To establish the social, clinical and forensic differences between murderers with schizophrenia and murderers without any psychiatric disorder and to compare their respective relationship with their victim.

We identified the socio-demographic, clinical and criminological profiles of 14 murderers with schizophrenia from 210 forensic examinations of murderers, and compared their profiles with those of murderers without any mental disorder (n=73).

Murderers with schizophrenia are characterized by a specific socio-professional status (single, living alone and jobless). Previous psychiatric history was significantly more common in the schizophrenia group than in the group of persons without mental disorder, as it was the case as regards previous contact with the police.

Schizophrenic murderers generally commit, alone, a non-premeditated murder. They usually strangle their victim in a sudden attack, whereas murderers without any pathology usually premeditate their crime. 86% of perpetrators with schizophrenia have been in a delirium at the time they committed murder, among four main themes: persecution, thought insertion, mysticism and megalomania.

Victims of murderers with schizophrenia were family members in 21% of cases, acquaintances in 57% and a stranger in 14%. The victim was known to the perpetrator significantly more often in the schizophrenia group than in the no mental disorder group (86% versus 77%, p=0,002).

The main difference between murderers with schizophrenia and murderers without any mental disorder is the psychopathology of the morbid process which underlies the homicide. The most schizophrenics’ homicide was more likely to be against intimates than strangers.

Besides preventive, maintenance and rehabilitative measures, it is very important that Psychiatry Services develop acute care interventions that include hospitalization treatments. Compulsory treatment is mandatory when patients have a severe mental illness that deprives them from their judgement abilities in such a way that they deny their illness, refuse necessary treatment, and may endanger themselves and/or others.

To compare socio-demographic and clinical features of patients treated in compulsory and voluntary regimen. To make a reflection on the most suitable model for the acute inpatient services.

Retrospective study of socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of patients admitted in an acute inpatients’ unit of a Psychiatric Hospital - Hospital de Magalhães Lemos - in 2006 and 2007. We compared data of compulsory (CA) and voluntary admissions (VA), and discuss their respective main problems.

Among the total 577 inpatients admitted, 13% were compulsory and 87% were voluntary. Schizophrenia was the most prevalent diagnosis in both groups (51% CA vs 26% VA). By discharge, prescription of depot antipsychotics was higher in CA, and treatment with antidepressants was higher in VA. In CA, 8 (11%) patients had discharge against medical advice (escape) vs 12 (2%) in VA.

Results might suggest that the current facilities and/or procedures are not sufficient to offer the levels of protection needed to provide the best environment for patients’ recovery.

In the context of the recent efforts towards the reorganization of mental health services, specific measures should be considered, including acute inpatients units exclusively designed for CA.

To define the importance for the difference between the EEG in patients with criminal behavior and in control group. To examine the relationship between the EEG of the patients with criminal behavior and diagnosis as well as the prompt registration of EEG changes.

158 EEG investigations examined at the Psychiatric Hospital in Demir Hisar for 24 months with aggressive and criminal behavior.

In men normal EEG (69.44%) prevails. The means age of patients in examiner group with abnormal EEG is significant higher from the means age in patient's with normal EEG. There was the significant difference between normal and abnormal EEG and the diagnoses. There is not significant difference between the patient's behavior and EEG, and there was significant difference between EEG and its criminal factor. There was not relation between EEG and the patient's sex in control group. The difference between the means age (37.73 god.) in control group with abnormal EEG and the mean age of patients with normal EEG is significant. There was not significant relation between EEG and patient's diagnosis of control group. There was not connection between patient's behavior and EEG in control group. There was significant difference between EEG in examiner group and in control group.

There was significant difference between EEG in control and in examiner group.

Easily diagnosis providing of psychiatric disorders with aggressive and criminal behavior with EEG -help and safety measures at examiners with criminal behavior.

The aim of this study was to audit the practise of Lithium monitoring on all patients over the age of 65 years, over a one-year period in North Tyneside General Hospital, against the recommended standards, and re-auditing the following year.

During the audit; data was collected from the medical notes of all patients prescribed Lithium, over 65 years in North Tyneside General Hospital. This was from January 2004 - January 2005. The standards used were the recommendations of The British National Formulary. The monitoring of urea, electrolytes, TSH and Lithium were recorded. The presence of an ECG, documentation of side effects, information leaflets’ distribution and patients lost to follow up were noted. Following the audit, recommendations were made and prescribing Consultants were informed. A re-audit was conducted on all patients on Lithium the next year from January 2006 - June 2006, using the same designed tool.

22 patient's notes were audited and 29 notes re-audited. 41% were males and 59% females in the audit, with similar distribution in the re-audit. 54% were between 65-75 years and 45% over the age of 75years in the audit. 41% and 59% respectively in the re-audit. Blood monitoring followed the standards in 86% in the audit and 95% in the re-audit. 32% had documentation of side effects in the audit, increasing to 72% in the re-audit. While 23% patients were lost to follow up in the audit, all were followed up in the re-audit.

The re-audit encouragingly showed significant improvement in practise.

This study examines the effect of life skills education on mild intellectual and developmental disabled students.

Life skills education program is widely used in other disabilities but rarely utilized with children who have intellectual disabilities, possibly on the assumption that the cognitive skills on which it capitalizes are less likely to be available. The primary goal of education for this group is to increase self-sufficiency by teaching functional skills needed in everyday life across home, community, work, and leisure domains.

A total of 30 participants took part in this study (20 male, 10 femal). The IQ level of these participants were assessed by WISC_R. we also assessed intervention effects on three skills targeted by classroom teachers. The three target skills were self-knowledge, social and interpersonal relationships, and anger-management.

Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient and factor analyses were used to examine the reliability and validity of the LSEQ in this special students sample.

The alpha coefficient reliability of the total scale of the LSEQ was 0.76. The total effect of Life skills education program showed positive effects ( T=-7.136 df=29, p< .001 ), Self-knowledge ( T=-5.882 df=29, p< .001 ), interpersonal relationship ( T=-7.430 df=29, p< .001 ), anger-management ( T=-4.762 df=29, p< .001 ).

Overall, results showed positive effects of the intervention on participants" skills. Further research on the effects of various systematic instructional strategies on the social- skills of individuals with various disabilities in multiple settings is recommended.

To evaluate the prevalence of MCI and its subtypes in the Faenza Project, using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE).

Subjects living in the municipality of Faenza were clinically assessed. The diagnosis of MCI was achieved according to international criteria using a double-step procedure: first, we excluded subjects with dementia, functional impairment and MMSE< 24, leaving 6,745 persons. Then, the performance in different cognitive domains was considered and scores less than 1.5 standard deviations below the age- and education-adjusted norms on MMSE were settled as cut-offs. Four subtypes were identified: amnestic MCI, single non-memory MCI, multidomains non-amnestic, multidomains amnestic MCI.

2,720 (40.3%) participants met MCI criteria. Prevalence were 4% (amnestic MCI), 26.5% (single non-memory MCI), 4.4% (multidomains amnestic MCI), and 5.4% (multidomains non-amnestic MCI).

MCI is common among Italian elderly. In our study prevalence are higher than reported in other population-based studies. The use of MMSE with different operational criteria, diverse sampling and assessment procedure might explain such discrepancy. The role of MMSE to identify persons with mild cognitive deficits deserves concerns. However, MMSE is largely used in both clinical practice and research and has been suggested as a useful screening tool for assessing the degree of cognitive impairment in the guidelines for the Report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology.

Patients with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) present with a range of physical health problems. Co-morbid physical conditions can complicate these patients’ rehabilitation and also may lead to secondary disabilities. The medical literature provides limited information on the prevalence of physical health issues in patients with ABI.

We surveyed health records of 64 patients receiving multi-disciplinary rehabilitation at a tertiary Brain Injury Rehabilitation service. The data was collected in an anonymized fashion and analyzed using SPSS version 16.

We analysed data from 64 patients (51 Male, 13 Female). The age range was 21-61 years (Mean 39, S.D. 10.6). Epilepsy was the commonest co-existing physical health condition (47%) amongst these patients. Chronic constipation (20%), peptic ulcer disease (14%), Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (11%), Asthma/COPD (9%), recurrent urinary tract infection (8%) and hypothyroidism (8%) were the co-existing conditions for which the patients needed treatment. Also dysphasia (38%), dysartheria (34%), dysphagia (28%) and mobility difficulties (37%) were common in this patient group.

These findings have implications for continuing medical education needs for psychiatrists and other health care professionals working in this field. The findings also highlight the need for improved communication and working relationship between psychiatric and general hospital based specialities in order to implement holistic delivery of care for patients with ABI.

Lithium a mood stabilizer may exert adverse effects on memory. We have previously shown that lithium induces state-dependent learning. Cholinergic systems of the brain may play an important role in memory function and mood regulation. In the present study, effects of intra-dorsal hippocampal (intra-CA1) injections of lithium and scopolamine on memory and cross state-dependent learning between two drugs were investigated.

For memory assessment, a one-trial step-down inhibitory avoidance task was used in adult male NMRI mice.

Intra-CA1 administration of lithium (0.5 and 1 μg/mouse) after training or injection of the drug (0.5μg/mouse) before testing impaired memory when retrieval was tested 24 h later. The memory impairment by post-training lithium was reversed by pre-test administration of the drug (0.5μg/mouse, intra-CA1) suggesting lithium state-dependent learning. On the other hand, intra-CA1 administration of scopolamine (0.5, 1 and 2 μg/mouse) after training or injection of the drug (2μg/mouse) before testing impaired memory when retrieval was tested 24 h later. The impairment of memory by post-training injection of scopolamine (2μg/mouse) was restored by the pre-test injection of the drug (1 and 2 μg/mouse). Furthermore, memory impairment induced by post-training injection of lithium (0.5 μg/mouse) and scopolamine (2 μg/mouse) were reversed by pre-test administration of scopolamine (0.5, 1 and 2 μg/mouse) and lithium (0.5 and 1 μg/mouse) respectively. The impairment by lithium was also reversed by physostigmine.

The results suggest that microinjection of both lithium and scopolamine induce state-dependent memory and there may be a cross state-dependency between two drugs.

The brain renin-angiotensin system is involved in learning and memory, but the actual role of angiotensin II and its metabolites in this process has been difficult to comprehend. In the present study we assessed the role of the angiotensin AT1 receptors in certain behavioral effects of angiotensin II using their selective antagonist losartan and PD123319, intracerebroventricularly (icv) administrated.

Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: 1. sham-operated; 2. Losartan; 3. PD123319. All drugs were stereotaxically icv injected. Learning and memory tests began 2 weeks after the operation, and the ability of the rats to acquire the operant task was studied by means of Y-maze task and passive avoidance task, respectively. The anxiety state was measured in elevated plus maze.

Losartan and PD123319 significantly impaired spatial memory in Y-maze task, suggesting significant effects on short-term memory. In passive avoidance task, both angiotensin II antagonist, significantly decreased step-through-latency, suggesting significant effects on long-term memory. In elevated plus maze measuring anxiety, both drugs diminished anxiety state.

Our results suggest the considerable involvement of the brain ATi angiotensin receptors in the cognition improving effects of angiotensin.

Renin-angiotensin system in the central nervous system participates in the processing of sensory information, learning and memory processes. Inhibitors of renin-angiotensin system, particularly angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor antagonists are reported to have potential effects in various learning and memory processes. In the present study we assessed the effects of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor captopril and the angiotensin AT1 receptors antagonists, lostartan and PD123319, in learning and memory processes by means of Y-maze and passive avoidance tasks. The anxiety state was measured in elevated plus maze.

Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: 1. sham-operated; 2. Captopril; 3. Losartan; 4. PD123319. All drugs were stereotaxically icv injected, rather than captopril (i.p.). Learning and memory tests began 2 weeks after the operation, and the ability of the rats to acquire the operant task was studied by means of Y-maze task and passive avoidance task, respectively. The anxiety state was measured in elevated plus maze.

Captopril, losartan and PD123319 significantly impaired spatial memory in Y-maze task, suggesting significant effects on short-term memory. In passive avoidance task, all drugs, significantly decreased step-through-latency, suggesting significant effects on long-term memory. In elevated plus maze measuring anxiety, all drugs diminished anxiety state.

These results suggest the involvement of the brain renin-angiotensin system in learning and memory formation.