The aim was to identify the amount of psychiatric and physical morbidity identified in suicide victims prior to death.

A survey was made of primary care records of Scottish suicide victims in the years 1988 and 1989.

Less morbidity was encountered than in previous studies. Single persons and persons from lower socio-economic groups were less likely to have a diagnosis of depression. No association was found between physical and psychiatric morbidity. Depressed single persons and depressed persons from lower socio-economic groups were less likely to receive antidepressants. GPs prescribed lower dosages of antidepressants than psychiatrists. Patients receiving antidepressants were more likely to die by drug overdose.

There are groups in whom depression may be being overlooked and others in whom depression could be treated more vigorously. There are risks in prescribing antidepressants which are potentially fatal in overdose.

The shortage of mental health care in rural China might be tackled by community care. This study tests the hypothesis that family intervention increases patients' treatment compliance, which is crucial in community care.

A cohort of psychiatric patients were randomly selected to a controlled trial for four months. Compliance rates, clinical and social outcomes were measured double-blindly.

The compliance rate was increased significantly in the trial group, and they had better clinical and social outcomes.

Family intervention is an effective method of improving treatment compliance and should be an important part of community mental health care.

Lethal catatonia and neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) have been suggested to have a common neurochemical cause. We hypothesise that both conditions may be due to a sudden and massive blockade of dopamine neurotransmitters.

NMS was diagnosed in psychotic in-patients treated with neuroleptics if four features were present: diffuse severe rigidity, altered level of consciousness, hyperpyrexia and autonomic instability.

Over three years, five NMS cases were diagnosed. Two presented with catatonic features and were diagnosed as acute reactive psychosis. Their neuroleptic doses were small, arguing for a particular sensitivity in these two cases.

The sensitivity of two patients with catatonic features who developed NMS with small doses of neuroleptics supports a common neurochemical basis for the two conditions.