Biomedical subjects

Orestis Giotakos

Publications and source records attributed to Orestis Giotakos.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

Sex hormones and biogenic amine turnover of sex offenders in relation to their temperament and character dimensions.

Relationships between Cloninger's temperament and character dimensions and plasma sex hormone levels and biogenic amine turnover were studied in male prison inmates convicted of rape (n=61) or child molestation (n=24) and normal male controls (n=25). The participants completed the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), which includes the temperament dimensions Novelty Seeking, Harm Avoidance, Reward Dependence and Persistence as well as the character dimensions Self-Directedness, Cooperativeness and Self-Transcendence. Plasma levels of testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, sex hormone binding globulin, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone were estimated in plasma samples and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), homovanillic acid (HVA), and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) in urine samples. Both sex offender groups had higher Novelty, Seeking and lower Reward Dependence, Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness scores compared with the controls. Plasma levels of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone were significantly higher in rapists than in controls. Novelty Seeking scores were positively correlated with LH levels in rapists, and with testosterone levels in child molesters. Harm Avoidance scores were negatively correlated with 5-HIAA levels in rapists and with HVA levels in child molesters. In rapists, the calculated free androgen index showed a negative correlation with 5-HIAA. For the sex offender sample as a whole, the subgroup with high testosterone levels had higher Harm Avoidance scores, the subgroup with low HVA levels had lower Cooperativeness scores, and the subgroups with high 5HIAA or MHPG levels had lower Persistence scores. The results indicate that Novelty Seeking behavior in the group of rapists is associated with a hyperactive hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. In addition, low serotonin turnover and low dopamine turnover seem to be associated with a passive-avoidant behavioral style in rapists and child molesters, respectively.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Handedness and hobby preference.

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between handedness and hobby preference in healthy individuals. For this reason, the Annett handedness questionnaire and a standard questionnaire on preference for hobbies were administered to 879 healthy young men (age, M = 22.3, SD = 4.8 yr.). Analysis showed more cultured individuals were much less likely to be strongly right-handed. Especially, pure right-handedness highly overrepresented among those who mainly preferred doing sports, pure left-handedness among those who preferred reading books, collecting, or going to the cinema/theater, and mixed-handedness among those who preferred arts, like playing music, drawing, or handicraft. The findings support evidence that handedness is associated with hobby preference.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Suicidal ideation, substance use, and sense of coherence in Greek male conscripts.

This study aimed to estimate the comorbidity of suicidal behavior and substance use in young male conscripts and to analyze the association between personal coping resources and the severity of these behaviors. A total of 1,098 Greek male conscripts participated in this study, completing the Antonovsky's sense of coherence questionnaire and a standard questionnaire concerning their lifetime and current suicidal and substance-use behavior. A proportion of 11.7% and 24%, respectively, had lifetime and current feelings that life is not worth living. The differences between past and current death wishes (8.9% vs. 9.2%), suicidal thoughts (8.3% vs. 7.6%), and suicide attempts (2.4% vs. 2.9%) were not significant. All of the subgroups with suicidal ideation or behavior showed a significantly lower sense of coherence questionnaire score as compared with the whole sample. The comorbidity of past and current suicide thoughts and substance use ranged from 16.4% to 33.3% and 31.4% to 44.2%, respectively, depending on the kind of the substance. Finally, the subjects with past or current substance use had a significantly higher incidence of past or current, respectively, suicidal ideation or behavior, as compared with those without a history of substance use. We suggest the necessity of the early detection of these high-risk behaviors applying closer monitoring and integrated prevention programs.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed2002

Crossed hand-eye dominance in male psychiatric patients.

Increased incidence of left-eye and crossed hand-eye dominance have been considered as indicating left hemispheric dysfunction in many neuropsychiatric disorders. This study investigates the incidence of left-eye and crossed hand-eye dominance in patience with schizophrenia (n = 68), panic disorder (n = 62), personality disorder (n = 35), heroin addiction (n = 54), and mental retardation (n = 33), in comparison with controls (n = 944). All psychiatric groups, except the group with panic disorder, had significantly greater frequency of left-eye dominance than the control group. Furthermore, all psychiatric groups, except the personality-disordered group, had significantly greater frequency of crossed hand-eye dominance than the control group. These findings further support the evidence of an anomaly in hemispheric lateralization among different psychiatric populations, particularly among those with psychotic symptoms and cognitive deficits.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Parenting received in childhood and early separation anxiety in male conscripts with adjustment disorder.

The purpose of this study was to investigate parenting received in childhood and early separation anxiety experiences in young male soldiers with adjustment disorder. Fifty-four conscripts suffering from adjustment disorder completed the following questionnaires: the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), the Measurement of Parental Style (MOPS), and the Separation Anxiety Symptom Inventory (SASI). Seventy-eight conscripts, matched for age and education, were used as a control sample. The research showed that compared with the controls, patients had significantly increased scores on the SCL-90-R (p < 0.001), the SASI (p < 0.03), and the father's and mother's MOPS Abuse subscale (p < 0.001). The father's MOPS Abuse score, the mother's MOPS Overcontrol score, and the SASI score were also significantly correlated with the SCL-90-R score (p < 0.01). Finally, a patient's separation anxiety can be predicted from the mother's overcontrol behavior, and the severity of the disorder can be predicted from the father's abuse behavior. These findings are in agreement with previous findings in patients with depression and anxiety disorders.

Adjustment Disorders↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Aggression, impulsivity, plasma sex hormones, and biogenic amine turnover in a forensic population of rapists.

The aim of the present study was to assess androgen plasma levels and biogenic amine metabolites in a sex-offender group as well as to investigate the relationship between the biological findings and the impulsive, aggressive, and suicidal profile of the offenders. Fifty-seven males convicted for rape and 25 normal males comprised the study sample. We found that although both testosterone levels and aggression-impulsivity scores were higher in the group of rapists, testosterone levels were not associated with the aggression and impulsivity scores. Nevertheless, aggression-impulsivity scores were clearly associated with luteinizing hormone levels. This association may indicate a hyperactive hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, possibly the result of a reduced serotonergic activity.

Adult↗