Sustained Attention and Executive Functioning in remitted Adolescents with Bipolar Disorder

The concept of bipolar disorder grew out of Emil Kraepelin‘s classification of Manic depressive insanity, when differentiated it from Dementia Precocox. Kraepelin described manic depressive insanity as a cyclic illness that leads to dysfunction only during the illness period and has relatively better prognosis (Kraepelin, 1904). However, bipolar illness has been known since ancient times as description of mania like state can be found in the writings of Hippocrates...

Neurobiology of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Once considered a rare condition, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is now recognized as a severe and often chronically disabling illness affecting 1% to 3%of the world's population (1) Apart from the initially dominant psychodynamic and behavioural understanding, biological understanding of the disabling condition got impetus after the advent of successful clinical trials of OCD with clomipramine. In the past two decades, there has been a considerable advance in understanding the biological underpinnings of OCD with emergence of various hypothetical models. Some of the views have raised questions over existing beliefs, too. Thus, to have an insight into the risk, phenomenology, pathophysiology and treatment implications of OCD, there is a need to know the neurobiological mechanism mediating it.

Nonconvulsive Status Epilepticus

For most clinicians, status epilepticus brings to mind a state of ongoing convulsions, often with marked morbidity and mortality. Less well recognized are ongoing epileptic seizures with little or no evidence of convulsion. Such states, often with mild or minimal obtundation, are some of the more difficult conditions to diagnose, especially early in their course. In January, 1888, Charcot in France made a connection between epileptic states and ongoing confusion In 1901, Gowers stated, that after epileptic fits, the patient may pass into a condition of mental automatism, in which various acts are performed in an apparently conscious manner, but of which no recollection is retained afterwards. It was not until the advent of EEG and Lennox's description in 1938 of his cousin who had continuous spike-wave activity that non-convulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) was demonstrated.

Multiple Personality Disorder: A Fact or Fiction

Multiple personality disorder (MPD) or Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is one of the most amazing and unusual mental conditions known. It is the ultimate dissociative disorder, chronic in nature and without proper treatment may become a lifelong process, though it may manifest itself differently over the lifetime of an individual (Kluft, 1985).  The existence of apparently separate and autonomous alter personalities, exchanging control over an individual’s behaviour, elicits intense fascination in some and protests and disbelief form others.  The existence of these entities raises questions about fundamental assumptions of the unity of personality and the structure of consciousness. The wide variety of symptoms commonly found in MPD includes most of the types of symptoms found in all of the psychiatric disorders combined.  Thus, to find out what is MPD a fact or fiction we will discuss various aspects of MPD/DID in some detail.

Neuropathology And Assessment Of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) refers to a specific type of recent memory loss characterizing trouble remembering recently learned information or knowledge, forget appointments, difficulty in identifying familiar faces, may frequently misplace items and repeating the same questions. People who are experiencing forgetfulness and are concerned about MCI should undergo a medical evaluation. To an extent it will help us to rule out and treat potentially reversible conditions like disorders of the thyroid or parathyroid gland, intracranial space occupying processes, vitamin deficiencies, kidney and liver disorders, and emotional problems such as depression, which can also cause forgetfulness like MCI.

Life Events and Psychiatric Disorders

Researchers have long been interested in understanding how individuals and environments affect each other, primarily so as to describe and explain age – related behaviour and individual differences. One focus has been to study life events. A life event is indicative of or requires a significant change in the ongoing life patterns of the individual. According to Settersten and Mayer (1997), "A life event is a significant occurrence involving a relatively abrupt change that may produce serious and long lasting effects". It refers to the happening itself and not to the transitions that will occur because of the happenings.

Personal Values Questionnaire

The PVQ measures the importance individuals attach to three social values or conscious drivers of behaviour: Achievement, Affiliation and Power. A PVQ profile will describe the extent to which test-takers consciously rate these values. It offers illuminating information on what matters to an individual; where they are likely to invest their energies; whether they fir their chosen job role, and how then can improve this fit.