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The article discusses psychosis in the mental health community with reference to the British Psychological Report. Topics covered include the definitions of psychosis as confused with neurosis and the "Understanding Psychosis and Schizophrenia" report by the Division of Clinical Psychology of the British Psychological Society. Also mentioned were the distinct uses of psychosis as a term, the antidiagnostic bias of the report and the perceived overuse of antipsychotics.

The article reports on bipolar disorder (BD) and its diagnostic guidelines for efficacy and safety. The International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) argues that because BD requires complex diagnostic judgments, diagnostic agreement and guidelines must precede and guide treatment decisions. Before BD can be effectively treated, its diagnosis must be accurately made, according to the author.

The article discusses the benefits of early pharmacological treatment in Alzheimer's disease (AD). An early diagnosis is crucial in the successful intervention of AD. Although there is no magic cure for AD, pharmacological intervention with antidementia agents can be administered to limit the suffering and maintain reasonable quality of life for patients, the article suggests. Studies showed that patients who received active treatment were better off than patients who did not receive treatment.

Focuses on efforts to study the prevalence of bipolar disorder (BD) in children and adolescents. Links of the disorder to childhood moods; Identification of specific needs for the refinement of BD diagnosis; Treatment options for the condition.

The article offers insight into gender vulnerabilities and sex hormones to anxiety disorders. Topics discussed include the development and persistence of anxiety disorder, role of sex hormones in persistent anxiety, and practical considerations for screening, diagnosis, prevention and treatment. It posits that current understanding of the role of sex hormones in anxiety while increasing is still in its infancy, and if sex-bias in research is not addressed, treatment will be less rigorous.

This article presents clinical reflections on cosmetic psychiatry. It is the mission of psychiatrists to render assistance to any who seek relief from emotional illness. This noble mission, however, does not currently apply to people who seek only subjective perfection. People seeking subjective perfection are discouraged by physicians wielding the persuasive powers of diagnostic definition, no diagnosis or label, no prescription, no pills. It is the use and not the abuse of psychotropic medication that forms the framework of cosmetic psychiatry.

Focuses on controversies regarding subjective illness. Difficulty in evaluating an illness without evidence; Validity of diagnosis without evidence; Discrepancy between the subjectivity of suffering and the observation basis of modern science.

Presents a case study of a man who was brought to a psychiatric clinic by his wife. Psychiatric history of the patient; Changes in the personality of the patient; Diagnosis of Hallervorden-Spatz syndrome.

The article discusses diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the African American population. Topics explored include psychosocial and environmental issues that need to be acknowledged in assessing ADHD symptoms in this population, studies which investigated racial disparities in ADHD diagnosis, and the compliance of this population to prescribed medication for ADHD.

Larry B. Silver, M.D. American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc.; Washington, D.C., 2004 262 pages - $32.95 Reviewed by Craig Surman, M.D. Larry B. Silver, M.D., brings over 30 years of experience [...]

An introduction to a journal section is presented which discusses the evolution, manifestation, and treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

This article focuses on neuropsychiatry. Neuropsychiatry is a concept that has undergone continuous evolution over 150 years. Over these years this term has had widely disparate meanings. Today most regard neuropsychiatry as a subspeciality of psychiatry that focuses on the caring on the behavioral, cognitive and emotional symptoms of patients who suffer from what are conventionally regarded as neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, stroke, traumatic brain injury and multiple sclerosis. As a group, these three papers comprise representative samplings of the avalanche of opportunity brought about by contemporary basic and clinical neuroscience discovery in the more sensitive and valid diagnosis and effective treatment of people who suffer from mental illnesses. On June 30, 2004, the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialities (UCNS) wrote to the presidents of the American Neuro-psychiatric Association and the Society for Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology to inform them that there joint application for a neurological subspecialty area had been approved. Formal accreditation processes for fellowships and certification processes for neuropsychiatry and behavioral neurology will be established through the auspices of the UCNS.

Presents information on a test that can detect Alzheimer's disease in much earlier stages. Description of the test; Identification of abnormal brain proteins; Assessment of memory impairment in patients.