1,721,000 research outputs found
Antidepressants in healthy subjects: what are the psychotropic/psychological effects?
No full textA wide debate is ongoing regarding whether antidepressant effects should be considered a general property of these agents or whether they exclusively belong to the context of target symptoms. The aim of the present review is to summarize findings on antidepressant influences on healthy volunteers, focusing on changes in psychological and cognitive functions. Differences have been detected between acute and chronic treatments. Acute treatment has been found to lead to positive bias in emotion processing and facilitation in negative emotion recognition. Chronic treatments have been found to stabilise some changes induced by acute treatment, such as increased social behaviours. Regarding antidepressant modulation of affective symptomatology contrasting results have been reported suggesting that the link between action on cognitive processes and mood may be not direct. In fact, meta-analyzing data on mood and anxiety symptoms no difference was detected between subjects receiving placebo and SSRIs. However, meta-analyzing data on negative affects, a significant decrease was detected in subjects receiving SSRIs in comparison with subjects receiving placebo. In summary, antidepressants seem to exert a detectable influence also in healthy subjects
Mental imagery and bipolar disorders : Introducing scope for psychological treatment development?
No full textAffective temperaments and subthreshold symptoms spectrum in a clinical sample [Temperamenti affettivi e spettri di psicopatologia sottosoglia in un campione di popolazione clinica]
No full textObjective: Evaluation of subthreshold conditions and affective temperaments in a clinical sample; evaluation of relationship between temperament and subthreshold spectrum symptoms and comparison of the two related interviews TEMPS-I and MOODS-SR. Methods: Akiskal's Semi-structured Clinical Interview for Temperament (TEMPS-I) and the General 5-Spectrum Measure (GSM-V) has been distributed to a sample of 92 outpatients. Each patient then received the complete spectrum interview (MOODS-SR, PAS-SR, ABS-SR, OBS-SR, SHY-SR) corresponding to the domain of the GSM-V where more than 2/3rds of the items had been rated positively. Results: In our sample, 47 pazients out of 92 (51.08%) were rated positively for an affective temperament: 33 (35.9% of the whole sample) for depressive temperament, 8 (8.7%) for cyclothymic, 4 (4.3%) for hyperthymic and 2 (2.2%) for irritable. There was no significant relationship between temperament scores and diagnoses. Analysing the presence of subthreshold symptoms in the groups with an extreme affective temperament, 20 patients (45.5%) scored significantly on the mood spectrum, 5 (41.7%) scored significantly on the obsessive-compulsive spectrum, 4 (33.3%) scored significantly on the panic-agoraphobic spectrum and 7 (31.8%) scored significantly on the social-phobic spectrum (Table II). A Chi-Square analysis showed a positive correlation between extreme affective temperaments and mood spectrum scores (p = 0.031; OR = 5.174; CI = 1.051-31.07) (Table III), while no correlation was found between extreme affective temperaments and scores on the spectrum interviews related to anxiety disorders. Thus, the patient group with extreme affective temperaments had a greater chance of scoring positively also at the mood spectrum interview, compared to the group without an extreme affective temperament. However, the percentage of significant mood spectrum scores in the group positive for affective temperaments did not differ in a relevant fashion from the percentage of significant scores of subthreshold symptoms related to anxiety disorders. Conclusions: Conclusions emerging from this study should be viewed as preliminary due to the limited size of our sample. Albeit, a positive correlation was found between extreme affective temperaments and subthreshold mood spectrum features. Taking into account the different background approaches of the two questionnaires TEMPS-I and MOODS-SR, MOODS-SR could perhaps be considered as less specific but more complete as an instrument aimed at detecting clinically relevant different features of affective psychopathology. Our sample also shows how affective temperaments and subthreshold mood spectrum symptoms often coexist with full blown or subthreshold conditions other than affective disorders. This suggests that temperament questionnaires could be used for rapid screening seeking a specific risk of affective pathology, while interviews for subthreshold spectrum symptoms could be useful to examine and describe the specific and individual characteristics of each clinical case in a less subjective and more standardized way
Psychological therapy for anxiety in bipolar spectrum disorders: A systematic review.
No full textComorbid anxiety is common in bipolar spectrum disorders [BPSD], and is associated with poor outcomes. Its clinical relevance is highlighted by the "anxious distress specifier" in the revised criteria for Bipolar Disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5th Edition [DSM-5]. This article reviews evidence for the effectiveness of psychological therapy for anxiety in adults with BPSD (bipolar I, II, not otherwise specified, cyclothymia, and rapid cycling disorders). A systematic search yielded 22 treatment studies that included an anxiety-related outcome measure. Cognitive behavioural therapy [CBT] for BPSD incorporating an anxiety component reduces anxiety symptoms in cyclothymia, "refractory" and rapid cycling BPSD, whereas standard bipolar treatments have only a modest effect on anxiety. Preliminary evidence is promising for CBT for post-traumatic stress disorder and generalised anxiety disorder in BPSD. Psychoeducation alone does not appear to reduce anxiety, and data for mindfulness-based cognitive therapy [MBCT] appear equivocal. CBT during euthymic phases has the greatest weight of evidence. Where reported, psychological therapy appears acceptable and safe, but more systematic collection and reporting of safety and acceptability information is needed. Development of psychological models and treatment protocols for anxiety in BPSD may help improve outcomes
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Mental imagery in bipolar affective disorder versus unipolar depression: investigating cognitions at times of 'positive' mood.
No full textBACKGROUND: Compared to unipolar depression (UD), depressed mood in bipolar disorder (BD) has been associated with amplified negative mental imagery of the future ('flashforwards'). However, imagery characteristics during positive mood remain poorly explored. We hypothesise first, that unlike UD patients, the most significant positive images of BD patients will be 'flashforwards' (rather than past memories). Second, that BD patients will experience more frequent (and more 'powerful') positive imagery as compared to verbal thoughts and third, that behavioural activation scores will be predicted by imagery variables in the BD group. METHODS: BD (n=26) and UD (n=26) patients completed clinical and trait imagery measures followed by an Imagery Interview and a measure of behavioural activation. RESULTS: Compared to UD, BD patients reported more 'flashforwards' compared to past memories and rated their 'flashforwards' as more vivid, exciting and pleasurable. Only the BD group found positive imagery more 'powerful', (preoccupying, 'real' and compelling) as compared to verbal thoughts. Imagery-associated pleasure predicted levels of drive and reward responsiveness in the BD group. LIMITATIONS: A limitation in the study was the retrospective design. Moreover pathological and non-pathological periods of "positive" mood were not distinguished in the BD sample. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals BD patients experience positive 'flashforward' imagery in positive mood, with more intense qualities than UD patients. This could contribute to the amplification of emotional states and goal directed behaviour leading into mania, and differentiate BD from UD
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
‘Flash-forwards’ and suicidal ideation: A prospective investigation of mental imagery, entrapment and defeat in a cohort from the Hong Kong Mental Morbidity Survey
Full text linkAbstract‘Flash-forwards’ - mental images of suicide - have been reported in selected Caucasian samples. Perceptions of defeat and entrapment are considered to be associated with suicidal ideation. We aimed to investigate (1) the presence of suicidal flash-forwards in people with recent suicidal ideation versus those without such ideation in an Asian sample, and (2) associations between suicidal flash-forwards, and perceptions of entrapment accounting for suicidal ideation.Eighty two suicidal and 80 non-suicidal participants from the Hong Kong Mental Morbidity Survey completed questionnaires including suicidal ideation, presence of suicidal flash-forward images, defeat and entrapment, at baseline and seven weeks later.Suicidal ‘flash-forwards’ were present only in suicidal cases. People with recent suicidal ideation and suicidal flash-forwards had more severe suicidal ideation than those without flash-forwards. Compared to those without suicidal ideation, people with recent suicidal ideation reported higher entrapment and defeat levels. Resolution of suicidal ideation over time was associated with fewer suicidal flash-forwards and reduced entrapment perceptions. At baseline and seven weeks, suicidal ideation was predicted by an interaction between suicidal flash-forwards presence and perceptions of entrapment.Mental imagery of suicide appears to be associated with suicidal ideation, and may represent a novel target in suicidal risk assessment and prevention
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