Reliability and procedural validity of UM-CIDI DSM-III-R phobic disorders

Clinical reappraisal of the composite international diagnostic interview version 3.3 in Qatar's National Mental Health Study

OBJECTIVES

Lifetime DSM-5 diagnoses generated by the lay-administered Composite International Diagnostic Interview for DSM-5 (CIDI) in the World Mental Health Qatar (WMHQ) study were compared to diagnoses based on blinded clinician-administered reappraisal interviews.

METHODS

Telephone follow-up interviews used the non-patient edition of the Structured Clinician Interview for DSM-5 (SCID) oversampling respondents who screened positive for five diagnoses in the CIDI: major depressive episode, mania/hypomania, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Concordance was also examined for a diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder based on a short-form versus full version of the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5).

RESULTS

Initial CIDI prevalence estimates differed significantly from the SCID for most diagnoses (χ 1 2 ${\chi }_{1}^{2}$  = 6.6-31.4, p = 0.010 < 0.001), but recalibration reduced most of these differences and led to consistent increases in individual-level concordance (AU-ROC) from 0.53-0.76 to 0.67-0.81. Recalibration of the short-form PCL-5 removed an initially significant difference in PTSD prevalence with the full PCL-5 (fromχ 1 2 ${\chi }_{1}^{2}$  = 610.5, p < 0.001 toχ 1 2 ${\chi }_{1}^{2}$  = 2.5, p = 0.110) while also increasing AU-ROC from 0.76 to 0.81.

CONCLUSIONS

Recalibration resulted in valid diagnoses of common mental disorders in the Qatar National Mental Health Survey, but with inflated prevalence estimates for some disorders that need to be considered when interpreting results.

Design and field procedures for the clinical reappraisal of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview version 3.3 in Qatar's national mental health study

BACKGROUND

The Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) has been clinically reappraised in several studies conducted mainly in the US and Europe. This report describes the methodology used to conduct one of the Middle East's largest clinical reappraisal studies. The study was carried out in conjunction with the World Mental Health Qatar-the first national psychiatric epidemiological study of common mental disorders in the country. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic consistency of core modules of the newly translated and adapted Arabic version of the CIDI 5.0 against the independent clinical diagnoses based on the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5).

METHODS

Telephone follow-up interviews were administered by trained clinicians using the latest research edition of the SCID for DSM-5. Telephone administered interviews were key in the data collection, as the study took place during the COVID-19 pandemic.

RESULTS

Overall, within 12 months, 485 interviews were completed. The response rate was 52%. Quality control monitoring documented excellent adherence of clinical interviews to the rating protocol.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall methods used in this study proved to be efficient and effective. For future research, instrument cultural adaptation within the cultural context is highly recommended.

Prädiktion von Behandlungsabbrüchen bei Adoleszenten mit Borderline-Persönlichkeitsstörung

Zusammenfassung: Theoretischer Hintergrund: Die Borderline-Persönlichkeitsstöurng (BPS) kann bereits in der Adoleszenz zuverlässig diagnostiziert und wirksam behandelt werden. Eine möglichst frühe Behandlung der BPS durch störungsspezifische Therapien (z. B. Dialektisch-Behaviorale Therapie), erscheint ist sinnvoll, weil hierdurch selbstschädigende Verhaltensweisen und chronische Verläufe mit häufigen suizidalen Krisen verhindert und die langfristige psychosoziale Entwicklung verbessert werden kann. Mehrere Therapiestudien zur Wirksamkeit der Behandlung in der Adoleszenz zeigten sehr hohe Abbruchraten (bis zu 75 %), bisher sind allerdings nur wenig konsistente Ergebnisse zur Prädiktion von Therapieabbrüchen vorhanden. Fragestellung: Das Hauptziel der vorliegenden Studie war daher im Rahmen einer Beobachtungsstudie a) die Abbruchrate in der Realversorgung und b) die möglichen Prädiktoren (klinische und demographische Variablen) des Abbruchs einer stationären Behandlung mit DBT für Adoleszente an N = 172 Patient_innen im Alter von 15 – 18 Jahren zu untersuchen. Methode: In einer logistischen Regression wurden 18 Prädiktoren (u. a. Alter, Anzahl der Diagnosen, Schwere der Symptomatik) in SPSS untersucht, die im Rahmen einer drei monatigen stationären Behandlung in der Routineversorgung erhoben wurden. Ergebnisse: Lediglich ein jüngeres Alter der Patient_innen war statistisch signifikant mit einem erhöhten Risiko für einen Therapieabbruch assoziiert. Keine statistisch bedeutsamen Zusammenhänge mit einem Therapieabbruch fanden sich hingegen für die untersuchten psychiatrischen Komorbiditäten (bspw. für das Vorliegen einer Essstörung), für die Schwere der BPS-spezifischen Psychopathologie und für BPS-typische problematische Verhaltensweisen (bspw. selbstschädigendes Verhalten oder Hochrisikoverhalten). Diskussion und Schlussfolgerung: Unsere Untersuchung ergibt keinen Anhalt dafür, dass bei stark ausgeprägter Symptombelastung eine erhöhte Gefahr für einen Abbruch einer Behandlung mit DBT besteht. Sollte das Ergebnis einer erhöhten Abbruchrate bei jüngeren Jugendlichen in weiteren Studien repliziert werden, wären systematische Untersuchungen zu Variablen notwendig, die bei jüngeren Jugendlichen eine besondere Bedeutung besitzen und mit einem Therapieabbruch in Zusammenhang stehen könnten (bspw. die Beziehung zu wichtigen Bezugspersonen). Hieraus ließen sich ggf. gezielte Therapiemodifikationen ableiten, die Therapieabbrüchen entgegenwirken.

The prevalence and correlates of bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, and anorexia nervosa: The Saudi National Mental Health Survey

OBJECTIVE

Limited studies have been conducted in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on eating disorders (EDs). This study presents national epidemiological survey data on the prevalence and correlates of anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and binge-eating disorder (BED) and their association with other mental health disorders, impairment in role functioning, and individual help-seeking behaviors in the Saudi National Mental Health Survey (SNMHS).

METHOD

A face-to-face survey was conducted in a nationally representative household sample of Saudi citizens aged 15-65 (n = 4004). The Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 3.0) was used to produce estimates of lifetime and 12-month prevalence and treatment of common DSM-IV mental disorders.

RESULTS

Twelve-month prevalence of any of the three EDs was 3.2%; the overall lifetime prevalence was 6.1%. Education and marital status were significantly associated with both 12-month and lifetime EDs prevalence. Significant mental health comorbidities associated with 12-month EDs were anxiety, mood, and impulse-control disorders, while lifetime EDs were significantly related to all disorders. A similar percentage of respondents that reported having ED-related treatment at some point in their lifetime utilized healthcare and nonhealthcare sector. There was a significant relationship between body mass index category, and lifetime BED and BN.

DISCUSSION

The 12-month prevalence of EDs in the Saudi population was higher than the EDs rates reported worldwide. These findings can help healthcare experts, and policymakers in the implementation of initiatives for raising awareness of EDs among the Saudi population, and the development of a country-wide plan for the prevention of EDs.

PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

The study presents data on the prevalence, correlates, and help-seeking behaviors of AN, BN, and BED, in the Saudi National Mental Health Survey (SNMHS). Obtaining information on this underrepresented region is essential due to the large differences in cross-national data in addition to cultural beliefs about mental illness and treatment seeking to exert an important influence on eating disorders. Such knowledge could provide a better understand of mechanisms underlying the development of eating disorders and thereby improve prediction, prevention, and treatment.

The effect of physical activity on the association between perceived racial discrimination and depression in African Americans

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the effect of physical activity (PA) on the relationship between perceived racial discrimination and major depressive disorder (MDD) in African Americans.

METHODS

645 African Americans (mean age 45 years) were interviewed on their perceived racial discrimination, PA, and past 12-month MDD. Participants were categorized into tertiles (lower, middle, upper) of racial discrimination as well as "active" or "inactive" groups based on the US PA guidelines. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for MDD prevalence across discrimination tertiles stratified by PA group after adjusting for potential confounders.

RESULTS

The upper (higher) discrimination group had 2.99 (95% CIs 1.03-8.67) increased odds of MDD compared with the lower group after adjusting for potential confounders. The stratified analysis indicated that the increased odds of MDD in the upper discrimination group were observed only among the inactive group (5.19 [1.08-24.87]) after adjusting for age and sex. The association between discrimination and MDD was not significant among active participants.

LIMITATIONS

Limitations include generalizability since participants were predominantly women and recruited solely from Iowa or Georgia; the low number of MDD cases in some groups; and that causation cannot be inferred from this cross-sectional study.

CONCLUSION

Not meeting the PA guidelines may be associated with higher depression among African Americans experiencing higher levels of perceived racial discrimination.

Physical activity, physical self-perception and depression symptoms in patients with major depressive disorder: a mediation analysis

Physical inactivity is discussed as one of the most detrimental influences for lifestyle-related medical complications such as obesity, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and premature mortality in in- and outpatients with major depressive disorder (MDD). In contrast, intervention studies indicate that moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) might reduce complications and depression symptoms itself. Self-reported data on depression [Beck-Depression-Inventory-II (BDI-II)], general habitual well-being (FAHW), self-esteem and physical self-perception (FAHW, MSWS) were administrated in a cross-sectional study with 76 in- and outpatients with MDD. MVPA was documented using ActiGraph wGT3X + ® accelerometers and fitness was measured using cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). Subgroups were built according to activity level (low PA defined as MVPA < 30 min/day, moderate PA defined as MVPA 30-45 min/day, high PA defined as MVPA > 45 min/day). Statistical analysis was performed using a Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis test, Spearman correlation and mediation analysis. BDI-II scores and MVPA values of in- and outpatients were comparable, but fitness differed between the two groups. Analysis of the outpatient group showed a negative correlation between BDI-II and MVPA. No association of inpatient MVPA and psychopathology was found. General habitual well-being and self-esteem mediated the relationship between outpatient MVPA and BDI-II. The level of depression determined by the BDI-II score was significantly higher in the outpatient low- and moderate PA subgroups compared to outpatients with high PA. Fitness showed no association to depression symptoms or well-being. To ameliorate depressive symptoms of MDD outpatients, intervention strategies should promote habitual MVPA and exercise exceeding the duration recommended for general health (≥ 30 min/day). Further studies need to investigate sufficient MVPA strategies to impact MDD symptoms in inpatient settings. Exercise effects seem to be driven by changes of well-being rather than increased physical fitness.

Clinical reappraisal of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview Version 3.0 in the Saudi National Mental Health Survey

OBJECTIVES

The DSM-IV diagnoses generated by the fully structured lay-administered Composite International Diagnostic Interview Version 3.0 (CIDI 3.0) in the Saudi National Mental Health Survey (SNMHS) were compared to diagnoses based on blinded clinical reappraisal interviews.

METHODS

Telephone follow-up interviews were administered using the clinician-administered non-patient edition of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) in separate sub-samples of SNMHS respondents who screened positive for four disorders that are of special importance in Arab countries: obsessive-compulsive disorder, separation anxiety disorder, social phobia, and major depressive episode.

RESULTS

Initial diagnoses based on the CIDI were found to have higher prevalence than those based on the SCID for all four disorders. For reasons having to do with respondent denial of symptoms in the SCID reported in the CIDI, we interpreted these differences as due more to under-diagnoses in the SCID than over-diagnoses in the CIDI. Nonetheless, CIDI diagnostic thresholds for three of the four disorders were increased to make sure prevalence estimates based on the CIDI were conservative. The procedures used to implement these recalibrations are described in this paper.

CONCLUSIONS

The CIDI interviews used in the SNMHS generated valid but conservative diagnoses of common mental disorders in the Saudi population.

Social phobia in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases

OBJECTIVE

Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMID) such as multiple sclerosis (MS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are associated with a high prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity but little is known about the prevalence of social phobia in IMID, or the factors associated with social phobia. We aimed to determine the prevalence of social phobia in MS, IBD and RA, and the factors associated with social phobia in these IMID.

METHODS

We obtained data from the enrollment visit of a cohort study in IMID of whom 654 participants were eligible for this analysis (MS: 254, IBD: 247, RA: 153). Each participant underwent a semi-structured psychiatric interview which identified depression and anxiety disorders including social phobia (lifetime and current), an assessment of disease activity, and reported sociodemographic information.

RESULTS

Overall, 12.8% of participants had a lifetime diagnosis of social phobia (MS: 10.2%, IBD: 13.0%, RA: 17.0%). Social phobia was associated with younger age (OR 0.98; 0.97-1.00), having a high school education or less (OR 1.78; 1.08-2.91), comorbid major depressive disorder (OR 2.79; 1.63-4.78) and comorbid generalized anxiety disorder (OR 2.56; 1.30-5.05). Persons with RA had increased odds of having social phobia as compared to persons with MS (OR 2.26; 1.14-4.48) but not IBD.

CONCLUSION

Persons with IMIDs have a relatively high lifetime prevalence of social phobia, exceeding that reported for the Canadian general population. Strategies aimed at early detection, and effective clinical management of social phobia in IMID are warranted.

Neighborhood racial discrimination and the development of major depression

This study examined the impact of neighborhood racial discrimination on the development of major depressive disorder (MDD) in a sample of African American women. Participants were 499 women from Georgia and Iowa with no history of MDD who were followed for 9 to 11 years. Several neighborhood characteristics (community social disorder, community cohesion, and community racism) and individual characteristics (negative life events, financial strain, personal outlook, religious involvement, relationship quality, negative affectivity, and individual experiences of racism) were employed as predictors of whether or not the women met criteria for MDD during this period of time. In a multilevel logistic regression analysis, neighborhood-level discrimination as well as individual-level variables including the number of negative life events, financial strain, and negative affectivity were found to be significant predictors of developing MDD. Analyses of cross-level interactions indicated that the effects of neighborhood-level discrimination were moderated by the quality of individuals' relationships, such that better relationships with others served to lessen the effect of neighborhood discrimination on depression. Implications of these findings for understanding the negative effects of racial discrimination are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record

Specific phobias

Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent mental disorders, but the subcategory of specific phobias has not been well studied. Phobias involve both fear and avoidance. For people who have specific phobias, avoidance can reduce the constancy and severity of distress and impairment. However, these phobias are important because of their early onset and strong persistence over time. Studies indicate that the lifetime prevalence of specific phobias around the world ranges from 3% to 15%, with fears and phobias concerning heights and animals being the most common. The developmental course of phobias, which progress from fear to avoidance and then to diagnosis, suggests the possibility that interrupting the course of phobias could reduce their prevalence. Although specific phobias often begin in childhood, their incidence peaks during midlife and old age. Phobias persist for several years or even decades in 10-30% of cases, and are strongly predictive of onset of other anxiety, mood, and substance-use disorders. Their high comorbidity with other mental disorders, especially after onset of the phobia, suggests that early treatment of phobias could also alter the risk of other disorders. Exposure therapy remains the treatment of choice, although this approach might be less effective in the long term than previously believed. This Review discusses the literature regarding the prevalence, incidence, course, risk factors, and treatment of specific phobias, and presents epidemiological data from several population-based surveys.

Clinical and functional outcomes of cannabis use among individuals with anxiety disorders: A 3-year population-based longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

Cannabis use has been reported to negatively affect the course and outcome of various psychiatric disorders, yet little is known on its effect on rates of remission from anxiety disorders and associated clinical and functional outcomes.

METHODS

In this study, data were drawn from Waves 1 and 2 of the National Epidemiologic survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, focusing on individuals who qualified for a diagnosis of any anxiety disorder (social anxiety, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and specific phobias) at Wave 1 (N = 3,723). Cannabis users and individuals with cannabis use disorders (CUDs) throughout a 4-year period were compared to nonusers in rates of remission, suicidality, general functioning, and quality of life at Wave 2, while controlling for baseline confounders.

RESULTS

Although rates of remission decreased with level of cannabis use, this was not maintained in adjusted models. Aside from specific outcomes (individuals with CUDs were significantly more prone to report breaking up from a romantic relationship; adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.85, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.66-8.97) and repeatedly quitting school (AOR = 6.02, 95% CI = 2.65-13.66)), following adjustment no additional differences were found in outcome measures.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings add to previous reports suggesting that poorer outcome of anxiety disorders among cannabis users may be attributed mainly to differences in baseline factors and not cannabis use.

Validity of Chinese Version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview-3.0 in Psychiatric Settings

BACKGROUND

The Composite International Diagnostic Interview-3.0 (CIDI-3.0) is a fully structured lay-administered diagnostic interview for the assessment of mental disorders according to ICD-10 and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) criteria. The aim of the study was to investigate the concurrent validity of the Chinese CIDI in diagnosing mental disorders in psychiatric settings.

METHODS

We recruited 208 participants, of whom 148 were patients from two psychiatric hospitals and 60 healthy people from communities. These participants were administered with CIDI by six trained lay interviewers and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I, gold standard) by two psychiatrists. Agreement between CIDI and SCID-I was assessed with sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value. Individual-level CIDI-SCID diagnostic concordance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve and Cohen's K.

RESULTS

Substantial to excellent CIDI to SCID concordance was found for any substance use disorder (area under the receiver operator characteristic curve [AUC] = 0.926), any anxiety disorder (AUC = 0.807) and any mood disorder (AUC = 0.806). The concordance between the CIDI and the SCID for psychotic and eating disorders is moderate. However, for individual mental disorders, the CIDI-SCID concordance for bipolar disorders (AUC = 0.55) and anorexia nervosa (AUC = 0.50) was insufficient.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the Chinese version of CIDI-3.0 has acceptable validity in diagnosing the substance use disorder, anxiety disorder and mood disorder among Chinese adult population. However, we should be cautious when using it for bipolar disorders and anorexia nervosa.

Procedural validity of the AUDADIS-5 depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder modules: Substance abusers and others in the general population

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the procedural validity of lay-administered, fully-structured assessments of depressive, anxiety and post-traumatic stress (PTSD) disorders in the general population as determined by comparison with clinical re-appraisal, and whether this differs between current regular substance abusers and others. We evaluated the procedural validity of the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule, DSM-5 Version (AUDADIS-5) assessment of these disorders through clinician re-interviews.

METHODS

Test-retest design among respondents from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III (NESARC-III): (264 current regular substance abusers, 447 others). Clinicians blinded to AUDADIS-5 results administered the semi-structured Psychiatric Research Interview for Substance and Mental Disorders, DSM-5 version (PRISM-5). AUDADIS-5/PRISM-5 concordance was indicated by kappa (κ) for diagnoses and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for dimensional measures (DSM-5 symptom or criterion counts). Results were compared between current regular substance abusers and others.

RESULTS

AUDADIS-5 and PRISM-5 concordance for DSM-5 depressive disorders, anxiety disorders and PTSD was generally fair to moderate (κ=0.24-0.59), with concordance on dimensional scales much better (ICC=0.53-0.81). Concordance differed little between regular substance abusers and others.

CONCLUSIONS

AUDADIS-5/PRISM-5 concordance indicated procedural validity for the AUDADIS-5 among substance abusers and others, suggesting that AUDADIS-5 diagnoses of DSM-5 depressive, anxiety and PTSD diagnoses are informative measures in both groups in epidemiological studies. The stronger concordance on dimensional measures supports the current movement toward dimensional psychopathology measures, suggesting that such measures provide important information for research in the NESARC-III and other datasets, and possibly for clinical purposes as well.

Schizophrenia risk variants modulate white matter volume across the psychosis spectrum: evidence from two independent cohorts

Polygenic risk scores, based on risk variants identified in genome-wide-association-studies (GWAS), explain a considerable portion of the heritability for schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD). However, little is known about the combined effects of these variants, although polygenic neuroimaging has developed into a powerful tool of translational neuroscience. In this study, we used genome wide significant SZ risk variants to test the predictive capacity of the polygenic model and explored potential associations with white matter volume, a key candidate in imaging phenotype for psychotic disorders. By calculating the combined additive schizophrenia risk of seven SNPs (significant hits from a recent schizophrenia GWAS study), we show that increased additive genetic risk for SZ was associated with reduced white matter volume in a group of participants (n = 94) consisting of healthy individuals, SZ first-degree relatives, SZ patients and BD patients. This effect was also seen in a second independent sample of healthy individuals (n = 89). We suggest that a moderate portion of variance (~4%) of white matter volume can be explained by the seven hits from the recent schizophrenia GWAS. These results provide evidence for associations between cumulative genetic risk for schizophrenia and intermediate neuroimaging phenotypes in models of psychosis. Our work contributes to a growing body of literature suggesting that polygenic risk may help to explain white matter alterations associated with familial risk for psychosis.

The Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule-5 (AUDADIS-5): reliability of substance use and psychiatric disorder modules in a general population sample

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to assess the test-retest reliability of substance use disorder and psychiatric modules in the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) Version (AUDADIS-5).

METHODS

Kappa and intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated for DSM-5 substance use and psychiatric disorder diagnoses and dimensional criteria scales using a test-retest design among 1006 respondents drawn from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III (NESARC-III).

RESULTS

Reliabilities of substance use disorder diagnoses and associated criteria scales were generally good to excellent, while reliabilities for mood, anxiety and trauma and stress-related disorders and associated scales were generally in the fair to good range.

CONCLUSIONS

The observed reliability of the DSM-5 diagnoses and dimensional scales for the substance use and psychiatric disorders found in this study indicates that the AUDADIS-5 can be a useful tool in various research settings, particularly in studies of the general population, the target population for which it was designed.

Consolidation time affects performance and neural activity during visual working memory

We tested the effects of variation of stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) on visual working memory (WM) performance across different load levels and the underlying brain activation patterns using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 48 healthy participants. Participants were instructed to memorise arrays of coloured squares and had to perform a match/non-match judgement on a probe stimulus after a jittered delay. We presented visual pattern masks at four SOAs after the offset of the memory array (100 ms, 200 ms, 400 ms, and 800 ms). Memory performance decreased with increased load and shortened SOA. Brain activation data showed significant effects of load (during encoding and retrieval), SOA (retrieval) and an interaction of load by SOA (encoding), mainly in frontal and parietal areas. There was also a direct relationship between successfully stored items and activation in the right inferior parietal lobule and the left middle frontal gyrus. The neurobehavioral results suggest that the frontal regions, together with the inferior parietal lobe, are associated with successful WM performance, especially under the most challenging conditions of high load and short SOAs.

Effects of aerobic exercise on cognitive performance and individual psychopathology in depressive and schizophrenia patients

Cognitive deficits are core symptoms in patients with schizophrenia (SZ) and major depressive disorder (MDD), but specific and approved treatments for cognitive deterioration are scarce. Experimental and clinical evidence suggests that aerobic exercise may help to reduce psychopathological symptoms and support cognitive performance, but this has not yet been systematically investigated. In the current study, we examined the effects of aerobic training on cognitive performance and symptom severity in psychiatric inpatients. To our knowledge, to date, no studies have been published that directly compare the effects of exercise across disease groups in order to acquire a better understanding of disease-specific versus general or overlapping effects of physical training intervention. Two disease groups (n=22 MDD patients, n=29 SZ patients) that were matched for age, gender, duration of disease and years of education received cognitive training combined either with aerobic physical exercise or with mental relaxation training. The interventions included 12 sessions (3 times a week) over a time period of 4 weeks, lasting each for 75 min (30 min of cognitive training+45 min of cardio training/mental relaxation training). Cognitive parameters and psychopathology scores of all participants were tested in pre- and post-testing sessions and were then compared with a waiting control group. In the total group of patients, the results indicate an increase in cognitive performance in the domains visual learning, working memory and speed of processing, a decrease in state anxiety and an increase in subjective quality of life between pre- and post-testing. The effects in SZ patients compared with MDD patients were stronger for cognitive performance, whereas there were stronger effects in MDD patients compared with SZ patients in individual psychopathology values. MDD patients showed a significant reduction in depressive symptoms and state anxiety values after the intervention period. SZ patients reduced their negative symptoms severity from pre- to post-testing. In sum, the effects for the combined training were superior to the other forms of treatment. Physical exercise may help to reduce psychopathological symptoms and improve cognitive skills. The intervention routines employed in this study promise to add the current psychopathological and medical treatment options and could aid the transition to a multidisciplinary approach. However, a limitation of the current study is the short time interval for interventions (6 weeks including pre- and post-testing).

Personality disorders and the persistence of anxiety disorders in a nationally representative sample

BACKGROUND

Among individuals with anxiety disorders, comorbid personality disorders (PDs) increase cross-sectional symptom severity and decrease functioning. Little is known, however, about how PDs influence the course of anxiety disorders over time. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of PDs on the persistence of four anxiety disorders in a nationally representative sample in the United States.

METHODS

Two waves of data were collected on 34,653 participants, 3 years apart. At both waves, participants were evaluated for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social and specific phobias, and panic disorder. Predictors of persistence included all DSM-IV PDs. Control variables included demographics, comorbid PDs, age at onset of the anxiety disorder, number of prior episodes, duration of the current episode, treatment history, and cardinal symptoms of exclusionary diagnoses for each anxiety disorder.

RESULTS

Any PD, two or more PDs, borderline PD, schizotypal PD, mean number of PD criteria met, and mean number of PDs diagnosed predicted the persistence of all four anxiety disorders. Narcissistic PD predicted persistence of GAD and panic disorder. Schizoid and avoidant PDs also predicted persistence of GAD. Finally, avoidant PD predicted persistence of social phobia. Particular patterns of cross-cluster PD comorbidity were strong predictors of the persistence of individual anxiety disorders as well.

CONCLUSIONS

In this national sample, a variety of PDs robustly predicted the persistence of anxiety disorders over 3 years, consistent with the results of recent prospective clinical studies. Personality psychopathology should be assessed and addressed in treatment for all patients with anxiety disorders.

Changes in the prevalence of mood and anxiety disorders among male and female current smokers in the United States: 1990-2001

PURPOSE

The present study investigated whether the prevalence of mood and anxiety disorders has increased over time among current smokers and whether these trends differ by gender and in comparison with nonsmokers.

METHODS

Data were drawn from the National Comorbidity Survey (1990) and the National Comorbidity Survey-Replication (2001), representative samples of the US adult population. Binomial regression analyses were used to determine differences between mood and anxiety disorders among current smokers in 1990 and 2001 and whether these differed by gender and in comparison with those who were former or never current smokers.

RESULTS

Any anxiety disorder, panic attacks, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder and dysthymia were all significantly more common among current smokers in 2001 compared with 1990 and except for social anxiety disorder these increases were significantly greater than any trend found in non-smokers. Increases in panic attacks, social anxiety disorder, and dysthymia were more pronounced in female than in male smokers. Major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder were not found to increase over time among smokers.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of several anxiety disorders and dysthymia among current smokers appears to have increased from 1990 to 2001. Future studies are needed to determine whether these trends have continued. If so, interventions aimed at moving the prevalence lower may have limited success if treatment of mental health problems such as anxiety disorders and certain mood disorders are not considered in the development and dissemination of tobacco control programs.

Global health benefits of being raised in a rural setting: results from the National Comorbidity Survey

AIM

The aim of this study was to examine the association between being raised in a rural setting and physical and mental health among adults in the USA.

METHODS

Data were drawn from the National Comorbidity Survey (n = 8098), a household probability sample representative of adults aged 15-54 years in the USA. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to determine the association between being raised in a rural area and the likelihood of mental disorders, physical disorders, suicide behavior, and parental mental health. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals were calculated, adjusting for differences in demographic characteristics.

RESULTS

Being raised in a rural setting was associated with decreased odds of ulcer (OR = 0.56 [0.34, 0.91]). Mental disorders (any lifetime) (OR = 0.74 [0.64, 0.85]), any anxiety disorder (OR = 0.75 [0.6, 0.92]) and any substance use disorder (OR = 0.79 [0.65, 0.94]) were significantly less likely among adults who were raised in a rural setting. Maternal psychopathology and exposure to trauma were significantly lower among those raised in a rural setting, compared with those who were not. These relations were not explained by sociodemographic differences.

CONCLUSIONS

These data provide preliminary evidence that being raised in a rural environment lowers the risk of mental and physical health problems in adulthood. Being raised in a rural community also appears to be associated with significantly lower likelihood of exposure to trauma and maternal psychopathology. Future studies that can identify potential protective factors and mechanisms underlying these pathways are needed next.

Frontal white matter alterations are associated with executive cognitive function in euthymic bipolar patients

BACKGROUND

Bipolar affective disorder (BD) is often associated with cognitive dysfunction in executive domains. However the biological underpinnings of cognitive deficits in BD are not sufficiently understood. A growing body of evidence indicates a loss of microstructural integrity in various white matter (WM) fiber tracts in BD. The aim of the current study was to assess potential links between WM structural abnormalities and cognitive performance in euthymic middle-aged BD patients (n=30) and matched healthy controls (n=32).

METHODS

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data was carried out with both voxelwise (tract based spatial statistics, TBSS) and region-of-interest (ROI) based analysis. We compared multiple indices of diffusion including fractional anisotropy (FA), radial (DR), axial (DA) and mean diffusivities (MD).

RESULTS

Increased mean diffusivity was found in the fornix, anterior thalamic radiation, splenium and the truncus of the corpus callosum in BD patients compared with controls. These diffusion changes were significantly associated with poorer performance in executive tasks in BD patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate a direct link between executive cognitive functioning and abnormal WM microstructural integrity of fronto-limbic tracts in remitted BD patients, and add evidence to the neuronal disruption that underlies the residual symptomatology of BD.

Anxiety disorders and drug dependence: evidence on sequence and specificity among adults

AIM

The goal of this study was to investigate the relation between specific anxiety disorders and substance dependence, adjusting for potentially confounding demographic factors (e.g. sex) and comorbidity (e.g. alcohol dependence, major depression), among adults in the USA.

METHODS

Data were drawn from the National Comorbidity Survey (NCS), a nationally representative population sample of the US adult population aged 15-54. The temporal sequence of onset of anxiety and substance dependence disorders was examined.

RESULTS

Substance dependence temporally precedes several anxiety disorders, particularly panic disorder. Specifically, a history of past substance dependence predicts current panic disorder (odds ratio [OR] =2.62, 95% confidence interval [CI] =1.29, 5.32), social phobia (OR=1.7, 95%CI=1.12, 2.41), and agoraphobia (OR=1.78, 95%CI=1.08, 2.94). Conversely, in more than 50% of substance abuse disorder cases, in nearly 40% of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) cases, and in nearly 30% of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) cases, the anxiety disorder has first onset. Similarly, a lifetime history of social phobia, PTSD, or GAD significantly predicts lifetime substance dependence (OR=1.51 for social phobia, 2.06 for PTSD, 1.45 for GAD).

CONCLUSION

For any particular anxiety disorder, a diagnosis of substance abuse can occur prior to or subsequent to an anxiety disorder. Nevertheless, there is also evidence for the specificity of some associations between anxiety and substance dependence disorders; these are independent of the effects of sex and other comorbid disorders, may be causal in nature, and deserve particular attention in clinical settings. The possibility that within a particular anxiety disorder there are a variety of mechanisms of association with various substances should be addressed in future work.

Perceived quality of early paternal relationships and mental health in adulthood

We aimed to determine the association between perceived paternal relationships and mental health and social functioning among adults in the community. Data were drawn from the National Comorbidity Survey (N = 8098), a nationally representative sample of adults aged 15 to 54 years in the United States. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to assess the relationships between quality of paternal relationship in childhood and current mental disorders, quality of current social relationships, and attachment style. Poor paternal relationship was associated with a significantly increased likelihood of mood and anxiety disorders. Poorer quality of paternal relationships was also associated with poorer current social functioning and avoidant and dependent attachment styles. Our findings suggest that quality of paternal relationships is associated with mental health and social functioning in adulthood and highlight a need for increased understanding of the role of paternal relationships in social/emotional development.

Association between white matter fiber integrity and subclinical psychotic symptoms in schizophrenia patients and unaffected relatives

In this study, we investigate whether aberrant integrity of white matter (WM) fiber tracts represents a genetically determined biological marker of schizophrenia (SZ), and its relation with clinical symptoms. We collected brain DTI data from 28 SZ patients, 18 first-degree relatives and 22 matched controls and used voxel-based analysis with tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) in order to compare fractional anisotropy (FA) between groups. Mean voxel-based FA values from the entire skeleton of each group were compared. We did a multiple regression analysis, followed by single post-hoc contrasts between groups. FA values were extracted from the statistically significant areas. The results showed significantly smaller FA values for SZ patients in comparison with controls in cortico-spinal tracts, in commissural fibers, in thalamic projections, in association fibers and in cingulum bundles. A significant increase of FA in SZ patients in comparison with healthy controls was only found in the arcuate fasciculus. Relatives had intermediate values between patients and controls which were deemed significant in the comparison to patients and controls in association fibers, arcuate fasciculus and cingulum bundles. Lower FA values in association fibers were significantly associated with predisposition toward hallucinations (in SZ patients and relatives), with higher PANSS scores of positive symptoms and with duration of illness (SZ patients). Our results suggest that clinical and subclinical presentations of psychotic symptoms are associated with aberrant integrity of multiple WM tracts. This association may represent an endophenotype of schizophrenia, since it is present in unaffected relatives as well. Such endophenotypes may serve as quantitative traits for future genetic studies and as candidate markers for early and preclinical identification of subjects at risk.

Course trajectories of unipolar depressive disorders identified by latent class growth analysis

BACKGROUND

Current classification of unipolar depression reflects the idea that prognosis is essential. However, do DSM categories of major depressive disorder (MDD), dysthymic disorder (Dysth) and double depression (DD=MDD+Dysth) indeed adequately represent clinically relevant course trajectories of unipolar depression? Our aim was to test DSM categories (MDD, Dysth and DD) in comparison with empirically derived prognostic categories, using a prospectively followed cohort of depressed patients.

METHOD

A large sample (n=804) of out-patients with unipolar depression were derived from a prospective cohort study, the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA). Using latent class growth analysis (LCGA), empirically derived 2-year course trajectories were constructed. These were compared with DSM diagnoses and a wider set of putative predictors for class membership.

RESULTS

Five course trajectories were identified, ranging from mild severity and rapid remission to high severity and chronic course trajectory. Contrary to expectations, more than 50% of Dysth and DD were allocated to classes with favorable course trajectories, suggesting that current DSM categories do not adequately represent course trajectories. The class with the most favorable course trajectory differed on several characteristics from other classes (younger age, more females, less childhood adversity, less somatic illnesses, lower neuroticism, higher extraversion). Older age, earlier age of onset and lower extraversion predicted poorest course trajectory.

CONCLUSIONS

MDD, Dysth and DD did not adequately match empirically derived course trajectories for unipolar depression. For the future classification of unipolar depression, it may be wise to retain the larger, heterogeneous category of unipolar depression, adopting cross-cutting dimensions of severity and duration to further characterize patients.

The Value of Four Mental Health Self-Report Scales in Predicting Interview-Based Mood and Anxiety Disorder Diagnoses in Sibling Pairs

Questionnaire-based dimensional measures are often employed in epidemiological studies to predict the presence of psychiatric disorders. The present study sought to determine how accurately 4 dimensional mental health measures, the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), Neuroticism (EPQ-N), the high positive affect and anxious arousal scales from the Mood and Anxiety Symptoms Questionnaire (MASQ-HPA and MASQ-AA) and a composite of all 4, predicted psychiatric caseness as diagnosed by the University of Michigan Composite International Diagnostic Interview (UM-CIDI). Community subjects were recruited through general practitioners; those who agreed to participate were sent a questionnaire containing the above measures. Subsequently, the UM-CIDI was administered by telephone to 469 subjects consisting of sibling pairs who scored most discordantly or concordantly on a composite index of the 4 measures. Logistic Regression and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were carried out to assess the predictive accuracy of the dimensional measures on UM-CIDI diagnosis. A total of 179 subjects, 62 men and 117 women with an average age of 42 years, were diagnosed with at least one of the following psychiatric disorders: depression, dysthymia, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social phobia, agoraphobia and panic attack. The six disorders showed high comorbidity. EPQ-N and the Composite Index were found to be very strong and accurate predictors of psychiatric caseness; they were however unable to differentiate between specific disorders. The results from the present study therefore validated the four mental health measures as being predictive of psychiatric caseness.

Help-seeking behaviors in a community sample of young adults with substance use disorders

Despite the high prevalence of substance use disorders (SUDs) in the U.S., many with a SUD go untreated and/or report lengthy delays to help-seeking initiation. From a public health standpoint, because SUDs often emerge in early adulthood, information on help-seeking behaviors among young adults is important. Using data from young adults ages 18-23 years with a history of a SUD (n = 672) in Miami-Dade County, Florida, this study estimates the prevalence of lifetime help-seeking initiation and examines factors related to help seeking and delays to help-seeking initiation. The majority (68%) of young adults with a history of a SUD reported never having sought help, and those who reported help seeking experienced relatively lengthy delays (1-7 years) to help-seeking initiation. These findings underscore the need for both timely substance abuse treatment and for accelerated research on successful outreach strategies for young adults with SUDs.

Association analysis of ANK3 gene variants in nordic bipolar disorder and schizophrenia case-control samples

Genetic variants in ankyrin 3 (ANK3) have recently been shown to be associated with bipolar disorder (BD). We genotyped three ANK3 SNPs previously found to be associated with BD (rs10994336, rs1938526, and rs9804190) in a Scandinavian BD case-control sample (N = 854/2,614). Due to evidence of genetic overlap between BD and schizophrenia (SZ), we also genotyped these three SNPs in a Scandinavian SZ case-control sample (N = 1,073/2,919). Combining our Scandinavian samples with an Icelandic sample (N = 435 BD cases, 651 SZ cases, and 11,491 healthy controls), we found rs10994336 and rs9804190 to be nominally significantly associated with BD in this combined Nordic BD sample (N = 1,289/14,105). Nominal P was 0.015/0.018 (fixed/random effect) for rs10994336 (Bonferroni corrected P = 0.044/0.053) and 0.023 for rs9804190 (Bonferroni corrected P = 0.069). None of the SNPs were significantly associated with SZ in the combined Nordic SZ case-control sample (N = 1,724/14,410). These results further support that ANK3 is a susceptibility gene specific to BD and that more than one risk locus is involved.

Perception of Health, Suicidal Ideation, and Suicide Attempt Among Adults in the Community

Background: There is a well-known association between perception of poor physical health and higher rates of physical and psychological morbidity. However, little is known about the possible link between perception of health and suicidality. Aims: The study examines the relationship between perception of poor health and suicidal ideation and suicide attempt among adults in the community. Methods: Data were drawn from the National Comorbidity Survey (n = 5,877), a representative sample of individuals 15–54 years of age in the United States. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to determine the relationship between perception of poor health and the likelihood of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt. Sociodemographic characteristics, comorbid mental disorders, and physical illnesses were adjusted for in the final model. Results: Perception of poor health was associated with a significantly increased likelihood of suicidal ideation (OR = 2.14 (1.36, 3.35) and suicide attempt (OR = 2.03 (1.06, 3.91)), which persisted after adjusting for differences in sociodemographic characteristics, mental disorders, and self-reported physical illnesses. Conclusions: Our findings provide initial evidence that perception of poor health is associated with a significantly increased likelihood of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt among adults in the community.

Interaction effects of subjective memory impairment and ApoE4 genotype on episodic memory and hippocampal volume

BACKGROUND

The apolipoprotein E4 allele (ApoE4) is an established genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, its effects on cognitive performance and brain structure in healthy individuals are complex. We investigated the effect of ApoE4 on cognitive performance and medial temporal lobe volumetric measures in cognitively unimpaired young elderly with and without subjective memory impairment (SMI), which is an at-risk condition for dementia.MethodAltogether, 40 individuals with SMI and 62 without were tested on episodic memory and on tasks of speed and executive function. All participants were ApoE genotyped. 21 subjects with SMI and 47 without received additional structural magnetic resonance imaging. Volumetric measures of the hippocampus, the entorhinal cortex and the amygdala were obtained manually.

RESULTS

In the SMI group, ApoE4 carriers performed worse on the episodic memory (p=0.049) and showed smaller left hippocampal volumes (p=0.030). In the individuals without SMI, the ApoE4 carriers performed better on episodic memory (p=0.018) and had larger right hippocampal volumes (p=0.039). The interaction of group (SMI/no SMI) and ApoE genotype was significant for episodic memory (p=0.005) and right and left hippocampal volumes (p=0.042; p=0.035). There were no within-group differences or interaction effects on speed and executive function composite measures or other volumetric measures.

CONCLUSIONS

The negative effect of ApoE4 on episodic memory and hippocampal volume in SMI supports SMI as a prodromal condition of AD. The positive effects of ApoE4 in subjects without SMI adds to a number of reports on positive ApoE4 effects in young and very old individuals.

KCNJ6 is associated with adult alcohol dependence and involved in gene × early life stress interactions in adolescent alcohol drinking

Alcohol abuse and dependence have proven to be complex genetic traits that are influenced by environmental factors. Primate and human studies have shown that early life stress increases the propensity for alcohol abuse in later life. The reinforcing properties of alcohol are mediated by dopaminergic signaling; however, there is little evidence to indicate how stress alters alcohol reinforcement. KCNJ6 (the gene encoding G-protein-coupled inwardly rectifying potassium channel 2 (GIRK2)) is a brain expressed potassium channel with inhibitory effects on dopaminergic tone. The properties of GIRK2 have been shown to be enhanced by the stress peptide corticotrophin-releasing hormone. Therefore, we sought to examine the role of KCNJ6 polymorphisms in adult alcohol dependence and stress-related alcohol abuse in adolescents. We selected 11 SNPs in the promoter region of KCNJ6, which were genotyped in 1152 adult alcohol dependents and 1203 controls. One SNP, rs2836016, was found to be associated with alcohol dependence (p=0.01, false discovery rate). We then assessed rs2836016 in an adolescent sample of 261 subjects, which were characterized for early life stress and adolescent hazardous drinking, defined using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), to examine gene-environment interactions. In the adolescent sample, the risk genotype of rs2836016 was significantly associated with increased AUDIT scores, but only in those individuals exposed to high levels of psychosocial stress in early life (p=0.01). Our findings show that KCNJ6 is associated with alcohol dependence and may moderate the effect of early psychosocial stress on risky alcohol drinking in adolescents. We have identified a candidate gene for future studies investigating a possible functional link between the response to stress and alcohol reinforcement.

Genome-wide association study identifies genetic variation in neurocan as a susceptibility factor for bipolar disorder

We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and a follow-up study of bipolar disorder (BD), a common neuropsychiatric disorder. In the GWAS, we investigated 499,494 autosomal and 12,484 X-chromosomal SNPs in 682 patients with BD and in 1300 controls. In the first follow-up step, we tested the most significant 48 SNPs in 1729 patients with BD and in 2313 controls. Eight SNPs showed nominally significant association with BD and were introduced to a meta-analysis of the GWAS and the first follow-up samples. Genetic variation in the neurocan gene (NCAN) showed genome-wide significant association with BD in 2411 patients and 3613 controls (rs1064395, p = 3.02 × 10(-8); odds ratio = 1.31). In a second follow-up step, we replicated this finding in independent samples of BD, totaling 6030 patients and 31,749 controls (p = 2.74 × 10(-4); odds ratio = 1.12). The combined analysis of all study samples yielded a p value of 2.14 × 10(-9) (odds ratio = 1.17). Our results provide evidence that rs1064395 is a common risk factor for BD. NCAN encodes neurocan, an extracellular matrix glycoprotein, which is thought to be involved in cell adhesion and migration. We found that expression in mice is localized within cortical and hippocampal areas. These areas are involved in cognition and emotion regulation and have previously been implicated in BD by neuropsychological, neuroimaging, and postmortem studies.

A short screening instrument for mental health problems: the symptom checklist-27 (SCL-27) in Poland and Germany

OBJECTIVE

The symptom checklist SCL-27 is a short, multidimensional screening instrument for mental health problems. It contains six scales: depressive, dysthymic, vegetative, agoraphobic and sociophobic symptoms; symptoms of mistrust; and a global severity index (GSI-27).

METHODS

A survey of two student samples from Poland and Germany (n ∼ 400) is presented.

RESULTS

Most scales of the SCL-27 showed good to satisfactory reliability (i.e. Cronbach's α > 0.70). Some items displayed different characteristics in students than in non-student samples. These discrepancies can be explained partly by the particular situation students face and partly by some country-specific or language-specific aspects of the measuring instrument. Differences between Polish and German students were marginal at best; in general, the Polish students tended to assent more easily to the items of the SCL-27 than did the German students.

CONCLUSIONS

The SCL-27 is suitable for international comparisons. In both, Germany and Poland, students display a characteristic response pattern that differs from those of other samples. It can be applied as a separate instrument or for reanalysis of data collected with the SCL-90_R.

Health-related quality of life across the anxiety disorders: results from the national epidemiologic survey on alcohol and related conditions (NESARC)

OBJECTIVE

Although clinical studies have documented that specific anxiety disorders are associated with impaired psychosocial functioning, little is known regarding their comparative effects on health-related quality of life within a general population. The current analysis compares health-related quality of life in a US community-dwelling sample of adults with DSM-IV social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorders (GAD), panic disorder, and specific phobia.

METHOD

A face-to-face survey of a US nationally representative sample of over 43,000 adults aged 18 years and older residing in households and group quarters was conducted. Prevalence of DSM-IV anxiety disorders and relative associations with health-related quality of life indicators were examined. The survey was conducted from 2001 to 2002.

RESULTS

Roughly 9.8% of respondents met diagnostic criteria for at least 1 of 4 twelve-month DSM-IV anxiety disorders which, relative to the non-anxiety-disordered general population, were each associated with lower personal income, increased rates of 12-month physical conditions, and greater numbers of Axis I and Axis II DSM-IV psychiatric conditions. After adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical correlates, including other anxiety disorders, GAD was associated with significant decrements in the SF-12 mental component summary score. In similar models, GAD and, to a lesser extent, panic disorder were significantly associated with impairment in social functioning, role emotional, and mental health SF subscales.

CONCLUSIONS

GAD, followed by panic disorder, appears to exact significant and independent tolls on health-related quality of life. Results underscore the importance of prompt and accurate clinical identification and improving access to effective interventions for these disorders.

Association analysis of PALB2 and BRCA2 in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in a scandinavian case-control sample

A recent genome-wide association study (GWAS) found significant association between the PALB2 SNP rs420259 and bipolar disorder (BD). The intracellular functions of the expressed proteins from the breast cancer risk genes PALB2 and BRCA2 are closely related. Therefore, we investigated the relation between genetic variants in PALB2 and BRCA2 and BD. Due to increasing evidence of genetic overlap between BD and schizophrenia (SCZ), we also investigated association with SCZ. In a Scandinavian case-control sample (n = 686/2,538) we found the BRCA2 SNP rs9567552 to be significantly associated with BD (Nominal P = 0.00043). Additionally, we replicated the association between PALB2 SNP rs420259 and BD (Nominal P = 0.025). We then combined our sample with another Nordic case-control sample (n = 435/11,491) from Iceland, and added results from the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium (WTCCC) (n = 1,868/2,938) and the STEP-UCL/ED-DUB-STEP2 study (n = 2,558/3,274) in a meta-analysis which revealed a P-value of 1.2 × 10(-5) for association between PALB2 SNP rs420259 and BD (n = 5,547/20,241). Neither the PALB2 SNP rs420259 nor the BRCA2 SNP rs9567552 were nominally significantly associated with the SCZ phenotype in our Scandinavian sample (n = 781/2,839). Our findings support PALB2 and BRCA2 as risk genes specifically for BD, and suggest that altered DNA repair related to neurogenesis may be involved in BD pathophysiology. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Panic disorder in older adults: evidence from the national epidemiologic survey on alcohol and related conditions

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate: (1) the association of panic disorder with childhood parental loss and recent stressful life events; (2) the co-existence of panic disorder with major depressive disorder (MDD) as well as alcohol dependence; and (3) the impact of panic disorder on medical conditions, obesity, healthcare service utilization, and health-related quality of life.

METHODS

Data were drawn from The National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (2001-2002), which was a national representative survey of the non-institutionalized US household population. We focused on 13 420 respondents who were aged 55 and above. Panic disorder was assessed using the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule-DSM-IV version. Demographic characteristics, psychosocial risk factors, psychiatric disorders, health-related quality of life, obesity, medical conditions, and healthcare service utilization were also measured.

RESULTS

The current and lifetime prevalence rates of panic disorder were 1.17 and 3.72%, respectively. Multivariate analyses revealed that panic disorder was more common among lower income groups and those who had reported more recent stressful life events. In addition, MDD was significantly related to lifetime panic disorder. Panic disorder was also significantly related to a lower health-related quality of life, two medical conditions, and the receipt of emergency room service.

CONCLUSION

The correlation between panic disorder and MDD raises further questions about the nature of panic disorder in the elderly. This study supports the notion that panic disorder has a strong impact on quality of life in old age.

Social anxiety disorder in older adults: evidence from the National Epidemiologic Survey on alcohol and related conditions

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the following: 1) the association of social anxiety disorder with childhood parental loss and recent stressful life events; 2) the coexistence of social anxiety disorder and major depressive disorders (MDD); and 3) the impact of social anxiety disorder on medical conditions, obesity, health service utilization, and health-related quality of life.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional observational study.

SETTING

The National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (2001-2002), a national representative survey of the U.S. noninstitutionalized household population.

PARTICIPANTS

13,420 respondents aged 55 and above.

MEASUREMENTS

Social anxiety disorder was assessed using the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule-DSM-IV Version (AUDADIS-IV). Demographic characteristics, psychosocial risk factors, psychiatric disorders, health-related quality of life, obesity, medical conditions, and health service utilization were measured.

RESULTS

The current and lifetime prevalence rates of specific phobia were found to be 1.83% and 3.50%, respectively. Multivariate analyses revealed that social anxiety disorder was more common among the younger age groups and those who reported stressful life events. In addition, MDD, specific phobia, and personality disorder were significantly related to social anxiety disorder. Lastly, after adjusting for other psychiatric comorbidities, the association of social anxiety disorder with health-related quality of life, medical condition, and health care service utilization became insignificant.

CONCLUSION

The correlation between social anxiety disorder and MDD raises further questions about the nature of social anxiety disorder among older adults, but this study does not support the notion that this disorder has a strong impact on the quality of life in old age independent of other psychiatric comorbidities.

New women-specific diagnostic modules: the Composite International Diagnostic Interview for Women (CIDI-VENUS)

The World Health Organization-Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WHO-CIDI) is a highly structured interview for the assessment of mental disorders, based on the definitions and criteria of the fourth edition of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). Over the past decade it has become evident that the CIDI does not sufficiently address the assessment needs of women. Women are affected by most mental disorders, particularly mood and anxiety disorders, approximately twice as frequently as men. Women-specific disorders, such as Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), psychiatric disorders during pregnancy and postpartum as well as during the perimenopause, menopause and beyond are not addressed by the standard CIDI diagnostic modules. In addition, the CIDI in its current form does not address the potential effect that female reproductive milestones may have on diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental disorders in women. Our aim was to develop a new women specific platform (CIDI-VENUS; CIDI-V) to be embedded in the existing CIDI that will address the above mentioned current deficiencies. Guided by a team of experts in the field of Women's Mental Health from Canada and Germany the following modules were developed: 1) A complete menstrual history and comprehensive contraceptive history with a link to the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST). 2) A complete perinatal history of pregnancies, miscarriages, terminations, still births, death of a child, with details of current pregnancy including gestation and expected date of confinement, labour history and breastfeeding, history of tobacco, alcohol, and other substance use including prescription drugs during pregnancy and postpartum, a section on specific phobias and on recurrent obsessive/compulsive thoughts/behaviours (OCD) related to the baby with a link to the Perinatal Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (POCS), as well as a link to the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). 3). A detailed history of use of hormone therapy (e.g. pills, patches, implants, etc.) with a focus on (peri-) menopausal women, differentiating between physical and psychological symptoms with a link to the Menopause Visual Analogue Scales (M-VAS) and to the Greene Climacteric Scale. 4) An iterative module concluding each CIDI section to specify the course of mental disorders during the reproductive stages and menopausal transition. While retaining core diagnostic sections and diagnostic algorithms, the CIDI-V is enriched by women-specific diagnostic modules, providing a wealth of clinically relevant information about women's mental health, not available anywhere else in our current psychiatric diagnostic instruments.

Age at onset of generalized anxiety disorder in older adults

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the distribution of age at onset of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) as well as the possible differences in demographic and psychosocial risk factors, the comorbidities of other psychiatric disorders, health status, and healthcare utilization in respondents suffering from early onset GAD (<50 years) and late-onset GAD (> or =50 years) in adults aged 55 or above.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional observational study.

SETTING

The National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) (2001-2002), a national representative survey of the noninstitutionalized U.S. household population.

PARTICIPANTS

The 439 respondents aged 55 or above who participated in the NESARC and were found to have lifetime GAD.

MEASUREMENTS

The Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule--DSM-IV version was used to assess psychiatric disorders, and the Medical Outcomes study 12-item Short Form questionnaire was included.

RESULTS

The distribution of age at onset appeared normally distributed for respondents with current or lifetime GAD. Among respondents with lifetime GAD, early-onset cases tended to be younger with a higher education level and to have a significantly higher prevalence of panic disorder (current and lifetime), lifetime social phobia, current bipolar I disorder, lifetime alcohol abuse or dependence, or lifetime nicotine dependence than late-onset cases. In addition, respondents presenting with late-onset GAD were more likely to report hypertension and poor health-related quality of life than those with early-onset GAD.

CONCLUSION

About half of the older adult respondents with GAD reported a late onset and, among those with lifetime GAD, late-onset GAD was distinguished from early-onset GAD by a more frequent association with the presence of hypertension and a poorer health-related quality of life.

Specific phobia in older adults: evidence from the national epidemiologic survey on alcohol and related conditions

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate: 1) the association of specific phobia with childhood parental loss and recent stressful life events; 2) the coexistence of specific phobia and major depressive disorders (MDDs); and 3) the impact of specific phobia on medical conditions, obesity, health service utilization, and health-related quality of life.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional observational study.

SETTING

The National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (2001-2002), a national representative survey of the noninstitutionized U.S. household population.

PARTICIPANTS

The 8,205 respondents aged 65 and above.

MEASUREMENTS

Specific phobia was assessed using the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule-Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition version. Demographic characteristics, psychosocial risk factors, psychiatric disorders, health-related quality of life, obesity, medical conditions, and health service utilization were measured.

RESULTS

The current and lifetime prevalence of specific phobia were 4.51% and 6.05%, respectively. Multivariate analyses revealed that specific phobia was more common among younger age groups, women, and those who reported stressful life events but less common among foreign-born individuals. In addition, MDD was significantly related to lifetime specific phobia. Specific phobia was also significantly related to a lower health-related quality of life and two medical conditions.

CONCLUSION

Our prevalence rates of specific phobia in the elderly are at the lower end of the ranges identified in the previous studies. The correlation between specific phobia and MDD raises further questions about the nature of specific phobia in the elderly. This study supports the notion that specific phobia has a strong impact on the quality of life in old age.

National comorbidity survey replication adolescent supplement (NCS-A): III. Concordance of DSM-IV/CIDI diagnoses with clinical reassessments

OBJECTIVE

To report results of the clinical reappraisal study of lifetime DSM-IV diagnoses based on the fully structured lay-administered World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) Version 3.0 in the U.S. National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A).

METHOD

Blinded clinical reappraisal interviews with a probability subsample of 347 NCS-A respondents were administered using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children (K-SADS) as the gold standard. The DSM-IV/CIDI cases were oversampled, and the clinical reappraisal sample was weighted to adjust for this oversampling.

RESULTS

Good aggregate consistency was found between CIDI and K-SADS prevalence estimates, although CIDI estimates were meaningfully higher than K-SADS estimates for specific phobia (51.2%) and oppositional defiant disorder (38.7%). Estimated prevalence of any disorder, in comparison, was only slightly higher in the CIDI than K-SADS (8.3%). Strong individual-level CIDI versus K-SADS concordance was found for most diagnoses. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, a measure of classification accuracy not influenced by prevalence, was 0.88 for any anxiety disorder, 0.89 for any mood disorder, 0.84 for any disruptive behavior disorder, 0.94 for any substance disorder, and 0.87 for any disorder. Although area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was unacceptably low for alcohol dependence and bipolar I and II disorders, these problems were resolved by aggregation with alcohol abuse and bipolar I disorder, respectively. Logistic regression analysis documented that consideration of CIDI symptom-level data significantly improved prediction of some K-SADS diagnoses.

CONCLUSIONS

These results document that the diagnoses made in the NCS-A based on the CIDI have generally good concordance with blinded clinical diagnoses.

Social anxiety disorder as a risk factor for alcohol use disorders: a prospective examination of parental and peer influences

Elucidation of mechanisms underlying the high rates of alcohol use disorder (AUD) remains a pressing clinical and research concern. Despite data indicating that social anxiety disorder (SAD) may be a psychological vulnerability that increases AUD risk, no known prospective research has examined underlying mechanisms. Given the nature of SAD, social support and peer alcohol use may be implicated. The present study set out to clarify the SAD-AUD link in several ways using a prospective dataset comprised of 1803 (47% female) young adults at T1, 1431 of whom were assessed again approximately 3 years later. First, stringent criteria were used to directly test whether SAD was a risk for AUD. Second, we examined whether social support and peer alcohol use moderated the prospective SAD-AUD link. Structured diagnostic interviews were conducted to assess DSM-IV Axis I disorders, negative life events, social support, and peer alcohol use. Among men, Time 1 (T1) SAD was not significantly related to Time 2 (T2) AUD. Yet, among women, T1 SAD was related to T2 AUD. Further, T1 SAD was the only internalizing disorder to significantly predict T2 AUD after controlling for relevant variables (e.g., T1 depression, other anxiety, alcohol and marijuana use disorders). The SAD-AUD relation demonstrated directional specificity. Family cohesion and adverse family relations significantly moderated this relation. Findings highlight the important role of SAD and familial support in the onset of AUD among women.

Impairment associated with sleep problems in the community: relationship to physical and mental health comorbidity

OBJECTIVE

To explore the extent to which associations between sleep problems and functional impairment are attributable to comorbid mental and physical health problems. Sleep problems are being increasingly recognized as a source of morbidity and role impairment. Little is known, however, about the extent to which associations between sleep problems and functional impairment are attributable to comorbid mental and physical health problems.

METHODS

We utilized data from the German Health Survey (n = 4181; response rate: 87.6%; ages 18-65 years) to examine the relationships between sleep problems (assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory (PSQI)), mental and physical health comorbidity, and disability and health-related quality of life (assessed by the Medical Outcomes Scale Short Form-36 (SF-36)).

RESULTS

A total of 1595 (35.2%) respondents reported current sleep problems (PSQI score of >5). After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, we found the presence of sleep problems was associated with having one or more physical health problems (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.21, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.01-1.45) and one or more mental disorders (AOR = 3.58, 95% CI = 2.95-4.35). Among persons with one or more physical health problems, the co-occurrence of a sleep problem was associated with poorer physical component scores on the SF-36 (45.7 versus 48.6, p <.001) and increased odds of >or=1 disability days in the past 30 days due to physical problems (AOR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.20-1.98), even after adjusting for sociodemographic factors and comorbidity with other mental and physical health conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

More than one third of adults in the community report sleep problems. These often co-occur with other physical and mental health problems, and when they do they are generally associated with an increased burden of role disability and functional impairment.

The association between earlier marijuana use and subsequent academic achievement and health problems: a longitudinal study

In this prospective longitudinal study, the authors investigated the association between marijuana use over a period of 13 years and subsequent health problems at age 27. A community sample of 749 participants from upstate New York was interviewed at mean ages of 14, 16, 22, and 27 years. Marijuana use over time was significantly associated with increased health problems by the late twenties, including respiratory problems, general malaise, neurocognitive problems, and lower academic achievement and functioning. Effective prevention and intervention programs should consider the wide range of adverse physiological and psychosocial outcomes associated with marijuana use over time.

Revisiting the structure of mental disorders: borderline personality disorder and the internalizing/externalizing spectra

OBJECTIVE

Researchers have turned to dimensional models of psychopathology as a means of explaining robust patterns of comorbidity. A hierarchical model consisting of internalizing and externalizing dimensions has been a useful approach to understanding comorbidity among some mental disorders, although a limited number of disorders have been examined within this framework. The objective of the present study is to determine how borderline personality disorder fits into this framework.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Dimensional measures of nine psychiatric disorders were used in a confirmatory factors analysis to compare five models of comorbidity in 1,197 members (N=541 women) of a population-based sample. Symptom composites were derived from the Michigan Composite International Diagnostic Interview and the International Personality Disorders Examination Questionnaire.

RESULTS

Five models were fit to dimensional indicators of nine disorders. A model in which borderline personality disorder served as a multidimensional indicator of the externalizing factor and the anxious-misery subfactor of internalizing disorders provided the best fit to the data in the whole sample and in men. For women, this model also fit well but an alternative model in which borderline personality disorder served only as an indicator of the anxious-misery subfactor of internalizing disorders fit equally well.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study demonstrates the utility of the internalizing/externalizing framework for characterizing personality disorders as well as Axis I disorders. Future work should explore how other personality disorders fit into this framework.

Lifetime prevalence of psychiatric disorders in South Africa

BACKGROUND

Data on the lifetime prevalence of psychiatric disorders in South Africa are of interest, not only for the purposes of developing evidence-based mental health policy, but also in view of South Africa's particular historical and demographic circumstances.

METHOD

A nationally representative household survey was conducted between 2002 and 2004 using the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) to generate diagnoses. The data-set analysed included 4351 adult South Africans of all ethnic groups.

RESULTS

Lifetime prevalence of DSM-IV/CIDI disorders was determined for anxiety disorders (15.8%), mood disorders (9.8%), substance use disorders (13.4%) and any disorder (30.3%). Lifetime prevalence of substance use disorders differed significantly across ethnic groups. Median age at onset was earlier for substance use disorders (21 years) than for anxiety disorders (32 years) or mood disorders (37 years).

CONCLUSIONS

In comparison with data from other countries, South Africa has a particularly high lifetime prevalence of substance use disorders. These disorders have an early age at onset, providing an important target for the planning of local mental health services.

Child abuse and health-related quality of life in adulthood

Past research has indicated that child abuse is related to mental and physical health conditions and that mental and physical health conditions are related to decreased health-related quality of life (HRQOL). However, little is known about the independent relationship between child abuse and HRQOL. For the current analysis, data were from the nationally representative Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study. Multiple linear regression analyses tested the relationships between child abuse and current HRQOL (SF-36) after adjusting for the effects of sociodemographic variables and numerous psychiatric disorders and physical health conditions. Neglect, psychological abuse, physical abuse, severe sexual abuse, and number of types of child abuse experienced were associated with reduced mental HRQOL. Psychological abuse, physical abuse, and number of types of child abuse experienced were associated with reduced physical HRQOL. Child abuse is an important determinant of HRQOL. The ability to successfully reduce the occurrence of child abuse or provide early intervention after child abuse occurs may help to improve HRQOL in the general population.

Psychiatric epidemiology: challenges and opportunities

This paper discusses challenges and prospects for increasing the clinical relevance of psychiatric epidemiological research. The discussion begins with a review of the structural determinants of the fact that current psychiatric epidemiological research has less clinical relevance than epidemiological research in other areas of medicine. The discussion then turns to ways in which the focus of psychiatric epidemiological research might be changed to increase its clinical relevance. A review is then presented of recent innovations in community psychiatric epidemiological research that were designed to increase clinical relevance. An argument is then made that the full clinical value of psychiatric epidemiology will only be realized when community epidemiology becomes better integrated with clinical epidemiology and the latter takes on a more prominent role than it currently has in psychiatric research. Existing initiatives to realize an integration of community psychiatric epidemiology with clinical epidemiology are then reviewed. Finally, an agenda is proposed for an expansion of clinical psychiatric epidemiology to include a focus on both naturalistic and quasi-experimental studies of illness course and treatment response in diverse clinical samples.