Medial Frontal White and Gray Matter Contributions to General Intelligence

The medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC) and rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) are part of a wider neural network that plays an important role in general intelligence and executive function. We used structural brain imaging to quantify magnetic resonance gray matter volume and diffusion tensor white matter integrity of the mOFC-rACC network in 26 healthy participants who also completed neuropsychological tests of intellectual abilities and executive function. Stochastic tractography, the most effective Diffusion Tensor Imaging method for examining white matter connections between adjacent gray matter regions, was employed to assess the integrity of mOFC-rACC pathways. Fractional anisotropy (FA), which reflects the integrity of white matter connections, was calculated. Results indicated that higher intelligence correlated with greater gray matter volumes for both mOFC and rACC, as well as with increased FA for left posterior mOFC-rACC connectivity. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that DTI-derived FA of left posterior mOFC-rACC uniquely accounted for 29%–34% of the variance in IQ, in comparison to 11%–16% uniquely explained by gray matter volume of the left rACC. Together, left rACC gray matter volume and white matter connectivity between left posterior mOFC and rACC accounted for up to 50% of the variance in general intelligence. This study is to our knowledge the first to examine white matter connectivity between OFC and ACC, two gray matter regions of interests that are very close in physical proximity, and underscores the important independent contributions of variations in rACC gray matter volume and mOFC-rACC white matter connectivity to individual differences in general intelligence

Clinical application of the Personal Dialysis Capacity (PDC) test: Serial analysis of peritoneal function in CAPD patients

Clinical application of the Personal Dialysis Capacity (PDC) test: Serial analysis of peritoneal function in CAPD patients.BackgroundPeritoneal damage has been reported since the beginning of CAPD therapy.MethodsTo clarify the change of peritoneal function in CAPD patients, we used the Personal Dialysis Capacity (PDC) test in 22 patients with 49 serial studies and 14 patients with single studies. The data were expressed at the condition of 2.5% (2.27g/dl of glucose), four times at 2,000 ml/day.ResultsIn the mass analysis, the urea generation rate, creatinine generation rate, PNA/PCR, and water removal via the peritoneum (PD) were kept at the same level for almost eight years, and then gradually decreased. Urine volume and residual renal creatinine clearance (CCr) became zero at six years. On the other hand, PD CCr increased gradually with the time course of CAPD, and therefore the total CCr remained at the level of 6.0ml/min even after six years. Weekly urea KT/V decreased gradually from almost 2.800 to 2.000. The protein loss remained approximately 7.0g/day for the initial five years, then became 6.0g/day, except in five patients who showed levels above 10.0g/day on the first test of PDC. Weekly urea KT/V was correlated with residual renal CCr (P < 0.005), and significantly correlated with total CCr (weekly urea KT/V = -0.2798 + 0.3720 × total CCr; r = 0.915, P < 0.001). In the serial analysis, when the first and the last tests were compared, the urea generation rate increased significantly (mean ± sd, 2.800 ± 3.204 vs. 3.882 ± 3.382; P < 0.0001); however, water removal via PD (1364 ± 887 vs. 813 ± 609; P = 0.021), total ultrafiltration (1762 ± 841 vs. 1124 ± 843; P = 0.042), and weekly urea KT/V (2.285 ± 0.486 vs. 2.112 ± 0.512; P = 0.026) decreased significantly. The delta water removal via PD/duration became negative (-10.03 ± 6.59 ml/week) in all 7 patients after more than four years, however, it was positive (+14.40 ± 7.84 ml/week) in 6 of 10 patients after less than one year.ConclusionThese results suggest that water removal via PD increases within one year, then decreases after four years. The PDC test is useful to evaluate the change of peritoneal function in mass and serial analyses

A New X-Linked Mental Retardation Syndrome with Diplegia and Delayed Myelination

We report three boys (4, 6 and 8 years old) in a Japanese family with X-linked (XL) recessive severe mental retardation (MR), rigidospastic diplegia, mild athetotic movement of the upper limbs, delayed myelination and poor weight gain. Neurological manifestations were non-progressive. No deterioration of development, convulsion, cerebellar signs, dysarthria, pseudobulbar signs, or minor anomalies including facial dysmorphism or macro-orchidism were found. Ocular fundus was normal. The patients' mothers and one grandmother were clinically normal. Blood chemistry was within normal limits. Serum anti-human T-cell leukemia virus-I antibody titer was negative. Levels of plasma amino acids and serum very long chain fatty acids, and lysozomal enzyme activities from leukocytes were normal. Brain magnetic resonance imaging scans showed delayed myelination. Fragile X (FRAXA), fragile XE (FRAXE), proteolipid protein and L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM) genes were normal. These findings were not consistent with previously reported 13 XLMR syndromes with paralysis. We conclude that this condition is a distinct and previously undescribed XLMR syndrome

Cognitive behavior therapy for autistic adolescents, awareness and care for my autistic traits program: a multicenter randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Autistic people demonstrate focused interests, sensitivity to sensory stimulation, and, compared with the general population, differences in social communication and interaction. We examined whether a combination of the Awareness and Care for My Autistic Traits (ACAT) program and treatment-as-usual is more effective than only treatment-as-usual in increasing the understanding of autistic attributes, reducing treatment stigma, and improving mental health and social adaptation among autistic adolescents and their parents/guardians. METHODS: Forty-nine adolescents and their parents/guardians were randomly assigned to either a combination of ACAT and treatment-as-usual or only treatment-as-usual. The combined group received six weekly 100-minute ACAT sessions, while the treatment-as-usual group received no additional intervention. The primary outcome was the change in understanding of autistic attributes (Autism Knowledge Quiz-Child), administered from pre- to post-intervention. The secondary outcomes included the change in Autism Knowledge Quiz-Parent, reduced treatment stigma, and improved mental health and social adaptation among autistic adolescents and their parents/guardians. A primary outcome measure scale was scored by assessors who were blind to the group assignment. RESULTS: The combined group (both autistic adolescents and their parents/guardians) showed an increase in Autism Knowledge Quiz scores compared to those in the treatment-as-usual group. Autistic adolescents in the combined group also demonstrated a decrease in treatment-related stigma and an improvement in general mental health compared to those in the treatment-as-usual group, while there were no group differences in the change in social adaptation. For parents/guardians, there were no group differences in the change in treatment-related stigma, general mental health, adaptive skills, or attitudes toward their children. CONCLUSIONS: The ACAT program could be an effective treatment modality to increase the understanding of autistic attributes among both autistic adolescents and their parents/guardians. The ACAT program positively affects self-understanding, reduces treatment stigma, and stabilizes behavioral issues for autistic adolescents as a part of mental health measures, but it does not effectively reduce treatment barriers or improve mental health for parents/guardians. Further research should consider whether additional support for parents/guardians could be beneficial. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered in UMIN (UMIN000029851, 06/01/2018)

Speech Analysis-Synthesis and Recognition System.

In order to examine the effectiveness of parameters in speech recognition, it is preferable to reproduce speech sound from the extracted parameters by a so-called speech analysis-synthesis system. From this point of view, we have constructed a composite speech research system which consists of a speech analysis-synthesis part and a speech recognition part. Both of them are based on the zero-crossing analysis method. Experiments were conducted with 1900 words produced by five adult males. The average information compression ratio of the analysis-synthesis part was about 1/10 compared with 7 bit PCM coding. Intelligibility of the synthesized speech was ascertained to be rather good. In the recognition part, every segmented part of speech is recognized as either one of the 5 vowels and 8 consonant groups. About 95.6% of the vowels and 69.0% of the voiced consonants were recognized correctly by personally adjusted discriminats. Up to 86.9% of the unvoiced consonants could be identified correctly. Besides, extended recognition experiments were conducted and in these experiments common discriminant functions were applied to all the subjects and other ten male students. The results obtained made clear the efficiency and the merit of the recognition scheme

On-Line, Real-Time Multiple Speech Output System and Its System Evaluation.

A new multiple speech output system is described. This system is based on a compilation method. Fundamental speech elements used for the synthesis are the speech waves within one cycle at larynx frequency. They are stored on a secondary memory such as a magnetic drum or disk in the form of digitalized zero-crossing intervals. Speech elements are read out from the secondary memory and are connected in succession according to the connection rules by the computer program. The resulting sequences are transformed into the speech sounds by synthesizers. System evaluation is also performed in real time mode to measure the load of the computer and the maximum number of multiplicity

Evaluation of the Usefulness of a Simple Touch-panel Method for the Screening of Dementia

In clinical settings, Hasegawa's dementia scale, revised (HDS-R), and the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) are widely employed as simple mental function tests useful for the diagnosis of dementia. In recent years, for the early diagnosis of dementia, a simple computerized touch panel-type screening test (touch panel-type screening test), called the "forgetfulness consultation program" (Nihon Kohden Corp.), has been developed. We performed dementia screening using this touch panel-type screening test in 95 elderly subjects, and evaluated its usefulness in comparison with HDS-R or MMSE. The results of evaluation using the touch panel-type screening test were significantly correlated with those using HDS-R and MMSE in the elderly subjects. This touch panel-type screening test was not time-consuming (about 3 min) since it includes only a small number of test items. It could also be performed solely by the examinee, and so was free from examinerrelated bias. Therefore, this method may be very useful for the diagnosis of dementia and evaluation of its severity