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Biomedical subjects

P Boyer

Publications and source records attributed to P Boyer.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Anhedonia and alexithymia: distinct or overlapping constructs.

The aim was to examine the relationship between alexithymia, anhedonia, and capacity for displeasure in a group of 133 healthy subjects using principal components analysis. A correlation matrix comprised of items from both the Communication and Identification scale of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale and the Physical Pleasure-Displeasure Scale yielded a four-factor solution (one Communication-Identification, two Pleasure, and one Displeasure factor) with no overlap of the significant factor loadings for the items from each scale. Moreover, there were no positive significant correlations between the Communication and Identification Scales and the Physical Anhedonia Scale. Our findings support the view that physical anhedonia is a construct distinct and separate from alexithymia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Idiopathic genital ulcers in women infected with human immunodeficiency virus.

A national survey of investigators caring for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected women was undertaken to describe the clinical presentation of idiopathic genital ulcer disease. Patients with negative syphilis and herpes simplex testing and/or negative genital ulcer biopsy were included in this study. Study participants (n = 29) were generally severely immunocompromised (median CD4 cell count was 50/mm3, and 68% had an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome [AIDS]-defining opportunistic process). Thirty-seven percent had coexistent oral ulcers and 19% had their genital ulcer progress to fistula formation (four rectovaginal and one vaginal-perineal). There was generally a favorable response to topical, systemic, and intralesional steroid treatment. This study suggests that idiopathic or probable aphthous genital ulcers in women have similar clinical characteristics to aphthous oroesophageal ulcers. Although infrequent, these genital ulcers can cause severe morbidity. Further research is warranted to better define the pathophysiology and optimal management.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Presence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 and HIV-1-specific antibodies in cervicovaginal secretions of infected mothers and in the gastric aspirates of their infants.

The presence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in cervicovaginal secretions (CVS) may be a risk factor for perinatal transmission. CVS of 25 women were evaluated for HIV and HIV mucosal antibodies; 16 infants had gastric aspirates cultured. Maternal plasma HIV was measured by quantitative RNA polymerase chain reaction. Seven women (28%), 4 of 19 pregnant and 3 of 7 nonpregnant, had HIV in CVS. Two of 4 HIV-infected neonates had positive gastric aspirate cultures. The 4 pregnant women with HIV in CVS did not transmit infection. HIV-specific secretory IgA was present in CVS of 10 (42%) of 24 women (in 3 cases concurrent with virus). Plasma HIV RNA levels at delivery were higher among transmitters (mean, 68,921 copies/mL) than nontransmitters (mean, 9457 copies/mL). Intermittent HIV shedding in CVS occurred despite mucosal antibodies and did not necessarily correlate with maternal plasma HIV RNA copy number. The presence of HIV in newborn gastric aspirates may be a risk factor for perinatal infection.

Cervix Uteri↗
PubMed1996

Social phobia in primary care: level of recognition and drug use.

A study was conducted in Paris among primary care physicians as part of a World Health Organization study entitled Psychological Problems in General Health Care. Though social phobia is associated with significant impairment and drug use, the level of problem recognition by general practitioners was low. Social phobia (n = 38) was identified as a psychological case in 53% of the patients in whom social phobia was not comorbid with depression, and in 66% when comorbid with depression. This low level of recognition was comparable to that observed for depression where only 66% of the depressed patients (n = 121) were recognized as psychological cases. Psychotropic drug use was high: 61% of patients with social phobia had taken at least one psychotropic drug in the last month, compared to only 32% of those without social phobia. This difference was explained by a significant difference in the use of anxiolytics (45.4 versus 12.1%). The use of psychotropic drugs was twice as frequent in patients with social phobia who were depressed than in those not depressed. The results of this study emphasize the crucial need for primary care physician training in the recognition and treatment of mental disorders.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Anhedonia, depression and the deficit syndrome of schizophrenia.

A total of 29 deficit schizophrenics were compared with 121 non-deficit schizophrenics using the Physical Anhedonia Scale (PAS) and the abridged form of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The results show that the deficit schizophrenics had a higher score on the PAS and lower score on the BDI than the non-deficit schizophrenics.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Social phobia in general health care: an unrecognised undertreated disabling disorder.

BACKGROUND: This study explored the prevalence of social phobia (SP) in general health care, sociodemographic characteristics of patients with SP, the age at onset and severity of SP, its comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders, and the recognition by general practitioners. METHOD: The study was conducted in Paris as part of the WHO study on Psychological Problems in General Health Care. Among 2096 consecutive primary care patients, 405 were interviewed using the CIDI. DSM-III-R diagnoses, severity and disability were assessed. RESULTS: The one-month prevalence of SP is high (4.9) in primary care, although underdiagnosed by GPs. It has an early onset and leads to substantial disability. Patients with SP are at risk of developing further depression, alcoholism or suicidal behaviour. CONCLUSION: SP appears to be a true and frequently severe pathological condition. The awareness of GPs and the general population should be improved.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

[Methodological constraints in evaluating anti-deficit effects].

Several types of limitations are inherent in the evaluation of changes in negative symptoms during clinical trials. Some of these limitations can be listed as follows: the need to select homogeneous study populations (use of a standardized diagnosis), identification of negative dimensions which feature deficitary forms of schizophrenia (qualitative criteria and threshold scores using negative symptom rating tables), strict control of variables which may induce secondary negative symptoms (treatments, other associated disorders particularly of a depressive type, lack of environmental stimulus), follow-up of stability of negative symptoms and, finally, an adequate time interval for evaluation in order to exclude spontaneous and non-specific fluctuations of symptomatology.

Antipsychotic Agents↗
PubMed1996

[Isolated left superior vena cava: value of intraoperative echocardiography for implantation of a cardiac pacemaker].

The authors report the case of a patient presenting with isolated left superior vena cava, for which intracardiac implantation of a cardiac pacemaker was facilitated by intraoperative transthoracic ultrasonographic detection of the course of the ventricular catheter. Transoesophageal ultrasonography confirmed the diagnosis and eliminated a possible associated malformation.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

[Poor responders followed for 3 years in an IVF program].

Our study consisted of a population of 100 women who represented an insufficient response to the induction of ovulation. We researched to find out which therapeutic approach, of the subsequent attempts to IVF would give greater hope to a better response. Two groups were individualized: in the first group (62 women) we obtained at least once, 3 oocytes (288 attempts), in the second group (38 women) we always obtained less than 3 oocytes. In the first group, in order to raise the pregnancy rate it was necessary to raise the rate of E2/oocyte. There fore raising the duration of stimulation and the quantity of ampullage of hMG. The long protocol, hMG, produced the best results. In the second group, the results were always worse it was more than a problem of protocol, it was a problem of the patients. In reality, the future of therapy for lower responsive patients is probably biological with hatching today and the possibilities with oocytary maturation in vitro in the near future.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Recurrent brief depression: clinical and epidemiological issues.

Initially based on empirical observations, the concept of RBD has led to operational diagnostic criteria allowing further studies in various and large populations. In line with the hypothesis of a continuum from normal sad mood to major depression, the spectrum of affective disorders is thus probably more in agreement with everyday clinical practice. Moreover, recurrent and so-called subthreshold conditions have been concurrently investigated in other fields of psychopathology. Nevertheless, many methodological problems and clinical implications of RBD still require further research. The question of a precise definition of the disorder, even if a consensus seems to be obtained about some key points, remains partially to be addressed, for example, concerning the problem of the reliability of assessment. The possibility of a seasonality of the episodes needs further investigations, as do the relationships between RBD and personality disorders such as borderline personality disorder. Finally, the important question of prophylactic treatment of RBD remains unsolved, as antidepressants have failed to demonstrate any efficacy and some neuroleptics have been proposed in particular conditions. Angst's prediction that clinical relevance, impairment, distress and public health impact of affective disorders could be related not only to the duration of an episode but also to the recurrence of episodes, possibly referring to a kindling model, has therefore been confirmed. His major contribution has been to underline, in various forms of affective disorders, the importance of conducting longitudinal clinical as well as epidemiologic studies to refine our psychopathological knowledge.

Comorbidity↗
PubMed1995

Treatment of negative symptoms in schizophrenia with amisulpride.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of low doses of certain neuroleptics in improving negative symptoms is still controversial. This study assessed the efficacy of amisulpride, a benzamide which increases dopaminergic transmission at low doses via presynaptic dopamine receptor blockade, on negative symptoms of schizophrenia. METHOD: The study was designed as a parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Patients had to fulfil DSM-III criteria for schizophrenia, Andreasen's criteria for negative schizophrenia, and to have a total score of at least 75 on the SANS; those treated with neuroleptics or antidepressants underwent a six-week placebo wash-out. One hundred and four in-patients were randomly assigned to amisulpride 100 mg/d, amisulpride 300 mg/d, or placebo for six weeks; 85 patients completed the study. RESULTS: Both amisulpride doses were significantly more effective than placebo on the primary evaluation criterion (SANS total score, MANOVA P < 0.02). No significant changes were found in positive symptoms or in extrapyramidal symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Negative symptoms can be improved by low doses of amisulpride, favouring the hypothesis of dopaminergic hypofunction as one of the causes of negative symptoms.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[Evaluation of the subjective component of emotions in normal subjects: relation between anhedonia and the capacity to perceive unpleasant feelings in a population of 221 normal subjects].

This work presents a study of 221 healthy subjects among whom we have assessed the capacity to feel pleasure or displeasure through two rating scales, the FCPCS-PP and the HDCS-PD. We have observed a significant correlation between the scores, which shows that the more pleasure the subject feels, the more displeasure he feels. These results seem to confirm the existence of an overall dimension of emotional experience.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

[Anhedonia and sensation seeking].

The relationship between anhedonia and sensation seeking has been studied in 56 normal subjects of both sexes (33 males, 23 females). Anhedonia and sensation seeking were respectively defined by two reliable rating scales: Physical Anhedonia Scale of Chapman (PAS), Zuckerman's Sensation Seeking Scale (SS form V -40 items). The results have shown a negative correlation between this scales for males but not for females. These finding suggest that lowered levels of sensation seeking could constitute for males, like anhedonia, a risk factor of schizophrenia.

Adolescent↗