Neuropsychological performance in melancholic, atypical and undifferentiated major depression during depressed and remitted states: a prospective longitudinal study.

Background: Considerable evidence has demonstrated that melancholic and atypical major depression have distinct biological correlates relative to undifferentiated major depression, but few studies have specifically delineated neuropsychological performance for them.

Method: In a six-week prospective longitudinal study, we simultaneously compared neuropsychological performance among melancholic depression (n=142), atypical depression (n=76), undifferentiated major depression (n=91), and healthy controls (n=200) during a major depressive episode and a clinically remitted state, respectively. We administered neuropsychological tests assessing processing speed, attention, shifting, planning, verbal fluency, visual spatial memory, and verbal working memory to all participants.

Attitudes towards people with mental illness among psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, involved family members and the general population in a large city in Guangzhou, China.

Purpose: Stigma towards people with mental illness is believed to be widespread in low and middle income countries.

Methods: This study assessed the attitudes towards people with mental illness among psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, involved family members of patients in a psychiatric facility and the general public using a standard 43-item survey (N = 535). Exploratory factor analysis identified four distinctive attitudes which were then compared using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) among the four groups, all with ties to the largest psychiatric facility in Guangzhou, China, adjusting for sociodemographic differences.

Neuropsychological performance of patients with soft bipolar spectrum disorders.

Objectives: There is much evidence that shows that a substantial number of individuals with DSM-IV-defined unipolar depression (UP) manifest hypomanic sub-syndrome and bipolar diathesis. Other definitions have conceptualized the term soft bipolar spectrum (SBP) for these individuals. Little is known about the cognitive profiles of individuals with SBP.

Effectiveness and safety of generic memantine hydrochloride manufactured in China in the treatment of moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease: a multicenter, double-blind randomized controlled trial.

Background: Memantine hydrochloride is a N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist that may be useful in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Aim: Compare the efficacy and safety of generic memantine hydrochloride produced in China to that of the imported proprietary version of the medication (Ebixa) in the treatment of moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods: In this multicenter, double-blind randomized controlled trial 229 patients with moderate to severe AD were randomly assigned to a 16-week trial of either the generic preparation or the proprietary preparation of memantine hydrochloride.

Health insurance in China: variation in co-payments and psychiatric hospital utilization.

Background: Economic reform in China 30 years ago virtually eliminated all public health insurance. In the last 10 years, diverse government insurance programs have been implemented, now covering 95% of the population, primarily for inpatient care. While the development of health care in China is an incomplete work in progress and highly variable, it is unclear whether the depth of insurance coverage affects the accessibility, length of stay (LOS) of inpatient mental health services or not.

High impulsivity as a risk factor for the development of internalizing disorders in detained juvenile offenders.

Background: Whilst impulsivity is most commonly linked to the development of internalizing disorders, high levels of impulsivity, anxiety, and depression have been found in detained juvenile offenders. We therefore sought to determine whether impulsivity is associated with the development of self-reported anxiety or depression in a sample of detained juvenile offenders.

Methods: 323 male juvenile offenders and 86 typically developing controls, aged 15-17 were assessed.

Association of affective temperaments measured by TEMPS-a with cognitive deficits in patients with bipolar disorder.

Background: Affective temperaments such as cyclothymia, which may be the fundamental substrates for bipolar disorder and bipolar II in particular, have been reported to be associated with abnormalities in the regions that are related to cognitive deficits in bipolar disorder. However, few studies have examined the effects of affective temperaments on neuropsychological performance in individuals with bipolar disorder.

Method: In a six-week prospective study, we administered Chinese version of TEMPS-A (Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, San Diego-Autoquestionnair) to 93 patients with bipolar I depression, 135 patients with bipolar II depression, and 101 healthy controls.

Anxiety, depression, impulsivity and substance misuse in violent and non-violent adolescent boys in detention in China.

The present investigation aims to identify the factors which differentiate violent from non-violent juvenile offenders, with a particular emphasis on the association between internalizing psychiatric morbidity (i.e. anxiety and depression), impulsivity, substance misuse, and violence.

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.

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning and dysfunctional attitude in depressed patients with and without childhood neglect.

Background: To date, the relationships between childhood neglect, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functioning and dysfunctional attitude in depressed patients are still obscure.

Methods: The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) was used to assess childhood emotional neglect and physical neglect. Twenty-eight depressed patients with childhood neglect and 30 depressed patients without childhood neglect from Guangzhou Psychiatric Hospital were compared with 29 age- and gender-matched control subjects without childhood neglect and 22 control subjects with childhood neglect.

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.

The influence of anhedonia on feedback negativity in major depressive disorder.

Anhedonia is associated with reward-processing deficits of the dopamine system, which may increase the risk of depression. Nevertheless, few previous studies have examined the influence of hedonic tone on event-related potential (ERP) measures of reward processing in major depressive disorder. A simple gambling task was used to elicit feedback negativity (FN), an ERP component elicited by feedback indicating gain versus loss, in 27 patients with major depression and 27 healthy participants.

Correlates of readmission risk and readmission days in a large psychiatric hospital in Guangzhou, China.

Introduction: For many patients with psychiatric disorders, the course of illness is characterized by frequent relapses, resulting to re-hospitalization and high costs. While the correlates of readmission have been extensively studied in developed countries, few studies have examined readmission in low- and middle-income countries where bed supply is limited.

Methods: Using administrative data from the Guangzhou Psychiatric Hospital (GPH), we used Cox regression models to evaluate the relationship among age, gender, index length of stay (LOS), and the number of previous admissions to post-discharge readmission risk.

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.

White-matter density abnormalities in depressive patients with and without childhood neglect: a voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis.

Childhood maltreatment (abuse or neglect) can result in changes to the brain structures and functions that underlie adult depression. Few studies have explored the impact of childhood maltreatment on white-matter microstructure, especially for childhood neglect. Nineteen depressive patients who experienced childhood neglect, 21 depressive patients who did not experience childhood neglect, and 20 healthy control subjects were compared in this study.

Psychometric properties of the Chinese (Mandarin) TEMPS-A: a population study of 985 non-clinical subjects in China.

Background: The TEMPS-A (Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego) is a 110-item auto-questionnaire (self-rated) which consists of five temperament scales: depressive, cyclothymic, hyperthymic, irritable and anxious temperaments. It has been translated into over 25 languages and validated in at least 12, with broad cross-cultural cogency. This is a first attempt to validate the TEMPS-A in a very large Chinese population speaking Mandarin.

Neuropsychological performance in bipolar I, bipolar II and unipolar depression patients: a longitudinal, naturalistic study.

Background: It has been suggested that cognitive deficits existed in mood disorders. Nevertheless, whether neuropsychological profiles differ three main subtypes of mood disorder (Bipolar I, Bipolar II and UP) remain understudied because most current studies include either mixed samples of bipolar I and bipolar II patients or mixed samples of different states of the illness. The main aim of the present study is to determine whether, or to some extent, specific cognitive domains could differentiate the main subtypes of mood disorders in the depressed and clinically remitted status.

Two polymorphisms of RCAN1 gene associated with Alzheimer's disease in the Chinese Han population.

Objective: Regulator of calcineurin 1 (RCAN1) gene is a regulator on the activity of calcineurin and was reported to be overexpressed in Alzheimer's disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate several polymorphisms of RCAN1, located in the probable promoter region of RCAN1-4 and around the exonic splicing enhancer motifs of RCAN1, in a cohort of Chinese late-onset Alzheimer's disease.

Methods: A pilot case-control study was conducted in 142 Alzheimer's disease patients and 99 nondemented controls from Chinese Han population.

Childhood sexual abuse and the risk for recurrent major depression in Chinese women.

Background: Studies in Western countries have repeatedly 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 China?

Method: Three levels of CSA (non-genital, genital, and intercourse) were assessed by self-report in two groups of Han Chinese women: 1970 clinically ascertained with recurrent MD and 2597 matched controls. Diagnostic and other risk factor information was assessed at personal interview.

Guangzhou psychiatric hospital: the oldest psychiatric hospital in china.

Guangzhou Psychiatric Hospital is the oldest hospital in China that specializes in psychiatry. Guangzhou Psychiatric Hospital plays a crucial role in mental healthcare in southern China. This article briefly discusses the general characteristics of Guangzhou Psychiatric Hospital.

GAB2 is not associated with late-onset Alzheimer's disease in Chinese Han.

It has recently been shown that GAB2 alleles modify the risk for late-onset Alzheimer disease (LOAD) in apolipoprotein E (ApoE)epsilon4 allele carriers in a genome-wide association study. Some studies subsequently in Caucasians population, though not all, have demonstrated that GAB2 polymorphisms might be associated with LOAD susceptibility. The aim of this study is to evaluate the reported polymorphisms (rs2373115 and rs1385600) and GAB2 haplotypes (rs2373115-rs1385600) for an interaction with the ApoEepsilon4 allele in a cohort of Chinese LOAD.