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Biomedical subjects

J L Birley

Publications and source records attributed to J L Birley.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

DSM-III: from left to right or from right to left?

DSM-III has largely been based upon essentialist notions of increasingly accurate and 'valid' definitions of diseases. A nominalist approach would facilitate study of aetiological factors and variables in the natural history of diseases.

Humans↗
PubMed1983

The use of ward support by psychiatric patients in the community.

A system of ward support for chronic psychiatric patients in an urban community is described, which makes available ward and staff facilities throughout the 24 hours and at weekends. Details are given of a group of 41 patients using this facility over a period of six months. Two types of use of the ward were identified, based on the amount of social interaction with other staff and patients. The 'unengaged', with a high rate of visits, were mainly schizophrenic patients with an early first onset of illness and currently a scanty social network (small primary group and often no confidant). The 'engaged', with a lower rate of visits, were people with a later onset and a larger social network.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Unmodified ECT.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Electroconvulsive Therapy↗
PubMed1980

A longitudinal study of urinary excretion of N,N,-dimethyltryptamine in psychotic patients.

The excretion of N,N,-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) has been measured in longitudinal studies of five patients with schizophrenic illnesses and in four patients with rapidly or slowly cycling manic-depressive illness. The excretion of DMT was frequently raised in patients when they were psychotic but was usually normal when they had recovered. However, rapid changes in the severity of illness or sudden switches from one mood state to another were not accompanied by changes in the excretion of DMT. These findings contrast with the immediate hallucinogenic effects of an injection of DMT, and suggest that the extracerebral production of DMT (as measured by its urinary excretion) does not provoke the experience of hallucinations in psychotic patients.

Bipolar Disorder↗
PubMed1979

Increased excretion of dimethyltryptamine and certain features of psychosis: a possible association.

The excretion of the hallucinogen dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and its precursor N-methyltryptamine (NMT) was studied among 74 recently admitted psychiatric patients and 19 normal persons. Both compounds were detected in 24-hour urine samples from all subjects. Dimethyltryptamine excretion was greatest in schizophrenia, mania, and "other psychosis" and tended to decline as clinical state improved. Psychotic depressives excreted smaller amounts of DMT more akin to those excreted by neurotic and normal subjects. Urinary NMT excretion was unrelated to psychiatric diagnosis. Ratings on the Present State Examination (PSE) also indicated that increased excretion of DMT was associated with psychotic rather than neurotic psychopathology. Forty-three percent of the variance in urinary DMT levels could be explained in terms of six of the 38 PSE syndromes. Syndromes suggesting elation, perceptual abnormalities, and difficulty in thinking and communicating were most correlated with raised urinary DMT excretion.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Urinary excretion of dimethyltryptamine in liver disease.

The urinary excretion of N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) was higher in patients with severe liver disease than in normal subjects. This difference remained significant when patients with all grades of hepatic encephalopathy were excluded. Patients with liver disease whose mental states were normal excreted amounts of DMT similar to those of patients with a hospital diagnosis of schizophrenia.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1977

Factors affecting the urinary excretion of endogenously formed dimethyltryptamine in normal human subjects.

The hallucinogenic substance N',N'-dimethyltryptamine and its precursor N-methyltryptamine were found in 24-h specimens of urine from 19 normal human subjects; the mean excretion rates were 386 ng 24 h(-1) and 856 ng 24 h(-1) respectively. The urinary excretion of both compounds was unrelated to age, sex, urinary volume, or creatinine, nor was any consistent diurnal pattern observed. Rates for the mono and dimethylated compounds were not correlated. Diet and the intestinal flora were excluded as a source of urinary dimethyltryptamine. Administration to 4 subjects of sufficient ammonium chloride to increase the H ion concentration of the urine caused a transient increase in dimethyltryptamine excretion but no consistent increase in the rate for N-methyltryptamine. Acidification of the urine did not appear to be the determining factor in this result since in one subject the same drop in urinary pH was achieved by feeding methionine without any increase in dimethyltryptamine excretion.

Adult↗