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Biomedical subjects

W Braden

Publications and source records attributed to W Braden.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1989

Topographic evoked potential mapping in obsessive-compulsive disorder: evidence of frontal lobe dysfunction.

Several lines of evidence suggest that frontal lobe dysfunction may underlie obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Eighteen patients with OCD were compared with 18 normals matched for age, gender, handedness, and education on a Go-NoGo task. Visual evoked potentials were measured during the task. Topographic evoked potential mapping revealed significantly smaller P300 magnitudes in orbital frontal areas in the OCD patients. Results are compared with those from studies using other methodologies, and etiological implications are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Evoked potential augmenting and reducing: the methodological and theoretical significance of new electrophysiological observations.

Buchsbaum's (1976) evoked potential (EP) procedure reveals differences in the slope of P100-N140 amplitude changes with variation of stimulus luminance. Subjects are classed 'augmenters' or 'reducers', respectively, if their slopes are positive or negative. Psychological correlates of this slope index have been reported and it has distinguished psychiatric patient populations from healthy subjects. Data are presented which indicate that the augmenting-reducing slope differences are due to an early slow-wave. For augmenters, the major slow-wave deflection is of positive polarity. At the highest luminance, with a correspondingly shorter latency, the slow-wave increases the positive-going P100 deflection. At the lowest luminance, with a longer latency, it reduces the negative-going N140 deflection. This results in positive slopes. For reducers, the major slow-wave deflection is of negative polarity. This influences the measured P100 and N140 amplitudes in a manner opposite to that described for augmenters and results in negative slopes. Since these findings provide new insights concerning the nature of the Buchsbaum augmenting-reducing phenomenon, they have methodological and theoretical implications. It is concluded that the Buchsbaum procedure is an effective measure of slow-wave differences but that the reducing effect is difficult to explain in terms of Pavlov's concept of protective inhibition. An alternative 'opponent-process' explanation is offered.

Brain↗
PubMed1984

Vulnerability and schizoaffective psychosis: a two-factor model.

Remitting illness such as affective or schizoaffective disorder is appropriately described by a vulnerability model. Clinical evidence is reviewed here to clarify the relationship between the affective-disorder-like and schizophrenia-like symptoms in a schizoaffective episode. A model is proposed which treats vulnerability to schizoaffective and schizophreniform psychosis as the result of two factors. The first factor is vulnerability to an episode of psychotic illness characterized by psychomotor and vegetative activation. The second is vulnerability to cognitive disturbance in response to increased activation. The relationship between stress and increased activation may be mediated by dopaminergic systems; this relationship is probably specific neither to etiology nor to diagnosis. The relationship of cognitive symptoms to episodes of activation is unclear. The model presented here may help organize and interpret research in this area, especially as traditional research designs which emphasize comparisons between diagnostic groups may not address these questions adequately.

Bipolar Disorder↗
PubMed1982

Lithium and chlorpromazine in psychotic inpatients.

A sample of recently hospitalized psychotic patients was assigned to treatment with lithium or chlorpromazine in a double-blind drug trial. Several diagnostic systems were used to characterize the patients. No relationship was found, regardless of criterion system used, between diagnosis and differences in drug effectiveness; specifically, the presence of "schizophrenic" symptoms did not predict a poor response to lithium. Among patients with physical overactivity, those treated with lithium terminated earlier and had poorer outcome than those treated with chlorpromazine. In patients who were not overactive, the two drugs were equally effective, and chronically psychotic patients had poorer outcomes regardless of drug. Lithium may be an effective treatment for acutely psychotic patients who are not overactive. The use of a lithium trial as a diagnostic tool may be unwarranted.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Predicting pharmacotherapy outcome by subjective response.

Subjective response to the initial 24-hour dosage of psychoactive medication was evaluated as a predictor of clinical outcome in 33 drug-free patients with DSM-III diagnoses of functional psychoses. Pretreatment evaluation included measures of symptom severity, role functioning and attitude towards treatment. Clinical improvement after 8-21 days was significantly correlated with subjective response. The author suggests that inquiry regarding a patient's early subjective response to prescribe chemotherapy can help to identify ultimate drug refusal and clinical unresponsiveness.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Racing thoughts in psychiatric inpatients.

Racing thoughts, which have been previously described in schizophrenia and mania, were found to be equally prevalent in hospitalized depressed and manic patients. Racing thoughts are rare in schizophrenics who do not have an affective syndrome and more common in schizoaffective patients. The symptom is associated with disturbed concentration. It is experienced as pleasant by manic patients and as unpleasant by depressed patients. Racing thoughts may be important in the understanding of affective illness.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Diagnosing mania: the use of family informants.

The contribution of a history taken from the family was evaluated in a series of acutely psychotic patients diagnosed using DSM-III criteria. Families often describe manic symptoms not reported by the patient; this is especially so for excessive or inappropriate activities. The traditional reliance on current mental state may lead to underdiagnosis of mania and overdiagnosis of schizophrenia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Racing thoughts in depressed patients.

Patients with racing thoughts and depression may have atypical features that suggest a schizophrenic or borderline state and make diagnosis problematic; clinical management may be difficult because of failure to respond to standard treatments. These patients may have variants of affective illness; and may respond favorably to lithium carbonate.

Acute Disease↗