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Biomedical subjects

B B Sethi

Publications and source records attributed to B B Sethi.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

Biological study of alcohol dependence syndrome with reference to ethnic difference: report of a WHO Collaborative Study.

Inherited deficiency of acetaldehyde dehydrogenase type I (ALDH-I) was found in 43% (50/117) of normals, 33% (27/82) of schizophrenics, but only 4% (5/113) of alcoholics among Japanese. The ALDH-I deficiency was never found, however, in 146 mostly schizophrenic subjects from Europe (Basel, Moscow, Zagreb), Australia (Nedlands), India (Lucknow), Morocco (Casablanca) and Mexico (Mexico City). It was demonstrated that ALDH-I deficiency produces the flushing syndrome which inhibits the development of drinking habit and alcohol dependence syndrome.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed1989

Repeated naloxone administration in schizophrenia: a phase II World Health Organization Study.

In the context of a previous WHO collaborative study, six research centers reported that naloxone (0.3 mg/kg) produced significant improvement in symptomatology in neuroleptic-treated patients. In the current Phase II WHO study, repeated (4 days) naloxone (0.3 mg/kg) administration was performed in schizophrenic patients (n = 43) from five WHO collaborating centers using a double-blind, placebo-controlled design. Both naloxone and placebo administrations were associated with significant reductions in symptoms. Naloxone, however, was not superior to placebo. These data are discussed in relation to endorphin hypotheses of schizophrenia.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Factors associated with the course and outcome of schizophrenia in India. Results of a two-year multicentre follow-up study.

The paper describes the two-year follow-up results from 323 out of 386 patients fulfilling a modified version of Feighner's criteria for diagnosis of schizophrenia, in Lucknow, Vellore, and Madras. There was remission in 66% of cases. Short duration of illness, consistent compliance with medication, positive attitudes of relatives and neighbours, absence of economic difficulties, increase in religious activities on the part of patients, a rural background, and a non-schizoid pre-morbid personality were associated with good outcome. Features of depression, dangerous behaviour, and absence of agitation were associated with poor outcome.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Antianxiety effect of cannabis: involvement of central benzodiazepine receptors.

The present work, involving clinical, behavioral, and biochemical studies, was undertaken to elucidate the probable mechanism of the observed antianxiety effects of cannabis. The population for the clinical study consisted of 50 male chronic cannabis users who were otherwise healthy and 50 matched controls. When evaluated on Taylor's Manifest Anxiety Scale (TMA), these subjects had low anxiety scores as compared with the controls. To explore the possible interaction of cannabis with the benzodiazepine receptors, behavioral and biochemical studies in mice were devised, involving acute and chronic cannabis administration. Behavioral study revealed that mice under chronic cannabis treatment scored significantly higher on foot shock-induced aggression, but this was significantly blocked by benzodiazepine receptor antagonist. Furthermore, chronic cannabis treatment significantly (p less than 0.001) increased the frequency of licking response periodically punished by shocks. This confirms the antianxiety effect of cannabis, which also appears to be mediated through a benzodiazepine receptor, as it was reduced significantly (p less than 0.001) by a benzodiazepine receptor blocker. Specific 3H-diazepam binding was carried out in frontal cortex to assess both the population and affinity of benzodiazepine receptors. Our results indicate that acute cannabis treatment has no significant effect, whereas chronic cannabis treatment significantly increased 3H-diazepam binding as compared with controls. Scatchard analysis further reveals that increased affinity is responsible for increased binding to these receptors. It is therefore our contention that the antianxiety effect of cannabis is mediated through central benzodiazepine receptors.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

3H-spiperone binding in platelet membranes: a possible biological marker for schizophrenia.

High-affinity-specific 3H-spiperone binding to platelet membranes was carried out in 30 schizophrenic patients, without prior antipsychotic medication, fulfilling the Research Diagnostic Criteria, and in 30 matched control subjects. The psychosis was rated on the Modified Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. Compared with healthy subjects, schizophrenic patients had significantly higher 3H-spiperone binding due to a lower dissociation constant (38%), i.e. increased affinity. No significant difference was observed in the maximum number of binding sites (Bmax) between the two groups. It is our contention that 3H-spiperone binding to platelets may be a biological marker for schizophrenia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Epidemiology of depression in India.

Depressive disorders constitute one of the major mental health problems. The cross and intracultural differences in etiology, clinical features and course and outcome vary maximally in depressives than in any other mental illness, and epidemiological studies have been a major strategy to delineate the same. In this report the author has attempted to review available Indian epidemiological literature in the field of depressive disorders, and suggestions have been provided for improving the quality of future research in this area.

Culture↗
PubMed1979

Hostility and guilt in obsessive-compulsive neurosis.

The enquiry relates to the investigation of 30 cases of obsessive-compulsive neurosis with special reference to the phenomena of hostility and guilt as revealed through Foulds' Five Punitive Scales and the Thematic Apperception Test. Controls consisted of an equal number of subjects suffering from neurotic depression. Analysis reveals acting-out hostility and extrapunitive tendency in the experimental group. No significant difference was found in terms of guilt scores.

Female↗
PubMed1977

The theory and practice of psychiatry in India.

A comprehensive overview of the past and present state of psychiatry in India, as well as of its successes and limitations, is presented. The dregree of awareness and acceptance by different sectors of the Indian population is discussed. The influence of religious beliefs and cultural practices is taken into account. The report also deals with morbidity in patients with various emotional disorders.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1976

Hysteria in India: clinical aspects.

Two hundred fifteen cases (38 males, 177 females) of hysteria were studied, while the investigators kept in view the cultural factors affecting clinical presentations and influencing etiological aspects of emotional disorders. India hysterics of either sex presented with multiple symptoms, usually combinations of physical and psychogenic manifestations. There was no significant difference between clinical presentations as observed in the two sexes. Sensory disturbances, paraplegias, monoplegias were in low frequency. Although a wide range of premorbid personality patterns could be identified in the present study, the most frequently occurring personality in females was hysterical and in males antisocial. Family history and parental deprivation did not appear to offer any relationship towards the occurrence of hysteria.

Conversion Disorder↗