[Hyperprolactinemia induced by antipsychotic agents].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Hugo A Jørgensen.
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The molecular classes of phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylserine (PS) from the basal ganglia, cerebellum, cortex, erythrocytes and blood platelets of female rats were separated by an isocratic HPLC method using a silica column and ultraviolet detection. Each glycerophospholipid class were thereafter derivatized to dimethylphosphatidic acid (PA) molecular species, separated by reverse phase HPLC and detected by an evaporative laser scatter to quantify the different glycerophospholipid species. The distribution of molecular species in each class of the glycerophospholipids in the three brain areas was very similar with a predominance of the 18:0/22:6 species and very little of the 18:0/20:4 species. In contrast, the 18:0/20:4 species predominated in the blood cells which had a very low proportion of 18:0/22:6. These results are discussed on the background that platelets have been extensively used as a model for neurons and our previous physicochemical observation that phenothiazines appear to interact specifically with the 18:0/22:6 species of PS.
Auditory hallucinations (AH) in schizophrenia have been found to be related to both functional and structural brain abnormalities of left temporal lobe language areas. We do not know if these rain abnormalities are state or trait markers for AH. This study tested these alternatives by contrasting schizophrenic patients with ongoing AH and with a previous history of AH. A heterogeneous group of 26 schizophrenic patients was compared with a healthy control group matched for education and age. We used a verbal dichotic listening (DL) test with consonant-vowel syllables to study hemispheric asymmetry and the functional integrity of the left temporal lobe language areas. All subjects were tested during a divided and two focused attention conditions. Our data suggest that abnormal DL asymmetry for language stimuli is a state marker for AH, seen during the perception of AH. In contrast, problems of modulating DL performance by means of attentional control are a trait marker, seen both in patients with ongoing AH and only a history of AH.
Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a serious motor side effect of long-term neuroleptic treatment that may persist after drug withdrawal. Alterations in striatal enkephalinergic neurons due to excessive glutamatergic activity is a possible pathogenetic mechanism. We studied the effect of the NMDA antagonist memantine in a rat model of TD, in which vacuous chewing movements (VCM) were induced by 20 weeks of haloperidol administration. The striatal density of preproenkephalin mRNA was measured and the number of neurons estimated. Haloperidol induced persistent VCM that was associated with increased striatal expression of preproenkephalin mRNA. Memantine inhibited the development of haloperidol-induced persistent VCM and attenuated the increase in preproenkephalin mRNA expression. This suggests that glutamate-mediated up-regulation of striatal enkephalin plays a role in the development of haloperidol-induced persistent oral dyskinesias.
BACKGROUND: Drug treatment is important, though only part of the treatment and support that most schizophrenic patients need. The aim of this article is to present current knowledge and opinion concerning start of treatment, drug of first choice, treatment of refractory schizophrenia, treatment of co-morbidity, treatment during pregnancy and lactation, and the proper time to stop medication. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The article is based on a review of recent literature and contact with experts in the field. Literature was identified through searches on Medline and Web of Science. RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION: The antipsychotic effect of the second-generation, atypical neuroleptics is comparable to the effect of conventional drugs. Clozapine is still the drug of choice for refractory conditions. The new antipsychotics seem to have properties that improve cognition and reduce the risk of motor side effects; hence they have some advantages over conventional drugs.
Impaired functional brain asymmetry has been shown in schizophrenic patients, in addition to attentional deficits related to this laterality impairment. However, it has usually been shown in older patients with frequent positive symptoms. This is a matter of concern because previous studies have suggested that such deficits interact with subgroup characteristics, especially positive symptoms like hallucinations and age/duration of the illness. Thus, in this study, we tested a homogeneous group of young and stabilised schizophrenic patients. We used a verbal dichotic listening test with consonant-vowel syllables to study brain asymmetry and attentional modulation. Nineteen patients were compared with healthy subjects with the same age, handedness and gender distribution. All subjects were tested during a divided and two focused attention conditions. The patient and reference group showed the same performance pattern. This indicates that young and stabilised patients show normal functional brain asymmetry and normal ability to modulate attention. It is suggested that impairments in functional asymmetry and attentional modulation may follow a continuum related to symptomatology and age/duration of illness.