Lateralized response to cortical injury in the rat: Interhemispheric interaction.

Two experiments, with 92 male Sprague-Dawley rats, examined the role of interhemispheric interaction in the production of spontaneous hyperactivity following right but not left frontal cortical suction lesions. Bilateral lesions, either simultaneous or left followed 1 wk later by right, led to spontaneous hyperactivity and bilateral depletions of cortical norepinephrine concentrations. Ss given corpus callosum sectioning as neonates and frontal cortical suction lesions as adults developed spontaneous hyperactivity only when the right hemisphere was injured. Data suggest that lateralized spontaneous hyperactivity as elicited by small suction lesions of the right hemisphere does not depend on interhemispheric release or interaction and that at least the cortical mechanism is in the right hemispere itself. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Hemodynamic response to induction and intubation. Propofol/fentanyl interaction

BACKGROUND: When given as an intravenous bolus for induction of anesthesia, propofol can decrease postintubation hypertension but can also create moderate to severe postinduction, preintubation hypotension. The addition of fentanyl usually decreases the postintubation hypertension but can increase the propofol-induced preintubation hypotension. The goal of the study was to determine the relation between propofol and fentanyl doses and the hemodynamic changes post-induction, preintubation and postintubation. METHODS: Twelve groups of 10 patients, ASA physical status 1 or 2, first received fentanyl 0, 2, or 4 micrograms.kg-1 and then 5 min later received propofol 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, or 3.5 mg.kg-1 as an intravenous bolus for induction of anesthesia. Arterial blood pressure was continuously monitored. The trachea was intubated 4 min after propofol administration. RESULTS: The mean decrease in systolic blood pressure after propofol was 28 mmHg when no fentanyl was given, 53 mmHg after 2 microgram.kg-1 of fentanyl (P < 0.05 vs. no fentanyl), and 50 mmHg after 4 micrograms.kg-1 (P < 0.05 vs. no fentanyl; no statistically significant difference 4 vs. 2 micrograms.kg-1). There was no statistically significant difference in hemodynamic response to intubation relative to propofol dose. Hemodynamic response to intubation was decreased by the administration of fentanyl; the mean increase of systolic blood pressure after intubation was 65 mmHg from preintubation value without fentanyl, 50 mmHg after 2 micrograms.kg-1, and 37 mmHg after 4 micrograms.kg-1 (P < 0.05 for 2 and 4 micrograms.kg-1 vs. no fentanyl and for 4 vs. 2 micrograms.kg-1). Hemodynamic changes postintubation were not statistically different with increasing doses of propofol. CONCLUSIONS: Hemodynamic changes after induction with propofol or propofol/fentanyl, pre- or postintubation, are not modified when the propofol dose is increased from 2 to 3.5 mg.kg-1. Maximal hypotension preintubation occurs with a fentanyl dose of 2 micrograms.kg-1, whereas the magnitude of postintubation hypertension is significantly decreased with an increase in the fentanyl dose to 4 micrograms.kg-1.     

The response of others to face-to-face interaction with depressed patients.

Coyne (1976b) has developed an interactional model of depression which proposes that the behavior of depressed people elicits a characteristic type of negative social response from others that serves to maintain the depressive state. To evaluate the model in the context of a first acquaintanceship, 34 female volunteers engaged in brief face-to-face same-sex dyadic interactions with depressed psychiatric outpatients, nondepressed outpatients, or normal controls. Behavioral and self-report measures of mood, interpersonal attraction, and interpersonal perception were taken. Contrary to our expectations, we identified no characteristic patterns in the response of others to depressed patients. Implications of the findings for the interactional theory of depression are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Enhancement of pressor response to intravenous phenylephrine following oral clonidine medication in awake and anaesthetized patients

Clonidine, an alpha 2-adrenergic agonist, augments the pressor response to intravenous ephedrine. If this effect is partly due to clonidine-induced potentiation of alpha 1-adrenoceptor-mediated vasoconstriction, it is also assumed that clonidine would enhance the pressor effect of phenylephrine as an alpha 1-adrenergic agonist. The authors studied haemodynamic responses to intravenous phenylephrine in 80 patients who received either preanaesthetic medication with clonidine approximately 5 micrograms.kg-1 po (clonidine group, n = 40), or no medication (control group, n = 40). Each group was further divided into either awake subjects (n = 20) or subjects anaesthetized with enflurane and nitrous oxide in oxygen (n = 20). Haemodynamic measurements were made at one-minute intervals for ten minutes after phenylephrine 2 micrograms.kg-1 iv was injected as a bolus. The magnitudes of maximal mean blood pressure increases in the clonidine group (26 +/- 7% (mean +/- SD) for awake and 32 +/- 15% for anaesthetized subjects) were greater (P < 0.05) than in the control group (13 +/- 7% for awake and 18 +/- 7% for anaesthetized subjects). However, there was no difference in the pressor effect of phenylephrine between awake and anaesthetized patients in both groups. Oral clonidine preanaesthetic medication, 5 micrograms.kg-1, augments the pressor responses to phenylephrine 2 micrograms.kg-1 iv in awake and anaesthetized patients. These results suggest that the enhancement of the pressor responses to phenylephrine following oral clonidine may be due to clonidine-induced potentiation of alpha 1-adrenoceptor-mediated vasoconstriction. This implies that restoration of blood pressure can be achieved effectively by phenylephrine in hypotensive patients with clonidine premedication.     

Self-control techniques as an alternative to pain medication.

A 65-yr-old retired army officer with a productive work history was admitted to a psychiatric ward with symptoms of chronic abdominal pain and social withdrawal. For several years his pain had been managed with Talwin (pentazocine), which was self-administered intramuscularly 6 times/day. The patient was taught self-control of his pain through a program of relaxation, covert imagery, and cognitive relabeling. He was then withdrawn from medication by diluting the Talwin with increasing proportions of normal saline. Follow-up showed the patient to be socially active, without medication, and more successfully controlling his pain. Results are discussed in terms of punishment, self-attribution of change, the nature of pain, and the ethical issues involved in instituting a treatment procedure without the completely informed consent of the patient. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changes in functional health, changes in medication beliefs, and medication adherence.

Objective: Medication adherence often lies below recommendations although it is crucial for effective therapies, particularly in older adults with multiple illnesses. Medication beliefs are important factors for individual adherence, but little is known about their origin. We examine whether changes in functional health predict changes in medication beliefs, and whether such changes in beliefs predict subsequent medication adherence. Design: At three points in time over a 6-month period, 309 older adults (65–85 years) with multiple illnesses were assessed. Latent true change modeling was used to explore changes in functional health and medication beliefs. Adherence was regressed on changes in beliefs. Main Outcome Measures: Medication beliefs were measured by the Beliefs About Medicines Questionnaire; medication adherence by the Reported Adherence to Medication Scale. Results: Functional health and medication beliefs changed over time. Increasing physical limitations predicted increases in specific necessity and specific concern beliefs, but not in general beliefs. Changes in specific necessity beliefs predicted intentional adherence lapses, changes in general overuse beliefs predicted unintentional adherence lapses. Conclusions: Medication beliefs partly depend on health-related changes, and changes in beliefs affect individual adherence, suggesting to target such beliefs in interventions and to support older adults in interpreting health changes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relation of neuroleptic and anticholinergic medication to cognitive functions in schizophrenia.

In this article, we review research designed to examine the influence of neuroleptic and anticholinergic drugs on cognitive processes in schizophrenia. The review is motivated by the recognition that pharmacotherapy is an important factor in psychological research in schizophrenia, given that the great majority of patients studied in investigations of cognition receive both of these drugs. We find that neuroleptic treatment is associated with limited normalization on many psychological measures, whereas anticholinergics appear to disrupt some aspects of memory. Subject selection criteria, research designs, and drug measurement methods important in the evaluation of possible drug effects in psychological studies are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Video editing and medication to produce a therapeutic self-model.

Self-modeling requires the production of a videotape in which the S is seen to perform in a model way. A 4-yr-old "hyperactive" boy, initially under psychotropic medication, was unable to role play suitable behaviors. Video editing was used to produce a videotape that, when watched by the S, had therapeutic effects as compared with an unedited film. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Commitment to future interaction in marketing transactions.

Studied the effects of commitment to future bargaining in 40 male undergraduate dyads. Ss were randomly assigned to a 2 (bargaining or nonbargaining) * 2 (same person or different person) * 2 (seller or buyer) factorial design and participated in a simulated automobile-trading task, knowing only their own profits on which experimental compensation was based. Results indicate that commitment to future bargaining was associated with more extreme initial bids and, for dyads, less equitable bargaining outcomes. Expectation of future interaction with the same person was associated with lower minimum acceptable profits for Ss, while dyads expecting future interaction together reached more equitable bargaining outcomes. The extent and nature of anticipated future interactions influenced marketing transactions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Human immune response to cationized proteins. II. Characterization of interaction of cationized diphtheria toxoid with human mononuclear cells

Cationized diphtheria toxoid (cDT) has previously been shown to be more effective than the native protein as an inducer of human antigen-specific T cell responses. In the present study, biotin-labeled antigen and flow cytometric analysis were used to examine the possibility that enhanced immunogenicity of cDT may be a consequence of preferential binding to antigen-presenting cells. Strong binding of cDT, relative to native antigen, was noted for both monocytes and B cells. Characteristics of binding were similar for both cell types, including rapid saturation, temperature independence, and inhibition by unlabeled cationized proteins. Although both B cells and monocytes bound cDT, only monocytes were effective in triggering T cell proliferation, possibly as a result of slow internalization of bound antigen by B cells. Definition of the target structures of cationized proteins may allow for the design of more efficient vaccines, which would be specifically targeted to antigen-presenting cells in vivo.     

The indispensability of medication.

Contends that psychiatrists who are medication oriented can generally earn more money with less specialized training than can psychotherapy-oriented pychiatrists and that there is a tendency for them to believe that what they have not been trained in does not exist. The author cautions society against allowing medication-oriented psychiatrists to be the sole decision makers. (6 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Injection anxiety remains a long-term barrier to medication adherence in multiple sclerosis.

Objective: To evaluate the contribution of injection anxiety to disease modifying therapy (DMT) adherence among individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). Injection anxiety has been associated with medication discontinuation early in the course of treatment, but little is known about the relationship between injection anxiety and sustained DMT adherence over time. Method: Eighty-nine outpatients receiving care at a Veterans Administration MS clinic completed a telephone survey at baseline and monthly telephone follow-up for 6 months. Results: Participants were established DMT users (M = 3.43 years, SD = 3.29), with relatively high adherence overall (over 80% achieved 80% adherence or greater). Using logistic regression and controlling for demographics, MS disability, type of DMT, and time on DMT, the authors found that baseline injection anxiety predicted lower levels of adherence at 4 months and 6 months, with a similar trend at 2 months. Conclusion: Sustained adherence to DMT remains a challenge for a subset of individuals with MS well beyond the initial period of acclimation. Injection anxiety is an important and promising target of psychological intervention during all periods of medication use. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evaluating medication response in ADHD: cognitive, behavioral, and single-subject methodology

We introduce a novel application for linkage analysis: using bone marrow donor-recipient sib pairs to search for genes influential in graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a major cause of morbidity and mortality following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. In particular, we show that transplant sib pairs in which the recipient developed severe GVHD can be used to map genes in the same way as traditional discordant (affected/unaffected) sib pairs (DSPs). For a plausible GVHD model, we demonstrate that the transplant/discordant sib pair analog of the "possible triangle test" [Holmans (1993) Am J Hum Genet 52:362-374] has similar power to that of the simpler "restricted test" proposed by Risch [(1990b) Am J Hum Genet 46:229-241; (1992) Am J Hum Genet 51:673-675]. Moreover, we show that the restricted test has superior power in much of the DSP possible triangle and significantly inferior power in only a small region. Thus, we conclude that the restricted test is preferable for localizing genes with transplant/discordant sib pairs. Finally, we examine the effects of heterogeneity on the power to detect GVHD loci and demonstrate the gain in efficiency by dividing the sample into genetically more homogeneous subgroups.     

Consistency in response to group pressures.

The studies to be described take as their point of departure the investigations of Asch on modification of judgments under group pressure in face-to-face situations. Asch has reported that naive subjects (Ss) yielded approximately one-third of the time to the erroneous judgments of a tutored majority in matching the length of comparison lines with a standard line. The Ss who yielded early in the line series tended to continue to yield throughout, while Ss who were independent of the announced judgments of the tutored majority, tended to continue independent throughout. The purpose of the present studies is to answer the question: Are the consistencies in yielding or not yielding specific to the situation studied, i.e., judgment of lines, or do they extend beyond it? Is such consistency episodic or situationally determined, or is it a consequence of relatively settled modes of orientation? 88 student nurses were observed in each of several Asch-type situations, in each of which they had to make a choice between being independent or conforming to the judgments of three accomplices who were tutored by the experimenter to make erroneous judgments. Results showed that when comparisons are possible, present findings confirm those of Asch. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Zero interaction response surfaces for combined-action assessment

Combined-action assessment requires first the calculation of combination effects expected for the case of no interaction. In a second step the experimental combination effects have to be compared to the expected ones in order to classify the combination as synergistic or antagonistic. Adopting the response surface methodology, a new procedure for the calculation of zero interaction response surfaces which can be applied both to various criteria for defining zero interaction and to various types of dose-response relations is proposed. The approach requires only information from single-agent dose-response relations, but provides nevertheless a comprehensive overview over the complete dose range under study. It can replace the tedious isobolographic analysis if the dose-additivity criterion is adopted.     

A local immuno-endocrine interaction may mediate rat adrenal glucocorticoid response to bacterial endotoxins

The effects of the bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interleukin (IL)-1beta on corticosterone secretion has been studied in vivo by employing the technique of in situ perfusion of the isolated rat left adrenal gland. Both LPS and IL-1beta dose-dependently raised corticosterone output, the response peaking at 60 and 90 min, respectively. IL-1 receptor antagonist dose-dependently reversed the effect of LPS and IL-1beta. The IL-1beta converting enzyme (ICE) inhibitor Ac-YVAD-CMK annulled the adrenal response to LPS, but did not affect that to IL-1beta. Collectively, these findings provide evidence that LPS, by enhancing adrenal production of IL-1beta, is able to evoke a sizable glucocorticoid response in the rat, thereby suggesting that local immuno-endocrine interactions may be operative in the adrenal gland of this species.     

Matters of the variable heart: Respiratory sinus arrhythmia response to marital interaction and associations with marital quality.

Maintenance of relationship quality requires self-regulation of emotion and social behavior, and women often display greater effort in this regard than do men. Furthermore, such efforts can deplete the limited capacity for self-regulation. In recent models of self-regulation, resting level of respiratory sinus arrhythmia, quantified as high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV), is an indicator of self-regulatory capacity, whereas transient increases in HF-HRV reflect self-regulatory effort. To test these hypotheses in marriage, 114 young couples completed measures of marital quality and a positive, neutral, or negative initial marital task, preceded and followed by resting baseline assessments of HF-HRV. Couples then discussed a current marital disagreement. Resting HF-HRV was correlated with marital quality, suggesting that capacity for self-regulation is associated with adaptive functioning in close relationships. For women but not men, the negative initial task produced a decrease in resting HF-HRV. This effect was mediated by the husbands' negative affect response to the task and their ratings of wives as controlling and directive. When the subsequent disagreement discussion followed the negative initial task, women displayed increased HF-HRV during the discussion but a decrease when it followed the neutral or positive task. The valence of the initial task had no effect on men's HF-HRV during disagreement. Negative marital interactions can reduce women's resting HF-HRV, with potentially adverse health consequences. Women's reduced health benefit from marriage might reflect the depleting effects on self-regulatory capacity of their greater efforts to manage relationship quality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)