ABSTRACT
Examination of the effect of three doses of pentobarbital on the comparative performance of a complex psychomotor task with two simple neuromotor tasks, i. e., standing steady and pendulum eye tracking, revealed a high correlation. These simple tasks could be used as measures of intoxication since they do not require extensive training. Examination of the complex task impairment blood level ratio revealed that impairment relative to blood level was much greater in the absorption phase. This changing ratio underscores the point that blood levels alone are not an adequate estimate of intoxication.
Subject(s)
Eye Movements/drug effects , Movement/drug effects , Pentobarbital/blood , Visual Perception/drug effects , Adult , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Humans , Pentobarbital/pharmacology , Time FactorsABSTRACT
The relationship between anorectic drug (stimulant) treatment and subsequent drug abuse in overweight individuals has often been discussed but seldom systematically studied. One hypothesis is that anorectic treatment promotes the likelihood of drug-abuse patterns. The present study involved a group of overweight psychiatric patients (n = 91) who were compared on the basis of whether or not they had used anorectic drugs in the past year and also whether or not they were currently using any form of psychoactive drugs. It was found that the use of anorectic drugs was mainly associated with weight problems, such as dieting difficulties, but not with amount of overweight. Anorectic use and other weight-problem variables do not seem to be strongly related to the psychiatric patient's drug problems.
Subject(s)
Appetite Depressants/therapeutic use , Obesity/drug therapy , Substance-Related Disorders/etiology , Body Weight/drug effects , Diet, Reducing/psychology , Humans , Obesity/psychology , RiskABSTRACT
The relationship between anorectic drug (stimulant) treatment and subsequent drug abuse in overweight individuals has often been discussed but seldom systematically studied. One hypothesis is that anorectic treatment promotes the likelihood of drug-abuse patterns. The present study involved a group of overweight psychiatric patients (n=91) who were compared on the basis of whether or not they had used anorectic drugs in the past year and also whether or not they were currently using any form of psychoactive drugs. It was found that the use of anorectic drugs was mainly associated with weight problems, such as dieting difficulties, but not with amount of overweight. Anorectic use and other weight-problem variables do not seem to be strongly related to the psychiatric patient's drug problems.
Subject(s)
Appetite Depressants , Mental Disorders/complications , Substance-Related Disorders/etiology , Adult , Humans , Obesity/complications , Obesity/drug therapy , Psychiatric Status Rating ScalesABSTRACT
Psychiatric patients received a computer interview that assessed 27 life problem areas. Within the sleep area, difficulty falling asleep was compared to awakening problems and appeared to be a more severe patient problem in terms of the large number of associated nonsleep problems. The patient's intensity of physical tension and degree of excessive solitary behavior were related to the problem of falling asleep. The major variables associated with awakening problems were pain and physical complications interfering with sleep. Patients with a strong sleep medication involvement were found to use multiple classes of drugs, to use a greater overall quantity of drugs, and to express various drug problems. A combination of physical tension, anxiety, and depression were predictive of patients' sleep medication involvement, whereas no one particular group of sleep problems indicated a significantly greater involvement than another group.
Subject(s)
Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/drug therapy , Substance-Related Disorders/psychology , Adult , Anti-Anxiety Agents/therapeutic use , Community Mental Health Centers , Drug Therapy, Combination , Female , Humans , Hypnotics and Sedatives/therapeutic use , Male , Outpatient Clinics, Hospital , Psychiatric Department, Hospital , Stress, Psychological/psychologySubject(s)
Drug Prescriptions , Heroin Dependence/drug therapy , Methadone/therapeutic use , Self Medication , Adult , Competitive Behavior , Decision Making , Female , Humans , Male , Methods , Missouri , Outpatient Clinics, HospitalSubject(s)
Conditioning, Operant , Heroin Dependence/therapy , Methadone/administration & dosage , Reinforcement Schedule , Administration, Oral , Adult , Evaluation Studies as Topic , Female , Humans , Male , Methadone/therapeutic use , Methods , Reward , Substance Withdrawal Syndrome/prevention & controlSubject(s)
Length of Stay , Psychotherapy , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Female , Hospitals, Psychiatric , Humans , Male , Mental Disorders/therapy , Middle Aged , Patient Care Planning , ProbabilitySubject(s)
Hospitalization , Mental Disorders , Adult , Criminal Psychology , Demography , Electronic Data Processing , Female , Hospitals, Psychiatric , Humans , Male , Medical Records , Mental Disorders/diagnosis , Missouri , Prisons , Probability , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Social BehaviorABSTRACT
Sequential dependencies were investigated with two rats in a mixed and in a tandem differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate-responding schedule. In each schedule, 5-sec and 15-sec components were presented in fixed alternation. In the mixed schedule, a 5-sec interresponse time followed a 15-sec interresponse time and a 15-sec interresponse time followed a 5-sec interresponse time in predictable sequence. The correlation between prior and subsequent interresponse times, however, existed only when the prior interresponse time resulted in reinforcement. In the tandem schedule, an interresponse time greater than 5 sec in the differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate 5-sec component was not associated directly with reinforcement. One subject demonstrated sequential response patterns similar to those noted in the mixed schedule, even though the prior 5-sec interresponse time was not reinforced in the tandem schedule. The results indicate that the prior interresponse time length alone is not sufficient to influence the subsequent interresponse time length. Implications are, however, that a temporal response pattern arises when an interresponse interacts with schedule contingencies to control the interreinforcement interval.
