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Biomedical subjects

G Jungkunz

Publications and source records attributed to G Jungkunz.

28 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Acute effects of the synthetic analogue of methionine enkephalin FK 33-824 in schizophrenic patients. A double blind trial.

16 patients with paranoid and hallucinatory symptoms, who were concurrently receiving no other medication, participated in a double blind trial. Either 3 mg FK 33-824 or 20 mg diazepam was injected i.m. over a 2-day period, with a subsequent cross-over for the second medication. Both FK 33-824 and diazepam caused a slight decrease in psychopathological symptoms as measured by the BPRS, but no differences could be observed in their effect on schizophrenic symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Endogenous opiates increase pain tolerance after stress in humans.

This study investigates the role of endogenous opioids in the regulation of pain in humans. Two groups of healthy volunteers were subjected to different stress situations (cold pressor and arithmetic). In a double-blind design the changes in pain tolerance after stress were measured after an injection of either 0.8 mg naloxone or placebo. The cold pressor test raised the pain threshold in the placebo-treated group, but not in the naloxone-treated group. Mental arithmetic had no effect on pain perception. One can conclude therefore that physical stress may change pain perception depending upon the secretion of endogenous opioids.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Acute effects of the synthetic analogue of methionine enkephalin FK 33-824 on depressive symptoms.

Nine patients with endogenous depression have been treated with infusions of the synthetic methionine enkephaline analogue FK 33-824 for two days. Only on the first day acute effects on depressive symptoms could be observed. It cannot be decided if the observed mood alterations on the first treatment day are placebo effects. Depressive patients showed fewer adverse reactions than healthy volunteers. This might be explained by the previously described greater pain tolerance in depressives.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Short-term naloxone administration in schizophrenic and manic patients. A World Health Organization Collaborative Study.

A double-blind study of the behavioral effects of short-term naloxone hydrochloride administration was performed in 32 schizophrenic and 26 manic patients in a World Health Organization collaborative project. There was a significant naloxone-associated reduction in overall physician-rated symptoms in schizophrenic patients concurrently treated with neuroleptic medication (N = 19) but not in medication-free schizophrenics (N = 13). Physician rating of auditory hallucinations showed significant naloxone-associated improvement for the total schizophrenic population, while self-ratings of auditory hallucinations showed improvement only in neuroleptic-treated schizophrenics. While further studies are needed to delineate these effects as to clinical significance, they may bear etiological implications for the psychobiology of schizophrenia, including the possibility of synergistic effects of dopamine and endorphin blockade. Naloxone produced no significant behavioral effects in manic patients. These findings are discussed with relationship to the hypotheses of endorphin involvement in schizophrenia and mania.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

On the relationship of nortriptyline: amitriptyline ratio to clinical improvement of amitriptyline treated depressive patients.

The antidepressant effect of amitriptyline was studied in 28 endogenous depressive patients. They received 150 mg amitriptyline once nightly in a sustained release form for 4 weeks. Blood samples were drawn 12 hrs. after medication. Amitriptyline concentrations were between 35--300 ng/ml Nortriptyline concentrations were between 20--330 ng/ml. No correlations were found between plasma concentrations of amitriptyline, nortriptyline, or their sum, and the clinical outcome of treatment. Plasma levels of amitriptyline depended on neither the age nor the sex of the patients. A significant correlation was found between the ratio of nortriptyline to amitriptyline concentrations in serum (demethylation ratio) and clinical improvement. The demethylation ratio appeared to be relatively constant after a few days of treatment. The results suggest that monitoring the demethylation ratio of endogenous depressive patients treated with amitriptyline may predict therapeutic effects of the treatment. They also suggest that a balance between noradrenergic and serotonergic mechanisms is necessary to improve antidepressant treatment with amitriptyline.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

[Additional treatment to lithium prophylaxis of affective psychoses (author's transl)].

Ten endogenous-depressive patients under lithium maintenance therapy participated in a group behaviour therapy program for the modification of behavioural problems that are typical for this group of patients. The problem intensity as measured individually through a "problem barometer" as well as the score on the Pt-scale of the MMPI were reduced significantly over the ten treatment sessions. Concurrently, patients' self image regarding depressive components and social resonance improved. The effects were still present after a 3-month follow-up period. It is concluded that in lithium treated patients behaviour therapy methods can be used in the modification of typical behaviour disorders.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Opiate receptor sensitivity in depressed patients before and after clomipramine treatment.

To measure opiate receptor sensitivity, the effects of naloxone on beta-endorphin and cortisol serum levels were determined before and after 3 weeks of clomipramine treatment (75 mg/day i.v.) in 12 patients with major depressive disorder. The opiate antagonist significantly increased both hormonal levels. The only significant endocrine differences between pre- and post-treatment were basal and maximal cortisol levels, which were elevated before antidepressant therapy. The rise in the cortisol or beta-endorphin serum level after naloxone injection was not affected by clomipramine treatment. There was no significant relationship between depression score and basal or stimulated endocrine variables. These data do not indicate a distinct effect of antidepressants on opiate receptor sensitivity.

Adult↗