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Biomedical subjects

F Laffont

Publications and source records attributed to F Laffont.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1980

[Psychophysiological regin for rehabilition of chronic polydrug users in the Center of the Le Patriarche. 446 cases (author's transl)].

From 1974 to 1979, the rehabilitation centers of the association "Le Patriarche" located in the country side of southern France, have received 446 chronic polydrugs users who has consumed at one time or an other cannabis (marihuana, hashish) (87 p. cent), LSD (66 p. cent) and other hallucinogens (35 p. cent), psychodepressants (55 p. cent), psychostimulants (amphetamines, 85 p. cent; cocaïne, 50 p. cent) and opium and its derivatives (brown sugar, 47 p. cent; opiates, 67 p. cent; heroin, 50 p. cent). The dominant addictive drug was heroin and opiates, 52 p. cent, psychodepressants (barbitutiques and benzodiazepines, 33 p. cent, psychostimulants, 15 p. cent. Males were twice as numerous as female. Average age was 21 (range 14-38). Mean duration of drug abuse was 7 years. All these drug abusers display at entrance withdrawal symptoms. These were treated successfully by a drug free, psycho-physiological regimen comprising: 1. An elimination of all psychoactive drugs, including coffee, and alcohol. Tobacco was permitted. 2. Physical therapy (bath, exercise, massage) and forced fluid diuresis. 3. A supportive psychotherapy dispensed by rehabilitated addicts who had undergone successfully a similar regimen. This non-pharmacological method of treating withdrawal symptoms associated with opium, barbiturate and amphetamine addiction, was successful, and was not associated with any major clinical symptoms threatening the vital signs. Mean duration of detoxification was 5 days for opiates, 6 days for amphetamines and 10 days for barbiturates. 78 p. cent of these subjects remained in the centers from 3 months to 2 years, partaking in physical occupational and physiological rehabilitation paograms which allowed then to adopt a drug free life style and prepared them for social reinsertion.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

[Polygraphic study of nocturnal sleep in three degenerative diseases: ALS, oligo-ponto-cerebellar atrophy, and progressive supranuclear palsy].

A polygraphic study of nocturnal sleep was carried out on 12 patients suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), 6 patients suffering from olivio-ponto-cerebellare-atrophia (OPCA) and 9 patients suffering from the Steele-Richardson disease (SR). A disturbance of sleep--if it exists--always runs parallel with the course of the disease. No disturbances were registered in the group of patients suffering from ALS, in the OPCA group a specific disease of paradoxal sleep is observed. The sleep disturbances are more global in the group of patients suffering from the SR disease. A particular electrooculogram was taken from the patients from the awakening and from the paradoxal sleep. Respiratory difficulties were registered on certain patients of each of the three groups. These sleep disturbances, registered by the polygraph, were compared with those observed on patients presenting a cortical disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

A study on sleep in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

A polygraphic study of sleep has been performed on 12 patients with ALS and 12 normal controls. Neither the total duration of sleep, nor the proportion of different stages of sleep differed significantly between the patient and control groups. A variety of morphologic peculiarities were observed in certain patients: frequent and repetitive blinking movements during the waking state (under quiet, dark conditions); persistence of EMG activity during both PS and SWS; and an early appearance of marked slow delta wave activity at the beginning of sleep. We observed in patients increased PS latency, and longer and more frequent awakenings. Certain patients also showed both qualitative and quantitative abnormalities of respiratory rhythm. A longitudinal study was performed on one patient. Results are discussed in relation to the existing literature.

Aged↗
PubMed1979

[The effects of gammaglobulins in resistant epilepsies. A preliminary study (author's transl)].

The effect of injections of gammaglobulins 16 Mérieux (1 ml/kg) was studied in 9 patients aged from 1 to 35 years suffering from epilepsy resistant to conventional anticonvulsant treatment. Different types of epilepsy were studied to try to discover a possible indication as a function of the type of epilepsy. Results were assessed according to the patients' behaviour, the frequency and severity of clinical fits, the results of psychological tests, and EEG tracing recorded over long periods of time. Recordings were repeated every 2 to 3 weeks. Favourable results were observed in 7 cases with: --an increased rate of sleeping and waking EEG tracings, --a reduction in the percentage of paroxysms whatever the wakefulness stage, --alterations in the percentages of some sleep stages. The possible mechanisms of action of IgG are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Sleep respiratory arrhythmias in control subjects, narcoleptics and non-cataplectic hypersomniacs.

Normal subjects may present central-type apneas or periodic respiration during sleep (stages I and II and paradoxical sleep). The importance of these respiratory disorders increases with age. Hypersomniac patients can manifest either similar or more significant sleep respiratory disorders than normal subjects. The presence of cataplexy or obesity does not permit the prediction of the existence of respiratory arrhythmias or of their type. Sleep respiratory arrhythmias of central type are not likely to cause hypersomnia; however, an aggravating role may be played by obstructive apneas.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

[Study of the relation between disorders of nocturnal respiratory rhythm and hypersomnia].

Sleep and respiration were recorded during two consecutive nights in 15 normal subjects, 18 patients suffering from narcolepsy and 9 with non-cataplectic hypersomnia. The normal subjects showed episodes of central apnea, the degree of which increased with age and periodic respiration. In both categories of hypersomniacs, the patients were divided into three groups according to the severity of disturbances in nocturnal respiratory rhythm:--group 1: identical to the normal subjects,--group 2: moderate qualitative or quantitative abnormalities,--group 3: presence of a large number of episodes of obstructive apnea. On the basis of these results, it was concluded that disturbances in nocturnal respiratory rhythm are not specific for any particular type of hypersomnia, nor were they the main cause of hypersomnia when present to a large extent, but that obstructive apnea could be an aggravating factor.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

[Conditioning of slow electrocortical activity evoked by sensory stimulation and by a reflex movement in man].

Slow cerebral waves are recorded from 10 adults during an experiment consisting of the application of isolated or coupled sensorial stimulations, the weak sound occuring 880 msec prior to the strong light when coupled. Prior to coupling, the stimulations evoke on the vertex generally negative slow waves which would indicate an orientation reaction. After coupling, the responses to sound become constantly negative and are considered as waves described as "negative contingent variations". To the contrary, responses to light are inverted and become constantly positive. Such a phenomenon equally observed during experiments consisting of sound coupled to a reflex movement recalls the resolution of the negative contingent variation, the decision wave and the motor potentiel that accompanies the execution of voluntary movement, however here, it is produced during conditioning which does not require active motor participation by the subject. These results demonstrate that the simple coupling of two stimulations following the protocol developed by Pavlov provokes in man a complex collection of responses containing a motor component analogous to that which one observes in more elaborate experiments destined to prove the anticipation of the decision.

Achilles Tendon↗