[Combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder: from «irritable heart syndrome¼ to «psycho-organic disorder¼. Contemporary approach]. / Boevoe posttravmaticheskoe stressovoe rasstroistvo: ot «sindroma razdrazhennogo serdtsa¼ do «psikhogenno-organicheskogo rasstroistva¼. Sovremennye podkhody.

The authors consider current views on and approaches to trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There are doubts about the correctness and validity of allocation of PTSD entirely according to psychogenesis of the disease. The authors consider the «post-traumatic¼ as a type of response to extreme stress. PTSD is characterized as a nonspecific pathological form of disease, which can occur in the structure of different mental disorders. Based on considering two approaches (cerebrotraumatic and psychosomatic) in solving the current issue, the authors suggest that PTSD is a psychogenic-organic disorder.

[Combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder: the historical evolution of concept from 'irritable heart syndrome' to 'psycho-organic disorder']. / Boevoe posttravmaticheskoe stressovoe rasstroistvo: évoliutsiia poniatiia ot 'sindroma razdrazhennogo serdtsa' do 'psikhogenno-organicheskogo rasstroistva'.

Nowadays PTSD is the most urgent problem in the field of world psychiatry due to its academic, practical, epidemiological significance and other aspects. The authors present a historical review of different conteptions explaining the development of posttraumatic stress disorder. Attention is drawn to the description of evolution of PTSD from psychogenic to complex forms, with the formation of bio-psycho-social approach to the problem. The dynamics of the development of PTSD diagnostic crireria according to the current international classifications is analyzed.

[Neurotic disorders as a problem of modern gerontopsihiatry]. / Nevroticheskie rasstroistva kak problema sovremennoi gerontopsikhiatrii.

The relevance of the problem is determined by the growth of elderly population in the world and in Russia and by the increase in the frequency of non-psychotic mental disorders (non-PMD) in the structure of psychiatric diseases. The authors consider the current state of research in the field of non-PMD of old age, including neurotic disorders (ND). An analysis of the literature has shown that there is no convergent view on the ND of old age. As a consequence, there are contradictory views from researchers or psychiatric schools on the ND prevalence and morbidity. Attention is drawn to the insufficient diagnosis of non-PMD in the primary link of health care, difficulties of distinguishing ND from neurotic-like states, necessity in the clarification of the epidemiology of neuroses and efficiency of psychotherapeutic help. The use of resources of able-bodied people is important for the socio-economic development of the country.

[The use of mexidol in psychiatric practice].

Mexidol has been used in combination with basic therapy in 65 patients with mental disorders of organic genesis. The patients were treated during 56 days in accordance with a special scheme including the drug intake and intramuscular and intravenous injections. Mexidol exerted a positive effect on affective sphere, normalized the sleep-wake cycle, promoted rehabilitation of cognitive function thus improving the global clinical state of patients. Marked and significant improvement was found in 40,0% and 33,8% of cases, respectively. No severe side-effects were noticed.

[Social and public health data on the living conditions of mental patients in rural and urban localities (prior to illness and in the first illness)]. / Sotsial'no-gigienicheskie dannye o zhilishchnykh usloviiakh psikhicheski bol'nykh v sel'skoi i gorodskoi mestnosti (do zabolevaniia i v pervoi bolezni).

A total of 10,000 mental patients were comparatively assessed for their housing conditions (quantitative and qualitative characteristics) before and after the onset of the disease with respect to the diagnosis (schizophrenia, manic-depressive psychosis, epilepsy, craniocerebral trauma), the site of residence (rural vs. urban), and sex. The schizophrenic patients' housing conditions are virtually unrelated to the diagnosis, but these conditions are improved in other nosologic groups. Homes of their own had 63.0% of epileptic, 61.4% of schizophrenic, 51.4% of trauma patients and 47.6% of manic-depressive patients. State-owned apartment had 33.8%, 32.9%, 46.5%, 41.9%, respectively. Among those living in the hostels or hiring their rooms, were 10.4% of manic-depressives, 5.0% of schizophrenic, 3.2% of epileptic, 1.7% of trauma patients.