The increasing prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has led to worldwide interest in factors influencing the age of ASD diagnosis. Parents or caregivers of 237 ASD children (193 boys, 44 girls) diagnosed using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) completed a simple descriptive questionnaire. The data were analyzed using the variable-centered multiple regression analysis and the person-centered classification tree method. We believed that the concurrent use of these two methods could produce robust results. The mean age at diagnosis was 5.8 ± 2.2 years (median 5.3 years). Younger ages for ASD diagnosis were predicted (using multiple regression analysis) by higher scores in the ADOS social domain, higher scores in ADOS restrictive and repetitive behaviors and interest domain, higher maternal education, and the shared household of parents. Using the classification tree method, the subgroup with the lowest mean age at diagnosis were children, in whom the summation of ADOS communication and social domain scores was ≥ 17, and paternal age at the delivery was ≥ 29 years. In contrast, the subgroup with the oldest mean age at diagnosis included children with summed ADOS communication and social domain scores < 17 and maternal education at the elementary school level. The severity of autism and maternal education played a significant role in both types of data analysis focused on age at diagnosis.
- MeSH
- autistická porucha * MeSH
- dítě MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- komunikace MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- pervazivní vývojové poruchy u dětí * MeSH
- poruchy autistického spektra * diagnóza epidemiologie MeSH
- předškolní dítě MeSH
- regresní analýza MeSH
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- dítě MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- předškolní dítě MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Characterizing patterns of mental phenomena in epidemiological studies of adolescents can provide insight into the latent organization of psychiatric disorders. This avoids the biases of chronicity and selection inherent in clinical samples, guides models of shared aetiology within psychiatric disorders and informs the development and implementation of interventions. We applied Gaussian mixture modelling to measures of mental phenomena from two general population cohorts: the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC, n = 3018) and the Neuroscience in Psychiatry Network (NSPN, n = 2023). We defined classes according to their patterns of both positive (e.g. wellbeing and self-esteem) and negative (e.g. depression, anxiety, and psychotic experiences) phenomena. Subsequently, we characterized classes by considering the distribution of diagnoses and sex split across classes. Four well-separated classes were identified within each cohort. Classes primarily differed by overall severity of transdiagnostic distress rather than particular patterns of phenomena akin to diagnoses. Further, as overall severity of distress increased, so did within-class variability, the proportion of individuals with operational psychiatric diagnoses. These results suggest that classes of mental phenomena in the general population of adolescents may not be the same as those found in clinical samples. Classes differentiated only by overall severity support the existence of a general, transdiagnostic mental distress factor and have important implications for intervention.
- MeSH
- dítě MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- longitudinální studie MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- rodiče MeSH
- úzkost * diagnóza epidemiologie psychologie MeSH
- úzkostné poruchy * diagnóza epidemiologie MeSH
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- dítě MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
The negative effects of community violence exposure on child and adolescent mental health are well documented and exposure to community violence has been linked both to a number of internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Our aim was, therefore, to investigate cross-cultural and gender differences in the relationship between community violence exposure and substance abuse. A self-report survey was conducted among 10,575, 12-18 year old adolescents in three different countries, Czech Republic (N = 4537), Russia (N = 2377) and US (N = 3661). We found that in all three countries both substance use and problem behavior associated with it increased similarly along with severity of violence exposure and this association was not gender-specific. It was concluded that in spite of the differences in the levels of violence exposure and substance use cross-culturally and by gender, the pattern of their association is neither culturally nor gender bound.
- MeSH
- dítě MeSH
- genderová identita MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- násilí psychologie MeSH
- poruchy spojené s užíváním psychoaktivních látek komplikace MeSH
- srovnání kultur * MeSH
- vystavení násilí psychologie MeSH
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- dítě MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Rusko MeSH
The aim of our study was to examine odor detection thresholds and odor identification in autistic subjects. Thirty-five patients with Asperger's syndrome and high functioning autism (mean age 10.8 ± 3.6 years; 31 boys) were compared with 35 healthy control subjects (mean age 10.4 ± 2.4 years; 28 boys). There were no significant differences between groups with regard to mean age (p = 0.598) and gender proportion (p = 0.324). Olfactory testing used the Sniffin' Sticks test (threshold and identification parts only). Participants with Asperger's syndrome and high functioning autism, in comparison with healthy controls, were significantly impaired relative to odor detection thresholds (6.3 ± 3.1 vs. 7.9 ± 2.0; p = 0.025). Autistic participants were significantly better in correctly identifying the odor of an orange (94 vs. 63%; p < 0.05) and significantly worse at correctly identifying the odor of cloves (40 vs. 74%; p < 0.05). With regard to identification of fourteen other substances, there were no significant differences. There was no significant difference between autistic and control subjects on the total score of olfactory identification (p = 0.799). Odor identification ability (as expressed by this total score) correlated significantly with age in the control group (p = 0.049), but not in the autism group (p = 0.103). We found impaired odor detection and almost normal odor identification in children with autism. Implications for further research are discussed.
- MeSH
- Aspergerův syndrom komplikace patofyziologie MeSH
- autistická porucha komplikace patofyziologie MeSH
- čich MeSH
- čichová percepce MeSH
- dítě MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- odoranty MeSH
- poruchy čichu etiologie patofyziologie MeSH
- psychiatrické posuzovací škály MeSH
- senzorické prahy MeSH
- stupeň závažnosti nemoci MeSH
- věkové faktory MeSH
- výběr pacientů MeSH
- výzkumný projekt MeSH
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- dítě MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
OBJECTIVE: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious and potentially life-threatening psychiatric disorder. Pharmacotherapeutic possibilities still remain limited. We sought to determine if there was a positive effect on body weight and body mass index (BMI) in AN patients being treated for depression or anxiety with mirtazapine. METHODS: Using a case-control design, we found nine female patients with AN who had been treated with mirtazapine for depression or anxiety during hospitalization in our department. We also found nine female controls with AN, who had not received any pharmacotherapy. The two groups of patients were matched according to age and BMI. Case and control groups did not differ significantly in age (15.2 +/- 1.9 Vs. 14.7 +/- 1.7 years; P = 0.549), or in BMI (15.6 +/- 2.3 Vs. 15.6 +/- 2.1; P = 0.946) at baseline. Weight and BMI were evaluated at baseline and again after the patients had completed 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: The mean dose of mirtazapine was 21.7 +/- 1.8 mg at the end of week 4. Using ANOVA Repeated Measures, we found no significant differences between cases and controls with regard to weight (P = 0.981) or BMI (P = 0.576). However, there was a non-significant trend in patients which had been treated with mirtazapine which showed slightly more improvement, in the measured parameters, at the end of weeks 1, 2 and 3, compared to controls. CONCLUSION: Results are limited by small sample size. However, the use of mirtazapine could be useful in the treatment of AN in adolescence.
- MeSH
- antidepresiva tricyklická terapeutické užití MeSH
- financování organizované MeSH
- index tělesné hmotnosti MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mentální anorexie farmakoterapie psychologie MeSH
- mianserin analogy a deriváty terapeutické užití MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- rozvrh dávkování léků MeSH
- studie případů a kontrol MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
The aim of our study was to subcategorize Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) using a multidisciplinary approach. Sixty four autistic patients (mean age 9.4+/-5.6 years) were entered into a cluster analysis. The clustering analysis was based on MRI data. The clusters obtained did not differ significantly in the overall severity of autistic symptomatology as measured by the total score on the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). The clusters could be characterized as showing significant differences: Cluster 1: showed the largest sizes of the genu and splenium of the corpus callosum (CC), the lowest pregnancy order and the lowest frequency of facial dysmorphic features. Cluster 2: showed the largest sizes of the amygdala and hippocampus (HPC), the least abnormal visual response on the CARS, the lowest frequency of epilepsy and the least frequent abnormal psychomotor development during the first year of life. Cluster 3: showed the largest sizes of the caput of the nucleus caudatus (NC), the smallest sizes of the HPC and facial dysmorphic features were always present. Cluster 4: showed the smallest sizes of the genu and splenium of the CC, as well as the amygdala, and caput of the NC, the most abnormal visual response on the CARS, the highest frequency of epilepsy, the highest pregnancy order, abnormal psychomotor development during the first year of life was always present and facial dysmorphic features were always present. This multidisciplinary approach seems to be a promising method for subtyping autism.
- MeSH
- autistická porucha diagnóza epidemiologie patofyziologie MeSH
- dítě MeSH
- elektroencefalografie MeSH
- epilepsie diagnóza epidemiologie patofyziologie MeSH
- kognitivní poruchy diagnóza epidemiologie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- mozek patofyziologie MeSH
- regrese (psychologie) MeSH
- Check Tag
- dítě MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- MeSH
- finanční podpora výzkumu jako téma MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- pokus o sebevraždu psychologie statistika a číselné údaje MeSH
- poruchy spojené s užíváním psychoaktivních látek MeSH
- průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
- rozložení podle pohlaví MeSH
- útěkové chování MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- Publikační typ
- srovnávací studie MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Polsko MeSH