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Biomedical subjects

H Heimann

Publications and source records attributed to H Heimann.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1978

[Electro-acupuncture in otolaryngology (author's transl)].

As an introduction to electro-acupuncture, the author discusses the basic theory of classical acupuncture as well as the therapeutic applications of low frequency positive or negative half-waves. Electro-therapy using specific points of acupuncture which refer to selected organs can now be carried out with a compact apparatus called ELBION. This instrument had originally been designed by the author for reliable and uncomplicated applications in oto-rhino-laryngology. ELBION thus permits the realization of a complete electro-acupuncture (EAP). Typical indications for EAP, as confirmed by the author, include influenzal anosmia, Bell's paralysis and central equilibrium disturbances of the neurovascular type. EAP serves as a most helpful additional treatment in cases of frontal sinusitis, various kinds of neuralgia, cervical otalgia, as well as sialoses of obscure or chronic genesis.

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed1978

[Studies on psychophysiology in Schizophrenia (author's transl)].

The psychophysiological and psychopathological implications are discussed for the finding that absence of electrodermal orienting response to acoustic stimuli was observed among 40% of the schizophrenic patients in two samples. It was found that withdrawal symptomatology and thought disturbance frequently appear among those patients without orienting response. Examples from previous studies are presented which verify deficient or excessive responses of schizophrenics in other physiological variables. It is suggested that extreme psychobiological primary characteristics of schizophrencis be taken into account in psychopharmacological therapy.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed1977

[General methodological problems of psychotropic drug trials (author's transl)].

The difference between the methodological approach of the basic neuro-sciences and the descriptive clinical methods consists in the possibility of isolating the object studied in the former, and in the complexity of relevant clinical terms in the latter which can only be quantified secondarily. Psychopathological symptoms, even operationalized and quantified as items in rating scales, remain complex, whereas the values taken from the substratum, i.e. physiological or biochemical can clearly be evaluated. The complexity of measuring psychopathological symptoms is illustrated in a study in which the scores of different scales of depressive patients are correlated before and after treatment, and the step from the physiological to the psychological level is discussed by means of the results of a psychophysiological study with normal subjects who were given a sedative. These results suggest a heterogeneity of samples of psychiatric patients selected for therapeutic studies according only to clinical criteria. This heterogeneity is discussed on five levels of psychopathological states in depressive, schizophrenic and nonpsychotic anxiety syndromes. Particular interest is put on to the psychophysiological level. From this heterogeneity of samples of psychopharmacological studies, two conclusions can be drawn: 1) Double blind studies are of limited value, since so far only the general effects of whole categories of psychotropic drugs could be determined, whereas it was not possible to determine specific indications for an individual drug. 2) The object of research must be to embody psychopathological states in psychophysiological and clinical-biochemical data, in order to find more homogeneous subgroups of psychiatric patients and to optimize therapeutic procedures; in other words, to find out which patients respond best to a given drug. This strategy, however, limits the generalisation of therapeutic use of a given drug, but it permits to find more specific indications. This is, of course, a general principle in the development of psychiatric therapy.

Anxiety↗
PubMed1977

[Comparison of the effects of pipothiazine palmitate and fluphenazine decanoate. Results of a multicenter double-blind trial].

Fluphenazine decanoate and pipothiazine palmitate were compared concerning their effect and side-effects. 61 schizophrenic patients were treated up to 6 months in a multicenter double-blind trial. Assessments were made on day 0 and after 5, 10, 17 and 22 weeks of treatment using the AMP system. Pipothiazine palmitate was injected every 4th week and fluphenazine decanoate every 3rd week. The most often applied dosage was 100 mg pipothiazine palmitate and 25 or 37.5 mg fluphenazine decanoate. Data analysis of the AMP system at the symptom level showed the better antipsychotic effect of pipothiazine palmitate. A comparison between the two groups by means of analysis of covariance at the syndrome level showed no statistical significant differences between the effects of fluphenazine decanoate and pipothiazine palmitate.

Antipsychotic Agents↗
PubMed1976

[Psychiatry and humanitarianism].

Opposing positions on mental disorder in current psychiatry, their origins and therapy are presented through a few extreme viewpoints. Considering the foundations of the 'medical model' of psychiatric disorder (Griesinger), it is evident that this model is not a closed system, but rather an open approach which still has validity today. The humanitarian roots of psychiatry prevented Griesinger from treating various positions in an absolute or ideological manner. Finally, the concept of 'illness' is discussed in relation to psychophysiological activation research. Pathology changes in each different situation and is therefore not a static phenomenon. Mental disturbance is not determined by absolute measures, but rather by a reduction in variability of reactions to the particular situation. This concept of illness can determine somato-, psycho-, and sociotherapeutic measures. Psychiatry can only remain based on humanitarian concepts as long as the sciences upon which it is founded are kept in appropriate relation to one another.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1976

[Measurement of body temperature in the auditory canal or in the rectum: first experience with a device for continuous registration of body temperature of psychiatric patients (author's transl)].

A method for continuous measurement of body temperature over a 24-h period is presented. the temperature is measured by an active sensor placed in the external auditory canal or in the rectum, and stored on a magnetic tape in a portable cassette recorder weighing 400 g. Rectal temperature is less sensitive to environmental influence and easier to record than ear temperature. With this method possible disturbances of the diurnal temperature rhythm in psychiatric patients can be registered.

Body Temperature↗
PubMed1975

[Methodological problems of clinical trials of psychotropic drugs (author's transl)].

Up to now, clinical studies only succeeded in differentiating between great categories of psychotropic drugs, but failed to prove finer differences of effects within these categories of substances. Two points of the testing-method are discussed: 1. problems which arise when rating pathological behaviour and 2. problems of sampling psychiatric patients. A great part of symptoms that clinicians and psychologists used to consider as relevant proved to be extremely rare. Total scores cannot be taken as a measure of the therapeutic effect, because they don't express adequately the degree of severity of the illness before and after treatment, and there is a symptom that is independent from the observer, i.e. the frequency of the symptom in different clinical pictures. The frequency is an inverse ratio to the specificity of the symptom. It is then argued that even in clinical studies, it would be possible to choose among the variety of descriptive symptoms those which fulfil requirements of the probabilistic test-model of Rasch and to take only those symptoms to characterize the degree of severity of psychic disturbance in trials with psychotropic drugs. Conclusions are then drawn from a study including three groups of physicians (specialists for internal diseases, psychiatrists and general practitioners): failure to differentiate between placebo and a Minor-Tranquilizer was not due to the inefficiency of the drug, but ought to be attributed to the lack of sharpness of the observations made by untrained judges. A significant difference between placebo and the Minor-Tranquilizer was yet found, but only in the group of psychiatrists. The comparison of the first 13 and the last 13 cases in the two remaining groups, however, reveals a learning process in the course of the study. The main problems of sampling are discussed, i.e.: the loss of information as a consequence of taking the mean in a group of psychiatric patients, the role of biological rhythms, which was hitherto insufficiently considered, and finally it is demonstrated in connection with two selected cases of depressive patients that enormous difference of psychophysiological responsiveness can be hidden behind very similar clinical pictures. It is pointed out that the existing research strategy is adjusted to great samples, which were composed on the basis of behavioral characteristics, and that it failed to differentiate subtle effects of psychotropic drugs. Only experiments involving a much greater display, which take into account all aspects of observation of the selected single cases and longitudinal studies can answer the question which is the right medicine for the right patient. Psychophysiological and biochemical methods have here priority over other methods.

Drug Evaluation↗
PubMed1975

[Administrative and juridicial problems in psychopharmacology (author's transl)].

The problem of a juridical and administrative regulation for therapeutic drugs is analyzed. There are 3 concurring factors of public interest: 1. protection of the patient against dangerous side-effects, 2. promotion of new effective therapies. 3. position and responsibility of the physician. Risks and problems of control are discussed in the light of development of a new preparation. A scheme of functions in the clinical trial under auspices of medico-ethical postulations is mentioned. Restrictive facts on behalf of a quick development of drug therapy are discussed. The necessity of intensifying biological basic research is emphasized.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

[Self-rating of mood using a list of adjectives, Zersen's Befindlichkeits-Skala (BS)].

The ZERSSEN Mood Scale or " Befindlichkeits-Skala " is the only self-rating scale that is altogether specific (adjectives on mood states essentially), actual and therefore sensitive (lack of adjectives on the habitual state, on personality traits), bipolar (possible detection of a manic or depressive shift), easy to administrate and analyze, existing under 2 statistically equivalent forms. Each BS and BS' form contains 28 pairs of antonymic everyday adjectives, whose French translation has been checked by back-translation. The subject has to cross if he feels right now " rather... ", " rather... " or " neither nor ". The French translation was tested on 100 depressed and 6 manic newly hospitalized patients, on 30 depressed patients in the course of a 6-week antidepressant trial, and on 46 academic and administrative members of the staff. Various calculations on the validity, reliability and sensitivity of the scale confirm the original German data. The product-moment correlation between BS and BS' (split-half reliability) reaches .89 in the control group, .79 in the newly hospitalized depressives and .93 to .96 in the anti-depressant trial, a p less than .001 in all three studies. The correlation does not reach a significant level in neurotic depressives, who are a mean 11 y. younger than psychotic depressives and score significantly lower than the latter. Age, sex and sequence of administration do not influence the means, the standard deviations and the correlation between BS and BS'. The original German studies and our original French ones give convergent results as for means and extreme scores of the main mood levels, with a cutting score for mania at 6 and for depression at 27 : (see article) Thanks to their high intercorrelation, the BS and BS' scales may be given independently, thus allowing a daily or even twice daily administration. The range of application of the ZERSSEN Mood Scale is not limited to psychiatry but includes numerous medical, surgical and psychological fields.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

Free and bound tryptophan in the blood of depressives.

In in vitro studies, the influence of pH and the concentration of albumin on the binding of tryptophan to this protein is shown. Addition of palmitic acid to human plasma decreases specifically bound and increases free tryptophan. In separate experiments, free and bound tryptophan, tyrosine, free fatty acids (NEFA) and albumine were studied in healthy volunteers and depressives treated by sleep deprivation.

Adjustment Disorders↗