摘要:

The purpose of this study was to examine whether biological variables, such as erythrocyte membrane transports and plasma levels of monoamine precursor amino acids (tyrosine, tryptophan and phenylalanine), exhibit a particular pattern relatively to DSM-III depressive subgroups (dysthymic disorders, major recurrent depression and biopolar depression), when they are treated synthetically by a stepwise discriminant analysis. We conducted two tests in 97 subjects (64 depressed patients vs. 33 controls): the first before any antidepressant treatment, and the second after pharmacotherapy and clinical improvement. Our results clearly indicate a satisfying homogeneity for the controls and bipolar depressed patients as opposed to dysthymic disorders and major recurrent depression in both tests. The most informative biological variables are the erythrocyte membrane transports before treatment, tryptophan parameters after clinical improvement. Evidence is provided that multivariate analysis constitutes an interesting approach in biological psychiatry.

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118707

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1990

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

The growth hormone (GH) responses to GH-releasing hormone (GHRH; 1 μg/kg BW in an i.v. bolus), clonidine (150 μg in a single oral dose) and insulin (0.15 IU/kg BW in an i.v. bolus) induced hypoglycemia were evaluated in 7 normal weight bulimic women with regular menstrual cycles and in 7 age- and weight-matched normal women. In addition, the effect of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH; 200 μg in an i.v. bolus) on serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and GH levels was measured in the same subjects. Tests were carried out in random order on the 22nd days of the following menstrual cycles. A control test with the i.v. administration of normal saline instead of drugs was carried out 2 days after the TRH test. Basal GH levels were significantly higher in bulimic women than in normal controls; despite higher GH levels, bulimic women showed normal circulating concentrations of somatomedin-C (Sm-C). Serum GH levels remained unmodified during the control test. In contrast, the administration of GHRH, clonidine or insulin induced significant GH responses in all subjects. Bulimic and normal women showed comparable responses after GHRH, clonidine or hypoglycemia. The hypoglycemic response to insulin was similar in bulimic and control subjects. The administration of TRH was unable to increase the circulating levels of GH in the normal controls, whereas it significantly increased GH concentrations in 5 of 7 bulimic women. Delayed TSH responses to TRH were observed in the bulimic group. These data indicate that normal weight bulimia is not accompanied by abnormalities in the hypothalamic pituitary responsiveness to normally acting GH-releasing stimuli. Taken together with the finding of normal plasma Sm-C levels, these results suggest the integrity of the GHRH-GH-somatomedin axis in bulimia. On the other hand, the anomalous effects of TRH suggest an abnormal sensitivity of the GH and TSH secretory systems to TRH in bulim

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118708

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1990

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Growth hormone (GH), and prolactin (PRL) responses to the administration of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) (1 μg/kg) were evaluated in a group of 18 drug-free, acute, young male schizophrenics and in a group of age-matched normal controls. Cortisol responses were also evaluated. No difference in mean plasma GH, PRL and cortisol plasma basal values or in GH and PRL responses to GHRH between schizophrenics and controls was observed. Our failure to demonstrate a difference in GH response to GHRH between schizophrenics and controls would seem to indicate that GH secretory pituitary reserve is intact in young acute male schizophrenics. Cortisol values did discriminate between schizophrenics and controls (p< 0.05). In our sample, both schizophrenics and normal controls showed a slight but significant (p < 0.03) and transitory increase in plasma PRL response to GHRH

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118709

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1990

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Plasma levels of total 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) were measured in a group of 104 hospitalized depressed patients and a group of 104 age- and sex-matched normal controls. Plasma MHPG levels were found to be normally distributed in both groups and significantly lower in depressives than in controls. However, this difference could be related to an increase in plasma MHPG levels with age found in controls (r = 0.601, d.f. = 102, p < 0.01) but not in depressives (r = 0.013, d.f. = 102, NS). Men had significantly higher levels than women in both groups. There was no significant difference in plasma MHPG levels among any DSM-III-R diagnostic subgroups of depressives or between patients who were suppressors on the dexamethasone suppression test and those who were nonsuppressors. Significant correlations were found between AMDP Depression Rating Scale item and total scores and levels of plasma MHPG. Age, sex and clinical symptoms appeared to be main sources of variance in studying depressed patients and comparing them with normal controls.

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118710

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1990

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

The use of psychotropic drugs in general has become more extended in the past 20 years. The elderly, particularly geriatric inpatients, are the group with the highest consumption. The aim of the present study was to evaluate in two groups of elderly, hospitalized patients (H) vs. nonhospitalized subjects (nH), psychotropic drug consumption related to psychological distress. This was carried out in a total 238 subjects aged above 65 years (112 geriatric inpatients and 126 interviewed in social welfare centers). Sociodemographic, clinical and pharmacological data, general health and psychological distress were evaluated. The latter was assessed by means of the Symptom Distress Checklist (SCL-90) which included 9 subscales. 23% of the subjects received psychotropic drugs (P), of which 84% were benzodiazepines, 10% antidepressants and 1.5% antipsychotics. After evaluating the SCL-90 sub-scales, it was noted that anxiety, depression and obsessiveness/compulsiveness scored higher in P subjects than in those not receiving psychotropic drugs (nP). When treated nH and H were analyzed separately, it was observed that the former scored higher in anxiety and depression, while the latter showed higher scores in anxiety and obsessiveness/compulsiveness. Considered globally, the H group compared to nH showed higher scores in depression. Although evaluating psychotropic drug utilization in geriatric patients is complex due to the large number of influencing factors, SCL-90 has proved to be useful for assessing the qualitative aspects of this drug consumption in the elderly.

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118711

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1990

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

European hamsters were fed LiCl-supplemented food for a long time before, during and after the hibernating season. Long-term administration of LiCl does not suppress hibernation, which occurs normally during the first part of the experiment. Moreover lithium-treated hibernating hamsters tolerate very high plasma lithium levels. This tolerance is not explained. The results are discussed in relation with the recent theories on the similarities between depression, seasonal affective disorder and hibernation.

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118712

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1990

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Neuroleptic-induced catatonia (NIC) and milder neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) share parkinsonian features, catatonic symptoms, mild fever, and have been described in patients receiving antipsychotic agents. We report the case of a patient with a schizophreniform disorder and a mild mental retardation who developed a condition which can be diagnosed either as NIC or as a mild form of NMS and has been treated successfully with a combination of amantadine (600 mg/day) and diazepam (30 mg/day). The overlapping between NIC and mild NMS cases might lead to an overestimation of the incidence of current NMS and reinforces the view of the existence of a ‘neuroleptic toxicity spectrum

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118713

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1990

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Two experiments are reported, investigating the effects of the cholecystokinin analog ceruletide on central nervous activation in man. In experiment I, 0.55 μg/h ceruletide was infused at a constant rate during the night to study its effects on spontaneous EEG activity during sleep. In experiment II, we examined the effects of a bolus injection of ceruletide (0.5 μg) on components of the auditory evoked potential reflecting exogenously provoked central nervous arousal. While ceruletide had no effect on sleep, it attenuated stimulus-induced cortical arousa

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118714

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1990

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

An auditory event-related potential paradigm was designed to objectively quantify the effects of drugs on the central nervous system (CNS). A series of tones was presented at three random interstimulus intervals (ISI). The amplitude of N1–P2 and the recovery of this complex across ISI appear to be rapid, reliable and sensitive measures of changes in brain function associated with drug intake. To illustrate, an acute dose of diazepam was administered orally to a small group of normal subjects. The amplitude of N1–P2 was reduced and the slope of recovery flattened, indicating a decrease in CNS excitability concomitantly with the established pharmacokinetics of the d

ISSN:0302-282X    

DOI:10.1159/000118715

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1990

数据来源: Karger