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Biomedical subjects

D Schalling

Publications and source records attributed to D Schalling.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Testosterone, aggression, physical, and personality dimensions in normal adolescent males.

Fifty-eight normal adolescent Swedish boys, aged 16, provided two sets of blood samples for plasma testosterone assays as well as data on a number of personality inventories and rating scales assessing aggression, inpulsiveness, lack of frustration tolerance, extraversion, and anxiety. Physical variables such as pubertal stage, height, weight, chest circumference, and physical strength were measured. There was a significant association (r = 0.44) between plasma testosterone levels and self-reports of physical and verbal aggression, mainly reflecting responsiveness to provocation and threat. Lack of frustration tolerance was also related to testosterone levels. About 40% of the variance in perfectly reliable testosterone measurements could be predicted from equally reliable Physical + Verbal Aggression and Lack of Frustration Tolerance scales. Pubertal stage was correlated with testosterone (r = 0.44), but the above-mentioned relationships could not be accounted for by pubertal stage as a third common variable. Previous hypotheses relating testosterone to strong body build and antisocial behavior, respectively, received only weak or no support.

Adolescent↗

Interaction effects of extraversion and neuroticism on detection thresholds.

Detection thresholds for electrocutaneous stimulation were measured in young male subjects by two different methods - a method of limits and a forced-choice method - the latter assumed to be less influenced by decision processes. Relations between the threshold measures and scores in the EPI extraversion (E) and neuroticism (N) scales were studied. High N-low E ("unstable introvert") subjects had the lowest thresholds. The result is in line with the predictions made on the basis of Eysenck's personality theory.

Adult↗

Construction of a new psychiatric rating instrument, the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale (CPRS).

1. The CPRS (the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale) is a recently constructed rating instrument consisting of 65 scaled items, covering a wide range of psychiatric symptoms. Explicit definitions in a non-technical language are provided for items as well as scale steps. 2. The CPRS is mainly intended for evaluation of treatment effects, but due to the explicit descriptions, it has also been found useful for teaching purposes. It can be used in full, or as an item pool for which subscales for different psychiatric syndromes can be designed. Subscales exist, inter al., for depression, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, neurasthenic syndromes and mental distress in connection with severe physical illness. 3. The CPRS is available in parallel Swedish and English versions. It has been translated into all Scandinavian languages, and into German, Italian and Spanish. French and Russian versions are in preparation. 4. The rating is based on an interview which will require less than an hour in most cases if the scale is used in full. Due to the non-technical language used, raters without formal training in psychiatry (i.e. nurses, psychologists, general practitioners) can use the scale without reduction in reliability.

Humans↗

Urinary catecholamines, stress, and psychopathy: a study of arrested men awaiting trial.

The urinary excretion of adrenaline (A) and noradrenaline (NA) in a group of 24 arrested men was measured in three experimental sessions: 2 weeks, 1 week, and immediately before trial. The first session was assumed to represent a moderate laboratory stress due to the novelty of the situation and the last session a real life stress, associated with anticipation of appearing in court. Both are superimposed on the sustained real life stress of being in jail. There was no significant increase in A or NA in the last, presumedly the most stressful session. However, when personality measures were taken into account, there were significant and consistent differences in the pattern of A and NA excretion over the sessions between subgroups of subjects. Subjects high in psychopathy did not react with an increase in either A or NA in the last, presumedly the most stressful session. They also had conspicuously lower NA excretion, as compared to subjects low in psychopathy and relative to their own A excretion. Subjects low in psychopathy showed a reversed pattern.

Adolescent↗

Necker cube reversals, arousal and psychopathy.

Necker cube reversals were studied in a group of 24 arrested men in three experimental sessions; two weeks, one week and immediately before trial. The first session was assumed to represent a moderate laboratory stress due to the novelty of the situation, and the last session a real-life stress associated with anticipation of appearing in court. Both were superimposed on the sustained real-life stress of being in jail. There were no stress-related changes between the three sessions in the rate of apparent change (RAC) of the Necker cube. The intra-individual stability of RAC was extremely high. There were significant positive correlations between RAC in all sessions, and a psychopathy-related inventory scale, the Gough delinquency scale.

Adolescent↗

Piracetam-induced improvement of mental performance. A controlled study on normally aging individuals.

A double-blind, intra-individual cross-over comparison of the mental performance of 18 aging, non-deteriorated individuals during two 4-week periods of piracetam (1-acetamide-2-pyrrolidone) and placebo administration was performed using conventional and computerized perceptual-motor tasks. In a majority of these tasks the subjects did significantly better when on piracetam than on placebo, a finding consistent with ratings completed by two independent observers. The findings indicate new avenues for the treatment of individuals with reduced mental performance possibly related to disturbed alertness--a neglected group of psychiatric conditions.

Aged↗