Depressive syndromes within the scope of schizophrenic diseases

The results of a standardized examination of 135 schizophrenics shows that the "depressive factor" is less pronounced during differential neuroleptic therapy (Clozapin, Haloperidol) and in the control group of schizophrenics receiving no drug treatment. This suggests that the depressive syndrome among schizophrenics is not manifested as a result of pharmaceutical action. The author proposes that neuroleptic therapy tailored to the patient can ameliorate the depressive syndrome observed in schizophrenics. Both psychoreactive and disease specific factors may play a role in the pathogenesis of depression among patients with this disease.     

Clinicogenetic studies within the scope of Leonhard taxonomy

Using conventional genealogical methods and genetic correlation analysis, the author investigates Leonhard's classification of schizophrenias and cycloid psychoses. According to the second of these methods, the systematic schizophrenias and cycloid psychoses definitely diverge on account of the phenotypic correlations, whereas the unsystematic group presumably occupies a median genetic position between the two categories first mentioned.     

Sociology and psychology within the scope of scientific dishonesty

A survey is undertaken based on qualitative analyses of the cases of scientific misconduct from the Danish Committee on Scientific Dishonesty’s first five years of collecting data, with additional information from selected international sources, in which underlying psychological motivations can be judged. An carlier version of this paper was presented at a symposium, Scientific Misconduct. An International Perspective, organised by The Medical University of Warsay, 16 November, 1998.     

Group process studies within the scope of directed dynamic group psychotherapy

Footing on specific pr?misses of Intended Dynamic Group Psychotherapy three different types of development are described on the basis of factor analytical investigations towards the behaviour and experience of the group members and of the therapeut. At a period of 34 sessions of stationary psychotherapy data of 15 groups were comprehended and globally related to the effectivity. There are shown up the problems of therapeuticle behaviour, of indication and of effectivity.     

Loss of smell and taste within the scope of vitamin B 12 deficiency

The article deals with the case of a patient who had a partial gastrectomy and developed a vitamin B12 deficiency syndrome with anemia, myelopathy and complete loss of the senses of taste and smell. Regression of the symptoms followed liberal dosing with vitamin B12.     

Rearing behavior of parents of schizophrenic juveniles]

The educational behavior of parents of schizophrenic juveniles with both favorable and unfavorable prognoses is discussed. The study reported by the author is based upon a three-factor concept of education, which comprises conflictive, laudatory, and fundamental situations. Consequently, parents of schizophrenic juveniles with either favorable or unfavorable prognoses will show different reactions in conflictive, laudatory, fundamental, and abnormal situations. (Statistical evidence of the results was obtained through the use of quality levels.) The results and their possible interpretations are discussed, and recommendations for behavioral or familial therapy, respectively, are given.     

Control of the behavior of schizophrenic patients by food

Operant-conditioning principles using food as a reinforcer were applied to control the behavior of 45 chronic schizophrenic patients. The investigation was conducted in a psychiatric ward in which there was 24-hr environmental control.

In order to use food as a reinforcer for controlling psychotic behavior, it was necessary first to deal with the eating deficits in the patients. Approximately 50% of the ward population was selected because of a history of refusal to eat. Their refusal to eat had remained relatively unaffected by one or more of these treatments: spoonfeeding, tubefeeding, intravaneous feeding, and electroshock. These treatments were discontinued, and the patients were left alone at mealtimes. The results show that social reinforcement in such forms as coaxing, persuading, and feeding the patient tend to shape patients into eating problems so they are conditioned to eat only with assistance. When refusal to eat was no longer followed by social reinforcement, the patients soon started eating unassisted. When access to the dining room was made dependent upon a chain of responses including a motor and social component, all patients learned these responses.

     

Representation of relations between television watching and delinquency within the scope of causal analysis models

The subject of research coucerns causal relationships between variables of consuming home videos and television and different indicators of delinquency ("acceptance of social norms" (NORM-AK), "perceived risk of punishment" (DEL-RISK), "severity of negative consequences" (NEG-VAL), "acceptance of illegitimate means" (ILLEG-M)). Additionally, factors of influence external to media are taken into consideration which are connected with delinquency according to criminologic results, i.e. variables of communication and variables of the family life and the structure of the family. The model is tested by a sample of N = 305 male pupils of a Regensburg vocational school with methods analysing causality ("2-Stage-Least-Square" (2-SLS) and "Latent variables path analysis with partial least squares estimation" (LVPLS)). The 2-SLS-estimates largely confirm the causal relationships supposed in the model. The results are, three significantly positive indirect connections from the preference for violence of home videos to the main indicator of delinquency ILLEG-M (by way of the variables "consumption of home videos" put on the Index, NEG-VAL and DEL-RISK). The direct influence of the preference for violence on television on ILLEG-M is confirmed, whereas the direct path from the popularity of violent video films to ILLEG-M cannot be proved. The LVPLS-results essentially correspond to the relationship shown by 2-SLS; in addition the LVPLS-estimates also confirm direct causal relationships between the latent variables "consumption of violent video films" and "delinquency proneness".     

The problem of apparent schizophrenic symptoms in juveniles]

In the clinic we frequently come across cases of indistinct accentuated schizophrenic behaviour in youth. We mention here a casuistry which can be considered as a juvenile asthenic denial syndrome with coenaesthetic symptoms. This picture can be differentiated from coenaesthetic schizophrenia, hebephrenia, neurotic symptoms and physical psychoses which can be proven. The problem of differential diagnosis is considered with particular regard to progressive diagnosis.     

Sensory stimulation-induced alpha-rhythm asymmetry of schizophrenic patients

Changes in the alpha-waves produced by the "Berger-reaction" and simultaneously occurring alpha-wave asymmetries were evaluated in 40 right-handed patients with acute paranoid hallucinatory schizophrenia treated without drugs and 55 right-handed controls. Compared to the controls the laterality of alpha-wave in the patients was shifted to the right and increased at the same time. The former change may be due to an increased reactivity of the right hemisphere, while the latter points to a disturbed relationship between the two hemispheres.     

Changes in the gangliosides of erythrocyte membranes of schizophrenic patients

The pattern of gangliosides in membranes of erythrocytes was examined in healthy donors, in acute schizophrenics without neuroleptic treatment and in alcohol-dependent patients. 7 different gangliosides could be detected after extraction, purification by column chromatography and fractionation by TLC. Healthy donors were characterized by the following pattern of gangliosides: GX = 5.8%, GT1b = 6.7%, FucGD1b = 5.2%, und GD1a = 12.6%, GD3 = 9.2%, SPG = 43.5% and GM3 = 17.0%. In schizophrenic patients the GM3- and GD3-fraction were increased. No difference was found between the control group and the alcoholics.     

Determination of fucokinase activity in the blood of schizophrenic patients

An investigation was conducted into whether dopamine induces an alteration in the fucolysation of glycoproteins, starting from the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia and taking the fucokinase activity determined in erythrocytes of schizophrenic patients as parameter. As with patients with "schizoaffective psychosis" and those with manic-depressive disorders, who were likewise examined, it was found that the enzyme activity of schizophrenic patients was no different than that found in the blood of a control group.