Differences Between Non-Parental Male and Female Responses to Infant Crying

An article that appeared in JASS, issue 2015The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a difference between how non-parental males and females between the ages of 20 and 24 respond physiologically to an audio recording of a crying infant. Based on previous research that investigated differences in physiological response of mothers and fathers to auditory stimuli of infants in distress, the difference between non-parental male and female physiological responses was studied. It was hypothesized that females would have a greater response in all three physiological variables studied. Within the experiment there were a total of 30 participants; 15 male and 15 female. While participants listened to a 30 second recording of an infant crying, measurements of brain activity, heart rate, and electrodermal activity were taken. Since a large number of studies measuring responses to infant stimuli were conducted using parents as subjects, the present experiment adds a new angle to a widely discussed topic. No significant difference was seen between males and females in any of the physiological variables that were measured

Haplotype study in Dutch SCA3 and SCA6 families: evidence for common founder mutations

This pilot study was initiated to show the existence of founder effects in the Dutch autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia (ADCA) population. The ADCAs comprise a clinically heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative disorders and the estimated prevalence in the Netherlands is approximately 3:100 000 individuals. Here, we focused on the SCA3 and SCA6 genes because mutations in these genes occur most frequently in the Netherlands. We were able to determine a common origin of the CAG repeat expansions in the majority of Dutch SCA3 and SCA6 families. Haplotype analysis and linkage disequilibrium studies with polymorphic markers revealed shared haplotypes surrounding the SCA3 and SCA6 genes. These results strongly suggest that ADCA families can be traced back to common ancestors in particular parts of the Netherlands