Factors that influence the relative use of multiple memory systems

Neurobehavioral evidence supports the existence of at least two anatomically distinct “memory systems” in the mammalian brain that mediate dissociable types of learning and memory; a “cognitive” memory system dependent upon the hippocampus and a “stimulus‐response/habit” memory system dependent upon the dorsolateral striatum. Several findings indicate that despite their anatomical and functional distinctiveness, hippocampal‐ and dorsolateral striatal‐dependent memory systems may potentially interact and that, depending on the learning situation, this interaction may be cooperative or competitive. One approach to examining the neural mechanisms underlying these interactions is to consider how various factors influence the relative use of multiple memory systems. The present review examines several such factors, including information compatibility, temporal sequence of training, the visual sensory environment, reinforcement parameters, emotional arousal, and memory modulatory systems. Altering these parameters can lead to selective enhancements of either hippocampal‐dependent or dorsolateral striatal‐dependent memory, and bias animals toward the use of either cognitive or habit memory in dual‐solution tasks that may be solved adequately with either memory system. In many learning situations, the influence of such experimental factors on the relative use of memory systems likely reflects a competitive interaction between the systems. Research examining how various factors influence the relative use of multiple memory systems may be a useful method for investigating how these systems interact with one another. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Somatic underpinnings of perceived empathy: The importance of psychotherapy training

Abstract

This study investigated the somatic underpinning of empathy using an interpersonal physiology approach. Thirty-nine dyads were formed by a “pseudo-patient” and a “listener” (a therapist, a psychologist, or a non-therapist). Dyadic physiological concordance in electrodermal responses and listeners' empathy were evaluated during simulations of clinical sessions. A significant positive correlation between empathy as perceived by pseudo-patients and physiological concordance was found, providing empirical evidence of a somatic underpinning of empathy. Moreover, therapists showed higher levels of physiological concordance and empathy, confirming the importance of psychotherapy training in managing clinical interactions.     

The evaluation of metacognitive beliefs and emotion recognition in panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder: effects on symptoms and comparison with healthy control

Abstract

Background: The impairments in metacognitive functions and emotion recognition are considered as liable factors in anxiety disorders.

Aims: The better understanding of these cognitive abilities might lead to develop more accurate treatment methods for patients who suffer from anxiety.

Methods: Forty-four patients with panic disorder (PD), 37 individuals with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and 44 healthy control (HC) were participated in our study. Metacognition questionnaire-30 (MCQ-30), Reading The Mind From The Eyes Test and symptom severity tests were administered.

Results: Statistical analyses estimated the dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs and disrupted emotion recognition in patients relative to HC. The ‘need to control thoughts’ aspect of metacognitive beliefs was accounted for symptom severity in GAD. Improper metacognitive beliefs were significantly predicted the PD and GAD. In addition, impoverished emotion recognition predicted the GAD.

Conclusions: Our study revealed the role of inconvenient metacognitive beliefs and distorted emotion recognition in PD and GAD. These findings might facilitate the treatment management in cognitive therapies of anxiety disorders via pointing out more reasonable targets across improper cognitive fields.     

Visual and auditory emotion recognition problems as familial cross-disorder phenomenon in ASD and ADHD

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are frequently comorbid disorders. Emotion recognition problems are considered an important familial deficit in ASD, but this is unknown in ADHD. Very few studies have directly compared emotion recognition performance of youth with ASD and/or ADHD and of their unaffected siblings across age to quantify the contribution of emotion recognition problems to the ADHD phenotype. We therefore devised a study of 64 ASD+ADHD participants, 89 ASD-only participants, 111 ADHD-only participants, 122 unaffected ASD(+ADHD) siblings, 69 unaffected ADHD-only siblings and 220 controls aged 7–18 years, who had completed two tasks assessing auditory and visual emotion recognition. Factor analysis was used to detect underlying dimensions of emotion recognition capacity. Linear mixed models were used to compare performance across groups and to assess age effects. The factor-analysis revealed four factors separating speed and accuracy regarding visual and auditory emotion recognition. ASD+ADHD, ASD-only, and ADHD-only participants all performed worse than controls. ASD+ADHD, ASD-only, and ADHD-only participants did not differ in the severity of their emotion recognition problems. Both unaffected sibling groups performed intermediate between patients and controls. For ASD+ADHD and ADHD-only participants, group differences were more marked in adolescence than childhood, whereas in ASD participants this was not observed. We conclude that emotion recognition problems are a familial deficit in ADHD to a similar extent as in ASD. Emotion recognition problems specifically - and social cognition problems more generally - should be assessed in clinical practice for ADHD.     

More habitual physical activity is linked to the use of specific,more adaptive cognitive reappraisal strategies in dealing with stressful events

Physical activity may improve stress resilience and well‐being. However, specific links to individuals' coping abilities with stressful events are sparse. This study tested whether individuals reporting more physical activity in daily life showed a higher capacity for cognitive reappraisal in dealing with potential stressors. Ninety‐eight participants reported their regular physical activity in the Freiburger Questionnaire on Physical Activity and completed a maximum performance test of their inventiveness in generating reappraisals for situations depicting real‐life stressors. The latter provides scores for overall cognitive reappraisal capacity (quantity of ideas) and preference for specific cognitive reappraisal strategies (quality of ideas; positive reinterpretation; problem‐oriented, de‐emphasizing reappraisals). Additionally, participants' anxious and depressive dispositions and general creative abilities were assessed. Results showed no association between time spent on physical activities per week and total quantity of generated reappraisal ideas. However, a higher degree of physical activity was specifically linked to a greater relative preference for the reappraisal strategy of positive reinterpretation. Opposite associations emerged for the strategy of de‐emphasizing reappraisals. The findings support the notion of more adaptive cognitive reappraisal use in more physically active individuals and may advance research on interrelationships between physical activity and cognitive and affective functions implicated in stress management.     

负性情绪刺激的反应启动效应事件相关电位的实验研究

目的：许多研究观察到，有机体对负性情绪刺激的反应比对中性或正性刺激快，本研究应用事件相关电位中的单侧化准备电位将反应时划分为刺激加工阶段和反应准备阶段，从而得以直接观察负性刺激的反应启动效应。方法：本研究选取国际情感图片系统的正、中、负性图片作为剌激材料，以正常大学生为被试，令其按键表示对图片情绪属性的判断，同时记录脑电。结果：正、负性情绪刺激引起的刺激锁定单侧化准备电位的潜伏期比中性条件下的潜伏期缩短，观察反应锁定单侧化准备电位的潜伏期可见，负性刺激引起的潜伏期显著短于中性和正性条件。结论：对情绪性刺激的心理加工评价过程较短，观察反应锁定单侧化准备电位的潜伏期可见，负性剌激引起的潜伏期显著短于中性和正性条件，表明负性刺激具有反应启动效应.     

动机性访谈对肝癌患者化疗前后负性情绪及化疗依从性的影响

目的：探讨动机性访谈对肝癌患者化疗前后负性情绪及化疗依从性的影响。方法将60例肝癌化疗患者随机分为：动机性访谈组与对照组,每组30例。对照组采用常规的护理方式进行护理。动机性访谈组在常规的护理方式的基础上联合动机性访谈进行护理干预。对比两组患者的负性情绪、化疗配合程度及依从性。结果动机性访谈组的焦虑自评量表（ SAS ）评分（33．17±5．25）分低于对照组的（44．96±8．91）分,动机性访谈组的抑郁自评量表（ SDS）评分（34．82±5．60）分低于对照组的（44．03±7．29）分,差异均具有统计学意义（P＜0．05）;与对照组相比,动机性访谈组肝癌患者的化疗的配合程度及依从性更好（ P＜0．05）。结论动机性访谈可以降低患者的负性情绪,增加患者化疗的配合程度及依从性。