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Biomedical subjects

H Kumashiro

Publications and source records attributed to H Kumashiro.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Plasma free tryptophan concentration in autistic children.

The plasma free and total tryptophan (TRP) and blood serotonin levels in autistic children were examined simultaneously in order to establish a relationship between these parameters and the pathophysiology of infantile autism. The subjects were 37 autistic children, 28 normal adults and 12 normal children. Quantitative evaluation of the global severity, hyperkinetic behavior and intellectual function was performed by means of the Children's Psychiatric Rating Scale (CPRS-1), the Werry-Weiss-Peters Activity Scale (WWPAS) and the Developmental Quotient (DQ), respectively. The mean total TRP level in autistic children was not significantly different from those in normal children and adults. The mean plasma free TRP level in autistic children was significantly higher than those in normal children and adults. A significant positive correlation was found between the plasma free TRP level and CPRS-1 or WWPAS score in autistic children. Moreover, there tended to be a negative correlation between the plasma free TRP level and DQ. These findings suggest the presence of some defect in the metabolic system for TRP-serotonin in the brain of autistic children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

A critical review of DSM-III in the developmental disorder of childhood.

This paper presents a summary and critical review of the DSM-III diagnostic system for childhood psychiatric disorders with particular reference to developmental disorders. The rational for a multiaxial system, explicit diagnostic criteria, and a phenomenological approach are outlined. Criteria for mental retardation, infantile autism, and specific developmental disorders are reviewed. While this system is an advance over previous schemes many problems are also evident. These include a lack of specificity of the criteria, inconsistencies in criteria, and placement on the axes of mental disorders.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Plasma free tryptophan concentration in children with attention deficit disorder.

In order to examine the serotonin metabolism in children with attention deficit disorder (ADD), plasma tryptophan, which is the precursor of serotonin, was measured in 10 children with ADD and 12 normal children. The mean plasma total tryptophan level in the children with ADD was not significantly different from that of the normal children. The mean plasma free tryptophan level in the children with ADD was significantly higher than that in the normal children. There tended to be a positive correlation between the plasma free tryptophan level and the Werry-Weiss-Peters Activity Scale in children with ADD. In other words, the more severe the hyperactivity of ADD, the higher the plasma free tryptophan level. The mean ratio of plasma free to total tryptophan levels in the children with ADD was significantly higher than that in the normal children, which means that the children with ADD showed a high amount of free tryptophan in the total tryptophan level. These results suggest that there might be some disturbance in the tryptophan-serotonin metabolism in the brain of a child with ADD.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity↗
PubMed1985

Endocrinological function in schizophrenic patients under haloperidol treatment: plasma PRL, HGH and 5HT levels after L-5HTP loading.

In order to examine 5HT metabolism in the hypothalamo-pituitary (HP) system of chronic schizophrenic patients taking haloperidol for a short or long period, chronological changes of blood 5HT, PRL and HGH were measured after an oral loading dose of L-5hydroxytryptophan (L-5HTP), a precursor of 5HT. The subjects consisted of 8 male patients with chronic schizophrenia, who were divided into the following two groups. The 1st group--4 patients taking haloperidol (5.6 mg/day) for 8 months on an average (short-term treatment). The 2nd group--4 patients taking haloperidol (4.8 mg/day) for 7.5 years on an average (long-term treatment). The control group was made up of 9 healthy male volunteers. As a result, the basal level of blood 5HT in the 1st group was significantly higher than that in the control group. The blood 5HT levels in the 1st and 2nd groups showed an equally remarkable increase as compared with the control group. The basal level of plasma PRL in the 2nd group was significantly lowe than that in the control group. Moreover, in the 2nd group, an increase in the plasma PRL level after the loading was suppressed, but it showed less suppression in the 1st group. There was no significant difference in the basal HGH levels among the control, 1st and 2nd groups. After the loading, an increase in the plasma HGH was suppressed in the 2nd group, but the suppression was less in the 1st group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

5-Hydroxytryptophan↗
PubMed1984

Computed tomography of the brain in children with early infantile autism.

In order to examine the cranial CT of autistic children and investigate the etiological significance of CT scan findings, the CT of the brain was surveyed in 24 children with early infantile autism (3 to 17 years with a mean age of 7.6), and 179 children with the normal CT despite their medical histories such as headaches or febrile convulsions. According to their ages, the autistic and normal children were divided into the following three groups: Group I (age ranging from 3 to 5), Group II (age: 6 to 9) and Group III (age: 10 to 17). There was no significant difference between the bifrontal CVI of the autistic children and that of the normal children. However, in Group III, the bifrontal CVI of the autistic children was significantly higher than that of the normal children. There was no significant difference between the bicaudate CVI of the autistic children and that of the normal children. However, in Groups I and II, the bicaudate CVI of the autistic children was significantly lower than that of the normal children. The maximum widths of the third ventricle showed no significant difference between the autistic and normal children. However, in Groups II and III, those of the autistic children were wider than those of the normal children. In the autistic children, as the age increases, the difference becomes significantly wider. A positive correlation was observed between the width of the third ventricle and ages of the autistic children. An examination of the right-left ratio of maximum transverse diameter of the brain showed that there was no significant difference between the autistic and normal children. The above-mentioned results (1)-4)) might suggest a progressive disorder of the brain structure surrounding the third ventricle or lateral ventricles in the autistic children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

An investigation on sleep disturbance of autistic children.

For the purpose of clarifying the pathophysiological meaning of sleep disturbance in autistic children, the sleep pattern of 75 such children was examined by a questionnaire method. Forty-nine of them showed sleep disturbance in their early life with an incidence of 65%. The poorly-developed group showed a high rate of sleep disturbance as compared with the relatively well-developed group. There was a negative correlation between the developmental level and duration period of sleep disturbance. The investigation of circumstances in which autistic children often exhibited sleep disturbance proved that abrupt changes in life environment or various problems in the way of bringing up children brought about their sleep disturbance. These findings suggest that sleep disturbance might be one of the main symptoms and related to the pathophysiology of infantile autism.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Dexamethasone suppression test in autistic children.

A dexamethasone suppression test (DST) was carried out on autistic and other handicapped children to investigate the function of the hypothalamo-pituitary adrenal axis (HPA-axis). The subjects were 19 autistic children consisting of 11 relatively well-developed and eight poorly-developed children. The control groups were 26 normal volunteers, 19 patients with schizophrenia and 15 children with mental retardation (MR) or minimal brain dysfunction (MBD). The DST procedures followed the Carroll method. As a result, all of the normal volunteers and 19 schizophrenic patients showed normal response (suppressor). Nine of the 11 well-developed autistic children exhibited suppressor, while all of the poorly-developed children showed an abnormal response (non-suppressor). Nine of the 10 children with MR and all of the five children with MBD were suppressor. These results suggest that there might be a dysfunction in the HPA-axis of the poorly-developed autistic children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Blood serotonin and free tryptophan concentration in autistic children.

In 37 autistic children and 67 normal control subjects, determinations of plasma free and total tryptophan and blood serotonin levels were made simultaneously in order to establish a relationship between these parameters and the clinical rating scales: Children's Psychiatric Rating Scale (CPRS-1), Werry-Weiss-Peters Activity Scale (WWPAS), and Developmental Quotient (DQ). The plasma free tryptophan level was significantly higher in autistic children than in normal control subjects. There tended to be a significant positive correlation between the plasma free tryptophan level and CPRS-1 or WWPAS score and a negative correlation between the plasma free tryptophan level and DQ. The blood serotonin level was significantly higher in autistic children than in normal control subjects. No correlation was established, however, between the blood serotonin level and CPRS-1, WWPAS score or DQ, and hence the clinical symptoms. Nor was there a correlation between blood serotonin and free tryptophan levels in these children. These results suggest that autistic children have some defect in tryptophan-serotonin metabolism in the brain, which is responsible for the clinical manifestations and behavioral abnormalities of infantile autism.

Autistic Disorder↗
PubMed1983

Psychophysiological studies of eating disorders by means of visual evoked responses.

The psychic conditions of 14 patients with eating disorders were examined psychophysiologically. Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) and vertex potentials (V-potentials) as visual evoked responses (VERs) were recorded simultaneously at rest and during hyperventilation. The correlation between manifest anxiety measured by the MAS test and the increased amplitudes of VERs during hyperventilation was examined. The results showed that the psychic conditions of the typical anorexia nervosa patients were similar to a state of alexithymia, as they showed less manifest anxiety. The amplitudes of the VEPs and V-potentials did not increase during hyperventilation as did those of hysteric and obsessive-compulsive neurotic patients. Psychic conditions of patients suffering from the other type of eating disorders were contrary to the former group, viz., they showed much manifest anxiety. The amplitudes of the VERs increased markedly during hyperventilation as did those of anxiety neurotic patients. Mechanisms of increased amplitudes during hyperventilation as well as the correlation between manifest anxiety and anorexia nervosa are discussed. In conclusion, we would suggest that the typical cases of anorexia nervosa can be classified as psychosomatic disease and the atypical cases and the other eating disorders as neuroses.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

The epidemiological study of autism in Fukushima-ken.

A survey of children aged under 18 years in Fukushima-ken (prefecture) in Japan showed that 2.33 per 10,000 children suffered from early infantile autism. The average of prevalence rates of autistic children born between 1968 and 1974 was 4.96 per 10,000 children. Based on a comparison between cities and rural districts, the prevalence rates of the former were significantly higher than those of the latter. Autistic boys outnumbered autistic girls with a sex ratio of 9 : 1. Psychiatric illnesses were very rare among the relatives of autistic children. The rate of prenatal and perinatal complications was higher than the national norm among autistic children. Parents of autistic children had a significantly higher education than the national norm. There were more nuclear families in the autistic group than in the national norm.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Early symptoms of autistic children and its diagnostic significance.

In order to make a checklist for the early diagnosis of autism, the abnormalities of mental development before the age of two were examined retrospectively in autistic children. Additionally, the correlation between these early symptoms and the prognosis of autistic children were investigated. The subjects were 85 autistic children, 64 mentally retarded children and 150 normal children. The parents of these children were interviewed by child psychiatrists based on original questionnaires. The 27 early symptoms indicating disorders in personal relations, perception and sleeping as well as the setback course were found in autistic children. The onset ages of imitating others, pointing at objects and saying Yes were retarded in the poorly developed group as compared with the highly developed group.

Autistic Disorder↗