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Biomedical subjects

Francisco Lotufo Neto

Publications and source records attributed to Francisco Lotufo Neto.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Religiousness and mental health: a review.

OBJECTIVE: The relationship between religiosity and mental health has been a perennial source of controversy. This paper reviews the scientific evidence available for the relationship between religion and mental health. METHOD: The authors present the main studies and conclusions of a larger systematic review of 850 studies on the religion-mental health relationship published during the 20th Century identified through several databases. The present paper also includes an update on the papers published since 2000, including researches performed in Brazil and a brief historical and methodological background. DISCUSSION: The majority of well-conducted studies found that higher levels of religious involvement are positively associated with indicators of psychological well-being (life satisfaction, happiness, positive affect, and higher morale) and with less depression, suicidal thoughts and behavior, drug/alcohol use/abuse. Usually the positive impact of religious involvement on mental health is more robust among people under stressful circumstances (the elderly, and those with disability and medical illness). Theoretical pathways of the religiousness-mental health connection and clinical implications of these findings are also discussed. CONCLUSIONS: There is evidence that religious involvement is usually associated with better mental health. We need to improve our understanding of the mediating factors of this association and its use in clinical practice.

Depression↗
PubMed2006

Major depressive disorder and disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus.

The association between psychosocial factors and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is still a matter of discussion. Mood disorders may represent neuropsychiatric manifestations of SLE disease activity or may be a consequence of the stress of having a chronic major disease. We examined the hypothesis that SLE disease activity is related to the presence and severity of major depression in patients with SLE. Seventy-one patients with SLE were evaluated for the presence and intensity of major depressive disorder, psychosocial stressors, functional disability, SLE disease activity, and cumulative damage. Patients with major depression presented a trend toward having greater severity of SLE disease activity compared with those without major depression (P = .056). Major depression was also associated with life events (P = .017) and hassles (P < .001). Reinforcing these findings, depression severity was directly correlated with disease activity (r = 0.26, P = .026) and with functional disability (r = 0.46, P < .001). Moreover, multiple linear regression analysis, controlling for stressful life events and previous major depressive episodes, demonstrated that SLE disease activity still was associated with depression severity (P = .014). In conclusion, these results support the hypothesis that SLE disease activity is a potential risk factor for the presence and severity of major depression in patients with SLE. Whether major depression in active SLE is a central nervous system manifestation of the disease that is mediated by an autoimmune mechanism deserves further research.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Hypertension and depression.

Despite the high prevalence of depression and hypertension, the relationship between the two diseases has received little attention. This paper reviews the epidemiological, pathophysiological, and prognostic aspects of this association, as well as its implications for treatment. A Medline search was conducted using the following key words: depression, blood pressure, blood pressure variability, physical morbidity, hypertension, mood, stress, hypertension, antidepressive agents, and genetics, from 1980 to 2004. We found descriptions of increased prevalence of hypertension in depressed patients, increased prevalence of depression in hypertensive patients, association between depressive symptomatology and hypotension, and alteration of the circadian variation of blood pressure in depressed patients. There is considerable evidence suggesting that hyperreactivity of the sympathetic nervous system and genetic influences are the underlying mechanisms in the relationship between depression and hypertension. Depression can negatively affect the course of hypertensive illness. Additionally, the use of antidepressive agents can interfere with blood pressure control of patients with hypertension by inducing changes in blood pressure and orthostatic hypotension.

Antidepressive Agents↗
PubMed2005

The Eating Disorders Section of the Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA): development and validation.

OBJECTIVE: Development and validation of the Eating Disorders Section of the Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA). It is a package of questionnaires, interviews and evaluation techniques, designed to generate DSM-IV and ICD-10 based diagnoses of anorexia, bulimia nervosa and the respective partial syndromes in epidemiological studies, in subjects who are 7 to 17 years old. The parents are interviewed in all cases, as are young people aged 11 or more. METHODS: 174 girls, divided into three groups, were assessed with the Eating Disorders Section of the Development and Well-Being Assessment: 48 with eating disorders, 55 clinical controls (with depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder or gastrointestinal disease) and 71 community controls. The sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of the assessment were investigated by comparing the Development and Well-Being Assessment diagnoses with independent psychiatric diagnoses. The test-retest reliability was investigated by reapplying the measure on 55 subjects after 2 or 3 weeks. RESULTS: For the detection of any DSM-IV and ICD-10 eating disorder, the final Development and Well-Being Assessment diagnosis had a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 94%, positive predictive value of 88%, and a negative predictive value of 100%; there was 95% agreement between the initial and repeat diagnoses (a kappa of 0.81). CONCLUSION: The Eating Disorders Section of the Development and Well-Being Assessment has suitable psychometric properties for use in clinical and epidemiological studies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

History of 'Spiritist madness' in Brazil.

Spiritism is widely accepted in Brazil and influences psychiatric practice, especially through religious-oriented hospitals. However, during the first half of the twentieth century it was considered an important cause of mental illness. This paper first reviews opinions on 'Spiritist madness', written by the most eminent psychiatrists of the time, and then discusses the epistemological factors that have contributed to the conflict between medicine and Spiritism. We critically examine the appropriateness of the methods used in the debates, and how this has led to inferences about associations and causal relationships.

Brazil↗
PubMed2005

Spiritist views of mental disorders in Brazil.

The Spiritist perspective on mental disorders exerts a great influence in Brazil. Spiritist theory supports the survival of the spirit after death with an exchange of knowledge between the incarnated and disincarnated spirits. This article reviews the texts on mental disorders and Spiritism written by four leading Spiritist authors: Allan Kardec, Bezerra de Menezes, Inácio Ferreira and Joanna de Angelis. These authors advocated a model of spiritual etiology without rejecting the biological, psychological, and social causes of mental disorders. The Spiritist etiologic model for mental disorders includes the negative influences of discarnated spirits (termed 'obsession') or trauma experienced in previous lives. In addition to conventional medical and psychological therapeutics, spiritist séances for disobsession are recommended, as well as 'passes', prayers and efforts to live according to ethical principles. The importance of Spiritist views in Brazil indicates the need for more academic research on this tradition.

Brazil↗
PubMed2004

[Cognitive-behavioral therapy in prevention of depression relapses and recurrences: a review].

OBJECTIVES: To revise theories and the available evidence about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) role on the relapse and recurrence prevention of depressive episodes. METHODS: Review of random and controlled clinical trials that investigated CBT efficacy on the relapse and recurrence prevention of depressive episodes. The following databases were used: Medline, Lilacs, Cochrane, Biosis and Embase. The reference sections of the selected articles, review articles and specialized books were consulted. RESULTS: Fifteen studies with different experimental design were found, several with methodological problems. The majority of them compared CBT with antidepressants at the acute treatment phase. In 12 studies CBT significantly lowered the relapse/recurrence rate. Recent papers pointed to the CBT usefulness for treating residual depressive symptoms as a recurrence prevention strategy. CONCLUSION: CBT was effective for the depression relapse reduction. Its relationship with antidepressants as a prevention tool and CBT strategies (using it only in the acute phase, or during acute and maintenance phases, or after antidepressants withdrawal as a maintenance treatment, or focusing residual symptoms) need to be better investigated.

Antidepressive Agents↗