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Biomedical subjects

L Proctor

Publications and source records attributed to L Proctor.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1989

The influence of a relative support group on carers' emotional distress.

Research has shown that the supporters of relatives with dementia suffer high levels of stress and strain and it is the severity of stress which determines whether the dependent remains in the community or becomes institutionalized. This study evaluated the outcome of a 6-week, closed group, educational programme on reported levels of stress and strain on five supporters. Results showed an increase in the severity of problems presented by the carers whilst there was a decrease in their emotional distress. However, these results suggest that the carers in the present study were experiencing much higher levels of stress and strain than those of supporters in a larger investigation, where the eventual outcome was institutionalization of the dependents. The implications for the future of community care are discussed and a large scale survey of carers, including monitoring of eventual outcome for dependents, is recommended.

Dementia↗
PubMed1987

A study of potential vestibulotoxic effects of once daily versus thrice daily administration of tobramycin.

Tobramycin 5.1 mg/kg/day was administered for 9 days to 20 healthy human volunteers to determine the potential vestibulotoxicity of once daily versus thrice daily treatment regimens. Vestibular function was tested carefully before, during, and following drug administration, using a battery of postural and caloric tests. Although subjects receiving the once daily regimen performed better on the postural tests, we feel this does not necessarily indicate an adverse effect in either group. The caloric test was the primary measure of vestibular function in this experiment, and this test appeared to demonstrate a slight adverse effect during drug administration of equal magnitude in both treatment groups. The results of this experiment indicate that there is no significant difference in the risk of adverse vestibular effects between once daily and thrice daily tobramycin administration.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

'Demand characteristics' in body-size estimation in anorexia nervosa.

We asked 24 patients with anorexia nervosa and 30 normal controls to estimate their body-size several times, each time using different instructions. The degree of over-estimation was found to vary predictably with the wording of the instructions. Informing the subject that she had made an error without specifying the direction of the error resulted in reduced over-estimation on a subsequent trial, for both anorexics and controls. 'Internally directed' instructions were associated with a greater degree of over-estimation than 'external' instructions in both groups, but particularly in anorexic subjects. Our results indicate the necessity of controlling the 'demand characteristics' of such experiments.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Acute vertigo.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Acute vestibular paralysis in herpes zoster oticus.

A case of herpes zoster oticus is presented in which the lateral and superior semicircular canals of the labyrinth were affected unilaterally. The results of several electronystagmographic examinations are described and correlated with the patient's description of symptoms. This case study indicates that disease affecting the lateral semicircular canal is reliably detected by the conventional caloric test. However, the fact that the posterior semicircular canal remained intact could not be inferred from the results of the caloric test in this case. Also the appearance of nystagmus upon eye closure appears to have been a more sensitive index of the state of the disease process than was the caloric test.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Reference values for serial vestibular testing.

This study defines the normal limits of day-to-day variation in vestibular function. A short-acting caloric test was used and nystagmus intensity was measured by means of an interactive computerized technique. Data were analyzed from 30 normal subjects tested on three successive days and from ten of these subjects who were also tested on 11 additional occasions. Individual caloric test scores generally remained between 55% and 170% of their initial value; narrower ranges resulted when scores were averaged together. There was very little habituation of caloric responses. The upper normal limits of test-retest variation in scores for right-left difference and directional preponderance of caloric responses were 24% and 22%, respectively.

Caloric Tests↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Stimulation of the vestibular receptor by means of step temperature changes during continuous aural irrigation.

A technique for rapid, balanced hot/cold stimulation of the vestibular receptor is presented. During continuous aural irrigation the temperature of the irrigation fluid is switched between hot and cold values at times computed according to a mathematical model of heat conduction in the labyrinth area. As a result, the induced temperature difference across the lateral semicircular canal describes an approximately sinusoidal time course, reaching peak values of equal magnitude but opposite sign. Application of the test to 32 clinical subjects demonstrated that the heat conduction model and the analysis used in timing the sequence of thermal pulses was accurate. We expect that, with further refinements, the new technique will prove superior to conventional caloric test methods in the detection and measurement of subtle as well as gross abnormalities of the vestibular system.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Factors contributing to variability of caloric test scores.

Data were analyzed from 30 healthy male subjects, examined on three successive days with caloric, rotatory, optokinetic, gait and posture tests. Data were also analyzed from 11 additional test sessions performed on 10 of these subjects. A short-acting caloric test was used and nystagmus intensity was measured by means of an interactive computerized technique. Large inter-individual differences were noted for all test results and these differences remained consistent as tests were repeated. Factors which may contribute to inter- and intra-subject variability of caloric test scores are identified and discussed.

Body Temperature↗