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Biomedical subjects

C Perris

Publications and source records attributed to C Perris.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1980

Enzymes related to biogenic amine metabolism and personality characteristics in depressed patients.

Levels of the activity of enzyme systems involved in the synthesis and metabolism of biogenic amines have been linked in several reports in the literature with various psychopathological conditions and with variations in personality characteristics. In particular, significant negative correlations have been reported between levels of MAO-activity and sensation seeking. In the present study levels of MAO and DBH-activity were investigated in a series of 30 depressed patients, admitted consecutively, who completed a new personality inventory, the KSP, assumed to measure relatively stable personality traits. Our findings appeared to be consistent with those of earlier authors in that the most pronounced significant (negative) correlation occurred between MAO-activity levels and the monotony avoidance subscale of the KSP. This particular subscale is aimed precisely at measuring thrill-seeking and bears a close relation to the Sensation Seeking Scale used by other authors. In addition a weak positive correlation was found between the same subscale and levels of DBH-activity. Finally a weak negative correlation emerged between levels of MAO and the Guilt subscale of the KSP.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Multi-aspects classification of mental disorders (MACM). A solution to the present confusion in the international classification mental disorders.

The international classification of mental disorders (ICD-8) presented by the WHO has not been accepted in all countries and where it is used, local adjustments are made and sometimes parallel classification models are used. The diagnostic system has also been criticized as lacking in exactness and consistency and the reliability between diagnosticians has been shown to be low. As a consequence, international communication is made difficult and research is hampered. This problem is particularly relevant in the field of biological research. In fact, it can be suspected that most inconsistencies as regards results obtained in different places might depend upon an inconsistent use of the current diagnostic labels. A possible solution of this problem can be the use of a multiaspect classification model. Such a multiaspect model (MACM) including four variables - symptomatology, severity, course and supposed etiopathogenesis - has been tested for several years at Umeå. MACM is shown to be easly to communicate both in undergraduate training and in ternational communication. The reliability between diagnosticians is found to range from 56 to 82% as compared to 22-36% as concerns ICD-8. It is also shown that fairly homogeneous groups, both regarding course, supposed etiopathogenesis and biological basis, can be formed and that MACM seems to bear temporal stability. Computer programming of MACM diagnoses is as possible as with ICD-8 diagnoses. Furthermore, when Macm is used in clinical routine work, much more information valid in administrative routines is stored than what is possible when ICD-8 is used.

Humans↗
PubMed1980

Neurophysiological correlates of depressive symptomatology.

Some evidence has been presented in previous articles supporting the hypothesis that relevant relationships may occur between clinical symptoms of depression and complex EEG features investigated by means of a systemic structural analysis (SSA). The present paper deals with a closer analysis of the clinical-neurophysiological relationships in depressive syndromes. 22 untreated depressed patients of both sexes participated in the study. The patients were rated by means of the Cronholm and Ottosson Rating Scale for Depression (CORSD) at the time of the EEG investigation. Special computer programs were used to investigate the relationships between clinical symptoms and elementary EEG characteristics. It was found that symptoms comprised in the 'anxiety-depression' subscale of the CORSD were related to fast activity in the EEG, whereas symptoms comprised in the 'retardation' subscale showed significant relationship with slow EEG activity. The implicaions of these findings are discussed in terms of excitatory and inhibitory processes in the CNS. Both these processes exhibit a high degree of structural complexity and integration.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Reactivity to incoming stimuli and the experience of life-events.

In 60 patients, hospitalized for a depressive syndrome, visual average evoked potentials (V .AEP) to stimuli of different intensities and the occurrence of life-events during the last year, as assessed by means of a specially constructed questionnaire, were investigated. Patients with an augmenter response in V .AEP, i.e. a tendency to react with increasing maximum amplitude of the evoked potential when stimulus intensity is increased, were found to report more life-events, to report more life-events as extremely difficult, and to report adaptation after the life-event as difficult. Thus it seems clear that it is not only of importance to investigate the number and characteristics of life-events that occurred, but also to bring attention to the perceptual reactance of the person experiencing the event.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Genetic identification of a subgroup of depressed patients.

HLA antigens, blood groups and red cell enzyme polymorphisms were studied in patients with different types of affective disorders and in patients suffering from cycloid psychoses. Several statistically significant results were found. In particular, a subgroup of depressed patients characterized by a very extreme distribution of haptoglobin groups was identified. The implications of this last finding for the definition of a particular subgroup of depressed patients is discussed.

Adjustment Disorders↗
PubMed1980

Choice of symptoms in a multi-aspects classification model applied to depressed patients.

A multi-aspects classification model (MACM) has been developed and presented in detail elsewhere. However, it is not clear which symptoms are best used to characterize the patient. The present investigation tried to answer four questions. Are the most severe symptoms most frequently used to characterize the patient? Are there severe symptoms which are not used? Are mild symptoms frequently used to characterize the patient? Are syndromatic stereotypes frequently used to characterize the patient? 50 consecutive admissions (15 males) with depression were rated on the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale and these ratings were compared with the symptoms used by the senior ward psychiatrists to characterize the patient. No indication was found that doctors use only the most severe symptoms; nor did they seem to use only diagnostic stereotypes based on theory.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Serum dopamine-beta-hydroxylase and the augmenting-reducing response.

In 84 consecutively admitted inpatients, as well as in 7 healthy volunteers, visual evoked potential to stimuli of varying intensities and serum DBH activity were determined. Patients with an augmenting (Aug.) response, i.e., a tendency to enlarge the perception of stimulation, were found to have the lowest serum DBH activities. As Aug. patients have earlier been shown to have low levels of HVA in CSF, indicating a low turnover in the dopaminergic systems in the CNS, the results indicate that the genetic factor determining the serum DBH activity may in some way also reflect the dopaminergic turnover in CNS.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Aspects of aggression in formerly depressed patients and in healthy controls.

Thirty former inpatients (14 male and 16 female) who had suffered from a nonpsychotic depressive syndrome were investigated by means of a new personality inventory--the KSP--when they had recovered from the depressive disorder, and their results were contrasted to those obtained from 53 healthy controls (19 male, 34 female). Attention was focused on the subscales of the KSP which refer to aspects of aggression. Former patients scored significantly higher than controls in the variables 'irritability,' 'suspicion,' 'guilt,' and 'inhibition of aggression.' The findings suggest a particular personality makeup for at least one subgroup of depression-prone subjects and closely resemble classical concepts of hostility and depression.

Aggression↗
PubMed1979

Reliability and validity studies of the comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale (CPRS).

1. The most important properties of a rating instrument aimed at detecting possible changes in psychopathology are as follows: a) communicability to not yet experienced raters; b) satisfactory levels of reliability and validity; and c) sensitivity to changes. Since its construction some years ago these properties of the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale (CPRS) have been investigated in several sessions, both experimental, and in the course of clinical drug trials. 2. Raters with a different training background (physicians, psychologists, social workers, nurses), and a different level of experience in ratings have participated in the sessions. 3. In all instances the CPRS has proved to be highly reliable and highly sensitive. It appeared to be easily communicable, also in its international versions, and its content seems to fit very well with different cultural contexts. Information about its validity has been inferred from the studies mentioned above, and, also from correlations with other well known rating instruments.

Humans↗
PubMed1979

Interprofessional communicability and reliability of the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale (CPRS) as assessed by video-taped interviews.

Five raters: two experienced psychiatrists, two psychologists (one acquainted with the use of the scale and one new to it) and an untrained social worker, participated in training sessions in the use of the CPRS. Videotaped interviews were used for assessing the level of inter-rater reliability and the communicability of the CPRS to unexperienced raters. As in previous studies, it was found that the CPRS is easily communicable and that a very satisfactory level of agreement among raters can be achieved.

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗
PubMed1979

HL-A antigens and the response to prophylactic lithium.

82 consecutive patients checked at the out-patient clinic of the Psychiatric Department of the Umeå University were typed for HL-A antigens. The patients belonged to the diagnostic subgroups: bipolar (manic-depressive) psychosis (n = 33), unipolar recurrent depressive psychosis (n = 29) and cycloid psychosis (n = 20) and all had been on lithium treatment for at least 6 months. By comparing the group of those who did not relapse on lithium therapy (n = 48) with the group of those who did relapse (n = 34) there was a significantly higher frequency of the HL-A A3 antigens among those who did relapse, and none of those who did not relapse were found to have the HL-A B18 antigens. The results suggest a possible interference between HL-A antigens and response to lithium treatment. However, a large number of antigens were tested and a small number of patients.

Bipolar Disorder↗
PubMed1979

Functional interhemispheric differences in relation to various psychopathological components of the depressive syndromes. A pilot international study.

Previous investigations from our laboratory have suggested a possible interhemispheric difference in brain functioning in relation to the severity of a depressive psychopathological process. The present study has been carried out to extend the previous findings to comprise a more detailed symptom analysis of the depressive syndrome, several EEG characteristics, and a new method of EEG analysis. 22 depressed patients, most of them previously untreated, participated in the study. The patients were rated by means of a highly reliable rating scale for depression, and an EEG record was obtained from each of them. Analysis of possible relationships among clinical symptoms and EEG characteristics from different parts of the brain showed a complex pattern, quite different for each symptom. First when a systemic structural analysis of the EEG was performed by means of a special computer program, differential EEG syndromes could be identified. Patients with a high level of anxiety-depression showed a more pronounced functional involvement of the left precentral region than less severely ill patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

HLA antigens in patients with schizophrenic syndromes.

HLA antigens were studied in 50 patients, 40 males, 10 females and two brothers of patients, all suffering from schizophrenic syndromes. The average duration of illness for the whole group was 18 +/- 1.5 years. The frequency of A10 antigen was increased in the schizophrenic patients as compared with 449 healthy individuals. None of the findings concerning HLA and schizophrenia reported in the literature could be verified in the present study. Two ill brothers comprised in the study proved to have the same HLA phenotype as their respective ill sibling. So far there is no conclusive evidence for association between any HLA antigen and 'schizophrenia'. Further investigations should be concerned with families and not with single patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Variations in self-assessment of personality characteristics in depressed patients, with special reference to aspects of aggression.

30 in-patients, 14 male and 16 female, aged 24-69 years (mean age 47.1 +/- 2.7) suffering from a moderately severe or severe depressive syndrome completed a new personality inventory, the KSP, on two separate occasions. The first-when they were depressed and had just been admitted to the hospital, the second when they were at home and in their customary situation. On the same test occasions the severity of their psychopathology was rated by means of the CPRS. A significant improvement in CPRS rating was ascertained on the second test occasion. In contrast only small changes occurred in the subscales of the KSP. The score referring to 'psychic anxiety' and to 'somatic anxiety' decreased slightly but significantly (p less than 0.05). The scores referring to 'social desirability' also showed a significant (p less than 0.01) slight decrease. Of particular note is that no significant differences were found in the 6 KSP subscales concerned with aspects of aggression, or in the factors which can be obtained from these subscales. Our findings amongst this population of non-psychotic depressed patients do not support the assumption that changes in the direction of aggression occur during depression.

Adult↗