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 51,768 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A 38-year-old layer of parquet flooring was referred because of memory impairment, tiredness and diffuse headaches. His work involved using several neurotoxic organic solvents. Extensive laboratory, neuropsychological, clinical neurophysiological, neuroadiological, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and spectroscopy studies were performed. The neuropsychological and behavioural assessments showed an organic brain syndrome. MR imaging and CT scanning of the brain revealed enlarged ventricles and generalized atrophy. 31P and 1H MR spectroscopic measurements did not show any abnormalities. Owing to recent improvements regarding sensitivity and facilitated assignment, MR spectroscopy may provide in the near future significant additional information on brain metabolism in patients with brain dysfunction presumably induced by organic solvents.
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PMID:Magnetic resonance studies on brain dysfunction induced by organic solvents. 144 99

Mental illness affected 23 (33%) of the 69 patients with von Recklinghausen neurofibromatosis (NF-1) who were the primary subjects of this report. Moderately severe or severe mental illness, that is, grade 2 and 3 according to the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale (CPRS), was found in 15 of the 69 patients (22%). The 23 mentally ill patients did not show any uniform clinical psychiatric syndrome. The most commonly occurring psychiatric diagnoses were depressive syndrome, anxiety state with vegetative dysfunction and organic brain syndrome. There was a significant positive relation between depressive syndrome and organic brain syndrome according to the CPRS rating. Half of the 69 patients complained of mental symptoms in the form of hostile feelings and autonomic disturbances and these were the most frequent psychiatric symptoms; they were also frequent among patients without mental illness. Other common symptoms were sleep difficulties, tiredness, and aches and pains. Among patients with NF-1 there was a significantly positive relation between mental illness and mental retardation, but no significant positive relation between mental illness and physical severity of NF-1. Patients with mental illness also showed a significantly increased frequency of positive neurological findings indicating central nervous manifestations of NF-1.
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PMID:Neurofibromatosis in Gothenburg, Sweden. III. Psychiatric and social aspects. 251 61

The therapeutic efficacy and safety of oxiracetam (ISF 2522), a new nootropic cyclic GABA derivative, were investigated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study in 40 patients with organic brain syndrome in late life. The psychopathology was characterized by memory deficits, intellectual dysfunction, lack of drive, and disturbance of affectivity. Patients were randomly assigned to a 4-week treatment with either 2 X 400 mg oxiracetam capsules t.i.d. or identical placebo capsules in the same dosing schedule. Evaluation of the psychopathology and side effects was carried out at weeks 0, 1 and 4; laboratory tests (hematology, blood chemistry and urinalysis), a battery of psychometric tests and quantitative EEG investigations were done at weeks 0 and 4. In the oxiracetam group a slight but significant improvement in global symptomatology was observed within 1 week, with further improvement after 4 weeks. In the placebo group, an improvement was seen only in the 4th week. Evaluation of the detailed psychopathology by means of the Sandoz clinical assessment geriatric scale (SCAG) showed in the oxiracetam group significant improvements in loss of appetite and vertigo after 1 week and in short-term memory, anxiety, emotional lability, fatigue, loss of appetite and vertigo after 4 weeks. In contrast, not a single item improved significantly during placebo treatment. Although the differences in SCAG scores between the two groups failed to reach statistical significance, the overall trend towards improvement was significantly better in the oxiracetam group. The tolerability of the drug was good.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical, psychometric and neurophysiological investigations with oxiracetam in the organic brain syndrome of late life. 389 95

Some aircraft personel and airline industry workers are exposed to jet fuel, a mixture of aliphatic hydrocarbons (petroleum 80%) and some organic solvents (petroleum 80%) and some organic solvents (aromatic hydrocarbons 20%). In order to evaluate the possible neuropsychiatric sequeale of such long-term occupational exposure, we examined 30 workers exposed at about 250 mg/m3 for 4-32 years at a jet motor factory. They were compared with two control groups (2 x 30) of matched non-exposed workers. The medical history was first assessed by standardized interviews and examination of medical records kept by the factory physician. The exposed subjects had, after their employment, much more often sought medical advice because of emotional dysfunctions, such as depression and anxiety, than had the control groups (P less than 0.005). When the prevalent mental symptoms, indicative of brain lesion, later were rated by psychiatrists, the exposed workers scored higher than did the controls (P less than 0.001). 14 subjects showing most symptoms were then selected for a thorough neuropsychiatric clinical investigation comprising psychosocial inquiries, psychological testing, personality assessment and neurological/neurophysiological examination. Seven were judged to suffer from mild organic brain syndrome (i.e. "organic neurasthenia") of which one subject was a severe case. The subjects had all undergone a slow but steady personality change over the years--starting from an ordinary strength without neurotic traits and moving towards an asthenic state with fatigue, anxiety and vegetative hyperreactivity. No other cause for this change could be identified as an alternative to the occupational exposure to jet fuel. It is concluded that personality changes and emotional dysfunctions are the foremost effects of such long-term exposure to petroleum products.
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PMID:Neuropsychiatric symptoms in workers occupationally exposed to jet fuel--a combined epidemiological and casuistic study. 657 84

Organic brain syndromes constitute increasing public health, social and economic problems. In the diagnosis of organic brain syndrome no single symptom is pathognomonic. The core features of organic brain syndrome are disturbances in cognitive functions (memory, thinking, perception, and attention). The expression of emotions is altered, and alertness and vigilance are disturbed. The clinical picture is confused by compensatory, protective, and reactive symptoms. The most important psychopathogenetic mechanisms of organic brain syndrome are impaired cerebral function and the subjective meaning of the illness to the individual. According to American Psychiatric Association's classification (DSM-III), organic brain syndromes can be divided into seven purely descriptive clusters; subdivisions into psychotic and nonpsychotic syndromes and into acute and chronic brain syndromes have been omitted. The organic brain syndromes are delirium, dementia, amnestic syndrome, organic delusional syndrome, organic hallucinosis, organic affective syndrome and organic personality syndrome. The differential diagnostic aspects are discussed. Organic brain syndromes caused by industrial chemicals are nonspecific and multifactorial. When long term exposure to organic solvents occurs, the clinical picture is often characterized by tiredness and astheno-emotional or neurasthenic syndrome resembling neurotic states, depressive states, or presenile dementia.
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PMID:Organic brain syndromes from a psychiatric point of view: diagnostic and nosological aspects. 696 56