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Biomedical subjects

R Fontaine

Publications and source records attributed to R Fontaine.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Clomipramine hydrochloride in childhood and adolescent obsessive-compulsive disorder--a multicenter trial.

Children and adolescents with obsessive compulsive disorder were studied in an 8-week, multicenter, double-blind, parallel groups trial of clomipramine hydrochloride (CMI) versus placebo. Efficacy assessments included the child version of the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale and the National Institute of Mental Health Global rating scale. At the end of 8 weeks, CMI-treated patients showed a mean reduction in Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale score of 37% compared to 8% in the placebo group. Side effects were typical of tricyclic antidepressants. In a 1-year open label treatment, CMI continued to be effective and well tolerated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Sodium valproate and clonazepam for treatment-resistant panic disorder.

Sodium valproate (VA) and clonazepam (CLZ) were combined in the treatment of 4 patients with panic disorders (PD) who were resistant to several antipanic drug treatments. A significant improvement was found in the symptomatology of these patients, but relapses occurred when CLZ dosage was reduced. A potentiation of the GABAergic properties of VA and clonazepam is postulated. This combined treatment could be advantageous for some treatment-resistant PD patients but needs to be studied further.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Probable interaction of sodium divalproex with benzodiazepines.

1. After drug discontinuation and 1 week placebo washout, 12 patients with panic disorders received, for 6 weeks, either placebo or sodium divalproex. During 6 consecutive weeks, alternate medication was given. 2. Severity of panic and anxiety attacks was improved only in patients receiving sodium divalproex as a first medication. 3. Protracted benzodiazepine effects may occur in the dichotomous antipanic activity of sodium divalproex.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Refractory depression: the addition of lithium to fluoxetine or desipramine.

We carried out an open clinical study with 60 consecutive patients suffering from major depression with melancholia who were resistant to anti-depressants. After at least 6 weeks of desipramine (DMI) or fluoxetine (FX) without improvement, lithium carbonate was added to the anti-depressant. Semistructured clinical interviews using the 7-point Clinical Global Impression Scale and 90-item Symptom Checklist were done at baseline and weeks 1, 6 and 14. Following the addition of lithium, more patients on FX improved within the first week than those on DMI. However, with FX, 6 relapses occurred during the 2 months of follow-up and none with DMI. The unified serotonergic and noradrenergic hypothesis for the antidepressant action could be relevant in drug-refractory depression and should be studied further.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Panic disorder: vascular evaluation with transcranial Doppler ultrasonography.

Several recent studies have shown neurophysiologic and neuroanatomic abnormalities in panic disorder. This study aimed to assess by transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonography the magnitude of the changes in blood flow during panic attacks induced by intravenous sodium lactate infusion. The subjects consisted of 30 patients with panic disorder (DSM-III-R) and 25 controls; all were between the ages of 18 and 40 years and were right-handed. The flow in the middle cerebral artery was recorded bilaterally before the infusion began (to provide baseline readings) and at 3-minute intervals during the infusion. The patients showed a more rapid acceleration of flow (p less than 0.05) than the controls. Higher maximal velocity and higher variations in velocity (p less than 0.05) were observed in the patients sensitive to lactate but only in the right middle cerebral artery. These results suggest that abnormalities of local cerebrovascular autoregulation occurred in the patients with panic disorder during attacks induced by sodium lactate.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Immunocytochemical localization of xanthine oxidase in rat myocardium.

Monoclonal antibodies (MAb's) to xanthine oxidase (XO) (from bovine milk) were produced by hybridoma technique. Culture supernatants were initially screened using enzyme-linked immunoabsorbant assay (ELISA). Forty four positive clones were subcloned and further characterized by ELISA and immunoblot analysis. Out of fifteen clones, which were positive in immunoblot analysis, one clone N2-26 was also positive in immunocytochemical studies. Indirect immunoperoxidase and enzyme histochemistry staining showed that XO activity is present in endothelial cells of capillaries, small blood vessels and also in interstitial cells. Electron microscopy revealed that diaminobenzidine reaction product was distributed in the cytoplasm of interstitial cells and endothelial cells of capillaries and small blood vessels. This is the first report of the presence of XO in interstitial cells and endothelial cells of small blood vessels. Allopurinol, which inhibits the xanthine oxidase activity, did not have any effect on the immunocytochemical staining. Our results in normal rat heart suggest that XO activity is confined to interstitial cells, endothelial cells of capillaries and small blood vessels.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Temporal lobe abnormalities in panic disorder: an MRI study.

Brain mapping studies have shown abnormal changes in cerebral blood volume and oxygen consumption, or other neurophysiological abnormalities, in panic disorder (PD) patients. Because of these intriguing reports, we decided to assess the neuroanatomical aspects of patients with PD using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We included 31 consecutive cases with a diagnosis of PD according to the DSM-III criteria, and 20 controls. All subjects had to be right-handed and between 20 and 40 years of age. The usual exclusion criteria were applied. We carried out the MRI tests with a General Electric Signa Machine operating at 1.5 Tesla. Over 100 images were obtained per patient with an emphasis on assessing temporal lobe. There were no significant differences in age, gender, or weight between the patients and controls. We found a statistically significant higher number of abnormalities in PD patients (40%), as compared with the controls (10%). The most striking findings were focal abnormalities in the temporal lobes: areas of abnormal signal activity, and asymmetric atrophy of the temporal lobe occurred mostly on the right side. These results implicated the limbic system and may prove to be of particular relevance in panic and phobic disorders. However, the significance of our findings remains unknown and challenging. Further MRI studies in PD will be required for a better understanding of the illness.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Positional behavior in Saimiri boliviensis and Ateles geoffroyi.

Positional behavior, associated context, and substrate use in Ateles geoffroyi and Saimiri boliviensis were quantified using instantaneous focal animal sampling and a hierarchically organized nomenclature to describe posture and locomotion. This paper then examines behavioral predictions derived from pseudo-behavioral locomotor classifications, multivariate morphometric studies, and studies of the behavioral consequences of body size. The principal interspecific contrasts include (1) the superiority of Ateles with respect to locomotor and postural use of the forelimbs in tension, brachiation, arm swinging, dropping, quadrupedal climbing, forelimb dominated leaping/dropping take-offs and landings, suspensory posture, forelimb suspension, and use of larger and more complex supports; and (2) the superiority of Saimiri with respect to most forms of quadrupedal-cursorial locomotion and leaping, quadrupedal leaping/dropping take-off and landing patterns, locomotor and postural use of the limbs under compression, nonsuspensory posture, sitting, quadrupedal standing, and the use of twigs and single supports. In both animals, however, nonsuspensory postures and quadrupedal locomotion prevailed. Although behavioral findings were generally consistent with predictions derived from morphological accounts, the fit was loose. Discrepancies arose, especially concerning climbing and leaping. These were attributed to inadequacies in current nomenclature descriptive of positional behavior arising from the indiscriminate use of overinclusive vernacular and pseudo-behavioral terms.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Zopiclone and triazolam in insomnia associated with generalized anxiety disorder: a placebo-controlled evaluation of efficacy and daytime anxiety.

In a double-blind placebo-controlled study, following a 1 week washout, 75 outpatients suffering from generalized anxiety disorder with severe insomnia as the target symptom were randomly assigned to 4 weeks of treatment with zopiclone 7.5 mg, triazolam 0.5 mg or placebo at bedtime. Zopiclone was significantly better than placebo on most sleep parameters. Triazolam tended to be superior to placebo, but its superiority was significant only on the sleep induction factor. Triazolam-treated patients presented significantly more day-time-interdose anxiety than zopiclone as assessed by the weekly HARS and Clinical Global Assessment of Anxiety. Although daytime-interdose anxiety was observed with both drugs, this treatment emergent symptom was more frequent and severe with triazolam. Side-effects were of a mild to moderate intensity for both zopiclone and triazolam; however, taste perversion frequently appeared with zopiclone. Although both drugs share similar pharmacological properties and bind to benzodiazepine receptors, they differ significantly with respect to side-effects and daytime anxiety.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Valproic acid and panic disorder.

Valproic acid (VA), an anticonvulsant which increases GABAergic transmission was given to patients suffering from recurrent panic attacks. Ten consecutive outpatients were included in this study. After a seven day placebo washout period, patients were given a dose of 500 mg/day, which was gradually increased to a maximum of 2250 mg/day. A significant improvement was found in the symptomatology of patients as measured on the Clinical Global Impression Scale for panic severity (p less than 0.001), the Hamilton Psychiatric Rating Scale for Anxiety (p less than 0.001) and the panic factor of the SCL-90 (p less than 0.05). These findings support the hypothesis that VA is useful in the treatment of panic disorders. Further research should be carried out to assess its efficacy and safety.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Social phobia and clonazepam.

Five patients meeting the DSM-III-R criteria for social phobia, without any other psychiatric diagnosis, were treated with clonazepam, a high potency benzodiazepine. All patients improved markedly within four weeks. By the end of the eighth week of treatment, a marked improvement of their symptoms was reported. The adverse effects were minimal at an average dose of 3 mg per day. The authors suggest that clonazepam is a safe and effective medication in the treatment of social phobia. Moreover, clonazepam is easier to use as compared to other drugs which are used (atenolol, phenelzine, alprazolam).

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Lithium carbonate augmentation of desipramine in refractory depression.

An open clinical study with 20 consecutive outpatients suffering from major depression with melancholia (DSM-III) was carried out. All patients were resistant to desipramine after at least six weeks of treatment. A significant improvement was found in 13 of the 20 patients when lithium carbonate was added. Among the responder patients, five improved in the first week of lithium augmentation, while eight others improved after one week of lithium. The mechanism of action of the lithium augmentation effect in tricyclic-resistant depressed patients is discussed in view of our findings. We suggest that the unified 5-HT/NE hypothesis used in affective disorder could be applied in drug refractory depression.

Depressive Disorder↗
PubMed1989

Correlation of severity of panic disorder and neuroanatomical changes on magnetic resonance imaging.

Thirty consecutive lactate-sensitive panic disorder patients were studied with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to investigate the relationship between temporal lobe abnormalities and panic disorder. Neuroanatomical abnormalities, most involving the right temporal lobe, were found in 43% of patients, compared with 10% of the control subjects. Patients with temporal lobe abnormalities were significantly younger at the onset of panic disorder and had more panic attacks compared with patients with normal MRI scans (p less than .05). These results suggest that panic disorder could be secondary to temporal lobe dysfunctions and that panic disorder patients with abnormal MRIs could have a worse prognosis than those with normal MRIs and would require long-term pharmacological treatment.

Adult↗