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Biomedical subjects

M H Ebert

Publications and source records attributed to M H Ebert.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

Effect of bethanechol on gastric functions in primary anorexia nervosa.

We have shown previously that patients with primary anorexia nervosa (PAN) have decreased gastric emptying and acid output. The present studies were designed to explore the possibility that bethanechol, a parasympathomimetic agent, would acutely restore normal gastric function in those patients. We used a dye dilution technique to determine acid output and fractional emptying rate in 5 patients with PAN and 11 healthy controls during a basal period and following bethanechol (0.06 mg/kg, subcutaneously). Although bethanechol caused fractional emptying and acid output to increase threefold in PAN (P less than 0.05), it failed to produce stimulation of gastric emptying and acid output to levels similar to those achieved in controls. Therefore, gastric emptying and acid output were less in PAN than in controls, both basally and after bethanechol. Since bethanechol failed to completely restore acute gastric function, the defect of emptying and acid output in PAN does not appear to be caused by a deficiency of parasympathetic neurotransmitter but, instead, could reflect undetermined inhibitory influences or impaired function of the muscular and glandular cells. Following weight gain, fractional emptying rate and acid output were still slightly less in PAN patients than in controls, but the difference was statistically significant only for basal acid output.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

The hyperactive child syndrome: peripheral sympathetic nervous system function and the effect of d-amphetamine.

We evaluated sympathetic nervous system function in medication-free hyperactive children by measuring plasma levels of norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine-beta-hydroxylase and then comparing the effects of two therapeutics doses of d-amphetamine to placebo in these patients. The medication-free hyperactive patients and controls had similar plasma NE levels and blood pressures while recumbent, and a similar increase in NE on standing, but the patients had a larger pressor response on standing. In the hyperactive patients d-amphetamine significantly increased blood pressure, pulse rate, and NE levels. The change in NE levels correlated with the change in amphetamine levels. The medication-free patients, when more anxious, had higher plasma NE levels.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity↗
PubMed1981

A double-blind controlled trial of lithium carbonate primary anorexia nervosa.

In this 4-week, double-blind, parallel group study, eight young women with primary anorexia nervosa were evaluated on lithium carbonate, and eight patients were treated with placebo and served as a control. All patients participated in a behavior modification treatment program. The lithium-treated and placebo groups were comparable on nearly all findings measured at baseline (t tests), with no significant differences observed except for calories per day, percent fat composition of the daily calories, "interpersonal sensitivity" on the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-90 (HSCL-90), "self-care" on the Goldberg Anorectic Attitude Questionnaires, (GAAQ) and "manipulation of others" on the physician-rated Psychiatric Rating Scale (PRS). The data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with the baseline measure as the covariate. Group differences appeared in the areas of "denial or minimization of illness" on the GAAQ, "selective appetite" on the PRS, and weight. Although the repeated measures ANCOVA for weight revealed a significant group-by-time interaction, indicating nonparallelism and invalidating the test for group differences, ANCOVAs performed for each individual time point showed greater weight gain in the lithium group at weeks 3 and 4.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Pharmacologic distinction of different orthostatic hypotension syndromes.

We studied the pressor responses to vasoactive agents in patients with orthostatic hypotension. Greater-than-normal slopes of the stimulus-response curves in patients with multiple system atrophy (Shy-drager syndrome) and idiopathic orthostatic hypotension (IOH) were consistent with deficient reflex modulation. Patients with IOH also had a shift to the left of the plasma norepinephrine-blood pressure curves, suggesting "denervation supersensitivity." This was consistent with the deficient plasma norepinephrine response to tyramine in these patients. Patients in whom orthostatic hypotension is attended by tachycardia are subsensitive to administered catecholamines, and may suffer from deficient effector organ responsivity.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Deprenyl in Parkinson disease.

(-)Deprenyl, a specific monoamine oxidase subtype B inhibitor (MAOI-B), has been reported to be a safe and valuable adjunct to conventional treatment of parkinsonism. A double-blind, clinical comparison of (-)deprenyl with placebo was undertaken in 11 parkinsonian patients; the efficacy of 10 mg daily was studied over 4 weeks. In four cases the clinical score for parkinsonian deficits improved during deprenyl therapy, and in five it deteriorated; there was no change in one patient. Two subjects failed to complete the study. (-)Deprenyl induced euphoria and insomnia. It was concluded that any advantages deriving from the use of (-)deprenyl in parkinsonism are limited, and probably dominated by its elevation of mood. Biochemical analysis failed to reveal any significant increase in platelet or plasma catecholamine concentrations during deprenyl therapy. There was, however, a significant decrease in plasma epinephrine (p < 0.05) and platelet MAO activity (p < 0.005).

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Central noradrenergic adaptation to long-term treatment with imipramine in rhesus monkeys.

Rhesus monkeys were treated with the antidepressant drug imipramine; cerebrospinal fluid norepinephrine and dopamine-beta-hydroxylase were measured to assess central noradrenergic activity. Large changes occurred after short-term, but not long-term, treatment. Biochemical stabilization occurs at the time when therapeutic effects are seen in patients.

Acclimatization↗
PubMed1980

Conversion of MHPG to vanillylmandelic acid. Implications for the importance of urinary MHPG.

Deuterium-labelled 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylglycol (MHPG), when administered intravenously, is rapidly converted to 4-hydroxy-3-methoxymandelic acid (or vanillylmandelic acid [VMA]) or conjugates of MHPG. Since over half of either racemic D,L-MHPG or the natural D-MHPG is converted to VMA and since about half of urinary VMA is derived from MHPG, estimates of the proportion of urinary MHPG derived from the brain must be revised. The results indicate that only about one fifth of urinary MHPG is derived from the brain, and clearly urinary MHPG cannot be used as a valid index of brain norepinephrine metabolism. While these observations do not alter the value of urinary MHPG as a predictor of therapeutic response or in subclassifying affective disorders, it is clear that new research questions must be formulated and appropriate investigations completed before the relationship of urinary MHPG to affective disorders is understood.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Gilles de la Tourette syndrome: clinical and family study of 50 cases.

Fifty patients with Tourette syndrome were evaluated; data included family history, clinical characteristics, response to haloperidol, and side effects during haloperidol therapy. Sixteen patients had a family history of Tourette syndrome, and another 16 had a family history of tics. Twenty-four families had more than 2 members with Tourette syndrome or tics. There was no preponderance of families with a Jewish, Eastern European background in this sample. Thirty-four patients had obsessive-compulsive behavior. Among the 50 patients there was a high frequency of sleep disturbance, learning disability, self-destructive behavior, inappropriate sexual activity, and antisocial behavior. Family history was significantly related to the occurrence of sleep disturbance, obsessive-compulsive behavior, haloperidol response, and the frequency of side effects caused by haloperidol. The precise mode of genetic transmission in familial Tourette syndrome remains to be determined.

Female↗
PubMed1980

Dissociation between central and peripheral noradrenergic activity in essential hypertension.

1. Eleven patients with essential hypertension and nine healthy normotensive volunteer subjects, all without a neurological disorder, had blood drawn and cerebrospinal fluid sampled for analysis of noradrenaline (NA). 2. Cerebrospinal fluid NA levels were elevated (P < 0.01) in the hypertensive patients but plasma levels of NA were similar between groups. 3. The results suggest there is noradrenergic hyperactivity in the central nervous system which is not reflected in abnormal peripheral sympathetic nervous system function in this group of patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

The adrenal medullary response to hypoglycemia in patients with orthostatic hypotension.

The epinephrine response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia has been studied in patients with orthostatic hypotension and in control subjects. Normal subjects had a brisk increase in plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine levels which occurred at the nadir of plasma glucose levels. After the nadir of hypoglycemia, glucose recovery was biphasic, with an initial rapid rise in glucose, followed by a more gradual return to normoglycemia. In a group of 16 patients with orthostatic hypotension, 12 had deficient plasma catecholamine responses to hypoglycemia, and of these, 7 had almost no plasma epinephrine response. Comparison of the plasma epinephrine responses and the course of plasma glucose elevations indicated that a mean plasma epinephrine level of over 200 pg/ml is necessary for the rapid initial phase of glucose recovery. There does not appear to be any relationship between the etiological basis of the autonomic dysfunction and deficient epinephrine response.

Adrenal Medulla↗