Stress processes and depressive symptomatology.

75 community-residing married White couples (age ranges for husbands and wives were 26–54 yrs and 35–45 yrs, respectively) were interviewed once a month for 5 mo about the most stressful encounter they had experienced the previous week. Depressive symptomatology was assessed monthly with the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Ss high and low in depressive symptoms were compared on appraisal, coping, emotion, and encounter outcome. Compared with Ss low in depressive symptoms, those high in symptoms felt they had more at stake in stressful encounters; used more confrontative coping, self-control, and escape-avoidance, and accepted more responsibility; and responded with more disgust/anger and worry/fear. The overall pattern suggested that high-depressive Ss were more vulnerable and hostile than those who were low. However, high-depressive Ss were not negative in all facets of their appraisal and coping processes. (43 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Analysis of depressive symptomatology in mood disorders

BACKGROUND: At this time little information is available about the relationship between glaucomatous visual field defects and impaired blood flow in the optic nerve head. The purpose of this study was to examine blood flow of the juxtapapillary retina and the rim area of the optic nerve head in primary open-angle glaucoma with a borderline visual defect. METHODS: Juxtapapillary retinal and neuroretinal rim area blood flow was measured by scanning laser Doppler flowmetry (SLDF). The visual field was evaluated by static perimetry (Octopus-G1). The optic nerve head was assessed on 15 degrees color stereo photographs. We examined 116 eyes of 91 patients with POAG with controlled IOP and 66 eyes of 44 healthy individuals. The POAG group was divided into eyes with a mean defect lower than 2 dB (POAG group I) and in eyes with a mean defect equal to or greater than 2 dB (POAG group II). The mean age of POAG group I and POAG group II was 55 +/- 11 years and 57 +/- 10 years, respectively. The mean age of the control group was 45 +/- 15 years. The eyes of POAG group I had an average C/D ratio of 0.71 +/- 0.18 with an average mean defect of the visual field of 0.97 +/- 0.68 dB; the eyes of POAG group II had an average C/D ratio of 0.80 +/- 0.17 with an average mean defect of the visual field of 8.2 +/- 6.0 dB. The intraocular pressure on the day of measurement in POAG group I was 18.2 +/- 3.7 mmHg, in POAG group II 17.6 +/- 4.0 mmHg, and in the control group 15.1 +/- 2.5 mmHg. For statistical analysis, age-matched groups of 32 normal eyes of 32 subjects (mean age 52 +/- 10 years) were compared to 18 glaucomatous eyes of 18 patients (POAG group I, mean age 55 +/- 11 years) and 59 glaucomatous eyes of 59 patients (POAG group II, mean age 55 +/- 10 years). RESULTS: In the eyes of POAG group I and POAG group II, both juxtapapillary retinal blood flow and neuroretinal rim area blood flow were significantly decreased compared to an age-matched control group: neuroretinal rim area "flow" POAG group I -65%, POAG group II -66%; juxtapapillary retina "flow" POAG group I -52%, POAG group II -44%. All eyes of the POAG group I (MD < 2 dB) and 56 of 61 eyes of the POAG group II (MD > = 2 dB) showed a retinal perfusion lower than the 90% percentile of normal blood flow. We found no correlation between reduction of juxtapapillary or papillary blood flow and mean defect in POAG eyes. CONCLUSION: Glaucomatous eyes with no defects or borderline visual field defects as well as glaucomatous eyes in an advanced disease stage show significantly decreased optic nerve head and juxtapapillary retinal capillary blood flow.     

Cognitive bibliotherapy for mild and moderate adolescent depressive symptomatology

OBJECTIVE: To compare patterns of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) mortality in 11 selected industrialized countries with highly developed death registration systems and a broad range of cumulative AIDS incidence rates. METHODS: Data on HIV/AIDS mortality were obtained from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Statistics Canada for the years 1987-1991. We obtained data for Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, the former Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, and the US, stratified by sex and 5-year age groups. Population figures were obtained from national censal, post-censal or interpolated annual estimates compiled by WHO and from Statistics Canada. RESULTS: A total of 141534 deaths were attributed to HIV/AIDS (126224 in men and 15310 in women) in the 11 countries from 1987 to 1991. The majority of deaths (73.7%) occurred in the US. Other countries contributing substantially to the number of deaths were France (7.1%), Italy (4.9%), Spain (4.9%), former West Germany (3.5%), and Canada (3.0%). Age-specific death rates for men aged 25-44 years in 1991 were highest in the USA at 47.1 per 100000 population and highest for women in Switzerland at 7.7 per 100000 population. Potential years of life lost (PYLL) before age 75 years were highest for males in the US (2388 per 100000 population) and for females in Switzerland (373 per 100000 population). The lowest rates were in New Zealand (339 per 100000 population in men and 6.5 per 100000 population in women). CONCLUSIONS: This historical demographic analysis indicates that mortality resulting from HIV infection and AIDS among men and women varies considerable by country. Rates of death were highest in the US and lowest in Australia, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.     

The relationship between interpersonal schemas and depressive symptomatology.

Turkish university students (187 men and 191 women), 17–27 years old, participated in this study. They completed the Interpersonal Schema Questionnaire (C. Hill & J. Safran, 1994) and the Beck Depression Inventory (A. Beck, A. Rush, B. Shaw, and G. Emery, 1979). This study extended the research that was conducted by Hill and Safran (1994). The results of this study revealed that individuals in the high-depressive symptomatology group expected less complementary responses from significant others in friendly, dominant, and submissive situations. They expected more complementary responses from them in hostile situations. They also rated their expected responses from others as more undesirable than did individuals in the low-depressive symptomatology group. These findings seem to be congruent with cognitive and interpersonal theories of depression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Addressing comorbid depressive symptomatology in alcohol treatment.

Clinicians often encounter patients who have comorbid alcoholism and depression. The presence of both disorders makes treatment especially challenging. Among individuals seeking treatment for alcohol dependence, depression and depressive symptoms are associated with poorer treatment outcomes, and depressed mood may play an important role in relapse to drinking. Results of a recent study suggest that adding cognitive-behavioral treatment of depression to alcohol treatment can be an effective means of reducing depressive symptoms and improving drinking outcomes in alcoholics with elevated levels of depressive symptoms. This approach may be particularly useful for clinicians seeking a nonmedical intervention to reduce depression during alcohol treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relations between observer-rating and self-report of depressive symptomatology.

Sources of discrepancy between the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were investigated in 114 depressed inpatients treated with ECT. Three previously reported observations were found to occur within the same sample: (1) There was only a moderate baseline correlation between the measures; (2) this correlation improved markedly at later assessment; (3) the HRSD had a greater effect size for change. The modest baseline correlation was largely due to patients who rated themselves as substantially less depressed than clinicians had rated them. Improvement in the correlation with repeated assessment was due to the representation of clinical responders. The larger effect size with the HRSD was mainly attributable to a small subgroup that showed marked deterioration on the BDI, a phenomenon not observed with clinical evaluation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychiatric morbidity and depressive symptomatology in patients with permanent pacemakers

Implantation of a permanent pacemaker requires a psychological effort on the patient's part for adaptation in the acute term, and chronically, it restricts activities of the patient and may cause some psychiatric disturbances. To investigate psychiatric morbidity and depressive symptomatology of the patients with permanent pacemakers, 84 pacemaker patients were diagnosed using the DSM-III-R criteria and depressive symptoms were determined by modified Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (mHDRS). Sixteen (19.1%) patients had been given a psychiatric diagnosis. The most frequent diagnoses were adjustment disorder (5.9%) and major depressive episode (4.7%). Nine patients (10.7%) were diagnosed as having clinical depression (mHDRS > or = 17). The mean score of mHDRS was 7.57 +/- 7.46, and the severity of depression was significantly higher in females. The most frequent symptoms are difficulties in work and activities (53.6%), psychic anxiety (48.8%), loss of energy (42.9%), and hypochondriasis and insomnia (39.3%). Depressed mood, psychic anxiety, loss of energy, loss of interest, insomnia, and hypochondriasis were significantly more frequent in females. Uneducated patients had a more significant loss of energy than educated patients. Depressed mood, psychic anxiety, and somatic concerns and symptoms were more frequent in patients with permanent pacemakers than in the general population. These symptoms, resembling mixed anxiety-depression disorder, were related to fears of having a permanent pacemaker, since our series were composed of uneducated patients who did not have enough knowledge about the device.     

Predicting depressive symptomatology: Cognitive-behavioral models and postpartum depression.

170 women (mean age 26.6 yrs), seen in their 2nd trimester of pregnancy, were followed-up about 3 mo postpartum. Level of depression (Beck Depression Inventory) was just as high during pregnancy as during the postpartum period. Several variables assessed during pregnancy and during the postpartum period were significant predictors of postpartum depression level, including measures of prepartum depression, attributional style, delivery stress, and stressful life events. The predictor variables accounted for about 40% of the variance in level of postpartum depression. Predictor variables from earlier research such as history of menstrual problems, parity, education, and income did not account for significant variance in postpartum depression level. These findings provide some evidence for the role of cognitive-behavioral factors and stressful life events in depression. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychosocial correlates of depressive symptomatology in adult women.

Investigated the relationship between depressive symptomatology and a set of demographic and psychosocial variables presumed to be depression-susceptibility factors. 499 22–59 yr old women completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies—Depression Scale (CESD), a demographic assessment, and measures of 4 psychosocial variables: life control, perceived accomplishment, derived identity, and social support. Higher CESD scores were associated with less perceived life control, less perceived accomplishment, higher derived identity, lower social support, lower education, lower or unemployment, younger age, and lower family income. A hierarchical multiple regression was conducted with demographic variables entered first, followed by the psychosocial variables, and then the interaction variables. Psychosocial variables accounted for an additional 28% of depression variance beyond the 11% accounted for by the demographic variables. Perceived life control was the strongest contributor to the final regression equation. (33 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Serotonergic function and negative and depressive symptomatology in schizophrenia and major depression

BACKGROUND: Serotonergic abnormalities are found in both major depressive disorder (MDD) and schizophrenia. Depressive symptoms commonly occur alongside the negative or defect symptoms in schizophrenia and antiserotonergic drugs may be particularly effective in their treatment. We wished to explore whether these symptoms could be distinguished biologically by directly comparing serotonergic function in these two illnesses. METHOD: Fifteen patients with MDD and 13 patients with schizophrenia underwent testing with the specific serotonin releasing agent D-fenfluramine (D-FEN). Prolactin and cortisol responses were measured to ascertain central serotonergic function. Individual patient results were compared with their own carefully matched control to correct for the effect of age, sex, weight and menstrual cycle, before the two patient groups were then compared. RESULTS: Prolactin responses differed significantly between the two patient groups, being lower in MDD patients and higher in schizophrenia patients than their individually matched controls. Cortisol responses did not differ. Within the schizophrenia group, increased serotonergic function correlated positively with depressive symptoms, but there was no such correlation with defect symptoms. Depressive scores were negatively correlated with the presence of negative symptoms in the schizophrenic group. CONCLUSIONS: Schizophrenia and MDD have distinct and opposite neuroendocrine responses to D-FEN. There is no evidence that depressive symptoms in these two conditions have a common serotonergic basis. Moreover, these responses distinguished between negative and depressive symptoms in our schizophrenic group.     

Self-disgust mediates the relationship between dysfunctional cognitions and depressive symptomatology.

Disgust has been linked to several psychopathologies, although a role in depression has been questioned. However, it has recently been proposed that rather than general disgust sensitivity, disgust directed toward the self (self-disgust) may influence the development of depression, providing a causal link between dysfunctional cognitions and depressive symptomatology. This possibility was examined by developing a scale to measure self-disgust (the Self-Disgust Scale; SDS) and then using mediator analysis to determine if self-disgust was able to explain the relationship between dysfunctional cognitions (measured with the use of the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale) and depressive symptomatology (measured with the use of the Beck Depression Inventory and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale). The developed SDS was found to exhibit a high level of internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and concurrent validity. Principal-components analysis revealed two factors to underlie responses to SDS items: the 'Disgusting self,' concerned with enduring, context independent aspects of the self, and 'Disgusting ways,' concerned with behavior. Self-disgust was found to mediate the relationship between dysfunctional cognitions and depressive symptomatology, demonstrating for the first time that self-disgust plays a role in depression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The composition and structure of depressive symptomatology in renal disease.

Renal disease is an increasingly common illness among middle-aged and older adults, and is often associated with depression. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES–D) is a widely used self-report screening measure on which responses generally conform to a 4-factor structure, with each factor loading onto a higher-order Depression factor. The current study examines whether this structure is supported among individuals with renal disease (both predialysis and posttransplant kidney disease patients). Persons with renal disease (n = 225) and healthy control participants (n = 230) were recruited from Vancouver General Hospital and the community. Participants completed the CES–D as part of an extended assessment. Confirmatory factor analytic models were computed for the renal disease and healthy control groups. Results support a 4-factor structure for CES–D responses in persons with renal disease and healthy controls. The hierarchical structure of CES–D responses also appears invariant between groups. Factor structure was similar between groups; only for Depressive Affect was the strength of association with the second-order factor greater among the renal disease than healthy control participants. Findings support similarity of CES–D factor structures between patients with renal disease and healthy individuals. Results suggest that the CES–D's 4 factors contribute to measurement of a higher-order Depression factor in both groups; furthermore, 3 of 4 factors appear invariant between groups. As such, this measure can be used confidently to quantify depressive symptoms in individuals with renal disease. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Platelet serotonin in patients with analgesic-induced headache

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of area postrema AP on DOCA-salt induced hypertension in rat, with emphasis on renal hemodynamics. METHOD: Blood pressure, salt and water balances and renal hemodynamics were observed in AP ablated and sham-operated rats treated with DOCA-salt. RESULTS: In AP intact (API) rats, after one week of DOCA-salt treatment BP began elevating to statistical significance at the end of the second week (MAP 15.9 +/- 0.7 vs. 13.5 +/- 0.5 kPa), followed by a plateau period from the third to fifth week. In AP ablated (APX) rats, BP raised during the first week of DOCA-salt treatment. However, the elevation gradually disappeared and BP returned to baseline at the fifth week. Sodium balance study showed that DOCA-salt treatment induced significant sodium retention in API rat, while the sodium metabolism remained stable in APX group except in the first week. Basal renal hemodynamic parameters (GFR, RPF, UNaV, UV) were not changed at neither the beginning nor the end of the study. However, a small dose of hypertonic saline (7% NaCl 0.3 ml) injection caused a brisk rising of these four parameters in APX but not API group. CONCLUSION: AP plays an important role in normal salt and water metabolism and might be involved in pathogenesis of DOCA-salt hypertension through regulation for renal hemodynamics and body fluid homeostasis.     

Word recognition, discrimination accuracy, and decision bias in schizophrenia: association with positive symptomatology and depressive symptomatology

The purpose of this experiment was to replicate and extend to a memory task Bentall and Slade's (1985) finding that hallucinations in schizophrenic patients were linked to a liberal decision bias. A word recognition task was administered to 40 schizophrenic patients and 40 normal controls that yielded two indices of performance: an index of discrimination accuracy (Pr) and one of decision bias (Br). Patients obtained a lower Pr than controls, whereas Br was similar in both groups. In patients, Br was selectively correlated with positive symptomatology: the more the positive symptoms, the more liberal the bias. In particular, there was a specific correlation between decision bias and hallucinations. Conversely, Pr was inversely correlated with severity of depression, but not with either positive or negative symptoms. Thus, positive symptomatology may be linked more to difficulties in distinguishing between representations of internal versus external events than to deficits in encoding external events.     

The young widow: depressive symptomatology throughout the grief process

The purpose of this investigation was to examine patterns of abatement of depressive symptomatology in 30 young widows at three time periods: immediately following the death of the husband, a year later, and at present. Data on all three time periods were gathered during one interview. The study thus provides retrospective information on patterns of depressive symptomatology. It was expected that such information would enhance understanding of the stages of the grief process described by Glick et al. and by Maddison.     

Behavioral correlates of maternal depressive symptomatology in conduct-disorder children.

We contrasted two predictive models of the impact of maternal depressive symptomatology on child behavior in a study of 51 mothers and their conduct-disorder children. Relations between global measures of maternal distress and child adjustment and observational measures of mother–child interaction were examined. Children of distressed mothers were more maladjusted than children of nondistressed mothers, when maladjustment was measured on the basis of a global rating, but "better" adjusted when measured on the basis of interactional measures. Measures of maternal indiscriminate responding to the child may account for these findings. Results suggest that (a) although conduct-disorder children are generally more maladjusted when their mothers are distressed, they display this maladjustment in a selective fashion, and (b) maternal distress acts as an adverse contextual factor that maintains mother–child interactional difficulties by disrupting the attentional and monitoring skills required for contingent responding. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Platelet serotonin measures in adolescents with conduct disorder

Dysregulation of serotonergic function has been associated with aggression in several studies involving children, adolescents, and adults. This study investigated the relationship of platelet serotonergic measures to conduct disorder type, severity of aggression, and social skills impairment. Standardized assessments of diagnosis, aggression, impulsivity, and social skills were obtained from 43 male adolescents (ages 13-17) incarcerated at an involuntary residential treatment facility for juvenile offenders. Blood samples were collected and assayed for whole blood serotonin (5-HT) and platelet [3H]-paroxetine-labeled 5-HT-transporter binding. Whole blood 5-HT was higher in adolescents with conduct disorder, childhood type than in subjects with conduct disorder, adolescent type. Whole blood 5-HT was positively correlated with violence rating of the current offense and total offense points, and staff ratings of social skills impairment. Our findings are consistent with a relationship between 5-HT dysregulation and aggressive behavior in incarcerated adolescent boys with conduct disorder, particularly of childhood onset.     

Correlates of change in depressive symptomatology among gay men with AIDS

The present experiment investigated the ability of the opiate receptor antagonist naltrexone to block the increased locomotion and rearing produced acutely by amphetamine as well as the sensitization of these responses produced when this drug is administered repeatedly. Rats in different groups received an injection of amphetamine (1.5 mg/kg, i.p.) or saline preceded 30 min earlier by an injection of naltrexone (0, 0.5, 1.0, 5.0 or 10.0 mg/kg, i.p.). Naltrexone dose-dependently reduced the rearing but had no effect on the locomotion produced by this dose of amphetamine. The locomotion and rearing observed following saline were not affected. This pattern of results was observed following each of six additional pairs of injections, one pair of injections given every third day. Once, soon (2-4 days) and once, long (9-12 days) after the last injection, all animals were injected with amphetamine (0.75 mg/kg, i.p.) in the absence of naltrexone (tests for sensitization). Animals having been pre-exposed to amphetamine preceded by naltrexone showed no evidence of sensitized rearing on either test, indicating that naltrexone blocked sensitization of this response to amphetamine. These animals, however, exhibited sensitized locomotion on both tests. These results suggest an important but complex role for dopamine-opioid interactions not only in the production of acute locomotor responding to amphetamine but also in the sensitization of locomotor responding when this drug is administered repeatedly. The present findings also suggest that amphetamine-induced rearing is more dependent than locomotion on neuronal mechanisms involving dopamine-opioid interactions.     

Patterns of relatedness, depressive symptomatology, and perceived competence in maltreated children.

An attachment theory framework is applied toward understanding the emergence of depressive symptomatology and lower perceived competence in maltreated and nonmaltreated children. Hypotheses that maltreated children with nonoptimal patterns of relatedness evidence elevated depressive symptomatology and lower competence, whereas nonmaltreated children with optimal or adequate patterns of relatedness exhibit the least depressive symptomatology and higher competence, were confirmed. Additionally, differentiations between maltreated children with and without optimal or adequate patterns of relatedness emerged, suggesting that relatedness may mitigate against the adverse effects of maltreatment. Moreover, sexually abused children with confused patterns of relatedness evidenced clinically significant depressive symptomatology. Results are discussed with regard to mechanisms that contribute to adaptation or maladaptation in children with negative caregiving histories (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Maternal depressive symptomatology and child behavior: Transactional relationship with simultaneous bidirectional coupling.

The present study investigated reciprocal relationships between adolescent mothers and their children's well-being through an analysis of the coupling relationship of mothers' depressive symptomatology and children's internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Unlike studies using discrete time analyses, the present study used dynamical systems to model time continuously, which allowed for the study of dynamic, transactional effects between members of each dyad. Findings provided evidence of coupling between maternal depressive symptoms and children's behaviors. The most robust finding was that as maternal depressive symptoms became more or less severe, children's behavior problems increased or decreased in a reciprocal manner. Results from this study extended upon theoretical contributions of such authors as Richters (1997) and Granic and Hollenstein (2003), providing empirical validation from a longitudinal study for understanding the ongoing, dynamic relationships between at-risk mothers and their children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)