Dysfunctional buildings or dysfunctional people: An examination of the sick building syndrome and allied disorders.

As R. M. Bauer et al (see record 1992-27862-001) have indicated, psychological variables may play a prominent role in workplace-related disorders like sick building syndrome. To place their work in a broader context, a spectrum of workplace disorders is described that encompasses sick building syndrome, building-related illness, neurotoxic disorders, and mass psychogenic illness. For each disorder, the authors identify both the building- (or exposure-) related variables and the psychological variables believed to trigger or maintain the unique pattern of somatic and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Strategies to aid in diagnostically differentiating the 4 syndromes are also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mental illness in late life: Socioeconomic conditions, psychiatric symptoms, and adjustment of long-term sufferers.

The relationships between social and economic conditions and psychiatric disorder among 346 older adults with severe mental illness living in the community are examined in this article. Measures included socioeconomic indexes, symptoms, diagnoses, and adjustment. As expected, socioeconomic and illness factors were interrelated in this sample. Diagnosis was related to both functioning and socioeconomic factors. As a rule, participants were financially impoverished but socially integrated into social networks consisting largely of kin. In spite of impoverishment and presence of significant symptoms, most were maintaining themselves in the community with at least marginal functioning, though they received very little support from the mental health system beyond medication. Compared with the younger cohort, the older cohort was functioning better, had fewer symptoms, and had better global adjustment. Those with coexisting psychotic and affective syndromes were most at risk. Future analyses with this data set will need to develop complex multivariate models to predict the primary influences on functioning and short-term stability. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Patterns and predictors of mental health service use and mental illness among older and younger adults in the United States.

The present study examined patterns of serious mental illness (SMI), specific mental health syndromes, and service use among older (65+) and younger (18-64) adults throughout the United States, and the extent to which various factors predict SMI and the use and magnitude of mental health treatment. Despite recent developments designed to improve mental healthcare access and treatment for older adults, older individuals were found to receive outpatient mental healthcare at very low rates. Compared to younger adults, older adults were three times less likely to report receiving treatment. Although prevalence estimates for SMI and specific syndromes were markedly lower among older than younger adults, older individuals most in need of care were highly unlikely to report receiving treatment. Findings point to the importance of perceived need in mental healthcare use. Significantly, however, those older adults that made it into services typically reported benefiting considerably from treatment, at least as much as all other age groups. Several predisposing, enabling, and need factors related to mental illness and service use were identified that have important implications for how we plan for, design, and deliver mental health services to older and younger Americans. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Treatment issues in genetic mental retardation syndromes.

Because of genetic advances and radical shifts in service delivery, psychologists in community mental health and social service agencies increasingly serve clients with mental retardation syndromes. Persons with specific genetic mental retardation syndromes often differ in their behavioral strengths and weaknesses and in their predispositions to psychiatric disorders. Although genetic breakthroughs are sparking more research on these so-called behavioral phenotypes, researchers have yet to systematically translate phenotypic data into guidelines for therapy and intervention. Using fragile X syndrome, Williams syndrome, and Prader-Willi syndrome as examples, this article shows how the behavioral phenotypes of mental retardation syndromes can inform clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Debating mental illness: Implications for science, medicine, and social policy.

Suggests that the debate over the existence of mental illness can be resolved if 2 wholly unrelated issues are separated from one another: (a) the conceptual status of the psychological variables determining deviant behavior and (b) the appropriate response of society to individuals exhibiting certain behavioral characteristics. Regarding the 1st issue, sound philosophy of science dictates that the psychological variables determining deviant behavior are not physical structures but hypothetical constructs. Neither side of the mental illness debate seems to have any quarrel with this conclusion. Regarding the 2nd issue, the 2 sides of the debate do not seem to have any fundamental disagreement over behavioral ideals. Moreover, they appear to agree that methods of achieving such ideals be selected for specific efficacy. The real disagreement seems to be over professional prerogatives and the legal/ethical status of the behaviorally aberrant. It is suggested that these issues be addressed directly and the empty debate over the existence of mental illness be abandoned. (37 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Association of Duane anomaly with mental retardation, cardiac and urinary tract abnormalities: a new autosomal recessive condition?

The authors report on a child in which the occurrence of cardiac defect, urinary tract anomaly, and Duane anomaly was associated with mental retardation. The parents were first cousins. The index case was a 3-year-old girl referred for mental retardation. Auricular septal defect was diagnosed at birth. She was surgically treated for bilateral vesico-ureteral reflux at 2 years of age. At examination, she had a mild facial dysmorphism, microcephaly, spastic paraplegia and Duane anomaly. The Duane anomaly may occur in association with various partly overlapping syndromes that may be part of the same clinical spectrum, as the cervico-oculo-acoustic syndrome, the cat eye syndrome and syndromes inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion: the acro-reno-ocular syndrome and the Okihiro syndrome. Their patient seems to have a different condition from all of these previously reported syndromes associated with the Duane anomaly. Their suggest that this condition is best described as a new syndrome.     

The classification of child psychopathology: A review and analysis of empirical efforts.

Reviews empirically derived syndromes of child behavior problems, and identifies those having counterparts in 2 or more studies. A distinction between broad-band and narrow-band syndromes was made. Broad-band undercontrolled and overcontrolled syndromes and narrow-band aggressive, delinquent, hyperactive, schizoid, anxious, depressed, somatic, and withdrawn syndromes were found in diverse samples of disturbed children. Two other broad-band and 6 other narrow-band syndromes were found in a few studies. Test–retest reliabilities and stabilities of syndrome scores were more adequate than interrater reliabilities. Cross-instrument and cross-population consistencies corroborated some empirically derived syndromes but the lack of independent criteria for categorizing disturbed children made it difficult to establish criterion-referenced validity. Because categorization of children by syndromes has been limited primarily to the broad-band undercontrolled–overcontrolled dichotomy, it is suggested that more efforts are needed to translate syndromes into categories for use by practitioners and researchers. It is concluded that further work in this area should be systematically linked to the existing mental health system and to efforts at reforming this system. (98 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Motivational factors in health and disease.

Evidence is reviewed that measures of motive strength, as measured through content analysis of associative thought, are related to physiological systems, the functioning of which affect health outcomes. Studies show that affiliative and power motive syndromes assessed in associative thought are associated with health and illness. A relaxed or easygoing affiliative motive syndrome characterizes insulin dependent Type I diabetics and can, if aroused, lead to poorer blood sugar control in such diabetics. A stressed power motive syndrome is associated with sympathetic activation, release of stress hormones, depressed immune functions, and greater susceptibility to infectious diseases. Affiliative trust and a greater sense of agency as measured in associative thought content are associated with better health. An intervention study and a longitudinal study have demonstrated that differences in the levels of these motivational variables are not simply the result of illness but lead to alterations in subsequent health status. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Illness intrusiveness, uncertainty, and distress in individuals with multiple sclerosis.

Objective: To examine the relation of illness intrusiveness and illness uncertainty to psychological distress in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Study Design: Participants were recruited from regional support groups and local neurologists. Participants completed self-report measures of illness intrusiveness, illness uncertainty, and psychological distress. Disease status was assessed by administration of a mental status exam and an index of ambulation. Participants: The sample included 78 (55 women, 23 men) individuals diagnosed with MS. Main Outcome Measure: The Symptom Checklist—90—Revised Global Severity Index. Results: Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that illness intrusiveness and illness uncertainty independently predicted adjustment problems above and beyond demographic and illness variables. No mediator or moderator relationships were found for illness intrusiveness. Conclusions: Psychological appraisals of illness are salient predictors of adjustment even after statistically controlling for the influence of age, education, and objective indices of physical and cognitive impairment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prader-Willi and other syndromes associated with obesity and mental retardation

Constitutional obesity and mental retardation cooccur in several multiple congenital anomaly syndromes, including Prader-Willi syndrome, Bardet-Biedl syndrome, Cohen syndrome, Albright hereditary osteodystrophy, and Borjeson-Forssman-Lehmann syndrome as well as some rarer disorders. Although hypothalamic-pituitary axis abnormalities are thought to be a possible causative mechanism in some of these disorders, current knowledge is insufficient to explain the pathophysiologic mechanism of obesity in most multiple congenital anomaly/mental retardation syndromes. The chromosomal location of many of these syndromes is known, and studies are ongoing to identify the causative genes. Further delineation of the functions of the underlying genes will likely be instructive regarding mechanisms of appetite, satiety, and obesity in the general population. This review details current knowledge of the clinical and molecular genetic findings of multiple congenital anomaly/mental retardation syndromes associated with intrinsic obesity in an effort to delineate causative mechanisms and genetic abnormalities contributing to obesity.     

An examination of the physical health, health care use, and psychological well-being of spouses of people with fibromyalgia syndrome.

The present study compared the physical and mental health and the health care use of spouses of patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FS group; n=135) with that of spouses of healthy individuals ( n=153). FS group participants reported lower health and affective states and scored higher on depression, loneliness, and subjective stress than comparison group participants ( p=.017). Husbands in the FS group who reported more illness impact and whose wives reported worse sleep quality and less self-efficacy had more psychological difficulties. No differences were found in health care costs between groups. These findings suggest that chronic illness in a partner may negatively affect an individual's physical and mental health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

DNA helicases in inherited human disorders

Six known or predicted helicases that are mutated in human syndromes are now recognized. These syndromes include xeroderma pigmentosum, Cockayne's syndrome, trichothiodystrophy, Bloom's syndrome, Werner's syndrome, and alpha-thalassemia mental retardation on the X chromosome. The clinical abnormalities in these syndromes cover a broad spectrum, pointing to different cellular processes of DNA manipulation that are defective in these syndromes.     

Effects of a unit of instruction in mental health on rural adolescents' conceptions of mental illness and attitudes about seeking help

The present study investigated the effects of a unit of instruction in mental health on rural adolescents' conceptions of mental illness and their attitudes about seeking professional help for emotional problems. Forty students enrolled in a rural Mississippi high school participated. Twenty were designated as the treatment group and twenty served as the control group. Results indicated that scores on both dependent variables (attitudes about seeking professional help and conceptions of mental illness) increased significantly for the treatment group and, further, these scores did not decrease significantly when the students were tested again twelve weeks later. The findings are discussed in the context of educating rural youth about mental illness with the express purpose of removing the stigma associated with the help-seeking process.     

Demographic, clinical, and neurocognitive correlates of everyday functional impairment in severe mental illness.

Although cognitive deficits often accompany severe mental illness, their implications for everyday functioning remain poorly understood. In this study, an occupational therapist (OT) rated the everyday functioning of 105 adult psychiatric patients. Using demographic, clinical, and cognitive variables, the authors tested alternative models to account for the observed variability in OT ratings. Although age, education, and the presence of schizophrenia each contributed to a model that accounted for 27% of the variation in functional independence, adding terms for auditory divided attention and verbal learning increased the proportion of explained variance to 45% and decreased the beta weights for age and education—but not schizophrenia—to nonsignificant levels. These findings demonstrate the relevance of cognitive performance to everyday functioning in severe mental illness. They are discussed with respect to hypothesized determinants of psychiatric disability. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A molecular basis for the different local anesthetic affinities of resting versus open and inactivated states of the sodium channel

Among patients with severe mental illness attending a large, urban, outpatient mental health clinic, fathers are described and compared with nonfathers and with mothers on demographic, clinical, and child-related characteristics, and on resources and service needs. While fathers and nonfathers with mental illness differed significantly on most variables, fathers and mothers with mental illness were remarkably similar except on child-related characteristics. Issues regarding fathers' experiences and service needs are discussed.     

Prevalence and correlates of depressive syndromes among adults visiting an Indian Health Service primary care clinic

Depression is common among patients visiting primary care clinics. In order to describe the prevalence of depressive syndromes in an American Indian primary care clinic population and to help define the clinical correlates of depressive syndromes in this setting, a clinic-based research study of depression was undertaken by the Indian Health Service (IHS). One hundred and six patients from an IHS primary care clinic were systematically enlisted for participation in the study. Participants completed the Inventory for Diagnosing Depression (IDD). Twenty-two (20.7%) responded with answers scoring positive for a depressive syndrome. Nine of these 22 (8.9% of the 106 participants) met IDD criteria for a major depressive syndrome. A diagnosis of depression, a past history of depression, use of mental health facilities, unexplained pains, and antidepressant medication use were associated with the presence of a depressive syndrome.     

Prognosis of the Lennox syndrome-long-term clinical and electroencephalographic follow-up study, especially with special reference to relationship with the West syndrome

The long-term clinical and electroencephalographic follow-up studies were carried out for more than three years, up to 14 years in the longest, on 116 cases with Lennox syndrome. And the results of s-ystematic study on changing patterns and out come have been reported. The follow-up examination was performed also on West syndrome which is closely related with Lennox syndrome; especially the relationship between both syndromes regarding prognosis has been clarified. (1) According to the long-term follow-up on 116 cases with Lennox syndrome, there were 98 cases (84.5%) having mes (61.2%) and persisted as Lennox syndrome except for one case. (2) Generally speaking, the cases with age of onset before two years old showed unfavorable outcome. (3) There were 42 cases (36.2%), which were converted from West syndrome and showed markedly unfaborable prognosis in regard to intelligence as well as the remainging of seizure. (31 cases, 77.5%) (4) On thehand, in 23 idiopathic cases, which showed no developmental retardation before onset of seizure, had favorable outcome, and the remaining of seizure was observed in eight cases (34.8%). However, even in such cases, it was noticed that those displaying mental defect at the follow-up attained 14 cases (60.9%). That is to say, it was clarified that persistence of even minor seizures induced mental deterioration. (5) The cases with favorable prognosis showed usually a typical slow spike-and-wave pattern electroencephalographically, whereas those with poor prognosis showed mostly an asymmetric or disorganized slow spike-and-wave pattern. (6) In many cases displaying signs of brain atrophy with pneumoencephalograpm and accompanying overt neurological signs at the initial examination, prognosis is obviously poor. (7) From the follow-up examination on 94 cases with West syndrome for three to 15 years transformed into Lennox syndrome Among them, those cases with the remaining of seizure at the time of follow-up were 44 (46.8%) out 94 cases, of which 37 cases (83.8%) had remaining seizure as Lennox syndrome. (8) From the above results, it is emphasized that Lennox and West syndromes show close relationship with each other and that a study should be done on the interrelation between their prognosis.     

Comparability and representativeness of clinical homeless, community homeless, and domiciled clinic samples: Physical and mental health, substance use, and health services utilization.

Evaluating the representativeness of homeless samples is important for generalizing research findings on the homeless and designing interventions targeting their health needs. The present study contrasts homeless and domiciled free-clinic users (216 homeless [132 men, 84 women], 212 domiciled [102 men, 110 women]) and 531 community homeless persons (388 men, 143 women) on latent variables representing substance use, mental and physical health, appearance, life satisfaction, and health services utilization (HSU). Homeless clinic patients equalled the community sample in substance abuse and psychological problems but exceeded the sample in HSU and cleanliness. Homeless clinic users reported more substance abuse, poorer health, greater mental illness and mental HSU, less cleanliness, and lower life satisfaction than domiciled patients. Relationships among the variables are reported, and implications concerning health needs among the homeless are discussed (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Autosomal recessive microcephaly, microcornea, congenital cataract, mental retardation, optic atrophy, and hypogenitalism. Micro syndrome

Three affected children from an inbred family had microcornea, microcephaly, congenital cataract, severe mental retardation, retinal dystrophy, optic nerve atrophy, hypothalamic hypogenitalism, and agenesis of the corpus callosum. The disorder is presumably autosomal recessive; no identical syndrome has been described, but we consider syndromes with similar features.