The endorsement of dysfunctional attitudes is associated with an impaired retrieval of specific autobiographical memories in response to matching cues.

Two studies investigated a hypothesis of Dalgleish et al. (2003) that overgeneral memory may arise from matching between task cues and dysfunctional attitudes or schemas. In the first study, 111 euthymic patients with at least two previous major depressive episodes completed the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale: Form A (DAS-A) and the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT).

Mood is indirectly related to serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine levels in humans: a meta-analysis of monoamine depletion studies.

Dysfunction in the monoamine systems of serotonin (5-HT), norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) may causally be related to major depressive disorder (MDD). Monoamine depletion studies investigate the direct effects of monoamines on mood. Acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) or para-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) deplete 5-HT, acute phenylalanine/tyrosine depletion (APTD) or alpha-methyl-para-tyrosine (AMPT) deplete NE/DA.

Switching antidepressants after a first selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor in major depressive disorder: a systematic review.

Objective: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are frequently used as a first antidepressant for major depressive disorder but have response rates of 50% to 60% in daily practice. For patients with insufficient response to SSRIs, switching is often applied. This article aims to systematically review the evidence for switching pharmacotherapy after a first SSRI.

Predictive value of cognition for different domains of outcome in recent-onset schizophrenia.

The aim of this study was to see whether and how cognition predicts outcome in recent-onset schizophrenia in a large range of domains such as course of illness, self-care, interpersonal functioning, vocational functioning and need for care. At inclusion, 115 recent-onset patients were tested on a cognitive battery and 103 patients participated in the follow-up 2 years after inclusion. Differences in outcome between cognitively normal and cognitively impaired patients were also analysed.

Adherence therapy for people with schizophrenia. European multicentre randomised controlled trial.

Background: There is equivocal evidence of the effectiveness of adherence therapy in improving treatment adherence and clinical outcomes for people with schizophrenia.

Aims: To evaluate the effectiveness of adherence therapy in improving quality of life for people with schizophrenia.

Method: A 52-week, single-blind, multicentre randomised controlled trial of the effectiveness of adherence therapy.

Adjuvant occupational therapy for work-related major depression works: randomized trial including economic evaluation.

Background: Major depression has far-reaching consequences for work functioning and absenteeism. In most cases depression is treated by medication and clinical management. The addition of occupational therapy (OT) might improve outcome.

Adherence to medication and quality of life in people with schizophrenia: results of a European multicenter study.

Quality of life is often severely impaired in people with schizophrenia, and adherence to antipsychotic medication has been consistently found to be low in this population. Although there is a considerable amount of evidence on these two variables in schizophrenia research, there is only limited knowledge on how they relate to one another. The aim of this study is to develop a meaningful model of the relationship between quality of life and adherence that includes mediating variables.

Prediction of treatment response by HPA-axis and glucocorticoid receptor polymorphisms in major depression.

Objective: We investigated whether treatment response is predicted by hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis parameters, or by genetic polymorphisms in the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), that regulates its feedback.

Methods: Ninety-eight outpatients completed 8 weeks of paroxetine treatment. Treatment response was defined as a 50% decrease in Hamilton Rating Scale for depression (HRSD) ratings.

Persistence with polypharmacy and excessive dosing in patients with schizophrenia treated in four European countries.

The purpose of this study was to calculate the proportion of patients with schizophrenia receiving persistent antipsychotic polypharmacy and excessive dosing in four European countries; to test the hypothesis that excessive dosing and/or antipsychotic polypharmacy is associated with higher levels of psychopathology; and to establish whether use of second-generation antipsychotics is a protective or a risk factor for polypharmacy and excessive dosing. Participants with schizophrenia were recruited from patients under the care of psychiatric services serving geographical catchment areas in Croydon (UK), Verona (Italy), Amsterdam (Netherlands), and Leipzig (Germany). We defined patients persistently receiving high antipsychotic dose (i.

Dose escalation for insufficient response to standard-dose selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in major depressive disorder: systematic review.

Background: Although selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are frequently used for major depressive disorder, only 50-60% of patients respond to a standard dose. For non-responders, dose escalation is often applied.

Aim: To systematically review the evidence for dose escalation of SSRIs.

Medication adherence in schizophrenia: exploring patients', carers' and professionals' views.

One of the major clinical problems in the treatment of people with schizophrenia is suboptimal medication adherence. Most research focusing on determinants of nonadherence use quantitative research methods. These studies have some important limitations in exploring the decision-making process of patients concerning medication.

Autobiographical memory in the euthymic phase of recurrent depression.

The authors investigated autobiographical memory specificity in subjects who formerly had depression. In 122 euthymic patients with at least two previous major depressive episodes, memory specificity was significantly impaired compared to matched control participants but not related to residual symptoms and illness characteristics, was not differentially affected by cognitive therapy, and was also not predictive of relapse/recurrence during the 2-year follow-up. However, memory specificity was associated with age, education, and immediate and delayed memory recall.

Prediction of recurrence in recurrent depression and the influence of consecutive episodes on vulnerability for depression: a 2-year prospective study.

Objective: Depression is a recurring disease. Identifying risk factors for recurrence is essential. The purpose of this study was to identify factors predictive of recurrence and to examine whether previous depressive episodes influence vulnerability for subsequent depression in a sample of remitted recurrently depressed patients.

Differential predictors of response to preventive cognitive therapy in recurrent depression: a 2-year prospective study.

Background: Major depressive disorder is a recurrent disease. Brief cognitive therapy (CT), added to either regular care or medication, is helpful in preventing relapse/recurrence. Little is known which type of persons benefit from preventive CT, the so called 'aptitude treatment interaction' effect.

Thyrotropin, but not a polymorphism in type II deiodinase, predicts response to paroxetine in major depression.

Objective: The determinants of response to antidepressant treatment in major depression are unknown at present. The aim of the present study was to establish whether response is predicted by Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Thyroid (HPT) axis parameters or by a recently discovered polymorphism in the enzyme type II deiodinase (DII), which catalyzes the production of T3 in the brain.

Design: We analyzed prediction of response to paroxetine treatment by calculating response rates per tertile of HPT-axis parameters and per DII genotype.

Determinants of first- and second-generation antipsychotic drug use in clinically unstable patients with schizophrenia treated in four European countries.

The present study investigated the use of antipsychotics in a sample of clinically unstable patients with schizophrenia who were recruited in four European sites. The study aimed: (i) to test whether the length of previous antipsychotic exposure was associated with the choice of antipsychotic medication; (ii) to test whether the severity of illness was associated with the use of second-generation antipsychotic agents (SGAs) or with the concomitant use of both first-generation antipsychotics (FGAs) and SGAs; and (iii) to investigate differences between study sites. Participants were recruited from patients under the care of psychiatric services serving geographical catchment areas in Croydon (UK), Verona (Italy), Amsterdam (The Netherlands) and Leipzig (Germany).

Symptom dimensions of depression following myocardial infarction and their relationship with somatic health status and cardiovascular prognosis.

Objective: The reporting of depressive symptoms following myocardial infarction may be confounded by complaints originating from the myocardial infarction. Therefore, it is difficult to estimate the effects of post-myocardial infarction depression and its treatment on cardiovascular prognosis. The authors' goal was to study the relationship between depressive symptom dimensions following myocardial infarction and both somatic health status and prospective cardiovascular prognosis.

Glucocorticoids and relapse of major depression (dexamethasone/corticotropin-releasing hormone test in relation to relapse of major depression).

Background: Knowledge of pathogenic mechanisms and predictors of relapse in major depressive disorder is still limited. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis dysregulation is thought to be related to the development and course of depression.

Methods: We investigated whether dexamethasone/corticotropin-releasing hormone (DEX/CRH) test parameters were related to the occurrence of relapse in 45 outpatients with clinically remitted major depression.

Cognitive functioning and well-being in euthyroid patients on thyroxine replacement therapy for primary hypothyroidism.

Objective: Hypothyroidism is associated with neurocognitive impairment. Sparse data suggest that treatment of hypothyroidism, resulting in a return to euthyroidism, may be associated with only partial recovery of overall neurocognitive functioning. The aim of this study was to assess neurocognitive functioning and well-being in euthyroid patients with primary hypothyroidism on adequate thyroxine (T4) treatment.

Sex differences in the subjective tolerability of antipsychotic drugs.

In recent years, research efforts have been directed to better characterize the subjective experience of taking psychotropic drugs. This study investigated the sex difference in the subjective tolerability of antipsychotic drugs. Participants were recruited from patients under the care of psychiatric services serving geographical catchment areas in Croydon (UK), Verona (Italy), Amsterdam (Netherlands), and Leipzig (Germany).

Main determinants of Global Assessment of Functioning score in schizophrenia: a European multicenter study.

Background: The Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale is a measure widely used to assess the outcome of patients with schizophrenia. However, little is known about the importance of clinical and psychosocial variables in determining its final score. The aim of this paper is to identify which factors predict GAF scores of patients with schizophrenia and their variability in 5 different European settings.

Preventing relapse/recurrence in recurrent depression with cognitive therapy: a randomized controlled trial.

This article reports on the outcome of a randomized controlled trial of cognitive group therapy (CT) to prevent relapse/recurrence in a group of high-risk patients diagnosed with recurrent depression. Recurrently depressed patients (N = 187) currently in remission following various types of treatment were randomized to treatment as usual, including continuation of pharmacotherapy, or to treatment as usual augmented with brief CT. Relapse/recurrence to major depression was assessed over 2 years.

Polymorphisms in type 2 deiodinase are not associated with well-being, neurocognitive functioning, and preference for combined thyroxine/3,5,3'-triiodothyronine therapy.

Introduction: Some patients on levothyroxine replacement display significant impairment in psychological well-being, compared with sex- and age-matched controls. Levothyroxine-treated patients can be assumed to derive T3 exclusively from deiodination of T4, which, in the central nervous system, is regulated by type II deiodinase (DII).

Objective: We investigated whether two recently identified polymorphisms in the DII gene (DII-ORFa-Gly3Asp and DII-Thr92Ala) are determinants of well-being and neurocognitive functioning and associated with a preference for replacement with a combination of T3 and T4.

Relationship between left ventricular dysfunction and depression following myocardial infarction: data from the MIND-IT.

Aims: Depression in patients following myocardial infarction (MI) is associated with an increased risk of mortality, but this association may be confounded by cardiac disease severity. We explored the relationship between left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and depression in MI patients.

Methods And Results: In the Myocardial Infarction and Depression-Intervention Trial (MIND-IT), 1989 MI patients were assessed for depressive symptoms [Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) t = 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-MI].