Book Reviews 467 Useful and Comprehensive Classification
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J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry: first published as 10.1136/jnnp.44.5.467-b on 1 May 1981. Downloaded from Book reviews 467 of a symposium on: "Addiction: Bio- done a magnificent job in their editing useful and comprehensive classification chemical Aspects of Dependence and and indexing of the papers and also in of demyelinating diseases and in this Brain Damage" held at Magdalen the speed with which they have pro- context the leucodystrophies and lipid College, Oxford in September 1979. As duced the book. The result is a book storage diseases are covered in depth. is to be expected from a multi-author of high quality with topical and rele- The chapter on cerebrovascular disease book the readability, interest and quality vant papers on all aspects of epilepsy. has a very useful precis of the relevant of the different contributions are vari- It is a gold mine of up-to-date refer- anatomy of cerebral blood supply. Man- able. The problems of alcohol addiction ences and a treasure trove of ideas for agement of transient ischaemic attacks receive far more extensive coverage future research projects. There is, how- has been revised and whilst asprin re- than those due to drug abuse. The first ever, one drawback and that is the ceives unqualified support, anticoagu- part of the volume is devoted to the price. Anybody who can buy this book lants are now properly relegated to the biochemical and physiological mech- through a library should do so. I hope status of "unproven hypothesis." Ade- anisms, and topics dealt with include it will find its way into every major quate control of hypertension is firmly the role of catecholamine-derived alka- medical library in the country. For each accorded the most important role in the loids and opioid peptides in dependence, individual, the decision is more difficult. overall medical management. the effects of alcohol on cell mem- I had decided that the £40 would be There has also been a significant re- branes, possibly mechanisms of tissue well spent, although I am now relieved vision in diseases of the peripheral damage and the effects of alcohol on of this financial obligation as I have a nerves and muscles. The entrapment different neurotransmitter systems. My review copy. However, for those of you neuropathies have been expanded with favourite chapter in this section is by who have not been so fortunate as to considerable benefit and the diagnosis Littleton who reviews lucidly the obtain a review copy, if you are involved of muscle disease by histochemical changes in the cell membrane in the at the cutting edge of the science of techniques has been brought up to date. acute and chronic stages of ethanol epilepsy or are interested in an overall Both are welcome additions. The illus- administration proposing an attractive view of the present position of epilepsy trations throughout the text are clear model for tolerance and dependence. research and you are likely to make use and well chosen and are all of good The second part of the book deals with of this information on a day to day quality. The one exception to this is Protected by copyright. clinical investigations and here two basis, then the book is a "must." the reproduction of CT scans. In com- studies, one Swedish and one British, If, on the other hand, you require mon with most publications which in- using computed tomography and psy- it simply as a reference manual, then a clude examples of CT scans one is chometric tests are given ample space. copy in your local library may well be forced to wonder whether diagrammatic These two chapters summarise the sufficient, although I very much doubt representation would not be preferable present knowledge in the field and, un- that you will have much chance of to the original until the problems of like many others, offer material hitherto getting access to it, as it will, I am sure, reproduction are overcome. This is only unpublished. Other useful chapters in prove very popular and for the next a minor quibble since the textbook can this section are by Gottfries who deals year or so it is not likely to be left on be recommended to all residents and with monoamine changes in alcoholics, the shelf. It is, however, worthwhile indeed to all medical readers who re- and by Tarter who gives a thorough mentioning that this book is part of a quire rapid access to a concise and review of psychological deficits in series and back volumes relating to the clearly expressed description of the alcoholics. VIlIth, IXth and Xth Epilepsy Sym- majority of the important diseases of In short, a timely book of variable posia are available and these would do the central nervous system. quality. The extensive bibliography and well beside this volume on your library EC HUTCHINSON some of the well written chapters deal- shelves. ing with topics of current interest should PBC FENWICK http://jnnp.bmj.com/ make it interesting for those working Neurology for Psychiatrists By Charles in the field of alcoholism and drug E Wells and Gary W Duncan (pp 233; abuse. Medical Neurology 3rd edition By John $27.50) Philadelphia: F A Davis & Co, MARIA RON Gilroy and John Stirling Meyer (pp 787; 1980. £21) Macmillan Publishing Co: New This book about psychiatry and neur- York, 1980. ology gives a brief synopsis of some Advances in Epileptology: The XIth The requirement for a third edition selected topics and can be read in two Epilepsy International Symposium within eleven years indicates that this or three evenings. On the whole, the (Florence, Italy) Edited by R Cauger, has become a standard textbook of standard of psychiatry is much better on September 23, 2021 by guest. F Angeleri, and JK Penry (pp 510; neurology and this will not surprise than that of neurology and some of the $65.25) New York: Raven Press, 1980. those already familiar with its content. suggestions made about methods of This book is a compendium of papers The original format is preserved and clinical examination appear slightly given at the XIth Epilepsy International retains the concise description of the bizarre. As examples of these, it is Symposium in Florence in 1979 which neurological examination which is fol- suggested that in testing stance, the the editors felt were significant. The lowed by an adequate summary of the patient should stand on each foot indi- topics included range through the whole main features of paediatric neurology vidually for 10 or so seconds and if the spectrum of epilepsy from the experi- which is useful for those not actively gait does not fit any well recognised mental to the social. The editors have engaged in this specialty. There is a pattern, the likely diagnosis is one of J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry: first published as 10.1136/jnnp.44.5.467-b on 1 May 1981. Downloaded from 468 Book reviews and notices a functional disorder. Visual fields are stroke. Schoenberg gives a brisk review Electro-diagnosis in Clinical Neurology tested with the patient lying ,supine and of risk factors for stroke, and there are By MJ Aminoff (pp 577; £24.00) Edin- keeping one eye closed w'ith gentle other chapters on stroke registers, which burgh: Churchill Livingstone, 1980. finger pressure whilst the olpen eye is obviously are possible but very time This is an ambitious compendium of fixed on a cross on the ceilinkg. If there consuming. I turned to a chapter on electroencephalography, electromyog- is difficulty in the clinical diiagnosis of assessing the effort of stroke rehabilita- raphy and evoked potentials in neuro- dellirium, it is suggested that xuseful con- tion with expectation, but found only logical practice, 13 chapters being firmation can be given by a sttudy of the a repetition of how difficult it is to study devoted to these. The other four nature of the images produceed by light these matters. Meade and Smith des- chapters are on the history of clinical pressure over the eyes. The csremesteric cribe these problems in recruiting can- neurophysiology, electronystagmog- reflex is said to be specific:ally useful didates for a simple assessment of raphy, sleep disorders and brain death. to the psychiatrist only inE cases of out-patient intensive rehabilitation com- The book is directed to informing sexual dysfunction, a suggesttion which pared with conventional therapy in the neurologists of what is available in might at least lead to an actu al physical setting of a busy well-organised district neurophysiology and neurophysiologists examination of the genitalia. hospital. No less than 88% of those of clinical relevance of studies which The book suffers from bcth a lack admitted with a stroke over a six year are available. Each chapter is written of precision and any kind of critical period were unsuitable for such a study. by a different author. Most chapters approach. As a bad examp)le of the Within the framework of the NHS, contain details of recording techniques former, it is suggested that pssychiatrists such trials appear to demand multi- ranging from summaries to fuller ac- are not called upon to meassure visual centre organisation but we have been counts. While the work will certainly acuity precisely; and of the Ilatter, that remiss in not attending to such matters. succeed in giving a broad view to a 1-tryptophan may reverse lpsychiatric The section on multiple sclerosis is neurologist the quality of different parts toxicity due to levodopa in the treat- dominated by Kurtzke's extensive re- is uneven and much should be read ment of parkinsonism; a suggestion view, work initiated by Geoffrey Dean rather critically.