INTRODUCTION Creativity is a complex human ability influenced by affective and cognitive components but little is known about its underlying neurobiology. Bipolar Disorder (BD) is highly prevalent among creative individuals. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is the most widely distributed neurotrophic factor, and has been implicated in the pathophysiology of BD. In contrast to the better...

A community survey of subjects aged over 50 was carried out. 406 subjects were randomly selected and examined. 264 were found normal, 98 subjects were found to suffer from depression of late onset type. Detailed enquiry was made about the physical health in all subjects using a specially drawn 42 item somatic discomfort inventory. Each symptom was graded as mild, moderate and severe.Similarly s...

The objectives were to describe the association between body mass index (BMI, kg/m(2)), body composition and risk factors to metabolic diseases; observe the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and list the characteristics of overweight and obese women. Voluntaries (n=50; BMI=31+/-6; age=36+/-11 years old), were evaluated regarding clinical examination, anthropometrics measurements, samples of bloo...

Cognitive functions are impaired in Major Depression. Studies on the effects of Yoga on cognitive functions have shown improvement in memory, vigilance and anxiety levels. 30 patients suffering from Major depression (age 18 to 45 years) were randomly divided into two groups: Group 1: (10 males and 5 Females) Patients who practised Sahaj Yoga meditation and also received conventional anti-depres...

Investigations of cognitive patterns among individuals who have recovered from a depressive episode (i.e., remitted depressives) have figured importantly in evaluations of the validity of the vulnerability hypotheses of the cognitive theories of depression. However, we suggest that remitted depression studies as typically conducted and interpreted are inadequate tests of the cognitive vulnerabi...

Depressed individuals, who tend to have large perceived-self/ideal-self discrepancies, have been shown to be particularly high in private self-consciousness. On the bases of this finding and of several converging theoretical perspectives, we hypothesized that depressives, unlike nondepressives, do not find self-focus more aversive after failure than after success, and thus either (a) show no di...

Research suggests no difference in efficacy be tween tricyclic and related antidepressant drugs. The British National Formulary (1993) lists 21 different antidepressants. Reviews of antidepres sant treatment suggest that choice of antidepres sant should be made on the grounds of previous drug exposure and side effect profiles of different drugs. At present there are no clinical guidelines to in...

EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION TO THE CHAPTER: In some ways, the previous case of paranoia also makes a nice contrast with depression. While the paranoids deny that they have a problem (and merely blame others), depressives tend to introject blame and shame from others. In other ways, dissociative reaction is the o posite of paranoia. The former represses traumatic memories, whi / e the latter indulges ...

The relationship between obsessions and depression has been the subject of many studies and several facts are well established. Depressive mood swings are common in patients with obsessional neuroses and, conversely, obsessional symptoms are common in depressive illnesses. Gittleson (1966) found 152 patients with obsessional symptoms in a retrospective study of 398 psychotic depressives, and ob...

An inverse relation has been suggested between the incidence of depressive illness and the opportunity to externalize aggressive behaviour. The riot situation in Belfast in 1969-70 provided an opportunity to study this hypothesis. The incidences of depressive illness in the city and a neighbouring peaceful rural county were compared over a number of years. Data regarding age, sex, area of the c...