Anterior pituitary response to thyrotrophin releasing hormone in senile dementia (Alzheimer type) and elderly normals.

Sixteen patients with senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT) were compared with 11 age-matched normal subjects with respect to their responses of thyrotrophin (TSH) and prolactin (PRL) to thyrotrophin releasing hormone (TRH) challenge. Both groups showed a continuing rise in TSH response at 60 min, and no difference was found between the groups. A significantly exaggerated PRL response at 20 min was found in the SDAT group. There was no difference between sexes with respect to either the TSH or PRL response. These findings, albeit preliminary, may have implications for dopaminergic impairment in SDAT.

Cardiovascular, respiratory and temperature responses to intravenous heroin (diamorphine) in dependent and non-dependent humans.

1 Intravenous heroin (diamorphine) was administered to volunteers, in doses of 2.5 and 5 mg to non-dependent and doses of 1/6, 1/3 and 1/2 of their prescribed daily dose of opiates to dependent subjects, and heart and respiration rates, blood pressure, body and skin temperature and skin conductance were measured before and for 2 h after injection. 2 Heart rate fell and continued to fall after injection in both groups of subjects although the time course was different in the two groups. This was thought to be a non-specific effect of heroin. 3 Respiration rate fell after injection in both groups. The dependent group showed a faster recovery of pre-drug respiration rate. This was interpreted as being due to tolerance in the dependent group. 4 Systolic blood pressure fell only in the dependent group and diastolic blood pressure only fell after injection of the largest dose of heroin in both groups. 5 Body temperature fell after injection of heroin in a similar way in both groups while neither skin temperature nor skin conductance changed. This was interpreted as a drug-induced alteration in thermo-regulatory mechanisms. 6 Placebo had no effect on any of these measures. There were no differences between the responses of the high and low dose dependent subjects to different doses of heroin nor did prior ingestion of methadone affect any of the measures.

Pupil responses to intravenous heroin (diamorphine) in dependent and non-dependent humans.

1. Intravenous heroin was administered to volunteers, in doses of 2.5 and 5 mg to non-dependent subjects and does of 1/6, 1/3 and 1/2 of their prescribed daily does of opiates to dependent subjects, and pupillary responses measured before and three times during the 2 h after injection. 2. Tolerance to the miotic effects of heroin in the dependent subjects was demonstrated--larger doses of heroin were needed to produce the same pupil response in dependent subjects than in non-dependent subjects and the duration of action was shorter in the former group. 3. The effect of concurrent oral methadone medication on pupil response to heroin was demonstrated. Subjects prescribed both methadone and heroin showed smaller control pupil diameters and a reduced dose effect to heroin than did subjects prescribed heroin alone.