New Insight into the Mechanism of Mannitol Effects on Cerebrospinal Fluid Pressure Decrease and Craniospinal Fluid Redistribution.

Intracranial hypertension, which often follows a severe brain injury, is usually treated with intravenous (i.v.) application of hyperosmolar solutions.

Position and role of forensic psychiatry in integrative psychiatry.

The integrative approach to psychiatry has gained more importance in recent years. Is it justified or not, does it improve theory or practice, those are only some of the questions to which we are looking for answers, but in this paper we shall underline the necessity of enrolling forensic psychiatry into integrative, modern psychiatry. The reason and the motive for that integration is the fact that nowadays the content and the activities of contemporary forensic psychiatrists are totally reduced to executing the tasks given by courts.

Alterations in brain activation in posttraumatic stress disorder patients with severe hyperarousal symptoms and impulsive aggressiveness.

Objective: We wanted to assess possible alterations in brain activation in PTSD patients with severe hyperarousal symptoms and impulsive aggressiveness.

Method: 25 Croatian War (1991-1995) veterans with combat-related PTSD with severe hyperarousal symptoms and impulsive aggressiveness were assessed for possible alterations in cerebral blood flow in single photon emission computed tomography brain scans.

Results: Increased regional cerebral blood flow in projection area of nucleus accumbens was found in 13 of 25 subjects, and for all in the dominant brain hemisphere.

[Diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines for posttraumatic stress disorders].

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) presents an important medical and social problem in the Republic of Croatia with prevalence of 10-30% depending on the population. On the basis of our 8-year clinical experience in treating PTSD and detailed analysis of related literature a special team of the Department of Psychological Medicine, Zagreb University Hospital, compiled the proposed guidelines for diagnostics and treatment of PTSD. The established guidelines are independently developed, clinically proven at our Clinic and in terms of custom made procedure world wide unique.

Elimination of phenolsulfonphthalein from the cerebrospinal fluid via capillaries in central nervous system in cats by active transport.

It was recently proposed that organic anions, such as cerebral acidic metabolites and phenolsulfonphthalein (PSP), are eliminated from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by diffusion into the central nervous system (CNS) and further by active transport into capillaries. To test this hypothesis, PSP was injected into cisternal CSF and its distribution into various parts of the CNS was measured 1 and 3 h later in control cats and those pretreated with probenecid, which blocks active transport of organic anions into capillaries. PSP in tissue shows an intensive pink color when exposed to 1 N NaOH.