[Validity of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale]. / Validita "Krátké psychiatrické posuzovací stupnice"--BPRS.

The internal structure and validity of terms used in the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (Overall and Gorham, 1962) was analyzed. The data which had been gained at the entrance examination of 1557 inpatients with the diagnosis according to ICD-9 (schizophrenia simplex, schizophrenia paranoids, schizoaffective disease depressive type, schizoaffective disease manic type, manic-depressive disease manic phase, manic-depressive disease depressive phase) were processed using stepwise discriminant analysis (SDA). Three-dimensional space defined by SDA provided a sufficient frame of relations for the majority of diagnostic groups. Incomplete component analysis justified the assumption of a relatively stabile internal structure of the method. The findings allow to recommend the Czech version of the scale for the purpose of description of psychic impairments in psychiatry.

Effect of piracetam on extrapyramidal side effects induced by neuroleptic drugs.

In a double-blind crossover placebo controlled trial the effectivity of piracetam in neuroleptic-induced extrapyramidal side effects was confirmed. 40 psychotic patients treated with neuroleptics in an average daily dose equal to 600 mg of chlorpromazine were included in this study. Akathisia, tremor, muscle rigidity and dyskinesia were evaluated on a 4-point scale. The patients were randomly divided into two subgroups--40 g of piracetam or placebo from identic ampoules were given i.v. with a crossover readministration after 60 min. The intensity of the extrapyramidal side effects was evaluated at 30-min intervals during 2 h. Piracetam was proved to be significantly effective in both subgroups, the onset of its action being between 30 and 60 min after i.v. administration. Possible interpretations of the observed piracetam effectivity are considered. Further trials with piracetam in neurologic complications during neuroleptic treatment, tardive dyskinesia included, are suggested.

Biological correlates of piracetam clinical effects in psychotic patients.

The purpose of this controlled clinical trial was to demonstrate possible correlations between changes in bioenergetic metabolism and psychotropic drug administration in the treatment of functional psychosis. The study included twenty-six patients, eleven with schizophrenia, three with chronic atypical depression and twelve with drug-resistant endogenous depressions. All patients were kept on continuous psychotropic medication for at least 3 weeks before starting the trial, and piracetam was given additionally in a fixed dosage of 2400 mg daily; the same number of identical capsules was given during the pre- and post-treatment placebo periods. Psycho-pathological evaluation of the patients was by the BPRS; clinical and biochemical data were evaluated statistically by the analysis of regression. The results show that in schizophrenic patients an improvement was observed in those cases who had improved biochemically, i.e. where the ATP values had increased. In drug-resistant depressions there was a rapid and significant clinical improvement after piracetam co-administration, and this went in step with a significant rise in ATP levels.

Relationship between pycnotic indec Qp as a result of oxygen supply and similar indices as a result of in vitro offer of cytochrome c and NADP in psychiatry.

The authors follow up on their previous studies of morphological changes in the properties of white blood cells represented by the oxygen pycnotic index Qp in patients with the schizophrenic syndrome. Several years of research made it obvious to them that this index remains generally unaffected by drugs administered during the treatment although the patient does show a pronounced clinical change. They decided to substitute the offer of oxygen by adding a supply of cytochrome c and NADP, i.e. by substances that give a boost to the oxidoreduction processes within the cell. They found the pycnotic quotient, based on cytochrome c, and - to an even greater degree - the NADP-based quotient to be more responsive to differences in the seriousness of the disease than the oxygen quotient.