ABSTRACT
A 46-year-old woman became deaf after a closed head injury. When a computed tomographic scan failed to disclose the cause, conversion disorder was suspected. Magnetic resonance imaging, however, showed bilateral contusions of the inferior colliculi, providing objective evidence for an organic cause of hearing loss. Auditory brain stem evoked responses and stapedial reflexes also provided objective evidence of brain stem injury. This case illustrates the phenomenon of dorsal midbrain injury after head trauma. It indicates the sensitivity of magnetic resonance imaging for small focal lesions after head trauma, and it demonstrates some difficulties in the diagnosis of "hysterical" deafness.
Subject(s)
Brain Concussion/complications , Deafness/etiology , Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem/physiology , Inferior Colliculi/injuries , Brain Concussion/diagnosis , Brain Concussion/physiopathology , Deafness/physiopathology , Female , Gadolinium DTPA , Humans , Image Enhancement , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Middle Aged , Organometallic Compounds , Pentetic AcidABSTRACT
Two hundred psychiatric consultations were reviewed to determine if there was a pattern regarding the time of day and day of the week that consultations were requested. Consultations were found to be requested on a random basis although a survey of consultation psychiatrists perceived that consultations were more often requested late in the day. The implications of such misperceptions are discussed as they relate to negative attitudes towards consultative psychiatry by psychiatric physicians.
Subject(s)
Child Psychiatry , Referral and Consultation , Female , Humans , Male , Time FactorsABSTRACT
The relationship of depression and the severity of medical illness to alexithymia was investigated in 75 medically ill patients seen in psychiatric consultation. Both depression and living alone predicted alexithymia but severity of medical illness was not related to an individual's alexithymic characteristics measured by the revised Schalling-Sifneos Scale. The implications of the findings are discussed in relationship to previous data regarding alexithymia in a psychiatric consultation population.
Subject(s)
Affective Symptoms/psychology , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Psychophysiologic Disorders/psychology , Sick Role , Adjustment Disorders/psychology , Adult , Affective Symptoms/diagnosis , Anxiety Disorders/psychology , Depressive Disorder/diagnosis , Female , Grief , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Personality Tests , Psychometrics , Psychophysiologic Disorders/diagnosis , Referral and ConsultationABSTRACT
Male sexual dysfunctions associated with antidepressant medication have been frequently reported. Much less common, however, are reports of sexual problems in women who are taking antidepressants. A case of anorgasmia secondary to trazodone is presented. The literature regarding female sexual dysfunctions due to antidepressants is reviewed.
