ABSTRACT
A family study of patients with agoraphobia (n = 40), panic disorder (n = 40), and nonanxious controls (n = 20) showed that the morbidity risk for panic disorder was increased among the relatives of agoraphobics (8.3%) and the relatives of patients with panic disorder (17.3%). The morbidity risk for agoraphobia was also increased among the relatives of agoraphobics (11.6%) but not the relatives of panic disorder patients (1.9%). Male relatives of agoraphobics were shown to be at higher risk for alcohol disorders (30.8%). No greater risk for primary affective disorders was found among the relatives of agoraphobic or panic disorder patients or among the relatives of probands with secondary depression compared with relatives of probands without secondary depression. Probands and relatives with agoraphobia reported an earlier onset of illness, more persistent and disabling symptoms, more frequent complications, and a less favorable outcome than probands and relatives with panic disorder. The findings suggest that agoraphobia is a more severe variant of panic disorder. They also lend support to the separation between anxiety disorders and affective disorders.
Subject(s)
Agoraphobia/genetics , Anxiety Disorders/genetics , Fear , Panic , Phobic Disorders/genetics , Adult , Age Factors , Agoraphobia/diagnosis , Agoraphobia/psychology , Alcoholism/diagnosis , Alcoholism/genetics , Alcoholism/psychology , Anxiety Disorders/diagnosis , Anxiety Disorders/psychology , Depressive Disorder/diagnosis , Depressive Disorder/genetics , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Diagnosis, Differential , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Personality Inventory , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , RiskABSTRACT
In a group of 55 chronic schizophrenic men aged 20-45 years, the mean ventricle to brain ratio (VBR) on computerized tomographic brain scan was significantly greater than in 27 matched control subjects. A clinical comparison was then conducted between the schizophrenic patients with VBRs above (N = 19) or below (N = 36) 2 SD from the control mean. No differences were found in age of onset, premorbid history, duration of illness, severity of illness, response to neuroleptic drug treatment, presence of positive or negative symptoms, substance abuse, or cognitive testing. However patients with VBRs greater than 2 SD above the mean were significantly older and had a significantly higher frequency of history of schizophrenia in a first-degree relative.
Subject(s)
Cerebral Ventriculography , Schizophrenia/pathology , Adult , Chronic Disease , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Schizophrenia/diagnosis , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
A patient with multiple tics and cyclothymic disorder was treated with lithium, with complete remission of the tics. Clinical, neurochemical, and physiologic studies suggest a potential role of lithium in treatment of tics. Carefully controlled therapeutic trials of lithium in tic disorders are recommended.
