Koro: culture-bound disorder or universal symptom?

A case report is presented of koro associated with a depressive illness in a 31-year-old male Briton. The specificity or otherwise of koro as culture bound and a distinct nosological entity is discussed.

Rehabilitation and follow-up issues in drug abusers managed at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Abeokuta, Nigeria.

The authors report on sixty two (62) patients treated at the drug abuse unit of the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, Nigeria over a 17-month period (June 1985-October 1986). Drugs mainly abused were marijuana (53.5%, alcohol (28.2%) and hard drugs (mainly heroin and cocaine) which accounted for 14.3%. All the patients went through a programme of assessment, detoxification, individual counselling, group psychotherapy and rehabilitation. Their length of stay in the hospital was (mean +/- SD) 64 + 44 days. Factors that militated against successful rehabilitation were the severity of the patients' illness at presentation, unemployment coupled with poor educational status and distance from the hospital of patient's normal abode. Sixty seven percent had defaulted 6 months after discharge from the hospital. Non-defaulters at 2 months performed well on some parameters assessed. Possible ways of ensuring proper rehabilitation and follow-up of this group of patients are discussed.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome: a report of two cases in Nigeria.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome occurring in two Nigerians are reported. The features of this life threatening complication of treatment with neuroleptic drugs are highlighted with a view to emphasizing the need for the clinician to consider it a possibility in any febrile patient with a history of neuroleptic ingestion. The increased awareness will aid early diagnosis and prompt management which are necessary to prevent fatal outcome.