INTRODUCTION Numerous studies showed EEG changes in patients with Parkinson's disease, in comparison with healthy subjects of same age. The most often presented change is generalised (or localised) slowing of frequency. AIM To show the correlation of EEG frequency and Mini Mental Status (MMS) in patients with Parkinson's disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS 32 patients with Parkinsons disease were analysed. An average age was 64.63 +/- 10.01 years, and most of them were men (24 or 75%). On the basis of MMS score, two groups were selected: with and without signs of dementia. For both groups, EEG frequency values were determined. RESULTS There were 11 patients without dementia (MMS score = 23-30) with average age of 64.63 +/- 9.54 years; and with dementia (MMS score < 24) 21 patients (average age was 62.71 +/- 10.04 years). In patients without dementia, diffuse slowing down of frequency was found in one patient (9.1%); localised in three (90.9%). In dementia patients, four patients (19.04%) had diffuse slowing of EEG and seven (80.96%) had localised. A positive correlation of EEG frequency and MMS score was found (r = 0.46), and Parkinson's disease patients with dementia had more frequently EEG with slowing frequency than non-dementia patients. CONCLUSION EEG slowing frequency is more frequent in Parkinson's disease patients with than without dementia.

INTRODUCTION Period after ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction is followed by different psychological reactions. Anxiety represents one possible psychological problem. AIM To investigate presence of anxiety in patients within period from 48 hours till 15 days after ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Fourty patients formed analyzed group. Their average age was 65.3 +/- 10.3 years (33-83). Twenty of them were females. Thirty patients formed controled group. Their average age was 57.46 +/- 10.6 years (42-78). Eleven of them were females. Twenty questions self-assessment Zung scales were used for anxiety levels determination, Responses were scored by points, which were summarized as final result. Final score of 50 and more points suggested that anxiety was present. RESULTS Average self-assessment anxiety score within 48 hours since ischemic stroke was 44.4 +/- 8.8 points, and 15-th day 42.2 +/- 7.7 (p=0.237). In twelve patients (30%) anxiety was found during the first surveying, and in 10 patients (25 %) during the second the surveying. Average self-assessment anxiety score within 48 hours since myocardial infarction was 43.1 +/- 8.3 points, and 15-th day 43.2 +/- 6.7 (p=0.959). In seven patients (23.3%) anxiety was found during first surveying, and in 5 patients (16.7%) during second surveying (p=0.52). CONCLUSION Anxiety represents important psychological problem for patients after ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction. Aldo number of anxiety patients is larger within 48 hours after ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction, average value in anxiety scale stays unreduced even 15 days after the beginning of the disease.

The period following ischemic stroke can be considered as a reaction to a stressful event. Changes in cortisol secretion are one of the indicators of stress reaction. The aim of the study was to determine morning serum levels of cortisol in stroke patients within 48 hours and 15 days of ischemic stroke onset. Study group included 40 patients, 20 of them were females, mean age 65.3 +/- 10.3 years. The patients did not receive any corticosteroid agents or spironolactone, and did not suffer from Cushing's or Addison's syndrome. Ischemic stroke was verified by computed tomography of the brain. The fluorometric method with DELFIA Cortisol immunoassay was used to determine morning serum cortisol levels. Reference values of the measured hormone were 201-681 nmol/l. The mean level of serum cortisol within 48 hours of stroke was 560.9 +/- 318.9 nmol/l, and on day 15 it was 426.2 +/- 159.3 nmol/l, i.e. significantly lower (p < 0.02). On the first measurement, the level of serum cortisol was elevated in 32%, and on the second measurement in only 7.5% patients, which was also significantly lower (p < 0.001). It was concluded that the stress reaction in ischemic stroke patients was more pronounced within the first 48 hours of stroke onset. Judging from the morning cortisol levels, the reaction to stress was considerably less pronounced 15 days after stroke onset.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a frequent consequence of surviving the stress of the war. The majority of research studies confirm that the severity, duration and the proximity to the traumatic events have significant influence on the outcome of surviving psychological trauma. There is also evidence that the prisoners of war who have survived severe, repetitive traumatization will develop PTSD more frequently, and that the characteristics and the severity of symptoms is more serious compared with the veterans of war who did not survive imprisonment. This paper analyzes the presence of the symptoms of PTSD according to frequency in a group of former prisoners of war and a group of war veterans who did not experience imprisonment. The research sample is comprised of subjects who were selected by the method of randomized stratified sample and divided an experimental and control group. Experimental subgroup E1 consist of 50 former prisoners of war who have sought psychiatric help after being released from the prisons, and subgroup E2 consist of 50 former prisoners of war who never sought psychiatric assistance. Control group is divided in subgroup K1 that consist of 30 veterans of war who did not survive imprisonment, and who have occasionally sought psychiatric assistance after the war, and subgroup K2 that consist of 30 veterans of war who did not survive imprisonment and who never sought psychiatric assistance. All subjects were male, none of them had any prior psychiatric history. The instruments used in the study were the following: general and sociobiographic questionnaire designed by the authors, traumatic events questionnaire which is a modified version of the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire, PTSD questionnaire designed according to DSM IV diagnostic criteria. Results in relation to degree of traumatic experience demonstrate that there is a significant statistical difference (P<0.005) between the experimental and control group. PTSP is statistically significantly more represented among the former prisoners of war than among the war veterans who were not detained in camps (P<0.05). Average scores for all symptom clusters (fear and helplessness, re-experiencing symptoms, avoidance symptoms, and hyper-arousal symptoms) were higher in the experimental group than in a control group.

In this paper we have presented historical overview of development of psychiatric services in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Special attention was given to the recent war destruction (l992-l995), as well as to the reconstruction and reform of mental health services within a frame of newly introduced mental health strategy.

The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the sensitivity and effectiveness of neuroimaging techniques in 190 patients with acute ischemic stroke. The first computed tomography (CT) scan for all patients was performed within the first 12 hours of the stroke symptoms onset. For each patient, between the third and fifth day of the hospitalization, at least one more neuroimaging procedure (CT and/or magnetic resonance imaging--MRI, and/or diffusion weighted imaging--DWI) was done. The CT scan in the first 12 hours of the stroke onset was positive in 32% of the patients; the highest number of the positive findings was in the patients with total anterior circulation infarct (52%). After 48 hours of the stroke onset second CT was positive in 85% (75/89), MRI in 93.5% (115/123), and DWI in 98.8% (79/80) patients. MRI was significantly more sensitive than CT in detection of ischemic lesion (88% vs. 72%, P=0.01), particularly in the patients with lacunar infarcts (75% vs. 50%, P=0.005). In detection of ischemic stroke 48 hours of the stroke onset the slightly higher number of strokes were detected on DWI in comparison with MRI (98.6% vs. 88.7%). According to our results, within the first 12 hours after the stroke onset, CT is reliable only for detection of considerable number of cortical ischemic strokes of the anterior cerebral circulation. After 48 hours from the stroke onset CT, MRI and DWI show high sensitivity in the detection of ischemic lesion of all clinical stroke subtypes. MRI is more sensitive in comparison with CT in detection of ischemic lesion, while DWI does not show dominance in comparison with MRI in identification of ischemic stroke after 48 hours of the symptoms onset.

AIM To analyze the kind and the representation of psychic disorders in former prisoners of war and war veterans who were not detained in camps. METHODS The analyzed sample consisted of 160 respondents divided into two groups. A group of 100 former prisoners of war and a group of 60 war veterans who had not been detained in camps. All the respondents are males and were psychically in healthy condition prior to the war. The modified Harvard Trauma Questionnaire was used to diagnose traumatic experience, and a questionnaire according to the DSM IV criteria was used to diagnose posttraumatic stress disorder. The Depressiveness Scale D-92 was used to diagnose depressiveness; the questionnaire STAI was used to diagnose anxiety; CAGE Questionnaire was used to diagnose alcoholism. RESULTS The former prisoners of war had traumatic experience at a higher level as compared to the war veterans who had not been detained in camps (P < 0.05). The symptoms of PTSD were manifested by 55% of camp inmates as compared to 33.3% of war veterans (P < 0.05). Depressive disorder was diagnosed in 52% of camp inmates and 31.7% of war veterans (P < 0.05). No statistically significant difference was found among the analyzed groups relating to anxiety and alcohol drinking. CONCLUSIONS The former prisoners of war were living through a severer stage and had a more sundry traumatic experience. Severer stage of traumatic experience conditioned statistically higher representation of psychic disorders (PTSD and depressiveness) in the former prisoners of war as compared to the war veterans.

Pregled najnovijih spoznaja o nekim najcescim genetskim misicnim bolestima.Knjiga obuhvaca tekstove koji se odnose na genetiku, kliniku, pracenje bolesnika i mogucu terapiju određenih genetskih misicnih bolesti.

The main purpose of this study was to determine the differences between the anxiety and depression degree in individuals with severe hearing impairments and deaf people in relation to sex and marital status. The sample consisted of 54 subjects, 35 males and 19 females, aged from 18-61 years, with hearing loss greater than 60 dB. We used "SCL-90-R" (Symptom Checklist-90-Revised), to assess the level of anxiety and depression. For the examination of marital stress we used "Stockholm Marital Stress Scale". The results showed that deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals demonstrated certain anxiety and depression levels which correlated significantly with marital status, marital stress, and communication problems. The married deaf subjects showed higher anxiety degree than single one. We determined the statistically significant differences for the anxiety level (p < .03861), age (p < .0006), and communication problems (p < .033) between the married and single deaf people. The females exhibited higher anxiety and depression levels than males, but these differences were not statistically significant. For the prevention of psychological problems in deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals it is necessary to pay attention to their communication problems which are a condition for adequate society integration.

The interest in investigating the war related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has increased both in the world and in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) over the last decades. Extensive literature indicates the association between PTSD and other psychiatric disorders. The most frequent disorders associated with PTSD are: depression, anxiety disorder and the abuse of psychoactive substances and alcohol. Some studies show that the depression is the most frequent disorder which follows PTSD. We studied the comorbidity of PTSD and depression in ex-war prisoners and in war veterans five years after the end of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The study sample was divided into two groups. The first group is composed of 100 ex-prisoners of war, and the second one consists of 60 war veterans who were not confined in camps. The questionnaires under the criteria DSM IV were used to diagnose PTSD and depression. All the respondents were males and all of them were in good health before the war. The results obtained show a statistically significant higher representation of PTSD and depression in the prisoners of war as compared with the war veterans at the level of p<0.05. We also found a significant association of PTSD and depression, both in the prisoners of war and in the war veterans, however, there is no statistically signifficant difference between the studied groups.

BACKGROUND Quantitative assessment of nervous system function is essential in characterising the nature and extent of impairment in individuals experiencing symptoms following work-place mercury vapour exposure. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was the application of standardised tests of behavioural, psychomotor and memory function to understand the neuropsychological effects of mercury in occupationally exposed chlorine-alkali plant workers. SUBJECTS AND METHODS The study comprised 45 workers at a chlorine-alkali plant with the mean age of 39.36 +/- 5.94 years, who had been exposed to daily inhalation of mercury vapour over long-term employment of 16.06 +/- 4.29 years. The cumulative mercury index was 155.32 +/- 95.02 micrograms/g creatinine, the mean of urinary mercury concentrations on the first day of the study was 119.50 +/- 157.24 micrograms/g creatinine, and the mean of urinary mercury concentrations 120 days after cessation of exposure was 21.70 +/- 26.07 micrograms/g creatinine. The analysis included tests of behavioural, psychomotor and memory function. The behavioural test battery consisted of: Environmental Worry Scale (EWS), Minnesota Modified Personal Inventory (MMPI-2), Purdue standard 25 minute test, and adapted, 10 minutes test, Bender's Visual-Motor Gestalt test (BGT), and Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPQ). The data were compared to a control group of 32 not directly exposed workers. RESULTS In the mercury vapour exposed workers with relatively high level exposure to inorganic mercury vapour (TWA/TLV = 0.12 mg/m3/0.025 mg/m3) we identified somatic depression-hypochondria symptoms with higher scores for scales: hysteria (P < 0.001), schizoid and psycho-asthenia (MMPI-2). The mercury-exposed workers had introvert behaviour (EPQ, MMPI-2). The cognitive disturbances in mercury-exposed workers were identified as: concentration difficulty, psychomotor, perceptual and motor coordination disturbances, and brain effects. We identified fine tremor of the hands in 34 out of 45 mercury-exposed workers (BGT). CONCLUSIONS The results point to a relationship between the duration of mercury exposure and the long-term, probably irreversible, psychological disturbances.

Premenstrual syndrome consists of different somatic and/or psychological symptoms which occur in the second half of the menstrual cycle following ovulation. The symptoms usually occur around mid-circle and in majority of cases are most intense during the last seven days prior to menstruation. Given the fact that this topic has not been adequately addressed in our country the aims of this study have been defined as to determine the type and frequency of somatic and psychological symptoms related to menstruation. The study was done on the sample of 181 women in the age of 15-52 years, of different educational and marital status. Four groups were formed: married (78), single (103), and adult (138) and adolescent (43). In order to determine the type and frequency of symptoms we used a structural interview modified according to DSM-IV criteria. In accordance with DSM-IV criteria 52% of subjects have premenstrual dysphoric disorder, among which 23.4% adolescents, 76.6% adult women. The most frequent somatic symptoms related to menstruation are: swelling of the breasts, weight gain, myalgias, arm and leg swelling (81.8%), changes in appetite (63.5%), sleep problems (55%), headache (47%). The most frequent psychological problems were depressive mood (68%), fatigability and lack of energy (53.6%), anger and social withdrawal (49.7), anxiety (49%), difficulties of concentrating and difficulties with memory (40.7%). There is no statistically significant difference in frequency of symptoms between the groups except in the presence of pain which is significantly more frequent in adolescents. A defeating fact has been noted in that 64.9% of women inadequately define the duration of their menstrual cycle. It is concluded that premenstrual syndrome or premenstrual dysphoric disorder is a significant problem of women in Bosnia-Herzegovina (present in 52% of women) with a range of unpleasant psychological and somatic symptoms. Due to all this as well as the fact that a considerable number of women inadequately define the duration of their menstrual cycle, it is necessary to devote greater attention to this problem by public health professionals, family doctors, gynecologists and psychiatrists alike.