Biomedical subjects

B Kofler

Publications and source records attributed to B Kofler.

38 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1977

[Rest-activity-cycle and stereotyped hand waving of a mentally defective child (author's transl)].

Stereotyped acts of a mentally defective girl. 6;6 years old, were observed from 6 a.m. till 8 p.m. during 16 days. Alternating phases of more or less frequent stereotyped hand waving showed a prominent periodicity of about 90 minutes. Sleep stages were also determined polygraphically during 10 nights. As statistically proved the mean peak-to-peak interval of the stereotyped activity at days corresponded to the mean REM- to REM period of nights. This suggests, that the stereotyped behavior of this child was driven by the basic rest activity cycle already described by Kleitman. The mean periodicity of sleep stages was represented by modeled rhythms adapted to the scored sleep stages. If the model rhythms of all 10 nights were extended backward to the preceding days, they paralleled the stereotyped activity. Half periods found in phase with REM stages corresponded to the maxima of the stereotyped activity. It will be discussed that the basic rest activity cycle triggers sensory as well as motor mechanisms characterizing both the phases of enhanced stereotyped activity and REM stages.

Behavior↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A multidimensional approach in testing nootropic drug effects (Cerebrolysin).

In an attempt to improve indicators of validity for the therapeutic efficacy of nootropics, the effects of Cerebrolysin(R) were compared across three different dimensions of variables in a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind study. A group of 27 geriatric patients suffering from an organic brain syndrome with moderate cognitive impairment of a vascular or/and degenerative nature received a series of ten Cerebrolysin + multivitamin infusions. They were compared to a second group with 14 clinically comparable patients, who received multivitamin infusions alone. Pre-posttreatment differences from (1) clinical scales (SCAG, Plutchik Geriatric Rating Scale and a self-evaluation scale); (2) psychometric test performance (trail-making and maze subtests from the Nürnberg Age Inventory); and (3) event-related brain activity (contingent negative variation (CNV) amplitude) were in favor of the Cerebrolysin-treated group. A high degree of association as well as high classification rates (95% joint correct classification) underlined their clinical significance. It was concluded that the multidimensional measurement approach could increase the clinical validity of nootropic drug effects.

Clinical Trial↗