Maria Grazia Turri | Queen Mary, University of London (original) (raw)

Papers by Maria Grazia Turri

Genetics, 2001

Bidirectional selection in rodents has been used to derive animal models of human behavior. An im... more Bidirectional selection in rodents has been used to derive animal models of human behavior. An important question is whether selection for behavior operates on a limited number of QTL or whether the number and individual contribution of QTL varies between selection experiments. To address this question, we mapped QTL in two large F2 intercrosses (N = 815 and 821) from the four lines derived from a replicated selection experiment for open-field activity, an animal model for susceptibility to anxiety. Our analyses indicate that selection operated on the same relatively small number of loci in both crosses. Haplotype information and the direction of effect of each QTL allele were used to confirm that the QTL mapped in the two crosses lie in the same chromosomal regions, although we were unable to determine whether QTL in the two crosses represent the same genes. We conclude that the genetic architecture of the selected strains is similar and relatively simple.

this report we explore the consequences of the combination and choice of phenotypes for genetic m... more this report we explore the consequences of the combination and choice of phenotypes for genetic mapping. In accompanying papers we investigate multivariate approaches to genetic mapping and the importance of epistatic interactions

Biological Psychiatry, 2005

Background: A promoter-based length polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) of the human serotonin gene (SLC6A4) ... more Background: A promoter-based length polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) of the human serotonin gene (SLC6A4) has exhibited inconsistent association with emotionality phenotypes, such as major depression (MD) and the personality trait neuroticism (N). Several explanations have been posited to account for this discrepancy, including underpowered experimental design and variation in gender ratio, age, and ethnicity. Methods: Here, we describe three independent tests of association between the 5-HTTLPR locus and both N and MD in samples selected for extremeness of N-score from two homogenous populations (n ϭ 88,142, and 20,921). Calculations of statistical power indicated that at a 5% ␣ level, these samples retain 100% power to detect a genetic effect accounting for just .5% of phenotypic variance. Effects of age were regressed out of the phenotypic measure, and gender was included as a covariate. Results: No statistically significant effects of genotype could be identified on either N or MD phenotypes (in all cases, p Ն .26), independently of the genetic mode of action applied. Conclusions: Our data do not support the hypothesis that the 5-HTTLPR variant contributes significantly toward human emotionality as indexed by either the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire N scale or the DSM-IV for MD.

Anxiety is a common disorder which affects about 25% of the population and whose pathophysiolog... more Anxiety is a common disorder which affects about 25% of the population and whose pathophysiology is still poorly understood. Animal models of disease have been widely used to investigate the molecular basis of human disorders, including psychiatric illnesses. This thesis is about the study of the genetic basis of a mouse model of anxiety. I have carried out a QTL mapping study of behavioural measures thought to model anxiety. I report results from 1,636 mice, assessed for a large number of phenotypes in five ethological tests. Mice belonged to two F2 intercrosses originated by four lines generated in a replicate selection experiment. By comparing mapping results between the two crosses, I have demonstrated that selection operated on the same relatively small number of loci in the four selected lines. Analysis of genetic effect of QTL across phenotypes has allowed me to identify loci with specific roles on different dimensions of anxious behaviour, therefore enhancing our understan...

Journal of Holistic Healthcare, 18(1), pp.15-19., 2021

Mental Health Review Journal, 2023

Purpose Service users’ voice is at the forefront of movements within psychiatry that look to crea... more Purpose Service users’ voice is at the forefront of movements within psychiatry that look to create more humanising care. Although genuine co-production of knowledge is limited by the power differential intrinsically functional to the health care setting, the arts have the potential to create collaborative environments and equalise relationships. The purpose of this case study is to describe and discuss the design and pilot evaluation of creative writing workshops in a forensic mental health ward as an innovative method for humanising care. Design/methodology/approach A creative writing intervention focussing on everyday experiences was implemented in a forensic mental health ward and involved four residents and four mental health professionals working together. Interviews were conducted with the four mental health professionals as part of a service evaluation. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings Two themes emerged from the analysis of interviews with mental health professionals: “a new way of learning about each other” and “imagining beyond the staff-resident relationship”. The authors discuss the intervention’s benefits in terms of its potential to foster mutuality and empathy beyond the illness narrative. Practical implications Creative writing can be used to engage patients and mental health professionals to jointly share everyday experiences and identities beyond illness. Originality/value The creative writing workshops present an innovative approach concerning the use of creative arts for humanising care through mutuality.

The Lancet Psychiatry, 2023

Traditional research methods have not yet yielded highly effective long-term mental health treatm... more Traditional research methods have not yet yielded highly effective long-term mental health treatments and might not reflect diverse lived experiences. Body mapping, which is an arts-based research method, could complement the verbal data of existing approaches through its focus on visual and symbolic processes to understand subjective, embodied experiences related to mental health. We did a scoping review on the use of body mapping in research on mental health experiences and outcomes. We searched Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, Embase, Ovid Medline, and Google Scholar to retrieve peer-reviewed articles in English. In 19 articles representing 17 studies, participant numbers for body mapping ranged from three to 48, and some studies exclusively recruited women or children and young people. Study domains included primary mental health experiences and mental health in relation to physical health or social experiences. The benefits of body mapping included its exploration of difficult-to-access emotions and experiences, its focus on strength and resilience, the therapeutic effect, its participatory and collaborative nature, its empowerment and dissemination of participants' voices, and the engagement of children and young people. Body mapping holds promise for research with marginalised groups typically excluded from mental health research.

The International Journal of Psychoanalysis, Apr 1, 2015

Aristotle's theory of tragic katharsis is the most ancient and debated theory of the effect of th... more Aristotle's theory of tragic katharsis is the most ancient and debated theory of the effect of the theatrical experience on the audience. It affirms that tragedy effects the katharsis of fear and pity, engaging readers with the controversy whether by katharsis Aristotle meant purification of the emotions (i.e. their perfection within the mind) or purification of the mind from the emotions (i.e. their abreaction from the mind). In this paper I will explore how Freud's theory of transference can suggest a new interpretation of Aristotle's tragic katharsis. Transference allows for the representation and expression of repressed emotions through the re-enactment of past relational dynamics. Although this process is essential to the psychoanalytic method, it is the subsequent analytic endeavour which allows for the "working through" of repressed emotions, bringing into effect the transference cure. I argue that the dynamic between emotional arousal in re-enactment and emotional distancing in analysis offers an effective parallel of the dynamic between katharsis of fear and katharsis of pity in Aristotle's theory. Such interpretation of tragic katharsis suggests that the theatrical effect in audiences may be an opportunity for self-analysis and the 'working through' of unconscious psychic dynamics.

The International Journal of Psychoanalysis (en español), 2015

Modern Language Review, 2021

Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine, 2007

Follow up of people recently discharged from psychiatric inpatient care Dear Editor-The period im... more Follow up of people recently discharged from psychiatric inpatient care Dear Editor-The period immediately following discharge from inpatient care is internationally recognised as a time of increased vulnerability to suicide. 1 In the United Kingdom, the National Confidential Enquiry 2 found high rates of suicide following discharge from psychiatric inpatient care. The rate was highest in the few days post discharge with 4 1 % of suicides occurring before the first follow up appointment.

European Journal of Human Genetics, 2002

Two methods, linkage analysis and linkage disequilibrium (LD) mapping or association study, are u... more Two methods, linkage analysis and linkage disequilibrium (LD) mapping or association study, are usually utilised for mapping quantitative trait loci (QTL). Linkage mapping is appropriate for low resolution mapping to localise trait loci to broad chromosome regions within a few cM (510 cM), and is based on family data. Linkage disequilibrium mapping, on the other hand, is useful in high resolution or fine mapping, and is based on both population and family data. Using only one marker, one may carry out single-point linkage analysis and linkage disequilibrium mapping. Using two or more markers, it is possible to flank the QTL by multipoint analysis. The development and thus availability of dense marker maps, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in human genome, presents a tremendous opportunity for multipoint fine mapping. In this article, we propose a regression approach of mapping QTL by linkage disequilibrium mapping based on population data. Assuming that two marker loci flank one quantitative trait locus, a two-point linear regression is proposed to analyse population data. We derive analytical formulas of parameter estimations, and non-centrality parameters of appropriate tests of genetic effects and linkage disequilibrium coefficients. The merit of the method is shown by the power calculation and comparison. The two-point regression model can capture much more linkage and linkage disequilibrium information than that derived when only one marker is used. For a complex disease with heritability h 2 50.15, a study with sample size of 250 can provide high power for QTL detection under moderate linkage disequilibria.

Community Mental Health Journal, 2020

The traditional model of psychiatric assessment and diagnosis can be criticised as reductive. We ... more The traditional model of psychiatric assessment and diagnosis can be criticised as reductive. We developed an innovative model for psychiatric assessment of adult patients referred to our adult mental health team, the Systemic Assessment Clinic, incorporating the principles and techniques of systemic family therapy and dialogical practice into standard psychiatric assessment. We conducted a service evaluation, comparing prospective use of mental health services for patients assessed either in the Systemic Assessment Clinic or in standard assessment. Patients assessed in the Systemic Assessment Clinic had more favourable outcomes than those in standard assessment: they were significantly less likely to need multiple follow-up treatment appointments with a psychiatrist and to be re-referred to mental health services once discharged, indicating reduced healthcare costs. Satisfaction rates for participants attending the systemic assessment clinic were high. Our service evaluation gives ...

Theatre Research International, 2018

in four tests of anxiety Current Biology 2001, 11:725--734 but can be differentiated by their act... more in four tests of anxiety Current Biology 2001, 11:725--734 but can be differentiated by their action on behavior in threatening and 0960-9822/01/$ -- see front matter nonthreatening environments and by whether habituation of the animals to 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. an aversive environment alters their influence. QTLs on chromosomes 7, 12, 14, 18, and X influenced a subset of behavioral measures. Conclusions: The chromosome 15 QTL acts primarily on avoidance behavior, the chromosome 1 QTL influences exploration, and the QTL on chromosome 4 influences activity. However, the effects of loci on other chromosomes are not so readily reconciled with our current understanding of the psychology of anxiety. Genetic effects on behaviors in these tests are more complex than expected and may not reflect an influence on anxiety. Background well defined, leading to circular oper

Medical humanities, Jan 10, 2016

Mental illnesses, unlike physical disorders, are widely thought of as unseen, or as ‘all in the m... more Mental illnesses, unlike physical disorders, are widely thought of as unseen, or as ‘all in the mind’. Although psychiatry is not often thought of as a pictorial discipline, we describe how images and objects from the Ashmolean Museum have been used to encourage reflection on core clinical issues through an innovative teaching programme: ‘Exploring psychiatry through images and objects’. This forms part of the Ashmolean University Engagement Programme, which encourages use of the Museum's collections in teaching and research at Oxford across the full disciplinary range of the University. For doctors, and for psychiatrists in particular, close observation and attention to visual cues can reveal vital information pertaining to the clinical encounter. Psychiatrists make inferences from what they see in their patients beyond what their patients tell them; to remain reflexive about their own responses to non-verbal cues is a complex task. Exploring images relating to psychiatry and mental illness presents a similar reflective challenge, which offers a framework for gaining unique insights into clinicians’ understanding and practice. This programme for psychiatrists (consultants and junior doctors) encouraged careful observation of images and objects to stimulate discussion of how mental illness, emotional distress and related themes have been represented visually. The aim was to consider alternative viewpoints through which to understand patient’s experiences, clinicians’ own responses and societal perspectives on clinical …

BMJ case reports, 2009

A case is presented of a man who has been detained in secure psychiatric hospitals for the majori... more A case is presented of a man who has been detained in secure psychiatric hospitals for the majority of his life. Although his index offence was minor he has a long history of violence. The patient has collected a vast number of diagnoses over the years. His treatment demonstrates a role for clozapine in ameliorating violent behaviour and aggression. We conceptualise this as being linked to the properties of this drug. From the patient's history we believe that reserpine may have had a similar effect to clozapine regarding mental state and reduction of violent behaviour. This case illustrates the consequences of inaccurate diagnosis and therefore the provision of adequate treatment. It highlights that the continuity of care and the communication of information is essential for the patient's quality of life. It also illustrates how the use of certain antipsychotics may prove essential in the control of violence so that institutionalisation can be prevented.