Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to R E Garey.
Methods for determination of PCP in body fluids are presented and a rapid screening method is suggested. The demographics, psychiatric profiles, forensic aspects, and diagnostic problems of PCP abuse are discussed.
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The temporal sequence of changes in norepinephrine (NE) levels in various regions of brains of control and 6-hydroxydopa (6-OHDOPA)-treated rats was determined. It was found that 6-OHDOPA (60 mug/g i.p., three doses, 48-hour intervals), when administered from birth, markedly altered the NE content of various brain regions during the following 8-week period. In telencephalic regions, such as the neocortex and hippocampus, NE levels (micrograms per tissue) increased dramatically from birth in saline-treated rats, while NE was depressed by 55 to 85% in 6-OHDOPA animals. Studies for measuring the uptake of 3H-NE (2 X 10(-7) M) by synaptosomes isolated from the neocortex showed that uptake, was reduced by approximately 40% at 2, 5 and 52 weeks of age. Therefore, it appears that 6-OHDOPA is able to permanently impair the ontogenetic development of noradrenergic neurons in regions supplied by the dorsal noradrenergic bundle. In contrast to these effects, NE levels in the cerebellum were elevated 2-fold in 6-OHDOPA-treated rats of 8 weeks, postnatal age. Uptake was not similarly increased, indicating that the elevation in NE was not due to an increase in the number of nerve endings, but rather to an increase in the intraneuronal storage depots of NE. In the hypothalamus NE levels were not dramatically altered, while uptake was reduced by about 40% up to 1 year of age. Application of Michaelis-Menten kinetics indicated a decrease in the Vmax for 3H-NE uptake in the hypothalamus of 6-OHDOPA (60 mug/g i.p., two doses, 48-hour intervals from birth)-treated rats, sacrificed at 6 months of age. The pons-medulla and midbrain regions showed moderate increases in NE levels at 5 and 8 weeks. Uptake 1 was not increased in the pons-medulla at any time, and the Vmax remained unchanged when measured in rats at 6 months of age. It is apparent that 6-OHDOPA is capable of altering the ontogenesis of noradrenergic neurons and that the effects on development are different in different areas of the brain.
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The steady rise in the promiscuous use of phencyclidine (PCP) as a "recreational" drug has recently gained nationwide attention because of the numerous violent and/or bizarre incidents caused by the use of this drug. Because the media often exaggerate reports of bizarre and violent behavior to make a "good" story, the potential PCP user may be tempted to ignore the media warnings. In the case of PCP, however exaggerated the story, a real danger does exist. So, despite numerous newspaper, radio and television warnings about the possible consequences of PCP use and abuse, the incidence of toxic reactions continues to climb. In many cases PCP is sold as other drugs, particularly THC, and in various colored capsules, tablets, liquids and crystals which may explain the increased usage despite the numerous warnings against its use. The advances in laboratory techniques and chemical processess have enabled the clandestine chemist to prepare relatively pure PCP and thus eliminate many of the toxic side effects due to impurities in the drug. In addition, 30 or more psychoactive PCP analogues have been developed and are starting to make an appearance on the street. PCP is perhaps the most potent psychotomimetic compound known at the present time and is capable of inducing a psychosis which is clinically indistinguishable from schizophrenia. The psychosis-producing effects of PCP are the most common toxic effects seen in hospital emergency rooms; but as the amount of PCP taken and/or the simultaneous involvement of other drugs, particularly barbiturates, occurs, severe medical problems (e.g., coma, seizures, respiratory arrest) begin to appear. Death from high doses of PCP or PCP plus other drugs does occur, but the principal cause of death from PCP abuse is due to trauma, homicide or suicide (usually of the bizarre or violent form). Young adult males, persons predisposed to mental illness and naive drug users appear to be the most susceptible to the adverse effects of PCP. The fact that chronic PCP users are starting to increase in number is mute testimony that not all users experience "bad trips" with PCP. Unfortunately for the user, however, this does not guarantee that the next trip will not be a bad one. The effects of chronic use seem to be twofold: severe depression with suicidal thoughts and numerous violent, agitated behavioral patterns. Neither seems to be a suitable alternative. At the present time there is not specific antidote for toxic PCP reactions and the prolonged psychosis induced in some cases does not appear to respond to the standard antipsychotic medications as quickly as do the functional psychoses. The major improvement from a medical standpoint is the development of more sensitive laboratory techniques to confirm the presence of PCP in body fluids. This advance has undoubtedly led to the apparent increase in the number of PCP cases reported by hospitals and to the accuracy of clinical diagnosis by medical, drug or law enforcement communities...