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Biomedical subjects

M H Lader

Publications and source records attributed to M H Lader.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1976

A controlled comparison of flupenthixol and amitriptyline in depressed outpatients.

Sixty depressed outpatients were allocated to treatment with either amitriptyline (75-225 mg/day) or flupenthixol (1-5-4-5 mg/day) in flexible dosage for six weeks under double-blind procedures. Various objective and subjective assessments were carried out before and after one, three, and six weeks of treatment. Twenty-three patients completed the course of amitriptyline and 28 the course of flupenthixol. Almost all variables improved significantly over time, irrespective of drug. On most ratings there were no significant differences between the two drugs, but the trends favoured flupenthixol. In particular, flupenthixol lessened anxiety scores more than amitriptyline. Unwanted effects were few and not troublesome except in two patients receiving amitriptyline. Flupenthixol, in low dosage, is a useful alternative antidepressant for depressed outpatients.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Comparative trial of L-tryptophan and amitriptyline in depressive illness.

Depressed patients who were suitable for drug treatment were allocated randomly to treatment for four weeks with either amitriptyline in doses reaching 150 mg daily or with L-tryptophan in a maximal dose of 8 G daily. Both in-patients and out-patients were included. The trial was double-blind and ratings were made at the start of treatment and weekly for the subsequent four weeks: the patients were then followed for a further six months. Both groups of patients improved steadily over the course of four weeks and there were no marked differences between the treatment groups though there was some tendency for the improvement of the tryptophan-treated patients to fade between the third and fourth weeks. Within the tryptophan group anxious patients improved least. It is concluded that L-tryptophan probably has some antidepressive action in patients with depressive illness of moderate severity.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Centrol and peripheral correlates of anxiety: a comparative study.

Physiological measurements and mood ratings were recorded in 32 normal subjects at rest and under differing stressful conditions designed to induce anxiety. The physiological measurements were recorded simultaneously using a polygraph and on-line computer analysis; these comprised the peripheral measurements of pulse rate, skin conductance, spontaneous fluctuations in skin conductance, respiratory rate, and finger tremor, and the central measurements of resting electroencephalogram and averaged evoked potentials to an auditory stimulus. Mood rating were recorded using analogue rating scales, the 16 scores obtained being reduced to three mood factors. Correlations were calculated between the mood factors and each of the physiological measurements. The highest correlations were between the anxiety factor and the central measurements, particularly the proportion of electroencephalographic activity between 7.5 and 13.0 Hz, and the latencies of the secondary components of the evoked response. The peripheral measurements correlated rather less well with mood, but skin conductance and fluctuations in skin conductance, pulse rate, and tremor near the peak frequency of 9 Hz all correlated significantly with anxiety. Only two correlations were greater than 0.4, illustrating that no measure was a specific index of anxiety. Refinement of central rather than peripheral measurements is likely to lead to closer correlations with anxiety and other mood states.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMed1975

The effect of adrenaline on human platelet MAO activity.

Platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity was determined before and after the subcutaneous administration of adrenaline to nine healthy volunteers. Significant increases were found 15 min and 1 hr after adrenaline in the enzymatic activity with benzylamine acting as substrate. Increases were also found in all but two samples in the activity towards tyramine. Such increases may be part of a general response to "stress", and, if so, need to be taken into account when interpreting changes in platelet MAO activity in psychiatric patients.

Benzylamine Oxidase↗
PubMed1975

Residual effects of flunitrazepam.

1 Twelve normal subjects were tested on a large battery of tests after a hypnotic dose of flunitrazepam(1 or 2 mg) and a placebo. Psychological tests were given 12 h after the drug and physiological tests 12, 15 and 18 h after the drug. 2 The tests included self-ratings of hypnotic effects and mood, the electroencephalogram, the auditory electroencephalographic evoked response, skin conductance, tapping, card-sorting and the symbol copying test. 3 Both doses of flunitrazepam were effective hypnotics according to the ratings, with an anxiolytic effect the following day. The EEG was significantly altered up to 18 h after the drug and the behavioural tests showed a motor impairment 12 h after drug administration. 4 Nearly all changes displayed linear dose-related trends.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

The acute effects of oral (--)-tryptophan in human subjects.

1 The psychotropic effects of a single oral dose of (--)-tryptophan (5 g) in human volunteers were investigated using a series of physiological and psychological tests. 2 Self-ratings of mood showed increase in drowsiness but no euphoria was detected. 3 Severe initial nausea occurred and headache increased; other bodily symptoms were unaffected. 4 Trptophan caused increased activity in the slow wavebands of the EEG but did not alter the other physiological measures. 5 The levels of total and free tryptophan in the plasma increased 8 and 20 fold respectively to peak levels 2 h after ingestion.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1975

[Rational utilization of the major tranquilizers].

The author examined a group of drug-free patients who during the subsequent period of I month received chlorpromazine. These patients were studied for the chlorpromazine content in the blood, pupilzise, handwriting test, EEG and mental state. The level of chlorpromasine was maximal in the first 2 weeks and then declined. Changes in the peripheral autonomic measures correlated with those in the plasma levels and with an increased liver hydrozylation. Changes in the central measures were inconsistent. A 3-week treatment with phenobarbitone and antiparkinsonic drugs accelerated the metabolism of chlorpromazine. An increased metabolism of chlorpromazine in the intestine and liver may be the cause of the patients' resistanec to chlorpromazine therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1974

Response to propranolol and diazepam in somatic and psychic anxiety.

A total of 12 chronically anxious psychiatric outpatients were treated with racemic propranolol (Inderal), diazepam (Valium), and placebo for one week each, using a balanced cross-over experimental design. Six patients had predominantly somatic anxiety, complaining mostly of bodily symptoms, and six had mainly psychic anxiety, complaining primarily of psychological symptoms. Clinical ratings of anxiety were made by patient and psychiatrist after each treatment. Though diazepam was in general more effective than propranolol or placebo in relieving anxiety, propranolol was more effective than placebo in patients with somatic anxiety but not in those with psychic anxiety. We suggest that propranolol should be reserved for patients whose anxiety symptoms are mainly somatic.

Analysis of Variance↗