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Biomedical subjects

G Persson

Publications and source records attributed to G Persson.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

The relationship of social setting to major depression.

Sixty middle-aged women with a major depressive episode diagnosed in a community survey were compared with those 400 participants of the study who had no history of major depression. The husband's income and the family income were lower in the depressed group even when adjustment was made for age and marital status. The depressives were more often divorced or widowed than were controls. As a direct consequence of this, women with major depression lived in smaller residences and were more seldom owners of a summerhouse. The proportions of women working full-time, part-time or not working outside home were the same in those with major depression and the controls. The level of adversity (life events and long-term major difficulties) during the year preceding the study was increased in the depressed group when adjustment was made for age, marital status and social class differences. A larger proportion of the depressed women reported marital and job dissatisfaction. Variables reflecting social isolation did not differ between groups. There were no differences between depressed and undepressed regarding churchgoing, but fewer of the former stated that they believed in God.

Depressive Disorder↗
PubMed1984

Personality changes in the aged. A longitudinal study of psychogenic needs with the CMPS.

Psychogenic needs according to Murray were measured by means of the Cesarec Marke Personality Schedule in a representative sample of 70-year-olds in Gothenburg, Sweden. They were followed up when 75 and 79. A longitudinal study was carried out with regard to changes in means, standard deviations and sex differences. The levels at 70 among the surviving subjects and those who had died before the age of 79 were compared. Between 70 and 79 there were changes towards higher needs for order and acquiescence in both sexes, and towards lower exhibition, dominance and aggressive non-conformance, and higher succourance in women. The changes were small and most needs showed no changes at all. There were few changes in variability and sex differences. Men with higher needs of defence of status, and lower needs of exhibition and dominance at 70 had an increased mortality. Cross-sectional studies would have given misleading results on the development of psychogenic needs in these age groups.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

Relation between outcome and the patient's initial experience of the therapist and therapeutic conditions in four treatment methods for phobic disorders.

One hundred and three phobic women not suitable for insight-oriented psychotherapy were randomized to either therapist-directed prolonged exposure therapy (PE), supportive therapy of dynamic type (ST), relaxation therapy (R), or basal therapy (B). Immediately after seeing their therapist for history taking and beginning of treatment, the patients were asked to report their experience of the therapist, of themselves in relation to the therapist, and of the therapy (Experience of Therapy Inventory, ETI). The patients were informed that the therapists would not see the ETI. The patients were rated by an independent rater with regard to symptoms and functions at the beginning of treatment, at termination of treatment 3 months later, and at a follow-up 1 year after the commencement of the study. 1) Patients treated with PE and R were more satisfied with their therapists than patients treated with ST or B. The PE patients considered their therapists provided better contact, were more assured and knowledgeable, and gave what seemed to be the correct therapy, the R patients considered their therapist showed more warmth. Both PE and R patients felt their therapists were more interested than the ST and B therapists. These differences were probably due to differences in the amount of time offered, in the attitudes of the therapists, and in the characteristics of the therapies. 2) In the PE group there were positive associations between outcome and the initial experience of the therapist. There is, thus, empirical evidence that a good therapist-patient relation is of importance to a good outcome in this type of behaviour therapy. In the ST group there was an association between a good outcome and a positive experience of the rather conflict-centred beginning of the procedure. A positive experience of a conflict-centred approach may thus be regarded as an indication for dynamic therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Prognostic factors with four treatment methods for phobic disorders.

The associations between prognostic factors and outcome with four treatment methods for phobic disorders were studied in 103 women. The prognostic factors were sociodemographic, intelligence, personality, early interpersonal relations, aspects of previous and current mental disorder, and intensity of symptoms at start of treatment. All patients received basal therapy, which implied information, advice on exposure in vivo, and anxiolytics. One group received this treatment only (B), while others received supplementary treatment, with therapist-directed prolonged exposure in vivo (PE), supportive therapy (ST) of dynamic type, or relaxation (R). The patients were treated for 3 months, with a 9-month follow-up period. Factors associated with a better outcome were: PE: greater needs for succourance and lower avoidance; ST: higher social class, better relations between parents and with father during childhood, inner conflicts as cause, and lower levels of free anxiety; R: satisfaction with contact when aged 15, bereavement as a cause, and lower levels of several symptoms; B: greater needs for order, stress at the onset, shorter duration and satisfaction with work. There were thus interactions between prognostic factors and type of treatment. The prognostic factors should be taken into account in the choice and design of treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Suitability for insight-oriented psychotherapy as a prognostic factor in treatment of phobic women.

Suitability for insight-oriented psychotherapy comprises many factors that may have a positive relation to outcome in individual psychotherapy. We wanted to test the hypothesis that patients suitable for insight-oriented psychotherapy (I patients) improve more than not-suitable patients (NI patients) in non-dynamic therapies. Pairs of phobic female NI and I patients were formed with age, type of phobia, global rating of severity, therapist and type of therapy as matching variables. All women received a simple basal therapy in the form of standardized information, self-exposure instructions and anxiolytic medication. Six pairs received this treatment only, six pairs in addition received relaxation therapy and nine pairs in addition received therapist-directed prolonged exposure in vivo. The patients were rated with regard to symptoms and functions at the start of the treatment, at the termination of treatment 3 months later, and at a 1 year follow up. NI patients were less often married, had a longer duration of their phobias, and had higher initial ratings on aspects of indirect as well as direct manifestations of anxiety, ego restriction, and global severity. I patients improved more than NI patients with regard to aspects of the target phobia, both at the termination of the treatment and at the follow up. Otherwise the outcome was similar. There was no indication of a greater amount of conflict solution in the I patients. The result might be explained by supposed differences in the amount of self-exposure. The hypothesis was supported, but the results cannot be applied to other types of neuroses.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Prevalence of mental disorders in an urban sample examined at 70, 75 and 79 years of age.

The prevalence of mental disorders in a representative sample of old people in Gothenburg, Sweden, was studied at 70, 75 and 79. The study comprised 392 subjects at 70, 302 subjects at 75 and 203 at 79. A case was defined by cut-off points on symptom and sign rating scales, and diagnoses were defined operationally as closely as possible to the ICD-classification. The total psychiatric morbidity was 21.9, 24.2 and 31.0% in the three age groups. The prevalence of schizophrenic and paranoid syndromes was 0.5, 1.7 and 2.5% and of affective disorders 1.0, 2.3 and 0.5%. The prevalence of dementias of psychotic degree was 1.3, 2.3 and 6.9% and of asthenic neuroses corresponding to dementias of mild-moderate degree 2.3, 4.0 and 9.4%. The prevalence of anxiety, depressive and obsessive-compulsive neuroses of moderate-severe degree was 6.6, 4.6 and 3.9% and of mild degree 7.9, 6.0 and 5.9%. The prevalence of active alcoholism in men was 4.2, 3.4 and 3.0% and in women 0.0% in all age groups. Current treatment was reported by 67-85% of subjects with psychoses, about one half of them in psychiatric services, and by 35-65% of subjects with neuroses, about one fifth of them in psychiatric services.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

The effects in myometrial preparations of D2343, a beta 2-adrenoceptor agonist possessing alpha 1-receptor blocking qualities.

D2343 is a compound with about the same beta 2-adrenoceptor-agonist effect as terbutaline and exhibiting in addition an alpha 1-receptor inhibitory activity. D2343 has been compared to the beta 2-agonist terbutaline on oestrogenized uterine preparations from rat and rabbit (in vitro and in vivo) and in myometrial strips from homo. Generally, D2343 has shown an ability to relax the uterine muscles to the same degree as terbutaline or even more, especially when the two drugs were compared in vitro in preparations from rabbit and rat.

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists↗
PubMed1984

Indomethacin inhibits renal functional adaptation to nephron loss.

Immediately after unilateral nephrectomy, the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and urinary excretion rate increase in the remaining transplanted rat kidney. In a previous study, we found that GFR in a transplanted kidney was reduced through an activation of the tubuloglomerular feedback control. Excision of the rat's own remnant kidney then reduced feedback sensitivity and thereby allowed GFR to rise. The present study aimed at investigating whether prostaglandins are involved in this functional adaptation. Clearance and micropuncture experiments were performed before and after administration of indomethacin and after subsequent unilateral nephrectomy. GFR and the urinary excretion rate of electrolytes and water were measured. From proximal tubular stop-flow pressure (PSF) measurements the feedback characteristics were determined as the maximal stop-flow pressure response (delta PSF) to an increase in distal flow and the turning point (TP), i.e. the end proximal flow rate that caused 50% reduction of delta PSF. The results showed that following nephrectomy the tubuloglomerular feedback sensitivity was decreased, with an increased TP and reduced delta PSF. Pretreatment with indomethacin (2 mg/kg BW) prevented not only the change in feedback sensitivity at nephrectomy but also the rise in GFR. These results suggest that the prostaglandins play a possible role as one link in the chain of adaptive events occurring immediately after nephron loss.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Personality and sexuality in relation to an index of gonadal steroid hormone balance in a 70-year old population.

Relationships between an index of gonadal steroid hormone function and personality as well as sexual activity were studied in a sample representative for 70-year-olds in Gotenburg, Sweden. Personality was described by means of inventories, sexual activity through a systematic interview and the balance between androgen and oestrogen activity by the quotient between lecithin and lysolecithin in plasma. Men with a relative dominance of oestrogen activity reported a lower frequency of sexual intercourse than other men. Women with a relative dominance of oestrogen activity described themselves as more resourceful, active, confident, unconcerned with the opinion of others, and able to take care of themselves than other women. There were no associations in women between the hormonal balance and the frequency of sexual intercourse.

Aged↗
PubMed1983

Personality changes in the aged. A longitudinal study with the MNT-scale.

The three personality dimensions validity, solidity and stability according to Sjöbring were measured by means of the MNT scales in representative samples of 70-year-old men and women in Gothenburg, Sweden. They were followed up when 75 and 79. A longitudinal study was performed with regard to changes in means, standard deviations and sex differences. The means at 70 of the surviving subjects were compared with those of subjects who had died before the age of 79. The personality dimensions were, on the whole, unchanged between 70 and 79 except for a small increase in stability in men, implying a decrease in personal involvement, and a small decrease in validity in women implying lower levels of mental energy. There was also a decrease in solidity in men between 75 and 79 implying an increased tendency to dissociation. Variability and sex differences did not change. Men with low validity at 70 had an increased mortality. Cross-sectional studies would have given misleading results of the personality development in these age groups.

Aged↗
PubMed1983

Expectations of improvement and attitudes to treatment processes in relation to outcome with four treatment methods for phobic disorders.

One hundred and three agora- or sociophobic women who were not suitable for insight-oriented psychotherapy filled in an inventory with questions pertaining to expectations as to improvement, and attitudes towards goal of treatment and function of the therapist. The patients received one of four randomly assigned types of outpatient treatment for 3 months. All patients received basal therapy in the form of medication, standardized information and self-exposure instructions. One group received this treatment only once a month (B). The others received in addition either therapist-directed prolonged exposure in vivo (PE), dynamically oriented supportive therapy (ST), or relaxation therapy (R). The patients were rated by an independent rater with regard to symptoms and functions at the start and termination of the treatment, and at the end of the follow-up period 9 months after termination. 1) The patient's expectation as to improvement was positively associated with outcome with R and B, but there was no association with PE and ST. Thus, expectancy was associated with outcome when the treatment given was fairly unspecific. 2) A good match between the patient's pretreatment attitude to the goal of treatment and how the therapist should function was associated with a better outcome.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

A rating scale of phobic disorders.

Scales were constructed for the rating of phobic disorders, taking into account both behaviour therapeutic and psychodynamic aspects. The scales rate phobic behaviour with regard to anxiety (situational and anticipatory) and coping (avoidance and escape). The target phobia as well as seven common phobias are rated, the former being divided into: fairly easy, moderately difficult, and very difficult situations. The scales also include free anxiety (10 items), ego-restriction (11 items), and social function (six items with regard to interpersonal relations, and one each for capacity to work and leisure activities), and finally, a global rating. The inter-rater reliability was good (mostly around 0.90). Construct validity was supported by the result in effect studies of short-term psychotherapy.

Anxiety↗
PubMed1983

A scale for rating suitability for insight-oriented psychotherapy.

An instrumental for rating patients as suitable (I) or not suitable (NI) for insight-oriented psychotherapy, is described. It is based on factors suggested by Dewald, and consists of 24 scales, each with 5 steps. Inter-rater reliability was greater than 0.60 in 11 of the scales in a study of 25 cases, and four subscales were significantly correlated to suitability for insight-oriented psychotherapy according to the total scale: "influence of environmental factors on the symptoms", "variability of the symptoms during the last year", "self-confidence", and "possibility to psychodynamic formulation with circumscribed focus". Construct validity was estimated by comparing 29 pairs of I and NI patients. I patients belonged to a higher social class, scored higher on the personality trait dominance and low on neuroticism, had a more positive experience of the therapist, had lower symptom intensities, and were given a lower global rating of the disorder. I patients were more improved than NI patients when given unspecific treatments. The differences were, however, small. Predictive validity in 38 patients was low which may be due to the fact that the rater had to consider the research points of view, the global nature of several variables and the course criteria for correct allocation.

Awareness↗
PubMed1983

Does preoperative treatment with cimetidine increase the risk of postoperative infection?

During a 5-year period, 145 patients were operated on for benign peptic ulcer disease. 105 patients did not receive cimetidine in the few weeks just before the operation, while 40 patients used it until the night before the operation. Although differing in size, the groups were comparable with regard to other relevant data. The cimetidine treated patients had more abdominal infectious complications postoperatively but this difference only reached statistical significance when patients who were operated upon for bleeding were excluded. Furthermore, patients on cimetidine suffered from significantly more pulmonary infections than those not having this preoperative drug regimen. These results indicate an unfavourable effect on the postoperative infectious morbidity of having a patient on cimetidine treatment in the weeks immediately preceding operation for peptic ulcer disease.

Adult↗