PARENT-REFERRED PROBLEM THREE-YEAR-OLDS: FOLLOW-UP AT SCHOOL ENTRY

Parent-referred three-year-olds with early signs of hyperactivity and other externalizing problems were followed up at age six and compared with controls. Half the children in the problem group continued to have adjustment difficulties at home, at school, and with peers; one-third met DSM-III criteria for Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Maternal reports, teacher questionnaires, and observational measures discriminated between groups, but differences were accounted for only by youngsters showing persistent problems. Although laboratory measures obtained at age three did not differentiate improved children from those who continued to have problems, maternal ratings of initial symptom severity did.     

ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER WITH HYPERACTIVITY: A CRITIQUE

The DSM III category of Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity is considered within a framework of Rutter's (1977) outline of criteria for adequacy of psychiatry classification. Discussion of problems with the operationalization and definition of 'attention deficit' and the difficulty of using this rubric in distinguishing between ADDH and other related childhood disorders, along with the consequent failure to meet other important criteria, leads to the conclusion that the concept needs re-appraisal.     

Effects of DA D1 and D2 antagonists on the sensitisation to the motor effects of morphine in mice

Acute morphine administration produces hyperactivity in mice and repeated treatment induces an enhancement of this effect. In this experiment, we study the sensitisation to the hyperactivity induced by intermittent morphine administration (40 mg/kg) and the effects of dopamine (DA) antagonists on this phenomenon. Animals received three injections, separated by 48 h, and after each injection, their activity was registered between 30 and 60 min. In Experiment 1, animals were divided into two groups, which received saline and morphine (S–S–M) or only morphine (M–M–M). In Experiment 2, animals were divided into 12 groups. Half, which was designed to study the effects of DA antagonists on the acquisition of morphine sensitisation, received morphine plus 0.125, 0.25, or 0.5 mg/kg SCH 23390 or raclopride in the two first administrations and only morphine in the third (M+SCH–M+SCH–M; M+R–M+R–M). The other groups, designed to study the effects of DA antagonists on the expression of morphine sensitisation, received morphine in the two first administrations and morphine plus DA antagonists in the last injection (M–M–M+SCH; M–M–M+R). Intermittent morphine administration produces greater hyperactivity than acute morphine. DA D1 antagonists reduce acquisition and block expression of sensitisation, while DA D2 antagonists only affect expression with the intermediate and high dose. These results support the implication of DA in the behavioural sensitisation of morphine in mice.     

注意缺陷多动障碍临床亚型部分注意特征的比较研究

目的 应用注意测验方法对注意缺陷多动障碍(attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,ADHD)各临床亚型进行比较研究,了解ADHD各临床亚型注意特征的特点及有无差异.方法 对七所小学三至六年级学生使用自编症状筛查表进行筛查,并根据美国精神障碍诊断与统计手册第4版分为3个ADHD亚型组,对ADHD各亚型组和正常对照组儿童进行数字划销测验、无意与有意注意、注意广度测验测试.结果 ADHD三个亚型组在数字划销测验的粗分[(88.83±30.07)分、(92.14±28.66)分、(83.79±24.33)分]、净分[(80.13±29.66)分、(84.86±30.39)分、(77.82±22.96)分]和失误率[(7.33±4.66)%、(10.29±11.93)%、(11.14±7.76)%],注意广度、有意注意和无意注意等注意特征方面,与对照组相比[(101.58±28.88)分、(95.37±27.59)分、(6.04±4.01)分],均差异有显著性(F值分别为3.97,4.60,4.33);但ADHD三个亚型组间的差异无显著性.结论 ADHD各临床亚型患儿的注意特征没有明显差异,但均较正常儿童受损.     

肝阳上亢证患者情绪状态特征临床研究

目的：探讨肝阳上亢证患者的情绪状态特征．以指导临床进行心理干预。方法：选择226例高血压与偏头痛患者。分为肝阳上亢证组、肝郁气滞证组、肝肾阴虚证组．并设健康对照组16例，采用Beck焦虑量表（BAI）及Beck抑郁量表（BDI）对各组进行情绪测越。结果：肝阳上亢证、肝郁气滞证、肝肾阴虚证患者BAI、BDI各项积分均明显高于健康对照组（P〈0．01）。肝阳上亢证BAI积分明显高于肝郁气滞征、肝肾阴虚证（P〈0．01）；肝郁气滞证、肝肾阴虚证BDI积分明显高于肝阳上亢证（P〈0．05或P〈0．01）。结论：肝胆上亢证、肝郁气滞证及肝肾阴虚证患者均有不同程度的焦虑、抑郁情绪状态，肝阳上亢证患者以焦虑情绪状态为土。     

Hyperactivity induced by prenatal administration of methylazoxymethanol: association with altered performance on conditioning tasks in rats

Methylazoxymethanol (MAM), an alkylating agent which kills dividing cells, produces microcephaly when administered to rats at 15 days gestation. Rats treated prenatally with MAM were tested on a variety of behavioral tests. The MAM-treated animals performed better than controls in the acquisition of a food-reinforced operant response, but poorer than controls on a passive avoidance procedure. When required to reverse the passive avoidance procedure by actively avoiding the portion of a chamber that was associated with shock, MAM-treated rats performed better than controls. The MAM-treated rats were microcephalic and were also hyperactive compared to controls. It was postulated that the behavioral changes observed in the conditioning tasks may be attributable to hyperactivity. A possible neurochemical basis for this hyperactivity is discussed.     

Intrahypothalamic and intrastriatal dopamine and norepinephrine injections in relation to motor hyperactivity in rats

High doses of dopamine (59 g) and norepinephrine (65 g) injected directly into the striatum and hypothalamus induced motor hyperactivity in rats. The motor activity recorded on the Animex for a period of 60 min after injection of 65 g of norepinephrine into the hypothalamus, showed a significant increase (p<0.005) in comparison with the controls. The increase in motor activity after dopamine (intrahypothalamic) and norepinephrine and dopamine (intrastriatal) was distinctly lower, although there was an initial large increase of motor activity after intrastriatally injected dopamine. Pre-treatment with reserpine or parachlorophenylalanine (intraperitoneal injection) to lower the serotonin level in the brain, followed by intracerebral injection of norepinephrine or dopamine failed to produce fighting or mounting behaviour.     

Role of the serotonin 5-HT<Subscript>2A</Subscript> receptor in the hyperlocomotive and hyperthermic effects of (+)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine

Rationale Contradictory evidence exists regarding the role of the 5-HT_2A receptor (5-HT_2AR) in hyperactivity and hyperthermia elicited by the substituted amphetamine (+)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine.Objectives The present studies examined the ability of the selective 5-HT_2AR antagonist M100907 to block hyperactivity and hyperthermia produced across the (+)-MDMA dose-effect curve.Methods Male rats were pretreated with M100907 (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2 mg/kg) followed by treatment with (+)-MDMA (0–12 mg/kg); activity was recorded for 90 min followed by determination of rectal temperature. Additionally, we investigated the ability of M100907 (0 and 0.5 mg/kg) to reverse hyperthermia elicited by (+)-MDMA (12 mg/kg).Results The first study demonstrated that M100907 attenuated hyperactivity in the periphery of the monitor and eliminated rearing induced by (+)-MDMA (3 mg/kg) with no effect on basal activity. In two subsequent studies, (+)-MDMA (0–12 mg/kg) dose-dependently increased peripheral activity and rearing and produced hyperthermia. Pretreatment with M100907 decreased peripheral activity evoked by (+)-MDMA, right-shifted the dose-effect curve for rearing, and blocked (+)-MDMA-induced hyperthermia, while having no effect when administered alone. A final study demonstrated the ability of M100907 (0.5 mg/kg) to reverse hyperthermia produced by (+)-MDMA (12 mg/kg).Conclusions These results suggest that the 5-HT_2AR contributes to the generation of peripheral hyperactivity and rearing and, especially, the hyperthermia evoked by (+)-MDMA and that 5-HT_2AR antagonists should be further investigated as treatments for the psychological and hyperthermic effects of (±)-MDMA.     

Rate-dependency and hyperactivity: methylphenidate effects on operant responding

The two most common treatment for hyperactivity are psychopharmacological regimens and behavior therapy. Although the concurrent use of stimulant medication has been purported to enhance a child's rate of responding under a behavior management program, studies examining the interaction of the two treatments have been unable to confirm this hypothesis. The present investigation sought to examine the effects of differing levels of methylphenidate hydrochloride (Ritalin) upon operant responding with hyperactive children. After an initial drug-free training period, 10 first through fourth grade hyperactive males performed an operant key-pressing task under a mult VR 5 FI 30 sec reinforcement schedule across four randomly determined, double-blind drug conditions (placebo, 5, 10, 15 mg). Only VR responding changed significantly during medication conditions; however, rate-dependent psychostimulant effects were found within both reinforcement schedules. Discrepancies with animal rate-dependency and implications for treatment and future research are discussed. Medication effects on operant responding appear to depend upon the reinforcement schedule and dose employed.     

Developmental trajectories of conduct problems and hyperactivity from ages 2 to 10

BACKGROUND: Conduct problems (CP) and hyperactivity/attention problems (HAP) are thought to covary with regularity, yet few studies have examined their co-occurrence or risk factors that discriminate their trajectories beginning in early childhood. METHOD: The present study sought to advance our understanding of this issue by examining separate trajectories of overt CP and HAP symptomatology among 284 boys from urban, low-income families followed from ages 1.5 to 10. We also investigated the co-occurrence of persistent CP and HAP and explored risk factors that discriminate CP and HAP trajectories. RESULTS: Four similar trajectory groups were identified for both CP and HAP symptoms. Chronic CP was differentiated from persistent low CP by risk factors in child, parenting, and family domains, while chronic trajectories of HAP were typified by elevated maternal depressive symptoms compared to children with persistent low HAP. CONCLUSIONS: The findings extend previous research with older children of HAP and/or CP, highlighting the effects of proximal family and child risk factors that are identifiable in the first two years of children's lives and associated with trajectories of disruptive behavior.