Author Description

Extensively revised and updated this edition reflects the progress and developments in the field. With 127 chapters and over 400 contributors this book is a truly comprehensive exposition of the specialty of psychiatry. Written by well-known and highly regarded experts from around the world, it takes a patient-centered approach making it an indispensable resource for all those involved in the care of patients with psychiatric disorders. For this new edition, the section on the Neuroscientific Foundations of Psychiatry has been completely revised, with a new author team recruited by Section Editors Jonathan Polan and Eric Kandel. The final section, Special Populations and Clinical Settings, features important new chapters on today's most urgent topics, including the homeless, restraint and geriatric psychiatry. Key features include: Coverage of the entire field of psychiatry, from psychoanalysis to pharmacology and brain imaging, including family relations, cultural influence and change, epidemiology, genetics and behavioral medicine. Clinical vignettes describing current clinical practice in an attractive design. Numerous figures and tables that facilitate learning and comprehension appear throughout the text. Clear comparisons of the DSM-IV-TR and ICD-10 criteria for easy understanding in a global context. Diagnostic and treatment decision trees to help both the novice and experienced reader.