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Biomedical subjects

R H Gerner

Publications and source records attributed to R H Gerner.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

The overnight dexamethasone suppression test: clinical and theoretical review.

The overnight dexamethasone suppression test (DST) has emerged as a useful clinical test in identifying a proportion of patients with primary affective disorder. This test may also be helpful in predicting response to tricyclic antidepressants, MAO inhibitors, and/or electroconvulsive therapy. This review summarized the recent clinical studies on the DST.

Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic↗
PubMed1981

Assessment of naltrexone in the treatment of schizophrenia.

Naltrexone, a long acting opiate antagonist, and placebo were administered to eight schizophrenics in doses of 200 mg per day for 1 week in a double-blind, crossover design. No improvement was noted, and no side effects resembling the opiate withdrawal syndrome with naltrexone were found. Naltrexone does not appear to alter schizophrenic symptomatology.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

The dexamethasone suppression test and response to methylphenidate in depression.

The authors studied 19 inpatients with major depressive episode or schizoaffective disorder, depressed type, and compared their response to the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) with their response to the methylphenidate stimulation test. They found a significant negative correlation between responses to DST and to methylphenidate.

Depressive Disorder↗
PubMed1981

Abnormalities of dexamethasone suppression test and urinary MHPG in anorexia nervosa.

Twenty-two patients with primary anorexia nervosa were assessed on variables of weight, mood, dexamethasone suppression test, and 24-hour urinary MHPG levels. Patients at less than 80% of their ideal weight had abnormally high cortisol levels after the test and low MHPG levels, regardless of their mood. The authors hypothesize that these abnormalities are not due to depression associated with anorexia nervosa and that decreased norepinephrine metabolism may be related to this illness.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Legal restrictions on the use of ECT in California: clinical impact on the incompetent patient.

Current laws regulating ECT use in the severely ill, incompetent patient are so cumbersome that many patients who may only respond to ECT are denied the treatment. Several cases are presented that illustrate the inability of the current California law to effectively deal with complex clinical situations and the subsequent social, financial, and personal harm incurred by patients. It is suggested that the decision regarding use of ECT for incompetent patients can be best made through a medical, nonjudicial process, while protecting all the patient's rights--both to be treated as well as from inappropriate treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Neurochemical abnormalities in anorexia nervosa: similarities to affective disorders.

Certain investigators have asserted that the illness of anorexia nervosa is a form of hypothalamic disturbance. The relationship between 24-hr urine 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) and dexamethasone suppression tests was examined in 13 female patients with AN diagnosed by RDC. Patients showed a consistent association between low urine MHPG and failure to suppress to dexamethasone. In addition, family histories of index cases showed a high percentage of relatives with either primary affective disorder or alcoholism. These results are evidence in support of an hypothesis of hypothalamic dysfunction in AN. Furthermore, these biochemical parameters are also found to be abnormal in PAD. These data, coupled with the genetic material, suggest a link between AN and PAD.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

beta-Endorphin. Intravenous infusion causes behavioral change in psychiatric inpatients.

Ten depressed and eight schizophrenic patients received synthetic human beta-endorphin infusions in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design. Physicians' and nurses' ratings and patients' self-ratings were used to measure behavioral change. Depressed patients improved significantly two to four hours after beta-endorphin treatment when compared with placebo treatment. There was no significant change in the schizophrenic patients as a group, although six of eight worsened after beta-endorphin treatment. No significant behavioral effects were observed during the infusions themselves or on postinfusion days.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Clouds and silver linings: positive experiences associated with primary affective disorders.

Clinical psychiatry has focused almost entirely on the psychopathology of the affective disorders. The authors studied responses of 61 patients (35 bipolar. 26 unipolar) to questions about perceived short- and long-term benefits (increased sensitivity, sexuality, productivity, creativity, and social outgoingness) they attributed to their affective illness. Bipolar patients strongly indicated positive experiences associated with manic-depressive illness; few unipolar patients perceived their disorder in such a way. Significant sex differences emerged in the attributions made by bipolar patients.

Achievement↗
PubMed1980

Results of clinical renal function tests in lithium patients.

Because there have been reports suggesting that patients who receive lithium are at risk for renal damage, the authors carried out extensive noninvasive testing of renal function in 43 patients who had been taking lithium for from 1 to 120 months. Their only abnormal finding was that the urine concentrating ability of these patients was moderately but asymptomatically impaired. They suggest that although patients receiving lithium should be carefully evaluated and tested, there is not enough evidence to justify not initiating or continuing lithium use in patients who might benefit from it.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Intravenous infusion of beta-endorphin increases serum prolactin, but not growth hormone or cortisol, in depressed subjects and withdrawing methadone addicts.

In a randomized, double blind, cross-over study, human beta-endorphin or saline was infused iv over 30 min into six depressed psychiatric patients and four methadone addicts. All depressed subjects showed prompt, 2- to 4-fold increases in serum PRL levels, which lasted at least 2 h. The addicts, who were undergoing acute methadone withdrawal, showed similar PRL increases, which were dose dependent. beta-Endorphin did not increase serum levels of cortisol or GH in either group of subjects. These results suggest that iv beta-endorphin has potent but selective neuroendocrine effects in depressed patients and subjects withdrawing from methadone.

Adult↗