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A Feline

Publications and source records attributed to A Feline.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Context-dependent information processing in patients with schizophrenia.

Thirty schizophrenic patients fulfilling the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV criteria for schizophrenia and 30 control participants were shown a set of incomplete sentences, and were asked to complete them with the first word(s) that came to mind. Target sentences included an ambiguous word, the ambiguity of which was not resolved within the clause. However, completion necessarily required participants to select one specific meaning. Each target sentence was preceded by another sentence playing the role of context, which was designed to prime the less frequent meaning of the ambiguous word. The results showed that schizophrenic patients, especially those with thought disorder [on the basis of their TLC scores (Thought, Language and Communication Scale; Andreasen, N.C., 1979. Thought, language and communication disorders. Clinical assessment, definition of terms and evaluation of their reliability. Diagnostic significance. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry 39, 778-782)], used the most common meaning of the ambiguous word more frequently than controls, thus revealing a specific deficit in context use. The deficit was observed whether or not the relation between context and target sentences was made explicit. These results are in line with the cognitive models of schizophrenia that postulate a decreased ability to use context information. However, when considered in the light of prior studies (e.g., Bazin, N., Perruchet, P., 1996. Implicit and explicit memory in patients with schizophrenia. Schizophr. Res. 22, 241-248), they suggest that the deficit in processing contextual information is limited to what Baddeley (Baddeley, A.D., 1982. Domains of recollection. Psychol. Rev. 98, 708-729) called the interactive context (which affects the meaning, or the interpretation, of the target event) in contrast to the independent context (which does not interfere with the meaning-based interpretation of the target event).

Adult↗
PubMed1998

No serotonin 5-HT2A receptor density abnormality in the cortex of schizophrenic patients studied with PET.

To investigate putative abnormalities of cortical 5-HT2A receptor density in schizophrenia, we used positron emission tomography and [18F]setoperone, a high-affinity 5-HT2A receptor radioligand, in 14 neuroleptic-free or -naive schizophrenic patients and in 15 normal controls. No significant difference between the groups was observed in the whole or regional cortical binding potential of [18F]setoperone, indicating an absence of major 5-HT2A receptor cortical density abnormalities in schizophrenics.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Frontal 5-HT2A receptors studied in depressive patients during chronic treatment by selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

To investigate adaptative changes of 5-HT2A receptors induced by SSRIs, six patients chronically treated for a depressive episode (four with fluoxetine, two with fluvoxamine) were studied with PET and [18F]setoperone. They were compared to eight untreated depressive patients. The mean frontal to cerebellum radioactivity concentration ratio, an index of the [18F]setoperone specific binding to 5-HT2A receptors, was higher in treated than in untreated patients, when age was taken into account. This suggests that chronic treatment by SSRIs could induce an up-regulation of the 5-HT2A receptors, and that 5-HT2A receptor down-regulation is not a common mechanism for the therapeutic effects of all serotoninergic antidepressive drugs.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Severe psychiatric side effects observed during prophylaxis and treatment with mefloquine.

Mefloquine hydrochloride is now one of the major antimalarial drugs used both in prophylactic and therapeutic regimens. Large-scale studies have shown that it is efficacious and relatively well tolerated. However, some severe side effects, particularly neuropsychiatric reactions, have been described. We describe two young men with no previous medical history who experienced severe psychiatric reactions during prophylactic and curative mefloquine therapy. In both cases, full recovery was rapid after cessation of the therapy. There is no explanation for these reactions. Serum levels of mefloquine were within the normal range. The absence of contraindications and minor side effects during an initial course of mefloquine should be confirmed before another course is prescribed.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

["Alternative psychosis" illustrated by a clinical case].

We introduce here the "alternative psychosis" concept through the case of a 27 years old man, epileptic without psychiatrical background, who presented an acute 2 weeks long psychotical episode. We also call to mind the linkage, first described during the last century between epileptical disease and schizophrenic-like reactions. In 1934, Von Meduna noticed several times an improvement of patients affected by comitial crisis, when treating them by convulsive treatment. He was then the first to introduce the use of convulsive treatment for schizophrenic psychosis. In 1953, Landolt described the "forced normalisation" which is an improvement of the EEG recording of epileptical patients during psychotical episodes. Later on, Tellenbach introduced the term of "alternative psychosis", wishing thereby to insist on the clinical missing of epileptical crisis during those acute psychotical episodes, he also sharpens their symptomatical description.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1991

[Long-term outcome of alcoholic patients after a stay in a hospital hepatogastroenterology unit].

The long term results of psychologically oriented treatment for alcoholism were evaluated in 147 patients hospitalized in a liver unit and followed for 1-5 years. Twenty-three percent of the patients were hospitalized for treatment of alcoholism, while 61 percent were hospitalized for alcohol-related disease. The main patient characteristics were: males: 71 percent; age: 48 +/- 10 years (mean +/- SD); alcoholic cirrhosis: 48 percent; initial request for help in abstinence: 9 percent; and unemployment: 35 percent. During the hospitalization (16 +/- 10 days), each patient had 1 to 4 psychotherapeutic interviews. Seventy-four percent of patients responded to follow-up after discharge and contact was maintained in 23 percent of patients 2 years thereafter. The only two independent prognostic variables for long-term follow up were the need for medical supervision (P less than 0.001) and employment (P less than 0.005) (Cox model). Only 10 percent of the patients attended a post-hospitalisation psychotherapeutic program. Among the 108 patients who were followed, 35 percent were totally abstinent immediately after discharge and 17 percent did not relapse during the 2 following years. Relapse was unpredictable according to any of the initial variables. Half of the patients who were abstinent immediately after discharge remained totally so at long-term follow-up. Total abstinence was obtained for 39 percent of patients during a mean period of 27 +/- 34 months. Medical, social, or psychological improvement was observed more often in abstainers (61 percent) than in non abstainers (11 percent, P less than 0.001). We conclude that: a) long-term follow-up and abstinence were infrequently obtained in unselected alcoholic patients hospitalized in a liver unit; b) no initial criteria could predict the alcoholic relapse or select patients for alcoholism treatment; c) long-term results seemed more favorable when the patients where totally abstinent immediately after discharge.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Left prefrontal glucose hypometabolism in the depressed state: a confirmation.

The resting-state cerebral metabolic rates for glucose of 10 severely depressed patients (seven bipolar and three unipolar) were compared, before and after treatment with tricyclic antidepressants, to those of 10 control subjects of similar age by means of positron emission tomography and the fluorodeoxyglucose method. Significant left-right prefrontal asymmetry was present in the patients before but not after successful treatment, suggesting that medication can reduce this asymmetry. Also, significant hypofrontality and whole-cortex hypometabolism were found in the patients in the depressed state and persisted in the treated state, despite clinical improvement, suggesting that these abnormalities are not state dependent.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Depression with panic attacks: clinical characteristics and prevalence in hospital].

Seventy-three patients successively hospitalized in psychiatry and meeting the criteria of the DSM-III for diagnoses of major depressive episode with or without melancholia (n = 64), dysthymia (n = 5) or adjustment disorder with depressed mood (n = 2) were studied. Of these 73 patients, 50.7% also exhibited, at the time of their hospitalization, panic disorder as defined by the DSM-III criteria (53.4% having exhibited this disorder at some time in their life). Moreover, eight of the 73 patients (11%) exhibited, or had exhibited at some time in their life, a "sub-panic" state characterized by recurring rudimentary attacks, while five of the 73 patients (6.8%) exhibited "permanent panic anxiety" tending to fluctuation rather than paroxysm. These two forms of anxiety raise the question of the limits of panic disorder. The comparison of depressions with and without panic disorder shows an even distribution of endogenous and nonendogenous forms in both groups. Depressions with panic disorder, moreover, registered greater intensity (according to the HDRS score), a higher lever of anxiety (according to the AMDP-AT score), and a higher degree of nervousness (according to the EPI score) than depressions without panic disorder. The study of the chronology of the associations between depressions and panic disorder shows that in more than one-half of the cases these disorders began within one month of each other. In one-third of the cases, panic disorder preceded the depressive episode by more than one month. And finally, in just over 10% of the cases, panic disorder appeared more than one month after the beginning of the depressive episode.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Local cerebral glucose utilisation in chronic alcoholics: a positron tomographic study.

Using positron tomography, a study of regional cerebral glucose utilisation was performed prospectively in a highly selected group of six neurologically unaffected primary chronic alcoholics. In this group, neuropsychological, behavioural and CT scan anomalies were comparable with those previously reported in more extensive studies. With respect to age-matched control values, cerebral metabolic rate was not significantly modified in the selected cortical, subcortical and cerebellar regions of interest. However, the metabolic regional distribution index, which reflects the distribution pattern of glucose utilisation, was selectively and significantly decreased in the medio-frontal area, pointing to a limbic metabolic dysfunction apparently linked to chronic alcoholism.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

[Benzodiazepines. Long-term prescription and withdrawal].

The authors successively mention the long-term treatments with benzodiazepines, prescribed by the general practitioner and by the psychiatrist. In conclusion, they state that the benzodiazepines seldom induce dependence. Then, reviewing the data available in the literature , they describe the clinical features of withdrawal syndrome, the factors with may be prescribe and the rebound phenomena following abrupt cessation of benzodiazepine therapy.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed1982

[Extensive multicentric study of 1354 cases of depressed subjects treated with amineptin].

Psychiatrists and general practitioners are already well acquainted with amineptine. It nevertheless appeared interesting to expand previous clinical trials concerning use in hospitalized patients and outpatients. The results of this extensive study involving 1354 cases coming from 13 french regions confirm and specify the therapeutic indications in the various types of depression as well as its status within the antidepressant group. The low occurrence of side effects and the remarkable acceptability were also confirmed by this larger-scale study performed by 162 experimenters, all of whom were psychiatrists. The two most remarkable points arising from this study were the homogeneity of results for each region, as well as their consistency with previous findings during the clinical trial phase. Overall results in depressive disorders were: 76% positive (of which 52% very good and good results), particularly concerning melancholia (201 cases) and neurotic or reactive depressions (815 cases). Extensive evaluation of results indicated that amineptine was a fast acting desinhibiting antidepressant.

Adjustment Disorders↗
PubMed1981

[Pets for the mentally ill].

After studying the historical importance of the domestic animal through the ages and the role of the "pet" animal in the contemporary world, the authors present an analysis of the literature dealing with the function of the animal in child development and the use of animals as therapeutic "tools". The author's then consider, based on a series of observations, the relationship certain mentally ill patients may establish with one or several pet animals and the significance this object relation may have for the patient : animals become invested as counter depressive or delusional objects, auxiliary means for identification and projection, symbiotic relationship, as well as encouraging feeling of security and responsibility.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

[An open study of Mianserin (author's transl)].

The authors present a synthesis of 277 observations collected in France from open studies of mianserin. The product has shown positive results in 65 per cent of the patients considered, based on the global clinical judgement of the prescriber at the beginning and the end of a 28 days open study. The data from Hamilton's scale for depression and Beck's Inventory, even though concerning a smaller number of patients, seem to provide similar results. The improvement appears from the first week, and seems to concern the overall depressive mood, anxiety, psychomotor inhibition, and sleep. The evaluation of the respective results for each target-symptom is made difficult due to the lack of precise data concerning the associated psychotropic drugs. Tolerance has generally been good; there have only been five drop-outs as a result of unpleasant side effects.

Adolescent↗