We examined the physical and mental effects of approximately 2 months of aerobic exercises on a total of 28 (2 male and 26 female) adults. The subjects, who were normally sedentary, attended an open college course on "Aerobic Exercise for Body and Mind" in 1994 and 1995. The exercises were done at the rate of twice a week and for a duration of about 1.5 hours each time. The short-term mental effects of each period of exercise were also examined.With regard to long-term mental effects, evident decreases of SDS and STAI-T were observed. Physical complaints and mental complaints, especially those of depression and anxiety, in CMI (administered only in 1995) also tended to decrease. No significant changes were observed in personality or behavioral pattern characteristics : self-suppression tendency, "adapted-child" tendency, type A tendency, type I (emotionally unstable and introvert) tendency. As for long-ter, physical effects, only a significant increase of anaerobic power was observed. Regarding short-term mental effects evaluated by psychological tests, decreases of STAI-S, POMS-TMD (total mood disturbance) and POMS-C (confusion), and increase in activity, pleasantness and social affection were observed on a similar level in every exercise.The most significan teffect of the 2 months of aerobic exercises was the mental effect. These results suggest that aerobic exercises could be prescribed for the purpose of mental health.

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The authors experienced a 24-year-old female patient with smell-egorrhea symptom. In the case, the authors found that noradrenaline- and dopamine-blockers had no effect on the symptom, but that only risperidone, which is a strong 5 HT_2-blocker with D_2-blocking activity, was effective. This strongly suggests that the egorrhea symptom of the patient had a close relation to the action of 5 HT_2 neurons.

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The case of a patient who suffered from cenestopathy for 15 years and was subsequently diagnosed as schizophrenia because he developed marked delusion of reference is described. At the age of 15 he began to complain of abnormal sensations around the oral area : for example, he stated "The muscles around my mouth have been torn" and "My teeth no longer occlude properly". Though he visited approximately ten dentists, they refused to treat him because they found no oral abnormalities. When he visited a psychiatrist at the age of 28 on a dentist's advice, he exhibited cenestopathic symptoms around the oral area, but no signs of delusions and reported never having experienced an auditory hallucination. Psychotropic drugs were administered. The cenestopathic symptoms, however, were not ameliorated and mild loss of volition and social withdrawal gradually occurred. When he was 30 years old, he began to complain that he was being pursued by a bovernmental agency and that someone was wiretapping his house. He was diagnosed as schizophrenia and admitted to our hospital. After 3 monthe' hospitalization the cenestopathic symptoms were no longer as severe, but had not disappeared. though the delusions of reference disappeared. Now he is 31 years old and continues to be treated with neuroleptics.In this case, the cenestopathy around the oral area was thought to be a prodromal or partical manifestations of schizophrenia. When cenestopathy is treated, attention should be paid to possible development of schizophrenic symptoms. Since patients with cenestopathic symptoms similar to those in this case frequently first seek dental treatment for their smptoms, dentists should be aware of signs of cenestopathy and advise the patient to see a psychiatrist when appropriate.

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We experienced one rare case of anorexia nervosa (AN) complicated by idiopathic scoliosis (IS). It was characteristic that the chance to diagnose this case as AN was brought by symptoms of IS. The patient was a 12-year-old junior high school girl. In July 1995,a mass was palpable in her right shoulder girdle. She was diagnosed as having IS at the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Yamaguchi University. She was also pointed out sudden weight loss (April, 1995 ; 43kg→July, 1995 ; 36kg) and severe appetite loss. She was introduced to our clinic because a diagnosis of AN was suspected. She gradually regained weight owing to our treatment. In October 1995,she was discharged and returned to school. We do not think that there is a direct relation between AN and IS in this case. But it is considered that they exerted much influence on each other. There have been some reports on AN complicated by bone disorders. Consequently, further detailed studies of relation between AN and bone disorders should be made.

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