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Biomedical subjects

S B Billick

Publications and source records attributed to S B Billick.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with [123I]IMP in the differential diagnosis of psychiatric disorders.

Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with [123I]N-isopropyl iodoamphetamine--[123I]IMP--was used to study regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in 94 psychiatric patients and six controls. Patients with dementias had distinct brain-image patterns, consistent with the expected neuropathology. Major depressives had decreased cortical and subcortical rCBF. Increased caudate rCBF was observed in schizophrenics and other psychoses with positive symptoms. SPECT is a practical method of functional brain imaging with potential in the differential diagnosis of neuropsychiatric disorders. Further studies are needed to assess the effect of other variables on brain-image patterns.

AIDS Dementia Complex

Developmental competency.

Society progressively has been giving children and adolescents a greater degree of autonomy in the decisions affecting their own lives. This increase in responsibility has followed the corresponding increases and awareness of their rights and developmental needs. In this article, a review of the historical development of competency in children is presented. The status of current psychiatric thinking and science is reviewed and the areas of much needed future research are addressed. A general schema is proposed for practical application in balancing parental input with increasing self-control of the child's decisions. Developmental competency of children is a difficult and complex issue that requires careful attention in its assessment.

Adolescent