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Biomedical subjects

R T Joffe

Publications and source records attributed to R T Joffe.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

Thyroid function and bipolar affective disorder.

Thyroid function tests and life course of illness were evaluated in 42 patients with bipolar affective disorder who had received at least 3 months of lithium carbonate treatment. Eight of 42 patients (19%) required thyroid replacement or had evidence of subclinical hypothyroidism associated with lithium treatment. Abnormalities of thyroid function were related to female sex and duration of lithium treatment but not to a rapid-cycling course of illness.

Adolescent↗

Biological challenges in obsessive compulsive disorder.

1. Obsessive compulsive disorder and affective disorder have been investigated by means of various biological challenges. 2. Total sleep deprivation and methylphenidate challenge were used to determine the effects on a group of subjects with obsessive compulsive disorder. 3. The findings of a lack of response to total sleep deprivation and methylphenidate in obsessive compulsive patients contrasts with the findings in affective disorder patients. 4. The findings are more consistent with those in studies of panic disorder. 5. The relationship of obsessive compulsive disorder to affective and anxiety disorder may be elucidated by further studies.

Adult↗

Hematological effects of lithium potentiation of carbamazepine in patients with affective illness.

Hematological indices were measured in 8 patients with bipolar disorder during carbamazepine and carbamazepine-lithium combination treatment. Carbamazepine treatment was associated with limited reductions in white blood cell indices. Combined lithium-carbamazepine treatment reversed the reductions in total white cell and neutrophil counts. The clinical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.

Adult↗

Total and free testosterone in depressed men.

Total and free testosterone, estradiol and cortisol were measured in 12 depressed males and 12 age-matched normal volunteers. There was no significant difference in any of the hormone levels between the patient and control group. Total testosterone was negatively correlated with age in the depressed group, but not with severity of depression.

Adult↗

Total sleep deprivation in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Total sleep deprivation was performed in 16 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Overall, no effect was observed on either mood or obsessive-compulsive behaviour. However, individual patients showed worsening, improvement or no change in obsessive-compulsive symptoms, independent of mood response, across the 3 days of sleep deprivation.

Adult↗

Erythrocyte electrolytes in psychiatric illness.

Erythrocyte sodium and potassium were measured in 71 patients with a variety of psychiatric disorders and 39 normal controls. Alterations in red cell sodium and potassium occurred in association with changes with mood state in affective illness. However, alterations in erythrocyte potassium may be a non-specific finding in all psychiatric illness. The methodological limitations of our study are discussed. Our data suggest that further study is required to clarify the role of intracellular electrolyte disturbances in psychiatric illness, particularly affective disorders.

Adult↗

Alternate-day corticosteroid treatment, mood and plasma HVA in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Corticosteroid therapy may produce alterations in mood. Furthermore, several monoamines, including dopamine, have been implicated in the regulation of mood. We, therefore, examined the relationship between alterations in mood and plasma homovanillic acid (HVA) levels in patients on alternate-day corticosteroid treatment. Although several patients had substantial alterations in mood, there was no significant difference in plasma HVA levels between the on- and off-medication day. Furthermore alterations in depression and anxiety levels were not related to plasma HVA levels. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Adult↗

Ontario Child Health Study: suicidal behavior in youth age 12-16 years.

The authors report on the prevalence and correlates of suicidal behavior in youth age 12-16 years. The data, from a community prevalence survey, show that 5%-10% of the male and 10%-20% of the female youth reported suicidal behavior within a 6-month period. Suicidal behavior in youth appeared to be related to psychiatric disorder in general as well as to family dysfunction and parental arrest.

Adolescent↗

Personality features of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The authors evaluated personality dysfunction in 23 patients with primary obsessive-compulsive disorder and an age- and sex-matched group of patients with major depressive disorder. There were no significant differences between the two patient groups with respect to mean personality trait scores or the frequency or type of personality disorder diagnosis. A mixed personality disorder with avoidant, dependent, and passive-aggressive features was most commonly observed in the obsessive-compulsive group. There was a very low frequency of schizoid or compulsive personality disorder.

Adult↗

Lack of differential cognitive effects of lithium and carbamazepine in bipolar affective disorder.

Cognitive functioning was assessed in medication-free as well as carbamazepine- and lithium-treated patients with manic-depressive illness. Across a range of tests measuring attention, concentration, visuomotor function, and memory, no significant differences were observed across the three patient groups as compared with control subjects without manic-depressive illness. The clinical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.

Adult↗

Triiodothyronine potentiation of the antidepressant effect of phenelzine.

Two patients with depression that was refractory to tricyclic antidepressant therapy alone and in combination with lithium or triiodothyronine (T3) were treated with the monoamine oxidase inhibitor phenelzine. In both cases, the addition of T3 potentiated the antidepressant response to phenelzine. These observations suggest that thyroid hormone potentiation may not be specific to one class of antidepressant drugs.

Adult↗

Mood disorder and multiple sclerosis.

A systematic psychiatric evaluation was performed on 100 consecutive patients attending a multiple sclerosis clinic. Forty-two percent of the patients had lifetime history of depression, and 13% fulfilled criteria for manic-depressive illness. Only 28% of the patients had no psychiatric diagnosis. The relationship of psychiatric disorder to neurologic dysfunction and other aspects of multiple sclerosis are presented. Clinical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.

Adult↗

Motor activity in depressed patients treated with carbamazepine.

Motor activity in 19 depressed patients treated with carbamazepine was assessed using self-contained monitors worn on the wrist. Those whose depression improved demonstrated significant increases in motor activity. Nonresponders as a group did not show decreased motor activity, suggesting that carbamazepine was not producing sedation or hypoactivity at clinically relevant doses. Activity counts were negatively correlated with ratings of global severity of depression on the Bunney-Hamburg Scale and with degree of motor retardation rated on the BPRS during treatment. The selective increases in motor activity in those who improved are consistent with psychomotor changes related to amelioration of depression.

Adult↗