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Biomedical subjects

L A Weaver

Publications and source records attributed to L A Weaver.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1985

Tardive dyskinesia: clinical and neuroendocrine response to low dose bromocriptine.

Twelve patients with a long-standing history of moderate to severe symptoms of tardive dyskinesia, which had remained stable for several months, participated in a 6-week trial with bromocriptine. All patients were receiving a concomitant neuroleptic medication and were treated with a low dose of bromocriptine (0.75 to 7.5 mg). Patients showed a modest overall improvement of 16.6%, with a trend for greater improvement in male patients (23.6%). Baseline prolactin levels in the female patients showed a positive correlation with age and duration of tardive dyskinesia symptomatology. Plasma prolactin levels 4 hours following administration of bromocriptine were negatively correlated with the dose of bromocriptine. There appears to be a differential sensitivity for prolactin and growth hormone response to bromocriptine at these low doses in the presence of chronic neuroleptic treatment.

Bromocriptine↗
PubMed1977

Neuropsychological effects of electroconvulsive therapy.

Although ECT as the treatment of choice for psychotic depression has been in use for many years, little is known about the neocortical residual of such treatments inferred from behavioral measures. The major portion of the literature has been concerned with inferred or observed changes in affective state. The present study compared pre- and posttreatment performances on the Halstead-Reitan neuropsychological battery of 20 patients who were receiving ECT from two different machines. Most Ss gave indicators of cerebral impairment prior to treatment when performance of one side of the body was contrasted with performance of the other side. After treatment, there was an increased number of Ss who evidenced signs consistent with damage to the right cerebral hemisphere. Some concern was raised that a large number of patients who eventually are subject ot ECT because of depression behave in this way because of an undiagnosed neocortical dysfunction. There is some suggestion that the effect of the procedure is to either create or intensify a right hemisphere focus as inferred from behavioral measures.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

A comparison of standard alternating current and low-energy brief-pulse electrotherapy.

This study compares a low-energy brief-pulse stimulus (LEBS) with a conventional a-c sine wave stimulus in terms of electrical paramenters, efficiency in producing seizures, and clinical outcome on a variety of standard behavioral measures. The results show the LEBS to require equal voltage, less current, and only one-half the total energy to produce clinically manifest convulsions. There was no apparent difference between methods on any outcome measure. The Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery showed as many patients impaired prior to ECT as following treatment. Implications for ECT practices are discussed.

Depression↗
PubMed1976

Portable electromyograph monitoring of unilateral ECT.

The authors describe a portable electromyograph (EMG) designed for use in monitoring unilateral ECT. Administration of muscle relaxants in conjunction with ECT often makes it difficult to determine that an adequate response has been elicited. The authors feel that this adaptation of the EMG provides a useful and easy means of monitoring the presence, bilateralism, and length of the seizure.

Electroconvulsive Therapy↗