Concurrent psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy in the treatment of depression and anxiety in cancer patients.

Over the past 30 years, numerous studies have compared the relative effectiveness of psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, and concurrent therapeutic approaches in treatment of common psychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety. Generally, these studies have demonstrated that the combined approach is somewhat more effective in treating the disorder in question, as well as in preventing relapse. A number of theories regarding the reasons for this finding have been proposed.

The behavioral-cognitive model of pain.

In the elderly patient, for whom pain can be quite complex and multidimensional, a careful assessment of sensory and psychosocial contributions to the pain experience is important. This analysis will allow for the selection of a comprehensive pain regimen that includes behavioral-cognitive techniques. When carefully chosen, and presented in a manner consistent with the patient's cognitive capabilities, psychological techniques afford the elderly patient enhanced self-esteem and self-control without the addition of potentially harmful side-effects.

The Transplant Evaluation Rating Scale. A revision of the psychosocial levels system for evaluating organ transplant candidates.

Psychosocial criteria play an important role in evaluating organ transplant candidates. The Transplant Evaluation Rating Scale (TERS) classifies patients' level of adjustment in 10 aspects of psychosocial functioning that are thought to be important in adjusting to transplantation. On the basis of pretransplant psychiatric consultations, 35 liver transplant recipients received retrospective TERS ratings.

Nerve conduction studies in chickens given phenyl saligenin phosphate and corticosterone.

Clinical signs of delayed neuropathy were induced in adult white leghorn chickens given the organophosphorus ester phenyl saligenin phosphate (PSP, 2.5 mg/kg im) 22-24 d before assessment of nerve conduction parameters. Damage to the myelinated sensory portion of the sciatic nerve was indicated by abnormal compound action potentials in treated chickens.

The effects of movements on caudate sensory responses.

The aim of this experiment was to assess the effects of movement on somatosensory processing in the caudate nucleus. Units were recorded extracellularly in the caudate of awake partially restrained cats. Unit responses were evoked by either natural stimuli (brushing and skin indentation) or transcutaneous electrical stimulation.