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Biomedical subjects

J Ananth

Publications and source records attributed to J Ananth.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Lithium and memory: a review.

This paper reviews systematic clinical studies suggesting memory and cognitive impairment in patients suffering from unipolar and bipolar affective disorders treated with lithium. A number of studies failed, however, to demonstrate lithium induced memory deficits. Thus, the results of studies were equivocal. This lack of empirical consensus was in part due to the heterogeneity of samples and a variety of methodological and design problems. The definition of short- and long-term memory was often arbitrary and lacked standard criteria. Some studies revealed a stability of the memory test scores over time and showed that subjective complaints of memory impairment were correlated with depression. The authors also reviewed studies examining the effects of lithium on cognition and memory of healthy control subjects. In animal research it was difficult at times to distinguish between toxic and pharmacologic effects of lithium. There is a need for prospective studies of the effect of lithium in large samples of patients using refined memory tests.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Specific effects of cyclandelate on memory.

In an uncontrolled clinical trial of 6 weeks' duration conducted in 20 male patients, aged 49 to 68 years, with memory disorders, cyclandelate 1200 to 1600 mg daily was found to be effective in improving memory as reflected by psychiatric, psychometric and psychophysiological measurements. Treatment with cyclandelate produced clinical effects which were selective for the Wechsler Memory Scale items of visual reproduction and orientation--indicators of the declarative memory. Moreover, the improvements seen in the average auditory reaction and critical flicker fusion frequency demonstrates its effect on procedural memory. Thus, our results indicate that this drug may be therapeutically useful in memory disorders of various aetiology, and that further exploration of the place of cyclandelate in this clinical area is needed.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

Midazolam in acute psychotic patients with hyperarousal.

Three acutely psychotic patients with psychomotor excitement and agitation were rapidly sedated following intramuscular injections of 2.5 mg to 3 mg of midazolam. The use of midazolam, a short- and rapid-acting benzodiazepine preparation, in a psychiatric emergency room setting is discussed.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1986

Propranolol in psychiatry. Therapeutic uses and side effects.

There are speculations that beta-adrenergic blocking agents are useful in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Clinically, propranolol, an agent of this group, has been investigated in the treatment of various clinical disorders including schizophrenia, other psychoses, anxiety disorders, and stress reactions. This paper critically evaluates its efficacy in these disorders and provides a useful clinical perspective. In addition, propranolol produces a number of psychiatric side effects which are due to its central action or due to the peripheral receptor blockade. In addition, idiosyncratic reactions as well as withdrawal effects have also been reported to produce psychiatric side effects. It is important that the physician who wishes to use this drug know the existing knowledge of its usefulness in the treatment of psychiatric disorders as well as its psychiatric side effects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Physically ill and mentally ill.

Undetected physical illnesses in psychiatric patients are common. Why do so many physical illnesses go undetected? These disorders are difficult to detect and need an elaborate consultatory process. Some of the problems may be related to the fact that psychiatrists do not do physical examinations. Clues suggesting an organic etiology may be attributed to psychodynamic issues by many physicians. In this paper, seven case reports are presented to illustrate the following: perform your own physical examination; do not attribute physical signs to dynamic issues; all physical signs should be explained; be alert to atypical presentations; conduct relevant laboratory workup; avoid bias against unattractive patients; and pose specific questions to consultants.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1986

Clomipramine: an antiobsessive drug.

In the past decade, various investigators have attempted to find new pharmacological agents for the treatment of obsessive disorders. Of these, the drug which has attracted attention and has been most promising is clomipramine. This paper attempts to review the usefulness of clomipramine in the treatment of obsessive disorder. Accidentally, it was discovered that clomipramine was effective in alleviating obsessive symptoms in depressed patients by a Spanish psychiatrist, Lopez-Ibor. Initial studies carried out mainly on patients with major depression reported that obsessive symptomatology benefited with clomipramine therapy. A number of uncontrolled and controlled studies confirmed the efficacy of this drug in obsessive neurosis. The drug improves the obsessive symptoms. Discontinuation of the drug is followed by a relapse. The efficacy, dosage, duration and side effects of treatment with clomipramine are discussed in this paper.

Anxiety↗
PubMed1986

Relationship between dystonia and serum calcium levels.

The relationship between acute dystonic reactions and serum calcium levels in 17 acutely psychotic patients was studied. Previous studies have implicated an association between a lowered serum calcium value and acute dystonia. This study failed to note a significant incidence of hypocalcemia in a group of psychotic patients. It is not known whether other factors related to calcium-magnesium balance may be related to dystonia.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Psychosis associated with thymoma.

The case history of a 19-year-old black woman who died the day after she was treated for psychosis is described. The remarkable finding in her mental status was hyper-religiosity and in postmortem was a thymoma. The report discusses the relationship between thymoma and psychosis as well as the need to look for an organic etiology in patients manifesting a sudden psychotic regression with hyper-religiosity.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1984

Relationship between schizophrenia and psychosomatic illness: a review.

For centuries, a relationship between physical illness and mental illness has been assumed. Following this lead, many reports of an inverse relationship between a number of physical disorders and schizophrenia have appeared. Particularly, the low rates of occurrence of certain psychosomatic illnesses in schizophrenic patients seem to indicate a certain biological and psychodynamic basis. These associations are important in that they may unravel important etiological relationships. Furthermore, they are amenable to testing by epidemiological investigations. Hence there is a need to pursue these studies. The current data no doubt provide impetus for further work and directions for future studies. Well controlled and methodologically sound studies in this area may be of immense value in our understanding of the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Self-inflicted enucleation of an eye: two case reports.

There are a number of reports of self-inflicted enucleation of the eye which indicate that this act probably protects the patients from guilt. It appears that religious delusions play a dominant role irrespective of primary diagnosis. Hence, enucleation of an eye may occur in various psychotic syndromes with religious delusions. In this report the history of two patients are presented to suggest that self-enucleation of the eye served as a protection from suicide. The management of these patients includes rapid neuroleptization and a close follow-up with both drug and psychological therapies.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Clomipramine treatment of repetitive behavior.

The paper describes an informal, open trial of the effect of clomipramine on 8 patients with repetitive behaviors which were not part of a classical obsessive-compulsive neurosis. Six chronic schizophrenics had obsessions, compulsions and rituals in addition to their schizophrenic symptoms. Four of the six showed reduction in the repetitive behavior with clomipramine. Two cases in which the target symptom and overall clinical picture had little in common with obsessive compulsive neurosis, are reported in detail. Both improved with clomipramine. It is suggested that clomipramine may be useful in the treatment of a broad range of psychiatric disorders characterized by repetitive mental or behavioural phenomena, but which do not fulfill criteria for obsessive-compulsive neurosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Treatment of immigrant Indian patients.

When immigrant Indian patients develop psychiatric illness, they face many disadvantages such as the lack of family support and shame for becoming sick. In treating them, a knowledge of their cultural values and communication, is necessary. While taking history, reluctance of these patients to discuss sexual and aggressive feelings should be respected. Patients' harmony with the family and significant others is the goal of treatment rather than the patients' growth; interdependence and not independence is favored. Free expression of emotions create a dysphoric milieu. A careful assessment of psychopathology and dynamics and psychotherapy integrating these cultural factors is important to promote changes that are therapeutic.

Cultural Characteristics↗
PubMed1983

Intramuscular lorazepam. A double-blind comparison with diazepam and placebo.

In this double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 24 anxiety neurotic patients were randomly assigned equally into the intramuscular placebo, lorazepam or diazepam groups. The results indicated that lorazepam was as effective as diazepam in overall efficacy and was superior to diazepam in certain cluster scores including the Obsessive Compulsive Phobic Cluser of the Wittenborn Psychiatric Rating Scale.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Lithium and symptomatic hyperparathyroidism.

Hyperparathyroidism with or without adenoma has occasionally been reported in association with lithium treatment, and in symptomatic patients depression, psychosis and an exacerbation of existing psychopathology may occur. Three lithium-treated patients with hyperparathyroidism are reported, in whom discontinuation of lithium in one and removal of parathyroid adenomata in two led to both a reduction in plasma calcium levels and an improvement in their psychopathology.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1983

Hair loss in the course of lithium treatment: a report of two cases.

Two cases of hair loss attributed to lithium therapy are presented. In one case, lithium did not have to be discontinued, and in the other, hair loss led to noncompliance. This side effect is usually benign. Thyroid function tests should always be performed to exclude hypothyroidism as the underlying factor for this symptom.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Capgras syndrome in siblings.

The hallmark of the Capgras Syndrome is delusional misidentification of persons, objects or animals. It can occur in organic syndromes and in functional disorders. Hence there are adherents of organic as well as dynamic factors in the genesis of this disorder. The authors report the occurrence of the Capgras Syndrome in a brother and sister and elaborate on the interplay of both genetic and dynamic factors in the etiology.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Tardive dyskinesia in an outpatient population: prevalence and predisposing factors.

One hundred and eighty outpatients at the outpatient services of the Douglas Hospital were evaluated for the presence of tardive dyskinesia. Forty-nine (27%) among them had tardive dyskinesia. In this study, female sex, older age and the current administration of antiparkinsonian medication were found to be significantly related to the occurrence of tardive dyskinesia.

Adult↗