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Biomedical subjects

E Hantouche

Publications and source records attributed to E Hantouche.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

Is psychosis in DSM-IV mania due to severity? The relevance of selected demographic and comorbid social-phobic features.

OBJECTIVE: We tested whether factors other than episode severity contributed to psychosis in mania. METHOD: Psychiatrists collected systematic clinical data on 1090 hospitalized DSM-IV manic patients in France, and completed the Mania Rating Scale (MRS) and the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS). RESULTS: Using DSM-IV specifiers, 21.9% were non-severe, 28.2% severe without psychosis, and 49.9% severe with psychosis. On the MRS, patients with psychosis scored significantly higher (P < 0.0001) than non-severe, but did not differ from the severe without psychosis. We found significant correlations between both the Hallucination and the Delusion subscores of the SAPS and the MRS, as well as correlations between age, single marital status, comorbid social phobia and psychotic mania. CONCLUSION: Apart from episode severity, social isolation - associated with younger age, single marital status and social phobia - seems to make a contribution to the origin of manic psychosis largely independent from such severity.

Adult↗

Validating the soft bipolar spectrum in the French National EPIDEP Study: the prominence of BP-II 1/2.

BACKGROUND: Much of the current literature on bipolar disorder is focused on bipolar I (BP-I), and to a much lesser extent on bipolar II (BP-II). The French multi-center national EPIDEP study has, among its objectives, the feasibility of validating a broader spectrum of bipolarity (the so-called "soft spectrum") by practicing clinicians. In this report we test aspects of a bipolar schema proposed earlier by Akiskal and Pinto [Akiskal, H.S., Pinto, O., 1999. The evolving bipolar spectrum: Prototypes I, II, III, IV. Psychiatr. Clin. North Am. 22: 517-534.]. METHODS: EPIDEP was scheduled in three phases: Phase 1 to recruit DSM-IV major depressives; Phase 2 to assess hypomania and affective temperaments; and Phase 3 to obtain history on course of illness, family history, and comorbidity. Comparative analyses are presented between affective subgroups constructed on a hierarchical basis: spontaneous hypomania (BP-II), cyclothymic temperament (BP-II 1/2), antidepressant-associated hypomania (BP-III), hyperthymic temperament (BP-IV), versus "strict unipolar" (UP). RESULTS: We present data on 490 patients for whom we obtained full assessment during all three phases of the study, classified as BP-II 1/2 (N=164), II (N=61), III (N=28), IV (N=22), as well as UP (N=174) as the reference nonbipolar group. Systematic inter-group comparison among the soft spectrum showed significant differences along clinical, descriptive, course, pharmacologic response and familial affective disorder patterns, which confirm the heterogeneity of the soft bipolar spectrum, with special characteristics for each of the subgroups. In terms of external validation, familial bipolar loading characterized all soft bipolar subgroups except type IV. LIMITATION: Data collection conducted in a practice setting, clinicians cannot be entirely held "blind" to all measures. This is an exploratory attempt, with many variables examined, to help characterize the clinical terrain of soft bipolarity. CONCLUSION: This is nonetheless the first systematic clinical attempt to validate the bipolar spectrum beyond mania (BP-I). BP-II 1/2, BP-III and BP-IV appeared distinct from BP-II and strict UP -- along most of the variables examined. BP-II 1/2 -- with early onset complex temperament structure, and high mood instability, rapid switching, irritable ("dark") hypomania and suicidality -- emerged as the most prevalent and severe expression of the bipolar spectrum, and accounting for 33% of all MDE. These results, which are of great public health relevance, testify to the cyclic nature of bipolarity in its softest expressions. The soft phenotypes are also of interest for genetic investigations of bipolar disorder.

Bipolar Disorder↗

Plasma melatonin and cortisol in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder: relationship with axillary temperature, physical activity, and clinical symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have found biological abnormalities in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), although most of them have not been replicated. The investigation of melatonin rhythm may thus provide an indirect clue to neurotransmitter alterations, and allow a biological comparison with depression. METHODS: The circadian variations of plasma melatonin, plasma cortisol, axillary temperature, motor activity, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms have been documented on a circadian basis in 8 patients with OCD compared to 8 paired healthy volunteers. RESULTS: The circadian pattern of axillary temperature was slightly different in OCD patients when compared to control subjects. No significant difference between the two groups could be observed for any other variable studied. CONCLUSIONS: The discrepancies with previous studies are discussed on the basis of the methods used (patients and control subjects samples, biological measurement procedures). An alteration of temperature circadian rhythm hypothesis is suggested.

Adult↗

[Nosological classifications of obsessive-compulsive disorder].

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (O.C.D.) has become of central interest to researchers. Conflicting data in neurobiological studies and the diversity of the responses to behavioral and pharmacological treatments, have raised the question of the homogeneity of O.C.D. Is O.C.D. an heterogeneous diagnosis? Is it one or several disorders? if so, how can it be divided into homogeneous subgroups? What is the meaning of psychiatric comorbidity with regard to a neuropharmacological approach of O.C.D.? Has O.C.D. a large spectrum, which includes other disorders like Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, trichotillomania, paraphilia, compulsive gambling and other impulse control disorders? Many classifications are established within O.C.D. in an attempt to delineate similarities and differences among clinical manifestations and to develop more adequate and effective treatments. Based on recent literature data and on the experience we have accumulated in assessing and treating people presenting O.C.D., we propose a new clinical classification of this disorder.

Comorbidity↗

Obsessive-compulsive disorder: a clinical, neuropsychological and positron emission tomography study.

The authors compared 16 nondepressed obsessive-compulsive patients (OCS) with 8 normal controls (NC) of similar age for resting-state regional cerebral glucose metabolic rates (rCMRglu) using positron emission tomography with the fluorodeoxyglucose method. OCS were rated for clinical data, and a neuropsychological battery was administered to 14 patients on the day of the scan. Absolute rCMRglu for whole cortex, and normalized prefrontal lateral cortex metabolic rates, were both significantly lower in OCS than in NC. No significant difference between treated (n = 10) and drug-free (n = 6) OCS was found for those variables. OCS were significantly impaired in the neuropsychological tasks assessing memory and attention. The rCMRglu for prefrontal lateral cortex were negatively correlated to Stroop-test subscores. This "frontal-oriented" task assessed the ability of OCS to inhibit immediate but inappropriate responses. These results suggest, in OCS, a modification of the general activating systems of cortical function and a relationship between the lateral prefrontal rCMRglu decrease and a selective attention deficit.

Adult↗

[Obsessive-compulsive disorder and the study of thyroid function].

We evaluated thyroid function (T3, T4, TSH) and TRH Test in 17 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (DSM III criteria and at least 1 year duration) not associated to major depression (absence of DSM III criteria and depression Hamilton scale score, 17 items, below 16). Blood tests were performed following a drug-free period of at least 2 weeks. We accidentally discovered one case of hyperthyroidism with the diagnosis of Graves' disease. In the remaining group (n = 16), basal values of thyroid hormones and TSH were normal. 12.5% (2 cases) showed a blunted delta TSH (less than 5 mUl/l) and 0% a high delta TSH (greater than 20 mUl/l). A significant degree of negative correlation was only noted between delta TSH and age (r = -0.65). Lastly, we report a curious comorbidity between OCD and Graves' disease found in 3 cases within a population of 50 OC patients (or 6%) recruited in our psychiatric unit. The characteristics of these observations will be presented.

Adult↗

[A controlled double-blind study of tetrabamate versus lorazepam and placebo in generalized anxiety].

The anxiolytic efficacy of tetrabamate was evaluated in a multicentric double-blind study versus lorazepam and placebo, in 269 patients with a generalized anxiety disorder according to DSM III-R criteria. The anxiolytic activity of tetrabamate (at 900 mg/day) was significantly superior than that of placebo from day 7 of treatment and equivalent to lorazepam efficacy (at 4.5 mg/day). In the tetrabamate group, 55.3% were considered as "good responders" (as defined by a HARS score reduction equal or superior to 50%), versus 51.3 and 32.9% respectively in the lorazepam and the placebo groups (chi-square = 9.63, p = 0.008). Sheehan's scales (parts 1 and 2), Norris visual analogue scales, CHESS 84, CHESS complement 82 for withdrawal evaluation, physician's overall evaluation of efficacy and tolerance, were also used to assess the clinical effects of tetrabamate. The data on these measures confirmed the anxiolytic efficacy of tetrabamate and showed some advantages in the tetrabamate group in comparison with the lorazepam group: a better global tolerance at the study end point (day 35), a greater efficacy on some anxiety somatic items and lesser frequency and severity of withdrawal symptoms during treatment tapering off.

Adult↗

[Biological hypotheses in obsessive-compulsive disorder].

Biological hypothesis in obsessive-compulsive disorder is recent and firstly initiated through pharmacological data. The supporting evidences are scant but sufficiently provocating; the review of the literature data on these hypothesis suggests more questions than concluding responses; the introduction of new psychobiological models (like ethologic, cybernetic, cognitive and behavioral models...) and the functional "cutting" (or the transnosologic approach) of the disorder may allow more specific applications for the neurobiological research, and more refined predictions on clinical and experimental observations (responses to psychoactive drugs, biological abnormalities...).

Adult↗

[Arguments for cerebral dysfunction in obsessive-compulsive disorder. A review and synthesis of the literature].

Until recently, particular interest was focalized on the association between Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and biochemical markers, for testing the biological hypothesis. The neurotransmitter, most involved in OCD, seems actually to be serotonin. In contrast, few studies were concentrated on searching for the site of dysfunction in specific areas of the brain. Expanding exploration methods of the central nervous system (computerized EEG, evoked potentials, positions emission tomography...) and their recent application in OCD have given more evidence for the validity of the "neurodysfunctional" hypothesis and the localization of the dysfunction in OCD.

Brain Diseases↗

[Self-evaluation of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Adaptation and validation of two psychometric scales to the French version].

Reliable and valid measures of obsessive-compulsive behaviors are essential to investigation of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). With observer-rated scales, accurate self-assessment is also required in the evaluation of OCD. In a collaborative study, two psychometric instruments for self assessment of OCD were translated and adapted into a french version: The Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (MOCI). and the Lynfield Obsessional-Compulsive Questionnaire (LOCQ) with 2 scores generated for "resistance" (LOCQ-R) and "interference" (LOCQ-I). The validity and the reliability of these two instruments were studied within different selected psychiatric groups, OCD, Panic disorder with or without Agoraphobia, Major Depression, and in a control group. Between-groups comparison showed that MOCI and LOCQ global scores (respectively 17 +/- 3.9 for MOCI global score, p < 0.01; and 40.3 +/- 11.0 for LOCQ-R, 43.1 +/- 12.0 for LOCQ-I global scores, p < 0.0001) can differentiate between the obsessional patients and the other groups. An overlap between OCD and Major Depression groups was observed on MOCI "doubting" and "slowness" sub-scores. By comparing MOCI and LOCQ global scores with observer-rated scales of obsessive-compulsive behaviour, we found adequate correlations: CPRS-OC (subscale of Comprehensive Psychiatric Rating Scale for Obsessions and Compulsions) (r > 0.5; p < 0.01), CAC (Compulsive Activities Check-list) (r > 0.6; p < 0.01), and global time spent on rituals (r > 0.5; p < 0.01). The total MOCI and LOCQ scores were significantly, but weakly correlated with depression and anxiety measures (r = 0.30-0.49).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

[Obsessive compulsive disorder. Clinical and epidemiologic studies].

Until recently, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) was considered rare trouble with rather poor outcome. Currently progress in behavioral psychology, psychopharmacology and methodology of epidemiologic studies multiplying by 50 the traditional prevalence rates, give an impetus to the interest in this pathology. Recent clinical and epidemiologic data in OCD are reported in this paper. Multiple questions are evoked such as the issue of OCD homogeneity, the meaning of comorbidity with other psychological disorders: depression, panic attacks, schizophrenia, Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, the reality of OCD prevalence rate in general and psychiatric populations, the usefulness of classical demarcation between psychosis/neurosis in the treatment of OCD, and finally the search for a genetic diathesis and risk factors implicated in predisposition to OCD. A close relationship between clinical, epidemiologic and genetic approaches seems to be required in order to answer these questions and constitutes a first step prior to carrying on basic and applied research.

Comorbidity↗

[Critical analysis of controlled pharmacologic studies in obsessive compulsive disorder].

Controlled pharmacologic studies in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are recent, scare and concern only antidepressants. Clomipramine constitutes the reference drug in the treatment of OCD and in comparative studies. The present paper includes a compendium of the results of 15 controlled studies and a critical approach of their methodologies and conclusions. The discussion continues about the genuine anti-obsessive effect of antidepressants, its specificity and the underlying neurochemical mechanisms.

Antidepressive Agents↗

[Psychometric evaluation of obsessive compulsive disorder. Recent diagnostic scales].

Several standardized instruments have been developed since 1970 to assess obsessive-compulsive symptoms. The most commonly used are discussed in this article. It appears that relatively little work has been done to evaluate these instruments psychometrically. Further research is needed to establish the value of these instruments before developing new ones.

France↗