Biomedical subjects

V Günther

Publications and source records attributed to V Günther.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

Smoking cessation--gradual or sudden stopping?

One hundred ten patients addicted to nicotine were subjected to either sudden or gradual withdrawal in the course of a smoking cessation programme. Eighty-two patients emerged from the treatment as non-smokers. In a follow-up after 1 year 70% of these successful clients replied to an anonymous questionnaire. Concerning the relapse rate, no significant difference could be found between the two treatment groups, but patients who underwent slow withdrawal smoked significantly less when comparing their current consumption with that before the start of the therapy. Patients who underwent sudden stopping reached their original level of nicotine use again.

Behavior Therapy↗

PubMed1992

[Importance of the physician-patient relation in patient compliance].

Requestion of compliance or non-compliance is an aspect of patient management which is as old as medicine itself. However, it was long neglected and it is only over the past 15 years that factors having an influence on this important phenomenon have been studied more closely--mostly from the therapist's point of view. The present paper suggests a more comprehensive idea of "compliance". Stress is laid on the importance of communication and cooperation between doctor and patient, because these factors play a major role in the doctor-patient relationship.

Humans↗

PubMed1991

[Cognitive training in psycho-organic syndromes].

Seven of fourteen elderly female patients (mean age 82.3 [75-89] years) with abnormalities of cognition, memory and affect of organic causation were randomly assigned to be given cognitive training, especially relating to memory, as part of rehabilitation measures for medical or orthopaedic diseases. The other seven served as controls. Training extended over 15 days, cognitive training given on 9 days for 45 min each. The control group had sessions of nonspecific attention. All patients were given psychological tests of memory and attention before and after cognitive training (or nonspecific attention). Behavioural changes were also assessed. The patients with cognitive training scored significantly higher than the controls, both in the individual exercises of the training programme and in the various tests of performance. The cognitive training also favourably influenced social behaviour, mood and level of volition. Maintaining and improving still present mental capacity in this type of patient is an essential task within a hospital setting, which otherwise provides little stimulus. Cognitive training is simple and effective, yet of great social importance.

Aged↗

PubMed1991

Ergopsychometry in depressive patients.

Thirteen patients with major depressive disorder, 25 patients with dysthymia and 12 healthy controls underwent ergopsychometric testing. The effect of self-paced and set-paced load on mood, vigilance and perseveration tendency was recorded. Within the clinical groups, various types of load seemed to result mainly in variations in mood. Dysthymics reacted to monotonous load with a deterioration in mood and reacted to load under time pressure with an improvement in mood. Patients with major depressive disorder displayed an amelioration in mood throughout the whole experiment regardless of which particular stressor was being employed. In healthy patients, load did not appear to produce any significant change in mood.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1990

[Compliance--a complex problem].

During the past 15 years medical and psychological literature has increasingly focused on compliance or noncompliance as a relevant aspect of patient care. The following paper is an attempt at categorizing the large variety of factors with impact on compliance, aiming at a more differentiated view at this problem. The paper is complemented by a short questionnaire which should allow the therapist (physician/psychologist) to assess the compliance of his patients/clients.

Humans↗

PubMed1990

High versus low-dose piracetam in alcohol organic mental disorder: a placebo controlled study.

A marked tendency to increase the dose of piracetam in the treatment of organic mental disorder can be observed in clinical practice. A placebo controlled study comparing two doses (i.e. 6 g and 24 g per die) was performed to evaluate the benefits of high dose piracetam in the treatment of organic mental disorder of chronic alcohol addicts. 60 inpatients participated in the study. Cognitive impairment was verified by various psychological tests on day 0; patients were also evaluated on days 7, 14, 28 and 42 of the trial. While the patients of all three groups showed a significant amelioration during the treatment period, a modest but significant superiority was indicated for the high piracetam dose. There was no difference between the placebo group and the patients receiving low dose piracetam.

Adult↗

PubMed1986

Piracetam in alcoholic organic mental disorder: a placebo controlled study comparing two dosages.

The following paper presents an investigation of the efficacy of piracetam in alcoholic organic mental disorder. A double-blind placebo-controlled study design was used to compare 2 dosages of the substance (2 X 3 g vs. 2 X 12 g). Cognitive function was assessed on days 0, 7, 14, 28, 42. Analysis of the results from 24 patients showed a clear-cut amelioration of cognitive functions in all 3 treatment groups. No difference could be demonstrated between the administration of placebo and the lower dose of piracetam. Patients on the higher dose showed an earlier improvement on one of the tests, but the final scores were similar in all three treatment groups.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Mood-altering effects of biperiden in healthy volunteers.

There has been considerable evidence that, aside from various other effects, synthetic anticholinergics also possess a significant euphoriant property. A double-blind placebo-controlled study was conducted in an attempt to answer the following questions: Can euphoria be induced by experimental intravenous administration of biperiden in therapeutic dosages? Is the individual's psychic response to anticholinergics associated with particular personality traits? In a study with a double-blind placebo cross-over design 28 healthy volunteers were given biperiden intravenously. The evaluation of their reaction to the drug using the Bech-Rafaelsen Mania Scale (MRS) revealed two groups of about the same numerical size demonstrating a considerable difference in their reaction to the drug.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Stress and behavior in coping with illness by patients with chronic polyarthritis].

39 female patients with chronic rheumatoid arthritis and 17 healthy women were assessed for their stress-coping mechanisms. As compared to healthy controls, the coping behavior of patients with rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by a significantly higher degree of playing down the stressful situation through comparison with others, by more substitutive gratification, by more attempts at controlling their reaction, but fewer attempts at controlling the situation. Moreover, patients with rheumatoid arthritis show less self-accusation, but also less guilt-defence. These coping mechanisms are most probably acquired already during the second year after the onset of illness and do not change significantly thereafter.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Personality structure of chronic rheumatically ill females].

80 female patients were tested for personality differences by the Freiburg Personality Inventory and the Giessen Test Self Image. They were divided into four groups with 20 patients each, suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, spondylosis and coxarthrosis. While RA patients did not significantly differ from AS patients, nor spondylosis patients from coxarthrosis patients, certain personality differences were detected between the patients with inflammatory and those with degenerative rheumatic diseases. These results, however, do not allow us to draw the conclusion that a "degenerative or inflammatory rheumatic personality" exists. Besides the Giessen Test Self Image the Giessen Test Self Ideal was also administered to all of the patients. In all four groups the desire for a better basic mood and less depression was prevailing. RA patients also wanted more "social resonance" and "predominance". AS patients wanted significantly less "control" and more "responsiveness". These components should be given special consideration in the psychological care of rheumatic patients.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Research on the psychomotor performance of patients with vertebral syndromes at spas].

The influence of radon balneotherapy on the psychomotor performance of 169 male and female patients with vertebral syndromes was investigated. The speed and skill of motor response to various stimuli was measured by the Schoppe apparatus and the Viennese determination apparatus. The analysis of "steadiness" brought no results, whereas all the other parameters tested by the Schoppe and the Viennese devices showed highly significant improvements in the course of spa treatment. It was not possible to differentiate to which specific factors of spa treatment this positive influence can be ascribed.

Adolescent↗