Three antidepressants (amitriptyline,dothiepin, fluoxetine), with and without alcohol,compared with placebo on tests of psychomotor ability related to car driving

Eight female volunteers received acute doses of amitriptyline 50 mg (AMI), dothiepin 50 mg (DOT), fluoxetine 40 mg (FLU) or placebo both with and without a ‘social’ dose of alcohol (ALC) equivalent to 0·5 g/kg body weight absolute alcohol. Performance on a variety of tests of psychomotor ability and cognitive function (critical flicker fusion, choice reaction time, tracking, Maddox Wing and simulated car steering) were performed at 1·5 and 4 hours following treatment. AMI and DOT both with and without ALC impaired performance on a range of tests at either or both 1·5 and 4 hours, although the effects of AMI and AMI + ALC were more widespread and severe than those found with either DOT or DOT + ALC. FLU and FLU + ALC showed no evidence of impairment on any test at either the 1·5 or the 4 hours assessments. The results suggest that there are differences between the experimental substances, at the doses used, in their intrinsic potential for impairing aspects of psychomotor performance and cognitive function.     

Reflex anal dilatation: a clinical epidemiological evaluation

The recent controversy surrounding the use of the reflex anal dilatation (RAD) sign in cases of suspected sexual abuse is a general illustration of the difficulties clinicians face in determining which symptoms, signs or laboratory tests to use in their daily practice. The evidence required fully to evaluate RAD is incomplete. The specificity in particular is uncertain. Sufficient evidence is, however, available to permit a quantitative examination of the test's performance under various circumstances. Our analysis suggests that, at the prevalence of anal abuse reported in one large series of children referred to paediatricians with suspected sexual abuse (13%), only if the specificity of the test is 99% or greater, may the positive predictive value of RAD be as high as 90%. At the likely prevalence of anal abuse in the general child population (less than 0.5%), however, an even higher specificity of 99.99% would be necessary to achieve a similar positive predictive value.     

Locus ceruleus lesions and eosinophilic inclusions in MPTP-treated monkeys

Systemic administration of the recently discovered neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) produces severe clinical parkinsonism and degeneration of the substantia nigra in humans and monkeys. In previous studies, no convincing structural damage to nerve cells outside the substantia nigra could be demonstrated in subhuman primates. Using a protracted MPTP regimen and older animals, we now report locus ceruleus lesions and eosinophilic inclusion bodies in squirrel monkeys. The inclusions were seen only in areas where Lewy bodies are found in human Parkinson's disease. No such abnormalities were seen in control animals. These findings suggest that similarities between the neuropathology of MPTP-induced parkinsonism in the monkey and human Parkinson's disease are greater than first thought and increase the usefulness of the MPTP monkey model for research in Parkinson's disease.     

Sexual behavior and attitudes of University students in Northern Ireland

Two surveys of a Northern Ireland student sample were conducted in 1987 and 1988. A total of 419 female and 201 male subjects completed self-administered anonymous questionnaires concerning their behavior, knowledge, and attitudes towards sex, AIDS, homosexuality, contraception, and relationships. Results indicated a relatively low level of sexual experience, and for those with experience, relatively few partners. The possible influences of gender and religiosity on sexual behavior and attitudes, in the context of Northern Ireland, are discussed. Subjects reported considerable variation in the amount of sex education, but the majority received little or none. This student sample held relatively conservative attitudes towards love, sex, and marriage and this was particularly true for females and for regular churchgoers. In addition, attitudes towards homosexuality were negative (particularly among regular churchgoers). Attitudes towards contraception were more positive than expected among Catholic subjects, and few indicated that they would refuse to use contraceptives on principle. Responses to items about AIDS were highly uniform, suggesting that much of the information made available to the public has been absorbed. However, the lack of uniformity of response to more general items about sex, relationships, and contraception may indicate that fundamental changes in sexual behavior are unlikely to be brought about by influencing a rather narrowly defined set of attitudes about AIDS.