Previous issues

A.R. van Gool, M. Bannink, W.H.J. Kruit, L. Berk

Five cases of psychiatric side effects of cytokines are described. A delirium develops in one patient during combined use of alpha-interferon and interleukine-2. During use of alpha-interferon depressive disorders arise in two patients; a fourth p...

Dissociative Identity Disorder in the Netherlands: A survey of diagnosis and treatment by psychiatrists

H.N. Sno, H.F.A. Schalken

Dissociative Identity Disorder is a controversial diagnosis. Few data are available on the efficacy of treatment modalities. A questionnaire has been mailed to 1,452 Dutch psychiatrists to survey the frequency of the diagnosis, their treatment pra...

New research

Sexuality of hospitalized psychiatric patients: A survey of the personnel

T. Jacobs

In two general psychiatric hospitals, a questionnaire was used to survey the opinions and attitudes of the personnel with regard to the sexuality of hospitalized patients. The respondents (n = 153; response rate of 30%) did acknowledge the importa...

Review article

The treatment of choking phobia: An approach based on the processing of traumatic memories

A. de Jongh, E. ten Broeke

Choking phobia is characterized by fear and avoidance of swallowing foods and liquids. It often develops following an episode of choking on food. This paper shortly reviews te literature on choking phobia, medical and psychiatric differential diag...

The importance of subclinical depressions

P. Cuijpers

Persons with subclinical depressions have depressive symptoms that do not meet the DSM-IV clinical criteria for a depressive disorder. Subclinical depressions are nevertheless relevant in light of the considerable consequences they have for the ge...

Should psychiatry await the solution of the mind-bodyproblem?

H. Koers

This paper adresses the relevant philosophical approaches to the mind-bodyproblem. It is argued that at the current state of affairs no unproblematic solution exists. Interactionism may have its difficulties, the same holds true for idealism and t...

Case report

Monitoring of cognition in an elderly depressed patient during 250 electroconvulsive treatments

M.G.M. Olde Rikkert, V. Wils, H. van Eijck, J. Hoogmoed

A 71 years old lady was treated with over 250 ECTs during 11 years of suffering from therapy resistant depression. Serial neuropsychological tests performed in this case show that maintenance therapy with ECT in the elderly is possible without cog...

Editorial

Serieus onderzoek of marketingstudie?

Comorbidity of psychiatric disorders in the Dutch population: Results of the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study (NEMESIS)

A. Ravelli, R.V. Bijl, G. van Zessen

This contribution presents psychiatric comorbidity rates, as found in the NEMESIS study. NEMESIS is a prospective population (18-64 years) study in the Netherlands with three measurements (1996, 1997, 1999). In the first measurement 7076 people ha...

New research

The prevalence of dementia over age 100

R. Thomassen, H.W. van Schaick, B.A. Blansjaar

All nine persons aged 100 or more in a Dutch town with some 100.000 inhabitants were examined by means of cognitive tests, informant questionnaires and clinical interviews. Formal testing was difficult in most subjects because of visual, auditory ...

Essay

Ethics, etiquette and being a good professional in psychiatry

R.L.P. Berghmans

Medical ethics or health care ethics is still too exclusively concerned with the 'big' problems of and in health care. Outside the domain of this 'big ethics'('quandary ethics') also questions of 'small ethics' ('everyday ethics') exist: the ethic...

Commentary

Comorbiditeit, een dood spoor ?

Sense and nonsense of detection of preschizophrenia

J. van Os

It is not feasible to screen for cases of pre-schizophrenia in the general population. The prevalence of pre-schizophrenia is too low, resulting in insufficient positive predictive value of (combinations of) risk factors. It is shown, however, tha...

Case report

Diagnosis of M. Huntington in cases with unclear family history

A. Bakker, D. Matser, P. Eikelenboom

Three case reports illustrate how the diagnosis of M. Huntington can be obstructed by an obscure, secreted or even negative family history. Conduct disturbances can be considered incorrectly as part of a psychiatric disorder, also in combination w...

Letter to the editor

Psychodynamische psychotherapie en paniekstoornis; een reactie op het redactioneel van Hebbrecht

Brussel, fin de siècle

Cognitive side-effects of lithium; a meta-analysis and proposal for screening

B.M.G. Arts, A. Honig, W.J. Riedel, R.H.W.M. Ponds

In this study a meta-analysis is presented of the literature concerning cognitive effects of lithium in patients with bipolar disorder. Lithium has a detrimental effect on memory and speed of information-processing. This may have negative conseque...

New research

Trends in first admissions to a general psychiatric hospital for patients from urban and rural areas; 1980 to 1993

J. Spijker, J. van Limbeek, J.F.J. Jonkers, W. van Tilburg

In this study is examined whether the relationship found in several Dutch studies between degree of urbanization and admission rate, namely that inhabitants of an area with a higher degree of urbanization are admitted more often, also holds over a...

Review article

The new alliance between psychiatry and old age; Dutch special literature between 1900 and 1995

P.B.M. Robben, G.J.M. Hutschemaekers

In this article the development of the elderly psychiatry is investigated. How did the four building blocks (scientific research, targetgroup, categorical provisions and professionals) developed into a new field of expertise?
In the three research...

Somatoform disorders: Problems in diagnosis and results of treatment

J.P.C. Jaspers

In this article problems in the diagnosis and the effects of treatment of somatoform disorders are described. Diagnostic instruments are scarce. Cognitive behavioural therapy had positive effects in controlled studies. Other possiblities for treat...

A three year follow-up study of two group therapy programs added to lithium prophylaxis of bipolar patients

E.M. van Gent

Group psycho-education for bipolar patients improves compliance. There are in the literature only a few longterm studies. A 10-session group program, without written information (26 patients) was compared with a highly structured 5-session group p...

Letter to the editor

Reactie op 'De effectiviteit van cognitieve en interpersoonlijke therapie bij depressiebehandeling: een meta-analyse'