American Journal of Psychiatry

Volume 141, Issue 7

July 1984

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July 1984

The Supreme Court looks at psychiatry

Pages:827–835
Published Online:1 April 2006

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.141.7.827

Preview Abstract

An analysis of the attitudes of the U.S. Supreme Court toward psychiatry, as expressed in the Court's major opinions on mental health law from 1975 to 1983, reveals significant discrepancies from case to case. The explanation for these puzzling shifts in ...

July 1984

Platelet monoamine oxidase activity and genetic vulnerability to schizophrenia

Pages:836–842
Published Online:1 April 2006

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.141.7.836

Preview Abstract

Platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity, determined in 102 patients with chronic schizophrenia, 223 first-degree relatives, and 88 normal control subjects, was shown to be a heritable and stable trait and was significantly lower in patients than in ...

July 1984

Relationship of psychological processes during delirium to outcome

Pages:843–847
Published Online:1 April 2006

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.141.7.843

Preview Abstract

To determine which psychological processes during delirium might correlate with and predict postdelirium psychological outcome, the authors prospectively studied 34 burn patients who became delirious during hospitalization. After the delirium resolved, ...

July 1984

Rebound anxiety in anxious patients after abrupt withdrawal of benzodiazepine treatment

Pages:848–852
Published Online:1 April 2006

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.141.7.848

Preview Abstract

In this double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 4 weeks of benzodiazepine treatment followed by 3 weeks of abrupt or gradual drug withdrawal, 16 patients whose benzodiazepine was withdrawn abruptly were worse (p less than .05) than 13 who had received ...

July 1984

Elevated plasma tricyclic levels with therapeutic doses of imipramine

Pages:853–856
Published Online:1 April 2006

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.141.7.853

Preview Abstract

Nine (15%) of 59 patients treated with imipramine at doses of 150 to 300 mg/day had steady-state plasma levels greater than 500 ng/ml. Low capacity for hydroxylation was found in all six patients for whom hydroxy metabolites were measured. Maximum ...

July 1984

Response to hyperventilation in a group of patients with panic disorder

Pages:857–861
Published Online:1 April 2006

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.141.7.857

Preview Abstract

Twelve patients with DSM-III diagnoses of panic disorder and four normal volunteers were studied during hyperventilation of room air and increased ventilation stimulated by 5% CO2. Patients also underwent sodium lactate infusion. Eight of the patients had ...

July 1984

Outcome following ECT for primary unipolar depression: a test of newly proposed response predictors

Pages:862–867
Published Online:1 April 2006

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.141.7.862

Preview Abstract

This study considered dexamethasone suppression test (DST) results, Winokur 's familial subtyping, and the presence or absence of melancholia according to DSM-III criteria as potential predictors of response to ECT. Familial subtype and DST results ...

July 1984

Strangers bearing gifts: a retrospective look at the early years of community mental health center consultation

Pages:868–871
Published Online:1 April 2006

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.141.7.868

Preview Abstract

Many early community mental health center (CMHC) consultations floundered when consultants attempted to apply Gerald Caplan 's community consultation theory, which the author describes as based on a private consultation paradigm, to the very different ...

July 1984

Age and the dexamethasone suppression test in depression

Pages:872–874
Published Online:1 April 2006

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.141.7.872

Preview Abstract

The authors examined the effects of age on plasma cortisol concentrations of 81 depressed men after dexamethasone administration. Dexamethasone nonsuppression was significantly more frequent in patients older than age 55 than those younger. Similarly, ...

July 1984

Psychiatric catchment areas in an urban center: a policy in disarray

Pages:875–878
Published Online:1 April 2006

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.141.7.875

Preview Abstract

This study of the catchment area policy in New York City's 10 municipal psychiatric inpatient units and emergency rooms showed that of a total of 52,170 emergency room visits and 18,558 admissions in 1982, 35% and 24%, respectively, were of patients from ...

July 1984

The effects of organizational stress on inpatient psychiatric medication patterns

Pages:878–881
Published Online:1 April 2006

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.141.7.878

Preview Abstract

The effect of organizational stress on the antipsychotic medication levels of patients was assessed over a 1-year period. Through the use of autocorrelational techniques, medication use was shown to function as a dynamic homeostasis: Continuous ...

July 1984

A comparison of national and in-house examinations of psychiatric knowledge

Pages:882–884
Published Online:1 April 2006

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.141.7.882

Preview Abstract

The search continues for the optimum method of assessing psychiatric residents' knowledge. In 1982, 72% of the U.S. residency programs gave the Psychiatry Resident In-Training Examination ( PRITE ). The authors compared the PRITE with an examination ...

July 1984

Insanity defenses: contested or conceded?

Pages:885–888
Published Online:1 April 2006

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.141.7.885

Preview Abstract

The authors examined 316 Oregon criminal cases in which the accused successfully pleaded the insanity defense. Prosecutors agreed to the insanity verdict in more than four out of five cases. In most cases all examining experts diagnosed the defendant as ...

July 1984

Self-help groups for parents of young drug and alcohol abusers

Pages:889–891
Published Online:1 April 2006

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.141.7.889

Preview Abstract

A national movement of parent self-help groups has recently emerged to combat drug abuse in children and adolescents. This innovative modality addresses a major mental health problem in an area where manpower shortages are anticipated. On the basis of ...

July 1984

Is delusional depression related to bipolar disorder?

Pages:892–893
Published Online:1 April 2006

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.141.7.892

Preview Abstract

In a family study of major depression, the prevalence of bipolar illness was nearly six times as high among the relatives of delusionally depressed probands as among the relatives of nondelusionally depressed probands or of controls.

July 1984

A case report of mania and congenital deafness

Pages:894–895
Published Online:1 April 2006

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.141.7.894

Preview Abstract

The authors report treatment of an initial manic episode in a congenitally deaf teenager. It appears that bipolar illness in the deaf is rare and that integrating handicapped patients into a general psychiatric setting may prevent regression.

July 1984

Possible psychogenic fever of 103.5 degrees F in a patient with borderline personality disorder

Pages:896–897
Published Online:1 April 2006

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.141.7.896

Preview Abstract

The authors describe a 24-year-old woman with borderline personality disorder and prolonged fever of unknown origin. After an extensive search for a fever source, they noted that her temperature responded to pseudoseizures and to phenobarbital.

July 1984

Brief reactive psychosis in a deaf man

Pages:898–899
Published Online:1 April 2006

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.141.7.898

Preview Abstract

A prelingually deaf man developed a brief reactive psychosis that was influenced by sociocultural, community, and interpersonal conflicts. Resolution of symptoms followed interventions that addressed all areas of conflict.

July 1984

Treatment of panic attacks with alprazolam and propranolol

Pages:900–901
Published Online:1 April 2006

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.141.7.900

Preview Abstract

The authors describe the successful treatment of 16 patients with panic attacks. The combination of alprazolam and propranolol permitted doses of each drug considerably below those normally required to treat panic. This clinical observation suggests a ...

July 1984

Undiagnosed vomiting in an older woman: unsuspected bulimia

Pages:902–903
Published Online:1 April 2006

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.141.7.902

Preview Abstract

Bulimia, believed to occur primarily in young women, is rarely suspected in older individuals. The authors report on a 56-year-old woman with rapid cycling bipolar disorder, whose unexplained vomiting proved attributable to bulimia.

July 1984

Serial dexamethasone suppression tests in male chronic schizophrenic patients

Pages:904–905
Published Online:1 April 2006

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.141.7.904

Preview Abstract

The author performed weekly dexamethasone suppression tests on five nondepressed male chronic schizophrenic patients over 12 weeks. Nonsuppression occurred three times in two patients, twice in two patients, and once in one patient.

July 1984

Desipramine in the treatment of adolescents with attention deficit disorder

Pages:906–908
Published Online:1 April 2006

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.141.7.906

Preview Abstract

Twelve adolescents with attention deficit disorder were treated with desipramine in an open trial to assess its efficacy and safety. Eleven patients improved within 1 month, and improvement was sustained for 6- 12 months without significant adverse ...

July 1984

Lichen simplex chronicus during lithium treatment

Pages:909–910
Published Online:1 April 2006

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.141.7.909

Preview Abstract

A patient who was taking lithium developed an intensely pruritic lesion that remitted after lithium discontinuation and recurred with readministration. The condition was successfully treated with local steroid application, which permitted continuation of ...