Diseases of the nervous system最新文献

Sixty-nine randomly selected medical outpatients were clinically evaluated for depressive illness. A Zung Self-Rating Depressive Scale (SDS) was also administered to each patient. The prevalence of depression in the sample was 42%. The SDS picked up 30% of those depressed while missing those whose depression was presented under the guise of somatic illness. The SDS is thus a suitable instrument only in screening of the non-depressed medical patients.

The literature on minimal brain dysfunction is confused, confusing and controversial. The statements that the condition exists, needs treatment, and that treatment may be pharmacological, are more expressions of faith than accepted fact. We believe they are true (within limits not discussed in the article). Furthermore, there is evidence that some patients with MBD are hypo-aroused, while others are not. The role of deanol in the treatment of MBD is still unclear, because of the complexities of identifying appropriate patients in terms of levels of arousal, as well as identifying appropriate measures of response. There is sufficient support for an effect of deanol in the literature to justify further investigation. Further studies should attend to important methodological problems as discussed.

This study examines the high suicide rate among the widowed in a census tract population in Flint, Michigan, and identifies the social psychological factors of anomie, actual social isolation, and future social isolation as etiologic factors in widow suicide. Explanations of widow suicide are discussed, and recommendations are made for the reduction of the suicide rate.

A 25 year old woman who suffered from depression (associated with obsessive, phobic thoughts of animal abuse or neglect) was treated with systematic desensitization in which EMG biofeedback was used to achieve relaxation. EMG responses were also used to aid both the therapist and the patient in the pairing of hierarchical imagery and muscular relaxation during desensitization, EMG responses were particularly useful in detecting rising muscular tension, indicating when visualization of a depression-provoking situation should be terminated. Ratings concerning frequency and intensity of depressive thoughts (made by the patient before and after therapy), as well as 6-month follow-up information, attest to the success of the therapeutic program.

A health maintenance screening procedure was done on blood and urine specimens on 636 patients admitted to short term adult psychiatric ward. The data obtained was assessed by laboratory test and by its effect on the subsequent work-up and diagnostic thinking about those patients who had unexpected abnormal findings. The overall incidence of unexpected abnormal tests was low (3.0%). Similarly the incidence of new disease found by these procedures was low (between 2.2% and 8.5%). In no case was an underlying medical cause for the mental disorder for which the patient was admitted detected by the screening procedure. The authors conclude that these routine blood and urine screening tests add very little to the care of psychiatric inpatients.

A 19 year old girl was physically beaten and her life endangered during an abortive sexual assault. The repressed emotional components of the experience were retrieved during hypnosis 10 years later, and displacement of affect in relation to the event was also clarified. The psychological issues involved in these circumstances were related to weight reduction efforts by the patient and for which she was seeking help.

An elderly lady with subacute onset of disabling hemiballismus experienced sustained remission on dimethylaminoethanol 150 mg/day. Two exacerbations followed interruption of therapy. Remission followed resumption of therapy. No undesirable side effects occurred with this treatment. A lady age 85 experienced a very favorable sustained reduction of hemiballismus when treated with dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE or Deanol). Her age and hypertension made the risk of thalamotomy unacceptably high. DMAE was tried because of reports of reduction of chorea, and other dyskinesias with this drug.

In a double-blind placebo controlled study of newly admitted chronic schizophrenics, an attempt was made to further evaluate the safety, acceptability, and effectiveness of BT in doses of 10, 20, and 40 mg. Significant dose related responses occurred on several behavioral variables by the first week of treatment. Maximum clinical response appeared to be at the 20-40 mg. dose level. Extrapyramidal signs occurred at all doses, but with greater severity at higher doses. Excessive daytime drowsiness occurred in all groups but with longer duration and greater intensity in the 20 mg. group. Rebound insomnia occurred after the abrupt withdrawal of BT at all dose levels suggesting the desirability of further study of its hypnotic properties.