Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R M Post

Publications and source records attributed to R M Post.

At least 397 records · Page 22Linked to original sources
PubMed1980

Immunoreactive calcitonin in cerebrospinal fluid of man.

We have detected immunoreactive calcitonin (iCT) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of normal individuals. Using an antibody with midportion recognition, the mean +/- S.D. of the cerebrospinal iCT in 27 normal subjects was 28 +/- 14 pg/ml. The mean serum iCT was 89 +/- 68 pg/ml, the CSF/serum distribution ratio being 0.31. There were no significant correlations between CSF iCT or serum iCT and the calcium, magnesium, phosphate, sodium, potassium or chloride in the CSF or serum. Although there was a trend for serum iCT values to be related to CSF iCT values, it did not attain statistical significance. The demonstration that the CSF contains iCT may have important physiologic implications, and its measurement offers a useful parameter to study its effects on calcium metabolism and/or other aspects of brain function.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Schizophrenia: elevated cerebrospinal fluid norepinephrine.

Concentrations of norepinephrine in cerebrospinal fluid are higher in schizophrenic patients, particularly in those with paranoid features, than in normal volunteer subjects of the same age. This observation supports recent reports of elevated concentrations of norepinephrine in specific brain areas adjacent to the cerebral ventricles of paranoid schizophrenic patients. Overflow of the amine from periventricular regions into the cerebrospinal fluid may reflect abnormally high release or diminished enzymatic destruction of norepinephrine in patients with schizophrenia.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Dopamine and mania: behavioral and biochemical effects of the dopamine receptor blocker pimozide.

Although recent data suggest that pimozide has effects at other neurotransmitter receptor sites, it is one of the more specific neuroleptics in its effects on dopamine receptors. We report that in manic patients pimozide produces substantial clinical improvement with a magnitude and time course similar to that observed with the more routinely used phenothiazines chlorpromazine and thioridazine. Pimozide did not significantly increase probenecid-induced accumulations of the dopamine metabolite homovanillic acid (HVA) compared to pretreatment values. Higher HVA values were observed in manic than in nonmanic patients, however. These clinical and biochemical data add to a growing body of indirect evidence that a dopaminergic alteration may be associated with some components of the manic syndrome.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

The march of symptoms in a psychotic decompensation. Case report and theoretical implications.

The onset and evolution of symptoms were studied in a female patient with a history of recurrent depressive psychoses. In each episode, her psychotic decompensations were characterized by an orderly and progressive sequence including similar psychological or somatic precipitants, mounting anxiety, nystagmoid eye movements associated with panic, unfolding delusions, and olfactory hallucinations, culminating in a complete psychotic regression. The evolving sequence repeated during each episode in the present case is compared with that of a similarly stereotyped progression of symptoms in temporal lobe and Jacksonian seizures. Kindling is suggested as a model relevant to the understanding of both epilepsy and the functional psychoses. Detailed observation of the evolution of symptoms during psychotic episodes may provide important clues to the underlying pathological anatomy and physiology of psychotic illness.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Halstead-Reitan Category Test in bipolar and unipolar affective disorders. Relationship to age and phase of illness.

Unipolar and bipolar affectively disturbed patients were administered the Halstead-Reitan category test when in an unmedicated acutely depressed phase and during recovery. Controls consisted of normal volunteers and spouses. Spouse controls were tested at intervals similar to those of the patients and were utilized to control for age, sex, education, and socioeconomic status. Results showed that depressives in the acute depressed state made significantly more errors did controls. Older bipolar patients made significantly more errors than did controls. Older bipolar patients made significantly more errors than younger bipolar or younger unipolar patients. In the recovered state the order remained the same. In spite of a decrease in error scores the older bipolar group remained in the abnormal range, whereas the younger groups scored in the normal range with few exceptions. These data suggest that impaired cognitive functioning may be a factor in the disability associated with the major affective disorders in addition to the distorted affective component usually emphasized. Furthermore, in the case of older bipolar patients, the deficit is more severe and may persist beyond the disappearance of affective signs, suggesting that factors associated with age may play an important role in conjunction with other factors associated with bipolar illness.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Failure of naloxone to reduce manic symptoms.

The authors conducted a double-blind placebo-controlled study in which patients with a wide range of manic symptoms were administered 20 mg of naloxone subcutaneously. Naloxone failed to improve manic severity, activation-arousal, or elation-grandiosity for intervals up to 3 hours. Global nurse ratings of mania did not improve over an 8-hour period. The authors suggest that the question of endorphin involvement in mania has not been resolved and recommend clinical studies with longer acting oral narcotic antagonists such as naltrexone.

Affective Disorders, Psychotic↗
PubMed1980

Carbamazepine in manic-depressive illness: a new treatment.

The authors evaluated carbamazepine (Tegretol), a drug of choice for treatment of temporal lobe epilepsy, in a double-blind placebo-controlled trial in patients with manic-depressive illness. Seven of 9 manic patients had a partial to marked response; several also showed relapses when placebo was substituted and improvement when carbamazepine was reinstituted. Five of 13 depressed patients showed significant improvement in depression ratings; 3 additional patients experienced partial relapse when placebo was substituted. Carbamazepine might also have prophylactic as well as acute efficacy in patients with both phases of manic-depressive illness, including some patients who do not respond to lithium. Therapeutic effects were achieved with 600-1600 mg/day at blood levels of 8-12 microgram/ml with relatively few side effects. Carbamazepine may prove to be a useful additional treatment for affective illness.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Lack of effect of carbamazepine on gamma-aminobutyric acid in cerebrospinal fluid.

Carbamazepine was administered to nine patients with manic-depressive illness at doses ranging from 600 to 1600 mg per day, achieving blood levels between 6 and 11 microgram per milliliter. Compared to medication-free values, GABA levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were not significantly altered by an average of 30 days' treatment with carbamazepine. These preliminary data do not support a major effect of carbamazepine on brain GABA as reflected in CSF as a mechanism for its anticonvulsant or psychotropic effects.

Adult↗