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Biomedical subjects

G McCarthy

Publications and source records attributed to G McCarthy.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Dynamic mapping of the human visual cortex by high-speed magnetic resonance imaging.

We report the use of high-speed magnetic resonance imaging to follow the changes in image intensity in the human visual cortex during stimulation by a flashing checkerboard stimulus. Measurements were made in a 2.1-T, 1-m-diameter magnet, part of a Bruker Biospec spectrometer that we had programmed to do echo-planar imaging. A 15-cm-diameter surface coil was used to transmit and receive signals. Images were acquired during periods of stimulation from 2 s to 180 s. Images were acquired in 65.5 ms in a 10-mm slice with in-plane voxel size of 6 x 3 mm. Repetition time (TR) was generally 2 s, although for the long flashing periods, TR = 8 s was used. Voxels were located onto an inversion recovery image taken with 2 x 2 mm in-plane resolution. Image intensity increased after onset of the stimulus. The mean change in signal relative to the prestimulation level (delta S/S) was 9.7% (SD = 2.8%, n = 20) with an echo time of 70 ms. Irrespective of the period of stimulation, the increase in magnetic resonance signal intensity was delayed relative to the stimulus. The mean delay measured from the start of stimulation for each protocol was as follows: 2-s stimulation, delay = 3.5 s (SD = 0.5 s, n = 10) (the delay exceeds stimulus duration); 20- to 24-s stimulation, delay = 5 s (SD = 2 s, n = 20).

Brain Mapping

Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging in temporal lobe epilepsy: relationship to neuropathology and neuropsychological function.

Magnetic resonance images (MRIs) were obtained from 25 patients with medically refractory epilepsy of temporal lobe origin (12 on the left, 13 on the right) and 14 right-handed control subjects. The hippocampi and temporal lobes were traced by computer on successive coronal images and the resulting measurements of area were summed for each region. The left and right hippocampi were symmetrical in the control subjects; however, for patients the hippocampus was smaller on the side of the seizure focus. Moreover, the left-right hippocampal ratio significantly differentiated the control subjects from each patient group. The left temporal lobe was significantly smaller than the right in control subjects. The epileptics' temporal lobes were smaller on the side of the seizure focus, compared to the temporal lobes in the control subjects. MRI hippocampal measurements were compared to hippocampal neuronal densities obtained postoperatively. Significant correlations were obtained between the ratio (side ipsilateral to focus/side contralateral to focus) of MRI hippocampal measurements and neuronal densities in all hippocampal subfields except CA2. Prior to surgery, patients were administered the Wechsler Memory Scale and the verbal Selective Reminding Test. Significant correlations existed between MRI measurements of the left hippocampus and the Wechsler logical memory percent retention scores and between the left temporal lobe measurements and the verbal Selective Reminding Test scores for patients with seizure foci in the left temporal lobe.

Adolescent

Tactile interference differentiates sub-components of N20, P20 and P29 in the human cortical surface somatosensory evoked potential.

Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) to median nerve stimulation were recorded from up to 64 locations on the exposed cortical surface in 19 patients undergoing intracranial surgery for epilepsy and/or tumour removal. In view of previously described 'interference' effects on scalp SEPs, a continuous light tactile stimulus was applied to the palm and the first 3 digits of the stimulated hand in order to try to differentiate components due to input from cutaneous and other sensory receptors. The first cortically generated potentials, N20 at postcentral locations and P20 precentrally, could each be resolved into 2 subcomponents separated by about 2.5 msec. The later subcomponent was consistently the more attenuated by the interfering stimulus and is postulated to be due to input from rapidly adapting cutaneous mechanoreceptors. The earlier subcomponent could be due to input from muscle afferents or from slowly adapting cutaneous receptors which the interfering stimulus would have activated to a lesser degree. In 2 cases the P29 potentials recorded from regions of the postcentral gyrus were dissociated. In one case the potentials recorded at adjacent electrodes were attenuated to differing degrees, and in the other the effect was maximal at different locations when the thumb, index and middle fingers were stimulated separately. The method therefore appears capable of distinguishing regions of the postcentral gyrus concerned with cutaneous input from different parts of the hand.

Adolescent

Management of oral health in persons with HIV infection.

Prevention and treatment of oral disease is required to maintain quality of life and to improve prognosis of patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Management requires a team approach, and close collaboration with the appropriate responsible physicians and other health care workers is necessary. Oral infection is frequent and usually opportunistic, and management is based on certain principles. Infections may disseminate and can be persistent and severe; multiple concurrent or consecutive infections with different microorganisms are frequent; fungal, viral, and parasitic infections are rarely curable; and long-term antimicrobial therapy may be required. This article reviews the management of oral candidiasis, hairy leukoplakia, and infections with herpes simplex virus, varicella-zoster virus, and cytomegalovirus. The management of Kaposi's sarcoma, lymphomas, aphthous ulceration, gangrenous stomatitis, bleeding, xerostomia, and adverse drug reactions is also described. Treatment should avoid further immunosuppression and inducement of xerostomia or caries, and should be designed to avoid adverse drug reactions and possible drug interactions.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Effect of doxapram on the rate of recovery from atracurium and vecuronium neuromuscular block.

We have studied the effect of doxapram on the rates of spontaneous and neostigmine-induced recovery from neuromuscular block with atracurium and vecuronium, by measurement of the time to recovery of T1 (first twitch in the train-of-four) from 25 to 75% of control (recovery index, RI). After each neuromuscular blocking drug, RI was measured without administering either doxapram or neostigmine (control group), or after administration of doxapram 1 mg kg-1, neostigmine 50 micrograms kg-1 or a combination of doxapram and neostigmine, in groups of 10 patients. RI was significantly longer after vecuronium in the presence of doxapram compared with control (20.1 min vs 14.6 min). There was no significant difference in the RI after atracurium in the presence of doxapram compared with control (12.5 min vs 11.8 min) or when neostigmine was administered with or without doxapram (2.4 min vs 2.4 min, respectively after vecuronium; 3.3 min vs 2.9 min, respectively, after atracurium).

Adolescent

Muscle pains and biochemical changes following suxamethonium administration after six pretreatment regimens.

The incidence of muscle pains and changes in serum concentrations of potassium, calcium and creatine kinase following suxamethonium were investigated after no pretreatment or pretreatment with intravenous tubocurarine 0.05 mg.kg-1, intravenous chlorpromazine 0.1 mg.kg-1, alphatocopherol (vitamin E) 600 mg in three divided doses orally, aspirin 600 mg orally or intravenous calcium chloride 5 mg.kg-1 in groups of 20 patients each. The incidence of myalgia was reduced significantly by tubocurarine, chlorpromazine and alphatocopherol. However, the increase in creatine kinase was attenuated only in the groups of patients who received tubocurarine and chlorpromazine. The changes in serum potassium and calcium concentrations were within acceptable limits. The intubating conditions were not as good in the patients who received tubocurarine as in the other groups. Effectiveness of chlorpromazine in preventing both the myalgia and the biochemical changes suggests the involvement of phospholipases in the pathogenesis of suxamethonium-induced muscle damage.

Adolescent

Onset and duration of action of vecuronium in the elderly: comparison with adults.

The onset and duration of action of vecuronium were studied in young adult (n = 30; mean age 34 +/- 11.1 (s.d.) yr), middle-aged (n = 20; mean age 60 +/- 5.8 yr) and elderly patients (n = 30; mean age 80 +/- 4.6 yr) anaesthetised with thiopentone, nitrous oxide in oxygen and halothane. Neuromuscular block was monitored by applying the train-of-four (TOF) stimulation at 2 Hz to the ulnar nerve every 12 s. Half the patients in each group received 0.08 and the other half 0.12 mg kg-1 of the relaxant. The time to return of T1 (first response in the TOF sequence) to 25% of control was 28 +/- 5.2 (s.d.), 34 +/- 7.1 and 39 +/- 10.2 min following 0.08 mg kg-1 dose (P less than 0.05 between the elderly and young adults) and 45 +/- 9.2, 48 +/- 6.2 and 69 +/- 19.2 min following 0.12 mg kg-1 dose, respectively, in the three age groups (P less than 0.05 between the elderly and the other two groups). The recovery indices (time for 25-75% recovery of T1) after the 0.08 mg kg-1 was 9.6 +/- 3.4, 13.6 +/- 5.1 and 17.4 +/- 6.1 min, respectively (P less than 0.05 between the elderly and young adults). There was no significant difference in any of the parameters between the young adults and the middle-aged. The onset of block at each dose was not significantly different between the three age groups; however, the time to maximum effect was significantly shorter with the higher dose in the young and the middle-aged, but not in the elderly. Regression analysis of the data between age and the duration of action and recovery index suggested a significant prolongation (P less than 0.05) of these parameters in the elderly.

Adult

Event-related potentials elicited by deviant endings to melodies.

Event-related potentials were recorded from scalp electrodes while subjects listened to well-known melodies. The melodies ended either with the expected note or with a different note. This design was a nonlinguistic analogue of the design used by Kutas and Hillyard (1980b), who first reported that anomalous terminal words in sentences elicited N400 potentials. However, Besson and Macar (1987) reported that deviant terminal notes in melodies did not elicit N400 potentials. In the present study, additional time was allowed for expectations to develop for the terminal note. Deviant terminal notes did not elicit N400s. In both studies, however, the deviant notes elicited P300-like waves. This outcome raised the possibility that N400 might have been masked by the positive potential. In a second condition in which P300 amplitude was minimized, N400s were again not evident. These results thus illustrate two additional situations in which nonlinguistic stimuli that deviated from a sequential pattern failed to elicit N400 potentials.

Adult

A new X linked syndrome with mental retardation and craniofacial dysmorphism?

We present a syndrome manifested in two half brothers and their two maternal aunts which is characterised in the two boys by severe mental retardation and craniofacial dysmorphism (broad, coarse features and marked plagiocephaly with flattened occiput), and in the aunts merely by moderate mental retardation without dysmorphic features. The brothers do not seem to fall into any previously described X linked syndrome with mental retardation.

Abnormalities, Multiple

Does interictal spiking change prior to seizures?

We studied 10 patients with intractable epilepsy being evaluated for epilepsy surgery for preictal changes in spiking. All patients were implanted with intracranial electrodes and underwent continuous EEG/audiovisual monitoring. Interictal spikes were detected and recorded continuously by a dedicated computerized system. Edited spikes were counted during 0-5, 5-10, and 0-60 min epochs before each seizure, during epochs of unvarying state of arousal (awake or sleep stage II). When comparing by repeated measures, 1-way ANOVA, total spiking (in all recording channels) did not differ among the different preictal epochs (0-5, 5-10, 0-60 min) in 45 seizures (F = 0.88, P = 0.40, using the Geisser-Greenhouse adjustment--GGA). Likewise, no significant differences were obtained during those same epochs when comparing spiking originating from the channel of seizure onset in 5 patients with 28 seizures of localized onset (F = 1.19, P = 0.38 using the GGA). Our findings indicate that in patients with intractable epilepsy, no changes in spiking occur in the 5 min prior to seizures, when compared to more distant preictal epochs.

Action Potentials

Effect of H2-receptor antagonist pretreatment on vecuronium- and atracurium-induced neuromuscular block.

Seventy-two patients were studied in a double-blind randomized controlled design to assess the effects of oral administration of cimetidine 400 mg, ranitidine 150 mg or placebo 90 min before anaesthesia on the neuromuscular blocking effects of atracurium 0.45 mg kg-1 or vecuronium 0.08 mg kg-1. The times to reappearance of T1 (first response in the train-of-four stimulation) and its recovery to 25% of control were 22.5 (SD) 5.2 and 30 (7.1) min, 30 (10) and 43 (15.4) min, and 25.8 (4.1) and 34 (6.2) min, respectively in the vecuronium groups pretreated with placebo, cimetidine and ranitidine, the times following cimetidine pretreatment being prolonged significantly (P less than 0.05). The respective recovery indices (times for 25-75% recovery of T1) in these three groups were 11.0 (3.5), 17.4 (6.8) and 13.0 (3.9) min. There were no significant differences in any of the variables following ranitidine pretreatment and either neuromuscular blocker or following cimetidine pretreatment and atracurium.

Administration, Oral

Potentials evoked in human and monkey cerebral cortex by stimulation of the median nerve. A review of scalp and intracranial recordings.

Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) are generated in afferent pathways, subcortical structures and various regions of cerebellar and cerebral cortex by stimulation of somatic receptors or electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves. This review summarizes current knowledge of SEPs generated in cerebral cortex by stimulation of the median nerve, the most common form of stimulation for human research and clinical investigations. Major sources of data for the review are intracranial recordings obtained from patients during diagnostic or neurosurgical procedures, and similar recordings in monkeys. Short-latency cortical SEPs in the 20-40 ms latency range consist of P20 and N30, recorded from motor cortex and frontal scalp; P25 and N35, recorded from cortex near the central sulcus and central scalp; and N20 and P30, recorded from somatosensory cortex and parietal scalp. Several lines of evidence including cortical surface and intracerebral recordings, neuromagnetic recordings and lesion studies in humans and monkeys, strongly support the conclusion that these potentials are generated in contralateral somatosensory cortex in areas 3b and 1, in contrast to the conclusion of many previous studies that SEPs recorded from the frontal scalp are generated in motor cortex and other frontal lobe areas. These potentials are primarily mediated by cutaneous afferents of the dorsal column-medial lemniscal system; the contribution of muscle afferents has not been completely resolved but appears to be small. There is currently no evidence that short-latency SEPs are generated in cortex other than primary somatosensory cortex. Recordings from the vicinity of the second somatosensory area, from the supplementary motor and sensory areas and from surface cortex other than sensorimotor cortex have not detected reliable short-latency activity, although some of these regions generate long-latency potentials. Consequently, short-latency SEPs recorded from the scalp are similar to those recorded from the surface of sensorimotor cortex. Old World monkeys such as Macaca mulatta and M. fascicularis provide an excellent model for human short-latency SEPs. All the potentials described above in humans have corresponding monkey analogues, with similar distributions over the cortical surface. The squirrel monkey, a New World species, exhibits the same potentials, but due to the different morphology of sensorimotor cortex, the surface distribution of SEPs is quite different.

Afferent Pathways

Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure in men and women aged 17 to 80 years: the Allied Irish Bank Study.

In order to determine reference values for ambulatory blood pressure, a sample of 815 healthy bank employees (399 men and 416 women), aged 17-79 years, were investigated. Ambulatory blood pressure was recorded over 24 h, taking measurements at 30-min intervals. Blood pressure was also measured by trained observers in the clinic. Ambulatory blood pressure in the 815 subjects averaged 118/72 mmHg over 24 h, 124/78 mmHg during the day (1000-2259 h) and 106/61 mmHg at night (0100-0659 h). Office blood pressure, measured by an observer, was 4/2 mmHg lower (p less than 0.0001) than daytime ambulatory pressure. The 95th centiles for the daytime ambulatory pressure in men were: 114/88 mmHg for the age group 17-29 years (n = 107); 143/91 mmHg from 30-39 years (n = 123); 150/98 mmHg from 40-49 years (n = 109); and 155/103 mmHg in 50-79 year old men (n = 60); for the corresponding age groups in women, the 95th centiles of the daytime pressure were: 131/83 mmHg (n = 174); 132/85 mmHg (n = 149); 150/94 mmHg (n = 55); and 177/97 mmHg (n = 38).

Adult

A comparison of different pre-oxygenation techniques in the elderly.

The efficacy of five different techniques of pre-oxygenation before a modified rapid intubation sequence was assessed, using oxygen saturation measurement, in patients aged over 65 years. Twenty patients in each group were pre-oxygenated using four deep breaths or normal tidal breathing for 1, 2, 3, or 4 minutes. The acceptable period of apnoea was defined as the time taken to desaturate to 93%. The mean times (SD) taken to reach this end-point were 3.7 (1.6), 4.1 (1.2), 5.4 (1.7), 5.4 (1.4) and 5.2 (1.7) minutes respectively. The apnoea times with 2, 3 and 4 minutes pre-oxygenation were not significantly different from each other but were significantly longer than after four deep breaths and 1 minute. It is concluded that a pre-oxygenation period of at least 2 minutes should be employed in the elderly before a rapid sequence induction.

Aged

Cortical somatosensory evoked potentials. I. Recordings in the monkey Macaca fascicularis.

1. The anatomic generators of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) to median nerve stimulation in the 10- to 30-ms latency range were investigated in monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) by means of cortical-surface and laminar recordings. 2. Three groups of SEPs evoked by stimulation of the contralateral median nerve were recorded from the hand representation area of sensorimotor cortex: P10-N20, recorded anterior to the central sulcus (CS); N10-P20, recorded posterior to the CS; and P12-N25, recorded near the CS. These potentials were similar in morphology and surface distribution whether the animal was awake or anesthetized. 3. P10-N20 exhibited a polarity inversion to N10-P20 across the CS, both in cortical-surface recordings and in laminar recordings within cortex and white matter of motor and somatosensory cortex. In contrast, P10-N20 and N10-P20 did not exhibit polarity inversion in recordings from the surface and white matter of the crowns of motor and somatosensory cortex, respectively. These results strongly suggest that these potentials are produced by a tangential generator located in the posterior wall of the CS, primarily in area 3b of somatosensory cortex. 4. P12-N25 was largest over the hand area of somatosensory cortex and showed polarity inversion across the crown of somatosensory cortex but not across the crown of motor cortex or across the walls of the CS, suggesting that P12-N25 is due to a radially oriented generator located in areas 1 and 2 of somatosensory cortex. 5. P10-N20 and P12-N25 are thought to be equivalent to the "primary evoked response" recorded from somatosensory cortex of other mammals. 6. These results are very similar to those obtained in human cortical-surface recordings and demonstrate that the monkey P10-N20, N10-P20, and P12-N25 potentials correspond to the human P20-N30, N20-P30, and P25-N35 potentials, respectively. The only appreciable difference in human and monkey SEPs is that the monkey P12-N25 appears to be generated in areas 1 and 2, whereas the human P25-N35 appears to be generated only in area 1. 7. There was no evidence of locally generated activity in areas 3a and 4.

Animals

Cortical somatosensory evoked potentials. II. Effects of excision of somatosensory or motor cortex in humans and monkeys.

1. To clarify the generators of human short-latency somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) thought to arise in sensorimotor cortex, we studied the effects on SEPs of surgical excision of somatosensory or motor cortex in humans and monkeys. 2. Normal median nerve SEPs (P20-N30, N20-P30, and P25-N35) were recorded from the cortical surface of a patient (G13) undergoing a cortical excision for relief of focal seizures. All SEPs were abolished both acutely and chronically after excision of the hand area of somatosensory cortex. Similarly, excision of the hand area of somatosensory cortex abolished corresponding SEPs (P10-N20, N10-P20, and P12-N25) in monkeys. Excision of the crown of monkey somatosensory cortex abolished P12-N25 while leaving P10-N20 and N10-P20 relatively unaffected. 3. After excision of the hand area of motor cortex, all SEPs were present when recorded from the cortical surface of a patient (W1) undergoing a cortical excision for relief of focal seizures. Similarly, all SEPs were present in monkeys after excision of the hand area of motor cortex. 4. Although all SEPs were present after excision of motor cortex in monkeys, variable changes were observed in SEPs after the excisions. However, these changes were not larger than the changes observed after excision of parietal cortex posterior to somatosensory cortex. We concluded that the changes were not specific to motor cortex excision. 5. These results support two major conclusions. 1) Median nerve SEPs recorded from sensorimotor cortex are produced by generators in two adjacent regions of somatosensory cortex: a tangentially oriented generator in area 3b, which produces P20-N30 (human) and P10-N20 (monkey) [recorded anterior to the central sulcus (CS)] and N20-P30 (human) and N10-P20 (monkey) posterior to the CS; and a radially oriented generator in area 1, which produces P25-N35 (human) and P12-N25 (monkey) recorded from the postcentral gyrus near the CS. 2) Motor cortex makes little or no contribution to these potentials.

Adolescent