摘要:

The linear prediction method was applied to obtain a power spectra estimate of sleep EEG in 10 healthy young men. In order to analyze frequency changes of the slow-wave activity (EEG power in the delta band, 0.05–2.88 Hz), the delta mean frequency was computed for each 20-second sleep epoch. A mean delta mean frequency was calculated for each sleep stage in each individual. Our observations indicate that the delta mean frequency decreases during NREM periods and increases mainly at the onset of the REM episodes. This finding, in parallel with the detailed analysis of slow-wave power variations, leads to an additional description of sleep characteristics during transitions between the NREM-REM sleep episode

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000119282

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1996

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

The authors investigated the presence of a serum activity inhibiting the specific binding of 3H-flunitrazepam (which labels the central benzodiazepine receptors) (BBIA) in patients with different psychiatric disorders and analyzed it by means of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. The results showed that the lowest activity was present in healthy controls who were not different from patients with schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder. On the contrary, the BBIA values of these 3 groups of patients were significantly lower than those found in patients with bipolar disorder in various phases (depressive, mixed or manic), in unipolar depressives and in patients with panic and delusional disorders. The HPLC analysis of the serum extracts revealed the presence of 3 peaks of activity which were differently distributed in the patients and in the healthy controls, peak 3 being totally absent in the last group and mainly represented in bipolar depressives. The GABA ratio values showed that peaks 1 and 2 behave as agonists while peak 3 behaves as an inverse agonist. The mass fragmentography of the different peaks is in progress.

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000119283

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1996

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the WCST, a task linked to the frontal (prefrontal) cortex, in normal twins to detect an inherited component of frontal lobe function. The WCST scores of 15 monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs, 9 dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs, and 15 unrelated control pairs were used to compute genetic estimates. No significant differences were detected between MZ, DZ and control groups intrapair correlation coefficients. No significant herita-bility estimates different by zero were computed. The frontal lobe function measured by WCST performance in normal twins does not seem to have a high degree of genetic component, and larger samples of twins are required to detect low genetic effects. The possible implications of such results about the genetic predisposition of frontal deficit in schizophrenia have been discussed.

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000119284

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1996

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

β-Endorphin (β-EP) concentrations were measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 10 elderly women with major depressive disorders, 10 age- and sex-matched healthy controls and 10 young healthy controls. β-EP values were measured in resting condition and after stimulation with corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). In patients, β-EP values were measured in drug-free condition and after 30 days of treatment with phosphatidylserine (BCPS), 200 mg/day, p.o. Basal and CRH-stimulated β-EP concentrations were the same in patients and controls; in patients they did not change after BCPS, in spite of significant improvement of the depressive symptomato

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000119285

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1996

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

The effects of drugs for affective disorders on the sustained phase of serotonin (5-HT)-induced calcium (Ca2+) response were investigated in single C6BU-1 glioma cells with digital imaging microscopy. The sustained phase was significantly attenuated by 32 µM carbamazepine and 320 µM sodium valproate as well as 100 nM clomipramine and verapamil, whose effects we evaluated in our previous report. The present findings demonstrate that drugs for affective disorders, in their therapeutic concentrations, have common action of inhibiting Ca2+ influx, and suggest that the Ca2+ antagonistic effect may play an important role in the mechanism of the action sites of the drugs for affective disorder

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000119286

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1996

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Serum Mg2+ has been implicated in the symptom severity and pathophysiology of mood disorders. Furthermore, the recent findings of blunted signalling through the G-protein-coupled adenylyl cyclase (AC) pathway in major depressive disorder (MDD) and the importance of Mg2+ in G-protein/AC function led us to reexamine in a large sample whether serum Mg2+ concentrations were decreased in MDD patients. In 145 drug-free MDD patients compared with 2 control groups: (a) patients with bipolar disorder (n = 33) and (b) non-mood-disordered patients (n = 47), there were no differences in Mg2+ levels or Ca2+/Mg2+ ratios. Neither of these measures differed when comparing responders and nonresponders to antidepressant treatment.

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000119287

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1996

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

This trial was performed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of vincamine in the treatment of primary degenerative and vascular dementia. 152 male and female patients aged between 50 and 85 years from two psychogeriatric centers and two nursing homes were initially included in the trial and screened for eligibility. 142 patients completed the trial. Clinical diagnosis was established according to DSM-III-R criteria. Allocation of the patients to the primary degenerative dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) group or the multi-infarct dementia (MID) group was based on computed tomography scans, electroencephalographic findings and the Hachinski Ischemic Score. In a 12-week double-blind treatment either 30 mg vincamine or placebo was given twice daily. Confirmatory statistics included item 2 of the Clinical Global Impression (CGI), the total score of the Sandoz Clinical Assessment Geriatric (SCAG) scale, the subscale ‘need for help’ of the nurse’s rating of geriatric patients (Beurteilungsskala für geriatrische Patienten; BGP) and the total score of the Short Cognitive Performance Test (Syndrom-Kurztest; SKT). In addition, data on tolerance and on therapy response were evaluated based on descriptive statistics. The therapeutic efficacy of vincamine was clearly demonstrated by confirmatory analysis as the drug was statistically significantly superior to placebo in all four target variables. The clinical relevance of the outcome was further underlined by the results of the responder analysis of the variables SCAG, BGP and SKT. Based on the results of this trial, it can be accepted that the therapeutic effect of vincamine is superior to placebo in patients with mild to moderate dementia of degenerative and vascular etio

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000119288

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1996

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

We studied the effect of alprazolam (APZ) in 12 healthy volunteers on the psychological stress-induced activation of emotion and on the pituitary-adrenal, adrenomedullary and sympathoneuronal systems. After 3 days of placebo or APZ (1 mg/day orally) administration, we examined plasma levels of adre-nocorticotropic hormone, cortisol, L-3,4 dihydroxyphenylalanine, dopamine, norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine, metanephrine, normetanephrine, homovanillic acid, vanillylmandelic acid, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy phenylglycol, urinary levels of cortisol and catecholamines, circulatory responses and state anxiety levels in subjects undergoing psychological stress based on viewing horror, violence, danger and war film clips. Film viewing produced modest rises of state anxiety levels, of plasma NE concentration and of diastolic blood pressure in both the placebo and drug groups. APZ significantly reduced anxiety levels at the beginning of the experimental session and caused a decrease of noradrenergic and dopaminergic neurotransmitter and cortisol concentrations. Our data suggest that APZ reduced anxiety related to the expectation of the event, while the circuitry between structures responsible for anxiety and peripheral sympathoneural function was still found to be partly sensitive to film viewing.

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000119289

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1996

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Electrocorticograms of rats were recorded after administration of increasing doses of the major metabolite of nortriptyline (NT), E-10-hydroxynortriptyline (E-10-OH-NT). The results were compared with those of NT administration. In visual as well as computerized evaluations, E-10-OH-NT demonstrated clear antidepressant properties, thus confirming previous experiments in depressed patients. There is some evidence that E-10-OH-NT also has an anxiolytic profile. The results with the parent drug NT were not so pronounced. Since E-10-OH-NT has been shown to be devoid of side effects when previously administered to humans, this substance is clearly to be considered of interest for potential development into a new antidepressant. Whether or not the anxiolytic profile is of clinical interest needs to be investigated further.

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000119290

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1996

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

The effects of two benzodiazepines (alprazolam and bromazepam) on performance and event-related brain potentials (ERPs) in visual search and verbal recognition memory paradigms were tested in a placebo-controlled double-blind paradigm employing 12 young healthy subjects. Both drugs exerted similar effects on performance and electrophysiological measures. Reaction times and hit rates were adversely affected in both paradigms. The ERP pattern in the visual search experiment suggested an impairment in selective attention (reduction of Nl component) and of automatic feature registration (posterior N2 reduction). In the world recognition experiment a dramatic reduction of the N400 component was seen under benzodiazepines. This is interpreted as reflecting an impaired ability to perform context integration processes.

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000119291

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1996

数据来源: Karger