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Biomedical subjects

R Frey

Publications and source records attributed to R Frey.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

On the treatment of the alcoholic organic brain syndrome with an alpha-adrenergic agonist modafinil: double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical, psychometric and neurophysiological studies.

1. In a double-blind study forty abstinent hospitalized male patients with an alcoholic organic brain syndrome (OBS) were treated for 6 weeks with either 200 mg modafinil or placebo. 2. Modafinil (CRL 40476) is a putative central alpha-1 adrenergic agonist. It's pharmacological profile is quite different from that of amphetamine, which can be seen by the lack of peripheral sympathomimetic effects. The vigilance promoting effect of modafinil has been shown previously in pharmaco-EEG and psychometric studies as well as in clinical studies involving treatment of daytime sleepiness in idiopathic hypersomniacs and narcoleptics. 3. The present clinical investigations demonstrated that the spontaneous restitution of the alcoholic OBS was significantly augmented and accelerated by modafinil. 4. Psychometric tests did not show significant intergroup differences. Modafinil- and placebo-treated patients improved continously over the 6-week period. 5. Psychophysiological and autonomous nervous system parameters were affected neither by placebo nor by modafinil. 6. Neurophysiological investigations by means of quantitative pharmaco-EEG showed partly inconsistent findings. However, superimposed dosages of modafinil (on the top of 6 weeks chronic administration) induced a decrease of slow activity and an increase of alpha activity suggesting an improvement of vigilance after the daily drug intake. 7. Considering the beneficial effects of modafinil in abstinent chronic alcoholic patients, it may be said that activation and improvement of adaptive behaviour by an alpha-adrenergic agonist could be regarded as a therapeutic principle in the treatment of the OBS, eventually due to noradrenergic deficits.

Adrenergic alpha-Agonists↗
PubMed1990

Sleep laboratory studies on single dose effects of suriclone.

1. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled sleep laboratory study single doses of suriclone, a new non-benzodiazepine anxiolytic binding to benzodiazepine receptors, were investigated with respect to sleep and awakening. 2. Sixteen healthy young volunteers spent 10 nights in the sleep laboratory: 1 adaptation night, 1 baseline night and 4 drug nights (placebo; 0.2 mg, 0.4 mg suriclone; 2 mg lorazepam as reference drug) and 4 subsequent wash-out nights (drug-interval: 1 week). Somnopolygraphic investigations (22.30 h to 06.00 h) were commenced 0.5 h after drug-intake. A self-rating scale for sleep and awakening quality as well as psychometric tests were completed in the morning. 3. Hypnotic effects were most pronounced after lorazepam in regard to total sleep time and sleep efficiency. After lorazepam as well as after 0.4 mg suriclone nocturnal awakenings decreased significantly as compared with placebo, which was reflected in an improved subjective sleep quality after both dosages. Suriclone 0.2 mg did not induce any alterations in all night sleep. 4. In the morning, well-being, drowsiness and reaction time performance deteriorated after lorazepam as compared with placebo but not after suriclone. The latter was significantly superior to lorazepam with respect to subjective awakening quality, well-being, emotional rapport, drowsiness and attention. 5. Blood pressure and pulse remained unchanged after all of the drugs. Critical flicker frequency and muscle strength decreased only after lorazepam as compared with placebo.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Enzootic viral abortion on a stud farm in east Switzerland].

An outbreak of abortion due to the equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) in the eastern part of Switzerland is reviewed. Seven of eleven pregnant mares aborted within twenty-three days in January 1989. Four weeks later another foal died a few minutes after parturition. Three mares delivered live foals in February, March and April without any complications. The examination of the eight dead foals revealed an EHV-1 Infection. The clinical signs and the pathology are discussed. Severe complications during the early post-parturient time are in contrast to the uncomplicated outcome mentioned by other authors. Procedures for prevention and control are listed.

Abortion, Veterinary↗
PubMed1989

[Street noise and sleep: whole night somnopolygraphic, psychometric and psychophysiologic studies in comparison with normal data].

In 3 sleep-laboratory studies the effects of nocturnal traffic noise on the sleep of young (1st study: mean age 25 years, n = 10) and elderly (2nd study: mean age 62 years, n = 10) healthy subjects as well as adaptation phenomena (3rd study: one week in young volunteers, n = 10) were investigated. Objective sleep quality was evaluated for baseline- and traffic noise-conditions by means of somnopolygraphic all-night recordings between 22:30 ("lights out") and 6:00 ("buzzer") in the sleep-laboratory. In the morning sleep- and awakening quality were measured by a self-rating scale and psychometric and psychophysiological tests. Traffic noise, presented by a loudspeaker throughout the night with an intensity of 68 to 83 dB (A) (L eq = 75.6 dB [A]), caused a lengthening of sleep latency and intermittent wakefulness as well as a reduction of total sleep time and sleep efficiency as compared to baseline. Concerning sleep architecture, traffic noise led to an increase of light sleep, while deep sleep and, more pronounced, REM sleep were shortened. Although we found these changes in both generations, they reached the level of significance in young subjects only. The objective results were reflected in a significant deterioration of subjective sleep- and awakening quality after traffic noise. Objective awakening quality was unaffected . In the course of a one-week nocturnal traffic noise, we observed an increase of S 4 and a decrease of S 3. The last 3 nights revealed a significant improvement in subjective sleep quality, suggesting adaptive phenomena.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Differential effects of a new central adrenergic agonist--modafinil--and D-amphetamine on sleep and early morning behaviour in young healthy volunteers.

Modafinil (CRL 40476) is a recently developed central alpha adrenergic agonist with vigilance-promoting properties. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled sleep laboratory study, its single-dose effects on objectively and subjectively evaluated sleep, morning awakening, and early morning behaviour were investigated and compared with amphetamine. Ten young healthy volunteers of both sexes spent 12 nights in the sleep laboratory: one adaptation night, one baseline night, five drug nights (100 mg and 200 mg modafinil; 10 mg and 20 mg d-amphetamine; placebo) and five subsequent washout nights. The drugs were administered in one week intervals according to a Latin square design. Somnopolygraphic investigations were performed between 22h30 and 06h00. Subjects received the drug orally half an hour before bedtime. A self-rating scale for sleep and awakening quality and early morning behavior was completed subsequent to the morning toilet. Thereafter, noopsychic and thymopsychic variables were evaluated utilizing a psychometric test-battery. Statistical analyses of objective sleep variables demonstrated that modafinil causes no significant changes as compared to a placebo. Sleep initiation remained unchanged after all of the drugs, while sleep maintenance was impaired dose-dependently after d-amphetamine. Thus, total sleep time and sleep efficiency decreased significantly after 20 mg d-amphetamine as compared to the placebo and modafinil. In regard to sleep architecture a reduction of sleep stage 2 and rapid eye movement-sleep occurred under d-amphetamine while modafinil did not exhibit such an effect. Subjective sleep quality was significantly better after modafinil than after the reference compound. Subjective awakening quality and well-being in the morning did not show any significant findings. Furthermore, no differences were observed between the placebo and the other drugs concerning objective awakening quality (evaluated by psychometric tests). Critical flicker frequency increased significantly after 20 mg d-amphetamine as compared to the placebo. Pulse rate and evening and morning blood pressure remained unchanged. These data stress the necessity to differentiate between "vigility-increasing" properties of amphetamine and "vigilance-promoting" properties of modafinil.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Characteristics of the menstrual cycles during the postpartum period without breast feeding according to the nature of the first period: ovulatory or anovulatory].

The authors have analyzed the characteristics of menstrual cycles during the post-partum without breastfeeding, according to the nature of the first period. 172 women gave the thermal curve from childbirth to the first period. Among them, 118, 111, 98 and 54 women gave the self-observation data concerning, respectively, the first, second, third and the fourth cycle after the first period. They have noticed more short luteal phases and delays in ovulation after an anovulatory first period than after an ovulatory first period. The hormonal studies in the post-partum without breastfeeding seem not to explain the whole of these anomalies ascertained beyond twelve post-partum weeks. Most authors admit that the gonadotropin axis returns to a normal state within the fifth post-partum week. Because of the peculiar kinetics of follicle development, the ovary could be an important component of the "remnant effect of gestation", that is to say, of the delay of return to post-partum ovulation following the gestation state.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Differential effects of the new central adrenergic agonist modafinil and d-amphetamine on sleep and early morning behaviour in elderlies.

Modafinil (CRL 40476) is a new central alpha-adrenergic agonist with vigilance-promoting properties. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled sleep laboratory study its single-dose effects on sleep and early morning behaviour were investigated and compared with d-amphetamine. Ten elderly healthy volunteers (mean age: 68 years) spent 12 nights in the sleep laboratory: one adaptation night, one baseline night, five drug nights (100 mg and 200 mg modafinil; 10 mg and 20 mg d-amphetamine; placebo) and five subsequent washout nights. The drugs were administered orally in one week intervals at 10:00 p.m., and all-night somnopolygraphic investigations were performed between 10:30 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. A self-rating scale for sleep and awakening quality as well as psychometric tests were completed in the morning. d-amphetamine caused a dose-dependent impairment of sleep maintenance and sleep architecture, while modafinil did not. Thus, a significant reduction of total sleep time, REM-sleep and sleep stage 2 was seen after d-amphetamine when compared to placebo and 100 mg modafinil. Corresponding with these objective results, subjective sleep quality deteriorated significantly only after 20 mg d-amphetamine as compared to placebo. Morning investigations revealed an increase of CFF after 20 mg d-amphetamine. Pulse rate, evening and morning blood pressure remained unchanged. These findings suggest a different mode of action of the two compounds.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

[Can analysis of previous post-partum periods provide prognostic indicators on the return of fertility after delivery?].

Evaluation of self-observation signs noted during post-partum, enables to study the physiology of this period. The signs analyzed in this study are: discharge of vaginal secretions, temperature discrepancy and bleeding. The originality of the study lies in the comparison of successive post-partum periods: 2 to 6 post-partum periods were studied in 163 women; in addition, we studied 38 cases including breast feeding time details and children reactions. The authors described especially the retention effect of the pregnancy and the inhibiting effect of breast feeding on the return of the fertility, by progressively escaping these two effects, and the part of the woman's reaction.

Body Temperature↗