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Biomedical subjects

J O Cole

Publications and source records attributed to J O Cole.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1979

ACTH 4-10 in the amelioration of neuropsychological symptomatology associated with senile organic brain syndrome.

Eighteen male and female volunteers over the age of sixty who exhibited mild senile organic brain syndrome were administered ACTH 4-10 (Org OI 63) (30 mg, s.c.) or saline in a 2 X 2 Latin square design. Subjects experienced a reduction in depression and confusion and an increase in vigor. This evidence of an increase in vigor was supported behaviorally by a delay in the onset of increased latency in reaction time. Data also indicated that retrieval from memory may be enhanced by this compound. The electroencephalogram evinced a shift to lower frequencies under ACTH 4-10, but this effect was primarily noted in the females who received drug followed by placebo. These effects of ACTH 4-10 are intriguing and suggest that further work in this area should be encouraged.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1979

Methadone effects on brain functioning and type A and B CNV shapes.

Twelve male outpatients participating in a methadone maintenance treatment program were evaluated for the effects of acute administration of methadone on brain functioning (contingent negative variation or CNV), attention performance (reaction time and continuous performance test), and psychophysiological activity (heart rate and eye blink rate). Individual differences in response to methadone were assessed by classifying patients into two groups on the basis of basal CNV shapes: Type A (quick rise time) and type B (slow rise time). Methadone produced a pattern of increased electrical brain activity (CNV) and enhanced attention performance in type B patients and elevated heart rate and lowered eye blink rate in type A subjects. Results are interpreted in terms of the distraction-arousal and the eye blink-hedonia hypotheses.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

The effects of papaverine in tardive dyskinesia.

1. The therapeutic efficacy of papaverine for tardive dyskinesia was tested in 23 psychogeriatric and 18 chronic schizophrenic patients. Papaverine was given in slow-release capsules at 150 mg BID for one week followed by 300 mg BID for five weeks. A single blind design was used with blind raters and a 6-week no drug control condition. 2. Oro-facial dyskinesia was significantly reduced by papaverine in the psychogeriatric group during the first six weeks. Only a few patients showed at least 50% improvement of dyskinesia scores. Overall the drug effects were modest. 3. Other findings of interest were a) EEG showed increased per cent time of alpha and reduced beta 1. b) Parkinsonian side effects tended to confirm dopamine antagonism by papaverine. c) No tolerance was seen after six weeks. d) Elderly female patients and those with oro-facial dyskinesia appeared to respond best to papaverine.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Benzodiazepines in depressive disorders.

Some investigators have found benzodiazepines effective in the treatment of anxious depression and thus have argued that benzodiazepines were "antidepressants." We reviewed the literature on benzodiazepines in depressive disorders. Comparative studies indicate they are less effective than standard antidepressants in the treatment of several types of depressive illnesses. Although they display definite anxiolytic properties and may elevate mood, they exert limited effect on the core symptoms of endogenous depression. An argument is made that benzodiazepines are primarily anxiolytic rather than antidepressant.

Anti-Anxiety Agents↗
PubMed1978

Toward a biochemical classification of depressive disorders. I. Differences in urinary excretion of MHPG and other catecholamine metabolites in clinically defined subtypes of depressions.

The urinary excretion of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) and other catecholamine metabolites was measured in a series of 63 patients with various clinically defined subtypes of depressive disorders. MHPG excretion was significantly lower in patients with bipolar manic-depressive depressions and schizo-affective depressions than in patients with unipolar nonendogenous depressions. Patients with schizophrenia-related depressions also excreted reduced levels of MHPG when compared with patients with unipolar nonendogenous depressions. Moreover, levels of urinary epinephrine and metanephrine were significantly lower in patients with schizophrenia-related depressions. These data, coupled with our recent finding that patients with schizophrenia-related depressions had significantly higher levels of platelet monoamine oxidase activity than control subjects of patients with unipolar endogenous depressions, suggest that we can discriminate three biochemically discrete subgroups of depressive disorders corresponding to the following clinically defined subtypes: (1) the bipolar manic-depressive depressions plus the schizo-affective depressions; (2) the unipolar nonendogenous depressions; and (3) the schizophrenia-related depressions.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Toward a biochemical classification of depressive disorders. II. Application of multivariate discriminant function analysis to data on urinary catecholamines and metabolites.

The previous article in this series reported on the differences in urinary excretion of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) in patients with various clinically defined subtypes of depressive disorders. We now report that further biochemical discrimination among depressive subtypes is provided by the following equation, derived empirically by applying multivariate discriminant function analysis to data on urinary catecholamine metabolits: Depression-type (D-type) score = C1(MHPG) + C2(VMA) + C3(NE) +C4(NMN + MN)/VMA + C0. In the original derivation of this equation, low scores were related to bipolar manic-depressive depressions, and high scores were related to unipolar nonendogenous (chronic characterological) depressions. Findings from a series of depressed patients whose biochemical data had not been used to derive this equation confirmed these differences in D-type scores among subtypes of depressions. The findings presented in this report further suggest that we can discriminate three biochemically discrete subgroups of depressive disorders.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Assessing the subjective effects of stimulants in casual users. A methodology and preliminary results.

In order to assess the subjective effects of nefopam, a new non-opiate analgesic, a study was designed using highly educated, young, middle-to-upper class subjects in a naturalistic setting. Results suggest that the design is capable of differentiating variations in subjective drug effects. On a number of measures, 10 mg of d-amphetamine, a modest dosage, could be distinguished from placebo, showing changes in the direction expected for stimulant drugs. Nefopam (90 mg), on the other hand, showed few differences from placebo or caffeine (300 mg). Nefopam appeared mildly dysphoric, rather than stimulant, in subjective effects.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

The impairment index as a symptom-independent parameter of drug efficacy in geriatric psychopharmacology.

A method for the determination of drug efficacy in geriatric psychopharmacology is presented. Sixty patients with mild senile organic brain syndrome were evaluated by a battery of neuropsychological tests. Subsequently these patients were randomly assigned to either drug or placebo treatment for 90 days. One group received 300 mg per day of Naftidrofuryl (Praxilene) while the other received identical placebo. Upon retest, the data indicated that Naftidrofuryl produced significant improvements in reaction time, short-term memory, and iconic memory. Ten neuropsychological test scores as well as two POMS mood factors were incorporated into an Impairment Index. This index was drug sensitive and proved to be symptom independent.

Aged↗
PubMed1978

Withdrawal syndromes associated with antipsychotic drugs.

Withdrawal symptoms frequently follow abrupt discontinuation of antipsychotic compounds. In addition to other somatic symptoms, withdrawal-emergent dyskinesias may be observed. "Covert dyskinesia" refers to a masked form of tardive dyskinesia that becomes clinically detectable only after antipsychotic drugs are withdrawn or their dosage is reduced. Withdrawal dyskinesia appears under similar circumstances but disappears spontaneously in 6 to 12 weeks. Cholinergic overactivity and changes in dopamine-acetylcholine balance in the basal ganglia may underlie these withdrawal syndromes. The principal value of the concept of covert dyskinesia is in the secondary and tertiary prevention of tardive dyskinesia through early discovery and treatment.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1977

Hypotension due to chlorpromazine. Relation to cigarette smoking, blood pressure, and dosage.

The frequency of hypotension attributed to orally administered chlorpromazine hydrochloride was compared among 187 nonsmokers, 223 "light" smokers, 87 "intermediate" smokers, and 18 "heavy" smokers. Hypotension attributed to the drug occurred in10%, 8%, 5% and 0%, respectively. Other factors found to be independently related to hypotension were high diastolic blood pressure on admission and high dosage of chlorpromazine. The results suggest that smoking status, dosage, and blood pressure must be evaluated in order to estimate the likelihood that a patient may become hypotensive after receiving chlorpromazine.

Administration, Oral↗