The American journal of psychiatry
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Comparative Study
Prospective study of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression following trauma.
The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate the onset, overlap, and course of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression following traumatic events. ⋯ Major depression and PTSD are independent sequelae of traumatic events, have similar prognoses, and interact to increase distress and dysfunction. Both should be targeted by early treatment interventions and by neurobiological research.
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The aim of this study was to index the frequency of occurrence of acute stress disorder following mild traumatic brain injury and to determine its utility in predicting posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). ⋯ These findings point to the frequency of PTSD following mild traumatic brain injury. While the criteria for acute stress disorder are useful in identifying those individuals who are at risk of developing chronic PTSD, the findings suggest that current criteria require modification in order to optimally predict PTSD following mild traumatic brain injury.
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Violent behavior among individuals with severe mental illness has become an important focus in community-based care. This study examines the joint effect of substance abuse and medication noncompliance on the greater risk of serious violence among persons with severe mental illness. ⋯ Alcohol or other drug abuse problems combined with poor adherence to medication may signal a higher risk of violent behavior among persons with severe mental illness. Reduction of such risk may require carefully targeted community interventions, including integrated mental health and substance abuse treatment.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Double-blind, fixed-dose, placebo-controlled study of paroxetine in the treatment of panic disorder.
This study was designed to determine the minimum paroxetine dose effective for treating panic disorder. ⋯ Paroxetine is an effective and well-tolerated short-term treatment of panic disorder. The minimum dose demonstrated to be significantly superior to placebo was 40 mg/day, although some patients did respond at lower doses.
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The authors explored whether abnormal functional lateralization of temporal cortical language areas in schizophrenia was associated with a predisposition to auditory hallucinations and whether the auditory hallucinatory state would reduce the temporal cortical response to external speech. ⋯ These results suggest that schizophrenia is associated with a reduced left and increased right temporal cortical response to auditory perception of speech, with little distinction between patients who differ in their vulnerability to hallucinations. The auditory hallucinatory state is associated with reduced activity in temporal cortical regions that overlap with those that normally process external speech, possibly because of competition for common neurophysiological resources.