[The effect of a new antiparkinson agent, Selegilin, on psychomotor performance in humans]. / Wirkung eines neuen Antiparkinsonmittels, Selegilin, auf die psychomotorische Leistungsfähigkeit des Menschen.

A combination of tests consisting of a compensation task with differential value indication, a tachystoscopic arrangement with verbal identification of characteristic features and an arrangement for a visually induced motor reaction was carried out on 12 healthy volunteers aged from 20-30 to determine psychomotor efficiency under the influence of the new antiparkinson drug selegiline (Eldepryl). The results were compared with the effects of the psychostimulant fenetylline and the depressant-antihistamine chlorphenoxamine, and with a placebo. While fenetylline and chlorphenoxamine produced the anticipated effects with regard to an improvement or deterioration in performance in all parameters, selegiline resulted in a slightly longer motor reaction time and an increase in control errors, and in a significantly longer mental processing time. In comparison with the placebo, selegiline increased the motor reaction time by 0.8 +/- 1.95% and mental processing time by 4.1 +/- 1.7%. This depressant effect of selegiline, however, only attained 1/8 and 2/3, resp., of the sedative effect of the normal dose of the antihistamine chlorophenoxamine. Under the influence of chlorphenoxamine, performance becomes less regular and under fenetylline more regular. Selegiline does not differ significantly from the placebo. In spite of selegiline metabolites 1-metamphetamine and 1-amphetamine, which act as mild stimulants, the slightly depressant effect of selegiline detected can be explained by the increased effect of dopamine inhibitory neurons, particularly in the inhibitory system of the formatio reticularis and the cortex frontalis as a result of a concentration of dopamine.

[The effect of a new analgesic, flupirtine, on psychomotor performance in humans]. / Einfluss des neuen Analgetikums Flupirtin auf die psychomotorische Leistungsfähigkeit des Menschen.

Psychomotor efficiency was tested on 12 male patients after peroral administration of the analgesically acting monosubstance 2-amino-3-ethoxycarbonyl-amino-6-p-fluorobenzyl aminopyridine (flupirtine, Katadolon) (3 X 100 mg on the previous day and 100 mg before the test) and compared with the peroral administration of diazepam, chlorphenoxamine and a placebo using a combined multiple problem, which tests the fine motor coordination in the peripheral and central field of vision at high vigilance. Compared with the placebo, flupirtine lengthened the reaction time with only slight significance by 2.7 +/- 2.2%, but with significance the mental processing time by 3.0 +/- 1.9%. This sedative effect reached only 41% and 43% respectively of the sedative effect of the antihistamine chlorphenoxamine (80 mg daily dose on the preceding day and 20 mg 1 h before start of the test). Under the hangover effect of diazepam (evenings 10 mg perorally 2 days before and 5 mg perorally on the preceding day) slightly significant shorter times were determined than under flupirtine. Flupirtine does not change the number of standard errors and the uniformity of performance, but it does increase the number of signals overlooked in the experiment, to a considerably lesser degree, however, than chlorphenoxamine. In the hangover of diazepam, the number of standard errors is lower and the number of overlooked signals greater than under flupirtine. The errors and the number of overlooked signals are greatest under chlorphenoxamine.

Residual effects of flurazepam and brotizolam on psychomotor performance.

Residual effects of brotizolam (0.25 mg) and flurazepam (30 mg) were studied in healthy young adults. Performance and subjective assessments were observed from 7 to 8 h after overnight ingestion, and effects were compared with that of placebo. Visuo-motor coordination, visuo-mental processing time, visuo-motor reaction time and reading errors were not impaired with brotizolam. There were residual effects with 30 mg flurazepam. Visuo-motor coordination, visuo-mental processing time, visuo-motor reaction time, and reading errors were impaired compared with placebo and 0.25 mg brotizolam. Subjective assessments of performance correlated with measured performance. There was a decrease with flurazepam (visuo-motor coordination and visuo-mental processing time) compared with placebo.

[Alterations of sleep stage patterns in humans and carry-over effects under estazolam / 1st comm.: effects of estazolam on sleep disturbed by jet fly-over noise (author's transl)]. / Veränderungen der Schlafstadienmuster des Menschen und Hang-over-Effekte unter Estazolam. 1. Mitt.: Wirkungen von Estazolam auf Schlafstörungen durch Fluglärm.

Effects of the benzodiazepine derivative 8-chloro-6-phenyl-4H-s-triazolo(4,3-a)-(1,4)benzodiazepine (estazolam, BAY k 4200) on sleep stage patterns of 10 subjects were studied in the laboratory under double-blind conditions during quiet and noise-disturbed nights. The noise of 17-20 jet fly-overs was presented during sleep. The mean peak level of the noise was 97 dB(A) measured indoors near the sleeper's head. Intermittent wakefulness, stage 1 and movement time (MT) increased during noise-disturbed nights. Estazolam suppressed the phases of intermittent wakefulness during the quiet night and reduced stage 1 and MT. Arousal reactions by jet noise were milder and shorter under estazolam. Both effects resulted in equal amounts of intermittent wakefulness, stage 1 and MT during the noise-disturbed night under estazolam and during the quiet night under placebo. The dosage of 2 mg estazolam had no significant effect on stage REM, but delta-sleep decreased. Hints of carry-over effects were found in the sleep stage patterns. Effects of estazolam were seen in the estimations of sleep quality and mood by the subjects in the morning after awakening.

[Alterations of sleep stage pattern in human beings and hang-over effects under the influence of estazolam/2nd Comm.: Studies on the hang-over effect in psycho-physiological performance (author's transl)]. / Veränderungen der Schlafstadienmuster des Menschen und Hang-over-Effekte unter Estazolam. 2. Mitteilung: Untersuchungen zur Hang-over-Wirkung im psycho-physiologischen Leistungsbereich).

10 healthy male and female subjects spent 7 nights both with a quiet surrounding and defined noise of subsonic jet fly-overs in a sleep laboratory. During the last 4 nights they were medicated in a double-blind cross-over test design with the benzodiazepine 8-chloro-6-phenyl-4H-s-triazolo (4,3-a)-(1,4)benzodiazepine (estazolam, BAY k 4200) at a dosage of 2 mg and placebo. On each following morning they passed a tracking test and an apparative mental arithmetic calculation test in order to evaluate a potential hangover. Simultaneously heart rate was registered continuously. The results were as follows: About 10 h after medication significant hang-over effects of estazolam in psycho-physiological performance could still be seen. Statistically significant differences between the conditions with estazolam and placebo in the range of 5 to 15% were found. Hang-over is not restricted to tracking and mental performance but can also be seen in slightly lowered heart rate.

[The reaction of EMG-activity during intermittent isometric muscle work (author's transl)]. / Zum Verhalten der EMG-Aktivität bei intermittierenden isometrischen Muskelbeanspruchungen.

The reaction of EMG-activity depending on workload level and break duration is analyzed under the condition of tiring dynamic muscle work on a hand-dynamometer. With the experimental set-up different workload levels (i.e., threshold of developed muscular force in relation to the individual maximum force level) and constant contraction frequencies as well as constant break durations could be given as external working conditions. The experiments were accomplished with 12 subjects. By means of a standardization of the EMG-activity the data were compared and evaluated interindividually. Thus, statistically significant results were obtained. Whereas muscular fatigue under static workload conditions results in a remarkable increase of EMG-activity, this could not be found under intermittent load conditions, even in the state of muscular exhaustion, if the break duration was longer than 2 s. The results are discussed with regard to the possibly different mechanisms of muscular fatigue under these working conditions.

[Effect of various phytotherapeutic expectorants on mucociliary transport]. / Wirkungsnachweis einiger phytotherapeutischer Expektorantien auf den mukoziliaren Transport.

The normal transport velocity of the isolated ciliated epithelium of the frog oesophagus was proved to be 228 +/- 15 micron . s-1. Bromhexin increased this transport rate 1.34 fold and KNEIPP-Hustentee 1.38 fold. The components of the cough tea had different effects on the mucociliar activity. The following ingredients increased the transport rate with falling rank order: Folia farfarae (coltsfoot), fructus foeniculi (fennel), and fructus anisi (anise). Herba plantaginis (plantain), flores verbasci (torch weed), and radix liquiritiae (liquorice) were ineffective whereas semen foenigraeci (foenugrec), radix althaeae (marsh mallow), and herba thymi (mother of thyme) had an inhibiting effect in raising rank order. The latter two groups of ingredients are constituents of the tea because of their attributed additional effects, e.g. protective effects due to mucous layers in the hypopharynx and spasmolytic, secretolytic and bactericide effects.

[Examination of leg volume of patients for determining the therapeutic effect of 1-phenylephrine hydrochloride (author's transl)]. / Volumenuntersuchung der unteren Extremität von Patienten zur Wirkungsprüfung von 1-Phenylephrin-HCl.

Distorsions and other injuries of a more or less grave kind are often found in combination with exudative processes. The anti-exudative effect of adequate drugs has so far been tested only on the rat paw oedema. As results gained from animal tests cannot immediately be applied to man, tests with human subjects were carried out. With a device by Diebschlag it has become possible to fulfil the demands of a simple but still exact measuring process for quantification of leg volumes. 12 subjects with a distorsion of the ankle joint were treated with a gel (active substance: 1-phenylephrine HCl) which reduces the volue of the leg and with a similar placebo gel, and the effects of both treatments were compared and examined. The analysis of data yielded statistically highly significant values for the effectivity of the active substance gel.

[Algo-pupillometric investigation of the analgesic effect of tramadol (author's transl)]. / Algopupillometrische Untersuchung zur analgetischen Wirkung von Tramadol.

1. The analgesic efficacy of 1-(m-methoxyphenyl)-2-(dimethylaminomethyl)-cyclohexan-1-ol (tramadol; Tramal) (75 and 100 mg) was investigated in 22 young, healthy volunteers by means of an algo-pupillometric method. 2. Tramadal itself causes a slight miosis which becomes statistically significant only 3 h after administration. 3. In the algo-pupillogram the effect of tramadol is shown to be biphasic during the first 80 min. Thereafter the pupillary reaction steadily decreases, reaching a minimum after about 3.5--4 h in both dosages. 4. At the time of maximum effect the pupillary reaction of subjects given 75 or 150 mg tramadol is calculated to be equal to that of untreated individuals to whom only 60% or 10%, respectively, of the stimulus intensity has been applied.

[The effect of tramadol on psychic and psychomotor performance in man (author's transl)]. / Der Einfluss von Tramadol auf die physische und die psychomotorische Leistungsfähigkeit des Menschen.

1. 1-(m-Methylphenyl)-2-(dimethylaminoethyl)-cyclohexan-1-ol (tramadol; Tramal) (75 mg) did not affect the physical working capacity as measured by means of bicycle ergometer in healthy volunteers. 2. Tramadol also had no effect on psychomotor performance in the eye-hand coordination test.

[Pressure distribution under the human footsole: qualitative and quantitative results (author's transl)]. / Die Druckverteilung unter der menschlichen Fusssohle: Qualitative und quantitative Messergebnisse.

Results obtained with an already described device (Beierlein 1977) are presented. 16 subjects (4 with "normal feet", 4 with pes valgus and flat-foot, 4 with splay foot and 4 with combined flat- and splay foot) were taken for the following investigations of pressure distribution under the human footsole: Standing subjects: 1. Standing on two feet, barefoot with fixed upright posture; 2. dynamic unrolling of the bare-footed human footsole with constant walking speed. Examples of coloured isobares of the pressure distribution of a "normal foot" and splay-flatfoot are presented. Further the results of a hollow foot are described. The measured pressures vary between 4.9 and 78.5 N/cm2 (= 0.5 and 8 kp/cm2). Examples of interpretations are given to stimulate orthopedic surgeons to use the created measuring technique for definition and diagnosis of foot deformities.

[Effect of air-electric fields on driving and reaction patterns. Test subjects in the car driving simulator (author's transl)]. / Einfluss von luftelektrischen Impulsfeldern auf das Fahr- und Reaktionsverhalten. Probanden im Kraftfahrzeug-Fahrsimulator.

In the relevant frequency range of about 10 Hertz cars can be considered very largely as Faraday cages and consequently as screens against air-electric fields. This may have a negative influence on driving and reaction patterns as a result. In an extensive investigation 48 subjects in a driving simulator were exposed to definite artificially produced air-electric fields. The self-rating of the performance and concentration of the subjects, reaction times and driving errors were determined. While the reaction times remained practically constant, the driving behavior of the subjects improved.

[Experimental studies of the effects of Seda-Kneipp on the sleep of sleep disturbed subjects; implications for the treatment of different sleep disturbances (author's transl)]. / Untersuchungen über die Wirkung von Seda-Kneipp auf den Schlaf schlafgestörter Menschen.

Seda-Kneipp a compound preparation of valerian and hops was given to sleep disturbed subjects during the second or third of three consecutive nights disturbed by heavy traffic noise. Prior drug administration reduced the noise induced disturbance of sleep stage patterns: slow-wave sleep and stage REM increased. It is recommended that the initial treatment of severe insomnia by "strong" sleeping pills should be followed by a period during which "weak" sleeping pills are given before the drug administration finally is discontinued.

[The sedative effect of the Kneipp hay sack and balneological preparations of hay (author's transl)]. / Zur sedativen Wirkung des Kneippschen Heupacks und balneologischer Heupräparate

A chromatographic analysis of the hay charge used for balneological and thermotherapy which contains coumarin, the hydroxycoumarins umbelliferone and esculin and also the furanocoumarin imperatorin. The sedative effect of the hay can be explained by the coumarin and the imperatorin; the absorption site is to be found in the respiratory tract.