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Biomedical subjects

R M Murray

Publications and source records attributed to R M Murray.

At least 289 records · Page 16Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Obstetric complications, neurodevelopmental deviance, and risk of schizophrenia.

It is concluded from a review of the literature and a pilot survey that schizophrenic patients more frequently have a history of obstetric complications (OCs) than do other psychiatric patients and normal subjects. OCs are associated with increased cerebral ventricular size in both infancy and adulthood, and are more common among non-familial schizophrenic patients. Neonatal cerebrovascular events consequent upon OCs provide a mechanism to explain the increased risk of neurodevelopmental deviance and later schizophrenia.

Brain↗
PubMed1987

Genetic and environmental variation in menstrual cycle: histories of two British twin samples.

Information about menstrual cycle variables was obtained by questionnaire using 462 female twin pairs. The twins were either members of the Institute of Psychiatry Volunteer Twin Register, or of the Birmingham Population-based Register. The two samples were analysed separately using univariate and multivariate methods so that an independent replication was obtained. Maximum likelihood estimation was used to fit simple models of genetic and environmental variation to these data. The results suggest that age of menarche, menstrual cycle regularity and premenstrual symptom reporting may be heritable, whereas menstrual cycle length is not. The result should be interpreted with caution as not all variables were replicated in the smaller sample, and the method of retrospective menstrual cycle data collection has been questioned.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

The development of Cushing's syndrome from a previously silent pituitary tumour.

A 60 year old woman originally presented with headache. Investigations revealed a pituitary tumour and endocrine investigations at that time showed normal plasma cortisol levels. Seven years after removal of this tumour, the patient developed the clinical and biochemical features of Cushing's disease. Immunoperoxidase staining of the original tumour was positive for adrenocorticotrophic hormone. This report suggests that immunocytochemistry may have an important role in the routine evaluation of pituitary tumours.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1987

A comparison of single and multiple intravenous infusions of 3-amino-1-hydroxypropylidene-1, 1-bisphosphonate (APD) in the treatment of hypercalcemia of malignancy.

Following rehydration with intravenous saline, 27 patients with hypercalcemia of malignancy were treated with a total of 32 courses of 3-amino-1-hydroxypropylidene-1, 1-bisphosphonate (APD) given by slow intravenous infusion. Twelve treatments consisted of daily infusions of APD for between two and six days whereas single-dose APD was used in 20 treatments. Mean albumin-adjusted serum calcium fell to the upper end of the reference range at seven days from the start of treatment, both in multiple-dose and in single-dose treatment groups. No relationship between total dose of APD and hypocalcemic response was observed. However, second treatments with APD following recurrence of hypercalcemia in five patients were significantly less effective than the original therapy, suggesting that resistance to APD may develop. Multiple-dose and single-dose intravenous APD treatments appear to be equally effective in the acute management of hypercalcemia of malignancy.

Bone Neoplasms↗
PubMed1987

The familial/sporadic distinction as a strategy in schizophrenia research.

The rationale and limitations of discriminating between cases of schizophrenia with and without a family history are reviewed. It is concluded from the evidence available that, by identifying subgroups of greater aetiological homogeneity, the strategy can be a useful starting point for research into likely causes.

Brain↗
PubMed1986

Increased brain radiodensity in alcoholism. A co-twin control study.

Significantly increased brain density was found in the frontal lobes and caudate and thalamic nuclei of monozygotic twins who were severely dependent on alcohol when compared with their normal-drinking co-twins. No significant differences in brain radiodensity were found in a group of identical twins who were discordant for less severe alcoholism. Hemispheric differences in brain density were also examined. Right-handed normal twins had greater density in the left caudate than in the right caudate region; this difference was reduced but still present in alcoholics.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Biochemical basis for the antagonism between aminoglutethimide and danazol in the endocrine treatment of breast cancer.

Only 13% of postmenopausal advanced breast cancer patients responded to endocrine treatment with aminoglutethimide plus danazol whilst 33% responded to aminoglutethimide alone, despite a similar suppression of serum oestradiol levels in the two groups. The patients on aminoglutethimide and danazol showed a marked suppression of sex hormone binding-globulin binding capacity and a consequent rise in percent-free oestradiol. This led to the concentration of free oestradiol being less well suppressed than that of total oestradiol and in some patients free oestradiol concentrations were higher on treatment than before. Patients on aminoglutethimide alone showed no change in the binding of oestradiol and the percentage suppression of the free oestradiol concentration was similar to that of total oestradiol. The opposing effects of danazol and aminoglutethimide on the concentration of the free, biologically active fraction of oestradiol in the circulation may explain the poor therapeutic efficacy of this combination in breast cancer patients.

Aminoglutethimide↗
PubMed1986

Psychiatric disorder, drinking and alcoholism: what are the links?

We studied 371 psychiatric admissions in an attempt to relate primary and secondary diagnosis, psychopathology, and stated reasons for drinking to alcohol consumption and alcoholism. No diagnostic group other than the alcoholics drank significantly more than the mean, and the schizophrenics drank less. One-third of those with bipolar and minor depression increased their drinking in the month before admission, but this was almost offset by those with similar diagnoses who drank less. Alcoholism, though not alcohol consumption, was related to a high prevalence of affective syndromes, but these did not amount to secondary diagnoses. Drinking for 'escape reasons' was significantly associated with consumption levels, but the reasons patients gave did not correspond well with the objective presence or severity of the associated psychiatric symptoms.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

The relationship between alcoholism and neurosis: evidence from a twin study.

The twin register of the Maudsley Hospital was used to select a series of monozygotic (MZ) and same-sexed dizygotic (DZ) twins who had been given an ICD8 diagnosis related to alcoholism. They and their co-twins were traced. Medical and drinking histories were compiled (from records and by interview) for 56 twin-pairs, to permit current and retrospective diagnosis of any neurotic disorders. RDC diagnoses of panic disorder, generalised anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and phobias were more common in the alcoholic probands and the co-twins who were also alcoholics than in the normal-drinking co-twins. The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) and the Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (SADQ) were completed by 54 individuals. Neuroticism scores were significantly higher for both male and female alcoholics than for their normal-drinking co-twins; and intra-pair differences in neuroticism were significantly correlated with intra-pair differences in severity of dependence. These results suggest that both clinically diagnosed neurotic illness and high neuroticism scores are more often a consequence than a cause of alcoholism.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed1986

A case of resistant schizophrenia.

In an era when it is generally believed that the acute symptoms of schizophrenia can be controlled pharmacologically, the case of a young man who has remained almost continuously floridly psychotic for 13 years, despite treatment, is disquieting. Conventional psychiatric treatment appears to be rendered impotent. It is in this context that it may be of interest to report a summary of the proceedings of a Special Problems Conference held at the Institute of Psychiatry on 18 February 1985 to discuss such a case.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Genetic vulnerability to schizophrenia.

The genetic contribution to schizophrenia is the most clearly established etiologic factor. This article briefly reviews the evidence for a genetic influence as well as recent challenges to that evidence. It discusses the possible modes of transmission and outlines current efforts to identify more precisely the genetic and environmental factors contributing to schizophrenia and the nature of the gene-environment interaction.

Adoption↗