Encephale
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Although they are likely to add their effects, physical and psychic traumata (or traumas) can provoke in different ways the appearance of depressive symptoms sometimes common. Post-traumatic depression, reactional depression, major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder represent different clinical and nosographic disorders in despite of their occasionally common symptomatic core. Historically, it is interesting to note during the XXth century the true semantic change of the terms of trauma from the somatic field to the psychic sphere. ⋯ For others, there would be a continuity between post-traumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder. It is the case in many studies of veterans but also for civilian traumatic events. It is also the case for the American national study of comorbidity in which Kessler concludes that for 78% of the subjects who present a comorbidity PTSD/MDD (comorbidity raised for 48% of the 5,877 subjects included), the mood disorder is secondary to PTSD. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED)
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Ultra-rapid opioid detoxification (UROD) is an increasingly popular technique for detoxifying patients addicted to opiates. This technique aims at reducing not only the duration but also the intensity of withdrawal by using general anesthesia coupled with a naloxone or naltrexone medication. In this paper the authors attempt to review the history of UROD and the logic of its procedure and results whilst also demonstrating its advantages and limits. ⋯ Ultra-rapid opiate detoxification represents a potentially safe and effective treatment for opiate addicted patients but more rigorous research methods are needed to render this procedure entirely valid.
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Over the last 10 years or so in Europe, there has been a development of the "ecstasy" phenomenon, which is the symbol of "recreational" drugs in general. Users, either alone or in private parties, are on the increase. The phenomenon is most frequent in England and in the Netherlands, with an estimated incidence of 13-18% amongst the 18-25 years old, which may reach 52% in "exposed populations", such as individuals who go to "techno" night clubs. ⋯ Other authors have described a lesion in the serotoninergic neurons, by making a parallel with toxic effects described in animals, in particular in primates, with MDMA. Degradation of the serotoninergic cell bodies and nerve endings has been suggested to occur with high doses and/or repeated doses of MDMA. Other authors show the large variations in MDMA and MDA metabolism. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED)
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Case Reports
[Psychiatric manifestations of a new variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Apropos of a case].
The new variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (nvCJD) was first described in the UK in 1996 (16). The nvCJD differs from sporadic, genetic and iatrogenic CJD. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is closely associated with an abnormal isoform PrPSc of a cell-surface glycoprotein, prion protein (14). Molecular analysis suggests that nvCJD is caused by the same prion strain as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) (4, 10). To the end of September 2000, there have been 82 cases of nvCJD in the UK. We report the second French case of nvCJD to our knowledge (5, 13). ⋯ The first symptoms of this patient were purely psychiatric and difficult to distinguish from common psychiatric disorders. Clinical surveillance of human prion disease is crucial in France, as in UK. The link with BSE has dramatically highlighted the need for neurological and neuropsychological precise investigations.