Biomedical subjects

Andreas Maercker

Publications and source records attributed to Andreas Maercker.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2003

Long-term effects of the Dresden bombing: relationships to control beliefs, religious belief, and personal growth.

Aftereffects of the Dresden bombing of February 1945 on 47 survivors were investigated using a comprehensive framework of trauma sequelae including pathogenetic, salutogenetic, and further mediating or moderating variables. A relatively low rate of PTSD symptomatology was noted. Traumatic exposure was related to current PTSD symptoms and to personal growth, with no systematic relationships between the 2 outcome variables. PTSD symptoms were primarily related to external control, whereas personal growth was primarily associated with internal control. Religious belief in the afterlife moderated effects between exposure and posttraumatic avoidance or personal growth. Furthermore, belonging to particular age groups at traumatization (adolescents, middle-aged adults) was associated with increased posttraumatic intrusions at the time of data collection.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

Lifespan-developmental differences in physiologic reactivity to loud tones in trauma victims: a pilot study.

Age at exposure to trauma has been identified as a risk factor for severity of trauma sequelae due to the developmental vulnerability of several brain structures involved in trauma processing. To investigate whether persons traumatized in adolescence show elevated arousal and startle reaction parameters, we studied persons traumatized by political imprisonment in the former East Germany either in their late adolescence or young adulthood (17-22 years, n=9) or middle adulthood (35-50 years, n=6). Physiological reactions (skin conductance, heart rate) to loud tones and self-report tests were measured. Covariance analysis yielded one significant difference, mean skin conductance response, with a higher mean for the younger group. Results are discussed in light of its limitations and further prospects.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Patterns of incidence and psychiatric risk factors for traumatic events.

Individual differences are thought to influence the propensity for exposure to trauma and the subsequent development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Prior research has identified pre-existing mood disorders as one such individual risk factor for traumatic events as well as for PTSD. The present study reports the incidence of traumatic events (and PTSD) and examines psychiatric risk factors for trauma exposure in a prospective community sample. Data come from a prospective, longitudinal epidemiological study of adolescents and young adults (age 14-24) in Munich, Germany. Respondent diagnoses (N = 2,548) at baseline and at follow-up 34-50 months later were considered. Psychiatric diagnoses at baseline were examined as predictors of qualifying trauma. Baseline prevalence of persons having experienced trauma meeting DSM-IV A1 and A2 criteria ('qualifying trauma') was 16.7%; during the follow-up period, 20.3% persons had experienced incident (new) qualifying traumata. The prevalence of PTSD, including subthreshold cases, at baseline was 5.6%; by the end of the follow-up period this had increased to 10.3%. Presence of an anxiety disorder at baseline predicted exposure to qualifying traumas during the follow-up period (adjusted ORs ranging from 1.36 for any trauma type to 3.00 for sexual trauma); this association was apparently due to an increased tendency to report events as being particularly horrific (meeting A2 criteria). In contrast, presence of illicit drug use predicted the onset of traumatic events (specifically assaultive and sexual trauma) meeting at least A1 criteria, suggesting an actual exposure to these types of traumatic events for this class of disorders. In this prospective study of urban adolescents and young adults, certain classes of pre-existing psychiatric disorders (most notably anxiety disorders and illicit drug use disorders) were associated with increased risk for qualifying traumatic events. The mechanisms by which premorbid psychiatric disorders promote exposure to traumatic events are unknown. Better understanding of these pathways may lead to novel strategies for primary and secondary prevention of PTSD.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Is auditory evoked potential augmenting/reducing affected by acute tryptophan depletion?

Several lines of evidence suggest that the auditory evoked potential (AEP) augmenting/reducing slope may serve as a biological marker of central serotonergic activity. According to Hegerl and Juckel (Biol. Psychiatry, 33, 1993, 173), reduced serotonergic activity is hypothesized to increase the slope of the AEP amplitude stimulus intensity function (ASF-slope). Hints for this hypothesis were investigated by employing the acute tryptophan depletion paradigm in 18 healthy females. A within-subject, placebo controlled double-blind cross over design was used for that purpose. Subjects ingested both a 50 g amino-acid drink with (placebo condition) and without tryptophan (depletion condition). With respect to the N1/P2-slope, test-retest reliability of a 1 week interval ranged between r=0.56 and 0.58 for the pre-ingestion baseline recording sessions. Affect was not altered by tryptophan depletion and not related to the ASF-slope. The comparison between placebo and depletion conditions did not reveal significant alterations of the ASF-slope, neither after 5 nor 6 h post-ingestion. Thus, the results do not support the assumption of the ASF-slope reflecting central serotonergic function.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Psychotherapy service utilization and psychotherapy motivation in a representative community sample of the elderly -- results of the zurich older age study].

OBJECTIVE: To study the extent of real and potential psychotherapy service utilization in the older (65 - 96) population. METHOD: We used the Zurich Older Age Study on PTSD, complicated grief and depressive disorders which consists of a random sample of 712 older adults based on a two-stage screening design. Utilization of psychotherapy was assessed by a checklist on service utilization for psychological problems/disorders. Potential psychotherapy motivation was assessed by means of a validated Questionnaire on Psychotherapy Motivation (FPTM-23). RESULTS: Around 5 % indicated to have used psychotherapy since age 65 (either alone or in combination with pharmacological treatment) and 10 % of participants indicated use of any therapeutic treatment for psychological problems with women twice as frequent as men. Potential psychotherapy motivation was medium highly pronounced and varied only slightly between the sexes. Predictors of high psychotherapy motivation are the extent of suffering as well as the absence of rejection of psychological need for assistance. DISCUSSION: The frequency numbers of psychotherapy service utilization and motivation indicate their moderate extents in old age. Limitations of the study are discussed, e. g., the possibly higher density of service providers in an urban population like the city of Zurich.

Age Factors↗