Biomedical subjects

S Reisman

Publications and source records attributed to S Reisman.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Effect of topical heat on electromyographic power density spectrum in subjects with myofascial pain and normal controls: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of superficial heat on the fatigue cascade of the upper trapezius muscle in subjects with myofascial pain and matched normal controls. DESIGN: In a prospective randomized block crossover pilot study, eight female subjects, ages 20-35 yr, with upper trapezius muscle trigger points and eight matched female control subjects without pain were studied. Subjects performed six 100-sec shoulder shrug contractions to fatigue, with subjects randomly chosen to receive heat during the first three or last three trials. The initial median frequency and the slope of the median frequency decline were calculated from the data. RESULTS: In the subjects with pain, the slope of the median frequency was elevated in ambient room temperature as compared with controls. There was no difference in slope of the median frequency under heated conditions. Heat application in controls before fatiguing exercise caused an increase in initial median frequency, whereas exercise before heat treatment resulted in a significantly lower initial median frequency. Subjects with myofascial pain had no significant change in initial median frequency. CONCLUSIONS: Heat seems to have a positive effect on muscle function in normal individuals when applied before exercise. Subjects with myofascial pain respond differently to exercise and heat challenge, which suggests a difference in their muscle physiology.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

The effect of a cholecystokinin agonist on masseter muscle activity in the cat.

The CCK(B) agonist, pentagastrin, has been shown to induce anxiety in human subjects. Similarly, in the cat model, pentagastrin facilitates the expression of hypothalamically activated emotional behavior. Because hypothalamically mediated emotional behavior is also accompanied by increased EMG activity in the jaw muscles, these experiments were designed to examine the combined effects of administration of pentagastrin with activation of hypothalamically mediated emotional behavior upon jaw muscle EMG activity. Electrodes were carefully lowered through previously placed guide tubes overlying the hypothalamus until a behavioral site was identified. Following the establishment of a stable threshold current for eliciting an emotional behavioral response, the skin overlying the ipsilateral masseter muscle was shaved and cleaned with alcohol, and surface electrodes were attached. The EMG was recorded, amplified, digitized, and stored in a microcomputer for analysis. Mean power frequencies (MPF) and latencies for behavior were calculated for baseline prior to infusion of all drugs. Following this, the effects of intravenous administration of pentagastrin and the CCK(B) antagonist LY288513 on the MPF were determined. The infusion of the CCK(B) agonist, pentagastrin (0.77, 1.92, and 3.84 microg/kg), decreased MPF in a time-related manner. The effects of pentagastrin 1.92 microg/kg were blocked by the CCK(B) antagonist, LY288513 (6.54 microg/kg). In addition, the infusion of LY288513 alone increased MPF. These results are surprising in that pentagastrin's anxiogenic properties would appear to make it likely to facilitate motor activity, not suppress it.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Vagal withdrawal as a function of audience.

This investigation examined the effects of psychosocial influences upon vagal cardiac activity. In this crossover, counter-balanced study, 15 subjects were assessed for vagal cardiac activity before and during a presentation in the presence and/or absence of an audience. Electrocardiograms (ECG) were collected throughout the epochs of interest, using a portable holter monitor system. Power spectral density analyses were used to decompose autonomic rhythmicities of heart rate variability. Significantly diminished vagal power was noted before and during presentation episodes with an audience compared with vagal power during a presentation without an audience (P < 0.05). Because respiration modulates autonomic outflow, ECG-derived respiration was derived and compared for all epochs, and no significant differences were noted. The real-life findings in the current investigation are strongly suggestive of the modulating effects of psychosocial interactions upon vagal cardiac electrophysiology and should be considered when assessing autonomic status.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

A retrospective analysis of the effects of anticholinergic medication on memory performance in Parkinson's disease.

We examined the effects of anticholinergic medication on memory function in 113 patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD). Subjects were divided into three disease duration groups: early, middle, and advanced. The battery consisted of three tasks assessing memory of logical discourse, semantically related words, and figural material. We found no evidence of anticholinergic-induced memory dysfunction in any of the three groups. Analysis of covariance indicated that age was not a significant variable; however, dementia may have influenced the relationship between anticholinergic medication and memory scores. Our results indicate that anticholinergic medication does not uniformly compromise memory function in PD patients.

Aged↗

PubMed1991

Visuospatial impairment in Parkinson's disease.

We explored the nature of the visuospatial deficit in Parkinson's disease (PD) and its progression as a function of disease duration. We compared the performance of 183 patients with idiopathic PD and 90 control subjects matched for age and education on six visuospatial measures. We divided patients into three groups according to the disease duration: early (1 to 4 years), middle (5 to 10 years), and advanced (greater than 10 years). Performance deteriorated in five of the six visuospatial measures, as a function of disease duration. However, the pattern of visuospatial decline depended on whether dementia was present. The results were not influenced by age or anticholinergic medication. These findings support the presence of visuospatial deficits in PD patients, with a changing pattern of impairment related to dementia and progression of the disease.

Aging↗

PubMed1986

Quantitation of extent, depth, and severity of planar thallium defects in patients undergoing exercise thallium-201 scintigraphy.

Previous quantitation of exercise-redistribution planar 201TI scintigraphy has shown high sensitivity and specificity in the detection of coronary artery disease and improved detection of individual coronary stenoses over visual analysis. By using similar methodology based on the circumferential profile method, we studied 133 patients to quantitatively assess the extent, depth, and severity of thallium defects compared with consensus visual analysis. These quantitative measurements are objective, requiring only three operator interactions. In comparing quantitative and visual results, a close correlation was found for measurement of extent of thallium defect (r = 0.73) and severity of defect (r = 0.79). In detecting patients with the high-risk scintigraphic pattern of a severe stress thallium defect, a quantitative depth score of greater than or equal to 36 had an 81% sensitivity and an 82% specificity. Thus, this nearly automatic, computerized quantitative method allows objective determination of extent, severity, and depth of planar 201TI defects.

Aged↗

PubMed1985