bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Childhood trauma experience and obsessive-compulsive disorder in Chinese population: A case control study
Authors: Wang Z. , Wang X. , Xu H. , Zhang H. , Xiao Z.
Published: May 2011

Background

Childhood trauma is known to predispose to a variety of psychiatric disorders, including anxiety, mood, and substance use. However, the relationship between childhood trauma and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has not been well studied. The aim of the present study is to compare childhood trauma experience between OCD and controls, and explore its impact on symptoms of OCD.

Methods

One hundred eighty-five outpatients who met DSM-IV diagnosis of OCD and 132 gender- age- matched controls were included in this study. The Early Trauma Inventory Self Report-Short Form (ETISR-SF) was administered to all participants to evaluate 4 types (general, physical, emotional and sexual) of trauma and its severity. The Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) was used to measure the severity of symptoms of OCD patients.

Results

OCD patients showed a significantly greater severity in all four types of trauma when compare with controls. 77% of OCD patients reported at least one type of childhood trauma experience, and 18% reported sexual trauma. Sexual trauma experience is significantly associated with obsessive but not compulsive symptoms of OCD patients. When compared to female OCD patients, male patients reported significantly higher scores on general trauma, physical abuse and emotional abuse; but lower of sexual abuse.

Conclusion

The present study revealed the high prevalence of childhood trauma among OCD patients, which is consistent with evidence from previous studies suggesting that childhood trauma may play a role in the development of mental disorders. It may be important to consider the impact of childhood trauma in OCD clinical management.
Restoring of the reproductive function as an important constituent of the psychological condition of oncological female patients
Authors: Bakunina N.
Published: May 2011

Estimation of clinical-and-psychological status was conducted among female patients with diagnosis of cervical carcinoma and endometrial cancer. There were 2 sample groups.

The first group consisted of 16 patients of early reproductive age from 20 to 35, not having patient parity. Tissue retrieval of ovary with following criopreservation was carried out among the patients of this group during the surgery stage. To restore the hormonal function of the ovary and rehabilitate the reproduction function after finishing of the complex treatment all patients underwent autotransplantation of the unfrozen ovary tissues into the abdominolvesical wall. Rehabilitation of the reproductive function consists of centesis of Graafian follicle, obtaining of the ovule, in vitro fertilization and transmitting of the embryo of the surrogate mother.

The following methods were applied:

- Informal clinical interviewing,

- Abridged Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI),

- The State trait Anxiety Inventory,

- Personality Questionnaire of the Bechterev Institution.

Conclusions

1.

There has been found out the high intensity of anxious reaction in both groups of oncological female patients, which makes it necessary to provide psychological rehabilitations for patients.

2.

Euphoric, balanced and ergopatic Types of Attitude to the Disease have been frequently observed.

3.

The exceeding rates in the scales of neurotic triad observed through the MMPI need adequate correction.

4.

Restoring of the possibility for a woman to enjoy her reproductive function - improves the quality of life of such patients. Probably this will also increase the efficiency of the antineoplastic treatment and the life expectancy for this patients.
The effect of alexithymia on anxiety, depression, coping, and difficulties in daily living in oncologic patients
Authors: Romoli M. , Bernini O. , Cosci F. , Berrocal C.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Alexithymia is a personality trait that may influence the resilience in oncologic patients.

Objectives

Data on the effect of alexithymia on anxiety, depression, coping, and difficulties in daily living in oncologic patients are lacking.

Aims

To test how alexithymia may influence the development of anxiety, depression, difficulties in daily living, and coping in oncologic patients if compared to healthy volunteers.

Methods

Healthy subjects with high level of alexithymia, healthy subjects with low level of alexithymia, oncologic patients with high level of alexithymia, and oncologic patients with low level of alexithymia were compared. The Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) was used to assess alexithymia, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) allowed to assess anxiety and depression, the Brief COPE was used to assess the coping, and the dimension of daily living of the Behaviour And Symptom Identification Scale (BASIS-32) was used to assess the difficulties in daily living. The differences among the groups were analysed by means of the analyses of covariance controlling for age, education, marital status, and working activity.

Results

A total of 124 subjects participated to the study (57 oncologic patients and 67 healthy subjects). Results showed a between-subjects effect of alexithymia. Subjects with higher level of alexithymia had higher scores in anxiety and depression, higher difficulties in daily living, and lower problem-focused and dysfunctional coping strategies, regardless of having cancer or not.

Conclusions

Alexithymia seems to influence the development of anxiety/depression, the functional daily living, and some strategies of coping more than having cancer.
The relation between charles bonnet syndrome and brain tumors (case report)
Authors: Ghaffarinejad A. , Estilaee F.
Published: May 2011

Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS) is an under-diagnosed and under-reported disorder that involves formal, persistent, vivid and complex visual hallucinations in visually impaired individuals.

Some neurological, psychiatric and internal disorders such as major depressive disorder, panic disorder, multiple sclerosis, temporal arthritis, delirium and type II diabetes mellitus have been reported which occur concurrently with CBS.

A 72-year-old woman with a slowly progressive tumor (probably astrocytoma) in her right parietal lobe which evaluated with MRI will be described. She presents new symptoms after 2 years. These symptoms were complex, well-formed and vivid visual hallucinations. These visions were dead acquaintances. Patient was seeing them with open eyes. Visions lasted for minutes to hours. She mentioned visions she saw when she was awake. She had recognized these hallucinatory experiences were not real.

The etiology of CBS is not described well and it is not recognized where the pathologic site in the brain is. Cases with CBS and concurrent brain pathologies can help us finding these relations. This is the first report of concurrent CBS and astrocytoma in parietal lobe.
Subjective functional status of the patients from gomel region of belarus operated on the thyroid cancer
Authors: Igumnov S.A. , Grigorieva I.V.
Published: May 2011

Purpose

The investigation of peculiarities of subjective functional status including the perception of the limitations of life activity in the cohort of out- patients operated on thyroid cancer.

Material and methods

We used short form of Russian version of medical questionnaire: SF -36 to estimate the quality of life in 90 operated patients with thyroid cancer as well as the control group.

Results

The reliable distinctions were found in the majority of aspects of the subjective functional status. The following indicators were the lowest: Role-Physical Functioning (P = 0.001) and Role-Emotional Functioning (P = 0.001) which influenced on the general health perception and determined at large extent the limitations of life activity.

Conclusions

The subjective functional status of the patients operated on the thyroid cancer is considerably lower than those without this pathology. The study showed that the indicators of life quality of the patients operated on thyroid cancer were significantly decreased mostly in physical, psycho-emotional and social spheres. The investigation allows to explore psychological problems at the cohort of the patients with thyroid cancer and to improve the innovation programs of psychological rehabilitation.
Suicide in cancer patients: a population-based retrospective cohort study in taiwan
Authors: Lin P.H. , Lee M.B. , Tseng M.C. , Lin C.C. , Chen H.C. , Liao S.C.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Little is known about the suicide risk among cancer patients in Asian country.

Objectives

To identify the risk and correlates of suicide death among cancer patients in Taiwan.

Aims

To provide the references for policy-making of suicide prevention and information for clinicians and care-givers.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of cancer patients in Taiwan from 1985 to 2007 by linking two national-wide databases of the Taiwan Cancer Registry and the National Mortality File. Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated based on the general population rates of suicide stratified by age, sex, and calendar year.

Results

Among 930,230 registry cancer patients observed for 4,376,574 person-years, 2614 suicides were ascertained. Individuals with diagnosis of cancer had significantly higher risk to die by suicide (Man SMR = 2.46, 95% CI = 2.35–2.58; Woman SMR = 2.12, 95% CI = 1.98–2.28). Patients with cancers of head/neck, esophagus, and lung had additional higher risk to commit suicide. The risk of suicide elevated soon within first 3 months after cancer was diagnosed (Man SMR = 6.57, 95% CI = 5.82–7.41; Woman SMR = 5.83, 95% CI = 4.71–7.21).

Conclusions

Compared with general population, cancer patients had significantly higher risk to commit suicide in Taiwan. In addition to the prevention works focused on common risk factors of suicide death, clinicians and caretakers should pay special attention to patients with certain types of cancers and to those who were newly diagnosed to have cancers.
Quality of life of tunisian women after the treatment of breast cancer
Authors: Mnif L. , Masmoudi J. , Charfi N. , Damak R. , Guermazi M. , Jaoua A.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

In Tunisia, the breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed neoplasm in women.

Objectives were to

- Highlight the health-related QOL of Tunisian women after the treatment of breast cancer compared with the general population.

- assess the functional scales that predict the global quality of life (GQOL) scale of the QLQ - C30.

Methods

We recruited 50 patients who were in remission for at least 3 months after initial treatment of breast cancer, and 50 women with no history of cancer.

Those patients were previously referred to the Department of Gynecology in Sfax University Hospital for breast surgery, and then they had all received adjuvant therapy.

QOL was evaluated using the Arabic version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 questionnaire.

Results

The mean scores for QLQ - C30 indicated that the patients had poor to average functioning (GQOL, 56.7; and five functional scales, 55.6%–67.3%).

Those scores showed a significant deterioration in the sample of breast cancer survivors relative to general population.

Among the symptoms scales, only the financial difficulties were significantly greater in patients (p = 9.10-7).

Deterioration of the GQOL was induced by the worsening of the emotional (p = 0.005) and social (p = 0.008) functioning but it was independent of symptoms scales.

Conclusion

The findings indicated that, despite many treatment advances, Tunisian women had significantly poorer GQOL and functional scales scores in comparison with the general population. It seems also that improving the emotional and social functioning contribute to a better GQOL.
Psychiatric claws - mental illness in an oncological population
Authors: Roque Pereira M. , Malta Z. , Mariano S.
Published: May 2011

Objectives

Evaluate a population of individuals with cancer referred to a first psychiatric appointment.

Methods

Descriptive and correlation analysis of first assessments of patients during three months.

Results

A significant amount of patients were referred due to prior psychiatric pathology and for being under psychopharmacotherapy. Requests demanding an evaluation under the new disease status were fewer than it would have been expected in this population. Most patients were sent with objective symptoms or high cancer stages. The most frequent diagnosis was adjustment disorder with anxiety or depression, and also depressive disorder.

Conclusions

Distress levels in oncological patients demand a focused approach towards the psychological well-being.
The effects of prenatal morphine exposure on pain response
Authors: Amini M. , Alijarahi A.
Published: May 2011

Background

Drug abuse during pregnancy is a growing problem in all developed countries of the world. Maternal drug abuse affects the developing system and its long-term effects can persist till adulthood so it can decreases the rate of their maturation. Since endogenous opioid induced analgesia, and morphine can interact with it, Thus the present study was designed to determine whether the exposure to the morphine during gestation permanently alter pain response.

Objective

To determine the effects of prenatal morphine exposure on pain response

Materials and methods

12 Pregnant rats were divided to morphine and control groups.

Morphine was administrated (S.C) to female rats twice a day (08 h and 20 h) on gestational days 11–18, (5 mg/kg morphine for 3 days and 10 mg/kg for 5 days). Analgesic response of pups (P90, n = 6) were tested by formaline test.

Finding

The results of our experiment demonstrated that prenatal morphine exposure rats exhibited significantly lower pain thersholds.

Conclusion

Prenatal morphine exposure impair pain sensitivity
Evaluating dream contents in patients with migraine
Authors: Ghaffarinejad A. , Mehdizadeh A.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Migraine is a common headache and sometimes it's nocturnal attack awake patients while dreaming. Some dream contents accelerate migraine attacks. In this study the relationship between dream contents and migrainous headaches was evaluated.

Methods

The study was done in 185 patients with migraine in a period of 2 years. Diagnosis of migraine had done according to IHS criteria. Dreams had been analyzed by Hall Van de castle test. Data were analyzed by Spss V.17 software.

Results

One hundred and thirty three patients out of 185 patients were female. The average number of attacks per month was higher in group with nocturnal migraine (P = 0.006). 231 dreams were noted from 130 patients. Patients with nocturnal migraine remember and noted more dreams (P = 0.02). Aggression in dreams contents have no significant relationship with nocturnal migraine and post dreaming headaches. Dreams with contents of friendliness, Sexual and misfortune was more prevalent in patients with nocturnal migraine (P = 0.001). Contents of sadness, misfortune, confusion and sexual materials (P = 0.001) and failure (P = 0.039) accelerated the migraine attacks.

Discussion

Positive and negative Emotions lead to increasing the headache attacks. Studying dream contents in different migrenous patients with different cultures is a matter of concern and may help to understand patient's psychopathology.
Cesarean labor cognitive related variables in private and public hospitals
Authors: Ghooshchianchoobmasjedi S. , Dehghani M. , Makvand Hosseini S.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Recent clinical reports show a sharp rise in the cesarean section rate, particularly in the private hospitals that might be affected by the cognitive variables.

Objectives

This research was to compare fear of pain, pain catastrophizing, catastrophic cognition and also childbirth attitude in private and public hospitals.

Aims

The main aim of this research was to compare fear of pain, pain catastrophizing, catastrophic cognition and also childbirth attitude in private and public hospitals.

Methods

Participants were (n = 150) pregnant women from private hospitals who were selected using available sampling method as well as (n = 150) pregnant women from public hospitals who were counter balanced on the basis of the age, education, previous number of deliveries, previous number of cesarean and type of hospital variables. Three questionnaires of fear of pain (FPQ) and catastrophic cognition (CCQ) and childbirth attitude (CAQ) as well as scale of pain catastrophizing (PCS) were administrated.

Results

Multivariate analyses of variance were shown significantly differences for two cognitive variables of “fear of pain” and “catastrophic cognition”, while no significant difference were observed for other variables.

Conclusions

These results suggested fear of pain and catastrophic cognition as important cognitive factors in the increase rate of cesarean labor in private hospitals.
Fear of pain and related cognitive variables predict the cesarean labor
Authors: Ghooshchianchoobmasjedi S. , Dehghani M.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Prevalence of the cesarean labor in Iran has reported 41percent in recent studies which is really higher than expected rate compare to other countries.

Objectives

Our purpose in this research was to examine the role of “fear of pain” and related cognitive variables such as pain catastrophizing, catastrophic cognition and also childbirth attitude in prediction of the cesarean labor.

Aims

In this research was to examine the role of “fear of pain” and related cognitive variables in prediction of the cesarean labor.

Methods

Participants were 300 pregnant women from two private (n = 150) and public (n = 150) hospitals who were selected using available sampling method. After informed consent provided from all participate, variables such as age, level of education, month of pregnancy, previous number of deliveries, previous number of cesarean, tendency to cesarean and type of hospital were control for using counter balancing method. Three questionnaires of fear of pain (FPQ) and catastrophic cognition (CCQ) and childbirth attitude (CAQ) as well as scale of pain catastrophizing (PCS) were administrated.

Results

A Regression Binary Logistic was revealed that month of pregnancy, previous number of cesareans and also the type of hospital could predict the tendency to cesarean. Further, a significant predictive value were also found for cognitive variables of pain catastrophizing, catastrophic cognition and childbirth attitude.

Conclusions

These results showed that increase in the month of pregnancy, pain catastrophizing, catastrophic cognition and childbirth attitude and also decrease in the previous number of cesareans and selection of private hospital, predict the cesarean delivery among women.
Alexithymia, assertiveness and headache impact
Authors: Grisales Valencia A. , González Menacho J. , Olivé i Plana J.M. , Gaviria Gómez A.M. , Monge Osorio R. , Casaus Samatán P. , Labad Alqueázar A.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

High levels of alexithymia as well as low scores on assertiveness have been described in patients with chronic pain and headache.

Objectives

To determine alexithymia and assertiveness scores and to explore their association with headache impact, in primary chronic headache patients.

Aims

This study aims to advance knowledge of the emotional expressiveness in headache impact.

Methods

In a sample of 62 outpatients, we used the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the Rathus Assertiveness Scale and the Headache Impact Test (HIT-6) and applied the Pearson correlation index.

Results

77.4% of women, 36.3 years mean age. The most prevalent diagnoses are migraine combined with tension type headache (33.9%), migraine alone (32.3%) and tension-type headache alone (22.6%). Most of the patients have not any psychiatric comorbidity (77.8%). We observe a direct linear relationship and statistically significant difference, between the total impact of headache and the total score of alexithymia (r = 0.27 p = 0.03) and there is an inverse correlation between the impact of headache and the total score of the scale of assertiveness, not statistically significant (r = −0.004 p = 0.97).

Discriminated by diagnostic groups, we found that the association between assertiveness and headache impact remains only in patients with migraine alone, while that between alexithymia and headache impact is preserved in all subgroups.

Conclusion

Two indirect measures of the difficulties in emotional expressiveness such as alexithymia and assertiveness, show the expected association with headache impact. The sample size can influence some of the correlations not statistically significant.
The effect of virtual reality (VR) used as a distraction method in pain response
Authors: Cabas-Hoyos K. , Gutiérrez-Maldonado J. , Loreto-Quijada D. , Gutiérrez-Martínez O. , Peñaloza-Salazar C.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Cognitive strategies have received considerable attention in the field of pain management, together with more traditional approaches based on physical interventions and behavior modification. Distraction is a technique that lately has been often studied.

Distraction is based on an individual's limited attention capacity; it diminishes attention aimed to a painful stimulus with a subsequent pain reduction (Wismeijer & Vingerhoets, 2005).

Objective

To study the effect of VR as a distraction technique in an experimental pain task.

Method

37 healthy participants were induced pain through two consecutive immersions using the cold-pressor test. All participants went through two experimental conditions: VR and black screen. The order of conditions was counterbalanced and a design of repetitive measures was used.

A virtual environment “Surreal World” was developed based on distraction techniques designed to surprise participants. The effect of VR as a distraction technique was evaluated using objective measures of pain (threshold, tolerance, pain intensity and time estimation) and other cognitive measures (self-efficacy and catastrophic thinking in vivo).

Results

VR significantly decreased tolerance and pain intensity, influenced participants to underestimate the length of immersion. A higher self-efficacy in VR and a lower rumination and helplessness were registered in the pain experience. Thus, VR may help improve the efficacy of cognitive strategies.

Perspectives

The study shows the relevance of VR as an adjunctive method in the treatment of acute pain and allows studying its efficacy in patients with chronic pain.
Dispositional optimism as a predictor of health related quality of life in patients with chronic musculoskeletal disorders
Authors: Lyrakos G. , Tsakogia Z. , Damigos D. , Dimoliatis I.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Psychological factors are predictive of long term disability for many pain syndromes as well as for pain severity emotional distress and treatment seeking. It is known that fear of pain leads to avoidance of pain-related experiences and contributes to disability.

Aims

To determine if there is a significant relationship between optimism/ pessimism, HRQOL and pain in a group of musculoskeletal patients referred to a rehabilitation center, because of chronic pain and mobility difficulties when controlling for fear of pain and pain reduction coping strategies.

Methods

The sample consisted of 96 patients. The questionnaires that were used are the Short Form health questionnaire (12 questions; SF12), the Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale (PASS), the life orientation test-revised (LOT-R) and a VAS scale for pain measurement. Two separate linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the effects of optimism on each of the two main domains of SF12 with optimism entered in the last step of each model.

Results

According to the regression analysis performed, dispositional optimism (β = ,284) is an independent factor affecting the mental composite score in patients with musculoskeletal problems, even after controlling for the effect of pain intensity. Pain -related escape and avoidance is the only factor affecting both physical (β = −,300) and mental health (β = −,192).

Conclusions

The consistent indications that fear is associated with the suffering and disability that often accompany pessimistic patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain, suggests that clinicians working with these individuals should conduct a careful assessment of fear and avoidance, both pain-related and otherwise.
Psycho-functional pain in depressed patients
Authors: Ben Thabet J. , Elleuch M. , Halouani N. , Masmoudi J. , Zouari L. , Zouari N. , Maâlej M.
Published: May 2011

Somatic symptoms are the main complaint of depressed patients in two thirds of cases. The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence of psycho-functional pain in depressed patients consulting in psychiatry, and to identify factors associated with algic depression.

We conducted a cross-sectional study, which involved depressed patients who consulted in psychiatry, in February 2010, at Hedi Chaker University hospital in Sfax, Tunisia. For each patient, we collected demographic, clinical and therapeutic data. We used the VAS to evaluate the intensity of pain, the HDRS to assess the severity of depression and the magnitude of improvement under treatment. The statistical analysis was performed by SPSS. The comparative study was based on the Chi2 test and Fischer test.

We collected 36 cases of patients suffering from depression. Their average age was 48.2 years. Depression was minor in 33.3% and major in 50% of cases. The prevalence of psycho-functional pain was 80,6%. The pain was described as intolerable by 41.4% patients, agonizing by 17.2% patients and exhausting by 17.2% patients. The intensity and duration of pain were correlated to the severity of depression (p respectively: 0,006 and 0,008) Our study showed that the psycho-functional pain were very common in depressed patients, which is consistent with literature data. On the therapeutic level, it is important to take into account the algic symptomatology in the treatment of depressive episode. The emergence of new molecules mixing monoaminergic action would provide an effective response to the depressed patients with psycho-functional pain.
Measuring global mental health in community-dwelling adults with chronic non-cancer pain
Authors: Miciano A.
Published: May 2011

Systematic evaluation of anxiety and depression (AD) in community-dwelling adults with chronic non-cancer pain is an important issue but research on the effect of AD and CNCP on health care utilization, which can be measured by health-related quality of life measures (HQROL), is scarce. The use of global health items permits an efficient way of gathering general perceptions of health, provide useful summary information about health, and is predictive of health care utilization and subsequent mortality. The purpose of this study was to measure AD of community-dwelling adults (CDA) with chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) using the PROMIS-57v1.0, a health related quality of life (HRQOL) measure. A retrospective cross-sectional study (outpatient rehabilitation facility) was done on 77 individuals (mean age 40.5 years, range age 28–62, 45 men, 32 women), identified as those afflicted with CNCP via the Self-Administered Co-Morbidity Questionnaire. The PROMIS-57v1.0 Anxiety & Depression subscales measured Global Mental Health (GMH). Physical performance status (PPS) via Berg Balance Scale (BBS) was also tested. 55% of CDA identified CNCP. Anxiety T-scores had a range 43.2–83.1 and average 62.23, while Depression T-scores ranged 38.2–81.3 with average 60.15. BBS scores averaged 43.6/56 and sub-categorized as: 9% poor balance, 24% fair, 67% good balance. Two dimensions AD both comprise a common co-occurring clinical entity in CDA with CNCP and underlie as separate GMH items in PROMIS, which tend to influence PPS. These global health scales can efficiently summarize mental health in patient-reported outcome studies and even in a busy clinical practice.
The role of the human insular cortex in pain processing
Authors: Mutschler I. , Wankerl J. , Seifritz E. , Ball T.
Published: May 2011

The human insular cortex is involved in a wide range of functions. A recent study done by conducting an activation likelihood estimate (ALE) meta-analysis suggests that there are anatomical subregions with functional specializations for motor processing, auditory perception and homeostatic control, which plays an important role in emotional processing (Mutschler et al., 2009). An increasing number of studies propose the involvement of the anterior insula in experiencing pain and empathy for pain, e.g. when someone perceives a loved one feeling pain (Craig, 2009, Singer et al., 2004). In this present work, the activation likelihood estimate (ALE) method (Turkeltaub et al., 2002) was applied and 59 studies reporting pain processing and 19 investigating empathy for pain entered the meta-analysis to investigate the questions whether there are functional specializations within the insular cortex for pain processing and empathy for pain. Pain studies revealed activation in the posterior and mid-anterior part of the insula. In contrast, the ALE-maximum of studies investigating empathy for pain was located more anterior than studies investigating physically induced pain. The present findings provide insights into the organization of the human anterior insula and support the posterior-to-anterior gradient for interoceptive representations in the Insula proposed by Craig (2009). According to this view, an increasingly elaborate and complex representation of bodily states may progress from the posterior to the anterior insula region. Meta-analyses represent an important methodological approach for ruling out false positive results and contribute to the generation of hypotheses which can be experimentally proven.
The use of McGill illness narrative interview (MINI) in fibromyalgia patients. An experience from Spain
Authors: Pelaéz C.F. , Caballero L.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

The McGill Illnes Narrative (MINI) is a semiestructured, qualitative interview schedule, which is useful to explore individuals’ illnes narratives in sociocultural context. It has been used in first- time postmyocardial infarction patients and also in patients with hyperemesis gravidarum, but it has not yet been used in fibromyalgia.

Patients and methods

A study was conducted using McGill Illness Narratives (MINI) with 20 patients who were recruited from a referral Rheumatology Service during 2009 and 2010, and met criteria of the American Association of Rheumatology for fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) trying to explore:

Narrative of illness experience

Salient prototypes related to current health problem

Explanatory models

Help seeking and service utilization

Impact of illness

The interviews were carried out and audiorecorded and the narratives were analyzed according to their structure and content.

Results

The physical cause was the most common causal attribution. Most of them had been treated for different specialists, and reported problems in seeking diagnosis and help from professionals. Some patients were diagnosed by rheumatologists with celiac disease, lactose intolerance and undifferentiated spondylitis, termed “False Fibromyalgia”. Like previous research, negative emotional states were correlated with worsening pain. Many changes were related in their way of life.

Conclusions

Qualitative studies are essential to complement quantitative research methods and are imprescindible to understand FMS. The exploration of the explanatory models may stimulate exchange between disciplines and may give access to a popular cultural construct related to somatic conditions not yet documented in the literature.
Pain perception in borderline personality disorder explored using PMS
Authors: Schönfeldt-Lecuona C. , Connemann B.J. , Fladung A.-K. , Kammer T. , Schmahl C. , Plener P.L. , Cárdenas-Morales L.K.
Published: May 2011

Different experimental methodologies have been used to investigate pain perception in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) overall showing elevated pain thresholds (PT). We assessed PT, sensorial and affective components of pain processing in BPD patients and healthy controls using repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation (rPMS) as a novel tool for provoking controlled aversive cutaneous sensation. In 10 BPD patients and 8 healthy women we assessed PT, cutaneous sensation, emotional valence and arousal level during rPMS at different intensities on two consecutive days. Additionally, inner tension level was assessed before and after each session.

We found significantly higher PT in BPD patients (91% of maximal output of stimulator, vs. 56% in controls); these measures were consistent among both days of assessment, showing a high intra-individual repeat-reliability. In BPD, PT correlated positively with motivational factors of non-suicidal self-injury (to avoid feeling of emptiness r = 0.823, p = 0.023; to punish oneself r = 0.774, p = 0.041). All stimulation intensities used were discriminated similarly in both groups. However, emotional valence and arousal level did not vary with stimulus intensity in BPD patients. Furthermore, BPD patients were found to have higher baseline levels of inner tension than controls and, as opposed to controls, they experienced subjective relief after stimulation. Besides demonstrating a distinctive pattern of affective components of pain in BPD, the present study demonstrates that rPMS is a suitable and well-tolerated method for the assessment of pain sensation.
Psychological correlates of subjective pain in patients undergoing orthopedic surgery
Authors: Todor I. , Patrascanu C.
Published: May 2011

Despite of some methodological problems in assessment, a number of studies indicate the predictive value of psychological variables in the quality of life of patients recovering from various traumatic injuries or surgical interventions. Following this line of research, this study focused on the psychological correlates of subjective pain in patients recovering from a major orthopedic surgery (hip replacement). Subjects included in the study group completed self-rated assessment scales of anxiety and depression designed to by minimally affected by physical symptoms, a coping style scale, scales assessing catastrophic thought and pessimistic biases, along with assessments of subjective pain, disability and physical impairment. Several socio-demographical variables (age, sex, education) were also recorded. The regression analysis we performed confirms the psycho-social dimension of pain experience.
The impact of pain anxiety on chronic pain among elders
Authors: Tsatali M. , Gouva M.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Pain is a complex and multifacial phenomenon, which interferes in almost every person's life, while in case it turns into chronic, can cause a significant disturbance in individual's physical, psychological and social sphere. That means the intense communication and interaction between ache biome, living conditions and state of health. Cognitive factors play a significant role on the recurrent dysphoria levels, while cognitive functions participate actively in pain intensity, sense of disability and medicine response.

Aim

Estimate the possible significance between pain anxiety and pain intensity.

Materials and methods

Eighty six elders suffering from various types of chronic pain were examined by the Pass-20 (Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale) scale, and GPM (Geriatric Pain Measure), while the results were assessed by SPSS 14 and specifically the Linear Regression method.

Results

It was found statistical significance between the four sub-scales and the presence and existence of chronic pain among participants. Specifically the first subcale (avoidance of pain) was linked with the intensity of pain (p = ,00), the second scale (fearfull thinking) was associated with the prevalence of pain and the gender (p = ,014), the third scale (cognitive anxiety) showed a statistic significance with GPM results and education levels (p = ,00) and the forth scale (psychological responses) was found to affect the pain sense, while it was depended by gender (p = ,0015).

Discussion

Among elders pain anxiety can deteriorate the pain sense affecting the general well-being. For that reason non-pharmacological interventions can be very helpful both for the patient and clinician.
Analgesic and anticonvulsive activity new compounds with norbornene and adamantane fragments
Authors: Zlenko H.T. , Kasyan L.I. , Palchikov V.A. , Golodaeva H.A. , Stefanik M.I.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

The present work deals with analgesic and anticonvulsive activity of four novel aminoalcohols C-81, C-78, C-115 and C-120 synthesized on basic glycidylcamphorimide (Gly-CI), exo- and endo-aminomethylnorbornenes, aminoethyladamantan (remantadin) and aminoethylnorbornan (deitiforin).

Aims

Synthesis cage-like compounds with excellent analgesic and anticonvulsive activity. Methods: Experiments have been carried out on both genders adult white mice at the dozes of 1/10 LD50. Investigated substances were entered intraperitoneally. Preparations have been entered as a water suspension on TWEEN-40. Acute toxicity of compounds (LD50) has been measured by Litchfield & Wilcoxon method in Prozorovsky V.B. modification and amounts 370–1196 mg/kg.

Results

The most toxic compound is aminoalcohol C-115 with adamantane fragment. Investigation of analgesic activity has been carried out by determination of pain threshold by thermal irritation method (hot plate) at 55°C. Anticonvulsive activity has been studied by corazole spasm test. The activity has been calculated in percentage in relation to control group of animals.

Conclusions

All aminoalcohols have shown analgesic and (except for compound C-81) anticonvulsive activity. For exo-aminoalcohol C-81 the most intense activity are analgesic (195.0%) and for endo-isomer C-78 - anticonvulsive activity (213.3%). Compounds C-115 and C-120 shows medium analgesic (67.1 and 58.5%) and anticonvulsive activity (13.4 and 67.5%).
Borderline personality disorder - a dysregulation of the endogenous opioid system?
Authors: Bandelow B. , Schmahl C. , Falkai P. , Wedekind D.
Published: May 2011

The neurobiology of borderline personality disorder (BPD) remains unclear. Dysfunctions of several neurobiological systems have been discussed, including serotoninergic, dopaminergic, and other neurotransmitter systems.

Here we present a theory that alterations in the sensitivity of opioid receptors or the availability of endogenous opioids constitute part of the underlying pathophysiology of BPD.1 The alarming symptoms and self-destructive behaviors of the affected patients may be explained by uncontrollable and unconscious attempts to stimulate their endogenous opioid system (EOS) and the dopaminergic reward system, regardless of the possible harmful consequences. Neurobiological findings that support this hypothesis are reviewed: Frantic efforts to avoid abandonment, frequent and risky sexual contacts, and attention-seeking behavior may be explained by attempts to make use of the rewarding effects of human attachment mediated by the EOS. Anhedonia and feelings of emptiness may be an expression of reduced activity of the EOS. Patients with BPD tend to abuse substances that target μ-opioid receptors. Self-injury, food-restriction, aggressive behavior, and sensation-seeking may be interpreted as a desperate attempt to artificially set the body to “survival mode”, in order to mobilize the last reserves of the EOS. BPD-associated symptoms, such as substance abuse, anorexia, self-injury, depersonalization, and sexual overstimulation, can be treated successfully with μ-opioid receptor antagonists.

An understanding of the neurobiology of BPD may help in developing new treatments for patients with this severe disorder.
Personality changes in mild cognitive impairment versus alzheimer's disease
Authors: Blacioti M.A. , Moraru R. , Spiru L.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Estimates for Romanian patients with dementia range from 200,000 to 300,000, but reports warn that actual numbers may be higher.

Objectives

Based on our experience we inferred that specific personality changes may occur in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer (AD).

Aims

We tried to quantify such personality changes in MCI and AD patients.

Method

We designed an observational study (n = 60 patients, aged 55+) with MCI (n = 30; 50% male; mean age ∼ 73) and moderate AD (n = 30; 43.3% male (n = 13); mean age ∼74). We “profiled” patient personality (Woodworth - Mathews questionnaire) and identified the most prominent features.

Results

The most prominent feature in MCI was depression (80%, n = 24) followed by impulsive (26.7%, n = 8) and emotional (23.3%, n = 7) tendencies. Moderate AD patients exhibited less depression (43%, n = 13). Twice more AD patients exhibited paranoid tendencies (36.7%, n = 11) as compared to MCI patients (16.7%, n = 5); schizoid tendencies in moderate AD reached 23.3% (n = 7) vs. 0.03% (n = 1) in MCI patients. Hypochondria, obsessions, emotional instability and antisocial behavior were similar.

Conclusions

Different dominant personality features as noted in MCI (depressive, impulsive and emotional tendencies) and moderate AD (paranoid, schizoid tendencies) require personalized treatment. Some features (depressive, impulsive and emotional tendencies) tend to be accentuated in MCI (barely impaired self awareness). Aggravated paranoid or schizoid tendencies in AD may result from impaired awareness; however, altered control over previously “dormant” personality features should be considered.
Staff attitudes towards patients with borderline personality disorder
Authors: Bodner E. , Cohen-Fridel S. , Ianco I.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

BDP is a common diagnosis in hospitals and community settings, estimated at 20% and 11%, respectively. Nevertheless, the attitudes and skills of all mental health professionals regarding the treatment of these patients had hardly been studied.

Objectives

Develop tools and use them to understand staff attitudes towards BDP patients.

Aims

(1)

To develop two inventories for the measurement of cognitive and emotional attitudes towards borderline personality disorder (BPD) patients and their treatment;

(2)

To use these tools to understand and compare attitudes of psychiatrists, psychologists and nurses toward BPD patients.

Method

Two lists of items referring to cognitive and emotional attitudes towards BPD patients were formulated. Nurses, psychologists and psychiatrist (n = 57), working in public psychiatric institutions rated their level of agreement with each item. Both lists of attitudes yielded three factors (cognitive: required treatment, suicidal tendencies, and antagonistic judgment, and emotional: negative emotions, experienced difficulties in treatment, and empathy, respectively).

Results

Psychologists scored lower than psychiatrists and nurses on antagonistic judgments. Nurses scored lower than psychiatrists and psychologists on empathy. Regression stepwise analyses on the three emotional attitudes separately showed that suicidal tendencies of BPD patients mainly explained negative emotions and difficulties in treating these patients. All groups were interested in learning more about the treatment of these patients.

Conclusions

Suicidal tendencies of BPD patients provoke antagonistic judgments among the three professions. Psychiatrists, psychologists and nurses hold distinctive cognitive and emotional attitudes towards these patients. Staff training programs regarding BDP patients should consider these differences and concerns.
The relationship of mood instability to neuroticism and suicidal thoughts
Authors: Bowen R. , Baetz M.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Many patients with depression mention sudden short “mood swings” (MI) when asked. MI is distressing but little is known about its relationship to personality disorders, depression and suicidal thoughts.

Objectives

To determine the relationship between mood instability (MI), neuroticism, and suicidal thoughts.

Aims

To deconstruct the concept of neuroticism to determine whether MI is an important component. To determine whether MI predicts suicidal thoughts.

Methods

129 patients with Major Depression were interviewed with the MINI diagnostic interview. They also completed the Eysenck Neuroticism Scale (ENS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Mood Disorders Questionnaire (MDQ), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Affective Lability Scale (ALS), Beck Suicide Scale (BSS) and 5 questions describing mood swings and its effects on behaviour.

Results

In a regression analysis with the BSS as the dependent variable, with age and sex controlled, and all of the other variables entered, only the BDI (p < 0.001) and the ALS (p < 0.01) were significant predictors. In an exploratory factor analysis of the ENS, 3 main factors (53% of variance) emerged. 2 of the factors consisted of mild anxiety and depression symptoms. The third factor (16% variance) was a mood instability factor. The ALS and the ENS both correlated with the 5 questions describing mood swings, but the correlations with the ALS were stronger.

Conclusions

Mood Instability is the unique component of neuroticism. MI (ALS) predicts suicidal thoughts along with the broad concept of depression (BDI). In this model, neuroticism (ENS) is not a predictor.
Borderline personality disorder and mental healthcare service use among adolescents
Authors: Cailhol L. , Jeannot M. , Rodgers R. , Guelfi J.-D. , Perez-Diaz F. , Pham-Scottez A. , Corcos M. , Speranza M. ,   The European Research Network on Borderline Personality Disorder
Published: May 2011

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is believed to be frequent among adolescents. While several prospective studies have assessed the use of mental health services among adults who suffer from BPD, few studies have provided adolescent data. This paper presents findings from the first assessment point of the European Research Network on Borderline Personality Disorder (EURNET BPD) study. In this study, we described treatment utilization of 85 adolescents with BPD (M = 16.5 years old). In line with adult findings, patients with BPD reported greater mental healthcare service use (outpatient: 98%; inpatient: 79%) compared to controls. Phenothiazine, a sedative neuroleptic, was the most frequently prescribed treatment. 47% of patients received psychotherapy; one-third of these patients received psychodynamic therapy. For all psychopathological variables, patients who received psychotherapy did not differ from those who did not receive psychotherapy; however, psychotherapy was more frequent among females. These data suggest that psychotherapy may be difficult to access for adolescents suffering from BPD, especially males.