摘要:

Clinical observations have suggested that lithium may exert adverse effects on memory. The difficulty in achieving empirical consensus regarding this issue has reflected several methodological problems: diversity of research designs, heterogeneous samples, lack of control groups and the possible confounding of memory test scores by variables such as depression, other acute psychopatho-logies, organicity, treatment duration, and age. The diversity of memory tests in terms of the complexity and modality of the stimuli as well as the types of memory assessed (immediate, short- and long-term, logical, visuo-practic) has further complicated the comparison of results across studies. Furthermore, the administration of test batteries has been limited by patients’ fatigue and the severity of their illness, and by the time required to complete testing. Hence, the use of test norms may be restricted. Suggestions are made for the selection of appropriate memory tests, patients sampling and data analysis. The authors discuss the difficulties inherent in blind studies and in matched-group designs examining the effects of lithium on memory. Conclusions point to the advantages of prospective within-subject designs with repeated testing in which patients serve as their own control

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118904

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

To study the pathophysiological mechanisms of hyperventilation-induced EEG slowing, i.e., the so-called ‘buildup’ phenomenon, changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) were investigated before and during the phenomenon in a 16-year-old woman with headache, thought to be of neurotic origin, by subtraction technique of brain images with single photon emission computed tomography using technetium-99m hexamethyl-propyleneamine oxime (99mTc-HMPAO). The tracer uptake during buildup decreased by 31–42% as compared to baseline values at rest before buildup in all of the measured regions, reflecting a widespread reduction in rCBF. Gas analyses of arterial blood collected during buildup showed a decrease in PaCO2, and increases in PaO2 and pH with a slight decrease in blood pressure and an increase in pulse rate. These results directly demonstrate a close correlation between the hyperventilation-induced EEG and rCBF changes, suggesting that the buildup phenomenon results from cerebral ischemic change, presumably due to cerebral vasoconstriction caused by the PaCO2 dec

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118905

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118906

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

The neurophysiologic correlates of explosive rage and violence are uncertain and controversial. We recorded 17-channel electroencephalograms (EEGs), brainstem auditory-evoked potentials (BAEPs), and long-latency auditory-event-related potentials (AEPs) in 23 patients with impulsive, aggressive and violent behavior satisfying criteria for episodic-dyscontrol syndrome. Most patients also satisfied criteria for intermittent explosive disorder, although some had had conduct disorders in childhood or had previously used psychoactive substances. Sixteen of 23 patients had normal EEGs, while 7 had diffuse or focal slowing not ascribable to drowsiness or the effects of medication. They differed significantly from 20 age-matched patients with headaches, of whom 1 had an abnormal EEG (χ2 = 4.68, p < 0.05), and from 24 depressed patients, all of whose EEGs were normal (χ2 = 4.83, p < 0.05). Patients and normal control subjects did not differ in BAEP latencies. N100 and P160 AEP amplitudes were lower in episodic-dyscontrol patients than in control, but the difference was not significant. These findings suggest that nonspecific cerebral dysfunction and EEG changes may be associated with disordered impulse or behavior control. Episodic dyscontrol may be associated with other evidence of minimal brain dysfunctio

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118907

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

We have measured the α2-adrenoceptor-mediated inhibiton of platelet membrane adenylate cyclase in depressed patients and control subjects. The results showed a decrease in the forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase inhibiton of depressed patients compared to the healthy subjects. This suggests a subsensi-tivity of α2-adrenoceptor in depression. However, this subsensitivity was not correlated to the severity of depression as both severely and moderately depressed patients exhibited the same percent of adenylate cyclase inhibition. The antidepressant drugs treatment induced an increase in the percent of adenylate cyclase inhibition with a trend towards the control values. However, this increase did not equal control value, and moreover both remitted and unremitted patients presented a similar change in their α2-adrenoceptor-mediated adenylate cyclase inhibition. This result raises the question about a simple and direct relation between the clinical status of depression and the power of α2-adrenoceptor-mediated adenylate cyclase inhibition. Plasma magnesium and sodium yielded correlations to this α2-adrenoceptor-mediated adenylate cyclase inhibition suggesting a relation between the platelet adrener-gic function and plasma electrol

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118908

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity and serum levels of the adrenal androgen metabolite dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHAS) were measured in 18 male air force pilot recruits and 19 randomly selected male conscripts. Personality scales from three inventories were given, and computerized neuropsychological tests were performed: finger tapping and alternation, reaction time, perceptual maze, perspective fluctuation and lexical decision. The pilot recruits had higher scores in sensation-seeking-related scales suggesting disin-hibited behavior in the social sphere, interest in sports and activities involving some danger, and a need for change. They also had higher scores on an impulsivity scale which comprises sensation-seeking content. In the neuropsychological tasks, the pilot recruits were faster in finger-tapping alternation and performed more efficiently in the perceptual-maze test than the conscripts. In a linear discriminant analysis, neuropsychological-task performance discriminated significantly between the pilot and conscript groups. In the biochemical measures, the pilot recruits had higher DHAS levels but similar MAO activity levels compared to the conscripts, which is in contrast to what has been found in other sensation-seeking groups in comparison to controls. This result is in accordance with the normal scores in one of the impulsivity scales in the pilot recruits, and with the absence of signs of disinhibition in neuropsychological tasks. It is proposed that only some aspects of the impulsivity concept might be critical for the association with low MAO activity.

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118909

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Effects of a single dose of the anxiolytic buspirone (15 mg) on memory and psychomotor performance were studied in healthy volunteers and compared to those of the classic benzodiazepine anxiolytic diazepam (15 mg). The study was performed in a double-blind, placebo-controlled way. Three groups of 12 subjects were exposed to an extended test battery before and after intake of drug or placebo. Next to this, an evaluation session took place 1 week later. Immediately after intake, diazepam exerted major effects on memory, impaired psychomotor performance and decreased alterness. In particular, long-term memory had deteriorated, which was interpreted as anterograde amnesia. One week later, more items were recalled from the predrug session compared to the number of items from the postdrug session; this was interpreted as retrograde facilitation. After intake of buspirone, there were no effects of altertness and vigilance, on psychomotor performance and on memory. One week later, a small memory decrement was noticed for verbal material, which was considered as a sign of anterograde amnesia. These results indicate that effects of anxiolytics on memory can be more easily demonstrated 1 week later than immediately after drug intake and, furthermore, that the disruptive effects of diazepam outweigh the small effects of buspirone. Finally, it was established that the effects of diazepam on cognition might be mediated by its effects on alertness and vigilance and that cognitive effects are not related to the anxiolytic properties of the drug.

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118910

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

The thesis of this paper emerges from the fact that mental states are generated by neural processes that also produce an associated electroencephalogram (EEG). Thus, it is logical to expect correlations between mental state and EEG. The corollary is that the EEG can serve as an index of mental state, which can be particularly useful for studies in animals, where mental states are much less accessible for objective study than in humans. Herein, I briefly review the traditional approaches that have informed our attitudes about animal mental states. Virtually all of our conclusions about mental states in animals are drawn by inference from behavioral observation, a process that is highly and unavoidably subject to anthropomorphism. Traditionally, the electroencephalogram (EEG) has been used in a crude way as an objective indication of physical and behavioral state in animals. This, however, has led to substantial controversy, because there are several situations in which EEG patterns and behavior seem to be dissociated. We not only fail to understand these dissociated states, but there are also important humane animal-welfare issues that remain unresolved because we do not fully understand the extent to which the EEG can reflect mental state. At issue is whether EEG-behavioral dissociations, to the extent that they exist, are proof that the EEG is dissociated from mental states. Powerful new EEG methods, such as topographical EEG mapping, wavelet analysis, and testing for nonlinear (‘chaotic’) dynamical properties and short-term serial dependencies, are now available for studying the extent to which the EEG can index thinking and feeling in humans and, by extrapolation, in animals. Critics who have become disenchanted with the utility of the EEG should at least concede that fresh approaches to old problems are now available and should therefore be thoughtfully considered. If such research does nothing more than improve the rigor of the debate over animal welfare and rights issues, it will be worth the eff

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118911

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

The slope of the amplitude/stimulus intensity function (ASF) of sensory evoked potentials was found to be related to ‘action-oriented’ personality traits like ‘sensation seeking’, ‘extraversion’, and ‘impulsivity’. We studied the ASF slope of the auditory evoked N1/P2 component as well as short-term ASF slope changes and their relationship to a German personality inventory (Freiburger Persönlichkeits-Inventar) in 33 healthy subjects. The ASF slope correlated negatively with ‘life contentment’ and positively with ‘stress’ in the first run. Stronger associations, however, were noted between slope changes within one test session and personality. Subjects scoring high on the second-order factor ‘aggressive excitability’ were characterized by a slope decrease from the first to the second run, following a 20-min interval. This finding of personality-dependent test-retest changes of the ASF slope stresses the importance of monitoring the duration of the recording when studying ASF slopes and offers an explanation for inconsistencies in the literature concerning cross-modal correlations in visual and auditory ASF slopes. The hypothesis is proposed that the serotonergic system, which has been related to ‘action-oriented’ personality, is involved in the modulation of the intensity dependence of the

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118912

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger