Perceptions about mental illness among pre-clinical medical students in Trinidad & Tobago

Perceptions about mental illness among medical practitioners are likely to determine their capacity to recognise, treat appropriately and refer patients who have mental health problems. It is therefore important that training of medical students in psychiatry is undertaken with knowledge of their attitudes to mental health disorders. We determined the perceptions of 108 pre-clinical medical students (69 males, 39 females; mean age 22 years) toward mental illness in Trinidad & Tobago by analysing their responses to a questionnaire based on a case vignette of a young man with a paranoid psychotic illness. 88felt that medical treatment in hospital was the best means of treating the illness and 86suggested that discharge should be conditional on regular visits to a doctor. 89however opposed the patient's marrying into their families and 85to his teaching their children. This was associated significantly with having a personal relationship with someone having a mental illness (p < 0.03). Surprisingly, 25believed that mental illness could be caused by supernatural forces, particularly females who were almost twice as likely as males to express this belief.

Delusional parasitosis--study of 3 cases.

Delusional disorder-somatic (parasitosis) type is a rare psychiatric disorder which poses a challenge to diagnostic and therapeutic skills. Pimozide, a highly specific dopamine blocker has shown promising results in the 3 cases illustrated here. These cases were seen over a period of 3 years. All the three patients believed that an insect has entered through the ear and is burrowing tracts/laying multiple eggs. They approached the ENT surgeons or neurosurgeon with a fear that their brain will be invaded. On psychiatric evaluation, no past or present history of major psychiatric illness was found. Premorbid personalities were well adjusted. Only for two patients, acute moderate stressors were detected. Delusions disappeared by the end of 2 wks but therapy was continued for 5 months.

Experiencia clinica con bromperidol en psicosis cronicas / Clinical experience with brompedirol on chronic psychoses

Estudiamos en forma abierta la eficacia terapéutica y la tolerancia de Bromperidol (BP) en 25 pacientes psicóticas estabilizadas. El ensayo, de 3 meses de duración, se llevó a cabo en una sala de mediano a largo plazo del pabellón San Juan del Hospital Nacional Braulio A. Moyano, Buenos Aires. La droga fue administrada por vía oral en una únicas toma nocturna, en dosis variables entre 10 y 35 mg. No se observó efecto alguno sobre la esquizofrenia catatónica. Sin embargo, la eficacia demostrada en pacientes psicóticos crónicos, la excelente tolerancia - además del beneficio que representa una sola toma diaria - convierte al BP en un medicamento de reemplazo, respecto del Haloperidol, de aplicación enm la esquizofrenia y los delirios sin evolución deficitaria