Dear Colleagues:
Welcome to the March issue of Psychiatry 2010. In this month’s “Trend Watch,” the authors explore the penetration of generic atypical antipsychotics in the United States market before and after the availability of generic risperidone. Based on this analysis, generic penetration into the atypical antipsychotic market has grown from three percent to more than 25 percent. An expert commentary by Peter Buckley, MD, Professor and Chairman, Department of Psychiatry, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, is provided.
Following this, Sansone and Sansone, in this month’s “The Interface,” analyze and discuss the literature regarding the relationship between personality dysfunction and employment dysfunction. It would appear that the type of personality disorder, degree of neuroticism and disagreeableness, extent of social dysfunction, and severity of symptoms all have an impact on whether or not an individual can hold down a job.
Next, Sanders and Gillig review cranial nerve VIII and how its dysfunction may tie into psychiatric practice. The authors review the basics of cranial nerve VIII and discuss common problems with hearing and balance as well as hearing and balance problems that might be found in psychiatric practice. They also review assessments that might be utilized in psychiatric clinical practice.
Next, Wong reviews the rare, multidimensional, childhood disorder selective mutism. The author discusses its comorbidities and treatment options, differential diagnoses, and future directions for research.
Following this, Borja-Santos et al report a case of a patient with 48,XXYY syndrome who was treated in a general adult psychiatry department. The authors review and discuss the syndrome and describe psychopharmacological and psychosocial treatment options. The authors emphasize the importance of being alert to chromosomal disorders, even in a general adult psychiatry department, as a minority of patients, like the one described in this case, may reach adult care without proper diagnosis, which may negatively impact successful treatment outcomes.
Next, Joshi et al describe a case of a 34-year-old man with a seizure disorder who was not adherent with his anticonvulsant medications. Recent seizure episodes were followed by delirium and a presentation of Capgras syndrome. The authors describe functional and organic etiologies for Capgras syndrome, which resolved in this patient once he was back on his anticonvulsant medicines.
Click here to access the e-edition of the March issue, a digital replica of the printed version.
Sincerely,
Amir Kalali, MD
Editor, Psychiatry 2010
