The role of serotonin (51M) in the physiological regulation of AVP secretion is controversial. Neuroanatomical studies, largely in rats but also in human brains, have suggested that 5HT may have a direct modulatory effect on magnocellular vasopressin (AVP) secretion. Pharmacological and neurophysiological studies in animals have provided further evidence to support this and suggest that increase in 5HT neurotransmission leads to a rise in plasma AVP and that 5HT may be important in osmoregulated AVP secretion Studies investigating the importance of 511T as a modulator of AVP release in humans have not be undertaken. Indirect evidence of a putative role derives from the occurrence of hyponatraemia, and possible inappropriate AVP secretion,associated with the clinical use of drugs, particularly antidepressants, which have effects on 5HT neurotransmission. In addition there has been some suggestion that AVP secretion may be abnormal in depression where there is a putative abnormality of the 5HT nervous system. This research has approached the study of anatomical and physiological relationships between 5HT and AVP in 3 ways. Firstly through studies in normal man, secondly by studies in depressed patients, as a putative disease model of 5HT neurotransmission, and thirdly to more extensively explore the effect of pharmacological manipulation of 5HT neurotransmission using an animal model of osmoregulation. Studies in man found no evidence that 7 days treatment with a 5HT reuptake inhibitor (Fluoxetine) had a significant effect on osmoregulated AVP secretion. Studies in elderly depressed patients showed that there was an apparent deficiency of osmoregulated AVP secretion with normal ageing but found no evidence that either moderate depressive il lness, or treatment of the depression with Fluoxetine, had significant effect on water balance. Studies in the rat model of osmoregulation showed that acute 5HT reuptake inhibition stimulated basal AVP secretion and increased the osmotic sensitivity of AVP secretion but had no effect on the osmotic threshold of secretion. Chronic treatment (21 days) with the reuptake inhibitor had no significant effect on basal AVP secretion or on the osmotic threshold but significantly decreased the osmotic sensitivity of AVP secretion. Studies with the 5HT2/5HTIc antagonist, Ritanserin, and the 5HT2 agonist, DOI, suggested that this modulatory effect was not mediated through these receptor subtypes. Autoradiographic studies identified a low density of 5HT2 and 5HTIa receptors in the vicinity of the magnocellular neurons of the rat hypothalamus. The results suggested that 5HT modulates AVP secretion indirectly, possibly by inhibition of inhibitory afferent stimuli. This is of little physiological consequencien the normal rat and probably in healthy man where there is rapid accommodation and autoregulation. In situations where there is a dysfunction of the normal adaptive mechanisms such as in depression,the role of 5HT may be more important and occasionally may lead to severe hyponatraemia.

This study focused on depression-proneness in the creative achiever compared to the eminent but non-creative achiever. Forty-eight subjects' (25 male, 23 female) autobiographies were assessed on personality using the California Q-Set (Block, 1961). Creative achievers were divided into visual and literary creators while the control group was made up of political, military and social leaders. The Q-Set items were divided into the five factors of personality (neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness) according to McCrae, Costa and Busch (1986). Using factor analysis, neuroticism was further divided into 6 facets, two of which corresponded to Costa and McCrae's depression and impulsivity items. Results showed that creative achievers scored significantly higher than controls on neuroticism and openness, while controls scored significantly higher on conscientiousness. Creative achievers rated significantly higher than controls on depression-proneness and impulsivity, with literary artists scoring particularly high on depression-proneness. Creativity as a method for controlling depression is discussed.

Early-onset major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with significant morbidity in adolescence. The interview-dependent diagnostic process used in psychiatry leaves a subset of adolescents with MDD undiagnosed. Sleep disturbances are a central feature of depression and adolescence is a period of rapid change in sleep physiology. The aim of this study was to test physiological features of sleep and circadian rhythms as markers of adolescent MDD. Adolescents completed a two-week protocol that included a formal psychiatric interview, polysomnographic (PSG) assessment, actigraphy, salivary melatonin sampling, and holter monitoring. Depressed adolescents (n = 18) differed from controls (n = 15) on features of sleep macroarchitecture measured by PSG, and on autonomic nervous system functioning measured by 24-hour heart rate variability. Depressed adolescents had shorter REM latency and decreased stage 4 sleep. Adolescents with MDD also showed decreased parasympathetic activity over 24-hours and during the day, and decreased sympathetic activity during the night.

Despite the fact that the moods, symptoms, and disorders associated with anxiety and depression frequently co-occur in youth, very little is known about the developmental pathways leading to comorbid anxiety and depression. The common aetiology hypothesis proposes that anxiety and depression share common risk, vulnerability, and causal factors which increase the likelihood that they will co-occur. Such common aetiological factors are expected to temporally precede the onset of symptoms and to be uniquely associated with symptoms of each disorder, independent of the strong association between anxiety and depression. Previous research has identified vulnerability factors in the development of both anxious symptoms (e.g., behavioural inhibition) and depressive symptoms (e.g., pessimistic inferential styles) in children. However very little research has examined whether these vulnerability factors are specific to either anxious or depressive symptoms, or whether they are common to both. The purpose of the research presented in this dissertation was to examine the common aetiology hypothesis of anxiety and depression in children by evaluating the specificity of two well-established theories. In addition, the applicability of a diathesis-stress model to the development of anxious and depressive symptoms in children was examined. The research described in Chapter 2 examined behavioural inhibition and found that behaviourally inhibited children who experienced high levels of stress demonstrated increases in anxious, but not depressive symptoms across a six-week period. The research described in Chapter 3 examined the hopelessness theory and found that in the presence of high levels of stress, pessimistic inferential styles about causes, consequences, and the self predicted increases in hopelessness depression symptoms in children with low levels of initial hopelessness depression symptoms. Moreover, children with pessimistic inferential styles about either consequences or the self demonstrated increases in anxious symptoms across the six-week period, even after controlling for changes in hopelessness depression symptoms. These findings have several implications. In line with the common aetiology hypothesis, pessimistic inferential styles about consequences and the self appear to be common vulnerability factors. In contrast, behavioural inhibition and pessimistic inferential style about causes appear to be specific vulnerability factors for anxious symptoms and hopelessness depression symptoms respectively. Finally, vulnerability factors for both anxious and depressive symptoms appear to be amenable to a diathesis-stress framework.

No description available.

Typescript. / Thesis (Ph. D.) -- University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1988. / Bibliography: leaves 117-132. / Photocopy. / Microfilm. / xi, 132 leaves, bound 29 cm

The objective of this review was to appraise and summarise the best available literature on paternal postpartum depression (PPD) in new fathers. / This review has determined that new fathers can suffer depression, distress and anxiety in relation to pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period. The transition to fatherhood appeared to have a profound effect on many new fathers. Difficulties within the relationship, a history of depression and postnatal depression in the spouse were more likely to facilitate depression in fathers. Health care professionals play a pivotal role in recognising symptoms associated with PPD and can promote greater awareness of the condition through education. The Edinburgh Depression Scale as an assessment instrument to detect symptoms of postnatal depression (PND) in women has been found to be equally effective in detecting the symptoms of depression in fathers. Available, current literature on PPD is sparse and recommendations are made for continued research on PPD in new fathers, inclusion of awareness programmes on PPD in antenatal education and the development of an assessment tool similar to the EPDS that is gender specific for the routine assessment of new fathers. / Thesis (MMidwifery)--University of South Australia, 2005.

Thesis (MPsy(Clinical))--University of South Australia, 2001.

This simple quantitative research investigated whether patients with cancer developed depression whilst receiving adjuvant chemotherapy, and whether there was a particular time in the treatment cycle that it was likely to develop. A longitudinal survey method was chosen and the instrument of use was the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II). The content of this survey include factors that reflect negative attitudes towards self, performance impairment and somatic disturbances as well as general factors of depression. Twenty-six participants were given the BDI-II, and asked to report on side effects that they had experienced every two weeks whilst they were receiving chemotherapy. The study took place in two regional oncology clinics. This report demonstrates that, patients can develop depression whilst receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. The study revealed that the 5th fortnight into a patient’s chemotherapy treatment was a more vulnerable point in their treatment to develop depression. Descriptive analysis illustrated that more females than males suffered depression and that those receiving treatment for breast cancer were more likely to develop depression. Correlation statistics demonstrated a relationship between fatigue and depressive symptoms. There was no statistically significant correlation between the number of side effects experienced by participants and depression. In summary, the findings suggest that patients were more vulnerable to developing depression around the 5th fortnight of their chemotherapy cycle. This research has demonstrated throughout that depression does occur in patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy and that female patients are more likely to develop depression than males. Due to the small sample size though, the results were not statistically significant. The findings from this research could provide direction for more thorough studies in the future. The style of reporting used throughout this thesis has been the Harvard referencing style to ensure compliance with the university requirements and to maintain consistency.

Bibliography: leaves 252-286. / xiii, 286 leaves ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Psychology, 1998