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Biomedical subjects

K Wood

Publications and source records attributed to K Wood.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Depression, weight loss and the dexamethasone suppression test.

The dexamethasone suppression test (DST) was carried out on 143 patients with a major depressive disorder, who were classified into those with a history of weight loss (n = 89) and those without (n = 54). Seventy-three per cent of patients with weight loss and 61% of patients without had an abnormal DST; this difference was not statistically significant. Of the patients receiving prophylactic lithium therapy, 13 were found to have changed their DST status on retesting after a period of 14 months, but there was no significant difference in their weight. It is concluded that weight loss is not a necessary condition for an abnormal DST in depressive illness.

Body Weight↗
PubMed1983

Decreasing lithium dosage reduces morbidity and side-effects during prophylaxis.

In a prospective double-blind trial we examined the affective morbidity and side-effects of 72 patients who were randomly allocated either to continue with their usual dose of lithium or to receive either a 25% or 50% reduction in lithium dosage. Patients who underwent a dosage reduction with consequently lower plasma lithium levels (0.45-0.79 mmol/l) had significantly decreased affective morbidity. Thyroid stimulating hormone levels were also significantly decreased in this group. Total subjective side-effects score and tremor were also reduced. No change in affective morbidity was observed during the trial in patients whose dosage was not altered. These changes were observed in both unipolar and bipolar patients. It was concluded that a once a day dosage with a sustained release lithium preparation that maintained a 12-h plasma level of about 0.6 mmol/l is both more effective and produces less side effects than does conventional dosages.

Bipolar Disorder↗
PubMed1983

Prophylactic lithium treatment of patients with affective disorders is associated with decreased platelet [3H]dihydroergocryptine binding.

Intact platelet [3H]dihydroergocryptine binding characteristics have been determined in female patients with a history of affective disorders who have been treated with prophylactic lithium. These results have been compared with results obtained from concurrent experiments in normal female controls and acutely-depressed, female drug-free patients. The platelet density of alpha 2-adrenoceptors in the lithium-treated patients is similar to that of the depressed patients as there are significantly fewer sites per platelet when compared to normal controls. It is concluded that lithium treatment with remission from affective illness is not associated with a change toward normal of alpha 2-adrenoceptor density and represents a trait in patients prone to affective disorder. The problem of comparison of results of platelet alpha 2-adrenoceptor density obtained from different laboratories is discussed with particular reference to the non-uniform choice of [3H]ligands used.

Blood Platelets↗
PubMed1983

Screening for abnormal eating attitudes and psychiatric morbidity in an unselected population of 15-year-old schoolgirls.

The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) have been validated in an unselected population of 15-year-old South London schoolgirls. Scores on the questionnaires were compared with the results of standard interview. The EAT was found to be an efficient screening instrument for abnormal eating attitudes and behaviour, whereas the GHQ was less satisfactory in its ability to screen for psychiatric morbidity in this age group than in adults. At the optimal cutting points, 6.9% of this population gave a positive response to the EAT and 19.3% gave a positive response to the GHQ. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between the two sets of scores. Compared with their peers, girls giving a positive response to the EAT also reported that they missed more meals during the day and that their weight was more unstable.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Drug plasma levels and platelet 5-HT uptake inhibition during long-term treatment with fluvoxamine or lithium in patients with affective disorders.

1 Plasma levels and platelet 5-HT uptake characteristics were determined at baseline and at various times during a long-term study comparing fluvoxamine and lithium prophylaxis. 2 In the fluvoxamine-treated patients after 12 and 24 weeks of treatment, Km was significantly increased and y, the mean overall uptake, significantly decreased compared to the patients' own baseline values and to lithium treatment. No significant change was noted for Vmax. 3 For fluvoxamine, significant negative relationships were established between the Vmax of platelet 5-HT uptake and plasma levels. 4 The trial had to be discontinued prematurely for some patients due to apparent lack of efficacy, unwanted effects or a combination of both in the fluvoxamine-treated patients. Low plasma levels of fluvoxamine may have contributed to the apparent lack of prophylactic efficacy of the drug. 5 Reference is made to the activity of receptor systems in patients receiving lithium and the consequent changes occurring after the administration of a potent 5-HT re-uptake inhibitor.

Antidepressive Agents↗
PubMed1983

Biological classification of depressive illness.

1 A number of biological criteria have been used for refining clinical classification to identify patients who will respond to antidepressant treatment. 2 Subtypes of depressive illness have been postulated to occur depending on whether there is a relative deficiency of central noradrenaline or 5-hydroxytryptamine. However, antidepressants having selective effects on amine systems have similar therapeutic effects and inhibition of re-uptake of these amines does not correlate with clinical outcome. 3 An abnormal response to thyrotrophin-releasing hormone has not been confirmed as specific for depressive illness. Failure to control for age and sex may account for some of the discordant findings. 4 It has been suggested that depressed patients secrete less growth hormone to a variety of stimuli. It appears that the predictive value of a growth hormone response for the diagnosis of endogenous depression is 53%. 5 The dexamethasone suppression test appears to have high sensitivity for the diagnosis of endogenous depression but low specificity and should therefore be used only in conjunction with clinical assessments.

Biogenic Amines↗
PubMed1981

The action of antidepressant drugs on 5-hydroxy-tryptamine uptake by platelets--relationship to therapeutic effect.

The uptake of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) by the blood platelets of depressive patients treated with amitriptyline and zimelidine has been examined. Both drugs significantly reduce the uptake of 5-HT into the platelet and the degree of inhibition is correlated with the plasma drug level of amitriptyline. No significant correlations could be detected between the degree of inhibition of uptake and clinical change. The accepted mode of action of tricyclic antidepressant drugs, i.e. the inhibition of reuptake of released amines, is discussed.

Antidepressive Agents↗
PubMed1980

Neuroendocrine studies in affective disorders. Part 1. Plasma prolactin response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone in affective disorders: effect of ECT.

The plasma prolactin response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone, which is thought to be mediated by central 5-HT mechanisms, has been studied in patients with affective disorders. There was no difference between depressive patients (taken as a whole), bipolar patients undergoing a manic phase and controls in the prolactin response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone. When the depressive patients were divided on a genetic basis into familial pure and sporadic depressive disease it was found that the sporadic patients had an enhanced response. The results do not provide any strong evidence to suggest that central 5-HT mechanisms as measured by the prolactin response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone are abnormal in depressed patients or bipolar patients undergoing a manic phase. Patients after ECT had an increased prolactin response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone which may indicate increased sensitivity of central 5-HT receptors following this treatment.

Bipolar Disorder↗
PubMed1980

Neuroendocrine studies in affective disorders. Part 2. Plasma thyroid-stimulating hormone response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone in affective disorders: effect of ECT.

The plasma thyroid-stimulating hormone response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone in controls and patients with affective disorders has been studied. The results of the investigation do not suggest any abnormality of this response in monopolar or unipolar depressed patients or bipolar patients undergoing a manic phase of their illness. No significant difference in this response could be detected between 'sporadic depressive disease' patients and 'familial pure depressive disease' patients, and age- and sex-matched controls. The neuroendocrine response was essentially unchanged after treatment by ECT.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Lithium restores abnormal platelet 5-HT transport in patients with affective disorders.

Kinetic analysis of the transport of 5-HT into the blood platelets of depressed patients and recovered depressive patients has shown that the rate of accumulation of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is significantly decreased both before and after recovery from the illness. This abnormality is corrected by both short and long-term lithium treatment. As a corollary to these studies, the effect of lithium in vitro on 5-HT uptake has been studied and the results are opposite to those reported in vivo. These findings suggest that lithium acts indirectly, and possible mechanisms of its action are discussed.

Biological Transport↗
PubMed1979

Zimelidine: a therapeutic and pharmacokinetic study in depression.

Zimelidine, a bicyclic compound with a strong effect on the neuronal reuptake of 5-hydroxy-tryptamine and with weak anticholinergic actions, was evaluated for its antidepressant efficacy in a double-blind comparative trial with amitriptyline. In doses of 200 mg a day it was found to be as effective as 150 mg amitriptyline, but with significantly less subjective side-effects. The plasma concentration of zimelidine and its metabolite, norzimelidine, showed no significant correlation with therapeutic outcome.

Allylamine↗