| 1. |
|
|
| 2. |
- Ausén, Birgitta, et al.
(författare)
-
Personality Features in Subjective Cognitive Impairment and Mild Cognitive Impairment - Early Indicators of Dementia?
- 2009
-
Ingår i: Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders. - Basel : Karger AG. - 1420-8008 .- 1421-9824. ; 28:6, s. 528-535
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to investigate patterns of personality in patients with subjective cognitive impairment (SCI) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), compared to healthy controls. Methods: We assessed24 patients with SCI, 35 patients with MCI and 26 healthy controls with the self-report questionnaire Swedish Universities Scales of Personality measuring aspects of neuroticism/anxiety proneness, extraversion, and aggression-hostility. Results: Patients with SCI and MCI showed significantly more Somatic Trait Anxiety, Psychic Trait Anxiety and Stress Susceptibility than healthy controls. Moreover, there was a significant increase in Detachment in patients with MCI and a significant decrease in Adventure Seeking in patients with SCI, relative to healthy controls. Conclusions: Patients with SCI and MCI presented specific patterns of personality alterations with higher scores in traits related to anxiety proneness and aggression-hostility and lower in traits of extraversion. In most subscales differences followed a sequential pattern with gradually increasing scores from healthy controls, to patients with SCI and further to MCI. The groups differed in amount and type of symptoms, suggesting that patterns of personality may be related to degree of cognitive impairment.
|
|
| 3. |
- Bjerkenstedt, Lars, et al.
(författare)
-
Support for limited brain availability of tyrosine in patients with schizophrenia
- 2006
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology. - 1461-1457 .- 1469-5111. ; 9, s. 247-255
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Several mechanisms have been suggested to account for altered dopaminergic neurotransmission in schizophrenia. The brain is the only organ for which amino-acid transport is limited and competition for transport over the blood-brain barrier (BBB) occurs at physiological plasma concentrations. One line of research suggests that patients with schizophrenia have altered brain levels of the essential amino acid tyrosine, the precursor for the synthesis of dopamine. The most common hypothesis is that less tyrosine is available because of competition with elevated levels of other amino acids. By consequence, the synthesis of dopamine in the brain will decrease. In contrast, another line of evidence suggests a change in the affinity for one of the transport proteins. A limitation of this research has been that the systems for amino-acid transport across the BBB have not been fully characterized at a molecular or functional level. The L system is the major system for transport of tyrosine across cell membranes including the BBB. The A system is also involved in this transport. Earlier in-vitro studies using fibroblasts have demonstrated a normal L system in schizophrenia but nevertheless reduced tyrosine transport. The combination of molecular research, fibroblast techniques, and brain imaging provides a new basis for clinical research on the role of amino-acid membrane transport in schizophrenia.
|
|
| 4. |
- Dåderman, Anna Maria, 1953-, et al.
(författare)
-
Psychopathic traits and lifestyle in flunitrazepam abusers
- 2005
-
Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The abuse of flunitrazepam (FZ) compounds is world-wide. We have examined whether any of the four facets of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) (Interpersonal, Affective, Lifestyle, and Antisocial) (Hare, 2003) is related to different substance use disorders, with the focus on FZ abuse. Participants were 114 male offenders aged 14-35 years, all of whom were convicted for severe, predominantly violent, offences. Abuse of FZ was more common in offenders who scored high in Facet 4 (Antisocial) of the PCL-R (odds ratio = 4.30, 95% C.I. 1.86 - 9.94). Using all 20 PCL‑R items as individual predictors of being an FZ abuser, only one of the items, Item 20) (Criminal versatility) was significantly associated with FZ abuse (odds ratio = 3.72, 95% C.I. 1.85 - 7.50). We suggest that abuse of FZ is more common in offenders who score high in Facet 4, and that FZ abuse is significantly associated with Item 20. Our results show that clinicians and those who develop or manage therapeutic programs should be aware of FZ abuse when choosing the most effective treatment for young mentally disordered severe offenders.
|
|
| 5. |
- Edman, Mattias, et al.
(författare)
-
Fungi and wind strongly influence the temporal availability of logs in an old-growth spruce forest
- 2007
-
Ingår i: Ecological Applications. - : Wiley. - 1051-0761 .- 1939-5582. ; 17:2, s. 482-490
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Coarse woody debris (CWD) is a key habitat for many species in forest ecosystems. To ensure the long-term survival of such species, forest management regimes must include measures that promote dead wood dynamics similar to those of natural forests. Thus, information on CWD dynamics under natural conditions is required, including data pertaining to the underlying agents of disturbance. This study examines modes of mortality, decay rates, and temporal patterns in the availability of Picea abies logs in a Swedish old-growth forest affected by internal, small-scale disturbance. All 684 logs in a 6.6-ha plot were mapped and classified into one of six decay classes. Logs in the early stages of decay were examined for the presence of heart-rot fungi. Six years later all logs were re-inventoried, including newly formed logs. Matrix models based on the transition rates between decay classes showed that it took about 60 years for 90% of the logs to decay beyond class 6 (a deformed trunk with soft wood). Large logs (≥26 cm) decayed 40% more slowly than small logs (≤25 cm). The initial volume of logs was 37.6 m3/ha but increased to 44.8 m 3/ha after six years. In addition, there was a large shift in the decay-class distribution. The volume of logs in early and late decay classes increased by 71% and 45%, respectively, while the volume of logs in the intermediate decay classes decreased by 32%. The fluctuations appear to result from pulses in mortality, driven by a combination of strong winds and the heart-rot fungus, Phellinus chrysoloma, which was present in more than 30% of all logs at an early stage of decay. These results show that large temporal fluctuations in dead wood also occur in the absence of large-scale disturbance, and that heart-rot fungi are important factors driving the overall dynamics of dead wood. Since many wood-inhabiting species are naturally rare and have very specific substrate demands, such temporal variability in dead wood availability may have effects on biodiversity and should be taken into account when designing small, protected forest areas.
|
|
| 6. |
|
|
| 7. |
- Fernell, Elisabeth, et al.
(författare)
-
Aberrant amino acid transport in fibroblasts from children with autism
- 2007
-
Ingår i: Neuroscience Letters. - Amsterdam : Elsevier. - 0304-3940 .- 1872-7972. ; 418:1, s. 82-86
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Autism is a developmental, cognitive disorder clinically characterized by impaired social interaction, communication and restricted behaviours. The present study was designed to explore whether an abnormality in transport of tyrosine and/or alanine is present in children with autism. Skin biopsies were obtained from 11 children with autism (9 boys and 2 girls) fulfilling the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for autistic disorder and 11 healthy male control children. Transport of amino acids tyrosine and alanine across the cell membrane of cultured fibroblasts was studied by the cluster tray method. The maximal transport capacity, Vmax and the affinity constant of the amino acid binding sites, Km, were determined. Significantly increased Vmax for alanine (p = 0.014) and increased Km for tyrosine (p = 0.007) were found in children with autism. The increased transport capacity of alanine across the cell membrane and decreased affinity for transport sites of tyrosine indicates the involvement of two major amino acid transport systems (L- and A-system) in children with autism. This may influence the transport of several other amino acids across the blood–brain-barrier. The significance of the findings has to be further explored. © 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved
|
|
| 8. |
- Flyckt, Lena, et al.
(författare)
-
Predicting 5-year outcome in first-episode psychosis: Construction of a prognostic rating scale
- 2006
-
Ingår i: Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. - 0160-6689. ; 67:6, s. 916-924
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: The aim of this study was to construct a rating scale to predict long-term outcome on the basis of clinical and sociodemographic characteristics in patients with symptoms of psychosis who seek psychiatric help for the first time. Method: Patients (N = 153) experiencing their first episode of psychosis (DSM-IV schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, schizoaffective disorder, brief psychotic episode, delusional disorder, affective psychosis with mood-incongruent delusions, or psychotic disorder not otherwise specified or being actively psychotic) were consecutively recruited from 17 psychiatric clinics in Sweden from January 1996 through December 1997 (24 months). Baseline characteristics were assessed with an extensive battery of psychiatric rating scales; duration of untreated psychosis, premorbid characteristics, and cognitive functioning were also assessed. The relationship between baseline characteristics and the 5-year outcome was analyzed using a stepwise logistic regression model. Results: In the logistic regression analysis, 5 variables were found to have unique contributions in the prediction of outcome. In order of magnitude of the odds ratios, these variables were Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) score during the year before first admission, education level, actual GAF score at first admission, gender, and social network. The sensitivity, i.e., correctly identified cases (poor outcome), was 0.84, and the specificity, i.e., the correctly identified non-cases (good outcome), was 0.77. Conclusion: To initiate adequate interventions, it is crucial to identify patients experiencing their first episode of psychosis who are likely to have an unfavorable long-term outcome. The predictive rating scale described here is a feasible tool for early detection of these patients.
|
|
| 9. |
|
|
| 10. |
|
|
