Jaspers' sense of presence in the light of Huber's basic symptoms and DSM-III

The present paper focuses on the primary phenomenological features of Jaspers' sense of presence or the false proximate awareness (FPA) for purposes of setting up appropriate provisonal operational criteria. A case is also made for classifying the FPA experience among certain sensory/perceptual phenomena part of Huber's larger grouping of the basic symptoms (HBS), a concept currently enjoying great popularity in German research on schizophrenia. With the attention now paid to the FPA in DSM-III, it is hoped that this symptom's all too obvious neglect in the literature might finally come to an end.     

Effects of lesions of globus pallidus on species-typical display behavior of squirrel monkeys

In a study of brain mechanisms underlying species-typical communication, systematic testing has been conducted on the effects of cerebral lesions on the mirror display of squirrel monkeys. The mirror display is a highly predictable variation of a naturally occurring display used by male squirrel monkeys in a show of aggression, in courtship and in greeting. Of the 5 features of the display, vocalization, thigh-spreading and forward thrusts of the erect phallus are the major and most regularly occurring manifestations, constituting the so-called trump display. Testing has been performed on more than 100 animals with lesions in various structures of the brain. The present report describes the positive effects of electro-coagulation of certain parts of the globus pallidus. Lesions of the medial segment have resulted in an enduring elimination or fragmentation of the trump display. Recovery of the display may occur with lesions predominantly involving the external segment, while destruction of the caudalmost pallidum is without effect. A variety of evidence indicates that the behavioral changes are not due to a deterioration of health, motor disabilities, seasonal factors or motivation. When weighed against the negative or transitory effects of lesions of numerous other structures of the brain, the present findings support the hypothesis that the striatal complex plays a basic role in the organized expression of species-typical behavior.     

Current trends of research on antidepressive treatment and prophylaxis

The goal has been to recognize, as unsolved problems, clinical difficulties and lack of knowledge, disadvantages and risks, shortcomings and limitations of antidepressant therapy and prophylaxis, and to formulate these as questions, and, thus, to define them as tasks for research. The following problems have been discussed: (1) The concepts of therapy and prophylaxis, particularly in relationship to each other, are not clear; (2) The generalization possibilities of research results gained from depressively ill patients in the hospital are limited to an unknown degree; (3) The classification system for depressions is insufficiently therapy oriented; (4) The conditions of therapy resistance of depressions are unknown to a great extent; (5) The reasons why depressions become chronic are likewise unknown to a great extent; (6) The combination of various antidepressant treatment procedures is done without rules, and (7) The effective latency of antidepressant medication is theoretically unclarified and practically and important disadvantage.     

The marginal fiber mass in the utricle of the pigeon

The marginal fiber mass (MFM) that Werner²⁶ described in the utricle ofAves was observed and analyzed in the pigeon using light, scanning electron, and transmission electron microscopic techniques. Morphologically, the MFM is a gelatinous, fibrous mass which has the shape of an oblique cone. The basal end terminates as a foot-like structure on the macula utriculi while the apical end attaches the statoconial membrane securely to the wall of the utricle. Specific tests for elastin, collagen and a ‘connective tissue type’ of reticulum indicated that none of these components were present in the MFM. The MFM did, however, stain positively with PAS, Alcian blue and a PAS-Alcian blue combination. The extent and location of the staining suggest that the main bulk of the MFM is comprised primarily of neutral mucopolysaccharides with traces of acid mucopolysaccharides on its surfaces. Based on these facts, and on other morphological observations, it is suggested that the MFM is a marginal extension of the cupular zone of the statoconial membrane which has folded back over on itself and, in the process, has sandwiched the statoconial (otolithic⁷) zone between itself and the cupular zone. As a well-developed structure of the avian utricle, the MFM must be considered as a functional component in any biodynamical model of statoconial membrane displacement.     

Communication by a chimpanzee: First-trial mastery of word order that is critical for meaning,but failure to negate conjunctions

A chimpanzee used word order correctly when assessed for production and comprehension of unfamiliar sequences of three signs expressing actual relationships based on the prepositions “behind” and “in”. She also learnt to comprehend “and”, “or” and “not”, but failed to perform according to usage in human languages when “and” and “or” were negated.     

Avian sympathetic cardiac fibers and their cells of origin: anatomical and electrophysiological characteristics

The sympathetic cardiac innervation of the pigeon was investigated to describe certain anatomical and physiological properties of the cardiac nerve fibers and their postganglionic cells of origin. The compound action potential of the right cardiac nerve has two major components, one conducting at 2.0–5.6 m/sec with no chronotropic effect on the heart and the other conducting at 0.4–2.0 m/sec with a cardioacceleratory effect. Postganglionic neurons responding antidromically to cardiac nerve stimulation were then studied in ganglion 14 which contains most cells of origin of the cardiac fibers. These neurons have refractory periods of approximately 4 msec, following frequencies of< 4Hz, and axons conducting at 0.4–2.0 m/sec; this conduction velocity range corresponds to the slower compound action potential component. Electron microscopy of the cardiac nerve revealed unmyelinated fibers ranging in diameter from 0.2 to 1.2 μm and a population of myelinated fibers 1.0–3.6 μm in diameter. The unmyelinated fibers account for the slower compound action potential component and are largely postganglionic cardioaccelerator axons. The myelinated fibers account for the faster compound action potential component which has no chronotropic effect and is not reflected in postganglionic antidromic latencies; it is suggested that these myelinated fibers are cardiac sympathetic afferents. This study thus establishes electrophysiological criteria for identifying cardiac postganglionic neurons and describes the anatomical basis of these criteria.     

Schneider-oriented psychiatric diagnosis in Germany compared with New York and London

It has long been known^1–3 that there were considerable differences in diagnostic rates generated by mental hospitals in America and Britain. However, Kramer⁴ was the first to systematically calculate the rates of various psychiatric diagnostic categories for the two countries. He found that the frequency in England and Wales for schizophrenia was one third lower, and for manic-depressive illness nine times higher, than the rates in the United States. At this point the U.S.-U.K. Diagnostic Project⁵ was designed to discover why such discrepancies existed.The main question posed by the U.S.-U.K. Study⁵ had been: are the reported differences in the diagnostic percentages for mental hospitals in the United States and Great Britain brought about by actual symptomatologic differences in the patients admitted in the two areas, or can diagnostic differences between countries by mainly responsible? The basic conclusion of this study was that the reported differences are largely, though not entirely, due to differences in diagnostic criteria used in New York and London.Another study⁶ indicated that the diagnostic criteria used in London did not differ appreciably from those applied in other English centers. However, it seemed that the broad New York concept of schizophrenia did not extend to Illinois or California,⁷ nor did it reach North Carolina.⁸ There appeared to be a gradient across the United States from east to west, though in California the prevailing concept of schizophrenia was considerably wider than that used in Great Britain.⁹     

Changes in the concentration of somatostatin and substance P in the cerebrospinal fluid following injection of alcohol into the pituitary gland

The concentration of immunoreactive somatostatin and Substance P in the cisternal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with pain due to malignant disease has been measured before and after injection of alcohol into the pituitary fossa. Following the first injection, a rise of 108 +/- 66% in CSF somatostatin levels was observed in 7 out of 13 patients, and a rise of 87 +/- 26% in 4 out of the 5 patients undergoing a second injection. A rise of 179 +/- 99% in levels of Substance P in CSF was observed in 4 out of 8 patients after a single injection. No change in peptide concentration was detected in peripheral plasma. Changes in CSF levels did not correlate with the degree of pain relief obtained, but patients with the greatest increase in somatostatin subsequently developed diabetes insipidus. The data are consistent with our previous experience that injection of alcohol into the pituitary fossa can cause destruction to nervous tissue, in addition to the obvious destruction of pituitary gland tissue. They do not support the suggestion that hypothalamic damage is necessary in order to obtain pain relief.     

Modifications in the psychopathologic definition of schizophrenia—Alterations during the last two decades: Expectations for the future

Since Kraepelin,¹ at the end of the last century, compounded some distinct psychiatric disorders already described by others into a nosological entity that was subsequently named “schizophrenia” by Eugen Bleuler,² discussion on the psychopathological criteria to be employed in diagnosis of this disease has not ceased. The diagnostic guidelines in practice up to the 1960s have, during the last two decades, been subjected to increased questioning, out of which new psychopathological concepts seem to be emerging.     

Multiaxial classification in psychiatry

It looks like carrying coals to Newcastle to speak as a European on multiaxial classification of mental disorders here in the United States because you have just adopted DSM-III, the only official psychiatric classification that has advanced in the direction of multiaxial classification. Furthermore you have had animated discussions on this issue with highly competent contributions by authors such as—to mention only a few—Juan Mezzich, Robert Spitzer, John Strauss.^8,9,12,13Therefore, I intend to stress some historical points of view on conceptual implications in my comment on multiaxial classification in psychiatry. This comment refers partly to a background paper that I prepared together with John Strauss for the new program of WHO on further development of diagnosis and classification of mental disorders.¹⁴     

A logical analysis of disease concepts

In everyday conversation and also in medical discourse we often use phrases that appear perfectly sensible on the surface and yet are of shaky meaning when examined more closely. It then often emerges that we have used phrases which embody past ideas that have long lost all validity. In medical discussions of diseases, such phrases come readily to our minds so that statements are made which, if taken literally, would convey meanings that are not intended, meanings that are only echoes of dead and obsolete theories.Let me quote as an example the statement: “Doctors treat diseases.” At first sight, this statement does not only make sense; it also seems to be factually true. Yet when we stop to think, doubts arise. The meaning of the statement depends on how we understand the word “disease.” Nowadays “disease” designates a concept which is abstracted from attributes that characterize patients and from theories that have been spun around these attributes. Yet concepts cannot be ill in any medical sense nor are they amenable to medical treatment. One can only treat patients or their observable symptoms, but the concepts which medical theories construct from them.     

New antidepressants

The chapter of pharmacotherapy of depression began around 1952 when Robitzek et al.¹ found that the taberculostatic drug isoniazid exerts an effect on mood, an observation which was confirmed by Flaherty.² In the same year, Zeller et al.³ demonstrated the monoamine oxidase inhibiting action of iproniazid. Soon after the antidepressant property of the iminodibenzyl derivative imipramine was recognized by Kuhn.⁴ Since then, a number of tricyclic antidepressants as well as monoamine oxidase preparations were introduced in rapid succession. All these drugs rightly called as the first generation antidepressants have been used with good therapeutic response over the past 25 to 30 yr. While the usefulness of these drugs have been well established over years, some of the shortcomings of the currently available drugs necessitated the search for better drugs.