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Biomedical subjects

S M Dursun

Publications and source records attributed to S M Dursun.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

The effects of clozapine on levels of total cholesterol and related lipids in serum of patients with schizophrenia: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of 12 weeks of clozapine treatment on levels of cholesterol and related lipids in patients with schizophrenia. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: University department associated with a teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Eight patients (6 women and 2 men) with a clinical diagnosis of schizophrenia consistent with DSM-IV criteria. The patients were classified as treatment-resistant and had not responded to treatment with at least 2 conventional antipsychotics. INTERVENTIONS: Current antipsychotic medications were tapered and treatment with clozapine was initiated. OUTCOME MEASURES: Cholesterol and serum lipid levels, as well as Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) scores were measured before and after 12 weeks of treatment with clozapine. RESULTS: Clozapine treatment significantly improved the BPRS scores but did not significantly alter serum lipid levels, except triglyceride levels, which increased. CONCLUSION: The previously reported lower levels of cholesterol in treatment-resistant patients with schizophrenia cannot be attributed to the effects of clozapine administration. Further research is required to support and clarify the effects of antipsychotic drugs on lipid levels.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Refractory symptomatic schizophrenia resulting from frontal lobe lesion: response to clozapine.

A 34-year-old man with a 10-year history of persistent auditory hallucinations and passivity delusions had failed to respond to a variety of conventional antipsychotic medications. He had a history of head trauma 8 years before the onset of psychiatric symptoms. Recent investigations revealed a post-traumatic infarct, situated in the left frontal lobe, on a magnetic resonance imaging scan. Treatment with clozapine for more than 2 years resulted in a marked improvement in his psychotic symptoms. The localization of the brain lesion may be related to the etiology of his symptoms and to the clinical response to clozapine.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Differential effects of transdermal nicotine on microstructured analyses of tics in Tourette's syndrome: an open study.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of Tourette's syndrome (TS) is often unsatisfactory. However, there is some evidence that transdermal nicotine patch (TNP) application may improve tics of nonsmoking TS patients who are refractory to haloperidol treatment. METHODS: In this open study we applied two 10 mg TNP for 2 consecutive days to four TS patients whose symptoms were not controlled by haloperidol and to a never-medicated TS patient, all of whom are non-smokers. The Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) and a quantified video-taped micro-structured analysis of tics (head-shake tics, eye-blinks, vocal tics, facial grimace and other body tics) were both carried out to assess the change after the application of TNP. RESULTS: TNP application significantly reduced the YGTSS by an average of 50%, with no reported side-effects, for up to 4 weeks but not 16 weeks, as compared with TNP-free period. Consistent with these results, the total counts of tics also showed a significant decrease for up to 4 weeks after the TNP application. CONCLUSION: TNP application differentially affected individually quantified tics, which may suggest a differential role of nicotinic receptors in the generation of different tics.

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed1996

Similarities in the pharmacology of spontaneous and DOI-induced head-shakes suggest 5HT2A receptors are active under physiological conditions.

Nine monoamine receptor antagonists have been compared for their potency to inhibit both spontaneously occurring and DOI ((1-)2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane)-induced head-shakes (HS). Ritanserin, ketanserin, prazosin, haloperidol, pimozide, SCH 23390 and SCH 39166 potently and dose-dependently antagonised both types of HS while sulpiride and raclopride produced weak and partial antagonism. The potency of these agents to inhibit spontaneous HS and DOI-induced HS was closely correlated (r = 0.94) and was significantly related to 5HT2A receptor and to alpha 1-adrenoceptor affinities taken from published sources. Potency was independent of affinity for D2 receptors but there was a possible influence of D1 receptor affinity. HS have been proposed to model Tourette's Syndrome; thus the present findings may have implications for the mechanism of action of antipsychotic agents in this condition and possibly also in schizophrenia. Contrary to previous suggestions, 5HT2A receptors may be tonically activated under physiological conditions.

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists↗
PubMed1996

Increased plasma kynurenine and its relationship to neopterin and tryptophan in Tourette's syndrome.

Fasting plasma levels of tryptophan, kynurenine and the pteridines, neopterin and tetrahydrobiopterin were measured in seven patients with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) and 10 healthy controls. Plasma kynurenine was significantly elevated in the GTS patients. The lowest patient value was higher than the highest control value. Values for tryptophan, neopterin and tetrahydrobiopterin were similar in TS patients and controls. However, in TS patients only, there was a significant negative correlation between tryptophan and neopterin and a significant positive correlation between kynurenine and neopterin when controlling for tryptophan. This finding indicates that activation of cellular immune processes is a possible explanation for the rise in plasma kynurenine.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Cholesterol and mental disorder.

BACKGROUND: Cholesterol plays an important part in cellular structure and function and changes in serum levels may affect neurotransmission in the central nervous system. METHOD: A MEDLINE literature search was made covering the period 1990-95 with systematic searching of citations from the articles identified. Representative articles were selected, focusing on those aspects which had not been thoroughly reviewed elsewhere, namely suicidal ideation, depression, personality and schizophrenia. RESULTS: Lowering cholesterol levels have been associated with an increase in violent deaths in cardiovascular primary prevention studies. However, altered cholesterol levels have also been reported in relation to other psychiatric disorders. CONCLUSION: There is substantial evidence that serum cholesterol levels may be associated with variations in mental state or personality. Further work is needed to clarify this and to elucidate the mechanisms involved.

Brain↗
PubMed1995

Transmission of HIV.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

AIDS Dementia Complex↗
PubMed1995

Serotonin hypothesis of psychiatric disorders during HIV infection.

We are presenting a hypothesis which provides a neurobiological explanation for the aetiology of psychiatric disorders which are very common during the human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV). Understanding the neurobiological basis, and therefore providing an effective treatment for these psychiatric disorders, is very important since disturbed behaviours may facilitate the behaviour and risk factors which are crucially involved in spreading this infection.

AIDS Dementia Complex↗
PubMed1994

Elevated plasma kynurenine in Tourette syndrome.

Fasting plasma kynurenine concentrations were significantly elevated in a group of 7 patients (4 female) conforming to DSM-III-R of the American Psychiatric Association (1987) criteria for Tourette syndrome, in comparison with 10 healthy controls (7 female). Simultaneous normal plasma biopterin and neopterin concentrations indicated that this rise was probably not a consequence of peripheral cellular immune mechanisms.

Adolescent↗