Pain modulation by intranasal oxytocin and emotional picture viewing — a randomized double-blind fMRI study

The hormone oxytocin has been hypothesized to influence the emotional dimension of pain. This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study explored whether intranasal oxytocin and emotional context can affect heat pain perception in 30 healthy male volunteers. After receiving 36 IU oxytocin or placebo, participants underwent functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) during which noxious and non-noxious thermode heat stimuli were applied. Simultaneously, scenes from the International Affective Pictures System (IAPS) with positive, neutral, and negative emotional valence were shown. Heat intensity and unpleasantness ratings were obtained. The activity of whole-brain correlates of heat processing was quantified via multi-voxel pattern analysis. We observed no appreciable main effects of oxytocin on ratings or neural pain correlates. Effects of emotional picture valence on ratings were smaller than reported in previous studies. Nevertheless, oxytocin was found to significantly enhance the influence of picture valence on unpleasantness ratings at noxious heat levels. No corresponding changes in whole-brain correlates of heat intensity processing were found. Our study provides evidence that intranasal oxytocin increases the effects of emotional context on the subjective unpleasantness of experimental heat pain. Future studies are needed to determine whether this effect can be utilized in clinical settings

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for the treatment of tinnitus: Effects on cortical excitability

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Low frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been proposed as an innovative treatment for chronic tinnitus. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the underlying mechanism and to evaluate the relationship between clinical outcome and changes in cortical excitability. We investigated ten patients with chronic tinnitus who participated in a sham-controlled crossover treatment trial. Magnetic-resonance-imaging and positron-emission-tomography guided 1 Hz rTMS were performed over the auditory cortex on 5 consecutive days. Active and sham treatments were separated by one week. Parameters of cortical excitability (motor thresholds, intracortical inhibition, intracortical facilitation, cortical silent period) were measured serially before and after rTMS treatment by using single- and paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation. Clinical improvement was assessed with a standardized tinnitus-questionnaire.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We noted a significant interaction between treatment response and changes in motor cortex excitability during active rTMS. Specifically, clinical improvement was associated with an increase in intracortical inhibition, intracortical facilitation and a prolongation of the cortical silent period. These results indicate that intraindividual changes in cortical excitability may serve as a correlate of response to rTMS treatment.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The observed alterations of cortical excitability suggest that low frequency rTMS may evoke long-term-depression like effects resulting in an improvement of subcortical inhibitory function.</p

Energieeffizienz, Strukturwandel und Produktionsentwicklung der deutschen Industrie

Aufbauend auf den Ergebnissen der Enquete-Kommission "Vorsorge zum Schutz der Erdatmosphäre des 11. Deutschen Bundestages im Jahre 1990 hatte die Bundesregierung in mehreren Kabinettsbeschlüssen Anfang der 90er Jahre die wesentlichen Grundelemente einer umfangreichen Strategie zur Reduktion der anthropogenen Emissionen von Treibhausgasen festgelegt. Besonderes Gewicht haben dabei die energiebedingten Emissionen und hier besonders die CO$_{2}$-Emissionen, die durch die Verbrennung fossiler Energieträger entstehen. Seit den ersten Beschlüssen der Bundesregierung, die CO$_{2}$-Emissionen bis zum Jahre 2005 um üehr als 25 % gegenüber seinem Ausgangswert von 1,08 Mrd. t im Jahre 1987 zu vermindern, sind die Emissionen der Treibhausgase deutlich zurückgegangen, die CO$_{2}$-Emissionen bis Ende 1995 auf etwa 890 Mio. 1. Das Reduktionsziel wurde von Bundeskanzler Kohl auf der ersten Nachfolgekonferenz der Klimarahmenkonvention im April 1995 in Berlin nochmals bestätigt. Heute bezweifeln nicht wenige Praktiker in Wirtschaft und Verwaltung, daß dieses Ziel unter halbwegs akzeptablen Kosten und bei dem verbleibenden Zehn-Jahres-Zeithorizont noch zu erreichen sei, weil die bisherigen CO$_{2}$-Emissionsminderungen ausschließlich in Ostdeutschland durch den Zusammenbruch der Wirtschaft und die erhebliche Substitution von Braunkohle durch Erdgas und Heizöl sowie mehr Energieeffizienz erreicht wurden. Andererseits betonen die Klimatologen, Geophysiker und Biologen, daß die Zielsetzung der Verminderung klimarelevanter Gasemissionen der Industrieländer weitere Etappen für 2020 mit 40 bis 50 % (ebenfalls bezogen auf das Jahr 1987) und für Mitte des kommenden Jahrhunderts mit 80 % zu erfüllen habe, wenn man eine nicht vermeidbare moderate Zunahme der Nutzung von fossilen Energieträgern der Schwellen- und Entwicklungsländer in den nächsten Jahrzehnten mitbetrachte. Aufgrund bisheriger Analysen sind einige Energiewirtschaftler - darunter auch die Autoren - der Meinung, daß die Kosten der zur Zielerreichung notwendigen Maßnahmen durchaus im Rahmen des Möglichen seien und andere positive Begleitwirkungen wie netto mehr Beschäftigung, eine bessere Position der Investitionsgtüterindustrie im Export und weniger Umweltschaden zu erwarten seien. Um die Frage von Akzeptanz und Kosten verschiedener klimapolitischer Optionen auf eine hinreichend präzise Basis stellen zu können, dient nunmehr u.a das IKARUS-Instrumentarium dazu, die politische Diskussion um energie-, verkehrs- und klimapolitische Optionen anhand quantitativ arbeitender Modelle und einer großen Datenbank zu unterstützen. Innerhalb von vier Jahren wurde nunmehr ein Instrumentarium erarbeitet, das einerseits über eine einheitlich strukturierte, breit und wissenschaftlich gut abgesicherte Datenbasis verfügt und andererseits aus einer Reihe von Rechenmodellen für Analysen besteht, die der Komplexität des [...

Structural Change and Convergence of Energy Intensity across OECD Countries, 1970-2005

This paper uses new and unique data derived from a consistent framework of national accounts to compute and evaluate energy intensity developments across 18 OECD countries and 50 sectors over the period 1970-2005. We find that across countries energy intensity levels tend to decrease in most Manufacturing sectors. In the Service sector, energy intensity decreases at a relatively slow rate, with diverse trends across sub-sectors. A decomposition analysis reveals that changes in the sectoral composition of the economy explain a considerable and increasing part of aggregate energy intensity dynamics. A convergence analysis reveals that only after 1995 cross-country variation in aggregate energy intensity levels clearly tends to decrease, driven by a strong and robust trend break in Manufacturing and enhanced convergence in Services. Moreover, we find evidence for the hypothesis that across sectors lagging countries are catching-up with leading countries, with rates of convergence that are on average higher in Services than in Manufacturing. Aggregate convergence patterns are almost exclusively caused by convergence of within-sector energy intensity levels, and not by convergence of the sectoral composition of economies. © 2012 Elsevier B.V

Cognitive Control as a 5-HT1A-Based Domain That Is Disrupted in Major Depressive Disorder

Heterogeneity within Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) has hampered identification of biological markers (e.g., intermediate phenotypes, IPs) that might increase risk for the disorder or reflect closer links to the genes underlying the disease process. The newer characterizations of dimensions of MDD within Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) domains may align well with the goal of defining IPs. We compare a sample of 25 individuals with MDD compared to 29 age and education matched controls in multimodal assessment. The multimodal RDoC assessment included the primary IP biomarker, positron emission tomography (PET) with a selective radiotracer for 5-HT1A [(11C)WAY-100635], as well as event-related functional MRI with a Go/No-go task targeting the Cognitive Control network, neuropsychological assessment of affective perception, negative memory bias and Cognitive Control domains. There was also an exploratory genetic analysis with the serotonin transporter (5-HTTLPR) and monamine oxidase A (MAO-A) genes. In regression analyses, lower 5-HT1A binding potential (BP) in the MDD group was related to diminished engagement of the Cognitive Control network, slowed resolution of interfering cognitive stimuli, one element of Cognitive Control. In contrast, higher/normative levels of 5-HT1A BP in MDD (only) was related to a substantial memory bias toward negative information, but intact resolution of interfering cognitive stimuli and greater engagement of Cognitive Control circuitry. The serotonin transporter risk allele was associated with lower 1a BP and the corresponding imaging and cognitive IPs in MDD. Lowered 5HT 1a BP was present in half of the MDD group relative to the control group. Lowered 5HT 1a BP may represent a subtype including decreased engagement of Cognitive Control network and impaired resolution of interfering cognitive stimuli. Future investigations might link lowered 1a BP to neurobiological pathways and markers, as well as probing subtype-specific treatment targets