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Biomedical subjects

E Othmer

Publications and source records attributed to E Othmer.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1980

Electromyogram processing for sleep research.

A computer method for quantifying the submental electromyographic surface interference pattern (EMG) during sleep and wakefulness by amplitude envelope measurement for consecutive 2-sec intervals is described. The method is largely insensitive to electrocardiogram (EKG) artifact. Though this algorithm was developed as part of a program to detect electroencephalographic (EEG), electrooculographic (EOG), tonic and phasic EMG changes during sleep, the method is applicable by itself wherever the envelope width of the EMG interference pattern is of interest. The results obtained correlate well with visual estimates of the amplitude envelope of the raw EMG. It offers increased speed, accuracy and reproducibility compared to visual EMG evaluation and enables a high degree of information extraction. The simplicity of the algorithm permits implementation and on-line processing on a small laboratory computer.

Computers↗
PubMed1979

Opioid effects on computer-derived sleep and EEG parameters in nondependent human addicts.

After one adaptation night, intramuscular doses of methadone (7.5, 15, 30 mg/70 kg), morphine (10 or 20 mg/70 kg), or placebo were given to seven male nondependent opiate addicts at weekly intervals in a randomized cross-over design. After three adaptation nights, heroin (3, 6, 12 mg/70 kg) was compared with morphine and placebo by means of a similar design in seven other subjects. Using electroencephalogram (EEG) bisector analysis, tape recordings of sleep were analyzed for two beta, three alpha, three theta, and two delta EEG patterns, as well as for detections of sleep spindles, K-complexes, eye movements, body movements, average electromyogram (EMG), and calculation of seven sleep-waking stages. All three opioids produce a dose-related arousal: they increase EMG and EEG measures of muscle activity, as well as body movements and EEG alpha, while decreasing EEG theta and spindling. These opioids also increase measures of waking state and decrease measures of spindle sleep and REM sleep. Although the 1974 version of the EEG bisector analysis is not exactly comparable to visual analysis, in this design it defined significant drug effects on sleep and EEG. Distinctive bisector analysis patterns are positively correlated with each sleep--waking stage.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Prospective use of saliva lithium determinations to monitor lithium therapy.

A mathematical equation (y = 2.27x -0.45) relating saliva (y) to plasma (x) lithium concentrations was previously determined by one of the authors. A prospective study is reported here in which the correlation coefficient between the predicted and the observed plasma concentrations in a new group of 25 patients was r = 0.89 (p less than 0.001). The study demonstrates that saliva lithium determinations can be safely used to monitor lithium therapy.

Bipolar Disorder↗
PubMed1978

Lithium and hypothyroidism.

There is general agreement that hypothyroidism is a possible consequence of lithium treatment but there is little agreement as to what the incidence of lithium related hypothyroidism is, or what clinical and laboratory tests could best be used to evaluate thyroid function. This study involved a survey of 70 clinicians, a chart review of 2,590 patients and a review of the pathophysiology of lithium-induced hypothyroidism. The major finding of this investigation is that lithium related thyroid dysfunction is not a common problem. Goiter during lithium therapy is 0.3%, clinical hypothyroidism is 1-2%, and TSH is the most specific laboratory test for evaluating thyroid function.

Goiter↗
PubMed1977

Pharmacological aftercare for homogeneous groups of patients.

In a study to evaluate the effectiveness of specific pharmacological treatment groups, former VA inpatients who have similar diagnoses and respond satisfatorily to drug treatment join a Prolixin group, a lithium group, or an affective disorder group. In monthly meetings patients learn about their illness, the importance of the taking medication as prescribed, and possible side-effects; they also receive psychological support. The 85 patients who joined the groups during the first 12 months attended 87.3 per cent of the sessions. Twenty per cent of them were rehospitalized, about half of them because they did not take medication as prescribed. The authors believe the groups are an economical and effective way to provide aftercare.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Plasma indolethylamine-n-methyltransferase activity and growth hormone level during sleep: a pilot study.

Polygraphic recordings and sequential growth hormone (GH) samplings were performed in eight healthy adult males. In the plasma samples from seven of the subjects, indolethylamine-N-methyltransferase (INMT) activity was also determined. Five of eight subjects showed significant fluctuation in plasma GH level, and six of seven subjects showed significant fluctuation in plasma INMT activity level. There were also significant positive correlations between plasma GH and INMT activity level during the second episode of NREM sleep stage 1 and during the third episode of NREM sleep stage 2. A significant negative correlation between plasma GH and INMT activity level during the seventh episode of sleep stage 2 and during the fifth episode of post sleep-onset wake was found. In view of a previous finding that INMT activity in the serum of psychiatric patients is positively correlated with severity of delusions, the observation that NREM sleep is associated with mental activity characterized by repetitive thoughts, and the result that GH level in plasma is increased in NREM sleep early at night, our present findings suggest the hypotheses that increased plasma INMT activity during sleep is indicative of both increased INMT activity in the central nervous system (CNS) and the activation or maintenance of NREM mental activity during sleep. Additional research will be needed in order to validate our observations and test these hypotheses.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Cancer, emotions and mental illness: the present state of understanding.

The authors review recent and current literature on the relationship between psychological factors and cancer. They discuss the roles of predisposing personality patterns and emotional stress in the development, site, and course of cancer; the influence of awareness of terminal illness on the behavior of cancer patients; and the management of psychiatric symptoms in these patients.

Anxiety↗
PubMed1976

The management of chronic hysteria: a review and double-blind trial of electrosleep and other relaxation methods.

The effectiveness and mode of action of electrosleep therapy in chronic hysteria was evaluated in a double blind trial with a 1 month follow-up. Matched groups of hysterics were treated with central electrical stimulation and relaxation, peripheral electrical stimulation and relaxation, or relaxation only. Autogenic training exercises were used initially to standarize the relaxation instructions for all the patients. Central electrical stimulation has no specific benefit for hysteria. Rhythmic peripheral stimulation does increase the effect of verbal suggestions to relax initially but has no long term advantage over relaxation alone. Regular brief periods of relaxation can improve the mood and diminish the anxiety level of psychiatric outpatients with hysteria but have no persistant benefit for sleep disturbance or hypochondriasis. The best treatment of depression in chronic hysterics was found at follow-up to be relaxation without electrostimulation. Specialized somatic and psychotherapeutic methods have no advantage over treatment with low doses of anxiolytic drugs, reassurance, suggestion, and regular periods of relaxation.

Anxiety↗
PubMed1975

Suppression of sleep-related prolactin secretion and enhancement of sleep-related growth hormone secretion.

Methysergide, a clinically-used blocker of serotonin receptors, was administered to 10 normal young men at a dose of 2 mg every 6 h for 48 h. After drug treatment, serum levels of growth hormone during sleep were 41.9% higher than placebo values (less than 0.001). In contrast, drug treatment was associated with a 36.4% decrease in stimulated growth hormone secretion during insulin tolerance testing (P less than 0.01). These opposite effects of methysergide suggest that different mechanisms are responsible for sleep-related and insulin-induced growth hormone secretion. Accordingly, data obtained with pharmacologic stimuli may lead to erroneous inferences regarding physiologic growth hormone control mechanisms. Administration of methysergide profoundly suppressed sleep-related prolactin secretion; overall nocturnal mean prolactin fell by 70.3% from 4.30+/-0.19 to 1.28+/-0.06 ng/ml (P less than 0.0001). It appears that serotonin may be significant modulating neurotransmitter for the control of growth hormone secretion, limiting sleep-related release, and enhancing insulin-induced release. It seems likely from these data that the role of serotonin in the control of prolactin secretion is relatively more important, since serotonin receptor blockade dramatically reduced sleep-related prolactin secretion.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Serotonin inhibition and sleep.

Methysergide a clinically used blocker of serotonin receptors, was given for 48 hr to 11 normal adults, at a dose of 8 mg per 24 hr. Total REM sleep time was decreased, although total sleep time was unchanged. Stage 4 decreased and stage 3 increased, while total slow wave sleep remained constant. There was a tendency toward a decrease in the number of intact sleep cycles. The relationship of these data to published reports on p-chlorophenylalanine is discussed.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1969

Encephalic cycles during sleep and wakefulness in humans: a 24-hour pattern.

Twenty-four-hour polygraphic tracings from normal humans indicate that a pattern of alternating periods of the presence and absence of rapid eye movement, shown to exist for normal sleep, exist over all 24 hours of the daily period. This finding suggests that the so-called sleep-dream cycle of human sleep is not specific to sleep, but is a general activity pattern of the brain.

Brain↗