Fengabine, a new GABAmimetic agent in the treatment of depressive disorders: an overview of six double-blind studies versus tricyclics.

Fengabine is a new GABAmimetic compound active in animal models predictive of antidepressant activity. The present overview reports the results of 6 double-blind trials versus tricyclics (TCAs) (3 in outpatients and 3 in inpatients). Overall, 398 adult patients (149 males and 249 females) were treated; 194 with fengabine and 204 with TCAs (98 clomipramine, 63 amitriptyline and 43 imipramine).

A comparative study of some properties of cytidine deaminase from Escherichia coli and chicken liver.

The molecular and kinetic properties of cytidine deaminase from E. coli and chicken liver show several interesting differences and similarities: 1. Both enzymes possess an oligomeric structure, and linear kinetics.

Longitudinal evaluation of psychological distress in medical geriatric in-patients.

A longitudinal evaluation of the degree and type of psychological distress was carried out in 50 geriatric medical in-patients, using the Symptom Distress Checklist. They were tested within three days of admission, after 12-15 days of hospital stay, and 20-30 days after discharge. The first two evaluations showed significantly higher distress than the third for almost all the subscales.

Personality factors in chronic gastric and duodenal ulcers: a controlled study.

The personality profiles, as evaluated with Cattell's 16 personality factors test (16 PF), were compared in 25 subjects with gastric ulcer, 25 with duodenal ulcer and 25 healthy controls. Subjects were matched for sex, age, education, geographical area of living and duration of illness (only for patients). The profiles of the gastric and duodenal ulcer patients were substantially similar and characterized by greater anxiety, dependence, introversion, low ego strength and greater adaptability as compared to the controls.

[Type A personality and risk of post-infarction coronary events].

The purpose of this study was to verify the prevalence of Coronary-prone Behaviour Pattern in a group of eighty-eight patients recovering from their first episode of myocardial infarction. These patients were followed for a period of 4 years to verify the eventual appearance of coronary events, after their first myocardial infarction, with high Coronary-prone Behaviour Pattern levels. The results showed that the number of subjects who died from recurrent myocardial infarction was nearly twice as high in type B, non coronary-prone subjects, as in type A subjects.

An integrated approach to the assessment of family adjustment to acute lymphocytic leukemia in children.

This study evaluated psychological distress, social support and adjustment to the disease of 69 parents of 35 children suffering from acute lymphocytic leukemia. The study dealt with the initial phase of the disease. The following rating scales were used: the Symptom Distress Checklist-90, the Social Support Questionnaire and the Family Adjustment Scale.

Clinical correlates of ECT-resistant depression in the elderly.

Clinical findings in a group of 11 patients who failed to respond to at least one course of antidepressant (usually tricylic) treatment and at least seven bilateral electroconvulsive treatments (ECTs) were compared with the findings in a group of 19 patients with similar sociodemographic characteristics who were responsive to ECT. The major correlates of ECT nonresponse were onset of physical illness during the index episode, fewer life events preceding the onset of the index episode, and a higher frequency of preceding depressive episodes of longer duration in the nonresponder group.

Induction of meiotic chromosomal malsegregation in yeast.

A system to detect chromosome number abnormalities occurring during meiosis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is described. It is based on selection of spores carrying 2 multi-marked chromosomes V. Each step of the technical procedure is critically analyzed and the origin of some biases discussed.

Locus of control, life events and treatment outcome in alcohol dependent patients.

We investigated the relationship of locus of control and life events to outcome of treatment at 6 months in 67 patients with alcohol dependence. Outcome was less favourable in patients with pre-treatment scores indicating external locus of control than in those with internal locus of control. Furthermore, patients with relapse in the follow-up period experienced more independent life events with moderate to severe objective negative impact than those with more favourable outcome.

Psychological distress in geriatric and adult medical in-patients.

Psychological distress was evaluated in two groups of medical in-patients, one composed of geriatric subjects (178), the other of adults (201). The instrument used for this purpose was the SCL-90. The predominant pattern of emotional response among the geriatric patients was depression; although this pattern was also present among the adult patients, reactions of an anxious type were more common in these subjects.

Psychiatric disturbances associated with myasthenia gravis.

Seventy-four myasthenic patients (54 F, 20 M; mean age 49.6 years) were evaluated using the diagnostic criteria of the DSM-III in order to investigate the prevalence of psychiatric disturbances in this order. Fifty-one had had thymectomies, of whom 28 females had hyperplasia, two females and five males had involution of the thymus, and 10 females and six males had thymomata.

Relationship between psychosocial factors and serum level of pepsinogen group I and gastrinemia in the normal subject.

The relationship between some psychosocial factors and serum level of Pepsinogen Group I (PG-I) and gastrinemia have been evaluated in 163 normal subjects using correlation procedures. The psychosocial variables investigated included: age, sex, education, social class, smoking, drinking, anxiety (as measured by the State Trait Anxiety Inventory) and psychological distress (as measured by the Symptom Distress Check-List 90). The variables with the highest (positive) correlation with PG-I were smoking and age.

The course of depression in elderly outpatients.

Sixty-four elderly outpatients diagnosed according to the criteria of DSM-III as having affective disorders were submitted to follow-up study for 6-24 months (mean 15 months). Twenty patients (31%) were in good health throughout follow-up, fourty-four patients (69%) remained more or less chronically ill. The prognosis was better in patients diagnosed as having "adjustment disorder with depressed mood" and "dysthymic disorder"; when onset was late, and when there were no signs of organic brain C.

Recent observations on the structure and the properties of yeast NMN adenylyltransferase.

A homogeneous preparation of yeast NMN adenylyltransferase (EC 2.7.7.

Variations in anxiety levels during pregnancy and psychosocial factors in relation to obstetric complications.

Patterns of variation of state and trait anxiety during pregnancy and after delivery were studied prospectively in relation to some obstetrical and neonatal disturbances. Specific pregnancy anxiety, social support, and coping style were also evaluated. State anxiety in the 3rd month was significantly higher among women with obstetric complications and oscillated during the course of pregnancy, with significantly higher levels in the 3rd and 9th months.

[Identification and appreciation of the psychological distress in hospitalized elderly persons].

We evaluated psychological distress in a survey of 398 geriatric medical inpatients, using the Symptom Distress Check-List (SCL-90). Predominant patterns of emotional response are depression, somatization and sleep disorders. Women scored higher than men for psychological suffering on many of the SCL-90 subscales.

Results of dexamethasone suppression test in early Alzheimer dementia.

The frequency of an abnormal response to the Dexamethasone Suppression Test (DST) was examined in 24 non-depressed patients in the early stages of Alzheimer dementia. Results were compared with those obtained in 51 geriatric medical inpatients: 15 with major depression, 18 with dysthymic disorder and 18 normal controls. As an abnormal lack of suppression was found in 9 demented patients, in 9 with major depression, 1 with dysthymic disorder and in 2 the normal controls, it appears that DST alone is not useful in distinguishing dementia, even in its early stages, from major depression.

Personality patterns and duodenal ulcer relapse under antisecretory treatment.

The personality pattern of duodenal ulcer (DU) patients on maintenance treatment who relapsed (N = 22) was compared to a similar group who did not relapse (N = 57) using the Sixteen Personality Factors Questionnaire. Multivariate analysis of data indicated that a subgroup of DU patients with personality marked by dependent and anxiety traits was more prone to relapse of illness.

On the relationship between chronic pain and depression when there is no organic lesion.

Patients suffering from pain without evidence of either depression or organic lesions, or of any pathophysiological process to which the pain might be attributed, may be diagnosed as suffering from 'indeterminate pain.' The evidence in the literature which suggests that some of these cases might be due to a 'depressive equivalent' is examined. It is suggested that it is difficult, if not impossible, to formulate a diagnosis of depressive illness in patients who do not have clear symptoms of depression.