A population sample comprised of 765 subjects (367 males and 398 females), in the age range of 15-81 years, completed the EMBU, a reliable questionnaire aimed at assessing experiences of parental rearing, and the TCI, a self-report questionnaire aimed at assessing dimensions of temperament and character. The study had three main aims: 1) to verify, on a larger scale, previous findings suggesting the occurrence of significant associations between experiences of parental rearing and aspects of temperament and character, 2) to assess possible variations in temperament and character in cohorts of subjects who have grown up in different historical epochs, and 3) to investigate to what extent transgenerational differences in parental rearing are detectable in different associations with various dimensions of personality. Several, albeit small, significant and meaningful associations between experiences of parental rearing and both temperament and character dimensions have been found, adding support to the robustness of previously reported results obtained in an independent smaller series. Also, several significant differences among subjects in different age groups have been found, both concerning temperament variables and character dimensions. Finally, the results show that associations between experiences of parental rearing and dimensions of temperament and character are most pronounced in subjects belonging to the youngest cohort and almost nil in the cohort comprising the oldest subjects.

Objectives: The aims of the present study were to investigate the awareness among dentists and dental hygienists of evidence-based reports and guidelines on tobacco cessation activities and the impact these publications had on clinical practice.

Methods: A questionnaire was mailed to dental hygienists and dentists in Stockholm County, Sweden, and the results were compared with a previous investigation.

Results: Among the respondents, awareness of a popular science version of a systematic review on smoking and its effect on oral health was reported by 90 percent of the hygienists and 66 percent of the dentists. The information was used in clinical work by 34 percent of the dentists and 54 percent of the hygienists. Reported changes in patterns of practice were more frequent recommendations to use nicotine replacement therapy and a more widespread use of setting quit dates. Approximately one quarter of the dental professionals reported that they had increased tobacco cessation consultation because of the results from the reports.

Conclusions: Changes in patterns of practice were observed after dissemination of evidence-based information on tobacco cessation. Methods that were proven to be effective in the evidence-based report such as discussing quit dates and recommending nicotine replacement therapy were more commonly used after the publication of the report. Short, popular versions of extensive systematic reviews seem to be useful for implementing evidence-based knowledge and changing clinical practice.

Background: The ε4 allele of apolipoprotein E (APOE) and head injury are risk factors for dementia diseases, and may act synergistically to further increase the risk. The aim of this study was to examine the association between mild head injury, APOE and dementia.

Methods: Data were obtained from the Betula prospective population-based study of aging, memory, and health. The study included 543 participants in the age range 40–85 years, free of dementia at baseline, who were followed up within a 5-year interval. Dementia was classified using DSM-IV criteria. Information on previous head injury was obtained through screening of the participants' answers to health questionnaires at baseline and at follow-up.

Results: Subjects with head injury but without APOE ε4 had no increased risk of dementia. Subjects with APOE ε4 had an increased risk and those with both APOE ε4 and head injury had the highest risk of dementia (odds ratio = 5.2).

Conclusions:APOE ε4 constitutes a risk factor for dementia, mild injury in isolation does not increase the risk, but head injury in combination with the APOE ε4 leads to increased risk of dementia.

An extensive new caring program—including the introduction of Individual Care Plans and changes in ward organization, caring techniques, and caring philosophy—was introduced at two psychogeriatric wards with severely demented patients. The hypotheses were that the patients (n=31) would improve in psychosocial capacity and orientation and the staff work load would decline in contrast to two other wards with a similar clientele (n=31). After ten months the milieu was more “homelike,” routines were more flexible, and the staff communicated more with the patients. However, the hypotheses were not proven. All patients in both groups deteriorated in ADL capacity, orientation, and behavior. The patients in the program wards became significantly more restless and disoriented and ate less than the patients in the contrast wards. The conclusion is that, despite optimal care, a humanistic approach, and support from staff, the progression of dementia symptoms is inevitable.

Background. Conflicting results have been reported in previous association studies of the serotonin transporter promoter repeat length polymorphism (5-HTTLPR), seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and seasonality (seasonal variations in mood and behaviour). The aim of this study was to test for association in new case–control and population-based materials, and to perform a combined analysis of all published studies of 5-HTTLPR and SAD.

Method. One hundred and forty-seven new SAD cases and 115 controls were genotyped for 5-HTTLPR and in total 464 patients and 414 controls were included in the pooled analysis. In addition, 226 individuals selected for unusually high or low seasonality scores from a population based material and 46 patients with non-seasonal depression were analysed. Different genetic models were tested and seasonality was analysed both as a qualitative (high v. low) and as a quantitative trait in the different sample sets.

Results. No association between 5-HTTLPR and SAD was found in the new case–control material, in the combined analysis of all samples, or when only including 316 patients with controls (N=298) selected for low seasonality. A difference was detected between the population based high and low seasonality groups, when assuming a recessive effect of the short allele (20% and 10% short allele homozygotes, respectively, OR (95% CI): 2·24 (1·03–4·91)). Quantitative analysis of seasonality revealed no association with 5-HTTLPR in any sample set.

Conclusions. These results do not suggest a major role of the short variant of 5-HTTLPR in susceptibility to SAD, but provide modest evidence for an effect on seasonality.

Brain monoamine concentrations were determined post mortem in 19 patients with dementia of Alzheimer type. Samples were taken from 10 parts of the brain and compared with an age-matched control group.

There were lower mean concentrations of dopamine in the demented group of patients in seven regions of the brain, and two of these were at a significant level. There were also significantly lower concentrations of homovanillic acid in the nucleus caudatus and in the putamen. The means of the concentrations of noradrenaline were also lower, and in the putamen and the cortex gyrus frontalis significant differences were observed. The 5-hydroxytryptamine concentrations were slightly lower in the demented group but the differences did not reach significance. The degree of intellectual deterioration was negatively correlated with the noradrenaline concentrations in the hypothalamus and the cortex gyrus cinguli.