Utilizing virtual reality as a therapeutic tool psychiatry

Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The mass production of modern cellphone technology has resulted in a dra matic cost reduction of producing Virtual Reality (VR) head-mounted dis plays. Although VR has been effective in the treatment of phobias, uptake is still far from mainstream. Fear of heights (i.e. acrophobia) is one of the more common forms of phobias in the general population. Up to 28% of people have distress and anxiety when exposed to heights (i.e. visual heights intoler ance (VHI)), with up to 6% of people meeting clinical criteria for the specific phobia. Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) for acrophobia has been shown to be effective as early as the 1990s. There are, however, still relatively few randomized controlled studies that have looked at its effectiveness . Even fewer studies look at physiological responses associated with fear cessation. Biofeedback is the process of presenting participants with their physiological responses allowing them to gain a measure of control over them. Biofeedback shows promise as a treatment adjunct for specific phobias. We therefore aim to create a VR height exposure platform, that offers a graduated exposure, is optimized to avoid excessive motion sickness, is cost-effective for widespread use, and is validated by participant reports collected during the exposure. Here we developed and tested a cost effective VR acrophobia environment with biofeedback in a sample of 22 participants, 4 of whom had clinically measurable acrophobia. We constructed an Electrodermal Activity (EDA) biofeedback prototype using two Arduino boards, one being electrically isolated (Nano) to reduce noise and increase safety. The second Arduino (UNO R3) was con nected via USB to a VR workstation running the Unreal Engine 4.24.2. USB connectivity was established via the UE4duino plugin. All participants un derwent clinical screening, excluding for confounding psychopathology except acrophobia. Acrophobia symptoms were evaluated using the Visual Height Intolerance Severity Scale (vHISS) questionnaire. Participants were placed on a VR platform which ascended to 28 meters. Subjective stress responses were recorded during the task as well as VR related motion sickness. Data was en tered into a repeated measures ANOVA to check for within-subject differences in levels of stress, comparing when the platform was on the ground as well as in the air. Afterwards participants experiences were evaluated via a brief questionnaire. Biofeedback based on the mean of the signal consistently informed participants that they were stressed while the platform was elevated. Participants showed a significant increase in mean skin conductance signal while the platform was elevated. Continuous decomposition analysis as well as subjective responses confirmed the accuracy of the biofeedback provided. All participants reported a positive experience using the biofeedback, most perceiving it to be accurate. The present work indicates that biofeedback in VRET is a promising treatment adjunct, which should be explored in further clinical trials.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Met die koms van die massaproduksie van die moderne selfoontegnologie, het die koste van die vervaardiging van Virtual Reality (VR) kopgemonteerde skerms gedaal. Alhoewel VR baie belowend is met die behandeling van akrofobie, vrees vir vlieg en ander, is die opname nog ver van die hoofstroom. Hoogtevrees (d.w.s. akrofobie) is een van die meer algemene vorme van fobies in die algemene bevolking. Tot 28% van mense ervaar nood en angs wanneer hulle aan hoogtes blootgestel word (d.i. visuele hoogte-intoleransie (VHI)), met tot 6% van mense wat aan kliniese kriteria vir die spesifieke fobie voldoen. VRET vir akrofobie is reeds in die 1990’s doeltreffend getoon. Daar is egter nog relatief min gekontroleerde studies wat na die doeltreffendheid daar van gekyk het. Nog minder wat kyk na fisiologiese reaksies wat verband hou met vreesbeëindiging. Bioterugvoer is die proses om deelnemers hul fisiologiese reaksies voor te stel wat hulle in staat stel om ’n mate van beheer oor hul fisiologie te verkry. Bioterugvoer blyk belowend as ’n behandelingsaanvulling vir spesifieke fobies. Ons beoog dus om ’n VR-vrees vir hoogte-blootstellingsplatform te skep, wat geleidelike blootstelling bied, geoptimaliseer is om oormatige bewegingsiekte te vermy, koste-effektief is vir wydverspreide gebruik en bekragtig word deur kliëntverslae wat ingesamel word tydens die blootstelling. Hier het ons ’n koste-effektiewe VR-akrofobie-omgewing met bioterugvoer ontwikkel en getoets in ’n gesonde steekproef van 22 deelnemers, van wie 4 klinies meetbare akrofobie gehad het. Ons het ’n Electrodermal Activity (EDA) bioterugvoer toestel gebou deur van twee Arduino-borde gebruik te maak, waarvan een elektries geïsoleer is (Nano) om die sein te verbeter en veiligheid te verhoog. Die tweede Arduino (UNO R3) is via USB gekoppel aan ’n VRmet die Unreal Engine 4.24.2. USB-verbinding is tot stand gebring deur die UE4duino-plugin. Alle deelnemers het kliniese sifting ondergaan, en is uitgesluit vir psigopatologie behalwe akrofobie. Akrofobie simptome is geëvalueer deur gebruik te maak van die Visual Height Intolerance Severity (vHISS) vraelys. Deelnemers is op ’n VR-platform geplaas wat tot 28 meter gehys is. Subjektiewe stresreaksies is aangeteken tydens die taak sowel as VRverwante bewegingsiekte. Data is in ’n repeated measures ANOVA ingevoer om te kyk vir within-group verskille in stresvlakke, met vergelyking wanneer die platform op die grond sowel as in die lug was. Daarna is deelnemers se ervarings deur middel van ’n kort vraelys geëvalueer. Bioterugvoer gebaseer op die gemiddelde van die sein het deelnemers konsekwent ingelig dat hulle gestres is terwyl die platform in die lug was. Deelnemers het ’n beduidende toename in gemiddelde velgeleidingsein getoon terwyl die platform verhewe was. ’n Continuous decomposition analysis, sowel as subjektiewe response het die akkuraatheid van die bioterugvoer bevestig. Alle deelnemers het ’n positiewe ervaring met die gebruik van die bioterugvoer gerapporteer, en die meeste het dit as akkuraat beskou. Die huidige werk dui aan dat bioterugvoer in VRET ’n belowende behandelingshulpmiddel is, wat in verdere kliniese proewe ondersoek moet word.Master

Human spaceflight: to infertility and beyond

Garrett-Bakelman FE et al, demonstrated a spectrum of molecular and physiological changes attributed to spaceflight in their recently published “NASA Twins Study”.1 During his 340 days in space onboard the International Space Station (ISS), one of a pair of monozygotic twins was not only challenged by noise, isolation, hypoxia, and alterations in the circadian rhythm, but more importantly the exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) and microgravity. Terrestrials are subjected constantly to surface gravity and most if not all physiological processes have adapted accordingly. It is therefore easy to envisage that weightlessness can have consequences for space travellers.

The effect of Aspalathin linearis, Cyclopia intermedia and Sutherlandia frutescene on sperm functional parameters of healthy male wistar rats

Introduction: Rooibos (Aspalathin linearis), honeybush (Cyclopia intermedia), and sutherlandia (Sutherlandia frutescene) are three Southern Africa indigenous plants, of which the extracts have become house-hold items and are consumed on a large scale. Although, they are known for their antioxidant properties, studies have highlighted danger in the excessive intake. Therefore, the current study investigated whether treatment with rooibos, honeybush, and sutherlandia will impact sperm functional parameters positively or otherwise, in healthy rats.Methods: Fourteen-week-old pathogen-free adult male Wistar rats (250–300 g) were randomly divided into four groups of ten, including a control, rooibos (RF), honeybush (HB) and a sutherlandia (SL) group. After 7 weeks of treatment, animals were sacrificed. Spermatozoa were retrieved from the cauda epididymis for motility, morphology and concentration analysis and the testis was used for all biochemical assays.Results: The infusion treated animals (RF, HB, and SL) presented with a non-significant decrease of −14.3%, −18.2%, −17.2% and −24.8%, −20.7%, −27.3% in total motility and progressive motility when compared to the control group, respectively. There was a significant increase in number of spermatozoa with slow speed (p = 0.03), especially in SL treated group compared to the control (p = 0.03). Additionally, there was an increase of 28.8%, 31.7%, 23% in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of RF, HB and SL compared to control, respectively. This was accompanied with a percentage decrease of −21.1%, −23.7%, 45.9% in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels compared to the control group.Conclusion: In summary, animals treated with the respective infusions presented with a percentage increase in SOD activity but have reduced sperm motility and decreased normal morphology. Paradoxically, they presented with increased sperm concentration. Hence, it is presumed that rooibos, honeybush and sutherlandia may enhance sperm quantity (concentration) but may impair sperm quality (motility morphology) when consumed by healthy animals

Proteomics: a subcellular look at spermatozoa

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Male-factor infertility presents a vexing problem for many reproductively active couples. Many studies have focused on abnormal sperm parameters. Recent advances in proteomic techniques, especially in mass spectrometry, have aided in the study of sperm and more specifically, sperm proteins. The aim of this study was to review the current literature on the various proteomic techniques, and their usefulness in diagnosing sperm dysfunction and potential applications in the clinical setting.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Review of PubMed database. Key words: spermatozoa, proteomics, protein, proteome, 2D-PAGE, mass spectrometry.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Recently employed proteomic methods, such as two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, mass spectrometry, and differential in gel electrophoresis, have identified numerous sperm-specific proteins. They also have provided a further understanding of protein function involved in sperm processes and for the differentiation between normal and abnormal states. In addition, studies on the sperm proteome have demonstrated the importance of post-translational modifications, and their ability to bring about physiological changes in sperm function. No longer do researchers believe that in order for them to elucidate the biochemical functions of genes, mere knowledge of the human genome sequence is sufficient. Moreover, a greater understanding of the physiological function of every protein in the tissue-specific proteome is essential in order to unravel the biological display of the human genome.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Recent advances in proteomic techniques have provided insight into sperm function and dysfunction. Several multidimensional separation techniques can be utilized to identify and characterize spermatozoa. Future developments in bioinformatics can further assist researchers in understanding the vast amount of data collected in proteomic studies. Moreover, such advances in proteomics may help to decipher metabolites which can act as biomarkers in the detection of sperm impairments and to potentially develop treatment for infertile couples.</p> <p>Further comprehensive studies on sperm-specific proteome, mechanisms of protein function and its proteolytic regulation, biomarkers and functional pathways, such as oxidative-stress induced mechanisms, will provide better insight into physiological functions of the spermatozoa. Large-scale proteomic studies using purified protein assays will eventually lead to the development of novel biomarkers that may allow for detection of disease states, genetic abnormalities, and risk factors for male infertility. Ultimately, these biomarkers will allow for a better diagnosis of sperm dysfunction and aid in drug development.</p

Potential Antioxidative Effects of Kolaviron on Reproductive Function in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Wistar Rats

The present study investigated the effects of Kolaviron (KV) on the testicular and epididymal tissue antioxidant status in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ at 50 mg/kg body weight. The antioxidant status was studied by evaluating epididymal and testicular levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), a lipid peroxidation (LPO) marker, and the activities of catalase (CAT) glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were also assessed using biochemical techniques. Diabetes induction resulted in testicular and epididymal LPO and adversely affected the activities of antioxidant enzymes evident by a noticeable decrease in enzyme activity in both tissues. The potential antioxidative effects of KV in the testicular and epididymal tissues of STZ-induced diabetes were revealed by its ability to mitigate against LPO and increase the activity of antioxidant defense enzymes in the reproductive tissues studied. KV might potentially be used as an antioxidant as well as antidiabetic treatment; however, further studies are needed

Low power individuals in social power research: A quantitative review, theoretical framework, and empirical test

Data available at OSF https://osf.io/nv4jb/</p