Biomedical subjects

J H Kretschmar

Publications and source records attributed to J H Kretschmar.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

[Effects of family-centered group therapy with demented patients and their caregivers].

Alzheimer's disease, the most frequent cause of dementia, progressively takes the ability of acting autonomously from the sufferers, makes them more and more dependent from their partners and eventually dissolves their personal identity. The present 2-year study which conducted a novel form of family-centered group therapy with demented patients and their primary caregivers investigated the effects of an open, uncontrolled group therapy approach in 32 families (demented patients and caregivers) over a five-months period with weekly sessions, by using the BEHAVE-AD and the NOSGER for the moderately demented patients and the Befindlichkeits-Skala (BfS) for the primary caregivers. In addition, a structured instrument to determine the patterns of interaction between patient and caregiver was administered prospectively at each of the weekly sessions. The results demonstrate a significant improvement of communication abilities among the patients and a significant reduction of coping problems and of care burden with respect to the caregivers. The present family-centered group therapy shows that over a period of 5 months functional and communication abilities of the moderately demented patients may be maintained and caregiver burden may be significantly reduced.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1989

Diagnostic instruments differentiating dementia--depression.

It is an overall knowledge, that dementia and depression are the most common diagnosis in old age psychiatry. This fact has long since been known, in fact first descriptions of cognitive disorders during the course of endogenous depression can already be found at the beginning of the century in works of Gaupp and Kraepelin. On the other hand there are depressive symptoms in people with later evident dementia that can be found years before cognitive disorders are evident. These short introductory remarks show the need of early diagnosis to enable us to more efficient therapy. The following paper gives a survey of the recent and efficient diagnostic possibilities for practible clinical work as well as it shows new research aspects in this field.

Aged↗

PubMed1982

Interaction of changes in hospital environment and neurotropic co-medication in chronic psychiatric inpatient. A placebo controlled double-blind study.

Chronic psychiatric patients (N = 42) predominantly diagnosed as schizophrenics, who had been hospitalized for the mean of 9 years were treated in a double-blind study with a neurotropic drug (tamitinol dihydrochloride coated tablets of 300 mg t.i.d.) and placebo. Test drugs were administered concomitantly to the existing drug therapy during two treatment periods of 6 weeks each with an interval of two months free of test medication. In the second treatment period patients moved to a new building. It was expected that neurotropic drug effects can be made clearer after the transfer requiring patient's reorientation in a new environment than before the transfer. Assessment of efficacy was made using observer ratings (Psychic and Somatic Findings of the A.M.P. System, WING Behaviour Rating Scale) and patient's self ratings (Adjective Check List. List of Somatic Symptoms) and clinical laboratory parameters. Results show that neurotropic co-medication reduced the "neurological syndrome" and the "psychoorganic syndrome" (A.M.P. System). An amelioration of the "neurological syndrome" was observed at the end of the first and at the end of the second medication phase (p less than or equal to 0.10) whilst the improvement of the "psychoorganic syndrome" was particularly evident as expected after the transfer to the new building (p less than or equal to 0.001) Patients receiving placebo described themselves as more active than patients receiving the test drug. (Adjective Check List: p less than or equal to 0.10). No subjective or objective side effects (List of somatic symptoms and laboratory parameters) were evident due to the test medication which was tolerated by all patients.

Adult↗

PubMed1976

[On the dose-effect relationship in the therapy with piracetam (author's transl)].

The effect of piracetam therapy with different dosages was studied in a double blind trial against placebo on its effect in psychoorganic syndrome of old age. 78 patients (61 females, 17 males) on the average of 73.2 years, showed statistically significant differences between piracetam therapy at a dosage of 3 X 1600 mg per day und placebo after a six week peroral therapy while no statistically significant differences between piracetam therapy at a dosage of 3X800 mg per day and placebo were found.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Intervention possibilities in the geronto-psychiatric department of a psychiatric hospital].

There are three possibilities of intervention for the gerontological departments of the great hospitals of mental health. While as a first step the medical and psychiatric first aid is given in the admission departments, special departments for rehabilitation and daycare offer as well programs for social training, such as cooking, shopping, traffic lessons, contact to offices etc., which accelerate the resocialisation of mentally handicapped old people. From the participation of the patient in a list of activities we gain hints to the possible result of rehabilitation. Ambulance and visits of a psychiatric consultant in the institutions of the local care for the aged complete the therapy program in the part of prevention and after treatment.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Anosmia as a symptom of incipient Pick's atrophy?].

The paper reports a case of anosmia as a singular symptom in a 48-year-old male individual. Clinical, neurophysiological, psychological and laboratory exams are negative. The CAT-Scan shows a frontal atrophy. The continuous exchange of information is recommended in cases with obvious discrepancies between clinical findings and CAT-Scan results.

Atrophy↗