bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Annual rhythms of violence in hospitalized affective patients: correlation with changes in the duration of the daily photoperiod
Authors: Roitman G. , Orev E. , Schreiber G. 
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACTWe extensively reviewed the medical records of violent patients restrained in a locked psychiatric ward of a university‐based hospital for 6 years (1980‐1985). A total of 551 patients were restrained at least once during hospitalization, of which 186 patients had affective disorders and 365 had nonaffective psychiatric illnesses. While the number of restrained non‐affective patients was constant throughout the year, the number of restrained affective patients showed a circannual rhythm with nadirs in May and November and peaks in June and December. This pattern of restraints correlated to changes in the length of daily sunlight (photoperiod). These results suggest that the aggressiveness of patients with affective disorders correlates with photoperiod duration and that the aggressiveness of patients with nonaffective disorders does not correlate with photoperiod.
The List of Threatening Experiences: the reliability and validity of a brief life events questionnaire
Authors: Brugha T. S. , Cragg D. 
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACTDuring the 23 years since the original work of Holmes & Rahe, research into stressful life events on human subjects has tended towards the development of longer and more complex inventories. The List of Threatening Experiences (LTE) of Brugha et al., by virtue of its brevity, overcomes difficulties of clinical application. In a study of 50 psychiatric patients and informants, the questionnaire version of the list (LTE‐Q) was shown to have high test‐retest reliability, and good agreement with informant information. Concurrent validity, based on the criterion of independently rated adversity derived from a semistructured life events interview, making use of the Life Events and Difficulties Scales (LEDS) method developed by Brown & Harris, showed both high specificity and sensitivity. The LTE‐Q is particularly recommended for use in psychiatric, psychological and social studies in which other intervening variables such as social support, coping, and cognitive variables are of interest, and resources do not allow for the use of extensive interview measures of stress.
Neuropeptide Y: an overview of central distribution, functional aspects, and possible involvement in neuropsychiatric illnesses
Authors: Heilig M. , Widerlöv E. 
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACTNeuropeptide Y (NPY) was first discovered and characterized as a 36‐amino‐acid peptide neurotransmitter in 1982. It is widely distributed in the central nervous system, with particularly high concentrations within several limbic and cortical regions. A number of co‐localizations with other neuromessengers such as noradrenaline, somatostatin, and gamma‐aminobutyric acid have been demonstrated. A large number of physiological and pharmacological actions of NPY have been suggested. Recent clinical data also suggest the involvement of NPY in several neuropsychiatric illnesses, particularly in depressive and anxiety states. This article gives a comprehensive review of central distribution of NPY and its receptors, co‐localizations and interactions with other neuromessengers, genetic aspects, pharmacological and physiological actions, influence on neuroendocrine functions, and possible involvement in various neuropsychiatric illnesses.
A psychiatric study of suicide among urban Swedish women
Authors: Åsgård U. 
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACTA total of 104 suicides among women were investigated by means of a modified psychological autopsy, including interviews with survivors and a review of somatic and psychiatric records. Diagnosis according to Research Diagnostic Criteria (RDC) showed that 35% were suffering from a major depressive disorder during their final month and another 24% were also depressed; 12% were substance abusers and 14% had adjustment disorders. Two thirds had attempted suicide and another 23% had communicated suicidality in other ways. Slightly more than half of the women had been psychiatric inpatients and another 19% had at some time been outpatients. Fifty‐seven percent had been psychiatric inpatients or outpatients during the final year of life. An increasing number of life events occurred during the final 6 months. In most cases the depressed women had been treated ineffectively with antidepressant drugs.
Do children with autism have March birthdays?
Authors: Gillberg C. 
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACTOne hundred people with autistic disorder (DSM‐III‐R) without a known cause who comprised a total population of children with autism were compared with “autistic‐like” children, Asperger syndrome and age‐matched comparison children from the general population and were examined with regard to month of birth. There was an excess of March birth in the group of children with autism. The possible reasons for this finding are discussed.
Development of case vignettes to assess the mental health training of primary care medical officers
Authors: Sriram T. G. , Chandrashekar C. R. , Isaac M. K. , Murthy R. Srinivasa , Kumar K. V. Kishore , Moily S. , Shanmugham V. 
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACTThis article reports the development of case vignettes as a method of assessing the short‐term in‐service training of primary care medical officers in mental health care. A pool of 18 case vignettes representing common psychiatric problems and a standard response sheet were written first. This was mailed to 45 psychiatrists for their comments. Based on the comments received from 21 psychiatrists, 2 sets of questionnaires with 7 vignettes in each set were developed. When administered to a group of 32 medical officers, this method of assessment was found to be sensitive in detecting gain in knowledge and skills following training. Further, performance on case vignettes was found to correlate positively with clinical skills when actual cases were given for assessment.
Internal consistency and factor structure of the Chinese Health Questionnaire
Authors: Cheng T. A. , Wu J. T. , Chong M. Y. , Williams P. 
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACTThe internal consistency and factor structure of the Chinese Health Questionnaire (CHQ) were investigated in 2 samples in Taiwan, one from 3 communities (n= 1023) and the other from consecutive attenders for health screening in a general hospital (n= 386). Cronbach's alpha coefficients were calculated to be 0.84 and 0.83 for the 12‐item and 0.90 and 0.92 for the 30‐item CHQ version. Four factors similarly extracted for the CHQ‐30 in both samples include somatic symptoms, anxiety and worrying, social dysfunction, and depression and poor family relationship. The implications of these findings were discussed from a cross‐cultural perspective.
Celibacy and fertility rates in patients with major affective disorders: the relevance of delusional symptoms and suicidal behaviour
Authors: Calzeroni A. , Conte G. , Pennati A. , Vita A. , Sacchetti E. 
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACTThe celibacy and fertility rates of 186 patients with major affective disorders were analysed as a function of the presence or absence of histories of mood congruent delusions or suicidal behaviour in the depressive phases of the disease. Both delusional and suicidal histories were irrelevant to celibacy rates. On the contrary, delusional depressives had a reduced incidence of cases with 2 or more children and suicide attempters had both a lower frequency of high‐fertility cases and a smaller mean number of children than nonattempters. The differences were apparently not attributable to the length of the fertile period of life spent in illness.
Handicraft or interactional groups: a comparative outcome study of neurotic inpatients
Authors: Sexton H. , Fornes G. , Kruger M. B. , Grendahl G. , Kolset M. 
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACTA comparative outcome study of 2 contrasting activity‐based groups with 80 hospitalized nonpsychotic patients is described. One group focused on activities designed to evoke emotional or interpersonal reactions followed by a subsequent reflection. The other focused on handicrafts and non‐emotionally challenging activities. Ego strength was also measured with an instrument developed in conjunction with the study. The 2 groups were demonstrated to be consistent with the preconditions and significantly different by independent scoring of videotaped sessions. There was a greater rated threrapeutic gain in the interactional group at discharge, but patient ratings did not differ between groups. There were no differences at follow‐up between the groups. Measured ego strength strongly predicted outcome after correcting for the initial symptom levels. Ego strength did not interact with activity type. Clinical diagnosis did not predict differential outcome. The groups had no differential effects on specific symptom clusters or social functioning.
Suicide among Hungarian Gypsies
Authors: Zonda T. , Lester D. 
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACTA study of suicide among the nonnomadic Gypsies in three counties in Hungary revealed that they had a lower completed suicide rate but a higher attempted suicide rate than ethnic Hungarians. The rate of attempted suicide appeared to be higher in the younger, partially assimilated Gypsies as a result of the conflict between the traditional values of their parents and the pull of the larger Hungarian culture.
Sexuality of women with anorexia nervosa
Authors: Raboch J. , Faltus F. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractThe sexual development and life of 30 adult women with anorexia nervosa and of 50 control women was investigated using a structured interview and 3 sexological questionnaires. Heterosexual development was found to be normal in the initial stages, but psychosexual adaptation in adulthood was impaired. Primary or secondary insufficiencies of sexual life were found for 80% of the anorectic patients. Biological and psychosocial factors may participate in this unfavourable state. Discussion of sexual problems should be part of the process of treating women with anorexia nervosa.
Lithium discontinuers. II. Therapeutic outcome
Authors: Nilsson A. , Axelsson R. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractEleven patients from a lithium‐treated cohort of 64 patients with major affective disorder (DSM‐III) were investigated after a mean of 6.7 years on lithium prophylaxis and reinvestigated 7 years later, at which point they had discontinued lithium for a mean of 2.3 years. Therapeutic outcome was compared in the 11 discontinuers and 20 continuers on lithium from the same cohort, matched for sex, age, and mental status on admission to the study. Ratings of psychopathology (CPRS) at the end of the 7‐year follow‐up period showed that the only significant difference between the patient categories was a higher frequency of reported autonomic disturbances and worry over trifles in the discontinuers. Daily doses of neuroleptic drugs were significantly higher in discontinuers than in controls by the end of the study. Alternative concomitant treatment outside conventional medicine was sought by 45% of the discontinuers, whereas no lithium‐treated control reported the need for such additional therapeutic measures.
Electroconvulsive therapy in the Nordic countries, 1977–1987
Authors: Strömgren L. S. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractIn 1977 a questionnaire was sent to all psychiatric departments in the Nordic countries: Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland, concerning indications for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and the use of unilateral and bilateral treatment, respectively. The inquiry was repeated in 1987 and the answers compared with those obtained in 1977. In addition, the answers from Denmark were compared with previously performed inquiries. The use of exclusively unilateral treatment (U) and of both unilateral and bilateral treatment (UB) has increased in most of the countries and exclusively bilateral treatment (B) has decreased drastically. In Denmark the situation has not changed for ECT in endogenous depression and acute delirium, and the use in reactive psychosis, mania and schizophrenia decreased somewhat during the 1970s and then again stabilized or increased during the 1980s. Nearly all departments in the Nordic countries used ECT in endogenous depression in 1977 and were still doing it in 1987. In mania, about 50% of all departments have found ECT indicated occasionally or exceptionally both in 1977 and 1987. Manic‐depressive mixed states have been regarded as an indication in somewhat more than two thirds of departments, increasing during the period. The use of ECT in schizophrenia has been rare and somewhat decreasing, but still about half of the departments apply it once in a while. In reactive psychosis the use of ECT decreased slightly, but in 1987 it was still in use for this indication in about 50% of all departments. In acute delirium there has been an overall increase in the use of ECT. ECT is still a widely used treatment in the Nordic countries, especially so in endogenous depression, manic‐depressive mixed states and acute delirium, and with a trend towards an increase in these conditions.
The natural history of anxiety disorders
Authors: Angst J. , Vollrath M. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractThe article reviews research and presents our results on the natural history of 2 forms of anxiety disorder, panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Data from our epidemiological cohort study give evidence of premorbid anxiousness and overadaptation already in childhood. Distressing conditions in the family are more prevalent among subjects with anxiety disorders or major depression than among controls. Anxiety disorders frequently begin between age 20–30 and can be triggered by life events. The course is often characterized by a certain chronicity that manifests itself in residual symptoms and mild impairment in social roles even after many years and is frequently complicated with depression. The best predictors are severity and duration of symptoms, as well as comorbidity with depression. Future studies of the natural history should take into account these factors in multivariate approaches.
Benzodiazepines in the treatment of schizophrenia: an updated survey
Authors: Lingjærde O. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractReports on the effects of benzodiazepines in schizophrenia have appeared since the early 1960s. Conclusions drawn from these studies, most of which have been uncontrolled, have ranged from worse than placebo to better than neuroleptics. A critical appraisal of the literature seems to warrant the following main conclusions. Benzodiazepines alone, in conventional doses, have no convincing antipsychotic effect in schizophrenia, although they may reduce anxiety, tension and insomnia. However, very high doses of diazepam, and possibly other benzodiazepines, may have a symptomatic antipsychotic effect, especially in paranoid‐hallucinatory schizophrenics, also when given alone. Benzodiazepines, in conventional doses, can enhance the antipsychotic effect of neuroleptics in schizophrenics who have not responded satisfactorily to neuroleptics alone. This effect may be most conspicuous against hallucinations, but improvement may also be obtained from delusions, thought disturbances, some negative symptoms, anxiety and tension. Some benzodiazepines may be more effective than others in schizophrenia, but this has been insufficiently elucidated.
Outcome of attempted suicide and psychiatric consultation: risk factors and suicide mortality during a five‐year follow‐up
Authors: Suokas J. , Lönnqvist J. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractA total of 1018 self‐poisoned patients were treated during the year 1983 in the emergency room of Helsinki University Central Hospital. By the end of a 5‐year follow‐up period, 3.2% of these had committed suicide, making annual suicide mortality 589 per 100,000. During the first year after the index attempt, suicide mortality was 1768 per 100,000, a 50‐fold risk compared with that of the total population in Helsinki. Risk factors were being male of advancing age, having mental disorders, previous suicide attempts, a nonimpulsive index suicide attempt, moderate to very serious lethality and severe intention to die during the index suicide attempt. When the lethality was assessed as being very serious or intention to die as certain, 21% later committed suicide. The relative risk for those left without psychiatric consultation was 0.6 when the lethality was mild and 1.6 when it was severe. Results indirectly indicate that psychiatric consultation seemed to have a positive effect on the outcome of these attempted suicides.
Long‐term outcome after neuroleptic malignant syndrome
Authors: Koponen H. , Repo E. , Lepola U. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractNeuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a rare, life‐threatening adverse drug reaction caused by the blockade of central dopaminergic receptors by neuroleptics. In the acute phase, most patients recover, although marked mortality from complications of acute NMS still exist. The long‐term course after acute NMS is, however, still unclear. In this report we describe the follow‐up data from 12 patients.
Cerebrospinal fluid variables among alcoholics lack seasonal variation
Authors: Roy A. , Adinoff B. , DeJong J. , Linnoila M. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractSeasonal influences on indices of serotonergic function, including cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of the serotonin metabolite 5‐hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5‐HIAA), have been reported in psychiatric patients and healthy volunteers. We examined seasonal differences in CSF concentrations of 5‐HIAA among 135 alcoholics admitted to a research ward who had a lumbar puncture. No significant seasonal differences were found for either CSF concentrations of 5‐HIAA or CSF concentrations of other monoamine metabolites or peptides. The possible explanations for these negative findings are discussed.
Psychosexual problems in male childhood malignancy survivors
Authors: Ropponen P. , Siimes M. A. , Rautonen J. , Aalberg V. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractWe studied the development of psychosexuality and object relationships in 58 young males who had survived malignancies in childhood. Using a psychodynamically oriented, semistructured psychiatric interview, we formed 13 criteria for comparisons between patients over and under 18 years of age. Of these 13 criteria, 12 showed that development was equally problematic for the older and younger patients. Our findings indicate that, in many patients, the adolescent process remains problematic during development, with obvious difficulties in establishing the final sexual organization, separating from internalized primary objects, and making contacts with same‐sex and opposite‐sex peers.
Comparison of Composite International Diagnostic Interview and clinical DSM‐III‐R criteria checklist diagnoses
Authors: Janca A. , Robins L. N. , Bucholz K. K. , Early T. S. , Shayka J. J. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractThis article describes a comparison of Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) diagnostic results and results based on clinicians’ observation of CIDI assessments. Psychiatrists scored a DSM‐III‐R criteria checklist either while observing or after administering 20 CIDI interviews. Overall diagnostic concordance between the checklist and CIDI diagnoses was found to be good (kappa = 0.78). Good diagnostic agreement was also found for 3 groups of DSM‐III‐R disorders: depressive disorders (kappa = 0.84), psychoactive substance use disorders (kappa = 0.83) and anxiety phobic disorders (kappa = 0.76). These results are consistent with the results from a similar comparison between the CIDI and checklist results for ICD‐10 diagnoses.
Cost‐benefit analysis of an educational program for general practitioners by the Swedish Committee for the Prevention and Treatment of Depression
Authors: Rutz W. , Carlsson P. , von Knorring L. , Wälinder J. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractIn 1983–1984 the Swedish Committee for the Prevention and Treatment of Depression launched an educational program on the diagnosis and treatment of depressive disorders for all general practitioners on the island of Gotland. The baseline year chosen was 1982 and the immediate effects were evaluated in 1985. In 1988 the long‐term effects were evaluated. These two evaluations indicated strictly time‐related beneficial effects on the frequency of sick leave and inpatient care for depressive disorders, the pattern of prescription of psychopharmacologic drugs and the frequency of suicide. This article describes a cost‐benefit analysis of the program. The cost of the educational program, changes in drug prescription and inpatient care were calculated as well as indirect costs concerning changes in morbidity and mortality. The calculation of the savings to society was subject to a sensitivity analysis. This shows that the educational program resulted in savings to society on the order of about SEK 155 million (USD 26 million). It is concluded that educational programs of this kind should be repeated every second to third year.
Long‐term Antabuse treatment of alcohol‐dependent patients
Authors: Kristenson H. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractAntabuse taken under supervision is effective and useful in the treatment of selected patients in the very long term. Relapses during treatment are the rule rather than the exception as is also illustrated in five case reports, but Antabuse treatment contributes to longer periods of sobriety. Continued support by nurses is necessary in the treatment of alcohol dependent patients and appointments with a psychiatrist are important for patients with alcohol dependence and psychiatric disorders. The personal perception of the severity of the drinking problem seems to be of decisive importance for compliance with the treatment. A high degree of motivation to stop drinking leads to long‐term use of Antabuse, a stronger internal locus of control and a favourable outcome. Measurements of liver enzymes are useful for monitoring the treatment outcome as well as for detecting toxic effects on the liver.
Controlled trials of Antabuse in alcoholism: the importance of supervision and adequate dosage
Authors: Brewer C. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractMethods of using Antabuse have changed since its introduction over 40 years ago. Several randomised controlled trials have shown that Antabuse can make a statistically and clinically significant contribution to treatment outcome in alcoholism but only if its administration is carefully supervised. The recent literature is reviewed. Adequate dosage is important and the recommended maximum in some countries is often insufficient. Both prescribes and supervisors of Antabuse need to be aware of the ways in which some patients try to evade medication.
The general neurotic syndrome: a coaxial diagnosis of anxiety, depression and personality disorder
Authors: Tyrer P. , Seivewright N. , Ferguson B. , Tyrer J. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractThe validity of the general neurotic syndrome, a combination of anxiety, depression and dependent personality disorder, was examined in a 2‐year study of outpatients with dysthymic, panic and generalized anxiety disorder diagnosed using a structured interview schedule. The general neurotic syndrome, found in a third of the patients, was associated with greater mental disorder and a significantly worse outcome than patients without the syndrome. It did not, however, predict response to treatment. Further analysis revealed that the general neurotic syndrome was a better predictor of short‐ and long‐term outcome than any other variable apart from initial psychopathology score. It is argued that the syndrome may represent a personality diathesis that makes the individual more vulnerable to both anxiety and depressive symptoms.