Pathological gambling and age: differences in personality, psychopathology, and response to treatment variables.

The aim of this study was to ascertain the possible differences in personality, psychopathology, and response to treatment in pathological gambling according to age. The sample, comprising 67 participants, was divided into three groups: 32.6% with ages ranging between 17 and 26 years, 31.3% between 27 and 43 years, and 35.8% over 44 years of age. The participants were administered the following tests, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory [MMPI; Hathaway, S.R. & McKinley, J.C. (1943, 1961). Cuestionario de personalidad MMPI. Madrid Seccion de Estudios de TEA ed. 1970, 1975], sensation-seeking questionnaire [SSS; Zuckerman, M. (1979). Sensation seeking; beyond the optimal level of arousal. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates], and the Symptom Check List Revised [SCL-90-R; Derogatis, L.R. (1977). Symptom check list-90 revised. Administration scoring and procedures manual. Baltimore]. All underwent a group treatment programme that was carried out in the Pathological Gambling Unit at Ciutat Sanitaria i Universitaria de Bellvitge (CSUB), Teaching hospital, Barcelona, Spain. The findings show differences depending on age in the participants' personality and in psychopathology and in their response to treatment.

Assessment of pathological gamblers who use slot machines.

The aim of the present study was to classify pathological gamblers based on their psychopathology as related to the variable sensation-seeking, and to check possible differences between the groups on the sociodemographic variables. The sample was composed of 110 male pathological gamblers using slot machines who requested treatment at the Pathological Gambling Unit at the Ciutat Sanitària i Universitària de Bellvitge. It was observed that pathological gamblers comprise three clusters, differentiated with differing severity depression, psychoticism, somatization, impulsiveness, interpersonal sensitivity, and phobic anxiety. Cluster 1, representing 46.7% of the sample, showed mean scores higher than or equal to T=63. On the subscales of Depression, Psychoticism, Interpersonal Sensitivity, Phobic Anxiety, and Obsessiveness-Compulsiveness the score was close to T=63 (the clinical cut-off score). Cluster 2, representing 23.8% of the sample, scored higher than Cluster 1 on the following subscales: Depression, Phobic Anxiety, Interpersonal Sensitivity, Psychoticism, Obsessive-Compulsive, and Somatization. On Cluster 3 highest mean scores were observed on all SCL-90-R dimensions relative to the other two groups. What distinguished these subgroups is not symptomatology but the severity of the psychopathology. On the other hand, sensation seeking was similar for the three clusters, and the slight differences depended on the subjects' psychopathology.

Clinical and behavioral evaluation of pathological gambling in Barcelona, Spain.

This paper assesses both the clinical characteristics and gambling behavior of 45 pathological gamblers (40 male, 5 female, average age 41) in a psychiatric hospital in Barcelona, Spain. These pathological gamblers tend to have other addictions and psychiatric disorders in addition to their pathological gambling. Suicidal ideation and attempts were one of the most frequent complications with these patients. Slot and fruit machines were found to be the most preferred form of gambling. Loans and crime were frequently used by the gambler to finance his or her gambling. Nevertheless, the gambler is rarely aggessive, and legal problems resulting from serious crimes are the exception. The profile presentes is similar to that found among pathological gamblers in other countries.

[Early or malignant ulcerative syphilis. Considerations apropos of 2 cases. Bibliographic analysis]. / Lúes ulcerativa precoz o maligna. Consideraciones a propósito de dos casos. Análisis bibliográfico.

Two cases of early ulcerative syphilis observed in the city of La Plata, Argentina, in the last 13 years are presented. Cases n.o 1, classified as Queyrat type, was in a previously bad general condition, due both to excessive smoking and alcoholism and showed a classic blood serologic test, that was slightly reactive. Case n.o 2, Milian type, presented a previously excellent general condition. The classic blood serologic test and FTAabs. were strongly reactive. It showed only a significant depression of cell immunity, with regard to the bacterial cutaneous proofs (bacterial skin-tests) carried out "in vivo". In both cases the clinical aspect was similar, with ulcerative necrotic lesions and affectation of the general condition which coincided with the outbreak of those lesions. The response to treatment was good, with rapid improvement of the general condition while the improvement of the skin lesions was slower and occurred only within 3 weeks.