Biomedical subjects

M A Cummings

Publications and source records attributed to M A Cummings.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

Thyroid stimulating hormone and prolactin responses to thyrotropin releasing hormone in nondepressed alcoholic inpatients.

Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and prolactin (PRL) responses to thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation are sometimes blunted in alcoholic subjects; however, the mechanisms involved in these phenomena have not been established. We hypothesized that elevations in free thyroid concentrations might be related to these abnormal responses and then tested that hypothesis in a sample of nondepressed alcoholic inpatients (n = 21). Four alcoholic patients had delta max TSH responses that were < 7 mIU/l; three had PRL responses at or below 8 micrograms/l. Baseline TSH was the only significant predictor of peak TSH; however, free thyroxine (FT4) and baseline TSH both were significant predictors of peak PRL. The average baseline FT4 concentration in alcoholic patients was significantly higher than that in healthy control subjects (n = 10). Our data, thus, suggest that small elevations of FT4 play a role in the inhibition of TSH and PRL responses to TRH among nondepressed, abstinent alcoholic patients.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Multidimensionality and state dependency of alexithymia in recently sober alcoholics.

In this study, we a) examined the appropriateness of using a single global score to represent alexithymia and b) constructed a model to examine the relationship between alexithymia and depression in recently sober alcoholics applying for inpatient care. To measure alexithymia, we used the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS); to measure depression, we used the revised Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Factor analyses identified three alexithymia factors (Feelings, Daydreaming, and External Thinking) and two depression factors (Somatic-Performance and Cognitive-Affective). The three TAS factors were not positively related to each other; the two BDI factors were. We used LISREL software to examine the relationships between the TAS factors and the BDI factors. The only two significant unidirectional coefficients were between the TAS-Feelings factor and the two BDI factors. Our results suggest that in recently sober alcoholics, alexithymia, as measured by the TAS, consists of three independent, unrelated dimensions. Moreover, only the dimension associated with an inability to identify feelings and to distinguish them from bodily sensations is related to depressive symptoms. To determine whether this alexithymia feelings dimension actually is dependent on situational depression and/or anxiety will require confirmation in additional samples, such as primary alexithymics and patients with major depressive disorders.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

Light suppression of melatonin in unipolar depressed patients.

The effects of nocturnal light (500 lux) exposure on plasma melatonin were studied in seven men suffering from unipolar depression and in seven healthy men. Both groups showed significant declines in plasma melatonin concentrations during 1 hour's light exposure. Differential group declines were not detected.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

The relationship between alexithymia and depressive symptoms in a sample of newly abstinent alcoholic inpatients.

The purpose of this investigation was to measure alexithymia in 90 newly abstinent alcoholism treatment candidates and to examine the relationship between alexithymia and depressive symptoms. Subjects completed the Schalling-Sifneos Personality Scale (SSPS) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) at the time of application for care. The correlation between subjects' SSPS scores and their BDI scores was statistically significant (r = -0.398; p less than 0.001). Study participants with high BDI scores tended to be 'more alexithymic' than were those with low BDI scores. The authors conclude that alexithymia may serve as a defensive operation for alcoholic patients denying painful affect.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

Validation of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale with substance abusers.

The purposes of this paper were to complete factor and item analyses of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) in a sample of mixed substance abusers and to examine the correlations between patients' TAS scores and other variables. Results indicate that the TAS is a reliable, valid measure of alexithymia for substance abusers. The factor structure we found is congruent with the theoretical construct and is similar to those published in the normative studies; coefficient alpha reliability was 0.68. Additionally, a high percentage of the subjects (50.4%) scored in the alexithymic range while 24% had scores in the nonalexithymic range. Patients' TAS scores were positively associated with Beck Depression Inventory scores, with a reported paternal history of alcoholism, and with attempted suicide; TAS scores were negatively associated with being Black.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

Alexithymia: subscales and relationship to depression.

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) scores and derived subscale scores changed in a sample of newly abstinent alcoholic inpatients. Subjects completed the TAS and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) on the date of their application for care (Time 1) and at the end of their 3rd week in treatment (Time 2). Patients' mean BDI scores dropped significantly from Time 1 to Time 2; however, the expected concomitant drop in mean TAS scores did not occur. TAS subscales analysis suggests that the subscale associated with the ability to identify one's feelings and to distinguish them from bodily sensations may capture the alexithymia construct better by itself than when combined with the second 2 subscales, daydreaming and external thinking, to create the total TAS score.

Adult↗

PubMed1988