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M Alda

Publications and source records attributed to M Alda.

62 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Method for prediction of serum lithium levels.

A new computer-assisted method for predicting lithium levels and consulting dosage of lithium is demonstrated. The method is based on a mathematical model describing elimination of lithium after lithium treatment of any duration and regularity. From two values of serum concentration of lithium obtained during a single day, parameters of the model are computed and used for prediction. In an evaluation study involving 20 inpatients, the results demonstrated a high correlation between predicted and observed levels (r = 0.80) and revealed no systematic error of prediction. The elimination rate of lithium in these patients was unrelated to age or to duration of previous lithium therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Pharmacogenetic study with diazepam in twins.

In a study with healthy volunteers (6 monozygotic and 4 dizygotic twin pairs) we followed up diazepam serum levels and psychotropic effects of diazepam after single-dose administration. We found that pharmacokinetic properties of diazepam as well as its influence on memory and performance are probably not under genetic control. On the other hand, genetic factors seem to contribute to effects of diazepam on affectivity.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Genetic aspects in chronic schizophrenia. Morbidity risks and contributory factors.

112 schizophrenics, over 55 years old, and their relatives were studied. Aims of the study were (1) to evaluate the assumption that using an appropriate selection of probands and methods of the morbid risk estimation, one may expect to obtain a higher (and probably more realistic) value of risk to children; and (2) to assess the possible influence of patients' and relatives' characteristics on the magnitude of the morbid risk. The main results were (1) the values of risks (0.04 +/- 0.02 for spouses; 0.08 +/- 0.02 for siblings; 0.17 +/- 0.04 for offspring); (2) the risk to siblings and to children increased with the numbers of other relatives affected; (3) no clinical symptoms in probands (evaluated throughout the lifetime course of the disease) were associated with an increased/decreased value of risk to any class of relatives.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Basic elements of ethnopsychopharmacology].

Ethnopsychopharmacology is the pharmacology area that studies the effect of psychoactive drugs on patients having different ethnic characteristics. Some important factors in the management of these patients are the differences in enzymatic characteristics, cultural practices in relation with medicine and food, and the biases of medical professionals in their relationship with patients from different ethnic group (which is called < >). At present, when immigration has become an important issue in our country, some basic knowledge on this subject seems compulsory.

Culture↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Laterality in schizophrenics and their relatives--a trait marker?].

The authors present the results of investigations of a developmental deviation in the functional symmetry of paired motor and sensory organs (laterality) in a group of 160 schizophrenics and 126 healthy relatives of these patients (88 parents, 38 siblings). As a control group served 754 healthy subjects (Prague population). The phenotype of motor laterality (hands and feet) and sensory laterality (eyes and ears) was assessed by diagnostic tests for assessment of laterality. For assessment of the lateral cerebral dominance the torque test was used. For mathematical processing analysis of multidimensional frequency tables by means of Cox'models for binary data was used. The distribution of motor laterality of the upper extremities in schizophrenics is almost reverse, as compared with the distribution in the population. Defined dextrolaterality is lower in patients (P less than 0.0001) and little defined dextrolaterality is, on the other hand, significantly higher (P less than 0.0001). For schizophrenics ambiguousness (ambidextrity) is typical, being twice as frequent as in the healthy population (P less than 0.0001). In parents and siblings similar changes of laterality of the hand were found, in particular as regards defined and little defined dextrolaterality but not as far as ambidexterity is concerned. As regards left-handedness in patients and their relatives no changes were recorded. Incomplete lateralization of functions of the left hemisphere and abnormal cerebral dominance resp. were confirmed by the torque test in a large proportion of schizophrenics and to a smaller extent also in their relatives. Marked preference for the right side (score 0) which was recorded in 47.6% controls was found only in 15.8% schizophrenics, 23.9% parents and 31.4% siblings.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Female↗