Secondary depression in weaned alcoholics: implications of Lesch's typology of chronic alcoholism.
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Adult↗
Biomedical subjects
A Barocka
Publications and source records attributed to A Barocka.
The concept of abnormal hemispheric organization in addiction research.
In addition to the established areas of endogenous psychoses, the concept of abnormal hemispheric organization in the field of psychiatry is also generating ever greater interest in the area of research into addiction. On the basis of the demonstrably higher rate of developmental risk factors (pre-, peri-, postnatal), in particular the marker left-handedness (LH) has been interpreted as an indication of induced hemispheric 'malcontrol' in endogenous psychoses. In various studies, elevated rates of LH have also been shown in alcoholics. Alcoholism could be related to biological factors associated with anomalous cerebral dominance. In a joint study carried out by the Anton Proksch Institut in Vienna (Austria), and the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (Germany) involving a total of 250 alcohol-dependent inpatients, the hypothesis of deviant laterality in the presence of an elevated frequency of developmental risk factors has been confirmed exclusively in male alcoholics. A comparison of subtypes has also revealed that Type IV in the Lesch typology, and Type II in the Cloninger classification, are more vulnerable subtypes. These results clearly show that there are differences to be found within the overall group of alcoholics, and underscore the need for subtyping and gender-specific studies.
Alcoholism↗
Non-right-handedness and obstetrical complications in paranoid hallucinatory schizophrenics.
In previous studies a link between pregnancy complications, minor physical anomalies and non-right-handedness was described in schizophrenic patients. There is evidence of an anomaly in the lateralization process in schizophrenia. Many studies of handedness and schizophrenia have found that schizophrenic patients have an increased rate of non-right-handedness compared with normal subjects. The contemporary neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia emerged from pathobiological findings. In addition there is evidence for early brain lesions and malformations in fetal brain development. Especially pregnancy and birth complications have been found to be a risk factor for the later development of schizophrenia. In this study we set out to test the possible association between diagnosis and handedness, diagnosis and risk factors, as well as gender and handedness for 60 patients (30 men, 30 women) and 60 controls. The percentage of non-right-handedness was significantly elevated in the patient group (p = 0.0025). In a gender-specific analysis this result could be confirmed only for male patients. Peri- and postnatal developmental risk factors were significantly elevated in schizophrenics compared with controls. The percentage of all risk factors in the male group of schizophrenic non-right-handers was significantly elevated compared with right-handed male schizophrenics.
Adult↗
Morphological changes in adrenals from victims of suicide in relation to altered apoptosis.
Endocrine dysfunction may cause psychiatric symptoms and, vice versa, psychiatric diseases may lead to endocrine alterations. The adrenal as the end organ of both the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical and sympatho-adrenal axes is subject to the functional changes of the stress system. Thus, increased adrenal gland weight was observed previously in victims of violent suicide. This study was designed to analyze the morphological and morphodynamic changes of adrenals from suicide victims. We investigated 30 adrenals obtained from 15 suicide victims using immunohistochemistry and a computerized video system. In addition, apoptosis and cell proliferation were analyzed. We found a significant enlargement of the adrenal cortex to 158.8% (SD = 29.8%, p < 0.01) that was restricted to the two inner zones only (zona reticularis, 161.6 +/- 35.3%; zona fasciculata, 186.4 +/- 34.4%). This increase in adrenocortical size correlated with a decrease in the number of apoptotic cells within the zona fasciculata. In conclusion, these results clearly demonstrate chronic structural adrenal changes in suicide victims. The adrenal gland mirrors the functional changes of the stress system which leaves an imprint on the morphology of the gland.
Adrenal Glands↗