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Biomedical subjects

B Graber

Publications and source records attributed to B Graber.

43 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1980

Factor analysis of the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery. I. Motor, rhythm, and tactile scales.

In recent years, Golden and his associates have devised and presented a standardized version of Luria's neuropsychological examination. One of the main advantages of this battery over Luria's more qualitative approach is the possibility of examining a number of the theoretical statements made by Lauria concerning the relationship of basic psychological skills which make up the tests in each of ten major areas of neuropsychological function. The present paper is an initial attempt to examine some of the interrelationships among items on the standardized battery and to compare these to Luria's theoretical structures. To do this the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery was administered to a mixed neurological, psychiatric and normal population of 272 individuals. From the results of study of these patients, principle axis factor analyses with communalities on the diagonal) were done on three scales (Motor, Rhythm, Tactile) and obliquely rotated to the simplest solution. The resulting factors were found, in general, to conform to the factors predicted by Luria's theory. The interpretation of each factor found is discussed, as well as its implication. Future papers are planned to deal with the factor structure of further scales on the standardized battery.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Differentiation of chronic schizophrenics with and without ventricular enlargement by the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery.

The present study investigated whether the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery could be used clinically to differentiate schizophrenics with ventricular or sulcal enlargement from schizophrenics with no such enlargement as identified by a CT scan. The study investigated 42 patients, 24 males and 18 females, who were admitted to the Nebraska Psychiatric Institute with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. The age range of the sample was from 20 to 39 years with all patients rating the definition of chronic schizophrenia according to DSM-111. Patients were tested in the present study while on antipsychotic medications. All patients were administered both the CT scan, which was analyzed using the methods of Weinberger and his associates (1979) and the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery. Using normative data previously published in the literature, each CT scan was classified as normal or abnormal. Using objective rules of interpretation given in the paper, the Battery was 81% accurate in determining the presence of ventricular enlargement. The Battery was also 90% accurate in identifying the presence or absence of sulcal enlargement. The implications of the present results for the use of psychological testing as a possible screening device for CT scans in a psychiatric population is discussed. Also, the limitations of the methods used in this paper are discussed as well as their advantages.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Amelioration of decompression sickness in mice by pretreatment with cyproheptadine.

Substances that stimulate smooth muscle have been previously implicated in the pathogenesis of decompression sickness. This concept was strongly supported by the demonstration that compounds that combine activities against histamine, bradykinin, and serotonin prevent or ameliorate decompression sickness. This communication deals with the prophylactic effect of cyproheptadine (Periactin), a drug exhibiting such pharmacologic properties. More than 500 obese mice were used. Experimental groups, subcutaneously injected with cyproheptadine (0.5-40 mg/kg) prior to compression, and corresponding control animals were simultaneously subjected to 75 psig air pressure for 6 h and then rapidly decompressed. Most control animals exhibited signs of decompression sickness (chokes, scratching, twitching, convulsions, paralysis) and died. Gross and histologic examination revealed gas bubbles in vessels and tissues, perivascular edema, and other changes. In cyproheptadine-treated animals the incidence and severity of clinical manifestations and pathologic alterations were reduced, and mortality was marked decreased. Statistically significant results were obtained with doses of 2.5-10.0 mg/kg. The 5-mg/kg does lowered mortality by 45.9%. These results support the proposed pathogenetic concept and suggest a potential preventive treatment for human subjects.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Female orgasm: role of pubococcygeus muscle.

An examination is made of the role of the pubococcygeus muscle in relation to female orgasm in 281 women. A statistically significant difference is reported between orgasmic and anorgasmic women and the physiological state of the pubococcygeus muscle as measured using a pressure sensitive device inserted in the vagina. These data suggest the pubococcygeus muscle plays an important part in the pathophysiology of female orgasm.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Increased blood-brain barrier permeability to tetracycline in rabbits under dysbaric conditions.

Alteration of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) by dysbaric exposure may have relevance in several areas of hyperbaric medicine. Drugs administered to persons exposed to dysbaric conditions, e.g., divers, compressed air workers, may penetrate the brain in amounts that could produce toxic or undesirable effects. Modification of the BBB may also have pathogenetic implications in decompression sickness. Furthermore, increased BBB permeability to certain potentially useful antitumor agents, antibiotics, and other compounds under dysbaric conditions may provide the basis for a new therapeutic approach. This report concerns the influence of dysbaric exposure on BBB permeability to an antibiotic. Tetracycline (5-40 mg/kg) was intravenously injected in 22 experimental rabbits (subjected to air compression-decompression) and 17 controls (kept at ambient pressure). Fluorescence microscopy and spectrometry revealed significantly greater tetracycline concentrations in 72.7% of the experimental brains. With the 5 mg/kg dose, the mean tetracycline concentrations was 0.17 micrograms/g in control brains and 0.33 micrograms/g in experimentals. These results indicate that dysbaric exposure increases BBB permeability to tetracycline. It appears that BBB alteration is related to intravascular gas bubbles but is independent of the development of decompression sickness. The conclusions of this investigation are pertinent to brain pharmacotherapy and may provide some new insight into the mechanism of decompression sickness. They also point to potential risks connected with drug administration under dysbaric conditions that can alter BBB permeability.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Somatosensory evoked potentials elicited by dorsal penile and posterior tibial nerve stimulation.

SEPs were elicited by stimulation of the dorsal penile nerve (DPN) or posterior tibial nerve (PTN) under 3 conditions of stimulation: random and constant interstimulus intervals, and subject-initiated stimulation. Within these conditions, the effects of repeated stimulation were also examined. The latency of the N90 peak decreased with repeated stimulation. N90 amplitude decreased with increased foreknowledge as well as with repeated stimulation. Factors extracted by principal components analysis revealed similar effects. A difference between DPN and PTN stimulation was seen in a factor associated with the N90 peak, wherein the condition involving subject self-initiation of the stimulus reflected a significantly greater decrease in SEP amplitude when the DPN was stimulated. Morphological commonalities were observed in the SEPs elicited by DPN and PTN for a given subject.

Adult↗