The Translation of Substance Dependence Criteria to Food-Related Behaviors: Different Views and Interpretations

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Applicability and validity of the Amnestic Comparative Self-Assessment in adolescents

The Amnestic Comparative Self-Assessment (ACSA) is a sensitive, efficient, and economic instrument to assess overall quality of life in adult populations. The present study investigates the applicability of the ACSA in an adolescent sample and compares it to a measure of health-related quality of life, the Kiddo-Kindl. The sample comprised 92 adolescents (50 girls, 42 boys) aged 11-17 years (mean age: 13.67, standard deviation: 1.34). Of the investigated sample, n=69 (75%) completed the ACSA. No significant demographic differences were found between ACSA-respondents and non-respondents. The correlation of the Kiddo-Kindl and the ACSA was moderate (r=0.50). The Kiddo-Kindl subscales and the ACSA correlated between r=0.07 and 0.41. The majority of adolescents are able to complete the ASCA, and its acceptance and validity are independent of age. Thus, future investigations could adopt the ACSA in adolescents to assess overall quality of life

Rumination and Age: Some Things Get Better

Rumination has been defined as a mode of responding to distress that involves passively focusing one's attention on symptoms of distress without taking action. This dysfunctional response style intensifies depressed mood, impairs interpersonal problem solving, and leads to more pessimistic future perspectives and less social support. As most of these results were obtained from younger people, it remains unclear how age affects ruminative thinking. Three hundred members of the general public ranging in age from 15 to 87 years were asked about their ruminative styles using the Response Styles Questionnaire (RSQ), depression and satisfaction with life. A Mokken Scale analysis confirmed the two-factor structure of the RSQ with brooding and reflective pondering as subcomponents of rumination. Older participants (63 years and older) reported less ruminative thinking than other age groups. Life satisfaction was associated with brooding and highest for the earlier and latest life stages investigated in this study

Ethical Principles in Patient-Centered Medical Care to Support Quality of Life in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

It is one of the primary goals of medical care to secure good quality of life (QoL) while prolonging survival. This is a major challenge in severe medical conditions with a prognosis such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Further, the definition of QoL and the question whether survival in this severe condition is compatible with a good QoL is a matter of subjective and culture-specific debate. Some people without neurodegenerative conditions believe that physical decline is incompatible with satisfactory QoL. Current data provide extensive evidence that psychosocial adaptation in ALS is possible, indicated by a satisfactory QoL. Thus, there is no fatalistic link of loss of QoL when physical health declines. There are intrinsic and extrinsic factors that have been shown to successfully facilitate and secure QoL in ALS which will be reviewed in the following article following the four ethical principles (1) Beneficence, (2) Non-maleficence, (3) Autonomy and (4) Justice, which are regarded as key elements of patient centered medical care according to Beauchamp and Childress. This is a JPND-funded work to summarize findings of the project NEEDSinALS (www.NEEDSinALS.com) which highlights subjective perspectives and preferences in medical decision making in ALS

A noninvasive brain-actuated wheelchair based on a P300 neurophysiological protocol and automated navigation

This paper describes a new noninvasive brain-actuated wheelchair that relies on a P300 neurophysiological protocol and automated navigation. When in operation, the user faces a screen displaying a real-time virtual reconstruction of the scenario and concentrates on the location of the space to reach. A visual stimulation process elicits the neurological phenomenon, and the electroencephalogram (EEG) signal processing detects the target location. This location is transferred to the autonomous navigation system that drives the wheelchair to the desired location while avoiding collisions with obstacles in the environment detected by the laser scanner. This concept gives the user the flexibility to use the device in unknown and evolving scenarios. The prototype was validated with five healthy participants in three consecutive steps: screening (an analysis of three different groups of visual interface designs), virtual-environment driving, and driving sessions with the wheelchair. On the basis of the results, this paper reports the following evaluation studies: 1) a technical evaluation of the device and all functionalities; 2) a users’ behavior study; and 3) a variability study. The overall result was that all the participants were able to successfully operate the device with relative ease, thus showing a great adaptation as well as a high robustness and low variability of the system

Nucleus basalis of Meynert predicts cognition after deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease

INTRODUCTION Subthalamic DBS in Parkinson's disease has been associated with cognitive decline in few cases. Volume reduction of the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM) seems to precede cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease. In this retrospective study, we evaluated NBM volume as a predictor of cognitive outcome 1 year after subthalamic DBS. METHODS NBM volumes were calculated from preoperative MRIs using voxel-based morphometry. Cognitive outcome was defined as the relative change of MMSE or DemTect scores from pre-to 1 year postoperatively. A multiple linear regression analysis adjusted for the number of cognitive domains affected in the preoperative neuropsychological testing and UPDRS III was conducted. To account for other variables and potential non-linear effects, an additional machine learning analysis using random forests was applied. RESULTS 55 patients with Parkinson's disease (39 male, age 61.4 ± 7.5 years, disease duration 10.8 ± 4.7 years) who received bilateral subthalamic DBS electrodes at our center were included. Although overall cognition did not change significantly, individual change in cognitive abilities was variable. Cognitive outcome could be predicted based on NBM size (B = 208.98, p = 0.022*) in the regression model (F(3,49) = 2.869; R2 of 0.149; p = 0.046*). Using random forests with more variables, cognitive outcome could also be predicted (average root mean squared error between predicted and true cognitive change 11.28 ± 9.51, p = 0.039*). Also in this model, NBM volume was the most predictive variable. CONCLUSION NBM volume can be used as a simple non-invasive predictor for cognitive outcome after DBS in Parkinson's disease, especially when combined with other clinical parameters that are prognostically relevant

Psychological Predictors of Visual and Auditory P300 Brain-Computer Interface Performance

Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) provide communication channels independent from muscular control. In the current study we used two versions of the P300-BCI: one based on visual the other on auditory stimulation. Up to now, data on the impact of psychological variables on P300-BCI control are scarce. Hence, our goal was to identify new predictors with a comprehensive psychological test-battery. A total of N = 40 healthy BCI novices took part in a visual and an auditory BCI session. Psychological variables were measured with an electronic test-battery including clinical, personality, and performance tests. The personality factor "emotional stability" was negatively correlated (Spearman's rho = -0.416; p p p < 0.05), but failed significance in the regression analysis. Psychological parameters seem to play a moderate role in visual P300-BCI performance. "Emotional stability" was identified as a new predictor, indicating that BCI users who characterize themselves as calm and rational showed worse BCI performance. The positive relation of the ability to learn and BCI performance corroborates the notion that also for P300 based BCIs learning may constitute an important factor. Further studies are needed to consolidate or reject the presented predictors

A stressz rendszer szerepe az ópiát függőség kialakulásában: idegi, sejtszintű és molekuláris mechanizmusok = Involvement of brain stress system in opiate addiction: neuronal substrates, cellular and molecular mechanisms

1. A morfium függőség és megvonás aktiválja a neuroendokrin és az agyi stresszrendszert. 2. A hipotalamusz paravntrikuláris magjában illetve az ""extended"" amigdalában expresszálódó kortikotropin-releasing hormon (CRH) különböző módon szabályozza a morfium addikciót és megvonást kísérő hormonális, élettani és magatartási (érzelmi) reakciókat. 3. Sejtszinten a cAMP-reponse element binding protein (CREB) és a hozzá csatlakozó ko-regulátor fehérjék, mint pl a foszforilált TORC fontos szerepet játszanak a drogmegvonás kapcsán aktiválódó CRH gén szabályozásában mind a hipotalamuszban, mind az ""extended"" amigdalában. 4. A hipotalamikus és extrahipotalamikus területeket beidegző felszálló noradrenerg és orexinerg pályák különböző mechanizmussal vesznek részt a drogfüggőséggel és a drogmegvonással járó megvonási tünetek kialakításában. 5. A morfium függőséggel és a naloxonnal történő morfium megvonás okozta anyagcsere változások a hipotalamuszban eltérő módon befolyásolják a stresszel és a metabolikus szabályozássaél kapcsolatos neuropaptid gének expresszióját. | 1. Morphine dependence and naloxone-precipitated morphine withdrawal results in activation of the neuroendocrine and brain stress systems in the rat brain. 2. Corticotropin-releasing hormone expressed in the hypophyseotropic cells of the hypothalamus as well as in the extended amygdala plays a differential role in the development of hormonal, physiological, emotional and behavioral changes in addicted animals. 3. cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) and its co-activators (such as pTORC) play a critical role in activation of corticotropin-releasing hormone gene expression both in the hypothalamus and in the extended amygdala. 4. Ascending noradrenergic and orexinergic pathways innervating hypothalamic and extrahypothalamic sites differentially regulate the development of hormonal, somatic and psychological symptoms of morphine withdrawal. 5. Metabolic changes associated by drug dependence and withdrawal result in differential changes of metabolic and stress-related neuropeptides in the hypothalamus

The Dark Triad of personality and unethical behavior at different times of day

The Dark Triad of personality -narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy -is characterized by callous manipulation and social exploitation. Thus, dark personalities should be more prone to unethical behavior. Unethical behavior has been shown to vary during the course of the day with individuals displaying lower morality in the evening (Morning Morality Effect, MME). Hence, the present study investigated the association between the Dark Triad and unethical behavior as a function of time of day in an experimental design. Participants (N = 195) completed the study either in the morning or in the evening. In one task, participants had the choice to cheat on a fictitious partner for monetary benefit at the partner&apos;s expense. In a second task, they had the opportunity to lie about their performance for personal gain. Machiavellianism scores positively predicted unethical behavior in the first task. In the second task, psychopathy scores positively predicted lying. Neither could the MME be replicated, nor did time of day moderate the influence of the Dark Triad on unethical behavior. Thus, the present study indicates that the dark traits are differentially related to aspects of unethical behavior, such that Machiavellians display a preference for complex deception, while psychopaths engage in impulsive cheating