In this issue of Clinical Geriatrics, we publish the first of a two-part article entitled “Essentials of the Musculoskeletal Exam.” The first part focuses on aspects relating to the musculature; the second part will be published in the December issue and will focus on the associated nervous system. Musculoskeletal problems are frequently encountered when caring for the mature adult, and the better we are able to identify specific problems in need of further diagnostic testing, the better we will be able to serve our patients and the health care system.

Everyday I am reminded of just ho

CASE PRESENTATION
A 77-year-old divorced Caucasian man is referred for psychiatric evaluation by his neurologist for a history of new-onset auditory hallucinations. His symptoms consist entirely of well-formed musical hallucinations of songs, including “Tiny Bubbles,” “The Tennessee Waltz,” “Till We Meet Again,” “Amazing Grace,” and “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Many are songs that the patient has played when performing in a band or has heard in church. He saw a neurologist for an evaluation and underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain. An electroencep

Significant alterations in the hormonal milieu occur in the aging population.1,2 In women, these changes are predictable and well recognized, and include a constellation of somatic and psychological symptoms due to a decline in circulating estrogenic hormones, called menopause. In contradistinction to menopause, the changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis in men are highly variable and are not seen in all men. These manifestations often may go unrecognized. These changes in the hormonal milieu in men are known by a collective term, male climacteric, or andropause. Andropause i