Biomedical subjects
P Decina
Publications and source records attributed to P Decina.
Effects of depression and ECT on anterograde memory.
This study investigated immediate and delayed recognition memory in depressed patients undergoing electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and in matched, normal controls. At baseline, patients manifested a marked deficit in immediate memory (acquisition), but showed no deficit in delayed memory (retention). When retested 24-36 hr following the seventh ECT, patients showed reductions in both immediate and delayed memory performance. At retesting 4 days, on average, after the ECT course, immediate memory scores returned to baseline levels, but delayed memory performance remained impaired. The findings supported the classic claims that depression is associated with a deficit in the acquisition of information, whereas ECT has a more profound influence on the retention of information. This dissociative pattern could not be viewed as an artifact of task psychometric properties, nor of practice effects in control subjects.
Lead levels in the hair of bipolar patients and normal controls.
The analysis of hair samples taken from ten symptomatic bipolar patients and from ten normal controls matched for age, sex and race suggest that a relatively high body burden of lead may be associated with episodes of bipolar illness.
The efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy. Dose-response interactions with modality.
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The biochemistry of electroconvulsive therapy. Discussion of Part III.
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Acute reductions of regional cerebral blood flow following electroconvulsive therapy. Interactions with modality and time.
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Cognitive consequences of low-dosage electroconvulsive therapy.
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Dosage, seizure threshold, and the antidepressant efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy.
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Case report of lateralized affective states immediately after ECT.
Dysphoric states were observed in a patient immediately after right unilateral and bilateral ECT, while euphoric states followed left unilateral ECT, suggesting that disruption of lateralized neural mechanisms may have been involved in the pathophysiology of the affective states.
Cardiac arrest during ECT modified by beta-adrenergic blockade.
A hypertensive patient with a history of diabetes and ischemic heart disease was given propranolol before ECT and experienced cardiac arrest after subconvulsive electrical stimulation. The authors suggest exercising caution when combining beta-adrenergic blockade and ECT.
Cerebral blood flow in schizophrenia.
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Tricyclic antidepressants risks and benefits.
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Postictal excitement following bilateral and right-unilateral ECT.
Postictal excitement was observed in two patients following bilateral and/or right-unilateral ECT but not following left-unilateral ECT. The findings agree with reports associating a similar syndrome with right-side brain insult.
Clinical and psychological assessment of children of bipolar probands.
Thirty-one children (age range, 7-14 years) of 18 probands with a bipolar disorder according to Research Diagnostic Criteria were assessed on clinical and psychological measures and compared with 18 matched normal control children. The authors found higher rates of childhood psychopathology in the children of the probands than in the control children. In addition, the experimental group was characterized by 1) a pattern on the WISC-R of higher verbal than performance IQs, 2) higher ratios of color to movement determinants on the Rorschach test, and 3) an overrepresentation of left-handedness. The implications of these findings are briefly discussed.
Effect of lithium therapy on glomerular filtration rate.
Patients taking lithium had a slightly higher serum creatinine concentration than controls. Creatinine concentration was independent of lithium level or therapy length, suggesting that lithium decreases glomerular filtration but that this effect is small, noncumulative, and of marginal clinical significance.
Possible reversed affective lateralization in a case of bipolar disorder.
A right-handed 42-year-old man with bipolar II disorder according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria was tested during two depressive phases, a hypomanic phase, and after a series of left ECT treatments. While drug free he was given a set of tasks sensitive to asymmetry in hemispheric activation. The results indicated hyperactivation of the right hemisphere during the hypomanic episode and of the left hemisphere during the depressive episodes. After left ECT, the patient evidenced greater symmetry. The authors suggest that this case is an instance of reversed lateralization in the regulation of positive and negative mood states.
Anticonvulsant and antidepressant properties of electroconvulsive therapy: a proposed mechanism of action.
The efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in the treatment of affective disorders is well established. Despite its clinical utility, there is no generally accepted theory regarding its mode of action. Several lines of evidence indicate that ECT has significant anticonvulsant properties and results in decreased neural metabolic activity. We suggest that these effects are due to enhanced gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transmission and that localized suppression of neural metabolic activity is associated with therapeutic response to ECT. An implication of this view is that ECT may be a useful adjunctive treatment in intractable epilepsy.
The offspring of bipolar manic-depressives: clinical features.
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