Deep Brain Stimulation in Chronic and Severe Anorexia Nervosa
March 3rd 2014Deep Brain Stimulation is a neurosurgical procedure initially developed for the management of treatment-refractory movement disorders. More recently, the rationale for the use of DBS in anorexia nervosa derives from several sources.
Defining Intellectual Disability: The Case of Hall Versus Florida
March 3rd 2014In March, the Supreme Court will need to set a national standard for the definition of intellectual disability. In doing so they will inevitably have to address a number of complications that arise when clinical constructs, such as intellectual disability, are used in the courtroom.
The First World War and the Legacy of Shellshock
February 28th 2014In the history of psychiatry, the First World War is often identified with the rise of the disorder of “shellshock.” However, many in both the medical community and the military establishment were dubious of the claim that war could produce psychiatric symptoms.
Mental Illness vs Brain Disorders: From Szasz to DSM-5
February 28th 2014Thomas Szasz-a psychiatrist-was a lifelong ferocious critic of the institution of psychiatry. A significant body of discourse on the notion of mental disorder by psychiatrists and non-psychiatrists alike has been centered on understanding and responding to his critique.
Statutes in 8 states are not designed to assure informed decision-making, say these psychiatrists; instead they represent an unprecedented effort by the government to use physician communications as an instrument for discouraging pregnant women from exercising their constitutional right to make their own reproductive choices.
Psychiatry in China: Its Relevance for the US
February 15th 2014Psychiatry in China? Up until about a decade ago, that could have been considered an oxymoron. Yet, just as China has modernized and embraced a Chinese form of capitalism, so psychiatry is becoming modernized in a Chinese form of psychiatry.
Preparing for the Graying of the World: Meeting the Needs of Older Adults
February 14th 2014How will economic development influence management of population aging so that the dignity and rights of older persons are respected and protected, particularly those who are vulnerable because of mental illness, social isolation, or physical debility? Insights here.
Illicit Drug Dependence Across the Globe: Results From the Global Burden of Disease 2010 Study
How prevalent is dependence on amphetamines, cocaine, opioids, and other illicit drugs across the world? What is the associated disease burden? Insights here.
Clinical Features of Sleep-Disordered Breathing
February 4th 2014Sleep-disordered breathing signs and symptoms overlap with mood, anxiety, and other psychiatric illnesses. In some cases, they may masquerade as these disorders, but SDB can also provoke and/or exacerbate other psychiatric conditions. Signs, risk factors, and clinical features in this Tipsheet.