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Biomedical subjects

C Albani

Publications and source records attributed to C Albani.

30 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Optimization of symptomatic therapy in Parkinson's disease.

A third-order nonlinear mathematical model of the dose-effect relationship of levodopa, one of the most common drugs used for the symptomatic therapy of Parkinson's disease, is derived with the aid of a visual tracking based method which allows the measurement of some Parkinsonian symptoms quantitatively and objectively. The parameters of this model are identified for each subject separately due to the large interpatient variability in response to treatment. The model is then used to optimize the dosage regimen for each patient individually (according to the clinical particularities and needs of each patient) with respect to an objective function which includes the symptoms dynamically and the total amount of levodopa which is to be administered. Encouraging clinical results of this control engineering approach to therapy optimization are presented. The advantages and drawbacks of this approach are discussed and further research directions are indicated.

Benserazide↗
PubMed1987

[Long-term problems of levodopa therapy in Parkinson disease].

The dependence of motor side effects of L-DOPA therapy on clinical and pharmacodynamic parameters was investigated in 28 patients with Parkinson's disease. Duration of disease and degree of motor impairment were significantly less in a first group of 12 patients without motor side effects than in a second group of 16 patients with fluctuations of antiparkinsonian effects and dyskinesias. The two groups showed different pharmacodynamic patterns: the antiparkinsonian effect in the first group remained unchanged, with decreasing DOPA plasma concentrations (Type I), whereas in the second group a direct correlation between DOPA plasma levels and antiparkinsonian effect was observed (Type II). A possible mechanism for the different pharmacodynamic patterns and its relevance for therapy are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Computer-aided measuring of motor functions using pursuit tracking.

The necessity of evaluating motor functions objectively and quantitatively is discussed. Tracking tasks and their appropriateness in assessing motor performance is reviewed. Motor performance can be effectively assessed by means of tracking tasks. A simple tracking device is presented which allows the measurement of motor performance in different conditions. It is pointed out that computers are well suited for driving the stimulus in tracking tasks as well as recording the performance in experiments based on tracking tasks. Differences between open and closed loop conditions, compensatory tracking, pursuit tracking, preview tracking and cognitive tracking are discussed. A flexible computer-controlled device is presented with which diverse experiments based on tracking tasks can be performed and their results recorded. A complete description of the user-oriented, interactive programs with which the experiments can be controlled and the relevant performance data can be recorded is given. An example of their application on measuring the effects of levodopa therapy on the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease is presented.

Computers↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Measuring parkinsonian symptoms with a tracking device.

After a brief discussion of the existing methods of measuring various motor and other neurological functions as well as methods of inferring the parkinsonian symptoms therefrom, a simple computer based device and a method making use of pursuit tracking to assess different motor and neurologic characteristics are proposed. Computational methods of extracting attributes from the tracking data like the reaction time, the movement time and the error area between the reference signal and the tracking response are discussed. Measurements with a control population of healthy subjects are synopsized. Measurements with parkinsonian patients presenting tremor or bradykinesia as major symptoms are described. Finally, both results are compared.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Stereotypical relationship patterns and psychopathology.

BACKGROUND: We explored the relationship between the consistency of relationship patterns and the severity of psychopathology. METHOD: Relationship patterns were assessed by means of Relationship Anecdote Paradigm interviews rated according to the Core Conflictual Relationship Theme (CCRT) method. The repetition of the same type of CCRT components across relationship narratives indicated stereotypical patterns. RESULTS: Subjects treated in an inpatient setting (n = 25) told narratives with more consistent patterns than subjects in an outpatient setting (n = 32). Relationship episodes of normal adults (n = 23) were more flexible compared with the two clinical groups. Especially repetitions of the wish component were closely associated with the severity of psychopathology assessed by SCL-90R. CONCLUSIONS: The consistency of relationship patterns seems to be connected with the severity of psychopathology.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The core conflictual relationship theme of core relationship patterns. A further methodology-critical development of the "core conflictual relationship theme" method].

The Core Conflictual Relationship Thema Method (CCRT) by Lester Luborsky is based on the analysis of narratives about relationship episodes within transcripts of therapy sessions. Wishes, responses of the other and responses of the self are identified and counted. The critical explanation with the CCRT-Method conducted to alternative methods of data analysis. In the result we have not only one Core Conflictual Relationship Theme (CCRT), but we analyse the structure of Central Relationship Pattern (CRP). We set an example with a completely judged brief psychodynamic psychotherapy with about 300 relationship episodes.

Conflict, Psychological↗