Biomedical subjects

C Eggers

Publications and source records attributed to C Eggers.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

PubMed1977

[EEG changes in the course of progressive cerebral disorders in children (author's transl)].

This survey presents EEG-data on the following disorders: Globoid-cell leucodystrophy (Krabbe), Metachromatic Leukodystrophy, GM2 Gangliosidosis I (Tay-Sachs), Neuronal Ceroidlipofuscinosis. During Krabbe's disease the background activity of the EEG slows down, multifocal and generalized hypersynchroneous activity (HSA) appears, in the final stage hypsarrythmia is found occasionally. In contrast HSA during Sulfatide lipidosis appears only in the final stages. The EEG changes in Tay Sachs disease are minimal in the beginning; later only high amplitude slowing and especially focal abnormalities with spikes and sharp-waves will appear and in advanced stages there is generalized depression of amplitudes. The Elektroretinogramm (ERG) remains intact but VEP disappear. In contrast, in Neuronal Ceroidlipofuscinosis irregular spikes and sharp-waves can be found shortly after onset of the disease. Later on there is a generalized depression of amplitudes; photic driving and differences between sleeping and waking diminish from the 3rd year of life on; thereafter, the EEG becomes isoelectric. The ERG is extinguished from the very beginning in infantile, lateinfantile and juvenile type of Ceroid-Lipofuscinosis.

Brain Diseases, Metabolic↗

PubMed1976

[Autistic syndrome (Kanner) and vaccination against smallpox (author's transl)].

3-4 weeks following an otherwise uncomplicated first vaccination against smallpox a boy, then aged 15 months and last seen at the age of 5 1/2 years, gradually developed a complete Kanner syndrome. The question whether vaccination and early infantile autism might be connected is being discussed. A causal relationship is considered extremely unlikely. But vaccination is recognized as having a starter function for the onset of autism.

Autistic Disorder↗

PubMed1975

[The acute visual hallucinosis in infancy. Clinical, neurophysiological and psychodevelopmental aspects and differential typology (author's transl)].

By introducing the definition "hallucinosis" (Wernicke) it has become possible to confine the psychoses of organic origin more closely. Therefore, this term should also be used in pediatry and pedopsychiatry in order to designate cases with corresponding clinical aspects. Thus, accordance to the phenomenological characteristics of such syndromes as described in this paper, it is justified to emphasize that the acute hallucinosis in children is a special type of disease as compared to other psychoses caused by exogenic influences in this age group. The 10 case reports deal with visual hallucinoses which turned out to be characteristically different compared to those in adults. Hallucinating children at the age of 3 to 9 years predominantly visualized animals and legendary beings. Contrary to findings in adults, scenic and systematized visions were scarcely noticed, which psychodevelopmentally may be attributed to the fact that creative power in children is still little pronounced. Etiologically intoxications and infectious diseases were the cause for the visual hallucinations of the 10 children described. In the development of visual hallucinations somatic and psychic factors are significant. They have been discussed on the basis of today's knowledge. As today, however, there exists no satisfactory theory concerning the conditions favoring the development of hallucinations. To explain the somatogenesis of visual hallucinations three theories have been outlined, based on the present neurophysiological findings. It has been worked out that especially in children emotion plays an essential role in the origin of hallucinations. In infancy and early school age, while rational control of reality is still suppressed to a great extent, domination of emotional life goes along with lack of differentiation. At the same time the difference between imagination and perception is still little precise; therefore, phenomena, impressing as hallucinations in the adult, occur with greater facility in children.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1975

[Non-delirious toxic psychoses in children (author's transl)].

There is an increasing occurrence of drug-intoxications in infancy, thus psychopathological changes due to intoxication also occur more frequently in children. 6 children were described with cases of acute and reversible toxic psychoses whose--mainly visual--hallucinations together with conditions of excitation and hyperactivity were the most striking features of the psychopathological picture; in contrast to the more frequent delirious confusion (delirium) disturbances of consciousness and orientation were missing. The phenomenological characteristics of halucinosis in children-a condition so far not specified in the case of infants and children-have been elaborated with regard to other psychotic phenomena during infancy and adult age. Relevant neurophysiological and psychodevelopmental findings lead to the following four theorems: 1. Drugs with hallucinotic effects facilitate the occurrence of "internal" pictures independent of external perceptions which are described phenomenologically as hallucinations. This theory is based on the fact that hallucinogenic drugs intensify the electrical potentials which are evoked by optic stimulation in the visual area, while an intracortical impulse propagation is inhibited. 2. A change in emotion either caused by situation or by exogenous or endogenous factors facilitates the development of hallucinations, especially if emotions dominate to such a degree that rational control of reality is being suppressed. Since hallucinogenic drugs exert their effects not only on the sensory system but also on brain structures which influence directly or indirectly emotional functions, hallucinations might also be evoked via this mechanism. 3. Brain stem has-apart from its importance in emotional processes-a filter effect and a controlling function of sensoric stimuli originating in the periphery. Hallucinogenic drugs can influence this screening function and have a disinhibitory effect which cause an inundation of the brain cortex by sensoric stimuli which again facilitate hallucinations. 4. The neurophysiological actions discussed above which are caused by intoxications have a synergistic effect together with the psycho-developmental facts relevant to infancy. This synergism can explain the frequent occurrence of fever hallucinoses as well as the fact that agents primarily not hallucinogenic as e.g. benzydamine can also cause hallucinations in infancy.

Affective Symptoms↗

PubMed1974