Biomedical subjects

S Mahorney

Publications and source records attributed to S Mahorney.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1988

The response of depressed inpatients to isocarboxazid.

Fifty-six inpatients with unipolar depression completed treatment with isocarboxazid. In comparing the differences between responders and nonresponders, it was found that psychomotor retardation, pathological guilt, daily persistence of unremitting symptoms, phobic anxiety, dexamethasone suppression test nonsuppression, and neuroticism were significantly more common among nonresponders. Reactivity of mood, blaming others, and extraversion were more common in responders. Total endogenous depression scores on the Newcastle 1, Newcastle 2, and Michigan scales were also significantly higher in nonresponders. Attained platelet monoamine oxidase inhibition was similar in both groups.

Adult↗

PubMed1985

Platelet MAO activity in posttraumatic stress disorder.

Platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity was assessed in 23 patients with posttraumatic stress disorder and 19 age-matched male control subjects. An overall significantly lower MAO activity was observed in the posttraumatic stress disorder group. When the group was divided into those with and those without a history of alcohol abuse, only the former group differed significantly from control subjects. The heuristic importance of these findings is discussed.

Adult↗

PubMed1984

Validation of four definitions of melancholia by the dexamethasone suppression test.

The authors evaluated four sets of diagnostic criteria, the Newcastle Index, DSM-III, RDC, and the Michigan Diagnostic Index, for the diagnosis of melancholia. Forty-nine depressed inpatients, all of whom met RDC for major depression, also received consensus diagnostic assessment for melancholia. The dexamethasone suppression test (DST) was administered before drug treatment began. Results showed that the sensitivity of the DST ranged from 39% to 48%, specificity from 80% to 100%, and diagnostic confidence from 66% to 100%. All four scales received validation, but DSM-III showed the lowest specificity and predictive value.

Adult↗

PubMed1984

Cortisol suppression index: a further evaluation.

The cortisol suppression index (CSI) is the ratio of pre- to postdexamethasone plasma cortisol concentrations. The 8 a.m. CSI was previously found to identify 66% of a sample of psychiatric inpatients with major depression. In the present study, a 4 p.m. CSI identified 71% of psychiatric inpatients with major depression, in contrast to 53% when using DST criteria alone. This finding adds further validation to the CSI. Further studies of the utility of the CSI are suggested to help improve the detection of major depression.

Depressive Disorder↗

PubMed1980

Metabolic factors affecting monoamine oxidase activity.

While genetics may be the major determinant of monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity, many hormonal, dietary, and even immunological factors may also be important. Knowledge of these factors may be helpful not only in understanding individual variation in MAO levels, but in the application of platelet MAO activity as a clinical laboratory aid.

Adolescent↗