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Biomedical subjects

A Elizur

Publications and source records attributed to A Elizur.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Psychological and hormonal changes in the course of in vitro fertilization.

This study was designed to investigate concurrently the psychological and hormonal changes at three critical points during in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. One hundred thirteen couples suffering from mechanical and unexplained infertility participated in the study and 23 of them conceived. Psychological evaluation included background questionnaires, Lubin's Depression Adjective Check List, and Spielberger's State Trait Anxiety inventory. Cortisol and prolactin levels were estimated by radioimmunoassay. The results showed that patients' anxiety and depression scores were significantly higher than the population norm. Psychological test scores and hormonal levels showed a similar pattern of change, increasing on oocyte retrieval day, decreasing on embryo transfer day, and rising again on pregnancy test day. Differences between these phases were generally significant. Differences in parameters' means between conceiving (C) and nonconceiving (NC) women were generally not significant. However, correlations between psychological measures and hormonal levels showed a clear disparity between C and NC women in the last phase. Whereas significant negative correlations were found in C patients, no relationship was found in NC patients. The findings suggest that success in IVF treatment may depend, in part, on differential modes of coping with anxiety and depression, involving hormonal or endorphin mediation.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1992

The association between adolescents' attitudes toward suicide and their psychosocial background and suicidal tendencies.

The present study examined the relationship between adolescents' attitudes toward suicide and their psychosocial background. It also evaluated the association between attitudes toward suicide and the subjects' own suicidal tendencies. A questionnaire assessing these issues was administered to 525 Israeli adolescents. Results indicated that significantly more females, nonreligious adolescents, those exposed to suicidal behavior, and those with increased suicidal risk held more accepting attitudes. Ethnic origin, socioeconomic status, and living in intact/nonintact families were not associated with adolescents' attitudes toward suicide.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Platelet autoantibodies in dementia and schizophrenia. Possible implication for mental disorders.

Platelets isolated from blood of demented and schizophrenic patients were found to bear surface antibodies at a considerably higher titer than those found on platelets from normal age-matched groups or patients with affective disorders. The platelet count in demented and schizophrenic patients correlated inversely with the level of the platelet associated antibodies (PAA) which suggested an autoimmune route of opsonization. In most individual cases of dementia or schizophrenia PAA and platelet count were found to oscillate with time between high PAA-low platelet number and low PAA-high platelet number in approximately inverse correlation. PAA isolated from demented patients were found to cross-react with platelets from normals and with brain tissue from rats. Furthermore, molecular weights of specific brain antigens were identified by binding to PAA. These observations support the possibility that PAA might be implicated in the etiology of some mental dysfunctions associated with dementia and schizophrenia.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Cloning and characterization of the white and topaz eye color genes from the sheep blowfly Lucilia cuprina.

Clones carrying the white and topaz eye color genes have been isolated from genomic DNA libraries of the blowfly Lucilia cuprina using cloned DNA from the homologous white and scarlet genes, respectively, of Drosophila melanogaster as probes. On the basis of hybridization studies using adjacent restriction fragments, homologous fragments were found to be colinear between the genes from the two species. The nucleotide sequence of a short region of the white gene of L. cuprina has been determined, and the homology to the corresponding region of D. melanogaster is 72%; at the derived amino acid level the homology is greater (84%) due to a marked difference in codon usage between the species. A major difference in genome organization between the two species is that whereas the DNA encompassing the D. melanogaster genes is free of repeated sequences, that encompassing their L. cuprina counterparts contains substantial amounts of repeated sequences. This suggests that the genome of L. cuprina is organized on the short period interspersion pattern. Repeated sequence DNA elements, which appear generally to be short (less than 1 kb) and which vary in repetitive frequency in the genome from greater than 10(4) copies to less than 10(2) copies, are found in at least two different locations in the clones carrying these genes. One type of repeat structure, found by sequencing, consists of tandemly repeating short sequences. Restriction site and restriction fragment length polymorphisms involving both the white and topaz gene regions are found within and between populations of L. cuprina.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Serotonin 5-HT2 receptor binding on blood platelets as a state dependent marker in major affective disorder.

Serotonin receptors of the 5-HT2 type were studied on platelet membranes from 15 patients suffering from major depression. Receptor binding and clinical state (assessed by the Hamilton and Beck rating scales) were examined in a drug free state upon admission and after 1 and 3 weeks of treatment with the antidepressant maprotiline (MPT). 5-HT2 receptor binding changed in correlation with changes in the clinical state of the patients as judged by the rating scales. Since most patients showed a clinical improvement, the patients as a group exhibited a significant decrease in binding concomitant with a drop in depression scores. However, in those patients in whom there was no clinical change or an increase in depression scores, 5-HT2 receptor binding did not change or increased, respectively, thus resulting in a significant correlation between clinical changes and changes in binding. These results support the use of 5-HT2 receptors on platelets in evaluating depression and its treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Antipsychotic effect of propranolol on chronic schizophrenics: study of a gradual treatment regimen.

Ten chronic treatment-resistant schizophrenic patients were treated in a single-blind trial for six weeks with propranolol in daily doses increasing up to 3 g in order to evaluate a modified dose regimen of propranolol treatment in these patients. Four of the patients improved significantly and could be released from the hospital, regaining premorbid social and work adjustments. The modified regimen proved safe as long as the dose increment was not more than 80 mg/day. The mean therapeutic level of propranolol was 1600 mg/day, which proved to be a safe dose. Although three patients with hypertensive encephalophaty responded, their response was related not to the maximum dose but to a drastic change in the rate of the dose increase. It seems that on the basis of these results a double-blind comparative study would be worthwhile.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Group experience as a means of training medical students.

All medical students in a six-week psychiatric clerkship met once a week in "experiential groups." One week after the last group session a concluding and evaluative discussion was held. A detailed description of the students' responses and reactions is given. The results indicate that for the majority of the students, the experiential group was the most significant personal and learning experience they had during the clerkship. It effected better interpersonal communication among the students and improved their humane skill, empathy, and sensitivity.

Inservice Training↗
PubMed1979

The clinical and psychological effects of pemoline in depressed patients--a controlled study.

The clinical and psychological effects of pemoline were compared with placebo in a double-blind study of 20 depressed patients. Target symptoms were disturbances of concentration and memory, tension, depression, fatigue, decreased libido, anorexia and insomnia. The two groups were matched for their clinical picture, age, sex, and duration of illness. During the three-week study period the pemoline group received 50 mg daily. Significant differences in some clinical symptoms were found between the groups, but not in the performance of psychological tests, administered before and after the three-week study period. These differences proved the effectiveness of pemoline in combating symptoms of disturbances in concentration, memory, tension, depression and fatigue.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Behavioral toxicity. Neuroleptic-induced paradoxical behavioral toxicity in young borderline schizoprenics.

9 young borderline schizophrenics who developed an acute paradoxical behavioral toxicity as a reaction to the initiation of antipsychotic medication are described. The dynamics, the psychological issues as well as some possible psychopharmacological interactions are discussed. The risk of behavioral toxicity should not be overlooked or underestimated and the occurrence of this reaction must be carefully differentiated from other drug-induced reactions.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Urinary 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) excretion in depression.

Twelve acute depressed patients were studied in the course of antidepressant treatment. Three-day-24-hour urine samples for 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenylglycol (MHPG) were collected both before and after a five week treatment schedule. MHPG were estimated by spectrophotometry. Initial MHPG excretion did not reflect the severity of pretreatment depression and final MHPG showed no specific correlation with post-treatment improvement. No specific or uniform influence of different anti-depressant treatments or changes in MHPG was evident. Depressed patients with bipolar affective disorder tend to have initially lower MHPG levels than patients with unipolar depression. Urinary MHPG excretion measurements may prove not to be a useful index in the diagnosis and choice of treatment in patients suffering from primary depression.

Adult↗