Exceptional musical performance in early childhood catatonia

Many years ago the author, jointly with a psychologist, described a patient who, in spite of her alleged idiocy, showed an exceptional musical capacity. However, in the meantime the author has recognized and described early childhood catatonics and, as a consequence of this new knowledge, he has to admit an error. Even according to our then findings it would have been identifiable that, as has been confirmed now by follow-up, the patient is suffering from catatonia, starting in infancy. The high musical performance, then arousing our greatest astonishment, is now explicable, for childhood schizophrenics do not develop general mental deficiency but only specific circumscribed deficits.     

Has the cataphasic form of schizophrenia increased in modern times?

According to our investigations the incidence of cataphasia, which is a subtype of schizophrenia, has become more common in the last years and on average, has started earlier in life. As the central disorder of this illness concerns thinking perhaps there exists a relation of our finding to the rapid modern development of techniques, insofar as the cognitive function is overstrained in childhood and adolescence, when the nervous system has not matured yet. Introverted individuals seem to be at a particular risk. However, it must not be disregarded that cataphasia is an inherited illness which cannot be caused by external influences, but can only be promoted in its manifestation.     

Hypertonic central nervous system complications from the viewpoint of the pathologist

Based on 2130 autopsies with a hypertension it is reported on the hypertensive CNS-lesions. The frequency of encephalomalacia was 12%. By 9.7% was founded brain haemorrhages. The relapse rate of haemorrhages was about 5%. The encephalomalacia existed by way of secondary finding in 24.7%, and the haemorrhage in 2.2%. The investigations showed an important arteriosclerosis by 39.8% in haemorrhages and by 51.6% in brain infarct. It was remarkable by the hypertensive brain haemorrhages a dominant right hemisphere.     

Ulnar sulcus syndrome--a contribution to course and prognosis

Of 1028 patients with 1138 peripheral nerve lesions, 142 suffered from an electrophysiologically proven SUS. At follow-up, 93 patients could be restudied. Spontaneous regressions were observed in patients below the age of 40 years and in case of a history under 6 months. So-called late pareses receded in no case without operative displacement of the ulnar nerve. However, if the etiology is unknown, the present results of investigation require reserve towards operative therapy.     

Communication-promoting exercise therapy in a closed male psychiatric ward

The use of the communication-promoting gesture therapy in a locked psychiatric men's ward led to the result, that a part of the restlessness and aggression potential of the patients could be commuted into a constructive social behaviour. Simultaneous increased frankness and confidence of patients in physicians and male nurses. A tied group doesn't seem to be a condition for that.     

Subjective factor in EEG evaluation exemplified by the nonspecific hyperventilation effect

Subjective differences in EEG evaluation are demonstrated by means of a seven step scale for grading the unspecific hyperventilation effect in 3263 EEG of children. Intermediate steps of this scale allow to minimize such unavoidable differences.     

Aspects of process diagnosis in the psychotherapy of psychosomatic diseases

15 patients with psychosomatic diseases and the phenomenon of alexithymia, together with neurotic patients are treated psychotherapeutically in half-open groups. Contrary to the neurotics the patients show some special features regarding the process diagnostics. In assessing the wished and really experienced nearness to the group members there is a deficient ability to differentiate. During the therapeutic process the intrapsychic tension (EMI - Inventory of Emotionalities) is subject to great fluctuations or doesn't change. The occurrence of fluctuations in the EMI and of greater differentiations in the N-D-Test (Nearness-Distance-Test) suggest a good prognosis. A therapy of psychosomatic patients together with neurotic patients seems to be more effective than the treatment in homogeneous groups.     

Behavior of visual evoked potentials (pattern reversal VECP) in smokers

Twenty six clinically healthy smokers were studied with transient pattern visual-evoked potentials. In comparison with a sample of "normal" subjects we found a difference of some parameters (P less than 0.05): the P2-latency and the interocular difference of latency on average were 6-7 ms respectively 2 ms larger. Thirteen subjects have had a prolonged P2-latency (P less than 0.05) and/or a difference in interocular latencies larger than 5 ms. These findings may suggest on subclinical disturbances of visual system and indicators of an special sensitivity of that person. The findings are possibly related to tobacco-alcohol amblyopia.