Biofeedback therapy for migraine headaches.

We studied the biofeedback treatment of migraine headaches, attempting to control for some of the methodological limitations of previous work. Seven individuals suffering from migraine headache were trained in the usual finger warming procedure with the omission of autogenic phrases. Additionally, to control for placebo-expectance effects, three of these subjects received training in finger cooling prior to warming. With training in finger warming, headache activity was substantially reduced. In contrast, headache activity either remained at base line levels or increased during training in cooling despite positive therapeutic expectations. The results of this study indicate that finger temperature warming, without autogenic training, is effective in reducing migraine activity, independent of suggestion effects.

Functional morphology of the bronchovascular barrier of the human lungs during various age periods.

Cellular components of the bronchovascular barrier have been studied in human lungs obtained after death of some patients with acute and chronic lung inflammatory diseases, hypertonic disease, atherosclerosis and chronic glomerulonephritis. Certain oxidative-reductive and hydrolytic enzymes, including NAD-, NADP- diaphorases, lactic dehydrogenase, acid and alkaline monophosphoesterase, ATP-ase, adenylate cyclase and nonspecific esterase were evaluated quantitatively after the histochemical processing of the specimens for the above reactions. Correlation analysis was performed for the bronchial epithelium, endotheliocytes, lymphocytes, plasma and mast cells, as well as macrophages and polymorphonuclear leucocytes. The results showed that there was a significant shift in some of the measured enzymic activities. Moreover, the correlations between different quantitative data were noted and these correlations changed with age. The increase in "rigidity" of the correlations in the elements of the bronchovascular barrier has been demonstrated during the process of ageing.

Caffeine and human behavior: arousal, anxiety, and performance effects.

A review of the recent literature shows the role of caffeine in the physiology, mood, and behavior of persons to be a complex one including changes in arousal, anxiety, and performance. Questions are raised as to what degree the physiological effects of caffeine are due to central nervous system stimulation and/or result from the release of catecholamines. Anxiety resulting from both high levels of caffeine (caffeinism) and caffeine withdrawal plus an association between caffeine and depression are discussed. Performance effects are mixed, with both increases and decreases reported. Effects on mental tasks are related to personality variables. The possible role of differences in initial sensitivity, adaptation to caffeine, and/or interactions with nicotine and alcohol is discussed. The present paper reviews these studies, discusses their implications for both clinical and experimental work, summarizes the major unresolved issues, and makes suggestions for new and continuing areas of research.