Large \gamma -detector arrays coupled with selective ancillary devices has allowed to progress greatly in the nuclear structure studies of N=Z nuclei up to relatively high spin. At GASP and Euroball a series of experiments have been performed ranging from nuclei close to ³²S to the mass A=90 region. The new data provide important information on the role of proton neutron pairing correlation, on isospin symmetry and isospin mixing in nuclear states and, for lighter nuclei, constitute an excellent test of the shell model description of nuclear collective motion. Two examples of the work done at Legnaro in this field are presented.

PACS numbers: 21.10.Re, 23.20.Lv, 27.40.+z, 27.40.+e