To examine the relationship between self-esteem and psychiatric disorders in adolescents.

Seventy-six adolescents (mean age: 16.02 years; range: 12-20) treated in an inpatient unit and presenting with DSM-IV psychotic disorder, depressive disorder, anxious disorder, anorexia nervosa, personality disorder, or conduct disorder were compared with a control group of 119 adolescents drawn from a normal population. All the subjects were assessed with the French translation of the Coopersmith self-esteem inventory (SEI).

Self-esteem was significantly higher in the control than in the clinical population (P = 0.0001). Female patients showed significantly lower SEI scores than male patients. Self-esteem increased significantly after 12 weeks in patients with a first psychotic episode who responded successfully to antipsychotic drug treatment. In the clinical group, a history of suicide attempts and sexual abuse was associated with significantly lower SEI scores. Lack of boy- or girlfriend, dropping out of school, and social withdrawal were also associated with lower self-esteem.

The presence of a psychiatric disorder in adolescents is associated with decreased self-esteem. This decrease in self-esteem varies according to the psychiatric disorder. Appropriate treatment can enhance self-esteem in adolescent patients.

Depression is common in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The symptomatology of depression in dementia may differ from depression alone. Consequently, the reports on lifetime depressive symptoms were compared in AD patients and age-matched non-demented participants.

Seventy-six AD patients, 109 elderly from the general population and their 189 siblings were examined using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). The presence of individual lifetime depressive symptoms was compared between 76 AD patients, 29 AD patients with comorbid depression, and different control groups using χ2 statistics and logistic regression analysis.

Lifetime depressive symptoms were significantly more frequent in 76 AD patients than in 109 age-matched elderly from the general population. These 76 AD patients complained more about thinking and concentration disturbances, and less about depressed mood or appetite disturbance than the 298 non-demented participants matched for the lifetime presence of major depression (MD). In agreement, the 29 patients comorbid for lifetime diagnoses of AD and MD reported less about depressed mood than the 114 age-matched elderly with MD only. Feelings of worthlessness and suicidal ideas were related to the severity of cognitive decline.

AD influences the reports on lifetime depressive symptoms. This may be caused by additional neurodegeneration, by an overlap of symptoms of depression and dementia or by an altered perception of mood disturbances in AD. Further studies should investigate these alternatives.

The pathophysiology of tardive dyskinesia (TD) is not completely understood.

To assess the relationship of TD with 5-HT2A receptor gene, serotonin transporter gene (5 HTT), and catechol-o-methyltransferase (COMT) gene polymorphisms.

Our study comprised 111 unrelated subjects who strictly met DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia and 32 TD, and 79 healthy unrelated controls; all the subjects were of Turkish origin. The analyses of 5-HT2A receptor gene, 5 HTT gene, and COMT gene polymorphisms were performed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique.

The polymorphisms of these genes were not significantly different between the schizophrenic patients, TD and control subjects.

Our findings indicated that 5-HT2A receptor gene, 5 HTT gene, and COMT gene polymorphisms were similar in schizophrenia with non-TD, schizophrenia with TD, and healthy controls. These polymorphisms, though, do not help to evaluate the susceptibility to TD.

Appetite and weight changes are commonly occurring symptoms of depressive illness. The occurrence of these symptoms may not only be related to depressive mood but may also be related to body weight.

To examine the relationship between symptoms of depression and body weight.

Symptoms of depression were assessed by the Montgomery-Asberg depression rating scale (MADRS) in 1694 patients seeking medical help and fulfilling DSM-IV criteria for a major depressive episode. The level of anxiety was evaluated by Covi’s anxiety scale. Body weight was expressed as body-mass index (BMI, kg/m2) and treated both categorically and continuously.

The total MADRS score was not statistically different across the four BMI categories (underweight: 32.3 ± 0.6, normal weight: 30.9 ± 0.2, grade 1: 30.6 ± 0.3, and 2 overweight: 30.6 ± 0.6, P = 0.053 (NS)). In women with BMI ≤ 18.5 kg/m2 MADRS was significantly higher than that in other BMI categories (underweight: 32.4 ± 0.6, normal weight: 30.6 ± 0.2, grade 1: 30.6 ± 0.4, and 2 overweight: 30.6 ± 0.6: P = 0.036). Increasing BMI was related to a linear decrease in symptoms “Reduced appetite” (P < 0.0001) and “Pessimistic thoughts” (P < 0.003). The presence of melancholic or atypical features was not associated with lower or higher BMI, respectively.

In patients with major depression higher body weight is likely to be associated with less reduction in appetite and less pessimistic thoughts.

To assess whether therapy with two widely used antidepressants influences platelet counts.

In 90 patients hospitalized for treatment of a major depressive episode according to DSM-IV, platelet counts were performed after a 6 d antidepressant-free run-in period and again after 35 d of active standardized treatment with amitriptyline (n = 40) or paroxetine (n = 50).

There was a trend for platelet counts to increase during treatment with amitriptyline (from 245.5 ± 68.6 to 256.8 ± 69 cells × 109 L-1, P < 0.06); no change was observed during treatment with paroxetine (from 232.6 ± 58.3 to 234.6 ± 68.9 cells × 109 L-1, n.s).

Treatment with amitriptyline tends to be associated with elevated platelet counts. The cause for this increase is not known, but may be relevant in terms of patients’ long-term thromboembolic risk.