clorazepate may be a useful treatment for some cases of chronic psychosis and psychotic misidentification. A possible mechanism for this is discussed.
Acute effects of ECT on cardiovascular functioning: Relations to patient and treatment variables
Authors: Prudic J. , Sackeim H. A. , Decina P. , Hopkins N. , Ross F. R. , Malitz S.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT— In 34 patients with primary, major depressive disorder, randomly assigned to bilateral or right unilateral ECT, heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) were assessed prior and following seizure induction at every treatment. In contrast to prior reports, no cumulative pattern was observed in HR or BP changes as a function of treatment number. Generally, treatment variables, including ECT modality (bilateral vs. unilateral), anesthetic agent (methohexital vs. pentothal), and prior subconvulsive stimulation in a session, had no effects on the magnitude of peak postictal increases in HR or BP. The peak changes were also unrelated to the history of cardiac illness, remission of depressive symptomatology, patient seizure threshold and patient seizure duration. Pre‐treatment HR was strongly predictive of peak postictal change in both HR and BP, while pretreatment BP was not. Patients with high pre‐ECT HR had smaller peak postictal HR and BP increases. The findings suggested that low dosage, titrated ECT has HR and BP effects similar to traditional high dosage techniques, and that pre‐treatment HR is the best predictor of these effects.
Contacts of suicidal neurotic and prepsychotic/psychotic patients and their significant others with public care institutions before the suicide attempt
Authors: Wolk‐Wasserman D.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT— Interviews were conducted with 21 patients classified as neurotic or prepsychotic/psychotic, consecutively admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) owing to suicide attempts by means of drug intoxication, with their 37 significant others and with care personnel concerning the patients' contacts with psychiatric, somatic or social care institutions before their suicide attempts. Nineteen patients came into contact with public care institutions between 1 and 6 months before attempting suicide; of these. 11 had contacts with psychiatric departments. Nine patients ‐ chiefly those who were prepsychotic/psychotic ‐ were in contact with public care institutions during the last 7 days before attempting suicide; of these, six had contacts with psychiatric departments. The neurotic patients' suicidal thoughts were seldom expressed in the contacts with care personnel, who consequently seldom noticed their suicidal tendencies. Contacts served to alleviate and lend structure to the patients' anxiety, promoted the mobilisation of their defences and temporarily concealed their hopelessness, depression and suicidal impulses. The personnel misinterpreted the patients' defences and considered the patients to be non‐suicidal, capable and even strong. The prepsychotic/psychotic patients usually expressed suicidal thoughts in the form of indirect, non‐verbal suicidal communication which was difficult to understand: it was recognised as such by their regular therapists, but seldom by staff who were unfamiliar with the patients. Consequently, suicidal risks were usually not recognised in emergency situations. The reasons why none of the significant others sought contact with public care institutions are discussed.
A double‐blind comparison of citalopram (Lu 10–171) and amitriptyline in depressed patients
Authors: Gravem A. , Amthor K. F. , Astrup C. , Elgen K. , Gjessing L. R. , Gunby B. , Pettersen R. D. , Kyrdalen L. , Vaadal J. , Øfsti E. , Aarvold A.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT— In a controlled, clinical, multicentre trial comprising a total of 43 patients (17 men and 26 women) citalopram was compared double‐blindly with amitriptyline. Nineteen patients of each group were classified as endogenously depressed, whereas four patients of the citalopram group and one of the amitriptyline group were classified as non‐endogenously depressed. The patients were seriously ill with a high frequency of previous depressive episodes and of mental disorders among their closest relatives. Thirteen of the patients in either group had received antidepressants without satisfactory effect before entry into the trial. Each patient was treated for a period of at least 3 weeks with daily citalopram doses of 30–60 mg or daily amitriptyline doses of 75–225 mg. A statistically significant reduction of MADRS scores (total scores as well as each of the 10 individual items) was recorded in both groups. The only difference between the groups was a trend towards a better effect on sleep disturbances in the amitriptyline group. Side‐effects were recorded more frequently in the amitriptyline group than in the citalopram group, global assessment of side effects being significantly different in favour of citalopram. It is concluded that citalopram is an effective and safe drug in the treatment of endogenous depression ‐ probably as efficacious as amitriptyline, but with fewer side effects.
Long‐term prognosis in addiction on sedative and hypnotic drugs analyzed with the Cox regression model
Authors: Allgulander C. , Ljungberg L. , Fisher L. D.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT— The prognosis of 221 patients first admitted in 1941–1954 for dependence on sedative‐hypnotic drugs was determined in a record‐linkage and interview study concluded in 1984. Different outcomes were related to admission characteristics by means of the Cox proportional hazards regression model. An excess of unnatural deaths was noted; suicides in 11% of the men and 23% of the women. Of those with primary sedative‐hypnotic dependence, 46% continued to abuse drugs till death or follow‐up, and of those with a primary or concomitant alcohol abuse 72%. An unfavorable outcome was significantly related to primary psychiatric symptoms before the first admission, concomitant alcohol abuse, familial drug and alcohol abuse and health care occupation.
Peripheral markers in the female “hidden alcoholic”
Authors: Hollstedt C. , Dahlgren L.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT— Mean corpuscular volume, thrombocyte count and levels of gammaglutamyltransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, albumin, urate, and triglycerides were analyzed in 100 previously untreated female alcoholics. If used for screening, urate and triglycerides were found to be of no value, while various combinations of the other biochemical markers identified up to 75% of the patients.
An analysis of the nature of depressive phenomena in primary health care utilising multivariate statistical techniques
Authors: Sen B.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT— The nature of depressive phenomena in primary health care was explored with data obtained from three primary health care clinics situated in the periphery of the city of Calcutta in India. The Self‐Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ) and the Screening for Depression Questionnaire (SDQ‐9) were used as the first stage and the Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS) and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (Hamilton) as the second stage instruments respectively. Health workers with limited training administered the first stage instruments to consecutive adult clinic attenders. Principal components analysis followed by multiple linear regression analysis and discriminant function analysis were applied to the data. It was concluded that depressive phenomena in primary health care settings were largely undifferentiated in nature.
Exercise and mental health
Authors: Veale D. M. W. de Coverley
Published: August 2007

This paper reviews the mood altering properties of exercise and its potential in the prevention and treatment of mental disorders. The role of the brain monoamines, opioid peptides, the sympathetic nervous system, and cognitive behavioural theory as mediating pathways for the psychological benefits of exercise is critically examined. Clinical trials on exercise are reviewed and suggestions are made for future research in this field.
Depressed mood and reality disturbance correlate with decreased nocturnal melatonin in depressed patients
Authors: Brown R. P. , Kocsis J. H. , Caroff S. , Amsterdam J. , Winokur A. , Stokes P. , Frazer A.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT: The authors measured serum samples of melatonin at 11:00 p.m. in 28 patients suffering from major depression. Melatonin secretion was inversely correlated with the depressed mood and reality disturbance factors of the Hamilton Depression Scale. These results are consistent with previous reports of low melatonin syndrome in a subgroup of depressed patients.
Neuropsychiatric studies in a family with presenile dementia different from Alzheimer and Pick disease
Authors: Gydesen S. , Hagen S. , Klinken L. , Abelskov J. , Sørensen S. A.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT: We have studied a family in which 14 persons among 73 are or have been suffering from presenile dementia. Post mortem examination showed atrophy but no sign of any known demential syndrome. Cerebral blood flow measured in the late stage of disease was low, but with no characteristic pattern in flow distribution. In one patient in the initial stage of disease, the cerebral blood flow was unexpectedly increased. The patients with presenile dementia in this family did not reveal pathological signs of any known demential syndrom and showed CBF‐changes not earlier reported. Moreover, contrary to widely held views we have evidence that dementia may be connected to a high blood flow at least in the initial state. An increased blood flow was also seen in seven of ten well functioning first degree relatives, in some cases along with cerebral atrophy and/or psychological tests with signs of dementia. Are these people going to develop manifest dementia later in life?
The decrease of erythrocyte catechol‐O‐methyltransferase activity in depressed patients and its diagnostic significance
Authors: Karege F. , Bovier P. , Gaillard J.‐M. , Tissot R.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT:Erythrocyte catechol‐O‐methyltransferase (COMT) activity was measured in normal and depressed populations before specific medication. In the groups of patients, anxiety and depression scores were evaluated by the AMDP rating scale. The authors found lower enzyme activity in patients with major depression, recurrent and bipolar disorder, depressed, but no change was found in dysthymic disorder when compared to control values. However, there was no relationship between COMT activity and age, anxiety and depression scores of patients. Furthermore, the subdivision into two subpopulations, one with normal COMT activity and another with lower COMT activity, did not make it possible to assign a role to the enzyme in the severity of depression. The enzyme could, however, be considered as a genetic marker of depressive vulnerability.
Personality traits in patients with idiopathic pain disorder
Authors: von Knorring L. , Almay B. G. L. , Johansson F.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT— In the present study, patients with idiopathic pain syndromes have been compared to healthy volunteers, patients with neurogenic pain syndromes and depressed patients as concerns stable personality traits. The personality traits were assessed by means of the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP). Patients with idiopathic pain syndromes were found to have high scores on scales measuring Muscular tension, Social desirability, Psychasthenia and Socialization. They had also high scores on the Inhibition of aggression factor. They had low scores on Impulsivity, Monotony avoidance, Indirect aggression, Verbal aggression and Suspicion. As compared to depressed patients, the pain patients were much more controlled, with higher scores on Socialization and Social desirability scales and like depressed patients with a tendency to inhibit aggression. Thus, as compared to depressed patients, the pain patients had less open anxiety but the same degree of muscular tension.
Partner relations and the development of alcoholism in female psychiatric patients
Authors: Vaglum S. , Vaglum P.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT— Sixty four consecutive female alcoholic psychiatric patients were interviewed about the causes to which they attributed the start of the abuse and the interaction between lifetime drinking career and partnerships. Thirty‐three (51%) attributed the start to problems with partners (P‐group): 21 drank to keep their partners, 12 drank when they were abandoned. Among the others (non P‐group) four subgroups were identified: the social stigmatized group (n= 4), the parent abandoned group (n= 6), the teenage acting out group (n= 13), and the psychotic group (n= 7). Those who attributed the causes to a certain partnership (n= 33) were significantly older when the abuse started, more often divorced/separated, had more often had more than one alcoholic partner, less often a schizophrenic psychosis and more often a pure borderline personality disorder.
Homogeneity of Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI): Applying Rasch analysis in conceptual exploration
Authors: Bouman T. K. , Kok A. R.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT— Rasch analysis of the BDI resulted in three unidimensional subscales, viz. a “Mood and Inhibition”, a “Guilt and Failure” and a “Somatic” subscale. All three subscales were of moderate to good internal consistency, and intercorrelated modestly. No significant correlations with sex, age, or education were found. It can be concluded, that the BDI does not, in terms of Rasch measurement model, constitute a unidimensional scale for the measurement of depression.
Multiple neuroendocrinological responses in borderline personality disorder patients
Authors: Kontaxakis V. , Markianos M. , Vaslamatzis G. , Markidis M. , Kanellos P. , Stefanis C.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT— Male patients suffering from borderline personality disorder (n= 13), major depression (n= 13) or schizophrenia (n= 13) were investigated on several psychopathological (HDRS, BPRS) and neuroendocrinological (DST and TSH, PRL, GH responses to TRH) parameters. Comparisons were made between the borderline group and the other groups of patients. Borderline patients differed from schizophrenics psychopathologically (BPRS) and neuroendocrinologically (DST). Also, borderline patients differed from major depressives in the HDRS, but behaved like them concerning DST. Our findings support the hypothesis that there are neuroendocrinological similarities between borderline personality disorder and major depressive patients, especially on the hypothalamo‐pituitary‐adrenal axis.
Psychiatric morbidity and personality characteristics of battered women
Authors: Bergman B. , Larsson G. , Brismar B. , Klang M.
Published: August 2007

Forty‐nine battered women attending a surgical emergency department were studied with regard to prior and current psychiatric morbidity, substance abuse and personality characteristics, and were compared with a control group. More battered women than controls had consulted a psychiatrist and half of them were classified as heavy consumers of alcohol. One third of the assaulted women were found to be depressed, compared to 6% of the controls. The groups also differed in respect of muscular tension, aches and pain, and autonomic distrubances, the battered women having more pronounced symptoms. It is important for psychiatrists to recognize the symptoms that battered women often exhibit. With better early diagnoses, these women could be offered more appropriate psychosocial therapy.
Clonazepam/haloperidol combination therapy in schizophrenia: A double blind study
Authors: Altamura A. C. , Mauri M. C. , Mantero M. , Brunetti M.
Published: August 2007

Clonazepam (CLN), a benzodiazepine originally used as an antiepileptic, was tested in schizophrenia in a double blind comparison in combination with haloperidol (HL). Twenty‐four schizophrenic inpatients, diagnosed according to DSM III were treated with HL and CLN (Group 1) or HL and placebo (Group 2) for 4 weeks. The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and the Extrapyramidal Side Effect Scale (EPSE) were used for assessing psychopathological features and extrapyramidal side‐effects before treatment and then weekly. No differences in specific schizophrenic symptoms were detected between the two groups, but in Group 1 an early significant BPRS amelioration was noticed compared to Group 2. Moreover, the excitement item improved significantly in Group 1 only, from the second week. Less severe EPSE scores were observed in Group 1 in comparison to Group 2. In conclusion the combination of CLN and HL seems to be preferred to HL alone in cases of psychotic excitement and in order to reduce the severity of extrapyramidal side‐effects.
Suicide in alcoholism
Authors: Berglund M. , Krantz P. , Lundqvist G.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT: In a previous paper we reported prospective ratings for 88 alcoholic suicides. At the inital admission they had more often signs of peptic ulcer, depression, dysphoria and brittleness than other alcoholics. In 55 of these alcoholics an autopsy was performed at the Department of Forensic Medicine, University Hopital, Lund. In 37 cases the blood alcohol level was measured (at time of death). Alcoholics with brittleness had more often blood alcohol levels over 0.1% than others, and alcoholics with dysphoria more often negative tests even if the suicide generally was associated with previous drinking. Concerning the blood alcohol level alcoholics with peptic ulcer did not differ from the others. Alcoholics with initial depression had more often previous suicide attempts. Twenty (36%) of the alcoholics had experienced a personal loss during the year preceding the suicide. The possible implications of the findings for suicide prevention strategies is discussed.
Birth cohort analysis of suicide mortality in Belgium 1954–1981 by a graphic and a quantitative method
Authors: Moens G. F. G. , van Oortmarssen G. J. , Honggokoesoemo S. , van de Voorde H.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT: The effect of birth cohort upon the recent increase in Belgian suicide trends was analyzed by two techniques: a graphic display and an Age‐Period‐Cohort (APC) modelling procedure. Both suggest an analogous pattern: suicide mortality steadily increased within successive male cohorts born after 1920 and within female cohorts born even before 1900. Between 1970 and 1980, period related factors seem to have operated independently. Every technique of cohort analysis however has important interpretational limitations because of the variable interplay between age period and cohort factors. As a consequence, explanations remain very tentative. Notwithstanding its rather poor etiological power in suicide epidemiology, cohort analysis is very useful in the more accurate description and prediction of suicide trends.
Assessment of mental health and illness, considered in the light of a 13‐year longitudinal study
Authors: Holmström Reijo , Jussila Leena , Vauhkonen Kauko
Published: August 2007

The present study forms part of a longitudinal study of mental health and covers a period of 13 years. Two fundamental findings were obtained in the present work. The first of these was in brief that the development of mental disorders and occurrence of symptoms increase with age. The other finding was that men and women differ in many ways from each other in terms of the nature of mental health. We might say that healthy as well as perhaps more disturbed narcissism takes different forms in women and men. Women are more faithful to tradition, men's interest is more directed toward social concerns and object relationships. Women are more practiced in self‐observation, while men resort to action and somatization. Women's symptoms are dominated by fear and worry, while men, following tradition have to mask their fears.
Sources of error in registering suicide
Authors: Kolmos Lisbet , Bach Elsa
Published: August 2007

Sources of error theoretically possible in the registration of suicide are discussed. Using cause‐of‐death statistics for each of theNordic countries, the relative influence of the various sources of error is evaluated. Two types of sources of error are identified, one is when cause‐of‐death is registered as drowning and the other is when it is registered as “unknown”. Results have shown however, that the low probability of suicide in these cases, and consequently small numbers involved, could hardly influence differences in rates between the Nordic countries. The differences found in suicide statistics therefore reflect true differences in the frequency of suicide between these countries.
Dexamethasone nonsuppression in chronic schizophrenia
Authors: Whiteford H. A. , Riney S. J. , Savala R. A. , Csernansky J. G.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT— It has been suggested that dexamethasone nonsuppression in schizophrenia is related to the presence of negative symptoms. In a sample of chronic schizophrenic outpatients we could find no relationship between dexamethasone nonsuppression and negative symptoms. In addition nonsuppression was not related to depressive symptoms, anxiety or age. The cause of hypothalamic pituitary adrenal dysregulation in schizophrenic patients remains unclear.
Treatment of depression with clonazepam
Authors: Kishimoto A. , Kamata K. , Sugihara T. , Ishiguro S. , Hazama H. , Mizukawa R. , Kunimoto N.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT— The antidepressive effect of an anticonvulsant clonazepam was studied with maximum daily dose of 1.5 to 6.0 mg (mean 3.4 mg) in 27 patients with major depression (n= 18) or bipolar disorder (n= 9). Two of them dropped out at an early stage of the treatment, and the antidepressive effect of clonazepam was evaluated for the remaining 25 patients. A marked to moderate improvement was obtained for 21 patients (84%), and the onset of the antidepressive effect of clonzepam appeared within 1 week in most of the cases who responded to the therapy. The total scores on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and the Beck Self‐Rating Scale were significantly reduced after the clonazepam treatment. Side effects occurred in 14 patients, but most of them were not severe. From these results, it is thought that clonazepam might be useful as an antidepressant for patients in whom conventional antidepressant treatment are contraindicated.