Molecular signatures of major depression.

Adversity, particularly in early life, can cause illness. Clues to the responsible mechanisms may lie with the discovery of molecular signatures of stress, some of which include alterations to an individual's somatic genome. Here, using genome sequences from 11,670 women, we observed a highly significant association between a stress-related disease, major depression, and the amount of mtDNA (p = 9.

Smoking and major depressive disorder in Chinese women.

Objective: To investigate the risk factors that contribute to smoking in female patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and the clinical features in depressed smokers.

Methods: We examined the smoking status and clinical features in 6120 Han Chinese women with MDD (DSM-IV) between 30 and 60 years of age across China. Logistic regression was used to determine the association between clinical features of MDD and smoking status and between risk factors for MDD and smoking status.

Subtypes of major depression: latent class analysis in depressed Han Chinese women.

Background: Despite substantial research, uncertainty remains about the clinical and etiological heterogeneity of major depression (MD). Can meaningful and valid subtypes be identified and would they be stable cross-culturally?

Method: Symptoms at their lifetime worst depressive episode were assessed at structured psychiatric interview in 6008 women of Han Chinese descent, age ⩾ 30 years, with recurrent DSM-IV MD. Latent class analysis (LCA) was performed in Mplus.

A study on the association between infectious burden and Alzheimer's disease.

Background And Purpose: Previous studies suggested that the overall burden of prior infections contributes to cardiovascular diseases and stroke. In the present study, the association between infectious burden (IB) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) was examined.

Methods: Antibody titers to common infectious pathogens including cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), Borrelia burgdorferi, Chlamydophila pneumoniae and Helicobacter pylori were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 128 AD patients and 135 healthy controls.

The prevalence, clinical correlates and structure of phobic fears in Han Chinese women with recurrent major depression.

Background: Phobic fears are common in the general population and among individuals with major depression (MD). We know little about the prevalence, clinical correlates, and structure of phobic fears in Chinese women with MD.

Methods: We assessed 22 phobic fears in 6017 Han Chinese women with MD.

Age at onset of recurrent major depression in Han Chinese women - a replication study.

Background: The relationship between age at onset (AAO) and major depression (MD) has been studied in US, European and Chinese populations. However, larger sample studies are needed to replicate and extend earlier findings.

Methods: We re-examined the relationship between AAO and the clinical features of recurrent MD in Han Chinese women by analyzing the phase I (N=1848), phase II (N=4169) and total combined data (N=6017) from the CONVERGE project.

Associations of educational attainment, occupation, social class and major depressive disorder among Han Chinese women.

Background: The prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD) is higher in those with low levels of educational attainment, the unemployed and those with low social status. However the extent to which these factors cause MDD is unclear. Most of the available data comes from studies in developed countries, and these findings may not extrapolate to developing countries.

Childhood sexual abuse and the development of recurrent major depression in Chinese women.

Background: Our prior study in Han Chinese women has shown that women with a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) are at increased risk for developing major depression (MD). Would this relationship be found in our whole data set?

Method: Three levels of CSA (non-genital, genital, and intercourse) were assessed by self-report in two groups of Han Chinese women: 6017 clinically ascertained with recurrent MD and 5983 matched controls. Diagnostic and other risk factor information was assessed at personal interview.

Clinical features of patients with dysthymia in a large cohort of Han Chinese women with recurrent major depression.

Background: Dysthymia is a form of chronic mild depression that has a complex relationship with major depressive disorder (MDD). Here we investigate the role of environmental risk factors, including stressful life events and parenting style, in patients with both MDD and dysthymia. We ask whether these risk factors act in the same way in MDD with and without dysthymia.

Psychosocial Rehabilitation Training in the Treatment of Schizophrenia Outpatients: A Randomized, Psychosocial Rehabilitation training-and Monomedication-Controlled Study.

Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of psychosocial rehabilitation intervention on schizophrenia.

Methodology: One hundred forty schizophrenia outpatients in remission stage were randomized to either an antipsychotic monomedication (control group) or an antipsychotic monomedication plus a psychosocial rehabitation training (trial group). Positive and Negative syndrome Scale (PANSS), Disability Screening Schedule (SDSS) were performed longitudinally from baseline to month 18 to evaluate the efficacy.

The structure of the symptoms of major depression: exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis in depressed Han Chinese women.

Background: The symptoms of major depression (MD) are clinically diverse. Do they form coherent factors that might clarify the underlying nature of this important psychiatric syndrome?

Method: Symptoms at lifetime worst depressive episode were assessed at structured psychiatric interview in 6008 women of Han Chinese descent, age ⩾30 years with recurrent DSM-IV MD. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatoryfactor analysis (CFA) were performed in Mplus in random split-half samples.