Biomedical subjects

H S Ripley

Publications and source records attributed to H S Ripley.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1982

Change in auditory asymmetry with amobarbital: evidence of cerebral pharmacological asymmetry?

Eleven right-handed subjects were administered a dichotic listening test to assess cerebral hemispheric dominance, both under a drug-free condition and following systemic injection of the barbiturate, amobarbital. The finding of increased right ear advantage during the drug period reflects increased left cerebral dominance, and suggests that amobarbital may have an asymmetric, pharmacological effect on the two cerebral hemispheres.

Adult↗

PubMed1979

A dichotic index of laterality that scores linguistic errors.

The measure of cerebral laterality most commonly used in dichotic listening to detect ear advantages does not take errors into consideration. Experimental data were used to compare the laterality coefficient measure commonly used with a new method which scores error responses using linguistic rules. This new method produced significant results when applied to data for which the traditional measure found no significant effects. This suggests that on dichotic tasks where only one response is required, the traditional method of computing ear asymmetry by excluding errors may overlook a significant amount of information in these responses, information which is recoverable with the linguistically based scoring system.

Adult↗

PubMed1979

Suicide in general hospitals.

Of 14 medical and surgical patients who committed suicide in a general hospital, there were ten men and four women, ranging in age from 19 to 82. The patients had not made statements of suicidal intent; however, their hospital records showed there had been symptoms of depression and contained indirect references to a preoccupation with suicide. Most of the patients had been depressed because of their illnesses or distressing symptoms. It is important to keep in mind that there are clues that help anticipate suicide. Awareness by hospital staffs of symptoms and subtle signs of depression and of suicidal thoughts in patients is important in reducing the number of suicides in general hospitals. Of preventive and treatment measures, warmth, compassion and commitment to the care of patients by hospital staffs are most important.

Adult↗

PubMed1978

Changes in cerebral hemispheric lateralization with hypnosis.

Cerebral hemisphere dominance was measured in 20 subjects before, during, and after hypnotic suggestion. During hypnosis, subjects demonstrated lower right ear/left hemisphere laterality scores on a dichotic listening task compared to pre- and posthypnosis periods. These results support the view that hypnosis facilitates greater participation of the right cerebral hemisphere in cognition and may partially account for several well known hypnotic effects.

Adult↗

PubMed1977

Evaluation and management of suicidal behavior.

The danger of suicide is highest in depressed older people, especially men who have sustained a loss, who have an attitude of hopelessness, and who have not resolved feelings of grief. Factors associated with greater risk are chronic or serious illness, divorced, separated or widowed marital status, white race, drug abuse, excessive use of alcohol, unemployment, and poor living conditions. Commonly, those who commit suicide have made previous attempts and have directly or indirectly communicated their intention to others. The family physician is in the front line in the recognition and prevention of suicide. In the treatment of the suicidal, the physician should maintain a strong positive relationship to the patient and be consistently dedicated to his care including availability to see the patient frequently and to receive phone calls in the middle of the night. Those with the most serious risk should be referred to a psychiatrist and hospitalized to protect them from their suicidal impulses. Psychotherapy, antidepressant and tranquilizer drugs, and electric shcok treatment are the main therapeutic approaches. The physician's capacity for empathy and emotional commitment is of greater importance than his professional credentials.

Depression↗

PubMed1975

Interrelationships among patients, medical students and resident psychiatrists.

The authors have investigated the interrelationships among psychiatric resident physicians, medical student clerks, and patients on the inpatient psychiatric wards in two teaching hospitals. Medical students tended to focus on establishing rapport with patients whereas psychiatric residents tended to focus on psychopathology and management.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMed1975

Stereotyping and role conflicts between medical students and psychiatric nurses.

Role stereotyping can cause conflicts between medical students and nurses on a psychiatric ward when students, expecting traditionally subservient hand-maidens, find instead independent, capable nurses with their own views about patient care. The authors describe a study of interactions between nurses, medical students, and psychiatric residents on two psychiatric wards when medical students became primary therapists under residents' supervision, and they discuss how the conflicts were minimized.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMed1974