Is there a neuroanatomical basis of the vulnerability to suicidal behavior?: a coordinate-based meta-analysis of structural and functional MRI studies

Objective: We conducted meta-analyses of functional and structural neuroimaging studies comparing adolescent and adult individuals with a history of suicidal behavior and a psychiatric disorder to psychiatric controls in order to objectify changes in brain structure and function in association with a vulnerability to suicidal behavior. Methods: Magnetic resonance imaging studies published up to July 2013 investigating structural or functional brain correlates of suicidal behavior were identified through computerized and manual literature searches. Activation foci from 12 studies encompassing 475 individuals, i.e., 213 suicide attempters and 262 psychiatric controls were subjected to meta-analytical study using anatomic or activation likelihood estimation (ALE). Result: Activation likelihood estimation revealed structural deficits and functional changes in association with a history of suicidal behavior. Structural findings included reduced volumes of the rectal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus and caudate nucleus. Functional differences between study groups included an increased reactivity of the anterior and posterior cingulate cortices. Discussion: A history of suicidal behavior appears to be associated with (probably interrelated) structural deficits and functional overactivation in brain areas, which contribute to a decision-making network. The findings suggest that a vulnerability to suicidal behavior can be defined in terms of a reduced motivational control over the intentional behavioral reaction to salient negative stimuli

Repetitive thinking about the mother during distress moderates the link between children's attentional breadth around the mother and depressive symptoms in middle childhood

It has been suggested that an increased attentional focus on the mother should be maladaptive in middle childhood. However, the effect of a more narrow attentional field around the mother may depend on the mother-child relationship. The current study tested whether a more narrow attentional field around the mother is mainly maladaptive for children who tend to think repetitively about their mother (RTm) during distress. More specifically, it investigates whether RTm during distress provides the context in which an increased attentional focus on the mother is linked to depressive symptoms in middle childhood. RTm was measured using a self-report questionnaire. The breadth of children's attentional field around the mother was measured with the Attentional Breadth Task. This computer task assesses the extent to which children have a more narrow attentional field around the mother compared to unfamiliar women.. Results of the current study (N = 157) support the hypothesis that 9-12 year old children who have a more narrow attentional field around the mother and who at the same time report more RTm during distress, have more depressive symptoms. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Structurele en functionele hersenbeeldvorming bij suïcidaal gedrag

Suïcidaal gedrag is het gevolg van de interactie tussen ingrijpende levensgebeurtenissen en een voorbeschiktheid of kwetsbaarheid. In toenemende mate wordt duidelijk dat neuropsychologische veranderingen uiting kunnen zijn van deze kwetsbaarheid. Met behulp van functionele en structurele beeldvorming van de hersenen kan nu ook de neuroanatomische en neurobiologische basis van deze kwetsbaarheid in beeld worden gebracht. De laatste jaren is inderdaad een toenemend aantal studies gepubliceerd, waarin door middel van functionele en structurele beeldvorming van de hersenen onderzoek wordt verricht naar de kenmerken van suïcidale hersenen. In dit artikel worden de bevindingen uit deze onderzoeken besproken, waarop aansluitend wordt ingegaan op het belang voor de preventie van suïcide

Market opportunities for animal-friendly milk in different consumer segments

Consumers have increasing, but highly variable, interest in sustainability attributes of food, including ethical aspects, such as animal welfare. We explored market opportunities for animal-friendly cow’s milk based on segmentation (cluster) analysis. Flemish survey participants (n = 787) were clustered (n = 6) based on their intention to purchase (IP) animal-friendly milk, and their evaluation of cows’ welfare state (EV). Three market opportunity segments were derived from clusters and labelled as “high”, “moderate” and “limited”. Only 8% of the participants belong to the “high market opportunities” segment, characterized by a high IP and a low EV. The “limited” segment (44%) indicated a neutral to low IP and a positive EV. The “moderate” segment (48%) had a moderately positive IP and positive/negative EV. Reported willingness to pay, interest in information about the state of animal welfare and importance of the product attribute “animal welfare” differed among segments and were strongly related to IP. Most promising selling propositions about animal-friendly milk were related to pasture access. The high degree of differentiation within the Flemish milk market reveals market opportunities for animal-friendly milk, but for an effective market share increase supply of animal-friendly products needs to get more aligned with the heterogeneous demand

COUNTRY-SPECIFIC ANALYSIS of COMPETITIVENESS AND RESILIENCE OF ORGANIC AND LOW INPUT DAIRY FARMING ACROSS EUROPE

An EU-wide analysis of economic performance of organic and low input dairy farms has been done. Relative profitability of organic and LI farms is country specific. countries' low input farms differ in their resiliences to price shocks