Emotional and attitudinal evaluation of tobacco health warnings among youngsters and adults in Argentina

Objective. To evaluate variables of tobacco health warnings associated with their emotional impact, the perception of smoking risks and the perceived effectiveness to avoid tobacco use. Materials and methods. Teenagers (151) andadults (168) evaluated 27 tobacco health warnings selected from the sets used on tobacco packages in Argentina and in other countries. A standardized affective rating-scale system and a structured questionnaire measured respectively the emotional impact (hedonic valence and emotional arousal), and the cognitive-behavioral attributions. The correlation between emotional and cognitive-behavioral evaluations was analyzed by age, sex, education level, smoker status, stage of quitting and susceptibility of non-smokers teenagers. Results. Strong significant correlations between cognitivebehavioral and emotional assessments were observed. The warnings depicting graphic images of tobacco-related injuries and suffering were considered more valuable for tobacco control, helping quitting and preventing initiation. Conclusions. Using graphic images with high emotional arousal is recommended for both adults and teenagers

Impact of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Resting Cardiac Parameters and Cortisol in Patients with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has been associated with changes in psychophysiological and neuroendocrinal parameters. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is considered the treatment of choice for PTSD and is able to regularize altered neurobiological parameters; however, little is known about its effects on these parameters when measured during the therapeutic process. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the impact of CBT on cortisol and cardiac parameters measured at rest during the treatment of PTSD with comorbid major depression. 14 patients were randomized to four months of CBT or a waiting list. As expected, the experimental group had a greater reduction in PTSD symptoms and a large effect size. There was a reduction in the low frequency component of heart rate variability, which achieved borderline statistical significance and a large effect size. Salivary cortisol tended to track the progress of therapy, rising in the period of exposure and decreasing by the end of treatment. Despite the small sample size, this study opens the way for further research into the impact of CBT on the different biological markers of PTSD during the therapeutic process. This can hopefully help to optimize and personalize therapeutic studies while providing clues about modifications in bio behavioral pathological manifestations

“Keep That in Mind!” The Role of Positive Affect in Working Memory for Maintaining Goal-Relevant Information

Some studies have demonstrated a beneficial role of Positive Affect on working memory (WM) by either applying protocols of mood induction or assessing naturally occurring state Positive Affect. However, there are no studies directly linking Positive Affect as a stable personality-like trait with WM. We aimed to address this potential relationship using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule scale and contra-lateral delay activity (CDA) as measures of trait Positive Affect and WM Capacity, respectively. We also sought to investigate the impact of a neutral or unpleasant emotional state on this relationship. Participants performed a change detection task, while a neutral or an unpleasant emotional state was induced. Our results showed a positive robust correlation between trait Positive Affect and WM Capacity for both neutral and unpleasant emotional states, as revealed by the neuroelectrophysiological gold-standard measure of WM, namely, CDA. These data suggest a tangible role of trait Positive Affect in the cognitive ability of maintaining goal-relevant information in WM, such that even a highly disruptive state is not sufficient to corrupt this relationship

STUCK IN A MOMENT: TONIC IMMOBILITY PREDICTS POOR QUALITY OF LIFE IN TREATED PTSD PATIENTS

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent and disabling multisystem disorder, with significant physical and psychiatric morbidity and poor quality of life (QOL). Although peritraumatic reactions - tonic immobility and dissociation - are established predictors of PTSD severity and development, there is a dearth of investigation assessing the impact of peritraumatic reactions on QOL of PTSD patients. Quality of life has become increasingly important in health care and research as a reliable outcome measure. It comprises psychological, physical, social and environmental domains, providing important information about the impact of diseases on patient\u27s life. This study aims to investigate the impact of peritraumatic tonic immobility and peritraumatic dissociation on QOL of PTSD civilian outpatients. Subjects and methods: It is a cross-sectional study of 50 victims of urban violence with current PTSD, recruited in a specialized outpatient clinic. Instruments used were: Structured Clinical Interview IV, Peritraumatic Dissociative Experiences Questionnaire, Tonic Immobility Scale and WHOQOL-BREF (psychological, physical, social and environmental domains). Linear regression models were fitted to evaluate the impact of peritraumatic reactions - tonic immobility and dissociation - on WHOQOL-BREF scores. We controlled for sex as potential confounding. Results: The severity of peritraumatic tonic immobility negatively impacted on psychological and environment domains of quality of life. For each additional point on the Tonic Immobility Scale, there was a decreased of 0.8 points on the scores of these domains of WHOQOL-BREF. Neither the peritraumatic reactions showed effects on physical nor social domains. Possible limitations of this study include cross-sectional design, relatively small sample size of tertiary center outpatients and recall bias. Conclusions: Peritraumatic tonic immobility is related to poor quality of life, adding new insights about the relationship between this immobility reaction and PTSD

Moquegua : ¿cómo vamos en educación?

Reúne información estadística relevante de la situación actual de la educación de la región Moquegua, ha sido hecho para servir como una guía informativa amigable de todos aquellos actores de la región que puedan influir positivamente en su realidad educativa. Entre 2004 y 2013, la tasa media de crecimiento anual del gasto público educativo por alumno fue de 14.6% en inicial, 16.6% en primaria y 11.6% en secundaria. En casi todos estos años dicho indicador en Moquegua superó al nacional en el nivel inicial, primaria y secundaria. En 2014, casi todos los distritos de la provincia de Ilo tienen más del 90% de locales escolares de educación básica con los tres servicios básicos (agua potable, desagüe y electricidad), mientras que en las regiones de Mariscal Nieto y General Sánchez Cerro el porcentaje es menor (76.0% y 54.9% respectivamente) El porcentaje de escuelas moqueguanas con acceso a Internet en primaria pasó de 7.7% en 2005 a 33.1% en 2014, superando ese año al nacional (27.9%). Similarmente, en secundaria, el porcentaje de escuelas moqueguanas con internet pasó de 22.1% a 56.5% frente a 52% de todo el país. El acceso a inicial en Moquegua, medido por la tasa neta de asistencia, tiene una tendencia creciente pasando de 65% a 93% entre el 2004 y 2013, mientras que el acceso a educación primaria se mantiene relativamente estables con tasas que fluctúan alrededor del 93% y 96% respectivamente. Por último en secundaria, el acceso a la educación tiene una tendencia creciente pasando de 83.8% a 94.1%. El indicador en Moquegua de alumnos por docente muestra una ligera tendencia decreciente en los tres niveles. Entre el 2005 y el 2014, este indicador pasó de 14 a 12 alumnos por docente en el nivel inicial, de 10 a 8 en el nivel primario y de 8 a 6 alumnos por docente en el nivel secundaria. En el 2014, el indicador de Moquegua en inicial, primaria y secundaria es inferior al nacional. Moquegua tiene tasas de desaprobación, retiro y atraso inferiores a los valores nacionales. Respecto al atraso escolar, todos los distritos, en primaria y en secundaria, se ubican debajo de 20% (percentil inferior), excepto, en secundaria, los distritos de Carumas, Torata, Chojata e Ichuda ubicados por debajo del 40%. En cuanto al porcentaje de retirados en 2013, todos los distritos del Callao tienen tasas de retiro que las ubica en el percentil más bajo (menor a 8%) tanto en primaria como en secundaria con la excepción, en secundaria, de los distritos Chuchumbaya, Chojata, Quinistaquillas (por debajo del 16%, respectivamente) y Matalaque (por debajo del 24%). distrito de Mi Perú en secundaria (3.2%)

Hands Up! Atypical Defensive Reactions in Heavy Players of Violent Video Games When Exposed to Gun-Attack Pictures

Threatening cues and surrounding contexts trigger specific defensive response patterns. Posturography, a technique for measuring postural strategies, has been used to evaluate motor defensive reactions in humans. When exposed to gun pointed pictures, humans were shown to exhibit an immobility reaction. Short and long-term exposure to violent video games was shown to be a causal risk factor for increased violent and aggressive behavior. Assaultive violence with a gun is a major trigger for motor defensive reactions, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the most characteristic psychiatric sequelae. Recent studies point to links between PTSD symptoms and emotional shortfalls in non-clinical trauma-exposed samples. The present study investigated defensive reactions to gun threat and PTSD symptoms in heavy players of violent video games compared to non-players. Male university students were screened according to use of violent video games and divided in three groups: non-players, moderate players, and heavy players. Stimuli were pictures depicting a man pointing a gun directed at the participant. In matched control pictures, non-lethal objects replaced the gun. Posturography was recorded and PTSD symptoms were assessed. When exposed to the threat pictures, non-players exhibited the expected reduction in amplitude of body sway (immobility), heavy players presented atypical augmented amplitude of body sway, and moderate players showed intermediate reactivity. Heavy players presented a significant distinct reaction compared to non-players. They also scored significantly higher in PTSD symptoms than non-players. Disadvantageous defensive reactions and higher vulnerability to PTSD symptoms, revealed in the present study, add to other shortcomings for heavy players

Regulação emocional pela atenção: novas evidência em neuroimagem

Objetivo: Apesar das evidências a favor da automaticidade no processamento de estímulos aversivos, especialmente na amígdala, a sua resposta parece ser dependente da disponibilidade de recursos atentivos. Dessa forma, a atenção pode atuar como um mecanismo de regulação emocional, importante para a compreensão de uma série de distúrbios psiquiátricos em que este mecanismo está prejudicado. Nesse estudo, investigamos o processo do regulação emocional pela atenção com estímulos altamente aversivos. Métodos: Imagens funcionais por ressonância magnética foram adquiridas de 22 voluntários saudáveis (12 homens; 19-37 anos, média de 26,3 anos) enquanto figuras neutras ou aversivas (corpos mutilados do International Afective Picture System – IAPS), eram apresentadas enquanto eles realizavam três tarefas diferentes, em que a atenção era manipulada. As imagens foram apresentadas no centro do campo visual, enquanto apareciam duas barras, uma de cada lado da figura. As três tarefas atentivas correspondiam a reconhecer: (1) a valência emocional da figura, (2) a semelhança na orientação das duas barras com diferenças de 0o ou 90o (tarefa fácil) e (3) a semelhança das mesmas com diferença de 0o ou apenas 6o (tarefa muito difícil). Resultados: Nas análises de regiões de interesse (ROIs) observamos um padrão de regulação emocional, com diminuição da amplitude do sinal BOLD estimado, nas regiões da amígdala, ínsula anterior, cíngulo posterior e córtex pré-frontal medial, ventrolateral e orbitofrontal na tarefa fácil. Já na tarefa difícil, esse comportamento se manteve, com exceção do sinal da ínsula e do orbitofrontal, que voltou a subir, talvez, por um efeito de estresse. Verificamos uma maior amplitude do sinal BOLD na região dos córtices pré-frontal dorsolateral, parietal superior e área motora suplementar quando a atenção foi alocada para as tarefas de barras, supostamente, por um efeito da demandava maior atenção. Conclusões: Nestes resultados, todo um conjunto de estruturas envolvidas no processamento emocional foi regulado pela manipulação da atenção nas tarefas. Estas evidências indicam que, mesmo para estímulos extremamente negativos, a disponibilidade de recursos de atenção e, talvez, mecanismos inibitórios de controle cognitivos sobre a amígdala sejam fatores condicionantes da resposta emocional

Exposure to trauma-relevant pictures is associated with tachycardia in victims who had experienced an intense peritraumatic defensive response : the tonic immobility.

Tonic immobility is an involuntary, last-ditch defensive reaction characterized by physical inactivity in a context of inescapable threat that has been described in many species, including humans. The occurrence of this defensive response is a predictor of the severity of psychiatric disorders and may be considered as an index of an intense reaction to a traumatic event. Here, we investigated whether the retrospective reports of peritraumatic tonic immobility reaction in participants exposed to a traumatic event would modify their cardiac responses to pictures related to their trauma. Using a questionnaire of life-threating events, we selected students who experienced violent crime as their most intense trauma and students who had never experienced a violent crime trauma, but experienced other traumatic events. All participants completed a questionnaire that estimated the intensity of tonic immobility during their most intense trauma. Electrocardiographic recordings were collected during exposure to pictures. Participants viewed emotional pictures (human attack with guns) and neutral pictures. These emotional stimuli were selected to be trauma-relevant to the violent crime group and non trauma-relevant to the no violent crime trauma group. Violent crime group showed a positive correlation between heart rate changes after viewing trauma-related pictures and tonic immobility scores. We observed that low tonic immobility scores were associated with bradycardia and high scores with tachycardia in response to trauma-relevant pictures. For the no violent crime group, no significant correlation was detected. These results suggest that the relevance of the stimuli and the magnitude of the defensive response during a previous trauma event were important factors triggering more intense defensive responses