Some insect sensory neurones contain 5-hydroxytryptamine.

Immunocytochemistry of the locust central nervous system shows that most segmental nerves, in particular those of the legs, contain afferent fibres that react with antibody to 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). Adsorption controls indicate that the antigen is 5-HT or a closely related compound. This is supported by the finding of significant amounts of 5-HT in leg nerves using reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and electrochemical detection.

Nurse/physician reactions to 'swing beds'.

Providing long-term care in acute care beds--the swing-bed concept--fills a community health care need and helps the small hospital financially. But more than the status of the bed changes as medical and nursing staffs must adjust their daily schedules and attitudes. Day-to-day problems encountered by the hospital staff are detailed, as well as some recommendations for the future.

Restless legs, anxiety and caffeinism.

This clinical study of 62 patients with restless legs syndrome and associated anxious-depressed and other clinical states seems to indicate that caffeine is the major etiological factor in the causation of the restless legs syndrome. Anxiety, while modifying the subjective experience of the dysphoric sensation of restless legs, is not a causative factor. Caffeine is responsible for the increased nervous system arousal as well as for the direct peripheral contractile effect on the striated muscle.

Neuroleptic-induced akathisia and dystonia triggered by alcohol.

Subclinical extrapyramidal symptoms caused by phenothiazine or butyrophenone derivatives can become manifest during and shortly after the consumption of alcohol. Alcohol appears to lower the threshold of resistance to neurotoxic side effects of previously established neuroleptic drugs. Abstinence from alcohol should be routine advice during neuroleptic psychopharmacotherapy.

[Specific and non-specific effects of beta-adreno-receptor blocking drugs in man (author's transl)].

The effect of tyramine infusion or exercise on catecholamine concentration and dopamine-beta-hydroxylase activity in plasma of normal volunteers has been studied. Whereas the increase in plasma catecholamine concentrations by tyramine infusion was not changed 90 min after oral application of a single dose of beta-adrenoceptor blocking drugs (penbutolol, practolol, I.C.

Allergic conjunctivitis due to diazepam.

The author reports on four patients, all women, who developed conjunctival hypersensitivity during diazepam treatment. This hypersensitivity is self-limited after diazepam treatment is discontinued. The author suggests that conjunctival hypersensitivity could be mistakenly attributed to contact lens irritation rather than to diazepam.