Suicide deaths by age and sex have been examined in 28 London boroughs for the period 1959–63. In contrast with the findings in 82 county boroughs, the relationships between suicide and 18 other variables did not differ greatly for the sexes. In old age, as in the previous investigation, most of the variables having high correlations with suicide rates tended to disappear. Loneliness and ill-health were probably more important determinants of suicide rates in the elderly than other environmental or personal attributes. The finding that the distribution of suicide in London has not changed much in 40 years implies a need for the development of services to combat this problem in boroughs where suicide is particularly high.

New cases of neurotic illness identified during one month by each in turn of eight general practitioners in a London borough were investigated by means of standardized clinical and social interviews. When compared with a matched control group of consulting patients, the index group was found to have experienced significantly more life events during the three months before the onset of illness. Events particularly associated with neurotic illness were unexpected crises and failure to achieve various life goals. The distribution of events suggested that serious, threatening events have an important aetiological role; minor events appear to play a small contributory part which may become critical when the morbid risk is already high. The problems of method involved in this type of investigation are discussed.

Research in neurosis is reviewed from the standpoint of genetics, phylogenesis, physiology, epidemiology, and prognosis. Family and sociocultural variables are discussed, and experimental paradigms noted. Directions for further research are suggested in these areas, including perceptual and physiological reflex mechanisms triggered in neurosis and in normal people, cross-cultural longitudinal epidemiological studies of specific neurotic syndromes which are linked to family and social variables, factors governing illness behaviour, and field observations of family and marital pathology.

A survey to determine the prevalence of diabetes in people with Down's syndrome was carried out at t raining centres in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Out of a total of 914 people known to the County Health Department as having this condition, 456 attended either junior or adult training centres and, of these, 404 provided urine specimens on two separate occasions. There were seven cases of diabetes among this group—a prevalence of 17 per thousand. Of more significance is the finding that the rate among children aged 0–14 years was 20·6 per thousand, which is considerably higher than expected in a population of this age group. It is postulated that there is an underlying defect of carbohydrate metabolism in people with Down's syndrome.

A rating scale for depression, intended for international studies of drug treatment, is presented. The reliability between raters differing in training and language was 0·86 (Swedish and English raters) and 0·92 (Swedish and Danish raters); the reliability between two Swedish raters was 0·97. There was a strong correlation between severity of depression as measured on this scale and on a nurses' rating scale (0·87). The correlation with patients' self-ratings of depression was weaker (0·63) but still significant.

Two scales are described which have been found useful in the measurement of relevant behaviour characteristics of mentally handicapped people in large scale surveys. One scale rates according to levels of continence, ambulance, and the presence of specified disruptive behaviours, while the other reflects speech, self-help, and literacy abilities. This information has been found useful in the planning and implementation of services for the mentally handicapped.

The reliability and validity of the Visual Analogue Mood Scale (VAMS) has been demonstrated in both a military and a private psychiatric hospital, inpatient population. The repeated and concurrent administration of the VAMS and the Digit-Symbol test identifies a mood-performance correlation which distinguishes patients with affective disorders, of manic or depressed type, from other psychiatric patients.

Visual and auditory evoked potentials were recorded from the scalp under conditions of uncertainty versus certainty, correctness versus incorrectness of pretrial guess, and shift versus repetition of the sensory modality of the stimulus. Schizophrenic patients, psychotic depressive patients, and normal controls were matched for age, sex, race, and socioeconomic status and educational level. The two patient groups were matched for medication (chlorpromazine) dosage level. Under all conditions normals exhibited the largest N1-P3 evoked potential amplitudes, while depressives exhibited the next largest and schizophrenics the smallest. All three groups had larger Ni-Pa amplitudes in the uncertain condition than in the certain condition. However, the effect of uncertainty was greatest in the normal group and least in the schizophrenic group. There were no significant interactions between group membership and guessing correctly and incorrectly. On the other hand, there was a significant interaction between group membership and modality shift. Depressives and normals tended to have larger N1-P3 amplitudes in the crossmodal condition, while schizophrenics tended to have larger amplitudes in the ipsimodal condition.

In a study of 11 patients with anorexia nervosa, plasma levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and of oestrogens (oestradiol) were found to be low while the subjects were emaciated. After weight gain, hormone values rose and two patients spontaneously resumed menstruation. Clomiphene citrate was administered on one or more occasions to five patients, and bleeding was induced in the majority of those whose weight exceeded 80% of standard. In two of these patients an irregular cycle resumed for a brief period thereafter. Clomiphene appeared to be of limited practical value in the mangement of patients with anorexia nervosa, but the study provided some elucidation of the relationship between body weight and the menstrual disturbance in this condition.

Erythrocyte sodium concentration, potassium concentration, Na-K ATPase activity, and ouabain sensitive potassium influx were determined in female inpatients suffering from a depressive illness. In most patients the biochemical values were also determined shortly before the patient's discharge from hospital. The Na-K ATPase and the ouabain sensitive potassium influx increased significantly with improvement in the depressive mood rating.

The case is described of a patient with hyperparathyroidism who developed catatonic stupor, a rare complication. Electroencephalography proved to be of value in deciding the correct diagnosis and treatment. The relationship between hypercalcaemia, psychiatric symptoms, and EEG abnormalities is discussed in the light of the available literature.

An earlier investigation which showed that admission rates to a psychiatric hospital were higher from the higher noise zones close to Heathrow Airport than from relatively quieter areas was repeated. The present paper could not confirm those results, although a trend in agreement with the original findings was found. The scope of the relationship between levels of aircraft noise and types of psychiatric morbidity is discussed.

The occurrence of anorexia nervosa in monozygotic twins discordant and concordant for this illness is reviewed. Two additional pairs of identical twins, one discordant and the other concordant for anorexia nervosa, are described.