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Biomedical subjects

M G Aman

Publications and source records attributed to M G Aman.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Fluctuations in steady-state phenytoin concentrations as measured in saliva in children.

Data from two studies are reported. In the first, salivary concentrations were monitored hourly in epileptic children receiving phenytoin monotherapy, twice daily. The results indicated rapid drug absorption in the majority with time of maximum concentration occurring most frequently 1-5 hours following morning medication. A number of children showed moderate to large fluctuations in steady-state drug concentrations during the day, and there was a mean peak-to-trough fluctuation of 52% over the group. In the second study, drug concentration data are reported from an ongoing investigation of phenytoin's behavioral effects. Medication was given before sampling on one day, whereas it was delayed until after sample collection on the alternate day. Results indicated that salivary concentrations were higher, for 38 of 41 subjects, on the expected-high day with an overall mean difference in drug concentration of 56% between the 2 days. These findings were discussed in terms of their implications for clinical management and the possible relation of drug concentrations to psychomotor function.

Capsules↗
PubMed1982

Stimulant drug effects in developmental disorders and hyperactivity--toward a resolution of disparate findings.

An attempt is made to integrate data from a variety of clinical populations and from the animal literature. Evidence is presented suggesting that mentally retarded and autistic children generally show a poor response to stimulant medication, whereas hyperactive and normal children respond beneficially. Cognitive research in mentally retarded and autistic children is reviewed, and it is suggested that both diagnostic groups suffer from attentional difficulties, the mechanisms of which may be very similar. The literature on stimulant-induced stereotypy in animals is discussed, with emphasis on the clinical implications for autism and mental retardation. An attentional model is proposed to account for type of therapeutic response to stimulant medication. This is followed by a possible method for testing the model and by specific predictions relating to subject characteristics and response.

Amphetamines↗
PubMed1982

Methylphenidate in severely retarded residents and the clinical significance of stereotypic behavior.

An attempt was made to evaluate a model predicting stimulant drug response based on attentional characteristics of the participants. Twenty-eight severely and profoundly mentally retarded residents took part in a double blind, placebo controlled trial of methylphenidate (Ritalin). Methylphenidate was administered, for one week each, in a low dose of 0.3 mg/kg and a high dose of 0.6 mg/kg. The results failed to show any clinically relevant differences between placebo and active drug conditions with the exception that methylphenidate caused a significant reduction in food consumption. A variety of subject characteristics, including level of stereotypy, hyperactivity, and IQ were unrelated to drug effect. One positive finding, unrelated to drug effects, was that subdivision of the group by degree of stereotypy provided substantial clinical information about individual subjects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Effects of thioridazine dosage on the behavior of severely mentally retarded persons.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of thioridazine (Mellaril) was conducted with severely retarded patients. Subjects were assessed on a relatively low standardized dose as well as on the individual dosage that had previously been determined clinically as most effective. Both active drug conditions caused a reduction in hyperactivity, bizarre behavior, and self-stimulation. The standardized dose, which was less than half the mean titrated level, resulted in an equivalent therapeutic response. The need for more attention to dosage levels in future investigations was emphasized.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Azatadine maleate in perennial allergic rhinitis: effects on clinical symptoms and choice reaction time.

1 The efficacy of the antihistamine azatadine maleate at maximum recommended dosage (4 mg/day) for 1 week was assessed relative to placebo in a double-blind crossover study of twenty patients with perennial allergic rhinitis. 2 Sixteen patients reported significant improvement in their clinical symptoms while taking the active drug. 3 The size of skin test weals for both histamine provocation and common inhalant allergens (prick test) diminished significantly after the azatadine treatment. There was no correlation between inhibition of skin reactions and symptom improvement. 4 Eight subjects reported sedative effects attributable to azatadine maleate. Their performance on a choice reaction to placebo occurred in the non-sedated group.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Consistency of cognitive and motor performance measures over two years in reading retarded children.

Children identified for specific reading retardation were tested at initial contact and after 2 yr. on a variety of measures including seat activity, and congnitive and motor steadiness tasks. Developmentally there were few improvements on the accuracy and response time measures, whereas response speed and motor steadiness improved substantially with maturation. Consistency of performance over the 2 yr. showed the following pattern. Correlations for accuracy and response time were generally around chance levels, whereas the predictive validity for seat movement was in the low to moderate range. Speed of response and motor steadiness showed moderate to very high consistency over the 2 yr. Reliability estimates at each test interval were generally high for all variables except accuracy. These results suggest that there may be an advantage in adopting speed measures in preference to response time, and they also highlight the importance of the temporal dimension in cognitive testing.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

The usefulness of thioridazine for treating childhood disorders--fact or folklore?

Studies of thioridazine (Mellaril) use for treating childhood behavior disorders were reviewed with a special emphasis on methodology, In general, we found that the caliber of these studies has been unsatisfactory and, furthermore, that measures of drug effect have tended to stress global rather than specific changes, resulting in little qualitative information being available. Examination of subgroups of children treated with thioridazine failed to reveal different levels of drug responsiveness. Few investigators have attempted to assess cognitive effects, but the evidence suggests that cognitive dulling may be an unwanted effect of treatment. Further research of sufficient quality is needed.

Child Behavior Disorders↗
PubMed1979

Cognitive, social, and other correlates of specific reading retardation.

Children with specific reading retardation were matched with controls on the basis of age, sex, intelligence, and (less successfully) parental education. All subjects were tested on a variety of automated performance tests including the Matching Familiar Figures (MFF) Task, Auditory-Visual Integration, Short-Term Memory, the Continuous Performance Task (CPT), and Motor Performance. All children were assessed socially using the Conners Teacher Questionnaire, and reading-retarded children were rated on the Behavior Problem Checklist. Finally, all children were screened with the Finger Twitch Test and were assessed for left-right awareness. Statistical analysis suggested that the following performance tests discriminated between the groups in this respective order of importance: MFF (Accuracy), Auditory-Visual Integration, and the CPT. The Short-Term Memory Task, MFF Decision Time, and Motor Performance did not distinguish between the groups. Multiple regression equations suggested that scores on the performance tests could account for about 40% of the variance in reading attainment. Several factors from the rating scales (notably those pertaining to attention and anxiety) and left-right awareness also discriminated between the groups.

Achievement↗
PubMed1976

The reliability and diagnostic validity of the physical and neurological examination for soft signs (PANESS).

Twenty-one children, mean age of 8 years, were each examined on separate occasions by two pediatric residents, blind to diagnosis, using the neurological examination (PANESS) included in the group of instruments recommended by the National Institute of Mental Health for psychotropic drug studies in children. Half the children were hyperactive/aggressive, one quarter were normal, and one quarter had histories or signs strongly presumptive of brain damage. Many of the signs, though reliable, did not occur in the majority of children. Examiners did achieve a high level of agreement about global neurological status. It was concluded that the neurological examination probably contains a substantial number of non-contributory items and should be regarded as experimental rather than definitive.

Brain Damage, Chronic↗
PubMed1975

The effects of methylphenidate and haloperidol on the heart rate and blood pressure of hyperactive children with special reference to time of action.

Twelve hyperactive-aggressive children were given single acute doses of placebo, methylphenidate (0.3 mg/kg) and haloperidol (0.035 mg/kg) on three separate occasions in a double blind crossover design with drug order randomized across subjects. Resting heart rates and systolic and diastolic blood pressures were obtained at nine intervals up to 7 hrs and electrocardiograms at 150 min after ingestion. Methylphenidate caused a small trend toward an increment in heart rate and a significant increment in blood pressure, while the changes with haloperidol were minimal. There were no EKG changes. Changes in heart rate were of a minimal nature as compared with those occurring with digestion which tended to obscure drug effects.

Analysis of Variance↗