Mental Disorders

CONTEXT: The 2000 US Census identified 50,454 Americans over the age of 100. Increased longevity is only of benefit if accompanied by maintenance of independence and quality of life. Little is known about the prevalence of dementia and other disabling conditions among rural centenarians although this information is important to clinicians caring for them. PURPOSE: To determine the prevalence of disabling conditions, including cognitive impairment, among the very elderly in a rural setting to guide clinicians in their care.

The size and frequency of meals are fundamental aspects of nutrition that can have profound effects on the health and longevity of laboratory animals. In humans, excessive energy intake is associated with increased incidence of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain cancers and is a major cause of disability and death in industrialized countries. On the other hand, the influence of meal frequency on human health and longevity is unclear.

In 1929 Burr and Burr discovered the essential fatty acids omega-6 and omega-3. Since then, researchers have shown a growing interest in unsaturated essential fatty acids as they form the framework for the organism's cell membranes, particularly the neurones in the brain, are involved in the energy-transformation process, regulate the information flows between cells.

?yurveda, the science (ved) of life (ayu), owing its origin to Veda, the oldest recorded wisdom of human civilization written in 3500 BCE, contains extensive knowledge of various diseases and their therapeutic approaches. It essentially relied on nature and the immune system of an individual, and therapeutic interventions were introduced only to augment the immune system. ?yurveda had eight specialties, including psycho-neuroscience (a combination of psychology, clinical psychology and psychiatry) and a unique promotive therapy encompassing nutrition, rejuvenation and geriatrics.

In the past decade, the growing field of telomere science has opened exciting new avenues for understanding the cellular and molecular substrates of stress and stress-related aging processes over the lifespan. Shorter telomere length is associated with advancing chronological age and also increased disease morbidity and mortality. Emerging studies suggest that stress accelerates the erosion of telomeres from very early in life and possibly even influences the initial (newborn) setting of telomere length.

Three main functions of external reality (E.R.) relative to the subjecto may be mentioned. a) it is a source of stimulae that promote the structuring of te psychic apparatus. In this sense, E.F. is the place where this apparatus is charged and where it is discharged (specific action). b) it is a vehicle of gratification or frustration of necessity (AnakÈ). The satisfaction of necessity is gratifying, the lackof it is frustrating. c) it is the instance that heals or makes a person ill acording to its possibility of gratifying or frustrating the subject respectively.

Because of the inefficacy of disparate psychiatric and rehabilitative approaches to psychosocial restoration of chronic mental patients, the authors designed the New England Psychiatric Rehabilitation Training Program for vocational rehabilitation counselors who work with these patients. The program extends Erikson's epigenetic sequence to development of work capacity and emphasizes a comprehensive, multiaxial approach to psychopathology and vocational rehabilitation.

Basing on earlier work done by Essen-Mˆller in Sweden, Leme Lopez in Brazil, and Tadeusz Bilikiewicz in Poland, a survey is presented of the development of the concepts known an etioepigenetic psychiatric nosography. The significance of these systems in the classification of mental disorders is illustrated by examples. The etioepigenetic system involves three axes of development methods of the complex structure of the psyche.

Fluctuating asymmetry of bilateral morphological traits is the result of prenatal developmental instability and has been shown to be greater in organisms having more homozygous genotypes (aabb vs. AaBb, for example). This expected increase in fluctuating asymmetry has been found among individuals having a high degree of liability for schizophrenia, as this disorder appears to have a polygenic basis.

The model of ego development by Loevinger describes an epigenetic series of successive stages comprising increasingly complex styles of impulse control, interpersonal relationships, moral and cognitive reasoning. This model offers an opportunity to explore the structural premises young adults rely on solving their developmental tasks. Controls compared to patients show a significantly superior intrapsychic coping, awareness of social rules and knowledge of interpersonal relations.