Interleukin-1 alpha and interleukin-2 in cerebrospinal fluid of schizophrenic subjects.

1. It has been postulated that the interrelated processes of neurodegeneration, neuroplasticity, and neuroimmunological abnormalities may play a role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Since, interleukins are produced in the central nervous system and have cytokine and growth promoting properties, they are an obvious choice to consider in these neural processes.

The Na,K-ATPase Hypothesis for Bipolar Disorder: Implications of Normal Development.

ABSTRACT The Na,K pump is the indispensable component of excitable tissue that maintains transmembrane ion-based potentials. Adequate human data regarding the developmental trends in Na,K pump activity in childhood are unavailable, but human nonneuronal and animal studies demonstrate a developmental shift toward declining Na,K pump activity with increasing age. The decline in pump activity is paralleled by an age-related increase in intracellular sodium ions and a concomitant decrease in intracellular potassium ions.

Does motor cerebral dominance develop secondary to sensory dominance?

Current research and theoretical frameworks for understanding motor dominance assume that motor dominance is primary. Various developmental clues, however, suggest that the maturation of proprioceptive sensory processing predates that of motor control. We hypothesized that the observed adult pattern of lateralized motor dominance may develop as a consequence of preexisting lateralized "sensory" or "proprioceptive dominance.

Is the Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase the link between phosphoinositide metabolism and bipolar disorder?

Recent experimental work suggests involvement of the phosphatidyl inositol second messenger system in the biochemical mechanism of lithium action, but this work has not shed light on the pathophysiology of bipolar illness. Earlier work had established reduction in sodium-potassium-activated adenosine triphosphatase (Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase) activity as a consistent marker of mood in bipolar illness but had only partially illuminated mechanisms of the action of lithium. Now, advances from research in diabetic neuropathy suggest that inositol phosphate and diacylglycerol metabolism are indeed linked to Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity.

Creatine kinase and enolase: intracellular enzymes serving as markers of central nervous system damage in neuropsychiatric disorders.

A frequently used method to assess cellular dysfunction and damage in humans is to document the presence of uniquely intracellular proteins in extracellular spaces. Thus, increased plasma levels of transaminases generally reflect hepatocellular damage (Lieber 1978), increases in the cardiac fractions of creatine kinase (CK, or CPK for creatine phosphokinase) or lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) are diagnostic for myocardial infarction (Armstrong et al. 1979; 1982), and increases of skeletal muscle fractions of CK may indicate myopathy (Goto 1974; Ford 1984).

Cerebrospinal fluid and serum levels of neuron-specific enolase in patients with schizophrenia.

Some patients with schizophrenia appear to have brain abnormalities, including enlarged third and lateral ventricles and reduced volumes of temporal lobe structures. These abnormalities could be attributed to a developmental abnormality or a neurodegenerative process. Neuron-specific enolase (NSE), a protein that is found primarily in neurons and neuroendocrine cells, has been used as an index of neuronal damage or degeneration.

AIDS dementia-related psychosis: is there a window of vulnerability?

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) frequently enters the central nervous system (CNS) soon after infection, and frequently produces a wide variety of neurologic, cognitive, and psychiatric complications. Although, the entire spectrum of psychiatric illnesses may be seen in individuals with HIV infection, most are probably not directly caused by the virus. Psychiatric manifestations that are the direct result of HIV infection are usually seen in the setting of HIV-associated dementia.

Headaches and psychoactive substance use.

A number of clinical reports have revealed an association between the use of alcohol and drugs and the onset or exacerbation of headaches. In order to investigate this association systematically and to examine the temporal relationship between onset of headaches and psychoactive substance use, we analyzed responses to a self-report questionnaire from 267 consecutive admissions to a three-week inpatient substance abuse treatment program. The response rate was 89.

The nucleus basalis of Meynert, senile plaques, and intellectual impairment in schizophrenia.

The large, hyperchromic, cholinergic neurons of the nucleus basalis of Meynert (nbM) and the presence of senile plaques were quantified in postmortem brain tissue from 10 intellectually impaired schizophrenic patients, seven intellectually intact schizophrenic patients, seven control subjects, and three patients with Alzheimer's disease. The two groups of schizophrenic patients did not show any significant differences when compared with the control group in nbM cell density or in plaque frequency. The Alzheimer's disease patients showed the expected decrease in nbM neuronal density and increase in plaques compared with the controls.

Mania in AIDS: clinical significance and theoretical considerations.

Cases of mania associated with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) are reviewed in an attempt to elucidate patterns that may be helpful in guiding treatment, determining prognosis, and understanding pathophysiology. Fourteen well-described cases in the English language literature were critically reviewed. Data was collected regarding chronological appearance of signs and symptoms, specific psychiatric symptoms, associated neurologic and cognitive function, objective testing of brain structure and function, and outcome.

Hyperemesis gravidarum as conversion disorder.

Psychosocial factors have long been believed to be important in the pathogenesis of emesis gravidarum (morning sickness) and hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). Although this has been confirmed during extensive studies over the last 30 years, HG has never been described as a conversion reaction. We describe two women presenting with hyperemesis who clearly fulfill diagnostic criteria for conversion.

Post-psychiatry residency career choice : current trends.

Of 203 psychiatry residency directors surveyed in 1988 about the career choices of graduates, 97 (48%) usable responses represented 1,403 residents. Results were compared to previous surveys (1968-1972 and 1978-1979). The prior increase in post-residency fellowships (from 4% in 1968-1972 to 17% in 1978-1979) has leveled off (16.

Calcium channel blockers in affective illness: role of sodium-calcium exchange.

Available evidence suggests that verapamil and perhaps other calcium channel blockers are effective in treating mania but not unipolar depression. This article briefly reviews the clinical experience and reexamines potential mechanisms. It is proposed that antimanic efficacy is primarily related to inhibition of sodium-calcium counterexchange rather than calcium channel blockade.

Lithium.

Lithium utility and toxicity are reviewed. Lithium continues to be the most useful agent available for the prophylaxis and treatment of bipolar illness. Lithium augmentation of antidepressants is useful in treatment-resistant unipolar depression.

Delusional misidentification involving the self.

The delusion of replacement of one's self by a double or imposter is a feature of two delusional misidentification syndromes. In the syndrome of subjective doubles, the self-delusional misidentification syndromes. In the syndrome of subjective doubles, the self-delusion is the sole delusion of doubles.

Aspartame: clinical update.

Since the introduction of aspartame into the American food supply in 1981, it has grown to become the most widely used and accepted artificial sweetener. However, recent published and unpublished reports of headaches, seizures, blindness, and cognitive and behavioral changes with long-term, high-dose aspartame may be cause for concern. Physician awareness of the present clinical and research status of aspartame is important.

Cervical myelopathy secondary to movement disorders: case report.

Involuntary cervical movements that result in cervical spondylosis and secondary myelopathy have not been adequately emphasized in the literature. We present two patients with cerebral palsy and long histories of involuntary movements who developed cervical myelopathy. We use these illustrative cases to emphasize that in the presence of underlying neurological symptoms and signs due to advanced cerebral palsy, any recent worsening should provoke a higher index of suspicion for myelopathy.