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Biomedical subjects

C Stefanis

Publications and source records attributed to C Stefanis.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

The epidemiology of licit and illicit substance use among high school students in Greece.

Findings on self-reported adolescent licit and illicit substance use are presented based on a nationwide 1984 probability sample of 11,058 Greek adolescent students ages 14-18 years old. Regular smoking and use of alcohol in the 30 days prior to the survey were reported by 22.3 percent and 82.8 percent, respectively. Nearly one-third of the students (30.3 percent) reported lifetime use of psychotropic drugs without prescription, without ever having used any illicit drug. Illicit drug use is less common in Greece than in other European and North American countries with a lifetime prevalence rate of 6 percent. Regular use of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs was more common in males, while unprescribed use of licit psychotropic drugs prevailed in females. Regular smoking, drinking, and illicit drug use were associated with urbanization but not socioeconomic status. Between 1984 and 1988 in an Athenian subsample of schools there was a 20 percent increase in illicit drug use among males. Use of psychotropic drugs without prescription decreased much more than use of tobacco and alcohol.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

The effect of ECT on plasma cyclic nucleotides: a simulated ECT controlled study in melancholic patients.

Concentrations of cAMP and cGMP in plasma were measured in 20 drug-free melancholic patients during a simulated electroconvulsive treatment (SECT) and a bilateral ECT session. Blood samples were taken every 15 min beginning 15 min before and ending 60 min after the SECT or the ECT. Two-way ANOVA and paired t-test demonstrated a significant and greater fall in cAMP over time following SECT. ECT induced a marginal increase (P less than 0.05) at 45 min postictally. It is postulated that ECT causes an increase in cAMP levels which is masked by the decrease observed during SECT, caused presumably by the anaesthetic medication. The plasma cGMP levels were increased gradually and significantly after SECT and the same rise was observed during ECT. These effects are discussed in relation to changes in adrenergic-cholinergic activities induced by the medication and the electrical stimulus.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Ritanserin, a 5-HT2 receptor antagonist, does not modify ECT-induced prolactin release.

The effect of pretreatment with ritanserin, a potent and selective serotonin-S2 (5-HT2) receptor antagonist, on the prolactin (PRL) response to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was studied in seven female patients suffering from major depressive disorder. They were given either ECT alone, or ECT after 10 or 20 mg ritanserin PO, and PRL was estimated in blood samples taken at times -5, 0, +5, +15, +30 and +60 min. The PRL responses after drug administration were not different from the responses after ECT alone. We conclude that, if serotonergic mechanisms are involved in the ECT-induced PRL increase, this neuroendocrine response seems to be rather a 5-HT1 than 5-HT2 receptor mediated event.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Clonidine in the treatment of mixed bipolar disorder.

In a mixed bipolar disorder patient, DST-positive, treated with neuroleptics and antidepressants, the addition of clonidine (up to 0.6 mg/day) caused a rapid improvement in his psychopathology, without any significant side effects. The concentrations of the metabolites of noradrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin (MHPG, HVA, and 5-HIAA), the hormone prolactin and the activity of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase estimated in plasma during the clonidine trial are also reported.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Effects of treatment with various doses of haloperidol on the pituitary-gonadal axis in male schizophrenic patients.

Fifteen male paranoid schizophrenics underwent an initial 4-week therapy with haloperidol 7.5 mg/day, and a subsequent 4-week treatment with haloperidol 15 mg/day, p.o. (group I). Another 15 male paranoid schizophrenics received an initial 4-week treatment with haloperidol 30 mg/day, and a subsequent 4-week therapy with haloperidol 60 mg/day, p.o. (group II). In each group of patients, serum prolactin (PRL), luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone (T) levels were measured before treatment and at the end of the two consecutive periods of treatment. A dose-related increase in serum PRL levels was found in both groups of medicated patients. Serum LH levels were not significantly affected by haloperidol treatment. A significant decrease in serum T levels was detected only in group II medicated patients, i.e., in the patients who were treated with relatively high daily doses (30 or 60 mg/day) of haloperidol.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1988

Effects of 4 weeks treatment with chlorpromazine and/or trihexyphenidyl on the pituitary-gonadal axis in male paranoid schizophrenics.

Serum prolactin (PRL), luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone (T) levels were estimated in a group of 30 male paranoid schizophrenics before and after 4 weeks treatment with chlorpromazine and/or trihexyphenidyl, and in a group of 14 healthy male individuals. After treatment with chlorpromazine (100 mg t.i.d., p.o.), 10 patients presented a significant increase in serum PRL values and a significant decrease in serum T values. A significant increase in serum PRL values was also found in 10 patients who were treated with chlorpromazine (100 mg t.i.d., p.o.) plus trihexyphenidyl (5 mg t.i.d., p.o.). No significant difference in any of the investigated endocrine parameters was detected in 10 patients after 4 weeks administration of trihexyphenidyl (5 mg t.i.d., p.o.). Following chlorpromazine treatment with or without concomitant administration of trihexyphenidyl, 20 patients showed a significant increase in serum PRL levels and a significant decrease in serum LH and T levels.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Attempted suicide by jumping: clinical and social features.

A group of 46 persons who had attempted suicide by jumping was compared on clinical and social-demographic parameters with another group of 214 persons who had attempted suicide by drug overdose. The differential characteristics of persons attempting suicide by jumping are the following: more often men, of a more advanced age, married or widowed, more often suffering from major psychopathology (that is affective psychosis-depressive type or schizophrenia), and quite frequently having a serious somatic illness.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Parental rearing patterns and drug abuse. Preliminary report.

Results from a controlled study on a sample of 91 imprisoned drug dependents on perceived parental rearing practices using the EMBU and on parental family characteristics are presented. While few differences were observed between drug dependents and imprisoned controls-father less warm and mother more permissive in drug dependent group--comparisons of drug dependents with a general population sample revealed more differences between the two populations: drug dependents perceive both parents compared to the general population group as less rejective, very permissive, their mother as warmer and more overprotective and their father more inconsistent and less favouring them than siblings. Supportive evidence on the dependents' family psychopathology is provided by studying family characteristics. While our findings seem to support the prevailing view in the literature on the role of the mother of the drug dependent characterised by strong emotional bonds and overprotection as well as of the rather emotionally distant father, the question is raised on the contribution of other factors, such as psychopathic personality, on the above findings.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Effects of piracetam on single central neurons.

Piracetam, when applied microiontophoretically and/or by hydropneumatic pump on the somatosensory cortex and hippocampus of the rat, affected neuronal activity by depressing or facilitating the spontaneous firing rate, depending on the area studied. Its effect were either additive or counteracting the actions of glutamate, gamma-aminobutyric acid and acetylcholine, when administered together on the same neuron, thus supporting the assumption that its action is directed towards specific membrane elements, presumably the synaptic sites.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1988

Neurochemical variables in delusional depression.

The authors assayed plasma dopamine beta-hydroxylase activity, platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity, plasma prolactin, the urinary monoamine metabolites 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), and homovanillic acid (HVA), and urinary cAMP from 18 delusional and 22 nondelusional depressed inpatients. No significant differences between the two groups were found.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

The patterns of prolactin release by ECT and TRH compared.

The patterns of prolactin release after bilateral ECT and after 0.4 mg TRH i.v. were studied in 11 female melancholic patients in a 5-min sampling protocol. Mean prolactin peaking times were 10.2 min after ECT and 20.5 min after TRH. The elimination rate coefficients were significantly lower--and the corresponding half-lives longer--for prolactin released by TRH than by ECT. A significant positive correlation of the maximal prolactin responses by the two stimuli was also found.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Delusional depression: further evidence for genetic contribution.

To quantify the contribution of genetic factors in the pathogenesis of delusional depression, the incidence of major depression in the first degree relatives of 77 delusional, 76 nondelusional depressive patients, and 153 age- and sex-matched controls was calculated in a case-control study. The morbid risk for psychiatric disorders, including major depression and bipolar I disorder, did not distinguish the two proband groups. The segregation analysis showed that the model of multifactorial inheritance fits best to our results. Heritability was estimated on the basis of a threshold model for multifactorial inheritance, and a high contribution of genetic factors for both subgroups was found.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Multiple neuroendocrinological responses in borderline personality disorder patients.

Male patients suffering from borderline personality disorder (n = 13), major depression (n = 13) or schizophrenia (n = 13) were investigated on several psychopathological (HDRS, BPRS) and neuroendocrinological (DST and TSH, PRL, GH responses to TRH) parameters. Comparisons were made between the borderline group and the other groups of patients. Borderline patients differed from schizophrenics psychopathologically (BPRS) and neuroendocrinologically (DST). Also, borderline patients differed from major depressives in the HDRS, but behaved like them concerning DST. Our findings support the hypothesis that there are neuroendocrinological similarities between borderline personality disorder and major depressive patients, especially on the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Increased prolactin response to thyrotropin releasing hormone during migraine attacks.

Prolactin (PRL) has been associated with the pathogenesis of migraine, and various approaches have been used to investigate its role. In the present study, the PRL response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) was evaluated in eight women migraineurs during an attack-free state and during a migraine attack. PRL baseline values were not different in the two states, and the same was true for the TSH responses to TRH. The PRL responses to TRH were, however, significantly higher during the attack, a finding that indicates a latent disturbance of the PRL-regulating systems in migraine, with a higher responsiveness during migraine attacks.

Adult↗