Predicting survival of infant pigtailed macaques at 30 days by the assessment of background, maternal, and infant variables.

Information from background, maternal (M), and infant (I) measures was obtained from 61 pigtailed macaque M–I dyads. 16 variables (5 background, 3 M, and 8 I measures) were studied by a commonality analysis for each set of variables and by a hierarchical-stepwise regression for each variable. Each set of variables explained a significant percentage of the variation of I survival, with the M variables contributing over twice as much explained variation as the background or I variables did. Three background variables (M experience, place of birth, and I's birth-weight centile), 3 M variables (grooming efficiency, response to acute stress, and reunion time), and 4 I assessments (rooting, crawling, visual orienting, and placing) contributed significant information. Results indicate that prediction of I survival must be based on information about the caretaking dyad and its environment. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Development of pattern recognition in infant pigtailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina).

Examined the development of pattern recognition in 31 infant pigtailed macaques using the familiarization–novelty technique. Ss were familiarized with 2 identical black and white patterns and tested on the familiar pattern paired with a novel one. Cross-sectional data revealed that a novelty preference occurred with increasing age. Younger Ss (mean age 178 days postconception or 1 postnatal week) did not show a reliable visual preference for either the novel or the familiar patterns. Infants with a mean age of 203.2 days postconception (about 4 postnatal weeks) fixated novel patterns significantly longer than familiar ones. Data suggest that by 200 days postconception, infant macaques are able to remember some aspects of previously exposed stimuli and will perform consistently on a familiarization–novelty task. Results are discussed in relation to the development of human infant pattern-recognition abilities. Pigtailed macaques provide an excellent model for the investigation of human infant recognition memory, 1 wk of maturation in the pigtailed infant being equivalent to 1 mo in the human. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

First recovery in anorexia nervosa patients in the long-term course: A discrete-time survival analysis.

The results of a 12-year follow-up study of occurrence and timing of first recovery in 69 hospitalized patients with severe anorexia nervosa (AN) are presented. For the first time discrete-time survival analysis methods were used to determine the likelihood of recovery in AN patients. Furthermore, predictors gleaned from pretreatment-posttreatment studies of long-term outcome in AN could be evaluated as to their effect on a change in the time course structure of the likelihood of first recovery. Results show that AN condition did not improve until after 6 years after the first inpatient treatment in 50% of patients. However, a restricter-type AN and low serum creatinine levels were predictors for earlier recovery. One specific effect was that AN patients who show purging behavior in combination with additional social disturbances have a lower chance of recovering. The use of discrete-time survival analysis methodology in further prospective studies will contribute to the development of more tailored treatment of AN, which also takes the individual phase of illness and specific aspects of the symptomatology into account. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Visual recognition memory in high- and low-risk infant pigtailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina).

Pigtailed macaque infants were administered a series of visual recognition problems adapted from a standardized test developed for use with human infants. The subjects were classified as either low risk or high risk. The low-risk animals were normal, whereas the high-risk animals had developmental problems (e.g., hypoxia, failure-to-thrive) that sometimes are correlated with cognitive deficits later in life in humans. The test consisted of a series of problems in which two identical abstract black-and-white patterns were presented for a study period, followed by a two-part test trial in which the previously exposed pattern was paired with a novel one. Looking time to each target was recorded. The low-risk group easily differentiated novel from previously seen targets. The high-risk group gave no evidence of recognition. The results have implications for an animal model to examine factors contributing to intellectual deficits in human infants. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of familiarization time on visual recognition memory in infant pigtailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina).

Used the familiarization-novelty procedure in 2 experiments to examine the effects of study time on visual recognition memory in 34 infant pigtailed macaques. In Exp I, Ss were familiarized with abstract black-and-white patterns for 10 sec. They then were given a test trial in which the familiar stimulus was paired with a novel one. Results show that during the test trial, Ss directed significantly more visual attention toward the novel stimulus, a finding that provides evidence for recognition memory. In Exp II, a different group of Ss was familiarized with abstract black-and-white patterns for 1, 5, and 10 sec. Ss demonstrated recognition after the 10-sec familiarization period. Ss older than 6 wks of age at test also demonstrated recognition after the 5-sec study time, a finding that is consistent with the hypothetical 4:1 ratio between macaque and human infant development of some basic sensory, perceptual, and cognitive processes. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive certainty in children: Effects of concept, developmental level, and method of assessment.

Examined the certainty with which children make their judgments on concrete-operational tasks. Ss were 60 2nd graders and 36 5th graders; the tasks involved various forms of conservation and transitivity. Three methods of assessing certainty were included: a rating scale, a betting game, and a feedback phase in which the child responded to a disconfirmation of his answer. Ss who had given operational answers expressed strong certainty in their judgments on both the rating and betting measures. The certainty expressed during the feedback phase, as measured by challenges to the disconfirmation, was considerably less. Operational answers were accompanied by greater certainty than were nonoperational answers. Developmental changes in certainty among operational Ss were infrequent, as were interconcept differences in certainty. There was evidence, however, that conservation of number was the concept held with greatest certainty. Results are discussed in terms of J. Piaget's (1971) claim that concepts of conservation and transitivity are experienced as logically necessary truths. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognition and perception in the object concept.

45 infants, divided into 3 matched groups, were measured on tests of object permanence, coordination of schemes, and "perceptual" permanence at 3 and 4 mo of age. Experimental groups were trained on 7 occasions between test dates. Group 1 was trained in the coordination of the schemes of vision and prehension; Group 2 was trained in the "perceptual" permanence behavior of visual tracking; Group 3 received no training but was also tested at 5 mo of age. No evidence was found of "perceptual" permanence by this age. The superior performance of Group 1 to other groups on object permanence tasks at 4 mo supported the Piagetian claim that the object concept develops from the coordination of schemes. (French abstract) (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Preparation for grasping an object: A developmental study.

An optoelectronic technique (SELSPOT) was used to monitor the opening and closing of the hand during reaching actions by measuring the change in the distance between thumb and index finger. Exp 1 established an adult criterion for the development. Adults started closing the hand around the target well before touch, and the timing was dependent on the size of the target. The hand started to close earlier when grasping a small rather than a large target. In addition, the degree of hand opening was also less for a small than for a large target. In Exp 2, infants who were 5–6, 9, and 13 months of age also controlled their grasping actions visually and started closing the hand around the target in anticipation of the encounter rather than as a reaction to the encounter. The strategy of the two younger age groups was different from that of adults. They started closing the hand closer to the time of contact with the target than did the 13-month-olds, who were comparable to adults in this respect. In all age groups, reaching and grasping were most commonly organized in a continuous way; the hand started to close without any interruption in the approach. The opening of the hand was adjusted to target size in the 9- and 13-month-olds but not in the 5–6 month olds. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Seemingly discrepant data from hippocampectomized macaques are reconciled by detectability analysis.

Wide differences in the effects of hippocampectomy on the visual memory performances of monkeys have been reported in the literature. These differences have been attributed to the extent of preoperative training. Previous calculations, however, have always utilized data expressed as a percentage correct. A reanalysis on detectability, the d′ of signal detection theory, suggests that the differences may be illusory. The losses in visual memory performance due to hippocampal lesions as measured in different laboratories are about equal in terms of d′. This points out a potential trap in making direct comparison of absolute differences in percentage values. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Spatial factors in the development of the object concept.

Conducted 2 studies in which 19 infants' understanding of spatial relations during the period following attainment of active search for hidden objects was examined. The findings of a longitudinal study indicate that infants who have recently achieved this level of object search tend to localize objects globally in relation to available landmarks. Changes in infants' search performance during the course of longitudinal testing were consistent with a shift from more global to more precise differentiation of spatial relations. The findings of a cross-sectional replication study suggest that the spatial relations which infants construct among a set of objects may vary considerably, depending on which aspect of the spatial arrangement they take as dominant. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Shorter term treatment of borderline personality disorder: A developmental, self-, and object relations approach.

After a brief summary of J. F Masterson's developmental, self-, and object relations approach to long-term, intensive psychotherapy of the borderline personality disorder, an adaptation of this approach to shorter term treatment is proposed. The time constraints of abbreviated treatment require the following limited goals for the patient: (a) increased control of maladaptive defenses, (b) learning about the fundamental dynamics related to the focal symptom or problematic behavior, and (c) improved adaptation. Requisite modifications of technique include (a) limited frequency of sessions, (b) focalized treatment, (c) an emphasis on adaptation, and (d) a reliance on confrontation as the primary therapeutic intervention. A brief case study is presented for illustrative purposes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Investigating onset, cessation, relapse, and recovery: Why you should, and how you can, use discrete-time survival analysis to examine event occurrence.

Illustrates how discrete-time survival analysis can address questions about onset, cessation, relapse, and recovery. Using data on the onset of suicide ideation and depression and relapse into cocaine use, the authors introduce key concepts underpinning the method, describe the action of the discrete-time hazard model, and discuss several types of main effects and interactions that can be included as predictors. Practical issues of data analysis and strategies for interpretation and presentation are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An introduction to survival analysis: Statistical methods for analysis of clinical trial data.

The randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) is a prospective study using random assignment of subjects to treatment groups to compare the effect and value of a therapeutic intervention against a control. The RCT is the most definitive clinical research tool for evaluating the efficacy of a new therapy in human subjects. Often the outcome of interest in an RCT is the length of time until an event occurs after treatment or intervention. In this article we introduce statistical methods for evaluating differences in the patterns of time to response between two groups of subjects to determine whether one therapy is better than another. The collection of methods for analyzing such data, known as survival data, is called survival analysis. Using data from a hypothetical clinical trial for the prevention of the recurrence of depression, we illustrate two elementary methods for analyzing survival data. We also discuss generalizations of these methods to incorporate covariates and conclude with a general discussion of clinical trials of psychiatric therapies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Complexity in object manipulation by Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata): A cross-sectional analysis of manual coordination in stone handling patterns.

Defined as a spontaneous stone-directed noninstrumental manipulative behavior, and comprised of multiple one-handed and (a)symmetrical/(un)coordinated two-handed patterns, stone handling (SH) is a good candidate for the study of complexity in object manipulation. We present a cross-sectional developmental analysis of SH complexity in Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata), through the combined investigation of bimanuality, coordination, and symmetry in hand use. Bimanual SH patterns were more frequent than unimanual patterns. Among bimanual patterns, coordinated actions were more frequent than uncoordinated ones. We recorded five asymmetrical coordinated SH patterns with manual role differentiation, a form of hand use reminiscent of complex actions involving the use of tools in monkeys and apes. Bimanuality in SH was affected by body posture. Aging individuals performed less bimanual and less coordinated SH patterns than younger individuals. Our result on senescent males performing less bimanual patterns than senescent females was consistent with sex differences found in the late deterioration of complex manual movements in other species. Although some SH patterns represent a high degree of behavioral complexity, our results suggest that SH behavior is not as complex as tool-use or tool-manufacture in other nonhuman primates and hominids. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attribution, reinforcement, and altruism: A developmental analysis.

Conducted 3 experiments with 256 7–10 yr olds in which Ss were induced to donate some of their winnings from a game to poor children. They were then praised for their behavior (reinforcement), told they must have donated because they were helpful people (attribution), or told nothing (control). Subsequent donation, and behavior on a variety of tests of generalized altruism, was assessed. The donation of all Ss was increased both by reinforcement and attributions of prosocial behavior. Neither reinforcement nor attribution affected the generalized altruism of 5-yr-olds, only attribution affected the generalized altruism of 8-yr-olds, and both reinforcement and attribution affected the generalized altruism of 10-yr-olds. Findings are discussed in terms of the effects of reinforcement and attribution on the child's developing self-concept. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A concept of the primary fantasy bond: A developmental perspective.

Hypothesizes that deprived infants form a primary fantasy bond (a delusion of being connected to the mother) that persists as a defense through childhood and into adult life and that deprivation variables are conducive to the formation of subsequent damage, ranging from mildly neurotic behavior to schizophrenic regression. The primary fantasy leads to a posture of pseudo-independence, relieves fears, and allays the anxiety of feeling separate and alone. In adult life, individuals who defend with the primary fantasy cannot tolerate moving in and out of closeness; they avoid real sexuality, physical intimacy, and honest communication. A letter written to her therapy group by a woman who idealized her family and built a defense of self-hatred illustrates the concept. It is suggested that the hypothesis of a primary fantasy bond explains the underlying dynamics of resistance to change. (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prenatal and postpartum pharmacokinetics of stavudine (2',3'-didehydro-3'-deoxythymidine) and didanosine (dideoxyinosine) in pigtailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina)

Stavudine (5 mg/kg of body weight; n = 7) or didanosine (3.2 mg/kg; n = 4) was administered as an intravenous bolus to pregnant pigtailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina) near term and 4 to 5 weeks postpartum. No significant differences were found between the prenatal and postpartum total plasma drug clearance, steady-state volume of distribution, terminal plasma drug half-life, mean body residence time, or recovery of unchanged drug in urine. These data indicate that pregnancy does not affect the pharmacokinetics of stavudine or didanosine in M. nemestrina.     

Neurodevelopmental schizophrenia: the concept of developmental origins of certain forms of schizophrenia

This article presents the concept of neurodevelopmental schizophrenia and reviews the studies that contributed to its formulation. According to this concept some forms of schizophrenia (early onset, with predominating negative symptoms) are conditioned by distorted CNS development, probably in prenatal period. Such pathogenesis of certain forms of the disease is suggested by the following results of the studies on the CNS structure and function in schizophrenia: 1) structural abnormalities on in vivo brain imaging and postmortem studies 2) cytoarchitectural distortions in some brain regions, suggestive of disruption of cell migration during the CNS developmental processes 3) co-occurrence of the CNS congenital anomalies, minor physical anomalies and schizophrenia 4) neurological defects and psychosocial childhood dysfunction in individuals with adult onset schizophrenia. Genetical conditions, viral infections in prenatal period, obstetric complications or combination of the mentioned factors are considered as the factors disturbing the CNS developmental processes.     

A method for sequential analysis of survival data with nonproportional hazards

Positron emission tomography in three-dimensional acquisition mode was used to identify the neural populations involved in tactile-visual cross-modal transfer of shape. Eight young male volunteers went through three runs of three different matching conditions: tactile-tactile (TT), tactile-visual (TV), and visual-visual (VV), and a motor control condition. Fifteen spherical ellipsoids were used as stimuli. By subtracting the different matching conditions and calculating the intersections of statistically significant activations, we could identify cortical functional fields involved in the formation of visual and tactile representation of the objects alone and those involved in cross-modal transfer of the shapes of the objects. Fields engaged in representation of visual shape, revealed in VV-control, TV-control and TV-TT, were found bilaterally in the lingual, fusiform, and middle occipital gyri and the cuneus. Fields engaged in the formation of the tactile representation of shape, appearing in TT-control, TV-control and TV-VV, were found in the left postcentral gyrus, left superior parietal lobule, and right cerebellum. Finally, fields active in both TV-VV and TV-TT were considered as those involved in cross-modal transfer of information. One field was found, situated in the right insula-claustrum. This region has been shown to be activated in other studies involving cross-modal transfer of information. The claustrum may play an important role in cross-modal matching, because it receives and gives rise to multimodal cortical projections. We propose here that modality-specific areas can communicate, exchange information, and interact via the claustrum.