The research investigated the effects of acute ACTH 1-17 administration on plasma cortisol, short-term memory, anxiety state, blood pressure and heart rate. In a double blind crossover design, healthy volunteers were serially evaluated at 5 min, 20 min, 40 min, 60 min after injection of ACTH 1-17 or placebo in separate sessions. Results show that ACTH 1-17 produced, in addition to an increase in plasma cortisol (5 min - 60 min), significant improvements in short-term memory (5 min), a reduction in anxiety (20 min and 40 min), and an increase in systolic (5 min and 20 min) and diastolic blood pressure (5 min). If confirmed by other studies, the short-term memory effect of ACTH 1-17 at 5 min after i.v. could suggest a central action of the peptide, and confirm the role of HPA axis as a modulator of performance and emotional arousal during acute environmental changes.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Development of obsessive-compulsive symptoms during clozapine treatment in schizophrenia and its positive response to clomipramine.

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Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Paroxetine in a case of psychogenic pruritus and neurotic excoriations.

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Aged↗

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Personality and psychopathology in patients with temporomandibular joint pain-dysfunction syndrome. A controlled investigation.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to deepen the understanding of the psychosomatic aspects of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain dysfunction syndrome. Patients affected by this syndrome were compared with both healthy subjects and psychiatric patients, using both self-report and physician-scored psychological measures. METHODS: Three sex- and age-matched groups were recruited: a TMJ group (n = 32), a healthy group (n = 22) and a psychiatric group (n = 22). The psychiatric group consisted of outpatients diagnosed as having a DSM-IV anxiety or depressive disorder of mild to moderate severity. Psychometric assessment included the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS). RESULTS: Psychiatric patients scored higher than both the comparison groups on all but one of the MMPI scales; the majority of the differences were significant or approached significance. TMJ patients scored higher than healthy controls on the Hs (hypochondriasis; p< or =0.01), Hy (hysteria; p< or =0.01) and D (depression; p< or =0.05) scales. Psychiatric patients scored higher than TMJ patients on the HARS psychic anxiety subscale (p< or =0.05), while TMJ patients scored higher than psychiatric patients on the somatic anxiety subscale (p< or = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Certain personality characteristics were associated with TMJ dysfunction. However, further longitudinal studies should be performed to properly assess causal relationships. Despite signs of neuroticism, anxiety and depression, patients with TMJ dysfunction differed from anxious and depressed patients. While the latter displayed a higher level of psychopathology, each group was characterised by a distinct pattern of anxiety symptoms. In addition, a substantial proportion of TMJ patients had little awareness of their inner states and emotions.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Stressful life events, social support, attachment security and alexithymia in vitiligo. A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: It has often been suggested that stress might trigger vitiligo. However, only one study supported this hypothesis, and no study explored the role of other personality or social factors. METHODS: Out-patients experiencing a recent onset or exacerbation of vitiligo (n = 31) were compared with out-patients with skin conditions in which psychosomatic factors are commonly were regarded as negligible (n = 116). Stressful events during the last 12 months were assessed with Paykel's Interview for Recent Life Events. Attachment style, alexithymia and social support were assessed with the 'Experiences in Close Relationships' questionnaire, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, respectively. RESULTS: Cases and controls did not differ regarding the total number of events and the number of undesirable, uncontrollable or major events. Three or more uncontrollable events had occurred more frequently among cases than controls. Perceived social support was lower in cases than in controls. Cases scored higher than controls on anxious attachment, tended towards higher scores on avoidant attachment and were classified more often as insecure. Cases scored higher than controls on the TAS-20 and were classified more often as alexithymic or borderline alexithymic. The occurrence of many uncontrollable events, alexithymia and anxious attachment were associated with vitiligo also in multiple logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that vulnerability to vitiligo is not increased by stressful events, except for many uncontrollable events. Alexithymia, insecure attachment and poor social support appear to increase susceptibility to vitiligo, possibly through deficits in emotion regulation or reduced ability to cope effectively with stress.

Adaptation, Psychological↗