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Biomedical subjects

B Saletu

Publications and source records attributed to B Saletu.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMed1977

The evoked potential in pharmacopsychiatry.

Somatosensory, visual and auditory evoked potentials (EP) were recorded in different psychatric populations before as well as during psychotropic drug treatment. Drug-free schizophrenic patients showed shorter latencies, smaller amplitudes and an increased intraindividual variability in their EP than controls. Psychotic children but also children of schizophrenic mothers (so-called high-risk children) exhibited similar differences as compared to controls, suggesting a CNS overarousal as the pathoneurophysiological substrate of schizophrenia. Shorter latencies were also seen in children of psychopathic fathers. Regression and correlation analysis of psychopathological and EP measurements in hyperkinetic children revealed the following findings: the shorter the latencies and the higher the amplitudes, the sicker was the child. During psychopharmacotherapy, significant changes occurred in the EP measurements, which were found to be significantly correlated with clinical improvement or deterioration. Neuroleptics induced a latency increase and an amplitude decrease in schizophrenic patients and psychotic children. Interestingly, amphetamine produced in hyperkinetic children a latency increase too, thus explaining the 'paradoxical' clinical response to amphetamine observed in these children. Differences between therapy-responsive and therapy-resistant patients are described and, finally, some data concerning the role of the pretreatment EP as a predictor of therapeutic outcome are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Classification and determination of cerebral biovailability of psychotropic drugs by quantitative "pharmaco-EEG" and psychometric investigations (studies with AX-A411-BS).

Utilizing computerized quantitative analysis of the human scalp recorded electroencephalogram (EEG), it is possible to classify psychotropic drugs. While neuroleptic compounds produce an increase of slow and decrease of fast activities, anxiolytic substances induce an augmentation of fast waves, decrease of alpha waves and--according to the sedative properties of the drug--an increase or decrease of slow waves. Antidepressants produce a concomitant augmentation of slow and fast activities as well as an attenuation of alpha waves. Nootropic substances attenuate slow activities, augment alpha and slow beta waves and decrease fast beta waves. The latter alterations are quite opposite to age-related changes. Since the main psychopharmacological classes seem to have characteristic pharmaco-EEG profiles, the method proved to be useful for determination of psychoactivity and cerebral bioavailability of newly developed substances as for instance AX-A411-BS, a new benzodiazepine. The latter substance was found to be CNS-active and was classified as anxiolytic. It induced dosedependent changes, which were barely visible in the 2nd hour post-drug, became quite obvious in the 4th hour and increased until the 8th hour after oral administration of one single dose. In the higher dosage range, slow activities came to the fore, indicating aoditional sedative properties. Psychometric tests measuring attention, psychomotor activity. mood, vigilance, extroversion, concentration aith a long-lasting effect. The implications of these methods are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Tandamine--a new norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Clinical, psychometric and quantitative EEG studies in depressed patients.

Tandamine (AY-23,946)- a new norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor with practically no serotonin potentiation, MAO inhibition and anticholinergic activity-was administered in doses from 75 to 200 mg to a group of 20 hospitalized depressed patients. Weekly clinical evaluation including the ECDEU global score. Hamilton score and Zung self-rating score demonstrated a slight improvement which became statistically significant between the 1st and 2nd weeks of therapy. While the 'thymoleptic' properties of the drug were weak, a pronouned 'activating/stimulatory' effect of the drug was noted. Psychometric tests showed an increase in attention, concentration and psychomotor activity as well as an improvement in FPI personality dimensions 'depression' and 'inhibition', while the Taylor anxiety score did not reveal any changes. Digital computer period analysis of the EEG demonstrated, 6 h after oral administration of 50 mg tandamine, a decrease of slow waves, a significant increase of fast activity as well as a significant attenuation of the amplitude variability. Such changes are reminiscent of the pharmaco-EEG profile of psychostimulatory drugs and may represent the neurophysiological correlate for the activating/stimulatory properties of tandamine. Our finding suggest that the well-tolerated drug may be of some benefit for retarded depressions.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

The treatment of endomorphous and psychogenic depressions with a fixed combination of amitriptyline/flupenthixol (Lu 7410).

The clinical efficacy of a fixed combination of 10 mg amitriptyline and 0.5 mg flupenthixol (Lu 7410) was studied in 30 (15 endomorphous and 15 psychogenic) depressive patients over 4 weeks. Stepwise titration of the drug resulted in an optimal daily dosage of 6 tablets (1 table, morning, 1 at noon, and 4 in the evening). Based on the ECDEU Global Score the overall symptomatology improved significantly as early as in the first week and was best in the third week. Evaluation of the detailed psychopathology by means of the AMP-system showed, that aside from thymoleptic properties, Lu 7410 has a stimulatory-activating-effect (improvement of drive) as well as an anxiolytic-sedative component (improvement of suicidal tendencies, agitation and sleep disturbances). While the former is seen predominantly in low doses and in endomorphous depressions, the latter is prominent in higher doses and in psychogenic depressions. There was a lack of extrapyramidal side effects as well as of alterations in blood count, blood chemistry and ECG. Psychological tests supported the clinical observations, inasmuch as a significant increase of extroversion and aggressivity was seen in the FPI of endomorphous depressives, while psychogenic depressives revealed decreases in extroversion and sociability. Moreover, a decrease in the Taylor anxiety score and increase in concentration was noted, based on the AD test. The results will be discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Slow-drip dibenzepine infusion in depression. Proof of rapid efficacy by quantitative EEG and affect-polarity profile studies.

The efficacy of a new intensive antidepressive treatment procedure--48 h slow drip infusion with 1,440 mg dibenzepine2 and subsequent oral treatment--was investigated in endomorphous (endogenous) depressed patients. In addition to evaluations of alterations in psychopathology by clinicians, time of onset and the extent of the therapeutic effect was determined by the patients themselves using the affect-polarity profile, and by EEG power-spectral density analysis. Clinical improvement started as early as in the 3rd hour of the dibenzepine infusion and was predominantly due to an anxiolytic/sedative drug effect. The thymoleptic effect started at the end of the infusion and increased with progressing oral treatment up to the 3rd week. Neurophysiological changes were ahead of the psychopathological ones, since a statistical decrease in dominant frequency of the EEG occurred 1 h after the start of dibenzepine infusion.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1976

[Proceedings: Psychotropic drugs and quality of sleep: quantitative neurophysiological and subjective parameters (author's transl)].

The effect of drugs of the 3 main psychopharmaceutical classes (anxiolytics, neuroleptics, antidepressants) on objective and subjective sleep parameters was studied in healthy normal volunteers. Objective parameters included: computerclassified sleep stages, visually evaluated REM-activity as well as 22 variables of the quantitatively analyzed all-night sleep and REM-sleep EEG. Alterations of the subjective sleep quality were rated based on a sleep self-rating scale. It was found that anxiolytics, neuroleptics and antidepressants induce characteristic changes in the objective sleep parameters. Subjectively, the quality of sleep was best after anxiolytics, while the quality of awakening in the morning was dependent on the dose of the anxiolytic drug. Finally, the relationship between objective and subjective sleep parameters was explored.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Hypno-analgesia and acupuncture analgesia: a neurophysiological reality?

The effects of hypnosis, acupuncture and analgesic drugs on the subjective experience of pain and on objective neurophysiological parameters were investigated. Pain was produced by brief electric stimuli on the wrist. Pain challengers were: hypnosis (induced by two different video tapes), acupuncture (at specific and unspecific loci, with and without electrical stimulation of the needles), morphine and ketamine. Evaluation of clinical parameters included the subjective experience of pain intensity, blood pressure, puls, temperature, psychosomatic symptoms and side effects. Neurophysiological parameters consisted of the quantitatively analyzed EEG and somatosensory evlked potential (SEP). Pain was significantly reduced by hypnosis, morphine and ketamine, but not during the control seesion. Of the four acupuncture techniques, only electro-acupuncture at specific loci significantly decreased pain. The EEG changes during hypnosis were dependent on the wording of the suggestion and were characterized by an increase of slow and a decrease of fast waves. Acupuncture induced just the opposite changes, which were most significant when needles were inserted at traditional specific sites and stimulated electrically. The evoked potential findings suggested that ketamine attenuates pain in the thalamo-cortical pathways, while hypnosis, acupuncture and morphine induce analgesia at the later CNS stage of stimulus processing. Finally some clinical-neurophysiological correlations were explored.

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed1975

Computerized EEG: predictor of outcome in schizophrenia.

Based on a double blind cross-over study, it was determined that schizophrenic patient who have more high frequency fast activity and a lesser degree of alpha and slow waves in computerized EEG before the treatment have a better therapeutic outcome to the major tranquilizer (neuroleptic) treatment. The correlation between pretreatment high frequency computer EEG measurements and better therapeutic outcome reached the level of statistical significance. "Therapy resistant" schizophrenic patients were characterized by a lesser degree of very fast beta activity, more alpha waves and slow waves, higher amplitudes in computer EEG, and a lesser degree of acute (florid) psychotic symptomatology but more "negative" symptoms such as motor retardation and blunted affect. One of the most striking results of the study is the finding that schizophrenic patients with certain psychopathological profiles also have similar computer EEG profiles.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Comparative symptomatological and evoked potential studies with d-amphetamine, thioridazine, and placebo in hyperkinetic children.

In a double-blind study, 62 hyperkinetic children were randomly assigned to 8 weeks of treatment with either placebo, thioridazine, or d-amphetamine. The overall clinical symptomatology improved with all three substances, although d-amphetamine was significantly superior to placebo and thioridazine. Out of eight symptom clusters rated by the parents, two improved significantly with placebo, one with thioridazine, and six with d-amphetamine. The d-amphetamine was superior to placebo in reducing muscular tension and superior to thioridazine in decreasing hyperactive-impulsive behavior, psychosomatic problems, and muscular tension. Out of four teachers' symptom clusters, inattentive-passive behavior was significantly improved by thioridazine (which was also superior to placebo), while hyperactivity was reduced by d-amphetamine. Quantitative evaluation of visual evoked potentials (VEPs) revealed an increase in latencies and decrease in amplitudes during thioridazine treatment. Paradoxically, d-amphetamine also increased latencies, while tending to augment amplitudes. Regression and correlation analysis of clinical symptomatology with VEP variables showed that the shorter the pretreatment latencies and the higher the amplitudes, the more disturbed was the child. Short latencies and small amplitudes in the pretreatment period were predictors of good therapeutic outcome with subsequent thioridazine treatment, while short latencies and high amplitudes were indicative of such with d-amphetamine treatment. During therapy, the greater the drug-induced augmentation of latencies, the greater the clinical improvement. Finally, VEP differences between therapy-responsive and -resistant patients were explored and discussed.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1975

Are hormones psychoactive? Evoked potential investigations in man.

The somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) of physically and mentally healthy male subjects was recorded before as well as 4 hours after administration of one single dose of placebo, cyproterone acetate (an antiandrogen), and mesterolone (an androgen). Quantitative evaluation of drug-induced changes in SEP latencies and amplitudes, which, when plotted in terms of t-values, result in the so-called "SEP profiles", did not demonstrate any significant alterations after placebo. Contrary to this, cyproterone acetate induced systematic and significant changes characterized by a latency increase in the early peaks and latency decrease in the late peaks of the SEP. Apart from the non-significant amplitude changes, such alterations were previously described by us as typical for drugs of the anxiolytic class. Mesterolone on the other hand, produced a significant latency decrease in the early part and a latency increase in the late part of the evoked response which was found to be typical for the SEP profiles of tricyclic antidepressants. The amplitude did not show any systematic changes. Based on step-wise discriminant analysis of these data we could significantly differentiate both hormones from placebo as well as from each other. A comparative analysis of low and high doses did not yield any significant differences between the two levels. It was concluded that both test substances have psychoactive properties; whereas cyproterone acetate reveals anxiolytic qualities, mesterolone exhibits antidepressant ones. These findings are discussed from the clinical as well as from the neurophysiological point of view.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1975

[Clinical-psychopathological and electroencephalographic studies on patients with delusions of the paranoic and the paraphrenic types].

Clinical-psychopathological and electroencephalographic investigations are reported, carried out on patients with delusions of the paranoic and of the paraphrenic types. Abnormal EEGs were found more frequently in patients with a paraphrenic syndrome, and there was also a relatively more frequent response to flickering lights than in the paranoic group. There was also a more frequent response to flicker in patients with auditory hallucinations. Psychopathologically more florid delusional syndromes appear to produce abnormalities in the EEG more readily than do psychopathologically less elaborate syndromes.

Adolescent↗