PERSONALITY CORRELATES OF PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO MOTION PICTURES

Skin conductance (SC) and heart rate (HR) responses to rest, to a bland and to a stressor motion picture film were examined in 20 student subjects (Ss). Ss were divided equally into a high ego strength (Es) and a low Es group on the basis of their scores on the Barron scale of the MMPI. These groups were balanced for film presentation order and did not differ significantly on trait anxiety as measured by the Taylor manifest anxiety scale. The Zuckerman multiple affect adjective check list was administered before and after both the stressor and the bland film. High Es Ss were more responsive in SC and HR under all three conditions and showed a greater range of SC values than did low Es Ss. Subjective states paralleled physiological states. High Es Ss reported significantly greater state anxiety than did low Es Ss.     

PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL AND LEARNING CORRELATES OF ANXIETY AND INDUCED MUSCLE RELAXATION

Recently, extensive use has been made of voluntary muscle relaxation as a response which presumably inhibits anxiety in “systematic desensitization” psychotherapies. This study attempted to test the hypothesis that muscle relaxation would reciprocally inhibit anxiety during a paired-associate learning task. Subjects (Ss) were divided into high, medium, and low anxiety levels and muscle tension, muscle relaxation, and normal tension groups. Paired-associate learning efficiency, as well as heart rate, skin conductance, integrated electromyogram, respiration rate, and finger temperature during learning were measured. Partial substantiation for the hypothesis was obtained for high anxiety Ss, but data for other groups was inconsistent with the hypothesis. An alternative explanation was suggested. Heart rate was the physiological variable which best discriminated the groups.     

PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PERSONALITY CORRELATES OF COMMISSION ERRORS IN AN AUDITORY VIGILANCE TASK

To determine correlates of the tendency to make errors of commission in a vigilance task, 31 Ss worked at a task of listening to recorded digits for 48 min and reported odd-even-odd digit sequences. Reports of “signals” where signals did not actually occur constituted commission errors. While S was engaged in the vigilance task skin conductance was continuously recorded. A measure of extra-version and neuroticism was available for each S. The tendency to make commission errors was associated with decrement in the detection of real signals over time, low GSR amplitude at detection points, and low initial orienting response. Commission errors were positively related to extraversion and unrelated to neuroticism. It was concluded that commission errors are made by Ss who are low in arousal level, subject to vigilance decrement, and likely to score higher on extra-version.     

AUTONOMIC AND CLINICAL CORRELATES OF DIFFERENTIAL ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM RESPONSE TO COLD PRESSOR STIMULATION

Two psychiatric patient subgroups, defined on the basis of an extremely brief or an extremely prolonged electroencephalogram (EEG) response to cold pressor stimulation, also differ with regard to several aspects of autonomic response. The patients showing only a brief EEG desynchronization, with recovery during stimulation, also show a relatively brief autonomic response with recovery beginning during stimulation. They are specifically characterized by elevated levels of skin conductance throughout the measurement period. On the other hand, patients with prolonged EEG response show more prolonged autonomic response and are distinguished as a group by high heart rate levels. Clinical comparisons disclosed no diagnostic correlations. The rapid EEG and visceral recovery observed is discussed in terms of recently described neurophysiological mechanisms of homeostasis.     

AUTONOMIC RESPONSIVITY AND REACTION TIME UNDER FIXED AND VARIABLE SIGNAL SCHEDULES

Heart rate (HR), palmar skin conductance (PSC), galvanic skin responses (GSRs), and reaction time (RT) were measured while Ss detected critical signals which occurred at either fixed or variable intervals. Ss were required to make responses in order to detect the signals. The results showed that: (1) RT was significantly faster with a fixed signal schedule; (2) HR was significantly higher with a variable interval (VI) schedule than with the fixed interval (FI); (3) PSC and GSRs were significantly higher with FI than with VI. It was suggested that the term “improved expectancies” (Adams & Boulter, 1964) he adopted to explain the reason for superior RT performance with FI patterning. The findings concerning HR were interpreted within the framework of the Lacey et al. concept (Lacey, Kagan, Lacey, & Moss, 1963) that acceleration of HR occurs in tasks involving cognitive activities, while deceleration is observed in situations involving primarily perceptual functioning. It was suggested that PSC and GSRs represent physiological correlates of expectancy, and that their elevated level may reflect readiness to respond when critical signals occur at regular intervals.     

PERSONALITY AND AROUSAL CORRELATES OF SPECIFIC GALVANIC SKIN RESPONSES

Basal skin resistance (BSR) and galvanic skin responses (GSR) to five intensities of sound and light were recorded on four occasions in 32 student subjects (Ss). These occasions were assumed to include unfamiliarity and basal and real life stress conditions. All Ss completed the MMPI, California Personality Inventory, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Clyde Mood Scale and Examination Anxiety Scale. GSR amplitude was greater under conditions of unfamiliarity, alertness (by electroencephalographic criteria), and higher intensities of stimulation in both stimulus modalities. It was not greater during the presumed stress period. High ego strength-high Barrier score Ss showed a greater GSR amplitude than low ego strength-low Barrier Ss. Test indices of anxiety generally were not related to GSR amplitude, nor were other personality and mood variables.     

PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL INDICANTS OF ACTIVATION

The present study demonstrates that various central and peripheral physiological variables are similarly altered by experimentally induced changes in activation while being dissimilarly altered during the course of a trial by unknown factors. That is, both general and specific physiological changes are demonstrated in a single experiment. Activation level was experimentally altered by having S (a) react to light flashes under threat of shock, (b) react to flashes without any such threat, and (c) passively observe light flashes. Evoked cortical potentials, heart rate, skin conductance, and muscular tension were similarly affected by these experimental conditions, but the variables showed differential changes over time. It was concluded that these physiological processes simultaneously reflect both generalized arousal and directionally fractionated activity.     

宫内缺氧对新生鼠顶叶皮质神经元内nNOS表达及对成年小鼠学习记忆能力的影响

目的探讨孕鼠宫内缺氧对生后小鼠发育时期顶叶皮质神经元内神经性一氧化氮合酶(nNOS)表达及对成年小鼠学习记忆能力的影响。方法用低张性缺氧模型致胎龄13d、15d、17d小鼠宫内缺氧,将新生后P1、P7、P14、P28、P90鼠脑组织作Nissl染色及nNOS免疫组织化学反应,观察顶叶皮质神经元数量、形态及nNOS神经元表达,P90小鼠行Morris水迷宫实验。结果与正常组比较,宫内缺氧组小鼠顶叶皮质神经元数量明显减少(P<0.05),顶叶皮质神经元内nNOS表达明显减弱(P1,P<0.01;P7,P<0.05;P14,P<0.05;P28,P<0.01;P90,P<0.01)。宫内缺氧组小鼠逃避潜伏期延长(1d、2d,P<0.05;3d、4d,P<0.01)及穿环次数明显减少(P<0.05)。结论宫内缺氧导致生后小鼠发育时期顶叶皮质神经元数量明显减少,顶叶皮质神经元内nNOS表达明显减弱;宫内缺氧引起成年小鼠学习记忆能力降低。     

VALIDATION OF A PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL TEST OF APTITUDE FOR LEARNING SOCIAL MOTIVES

This study was based on two assumptions. The first is that the hierarchy of motives is learned. “Hierarchy of Motives” is a concept denoting those largely unconscious systems which enable the selection of alternative behavior. The second assumption is that learning the hierarchy of motives requires an aptitude which varies widely in the population. The working hypotheses were: (1) presently measured aptitudes and environmental influences are insufficient to account for the observed variance in performance, and (2) that a discriminative learning task which requires a differential physiological response of the autonomic nervous system can measure the aptitude for learning social motives. Sixty-three Negro subjects were classified into two relatively higher and lower motivation groups based on their history of employment (from interview data) or on vocational training school teachers’ ratings. They were subjected to a single session of discriminative classical autonomic conditioning involving tones and pain, and given intelligence, personality, and level of aspiration tests. It was found that 18 variables, each individually statistically significant, when combined by means of a discriminant function analysis, classified 92% of the subjects into their correct criterion (motivation) groups. It was concluded that the working hypotheses were strongly confirmed and that the two assumptions were supported. Implications of these findings if confirmed by replication are (1) that a fundamental human aptitude for learning motives exists and can be measured; (2) having measures of the aptitude enables exploration of its relationships to other aptitudes and characteristics; (3) knowledge of these relationships will make it possible (a) to more accurately predict human performance involving motivation, (b) to more appropriately select and place personnel, (c) to devise more practicable training procedures for developing socially desirable motives, and (d) to provide persons unprepared for self-support with more appropriate vocational training.     

慢性复合应激性学习记忆增强大鼠海马神经细胞增殖和突触后酪氨酸激酶表达的变化

目的探讨慢性复合应激性学习记忆增强大鼠海马结构各亚区神经细胞数量变化,以及突触后致密物酪氨酸激酶（Fvn）在海马内表达的变化及其意义。方法39只大鼠随机分为复合应激组、单一应激对照组和正常对照组。复合应激组动物进行6周的垂直旋转、睡眠剥夺、捆绑（6h／d）和夜间光照等慢性复合性应激实验;单一应激对照组进行6周的单一捆绑对照,6h／d。实验结束后,所有动物分别进行3d的Morris水迷宫测试,记录其学习和记忆成绩：并运用尼氏染色方法观察海马各区神经细胞数量的变化;同时采用免疫组织化学、RT-PCR方法检测Fvn在海马CA3区的表达变化以及海马Fyn mRNA水平的变化。结果单一应激对照组动物学习记忆成绩受损（P〈0．05）;复合应激组的学习与记忆成绩优于对照组（P〈0．05）;与对照组相比,复合应激组和单一应激组动物海马各区神经细胞数量明显增多（P〈0．05）;Fyn在复合应激组海马CA3区辐射层阳性表达比对照组明显增强（P〈0．05）,但单一应激对照组的则减弱（P〈0．05）;同时复合应激组动物的Fyn mRNA水平明显上调（P〈0．05）,而单一应激对照组的则明显下调（P〈0．05）。大鼠的学习记忆成绩与Fvn的表达呈正相关。结论6周慢性复合性应激使大鼠的学习与记忆能力加强;海马各区神经元数量增多;Fyn在海马中的表达和FynmRNA转录水平均增加。提示Fyn参与了慢性复合性应激增强大鼠学习记忆能力的过程。     

孕鼠被动吸烟对子代学习记忆功能及海马神经生长因子含量的影响

目的 探讨孕鼠被动吸烟对子代学习记忆功能的影响及其机制。方法 采用反映学习记忆功能的水迷宫法测试大鼠神经行为的改变，IRMA法测定大鼠海马神经生长因子的含量变化。结果 孕期被动吸烟使仔鼠学习记忆能力下降，海马神经生长因子含量明显降低。结论 孕期被动吸烟降低仔鼠学习记忆功能与海马神经生长因子代谢的失调有关。     

METABOLIC AND CNS CORRELATES OF COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION WITH RENAL FAILURE

Experimental uremia in primates has been demonstrated to produce severe decrements in psychological functions which are related to the accumulation of toxic metabolites in blood. More recent neurophysiological research has referred uremic encephalopathy to disrupted sodium-potassium exchange in uremic brain. The present clinical investigations have found decrements in cognitive functioning with repeated testing in patients maintained on intermittent hemodialysis, which were correlated with plasma concentrations of potassium and creatinine. Power Spectral Density analyses of EEG indicated a shift to lower frequencies in these patients as compared to control subjects. No significant departure from normal functioning has been determined in patients receiving renal transplant tested within 60 days post-surgically.     

慢性复合性应激大鼠学习和记忆与海马突触后致密物质CaMKII的表达变化

目的　探讨慢性复合性应激对大鼠学习和记忆的影响 ,Ca2 + 钙调蛋白依赖性蛋白激酶II(CaMKII)的表达 ,及其在学习与记忆中的作用。　方法　采用行为训练和免疫组织化学相结合的方法 ,将大鼠随机分为应激组和对照组 ,应激组动物进行 6周的慢性复合性应激试验。实验后 ,动物进行 3d的Morris水迷宫和Y迷宫测试 ,记录其学习和记忆成绩 ,同时观察CaMKII在海马CA1和CA3区的分布和表达。　结果　应激组动物的学习与记忆成绩均超过或优于对照组 (P <0 0 5 ,P <0 0 1) ;与对照组比较 ,CaMKII在应激组海马CA3区辐射层灰度明显降低(P <0 0 1) ,而始层灰度无明显变化 (P >0 0 5 ) ,在应激组CA1区海马辐射层和始层的灰度均较对照组降低 (P <0 0 5 ) ;大鼠的学习记忆成绩与CaMKII的表达呈正相关。　结论　慢性复合性应激致大鼠的学习与记忆能力加强 ,CaMKII在海马CA1区和CA3区的表达增加 ,说明CaMKII参与了慢性复合性应激对学习记忆的影响。     

AVERAGE EVOKED RESPONSE AND VERBAL CORRELATES OF UNCONSCIOUS MENTAL PROCESSES

Two methods for identifying visual average evoked response components—one based on sequence, the other on peak amplitude—resulted in significant discriminations between subliminal visual stimuli, thus supporting and extending previous findings dealing with the investigation of unconscious mental processes. In addition, verbal effects of a subliminal stimulus, detected by a free association procedure, were found, which correlated with different AER characteristics. Verbal effects which were conceptually and veridically related to the stimulus correlated with an AER amplitude component (90–260 msec post-stimulus), while homophonic, unveridical verbal effects were related to the incidence of alpha bursts approximately 1 1/2 sec post-stimulus. Ss were 12 pairs of twins, ranging in age from 13–22. For older Ss (17–20) the sequence and peak amplitude components coincided; for younger Ss (12–16), they were different. Younger Ss also had significantly larger amplitudes than older Ss for both subliminal and supraliminal conditions (peak amplitude method) and for the supraliminal condition (sequence method).     

红细胞聚集的生理及临床意义

红细胞聚集是血液流变学的重要特性之一，是一种常见的生理病理过程，与血流动力学有很大关系。本文就其对血液宏观流变特性、体内血液流动特性及静脉病理等方面的影响作了较详细的论述。     

PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF COMBINATIONS OF PAINFUL AND COGNITIVE STIMULI

Sympathetic activity (SA) was reduced when a cognitive task was imposed during an ongoing response to cold pressor. However, this reduction effect was not obtained when CP was imposed 40-sec after the onset of a cognitive task. Rather the response level appeared to be about that which would have been obtained from cold pressor alone. These results suggest that the reduction found in the former situation is not the result of distraction due to cognitive activity per se, as we had previously proposed, but it is the initial SA resulting from presentation of the cognitive task that causes the interaction. This suggests that the competition occurs at a level below that of cognition.     

AUTONOMIC CORRELATES OF THE SPONTANEOUS K-COMPLEX

Spontaneous K-complexes during stage 2 sleep were scored on nine subjects to study 1) rate of occurrence and 2) autonomic correlates, specifically the heart rate response, number of finger vasoconstrictions, number of galvanic skin responses, and number of skin potential responses. Records for two nights of sleep were available for five subjects. Spontaneous K-complexes occur with considerable regularity at a rate of 1.21 per minute with a range over subjects from. 75 to 1.93 per minute. There was no significant change in this rate over six hours of sleep nor was there a significant difference over two nights of sleep. When compared with control portions of the record, spontaneous K-complexes were significantly associated on both nights one and two with an increase in heart rate, increased frequency of vasoconstrictions, an increase in number of GSRs, and an increase in number of skin potential responses. There were no autonomic changes associated with isolated sleep spindles.     

SKIN POTENTIAL, HEART RATE, AND THE SPAN OF IMMEDIATE MEMORY

Relations between orienting response and span of immediate memory were studied by measuring skin potential responses (SPR) and heart rate (HR). Four conditions were studied by presenting letters in a tachistoscope and a 1000 cycle, 100 db tone simultaneous on some but not all trials. The conditions (15 Ss in each) were: tone and letters for 10 trials, then letters alone for 10 trials; tone and letters for 20 trials; only letters for 10 trials, followed by letters and tone for 10 trials; and only letters for 20 trials. The results showed: (1) positive SPR habituated and negative did not, (2) tone produced more SP activity, (3) HR showed a shift from acceleration to deceleration over 20 trials, but tone had no influence, (4) tone had no direct influence on span scores, (5) Ss showed improvement in number ol letters reported correctly. There was a significant correlation between span and negative SPR when tone was sounded (r =. 36).