88 research outputs found
Reflexive and preparatory selection and suppression of salient information in the right and left posterior parietal cortex
Attentional cues can trigger activity in the parietal cortex in anticipation of visual displays, and this activity may, in turn, induce changes in other areas of the visual cortex, hence, implementing attentional selection. In a recent TMS study [Mevorach, C., Humphreys, G. W., & Shalev, L. Opposite biases in salience-based selection for the left and right posterior parietal cortex. Nature Neuroscience, 9, 740-742, 2006b], it was shown that the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) can utilize the relative saliency (a nonspatial property) of a target and a distractor to bias visual selection. Furthermore, selection was lateralized so that the right PPC is engaged when salient information must be selected and the left PPC when the salient information must be ignored. However, it is not clear how the PPC implements these complementary forms of selection. Here we used on-line triple-pulse TMS over the right or left PPC prior to or after the onset of global/local displays. When delivered after the onset of the display, TMS to the right PPC disrupted the selection of the more salient aspect of the hierarchical letter. In contrast, left PPC TMS delivered prior to the onset of the stimulus disrupted responses to the lower saliency stimulus. These findings suggest that selection and suppression of saliency, rather than being "two sides of the same coin," are fundamentally different processes. Selection of saliency seems to operate reflexively, whereas suppression of saliency relies on a preparatory phase that "sets up" the system in order to effectively ignore saliency
Resting-state EEG for the diagnosis of idiopathic epilepsy and psychogenic nonepileptic seizures: A systematic review
Quantitative markers extracted from resting-state electroencephalogram (EEG) reveal subtle neurophysiological dynamics which may provide useful information to support the diagnosis of seizure disorders. We performed a systematic review to summarize evidence on markers extracted from interictal, visually normal resting-state EEG in adults with idiopathic epilepsy or psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES). Studies were selected from 5 databases and evaluated using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2. 26 studies were identified, 19 focusing on people with epilepsy, 6 on people with PNES, and one comparing epilepsy and PNES directly. Results suggest that oscillations along the theta frequency (4–8 Hz) may have a relevant role in idiopathic epilepsy, whereas in PNES there was no evident trend. However, studies were subject to a number of methodological limitations potentially introducing bias. There was often a lack of appropriate reporting and high heterogeneity. Results were not appropriate for quantitative synthesis. We identify and discuss the challenges that must be addressed for valid resting-state EEG markers of epilepsy and PNES to be developed
Reducing conflict and containment rates on acute psychiatric wards:The Safewards cluster randomised controlled trial
BACKGROUND: Acute psychiatric wards manage patients whose actions may threaten safety (conflict). Staff act to avert or minimise harm (containment). The Safe wards model enabled the identification of ten interventions to reduce the frequency of both. OBJECTIVE: To test the efficacy of these interventions. DESIGN: A pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial with psychiatric hospitals and wards as the units of randomisation. The main outcomes were rates of conflict and containment. PARTICIPANTS: Staff and patients in 31 randomly chosen wards at 15 randomly chosen hospitals. RESULTS: For shifts with conflict or containment incidents, the experimental condition reduced the rate of conflict events by 15% (95% CI 5.6-23.7%) relative to the control intervention. The rate of containment events for the experimental intervention was reduced by 26.4% (95% CI 9.9-34.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Simple interventions aiming to improve staff relationships with patients can reduce the frequency of conflict and containment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: IRSCTN38001825. Crown Copyright.</p
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Corrigendum to "Reducing conflict and containment rates on acute psychiatric wards: The Safewards cluster randomised controlled trial" [Int. J. Nurs. Stud. 52 (September (9)) (2015) 1412-1422]
Duration of untreated eating disorder and relationship to outcomes: A systematic review of the literature
Objective: This systematic review assesses the average duration of untreated eating disorder (DUED) in help‐seeking populations at the time of first eating disorder (ED) treatment and investigates the relationship between DUED and symptom severity/clinical outcomes. /
Method: PRISMA guidelines were followed throughout. Selected studies provided information on either: (i) length of DUED, (ii) components of DUED, (iii) cross‐sectional associations between DUED and symptom severity, (iv) associations between DUED and clinical outcomes, or (v) experimental manipulation of DUED. Study quality was assessed. /
Results: Fourteen studies from seven countries were included. Across studies, average DUED weighted by sample size was 29.9 months for anorexia nervosa, 53.0 months for bulimia nervosa and 67.4 months for binge eating disorder. A younger age at time of first treatment was indicative of shorter DUED. Retrospective studies suggest that a shorter DUED may be related to a greater likelihood of remission. Manipulation of DUED by shortening service‐related delays may improve clinical outcomes. /
Conclusions: Data on length of DUED provide a benchmark for early intervention in EDs. Preliminary evidence suggests DUED may be a modifiable factor influencing outcomes in EDs. To accurately determine the role of DUED, definition and measurement must be uniformly operationalised
A preliminary investigation of a novel method to manipulate penis length to measure female sexual satisfaction: a single-case experimental design
Targeting binge eating in bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder using inhibitory control training and implementation intentions: A feasibility trial
This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Cambridge University Press via the DOI in this recordBackground. This trial examined the feasibility, acceptability, and effect sizes of clinical
outcomes of an intervention that combines inhibitory control training (ICT) and
implementation intentions (if-then planning) to target binge eating and eating disorder
psychopathology.
Methods. Seventy-eight adult participants with bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder
were randomly allocated to receive food-specific, or general, ICT and if-then planning for
four weeks.
Results. Recruitment and retention rates at four weeks (97.5% and 79.5%, respectively) met
the pre-set cut-offs. The pre-set adherence to the intervention was met for the ICT sessions
(84.6%), but not for if-then planning (53.4%). Binge eating frequency and eating disorder
psychopathology decreased in both intervention groups at post-intervention (four weeks) and
follow-up (eight weeks), with moderate to large effect sizes. There was a tendency for greater
reductions in binge eating frequency and eating disorders psychopathology (i.e. larger effect
sizes) in the food-specific intervention group. Across both groups, ICT and if-then planning
were associated with small-to-moderate reductions in high energy-dense food valuation
(post-intervention), food approach (post-intervention and follow-up), anxiety (follow-up),
and depression (follow-up). Participants indicated that both interventions were acceptable.
Conclusions. The study findings reveal that combined ICT and if-then planning is associated
with reductions in binge eating frequency and eating disorder psychopathology, and that the
feasibility of ICT is promising, while improvements to if-then planning condition may be
needed.National Institute for Health Research (NIHR
Pilot study of a culturally adapted psychoeducation (CaPE) intervention for bipolar disorder in Pakistan.
Background: Despite the use of maintenance medication, recurrence rates in bipolar affective disorder (BPAD) are high. To date, there are no clinical trials that have investigated the use of psychological interventions in bipolar disorder in Pakistan. / Aim: The purpose of the study was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a culturally adapted bipolar psychoeducation programme (CaPE) in Pakistan. / Methods: Thirty-four euthymic bipolar I and II outpatients were randomized to either 12 weekly sessions of individual psychoeducation plus Treatment As Usual (Intervention) or Treatment As Usual (TAU) (Control). Outcomes were assessed using the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), EuroQoL (EQ-5D), Bipolar Knowledge and Attitudes and Questionnaire (BKAQ), and a self-reported measure of medication adherence (Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-4 items, MMAS-4). Effect sizes were derived from baseline adjusted standardized regression coefficients. / Results: Retention in the study was good, 80% of patients in the TAU follow-up assessment and 100% of patients in the CaPE group attended all 12 sessions. Patient satisfaction was higher in the CaPE group relative to control (ES = 1.41). Further, there were large effect sizes shown for CaPE versus TAU for medication adherence (MMAS-4: ES = 0.81), knowledge and attitudes towards bipolar (BKAQ: ES = 0.68), mania (YMRS: ES = 1.18), depression (BDI: ES = 1.17) and quality of life measures (EQ-5D: ES ⇒ 0.88). / Conclusions: Culturally adapted psychoeducation intervention is acceptable and feasible, and can be effective in improving mood symptoms and knowledge and attitudes to BPAD when compared with TAU. Larger scale studies are needed to confirm our findings. / Trial registration. Clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT0221039
Outcomes for residential or inpatient intensive treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder:A systematic review and meta-analysis
Dissociating the effects of similarity, salience, and top-down processes in search for linearly separable size targets
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