[Study of visually evoked potentials in schizophrenic patients treated with sulpiride]. / Untersuchung der visuell evozierten Potentiale bei schizophrenen Patienten unter einer Behandlung mit Sulpirid.

A review on the clinical properties of sulpiride (Dogmatil forte) which up to the present day are yet accepted unanimously is presented. By means of visually evoked potentials (VEP) a study was carried out in 25 schizophrenic patients during an observation period of 24 days. The analysis of amplitudes and latencies of VEPs with dosages from 200 mg/day up to 1200 mg/day showed that low doses (200 mg/day) have a thymoleptic VEP profile, similar to that of amitriptyline, whereas dosages of 600--1200 mg/day show a medium to strong neuroleptic action, similar in its VEP profile to those of perphenazine and fluphenazine.

[A comparative study of the longacting neuroleptics perphenazin-enanthate and fluspirilene (author's transl)]. / Eine vergleichende Untersuchung der Depot-Neuroleptika Perphenazin Onanthat und Fluspirilen.

The clinical profile and side-effects of perphenazin-enanthate and fluspirilene were compared in 45 female chronic schizophrenic patients. 100 mg perphenazin-enanthate fortnightly or 8 mg fluspirilene weekly were administered. During the four months' period the psychopathological and somatic symptoms were evaluated by means of the AMP-system and the self-evaluation scale PD-S (v. Zerssen). A covariance analysis was carried out covering 12 AMP syndromes and 6 PD-S factors. The antipsychotic effect of both drugs was similar concerning the paranoid, the hallucinatory-desintegrative and the catatonic syndromes. A significant difference with regard to perphenazin-enanthate was found in the AMP-syndromes of hostility, hypochondria, and autonomic symptoms. Neither drug induced any depression. In the self-rating scale, the factors anxiousness and depressivity were also significantly lower in the perphenazin-enanthate regime. The patients under perphenazin-enanthate required a smaller amount of antiparkinsonian drugs. The more pronounced sedative effect of perphenazin-enanthate can be recommended in hostile and restless schizophrenic patients, whereas fluspirilene should be given to inactive autistic patients.

[Studies on the psychological profile of glaucoma patients and on the action of the long-term pilocarpine vehicle Ocusert (author's transl)]. / Untersuchungen über das psychische Profil des Glaukompatienten und über die Wirkung des Langzeit-Pilocarpin-Trägers Ocusert.

The investigations were carried out on two groups of newly diagnosed glaucoma patients. Each group contained 25 patients. One group received standard pilocarpine drops, the other the Ocusert pilocarpine system. Ocusert is a system which releases a constant amount of pilocarpine over a period of seven days. The psychological profile of the patients was investigated with the aid of the Freiburg inventory test sheet and the Giessen test. Glaucoma patients appear to have a particular personality structure. After three months' Ocusert treatment psychological tests showed a decrease in nervousness, irritability and emotional instability in all patients. In the group given pilocarpine drops the above parameters were intensified. The results of Ocusert treatment are in agreement with those obtained by other authors. In addition, there was considerably less miosis and myopia than during trop treatment. Even though the patients had initial difficulties with Ocusert, they learnt how to handle it correctly within one to seven days.

[Treatment of lithium tremor with the beta receptor blocker, pindolol]. / Die Behandlung des Lithiumtremors mit dem Beta-Rezeptorenblocker Pindolol.

In a cross-over study with Pindolol, 15 mg/day, against placebo, we studied during 4 weeks 22 patients aged between 20 and 65 years who where treated by means of lithium carbonate retard (Quilonum Retard). The tremor was measured twice a week by means of three apparative methods: an accelerometer, a 'hole-plate' and an 'aimed tapping plate', both constructed by Janke, and was also studied by means of a self-evaluation rating-scale. We obtained a positive therapeutic effect of Pindolol on lithium-induced tremor, which was statistically significant by means of the 'hole-plate' and of self-evaluation. Differences in results are discussed.

[Aspects of long-term therapy using long-term neuroleptics -- experiences and viewpoints related to practice]. / Aspekte der Langzeittherapie mit Langzeitneuroleptika--Praxisbezogene Erfahrungen und Betrachtungen.

Practical aspects of long-term neuroleptic therapy are discussed in the light of the author's own experience and observations; reference is made to the relevant literature. The author looks at the terms "sociogenic" and "somatogenic" in the context of treatment of schizophrenia and finds them to be not so antithetic as has traditionally been supposed. He describes the advantages and disadvantages of long-term neuroleptic therapy, both oral and injectable. He analyses the starting of a rational long-term therapy in the light of various factors. He examines the effective spectra of the traditional long-term neuroleptica and finds little justification for the different specific indications claimed for the various drugs. On the example of selected patients suitable for this therapy he considers the causes of the disorders and the primary personality and early development of the subjects, discussing the nature of the illness from the nosological and clinical point of view, the social and economic situations, the type of follow-up, and the physician-patient relationship. Emphasis is laid on the significance of side-effects and of individual reactions to long-term neuroleptics. The questions how, when and where a patient should be put onto long-term medication are treated, with a critical comparison of high and traditional doses, and a recommendation that duration and stoppage of therapy be decided on the basis of individual case factors. Special attention is paid to the so-called pharmacogenic depressions. Other indications of long-term neuroleptic therapy are mentioned. The author considers the integration of pharmaco-therapy into a complex rehabilitation program to be essential; without this there can be no progress in the treatment of schizophrenia.

Clinical experiments with the new oral long-acting neuroleptic clopimozide (R 29 764).

A pilot study with the new oral long-acting neuroleptic agent clopimozide, a diphenylbutylpiperidine derivative, has been reported. 30 female patients, only 20 of whom completed the trial, were treated with dosages of between 5 and 35 mg. The treatment comprised four periods in which the maximum tolerated daily dosage, the optimal weekly dosage (mean: 20.25 mg), the maximum tolerated weekly dosage and the optimal daily dosage were to be determined. In 10 patients plasma levels were determined with the radio-immunological method. The product exhibited a marked effect on schizophrenic target symptoms (significant at the 0.001 and 0.01 levels), of at least one week's duration, with an absence of sedation and a low degree of extrapyramidal side-effects. Clopimozide appears to be particularly suitable for the neuroleptic long-term treatment of compensated schizophrenic patients with insight into their disease.

[The use of beta-blocking agents in psychiatry and neurology (author's transl)]. / Die Anwendung beta-blockierender Substanzen in der Psychiatrie und Neurologie

This paper is an up-to-date review of the literature on the subject, as well as of own research. The paper discusses pharmacological and experimental data concerning the central nervous activity of beta-blocking agents. Their use in anxiolysis - in adults and children -, ethological research, their indications in the treatment of various psychoses, withdrawal syndromes of opiate, alcohol, hypnotics, tranquilizers, marihuana and amphetamine addiction, Parkinson, essential, familiar, senile and lithium induced tremors, as well as in side effects of other psychopharmacological drugs is analysed. The relevance of different studies and therapeutical indications is discussed. Finally, tha paper points to the side-effects, advantages and disadvantages of the above substances in neuro-psychiatric therapy and stresses their importance for future research.

[The behaviour of visually evoked potentials (VEP) in schizophrenia under gradually rising doses of fluphenazine dihydrochloride (author's transl)]. / Das Verhalten der visuell evozierten Potentiale (VEP) bei Schizophrenie unter allmählich erhöhten Dosen von Fluphenazin-dihydrochlorid.

The paper describes a study of visually evoked potentials (VEP) during 50 days in a schizophrenic female patient to whom we administered increasing dosages (from 150 mg up to 600 mg) and afterwards progressively decreasing ones (from 600 mg to 20 mg) of 10-(3-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-propyl)-2-trifluoromethylphenothiazine (fluphenazine-dihydrochloride). We tried to establish a relation between the aspect of latencies and form of curves and the dosages. We also discussed a possible correspondence between VEP and psychopathological changes.

[Doubleblind study with the novel antidepressant viloxazine versus imipramine in 50 in-patients (author's transl)]. / Doppelblindstudie mit dem neuen Antidepressivum Viloxazin im Vergleich zu Imipramin bei 50 stationäen Patientinnen

In this double-blind study on 50 depressive patients viloxazine in dosages between 150-300 mg/die, showed to be a very active and well tolerated thymoleptic substance. Its profile of activity seems similar to that of imipramine. The differences in favour of viloxazine were: a more rapid onset of its effect, a more balanced stimulation of energetical level versus clearing up to depressed mood, evident better results in patients aged over 50, fewer drop-outs on account of complications (especially confusional states or psychotic symptom provocations) and fewer side-effects such as vegetative disfunction, vertigo, and weight increase. More initial fatigue reactions, slight sleep disturbances and 3 hypertensive transient reactions must be emphasized on the side of viloxazine.

[Psychopharmacological drugs and the eye (author's transl)]. / Psychopharmaka und Auge

Early and late side-effects of psychopharmacological drugs on the eyes are discussed. The action of antidepressants, neuroleptics, tranquilizers and other groups on the eye are discussed separatedly. The importance of early glaucoma detection and treatment as well as that of pigment and metabolites deposits in the eye tissues is emphasized.

[Transcultural aspects of the clinical-psychiatric pictures of foreign workers (guest workers) and their significance for neurological practice]. / Transkulturelle Aspekte der klinische-psychiatrischen Bilder ausländischer Arbeitnerhmer (Gastarbeiter) und deren Bedeutung für die nervenärztliche Praxis

Referring to a previous clinical and sociopsychiatric investigation on 130 foreign workers, the transcultural psychiatric factors determining forms and contents were studied. It is stressed that remains of magic thinking and rigid tribe-centered sociocultural structures are the main factors, in addition to the beginning of the loosening of these structures accompanied by initial assimiltion of occidental ways of life in the homeland, and integrational crises through collision of Old and New after immigration. Atypical psychosis, outweighting affective and somatic factors, obliteration of the limits between classic etiological units, and the possibility of confounding magic contents with psychosis are illustrated by case histories. New criteria for diagnosis and therapy of foreign workers are suggested.

[Studies of lithium-induced tremor by means of different measurement methods]. / Untersuchungen des lithiumbedingten Tremors mit verschiedenen Messmethoden

The authors discuss the character of lithium-induced tremor. Three various measuring methods are presented: an accelerometer, a hole-plate and an apparatus based on aimed tapping. A fourth apparatus is proposed. The first three methods were applied on 16 patients who received lithium therapy and on a control group consisting of 22 normal persons. The results were statistically evaluated. For registering the postural component of lithium-induced tremor, the first two methods proved themselves worthy of recommendation in quotidian practice. Frequency and amplitude of lithium-induced tremor till the ninth day of drug administration are discussed - and constitute only one aspect of a bigger, still going on, study.

The problem of post-psychotic schizophrenic depressions and their pharmacological induction. Long-term studies with fluspirilene and penfluridol and single-blind trial with fluphenazine-decanoate and flupenthixol-decanoate.

The authors discuss the historical aspects, as well as the various etiological and clinical factors which contribute to the so-called pharmacogenically induced depressions during treatment by means of neuroleptics generally, and long-term neuroleptics especially. An open study on 161 schizophrenic patients treated by means of fluspirilene and 123 patients treated by means of penfluridol is described. A single blind trial on 48 patients, by means of fluphenazine-decanoate and flupenthixol-decanoate, which compares the possible depression-inducing or antidepressant activity of the above drugs, is presented. The criteria for evaluating drug-induced depressions and their two clinical types are discussed.