Neuropsych Dis Treat
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Neuropsych Dis Treat · Jan 2014
Association of BDNF Val66Met polymorphism with HPA and SAM axis reactivity to psychological and physical stress.
Decreased expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is implicated in enhanced stress responses. The BDNF Val66Met polymorphism is associated with psychological changes; for example, carriers of the Met allele exhibit increased harm avoidance as well as a higher prevalence of depression and anxiety disorder. ⋯ These results indicate that a common, functionally significant polymorphism in BDNF had different effects on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis reactivity but not on sympathetic adrenomedullary reactivity in TSST and electrical stimulation tests.
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Neuropsych Dis Treat · Jan 2014
Neuropathic sensory symptoms: association with pain and psychological factors.
A large number of population-based studies of chronic pain have considered neuropathic sensory symptoms to be associated with a high level of pain intensity and negative affectivity. The present study examines the question of whether this association previously found in non-selected samples of chronic pain patients can also be found in chronic pain patients with underlying pathology of neuropathic sensory symptoms. ⋯ Neuropathic sensory symptoms are not closely associated with higher levels of pain intensity and cognitive-emotional evaluations in chronic pain patients with underlying pathology of neuropathic sensory symptoms. The findings are discussed in term of differential response bias in patients with versus without verified neuropathic sensory symptoms by clinical examination, medical tests, or underlying pathology of disease. Our results lend support to the importance of using adjusted scores, thereby eliminating the response bias, when investigating self-reported neuropathic symptoms by patients.
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Neuropsych Dis Treat · Jan 2014
Aggression, impulsivity, and suicide risk in benign chronic pain patients - a cross-sectional study.
The objective of this study was to investigate the role that psychopathological dimensions as overt aggression and impulsivity play in determining suicide risk in benign chronic pain patients (CPPs). Furthermore we investigated the possible protective/risk factors which promote these negative feelings, analyzing the relationship between CPPs and their caregivers. ⋯ In CPPs, aggression and impulsivity could increase the risk of suicide. Moreover, impulsivity, overt aggression and pain could be interrelated by a common biological core. Our study supports the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in the CPPs management and the necessity to supervise caregivers, which may become risk/protective factors for the development of feelings interfering with the treatment and rehabilitation of CPPs.
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Neuropsych Dis Treat · Jan 2014
Dopamine transporter changes after unilateral deep brain stimulation in progressive Parkinson's disease: a case report.
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) at the subthalamic nucleus has been approved as an effective treatment for refractory symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). Studies have shown that bilateral DBS surgery in PD patients results in clinical improvement without reducing dopamine transporter function. Here, we report our longitudinal findings in one PD patient, ie, decreases in striatal dopamine transporter binding during one year of follow-up after unilateral DBS at the subthalamic nucleus. Based on this case, we hypothesize that clinical benefit after unilateral DBS may be not directly associated with changes in function at the subthalamic nucleus.
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Neuropsych Dis Treat · Jan 2014
Relationship between alexithymia and coping strategies in patients with somatoform disorder.
A multidimensional intervention integrating alexithymia, negative affect, and type of coping strategy is needed for the effective treatment of somatoform disorder; however, few studies have applied this approach to the three different dimensions of alexithymia in patients with somatoform disorder. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between type of coping strategy and three different dimensions of alexithymia expressed in patients. ⋯ Alexithymia was strongly associated with the number of somatic symptoms and negative affect. Patients with high "difficulty in describing feelings" tend to rely less on seeking social support, and patients with high "externally oriented thinking" tend to rely less on confrontive coping strategies. The coping skills intervention implemented should differ across individuals and should be based on the alexithymia dimension of each patient.