Individuals with a social anxiety disorder (SAD) show hypofunctioning of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, which is linked to social fear and avoidance behavior. As testosterone... Show moreIndividuals with a social anxiety disorder (SAD) show hypofunctioning of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, which is linked to social fear and avoidance behavior. As testosterone administration has been shown to facilitate social-approach behavior in this population, it may enhance the effectiveness of exposure treatment. In this proof-of-concept study, we performed a randomized clinical assay in which 55 women diagnosed with SAD received two exposure therapy sessions. Session 1 was supplemented with either testosterone (0.50 mg) or placebo. Next, transfer effects of testosterone augmentation on within-session subjective fear responses and SAD symptom severity were assessed during a second, unenhanced exposure session (session 2) and at a 1-month follow-up, respectively. The participants having received testosterone showed a more reactive fear pattern, with higher peaks and steeper reductions in fear levels in session 2. Post-hoc exploration of moderating effects of endogenous testosterone levels, revealed that this pattern was specific for women with high basal testosterone, both in the augmented and in the transfer session. In contrast, the participants with low endogenous testosterone showed reduced peak fear levels throughout session 1, again with transfer to the unenhanced session. Testosterone did not significantly affect self-reported anxiety. The effects of testosterone supplementation on fear levels show transfer to non-enhanced exposure, with effects being modulated by endogenous testosterone. These first preliminary results indicate that testosterone may act on important fear mechanisms during exposure, providing the empirical groundwork for further exploration of multi-session testosterone-enhanced exposure treatment for SAD. Show less
Hutschemaekers, M.H.M.; Kleine, R.A. de; Davis, M.L.; Kampman, M.; Smits, J.A.J.; Roelofs, K. 2020
BackgroundLittle research has investigated in-depth how physicians perceive their role in smoking cessation care. This qualitative study sought to understand physicians' perceptions of... Show moreBackgroundLittle research has investigated in-depth how physicians perceive their role in smoking cessation care. This qualitative study sought to understand physicians' perceptions of responsibility for smoking cessation.MethodsData were collected through individual semi-structured interviews and focus group interviews between June and November 2017 in The Netherlands. We interviewed 5 addiction specialists, 5 anesthesiologist, 4 cardiologists, 8 GPs, 5 internists, 5 neurologists, 2 pediatricians, 6 pulmonologists, 7 surgeons, and 8 youth healthcare physicians (N=55). Data analysis followed the framework approach.ResultsThe analysis showed that three actors were perceived as responsible for smoking cessation: physicians, patients, and the government. Participants perceived physicians as responsible for facilitating smoking cessation -albeit to different extents-, patients as carrying the ultimate responsibility for quitting smoking, and the government as responsible for creating a society in which smoking uptake is more difficult and quitting smoking easier. Perceptions of smoking itself were found to be important for how participants viewed responsibility for smoking cessation. It remained unclear for many participants which healthcare provider is responsible for smoking cessation care.ConclusionsThe organization of smoking cessation care within health systems should be a focus of intervention, to better define physician roles and perceptions of responsibility. In addition, it seems important to target perceptions of smoking itself on the level of physicians and -as suggested by comments by several participants- the government. Show less
