Although conventional MR imaging characteristics of solitary metastases and primary high-grade gliomas may sometimes be similar, perfusion-weighted and spectroscopic MR imaging enable distinction between the two.

The purpose of this study was to identify differences in family functioning between subjects with pseudoseizures and their families, and control subjects with epilepsy. Thirty-one adult subjects with pseudoseizures and 31 controls with intractable epilepsy, whose diagnoses were confirmed using video-EEG, were recruited from the epilepsy unit of a tertiary care hospital over a 4-year period. Each study participant and their first-degree adult family members completed two standardized questionnaires designed to measure family functioning: the McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD) and the Beavers Self-Report Family Inventory (SFI). Individuals with pseudoseizures, when compared with epileptic subjects, exhibited significantly elevated scores in three scales of the FAD and in one scale of the SFI, indicating greater psychopathology within the family, as perceived by the individual. Statistically significant differences with the FAD were on measures of affective involvement (p = .044), communication (p = .004), and general functioning (p = .013). The SFI revealed significantly greater difficulty with conflict (p = .050). No differences were noted between subjects with both pseudoseizures and epilepsy and subjects with pseudoseizures alone. In comparison with the families of the epileptic group, the families of subjects with pseudoseizures displayed statistically significant elevations in their responses on the roles scale (p = .003) of the FAD. The responses of the family members did not differ in regard to the role they assumed within the family unit (i.e., spouse, parent). In summary, individuals with pseudoseizures view their families as being more dysfunctional, particularly in the area of communication, whereas their family members perceived difficulties in defining roles. This suggests that family education and interventions focusing on these areas, may be an important aspect of the treatment of patients with pseudoseizures.

Each of four groups of 12 subjects performed four psychophysical tasks. The age ranges of the four groups were 19-31, 45-57, 58-70, and 71-83 years, respectively. All four tasks required some form of visual information processing: Two were backward-masking tasks; two were temporal-integration tasks. In all four tasks increasing temporal functions over age were obtained, suggesting slower processing rates as age increased. The results support an active processing model of visual perception that interprets duration of visible persistence and duration of interval in which backward masking is effective as indices of the time course of early stages in the processing of stimulus features. The evidences also suggests that backward masking and visible persistence may be mediated by distinct mechanisms that are affected differently by aging processes. A model that conceptualizes the visual system as a multichannel processor is proposed as an explanation for some of the findings.

Tiagabine blocks the uptake by neurons or glia of synaptically released GABA resulting in prolonged GABAergic activity and decreased likelihood of epileptic seizures. We evaluated the cognitive and quality of life effects of tiagabine in a double-blind, add-on, placebo-controlled, parallel, multicenter, dose-response efficacy study in patients with focal epilepsy whose complex partial seizures were difficult to control. One hundred sixty-two patients provided cognitive and quality of life data for the analyses and received the following treatments: placebo (n = 57), 16 mg/d tiagabine (n = 34), 32 mg/d tiagabine (n = 45), or 56 mg/d tiagabine (n = 26) at a fixed-dose for 12 weeks after a 4-week dose titration period. Eight cognitive tests and three measures of mood and adjustment were administered during the baseline period and again during the double-blind period near the end of treatment (or at the time of dropout). The patient groups were similar at entry into the study. Results showed no clinically important changes with the addition of tiagabine on the test battery. Although this is an encouraging finding, it remains for future investigations to determine the cognitive and behavioral effects of tiagabine either as monotherapy or in relation to other antiepileptic drugs.

We evaluated the psychological effects of the antiepilepsy drug vigabatrin in a randomized multicenter double-blind placebo-controlled parallel group study that compared 3 grams oral vigabatrin with placebo as daily add-on therapy in patients with focal epilepsy whose complex partial seizures were difficult to control. Testing at baseline and after 12 weeks of vigabatrin (n = 83) or placebo (n = 85) used eight measures of cognitive abilities and three of mood and adjustment. The vigabatrin and placebo groups were highly similar at entry into the study. At the end of the study, there were no differences between the vigabatrin and placebo groups on any cognitive variable or on any measure of mood and adjustment. Analysis of the results related to relief from seizures demonstrated only chance findings. In a similar manner, there were no relationships between vigabatrin serum levels at the end of the study and changes on measures of abilities and adjustment. Vigabatrin appears to be a useful antiepilepsy drug with little impact upon tests of either cognitive abilities or quality of life.

Although cases of anorexia nervosa and bulimia are being seen increasingly by health care professionals, little data is available on the prevalence of these disorders in the general population of school age children. Using a validated eating attitude test (EAT), a total of 5150 students, aged 12–20, from public schools and one university in the Province of Manitoba were surveyed. Overall, 5% of males and 22% of females scored 30 or above on the scale, suggesting significant concerns and attitudes regarding eating. These concerns were somewhat higher in urban versus rural settings and seemed to increase between the ages of 12 and 13 and remain high thereafter. Many of the students who scored high on the EAT were overweight, suggesting that these attitudes or concerns are not specific to anorexia nervosa and/or bulimia.

Canadian hospital psychology is examined in terms of the existing organizational models, professional practices, academic activities, and professional orientations of hospital psychologists. The survey reveals that psychologists are active clinically and academically in Canadian hospitals in a wide variety of health care areas in addition to traditional mental health areas. In the majority of hospitals, psychologists are organized in independent departments of psychology or behavioural science, although physician influence appears to be a strong factor in practice. Medical staff membership and academic appointments for hospital psychologists are disappointingly low at the present time. Some recommendations for the future development of hospital psychology in Canada are outlined.

Vigabatrin (VGB) prevents seizures by irreversible inhibition of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transaminase and a resulting increase in GABA levels. We evaluated the cognitive and quality-of-life (QOL) effects of VGB in a double-blinded, add-on, placebo-controlled, parallel group dose-response study of patients with focal epilepsy whose complex partial seizures (CPS) were difficult to control. In a single investigation, patients were randomly assigned to placebo (n = 40), 1 g VGB (n = 36), 3 g VGB (n = 38), or 6 g VGB (n = 32), treated for 12 weeks after a 6-week dose escalation period, and tested at the end of the baseline period and at the end of the treatment period with eight cognitive measures and three tests of mood and adjustment. The patient groups were highly similar at study entry. Results at the end of the study showed substantial relief from seizures. The Digit Cancellation Test showed decreases in performance with increasing doses of VGB. Performance on no other test showed any decrement with increasing dosage. Relief from seizures was not associated with changes on the psychological tests. VGB is a useful antiepileptic drug (AED) that has little impact on tests of either cognitive abilities or QOL, even at a high dose.