Book Forum
NEUROPSYCHIATRY neuroanatomical theories of depression have been derived
from the functional imaging data; these theories center around
reduced activity in frontal cortical, basal ganglia, and thalamic
Brain Imaging in Clinical Psychiatry, edited by K. Ranga circuits.
Rama Krishnan and P. Murali Doraiswamy. New York, Mar- Next is a comprehensive chapter on anorexia nervosa and
cel Dekker, 1997, 645 pp., $165.00.
bulimia nervosa. The authors first comment on etiology,
pathophysiology, comorbid symptoms (depressive and obses-
In their preface, the editors set forth the intent of this vol- sive-compulsive), and animal studies. Methodological prob-
ume, which is to provide clinicians and researchers with a
lems are considered, including changes in brain size with star-
background and comprehensive introduction for imaging
vation (pseudoatrophy), appropriate control subjects, and
neuropsychiatric disorders. To accomplish this, the editors
statistical analysis ( fishing or science? ). Morphological
have organized the chapters into three groups. The first four
studies include findings of reduced cerebral and increased ven-
chapters set forth the basic principles of magnetic resonance
tricular volumes and reduced pituitary size. The authors sum-
imaging (MRI), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS),
marize the functional imaging studies by stating that there are
positron emission tomography (PET), and single photon emis-
no clearly replicated specific functional imaging abnormalities
sion computed tomography (SPECT). Two chapters on
demonstrated thus far, except perhaps a greater right-sided
neuroanatomy follow, the first on the functional neuro-
than left-sided decrease in cortical FDG uptake in bulimic pa-
anatomy of the limbic system and planum temporale and the
tients than in control subjects.
second on the morphology of normal brain development for
Four chapters on schizophrenia and late-life psychosis fol-
ages 4 18. The remaining chapters consider the major psychi-
low. The first, on MRI, is encyclopedic (the table of individual
atric disorders by diagnostic area.
studies is 24 pages long), and at the end the authors indicate
Developmental neuropsychopathology is covered first.
that the two robust findings are lateral ventricular enlarge-
Structural and functional data are considered for attention
ment and temporal and medial temporal lobe volume reduc-
deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, dyslexia, fragile X syn-
tion. MRS studies in schizophrenia are reviewed next; there
drome, childhood-onset schizophrenia, Sydenham s chorea,
were only a dozen or so through 1995. These have shown
and Tourette s syndrome. The authors conservatively con-
reduced N-acetyl aspartate in the temporal lobes, evidence of
clude that the abundance of reported neuroanatomical find-
membrane alterations (phosphomonoesters and phosphodi-
ings has been more notable than the consistency of the find-
esters), and possible alterations in energy metabolism (nucleo-
ings. A useful table of psychiatric indications for pediatric
tide triphosphates). The third chapter reviews PET studies of
cerebral MRI scans is included.
cerebral metabolism and blood flow, of which there are many,
Next are four chapters on neuromorphometric, MRS, PET,
like the MRI studies. The authors conclude that the PET re-
and SPECT studies of mood disorders. The presence of deep
sults on anterior-posterior and laterality differences in FDG
white matter hyperintensities on MRI in greater frequency in
uptake and blood flow, including those with cognitive activa-
patients with late-onset depression than in younger patients
tion, are equivocal. In this chapter, as in most of the others,
appears to be the most consistent morphological finding; un-
potential sources of variability are mentioned, including pa-
derlying cerebral atherosclerosis is the most likely cause in
tient selection, sample size, demographic factors, image acqui-
older patients. Alterations in phosphomonoesters and phos-
sition technique and anatomical coregistration, and cognitive
phodiesters have been noted with 31P-MRS in bipolar disor-
activation paradigms. The chapter on late-life psychosis cov-
der, but similar changes have been found in schizophrenia,
ers primarily morphologic studies and comes to conclusions
which brings the specificity of the changes into question. The
similar to those for earlier-age schizophrenia, i.e., ventricular
1
few studies with H-MRS suggest that there are increased
enlargement and temporal lobe volume reduction. Addition-
choline-containing and other compounds in bipolar disorder.
ally, increased thalamic volume and a greater number of dis-
19
F-MRS and 7Li-MRS have been used to determine the brain
crete gray and white matter lesions have been described in
concentrations of fluorinated drugs such as fluoxetine and
elderly psychotic patients.
lithium.
The chapter on brain imaging in phobic disorders includes
Some, but not all, [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET
panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, social phobia,
studies of primary depression have shown reduced FDG up-
generalized anxiety disorder, and simple phobia. As might be
take (interpreted as reduced glucose metabolism) in the pre-
expected, studies of these different diagnostic categories with
frontal cortex and caudate nucleus, which increases toward
different imaging techniques have yielded a variety of findings.
control values with successful treatment. PET cerebral blood
The chapter on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is of
flow studies with 15O-water show decreased flow in similar
interest because the neuroanatomical theories of OCD derived
cortical areas, an indication of the normal coupling of cerebral
from imaging data center around increased activity in compo-
blood flow and metabolism. Activation studies tend to show
less activation following demanding tasks in subjects with de- nents of the frontal cortical, basal ganglia, thalamic, frontal
pression than in normal control subjects. Findings of SPECT cortical loop opposite to the changes in these circuits in ma-
studies measuring regional cerebral blood flow have been jor depression, mentioned above. The chapter on personality
consistent with those of PET studies, indicating reduced disorders underscores the heterogeneity of these disorders and
blood flow in the prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia. Some provides an interesting perspective on potential links between
Am J Psychiatry 155:8, August 1998 1125
BOOK FORUM
stable personality traits and regional brain function in the nor- these patients. The chapter on assessment of the elderly con-
mal population. tains an excellent discussion of assessment of severely de-
The final chapters are on MRI and MRS in dementia, PET mented patients but does not even mention the widely used
in dementia, application of PET to age-related cognitive test battery developed by the Consortium to Establish a Reg-
changes, neuroimaging of HIV infection, and brain imaging istry for Alzheimer s Disease. Surely, the assessment of mildly
in chronic fatigue syndrome. Because of the greater definitive- demented patients to identify specific patterns of impaired and
ness of brain pathology in these neuropsychiatric disorders spared cognitive functions is at least as important as quanti-
compared with the psychiatric disorders considered earlier, fying deterioration in advanced cases. Another omission is the
the findings emerge much more consistently and indeed are failure to consider special batteries that have been devised to
being used clinically to confirm diagnoses, a utility that still assess cognitive functions in patients with a particular disease
lies far in the future for imaging studies of psychiatric disor- or condition (e.g., multiple sclerosis).
ders. For example, bilateral temporoparietal reductions in Considering that neuropsychological practice exists in an
cerebral blood flow and FDG uptake add considerable weight age of managed care, there is remarkably little concern any-
to the diagnosis of Alzheimer s disease in patients with signs where in this volume for the possibility that one day soon
and symptoms of dementia. compensable neuropsychological evaluation for all but foren-
As mentioned at the beginning of this review, the editors sic cases will be reduced to 2 3 hours of testing. Only the
intended to provide a comprehensive introduction to the im- excellent chapter on computerized evaluation even raises the
aging of neuropsychiatric disorders. Given the constraints of issue of efficiency of testing. The authors of this chapter make
a single, multiauthored volume, they have accomplished this a strong case for the usefulness of computerized batteries, but
very well. The authors, about a third of whom are from the they acknowledge that there are some functions (e.g., lan-
editors own institution, Duke University, are respected guage) that cannot be assessed very well with computers.
authorities in neuroimaging. In summary, this volume provides a good account of where
This volume can serve as a practical introduction to the neuropsychological assessment has been, but it is not very use-
basics of several standard neuroimaging techniques and as a ful in pointing the direction for the future.
comprehensive review of imaging studies on neuropsychiatric
disorders up to the mid-1990s. Newer techniques such as
WILLIAM W. BEATTY, PH.D.
functional MRI, in which advances have been rapidly occur- Oklahoma City, Okla.
ring in the last several years, are of necessity covered only
briefly and will require the interested reader to consult addi-
tional sources such as journal review articles. The same can
MOOD DISORDERS
be said for the imaging studies presented for the various psy-
chiatric conditions; most psychiatric illnesses are being vigor-
ously explored by both structural and functional neuroimag- Dysthymia and the Spectrum of Chronic Depressions, by
ing in many research centers, and new data are reported as Hagop S. Akiskal and Giovanni B. Cassano. New York, Guil-
frequently as new journal issues appear. Given the current ford Publications, 1997, 228 pp., $30.00.
speed and intensity of progress in the neuroimaging of neuro-
psychiatric disorders, the editors may wish to consider an up- This valuable collection of chapters places the last 15 years
date to this volume for the twenty-first century. of affective disorder research and clinical practice in a won-
derful perspective. Although most of these chapters were di-
ROBERT T. RUBIN, M.D., PH.D. rectly derived from a conference held in Spoleto, Italy, in
Pittsburgh, Pa.
1992, the distinguished group of contributors provide a lively
debate on nosological and treatment issues, a debate that con-
tinues to this date. Given the interest and expertise of Akiskal
Contemporary Approaches to Neuropsychological Assess- and Cassano, the debate focuses on the chronic depressive
ment, edited by Gerald Goldstein and Theresa M. Incagnoli. disorders. The authors review the historical classic roots and
New York, Plenum, 1997, 420 pp., $65.00. changes in the conceptual framework of chronic and minor
depressive disorders, driven by empirical diagnostic and treat-
This volume summarizes important developments in the ment data, and conclude that the present nomenclature can
practice of clinical neuropsychology during the past decade. embrace the spectrum and chronic conditions better than has
Separate chapters review the Halstead-Reitan and Luria- been done previously. The authors consider their own clinical
Nebraska batteries, the two leading examples of fixed bat- research and practice experiences in the United States, Brazil,
tery approaches to assessment (in which every patient receives Canada, England, and Germany and conclude that dysthy-
the same set of tests); the rival flexible Boston Process ap- mia, chronic major depression, and residual depressive states
proach is considered in a separate chapter. Other chapters are here to stay, have reliable diagnostic criteria, and are ame-
describe neuropsychological findings and assessment methods nable to psychopharmacological intervention. For example, it
for special populations (children, the elderly, psychiatric patients), is argued that concurrent personality clusters or disorders
improvements in norms for widely used tests, and completely do not diminish the likelihood of positive responses to phar-
computerized methods for neuropsychological assessment. macotherapy in chronic depressive conditions. A number of
The volume has value for practicing clinical neuropsycholo- other depressive subtypes are discussed, such as minor and
gists because it brings together much recent research on as- recurrent brief depression, chronic fatigue, atypical depres-
sessment methods. For physicians, particularly psychiatrists, sion, hysteroid dysphoria, and two childhood condi-
the book will be less useful. For example, the chapter on psy- tions chronic depression in childhood and concurrent de-
chopathology and neuropsychological assessment contains pression with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Perhaps
accurate if brief reviews of research on schizophrenia, unipo- the most interesting debate occurs on the importance of neu-
lar depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, but the rotic depression: Roth and Mountjoy argue for the concept
authors do not propose assessment batteries for characterizing on one side and Maj argues on the other side.
1126 Am J Psychiatry 155:8, August 1998
BOOK FORUM
In editing the volume, Akiskal and Cassano have kept the the psychological and a short-shrifting of the biological here.
number of redundant chapters to a minimum, enabling the I understand that simple cause-and-effect reductionism does
reader to use it as a valuable resource. As mentioned at the not do justice to the interdependence of biology and psychol-
outset, this volume sets the stage for the last 5 years by giving ogy, but, having treated so many severely depressed individu-
the reader a superb snapshot of circa 1992. We could use the als over the years, it is hard for me not to feel that suicidal
second volume now for the update because numerous clinical despair is generally more the product of patients disordered
trials have demonstrated that the editors and authors were neurochemistry than of their individual, developmental psy-
quite accurate in their prognosis that these conditions can chology chickens and eggs notwithstanding. Certainly, not
be well treated both for the short and the long term. Indeed,
all suicidal individuals suffer from major depressive disorders
one might argue that the reader would benefit from a conclud- and not all severely depressed patients kill themselves, but if
ing chapter outlining the advances based on new clinical trial
we are significantly to decrease the appalling toll of suicides
findings. Perhaps the next volume is being prepared now so
in youth and the elderly, a focus on depression and its optimal
we can place it on our shelves next to the present one.
treatment by combined pharmacology and psychotherapy is
required not a minimization of the role of depression and
DAVID J. KUPFER, M.D.
biology. A public health campaign directed at better and ear-
Pittsburgh, Pa.
lier identification and treatment of depression holds the great-
est promise for significant reduction of suicidal deaths.
In section 2, Cultural Perspectives, David Lester provides
Suicide: Individual, Cultural, International Perspectives, by
an overview with an interesting historical slant of diverse eth-
Antoon A. Leenars, Ph.D., Ronald W. Maris, Ph.D., and
nic groups in the United States and their suicidal patterns.
Yoshitomo Takahashi, M.D. New York, Guilford Publica-
Marlene EchoHawk contributes a chapter on Native Ameri-
tions, 1997, 151 pp., $25.00.
can suicide that is especially enlightening on traditional tribal
structure. Little emphasis is given to the role of alcohol and
This work represents a double reprise for a set of papers
other substance abuse, another public health problem that
initially presented as the keynote core works from the 1996
needs to be addressed. African American Suicide as a Cul-
Annual Meeting of the American Association of Suicidology.
tural Paradox, by Jewelle Taylor Gibbs, is a very good review
The conference theme was Suicide: Individual, Cultural, In-
article. More attention to the confounding of racial versus
ternational Perspectives. Following the conference, the pa-
socioeconomic factors would have been welcomed, as well as
pers were published as an issue of Suicide and Life-Threaten-
more theorizing on the pattern of higher rates in 20 35-year-
ing Behavior (volume 27, issue 1, Spring 1997), the official
old African American men than in older African American
journal of the American Association of Suicidology, in exactly
men. Julia Shiang et al. contribute an excellent chapter on
the same format as this hardcover book, published by Guil-
Caucasian compared with Asian groups in San Francisco. No-
ford Publications.
table are their disclaimers of necessary validity for their theo-
Most of the contributors to this edited work have a long
ries and their finding that Asian women older than age 85 have
affiliation with the American Association of Suicidology
the highest rates of all age groups and races. Joseph Hover
(Lanny Berman, Terry Maltsberger, Joe Richman, David
and Cheryl King s chapter on Mexican Americans is especially
Lester, as well as Leenars and Maris) in fact, most have
thoughtful regarding socioeconomic versus ethnic factors in
been awardees, officers, and board members and are dis-
this understudied population.
tinguished contributors in the field of suicidology. Maris,
The first chapter in section 3, International Perspectives, is
for example, was for years the editor of Suicide and Life-
also by David Lester, who developed a small set of predictor
Threatening Behavior, a journal now edited by Mort Silver-
variables that were quite successful in predicting the suicide
man, M.D.
rates of 17 industrialized nations. The description of quite
The present work, a slim volume, is rather uneven; the sec-
successful (as cited in the abstract) was reduced to only
tions on cultural and international perspectives were of con-
moderately successful in the chapter s discussion section.
siderably more interest to me than the section on individual
More specifically, birth and divorce rates, alcohol consump-
perspectives. Leenars sets the stage in the preface by reminding
tion, percent of elderly in the population, and blood type gen-
us that nomothetic and idiographic perspectives on suicide
erated an r of 0.69 in the multiple regression analysis. Sak-
complement one another indicating that these papers will
embrace both. Berman begins the section on individual per- inofsky and Leenars compared Canadian and U.S. data on
suicide and found them generally similar, with slightly higher
spectives with a chapter on adolescent suicide that looks at
rates in Canada. Armin Schmidtke presents his perspective on
both individual and cultural influences. Leenars follows with
Europe, revealing the apparent enormous differences across
an interesting study of the Richard Cory type of suicide
countries. He feels that national attitudes toward suicidal be-
i.e., an apparently clinically unpredictable suicide. He feels
havior are the most important reasons for these wide discrep-
that this case is an example of a dissembler. An adult case is
presented by Maltsberger, who employs an unorthodox ban- ancies. An interesting note is his reference to Rossow s 1993
tering, teasing approach with an unusual patient. Richman article in the journal Addiction, showing that in Norway, from
offers a uniquely optimistic view of our changing age demo- 1911 to 1990, alcohol consumption and divorce were inde-
graphics, finding grounds for hope for our future, increasing pendently and statistically significantly associated with male,
elderly patients. This section concludes with a chapter on so- but not female, suicide rates. This finding is at variance with
cial suicide in which Maris attempts to meld individual and Charles Rich s suggestion that the disparity between male and
social perspectives. female completed suicide rates in the United States may best
What I find most disturbing about the section on individual be accounted for by the far greater prevalence of alcohol abuse
perspectives is that the biological aspects of suicide and de- by males. The book s final chapter is by Takahashi, who
pression are merely mentioned. There is a clear emphasis on writes of culture and suicide from a Japanese psychiatrist s
Am J Psychiatry 155:8, August 1998 1127
BOOK FORUM
perspective. He emphasizes the similarities of suicide across ences. He has previously published three volumes on heroin
addiction.
cultures rather than the differences and advocates a rather
His scholarship is impressive; he has reviewed more than
idiosyncratic clinical approach. His chapter is interesting, but
1,000 articles covering cocaine s history, use, pharmacology,
it contains numerous grammatical errors.
behavioral effects, psychopathological and medical aspects,
and treatment of abuse. At the end of each of his 11 chapters,
HOWARD S. SUDAK, M.D.
Philadelphia, Pa. he states his conclusions about the information in the forego-
ing pages. I found this helpful in making the material relatively
easy to read and retain. Dr. Platt is an able writer and a tal-
ented summarizer; each paragraph in the conclusions sections
ADDICTIVE DISORDERS
starts with an italicized sentence that serves as a brief abstract
of what follows. The bulk of the book s content is in the form
Psychotherapy and Substance Abuse: A Practitioner s Hand- of densely packed data with the citations in parentheses. Dr.
book, edited by Arnold M. Washton. New York, Guilford
Platt stresses in his preface that this book would be most useful
Publications, 1995, 492 pp., $46.95; $23.95 (paper).
as a reference to the wealth of research and clinical articles
that he cites.
This book is a valuable resource for therapists who encoun- Dr. Platt thoroughly reports and discusses what has been
ter patients with addictions. It is written more for the general
written about the psychosocial treatment of cocaine abuse. He
therapist than the addiction specialist. The list of contributors
has little good news for us, however. He finds that there is
is impressive, including many leading American addictionolo-
some promise in contingency management, a form of behavior
gists. These individuals help to familiarize the reader, presum-
therapy using community resources such as vocational, edu-
ably a mental health practitioner, with psychotherapeutic ap-
cational, financial, and legal counseling together with direct
proaches to alcohol and drug abuse. This enhances the book
financial rewards for abstinence (p. 212). This approach was
for the nonspecialist in addictions. I feel that the intended
found to be more effective than a 12-step program in initiating
audience is the mental health practitioner who does not usu- abstinence and preventing relapse. The published studies of
ally work in a chemical dependency treatment setting.
contingency management contrasted with a 12-step program
There are three broad areas: basic issues, clinical strategies,
have had follow-ups as long as 24 weeks. Long-term outcome
and special populations. There are also several sections that
studies had not been reported when this book was prepared
emphasize psychotherapy and rational emotive therapy in in- (p. 333). Dupont (1) strongly advocated lifelong membership
tegration with a 12-step model. This book is a timely review
in a 12-step fellowship as the sine qua non of addiction treat-
of the psychological treatments and their application to ther- ment. The many forms of nonpharmacological treatment that
apy for addictions. It contains many useful and anecdotal facts
are reviewed in this publication attempt to reach the cocaine
as well as a well-developed review of the literature. It differ- addicts who will not or cannot make use of Narcotics Anony-
entiates between psychotherapy and simple psychological
mous (NA) or Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). In my experience,
treatment of addictive disorders in a way that is beneficial to
involvement in an abstinence-based, sponsored fellowship
the reader. Chapters include topics such as cognitive and be- such as AA and NA is the best possible outcome of psycho-
havioral treatment of substance misuse as well as a review of
therapy with an addict. In APA s practice guideline for the
the value of group therapy in addictive disorders. A review of
treatment of patients with substance use disorders, published
Alcoholics Anonymous is also included. This well-referenced
in 1995 (2), self-help groups for substance abuse disorders are
book would make a very nice complement to any course of
referred to as adjunctive and helpful for many patients. The
instruction concerning the treatment of addictive disorders.
authors of the practice guideline noted that 12-step groups
Psychotherapy and Substance Abuse is a good book for its
may not be right for patients who need to take psychoactive
intended audience. It covers the concepts of drug abuse treat- drugs for a comorbid condition, such as depression, if their
ment for the general mental health practitioner very well. The
use of prescribed medications is considered a form of sub-
only thing that prevents it from being a better book is the fact
stance abuse (2, p. 20).
that it is aimed too much to the generalist and lacks the details
Pharmacological treatment has not been shown to be effec-
one would like. If size permits, a second edition with details
tive in itself, but medications that antagonize cocaine by
of interest to both the general therapist and the addiction
blocking euphoria reduce craving and thus can be valuable
specialist would enhance the value of this otherwise excellent
when used with nonpharmacological interventions. Many
text.
workers have tried antidepressant, stimulant, antianxiety, do-
paminergic, and neuroleptic agents without conspicuous suc-
JAMES ALLEN WILCOX, D.O., PH.D.
cess in reducing craving and promoting abstinence. One medi-
El Paso, Tex.
cation, however, flupenthixol decanoate, is, in Dr. Platt s
words, possibly the first pharmacological treatment to have
demonstrated effectiveness in the treatment of cocaine abuse
Cocaine Addiction: Theory, Research, and Treatment, by
(p. 305). Flupenthixol is a xanthene that can be administered
Jerome J. Platt, M.D. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University
intramuscularly at 2 4-week intervals. It blocks dopamine
Press, 1997, 432 pp., $49.95.
binding at receptors and appears to reduce craving signifi-
cantly.
Dr. Platt has written a comprehensive review of the Eng-
lish-language literature on cocaine abuse. He is Professor of
Psychiatry and Director of the Division of Addiction Research
REFERENCES
and Treatment, Allegheny University of Health Sciences,
Medical College of Pennsylvania and Hahnemann School of
1. Dupont RL: The Selfish Brain: Learning From Addiction. Wash-
Medicine, Philadelphia. He is also Director of the Institute for
ington, DC, American Psychiatric Press, 1997, pp 361 417
Addictive Research at Allegheny University of the Health Sci- 2. American Psychiatric Association: Practice guideline for the
1128 Am J Psychiatry 155:8, August 1998
BOOK FORUM
treatment of patients with substance use disorders: alcohol, co- lies that are best told by those who are affected. The chapter
caine, opioids. Am J Psychiatry 1995; 152(Nov suppl):1 59
on caregiver stress and strategies to combat it and the chapter
about a community-based training program to identify iso-
WILLIAM R. FLYNN, M.D.
lated at-risk elderly individuals who live in the community but
Napa, Calif.
lack support services to obtain needed resources or placement
describe concrete ways to intervene for patients who are cur-
rently ill with Alzheimer s disease.
Finally, chapter 11, written by the editor, concisely sum-
OTHER SPECIFIC DISORDERS
marizes the state of the art for brain diseases and then pro-
poses principles to provide guidance for future efforts and
Progress in Alzheimer s Disease and Similar Conditions, ed- research. This chapter synthesizes the widely varied aspects
ited by Leonard L. Heston, M.D. Washington, D.C., Ameri- of the book in a concise and thought-provoking manner.
can Psychiatric Press, 1997, 289 pp., $47.50. Progress in Alzheimer s Disease and Similar Conditions is
highly recommended.
This book aims broadly to update health care professionals
on brain disease in general and Alzheimer s disease in particu- CATHERINE L. WOODMAN, M.D.
Iowa City, Iowa
lar. The goal is ambitious staying up-to-date in the rapidly
changing fields of molecular genetics and brain imaging is
challenging even for those whose research is affected by these
findings. The editor has met his goals in this notably worthy The Broken Mirror: Understanding and Treating Body Dys-
volume. morphic Disorder, by Katharine A. Phillips, M.D. New
The book has chapters that thoroughly cover aspects of Alz- York, Oxford University Press, 1996, 344 pp., $25.00; $12.95
heimer s disease interspersed with chapters that address (paper).
neurological mechanisms of disease. In his introduction, Dr.
Heston outlines the concept of providing models of disease Since the advent of the remote-control channel-changer, I
process that can then be applied more broadly. The bulk of have found that I can watch three simultaneous movies on
the chapters focus specifically on Alzheimer s disease, the best- television. By flicking back and forth, it is possible to follow
known of the more common brain diseases. These chapters the plot and action on all three at the same time, thus empha-
cover the disease from the molecular level to patients and sizing how much padding there is in the average film.
those around them. The current data related to epidemiology, Reading Dr. Phillips book is a little reminiscent of this. It
pathophysiology, psychopharmacology, and pathology of is a textbook but written to be comprehensible to the layper-
Alzheimer s disease are thoroughly covered. The language is son. Because of this, there is a degree of repetitiveness and a
crisp, clear, and understandable, and the chapters are exten- need to explain basic concepts in some detail, so the profes-
sively referenced. sional reader is frequently tempted to skip-read. This is a pity,
Alzheimer s disease is presented as a model for diseases with because some good material could be missed.
heterogeneous causality, having both genetic and environ- Body dysmorphic disorder is a prolonged and unpleasant
mental contributions to illness expression. Major molecular condition and, as the author points out, probably not an un-
strategies have been used to study Alzheimer s disease, includ- common one. It causes huge distress to patients, has a heavy
ing linkage and candidate gene strategies. These studies have impact on families, and frequently causes perplexity and mis-
defined DNA mutations directly associated with Alzheimer s diagnosis among physicians. As one of the somatoform group
disease as well as located regions of DNA that have additional of disorders, it shares the dubious distinction (perhaps equaled
mutations. The chapters that describe these mutations offer only by the personality disorders) of being among the worst-
important insights for the study of other brain diseases. Het- researched aspects of psychiatry.
erogenicity is likely to be the rule rather than the exception Until recently, body dysmorphic disorder was an illness that
for psychopathology. The chapters dealing with these subjects caused almost as much despair among therapists as among
are well written, easy to follow, and yet reasonably thorough. patients because there seemed to be no effective treatment.
The book strikes a nice balance between conciseness and detail Now that clomipramine and the selective serotonin reuptake
that is difficult to achieve and rarely seen. inhibitor antidepressants have been shown to be valuable,
Two chapters in the volume (chapters 5 and 7) describe often in combination with cognitive behavior therapy, the pic-
unique mechanisms of disease illustrating the advances in mo- ture has improved strongly for many patients. Also, there is a
lecular genetics that have occurred over the past decade. Dr. greater incentive for professionals to recognize and treat body
Prusiner s chapter on prion biology begins by describing the dysmorphic disorder.
state of the art in prion-associated disease and then walks the Dr. Phillips and her colleagues have been instrumental in
reader step-by-step through the experimental evidence that promoting and highlighting many of the recent advances in
has been amassed to explain disease causality and transmis- this field, and she has made many significant contributions to
sion. Dr. Orr and Dr. Zoghbi s chapter describes unstable tri- the literature. Her book is a comprehensive and considered
ple-repeat bases in DNA and the consequent neurological dis- look at the present state of our knowledge, and she does not
eases that are known to be caused by repeated triplets of CAG. hesitate to underscore the many profound gaps in our under-
They then propose a model of pathogenesis for diseases where standing of body dysmorphic disorder.
there is evidence for genetic anticipation. There are few books with whose content one does not take
In addition to the well-written chapters examining the cel- some exception, particularly as a critical reviewer, but this one
lular and molecular aspects of Alzheimer s disease are three almost makes its home run unscathed. Dr. Phillips common-
chapters with a macro-orientation. One is a firsthand account sense approach and unwillingness to stray into specious specu-
of coping with a spouse with familial Alzheimer s disease. This lation result in a mainstream work that is consonant with
chapter is moving yet not heavy-handed and alerts the clini- current informed thinking. Of course, it helps considerably
cian to aspects of this chronic disease and its impact on fami- that she herself has contributed much to that thinking.
Am J Psychiatry 155:8, August 1998 1129
BOOK FORUM
In fact, there is only one area in which I seriously disagree by Ernest Jones, Karl Abraham, Peter Sifneos, and Leonard
with Dr. Phillips. On pages 229 230, she discusses the con- Salzman. I expect that different readers will respond very dif-
troversial topic of the delusional variant of body dysmor- ferently to this section. Stein wonders (rhetorically) whether
phic disorder, by which she means the somatic subtype of such papers . . . are mere historical curiosities. Empiricists
delusional disorder. Controversial this certainly is, and she may be frustrated by the rambling presentation of theories
and I have debated it publicly and in print. My point of view, accompanied by limited structure for hypothesis testing. In-
shared by many others, is that any form of delusional disorder deed, although there is some mention of it, the lack of data to
is an illness sui generis and to view it as a variant of a totally support the efficacy of psychoanalytic approaches in the treat-
different condition is to fudge some highly important diagnos- ment of OCD should have been further underscored. This sec-
tic principles. tion illustrates the early struggle with terminology that actu-
Having vented that little bit of spleen, I can recommend this ally remains unresolved today. In this context, some greater
book as an introduction to the difficult and misunderstood emphasis regarding the distinction between OCD and its
topic of body dysmorphic disorder. At present there is no namesake among the personality disorders, as well as a his-
other equally comprehensive source of information on the torical account of evolving terminology across the versions of
subject, and its balanced and atheoretical approach com- DSM, would have been most instructive. Nonetheless, I thor-
mends it. However, nearly all of the quotations from distin- oughly enjoyed the case material hammering home the het-
guished clinicians on the book s cover underline its usefulness erogeneity of OCD juxtaposed with its ageless visage, which
to the sufferer rather than to the physician. Sadly, there is no has been almost invariant across centuries. There is also much
reference list that might be of use to the latter. to recommend these works aside from their pertinence to
Inside The Broken Mirror is a leaner, more incisive work OCD; for instance, Jones s discussion regarding the psychol-
waiting to be written, specifically for those of us who have ogy of hate is wonderful.
to diagnose and treat body dysmorphic disorder. I for one Section 2 contains five papers on psychological research.
intend to buy it when it comes out, and I assure Dr. Phillips Joseph Sandler and Anandi Hazari present a visionary study
that I will read it assiduously and without a channel-changer of the classification of obsessional character traits and symp-
in my hand. toms that employs factor analytic techniques; this approach
has recently returned to the fore, promising new insights re-
ALISTAIR MUNRO, M.D. garding subtypes of OCD. One fine paper by Lewis Judd is
Halifax, N.S., Canada
intended to cover OCD in children; another by Heinz Hart-
mann presents an interesting paradigm for investigating the
phenomenon of incompleteness experienced by OCD suf-
Essential Papers on Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, edited by ferers. Behavioral therapy for OCD is addressed by means of
Dan J. Stein, M.B., and Michael H. Stone, M.D. New York, a single paper by Stanley Rachman and colleagues; although
New York University Press, 1997, 49 pp., $75.00; $38.25 an appropriate choice if limited to just one, this seems inade-
(paper). quate coverage for perhaps the most effective type of interven-
tion available. In particular, an account of emerging research
The editors of this contribution to the Essential Papers series about behavioral therapy in children and adolescents with
faced the formidable task of selecting 20 papers that, collec- OCD would have been appreciated. Similarly, Paul Salk-
tively, might justify its ambitious title. In fact, there are nu- ovskis brilliant paper on cognitive therapy could have been
merous recent texts that aptly review current knowledge supplemented by others.
about obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Stein and Stone Section 3 contains seven papers on neuropsychiatric ap-
did not seek to compete with those books. Instead, as should proaches. Works by Paul Schilder as well as Steven Wise and
be clear from a quick perusal of the table of contents, this Judith Rapoport present early neurobiological models of
volume is heavily skewed toward psychoanalytic theory, thus OCD, introducing critical concepts regarding its relationship
emphasizing a historical perspective. Still, it did surprise me to other neurological disorders and the hypothesized role of
that, on noting the accelerated gains in OCD research during the basal ganglia in its pathophysiology. Similarly, the paper
the past few years, the editors chose not to include any paper by Thomas Insel and Joseph Zohar is a classic in which a
published more recently than 1993. serotonergic model of OCD is proposed. A review by Michael
The body of the book is divided into three sections: Classical Jenike regarding pharmacological treatments for OCD is also
Psychoanalysis, Psychological Research, and Neuropsychiat- outstanding for its time (1992); however, it is difficult to un-
ric Approaches. These core contents are preceded by Stein s derstand why this paper was selected because more recent
preface, which nicely sets the stage for the arrangement of works would have been more current and thus more thorough
works to follow, and Stone s introduction, which represents for the reader of today (e.g., newer serotonergic medications
a scholarly review of pre-twentieth-century OCD history. and important information regarding augmentation strategies
Stein and Stone collaborated on the epilogue, which serves to were not yet available). The landmark functional neuroimag-
summarize and integrate the amalgam of individual chapters ing paper by Lewis Baxter and colleagues is an ideal choice,
while acknowledging the limitations, if not idiosyncrasies, of illustrating regional metabolic abnormalities associated with
the selection process they applied. It is within these sections OCD as well as characteristic changes following successful
framing the contents that Stein and Stone reveal their own treatment. One might have expected analogous papers con-
breadth of expertise on these topics, making at least passing veying important structural findings in OCD as well as neuro-
reference to numerous critical scientific highlights and emerg- psychological studies. An excellent paper by Susan Swedo and
ing concepts relevant to the field of OCD. colleagues demonstrates the longitudinal course of OCD with
The subject matter of section 1 is often reduced to a single emergence in childhood. Readers might have been well served
chapter or, more typically, a paragraph in recent reviews of if this had been augmented by one of the groundbreaking pa-
OCD. Here the reader is provided eight papers regarding clas- pers by the same research group regarding potential autoim-
sical psychoanalytic theory and OCD including three by Sig- mune mechanisms underlying OCD. Similarly, seminal papers
mund Freud and one by Anna Freud, intermingled with works reporting family-genetic research are conspicuous by their ab-
1130 Am J Psychiatry 155:8, August 1998
BOOK FORUM
sence. Finally, since the concept of a spectrum of OCD and most diagnoses, aided by sleep laboratory tests, such as
related disorders has been championed by Eric Hollander and polysomnography and the Multiple Sleep Latency Test. The
his colleagues, it seems fitting that the last paper, by Stein and second chapter reviews the physiology and pathology of sleep
Hollander, address this topic. stages, circadian rhythms, and dreams.
In summary, there is much to recommend this book to an Chapter 3 examines causes of insomnia. This is a disorder
avid reader interested in OCD through the ages. However, if that most people experience at some time in their lives because
a clinician, investigator, or layperson could have but one book excitement, stress, anticipation, and travel to higher altitudes
about OCD, I would not recommend this one; so, in that can precipitate transient insomnia. Chronic insomnia can
sense, the volume is not essential. Still, as a second book on arise from psychiatric conditions, drug side effects, disorders
the subject it is likely to complement other sources well. Psy- of circadian rhythms, and periodic limb movements of sleep.
chiatry in general, and psychoanalysis in particular, has a rich The next chapter discusses the evaluation and treatment of
tradition of seeking to understand the present based on a excessive daytime sleepiness. Narcolepsy and sleep-related
richer appreciation of the past. The form and content of this breathing disorders are prominent causes of this complaint.
book exemplify that tradition. Nonetheless, pragmatic con- The fifth chapter discusses parasomnias, which include
sumers will inevitably prefer to focus on the here and now.
four general categories: REM sleep behavior disorders and
nightmares, disorders of arousal from sleep, sleep-wake tran-
sition disorders, and other miscellaneous disorders. REM
SCOTT L. RAUCH, M.D.
sleep disorders consist of a number of disorders, including
Boston, Mass.
paralysis and hallucinations at the onset or end of sleep
and sleep-related painful and impaired erections. Sleep-
walking and sleep terrors are some of the disorders of
Evaluation and Management of Sleep Disorders, 2nd ed., by
arousal from sleep. Sleep starts and sleeptalking happen
Martin Reite, M.D., John Ruddy, M.D., and Kim E. Nagel,
during sleep-wake transitions. Miscellaneous disorders
M.D. Washington, D.C., American Psychiatric Press, 1997,
include such problems as sleep-related eating disorder,
277 pp., $21.00 (paper).
sleep bruxism, and sudden, unexplained nocturnal death
syndrome.
One of the most inviting aspects of this book was evident
Chapter 6 discusses sleep disorders related to symptoms as-
as soon as I received it its small size. Evaluation and Man-
sociated with medical illnesses or psychiatric conditions.
agement of Sleep Disorders is part of a series of Concise
Medical disorders may significantly disrupt sleep. Medication
Guides edited by Dr. Robert Hales and published by the
treatment for medical conditions can also disturb sleep, as can
American Psychiatric Press. As Dr. Hales explains in his fore-
hospital stays. Psychiatric illness, of course, can be associated
word to this volume, the guides are pocket-sized so that they
with insomnia or excessive daytime sleepiness. Chapter 7 ex-
may be readily available for use in a clinical setting. The ability
amines medications with sedative-hypnotic properties for use
to fit easily in a coat pocket made it easy for me to read the
in transient or chronic insomnia. The final chapter examines
book during snatches of after-hours waiting time. Yet the
sleep problems in special populations, including at different
guide doesn t read like a condensed version of the field. It is
ages and during pregnancy and menopause. Especially helpful
filled with clear explanations of the assessment of sleep disor-
in this chapter is an outline of treatment of enuresis and how
ders and offers detailed information. Goals of the book are to
to sort out sleep complaints in the elderly.
provide a portable and practical approach to the diagnosis
The authors of this guide, Dr. Martin Reite, Director of the
and treatment of sleep problems and a current summary of
University of Colorado Sleep Disorders Center, and Dr. John
the classification of sleep disorders. The book itself takes a
Ruddy and Dr. Kim Nagel, its associate directors, have pro-
symptom approach, dividing the disorders into 1) I can t
duced a well-organized, succinct overview of the clinical ap-
sleep" (insomnia), 2) I sleep too much" (excessive daytime
proach to sleep disorders. The clinician using this volume can
sleepiness), and 3) strange things happen when I sleep"
easily locate the relevant chapter by chief complaint and then
(parasomnias).
find, within the chapter, DSM-IV diagnostic criteria to trans-
The initial chapter is an overview of sleep disorders. A 1995
late into current psychiatric diagnostic categories. During my
Gallup Poll commissioned by the National Sleep Foundation
review, I found tidbits in two or three areas that were imme-
(1) revealed that 40% of adults in the United States have oc-
diately applicable to my clinical practice. All too often we
casional or chronic insomnia. There is a great cost to the econ-
concentrate on the patient s reports of daytime symptoms and
omy in terms of decreased efficiency and personal stress due
neglect the other third of a patient s life. This book offers
to sleep loss. The first chapter also reviews the various classi-
clinical practitioners a way to expand their understanding of
fication systems, including DSM-IV and the International
how sleep interacts with daytime functioning and how to ap-
Classification of Sleep Disorders of the American Sleep Dis-
proach sleep concerns.
orders association. In order to begin classifying a sleep com-
plaint, three questions are proposed as a good initial screen.
First, the question, Are you satisfied with your sleep? will
REFERENCE
pick up most insomnias. Then asking, Are you excessively
sleepy during the day? will reveal most excessive sleep disor-
1. Gallup Poll: Sleep in America. Washington, DC, National Sleep
ders. Finally, parasomnias can be uncovered by asking, Does
Foundation, 1995
your bed partner complain about your sleep? These unusual
events occurring during sleep are more often reported by ob-
servers of the patient s sleep the bed partner, roommate, or
KATHRYN J. EDNIE, M.D.
parent. As with much of medicine, a good history will make Ann Arbor, Mich.
Reprints of Book Forum reviews are not available.
Am J Psychiatry 155:8, August 1998 1131
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