1,721,539 research outputs found
Suicide with hostile intent in the Bible
No full textAccording to Freud, quite actually all suicides contemplate both a wish to die, as a realization of a non-elaborable pressure to self-destruction, and the intent to harm anyone the suicidal people think has caused the unbearable pain leading them to self-imposed death. For some categories of suicides, however, the hostile intent and the aim to harm and burden others seem the primary reason for the act to be put in motion.empirical survey. [troncato
New developments in the pharmacotherapy of cocaine abuse
No full textDespite huge advances in the neuroscience of substance abuse and dependence in the past 20 years, no approved pharmacological treatment exists for cocaine abuse. The available drugs for the treatment of cocaine abuse are poorly effective, hence the need for new compounds to be screened and tested for efficacy: targeting symptoms might improve the effectiveness of the treatment of cocaine abuse and dependence. On the basis of the known neurochemistry of cocaine, some target compounds have been studied: among others, BP-897, a D3 partial agonist; vanoxerine, a highly selective inhibitor of dopamine uptake; aripiprazole, a partial mixed-action agonist approved for the treatment of schizophrenia. Recently modafinil, approved for the treatment of narcolepsy, proved effective in favouring cocaine abstinence in cocaine-abusing people. Some placebo-controlled studies also reported the effectiveness of topiramate, a licensed antiepileptic drug, and of tiagabine, a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) re-uptake inhibitor also approved as an anticonvulsant; both compounds increased cocaine abstinence with no serious adverse events. Promising results came from two more compounds acting on the GABA circuits, baclofen and valproic acid. Finally disulfiram, prescribed with active psychosocial therapy, was found to favour higher retention rates and longer abstinence periods from both alcohol and cocaine in polydrug-abusing patients. An alternative approach rests on the use of vaccines, to date in the experimental stage still. Psychosocial treatments are a useful companion in the pharmacotherapy of cocaine abuse, with group therapy and contingency management therapies improving motivation and social functioning, particularly in patients abusing alcohol as well
Axokine (Regeneron)
No full textAxokine, a second-generation neurotrophic factor that is related to ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), is under development by Regeneron for the potential treatment of obesity and associated complications such as type 2 diabetes
The influence of climate on suicidal behaviour in Italy
No full textA growing number of studies report an asymmetry in the seasonal distribution of suicides, with a peak in the late spring months for both sexes. The aim of this study is to verify if the climate, apart from its seasonal change, exerts a direct influence on suicidal behaviour. To this end, deaths by suicide in 17 Italian towns which all have a meteorologic station have been analyzed, taking into account some climatic indicators. Results of analyses show an unequal distribution of suicides with respect to latitude, with a peak in the North. The distribution of deaths by suicide shows a negative relationship with mean yearly temperature values, max and min, and with sun exposure indicators, and a positive, but less significant relationship with rainfall values. As far as climatic variables considered as a whole are concerned, stepwise regression identifies three relevant factors with significant relationships to suicide rates: humidity grade, rainfall mean, and sunlight exposure. These three climatic indicators explain up to 63% (Adj R2) of the variance in the distribution of suicide rates for both genders, with sunlight exposure offering the most significant contribution, when regressed on suicide rates via a multiple regression model. Higher suicide rates, therefore, correspond to dry places which are less exposed to the sun. However, the variable which shows the most significant correlation with suicide rates for both sexes is not a climatic one, but the percentage of the population aged 65 and over. The distribution of people at greater biological risk for possible disruption of brain neurochemistry (i.e. older people), therefore, predicts the distribution of suicide rates. Climate contributes to this biological risk by modifying both the responsiveness of the circuits that control mood and behaviour, and also the frequency and intensity of social interaction
The influence of seasonal change on suicidal behaviour in Italy
No full textThe seasonal variance of suicides and attempted suicides in Italy from 1974 to 1994 has been studied to determine the extent and the nature of the seasonal influence on suicidal behaviour. The relationship between some climatic factors and suicide and attempted suicide rates has also been analyzed. A significant effect of seasonal change on suicidal behavior, with a clear peak in spring has been detected (ANOVA: df = 3/248, F = 5.875, p = 0.0007 for suicide; df = 3/248, F = 6.198, p = 0.0004 for attempted suicide), with a greater seasonal effect on males than females. The monthly distribution of suicide deaths and of attempted suicides follows a significant direct relationship with exposure to sun, and an inverse relationship with rainfall levels. So, one of the possible explanations for the effect of seasonal change on suicidal behaviour could be the changing seasonal climate. The complex influence of seasonal climate on human biological rhythms, particularly on 5-HT (serotonin) related functions, together with its effects on sociorelational habits, should be considered for suicide prevention
Risus sardonicus: assisted suicide or ritual violent euthanasia?
No full textA handful bunch of citations links a proverb about laughing at one’s own death with ancient Sardinian customs that are undeniably related to euthanasia. The proverb refers to the expression sardônios gélôs or risus sardonicus, and the quotations attempt to explain the paradox of laughing in front of death
Orexins (hypocretins): their role in appetite and arousal
No full textSerendipity and hypothesis-driven research both contributed to the discovery and characterization of two recently identified neuropeptides thought to be involved in the control of appetite and arousal. These two peptides, named hypocretin-1 and -2, or orexin-A and -B, originated from a common precursor, prepro-hypocretin or prepro-orexin, encoded by a gene localized to human chromosome 17q21. Orexin/hypocretin neuropetides are produced by a small set of neurons in the lateral hypothalamic and perifornical areas, classically involved in the control of feeding behavior, blood pressure and central regulation of immune function. Orexin-/hypocretin-containing neurons project widely to the CNS, and orexin receptors have been found in areas known to participate in the control of feeding, sleep, wakefulness, neuroendocrine homeostasis and autonomic regulation. Initially, a role in appetite control was suggested as the main action of the two hypothalamic neuropetides, as their site of synthesis and incretion, the lateral hypothalamus, is primarily involved in the control of food ingestion. Destruction of lateral hypothalamic areas results in underfeeding, and orexins were thought to be the substances mediating appetite-stimulating drives. Further studies indicate a more complex array of functions and effects. The orexin signaling pathway is now thought to participate in a complex cycle of energy homeostasis, including the control of food intake, waking time, motor activity, metabolic rate, heart rate and blood pressure
On killing by self-killing: Suicide with a hostile intent
No full textAccording to Freud all suicides contemplate both a wish to die, stimulated by a pressure to self-destruction that cannot be worked through, and the intent to harm anyone the suicidal person thinks has caused the unbearable pain that compels him/her to self-murder. However, classical literature and ethnographic sources provide evidence of three classes of suicide with a clearly declared hostile and aggressive intent: suicide for revenge, mainly diffused in the Greek area but reported in Oceania as well; the so-called "Samsonic" suicide, reported in the Middle East and frica; and suicide by "devotio", accomplished by Roman soldiers mainly. The dynamics of these forms of suicide might characterise other life-threatening behaviours, including the modern assault technique by suicide bombers, or the pathological self-destructive behaviour of the spree killers who take revenge by immolating themselves together with the largest number of victims they can, as in the Columbine incident. A more thorough investigation of the dynamics operating in the hitherto proposed class of "suicide with hostile intent" could help plan preventative strategies against violence at large. According to Freud all suicides contemplate both a wish to die, stimulated by a pressure to self-destruction that cannot be worked through, and the intent to harm anyone the suicidal person thinks has caused the unbearable pain that compels him/her to self-murder. However, classical literature and ethnographic sources provide evidence of three classes of suicide with a clearly declared hostile and aggressive intent: suicide for revenge, mainly diffused in the Greek area but reported in Oceania as well; the so-called "Samsonic" suicide, reported in the Middle East and Africa; and suicide by "devotio", accomplished by Roman soldiers mainly. The dynamics of these forms of suicide might characterise other life- threatening behaviours, including the modern assault technique by suicide bombers, or the pathological self-destructive behaviour of the spree killers who take revenge by immolating themselves together with the largest number of victims they can, as in the Columbine incident. A more thorough investigation of the dynamics operating in the hitherto proposed class of "suicide with hostile intent" could help plan preventative strategies against violence at large
CRF antagonists DuPont
No full textDuPont (formerly DuPont Merck), Neurocrine Biosciences and Cephalon are conducting a joint investigation into corticotropin releasingfactor (CRF) ligands. These compounds may have potential as antidepressants and anxiolytics. SV-030 and other analogs from the series are entering preclinical development [361291], [362064]
Suicide to harass others: clues from mythology to understanding suicide bombing attacks
No full textSuicide by revenge, the Samsonic suicide, and the suicide by devotio, all described in classical mythology and also reported in the ethnographic literature, belong to the same class of suicidal behaviors as kamikaze suicide and the suicide bombing attack: suicide to harass and burden others or suicide with a hostile intent. The lack of a social dimension to share in a positive manner may lead an individual to integrate him/herself in another social structure, e.g., a military organization, which allows the individual to express his/her desires and personal identity only by destroying others and themselves. The dynamics of these forms of suicide are also likely to work in other displays of life-threatening behavior, such as family annihilation, mass murder, and spree killing. A more thorough investigation of the dynamics operating in suicide bombing attacks could, therefore, contribute to preventative strategies against violence at large
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