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Biomedical subjects

M A Ron

Publications and source records attributed to M A Ron.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Psychiatric and neurological manifestations in systemic lupus erythematosus.

The frequency and type of psychiatric disease were investigated in 40 patients suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 27 control subjects with rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease. The psychiatric morbidity at the time of interview was the same in the two groups, but the patients with SLE had experienced more episodes of psychiatric illness in the past, and psychotic symptoms occurred only in this group. Half of the patients with SLE had previous or current evidence of neurological involvement; an association was found between neurological disease and psychotic symptoms in SLE, while anxiety and affective disturbances appeared to be closely related to environmental factors in both patients with SLE and controls. There was no correlation between psychiatric and neurological disease and clinical or laboratory indices of disease activity. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain was performed in 15 patients with SLE. Abnormalities were more often present in those with neurological disease; no such correlation was found with psychiatric illness.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Increased brain radiodensity in alcoholism. A co-twin control study.

Significantly increased brain density was found in the frontal lobes and caudate and thalamic nuclei of monozygotic twins who were severely dependent on alcohol when compared with their normal-drinking co-twins. No significant differences in brain radiodensity were found in a group of identical twins who were discordant for less severe alcoholism. Hemispheric differences in brain density were also examined. Right-handed normal twins had greater density in the left caudate than in the right caudate region; this difference was reduced but still present in alcoholics.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Volatile substance abuse: a review of possible long-term neurological, intellectual and psychiatric sequelae.

The possibility that chronic abuse of volatile substances can cause permanent neurological, psychiatric, and intellectual sequelae is critically reviewed. Toluene, present in the commonly used adhesives, is most often implicated in 'glue sniffing'; this review focuses on its potential long-term effects. Many criticisms--particularly poor matching of control samples and inability to distinguish between acute and chronic effects--can be levelled at the available studies, while no adequate follow-up studies have been performed. In the light of present knowledge, the possibility that permanent structural brain damage, with accompanying psychiatric manifestations, results from solvent abuse remains inconclusive.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

The alcoholic brain: CT scan and psychological findings.

One hundred male alcoholics without overt clinical signs of brain damage were interviewed, psychologically tested and scanned by means of a CT 1010 EMI scanner. Fifty age-matched controls, lifelong abstainers or light drinkers, were used for comparison. Fifty-six alcoholics from the initial sample were followed up after periods varying from 30 to 152 weeks, and radiological changes during the follow-up were assessed. The main results of the study can be summarized as follows: (1) All CT scan indices were significantly different in alcoholics and controls. Alcoholics had larger ventricles, wider cerebral sulci and wider Sylvian and interhemispheric fissures. Cerebellar sulci were visible only in alcoholics. These differences were greater for older alcoholics and controls, but were also present in the younger subjects. (2) In the alcoholic group the size of the ventricular system, and the width of the sulci, Sylvian and interhemispheric fissures were positively and significantly correlated with age. The duration of the drinking history and the age of onset were not significantly correlated with CT scan indices. (3) In those alcoholics whose age was greater than the mean for the whole group, the size of the ventricular system and width of the Sylvian fissure were significantly and negatively correlated with the duration of abstinence prior to scanning. (4) Other features such as decreased tolerance, a positive family history of alcoholism and 'social decline' were not significantly related to the severity of CT scan abnormalities. (5) When the effects of age and premorbid intelligence were controlled, alcoholics showed significant cognitive impairment when compared with controls. The differences in the scores of psychological tests and CT scan indices were greater between alcoholics and controls of high IQ than between those of low IQ. This discrepancy is likely to be due to a selection bias. (6) No significant correlations were found between the degree of cognitive impairment and clinical features. The size of the ventricular system was positively and significantly correlated with the discrepancy between immediate and delayed recall of verbal material. There were no other significant correlations between cognitive impairment and CT scan indices. (7) Those subjects who had remained abstinent during the follow-up period, when considered as a group, showed a significant reduction in the size of the ventricular system. When cortical indices and V/B ratio were combined, patients whose scans had improved at follow-up differed from the rest with regard to the length of abstinence prior to re-scanning.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Computerized tomography of the brain in chronic alcoholism: a Survey and follow-up study.

One hundred male alcoholics from an inpatient treatment unit were examined by computerized axial tomography. All were without clinically overt signs of brain damage. Fifty age-matched normal volunteers were used for comparison. Radiological indices differed markedly between the two groups, reflecting a high incidence of cortical shrinkage and ventricular dilatation among the alcoholics. Clinicoradiological correlations are discussed and the results of follow-up with rescanning are reported. Abstinence appeared to be strongly related to slow partial resolution of the CT scan changes.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

The psychoses of epilepsy and the functional psychoses: a clinical and phenomenological comparison.

Sixty-nine patients, each with a combined diagnosis of epilepsy and psychosis, were compared with 53 patients with a diagnosis of functional psychosis. The epileptic affective patients often lacked convincing psychotic features; ECT and lithium were rarely prescribed; only three showed evidence of bipolarity. The epileptic schizophrenic patients were judged to have the better premorbid personality; experienced more paranoid delusions and delusions of reference, and showed less catatonic features than the functional schizophrenic patients. The course of the epileptics' illness was more variable. The concept that the schizophrenia-like psychosis associated with epilepsy is a distinct nosological entity is supported, but not the suggestion of a relationship between affective psychosis and epilepsy.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Diagnostic accuracy in presenile dementia.

A follow-up study of patients diagnosed as suffering from presenile dementia has revealed a high incidence of erroneous diagnoses. Of 52 patients discharged from hospital with this diagnosis, information was obtained 5-15 years later on 51. Eighteen were alive and the diagnosis was rejected in 16 (31 per cent). Possible reasons for the mistaken diagnoses are discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1974

Blood sugar response to glucagon in migraine.

The hyperglycaemic response to intramuscular glucagon was studied in 19 migraine subjects and 17 matched controls. Venous blood sugar 30 minutes after the injection, and the maximum rise from fasting levels, were significantly reduced in migraine subjects. This diminished sensitivity to the hyperglycaemic action of glucagon may be at least one factor in the hypoglycaemia unresponsiveness shown in migraine.

Adult↗