Differential etiology of posttraumatic stress disorder with conduct disorder and major depression in male veterans.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic studies reveal that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is highly comorbid with both conduct disorder and major depression in men. The genetic and environmental etiology of this comorbidity has not been examined. METHODS: Data were analyzed from 6744 middle-aged male-male monozygotic and dizygotic twins from the Vietnam Era Twin Registry. Conduct disorder, major depression, and PTSD were assessed via telephone interview using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for the DSM-III-R in 1992. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate additive genetic, shared environmental, and individual-specific environmental effects common and specific to conduct disorder, major depression, and PTSD. RESULTS: The association between conduct disorder and PTSD was explained primarily by common shared environmental influences; these explained 10% (95% confidence interval: 6%-17%) of the variance in PTSD. The association between major depression and PTSD was largely explained by common genetic influences; these explained 19% (95% confidence interval: 11%-26%) of the variance in PTSD. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that different etiologic mechanisms explain the association of conduct disorder and major depression with PTSD in male veterans. If replicated in other populations, results suggest research aimed at identifying specific genetic and environmental factors that influence PTSD may benefit from starting with those that have been more consistently and strongly associated with major depression and conduct disorder.     

Disturbances in morning cortisol secretion in association with maternal postnatal depression predict subsequent depressive symptomatology in adolescents.

BACKGROUND: We have previously reported higher and more variable salivary morning cortisol in 13-year-old adolescents whose mothers were depressed in the postnatal period, compared with control group adolescents whose mothers did not develop postnatal depression (PND). This observation suggested a biological mechanism by which intrafamilial risk for depressive disorder may be transmitted. In the current article, we examined whether the cortisol disturbances observed at 13 years could predict depressive symptomatology in adolescents at 16 years of age. METHODS: We measured self-reported depressive symptoms in 16-year-old adolescents who had (n = 48) or had not (n = 39) been exposed to postnatal maternal depression and examined their prediction by morning and evening cortisol indices obtained via 10 days of salivary collections at 13 years. RESULTS: Elevated morning cortisol secretion at 13 years, and particularly the maximum level recorded over 10 days of collection, predicted elevated depressive symptoms at 16 years over and above 13-year depressive symptom levels and other possible confounding factors. Morning cortisol secretion mediated an association between maternal PND and symptomatology in 16-year-old offspring. CONCLUSIONS: Alterations in steroid secretion observed in association with maternal PND may provide a mechanism by which risk for depression is transmitted from mother to offspring.     

Increased 24-hour urinary cortisol excretion in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder and patients with major depression,but not h patients with fibromyalgia

There is now firm evidence that major depression is accompanied by increased baseline activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, as assessed by means of 24-h urinary cortisol (UC) excretion. Recently, there were some reports that fibromyalgia and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), two disorders which show a significant amplitude of depressive symptoms, are associated with changes in the baseline activity of the HPA axis, such as low 24-h UC excretion. The aim of the present study was to examine 24-h UC excretion in fibromyalgia and PTSD patients compared to normal controls and patients with major depression. In the three patient groups, severity of depressive symptoms was measured by means of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) score. Severity of fibromyalgia was measured using a dolorimetrically obtained myalgic score, and severity of PTSD was assessed by means of factor analytical scores computed on the items of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI), PTSD Module. Patients with PTSD and major depression had significantly higher 24-h UC excretion than normal controls and fibromyalgia patients. At a threshold value of ≥240 μg/24 h, 80% of PTSD patients and 80% of depressed patients had increased 24-h UC excretion with a specificity of 100%. There were no significant differences in 24-h UC excretion either between fibromyalgia patients and normal controls, or between patients with major depression and PTSD patients. In the three patient groups, no significant correlations were found between 24-h UC excretion and The HDRS score. In fibromyalgia, no significant correlations were found between 24-h UC excretion and the myalgic score. In PTSD, no significant correlations were found between 24-h UC excretion and severity of either depression-avoidance or anxiety-arousal symptoms. In conclusion, this study found increased 24-h UC excretion in patients with PTSD comparable to that in patients with major depression, whereas in fibromyalgia no significant changes in 24-h UC were found.     

Clinical differentiation between major depression only, major depression with panic disorder and panic disorder only. Childhood, personality and personality disorder

A consecutive sample of 298 nonpsychotic psychiatric outpatients was classified according to DSM-III and divided into 4 diagnostic groups: pure major depression, mixed major depression/panic disorder, pure panic disorder and a remaining group of other disorders. The patients' report of childhood relationship to parents and siblings, family atmosphere, their own personality characteristics as children and precipitating events were compared in the various groups. In addition, differences in personality and frequencies of personality disorders were investigated by means of various instruments. Our results show that the type of relationship to parents in childhood differed in the various groups. The mother seems to be the most crucial person for the development of depression, the father for the development of panic disorder. Patients with major depression are more obsessive and patients with panic disorder more infantile and avoidant with less control of their personality. Finally, patients with mixed conditions are more in accordance with the DSM-III anxious personality disorder cluster.     

The neuropsychological profile of psychotic major depression and its relation to cortisol.

BACKGROUND: Our study described the neuropsychological profile of psychotic major depression (PMD) compared to nonpsychotic major depression (NPMD) patients and psychiatrically healthy controls (HC). We predicted that higher cortisol levels would be associated with greater cognitive deficits. METHODS: Twenty-nine PMDs, 24 NPMDs, and 26 HCs were recruited at Stanford University Medical Center. Psychiatric ratings, cortisol levels from 1800-0900 hours, and neuropsychological test data were obtained. RESULTS: PMDs had more severe cognitive impairments compared with NPMDs and HCs with the exception of simple verbal attention. PMDs had elevated mean cortisol levels from 1800 to 0100 hours which were significantly correlated with poorer verbal memory and psychomotor speed performance. Cortisol slopes from 1800 to 0100 hours were also significantly correlated with verbal memory and working memory. CONCLUSIONS: While PMDs' ability to attend passively to information appears intact, they have more difficulty processing, manipulating, and encoding new information. Elevated cortisol levels, as seen in PMD patients, are associated with poorer cognitive performance especially related to verbal memory for lists of words and working memory.     

Exposure to postnatal depression predicts elevated cortisol in adolescent offspring.

BACKGROUND: Animal research shows that early adverse experience results in altered glucocorticoid levels in adulthood, either raised basal levels or accentuated responses to stress. If a similar phenomenon operates in humans, this suggests a biological mechanism whereby early adversity might transmit risk for major depression, glucocorticoid elevations being associated with the development of this disorder. METHODS: We measured salivary cortisol at 8:00 am and 8:00 pm over 10 days in 13-year-old adolescents who had (n = 48) or had not (n = 39) been exposed to postnatal maternal depression. RESULTS: Maternal postnatal depression was associated with higher, more variable morning cortisol in offspring, a pattern previously found to predict major depression. CONCLUSIONS: Early adverse experiences might alter later steroid levels in humans. Because maternal depression confers added risk for depression to children, these alterations might provide a link between early events and later psychopathology.     

The relationship of DSM-III-R personality disorder to clinical variables in patients with major depression: Possible difference between personality disorder clusters

Abstract The relationship of DSM-III-R personality disorder (PD) to demographic and clinical variables was investigated based on 96 consecutive outpatients with major depression. No significant difference in the variables was found between those with and those without PD. Those with PD from each cluster were compared with those without PD in terms of the variables. In these comparisons many relationships of PD to the variables were found, and these relationships were different between the three PD clusters detailed in DSM-III-R. Patients with cluster B PD demonstrated a prominent uniqueness in his/her relationship to the variables. This uniqueness was similar to what had been reported previously with regard to patients with PD. There was no significant difference in the variables between those with cluster C PD and those without PD. Those with cluster A PD may have a negative family history of affective disorders.     

无望感-自尊理论对抑郁症、焦虑症、强迫症患者的适用性研究

目的:比较抑郁症、焦虑症、强迫症患者在归因方式、无望感、自尊上的异同,探索抑郁症、焦虑症、强迫症患者对无望感-自尊理论的适用性. 方法:对门诊或住院的抑郁症(n=81)、焦虑症(n=53)、强迫症(n=48)患者,及正常对照组(n=51)被试进行归因方式问卷、自尊量表的测评,得分进行4组间比较. 结果:①抑郁症组在...     

A one-year prognosis of dysthymic disorder and major depression in old age

A prospective follow-up of 199 elderly (60 + yr) patients (65 men and 134 women) suffering from dysthymic disorder and 42 elderly (60 + yr) patients (13 men and 29 women) suffering from major depression is described. The mean duration of the follow-up was 15.3 ± 4.3 months for dysthymic men, 15.2 ± 4.4 months for dysthymic women, 15.3 ± 4.0 months for major depressive men and 14.0 ± 4.2 months for major depressive women. Forty-three per cent of the dysthymic men, 38% of the dysthymic women, 39% of the major depressive men and 48% of the major depressive women had a good outcome. In dysthymic men, few visiting contacts were associated with poor outcome. In dysthymic women, poor outcome was associated with many depressive symptoms, low social participation, not living alone, low self-perceived health, intensive diurnal variation of symptoms, low interest in work and activities, low sexual interest, and hypochondrial and compulsive symptoms. In major depressive men, no variable was associated with outcome. In major depressive women, poor outcome was associated with diabetes mellitus, suicidal ideas or attempted suicide, and psychomotor agitation or psychomotor retardation.     

Effect of comorbid anxiety disorders on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis response to a social stressor in major depression.

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is often complicated by anxiety symptoms, and anxiety disorders occur in approximately 30% of mood cases. This study examined the influence of anxiety comorbidity on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response to stress in patients with MDD. METHODS: Untreated subjects with pure MDD (n = 15), MDD with comorbid anxiety disorders (n = 18), and pure anxiety disorders (n = 15) were recruited by advertising. Age- and gender-matched control subjects were recruited for each subject with a psychiatric diagnosis (n = 48). All subjects underwent a social stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), and blood was collected for adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol assay. RESULTS: When all depressed patients (n = 33) were compared with their matched control subjects (n = 33), they showed a significantly greater ACTH response to the stressor; however, this exaggerated ACTH response was exclusively due to the depressed group with comorbid anxiety disorders. A similar but nonsignificant effect was observed in the cortisol response. Subjects with pure mood or pure anxiety disorders showed normal ACTH and cortisol responses to the TSST. All patient groups showed similar levels of TSST-induced anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: Comorbid anxiety disorders might play a role in the increased activation of the HPA axis observed in patients with major depression.     

Hair cortisol concentrations and cortisol stress reactivity in generalized anxiety disorder,major depression and their comorbidity

Studies investigating cortisol secretion in patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) have reported heterogeneous findings. Further, current knowledge on the specificity of endocrine changes for GAD and/or comorbid major depression (MD) is limited. Hence, the current study investigated long-term integrated cortisol secretion, as indexed by hair cortisol concentrations (HCC), and experimentally-induced cortisol stress reactivity in relation to GAD, MD and their comorbidity. Carefully characterized groups of 17 GAD patients including 8 with comorbid MD (GAD-MD), 12 MD patients and 21 healthy controls were recruited. Alongside psychometric data, HCC (N = 43) and salivary cortisol stress reactivity in response to the Trier Social Stress Test (N = 45) were determined. Findings revealed that MD patients exhibited lower HCC compared to controls and GAD patients, with no differences between the latter two groups. Interestingly, when the GAD group was separated into two groups based on MD comorbidity, lower HCC in MD patients were found compared to controls and GAD-noMD patients, but did not show differences when compared to GAD-MD patients. No HCC differences were seen between GAD-MD or GAD-noMD patients and healthy controls. No TSST group differences emerged. Our findings suggest MD to be related to long-term attenuation in cortisol secretion. While no group differences emerged between patients with GAD, neither with nor without MD, and controls, the current results provide tentative evidence that MD determines long-term endocrine changes, with pure GAD showing a distinct pattern. Future studies are needed to confirm our findings in larger samples of pure and comorbid groups.     

Patterns of comorbidity in panic disorder and major depression: findings from a nonreferred sample

Previous findings in referred adult samples document major depression as having important moderating effects on the patterns of comorbidity for panic disorder and major depression. This study evaluated whether these patterns of comorbidity are moderated by referral bias. Panic disorder (PD) and major depression (MD) were used to predict the risk for comorbid psychiatric disorders and functional outcomes using data from a large sample of adults who had not been ascertained on the basis of clinical referral (N=1,031). Participants were comprehensively assessed with structured diagnostic interview methodology to evaluate childhood and adult comorbid psychiatric disorders. PD increased the risk for anxiety disorders, independently of MD. MD increased the risk for mania, antisocial personality disorder, psychoactive substance use disorder, disruptive behavior disorders, overanxious disorder, social phobia, and generalized anxiety disorder, independently of PD. These results extend to nonreferred samples' previously reported findings documenting that MD has important moderating effects on patterns of comorbidity for PD and indicate that patterns of comorbidity for PD are not due to referral bias.     

Salivary cortisol and posttraumatic stress disorder in a low-income community sample of women.

BACKGROUND: Studies of male combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder have demonstrated a profile of low cortisol. Studies with women with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have focused on childhood sexual abuse and holocaust survivors, both of whom experienced trauma during development, which could be different than adult trauma exposure. METHODS: Using an epidemiologic sample of low-income women from an urban area in Michigan, we conducted structured psychiatric interviews and saliva cortisol collection on a subsample of women with exposure to trauma but never PTSD (n = 72), recent PTSD (n = 29), and past PTSD (n = 70). Saliva cortisol was collected at awakening, 30 minutes later, at bedtime, and during a clinic visit. RESULTS: Recent trauma exposure but not past trauma exposure led to an increase in saliva cortisol. Neither recent PTSD nor past PTSD resulted in any saliva cortisol changes compared with the trauma exposed, never PTSD group. Recent major depression (past 12 months) demonstrated a weak effect (p =.08) on bedtime saliva cortisol. CONCLUSIONS: While recent trauma exposure can increase saliva cortisol, neither recent nor past PTSD affected saliva cortisol in our community sample of women. Our data do not support saliva cortisol changes associated with PTSD.     

The cortisol and glucocorticoid receptor response to low dose dexamethasone administration in aging combat veterans and holocaust survivors with and without posttraumatic stress disorder.

BACKGROUND: Because alterations in cortisol negative feedback inhibition associated with aging are generally opposite of those observed in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), we examined the cortisol and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) response to dexamethasone (DEX) in older trauma survivors.METHODS: Twenty-three Holocaust survivors (9 men, 14 women), 27 combat veterans (all male), and 10 comparison subjects (7 men, 3 women) provided samples for plasma or salivary cortisol and glucocorticoid receptor determination in mononuclear leukocytes at 8:00 AM on the day of, and following, 0.5 mg of DEX at 11:00 PM.RESULTS: Greater percent suppression of cortisol and lymphocyte GR was observed in older trauma survivors with PTSD compared to survivors without PTSD and comparison subjects. There was a significant main effect of depression in the direction of reduced suppression following DEX, consistent with the effects of DEX in major depressive disorder patients. Responses to DEX were uncorrelated with PTSD symptom severity, but cortisol suppression was associated with years elapsed since the most recent, but not focal, traumatic event.CONCLUSIONS: The response to DEX is generally similar in older and younger trauma survivors, but the findings suggest that age, symptom severity, and lifetime trauma exposure characteristics may influence this response.     

Personality disorder diagnoses using DSM-III-R in a Japanese clinical sample with major depression

To investigate the availability of DSM-III-R Axis-II diagnoses in Japan, DSM-III-R personality disorders (PDs) were diagnosed in a large sample of Japanese out-patients with major depression. The SCID-II was administered to 118 consecutive out-patients with major depression. In general, the frequency of PD according to DSM-III-R criteria in this study was within the range of frequencies reported in North American and European studies. However, schizoid and narcissistic PDs were more frequent in this study. DSM-III-R diagnoses of PD would also be potentially useful for assessing personality disturbance in Japan. The DSM-III-R criteria for schizoid and narcissistic PDs may not be suitable for Japanese samples.     

Tobacco smoking behaviors in bipolar disorder: a comparison of the general population,schizophrenia, and major depression

Objectives: This study compared the prevalence of tobacco smoking behaviors in patients with bipolar disorder with normal and psychiatric (schizophrenia and major depression) controls. The main goal was to establish that bipolar patients smoke more than normal controls. Differences with psychiatric controls were explored. Methods: Samples of 424 patients (99 bipolar, 258 schizophrenia and 67 major depression) and 402 volunteer controls were collected in Central Kentucky. Smoking data for Kentucky’s general population were available. Odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to establish the strength of associations. Logistic regression was used to adjust ORs for confounding variables. Results: Using epidemiological definitions of smoking behaviors and the general population as controls provided bipolar disorder unadjusted ORs of 5.0 (95% CI: 3.3–7.8) for current cigarette smoking, 2.6 (95% CI: 1.7–4.4) for ever cigarette smoking, and 0.13 (95% CI: 0.03–0.24) for smoking cessation. Using a clinical definition and volunteers as controls provided respective bipolar disorder adjusted ORs of 7.3 (95% CI: 4.3–12.4), 4.0 (95% CI: 2.4–6.7), and 0.15 (95% CI: 0.06–0.36). Prevalences of current daily smoking for patients with major depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia were 57%, 66%, and 74%, respectively. Conclusions: Bipolar disorder was associated with significantly higher prevalences of tobacco smoking behaviors compared with the general population or volunteer controls, independently of the definition used. It is possible that smoking behaviors in bipolar disorder may have intermediate prevalences between major depression and schizophrenia, but larger samples or a combination of multiple studies (meta‐analysis) will be needed to establish whether this hypothesis is correct.     

Saliva cortisol and response to dexamethasone in children of depressed parents.

BACKGROUND: Major depression (MDD) is heritable, and children of depressed parents are at higher risk for the development of depression. However, depression in a parent might also act as a stressor leading to increased activation of neuroendocrine stress circuits. To address this question we examined saliva cortisol in children whose parents have a history of MDD. METHODS: We recruited 15 families with one parent with MDD (26 prepubertal children) and 16 control families without history of parental MDD (32 prepubertal children). All parents and children underwent Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV and Kiddie Schedule For Affective Disorders And Schizophrenia interviews, respectively. Families were asked to collect morning, afternoon, and bedtime saliva samples for 4 days for 2 weeks. At bedtime of the 3rd day, dexamethasone was administered. Two doses, standard and low, were used in each family. RESULTS: The majority of children demonstrated no psychiatric diagnosis. Children with MDD parents showed higher cortisol basally and higher cortisol after both 25 mg and 5 mg dexamethasone. However, this effect occurred predominantly in children whose parents were currently depressed. There were strong correlations for cortisol between parents and children (r = 52 in depressed; r = 499 in control). CONCLUSIONS: Elevated cortisol and impaired feedback seemed to reflect an environmental effect of MDD in a parent.     

伴与不伴广泛性焦虑障碍女性单相抑郁症患者的研究

目的:探讨伴与不伴广泛性焦虑障碍(GAD)中国汉族女性单相抑郁症患者的临床特点、发病次数和影响因素等方面的差异。方法:由受过CONVERGE团队至少1周访谈培训的访谈员,用电脑评估系统对1970例年龄30～60岁女性单相抑郁患者进行访谈,访谈内容包括精神病理学、人口学、个性特点和心理社会功能评估等;有关精神病理学诊断的量表采用综合国际诊断访谈(CIDI,WHO版本2.1,中国版)和美国精神障碍诊断与统计手册第3版(DSM-III修订本),其他量表则采用CONVERGE团队翻译和修正的源于VATSPSUD的工具。结果:单相抑郁伴发GAD的比率较高(68%);伴发GAD的抑郁症患者初次发病年龄较小,且发病次数多,病情重,更多地伴有生物学症状以及神经质的比率较高(P<0.001);但发病次数≥10次,则发病的年龄与次数无明显差异(P>0.05)。伴与不伴GAD在亲情关系方面则与父亲的温情及母亲的保护有关(P=0.007,0.035);而与受教育程度、职业类别无关(P>0.05)。结论:女性单相抑郁症与GAD有较高的相关度。     

Adrenocorticotropin and cortisol response to lysine vasopressin in relation to the outcome of the dexamethasone suppression test in major depressive disorder

The pathophysiology behind the abnormalities of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal cortex axis found in patients with major depressive disorder was studied by the use of the vasopressin test. The response of plasma adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and cortisol to the injection of 10 IU lysine-vasopressin (LVP) was investigated in 18 patients meeting the DSM-III criteria for major depressive episode. The response was correlated to the outcome of the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) with the use of two different cut-off points, 139 nmol/l and 200 nmol/l respectively. The results show that no significant difference was found in ACTH or cortisol response between patients having a normal or abnormal DST. The results do not seem to support the hypothesis that the abnormalities of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal cortex axis involve a hypersecretion of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and a subsequent desensitization of the corticotrophs to CRF-stimulated ACTH release.