Anxiety Disorders: Fox SH

Steeves TD, Fox SH. · Division of Neurology, University of Toronto, Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, Ontario, Canada. · Prog Brain Res. · Pubmed #18772048 No free full text.

Abstract: Tourette syndrome (TS) is a heritable neuropsychiatric disorder that presents in childhood with a constellation of motor and non-motor symptoms. The defining feature of the disorder is the presence of brief, stereotyped, motor or vocal behaviours called tics. Although tics are themselves voluntary, they are typically performed secondary to involuntary sensory symptoms or irresistible urges. TS is therefore said to be a disorder of human volition that likely represents a general failure of inhibition. It shares many features with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and impulse control disorder with which it is also commonly associated. Much of the anatomic substrate for TS probably lies in the circuits that connect multiple areas of cortex with the basal ganglia and thalamus to subserve motivation, inhibition of behaviour, planning of motor acts and detection of threats. To date, pathological studies of TS have been very few and the number of subjects evaluated too small to reliably elucidate the nature and significance of several reported abnormalities. However, evidence derived from both pharmacological trials and selected functional imaging studies suggests that disturbances of the dopaminergic and serotonergic neurotransmitter systems play a key role in the pathogenesis of TS. At the same time, multiple studies have demonstrated reciprocal interactions between the serotonin and dopamine systems of the brain. This information, when placed in the context of the observed functional imaging abnormalities, may generate further insights into the pathophysiology of TS.

Fox SH. · New Mexico Highlands University, Department of Behavioral Sciences, Las Vegas 87701, USA. · Transcult Psychiatry. · Pubmed #14979464 No free full text.

Abstract: Preliminary studies of trauma and psychiatric sequelae among West African refugees have revealed the need to develop West African-sensitive assessment instruments. This article addresses the results of the first stage of such a process which involved two focus group discussions with nine traditional Mandinka practitioners. Various dimensions of the diagnoses required to adequately reflect the range of refugee experience are presented. Such dimensions include diagnostic labels, idioms of distress, causes, source, and seriousness. The findings of this pilot study suggest that the impact of trauma such as experienced by refugees is so complex that a unitary diagnostic label is insufficient.

Tang SS, Fox SH. · New Mexico Highlands University, Department of Behavioral Sciences, Las Vegas 87701, USA. · J Nerv Ment Dis. · Pubmed #11531202 No free full text.

Abstract: The purpose of our study was to conduct a preliminary investigation into the experiences and mental health of Senegalese refugees. Although research has established that refugees are more prone to psychiatric illnesses than the general population, little has been written about West African refugees. Our focus was on adult refugees (18 years of age and older) from the Casamance region of Senegal. A total of 80 participants (39 women, 41 men) were randomly selected from refugee camps in The Gambia. The Harvard Trauma Questionnaire and the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 were used to assess levels of traumatization and mental health status. Typical of refugees of war, participants reported suffering a large number of various traumas. High prevalence rates of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder were also found in this group. A substantial mental health problem exists within the Senegalese refugee population that may signify a potential human crisis.

Fox SH, Tang SS. · New Mexico Highlands University, Department of Behavioral Sciences, Las Vegas 87701, USA. · J Nerv Ment Dis. · Pubmed #10972567 No free full text.

Abstract: Although a number of studies address the mental health status of refugees from a variety of regions in the world, there are no studies of the mental health status of West African refugees. It was the purpose of this study to determine the prevalence of various traumatic events to which a sample of Sierra Leonean refugees have been exposed as well as psychiatric sequelae associated with such exposure. A procedure of probability sampling was used to identify and assess a sample of 55 Sierra Leonean refugees residing in a UNHCR-sponsored camp in The Gambia, West Africa. The Harvard Trauma Questionnaire and the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 served as survey instruments. The findings clearly indicate the presence of disturbingly high prevalence rates for various traumatic experiences and psychiatric sequelae. It appears that a significant mental health problem exists that begs to be addressed.