Duration judgements for intervals of different lengths and content were studied in depressive in-patients (n = 47) and a control sample of surgical in-patients (n = 16). As suggested by research on non-clinical subjects, tasks during the intervals influenced the depressed patients' duration judgements. Severely depressed endogenous depressives (n = 17) over-estimated time when left completely unoccupied or when attending to tasks requiring concentration. Endogenous depressives (n = 17) remitted with regard to subjective depression but, exhibiting signs of psychomotor retardation, selectively over-estimated time when required to concentrate under time pressure. Neurotic/reactive depressives (n = 13) with an intermediate level of subjective depression and almost normal psychomotor functioning did not over-estimate any of these intervals. Time estimations of patients and controls did not differ for intervals in the range of seconds and minutes requiring attention to time only, and for a longer part of the experimental session. Alteration of time estimation and results of a time experience inventory corresponded for endogenous depressives but not for neurotic/reactive depressives. Results are discussed in terms of the influence of affective state and subjective concentration effort on the over-estimations observed.
In a retrospective study the case histories of 154 patients with acute alcohol psychosis were examined. The obvious diagnostic criteria in the doctor’s differential diagnosis between alcohol withdrawal delirium and alcohol hallucinosis was clouding of sensorium and disorientation. 103 patients were diagnosed as having alcohol withdrawal delirium, 51 patients alcohol hallucinosis. Mean age and sex ratio were the same in both groups. Further psychopathological symptoms in both groups supporting differential diagnosis are discussed.
In 53 psychiatric inpatients and 31 matched controls musical tempo was examined by means of instrumental playing of a well-known children’s song. Despite an extreme interindividual tempo range the individual tempo remained surprisingly stable also over longer periods of time. The assumption that tempo would slow down in correlation with depressed mood could only be confirmed for endogenous-depressive patients, although neurotic and schizophrenic patients were often depressed to a comparable extent. Tapping at maximum speed refers to the supposed correlation with weakened motor performance in psychotic depression which is discussed.
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