Cardioceptive accuracy is associated with arousal but not with valence and perceived exertion under physical load

Under resting conditions, cardioceptive accuracy-the acuity of the perception of heartbeats-is associated with the self-reported intensity of affective states but not with reported valence. Physical exertion elicits positive affect below the anaerobic threshold and negative affect above the threshold while arousal gradually increases. The current research aimed to study the associations between cardioceptive accuracy and characteristics of the affective response (arousal and valence) during physical activity. About 67 undergraduate students completed the Schandry task and rated their perceived exertion (Borg-scale) and affective experience (arousal and valence) under three physical loads (running on a treadmill below, around, and above the anaerobic threshold). Cardioceptive accuracy was associated with the arousal component of the affective states during physical activity but not with valence and perceived exertion

Diagnosztikai esettanulmány

Dolgozatomban, egy szkizofrén beteg esetprezentációja olvasható. A vizsgálat során az első interjú mellett három teszt felvételére került sor: Minnesota Többfázisú Személyiségleltár, Rorschach próba és Wechsler Felnőtt Intelligencia Teszt

A fizikai aktivitás intenzitása és az átélt érzelmi élmény kapcsolata

Diplomamunkámban a fizikai aktivitás intenzitása és az érzelmi élmény közti kapcsolatot vizsgáltam. Három különböző intenzitáson vizsgáltam a résztvevők fizikai aktivitás közbeni hangulati állapotát (közérzet, aktiváltság észlelt erőfeszítés). Dolgozatomban a terhelés – érzelmi élmény kapcsolat vizsgálatán túl azt vizsgáltam interoceptív képességek milyen kapcsolatban állnak az érzelmi élmény három vizsgált változójával

How to (and how not to) think about top-down influences on visual perception

The question of whether cognition can influence perception has a long history in neuroscience and philosophy. Here, we outline a novel approach to this issue, arguing that it should be viewed within the framework of top-down information-processing. This approach leads to a reversal of the standard explanatory order of the cognitive penetration debate: we suggest studying top-down processing at various levels without preconceptions of perception or cognition. Once a clear picture has emerged about which processes have influences on those at lower levels, we can re-address the extent to which they should be considered perceptual or cognitive. Using top-down processing within the visual system as a model for higher-level influences, we argue that the current evidence indicates clear constraints on top-down influences at all stages of information processing; it does, however, not support the notion of a boundary between specific types of information-processing as proposed by the cognitive impenetrability hypothesis

Metabolomic tissue signature in human non-alcoholic fatty liver disease identifies protective candidate metabolites

Background Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disorder in industrialized countries, yet its pathophysiology is incompletely understood. Small-molecule metabolite screens may offer new insights into disease mechanisms and reveal new treatment targets. Methods Discovery (N = 33) and replication (N = 66) of liver biopsies spanning the range from normal liver histology to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) were ascertained ensuring rapid freezing under 30 s in patients. 252 metabolites were assessed using GC/MS. Replicated metabolites were evaluated in a murine high-fat diet model of NAFLD. Results In a two-stage metabolic screening, hydroquinone (HQ, pcombined = 3.0 × 10−4) and nicotinic acid (NA, pcombined = 3.9 × 10−9) were inversely correlated with histological NAFLD severity. A murine high-fat diet model of NAFLD demonstrated a protective effect of these two substances against NAFLD: Supplementation with 1% HQ reduced only liver steatosis, whereas 0.6% NA reduced both liver fat content and serum transaminase levels and induced a complex regulatory network of genes linked to NALFD pathogenesis in a global expression pathway analysis. Human nutritional intake of NA equivalent was also consistent with a protective effect of NA against NASH progression. Conclusion This first small-molecular screen of human liver tissue identified two replicated protective metabolites. Either the use of NA or targeting its regulatory pathways might be explored to treat or prevent human NAFLD

Heterozygous carriage of the alpha1-antitrypsin Pi*Z variant increases the risk to develop liver cirrhosis

Objective Homozygous alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency increases the risk for developing cirrhosis, whereas the relevance of heterozygous carriage remains unclear. Hence, we evaluated the impact of the two most relevant AAT variants (' Pi* Z' and ' Pi* S'), present in up to 10% of Caucasians, on subjects with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or alcohol misuse. Design We analysed multicentric case-control cohorts consisting of 1184 people with biopsy-proven NAFLD and of 2462 people with chronic alcohol misuse, both cohorts comprising cases with cirrhosis and controls without cirrhosis. Genotyping for the Pi* Z and Pi* S variants was performed. Results T he Pi* Z variant presented in 13.8% of patients with cirrhotic NAFLD but only in 2.4% of counterparts without liver fibrosis (p< 0.0001). Accordingly, the Pi* Z variant increased the risk of NAFLD subjects to develop cirrhosis (adjusted OR=7.3 (95% CI 2.2 to 24.8)). Likewise, the Pi* Z variant presented in 6.2% of alcohol misusers with cirrhosis but only in 2.2% of alcohol misusers without significant liver injury (p< 0.0001). Correspondingly, alcohol misusers carrying the Pi* Z variant were prone to develop cirrhosis (adjusted OR=5.8 (95% CI 2.9 to 11.7)). In contrast, the Pi* S variant was not associated with NAFLDrelated cirrhosis and only borderline with alcohol-related cirrhosis (adjusted OR=1.47 (95% CI 0.99 to 2.19)). Conclusion T he Pi* Z variant is the hitherto strongest single nucleotide polymorphism-based risk factor for cirrhosis in NAFLD and alcohol misuse, whereas the Pi* S variant confers only a weak risk in alcohol misusers. As 2%-4% of Caucasians are Pi* Z carriers, this finding should be considered in genetic counselling of affected individuals