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Biomedical subjects

R Fawdry

Publications and source records attributed to R Fawdry.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

Human cortical processing of colour and pattern.

The present study investigates human visual processing of simple two-colour patterns using a delayed match to sample paradigm with positron emission tomography (PET). This study is unique in that we specifically designed the visual stimuli to be the same for both pattern and colour recognition with all patterns being abstract shapes not easily verbally coded composed of two-colour combinations. We did this to explore those brain regions required for both colour and pattern processing and to separate those areas of activation required for one or the other. We found that both tasks activated similar occipital regions, the major difference being more extensive activation in pattern recognition. A right-sided network that involved the inferior parietal lobule, the head of the caudate nucleus, and the pulvinar nucleus of the thalamus was common to both paradigms. Pattern recognition also activated the left temporal pole and right lateral orbital gyrus, whereas colour recognition activated the left fusiform gyrus and several right frontal regions.

Adult↗

Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) measures of brain function in schizophrenia.

This study explores SPECT measured in schizophrenic patients at rest. Left temporal lobe activity was found to be decreased with increasing positive symptoms' scores scores. Medicated patients showed a reversal of this pattern underlying this positive symptom effect. Patients with a recent history of auditory hallucinations showed an atypical right temporal lobe dominance, which occurred independently of medication status. These preliminary data are suggestive of the potential utility of SPECT to elucidate symptom/medication/brain activity interrelationships in schizophrenia.

Antipsychotic Agents↗

Linking and integrating computers for maternity care.

Functionally separate computer systems have been developed for many different areas relevant to maternity care, e.g. maternity data collection, pathology and imaging reports, staff rostering, personnel, accounting, audit, primary care etc. Using land lines, modems and network gateways, many such quite distinct computer programs or databases can be made accessible from a single terminal. If computer systems are to attain their full potential for the improvement of the maternity care, there will be a need not only for terminal emulation but also for more complex integration. Major obstacles must be overcome before such integration is widely achieved. Technical and conceptual progress towards overcoming these problems is discussed, with particular reference to the OSI (open systems interconnection) initiative, to the Read clinical classification and to the MUMMIES CBS (Common Basic Specification) Maternity Care Project. The issue of confidentiality is also briefly explored.

Confidentiality↗

The development and evaluation of a computerised antenatal questionnaire.

A computerised questionnaire, for convenience entitled "PAM" (Programmed Aid for use in Midwifery), was created for use at the time of first antenatal assessment. The system required simple direct input by the expectant mother; and in response to a short descriptive letter, 73.4% of 349 women were prepared to try the new method. The response of 100 consecutive women who tried the system was further analysed. Seventy women liked PAM, four disliked the technique and the remainder had no strong feelings. Asked by the midwife which they would prefer, 46 women expressed a preference for the computer questionnaire and only nine would rather have had a traditional interview with a midwife asking the same questions. PAM or similar systems provide a new opportunity, both for research and as a means of reliably decentralizing the initial assessment of a pregnancy.

Female↗

Prescribing the leaflets.

For legal reasons, but even more for the practice of good medicine, patients require much more information about their diseases, and about any proposed investigations or surgery than was customary in the past. In view of well-documented problems with the assimilation of purely verbal information, there is an increasing need for words to be backed by appropriate written material.

Communication↗