Prevalence and correlates of mixed-handedness in schizophrenia.

Increased rates of nonright-handedness have been reported in schizophrenia, but a clear distinction has not been made between left- and mixed-handedness. Handedness preferences in 96 patients fulfilling DSM-III criteria for schizophrenia and 43 normal comparison subjects were assessed with the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory. A 100% criterion was used to establish left- and right-handedness. Results were analyzed with mantel-Haenszel odds ratios adjusted for age and sex. The schizophrenic group showed a significant increase in the proportion of mixed-handers compared with the normal group. There was no increase in pure left-handedness in the schizophrenic relative to the normal group. Mixed-handedness in the schizophrenic patients was significantly associated with chronicity of illness. Mixed-handed patients were less likely to have a family history of psychotic illness than patients with strong right- or left-handedness. The results indicate a neurodevelopmental rather than a genetic origin for anomalous lateralization in schizophrenia.

The role of creatine kinase in the diagnosis of neuroleptic malignant syndrome.

Elevation of serum creatine kinase (CK) concentrations occurs almost invariably in neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). However, the role of CK levels in the diagnosis of the syndrome remains controversial. This study measured CK levels in patients who became pyrexial while on psychotropic medication and thereby mimicked some of the features of NMS. In all of these cases a diagnosis of infectious illness was made and patients responded to appropriate antibiotic therapy without alteration in psychotropic medication. Two other groups were studied for comparison--patients on psychotropics who were apyrexial and patients who became pyrexial but were not on psychotropics. Significant, unexpected elevations of CK were documented in 70% of those patients who became pyrexial while on psychotropics--in three cases elevation of concentrations to more than 1000 IU/l (ten times reference value) were found. Thirty per cent of patients who became pyrexial but were not on psychotropics also developed elevation of CK but this was of a much smaller magnitude (< 200 IU/l in five out of six cases). The results of the study suggest that elevation of CK is a non-specific finding, particularly in patients who become pyrexial on psychotropics. Use of CK as a diagnostic criterion may lead to overdiagnosis of NMS.

Some biological properties of respirable iron ore dust.

The respirable fraction of an ore dust from the North-West of Western Australia was tested for biological properties by inhalation and intrapleural implantation trials using rats and mice. Pulmonary histology indicated significant levels of interstitial pneumonia occasionally associated with bronchopneumonia, bronchiectasis, emphysema, and lung collapse over that found in age-matched control animals. While there was a significant increase of the incidence of tumors in general in WAG inbred rats up to 2 years following dust exposure, this did not persist into old age. No mesotheliomas were induced by any treatments associated with iron ore dust, although the rats were shown to be susceptible to crocidolite asbestos-induced mesothelioma. In the mouse models, tumors which are normally seen only in aged animals were induced with a significant number of bronchial adenomas being recorded following intrapleural implantation of dust into inbred BALB/c mice. Leukemia/lymphoma associated with murine leukemia virus was increased following dust inhalation by inbred C57BL mice.

Psychogenic skin disease: a review of 35 cases.

In three years of clinical practice, the authors saw 35 cases of dermatological disorders of strictly psychological origin--8 patients with dermatitis artefacta, 8 with delusional parasitosis, and 19 who presented with skin complaints but showed no dermatological pathology ('dermatological non-disease'). All but two initially presented for dermatological opinion rather than psychiatric assessment, and 12 refused psychiatric referral. Demographic and clinical details of all 35 cases are given, including possible related factors, course, treatment, and outcome, and the cases are discussed in the context of the existing literature. Liaison between dermatologists and psychiatrists is strongly advocated.