Psychiatria Hungarica最新文献

Introduction: The majority of epidemiological studies in the field of eating disorders were carried out in the U.S. and in Western Europe. In the last 10 or 15 years, several epidemiological studies were published in Central and Eastern European countries, and eating disorders seem to be widespread in this region. The present paper is an epidemiological study of eating disorders in Romania, and analyses the prevalence of eating disorders among secondary school students in Transylvania.

Methods: In addition to questions about demographic and anthropometric data, the questionnaire contained the General Health Questionnaire, the Eating Attitudes Test, the Eating Behavior Severity Scale, and the Bulimia Cognitive Distortions Scale. A total of 1621 secondary school students were surveyed in Romania out of which 650 Hungarians (285 males, 365 males), 669 Romanians (263 males, 406 females) and 302 Saxons (112 males, 190 females).

Results: The prevalence of eating disorders was calculated on the basis of simulated DSM-IV diagnoses. The prevalence of anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) were 0.3% and 0.8% in females. The prevalence of AN was 0.5% in the Hungarian and 0.2% in the Romanian female sample. No clinical cases of AN were found in the Saxon female sample. The prevalence of BN was 0.5% in the Hungarian, 1.2% in the Romanian and 0.5% in the Saxon female sample. For subclinical AN the rate of Hungarian female sample was 1.1 %, the Romanian 3.0%, and the Saxon 0.5%. The prevalence of subclinical BN in the Hungarian female sample was 0.5%, for the Romanian female sample 2.2% and for the Saxon female sample was 1.1%.

Conclusions: The results also stress the importance of eating disorders in Romania. The differences between the ethnic groups points out the importance of the cultural factors in the development of eating disorders.

Introduction: The consequences of childhood abuse and neglect can be grave. One of them is the use of drugs since it is conducive to the incidence of several physical and psychological problems. Many sorts of abuses can be differentiated, but from the point of view of this study the most significant ones are sexual, physical and emotional abuses as well as neglect.

Method: For the exploration of the specialized literature the following English data bases were used: PubMed, PsycINFO, EISZ, EBSCO, Science Direct. The selection from 1992 to 2008 was assembled with a complex search applied so as to find the relevant articles in which there is a connection between abuses in the family, substance use and psychological status.

Results: By reason of scientific achievements, the suffered abuse at an early age was a risk factor on later substance use and in the formation of psychiatric disorders, e. g. depression, panic disorder, anxiety, and it was accompanied by psychological consequences such as a low self-esteem.

Consequences: On the grounds of scientific achievements it was proved that abuse in the family can entail the risk of growing substance use, and serious psychological problems can appear which can initiate a vicious circle with a growing risk of being a victim again.

The personality of Rudolf, the crown prince of Austria-Hungary evokes considerable interest even generations later. He had a charismatic and contradictory character that raised many hopes which he was not able to fulfill. His traumatic upbringing, the unhappy union of his parents and his mother's life-long depression all had a severe and damaging impact on him. Furthermore, his father's missing acknowledgement, Rudolf's own troubled marriage, his social isolation, alcoholism and morphine addiction along with his own depression and multiple physical illnesses have all contributed to the vulnerability of his personality. The author analyzes the developments that led to Rudolf s suicide in Mayerling and the impact of his life and death on the later myths about him.

Introduction: Patients with schizophrenia have difficulties in appreciating the mental states of others. This deficit is strongly related to the outcome of the disorder. In recent years, considerable efforts have been made in identifying the neuronal processes involved in mentalization. In this review article we summarize the functional neuroimaging studies on mentalization in schizophrenia.

Methods: Internet database search was performed to find papers on the subject.

Results: We found eight relevant articles, published between 2000 and 2008. Increased activation can be detected in multiple brain areas including certain cerebellar regions, thalamus, parietal cortex, middle and superior areas of the temporal cortex, and some prefrontal regions. In addition, patients show decreased activation of the inferior areas of the lateral and medial temporal lobe, inferior occipital cortex, medial prefrontal cortex, and the lateral part of the prefrontal cortex near to the insula.

Conclusion: According to the studies patients with schizophrenia demonstrate marked differences in activation pattern during mentalization tasks relative to the healthy control subjects.

This study collected data proving that the images presented on television can have a significant influence over a person's social construction of reality. Television portrayals of psychologists and psychiatrist often contribute to an unfavourable perception of mental health services. The length of TV watching and exposure to frequency of comedy and drama significantly contribute to perceptions of stigma and negative expectations about psychological services that can lead to negative attitudes and lower intentions to seek such services. Results suggest it would be helpful for the spokespeople, and professionals to convey messages that provide information about the role of therapists, function of therapy, and how to seek help. Making better use of the television to educate the public about the services they offer could directly combat some of the inaccurate information portrayed on television that may increase people's concerns about seeking professional help. Hungarians spend a huge amount of time with television watching. Publishing scientific and popular articles in Hungarian, and acceptance of TV invitation are essential.

With the increase of life expectancy the ratio of elderly people in our society also increases and consequently health problems related to old age gain more attention. The prevalence of depression does not decrease in the elderly, affective disorders in old people, however, often manifest masked by physical illness worsening the course of these somatic disorders. Elderly depression also tends to present with a peculiar clinical picture. Atypical and also only few symptoms are characteristic of depression in the elderly. Vegetative symptoms are often primary and depression in old people often manifests solely in somatic symptoms. Typical cognitive alterations and pseudodementia are also characteristic features. At the same time, typical affective symptoms of depression are often absent, and instead of psychomotor retardation, psychomotor agitation manifested as irritability or motor restlessness is frequent. In the diagnostic process depression in the elderly should be separated from somatic diseases and dementia. The correct diagnosis and treatment of depression in the elderly is very important, since old age depression does not only cause significant distress, but often leads to suicide, and in addition, it generally increases morbidity and mortality, worsens the general somatic condition of the patient and increases social isolation.

In our recent article we attempt to sum up the circumstances of the closing-down of the National Psychiatric and Neurologic Institute (OPNI). We intend to summarize the values that may disappear by the liquidation of the institute and try to explore the possibilities how to keep them alive in the future. Most of the divisions can operate further under the umbrella of the Semmelweis University; the modus operandi and the role of the University are also covered in this article.

Introduction: Elevated serum CK levels often occur in everyday psychiatric clinical practice. Although the majority of cases are benign and temporary, it is important to recognize and treat these conditions.

Method: Review of the literature and case reports.

Results: The authors discuss the etiology, the clinical significance and the management of elevated serum creatine-kinase levels in psychiatric in-patient practice, focusing on antipsychotic-induced rhabdomyolysis. The authors also compare the pathogenesis, the clinical features and the treatment of neuroleptic malignant syndrome and rhabdomyolysis. A brief, practical guideline is introduced, which may help clinicians in the differential diagnosis and in the management of patients with elevated serum creatine kinase activity in emergent psychiatric practice.

Conclusion: The most common etiologic factors (prescription drugs, alcohol, physical reasons, cardiac etiology) and clinical syndromes (rhabdomyolysis, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, acute coronary syndrome) should be considered, when elevated creatine kinase levels are encountered in psychiatric in-patients. Routine creatine kinase measurements in asymptomatic patients on antipsychotic medications are not recommended, but patients should be carefully followed for the development of rhabdomyolysis, when muscular symptoms arise. Cautiously challenging patients with another antipsychotic after an antipsychotic-induced rhabdomyolysis is recommended to decrease the possibility of recurrence. Careful monitoring of symptoms and potential complications is critical in order to avoid devastating clinical consequences.