Many studies show a higher rate of birth of schizophrenic patients during the winter and early spring months. This is particularly prominent in studies involving northern European countries and the northern part of the United States. The interpretations for this apparent seasonality remain highly speculative. We examined the seasons of birth of 472 patients carrying the diagnosis of schizophrenia. We also studied the gender and paranoid vs nonparanoid subtypes of this subject group. The total group does not show an excess of winter births. The same is true for total male (n = 193) and total female (n = 279) schizophrenic patients. The different subtypes of female patients show a homogenous distribution by seasons of birth; but the male paranoid schizophrenia group (n = 102) shows a significant increase of births during the first quarter of the year. The findings are interpreted according to the prevailing hypotheses of schizophrenia. The implications of these findings are discussed.

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Inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis increases plasma lithium levels. Clinical Research, 26, 291A.

A 63-year-old male patient with a history of bipolar I disorder presented to the emergency department in an acutely psychotic state. The patient had just returned from vacation in a malarial high-risk area and, as a result, had taken five weekly doses of mefloquine for prophylaxis. The patient's bipolar disorder was being treated with lithium, and he had been stable for about 8 years. All organic causes of psychosis were ruled out. The patient was admitted to the inpatient psychiatric unit and was treated with quetiapine until he was stable enough to return home.

Several studies have suggested an association between the farm crisis of the 1980's and the increase in mental health problems in rural America. A stress hypothesis for alcoholism would indeed predict such an association. The study presented herein examines the rate of new referrals for treatment of alcohol abuse and/or dependence to state-funded agencies in Nebraska. Between mid-1978 and mid-1986, the rate of subjects seeking treatment grew steadily, paralleling an increase in both population and available treatment programs. Yet, the total number of farmers seeking treatment peaked around 1982 and declined steadily thereafter, outpacing any change in the total number of farmers in the state. Possible interpretations of these findings are discussed.