Association analysis of sequence variants of GABA(A) alpha6, beta2, and gamma2 gene cluster and alcohol dependence

Quantitative trait analyses in mice suggest a vulnerability locus for physiological alcohol withdrawal severity on a chromosomal segment that harbors the genes encoding the alpha1, alpha6, beta2, and gamma2 subunits of the gamma-aminobutyric acid type-A receptor (GABR). We tested whether genetic variation at the human GABA(A) alpha6, beta2, and gamma2 gene cluster on chromosome 5q33 confers vulnerability to alcohol dependence. The genotypes of three nucleotide substitution polymorphisms of the GABRA6, GABRB2, and GABRG2 genes were assessed in 349 German alcohol-dependent subjects and in 182 ethnically matched controls. To eliminate some of the genetic variance, three more homogeneous subgroups of alcoholics were formed by: (1) a history of alcohol withdrawal seizure or delirium (n = 106); (2) a history of parental alcoholism (n = 120); and (3) a comorbidity of dissocial personality disorder (n = 57). We found no evidence that any of the investigated allelic variants confers vulnerability to either alcohol dependence or severe physiological alcohol withdrawal symptoms or familial alcoholism (p > 0.05). The frequency of the T allele of the GABRA6 polymorphism was significantly increased in dissocial alcoholics [f(T) = 0.799] compared with the controls [f(T) = 0.658; p = 0.002; OR(T+) = 7.26]. Taking into account the high a priori risk of false-positive association findings due to multiple testing, further replication studies are necessary to examine the tentative phenotype-genotype relationship of GABRA6 gene variants and dissocial alcoholism.     

Comparison of personality traits,attitude toward orthodontic treatment,and pain perception and experience before and after orthodontic treatment

Objective:To compare personality traits, attitude toward orthodontic treatment, and pain perception and experience before and after orthodontic treatment.Materials and Methods:One hundred subjects (50 male and 50 female) were included in this study. The mean (SD) age was 17.5 (2.05) years at T1 and 19.15 (2.32) years at T2. The instruments for data collection were questionnaires that included assessment of patients'' personality traits, attitudes toward orthodontic treatment, and pain perception/experience. Subjects completed the questionnaires at two different times: before orthodontic treatment (T1) and after fixed orthodontic treatment (T2). Subjects were treated by fixed orthodontic appliances for an average (SD) period of 18.64 (0.35) months. Paired sample t-test and chi-square test were used to detect any differences.Results:Significant changes in personality traits were detected after orthodontic treatment irrespective of gender. Neuroticism, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness scores were improved (P < .001). A positive attitude toward orthodontic treatment was reported at T1 (4.31 [±1.26]) and improved at T2 (3.98 [±1.16]) irrespective of gender (P < .05). The average (SD) expected pain score (T1) was 4.73 (1.88) and the average (SD) experienced pain score (T2) was 4.63 (1.58). Significant difference in the expected and experienced pain scores was not detected (P  =  .11).Conclusions:Personality traits and attitude toward orthodontic treatment improved after orthodontic treatment. Reported actual pain experience during orthodontic treatment was similar to that expected before treatment.     

1962名男性新兵人格诊断问卷(PDQ-4~+)结果分析

目的了解部队新兵人格倾向特征。方法采用人格诊断问卷(PDQ-4+)对某部队1 962名男性新兵进行抽样调查,并与大学生样本进行比较。结果 (1)除表演型、反社会型分量表外,新兵其他各分量表及总量表得分均显著低于大学生(P<0.05);新兵人格倾向亚型的阳性检出率在7.25%~36.07%。(2)低年龄组新兵在偏执型、分裂型、自恋型、边缘型、反社会型、依赖型分量表及总量表的得分均高于高年龄组新兵(P<0.05);父母关系和睦的新兵各个人格倾向亚型(除强迫型外)得分均显著低于父母关系不和睦新兵的得分(P<0.05);农村与城市新兵的偏执型、分裂型、表演型、自恋型、边缘型、反社会型和被动攻击型分量表得分,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),且城市新兵人格障碍得分更高(P<0.05);除分裂样型、自恋型、强迫型分量表外,独生子女新兵其他分量表及总量得分均高于非独生子女新兵(P<0.05)。结论新兵的人格倾向问题好于大学生样本,低龄、父母关系不和睦、居住在城市和独生子女新兵有更多的人格倾向问题。     

乳腺实性肿物患者性激素水平与人格因素的相关研究

目的：分析乳腺实性肿物患者的性激素水平及人格分型,并探讨二者之间的关系。方法以2010年1月至2014年4月福田区乳腺实性肿物患者200例为观察组,同时抽取同期行健康体检者200例为对照组。比较两组受试者的雌二醇(E2)、睾丸酮(T)、催乳素(PRL)水平及人格分型。同时分析比较不同人格分型患者的性激素水平。结果(1)观察组患者中人格不稳定型占59.0%,明显高于对照组的45.5%,两组比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);(2)观察组患者的E2、PRL分别为(67.46±22.65) pg/ml、(14.30±7.07) ng/ml,对照组分别为(66.38±22.76) pg/ml、(13.95±3.20) ng/ml,两组比较差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05),而观察组患者的T水平为(0.28±0.11) ng/ml,明显高于对照组的(0.25±0.09) ng/ml,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);(3)不稳定型患者的E2、T和PRL分别为(67.34±22.81) pg/ml、(14.22±6.73) ng/ml和(0.27±0.10) ng/ml,与稳定型患者的(66.46±22.59) pg/ml、(14.03±3.66) ng/ml及(0.26±0.10) ng/ml比较,差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论激素T水平升高及人格为不稳定型均可以作为早期乳腺疾病筛查的指标。     

Psychiatric comorbidity in the treatment of patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease,commonly known as inflammatory bowel disease(IBD),draw attention from specialists of various disorders,including gastroenterology,psychiatry,and radiology.The involvement of a cortical influence in the brain-gut axis as well as the interaction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the peripheral nervous system provide an initial explanation of the psychological symptoms associated with IBD.The involvement of structures the limbic system,such as the anterior cingulate cortex,the prefrontal cortex,and the amygdala,paves the way for the discovery of the mechanisms underlying depression depression,anxiety,alexithymia,personality traits,and other psychological impairments following the onset of IBD.Psychiatric therapy in IBD patients is almost as important as the gastroenterological approach and consists of pharmacological treatment and psychotherapy.Neither of the available psychiatric treatment methods is considered the golden standard because both methods have side effects,and psychotropic medication can provoke the worsening of IBD symptoms.Thus,both approaches must be applied with awareness of the possibility of side effects.We suggest that psychiatrists and gastroenterologists work together to reach a consensus on IBD therapy to ensure success and to reduce side effects and relapse to the lowest possible rates.     

普通患者疾病感知现状及影响因素研究

背景　国内外研究均表明,患者的疾病感知极大影响着其治疗及预后效果。因此,探讨我国普通患者的疾病感知现状及影响因素十分重要,可以为改善我国患者负性疾病感知和提升患者健康提供依据。目的　探讨普通患者疾病感知现状及影响因素。方法　于2018年1-3月,通过方便取样的方式抽取广东省8家医院的500例患者进行现场调查,调查工具选用疾病感知问卷简化版（BIPQ）、维克森林医师信任量表（WFPTS）、中国版10项目大五人格量表（TIPI-C）、病人健康问卷2条目（PHQ-2）,最终获得有效数据384例（76.8%）。结果　普通患者的BIPQ总得分为（38.6±9.1）分,认知表征、情绪表征、疾病理解能力维度得分分别为（22.1±7.0）、（13.3±4.0）、（3.2±2.2）分。不同职业、医疗费用对家庭经济影响程度患者的BIPQ总得分存在统计学差异（P<0.05）。Pearson相关分析结果显示：患者BIPQ总得分与WFPTS总得分及仁爱、技术能力维度得分,以及TIPI-C宜人性、情绪稳定性维度得分呈线性负相关（r值为-0.39~-0.14,P<0.05）;患者BIPQ总得分与PHQ-2得分呈线性正相关（r=0.41,P<0.05）。多元线性逐步回归分析结果显示,WFPTS仁爱维度得分、TIPI-C情绪稳定性维度得分、PHQ-2得分是患者BIPQ总得分的影响因素（b值分别为-0.337、-0.781、2.308,P<0.05）。结论　我国普通患者对自身所患疾病认识不足,表现出较多消极情绪,对治疗缺乏信心;患者的抑郁情绪和医疗费用造成的经济压力是疾病感知的危险因素,情绪稳定性和医生的人文关怀是疾病感知的保护因素。     

The prevalence of tinnitus and the relationship with neuroticism in a middle-aged UK population

Background

Previous research has suggested that a substantial proportion of the population are severely affected by tinnitus, however recent population data are lacking. Furthermore, there is growing evidence that the perception of severity is closely related to personality factors such as neuroticism.

Objective

In a subset (N = 172,621) of a large population sample of > 500,000 adults aged 40 to 69 years, (from the UK Biobank dataset) we calculated the prevalence of tinnitus and that which is perceived as bothersome, and examined the association between tinnitus and a putative predisposing personality factor, neuroticism.

Method

Participants were recruited through National Health Service registers and aimed to be inclusive and as representative of the UK population as possible. The assessment included subjective questions concerning hearing and tinnitus. Neuroticism was self-rated on 13 questions from the Eysenck Personality Inventory. Associations between neuroticism and tinnitus were tested with logistic regression analyses.

Results

Prevalence of tinnitus was significantly higher for males, and increased with age, doubling between the youngest and oldest age groups (males 13% and 26%; females 9% and 19% respectively). Of those with tinnitus, females were more likely to report bothersome tinnitus. Neuroticism was associated with current tinnitus and bothersome tinnitus, with the items: ‘loneliness’, ‘mood swings’, ‘worrier/anxious’ and ‘miserableness’, as the strongest associations of bothersome tinnitus.

Conclusions

Neuroticism was identified as a novel association with tinnitus. Individuals with tinnitus and higher levels of neuroticism are more likely to experience bothersome tinnitus, possibly as a reflection of greater sensitivity to intrusive experiences.     

Investigating the ‘placebo personality’ outside the pain paradigm

Aim

To identify personality traits related to placebo responding outside the context of pain.

Methods

Sixty three healthy volunteers completed the study. Personality traits were measured online one week prior to a laboratory session in which two psychosocial stress tests were administered. Prior to the second test, the placebo group received an intranasal spray of ‘serotonin’ (placebo) with the suggestion that it would enhance recovery. Subjective stress, heart rate and heart rate variability were measured. Self reported and physiological responses to the placebo suggestion were assessed against personality variables.

Results

Placebo effects were demonstrated in both self reported and physiological stress metrics. Lower optimism and less empathic concern predicted greater perceived benefits from the placebo treatment; and lower drive, fun, and sensation seeking were related to a greater physiological response to the manipulation. Multivariate analyses revealed lower optimism and behavioural drive to be predictive of responding to the placebo manipulation.

Conclusion

Findings are in contrast with prior work in pain paradigms which found higher levels of the same traits to be related to greater placebo analgesic responses. A cluster of traits characterised by behavioural drive, extraversion, optimism and novelty or fun seeking appears to be germane to placebo responsiveness, but contextual stimuli may generate different patterns of responding. A new conceptualisation of placebo responsiveness may be useful. Rather than a ‘placebo personality’ it may be that responsiveness is better typified by a two faceted transactional model, in which different personality facets respond to different contextual contingencies.     

Parental longevity correlates with offspring’s optimism in two cohorts of community-dwelling older subjects

Dispositional optimism and other positive personality traits have been associated with longevity. Using a familial approach, we investigated the relationship between parental longevity and offspring’s dispositional optimism among community-dwelling older subjects. Parental age of death was assessed using structured questionnaires in two different population-based samples: the Leiden Longevity Study (n = 1,252, 52.2% female, mean age 66 years, SD = 4) and the Alpha Omega Trial (n = 769, 22.8% female, mean age 69 years, SD = 6). Adult offspring’s dispositional optimism was assessed with the Life Orientation Test—Revised (LOT-R). The association between parental age of death and levels of optimism in the offspring was analysed using linear regression analysis within each sample and a meta-analysis for the overall effect. In both samples, the parental mean age of death was positively associated with optimism scores of the offspring. The association remained significant after adjustment for age, gender, living arrangement, body mass index, smoking status, education and self-rated health of the offspring. The pooled B coefficient (increase in LOT-R score per 10-year increase in parental mean age of death) was 0.30 (SE = 0.08, p < 0.001). In conclusion, parental longevity was positively associated with optimism in adult offspring, suggesting a partial linked heritability of longevity and optimism.     

Comparison between the SCL-90-R and MMPI in TMD patients with psychological problems

Oral Diseases (2012) 18 , 140–146 Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the relationships between the Symptom Checklist‐90‐Revision (SCL‐90‐R) and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) in temporomandibular disorders (TMD) patients with psychological problems. Materials and Methods: Subjective symptoms, objective signs, and psychological characteristics of 36 TMD patients with psychological problems were analyzed. The symptom severity index (SSI) and craniomandibular index (CMI) were used to assess subjective symptoms and objective signs of patients with TMD, respectively. The SCL‐90‐R and MMPI were used for psychological evaluation. Results: The SSI was not significantly correlated with the CMI in TMD patients with psychological problems, and these indices displayed significant correlations with the SCL‐90‐R and MMPI in several selected subscales. The results of SCL‐90‐R had a limited relationship with those of MMPI in these patients. Based on the MMPI diagnosis, the SCL‐90‐R somatization subscale showed moderate to high sensitivity and specificity, but the SCL‐90‐R depression subscale showed moderate to low sensitivity and specificity. Conclusions: Considering the limited relationship between the SCL‐90‐R and MMPI in TMD patients with psychological problems, more comprehensive psychological tests are recommended when clinicians suspect patients with TMD of having accompanying psychological problems.