Diptera of Canada.

The Canadian Diptera fauna is updated. Numbers of species currently known from Canada, total Barcode Index Numbers (BINs), and estimated numbers of undescribed or unrecorded species are provided for each family. An overview of recent changes in the systematics and Canadian faunistics of major groups is provided as well as some general information on biology and life history.

Late-onset-psychosis: cognition.

Background: The objectives of the study were to characterize and compare the cognitive profile and natural evolution of patients presenting late-onset psychotic symptoms (LOPS: onset ≥ 50 years old) to those of elderly patients (≥ 50 years old) with life-long/early-onset schizophrenia (EOS: onset <40 years old).

Methods: Neuropsychological profiles of 15 LOPS patients were compared to those of 17 elderly EOS patients and to those of two control groups (n = 11/group). The evolution of the two patient groups was compared using an independent diagnostic consensual procedure involving a geriatric psychiatry physician/clinician and a neuropsychologist blinded to the initial psychiatric diagnosis.

Insights from the examination of verbal and spatial memory errors in relation to clinical symptoms of patients with recent-onset schizophrenia.

Introduction: Memory deficits in patients with schizophrenia (SZ) are considered as a key feature of the clinical manifestations of the disease. In order to further examine the role and nature of memory deficits in SZ, the pattern of errors in verbal and spatial serial recall tasks committed by SZ patients was compared to that of healthy controls. We also tested the relationship between these memory errors and clinical symptoms.

Fine motor dexterity is correlated to social functioning in schizophrenia.

Objective: To identify neuropsychological domains, including fine motor dexterity, that are related to social functioning in schizophrenia.

Method: Thirty-six DSM-IV schizophrenic subjects were assessed using the Purdue Pegboard test, the Modified Wisconsin Card Sorting test, the Tower of London, Schwartz' Reaction Time and Wechsler's Associate Learning and Digit Span tests. Social functioning was measured by the Social and Occupational Functional Assessment Scale.

Disruptive vocalizations: a means to communicate in dementia?

Disruptive vocalizations (DVs) constitute a serious problem in geriatric nursing homes. The current literature suggests that DV can be interpreted as a way for demented persons with language limitations to communicate with others. In an attempt to test this hypothesis, 59 participants were recruited from six nursing homes to form two groups: one group of individuals with preserved language skills (PLS) and another group with altered language skills (ALS).

A pilot neuropsychological study of Kraepelinian and non-Kraepelinian schizophrenia.

Objective: This is the first study to report a direct comparison of neuropsychological performance in Kraepelinian vs. non-Kraepelinian schizophrenia (SZ).

Methods: 17 Kraepelinian and 19 non-Kraepelinian subjects were assessed on a neuropsychological battery including the Purdue Pegboard, Schwartz' Reaction Time task, the Modified Card Sorting Test, the Wechsler's Associate Learning Test and the Digit Span.