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Biomedical subjects

W Laubichler

Publications and source records attributed to W Laubichler.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

[The role of alcohol in "pyromania" and arson].

The role played by alcohol in pyromania and arson was examined. We had a total of 103 arsonists, 95 of which were men and 8 women. 69 of the offenders had only started one fire, 34 had started more than one. 70 offenders were under the influence of alcohol at the time of the arson, 54 were alcoholics altogether. Adults were usually under the influence of alcohol, whereas adolescents were quite often not. Psychotics were generally not under the influence of alcohol. With regard to marital status, married arsonists showed the highest level of alcohol consumption. Offenders who started fires during the night were usually under the influence of alcohol, very drunk or even alcoholics. There were significant connections between the frequency and level of alcohol consumption and the number of previous convictions. Pyromania is classed as some form of psycho infantilism. In adults, it may be found in the form of an alcohol toxic regression in many different psychological disorders. However, it is found most commonly in unstable people with personality disorders.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[The status of afebrile infantile convulsions within the epilepsy spectrum--a follow-up of 55 patients].

In an earlier study we observed 411 patients with cerebral convulsions, 118 of whom had the first convulsion during the 1 year of life. Among these 118 children we found 76 with afebrile convulsions. In this study we present the development and outcome in 55 patients with afebrile convulsions in the 1 year of life which could be observed for some years, most of them up to the present. In 25 infants the fits started in the newborn period, and in 30 infants after the 1 month; they were divided into groups with and without risk factors in the history. Benign neonatal convulsions were found in about one-third of children, with a good prognosis. These convulsions are divided into a dominantly inherited but rarely observed form and idiopathic benign neonatal convulsions. In contrast, among the newborns with risk factors in the history we found only half with a positive development. The results in the 30 infants with convulsions after the 1 month were similar with respect to risk factors in the history of risks. The 15 infants without risks had a good prognosis. Only 3 patients had oligoepilepsy. However, in the 15 patients with risks only 3 developed normally, 6 had no fits, but were neurologically or mentally handicapped, and 7 had fits and disability. We believe that afebrile convulsions without risk factors after the 1 month could be considered a late manifestation of benign newborn convulsions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Brain Damage, Chronic↗
PubMed1992

[The driver's license and epilepsy].

Reference is made to the recommendation of the International League Against Epilepsy concerning driving-permission of epileptics, publicated 1981; only minor attention was payed to the german translation, published in 1984. Different comments on this recommendation as well as our own experiences are quoted. We refer to the rarity of traffic-crashes due to epileptic seizures, although we assume that approximately half of the seizure-patients drive, partly under concealing their disturbance. We present 51 collected own cases of traffic-accidents due to sudden attacks of unconsciousness. Only 7 of them had an epileptic seizure, 23 were caused by internal disturbances. In 18 partly young drivers there was no evident sign of sickness, although they gave rise to accidents due to a sudden attack of unconsciousness, difficult to classify. Additionally we consider the difficulty caused by ceasing therapy of seizure-free patients and driving-ability. With respect to this an own case is quoted. Also the effects of anticonvulsics on driving ability are discussed. Finally we try to develop an expertising-strategy.

Anticonvulsants↗
PubMed1991

[Circadian correlations of criminal behavior with reference to simultaneous alcoholic intoxication].

In order to study the correlation between criminal acts and time of day we analyzed reports of the Federal Police Department in Salzburg covering 2 months as well as our own psychiatric expert-opinions in case of robbery and homicide. Offences against property have the same day-time rhythm as does regular labour. Alcoholic intoxication hardly occurs with offences against property, although the activity of burglars goes over into the early hours of night. Aggressive offences are commonly accompanied by alcoholic intoxication, they are mainly observed at night. Lesser aggressive offences such as maltreatment or fighting generally occur during the late afternoon until midnight. Whereas aggressive offences of alcoholized persist throughout later hours of the night. The delinquency of robbery and homicide continues into the early hours of the morning. In cases of homicide there are differences concerning the individual conflict-situation. Homicides in connection with family tragedies or partnership conflicts usually occur during the afternoon or the early evening and show just a minor connection with alcoholization. Homicides in the course of primitive conflicts appear highly correlated to alcoholization and to the night hours. In cases of homicide of mental-patients there is no general connection with alcoholization or can there be seen a day-time correlation.

Alcoholic Intoxication↗
PubMed1990

[Diurnal correlation of criminal behavior].

In order to study the correlation between criminal acts and time of day we analyzed reports of the Federal Police Department in Salzburg covering 2 months as well as our own psychiatric expert-opinius in cases of robbery and homicide. Offences against property have the same day-time rhythm as does regular labour. Alcoholic intoxication hardly occurs with offences against property, although the activity of burglars goes over into the early hours of night. Aggressive offences are commonly accompanied by alcoholic intoxication, they are mainly observed at night. Less aggressive offences such as maltreatment or fighting generally occur during the late afternoon until midnight. Whereas aggressive offences of alcoholized persist throughout later hours of the night. The delinquency of robbery and homicide continues into the early hours of the morning. In cases of homicide there are differences concerning the individual conflict-situation. Homicides in connection with family tragedies or partnership conflicts usually occur during the afternoon or the early evening and show just a minor connection with alcoholization. Homicides in the course of primitive conflicts appear highly correlated to alcoholization and to the night hours. In cases of homicide of mental-patients there is no general connection with alcoholization nor can there be seen a day-time correlation.

Alcoholic Intoxication↗
PubMed1989

[Causes and incidence of traffic accidents caused by precipitous disorders of consciousness and illnesses of drivers. A one year study in Upper Austria and Salzburg].

It was attempted to make a survey of all traffic accidents due to sudden disturbances of health on behalf of drivers, being supported by the police of Upper Austria and Salzburg. Only 26 out of a total amount of 53.530 road accidents were made known but the cooperation with the police did not always seem to work too well. Only in the province of Salzburg did the number of these accidents correspond with the expected frequencies of 1.3%. Most of the drivers were internally sick, cardiovascular diseases prevailing. The danger of epilepsy is generally overestimated, that of diabetes and other internal diseases rather underrated. People in general good health were also seen causing accidents due to nausea. In such cases self-endangering is twice as common as the exposure of others to danger. In the majority of the incidents only damage to property resulted. In addition it became apparent, that accidents with damage to people occurred more often in the city than in rural areas, whereas fatalities and severe injuries were more common in the country than in cities.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1981

[Problem of classifying the commotio cerebri into severe and slight injuries (author's transl)].

Our material of medical legal investigations backs up the theory that the time of amnesia as part of the commotio cerebri seems to be prolonged under the influence of alcohol, and that retrograde amnesia is more frequent in drunken patients. A purely contusional damage of the skull of overtired and/or drunken persons more often leads to concussion of the brain. The case histories never contained detailed information about the exact duration of unconsciousness. Therefore, the common classification of the commotio cerebri into severe or slight injuries does not seem to be justified. It should better be defined as a slight injury.

Alcoholic Intoxication↗
PubMed1975

[Aspects of epilepsy in childhood (author's transl)].

Between 3700 and 3900 children are admitted annually to this children's hospital. During the past four years a total of 455 children with convulsions were admitted for investigation. 255 of these cases were calcified as epilepsy, 202 as febrile convulsions and 28 as neonatal convulsions. A quarter of the epileptic children showed fits of the petit mal type. There were only 5 cases of infantile propulsive petit mal. High frequency of fits and, in particular, status epilepticus, were very rarely seen in the present study. A case of self-induced photosensitive epilepsy, later combined with psychomotor epilepsy, is referred to in detail. Of 149 children with grand mal epilepsy, 36 were classed as idiopathic, and 88 as symptomatic cases. 37 of the symptomatic cases showed focal epilepsy with generalisation. It was concluded from the clinical course and the EEG that the combined effects of familial predisposition towards fits and exogenous cerebral lesions were operative factors in 14 patients. Children with febrile, convulsions possessed an EEG suggestive of a familial predisposition towards fits in slightly more than 50% of the cases. No cause could be found for the seizures in 5 infants with neonatal convulsions, but the mother of one of these infants was an epileptic herself, undergoing treatment with anticonvulsive drugs in high dosage and a withdrawal syndrome was suspected in this particular case. 17 infants with neonatal convulsions were symptomless on leaving hospital and remained so during the first year of life. Of the remaining cases, 10 showed neurological disturbances and one died. There was only one case in which neonatal convulsions progressed directly to epilepsy. The peak incidence of the first appearance of fits occurred during the first year of life (136 children), with 18% of the entire case material presenting within the first 6 months. 108 children presented with fits for the first time during the second year of life. Thereafter, the tendency towards the development of fits for the first time in life declined with increasing age.

Age Factors↗