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Biomedical subjects

R Harrington

Publications and source records attributed to R Harrington.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Psychiatric disorders in the relatives of depressed probands. II. Familial loading for comorbid non-depressive disorders based upon proband age of onset.

This study examined familial loading for non-depressive disorders in first-degree relatives (FDRs) of early-(< 20 years of age) and adult-onset (> or = 20 years of age) depressed probands. Our previous work, which demonstrated that FDRs of early-onset probands have higher rates of major depression as compared to FDRs of adult-onset probands, has not yet examined risk for non-depressive disorders in FDRs. In this paper, we focus on best-estimate diagnoses of anxiety disorders, alcoholism, and antisocial personality conducted on 639 first-degree relatives. The FDRs of early-onset probands had significantly higher rates of comorbid transmission of alcoholism and depression, and antisocial personality and depression, respectively. Significant co-transmission of anxiety disorders and depression was found in the FDRs of both early- and adult-onset probands. Future genetic studies of depression, especially early-onset depression, should hence broaden their definitions of phenotypes to include comorbid disorders when searching for the etiology of this complex disorder.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Alterations in talar morphology associated with adult flatfoot.

To gain a better understanding on the anatomy of the factors contributing to symptomatic flatfoot, we compared the shape of the talus in feet that were flat to that in control tali from feet with a normal arch. Computed tomographic (CT) scans were performed on 9 adult patients with 10 symptomatic flatfoot deformities. CT scans of 10 feet being evaluated for acute trauma not involving the talus were randomly selected as controls. Flatfoot tali tended to be of greater overall length than the control tali, and this difference was not statistically significant. Statistically significant differences were found when comparing ratios of talar length with talar width (P = 0.011), talar length with talar height (P = 0.001) (they were long relative to their height and width), and head length with head width (P = 0.001) for individual tali from the two groups. The tali from the flatfoot group were narrower in width and shorter in height when compared with overall length and had heads that were more elongated in the transverse plane than tali in feet with a normal appearance. CLINICAL CORRELATION: When performing surgical correction of a flatfoot in an adult, appearance of the foot rather than standard radiographic parameters should be used to judge the reduction. The altered shape of the bone may alter the standard radiographic parameters.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Staff looking after children in local authority residential units: the interface with child mental health professionals

Seventy-two members of staff working in children's residential units in a Local Authority were surveyed, to elicit their experiences and evaluations of working with child mental health professionals. Whilst the majority of staff held few or no formal educational qualifications, they emerged as an experienced group, with a level of confidence in their knowledge and skill base. Support was identified as coming predominantly from within units themselves; relatively few staff had direct contact with child psychiatrists or psychologists, although many children received a service. Staff in general felt that child mental health services were not helpful to them in terms of their work with young people. However, the majority of staff indicated a need for greater direct involvement across a range of child behavioural and emotional problems. The findings are discussed in terms of the changing population of "looked after" children and the recommendations of the Warner Report.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1996

Clinical validity of major depression-endogenous subtype in adolescent patients.

This paper explored the validity of the distinction between endogenous and nonendogenous forms of major depression in a clinical sample of adolescents, average age 13.6 years. The criteria used to establish this distinction were features of the disorder itself and the external criteria of demography, family history and psychosocial stressors. Endogenous subjects had a more severe form of depressive disorder than nonendogenous subjects. However, there were no significant differences between the depressed groups on any of the external criteria. The distinction between endogenous and nonendogenous major depression in early and mid-adolescence appears therefore to be quantitative rather than qualitative.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Pilot study of continuation cognitive-behavioral therapy for major depression in adolescent psychiatric patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether continuation of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT-C) could prevent relapse in adolescent psychiatric patients who had remitted from major depressive disorder (MDD). METHOD: Seventeen patients who continued to have CBT-C for 6 months after remission from MDD were compared with a historical control group of 12 cases who had no further treatment after remission. RESULTS: Only 1 of the 17 cases who continued with CBT-C dropped out. The cumulative relapse risk during CBT-C was significantly lower (0.2) than it had been in the historical control group (0.5). CONCLUSIONS: CBT-C warrants further investigation in a randomized, controlled trial.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy↗
PubMed1996

Controlled trial of a brief cognitive-behavioural intervention in adolescent patients with depressive disorders.

Fifty-three child and adolescent psychiatric patients with depressive disorders were randomly allocated to brief cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) or to a control treatment, relaxation training. Forty-eight patients completed the treatment phase of the trial, which comprised 5-8 treatment sessions. Post-treatment assessments showed a clear advantage of CBT over relaxation on measures of both depression and overall outcome. However, there were no significant differences between the treatments on comorbid anxiety and conduct symptoms. At follow-up, the differences between the groups were reduced, partly because of a high relapse rate in the DTP group and partly because subjects in the relaxation group continued to recover.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Correlates and short-term course of self-poisoning in adolescents.

BACKGROUND: The features of adolescents who had taken an overdose were assessed to determine the focus for a treatment trial. METHOD: Overdose cases were compared with psychiatric and community controls who had not taken an overdose in respect of mental disorders and family background. RESULTS: Overdose cases had high rates of major depression, but most of them recovered from depression within six weeks of the overdose. There was a specific association between taking an overdose and family dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: Family dysfunction could be a useful focus in a clinical trial of the aftercare of adolescents who have taken an overdose.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Human immunodeficiency virus 1-associated necrotizing cholangitis caused by infection with Septata intestinalis.

A 30-year-old man with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome developed human immunodeficiency virus 1-related cholangiopathy with atypical radiographic features showing extensive hepatobiliary involvement. Extended clinical evaluation, including endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, and the results of both ultrasonic- and computed tomographic-guided liver biopsies failed to provide a diagnosis. A laparoscopic needle biopsy of a single 3-cm, firm, tan lesion on the anterior surface of the liver showed severe necrotizing cholangitis. Special stains showed numerous microsporidial spores within the regions of granulomatous inflammation and prominent necrosis. Electron micrographic findings were characteristic of Septata intestinalis, a newly recognized microsporidial species that disseminates from the intestinal tract and is associated with invasive pathology.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1995

The Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Assessment (CAPA).

Great advances have been made during the last 20 years in the development of structured and semi-structured interviews for use with psychiatric patients. However, in the field of child and adolescent psychiatry there have been weaknesses in the specification and definition of both symptoms and the psychosocial impairments resulting from psychiatric disorder. Furthermore, most of the available interviews for use with children have been tied to a single diagnostic system (DSM-III, DSM-III-R, or ICD-9). This has meant that symptom coverage has been limited and nosological comparisons have been inhibited. The Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Assessment (CAPA) represents an attempt to remedy some of these shortcomings. This paper outlines the principles adopted in the CAPA to improve the standardization, reliability and meaningfulness of symptom and diagnostic ratings. The CAPA is an interviewer-based diagnostic interview with versions for use with children and their parents, focused on symptoms occurring during the preceding 3 month period, adapted for assessments in both clinical and epidemiological research.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

The Adult Personality Functioning Assessment (APFA): factors influencing agreement between subject and informant.

The Adult Personality Functioning Assessment (APFA) provides ratings of interpersonal and social role performance in six domains over substantial periods of time. Ratings based on subject and informant accounts using the APFA were compared. There was good agreement for estimates of levels of dysfunction, and moderate agreement for type of dysfunction. An anticipated under-reporting of difficulties by subjects was not found. The extent of personality dysfunction was predictive of whether a close informant was available; however, closeness of informant was not consistently associated with subject-informant agreement.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1995

What is the basis of sequence-directed curvature in DNAs containing A tracts?

A variety of solution and gel experiments show that DNAs containing tracts of 4-8 A's repeated in phase with the helix repeat are curved. Several independent analyses of these experiments argue that curvature resides in the A tracts themselves. In x-ray crystallographic studies of several DNAs containing A tracts, however, the A tracts are uncurved, leading to models in which curvature resides in the non-A tracts. This "curved general sequence model" has several problems, in our view. We review those, and we describe recent experiments that show that the dehydrating agents commonly used in x-ray crystallography markedly reduce curvature in gels and in solution, calling into question the ability of crystallography to determine the structural basis of DNA curvature. Finally, we discuss the critical role of hydration in curved DNAs and suggest new experiments that we hope could finally determine exactly which sequences are responsible for curvature.

Adenine↗
PubMed1995

Properties of the mood and feelings questionnaire in adolescent psychiatric outpatients: a research note.

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ) in 104 adolescent outpatients attending a psychiatric clinic. The clinic offers a special assessment and treatment service for young people with depressive disorders. In this sample the self-report version of the MFQ had acceptable reliability and was a satisfactory screen for major depressive disorder diagnosed by a standardised interview with the child. It was also a useful measure of clinical remission.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Behavioural aspects and psychiatric findings in Noonan's syndrome.

This study describes the behavioural phenotype and psychiatric symptoms of 21 children with Noonan's syndrome attending a paediatric genetics clinic. Data from the behavioural phenotypes questionnaire are presented that suggest that children with Noonan's syndrome tend to be clumsy, stubborn, irritable, have communication difficulties, and are 'faddy eaters'. Nearly 50% of the patients with Noonan's syndrome were psychiatric 'cases' as assessed by a standardised measure.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Case reports of autism with interstitial deletion of chromosome 17 (p11.2 p11.2) and monosomy of chromosome 5 (5pter-->5p15.3).

Two cases of autism and autosomal chromosome abnormalities are reported: a 14-year-old boy with interstitial deletion of chromosome 17 and a 19-year-old man with an unbalanced translocation of chromosome 5, resulting in monosomy for part of the short arm (5pter-->5p15.3). The possible implications for research into the aetiology of autism are discussed.

Adolescent↗