Distinguishing Law and Ethics: A Challenge for the Modern Practitioner
December 1st 2002Discussions of psychiatric ethics often devolve into discussions of applicable law. Although ethics is often operationalized by a society's laws, ethics differs dramatically in its foundations, framework and purpose.
Health Care Faces Malpractice Crisis
November 1st 2002As the economic boom of the'90s slows down, more and more insurance companies are realizing less profit. As a result, physicians find it more difficult to get the malpractice insurance they need; when they do find it, it is usually at a higher cost.
Commentary Investigating Psychiatric Abuses
November 1st 2002Is history repeating itself? Has China taken up the political abuse of psychiatry by adopting the methods that made the Soviet Union infamous? That is the claim now being made by human rights groups who are calling on organized psychiatry to intervene.
Using Complementary Treatments
November 1st 2002The promise of natural products as possible sources of new treatments for Alzheimer's disease and other dementing illnesses is on the rise. Scientific evidence for the 13 dietary supplements most commonly used for memory impairment is analyzed and evaluated.
The Role of B Vitamins, Homocysteine in AD and Vascular Dementia
November 1st 2002Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating and debilitating neurodegenerative condition, and the most common cause of dementia among the elderly. Despite considerable advances in the cellular and molecular biology of AD, however, little progress has been made in identifying the causes of the disease.
Taking a New Look at Psychosis in Alzheimer's Disease
November 1st 2002Patients with Alzheimer's disease and psychosis often have a more severe course of illness, with higher incidence of caregiver burden and hospitalization. Differentiating this disorder from Alzheimer's disease uncomplicated by psychosis is key to maximizing more positive outcomes.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Theory, Clinical Trials and Safety Issues
October 1st 2002Deficient omega-3 fatty acids can result in myriad pathological changes including altering the central nervous system. Their balance or imbalance changes receptor function, prostaglandin and cytokine production. Understanding the roles of these essential fatty acids is vital to remedying the fatty acid abnormalities found in a number of psychiatric disorders.
Geriatric Depression: Does Gender Make a Difference?
October 1st 2002More women than men are diagnosed with depression. Yet, men who are troubled by depression are also more likely to die, even when suicide is removed from the factors of consideration. Vascular depression, hyperintensities within the brain, physiological changes and late-life onset provide both insight and more questions into the nature of depression and this enigmatic paradox.
Supreme Court Decision Raises New Ethical Questions for Psychiatry
September 1st 2002The U.S. Supreme Court's decision on Atkins v. Virginia has transformed the capital punishment landscape for the mentally retarded. This decision also marks an important step in evaluating the competency of death row inmates of any mental capacity. What could be the future outcomes of this landmark decision?
Attendees Consider New Therapies At Annual American College of Neuropsychopharmacology Meeting
September 1st 2002Noting the frequent unresponsiveness of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to standard drug treatments, Stein and colleagues reported results of the first double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of an adjunct to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for the treatment of this disorder.
Help for Psychiatrists Who Lose a Patient to Suicide
September 1st 2002Beyond the threat of malpractice suits, losing a patient to suicide can be one of the most profoundly disturbing experiences of psychiatrists' professional careers. Yet, there is sparse literature on the occurrence and scant attention given to it in residency training programs (Gitlin, 1999).