PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R S Ryback

Publications and source records attributed to R S Ryback.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Limbic system dysrhythmia: a diagnostic electroencephalogram procedure utilizing procaine activation.

A diagnostic method is presented that makes it possible to distinguish patients who are most likely to show a positive response to treatment with anticonvulsant medication, thereby cutting across many DSM-III-R diagnoses. Patients are evaluated to determine whether they exhibit at least 4 of 12 groups of symptoms, and the local anesthetic procaine is used, along with an electroencephalogram (EEG) to evaluate for omega band activity (30-50 Hz) of at least 50 microvolts or approximately three times baseline values in the anterior temporal leads. This method was studied in 145 patients with varying diagnoses. Eighty-three percent of patients who were symptom- and procaine-positive responded to anticonvulsants. Specific application to patients with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, and panic disorder is made. This method may provide a basis for identifying subpopulations of anticonvulsant-responsive patients who often are considered treatment-resistant.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Laboratory test changes in young abstinent male alcoholics.

Data collected over time from an abstaining young alcoholic population were analyzed together with data from a nonalcoholic population, which served as a reference group. The laboratory tests of the abstaining alcoholics were measured at baseline (zero weeks), three weeks, and six weeks, while those of the nonalcoholic group were measured once, at baseline. The analysis attempts to reveal how abstinence from beverage alcohol consumption in an alcoholic population affects 25 commonly ordered laboratory tests over time and whether cigarette smoking mediates any observed effects. The primary findings of this detailed examination of clinical chemistries in abstaining alcoholics indicate that drinking and smoking have independent effects and that the effects of drinking persist even after six weeks of abstinence.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Effects of abstinence on the ability of clinical laboratory tests to identify male alcoholics.

Quadratic discriminant analysis of 25 commonly ordered clinical laboratory tests resulted in correct classification of 100% of nonalcoholic inpatients (n = 41), 100% of medical ward alcoholics as alcoholic (n = 63), and 95% of alcoholism treatment program participants as alcoholic (n = 274). Admission laboratory values for a random sample of 138 additional alcoholism treatment program participants were used to correctly classify 96% of them as alcoholics. Repeat analysis of these same laboratory tests after some 27 days of hospitalization resulted in 94% of the 138 patients still being classified as alcoholic, even though significant improvements in individual hepatic and hematologic laboratory values were noted. Classification was not changed with reanalysis after long-term abstinence (7 or 24 months), suggesting widespread and persistent alcohol-related alterations in organ system functioning with chronic alcohol abuse. Quadratic discriminant analysis of laboratory tests is an effective means of identifying people with present or past alcohol abuse but is not yet of value in detecting compliance with a treatment goal of abstinence.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

The search for a biochemical marker in alcoholism.

A diagnostic aid using routinely available blood chemistry batteries is being developed which shows promise for use in identification of individuals with drinking problems as well as in individuals having alcoholic and nonalcoholic liver disease. A statistically complex form of pattern recognition known as quadratic discriminant analysis is performed on common clinical laboratory tests such as total protein, total bilirubin, phosphorus, chloride, carbon dioxide, glucose, WBCs, RBCs, and MCV values. The relationship of each of the tests to each other is analyzed, providing a type of biochemical "fingerprint," such that any one test may not be unique. Rather, the interrelationships to one another provide a unique statistical profile of an alcoholic, or an individual with alcoholic or nonalcoholic liver disease.

Alanine Transaminase↗
PubMed1981

Biochemical diagnosis of alcoholism. A test of the discriminating capabilities of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and mean corpuscular volume.

Quadratic discriminant analysis was conducted between 121 medically documented male alcoholics who presented for treatment and 130 male nonalcoholic outpatients who were concerned about the possibility of venereal disease. Analysis of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) resulted in correct classification of 94% of nonalcoholics but only 36% of alcoholics. In contrast, analysis of 24 commonly ordered clinical laboratory tests produced correct classification of 100% of nonalcoholics and 98% of alcoholics. Transforming the laboratory-determined values to a normal-abnormal dichotomy on the basis of reference values improved the classification accuracy of GGT and MCV to 77%. However, consideration of ten of the other tests resulted in an accuracy of 98% for alcoholics and 95% for nonalcoholics.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

A method to study short-term memory (STM) in the goldfish.

Twenty-one common goldfish (13-15.5 cm long) were randomly divided into alcohol (A) and nonalcohol (NA) groups and were trained in an alcohol solution of 400 mg/100 ml or in water, respectively. All alcohol fish were placed in an alcohol solution of 400 mg/100 ml for 3 hr before training in the same alcohol concentration. Fish were trained on a position discrimination task for 2 consecutive days. The door used for training was that opposite to each fish's spontaneous preference. Savings in relearning on Day 2 was taken as a measure of long term memory strength. Only fish which reached criterion on both days were immediately given 10 forced reversal trails in the opposite direction (i.e., a fish trained on right door was forced to choose the left door.) A and NA subjects were then tested after a 5 min (STM) delay, respectively, in a free choice situation for 10 trails (i.e., neither door was blocked). The results suggest that alcohol facilitates the STM of the forced reversal information.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Data attrition in follow-up studies of alcoholics.

Alcoholics who responded to posttreatment follow-up evaluation showed more improvement than those wh did not respond. Thus nonresponders may bias follow-up research tht does not account for missing data. Several procedures are outlined to increase follow-up return.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Recovery of verbal short-term memory in alcoholics.

When given a short-term memory distractor test on the day after admission to the hospital in an intoxicated state, the performance of older alcoholic patients was significantly worse than that of younger alcoholics and on a par with that of alcoholic Korsakoff patients. One month later, however, the older patients' performance was comparable to that of the other alcoholics.

Adult↗