An examination of interpretive bias induction on cognitive and symptom variables associated with generalized anxiety disorder

The purpose of the present study was to examine the potential causal role of interpretive bias in cognitive vulnerability to generalized anxiety disorder and its primary symptom, worry. An interpretive bias induction paradigm developed by Mathews and Macintosh (2000) was used to modify participants' interpretations of ambiguous scenarios. Sixty-nine (69) individuals were randomly assigned to either the negative induction group ( n = 35) or the positive induction group ( n =34). Following training, participants completed two measures of intolerance of uncertainty (IU), a cognitive vulnerability factor implicated in worry, and an interview related to processes involved in worry. Among the two measures of IU, one was a self-report questionnaire measuring explicit beliefs about uncertainty, while the other was a computerized task designed to assess automatic threat associations related to uncertainty. It was hypothesized that compared to the positive induction group, the negative induction group would evidence: (1) more explicit negative beliefs about uncertainty, (2) stronger automatic associations related to uncertainty, and (3) higher levels of worry. Results revealed that interpretive bias was successfully induced, but did not lead to group differences on IU or worry. In contrast to previous studies (Mathews & Macintosh, 2000), no effect of the training on state anxiety was found. Potential explanations for the discrepant findings are discussed as well as treatment implications for interpretive bias modification during therapy

Modulatory mechanisms of object-recognition memory in the perirhinal cortex

The present thesis examined whether acetylcholine (ACh) and 17-β estradiol (E2) modulate object-recognition memory (ORM) and perirhinal cortex (PRh) function. ORM was assessed using the Novel-Object Preference (NOP) test or the delayed non-match-to-sample (DNMS) task. The first goal was to investigate whether acetylcholine (ACh) acts via muscarinic receptors (mAChR) in the PRh to modulate novelty preference and novelty-related neuronal activation. Male rats received intra-PRh infusions of a mAChR antagonist or vehicle in the PRh before or after the familiarization phase of the NOP test, then tested 4- or 24-hr later. These infusions were also given before novel- or familiar-object exploration. The antagonist prevented novelty preference regardless of retention delay and timing of infusion. While novel-object exploration resulted in increased PRh activation, this increase was prevented by mAChR antagonism. These results are consistent with the idea that ACh (via mAChR in the PRh) modulates novelty preference and neuronal activation following novel-object exploration. A second goal was to determine whether intra-PRh modulates ORM and PRh-mediated synaptic plasticity in ovariectomized rats. Intra-PRh infusions of E2 or vehicle were given immediately before, immediately after, or two hours following the familiarization phase of the NOP test. Intra-PRh infusions of E2 or vehicle were also given before the DNMS task. Enhanced novelty preference was observed on a 72-hr retention test when E2 was administered immediately before or after familiarization. Intra-PRh E2 reduced accuracy scores on the DNMS task following a 3-min retention delay. A subsequent study examined whether E2 modulates ORM via estrogen receptor beta (ERβ). Intra-PRh infusions of a selective ERβ agonist enhanced novelty preference following a 4- and 72-hr retention delay, but had no effect on accuracy on the DNMS task. The final study compared synaptic density of PRh neurons following proestrous and estrous, and following high E2 replacement or no replacement in ovariectomized rats. High levels of E2 were associated with reduced synaptic density. These results support the idea that while E2 (via ERβ) enhances novelty preference, it impairs ORM (independent of ERβ). The modulatory effect of E2 on synaptic density in the PRh is a potential mechanism through which E2 influences ORM

Testing the Harris-Lingoes subscales by gender using confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis.

The Harris-Lingoes subscales of the MMPI-2 (Butcher, Dahlstrom, Graham, Tellegen, & Kaemmer, 1989) give more precise breakdowns of symptoms in the Depression, Hysteria, Psychopathic Deviate, Paranoia, Schizophrenia, and Hypomania clinical scales. These rationally derived subscales were tested using confirmatory factor analyses. The analyses indicated misspecification of the models, supporting the decision to explore the parent scales through the use of exploratory factor analysis. The exploratory factor analyses uncovered subscales that may be of clinical utility. Differences in factor structure based upon gender were also found in the analyses. The implications of these findings are discussed.Dept. of Psychology. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis2003 .G47. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 42-03, page: 1074. Adviser: S. Hibbard. Thesis (M.A.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 2003

Raymond Gervais : 3 x 1

"Raymond Gervais 3 X 1 traces and elucidates the important or little-known moments in the practice of Raymond Gervais, an artist who has explored the notion of the aural imagination since the mid 1970s. An erudite author, Gervais joins forces here with Nicole Gingras, a researcher and curator interested in what connects sound, image, and words. The first major publication on the work of a conceptual artist questioning whether thought is acoustic" -- p. [4] of cover

Two approaches to longitudinal qualitative analyses in rehabilitation and disability research.

Purpose: Although relatively unknown within the field of rehabilitation, qualitative longitudinal research is ideal for rehabilitation and disability research that aims to understand health-related challenges over time. We describe the strengths and challenges of longitudinal qualitative research using two concrete examples.Materials and methods: Qualitative longitudinal research often involves in-depth interviews of participants on multiple occasions over time. Analytic approaches are complex, summarizing data both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. We present two detailed analytic approaches used in research with people living with HIV in Zambia and Canada.Results: Our experiences provide three recommendations. First, development of the initial analytic coding framework should include both inductive and deductive approaches. Second, given the large quantity of data generated through longitudinal qualitative research, it is important to proactively develop strategies for data analysis and management. Third, as retention of participants is challenging over time, we recommend the use of a consistent interviewer over the duration of the study to promote a trusting relationship.Conclusions: Longitudinal qualitative research has much to offer researchers and can provide clinicians with insights on the challenges of living with chronic and episodic disability. The flexibility in analytic approaches allows for diverse strategies to best address the rehabilitation and disability research questions and allow for insights into living with disability over time

Relations Between Intimate Partner Violence and Forgiveness Among College Women

The purpose of the current investigation was to examine forgiveness and intimate partner violence (IPV) among college women. Undergraduate women (N = 502) participated in an online study in which overall experiences of IPV, as well as experiences of psychological and physical IPV, were investigated with respect to transgression-specific and dispositional forgiveness. Simultaneous multivariate regressions revealed that (a) the experience of IPV was associated with higher levels of avoidance and revenge, and lower levels of benevolence, forgiveness of self, forgiveness of others, and forgiveness of uncontrollable situations; (b) types of IPV demonstrated differing impacts on forgiveness; and (c) the mere experience of IPV is more salient than its frequency

Relations Between Intimate Partner Violence and Forgiveness Among College Women

The purpose of the current investigation was to examine forgiveness and intimate partner violence (IPV) among college women. Undergraduate women (N = 502) participated in an online study in which overall experiences of IPV, as well as experiences of psychological and physical IPV, were investigated with respect to transgression-specific and dispositional forgiveness. Simultaneous multivariate regressions revealed that (a) the experience of IPV was associated with higher levels of avoidance and revenge, and lower levels of benevolence, forgiveness of self, forgiveness of others, and forgiveness of uncontrollable situations; (b) types of IPV demonstrated differing impacts on forgiveness; and (c) the mere experience of IPV is more salient than its frequency

A Randomized Clinical Trial of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Applied Relaxation for Adults With Generalized Anxiety Disorder

This randomized clinical trial compared cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), applied relaxation (AR) and wait-list control (WL) in a sample of 65 adults with a primary diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The CBT condition was based on the intolerance of uncertainty model of GAD, whereas the AR condition was based on general theories of anxiety. Both manualized treatments were administered over 12 weekly one-hour sessions. Standardized clinician ratings and self-report questionnaires were used to assess GAD and related symptoms at pretest, posttest, and at 6-, 12- and 24-month follow-ups. At posttest, CBT was clearly superior to WL, AR was marginally superior to WL, and CBT was marginally superior to AR. Over follow-up, CBT and AR were equivalent, but only CBT led to continued improvement. Thus, direct comparisons of CBT and AR indicated that the treatments were comparable; however, comparisons of each treatment with another point of reference (either waiting list or no change over follow-up) provided greater support for the efficacy of CBT than AR

Disturbed sleep is associated with reduced verbal episodic memory and entorhinal cortex volume in younger middle-aged women with risk-reducing early ovarian removal

INTRODUCTION: Women with early ovarian removal (&lt;48 years) have an elevated risk for both late-life Alzheimer's disease (AD) and insomnia, a modifiable risk factor. In early midlife, they also show reduced verbal episodic memory and hippocampal volume. Whether these reductions correlate with a sleep phenotype consistent with insomnia risk remains unexplored.METHODS: We recruited thirty-one younger middleaged women with risk-reducing early bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO), fifteen of whom were taking estradiol-based hormone replacement therapy (BSO+ERT) and sixteen who were not (BSO). Fourteen age-matched premenopausal (AMC) and seventeen spontaneously peri-postmenopausal (SM) women who were ~10y older and not taking ERT were also enrolled. Overnight polysomnography recordings were collected at participants' home across multiple nights (M=2.38 SEM=0.19), along with subjective sleep quality and hot flash ratings. In addition to group comparisons on sleep measures, associations with verbal episodic memory and medial temporal lobe volume were assessed.RESULTS: Increased sleep latency and decreased sleep efficiency were observed on polysomnography recordings of those not taking ERT, consistent with insomnia symptoms. This phenotype was also observed in the older women in SM, implicating ovarian hormone loss. Further, sleep latency was associated with more forgetting on the paragraph recall task, previously shown to be altered in women with early BSO. Both increased sleep latency and reduced sleep efficiency were associated with smaller anterolateral entorhinal cortex volume.DISCUSSION: Together, these findings confirm an association between ovarian hormone loss and insomnia symptoms, and importantly, identify an younger onset age in women with early ovarian removal, which may contribute to poorer cognitive and brain outcomes in these women.</p

Myeloid cell differentiation arrest by miR-125b-1 in myelodysplasic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia with the t(2;11)(p21;q23) translocation

Most chromosomal translocations in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) involve oncogenes that are either up-regulated or form part of new chimeric genes. The t(2;11)(p21;q23) translocation has been cloned in 19 cases of MDS and AML. In addition to this, we have shown that this translocation is associated with a strong up-regulation of miR-125b (from 6- to 90-fold). In vitro experiments revealed that miR-125b was able to interfere with primary human CD34+ cell differentiation, and also inhibited terminal (monocytic and granulocytic) differentiation in HL60 and NB4 leukemic cell lines. Therefore, miR-125b up-regulation may represent a new mechanism of myeloid cell transformation, and myeloid neoplasms carrying the t(2;11) translocation define a new clinicopathological entity