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Biomedical subjects

A E Brooker

Publications and source records attributed to A E Brooker.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Conceptualizing a better understanding of diagnosing and treating posttraumatic stress disorder: a review of two case studies.

Clinical and epidemiological studies have supported the belief that human beings exposed to stressful life events are vulnerable to the symptomatology consistent with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, early detection of symptoms consistent with PTSD oftentimes does not occur within the medicolegal arena. The importance of an early and accurate diagnosis is emphasized. Fortunately, the diagnosis of PTSD has become more clearly conceptualized in the DSM-IV criteria. Many of the characteristics consistent with this diagnosis are measured through the use of relatively recently developed and refined psychometric measures including the Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale, the Trauma Symptom Inventory, and the Personality Assessment Inventory-2. Additional measures including the Computerized Response Bias Test, the Word Memory Test, and the Validity Indicator Profile can detect exaggeration of symptoms without using specific tests for symptom validity. These measures, as well as biochemical determinations, are reviewed and presented along with the over-all structured clinical interviews and mental status examinations of two patients for a better understanding of the multimethod approach which establishes the reliability of the PTSD diagnosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Performance on the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised for patients with mild traumatic brain injury and mild dementia.

The purpose of this study was to delineate significant differences among mild traumatic brain-injured and early onset mild dementia patients examined using the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised subtests. In comparison to 12 mild traumatic brain-injured patients, 11 mild dementia patients scored significantly lower on Verbal Paired Associates I and II, Visual Reproduction I and II, and Visual Paired Associates I. Raw score summaries for the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised indicated significantly lower scores on Verbal Memory, Visual Memory, and the over-all composite. General Memory for mild dementia patients in comparison to individuals who sustained a mild traumatic brain injury. Despite equivalent scores on Attention/Concentration, the dementia group did not show significantly lowered delay in memory recall by comparison with mild closed-head injured patients. The study recommends replication with much larger sample sizes to validate the results.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Effects of sedating and nonsedating antihistamines on flying performance.

The purpose of this double-blind study was to compare the effects on flying performance of a nonsedating antihistamine, (terfenadine), two sedating antihistamines, (chlorpheniramine and diphenhydramine), and a placebo. Twelve USAF pilots were tested at 1-month intervals with the above medications, administered during separate testing periods. Medication was given twice daily for 3 days. On the third day, each pilot performed three landing approaches in a C5-B flight simulator, followed by assessment with psychological and neuropsychological tests. Evaluation of the flight data showed no significant differences in flight performance among any of the pilots while on four different medications. Psychological and neuropsychological testing demonstrated no significant differences in performance with the exception of the SCL-90-R, where pilots reported psychological and physiological subjective symptoms with diphenhydramine and chlorpheniramine, but not with terfenadine. While pilots were on each medication, open-ended questionnaires corroborated the results of the SCL-90-R. Both the flight and neuropsychological testing data suggest that terfenadine has no detectable effects on overall flying performance.

Aerospace Medicine↗
PubMed1991

Neuropsychological, neurological, and MRI correlates of dementia in advanced Huntington's disease: a single case study.

Affected Huntington's disease patients present with a progressive dementia that can be detected with a variety of neuropsychological procedures. Neuropsychological findings include impaired mental flexibility and concentration, deterioration of verbal and procedural memory, diminished nonverbal memory, and slowing of both fine and gross motor functions. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers unique advantages in depicting morphologic changes associated with Huntington's disease. Frontotemporal atrophy and, in particular, atrophy of the corpus striatum are characteristically observed. Given the ease of obtaining coronal images and the improved differentiation of gray matter and white matter, MRI can provide better identification of these findings than traditional imaging methods such as computed tomography (CT). Finally, the presence of steadily progressive neuropsychological deterioration in conjunction with characteristic atrophy observed on MRI can be combined with diminished metabolic activity of the corpus striatum as observed on positron emission tomography (PET) for added diagnostic specificity.

Dementia↗
PubMed1984

Impaired brain functions due to diazepam and meprobamate abuse in a 53-year-old-male.

The following case study demonstrates the important influence of diazepam and meprobamate on a patient's neuropsychological test performance. This article includes: a brief medical history and summary of previous physical examinations; brief description of the neuropsychological test battery; formulation of the original neuropsychological test findings; follow-up neuropsychological testing; and discussion. The profound interaction effect of these prescribed drugs revealed severe cognitive, memory, and motor function deficits in a 53-year-old male. These findings are in contrast to reports in the literature.

Cognition Disorders↗
PubMed1984

Visual recognition memory of severely head-injured patients.

14 severely head-injured adults were compared with 14 normals on a recognition procedure, Kimura's Recurring Figures Test, which requires identification of eight recurring shapes among a series of 160. The head-injured patients showed, by far, more incorrect responses than the control group.

Brain Concussion↗