Psychosomatic factors in the etiology of neoplasms.

Several psychogenic theories have been developed to explain the onset of cancer. Much of the research used to support them suffers from methodological weaknesses, particularly the absence of control groups and/or the use of criterion samples already suffering from malignancies. In the present study, the psychiatric diagnoses and MMPI performances of psychiatric patients who later developed malignant and benign neoplasms were compared to controls. No differences (beyond a chance level) appeared in the diagnostic composition, the MMPI clinical scale scores, or the individual MMPI-item performances of the groups. Results do not offer support for the major psychogenic-origin theories of the development of neoplasms. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychologic factors involved in the decision to undergo reconstructive surgery after burn injury

We have developed a new in vivo model for the study of fetal wound healing. Fetal ICR mice (total gestation, 21 days) received a full-thickness incisional wound in the hind limb at gestational day 14 (N = 100). The wound was made with a 28.5-gauge needle that was passed transplacentally into the amniotic cavity. The wounds were analyzed histologically on postoperative days 0, 1, 3, and 5 by hematoxylin-eosin and Mallory's trichrome stains. Once the wounding technique was mastered, the overall mortality rate for this model was 20% by postwounding day 5. Each fetus healed their wound without scar by postwounding day 3. In 3 animals, 5 microliters of human transforming growth factor beta 1 (25 micrograms per microliter) was injected into the wound site, resulting in scar and an inflammatory cell infiltrate, indicating that the 14-day-gestation fetal mouse can be manipulated if necessary. This model offers the advantages of an in vivo system that can be studied at an early gestational age. Furthermore, it is inexpensive, easy to manipulate, and can be studied with commercially available murine probes.     

Role of climatic factors in the etiology of vascular diseases

While there is no doubt about the role of genetic factors in the aetiology of vascular diseases, especially in the genesis of disorders of the venous system, a place should be reserved for climatic and social factors. By means of an investigation which we undertook in a tropical environment in senegal, we examined the morbidity due to atheromatous disease. This study extended over a period of 30 years, from 1945 to 1975. We found that arteriopathy of the lower limbs due to overload did not exist before 1960. Since 1966, a few cases of myocardial infarction have been noted, and since 1970, a few cases of arteriopathy. These cases are confined to an urban environment which, during the same period, has undergone profound social upheavals. It all seems to be as if there were competition between climatic factors protecting and social factors aggravating. In contrast to the rarity of vascular disorders in hot countries is their high incidence in cold countries. In Canada and Sweden a particular clinical aspect of the disorder has been found: arteriopaths in a subarctic environment suffer more than sensory disturbances than ischaemia. In conclusion, it seems that the environment, in the broad sense of the term, plays a role in the aetiology of atheromatous disease, which has been classified, not without reason, among the diseases of civilization.     

Psychological factors in illness and recovery

To review evidence that psychological factors affect the course of physical illness three areas are examined: epidemiological evidence showing the levels of psychiatric disturbance co-morbid with physical illness; health services research showing the burden of disease and care associated with this co-morbidity; randomised, controlled trials of psychological interventions in cancer, myocardial infarction and irritable bowel syndrome. There is substantial psychiatric co-morbidity with physical illness which is associated with increased disability, mortality and utilisation of health-care resources (primary care visits, hospitalization, length of hospital stay, cost). A small number of controlled intervention studies have shown the efficacy of psychological interventions to prolong survival in cancer and myocardial infarction, and to improve symptomatology in irritable bowel syndrome and other chronic somatizing conditions. Psychological factors do significantly affect outcomes of physical illness. The role of psychological treatments, alongside somatic therapies, needs further study.     

A note on psychosomatic factors in the etiology of neoplasms.

C. G. Watson and D. Schuld (see record 1978-03712-001) attempted to study the relationship between psychopathology and subsequent development of neoplasms. It is argued that their results, which indicated no apparent connections between these variables, are limited due to methodological flaws, both relating to sample selection. Though there is no empirical evidence of psychological causation of neoplasms, the Watson and Schuld study is not the one to lay this issue to rest. (2 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychologic factors and oral lichen planus. A psychometric evaluation of 100 cases

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the importance of psychologic factors in patients with oral lichen planus, and attempts were made to identify possible personality features characteristic of patients with oral lichen planus. STUDY DESIGN: The study involved 100 patients with oral lichen planus (group 1) and 50 control subjects (group 2). We applied the following psychometric tests to both groups: Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Cattell Personality Questionnaire 16PF, Hassanyeh Rating of Anxiety-Depression-Vulnerability, Beck Depression Inventory, Raskin Depression Screen, and Covi Anxiety Screen. RESULTS: The patients with oral lichen planus were found to exhibit greater anxiety, as reflected by statistically significant scores with the anxiety tests that were used (Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Cattell Personality Questionnaire 16PF, Hassanyeh Rating of Anxiety-Depression-Vulnerability, and Covi Anxiety Screen). The patients with oral lichen planus likewise exhibited greater depression than the controls in all 3 depression tests applied (Beck Depression Inventory, Hassanyeh Rating of Anxiety-Depression-Vulnerability, and Raskin Depression Screen) and were more vulnerable to psychic disorders on the basis of the PD subscales (vulnerability) of the Hassanyeh questionnaire. Three features (conformity to the group, astuteness, and rebelliousness) defined the personalities of our patients with oral lichen planus, according to the Cattell 16PF questionnaire. Finally, those patients with erosive lichen planus exhibited higher depression scores than patients with nonerosive lichen planus. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the higher anxiety scores observed in patients with oral lichen planus, it was not established that the observed psychologic alterations constitute a direct etiologic factor of oral lichen planus; nor was it established that such alterations are a consequence of oral lichen planus and its lesions.     

Psychologic care of the older rehabilitation patient

Rehabilitation of older persons must include adequately addressing psychologic issues. These issues range across detection and treatment of mental health problems, helping the team understand the patient's psychologic needs and characteristics and prepare for discharge back to the community. The older person is unique in many ways in rehabilitation and it is possible to overlook many important psychologic issues. Appropriate assessment is the beginning point of good treatment. However, proper treatment does not end with amelioration of mental health problems. Strengthening the older person's abilities to cope with life-long challenges also is important.     

Interfacial bond strengths of amalgam bonded to amalgam and resin composite bonded to amalgam

A preparative method for the preparation of large peptides is described. An advantageous theoretical weight of peptide/weight of starting resin ratio (tPw/Rw) of about 0.3 was successfully experimented. The esterification of the first amino acid was realized with a racemization of less than 1%. The study of the coupling conditions led to the use of a diluted acylating mixture that allowed a 56% consumption of the amino acid derivatives (percentage use of amino acids) introduced in the synthesis. The cost analysis of the synthesis showed that the recovery of the amino acid derivatives was not worthwhile.     

Do children endorse psychosocial factors in the transmission of illness and disgust?

The present studies examined beliefs concerning the impact of psychosocial factors in the transmission of contagious illness, injuries, and disgust. In Studies 1 and 2, participants ranging from preschoolers through adults judged the likelihood that a character would get sick (or injured) after being contaminated by another individual who was either of no stated relation to the character or who was a best friend, a disliked person, or a family member. Studies 3 and 4 examined effects of psychosocial relatedness on judgments of disgust (a psychological response). Study 5 examined the influence of germs on judgments of disgust. Overall, preschoolers through 2nd graders judged that any type of relatedness decreased the possibility of contracting illness from another person. However, for disgust, preschoolers judged that negative contagion would have a more powerful effect, particularly in the presence of germs. Relatedness had no effect on judgments of injury transmission. These results suggest that young children treat the psychological and biological domains as distinct but mutually interacting. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Selective attention to threatening stimuli and field independence as factors in the etiology of paranoid behavior.

Tested a theory that selective attention to threatening stimuli induces paranoia. An attempt was made to manipulate attention to threatening and nonthreatening statements among 60 college students and examine the effects on 3 indices of paranoia. Although manipulation checks indicated that attention was varied in the desired manner, hypothesized results in which selective attention to threatening statements would lead to greater scores on the paranoia measures were not found. However, a measure of field independence showed a predicted positive correlation with the indices of paranoia for Ss who were manipulated to attend selectively to threatening statements. These same correlations tended to be negative or zero among Ss manipulated to attend to nonthreat and among unbiased attenders. These data suggest that susceptibility to development of paranoid behavior through selective attention to threat cues may increase as a function of field independence. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)