This paper focuses on the relationship between Psychodynamic Psychiatry and Neurobiology, especially on the question whether and how Neurobiology may contribute to the development of Psychodynamic Psychiatry. Mental functions such as the self, the conscious and the unconscious, and the psychological  and neuronal mechanisms and functions underlying these are focussed on [2]. The self in psychiatric patients is considered in a relational perspective...

First, the historical development of Psychodynamic Psychiatry is addressed and its core principles are re-considered in the perspective of actual research, especially neuroscientific research.

Secondly, the threedimensional model of Neuropsychodynamic Psychiatry is described, which tries to connect the essentials of Psychodynamic Psychiatry and of the “First-Person-Neuroscience”. This model is applied to depression and schizophrenia as clinical examples which underline the practical relevance of the neuro-psychodynamic approach for psychiatric treatment and psychotherapy.

Third, spatio-temporal psychopathology is hypothesized as a "current currency" between brain and mind.

Although placebos have long been considered a nuisance in clinical research, over recent years they have become an active and productive field of research. Indeed, the placebo effect represents an elegant model to understand how the brain works. It is worth knowing that there is not a single but many placebo effects, with different mechanisms across different systems, medical conditions and therapeutic interventions. For example, brain mechanisms of expectation, anxiety and reward are all involved, as well as a variety of learning phenomena. There is also some experimental evidence of different genetic variants in placebo responsiveness. Pain and Parkinson’s disease represent the most productive models to better understand the neurobiology of the placebo effect. In these medical conditions the neural networks involved have indeed been identified: that is, opioid, cannabinoid, cholecystokinin, cyclooxygenase, and dopamine modulatory networks in pain; and part of the basal ganglia circuitry in Parkinson’s disease. Overall, there is today compelling evidence that placebos and drugs share common biochemical pathways and activate the same receptor pathways, which suggests possible interference between social stimuli and therapeutic rituals on one hand and pharmacological agents on the other. The same holds true for the nocebo effect, the opposite phenomenon of placebo. The assessment of patients’ expectations should become the rule in clinical trials in order to allow us a better interpretation of therapeutic outcomes when comparing placebo and active treatment groups. Administering drugs covertly is another way to identify the placebo psychobiological component without the administration of any placebo, and this provides important information on the role of patient’s expectations in the therapeutic outcome. A further in-depth analysis of placebo and nocebo phenomena will certainly provide important information in the near future for a better understanding of human biology, medicine and society.

Patients with epilepsy have a high risk of cognitive impairment and depression. Given that depression alone can be associated with cognitive complaints, it is of special interest if patients with epilepsy with depression show more cognitive impairement than patients with epilepsy without depression.

AIMS: In comparison with other central European countries, Switzerland has a high prevalence of gun ownership and a high rate of suicide by shooting. After the Army XXI reform in 2003, which reduced personnel from about 400,000 to approximately 200,000, a decline in suicides by firearms and a decline in the total number of suicides was observed in national data spanning the period from 2000 to 2010. It is, however, unclear whether this decline can be linked to the reduced availability of military guns. This study explored whether the decline in suicide by firearms is related to the decline of suicides by army weapons.

METHODS: In 83.1% (n = 1112) of the 1338 suicides by firearm between 2000 and 2010 in Switzerland, the firearm could be categorised as an army weapon or a non-army weapon. The army weapon was used in 39.1% of these suicides. In comparison with other firearms, those who used army weapons tended to be younger and more likely to have a university degree. A prior suicide attempt was found less often in cases using a military weapon than other firearms. After the Army XXI reform, there was a significant drop in suicides by males aged 18 to 43 years using an army weapon, but no change in male suicide rates in the same age group who used a non-army weapon. The drop was statistically linked to a reduction of suicide by the army gun.

RESULTS: The army weapon was used in 39.1% of suicides by firearm between 2000 and 2010 in Switzerland. In comparison with other methods, those who used army weapons tended to be younger and more likely to have a university degree. A prior suicide attempt was found less often in cases using a military weapon than other methods. After the Army XXI reform, there was a significant drop in suicides by males aged 18 to 43 years using an army weapon, but no change in males’ suicide rates in the same age group who used a non-army weapon. The drop was statistically linked to a reduction of suicide by the army gun.

CONCLUSIONS: Males who use army weapons differ from those who use other types of weapons. The significant drop in suicides was found in males aged 18 to 43 but there was no change in males of the same age group who used a non-army weapon. These results support the hypotheses that the observed drop in suicides is linked to the Army XXI reform and that restriction of access to guns is essential for reducing suicides by firearm.