Relationships between behavioral rhythms, plasma corticosterone and hypothalamic circadian rhythms.

Circadian rhythms in physiological processes and behaviors were compared with hypothalamic circadian rhythms in norepinephrine (NE) metabolites, adrenergic transmitter receptors, cAMP, cGMP and suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) arginine vasopressin (AVP) in a single population of rats under D:D conditions. Eating, drinking and locomotor activity were high during the subjective night (the time when lights were out in L:D) and low during the subjective day (the time when lights were on in L:D). Plasma corticosterone concentration rose at subjective dusk and remained high until subjective dawn. Binding to hypothalamic alpha 1- and beta-adrenergic receptors also peaked during the subjective night. Cyclic cGMP concentration was elevated throughout the 24-hr period except for a trough at dusk, whereas DHPG concentration peaked at dawn. Arginine vasopressin levels in the suprachiasmatic nucleus peaked in the middle of the day. No rhythm was found either in binding to the alpha 2-adrenergic receptor, or in MHPG or cAMP concentration. Behavioral and corticosterone rhythms, therefore, are parallel to rhythms in hypothalamic alpha 1- and beta-receptor binding and NE-release. Cyclic GMP falls only at dusk, suggesting the possibility that cGMP inhibits activity much of the day and that at dusk the inhibition of nocturnal activity is removed. SCN AVP, on the other hand, peaking at 1400 hr, may play a role in the pacemaking function of the SCN that drives these other rhythms.

Experimental stress situations and the state of autonomic arousal in schizophrenic and depressive patients.

The influence of short-time emotional and cognitive stimuli on autonomic functions and plasma catecholamines was investigated in 12 paranoid schizophrenics, 12 endogenous depressive patients, and 63 normal controls. The schizophrenics showed higher norepinephrine levels, depressives higher epinephrine levels; in both groups of patients most of the physiological parameters were elevated throughout the trial, showing, on the other hand, reduced responsiveness to external stimulation.

[Psychodrama versus patient club activity (leisure group): effects of a 25 hours group psychotherapy with psychiatric patients (author's transl)]. / Psychodrama-versus-Freizeitgruppe: Effekte einer 25stündigen Gruppenpsychotherapie bei psychiatrischen Patienten.

UNLABELLED: The effects of psychodramatherapy versus patient club activity group is compared in a controlled study with psychiatric patients in a period of two month (8 times a three hour session per week). SAMPLE: 22 patients (11 patients psychodramatherapy (PD); 11 patients patient club activity (PCA)). Diagnoses: neuroses, subacute psychoses. Patients were matched according to age, sex and syndrome (resp. diagnoses). Applied tests: semistandardized interview with formulation of personal therapeutic goals, personality tests (Giessen, MMPI), mood scales (EWL, Bf-S v. Zerssen, 100 mml line), psychopathology (AMP 3/interview), social adjustment (SAF). Testing periods: before beginning with PD and PCA, attendant to therapy, after therapy, follow up (three month after end oftherapy). RESULTS: it was advantageous to have both psychotic and neurotic patients in the same therapy group. In the course of psychodramatherapy and patient club activity there was an improvement with a regressive trend to baseline after end of therapy. PD in comparison to PCA appeared to be more effective in the improvement of some psychiatric relevant personality dimensions, in the improvement of psychopathology, in reaching the personal therapeutic goals and in a positive opinion of therapy. A psychodramatherapy lasting two month seems revealed to be more attractive and to have more therapeutic efficacy than a patient club activity group. Because of the instability of some effects a more prolonged therapy period is suggested.