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Biomedical subjects

L E Harrell

Publications and source records attributed to L E Harrell.

87 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1977

Lack of effect of chronically administered thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) on regional rat brain tyrosine hydroxylase activity.

Chronic treatment of adult male rats with TRH (1 or 10 mg/kg IP) for 5 or 9 days failed to alter the activity of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the enzyme regulating the rate-limiting step in catecholamine biosynthesis. In contrast, as previously described, chronic reserpine administration (0.5 mg/kg IP: 9 days) resulted in a significant rise in TH activity in midbrain, hypothalamus, pons-medulla and forebrain. These results suggest that the enhanced brain norepinephrine turnover reported to occur after treatment with TRH is not due to synthesis of new TH enzyme protein.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

A critical evaluation of body weight loss following lateral hypothalamic lesions.

The possibility that factors in addition to motivational or psychomotor deficits contribute to body weight losses following lateral hypothalamic (LH) lesions was assessed in 2 experiments. Rats with LH lesions failed to gain weight when compared to sham-operated controls, when equal quantities of nutrients were given by intragastric feeding. They also lost weight more rapidly than controls under total starvation conditions regardless of whether food was present or absent in the G1 tract prior to surgery. These results could not be explained on the basis of differences in urine or fecal output or activity levels. An increase in core temperature was found in LH lesioned rats immediately following surgery and throughout the experimental period. These results suggest that lateral hypothalamic lesions induce a metabolic impairment.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

Influence of ovarian hormones on the recovery period following lateral hypothalamic lesions.

The effects of ovariectomy and its interaction with body weight on the recovery period following lateral hypothalamic lesions were examined. The results of the experiments indicated that body weight set point prior to lesioning, liable to be influenced by hormonal and metabolic factors, is a more important variable in modifying the recovery process after lateral hypothalamic lesions than is absolute body weight, while absolute body weight determines the amount of weight loss that follows lesions of the lateral hypothalamus.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

Neuroendocrine conditioning: conditioned feeding after alterations in glucose utilization.

We have demonstrated that it is possible to condition the feeding behavior induced by either 2-deoxy-D-glucose (a chemical that induces glucopenia) or tolbutamide (an oral hypoglycemic agent). Such behavioral conditioning is also accompanied by a conditioning of neuroendocrine responses. A model for both overt and covert conditioned responses is proposed.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Septal rage: mitigation by pre-surgical treatment with p-chlorophenylalamine.

Destruction of the septum leads to a well known hyperirritability syndrome. However, the intensity of this syndrome is modifiable by certain presurgical treatments. Injections, prior to surgery of para-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) for two days or insulin for five days has no effect on septal rage. However, injections of PCPA five days prior to surgery leads to a marked reduction in septal hyperirritability.

Anger↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Densitometric analysis of Galphao protein subunit levels from postmortem Alzheimer disease hippocampal and prefrontal cortical membranes.

An immunoblotting method using prefrontal cortical and hippocampal membranes from control and Alzheimer disease postmortem brains was employed to detect three subtypes of Galphao protein. In the membranes from control subjects, the density of Galphao1 in hippocampus and cortex was the highest, whereas the density of Galphao2 was the lowest and that of Galphao3 was intermediate. In the Alzheimer disease membranes from hippocampus, the density of total Galphao and all three subtype forms was not changed significantly when compared with control values. There were statistically significant alterations in Galphao in cortical membranes from Alzheimer disease when compared with controls. The density of Galphao1 was decreased by approximately 85%, density of Galphao3 was decreased by approximately 95%, and total Galphao density was decreased by approximately 84% of control value. However, Galphao2 density was decreased by approximately 44% but was found not to be statistically different from controls.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The Severe Mini-Mental State Examination: a new neuropsychologic instrument for the bedside assessment of severely impaired patients with Alzheimer disease.

The bedside and office assessment of cognitive abilities in moderately to severely impaired patients with Alzheimer disease could be enhanced by a well-standardized instrument. The authors' group has developed such an instrument (i.e., Severe Mini-Mental State Examination; SMMSE) to assess this population. Based on the Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the SMMSE, which totals 30 points, was designed to briefly assess cognitive domains relatively preserved in moderate to severe Alzheimer disease. One hundred eighty-two patients with possible or probable Alzheimer disease were administered both the MMSE and SMMSE. Performances on the SMMSE and MMSE were found to correlate significantly only when MMSE fell below 9 points (p < 0.0001). However, as performance on the MMSE approached floor levels, patients continued to score at half maximal levels on the SMMSE. Functional staging with the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale and the Global Deterioration Scale also were found to significantly correlate with performance on the SMMSE (p < 0.001). Test-retest performance on both the SMMSE and MMSE was relatively stable over a period of 5 months. Inter-rater reliability of the SMMSE was excellent. These results suggest that the SMMSE has both construct and criterion validity for assessing severely impaired Alzheimer disease patients. Our results also suggest that the SMMSE may be a useful instrument for assessing severely impaired patients at the bedside and in the office.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The clinical validity of the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale in staging Alzheimer's dementia.

Considerable heterogeneity exists in the criteria used for the establishment of stages of impairment for patients with dementia. The valid distinction of stages is important both for clinical interpretation and the study of dementia. This study reports on the use of the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (DRS) in staging dementia. Using a sample of 42 patients diagnosed with Alzheimer-type dementia, DRS performance and a rating of Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) were compared with clinical ratings of dementia severity. Total DRS score provides a clinically valid measure of stage of impairment and appeared to provide a better distinction among stages than IADL score. However, use of the IADL score in conjunction with total DRS may improve correspondence with clinical staging over use of the total DRS score alone. Normative data for the DRS are also provided.

Activities of Daily Living↗