Biomedical subjects

J D Bremner

Publications and source records attributed to J D Bremner.

59 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMed1993

Deficits in short-term memory in posttraumatic stress disorder.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the memory function of patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to that of matched comparison subjects. METHOD: Vietnam veterans with combat-related PTSD (N = 26) were compared to physically healthy comparison subjects (N = 15) matched for age, race, sex, years of education, handedness, socioeconomic status, and alcohol abuse. Memory and intelligence were assessed with a battery of neuropsychological tests, including the Russell revision of the Wechsler Memory Scale, the Selective Reminding Test, and subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R). RESULTS: The PTSD patients scored significantly lower than the comparison subjects on the Wechsler Memory Scale logical memory measures for immediate recall (mean = 11.6, SD = 3.3 versus mean = 20.9, SD = 6.6) and delayed recall (mean = 8.0, SD = 3.3 versus mean = 17.8, SD = 6.4). The PTSD patients also scored significantly lower on the total recall, long-term storage, long-term retrieval, and delayed recall measures for the verbal component of the Selective Reminding Test and on the recall, long-term storage, long-term retrieval, and continuous long-term retrieval measures for the visual component of the Selective Reminding Test. There was no significant difference between the PTSD patients and comparison subjects in prorated full-scale IQ as measured by the WAIS-R. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with PTSD may have deficits in short-term memory. Counseling and rehabilitation that address these deficits may be of value for PTSD patients.

Humans↗

PubMed1992

Dissociation and posttraumatic stress disorder in Vietnam combat veterans.

OBJECTIVE: This study compared current dissociative symptoms and dissociation at the time of specific traumatic events in Vietnam combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and Vietnam combat veterans without PTSD. METHOD: Vietnam combat veterans who sought treatment for PTSD (N = 53) were compared to Vietnam combat veterans without PTSD (N = 32) who sought treatment for medical problems. Dissociative symptoms were evaluated with the Dissociative Experiences Scale. Dissociation at the time of a combat-related traumatic event was evaluated retrospectively with the modified Dissociative Experiences Questionnaire. The Combat Exposure Scale was used to measure level of combat exposure. RESULTS: There was a significantly higher level of dissociative symptoms, as measured by the Dissociative Experiences Scale, in patients with PTSD (mean = 27.0, SD = 18.0) than in patients without PTSD (mean = 13.7, SD = 16.0). This difference persisted when the difference in level of combat exposure was controlled with analysis of covariance. PTSD patients also reported more dissociative symptoms at the time of combat trauma, as measured retrospectively by the Dissociative Experiences Questionnaire (mean = 11.5, SD = 1.6) than non-PTSD patients (mean = 1.8, SD = 2.1). CONCLUSIONS: Dissociative symptoms are an important element of the long-term psychopathological response to trauma.

Adult↗

PubMed1984

Multicenter double-blind comparison of nomifensine and imipramine for efficacy and safety in depressed outpatients.

Nomifensine, a tetrahydroisoquinoline antidepressant, was compared with imipramine in a 4-week multicenter double-blind study of depressed outpatients (100 on nomifensine, 56 on imipramine). Nomifensine was at least as effective as imipramine in reducing depressive symptoms at average doses of 150 mg/day. When significant differences did occur on Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores, they favored nomifensine for improvement in cognitive symptoms and interest in work and activities. Early in treatment, nomifensine patients also showed a better relationship between clinical response and side effects. The proportions of patients experiencing at least one side effect or dropping out due to side effects were almost twice as high in the imipramine group. Dry mouth and sedating effects were 2-3 times more frequent among imipramine patients. Thus, nomifensine demonstrated clinical efficacy at least comparable with imipramine but with indications of a more favorable side effects profile.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1984

Fluoxetine in depressed patients: a comparison with imipramine.

The clinical efficacy and safety of fluoxetine and imipramine were compared in a double-blind, 5-week, parallel study in 40 depressed outpatients. Mean scores for most depression scales improved more in patients taking fluoxetine than in those receiving imipramine (p less than .05). Nine of 16 (56%) fluoxetine patients who completed the study and 1 of 19 (5%) imipramine patients were not at all depressed at the end of the study (p less than .001). Seven fluoxetine patients and 14 imipramine patients reported one or more adverse effects during treatment; no fluoxetine patient terminated the study early for drug-related reasons. It was concluded that fluoxetine provides effective antidepressant activity with fewer and less troublesome side effects than imipramine.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Positron emission tomography in female patients with borderline personality disorder.

The pathology of Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is poorly understood and its biological basis remains largely unknown. One functional brain imaging study using [(18)F]Deoxyglucose-PET previously reported frontal and prefrontal hypometabolism. We studied brain metabolism at baseline in 12 medication-free female patients with BPD without current substance abuse or depression and 12 healthy female controls by [(18)F]Deoxyglucose-PET and statistical parametric mapping. We found significant frontal and prefrontal hypermetabolism in patients with BPD relative to controls as well as significant hypometabolism in the hippocampus and cuneus. This study demonstrated limbic and prefrontal dysfunction under resting conditions in patients with BPD by FDG-PET. Dysfunction in this network of brain regions, which has been implicated in the regulation of emotion, may underlie symptoms of BPD.

Adolescent↗