Depression and incident Alzheimer disease: the impact of disease severity.

Objectives: To test the hypothesis that clinically significant depression (particularly severe depression) increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods: A longitudinal, three-wave epidemiologic study was implemented in a sample of individuals aged 55 years and older (n = 4,803) followed up at 2.5 years and 4.

Usefulness of 2 questions about age and year of birth in the case-finding of dementia.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that the efficacy of 2 simple questions commonly used in clinical practice, asking the age and year of birth of individuals, will be satisfactory to rule out cases of dementia.

Design: Population-based, longitudinal, prospective study focused on the incidence of dementia. In the baseline, a 2-phase procedure for identifying cases and noncases of dementia was implemented.

The teaching of liaison psychiatry.

Objective: To document performance and satisfaction of medical students in a short course on liaison psychiatry.

Methods: The emphasis in this optional course is placed on the discussion of clinical cases, bed-side clinical teaching, and a research-oriented part. The "Innovative Teaching Plan" (ITP) is intended to train student-leaders to guide small groups (SG) of students.

[Background and findings of neuroimaging in schizophrenia: an update].

Introduction: Neuroimaging of psychiatric disorders, especially on schizophrenia, has been increased in the last decade. Different brain imaging techniques have become a useful tool to discover the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.

Aims: To describe scientific and historical background of neuroimaging in psychiatry, and to describe the current structural, functional and neurochemical findings in schizophrenia using brain imaging techniques, and their potential disadvantages.

Diabetes and depression.

In a context of the potentially epidemic nature of both diabetes mellitus and depression, and the negative effects reported in cases of comorbidity, this review suggests that the association of the two conditions is multifaceted. Increased risks of prevalent depression and incident depression among diabetic patients have been reported in community studies. Even more consistent is the finding supporting psychosomatic hypotheses regarding the increased risk of diabetes among depressed patients.

Depressive disorder and incident diabetes mellitus: the effect of characteristics of depression.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that clinically significant depression detected in a population sample increases the risk of diabetes mellitus. The authors examined the effect of characteristics of depression frequently found in the community on the risk of incident diabetes mellitus.

Method: A large community sample of adults aged > or = 55 years (N=4,803) was assessed at baseline in a longitudinal three-wave epidemiological enquiry using a psychiatric interview and the Geriatric Mental State Schedule.

A new autopsy interview for the assessment of factors potentially related to death in depressed medical patients.

This study tests the reliability and validity of the Bio-Psycho-Social Autopsy (BPSA), a new interview to assess physical, psychopathological, and social factors potentially related to mortality in depressed medical patients. The authors completed special procedures to provide support for the face and content validity of the interview. They built the psychopathological and social sections on the Standardized Polyvalent Psychiatric Interview (SPPI) but gave self-neglect special emphasis.

Non-cognitive psychopathological symptoms associated with incident mild cognitive impairment and dementia, Alzheimer's type.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that specific psychopathological non-cognitive symptoms are associated with incident mild cognitive impairment (MCI), while different symptoms are associated with incident dementia of Alzheimer's type (DAT).

Methods: A representative community sample of 4,803 individuals aged 55+ years was interviewed in a two-phase screening, in Wave I or ZARADEMP I. This is the baseline, cross-sectional study of the ZARADEMP Project, a longitudinal study to document incidence and risk factors of dementia.

Somatic and psychiatric comorbidity in the general elderly population: results from the ZARADEMP Project.

Objective: In a representative sample of the elderly population in a southern European city, we tested the hypothesis that there is an association between general somatic and general psychiatric morbidity.

Methods: A stratified random sample of 4803 individuals aged > or =55 years was selected for the baseline study in the ZARADEMP Project. The elderly were assessed with standardized Spanish versions of instruments, including the Geriatric Mental State (GMS)-AGECAT.

Aggressive behavior in patients with stroke: association with psychopathology and results of antidepressant treatment on aggression.

Objective: To examine, in a post hoc analysis of an antidepressant treatment trial, correlates of irritability and aggression after stroke and changes in irritability scores associated with antidepressant treatment.

Design: Aggressive patients (n=23) were compared with nonaggressive patients (n=69) on numerous measures of psychopathology, poststroke impairment, and neuroimaging findings.

Setting: All patients were hospitalized at the time of the initial evaluation for acute stroke or for rehabilitation therapy.