Evaluation of predictive factors for neurocognitive dysfunction in patients with inactive systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: To determine predictive factors associated with the cognitive dysfunction in patients with inactive systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: Consecutive patients followed at the Lupus Clinic with inactive SLE (SLE Disease Activity Index, SLEDAI, = 0) underwent a battery of neuropsychological tests; Beck Depression Inventory and psychiatric assessment were also performed. Neurocognitive dysfunction was defined as 3 abnormal scores.

Event-related potential changes in cocaine withdrawal: evidence for long-term cognitive effects.

The effects of cocaine withdrawal on the latency of the P300 cognitive event-related potential were studied in 36 subjects. All subjects had used cocaine within 48 h of admission to an inpatient unit. P300 was recorded in a traditional auditory oddball paradigm 2 and 6 days following admission.

Quantitative EEG changes in cocaine withdrawal: evidence for long-term CNS effects.

Quantitative EEG changes were studied during cocaine withdrawal in 36 subjects. All subjects had used cocaine orally (n = 28) or intravenously (n = 8) within 48 h of admission to an inpatient unit. EEGs were recorded 2 and 6 days following admission.

Molecular and prospective phenotypic characterization of a pedigree with familial Alzheimer's disease and a missense mutation in codon 717 of the beta-amyloid precursor protein gene.

We present prospective clinical and neuropathologic details of a pedigree segregating familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD) associated with a mutation (G----A substitution) at nucleotide 2149 in exon 17 of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene. This mutation, which is predicted to cause the missense substitution of isoleucine for valine at codon 717 of APP, cosegregated perfectly with the FAD trait (lod score = 3.49 at theta = 0.

Late auditory evoked potentials in alcoholics. Identifying those with a history of epileptic seizures during withdrawal.

The N1-P2 wave of the auditory evoked potential was studied in 19 alcoholics, six of whom had withdrawal seizures on previous admissions. The recordings were made at 1 and 5 days after cessation of drinking. Eight nonalcoholic volunteers were used as controls.

Event-related potentials and recognition memory for pictures and words: the effects of intentional and incidental learning.

Event-related potentials were recorded under conditions of intentional or incidental learning of pictures and words, and during the subsequent recognition memory test for these stimuli. Intentionally learned pictures were remembered better than incidentally learned pictures and intentionally learned words, which, in turn, were remembered better than incidentally learned words. In comparison to pictures that were ignored, the pictures that were attended were characterized by greater positive amplitude frontally at 250 ms and centro-parietally at 350 ms and by greater negativity at 450 ms at parietal and occipital sites.

Acute, withdrawal, and chronic alcohol effects in man: event-related potential and quantitative EEG techniques.

The results presented here strongly suggest that quantitative electroencephalography and event-related potentials are excellent research tools and may be clinically useful as non-invasive monitors of psychotropic drug action and encephalopathies. Our initial data with acute mild alcohol intoxication show that acute tolerance may be reflected in qEEG but not in P3 latency. Since predictably some brain functions may show tolerance, and others not, these approaches may be useful probes.

Late auditory evoked potentials: a method for monitoring drug effects on the central nervous system.

An auditory event-related potential paradigm was designed to objectively quantify the effects of drugs on the central nervous system (CNS). A series of tones was presented at three random interstimulus intervals (ISI). The amplitude of N1-P2 and the recovery of this complex across ISI appear to be rapid, reliable and sensitive measures of changes in brain function associated with drug intake.

A peak detector program for event-related potentials.

A computer program, developed for peak detection of averaged evoked potential waveforms, is described. The program is able to automatically score up to 200 data files in a single session. The user is asked to define intervals (windows) in which a maximum peak is to be detected.