Biomedical subjects

John Hennen

Publications and source records attributed to John Hennen.

61 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMed2002

Shape differences in the corpus callosum in first-episode schizophrenia and first-episode psychotic affective disorder.

OBJECTIVE: The corpus callosum, the largest white matter tract in the brain, is a midline structure associated with the formation of the hippocampus, septum pellucidum, and cingulate cortex, which have been implicated in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Corpus callosum shape deformation, therefore, may reflect a midline neurodevelopmental abnormality. METHOD: Corpus callosum area and shape were analyzed in 14 first-episode psychotic patients with schizophrenia, 19 first-episode psychotic patients with affective disorder, and 18 normal comparison subjects. RESULTS: No statistically significant corpus callosum area differences between groups were found, but there were differences in the structure's shape between the patients with schizophrenia and the comparison subjects. A correlation between width and angle of the corpus callosum was found in patients with affective disorder. CONCLUSIONS: Corpus callosum shape abnormalities in first-episode psychotic patients with schizophrenia may reflect a midline neurodevelopmental abnormality.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Estrogen therapy and noncognitive psychiatric signs and symptoms in elderly patients with dementia.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the efficacy and safety of short-term estrogen therapy in decreasing noncognitive signs and symptoms of dementia in demented elderly patients. METHOD: Sixteen moderately to severely demented elderly patients with aggressive behavioral disturbances were randomly assigned to receive conjugated equine estrogens or placebo in a 4-week clinical trial. Frequency and severity of noncognitive signs and symptoms of dementia, as assessed with the Dementia Signs and Symptoms Scale, were compared between estrogen and placebo groups. Data were analyzed with intent-to-treat and regression modeling methods. RESULTS: Estrogen therapy was associated with a significantly greater improvement on the Dementia Signs and Symptoms Scale total score than placebo. All five Dementia Signs and Symptoms Scale subscale comparisons favored estrogen therapy. No adverse effects were observed. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary data suggest that short-term estrogen therapy may safely decrease the frequency and severity of noncognitive signs and symptoms of dementia in elderly patients.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2002

A DSM-IV Axis I comorbidity study of males (n = 120) with paraphilias and paraphilia-related disorders.

One hundred and twenty consecutively evaluated outpatient males with paraphilias (PAs; n = 88, including 60 sex offenders) and paraphilia-related disorders (PRDs; n = 32) were systematically assessed for certain developmental variables and DSM-IV-defined Axis I comorbidity. In comparison with the PRDs, the PA group was statistically significantly more likely to self-report a higher incidence of physical (but not sexual) abuse, fewer years of completed education, a higher prevalence of school-associated learning and behavioral problems, more psychiatric/substance abuse hospitalizations, and increased employment-related disability as well as more lifetime contact with the criminal justice system. In both groups, the most prevalent Axis I disorders were mood disorders (71.6%), especially early onset dysthymic disorder (55%) and major depression (39%). Anxiety disorders (38.3%), especially social phobia (21.6%), and psychoactive substance abuse (40.8%), especially alcohol abuse (30%), were reported as well. Cocaine abuse was statistically significantly associated with PA males (p = .03). There was a statistically significant correlation between the lifetime prevalence of Axis I nonsexual diagnoses and hypersexual diagnoses (PAs and PRDs). The prevalence of retrospectively diagnosed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was 35.8%, the third most prevalent Axis I disorder. ADHD (p = .01), especially ADHD-combined subtype (p = .009), was statistically significantly associated with PA status. ADHD was statistically significantly associated with conduct disorder, and both of these Axis I disorders were associated with the propensity for multiple PAs and a higher likelihood of incarceration. When the diagnosis of ADHD was controlled, the differences reported above between PAs and PRDs either became statistically nonsignificant or remained as only statistical trends. Thus, ADHD and its associated developmental sequellae and Axis I comorbidities was the single most common nonsexual Axis I diagnosis that statistically significantly distinguished males with socially deviant sexual arousal (PAs) from a nonparaphilic hypersexual comparison group (PRDs). Sex offender paraphiliacs were more likely to be diagnosed with conduct disorder, alcohol abuse, cocaine abuse, and generalized anxiety disorder. The prevalence of any ADHD in the sex offender paraphiliacs was 43.3%, and nearly 25% of offenders were diagnosed with ADHD-combined subtype.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Genetics of suicide: an overview.

Risk for suicide may have heritable contributions. Evidence supporting this hypothesis includes strong and consistent findings from more than 20 controlled family studies indicating nearly 5-fold greater relative risk of suicidal acts among relatives of index cases with suicidal behavior compared to relatives of nonsuicidal controls. Relative risk was greater for completed suicide than for attempts. Contributions of genetic instead of environmental factors are indicated by a higher average concordance for suicidal behavior among co-twins of suicidal identical twins compared to fraternal twins or to relatives of other suicidal subjects, in at least seven studies. Three studies indicate significantly greater suicidal risk, particularly for completed suicide, among biological versus adoptive relatives of suicidal or mentally ill persons adopted early in life. Molecular genetics studies have searched inconclusively for associations of suicidal behavior with genes mainly for proteins required for central serotonergic neurotransmission. Complex interactions of environmental with heritable risk and protective factors for suicide and psychiatric illnesses or vulnerability traits are suspected, but specific intervening mechanisms remain elusive. Familial or genetic risks for psychiatric factors strongly associated with suicide, such as major affective illnesses and alcohol abuse, as well as impulsive or aggressive traits, have not consistently been separated from suicidal risk itself.

Adoption↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Vasomotor symptoms are associated with depression in perimenopausal women seeking primary care.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the relationship between vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes and night sweats) and depression in perimenopausal women with that in postmenopausal and older premenopausal women. DESIGN: Questionnaire data assessing current depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale), hot flushes, night sweats, menopausal status, depression history, hormonal therapy use, and demographic characteristics were collected from women aged 40 to 60 years seeking primary care. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between vasomotor symptoms and depression. RESULTS: Depression (defined by a Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale score >/= 25) was observed in 14.9% of 141 perimenopausal women, 13.9% of 151 postmenopausal women, and 7.6% of 184 older premenopausal women. Recent vasomotor symptoms were reported by 53.9% of perimenopausal women, 43.7% of postmenopausal women, and 20.7% of older premenopausal women. Perimenopausal women with vasomotor symptoms were 4.39 times more likely to be depressed than those without vasomotor symptoms (95% CI, 1.40-13.83), an association that did not change after controlling for depression history. In contrast with perimenopausal women, postmenopausal and older premenopausal women with vasomotor symptoms did not have a significantly greater risk for depression than women of the same menopausal status without vasomotor symptoms (adjusted odds ratios, 1.28 and 1.77; 95% CI, 0.47-3.46 and 0.53-5.89, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Hot flushes and night sweats are associated with depression in perimenopausal women. Further investigation is warranted to elucidate the mechanism by which hot flushes may be associated with depression in perimenopausal women and not in postmenopausal or older premenopausal women.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Brain proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in Alzheimer disease: changes after treatment with xanomeline.

Patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer disease received transdermal xanomeline, an M1-selective cholinergic agonist, or placebo for 4 months. Clinical assessments and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging examinations were carried out at baseline, and after 8 and 16 weeks of treatment. There was a positive correlation between change from baseline in parietal lobe gray-matter cytosolic choline, expressed in terms of choline/creatine resonance ratios, and cognitive performance as measured with the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale Cognitive Subscale. Specifically, increased levels of cytosolic choline, a precursor pool for acetylcholine synthesis, were associated with greater progression in memory impairment during treatment.

Administration, Cutaneous↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Is lithium still worth using? An update of selected recent research.

The treatment of bipolar disorder has seen greater innovation in the past decade than at any other time since the introduction of lithium and the neuroleptics a half-century ago. The place of lithium in contemporary psychiatric therapeutics has become controversial, calling for the present overview of research findings pertaining to its use in treating patients with bipolar disorder. Lithium, by itself, typically is inadequate for rapid control of acute mania; antipsychotics, divalproex, or potent sedatives are commonly used, with or without lithium, for this purpose. The special usefulness of lithium lies in long-term prevention of recurrences of mania and bipolar depression and in reducing risk of suicidal behavior. Lithium also may be beneficial in recurrent unipolar depression and is an effective adjunct for treatment-resistant depression. Expectations that prolonged untreated bipolar illness, multiple episodes, rapid cycling, or retreatment following discontinuation might routinely lead to lithium nonresponsiveness, and the belief that lithium is too toxic for use during pregnancy, have not been borne out by research. Lithium retains a substantial share of prescriptions for bipolar disorder and is inexpensive. No other treatment has performed as well as lithium in as many aspects of long-term care of bipolar disorder patients, and despite some risks and limitations, lithium remains the standard against which all proposed alternatives are compared.

Antimanic Agents↗