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Biomedical subjects

M Weissman

Publications and source records attributed to M Weissman.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Religiousness and substance use in children of opiate addicts.

PURPOSE: To investigate among children of opiate addicts a potential protective effect of religiousness (broadly defined in the literature to include religious beliefs, practice, and tradition) against onset of substance use. METHODS: Subjects were 161 opiate-addicted biological parents recruited from methadone maintenance programs in the New York metropolitan area, their 279 children, and 63 non-opiate-addicted parents with whom the child had daily contact. Childhood onset of substance use was assessed using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Aged Children (K-SADS); parental DSM-III-R diagnosis of opiate addiction was assessed using the SADS-Lifetime Version (SADS-L). RESULTS: Religiousness in children of opiate addicts was associated with a substantially decreased likelihood of onset of substance use. Parent-child concordance of religiousness showed additional protective qualities with respect to religious denomination in opiate-addicted parent and with respect to the personal importance of religion and frequent attendance of religious services in non-opiate-addicted parents. CONCLUSION: Religiousness protects against substance use among children of opiate addicts.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

The association between head injuries and psychiatric disorders: findings from the New Haven NIMH Epidemiologic Catchment Area Study.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To determine the association of report of any history of head injury with loss of consciousness or confusion and a lifetime diagnosis of psychiatric disorder in a general population. RESEARCH DESIGN: A probability sample of adults from the New Haven portion of the NIMH Epidemiologic Catchment Area programme were administered standardized and validated structured interviews. The main outcome measures were lifetime prevalence of psychiatric disorders and suicide attempt in individuals with and without a history of traumatic brain injury. MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Among 5034 individuals interviewed, 361 admitted to a history of severe brain trauma with loss of consciousness or confusion (weighted rate of 8.5/100). When controlling for sociodemographic factors, quality of life indicators and alcohol use, risk was increased for major depression, dysthymia, panic disorder, OCD, phobic disorder and drug abuse/dependence. In addition, lifetime risk of suicide attempt was greater in those who had suffered head injury. CONCLUSION: Individuals with a history of traumatic brain injury have significantly higher occurrence for psychiatric disorders and suicide attempts in comparison with those without head injury and have a poorer quality of life. Future studies should examine the nature of this relationship, focusing on the severity of the brain injury and the temporal contiguity of the brain injury and psychiatric disorder.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Effects of magnetic fields on mosquitoes.

Phylogenetically diverse organisms, including some insects, are able to detect and respond to magnetic fields comparable to the Earth's magnetic field. Because of their tremendous importance to public health, mosquitoes were tested for the presence of remanent ferromagnetic material indicative of a biological compass and also tested for behavioral responses to magnetic fields. Using a superconducting quantum interferometry device, we found that significant remnant was probably due to attraction of ferromagnetic dust onto the surface of live or dead mosquitoes. Most mosquitoes placed in a 1.0-gauss, uniform magnetic field moved until they were oriented parallel to the field. Two of 3 species of mosquitoes tested took fewer blood meals in a rotating magnetic field than in the Earth's normal magnetic field.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Understanding referential expressions in context: use of common ground by children and adolescents with mental retardation.

Listeners interpret utterances against the common ground, or network of presuppositions shared with the speaker. The first purpose of the study was to determine whether individuals with mental retardation use the major sources of common ground (i.e., physical copresence, linguistic copresence, and community membership) to resolve referential ambiguity. The second purpose was to determine whether they seek confirmation of their referent choices in accordance with the certainty of interpretation afforded by the common ground. The third purpose was to determine whether they signal noncomprehension when faced with ambiguity and common ground that is not informative. The final purpose was to evaluate the relationship between within-group variability in common ground use and measures of nonverbal cognition, receptive and expressive language, and social cognition. Participants were school-age individuals with mental retardation and typically developing children matched to them on nonverbal MA. Common ground use was examined in a role-playing task in which the participant responded to ambiguous utterances. Common ground was manipulated within participants. We determined whether referent selections were appropriate for the common ground, whether they were accompanied by confirmation requests, and whether noncomprehension was signaled. Both groups used all sources of common ground to resolve referential ambiguity at better than chance levels but were less successful in using community membership. Both groups also requested confirmation of their referent choices most often when the common ground was based on community membership. Both groups signaled noncomprehension when the common ground was not informative. Different aspects of common ground use were related to different predictors for the group with mental retardation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Psychiatric disorders in the relatives of depressed probands. I. Comparison of prepubertal, adolescent and early adult onset cases.

Research with adults suggests that early onset of depression is associated with increased rates of depression among relatives. This paper presents results, of a family study that tested the hypothesis that prepubertal depression was associated with a greater familial loading of depression than the postpubertal form, which in turn had a greater familial loading than adult onset depression. Probands were from a child to adult longitudinal study. Psychiatric disorders among relatives were assessed with family interview and family history methods 'blind' to all findings regarding the proband. Contrary to expectation, familial rates of depression did not differ significantly between the groups. However, manic disorders tended to be more common among the relatives of postpubertal depressed cases than among the relatives of adult onset cases. Moreover, relatives of prepubertal depressed subjects had higher rates of criminality and family discord than postpubertal subjects. Prepubertal onset depressive disorders appear to be relatively distinct from postpubertal forms.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Psychiatric disorders in the relatives of depressed probands. II. Familial loading for comorbid non-depressive disorders based upon proband age of onset.

This study examined familial loading for non-depressive disorders in first-degree relatives (FDRs) of early-(< 20 years of age) and adult-onset (> or = 20 years of age) depressed probands. Our previous work, which demonstrated that FDRs of early-onset probands have higher rates of major depression as compared to FDRs of adult-onset probands, has not yet examined risk for non-depressive disorders in FDRs. In this paper, we focus on best-estimate diagnoses of anxiety disorders, alcoholism, and antisocial personality conducted on 639 first-degree relatives. The FDRs of early-onset probands had significantly higher rates of comorbid transmission of alcoholism and depression, and antisocial personality and depression, respectively. Significant co-transmission of anxiety disorders and depression was found in the FDRs of both early- and adult-onset probands. Future genetic studies of depression, especially early-onset depression, should hence broaden their definitions of phenotypes to include comorbid disorders when searching for the etiology of this complex disorder.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Intergenerational transmission of parental bonding among women.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the transmission of parental bonding style from mothers to daughters. METHOD: Sixty mothers and their 69 daughters were independently assessed over the course of a 10-year follow-up. The Parental Bonding instrument was administered to both mothers and daughters to assess their own childhood parenting. Depression was assessed using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Lifetime version. Temperament was assessed through self-report on the Dimensions of Temperament Survey. A series of logistic regressions were run to predict daughter report of maternal affectionless control, taking into account maternal and daughter depression status, temperament, and socioeconomic status. RESULTS: The intergenerational transmission of parental bonding among women was shown to be independent of maternal depression, daughter depression, maternal temperament, daughter temperament, and socioeconomic status. CONCLUSION: Given the previously established association between parental bonding style and depression in offspring, the sturdiness of the intergenerational transmission of parental bonding among women suggests the routine clinical assessment of maternal bonding style.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Religiosity and depression: ten-year follow-up of depressed mothers and offspring.

OBJECTIVE: This study examines maternal religiosity as a protective factor against depression in offspring. METHOD: Sixty mothers and 151 offspring were independently assessed over the course of a 10-year follow-up. Maternal and offspring religiosity were assessed on the basis of self-report of the importance of religion, the frequency of attendance of religious services, and religious denomination. Depression was assessed using the Schedule for Affective Disorders-Lifetime version. Maternal bonding style was assessed through offspring report on the Parental Bonding Instrument. A series of logistic regressions were run to predict offspring depression status, taking into account maternal religiosity, offspring religiosity, and mother-offspring concordance of religiosity. RESULTS: Maternal religiosity and mother-offspring concordance of religiosity were shown to be protective against offspring depression, independent of maternal parental bonding, maternal social functioning, and maternal demographics. CONCLUSION: Maternal religiosity and offspring concordance with it may protect against depression in offspring.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Low parental care as a risk factor to lifetime depression in a community sample.

A number of studies have reported links between experiencing low parental care and subsequent depressive experience. As the majority have involved patient samples, links may reflect anomalous parenting disposing to help-seeking behaviour (and patient status) rather than directly to depression. We, therefore, report a community study, so redressing any such artefact emerging from a patient sample and, additionally, quantify the relevance of low parental care to depression in comparison to several other risk factors (i.e., age, gender, educational level, socioeconomic status and marital status). Subjects were drawn from the ECA study and comprised those assessed at the 1-year follow-up interview undertaken at the New Haven site, with parental care being assessed by a key item from the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI). Those reaching criteria for a lifetime episode of major depressive disorder were significantly more likely to report low care from both parents as well as to be female, divorced or separated, and younger. Low parental care (along with age and mental status but not female sex) appeared pathoplastic in being linked with an increased chance of psychopathology in general, rather than demonstrating specificity to major depressive disorder.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Recognition of emotional distress in physically healthy primary care patients who perceive poor physical health.

This study examines the recognition and treatment of emotional distress in physically healthy primary care patients who perceive themselves to be in fair or poor physical health. Patients (N = 892) from three private primary care practices completed a mental health screening form prior to their medical visit which included an overall assessment of their physical health (1 = excellent, 2 = good, 3 = fair, 4 = poor). Following the visit, their physicians completed a questionnaire that included the same physical health assessment item. The study group, physically healthy patients who perceive poor physical health (HPPPH), included those patients who rated their physical health as 2 or 3 points more impaired than it was rated by their physician. HPPPH (N = 39) were significantly more likely than other patients (N = 853) to report a prior psychiatric hospitalization (p < 0.05), marital difficulties (p < 0.01), recent missed work due to a mental health problem (p < 0.001), and a range of anxiety, depressive, and psychosomatic symptoms. However, HPPPH were also significantly more likely than other patients to receive excellent emotional health ratings (p < 0.001) from their physicians and were less likely to receive mental health treatment (p < 0.05). Detection of emotional distress may be particularly difficult in physically healthy patients who have low physical health perceptions. Identification of pessimistic physical health perceptions may serve as an indicator for underlying emotional distress.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Cultural differences in attitudes, values, and beliefs about osteoporosis in first and second generation Japanese-American women.

This study examines attitudinal differences related to osteoporosis between first and second generation Japanese-American women. In an interview, the women completed a battery of tests assessing their attitudes, values, and beliefs about the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care of osteoporosis. The groups differed in their general knowledge of osteoporosis, perceptions of the disease, attributions of its causes, anticipated and preferred support mechanisms for care, and anticipated areas of concern for self-or other-care. There were also considerable differences in treatment compliance and feelings toward physicians. The findings were discussed in relation to the effects of culture on health-care attitudes and behaviors.

Acculturation↗
PubMed1990

Birth-cohort changes in the rates of mania.

Secular changes in the rates of mania have been reported in the relatives of affectively ill patients, and the present study is an independent replication of these findings in a large probability sample of a community. Data from the five U.S. sites of the National Institute of Mental Health's Epidemiologic Catchment Area study (ECA), a community survey of adults, are presented. A total of 17,827 respondents were divided into eight birth cohorts, each spanning a 10-year interval. Actuarial life-table analyses showed a greater cumulative risk of mania for white men and women from the three most recently born cohorts (i.e., those born after 1935). The Wilcoxon test for homogeneity indicated an overall significant difference by birth cohort. These findings in a community sample are consistent with those previously reported in relatives of affectively ill patients. The results support the hypothesis that birth cohort changes have occurred in the risk of mania and that the risk was greatest in the post-1935 cohorts.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Fatal hemorrhage from an arterio-portal-peritoneal fistula after percutaneous liver biopsy.

Exsanguinating hemorrhage complicated a percutaneous needle biopsy in a 64-yr-old woman with a probable collagen vascular disease. Angiography performed before Gelfoam embolization demonstrated a hepatic arterio-portal venous-peritoneal fistula, a lesion not previously described, to be a cause of the hemorrhage. Although surgery remains the treatment of choice, the role of selective hepatic arteriography and Gelfoam embolization in patients with serious hemorrhage who are poor surgical risks needs evaluation.

Arteriovenous Fistula↗
PubMed1989

Panic disorder in children at high risk for depression.

While conventional clinical wisdom has been that panic disorder does not occur in children, evidence derived from structured diagnostic interviews suggests that panic disorder, similar in symptom pattern to the adult disorder, does occur in children and can occur before puberty.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

DNA ploidy analysis of cervical condyloma and intraepithelial neoplasia in specimens obtained by punch biopsy.

This study analyzed the feasibility of, and the strategy for, DNA ploidy analysis of cervical condyloma and intraepithelial neoplasia by a computerized digital imaging system. Paraffin-embedded tissue provided satisfactory single-cell preparations for DNA ploidy analysis after enzyme digestion and additional procedures. Negative endocervical curettings and normal squamous mucosa were used as internal diploid controls. With suitable controls, 21 (81%) of the 26 aneuploid lesions were identified as such in the single-cell preparations. The remaining five lesions (not recognized as aneuploid in the single-cell preparations) had ploidy levels between 2.08n and 2.30n and required DNA measurements on 12-microns sections. Criteria for these DNA measurements were defined: specimens intended for DNA ploidy analysis should contain abnormal epithelium of at least 3 mm to 4 mm in greatest dimension and should be accompanied by diploid controls, such as endocervical curettings or normal ectocervical squamous mucosa. With a combination of single-cell preparations and 12-microns tissue sections, it was possible to accurately determine the DNA ploidy patterns of the cervical lesion specimens obtained by punch biopsies. Available evidence suggests that ploidy analysis can provide useful diagnostic and prognostic information.

Biopsy↗