Associations between therapists' verbal techniques and patient-rated therapeutic alliance, insight, and problem solving.

Objective: To investigate associations between common factors (alliance, insight, problem solving) and therapists' techniques. We expected a positive association between (1) supportive techniques and the alliance, (2) interpretative techniques and insight, and (3) a stronger association between interpretative techniques and insight for patients with more severe baseline symptoms. Other associations were analyzed in an exploratory way.

Unsettling Realities of Nazism and the Legacy of the German Neurological Society.

On behalf of the German Neurological Society (DGN), a study was conducted into how far former chairmen, honorary chairmen, and honorary members could be regarded as incriminated from the National Socialist period. While an online supplement of this journal presents seven individual biographies (in six papers) by way of example, this paper offers an overview summarizing the project results and introducing the biographies. The first part and the methodological section discuss the difficulties of retrospectively identifying neurologists involved in the Nazi movement.

Ethical challenges in primary care: a focus group study with general practitioners, nurses and informal caregivers.

Background: General practitioners (GPs), nurses and informal caregivers are often jointly involved in healthcare situations in which ethical issues play an important role.

Objectives: To describe ethical problems from the perspective of these three groups and to investigate whether there is a common experience of ethical issues in primary care.

Methods: We conducted six focus groups with general practitioners, nurses and informal caregivers in Germany.

The role of the State Security Service (Stasi) in the context of international clinical trials conducted by western pharmaceutical companies in Eastern Germany (1961-1990).

Background: After the building of the Berlin Wall in the 1960s, a number of international pharmaceutical manufacturers from the West had their drugs tested in Eastern Germany (GDR). So far, the extensive collection of documents on the subject stored in the archives of the GDR State Security Service (Stasi, MfS) has not been systematically analysed. Until now, the role of the Stasi with respect to the surveillance of the trials has been unclear.

Advance Directives as Support of Autonomy for Persons with Dementia? A Pilot Study among Persons with Dementia and Their Informal Caregivers.

Background: Advance directives could be an important instrument to support a person's will once he/she is not able to consent anymore - if composed competently. A survey was conducted to identify the level of knowledge concerning possibilities and limits of advance directives.

Methods: The study was conducted as part of the Bavarian Dementia Survey (BayDem).

Access to healthcare for undocumented migrants with communicable diseases in Germany: a quantitative study.

Background: Migrants without residence permits are de facto excluded from access to healthcare in Germany. There is one exception in relevant legislation: in the case of sexually transmitted infections and tuberculosis, the legislator has instructed the local Public Health Authorities to offer free and anonymous counseling, testing and, if necessary, treatment in case of apparent need. Furthermore, recommended vaccinations may be carried out free of charge.

Ethics consultation and empathy : finding the balance in clinical settings.

There is no doubt that emotions have an important effect on practices of moral reasoning such as clinical ethics consultation. Empathy is not only a basic human emotion but also an important and learnable skill for health care professionals. A basic amount of empathy is essential both in patient care and in clinical ethics consultation.

Neuropathological research at the "Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fuer Psychiatrie" (German Institute for Psychiatric Research) in Munich (Kaiser-Wilhelm-Institute). Scientific utilization of children's organs from the "Kinderfachabteilungen" (Children's Special Departments) at Bavarian State Hospitals.

During National Socialism, the politically motivated interest in psychiatric genetic research lead to the founding of research departments specialized in pathological-anatomical brain research, the two Kaiser Wilhelm-Institutes (KWI) in Berlin and Munich. The latter was indirectly provided with brain material by Bavarian State Hospitals, to three of which "Kinderfachabteilungen" (Special Pediatric Units) were affiliated. As children became victims of the systematically conducted child "euthanasia" in these Special Pediatric Units, this paper will address the question whether and to which extent the organs from victims of child "euthanasia" were used for (neuro-) pathological research at the KWI in Munich.

Informed consent in clinical practice: pre-registration house officers' knowledge, difficulties and the need for postgraduate training.

In clinical practice consent is often obtained by junior doctors. This study investigates the involvement of pre-registration house officers (PRHOs) in the process of obtaining consent, the supervision they receive and their knowledge on the subject. Some 74% of the PRHOs in post completed the questionnaire; 68% had often or sometimes obtained consent during their year as PRHO; 18% stated that on the occasions when they had obtained consent they were always the only person eliciting consent; 62% of the doctors perceived some lack of knowledge with regard to the nature of the procedure as a difficulty.

Discussing living wills. A qualitative study of a German sample of neurologists and ALS patients.

Patients suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) eventually lose their ability to communicate their treatment preferences in later stages of the disease. A living will enables ALS patients to specify their choices concerning life-sustaining treatment in advance. Our premise was that completion of a living will should be preceded by a discussion between patient and physician.

Breaking bad news: experiences, views and difficulties of pre-registration house officers.

Objectives: To obtain information regarding the involvement of pre-registration house officers (PRHOs) in the discussions on bad news, and the competency and difficulties they perceive in clinical practice.

Design: Structured telephone interviews.

Participants: 104 PRHOs.

Competence of mentally ill patients: a comparative empirical study.

Background: This study investigates the competence of patients with dementia, depression and schizophrenia to make treatment decisions. The outcome of an objective test instrument is presented and compared with clinical assessment of competence by the attending physician.

Method: The MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool-Treatment (MacCAT-T), a test instrument to assess abilities in different standards of competence, was administered to patients with diagnoses of dementia (N = 31), depression (N = 35) and schizophrenia (N = 43).

Santiago Ramón y Cajal's concept of neuronal plasticity: the ambiguity lives on.

Parallel to his well-known work on the microarchitecture of the CNS, Santiago Ramón y Cajal conducted various investigations of its de- and regenerative capacities. However, Ramón y Cajal's theoretical stance on the issue remains rather ambiguous and can even be assumed to reflect modern views on the potential of structural plasticity in the CNS.