Biomedical subjects

J M Azorin

Publications and source records attributed to J M Azorin.

84 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

[Plasma levels and membrane transports in red blood cell of tyrosine and tryptophane in depression. Evaluation at baseline and recovery].

The erythrocyte membrane transports (MT) of L-tyrosine and L-tryptophan, as well as their plasma levels, were measured in 143 depressed patients after a wash-out period of one week and before any antidepressant treatment, and then at regular intervals until they recovered. 49 normal subjects served as a control group. The perturbations of these biologic variables at baseline were different according to diagnostic groups (DSM III), compared to controls: significant decrease of the two MT in depressed bipolar disorders; significant decrease of MT in depressed bipolar disorders; significant decrease of MT tyrosine and significant increase of MT tryptophan in recurrent major depressions; no significant changes of MT in dysthymic disorders. The plasma levels of tyrosine and total tryptophan show a significant diminution in the 3 groups. The study of the evolution of these same variables after antidepressant treatment show a return to normal of the MT at recovery, as well as the plasma levels of tyrosine. The plasma levels of tryptophan stay low in depressed bipolar disorders and recurrent major depressions.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Plasma MHPG, peripheral noradrenergic marker and hormonal plasma levels of cortisol-T3-T4-TSH in depressive syndromes].

Based on the hypocatecholaminergic hypothesis in the depressive syndromes, this survey on 30 depressed patients compared to 21 control patients, attempts to state exactly the potential interactions between the noradrenergic system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid neuroendocrine axis. The biological indices used during this survey are: total plasmatic MHPG, the basic plasmatic cortisol, the thyroid hormones T3, T4, free T4, and the TSH. The results of this survey reveal a significative increase of the basic plasmatic cortisol among the depressed patients, including dysthymics, a decrease of the plasmatic MHPG during major depressions, and a significant fall of the total T3 among depressed men, as well as some correlations between the different axes, the interpretation of which remains "ticklish".

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Erythrocyte membrane transports of monoamine precursor amino acids in schizophrenia].

We have determined the erythrocyte membrane uptake of the monoamine precursors L-tyrosine (L-TYR) and L-tryptophane (L-TRYP) in 72 patients with schizophrenia: 21 without neuroleptic treatment and not depressed, 15 with neuroleptic treatment and depressed, 33 without neuroleptic treatment, 27 depressed, compared to: 59 control subjects, and 54 depressed patients. We found that the ratio of L-TYR facilitated membrane diffusion to that of L-TRYP is: decreased when the patients are depressed, increased when they are untreated. When untreated patients receive neuroleptics and are depressed, the ratio tends to equal that of depressed patients'. The meaning of these anomalies is analysed, using our up-to-date knowledge of the erythrocytes's role in uptaking and dispatching the human body amino-acids, and of the role of these uptakes in regulating the functional monoamine balance. We postulate that in depressions, Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia, a change of membrane fluidity occurs, being decreased in depressions and Parkinsons's disease, and increased in schizophrenia.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Diagnostic criteria of depressive pseudodementia].

Ten patients fulfilling the DSM III (A, B, C, D) criteria for both dementia and major depression and presenting the diagnostic dilemma of depressive pseudodementia were included in a prospective study in search of indices for the differential diagnosis of depressive pseudodementia (DPSD) and organic dementia (OD). Patients were assessed with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), the Blessed Dementia Rating Scale (BDRS), the Wells's criteria, the Mini Mental State (MMS), computerized tomography (CT scan) of the brain, the dexamethasone suppression test (DST), total plasma 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) and sleep electroencephalograms (EEG). Patients suffering from DPSD were defined as showing an improvement higher than 50% in both the HDRS et BDRS scores following adequate antidepressant treatment. Wells's criteria, MMS scores, CT scan and DST do not contribute to the separation of DPSD (n = 6) and OD (n = 4). On the contrary, plasma MHPG levels higher than 35 ng/ml and EEG measures of sleep structure and REM sleep significantly differentiate the two groups.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[The Psychotic Anxiety Scale (PAS). Evaluation of inter-rater reliability and correspondence factorial analysis].

We recently proposed the first scale for evaluating anxiety in psychotics: the "Psychotic Anxiety Scale" (PAS). The first version of this scale was tested in 45 psychotic patients. The multiple correspondence factorial analysis revealed that 4 factors account for respectively 50%, 18%, 17% and 10% of the variance. This scale thus evaluates anxiety along 4 axes: severity of the symptomatology, evolution in time, hetero-aggressiveness and self-aggressiveness. This analysis supports the hypothesis of the lack of specificity for the anxiety in psychotics, but distinguishes the nevrotic anxiety from the psychotic anxiety. The inter-rater reliability was assessed by a method which compared a rater with the others along 2 axes: the severity, and the profile of the assessment. The interrater reliability was unsatisfactory for only three items. They have been modified and a new version of the PAS is proposed.

Anxiety Disorders↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Therapeutic indications of S-adenosyl methionine in neuropsychiatry].

Studies conducted by Italian and Anglo-saxon authors underline the thymoanaleptic properties of a transmethylant biological substance, the S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe). The authors discuss a review of literature concerning the use of SAMe in neuro-psychiatry, particularly in the treatment of affective disorders. The many physiopathological implications are subtended by the biological inter-relations of SAMe with other biological substances. Some hypotheses are proposed on the role played by phospholipid methylation, the folate metabolism and the purinergic transmission in mental diseases.

Brain Chemistry↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Tardive dyskinesia and affective disorders].

The authors analyse the relations between tardive dyskinesias and affective disorders on the basis of epidemiological, clinical and biological arguments. They review the principal data in the literature and develop some hypotheses concerning the explanation of these relations.

Antipsychotic Agents↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Affective disorders, diabetes and carbohydrate metabolism].

In a medical and biological perspective, the authors analyse the relations existing between diabetes mellitus and affective disorders on the basis of clinical, therapeutic, metabolic, neuro-endocrinal and epidemiological arguments. Besides the presentation of an original clinical case, the principal data of literature are detailed and criticized; some orientations of the future research concerning the explaining of these relations are given as well.

Carbohydrate Metabolism↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Role of carbamazepine in the treatment of endogenous psychoses. Results of an open study].

The authors report the results of an open trial which aims at specifying the clinical profile of responders to carbamazepine among a population of twenty patients aged from fifteen to seventy, suffering from endogenous, schizophrenic, affective psychoses and paranoid states according to the criteria of the ICD 9. The trial points out a proof of Kishimoto's criteria and a preferential acting of the molecule on schizo-affective psychoses and mixed affective states. The results are interpreted according to psychopathological concepts from the Vienna school that highlight the clinical profile of the responders.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[7 years study of erythrocyte membrane transport of monoamine precursors. 395 patients (335 depressed, 60 schizophrenic patients)].

According to the monoaminergic hypothesis of affective and schizophrenic syndromes, a perturbation of influx of precursors of monoamines such as tyrosine (TYR) and tryptophan (TRYP) into the brain might be correlated with the clinical syndromes. The measure of blood cell membrane transports of TYR and TRYP is an interesting peripheral model for the study of these syndromes. This work concerns 395 patients (335 depressed and 60 schizophrenics); 215 of depressed patients were followed after the antidepressant therapy. The transport of TYR and TRYP into erythrocytes was measured as followed: erythrocytes were incubated in plasma for 10 min. at 0 degree and 37 degrees C with radiolabeled TYR and TRYP; facilitated diffusion was calculated by subtracting from the total amount of radioactivity taken up by the cells at 37 degrees C (total uptake) that accumulated at 0 degree C (passive diffusion). The results showed that: 1) The depressive syndromes were characterised by a decrease of facilitated diffusion of TYR, an increase of facilitated diffusion of TRYP and a decrease of the index diffusion of TYR/TRYP. 2) The means of variables were different according to the diagnostic sub-groups (DSM III). In the depressions with alcoholism, the facilitated diffusions were increased compared to depressive syndromes without others diagnosis. The depressions with dementia were in intermediate position. 3) After treatment with antidepressant drugs, the biological variables improved with the clinical improvement, without complete normalization compared to controls. The patients without clinical improvement showed no change in the biological measures. 4) Patients for whom the choice of antidepressant drug was done according to the facilitated diffusions showed a 87% rate of clinical improvement, while this rate was 60% in the other patients. 5) In schizophrenic patients, the biological variables were different than in depressed or normal controls and showed a little decrease of facilitated diffusion of TYR, a marked decrease of diffusion of TRYP and an increased index of diffusion TYR/TRYP.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Quantitative psychopathology of affect and emotion. Review of evaluation scales and emotion induction methods].

Emotions, affects and humor play an important part in psychopathology. This study describes the definition of these different terms as well as their psychological concepts. Concerning quantitative psychopathology, the available scales of evaluation of affects or emotions are destinated to evaluate the subjective compound of the emotions, depressive humor, seek for sensations, pleasure or anhedonia. They all have the same aim: the evaluation, in a subjective way, of the basic affectionate state of the subject at a precise moment in his life. The subject's affectionate reactivity to external emotional stimulations can also be studied using different methods of emotional inductions. These methods can be applied in a psychopathological as well as in a pharmacological point of view.

Affective Symptoms↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[What is the meaning of "stabilization" in schizophrenic patients?].

UNLABELLED: The notion of stabilization in schizophrenia has been investigated, in France, through a survey of 875 psychiatrists. This survey, which has been conducted on the 9th, 10th and 11th of December 1997, looked into the clinical, therapeutic and socio-demographic variables, and the means of patient management, which are used by psychiatrists to ascertain that their patients are stabilized. The data was collected by each psychiatrist by way of a questionnaire administered to his or her next three patients, either at the hospital or in private practice (2,464 questionnaires were completed). RESULTS: 65% of the patients seen during this survey were considered stabilized by their psychiatrist (n = 1,597). The most common clinical presentation was of the paranoïd type. An insiduous onset of disease seems to be correlated with an absence of stabilization. Stabilization appears to be estimated at a given time rather than over a time period, since over half the patients who were considered stabilized had suffered at least one relapse over the last 2 years, and had been rehospitalized an average of 2.4 times over that period. In terms of drug therapy, they received 1.4 neuroleptic drugs, which does not differ markedly from the 1.5 neuroleptics administered to patients who were considered non stabilized. Co-prescriptions of anticholinergic medications, benzodiazepines and antidepressants were very common in these patients considered stabilized (49.9%, 39.8% and 24.8% respectively), which is similar to that observed in their non-stabilized counterparts (47.6%, 45%, 8% and 26.4%, respectively). Patient follow-up remained above an average of 1 patient visit per month (an average of 8.9 visit over the last 6 months), despite the fact that patients were considered stabilized. Two primary criteria were used by psychiatrists to determine that a patient was stabilized: treatment compliance and the absence of positive symptoms. However, 43% of the patients which were considered stabilized still presented with positive symptoms. Negative symptoms were also very prevalent in these patients (65%), as well as concomitant depressive signs (36%) and anxiety (64%). CONCLUSION: Even though the concept of stabilization remains difficult to define, it appears that schizophrenic patients are considered by their psychiatrist as stabilized on the grounds of good treatment compliance and decreased positive symptoms. Therefore, even in these so-called stabilized patients, enhancements are still possible, as symptoms remain present.

Adult↗