Thread: forensic viva

In emergency medicine, a lucid interval is a temporary improvement in a patient's condition after a traumatic brain injury, after which the condition deteriorates. A lucid interval is especially indicative of an epidural hematoma.

Oneiroid syndrome is an element of the catatonic form of schizophrenia and presents with dreamy-like state as a background of intensive psychopathological experiences.
the syndrome has six stages in its course: (1) initial general-somatic and vegetative disorder; (2) delusional mood, (3) affective-delusional depersonalisation and derealisation, (4) fantastic-delusional and affective depersonalisation and derealisation, (5) illusional depersonalisation and dereralisation, and (6) catatonic-oneiroid state in the culmination.

Oligophrenia is mental retardation
The term "oligophrenia" (congenital mental retardation) is described as an impairment of all cognitive functions, without a progressive course, due to pervasive organic injury of the hemispheric structure Severity levels are: debils (mild retardation), imbecils (moderate), and idiots (profound).

Automatism may refer to:

* Automatic behavior, spontaneous verbal or motor behavior; an act performed unconsciously. Defendants have been found innocent due to an automatism defense (i.e., homicide while sleepwalking).
* Automatism (law), a defence to liability.
* Automatism (toxicology), when an individual repeatedly takes a medication because the individual forgets previous doses, potentially leading to a drug overdose
* Automatic writing, the process, or product, of writing material that does not come from the conscious thoughts of the writer.
* Surrealist automatism, an art technique
* Automatisms (medicine), repetitive unconscious gestures such as lip smacking, chewing, or swallowing in certain types of epilepsy

somnolentia - sleep drunkenness...

Drunkenness is the state of being intoxicated by consumption of alcoholic beverages to a degree that mental and physical faculties are noticeably impaired.

--> not really definitions.. If u have, post them plz

1.LUCID INTERVAL:
*IN INSANITY-It is a period during which all the symptoms of insanity disappear completely and the individual is able to judge his acts soundly.Also he becomes legally liable for his acts.
such lucid intervals are common in MANIA & MELANCHOLIA.
*IN HEAD INJURY-It is a period of consciousness that intervenes between two stages of unconsciousness.
Explanation:After the infliction of head injury unconsciousness occurs,if it is immediate it is due to concussion,if it occurs after sometime it is due to cerebral compression.
After immediate unconsciousness(concussion),the person slowly recovers consciousness and again loses consciousness gradually due to compression.This intervening period of consciousness is termed as lucid interval.

2.ONEIROID STATES(ONEIROPHRENIA):
It is a dream-like state,which may last for few days or weeks.Here,the patient suffers from mental confusion,amnesia,illusions,hallucinations,disorie ntation,agitation and anxiety.
It occurs in DELERIUM & EARLY SCHIZOPHRENIA

3.OLIGOPHRENIA(MENTAL SUBNORMALITY):
It signifies a condition of retarded,incomplete,or abnormal mental development.Here,I.Q is below 70.
is charecterised by incomplete maturation of attention,perception,cognition and social adaptability.
It results from environmental,genetic,endocrinal,metabolic,infecti ve,toxic causes and birth trauma.

4.AUTOMATISM:
It is conduct that is performed by a person whose conciousness is impaired to such an extent,that he is not fully aware of his actions.
This may be produced by organic or non-organic factors(stress,shock).
The main factors producing automatism are:-
Epilepsy(insane automatism)
Concussion or cerebral disease
Hypoglycemia, and
Somnambulism(non-insane)

5.SOMNOLENTIA(SEMISOMNOLENCE):
It is often called sleep-drunkenness, which is midway between sleep and walking.
If such a person is suddenly aroused from deep sleep,he may commit some crime due to confusion of mind,especially when he is having dream at that time.Such person is not criminally responsible for his acts.

6.DRUNKENNESS:
It is a state in which a person is incapable of knowing the nature of the act performed,due to intoxication.
Such acts are not an offence if the thing which intoxicated him was administered to him without his will or his knowledge.

Note:-A person is not responsible for his criminal acts done during post-traumatic automatism & oneiroid states.

Originally Posted by Oodesh

Automatism[/B] may refer to:

* Automatic behavior, spontaneous verbal or motor behavior; an act performed unconsciously. Defendants have been found innocent due to an automatism defense (i.e., homicide while sleepwalking).
* Automatism (law), a defence to liability.
* Automatism (toxicology), when an individual repeatedly takes a medication because the individual forgets previous doses, potentially leading to a drug overdose
* Automatic writing, the process, or product, of writing material that does not come from the conscious thoughts of the writer.
* Surrealist automatism, an art technique
* Automatisms (medicine), repetitive unconscious gestures such as lip smacking, chewing, or swallowing in certain types of epilepsy

This one's real good

And Oodesh,I think except 4 d one bout oneiroid syndrome,all other definitions are perfect.[Actually even OS def is alright,only i could't get it into my head]

Good children both of u And good answers
Now someone ask the next set of ques..we are done with forensic pcychiatry,are'nt we?

Absolute contraindications in gastric lavage :

1. Corrosive poison, except carbolic acid.
2. Coma.
3. Convulsion.
4. Kerosene & petroleum derivatives..

p/s 1 : got from my lecturers.
p/s 2 : all of the pronunciation starts with 'K' sound, like in 'cake'..