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Biomedical subjects

M L Dillard

Publications and source records attributed to M L Dillard.

4 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1993

Use of thioridazine in post-traumatic stress disorder.

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a condition that develops in persons who have experienced emotional or physical stress of sufficient magnitude to be extremely traumatic for virtually anyone. This may include natural catastrophes, combat experiences, rape, or other such horrifying events. The three major features of the disorder are reexperiencing the trauma through dreams, emotional numbing, and autonomic instability. To date, several treatment modalities have been used, usually consisting of a combination of psychotherapy and drug treatment. Although controversy exists, antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors are used most commonly, while other drugs such as lithium, carbamazepine, and antipsychotic drugs may be useful. We have reported a case involving a 44-year-old combat veteran who experienced severe flashbacks of his time spent in Vietnam. His symptoms and general state of mind improved significantly while taking the antipsychotic drug thioridazine.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

An investigation of the adrenergic uptake specificity of phenyl-2-aminoethyl sulfides.

In earlier work we have demonstrated that a novel series of phenylethylamine analogs (phenyl-2-aminoethyl sulfides) cause a potent antihypertensive effect in spontaneously hypertensive rats. In addition, we have shown in vitro that these compounds are facile substrates for dopamine beta-hydroxylase, the terminal enzyme of norepinephrine synthesis. While the mechanism of action of these derivatives is as yet hypothetical, we have proposed that, if they are capable of gaining entrance into adrenergic nerve endings and neurotransmitter storage vesicles, these compounds may reduce norepinephrine synthesis by competing with dopamine for oxygenation. In this report, we present results of preliminary studies designed to examine this hypothetical mechanism of action. We find that all derivatives of this series are classical indirect-acting sympathomimetics whose initial cardiovascular activity is blocked by cocaine. These results suggest that compounds of this type gain entrance to adrenergic neurons via the normal norepinephrine uptake mechanism on adrenergic nerve endings. We also present data which demonstrate that the methylated derivative was not only the most potent indirect-acting sympathomimetic, but also the only derivative capable of producing a marked tachyphylaxis. In addition, we find these compounds affect a specific pool of intraneuronal norepinephrine, distinct from that affected by tyramine, a well-known indirect-acting sympathomimetic agent.

Anesthesia↗