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Biomedical subjects

Helmut Niederhofer

Publications and source records attributed to Helmut Niederhofer.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

A preliminary investigation of ADHD symptoms in persons with celiac disease.

OBJECTIVE: Several studies report a possible association of celiac disease (CD) with psychiatric and psychological disturbances, such as ADHD. METHOD: The authors assess 132 participants from 3 to 57 years of age (M = 19.3 years) affected by CD for the possibility of an associated ADHD-like symptomatology, using the Conner Scale Hypescheme, a behavioral scale similar to the Conners Rating Scales, before their gluten-free diet was started and 6 months later. RESULTS: The overall score improves significantly as well as most of the ADHD-like symptomatology specific features (Bonferroni-corrected, paired-sample t tests). CONCLUSION: The data indicate that ADHD-like symptomatology is markedly overrepresented among untreated CD patients and that a gluten-free diet may improve symptoms significantly within a short period of time. The results of this study also suggest that CD should be included in the list of diseases associated with ADHD-like symptomatology.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

[The importance of family coherence for mentally handicapped children].

A lack of perseverance, attention and poor modulated behaviour are important criterions of handicapped children (Dilling et al. 1993). Therefore, instructions have to be repeated quite often, sometimes even by different family members. For this reason, good family coherence might reduce symptoms significantly (Döpfner and Lehmkuhl 1995). The handicapped child might cause less disagreement in families with good coherence, which improves family;s features (Saile et al. 1995). Families of 15 handicapped children were included for evaluation and compared with a matched, healthy control group. Parents were asked to complete a form assessing the family;s features ("Familienklima-Testsystem", Schneewind et al. 1985), "Erziehungspraktiken", (Schneewind et al. 1985). Group comparison was made by the Mann-Whitney-U-Test. Our results strongly suggest, that good coherence seems to have positive effects on family;s features, especially by handicapped children. So we think, that on the one hand good coherence might reduce symptomatology and that on the other hand family's features have protective effects on handicapped children.

Anger↗
PubMed2005

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy of memory and frontal brain region in early multiple sclerosis.

In vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) has been used to assess biochemical changes that occur in demyelinating lesions and in normal appearing white matter (NAWM) in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. N-acetylaspartate (NAA) levels in MS patients may indicate neural viability. In early stages of MS, patients may suffer from slight cognitive impairment. The objective of this study was to investigate memory function in relation to biochemical properties of frontal brain areas of MS patients. Twenty-one patients with relapsing-remitting MS and 21 healthy comparison subjects were examined psychometrically using the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS) and the Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC) scale, and (1H-MRS) was used to examine frontal deep white matter (left hemisphere) and the frontal cingulate gyrus (Brodmann areas 24/32, bihemispheric). A significant reduction of the NAA/Creatine (Cr) ratio in the frontal cingulate gyrus among the MS patient group was detected when compared to healthy subjects. A significant decrease in the NAA/Cr ratio was also found in volumes of cerebral deep white matter, including plaques, in the MS patients. No NAA/Cr ratio changes were found in NAWM. Differences in MSFC results did not reach statistical significance, but the WMS general memory score showed a significant statistical difference between the patient group and healthy subjects. Regression analysis showed the gray matter NAA/Cr ratio of the frontal cingulate gyrus to be significantly related to distinct memory functions. The authors conclude that (1H-MRS) of gray matter in early stages of MS may be pertinent in the detections of early metabolic disturbances, particularly in subjects with or without minor neurological impairment. Findings suggest a general relationship between the metabolic status of the frontal cortices and memory function.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Hand preference in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

In our Outpatient Department, we studied 56 subjects (41 males, 15 females; aged 5-16 yr.) with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) with respect to hand use in functional tasks via parental report. Left-hand use was markedly preferred, compared to that of a control group, more for complex than simple and for external (touching food and objects) than internal (scratching, rubbing eyes) tasks, suggesting a deficit in cerebral control of right-hand use. More patients were reported to have a left-hand preference than in the non-ADHD population. Furthermore, extent of laterality was greater for complex than simple external tasks and for external than for internal.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

[Educational practices in families with children suffering from borderline disorders and healthy volunteers in comparison].

Standardized assessment of education is not used routinely although these factors may play an important role in the course of psychological disorders in children. Thus the aim of the present study was to investigate families of Borderline children with regard to differences with regard to education in their families. Families of 115 Borderline children (aged 6-12y), diagnosed by means of the Mannheim's Parents Interview (Esser et al. 1989) were included for evaluation and compared with a matched control group. Parents were asked to complete a form assessing education ("Erziehungspraktiken", Schneewind et al. 1985). Group comparison was made by the Mann-Whitney-U-test. The results show that there are less emotional attention, less material reinforcers and more physical punishment in families whose children belong to the Borderline children" group. It could be shown, that there seems to be a significant influence of Borderline symptomatology on education which should make therapists focus their efforts not only on the "index" children as such but also on their families.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Tianeptine as a slightly effective therapeutic option for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Because of the hypotonic side effect of clonidine, the use of tianeptine was studied as an alternative because of its longer excretion half-life, decreased sedative side effects and more selective binding profile. METHOD: We rated sixty-eight psychiatric outpatients diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at baseline and while taking tianeptine to determine its efficacy as a treatment for ADHD and used comparisons of Conners' parent ratings within each subject to measure behavioral changes in the subjects. RESULTS: During tianeptine treatment, patients' mean scores improved significantly overall, and also for Conners' Hyperactivity, Inattention and Immaturity factors. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study indicates that tianeptine might be a slightly effective beneficial and useful treatment for ADHD, reducing hyperactive behaviors and enabling greater attentional ability with minimal side effects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Bupropion may support psychosocial treatment of nicotine-dependent adolescents: preliminary results.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of long-term bupropion therapy for nicotine dependence in adolescents. DESIGN: Prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. SETTING: Outpatient clinic in Innsbruck, Austria. SUBJECTS: Twenty-two adolescents, aged 16-19 years, with nicotine dependence. INTERVENTION: Participants were randomly assigned to receive bupropion 150 mg/day or placebo for 90 days. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Patients were classified as abstinent or relapsed on day 0 (when study drug was started) and again on days 30 and 90, according to their self-reports. Treatment failure was defined as relapse or nonattendance. Time to first treatment failure was the primary outcome measure. Mean cumulative abstinence duration was significantly greater in the bupropion group than in the placebo group (78.4 +/- 39.6 vs 30.2 +/- 19.2 days. p=0.0042). CONCLUSION: Bupropion seems to be an effective and well-tolerated pharmacologic adjunct to psychosocial and behavioral treatment programs for some adolescent nicotine-dependent patients. However, experienced clinicians should continuously monitor patients for adverse effects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Left-handedness in a sample of nine patients with borderline personality disorder.

Recent literature reports the possibility of right hemisphere dysfunction in patients with behavioural disorders. 9 subjects diagnosed as Borderline were studied via parent questionnaire. 5 of 9 patients were reported to use the left hand, more than is reported on the average in the general population, and more often in complex than simple and for external (touching food and objects) than for internal tasks (scratching, rubbing eyes), which suggests a deficit in cerebral control of external, goal-oriented hand use. Our results for a small group are consistent with the former hypothesis of a possible right hemisphere dysfunction in patients with Borderline disorders.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

A longitudinal study: some preliminary results of association of prenatal maternal stress and fetal movements, temperament factors in early childhood and behavior at age 2 years.

Niederhofer (1994) found that maternal stress during pregnancy was significantly associated with development of personality in early childhood. This study examined the correlation between maternal stress (self-report) during pregnancy for 22 women, its ultrasound objectification by observation of intrauterine fetal movements, child's temperament in early childhood, and child's Independence and social behavior at the age of 2 years while controlling for possible confounding variables. Only intrauterine fetal movements (head/arm/leg) were not associated with stress during pregnancy, temperament, or independence.

Adolescent↗