Biomedical subjects

H Nyman

Publications and source records attributed to H Nyman.

28 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1991

Normalization of personality characteristics in patients with incapacitating anxiety disorders after capsulotomy.

The personality characteristics of 24 consecutive patients undergoing psycho-surgery for incapacitating anxiety disorders were assessed prospectively using a self-report personality inventory. The main findings were: absence of negative personality changes after surgery, significant postoperative changes towards normalization on the majority of the scales, and significant symptomatic relief in 80% of the cases. The changes on scales reflecting anxiety proneness were conspicuous in patients suffering from "pure" anxiety disorders, as compared with those suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In OCD patients, correlations were obtained between changes in brain metabolism studied with positron emission tomography and changes in personality scores. It is concluded that negative personality changes are not likely to occur after capsulotomy.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Brain metabolism in Alzheimer's dementia: studies of 11C-deoxyglucose accumulation, CSF monoamine metabolites and neuropsychological test performance in patients and healthy subjects.

Thirteen patients with dementia of Alzheimer type and nine age-matched control subjects were examined by a battery of neuropsychological tests and by positron emission tomography (PET) with 11C-deoxyglucose as a tracer for regional glucose metabolism in the brain. Concentrations of the monoamine metabolites HVA, MHPG and 5-HIAA were determined in the CSF from patients and controls. In the patients there was a diminished glucose metabolism in posterior parietal and superior temporal cortex areas to 60% of control levels. Other cortical areas showed similar changes, whereas the pre- and postcentral area, the cerebellum, the hippocampus and the basal ganglia showed less or no change. The decline in cortical metabolism in the patients was symmetrical but the variation in the left/right ratio was greater than in the controls. The CSF levels of monoamine metabolites did not differ between patients and controls. High levels of the metabolites were associated with low rates of glucose metabolism, possibly due to inhibitory influences of monoaminergic pathways upon cortical and subcortical neurons. The rate of glucose metabolism correlated positively with the neuropsychological test performance in both patients and controls. Verbal and memory performances were associated with greater left hemisphere metabolism in the patients, but not in the controls, whereas non-verbal abilities tended to be associated with right hemisphere metabolic dominance.

Aged↗

PubMed1988

Aspects of personality in patients with anxiety disorders undergoing capsulotomy.

Capsulotomy is an established psychosurgical intervention for anxiety disorders. While the effectiveness of the intervention in reducing target symptoms is undisputed, the issue of negative personality changes following capsulotomy is of great concern. We studied prospectively personality traits in nine consecutive patients undergoing capsulotomy for anxiety disorder, using the Rorschach test and a personality inventory, the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP), administered before and one year after operation. The protocols were evaluated under blind conditions by an independent assessor who had access to no data other than the age and sex of the patients. The Rorschach findings were used in two main comparison procedures: between the patients pre- and postoperative scores, and between that group and three reference groups. The KSP data were compared both with an age-stratified non-patient control group and with data obtained from groups of neurotic patients. In summary, the capsulotomy patients' personalities, as expressed in their Rorschach interpretations, remained intact, and significant reductions were noted in scales reflecting anxiety and hospitality. Statistically significant changes were also noted after operation in 10 of the 17 scales included in the KSP. While pathological scores were observed preoperatively in many scales, all the postoperative scores but one (Socialization) were within the normal range. Scores on the Socialization scale remained low, which is often the case in chronic patients. It is concluded that the patients displayed more normal personality features after operation than before and that adverse personality changes are not likely to occur after capsulotomy.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

Peak torque and OBLA running capacity in male orienteers.

The isokinetic (30, 60, 120 and 180 degrees s-1) peak torque of m. quadriceps femoris and m. triceps surae, and the running velocity at the onset of blood lactate accumulation (VOBLA) were determined at three different occasions (November, April and September) during a year in 15 male élite orienteers. The amount and type of training for each individual was also registered. At the first test (November) there was no significant intra-individual correlation between peak torque of m. quadriceps and m. triceps surae. A negative correlation was found between VOBLA and peak torque of m. quadriceps at the lower velocities of angular motion, but not at the higher. The peak torque of m. triceps surae increased during the training period and decreased during the competition period back to the original level. Over the whole year the peak torque of m. quadriceps increased while no changes could be demonstrated within the two periods of the study. The running velocity at the onset of blood lactate accumulation increased during both training and competition periods. The changes in VOBLA were negatively associated with the changes in peak torque of m. quadriceps at 180 degrees s-1 during the training period. During the competition period the changes in VOBLA were, for the majority of the orienteers, negatively correlated to the ratio of quality:quantity running, i.e. to a high content of forest running.

Adult↗

PubMed1987

Neuropsychological test performance and CSF levels of monoamine metabolites in healthy volunteers and patients with Alzheimer's dementia.

Fifteen patients (51-78 yrs) with mild to moderately severe Alzheimer's dementia and 18 healthy subjects of the same age were examined by clinical rating scales and a battery of neuropsychological tests. Levels of the monoamine metabolites homovanillic acid (HVA), 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl glycol (MHPG) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) were determined in the lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Correlations between clinical, psychological and biochemical measures were calculated in order to elucidate whether monoaminergic mechanisms are of importance for the maintenance of cognitive abilities in normal and pathological aging. The patients' performance was severely impaired in all neuropsychological tests. The mean levels of monoamine metabolites, however, did not differ between patients and volunteers. The correlations between psychological test scores and CSF metabolite levels were generally low, but mostly negative, associating a poor performance to a high activity of brain monoaminergic neurons. Thus, among the volunteers high 5-HIAA and MHPG levels correlated with poor performance in the Picture completion and the Trail making tests--measures of visuo-perceptual and visuo-motor skills. In the demented patients poor performance in the memory tests was associated with high levels of HVA and 5-HIAA. The results indicate that monoamine neuron activity is not a primary determinant for cognitive abilities in healthy elderly subjects or in demented patients. The slight negative correlation between cognitive function and metabolite concentrations in the patients may reflect a disturbance in a dopaminergic-cholinergic balance due to degenerative changes of central cholinergic pathways.

Aged↗

PubMed1986

Neuropsychological test performance, brain morphological measures and CSF monoamine metabolites in schizophrenic patients.

Twenty-three drug-free patients with an acute schizophrenic psychosis were studied by clinical rating scales, neuropsychological tests, computed tomography (CT) of the brain and analysis of monoamine metabolites in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The psychological tests used were the Swedish version of the Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence scale (WBI) and the Block Design test. The patients' performance in the Block Design test was negatively correlated to the width of the third and lateral ventricles. Test profiles indicative of schizophrenic cognitive impairment and left hemisphere dysfunction correlated significantly with a wide third ventricle, but not with the size of the lateral ventricles. Patients with a test profile indicative of left hemisphere dysfunction also had wider Sylvian fissures than the remaining patients. Neuropsychological test scores did not correlate with the CSF levels of the monoamine metabolites HVA, MHPG and 5-HIAA. Positive psychotic and autistic symptoms did not correlate with psychological test results, monoamine metabolites or with CT measures. The association between neuropsychological impairment and enlargement of the brain ventricles is in line with previous findings indicating that a subgroup of schizophrenic patients may be identified by neuropsychological and morphological methods.

Adult↗

PubMed1986

Regional cerebral glucose metabolism in anxiety disorders studied with positron emission tomography before and after psychosurgical intervention. A preliminary report.

Regional cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (rCMRGl) was studied with positron emission tomography in patients suffering from severe anxiety disorders undergoing capsulotomy, an anti-anxiety psychosurgical intervention in which fronto-limbic connections are interrupted. Preliminary observations on five patients show a statistically significant reduction in rCMRGl postoperatively in the orbitomedial frontal cortex, a region knonw to be of relevance for the capsulotomy effects. Clinically, 4 of 5 patients improved after surgery. The study may provide new information on the pathophysiology of anxiety.

Adult↗

PubMed1983

Synthesis of oligosaccharides that form parts of the complex type of carbohydrate moieties of glycoproteins. Three glycosides prepared for conjugation to proteins.

Condensation of 3,6-di-O-acetyl-4-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-beta-D-galactopyranosyl)-2-deoxy-2- phthalimido-beta-D-glucopyranosyl bromide with p-nitrophenyl 3-O-benzoyl-4,6-di-O-benzylidene-alpha-D-mannopyranoside, p-nitrophenyl 3,6-di-O-benzyl-alpha-D-mannopyranoside and p-nitrophenyl 3,4-di-O-benzyl-alpha-D-mannopyranoside gave protected tri- and pentasaccharides. The oligosaccharide glycosides 1, 2 and 3 were obtained after de-protection of these condensation products. These oligosaccharides will, after suitable conversions, be conjugated to proteins for biological studies.

Glycoproteins↗

PubMed1977

Vestibulotixoci effect of alkylating agents.

The vestibular sensory epithelia from 3 patients treated with cytotoxic drugs were studied with a surface specimen technique, 2 cases had been treated with cyclophosphamide and 1 with melphalan. In all 3 cases there was some slight degeneration affecting the cristae ampullares. The macula utriculi showed no signs of degeneration. The degeneration affecting the cristae is probably too slight to produce any serious symptoms from the vestibular apparatus.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Tympanometry and acoustic impedance.

In recordings of the acoustic impedance of the middle ear (tympanometry) the change in air pressure in the ear canal will mostly influence the capacitive component of the acoustic impedance. By choosing a probe tone frequency close to the resonance frequency of the middle ear, characteristic tympanometric patterns can be demonstrated in certain middle ear lesions. The shapes of the curves are discussed in relation to the behaviour of the different components of the middle ear impedance.

Acoustic Stimulation↗