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Biomedical subjects

A Barocka

Publications and source records attributed to A Barocka.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Increased limbic blood flow and total sleep deprivation in major depression with melancholia.

Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with technetium-99m-d,l-hexamethyl-propylene amine oxime (99Tcm-HMPAO) was carried out in 20 melancholic patients before and after total sleep deprivation. Findings in 11 responders to total sleep deprivation (defined by > or = 40% improvement on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression) were compared with findings in nine nonresponders. On the basis of a semiquantitative evaluation of SPECT findings, responders showed relative hyperperfusion before sleep deprivation in the right anterior cingulate cortex and in the right and left fronto-orbital cortex and basal cingulate gyrus. Responders who showed > or = 50% improvement also showed hippocampal overactivation before sleep deprivation. It is possible that limbic overactivation may characterize depressed responders to total sleep deprivation as a distinct subtype. Another possibility is that the pattern of limbic hyperactivation reflects the increased number of bipolar patients in the responder group, with response to total sleep deprivation being only a covariate of this bipolar-unipolar distinction.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

A test-retest study of cerebral blood flow during somatosensory stimulation in depressed patients with schizophrenia and major depression.

Six depressed patients with schizophrenia and 6 depressed patients with major depression were investigated before and during somatosensory stimulation (SS) with Tc-99m HMPAO SPECT. 8 controls were investigated only under resting conditions. The results can be summarized as follows: 1. Both psychiatric patient groups were hypofrontal (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) compared to controls. 2. Hypofrontality was further enhanced by SS, significantly only in affective psychoses in the right inferior frontal lobe and in the right frontal hemisphere in total, in schizophrenia in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. 3. Within the frontal lobes different regions were affected by SS in the two diagnostic groups. 4. In the right inferior parietal lobe SS response was significantly different in the two illnesses with schizophrenia showing a relative decrease, affective psychoses showing a relative increase of activity. 5. SS produced an increase of cerebral blood flow in subcortical regions (statistically significant contralateral to SS in thalamus and basal ganglia, ipsilateral to SS in cerebellum), a pattern which was common to all psychiatric patients. 6. Somatosensory cortex flow was not changed by SS. In conclusion, we could not fully confirm our hypotheses that similar blood flow abnormalities in different illnesses during SS are only caused by similarities in depressive psychopathology. Instead, depressed patients with schizophrenia were different from depressed patients with major depression in showing decreased activity in interrelating brain regions participating in an attentional network.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Neurotoxicity of solvent mixtures in spray painters. II. Neurologic, psychiatric, psychological, and neuroradiologic findings.

A multidisciplinary cross-sectional study was performed to examine the chronic neurotoxicity of organic solvents. Participating in the study were 105 persons employed as spray painters and having long-term solvent exposure (10-44 years) and a control group consisting of 58 construction workers, electricians, and plumbers without occupational contact to solvents. Samples were matched for age, preexposure intelligence level, occupation, and socioeconomic status. After controlling for potentially non occupational confounding factors (neuropsychiatric diseases, metabolic disorders, high blood pressure, alcohol intake) 83 spray painters and 42 controls were entered finally into the study. The evaluation included work history, self-rating questionnaire, neurologic investigation, psychiatric analysis using the Present State Examination (PSE), psychological testing, and computerized axial tomography (CAT) of the brain. Physical and neurologic examinations demonstrated no case of overt disorders of the central or peripheral nervous system. An important result of the psychiatric analysis was that the syndromes "special features of depression" and "loss of interest and concentration" occurred significantly more frequently among spray painters than among controls. Further analyses demonstrated an association with chronic exposure over 30 years and repeated acute neurotoxic effects during solvent exposures. Neither psychological nor performance tests demonstrated any statistically significant differences in the performance sets after adjustment according to premorbid intelligence level; this finding supports the presumption of only a low grade of mental dysfunction. Correlation analyses indicated a relationship between subjective health complaints and long-term solvent exposure; however, the effect of age cannot be completely ruled out.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1991

The early course of atypical depression.

The early course was studied of 29 atypical depressives with first onset of affective disorder not otherwise specified in DSM-III-R. Psychopathology was not stable over time in all patients, with some showing bipolar disorder or melancholia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Effects of sleep deprivation on the limbic system and the frontal lobes in affective disorders: a study with Tc-99m-HMPAO SPECT.

We studied 10 patients with melancholia before and after sleep deprivation and 8 controls with Tc-99m-hexamethylpropylenamineoxime (HMPAO) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). All depressed subjects showed relative hypoperfusion in the left anterolateral prefrontal cortex under both conditions. Only responders showed relative hyperperfusion in parts of the limbic system and a reduction of blood flow in these regions after sleep deprivation.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Treatment with nootropic drugs].

The effectiveness of nootropic agents (cerebroactive substances) is still under controversial discussion. Confusion occurs owing to the fact that effectiveness tests are undertaken on quite different levels ranging from in vitro assays to observations of day-to-day living. Methods of testing the effectiveness of cerebroactive substances are presented, with consideration being given to the recommendations of the experts.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Effects of glucocorticoids on plasma catecholamines in depression.

To explore corticosteroid-catecholamine interactions in depression, plasma dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine concentrations were studied both before and after dexamethasone in 16 patients during depression and after recovery, and in 28 healthy controls. Dexamethasone had a significant suppressive effect on plasma epinephrine levels in depressed patients and controls, while dopamine and norepinephrine levels were not significantly affected following dexamethasone administration. Levels of norepinephrine, epinephrine, and cortisol were positively correlated, while dopamine showed no correlation with cortisol values. These findings point to differentiated interrelations between certain catecholamines and glucocorticoids which possibly are affected during depressive illness.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

[Correlations between clinico-psychiatric findings and the dexamethasone suppression test in depression].

A study on 50 patients with endogenous and non-endogenous depression yielded a sensitivity of 64% and a specificity of 77% for the dexamethasone suppression test (DST). Endogenous depressive patients recovering from depression within one week mostly showed sufficient cortisol suppression. "Loss of feelings" was associated more frequently with cortisol nonsuppression, while a certain relationship between psychogenic induction of the present depressive episode and adequate suppression could be demonstrated. In conclusion, the diagnostic utility of the DST is of minor importance. However, in certain cases the DST could be recommended as a predictor of clinical course.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Factors interfering with the 1 mg dexamethasone suppression test in depression.

The 1 mg dexamethasone suppression test (DST) was performed in 50 depressive inpatients in order to investigate factors which might interfere with its sensitivity and specificity for endogenous depression: improvement within one week after the test, recent admission to a psychiatric ward, and weight loss. Four out of five endogenous depressive patients whose depression improved within one week after the test had normal suppression, thus supporting the assumption that normalization of the DST may precede the improvement in depression. Nonendogenous depressive patients had an accumulation of pathologic test results on the day after admission that may be due to "admission stress". However, in endogenous depressives this effect was not observed. An influence of weight loss on the percentage of suppressors and nonsuppressors was not demonstrable. It is concluded that in the evaluation of DST results time parameters should be considered to a greater degree.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Prolactin response to dexamethasone: a study on normal controls and depressed patients.

Pre- and post-dexamethasone prolactin and cortisol levels of 40 endogenous and non-endogenous depressive patients and of 20 controls were studied. Dexamethasone had a suppressive effect on prolactin levels, which was expressed more in normal controls and in non-endogenous depressive patients than in endogenous depression. A "prolactin suppression test" by dexamethasone was constructed and provided comparable results to the usual DST. However, it failed to be a specific marker for endogenous depression. There are close relationships between various endocrine axes, which might be altered in depression.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

[Sabbatai Zwi--a false Jewish Messiah. Case report on religious psychopathology].

The life of the Jewish heretical Messiah Sabbatai Zwi (1626-1676) presents several features suggesting a psychotic affective disorder. Particular political and socio-cultural conditions enabled him to arouse a state of rebellion in a large part of the Jewish population. This study investigates relations between the individual psychosis of Sabbatai Zwi and the reaction of the public. In addition relations between psycho-pathological and mystical-demonological terminology are considered.

Bipolar Disorder↗
PubMed1984

[Therapy with antidepressive and tranquilizing agents].

Since the introduction of imipramine in 1957 in the therapy of depression numerous effective antidepressant substances have been developed, which differ from one another in the biochemical as well as clinical profile of action. A psychopathological diagnosis is a prerequisite for application, whereby the differentiation of the endogenous from the non-endogenous depression, or the inhibited from the agitated depression is an important factor. 65% to 70% of endogenously depressive patients respond well to an antidepressant medication. However, the antidepressant effect still seems to be strongly linked to undesirable (mainly anticholinergic) side effects. The main portion of tranquilizers prescribed at present comprises of benzodiazepines, which are given for the manifold types of anxiety and inner restlessness. Their widely spread application has recently become object of criticism: dependency and changes in the personality have been described. Benzodiazepines should therefore only be prescribed under certain conditions, where their very good anxiolytic effect can be applied without damage to the patient.

Anti-Anxiety Agents↗
PubMed1979

Unusual features in a case diagnosed as subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE).

SSPE is characterised by progressive mental deterioration, myoclonic and similar motor disorders and final severe comatose states, increase of immunoglobuline G in the CSF, strongly elevated antibody titers to measles virus in serum and CSF and typical periodic K-complexes in the EEG. The disease appears commonly in childhood and has a fatal course. Cases with atypical signs have occasionally been reported. The case described in this paper shows a number of uncommon features: late onset, partial remission and stationary course, increased antibody titers to measles virus but relatively low in comparison to others, dissociation of cytoplasmic and nuclear fluorescent antibodies against SSPE brain tissue and an initial increase of antibodies against rubella virus. The patient was treated with isoprinosine. Improvement was observed before the start of this therapy and stabilized while treatment was being continued.

Adult↗