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Biomedical subjects

D I Mostofsky

Publications and source records attributed to D I Mostofsky.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Acute effects of centrophenoxine short term administration on counting behavior in rats.

This experiment assessed the effects of Centrophenoxine on counting behavior in rats. Intraperitoneal Centrophenoxine injections were given to rats before training on a 20-fixed-consecutive-number schedule of reinforcement. The primary measure was the number of consecutive lever presses. After Centrophenoxine injections, the number of consecutive lever presses was lower relative to baseline measures. The measures of variability indicated that although the consecutive number of responses was lower this could not be accounted for in terms of run length variability. The behavioral pattern produced by the injections was discussed in terms of possible shortterm physiological effects that affect performance.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1987

Dietary restriction: effects on radial maze learning and lipofuscin pigment deposition in the hippocampus and frontal cortex.

Previous studies have shown increased life span and decreased lipofuscin deposition in brain structures when both premature and young adult animals are calorically restricted of an otherwise nutritionally adequate diet. Three-months-old C57BL/6 mice were subjected to 12 months of caloric restriction (2 g/day), and subsequently exposed to a radial maze learning paradigm. Mice in the diet restriction group showed faster learning and higher asymptotic performance on the radial maze task, as well as lower lipofuscin deposition in the neurons of hippocampus and frontal cortex relative to control mice fed ad libitum. The results suggest that dietary restriction has effects on radial maze learning, and this improved behavioral performance was associated with significant reduction in lipofuscin pigment deposition in the neurons of hippocampus and frontal cortex.

Aging↗
PubMed1986

Psychological aspects of Gilles de la Tourette syndrome.

The unmistakable symptoms of Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome are classically of muscular spasms or tics, often accompanied by uncontrolled verbal outbursts or shouting of obscenities. Anecdotal as well as clinical reports suggest that these patients also suffer some psychological distress. This study used traditional MMPI scales to evaluate the psychopathological features that may underlie or accompany this disorder. In addition, we analyzed individual items of the MMPI to learn more of the phenomenology of this disorder. Data were collected from 29 Tourette patients and 29 normal controls matched for age and sex. A multivariate analysis of the clinical MMPI scales revealed group differences in score profiles. Univariate analyses indicated that Tourette subjects scored higher on the following scales: Schizophrenia, Depression, Psychopathic Deviate, Psychasthenia and Hypochondriasis. The results indicate that Tourette patients are in considerable psychological distress.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Brain iron-deficiency causes reduced learning capacity in rats.

Rats made nutritionally iron-deficient (ID) showed a significant deficit in water-maze learning compared with normal rats. The deficit was substantially greater the longer the rats stayed on the ID diet. The deficit in learning was established prior to any significant decrease in hemoglobin (Hb) level in the blood. Three weeks after the ID rats were placed on a control diet, the Hb level was restored to normal value, but the cognitive deficit remained. Previous studies showed that the behavioral effects of ID are mediated by a decrease in the functional activity of the dopaminergic system. The ID effects on learning and memory may be related to the irreversible diminished dopaminergic neurotransmission that results from ID.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Amygdala kindling in the classical conditioning paradigm.

The hypothesis was tested that epileptiform alterations of brain excitability may be elicited by a conditioning stimulus (CS) in a classical conditioning paradigm. Fifteen male albino rats were chronically implanted with electrodes in the amygdala and over the visual cortex. A train of six stroboscopic flashes served as the CS and the unconditioned stimulus was the amygdaloid electrical stimulation, delivered together with the sixth flash in the course of the kindling procedure. Rats were randomly assigned to two groups. Rats in Group 1 were exposed to one or two kindling sessions per day, and those in Group 2 were exposed to 10 such sessions every day. All rats in Group 1 showed fully mature seizures within 15 +/- 5.5 sessions, whereas none of those in Group 2 displayed kindled seizures. There was no evidence of amygdaloid afterdischarges or enhanced spiking as a response to the CS. A gradual selective suppression of the visual evoked potentials (VEP) secondary components, i.e., slow negative wave and sensory afterdischarge, paralleled kindling in Group 1. This effect was weak in Group 2. There was no change in the primary response of VEPs in either group. No recovery of VEPs followed the extinction of conditioning.

Amygdala↗
PubMed1982

Possible serotonergic mediation of induction of sleep signs by DSIP and by d-amphetamine.

Although the peripheral administration of DSIP (delta sleep inducing peptide) to intact animals does not consistently induce behavioral sleep, potentiation of the effect by d-amphetamine has been established earlier. This study investigated DSIP effects in rats following pretreatment with alpha MPT and/or 1-tryptophan at various dose levels. A clear potentiation was found. Furthermore, pretreatment with methysergide blocked the emergence of sleep signs in various treated groups. It is proposed that the action of DSIP is best understood in the context of mediation via serotonergic mechanisms.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Conditioning and the kindling model of epilepsy.

Since the development of the kindling preparation there has been much speculation on the contribution of conditioning mechanisms in accounting for the phenomenon. Two recent reports have described attempts to establish conditioned responses utilizing the kindling model. We suggest that the conclusion of uncondition-ability asserted by Wyler & Heavner (1979) is not warranted because of serious misunderstandings relating to the concepts and techniques that are central to both neurophysiological and conditioning theory. We further suggest that the results of their retardation effect can be better interpreted as positive evidence for the successful establishment of conditioning. With respect to the findings by Janowsky et al. (1980), we regard their sample size (2 animals undergoing simultaneous kindling and conditioning and one animal beginning conditioning following kindling) as inadequate for a conclusive demonstration of the success they report. Both studies, however, are seen as substantive contributions, insofar as they introduce this important perspective in kindling research, that can be expected to occupy a major role in the future developments of basic and clinical epileptology.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMed1981

Effects of d-amphetamine on colonic and skin temperatures of rats kept at various ambient temperatures.

d-Amphetamine-treated rats (15 mg/kg) were compared with untreated controls at various ambient temperatures. Colonic and skin temperatures were recorded and their ratio analyzed as a function of ambient temperature. The interaction of the peripheral receptor system (skin) with the central thermoregulatory mechanisms is discussed. The possible utility of this index as a simpler expression of the functional relationship which neither requires nor contradicts the concept of a "set point" is proposed.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Increased serotonin level via augmented tryptophan diet and its effect on escape learning.

Brain serotonin level was increased by supplementing the diet in two groups of rats. They were first exposed to conditions of shock, either escapable or inescapable. They were then placed in a cool water bath, and the response latency to successful escape was noted. Two other groups fed normal diets were similarly examined. Tryptophan effects of hypothermia were shown to interact with the analgesic effects of serotonin and to the tolerance of the noxious water bath. The results are discussed in relation to brain serotonin effects on escape following shock pretreatment ("learned helplessness") and its relevance to clinical depression.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Deriving scale values from the analysis of variance.

Subjects' responses to ordered stimuli may be used to derive interstimulus scale values without additional experimental procedures. From the conventional data matrix used for analysis of variance, it is possible to maximize selected ratios of sums of squares in a fashion which is equivalent to factor analysis or the classical discrimination problem. Given the assumption of a linear stimulus/response relationship, the calculations are straightforward and provided valuable additional information.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1980

Changes in testosterone levels in the rat following intraperitoneal cocaine HCl.

Independent groups of mature rats were administered IP injections of either 15 mg cocaine HCl or normal saline. Animals were lightly anesthetized after 45', 90', 120', or 180' and blood plasma assayed for testosterone by RIA. Experimental subjects showed increasing levels until the longest delay value when a substanial drop was noted. The importance of this finding is noted, both with regard to the issue of drug abuse as well as a potential confounding element in the analysis of chemical kindling experiments.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Neurogenic and hysterical seizures in children and adolescents: differential diagnostic and therapeutic considerations.

For patients whose seizures are not controlled by medication alone, psychotherapeutic intervention can sometimes play a useful adjunctive role in both differential diagnosis and treatment. Diagnostic issues include the differentiation between neurogenic and hysterical seizures as well as the delineation of the possible role of psychogenic stress in triggering neurogenic seizures. Therapeutic considerations focus on the alleviation of precipitating stresses as well as the development of a sense of mastery in the patient.

Adolescent↗