The relationship of leukocyte anisocytosis to holotranscobalamin, a marker of cobalamin deficiency.

INTRODUCTION: After measurement of the mean volumes of leukocyte subpopulations as well as the distribution widths (DW) of these volumes has become available, we investigated whether such morphometric leukocyte parameters are associated with a commonly used marker of cobalamin deficiency, i.e., holotranscobalamin (HoloTC). Further, we determined reference intervals for these parameters in an elderly population. METHODS: Consecutive subjectively healthy and volunteering individuals ≥60 years were included. Using the UniCel DxH 800 Coulter Cellular Analysis System MoMV, mean neutrophil volume (NeMV), mean lymphocyte volume (LyMV), monocyte anisocytosis (MoV-DW), neutrophil anisocytosis (NeV-DW), and lymphocyte anisocytosis (LyV-DW) were assessed together with other parameters including HoloTC. RESULTS: A total of 150 individuals were included in the study. Reference intervals were not dependent on age and gender. MoV-DW (P = 0.002) and NeV-DW (P = 0.02) were significantly lower, and LyMV was significantly higher (P = 0.04) in participants with a HoloTC concentration <28 pm. In contrast, MCV, MoMV, NeMV, and LyV-DW were not associated with HoloTC concentrations. The area under the curve (AUC) in the receiver operating characteristic analysis for detecting a HoloTC <28 pm was 0.81 [95% confidence interval (CI) (0.73, 0.87)] for MoV-DW and 0.73 (0.66, 0.80) for NeV-DW. CONCLUSION: In this collective of subjectively healthy elderly individuals, monocyte anisocytosis, neutrophil anisocytosis and mean lymphocyte volume were associated with decreased HoloTC.

Anxiety, inhibition, and conduct disorder in children: II. Relation to salivary cortisol.

The relation of symptoms of conduct disorder (CD) and anxiety to salivary cortisol was explored in 67 clinic-referred boys aged 8 to 13 years. Children with anxiety disorder had higher levels of cortisol, but this main effect was qualified by a significant CD x anxiety disorder interaction. Consistent with Gray's biological model of the behavioral inhibition system (BIS), children with both CD and anxiety disorder had higher levels of salivary cortisol than children with CD without comorbid anxiety disorder. In the absence of CD, however, anxiety disorder was not clearly associated with higher cortisol. This result suggests that cortisol may be a useful biological marker of arousal associated with BIS activity in children with CD.

Plasma cortisol levels following ethanol in sons of alcoholics and controls.

We used the pattern of change in plasma cortisol level following ethanol challenges to help characterize differences in response to alcohol in sons of alcoholics and controls. Thirty healthy, drinking young adult sons of alcoholics were matched with 30 sons of nonalcoholics on demography, drug use, and alcohol use histories. Each was tested on three occasions, when he received, in random order, placebo, 0.75 mL/kg of ethanol, and 1.1 mL/kg of ethanol. Subsequent blood samples for cortisol determinations were obtained every 30 minutes over the next four hours. The sons of alcoholics, at higher risk for the future development of alcoholism, demonstrated lower cortisol levels after drinking. The data are consistent with our prior measures of self-reported feelings of intoxication and family group differences in ethanol-induced decrements in performance.

Serum prolactin levels in sons of alcoholics and control subjects.

The authors evaluated changes in serum prolactin levels as a measure of differences in response to ethanol between 30 healthy, drinking, young adult sons of alcoholics and 30 matched control subjects with no family history of psychiatric or substance abuse problems. The control subjects were matched for demographic variables, drug use histories, and alcohol use histories. Each individual was tested on three occasions, receiving, in random order, placebo, 0.75 ml/kg of ethanol, and 1.1 ml/kg of ethanol. Controlling for baseline prolactin measures and hormonal changes after placebo, the authors found that the sons of alcoholics had significantly lower prolactin levels in response to the high-dose ethanol challenge.

The dexamethasone suppression test in acute grief.

Nineteen recently widowed women and men were given diagnostic interviews, psychometric evaluations, and dexamethasone suppression tests (DSTs). While 58% of the subjects (N = 11) met Research Diagnostic Criteria for depression, only 16% (N = 3) were nonsuppressors on the DST. In this population, nonsuppression was related more to levels of anxiety than to depression.

Effects of anesthesia on patients taking psychotropic drugs.

Psychotropic drugs, often given in combination with each other or with other nonpsychiatric drugs, generally exert profound effects on central and peripheral neurotransmitter and ionic mechanisms. Hence, prior intake of these drugs is an important consideration in the management of the patient about to undergo anesthesia and surgery. This article reviews the effects of anesthetics on patients taking antipsychotics, tricyclic antidepressants, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, and lithium carbonate.

Flurazepam effects on methylphenidate-induced stereotyped behavior.

The effects of flurazepam (0.0, 0.5, and 3.0 mg/kg) on methylphenidate-induced increases in stereotypy, gnawing, sniffing, and locomotion were evaluated in Swiss-Webster mice in daytime and nighttime experiments. Methylphenidate (50 mg/kg) increased overall stereotypy and stereotyped gnawing behavior; two doses of methylphenidate (25 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg) increased locomotion and sniffing behavior. Flurazepam 3.0 mg/kg augmented methylphenidate-induced stereotyped gnawing behavior and stereotypy. Flurazepam significantly decreased locomotion and sniffing, but did not interact with methylphenidate's effects on locomotion and sniffing.

Amphetamine psychosis and psychotic symptoms.

Amphetamine psychosis has been considered to be a pharmacologic model of schizophrenia. Fifteen previously reported cases were reviewed in which experimental induction of amphetamine psychosis occurred in nonschizophrenic drug abusers. Seven (possibly ten) cases manifested Schneider's first rank symptoms and all had World Health Organization Present-State Exam symptoms which discriminated schizophrenia. This observation draws further parallels between the phenomenology of amphetamine psychosis and schizophrenic symptoms.