Beyond happiness: Building a science of discrete positive emotions.

While trait positive emotionality and state positive-valence affect have long been the subject of intense study, the importance of differentiating among several "discrete" positive emotions has only recently begun to receive serious attention. In this article, we synthesize existing literature on positive emotion differentiation, proposing that the positive emotions are best described as branches of a "family tree" emerging from a common ancestor mediating adaptive management of fitness-critical resources (e.g., food). Examples are presented of research indicating the importance of differentiating several positive emotion constructs. We then offer a new theoretical framework, built upon a foundation of phylogenetic, neuroscience, and behavioral evidence, that accounts for core features as well as mechanisms for differentiation. We propose several directions for future research suggested by this framework and develop implications for the application of positive emotion research to translational issues in clinical psychology and the science of behavior change. (PsycINFO Database Recor

Role of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors in action-based predictive coding deficits in schizophrenia

Published in final edited form as:Biol Psychiatry. 2017 March 15; 81(6): 514–524. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.06.019.BACKGROUND: Recent theoretical models of schizophrenia posit that dysfunction of the neural mechanisms subserving predictive coding contributes to symptoms and cognitive deficits, and this dysfunction is further posited to result from N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptor (NMDAR) hypofunction. Previously, by examining auditory cortical responses to self-generated speech sounds, we demonstrated that predictive coding during vocalization is disrupted in schizophrenia. To test the hypothesized contribution of NMDAR hypofunction to this disruption, we examined the effects of the NMDAR antagonist, ketamine, on predictive coding during vocalization in healthy volunteers and compared them with the effects of schizophrenia. METHODS: In two separate studies, the N1 component of the event-related potential elicited by speech sounds during vocalization (talk) and passive playback (listen) were compared to assess the degree of N1 suppression during vocalization, a putative measure of auditory predictive coding. In the crossover study, 31 healthy volunteers completed two randomly ordered test days, a saline day and a ketamine day. Event-related potentials during the talk/listen task were obtained before infusion and during infusion on both days, and N1 amplitudes were compared across days. In the case-control study, N1 amplitudes from 34 schizophrenia patients and 33 healthy control volunteers were compared. RESULTS: N1 suppression to self-produced vocalizations was significantly and similarly diminished by ketamine (Cohen’s d = 1.14) and schizophrenia (Cohen’s d = .85). CONCLUSIONS: Disruption of NMDARs causes dysfunction in predictive coding during vocalization in a manner similar to the dysfunction observed in schizophrenia patients, consistent with the theorized contribution of NMDAR hypofunction to predictive coding deficits in schizophrenia.This work was supported by AstraZeneca for an investigator-initiated study (DHM) and the National Institute of Mental Health Grant Nos. R01 MH-58262 (to JMF) and T32 MH089920 (to NSK). JHK was supported by the Yale Center for Clinical Investigation Grant No. UL1RR024139 and the US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Grant No. P50AA012879. (AstraZeneca for an investigator-initiated study (DHM); R01 MH-58262 - National Institute of Mental Health; T32 MH089920 - National Institute of Mental Health; UL1RR024139 - Yale Center for Clinical Investigation; P50AA012879 - US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)Accepted manuscrip

Using transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) to understand cognitive processing

Noninvasive brain stimulation methods are becoming increasingly common tools in the kit of the cognitive scientist. In particular, transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) is showing great promise as a tool to causally manipulate the brain and understand how information is processed. The popularity of this method of brain stimulation is based on the fact that it is safe, inexpensive, its effects are long lasting, and you can increase the likelihood that neurons will fire near one electrode and decrease the likelihood that neurons will fire near another. However, this method of manipulating the brain to draw causal inferences is not without complication. Because tDCS methods continue to be refined and are not yet standardized, there are reports in the literature that show some striking inconsistencies. Primary among the complications of the technique is that the tDCS method uses two or more electrodes to pass current and all of these electrodes will have effects on the tissue underneath them. In this tutorial, we will share what we have learned about using tDCS to manipulate how the brain perceives, attends, remembers, and responds to information from our environment. Our goal is to provide a starting point for new users of tDCS and spur discussion of the standardization of methods to enhance replicability.The authors declare that they had no conflicts of interest with respect to their authorship or the publication of this article. This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (R01-EY019882, R01-EY025272, P30-EY08126, F31-MH102042, and T32-EY007135). (R01-EY019882 - National Institutes of Health; R01-EY025272 - National Institutes of Health; P30-EY08126 - National Institutes of Health; F31-MH102042 - National Institutes of Health; T32-EY007135 - National Institutes of Health)Accepted manuscrip

EVIDENCE-BASED MUSIC THERAPY TREATMENT TO ELEVATE MOOD DURING ACUTE STROKE CARE

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S. with approximately 795,000 Americans experiencing a stroke each year. In addition to common difficulties with communication and physical impairments following stroke, psychosocial impacts warrant assessment and treatment. Experiencing a stroke can lead to depression, mood disorders, and difficulties with emotion regulation. It is well documented that post-stroke depression (PSD) affects a third of stroke survivors. Higher levels of depression and depressive symptoms are associated with a less efficient use of rehabilitation services, poor functional outcomes, greater odds of hospital readmission, negative impacts on social participation, and increased mortality. The acute phase of stroke recovery may be a key factor in influencing the depression trajectory with early depression predicting poor longitudinal outcomes. The current approach to treating PSD is medication. However, psychotherapy approaches have demonstrated more promise in preventing PSD. Investigations into music-based treatments have shown encouraging results following acquired brain injuries with active music therapy interventions demonstrating large effect sizes for mood improvement. Therefore, the purpose of this three-part dissertation was to examine the effects of active music therapy on mood and describe the clinical decision making process of using music therapy to target mood elevation for hospitalized adults following a first-time acute ischemic stroke. The first study examined the effect of one treatment of active music therapy on mood following a first-time ischemic stroke during acute hospitalization. Active music therapy was defined as music making interventions that elicit and encourage active participation from participants. The Faces Scale was used to assess mood immediately prior to and following treatment. Forty-four adults received at least one treatment. A significant change in mood was found following one treatment. Comment analysis indicated that participants viewed music therapy as a positive experience. The second study investigated the impact of receiving two treatments of active music therapy on mood as compared to one. No significant difference was found between those who received one treatment and those who received two. Both dosing groups demonstrated significant mood improvement; however Group 2 (two treatments) had more severe strokes and did not improve until the second session. The purpose of the third study was to describe the clinical decision-making (CDM) process of a music therapist targeting mood elevation for hospitalized patients following a first-time acute ischemic stroke. The Three Phase Process Model of Collaborative Self-Study was selected as a guiding qualitative methodological framework. Data was collected from four sources: (a) electronic medical records, (b) audio recordings of eight music therapy treatments, (c) a researcher journal, and (d) patient and caregiver/visitor comments. Results indicate that factors influencing CDM included progression through a four-stage treatment process, use of a variety of music-based and therapy-based techniques, and the monitoring and influencing of participant levels of arousal, affect, salience, and engagement. In conclusion, active music therapy during acute hospitalization following a first-time ischemic stroke is effective in significantly improving mood. Components of clinical decision making to elevate mood are illustrated in a provided conceptual framework. Continued investigation is warranted with consideration of stroke severity, dosing amounts, and additional outcomes of interest. Longitudinal investigation is needed to evaluate the impact of treatment on the trajectory of post-stroke depression

Models and Analysis of Vocal Emissions for Biomedical Applications

The International Workshop on Models and Analysis of Vocal Emissions for Biomedical Applications (MAVEBA) came into being in 1999 from the particularly felt need of sharing know-how, objectives and results between areas that until then seemed quite distinct such as bioengineering, medicine and singing. MAVEBA deals with all aspects concerning the study of the human voice with applications ranging from the newborn to the adult and elderly. Over the years the initial issues have grown and spread also in other fields of research such as occupational voice disorders, neurology, rehabilitation, image and video analysis. MAVEBA takes place every two years in Firenze, Italy. This edition celebrates twenty-two years of uninterrupted and successful research in the field of voice analysis

Models and Analysis of Vocal Emissions for Biomedical Applications

The MAVEBA Workshop proceedings, held on a biannual basis, collect the scientific papers presented both as oral and poster contributions, during the conference. The main subjects are: development of theoretical and mechanical models as an aid to the study of main phonatory dysfunctions, as well as the biomedical engineering methods for the analysis of voice signals and images, as a support to clinical diagnosis and classification of vocal pathologies

Effects of dance therapy on balance, gait and neuro-psychological performances in patients with Parkinson's disease and postural instability

Postural Instability (PI) is a core feature of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and a major cause of falls and disabilities. Impairment of executive functions has been called as an aggravating factor on motor performances. Dance therapy has been shown effective for improving gait and has been suggested as an alternative rehabilitative method. To evaluate gait performance, spatial-temporal (S-T) gait parameters and cognitive performances in a cohort of patients with PD and PI modifications in balance after a cycle of dance therapy