Effect of electrical stimulation of red nucleus on acupuncture analgesia

The function of red nucleus (RN) was important in motor control. This work was to study whether the RN influenced the effect of EA and the somatosensory afferent system. C-responses of spinal dorsal horn neurons (SDHN) were recorded as nociceptive responses. Electrical stimulation of RN could intensify the inhibitory effect of EA and inhibit nociptive response of SDHN. Naloxone (NX) could completely block that inhibition of RN. The result inferred that the RN can modulate both of somatomotion and somatosense. The endogenous opiate system is involved in the somatosensory modulation of RN.     

Hypnotic analgesia, placebo analgesia, and ischemic pain: The effects of contextual variables.

In two experiments we examined the relation between hypnotic and placebo analgesia using ischemic pain. The first experiment examined an artifact in a previously used ischemic pain stimulus. Experiment 2 investigated the relation between hypnotic and placebo analgesia using a submaximum effort tourniquet technique to produce ischemic pain. High- and low-susceptible subjects received hypnotic and placebo analgesia in counterbalanced order. High-susceptible subjects received placebo analgesia followed on a subsequent trial by hypnotic analgesia showed significant increases in tolerance from placebo to hypnotic analgesia. When presented in the reverse order, however, placebo analgesia and hypnotic analgesia led to equivalent levels of tolerance in both high- and low-susceptible subjects. A similar pattern of findings emerged for subjects' magnitude estimates of pain, but it was not related to hypnotic susceptibility. These findings indicate that both hypnotic and placebo analgesia may be contextually dependent phenomena. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reduction of cold-pressor pain with acupuncture analgesia in high- and low-hypnotic subjects.

Examined the effect of acupuncture on the cold-pressor pain of high and low hypnotically susceptible undergraduates. The 24 high-susceptible Ss and the 24 low-susceptible Ss verbally reported their course of pain over each 60-sec cold-pressor trial on a numerical rating scale. On Trial 1, in which no groups received treatment, pain ratings did not differ between groups. On Trial 2, Ss who received acupuncture reported significantly less pain than their no-treatment counterparts. The Treatment by Susceptibility interaction was significant, with high-susceptible Ss being more responsive to acupuncture. When an acupuncture effect occurred, it was invariably one of pain reduction; in no case was pain elimination reported. It is concluded that hypnotic susceptibility may be a relevant dimension of individual differences in responsivity to acupuncture. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clinical study on painless labor under drugs combined with acupuncture analgesia

To study the analgesia efficacy of drugs combined with acupuncture analgesia for painless labor, 462 normal pregnancy women were observed. During the latent phase in labor, several analgesia methods: acupuncture analgesia, analgesics, magnetotherapy and auricular acupressure, TENS combined with dihydroetorphine were used respectively. While the intrauterine pressure and the peripheral content of beta-EP were measured during labor, the experiments of SEPS were also performed on healthy adults to demonstrate the analgesia efficacy of those analgesia methods. The combination of drugs with acupuncture is an excellent method for painless labor without any complications and all the mothers and babies are safety. The effectiveness is 97.5%. The results demonstrate that the mechanism of analgesia efficacy should be regulated the incoordinate uterine action and improve the hypertonic status of uterus, but also can decrease the pain threshold and elevate the tolerance of uterine contractions during labor.     

The bidirectional relations between affect and belief.

Whereas a majority of previous work has focused on the cognitive factors that influence beliefs, current theory and research suggest that affect also plays an important role. In this article, we comprehensively describe the bidirectional relations between affect and belief. On the basis of our review of existing theory and research, we develop the following three empirically derived premises. First, the need to make sense of experience and the need to regulate affect drive a reciprocal feedback loop through which affect and belief influence each other. Second, changes in affect arousal, valence, and type influence belief content and conviction. Third, changes in belief content and conviction influence affect arousal, valence, and type. We discuss empirical research supporting each premise, needed empirical tests, and avenues for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effects of qi-gong and acupuncture on human cerebral evoked potentials and electroencephalogram

Although a number of studies on traditional Chinese medicine, such as qi-gong (QG), acupuncture (AC), moxibustion and Chinese herbal drugs, have been reported in recent years, there are few reports on human cerebral evoked potentials (EPs), especially relating only to QG and AC. In the present study, we examined the changes in EPs and electroencephalogram (EEG) by QG, and by AC stimulation to the point called "Zusanli" on the left lower leg, with one healthy male adult. 1. With regard to the effect of QG, significant changes in EP-components originated from the cortex suggest both facilitating and inhibitory effects of QG on the cortex. However, no significant changes in EP-components originated from the subcortex and no significant changes in EEG power% suggest that QG does not affect the subcortex. 2. With regard to the effects of AC, significant changes in EP-components originated from the cortex suggest facilitating and inhibitory effects of AC stimulation on the cortex. Furthermore, it is suggested that AC stimulation has few effects on the somatosensory and the visual pathways up to the cortex, while it has complicated effects on the auditory pathway up to the cortex.     

On the mechanism of action of acupuncture analgesia (author's transl)

The correlation between the effects of acupuncture (A) and hypnosuggestion (H) on subjective pain perception was studied in normal volunteers using somatosensory evoked potentials technique. Both methods influenced identically the subjective pain perception and affected the evoked cortical responses similarly. In those subjects in whom analgesia was achieved, location of the A needles proved unimportant and the suppression of the cortical response elicited by A or H was identical. This could be explained by cortically induced inhibitory activity in descending control systems for both methods. A. analgesia thus appears to be a suggestive modality which depends on individual susceptibility. A specific cultural background also seems to be of importance.     

Psychology's ethics of belief.

Comments on S. L. Jones's (see record 1994-29392-001) attempt to steer away from conventional habits of discourse toward a discussion of metaphysical and moral issues in general and of the relationship between religion and psychology in particular. Hoshmand contends that what Jones failed to address fully are individual differences in the epistemic styles, and personal–developmental and cultural influences on the ethics of belief. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The vulnerability of belief in the conservation of area.

Evaluated the durability of the belief that by late adolescence normal individuals accept the principle of area conservation. 120 undergraduates completed a short questionnaire that considered statements of ostensible fact. Ss were then shown a rectangle cut from graph paper and divided into 4 components. Ss were asked to calculate the area, then were told that it was 8?×?8?=?64 square units. The experimenter then rearranged the component parts and asked Ss to recalculate the area. Ss were then informed that the area was now 5?×?13?=?65 square units. Ss were allowed to manipulate the components themselves and were then readministered the questionnaire. Findings indicate that conservation of area was not a widely endorsed principle among undergraduates and that for those who endorsed it, the belief was highly susceptible to disproof. Females tended to be somewhat more susceptible to the demonstration than males. Results are discussed in the context of alternate (non-Piagetian) conceptions of the development of reasoning skills. (French abstract) (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Experimental designs, expectancy effects, and hypnotic analgesia.

40 undergraduates who scored high on the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups. Each group received 3 60-sec immersions of cold-pressor pain stimulation. Immersions were associated with either hypnotic, waking, or no analgesia (control) instructions. The treatments and their order were varied across groups to induce different expectations about the efficacy of hypnotic and waking analgesia. Magnitude estimates and category scale ratings of pain indicated that hypnotic analgesia was more, less, or equally as effective as waking analgesia, depending on the expectations induced by varying treatment order. Pain ratings were also related to the type of cognitive activity (e.g., imaginative coping) engaged in during an immersion. (46 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-generated validity and other effects of measurement on belief, attitude, intention, and behavior.

Drawing from recent developments in social cognition, cognitive psychology, and behavioral decision theory, we analyzed when and how the act of measuring beliefs, attitudes, intentions, and behaviors affects observed correlations among them. Belief, attitude, or intention can be created by measurement if the measured constructs do not already exist in long-term memory. The responses thus created can have directive effects on answers to other questions that follow in the survey. But even when counterparts to the beliefs, attitudes, and intentions measured already exist in memory, the structure of the survey researcher's questionnaire can affect observed correlations among them. The respondent may use retrieved answers to earlier survey questions as inputs to response generation to later questions. We present a simple theory predicting that an earlier response will be used as a basis for another, subsequent response if the former is accessible and if it is perceived to be more diagnostic than other accessible inputs. We outline the factors that determine both the perceived diagnosticity of a potential input, the likelihood that it will be retrieved, and the likelihood that some alternative (and potentially more diagnostic) inputs will be retrieved. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Analgesic effects of acupuncture on the pain of ice water: A double-blind study.

Under double-blind conditions, 30 female college students were randomly assigned to either an acupuncture condition or 1 of 2 placebo conditions, and then tested on the same standardized pain task (immersion of hand in ice water). The pain ratings of the acupuncture group were significantly lower than the ratings of the placebo groups. Results support the position that acupuncture analgesia has a physiological basis, and is not simply due to suggestion. (French summary) (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The influence of language and socioeconomic status on children's understanding of false belief.

Study 1 investigated whether differences in the lexical explicitness with which languages express false belief influence children's performance on standard false belief tasks. Preschoolers speaking languages with explicit terms (Turkish and Puerto Rican Spanish) were compared with preschoolers speaking languages without explicit terms (Brazilian Portuguese and English) on questions assessing false belief understanding either specifically (the think question) or more generally (the look for question). Lexical explicitness influenced responses to the think question only. Study 2 replicated Study I with groups of both speakers differing in socioeconomic status (SES). A local effect of explicitness was found again as well as a more general influence of SES. The findings are discussed with regard to possible relations among language, SES, and understanding of mind. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The specific effects of prior opioid exposure on placebo analgesia and placebo respiratory depression

Although in most of the cases the placebo response appears to be unpredictable, several factors have been considered in order to explain the placebo analgesic effect. For example, it is widely recognized, albeit with little empirical evidence, that placebo analgesia is more likely to occur after a successful analgesic therapy. On the basis of this assumption, we tested the placebo response in a population of patients who were treated with buprenorphine the day before for relieving postoperative pain. However, due to the high variability of opioid responsiveness, buprenorphine was effective in some patients and poorly effective in some others. Similarly, buprenorphine produced respiratory depression with a large variability, ranging from mild depression to no effect. We found that the placebo analgesic response depended on the buprenorphine analgesic effectiveness of the previous day. Analogously, we found that a placebo respiratory depressant response was more pronounced in those patients with a respiratory depressant response to buprenorphine on the day before, irrespective of the analgesic effectiveness. These specific effects suggest that (1) the placebo effect is experience-dependent; (2) the mechanisms underlying placebo analgesia and placebo respiratory depression are independent from each other and, by considering the role of endogenous opioids in placebo analgesia, might involve different subpopulations of opioid receptors.     

The cultural effects of job mobility and the belief in a fixed world: Evidence from performance forecast.

Results from 5 studies illustrate how perception of and experiences with low job mobility can shape culture-characteristic pattern of judgments and behaviors. Although both Americans and some Asian groups (e.g., Chinese, Asian Americans) consider having successful practitioners’ personality traits (role personalities) to be important to job performance, the Asian groups place heavier emphasis on possessing role personalities when making performance forecast than do Americans (Studies 1–3). Moreover, even among Americans, a brief subjective experience with low job mobility can increase the perceived importance of possessing role personalities in performance forecast (Study 4), and a brief direct experience with low job mobility can increase job applicants’ tendency to claim possession of role personality traits in job applications (Study 5). Furthermore, the belief in a fixed world mediates the relationship between perception of low job mobility and perceived importance of possessing role personalities in performance forecast (Study 2). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive Characteristics of belief systems.

Claims that J. Frank's (see record 1978-06868-001) discussion of scientific humanism and transcendental religion would have benefitted from consideration of 3 characteristics of belief systems: intelligibility, truth, and explanatory power. Such consideration may provide conclusions about the basis for a comparison of transcendental-religious and scientific-humanist belief systems as cognitive systems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Diazepam modulation of stress-induced analgesia depends on the type of analgesia.

Factors that determine the impact of diazepam on the hypoalgesia produced by electric shocks were investigated. Tailshocks (1, 5, & 20) were followed by an initial hypoalgesia, lasting 2–4 min, that was unaffected by prior administration of diazepam. This hypoalgesic reaction was followed by a second hypoalgesia if subjects were allowed to remain in the shock environment during testing, and this reaction was reduced or eliminated by prior diazepam. If subjects were removed from the shock situation, this second reaction did not occur. In contrast, 80 shocks were followed by a single hypoalgesia that was sensitive to blockade by diazepam throughout its entire course and was not affected by removing subjects from the shock environment. These results have implications for the perceptual–defensive–recuperative, working memory, and unconditioned response (UCR)-learned helplessness interpretations of shock-produced analgesia. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Stress and illness: The structure of a belief system.

Two studies examined lay beliefs about the relationship between stress and a diverse set of health problems. Study 1 questioned 347 young adults on causal inferences between stress and 26 health problems. Results showed that certain health problems (e.g., high blood pressure) were rated as more related to stress than others (e.g., polio). Factor analysis revealed 2 dimensions in the rating: an infrequent or severe health problem factor and a common health problem factor. Study 2 tested the factor stability of Study 1 results among 201 normal adults. A comparison group of 200 health professionals was also tested to verify that knowledge or lack thereof about health problems had no impact on results. Overall, results suggest that respondents held a consistent set of beliefs about the relationship between stress and particular health problems. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)