Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

I Maremmani

Publications and source records attributed to I Maremmani.

31 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Interaction between the serotonin and dopamine systems in humans: preliminary findings.

The availability of peripheral tools, such as platelet [3H]-imipramine binding and electroretinogram b-wave amplitude, for investigating serotonin and dopamine systems respectively, prompted us to explore the possible relationships between these two systems in a group of 8 healthy drug-free volunteers. The results showed a significant correlation between the peripheral parameters of serotonin and dopamine systems and underline the importance of studying different neurotransmitters at the same time in humans.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

High-affinity 3H-imipramine binding sites: a possible state-dependent marker for major depression.

Ten patients with DSM-III diagnoses of nonbipolar recurrent major depression were studied in an attempt to assess the relationship between 3H-imipramine binding site density and clinical depressive state. They were compared with eight healthy controls who had no past or family history of affective disorders. Evaluations with the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and the Self-Rated Scale for Depression were done on the same day as platelet collection at baseline, and also at 2 and 5 weeks after the beginning of treatment with tricyclic antidepressants. The number (Bmax) and the affinity (Kd) of platelet 3H-imipramine binding sites were highly correlated with the improvement of the clinical depression. These results raise the interesting possibility that a decrease in 3H-imipramine binding sites may be a state-dependent marker in patients suffering from nonbipolar recurrent major depression.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

The importance of separation anxiety in the differentiation of panic disorder from agoraphobia.

When patients with panic disorders are divided into two groups, those that are without any signs of phobic avoidance and those that are frankly agoraphobic, we see a differential premorbid history of separation anxiety in childhood with school phobia. The former group we found to be without these problems, while the latter demonstrated a history of school phobia in the majority of cases (60 per cent). This may indicate that uncomplicated panic disorder and agoraphobia with panic attacks are not always differential cross-sections of the same disease process, or different levels of severity of the same psychopathological entity, but may represent illnesses best not conceptualized as lying on a continuum. Further research will be served by separating panic disorder (DSM-III 300.01) into two groups: uncomplicated panic disorder, and panic disorder with limited phobic avoidance, which will exist along with the present agoraphobia with panic attacks, perhaps best renamed panic disorder with extensive phobic avoidance.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Discordance of self ratings versus observer ratings in the improvement of depression: role of locus of control and aggressive behavior.

Depression is mainly a subjective experience. Its severity is not always assessed in the same way by patients and clinicians. Divergences between self- and hetero-evaluation of depressive symptoms and severity are also dependent on the cognitive style of a patient. A high proportion of patients judged improved by their physicians continue to declare that serious symptoms are present. These patients tend to use a cognitive style that has been called external locus of control. Some investigators have correlated the locus of control in depressive patients with hostile traits, pointing out that the severity of symptomatology seems to be associated with some forms of hostility, with an external cognitive mode representing particular communications from patients to their caregiver. The present clinical study shows the influence of cognitive style and aggressive behavior on the discordance seen between self- and hetero-evaluation for depression during the improvement of depression.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Impairment of work and leisure in depressed outpatients. A preliminary communication.

In a detailed analysis of the effects of depression on a broad range of social, marital, vocational adjustment and leisure time activities in 176 outpatients with mild to moderate depressions, major disturbances were seen in all areas of functioning. These disturbances were most pronounced in the areas of work and social leisure. Except for continued impairment in leisure, these disturbances were considerably attenuated in those patients who were at a mild or asymptomatic level of depression at the time of comparison. These data suggest that functions which depend on traditional roles in family or at work tend to oscillate with the level of depression, whereas functions that require personal initiative (e.g. leisure) may remain abnormal well into the interepisodic phase. The reported disturbances were especially marked in dysthymic or chronic depressives who seem to suffer from the long-term effects of depression.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Differential changes in areas of social adjustment from depressive episodes through recovery.

The findings of the present short-term prospective study of 99 depressed outpatients further support previous cross-sectional observations to the effect that the course of depressive illness is often complicated by fluctuating social disturbances manifested by uneasiness in the work area, by disagreements with colleagues, and by difficulty in maintaining conflict-free relationships with significant others. By contrast, the incapacity to enjoy and use leisure time appeared less related to the symptomatologic variation in depression. Although we favor the hypothesis that impairment in leisure activity may represent a trait marker of depression, the hypothesis of it being a residual complication of repeated depressive episodes cannot be ruled out in view of short follow-up.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Long-term therapy using GHB (sodium gamma hydroxybutyrate) for treatment-resistant chronic alcoholics.

Thirty-five alcohol-dependent patients according to DSM-IV criteria who also met criteria for treatment resistance were treated with doses of gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) ranging between 25 and 100 mg/kg/die in an open one-year study. The results show that no patients discontinued the program during the first month of treatment. Sixty percent of these patients successfully completed the protocol; 11.4% showed complete abstinence (full responder patients); 14.3% strongly reduced their alcohol intake (partial responder patients) and 34.3% of the patients were still under treatment after one year. Forty percent of the patients were nonresponders. The retention rate under treatment of the studied sample was statistically higher than that found during the last treatment of the same subjects. No significant differences were found between full responder and partial responder patients regarding changes in clinical features, alcohol intake or social adjustment. Patients still in treatment after one year significantly differed from nonresponder patients on all the variables investigated. A six-times/daily fractionated administration of the GHB dose was the only significant predictor of the retention rate.

Adjuvants, Anesthesia↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Platelet monoaminooxidase activity and behavioural characteristics in humans.

We investigated the possible relationship between platelet MAO activity and behavioural characteristics, measured by MMPI, in a group of 19 healthy volunteers. The results showed that high MAO activity tended to be typical of subjects with inhibitory characteristics and that low MAO activity was more typical of uninhibited subjects.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Psychopathology and aggressive behaviour in cancer pain perception.

In order to investigate the relationships between psychopathology and aggressive behaviour on the one hand and cancer pain perception on the other, 11 patients who suffered from neoplasm were investigated by means of Symptomatology Check List (SCL-90) by Derogatis, Inventory for assessing different kinds of hostility (QTA) by Buss-Durkee, Scala di Autovalutazione per la Depressione (SAD) by Cassano & Castrogiovanni and Mc-Gill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ.) by Melzack. The results show that when psychopathologic symptoms are present, they lead the patient to feel pain as unbearable, thus arousing violently homicidal thoughts. Features of aggressivity once experienced, lead to an almost personified and extremely active image of pain.

Aggression↗