American Journal of Psychiatry

Arana, GW; Barreira, PJ; Cohen, BM; Lipinski, JF; Fogelson, D

doi: N/Apmid: 6625007

Dexamethasone suppression tests were given to 69 consecutively admitted psychiatric patients. Nonsuppression rates for depression with or without melancholia and for schizophrenia were similar to those previously reported, but for mania and other psychoses the frequencies were higher

Knesevich, JW; Zalcman, SJ; Clayton, PJ

doi: N/Apmid: 6625003

Forty-nine probands, diagnosed according to objective diagnostic criteria as having good- or poor-prognosis schizophrenia, were interviewed 6 years after being diagnosed to assess outcome measured by the Strauss-Carpenter outcome scale, global ratings made by experienced clinicians, and Feighner criteria. The majority of poor-prognosis probands were doing poorly, had a higher than expected number of suicides or probable suicides, and had evidence of organic impairment. The authors conclude that poor prognosis can be accurately predicted when longitudinal factors are embedded in the diagnostic criteria and that clinicians should be aware of the substantial

STEVEN C. DILSAVER and JOHN F. GREDEN

doi: N/Apmid: N/A

Korgeski, GP; Leon, GR

doi: N/Apmid: 6624989

The authors examined the relationship between 100 Viet Nam veterans' self-reported and objectively determined exposure to the herbicide Agent Orange and the relationship between self- or objective ratings and self-reported psychological and medical problems. Veterans who believed they had been exposed reported more psychological and medical problems than the other veterans but did not differ on "success at living" indices; the medical problems many reported suggested psychosomatic etiologies. Grouped according to objective ratings of herbicide exposure, the veterans did not show such differences in psychological or medical problems. No differences on neuropsychological testing appeared, no matter how the subjects were

JAMES MORRISON

doi: N/Apmid: N/A

DONALD W. GOODWIN

doi: N/Apmid: N/A

Murthy, RS; Wig, NN

doi: N/Apmid: 6624997

Part of the WHO collaborative study is the training of general health workers to provide mental health services. The authors describe the training program used in Raipur Rani, chandigarh, India, to train medical ancillaries (called peripheral health workers). Training methods used were based on evaluation of 1) Workers' existing knowledge of and attitudes toward mental health problems, 2) existing training materials, 3) the need for new training materials, and 4) the support and supervision workers needed to carry out their duties. Use of the workers has greatly increased

BARRY LISKOW

doi: N/Apmid: N/A

GR Bailie, MV Nelson, and T Lesar

doi: N/Apmid: N/A

Grassian, S

doi: N/Apmid: 6624990

Psychopathological reactions to solitary confinement were extensively described by nineteenth-century German clinicians. In the United States there have been several legal challenges to the use of solitary confinement, based on allegations that it may have serious psychiatric consequences. The recent medical literature on this subject has been scarce. The author describes psychiatric symptoms that appeared in 14 inmates exposed to periods of increased social isolation and sensory restriction in solitary confinement and asserts that these symptoms form a