Biomedical subjects

C G Gottfries

Publications and source records attributed to C G Gottfries.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources

PubMed1977

Low platelet monoamine oxidase activity in human alcoholics.

Platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity was found to be significantly reduced in human alcoholics as compared to matched controls. A probable transitory increase in activity was observed during the abstinence phase. The low platelet MAO activity was not due to iron deficiency or to the presence of acetaldehyde. Since we have previously found a lowered MAO activity in the brains of suicide victims, especially in those with a previous history of alcohol abuse, we suggest that low platelet MAO activity reflects a primarily "weak" monoaminergic system in the CNS which causes an increased vulnerability to alcohol abuse and suicidal behaviour.

Alcoholism↗

PubMed1976

Determination of monoamine and monoamine metabolites in the human brain: post mortem studies in a group of suicides and in a control group.

Different nuclei and regions of the brain from patients who had committed suicide and from controls were analysed for their content of monoamine and monoamine metabolites. There was a post mortem breakdown of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) which could be correlated to the time elapsed between the occurrence of death and autopsy. Homovanillic acid (HVA) and the monoamines did not decrease post mortem during the time observed (6-148 hours). There was no significant correlation between age and chemical variables in this investigation. There were no significant group differences between suicides and controls concerning dopamine, noradrenaline, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and HVA, 5-HIAA levels were significantly lower in the suicide group in six out of eight parts of the brain investigated. It was, however, also demonstrated that there was a longer time elapse between the occurrence of death and autopsy in the suicide group. The suicides came on average 48 hours later to autopsy than the controls. As there was a post mortem decrease of 5-HIAA, this time variable had to be kept constant when group differences were analysed. When the influence of this time variable was eliminated there were no longer any differences between suicides and controls. According to this investigation, there seem to be no differences in levels of monoamines and their metabolites between suicides and controls.

Adult↗

PubMed1976

Neurophysiological measures related to levels of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, homovanillic acid and tryptophan in cerebrospinal fluid of psychiatric patients.

In 26 patients with psychiatric disorders, EEG, and visual averaged evoked responses (VAER) were recorded. In the analysis of the EEG, the mean integrated amplitude (MIA), its within patient variance (WPV), and the coefficient of variation CV=(square root of WPV/MIA) X 100 were calculated. Patients were grouped as augmenters on reducers according to their tendency in the VAER recording to augment or to reduce the intensity of incoming signals with increasing stimulus intensity. The content of monoamine metabolites, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, 5-HIAA, and homovanillic acid (HVA), and --for 17 patients-- tryptophan, in the cerebrospinal fluid was determined. In the analysis of the results, WPV in the alpha-band was found to be significantly correlated to HVA (r=0.45, p less than 0.02) and to 5-HIAA (r=0.34, p less than 0.05). In a multiple regression analysis, the correlation between WPV and HVA was found to be the most important. CV was found to be signfiicantly correlated to tryptophan (r=0.68, p less than 0.01). In the analysis of the results of the VAER, reducers were found to have higher levels of 5-HIAA and tryptophan and significantly higher values of HVA. The results are discussed in relation to earlier neurophysiological and biochemical theories about psychiatric patients.

Adult↗

PubMed1976

Late effects on rabbit brain morphology and monoamine metabolites produced by 60C0-irradiation.

Twenty-three rabbits were exposed with 60Co irradiation over the skull. Nineteen of the animals received 29.6 Gy over the right hemisphere and 4 animals received 20 Gy over both hemispheres. Six months after the exposure the cncentrations of 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA) and homovanillic acid (HVA) in seven different brain regions were assayed. No significant differences in the levels of these monoamine metabolites as compared to nonirradiated control animals were found. In contrast to discrete biochemical changes, a relatively marked parenchymal destruction was demonstrated by means of light microscopy, microangiography and scanning electron microscopy of the vessels, which exhibited telangiectases, fibrinoid necroses and thrombosis due to the late effects of irradiation.

Animals↗

PubMed1975