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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Blue Cheer on August 8, 2000, at 9:53:53
Posted by Cam W. on August 8, 2000, at 21:59:32
In reply to Psychopharmacology, Fourth Generation of Progress, posted by Blue Cheer on August 8, 2000, at 9:53:53
Blue - How "enlightening" of you! Thanks, these are great sites. - Cam
Posted by dj on August 11, 2000, at 9:11:04
In reply to Re: Psychopharmacology, Fourth Generation of Progress, posted by Cam W. on August 8, 2000, at 21:59:32
> > http://www.acnp.org/G4/
>
> Blue - How "enlightening" of you! Thanks, these >are great sites. - CamPretty intense looking scientific bibble-babble there from a quick look, with a focus on chemical and biological jargon. If, Cam, you or anyone else versed in these pseudo-languages glean any particularly interesting new insights from a review of links perhaps you would kindly translate them into simple English and share them with those of us, less enamoured with scientificly obscure language.
The one study I did a quick review of because it was in language I could generally make sense of was the one on: Psychosocial Predictors of Outcome in Depression: http://www.acnp.org/G4/GN401000107/Default.htm
Here are the:
CONCLUSIONS
Sociodemographic and psychosocial variables clearly are related to depression and may be important in its etiology. There has been a trend in the last 50 years for the age of onset of depression to become younger. Nearly all types of depression are two times more prevalent in women than in men. Depression is more prevalent among the unmarried, and the onset of depression is more likely among the unmarried. There is some increase in prevalence of mood disorders (i.e., depression) in the lowest socioeconomic classes. However, these same variables have not been found to predict outcome generally or to influence the response to pharmacotherapy. There have been scattered findings reported in the literature, but no consistent pattern has emerged, that would suggest that these variables are helpful in predicting response to pharmacotherapy.
Although marital status per se does not predict outcome, the quality of marital, familial, and social relationships does seem to be an important predictor of outcome and response. A number of studies have found that calm, positive, steady support is associated with and predictive of a better outcome, a better response to medication, and often a speedier recovery. On the other hand, high criticism, distress, less support, and high expressed emotion is predictive of a poorer outcome in general and a poorer response to specific treatment. In addition, these same variables are predictive of relapses.
Other important predictors are personality features and disorders. High neuroticism, low autonomy, high sociotropy, are predictive of a poor response to tricyclic antidepressants. The presence of personality disorders also has an adverse affect on response to treatment. Comorbid anxiety disorders and substance abuse complicates the course of depression and reduces positive outcomes.
Depression rarely produces nonsymptomatic outcomes. Patients with depression appear to suffer from impairments in physical, social, and role functioning and a variety of other problems, including many common general medical illnesses. Successful treatment is associated with an improvement of psychosocial outcomes, but improvement in these outcomes tends to temporally lag behind symptomatic outcomes. This makes sense intuitively in that interpersonal relationships in role functioning often take time to improve.
Whether patients achieve nonclinical outcomes and what the effects of depression are on quality of life over time are very important questions, and should receive more attention in the future"
Sante!
dj
Posted by Cam W. on August 11, 2000, at 23:19:14
In reply to Re: Fourth Generation - Cam..., posted by dj on August 11, 2000, at 9:11:04
> > > http://www.acnp.org/G4/
dj - We already talk about what is in the articles that are at the above website. Most of what is there is validating the hypotheses we have about the mechanisms of the various mental illnesses (eg how neurotransmitters affect the HPA axis). These articles are the details to the theories that we talk about. Most of these articles won't really be relevant to many, but I can use them to explain, for example, things like unexpected drug interactions that occur at work.
If there is any particular article that you would like explained, I think I am up for the challenge. I haven't read any of them, yet, but I will get around to it eventually.
BTW - Why is Billy Martin writing an article on marijuana? - Cam
Posted by dj on August 12, 2000, at 0:38:22
In reply to Re: Fourth Generation - Cam... » dj, posted by Cam W. on August 11, 2000, at 23:19:14
> If there is any particular article that you would like explained, I think I am up for the challenge.
>
> BTW - Why is Billy Martin writing an article on marijuana? - CamCam,
I just did a quick scan and found most of it too technical for me to want to explore further. My IQ and ego would only drop through the floor attempting to get my head around all that terminology.
However if you do come across anything particularly striking that isn't aleady covered off here please pass it on.
You got me on B. Martin. Probably been hit too often in duh head by bezballs. ; )
Sante!
dj
This is the end of the thread.
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