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Biomedical subjects

J A Besson

Publications and source records attributed to J A Besson.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). II. Imaging in dementia.

Proton NMR imaging of the brain is rapidly becoming established as a useful investigative tool in medicine. This paper examines the usefulness of the NMR parameters--spin-lattice relaxation time (T1) and proton density (PD)--in differentiating groups of patients with senile dementia of Alzheimer type (SDAT) and multi-infarct dementia (MID) from each other, and from elderly controls. T1 values increase with severity of dementia. NMR parameters may also be of use in localising regions of brain damage.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

Changes in the incidence of alcohol-related problems in north-east Scotland, 1974-1982.

The age-standardised rates of first-ever alcohol-related diagnoses amongst both general hospital in-patients and psychiatric referrals were examined in the Grampian region from 1974 to 1982. Male general hospital admissions in this category rose steeply from 1974 to 1978, but then declined steeply thereafter; it is concluded that this may reflect a beneficial effect on male drinking habits as a result of the liberalisation of Scottish licensing laws. The remaining data supported the belief that the gap is narrowing between male and female rates of alcohol-related illness.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

The relationship between Parkinson's disease and dementia. A study using proton NMR imaging parameters.

The value of the spin lattice relaxation time (T1) obtained during nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of the brain was studied in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease, with and without dementia. T1 increases significantly in the basal ganglia and cerebral white matter of the demented and non-demented groups. T1 of the cerebral white matter correlates with the severity of dementia.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

Changing trends in solvent abuse in the north-east of Scotland.

The prevalence of solvent abuse in the northeast of Scotland was studied over two consecutive years (1981 and 1982). Information concerning the number of new cases of solvent abuse was obtained from questionnaires distributed to general practitioners in the area and by examining police files.The results obtained show a decrease in the number of cases of solvent abuse reported to general practitioners in 1982 compared with 1981 and police statistics show a similar trend. A more substantial decrease was found in Aberdeen and the larger towns near to Aberdeen than in the smaller towns further from the city.

Humans↗
PubMed1984

Cognitive evaluation following NMR imaging of the brain.

Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of the brain will soon be a standard neuroradiological investigation. Previous work has indicated that this is a safe procedure. Tests which measure various aspects of cognition were performed on volunteer subjects before and after (medium and short term) NMR brain imaging and indicate that deterioration did not occur.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Elongation of pause-time in speech: a simple, objective measure of motor retardation in depression.

A sample of 'automatic speech' (counting from 1 to 10) was tape-recorded and the times taken up by phonation and pauses measured. In four healthy volunteers, both phonation times and pause times remained constant over a period of two months. In four moderately depressed patients, with no history of manic illness and with no obvious clinical signs of motor retardation, the pause times were significantly elongated while the patients were depressed compared to pause times measured after recovery. The phonation times were constant throughout the period of observation (4-6 months). Other tests for motor retardation (tapping time; Nurses' rating scale; Hamilton Retardation Scores) did not give consistent results. It is concluded that the simple test described here may reveal a degree of motor retardation in cases where other tests fail to do so.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

1H-NMR relaxation times and water content of red blood cells from chronic alcoholic patients during withdrawal.

Red blood cell proton nmr, T1 and T2 times, and water content were measured for normal control subjects and thirteen patients with chronic alcoholism during the withdrawal phase. T1 and T2 were significantly increased without significant alteration in cell water content. The relaxation times were more markedly affected in those with symptoms of delirium tremens. These findings suggest that the intracellular free:bound water states rather than water content is the more likely explanation for these changes. The results are discussed in relation to similar findings obtained from in vivo studies in man and in vitro studies in animals.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Regional variation in rat brain proton relaxation times and water content.

Relaxation times (T1 and T2) and water content are measured in frontal cortex, amygdaloid cortex, hippocampus, mid-brain and cerebellum of rat brain. Differences are found in relaxation times, between areas containing a mixture of grey and white matter, and grey matter only. Differences were also found between certain grey matter areas. Relaxation times correlated with water content.

Amygdala↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Differential diagnosis in dementia using the cerebral blood flow agent 99mTc HM-PAO: a SPECT study.

One of the potential clinical uses of the new cerebral blood flow agent 99mTc-hexamethylpropyleneamineoxime (HM-PAO) is the investigation of dementia, in particular to differentiate between dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) and multiinfarct dementia (MID). In this study 27 patients, 17 with DAT and 10 with MID, and three normal volunteers were imaged both with single photon emission CT and magnetic resonance. The HM-PAO perfusion deficits were much more common in the DAT group than in the MID group, especially in the temporoparietooccipital (TPO) regions. The two groups of patients were found to be significantly different (p less than 0.02), as regards the frequency of occurrence of bilateral TPO perfusion deficits. Four of the 17 DAT patients did not have bilateral TPO deficits but these included the three least impaired patients as assessed by psychometric testing.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Relation between Parkinson disease and dementia conditions studied with proton NMR imaging parameters].

The value of the spin lattice relaxation time (T1) obtained during nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of the brain in patients with Idiopathic Parkinson's disease with and without dementia is studied. T1 increases significantly in the basal ganglia and cerebral white matter of the demented and nondemented groups. T1 of the cerebral white matter correlates with the severity of dementia.

Aged↗