The role of intolerance of uncertainty in the acquisition and extinction of reward

Individuals, who score high in self-reported intolerance of uncertainty (IU), tend to find uncertainty anxiety-provoking. IU has been reliably associated with disrupted threat extinction. However, it is unclear whether IU would be related to disrupted extinction to other arousing stimuli that are not threatening (i.e., rewarding). We addressed this question by conducting a Pavlovian reward conditioning task with acquisition and extinction training phases (n = 58). In the Pavlovian reward conditioning task, we recorded liking ratings, skin conductance response (SCR), and corrugator supercilii activity (i.e., brow muscle indicative or negative and positive affect) to learned reward (CS+) and neutral (CS−) cues. Typical patterns of reward acquisition and extinction training were observed for liking ratings. There was evidence for conditioning in SCR during the extinction training phase but not the acquisition training phase. However, no evidence of conditioning in either the acquisition or extinction training phase was observed for the corrugator supercilii. IU was not related to any measures during the acquisition or extinction training phases. Taken together, these results suggest that the current Pavlovian reward conditioning task was not sufficient for eliciting a reliable conditioned reward response, and therefore, further research with optimized reward conditioning designs are required to test whether IU-related deficits occur during the extinction of reward.</p

Social Representations on the study of diet related to health

En este artículo se analizan contribuciones recientes a la temática de la alimentación y su relación con la salud desde la teoría de las Representaciones Sociales. El concepto de representación social, desarrollado originalmente por Serge Moscovici, refiere a una forma de conocimiento socialmente elaborado y compartido, orientado a la práctica y que participa en la construcción de una realidad común a un conjunto social. El vínculo alimentación-salud es objeto de representación en tanto generador de opiniones, creencias y significados que circulan socialmente y que tienen un impacto en las prácticas alimentarias.Los trabajos analizados muestran representaciones consistentes con los mensajes nutricionales emitidos desde los organismos de salud y que circulan socialmente aunque la apropiación de estos discursos difiere según género, edad, trayectorias educativas y lugar de residencia. La gran mayoría de estos trabajos se basa en el enfoque estructural de la teoría y utiliza estrategias cuantitativas. Los estudios apoyados en el enfoque procesual y al uso de técnicas cualitativas son escasos. Como profesionales de la Nutrición, la relevancia de esta perspectiva reside en que nos permite acceder a otras formas de interpretar el mundo que necesitamos conocer si queremos facilitar tanto a las comunidades como a los individuos una atención integral de sus problemáticas de alimentación-salud.This article reviews the current literature regarding the theory of Social Representations on the study of diet related to health. The concept of social representation, developed by Serge Moscovici, refers to a form of socially elaborated and shared knowledge, practice-oriented and involved in the construction of a common reality. Diet is an object of representation since it generates opinions, beliefs and meanings that circulate socially and have an impact on eating practices. The analyzed works show that social representations are consistent with dietary messages developed by health agencies that circulate in society. However, the adoption of these discourses differs by gender, age, educational level, and area of residence. Furthermore, most studies are based on the structural approach of the theory and uses quantitative strategies. Research on diet related to health supported by the process-based approach and the use of qualitative techniques are still the minority. As health care and nutrition professionals, the relevance of this approach is that it allows us to achieve other ways of interpreting the world that it is essential to know if we want to provide both communities and individuals a thorough care of their diethealth problems.Fil: Andreatta, María Marta. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones y Estudio Sobre Cultura y Sociedad; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentin

Context-dependent responses to the spread of COVID-19 among national and international students during the first lockdown:An online survey

Background: Restrictions to minimize social contact was necessary to prevent the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus but may have impacted individuals' mental well-being. Emotional responses are modulated by contextual information. Living abroad during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may have boosted the feeling of isolation as the context is unfamiliar. Objectives: This study compared the psychological impact of social distancing in national students (living in a familiar context) versus international students (living in an unfamiliar context). Methods: During March/April 2020 (first lockdown in the Netherlands), 850 university students completed an online survey. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted to compare how students' responses to the virus were predicted by health anxiety, emotional distress, and personal traits. Results: Compared with national students, international students showed higher levels in 4 identified factors (COVID-19-related worry, perceived risk of infection, distance from possibly contaminated objects, distance from social situations). The factors were mainly predicted by health anxiety across international students, while emotional distress and individual traits (eg, intolerance of uncertainty) played a role across national students. Conclusions:In the familiar context, individual characteristics (traits) predicted the responses to the virus, while the unfamiliar context drove individuals' health-focused responses. Living in a foreign country is associated with psychological burdens and this should be considered by universities for more pronounced social support and clear references to health-related institutions.</p

Context-Dependent Responses to the Spread of COVID-19 Among National and International Students During the First Lockdown:An Online Survey

Background: Restrictions to minimize social contact was necessary to prevent the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus but may have impacted individuals' mental well-being. Emotional responses are modulated by contextual information. Living abroad during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may have boosted the feeling of isolation as the context is unfamiliar. Objectives: This study compared the psychological impact of social distancing in national students (living in a familiar context) versus international students (living in an unfamiliar context). Methods: During March/April 2020 (first lockdown in the Netherlands), 850 university students completed an online survey. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted to compare how students' responses to the virus were predicted by health anxiety, emotional distress, and personal traits. Results: Compared with national students, international students showed higher levels in 4 identified factors (COVID-19-related worry, perceived risk of infection, distance from possibly contaminated objects, distance from social situations). The factors were mainly predicted by health anxiety across international students, while emotional distress and individual traits (eg, intolerance of uncertainty) played a role across national students.Conclusions: In the familiar context, individual characteristics (traits) predicted the responses to the virus, while the unfamiliar context drove individuals' health-focused responses. Living in a foreign country is associated with psychological burdens and this should be considered by universities for more pronounced social support and clear references to health-related institutions.</p

Patrón alimentario y desarrollo de tumores de vías urinarias en Córdoba

Tesis Doctorado en Ciencias de la Salud -- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas.Introducción y objetivo: En Argentina, el cáncer de vejiga ocupa el séptimo lugar entre las causas de muerte por cáncer en varones e investigaciones recientes muestran que los Tumores de Vías Urinarias (TVU) constituyen el cuarto tipo de neoplasia más frecuente en la provincia de Córdoba. Numerosos estudios han encontrado que los factores dietarios se relacionan con el riesgo de desarrollar TVU. Estos trabajos se han focalizado, en general, en alimentos aislados y en algunos nutrientes y han analizado el riesgo mediante metodologías tradicionales. De esta manera, solo se han logrado inferencias parciales. Un nuevo enfoque, basado en el análisis de los patrones alimentarios en asociación al riesgo, puede contribuir a una mejor comprensión de la carcinogénesis de vías urinarias. En consecuencia, el objetivo de este estudio de casos y controles, realizado en Córdoba entre 2004 y 2008, fue establecer la relación entre el desarrollo de TVU y el consumo de alimentos que configuran el patrón cultural de esta población. Materiales y Métodos: Se entrevistaron 168 pacientes con TVU, de la variedad transicional, istopatológicamente confirmados, y 334 controles sanos provenientes de los mismos hospitales y clínicas. Todos ellos fueron encuestados y se recabaron datos acerca de su alimentación habitual y su exposición a otros posibles factores de riesgo. Para explorar los patrones alimentarios se utilizó análisis de correspondencia múltiple y para establecer el riesgo se calcularon odds ratios - ajustados por edad, sexo, estado nutricional, estrato social, exposición ocupacional a sustancias con posible efecto mutagénico, hábito de fumar y actividad física – e intervalos de confianza del 95% con regresión logística múltiple. Resultados: Se identificaron dos patrones alimentarios principales: el denominado patrón occidental se asoció con los casos de TVU, en tanto que el patrón prudente, con los controles. El consumo frecuente de aceites vegetales, carnes magras, frutas, cereales y sus derivados, el uso moderado de alcohol (vino tinto), alimentos y bebidas dulces, sumados a la distribución de la ingesta de los alimentos en cuatro o más comidas diarias reducirían el riesgo de desarrollar TVU. Por otra parte, el consumo muy frecuente de infusiones (mate), bebidas alcohólicas, papas, alimentos y bebidas dulces, fiambres, vísceras y embutidos incrementarían el riesgo de presentar la enfermedad. Conclusiones: La frecuencia de consumo, la distribución diaria, el tipo y la cantidad de alimentos que conforman los patrones alimentarios de la población cordobesa influyen en el riesgo de desarrollo de TVU. Dado que pueden promoverse patrones alimentarios saludables a través del diseño e implementación de programas y proyectos de Educación Alimentaria-Nutricional, esta Tesis Doctoral pueden ser un aporte para la programación de Políticas Alimentarias y el desarrollo de Guías Alimentarias para la Prevención del Cáncer en Argentina.María Marta Andreatta

Práticas empíricas e medicina acadêmica na Argentina. Aproximações para uma análise quanti-qualitativa do Primeiro Censo Nacional (1869)

Este trabajo analiza la distribución de los sujetos especializados dedicados al cuidado de la salud en el territorio argentino según el Primer Censo Nacional (1869). Se presentan aproximaciones estadísticas y recursos gráficos que contribuyen a mostrar las lógicas de la presencia absoluta y relativa de los diplomados y los practicantes empíricos considerados. A partir de la articulación entre datos del dispositivo censal y aportes bibliográficos especializados se evidencian ciertas variables vinculadas a la presencia estatal, al desarrollo socioeconómico diferencial de las regionesy los clivajes rural-urbano en la larga primera mitad del siglo XIX.This paper analyzes the distribution of specialized subjects devoted to health care in the Argentine territory according to the First National Census (1869). We present statistical estimations and visual resources that contribute to illustrate the logic of the absolute and relative presence of graduates and empirical practitioners. By articulating census data with input from specialized bibliography, the paper provide evidence for certain variables associated with the presence of the State, the differential socio-economic development of the regions, and the rural-urban splits in the long first half of the nineteenth century.Este trabalho analisa a distribuição dos sujeitos especializados dedicados ao cuidado da saúde no território argentino, segundo o Primeiro Censo Nacional (1869). Apresentam-se aproximações estatísticas e recursos gráficos que contribuem para mostrar as lógicas da presença absoluta e relativa dos profissionais e dos estagiários empíricos considerados. A partir da articulação entre dados do dispositivo censitário e contribuições bibliográficas especializadas, evidenciam-se certas variáveis vinculadas à presença estatal, ao desenvolvimento socioeconômico diferencial das regiões e às divisões rural-urbana na longa primeira metade do século xix.Fil: Rodriguez, Maria Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones y Estudio Sobre Cultura y Sociedad; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Carbonetti, Adrian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones y Estudio sobre Cultura y Sociedad; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Andreatta, María Marta. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones y Estudio sobre Cultura y Sociedad; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentin

No influence of threat uncertainty on fear generalization

Fear overgeneralization and perceived uncertainty about future outcomes have been suggested as risk factors for clinical anxiety. However, little is known regarding how they influence each other. In this study, we investigated whether different levels of threat uncertainty influence fear generalization. Three groups of healthy participants underwent a differential fear conditioning protocol followed by a generalization test. All groups learned to associate one female face (conditioned stimulus, CS+) with a female scream (unconditioned stimulus, US), whereas the other face (CS−) was not associated with the scream. In order to manipulate threat uncertainty, one group (low uncertainty, n = 26) received 80%, the second group (moderate uncertainty, n = 32) received 60%, and the third group (high uncertainty, n = 30) 40% CS-US contingency. In the generalization test, all groups saw CS+ and CS− again along with four morphs resembling the CSs in steps of 20%. Subjective (expectancy, valence, and arousal ratings), psychophysiological (skin conductance response, SCR), and visuocortical (steady-state visual evoked potentials, ssVEPs) indices of fear were registered. Participants expected the US according to their reinforcement schedules and the discriminative responses to CS+/CS− increased with more uncertainty in skin conductance. However, acquisition of conditioned fear was not evident in ssVEPs. During the generalization test, we found no effect of threat uncertainty in any of the measured variables, but the strength of generalization for threat expectancy ratings was positively correlated with dispositional intolerance of uncertainty. This study suggests that mere threat uncertainty does not modulate fear generalization.</p

Sistema alimentar carnista e crise climática: Cartografia breve para entender o problema

O atual sistema alimentar, com ênfase no consumo de carne e outros produtos de origem animal, é parte fundamental da crise ambiental pela qual o planeta está passando. Este sistema, que se baseia na produção pecuária e na indústria da carne, não é apenas profundamente cruel com animais não humanos, mas também promove a produção de alimentos à qual a humanidade está tendo acesso desigual, situação que piorará em a médio prazo, de acordo com as estimativas mais recentes, na medida em que envolve uma rápida degradação do solo, ar, água potável e perda de biodiversidade. Este trabalho aborda o problema, mapeando suas diversas arestas e propondo dietas veg (etari) anas como uma contribuição relevante e viável para a solução do cenário analisado.The current food system, with its emphasis on the consumption of meat and other products of animal origin, is a fundamental part of the environmental crisis that the planet is going through. This system, which is based on livestock production and the meat industry, is not only deeply cruel to non-human animals, but also promotes a kind of food production to which humanity is having unequal access, a situation that will worsen in the medium term, according to the latest estimates, in so far as it involves a rapid degradation of soils, air, drinking water and the loss of biodiversity. This work addresses the problem, mapping its various edges and proposing veg(etari)an diets as a relevant and feasible contribution to the solution of the analyzed scenario.El sistema alimentario actual, con su énfasis en el consumo de carne y otros productos de origen animal, es parte fundamental de la crisis ambiental que está atravesando el planeta. Este sistema, que se sostiene a partir de la producción ganadera y la industria cárnica, no sólo es profundamente cruel con los animales no humanos, sino que fomenta una producción alimentaria a la cual la humanidad está teniendo acceso de manera desigual, situación que empeorará en el mediano plazo, según las últimas estimaciones, en tanto supone una rápida degradación de los suelos, el aire, el agua potable y la pérdida de la biodiversidad. Este trabajo realiza un abordaje del problema, cartografiando sus diversas aristas y proponiendo las dietas veg(etari)anas como un aporte relevante y factible a la solución del escenario analizado

Examining the impact of cue similarity and fear learning on perceptual tuning

Past research on the effects of associative aversive learning on discrimination acuity has shown mixed results, including increases, decreases, and no changes in discrimination ability. An animal study found that the type of learning experience determined the direction and extent of learning-induced changes. The current preregistered web-based study aimed to translate these findings to humans. Experiment 1 (N = 245) compared changes in stimulus discrimination between simple learning (only one oriented grating cue), coarse differential conditioning (physically distinct cues), and fine differential conditioning (physically similar cues) as well as to their three respective control groups. The discrimination task consisted of a two-alternative-forced-choice task with oriented grating stimuli. During learning, a specific orientation was paired with unpleasant pictures. Our analysis using generative modeling demonstrated weak to moderate evidence that aversive learning did not alter discrimination acuity in any of the groups. In a follow-up experiment (N = 121), we replicated these findings despite successful learning trajectories in all three groups and a more detailed assessment of discrimination acuity. Contrary to prior assumptions, our findings indicate that aversive learning does not enhance perceptual discrimination, and the presence of additional safety cues does not appear to moderate this effect.</p

A rift between implicit and explicit conditioned valence in human pain relief learning

Pain is aversive, but does the cessation of pain (‘relief’) have a reward-like effect? Indeed, fruitflies avoid an odour previously presented before a painful event, but approach an odour previously presented after a painful event. Thus, event-timing may turn punishment to reward. However, is event-timing also crucial in humans who can have explicit cognitions about associations? Here, we show that stimuli associated with pain-relief acquire positive implicit valence but are explicitly rated as aversive. Specifically, the startle response, an evolutionarily conserved defence reflex, is attenuated by stimuli that had previously followed a painful event, indicating implicit positive valence of the conditioned stimulus; nevertheless, participants explicitly evaluate these stimuli as ‘emotionally negative’. These results demonstrate a rift between the implicit and explicit conditioned valence induced by pain relief. They might explain why humans in some cases are attracted by conditioned stimuli despite explicitly judging them as negative