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Biomedical subjects

R T Abed

Publications and source records attributed to R T Abed.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

The sexual competition hypothesis for eating disorders.

A hypothesis is presented for eating disorders, based on Darwinian theory, that contends that these syndromes together with the phenomenon of the pursuit of thinness are manifestations of female intra-sexual competition. It is suggested that eating disorders originate in the human female's psychological adaptation of concern about physical attractiveness which is an important component of female 'mate attraction' and 'mate retention' strategies. It is argued that present-day environment of Western countries presents a range of conditions which have led to the overactivation or the disruption of the archaic female sexual strategy of maximizing 'mate value'. The present hypothesis deals with the ultimate level of causation and is therefore compatible with a range of theories of proximate causation. Although the present hypothesis is not directly testable, it makes predictions that are testable and refutable. Finally it is suggested that the sexual competition hypothesis has more explanatory power than existing evolutionary theories of eating disorders.

Biological Evolution↗
PubMed1996

A multicenter double-blind comparison of nefazodone and paroxetine in the treatment of outpatients with moderate-to-severe depression.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy, safety, and tolerance of nefazodone and paroxetine in the treatment of depressed outpatients were compared in a randomized, double-blind parallel group study at 20 centers in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. METHOD: The study population comprised 206 outpatients meeting DSM-III-R criteria for a moderate-to-severe nonpsychotic major depressive episode. Patients considered to be at serious risk of suicide were excluded from participation in the study. After a drug-free baseline phase of 1 to 4 weeks, patients were randomly assigned to treatment with either nefazodone or paroxetine. Outcome measures for efficacy included the Clinical Global Impressions scales, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety, Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale, and Patient Global Assessment scale. Tolerance and safety were assessed using spontaneously reported adverse events, vital signs, and laboratory investigations. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the groups in clinical outcome. Analysis of the efficacy measures revealed a consistent and continuous improvement in both groups. A similar proportion of patients in each group discontinued treatment owing to adverse events: 15 (14%) in the nefazodone group and 13 (13%) in the paroxetine group. CONCLUSION: Nefazodone and paroxetine have similar efficacy and tolerability in the treatment of outpatients with major depression.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

A survey of general practitioners' opinion and attitude to drug addicts and addiction.

A survey was carried out to investigate general practitioners' attitude towards drug addicts and addiction. A questionnaire was sent to all GPs in the Norwich Health District and obtained an 87% response rate. A range of negative and positive attitudes was identified. The implications of these findings are discussed with particular reference to current government policy of encouraging GPs to extend their role in treating drug addiction.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1990

Delusional misidentification of familiar inanimate objects. A rare variant of Capgras syndrome.

A 52-year-old woman presented exclusively with delusional misidentification of inanimate objects in the context of a short-lived acute psychotic episode. Certain theories are useful in understanding the formation of delusions of doubles in the patient (e.g. processes intrinsic to the depersonalisation/derealisation phenomena may have been aetiologically significant), but the actual choice of objects remains difficult to explain.

Capgras Syndrome↗
PubMed1987

Psychiatric morbidity in acromegaly.

Previous reports on psychiatric morbidity in acromegaly have been unsystematic. This study examined 51 acromegalic patients for psychiatric morbidity using the General Health Questionnaire and a standard psychiatric interview, the Present State Examination. Although psychiatric morbidity was higher in the female than the male acromegalics, the study showed no increase in psychiatric morbidity in general, nor an increased incidence of depression, in comparison with general population and patient samples. No relationship was found between growth hormone levels and psychiatric morbidity. The results raise the question whether acromegalic patients show lower psychiatric morbidity than expected from patients with such an illness. The data suggest that previous reports of depression in acromegalic patients examplify the simple coincidence of a likely and an unlikely condition.

Acromegaly↗