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Biomedical subjects

H Moldofsky

Publications and source records attributed to H Moldofsky.

107 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1975

Facilitation of somatosensory average-evoked potentials in hysterical anesthesia and pain.

Psychophysiological inhibition theories of hysterical anesthesia were not supported in a study of habituation of scalp somatosensory average-evoked responses. Facilitation, rather than habituation, was found in responses contralaterial to the affected side with strong tactile stimuli in patients with hysterical heminesthesia or hemihypoesthesia, regional pain, and weakness. We suggest that the increase in response amplitude is related to the unusual congnitive set in these patients. Corticufugal influences on tactile sensory input might be mediated through increasing-excitation in a spinal-gating system.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1975

Hypothalamic-pituitary function in anorexia nervosa.

We studied nine patients with anorexia nervosa: five were "undernourished" and four were "well-nourished". The undernourished patients had significantly higher plasma growth hormone (GH) levels in a fasting state and higher GH rebounds following glucose administration. In four of these patients, GH levels decreased to normal after weight restoration. Decreased urinary follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in three and plasma luteinizing hormone in six patients were not related to nutritional status; however, positive correlation was found between duration of illness and urinary FSH. Other results included decreased plasma testosterone in the one male, elevated plasma cortisol in five, and decreased 17-ketosteroid excretion in five patients. The results support elevated GH as secondary to starvation of anorexia nervosa and not an independent hypothalamic-pituitary disturbance. Other endocrine findings indicate hypothalamic-pituitary malfunction is not confined to GH.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Musculosketal symptoms and non-REM sleep disturbance in patients with "fibrositis syndrome" and healthy subjects.

In sleep studies of (a) patients with the "fibrositis syndrome" and (b) healthy subjects undergoing stage 4 sleep deprivation, we observed in both groups the anomalous presence of alpha-rhythms in the non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep EEG. This phenomenon has been termed alpha-delta sleep. In the healthy subjects stage 4 deprivation was accompanied by the temporary appearance of muscoloskeletal and mood symptoms comparable to the symptoms seen chronically in the patients. It is suggested that the external arousing stimulus, which induced alpha-delta sleep in the subjects, is paralleled in the patients by an internal arousing mechanism. Such a mechanism, acting in competition with the NREM sleep system, would impair the presumed restorative function of NREM sleep and lead to the development of symptoms. It is proposed that the "fibrositis" symptom complex be considered a "non-restorative sleep syndrome". Evidence froms presented in support of the hypothesis that a disorder of serotonin metabolism serves as a basis for both the EEG sleep disturbance and the symptoms.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Induction of neurasthenic musculoskeletal pain syndrome by selective sleep stage deprivation.

Two groups of young, healthy, nonathletic volunteers were subjected to selective sleep stage deprivation. Six subjects were deprived of stage 4 sleep and seven subjects of REM sleep. The stage 4 deprived group reported more musculoskeletal symptoms during the deprivation condition than did the REM deprived group. The stage 4 deprived group also showed a significant increase in muscle tenderness between the baseline and deprivation conditions and an altered pattern of overnight change in muscle tenderness in response to deprivation. The REM deprived group did not show either of these changes. These results are discussed in the light of the previously postulated relationship between NREM sleep disturbance and muscoloskeletal pain in patients with so-called "Fibrositis syndrome."

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Body image disturbances in anorexia nervosa and obesity.

Measures were made of body image and personality features in patients with anorexia nervosa and obesity. It was hypothesized that obese and anorexic patients would display similar body image disturbances characterized by relative overestimation of body size in comparison with control subjects. Body image was measured by both a distorting photograph technique (a general measure) and a visual size estimation apparatus (for specific body regions). Personality features were assessed by the Eysenck Personality Inventory and a modified version of Rotter's Locus of Control Scale. Results indicated that both obese (N=16) and anorexic (N=18) subjects significantly differed from three control groups (P less than 0.01) in body size estimation on a general measure of body image. A measure of specific body regions did not differentiate between groups. For anorexic and obese patients, body size estimates were significantly correlated with personality features.

Anorexia Nervosa↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sleep-related myoclonus in rheumatic pain modulation disorder (fibrositis syndrome) and in excessive daytime somnolence.

We describe a new syndrome, Rheumatic Pain Modulation Disorder (RPMD) ("fibrositis syndrome") with sleep-related myoclonus (involuntary periodic leg movements). Measures of sleepiness, fatigue and pain, before and after sleep, and aspects of sleep of nine subjects (Ss) with RPMD and sleep-related myoclonus were compared to nine subjects with excessive daytime somnolence and sleep-related myoclonus. In eight of the RPMD with sleep-related myoclonus and three of those with daytime sleepiness, an alpha (7.5-11 Hz) EEG Non-Rapid Eye Movement sleep disorder was demonstrated. The RPMD with sleep-related myoclonus group contained a greater number of women, more pain, morning fatigue, and disturbances in sleep (more stage changes and alpha EEG sleep prior to leg myoclonus); but in comparison to the sleep-related myoclonus, daytime somnolent group, there were no differences in evening and morning sleepiness, number of limb movements, movement arousals, awakenings after sleep onset, sleep duration, and percent sleep stages.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The relationship of interleukin-1 and immune functions to sleep in humans.

Serial sampling of peripheral blood from six healthy adult male volunteers was performed during daytime waking and nighttime sleeping. In addition, sleep physiology was assessed in all subjects (Ss) and sleep stages scored blind by standard criteria. Samples of plasma were analyzed for cortisol (Co) levels, functional interleukin-1 (IL-1), and interleukin-2 (IL-2) activity. Peripheral blood monocytes (PBM) were assayed to evaluate natural killer (NK) activity and mitogen responsiveness. Dramatic increase in IL-1 activity along with changes in other immune functions occurred during sleep and were related to onset of slow wave sleep.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sleep and posttraumatic rheumatic pain modulation disorder (fibrositis syndrome).

The clinical features and sleep physiology of 11 female patients with "fibrositis syndrome" or rheumatic pain modulation disorder (RPMD) were compared with 11 female postaccident pain (PAP) patients who complained of widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and nonrestorative sleep following a nonphysically injurious motor vehicle or work-related accident. Both groups had similar musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, sleepiness and an alpha (7.5-11 Hz) EEG non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep anomaly. A psychophysiologic arousal mechanism during NREM sleep induced by the emotional stress of the accident may mediate the subsequent nonrestorative sleep, musculoskeletal pain, and fatigue symptoms in the posttraumatic pain disorder.

Adult↗