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Biomedical subjects

M Henriksson

Publications and source records attributed to M Henriksson.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Treatment of mental disorders in seven physicians committing suicide.

Through psychological autopsy seven cases of physician suicide were studied. All seven victims received a diagnosis of current mood disorder, two of them bipolar disorder. Five had suffered a disabling physical condition. None of the victims had had adequate treatment with antidepressant or mood-stabilizing drugs, nor had they been in psychotherapy. Current adequate treatment for depression seems to be as rare among physician victims as among suicides with major depressive disorders in the population.

Adult↗

Inadequate dosaging in general practice of tricyclic vs. other antidepressants for depression.

Several prescription database studies suggest major differences between antidepressants in the proportion of patients in general practice treated with doses likely to elicit a true drug response. However, in these studies it has been difficult to differentiate prescriptions for depression from those for other indications, or to distinguish lower starting doses from the final treatment doses. We investigated possible differences between types of antidepressant in the proportions of patients receiving adequate treatment doses for depression from the primary health care services of Helsinki. Doctors at 22 (71%) of the 31 health centres in Helsinki were surveyed with regard to their antidepressant prescriptions over a period of 2 working weeks. There were marked differences in dosaging adequacy between the various types of antidepressant prescribed for depression at final treatment doses. Overall, 71% of the prescriptions for the tricyclic antidepressants, but only 13% of those for the other antidepressants, mainly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, were for low doses that are generally considered to be ineffective (P<0.001). These findings endorse the emerging perception that, in general practice, tricyclic antidepressants are usually prescribed for depression in too low doses, and that a greater reliance on other antidepressants would probably improve the effectiveness of treatment in primary health care.

Adult↗

Differences between urban and rural suicides.

As part of a nation-wide psychological autopsy we examined the differences in DSM-III-R mental disorders, recent life events and other characteristics between urban (n = 143) and rural (n = 85) completed suicides in a random sample of 229 cases from the National Suicide Prevention Project in Finland for the period 1987-1988. Psychoactive substance use disorders (48% vs. 34%), cluster B personality disorders (24% vs. 9%) and psychiatric comorbidity (66% vs. 42%) were found more commonly among urban than rural suicides. Urban suicides were also more often reported to be preceded by a recent separation (25% vs. 8%), whereas rural suicide victims tended to have lacked a close companion of the opposite sex (36% vs. 18%) and to have had physical disorders (56% vs. 40%). Overall, urban and rural suicides may vary with regard to the prevalence of some mental disorders, their comorbidity, and physical disorders, as well as the preceding life situation. This variation may also imply the need for differences in strategies for suicide prevention in each setting.

Adolescent↗

Hopelessness, impulsiveness and intent among suicide attempters with major depression, alcohol dependence, or both.

The present study examined differences in hopelessness, impulsiveness and suicide intent between suicide attempters with either major depression or alcohol dependence, comorbid major depression and alcohol dependence, and those without these disorders. A sample of 114 patients from consecutive cases of attempted suicide referred to a general hospital in Helsinki was interviewed and diagnosed according to DSM-III-R. Suicide intent was measured by the Beck Suicide Intent Scale (SIS) and hopelessness was assessed by the Beck Hopelessness Scale (HS). Impulsiveness of the suicide attempt was measured by two items of the SIS. Suicide attempters with major depression without comorbid alcohol dependence had higher suicide intent and lower impulsiveness than attempters with non-depressive alcohol dependence. Suicide attempts may differ between subjects with major depression, alcoholism or both disorders in terms of impulsiveness and suicide intent.

Adolescent↗

Suicide among military conscripts in Finland: a psychological autopsy study.

This study describes suicides during compulsory military service and compares them with other young male suicides as part of a nationwide psychological autopsy study of all suicides in Finland during a single year. The victims' relatives and attending health care personnel were interviewed, and data from records were collected. Five of the seven conscript suicides had a depressive syndrome, often of short duration. Two victims previously had suicidal thoughts or attempted suicide. The most common suicide method was with firearms. Compared with other young male suicides, physical illness in conjunction with a psychiatric diagnosis was less common in the conscript victims. Civilian male suicides tended to have more substance abuse and more severe psychological impairment. They also committed suicide under the influence of alcohol more often than conscripts. Interpersonal separation was more often the precipitating event of the suicide among the conscripts than among the other suicides. Conscripts should be encouraged to utilize health and social services when they have psychosocial problems or even minor psychiatric symptoms.

Adolescent↗

Suicide in non-major depressions.

We compared depressive suicides who had unipolar depression not fulfilling the diagnostic criteria of major depression (non-major depressions) with suicides who had major depression. A random sample of 229 suicides representing all suicides in Finland within a 12-month period were comprehensively examined using the psychological autopsy method and diagnosed according to DSM-III-R criteria. We included in this study all cases of current depressive disorder not otherwise specified (n = 48), adjustment disorder with depressed mood (n = 6) and dysthymia (n = 4). These 58 cases of suicide in non-major depressions were compared with the suicides with unipolar major depression (n = 71) in the same random sample. The non-major depressive victims were younger, and comprised more males, more cases with psychoactive substance use disorders, more secondary depressives, and more cases not having contact with health care, or cases not having communicated suicidal intent despite such contact. Recent life events were also reported more common among those with non-major depressions, particularly during the final week. The findings suggest that suicides in major depression and in unipolar depressions not fulfilling the criteria for major depression are likely to differ in several clinically relevant characteristics besides depressive symptomatology.

Adult↗

Religiosity and suicide: findings from a nationwide psychological autopsy study.

Using data from a nationwide psychological autopsy study of all suicides in Finland occurring over a 1-year period, the authors investigated religiosity and its types among suicide victims. Overt active religiosity was identified in 245 (18%) of the victims. A history of psychiatric inpatient treatment and psychotic and depressive disorders diagnosed in psychiatric care were more common among the religious victims than among the nonreligious. The burden of major mental disorders seems to have been heavier among religious than nonreligious victims. The type of religiosity of victims was qualitatively characterized into four categories: (1) help-seeking from a religious congregation, (2) conflict with a religious congregation, (3) private religiosity, and (4) abandoned religiosity. Further research needs to address the psychological contents and psychiatric implications of different types of religiosity among suicidal individuals.

Adolescent↗

Four novel mutations in the ferrochelatase gene among erythropoietic protoporphyria patients.

A novel mutation was identified by direct sequencing of genomic polymerase chain reaction products in each of four Finnish erythropoietic protoporphyria families. All four mutations, including two deletions (751delGAGAA and the first de novo mutation, 1122delT) and two point mutations (286C-->T and 343C-->T), resulted in a dramatically decreased steady-state level of the allelic transcript, since none of the mutations could be demonstrated by direct sequencing of the amplified cDNAs synthesized from total RNA extracted from patients' lymphoblast cell lines. Because the assays of the ferrochelatase activity and erythrocyte protoporphyrin identify asymptomatic patients poorly, the DNA-based demonstration of a mutation is the only reliable way to screen individuals for the disease-associated mutation.

Base Sequence↗

Mental disorders and comorbidity in attempted suicide.

The present study examined the prevalence and comorbidity of mental disorders according to DSM-III-R among male and female suicide attempters. A systematic sample of 114 patients from consecutive cases of attempted suicide referred to a general hospital in Helsinki between 1 January and 31 July 1990 was interviewed. In 98% of the cases at least one Axis I diagnosis was made. Depressive syndromes were more common among females (85%) than males (64%), and alcohol dependence was more common among males (64%) than females (21%). A high proportion of suicide attempters (82%) suffered from comorbid mental disorders. Comorbidity appears to play an important role in parasuicide.

Adolescent↗

Depression after surgery for acoustic neuroma.

The purpose of this study was to establish the frequency and pattern of depressive disorders after surgery for acoustic neuroma, and to look for associations. Twenty seven patients with acoustic neuroma underwent thorough psychiatric assessment before surgery and at three and 12 months after surgery. Three patients had a depressive disorder in the preoperative assessment. Of the remaining 24 patients, nine (38%) had a depressive disorder at the three month check up. Deterioration of hearing was the only postoperative detriment associated with a depressive disorder (P = 0·024). All nine patients with a depressive disorder were women (P = 0·001), giving them a 69% incidence. None of the patients without preoperative depression required inpatient treatment for depressive disorder, but three patients out of nine still had a depressive disorder 12 months after surgery.

Adult↗

[Catatonia].

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Adult↗

Differential effects by Mad and Max on transformation by cellular and viral oncoproteins.

c-Myc is an essential component of the regulatory mechanisms controlling cell growth. Max is the obligatory partner of c-Myc for all its biological functions analysed to date. Recently two Max interacting proteins, Mad and Mxi1, have been identified. It has been suggested that these two proteins modulate c-Myc function, in the simplest model by competing with c-Myc for the interaction with Max. We have analysed different aspects of Mad function in comparison to Max. Native Mad/Max heterodimers bound specifically to a c-Myc/Max consensus DNA binding site. Furthermore Mad inhibited efficiently c-Myc, mutant p53, adenovirus E1a, or human papilloma virus type 16 transformation of rat embryo cells in cooperation with activated Ha-Ras. Myc transformed clones showed an increased cell cycle time and a reduced immortalization frequency after cotransfection with either mad or max. In contrast to Mad, Max did not inhibit E1a/Ha-Ras cotransformation but repressed c-Myc/Ha-Ras transformation efficiently. Mad delta N, an N-terminal deletion mutant of Mad, was as efficient in repressing c-Myc/Ha-Ras cotransformation as full length Mad but showed little inhibitory activity when assayed on E1a/Ha-Ras. Unlike wt Mad, Mad delta N had little effect on cell growth. Our data suggest that Mad affects cell growth at least in part by a c-Myc independent mechanism.

Animals↗

Recent life events and completed suicide in bipolar affective disorder. A comparison with major depressive suicides.

While recent psychosocial stress has been shown to be associated with the initiation of both first and subsequent illness episodes in bipolar affective disorder, its relationship to completed suicide in bipolar disorder is not known. As a part of a nationwide psychological autopsy study, two populations representing all suicides in Finland in DSM-III-R bipolar disorder or unipolar major depression were comprehensively examined and compared. Recent life events were retrospectively examined by interviewing next of kin using a 32-item Recent Life Change Questionnaire. Life event data was available on 25 bipolar and 56 unipolar cases. In about two-thirds of both bipolar (64%) and unipolar (66%) victims, at least one life event was reported to have occurred during the last 3 months and in 42% of both groups during the final week. The events of bipolar victims were more commonly classified as possibly dependent on their own behaviour (bipolars 88% vs. unipolars 63%, P = 0.004). Among bipolars, more males than females had had recent life events (males 86% vs. females 37%, P = 0.03). The majority of completed suicides in both bipolar and unipolar affective disorders seem to be associated with recent psychosocial stress; however, the stressors are commonly likely to be dependent on the victim's behaviour.

Adult↗

The amino-terminal phosphorylation sites of C-MYC are frequently mutated in Burkitt's lymphoma lines but not in mouse plasmacytomas and rat immunocytomas.

We sequenced the region encoding the amino-terminal phosphorylation sites of C-MYC in the Ig/MYC translocation-carrying Burkitt lymphomas (BL), mouse plasmacytomas (MPC) and rat immunocytomas (RIC). Mutations affecting the Thr-58 codon or the immediate flanking region were found in seven of the 10 in vitro propagated BL lines. No mutations were found in any of the eight BL biopsies analysed. Germ-line sequences were also found in six in vivo and five in vitro passaged MPCs and in four in vivo transplanted RICs. These findings indicate that mutations in this region do not represent a general phenomena in Ig/MYC translocation-carrying tumours, but may confer growth advantage on BL cells under continuous in vitro propagation.

Animals↗