[Transsexualism as an interdisciplinary phenomenon].

The authors express their criticism on the currently prevailing Polish diagnostic and therapeutic criteria of transsexualism. Relying on their clinical experience and expertise (opinions for the court) as well as current literature, they point to the necessity of a discussion between specialists from various medical fields (psychiatry, sexology, urology, surgery, endocrinology, genetics) and humanistic sciences (psychology, sociology, law, ethics) on this interdisciplinary phenomenon.

Colostrinin (a naturally occurring, proline-rich, polypeptide mixture) in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

This study was designed to confirm or negate findings from earlier trials demonstrating that Colostrinin, a novel compound derived from ewes' colostrum, has potential in the treatment of mild or moderate Alzheimer's Disease (AD). 105 patients were recruited from six psychiatric centres in Poland. The trial consisted of a 15 week double-blind phase comparing Colostrinin with placebo, followed by a second 15 week open labelled phase when all patients received Colostrinin.

[Safety and efficacy of olanzapine versus perphenazine in patients with schizophrenia: results of multicenter, 18-week, double-blind clinical trial].

Aim: The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the severity of extrapyramidal symptoms during treatment with olanzapine (10-20 mg) versus perphenazine (8-40 mg) using the Simpson Angus Scale (SAS). The secondary objective was to assess the safety profile and clinical efficacy of the investigated drugs.

Material And Method: A total of 95 patients with schizophrenia who met the criteria for DSM-IV were randomized to a double-blind, 18 week prospective comparative trail conducted in Poland.

An open-label study to evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of rivastigmine in patients with mild to moderate probable Alzheimer's disease in the community setting.

Background: Long-term safety and efficacy of Exelon (rivastigmine) was evaluated in a multi-center open-label study of 62 patients with probable mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease living in community setting.

Material/methods: The patients started treatment with 1.5 mg bid (3 mg/day) Exelon and were scheduled to receive doses of 1.

[The issue of cults in psychiatry].

The cult indoctrination, mechanisms operating within sects, manipulation techniques and the role of the leader are presented in the article. Authors discuss personality features and situational factors leading to cult-entering and psychopathological effects on cult members. There are also the basics of brainwashing and its efficiency included, followed by the psychiatrists and families position in diagnosing and therapy of cultists.

[Medical student curriculum in psychiatry in Poland].

The author describes present medical student curricula in psychiatry in Polish medical schools based on the questionnaire sent to all the lecturers of the subject in Poland. The questionnaire contained questions concerning the schedule of lectures, seminars and classes (the list of topics) as well as the number of hours of the forms of activities like interpersonal training, discussion groups, internship, etc. We also asked on which year of studies the course in psychiatry took place.

[Psychiatry at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries].

The author makes an attempt at considering the most important achievements in psychiatry which have taken place in the global scale during the passing century, and the direction taken up by the development of global psychiatry in the coming century. The 20th century was characterised not only by the impressive development of science, thanks to which completely new possibilities opened up for global psychiatry, but also by the presence of extreme events that took place as a result of false ideologies such as fascism and communism. In the 20th century concepts like homicide, holocaust, the extermination of the mentally ill, experiments on people that are prohibited by the ethics of medicine and the elementary rules of humanity, etc.

[Against abuse of methodology in psychiatry].

The author argues with methodological requirements of scientific research in psychiatry especially as far as the estimation of the value of new psychotropic drugs is concerned. Periodical withdrawal of the drugs and double blind placebo controlled challenge in endogenous depression and psychosis as well as in pediatric psychiatry and psychogeriatry are considered to be inadmissible. The author warns against the possibility of judicial claim in case of fatal complications in psychiatric patients.

[Problems of psychogeriatrics].

The author discusses the present state and needs of psychogeriatry in Poland. He considers the situation within the period of 33 years, which, in his opinion, has not been distinctly improved in spite of growth of old age disorders and various psycho-social threats connected with economical difficulties. The author discusses shortly the diagnostic criteria as well as the state of research on etiopathogenesis and treatment of the Alzheimer's disease.

[Dependence on serum cortisol level or the severity of intellectual impairment in primary degenerative dementias].

Basal serum cortisol level was measured in patients with primary degenerative dementia. The diagnosis of primary degenerative dementia was made by the DSM-III-R criteria, and the severity of dementia was measured by use the Rosen et. al.

[Changes in thyroid function in primary degenerative dementia processes].

To overcome diagnostic uncertainties in early phases of Alzheimer's disease (pre-senile dementia), the analysis of T-3 and T-4 concentration can be usefully employed. Arising out of the localisation neuropathological findings in Alzheimer type dementia, it could be that hormonal findings perform a useful function as indicators of a change in neurotransmitter activity in this disease.

[Epidemiology and psychopathology of epileptics in Bydgoszca Province registered between 1976 and 1980].

In the years 1976-1980, the province of Bydgoszcz had a total of 2635 registered epileptics, or 0.37% of the entire population, over the age of 16. From these, 200 patients were randomly selected, and between 1983 and 1985 a complats clinical follow-up investigation was carried out.

[The etio-epigenetic nosographic system as an illustration of multiaxial diagnosis in psychiatry].

Basing on earlier work done by Essen-Möller in Sweden, Leme Lopez in Brazil, and Tadeusz Bilikiewicz in Poland, a survey is presented of the development of the concepts known an etioepigenetic psychiatric nosography. The significance of these systems in the classification of mental disorders is illustrated by examples. The etioepigenetic system involves three axes of development methods of the complex structure of the psyche.