Chronic pain and depression: is social support relevant?

This study examined the relationship between social support and depression for 70 patients with chronic back pain. We also explored whether the family environments of these patients related to depression and whether the patients' depression predicted outcome subsequent to involvement in a functional restoration program. The patients completed a battery of psychological questionnaires to assess depression, social support, and family environment.

Predicting outcome from closed head injury by early assessment of trauma severity.

The relationship between severity of head injury and outcome was studied in 96 patients. Severity was assessed based on the level of coma and presence of mass lesion, hemiparesis, skull fracture, and pupil abnormality. Outcome was assessed using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, the Halstead-Reitan neuropsychological battery, and the Glasgow Outcome Scale.

Recovery from severe closed head injuries: repeat testings with the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Battery.

Evaluated 15 adult patients who were suffering severe, coma-producing closed head injuries for neuropsychological and intellectual impairment with the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Battery and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. All Ss were tested shortly after the time of their accidents and were reevaluated at approximately 1 year posttrauma to document residual deficits and rate of recovery. A group of 15 neurologically normal control Ss, matched for age, education, and sex, received the same battery of psychological tests.

Discrimination learning of an instrumental response in individual Drosophila melanogaster.

By using a unique methodology and a versatile series of choice points in two distinct apparatuses, individual Drosophila were shown to possess the ability to learn. This behavior can be controlled by a discriminative stimulus (substrate texture). Following a correct response in the presence of the discriminative stimulus at a horizontal choice point, fruit flies bred for negative geotaxis were given the opportunity to ascend a vertical alley leading to another choice point.