Progress in Clinical Psychiatry I

In their preface, the editors spell out their plans for what sounds like an ongoing series of reviews dealing with “advancing areas of psychiatric research that impinge on clinical practice.” This first volume includes 12 separate chapters dealing with a variety of important clinical problems. The titles include “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder” by Earl L. Giller, Jr., “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome” by Simon Wessely, “Clinical Controversies and Biological Models of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder” by James V. Lucey, John H. Thakore, and Timothy G. Dinan, “Psychiatric Disorders in Women” by Uriel Halbreich, “Borderline Personality Disorder—History and Current Dilemmas” by Anthony W. Bateman, “Risk Factors for Emergence and Persistence of Psychosis” by Jim van Os, Padraig Wright, and Robin Murray, “Neuropathology of Schizophrenia: 1871–1996” by Janice R. Stevens, “New Pharmacological Treatments in Schizophrenia” by Stephen R. Marder and Daniel P. van Kammen, “The Pharmacology of Alcohol” by Hans Rommelspacher, “Pharmacotherapy of Sexual Dysfunction” by Angelos Halaris, “Antioxidants in Psychiatric Practice” by Sukdeb Mukherjee and Sahebarao P. Mahadik, and “Transcultural Psychiatry” by Eric Johnson-Sabine. Each chapter provides a relatively brief update of new ideas, new findings, and confirmation of old findings.

Dr. Weller is from England, and Dr. van Kammen is from the United States. About half the authors are from Great Britain, the other half from the United States, with one from Germany. The topics selected are generally of considerable interest to most clinicians. The coverage is reasonable and appropriate. The references appear to be reasonably current.

The concept behind this series is justifiable, if the editors select knowledgeable and experienced authors. A problem will surface as future volumes are published, because the number of possible topics can be very large and the published material may be rapidly outdated if the intervals between updates lengthen. The first issue is interesting and, one hopes, points the way to the future.