bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Leyton Obsessional Inventory: an analysis of the responses of 73 obsessional patients
Authors: Murray R. M. , Cooper J. E. , Smith A. 
Published: July 2009

SynopsisThe Leyton Obsessional Inventory was administered to 73 obsessive-compulsive neurotics, and their responses compared with those of 100 normal subjects. The ratio of the mean patient to normal scores ranged from 2·4: 1 for obsessional traits and 3·2: 1 for symptoms to 6·2: 1 for resistance and 12·5: 1 for interference with other activities. A principal components analysis on the patients' replies produced 3 unitary components (household order, personal contamination, and doubting) plus 2 bipolar components (checking/parsimony and desire for closure/unpleasant ruminations). These appeared to be more definitive representations of components identified from a similar analysis on normal subjects, suggesting that obsessional neurotics differ from normal subjects quantitatively rather than qualitatively. A cluster analysis on the patients' responses produced 3 subgroups. Thirty-two patients were predominantly hesitant and indecisive (‘doubters’), 30 were concerned with bodily and clothing contamination (‘contaminators’), and 7 were preoccupied with checking (‘checkers’).
Priorities for research on mental health in primary care settings
Authors: Wilkinson Greg , Williams Paul 
Published: July 2009

SynopsisA Delphi study was conducted with a multi-disciplinary group of experts attending a conference on mental illness in primary care settings. Respondents' priorities for research which could maximize benefits for service developments in this field were elicited by asking them to distribute hypothetical annual research budgets among (a) 6 mental health priority areas, and (b) 7 subjects ‘needing’ investigation within the primary care priority area. The respondents' three top-ranked priority areas for research were: (1) primary care; (2) the elderly mentally ill; and (3) chronically disabling mental illness. Their three top-ranked subjects for investigation within the primary care priority area were: (1) the effectiveness of treatment measures; (2) the problems of mental health presenting to primary care services; and (3) the training requirements for family doctors in psychiatric skills.The results are discussed with reference to the method used and to the economic concepts of programme budgeting and marginal analysis.
Problems in evaluating the consequences of disabling illness: the case of multiple sclerosis
Authors: Lawson Annette , Robinson Ian , Bakes Claire 
Published: July 2009

SynopsisThere is a need for a method, useful both to the clinician and to the research worker which can assess both the ‘quantity’ and the ‘quality’ of daily life. In this paper two ‘diary’ methods are described for obtaining accounts of daily activities, social contacts and patterns of interaction from people diagnosed as having multiple sclerosis. The information obtained is compared with that derived from a major decennial national survey of the population aged over 4 years and from a selected group of matched non-patient controls. The paper is divided into two parts, each concentrating on one of the techniques. The first is a postal 24-hour written account; the second a detailed tape-recorded interview known as the ‘Standard Day Interview’. Difficulties and advantages in using these approaches to assess both the quantitative and the qualitative changes during disabling illness are discussed and proposals for developing the methods are presented. Indications of substantive variation in the use of time by samples drawn from the ‘healthy’ and from populations with multiple sclerosis are reported.
The psychiatric correlates of coronary pathology: validity of the GHQ-60 as a screening instrument
Authors: Vázquez-Barquero J. L. , Acero J. A. Padierna , Marti´n C. Peña , Ochoteco A. 
Published: July 2009

SynopsisThe 60-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and the Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS) were administered to a consecutive series of 194 patients with established or presumptive coronary heart disease (CHD) attending an out-patient cardiology unit. The GHQ proved to be a valid instrument for the routine screening of this population. The presence of organic anginal pain was associated with high scores on the GHQ, but with a lower specificity and a higher percentage of false positives. This was not found in patients with atypical or non-cardiac chest pain. These findings suggest a need for an upward revision of the cut-off score on the GHQ in patients with organic anginal pain. False negatives were found predominantly among patients with personality disorders, and in those characterized by the longstanding nature of their symptomatology and by higher levels of defensiveness.
Psychopathology and Boolean Factor Analysis: a mismatch
Authors: Veiel Hans O. F. 
Published: July 2009

SynopsisIt has recently been claimed that Boolean Factor Analysis (BFA) is superior to more traditional approaches to empirical syndrome identification in psychopathology (Weber & Scharfetter, 1984). This paper examines the underlying assumptions and the empirical basis of this claim. A hypothetical data set, with a more complex structure than the examples used by Weber & Scharfetter to support their claim, is analysed by means of both BFA and Ordinary Factor Analysis (OFA). It is shown that, as data sets resemble empirical conditions more closely, BFA may break down completely while OFA continues to yield adequate results.
Cumulated need for psychiatric service as shown in a community psychiatric project
Authors: Munk-Jørgensen Povl 
Published: July 2009

SynopsisDistrict psychiatric services often supplement intramural mental health programmes. They usually result in an increase in the number of referrals to the mental health facilities, which reflects a cumulative need for psychiatric examination and treatment in the population. A significant decrease in the annual first referral rates per 1000 inhabitants aged 15 years and above is apparent in an analysis of the trends in the Danish Samsø community psychiatric service from its inception in 1957 until 1982. The average annual rates were 19·4 in the first 5-year period, 10·0 in the second 5-year period, and 8·4 in the ‘steady state period’ from 1967 to 1982. The conclusion is, therefore, that the work load connected with the cumulative need for psychiatric examination and treatment should be terminated in approximately 10 years. A comparison of the two 5-year periods, 1957–61 and 1978–82, demonstrated a decrease in first referral rates in almost all diagnostic groups: this is significant among manic-depressive psychoses, neurotic states and unspecified mental disorders. The rates of no mental disorders and senile and arteriosclerotic psychoses were almost unchanged. In the 10-year age groups there was a decrease in first referral rates for all groups, except for the groups aged 75 years and above whose rates were unchanged. The concept of cumulative need for psychiatric examination and treatment is discussed in relation to the reports of various district psychiatric service programmes in different European countries.
Asperger's syndrome and non-verbal communication: a pilot study
Authors: Scott Derek W. 
Published: July 2009

SynopsisThe study investigated the ability of 10 patients with Asperger's syndrome to recognize and produce non-verbal aspects of facial and spoken (e.g. vocal intonation) communication by use of photographs, audiotape and videotape. It also aimed to establish materials to differentiate individuals with this condition from a comparable non-Asperger group. Asperger subjects tended to be poorer than comparable patients on all subtests.
Bulimia nervosa: an ominous variant of anorexia nervosa
Authors: Russell Gerald 
Published: July 2009

SynopsisThirty patients were selected for a prospective study according to two criteria: (i) an irresistible urge to overeat (bulimia nervosa), followed by self-induced vomiting or purging; (ii) a morbid fear of becoming fat. The majority of the patients had a previous history of true or cryptic anorexia nervosa. Self-induced vomiting and purging are secondary devices used by the patients to counteract the effects of overeating and prevent a gain in weight. These devices are dangerous for they are habit-forming and lead to potassium loss and other physical complications. In common with true anorexia nervosa, the patients were determined to keep their weight below a self-imposed threshold. Its level was set below the patient‘s healthy weight, defined as the weight reached before the onset of the eating disorder. In contrast with true anorexia nervosa, the patients tended to be heavier, more active sexually, and more likely to menstruate regularly and remain fertile. Depressive symptoms were often severe and distressing and led to a high risk of suicide.A theoretical model is described to emphasize the interdependence of the various symptoms and the role of self-perpetuating mechanisms in the maintenance of the disorder. The main aims of treatment are (i) to interrupt the vicious circle of overeating and self-induced vomiting (or purging), (ii) to persuade the patients to accept a higher weight. Prognosis appears less favourable than in uncomplicated anorexia nervosa.
Influence of experience and nationality on assessment and outcome of parasuicide
Authors: Goodhead David G. , Hussain M. Farrukh , Seager C. Philip 
Published: July 2009

SynopsisIn Sheffield 544 consecutive cases of attempted suicide (parasuicide) were seen at 2 large hospitals over a 12-month period, and allocated in sequence to the junior and senior psychiatric staff, of British and foreign origin. During the follow-up period of 12 months, 31 patients had a further episode of parasuicide and 5 patients committed suicide.The outcome (as measured by repeat parasuicide or suicide) was not significantly affected by the country of origin of the psychiatrist, nor his length of training in psychiatry
The effect of sex, marriage and age at first admission on the hospitalization of schizophrenics during 2 years followings discharge
Authors: Watt David C. , Szulecka Teresa K. 
Published: July 2009

SynopsisTwo hundred and eighty-two schizophrenics discharged from St John's Hospital, Stone, were followed-up. The reliability of the diagnosis was measured by the extent of agreement among the hospital clinicians. The number of readmissions and the time spent in hospital were ascertained and correlated with the sex, civil state and age at first admission of the subjects.It was found that a higher proportion of males than of females was readmitted; that the proportion of single persons among male schizophrenics is higher than among comparable age groups in the general population; that single males are more frequently admitted than single females; that the peak age of first admission for males is 10 years earlier than for females and that men whose age at first admission is below the median are more frequently readmitted than those whose age at first admission is above it.Women are more frequently married than men at the onset of schizophrenia, giving rise to the suggestion that marriage has a protective effect in schizophrenia. This hypothesis was not supported by our findings. The bearing of these findings on the course, genetics and marital handicap of schizophrenia is discussed.
Long-stay patients in Danish psychiatric hospitals
Authors: Weeke A. , Kastrup M. , Dupont A. 
Published: July 2009

SynopsisThe numbers of long-stay patients in Danish psychiatric hospitals were studied, based on information from the Danish cumulative psychiatric register and from the census studies of patients in Danish psychiatric hospitals, performed at 5-year intervals since 1957.In 1977, 2079 (20%) of the in-patient population which had been admitted before 1957 were still in hospitals. This ‘old long-stay’ group has diminished exponentially, with an annual reduction of 7%.During the period 1972–6, the number of patients who, on any given day, had been in-patients or attending as day-patients for more than 1 but less than 2 years (the ‘new long-stay’) varied between 847 and 1089: an average of 20 per 100000 total population. The ratio of in-patients to day-patients was approximately 4:1.
The extent of mental and physical ill-health of clients referred to social workers in a local authority department and a general attachment scheme
Authors: Corney Roslyn H. 
Published: July 2009

SynopsisInformation regarding the physical and mental health of clients referred to social workers in a local authority intake team and to a general practice attachment scheme was collected over a 3-month period. Although returns to the Department of Health and Social Security during this period indicated that a very low proportion of clients were physically or mentally ill, it is clear that these figures greatly underestimate the extent of illness present. While social workers operating outside hospital and general practice attachments have been shown to have little contact with medical staff, in this study high proportions of their clients were ill and their social problems were often associated with their illness.
A controlled study of 99mTc-HMPAO single-photon emission imaging in chronic schizophrenia
Authors: Lewis S. W. , Ford R. A. , Syed G. M. , Reveley A. M. , Toone B. K. 
Published: July 2009

SYNOPSISRegional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) during a word fluency task was compared in twenty-five male, right-handed, medicated schizophrenic patients and twenty-five age-matched male, right-handed healthy volunteers, using 99mtechnetium-HMPAO multidetector single-photon emission tomography. Increased rCBF in caudate and thalamus was found in patients, probably secondary to neuroleptic medication. Patients showed decreased rCBF in left frontal cortical regions and increased rCBF in left posterior cortical regions, compared to controls. Patterns of left-sided frontal rCBF dominance in controls were reversed in patients, as were normal patterns of right-sided parietal rCBF dominance. Negative symptom score correlated inversely with mesial frontal rCBF, particularly on the left.
Evidence for a systemic immune activation during depression: results of leukocyte enumeration by flow cytometry in conjunction with monoclonal antibody staining
Authors: Maes M. , Lambrechts J. , Bosmans E. , Jacobs J. , Suy E. , Vandervorst C. , De Jonckheere C. , Minner B. , Raus J. 
Published: July 2009

SYNOPSISSeveral studies have reported a suppressed immune function (e.g. blast transformation) during depression. In an attempt to define the cellular basis of the reported immune disorders, the present study investigates the leukocyte cell subset profile of minor, simple major, and melancholic depressives,versusnormal controls. We have counted the number of white blood cells (WBC) lymphocytes, monocytes, and granulocytes, while the number of lymphocyte (sub)populations has been identified by phenotype, using monoclonal antibody staining in conjunction with flow cytometry. The following cell surface antigens were determined: CD3+(pan T), CD19+(pan B), CD4+(T helper/inducer), CD8+(T suppressor/cytotoxic), CD4+CD45RA (T-memory cells), CD4+CD45RA+(T-virgin cells), surface Ig, class II MHC HLA-DR, and CD25+(IL-2 receptor). By means of pattern recognition methods, we established distinct immunological changes in minor and simple major depressed and in melancholic patients, setting them apart from the reference population. Depression,per se, is characterized by a higher number of WBC, monocytes, class II MHC HLA-DR, and memory T cells. Minor and simple major depressives exhibited an increased T helper/suppressor ratio. Increased numbers of IL-2 receptor bearing cells are a hallmark for major depression. Melancholics showed an increased number of pan T, pan B and T suppressor/cytotoxic cells. It was concluded that the established immune cell profile of depressed patients may point towards the existence of a systemic immune activation during that illness.
Genetic and environmental factors in the aetiology of menstrual, premenstrual and neurotic symptoms: a population-based twin study
Authors: Kendler K. S. , Silberg J. L. , Neale M. C. , Kessler R. C. , Heath A. C. , Eaves L. J. 
Published: July 2009

SYNOPSISSymptoms during the premenstrual and menstrual phases of the female reproductive cycle were assessed in 827 pairs of female same-sex twins from a population-based registry. By conventional factor analysis, premenstrual and menstrual symptoms were relatively independent of one another and of baseline ‘neurotic’ symptoms (i.e. anxiety, depression and somatization). Familial resemblance for menstrual and premenstrual symptoms was due solely to genetic factors with heritability estimates of 39·2% and 35·1%, respectively. Multivariate genetic analysis revealed distinct genetic and environmental factors for menstrual, premenstrual and neurotic symptoms. The genes and individual-specific experiences that predispose to premenstrual symptoms appear to be largely distinct from those which predispose either to menstrual or to neurotic symptoms. The generalizability of these results may be limited because only a modest number of premenstrual and menstrual symptoms were assessed, all by retrospective self-report.
The prevalence of dementia among elderly people living in Zaragoza and Liverpool
Authors: Lobo Antonio , Dewey Michael , Copeland John , Día José-Luis , Saz Pedro 
Published: July 2009

SYNOPSISThe prevalence of dementia in elderly people living in the community was compared using data from Zaragoza (Spain) and Liverpool (UK). A standardized interview, the Geriatric Mental State (GMS), was administered to a random sample of 1070 persons in Liverpool and 1080 in Zaragoza. Using diagnoses derived from the GMS-AGECAT package we found no significant difference between the prevalence of dementia in Zaragoza (7·4%) and Liverpool (5·0%). The expected increase in prevalence with age was found, but the two cities did not appear to differ in the relationship between age and prevalence. No sex difference was apparent, and the two cities do not differ in the relationship between sex and prevalence.
The Royal Free Interview for Religious and Spiritual Beliefs: development and standardization
Authors: King M. , Speck P. , Thomas A. 
Published: July 2009

SynopsisWe present the development and standardization of a measure of spiritual, religious and philosophical beliefs. An interview was constructed based on on-going studies by the authors of the nature and strength of belief held by people hospitalized with an acute illness. The interview was tested with three standard populations–staff of a teaching hospital; attenders to an inner city general practice; and people with clearly defined, devout religious beliefs–in order to establish population norms, validity and reliability for each question. The interview performed well with satisfactory validity and high internal and test–retest reliability. It is not presented, however, as a final product which will meet all needs in this complicated area of study. Rather, we have attempted to refine a measure of spiritual and religious belief that might apply to people with a range of personal and public faiths. It is clear that people are able to express these aspects of their lives in a way that can be measured with acceptable reliability and validity. We believe that this interview could, therefore, be applied in any medical, psychological or social setting in which a measure of belief is sought.
Filters on the pathway to mental health care, II. Sociodemographic factors
Authors: Gallo J. J. , Marino S. , Ford D. , Anthony J. C. 
Published: July 2009

SynopsisThis study uses the prospectively gathered data of the Epidemiologic Catchment Area Program, a multi-site interview survey of mental disturbances among adult household residents in the United States, to compare health services use by individuals with different sociodemographic characteristics, accounting for the first-time occurrence of psychiatric disorder, over the course of a 1-year follow-up interval. Case ascertainment was by means of a standardized interview method, the Diagnostic Interview Schedule. In the present investigation, 13400 continuing participants in the household sample who reported no contact with mental health services in the 6 months prior to the initial interview were studied with regard to health services use and sociodemographic characteristics. Separately, and before the mental health assessments were made, respondents were asked about their use of health and mental health services. African-Americans were significantly less likely than whites to have consulted with a specialist in mental health (estimated relative odds, 0·22, 95% confidence interval 0·10 to 0·52), even accounting for coincident psychiatric disorder, gender, and other covariates known to be associated with differential use of health care services. Hispanics and other minorities were also less likely to have consulted a specialist in mental health (estimated relative odds, 0·37 and 0·26, respectively). This large community study extends previous work on mental health services and ethnicity.
Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy: an in vivo method of estimating hippocampal neuronal depletion in schizophrenia
Authors: Maier M. , Ron M. A. , Barker G. J. , Tofts P. S. 
Published: July 2009

SynopsisDiffuse loss of cortical volume and ventricular enlargement have been demonstrated in schizophrenia using imaging. In addition, histological studies have provided evidence that the number of neurons in the medial temporal lobe structures is reduced and that the cytoarchitecture is abnormal. In an attempt to correlate these histological findings with in vivo estimates of neuronal integrity we have studied the concentration of the neuronal marker N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) in the hippocampi of schizophrenics using in vivo Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS). Compared with a group of healthy volunteers schizophrenics showed a 22% loss of NAA in the left hippocampus. Two other metabolites, choline and creatine showed bilateral reduction in schizophrenics and these achieved significance in the left hippocampus. These results indicate a significant depletion of NAA in schizophrenia and are in close agreement with the reported neuronal loss in the hippocampus detected histologically. We propose that in vivo MRS is a valid measure of integrity of neuronal populations in schizophrenia.
Structural abnormalities of the brain in schizophrenia: sex differences in the Cantabria First Episode of Schizophrenia Study
Authors: Vázquez-Barquero J. L. , Núñez M. J. Cuesta , Pando F. Quintana , Varga M. De La , Castanedo S. Herrera , Dunn G. 
Published: July 2009

SynopsisThis paper examines structural brain abnormalities, as evaluated by the CT scan, in first episodes of schizophrenia and their association with sociodemographic, diagnostic and clinical variables. The investigation included all patients with a first episode of schizophrenia who, over a 2-year period, made contact with any of the public mental health services of the Autonomous Region of Cantabria in Northern Spain. Diagnostic and clinical characteristics were evaluated through the use of the Spanish version of the Present State Examination (PSE-9) and the Scales for the Assessment of Positive and Negative Symptoms (SANS and SAPS respectively). The study demonstrated the presence of structural brain abnormalities in this sample of first episode schizophrenics. These abnormalities were mainly expressed in the presence of larger VBR for schizophrenic patients than in the controls, these findings being more marked in women than in men. We failed to reveal, however, any evidence of an association of these brain abnormalities with diagnostic or clinical characteristics.