5 results
Gene environmental interaction in psychiatry: The 5-HTTLPR and COMT story from an evolutionary point of view
- J. Sanjuan, J. Costas, M.D. Molto
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- Journal:
- European Psychiatry / Volume 26 / Issue S2 / March 2011
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 16 April 2020, p. 2054
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The general medical model explains that there are genetic and environmental risks and protective factors in the aetiology of any complex disease. The main idea supported by this model is the existence of good and bad polymorphisms. We present a review of the literature and some examples of our own empirical studies about this issue in psychiatry; with special focus on the methodological problems of this medical model.
In relation with 5-HTTLPR we present the results of a longitudinal study of 1804 women. In this study the “LL” genotype seems to be a risk factor for post-partum depression, probably due to gene-hormone interaction after delivery. But the same genotype might be a protective factor of emotional disorder in other life-time and environmental condition.
In relation with COMT gene, we present a meta-analysis (including our own data) of 51 studies comprising 13,894 schizophrenic patients and 16,087. We found a small but significant protective effect for heterozygosis at rs4680 (pooled OR ¼ 0.947, P¼ 0.023; pooled OR ¼ 0.813, P¼ 0.0009). Thus, the COMT functional polymorphism rs4680 contributes to schizophrenia genetic susceptibility under an over-dominant model, indicating that both too high and too low levels of dopamine (DA) signalling maybe risk factors.
In summary, both examples suggested that there are no ‘bad’ or ‘good’ genotypes in relation to common variants. The controversial results of many genetics associations’ studies in psychiatry might become comprehensive under an evolutionary approach.
1554 – Verbal Fluencies Associated Factors In Elderly
- L. Caldas, H. Espirito-Santo, J. Matreno, M. Marques, I.T. Pena, M.D. Costa, A. Costa, D. Simões, A. Conde, A.R. Correia, R. Almeida, S. Moitinho, F. Rodrigues, S.C. Simões, L. Lemos, F. Daniel
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- Journal:
- European Psychiatry / Volume 28 / Issue S1 / 2013
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 15 April 2020, 28-E851
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Verbal fluency (VF) involves complex processes and has been a good marker of cognitive decline. However, the literature is inconsistent concerning to witch factors are associated with VF.
Our aims are to analyze the relationship between both phonemic verbal fluency (PVF) and semantic verbal fluency (SVF) and sociodemographic and psychopathological variables, and explore which emerge as significant predictors.
A subsample of 429 of healthy institutionalized elderly from the Aging Trajectories at Coimbra Council Project were surveyed (60 to 100 years; mean age = 80.38 ± 7.24), the majority was women (76.9%), without a partner (82.2%), without education or with less than four years of education (85.7%), manual occupation (90.1%), and attending day care centers. We evaluated VF phonetically (letters P, M, R) and semantically (animals and food), anxiety symptoms through the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI), depressive symptoms through Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and feelings of loneliness through Loneliness Scale (UCLA).
PVF was significantly related with education, occupation, GAI, and GDS. SVF was significantly associated with age, education, occupation, and GDS. Furthermore, SVF scores were worse in elderly men and in those living in night care center, and PVF scores were lower in those with high levels of anxiety symptomatology. In logistic regression analysis none of the variables accounted for the variance in PVF. The only predictor of SVF was sex. In conclusion, this study allowed us to elucidate the only key factor underlying verbal fluency. Being a man may affect SVF performance in institutionalized elderly.
1549 – Correlates Of Elderly Loneliness
- M.D. Costa, H. Espirito-Santo, S.C. Simões, A.R. Correia, R. Almeida, L. Ferreira, Â. Conde, V. Alves, F. Ferreira, L. Caldas, I.T. Pena, A. Costa, D. Simões, F. Daniel, L. Lemos
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- Journal:
- European Psychiatry / Volume 28 / Issue S1 / 2013
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 15 April 2020, 28-E847
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In Portugal, the number of elderlies living alone and being institutionalized are rising. Institutionalized elderlies are susceptible to loneliness. Loneliness is associated with depression, anxiety, poor sleep quality, and cognitive decline. Determining which variables predict loneliness in institutionalized elderlies may allow appropriate targeting interventions in loneliness to potentially preserve mental and cognitive health.
We want to explore the prevalence of loneliness in a sample of institutionalized elderly, and determining which variables predict loneliness.
Loneliness was measured using UCLA loneliness scale. We also included a measure of socio-demographic aspects and health-related variables, the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Geriatric Depression Scale, the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Sleep Subjective Index for Elderly.
Our sample included 539 elderly (60-100 years, mean age = 80.03 ± 7.38), mostly women (75.8%), widowed (60.3%), with primary basic education (39.5%), frequenting day care center (61.0%) or living in retirement home (39.0%).
The prevalence of loneliness feelings was 68.2%. Loneliness was significantly related with more anxiety and depressive symptoms, poor sleep quality, and poor life satisfaction. Women and elderlies without partner had also more loneliness feelings. Loneliness was not associated with age, education, living alone/accompanied, number of social contacts, nor with cognitive performance or sensorial problems (low vision and poor hearing). After the multiple logistic regression of the significant variables, only satisfaction with live predicted loneliness (OR = 1.07, p = 0.05).
In conclusion, satisfaction with live may affect feelings of loneliness. More studies with non-institutionalized are needed for appropriated targeting interventions.
1553 – Affectivity And Cognitive Functioning In Institutionalized Elderly
- H. Espirito-Santo, A.R. Correia, M. Marques, I.T. Pena, L. Caldas, F. Rodrigues, L. Ferreira, M.D. Costa, S. Moitinho, R. Almeida, A. Costa, D. Simões, A. Conde, S. Guadalupe, F. Daniel, L. Lemos
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- Journal:
- European Psychiatry / Volume 28 / Issue S1 / 2013
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 15 April 2020, 28-E850
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Affectivity is related to cognitive impairment, but it is not known whether positive affect and negative affect increase/decrease the risk of cognitive impairment. In this study, we sought to examine the prevalence of cognitive impairment, and the potential role of positive and negative affectivity on cognitive functioning in institutionalized portuguese elderly, controlling the potential role of demographic and emotional factors.
A cross sectional investigation has been conducted with a portuguese institutionalized sample at Coimbra’s Council. We inquired 412 healthy elderly with a mean age of 80.38 years (SD = 7.24) using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI). Demographic (76.9% women, 14.3% > 4 years of education, 99.1% manual occupation, 82.2% without partner) and other self-reported related factors were taken into consideration (GDS mean 14.30 ± 6.31; GAI mean = 12.49 ± 5.93).
The prevalence of cognitive impairment was 66.6% (youngest-old: 1.4%; young-old: 24.7%, old-old: 36.5%, oldest-old: 3.9%). We found that only the positive affect was significantly related with the MMSE (r = 0.22). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that positive affect predicted impairment in cognitive performance (OR = 0.96, CI 95% = 0.93-0.98; p < 0.001). These relationships were significant even after controlling for depression and anxiety status, age, education, and occupation.
These findings suggest that positive affect is a variable to attend to when evaluating cognitive functioning in institutionalized elderly.
A roadmap for Antarctic and Southern Ocean science for the next two decades and beyond
- M.C. Kennicutt II, S.L. Chown, J.J. Cassano, D. Liggett, L.S. Peck, R. Massom, S.R. Rintoul, J. Storey, D.G. Vaughan, T.J. Wilson, I. Allison, J. Ayton, R. Badhe, J. Baeseman, P.J. Barrett, R.E. Bell, N. Bertler, S. Bo, A. Brandt, D. Bromwich, S.C. Cary, M.S. Clark, P. Convey, E.S. Costa, D. Cowan, R. Deconto, R. Dunbar, C. Elfring, C. Escutia, J. Francis, H.A. Fricker, M. Fukuchi, N. Gilbert, J. Gutt, C. Havermans, D. Hik, G. Hosie, C. Jones, Y.D. Kim, Y. Le Maho, S.H. Lee, M. Leppe, G. Leitchenkov, X. Li, V. Lipenkov, K. Lochte, J. López-Martínez, C. Lüdecke, W. Lyons, S. Marenssi, H. Miller, P. Morozova, T. Naish, S. Nayak, R. Ravindra, J. Retamales, C.A. Ricci, M. Rogan-Finnemore, Y. Ropert-Coudert, A.A. Samah, L. Sanson, T. Scambos, I.R. Schloss, K. Shiraishi, M.J. Siegert, J.C. Simões, B. Storey, M.D. Sparrow, D.H. Wall, J.C. Walsh, G. Wilson, J.G. Winther, J.C. Xavier, H. Yang, W.J. Sutherland
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- Journal:
- Antarctic Science / Volume 27 / Issue 1 / February 2015
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 18 September 2014, pp. 3-18
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Antarctic and Southern Ocean science is vital to understanding natural variability, the processes that govern global change and the role of humans in the Earth and climate system. The potential for new knowledge to be gained from future Antarctic science is substantial. Therefore, the international Antarctic community came together to ‘scan the horizon’ to identify the highest priority scientific questions that researchers should aspire to answer in the next two decades and beyond. Wide consultation was a fundamental principle for the development of a collective, international view of the most important future directions in Antarctic science. From the many possibilities, the horizon scan identified 80 key scientific questions through structured debate, discussion, revision and voting. Questions were clustered into seven topics: i) Antarctic atmosphere and global connections, ii) Southern Ocean and sea ice in a warming world, iii) ice sheet and sea level, iv) the dynamic Earth, v) life on the precipice, vi) near-Earth space and beyond, and vii) human presence in Antarctica. Answering the questions identified by the horizon scan will require innovative experimental designs, novel applications of technology, invention of next-generation field and laboratory approaches, and expanded observing systems and networks. Unbiased, non-contaminating procedures will be required to retrieve the requisite air, biota, sediment, rock, ice and water samples. Sustained year-round access to Antarctica and the Southern Ocean will be essential to increase winter-time measurements. Improved models are needed that represent Antarctica and the Southern Ocean in the Earth System, and provide predictions at spatial and temporal resolutions useful for decision making. A co-ordinated portfolio of cross-disciplinary science, based on new models of international collaboration, will be essential as no scientist, programme or nation can realize these aspirations alone.