Qualitative analysis of the capacity to consent to treatment in patients with a chronic neurodegenerative disease: Alzheimer's disease / Analisi qualitativa sulla capacità a prestare consenso al trattamento in pazienti con malattie cronico degenerative neuropsicoorganiche: Demenza di Alzheimer

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La farmacoterapia delle condotte aggressive di interesse clinico negli autori di reato

Pharmacotherapy of clinical aggression begins with assessment of the individual regarding the nature of the aggression and diagnosis. In general psychiatry, but especially in the treatment of criminal offenders, addressing aggressive behavior as well as the mental disorder is essential for safe and effective treatment. Assessment and pharmacotherapy of impulsive aggression is informed by diagnosis, identification of evidence-based anti-impulsive aggressive agents (AIAAs), AIAAs risks and side ef-fects, severity of aggression, prescription parsimony, pharmacotherapy history, and affordability and availability. Pharmacother-apy of aggression that is secondary to a mental disorder must address both the aggressive behavior and the disorder. Illustrative examples discussed here are the pharmacotherapy of aggression secondary to bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and psychotic disorders, and traumatic brain injury respectively

Two Cases of Feigned Homicidality: Assessing the Third Dimension in Homicidal Threats

Although data and research on the topic are lacking, the phenomenon of feigned homicidality in short-term hospitalization appears to have increased in recent years. Inpatient psychiatrists not only assess the seriousness of homicidal threats, but also whether such threats are authentic. However, specific literature and diagnostic manuals provide virtually no clinical guidance for this. The authors present two case examples of homicidality feigned for self-serving purposes that had little to do with hostility against the would-be victim. They recommend an approach to assessment that first takes any threat of homicide seriously, and involves an attempt to assess the seriousness of the threat and risk of harm. Secondly, if feigned homicidality is suspected, clinicians can methodically assess for this using criterion that have been applied to the assessment of malingering