bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sleep deprivation therapy in depression
Authors: Svendsen K.
Published: August 2007

A study of sleep deprivation therapy was made in 62 females and 15 males, aged 20–72, with monopolar (60 patients) and bipolar (17 patients) types of manic‐depressive psychosis. Of these patients, 30 had suffered only the current depression, 29 a maximum of five depressions, and 18 more than five depressions before the sleep deprivation therapy. Twenty‐five patients had been treated with antidepressant drugs for less than 10 days, 12 patients for 10–24 days, and 36 patients for more than 24 days. Twenty‐four patients were treated with one sleep deprivation, 29 patients with one sleep deprivation per week (average 1.59), and 24 patients with two sleep deprivations per week (average 2.5). The effect of the sleep deprivation therapy was evaluated clinically and by means of Cronholm‐Ottosson's rating scale. The effect was found good and lasting in 29 %, good but temporary in 38 %, and poor in 32 % of the cases. The best results were achieved with twice‐weekly treatments, the poorest results with once‐weekly treatment. The results were equal in monopolar and bipolar cases and were independent of the number of previous depressions as well as antidepressant drug treatment.

No side effects have been observed, in particular no conversion to mania.

The results of the present investigation indicate that depression and sleep disturbances are symptoms produced by a common factor which, however, is as yet unknown.

Sleep deprivation therapy is seen to have at least some effect on all cases of endogenous depression. Sleep deprivation therapy has no side effects and is more quick‐acting than any other treatment procedure hitherto known. It should therefore be considered the first treatment offer to all endogenously depressed patients in whom immediate ECT is not necessitated.
Lithium treatment of a patient with periodic catatonia
Authors: Pétursson H.
Published: August 2007

This case report describes successful lithium treatment in a patient with long‐standing periodic catatonia.

Various medical treatments had been tried with meager results. Since 1955, a number of phenothiazines had been tried, also with little improvement.

The institution of lithium treatment in 1964 caused a dramatic improvement in the patient's condition. For 9 years the patient remained totally asymptomatic. Lithium treatment was terminated in 1975 because of lithium intoxication with a diabetes insipiduslike syndrome. The patient then became psychotic again and has since experienced periodic phases similar to the previous illness.

The diagnostic validity of the case is discussed, and some possible explanations of the favourable response to lithium are mentioned briefly.
A comparative double‐blind study of the side effects of Litarex® and Lithionit® Durettes®
Authors: Widerlöv E.
Published: August 2007

Side effects of two lithium salts of the sustained‐release type were compared in a cross‐over double‐blind study. Eighteen patients with uni‐ or bipolar type of manic‐depressive diseases were included in the trial. The drugs compared were lithium citrate (Litares®, Dumex Ltd.) and lithium sulphate (Lithionit® Durettes®, Hässle Ltd.). After the patients had been adjusted to a serum concentration of 0.8–1.2 mmol/1, self‐assessment of the frequency and intensity of 16 side‐effect variables was performed during a period of 4 weeks. The most common side effects were tremor, fatigue, polyuria, polydipsia, and reduced power of concentration. There was no difference in the frequency or intensity of the side effects between the two drugs. The side effects are, accordingly, considered an effect of the lithium ion, rather than of the lithium salt. The difference in the size and appearance of the tablets was of very little practical significance.
Delusional hyper‐identifications of the Frégoli type
Authors: Christodoulou G. N.
Published: August 2007

Seven patients with the Frégoli syndrome were described. These patients were studied clinically and by routine laboratory tests, electroencephalograms (standard and sleep recordings, sphenoidal electrodes), echoencephalograms, air‐encephalograms, brain scanning, and psychological methods (Wechsler, Rey and Benton tests).

The following basic conclusions were drawn: All patients were psychotic and in most cases schizophrenia constituted the nosological setting in which the Frégoli syndrome developed. The paranoid element was marked in all cases. All patients were single, young and, with one exception, male.

Clinical evidence as well as electroencephalographic, air‐ence‐phalographic, echoencephalographic, and psychological findings suggest that a strong organic component contributes to the pathogenesis of the Frégoli syndrome.
Self‐mutilation in antisocial personality (disorder)
Authors: Virkkunen M.
Published: August 2007

In the present study, attempts were made to clarify the characteristics and the background information of persons with antisocial personality (disorder) who had resorted to slashings. These were compared with controls with a similar personality disorder who had not resorted to slashings. It appeared that the former had been more often prone to repeated outbursts of rage or fighting, drug abuse, and even other forms of self‐destruction as well as tattooing in prison. They had more often had an alcoholic father. Moreover, they were more withdrawn, anxious and had a tendency to blame their environment. They had more often made efforts to get out of the restricted milieu of prison to the prison's psychiatric department and experienced the confined space of the prison as oppressive. They resorted to slashing usually in prisons and it seemed that the restricted environment with an absence of sufficient stimuli was crucial in triggering self‐mutilation.
Gangliosides in the treatment of mental deterioration
Authors: Miceli G. , Caltagirone C. , Gainotti G.
Published: August 2007

Thirty patients showing signs of mental deterioration were submitted to a neuropsychological battery before and after treatment with gangliosides. Their performances were compared, in a double‐blind study, with those obtained on the same tests by 30 patients affected by similar degrees of dementia and treated with placebo. The improvement shown on Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices and on Immediate Visual Memory by the active group was significantly higher than that shown by the placebo group. Furthermore, an evaluation of the overall effect of gangliosides therapy showed a highly significant difference between the active and placebo group, still in favour of the subjects treated with gangliosides. It is concluded that gangliosides may exert a positive effect in the treatment of demential syndromes.
Present status of forensic psychiatry in Iceland
Authors: Möller T. , Thorsteinsson G.
Published: August 2007

This paper gives a brief survey of forensic psychiatry in Iceland at the present time. Because of few inhabitants and limited financial resources there are no special forensic psychiatric institutions in the country, nor any forensic psychiatrists; this kind of work is mainly carried out by general psychiatrists, but also to a certain extent by general practitioners.

Formalitites around compulsory admission and detention of mental patients, uncooperative and lacking insight, are briefly described. The psychiatric examination of probably mentally ill offenders is also accounted for. Such investigations are without doubt the main task of forensic psychiatry in Iceland to‐day.

Finally the main faults of forensic psychiatric services in Iceland and the very limited educational facilities in this domain are referred to. Some future plans are also mentioned.
Present status of forensic psychiatry in Norway
Authors: Anchersen P. , Noreik K.
Published: August 2007

A survey is given of the situation of forensic psychiatry in Norway today.
Present status of forensic psychiatry in Sweden
Authors: Meyerson A. , Törnqvist K.‐E.
Published: August 2007

A description is given of the use and functions of mental reports preceding the sentence. The problems ‐ mainly the long waiting times for observations, the concentration on diagnosis, and the forensic psychiatrist's isolation from treatment work ‐ associated with the present system are pointed out. The article also contains a brief account of psychiatric treatment within the penal system, inside and outside prisons, and a description of the Uppsala Clinic for Forensic Psychiatry, where the patients during observation for mental reports are treated in accordance with the ideas of “therapeutic community”. A report, with recommendations for reforms, can be expected at the beginning of 1977.
Reactive paranoid psychosis in a 47, XYY male
Authors: Sørensen K. , Nielsen J.
Published: August 2007

A case of a reactive paranoid psychosis in a 47, XYY male is presented. It is suggested that reactive psychoses in double Y males would tend to be of paranoid type. Detailed case reports in future studies are desirable in order to evaluate the type of reactive psychosis in 47, XYY males.
Antiparkinsonian agents and long‐term neuroleptic treatment
Authors: Gerlach J. , Rasmussen P. T. , Hansen L. , Kristjansen P.
Published: August 2007

The need for medication with anticholinergic antiparkinsonian drugs was examined in 118 schizophrenic patients under long‐term neuroleptic treatment. It was found that 1) none of 18 patients under treatment with low mg potency neuroleptics (chlorprothixene, clozapine, and thioridazine) had any need for anticholinergics; 2) of 60 patients under treatment with short‐acting high mg potency neuroleptics (perphenazine ≥ 16 mg daily and haloperidol ≥ 2 mg daily) nine patients (15 %) required medication with anticholinergics, whereas 3) of 40 patients under treatment with long‐acting (depot) neuroleptics, 17 (43 %) had a need for anticholinergic medication; and 4) no patient factors predisposing to the need for continued antiparkinsonian treatment could be identified.

In an additional double‐blind cross‐over study of 12 patients presenting persisting neuroleptic‐induced parkinsonism, it was found that G 31.406 (a new potentially antiparkinsonian drug), compared with placebo, had an antiparkinsonian effect (P ≥ 0.01) as well as an antidepressant effect (P < O.O5). G 31.406 resulted in an improvement in anxiety and schizophrenia‐score in some patients. Compared with placebo, orphenadrine had a more questionable effect on parkinsonism (0.05 < P < 0.01) and no significant effect on mental symptoms. There were no significant differences between the effects of G 31.406 and orphenadrine.
Parental loss, depression and violence: III. EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF FEMALE PRISONERS
Authors: Climent C. E. , Plutchik R. , Ervin F. R. , Rollins A.
Published: August 2007

Information was obtained from 95 incarcerated female prisoners on their history of violence, on their feelings of depression, their suicide attempts, and on their history of loss of parents. The data revealed that the loss of father before the age of 10 years was more highly correlated with signs of depression in these women prisoners than was loss of mother. Women who reported at least one suicide attempt in the past were significantly more depressed on the self‐report measure of depression than the other women, and were more likely to be judged as violent on the basis of several independent indices. The results support the hypothesis that violence toward others and suicidal behavior are part of the same phenomenon of impairment in control mechanisms.
Antiaggressive effect of lithium ion in man
Authors: Marini J. L. , Sheard M. H.
Published: August 2007

In studies of the psychopharmacology of human aggression, ‘aggression’ should be related to easily identifiable behavior: angry threats or actual assaults. Aspects of behavior not meeting these criteria but relevant to a study of aggression should be described using appropriate terms such as social dominance, initiative, etc. With these conventions, examination of the heterogeneous literature on lithium treatment of aggression demonstrates that lithium ion exerts an antiaggressive effect in man. A number of hypotheses for the antiaggressive effect are examined using previous studies and new behavioral and biochemical data. It is concluded that the antiaggressive effect is not due to any of the following: lithium toxicity or side effects; subjective or objective weakness; increased reaction time; reduced coordination or motor performance; frank cognitive deficits; hypothyroidism; reduction of serum testosterone; placebo effect; or underlying manic‐depressive illness. Putative “thymoleptic” properties of lithium are too ambiguous to constitute an explanation of lithium's actions in man.
Three‐year follow‐up of 100 vagrant adolescent drug abusers in Oslo
Authors: Stang H. J.
Published: August 2007

One hundred homeless adolescents were interviewed in 1971 when they still were active drug abusers. The same group was followed‐up 3 years later in 1974 with personal interviews. All were traced, with the exception of three individuals residing in foreign countries and four who had died. At follow‐up one third were abstinent and were well adapted socially, one third showed an uncertain social adaptation, and one third were still addicted and had a poor social adaptation. The various factors responsible for their psycho‐social development and relation to drug abuse are discussed.
Effect of chlorpromazine treatment on prolactin levels in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma of psychotic patients
Authors: Wode‐Helgodt B. , Eneroth P. , Fyrö B. , Gullberg B. , Sedvall G.
Published: August 2007

In psychotic patients, levels of prolactin in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma were determined by radioimmunoassay before and after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment with chlorpromazine (CPZ). CPZ was given in one of three randomly selected fixed doses: 200, 400 or 600 mg per day.

Before treatment, low levels of immunoreactive prolactin‐like material (PRL) were found in the CSF of most patients. The concentration in CSF was about 20 % of the plasma level. In CSF but not in plasma, the pre‐treatment level of PRL was significantly higher in women than in men. During CPZ treatment, the PRL levels in CSF as well as in plasma were significantly elevated in both sexes after 2 as well as 4 weeks. The elevation was significantly greater in women, and was similar at the two time intervals studied. There was a significantly positive relationship between the dose of CPZ and the PRL elevation in both body fluids in both men and women. Before treatment no significant correlation between the PRL levels in CSF and plasma in either sex could be observed. During treatment, there was a significant correlation between the change in PRL levels in CSF and plasma in both men and women. CPZ treatment did not increase the levels of total protein, follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), thyroid‐stimulating hormone (TSH) or oestradiol‐(17‐β) in either the CSF or the plasma.
Studies of endocrine activity, plasma tryptophan and catecholamine excretion on psychosurgical patients
Authors: Sepping P. , Wood W. , Bellamy C. , Bridges P. K. , O'Gorman P. , Bartlett J. R. , Patel V. K.
Published: August 2007

The Geoffrey Knight Psychosurgical Unit admits patients on a regular basis and thus offers special opportunities for studying severely ill psychiatric cases, all having one particular treatment under relatively controlled conditions. The opportunity has been taken to repeat various metabolic studies previously reported to be abnormal in some psychiatric illnesses. In the present investigation several measures of endocrinological activity were studied, as was plasma tryptophan, both free and bound. None of these data confirmed reports of abnormalities and neither did the values found at operation help to predict clinical outcome 1 year later, which was another possibility.

Urinary catecholamines were also measured before and 2 weeks after operation. Male patients, regardless of diagnosis, showed a mean increase in adrenaline output after operation compared with the pre‐operative value and this was significantly different from the females, who showed a small mean decrease. The depressed patients showed a significant reduction in noradrenaline excretion after operation compared with before operation and this trend was enhanced in those of good outcome at 1 year, the difference from those who responded poorly being significant. It could be that the ventromedial lesion that is produced alters noradrenaline metabolism or autonomic activity in depression and this possibility merits further study.
The influence of depression on memory
Authors: Strömgren L. Sand
Published: August 2007

One hundred and fifty‐two patients suffering from endogenous depression and receiving electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) were scoredfor depression and for memory function before the first, after thesixth and after the last treatment. One third of the patients werealso studied with regard to Retention by verbal and visual testson the same occasions.

For the purpose of calculating possible correlations between the degree of depression and memory function, 10 depressive symptoms were assessed and combined under three headings, (1) Depressive Appearance, (2) Content of Ideas and (3) Agitation, while the memory function was measured by means of WMS comprising seven tests combined under three headings, (1) Mental Control, (2) Verbal Learning and (3) Visual Reproduction, besides the tests for Retention. Correlations were calculated on absolute scores before the treatment and on differences between scores from first to second and from first to third examination during the treatment.

It is concluded that endogenous depression clearly impairs memory function as measured by WMS and tests for Retention and that, in accordance with this, recovery from depression eliminates the impairment of memory. Mental Control is slightly more sensitive to depression than the other memory tests. Of the components of depression, especially Agitation, but also Depressive Appearance are of great importance. It is further concluded that other factors, too, are of appreciable significance in the memory function as measured by the aforementioned methods. In this context, the intelligence as well as the attitude towards the patient during the testing must be assumed to be of importance. Age seems to have no influence on the relation between depression and memory. As the WMS has been standardized to WAIS IQ, and as in unilateral ECT a great approximation of the average MQ score to the normal level of intelligence occurs, it may be deduced that the harmful effect of this form of treatment on memory is only very slight. Signs of impaired memory after unilateral ECT may thus be interpreted rather as evidence of the presence of residual depression, especially if “Mental Control” is reduced and depressive symptoms such as “Agitation” and “Depressive Appearance” remain.
A study of incest with special regard to the Swedish penal code
Authors: Alström C.‐H.
Published: August 2007

I. Definition of incest. A short historical review is presented of the penalties in Sweden up to the present valid incest paragraph. Criminal statistics from Western countries give only a small fraction of actually occurring cases of incest. An attempt at a crude estimate of the actual number is made.

II‐III. Reports of “representative” incest series are lacking. Forensic psychiatric investigations seem to give the best available picture of the social structure, criminality and dynamics of incest occurring in the “nuclear” family, i.e. in father‐daughter and brother‐sister relations. Two such series of consecutive cases of Swedish citizens, covering the periods 1934–1955 and 1965–1974, have been studied. Some of the results are briefly given. The male partners in these series have been followed up to 1970 and 1975 respectively. Despite an original average bad social standard in these families, it is important to warn against the oversimplification of regarding social factors in general as the cause of breaking through the incest barrier. The change in Swedish society regarding sanctions against and treatment of these cases over a period covering the last 40 years is described.

IV. The risk of recessive disorders in incest offspring of first degree is four times as high as in first cousin offspring. The forensic series from 1934–1955, reported in part II, had about 60 incest pregnancies. Half of these ended fatally, including two infanticides. The tremendous social pressure on these pregnant women is evident. The result of all unsuccessful trials for illegal abortion may be imagined. Series of incest children are not suitable for studying the genetic effect of inbreeding.

V. There has been a strong universal barrier against incest in the nuclear family throughout the history of mankind, even in socalled primitive societies without knowledge of the connection between coitus and pregnancy. Penalties do not seem to be the cause, as the taboo exists even in societies without any official penalties. The cause seems to be of deep psychological nature, best understood from a psychoanalytical point of view. Some recent investigations support this hypothesis.

The present Swedish law regarding incest is applicable to adults only. Reasons are given to follow the French Penal Code, which has no regulations regarding these extremely few cases. For sexual relations with minors in the state of dependence on an adult, regardless of kinship, the Penal Code has more severe penalties. To avoid harmful legal proceedings as far as possible for minors, actions from child welfare and social authorities should be tried first.
A genetic study of affective disorders
Authors: Smeraldi E. , Negri F. , Melica A. M.
Published: August 2007

First and second degree relatives of 99 probands with affective disorders (49 unipolar and 50 bipolar subjects) were studied. The high risk values obtained for affective disorders were shown to be compatible with those found by other authors, although the prevalence of the illness in the population of Lombardy appears to be much lower than in other countries. Very low rates of suicide and alcoholism were found in our sample.

Data obtained by analysis of the affected pairs of relatives rule out the hypothesis of a dominant X‐linked gene if the bipolar and the unipolar forms are considered genetically separated entities. Results compatible with a polygenic condition, partially shared by bipolar patients, were found using Slater's and Smith & Falconer's methods. Our data, however, cannot rule out the dominant hypothesis.
14‐year outcome in early schizophrenia
Authors: Bland R. C. , Orn H.
Published: August 2007

Of 45 first admission schizophrenics from 1963, an incidence by first admission group for northern Alberta, 43 were followed‐up 14 years later. Based on these figures the expectancy was found to be 0.49 %. The proportion of patients who were married was less than expected in comparison with the general population, but amongst the married, fertility was probably comparable to the population's. At follow‐up about half the patients were managing well with little or no disability, one quarter had moderate to marked disability and the remainder were socially, psychiatrically and occupationally disabled. From the time of first admission, patients had spent an average of 15 % of their time in hospital and lost 28 % of the total time due to psychiatric disability.
A multi‐aspects classification of mental disorders
Authors: Knorring L. von , Perris C. , Jacobsson L.
Published: August 2007

A multi‐aspects classification model ‐ MACM ‐ is presented. Several studies concerning reliability between diagnosticians, both trained and untrained psychiatrists from the department, trained psychiatrists from other departments, students, psychologists and social workers are presented and comparisons are made with diagnosis according to ICD‐8. The MACM seems to be a step forward and seems to have many advantages over a multi‐category system.
Cluster analysis applied to self‐reported depressive symptomatology
Authors: Byrne D. G.
Published: August 2007

The confusion surrounding the classification of the depressive states has been variously attributed to bias in methods of data collection and inappropriate means of data analysis. It has been argued that the application of corrective methods to these postulated sources of error, namely the use of self‐reported data to eliminate bias in data collection, and the analysis of this data by means of cluster analysis, should produce a more consistent outcome to studies of depressive classification.

Self‐reported depressive symptomatology for 135 depressed in‐patients, obtained by means of the Zung Self‐Rating Depression Scale, was subjected to a divisive technique of cluster analysis, yielding four clusters of patients. These clusters were clinically interpreted as being composed (1) of severely depressed patients exhibiting a clinical picture resembling that of endogenous depression, (2) of a small number of older patients, severely depressed, whose clinical picture resembled involutional melancholia, (3) of less severely depressed patients having qualitative similarities to those patients composing the first cluster, and (4) of patients reporting depression as a symptom but failing to report substantial levels of further depressive symptomatology. No cluster with clinical features of neurotic depression emerged.

In two respects, the emergence of a cluster clinically resembling endogenous depression, and the failure to demonstrate a cluster of neurotic depressives, the results of this study are similar to those reported by Pilowsky et al. (1969). Failure to obtain total agreement between the two studies may be attributed to differences in the nature of the sample, differences in the composition of the data collection instrument, and mathematical differences in the technique of cluster analysis employed. With this in mind, further studies of this nature should place some emphasis on consistent methodology across studies.
Children from unwanted pregnancies
Authors: MATĚJČEK Z. , DYTRYCH Z. , SCHÜLLER V.
Published: August 2007

The health and development of 220 children born of unwanted pregnancies (UP) was investigated in a case‐control study 9 years after their births. The analysis was based partly on data from health records and school reports, and partly on direct examination of the child and parents by a team of professionals using psychological tests, sociograms, rating scales, questionnaires, structured interviews and medical examinations.

Although differences between wanted and control children were not dramatic, they were consistent and multiple and tend to support the major hypothesis that the development of children born of unwanted pregnancies would be more problem prone. A child born from an unwanted pregnancy, especially a boy, is more likely to have deficiencies in psychosocial development and educational achievement than other children his own age, despite equivalent health status at birth.

The mothers of unwanted children, compared with mothers who accepted their pregnancy (AP children), despite having the same level of education and socioeconomic background, show less stability in their marital lives, poorer interaction with their husbands, a higher abortion rate before and after the birth of the unwanted child, less involvement in the upbringing of the child, and somewhat poorer interaction with their social environments. Nevertheless the majority of the mothers studied seem to have gradually changed from an originally strongly negative attitude toward the pregnancy to an accepting attitude toward the child.

A Maladaptation Score (MS) was developed as an overall measure of the social status of the child within the family and society. Differences between UP and AP children, which were not so definitive when viewed in terms of individual indicators, came into sharper focus when the cumulative effects of negative factors were noted. The MS findings confirmed more concretely that children born from unwanted pregnancies are more often in an unfavorable social situation and at greater future risk.
Gradual reduction of neuroleptic drugs among chronic schizophrenics
Authors: Lonowski D. J. , Sterling F. E. , Kennedy J. C.
Published: August 2007

Neuroleptic drugs were gradually reduced from 25 hospitalized chronic schizophrenics while 23 such patients were maintained on matched dosages of neuroleptics. At the end of 15 weeks, 74% of the drug‐reduced subjects and 80% of the drug‐maintained subjects were rated to have decompensated. Drug‐reduced patients decompensated while receiving a mean of 75 mg equivalent of chlorpromazine. Clinical stability was obtained at 150 mg equivalent of chlorpromazine. Twenty‐six percent of the drug‐reduced patients showed no signs of clinical relapse at the end of the 15‐week trial and were receiving a mean of 8 mg equivalent of chlorpromazine. The results suggest that gradual and successive reductions in maintenance antipsychotic drugs can be implemented with minimal risk to the clinical status of the chronic mental patient.
Maprotiline and doxepin in the treatment of depression
Authors: Väisänen E. , Naarala M. , Kontiainen H. , Meriläinen V. , Heikkilä L. , Malinen L.
Published: August 2007

Maprotiline (Ludiomil®) and doxepin were compared in the treatment of depression in a double‐blind multicentre trial. Four centres and 95 in‐ and out‐patients took part in the trial. The severity of depression was evaluated with the aid of a visual analogue scale and nine target symptoms. Both maprotiline and doxepin diminished neurotic as well as psychotic depression significantly. The mean time of onset of action was 7.0 days in the maprotiline group and 7.7 days in the doxepin group. No statistically significant differences in antidepressive effect were found between the treatments. Two patients in the maprotiline group and four patients in the doxepin group discontinued the treatment because of unwanted effects, one patient in each group because of lack of efficacy and nine patients due to reasons not related to the treatment.
The clinical genetics of Pick's disease
Authors: Heston L. L.
Published: August 2007

The families of 11 probands with Pick's disease as determined by histopathological examination, were investigated by interview and acquisition of medical records. The estimated morbid risk was 0.25 ± 0.08 for parents and 0.07 ± 0.07 for siblings of probands. Further analyses are presented that seek associations between morbid risk and age, sex and age of onset. Data needed for genetic counseling are included.
Assessment of difficulties encountered in psychiatric follow‐up studies
Authors: Davidian H. , Naraghi M. M.
Published: August 2007

To assess some of the socio‐cultural reasons hindering psychiatric follow‐up studies in Iran, 107 depressed patients were followed up for a period of about 3 years. Home visits were made, following two successive letters to which only five patients replied. Forty‐five patients were interviewed, nine had moved, four refused interviewing, two were dead and the addresses or names of 47 were wrong. Wrong names and addresses, and behind them the illiteracy, change of address and the stigma of mental illness were the major causes of untraceability; the patients are inaccurate in giving their address and they may use one or another of their several names, surnames and nicknames.

To make follow‐up studies feasible, and as the patients and their relatives are the main sources of information, a more efficient registration system should be developed, with due respect to the characteristics of the population, to ensure having complete and correct names and addresses and to ensure patients' continual contact with the office.
The scientific foundation of anti‐psychiatry
Authors: Praag H. M. van
Published: August 2007

Anti‐psychiatry has exerted a substantial influence on the thoughts of workers in the field of mental hygiene; on those of the psychiatrically trained, but even much more on those without psychiatric training. Consequently it seemed important to me to investigate the strength of the foundation of this school of thought. This has been the objective of this study. The point of crystallization of anti‐psychiatry is the labelling theory on the origin of deviant behaviour. The scientific status of anti‐psychiatry stands or falls with that of the labelling theory. Since this theory has not been formulated in verifiable hypotheses, I ventured to formulate “theses”, and then tested these against empirical obtained data. The results of this study were largely negative. The empirical material does not support the labelling theory, and in many cases even contradicts it. Consequently anti‐psychiatry ‐ as a model to explain the development of psychological disorders ‐ has not a leg to stand on.

The labelling theory has had great merits as a “sensitizing theory”. It has given momentum to innovative tendencies in psychiatry. Now that it has proved to be untenable in its principal points, however, it should be abandoned. It has become a rubber check, which has no scientific buying‐power.
Review of the relationship between obsession and depersonalization
Authors: Torch E. M.
Published: August 2007

Depersonalization is discussed and a brief outline of the primary symptoms is presented. The relationship between obsessionalism and depersonalization is reviewed in the literature, and subsequent similarities are presented. The intellectual obsessive depersonalization syndrome is postulated as a variant, and also as an exposition of what might occur in many other cases of depersonalization. Finally, a picture is presented which takes into account a strong component of obsessionalism in both the etiology and course of depersonalization.
Video‐analytic study of manual kinesics and its lateralization in the course of treatment of depressive syndromes
Authors: Ulrich G. , Harms K.
Published: August 2007

Video‐taped interviews of 47, predominantly endogenous depressive in‐patients, recorded on days 0 and 21 of pharmacotherapy were analysed with respect to frequency, duration and side‐preference of denned hand movements. The data were related to clinical improvement or deterioration as assessed by judgement of the syndromal aspects: retardation and agitation.

1. Above all, improvement is marked by a decrease of Continuous body‐focused movements (C) and an increase of Object‐focused movements (O) of the speech primacy type (OS) ‐ deterioration by an increase of C and decrease of OS.

2. The degree of retardation corresponds to O, the degree of agitation, above all to C.

3. O show no side‐preference with a higher degree of retardation or agitation respectively, but a marked right preference with a lower degree of retardation or agitation. Discrete body touching (D) shows a left preference only, with a higher degree of retardation. A comparison of sidedness of O between interviews 1 and 2 shows no lateralization trend, either in the improvement or the deterioration group. In contrast, D changed from left weightiness to symmetry, coinciding with improvement but not with deterioration. With reference to the latter findings we discuss the possibility of a particular mode of cerebral lateralization predisposing to endogenous depression.
Weight changes with depot neuroleptic maintenance therapy
Authors: Johnson D. A. W. , Breen M.
Published: August 2007

A prospective study of schizophrenic patients prescribed injectable depot neuroleptic drugs as maintenance therapy showed a clinically significant weight gain in 55 % of patients. No significant difference was shown between flupenthixol decanoate and fluphenazine decanoate, nor was a clinically meaningful relationship shown with dose, or the use of anti‐parkinsonian drugs. The weight gain continued for at least 2 years following a mental state relapse. It is suggested that the monitoring of weight and giving of appropriate advice on diet are two essentials in maintenance therapy of chronic schizophrenia.
Thyroid hormones and TSH, prolactin and LH responses to repeated TRH and LRH injections in depressed patients
Authors: Linnoila M. , Lamberg B.‐A. , Rosberg G. , Karonen S.‐L. , Welin M. G.
Published: August 2007

Twelve patients with unipolar depressive disorders received 600 μg of synthetic TRH or LRH, in a random order, for 3 days each. Placebo injections were given as two 3‐day courses prior to and between the active treatments. Serum TSH, prolactin (Prl) and LH were measured by radioimmunoassays prior to the experiment as well as immediately before and 20 min after each injection. Serum T4 and T3 were determined by radioimmunoassays before the treatments and 24 h after the first two TRH injections.

Serum T4 level in depressed patients did not differ from controls. Serum T3 level in depressed patients was significantly below, and the reverse T3 level was slightly above the normal mean. However, the latter difference was not statistically significant due to the large variation of rT3 levels among the depressed patients.

The TSH responses did not differ from that of controls after the first injection but the responses after the second injection were lower than in a control study. The Prl responses to TRH were subnormal in seven out of eight patients. Blunted LH responses to LRH were seen in three patients.
Dissimulation function in some functional psychoses
Authors: Verma R. M.
Published: August 2007

Dissimulation function as estimated by means of Lie‐Scale scores can be used as a pointer towards the impaired self‐appraising ability of the individuals in relation to others. Sixty non‐psychiatric normal persons and 133 psychiatric cases, representing two major psychotic groups, were investigated for the dissimulation function. The results show a significant difference between the two groups of normal and abnormal individuals, the abnormal group dissimulating distinctively more than the other. However, this impaired self‐appraising ability does not seem to relate to the chronicity of the illness but only partly with the typology of illness.
Research diagnosable “schizo‐affective” disorder in Schneiderian “first rank” schizophrenia
Authors: Koehler K. , Seminario I.
Published: August 2007

Recently, provisional research criteria for “schizo‐affective” and related psychoses were published by the St. Louis Group. These rigorous criteria were modified and expanded for purposes of the present study in order to analyze the case records of 83 first admissions of Schneider‐positive schizophrenics, that is, those with first rank symptoms, hospitalized in a strongly Schneider‐oriented German University Clinic during the period 1962–1971. Research diagnosable “schizo‐affective” disorder was thus found in 27.7 % (23 cases) of these patients; 12 of the 23 satisfied “full” affective research criteria for depression or mania, whereas 11 fulfilled “adjusted” affective criteria geared to cover more “labile” mixed mood states. Moreover, 48.2 % (40 cases) and 25.3 % (21 cases) of the sample were research‐positive for “schizophreniform” illness and “atypical schizophrenia” respectively. Findings such as these suggest that “first rank” schizophrenia, as routinely diagnosed in Germany, may not be all that homogeneous a clinical entity.
Psychiatric illness in a neurological out‐patient department in North East England: USE OF THE GENERAL HEALTH QUESTIONNAIRE IN THE PROSPECTIVE STUDY OF NEUROLOGICAL OUT‐PATIENTS
Authors: Kirk C. A. , Saunders M.
Published: August 2007

342 patients referred to a neurological out‐patient department in North East England between November 1975 and November 1976 were studied prospectively using two methods of psychiatric case identification, by clinical interview and by use of the General Health Questionnaire. The population of psychiatric patients identified by clinical techniques is different from that identified by the GHQ and it is concluded that GHQ cannot be used for routine screening in the neurological clinic. Clinical data were compared with a previous retrospective study.

Clinical assessment revealed 27 % with psychiatric disorders whilst GHQ showed a probable psychiatric morbidity of 48 % with a cut off score of 11/12 and 21 % with our best cut off score of 26/27. Statistical problems with this method are discussed and the results of this study compared with others using the same questionnaire.

Aspects of organic and psychiatric disorder in a neurological clinic are discussed.
Interprofessional communicability and reliability of the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale (CPRS) as assessed by video‐taped interviews
Authors: Perris C. , Ericsson U. , Jacobsson L. , Lindstroum H. , Perris H.
Published: August 2007

Five raters: two experienced psychiatrists, two psychologists (one acquainted with the use of the scale and one new to it) and an untrained social worker, participated in training sessions in the use of the CPRS. Videotaped interviews were used for assessing the level of inter‐rater reliability and the communicability of the CPRS to unexperienced raters. As in previous studies, it was found that the CPRS is easily communicable and that a very satisfactory level of agreement among raters can be achieved.
Neuroleptic‐potentiating effect of α‐methyl‐p‐tyrosine compared with haloperidol and placebo in a double‐blind cross‐over trial
Authors: Magelund G. , Gerlach J. , Casey D. E.
Published: August 2007

The hypothesis that schizophrenia results from overactive dopaminergic influences suggests that reducing dopamine synthesis may increase the clinical effects of dopamine receptor blocking neuroleptic drugs. The neuroleptic potentiating role of α‐methyl‐paratyrosine (AMPT), a tyrosine hydroxylase inhibitor, was compared with haloperidol and placebo in a double‐blind cross‐over trial. Both AMPT and haloperidol increased the anti‐schizophrenic effect of neuroleptic treatment in reduced dose compared with placebo (P < 0.05), though two patients relapsed during the AMPT period. Both drugs slightly increased extrapyramidal symptoms, but the effect was greater with haloperidol. The limited antipsychotic effect and the potential for aggravating neurological symptoms suggest that the combination of AMPT and neuroleptics does not offer a superior advantage to treating schizophrenia. AMPT, however, may still be used as a research tool in elucidating pathogenetic mechanisms.
Personality features of patients with primary affective disorder
Authors: Liebowitz M. R. , Stallone F. , Dunner D. L. , Fieve R. F.
Published: August 2007

personality variables were assessed in outpatients with primary affective disorder by use of the Maudsley Personality Inventory (MPI) and the Marke Nyman Temperament Scale (MNTS). Significant differences between diagnostic groups were initially noted for the extraversion and neuroticism scales of the MPI. However, when mood was more rigorously controlled for, these differences largely disappeared, while interdiagnostic differences for the solidity scale of the MNTS emerged. The findings suggest that these measured aspects of personality may be quite state (mood) dependent even when patients are given test instructions previously reported to minimize mood effects. This was born out in a follow‐up study for the N scale, but not the E scale, of the MPI. These data indicate that assessment of neutroticism in affectively ill patients will be contaminated by the presence of even mild depressive symptoms, a finding that has important implications for studies of personality in affective disorder.
Mortality in psychiatric hospitals in Norway 1950–74
Authors: Fegersten Saustad L. , ØDegård Ø.
Published: August 2007

The present investigation comprises all deaths in Norwegian psychiatric hospitals 1950–74: 10,413 deaths. Mortality in men declined from 361 per 10,000 before 1950 to 252 per 10,000 in 1969–74 and in women from 324 per 10,000 to 215 per 10,000 during the same periods. In the organic and symptomatic psychoses (mainly senile and arteriosclerotic) mortality ranged from six to ten times that of the general population, whereas in the non‐organic (functional) psychoses mortality was only twice as high as in the general population. This discrepancy in mortality between organic and non‐organic psychoses, which is caused by the somatic disorders with high lethality underlying the organic psychoses, suggests that mortality should be calculated separately for organic and non‐organic psychoses, which is sometimes neglected. An increasing number of hospital admissions with organic, mainly senile, psychoses is to be expected in the future, as well as an increasing proportion of non‐organic patients with slight psychotic symptoms and a low and possibly decreasing mortality.

Between 1950 and 1974 radical changes took place in the psychiatric hospitals which could have influenced mortality. Age adjusted death rates from cardio‐vascular diseases were actually higher in 1963–68 than in 1950–62, possibly indicating that an adverse effect of drug therapy on physical activity and somatic fitness had outweighed the stress‐relieving effect. A significant rise in unnatural deaths (suicides and accidents) has been observed particularly since 1963. As in previous investigations from Norway 1926–41, cancer as cause of death was equal to or below the general population in the non‐organic psychoses and somewhat higher in the organic psychoses.
Evidence that depression rating scales primarily measure a social undesirability response set
Authors: Langevin R. , Stancer H.
Published: August 2007

Many popular methods of measuring depression have not been adequately validated for discriminant validity from social desirability. In a study of 26 patients, 14 with secondary depression, and 12 nondepressives, it was shown that the commonly used Beck Depression Inventory and MMPI Depression scale and the Carroll self‐administering version of the Hamilton scales correlate as highly with social undesirability as with each other.

Social desirability ratings of item alternatives on the Beck and Hamilton scales by 12 normal students showed the depth of depression to be significantly related to social undesirability response scores. The difficulty of distinguishing depression and social undesirability response set was discussed and it was suggested that “low self‐esteem” may be all that is measured by the rating scales used in this study.
Psychopharmacological treatment of psychotic children: A SURVEY
Authors: Jørgensen O. S.
Published: August 2007

Controlled investigations on the psychopharmacological treatment of psychotic children are reviewed.

Children with infantile autism might benefit from psychopharmacological medication when they grwo older, e.g. above the age of 7 years. Learning might be facilitated when the psychoactive medication is able to inhibit psychotic preoccupations and idiosyncratic reactions.

Schizophrenic and manic‐depressive psychoses are rarely seen in childhood. A subgroup of the children with infantile autism might develop schizophrenic symptoms. Schizophrenia and manic‐depressive psychosis in children are treated as in adults. Special caution must be paid to the toxic effects of imipramine.