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Mood Disturbance (mood + disturbance)
Kinds of Mood Disturbance Selected AbstractsCorrelates of mood disturbance in women with breast cancer: patterns over timeJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 6 2008Diane Von Ah Abstract Title.,Correlates of mood disturbance in women with breast cancer: patterns over time Aim., This study examined factors associated with mood disturbance prior to, during and after adjuvant therapy. Background., Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Mood disturbance affects between 20% and 30% of women with breast cancer and is associated with other debilitating symptoms. However, factors associated with mood disturbance across the breast cancer diagnosis,treatment trajectory are not clearly understood. Method., A stress-coping framework guided this longitudinal study. A convenience sample of 49 American women with newly diagnosed breast cancer aged 37,77 years completed questionnaires assessing age, optimism, disease stage, type of adjuvant therapy, lymph node status, emotional support, aid (tangible) support, perceived stress and mood disturbance. Data were collected over an 18-month period in 2002,2003 at three time points: prior to, during and after adjuvant therapy. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation and multiple regression were used. Findings., At all three time points, higher stress was significantly related to greater mood disturbance. Perceived stress mediated the relationship between (1) emotional support and mood disturbance prior to and after adjuvant therapy and between (2) aid support and mood disturbance during adjuvant therapy. In addition, the type of support that was most important to mood disturbance varied over time. Emotional support was related to reduced mood disturbance prior to and after adjuvant therapy, whereas aid support was most important during adjuvant therapy. Conclusions., Nurses may use this information to develop interventions that bolster appropriate types of support to reduce stress and ultimately lower mood disturbance. Further research across cultures is needed. [source] Effect of Exogenous Melatonin on Mood and Sleep Efficiency in Emergency Medicine Residents Working Night ShiftsACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 8 2000Milan Jockovich MD Abstract. Objective: To determine whether melatonin taken prior to attempted daytime sleep sessions will improve daytime sleep quality, nighttime sleepiness, and mood state in emergency medicine (EM) residents, changing from daytime to nighttime work schedules. Methods: A prospective, randomized, double-blind crossover design was used in an urban emergency department. Emergency medicine residents who worked two strings of nights, of at least three nights' duration each, and separated by at least one week of days were eligible. Subjects were randomized to receive either melatonin 1 mg or placebo, 30 to 60 minutes prior to their daytime sleep session, for three consecutive days after each night shift. Crossover to the other agent occurred during their subsequent night shifts. Objective measures of quality of daytime sleep were obtained using the Actigraph 1000. This device measures sleep motion and correlates with sleep efficiency, total sleep time, time in bed, and sleep latency. The Profile of Mood States (POMS) and the Stanford Sleepiness Scale (SSS) were also used to quantify nighttime mood and sleepiness. Results: Among the 19 volunteers studied, there was no difference in sleep efficiency (91.16% vs 90.98%, NS), sleep duration (379.6 min vs 342.7 min, NS), or sleep latency (7.59 min vs 6.80 min, NS), between melatonin and placebo, respectively. In addition, neither the POMS total mood disturbance (5.769 baseline vs 12.212 melatonin vs 5.585 placebo, NS) nor the SSS (1.8846 baseline vs 2.2571 melatonin vs 2.1282 placebo, NS) demonstrated a statistical difference in nighttime mood and sleepiness between melatonin and placebo. Conclusions: There are no beneficial effects of a 1-mg melatonin dose on sleep quality, alertness, or mood state during night shift work among EM residents. [source] Correlates of mood disturbance in women with breast cancer: patterns over timeJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 6 2008Diane Von Ah Abstract Title.,Correlates of mood disturbance in women with breast cancer: patterns over time Aim., This study examined factors associated with mood disturbance prior to, during and after adjuvant therapy. Background., Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Mood disturbance affects between 20% and 30% of women with breast cancer and is associated with other debilitating symptoms. However, factors associated with mood disturbance across the breast cancer diagnosis,treatment trajectory are not clearly understood. Method., A stress-coping framework guided this longitudinal study. A convenience sample of 49 American women with newly diagnosed breast cancer aged 37,77 years completed questionnaires assessing age, optimism, disease stage, type of adjuvant therapy, lymph node status, emotional support, aid (tangible) support, perceived stress and mood disturbance. Data were collected over an 18-month period in 2002,2003 at three time points: prior to, during and after adjuvant therapy. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation and multiple regression were used. Findings., At all three time points, higher stress was significantly related to greater mood disturbance. Perceived stress mediated the relationship between (1) emotional support and mood disturbance prior to and after adjuvant therapy and between (2) aid support and mood disturbance during adjuvant therapy. In addition, the type of support that was most important to mood disturbance varied over time. Emotional support was related to reduced mood disturbance prior to and after adjuvant therapy, whereas aid support was most important during adjuvant therapy. Conclusions., Nurses may use this information to develop interventions that bolster appropriate types of support to reduce stress and ultimately lower mood disturbance. Further research across cultures is needed. [source] Social support in women with fibromyalgia: Is quality more important than quantity?JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 4 2004Heather M. Franks The present study is an examination of the effects of quality and quantity of social support on the psychological and physical well-being of women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). Participants were 568 women who were members of a health maintenance organization (HMO) with a confirmed diagnosis of FMS. Participants were administered a battery of questionnaires assessing their psychological and physical well-being. Measures of depression, self-efficacy, helplessness, mood disturbance, health status, impact of FMS, and social support were included. Regression analyses indicated that larger social support networks were associated with greater levels of self-efficacy for pain and symptom management, while the perceived quality of social support was associated with lower levels of depression, helplessness, mood disturbance, impact of FMS, higher levels of self-efficacy for function and symptom management, as well as overall psychological well-being. These findings indicate that the quality of social support is more important than quantity in determining outcomes in women with FMS. Thus, the quality of social support has important financial and psychosocial implications for the individual and for the community as a whole. Future research should examine longitudinal changes in quality of social support and the corresponding changes in health status and psychological well-being, as well as the effects of integrating manipulations designed to affect the quality of social support into community interventions designed to enhance the well-being of women with FMS. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 32: 425,438, 2004. [source] Thyroid dysfunction , weight problems and the psyche: the patients' perspectiveJOURNAL OF HUMAN NUTRITION & DIETETICS, Issue 4 2000B. O'Malley Objective To establish the extent to which individuals with thyroid dysfunction consider weight as a problem and the relevance of psychological factors. Design Cross-sectional study of individuals with thyroid dysfunction. Participants Members of the British Thyroid Foundation. Main outcome measures Two self-administered questionnaires, tailored for hypothyroid and hyperthyroid patients, respectively, and circulated to all members of the British Thyroid Foundation. These questionnaires specifically targeted views on weight and the experiencing of psychological symptoms. Results Twenty-five per cent of hypothyroid individuals regained normal body weight on adequate treatment with Thyroxine but 75% did not. Only 19% of subjects had received dietary advice from their doctor. Eighty-seven per cent of hypothyroid individuals felt depressed prediagnosis and 80% remained so on adequate treatment. Thirty-nine per cent felt weight was a contributing factor. Fifty-five per cent of thyrotoxic subjects reported a weight problem on or after treatment, 69% exceeding their pretoxic weight. Only 28% had received dietary advice from their doctor. Seventy-eight per cent of thyrotoxic individuals reported mood problems when the thyroid was over active and of these 77% improved with therapy. Twenty-three per cent did not. In excess of 60% of individuals had persistent symptoms after treatment. Thirty-four per cent of these blamed a weight problem. Conclusion Weight is a major concern to the majority of patients with thyroid dysfunction, sometimes contributing to significant mood disturbance. All patients with thyroid dysfunction, particularly if over weight, should receive dietary advice. This must emphasize that thyroid hormone manipulation does not always solve the problem. Furthermore, the associated psychological problems of thyroid disease do not always settle with treatment to euthyroidism and may require therapy in their own right. [source] Phenomenology and psychological assessment of complex posttraumatic statesJOURNAL OF TRAUMATIC STRESS, Issue 5 2005John Briere The authors offer a framework for the assessment of psychological responses associated with exposure to early onset, multiple, or extended traumatic stressors. Six prominent and overlapping symptoms clusters are described: altered self-capacities, cognitive symptoms, mood disturbance, overdeveloped avoidance responses, somatoform distress, and posttraumatic stress. A strategy for the structured, psychometrically valid assessment of these outcomes is introduced, and specific recommendations for use of various generic and trauma-specific child and adult measures are provided. Implications of trauma assessment for treatment planning are discussed. [source] Serotonin and Parkinson's disease: On movement, mood, and madness,MOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue 9 2009Susan H. Fox MRCP Abstract An appreciation of the multiple roles that serotonin (5-HT) may play in Parkinson's disease (PD) has increased in recent years. Early pathological studies in PD demonstrated nonselective reductions of 5-HT in brain tissue but little correlation to comorbidities such as dyskinesia and mood disturbance. This, combined with treatment failures using serotonergic drugs in comparison to levodopa, meant the field was largely neglected until recently. The multitude of subtypes of 5-HT receptors in the brain and an increased understanding of the potential function 5-HT may play in modulating other neurotransmitter systems, including dopamine, GABA, and glutamate, have meant an expansion in efforts to develop potential serotonergic drugs for both motor and nonmotor symptoms in PD. However, several unanswered questions remain, and future studies need to focus on correlating changes in 5-HT neurotransmission in both pathological and in vivo imaging studies with a full clinical phenotype. © 2009 Movement Disorder Society [source] Personality disorder scale predictors of depression stability over time as a partial function of mental health historyPERSONALITY AND MENTAL HEALTH, Issue 4 2009Alan R. King The high comorbidity of personality disturbance and psychiatric symptomatology has been well established. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV (DSM-IV) personality disorder symptom clusters often represent aberrant, intense and labile emotional reactions to stressors. The role of personality disorder traits on the variability of depression symptoms as expressed over time, however, has gained relatively little research attention. The presence and number of personality disorder diagnoses have been associated with earlier depression onset and less favourable treatment outcomes suggesting that this form of mood disturbance may be more durable over time when associated with Axis II features. The present study examined Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) temporal stability as a function of Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI-II) personality disorder base rate scores among 406 college students with and without reported histories of significant mental health concerns. Instability of BDI scores across time was shown to be predicted (r = 0.15) by selected personality disorderscale dimensions (antisocial, self-defeating, borderline and total number of MCMI-II personality disorder elevations). BDI reliability did drop significantly among participants reporting a mental health treatment history and multiple personality disorder elevations. Gender differences were not found in the strength of these bivariate correlations. Women generated smaller BDI absolute differences than men. While BDI test,retest reliability was only linked modestly to personality disorder attributes in this college sample, further study may be warranted to evaluate similar relationships within a clinical sample. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Psychological benefits for cancer patients and their partners participating in mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR)PSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 9 2010Kathryn Birnie Abstract Objective: Cancer patients experience many negative psychological symptoms including stress, anxiety, and depression. This distress is not limited to the patient, as their partners also experience many psychological challenges. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) programs have demonstrated clinical benefit for a variety of chronic illnesses, including cancer. This is the first study to report MBSR participation with partners of cancer patients. Methods: This study examined the impact of an 8-week MBSR program for 21 couples who attended the program together on outcomes of mood disturbance, symptoms of stress, and mindfulness. Results: Significant reductions for both patients and partners in mood disturbance (p<0.05) and the Calgary Symptoms of Stress Inventory (C-SOSI) subscales of muscle tension (p<0.01), neurological/GI (p<0.05), and upper respiratory (p<0.01) symptoms were observed after program participation. Significant increases in mindfulness (p<0.05) were also reported in both groups. No significant correlations were observed between patient and partner scores on any measures at baseline or on change scores pre- to post-intervention; however, after MBSR participation couple's scores on the Profile of Mood States and C-SOSI were more highly correlated with one-another. Post-intervention, partners' mood disturbance scores were significantly positively correlated with patients' symptoms of stress and negatively correlated with patients' levels of mindfulness. Conclusions: Overall, the MBSR program was helpful for improving psychological functioning and mindfulness for both members of the couple. Several avenues of future research are suggested to further explore potential benefits of joint couple attendance in the MBSR program. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Course of psychological distress and its predictors in advanced non-small cell lung cancer patientsPSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 6 2006Tatsuo Akechi Abstract This study investigated longitudinal changes and predictive factors for psychological distress among 85 newly diagnosed advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Whereas tension-anxiety after diagnosis (T1) was significantly reduced at two months (T2) and six months (T3) after diagnosis and depression-dejection at T1 was significantly reduced at T2, other forms of psychological distress, including anger,hostility, vigor, fatigue, and confusion, did not show significant changes. Total mood disturbance did not show significant change. Only a higher total mood disturbance at T1 was a significant predictor of total mood disturbance at T3. These findings demonstrate that most types of psychological distress experienced by advanced NSCLC patients is likely to persist during the subsequent clinical course. The findings also suggest that initial psychological distress itself after cancer diagnosis is the most important predictor for subsequent psychological distress and that early intervention beginning immediately after the disclosure of a diagnosis of cancer is one way to prevent and/or reduce subsequent psychological distress in advanced NSCLC patients. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Age of Onset as a Discriminator Between Alcoholic Subtypes in a Treatment-Seeking Outpatient PopulationTHE AMERICAN JOURNAL ON ADDICTIONS, Issue 1 2000Bankole A. Johnson M.D., Ph.D. Subtyping alcoholics may provide a more accurate guide as to the course and character of the disease. Classifications of different ages of onset of problem drinking have so far resulted in categorical inconsistencies. In the past, hospital-based alcoholics have over-represented those most severely ill, and comprehensive evaluations of psychopathology for discriminating between alcoholic subtypes have been infrequent. In a heterogeneous treatment-seeking, outpatient, alcoholic population, we tested the hypothesis that age of onset represents a continuum of disease, and that greater severity of psychopathology is associated with lower ages of onset. Using a standard questionnaire, 253 male and female treatment-seeking alcoholics were stratified according to specific ages of onset: a) <20 years; b) 20,25 years, and c) >25 years. These age of onset groups were compared on alcohol severity and craving, family history, childhood behavior, personality, hostility, overt aggression, mood, and social functioning. Symptom severity and age of onset were negatively correlated, and the 20,25-year onset group usually had intermediate scores. The <20 year onset group was characterized by greater severity of alcohol-related problems, family history, childhood behavioral problems, craving, hostility, antisocial traits, mood disturbance, and poor social functioning. Alcoholics with an earlier age of onset have relatively greater psychopathology than those of later onset. While the preponderance of psychopathology among those in the <20-year onset group could be conceptualized as a clinical "subtype," such a characterization would not define an entirely homogenous category. Yet, this clinical characterization would be clinically important if specific age of onset levels were found to be differentially sensitive to pharmacological and/or psychological treatments. [source] Ego Boundaries, Shamanic-Like Techniques, and Subjective Experience: An Experimental StudyANTHROPOLOGY OF CONSCIOUSNESS, Issue 1 2008ADAM J. ROCK ABSTRACT The subjective effects and therapeutic potential of the shamanic practice of journeying is well known. However, previous research has neglected to provide a comprehensive assessment of the subjective effects of shamanic-like journeying techniques on non-shamans. Shamanic-like techniques are those that demonstrate some similarity to shamanic practices and yet deviate from what may genuinely be considered shamanism. Furthermore, the personality traits that influence individual susceptibility to shamanic-like techniques are unclear. The aim of the present study was, thus, to investigate experimentally the effect of shamanic-like techniques and a personality trait referred to as "ego boundaries" on subjective experience including mood disturbance. Forty-three non-shamans were administered a composite questionnaire consisting of demographic items and a measure of ego boundaries (i.e., the Short Boundary Questionnaire; BQ-Sh). Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: listening to monotonous drumming for 15 minutes coupled with one of two sets of journeying instructions; or sitting quietly with eyes closed for 15 minutes. Participants' subjective experience and mood disturbance were retrospectively assessed using the Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory (PCI) and the Profile of Mood States-Short Form, respectively. The results indicated that there was a statistically significant difference between conditions with regard to the PCI major dimensions of visual imagery, attention and rationality, and minor dimensions of imagery amount and absorption. However, the shamanic-like conditions were not associated with a major reorganization of the pattern of subjective experience compared to the sitting quietly condition, suggesting that what is typically referred to as an altered state of consciousness effect was not evident. One shamanic-like condition and the BQ-Sh subscales need for order, childlikeness, and sensitivity were statistically significant predictors of total mood disturbance. Implications of the findings for the anthropology of consciousness are also considered. [source] Bipolar depression: phenomenological overview and clinical characteristicsBIPOLAR DISORDERS, Issue 6 2004Philip B Mitchell Objectives:, There has been increasing interest in the depressed phase of bipolar disorder (bipolar depression). This paper aims to review the clinical characteristics of bipolar depression, focusing upon its prevalence and phenomenology, related neuropsychological dysfunction, suicidal behaviour, disability and treatment responsiveness. Methods:, Studies on the prevalence of depression in bipolar disorder, the comparative phenomenology of bipolar and unipolar depression, as well as neuropsychology and brain imaging studies, are reviewed. To identify relevant papers, a literature search using MEDLINE and PubMed was undertaken. Results:, Depression is the predominant mood disturbance in bipolar disorder, and most frequently presents as subsyndromal, minor or dysthymic depression. Compared with major depressive disorder (unipolar depression), bipolar depression is more likely to manifest with psychosis, melancholic symptoms, psychomotor retardation (in bipolar I disorder) and ,atypical' symptoms. The few neuropsychological studies undertaken indicate greater impairment in bipolar depression. Suicide rates are high in bipolar disorder, with suicidal ideation, suicide attempts and completed suicides all occurring predominantly in the depressed phase of this condition. Furthermore, the depressed phase (even subsyndromal) appears to be the major contributant to the disability related to this condition. Conclusions:, The significance of the depressed phase of bipolar disorder has been markedly underestimated. Bipolar depression accounts for most of the morbidity and mortality due to this illness. Current treatments have significant limitations. [source] Psychological factors, immune function and recovery from major surgeryACTA NEUROPSYCHIATRICA, Issue 4 2009Ute Vollmer-Conna Objective: This study used a prospective design and the technique of structural modelling to examine the complex interrelations between psychological factors, immune status and complications after major surgery. Methods: Twenty-nine women scheduled for elective cholecystectomy were studied prospectively. Information regarding medical history, health practices, life stressors, and coping strategies was obtained two weeks prior to admission. At this initial meeting, as well as three days after surgery, and at one month follow-up immunological tests were performed and the level of psychological distress was assessed. The study additionally included measures of post-operative complications, and infections and negative effect during follow-up. Results: Pre-operative immune status emerged as a key variable exerting strong effects on subsequent immune function and, thereby producing significant, indirect effects on every recovery variable. Pre-operative distress was directly linked to increased mood disturbance at follow-up. Moreover, distress significantly influenced immune function both before and after surgery, which mediated a significant impact on most recovery variables. Active coping behaviour directly increased the risk of a complicated recovery. Conclusions: The study demonstrated that distress-induced changes in immune functioning have clinical relevance. Overall, the present findings suggest that recovery from surgery is facilitated in patients with a well-functioning immune system, a low-level of pre-operative distress and a passive coping disposition. [source] The phenomenology of bipolar disorder: what drives the high rate of medical burden and determines long-term prognosis?DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, Issue 1 2009Isabella Soreca M.D. Abstract Bipolar disorder (BD) has been classically described as one of episodic mood disturbances. New evidence suggests that a chronic course and multisystem involvement is the rule, rather than the exception, and that together with disturbances of circadian rhythms, mood instability, cognitive impairment, a high rate of medical burden is often observed. The current diagnostic approach for BD neither describes the multisystem involvement that the recent literature has highlighted nor points toward potential predictors of long- term outcome. In light of the new evidence that the long-term course of BD is associated with a high prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity and an increased mortality from medical disease, we propose a multidimensional approach that includes several symptom domains, namely affective instability, circadian rhythm dysregulation, and cognitive and executive dysfunction, presenting in various combinations that give shape to each individual presentation, and offers potential indicators of overall long-term prognosis. Depression and Anxiety, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] A cognitive and affective pattern in posterior fossa strokes in children: a case seriesDEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 7 2010MANOELLE KOSSOROTOFF Aim, Posterior fossa strokes account for about 10% of ischaemic strokes in children. Although motor and dysautonomic symptoms are common, to our knowledge cognitive and affective deficits have not been described in the paediatric literature. Our aim, therefore, was to describe these symptoms and deficits. Method, In a retrospective study, we included all cases of posterior fossa strokes in children occurring at a single centre between 2005 and 2007, and investigated cognitive and affective deficits. Results, Five males aged 3 to 14 years met the inclusion criteria. They all presented very early with mood disturbances: outbursts of laughter and/or crying and alternating agitation or prostration that disappeared spontaneously within a few days. Persistent cognitive deficits were also diagnosed in all five: initial mutism, then anomia, followed by comprehension deficiency and deficiencies of planning ability, visual,spatial organization, and attention. Despite early and intensive rehabilitation, recovery from these cognitive deficits was slow and sometimes incomplete, and on follow-up they proved to be more disabling than the motor symptoms. Interpretation, These findings are similar to the cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome described in adults, and quite similar to the language and affective deficits observed in children after surgery for posterior fossa tumour. This is consistent with the role of the cerebellum and brainstem in affective and cognitive processes from early development. [source] Serious psychiatric and neurological adverse effects of herbal medicines , a systematic reviewACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 2 2003E. Ernst Objective: Psychiatric and neurological patients frequently try herbal medicines often under the assumption that they are safe. The aim of this systematic review was to provide a summary of recent data on severe psychiatric and neurological adverse effects of herbal remedies. Method: Computerized literature searches were carried out to identify all reports of psychiatric and neurological adverse effects associated with herbal medicines. These data were subsequently extracted, validated and summarized in narrative and tabular form. Results: Numerous case reports comprise a diverse array of adverse events including cerebral arteritis, cerebral oedema, delirium, coma, confusion, encephalopathy, hallucinations, intracerebral haemorrhage, and other types of cerebrovascular accidents, movement disorders, mood disturbances, muscle weakness, paresthesiae and seizures. Several fatalities are on record. They are caused by improper use, toxicity of herbal ingredients, contamination and adulteration of preparations and herb/drug interactions. Conclusion: Herbal medicines can cause serious psychiatric and neurological adverse effects. [source] Expressed Emotion Attitudes and Individual Psychopathology Among the Relatives of Bipolar PatientsFAMILY PROCESS, Issue 4 2002Tina R. Goldstein M.A. This study investigated the relationships between expressed emotion (EE) and individual psychopathology among 82 biological and non-biological relatives of 66 patients with bipolar I disorder. Relatives' psychopathology was assessed via the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R, Patient Version (SCID-P) and the General Behavior Inventory (GBI), a self-report measure of lifetime subsyndromal mood disturbances. We hypothesized that relatives who held high-EE critical, hostile, and/or overinvolved attitudes toward their bipolar family member, as measured via the Camberwell Family Interview, would be more likely to have DSM-III-R Axis I diagnoses on the SCID, as well as more mood and temperamental disturbances on the GBI, than those who held low-EE attitudes. The findings did not support a significant relationship between overall EE status and psychopathology in family members. However, relatives without significant Axis I pathology scored significantly higher than those with Axis I pathology on one measure of EE, emotional overinuolvement. The findings are discussed with reference to explanations for the genesis of high-EE attitudes. [source] Evening Light Exposure: Implications for Sleep and DepressionJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 4 2002Geralyn M. Wallace-Guy MA OBJECTIVES: To examine whether dim illumination in the evening is a factor in sleep disturbances of aging, depression, and circadian phase advance. DESIGN: One-week continuous recordings were made to record illumination exposure and to infer 24-hour sleep patterns from wrist activity. SETTING: Recordings took place during normal home and community activities. PARTICIPANTS: Complete data of 154 postmenopausal women, mean age 66.7, were selected from a larger study of participants in the Women's Health Initiative. MEASUREMENTS: Illumination in lux was averaged for 4 hours before bedtime and over 24 hours. Mood was measured using a brief eight-item screen. RESULTS: Illumination in the 4 hours before bedtime was quite dim: median 24 lux. Nevertheless, evening light exposure was not significantly related to sleep amount (in bed or out of bed) sleep efficiency, sleep latency, wake within sleep, or mood. In contrast, the overall amount of light throughout the 24 hours was negatively correlated with sleep latency, wake within sleep, and depressed mood. CONCLUSIONS: Low evening lighting does not appear to be a crucial factor in sleep and mood disturbances of aging, but overall lighting may contribute to these disturbances. [source] Psychiatric disturbances in CADASIL: a brief reviewACTA NEUROLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 5 2008R. Valenti Background,,, Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is an inherited cerebrovascular disease, clinically characterized by a variable combination of migraine, recurrent transient ischemic attack (TIA) or lacunar strokes, cognitive decline, and mood disturbances. However, the assessment of psychiatric disturbances in this disease has never been carried out systematically. Methods,,, This paper presents a brief review of the literature regarding the occurrence of psychiatric disorders in CADASIL patients. Results,,, The prevalence of psychiatric disorders in CADASIL patients is reported to range from 20% to 41%. The psychiatric disturbances reported with the highest frequency are mood disturbances (9,41%). Pooling together the studies and considering a total of 454 CADASIL patients reported in the literature, 106 of these were affected by mood disturbances (24%). The majority of studies however did not use any defined criteria to assess the presence of psychiatric disorders and diagnoses were mainly based on history or review of clinical records. Conclusions,,, The review of CADASIL literature suggests the need for a more structured approach to the investigation of these disturbances that are highly prevalent and may greatly impact quality of life in these patients. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||