Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

V I Reus

Publications and source records attributed to V I Reus.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Cognitive-behavioral intervention increases abstinence rates for depressive-history smokers.

This article describes the test of the hypothesis that a cognitive-behavioral mood management intervention would be effective for smokers with a history of major depressive disorder (MDD). The method was randomized trial; the assessments occurred at Weeks 0, 8, 12, 26, and 52. Ss were 149 smokers; 31% had a history of MDD. All received 2 mg of nicotine gum. Mood management was provided in 10 group sessions over 8 weeks. Standard treatment was provided in 5 group sessions over 8 weeks. Outcome was continuous abstinence. History-positive Ss were more likely to be abstinent when treated with mood management. Treatment condition differences were not significant for history-negative Ss. For history-positive Ss, less anger at baseline predicted abstinence. For history-negative Ss, more years smoked and higher baseline carbon monoxide (CO) predicted abstinence. Cognitive-behavioral therapy did not affect mood after quitting. Abstinence predictors differed as a function of baseline diagnosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Mind and brain.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Brain↗
PubMed1993

Nicotine, negative affect, and depression.

Depression, whether conceptualized as a trait, symptom, or as a diagnosable disorder, is overrepresented among smokers. Depressed smokers appear to experience more withdrawal symptoms on quitting, are less likely to be successful at quitting, and are more likely to relapse. This article documents these relationships and explores several potential links between smoking and depression. The potential efficacy of antidepressant therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and nicotine replacement therapy for smokers with depressive disorders or traits is discussed. Clinical implications and the role of patient treatment matching are also discussed.

Combined Modality Therapy↗
PubMed1993

Ketoconazole administration in hypercortisolemic depression.

Ketoconazole, an antiglucocorticoid drug, was administered to 10 hypercortisolemic depressed patients for up to 6 weeks. Three patients dropped out because of side effects or intercurrent illness. The remaining seven had significant ketoconazole-associated decreases in serum cortisol levels and in depression ratings. Antiglucocorticoid agents may be useful probes for investigating the sequelae of hypercortisolemia in patients with major depression.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Rational polypharmacy in the treatment of mood disorders.

Increasing awareness of treatment resistance and the emergence of tolerance on once effective medications have facilitated acceptance of a variety of novel drug combination treatment strategies. Although clinical practice is based for the most part on a literature that is still seriously lacking in well-controlled and methodologically rigorous studies, the risk-benefit ratio in most cases seems acceptable if a clear understanding of the possible therapeutic and adverse interactions on the part of both the physician and the patient prevails. Historically, drug combinations have emerged out of serendipity, but increasingly, theories of complimentary drug action serve a heuristic propose in guiding clinical research efforts, and in testing the purposed mechanisms of actions for each of the drugs separately.

Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic↗
PubMed1992

Benzodiazepine augmentation of neuroleptics in treatment-resistant schizophrenia.

A significant minority of patients with schizophrenia fail to respond to neuroleptic medication alone. In some of these patients, adjunctive treatment with benzodiazepines may prove beneficial. Preclinical studies suggest that benzodiazepines significantly decrease brain dopamine release and turnover, perhaps by augmenting gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) inhibition of dopamine neuron activity. Double-blind clinical studies, however, have not conclusively established a role for benzodiazepines in the treatment of schizophrenia, and it seems likely that some patients respond favorably, whereas others do not. We review preliminary new observations that approximately half of a group of treatment-resistant patients, studied in a double-blind treatment protocol, demonstrated clinically significant antipsychotic responses to adjunctive alprazolam. We also briefly describe long-term efficacy of alprazolam in several patients whom we have followed in open-label clinical settings. Possible predictors or biological concomitants of benzodiazepine responsivity, which may aid in delineating distinct subgroups of patients, are discussed, and recommendations for future research are presented.

Anti-Anxiety Agents↗
PubMed1992

Antiglucocorticoid strategies in hypercortisolemic states.

Major depressive illness is frequently associated with cortisol hypersecretion. The pathophysiologic significance of this is unknown, although it is possible that hypercortisolemia exacerbates or perpetuates depressive symptoms. In both depression and Cushing's syndrome, certain depressive symptoms are correlated with cortisol levels and, in the latter condition, therapeutic lowering of cortisol levels is associated with remission of psychiatric symptomatology. We review the behavioral effects of anticortisolemic drug administration in Cushing's syndrome and major depression. Preliminary data from small-scale studies suggest that ratings of depressive symptoms in hypercortisolemic major depression may be lowered by such interventions. Such results, if confirmed in larger scale, double-blind studies, might help clarify the role of endocrinologic disturbance in psychiatric symptomatology and might lead to the development of a novel class of antidepressant agent for hypercortisolemic depressed patients.

Depressive Disorder↗
PubMed1991

MRI deep white matter hyperintensity in a psychiatric population.

The authors evaluated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of deep white matter hyperintensity (DWMH) in 90 adult psychiatric inpatients in whom MRIs were clinically indicated and 25 age-matched, medically healthy controls. Forty-two percent of the psychiatric patients and 12% of the controls had evidence of DWMH on MRI. Both incidence and severity of DWMH were significantly correlated with age in both groups. Even after controlling for age in the psychiatric population, DWMH was significantly associated with hypertension, history of myocardial infarction or angina, abnormal electrocardiogram, and abnormal neurological examinations.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Pineal-adrenal interactions: the effect of acute pharmacological blockade of nocturnal melatonin secretion.

The pineal gland is a complex neuroendocrine organ which is under photoneuroendocrine control. Previous studies in animals and humans have suggested reciprocal variations in pineal melatonin biosynthesis and adrenal glucocorticoid output; it remains unclear, however, whether a causal relationship exists between these two systems. To address this question, we examined the overnight secretory activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in conjunction with acute pharmacological suppression of pineal melatonin biosynthesis in 11 healthy volunteers. Results of the current study are consistent with the hypothesis that melatonin does not function as a tonic inhibitor of the HPA axis on an acute basis.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Cognitive effects of corticosteroids.

In three independent studies with different designs and groups of subjects, the authors found that 1) depressed patients who did not suppress cortisol when given dexamethasone (compared to suppressors and normal control subjects), 2) healthy volunteers given a single 1-mg dose of dexamethasone (compared to those given placebo), and 3) healthy volunteers given 80 mg/day of prednisone for 5 days (compared to those given placebo) all made significantly more errors of commission in verbal memory tasks, with no significant change in their rates of errors of omission. These findings raise the possibility of specific corticosteroid-related cognitive impairments.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed1989

Behavioral aspects of thyroid disease in women.

Disturbances in thyroid regulation occur much more commonly in the female population and are not infrequently associated with behavioral symptomatology. Recognition of such gender differences in associational risk is important, for it may alter the clinical algorithm of assessment techniques and treatment interventions. From a scientific standpoint, interpretation of existing data and design of future studies exploring the relationship between thyroid regulation and behavior is likely to be improved if such sex differences are more commonly recognized and addressed.

Bipolar Disorder↗
PubMed1986

Behavioral disturbances associated with endocrine disorders.

Patients with major endocrine disorders frequently experience significant changes in mood and mentation. Similarly, many individuals presenting as psychiatric patients have pathologic alterations in neuroendocrine function. Although pathognomic behavioral changes are rare, increased recognition of characteristic symptom complexes may lead to earlier diagnosis and improved treatment planning.

Addison Disease↗
PubMed1985

Habituation and cortisol dysregulation in depression.

The relationship between hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) dysregulation and skin conductance measures of habituation, stimulus specificity, and dishabituation was investigated in psychiatric patients exhibiting depressed affect. As a group, depressed patients showed a relative failure to dishabituate when compared with control subjects. Nonsuppression of cortisol following dexamethasone was associated with decreased response specificity as reflected in direct response measures and baseline skin conductance level. The impairment of response specificity to a novel stimulus is consistent with previous studies demonstrating a role for cortisol in the regulation of selective attention processes.

Adult↗