Individual differences in the theory of mind and superior temporal sulcus

We investigated the brain area with regard to individual differences in the theory of mind. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we examined the brain area in which signal intensity was apparently related to performance of a theory-of-mind task on multiple regression analysis. A significant relation was observed between performance of theory-of-mind task and activation in the left anterior superior temporal sulcus. We could not find such an activation in the superior temporal sulcus and the temporo-parietal junction area. The present findings provide new evidence that the anterior superior temporal sulcus might dictate individual differences in theory of mind.     

基于典型工作任务的思维导图式教学对康复治疗技术专业实习带教的作用探索

目的:观察典型工作任务结合思维导图式教学对康复治疗技术专业实习学生的学习促进作用。方法:按随机数字表法将73位康复治疗技术专业实习学生随机分为观察组（36例）和对照组（37例）。对照组给予常规临床带教,观察者在此基础上给予典型工作任务结合思维导图式教学带教。于教学前后分别调查学生满意度及患者满意度,同时对学生能力进行综合测试评分。结果:实习带教6个月后,观察组学生对典型工作任务结合思维导图式教学的满意度较高。2组学生成绩、患者满意度均较实习带教前有明显提高（P＜0.01）,且观察组学生成绩、患者满意度改善幅度均较对照组显著（P＜0.05）。结论：在常规实习带教基础上辅以典型工作任务结合思维导图式教学在提高学生临床思维、操作能力的同时,可显著提高学生主动学习能力、团队协作能力及创新意识等综合素质。     

The role of the premotor cortex and the primary motor cortex in action verb comprehension: evidence from Granger causality analysis

Although numerous studies find the premotor cortex and the primary motor cortex are involved in action language comprehension, so far the nature of these motor effects is still in controversy. Some researchers suggest that the motor effects reflect that the premotor cortex and the primary motor cortex make functional contributions to the semantic access of action verbs, while other authors argue that the motor effects are caused by comprehension. In the current study, we used Granger causality analysis to investigate the roles of the premotor cortex and the primary motor cortex in processing of manual-action verbs. Regions of interest were selected in the primary motor cortex (M1) and the premotor cortex based on a hand motion task, and in the left posterior middle temporal gyrus (lexical semantic area) based on the reading task effect. We found that (1) the left posterior middle temporal gyrus had a causal influence on the left M1; and (2) the left posterior middle temporal gyrus and the left premotor cortex had bidirectional causal relations. These results suggest that the premotor cortex and the primary motor cortex play different roles in manual verb comprehension. The premotor cortex may be involved in motor simulation that contributes to action language processing, while the primary motor cortex may be engaged in a processing stage influenced by the meaning access of manual-action verbs. Further investigation combining effective connectivity analysis and technique with high temporal resolution is necessary for better clarification of the roles of the premotor cortex and the primary motor cortex in action language comprehension.     

Social cognition in bipolar disorder versus schizophrenia: comparability in mental state decoding deficits

Donohoe G, Duignan A, Hargreaves A, Morris DW, Rose E, Robertson D, Cummings E, Moore S, Gill M, Corvin A. Social cognition in bipolar disorder versus schizophrenia: comparability in mental state decoding deficits. Bipolar Disord 2012: 14: 743–748. © 2012 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Objectives: Neuropsychological studies comparing patients with bipolar disorder (BD) to patients with schizophrenia (SZ) suggest milder cognitive deficits in BD patients and across a smaller range of functions. The present study investigated whether this pattern is also true for social cognition – a range of socially relevant abilities, including emotion perception and recognition, theory of mind, and social attributions – by comparing performance on measures of social cognition in patients with BD, SZ, and healthy participants. Methods: One hundred and two patients with BD, 208 patients with SZ, and 132 healthy participants were assessed using a battery of tasks measuring basic neuropsychological and social cognition. Results: We observed significant differences between patients with BD and healthy participants in a test of mental state decoding (‘eyes task’) that was at a level comparable to deficits seen in patients with SZ. By comparison, BD patients showed more subtle deficits in mental state reasoning (‘hinting task’) than those shown by patients with SZ. Conclusions: Mental state decoding difficulties are significant in BD. An important direction for further research will be to establish to what extent these deficits affect social and occupational functioning as a potential target for therapeutic intervention.     

八年制医学生教学体会：从理论知识到科研思维

八年制医学生毕业时将获得博士学位,在其生理学教学中,应将科研理念和思维贯穿于理论教学的全过程,培养学生的科研意识。在此拟通过生理学中冠状循环教学的实例分析来简要介绍该教学模式,希望对完善八年制医学教育有所帮助。     

Response Times of Children and Adolescents with Asperger Syndrome on an ‘Advanced’ Test of Theory of Mind

In the present study the response times of 10- to 20-year-old participants with Asperger syndrome (AS) (N = 21) of normal intelligence and a control group of typically developing individuals (N = 20) were recorded on a new ‘advanced’ test of theory of mind. This test taps the ability to make mental-state inferences versus physical-state inferences in a story context. The participants with AS were significantly slower than the controls on both tasks. In addition, the differences in response times between mental- and physical-state inference were significantly larger in the AS group than in the control group, suggesting that the clinical group experienced more problems than the controls in making inferences about mental states than about physical states.     

Who Cares? Revisiting Empathy in Asperger Syndrome

A deficit in empathy has consistently been cited as a central characteristic of Asperger syndrome (AS), but previous research on adults has predominantly focused on cognitive empathy, effectively ignoring the role of affective empathy. We administered the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), a multi-dimensional measure of empathy, and the Strange Stories test to 21 adults with AS and 21 matched controls. Our data show that while the AS group scored lower on the measures of cognitive empathy and theory of mind, they were no different from controls on one affective empathy scale of the IRI (empathic concern), and scored higher than controls on the other (personal distress). Therefore, we propose that the issue of empathy in AS should be revisited.     

Cognitive and Affective Processes Associated with Social Biases

BackgroundOur social activities are quite often erroneous and irrational, based on biased judgements and decision-making, known as social biases. However, the cognitive and affective processes that produce such biases remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated associations between social schemas, such as social judgment and conformity, entailing social biases and psychological measurements relevant to cognitive and affective functions.MethodThis study recruited 42 healthy adult subjects. A psychological test and a questionnaire were administered to assess biased social judgements by superficial attributes and social conformity by adherence to social norms, respectively, along with additional questionnaires and psychological tests for cognitive and affective measurements, including negative affects, autistic traits, and Theory of Mind (ToM). Associations of social judgment and conformity with cognitive and affective functions were examined using a multiple regression analysis and structural equation modeling.ResultsAnxiety and the cognitive realm of ToM were mutually associated with both social judgments and conformity, although social judgements and conformity were still independent processes. Social judgements were also associated with autistic traits and the affective realm of ToM, whereas social conformity was associated with negative affects other than anxiety and an intuitive decision-making style.ConclusionsThese results suggest that ToM and negative affects may play important roles in social judgements and conformity, and the social biases connoted in these social schemas.     

The role of the orbitofrontal cortex in affective theory of mind deficits in criminal offenders with psychopathic tendencies

Individuals with psychopathy show impaired emotional and social behavior, such as lack of emotional responsiveness to others and deficient empathy. However, there are controversies regarding these individuals theory of mind (ToM) abilities and the neuroanatomical basis of their aberrant social behavior. The present study tested the hypothesis that impairment in the emotional aspects of ToM (affective ToM) rather than general ToM abilities may account for the impaired social behavior observed in psychopathy and that this pattern of performance may be associated with orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) dysfunction.To assess the emotional and cognitive aspects of ToM we used a task that examines affective versus cognitive ToM processing in separate conditions. ToM abilities of criminal offender diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder with high psychopathy features were compared to that of participants with localized lesions in the OFC or dorsolateral, participants with non-frontal lesions, and healthy control subjects. Individuals with psychopathy and those with OFC lesions were impaired on the ‘affective ToM’ conditions but not in cognitive ToM conditions, compared to the control groups. It was concluded that the pattern of mentalizing impairments in psychopathy resembles remarkably that seen in participants with lesions of the frontal lobe, particularly with OFC damage, providing support for the notion of amygdala-OFC dysfunction in psychopathy.     

疏肝调神针刺法对紧张型头痛患者伴随焦虑和抑郁症状的疗效观察

目的观察疏肝调神针刺法对紧张型头痛患者伴有焦虑和抑郁症状的疗效。方法采用随机对照试验（RCT）的研究方法,将120例紧张型头痛伴有焦虑和/或抑郁症状的患者按随机数字表法随机分为疏肝调神针刺组、常规针刺组,2个疗程结束后进行对比观察。结果两组治疗后SAS、SDS分值均显著降低,与治疗前比较有非常显著性差异（P〈0.01）,组间比较差异有统计学意义（P〈0.01）,疏肝调神针刺组疗效优于常规针刺组（P〈0.01）;随访结果表明疏肝调神针刺法对于改善焦虑、抑郁症状有较好的远期效果,优于常规针刺法（P〈0.05）。结论疏肝调神针刺法可显著改善紧张型头痛患者伴随的焦虑和抑郁症状,远期治疗效果明显。