Determination of lithium in serum and saliva of patients with manic-depressive disorder

The slight therapeutic breadth involved means that manic depressive lithium prophylaxis may call for life-long routine management. The lithium/serum-level checks required hitherto are here compared with a non-invasive method, that of determining the lithium level from a mixture of the patient's saliva, a method involving no danger that will eventually assume considerable importance.     

Correlation of morphologic findings (CT) with clinical and relevant EEG findings in adult epileptics

In the Brandenburg Epileptics' Center, 165 adult patients underwent computer tomography diagnosis in addition to the usual neuropsychiatric and EEG findings checklist. The findings were incorporated into the diagnosis of epilepsy. Results are discussed and it is suggested that the inclusion of cranial computer tomography in the diagnosis and the findings checklist would be an optimisation.     

The symptomatic psychosis of Friedrich Nietzsche, made evident by his last attempt at an autobiography

Nietzsche's autobiography gestates neither conflicts, nor life problems, nor matter suppressed from his subconscious, nor are the speech distortions of the schizophrenic patient to be found. In all, analysis allows with certainty the conclusion that is was written by a sick person suffering from a psycho-organic disorder of the kind Bonhoeffer referred to by the general term "symptomatic psychosis".     

Gender differences in conversation topics, 1922–1990

Gender differences in conversation topics were first systematically studied in 1922 by Henry Moore, who theorized that the gender differences in topic choice he observed in a field observation study would persist over time, as they were manifestations of men's and women's original natures. In this paper, I report a 1990 replication of Moore's study, in which similar but smaller gender differences in topic choice are found. In order to explore further the apparent trend toward smaller gender differences, reports of quantitative observation studies conducted between 1922 and 1990 are examined. Other explanations besides change over time—such as variations in conversation setting and audience, target populations, and researcher's intentions—may account for the decline in gender differences in topic choice. Social influences are seen more clearly in the discourse about gender differences in conversation than in gender differences in conversation topics themselves.I am grateful to Renee Anspach, Maria Krysan, Howard Schuman, and Candace West for their many helpful suggestions. I also thank the Research Methods students in Howard Schuman's course who, with Maria Krysan, executed the study described in this paper. The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada provided support for this project.     

Automation and cognition in air traffic control: An empirical investigation

Several investigators have expressed concern that the imminent automation of air traffic control may have negative consequences on cognitive functioning, and ultimately on performance. We investigated these possibilities empirically by comparing normal, conventional air traffic control with an experimental condition designed to resemble an extreme version of automation. Overall, measures of performance were comparable between conditions. Most of the cognitive measures (attentional demands, visual search, recall of flights, recall of flight data) were not impaired by the automation analogue. Instead, two prospective measures (prospective memory, planning) showed improved performance. The prospective memory advantage is particularly surprising given that the automation-analogue group was unable to manipulate external memory aids. Possible reasons for the prospective memory advantage include a reduced workload, which allows the controller to get the necessary information in other ways, and a change in the nature of the task resulting from the “automation” of the strip management module.     

The observing subject and psychophysiological research: An epistemological discourse

Realizing that scientific knowledge was not based on a simple disclosure of reality, but was rather invented and developed in accordance with our own conceptions and prejudices, it should no longer be possible to consider matters as if they existed independently of us out there.Taking as examples the notions of memory and information we try to elucidate the relevance this perspective has with respect to neuro- and psychophysiological research.     

Irma--Emma--Martha--Anna. Some additional comments on presentations by K. R. Eissler and H. Thom?

The author re-examines the significance of the Emma-Eckstein-episode and the Irma-dream with their implications for the theory of psychoanalysis. He follows Eissler and contradicts Schur in his argument that the identity of Irma with Emma cannot be proven and is, in any case, improbable. Neither the proof nor the refutation of this identity are of vital significance for psychoanalytic theory, but only for the suppression of dynamic psychiatry in favour of biological psychiatry.     

Cognitive training in schizophrenic diseases

The comparison of an experimental group of schizophrenic patients undergoing cognitive training with a control group was tested for significance over a total of 23 psychometric features, using the test known as t-distribution or "Students distribution". Cognitive training results in varying degrees of improvement in the various parameters. Uncharacteristic schizophrenic basic disorders remitted significantly, and there was improvement in activity of intention, BP/RS sum score, and the BP/RS factors of anxiety/depression, anergy, and activation. The NOSIE factors of manifest psychosis, irritability, and depression remitted, and social interest improved. From the psychological data it can be concluded that cognitive training can help improve, in particular, cognitive adjustment and adaptability, and the organisation of complex societal conditions.     

Acculturation Attitudes in Plural Societies

Dans les sociétés culturellement diversifiés, les individus peuvent présenter des attitudes relatives à leurs relations avec les autres et les groupes. Ces attitudes (dites "attitudes d'acculturation") sont liées à des prises de position sur deux problèmes généraux posés à toute personne en acculturation: la préservation culturelle de son propre groupe et le contact avec les autres groupes. On définit les attitudes d'assimilation, d'intégration, de séparation et de marginalisation, puis on les mesure dans plusieurs groupes en acculturation d'Australie et du Canada (les indigènes, les immigrants et les groupes ethniques implantés). On donne la validité et la fidélité des échelles d'attitude, puis on analyse les relations des échelles entre elles par rapport aux deux problèmes sous-jacents que sont la préservation et le contact. Enfin, quelques-unes des applications pratiques des attitudes d'acculturation sont envisagées.