Psychotic Arousal and the Psychopathology of Acute Schizophrenia: An Exploratory Study of the Experiential Emotional State in Acute Psychosis.

: Increasing research data suggest that the dysfunction of emotional brain systems may be an important contributor to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. However, contemporary psychopathology consistently underestimates the role of emotions in the phenomenology of the disease. Psychotic arousal (PA) is a conceptually defined psychopathological construct aiming to portray the experiential emotional state of acute psychosis.

Approaching delusional misidentification syndromes as a disorder of the sense of uniqueness.

Co-occurrence of the different types of delusional misidentification syndromes (DMS) implies a common pathogenetic substrate. Until now, theoretical explanations have strained to produce a collective approach, but have been trammeled by the initial definition of the syndromes (Capgras/Fregoli) that originated from the attribution of causal significance to the element of familiarity towards the misidentified object. In this article, we present two cases illustrating the co-occurrence of the syndromes and we attempt to propose a new approach to DMS.

Physical anhedonia in the acute phase of schizophrenia.

Background: The aim of the current study is to investigate the relationship between physical anhedonia and psychopathological parameters, pharmacological parameters or motor side-effects in a sample of inpatients with schizophrenia in an acute episode of their illness.

Method: Eighty one patients with schizophrenia, consecutively admitted, with an acute episode of their illness, at the Eginition Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, University of Athens, during a one-year period were investigated regarding possible relationships between physical anhedonia, social-demographic data and clinical parameters as well as motor side-effects, induced by antipsychotic agents. All patients were assessed using the Chapman Revised Physical Anhedonia Scale (RPAS), the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Rating Scale for Extrapyramidal Side-Effects (EPSE), the Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale (BARS) and the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS).

Treatment of severe neuroleptic-induced tardive torticollis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this paper is to describe a case of severe neuroleptic-induced tardive torticollis successfully treated with a combination of clozapine, clonazepam and botulinum toxin-A. CASE REPORT: The patient, a 30-year old man with a seven-year history of delusional disorder experienced severe right torticollis with painful tightness of the neck and elevation of the shoulder. At this time he was receiving haloperidol 20 mg, trifluoperazine 5 mg, zuclopenthixol 20 mg and biperidine 4 mg daily.

Toward a European harmonization of psychiatric training: the prospects of residency training in Greece.

The establishment of the European Union increased the need for uniformity of provision of medical care and medical education in European countries. Consequently, common requirements for the specialization in psychiatry have been introduced under the responsibility of a centralized European authority. This article explores the practical impact for countries such as Greece, based on the results of a survey conducted in Greek training institutions.

Psychiatric education: a survey of Greek trainee psychiatrists.

Objective: This survey investigates psychiatric trainees' attitudes regarding specific educational fields, in order to detect possible divergence from the priorities specified by the European Board of Psychiatry (EBP). It also explores certain factors which influence these attitudes.

Method: A structured questionnaire containing 80 randomized educational objectives, which corresponded to 18 basic areas of psychiatric knowledge and competence, was given to 60 psychiatric trainees in 12 psychiatric training institutions in Greece.