45 research outputs found
'I cannot even kiss you as I would like': frustrated communions in Anaïs Nin's 'Linotte'
No full text'I Cannot Even Kiss You As I Would Like': Frustrated Communions in Anaïs Nin's 'Linotte'.</p
'I cannot even kiss you as I would like': frustrated communions in Anaïs Nin's 'Linotte'
No full text'I Cannot Even Kiss You As I Would Like': Frustrated Communions in Anaïs Nin's 'Linotte'.</p
Identification of Linotte, a New Gene Affecting Learning and Memory in Drosophila-Melanogaster
No full textWe describe the identification of linotte, a new autosomal gene in Drosophila involved with learning and memory. The linotte' mutant was derived from a PlacW transposon mutagenesis and was screened for three-hour memory deficits after classical conditioning of an olfactory avoidance response. Sensory and motor systems (olfactory acuity and shock reactivity) required for the classical conditioning experiments were normal in mutant linotte1 flies-indicating that the mutation disrupts learning/memory specifically. A chromosomal deficiency of the 37D region, where the linotte1P insert was localized in situ, failed to complement linotte1's memory defect, and flies from two lines homozygous for independent PlacW excisions show normal memory-indicating that the P insertion is responsible for the mutant phenotype. Additional behavior-genetic data suggest that linotte gene is non-vital
Identification of clinical factors associated with resistance to antidepressants in bipolar depression: results from an European Multicentre Study
No full textDepression across mood disorders: review and analysis in a clinical sample.
No full textOBJECTIVES:
In this article we aimed to: (1) review literature concerning the clinical and psychopathologic characteristics of Bipolar (BP) depression; (2) analyze an independent sample of depressed patients to identify any demographic and/or clinical feature that may help in differentiating mood disorder subtypes, with special attention to potential markers of bipolarity.
METHODS:
A sample of 291 depressed subjects, including BP -I (n = 104), BP -II (n = 64), and unipolar (UP) subjects with (n = 53) and without (n = 70) BP family history (BPFH), was examined to evidence potential differences in clinical presentation and to validate literature-derived markers of bipolarity. Demographic and clinical variables and, also, single items from the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), and the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) were compared among groups.
RESULTS:
UP subjects had an older age at onset of mood symptoms. A higher number of major depressive episodes and a higher incidence of lifetime psychotic features were found in BP subjects. Items expressing depressed mood, depressive anhedonia, pessimistic thoughts, and neurovegetative symptoms of depression scored higher in UP, whereas depersonalization and paranoid symptoms' scores were higher in BP. When compared with UP, BP I had a significantly higher incidence of intradepressive hypomanic symptoms. Bipolar family history was found to be the strongest predictor of bipolarity in depression.
CONCLUSIONS:
Overall, our findings confirm most of the classical signs of bipolarity in depression and support the view that some features, such as BPFH, together with some specific symptoms may help in detecting depressed subjects at higher risk for BP disorder
Influence of family history of major depression, bipolar disorder, and suicide on clinical features in patients with major depression and bipolar disorder
No full textThe extent to which a family history of mood disorders and suicide could impact on clinical features of patients suffering from major depression (MD) and bipolar disorder (BD) has received relatively little attention so far. The aim of the present work is, therefore, to assess the clinical implications of the presence of at least one first- and/or second-degree relative with a history of MD, BD and suicide in a large sample of patients with MD or BD. One thousand one hundred and fifty-seven subjects with MD and 686 subjects with BD were recruited within the context of two large projects. The impact of a family history of MD, BD, and suicide-considered both separately and together-on clinical and socio-demographic variables was investigated. A family history of MD, BD, and suicide was more common in BD patients than in MD patients. A positive family history of mood disorders and/or suicide as well as a positive family history of MD and BD separately considered, but not a positive history of suicide alone, were significantly associated with a comorbidity with several anxiety disorders and inversely associated with age of onset. The clinical implications as well as the limitations of our findings are discussed.The extent to which a family history of mood disorders and suicide could impact on clinical features of patients suffering from major depression (MD) and bipolar disorder (BD) has received relatively little attention so far. The aim of the present work is, therefore, to assess the clinical implications of the presence of at least one first- and/or second-degree relative with a history of MD, BD and suicide in a large sample of patients with MD or BD. One thousand one hundred and fifty-seven subjects with MD and 686 subjects with BD were recruited within the context of two large projects. The impact of a family history of MD, BD, and suicide - considered both separately and together - on clinical and socio-demographic variables was investigated. A family history of MD, BD, and suicide was more common in BD patients than in MD patients. A positive family history of mood disorders and/or suicide as well as a positive family history of MD and BD separately considered, but not a positive history of suicide alone, were significantly associated with a comorbidity with several anxiety disorders and inversely associated with age of onset. The clinical implications as well as the limitations of our findings are discussed. © 2012 Springer-Verlag
The impact of COMT gene polymorphisms on suicidality in treatment resistant major depressive disorder--a European multicenter study.
No full textMany association studies have reported associations between the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene and psychiatric disorders including major depression (MDD). The COMT gene has further been associated with suicidal behaviour, as well as with treatment response, although with conflicting results. In the present study, we further elucidate the impact of COMT in treatment response in MDD patients with suicide risk and/or a personal history of suicide attempts. Two hundred fifty MDD patients were collected in the context of a European multicentre resistant depression study and treated with antidepressants at adequate doses for at least 4 weeks. Suicidality was assessed using Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D). Treatment response was defined as HAM-D ≤ 17 and remission as HAM-D ≤ 7 after 4 weeks of treatment with antidepressants at adequate dose. Genotyping was performed for seven SNPs (rs4680, rs2075507, rs737865, rs6269, rs4633, rs4818 and rs165599) within the COMT gene. With regard to suicide risk and personal history of suicide attempts, neither single marker nor haplotypic association was found with any SNP after multiple testing correction. In non-responders, we found significant single marker and haplotypic association with suicide risk, but not in responders. The same holds true for both remitters and non-remitters, and when testing for association with a personal history of suicide attempts and treatment response phenotypes. In conclusion, we found significant association of COMT SNPs with suicide risk in MDD patients not responding to antidepressant treatment. Larger well-defined cohorts will be required to dissect this further
Citalopram versus desipramine in treatment resistant depression: effect of continuation or switching strategies: a randomized open study.
No full textOBJECTIVES. Evidence in favour of switching between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and tricyclic (TCA) antidepressants in treatment resistant depression has been tested in a few studies only, consequently a prospective study was undertaken to evaluate the impact of switching strategies. METHODS. One hundred eighty-nine patients who failed to respond to a previous antidepressant were randomised to four arms: firstly they received citalopram or desipramine for a 4-week period; secondly, those who failed to respond were treated for a further 4-week period with the same antidepressant (citalopram-citalopram and desipramine-desipramine arms) or switched to the alternate one (citalopram-desipramine and desipramine-citalopram arms). RESULTS. There was no difference in the first 4-week phase between patients receiving citalopram versus desipramine in Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD), Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), and Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scores. In the second 4-week phase remitter rates were higher among non-switched patients (P = 0.04). Moreover, considering HRSD and MADRS, switched patients reported significantly higher scores (P ≤ 0.02 for both scales at each time-point). CONCLUSIONS. This study supports the thesis that switching from an SSRI to a TCA (and vice versa) in non-responders to a 4-week trial of an SSRI/TCA is not associated with improved response. The result goes in the opposite direction to that predicted by current guidelines
Switching antidepressant class does not improve response or remission in treatment-resistant depression.
No full textThe management of treatment-resistant depression is a much debated issue. In particular, the evidence supporting the commonly suggested sequential use of antidepressants from 2 different pharmacological classes is weak. This retrospective study was undertaken to investigate whether there is a better response in nonresponders switched to a different class of antidepressants (across-class) compared with nonresponders switched to an antidepressant from the same class (within-class).Comparative StudyJournal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tSCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe
