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M R Eastwood

Publications and source records attributed to M R Eastwood.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

A randomized, controlled trial of linopirdine in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

OBJECTIVES: We tested the efficacy and safety of linopirdine, a novel phenylindolinone, in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. METHODS: A multicentre, randomized, double-blind, parallel group, placebo-controlled trial of linopirdine (30 mg three times per day or placebo). Patients (n = 382, 55% male, 98% Caucasian, age range 51-95 years) with mild or moderate Alzheimer's disease, of whom 375 received at least one treatment dose were analysed. There were no important differences between the groups at baseline. RESULTS: No difference was seen in Clinical Global Impression scores between patients receiving placebo and those receiving linopirdine (n = 189). Small differences in the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog) scores were seen throughout the study favouring linopirdine; at 6 months the ADAS-Cog scores were 20.2 (linopirdine) and 22.1 (placebo) p = 0.01. CONCLUSIONS: This trial did not detect clinically meaningful differences in patients receiving linopirdine for 6 months, despite evidence of a small degree of improved cognitive function. Further studies may benefit from more sensitive tests of treatment effects in Alzheimer's disease.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Diagnosis of vascular dementia: Consortium of Canadian Centres for Clinical Cognitive Research concensus statement.

Interest in vascular causes for cognitive impairment is increasing, in recognition that such causes are common, and possibly preventable. This has led to attempts to better define vascular dementia and its natural history. Several sets of criteria for the diagnosis of vascular dementia have been proposed. We provide a brief overview of the background to the initiation of a Canadian consensus conference, established by the Consortium of Canadian Centres for Clinical Cognitive Research (C5R) and report the conclusions reached at that conference. To date, no one set of criteria is demonstrably superior to another; we have therefore not endorsed any of the competing sets, nor have we recommended our own. Instead we suggest that empiric studies are required to establish valid criteria. A diagnostic checklist, which combines existing criteria and additional data, is attached for clinicians wishing to participate in such studies.

Canada↗
PubMed1994

Alcohol-related dementia in the institutionalized elderly.

This study examined the distribution of alcohol-related and other dementias in a sample of 130 cognitively impaired residents of long-term care facilities in a Northern Ontario community. Study procedures entailed standardized psychiatric, neurological, and neuropsychological evaluations. Diagnoses of dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) and vascular dementia were based on criteria of the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke and the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association. The diagnosis of alcohol-related dementia (ARD) was based on extensive review of medical history to assess before alcohol abuse and stabilization or improvement in cognitive functioning following institutionalization in conjunction with no other identifiable cause of dementia. ARD comprised 24% of this population compared with DAT (35%), vascular dementia (19%), and other causes (22%). The ARD group was, on average, 10 years younger than the other groups. It had nearly twice the average length of institutionalization and had milder cognitive impairment on both clinical ratings and neuropsychological tests. A diagnosis of ARD was present in the medical records for only 25% of patients in this group. These findings suggest that ARD may be more common than previously suspected in the distribution of dementias in long-term care facilities.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

The epidemiology of dementia in North America.

In this brief review, the epidemiology of dementia in North America is examined. The areas covered are prevalence and incidence studies, longitudinal studies, risk factors, distribution of types of dementia, cross-cultural factors and current research programmes.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Effect of exposure of miners to aluminium powder.

'McIntyre Powder' (finely ground aluminium and aluminium oxide) was used as a prophylactic agent against silicotic lung disease between 1944 and 1979 in mines in northern Ontario. To find out whether the practice produced neurotoxic effects a morbidity prevalence study was conducted between 1988 and 1989. There were no significant differences between exposed and non-exposed miners in reported diagnoses of neurological disorder; however, exposed miners performed less well than did unexposed workers on cognitive state examinations; also, the proportion of men with scores in the impaired range was greater in the exposed than non-exposed group. Likelihood of scores in the impaired range increased with duration of exposure. The findings are consistent with putative neurotoxicity of chronic aluminium exposure.

Aluminum↗
PubMed1989

Mood disorder following cerebrovascular accident.

Depression appears to be common after stroke, and therefore may have a bearing upon rehabilitation. To examine whether the depression is due to a specific brain lesion, or is reactive to the consequent disability, this study looked at the frequency and associations of depressed mood in a stroke rehabilitation unit in-patient population, unselected for site of lesion. Depression affected 50% of the patients; history of previous psychiatric disorder and cerebrovascular accident appeared to be important risk factors. There were hemispheric differences in the relationships between measures, with both the site-of-lesion and reactive viewpoints being upheld.

Brain↗
PubMed1988

Frontal lobe syndrome and depression in old age.

Frontal systems disorder can easily be misdiagnosed as depression, since patients may present with similar symptoms. Two cases are reported that illustrate the confusing features of the two disorders. Characteristics that help differentiate frontal systems disorder from depression include: patients are apathetic rather than deeply depressed; personality changes are more dramatic than those that occur in depression; and insight and judgement are usually impaired.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

Biometeorology.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Humans↗
PubMed1985

Infradian rhythms. A comparison of affective disorders and normal persons.

We matched patients with affective disorders by sex and age with a healthy control group. The two groups recorded daily measures of hours slept, energy, anxiety, and mood levels for 14 months. We analyzed the data using spectral analysis. We found that both groups had statistically significant infradian rhythms, with the majority having seasonal cycles, and that the patients with affective disorders differed from the control subjects in having a greater amplitude of their periodicities.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Early subjective response and prediction of outcome to neuroleptic drug therapy in schizophrenia.

Events that occur early in the course of neuroleptic treatment, and which may have utility in predicting short-term clinical outcome, were investigated. Such events include the patient's subjective response to drug, early clinical response, and the emergence of side effects. From all the variables examined, early subjective response and symptom change at 24 and 48 hours following initiation of neuroleptic drug therapy were found to be significantly related to short-term outcome. These findings are assessed with respect to their predictive utility and relative contribution to the development of a strategy for individualized drug treatment approaches in schizophrenia.

Antipsychotic Agents↗
PubMed1985

Acquired hearing loss and psychiatric illness: an estimate of prevalence and co-morbidity in a geriatric setting.

Hearing impairment and mental disorders are common among residents of nursing homes and homes for the aged; however, the relationship between sensory deficit and psychiatric illness has been little investigated in this population. The prevalence of hearing impairment, psychiatric illness, and co-morbidity was investigated in a sample of 102 elderly residents from consecutive admissions to a home for the aged. Examining the coincidence of these disorders showed evidence of an association between hearing loss and paraphrenia, and hearing loss and dysphoric states, but not between hearing and cognitive impairment. The results of this survey provide only suggestive evidence regarding aetiology, but strongly support conjoint assessment of the elderly.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

A brief instrument for longitudinal monitoring of mood states.

We describe the development of a practical instrument for longitudinal assessment of affective symptoms in large samples. An 11-item questionnaire was completed twice daily by normal and affectively disordered subjects for 90 days to determine which subjective states to measure; and to compare the 100 mm visual analogue format with a segmented visual analogue format on morning and evening ratings. The final instrument consists of three bipolar ratings--mood, anxiety, and energy levels--on a segmented visual analogue format, plus hours of sleep. It is administered once a day, in the morning. The instrument has high subject and rating compliance for studying infradian cycles.

Emotions↗