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C R Cloninger

Publications and source records attributed to C R Cloninger.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Differential diagnosis of personality disorders by the seven-factor model of temperament and character.

We used multiaxial structured interviews and questionnaires to evaluate the ability of self-reports on seven personality dimensions to predict independent interview diagnoses of DSM-III-R personality disorders. We studied 136 consecutive adult psychiatric inpatients, excluding those with psychosis, organic mental disorders, and severe agitation. Sixty-six patients had interview diagnoses of DSM-III-R personality disorders. Most also had mood disorders. We confirmed the hypotheses that self-reports of low self-directedness and cooperativeness strongly predicted the number of personality symptoms in all interview categories, whereas the other factors distinguished among subtypes as predicted. Self-directedness and cooperativeness also predicted the presence of any personality disorder by differentiating patients varying in risk from 11% to 94%. Patients in clusters A, B, and C were differentiated by low reward dependence, high novelty seeking, and high harm avoidance, respectively. We conclude that low self-directedness and cooperativeness are core features of all personality disorders and are validly measured by the seven-factor Temperament and Character Inventory, but not the five-factor Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness inventory. Each DSM-III-R personality disorder category is associated with a unique profile of scores in the seven-factor model, providing an efficient guide to differential diagnosis and treatment.

Character↗

A genetic familial study of monoamine oxidase B activity and concentration in alcoholics.

Platelet monoamine oxidase B (MAO B) activity and concentration were studied in a small sample of alcoholic families (n = 8) and in 20 unrelated, nonalcoholic controls. Complex segregation analyses of familial data indicated that both activity and concentration are controlled by a single major gene locus with a multifactorial background effect accounting for 0-50% of the variance. When the alcoholic family members (n = 24) were compared with the controls, all determinations of activity display significant differences, whereas MAO B concentration levels showed no difference. These results indicated that the lowered MAO B activities frequently reported among alcoholics do not reflect a change in the number of MAO B macromolecules expressed in platelets, but could be caused by the presence of an inhibitor or by a polymorphic or variant form of the enzyme.

Alcoholism↗

Are schizophrenia and affective disorder related? preliminary data from a family study.

OBJECTIVE: Most investigators presume that schizophrenia and affective disorder are separate diseases. Others have proposed alternatives to this Kraepelinian view. These alternatives were addressed by preliminary analyses of data from a family study of psychopathology. METHOD: The authors identified 1,895 first-degree relatives of 166 patients with DSM-III schizophrenia, 71 patients with affective disorder, and 85 medical comparison probands; 949 relatives were blindly diagnosed. RESULTS: The risks for schizophrenia and affective disorder (unipolar melancholia and bipolar disorder combined) were significantly higher in the relatives of the schizophrenic probands and the relatives of the probands with affective disorder than in the relatives of the comparison probands. The morbid risk for nonmelancholic depressions was not significantly higher. Among the relatives of the schizophrenic probands, the risk for affective disorder was highest among the relatives of the patients with "core" schizophrenia, who were younger at illness onset, had chronic illness, had severe emotional blunting, and showed few affective features. CONCLUSIONS: Despite limitations, these preliminary analyses, consistent with other studies, suggest some familial relationship between schizophrenia and severe forms of affective disorder.

Adult↗

The relationship of personality to mood and anxiety states: a dimensional approach.

This study evaluates the relationship of personality to mood and anxiety states in a sample of 50 psychiatric out patients. In order to overcome arbitrariness inherent in categorical diagnoses of affective, personality and anxiety disorders, we use a dimensional approach to personality, mood and anxiety. According to our results, mood and anxiety states affect personality domains differentially. Namely, relatively large portions of personality and behavior, such as higher-order traits of novelty seeking and reward dependence, seem independent from mood and anxiety states. In contrast, the higher-order dimension of harm avoidance and its corresponding lower-order traits reflect changes in mood and anxiety to a much greater extent. Both the likelihood that large portions of personality may be independent from current mood and the likelihood that some precisely delineated personality domains tend to change simultaneously with current mood may improve our understanding of the relationship of personality to emotionality and affective disorders.

Adult↗

Unipolar depression: diagnostic inconsistency and its implications.

Major depressive disorder using Feighner et al. (Arch. Gen. Psychiatry 26, 57-63, 1972) and DSM-III or DSM-III-R criteria has proven to be a heterogeneous diagnosis. It apparently includes a wide variety of clinical conditions. This report, based upon the results of a multi-year blind follow-up of 500 randomly selected psychiatric outpatients focuses on certain problems associated with the diagnosis of primary unipolar affective disorders. At index, 141 patients received diagnoses of primary unipolar depression. At follow-up, only 62 (44%) of these received the same diagnosis, with an additional 14 (10%) receiving a diagnosis of undiagnosed: questionable primary unipolar depression, and 5 (4%) a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Thus, about 43% received other diagnoses at follow-up: 35 (25%) diagnoses of secondary depression and 25 (18%) other diagnoses without indication of an affective component. Bipolar patients' stability was significantly better for those who were manic at intake.

Adult↗

Mood states and personality traits.

In this article we analyze the relationship between personality traits assessed by the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire, and six mood states assessed by the Profile of Mood States-bipolar form. Our data suggest that large portions of personality and/or behavior, e.g., higher order dimensions of Novelty Seeking and Reward Dependence, can be relatively independent from current mood. In contrast, the Harm Avoidance dimension covaries with mood and anxiety. Also, we analyze the psychometric properties of the Profile of Mood States-bipolar form, and discuss some practical aspects of our findings.

Adolescent↗

Patterns of lifetime drug use among intravenous drug users.

To obtain a clearer description of the natural history of intravenous drug use (IVDU), 92 intravenous drug users (IVDUs), not selected through treatment or contact with the legal system, were identified. Concerning lifetime use, central nervous system (CNS) stimulants were the most common class of drug to be injected (by 72.8% of IVDUs), followed by opiates (by 50.0% of IVDUs). Mean age of onset of IVDU in this sample was 18.5 years, following initiation of alcohol use by an average of 4.6 years and cannabis use by an average of 2.1 years. Any history of IVDU in this sample indicated substantial lifetime use of illicit drugs and early onset of psychoactive substance use.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Lifetime complications of drug use in intravenous drug users.

Ninety-two intravenous drug users (IVDUs) were identified from a study of 1,640 relatives of treated alcoholics and felons. Nearly all of the IVDUs (90%) reported a lifetime history of some degree of physical, psychological, or social difficulty related to drug abuse, but only 35% had ever received treatment for drug abuse. Overall, compared to subjects with a history of substantial illicit drug use who had never injected, IVDUs were significantly more likely to report all drug-related problems assessed. Even in populations of drug users not selected through treatment, any history of intravenous (IV) drug use is strongly indicative of a lifetime occurrence of complications of drug use.

Adult↗

Correlates of Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire Scales with selected Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory Scales.

The pattern of correlations between selected MMPI scales and the scales of the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire were examined in a convenience sample of 88 patients who had received both tests. Time between tests (usually less than one year) did not affect the correlations, but MMPI response-set variables (L, F, K, F-K) did. The Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire harm avoidance scale and subscales had many correlates on the MMPI. The Novelty seeking scale and subscales showed a number of moderate correlations with a smaller number of MMPI scales; these correlations did not significantly exceed the correlations with MMPI response-set variables. The Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire reward dependence scale and subscales had few, if any, significant MMPI correlates. It was also noted that no Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire scales were related to MMPI repression factor scores.

Adolescent↗

Psychiatric comorbidity and suicidality among intravenous drug users.

BACKGROUND: Prevalence of lifetime psychiatric comorbidity and history of attempted suicide among intravenous drug users was investigated. METHOD: One thousand sixty-two relatives of hospitalized alcoholics, felons, and control subjects were administered a structured interview that gathered data on lifetime psychiatric symptoms and psychoactive drug use. Psychiatric diagnoses were based on interview information, medical records, and family history data. Comparisons were made between 411 subjects who used no illicit drugs, 329 cannabis users, 230 subjects who had used psychoactive drugs other than cannabis more than five times but had never injected drugs, and 92 intravenous drug users. RESULTS: Any history of injecting drugs increased the odds of being diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder by a factor of 21.01, alcoholism by 4.42, and unipolar depression by 3.02. A diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder increased the odds of having injected drugs by a factor of 27.19, while diagnoses of alcoholism or unipolar depression conveyed odds for injecting drugs of 4.62 and 3.70, respectively. Intravenous drug use was associated with an 8.27-fold increase in odds for a suicide attempt compared with no drug use. CONCLUSION: Rates of alcoholism, depression, and antisocial personality disorder, but not other psychiatric disorders (other than drug dependence), are significantly elevated in intravenous drug users. Moreover, among drug users, the decision to inject is differentially made by those with antisocial personality disorder. A history of suicide attempt is common among intravenous drug users, but injecting appears to convey little additional risk above substantial but non-intravenous drug use.

Adolescent↗

Alcoholism and alleles of the human D2 dopamine receptor locus. Studies of association and linkage.

The association of the A1 allele of the D2 dopamine receptor gene with alcoholism was examined by comparing 32 unrelated white alcoholics with 25 unrelated white controls and by analysis of 17 nuclear families in multigenerational pedigrees of alcoholics in whom the A1 allele was segregating. All subjects had structured psychiatric interviews. Clinical assessment and genotyping were carried out independently. Thirteen (41%) of the 32 alcoholics carried the A1 allele compared with three (12%) of the 25 controls. The association with the A1 allele was significant when controls were compared with a subset of 10 alcoholics with severe medical problems (60% vs 12%), but not less severe cases. However, regardless of clinical severity or subtype, there was no evidence of linkage or cosegregation of the A1 allele and increased susceptibility to alcoholism in informative pedigrees. The possible association in the general population without linkage in families may be explained either by chance variation in our small samples or a modifying effect of the A1 allele that increases severity. Further study of the role of the D2 receptor gene in alcoholism is warranted.

Alcoholism↗

The Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire: U.S. normative data.

The Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire is a self-report personality inventory measuring three major personality dimensions: Novelty Seeking, Harm Avoidance, and Reward Dependence. Normative data, based on a U.S. national probability sample of 1,019 adults, are presented and the psychometric properties of the questionnaire are discussed.

Adolescent↗

The relationship of solvent use to other substance use.

One hundred thirty solvent abusers were retrospectively identified from a family study containing 286 alcoholics, 157 felons, 60 control subjects, and 1,640 of their relatives. Comprehensive data regarding psychiatric diagnosis and drug use were gathered using the Home Environment Lifetime Psychiatric Record. Solvent abuse was very strongly associated with having a diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder and was consistently associated with polysubstance abuse. Solvent abusers were more likely to be male, or lower socioeconomic status, and younger than those without a reported history of solvent abuse. Contrary to current understanding, solvent use did not clearly precede other substance use; rather, alcohol and cannabis use tended to occur first, followed by use of solvents. Solvent users were 5 to 10 times more likely than nonusers to report abuse of opioids, stimulants, depressants, and hallucinogens.

Adult↗