Heritable influences on amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex contribute to genetic variation in core dimensions of personality.

While many studies have reported that individual differences in personality traits are genetically influenced, the neurobiological bases mediating these influences have not yet been well characterized. To advance understanding concerning the pathway from genetic variation to personality, here we examined whether measures of heritable variation in neuroanatomical size in candidate regions (amygdala and medial orbitofrontal cortex) were associated with heritable effects on personality. A sample of 486 middle-aged (mean=55 years) male twins (complete MZ pairs=120; complete DZ pairs=84) underwent structural brain scans and also completed measures of two core domains of personality: positive and negative emotionality. After adjusting for estimated intracranial volume, significant phenotypic (r(p)) and genetic (r(g)) correlations were observed between left amygdala volume and positive emotionality (r(p)=.16, p<.01; r(g)=.23, p<.05, respectively). In addition, after adjusting for mean cortical thickness, genetic and nonshared-environmental correlations (r(e)) between left medial orbitofrontal cortex thickness and negative emotionality were also observed (r(g)=.34, p<.01; r(e)=-.19, p<.05, respectively). These findings support a model positing that heritable bases of personality are, at least in part, mediated through individual differences in the size of brain structures, although further work is still required to confirm this causal interpretation.

A multivariate twin study of hippocampal volume, self-esteem and well-being in middle-aged men.

Self-esteem and well-being are important for successful aging, and some evidence suggests that self-esteem and well-being are associated with hippocampal volume, cognition and stress responsivity. Whereas most of this evidence is based on studies on older adults, we investigated self-esteem, well-being and hippocampal volume in 474 male middle-aged twins. Self-esteem was significantly positively correlated with hippocampal volume (0.09, P = 0.03 for left hippocampus, 0.10, P = 0.04 for right). Correlations for well-being were not significant (Ps > 0.05). There were strong phenotypic correlations between self-esteem and well-being (0.72, P < 0.001) and between left and right hippocampal volume (0.72, P < 0.001). In multivariate genetic analyses, a two-factor additive genetic and unique environmental (AE) model with well-being and self-esteem on one factor and left and right hippocampal volumes on the other factor fits the data better than Cholesky, independent pathway or common pathway models. The correlation between the two genetic factors was 0.12 (P = 0.03); the correlation between the environmental factors was 0.09 (P > 0.05). Our results indicate that largely different genetic and environmental factors underlie self-esteem and well-being on one hand and hippocampal volume on the other.

Testosterone modifies the effect of APOE genotype on hippocampal volume in middle-aged men.

BACKGROUND: The APOE epsilon4 allele is an established risk factor for Alzheimer disease (AD), yet findings are mixed for how early its effects are manifest. One reason for the mixed results could be the presence of interaction effects with other AD risk factors. Increasing evidence indicates that testosterone may play a significant role in the development of AD. The aim of the present study was to examine the potential interaction of testosterone and APOE genotype with respect to hippocampal volume in middle age. METHODS: Participants were men from the Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging (n = 375). The mean age was 55.9 years (range 51-59). Between-group comparisons were performed utilizing a hierarchical linear mixed model that adjusted for the nonindependence of twin data. RESULTS: A significant interaction was observed between testosterone and APOE genotype (epsilon4-negative vs epsilon4-positive). Those with both low testosterone (> or =1 SD below the mean) and an epsilon4-positive status had the smallest hippocampal volumes, although comparisons with normal testosterone groups were not significant. However, individuals with low testosterone and epsilon4-negative status had significantly larger hippocampal volumes relative to all other groups. A main effect of APOE genotype on hippocampal volume was observed, but only when the APOE-by-testosterone interaction was present. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate an interaction effect between testosterone and the APOE epsilon4 allele on hippocampal volume in middle-aged men, and they may suggest 2 low testosterone subgroups. Furthermore, these results allude to potential gene-gene interactions between APOE and either androgen receptor polymorphisms or genes associated with testosterone production.

Apolipoprotein E genotype and memory in the sixth decade of life.

BACKGROUND: Virtually all adult studies of APOE genotypes and cognition have included individuals over 60. In older adults, epsilon 4 carriers may manifest greater cognitive asymmetries than non-epsilon 4 carriers even in the absence of overall mean differences. General cognitive ability may also be affected by aging and APOE genotype, but most studies have inadequately addressed this potential confound. The goals of this study were to examine, in middle age, the relationship of APOE genotype with episodic memory and verbal-visuospatial episodic memory asymmetries, after accounting for prior general cognitive ability. METHOD: We compared epsilon 4+ and epsilon 4- individuals in 626 male twins in their 50s. We examined verbal and visuospatial episodic memory and verbal-visual asymmetry scores after adjusting for cognitive ability at age 20. Analyses corrected for correlations between twin pair members. RESULTS: Compared with epsilon 4- individuals, epsilon 4 carriers performed significantly more poorly on verbal, but not visuospatial memory, manifested significantly greater cognitive asymmetry, and also had significantly more concerns about memory. At age 20, epsilon 4 carriers had higher general cognitive ability than epsilon 4- individuals, and current memory differences were enhanced after adjusting for age 20 cognitive ability. CONCLUSIONS: Small, but significant, APOE-epsilon 4-related memory deficits appear in the sixth decade of life in individuals who show no signs of preclinical dementia. The results partially support studies of older adults that suggest that increased cognitive asymmetries reflect risk for dementia and are associated with the APOE-epsilon 4 genotype. The results also highlight the potential problems of not having accurate data on prior cognitive ability.

Parent expectations for antibiotics, physician-parent communication, and satisfaction.

OBJECTIVES: To explore how parents communicate their preferences for antibiotics to their child's physician and to examine whether physicians can communicate why antibiotics are not being prescribed in a way that maintains satisfaction with the visit. DESIGN: Previsit survey of parents, audiotaping of the study encounters, and a postvisit survey of parents and physicians. SETTING: Two private pediatric practices. PARTICIPANTS: Ten physicians (response rate = 77%) and a consecutive sample of 295 eligible parents (response rate = 86%) who attended acute care visits for their children between October 1996 and March 1997. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Physician-perceived pressure to prescribe antibiotics and parental visit-specific satisfaction. RESULTS: Fifty percent of parents expressed a previsit expectation for antibiotics. Among these parents, only 1% made a direct verbal request for them. Even when no direct requests for antibiotics were made, physicians still perceived an expectation for antibiotics 34% of the time. Among parents who did not receive expected antibiotics, those offered a contingency plan from the physician (i.e., the possibility of receiving antibiotics in the future if their child did not get better) had a higher mean satisfaction score than parents not receiving a contingency plan (76 vs. 58.9; P<.05). CONCLUSION: Physicians should consider providing a contingency plan to parents who expect antibiotics for their children when there is no clinical indication. Further study is needed to determine how parents indirectly communicate their desire for antibiotics and what additional communication techniques physicians can use to resist the overprescribing of antibiotics.

Posttraumatic concerns: a patient-centered approach to outcome assessment after traumatic physical injury.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 2.5 million Americans are admitted to the hospital after traumatic physical injury each year. Few investigations have elicited patients' perspectives regarding posttraumatic outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To identify and categorize physically injured trauma survivors' posttraumatic concerns. RESEARCH DESIGN: Prospective longitudinal investigation; trauma survivors were interviewed during the post-injury hospitalization and again 1, 4, and 12 months after the trauma. SUBJECTS: Ninety-seven, randomly selected, English speaking, hospitalized survivors of motor vehicle-crashes or assaults. MEASURES: At the end of each interview patients were asked, "Of all the things that have happened to you since you were injured, what concerns you the most?" Using an iterative process and working by consensus, investigators categorized patient concerns in content domains. Concern domains were then compared with established measures of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and limitations in physical functioning. RESULTS: Seven categories of posttraumatic concerns were identified. During the course of the year, 73% of patients expressed physical health concerns, 58% psychological concerns, 53% work and finance concerns, 40% social concerns, 10% legal concerns, 10% medical concerns, and 20% uncodable concerns. Rater agreement on concern categorization was substantial (kappa = 0.72). The mean number of concerns expressed per patient gradually decreased over time (1 month mean = 1.51; 12 month mean = 1.26) and resembled the trajectories of PTSD symptoms and functional limitations. CONCLUSIONS: The concerns of physically injured trauma survivors are readily elicited and followed up during the course of the year after injury. Open-ended inquiry regarding posttraumatic concerns may complement standardized outcome assessments by identifying and contextualizing the outcomes of greatest importance to patients.

A taxonomy of requests by patients (TORP): a new system for understanding clinical negotiation in office practice.

BACKGROUND: The goal of our investigation was to facilitate research on clinical negotiation between patients and physicians by developing a reliable and valid classification system for patients' requests in office practice. METHODS: We developed the Taxonomy of Requests by Patients (TORP) using input from researchers, clinicians, and patient focus groups. To assess the system's reliability and validity, we applied TORP to audiotaped encounters between 139 patients and 6 northern California internists. Reliability was assessed with the kappa statistic as a measure of interrater agreement. Face validity was assessed through expert and patient judgment of the coding system. Content validity was examined by monitoring the incidence of unclassifiable requests. Construct validity was evaluated by examining the relationship between patient requests and patient health status; patient request fulfillment and patient satisfaction; and patient requests and physician perceptions of the visit. RESULTS: The 139 patients made 772 requests (619 requests for information and 153 requests for physician action). Average interrater agreement across a sample of 40 cases was 94% (kappa = 0.93; P <.001). Patients with better health status made fewer requests (r = -0.17; P = .048). Having more chronic diseases was associated with more requests for physician action (r = 0.32; P = .0002). Patients with more unfulfilled requests had lower visit satisfaction (r = -0.32; P <.001). More patient requests was also associated with physician reports of longer visit times (P = .016) and increased visit demands (P = .006). CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides evidence that TORP is a reliable and valid system for capturing and categorizing patients' requests in adult primary care. Further research is needed to confirm the system's validity, expand its applicability, and explore its usefulness as a tool for studying clinical negotiation.

Lives of women and men active in the social protests of the 1960s: a longitudinal study.

This study found that 46 of 116 children from the R. R. Sears, E. E. Maccoby, and H. Levin (1957) child-rearing study classified at age 31 as participants in the protest movements of the 1960s came more often from middle-class families and attained higher educational levels than their counterparts who did not participate in the protests. In midlife, activists remained more rebellious and altruistic than their peers of equivalent education. Sixties activists did better in grade school and had positive permissive parents at age 5. Parenting style was associated with doing well in school only in girls. As adults, female activists were less involved in family life and had better jobs than their peers. Male activists did less well occupationally and were less happy than their male peers or the female activists.

The use of pain drawings in screening for psychological involvement in complaints of low-back pain.

The pain drawings of 54 low-back-pain patients were examined to find out if it is possible to use them as a brief screening test in order to assess the psychological impairment of the patients. We were using the scoring system of Ransford et al, which we slightly changed, and chose as a criterion variable the ERMSS (Erweiterte Revidierte Mehrdimensionale Schmerzskala) of Cziske. This test originates in the McGill Pain Questionnaire of Melzack and Torgerson; its scales describe four dimensions of pain perception: pain intensity, the sensory-discriminative dimension reflecting the somatic aspect of pain; the affective-motivational dimension, and the total number of words, both representing the psychological involvement of a pain patient. A correlation was found between pain drawing score and the sensory-discriminative dimension of pain perception, whereas there was no such correlation between drawing score and the affective dimension. These results indicate that the pain drawing score might not be a sufficiently valid instrument for assessing psychological disturbances in pain patients to allow it to be used for individual diagnosis without hesitation.