摘要:

The serotonin metabolism was extensively studied in 22 couples of autistic children and age- and sex-matched controls. Histamine, calcium, and uric acid were also measured in urine and whole blood or plasma. Autistics and controls did not differ in histamine, and only minor changes were noticed in calcium content. According to previous reports, serotonin levels were often, but not always, evelated in the blood of autistic children. Based on data including urinary serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, platelet serotonin uptake and efflux, platelet monoamine oxidase and glutathione perixodase activities, and uric acid and plasma tryptophan, the origin(s) of such hyperserotonemia in autism appear(s) to be of metabolic origin, i.e., a decreased catabolism and/or an increased biosynthesis of serotonin.

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118465

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1988

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

The effect of cigarette smoking on thyroid function tests was evaluated in 82 patients with major depression. Smokers had significantly lower measures of thyroxine than non-smokers. The implications of these findings are discussed.

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118466

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1988

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Twenty patients with major depressive disorder were studied with evoked potential (EP) topographic mapping after receiving placebo, imipramine, or amoxapine for 2 days in a random-assignment, double-blind design. Patients performed the Continuous Performance Test (CPT), a visual vigilance test. The stimuli were the digits 0–9, with 0 a target to be responded to with a button press. EPs were recorded from 32 channels and were averaged separately for detected and undetected targets and for false positives and correctly identified nontargets (no button press). Twenty-one normal controls were also tested. Amoxapine enhanced N120 amplitude in midline parietal and right parietal cortex where selective attention effects have been found to be greatest in studies of normal controls. Both amoxapine and imipramine enhanced differences in P200 between target and nontarget stimuli in comparison to placebo, with amoxapine differences again being greatest over midline parietal locations. CPT performance was significantly better on amoxapine than placeb

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118467

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1988

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

The effects of lithium on the potentiation of d-amphetamine-induced hyperlocomotion were evaluated in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep deprived rats. Under control conditions, pretreatment with lithium during 7 days did not modify the hyperlocomotion produced by d-amphetamine. REM sleep deprivation induced a pronounced potentiation of the locomotor response to d-amphetamine. In a stress control group this potentiation also occurred, but to a lesser degree than in the REM sleep deprived group. Lithium pretreatment prevented the increased response to d-amphetamine in both REM sleep deprived and stress control animals. The effects of lithium in REM sleep deprived rats are in accordance with reports that lithium is able to prevent the development of dopamine receptor supersensitivity. However, it cannot be excluded that in both REM sleep deprived and stress control groups the increased response to d-amphetamine is related to noradrenergic changes and/or noradrenergic-dopaminergic interactions. REM sleep deprivation seems to be an interesting model to study the underlying mechanisms of manic-depressive illness.

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118468

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1988

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

In an open study 25 depressed patients were treated with L-5-hydroxytryptophan (L-5-HTP) either alone or in combination with a peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor. The therapeutic efficacy of L-5-HTP was considered as equal to that of traditional antidepressants. There was no difference in efficacy between the two treatments. Best results were obtained in patients with an anxious-agitated depressive syndrome and in patients with an endogenous depression if the illness had been acute. The onset of action was rapid (within 3 or 5 days). Gastrointestinal side effects proved to be dose-dependent and occurred more frequently in patients receiving L-5-HTP alone, whereas psychopathological side effects (especially acute anxiety states) have mainly been reported in patients receiving L-5-HTP in combination with a peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor.

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118469

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1988

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Studies on personality traits and coping styles as determinants of interindividual differences in neuroendocrine responses to stress have not yet yielded conclusive results. In a previous investigation, strong hints to distinct interindividual differences in the susceptibility of the HP A axis of 12 male volunteers aged 27 ± 5 years exposed to five different stress situations were found. In the present report, psychometric variables (personality traits and coping styles) assessed in the same subjects before the study were analyzed to test whether specific psychometric variables were related to the interindividual differences in the susceptibility of the HPA axis. The results revealed that interindividual differences in the frequency of cortisol responses to stress situations could not be predicted by any of the psychometric variables investigated. The question if psychological factors contribute to neuroendocrine stress response and to what degree warrants further interest. These preliminary findings suggest, however, that nonpsychological factors should be considered more seriously as determinants of interindividual differences in neuroendocrine stress responses in healthy subjects as well as in psychiatric patients

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118470

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1988

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Ten closed head-injured patients and 10 matched control subjects participated in a study that examined quantitated EEG data during cognitive task performance. The head-injured patients performed significantly worse than controls on all four tasks and had significantly higher EEG amplitudes and amplitude variances. A discriminant analysis function correctly identified 0% of the subjects on the basis of the EEG data. Frequency analysis indicated that these higher amplitudes were a product of across-frequency increases in voltage. In addition, EEG data were significantly correlated with performance on one cognitive task in the head-injured group. Results suggest that, contrary to standard clinical EEG findings, identifiable EEG changes may persist for years following moderate to severe closed head injury, and these changes are related to residual cognitive deficits.

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118471

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1988

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

The brain function of 60 patients undergoing open-heart surgery (36 patients receiving coronary artery bypass, 21 patients valve replacements, 3 both) was investigated before and 10 days after the operation utilizing topographic brain mapping of the electroencephalogramm (EEG). The postoperative EEG changes were characterized by a slight delta-theta increase, an alpha decrease [especially in the fast alpha (10.5–13 Hz) band] and a beta increase in the relative power. The total power and the absolute power of the delta-theta, alpha and beta showed a decrease, the dominant frequency a significant slowing from 9.7 to 9.3 Hz. The centroid of alpha and beta activity decreased as well. These results are similar to findings obtained in patients with organic brain syndrome. The EEG changes were prominent over the left hemisphere, which may be of particular clinical relevanc

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118472

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1988

数据来源: Karger