Abstract: Studies aiming to identify if war veterans are at higher risk of suicide have often produced inconsistent results; this could be due to the complexity of comparisons and different methodological approaches. It should be noted... more
Abstract: Studies aiming to identify if war veterans are at higher risk of suicide have often produced inconsistent results; this could be due to the complexity of comparisons and different methodological approaches. It should be noted that this contingent has many risk factors, such as stressful exposures, wounds, brain trauma and pain syndrome.
Abstract: The general aim of this study was to review the scientific literature concerning the Internet and suicidality and to examine the different pathways by which suicidal risks and prevention efforts are facilitated through the... more
Abstract: The general aim of this study was to review the scientific literature concerning the Internet and suicidality and to examine the different pathways by which suicidal risks and prevention efforts are facilitated through the Internet. An online literature search was conducted using the MEDLINE and Google Scholar databases. The main themes that were investigated included pathological Internet use and suicidality, pro-suicide websites, suicide pacts on the Internet, and suicide prevention via the Internet.
Materials and methods 30 ET patients (female/male= 19/11; average age= 71.4±8.3 years) were examined by clinical criteria, electromyographic (EMG), and apomorphine tests to study the cortical silent period. The patients were all treated... more
Materials and methods 30 ET patients (female/male= 19/11; average age= 71.4±8.3 years) were examined by clinical criteria, electromyographic (EMG), and apomorphine tests to study the cortical silent period. The patients were all treated with mirtazapine 30 mg daily. Results Mirtazapine proved to be a good control agent for tremor symptomatology in 23/27 patients (85%) who completed 1 month of treatment, with a marked reduction of tremor; the benefit was maintained during the 12-month follow-up.
OBJECTIVE: We wished to examine whether resilience might be a protective factor in relation to suicidal behavior. METHOD: To do this resilience was examined in relation to childhood trauma, a well established risk factor for suicidal... more
OBJECTIVE: We wished to examine whether resilience might be a protective factor in relation to suicidal behavior. METHOD: To do this resilience was examined in relation to childhood trauma, a well established risk factor for suicidal behavior, in two samples. In a preliminary sample 20 abstinent substance abuse patients who had attempted suicide were matched for age and their score on the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) with 20 substance abuse patients who had never attempted suicide.
Background: Evidence-based best practices for incorporation into an optimal multilevel intervention for suicide prevention should be identifiable in the literature. Aims: To identify effective interventions for the prevention of suicidal... more
Background: Evidence-based best practices for incorporation into an optimal multilevel intervention for suicide prevention should be identifiable in the literature. Aims: To identify effective interventions for the prevention of suicidal behavior. Methods: Review of systematic reviews found in the Pubmed, Cochrane, and DARE databases. Steps include risk-of-bias assessment, data extraction, summarization of best practices, and identification of synergistic potentials of such practices in multilevel approaches.
Objective To determine whether there would be an interaction between genetic variation in FKBP5 and childhood trauma in predicting aggressive behavior. Design Cross-sectional study. Four FKBP5 single-nucleotide polymorphisms used in... more
Objective To determine whether there would be an interaction between genetic variation in FKBP5 and childhood trauma in predicting aggressive behavior. Design Cross-sectional study. Four FKBP5 single-nucleotide polymorphisms used in previous studies (rs3800373, rs9296158, rs1360780, and rs9470080) were genotyped. Three diplotypes were derived from 2 major putatively functional haplotypes regulating protein expression that were previously associated with glucocorticoid receptor sensitivity.
Suicide is a major public health problem in the WHO European Region accounting for over 150,000 deaths per year. SUICIDAL CRISIS: Acute intervention should start immediately in order to keep the patient alive. DIAGNOSIS: An underlying... more
Suicide is a major public health problem in the WHO European Region accounting for over 150,000 deaths per year. SUICIDAL CRISIS: Acute intervention should start immediately in order to keep the patient alive. DIAGNOSIS: An underlying psychiatric disorder is present in up to 90% of people who completed suicide. Comorbidity with depression, anxiety, substance abuse and personality disorders is high.
Temperamental traits of impulsive aggression, neuroticism and introversion have also been implicated in suicidal risk. However, it is unlikely that these factors, themselves, can explain suicide. As regard genetic effects, suggestive... more
Temperamental traits of impulsive aggression, neuroticism and introversion have also been implicated in suicidal risk. However, it is unlikely that these factors, themselves, can explain suicide. As regard genetic effects, suggestive evidence has been reported for serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4), serotonin receptor 2A (5HTR2A), Tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH1, TPH2), Cathecholo-methyl tranferase (COMT) and Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).
Background The Awareness program was designed as a part of the EU-funded Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe (SEYLE) intervention study to promote mental health of adolescents in 11 European countries by helping them to develop... more
Background The Awareness program was designed as a part of the EU-funded Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe (SEYLE) intervention study to promote mental health of adolescents in 11 European countries by helping them to develop problem-solving skills and encouraging them to self-recognize the need for help as well as how to help peers in need.
The aim of this open label trial was to evaluate mirtazapine tolerability and effectiveness in controlling symptomatology of patients with panic disorder. Forty-five patients with panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia, 11 of them... more
The aim of this open label trial was to evaluate mirtazapine tolerability and effectiveness in controlling symptomatology of patients with panic disorder. Forty-five patients with panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia, 11 of them with a comorbid diagnosis of major depression, were included. Patients were assessed with a structured psychiatric interview and their symptomatology evaluated with specific psychometric scales. Three study participants dropped out due to adverse events. Mirtazapine was administered at an established dose of 30 mg daily for 3 months. Patients were assessed at weeks 2 and 4, and then at monthly intervals. All psychometric measures showed statistically significant reductions in total scores at the rated time points, with a pronounced decline in number and intensity of panic attacks and anticipatory anxiety throughout the study. Mirtazapine was well tolerated as signified by the low discontinuation rate (6.3%), and all patients showed a significant symptomatic improvement. The improvement did not appear to be linked to the concurrent presence of a depressive illness.
Research Interests:
We evaluated response to mirtazapine in 15 patients meeting DSM-IV criteria for panic disorder (n = 11) with or without agoraphobia (n = 4). Study participants were between 18 and 65 years of age (mean ± SD, 41.13 ± 9.71). There were 8... more
We evaluated response to mirtazapine in 15 patients meeting DSM-IV criteria for panic disorder (n = 11) with or without agoraphobia (n = 4). Study participants were between 18 and 65 years of age (mean ± SD, 41.13 ± 9.71). There were 8 men and 7 women. None had ever ...
Research Interests:
Recent post-mortem studies of suicide victims have implicated brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in suicide. Therefore, it was decided to examine the possible role of a gene in the regulation of BDNF activity in relation to suicidal... more
Recent post-mortem studies of suicide victims have implicated brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in suicide. Therefore, it was decided to examine the possible role of a gene in the regulation of BDNF activity in relation to suicidal behaviour among depressed patients. A series of 170 depressed patients were evaluated for their history of suicide attempts and genotyped for the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism (SNP ID: rs6265). Depressed patients who had (n = 97) or had not (n = 73) attempted suicide were compared. Depressed patients who carried the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism variant (GA + AA) appeared to show a significantly increased risk of suicidal behaviour. The risk of a suicide attempt was also significantly higher among those reporting higher levels of childhood emotional, physical and sexual abuse. Secondary analyses suggested that depression severity was a significant risk factor only in the wild-type BDNF genotype, and that the risk of suicide attempts was more predictable within the wild-type group. These preliminary data suggest that BDNF may play a role in the suicidal behaviour of depressed patients.
Research Interests: Cognitive Science, Sexual Abuse, Polymorphism, Humans, Major Depressive Disorder, and 13 moreFemale, Male, Risk factors, Clinical Sciences, Middle Aged, Adult, Chi Square Distribution, Risk Factors, Amino Acid Substitution Rates, Suicide Attempt, Neurosciences, Logistic Models, and Attempted Suicide
Central dopaminergic dysfunction has been widely proposed as a common neurobiological correlate of the psychopathological expression of anhedonia. The dopamine transporter (DAT) is a predominantly presynaptic receptor that may play a... more
Central dopaminergic dysfunction has been widely proposed as a common neurobiological correlate of the psychopathological expression of anhedonia. The dopamine transporter (DAT) is a predominantly presynaptic receptor that may play a critical role in the pathophysiology of dopaminergic transmission. The aim of our study was to evaluate DAT binding in a population of depressed patients with anhedonia. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with the radiotracer DATSCAN was used to evaluate DAT binding in 11 depressed patients with anhedonia and 9 healthy comparison subjects. Compared with healthy subjects, patients showed significantly lower DAT binding. No significant correlation was found between DAT binding ratios and scores on administered psychometric tests. These findings suggest an alteration in DAT density in depressed patients with anhedonia that may be a primary susceptibility factor or a secondary phenomenon to reduced dopamine concentration in the synaptic cleft.
Research Interests: Cognitive Science, Psychiatry, Prefrontal Cortex, Affect, Dopamine, and 13 moreHumans, Major Depressive Disorder, Female, Male, Depressive Disorder, Clinical Sciences, Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography, Adult, Dopamine Transporter, Healthy Subjects, Psychiatric Clinics of North America, Neurosciences, and Severity of Illness Index
Research Interests: Psychology, Depression, Unemployment, Humans, Child, and 16 moreAggression, Child Abuse, Female, Male, Depressive Disorder, Risk factors, Clinical Sciences, Anxiety and Depression, Questionnaires, Adult, Risk Factors, Suicide Attempt, Logistic Models, Attempted Suicide, Life Change Events, and Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Resilience is an important personality feature that is thought to be protective against the development of psychiatric disorder. However, it appears not to have been previously examined directly in relation to suicidal behavior.... more
Resilience is an important personality feature that is thought to be protective against the development of psychiatric disorder. However, it appears not to have been previously examined directly in relation to suicidal behavior. Therefore, with the recent development of a resilience scale, the purpose of this preliminary study was to examine resilience in relation to attempting suicide. In order to do this 100 abstinent substance dependent patients were interviewed about whether or not they had ever attempted suicide and completed the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. The results showed that patients who had attempted suicide (N=41) had significantly lower resilience scale scores than patients who had never attempted suicide (N=59). This suggests the possibility that low resilience may be a risk factor for suicidal behavior. Longitudinal studies among suicide attempters, including measures of depression, may further evaluate the possible relevance of resilience to suicidal behavior.
Research Interests:
A case of... more
A case of 'dèlire de nègation' that suddenly appeared in a 43-year-old male is presented. No alteration in regional cerebral blood, as measured by (99m)Tc-HMPAO-SPECT, was found, but (123)I-IBZM-SPECT analysis showed reduced striatal D(2) receptor binding that further decreased after treatment.
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Adolescent, France, Comorbidity, Italy, Cross-Cultural Comparison, and 17 moreHumans, Personality Assessment Inventory, Aggression, Child Abuse, Female, Male, Young Adult, Mental Disorders, Risk factors, European, Aged, Middle Aged, Adult, Risk Factors, Suicide Attempt, Attempted Suicide, and Life Change Events
Research Interests: Genetics, Biology, Suicide, Adolescent, Medicine, and 17 moreGene expression, DNA, Temporal Lobe, Humans, Methylation, Female, Male, DNA methylation, Genetic determinism, Aged, Middle Aged, Molecular cloning, Adult, European Continental Ancestry Group, Archives General Psychiatry, Gene expression profiling, and Down-Regulation
Research Interests:
Studies have increasingly shown that gene-environment interactions are important in psychiatry. Suicidal behavior is a major public health problem. Suicide is generally considered to be a multi-determined act involving various areas of... more
Studies have increasingly shown that gene-environment interactions are important in psychiatry. Suicidal behavior is a major public health problem. Suicide is generally considered to be a multi-determined act involving various areas of proximal and distal risk. Genetic risk factors are estimated to account for approximately 30% to 40% of the variance in suicidal behavior. In this article, the authors review relevant studies concerning the interaction between the serotonin transporter gene and environmental variables as a model of gene-environment interactions that may have an impact on suicidal behavior. The findings reviewed here suggest that there may be meaningful interactions between distal and proximal suicide risk factors that may amplify the risk of suicidal behavior. Future studies of suicidal behavior should examine both genetic and environmental variables and examine for gene-environment interactions.
Research Interests:
We wished to examine determinants of suicidal behavior in prisoners. 903 male prisoners had a psychiatric interview which included various psychometric tests. Suicide attempters were compared with prisoners who had never attempted... more
We wished to examine determinants of suicidal behavior in prisoners. 903 male prisoners had a psychiatric interview which included various psychometric tests. Suicide attempters were compared with prisoners who had never attempted suicide. Significantly more of the attempters had a history of psychiatric disorder, substance abuse, a family history of suicidal behavior, convictions for violent crime, had exhibited aggressive behavior in jail, and had higher BGLHA aggression scores. A similar pattern of risk factors was found for prisoners with suicidal ideation. A lifetime history of attempting suicide, or of having suicidal ideation, is frequent in prisoners. Risk factors include family, developmental, aggression, personality, psychiatric, and substance abuse factors.
Research Interests: Psychology, Psychiatry, Violence, Genealogy, Psychometrics, and 22 morePersonality, Mental Health, Risk, Public Health, Italy, Interviews, Humans, Crime, Substance Abuse, Personality Assessment Inventory, Aggression, Female, Male, Social Environment, Risk factors, Middle Aged, Prisoners, Risk Factor, Adult, Risk Factors, Attempted Suicide, and Life Change Events
Research Interests: Psychometrics, Risk Taking, Comorbidity, Self, Italy, and 17 moreHumans, Affective Disorders, Personality Assessment Inventory, Male, SOI, Mental Disorders, Self-Mutilation, Middle Aged, Prisoners, Affective, Suicidal Ideation, Adult, Exploratory Behavior, Suicide Attempt, Attempted Suicide, Impulsive behavior, and Statistics as Topic
Research Interests: Psychology, Humans, Personality Assessment Inventory, Female, Male, and 14 moreDepressive Disorder, Risk factors, Health Status, Clinical Sciences, Anxiety and Depression, Middle Aged, Questionnaires, Risk Factors, Depressive Symptoms, Suicide Attempt, Logistic Models, Attempted Suicide, Substance-Related Disorders, and Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Aim was to investigate psychological characteristics that may predict suicide ideation and behaviour in male prisoners. Sample consisted of 1117 prisoners detained in jails of the District of Abruzzo-Molise in Italy. All underwent... more
Aim was to investigate psychological characteristics that may predict suicide ideation and behaviour in male prisoners. Sample consisted of 1117 prisoners detained in jails of the District of Abruzzo-Molise in Italy. All underwent psychiatric interviews and comprehensive ...
Research Interests: Psychology, Cognitive Science, Personality, Depression, Resilience, and 11 moreBehavior, Principal Component Analysis, Suicide prevention, Logistic Regression, Substance Abuse, Neuroticism, Sensation Seeking, Personality and Individual Differences, Drug Addiction, Suicidal Ideation, and Suicide Attempt
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Genetics, Borderline Personality Disorder, Treatment, Treatment Outcome, Humans, and 15 moreHaplotypes, Female, Male, Polymerase Chain Reaction, American, Mental Disorders, Gene, Clinical Sciences, Middle Aged, Gen, Genotype, Adult, Neurosciences, Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors, and Case Control Studies
The objective of this study was to analyze the impact of family history of suicidal behaviour on psychopathlogical features of inmates. A sample of 1,179 prisoners had a psychiatric interview including the Brown-Goodwin Assessment for... more
The objective of this study was to analyze the impact of family history of suicidal behaviour on psychopathlogical features of inmates. A sample of 1,179 prisoners had a psychiatric interview including the Brown-Goodwin Assessment for Lifetime History of Aggression (BGLHA). Prisoners completed the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS), Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory (BDHI), and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ). Prisoners with a family history of suicide were compared with prisoners without a family history of suicide on clinical and personality variables. Seventy of the 1,179 prisoners (5.9%) had a family history of suicide. Significantly more FHS positive prisoners had attempted suicide compared with FHS negative prisoners (36% vs. 12%, P < 0.0001). Significantly more FHS positive prisoners had a previous history of convictions, a history of juvenile convictions, and had exhibited aggressive behavior in jail. FHS positive prisoners had significantly higher aggression scores on the BGLHA, higher hostility scores on the BDHI, higher impulsivity scores on the BIS, and higher neuroticism scores on the EPQ. A family history of suicide may be a useful clinical indicator that a prisoner is at increased risk for suicidal behaviour and may have problems with impulsive-aggression.