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Biomedical subjects

Max Fink

Publications and source records attributed to Max Fink.

50 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Serial Dexamethasone Suppression Tests and Clinical Outcome in ECT.

Serial dexamethasone suppression tests (DST), obtained during a course of electroconvulsive therapy in 43 severely depressed patients, did not exhibit relationships between the initial DST, final DST, or the change in DST with clinical outcome measures at the time of discharge. In 37 patients reviewed six months after discharge, no relationship with the continuation of improvement, rehospitalization, or suicide was found. We are unable to confirm a clinical application for the DST in the management of patients during a course of convulsive therapy.

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PubMed1987

Electroconvulsive Therapy and Neuroleptic Medication in Therapy-Resistant Positive-Symptom Psychosis.

Eight patients with persistent psychosis and positive symptoms, who had not improved with at least two courses of neuroleptic medications, were treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) combined with an antipsychotic medication. Seven of the eight patients improved; the improvement was sustained in five patients after 6 and 12 months. ECT and neuroleptic drugs appear to be synergistic in antipsychotic activity. This enhancement may result from greater brain levels of neuroleptic drugs secondary to increased permeability of the blood-brain barrier accompanying seizures. Our experience is consistent with other recent clinical reports, and encourages trials of ECT combined with neuroleptic medications in therapy-resistant psychotic patients, including those classified as having schizophrenic disorders.

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PubMed1987

Isoflurane Anesthesia Therapy: A Replacement for ECT in Depressive Disorders?

Isoflurane anesthesia therapy (IAT) has been suggested to have persistent antidepressant activity. In a replication trial, IAT was performed in six patients who had a recurrence of a severe depressive episode, previously treated with ECT. In 21 of 26 IAT sessions, an isoelectric electroencephalogram lasting between 5 and 12 min was recorded. Clinical antidepressant activity was not observed. It is concluded that IAT is not an effective replacement for ECT in the treatment of major depressive disorders.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1985

Convulsive Therapy: Fifty Years of Progress.

The origins of convulsive therapy, its early developments, present practice, central elements of the treatment, and neurohumoral and neuroendocrine theories of its antidepressant action are reviewed on the 50th anniversary of its introduction.

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