[Treatment of depression by a combination of clomipramine and triiodothyronine].

The clinical efficacy of a treatment with clomipramine (150 mg/day) associated with a daily dose of 50 micrograms of LT3 (CMI + LT3) compared to a treatment with clomipramine (150 mg/day) (CMI + placebo) for a period of 42 days has been examined in a pilot study, randomized in double-blind conditions, including 20 patients with a normal thyroid status, but presenting a major depressive syndrome (DSM III). The minimum including score was 30 on the Montgomery Asberg Scale (MADRS). The patients were considered as remitted when the MADRS-score was < or = 10.

Binding of amitriptyline to alpha 1-acid glycoprotein and its variants.

Binding studies have been performed between amitriptyline and i) native alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AAG); ii) its desialylated form; iii) its two variants, S-AAG and F-AAG; and iv) a mixture of S-AAG and F-AAG. Scatchard analysis revealed the presence of two classes of binding sites on AAG. For native AAG, the first class (of high affinity) has an association constant (Ka1) of 1.

Isoelectric focusing of alpha-1 acid glycoprotein (orosomucoid) in immobilized pH-gradients with 8M urea: detection of its desialylated variants using an alkaline phosphatase-linked secondary antibody system.

A method allowing a clear separation of the different variants of desialylated alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (orosomucoid) has been developed using isoelectric focusing in immobilized pH gradients, supplemented with 8 M urea and 2% v/v 2-mercaptoethanol. Immunoblotting with two antibody-steps afforded high sensitivity and permitted the detection of about 700 pg of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein in a 20 microL plasma sample diluted 1:28 672. A one year old bloodstrain, kept at room temperature, could easily be phenotyped.

Orosomucoid (alpha-1 acid glycoprotein) phenotyping by use of immobilized pH gradients with 8 M urea and immunoblotting. A new variant encountered in a population study.

Orosomucoid (ORM) phenotyping has been performed on 329 unrelated Swiss subjects, using immobilized pH gradients with 8 M urea and 2% v/v 2-mercaptoethanol followed by immunoblotting. After desialylation the band patterns of ORM confirmed that the polymorphism of the structural locus ORM1 is controlled by three codominant autosomal alleles (ORM1*F1, ORM1*S and ORM1*F2). One rare and one new allele were detected.

GC and GC-MS procedures for simultaneous phenotyping with dextromethorphan and mephenytoin.

A genetic deficiency in the metabolism of dextromethorphan and mephenytoin may be revealed by the excretion pattern of dextromethorphan and its metabolite dextrorphan, and mephenytoin, 4-OH-mephenytoin, respectively, after a single dose of the test drugs. Existing methods were modified for determining the compounds in 0.1-0.

Acetylation of maprotiline and desmethylmaprotiline in depressive patients phenotyped with sulfamidine, debrisoquine, and mephenytoin.

A gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric method (using either electron impact or chemical ionisation with methane or ammonia) is described for the quantitative analysis of maprotiline (MP, Ludiomil), N-acetylmaprotiline (AcMP) and N-acetyldesmethylmaprotiline (AcDMP) in whole blood or plasma. In two groups (A and B) of 82 and 53 depressive patients treated clinically with MP for 10 and 21 days, respectively, plasma and whole blood MP was monitored during the treatment. In group A, all subjects were phenotyped with debrisoquine and mephenytoin, and 44 with sulfamidine.

Selectivity in the binding of psychotropic drugs to the variants of alpha-1 acid glycoprotein.

The S- and F-forms of alpha-1 acid glycoprotein (AAG) variants have been isolated by isoelectric focusing with immobilines from commercially available AAG. In equilibrium dialysis experiments using a multicompartmental system, a higher affinity for various basic drugs has been found with S- in comparison with F-AAG: Amitriptyline, nortriptyline, imipramine, desipramine, trimipramine, methadone, thioridazine, clomipramine, desmethylclomipramine, and maprotiline. The selectivity (binding to S- vs.

[Apropos of the new mental health law in Italy].

In this article psychiatric assistance in Italy is examined 8 years after the Law 180 that enacted the closing down of psychiatric hospitals has come into force. Starting with an outline of the political and social history of the country, the authors considered the characteristics of the law, the difficulties and results of its application, and the criticisms that have been expressed, basing themselves on the available statistical and epidemiological data. Even if a conclusive evaluation of the validity of this reform seems to be premature, these two elements were estimated as definite: 1.

[Topographic aspects of visual and auditory evoked potentials in schizophrenics].

The EPs to bilaterally presented non-verbal and non-cognitive visual and auditory stimuli were studied in 15 schizophrenics and 15 normal subjects. Many anomalies of exogenous components of VEPs and AEPs were observed in schizophrenics in comparison with control subjects, pointing to an abnormal cerebral functioning. So, the patients presented: (1) a less interhemispheric difference in latency of P100 component of VEPs over the occipital area; (2) a decrease or a lack of left hemispheric predominance of P2 component of AEPs over the central area; (3) a lower interhemispheric waveform similarity both for VEPs and AEPs.