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Biomedical subjects

M I Levy

Publications and source records attributed to M I Levy.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1986

Cortisol and Alzheimer's disease, II: Dexamethasone suppression, dementia severity, and affective symptoms.

The course of Alzheimer's disease can be complicated by depressive illness, often presenting enigmatically. To determine whether the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) can help distinguish patients with coexisting dementia and depression from those with dementia alone, DSTs were conducted with 22 nondepressed Alzheimer's disease patients. Eleven patients were nonsuppressors. The nonsuppressors were older than the suppressors but did not differ in depression or dementia ratings. The 8:00 a.m. postdexamethasone cortisol level correlated with depressive symptoms. A relationship between severity of dementia and depressive symptoms was also demonstrated.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

Evaluating prolactin response to dopamine agonists in schizophrenia. Methodological problems.

Serum prolactin (PRL) level was assessed after challenges with apomorphine hydrochloride, saline, dopamine hydrochloride, or levodopa-carbidopa (Sinemet) in 19 control and 38 chronic schizophrenic subjects. Baseline PRL level varied inversely with age. High correlations existed between baseline PRL level and any subsequent absolute measure of PRL after administration of a dopamine agonist or placebo. Percent decrease was not a function of baseline concentrations and was therefore the only independent measure of drug response. Baseline PRL level was generally lower during exacerbation than remission in patients studied during two states of illness. Percent PRL level decrease after apomorphine administration was significantly greater in normal subjects than in schizophrenics. Correction of apomorphine responses for corresponding placebo (saline) values abolished differences between groups. Prolactin responses after dopamine or levodopa-carbidopa did not differ; however, placebo correction was not possible.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1984

Apomorphine and schizophrenia. Treatment, CSF, and neuroendocrine responses.

Previous studies have variably reported the efficacy of apomorphine in treatment of schizophrenia and tardive dyskinesia. Stimulation of dopamine neuron autoreceptors is the presumed mode of action. Low-dose apomorphine (0.75 mg subcutaneously) and placebo were administered to 25 male schizophrenics to evaluate the drug's effect on psychotic and tardive dyskinetic symptoms. No significant improvement or deterioration was seen. Concomitant measurements of plasma prolactin and growth hormone levels and CSF homovanillic acid level indicated that the dose used was centrally active. These results indicate that an active though nonsedating dose of apomorphine does not ameliorate symptoms of schizophrenia or tardive dyskinesia.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Age and the dexamethasone suppression test in depression.

The authors examined the effects of age on plasma cortisol concentrations of 81 depressed men after dexamethasone administration. Dexamethasone nonsuppression was significantly more frequent in patients older than age 55 than those younger. Similarly, older patients had significantly higher postdexamethasone cortisol concentrations than younger patients at all time points sampled. These differences could not be attributed to severity or to the prevalence of psychosis in older and younger depressed patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Gamma-hydroxybutyrate in the treatment of schizophrenia.

Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) inhibits firing of dopaminergic neurons and is thus potentially useful in the treatment of schizophrenia. GHB was administered to 10 schizophrenics concurrently with low-dose fluphenazine in a 6-week double-blind crossover study. No antipsychotic efficacy of GHB was noted. GHB had little if any effect on plasma prolactin levels after a single administration and caused few side effects. Trials with higher doses of GHB may be warranted.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Effects of propantheline bromide on basal growth hormone, cortisol and prolactin levels.

Propantheline bromide, a peripheral anticholinergic drug with muscarinic and nicotinic blocking properties, was given by mouth to normal young men. Propantheline (45 mg) significantly lowered basal growth hormone concentrations at 0800 hr, 12 hr after administration. Propantheline (30 mg) tended (p = 0.08) to lower growth hormone concentrations at 1200 hr, 16 hr after administration. Cortisol and prolactin levels were not changed 12, 16 and 20 hr after propantheline (30 mg) nor 12 hr after propantheline (45 mg).

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Acetylcholinesterase activity in CSF in schizophrenia, depression, Alzheimer's disease and normals.

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and protein were measured in the CSF of patients with Alzheimer's disease, depression, schizophrenia with and without tardive dyskinesia, and control subjects. AChE activity was assayed by a radioenzymatic method involving the direct extraction of hydrolyzed 3H-acetate into a toluene-based scintillation fluid followed by liquid scintillation spectrometry. AChE activity was proportional to the amount of CSF protein. Greater than 90% of AChE activity in CSF could be inhibited by 10(-3) M eserine. In addition, activity remained stable despite repeated freeze-thawing in an acetone-dry ice bath. Age was found to be positively correlated with CSF protein and AChE activity expressed per volume CSF, but not with AChE measured per milligram protein. No differences between diagnostic groups were found on either measure of AChE when the extraneous factors of age and CSF protein concentrations were controlled, nor were any differences found between groups for CSF protein when age was controlled.

Acetylcholinesterase↗
PubMed1982

Research subject recruitment for gerontological studies of pharmacological agents.

Elderly subjects were recruited for a study of the effect of intravenous physostigmine on the memory disturbance of Alzheimer's Disease. Approximately one out of every twelve people screened was suitable for the study. Subjects were ruled out either because they did not meet research diagnostic criteria for AD, because they could not cooperate with the studies or because of medical contraindications. The data indicate that large numbers of potential subjects are required to select relatively small groups for pharmacological studies. The implications of some of these developments for future research are discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1978

Resorption of the zygomatic arch after elevation of a depressed fracture and subsequent osteomyelitis: report of case.

A case of osteomyelitis of the zygomatic arch with complete resorption has been presented. The cause of osteomyelitis of the facial bones was discussed. Infection of the soft tissue after intraoral elevation of fractured zygomas does occur, but rarely leads to osteomyelitis and subsequent bony resorption of the underlying bone. Antibiotics have reduced the incidence of osteomyelitic infections in the past 20 years; however, a vigorous regimen of preoperative and postoperative attention to aseptic technique, proper antibiotics, and close follow-up is required to control these problems.

Adult↗