Personality traits and recovery from major depressive disorder.

Objective: To study the correlation of personality traits measured by the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) with the prognosis of major depressive disorder in patients treated with either fluoxetine or short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy in a randomized comparative study.

Method: 35 patients with DSM IV-defined major depressive disorder of mild or moderate severity were randomized to receive either short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy or fluoxetine treatment for 16 weeks. Prior to beginning of the therapy, patients were assessed with TCI.

Health-related quality-of-life profiles in nonalexithymic and alexithymic subjects from general population.

Objective: Earlier studies have shown an association between alexithymia and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). There has been some controversy as to whether this is attributable solely to psycho-social domains of HRQoL or also to physical domains. Furthermore, there are no studies on HRQoL profiles in representative general population samples controlling for sociodemographic variables, mental health and somatic health.

[Update on current care guidelines. Depression, current care guideline].

The treatment of depression is based on careful diagnostic evaluation. In the acute phase of treatment, brief psychotherapies (cognitive, interpersonal, psychodynamic or problem-solving) are effective in cases of mild to moderate depression. Antidepressants are also effective, their importance increasing alongside the level of severity.

Does defense style or psychological mindedness predict treatement response in major depression?

Background: The aim of this study was to define the impact of defense style and psychological mindedness (PM) on the prognosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) in patients treated with either fluoxetine (FLX) or short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STPP) in a randomized comparative study.

Method: 50 patients with MDD received either STPP or FLX treatment for 16 weeks. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) was the outcome measure completed at baseline and in the follow-ups at 4- and 12-months.

Alexithymia and health-related quality of life in a general population.

Background: Alexithymia is thought to reflect a deficit in the cognitive processing of emotion, and, therefore, it may predispose individuals to both psychological and somatic symptoms.

Objective: The authors investigated the relationship between alexithymia and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a nationally representative population sample of 5,418 subjects, age 30 to 97 years.

Method: Alexithymia was measured with the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and HRQoL measured with the 15D, a generic HRQoL measure.

Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy and fluoxetine in major depressive disorder: a randomized comparative study.

Background: There are few studies comparing the efficacy of short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STPP) and pharmacotherapy in major depressive disorder. We conducted a comparative study on the efficacy of STPP versus fluoxetine treatment in patients with major depressive disorder in a primary care setting.

Methods: Fifty-one patients with major depressive disorder (DSM-IV) of mild or moderate severity were recruited through occupational health services providing primary health care.

Alexithymia and somatization in general population.

Objective: Even though the association between alexithymia and somatization seems plausible according to several studies with selected populations, it has not been verified in carefully controlled and nationally representative population studies. We conducted such a study to find out whether alexithymia is associated with somatization at population level.

Methods: This study was a part of the Finnish Health 2000 Study.

Striatal dopamine D2 receptors in medication-naive patients with major depressive disorder as assessed with [11C]raclopride PET.

Rationale: Among other monoamine neurotransmitters, dopamine is implicated in the pathophysiology of major depression. Experimental studies suggest the involvement of the mesolimbic dopamine system in the mechanism of action of antidepressant drugs. Previous in vivo imaging studies have studied striatal dopamine D2 receptor availability in depression but the results are equivocal thus far.

Decreased brain serotonin 5-HT1A receptor availability in medication-naive patients with major depressive disorder: an in-vivo imaging study using PET and [carbonyl-11C]WAY-100635.

Serotonin (5-HT) is involved in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). Among the numerous serotonergic receptors, the 5-HT1A receptor subtype is of interest because of its involvement in cognition, hippocampal neurogenesis, and mechanism of action of antidepressant drugs. Previous imaging studies have suggested altered availability of 5-HT1A receptors in MDD but prior antidepressant medication and chronicity of the illness may confound the interpretation.

Alexithymia and occupational burnout are strongly associated in working population.

Objective: The relationship between alexithymia and occupational burnout has not previously been studied. We investigated the association between alexithymia and occupational burnout in a representative nationwide population health study.

Methods: This study was a part of the Finnish Health 2000 Study.

Age is strongly associated with alexithymia in the general population.

Objective: We studied the prevalence of alexithymia, its distribution in different age groups in a wide age range, its association with sociodemographic and health-related variables, and its co-occurrence with depression.

Methods: The study forms part of the Health 2000 Study. The original sample comprised 8028 subjects representing the general adult population of Finland.

Occupational Functioning Scale (OFS)--an instrument for assessment of work ability in psychiatric disorders.

The aim was to present the content of the newly developed observer rating scale of work ability--The Occupational Functioning Scale (OFS)--and its basic psychometric properties. Psychiatric disorders cause functional impairment in several domains, including occupational functioning. The assessment of work-related functioning is often neglected in psychiatric research, partly due to a lack of reliable and valid instruments.

Anxiety and hostility are associated with reduced baroreflex sensitivity and increased beat-to-beat blood pressure variability.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether psychological factors are associated with heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure variability (BPV), and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) among healthy middle-aged men and women.

Methods: A population-based sample of 71 men and 79 women (35-64 years of age) was studied. Five-minute supine recordings of ECG and beat-to-beat photoplethysmographic finger systolic arterial pressure and diastolic arterial pressure were obtained during paced breathing.

Health-related quality of life among patients with major depression.

The study compared health-related quality of life in 165 patients with major depression and 165 randomly selected and with age- and gender-matched controls from a population sample. Health-related quality of life was measured with the self-report questionnaire (RAND-36), which consists of eight dimensions. Overall, perceived quality of life was broadly reduced among depressive outpatients, and as compared with the control group, significant impairment was observed for all eight dimensions of health-related quality of life.