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Biomedical subjects

K L Täschner

Publications and source records attributed to K L Täschner.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

[Driving capacity of drug addicts].

When deciding whether a person is fit to drive a vehicle whilst he is in a drug-induced delirious state of mind, we take into consideration the actual condition of the person at the time of driving a vehicle. As a rule, the mere presence of drugs in the urine or serum does not give a positive clue as to the ability to drive a vehicle. Here one has to take into consideration the effects of the respective drug consumed has at whole. In cases of chronic drug abuse or drug-dependence as well as dependence on methadone-substitutes we have two possibilities to judge by: Either we follow the guidelines of the report by the Federal Government on "Illness and Driving", in which case drug-dependence excludes driving on the whole or we orientate ourselves here again by the actual performance of the person at the time of driving, in which case many drug users would be declared fit and able to drive. However as far as the legal aspect of it goes, it would be contradictory to the law as regards to drinking and driving. Naturally the law wil decide in the end which of the two methods are legally applicable.

Automobile Driving↗
PubMed1991

[Codeine and dihydrocodeine as substitute and alternative drugs].

There has been an increasing tendency in West Germany since the beginning of the 60s to abuse codeine and dihydrocodeine-containing drugs as substitutes and alternative drugs. This paper will firstly look at this situation from an epidemiological point of view and summarize the chemical and pharmacological effects, the side effects and toxicology of both kinds of substances. On the basis of own case reports the importance of codeine and dihydrocodeine during the development of an addiction of polydrug addicts and opiate addicts has been revealed, analysed and discussed, also with a view to the legal aspects in connection with the issue of treatment by substitution of drug dependents.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Flashback following use of cannabis--a review].

The present study tries to find an answer to the question, whether the consumption of cannabis can cause flashbacks, and, if so, under what circumstances they occur. This is of interest for the treatment, prognosis and also from the legal viewpoint. The definition of a flashback is often unclear. Empirical investigations are often not sufficiently comparable, the supplementary data are very often missing, making the evaluation of the results difficult. Self-diagnosis by the consumer is usually unsuitable for estimating the frequency and phenomenology of flashbacks. Cannabis may trigger flashbacks after consuming hallucinogenes; the probability of the occurrence of a flashback seems to increase with the amount of hallucinogenes a person has consumed. A definite correlation between the amount of hashish consumed and the occurrence of flashback does not exist. Flashbacks have also been reported after consuming cannabis alone. However, data vary regarding the frequency of such flashbacks. According to the available data they occur rarely and require a thorough differential diagnostic evaluation in each individual case. As a rule, the occurrence of a flashback may take place in cases where there is an intake of hallucinogenic drugs in the recent case history.

Cannabinoids↗
PubMed1979

[Delinquency under drug influence (author's transl)].

In delinquency, connected with alcohol, the immediate and acute effect of the substance is prominent, whereas in delinquency connected with drugs, one has to deal with chronic effects. The criteria for judging drunken offenders also stand as a model for judging the responsibility of the addicted offender for his crime. We consider: 1. the personality of the offender 2. the way, the amount and the point of time of the last intake of the drug 3. the potential dependence 4. the psychopathological state at the time of offense and at the time of examination 5. the kind of the offense itself. Most cases, which have to be examined, deal with indictable offenses, which were undertaken, in order to get new supply, i.e. "supply-offenes". These cases surmise, that the offender is physically addicted, that he knows about withdrawal symptoms from own experience, and that he committed the crime purely for securing his personal supply. We differentiate between direct "supply-offenses" (i.e. direct stealing by the addict himself) and indirect "supply-offenses" (i.e. mainly trading and commission business). For the latter offenses the state of consciousness and insight at the time of offense does not serve as a suitable criterion for judging the responsibility for the crime, since these offenders usually are not deprived of their drugs and therefore in a stable state of mind. Therefore the inner situation and the motivation for carrying out the crime has to be analysed carefully. For these indirect "supply-offenses" reduced responsibility for the offense has to be considered, whereas for direct "supply-offenses" a total lack of responsibility can be assumed.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed1977

[Communicating hydrocephalus. Clinical aspects, diagnosis, pathogenesis].

A description of the clinical symptoms of the communicating hydrocephalus (normal-pressure hydrocephalus = NPH) is given: progressive psycho-organic alterations, ataxia, tetraspastic signs, urinary incontinence, without increased intracranial pressure. Diagnosis can be confirmed by use of pneumencephalography, isotope-cisternography and tomography of the brain by use of a water-solubile contrast fluid. Skull radiographs. EEG, testing of liquor and psychological examinations are of less diagnostic value. The illness is the result of a disturbance of liquor resorption and circulation. In this context there is to differentiate between cases of known (Hydrocephalus communicans obstructivus = HCO) and unknown etiology (Hydrocephalus communicans non obstructivus = HCNO). The group of cases with unknown etiology represents the central part of cases of normal-pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). The prognosis after a ventricular shunt-procedure is here worse than in the group of cases with known etiology. For differential diagnosis presenil dementia, cerebrovascular insufficiency, intracranial tumors and reactive and psychotic depressions are to be considered.

Affective Disorders, Psychotic↗
PubMed1975

[Problems of toxic psychosis as illustrated on the example of the so-called LSD psychosis].

The effects of LSD are characterized by a number of disturbances of perception and experience, which can be observed in the fields of visual, spatial and temporal perception and of affectivity. We also see disturbances of experience, which can otherwise be observed only in psychoses, for example reduction or change of cognitive functions, but also depersonalization and euphoria. In atypical courses of intoxication ("horror-trips") anxiety and excitement are predominant. Atypical courses of intoxication may be interrupted by "talk down" and additional application of tranquilizers. In a certain number of LSD-users in our clinic we saw psychoses. We classify them into flash-backs, exogenic (toxic) psychoses and so-called "endoform psychoses". The latter implies three possible constellations: accidental coincidence of LSD-use and psychosis; pre-existing psychosis with symptomatic use of LSD as an attempt of self-treatment; finally the onset of a psychosis may be triggered by the use of the halluzinogen. From the symptomatological cross-section they cannot reliably be distinguished from real schizophrenia. An independent nosological unit "LSD-psychosis" does not seem to exist.

Anxiety↗