The undeveloped countries: biological psychiatry in India.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to B B Sethi.
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Inherited deficiency of acetaldehyde dehydrogenase type I (ALDH-I) was found in 43% (50/117) of normals, 33% (27/82) of schizophrenics, but only 4% (5/113) of alcoholics among Japanese. The ALDH-I deficiency was never found, however, in 146 mostly schizophrenic subjects from Europe (Basel, Moscow, Zagreb), Australia (Nedlands), India (Lucknow), Morocco (Casablanca) and Mexico (Mexico City). It was demonstrated that ALDH-I deficiency produces the flushing syndrome which inhibits the development of drinking habit and alcohol dependence syndrome.
In the context of a previous WHO collaborative study, six research centers reported that naloxone (0.3 mg/kg) produced significant improvement in symptomatology in neuroleptic-treated patients. In the current Phase II WHO study, repeated (4 days) naloxone (0.3 mg/kg) administration was performed in schizophrenic patients (n = 43) from five WHO collaborating centers using a double-blind, placebo-controlled design. Both naloxone and placebo administrations were associated with significant reductions in symptoms. Naloxone, however, was not superior to placebo. These data are discussed in relation to endorphin hypotheses of schizophrenia.
The paper describes the two-year follow-up results from 323 out of 386 patients fulfilling a modified version of Feighner's criteria for diagnosis of schizophrenia, in Lucknow, Vellore, and Madras. There was remission in 66% of cases. Short duration of illness, consistent compliance with medication, positive attitudes of relatives and neighbours, absence of economic difficulties, increase in religious activities on the part of patients, a rural background, and a non-schizoid pre-morbid personality were associated with good outcome. Features of depression, dangerous behaviour, and absence of agitation were associated with poor outcome.
The enquiry relates to the investigation of 30 cases of obsessive-compulsive neurosis with special reference to the phenomena of hostility and guilt as revealed through Foulds' Five Punitive Scales and the Thematic Apperception Test. Controls consisted of an equal number of subjects suffering from neurotic depression. Analysis reveals acting-out hostility and extrapunitive tendency in the experimental group. No significant difference was found in terms of guilt scores.
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A comprehensive overview of the past and present state of psychiatry in India, as well as of its successes and limitations, is presented. The dregree of awareness and acceptance by different sectors of the Indian population is discussed. The influence of religious beliefs and cultural practices is taken into account. The report also deals with morbidity in patients with various emotional disorders.
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Two hundred fifteen cases (38 males, 177 females) of hysteria were studied, while the investigators kept in view the cultural factors affecting clinical presentations and influencing etiological aspects of emotional disorders. India hysterics of either sex presented with multiple symptoms, usually combinations of physical and psychogenic manifestations. There was no significant difference between clinical presentations as observed in the two sexes. Sensory disturbances, paraplegias, monoplegias were in low frequency. Although a wide range of premorbid personality patterns could be identified in the present study, the most frequently occurring personality in females was hysterical and in males antisocial. Family history and parental deprivation did not appear to offer any relationship towards the occurrence of hysteria.
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