New type of spinocerebellar degeneration syndrome in a northern Swedish population

A follow-up investigation of 24 patients with hereditary spasticity in a geographically isolated northern Swedish population, first examined by Böök (1953), was performed. Fifteen of them were dead. During the period from 1950–1972 five new cases of spastic syndromes were diagnosed in this population. The patterns of clinical symptoms and the genetic associations between the new and 24 previously reported patients with spastic syndromes were analyzed. Three of the five new cases had a specific syndrome. This starts in the first years of life with ataxia, which is followed by dysarthria, spasticity and jerky intention tremor. Initially the patients are mentally normal, but there seems to be slight mental deterioration through the years. The disorder is a progressive spinocerebellar degeneration with autosomal recessive inheritance.     

People with intellectual disability, sensory impairments and behaviour disorder: a case series

Background Sensory impairments (SIs) are more prevalent in people with intellectual disability (ID). Both conditions lead to higher rates of emotional and behavioural problems than in the general population. The identification of psychiatric disorders in this group can be difficult, particularly in those with severe ID and limited communication skills. Method The present paper presents a series of 18 case reports of individuals with ID, SI and behavioural problems. Results The majority of cases were young male caucasians with congenital rubella syndrome and autistic spectrum disorder, referred because of self‐injurious behaviour (SIB) or aggression. Nine cases were treated with autidepressants, five underwent environmental changes and two had medication reduced. All showed some improvement. Conclusions The benefits of comprehensive assessments, the use of standardized assessment tools and trials of treatments are discussed in the context of making psychiatric diagnoses.     

癔症性精神障碍与癫癎性精神障碍临床及脑电图对照分析

目的：观察癔症性精神障碍与癫痫性精神障碍的临床及脑电图特点并对照分析。方法：采用日本光电5214脑电图系统，按照国际10～20系统标准放置电极，进行单极双极、过度换气、闪光试验测试的描记方法检查脑电图。结果：两组病人各30例，癔症性精神障碍组边缘状态2例，轻度异常2例，中度异常及重度异常无1人。而癫痫性精神障碍组边缘状态10例，轻度异常4例，中度异常及重度异常共12例。结论：虽然两组临床发作相似，但有明显差异，癫痫性精神障碍组EEG阳性率明显升高，疗效差。癔症性精神障碍组EEG无一例中度异常或重度异常，治疗效果好。     

武警部队医学生心理健康状况调查

目的　了解武警部队医学生心理健康状况 ,探讨增进武警部队学员心理健康的对策。方法　采用症状自评量表 (SCL - 90 )为工具 ,对随机抽取的 312名武警医学生进行心理健康状况测试。结果　武警医学生SCL - 90各项因子分普遍低于武警军人组和国内常模青年组 (P<0 .0 5 ) ;总均分 1.39± 0 .34,低于武警军人组 (1.4 7± 0 .4 2 ,P <0 .0 1)。结论　武警医学生心理健康状况优于武警军人和国内常模青年组。但仍存在问题 ,部队教育工作者应根据武警院校学员特点 ,积极开展心理卫生教育 ,以提高军校学员整体心理素质     

Effects of occupational exposure and smoking on respiratory symptomatology and PFT in healthy panelists and COPD patients

A panel of 377 healthy adults and 920 COPD patients aged 30–65 years, is annually interviewed (ATS-NHLI health questionnaire) and performs pulmonary function test (PFT), which includes: FVC, FEVI, FEVl/FVC, PEF, FEF50 and FEF75. Baseline data analysis showed a more significant excess in respiratory symptmos (8.8% to 21.4%) and lower PFT (2.4% to 8.0%) among patients occupationally exposed to dust, than among healthy exposed panelists (-0.7% to 7.7% excess symptomatology and -0.3 to 5.8% lower PFT). Among patients a significant correlation between PFT and degree of occupational dust exposure was found. Significantly lower FEVl/FVC and excess in respiratory symptoms (with relative risks of 2.47–16.38) was present in healty smokers vs. non smokers as compared with COPD patients.Corresponding author.     

A nationwide representative sample of treatment-seeking alcoholics: a study of psychiatric comorbidity

In order to elucidate the psychiatric comorbidity of patients in alcohol and other substance use disorder treatment we examined a representative sample of such patients in Iceland (249 men and 102 women). Over 70% of pure alcoholics and over 90% of polysubstance users had comorbid diagnoses, a prevalence higher than in the Epidemiological Catchment Area study in the United States, but similar to clinical studies from North America. The most prevalent disorders were: affective (33%), anxiety (65%), antisocial personality disorder (28%) and psychosexual dysfunction (20%). Pure alcoholics and polysubstance users in studies on psychiatric comorbidity should be separated. Anxiety and affective disorders influence treatment seeking. Findings concerning the impact of psychiatric comorbidity on course should be comparable between North America and Europe.     

Road traffic noise around schools: a risk for pupil's performance?

Summary Noise levels around educational centres can negatively affect the performance of both teachers and pupils. Two public schools in Valencia, Spain, were selected for study. One of these schools was exposed to excessively high road traffic noise levels while the other was located in a relatively quiet area. The socioeconomic level of those attending the schools was very similar. A set of external and internal noise measurements were carried out, along with two different attention tests among the children. Test results were consistently better (both for tests and for children from different classrooms in each school) in the quiet school. Exposure to high traffic noise levels in the noisy school over the whole school year is a plausible determinant of these results.     

Changing helplessness to coping: an exploratory study of social skills training with individuals with long-term mental illness

The primary purpose of this study was to apply an occupational therapy programme for social skills training based on a cognitive-behavioural frame of reference to individuals with long-term mental illness. The goal of the social skills training group was to enable patients to develop verbal and non-verbal communication skills that could be generalised to everyday interpersonal encounters. A case example of the application of social skills training with a 38-year-old single male with a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia is described. The Group-Interaction Skills Survey developed by the author served as an outcome measure. Qualitative data confirmed the researcher's hypothesis that individuals with long-term mental illness can benefit from social skills training using a combination of role-playing, sociodrama, videotape recordings and creative media. Copyright © 1996 Whurr Publishers Ltd.     

精神分裂症强迫症状的治疗对照研究

采用随机对照的方法，对氯丙咪嗪、氯丙嗪、氯丙咪嗪并氯丙嗪治疗９１例精神分裂症伴发的强迫症状的治疗剂量、起效时间、疗效、副作用进行了研究。结果：氯丙咪嗪的平均治疗量１６３．６８±１７．７６ｍｇ／ｄ，氯丙嗪的平均治疗量７５６．７５±２６．５７ｍｇ／ｄ。氯丙咪嗪，氯丙咪嗪并氯丙嗪治疗精神分裂症的强迫症状疗效显著优于氯丙嗪（Ｐ＜０．０１）。起效时间为１周。氯丙嗪组和氯丙咪嗪并氯丙嗪组的锥体外系副作用比氯丙咪嗪组显著。     

下体负压晕厥前症状下事件相关电位变化特征

目的探讨下体负压晕厥前症状（ＰＳＳ）下事件相关电位（ＥＲＰｓ）的Ｐ３潜时（Ｐ３Ｌ）变化特征，为飞行员加速度性晕厥的医学鉴定提供实验方法和依据。方法用下体负压方法（ＬＢＮＰ）诱发ＰＳＳ，观察ＥＲＰｓ的Ｐ３Ｌ变化特征。结果出现ＰＳＳ时，ＥＲＰｓ的Ｐ３Ｌ由３４３．３５±１４．７２ｍｓ延长至５０６．８７±３７．４４ｍｓ（Ｆ（６，４８）＝１４．９６，Ｐ＜０．０５，ＯＺ电极），相关任务反应时（ＲＴ）由５０８．６５±１１．１３ｍｓ延长至６３１．２５±２９．１６ｍｓ（ｔ＝２．９７，Ｐ＜０．０５），靶刺激反应错误率由（４．００±１．６７）％增加至（４３．３８±３．５４）％（ｔ＝３．０６，Ｐ＜０．０５）。ＰＳＳ后第５ｍｉｎ，Ｐ３Ｌ仍明显高于基线值（Ｐ＜０．０５）。而ＲＴ、错误率与基线值已无显著差异（Ｐ＞０．０５）。结论ＥＲＰｓ的Ｐ３Ｌ结合ＲＴ、错误率等指标对飞行员加速度性晕厥的研究有潜在应用价值。