Biomedical subjects

Y Levkowitch

Publications and source records attributed to Y Levkowitch.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1994

[Emotional reactions of psychiatric staff to violent patients].

Approximately 10% of psychiatric patients are violent and their violence is often directed towards the treating staff. Up to half of all psychiatrists have been physically assaulted at some time during their careers. Emotional reactions of the psychiatric staff to assault by patients vary, and include fear, anger and helplessness. Psychological defense mechanisms employed include projection, denial and isolation. For the staff, these reactions are a source of distress and a cause of burn-out. Anger can lead to nontherapeutic interventions such as counter-aggression.

Defense Mechanisms↗

PubMed1994

Decrease of serum iron in acutely psychotic schizophrenic patients.

Iron deficiency has been shown to effect the dopaminergic system. Iron deficient rats have low dopamine D2 receptor levels and modified dopamine-mediated behaviors, including reversal of circadian cycles of these behaviors. Abnormal iron deposits have been found in the brains of schizophrenics in CT and post mortum studies. We examined serum iron levels at 0800, 1700 and 2400 hours in 26 medication free schizophrenic patients in acute psychotic relapse and compared them to iron levels in a normal control group. The results show significant decreases in the iron levels at 1700 and 2400, and a non significant drop in the 0800 levels. A feedback mechanism involving iron and dopamine is proposed.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1993

[Involuntary outpatient commitment: ethical and legal aspects].

In 1991 the Israeli Knesset (parliament) drafted new legislation for the treatment of the mentally ill. One of the innovations was involuntary outpatient commitment (IOC), which allows the district psychiatrist to order a patient to attend a clinic and receive ambulatory care. IOC is an attempt to address the problem of the "revolving door" patients, chronic mental patients who after discharge do not continue medication and therefore relapse and have to be readmitted.

Ambulatory Care↗