Nimodipine in acute alcohol withdrawal state.

The effect of the calcium channel blocker, nimodipine, in acute alcohol withdrawal was investigated in a randomized, placebo controlled, double blind study. Thirty-two male patients with a history of alcohol dependence according to DSM-III criteria, but no other substance abuse, were included. A new rating instrument which fulfilled theoretical test criteria was applied to determine the severity of the alcohol withdrawal state.

Development of a rating scale for quantitative measurement of the alcohol withdrawal syndrome.

The alcohol withdrawal syndrome consists of autonomic, neurological and mental symptoms. For its assessment, these symptoms have to be rated in a quantitative and valid manner. We developed a new rating scale for mild and moderate alcohol withdrawal states.

Sleep EEG and nocturnal secretion of cortisol and growth hormone in male patients with endogenous depression before treatment and after recovery.

The authors conducted a sleep-endocrine evaluation among 10 unmedicated male patients with major endogenous depression during their depressive episode and following full clinical remission and drug withdrawal. While abnormally high values for cortisol secretory activity normalized after return to euthymia, growth hormone release and characteristic disturbances of EEG sleep remained unchanged. Whether or not neuroendocrine and sleep EEG abnormalities, which are present in remission, are trait markers remains undecided until premorbid sleep-endocrine data are available.

Sleep-electroencephalography and the secretion of cortisol and growth hormone in normal controls.

Sleep-electroencephalography, and the nocturnal secretion of cortisol and GH were investigated simultaneously in a sample of 25 male normal controls (27.1 +/- 1.3 years) in order further to examine interaction between sleep structure and concurrent endocrine activity.