Location-specific reflex epilepsy: a novel reflex epilepsy phenotype.

Reflex epilepsies are rare syndromes where seizures are triggered by particular stimuli or activities that may be motor, sensory or cognitive in nature. Triggers are diverse, may be extrinsic or intrinsic in nature and heterogeneous phenotypes have been described over the years. We give an account of a case of location-specific reflex epilepsy which we suggest is a novel reflex epilepsy phenotype relating to higher cortical function (HCF), and review the literature in relation to features of HCF reflex epilepsies described to date.

Treatment of adolescents with major depression: implications of the DST and the melancholic clinical subtype.

Of 38 adolescents hospitalized with major depression, 47% of those receiving psychosocial treatment alone responded. Of the non-responders then treated with combined tricyclic antidepressants and psychosocial treatment, 92% responded. The melancholic subtype and dexamethasone suppression test non-suppression were associated with failure to respond to psychosocial treatment alone. Implications for controlled studies are discussed.

Use of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and the Carroll Self-Rating Scale in adolescents.

The relationship of clinicians' ratings of depression in adolescents to self-rating is important to clinical research. The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) and the Carroll Self-Rating Scale (CSRS) were compared in a study of 81 psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents. The correlation of CSRS and HRSD total scores in adolescents with melancholic major depression was 0.46, lower than the correlation reported in adults (0.80). Higher correlations were seen in females and in nonmelancholic and nondepressed subgroups. While the comparison of the two rating methods suggests some characteristics of depressed adolescents' presentation of their illness, it does not appear that the self-rating instrument can be used as an alternative to clinicians' ratings.