Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R Howard

Publications and source records attributed to R Howard.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

An experimental phenomenological approach to delusional memory in schizophrenia and late paraphrenia.

A preliminary model is described to account for the 'reality testing' of memories (after Johnson & Raye, 1981) in an attempt to explain delusional memory. Two routes are proposed: route one involves evaluation of the factual content of the memories against stored general knowledge. Route two relies on the evaluation of the perceptual and narrative characteristics of memories with the assumption that the stronger these characteristics, the more likely the memory is to be real. The integrity of these routes is examined in four patients with delusional memories, using standardized tests. The results suggest that in these cases, general knowledge is essentially intact while the perceptual characteristics of delusional memories are stronger than real memories which in turn, are stronger than fantasies. This could lead the evaluation system to accept delusional memories as true memories despite their implausibility. The roles of rehearsal and affect are probably important in this and require further study.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Small intestinal growth caused by feeding red kidney bean phytohemagglutinin lectin to rats.

BACKGROUND: Plant lectins are present in significant quantity in a variety of food sources. The aim of this study was to determine if they stimulated growth of the intestine. METHODS: Germ-free and conventional rats were pair fed purified phytohemagglutinin lectin (PHA) or equivalent casein in a fully nutritious diet. PHA was instilled into in situ jejunal and ileal loops. Organ weight, length, DNA, protein content, morphometry, and [3H]thymidine uptake into jejunal crypt cells were measured. RESULTS: A trophic response occurred in the small intestine (jejunum greater than ileum) because of PHA (P < 0.001), was sustained by continued exposure, and was reversible on reinstitution of the control diet (P < 0.05). The intestinal microbial flora in conventional animals that were fed PHA augmented the growth-stimulatory effects of PHA on intestinal weight (P < 0.01). PHA caused fecal protein, fat, and mucous glycoprotein levels (P < 0.001) to increase in germ-free animals. PHA increased jejunal mucosal crypt depth and crypt mitotic activity (P < 0.05); DNA content (P < 0.05) and [3H]thymidine uptake (P < 0.01) into crypt cells was increased. No increase in plasma or tissue content of gastrin, enteroglucagon, or peptide YY was observed on PHA exposure, and there was no increase in organ weight of the liver, kidney, or colon. CONCLUSIONS: PHA stimulated growth of rat small intestine when present in the diet or instilled in the bowel lumen.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

The effect of low dose aspirin on bleeding times.

This double-blind, controlled study assessed the effect of low-dose aspirin on bleeding times. Thirty patients, in the last trimester of their first pregnancy, who were also taking part in a trial to evaluate the effect of low-dose aspirin on the development and progress of pregnancy-induced hypertension, had their bleeding times measured using the Simplate 11 Bleeding Device. Our study showed there was no significant difference between the bleeding times of the two groups and all measurements fell within the normal range.

Aspirin↗
PubMed1993

Schizophrenic symptoms in late paraphrenia.

The prevalence of most individual schizophrenic symptoms in late paraphrenia is unknown. Previous attempts to characterize the symptoms of late paraphrenia have been retrospective case-note studies, have not used standardized assessment instruments or have only examined small populations of patients. We examined 83 late paraphrenic patients using the Present State Examination. Persecutory delusions occurred in 86.7% of patients and were the most common symptom elicited. Nonverbal (63.8%) and verbal third person (50.6%) auditory hallucinations were common, as were visual hallucinations (30.1%). Earlier authors have claimed that thought insertion and thought withdrawal do not occur in late paraphrenia; we found them in 15.7 and 6.0%, respectively, of our patients.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1993

A comparative study of 470 cases of early-onset and late-onset schizophrenia.

The presence or absence of 22 schizophrenic symptoms was recorded with the age at onset of illness in 470 patients with non-affective, non-organic psychoses. Positive and negative formal thought disorder, affective symptoms, inappropriate affect, delusions of grandiosity or passivity, primary delusions other than delusional perception, and thought insertion and withdrawal were all more common in early-onset cases (age at onset 44 years or less; n = 336). Persecutory delusions with and without hallucinations, organised delusions, and third-person, running commentary and accusatory or abusive auditory hallucinations were all more common in late-onset cases (age at onset 45 years or more; n = 134). There was no difference between cases of early and late onset in the prevalence of delusions of reference, bizarre delusions, delusional perception, or lack of insight. We conclude that although there are clinical similarities between cases of schizophrenia with early and late onset, there are sufficient differences between them to suggest that they are not phenotypically homogeneous.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Cardiac involvement in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients.

Heart involvement in patients with AIDS has been described in autopsy and clinical series, but the true incidence in HIV-infected patients is not clear. A prospective study was done on 101 unselected HIV-infected patients (71 with AIDS and 30 with pre-AIDS) and 24 healthy controls to assess the prevalence of cardiac abnormalities. Assessment included physical examination, electrocardiogram, two-dimensional echocardiogram, and Doppler studies. At least one abnormality was detected in 41 (40.6%) HIV-infected patients vs. 3 (12.5%) in controls (p = 0.003). Echocardiographic abnormalities were detected in 29 (28.7%) HIV-infected patients and 3 (12.5%) controls (p = 0.04). There were no significant differences in abnormalities on physical examination, electrocardiogram, or Doppler studies. Only six (5.9%) HIV-infected patients had abnormal cardiac findings on physical examination. We found no correlation between HIV staging, CD4 cell count, acute illness, or severity of illness and the presence of cardiac abnormalities. Cardiac abnormalities in HIV-infected patients are more frequent than in healthy controls, but most abnormalities are of no significant clinical consequence.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Brainstem auditory evoked responses (BAERs) during the menstrual cycle in women with and without premenstrual syndrome.

Brainstem auditory evoked responses (BAERs) were recorded at three menstrual cycle phases (menstrual, late follicular, and late luteal) in a sample of healthy control women (n = 21) and in a sample of women (n = 30) diagnosed as suffering from Late Luteal Phase Dysphoric Disorder (LLPDD). The latter were divided on the basis of retrospective and prospective self-ratings into moderate (PMS+) and severe (PMS++) symptom groups. Results showed (1) no change in BAER latencies at different phases of the menstrual cycle; (2) increased BAER latencies for wave III in women with moderate PMS symptoms compared with healthy controls; (3) increased BAER latencies for waves III and V in women with severe PMS symptoms compared with healthy controls. These results raise the possibility of brainstem dysfunction in PMS women, and support the idea of a neurobiological predisposition to this order.

Adult↗