bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Duodenal ulcer, suicide, psychopathology and alcoholism
Authors: Knop J. , Fischer A.
Published: August 2007

The incidence of suicide in a consecutive series of 1,000 patients, who underwent Billroth II resection for duodenal ulcer, has been estimated. After an observation period of 21–29 years 13.7% of those who had died had committed suicide. The psychiatric morbidity in this ulcer group was found to be very high. Among the psychiatric diseases alcoholism was dominating, but also non‐psychotic conditions such as neurosis and psychopathy were frequent. Fifty per cent of the persons who had committed suicide were alcoholics, and the alcohol abuse seemed to develop after surgery.

Gastric resection for duodenal ulcer may have pathogenetic importance in the development of alcoholism, which is known as a predictor of suicide. The importance of considering psychiatric disturbances in the postoperative follow‐up is stressed.
Child psychiatric advice to legal authorities concerning custody and post‐divorce visiting rights
Authors: Brun G. , Rump K. J. , Teilmann P.
Published: August 2007

The need of the judicial system for psychiatric and psychological examination of parents and children prior to decisions concerning custody and visiting rights is illustrated. Further, the possibility of establishing collaboration with legal authorities is discussed. Most child psychiatric and child psychological clinics in Denmark declared themselves willing to take part in the investigation carried out during 1975 and 1976. Within this period the legal authorities referred 232 cases.

The indication for expert advice is discussed. Our suspicion that the parties in these selected cases often were suffering from serious mental disorders was confirmed. The difficulties of evaluating the child's views are described. The authors conclude that it is impossible to fix a lower limit for the age at which children are to be heard in court. The legal decision usually accorded with the conclusion drawn from the statement. The investigation resulted in the establishment of a more permanent collaboration of lawyers and psychiatric examiners with regard to custody and visiting rights.
Doctor's versus patient's judgement in the assessment of mixed anxiety/depressive illness
Authors: Valle‐Jones J. C. , O'Hara J. , O'Hara H. , McGhie R. L. , Brodie N. H. , Anderson J. A. , Schiff A. A.
Published: August 2007

The relationship of doctors’ assessments to their patients’ self‐assessments was examined in a double‐blind comparison of Moti‐press® and Anafranil® in patients suffering from mixed anxiety/depressive states. Significant differences between doctors’ ratings were revealed which were largely parallelled by their patients’ self‐ratings done independently, suggesting differences between subgroups of patients within the whole population. Appropriate statistical analyses eliminated these factors in the data and showed that they did not affect the conclusions of a conventional statistical analysis of the two treatment groups as a whole; there were no significant differences between the major improvements associated with each treatment.
Biogenic amines and depression (Introduction to symposium)
Authors: Agurell S.
Published: August 2007

The involvement of biogenic amines ‐ primarily noradrenaline (NA) and serotonin (5‐HT) ‐ in depressive disorders was suggested by the finding more than twenty years ago that imipramine possessed antidepressant properties and concomitantly altered the availability of NA in the brain. Since then, numerous antidepressants closely related chemically and pharmacologically to imipramine have been introduced. It has generally been assumed that these “tricyclics” alleviate depression by influencing the neurotransmitters (NA, 5‐HT) at crucial receptor sites in the brain. Thus, the “biogenic amine hypothesis of depression” postulates that depression is due to a reduced functional activity of one or more brain amines. The tricyclics appear to be antidepressants due to their inhibition of the neuronal reuptake of NA in the brain.

A decade ago, Carlsson, Coppen, Lapin, van Praag and others suggested that compounds selectively affecting the 5‐HT uptake mechanism might be more effective antidepressants. This symposium will describe the clinical and preclinical results with zimelidine ‐ the first 5‐HT‐selective uptake inhibitor.
Classification of depression
Authors: Angst J. , Grigo H. , Lanz M.
Published: August 2007

Depression is an aetiologically unspecific reaction pattern of the human organism to psychological or physical changes. It can occur in all forms of psychiatric disorders. The depressive symptomatology in itself does not allow a valid classification. Nosology must take into account aetiology, pathogenesis, and the course. The former two are mostly unknown. Considering the restricted value of all classifications of depressive syndromes the concepts must be validated by external criteria (e.g. genetic, biochemical, neurophysiological criteria, and response to treatment).

In this paper a classification based on the course and genetic criteria of depression is proposed. In a preliminary study the clinical diagnoses of 100 depressive patients are compared with the classification based on diagnostic criteria of Feighner et al., Taylor and Abrams, as well as on DSM‐III.
Problems in the classification of affective disorders
Authors: Roth Martin
Published: August 2007

Some of the concepts which have figured prominently in recent studies of the classification of affective disorders are examined. They include the “primary‐secondary”, the “bipolar ‐ unipolar” and the depression/anxiety dichotomy. The problems posed by these three principles are closely entwined with one another. Inconsistencies in diagnosis will arise from the application of these principles until a broad consensus has been achieved regarding the nature of the relationship between “vital” or “endogenous” depression and other disorders of affect. Allocation into one of these two broad categories has to be made prior to all other diagnostic decisions within the field on affective disorder. Hence differences in the classification and nomenclature of emotional illness between the United States and European countries will cause groups of patients comprising “unipolar”, “bipolar”, “primary” and “secondary” disorders to differ in composition until divergent viewpoints have been resolved. There is a hierarchical order implicit in the Kraepelinian system of classification which should be made more explicit; it would foster standardisation and consistency in diagnostic practice. But the order of precedence should be regarded as a set of hypotheses rather than fixed rules. Some recent observations regarding schizo‐affective and schizomanic disorders have refuted one of these hypotheses and so refined knowledge.
Central pre‐ and postsynaptic monoamine receptors in antidepressant therapy
Authors: Svensson T. H. , Dahlöf C. , Engberg G. , Hallberg H.
Published: August 2007

Activation of postsynaptic noradrenergic α1‐receptors may be involved in the mediation of psychomotor activating effects of tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) drugs. On the other hand, the pronounced sedative properties of some TCA drugs seem to be correlated with their α1‐receptor blocking capacity. The presynaptic α2‐receptors probably mediate the feed back inhibition of central NE neurons seen after administration of TCA drugs, particularly the secondary amines. Yet other antidepressants such as mianserin are potent antagonists at central α2‐receptors, a phenomenon which can even cause activation of brain NE neurons and form a basis for their therapeutic action. β‐Receptor activation in the brain is also suggested to participate in the therapeutic effect of several drugs, e.g. mianserin and the putative antidepressant agent salbutamol, a β2‐ receptor agonist. A reduced central β‐receptor activation may, accordingly, contribute to depressive symptoms associated with treatment with β‐adrenoceptor blocking drugs, both by their action per se as well as by secondary effects on the monoamine systems, which we recently have demonstrated. Facilitation of brain 5‐HT neurotransmission seems to be achieved with several TCA drugs not only via inhibition of reuptake but also through sensitization of postsynaptic 5‐HT receptors, developing during repeated treatment. In contrast the “presynaptic” 5‐HT receptors do not show increased sensitivity during chronic TCA drug treatment, thus allowing for an enhanced synaptic effect of 5‐HT induced by TCA drugs.
Specific norepinephrine and serotonin uptake inhibitors in man: A crossover study with pharmacokinetic, biochemical, neuroendocrine and behavioral parameters
Authors: Potter W. Z. , Calil H. M. , Extein I. , Gold P. W. , Wehr T. A. , Goodwin F. K.
Published: August 2007

Eight depressed patients with major affective illness were treated with both zimelidine, a selective serotonin‐uptake inhibitor, and with desipramine, a selective norepinephrine uptake inhibitor, following a double‐blind crossover design. At steady‐state the active metabolite of zimelidine, norzimelidine, predominated in the CSF by a factor of 7 to 1 over parent drug. As predicted, even high concentrations of norzimelidine were not associated with decreased 3‐methoxy‐4‐hydroxy‐phenylglycol (MHPG) in the CSF. In the same individuals, desipramine concentrations were highly correlated with decreases of MHPG in the CSF. Despite specific effects on monoamine neurotransmitter systems which have been implicated in the control of neuroendocrine secretion, neither drug had consistent effects on plasma cortisol, luteinizing hormone, growth hormone or prolactin. Both drugs had a marked and unexpected common effect on the 24‐hour rest‐activity cycle. The excess activity during the normal rest period (0–700 hr.) which has been noted in severely depressed individuals was significantly reduced by both the serotonergic zimelidine and the noradrenergic desipramine. These findings suggest that effects on the rest‐activity pattern may be a common pathway for antidepressant effect.
Zimelidine vs maprotiline in depressed outpatients A preliminary report
Authors: D'Elia G. , Hällström T. , Nyström C. , Ottosson J.‐O.
Published: August 2007

Outpatients with endogenous depression diagnosed according to the research diagnostic criteria of Feighner et al. were randomly referred to treatment with zimelidine (100 mg b.i.d., group Z) or maprotiline (75 mg b.i.d., group M). Patients who did not respond to treatment by day 28 were crossed over to the other drug. This preliminary report comprises results up to day 28 and includes antidepressive effect as rated by CPRS and globally, side effects, clinical chemistry and ECG. Ratings were double‐blind at days 0, 7, 14 and 28, and a washout period of 4–7 days preceeded the trial.

Group Z includes 27 and group M 28 patients with equal distribution of sex, age, duration of present episode, initial severity, etiology and previous course.

There were 11 dropouts in group M and 5 in group Z due to side effects or treatment failure. On the other hand, 8 patients in group Z had to cross over to the other drug versus 2 in group M.

According to the total CPRS score and the global score the antidepressive effect was somewhat better in group Z at 2 weeks but similar at 1 and 4 weeks. Group Z is less sedative but still seems to have a better anti‐anxiety effect.

Side effects were on a low level. There was a greater number of patients in group Z who complained of nausea, vomiting, loose stools, sleep disorder and sweating, and in group M dry mouth, drowsiness, dizziness and accomodation difficulties.

Chemical analyses and ECG showed slight and inconsistent changes.
Zimelidine vs. amitriptyline vs. placebo in a double‐blind study
Authors: Georgotas A. , Bush D. , Gershon S.
Published: August 2007

Zimelidine, a new antidepressant compound structurally different from the tricyclics, is a potent and selective 5‐HT reuptake inhibitor which has been found an effective antidepressant in previous clinical trials. In this study, zimelidine was administered to one out of three subjects in a 60‐patient double‐blind controlled trial. This was part of a large multicenter study, performed in the United States of America. Patients were selected mainly from the Midtown Manhattan area in New York City. Following at least one week of placebo, patients were randomly assigned to zimelidine, amitriptyline or placebo for four weeks. Initial dosage of zimelidine was 25 mg t.i.d., later increased over the period of four weeks to 100 mg t.i.d.

The rating instruments were the Hamilton Depression Scale (21 item version), the Beck Self‐Rating Scale and the Clinical Global Impression Scale. The side effects were recorded by active questionning according to a side effect inventory. Vital signs, laboratory work including ECG and plasma levels, were performed weekly.

At the time of the report, two‐thirds of our study is completed and data regarding comparative efficacy of zimelidine vs. amitriptyline vs. placebo, as well as relative incidence of side effects is reported.*
A follow‐up study of operated transsexual females
Authors: Sørensen T.
Published: August 2007

Not nearly as many female as male transsexuals have been operated on in Denmark, although the incidence of male and female applicants has equalized during recent years. Information from the literature is sparse and mostly casuistic. Since 1956, when the first female transsexual in Denmark was operated on, 30 females ‐ examined by us ‐ have applied for permission to have sex‐change operations and to change their first name. The majority of sex‐change applicants in this country have been assessed at the Rigs‐hospital. Among the applicants eight were recommended for sex‐modifying surgery and have subsequently been followed up. The average for the follow‐up period is 5 years.

Postoperatively, most of the patients resumed work and also got female partners. However, they often had considerable problems at work and in their life together with a partner. Likewise, if there are children within the partnership, tensions between the transsexuals and the children are in evidence. All the patients had had sexual relationships postoperatively, but for most of them there had been both psychical and physical problems. Seventy‐five per cent found that sex‐reassignment involved severe practical and social problems; however, only one of the patients regretted the operations.

It is emphasized that surgery is a symptomatic treatment and the rational reason for the operation is to strengthen the defence of the female against an insecure gender identity. With relation to an earlier proposed hypothesis by the author to the effect that the most conspicuous trait in female transsexualism is a phallic character, it is concluded that the postoperative result is best, when the phallic character is fairly well‐modulated, whereas the postoperative course is more problematic for patients with an alloplastic character and patients threatened with psychosis. With regard to the last two groups it is recommended to desist from operation.
Evaluation of a data‐base
Authors: Thomsen I. Scheel , Laursen A. Lund , Larsen S. B. , Mellergård M.
Published: August 2007

The records of 421 psychiatric patients were analysed by a consistent method, allowing an optimal use of indicant‐patterns. It was assumed that such a procedure would give a satisfactory predictive capacity, even for operational criteria as for example choice of treatment, duration of stay in hospital, or a global evaluation of outcome. The study demonstrates, however, that fundamental changes in the data‐base are necessary. Problems of reliability, validity, sensitivity and specificity are discussed and some suggestions are offered for the future improvement of psychiatric data‐bases.
Loss events preceding endogenous and neurotic depressions
Authors: Matussek P. , Neuner R.
Published: August 2007

Ninety unipolar endogenous depressives and 38 neurotic depressives with distinct depressive episodes were questioned concerning deaths of parents, siblings, children or partners, and separation from children (leaving the parental home) or from important partners. The age of the patients at the time of the event was compared with their age during the depressive episodes. The results indicate that significantly more neurotic depressives than endogenous depressives had experienced the loss of a close person in the year before a depression. When the loss experiences were divided up, however, it became clear that the difference was due only to separations, and in particular to separations from an important partner.
Direct assessment of depression by microcomputer
Authors: Carr A. C. , Ancill R. J. , Ghosh A. , Margo A.
Published: August 2007

A self‐rating depression questionnaire based on the Hamilton Depression Questionnaire was given directly by a microcomputer to 43 controls and 125 depressed patients. Scores obtained from the two groups differed very significantly; choosing an appropriate cut‐off point, the computer‐delivered questionnaire accurately detected the presence of depression.

The severity of depression in the patients, as indicated by their scores, correlated significantly with assessments of severity by qualified clinicians.

Patients commented favourably on the procedure, and the medical and nursing staff found it instructive and helpful.

The use of this technique appears practicable and further evaluation is in progress.
Schizophrenia, a chronic disease
Authors: Wistedt B.
Published: August 2007

About 10–15 per cent of schizophrenic patients are 5–15 years after onset still hospitalized, and more than 50 per cent will show some psychopathology and therefore be unable to work. The possibility of a permanent recovery from the schizophrenic illness is probably greater today than it was half a century ago when 50–60 per cent were chronically hospitalized. The diagnostic criteria, at least in the USA, are today, however, broader than they were half a century ago in Europe and therefore comparisons are difficult to make. Schizophrenia is in some patients a chronic disease, and the risk of being permanently incapacitated in some way (unable to work) is still 50 per cent or more.
Neurotransmitter receptors in brain in schizophrenia
Authors: Owen F. , Cross A. J. , Crow T. J. , Lofthouse R. , Poulter M.
Published: August 2007

The binding of the dopamine agonist ADTN and of ligands for the serotonin, muscarinic cholinergic, GABA, and benzodiazepine receptors was studied in 18 schizophrenic and 19 control brains. By contrast with the previously reported increase in binding of the dopamine antagonist spiperone, ADTN binding was not increased, and there was no consistent change in binding of ligands for receptors of substances other than dopamine. The findings suggest that the increase in dopamine receptors (assessed by spiperone binding) in schizophrenia is related to the disease process rather than to previous neuroleptic medication, and may be limited to the type of dopamine receptors that bind butyrophenones.
The need for long‐term neuroleptic treatment in schizophrenia
Authors: Dencker S. J.
Published: August 2007

The need for long‐term neuroleptic treatment in nuclear schizophrenia depends on several factors, including the type of chronic schizophrenia, the phase of the disease, and the patient's total social situation. A neuroleptic drug withdrawal study demonstrated a need for further neuroleptic treatment for survival in the community even when the most symptom‐free and socially best adapted chronic schizophrenics were considered. Prevention of relapse can apparently be achieved with lower neuroleptic doses than those necessary for optimal symptom suppression. Moreover, the patient's evaluation of his total social situation, including some quality‐of‐life aspects, must be considered as well as measures to avoid the patient becoming a burden on his family and friends. Neuroleptic treament in adequate antipsychotic doses usually means a risk of early, immediate and possibly late side effects. In striking a balance between benefit and risk it seems preferable to keep the benefit strategy, which means that the main point will be to monitor neuroleptic and antiparkinsonian drugs with regard to optimal symptom suppression not accepting any possible late side effects as a guideline.
Dyskinesia: Animal experimental correlates
Authors: Moore K. E.
Published: August 2007

The result of behavioral studies in animals, which demonstrate increased effects of DA agonists after stopping chronic administration of neuroleptics, are consistent with an increased sensitivity of postsynaptic receptor and effector mechanisms in response to chronic disruption of DA transmission (disuse supersensitivity of DA receptors, see review by Moore & Thornburg (1975)). Although this mechanism may be responsible for the reversible withdrawal dyskinesias, it is probably not involved in persistent tardive dyskinesia. The persistence of the latter dyskinesias suggests an irreversible structural or chemical change, but with the exception of a report by Christensen et al. (1970) there is little evidence of neuroleptic‐induced degenerative changes in the brains of man or animals. Although the etiology of tardive dyskinesias remains a mystery, pharmacological evidence suggests a functional overactivity of extrapyramidal mechanisms mediated by DA. To date, however, experiments with animal models have not provided a logical explanation for this overactivity.
Neurological changes in a population of patients with chronic schizophrenia and their relationship to physical treatment
Authors: Johnstone E. C. , Owens D. G. Cunningham
Published: August 2007

Although chronic schizophrenia is a disorder for which very large numbers of patients receive long‐term inpatient care there have been few systematic studies of the disabilities of this condition. The present study was designed to define the nature of these disabilities, to determine their frequency in a large population of inpatients with chronic schizophrenia and to determine the extent to which they are a feature of the illness itself and that to which they result from other factors such as physical treatment. The abnormalities of this population were therefore assessed in terms of cognitive functioning, neurological signs, features, of the mental state and behavioural performance. These abnormalities were related to the earlier features of the illness to personal and historical factors and to physical treatments received. In this presentation the main emphasis is upon the neurological findings.
Depressions in schizophrenia: Some observations on prevalence, etiology, and treatment
Authors: Johnson D. A. W.
Published: August 2007

The results suggest that not only is depression a common symptom or syndrome in all stages of schizophrenia, but it is common even in the absence of treatment. However, there are a number of reasons for thinking that a proportion of patients on drugs may well suffer from drug related depressions, possibly 7.5–12.5 per cent. A difference in the effect upon mood, in the acute schizophrenic state, between flupenthixol and fluphenazine, has already been suggested (Johnson & Malik (1975)). Current research (Johnson (1976, 1979)) suggests that regular neuroleptic maintenance therapy is necessary for many years, certainly for more than four years following the most recent relapse. It is therefore of particular importance to concern ourselves with all potential side‐effects such as extrapyramidal symptoms, weight gain (Johnson & Breen (1979)) and tardive dyskinesia (Gibson (1978)), and to keep the patients on personalised dose regimes which can frequently be reduced with time, particularly over the first two years of treatment (Johnson (1975, 1977)). We must equally be on our guard against unnecessary polypharmacy which ultimately increases the risks for an already greatly disadvantaged patient.
The Influence of Group Therapy on Schizophrenia
Authors: Malm Ulf
Published: August 2007

The purpuse of this study was to test the hypothesis that addition of one year of communication‐oriented group therapy to a regime of neuroleptics and social skills training leads to greater improvement than neuroleptics and social skills training alone.

The design was a controlled comparison over two years.

Diagnostic criteria were autism, thought disturbances and ego‐disturbances and the patients’disorders were probably representative of a fairly broad spectrum of semi‐chronic schizophrenic syndromes.

Eighty patients entered the study, and by randomization they were allocated to the therapy or the control group. Of the 40 patients in each group 34 completed the two‐year study. Of the 34 patients in the therapy group 23 completed‐the one year of group therapy.

Treatment started in residential care and continued in open care. All patients received fluphenazine depot and social skills training.

The assessment concerned symptoms and signs, social function in the community, life events, course of illness variables such as relapse rate, and a global evaluation of remission.

The effectivity of neuroleptics in reducing symptoms and signs in the acute episode was confirmed. The two year outcome showed that the addition of group therapy had increasd the improvement in factors and items related to emotional communication and anhedonia, increased free‐time activities, and entries and reentries into the social field. There were more remissions in the therapy group among patients without continuous psychotic symptoms. In patients with continuous psychotic symptoms the remission rate was low in both groups. No adverse effects were shown. Despite absence of remission in more than half of the patients nearly all could be discharged.

Communication‐oriented group therapy as used here, may be considered as an elementary, unsophisticated form of psychotherapy that can be applied at almost any psychiatric treatment center both in hospitals and outpatient care.

The outcome pattern suggests that this kind of group therapy cannot replace neuroleptic drugs, but increases the improvement from drugs and social skills training.
Life Events and Mental Disorder in an Urban Female Population
Authors: Samuelsson Sverker
Published: August 2007

Samuelsson, B.S. Life events and mental disorder in an urban female population Acta psychiat. scand.

A comprehensive population study of women i n Gothenburg, Sweden was carried out in 1968‐1969. Altogether 800 women participated in the psychiatric study. Four age strata were studied i.e. women born i n 1930, 1922, 1918 and 1914. The same women were re‐studied in 1974‐1975 (participation rate 84.6%) establishing (1) prevalence of mental disorder, (2) six‐year incidence of mental disorder, (3) one‐year incidence of mental disorder, (4) occurrence of undesirable life events and (5) connections between life events and one‐year incidence of mental disorder.

The average prevalence rate was 13.4% for mental disorder with functional impairment, exceeded in lower social groups, by the divorced and the recently widowed. Depressive disorders were most common and autonomic disturbances were the most frequent symptoms. The six‐year incidence of mental disorder with functional impairment was 19.5% with raised rate for the divorced and the childless. Undesirable life events increased with the number of children, and decreased with age. The one‐year incidence rate decreased with increasing age. The one‐year incidence of mental disorder was increased with the amount of undesirable life events.
Serum concentrations of thioridazine, its major metabolites and serum neuroleptic‐like activities in schizophrenics with and without tardive dyskinesia
Authors: Widerlöv E. , Häggström J.‐E. , Kilts C. D. , Andersson U. , Breese G. R. , Mailman R. B.
Published: August 2007

Two groups of elderly chronic schizophrenic patients, one with and one without tardive dyskinesia (TD), were studied. In addition to estimation of the neuroleptic‐like radioreceptor activity (RRA) of the serum, serum concentrations of thioridazine (THD) and its major metabolites, THD‐2‐sulfoxide, THD‐2‐sulfone and THD‐5‐oxide, were measured with high performance liquid chromatography. Blood samples were collected at two different occasions when the patients were considered to be in a pharmacological “steady state”. The concentrations of THD and its metabolites, as well as RRA values, were similar at both occasions. In general, THD‐2‐sulfoxide and THD‐5‐oxide were present in higher concentrations than the parent compounds, and the serum concentrations of THD, its metabolites and the RRA values were positively correlated with the administered daily dose of THD. However, no significant difference in serum levels of THD, its metabolites, or RRA values existed between the patients with and without TD. These data suggest that pharmacodynamic rather than pharmacokinetic differences may be more important in producing high risk for TD in patients on long‐term neuroleptic treatment.
Relationship between country of birth and psychiatric admissions in Western Australia
Authors: Burvill P. W. , Reymond J. , Stampfer H. , Carlson J.
Published: August 2007

The rates of admissions in 1976–78 to all hospitals in Western Australia, both psychiatric and non‐psychiatric, of patients with a primary psychiatric diagnosis were analysed specifically for country of birth and whether they lived in Perth or in country areas. Eastern European migrants had the highest hospitalization rates, and Southern European migrants the lowest. Rates for schizophrenia were high in the Eastern Europeans, and for alcoholism low in Southern European and Asian females and high in Northern European males. The United Kingdom migrants were most like the Australian born in regards to admission rates, diagnostic composition, and in the distribution of hospitalization patterns between psychiatrists and non‐psychiatrists. Women, especially Southern European, in the country areas are at special risk to be admitted for neurosis/personality disorder.
EEG abnormalities in chronic alcoholism related to age
Authors: Jóhannesson G. , Berglund M. , Ingvar D. H.
Published: August 2007

EEG was studied in SO chronic alcoholics (age 45 ± 10 years). All EEGs were classified visually. In addition, a manual analysis from a fronto‐central (F3‐C3 or F4‐C4) lead and a temporo‐occipital (T5‐O1 or T6‐O2) lead was done in 42 cases to obtain the mean frequency of the 6–12 Hz band.

The visual classification correlated well with the frequency analysis in the anterior (rs = ‐0.57, P < 0.001) and in the posterior (rs = 0.61, P < 0.001) leads and there was a high positive correlation between the frontal and occipital lead (r = 0.88, P < 0.001). Half of the records were abnormal. There was a significantly higher proportion of abnormal EEGs in the youngest and oldest patient groups compared with the remainder. EEG‐abnormality was significantly related to early start of abuse (before 25 years, P < 0.05). The findings suggest that alcohol abuse in the teens or early twenties is accompanied by a considerably greater risk of brain damage than alcoholism beginning after 25. However, an alternative explanation, i.e. that the EEG abnormality may represent cerebral dysfunction predisposing to alcoholism is not excluded.
The influence of the process of urbanization on the prevalence of neurosis
Authors: Vázquez Barquero J. L. , Muñoz P. E. , Jaúregui V. Madoz
Published: August 2007

An analysis is made of the influence of urbanization in a rural community of the North of Spain on the prevalence of neurosis. The methodology followed was based on a two‐phase cross‐sectional analysis of a representative sample of the population above the age of 15 years.

We found that while the “urban” area was associated with a high prevalence of neurosis (male = 8.5%, female = 21.4%), in the “rural”, and especially the “isolated” areas the prevalence was very low (“rural”: male = 4.5%, female = 14.5%; “isolated”: male = 3.6%, female = 12%). This high neurotic morbidity in the urban area was found to be significantly associated with the group of people characterized as young, single, with a low social and educational level, and with a non‐skilled manual profession. Our results also show that the place of residence does not significantly influence the prevalence of the different types of neurosis.
Long‐term lithium treatment and psychological functions
Authors: Lund Y. , Nissen M. , Rafaelsen O. J.
Published: August 2007

A group of 50 long‐term lithium‐treated outpatients were investigated with psychological examinations in order to study cognitive and emotional functions (memory, attention, speed, loss of effort, level of processing, productivity, and reactivity).

The test results were compared with the general norms for the test applied. In average the test results were within the normal range. The inter‐test variations which quantitatively and qualitatively characterize the performance of the lithium‐treated patients indicate a relative lowering of the level of memory and perceptual processing as well as loss of effort when compared to the level of attention, productivity, and emotional reactivity.

These findings support the hypothesis of a lithium‐determined delay of the rate of information processing, a hypothesis which may be related to a neuropsychological model of the level of arousal.
Depressive equivalents: a clarification using the Rorschach test
Authors: De Bertolini C. , Magni G. , Ferruzza E. , Bianchin G.
Published: August 2007

The authors present a study on 20 patients of uncertain diagnostic placement admitted to a neurological department.

The patients are characterized by an atypical clinical neurological symptomatology and the absence of organic pathology. Through psychiatric examination and the Rorschach tests, which show some characteristic and constant aspects, the authors arrive at the diagnosis of depressive equivalents.

It is emphasized that the Rorschach test offers a useful contribution to the often difficult diagnosis of these clinical pictures.
Immunological parameters in Alzheimer's pre‐senile dementia
Authors: Pentland B. , Christie J. E. , Watson K. C. , Yap P. L.
Published: August 2007

Serum immunoglobulin levels and C3 and C4 complement concentrations were assayed and serum tested for the presence of auto‐antibodies in 17 patients with pre‐senile Alzheimer's disease. The majority of patients showed a reduced level of one or more of immunoglobulins IgG, IgA or IgM. No significant abnormality was found to indicate an autoimmune disorder.
The mental health of early mother separated women
Authors: Kennard J. , Birtchnell J.
Published: August 2007

A community based research project was undertaken to discover whether early mother separation was related to adult mental disorder. A population sample of 73 women aged 40–49, who experienced continuous mother absences in excess of 1 year due either to family difficulties (n= 42) or external factors (n= 31), were interviewed about early life experiences and mental health. Controls (n= 69) matched for parental social class and age at father death were similarly interviewed. Three self‐administered tests, the Middlesex Hospital Questionnaire, a modified Zung Depression Scale and the Navran Dependency Scale of the MMPI were also completed.

It was shown that separation alone was unrelated to adult psychopathology or mental disorder. Poor preseparation maternal relationships, both alone and in combination with two or more changes of care plus unsatisfactory replacement care, contributed to an increase in psychiatric morbidity and psychopathology.
Psychological epidemic in Hong Kong
Authors: Tam Y. K. , Tsoi M. M. , Kwong B. , Wong S. W.
Published: August 2007

A double blind retrospective study was carried out on a sample of children who were affected in a mysterious gas poisoning epidemic together with controls drawn from the same school. The dependent measures employed were the Junior Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (JEPQ), a Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale (HSC), Heart Rate (HR) and Skin Potential Response (SPR). A vigilance task was administered during assessment of the latter two variables. The affected children had significantly higher HR together with a marginal increase in SPR. It is proposed that constitutional factors play an important role in determining whether an individual is affected in such an epidemic.
Antidepressant effect of femoxetine and desipramine and relationship to the concentration of amine metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid
Authors: Dahl L.‐E. , Lundin L. , Le Fègvre Honoré P. , Dencker S. J.
Published: August 2007

The antidepressant and biochemical effects of femoxetine, a selective serotonin uptake inhibitor, and desipramine, a selective nor‐adrenaline uptake inhibitor, have been compared in a double–blind study in 42 outpatients with depressive illness. The patients were allocated at random to treatment with either 600 mg femoxetine or 150 mg desipramine daily for 6 weeks. The total depression score showed a significant decrease in both groups, indicating an overall improvement in depressive symptoms. The patients treated with femoxetine reported significantly less severe anticholinergic effects during the whole treatment period than the desipramine patients. Both drugs decreased the level of 5‐HIAA in CSF, whereas no consistent changes were found in the HMPG and HVA levels. The pretreatment level of the metabolites had no predictive value for the outcome of the treatment with either drug. No significant correlation was found between therapeutic effect and the plasma concentration of the active compounds.
Dexamethasone suppression of 11‐deoxycorticosterone, corticosterone and cortisol in depressed female patients and normal controls
Authors: Holsboer F. , Doerr H. G. , Sippell W. G.
Published: August 2007

The dexamethasone suppression test based upon analysis of 11‐deoxycorticosterone, corticosterone and cortisol was applied to 20 female depressed patients (10 endogenous, 10 neurotic) and 10 healthy controls. Calculating ratios of corticosterone to its biological precursor 11‐deoxycorticosterone allows to assess the activity of adrenal 11β‐hydroxylase. This enzyme activity depends on the mean secretion rate of ACTH. The preliminary data indicate that the sensitivity of the test may be increased when based on this enzyme activity rather than upon plasma cortisol concentrations. The decrease of 11‐deoxycorticosterone, a potent mineralocorticoid in relation to corticosterone may contribute to the reduced urine concentrating capacity in patients with endogenous depression.
Influence of drug treatment on the irritable bowel syndrome and its interaction with psychoneurotic morbidity
Authors: Lancaster‐Smith M. J. , Prout B. J. , Pinto T. , Anderson J. A. , Schiff A. A.
Published: August 2007

Sixty per cent of the patients referred to two gastroenterological clinics and diagnosed as suffering from the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), were found to have significant psychoneurotic morbidity on the basis of the General Health Questionnaire. A double‐blind, completely randomised, placebo controlled comparison of treatment with a combined anxiolytic/antidepressant (Motipress) found a significantly better effect of Motipress than placebo on diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Detailed analysis of the results suggests that there is no direct relationship between psychoneurotic illness and IBS, but the presence of the former has an adverse effect on the shortterm outcome of the bowel disorder.
A double‐blind study of zimelidine, a serotonin uptake inhibitor, and desipramine, a noradrenaline uptake inhibitor, in endogenous depression
Authors: ÅBerg‐Wistedt A. , Ross S. B. , Jostell K.‐G. , Sjöquist B.
Published: August 2007

In a comparative evaluation of zimelidine, a potent serotonin (5‐ HT) uptake inhibitor, and desipramine, a potent noradrenaline (NA) uptake inhibitor, 65 hospitalized patients with endogenous depression were evaluated for the following biochemical variables: 5‐HT uptake in platelets, 5‐HT concentration in whole blood, inhibition of the 5‐HT and NA accumulation in rat hypothalamic synaptosoma incubated in the patients’plasma, the excretion of 4‐hydroxy‐3‐methoxyphenyl glycol (HMPG) in urine and the pretreatment levels of the amine metabolites 5‐hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5‐HIAA), homovanillic acid (HVA) and HMPG in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Results of the biochemical studies confirmed that zimelidine and desipramine have different profiles with respect to monoamine uptake. Thus zimelidine caused more marked inhibition of 5‐HT uptake than desipramine, especially in rat brain synaptosomes incubated in the patient's plasma. Desipramine plasma was much more effective than zimelidine plasma in inhibiting NA uptake in the same preparation. The urinary excretion of HMPG decreased significantly during desipramine treatment but remained unchanged during zimelidine treatment. The combined clinical and biochemical results indicated that patients with low pretreatment levels of 5‐HIAA and HVA in CSF responded significantly better to zimelidine than patients with high levels of 5‐HIAA and HVA. On the other hand, patients with high levels of HMPG in CSF tended to respond better to desipramine than those with low levels of this NA metabolite.
Types of life events associated with depression in a Kenyan setting
Authors: Ndetei D. M. , Vadher A.
Published: August 2007

In a controlled study of life events in Kenya it was found that events related to education and health were significantly more common in depressed than non‐depressed subjects. The patient or a member of his household was the most common focus of the events. The events were mostly undesirable, mainly in the form of a loss. These observations are compared and contrasted with observations made elsewhere.
Urinary excretion of 5‐hydroxyindoleacetic acid – no relationship to the level in cerebrospinal fluid
Authors: Bertilsson L. , Tybring G. , Braithwaite R. , Träskman‐Bendz L. , ÅSberg M.
Published: August 2007

Concentrations of 5‐hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5‐HIAA) were determined in urine and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by mass fragmentography. A pronounced day‐to‐day variation in the urinary excretion of 5‐HIAA was found both in psychiatric patients and a healthy control. Lumbar punctures performed twice 3–12 weeks apart in 11 healthy controls resulted in reproducible levels of 5‐HIAA in CSF (r= 0.89; P < 0.001). The mean of three periods of daily 5‐HIAA excretion was not correlated to the CSF level measured in 18 psychiatric patients (r=–0.09). Three weeks of chlorimipramine treatment significantly decreased CSF 5‐HIAA levels (P < 0.05), but not the urinary excretion of 5‐HIAA. It might be concluded that measurement of urinary 5‐HIAA excretion is of little value compared to CSF levels in studies of serotonin in the central nervous system.
Study of delusions in Kenyan schizophrenic patients diagnosed using a set of research diagnostic criteria
Authors: Ndetei and D. M. , Singh A.
Published: August 2007

Eighty‘psychotic’Kenyan patients of African origin were screened using the New Haven Schizophrenic Index (NHSI). Fifty‐one of these (64 %) were found positive. Delusions were found to be significantly more common (P < 0.001) in the NHSI positive group than in the negative group. Sex and age had no effect on the distribution of delusions in general but level of education did. These findings are compared and contrasted with findings of similar investigations and some of their implications are discussed.
Diurnal variation of urinary MHPG in unipolar and bipolar depressives
Authors: Giedke H. , Gaertner and H. J. , Mahal A.
Published: August 2007

In eight bipolar depressives, 11 unipolar depressives, and 15 healthy controls urinary excretion of MHPG was measured at 3‐h intervals over one 24‐h period. Bipolars excreted smaller amounts of MHPG than unipolars and controls, especially at night. MHPG excretion was significantly dependent on time of day in the control group only. In the patients maximum excretion showed a tendency to occur earlier in the day than in controls. Minima were unaffected. There were indications that tricyclic antidepressants advance MHPG phases.
Pimozide combined with behavior therapy in the short‐term treatment of anorexia nervosa
Authors: Vandereycken W. , Pierloot R.
Published: August 2007

Eighteen female inpatients were included in a double‐blind placebo‐controlled cross‐over study aimed at testing the hypothesis that dopamine blockade may enhance the effectiveness of behavior therapy in the short‐term weight restoration of anorexia nervosa patients. The patients were given a uniform contingency management program and, after a baseline period, they alternatingly (3‐ week periods) received pirnozide (4 or 6 mg) or a placebo. During the first two periods pimozide almost significantly enhanced the weight gain induced by the behavior therapy program and beneficially influenced the patients attitude towards treatment.
Depersonalisation ‐ symptoms, meaning, therapy
Authors: Nuller Y. L.
Published: August 2007

The manifestation of depersonalisation, its relationship with anxiety and depression, as well as its influence on the course of endogenous psychoses were investigated. Forty patients with severe depersonalisation were treated with the benzodiazepine, phenazepam, and 14 with clozapine. The data indicate that depersonalisation results from anxiety; it follows an anxiety attack and is successfully treated with anxiolytic drugs. In the case of endogenous depression, depersonalisaticm leads to lingering depressive phase, increasing the patients resistance to antidepressive therapy. The protective and the harmful role of depersonalisation is discussed.
A study in the relationship between emotional stability, intellectual ability, academic attainment, personal contentment and vocational aspirations
Authors: Lowenstein L. F. , Meza M. , Thorne P. E.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT ‐ This study investigated the relationship between ability, attainment and emotional stability, as measured by neuroticism, in underachieving, emotionally disturbed children. Forty children participated in four groups (mean age: 12.6, SD: 2.4; mean IQ: 103.3, SD: 13.6). Three experimental groups received different treatments in a therapeutic community, the fourth (control group) comprised children attending remedial units in mainstream education. For group 1 emphasis was on individualized education; for group 2 on psychological treatment and for group 3 on individualized education and psychological treatment combined. Pre‐ and post‐experiment assessments were made on emotional stability, intelligence, reading, spelling and maths quotients, vocational aspirations and contentment with life. All the experimental groups showed significant improvements on all the criteria assessed. Group 3 improved most, P < 0.001 on all criteria except contentment and vocational aspirations (P < 0.01). The control group showed a deterioration over the experimental year on all criteria but mostly not at a significant level.
Failure of mianserin to affect autonomic function in the pupils of depressed patients
Authors: Shur E. , Checkley S. , Delgado I.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT ‐The autonomic effects of mianserin were tested in seven depressed patients by comparing pupillary responses to adrenergic and cholinergic agonists before and after treatment. Mianserin failed to affect pilocarpine‐evoked miosis and tyramine‐ or phemylephrineevoked mydriasis, despite adequate plasma levels of the drug. There was, however, a significant reduction in resting pupillary size after 1 and 3 weeks of treatment: this could result either from a central action, or from interactions at receptors other than cholinergic or adrenergic ones in the pupil of the eye. It is concluded that in clinical dosage mianserin is devoid of effects upon muscarinic receptors, α1adrenoceptors and noradrenaline uptake in the pupil.