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Biomedical subjects

D G Kirch

Publications and source records attributed to D G Kirch.

65 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Defect symptoms and abnormal involuntary movement in schizophrenia.

Tardive dyskinesia (TD), a possible marker of the defect state of schizophrenia, was studied along with defect symptoms in 55 neuroleptic-treated chronic schizophrenic patients. Our cross-sectional data failed to replicate earlier findings of increased defect symptoms in TD patients (n = 14), except for more severe paucity of speech content when compared with non-TD patients (n = 41). Methodological issues that may account for some of the current and previously reported findings are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Treatment of schizophrenia with a vasopressin analogue.

Ten patients with chronic schizophrenia completed a 3-month double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with a vasopressin analogue. Modest improvement occurred, but several patients also experienced significant fluid and electrolyte imbalance.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Abnormal cerebrospinal fluid protein indices in schizophrenia.

Determinations of albumin and immunoglobulin G (IgG) were performed in paired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum samples from 24 subjects with schizophrenia. These determinations allowed calculation of two indices, one that is an indicator of integrity of the blood-brain barrier and the other a measure of selective IgG production within the central nervous system (CNS). In comparison with previously determined reference values, 7 of 24 (29%) subjects showed increased blood-brain barrier permeability, and 8 of 24 (33%) demonstrated elevated endogenous CNS IgG production. One of these eight also demonstrated oligoclonal banding on high-resolution protein electrophoresis of the CSF.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Electrophysiological interactions between haloperidol and reduced haloperidol, and dopamine, norepinephrine and phencyclidine in rat brain.

Haloperidol and its metabolite, reduced haloperidol, were compared as antagonists of catecholaminergic neurotransmission in central nervous system of the rat. Agonists and antagonists were applied from multibarrelled micropipettes, which were also used to record extracellularly the effects of these substances on neuronal discharge. Haloperidol antagonized dopaminergic inhibition of caudate neurons and inhibition of cerebellar Purkinje neurons induced by noradrenaline, whereas reduced haloperidol was an ineffective antagonist. Phencyclidine, which is an indirect dopaminergic agonist in the caudate, caused inhibition of the discharges of caudate neurons resembling that induced by dopamine itself. These indirect effects of phencyclidine were also antagonized by haloperidol but not by reduced haloperidol. The data suggest that the metabolite, reduced haloperidol, is not an effective neuroleptic drug in the central nervous system.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

A Negative Symptom Rating Scale.

Renewed interest in the role of negative symptoms in "defect state" schizophrenia calls for the design of a standardized, easy to use, reliable, and valid instrument to assess these aspects of psychopathology. In order to measure negative symptoms, we developed the Negative Symptom Rating Scale (NSRS). We report on the design, interrater reliability, and construct-validation of NSRS against the most frequently used negative symptom scales or subscales. In summary, the NSRS is a short, sensitive, highly specific, reliable, and apparently valid instrument for measuring negative symptoms in schizophrenia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Polydipsia and chronic hyponatremia in schizophrenic inpatients.

The occasional presence of polydipsia in psychiatric patients, at times progressing to hyponatremia with severe medical complications, has been previously noted. The clinical history and laboratory data from eight chronically hyponatremic psychiatric inpatients were examined. Common characteristics were a diagnosis of chronic undifferentiated schizophrenia, an early age of onset of their illness, extended hospitalizations with minimal response to neuroleptic medications, heavy tobacco use, and a relatively high frequency of tardive dyskinesia and brain scan abnormalities. Water loading in three patients showed responses consistent with inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone. Potential pathophysiologic mechanisms and treatment considerations are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Reverse transcriptase activity in 5-azacytidine-treated lymphocyte cultures of patients with schizophrenia.

We investigated the involvement of human lymphotropic retroviruses in the etiology of schizophrenia. Short-term cultures of peripheral lymphocytes of 11 chronic schizophrenic patients and six controls were established and treated with 2.5 and 5 microM 5-azacytidine. No reverse transcriptase activity could be detected in any of the 5-azacytidine-treated cultures indicating that 5-azacytidine did not activate a putative retrovirus in lymphocytes of patients with schizophrenia. Therefore, our findings do not support a role of lymphotropic retroviruses as an etiology in schizophrenia.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Schizophrenia, just the facts. What do we know, how well do we know it?

The basic facts of schizophrenia are subjectively reviewed in terms of their reproducibility and significance for understanding the disorder. Some of the facts that are either less well known or of greater importance for future investigation are discussed in more detail. The purpose of establishing what we know about schizophrenia is to develop firm ground for generating hypotheses. One attempt to synthesize these facts is outlined.

Humans↗