SynopsisThe clinical condition occurring in the elderly with preserved intellectual functions, characterized by vivid, elaborate and dynamic recurrent visual pseudo-hallucinatory phenomena of a pleasant or neutral nature and often associated with ocular pathology – the Charles Bonnet Syndrome – is described. Its main clinical features are illustrated and the aetiology discussed. Two new cases are presented and areas for future research are outlined.

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Summary In rats, lithium (ca 1 mEquiv/kg body weight) decreased brain sodium and magnesium, bone sodium and calcium and increased muscle calcium, plasma magnesium, urinary calcium and urine volume. Lithium was particularly concentrated in bone.

A double-blind control trial of gluten-free versus a gluten-containing diet was carried out in a ward of maximum security hospital: 24 patients were studied for 14 weeks. Most suffered from psychotic disorders, particularly schizophrenia. Various dimensions of behaviour were rated on the Psychotic In-Patient profile (PIP) at different stages. There were beneficial changes in the whole group of patients between pre-trial and gluten-free period in five dimensions of the PIP, maintained during the gluten challenge period; these changes could be attributed to the attention the patients received. Two patients improved during the gluten-free period and relapsed when the gluten diet was reintroduced.